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

[jeffrey-wimberly]

They take their football seriously! 

How well I know that!

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana.

12-16-06

[claymore1977]

I love the pic of Edinbough!  Spent a week there when my boat was inport at Faslane.  Wonderful area:Edinbough, Glasgow, Faslane, etc  and I recommend one to visit if they get the chance. 

Time it right and don't be dumb like myself and 3 other guys were.  We were just getting off the train from Stirling Castle in Glasgow when the Scots lost a soccer/football game to the US.  There was, no kidding, rioting in the streets and the police told us to stay in the train station LOL.  Even there we got 'Rot in hell and die" looks.

They take their football seriously! 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Today's Weather for:  
 
Leesville, LA  71446      12/16/2006 
 
Wind Chill:  51°F
Humidity:  97%
Dew Point:  51°F
 
So Far Today
High:  55°F
Low:  52°F
Rain:  0.01"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  6mph NNE
 
High: 74 °F
Low: 60 °F

Important Message: Dense fog advisory in effect until 9 AM cst this morning.

Today  High: 75    Decreasing clouds. Areas of dense fog in the morning. Highs in the mid 70s. Southeast winds around 10 mph.

Tonight  Low: 52    Increasing clouds. Areas of fog through the night. Lows in the lower 50s. Light and variable winds.

Looks like my father will be cutting the grass on Christmas day again this year.

Images from places I've been to.

Fenwick's department store, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Outdoor Winter Wonderland ice rink, Edinburgh, Scotland.

A sleigh ride in Austria.

A snowy road in Northumberland.

[Hoople]

I got out of school today due to power outages.

It came back on around 12 pm.

Well, whats new?

Nothing much over here except thinking about what I will find under the tree in 10 days...

(well, some hot wheels cars decided not to be so hot and get hit by my 4-8-2.... but thats another story...)

[grayfox1119]

Jeff: I like the photo of Northumberland, it reminds me of what it USUALLY looks like around here this time of the year....but I still think we may see some snow by next Saturday, maybe a coastal storm....YES !!!!!!!

Boy is it quiet in the CS tonight, I know it is Friday night, but this is rediculous, no one has come in the last hour !!!??? I guess they are all at Christmas Parties.

[GMTRacing]

Good Evening All,

        A worthwhile evening spent detailing rail and ties. Usually I spray bomb the whole thing, wipe the paint off the top with solvent and a rag and detail after I ballast. Tried the spray bomb then different washes and some stain this time before doing ballast. We'll see how that works. Without setting too long the detail in the tie plates and the grain of the ties does look better. Time will tell.

der - The smilies have gone on holiday here depending whcih computer I use and I can't seem to get them back. I'm doing this reply on my home computer, but at work - no smilies. At any rate I,m glad you realized it was all in sport.

     Time to head off - work tomorrow and then I need to tackle the backhoe at the railyard. It needs wiring and a new switch and probably a general service and tomorrow last I checked should be a nice day. CULJ.R.

[der5997]

Good evening CS people!  Continuing mild, so much so that I’ll not order the hot chocolate I was thinking about, but just have a JR Regular, thanks Chloë.

 

CapeJim and Dick:  Thanks for the Radio Shack site info.  I’ve had a look around and it seems to have just about everything I’m used to.

 

Dave:

You guys having horrible car accidents down there in LA also? 

…There was a bad one outside Dartmouth this afternoon. Clear weather, but a garbage truck was hit by /hit (cause unknown at 6 news time) a small car. The truck rolled onto and completely crushed the car. Only one occupant, but they couldn’t say if male or female, and couldn’t tell what model or year the car was.

 

JR:

Der - between selective compression and the Canadian propensity for deciding the shortest distance  between two points winds back and forth repeatedly I would have thought 12 feet or so would be plenty to model a 2 mile short line.

…I should have slipped an actual smilie in there somewhere!   But selective compression, when you said Scale Miles, didn’t occur to this too literal mind.

 

Dan:  Enjoy your break!  Your artwork gives a new twist on the term “Really stacked!”

On the track plan, have  you thought of adjusting the second green track from the top left to  connect in with the first green track (above it on the plan)?  This would give you a loco escape.  There might be enough space for the extra turnout if the two turnouts on that second track (the one it stems from, and the one before it) were swapped over.  You’d have to sacrifice one of the three stub tracks there, but that  might not be too bad, as things are a bit cramped in there the way it is now. (IMHO) I’m assuming that some of this will carry over into the NYC concept.

 

Ryan:  That HS website takes forever to load on dial up (or is it because this computer’s not Catholic?) Nice site, and the church logo is very effective.

 

Ben: to the Coffee Shop.  Thanks for making us your first port of call on the forum!  Hope you enjoy it here.  What are your mrr plans?, Railfan plans?   On the car thing, I’m not qualified to give a USA answer, but those who are may want to know your budget range, size of car ideas, etc.  Is your wife OK with a stick shift?  I ask because that is one of the greatest anti-theft devices these days when the punks who rip off cars don’t know how to drive one.

 

UKSteve:  Good to see you again.  What can the girls bring you?

 

TV time in a few minutes.  I’ll call it a day.

Goodnight all, and God Bless.  Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

And now to one and all, a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Here's a pic from Northumberland.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Grayfox: Those are good historical facts, and very accurate. I had relatives who went through that war as well. Some like your uncle, couldn't cope with what they had gone through and were little more than pale shadows of their former selves. Others managed to put the horrors of the war behind them and move forward, though it still haunted them the rest of their lives. Those who think there is something romantic about a war have never been in one. If they had, their thinking would be much different and they would be trying to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. As to how I can relate to how I am effected by these horrors of war, it's not something I like to talk about, and I'll leave it at that.

[grayfox1119]

The TOTP, set the drinks up for the gang Cloe, this time we raise out glasses and cups to some great heroes of WW2.

[grayfox1119]

Ahhh, a good supper, now I feel better.

MIKE: The date was December 16th, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge began. Here are some interesting stats:

Date 16 December 1944 - 25 January 1945 Location The Ardennes, Belgium Result Allied victory
Combatants
United States United Kingdom	Nazi Germany
Commanders
Dwight Eisenhower George Patton Bernard Montgomery	Walther Model Gerd von Rundstedt Adolf Hitler
Strength
Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 83,000 men; 242 Sherman tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional artillery.	Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 200,000 men, 5 armoured divisions, 12⅔ infantry divisions, and about 500 medium tanks, supported by 1,900 guns and Nebelwerfers.
Casualties
American: 89,987 casualties (19,276 dead, 23,218 captured or missing, 47,493 wounded) British: 200 dead, 1400 wounded and missing	84,834 casualties (15,652 dead, 27,582 captured or missing, 41,600 wounded

I can't begin to fathom what these men went through during this battle. I was only a boy of 7 when my uncle came home, aged well beyond his years of 22. I heard stories of how his buddy was shot in their foxhole while being machined gunned, and had dragged himself down to a stream and tried to drown himself. My uncle found him in time, but he died in his arms, a best buddy. After the battle was over, my uncle's entire squad had been wiped out and much of his company. He suffered terrible nightmares when he came home, and he finally admitted himself to the local VA hospital. They gave him a new treatment ( at that time, 1949) called electro shock to the brain to try to erase the memories...of course it never worked. So, he spends the rest of his life in a VA hospital. As I grow older, I realize more and more what he and millions of other Allied Men and Women sacrificed for our generation. Ask me what I feel and want to do when I see our flag being burned!! On second thought....DON'T ask!

[GMTRacing]

No mention of the Battle of the Bulge on today in history. However today was the start of the Phillipine offensive to regain control of the islands in 1944. Coincidentally it is also near the date when my dad was picked up from Mindanao where he had hidden out after being shot down on a bombing raid against a group of Japanese ships anchored off shore. Of the crew on the B-24 only he and one other survived, the rest were shot in their chutes. Not a happy thought, but there you go.

   In the battle of the bulge my crew chief at Bob Sharp Racing was captured and spent the rest of the war a German POW. My uncle served with Patton and was with him when they broke through to help end the German offensive.  CUL, J.R.

[inch53]

Dick ,,, if mermory serveres me,, the battle of the bulge. I had an uncle who severed under Patton, and I think it was bout this time and lasted till christmas.

[grayfox1119]

Good afternoon everybody...it has been very foggy here also all day, the temp hovered around 48F most of the day with 98% RH. Helped the wife bring the gifts she wrapped for the family and grandkids up stairs under the tree, and mostly poked around doing a lot of nothing important ( that's what retired people do you know ).

RYAN: Visited your site in NO, man, those pics of Katrina damage are heartbreaking. A real nice job on the web site design, very impressive !!!! No sweat on the lack of coffee this morning, I got out of bed to late anyways.

BEN: A big welcome to the Coffee Shop , and, Ryan has given you the best advice...Consumer Reports. They are ONLINE as well as in Mag form, but your best bet for that issue is to go to a Library and get the April issue which is the Auto issue and has all the rating on used cars. Ryan's choice of the Van is also right on the money, excellent choice.

DAVE: That is really a tough drive you once had. I have had to travel over 40 miles to work most of my working career, I only had the luxury of travelling 10 miles to work for 7 of my 43 years. The longest was 58 miles one way, and the drive took about 1.5 hours each way unless there was an accident on the infamous route 3 in Burlington/Billerica, NW of Boston, then all best on time home were OFF!!!

MIKE: That is a real nice story, I had read it a few months ago, and saved it, a real good lesson.

For our Vets of WW2...today is a special rememberance day. Something began today in 1944.....do you remember? I have an uncle who was there, age 21, and has spent the last 60 years of his life in the Veteran's hospital in North Hampton, MA.

[pcarrell]

Philip, you are welcome! When do they make the announcement of the winner?

End of the month or beginning of next month.

You ought to enter.  I'm sitting out for the next round.

[steveblackledge]

Fergie the year 2006 has been a pain in the butt for you and your familly, i hope and pray 2007 will get better for you all, and with the problems with the contractors and stuff, LOL hang in there Fergie were rooting for you.

 

Robert So sorry to hear about your house fire, i hope you didn't lost to much stuff

[SilverSpike]

there was a place for everything and everything was in it's place.

Jeff, I remember that saying from way back in the ole days and it still makes sense today!

Got off work at 2:20pm today. When I started feeling my energy going down, I told the shop boss that I had reached my limit and was going home.

Good! You need to save your energy!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Got off work at 2:20pm today. When I started feeling my energy going down, I told the shop boss that I had reached my limit and was going home.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Ryan: I'm happy that you like the way I have things laid out. One of my jobs with a nationwide insurance brokerage was as a file clerk. there was a place for everything and everything was in it's place. It's the same on my boards, if it says Norfolk Southern, that's what's in there.

[PA Belt]

hey all, just popping in, cya!

[SilverSpike]

I'm new here.  I've enjoyed ready the post.  Notice you offer help in areas other than trains.  My question is about buying a car for the wife for Christmas.  Her's is on it's last leg.  Any suggestions?  I don't want to break the bank.

Thanks in advance,

Ben

First off,   Ben! My son's name is Ben!

to the MR forum and for stopping by the Coffee Shop. This is a great place to talk about just about anything. We usually stay away from religion and politics as the Bergiemiester has us follow those rules. BTW, interesting threads in the General section right now on forum conduct. We do, however, pray for those in illness and sickness.  When you have a moment, tell us about your self, what you model and how you got to find this site!

Now, on to the matter of the car buying. Not sure what you want to use, many options out there. Looking for a family sedan, or a full size SUV? What are you willing to spend? Also, Consumer Reports (CU) does a great job of reviewing most models of cars, trucks, SUV's.

I can, however, tell you about our most recent car buying experience. On our move up here to North Carolina from New Orleans back in January my wife's car was hit from behind, an 18-wheeler totaled her 2000 Chevy Malibu. By the miracle of faith and the power of God's will she did not flip the car or get any serious injuries. The two dogs and the cat were safe too. My son Ben and I were ahead of her in the Penske moving truck pulling the car carrier with my Chevy S-10 in tow.

Long story short - after much debate we were looking at SUV's for their cargo space (we like to go camping and bicycling too) then we decided on a van. We chose the Toyota Sienna. Lots of room, highly rated by CU, and not a big gas guzzler like most SUV's, and a lot less $$$ than most SUV's too.

Cheers,

Ryan

P.S. If you get the T.O.P honors, it's on your tab! That means Breakfast, lunch, and dinner could be on your plastic..... Virtually that is....

P.S.S. T.O.P. is Top Of Page

[Trains 4 Boys]

I'm new here.  I've enjoyed ready the post.  Notice you offer help in areas other than trains.  My question is about buying a car for the wife for Christmas.  Her's is on it's last leg.  Any suggestions?  I don't want to break the bank.

Thanks in advance,

Ben

[SilverSpike]

Morning all! I'll have the coffee and doughnuts!

Been busy yesterday working on updating and upgrading the website for our church back in New Orleans. Check it out if you have a minute: Holy Spirit Catholic Church

hey all

i just found out today that if i dont bring up my grades, i have to got to a "Alternitive Learning Center".

what the hell does that mean?? 

PA, I think that is the new politically correct terminology for "Special Students" and they had their own area for selected courses. You don't want to go there, so as my parents used to tell me, "Put your nose to the grind stone....crack your books and....STUDY!" Knowledge is the key to success.

And as Benjamin Franklin was quoted as saying, "Knowledge pays the best interest."

I voted for your December pic! I like the sand...

Hey, Thanks!

Philip, you are welcome! When do they make the announcement of the winner?

Oh, and Hey back at ya!

Fergie, good luck with all the illness and such in the family and sorry to hear the dad is still in the hospital. I can feel your frustrations with the visitors not being able to enter.

Hey, Jeff, I just joined your forum today! Checking it out now!

I hope you enjoy it. We don't have the amount of traffic that is here, but we have a lot to offer, even your own board, if you want.

Well, looks like I'm buying this time around.

Jeff, I like the drill down on all the sub-topics, makes it easier to search for topic specific subjects. For example, the section on Norfolk Southern (NS), I like the short history you gave there, I do plenty of research on the NS and will hope to make some contributions on that thread soon. The organization on your forum is what I was hoping that the MR forum was going go that direction way back at the July transformation. Of course I was disappointed when not much re-organizing of the MR forum was done at all, just the way it is hosted and presented!

And please go see the doctor soon! We all want you to get to feeling better! Glad to hear you are feeling better now!

to the CS Mike!

Well said Dave! I was an instructor at a community college for a short time and also going back to night school for 3 years. You hit the nail on the head! I always had to work hard for my GPA and was always burning the mid-night oil to make the grade. I can tell you from personal experience on both sides of the classroom desk, those that put more effort into it get more out of it.

Robert, so sorry to hear of your loss! Glad to hear that no one was hurt!

Luct, great photo of the new born!

Talk about an emotional roller coaster!

OK, this 67 year old body is telling me to get to bed because I am mistyping too many words......see you guys in the morning...JEFF...you have coffee duty in the morning or Ryan?

Dick, I'm rather late for the coffee duty! How about a rain check on that?

Great story Inch, thanks for sharing that one! On that note, how about another cup Chloe!

Cheers,

Ryan

[claymore1977]

Inch:  that post was out standing.  Its deserves a copy paste onto my website!  (And yes, albeit small, its a compliment)

[DigitalGriffin]

Jim - I already had a plan, until Tom (tstage) got me bitten by the NYC bug...

Yeah Tom comes up with some pretty interesting ideas.  He helped me with a servicing facility.  My room layout changed so I couldn't use it. But it was so good, several other people picked it up.

 Inch: Very nice story.  I forwarded it on to a few people.  (And I am one who typically doesn't forward sentimental life story clap trap...so it must have been good.)

[dansapo]

Good afternoon

Just got back form Boston.Had to go to my grandmother funeral. So of course the airline loves me.First class price with coach seating.What are you going to do.

Hey Dan-  Nice layout plan. Are you going to the meeting tonight?

How about putting a NYC shay on your list of NYC steam....You dont have to worry about curves, bad track or grades.The original humvee.

This photo was taken in my hometown.The Marecellus&Otisco Lake RR owned 2 of the 5 NYC built for its Westside line in the big apple.

[inch53]

Afternoon all, just a coffee Zoe,

Jerry,,, I still be around, just not had much to say bout things, and been kinda dealin with sick kids, grandkids and everything else the past week or so. Still have every one in our thoughts though, maybe in the back of my mind sometimes, but there.

Got a busy weekend going now. #1 son and DIL are taking us and her folks out for supper tonight, Mother's jewlerys christmas is tomorrow in Terre Haute at the Bierstub, my favorite german place [great food], but no beer [a dry party], darn it. Ya cann't eat phefferwaurst and kraute without german dark beer. Told I wasn't going to go then, but I get to do some rail fanning and get down to the LHS there. Then Sunday is Christmas at my moms, looking foward to that. Mon. is the Legion Christmas party for all the kids, and Santa will be there for some of the last minute wishes.

Thought I'd leave ya with something to think about today

  A MAYONNAISE JAR AND 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

When things in your life seem almost too much to
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill
it with golf balls.  He then asked the students if the
jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the
golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the
jar was full, they agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand an d poured
it into the jar.  Of course the sand filled up
everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was
full.  The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from
under the table and poured the entire contents into
the jar, effectively filling the empty space between
the sand.  The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
"I want you to recognize that this jar represents
your life.  The golf balls are the important things-
your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions--things that if
everything else was lost and only they remained your
life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your
job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,
"there is no ro om for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for or life.  If you spend all your time
and energy on the small stuff, you will never have
room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your
happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get
medical checkups.  Take your partner out to dinner.
Play another 18.  There will always be time to clean
the house and fix the disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that
really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just
sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what
the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.  It just
goes to show you that no matter how full your life may
seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of
coffee with a friend."

Hey Zoe, how bout another

inch

[NeO6874]

Dan, do you have any layout design program? They can help with trying out layout ideas (without the cost of building one plan and then deciding that you don't like it, etc.). Atlas has a free one, and I'm sure among the CS'ers here, you can get some recommendations on a reasonably good (and maybe free) program to help you with looking at some ideas for your layout. You might also take a look at some layout design-related websites:

 

Jim - I already had a plan, until Tom (tstage) got me bitten by the NYC bug...

 

Original Plan:

 

As you can see, It focused more on switching and the engine terminal, without much in the way of actual mainline running.  I was going to make removable extensions for the (light blue) line heading south, and the green lines heading west... so I could have had through freights or passenger trains or something (at reduced speed...).  The plan for motive power was PRR Atlantics, and a K4 or two for the passenger trains (all bowser kits, of course).

Then Tom had to go and get me hooked on NYC big steam, so I want something that I can watch them run.  I don't want the big steamers just being in the roundhouse looking pretty (they wouldn't fit anyway, that TT was planned to be a 98' Heljan) - they have to earn their keep... So I have to see what I can convince my parents to allow me to build, and get back to the XTRKCad drawing board.

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning, Zoe - I'll have a cup of coffee and one of Bill T.'s chocolate donuts. Thanks, Dan. That is one tall stack of flapjacks there!

Our fog isn't as thick as Jeff and some of the rest of you have this morning. But in our area the past couple of days, it's got just cool enough at night to give a slight frost on the car windows when the fog condenses and semi-freezes there.

I hear those of you about the commuting hassles - that's one reason I have no interest in living in St. Louis area (where I grew up years and years ago). Up there, I-270 (main highway around the city and county) is always crowded. While back, when they had to do work on it, they had to do the work at night, with lights and all, 'cause that was the only time it was (halfway) less crowded than daytime.

Need to take my Dremel with the new adjustable chuck with me Sunday when we go by one member's place to run trains. Our host (the LHS owner & club member) also ordered one of those, and his is working great, but mine doesn't seem to want to move once I have it fastened on in place of the original chucks. Go figure.

My on-call wasn't too bad last night - only one call to the ER (about 1:30 - 3:30 a.m.), and didn't have to admit that one. But it took a while (probably half hour) just getting the on-call psychiatrist woke up - he's the one who's over the unit there. Took 2 or 3 pages, I think. I waited a little after I saw the client (to finish my write-up) to let the Dr. catch a little sleep (mistake? nah...) before I had them page him. Got home, got the rest of my sleep (maybe lost 30 mins. getting back to sleep) and then got up and shaved/showered for the day shift. Not too tired so far this morning. But Fridays are lower traffic, usually, in here.

Ten more days until Christmas? I better FedEx my list to Santa, then (let's see... Mikado, 0-6-0T switcher,...) More immediately, I need to put up the rest of my decorations this weekend.

Dan, do you have any layout design program? They can help with trying out layout ideas (without the cost of building one plan and then deciding that you don't like it, etc.). Atlas has a free one, and I'm sure among the CS'ers here, you can get some recommendations on a reasonably good (and maybe free) program to help you with looking at some ideas for your layout. You might also take a look at some layout design-related websites:

 

The Operations-Focused site

http://andrews-trains.fotopic.net/ 

 

The Layout Design Special Interest Group (LDSIG)

http://ldsig.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Primer

 

EldoradoSoft has software, but their site has some layout design info that's useful:

http://www.eldoradosoft.com/

 

Gateway NMRA's pages on layout design:

http://www.gatewaynmra.org/trackwrk.htm

and if you check the NMRA's and its division's websites, they also often have some pages on layout design.

 

Of course, books such as John Armstrong's Track Planning one (see it at:)

http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/model-railroading-books-track-plans-and-layout-planning.html 

and the Model Railroad Planning annuals from MR/Kalmbach are handy too (along with back issues of MR)

Hope those help start you off. Just ask, and others can add more info/ideas, Dan. 

Got to get back to work for now.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau