The Coffee Shop (a place to chat) Est. 2004

[Noah Hofrichter]

The Mail just came and in it is my very first subscription issue of MR. Haven't even opened it yet, got to get off of here and do that......

A happy Noah[:D]

[egmurphy]

Hi group,

Things still going well in Houston. Visit to the LHS went pretty well. About half the purchase was some Intermountain 8,000 gal tank car kits (undec) and a couple of Atlas undec wood reefers that I had pre-ordered. My railroad (if it ever gets built) will be primarily an oil hauler, so needed some older tank cars.

Got a number of bags of Woodlands Scenic stuff too. And some misc parts, paints, couplers, etc. Stayed away from the display case with the locomotives. Hope to make another visit before we go back.

Very little rail stuff today, although I did find an interesting small book on railroads at Sams. Today was mostly shopping with DW and Junior. Had planned on going to the railroad museum in Galveston (I've been there before) but had to change plans.

You're not only going to see Jimmy Buffet, but see him with free tickets!!?? Incredible. Once again, jealousy rears it's ugly head.

Happy Canada Day to our northern neighbors.

A weed train sounds like an interesting concept, but I plan on putting weeds down the center of my tracks to hide my lousy ballasting. Don't need to kill them.

The hotel has a kitchenette, and we have some good Community Dark Roast in the coffee maker. Yum.

Later,

Ed

[Anonymous]

Just went to English's Model RR Supply (run by the owners of Bowser) and bought a CR SD50. [:)]

[Anonymous]

Bill: Orsonroy's talked me into getting a Badger spray booth, even if I did build my own it would probably cost as much as a bought one.

Dougal: Was it a new P2K one? I'd like to have one decorated for the KCS, but it would be way out of my era. (Besides, KCS just rebuilt a few SD50's, so now they're in the gray/yellow scheme, and not the original white scheme.)

I guess this week I'm going to buy Details West's F-unit detail kits, plus some airbrush assesories. I might order a Paasche airbrush later this month.

[tomwatkins]

Good Evening Everybody,
It was a good day today. I finished painting the kitchen (Yea !), got the transporting done, and even had a little time to start installing the risers for the Graham County RR. It's going to be very short and abreviated, but at least it will be there.

Noah, I really enjoyed the pics of the weed train. It's a very interesting consist with a nice looking loco. It would make a nice modeling project. Enjoy the subscription to MR.

Bill, That's a great camping story. I bet it's a lot more fun to tell than it was to live. Bears are best appreciated from a distance and mosquitos are just no fun at all. If you decide to free lance to get the railroad you really want don't sweat the rivet counters. It's not their railroad. They can build ( Or not build) anything they want and as accurately as they want. The important thing is that the railroads we build suit us and are enjoyable to us.

Phil, I'm with you on the special issues from Kalmbach. I've yet to get one that I didn't enjoy and learn from. I say they need to keep them coming and expand the list. Good point about the muffin molds and formation flying. I'll keep careful watch.

Andrew, that is a really good idea about the corn. I hadn't thought about it. I think we'll give it a try. That could solve the problem. Thanks.

Better go for now. We're moving into the serious planning stage for redoing our daughter's bedroom. I need to check out closet systems on the net so we can get an idea of what's available and what we need.

Have a good evening everybody,
Tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjm89
Dougal: Was it a new P2K one? I'd like to have one decorated for the KCS, but it would be way out of my era. (Besides, KCS just rebuilt a few SD50's, so now they're in the gray/yellow scheme, and not the original white scheme.)

Its the Athearn R-T-R model, it was $70 so decided to get it.

[Anonymous]

Ed- you confused me with the Jimmy Buffet comment. I just got home from working the Jimmy Buffet concert. I didn't remember posting anything on it so I thought you had read my mind. Read back a little and saw the phil's post and it all made since.

tom- I hope the corn idea works, and you can enjoy watching the birds feed with out being driven away by varmints.

Phil, Enjoy your concert. I'm sure you will anything is better free. Our concert had a record breaking crowd. we usually sell out at 20,000 people and tonight there was almost 30,000 people there foro Jimmy Buffet. So I couldn't enjoy working, plus dealing with drunks and unhappy people I was beer covered and ready to go home by theh end of the night and swearing I will never work another Buffet concert again.

Word of advice for all concert goers. be nice to the ushers we get paid minimum wage to in the sun(or rain) with loud music we may or may not like, dealing with drunk people. It's not the hardest job but on some nights it gets to you. So the next concert thank one of the workers and truly mean it, it will brighten their day and please do what they tell you. ok rants over
Andrew

[philnrunt]

Ed- glad to hear from you, I was a bit worried. Country boy in the big city, and all. How ya gonna keep em down on the farm after they seen Par-ee? What was the name of the book? And what do the custom folk think when you bring bags of green scenery material back into Mexico? And yeah, Buffet, free. But hey, I earn it. All I have to do is keep putting up with my lunatic girlfriend, but for free Buffet tix, I can do it! (She's a sweetie).
Noah-good pix. What more can I say except Happy B-Day WSOR!
Tom- I agree, I try to keep all of the GMR's and MRP's together, 'cause I find myself going back to them a bunch.Those and the wiring, benchwork and trackplanning books stay where I can (sometimes) find them. I also have a few MR's and RMC's that I keep handy, because of certain articles or layouts. Do you guys do that? I call them my inspiration mags.
Dougal- Good choice, I remember when the 50 series came out, I knew a conductor at the Marion In CR yard, he gave me a tour of some BRAND new units. Clean, not stinky, and the paint was just so BLUE! Later I read that EMD had problems with the 50's, but they were always special to me.
Hope this puts the Coffee Shop above the UP post, I hated to reply to it but I like to see both sides of the story told, and UP giving 240K$ to help people is good PR.
Heading over to the Trains forum, talk to ya all later!

[Anonymous]

Vic Smith posted this in the "other" forum. lol [:D]


http://www.njagyouth.org/liberty.htm

This site is super cool and wayyyy farrrrrr outtttttttttt. [:D] [;)] [8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by philnrunt
Dougal- Good choice, I remember when the 50 series came out, I knew a conductor at the Marion In CR yard, he gave me a tour of some BRAND new units. Clean, not stinky, and the paint was just so BLUE! Later I read that EMD had problems with the 50's, but they were always special to me.

I've never been in one but I always liked them, I used to see a lot of them until NS and CSX pretty much retired the entire fleet, most are on KCS now[:(]

[egmurphy]

Morning all,

I think the custom of putting coffee makers in hotel rooms is great. Here I am happily downing my second cup of Community Coffee Dark Roast while I wait for the family to decide if it's time to get up.

Great, first Phil gets free tickets and now Andrew also says he saw the concert for free (okay, not exactly free, you had to work). Will you guys never get through tempting me?? Oh well, at least I have my CD's (although not with me).

QUOTE: I try to keep all of the GMR's and MRP's together, 'cause I find myself going back to them a bunch.Those and the wiring, benchwork and trackplanning books stay where I can (sometimes) find them. I also have a few MR's and RMC's that I keep handy, because of certain articles or layouts. Do you guys do that?

I keep all my back MR, RMC, special issues, books etc. Some days I just like to pull an old issue at random. Other times I look through back issues for ideas that didn't seem important at the time. Great source of information. I'm glad that we finally got the bookcases built, so for the first time in years I can actually take them all out of cardboard cartons and organize them on shelves.

Tom, those closet systems are great. Just before moving SOB we bought the stuff we needed to do our large closet in the house in Mexico, and sent it with the moving van. Less than a day and it was up and operating. I'm sold on the idea.

Ooops, movement among the troops. Got to get ready for more shopping. See you later.

Ed

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Vic Smith posted this in the "other" forum. lol [:D]


http://www.njagyouth.org/liberty.htm

This site is super cool and wayyyy farrrrrr outtttttttttt. [:D] [;)] [8D]

[(-D][(-D][(-D]SEVICE UNAVAILABLE[(-D][(-D]
saturday morning: it is up again !

[Noah Hofrichter]

Tom I plan on kit bashing and custom painting the set of cars. It'll be really neat when i get around to doing it sometime next year.

Jim Thanks alot for posting that link. I spent 10 minutes launching rockets!

Nothing to report, so off I go.

Noah

[Anonymous]

lupo - The name of that railroad MOW book is: "Railroad Work Equipment And Special-Service Cars" by Robert J. Walker. The book was published quite a few years ago by:
Wayner Publications
PO Box 871-Ansonia Station
New York City, NY 10023
There wasn't any publications date inside the book, which is a 71 page paperback. I got my copy at the Orange Empire Railway Museum gift shop in Perris, CA (in the Los Angeles area) about 12 years ago, and it has a price sticker of $11.50 US on it. FYI, there is are several pictures of a weed-spraying train and weed-burning equipment in the book, along w/ Jordan spreaders, snow plows, tunnel clearance cars, Sperry Rail cars, mobile boiler cars, cranes & tenders, overhead traction service equipment, a fluted ss 'streamlined' passenger car used for transporting tropical fish!, and lots of other strange and scary looking beasts, and very few beauties in the book. I recommend it. Try contacting them the museum gift shop; they may still offer it for sale, or try the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado, for they have the largest selection of railroad books I've yet to see. You might try one of these used railroad book vendors:
Classic Trains & Ferraris
attn: Bill Harris
270/994-2555
email: [e-mail]
or:
The Union Station Hobbies & Books
attn: Mary Lee & Al Langley
803/279-5975
email: [e-mail]

The Orange Empire Railway Museum is still in existence, and is worth a visit by anyone in the LA area. (it's about an hour or so southeast of LA, except at rush hour, which could take all day). Although it is primarily a traction museum, they did have an ex-Ventura Railroad 2-6-2 passenger excursion that runs out and back (without turning around) on ex ATSF trackage. They have lots of old wood-sided freight equipment, some heavyweight passenger stuff, lots of oddball traction equipment, plus several trolleys and a PCC car - most all of which operate, and one can ride in around the extensive facility. There was a particularly neat very 'back-shopmade' looking crane being restored when I last visited there, that I believe was an ex Pacific Electric item. There was also an interesting ex ATSF portable boiler car made out of an old tender, and a bunch of Rube Goldberg paraphenalia. Also there was the ex-Walt (?) Kimble owned beautifully over-restored "Eureka" 4-4-0 (3'NG) engine and several pcs of 3'NG equipment on display. (Kimble was one of the main cartoon animators at the Disney studios, and shared a life-long love of trains with his boss, Walt Disney.) When I get my flat bed scanner, I'll be able to post the pictures I have of some of this equipment. My son and I got a cab ride in an ex-Sacramento Northern electric freight motor, and that was something! with all the exposed high voltage wiring and electical hardware all about the cab. Lot's of "Do Not Touch" signs for 'safety equipment'.

Andrew & Phil - envy you guys getting to go free to a Buffet concert, even if you have to deal with some over enthusiastic concert goers, Andrew. That would put a damper on an otherwise good time, I'm sure. I'd love to get a ride in his amphibious Grumman Albatros airplane some day - that is an awesome plane ! Wouldn't we all almost kill for the life he leads - bopping around the islands, wearing beach clothes, and occassionally singing for money - lots of money.

Tom - One of the first things I did when I moved into my current home was to install 14 wire shelves approx 48 inches long w/ 12" between each one in two closets for all my modeling, train, aircraft, car and woodworking magazines and catalogs. Good thing I have 9' ceilings and a step stool kept in one of the closets. In my last home I had a dedicated walk-in bedroom closet w/ a folding director's chair and good reading lites. When we downsized I had to forgo that luxury. (is 'forgo' a word?) I use little 'Post-its' w/ notes scribbled on them that show when the magazine is in a binder for quicker searching, and there's always several stacks of various magazines all over the house - much to the brides dismay. My neice's husband has a program installed that quick references specific articles indexed by subject matter, that he diligently inputs to whenever he reads something for future reference. If anyone is interested, I'll find out what it is, and post it here.

Ed - enjoy your vacation North of the Border, and leave some trains at the LHS for other modelers !

Krump - how are you doing w/ your layout? Are you doing On30 or HO? I saw your post on that topic thread? That On30 from Spectrum is awesome, esp their Shay, and if one shops around, it can be had for about 1/2 msrp.

Back to the dungeon downstairs and more framing. Got to look busy before the wife comes home !

BTW - I more than half-solved that targetword problem I was having on my 'puter by running CW Shredder whenever it shows up, which is approx every other day. It's not completely solved yet, but easily dealy with. Probably when I dump Windows XP and go back to a version of Windows 98, a lot of my operating problems will go away. XP combined w/ Internet Exploder has large enough securiy holes in it that you could run lupo's Veranda thru them. . .

Later-
BILL

[Noah Hofrichter]

Bill, I'll have to try and find that MoW book sometime. I saw one in the Walthers Sale catolauge one time, but this one sound good too.

Noah

[Anonymous]

Speaking of MOW. I was out shsopping today and came across a train waiting on a siding. It had stopped along a road so I decided to take a look at it. I was surprised to see it was a train consisting of 20 89' flat cars filled with MOW equipment, a treat in it self. Then I went to check out the locomotives and it was a gp40-2 in bright future leading a road slug. This is the first yard slug I have seen so I'm hoping to grab some pic when I head off to work in a few. I hope it's still there. It looked like the crew was waiting for the next crew to come releive them.
Andrew

[Fergmiester]

Hi Guys!

In for the night so I'll keep it quick!!

I made it down to Train Trax (LHS) in Rothesay, NB and bought a really neat laser cut wood kit by Branch Line. Made of linden and a replica of a two storey 1930's suburban house. Not unlike my first house! Anyway I'm hooked and will start building the Blair Line country store. Wood Kits are awsome !!!!! I'm hooked yep it's good

Regards Fergie

Gotta go wife is upset I'm spending more time on you than her OOOoooops!

[Anonymous]

Dougal: KCS seems to have a lot of 2nd hand motive power for a class 1. They have some ex-SP/D&RGW SD45-T2's, and a few GP40-2L's from the CN.

A thunderstorm's heading my way, I'll probably have to get off of the computer in a few minutes so lightning doesn't fry it.[:O][}:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Vic Smith posted this in the "other" forum. lol [:D]


http://www.njagyouth.org/liberty.htm

This site is super cool and wayyyy farrrrrr outtttttttttt. [:D] [;)] [8D]

I really like the site and launched many rocket myself. It is very colorful.

I did a mass mailing of the site to most of the people on my addy list, some have said they had trouble with the site. Mine worked ok, but the internet seems to me to get more "screwy" every day.


Speaking of Jimmy Buffet, I ate at his restaurant in Key West about November of 2000. I loved the Florida Keys, the Nascar race at Homestead was good, and his restaurant was so so [:0] . That was one of my favorite trips to date and I have good memories of it. We went to the Coral Castle, and saw many tourist places that sell "stuff" lol, and I came back with a ton of that stuff too. Plus some good pics of the area and ocean. I need to have the Coast Guard ship pic scanned and share it with you all. I liked that pic, the sun was setting and the sky was really pretty and colorful. It made a nice pic.

Well, I hope everyone is doing good and has a super nice holiday weekend.

And you know what Jimmy says, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere." [;)] [:D] [8D]

Anyone seen my "lost shaker of salt?" [;)]

One of my souvineers was a large beach towel with Margaritiville on it. [8D] [;)]
also lots of Florida t'shirts and other "ocean" items. I pretty much did my Christmas shopping while on that vacation. [:p] [;)]

IF I were rich, Florida would definately be in the running for a "beach house". But until then, I guess I will have to stay put. [:(]

Any one want to send me a winning lottery ticket? [;)] < I'll share.> [:D]

[fec153]

Mornin' all. Third cup of joe is starting to work. If u can, RFD-TV channel 379 has a
train coming on at 9 a.m. est. Trip thru Royal Gorge plus more. Enjoy.
Phil

[Anonymous]

Jim: Do you have the pics you're sending me of the UP Challenger on a web site?
They're kind of big, the last one took up 69% of the room I have for e-mails, and I have some important e-mails I'm waiting for, I wouldn't want to miss them because I was using 100% of my room for them. Or if you don't have them on a web site, is there any way you could make them smaller?

[philnrunt]

Andrew- I don't work concerts, but I sure know the feeling, the only advantage I have is if someone is too drunk we can escort them to new accomodations for the evening. Hate to do that , 'cause they're only trying to have fun, but ya' gotta do what cha gotta do. My nephew worked security at Deer Creek- now it's Verizon Wireless Money-er, Music Center for a few years, and other than falling in love with Stevie Nicks, he said it was a pain.
Ed and Bill- " Living the life of Buffet" should become a new cliche, Riley could never have had it so good.Jimmy dos'nt sing songs, he sings a lifestyle. I'm sure that he has his own special set of problems, but I'd bet good money he won't die from anything stress related. Just walking into one of his stores will lighten your wallet automatically, if you want to buy something, better have a loan officer with you. I did get a free set of beads at his Key West Margaritaville (for Mardi Gras) this March, so I guess I should'nt complain.
Ed, do they have concerts with US acts down your way? It sounds like you would be way too far away to attend, but do you hear about them?
Jim- they have a C'burger in P'dise in Indy, and if you order the Hurricane ( 4 different flavored alcoholic beverages in a glass as big as a Buick) everything else tastes GREAT! At least I think it does, tongue went numb after the 4th sip.
Everyone have a great and safe and fun 4th, instead of riding that pizza train, I'll be working our fireworks tonight, someone knew it was my day off so they moved the 4th to the 3rd just as a special present to me.I never had it so good! Gonna try to get the pizza ride rescheduled for Aug.

[lupo]

Thanks Bill for the MOW book link, I'll send them a mail!
there seems to be intrest in MOW equipment, looking at recent posts !
Next to my locomotive collection I am picking up all kinds of mow cars I come across on swapmeets etc.

BTW:
[:)][:)]I wish all my American fellow forum members a very good 4th of july tomorrow! [:)][:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjm89

Jim: Do you have the pics you're sending me of the UP Challenger on a web site?
They're kind of big, the last one took up 69% of the room I have for e-mails, and I have some important e-mails I'm waiting for, I wouldn't want to miss them because I was using 100% of my room for them. Or if you don't have them on a web site, is there any way you could make them smaller?

Christopher [:)]

I have one pic at Railpictures.net and the one pic (Challenger anyway) as the Photo Of The Day. Here is a link to the one at Railpictures:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=66259

[Noah Hofrichter]

And Jim, the photo of the day can be found in the Clips area. Go to the home page and on the side look for photo library, or something to that effect, then look for chalenger, it should be in there.

Solved a bolster problem on the Transfer Caboose today. I ordered cast bolster but the dummies made the hole to big for your standered 2-56 screws. So I went down to radio shack and bought some 2-56 hex nuts, along with some quarter inch 2-56 screws. I'm going to glue the nut to the bottom of the bolster, using the former hole for the excess screw that goes up into the area behind the nut. If that made sense well, okay.... but it's hard to describe unless you see it in person.

I 'm tired. It's raining. Thunder in the backround. Guess I better get off and let my Dad have the internet now.

Noah
Noah

[Noah Hofrichter]

See I told you I'm tired, I wrote my name twice in that last post.[zzz]

Noah

[Anonymous]

Hi guys, I'm back from the Adirondacks. Got back last nite, what a differance in temps between Fla and Norhtern NY. The whole time I was there, day time temps stayed below the 75 degree mark and nite time temps stayed in the mid 50's, nice breeze most of the time and one morning I got up to quite a chilly morning, around 51 or maybe 52 along the Lake Champlain shores. The whole region stays cool for most of what Floridians call summer and of course, Lake Champlain really never warms much above the "Blue and Freezing Level" , what I would call, a bone numbing experiance. God it's great.

[Anonymous]

Jim is "shamelessly" [;)] advertising his pic today. The one at Railpictures.net. Today when I checked on it there had been 193 views of it. Aww, come on guys, let's put it up over 200 [;)] [8D]


http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=66259


AND I started a thread in the trains.magazine forum. Phil has been going to the Coffee Shop / Diner there and you are all welcome their too. [;)] But here is a link to the thread I started there. It is a reminder "why" we celebrate the 4th of July and the cost to us to do so. In other words, it is a patriotic reminder for the 4th of July. [:)]


http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18241


Everyone is welcome to post there. Please visit it and go to the link provided in that thread. [:)]

Have a SAFE and HAPPY 4th of July [:D]

[Anonymous]

Last two days I've seen soem unusual stuff on the CSX lines by my house. Saw the coke express, a mow train and a coal train. The coal train caught me off gaurd as it was the first coal train I have seen on these lines.

Ordered The V&O afton division finale from pentrax today. It was on sale for 20 and I couldn't pass it up. Also found out the MRC is making a new DCC system. I checked their website and for under a hundred buck mores you get an LCD screen plus upgraded functions. Very nice if I ever decided to upgrade to sound equiped decoders. Hopefully my LHS hasn't ordered my prodigy yet and I can wait till the august release to get the new system. Now I can use the money that I was buying the prodigy with and finish my benchwork, yard and buy some cars. Then when I get paid my $250 for working the sound at the battle of the Bands at the fair I can order the new system. I love this hobby!
Andrew

[Anonymous]

Went railfanning and saw

5:03 261 2 C40-9W's in old logo
5:26 35A C40-9W's #9505, 9499, and GP38-2 High Hood 5077
6:30 15T SSW (Cotton Belt)/UP GP60 #1962, CEFX SD40M-2 #3179, SP/UP SD40M-2 #2691
7:08 unknown C40-9W #9208 and SD60M #6772 (still in CR blue)

The SSW and SP were those ugly UP "bandits" but it was nice anyway.

Pics later!