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

[JPowell]

Fergie - Lisa's Freaking as my Christmas Gift is caught somewhere between here and Quebec. Unfortunately she shipped it UPS! Should have shipped it on the MESS Serves her right! - YUP... Serves her right! Did she learn from this mistake? And have you gotten the gift?

[lupo]

this topic by Emeraldisle seems to be vanished : when I enter the link a forum starter page pops up:

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10424

do you have a similar problem with it ?

[der5997]

[#welcome] Kyle:

QUOTE: What's up!! I figure I'd contribute to this thread. I finally took the time out to read what this huge thread was all about. I did not take the time out to see how this thread has progressed however so please forgive me, lol.

So, did you find out?
There's a whole bunch would like to know...[(-D]

John P: enjoy the 3-in-one printer thing. We went for the Epson version because it was a) on sale, and b) flat topped and c) it sits on the desk under the layout very handilly. Works a treat, and takes the memory chips from the digital camera. ( Iprefer to download to the computer directly, and fiddle with the photos there, but it's a nice option for printing. Amazing what this technology is able to do.

Fergie: Thought you wouldn't be going out in this weather. Waiting for it to stop, and then I'll go down to the marsh and see why our canoe has moved from where we stored it high and dry, to where we can see it now in the middle of the marsh area. [V] [tdn][%-)]
The ore cars look sharp, I agree with Flip, a long consist is going to be something to see. I guess they held together OK this time.

Time for tea, TTFN

[der5997]

Lupo:

QUOTE: this topic by Emeraldisle seems to be vanished : when I enter the link a forum starter page pops up:

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10424

do you have a similar problem with it ?

Just came back to see if there were any new posts since I sent my [2c], and there was your question. Yes, I get the same result. [tdn]

[JPowell]

Fergie wrote - JP: Leave is a touchy subject and one that is best left alone. As you know I work 28 days on/28days off, 12 hour days or watchesand on 1/2 hour standby.

I'm off for more then six months of the year and everyone thinks I live the life of Rielly. Well pretty close to it anyway. Take the hours worked and it comes very close to an office worker. I can't go home when my day is done for if I did I'd drown. I work in a inhospital and sometimes dangerous environment. But it's exciting if I'm not feeding the fish. - Fergie - I did not know what your work schedule was like at all.

My month off is productive as I clean house, tend the garden, feed the kids, paint, scrub etc. and play with the trains. If I play with too many trains I get "The Look". If I do to many things on the Honey Do list the CFO gives me "The Look". Home repair can be expensive along with gardening and MR'ng.

I guess what I'm trying to say is the time off is good but it's not all about play. I did this a year ago and well it wasn't in my best interests. Everyone has to pitch in to make the household work. Lisa works a nine to five and gets three weeks off a year. If she didn't work, well one of my hobbies would be in recievership (you can guess which one) So count your blessings. And yes I clean bathrooms too and proud of it! (only way they'd pass inspection). - Fergie - I did not know how your work schedule was like till now.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Fergie, no extra dues, just extra credit for those who have been around since the beginning. Jim was looking for a definition of beginning.[swg]

Hey guys, what was Emerald's topic about? I missed it.

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPowell

Fergie - Lisa's Freaking as my Christmas Gift is caught somewhere between here and Quebec. Unfortunately she shipped it UPS! Should have shipped it on the MESS Serves her right! - YUP... Serves her right! Did she learn from this mistake? And have you gotten the gift?

Came in in the 23rd[:(!] What gets her is the documentation came seperately via US postal service and in under a week. What's that tell you?

Now I just have to get one Loco running and a harness for another so I'll have three steamers hollering accross the "Back 9". I still haven't decided what one of the three engines I'm going to put the Soundtraxx in? Will it be the C&O 2-8-4, FEF-3 or the Pacific Fast Mail B&O Heavy Consolidated? Any thoughts guys.

[Fergmiester]

Der John

We're tied up and I'm hoping we're going to stay that way, the wind hit 85 knots this afternoon, went out on deck to help the guys shovel and even with my low centre of gravity and large mass had problems standing. I suspect there would be quite the swell out there today. Believe it or not the Dartmouth ferry is running today, largest load was 9 passengers. Why it's so miserable the liquor stores are closed.

Anyway I'm debating whether or not if I should go home tonight as this is suppose to abate but there's still the mound of snow at the foot of the driveway that has to be dealt with.

Fergie

[JPowell]

Der wrote: John P: enjoy the 3-in-one printer thing. We went for the Epson version because it was a) on sale, and b) flat topped and c) it sits on the desk under the layout very handilly. Works a treat, and takes the memory chips from the digital camera. ( Iprefer to download to the computer directly, and fiddle with the photos there, but it's a nice option for printing. Amazing what this technology is able to do. - Der - I got a Lexmark 5150M. Reading about it online, it says that I can actually use the copier function w/out turning on the computer... cool. No need to actually hook it up right yet since the cpu has to be moved to another room so we have to room to hook it all up.

[JimRCGMO]

Good Afternoon, Coffee Clubbers and all the ships in port (Hey, Fergie!)[;)]

Well, I got my modified Contooncook-type layout plan worked up, for the switches I currently have. Now, can someone tell me how to get the JPEG attached? The only buttons in writing a post appear to be preview, post new reply, or reset fields - nothing about attaching a file. [?]

If I can find out how to get it attacjed, I'll post it here.

Jim in Cape Girardeau (where the snow is melting today[:)])

[fec153]

O.K. , whats the fine for starting new pages? Danish & Donuts and fresh coffee/tea or
hot cocoa?

Lupo-[#ditto]. Same result.
Flip

[Anonymous]

Evenin' all. Not much going on here. It's sad about Reggie White, he'll be missed.

I want to let everybody know. If I don't post much these next couple of months you'll know why. I'm having another computer problem. And, no the rat isn't to blame...well maybe. I've been unplugging it every night so the rat wouldn't get to it. I broke a pin on the plug to the monitor (the one where you connect the monitor to the computer). And now the monitors' screen is darker than it should be. Gonna have to save the money to get another monitor. Will probably save enough to by a whole new computer. I am taking donations of $$$, towards the cause.[:D][:D][:D]

'til later

Robert

[Anonymous]

Ed, Noah:
One of the things we got for Christmas was a scanner/printer, so now we don't need a digital camera, and I can get a Railimages account to put them on![:D]

Tom W:
I have some photos of older cars that we took at a car show in Galesburg, Ill., if you want to see them I can just e-mail them to you.

Got to stop in the LHS today, although very breifly because we needed to go on and all I needed was a bottle of Railbox yellow paint and a brush. It was pretty crowded in there, probably the first time I've been there with over ten other people running around.

SInce I'll have no room for a layout, my dad says we should by a display case to put my cars and locomotives in. I like the idea, but I may still build one module to take photos of them.

Christopher

[fec153]

Bob-got your message. Sent you another letter. Let me know if it got through.
Flip

[ShaunCN]

hi everyone, this is my first post on this topi just "checking in" i'm starting back up on my layout again...

[fec153]

Shaun-[#welcome]. Bring your mug or drink of your choice. Many other Canuks on here.
Many great nice people on here and one grouch[me].
Flip

[Anonymous]

Evening All [:)]

The maillady (yes now I have a lady post"man") brought me a nice surprise today. Mitchell, from Canada, mailed me a surprise Christmas present of a nice railroad book and 2 HO streetcars. He also included some photos of a Northern Pacific steam engine. [:D] The package took over $14 bucks to mail. [:0] I have said this before and don't mind saying it again, "Mitchell is a super young man." One of my favorite pictures hanging on my wall is a hand-drawn one of three Canadian steam engines. Mitchell drew it for me and sent it over a year ago. I found a nice frame for it and it is a prized wall hanging at my home. [:)]

I don't think Mitchell has posted here in the shop but many of you know him from the MR forum or other trains.com forums. Eliot has even had the pleasure of meeting Mitchell. One of these days I would like that pleasure myself. I have talked by phone to a bunch of our forum members but the only one I have meet in person (that I know of anyway) is Teffy.

Fergie [4:-)]

Sorry to hear that your weather is so bad. Maybe you can send some of it to sNoah. [}:)] I have been hearing different stories here but at the Arkansas State Tourist Info Center at Harrison, one of the workers told me that during the ice/snow storm that traffic was only moving 1 mile in 6 hours. So I am very happy I got out of here when I did, one day later and my trip would not have happened. I still have 4 inches of snow in my back yard. Between Conway, Arkansas and Little Rock, there (as of Sunday afternoon) were still lots of cars in the ditch and abandoned. So trust me, I know how you feel about this nasty weather. Even though I missed it this time I was "in" it other times. My power was off about 4 years ago for 6 days and I lost everything in the icebox as well as lots of tree limbs from an ice storm. So I feel for ya. [:(]

Well I think I hear some pork chops calling my name. [:p] [;)]

Later all. [8D]

[RedSkin]

Well Greetings Folks... I'm rather new to this forum, but wow what a great wealth of info. Anyways I've finially Broke down and started my first honest attempt at a layout. Its a 4X8 sectional type...since I'm in the military I wanted it to be able to travel. I just finished up laying all the cork tonight.

Brad

[fec153]

[#welcome].Hi Brad. Welcome aboard. All military persons are welcome. We have a mixed bunch from all branches. Coffee is always on and someone usually brings donuts or cookies. Hope Santa was nice to you. Wish you a Happy New Year. Hang around, great group of folks on here.
Flip
Hey, Fergie- I didn't start this page.[:D].

[simon1966]

Evening all!

My previous list of things I wanted to get done on the layout over the holidays took a bit of a hit. What was supposed to be a Christmas afternoon, 45 minute visit, to my Wife's ageing aunt turned into an 10 hour nightmare involving ambulances and concluding with several hours in the Emergency room. As my American wife (I'm a Brit), so eloquently put it, her aunts blood sugar level meter was set to "some funny foreign scale" so the aunt messed up her insulin shots and was heading for diabetic coma. In case you had not realized, the funny foreign scale is known globally as the Metric System!!! So my layout time on Christmas night and Boxing day dissapeared. Anyway, the hospital has stabilized our aunt and this evening I got some R and R with plaster cloth and foam board. Getting ones hands dirty is a great way to calm the mind and think of more pleasant things! I really must stop using that funny foreign measurement system for all my bench work construction[:)]

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Brad, I'm retired military. This is a great place, open 24/7, drop in any time.

fec153 - What happen? How come you didn't start the page? [:D][:D]

lupo - I think I know where you are. I visited the naval base in Den Helder a few times and also Rotherdam and Amsterdam. On one visit I met a family that my dad had known during the war, but I can't remember the town I think it was towards the German border. I'm hoping to take wife to the low countries one day.

The wind has somewhat subsided and the S--- has ended for now.

Noah - I'll chip in with Fergie and bring you here on an all you can eat vacation???[:-,][swg][swg][:-^] complete with white stuff removal equipment. Are you interested? [(-D][(-D]

The MRRing plan is slowly being formulated and we will see progress in the new year.

The CFO is planning on baking pies tommorrow, I'll bring some after dinner.

See you then.

[jdolan]

Hello, I'm new in the coffeehouse here but have been in the forum for awhile. I started to make a slight change in my 14' x17' HO layout then the CFO decided I should change a few other things for better scenic effects so half the layout is being redone. but she controls the money so I decided to humor her now I'll build what I wanted the first time around just will cost more now.

[fec153]

Brad- glad you got to your aunt in time. More important than trains. And yes, putting ones hands and mind to a project can be a relief from stress.

Luc Going broke bringing the donuts and coffee. Let someone else be a winner for a change.
It's my bedtime. 4-30 comes way to early in the morn. Goodnight all.
Flip

[PennsyHoosier]

Hi all! Just poking my head in the door--I miss the smell of coffee. What was supposed to be a relaxing time has gotten CRAZY BUSY! Anyway, I should be able to get back in the swing of things tomorrow or Wed. Take care!

[trolleyboy]

Hello wow where does one start I'd have posted here before but wow where does one start. Mind you being that I was born in the donut capital of Canada(we made the tonight show)[:D] I hope the coffee here is as good as Tim Horton's Also being Canadian I've messed up a few projects over the years by using that funny metric system you American's need to get on board with it it is easier to use[}:)] that way the articles in MR and Rmc can be used without problem or conversion by all.next time I will buy the round of apple fritters. Rob

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JimRCGMO


Well, I got my modified Contooncook-type layout plan worked up, for the switches I currently have.

...<snip>...

If I can find out how to get it attached, I'll post it here.

Well, I got a RailImages account, so you can see the layout plan here:

http://www.railimages.com/gallery/jamesrohde

I'm planning on the central and 'near' (bottom of the image) part to be higher than the 'far' part (top of the image), with a tunnel on the right side (and mountains there. Comments invited (no flames, please...)[:)] I'm also trying to decide on a name for the line - basically a branch line, set in about 1959 (give or take - steam/diesel transition era), a smaller line kind of trying to get by (buying used engines from SP/UP/ATSF/others), possibly connecting to the SP, located in either the Four Corners area or somewhere in Arizona-New Mexico-Colorado region. Suggestions for a name? I kind of like those with 'Central' or 'Line' in them. Tell me what types of names would fit/make sense for what I've described.

[C):-)] [#welcome] Shaun, Brad, JDolan, and Trolleyboy! Have a cup of your favorite hot beverage - they have coffee, hot cocoa, tea, and probably some more exotic stuff if you check behind the counter or in the cupboards to the left of the big coffeepot. Can't always promise what type of pastries are going to be available here, though...

Brad, it's a good thing you and your wife were there at your mother's. I had a former boss (and pretty great all around guy) slip into a diabetic coma in his sleep and almost not wake up (a little bit like it could have been with your mother if you hadn't been there). Good to hear she's doing better. Yes, working on your layout can be very helpful.

Think I'll have a short cup of coffee, and then I'm off to bed for the evening. See you guys tomorrow evening for the pool game![:D][8D]

Jim in Cape Girardeau[;)]

[philnrunt]

[#welcome]jdolan, you have been around awhile. Glad you decided to drop in. And welcome to all of the other new posters. Seems we are moving right along on creating new pages here, we've added 2 since this AM. We only do it so Flip will have a steady job getting them started.
fergie- I'll be sending you some suction cup shoes to wear while you are out on deck, 85kt winds are just a bit too much to be walking around in deck shoes. And the jennies look great. I just decided a few weeks ago to go with plans for my next layout that do not involve ore jennies, but after seeing yours.....no, no, someone stop the madness! I've finally made a decision, and now I'm sticking to it. Might just do the ore line in N, just to make Ed happy. Won't be able to see it, but at least I know it will be there.
Pennsyhoosier- I'm guessing that you escaped the snow, being north of me, but I know you didn't get away from the cold. Hope you are staying warm, and after Noah takes care of our northern neighbors, we'll route him thru here.
Robert- You might consider running your new cable in metal conduit when you install it. Sounds like you have a good start of a horror movie with your rat.
lupo- This Friday, see if you can get that Ferrari again and bring in the new year right. Auld Lang Syne sounds so much better at 180MPH.Fastest I ever got a police car up to was 146, and it was an old Dodge Royal Monaco, with a 440 in it. Rode like a boat in a gentle sea at that speed. Rode along in a '69 Corvette at 160, it rode like a '69 Corvette at 160. Ahh, the days when I was immortal. Sure do miss 'em.
'Sposed to hit 45F on Thur, that will turn everything into a quagmire, but I'm still looking forward to it, just for the chance to get a tan laying out. Well, maybe not.
Getting busy, the holidays bring out the absolute BEST in people, gotta go.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fec153




Hey, Fergie- I didn't start this page.[:D].

Well so WHO do we blame this time. [;)] [:D]

Let's get him good. [:p] [:D]

Tar and feather him we will, then run him out of town on a rail. [:D] That ought to teach him. [B)] [:D]

By the way, who started this page anyway?


G U L P, oh, I did. [B)] [:0] Forget everything I just said. [;)]


[:-^] <Jim changing the subject> And how is YOUR weather? [:D]


I was checking on the first page to see who all posted there. Of course their was Elliot, and the second poster was Kevin (from Colorado), and Fergie, myself, Vic Smith, Gordon, Lupo, and I forgot who else already. [B)] <What a great bunch of guys> [;)]

One of our posters was Jesse but I am not sure on which page he first posted. <whew, hard to not end in a prep but got it worded ok [:)] > But Jesse has been awol since about June. [:(] I sure hope everything is ok with him.

Maybe Elliot or Ed can get together a list in their spare time. It would be interesting to know how many really still post here and how many do not. Ed seems to like doing the "stats" and things of that nature anyway.

Then there would be the award for the posters who has changed his username the most number of times. [;)]

And the award for the poster who lives the furthest distance from Elliot. That might be Lupo, but it could be Mitchell in Austrilia. [:0]

And the award for the poster who lives the closest to Elliot. I think that might be Jim (Hawk05)

And the award for the poster who had posted the most nonsense here. I think his posts were all deleted. [B)] That young 'un sure rilled us up, didn't he? [}:)]

I wonder how many states and providences we have represented in the shop? How many countries?

Rut Row Raggy, I better stop. I am starting to sound like a bean counter now. [:0] [B)]

Well I think I might turn in early tonight since I am off this entire week. [8D]

Everyone take care. <Jim might count passenger cars in his sleep> [;)]


Edit starts here [B)] [:0]

So much for going to bed early tonight I mean today. [;)] I got sidetracked by forum members instant messaging me and answering emails from forum members, but that is all ok and fine with me. [;)]

Sentimental Jim is at it again. [:0] I received this email tonight and thought I would share it. [^]


Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.
For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice
cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by
being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wa***he car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old
dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And
it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but
when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope
you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag
along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live
in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your
driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone
as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead
of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract
in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a
boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory
soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and
stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a
friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.


I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go
fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your
neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas
time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and
happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die
before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

Send this to all of your friends. We secure our friends, not by accepting
favors, but by doing them.

Paul Harvey

[der5997]

Elliot:

QUOTE: Hey guys, what was Emerald's topic about? I missed it.

As did I, Ed. Thang is, it's so cosy in here by the old caboose stove ( didn't you see that under the pool table?[;)]) that I don't go out much any more![(-D]
You'll have to ask lupo.

I'm typing this at 3:22 a.m. as the power was out from about 3:30 p.m. until 2:15 am. Consequently, our dinner was cooked on the wood stove in the living room ( Lamb curry, Long Grain and Wild Rice, Green Beans, Brussel Sprouts, Brocholli {sorry Bob}. Dessert was Blackberry and Apple over Sugar Free Neopolitan Ice Cream topped with Kris' Sugar Free cooked Egg Nog {from the Herald over Christmas Luc} . Coffee with just a hint of Brandy......[zzz]) So, with nothing else to do, and not wanting to try to read by candle light, the Lazy Boy called to this Lazy Boy.......and I'm wide awake now! [:D]

Did get just a little of the ballasting done before the lights went out. That AMI Roadbed does really become sticky again when heated with a hair drier. So, I was able to do small sections, about six inches at a time. Heat, apply the ballast and press it into the AMI, vacuum up the unstuck ballast into the good old stocking foot in the vacuum cleaner hose (held on by the crevice tool) . Result, a quite acceptable ballasting effect, but the ties are a bit proud of the roadbed. So, next time I'll try pressing the track down further into the heated AMI and see if that helps. However, the next bit of ballast will be on the foam , and a more conventional technique. Except, now I'm toying with the idea of putting double sided tape down on the ballast profile below the base of the ties to mimic the stickyness of the AMI. I'll let you know how it works out. The tape I have on hand is for putting up polyfilm over windows. I use it for sticking lables on the facia.

Shaun, Brad, JDolan, and Trolleyboy! [#welcome] (borrowed Jim's list [:D]) Shaun and Rob, what part of this Great Domminion? I'm Eastern Shore Nova Scotia. Coffee here is even better than Tim's, because krump out in Salmon Arm buys all the free refills[(-D]

Fergie:

QUOTE: We're tied up and I'm hoping we're going to stay that way, the wind hit 85 knots this afternoon,

All is calm, all is semi-bright right now (3:53 a.m) The snow plow just went down and back, but I won't have too bad a pile at the end of the driveway. Those winds whipped most of the snow off the road, and as it was coming off the ocean, it's in our neighbours' yard across the way. Supposed to be sunny today, which will give us a good show of the surf on the barrier islands with all the swell.

JP

QUOTE: it says that I can actually use the copier function w/out turning on the computer... cool.

Yes indeed, and not only that, but you get color copies (mine does colour ones[:D]) if you want. "Amaze your friends!"....

Well I'm feeling that perhaps it would be better getting back to sleep.
TTFN

[lupo]

QUOTE: Elliot:QUOTE: Hey guys, what was Emerald's topic about? I missed it.As did I, Ed. Thang is, it's so cosy in here by the old caboose stove ( didn't you see that under the pool table?) that I don't go out much any more!
You'll have to ask lupo.

it was an old topic about a Bar Mill's kit called Wicked Wanda's from early this year, I came across it in my " watched topics list "