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

[Noah Hofrichter]

Hey folks.  I'm new to this side of Trains.com.  I usually spend time in the "real" trains section.  Thought I'd wander over to this side of the proverbial tracks.  Seems nice around here so far.  While I'm here I thought I'd tell you what I'm modeling: CNW as though the merger went the other way around!  I even have a couple of patched -8's, and -9's!  Anyway I'll nose around for some info.  Just wanted to say hi and be friendly.

Dan! I like the railroad, sounds like something that would have been even better if it really happened! I live in Wisconsin on the old route of the 400, more specifically in Reedsburg WI if you've ever heard of that. There are still alot of signs of the CNW around, although now days a regional railroad operates the line up to Reedsburg instead of the UP (which I like very, very much, it's a lot better to see Red locomotives than Yellow and Grey). UP does run Ballast Trains with crews from the Reigonal Railroad up to Rock Springs, Wisconsin though to get the CNW's famous Pink Lady Ballast out of quarry there, so if I really need to get my fill of UP I can do it that way. Once and a while we are even lucky enough to get a hold of a patched CNW SD40-2 up here, and there are a lot of ex CNW SD40-2s in UP paint that show up. I'd much prefer it if it were the other way around like you model though!

Make yourself comfortable and get to know some of us here in the shop, you'll like us once you get used to us.

Noah

[der5997]

Sup up Ladies and Gents, while we give PC's redoubtable credit card a chance to cool down!

Mikey:

Is it me or does there seem to be less and less worth watching on TV anymore?

…not just you imho. It seems a wasteland out there.  More and more channels, and less and less worth watching.   It will be interesting to see if they bring Invasion back…we couldn’t figure where the story could go from where it had been left at the end of last season, and still keep it interesting.

 

Jerry: Sorry to hear about Sallie’s father.  Please let her know we are thinking of you all.   As you say, it’s still hard, even if expected. Had news that an acquaintance from years ago died last week, same age, as it happens. His wife had died some years previously.  A godly couple, good to have known them.

 

Scott:

Come on J, I was standing outside my car when I took that video clip...I've even lifted the hood and blew them...They have a great tone to them...But they aren't much louder than what my horn was.

  My bad! I hadn’t looked at the video. (Excuse= takes so long on dial up.Truth = hadn’t noticed the link! )  How’s the job, BTW. Still as enjoyable?

 

Neal:

Maybe we should do something like that with our stuff.

  There is a certain amount of traffic back and forth already, but getting folks together to work on a project that will then be shipped away…quite the challenge.  Some other format perhaps….

Thanks for the saw mill photos. Our local large sawmill from the 1880s was replaced in the 1920s with a ground-wood pulp operation. However in neither case was there a railroad, as all the timber was moved by water.

 

Mike:

They'd just expect the GOV to come and take care of them and keep their lawns green.

…not only that, but the local gov. may well have an ordinance that mandates a green lawn!

I see DER has already ask the nosey question.

..Had to, since there are no handy Profiles with the new decor. (or am I missing something, as usual? )

 

Indy: Don’t think I’ve said yet.

It's Harley riding for me as soon as I get that danged grass cut.

1600 Hogs up in Cape Bretton this weekend. The TV clips on the news were impressive.

what's the best railroad exhibit, museum or excursion train you've ever experienced? 

…The excursion Id really like to take is the Algoma Canyon in the Fall.  Not quite what you asked. I’d be hard pressed to think of a better museum than the York (England) Railway Museum.  However, I haven’t been to many.

 

Tarp: (Went looking for my fancy gif for that, but it’s not in the usual file, so I can’t emulate PC’s welcome for Lisa.

You’d be used to the rain in Snohomish, no doubt, quite welcome to have that much in Tucson.

 

 

OZJim:

very very impatient, and silly... I can see that will end up in tragedy one day...

   like the idiot I watched zig-zag through the booms as the train approached. You’ve got to wonder.  Then if he’s killed, it’s the rialroad’s fault, or worse, “God needed another angel”…

 

Dick:

So, if want to get away from the fog John...here is the place to go, and it is only about an 8 hour ride from where you are.

…Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.  Why drop from 10^th happiest country to live in to 23^rd?…I’d better duck out of here…TTFN

 

 

 

 

[pcarrell]

How do everyone?

Thanks for the break on the credit card der5997!

So this morning I'm off to railfan so I head to Hawthorn Yard in Indianapolis, IN.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/717d7d06.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/2ad755ce.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/427cfd04.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/927c46b1.jpg

Then some guy tells me I have to leave.  No problem.

I head up to the South Anderson Yard in Anderson, IN.  They're much more friendly anyways.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Captured2006-7-3000021.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/49e9356b.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/2cfc6994.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/aeb0b93d.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/cadb4930.jpg

This was tucked away in the back of the yard!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/fc33b754.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/52b7b59a.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/ecff443f.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/ff8ed4f2.jpg

And then there was this......

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/098f3d71.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/eafdd140.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/4e5a804f.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/ee0aeb51.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Captured2006-7-3000019.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Captured2006-7-3000020.jpg

So then I decided to play around with those last two.  First, I stitched them together to make one pic.......

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_Result.jpg

Then the real fun began.

I made it look like a painting....

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_ResultLight.jpg

Then a little more like a painting......

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_ResultMedium.jpg

and a little more......

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_ResultHeavy.jpg

Then I tried a couple of effects........

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_ResultHeavyWeave2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_ResultLightGrass2.jpg

Whaddya think?

[Paul W. Beverung]

Hi Gang: Well the gang is gone back to New Mexico. Mary Ann is doing the laundry and I tried to take a nap without success.

PC: I'll take a look at all those pictures tomorrow at work. Dial up you know.

I'm going to head out and see if I can get anything done on the MRR. What you say? He's actually going to head for the basement? Yes; I'll let you know what if anything gets done.

Bye for now. 

[CNW 6000]

Neat pics, especially the snowplow and the crane.  The painting effects are interesting but if the sky was a touch darker or greyer (Is that a word?  It is now!) IMHO they'd be a touch 'cooler'.

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone!  Just stopped by for a visit. Been busy with work and my web site. hope

everyone is well.

David

[Anonymous]

Hi all. Nothing for me, thanks.

PC, very nice pics.

Not much happening today.

See ya'll later,

[james saunders]

OZJim:

very very impatient, and silly... I can see that will end up in tragedy one day...

   like the idiot I watched zig-zag through the booms as the train approached. You’ve got to wonder.  Then if he’s killed, it’s the rialroad’s fault, or worse, “God needed another angel”…

 

I know exactly what you mean... luckily our main Rail operator has launched a massive ad campaign  for safety around the tracks. but it's NEVER the driver behind the wheel who is at fault even if they have so much alcohol in their body they really should be dead.

[Anonymous]

Indyson,

Here's some more information about Illinois Central #382 and Casey Jones.

Casey Jones rode his train to his death
Vaughan, Mississippii (1900)

 

Summary

Vaughan, Missippi, Illinois Central Railroad (1900). It was just before 4.00am when the passenger train driven by engineer "Casey" Jones approached Vaughan at high speed. Two freight trains were being sidetracked to allow the express to pass. One of them developed a fault which prevented it from moving further and clearing the main line of its long train of freight cars. Unaware of this, and seemingly oblivious to the warning of signals of a flagman, the engineer drove his train into the freight.

Engine No. 382 driven by "Casey Jones on the fateful night Picture by Jim Jordan

Train No 1, standing at Poplar Street Station, Memphis was without an engineer on the night of 30 April 1900. The man who was due to take the train to Canton had been taken ill and "Casey" Jones and his fireman Simon "Sim" Webb answered the call for volunteers to handle this train. It was about 10.00pm and they had already worked a shift bringing a train the 188 miles up from Canton.
Shortly after 11.00pm on a wet and foggy night Jones opened the regulator of 4-6-0 No. 382 and slowly drew his train out of the station onto the mainline. The fog made for bad visibility and sighting lineside signals was difficult.
Train No.1 arrived at on time Goodman Station where it was due to pass train No.2. The late arrival of this train meant that train No.1 was five minutes late starting off again. Despite the poor conditions Jones was clearly determined to make up time and by the time of the accident was only two minutes behind time.
That night, at Vaughan station, no fewer than four trains, all freights had arrived and were being held to await the passing of Train No 1. These trains were the first part of Train 72, Train 83 and the first and second parts of Train 26. Trains 72 and 83 were not booked to pass No.1 here. They were in fact running late following an incident when shunting to allow train No. 25 to pass. As the shunting operation was in progress, two drawbars broke on train No. 83 preventing its movement until repairs had been effected.
Some complicated shunting maneuvres had to be performed in order to clear the main running line to ensure that there was a clear passage for the express. Both parts of train 26 were put onto the "house track" and 1st 72 and 83 were shunted onto a passing loop. Train No. 72 headed onto the passing track with No.83 following. While this procedure was in progress, an air hose between two of the cars of train No. 72 broke bringing the train to a halt. No.83 close behind had to stop also, but before its last two cars had cleared the mainline.
Correctly, the flagman from No.83 went back on the mainline to place torpedoes (detonators) on the line and with red and white lights to signal the approaching express that the way ahead was obstructed. The approach to Vaughan station was a long curve and train No.1 rounded this at a speed of approximately 75 mph. Although it was estimated that Engineer Jones would have had an unobstructed view of the flagman from a distance of 1 1/2 miles, the train did not begin to slow. According to the fireman, he was attending to the fire when he heard the explosion of the torpedoes. He crossed to the engineer's side of the cab and looking out, he saw the warning lights of the flagman. He crossed to the fireman's position from where he could see the markers of the caboose of train No. 83. He called to the engineer that there was a train ahead. Jones immediately applied the air brakes. At a distance of about 100 yards from No. 83, the train had slowed to about 50 mph. Webb considered that the train was not going to stop in time and jumped from the engine.
The express struck the boxcars of the freight train demolishing them. Engine 382 was derailed but continued on for some distance before turning over onto its side. Although "Casey" Jones was killed, there were no other deaths. There may have been more loss of life had Jones followed his fireman and left the engine, but by remaining at his post and continuing to apply the brake, he lessened to potential impact.
The cost of the accident to the railroad amounted to $3,323.75. In addition varying amounts were paid out to comapny employees for injuries sustained:

• Fireman of Train No.1 - body bruises jumping off engine - $5.00
• Express Messenger - Slight injuries - $10.00
• 2 Postal Clerks - jarred - $1.00 each

In the company's enquiry into the accident, Casey Jones was found to be "wholly to blame for the collision by reason of having disregarded the signals given by Flagman Newman".
Although this was quite a minor mishap both in terms of loss of life and cost to the railroad, the incident has passed into American railroad folklore. At the hands of Wallace Saunders, an engine wiper who made up a song about the incident, Casey Jones emerges as a hero.

 

Casey Jones 1863 - 1900 Born of Irish stock on 14 March 1863 in Missouri as John Luther Jones, his family moved John Luther "Casey" Jones to Cayce, Kentucky while he was still a boy. It was from here that he received his nickname "Casey". He married Janie Bradey in 1887 and began to raise a family. The couple had three children - Charles Helen and John. He got his first railroad job in 1878 on the Mobile & Ohio Railway working in the yard at Columbus, Kentucky. He rapidly gained promotion, first to brakeman then fireman riding the M & O trains between Jackson and Mobile. In March 1888 he joined the Illinois Central Railroad as a fireman and became an engineer in February 1890 taking freight and passenger trains between Jackson and Water Valley. It is by no means certain that his employers were as fond of Casey as he is in the hearts of those who have heard the legend. Damned by faint praise, the regard in which he was held by the railroad company is evidenced in the company's report on the accident Engineer Jones ... had a reasonably good record, not having been disciplined for the past three years ... Jones' work upto the the time of the accident had been satisfactory. He received further promotion in February 1900 to drive trains between Memphis and Canton including the crack Cannonball. He is buried in Mount Calvery Cemetery on Hardee Street in East Jackson. Casey Jones Links The Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum Home Page. Featuring stories about the Illinois Central Railroad, Mississippi Division, Water Valley District Written by Jack Gurner, the site contains The Real Casey Jones Story This article looks beyond the popular legend. Tribute to Casey Jones Jim Jordan who painted the superb picture at the top of this page also provides a pen-picture of Casey and the accident Jordan Art Works Jim also has a number of other excellent paintings of past North American railroad scenes. Prints of each are available from his web site. Facts about Casey Jones Facts compiled by the First Grade class at Andrew Jackson Memorial School Casey Jones Railroad Museum The museum is located near the site of the accident

Neal

[ngartshore350]

Howdy howdy howdy!

Okay y'all...This is what you've all been waiting for...MY AIRHORNS ARE IN, AND SOUND AWESOME...But aren't as loud as I had expected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_pmMgLagik

Hi TrainFreak409,

Like the air horns, I have some in my pickup, yours nearly sounds like they aren't getting anough air from the compressor?! Check the tubing to see there aren't any kinks.

I had a look at that hornblaster videos, what were they using?? They sounded great! any idea what voltage Trains run. Might try and put some in the Pickup?!

Regards,

Nigel

[JPowell]

Dick wrote:

  The solar hot water units on the roof have the 120 gallon tank in the basement at 180F. Does Solar Domestic Hot Water systems work? You bet they do, and FREE too!!! And most states and the Fed provide tax credits to install them, how can you not install them!!

 

  Dick –

    I may have to get with you on this area once I get a house. Especially if those tax breaks are true for here in NYS!

 

Inch wrote:

  JP, good to hear from you. Sounds like with work and all your going to be a tad busy for a spell. Hope things let up afor long.

 

  Inch –

    Yeah, from what I was told by the supervisor, better get my vacations done now as come next month, they will not be allowed till February. Which, if you ask me, is no problem anyways. I like the job I have and I’d never tell my co-worker and best bud to NOT call me during the night time, especially when he’s over there (Iraq) and I am here.

  

Well all –

  It’s a nice evening here in Central NY, when compared to the weather as of late. Temps were about low 80’s today w/ a nice breeze. Suppose to drop to about 60/65 tonight…Great sleeping weather here. But, as we all know, this is not a dream and all good things come to an end at some time. Already have an ‘Excessive Heat Watch’ posted for Tuesday thru Wednesday night. Temps are forecasted to be upper 90’s on Tuesday the heat indices between 105 and 110. Much the same for Wednesday but the temps are to be about 90/95ish and heat indices at 100/105ish. Suppose to be much cooler at the end of the week… 80/85ish on Thursday and 80ish on Friday w/ some light breezes and sunshine. And that is a good thing. My brother gets married this coming Friday and the cool temps will help to make the church more bearable in a suit and tie.

 

  On the MRR front, I have been reading the articles in the Aug issue of Trains about Ethanol and how some say there may not be enough Tank Cars to go around for this new commodity. I think someone should look into opening a plant and making more as there will definitely be a need for them here in my area.

  There is a new company here in the area, Northeast BioFuels (ethanol) and they have purchased a former Miller Brewery plant and are converting it into an Ethanol plant. In addition to the plant conversion, they are spending millions to upgrade the rail infrastructure to support the plant.

And not to be outdone, SUNY (State University of NY) Morrisville is looking at 5-8 different sites statewide, 3 of which are to the south of my area, for building a BioDiesel plant.

  And those 2 reasons are why someone should make more tank cars. So now, along with the unit Intermodal trains, the unit Coal trains, and the unit Auto trains that I see from time to time, I will also be able to see unit Tank car trains.

  Fine by me, just makes more for me to possibly model when I get to that point.

 

  On to one more ‘non’ trains related subject, mainly for Dick (greyfox) and Ed (btw when can I get a shipment of OJ sent this way????), the Yanks made a big trade a little bit ago for Bobby Abreu and Corey Lidle in exchange for some minor leaguers. I was hoping that Abreu would go elsewhere, but no way. The Yanks were not going to have it that way. Also, Baseball Tonight last night listed Nixon, Crisp, and Pena as trade bait for starting pitching. Tonight (as I sit here typing this), they (Baseball Tonight) are still talking about Boston being in on a 3 or 4 team trade (possibly Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis to the Padres for Scott Linebrink), but there were other teams and players mention (Julio Lugo to the Sox as part of it as well).

Anyway, now being reported on the Red Sox homepage: The Boston Red Sox today acquired righthanded pitcher Bryan Corey from the Texas Rangers in exchange for righthanded pitcher Luis Mendoza. Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein made the announcement. Corey, who was designated for assignment by Texas on July 25, has been added to Boston's 40-man roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, righthanded pitcher Matt Clement has been transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

 

Ok all, time for me to get going. LAA v. Red Sox – Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN is only 20 minutes out and I need to get dinner fixed before it starts. And yes, the beer is nice and cold.

 

Take care!

JP

[pcarrell]

Neat pics, especially the snowplow and the crane.  The painting effects are interesting but if the sky was a touch darker or greyer (Is that a word?  It is now!) IMHO they'd be a touch 'cooler'.

Like this?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/Photoshop%20Fun/Stitched_ResultMediumGray2.jpg

[Anonymous]

Good Evening All!

Coffee and a donut please Chloe, Thanks.

CNW6000:  Welcome to the coffee shop.  The Chicago Northwestern is my favorite RR.  Of course being from Chicago and riding the train certain helped.  Look forward to seeing you around.

Der: Yes, TV really does lack a lot of real imagination and quality.  Although there are a few show I love, Mythbusters tops the list.  Of course the History channel and the Food Network are good.  But I love Speed TV.  The ability to see F1 races is great.  Plus, the road rallies, Moto GP and others just makes it even better

PC: Great pics!!  Not much of a photoshop fan.  I really liked the "live" pics.

 

Today was very difficult.  The heat was oppressive.  Since the rescue mission has no AC all activity was difficult.  Playing music was tough because my fingers either stuck to the strings or slipped off depending on how much I was sweating.  The kitchen staff was slowed down which made food prep painfully long which meant we had to keep the homeless upstairs longer than we like.  Finally some of the guys got a little ugly.  Not an unmanagable problem but never comfortable.

The Good news, July is over!!  Already my schedule has lots of open time which is now blocked from any non-family activity.  Hopefully we can swing either a shore trip or Strasburg trip in this August. 

Need to get to bed.

[Anonymous]

NESU:  Thank you for the additional info on Casey Jones and the famous wreck.  Enjoyed the reading. 

TrainFreak409:   On your higher-decibel airhorn & cowcatcher project, was hoping the name "Project Cannonball" would make you laugh a bit.     I thought it conveys a sense of "accident-waiting-to-happen".    I agree, judging from the video, they do seem too tame.  I'm sure you'll figure out a way to pump them up.  Then reshoot the video so we can see your neighbors come running out of their houses in the background to investigate what's going on.

CNW 6000:  Dan

pcarrell:  Great pictures!  I too have some pictures somewhere of one of those little cranes (Burro).  When you see one for real, you wonder how it stays on the tracks if it's lifting anything at all to the sides.

der5997;  Appreciate the warm welcome.  Been a while since I last visited Nova Scotia.  I think it was 1978.  Still have a knot on my head from diving into a pool at an Indian Reservation motel and hitting bottom...all I remember was diving, then waking up with a crowd around me.  Was treated like a king until we checked out...LOL.  Was my first venture into Canada, through NB to the Bay of Fundy with a side trip to PEI.  Beautiful places, all of them.  I see where many Harley-Davidson riders take their summer trips up your way...I'd like to do that sometime in the near future.

inch53:  Sounds like you got some needed relief with the grandkids departure.  Is it me, or did our parents MAKE us behave when visiting relatives, in public, at restaurants (the rare times we ate out), and AT HOME.  I watch kids today throw tantrums in the stores and their parents just ignore them...where did they learn that technique?  Makes you just want to smack the kid, then the parent.  Of course, when it's your child and grandchild...well, that's different.  They're never that bad...(I'm a grandparent too...been there).

Gumby4:  What a wonderful thing you and your band did, playing music at the rescue mission.  Five stars to you, especially under such adverse conditions.

Had a great ride today down and back to/from Lynchburg, VA.  About 1 hr 15 min down, with one stop at my favorite barbeque place, the Blue Ridge Pig on rt 151 in Nellysford.  Stopped in at the Harley shop in Lynchburg for a shirt/souvenir.  Return trip was on the Blue Ridge Parkway...ooooo, that cool mountain air felt way too good!  Hit one small rainstorm, but it just felt right good and maybe I can skip my Saturday night bath for next week now...LOL.

Today is the 61st anniversary of the sinking of my father's ship, the USS Indianapolis.  All the survivors, about 80 left, are in mourning for the next 5 days...that's how long they were in the water.  1196 went in the water, and only 317 survived.  Went to the cemetary to spend a few minutes with Dad and remind him that I haven't forgotten.  Took my youngest son with me...Joey, age 22...his first ever motorcycle ride, and I think he really enjoyed it.  I told him I have my Yamaha 650 Special in the driveway waiting for him if he learns to ride and takes/passes a driver safety course offered by the local Community College.  50mpg...he's thinking about it.

Thank you, all you veterans out there.  I appreciate your sacrifice and honor your sense of duty.  Thanks for the freedoms I and others worldwide enjoy today. 

Take care, all.

IndySon

[Paul W. Beverung]

Evening Gang: Just a quick stop to say Good Night. I'll be back in tomorrow AM.

[Anonymous]

Good morning all!

A coffee to go please Chloe, thanks.

Off to work.  Have fun, be safe, see you on Friday.

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning ! from Indiana.

07-31-06

[inch53]

Mornin all, coffee plrease Zoe,

Even hotter here today, heat index 105+, to warm for me to do much outside. Trip over to Effingham was OK and did get down to the S. yard for some photos.

DAN, welcome to the CS, have a cup on me today and hope you enjoy your visit here.

INDYSON, NEAL, thanks for the info on Casey.

DER, I think don't your over looking anything with the new decor, I can't find some stuff either.

PC, thanks for the pics from up your way, the snow plow looks like one over in Terre Haute, may have to run by and see if it's still there some time.

JP, sounds like you'll be enjoying some vacation breaks anyway, then the fun starts. We've got a couple cousins in Iraq now, seems like bout the time some member of the family gets back, anothers on their way.

INYSON, we needed a kid break, we've had kids here since the end of May. Most the kids aren't to bad, but the 14 yr old is a pain, mouthy and a smart butt. Can't stand to be some place and a kids having a tantrum, parents seem to be afraid to make they're kids mind anymore, or just don't care.

Think KC's going to be here today, not to hard with her, she still takes long naps, but I still don't get much done. Did get a little work on the layout yesterday, hope for some more today. Well time fur chores, hope ya'll have a gooden and stay cool

inch

[pcarrell]

Mornin' all!

How's everyone doing this morning?

Wife goes to get her meds adjusted tomorrow.  Looking forward to that!  Hopefully it will help.  Thanks for all your prayers everyone.  I know they are helping.  The prayers of a righteous man avail much you know!

pcarrell:  Great pictures!  I too have some pictures somewhere of one of those little cranes (Burro).  When you see one for real, you wonder how it stays on the tracks if it's lifting anything at all to the sides.

Thanks!  I know what you mean about the Burro.  It looks like if it tried to pick up a hundred pounds it'd tip right over!

 

To all the new faces around here!

[Attaboy]

Good morning everyone.  Unusual time of day for me to be here.  The server with the primary software we use to do our work is missing in action this morning so I have time to catch up a little here.  It's been down for two hours now and folks are starting to hope we will be sent home for the day.  With pay of course.

 Happy Jack, Lisa, tarp, and Dan (CNW 6000).  Hope I didn't miss anyone.

Lisa, I know what you mean about the AC, I just had mine fixed.  It conked out right at the beginning of this heat wave.

Scott, I'd like to hear your airhorns but they won't play here at work.  Uncle Sam is a little paranoid about viruses and the fire wall stops it.  I'll have to wait till I get broadband at home in August.

Like most folks the weather is hot.  Calling for 97F today with a heat index making feel like 110F and hotter as the week goes by.

Guess that's enough for now.  Talk to you all later.

[egmurphy]

Good Morning Coffee Clubbers,

Just a quick note to say that we're back from our vacation.  I haven't had any chance to log in and read back posts, having had a problem logging in under the new forum scheme and being on the go during the trip.  But I think I have it figured out now.

Everything went very well.  Once we get unpacked I'll try to collect my thoughts and post at least the railroad related highlights.

Right now Fran is saying we need to head out to the supermarket to restock the pantry.

Hasta luego,

Ed

 

[Paul W. Beverung]

Ed: Good to see you back. We're still in the oven here. Haven't had rain in a month plus. You know those fields that you saw that were green with grass? Now they are brown and the only green are a few weeds. I hope that the airlines didn't loose any of your thoughts.

Well wouldn't you know it. On top of everything else I get to buy for the group. Everyone gather around and have at it.

[pcarrell]

I vowed I wouldn't post until someone else hit the top of the page!

[SilverSpike]

Monday, July 31, 2006

Good day all!

Those weekends sure do go by quickly!

We went to the local farmers market Saturday morning and bought some fresh grape tomatoes, pumpkin bread, four varieties of garlic, a fresh farm raised chicken (cooked it Sunday, Yum!), some fresh blueberries, and some jellies. After that Monique wanted to go to the English Tea Room and we had lunch and some tea! That was fun too! Oh and they have four flavors of scones too!

Then I spent about 2 ½ hours in the train room, cut out the mainline curve for north/south bound traffic. Also glued down some more cork roadbed for the mainline and the yard.

Work in the yard too this weekend, and Benjamin has taken to assisting me, he mowed about 2/3 of the yard while I cut back the weeds along the back creek and the rest of the yard. He is trying to earn some money to buy a new archery set; ever since Cub Scouts he now wants his own bow and arrows. Once he gets motivated it’s hard to stop him!

Monique is still weak and taking medication for the sinus and bronchitis, and Ben is back to school today, hurray! Thanks again for those who offered thoughts and prayers.

Read the September 2006 MR issue front to back, I liked the article on tips for great operation. It has many good pointers on basic layout operations. The roadbed tips are timely too; I’m going to have to sand it down first before laying the track.

Looks like some new faces here in the CS over the weekend!

to happy jack, plenty of ice to go around, the ice house is just around the bend!

And to Lisa P, sorry to hear about he AC, but you know, some of that ice is ready for you too. And a nice cold fruit smoothie really cools you down quick. Have one on me today!

And TARP! Does that stand for something else?

Scott, the horn sounds great! Thanks for the link to your video and the maker of those horns too!

Is it me or does there seem to be less and less worth watching on TV anymore? There currently is a grand total of 8 shows plus the news that I watch that are currently producing new episodes. (It was 9, but That Seventy’s Show ended this past May).

Glad to see you back! I agree on the TV shows, we only watch maybe four or five current shows on a weekly basis. We still like the reality stuff, but you can catch me watching re-runs of Seinfeld and The Rockford Files almost any day….

Our thoughts and prayers to you Jerry and Sally and this time!

As a kid we use to go camping next to a corn field and cook it on hot coals in the husk. Have ate so much, it was hard to get very far from the outhouse the next day, but it sure was good.

Hey Inch, LOL you are too funny! And thanks for the motor car photos!

IndySon, my wife and I go on walks too when she is not sick, and on the day when I spend 2 hours in the yard that is exercise enough for me. And I hear ya on the protections, seems like our freedoms are slowly disappearing each and every day…

Hey Neal, great post on the Mississippi and Louisiana logging and lumber operations! My grandfather and great-grandfather worked railroads in central Louisiana from the early 1920’s through the 1960’s. My great-grandfather was depot agent for the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad in Eunice, LA. He and my grandfather later owned the Pioneer Timber Company in Pineville, LA and sold pulpwood and timber to paper mills throughout Louisiana and Mississippi.

JP, glad to here that some of the evidence was recovered from the vandalism incident, and maybe something will come out of it too. Keep you chip up with holding down the fort on your own! Sounds like you have a good handle on it too!

Trolley Rob, yet the blender got another work out this weekend too! Banana, strawberry, banana/strawberry, blueberry, cantaloupe, and cantaloupe/banana smoothies were made this weekend. And you are so right; Ed’s OJ has been in high demand lately! Thanks for the concern of their health too!

PC, you are starting to show us your artistic side now, huh! Looks like you had a fun time on the yards and at home too with the images.

Welcome back Ed! Hope to hear more about the trip to el Norte! As long as you and Fran are heading to the supermarket, how about picking up some more OJ!

Cheers,

Ryan

[Anonymous]

HELLO AGAIN FELLOWS.

 

iT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE i WAS HERE, HAD SICKNESS AND A DEATH IN THE FAMILY AND i AM JUST NOW GETTING BACK TO THE OLD ROUTINE.

Darn cap locks!

I am working on a C&O lay out and a saw mill and lumber pike to in HO.

Also in O ga.

It will be a shelf layout.

Man it has been hot in W V.

The dog wont go out at all. She has more sence than I.

[Anonymous]

RYAN: At age 13 yhsy summer I got my first job away from home that payed me real Money. I use to ride my bike by the railroad. One side was a box factory that used scraps from the Roy O. Martin Saw Mill there in Pineville. There was also a cresote mill for telephone poles and railroad ties. The other side of the track they loaded pulp wood onto bulkhead flats. My job was to climb up onto the top and streighten the pulpwood in the cars. They were loaded with a crane and cables. A double axle truck would haul two cords. A 14 wheeler would haul 5 cords. The crain would load one cord at the time.

I spent school out to school in that summer and was making 30 cent per hour. I was the happest guy on earth that year.The heat was almost unbearable and it was hard work. One thing that made it bad was the pine rosin ozzing out and getting on your bare skin. If it did you had a blister.

By the way I was born and raised in Pineville. Gradurated from Pineville High School in  1958.

Well MoM calls so it must be time for supper.

Later      Neal

[der5997]

Three days without rain or fog! Could we be getting summer at last?

 

Our weather news was predicting Windsor Ontario (aka Detroit South) would have humidity factored temperatures of 122ºF today.

I could see the case for AC there.

 

back Ed! Sounds like the trip was all you wanted it to be, and more.  Re-stocking the larder is a piece of vacation budget planning that seems to elude us.

 

WVSteve: back too! Our dog’s slowed right down, but I think it’s age more than the weather. She hasn’t the sense to come in out of the rain, and before the slowdown could be found sitting out at the end of her run in the foulest of weathers. Nowadays she keeps pretty much to her house, or close by.

 

Neal:

Gradurated from Pineville High School in  1958.

...sounds like we are much the same generation!

Didn’t know pine resin could cause blisters. Just hugely sticky stuff, and didn’t some folks use it as gum?

 

Now the tracks are getting a bit cleaner, I’ve instituted a “must do” of running at least one train over the cleaned portions every day. Will this work load never ease?  I’m waiting for two new cleaning blocks from Bill Barger. If they work, I’ll let you folks know how to get them. The track I ballasted has to be scraped before any solvent will do much, I think.  It’s the glue for the ballast that gets everywhere I don’t want it to.  What do you do to clean up after ballasting? I wiped the railheads (I think ).

 

Apart from that, a decoder died.  At any rate, the loco won’t go, and the CVs cannot be read on the programming track.  It’s a Digitrax plug and play.  I’ve removed it from the loco, clipped wires to the programming track and the pads on the decoder, and tried to make contact. Nada, zip, zero.

Any suggestions before I contact Digitrax?

 

That’s about it for today. Goodnight all, and God Bless.  Prayers continuing for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.

[Anonymous]

I want to thank everyone for the welcome and I hopefully will get to know you all. It is hot here but we haven't hit 100 yet here in NH (it's been a long time since we hit 100) so I know it could be worse.  I'm still very new to this hobby but I find I love it more all the time. I got into this because of my boys(ages 8,6,and 4), they more or less lost interest and I got hooked. My only problem now is I tend to start things I have no idea how to finish. For instance I wanted a mountian so I went online researched it and started, half way through I realized my track refused to lay right so I'm stuck with a great looking mountain that my train can't go over. Oh well live and learn, I may just start fresh any one have any advice. Mine is made from paper-mache but I saw and article once about using layers of foam, any help would be great.

[Anonymous]

 

Didn’t know pine resin could cause blisters. Just hugely sticky stuff, and didn’t some folks use it as gum?

DER:It doesn't blister as long as it stayes cool. But when the sun is beating down at 100 + degrees it will surely blister your skin. I have heard of folks chewing the gum, but I never tried it.

As far as your problems, I wish you well. I don't know anything about them.I haven't ventured into DCC yet. As far as the glue is concerned you might try water with a few drops of liquid detergent to soak the rails. This might help to soffen the glue and allow you to clean it.

Well folks, we closed on the second piece of property today. We are schedualed to close on the property in Mississippi on the 9th of August. I guess it's to late to change our minds now.The house we are buying was built in 1936. It's a bungalo style house with the large front porch and brick columns and brick steps on the front. The house is in really good shape. We plan on remodeling and updating the structure before we make the move. We still have one more piece of property to sell here. We will sell it around October. Then the only thing we will have here to sell will be the house we are living in now. I hope to move right after the 1st of the year. I will post some photos of the house after we close on the 9th.

RYAN:Sorry to hear about all the illness you are having to deal with but I suspect they are in good hands. We are praying for their speedy recovery.

Have been trying to remember who I worked for back then but I can't. Could have been your Grandfather.

Well people it's after 10:00 PM here and time to call it a day.

Sleep well-Sleep safe.

Neal

 

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana.

08-01-06