Good morning. No breakfast for me today, just coffee. It's Donut Day!
I think there are several regular diner patrons we haven't heard from in a while. Hopefully they are just too busy to check in.
Rain today. In farm country, them's good words!
This picture was taken a few miles south of us at Rock Creek Station. The Blue River (actually a small creek) cuts through here with about a ten-foot deep channel.
Before the transcontinental railroad, the wagon trains heading west on the Oregon Trail could not cross the river. A man built a small wooden bridge at this spot, and he charged tolls for the wagons to cross.
He hired a young man named William Hickock to help out. One night, Hickock got into a fight with an unarmed man, and shot and killed him. He took off and began his career as the gunfighter Wild Bill Hickock.
This was when our kids were young enough to enjoy camping. It wasn't too many years before they wanted hotel rooms with bathrooms instead of tents and bushes.
Top of the Page! Donuts are on me! The Krispy Kreme glazed ones are the best.
York1 John
Good Morning Everyone.
MMM donuts!
Not much to report, I have been on call this past week.
Work is going to send me to another hospital to help deploy new equipment. They are overwhelmed and have gotten behind and have a June deadline. So i will work there a few times, a week at a time.
Good morning gang, something I seen on my Face Book this morning, maybe that building would fit better on the layout if I turn it 90 degrees:
Here's the story:
https://www.stadafa.com/2019/11/indiana-bell-building.html
Video doesn't work, but the full story and a video is in the link.
Have a great day!
Mike
My You Tube
moelarrycurly4MMM donuts!
Yea... MMMmmmmmm!
Thanks John.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
mbinsewiGood morning gang, something I seen on my Face Book this morning, maybe that building would fit better on the layout if I turn it 90 degrees:
This reminds me of one of the chapters in the life of George Pullman and raising buildings along the lake shore in Chicago:
https://www.classicchicagomagazine.com/moving-buildings-with-george-pullman/
I'll try to find the photo of the apartment building that tipped over somehwere in Asia when they were excavating for a parking garage. You could see the building's pilings were only like little sticks in the mud, no anchorage to bedrock or solid ground.
Found it:
More here:
https://www.engineering.com/story/ever-see-a-12-story-building-just-fall-over
Speaking of tipping over
It looks like BNSF has been installing some Kadee wheelsets in this ballast gondola in Denver?
23rd Street Denver by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Finally a sunny and only slightly cool (59°) day here in NE Ohio. A visit from my son and his wife will be this afternoon
Cheers, Ed
Good evening from back at the Homestead.
The Fiddler and Judy winded their way back home from La Crosse Wisconsin today.
The lighting on the River Step Bluffs was really vivid this morning as we said goodbye. Probably because the strong winds blew all the haze out of the valley.
It was so windy that it was a bad day for travel. My truck was all over the road and I saw 18 wheelers looking like they were almost going down the road sideways dog wagging.
We swung through Austin Minnesota to look in on Judy's best friend Sue that had the heart problems a few weeks ago. Judy had to bring her a fruit basket, a cold cut cheese platter, some flowers and a big hug. We just wanted to make sure she had everything she needs as her daughter's doing a good job taking care of her back to recovery.
Sue bought me a tool bag from the dollar auction that she likes to bid in. I gave her a big hug too.
Bridge guy sure likes the High Steel Bent Bridge and needless to say the multiple Green Machines Ed I never seen so many in one place at one time Nice!
They say you sleep the best at home in your own bed. I say Bull Pucky that this is not always true. It could be the fact that I haven't had a vacation in over a year due to the corona. But I found I sleep the best under bridges
Yep, The Radisson had bridge pictures over the beds and I slept like a baby. I think perhaps I'm going to take down the rare, numbered and signed Penni Anne Cross Native American picture we have hanging over our bed at home. A replacement of a breathtaking bridge picture so I can sleep better would be much more better Wish me good luck with Judy on that one
Those fancy curtains that let absolutely no light into the room at hotels could have something to do with it too. I'm going to have to get me a set of those things soon
TF
Glad you're safe and sound back home TF!
Track fiddlerA replacement of a breathtaking bridge picture so I can sleep better would be much more better
If I keep spending money on trains I might be sleeping under a bridge, too!
I like to sleep in a totally dark room, too. Mrs. Pullman can have the blinds wide open and the sun streaming in! Not me. I w**ked off-shifts so much of my career that I need to sleep all hours of the day. It has to be dark!
Honestly, I've had some of my best, most restful sleep while riding a train in the crisp, white sheets of a Pullman berth. If it's a six-axle heavyweight car, all the better, although the Amtrak Superliners have a fairly decent ride.
Here's one for Mr. P. Marquette!
I have a new appreciation for the three-rail guys
Here's my favorite BN paint scheme!
Lookin’ like BN by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
I liked it so much I had to get one for my garden railroad
IMG_1132 by Edmund, on Flickr
Sure was a quiet day in the Diner. Beautiful weather today in NE Ohio!
We're overdue for Ken, The Bear and Lion to check in, anyone else?
gmpullmanSpeaking of tipping over It looks like BNSF has been installing some Kadee wheelsets in this ballast gondola in Denver?
Hi Ed,
It makes one wonder how it was possible to flip that hopper car completely over. Somebody had to really mess up.
One of the members at my old train club, Brian, worked for CN on a wreck recovery crew for many years. He was in the habit of taking pictures of the wrecks, partly for reporting purposes, but also for his own interest. He had quite a collection of scary looking photos. Quite often when cars were crushed or flipped over in a yard it was because somebody didn't get off the throttle when they were supposed to. The damage that even a single switcher could do when one end of a train stopped moving and the power was still being applied to the other end was incredible.
Brian always told the stories with a smile on his face, but things could get a bit sobering when he talked about yard workers getting killed.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
gmpullman Glad you're safe and sound back home TF! Honestly, I've had some of my best, most restful sleep while riding a train in the crisp, white sheets of a Pullman berth. If it's a six-axle heavyweight car, all the better, although the Amtrak Superliners have a fairly decent ride. I have a new appreciation for the three-rail guys Here's my favorite BN paint scheme!
Thanks for the welcome home Ed
Sleep under bridges due to the MR bill
Yep! I got home and it's a good thing I remembered. My PayPal account payment is due on the 24th. The bill all consists of train stuff purchased and I'm glad I remembered.
Not as much as the Green Machines but I like your favorite tan and harbor blue paint scheme BN too! Brent has a picture of one of those machines on a low bent trestle, with his truck that matches parked underneath. I would only hope that he reposts it because I really like that picture.
I saw one of those BN paint scheme locomotives near Memphis Tennessee on my tour of the south vacation when I got lost in the Ozark Mountains in 2019 That's the first time I seen one.
Honestly though, looking more at your picture, those could be black and white and I'm thinking of a different one?
It's that ride on the train and the back and forth wag that I would have to agree I sleep well on a train too. I've only rode on the more modern-day Amtrak's. But when I slept, I slept good.
I can appreciate the 3 rail model railroaders too, and liked the video.
Hopefully the missing Forum members stop in for a visit here soon
hon30critterIt makes one wonder how it was possible to flip that hopper car completely over. Somebody had to really mess up.
This one has me scratching my head, Dave —
NYC_xm1 by Edmund, on Flickr
From all the checking I have done I believe this siding leads into the Ravenna, Ohio Army Ordinance Plant (note the EXPLOSIVES plackard on the end).
NYC_xm2 by Edmund, on Flickr
There's a perfect imprint of the car door in the mud. The track looks freshly ballasted and completely undisturbed! I really don't see how this could have happened.
Things that occurred inside the Arsenal were certainly kept hush-hush so there isn't too much documentation on this event.
Sure seems curious. All I can figure is a shifted load. They made a lot of 500 lb. bombs there.
I did find a newspaper article about a boxcar on fire and, fortunately, the bombs were empty casings IIRC.
Regards, Ed
The last time we were in La Crosse, I felt really bad because it was our last day. Huck Finn's is down a ways from Tom Sawyer's and just to the left on the river bay but did not open until 4 p.m.
Judy really wanted to go so I made sure she got there this time. The food was great. We had the walleye sandwich, coconut shrimp and the lightly battered onion rings.
It was only the second day they were open since the corona. You can always tell when the cooking oil is fresh
I call them Flying Rats! (The third picture shows them best as they came in flocks but the picture shows no justice of what we saw) The seagulls were in abundance. I was worried about getting crapped on while we were eating our food Judy just enjoyed how they dove down in the water and came up with little fish they all fighted over. You should have seen her smiling face as Judy is just like a little kid and might be the very reason I love her so much
The owner of the establishment told us how the bald eagles Kongregate by the hundreds in the fall. I have seen that in Red Wing Minnesota on the Saint Croix River but we might have to go back to La Crosse this Fall to see the same thing from a different perspective.
There are always Golden Eagles in the mix of bald eagles anywhere they congregate for their little convention I have seen those Eagles swoop up ducks. Don't get me wrong as I do like ducks but it is rather entertaining.
More Green for TF
Grain Train at Lyman Junction by NAPM Model Railroad Club, on Flickr
Beautiful!
Now that we are talking about Bombardier, let's have a look around Thunder Bay where Bombardier has a major rail car/trolley manufacturing plant:
This is one of the iconic scenes as you enter Thunder Bay. It is called 'The Sleeping Giant'. The Aboriginals call it 'Nanabijou'. Their legends suggest that it is the remains of a person who was turned to stone for showing the white men where the silver deposits at 'Silver Islet' where located:
Silver Islet has an interesting history:
(From Wikipedia)
Silver Islet refers to both a small rocky island and a small community located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in northwestern Ontario, Canada.
A rich vein of pure silver was discovered on this small island in 1868 by the Montreal Mining Company. At that time, the island was approximately [50 m²] in size and only 2.5 metres above the waters of Lake Superior. In 1870, the site was developed by Alexander H. Sibley's Silver Islet Mining Company which built wooden breakwaters around the island to hold back the lake's waves and increased the island's area substantially with crushed rock. The islet was expanded to over 10 times its original size and a small mining town was built up on the shore nearby.
After most of the purest ore from the original site had been removed, a second vein was discovered in 1878. By 1883, most of the highest quality silver had been extracted and the price of silver had declined. The final straw came when a shipment of coal did not arrive before the end of the shipping season. The pumps holding back the waters of the lake stopped and in early 1884 the islet's mine shafts, which had reached a depth of 384 metres, were flooded. They would never be de-watered, and the mine's underground operations would never be reopened.
The actual island can be seen in the middle right of this photo. It is the white looking rock:
The tiny village of Silver Islet is quite interesting. Many of the original miners' cabins have been taken over by artisans, and there is a quaint village store/restaurant that serves great food.
This is typical of the Lake Superior shoreline:
I couldn't find very many pictures of the Bombardier factory in Thunder Bay, but here is an interesting history of the plant which originally started out as the Canadian Car and Foundry Company. Not too much on railway equipment I'm afraid:
Thunder Bay, Ontario
"Can Car" was the main plant of Canada's largest aircraft manufacturer during the Second World War. Here, workers built 1,451 of the reliable Hawker Hurricanes that won renown in the Battle of Britain and 835 Curtiss Helldivers, significantly expanding Allied air power. Now a mass-transit factory, this complex retains many early 20th-century elements behind its modern exterior. It speaks to the wartime contributions of its workers, including some 3,000 women who moved into jobs traditionally held by men, mastering new skills such as riveting, welding, and precision drilling. These women would serve as models for later generations.
Canadian Car & Foundry National Historic Site of Canada is located in the southwestern part of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Set within the Bombardier Transportation facility, the site is bordered by Montreal Street to the south; Mountdale Avenue to the east; Neebing Avenue to the west; and the CN railway tracks to the north. The site consists of the existing elements from the Second World War period, including a low-rise two-storey steel-frame metal-clad structure that is divided into Building 1, comprised of Production Bays A, B, and C; Buildings 2, 6 and 8; Building 7 to the south and Building 3 to the north. Official recognition refers to the area of the site encompassing 55,127.36 square metres.
Canadian Car & Foundry was designated a national historic site of Canada in 2008 because: here, at the main plant of Canada's largest aircraft manufacturer during the Second World War, thousands of men and women expertly constructed 1, 451 Hawker Hurricanes for the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force, and 835 Curtiss Helldivers for the American Navy, thereby expanding the Allied forces' air strength; ten percent of the world's production of the reliable and long-serving Hurricane, an aircraft that played a pivotal role in winning the Battle of Britain, were built here; this aircraft production facility is representative of the wartime contributions made by thousands of women, some newly arrived from other regions of Canada, who quickly and effectively demonstrated that women could do non-traditional jobs such as riveting, welding, precision drilling and much more, guided in part by the technical leadership of pioneer aeronautical engineer Elsie MacGill; "Can Car" speaks eloquently to a watershed period in which thousands of women gained new skills, confidence and workplace alliances that would carry them into a changing postwar workplace and society, bringing issues of equality in pay and conditions to the attention of industry, government and unions; this complex, which retains many elements from the first half of the 20th century behind its current exterior, has played an important role in the mass-transit manufacturing industry, its products ranging from railway cars to buses and subway cars.The Canadian Car & Foundry was created in 1909 following the merger of the Rhodes Curry Company of Amherst, the Canadian Car Company of Turcot and the Dominion Car and Foundry of Montréal. With a qualified and enthusiastic production team, the foundry quickly established an exceptional track record. In 1938, the company was hired to supply the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force with Hawker Hurricanes, which played a pivotal role in winning the Battle of Britain. The company became the largest aircraft manufacturer during the Second World War, producing more than 2,300 fighters. In 1942, it was contracted to produce SB2C Curtiss Helldivers, which were used by the United States Navy during the War in the Pacific.As male enlistment increased during the war, the Canadian Car & Foundry hired and trained a greater number of female employees. Representing the wartime contributions of women who left traditional ‘female’ occupations to work in the public sphere, the female workers in the factory took on welding, precision drilling, riveting, sub-assembly of instruments and inspection. These technical contributions and changes in labour trends were guided in part by the aeronautical engineer Elizabeth Muriel Gregory ‘Elsie’ MacGill, a person of national historic significance, who oversaw the company’s first original design for the Hawker Hurricane. The period saw women gain valuable skills and confidence, earn financial independence, and helped to demonstrate that women could do non-traditional jobs.After the war, the demand for aircraft dropped exponentially. The Canadian Car & Foundry eventually found a niche in the manufacturing of large transportation equipment, including logging equipment, buses and highway trailers. In 1955, it began producing subway cars for customers around the world, which it continues to do under the current ownership of Bombardier Transportation of Montréal.Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, 2008.
Key elements the contribute to the heritage character of the site include: its location within the Bombardier Transportation facility in an industrial neighbourhood of Thunder Bay, Ontario; the polygonal massing of the low-rise two-storey steel-frame metal-clad complex divided into Building 1 consisting of Bays A, B, and C; and Buildings 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8; the original brick walls, the side windows and the clerestory windows in the roof; the three original and visible Production Bays, ‘A,’ ‘B,’ and ‘C’; the original girders, support and cross beams on the partial walls separating Production Bays ‘A’ and ‘B’ and Bays ‘B’ and ‘C’; the original large walkway toward the east end that connects Production Bays ‘A,’ ‘B,’ and ‘C’; the three original large rolling doors at the east end of each Production Bay; the manually operated ten-ton overhead crane used during the Second World War in Production Bay ‘C’; the original staircases in Building 8; the integrity of any surviving interior or exterior materials from the Second World War period; viewscapes from the site to the Canadian National railway tracks, the Kaministiquia River and the surrounding industrial buildings.
Track fiddlerThose fancy curtains that let absolutely no light into the room at hotels could have something to do with it too.
My master bedroom has "black out" shades on the windows, and they do work. Absolutely no light gets in, and I sleep very soundly.
Down here in the tropics, all Summer long, the sun goes down at 9:30 and comes up before 6:00, so the shades do help a lot.
hon30critterNow that we are talking about Bombardier, let's have a look around Thunder Bay where Bombardier has a major rail car/trolley manufacturing plant:
Dave, I don't have a picture I can share (NDA), but Bombardier manufactures some really neat self propelled rail cars for China. They are like super RDCs.
The World Is A Beautiful Place.
hon30critter This is typical of the Lake Superior shoreline:
Yes it is and a beautiful picture at that
It wasn't that long ago we passed Duluth and went up the North Shore to Thunder Bay Canada after spending two nights at Lambs Resort Lake Superior, North Shore.
A different world up there with the steeple rocks are quite fascinating as they hold almost a Doctor Seuss look to them. I like the sleeping Indian that is laying down and forms the foothill as soon as you get to Thunder Bay but somehow forgot the story behind it through the years.
When we first got there Judy had been cooped up in the truck too long and really had to relieve herself. Wouldn't you know it, the gravel road I took turned out not to be such a good idea.
While she was squatting by the truck I don't think she appreciated the Canadian Native that appeared with the shotgun and neither did I.
Apparently we had strolled upon Sacred Tribal Grounds. The man with the shotgun wasn't too happy at first but after Judy pulled up her pants and started talking to him, all of sudden everything was okay. Especially after she showed him her LCO Tribal Card.
She ended up introducing me to him and we ended up going out to eat at Boston Pizza, Thunder Bay.
The pizza was OK but I have had much better. Being that the day could have gone much further south then it did, I think the pizza tasted rather good.
We dropped Eli off and checked into our hotel. I remember how Eli laughed at us when I asked him where the Bay was.
Something to go with your coffee this Monday morning. No mention of trains here but I guess all that steel got from Bethlehem to Manhattan somehow.
This short documentary offers a dizzying view of the Mohawk of Kahnawake who work in Manhattan erecting the steel frames of skyscrapers. Famed for their skill in working with steel, the Mohawks demonstrate their nimble abilities in the sky. As a counterbalance, the viewer is also allowed a peek at their quieter community life on the Kahnawake Reserve, in Quebec.
I found it interesting how many grave markers in the Kahnawake Cemetery were made of steel beams and shapes for the victims of the Quebec Bridge collapse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Bridge
Interesting, too, that most of the lifting hooks do not have the safety catches that are required today. These guys wanted to use their skills to knock the hooks out quickly in order to get a fast-grab on the next lift of steel.
Imagine, too, the stiff leg guy derrick winch operator near the ground floor operating the crane with no vision, only bell signals. Amazing!
Kevin, I have many pairs of name brand sunglasses. But I really need to get me a pair of those bedroom shades
Anytime there's talk of the North Shore Lake Superior
Hello Railfans!
Top of the morning to yas! And for once.... its actually morning as Webster would define it. Only thing missing is the smell of bacon and eggs.
Some of you have mentioned window coverings for daytime slumbering. I find that a black plastic trashbag (new and only unfolded - still 'uninflated') taped around the window molding is excellent for removing unwanted, unyielding, bright sunlight from coming in. Easy to remove and replace when window service is needed (and bag still usable if you dont tear it!).
While looking like a tinted window on the outside, it also keeps alot of heat out during summer hours too. And normal window dressings can still be applied on the inside for that - homestead look, since the bag lies flat across window.
Now on to more important things.... as if yall didnt know this was coming -
Ed) WOW - just WOW! I have to throw a few 's and a couple of 's toward that video you posted of the 3 railers. I knew about the 'Legacy Lionel PM Berkshire' but never gave it a second look. Im into HO after all, right? Well.....
I first saw one a couple months ago floating on the 'Bay' for about $5700. No lie, i have a pic of it because i couldnt believe it had the price tag of a car. I could tell this wasnt any ordinary Lionel. But had no clue it was a model of the caliber i just watched in the video.
One reason im not into bigger than HO is they never looked like trains to me, more like kid toys (no offense!). And who would have three rails? Heh, well, im giving that some rethink after seeing that incredible video. And the model itself doesnt look like any ordinary Lionel. It looks like a Lionel should..... like an HO loco! Lionel just gained about 10 points of respect from me!
So, i have to ask the Lionel folks among us... can we have some info??? Is this 'Legacy' model a one off? Some kinda special one time only kinda thing or do these things really come with controllable smoke (check out the smoking whistle!) and controllable sound now? Im not talking press a button and you get a pre recorded two longs a short and another long preprogrammed recording, it sounded like each toot was controlled. Even the chuffing was controlled, not just whisping smoke! AWESOME! That cant be stock. It doesnt appear to be one of your 'run-of-the-mill Polar Express' knockoffs, yet it looks like Lionel has a design engineer now that has actual modelling talent in trains.
Ive only ever seen one other loco (G scale NYC Hudson) that was customized to work like that. Though between the two, the LGB's smoke unit blows the Legacy Lionel away, even as good as i just saw it to be.
Ed, thanks for posting that. It really made my morning. That is just an awesome video. Even if it wasnt PM, and say it was an NKP or C&O Berk., that is an awesome model! I dont know about yall, but id love to see one close up, even the innards. Id like to see just what it takes to produce the effects.
Admittedly, at that price, i will remain the kids glowing face in the store window looking in..... and to think, i never gave that model a second look at first glance. But i will say now, Lionel and the 3-Railers..... thanks for raising the bar! Id call this home run a grand slam for sure - outta the park even!
So Ed, in fair play Imma fire this 'NYC' with Pullmans.... back at you! Enjoy my friend, and thanks for the Legacy PM.
Folks, may you enjoy the rest of your Monday! Gonna see if i can find some KK glazed o-rings. Start the day off sweetly!
Clear Ahead!
Douglas
Good morning all from a bright, sunny land of the former North British Railway. It is lovely until the icy blasts of wind from the North strikes.
Yes, a few Diners are missing. I hope things are not serious and they return soon.
Dave & Ed Great pictures. Thanks for showing.
Monday is a busy day with deliveries of groceries and other items. Trains will be running late again.
Coffee time with cookies this morning.
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Good morning
I'll just have a black coffee please.
I have a tough morning to deal with today. As bad luck has it, my tool trailer was stolen again. It's not that we live in a bad neighborhood but at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac for easy pickings I guess. I had a heavy duty tongue shank lock on the trailer but these thieves must have portable acetylene.
I have heard of these Mohican High Steel builders before Ed. Interesting post! Apparently I have no Mohican blood in me whatsoever as I become afraid of heights at about three stories
Yep, I got the call from the Bloomington Police Department early Saturday morning but we didn't want to let it ruin our little get away.
So not only was I bent over backwards by thieves again but now I have to deal with tow charges and two days of storage at (and get this, Chiefs Towing) They found it abandoned at the Comfort Inn hotel.
We had a bunch of stuff left over stored in the trailer from when we closed out our storage facility in Shakopee. The expensive oil bronze twig lights, sconces and Casablanca ceiling fan that I haven't reinstalled yet. Among other things, just sentimental pictures and such.
I'm going to sell or scrap that trailer as it is a bad omen. My brother-in-law told me to take the wheel off the side that does not face the building and put it up on a cement block and remove the Hub. I suppose at that point, it would make the thieves mad and they would take their acetylene torch and cut off the spindle "You Can't Win For Trying". My brother-in-law and I laughed about that one too last night
Have a great day gentleman
Wow.
It was a good morning until I read TF's post. It just makes one angry to think that a person's hard work is stolen by someone who doesn't care.
It's interesting about the differences in sleep habits and light. I can sleep in just about any conditions. I fall asleep as soon as I lie down, even with all the lights on. My wife is the opposite. The room must be completely dark, and she will still lie awake for a long time.
When we toured the far north, we spent the summer solstice night at Dawson City. It bothered me that the sun was still shining in around the edges of the curtains at bedtime.
It's a rainy day today, so I guess I will have to put off unimportant outdoor work to do the important things in my life. Layout chores!
Good morning everybody .
Ed ....... I agree with you regarding your favorite BN paint sceme. The BN Cascade Green paint sceme never seemed very attractive to me.
TF .... Sorry to hear about theives taking you tool trailer.
Everyone.......... Have a good day.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
gmpullmanThis one has me scratching my head, Dave —
TF, I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles again. Hang tough.
Garry, good to see you posting again. Hope you are feeling better.
Everyone else, happy(?) Monday.
Water Level RouteMaybe an empty car in a wind event?
We have had some empty coal hoppers blow over in storms out here. Not often, but it has happened.
Good morning again
Thanks John, Garry and Mike, for the sincere trailer sympathy Who ever said anything like that since the beginning of time but all I can do is laugh And I do thank you again, as I appreciate some good people left in the world today.
Oh, It did get worse
Chiefs Towing wanted $420 from me this morning to get my trailer back. They lied!!! They said the bill consisted of $175 Towing fee + 4 days of storage. Well that's kind of funny since the police officer told me it was towed at 6:20 in the morning on Saturday.
After I stated that fact to the gal at the counter, the bearded man came out of the office and said, we will knock $80 off the bill then.
Well that leaves $340 dollars. I don't know? But it seems to me the last time I did some math, $175 dollars, plus two days of storage at $40 dollars, equals $255 dollars.
The trailer used to be white with chrome diamond plate on front but that's the paint job the last ratbag thieves did on my trailer. Ugly huh! I wouldn't be caught dead driving that ghetto trailer down the road anymore.
I told Chief's Towing, Why don't you give me $420 and keep it? I'm washing my hands of this thing. I want nothing to do with the police report, the insurance company, or the trailer anymore.
The last time this happened I lost all my expensive tools, I was made to jump through so many Hoops, I could have been out working for the time I spent dealing with things and made much more money then I ever collected for my loss.
The criminals charges were dropped because he had bigger felonies on top. So he sold all my equipment, pocketed the money and that is okay. It seems thieves rights in our judicial system are way better than the victim they prey on is entitled to. Did that statement even make sense???
What's funny about the picture of the contents the thieves left behind. They staged it! That pink styrofoam for my model railroad was 4×8 sheets. They cut the foam and put it back in there, left the empty boxes, the glass globe on top with the paint roller as a slap in the face as they were done with their job. The addition to their slapping my face was the Mardi Gras beads as they we're good enough to leave me my treasure
All you can do is laugh and I sure hope these people's Karma comes around to them. They at least deserve that!
I haven't called Chief's Towing back yet but I'm going to. They have a big account at the hotel where my Judy works. Judy's best friend Kendra from high school is in charge of who does the towing out of that hotel lot and there is a lot of them every month. Apparently hotel parking lots are good cover dumping grounds for stolen cars and stripped equipment. Kendra told Judy they will not be using Chief's Towing anymore after hearing my story this morning.
A little tidbit for me to chew on to make me feel a little better today And I will be letting everyone know at the Chamber of Commerce meetings too.
Sorry to hear about your challenges, TF.
What comes round will come round to the thieves.
As for the Towing Company? Trying to profit of others misfortune is just as bad. Good on Kendra supporting you.
I didn't know where to post this without getting in trouble, but here's my latest layout video. This one covers unboxing some new D&H trains and running the last few trains on my layout before the teardown starts tonight.
https://youtu.be/RDiVWAF74Lg
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
Good Morning,
Had a little rain yesterday but I did get the snowmelt pumped out of the pond. That is about a month earlier than normal. Still some ice at the bottom though.
TF, sorry to hear about your trailer. Seems a lot of towing companies are crooks.
Winnipeg in the late '50s had buses made by CanCar. I remember them as the engine was under the floor behind the front wheels. They had a wide stainless steel band on the side. I rode in them a lot.
Robbie turned 12 yesterday. We had pizza to celebrate. He goes nuts for it. We can't say the word, or round thing or pie. Started calling them cicular object. He only gets a tiny piece of crust from each slice. My wife is convinced he won't make it past summer but it all depends on how fast the liver tumor grows. So far it hasn't affected him at all. He's sleeping beside me on the downstairs sofa right now.
I have to get the tax info ready today so that I can get it off to the accountant but first I need more coffee.
CN Charlie
Track fiddlerThe addition to their slapping my face was the Mardi Gras beads as they we're good enough to leave me my treasure
I was about to comment on the fact they left behind the most important part to any New Orleanian -- the Mardi Gras beads. Stealing those would be a fight'n matter!
Track fiddlerI have a tough morning to deal with today. As bad luck has it, my tool trailer was stolen again. It's not that we live in a bad neighborhood but at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac for easy pickings I guess. I had a heavy duty tongue shank lock on the trailer but these thieves must have portable acetylene.
There are lots of trailers stolen down here. Hitch locks are easily defeated, or thieves don't even mess with them and just use a hook to tow the trailer away.
Most trailers stolen down here have boats on them. The theives remove the engines and loose valuables from the boat, then leave the boat and trailer in the woods.
Also, in Florida, you can register a trailer as "Home-Made", so registering a stolen trailer is very easy.