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

[Anonymous]

Just spotting the shop back onto page one, nothing really happening here. No snow as yet, at least, nothing decent - a couple of fields on the way in this morning looked like they'd been covered with icing sugar and I saw a few small flakes while driving home over the mountains (actually quicker than the main road at the moment due to roadworks, slow cars, etc!).

Currently hunting cheap (well, relatively, compared to new anyway!) LGB G scale equipment on eBay - I have a Zillertal Bahn 4 wheel coach on order to go with my Zillertal U-Class 0-6-2 and I'm considering whether to buy another 0-4-0 "Stainz" loco - there's one on there at the moment in an unusual and long-discontinued paint scheme at a very good price, not sure if I can justify it but on the other hand this version doesn't come up often and it is very cheap compared to a new one...

[Anonymous]

Hi, this is a bump.

Robert

[Anonymous]

Morning/afternoon all.

Just getting on today.... I will try and get what pictures I have posted either today or tomorrow.... I have to try and find the stuff to get the pictures off of the smart card seeing as my computer doesn't have a built in reader I have to find my mom's reader.

talk to you all later.

Brian.

[bjdukert]

Afternoon all,and Zoe could I have a hot tea,it has been a long night and day. It started snowing yesterday morning around 9 and didn't stop until about 10 last night[V] I went to bed and couldn't sleep so got up and went into the dealership and started to plow snow,and glad I did. We got about 8" of that nasty stuff[:(],and it was the wet kind as well.I am lucky,because the service manager lets me bring the plow home so I can do my drive[:D],that keeps me from having to start the SB[^].

Bob-Have you tried one of those baffles that go around the pole that the feeder is on[?]Also,my wife found a couple of different feeders that are spring loaded so that the weight of a squrrile will close it.

Ryan-Sounds like you will be ready to join some or us others in getting your benchwork built[:D][yeah]

Ed-That is a big[tup]on the Mirco-Mark catalog.They have quite a few things in it that you can't find elswhere,and it is kind of like going to the candy store.

Well that's about it and maybe this will put us back on page 1

Talk to you later

Duke

[Anonymous]

bump

back later

[Noah Hofrichter]

Jim, really there isn’t much to show yet. My main purchase was decals and I’ll have to fini***he car before you can see those. But I will post pictures when I’m done.

But, I do have other pictures for ya’ll. I made it to that snow train I was hoping to get to yesterday, and I have pictures to show at my website: www.freewebs.com/wsor3807 I have one picture on the home page. I also have a further report and a link to another picture on this page: http://www.freewebs.com/wsor3807/onerailfanssightings.htm at the bottom. I did enjoy it a lot, it’s just too bad they don’t have their steam back up and running again. The Diesel is taking over for there steam, it actually has for a few years now, until they can upgrade there steam to the new FRA standards.

Well, I better get going, getting near supper time and homework calls.

Noah

[Noah Hofrichter]

Who boy, I did it this time, started page 309. Drinks on me, but here goes further improvements on the layout for a few months........![:(]

Noah

[fec153]

Ed- now I know why the place was so familar.

Cape Jim- Earth colors-Indian types-Sandstone,Orange red, Torquoise, Black.

Rob-Don't know but willing to bet it's a private owner. Other possibility is the Mt Dora RR
Co. They run a very short tourist trap ride. Great for the kids and those that never rode a train. They also have a dinner train ride. Have to find where they have their trolley parked. Haven't seen it running for a while.
Flip

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy


After all, if it's going to be a freelance road, total adherence to prototype in terms of route/interchange would seem a bit overly restrictive, no?

I might use another (professional?) word for that, but yes, I'd agree with you, Ed...[}:)][;)]

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Anonymous]

Trolley Rob: Don't know why it never occured to me before, but I just thought of something you might be interested in. El Reno, one of our neighboring towns (about 20 miles from here) has Oklahoma's only trolley on rails. It was a big project a couple years ago digging up the old rails out of the streets, and replacing them with new ones. They restored an old Oklahoma City Interurban car, and powered it with a 454 on propane, so it's probably not exactly original, but it works. I remember when they first ran it and had a full load of passengers and everyone watching it it couldn't make the first corner, so they had to back up, let everyone off, and redo the curve[#oops]. Here's a link to the only pic I've come up with. www.railimages.com/gallery/gregleck/aay

Paul: A bit early to sprig I think, I'd wait till mid April for that. Do y'all have many windmills down there? I was just wondering if your hardware stores still stock parts for them, as ours is getting low on everything except leathers, and we might have to look for another source. No one even knows what a Dempster is except the hardware stores in small towns.

Noah: Nice shot on your website. Does that mean they'll have ditch lights on their steam locos? That would be an interesting pic to see.

Well, didn't get a whole lot of anything done today, I was on the tractor from 9:30 till about between 4:30 and 5:00 [zzz] makes you tired after awhile, but at least its not hay hauling, where my cousin and I run 12 or 14 hour days straight through.

See y'all later,
Greg

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by der5997

QUOTE: Want to know ,from you, what is it you lent and to whom and for how long?.

Was that about the Chamber of Commerce thing?
...<snip>...
There, wasn't that just totally enthralling? [(-D] Aren't you glad enquiring minds need to know?[swg][swg]
...<snip>...
God Bless everyone, and sleep well.

Actually, I think he was making a pun about Lent. Must be what happens when we have so many posts to wade through...[}:)][swg]

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fec153

...<snip>...
Cape Jim- Earth colors-Indian types-Sandstone,Orange red, Torquoise, Black.
...<snip>...
Flip

Yep, we must think alike Flip - I was thinking black for the body, orange/orange-red (or a yellow-orange) for the striping and lettering/numbers, and maybe use the sandstone as one of the two-color-scheme for the line's buildings. Maybe sandstone for the main building color and a sienna or such for trim on the windows, etc.

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[bjdukert]

Greg-Do you bale your hay or is it in the big rolls like they are doing around here? I used to help a friend and his dad in the summer during haying when I was a kid,and they sure were long,hot,and sweaty days.I guess that is what you get when you grow up with farms around you.
You said something about digging up trolley tracks from under the streets.The town I grew up outside of has tracks under about 4 layers of asphalt,and I can just remember seeing them.They are from the trolleys that my dad took as a kid to downtown Detroit.

Talk to you later

Duke

[fec153]

Cape Jim- You are correct! Get a cigar from Zoe.
There is a joke about Lent.and I punned it .
No offense intended.
Flip

[egmurphy]

Good Evening Coffee Clubbers

Another absolutely beautiful day down here in Paradise. Mostly sunny, [8D] and the temperature got up to where it was borderline uncomfortable, but it’s really har to complain. Cooled off nicely this evening and until now I was sitting in the swing on the terrace with a nice cup of coffee. But now it’s time to take pen in hand (or keyboard in lap) and see what’s been going on today in the Coffee Shop.

QUOTE: Brian: The train show really wasn't all that impressive.... lots of people but hardly any places to buy things and the places that had stuff for sale was rather disorganized. There was a modular layout that was really nice though.... it was from 3 clubs here in So Cal that came together to put it together.... on the main line of track I swear that there was over 200 feet of track or more.... all in Normal...

That’s similar to the reviews of the other shows so far. But you have to remember it’s geared to newbie’s, not necessarily the usual crowd that goes to shows to look for the sale tables. Anyway, glad you got to go.

Btw, what did you used to do for Disney?

QUOTE: TrolleyRob: …today we’re being battered by a snow storm started around 5pm my time and it's still coming down(11pm as I post this)…

So we’re saying that Punxsatawney Phil got it right when he predicted 6 more weeks of winter? [:0] Sorry.

QUOTE: Teffy: We need to feel sorry for the CCers up north. We had the windows open and the AC fan running last night and it was still a tad warm.

I hear you. We’ll have a moment of silence on their behalf. [:)] So far I’ve been able to hold off running the a/c. We have windows on both sides of the bedroom, plus overhead fan, plus a fan on a stand. But I don’t think it will be too long before I give in.

QUOTE: Well the clean-up has started, I'm thinking about where to put all of the stuff so you can see the layout.

Five weeks from today.

QUOTE: Tom: I decided that I needed something to disguise the fact that my version of the Hiwassee River is terribly short. So I'm going to have a small road bridge going over it at the far end.

Considered the old trick of placing a mirror at the end of the creek under the bridge, to give the appearance of a bit more depth carrying on into the distance?

QUOTE: Duke: It started snowing yesterday morning around 9 and didn't stop until about 10 last night. I went to bed and couldn't sleep so got up and went into the dealership and started to plow snow…

Man, that’s dedication. Hope you get some attaboys from the boss for that kind of extra effort. If it was snowing I’d be more inclined to curl up under the covers.

QUOTE: Noah: The Diesel is taking over for there steam, it actually has for a few years now, until they can upgrade there steam to the new FRA standards.

That’s happening in a lot of places. When we visited the Texas State Railway a couple of years ago, something like 4 out of 5 of their steam engines were out of service due to the new regs. They weren’t sure how much it was going to cost or how long they’d be out of service.

QUOTE: (CG)Jim: I might use another (professional?) word for that, but yes, I'd agree with you…

I’m proud of the way I’ve learned to control my language on a family forum. I have more colorful ways of describing that, too colorful, in fact, to print.


Well, it was a quiet day here in the shop. All I can think of is that all the guys who have lottery dates in July and August are on a posting slow-down to move the date in their direction! [(-D]


Catch you later or, more likely, tomorrow.

Hasta mañana,

[der5997]

Good evening Coffee Shop denizens! Tea, Earl Grey, Hot, please Chloe, not that I think you are a replicator[:D]
Ed:

QUOTE: Teffy:

QUOTE: I understand plaster and cardboard, not foam. The way you guys are talking about the vacuum and the mess - why bother?

The plaster cloth is pretty easy.I think familiarity with a method has a lot to do with what you prefer to use. If I had more experience with cardboard and plaster I might not have tried out the foam. But for me it at least seems easier. It may also have to do with our styles of ‘sculpting’. I’ve heard that there are “additive” sculptors and “subtractive” sculptors, or terms similar. Additive types prefer to build up to their final form mainly by adding material. Subtractive types prefer to start with a block and cut away to get the final form. So maybe there’s something in our jeans, or genes, that sets our preference in scenery technique, or maybe I was just scarred for life by a bad experience with paper maché in kindergarten.

I've only used card strips and plaster on paper towels before, so foam this time around as an experiment.
Point 3 from the George Carlin thing Flip and Luc are passing around is

QUOTE: 3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,whatever. Never let the brain idle! . " An idle mind is the devil's
workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

Noah:

QUOTE: Who boy, I did it this time, started page 309. Drinks on me, but here goes further improvements on the layout for a few months........!

Only if it's a virtual layout Noah. That's one of the beauties of this place![:D]

CapeJim:

QUOTE: Actually, I think he was making a pun about Lent.

Thanks Jim, I missed it entirely [:O][:I]

QUOTE: Must be what happens when we have so many posts to wade through...

As Jeeves might say:- "Indubitably Sir!"[(-D]
Flip:

QUOTE: Cape Jim- You are correct! Get a cigar from Zoe.There is a joke about Lent.and I punned it .No offense intended.Flip

Absolutely none taken here. In fact, to quote point 5 of the George Carlin thing you so kindly sent

QUOTE: 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

Which is what I did, in a suitably reserved and decourous manner, as befits my shy and retiring nature, once I'd seen what had happened. [(-D]
TrolleyRob: Sorry you had rotten weather. It seems that it is being pushed out into the Atlantic by the cold air over us. So tomorrow we may get a little snow, but nothing like what we might have had.
It was cold enough to make the sea smoke this morning, but b the time I got the camera out, the sun was too far around for a decent shot. If what I did get is at all presentable, I'll see if I can work my way through WebShots and put it up here.
Painted up some thin paper with yellow acrylic this evening. Whenit's dry I aim to cut it into scale 4" wide strips and see how these may be applied to the road. I'm hoping that I can fix them with matte medium, and that they won't be too thick.
I'd better say Goodnight, as there is an early start tomorrow.
God Bless one and all.

[Anonymous]

ED -

QUOTE: Btw, what did you used to do for Disney?

I worked at Disneyland for 5 years in Attractions.... I was hired into the parking lot and shortly there after I was trained on Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbiden Eye attraction.... then a month after that I was chosen out of several hundred applicants to be part of the Hunch Back of Notre Dame guest control.... we had to memorize lots of speils for that one.... after a couple years of working there they started opening the new park (Disney's California Adventure) and I started there the begining of '01 working on a couple of the rides over there like the California Zephyr.... which is a clasic zephyr type of ride..... I quit a couple months later for personal reasons.

on a side note about Disney's California Adventure one of the original Western Pacific Zephyr Locomotives and it's B unit are prominantly displayed but been gutted for a shop to go inside of them... [:(][:(][:(] Those [censored][censored][censored]ers.... oh well the price you pay sometimes is too much.... at least the shell is still pretty much still in alright shape.

[TrainFreak409]

Hey everyone.

This is becoming a habit, so here goes...Wow, I haven't been in here in awhile. Standard computer problems, and lack of time, and yaddie yaddie yaddah, so on, so on, and so forth.

Bad news, the layout I wi***o build must be postponed. The idea of moving is flying around, and I do not wi***o start something that must be taken apart before it is finished. So, I have no idea what will happen. I can use this time to brainstorm more, and build up the N scale collection.

~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

[Paul W. Beverung]

Hi All;
Greg; Down here they start to sprig about the first week in March. This year we’ve had plenty of rain and the weather has been on the warm side so I expect to do the field about the second week of March. That is if I can ever get the darn field finished. I was going to finish up the plowing to day after work but the truck overheated again on the way home from work again. We had to take it back to the Ford house and get a rental. It’s Mary Ann’s birthday today so I took her out for dinner. Now, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow so that will delay me some more. You would not believe how great the soil is for plowing. It’s really a pleasure turning it up. We used to have an old hardware store here that had a lot of parts in stock for windmills. Unfortunately the owner passed away and it is now closed up. The HD had hurt his business and I don’t know how much longer he would have stayed open. Thing is that he was not very old. I don’t think that he was much more than 50. We do have a few guys that rebuild and install windmills so parts and service are to be had.

Duke; I don’t know about Greg, but we do large round bails. I like hauling them as there’s not a lot of brain work involved. A person can get a lot of thinking done, like thinking about model railroading. My wife and I fight over who is going to do the hauling.

Der ; Glad to see that you sodered pu. Know fi kuold onely firger out waths rowng wthi em.

Well I’m going to hit the hay. Good Night All

Paul

The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern

“ The Superior Route “

[Anonymous]

Duke: 5x6 round bales, a good heavy alfalfa weighs about 2000. No moving those by hand, but the bull can roll them with his head.

[trolleyboy]

good evening everyone.Greg that's a nice shot of a nice old Brill to bad they motorized it though looks a bit weird without the trolly poles and overhead,but I do give them credit for preserving the car and using it[^][^].Not suprising that they had trouble with the curve,espeacially if they just dug up the track and started using[V][:0][B)] it.Proper girder rail curves need alot of span bars to keep their angle and shape if you don't use them the trackage will shrink and make the curves tighter thus you run into thetype of difficulties they had.Our museum has a similar brill from the city of Hamilton we haven't restrored it yet.John glad you missed most of the storm it was filthy all told we got 6 inches of the crap snow mind you TO got it much worse lots of freezing rain and then about 10 inches[:0][xx(][xx(]of the frozen crapsnow. Well I'm going out on the forum now for a bit will try to stop back later. Rob[:D]

[trolleyboy]

Hey again just bumpin her up a notch.Teffy I noticed that Biggies latest tirade is gone was it removed or just well burried.Haven't seen him around today either wonder if he's off licking his wounds or if he was removed as well. Rob[?]

[Anonymous]

Good Morning All:

I must admit that the number post per day sure changes. I thought that those of us in early summer were way out but now I don't know.

Three squirles today but they're out of range and playing to beat the band, probably baby squirles on the way.

I got an e-mail from Fergie and they're on the move with a GE rep onboard and wouldn't you know - everything is running smoothly.

Rob:
When Biggie Smalles was in as Parkerledgend he was thrown out as all of his profile information was deleted (I don't think that an individual can do that) and he came back as BS. He has some nice ideas and seems to be a good modeler but I just don't care for his I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO DO IT attitude. The pictures of his work shows some great thinking but that "chip on the shoulder" gets in the line of sight.

Don't you know that their were some red faces when the trolly had to stop because of the curve. The same thing happened to the Pennsey RR, the T-1's required such a large radius that they couldn't be used all over the line, that was one of the things that led to their being destroyed. What makes it worse is that they ordered two of them for testing and after testing placed an order for 48 more. After they had all 50 on property was when they found out about the curve problem.

Ed:
You wouldn't believe the "honey do" list before you, Paul, and Robert get here.

Greg:
When I was in college (1959-1965) and working away from home for Sun Oil Co, some of the fulltimers always had hay fields and I'd go help load hay after work in exchange for a good supper. Made for some fast freinds and some good fellowship. You forget about the mesquitoes, HOT sun, and sore arms, but the food and comradere are well remembered.

John:
From the e-mail that Luct sent I think that # 10 is the one that most people have trouble with and don't do enough.

Ya'll have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob

[der5997]

Good late morning to one and all: A large black coffe please Zoe. I saw Bob in here when I came in, see what kind of tea he's having[:D]
Cold and cloudy, but so far not a hint of snow!
TrolleyRob:

QUOTE: mind you TO got it much worse lots of freezing rain and then about 10 inchesof the frozen crapsnow

...and I understand that Mississauga got worst of all at a bit more than TO had. Odd that, as M is between TO and you. We saw pics of the on ramps blocked by the snow barriers the plows had left, and frustrated commuters bombing their cars through, or not. Wasn't pretty![:O]
Bob, Yes, George Carlin's #10 was

QUOTE: Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Very easy to just asume they know that!..which they well may, of course, but it's the being told that makes the difference. Vulcans and the Borg may not find it useful or logical, but humans thrive on it!

I realized after I had painted my paper yellow for the road lines that my printer (Epson Stylus CX4600) has waterproof ink. [sigh] Anyway, I did a test cut last night, and the lines look good. If all goes well today, I'll have a go at putting them on the road and see what happens.

It's getting cold in here, I'll have to go and light the fire. The furnace comes on according to a thermostat down by the living room. Up here in the train room it gets colder quicker. I'm hoping the hot air will rise to combat that. The CTO is away to town today, so I can fire up without complaints[(-D]
TTFN

[JPowell]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JimRCGMO

LilRob, those hours sound about right, so long as we have “subject to change at the whim of management/Zoe/Chloe”. I think we may need to give you and Luc a GPS tracker for each other.


Jim in Cape Girardeau

Jim - I could not agree more!

[JimRCGMO]

Good morning, Zoe. A cinnamon roll to go with my coffee today. Looks like some of the regular bunch have been in earlier (and a few of the irregular ones...[}:)][;)]).

Greg, I'm afraid my one (and only) experience with hay baling wasn't a good one. I was going to summer session at Mizzou (Columbia) and some guy came into the dorms looking for people to work for the day. Not knowing better, I went wearing a short-sleeved shirt [:0] and very quickly my arms were red and scratched up from the hay. They then put me driving the hay truck, but it was a stick shift (didn't have much experience with that at the time, either), and the supervisor/boss kept getting onto me for riding the clutch. Don't really know if I was or not. Needless to say, I didn't go back for a second day (nor was I asked to). Ah, the young and stupid years (as opposed to the old and... well, you know[;)]).

Will be checking back with my storage place this afternoon to find out if there's an outlet in/near my unit so I can cut my 4X8 myself (didn't get with my friend due to the car problem last weekend). Once I get it cut, I can fit the pieces in my car and bring them and the 1X2's and other lumber home and really get started with benchwork. (Chomping at the bit here)

Meanwhile, I'll get my tax return done (tonight) and work on color scheme/designs for my line. I'll post here once I have some pics to show.

Back to the paperwork time (always the paperwork [sigh]). May try to take off some time in March, and might be able to make some progress on the other layout stuff at that time.

Hope the weather improves for our northern people. Maybe you could ship some of that cooler air down to Ed and Tim. [;)]

Blessings on everyone's days,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[JPowell]

Well all - here I am. Short work week for me - off yesterday, work today, tomorrow, and Thursday, off Friday, leave Sunday, bright and early for San Antonio for 2 weeks.... yeah, I can't wait... just to get a break from the wife and kid. Anywho - wife went out last week to look at another 2bdrm condo - liked it, made offer, and it was accepted. Now, all I have to do is find a place of my own - which I was out doing Friday. Foud a nice Townhouse development that I'm going to put in a application for one of their empties. Even has room for the layout (yes, I have my priorities straight while I'm out looking for a new place to live!). Well, I'm off to do more work. I'll try to get back in here before the end of the day!
Take care
JP

[JimRCGMO]

Whoops, looks like the drinks are on me, Zoe! Top o'the page to ye...[;)]

I'll take an Ed's OJ smoothie to go, thanks.

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPowell


...<snip>...
Now, all I have to do is find a place of my own - which I was out doing Friday. Foud a nice Townhouse development that I'm going to put in a application for one of their empties. Even has room for the layout (yes, I have my priorities straight while I'm out looking for a new place to live!). Well, I'm off to do more work. I'll try to get back in here before the end of the day!
Take care
JP

That's right, John! [;)] Even in an apartment we can find space for a layout; just have to be inventive and creative (and free-standing, so as not to lose that security deposit...[}:)][:)]). Hope you get a suitable train location - I mean, apartment to live in![;)]

Blessings on your work and on getting the apartment with layout space,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

QUOTE: Noah: The Diesel is taking over for there steam, it actually has for a few years now, until they can upgrade there steam to the new FRA standards.

That’s happening in a lot of places. When we visited the Texas State Railway a couple of years ago, something like 4 out of 5 of their steam engines were out of service due to the new regs. They weren’t sure how much it was going to cost or how long they’d be out of service.

Ed, did you see my thread "Steam still lives". It was about the Texas State Railway.

Good news guys. I believe I've finally found myself. Luct, should we continue to look for you?[:D][;)] Not much hap'nin with me.

Robert