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

[dbaker48]

Sad day today.... sent the BB back to the Big L, wow was the shipping expensive, did insure it and required an Adult signature. (That would probably exclude Jerry or Mike from being able to sign for it I suppose.)

Now trying to figure out my next issue, my MTH 4400 diesel has decided to go mute. Checked ALL switches, adjustments, pots, then decided the battery must be dead. Let it set charging for 6 hours, then it rand and sounded great, (last night). Then this morning....Mute again, came home from work and it had sounds for 3 or 4 seconds, then mute. So called MTH, they said I had the xfmr connected wrong to the AIU, and nothing will work. (Couldn't explain why everything else is working OK.) Then told me I had a bad speaker or cold solder joint. So I'm going to try swapping batteries with another engine to see what happens.

Did get my Dremel to back. I stripped a gear, and checked their cust. serv, located in Palm Springs. They said it would cost $32 to repair, or $36 to upgrade it to the current model. Ok do the upgrade, so they sent it back today, and 0 cost. Charged it off to warranty!!

Then my son backed our El Camino out of the garage, into our van. Broken headlight & lense on Van, and bumper guard on EC.

Went to train club tonight, our stuff ran great, everyone else had problems. So maybe my black cloud has moved on.

Going to go to Hemet train shop tomorrow and return an extra switch, and do a presentation to a Computer Club tomorrow night in same area.

So have a great day,

Buckeye, I've got all the problems your avoiding. Thinking about maybe getting into a different hobby - maybe needlepoint.

[Jumijo]

 

Good morning from New England! Rain expected today and then much cooler for the weekend.

The kids and I watched some animated Batman episodes last night before turning in. Twoface was featured in the 2 episodes we watched. For those who don't know who Twoface is, he's a high-ranking town official with a dual personality. Tommy Lee Jones played him in a movie about 10 years ago.

Tonight the wife and I get to go out to dinner without the kids. I'm greatly looking forward to it. I might even make a pass at her! Then, Saturday night, we're hosting a good sized dinner party. Good times with good friends.

 

[kpolak]

Morning!

Buckeye, I've got all the problems your avoiding. Thinking about maybe getting into a different hobby - maybe needlepoint.

Don:  You'll put your eye out!

RT:  Great buy!  Can't wait for photos Sunday!

Jumijo:  Good luck on yer date. 

Our Anniversary was yesterday, 9-years! and I remembered!...had my hands full with sinuses, and kids...

Bride sent me flowers, Birds of Paradise...does that mean I'm off the hook for the flowers?  I'll probably get candy, just to be safe.  She loves rasberry truffels.

Tonight, kids to bed, and special occasion 'dating/early marriage dinner' for us.  Prosciutto de Parma, fresh mozzarella, grapes, kosher pickels, fresh bread, wine, and 2-seats in front of the fireplace.

Kurt

[Jumijo]

 

Happiest of anniversary wishes, Kurt! Have fun on your date tonight as well! My wife and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary a few months back. Those 10 years just flew by. And it seems like only yesterday we were welcoming my daughter, then Thing 1 and Thing 2 into our lives. Now they are on the verge of playing Gomez Addams with the Lionels!!!! 

 

 

[kpolak]

Happiest of anniversary wishes, Kurt! Have fun on your date tonight as well! My wife and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary a few months back. Those 10 years just flew by. And it seems like only yesterday we were welcoming my daughter, then Thing 1 and Thing 2 into our lives. Now they are on the verge of playing Gomez Addams with the Lionels!!!! 

Thanks!  Ours flew by too!  I was teaching our oldest to ride her bike yesterday.  A few laps around the Living Room and Kitchen...Previously I had her on a bike trainer, to get the rear wheel off the ground, so she could understand the pedalling concept, so I didn't have to chase her around with my hands on the pedals.  Now to steering!  Soon I'll be cleaning up the El Camino, and Van.

Good thing the Jumijo doesn't have a bridge!  Oh... and a detonator, but they'll find one of those!

Kurt

[Wes Whitmore]

Started hanging the drop ceiling in the train room last night.  I got one row done before the wife and kid got home.  If we don't go to the zoo tonight to watch the 3 million Christmas lights, I'll probably get another row done.  I'm hoping to start benchwork by 12/1.

Wes

[Buckeye Riveter]

Sorry, Buckeye, I've got to put the whammy on your trains just a few moments before your guests arrive. And I'll be sure to randomize what's wrong with each one.

Doug, Could you leave my Mikado alone?  I just fixed it and it running so sweetly.

The storms of November have arrived in Buckeyeland, just before the big game.  The sky is a dark gray and the treetops are now bare. 

Don, I feel your pain. 

Great hockey game last night with a big fight, in the stands.  Apparently two Black Hawk fans tried to mix it up with the home crowd, and were escorted out of the arena. 

Fifedog, glad to see that someone retrieved you. 

Kurt, I'm glad you remembered.  Congratulations.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a cold and cloudy 36 degrees. Only going up to 43 today.

Today, I am taking it easy. Have a few chores to do and then off to the train room. Need some dusting and clean up.

Wife is doing better. Sleeping good. Foot must be healing. I'll be glad when bandage comes off next week.

Dining Car is here. Breakfast.

Y'all have a great Thursday,

Chuck

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is cold, dark, windy and miserable in SE Indiana with temps only getting to the 40s today.  Tested the new layout last night with the 8E and all appears to be working ok.  I also went to the YMCA for some track work.  Lucas will be on the local radio tonight as part of a panel discussion with kids from all three county high schools.  It could be interesting.  Just the usual fare on the dining car this morning.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Jumijo]

 

I can see you, Lisa!

[Anonymous]

Morning fellas, morning Lisa, morning Jumijo...

So last night I picked Susan up at her Dad's (dropped her off there after picking her up at the Amtrack Station)... told her I had to stop at Lowes to get the rest of the supplies for the bathroom, and she says she wants to get a new suit for her interview today... sometimes shopping for clothes for women can be fun...

Well we didn't get home till after 7pm and I didn't feel like tiling, so I wiped the floor again.  Opened the door this morning to check and no more white haze! But there is some hazing on the grout, so have to find that TSP stuff Kurt was talking about yesterday. Will look online today to find it...  Floor looks slightly better than awesome!  Have to get the shower tiled and the tub grouted tonight... looks like a late night for me.  Then grout shower tomorrow night.  Saturday I have to finish painting the shed (yes that project still sits uncompleted).  Then it is measuring, cutting, and painting the baseboard for the master bathroom... question... is it OK to mount the baseboards before sealing the floor?  I know it doesn't take long to mount baseboard, but if I can mount them before sealing the floor, that would be great.  Finished preassembly on the one vanity top last night too.  Will do other vanity top this weekend.

Power went off at work this morning... no PC = no work... on remote laptop right now, but it doesn't have access to the main WAN - hooked up to non-ssa network ... power is back on, but still no WAN connectivity...

[bfskinner]

Seal the floor first.

[sir james I]

GOOD MORNING

Well things went good yesterday, the echo of my inards didn't find anything wrong so on the way home my p/u turned right in the white castle driveway  Oh I tried to stop it from turning but in we went. Sounds like some others had a good wed. and some didn't. Best of luck to all. Ran some trains yesterday afternoon to check the on/off switches I put in, no warm wires so I guess they will do.Cloudy and cool this am those that work tomorrow  is friday.   Sir James

[Anonymous]

Jumijo - I thought that was just another one of those pesky BlueJays sitting on the feeder outside my window!

Just checking in to see what's going on and who's up to "no good".  Rainy and temps dropping from 60 around 5am to the forty's by late afternoon. Down to about 30 overnight.   Winds beginning to pick up.  Gas prices from 3.12 to 3.35.   

Dewey - stay in by the fire and enjoy the snowfall out those big windows!

Chief - looks like the fishing trip will be a "no-go" with all this rain.  I had all the leaves cleaned up Tuesday and this morning the yard is about 3" deep.  Rain and wind really bringing them down. 

Well, gotta go make a visit to my patient and then take my Mom to the Dr after lunch.  Hubby is off today and tomorrow - he left early this am to go deer hunting.  Kinda like the postal service - "neither rain nor snow......."

Not much train time lately - trying to get moving on the Christmas layouts.

Behave guys!

Lisa

[Jumijo]

Jumijo - I thought that was just another one of those pesky BlueJays sitting on the feeder outside my window!

 

I'm from Boston, not Toronto! 

 

 

[cnw1995]

Morning from a grey and blustery Crystal Lake where all the neighborhood leaves are blowing into my yard. Guesss I can make a big pile for the kids later. Got three 5 year olds over whilst I 'work' and their mom's go have coffee.

Happy Anniversary, Kurt!! If she sent you flowers, that means you have to do something double-nice for her. It doesn't get you 'off the hook' at all.

Looks like Murphy's Law is affecting a few of us: Don, Sir James and Brent in addition to Buckeye. Hmmm, I have to remember to put the whammy on the Chief too. Sorry guys - but it's the law. 

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all.  Morning all.  Some will know why I said that.   Rainy and turning cooler.  Train time.  Lisa, Bluejays can be noisy.  So noisy they become a nuisance.  They are also pecan thieves.  Buckeye, thanks for the rain.  Glad I got yard done yesterday.  Later

[Buckeye Riveter]

Buckeye, thanks for the rain. 

You're welcome.  Would you like a little snow to go with that rain?  How about some ice?

Doug, how much does it cost to call off the rules?   

Lisa, is this the same husband that fell off the roof that you are letting go deer hunting?  That insurance money must be real good. 

 

 

[Jumijo]

 

Just back from my lunchtime walk. It's raining pretty good out there today. So it was laps around the garage. I walked counter-clockwise so I could pretend I was a NASCAR driver!  Turn left! Turn left!

Slowly but surely, eating less and exercising more is starting to show results. But Thankgiving gluttony looms large...

Brent, I'm going to try my best to have your trains back to you by turkey day (a week from today if you can believe it). Thanks again for letting me learn some new techniques while I repaired them. I have to admit, when I offered to repair them, I had no idea how I was going to do it. And I had never touched an airbrush before painting your passenger car. But each day on my walk, I'd formulate a little more of my plan of action. I hope you will be pleased with the results.

 

[ChiefEagles]

Buckeye, thanks for the rain. 

You're welcome.  Would you like a little snow to go with that rain?  How about some ice?

Doug, how much does it cost to call off the rules?   

Lisa, is this the same husband that fell off the roof that you are letting go deer hunting?  That insurance money must be real good. 

No snow.  I see Dewey got some up in the hills.  Buckeye,[Lisa] same hubby that let her fall off of pallet on back of tractor.  HUMMM

[kpolak]

Brent:  TSP should be available where you bought the tile and grout.  Glad things turned out better than awesome!

Kurt

[Jumijo]

Brent:  TSP should be available where you bought the tile and grout.  Glad things turned out better than awesome!

Kurt

 

TSP - My father-in-law uses that stuff religiously for cleaning.  

 

[dwiemer]

Afternoon all,

     Lisa, good to hear from you.  Crazy day, emergency heart, even though I was on call, they let the folks covering the regular schedule do it....while I slept.  I did have some meetings and all, but otherwise a quiet one.  Better find some wood to knock on.

     Brent, Lowes and Home Depot will have the TSP.  Look by the shelves with the wall paper products, usually on the bottom with all the chemicals/glues/pastes, etc.  They use it to help break up the old stuff and to wash walls. 

     Looks like I may be heading to Texas, if I can work out the schedule.  A friend is getting promoted in the Army and hopefully we can get some hunting in as well.  It would be good to catch up.  Haven't been able to since his return from Iraq.  I have a 03 A3 Springfield as a present.  This was the rifle he did his cadet training on.

     Anyway, wife wants me to get the Christmas list together and to spend as much time as I can on the layout over the next few weeks...sounds like honey wants me to get-R-done.  I married well.

God Bless,

dennis

[Anonymous]

 

Hello All-

 

I am considering starting a toy train collection as a new hobby. Can you give me some advice as how and where to start?

 

 

Thanks- NL

[cnw1995]

Buckeye - for you ... I have a special price. Cheap.

Raked leaves into a gigantic pile in the front yard for the youngest to jump in. Nothing finer than watching a 5 year old play in the leaves - "this is so much fun"

Nittany, welcome! Did something in particular catch you eye? It is fun to begin by perusing a magazine like Classic Toy Trains or browse your local hobby store.

[Anonymous]

cnw1995 - 

 

 Well, I am looking for something to occupy my time as my kids are grown and you can only watch so much TV. I am impressed by the detail and scenery that I have seen on this forum. I have no idea what the subject title means! By the way, I used to live in Crystal Lake for a short periond of time.

NL

 

[jonadel]

Welcome!

Consider a package set that includes track, transformer, lock on's, engine and cars to see if you really do want to go further.

Do you have a lot of money? And room?

[Anonymous]

Do you have a lot of money? And room?

 

 

Well, let's just say I have  A LOT more room than money!

[cnw1995]

Really? I think you'd find CL has changed a bit.

This is a neat hobby that allows you to engage with it as you like, money and space-wise. It sounds like you'd enjoy building a layout. Browse the Lionel and MTH Trains websites. Choose a train set - it comes with a transformer to power your trains, the train itself and a circle or oval of track. Is there a real life railroad that appeals to you?

[CSXect]

Hello Nittny

As far as cost goes it can be cheap or it can be expensive depends on what you like in a toy/model train.