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

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Saturday, January 20, 2007 7:42 PM

LAZ......."Fine " chicken grit, soft paint brush, and watered down Elmer's glue. Makes great ballast.

" with tubular track, especially ".

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by underworld on Saturday, January 20, 2007 7:58 PM

Supposed to snow here tomorrow...the weather people have been wrong all season, I have to make sure that they are wrong again tomorrow! Can't have snow if I'm going to go to Columbus for the show.

 

underworldBig Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]

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Posted by cheapclassics on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:13 PM

Good evening all,

It was a sunny and cool day with temps in the 30s.  My sister and daughter were down here today going thru my mom's stuff.  My wife and I were watching the granddaughter.  I was running the 10E and the granddaughter was helping me switch the cars.  She really enjoyed watching the trains run.  I worked on the lean to doors a little.  We got estimates for an overhead door and it is too pricey right now.  I think I figured out how to make the old doors work a while longer.  It won't be pretty, but it can work.  I did housework and went to the YMCA as well.  Also got gas for the truck, which was 1.95 a gallon.  Lucas and his girlfriend had a good time at the dance.  It is supposed to snow tomorrow and I will be running the vehicles up and down the alley to keep it clear.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

PS  Got my "regular" issue of CTT today.

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:21 PM

Evening gang.  Back from Redhat dinner [wife is the youngest on there and she is not 50 so she has to wear pink].  Got all the switches in and track down.  Was not too bad.  Still some Realtrax is hard to snap and some is good.  All teh new switches had the lanterns to red for the straight away.  Easy to change.  Then looked close at them.  Some are not good quality.Disapprove [V]  The part that touches the rail when going straight is very thin and jagged.  Like they use poor quality seconds.  Others a thick enough to be OK.  Poor workman ship.  My company is think about switching frm China to India.  Same cost but better quality and the employees are more intelligent.  I was in a meeting the other day was told this seems to be a trend in electronics.  Hey, I got good connectivity without added lockons.  That is good.  Going to add some anyway.  Got a set of switches back to back to allow changing from one track to the other.  The big MTH dummy wants to derail on it usnless you go real slow.  Does fine on the other back to back swtiches.  Who knows????  Its the back truck.  Bumps hard on that switch.  Some are not smooth either.  Big rise in the center rail [not flat].  I have filed some down.  I have also noticed that some of my tack has a thinner center rail than other sections.  ????  Now, the derailing feather works great.  They all open and close great too.  Do you think I should contact MTH and tell them of my observations? 

Western is on.  Later

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by laz 57 on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:32 PM
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

LAZ......."Fine " chicken grit, soft paint brush, and watered down Elmer's glue. Makes great ballast.

" with tubular track, especially ".

Chuck

Thanks CHUCK now all I gots to do is find this stuff.  Figure it has the letters of GRITS in it gonna be hard to find.Wink [;)]

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:35 PM
Chief, have you had any trouble buying MTH Realtrax Straight sections as of late?  The LHS says that he is not going to get them until late February.  Sad [:(]  Which means Phase II of my layout is incomplete.

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

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Posted by laz 57 on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:35 PM

HI GIZ,

   Ran trains for an hour and a half all ran good NO PILE UPS.

 Going to check out e bay now see if I can find a deal?

Later.

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by underworld on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:50 PM

Really a big difference between China and India??? My experience seems to be hit or miss with stuff from either country.

underworldBig Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]

currently on Tour with Sleeper Cell myspace.com/sleepercellrock Sleeper Cell is @ Checkers in Bowling Green Ohio 12/31/2009 come on out to the party!!! we will be shooting more video for MTVs The Making of a Metal Band
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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:55 PM

Chief....Seriously, considering all the business you have given MTH, I would call them and tell them exactly what you found. It would be interesting to hear what they had to say.

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by Frank53 on Saturday, January 20, 2007 8:58 PM

 Buckeye Riveter wrote:
Chief, have you had any trouble buying MTH Realtrax Straight sections as of late?  The LHS says that he is not going to get them until late February.  Sad [:(]  Which means Phase II of my layout is incomplete.

Buckeye & Chief:

I was just at the Local Hobby Shop today and noticed they have a fair amount of MTH RealTrax. Seems they can't give the stuff away. I noticed various track sections and switches. If you are having trouble finding the stuff, I can get you a list of what they have in stock.

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Posted by Sturgeon-Phish on Saturday, January 20, 2007 10:02 PM

Buckeye

Sounds like the show would of been great to attend.  But seeing all that "S" stuff may of put in in debt!  Maybe the show next year the timing will work out better. 

Got my new CTT and Chief looks pretty good, like they say a bad day fishing is better than a good day working!

I found the stringing info for the 644, it was on Port Lines Hobby site in the repair clinics.  Also ordered the missing parts, so future project.

Speaking of projects, got a couple of original roofs for a 752 Seaboard coaler.  This will probabley be a total strip and repaint, we'll see.

Weatherman talking snow overnight, make for nasty driving to work in the morning! 

I've got several pics of my layout accesories that I'll post tomorrow. 

Jim
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Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 20, 2007 11:16 PM

Buckeye, I've got several 30" straights and probably 10 10" straights left where I filled in with switches.  Also, Miss Edna has a bunch of 30's, 10's, 5.5's, 5's, 3'5's and curves too.  She got in 54 switches and 72 switches [I got most of the 72's].  Give her a call Tuesday PM.

Good night.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by John Bakeer on Saturday, January 20, 2007 11:27 PM

Jim, 0500GMT in a cool damp Stockport, at last, the wind has dropped. the clean up is in full swing. my little corner has got off lightly, apart from an unfortunate lady taken out by a collapsing wall in a nearby village, the coasts and hills have been worst affected.

The great British sneeze up is progressing well, the scotch and the cold have about one more day left. I only put cooking whisky in my tea, doesn't cure the code, just helps me to relax, last night I was as relaxed as a newt, the single malts are for serious drinking. My niece is coming down from Edinburgh in March and has promised several bottles of 'the water of life'.

Nick, I have now joined the UK LCC. Reading the correspondence in the 'Shortline' it appears that Lionel have problems with quality and reliability as well as poor communication skills. Looks like my excursion into CTT is going to be interesting to say the least.

For any Beatles fans amongst you the 'Mersey' starts off here in Stockport at the convolution of the Goyt and the Tame. Geography lesson over for today.

John Baker

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Posted by Brutus on Sunday, January 21, 2007 12:34 AM

John, glad your cold has about run it's course.  As for foreign/overseas shipping, I've bought several dvds and books from England (I've got a region free player) and they always came very quickly.  I ordered a dvd from Germany and after a month they had to send a replacement.  That arrived in only a week.  Wonder if the first one will ever make it?  Probably it got delivered to the wrong house over Christmas and they tried to watch it, wouldn't work on their player and so tossed it. 

Apparently some chip went out in our Kodak camera.  It takes pics fine and stores them fine, but won't connect - device won't communicate error.  I can put the memory chip in the reader on our color printer (not the HP laserjet) and download.  We bought a 4 year extended on it so will be taking to BB once this storm is over and the roads are clear.  Snowing and (sounds like) hailing right now - at least very heavy snow/rain/sleet?  Supposed to get like 5 inches tonight.  Probably have to take off Monday to watch the kids - I'd say it's a fair bet they will cancel at least on Monday.  Have to get out tomorrow though - need a newspaper and also down to only 1 beer in the house Shock [:O]  Got home from dinner/birthday party at a very bad chinese buffee.  Everything tasted like old fish.  Cable was working, phone was working, but no internet?  No signal to the modem.  Called and got a computer, which walked me through about a dozen steps.  Then it put me on hold for a human.  What great luck I'm having with computers.  Well, while on hold I went down in the basement and traced the cable.  There is a connector under the back bedroom and it was a little loose.  I opened, cleaned and reconnected.  Came up and nothing.  Unplugged and replugged and the internet came back just as Char ran in and told me that the tech person was on the line!  Good timing!  Why not move realtrax production to India?  They have all the computer and (apparently) cable tech people there! 

John (jefelectric) - if I didn't say before, very nice layout pics!  Wiring over that complex of switches looks like a real job, man!  Chuck, I'm slowly experimenting with different track.  I got fastrack with the Polar Express and super snap track with a K-Line set.  I liked the fastrack, but the radius was just too wide to do anything interesting on the old dining room table I'm currently allowed to use for a layout in the livingroom.  Right now I've got an O-27 layout.  I was thinking of putting an O gauge outer loop around it with maybe a spur that would cross over the O-27 into the "interior" of the layout a little.  Then I could run my little freight/logging operations on the inside and also have a passenger train running on the "mainline" rails....

RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.

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Posted by Nick12DMC on Sunday, January 21, 2007 3:55 AM

Hi All,

Jim, Our area got off lightly from the winds, nothing more than a few airborn fence panels.

John B, I have to say that on a individual level you will find Lionel customer care normally very helpful. I'll give you a example, we have a fastrack crossing with lights and one of Charlie's friends stood on one of the light poles by accident. Lionel sent me a new part all the way to the UK free of charge. Now that is good customer careSmile [:)]. However anything related to 50Hz problems and things seam to go to pot. It was suggested by a LCC UK member that it could be that Lionel fear to admit anything that could open up class actions and legal stuff.Sigh [sigh] Now I would have thought a simple line in the catalogue below effected items e.g. "Not 50Hz compatiable" would be a start. The QC dept. needs to make sure they don't drop the ball as much though. China runs 50Hz power so there is no excuse for not testing at the factory.

I think you will find that the CEO of Lionel is more intrested in the overseas market and this is starting to feed down to other areas of the company. A ex pat who has met him said that he (CEO) would like Lionel to be in Hornby's postion. Lionel are producing the Hogwarts Harry Potter set (this gives them GWR Castle tooling)and if this sells well, other British outline models could follow. So maybe things will start to improve for us in the UK.

Glad to hear the colds on the way out. Try some Wild Turkey that will shift itWink [;)]

Nick

 

 

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Posted by John Bakeer on Sunday, January 21, 2007 4:38 AM
Nick, All I've got is cold turkey left over from Christmas, I think it should be OK in a curry?

John Baker

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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Sunday, January 21, 2007 6:23 AM
 Frank53 wrote:

 Buckeye Riveter wrote:
Chief, have you had any trouble buying MTH Realtrax Straight sections as of late?  The LHS says that he is not going to get them until late February.  Sad [:(]  Which means Phase II of my layout is incomplete.

Buckeye & Chief:

I was just at the Local Hobby Shop today and noticed they have a fair amount of MTH RealTrax. Seems they can't give the stuff away. I noticed various track sections and switches. If you are having trouble finding the stuff, I can get you a list of what they have in stock.

FRANK X 2, thanks for the info.  Obviously the LHS has a problem that other places don't.  I will start counting up how much track I already have and determine how much I need since it is available somewhere.  I have curved sections from the under the tree layout that I will be using.

Chief, save that track and maybe we can work out a deal.  I was thinking along the lines of about a dozen Chocolate-Peanut Butter Buckeyes for some track.  I think that would be a "sweet" deal.  In fact, with that sweet of deal, you should consider throwing in a big diesel or two. Whistling [:-^]

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

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Posted by Sturgeon-Phish on Sunday, January 21, 2007 6:34 AM

Morning all,

Snow just starting, so drive to work was not an issue.  We will see what the day brings.  Posted pics of some of the accesories on the layout.  Funny how seeing pictures of an item or angle shows things that you don't normally see, like figures that fell over and who put the cannon behind the semaphore????

For colds I reccomend salsa.  Works for me, clears the cold and your nose!

Later

 Jim

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:17 AM

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It's a cloudy 24 degrees. Going up to 34 today, with a chance of a few snow showers. Looks like winter is here.

Today is an easy day. Company has gone home. Had a good time. I'm glad that is finally over with, Christmas. I plan on running trains this afternoon and finishing up the benchwork in the 2nd room. Now, I have to set up the supports for the bridges. A little engineering is needed.

Jim Fortner...I have a 027 loop for the Trolley, running inside of the inner 0 guage loop and yard. Works good.

Well, the Dining Car just rolled in from " points west ". There should be a lot of breakfast left. Talk later.

Y'all have a great Sunday.

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:24 AM

Morning all from a chilly and predicted soon to be icy northern NC.  Who knows?  As usual the weathermen keep changing their stories!!  Ha! 

Have a question - On my oval of RealTrax - O42 curves, I have two turnouts that always derail on the turnout.  They also often spark when running on the straight section. Direction doesn't seem to matter.  Could someone tell me what I should be looking for?

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted by fifedog on Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:58 AM

Mornin' boys. Mornin' Ms Lisa.  Getting ready to fry up some bacon for my loved ones.  May have to go to the market for milk/bread/t.p., as the "white death" is nearing from the south-west.

Bakeer - always wondered where the Mersey ran, but I thought Jerry & The Pacemakers put it on the map.  No Wild Turkey here, just J.D. No.7.  Occasionally we get some of the "good stuff" from West-by-God-Virginia.  Seems to cure all type of malidies up there.

Lisa - the sparking on MTH track tends to be too much black coating on the center rail.  A few rubs with a green scotch pad should reduce that.  The sparking may be firing the couplers ad well.

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Posted by spankybird on Sunday, January 21, 2007 8:19 AM

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

Where the temp is 22 deg and snow on the way, again !

Did anyone see the Barrett-Jackson Auction last night, Cars selling at $1,000,000.00 plus. Also remember the buyer and seller pays 8% auction fee on top of the selling price.

And to think, I owned one this color back in '69 !

 

Lisa - try hand pushing a car thru your switch and see if you can tell what the car is bouncing on that is causeing it to derail.

 

tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 21, 2007 8:20 AM
 Everytime I turn on the news and weather channel I pity those poor people out west . Can't imagine the suffering and heartaches they are going through day after day with all that snow and ice . Our thoughts and prayers from the family here go out to them and any of you living there . We on the east coast have been so darn lucky this year . Have'nt got much feedback on the cab forward conversion at all . One gentleman said just reverse the wires ... will try it but hope these newer tmcc engines don't get screwy since they're programmed and all . Have heard some horror stories of complete lockups and dead engines when you start fooling around with their electronics . Rewired and converted 2 older HO engines years ago ... but they were worlds apart from the new ones . I know the chief has had great luck re-wiring alot . If you all hear a loud scream and cussing across america in a couple days vibrating your windows you'll  know I messed up an expensive engine --- LOL   SoapBox [soapbox]
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 21, 2007 8:31 AM
laz 57 have you noticed the prices skyrocketing on ebay lately ? It seems you and I do alot of bidding there but the bargains are drying up ! Pick up a few once in awhile but not like a year ago . Hope we're not bidding against each other .... Sign - Oops [#oops]
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Posted by rtraincollector on Sunday, January 21, 2007 8:44 AM

Just a Hobo I've notice did get a couple of scout cars at a fair price this am thou a boxcar and tankcar in OB boxes fair one and good other picked both up for $16.00 plus shipping waiting to see on that max is 12 (what they had on each times 2 ($6.00) said they would combine for a lower shipping cost)

I've seen some out of this world starting prices also .

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Posted by laz 57 on Sunday, January 21, 2007 9:09 AM

Hi GIZ,

  Ran trains last nite all ran good NO PILE UPS. 

JUST A HOBO,  I go on ebay about twice a week looking for a few things,NYC F3s and beer cars along with a PA burro crane,  these are the things that I am bidding on.  I just won another custom Old Milwaukee beer reefer for 44 bucks.  Yes a little high but I needed it and liked it so what the hey.  I did get a magnetic gantry crane the other week for a great deal of $61 bucks.  That was the best deal I ever got.  You just got to keep on lookin?

TOM, watch the BJ Auctions for a little last nite.  From 6 -730.  Saw the '67 sting rays go for 600,000-800,000, beauties but lots o money.

Hope BEARS cane win today?  BEARS WEATHER THOUGH, COLD AND BRISK. Just so they don't look like chipmunks?

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 21, 2007 9:15 AM
 rtraincollector yes there are some still left but few and far between --- not like a a year  ago .... I was buying just diecast and they went out the roof . The selection went south too . Am I glad I bought what I did last year ! I love some of those guys with outrageous shipping and handling fees . I used to get them and detail the heck out of them ... but am afraid to touch them now . Still have to put my lighted conductor with his lit lantern on my diecast caboose . Darn brass snowplow is still only 3/4 done . Had 2 sellers guarantee they were all diecast and only trucks and couplers were . I wish some of those guys would learn what die-cast means . The one even sent plastic to me in a diecast box . Paypal took care of that ... thank the lord ! Looks like like I'll have to tear down and scratch build plastic with metal and wood alot from now on . Hate to think of going back to all kit builds --- Sigh [sigh] 
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 21, 2007 9:26 AM
 laz 57 --- WOW ... that was a heck of a deal on that gantry crane ! A big pat on the back for that one . I see why you have that big smile now ... LOL  Did you see the bucket/shovel attachment for them ? Picks up coal or sand insted of magnet also ? Saw one months ago on ebay .... was a very nice addon . Don't know if guy did it himself or they sold it as an addon . I can't find a gantry low enough ... by golly am going to go look now . Oh well caboose and snowplow will wait another day ... between trains.com and Ebay I'm getting nothing done --- LOL --- Whistling [:-^]
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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Sunday, January 21, 2007 9:47 AM

Hey Chief, it's snowing in Beautiful Ohio...

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by rtraincollector on Sunday, January 21, 2007 10:14 AM

Hey hobo check this one out I bought 3 of them from local hobby shop for $9.98 each around September. so yes they were released but believe so by lionel not k-line but still come on there still some to be had for about $15.00 if you look . I bought 3 cause I live in VA. gave one to a freind for xmas lol.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=190072223952&rd=1&rd=1

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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