Morning!
Great story Donnie! You know that's a relocated southern'r...They said "we've moved fer 'nuff, and weer stayin'. Weeeeel doggies!" They were seen inside eatin' grits, as the helicopters were circling.
Great idea on the holloween trains! Everyone seems to grab and dash! I have been going with my girls since she was 1. Just so I could meet the neighbors! She gets heavy after about a hour!
I'll get the Christmas layout in early, hook up a fog machine, some of those purple christmas lights, and some of those mini pumpkins! Just to keep the cost down.
Kurt
Good Morning from Blueberryhill....
It is a partly cloudy 62 degrees. Sun is trying to come out. Going up to 82 today with a chance of rain, later.
Today is a busy day around the house. I have a few things to do. Still awaiting word on the A/C coil, in the shop for repair. Need some luck. Otherwise all is quiet. Train show is getting closer. It will be good to get out and see some good friends. May run trans later, depending on how the day goes.
Dining Car is here and we will have breakfast. Later.
Y'all have a great Wednesday.
Chuck
Morning all,
Just finished handing out assignments and checking email at work. Going to be busy.
Ran trains a bit last night. Put the 312 SIT on and let her streach her legs. It is neat to see the loco smoke in neutral!
Got to go
MAy God bless
Jim
Good morning all,
It is raining in SE Indiana with temps in the 70s today. Should be some good train weather for tonight. "My" soccer girls lost a tough one last night as they were trailing 3-2 when the game was called in the second half due to lightning. At least they finally scored. My wife and I went to the YMCA for some trackwork and we watched Helio Castro-Neves on "Dancing with the Stars". He did the best of the guys according to the judges. Is anybody watching the Ken Burns show on WW II on PBS? I have been taping it for a later time, but I have been seeing bits and pieces. It looks pretty good. There was cereal and cinnamon rolls on the dining car from "Points East" this morning. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
MORNING FOLKS
Storms and rain in Mi. but we just got a little rain, not even wet out. Neighbor is home, Drs. are still going with the gall bladder theory. Said stomach gas could have cut off blood supply when she bent over. My wife is going for one of those 2hr stress test today as the Dr. suspects some blockage but her circlulation is good. so we will see. hum rain just started sounds like one of those just passing through kind. yep quit already. Going to watch youngest grandson for a short time today........guess we will have to run some trains, that will keep a 2 yr. old busy for about 5 minutes. Time for a free cupcake and coffee, Sir James
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
HI GIZ,
67 and humid here today going to get close to record 92?
Didn't put on AC last nite slept bad woke up to many times. Oh well.
BRUTUS mow this weekend, it will be much cooler. I mowed last nite and could have let it go a few more days.
All be safe.
laz57
Good morning from a cloudy and cool Chicago where I hope to have an easy day at work today. Got big band music on pandora.com and a few projects to begin, fueled by room-temperature Mountain Dew. Mmmm good.
Don, that is a hilarious story about the moving house. David, the bride came home Monday with a half-bushel of picked apples from a local orchard. Guess that's what I'm going to be eating all winter. Yours look great. We have a few trees in the backyard - crab apples - that some years surprise me with fruit.Welcome back, Chief!
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Nick,
Sorry to hear you got the wind up. Was that your trampoline I saw on Telly? Good job there was no one waiting for a bus. Glad the De-Lorean is OK! Never heard a thing here in jolly Stockport. Must be getting near to Autumn, the rain feels colder.
Just downloaded a MS upgrade for IE7-Smiley's done a bunk! You would think that MS with all its nerds etc. would get things right before turning them loose on an unsuspecting public. My spellcheck on Outlook only works in Frog! And all the fixes I have tried just leave me fuming.odd that, Smiley's shrunk in the wash.
Jim, I don't think any one has a Heelan Coo in 7mm (or any other scale for that matter) I guess it might be due to the very fragile nature of those long horns. I didn't know the real ones came in white as well as black. Surprising what one learns through this forum.
Posted my housing application the other day, they tell me I could be moving within 4-6 weeks, which my experience of beaurocrosy tells me probably means months.
John Baker
Morning all. David, good looking apples. I had a dozen. Late freeze got peaches and apples. Grapes did good but birds enjoyed more of them than I did. Don Baker, understand you are real tired this AM. Something about swinging from a pole with some naked lady. Something about a police report involving the removal of vehicles blocking your street and loud music and noise into the wee hours of the morning. Police said the party was really going strong and several "ladies of the night" were in attendance. Are you sure the "club" is the train club you are going too? Hope your wife returns soon.
Busy this AM. Chat later.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Interesting morning on the History Channel. How the Yankees lied to the Native Americans. Especially after the War of Northern Aggression. Last Confederate General to surrender to the Yanks was a Native American.
Think I will do some trains. They are waiting very patiently.
ChiefEagles wrote:Interesting morning on the History Channel. How the Yankees lied to the Native Americans. Especially after the War of Northern Aggression. Last Confederate General to surrender to the Yanks was a Native American.
You make all of this stuff sound like a bad thing. Was Billy Ray Cyrus hosting this too? What was the general's name - Fulla Bull? Did you read my politically incorrect e-mail about the History Channel? That network has really taken a turn, boy.
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
A turn to the TRUTH and not Northern lies.
I told those guys not to drink and take their weapons with them. Heavens to Merkatroid. Foiled again. [from Trains newsletter]
Two arrested for trying to "hijack" CSX train
Print | Email | Contact Us September 17, 2007 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Two men were arrested last week for trying to hijack a CSX train in Knoxville, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported. The incident happened about 10:35 p.m. Sept. 11 as a CSX train was stopped on CSX tracks that run parallel to Volunteer Boulevard near Cumberland Avenue in Knoxville. The pair came up on the nose of the engine and told the engineer they needed to get out of town immediately for some unexplained reason and "he was going to take them." The men also "might have threatened" the CSX employee, a Knoxville Police officer said, although it was later discovered that neither of them was armed.The engineer ordered them off the train but they ran to another engine and hopped aboard, prompting the engineer to call for police help. Police took the men into custody and indicated the pair could end up facing federal charges. Both men had been drinking alcohol.
ChiefEagles wrote:A turn to the TRUTH and not Northern lies. I told those guys not to drink and take their weapons with them. Heavens to Merkatroid. Foiled again. [from Trains newsletter] Two arrested for trying to "hijack" CSX trainPrint | Email | Contact Us September 17, 2007 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Two men were arrested last week for trying to hijack a CSX train in Knoxville, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported. The incident happened about 10:35 p.m. Sept. 11 as a CSX train was stopped on CSX tracks that run parallel to Volunteer Boulevard near Cumberland Avenue in Knoxville. The pair came up on the nose of the engine and told the engineer they needed to get out of town immediately for some unexplained reason and "he was going to take them." The men also "might have threatened" the CSX employee, a Knoxville Police officer said, although it was later discovered that neither of them was armed.The engineer ordered them off the train but they ran to another engine and hopped aboard, prompting the engineer to call for police help. Police took the men into custody and indicated the pair could end up facing federal charges. Both men had been drinking alcohol.
You need to go lie down. Put a cool rag on your forehead.
Hi Brutus and all; A picture is worth 1,00o words or so they say so what follows are 19,000 words about Lionel's Swing Bridge and Lift Bridge:
Swing bridge on depressed bench work
PRR train waiting for bridge to open
Swing Bridge in closed position
West pier of swing bridge
Close up of bridge resting on pier
Bridge raised before beginning to swing open
Bridge swinging open
Bridge swinging into "Anthracite Hollow"
Side view of bridge in "Anthracite Hollow"
Looking through open bridge into "Anthracite Hollow"
Side view of open swing bridge
PRR train approaching Lift Bridge
PRR train waiting for bridge to go up
Bridge beginning to lift
Bridge lifted to top
Close up of East tower
Close up of West tower
PRR train passing through Lift Bridge
"Anthracite Hollow" was in response to the fact that the bridge hit the wall before it opened fully. I couldn't change the track, so the wall "had to go. Cut hole in paneling and then through the plaster, filled with expandable foam, carved out space for bridge, and painted black. Hope you all enjoy this photo essay.
Mel Hazen, Jacksonville, FL
Mel Hazen; Jax, FL Ride Amtrak. It's the only way to fly!!!
Nice bridge pictures....RR Charlie
Well, the A/C is fixed. Found a new " A " coil, and tested the system out. Recharged it and it's working like new. It's nice to be cool again. Now it will snow, tomorrow
Seems this "little" voice out of the South is back in town, and casting vicious rumors -
Don Baker, understand you are real tired this AM. Something about swinging from a pole with some naked lady. " border="0" /> Something about a police report involving the removal of vehicles blocking your street and loud music and noise into the wee hours of the morning. Police said the party was really going strong and several "ladies of the night" were in attendance. " border="0" /> Are you sure the "club" is the train club you are going too? Hope your wife returns soon. " border="0" />
I believe if the truth were to be known, their is a major case of false recognition going on. Most likely confusing "trip" activities with realities. (Remember a post about being in Texas, and while everyone else was at the track, he was amusing himself?)
Anyway the only dancing I've been doing is acting like a "Gandydancer" ..............
Gandy dancer is a slang term for workers who maintained railroads in North America.
The term originates from the late nineteenth century. It is often said to derive from the Gandy Manufacturing Company, a Chicago-based tool manufacturing company, but several sources cite an absence of any record of this company's existence. Hand crews used specialized hand tools known as gandies (of unknown etymology) to lever rail tracks into position.
Oral history from some railroad towns has it that the term originated from the gandydancer's original job of positioning rails to be nailed to ties. These were carried by the crew straddling the rail at intervals and reaching between their feet to lift and carry it into place, in the process looking like a line of waddling geese. They became known as ganders and the process as gander dancing, ultimately corrupted to gandydancing.
Though rail tracks were held in place by wooden ties (sleepers outside the U.S.) and the mass of the stones (ballast) beneath them, each pass of a train around a corner would, through centrifugal force and vibration, produce a tiny shift in the tracks. If allowed to accumulate, such shifts could eventually cause a derailment; work crews had to pry them back into place routinely.
For each stroke, a worker would lift his gandy and force it into the ballast to create a fulcrum, then throw himself sideways using the gandy to check his full weight (making the "huh" sound recorded in the lyrics below) so the gandy would push the rail toward the inside of the curve. Even with all impacts from the work crew timed correctly, any progress made in shifting the track would not become visible until after a large number of repetitions.
Rhythm was necessary for this process, both to synchronize the manual labor, and to maintain the morale of workers whose exertions produced only a minuscule effect; hence "gandy dancers". The songs sung in this occupation have been recognized as a major influence on later blues music; one such song is reproduced below.
The same ground crews also performed the other aspects of track maintenance, such as removing weeds, tamping down ballast, and replacing rotten ties. The British equivalent is "Navvy" from "Navigator", originally builders of canals or "inland navigations". In the U.S. Southwest and Mexico, Mexican and Mexican-American track workers were colloquially "traqueros".
Now our beloved southern ambassador, most likely is referring to his recolections of a "Candy Dancer". And, it surely could be understood that while your (him) setting in an airport waiting area, whileing away hours, and reflecting on the trip activities, and most likely getting confused with posts that he may have read. Where he could become confused with what is reality vs. fantasized. So being the considerate and forgiving soul that I am. I will defer any efforts to initiate any litigation at this time. I have however contacted Dr. Laura, for moral advice as to what actions may be necessary in the future.
Don
cheapclassics - I've been watching the WAR. It's good, and pretty graphic, but still not as grabbing as Burns' CIVIL WAR. An underlying theme is how the US Gov't withheld casualty info, and controlled media coverage. After TARAWA, all bets were off... Of particular interest is the story of the Japanese American internment camps.
dbaker48 - You mean the Chief is making up ALL of this stuff...? What do I do with this stack of ones I just picked up from the credit union...?
Blueberry: Glad that's fixed!
Don: I read somewhere that the Gandy Dancers would spin around in circles with 'the tool' (no inference suggested) (no one seems to be specific as to what this is) forcing ballast against the ties.
As for extra curricular ballet viewing activities....lets keep that between you and the chief. BTW Fifedog, maybe you can spend those Washingtons bonding with your new SIL!
fifedog wrote:kpolak - Tattoo boy lasted 24 hours. Now it's wear-the-ballcap-brim-to-the-side boy...for the next 24... Like I said, good thing we live at the top of a hill...bodies roll down pretty easy.
Wow, she goes through guys like I go through 2 gallons of milk.
Evening everyone,
We had off today. I slept in late, rested a lot and watched TV. The swelling down, and now the swelling is back up.
Well, off to eat dinner, have a good night eveyone.
"As for extra curricular ballet viewing activities....lets keep that between you and the chief."
Appears ..... I've been offensive.
Shame on me !!!!
Fife: That revolving door must have cost a pretty penny. I hope those boys are picking up the checks for dinner. You must have quite a stack by now. Enough to fill a pond. Have you ever liked someone she brought home? What were the results?
dbaker48 wrote: "As for extra curricular ballet viewing activities....lets keep that between you and the chief." Appears ..... I've been offensive. Shame on me !!!!
No harm no foul. Just having some fun. Feel free to post some picks of you the Chief, and the plexiglass swing...On second thought...Lets not.
dbaker48 wrote: "As for extra curricular ballet viewing activities....lets keep that between you and the chief." Appears ..... I've been offensive. Shame on me !!!!Don....After reading your posts, I have concluded that you desperately are in need of a good home cooked meal.
Don....After reading your posts, I have concluded that you desperately are in need of a good home cooked meal.
fifedog wrote: dbaker48 - You mean the Chief is making up ALL of this stuff...? What do I do with this stack of ones I just picked up from the credit union...?
Take your boyfriend with the baseball cap to a Chippendale's show like usual?
I picked up the Polar Express Trainsounds tender tonight. I have very high marks for everything about it except for the whistle. It sounds like a diesel horn. And not just a little.
RRCharlie wrote: Hi Brutus and all; A picture is worth 1,00o words or so they say so what follows are 19,000 words about Lionel's Swing Bridge and Lift Bridge:Swing bridge on depressed bench work PRR train waiting for bridge to open Swing Bridge in closed position West pier of swing bridge Close up of bridge resting on pier Bridge raised before beginning to swing open Bridge swinging open Bridge swinging into "Anthracite Hollow" Side view of bridge in "Anthracite Hollow" Looking through open bridge into "Anthracite Hollow" Side view of open swing bridge Side view of open swing bridge PRR train approaching Lift Bridge PRR train waiting for bridge to go up Bridge beginning to lift Bridge lifted to top Close up of East tower Close up of West tower PRR train passing through Lift Bridge "Anthracite Hollow" was in response to the fact that the bridge hit the wall before it opened fully. I couldn't change the track, so the wall "had to go. Cut hole in paneling and then through the plaster, filled with expandable foam, carved out space for bridge, and painted black. Hope you all enjoy this photo essay.Mel Hazen, Jacksonville, FL
NICE PICS MEL, by chance are you originally from up here in DA COAL REGION? Hard coal as in ANTHRACITE?
Great pics Mel - thanks! Very nice!
Fife - I think I'm gonna install a Trap Door and a Pool of Acid! The boyfriends "check in" and the don't "Check Out" Maybe a bug zapper that stuns them with a flick of a switch, so they don't scream on the way down the chute and tip off the family or neighbors!
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
Mel : very nice pictures !! Here, where I live, they built a swing bridge for the Bessemer RR & it never did swing. I don't know why, & it's pretty old now. In Cleveland, there's a lift bridge like yours, now N&S. Just down the road where I grew up & still work, there are 2 Bascule bridges in operation yet. One is a RR bridge,double track, now N&S also & the other for cars.
Thanks, John
Chief......I got your phone message and logged onto Texas State Fair. Could not find the Garden Railroad. Looks like a nice Fair.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month