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

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  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: IN/USA
  • 2,495 posts
Posted by wetidlerjr on Monday, December 11, 2006 5:34 AM

Good morning ! from Indiana. Big Smile [:D]

12-11-06

Clown [:o)]

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, December 11, 2006 5:59 AM

Today's Weather for:

Leesville, LA 71446 12/11/2006
Fort Polk airfield

Wind Chill: 55°F
Humidity: 99%
Dew Point: 56°F

So Far Today
High: 56°F
Low: 54°F
Rain: N/A"
Rain Rate: N/A"/h
Gust: 11mph SE

Your Local Forecast

High: 70 °F
Low: 53 °F

Now through 07:00 AM CST December 11, 2006

High: 70

Through 7 AM...a few showers will move northeast at 15 knots across portions of the coastal waters between Cameron and High Island out 60 nm. These showers will produce mainly light...with occasional moderate...rainfall. Rates will be between one tenth and one quarter of an inch per hour. Elsewhere...patchy fog will be noted across the area. The fog will be more widespread and become dense at times across lower southeast Texas and lower southwest Louisiana. The worse visibilities below 1/4 of a mile will be found near the coast and around Sabine and Calcasieu Lakes and associated ship channels.

Today: High: 70 Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs around 70. Southeast winds up to 10 mph.

Tonight: Low: 55
Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Southeast winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light and variable.

 

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New Milford, Ct
  • 3,232 posts
Posted by GMTRacing on Monday, December 11, 2006 6:48 AM

Good Morning All,

       I'll have the regular coffee and one of Bills' donuts please Zoe. Low 30's and overcast this morning with luck we'll see ahigh in the 50's. Spent the weekend cleaning and rearranging the back shop, and Sunday changing out batteries in one of the Budd RDC's.

   We started at 10 and finished up around 4 - not screaming good time, but our excuse is that an RDC battery (8 volt diesel railway battery) weights around 300 lbs and there were 8 of them jammed in two compartments just big enough to fit them and the attendant cables. We ended up blocking ties to make a platform just higher than the battery load platforms in the car and slid them out so we could disconnect the cables. After cleaning the battery compartments (some mouse is going to be very annoyed with us as he lost his cotton seat padding bed) we cut lexan to fit the floor and muscled the new batteries into place one by one hooking the connecting cables up as we went.

Inch - Sorry to hear of your loss. It's especially tough this time of year. Our prayers for your families.

Dick - Wolcotts' just up the road from here so you should have had nice weather. Hartfords' always a pain to navigate crossing on I84. If it really gets messy as on Sunday evenings, you can try the 691 bypass to 91 which adds a few miles but eliminates a bunch of agita. You pick 691 up just east of Waterbury. I don't usually have the trouble with traffic as when we go to the airport it is usually at 5am and the return trip is usually 0-2-late.

Der - Interesting article recently in I think Time on cellphone usage and the internet. Seems we are lagging behind the third world because of our massive investments in landline technology. Many of the developing countries have skipped directly to cellphone nets and electronic data transmission via microwaves and are leapfrogging us in terms of speed and efficiency. The article didn't address security or encryption so I can't comment on that, but in the military we always left encryption to the sender/receiver.

    Hope the rest of you are doing well - time to pick up tools and try catching up some more. CUL,J.R.

  

  • Member since
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  • From: In the State of insanity!
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Posted by pcarrell on Monday, December 11, 2006 8:58 AM

There's a birthday today?

Happy B-Day [bday] Lee!

 

grayfox, I used to live in CT and the traffic was ALWAYS a pain through Hartford.  Moved away from there in '87.  I see old habits die hard, huh?

Philip
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Lancaster, PA
  • 512 posts
Posted by claymore1977 on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:02 AM

**opens door to the Coffee Shop**

"Greets all!  Is there a dress code for this establishment?"

Dave Loman

My site: The Rusty Spike

"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:04 AM
 claymore1977 wrote:

**opens door to the Coffee Shop**

"Greets all!  Is there a dress code for this establishment?"

Why, yes there is!  We prefer that you are dressed!  Thanks for asking! Tongue [:P]

Philip
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Lancaster, PA
  • 512 posts
Posted by claymore1977 on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:11 AM

 pcarrell wrote:

Why, yes there is!  We prefer that you are dressed!  Thanks for asking! Tongue [:P]

Well now that works out.  Clothes just so happen to be my favorite thing to wear!

Besides, its only in the 40's here in MD but I was born and raised in AZ so this is flippin freezing :)  Yes yes, I know, I'm a wuss.

Dave Loman

My site: The Rusty Spike

"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:42 AM

Morning All:

Claymor77: Welcome to the coffee shop. Have a seat and I'll have the girls bring you a cup or glass of your choise of drink. We are a  noisy bunch hear so tell us a bit about yourself. What scale do you model in? Are you freelance or prototype?What era do you use. I'm in HO and model a freelance ore hauling railroad in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Happy Birthday Lee, and many more.

Well I'm going to head back out. I may go home early today as I got very little usefull sleep last night. I'm going to stop the caffeen drinks for awhile and see if that helps. Just water for a time.

See you all in the funny papers.

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Nova Scotia, Northumberland Shore
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Posted by der5997 on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:53 AM

Good morning everyone!  Froze overnight, but it’s up to 40F again, at least it was before it clouded over a while ago.

<>  

JR:

Interesting article recently in I think Time on cell phone usage and the internet.
…er, what’s a cell phone?

<>(Actually people do have them here, but the signal isn’t too good, and besides, I’ve no desire either to be that reachable, or to pay to have some one call me [over and above local phone service charges that is.]) We really are in the technoboonies here.   <>  


Lee!

<>

Things to do...take note Paul!

TTFN


"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Seattle WA
  • 1,233 posts
Posted by Hoople on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:57 AM
Hey claymor77, Welcome to the coffee shop. I would use the WELCOME sign, but my Computer decided to kill the smiley window.
Hows it going guys?
I've got good news and bad news.
The bad news is the Cowboys lost. :(
The good news is I am playing my drumset for my shcools Christmas Program.
I guess I can stick around for a few minutes...
Mark
Mark.
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Lancaster, PA
  • 512 posts
Posted by claymore1977 on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:58 AM

I'll just stay with an Ice Tea for now. 

Real name is Dave Loman and to field those questions I have to preface that I grew up in the middle of the desert in AZ. First 'train set' when I was 6. Dad built me a vanilla 4x8 and bench work when I was 8. Did all the wiring for a 2 cab DC system in a basic oval plus a small yard. At the time, I had no concept of prototypical modeling, so it was a freelanced SP line. I grew up living SP, simply because that's what was around me. Long straight stretches of track, several mile long trains. That was my perception of Railroads. Joined the Navy out of high school and had to pack up my stuff. Not much room for a layout on a Fast Attack sub and besides, the captain was into RC planes, grrr...  Just got out of the Navy in Feb 05 after 9 years and my wife and I are looking into settling in a house in northern MD soon. By the time I start building bench work for my new layout, I will have had over a decade of research and planning! (better be a damn good layout I say!)


I plan to use a freelanced SP branch in HO based around hauling freight from a remote high altitude city to a lower altitude town/interchange with another railway/sea port and/or tractor trailer line. A concentration will be on 3 to 4 person operations (as my kiddos will be old enough by then) with an emphasis on small details like: Working car lights and directional's, town lights will turn on at certain room light levels, user controlled loading crane, etc.


It will be my first real layout as an adult. I have done several small 1x4 shelves as practice, but I just don't like the whole switching scene with nothing else!
Well, I need to breath and I see everyone's eyes glazing over :)

 

 

Dave Loman

My site: The Rusty Spike

"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: East central Illinois
  • 2,576 posts
Posted by Cox 47 on Monday, December 11, 2006 10:18 AM

Good Morning All.....Cloudy but much warmer here posta start raining tonite....I'll have Biscuits and gravey and coffee please ..thank you....Not much stirring here on Pearl street a couple of residents fighting over washers and dryers but nothing new there.....

Lee......Happy Birthday........ Hope you have a great day and many more...May all those presents be just what you wanted for the railroad!!

Claymore.......Welcome to the Coffee shop...Look forward to you up dating us as you build that dream layout....Do you take pictures? if you do feel free to post them so we can see your layout....

well I'm posta help wrap Christmas presents and I can't find anywhere to hide...You all have a good one....Jerry

ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Lancaster, PA
  • 512 posts
Posted by claymore1977 on Monday, December 11, 2006 10:26 AM

Grats to Lee!  Don't know ya yet, but happy b-day none the less!

Jerry:  Sure do.  Digital cam/web cam + hosting my own internet site = lots of content.  The layout is ready to be built, I just need the house to put it in :)

Dave Loman

My site: The Rusty Spike

"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Monday, December 11, 2006 10:37 AM
 Hoople wrote:
Hey claymor77, Welcome to the coffee shop. I would use the WELCOME sign, but my Computer decided to kill the smiley window.

 Lets see if I can help with that!

              To the Coffee Shop!

 

Philip
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Monday, December 11, 2006 11:00 AM
Hi Gang again: I'm heading home. I'm not feeling real well and diffenately not up to working high on lghting. I'll check in later after I take a hot shower and practice being retired for a couple of hours.
Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Cherry Valley, Ma
  • 3,674 posts
Posted by grayfox1119 on Monday, December 11, 2006 12:38 PM

Good afternoon gents, cloudy and cool 45F here today. I hope get started in the train room room today, I want to add a few sections to the benchwork in this around the room layout. I had wanted to go with a drop-down to enter the walkway, but that caused problems with the 2" thick foam on top of the plywood. I had to cut away about 4" to allow the bridgeway to swing up, I really don't like that, so I may just go to a lift out or drop-down.

DAN: I guess I was lucky in college, ASEE, BSIS and MBA never had any stupid questions, just real tough ones, but then again, my ASEE days were back in 1958/59, BSIS was in 1966/71, and MBA was 1989/1994.....so things have changed? Now they ask you what the weather was? NICE !!!!!!!!And college Prof's get paid all this money for...............??????

LEE: Happy Birthday !!!!!! May you find locomotives and all kinds of MRR stuff as gifts!!!

DAVE: Wecome to the CS!!!! I see you didn't return to the desert country of AZ???  In anycase, have a brew on my tab...Cloes...please serve the man whatever he wants.

GMT: I84 was just as you said Sunday night at 4:45 when we went through Hartford. You really have to pay attention to the road signs or else you are headed off a ramp instead of staying on the Interstate. I-84 from East Hartford westward, has to be the poorest designed Interstate in the country. I hate having exits on BOTH sides of the same direction. You have people cutting across all two or three lanes in front of you because they miss the signs. From East Hartford north to MA border the road is excellent however, it was designed properly. I may try I-691 the next time, I just wish CT had and Interstate headed north of I-84 from the Waterbury area to I91 and I-291 just north of Hartford, that would really solve the problem.

Time to get to tasks in retirement, like reading MRR etc.....

Dick If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got!! Learn from the mistakes of others, trust me........you can't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself, I tried !! Picture album at :http://www.railimages.com/gallery/dickjubinville Picture album at:http://community.webshots.com/user/dickj19 local weather www.weatherlink.com/user/grayfox1119
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Lancaster, PA
  • 512 posts
Posted by claymore1977 on Monday, December 11, 2006 12:47 PM

Deep in my heart, i do miss the calm of being 60 miles away from civilization.  Born & raised in the same house makes for strong yearning to return!  But alas, I married an East coast lady and all her family is out here whereas my family is of an older generation and there are few left.

GMT, I was stationed in Groton, CT for about 4 years and I just wanted to throw in my vote for "Hartford has a horrid road layout."  Getting to and from train/computer shows nearly drove me to drink.

Thankfully though, I have the tranquil roads of Maryland to cruise on now (LOL)

Dave Loman

My site: The Rusty Spike

"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Monday, December 11, 2006 2:12 PM

Well, you're about to learn your first lesson about the CS (Coffee Shop) claymore1977.

The rule is, if you're at the top of the page, you're buying for everyone on the page!

Chloe and Zoe (the twins), and sometimes Flo, are your virtual waitresses.

Seeing as your new around here, and my credit card number is on file here because I use it so much, I'll pick up the tab today.  But from now on, you're on your own......and we're a HUNGRY bunch!

OK boys, todays menu includes Italian delights such as:

Pescatora

Rack of Lamb

Linguine Scampi

or Osso Buco

Philip
  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: At the PA Belt H/Q
  • 243 posts
Posted by PA Belt on Monday, December 11, 2006 4:25 PM

hey all

LEE: HAPPY BDAY!!

i went railfaninning tonight, no trains 

-mike A.K.A. Slappy http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/pabelt/ B&LE: It ain't owned by CN, it owns CN!
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, December 11, 2006 5:07 PM

Here's the weather that's coming my way!

Today's Weather for:

Leesville, LA 71446 12/11/2006

Wind Chill: 68°F
Humidity: 81%
Dew Point: 62°F

So Far Today
High: 73°F
Low: 54°F
Rain: N/A"
Rain Rate: N/A"/h
Gust: 22mph S

Now through 05:00 PM CST December 11, 2006

Low: 58 Through 5 PM...an area of light to moderate rain moving into southeast Texas will move east at 12 mph and will reach Beaumont...Buna and Burkeville by 4 PM. This rain band will enter western Louisiana around 5 PM. The heaviest rains will be in the sourlake and Saratoga areas where rainfall rates will increase to an inch an hour.

Tonight Low: 58 Mostly cloudy with showers likely. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. South winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Cherry Valley, Ma
  • 3,674 posts
Posted by grayfox1119 on Monday, December 11, 2006 5:20 PM

Good evening gents, I trust everyone had a great day. No snow here yet, and the 7 day outlook calls for no snow, and temps mainly in the 40's during the day and upper 20's at night. It is 39F here now at 6:15pm EST.

Bowling night tonight, only two weeks remain for the 1st half, we are in 5th place, so if we want to move up we need to take all 8 points both weeks.

JEFF: I see it is downright BALMY down there in Louisianna today for mid December. I guess you can take a blanket off the bed tonight.

DUKE: Let me know how this print size looks, I am using  font size 2 ( 10pt).

Talk later,

Dick If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got!! Learn from the mistakes of others, trust me........you can't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself, I tried !! Picture album at :http://www.railimages.com/gallery/dickjubinville Picture album at:http://community.webshots.com/user/dickj19 local weather www.weatherlink.com/user/grayfox1119
  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, December 11, 2006 5:53 PM
Grayfox: I just won't turn the heater on, same difference, plus it'll save on the electric bill.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: South Carolina
  • 9,713 posts
Posted by rtraincollector on Monday, December 11, 2006 6:53 PM

Clay More Sign - Welcome [#welcome] you need to watch these guys other than PC they'll count the reply's on a page and won't post till some one else gets top of the page honnors.

I'm the odd ball in here I colloect O gauge (you know the trains with 3 rails lol) There a bunch of great guys here thou.

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/

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    January 2005
  • From: New Milford, Ct
  • 3,232 posts
Posted by GMTRacing on Monday, December 11, 2006 7:32 PM

Good Evening All,

      Claymore. Sign - Welcome [#welcome] Lived for years in Clinton and now Danbury plus stints in Bridgeport and Westbrook). Was up at Elastic Boat last month picking up parts for the 44 Tonner they gave our local rail museum. Spent four years in the visible navy (i know, i know - targets to you sneaky dudes). I model HO or Horribly Oversized to our pint sized friends in Nvisible, roughly based on the New Haven up this way. You know - short trains, twisting track.

      Lee - Happy B-Day [bday]

      Dick - we can all agree I84 thru Hartford is one of the worst designed streches of road in the country and that's why I prefer navigating it at 5am when possible. Have run it afternoon rush hour on Fridays with my truck and trailer and would really have preferred twin fifties on the front fenders in place of headlights.

    Snuck out of work early to work on the layout and am just taking a break from cleaning before heading back in. It's odd but the smilies work on this puter but not on the one at work. Ah well another mystery I won't figure out. Best to all I'm back to the disaster area posing as a layout.

CULBig Smile [:D],J.R.

    

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, December 11, 2006 7:47 PM
Well guys, I have to bow out early tonight. I overdid it at work today and my energy level is ZIP!. I'll see y'all tomorrow.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Monday, December 11, 2006 7:50 PM

Evening Gang:

Der I took your advice and took off early, went home and took a good hot shower and went to bed for an hour and a half. When I got up the temp was in the 70s. No wonder that folks are getting sick. My son has a virus and has been in bed for the last 3 days. He was up when we stopped by his house this afternoon and is on the mend.

Right now I'm trying hard to stay awake to finish this and so that I'll sleep tonight. I made up some more ore loads this morning. I've got about 100 for the Walthers ore cars and about 40 for the MDC cars.

Dave L: It's good to hear that you are in the sensible size of HO. I've been in it for the last 53 years so couldn't possible change. I'm also working in 1.5 in scale and 4in scale for 7.5in gauge live steam. INvisiable scale is too small for my eyes.

Speaking of eyes. The larger type is better Dick. I can put away the microscope and use a magnifing glass.

Well, I give up. I'm going to bed. Good Night All

 

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 11, 2006 9:57 PM
Good evening gents, I haven't had much time to come in lately, The holidays keep me hopping and since it's tooooooo, cool to be out with the trains I've been getting all that holiday stuff done(baking,decorating, and so on). I'm thankful I  have my Christmas layout  I can a least keep the engines running but it will be great to get back to my shed. well I got to get to bed another busy day tomorow. 
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Monday, December 11, 2006 10:27 PM
 rtraincollector wrote:

Clay More Sign - Welcome [#welcome] you need to watch these guys other than PC they'll count the reply's on a page and won't post till some one else gets top of the page honnors.

I keep forgetting to do that.  Oh well, it's just money, right?

Philip
  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: MP 175.1 CN Neenah Sub
  • 4,917 posts
Posted by CNW 6000 on Monday, December 11, 2006 10:40 PM
Evening folks.  Anyone up for a late-nite snack?  I've got some chips and dip while I'm sandbagging the Bears/Rams game.

Dan

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Cherry Valley, Ma
  • 3,674 posts
Posted by grayfox1119 on Monday, December 11, 2006 11:11 PM

Good evening gents, bowling went good tonight, we took 8 points, so next week we have a chance at 3rd place if we can repeat, that will be it for the 1st half, so hopefully we can pull it off and then I will have about $100 for use on layout.

I found out that I had set my view to large in the tool bar for IE7, so when I chose "1" for font size, you guys were going crazy trying to read it, while it looked too large to me. If you want to see how this works, just go to VIEW on your browzer tool bar, then selct TEXT SIZE, then in the dropdown list choose Large or Largest. You can use this if you receive some really small print.

I am too tired to keep my eyes open, so we will see you guys in the morning,Zzz [zzz]

Dick If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got!! Learn from the mistakes of others, trust me........you can't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself, I tried !! Picture album at :http://www.railimages.com/gallery/dickjubinville Picture album at:http://community.webshots.com/user/dickj19 local weather www.weatherlink.com/user/grayfox1119

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