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

[Noah Hofrichter]

Jim, no, no, I’m definitely not.....[;)] OF COURSE I AM!!!

treboR

QUOTE: .pu pmub a tsuj si sihT

treboR

!!siht s’os ,erom eerga t’ndluoc I

Well, I don’t have much to say, I haven’t done much new or interesting as of late. I guess I’ll keep going and stop back in tomorrow.

haon

[Anonymous]

OK guys, cut it out, my brain hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Good evening all.

Thanks a bunch for your thoughts and prayers from both Gloria and I. She is feeling much better today, We went out for clams and chips, That was a real good treat.

The last time I visited LHS, I was a nice little switcher, CPR S3 I think it is. I'll have to go back to see if it's still there. I heard that the G & L RR is looking at appropriating this gem.

Happy MRRing

Luc

[egmurphy]

Good Evening Coffee Clubbers

Beautiful day down here in Paradise, sunny, [8D] a bit warm for my tastes, [:D] but very breezy. Had to run the fans last night, [:0] and I’m afraid I’ll have to do the same tonight. But so far no a/c. [^]

Chili rellenos (stuffed chiles) for lunch. Fran made two types, the not too spicy stuffed Poblano peppers (think of a very dark green bell pepper), and her killer stuffed Jalapeños. [dinner] Eating those can easily make it a three beer lunch. [(-D] Fran and junior get a kick out of seeing me sweat when I eat that stuff. It doesn’t seem to affect them much. Fact is, I’m munching on a couple right now while composing this response.

By the way, me and the Mrs. will be out of town for two days, tomorrow and Thursday. Heading up to Tampico just to get away a bit. May be able to drop back in Thursday evening, please try not to get too far ahead on the posts, please.

Back in the foam sanding mode today, shaped up a bit more. I’m probably obsessing about making it too smooth on the foam layer. I mean, I’m just going to put ground foam on it later to make it seem to have texture, right?

Luc, I got some news from back home today. They say that they only got 80cm of Snoah up our part of the island. So not as bad as those shots you had of St John’s. Still they said it was more snow than they had seen in years. Not all that far from St John’s as the crow puffin flies, but enough to make a difference.

QUOTE: (CG)Jim: Oh sure, Ed, rub it in - sunshine, shooting pool, and temps in the 80’s while we’re having fog and drizzle here...

What are friends for??? [;)]

QUOTE: trainwreck: …How would Fergie go about breaking the ice anyway? Its hard enough to break 4 inches off of a cow tank, 24 inches on an ocean woudl be nearly impossible wouldn't it?

Big ship, thick hull, powerful motors. Are you serious that you’ve never had the opportunity to see video of an icebreaker in operation? It is impressive. Or are you just funnin’ with us? [%-)]

QUOTE: Ryan: …Now it’s time to play catch up with the forum and Coffee Talk! …. three and a half days is too much to miss!

Yes, you’ll find that’s usually the case here.

QUOTE: To make a long story short On the Christian calendar, the twelfth day after Christmas is known as "Epiphany", "Twelfth Night", or "Kings Day." The New Orleans tradition, begun in the 1870s, borrows heavily from European customs. As part of the celebration of Mardi Gras, it is traditional to bake an oval cake in honor of the three kings - the King Cake.

Another tie-in with customs down here. Long time readers can skip this part since we discussed it shortly before Ryan came on board. Epiphany, or as it’s called locally, Day of the Magi Kings, is the traditional day for giving Christmas presents down here. On that day you also traditionally have a ring cake, “Rosca de Reyes” or Kings’s Ring Cake, that has little plastic figures (representing the baby Jesus) baked inside. Those who get the section with the figure are supposed to host a small get together on Feb 2nd, Feast of the Candelaria, to which you invite the others. You traditionally have to provide hot chocolate and tamales for the party.

QUOTE: (northern)Phil: In this months RMC, Athearn has a very enlarged pic of their 2-8-0 steamer in N scale. I don't think it does them any favors, the silver paint … on the nose …. covers the detail a bit thickly .

Remember that Horizon, who owns Athearn, just bought out MDC/Roundhouse. This is the reissue of the MDC 2-8-0. I think the only major change may be the additional of knuckle couplers for the Rapidos. It may be the best current N scale steam available (certainly equal to the Kato Mikado or the Spectrum 2-8-0). I’ve got one, and have also purchased one of their 2-6-0’s (same boiler, virtually identical mechanism). I wi***hey were just a bit more modern, but they’ll do fine. Pulls like a horse, smooth as silk, great low speed performance, and sufficient detail for these eyes to see. The motor is in the tender, and drives the gears using a drive shaft that passes between the tender and cab. Some people objected to that, but to me I can’t see it unless I specifically look for it. But, then again, I’m a “glass half full” type of person. [:D]

QUOTE: Brian: …maybe run my oval again for like another 30 mins or so…

You need to start looking out for at least one manual switch and a couple of pieces of track. Even one spur, to provide an opportunity for some switching, will give you some relief from the oval. Any possibility of that in the near future?


John, that’s great news that your library can get the magazines from other branches. Your tax dollars at work (at least some of them). [:)]


Well, going to try to shape a bit more foam before I take this two day enforced absence from the layout. Catch you later.

Ed

[Anonymous]

quote: Ed

QUOTE: You need to start looking out for at least one manual switch and a couple of pieces of track. Even one spur, to provide an opportunity for some switching, will give you some relief from the oval. Any possibility of that in the near future?

Sorry if my OVAL is boring you but sometimes you have to run with what you have.... My brother can be a cheap son of a gun even though I take him to and from work nearly every day.... me not having a job is a bummer because I can't go out and buy my own stuff.... and right now the job market here in this part of Cali is kinda non exsistant... not to mentuion my parents can't afford to buy me anymore train stuff right now either.... besides it hasn't even been a month of running it.... LOL... well time to go watch more TV....

Talk to you all later.

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by luct

OK guys, cut it out, my brain hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry Luc, one (more) person hurting in a family is way more than too many.[:(]

I figured that Robert would be the only one to take the time to read it all the way through. Obviously, I was wrong (at least) twice...

Good to hear Gloria is feeling better, even if it's temporary (but hopefully not just that).

Blessings on your household,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[der5997]

Good evening all: Jim, as you have found out, Simnel Cake is a fruit cake. Hope you liked it [:D]
Ed: Fascinating about the similarity between the King Cake and your “Rosca de Reyes” . Must surely have a common origin, as Ryan indicated, a European source. I'm also interested in the Feb 2nd thing, as there are/were traditional quarterly rent payment days in England. One of those was "Candlemass", which looks to me to be "Feast of the Candelaria", but at a different time of the calendar.
Have a restful and safe mini-vacation in Tampico. Kris and I are combining neccessary travel over Valentine's Day with a chance to "get away" too.[8D]
Glad to see Robert, Jim and Noah are thinking Hebrew[(-D] Now tell us you didn't have to write that down before you typed it in![(-D]
Jim:

QUOTE: they had the Atlas wye I was going to get, but I was wondering if it'd work with DCC (if/when I ever get to that). Asked the LHS owner, but he wasn't for sure.

You are going to have to isolate at least one leg of the Y because it will be a reversing loop. So why not isolate both legs, and then you should have no trouble with the DCC (or DC for that matter). If I sound like I know what I'm talking about, I'm just passing on what I've gathered from the Yahoo groups ndcc list. I've yet to go operational on DCC , but have laid all my track and wired all my turnouts so that they are completely isolated beyond the frog. Both my reversing loops will have the polarity automatically changed by a decoder, and I expect, but have not seen it written about anywhere, that a Y could be handled by one as well. I'm pretty sure that the polarity reversing of a turntable can be done by such a decoder.
Luc:Did you hear on the ATV weather report that Sheet Harbour hit 11 or 12 degrees Celsius today [tup]

QUOTE: Gloria ... is feeling much better today, We went out for clams and chips, That was a real good treat.

Good to hear, and do you like Malt Vinegar with those? (Yes Matt, there are other kinds, and you have to ask specifically for malt vinegar over here, and may not get it[V])
Brian: I get static all the time about running my trains round and round, and I've been able to get more than an oval. Knowing Ed, he wasn't out to put you down, but to encourage you. [yeah] What scale are you in, BTW?
Looks like an earlier night tonight, so I will say Goodnight, and God Bless.

[Anonymous]

Waz up!

[Anonymous]

Can anyone give me the dimesions on the EMD Gas Electric "doodlebug" or the Sperry Rail Inspection cars?
(Like what walthers has)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LilRob1974

.pu pmub a tsuj si sihT

treboR

What is that supposed to mean
[?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy1213

QUOTE: Originally posted by LilRob1974

.pu pmub a tsuj si sihT

treboR

What is that supposed to mean
[?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?][?]

I get it now
it is just words backwards

[?] ?siht ekil

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: brclem: Sorry if my OVAL is boring you but sometimes you have to run with what you have....

It's not boring to me. From the way you spoke I (obviously incorrectly) thought you were longing for something more and I just tried to make an encouraging comment. Sorry if I upset you, it certainly wasn't my intent.


Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

Hey Ed whatja doin'

{sorry I just had to say that}

[egmurphy]

Big_Boy1213

Please "edit" your post to break up that long string of smilies. It is causing the page to spread waaaayyy out.


Thanks

Ed

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by brclem


Sorry if my OVAL is boring you but sometimes you have to run with what you have.... My brother can be a cheap son of a gun even though I take him to and from work nearly every day.... me not having a job is a bummer because I can't go out and buy my own stuff.... and right now the job market here in this part of Cali is kinda non exsistant... not to mentuion my parents can't afford to buy me anymore train stuff right now either.... besides it hasn't even been a month of running it.... LOL... well time to go watch more TV....

Talk to you all later.

Brian, my take on what Ed wrote was that he was suggesting how you could have even a bit more fun (with 'switching' operations for a change of pace). But hey, if it's still fun with the oval, go with it. You were not boring me, anyway. Fun to read about someone having fun with their layout!

I was thinking that (if you're running HO) if you wanted, I could send you a/some switch(es)(Got enough room for a siding or runaround track?). But didn't know if you might not want brass track, if you have nickel silver now. Email me if you think you want to try some brass (even if it's with nickel silver track) (Or not, if it doesn't appeal to you). A wild thought of sorts.[:)][;)]

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[JimRCGMO]

G’dEvening, Coffee Clubbers, and Zoe, I’ll have another piece of that Simmel cake and a cup of the java. Thanks!

Oh yeah, Zoe - since it's Fat Tuesday (aka Shrove Tuesday) and in our part of the country they have pancake suppers tonight, I'll have a short stack of pancakes with some of that maple syrup. Did *** bring that in earlier?[:)]

I didn’t get all the errands done that I hoped for this afternoon/evening. Car was acting up a bit - steaming like a loco for a little. Stopped and got some more antifreeze for the thirsty thing. [:(!] Then decided I’d leave my other stuff until the engine/radiator had time to cool off overnight.

Anyone know of a place where I can get those Walther #5 switches at some kind of discount? Trying to stretch the money as far as possible, given the car’s acting out. Places that appear to offer discounts online don’t appear to carry the Walthers switches. Though, if there’s another brand of #5’s (and a wye to go with them) that I could find reasonably priced, that’d be okay, too. Guess I’m getting antsy to get some more progress going. Hearing about others running their layout has me craving it myself(?).

Ed, is that three beers because one is to drink, another to put out the flames, and the third to wash off the sweat? [;)] No promises on the posts, though - you better just plan on a reading session when you get back (based on our usual past performance here)...

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy


What are friends for??? [;)]

Exactly! [:D]

Going to stop about now and read some in my new DCC book (and see what I can learn on the stuff). By Zoe, and tell everyone I’ll see them later in the Shop.

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[egmurphy]

Unless I miss my take, I believe Brian is in Normal scale, like me.


Yup, both John & Jim got it right regarding my intent.

Ed

[egmurphy]

Well the good news is we're on a new page and I don't have to scroll back and forth to read the posts.

The bad news is that I started off the page. Okay, orange juice, cappucinos, and sweet rolls on me. The train budget will just have to take a hit.

later

Ed

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy1213

Can anyone give me the dimesions on the EMD Gas Electric "doodlebug" or the Sperry Rail Inspection cars?
(Like what walthers has)

Bib_Boy1213, I'm not the trolley person that Trolleyboy is (he may answer your post), but here are some possible links to start for info on doodlebugs:

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips8/doodlebug_tips.html
This page shows you how to kitbash a doodlebug from a heavyweight coach body - much as the original doodlebugs were.

http://www.asme.org/history/brochures/H229.pdf
The above is a PDF (Acrobat Reader) file to download

I found those by doing this Google search:

http://www.google.com/search?as_q=EMD+Gas+Electric+doodlebug+&num=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=dimensions+measurements

(that link should be one continuous line, so if it gets line breaks, copy it into a word processor and remove the line breaks at the ends of each line (except at the very end, after 'measurements').

Also, you could do a search on the Trains site of articles on the doodlebug, like this page:

http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=doodlebug&MAG=ANY&output=3&sort=A
Again, watch the line breaks in the above link...

Maybe that'll get you a starting point or two to go from there.[:)]

Blessings on your search,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

Well the good news is we're on a new page and I don't have to scroll back and forth to read the posts.

The bad news is that I started off the page. Okay, orange juice, cappucinos, and sweet rolls on me. The train budget will just have to take a hit.

later

Ed

Hey, Ed - bad news for you, good news for the rest of us![:D][;)][}:)] I'll have a mocha and a sweet roll, myself.

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Anonymous]

With my post on the last page I was being sarcstic.... I just forgot the [sarcastic] [/sarcastic] line in there.... sorry about that.... of course one day I will have more of a layout but it's just going to take time....

CG Jim -Ed is right I Model Normal scale.... but thanks for the offer of the brass bits.... maybe I will convince someone to spend some more money on me or something.

if my mom is right we may have some more stuff in storage including track and more loco's and rolling stock....of course I don't think she is right.... it's just going to take me a while to get the stuff I need for my layout.

well I'm off.... I have to go get my brother from work in about 30 - 45 mins.

talk to you all later.

[Anonymous]

Still not much more done on the layout, just running it a lot now to make up for lost time during the construction phases. I was watching American Chopper on Discovery, and got to thinking...shouldn't they make a train bike for one of their themes?

treboR: fi uoy daer taht oot tsaf, ti skool ekil gnihtemos dab. adniK nuf ot teg kcab tsuj ekil dlo semit hguoht.

Luc: Sorry, but I had to type backwards, the little men made me do it...

John: How long have you been hiding that cake back there?

Man this page is wide for some reason, have to scroll around just to read one post.

Thought y'all might like this pic, this calf is about 3 months old now, but this is the first time I got him to show his smile for the camera!!


Well, guess I better be gettin'
Greg

[Paul W. Beverung]

Well first it was page 286 that was way off to the right. Now it’s page 287. So what’s up? Add that to the crazy backwards stuff from Robert and I’ve got a headache. Robert, I’m going to send you the bill for the aspirin.

Brian; When I was very young I had my American Flyer set up in the attic. The attic was huge and had several windows that the sun would shine through. Even on the coldest days with temp way below freezing it was always warm and cozy there. I’d lay there and watch my K4s go around pulling a few cars and fall asleep with visions of that train running through the hills and valleys of Wisconsin. I still think sometimes, that was the best mrring that could be possible.

Greg; Fergie is on a cutter that is designed for ice breaking as well as many other duties. It’s the Cornwallis and runs about 3,000 tons. There are two arm holes in the bow just above the water line and someone reaches out with a couple of ice picks and haves at it. OK. I saw that in a cartoon.

I haven’t taken the time to run the new 2-8-0 yet. I just hope that there won’t be a problem with it. I’m sure that it is OK. Still?

Greg; Where in the heartland are you. I’m west of Fort Worth Texas about 20 miles. We’re ( that’s my wife Mary Ann and son John ) running a small cow calf operation. Right now I’d like it to dry up a little so I can finish getting that 15 acres ready for sprigging. It’s always too wet or too dry. Mostly too dry so I guess I shouldn’t complain.

Robert; So you are going to be the foam cutting and skin shaving guru? Neat. We have Fergie for soldering irons, you for foam cutting, and I’ll take pneumatic brad nailers. Oh? You guys haven’t heard? I thought that the whole world heard about me shooting myself in the knee with a brad nailer. I was building a mock up computer console for the new Bat Man ride. When I was sliding out from under it I bumped my knee with the nailer. Well I still had the trigger pulled and it went off. After a trip to the hospital and a night in surgery I spent a couple of days in bed and several weeks on crutches. Funny thing is it didn’t hurt when it went in.

I’ve found a problem with using Word to write posts. They get very long. So I’ll say good night.

Paul

the Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern

“ The Superior Route “

[Paul W. Beverung]

Greg; That's a good looking calf. I don't think that we've ever had a calf with that kind of marking. We had one white face two weeks ago and an all black two days ago. How do you like the prices lately?

Paul

[trolleyboy]

Wow who streeetched out our page that's just wierd. Big Boy sorry can't help you unfortunatly I din't know much about the EMC doodlebugs.Heres a thought though someone told me once that there was one of those critters preserved at the big train museumin Chi town maybe give them a try. For what its worth I don't think there much bigger than a standar 60' passenger coach.Well not much to say tonight so i'm off talk to you all later. Rob

[Paul W. Beverung]

I've noticed that it's taking along time to load this page to.

Paul

[trolleyboy]

Ed btw have a good trip we'll try to keep it to under 10 pages for you[:-^][:-^] also don't do anything the rest of us wouldn't we don't want to have to pass around the coffee shop hat to bale you out!LOL Safe trip have fun. rob

[Anonymous]

Hi everybody,I like to order a large hot choclate W/ whipped cream, please,How's it going?, fine I hope, MY wife (the co founder of our railroad) says Hi and she's feeling a little better, How was SuperBowl Sunday did any of you guys have a Party? If so how was it? Did anybody get depressed and hide under your layouts? or did you cheer and modeled a victory parade on your layouts? LET ME KNOW!!
I'll talk to ya soon!!
Thanks for the gab, seeya:)
TrainsRMe

[Anonymous]

Paul: We have had a couple of white faces over at that place, got three white faced mommas. Oh yeah, I'm in Calumet Oklahoma, That's kinda between Oklahoma City and Clinton, if that helps any. That place has produced a wide range of cattle, mostly off of a Brangus bull. We saved nearly a whole set of his calves for cows one year (not the steers) because of their size and how sleek they were. One is nearly 6 feet tall at the head, and weighs in about 1800. Hope the prices stay that good, or it'd be even better if they'd go back where they were a couple months ago. Do any cattle still go through Fort Worth? Our Oklahoma National Stockyards is the world's largest stocker and feeder now, been that way for the last couple of decades though, so its not any new honor for the state. One of the best features of Brangus cattle is the size of their ears, those things get huge sometimes!!!

[grayfox1119]

Good evening Zoe, only you and I once again.......I guess the younguns are off to bed.

Ed, have a safe trip to Tampico, behave yourself, I don't want to see you in the news on CBS.

Fergie had best get back into port before Friday night, there is a big Nor'easter brewing once again, it is going to hit New England hard starting around midnight tomorrow night and lasting into Friday noontime. We are to get up to 18" maybe more.
Luc, Der John, get ready, your next in Nova Scotia, bring the firewood in from the shed.

TrainsRMe : You bet we had a SB party, about tow pages back look at my reply. We have the menue and all!! In fact, we are still eating and drinking all the food, deserts, snacks, beer, wine, coffee, spiked OJ, Eggnog & Captain Morgan spiced rum, shrimp and hot sauce dip.....ohhhh my....my stomach hurts!!!![xx(][xx(][sigh][sigh]

The big parade was held in Boston today for the Patriots, and because this team represents all six (6) New England states, there was a crowd of over 1,000,000 lining the parade route. People came from as far away as Burlington, Vermont and Calais , Maine and Pittsburg, New Hampshire.

I made good progress on the train room today, the plastering of the walls is all done, and the suspended ceiling "L" wall channels are all mounted and leveled. Tomorrow I can hang the main "T's" and cross "T's". Then wall paint the backdrop if I get time. Getting anxious to build tables now.

Time to hit the sack, God bless everyone please, bon soir ,
[zzz][zzz][zzz]