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

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is hot and humid again in SE Indiana with temps and humidity in the 90s again.  Last night was a halfway good night with the girls losing and the boys winning by the same 2-0 score.  The only thing that made the game halfway bearable was a good breeze.  I got my CTT yesterday as well.  I liked the 1953 article.  I am reffing two games this Saturday, and I hope I do not have the controversy of last week.  Just the usual fare on the dining car for breakfast.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Anonymous]

Greetings from TN and 100 degree weather every day for the past month. Hard on this old Yankee transplant.  What's all this chatter about Boston. Something there I need to see?  I'm headed there with the misses in October.  She wants to see the New England states and I plan on hitting the York Show on the way back or going.  She's a serious doll collector, so I know we'll be visiting several doll stores also. Have a great day folks and make God your focus throughout.

[Anonymous]

The pizza place is still there, Brent. But I'll tell you right up front, I don't do Boston. They keep changing the one way streets!!! Driving, parking, all a huge hassle in that city, and I'm a white knuckle driver on a small country road. Although the last time Chiefie was here, he let me drive his rental, and I drove it like I stole it while he slept in the passenger seat! What a beat run I gave that car! Hub caps were flying off! I'll leave Boston to you and your hottie. It's a great city for a couple to see together. I'll meet up with you at Charles Ro and take you to North East Trains and maybe lunch if you're amusing to me. Deal?

Hey Chief, remember that honey who wanted to get in the car with us at North East Trains?! She looked like a North Carolina gal!

Jim 

LOL!  Sounds like a deal!  I told Susan we should drive up because I have family friends in Connecticut that I haven't seen in 20 years (last time I was in Boston), that I would like to see again... we could leave the Saturday before and come back after her seminar.  But she wants to stay till 5pm on Wednesday to take some test (get certified in something)... so we're flying... we could have toted around in the Bimmer... should be fixed by then... I HOPE!

Susan drives rental cars like that too... in Minnesota she drove over a parking lot island!  Her Dad was in the backseat and he yells, 'WTF! Where the heck did you learn to drive?!?!'... her response, 'You!'  It was a quiet drive from that point!  LOL!

I love my Bimmer on small country roads, but the best handling car I've ever been in was a 25th anniversary edition MG... friend of mine in the Army had one over in Germany... that was just too much fun!  We'd hit 70 - 80 MpH on some of the roads and never squeal the tires.  Oh to be 18 again and indestructable! Be a lot of scared hotties out there!  LOL!

[Anonymous]

Greetings from TN and 100 degree weather every day for the past month. Hard on this old Yankee transplant.  What's all this chatter about Boston. Something there I need to see?  I'm headed there with the misses in October.  She wants to see the New England states and I plan on hitting the York Show on the way back or going.  She's a serious doll collector, so I know we'll be visiting several doll stores also. Have a great day folks and make God your focus throughout.

Hey Red! To the pot!  Pull up a chair and we'll pour you a hot one!

There used a Doll Store along Rt 30 just East of Lancaster, PA (About 1 hour East of York).  Took my ex there a couple times... not sure if it still there... some of the local yokels may know more.

If you are going to be at York we usually meet at the CTT table for a photo-op around lunchie time... then we wonder around to some of the eateries to find a good belly buster lunch to refuel for the afternoon.  Some of us stick around for the ice cream social later in the evening (7pm I think).  If you and your wife enjoy deli sandwiches, check out Isaccs while in the area.  They have some of the best deli sandwiches around.  I like the one in Strasburg the most as it is in a refurbished caboose and is right by a train store (same shopping center)...

[Anonymous]

Do you think the doll store had anything to do with your wife becoming your EX? I'd hate to loose my honey over dolls.  I will say it's great having the wife involved in her own expensive hobby.  We discuss prices in relation to each others hobby.  She may say her new doll cost her 3 trains or I may say I spent about 4 dolls at the show.  Neither one of us know what either amount means until we see the debit card. Just a game we play. I do know one think, I'm way behind in spending.

[Anonymous]

Red,
No it had nothing to do with being an ex.  Long story and not a nice one when I tell it.

My wife jibes me all the time about my trains... last night I was in the trainroom feeding the fish (far wall) and she came down.  The night before I setup a FasTrack layout on the floor and it spilled over into the basement (where I am standing taking the picture)... she stops and says, 'Explain to me why you have a nice large room over there and you have to use a portion of this room as well?' 'My surveying skills are a bit lacking.  I placed the bridge and by the time I realized I would run out of room it was too late to move everything back 2 feet.' 'It isn't staying like this is it?' 'No. The permanent layout will be much larger.'

I have about $50,000 to go before I match her hobby... she needs a 15' x 24' solarium for her baby grand piano she wants... so I'm set till we get a bigger house with even more land!  LOL!!!

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,

  Humid here today to get to 92.  Had last in service day yesterday at school off today then begin with kidos on Monday for another 180 days. 

  JELECTRIC, yes the GW has TMCC and even the dinner has the TMCC with activation of all the sounds of the conductor and food personnel.  Pretty cool.  Ran trains last nite for about an hour all good NO PILE UPS.

  Have a good one.

laz57

[Anonymous]

Brent, My wife is also a pianist.  Last Christmas we went out to buy her a Grande piano and came home with an electric console one.  It does everything but make coffee and alot smaller. It's about the same price as the Grande. It's a Yamaha Cavanova ( not sure of the spelling).  She loves it.  It also records her playing and singing. She's also a soloist at church, so she records her own music before the service she sings at.  That's why I say I'm way behind in spending.  How do you post pictures? I'd like to show you guys my progress as I build my layout if your interested.

[laz 57]

I have bought from Marty at Ma & Pa Junction and was very pleased with the prices of Williams. Much cheaper than buying directly from Williams, even with Platinum Club discount.

Chuck

I'll back up Chuck, Marty is a real gentleman.  I've done business with him via Phone, web site and in person at York.  Can't go wrong with Ma & Pa for Williams.  That said, another good source that I have also purchased from is Charles & Janet Phillips.  They don't do internet but go to a lot of shows and do phone orders. Phone [phone], FAX [phone].  They also stock parts.

JOHN JELECTRIC, is CHARLIE LOCATED just outside of Harrisburg?  If so yes I visited his house and he works out of his garage,great guy to deal with, got pickups for Williams diesels and light bulbs.  He is also in the orange hall at YORK.

laz57

[dwiemer]

Hey Brent, my wife plays piano too, but hardly the pianist.....she has been away from it for a time.  Quick story:  My great grandfather worked for Steinway and Sons in Brooklyn.  He hand made a baby grand for one of my aunts.  We are trying to get the piano, should one of my cousins get tired of it.

When you head to Boston, you may want to check out that national treasure....the big dig.  So much money spent, it is like a jaguar, spend lots of money and it still spends most of it's time out of service.  Have fun.

Dennis

[cnw1995]

Good morning from a very soggy Chicago where I trotted down on the walk to work over to Marshall Fields nee Macys to see my favorite morning radio team broadcast out of a display window - out of my way but I figured it was a fun way to begin the day, and I got to put faces to the voices I hear (not in my head...)

Brent, the best drive I ever took was with an MG up and down twisty-turny Rt. 1 out of SF up to Bodega Bay (the setting of Hitchcock's movie The Birds) back in the late 80s with the bride - when I was supposed to be at a convention. It was especially more fun after sampling the wineries in Napa.

Speaking of pianos, I work in the old Kimball Piano building in what was known as Chicago's Music Row. This particular building dates from 1928; there's still an old sign along the side of the building showing the Kimball logo. The second floor still has a gigantic display space now classroom.

[Jumijo]

Dennis, you have no idea what a boondoggle the Big Dig is. The new tunnels are all leaking quite badly, and if you ask me, it's only a matter of when, not if, one or more of them collapse and a major tragedy of epic proportions takes place. Yet another reason why I don't like driving in Boston.

Jim 

[Anonymous]

I see the Red Caboose is from Humboldt, TN.  I just got notified that my class from Milan is having a 50th reunion, but the "Classmates" site is so intent on selling me something that I can't get any information out of them.  Frustrating.

Working on all my hobbies, and it is like running in molasses.  The radios work, but I don't have much of an antenna system, so I can't talk to anybody much.  The wife wanted the pool table out, so the trains are all stored in boxes, and the 4 x 8 layout is vertical against the wall and not on the pool table any more.  The boat hasn't moved in weeks.  And so it goes.  

 

[Anonymous]

I see the Red Caboose is from Humboldt, TN.  I just got notified that my class from Milan is having a 50th reunion, but the "Classmates" site is so intent on selling me something that I can't get any information out of them.  Frustrating.

Working on all my hobbies, and it is like running in molasses.  The radios work, but I don't have much of an antenna system, so I can't talk to anybody much.  The wife wanted the pool table out, so the trains are all stored in boxes, and the 4 x 8 layout is vertical against the wall and not on the pool table any more.  The boat hasn't moved in weeks.  And so it goes.  

 The wife feels she had a deprived childhood, so we have almost every doll Madame Alexander ever made--mostly still in the original boxes.  What good are dolls if you don't play with them?

[Anonymous]

  The wife feels she had a deprived childhood, so we have almost every doll Madame Alexander ever made--mostly still in the original boxes.  What good are dolls if you don't play with them?

DING DING DING - We have a winner!

My sentiments exactly Doug!  Never could understand why women want to have dolls placed all over the house that no one can touch!  My wife has a few as she is very particular as to which ones she wants (have to be brown hair, brown eyes)... But no one can touch them!  I told her that is like taking a kid to a toy story and telling them to keep their hands off the toys!

[Anonymous]

Doug, Give me some info about the reunion and I'll see what I can do for you.  I assume your of the class of 2000 or 2001?

[Anonymous]

Giz, My home is also full of dolls.  The rare ones are kept behind glass and locked. The ones the kids can play with are in the doll room with all the doll furniture, buggys, toys and doll clothes. My trains are in the garage.  No trains in the house. My wife calls my train room the "Man Cave"

[ChiefEagles]

Morning.  Wow, Yankees full of MOUTH this AM.   Especially Jim A.  Burg [lab] back from vet.  All A OK.  Just pay the bill.   Did gain some weight [113 lbs].  Big boy.  Cart-Cart and Youngest due anytime now.  Layout work this PM.  Don't have time to sit and chat with Yankees.  Hey RED, if you can't take the heat, move back up NAWTH [hot there too].  One less Yank down South.  Later.

[rtraincollector]

hey red you just heard from the mouth of the south lol. Welcome where in PA. did you live I'm from PA. myself.

[John Bakeer]

Brent,

We have ready access to the finest continental chocolate(s) in the world, the Swiss are specially good at it, I saw Hershey Bars recently, but as I was under escort (SWMBO) at the time, had to pass them over (sorry, I do not intend to patronise).

The UK has a population of over sixty million (over 600 per square mile), so the chance of knowing more than a few dozen people is remote. Nick and I have only met once. Peterborough and Stockport are nearly a hundred miles apart.

[Anonymous]

Doug, Give me some info about the reunion and I'll see what I can do for you.  I assume your of the class of 2000 or 2001?

Thanks for both the offer and the compliment.  The class was 1957.  And all I know about it was I got an email from "Classmates" that told me they were having one.  When I tried to go to their web site and find out about it, all I got was a king size ration of sales pitch, but no information.  I dated Anne Belew in high school, her best friend was Brenda Ramage, and Bill Pitt and Bill Pittman are the only other names I remember.  I haven't seen or heard from Anne since I joined the Marines in early 1960 and the others since 1957.  Not a big thing, and I probably am not coming back for the reunion; my time there was not particularly happy.  I was just wondering what happened to some of the people I haven't seen in fifty years.

[csxt30]

Morning.  Wow, Yankees full of MOUTH this AM.   Especially Jim A.  Burg [lab] back from vet.  All A OK.  Just pay the bill.   Did gain some weight [113 lbs].  Big boy.  Cart-Cart and Youngest due anytime now.  Layout work this PM.  Don't have time to sit and chat with Yankees.  Hey RED, if you can't take the heat, move back up NAWTH [hot there too].  One less Yank down South.  Later.

GOLLY !!  And I was planning on taking a trip down south when I retire in a couple years, & spending some big bucks down there too !! Figured I'd spend 4 or 5 bucks in a lot of those cities down there, mostly just to help out their economy !! Though now, with The Chief not being so hospitable, I just may not go down there & throw all that big money away !! I may just stick to hitch hiking around Ohizo now !!  Well there goes all my plans on compiling a good Dumpster survey now, too !! Yeah, & all cause the Chief don't want to get along with his friendly neighbors from the Nawth !!

Well, almost time for work again & will be working tomorrow too !!  More train show moola !! (I hope !! )

Thanks, John

[Blueberryhill RR]

Morning.  Wow, Yankees full of MOUTH this AM.   Especially Jim A.  Burg [lab] back from vet.  All A OK.  Just pay the bill.   Did gain some weight [113 lbs].  Big boy.  Cart-Cart and Youngest due anytime now.  Layout work this PM.  Don't have time to sit and chat with Yankees.  Hey RED, if you can't take the heat, move back up NAWTH [hot there too].  One less Yank down South.  Later.

GOLLY !!  And I was planning on taking a trip down south when I retire in a couple years, & spending some big bucks down there too !! Figured I'd spend 4 or 5 bucks in a lot of those cities down there, mostly just to help out their economy !! Though now, with The Chief not being so hospitable, I just may not go down there & throw all that big money away !! I may just stick to hitch hiking around Ohizo now !!  Well there goes all my plans on compiling a good Dumpster survey now, too !! Yeah, & all cause the Chief don't want to get along with his friendly neighbors from the Nawth !!

Well, almost time for work again & will be working tomorrow too !!  More train show moola !! (I hope !! )

Thanks, John

John....Stay up North. Why would you want to go South to a Swamp full of " Frogs ".

[rtraincollector]

Doug, Give me some info about the reunion and I'll see what I can do for you.  I assume your of the class of 2000 or 2001?

Thanks for both the offer and the compliment.  The class was 1957.  And all I know about it was I got an email from "Classmates" that told me they were having one.  When I tried to go to their web site and find out about it, all I got was a king size ration of sales pitch, but no information.  I dated Anne Belew in high school, her best friend was Brenda Ramage, and Bill Pitt and Bill Pittman are the only other names I remember.  I haven't seen or heard from Anne since I joined the Marines in early 1960 and the others since 1957.  Not a big thing, and I probably am not coming back for the reunion; my time there was not particularly happy.  I was just wondering what happened to some of the people I haven't seen in fifty years.

They some how get list of names and schools and send out emails trying to get you to join all you really need to do is contact the school if still there or some old freinds that are still in the area and you can get ahold of who is running it

[anjdevil2]

 

John....Stay up North. Why would you want to go South to a Swamp full of " Frogs ".

 

 

geez.....I've been wondering about that very same thing.....

[dwiemer]

Prayers to the folks affected by the bad weather.  My wife's friend lives in Findlay, OH, hear they got hit pretty hard.  Also, remember the big prayers for our troops on the front lines.

Red, found it is better to assymilate to the south when you live here.  I have become less type "A" and more relaxed and overall, a better person, I think anyway.  Lots of good folk down this way and very personable.  The only thing I miss from Yankeeland is the train stores and some good food that otherwise I have to make.

Doug (Chicago), you may want to call it an early day and head home.  The weather channel is predicting some heavy storm activity around the rush hour(s).  Hope you get home safely and have a good weekend.

I have every intention of getting some layout work done tonight.  But, like the best of plans, I am on call and at the mercy of the patients.

Y'all have a great weekend,  and don't spend too much time on Laz's bike!

Dennis

[rtraincollector]

Morning.  Wow, Yankees full of MOUTH this AM.   Especially Jim A.  Burg [lab] back from vet.  All A OK.  Just pay the bill.   Did gain some weight [113 lbs].  Big boy.  Cart-Cart and Youngest due anytime now.  Layout work this PM.  Don't have time to sit and chat with Yankees.  Hey RED, if you can't take the heat, move back up NAWTH [hot there too].  One less Yank down South.  Later.

GOLLY !!  And I was planning on taking a trip down south when I retire in a couple years, & spending some big bucks down there too !! Figured I'd spend 4 or 5 bucks in a lot of those cities down there, mostly just to help out their economy !! Though now, with The Chief not being so hospitable, I just may not go down there & throw all that big money away !! I may just stick to hitch hiking around Ohizo now !!  Well there goes all my plans on compiling a good Dumpster survey now, too !! Yeah, & all cause the Chief don't want to get along with his friendly neighbors from the Nawth !!

Well, almost time for work again & will be working tomorrow too !!  More train show moola !! (I hope !! )

Thanks, John

 

Acually as long as you stay west of Raleigh, NC your okay the rest of the south basicly have very nice folks. Look at lisa for example

[Anonymous]

Morning.  Wow, Yankees full of MOUTH this AM.   Especially Jim A.  Burg [lab] back from vet.  All A OK.  Just pay the bill.   Did gain some weight [113 lbs].  Big boy.  Cart-Cart and Youngest due anytime now.  Layout work this PM.  Don't have time to sit and chat with Yankees.  Hey RED, if you can't take the heat, move back up NAWTH [hot there too].  One less Yank down South.  Later.

GOLLY !!  And I was planning on taking a trip down south when I retire in a couple years, & spending some big bucks down there too !! Figured I'd spend 4 or 5 bucks in a lot of those cities down there, mostly just to help out their economy !! Though now, with The Chief not being so hospitable, I just may not go down there & throw all that big money away !! I may just stick to hitch hiking around Ohizo now !!  Well there goes all my plans on compiling a good Dumpster survey now, too !! Yeah, & all cause the Chief don't want to get along with his friendly neighbors from the Nawth !!

Well, almost time for work again & will be working tomorrow too !!  More train show moola !! (I hope !! )

Thanks, John

Acually as long as you stay west of Raleigh, NC your okay the rest of the south basicly have very nice folks. Look at lisa for example

 

Whoa there, Cochise ...

[Anonymous]

Man, This is one tough group of Mill Hunkies, Hillbillies and Rednecks in this gathering. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I think i've just been insulted by the Chief.  Oh well, I can take it.  I just hope he's as knowledgeable about trains when I need some info from him as he is about knowing where I should reside. I also hope he can field a few low shots himself cause I'll be sending some his way. I can see i'm gonna enjoy this forum.

[Anonymous]

How!!! Chief, I see the smaller fish in the picture but who caught the whale?