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

[Anonymous]

 HI GIZ,

I just checked the shipping schedule at Lionel and BigBOYS along with TMCC II is still on schedule for Feb. 7th.

http://www.lionel.com/CustomerService/Findex.cfm

laz57

Laz, it isn't Feb 7th it is February 2007, meaning sometime during the month of February...

OOPS my bad LIONROAR.  .

Thanks,

laz57

No problem bud!  I'm just here to help where ever I can!   Hey it's Friday!

[Wes Whitmore]

I would say that you are correct, but isn't a 1069ft bridge a large prototypical bridge (So a 22ft model bridge is also big)?  A 106 ft bridge would be 2.2 ft in scale, and two 50 ft scale cars should fit on it, so it should visually look OK.  I'm not an expert on modeling at all, of course.  I just like to run trains and flip switches.  O gauge seems to be a best effort scale for the manufactures.

Wes

[thatboy37]

Thanks everyone!

Congratulations Reggie!  I didn't know you guys were expecting!  Does that make 2 for you too?

The 'It's a Girl' car looks great..I think I can swing that..the whole Williams set might be a problem. We now have 2 in diapers.

Here's Patricia (Trish) Mary, named after my mother, and myself.  I think she has my hairline...

Hopefully she'll grow out of that.

 

 

this is my and her first so it will all be new to me, but i do have a little experience with kids as i have 8 nieces and nephews already. but there's nothing like having your own as i've been told a million times.

[Anonymous]

Wes,
You are correct in that a 2.2 ft bridge would look good.  I was researching the Ludendorff Bridge that once stood in Ramagen Germany.  It is a famous Railroad bridge, and I was wondering how large it was...

I have only been able to find that it was constructed in three sections.  The two ends were 278 feet in length and the bridge over the Rhine was 513 feet long!  That is 1,069 feet!  The one end near Ramagen was the convergence of two raillines, one coming from the North, the other from the South.  They crossed the bridge on two seperate raillines and then on the other side of the river there is a 500M tall mountain that the trains would travel under via a RR Tunnel...

This got me to thinking (a very dangerous thing to do in regards to model railroading) and what it would be like to model something close to this... to do it in scale the two end sections would be approx. 5.7 feet long, and the center 10.7 feet!  That is one LONG bridge, but it sure would be impressive!

So I've done more research and you could come close to this by taking two MTH 40-1061 Two Track Girder Bridges end to end, then a MTH 40-1062 Two Track Steel Arch Bridge, then two more MTH 40-1061 Two Track Girder Bridges end to end.  That would be:

12 3/8 + 12 3/8 + 32 + 12 3/8 + 12 3/8 = 81.5 inches... now that would be cool!  Even if you knock off the two outer most girder bridges you are still at 56.75 inches!

 http://www.mth-railking.com/detail.asp?item=40-1061

[dwiemer]

 

this is my and her first so it will all be new to me, but i do have a little experience with kids as i have 8 nieces and nephews already. but there's nothing like having your own as i've been told a million times.

Reggie, everyone said that marriage will change you, it didn't.  Now Kids REALLY changed us.  It can make you feel real old some times, but it is the best feeling in the world when you come home and they get all excited to run into your arms.  You will have your own stories to tell, and I for one look forward to hearing them.  One hint for the new fathers, the sound of trains rolling on track makes a great noise to put a baby to sleep by.  Just let the train go at a modest rate and turn the lights off.

God Bless,

Dennis

[Wes Whitmore]

I have the single track version of that bridge.  It's nice, but wouldn't it be better in all metal?

You must have much more room in your train room than I do!

What would you span the bridge over?  I assume you wouldn't built the mountain to scale.

 Wes

[MartyE]

One hint for the new fathers, the sound of trains rolling on track makes a great noise to put a baby to sleep by.  Just let the train go at a modest rate and turn the lights off.

Just don't blow the horn once they nod off! 

[Nick12DMC]

Nick,

Ever used mobile text?

Hi, John B, Yea when forced to. It was a novelty when it first came out in the early '90's. I find its faster just to talk to someone.

However I now can't be bothered with having the "latest" micro Handset that I will wreck in some manner while at work. So maybe the newer phones are easier to "text" on.

I stick with my super ebay bargain £75 Ericson GlobalStar satellite phone. Works on a normal Vodaphone contract (I don't think they like people to know this)and as a normal GSM phone but can switch into "Sat" mode if no GSM signal.

Strange thing is its actually cheaper to use the Sat phone abroad than use foreign GSM services. Go figure? 

Regards

Nick

 

 

[dwiemer]

Good Point Marty,

     I am getting excited as the only train show in the area is occuring tomorrow.  Though it is mainly HO, they do have some vendors for the big boys, and I hope to do some buying.  The local paper even had a story on it and the photo is of one of the founders of this club and a Lionel Santa Fe set.

     Also, I won the auction on the bay for a Watchman's Shanty, new in the box, for a little over $50.  Not a great price, but considering that I have not seen too many around, it is still a fair cheaper than the latest Lionel/K-line version and it looks better.

Dennis

[jefelectric]

Hi guys,

 Here is the birthday train cake for the granddaughter.

Of course it is chocolate cake.

[csxt30]

John : nice cake !! You just made me hungry !!  John, also I just paid Bob at AM Hobbies for my engine & he lowered the price 10 dollars, I couldn't believe it !!  Great place to buy from also !! He also said Atlas is talking about making some cabooses for those steamers !!  They're not sure on the exact style yet.  Hurry up April or May !!  

Thanks, John  

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't get the MTH bridge, was just using that as an example... I would still model the Ramagen bridge, just scaled down even further, combination of Metal, Wood, and plaster (for the Bridgeheads).

The mountain wouldn't be to scale either... I would have to dig down about 50 feet to get that depth!  Run the trains from the top of the mountain!  Then the O gauge would look about the size of Z scale!  LOL!

I would span a river with RR tracks on one side and town on the other, it would be behind the town to provide depth to the scene...

Depends on which house we build, I may have as small as room as 12 x 14, but it could be large enough to do a 14 x 24 layout too!  or somewhere in between.  There is one house that the train room would be long and narrow, about 16 x 38, but that house is a real long shot and only if my father-in-law moves in with us right away and donates to the cause!  LOL!  He wants to help build the layout, which I thought was cool!  I'll probably come home from work one day and the room will be framed, next drywalled, next spakled, next primed, next painted... you know the story... I pay for and he does all the work - which would suck because that is what I want to do too!

[jimhaleyscomet]

Good Point Marty,

     I am getting excited as the only train show in the area is occuring tomorrow.  Though it is mainly HO, they do have some vendors for the big boys, and I hope to do some buying.  .....

Dennis

I somewhat lost my enthusiasm for train shows when I realized it typically costs me $5 to get in and $400 to get out!

Jim H 

[rtraincollector]

Good Point Marty,

     I am getting excited as the only train show in the area is occuring tomorrow.  Though it is mainly HO, they do have some vendors for the big boys, and I hope to do some buying.  .....

Dennis

I somewhat lost my enthusiasm for train shows when I realized it typically costs me $5 to get in and $400 to get out!

Jim H 

That sounds like me and EBAY but it cost me nothin to get in .

[thatboy37]

 

this is my and her first so it will all be new to me, but i do have a little experience with kids as i have 8 nieces and nephews already. but there's nothing like having your own as i've been told a million times.

Reggie, everyone said that marriage will change you, it didn't.  Now Kids REALLY changed us.  It can make you feel real old some times, but it is the best feeling in the world when you come home and they get all excited to run into your arms.  You will have your own stories to tell, and I for one look forward to hearing them.  One hint for the new fathers, the sound of trains rolling on track makes a great noise to put a baby to sleep by.  Just let the train go at a modest rate and turn the lights off.

God Bless,

Dennis

 

i kind of new loud and strange noises would make a baby go to sleep, as my dad would take my nephew outside in the middle of the night and stand by the a/c unit and he would fall asleep almost instantly. i will most definitly use the train one if it works for her when she gets here.

[rtraincollector]

If you have an old lionel with the old whistle tender that as long as its not a loud one can be a soothing sound to her also. My father bought a train record (steam engines ) just for  great nieces and great nephews to put them asleep . LOL I believe it was wabash in fact oldest brother gave it to me last time I was there but forgot it lol.

[jefelectric]

John : nice cake !! You just made me hungry !!  John, also I just paid Bob at AM Hobbies for my engine & he lowered the price 10 dollars, I couldn't believe it !!  Great place to buy from also !! He also said Atlas is talking about making some cabooses for those steamers !!  They're not sure on the exact style yet.  Hurry up April or May !!  

Thanks, John  

Good deal John.  I hope they make a Jersey Central caboose.  That is a hard one to come up with, other than the way out of scale ones.  Bob is a very nice guy to deal with & he usually knows what Atlas is up to.

We are just about to leave for the daughters with the cake, I'll let you know if it tastes good.

[rtraincollector]

a couple of you mentioned wanting a gantry crane the other night heres one ending tonight and its only $66.00 at the moment.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lionel-282-Remote-Gantry-Crane_W0QQitemZ120077208641QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4146QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120077208641 think hes a little hight on shipping thou (420.00) ends in about 3 1/2 hours

[Wes Whitmore]

Train room has been an issue for me too.  I always wanted a train around the ceiling, which I am building.  Now I want to start a layout, and my basement workshop would make a great room for it.  It's 11x21.  Basement workshops are just a bad idea because of all the dust and scraps involved.  That's a lot of trips up and down the stairs with hard trash.  Our garage is only 19 x 19, and we just barely can get an SUV and minivan in there.  I would rather park outside and put the wood tools on my side of the garage, and put the layout in the basement workshop.  My wife doesn't like the idea very much, so for now, I'm just concentrating on the ceiling layout.

I am constantly planning for a bench layout until I figure out what I want to do.  That's a lot of fun as well.

Wes

[Roger Bielen]

lionroar - incase you haven't already received a simple answer to your scale question.

1/4" = 1'0"

The easiest way to work in scale is to buy a scale ruler.  There are some that are available strictly for RR modlers and other can be had at stores selling drafting supplies.

[ChiefEagles]

Evening all.  One of Pam's good friends and hubby had birthdays this week.  Went to Outback with them and then to see The Last King Of Scotland.  Up early tomorrow and drive east.  Going by Mom's and then to a visitation at funeral home [another one of Pam's good friend's MIL passed].  Going by Mom's as funeral home is only 10 miles from her house.  Rush back so Pam can attend a 2 PM play in Raleigh.  Hope to go to Todd's and then back to do some "work".

Later.

[underworld]

Good evening from balmy 37 degree Toledo!!! It realy does feel pretty warm right now!

Chief  What are you going to do with all of that money you wrung out of Buckeye??? That's a neat miniature missle. In Toledo we have the Teledyne plant, they made the first cruise missle turbine engine for the Navy's Harpoon program. They also make gas turbine engines for various manned and unmanned military aircraft like jet airplanes, jet trainers, remotely piloted vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aerial target systems, and missiles!!! So us Nawtherners know a bit about missles too!!!

jefelectric That's a great cake!!!

underworld

[Brutus]

Jefelectric - cool cake!  Kurt, great pic!  What an angel!  Nothing much going on today.  Took camera to Best Buy for repairs.  It won't download via the cable or the charger/usb base to the computer.  The computer sees it, but can't access the device?  We got a warrantee on it, which I never do, but I figured a camera might get broken due to rough handling and weather etc.  Looks like it paid off!  The guy said it would be fixed and returned "soon".  I hope it's very soon!

[underworld]

Jefelectric - cool cake!  Kurt, great pic!  What an angel!  Nothing much going on today.  Took camera to Best Buy for repairs.  It won't download via the cable or the charger/usb base to the computer.  The computer sees it, but can't access the device?  We got a warrantee on it, which I never do, but I figured a camera might get broken due to rough handling and weather etc.  Looks like it paid off!  The guy said it would be fixed and returned "soon".  I hope it's very soon!

Many electronic circuit boards in consumer type equipment are pretty flimsy these days and prone to cracking. They don't need to be subjected to any tremendous force for this to happen. Pretty common with digital cameras. Good thing for the warrantee!!!

 

underworld

[mickey4479]

Since New Years, I have been running a few trains now and then and consulting the forum of course.  Weather here is sunny lately, but still too cool for me to get into my other passion, fishing.  My son is applying to law schools and hoping he can start this fall.  The catalog fest on the forum was fun to read.  Got a train show here on Super Bowl Sunday and I am going to try to sell some 027 cars and locos.  It wraps up at 3 PM in time to go home and watch the game.  Time to bed down. 

Kurt, cute new railroader!  My hairline is about the same as well.

[dbaker48]

Kinda weird week around here!!

Sunday - Worked in train room laying out elevated train shelf requirments and determining material.  (Mounting shelf into aluminum covered foam walls.) Picked up all material at Lowes, 5 sheets of plywood, and they did all the cutting, no charge  12 cuts.  Cut and routed ledger boards to fit the walls, completed half of them.

Monday - Came down with a sifnificant cold, symptoms grew worse all day long.  However, had previous plans on finishing the routing and preparing the ledger boards.

Tuesday - Chris (son) home sick with flu, my cold worse.  Did nothing all day either of us.

Wednesday - Same as Tuesday

Thursday - Same as Wednesday, I feel a little better, not much - no energy

Friday - Feeling pretty good, Chris still home.  Dr says he's grounded until Sat or Sun.  Wife still doesn't want me to go to work, reluctantly agree.  Decide I will paint the ledger boards and track shelves.  7:20 am, all power goes off.  Wife goes to work, I manage to get some instant coffee, and decide to paint.   Boards of course need sanding.  Wow 5 sheets of plywood to sand by hand???  Got halfway through and enough of that.  Power still off.  

Edison company status reports no service expected to be restored until Sat at 10am !!!

Break out the flashlights, and camping lights, check out my portable generator and all set for the evening in the dark.  Make arrangements for Chris and wife to stay at In-Laws because of how he is feeling, and no heat here.

5:00 getting dark, AND THEN THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON !!!

What a relief.

You sure don't realize how dependent we are on electricity until it is not there. 

[underworld]

dbaker48 You need some battery power for your trains!!!

underworld

[Brutus]

Don - hope everyone is feeling better soon.  We have had a lot of power problems locally with the storms this year.  Luckily, we only lost power for a few hours, but my folks in Kirkwood have lost power for about 2.5 days this year (not all at once).  Brother lost power for about a day.  Sister in the area lost for about a day.  You really know who your friends are when the lights go off for days at a time - Several of my coworkers were out for a week in the Summer!  Hope it stays on at your house!

[dwiemer]

Morning everyone, I can't sleep so figured I would visit the Pot and wait till the rest of the crowd wakes up.  I am on call, so I hope  I can sleep sometime or we may have some rough cases to do. 

Don, I will keep you and the family in my prayers for  a speedy recovery.  Good book says to pray about the small and the big, and we know it works.  As to the sanding, you may want to hold off till everyone is feeling better anyway as the lungs can take a hit from all the dust.

We have the train show starting at 9am so I am trying to think of anything to look for.  Right now, the only things I "need" are a Wabash engine to pull some passenger cars, figures and cars for scenery, and a TPC 400.   Of coarse I can always use some more power (can't we all). 

Y'all have a great day and will check back later.

Dennis

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is 32 degrees. Warmed up a little. No new snow. Going up to 40 today with a chance of rain ( ?? ). Hope it doesn't freeze later.

Today we are driving up to the Cleveland area. Going to meet an old friend for lunch. Wife will visit with her older sister. Nice day planned. Hope to get back home by sundown. It's staying light, later as the year goes by. Come on Spring.

Tome to board the Dining car for early breakfast. Be back later.

Y'all have a great Saturday.

Chuck