CLOSED////////The Coffee Pot is still on and over 3 years. Here we gather as friends with trains.

[fifedog]

Mornin' boys.  Anyone else preparing for human sacrifices tomorrow at 1744 hours?  Need volunteers...

Chief - Looks like I didn't "study" hard enough for that test.   I think the piper will be bringing 76 trombones....

88 - Mrs. Fifedog wants that basement straightened up before you visit.  I'll email you middle of next week and we'll break-in those F's...

BAKEER - The media has been relentless on having us believe that GW Bush really caused Katrina.  Unfortunately the message has been drummed out so long, that a significant percentage of the great unwashed really believe that is gospel.  By the way, I didn't get there in time to collect my big screen tv, anyone else?

[Anonymous]

fife,
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No problem... had em running on a small loop earlier in the week... while I'm in Pittsburgh this weekend I'm stopping at a local hobby shop and picking up the B-unit!

Speaking of which.  does anyone know if it is possible to add smoke to these?  They do everything but smoke

Brent

[rtraincollector]

I knew everyone was talking to soon I figured and stated he would probally get on a computor at BPS but no one listen to me lol just cause I'm a confused yank living in the south.

[Buckeye Riveter]

BAKEER - The media has been relentless on having us believe that GW Bush really caused Katrina.  Unfortunately the message has been drummed out so long, that a significant percentage of the great unwashed really believe that is gospel.  By the way, I didn't get there in time to collect my big screen tv, anyone else?

Now wait a dang toot'n minute there.  I took a shower with soap this morning. 

We all know that Global Warming is occurring except in Denver, Chicago, Iowa, and maybe West Third Street in Toledo.  Those of us who have been operating at maximum speed our American made cars, lawn mowers, toy trains, snow-blowers, bass boats and BIG Harley Motorcycles are the ones that are creating the climate change in the mountains of Chile.  Due this change, except in Denver, Chicago, Iowa and that street in Toledo, Katrina blasted out of Africa, crossed the Atlantic, decided to miss Florida since they had a special governor who owned a gun and took aim at the only city in the U.S. built by someone who had the ruler upside down, below sea level.  Katrina, the smartest hurricane in the history of the earth was constructed by cloning two typhoons with Chinese accents that occurred in the 1930's reinforcing the theory of the decline of public education in America.  All of the above are facts I copied off that thing that Al invented, so they must be true.

I got three big screen TVs and a stainless steel barbeque grill.  Ya want one?

Please join the

Giving Up My O Scale Trains

 to

Stop Global Warming Club

by sending $50.00 to me.  Hurry, hurry!! Memberships are limited to the first 1,000,000 applicants.

[Dr. John]

Thanks Buckeye! I needed cheering up.

You left out the part about how special forces, aided by UFO technology, secretly blew up the levees in the middle of the hurricane to maximize damage. (That is actually one of the conspiracy theories floating around.

In reality, hurricanes are powerful, terrible things. I've been through five in my life. After hurricane Frederick in 1979, I had no power for three weeks and no water for a week. Yet I don't recall anyone blaming it on the government or anyone else. We helped each other, cleaned up and rebuilt Mobile. It was tough and not much fun, but everyone from all walks of life worked together to recover. I vividly remember members of the Mobile city council handing out bags of ice and manning chain saws. They were too busy to hang around in front of TV cameras for long.

And to keep this train related, in those days, the L&N, Frisco, ICG, Southern and Terminal Raiway of the Alabama State Docks all served Mobile. Today it's BN, NS, CSX, CN and the TRR. Times do change. 

[CSXect]

We see black helicopters in South Columbus all the time but then we are close to a partialy commercialized air base that is still active

3rd day at work made one mistake installing operateing system and had to start all over on that cpu. I am installing win 98 as that is what we have licesenes for and also open office(Sunmircosystems answer to msoffice) making nice progress 3 pc at atime need a total of 25 systems ready. Will hopefully have a better day Monday.

[jonadel]

Bulletin!

The Global Warming Conference scheduled in Iowa has been cancelled, not postponed.  The thousands of attendees who are stranded along the closed interstates because of blizzard conditions phoned in their decisions.

Jon 

 

[wrmcclellan]

Jon - excellent!

Sorry I have been absent this past week. Full schedule. Heading out tonight for a Boy Scout Leader Outdoor Training exercise (like I needed it). Back on Sunday.

Hope all are well.

[wrmcclellan]

Please join the

Giving Up My O Scale Trains

 to

Stop Global Warming Club

by sending $50.00 to me.  Hurry, hurry!! Memberships are limited to the first 1,000,000 applicants.

And send your trains to me to show you are really serious about stopping Global Warming.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Please join the

Giving Up My O Scale Trains

 to

Stop Global Warming Club

by sending $50.00 to me.  Hurry, hurry!! Memberships are limited to the first 1,000,000 applicants.

And send your trains to me to show you are really serious about stopping Global Warming.

Where have you been?  I am doing my darndest to fight Global Warming and you are flying all over in your fuel guzzling Lear Jet chasing electrons.  Have a good time at your Scout Training.  Is it Wood Badge?  I have two National Camping School Training Patches.

[jefelectric]

Buckeye,

You are absolutely correct.

As further proof of global warming I offer these pictures I recently recieved of the snow on Route 11, Outside of Oswego, New York.

 

This should settle the arguement right here, there is no question that we are getting much less snowfall than in the past.

This might even stop a freight train, just to keep on topic.

[CSXect]

Buckeye Jeff, Al Gore IS wrong the earth is not heating up all over what is realy happening is the earth is tilting causing snow to melt on the polar areas and pile up in new areas so we have shifting polar caps but at least he can spell potato.

The A r r n old fitness show is going on in Columbus, never been but brings in a lot of money to the area.....we have that and the quarter horse convention as regular events in the city. If you never been to  Columbus the OHIO STATE fair is the countrys biggest fair and they even have a whole building full of trains N and HO last time I visited.

[dwiemer]

Evening everyone.  We don't have local TV...just the Sat.  Anyway, looked on the computer and got to see the paths of the tornados.  Seems they jumped right over us and did major distruction on either side of us, whew! that was close.  Our hospital took in 40 patients from the one that was destroyed in Americus, just up the road.  From what they are saying, the hospital is a total loss.

To keep this train related, I spoke with my neighbor, he is the president of Georgia Southwestern Railroad.  They seem to have gotten away with little damage.  They are not running trains, but have sent out track crews to inspect and clear the rails.

We are volunteering to head up to the other hospital tomorrow to do some recovery work.  At this point, the equipment is toast, but the patient records would be the big thing to recover.  I hear the president is supposed to come by. 

Everyone have a great weekend.

Dennis

[thatboy37]

first and formost my thoughts and prayers go out to the families that lost loved ones in the storm this week in alabama and georgia.

next i made it to dallas inone piece today to get ready to start training for truck driving. also had a chance to go by trains and toys, and discount model rairoad. nice stores trains and toys had a really nice selection of accessories to choose from but not that many modern day engines to choose from as that was my main reason for going there. looked at the ones they had and the traction tires where all rotted out. not good for business if you get someone in there who knows about trains a little and knows what to look for. discount trains had a smaller selection of trains and accessories but nothing that really caught my eye, except a lionel sd60 csx conventional engine with magnetraction cant remember the road number but it was brand new and they only wanted 150.00 for it. will go back by there before i leave dallas to get it. i just wasn't in the train buying mood today to get it. other than that all went well today as i got to visit my sister and 2 nephews and that really made my day as i haven't seen them since this past summer. well i have to get some rest as i have to wake up early in the morning to get started with my training. hope everyone is doing great and take care.

[dwiemer]

Thanks for the thoughts Reggie.  Also remember the families and fellow students from that Ohio bus accident in Atlanta.  Been a bad day for many folks.  Glad your day has gone well.  Good luck in the training.  By the way, after you are done and have paid your dues to the company, if you are looking for something, my brother in law owns a trucking firm out of Atlanta.  They run about 20 big rigs and some other logistic stuff including rail freight.  Don't want to make you jump ship, but it is nice to know options are out there.

I just got some photos from one of our anesthesia docs who owns some land in Sumter county and has worked at the hospital over there.  Real bad damage.  Some folks got severly injured, but it is amazing that more didn't die.

God Bless,

Dennis

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,

   Ran trains for 2 hours tonite all ran good.  Hope everyone had a great nite?  Watched the taped show of Modern Marvels, FREIGHT TRAINS before running my own.  Cool.

laz57

[Anonymous]

Dennis - I am so glad that you and yours are safe.  I weas really worried when I saw the radar for your area last night.  My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been so tragically affected in the last couple of days by the weather and accidents. 

Had a tornado in our town a few years back that skipped around a lot.  Took out three churches, part of a textile plant, many houses were destroyed and hundreds were severely damaged.  Lost a lot of great big really old trees, and my old elementary school.  It even hit the firestation about 5 mi. north of us - picked up a full size engine.  Only had 2 deaths - a young school teacher who had just left school - it picked her car up and slammed it up against a 100 yr old brick building; an elderly man was killed when a tree blew into his house.   Never seen anything like it except on TV.  Hope never to again.

TRAIN RELATED QUESTION:  I have an O36 FasTrack remote switch.  Problem:  the wire to the remote is too short to reach my control panel area.  Anybody got a wire stretcher?

Lisa

 

[Anonymous]

Made it to Pittsburgh in one piece!    Traffic was far from terrific... speed ranged from 25 - 95 on I-70 and the PA Turnpike... got passed by 3 cops on the turnpike like I was going the other dirrection!    But at least I didn't get a ticket!

Question - stopping at a hobby store tomorrow to get the B-Unit for the Chessie F-3 AA set... they have 2 instock, should I be greedy and get both of them, or is A-B-A enough?

Also - is it possible to add smoke to these MTH engines?

Lisa,
You can call Lionel and order the switch cables... or just go to Radio Shack and get the 4 wire spool.  IMHO, the wires are a bit thin, 22 ga, I think, so I would recommend something a little thicker in the 18 - 16 ga range.

Brent

[Buckeye Riveter]

Live from Roger's Corners, Ohio

It's Saturday Morning

This morning, I present a thought provoking essay for your consideration.

Things Southerners Will Never Say

• I'll take Shakespeare for 1000, Alex.
• Duct tape won't fix that.
• Honey, I think we should sell the pickup and buy a family sedan.
• Come to think of it, I'll have a Heineken.
• We don't keep firearms in this house.
• Has anybody seen the sideburns trimmer?
• You can't feed that to the dog.
• I thought Graceland was tacky.
• No kids in the back of the pickup, it's just not safe.
• Wrestling's fake.
• Honey, did you mail that donation to Greenpeace?
• We're vegetarians.
• Do you think my gut is too big?
• I'll have grapefruit and grapes instead of biscuits and gravy.
• Honey, we don't need another dog.
• Who gives a crap who won the Civil War?
• Give me the small bag of pork rinds.
• Too many deer heads detract from the decor.
• Spittin' is such a nasty habit.
• I just couldn't find a thing at Wal-Mart today.
• Checkmate.
• She's too young to be wearing a bikini.
• Does the salad bar have bean sprouts?
• Hey, here's an episode of "Hee Haw" that we haven't seen.
• I don't have a favorite college team.
• Be sure to bring my salad dressing on the side.
• You ALL.
• Those shorts ought to be a little longer, Darla.
• Nope, no more for me. I'm drivin' tonight.
• Let's move to the city!
• That is enough children.
• We have too many dogs!
• I don't want to go huntin'.
• I'll take a root beer.
• My house doesn't have wheels.
• " I had too much beer.
• Dont you think my truck is to big?
• I hate John Deere.
• Oh, that ain't a dog that's my pet mule.
• I don't think I want a gun rack in my truck, they are just too tacky.
• Elivis who?
• I'm glad the South didn't win.

Off to a meeting today.  Next weekend the same thing.  The weekend after that the best holiday of all, St. Patricks Day.  May need to go drinking with the O'Grady's all that weekend. 

Still waiting for my order of MTH Realtrax.  I guess MTH really stuck the dealers around Christmas by not providing them with track.

Next week, I will be taking a trip back to the Banks of the Wabash, In Famed Hoosierland.  I have two train stores in Indy that I might need to stop and look.  No money due to track purchase.

Some of you may have seen my posting about Generic Flat Cars.  These cars seem to be an excellent choice for die cast vehicles of all types and you don't pay an arm and a leg. 

Brent, why are you in Pittsburgh?  The Carnegie Institute has a big train layout, but the best place is the top of the mountain overlooking the rivers and the tracks.

See ya down the tracks,

 

[fifedog]

Mornin' boys.  Sunny & milder in the Mid-Atlantic today.  Goin' trackside for a little railfanning in Baltimore this morning. (Sorry, no postings --- I shoot slides).

Still no volunteers for the festivities this early evening...

88 - you may be the only person to run that particular A-B-B-A lashup.

[Roger Bielen]

TRAIN RELATED QUESTION:  I have an O36 FasTrack remote switch.  Problem:  the wire to the remote is too short to reach my control panel area.  Anybody got a wire stretcher?

Lisa

Lisa, I've had success using lawn sprinkler control cable that I bought at Home Depot.

[dwiemer]

TRAIN RELATED QUESTION:  I have an O36 FasTrack remote switch.  Problem:  the wire to the remote is too short to reach my control panel area.  Anybody got a wire stretcher?

Lisa

Lisa, you may also try "Bell wire" the type they use for phones.  I am in the process of wiring the rest of the layout and this is what I am doing.  It is also what has been used on the Fastrack video.  Do you have the "Building an O Gauge Layout" DVD?  it is very well done and has lots of information.

Also, thanks for the thoughts. 

We intend to spend some time wiring the layout later today, depending on the needs at that hospital.

Dennis

PS: you could go with the cable Roger suggests as there is nothing  like success.

[tmcc man]

  

Need to check out one of those "Little Giant" ladders, see if that would work for some scaffolding, alternative to paying someone $2,500 for painting.  UGH   

 

Don, my dad has one, and we love it. It does so much for us, and is very versatile.

[John Bakeer]

What with corruption and global warming, one real the other a confidence trick, both to extract hard earned money from innocent people. Thankfully there are good people who will always help the less fortunate and send out a message of enlightenment. Ooops! Getting follysyvical.

  

Lionel is straining at the leash, April 20 a bond matures, so some cah should be available to get things rolling 

  

Got a picture of the Cheif, I think it explains the trouble with his shooting skills, all that gassy beer is causing turbulance in the tub and spoiling his aim.

[tmcc man]

Good morning everyone,

The whole wek was so busy I had 3 projects due, and ll needed to be oral presentations. I hate standing up in front of the clss becasue I get really nervous.

I hope everyone who was in the middle of that storm got out all right. We had rain, and not much wind. Right now, it as absolutley beautiful out. I might just go for a long bike ride later.

Reggie, good luck with the training.

I wish I could come to lunch with the Chief, but that week we still have school.

I hope everyone has a good day. 

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a sunny, clear sky, 32 degrees day. Going up to 40 today with more sunshine. They say we may get some snow flurries later.

Today, we have some cleaning work to do around the house. Niece and her boyfriend may stop by for a visit.  I would like to run trains later this afternoon.  Have not had time to finish cleaning up train room of tools. Need to put things away and get out all the scenery material.

Well, Dining Car is here early. Time for breakfast. Be back later.

Y'all have a great Saturday.

Chuck

[rtraincollector]

Question - stopping at a hobby store tomorrow to get the B-Unit for the Chessie F-3 AA set... they have 2 instock, should I be greedy and get both of them, or is A-B-A enough?


Brent

Do you really need to ask of coarse 2 are better than one I'm watching one now on ebay that goes with my aba sharknose by williams as I was thinking abba would be so much cooler looking,

[spankybird]

Good Morning All From NE Ohio

where the temp is 33 deg with Blue Clear Skeis.

Buckeye - aren't you planning on coming up for 'RailFest' two day train show on March 17 -18. This is the largest show in NE Ohio!

IT's great to have this weekend off after working out of town last weekend.

Later today we get our taxes done. Maybe there will be a refund with some money for trains.

alll be safe

 

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is SNOWING in SE Indiana with temps in the 20s and 30s today.  We played UNO with Lucas and his girlfriend last night.  I got some of the housework done last night and got up fairly (for me) on a Saturday to take Lucas to work.  He will be taking his driver's test on Friday so the streets may not be safe for a while :-)   Buckeye, I liked your comments.  The dining car arrived from "Points East" with a load of bran muffins this morning.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[laz 57]

TRAIN RELATED QUESTION:  I have an O36 FasTrack remote switch.  Problem:  the wire to the remote is too short to reach my control panel area.  Anybody got a wire stretcher?

Lisa

Lisa, I've had success using lawn sprinkler control cable that I bought at Home Depot.

 

LISA, I have a wire stretcher it doubles at school for me too as a board stretcher.  The kidos can never find it though,they keep on looking for it..

laz57