Which of you have done this?

[Anonymous]

"You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead!" :)

[Anonymous]

All very nice about cold weather but what about hot weather does any one know of any worthwhile sayings. Well done Vic.

Ian

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by troybetts

Bring it on Vic,
The 18th century sea wars are my speciality.Rule Brittania.
How about 'devil to pay'.Do you have that expression still over there?

I heard is as "There will be hell to pay!"

[Anonymous]

Bring it on Vic,
The 18th century sea wars are my speciality.Rule Brittania.
How about 'devil to pay'.Do you have that expression still over there?

[grandpopswalt]

Gary,

Brass Monkeys or Bulldozers, either way it's got to be pretty cold for those kinds of parts to fall off. Here in the Northeast of the USA when we feel really cold we often say that it's "colder than a bankers heart". If it's really, really cold we might say that it's "cold as a gravediggers a _ _"..

Walt

[Gary Crawley]

Forget brass monkeys here in Canberra when it's Winter we say "It's cold enough to freeze the Nuts off a Bulldozer"
Regards
Gary

[grandpopswalt]

Vic,

I too shared your explanation of the brass monkey phrase and I'm sorry to report that it was received with great skepticism. These old salts are still convinced that it means exactly what it implies.

Can you enlighten us regarding the old saying "three sheets to the wind"? This is a subject near and dear to their hearts. If I tell them that you understand this term, they'll surely accept your monkey story.

Walt

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by carpenter matt

Vic, with all this intrest in ships I'm suprised you didn't model a seaside port for your railroad!

Thought about it but it was too problematic for the given space. If i had chosen On30 it would be alot easier to do a seaside but at 1/20 any boats would eat up tons of space. I really wanted to model something along the lines of the Arizona Copper Co RR, a 20" gauge mining line with a bunch of Porters, while using other NG lines like the Gilpin Tramway as inspiration.

[vsmith]

Ian,

Pictures! where are the Pictures!

[Anonymous]

I believe our Aussie santa Clauses are preyy good. Tall, shapely, tanned Aussie models in red and white fur bikinis with special presents for us poor model Railway blokes. But it's the red high heels that do it for me.


Mery Christmas from ian and Doreen

[Anonymous]

Vic, with all this intrest in ships I'm suprised you didn't model a seaside port for your railroad!

[vsmith]

I kinda have an unfair advantage here, one of my interests and hobbies has been nautical history, I probably know more about sailing ships from 1300 to 1900 than I do about trains. The Brass Monkey is just one of several common terms and phrases used today that most people have forgotten the origins of...

For example... Rene , you'll love this one...

"Not Enough Room To Swing A Cat" ......refering to a tight or cramped space

It doesnt refer to there not being enought space in a room to swing a cat by its tail (more on this later) it goes again back to a nautical phrase "Not enough room to swing by the cathead" On a ship the anchor chain runs out the bow thru a opening called the cat eye, and goes back to ancient days when 'eyes' were painted on the bows of ships to guide them. The cathead was a part of the hull on the bow that the anchor chain was attached to by a cable so the crews could haul the anchor up. "swinging by the cathead" refered to how much room a ship needed to swing around the anchor when the tide changed direction, towards shore when the tide was rising , and away when the tide ebbed. For a lrge ship this required a large area. To say "theres not enough room to swing by the cathead" ment the anchorage was too small to accomodate the ship and that it could run aground when the tide changed. By the end of the 19th cent. the term was often shortened to "not enough room to swing a cat" but it has always refered to a tight cramped space.

BTW if anyone is thinking of trying to prove me otherwise by swinging a cat around a room by its tail, I will leave you with perhaps the wisest saying I have ever read...

"He who sets out to carry a cat by its tail will learn a lesson that will stay with him all his days, and will never grow dim with age.."

Mark Twain

[Anonymous]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for the kind inferrences, the historian in me beams with pride, but I must step aside for Vic on this one. I always try to interject some history into the forum. It serves to better us all.

This week I learned the true reason we need history. SNOW in SOUTH TEXAS! It was history in the making...almost magical. The retelling of the story to the future is the true crux of history, otherwise...all the magic would vanish with my mortality.

[bman36]

Matt,
Had to laugh. I was just at my parents for dinner and shared the same story...too funny. Have a great New Years! Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bman36

Vic,
So that's the deal...cool. Interesting history. I too figured this would have come from Capt. C. ....no offense Vic. Thanks for the info eh. Later eh...Brian.

Vic, Was that something they taught you in architects school? Poor designs of the past[(-D] Just teasing, I shared you explanation with my wife and others. I'll get that one right on Jeaprody[;)]

[bman36]

Vic,
So that's the deal...cool. Interesting history. I too figured this would have come from Capt. C. ....no offense Vic. [;)] Thanks for the info eh. Later eh...Brian. [:D]

[Tom The Brat]

Well I'll be. I always wondered where that phrase came from.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Slick1

Monkey,smonkey, whatever.....it's fricken cold in New Jersey. Thankyou Dr. Evil!

And Ohio too!

Vic, thanks for the history lesson, although I would have expected the Capt to have written that[:D]

Funny thing, My pic above with car surrounded by 12 inches of snow, donated it to Volunteer's of America, some poor sap has to get it out!

[Anonymous]

Monkey,smonkey, whatever.....it's fricken cold in New Jersey. Thankyou Dr. Evil!

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bman36

Hey everyone,
Gee...no thanks whatsoever???

You all need some good old fashioned "Brass Monkey" weather. I'm sure you have heard the old expression "Cold enough to freeze the b _ _ _s off a brass monkey!" In order not to offend some "Save The Poor Brass Monkey" minority group, today's politically correct term is just "Brass Monkey" weather. [;)]

FYI , "Cold enought to freeze the balls of a brass monkey" is a nautical term going back to the British Navy in the 18th century. A "Brass Monkey" was a device used to store cannonballs next to the cannons. It was a brass lattice device that stacked the cannonballs one on top of the other with brass finger keys that held then balls in place against the ships side. The Brass Monkey would be unlocked before battle so cannonballs could be quickly be grabbed and loaded without cluttering up valuable deck space. The thing was that when ships sailed into extreme northern or southern latitudes, as the tempurature dropped to freezing or below freezing temps, the brass metal would shrink, so would the iron balls, eventually to the point where on a rolling ship they could slip past the Monkeys fingers and fall to the deck, usually with an alarming "Thud" and go rolling around the deck ruining everyones day...the term came to be used whenever describing bitter cold weather and stuck with the Royal Navy way past the days of sails and cannons, into the steam era and even into today everyday language in the 21st century..

just thought you'd like to know so no one is offended or embarassed by the term...[:D]

[Rene Schweitzer]

Ian,

Come to Wisconsin in January. . you'll soon have your fill of snow! *grin* Actually, there's something magical about a fresh snowfall. It falls quietly and is so peaceful. (Glad I'm online. . don't have to duck the snowballs some of you may want to throw at me!!)

[Anonymous]

What can i say Gentlemen, but Merry Xmas and for once I woulkd love to experience a white Christmas. I have only seen snow about 3 times in my life.


Rgds Ian

[powlee]

[8D] Hi
Nice drop of sun in the UK. Managed to run a train. Leaves on the line but that is always a British hazard. My boss lives in Houston and rang complaining of the cold.
Off now to open my presents. Wonder if my prayers were answered.
Merry Xmas everyone.
Ian P

[bman36]

Matt!,
You're welcome! Just be thankfull you don't have our temps. Last night it was -33 and with the windchill it was -48!!! That's obscene! Stay warm. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bman36

.." Geddy Lee ain't got nothin' on me baby.

Yes, but he was right" All the worlds a stage and we are merely players"

I think Brian did it! 15 " Here in Columbus Ohio!

[cacole]

I'm with you, Capt -- I moved to Arizona to get away from snow and cold weather, and thought the state legislature or governor had outlawed cold. It's been freezing here the past couple of nights, and we had a light dusting of snow. The Old Farmer's Almanac predicted a warmer than normal Winter this year for us -- and did they ever get that wrong! It's been unusually cold this year. Global warming? Bull!

[Anonymous]

It's actually snowing in South Texas!!! Yeah!!! Which prompts me to ask, has anyone checked Hell's weather report!!!

[bman36]

Hey everyone,
Gee...no thanks whatsoever??? [:D] Colorado is never shy to send us Canadians a "Colorado Low" which is usually good for a least 6 or 8 inches of snow. Alberta ships out the "Alberta Clipper" which is an annoying little storm...not a lot of snow but COLD and windy. Figured it was time to take advantage of the "Free Trade" agreement and ship out a "Winnipeg Winter". Unfortunately with the Can / US exchange rate I don't get as much bang for the buck. By the time it hits Texas all that is left is a "Whiny Cold". You all need some good old fashioned "Brass Monkey" weather. I'm sure you have heard the old expression "Cold enough to freeze the b _ _ _s off a brass monkey!" In order not to offend some "Save The Poor Brass Monkey" minority group, today's politically correct term is just "Brass Monkey" weather. [;)] Hope that clears up any confusion on this issue. As soon as I can get a hold of the Jet Stream, I will pull it back up North and let the warmth return. Seeing how it is Christmas and I am rather busy this may take a few days. Until then please feel free to enjoy the weather. Put on a toque, light the coleman stove, grab your favorite brew and start cookin' the back bacon. Plaid shirts are optional. Watching the Red Green show will help to ease the suffering with a few laughs. If not...the brew will. Take care and stay warm!!! Later eh...Brian...the one and only Back Bacon Train Guy. [:o)] "Take off, to the Great White North. Take off, it's a beauty way to go...." Geddy Lee ain't got nothin' on me baby.

[grandpopswalt]

Joe,

I think Brian did it. We had 4" of snow on the 19th, single digit temps on the 20th but we're now back to more reasonable conditions, temps in the 30's with light rain.

Merry Christmas

Walt