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December ‘22 Coffee Pot. Warm sticky figgy pudding, with garnish of grits. All welcome for 18 years. Locked

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Posted by 8ntruck on Saturday, December 31, 2022 10:07 PM

KRM 

I sympathize about your pup.  Last July we adopted our son's retriever mix.  He was 7 years old and had been having occasional seizures.  Just a few weeks ago, the seizures got worse.  It was time for that last ride to the vet.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 31, 2022 1:29 PM

anjdevil2
Happy new year one and all - see ya on the other side!!

And a Happy New Year to you and yours 'Devil!

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, December 31, 2022 1:24 PM

KRM
Don't feel like saying much more and don't want to dump on anyone. 

Don't feel bad about it 'K, I think all of us have been there and understand.  We're on Basset Hound #9 and have gone through what you're going through eight times and it never gets easier.   Lady Firestorm and I express out sympathies to you and yours but also hope that new course of treatment has the desired effect.

Great acquisition on the GP38!  Can't go wrong with a Williams product!   

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Saturday, December 31, 2022 11:28 AM

Hi gang, Check out the video of my new Williams GP38 over on the Well what did Santa get you for Christmas thread. I like it and the price was soft ay $176 and change with shipping for it in the sealed box. Yes Another place to see more videos of it is on the Facebook site O SCALE 3 RAIL Trains, Nice site and a lot easer to post videos on that this place. Wink or just open it here.

https://youtu.be/PLsqjJK7tew

 

Daughter and SIL decided to try giving the pup some more time to see how she responds to a new fungus infection med. The vet said she may have a chance because she has improved over the last week so their are going to give it a few weeks and see. If she does better great, if not,, got to stop the bleeding of money at some point. Hope for the best. 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Saturday, December 31, 2022 9:41 AM

Happy New Years Eve

Just a quick fly by - lots going on.  The Princess will leave on the 12th, her sailor shipped on on the 28th, he'll drive the car back on the 9th.  Today is his birthday not sure what we are doing at this point.

They have a nice apartment in Jax, FLA so it will be nice to visit them, definitely in March and maybe Christmas, but we will see.

Christmas Eve was nice at the In Laws - got a Hobo skier Observation Car for my Polar Express.  Christmas Day we had the Princess over and it was a nice visit.

Closing is set for the 31st of January.  Just about wrapped that up at this point.

61 and FOG this morning.

KRM - sorry about your pup - we had to put our Smurf to sleep and it was a very emotional good bye - he was such a good cat.

Fife - Maybe next year we get a grand child to spoil, we'll see

Happy new year one and all - see ya on the other side!!

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, December 30, 2022 10:35 AM

Hi all, been slow around here with good news and bad. Looks like my Williams GP38 will be delivered today.  Yes Wife and I are slowley getting over our colds, boy been two weeks already. 

Bad,,,, looks like the grand pup will need to be put down. She seems to have a strange thing called Blastomycosis. And it seems she got it from out here running around in the woods. The thing she loves the most will be her end. We will be sure later today if they get a urine test. She has all the things you get with this and has been sick for 3 months now. This will hit the grand kids hard, but is part of growing up I guess.There is not much else you can do because the cost to treat it would break you and she is only at 50-50 chance to make it. And it can take up to a year to treat.  They will have to decide but for me I see no other option. Tongue Tied

Don't feel like saying much more and don't want to dump on anyone. 
So be good and be safe.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by fifedog on Friday, December 30, 2022 6:31 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Cloudy & 33 along the Patterson Creek cut-off, and looking at near-60 temps over the next week. Good time to get out and hike the GAP or C&O canal. Ate too many Christmas cookies. Youngest Princess treated me to dinner at our Thai restaurant last night, and I need to walk that off too...Laugh

Spent yesterday baby sitting youngest grandson (almost 2), at Middle Princess house. We ran their LionChief Hogwarts Express under the tree, and he's pretty easy on the remote. Then he wants to take off running with it...

Spent evening chatting' with old friends, which was nice.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 7:00 PM

pennytrains

December the 25th is the FIRST day of Christmas.  The 12th day of Christmas is January 6th.  We're only up to 3 French hens!  Wink

 

And since we follow tradition here at the Fortress Flintlock we keep the Christmas tree up until January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, when according to tradition the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem.  

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Posted by pennytrains on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 6:47 PM

December the 25th is the FIRST day of Christmas.  The 12th day of Christmas is January 6th.  We're only up to 3 French hens!  Wink

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by fifedog on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 1:40 PM

Post Yule greetings. Temps moderating somewhat along the Allegheny front range. It was fun having the boys here Christmas morning, and we fed off their excitement, especially the youngest two. Ms. Kelly made a lovely crab cake dinner, and breakfast each morning. The 5 year old kept the trains running under the tree and in the train room. He's easy on the throttle, but heavy on the horns... Haven't started taking down decorations, but I sense that She is getting that itch.Sigh

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Posted by fifedog on Saturday, December 24, 2022 6:11 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Temps are cold, and just plain mean here. Fired up the pellet stove, after waking at Oh-dark-30. Oldest Princess coming tonight with the boys, and Middle Princess bringing youngest grandson for dinner. Maybe that's got me jazzed.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, December 23, 2022 10:04 AM

8ntruck

KRM thanks for the pictures.  I've got a couple of e-units that could use a rebuild.  Does not look to be as difficult as I had thought it would be.  Think I'll give it a try.

 

  

8N, Yes   I ordered some more repair parts as well. Not near as bad as it looked. Big Smile

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by 8ntruck on Thursday, December 22, 2022 11:01 PM

We arrived at our Mo. location yesterday.  Was cloudy and about 30 degrees.  Woke this morning to a couple inches of snow, 3 degrees and wind.  By 5pm, the temperature had fallen to about -5 degrees, still with a stiff wind.  When I take the dog out to do his business, he finishes quickly and tows me back to the house when he is done.

Last week was a tough one.  We had adopted one of our son's dogs last summer when he moved into an apartment.  He was a  7 year old retriever mix that had occasional seizures.  The majority of the time he was a really neat dog.  Last week, the seizures got worse.  We had to make that last trip to the vet on Saturday.  Had furnace issues mixed in with that as well.

KRM thanks for the pictures.  I've got a couple of e-units that could use a rebuild.  Does not look to be as difficult as I had thought it would be.  Think I'll give it a try.

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Posted by fifedog on Thursday, December 22, 2022 4:54 PM

Evenin' guys and gals. Shoveled 5" of wet snohizo today, then went to work in the train room to finish that new section. Now I'm spent,woof... 

KRM - Love seeing old layout pics. Thanks.

anjdevil - Geez, by the time you get everything decorated...Laugh I have Mom's Byers carolers in the mantle, and her nativity in the window.

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Thursday, December 22, 2022 3:26 PM

good afternoon

Just a quick check in - now that we are better health wise again.

Christmas decorating is just about done - need to fire off a few cards and clean off the dining room table.  Hope to get to baking cookies tonight.  I've been cooking dinner, just like I used to.  

The Polar Express with the add on Conductor Car rules the rails under the tree, with a few Lemax buildings and lighted "snow". 

My Public Service trolley is active once again, on the shelf lined with Mom's Nutcrackers by the front windows.

We'll have just us and the Princess for Christmas - at her request, Roast Beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and asperagus.  This will  be her last Christmas here in Jersey for a while.  The house is under contract and she will be at NAS Jacksonville with her husband by the 15th of January.  Next time I will see her is in March when she gets married.  So, happy and sad at the same time.

Fife - Daddy-Daughter days are the best!!!

Kev - looking good, nice set up!!

Hope to stop by Christmas - if not Merry Christmas!!

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, December 22, 2022 2:39 PM

Beautiful work!  And the "flashback" shots are nice too!  Thumbs Up

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Thursday, December 22, 2022 1:06 PM

fifedog

KRM - Looks good, runs good. Like to see more of the layout...

YesPirate

 

 Fife, I have been sharing pictures since I started the layout in 2009. But it is snowing and cold, so I will post some pictures of scenes I have added over the years. Big Smile

Before I started, testing old trains in the shed.

The start.

The lake and cabin,

 

The logging scene,

The tank farm,

The K-Line saw mill,

Bums fixing Venison,

 

 

The addition,

The old coal loader. 

Tractor and car show,

 

Last but not least the elevated loop.

   

 

 And how it all started. The childhood layout in the basement after mom died and  the one after that in Grandpa's attic. That is me in front and my older brother Rex in the back. Smile, Wink & Grin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by fifedog on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 12:53 PM

KRM - Looks good, runs good. Like to see more of the layout...

YesPirate

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 11:37 AM
here on The North Bluff, waiting for the sky to fall. Two days ago, they were screaming 12” to 18” of white stuff, today it is maybe 2.5”. Ha ha ha ha.
Yesterday I tried to get by just changing the bottom fingers on that E-Unit but it did not work. So today I removed the E-Unit from the 218 ALCO and replaced both the top and bottom fingers. Bummer is the drum they sent had one side where it fits into the frame it was broken so I had to use the old drum over.
That spreader works good for the bottom fingers and drum but to get the top fingers out you have to spread it a bit more with needle nose plyers.  Once I figured that out it was pretty much straight up. I held it in place with my small bench vice I have on my work bench and that helped. I removed all of the horn stuff from the 218 frame because I am running a RailSounds box car with the set and it was just in the way.  It is all custom anyway.  One thing I could of used is stronger glasses and smaller fingers. That thing is little. But it is now working fine and that is what counts.
Bout it from here. Guess we will see what the weather men say tomorrow!  Laugh
 

 

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by fifedog on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 7:05 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Sunny & 27 along the Allegheny front range. Ms. Kelly indicated grocery shopping today.

The Youngest Princess and I were road-dogs yesterday, 300 miles worth. After floral purchase and gas up, and a drive thru at Chick, headed east to Baltimore. She needed to visit her spine doc (everything fine) from a decade ago. Then stop at our favorite seafood place for gift certificates, a drive by the ol' neighborhood, candies and cards at Wockenfuss, cemetery visit, Panera (HER Idea), and visit with my Sister's family. Then we had to head to Oldest Princess home by 5, to catch a ride downtown for the grandsons' Christmas concert. I needed that pick-me-up. Then picked up some DD, and motored back to WV. 12 hours, and I enjoyed the Daddy-Daughter time.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Monday, December 19, 2022 10:44 AM

8ntruck

KRM, I will assume that you also ordered an e-unit spreader.  I am curious about how they work.  Going to post pictures about your e-unit rebuilding adventure?

 

8N, Yes I did and yes I will. Wink  

Cold is the word on the North Bluff. Wifey and I both have the crud. I am way worse than she is at this point. Passed the COVID tests so just a good old cold I guess. May put a bummer on the holidays if we don't recover soon. Crying Going to be sub-0 for Christmas Eve and Christmas here and they say a wopper snow in front of that. ????   Ho Ho Ho!

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by 8ntruck on Sunday, December 18, 2022 7:24 PM

KRM, I will assume that you also ordered an e-unit spreader.  I am curious about how they work.  Going to post pictures about your e-unit rebuilding adventure?

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Posted by fifedog on Sunday, December 18, 2022 9:14 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Cloudy and 34 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. Volunteering this weekend at the Cumberland Railroad Museum. Catching a lot of the scenic railroads riders fanning out from the WM station. Lots of fun interactions with the kids and their folks. My gals will be baking cookies while I'm gone, to ward off any unneccesary "interference" I s'pose...

Dinner

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, December 16, 2022 6:57 PM

8ntruck

I built a 4 motor A-B-A 200 series Alco set.  When I did my digging, I found somewhere that the 100-11 E-unit was good for 4 motors.

Ever consider using an electronic E-unit?  I know, I know, the electronic unit doesn't make the 60 cycle buzz that the 100-11 does.

 

 

8N, you were my inspiration for making it. It was at first a ABA 4 motor set, but I changed my mind and took the second A unit and made a 2 motor A-A set when I built my Alaskan ALCO set.  Yes I also found it was good for 4 motors. I have ordered the parts to repair the E-unit. Never have but it should be fun. I found one of the fingers on the bottom was broken off. So something to do on these cold days coming up.  Yes

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by 8ntruck on Friday, December 16, 2022 6:35 PM

I built a 4 motor A-B-A 200 series Alco set.  When I did my digging, I found somewhere that the 100-11 E-unit was good for 4 motors.

Ever consider using an electronic E-unit?  I know, I know, the electronic unit doesn't make the 60 cycle buzz that the 100-11 does.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, December 16, 2022 1:42 PM

WOW sure glad you got it Northwoods, was not much here but looks like we will both be in the deep freeze next week or two. Surprise

So fighting off the crud. I think it is a cold but who knows what you have these days. I do have some COVID test kits so maybe I will check. I babysat a sick grandchild and he blessed me with this. 

To cold and damp to be outside so I have been working on a bad boy 218 ALCO that I now know has a bad e-unit. It is sparking at the drum to side wall and one finger. I have been looking and it is hard to find the 100-11 it calls for so I was thinking some newer replacement number may be out there that will work. This e-unit is in that 218 that I built the twin motor B unit for so it is controling 3 motors, but from what I found out that should of been okay? Who knows? Any suggestions? I want a direct replacement at this point. 

About all for now.

 

 

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Friday, December 16, 2022 8:47 AM

Good Morning Folks,

After being under Blizzard Warnings for two days we received a grand total of 21.4 inches of snow.  The heavy wet snow came in two waves so we were able to clear the first 11 inches before the second batch arrived.  We have cleared that too and the forcast for today is for 1-4 inches of light fluffy snow.  Our grandson's daycare is closed for the third day so we will be playing in the train office again today when he arrives.

Christmas preparations are moving along slowly. My guess is that we will finish up just before the big day. After that it won't matter what didn't get done.  Our daughter and her family including the 16 month old grandson will arrive from Maine next week.  We are hoping for clear weather for travel for them.

American Flyer prewar O gauge will be thundering under the Christmas tree again this year.

Have a great day.

Northwoods Flyer

Greg

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

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Posted by fifedog on Friday, December 16, 2022 7:58 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Clearing fog and 31 in the Potomac Highlands. Watching youngest grandson today, at his house. His parents have a Hogwarts train that I set up under the tree for them, so we'll be shining the rails.

Did spend some time in train room, starting to add trees to new section. I keep trying to hot glue my fingers to the scenery. Ouch. Hope to be done this weekend. Visitors on the horizon.

Last night watched Netflix with Wifey and Youngest Princess. Falling for Christmas Ick!, and Wednesday YesYes.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, December 15, 2022 9:25 AM

'Morning everyone!

Got an Ellie (Leverettrailfan) update.  Her computer's still in the hospital and may have to go into "hospice" care so she's figuring out a plan of action.  But she's still out there and in good spirits and as far as the hobby the hunt still goes on.

A grey, grey lousy day here.  Raining like mad.  I think I'll stay inside and pass on a trip outside to the Chugger Barn.  It's not going anywhere.

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