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

[cnw1995]

Good morning from a sunny and cold Crystal Lake where seeing the sun really makes a difference. Last day off for this series of catch-up vacation before heading into the office for 2 days.

Brent, doesn't that Cracker Barrel 'store' have nice gifts?

CSX and Kurt, hang in there in eating healthy - I'm trying to drink more vegetable juice - a generic version of V8 - takes getting used to...

Chief, I knew you'd love those E units if you ran them. Can't wait to see them repainted in NS

Laz, the Bears stink, stink, stink!

Brutus, glad you had a good trip to KC - especially the behind-the-scenes visit at the museum.

Going to try to wire the controllers for the 5121 switches today - the '05 instructions for what looks to be similar switches say to begin with the 'ribbed' wire to the closest connector to the motor housing - of course, none of the wires for the controllers I have are ribbed. I'll have to experiment with connecting each wire to each connection - I think I also screwed up the placement of the insulating pins. Boy, when I fire up the transformer, the switches sure are noisy! 

The youngest got his first lesson in electricity - I showed him how to connect a wire to each lug on a tiny transformer to get the WW2 pylon to spin. He's hanging things on the airplanes and watching them fling off...

[sir james I]

A very windy morning. And it's garbage day. If they don't p/u soon everyone will be exchanging garbage cans.

I never heard of a p-can until I was watching a Bobby Flay show.

Doug- If those switchs are chattering, you did get it wrong. You need to fix it or burn the coils out

Enjoy your Monday and I'll drop by later.(to read about p-cans)which i'm sure will  be mentioned again.,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sir James

[cnw1995]

Thanks, Sir James. I'm glad to know that - the only diagram I can see in the instruction book shows two switches connected back to back and arrows pointing out the insulating pins. I must have it 'backwards' probably.

[sir james I]

Doug- Look close at the 2 short  rails one on the straight one on the curve They are isulated from the rest. Those two rails need the plastic pins.

[anjdevil2]

Hello from cloudy & Humid Florida...not complaining, just being Captain Obvious....

Spent the weekend getting Christmas in gear worked LHS on Saturday, decorated the house yesterday, got the tree up and in the house (or is that in & up in the house).  Layout complete, need to fine tune a few things, adorn the tree with lites and such, then the trains will roll.  I'll post them on next weeks SPF.

I was short on trackage yesterday and, on a whim, asked the oldest to check the Target web for track.  Lo & behold, they had some at the nearest store "limited availability".  Ran over to DnD (sorry Target, not much on the Star-5-bucks coffee), got my coffee & crossant and drove over. $26 for 4 straight AND 4 curves.  Such a deal.  They had 2, I got one.  The diesel set, to me, looks cheap, the steamer looks pretty good, though.  That finished off the layout.

hmmm How 'bout those G-Men, sorry dere BEARZ fans...

Boss is away for 3 days, need to keep up with the job, though (whom i kiddin' I'm a work horse anyhow...)

Ya know, I just gotta ask (Fife..this is all your fault...)...

Hey Chief, that convertible your were in, would that be a long, white Caddy? (and where was Roscoe in all this?)  White suit to match?

(Sorry..had to ask...)

Rich

[CSXect]

Good monday morning to everyone. must be off to the dentist by 11:00 not even a five min. drive from home.

Hope all is well with everyone this week suppose to snow by wendsday here. Was very windy and thought I heard some thunder lastnight.

 

[laz 57]

Laz, the Bears stink, stink, stink!

DOUG, that they do Oh well wait till next year.

laz57

[FJ and G]

Hi,

I shot this out of focus picture of the Washington Post. See all of the boxes in this lady's front yard. One of them is a comcast box (internet provider). The lady doesn't even use comcast yet the company was allowed to tear up her yard and install its box smack dab in the front. Apparently, the city of manassas had allowed an easement for any utility company to post whatever they want there right on her lawn. 

 

So in addition to being able to take your house away, for eminant domain of some developer, they can also plant stuff in your lawn (I'd have disguised it as a factory and run tracks out to it)

 

 

[Anonymous]

If the city mandated the easement, and they offered you fair market value for that land (they have to do this by law before enacting eminant domain), and you chose not to sell, then you are out of luck.  If you bought the property AFTER the easement mandate took effect, then there is nothing you can do since you don't own that property... now if the equipment does not fall within the easement boundaries... can you say RENT????

---
Fife - didn't see the M.B. Klein booth... did see one guy selling Hogwarts for $199!!!!

Doug - Yeah I can usually find something for my Mom and Sisters there... about the only thing Susan and I get from there is ornaments.

Wes - Just doing a quick stop and go... if I had had more time I would emailed you and Buckeye to see about meeting up.  If Buckeye's offer still stands concerning meeting up when the weather breaks to do a trip up the Muskigum (?) river through the locks around Zanesville, maybe we could all get together? (Don't know how big Buckeye's boat is).

[RRCharlie]

anjdevil beat me to the Jacksonville weather report. Give final exams in Elementary Statistics at the junior college tonight, Tuesday night, and Saturday morning. Maybe when last of paers are graded, grades averaged, and posted, I can get back to the serious stuff. TRAINS!!!

Hope everyone has a good week.

Nice article Fife

Mel Hazen; Jax. FL

[cnw1995]

Thank you, Sir James. Here's another two questions if you or anyone else can help - should I put an insulating pin on the both ends of the closest-in rail on the straight side of the switch or only on one end of the straight rail?  If I have three switches in a row, each separated from the other by a straight track, and powered by the same transformer - do I have to put these insulating pins in both the curved and straight tracks for each one or just the two switches on the 'ends' of this section that connect to the rest of the layout?

Hmm, I guess I'll ask this on the larger forum too.

[AKKevinT]

Far North Checking–

Good morning to everyone reading the news at the coffee pot. I have not had much time to check in or post much for some time now. I wanted to share a quick link to a neat little news clip I stubbled across today. It is from WCCO televison affiliate in Minneapolis. They had a nice spot on a local model train club/museum display is St. Paul MN. They have a beautiful layout in a great looking old train building!

(I am not sure if this has already been shared on this or other threads on forum, but in case it has not I thought some of you might enjoy seeing this.)

Twin Cities Model Railroading Museum

As the Christmas season gets closer I hope to have time to check in and catch up with the forum in general. Take care and best regards from Alaska!

Kevin T.

PS So far this has been the mildest winter I have experienced in Alaska's interior in 21 years! In fact the weather has been so mild we have had more days above 32°f than below 0°f so far this fall. I guess I am another Alaskan who is finding the upside to global warming somewhat appealing! 

[Buckeye Riveter]

(Don't know how big Buckeye's boat is).

+

[Wes Whitmore]

Hey guys, I'm trying to find a toy that I had in the 80s when I was growing up.  Maybe you guys have seen it.  It was an unpowered plastic train (maybe HO is scale) layout in a plastic case that was around 36" wide, 6" tall, and maybe a foot deep.  The top of the case had a hinge on one long side that would fold open and create an elevated and set back second level.  I wish I had more to go on.  I think the case was gray in color.  It was a point-to-point.

Wes

[Anonymous]

(Don't know how big Buckeye's boat is).

+

Looks good Buckeye.  Looks to be about an 8 passenger craft?

[Wes Whitmore]

Just two people.  He has a layout in the back taking up the rest of the space.
Wes

[tmcc man]

Good afternoon everyone,

Buckeye that's a nice boat you have. Right now, my uncle has a small Boston Whaler. I can't remember the size. He actually just ordered another boat, and I think it's around 30ft. It has dual engines, but I can't remember anymore details.

Well, looks like the Christmas layout is going to happen. It's going to be 10ft long by 8ft wide. I have 072 on the outside, 054 on the inside, and 031 on the very inner loop. I think it will be a nice layout, with some houses, people and other things. 

[CSXect]

Nice boat Buckeye, ever been on Erie??

Last time I went fishing was on a boat on the lake erie caught a lot of white and yellow pearch and one bass with a very big belly and a few goathead?(pest invader like zebra muscels, lampreys and one type of zooplankton that nothing will eat.)

Favorite bait old beef liver,corn kernals, and worms. Brother in law swears by this recipe uses bread, cheese and Curry(sp? indian spice) the fish hit on it big time.

I have come to the conclusion that my train buying days are over till I build layout and display shelves.

[cnw1995]

Argh, these remote control 027 switches are driving me crazy...

[Anonymous]

Doug,
What's the problem with the switches?

[cnw1995]

I don't know, Brent. That's what's driving me crazy. But seriously folks... some seem to be dead. I  have a siding off a main line - the main line is insulated (isolated?) at the first switch to begin the siding. That appears to work off the main line power. Then there is a straight and three switches in a long row, each separated by a straight. These are 5121 027 remote switches, by the way. The first switch in line and the last one don't appear to work and I'm not sure how to test them.

Somehow I think I inadvertently isolated some of the switches in the middle. I have to remove some insulating pins I think and start over again. 

[sir james I]

Does an engine run all the way through this section(from the first switch to the last)? did you use metal pins everywhere but where the plastic ones go? if the engine passes across all the switches, they are powered. you can test them by turning on track power and with anything metal touch the center screw to the right and the left. the switch should change depending which outside screw you ground to the center.

Two plastic pins per switch. all other pins should  be metal.

[wrmcclellan]

Evening all!

Kevin - good to hear from you and glad all is well! You must have left the door open again as the temp dropped from mid 80's late yesterday afernoon to the mid 30's last night. Temp dropped about 10 degrees per hour. Beautiful clear skies today. Might get up to 70 tomorrow - ha!

Buckeye is wishing he was in the boat - not posting pictures of it.

Finished outside Christmas decorations last night and then went to Christmas music show at church last night. Went in to the show (200 choir + 30 piece professional orchestra - very nice) in short sleeves and came out wondering why we had not brought coats - brrrr!

The good spell with "he who is 14" abrubtly ended when he was informed he had to finish his homework he had put off all weekend. All h#ck broke loose here. Not pretty.

Have a great evening all!

 

[magicman710]

Evening all. Been daydreaming about my layout latley. (I really need that thing )
Benchwork will start with the next few weeks. I just won a MTH Big Boy on ebay for $500 . Been thinking whether to use fastrack or tubular. I can really decide, but I think I'm going to use fastrack. We will see. More pecans to pick up today. Saw 3 deer crossing the road on my way home, and 200 yards after that saw another 3 They must we feeding 5:00-6. I need to get out there about that time, I mostly hunt in the morning.

Well, hows everyones day been so far?

[CSXect]

Well dentist took muchlonger than normal as everyone was talking colledge football, no cavities. Lost another 1pound 7 onces for atotal of 32 according to thier scales.

 

[ChiefEagles]

Doug, run jumpers to the outside rails.  They can cause the outside rails to be "dead".  I would also run jumpers to the middle rails too. 

ITS OFFICIAL! I'M MAYOR!!! http://www.ci.rolesville.nc.us/m_c/default.htm

Check out the link.  Cousin who is retired Cheif Court of Appeals Judge did the honors.

Cold and windy.  Yankee raid into the South.   BURRR.  Later 

[magicman710]

Chief, er, Mayor Eagles, congradulations!

[csxt30]

Doug, run jumpers to the outside rails.  They can cause the outside rails to be "dead".  I would also run jumpers to the middle rails too. 

ITS OFFICIAL! I'M MAYOR!!! http://www.ci.rolesville.nc.us/m_c/default.htm

Check out the link.  Cousin who is retired Cheif Court of Appeals Judge did the honors.

Cold and windy.  Yankee raid into the South.   BURRR.  Later 

Conga Chief !!   I hope you have a great term or two in office, or more !!

Thanks, John

[Blueberryhill RR]

Doug, run jumpers to the outside rails.  They can cause the outside rails to be "dead".  I would also run jumpers to the middle rails too. 

ITS OFFICIAL! I'M MAYOR!!! http://www.ci.rolesville.nc.us/m_c/default.htm

Check out the link.  Cousin who is retired Cheif Court of Appeals Judge did the honors.

Cold and windy.  Yankee raid into the South.   BURRR.  Later 

Conga Chief !!   I hope you have a great term or two in office, or more !!

Thanks, John

Congratulations , Chief. You'll be a good one.

[Brutus]

CSXECT - hang in there!

Hey Kevin in AK!  Hope to hear more from you this year!

Chief - congratulations! 

Lionel sent us the replacement parts for the chicken coop, but not the vents for on top of the barn???  Anyway, Chicken coop now has windows and door that were missing in the original packaging.  Daughter is happy, so I'm happy :)