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

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is cloudy and a little bit warmer with temps predicted to be in the upper 20s today.  A big storm is headed our way, but I have yet to hear which way it will track.  We may get a lot of snow, ice, or a combination of both this evening.  The only concern with ice is snapping electrical lines and falling tree limbs.  We watched "Desperate Housewives" last night, and I watche "Reba" as well.  I ran the 10E for a little while with the restored 330 passenger cars.  I also went to the YMCA after picking up Lucas from work.  I have also been reading his Probability and Stats book from school when he brings it home.  Tell the crew out east the dining car is heading their way with the usual fare.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[laz 57]

Hi GIZ,

  28 and not to bad.  We are to get maybe a foot o snow into Wed?  We'll see?

Ran trains last nite for an hour and NO PILE ups.  All ran good.

later.

laz57

[Jumijo]

Good morning from New England!

Tough weekend. Julia developed a painful double ear infection Friday night (why is it always at night?). To the doc's first thing Saturday morning. She got home and started vomiting. All day yesterday as well. Finally found some Emetrol for her and that settled her stomach. Poor kid. She never once complained either.

I stayed home with Julia Saturday night and missed a family gathering I was greatly looking forward to. But every cloud has a silver lining. I took an old, dead 2046 whistle tender that was completely rust-welded (wheels, rollers) the armature wouldn't turn, cracked wires, you name it, and tore into it. I completely disassembled it down to a bare frame. Got all the rust off the trucks, wheels, and rollers with a Dremel tool. Got everything moving freely, then started in on the motor. What a time I had just trying to get the brushplate off! Cleaned the armature and brushes, sanded the relay contacts, oiled the armature shaft, and get this - completely re-wired the sucker!! It works! Whistles loud and strong. What a satisfying project. I wish I had taken photos of how bad it looked before. A little gun blueing on the wheels and it's all set. 

Have a great day, everyone. 

Jim 

[mitchelr]

Good morning from Gettysburg. Currently it is 30 degrees, to get to 40 with snow, freezing rain, or sleet in the forecast for after midnight tonight into Wednesday afternoon/evening.  I hate that freezing rain and sleet.  Give me straight snow any day. Although I wouldn't want as much as they are getting in upstate NY with someplaces at over 130 inches in the past week or so.  I wonder how Tom Schmidt  is making out.  I know Jamestown is not where the worst of the snow has been falling, but he's probably had a bunch of snow by now.

I'll check back in tonight.  Take care, 

Mitch

[John Bakeer]

RT, csxt30,

It was one of us over the pond that invented the infernal confusion engine and capacity has always been quoted in cubic centimetres/litres, noticed the correct spelling for litres!(lee-ters)

Have a nice day all, taking the beloved shopping. +10 and damp in Stockport today.  

[laz 57]

• Tranquility Base - The Eagle has Landed!  So glad your mom is okay.
• Blue and Gold went great - first one I've been to when I wasn't the den leader, which was weird.
• Laz - that is really adding some nice texture to the scene.  I'd like to pull up a stool and down a couple of your 5 cent beers!  Do you have a local brewery on your layout?
• Spent about an hour with the FIL checking out diecast cars online.  He was planning on an N gauge layout at some point in the future, but he might be getting the O bug?!

 

Yep JIM, your welcome anytime,  Have the Old Mil on tap.

laz57

[Brutus]

• Tranquility Base - The Eagle has Landed!  So glad your mom is okay.
• Blue and Gold went great - first one I've been to when I wasn't the den leader, which was weird.
• Laz - that is really adding some nice texture to the scene.  I'd like to pull up a stool and down a couple of your 5 cent beers!  Do you have a local brewery on your layout?
• Spent about an hour with the FIL checking out diecast cars online.  He was planning on an N gauge layout at some point in the future, but he might be getting the O bug?!

[laz 57]

Laz,

I used Lizard litter for ballast on a portion of my layout. If you start to find some "clumps" in the litter - start looking for lizards in your basement!

 

How bout spiders too?

KEITH, nope didn't see my 800lb. BEAR, he's still in CHICAGO trying to get those GIZ back on track?  Isn't even hibernating this year, heard they are cracking the whip already for next year?

laz57

[dwiemer]

Evening y'all,

     Just a quick stop by as I have to finish the taxes and get them sent off.  Accountant takes it from here.  We usually get a good bit back, so I am looking forward to getting it done.  Had a good morning at church and Sunday School, then came home, started taxes, took a break, back to church (on main camera), and finally back to finish taxes. 

     Sunday Photo fun was especially good this week.  Frank53 did it again with his custom jobs.  Does some fine work.  Chief's coal runs are looking mighty fine to.

Greg M, congrats on the grandchild.  Best of everything, spoil the kid, then when they get cranky, hand them back to mom and dad.

Have a great week everyone.
Dennis

[GregM]

Thanks folks!  We are looking forward to lots of great times with the youngest OTTS member. 

Watchng NHRA, time to see what Ashley can do.

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

First and foremost, a big CTT Welcome to Stubbs and thank you for your service. 

Roy, you bring back too many Scout memories for me with your posts over the years. Keep it up.

Chief, glad the Eagles are in their nests. 

Greg, congratulations!  I guess we better get another OTTS Certificate ready around August. 

Busy day today.  First, the Sport Show is in town and the owner of the camp where I fish in Canada was in town displaying at the show.  We had them to the house this morning for breakfast. .  Next we heading out in the cold to church.  After a lite lunch, we headed to the hockey game against the Chicago Black Hawks.  We lost 5-4.  Ate supper at the local Mexican restaurant and then came home.

The forecast is for 6 inches of snow on Tuesday.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Speaking of snow, Oswego, NY must be something else to see.  Is AMTRAK running between Buffalo and Albany?

See ya down the tracks,

[csxt30]

John, Did you ever notice who is shopping in the diecast car aisle at Wallyworld, mostly guys our age.   Not a kid in sight the last time I was there.

John : you're exactly right !! I saw a guy today looking at them & thought, he's got trains !! LOL !!  

[jefelectric]

Good evening,

Temp topped freezing for the first time since Feb 2 today.  All the way to 33.  Going to 34 tomorrow, heat wave, then snow Tuesday and wednesday.

John, Did you ever notice who is shopping in the diecast car aisle at Wallyworld, mostly guys our age.   Not a kid in sight the last time I was there.

 

 

[1688torpedo]

 Hello All!    CSXJohn- I bet the first Corvair you see at Wallyworld you'll snap it up-unless Bruce beats you to it! Laz- Your layout looks superb with the Lizard Litter. I hope the 800lb Bear was not at the Sportsman Show as a stuffed animal. We need him to keep the sutherners in line. Don B- That was a interesting truck you owned. Never heard of a Housetruck before though. Take Care all.

[ChiefEagles]

All the Eagles are back in their nest.   Mom doing OK.  Fixed Frankie's phone problem.  I checked the line from each phone while he crawled under the house.  Found a loose wire in a splice.  Now for some microwave popcorn [Homestyle].  Later.

[wrmcclellan]

Laz,

I used Lizard litter for ballast on a portion of my layout. If you start to find some "clumps" in the litter - start looking for lizards in your basement!

[rtraincollector]

Well I learned today the 5.4 isn't a 302 the 4.6 is the 5.4 is the 351 Cleavland . So its even bigger than I thought I was also told to expect somethin like 14 - 16 around town and 18 - 20 (if your lucky) on trips. main thing drive sesible not lead footed and you'll do the uper end maybe not the top but close. Well I'm not really lead footed and I'm not young so I do try not to hot rod normally. May keep the ranger also depends on how much the insurance is on both drop full coverage off the ranger and put full on this. and move it up to 500 deductable instead of 250

Not much in trains today been busy doing other things. Did do some rearanging of them in there boxes .

Chief glad to hear your mother is doing fine.

Brent hows the house hunting going on?

Later all

[csxt30]

Good Afternoon Everyone !!

Laz : the lizzard litter is looking good !!

Just back from Walleyworld with a new 2 dollar Cobra !! I think I will quit buying these cars, because it's just getting too hard to push them all around the layout by hand anymore !! I don't know how Tom does it !!

Thanks, John

[cheapclassics]

Good afternoon all,

It is cloudy and warmer in SE Indiana with temps in the 20s.  Snow is on the way sometime in the next two days so I may be using another personal day.  Watched part of the Bud Shootout (boring) and the All Pro game last night (more boring).  Did finally watch the episode of Lost that we taped.  Congrats to GregM on the new grandchild.  They are great.  Spoil them and send them home!!!   Went to church this morning and stopped in at my dad's.  I have to go pick Lucas up from work, and then to the YMCA.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana 

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,

   Cold here at 24 and to get dumped on with snow on Tuesday. 

FIFEDOG,  lots of stuffed Eagles shirts, but no real eagles(not FRANK).

Here is some of my progress on the layout that I worked on for an hour and a half each nite last week.  The bown stuff is Lizard litter.

Later,

laz57

[cnw1995]

Good morning from a warmer Crystal Lake where it is 19 and feels like 7 - just got back from helping out at the last minute at church: the fellow I substituted for was caring for the family of a neighbor who died suddenly Friday night -- just 43, has three young kids.

Another reminder to focus on what matters these days.

[dbaker48]

Important stuff first!!

Great news Elliott !!  Hope it continues!

Congratulations on news of being a new Grandpa!!

 Welcome Stubbs,!  My nephew just returned, he will be home in August.

OK Now for the 1st car topic.  My first car was a 65 Chevy, only had a 283, but drove the heck out of it.  Bought it year before I went in the USAF, car payment was $83, Income was $80.  Tough times.

Shortly after I got out, got the Chevy back from my parents and then bought this truck.  A 53 Ford Hostess Cake Truck.  Painted inside box Competition Orange with a pale Blue Ceiling.  Had to have commercial plates, huh!  Found a couch at a goodwill box, put it in, took the truck to DMV and registered it as a house car.  Had an old school bus accordian type front door.  Strictly four speed, had to double clutch it, no syncros.  Painted outside forest green, and drove it same day.  Looked like it was painted with a pine cone.  IT WAS A CHICK MAGNET!

Then bought a 69 MG Midget, drove it to Texas and back, it died.  Got back couldn't start it for 3 weeks.  Those were the best 2.  At one time while I was single I was a 3 car family.  The truck, midget, then had a Datsun 610 as a "formal" car. 

LOL  Good memories

Sorry for the picture quality.  That day we were seeing if we could turn it around in a very small area.  The truck had a severly limited turning radius, would not negotiate a U turn on 3 lane road. 

 

 

W 

[Brutus]

Very cool diorama, Tom.  BTW - Welcome Stubbs - I forgot to include that last night.  Well, we got up this morning and Chewy got into a bag of candy.  She ate almost a whole bag of Hersey Kissables, which is milk chocolate.  She'll be on water the rest of the day to let this work itself out.  Milk chocolate is not as bad for dogs as bakers chocolate, which will kill a dog.  We forgot and left this on the counter and didn't block it off, so she must have jumped from the back of the couch. 

Blue and Gold today, so not done rushing around, but visiting family all left already.  My son got an electronic battleship game that is really cool, with tomahawk missiles and surface scans and stuff.

[wrmcclellan]

Morning all!

Tammy - thanks for the update on Elliott! Our prayers continue.

Jim D. - Even with that souped up Stude (not stud) - the girls still wouldn't ride with you would they (as experienced by a buddy of mine when we were in HS)? They didn't ride with me either in the Olds 88!

Off to Scout Sunday church.

Check in later.

[fifedog]

Mornin' boys.  Just tea for me this morning.

laz57 - I was just curious, any stuffed eagles at that show...?

Bakeer - be sure to keep your hocksters warm and dry...

[Anonymous]

Morning all.  21 degrees here in Coplay right now, going up to 32 possibly.  Sunny now, but snow is expected Monday into Tuesday.

My mother is visiting for the weekend due to my sons 2nd birthday party.  Me and the Mrs need to figure out what to do with her today.  She's is enjoying the time with her grandson a great deal.

My first car was an olive green 1969 Dodge Dart.  It had the slant-6 in it, and was the most bulletproof car I ever owned.  I always said I could drive that car into a brick wall going 60, and only scratch the fender.  Only drawback was it was rear wheel drive so driving in the snow was a little tricky for a 16 year old.  I survived though.

Have a great weekend.

SK 

[Roger Bielen]

I just installed a Z-Stuff semiphore on my layout, NEAT!  It operates in slo-mo and holds red for a bit after the train passes, goes to yellow for little bit before going back to green.  The best part is I don't have to tear up any track to make an insulated section, it triggers by a built in IR unit.  It also has wiring for insulated rail trigger or linking to another signal or device.  Think I'll try to find a spot, or two, for more.

First car was an '89 Chrysler, family car, with a 383 Golden Lion.  Had 2 barrel with more throat area than most 4's.  My nemisis at the track was a turboed Studibaker Golden Eagle? that always took me at top end when I ran out of carboration.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all.  Off to Mom's as soon as Frankie calls.  Running behind as usual.  Then back to his house to help him clear a phone static problem. 

My first car was a 55 Chevy given to me at age 15 when Mom's folks passed away.  Had neighbor that was 16.  He drove us to school on it and on dates too.  Got learner's permit at 15 1/2 and drove it myself.  I had been driving since I was 12 [on the farm] so no big deal for me.

Warmer than yesterday.  Sun is out.  Ran trains for a while [ones pictured in Sunday Photo Fun].  Chat later when I get back.

[Nick12DMC]

Hi all, Been working away near Nottingham this weekend. Had blizzard conditions there on Sat. Got back home this lunchtime and its bright sunshine.

My first car was a Lada Niva 4x4. (Ok you can stop laughing now)I used to do a lot of caving and rock climbing so it was a great little beast for chucking all the gear in (and very cheap!). Traded it in against a top of the line Vauxhall Frontera 2.8 TDI LWB 4x4.  Aquired my '81 DeLorean about 6 years ago. Found I had had enough of 4x4s (after driving the DMC the handling just was not there) so the everyday transport is now a '99 Alfa Romeo 166. 

Nice thing about UK law is that a '81 car does not need Cat. converters so the DMC is fitted with a nice bypass pipe in the exhaust system. 

Hope everyone has a good Sunday

Nick

 

[csxt30]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is a Brrrrr 7 deg.

We work on a switch back layout yesterday that was donate to the museum, It is On3. The track is almost 'S' gauge size.

 

This was a display in a local train store (Willoughby Trains)  some 30 years ago

Tom : that's the diarama we were talking about before & I wondered what happened to it !! I used to go there back then & bought tons of HO stuff. He also had a theft back then & they got one of live steam big brass engines, I forgot the name of it now. But it was like about ten grand for that one. That was my favorite hobby shop back then !!

Thanks, John