I spent part of my day going over the inside loop on my layout looking for the bad spot in it. I tested the track at several points in the area that's been giving me a stalling out problem and found nothing. I then pushed down on the track slightly to simulate the weight of two P2K E units and immediately saw a broken solder joint. A little farther on I found another one and it was on the same side of the track, just several sections away. This made for a length of track 3 feet long that was getting power only part of the time. After that it was just a quick soldering job to fix it. The inner loop is functional once again. The test run was made by a pair of E units led by my new Athearn BNSF SD40. After that it was just the SD40 pulling an 11 car train.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Way to go, Garry. You are organized.
Paul, Sorry that you lost a calf. Here the loss would be more like $600.
Johnboy, Have a nice trip to Spokane. The next week has mild weather predicted here.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
Good Evening Diners,
I had supper with the wife this evening, so I would just like a root beer float Zoe please.
I have to start loading the truck for our trip to Spokane tomorrow, making sure that the satelite radio and GPS are working as well.
I thought you guys and gals might enjoy a laugh tonight, so here goes...... enjoy.
The Old Gas Station Author Unknown The service station trade was slow. The owner sat around, With sharpened knife and cedar stick. Piled shavings on the ground. No modern facilities had they, The log across the rill Led to a shack, marked His and Hers That sat against the hill. "Where is the ladies restroom, sir?" The owner leaning back, Said not a word but whittled on, And nodded toward the shack. With quickened step she entered there But only stayed a minute, Until she screamed, just like a snake Or spider might be in it. With startled look and beet red face She bounded through the door, And headed quickly for the car. Just like three gals before. She tripped and fell -- got up, and then In obvious disgust, Ran to the car, stepped on the gas, And faded in the dust. Of course we all desired to know What made the gals all do The things they did, and then we found The whittling owner knew. A speaking system he'd devised To make the thing complete, He tied a speaker on the wall Beneath the toilet seat. He'd wait until the gals got set And then the devilish guy, Would stop his whittling long enough, To speak into the mike. And as she sat, a voice below Struck terror, fright and fear "Will you please use the other hole, We're painting under here"
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Evening Gang: Not much here. We lost a calf ether yesterday or the day before. I found it on the shore of the pond. It's mothe was standing there licking at it. She is one of the really good cows. I could find no apparent cause of it's death. I took it over to the other side of the UP and burried it. That's a loss of $400 or so.
Jeff that over pass is very good. The ones in Milwaukee weren't that fancy. No roof or windows so in the winter it was a bear.
No grand kids tomorrow. We get to sleep in again. Our daughter teaches in Ft. Worth and they are closed for the holiday.
I guess I'll hit the shower and bed.
Good Night All
It looks like the page is on me. Enjoy.
Heartland. ;We had our tree up yesterday and 'Spring' sprung right up the tree and jumped off the tree and landed up on top of the bookcase, He uses the 7 ft. level as a launch pad to get to the floor if he is in a 'silly pickle'. Because the tree is so bottom heavy and 'Spring' is only 6lbs it does't move much...
Have a very good Thanksgiving to all of you!!!!
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Tom: When I read that Remington is a bonafide lap cat I just had to laugh. It reminded me of a Doberman my sister used to have. It thought it was a lap dog!
blownout cylinder Sawyer; As I keep harping to myself-- light colours first then dark. It is a lot easier then
Sawyer; As I keep harping to myself-- light colours first then dark. It is a lot easier then
Yeah, and it saves paint too. Well, I think it turned out all right. The maroon looks purple because of the flash.
Front:
Back:
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Robby P. We are on a payment plan for the gas right now of $130 a month. Really sucks in summer time getting the bill of that amount. We had to go on the payment plan. Last December the bill was $270 for a month!!!! Thats even keeping it at 65 degress. The house has brand new windows through out, so no drafts. Even the guy that did the system said hes on the payment plan. I guess the electric will go from $30-35 to whatever. We are planning on keeping it at 60 deg. or so. I guess Pa is a cold state. The biggest gas bill in NC for us was $125.
We are on a payment plan for the gas right now of $130 a month. Really sucks in summer time getting the bill of that amount. We had to go on the payment plan. Last December the bill was $270 for a month!!!! Thats even keeping it at 65 degress. The house has brand new windows through out, so no drafts. Even the guy that did the system said hes on the payment plan.
I guess the electric will go from $30-35 to whatever. We are planning on keeping it at 60 deg. or so.
I guess Pa is a cold state. The biggest gas bill in NC for us was $125.
I pay $150 budget Electric and $150 budget Natural gas. My actual budget is a little less than that but I rounded it up. Ohio passed a law to lock utility prices to encourage other sources to offer their power and gas so there was a choice in companies for us, didn't work and now we are paying whatever First Energy and the Gas company wants.
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Hello everybody ...
We have the Christmas tree up already. Just in time for Thanksgiving. Lionel trains are performing their Christmas tree duties very well.
Cheers!
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Robbie; The wallet just went and developed talons and is not letting go. Ouch!!
TW; Remi would be a lap cat. My sister&brother-in-law have two Maine Coons who think they both have to be on the same lap at the same time. And they are LG. Have fun. Esp if both think they have to occupy your lap at once...
I will have one of Jim's cookies n cream concretes, please.
It was sunny and in the 60's here today. Beautiful.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Evening all, 'twas a nice, crispy 65 here in SunnyCal today. We've got rain predicted for this coming Tuesday and Wednesday (yah, SURE!) so hopefully it will dump some snow in the Sierra. We're running LATE this year.
Well, I've got my 94 year old mother for the next two weeks from Nevada City. My sister and her boyfriend decided to take a two-week vacation to Arizona, NM and Texas. So far it's been fun--we have the same conversation every 20 minutes or so--mainly "How much money do I have in the bank" and "Where's my checkbook?" She wanted to go to a rest home in Nevada City while my sister was on vacation, but I had to convince her that a Rest Home is not a hotel where you check in and out of at your liesure, you go there to STAY! Anyway, I'll have her until the 4th of December. I will probably get a LOT done out in the garage on the MR.
I'm gradually introducing Remington and Spooky to each other--it's a kick, because Spooky is convinced that Remington is just a big cat-toy, and Remington right now is convinced that Spooky is the world's biggest furball. I think in a couple of weeks they'll be buddies. Right now it's about an hour at a time to let them get used to each other. Other than that, they sniff each other through the music room door and 'chirp' at each other. BTW, Remington is a bonafide Lap Cat, which at HIS size is something else!
Well, I was going to post some photos on WPF this weekend, but my camera died, and I can't find the re-charger anywhere in the house. Looks like a trip to BestBuy tomorrow to get a replacement. Too bad, too, I had a chance for a really NEAT shot of one of my infamous Yellowstones on the Malakoff Dry Diggings bridge. Oh well--
Well, Mother is wondering where here checkbook is again, so it's time to go out and entertain her.
Best to all, prayers to those in need.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Evening everyone. A nice mellow roast for the ol' throat tonight thank you...
Robbie; Both electric and gas? How much is that going to run over the winter?
On to another grain elevator to build up...
Hey all. At work today I pulled a joke on some of the guys there. They went out and watched the motorcycle rally. After a few minutes of letting them watch, I said the the district supervisor was here. They all jumped and ran back, only to find me and a co-worker who siad in and worked laughing our heads off.
I tried scrubbing off the last bit of paint on those C424s I'm working one. After 4 weeks of soaking in pinesol and lots of scrubbing; there is still some paint that wont come off. Maybe I'll get new shells from atlas.
My package from walthers arrived yesterday, so I managed to get my SD9 put together and the sound decoder wired in. When I get my DA-SR back from NCE, I'll wire it all up.
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Jim, I'm shooting to have trains running in 2 weeks. Got the 4x8 cleaned off, now to go lay track.
Man, I'm surprised how fast polly scale paint dries, lol. Also learned to paint the whole model yellow, then add maroon, not the other way around.
Good afternoon everybody.
Watched alittle football today, and about to hit the basement. See what I can work on. Which is a whole bunch!!!
Finally hot a heat person coming to look at how much it will cost for heat up stairs. When we bought this house, it had no kitchen (cabinets, sink, everything), no heat, and bad plumbing. 3 years later, new kitchen (everything), new heat down stairs, and up dated plumbing. The heat down stairs was $3500. We are hoping the heat company can get us on there payment plan. Its getting REAL old at winter. Nice and warm down staris and cold up.
Also its hard to do heat in a 2 story with duct work. So..................we are looking at 2 systems. The basement will have the gas, and we are thinking electric upstairs. The good things is the attic is a walk up and lots and lots of room. I probably could have put a very nice layout up there, but thats in the basement.
The wife and I and getting happy hoping we can get heat. He is coming by Tuesday (birthday, and boy that would be a good b-day gift), and we will probably know about the payments later this week.
We are just very lucky we haven't got real sick, but our space heater is working good. I just get alittle worried thou.
Well I guess I will go run some freight, and lay some track.
Everybody stay warm.
Robby
Afternoon, Flo - I see B-C's buying, so I'll have a frozen yogurt concrete
and a cheeseburger, please; need a change of pace from the RBF's. I'll let Sue and the others have my share of them today. Thanks!
Gee, you folks have been a talkative bunch the past day - is that 3 or 4 pages of posts?!
Sawyer, looks like you made a good haul for your - good deal, but you'll have to free up some time for trying out all the new goodies. And I'm glad to see your family is doing their part to help out the economy - if they get the Noch Grassmaster, that alone should help! Best wishes on getting the new layout going, and are you shooting for trains running by Christmas?
Rob, hope your critters get all healed up there (and you don't need to have the vet over for "Sandy." How's the house crew been doing (I'm guessing they aren't working today, and might not have yesterday, either...)?
Today is one of those days when I'm happy I don't live next to the Great Lakes - even with our low this morning of 20 F (wind chill of 12 F) and frost to scrape - unlike some of you with the fluffy white stuff.
Jeffrey, welcome to the "I'm feeling old" club. Join the rest of us (on some days). But I can still remember age 14, and wouldn't go back to that, not even for not having as much to be concerned about (like bills, gas money, and other) things. Nice job on the pedestrian bridge, too - like that green roof.
Jerry, hope your birthday part was a great one. Hey, even if not many of your relatives show(ed) up, you'd have sandwich fixin's for a good long while!
Garry, you realize that Murphy was an optimist, right? About the time you get the upper level done and try to run trains around the place, the bottom level won't be quite as silk-smooth and will have some kinks in it... You're a very punny guy, all right...
Ray, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who does (or at least still thinks it) that sound when trying to answer... Sounds like you'll have a good term with your NMRA division, if everyone's coming in with lots o'answers already. And the track thing just sounds like the usual for op sessions.
RT, sounds like you can resume a more normal life now, without all the excessive overtime. You may even have some time to do a little LHS'ing with some of your overtime pay, huh?
I'll slip in to the window booth and watch the trains outside while I get my lunch.
Blessings and prayers,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
Good Afternoon everyone, I'd like one of those cheeseburgers with the fried mushrooms on them as well as a lg mug of hot choc., please.
Lee; OState over Mich 47-7? Were they being merciful? I knew Mich would get clobbered but...
Sawyer, I have that gras master. It is really useful for those patches....
Well, we went and got down to Thamesford, just a 20 min drive east of here to do the photos of the mill. Frank(my friend) and I got a kick out of the sign placed on the tower; " Smile, you are on Candid Camera". In fact they are everywhere. It is still in relatively good shape. I'll get the pix uploaded when I get a few more done of the mill... We still have yet to get permish. to go in there but it does look like we will. The owner is quite watchful here...
So off we go...
Good morning, All. Not much activity since I checked in last night. I think that I will have coffee and a cinnamon roll, and wait in this back booth to see if anyone else shows up to talk trains.
Yeah, I got quite a haul, lol, about $200 worth from my parents, over $50 from my grandma, and probably around $25 to $30 or so from my aunt (I sound like such a spoiled brat, talking about all this, lol. Truth is I'm thankful I got this much stuff!) Ray, I've had her running, tested her w/ my Tech 4 for a few minutes on my birthday, that sucker pulled all 6 of my new frieght cars (both plastic pellet hoppers look the same, so why take two pics, lol?). Man, I love the momentum option on the Tech 4, was going to ask for the 200 one that doesn't have momentum, then said what the heck, $5 more for momentum. I've already figured out what I'll ask for for Christmas:
The exterior pieces I need for my GP30, GP9, and H-15-44
Code 55 switches, enough for my planned switching layout
Noch gras master
and from there, who knows what else, lol.
Mornin' everyone!
A bright, sunny day here in the Finger Lakes. Currently 29°F with the high around 33°F later this afternoon. Other than a few flurries, not even any snow happening today. "We're havin' a heat wave... Tropical Heat Wave....."
Flo, I'll have my #2 special this morning, over easy on the eggs, bacon, homefries, whole wheat toast and lots and lots of dark roast coffee! I didn't even wake up till after 9:30AM this morning. Yesterday must have worn me out. Sure felt good to run some trains. After everyone left yesterday I weighed the "Milk Train" cars that were derailing in a couple of places and found (as one of the guys suggested) that 3 of the 4 cars were 1/2 oz. under NMRA suggested weight. Added the weight and no more derailments from them... either that or the gremlins had called it a day by that time. I will know on Thursday when the family shows up!
Sawyer looks like you had a great birthday. Like that U23B diseasal thingy you got there! Have you had her running yet?
Jeffrey I really like that bridge. That is some of the best work you have done! Looks right at home there. Nice photo as well.
So what's Bill upset about this morning? I know that look...
Lee, glad you are feeling better! My youngest son got his Masters at Miami of Ohio and taught there as a graduate assistant. I won't say anything about what they think about Ohio State over there. I never take sides in those kinds of things........
Mornin' Luke!
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Have the same watch
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
That was quite a haul you got there Sawyer!
I'm a touch late for a few of you, but thanks for the happy b-day wishes everyone! And yes, I had a great day yesterday. I'm still blown away at how much of a beast my U23B is, here it is compared to my GP30:
Here's the whole photobucket album:
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh55/Packers_1/b%20day%2008/
Good Morning All,
19F this morning and the wind chill brings it down to 8F. I'll have a coffee while I wait for the dryer to finish the last load of clothes. Back out to the house this morning and hopefully we'll have enough cleared out to make it easy for the electricals and mechanicals to come. Once the basement is cleared I can workout placement for the furnace and whatever else we'll need. Not much to do with trains there, but eventually I'll have some usable room for a layout again and can restart the benchwork.
Lee - glad you're feeling better with the new meds - bummer that you can't go to the game. Time to wander out, I'll check in later, J.R.
Good morning all,
I feeling better this morning, the meds the Doc gave me and the fact that Ohio State stomped all over Michigan yesterday 47-7.
Wouldn’t you know it I have 2 passes to watch the Cleveland game today from the sidelines, participate in the team warm-ups, and hang out at the post game party and I can’t go. I gave the passes to Dorothy and her friend so they could go.
I hope everyone has a good and productive Sunday.
Lee
blownout cylinder A question was given to me by a fellow about doodlebugs; esp gas oper'd ones. When was the latest used and by whom? This one made me brain feel like a warehouse...
A question was given to me by a fellow about doodlebugs; esp gas oper'd ones. When was the latest used and by whom? This one made me brain feel like a warehouse...
I don't know a ton about them, but as it seems that a lot of folks didn't see your post or whatever, I'll give it a shot.
I don't know of any new doodlebugs made past the 50's, but I would guess that some were still poking around, especially on shortlines, branches, and in MOW service, at least until the end of regular passenger service. That puts it well into the late 60's (68 or 69?). Beyond that I'd say we're looking at maybe a few in MOW service, but only until parts supplies dried up. By then, many of the major repair and fabrication shops were long gone, so keeping them running would become more difficult. Past the early 70's, I'd guess the only operational ones for the most part would be museum pieces. There are one or two hanging around this area, but only because they are the property of the local museum. They are awaiting restoration, but honestly, I don't think they'll ever get the chance. Too many other projects to come first. The biggest now is to get NKP No.587 (a beautiful Mikado) back under steam. She's getting close!
Maybe someone else can give you a better answer.
Heartland Division CB&Q Yes, PC does work for the phone comapny. That's his hang up.
Yes, PC does work for the phone comapny. That's his hang up.
Booooooo, Hisssssss......that was really bad!
Good morning. It's 52 and cloudy. The high should be around the upper 60's and it will be partly cloudy with a chance of rain. As some of you are aware I finally finished my pedestrian bridge. Now my little people don't have to walk across the busy tracks to get to the park anymore. Wonder how long it'll be before the local businesses post their advertising on it. At the end of this post is an action photo of the bridge with two trains crossing beneath. Today's Weather for: Sundown, LA 71446-6114 11/23/2008 Wind Chill: 50°F Humidity: 80% Dew Point: 46°F So Far Today High: 52°F Low: 51°F Rain: 0.00" Rain Rate: 0.00"/h Gust: 6mph SSE Today High: 68 Cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Low: 55 Rain and isolated thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.