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

[tomwatkins]

Good Mornin' Everybody,
It's a gray, rainy day in the mountains today. We got a lot of rain last night, and some wind gusts that were pretty exciting. Don't know how strong they were, but they were loud and they moved the trees around pretty good. We've got a lot of branches and little stuff down but nothing to complain about. Nothing big came down on the house or cars and the basement is dry. It's still raining now but it's supposed to clear up later today. I emailed Bill this morning to see how they came throught it. I'll let everybody know when I hear back from him.

I have managed to get a little model railroading done in the last few days. I've kitbashed 2 of the Walther's interlocking tower kits into 1 larger structure. It's ready to paint as soon as the weather dries up and the humidity drops below 100%. It went together well and the way it's engineered, with a substructure and seperate panels for the siding will make it easy to paint. I've got my L&N depot and structure colors mixed and ready. I've also got 1 of their water tank kits about done. It's also a very nice kit.

Ed, I hope you enjoyed the trip. The pictures from the museum are great. Steam locomotives are so pretty. I also like that you can get up close. It does make it easier to see where the piping goes. I understand completely about going to the hobby shop to just look. Every now and then I need to do that too. I frequently find stuff I need or want, but it starts out as just looking.

Fergie, If you got her alongside with no scrapes or dents you did well. First time or hundredth time I don't think matters because everytime is going to be different. The prayers are SOP. Did you ever hear about Alan Shepard's prayer as he was sitting in the first Mercury capsule before launch? Reportedly, it was "Dear Lord, don't let me
---- up" I suspect that's a very frequently prayed prayer.

Noah, enjoy the canoe trip. It's a lot of fun. We used to do that quite a lot in central Florida. School and life in general do slow down the amount of model railraoding accomplished sometimes. The track flanger sounds like a great project.

Paul, I'm another one that has to make a list. I couldn't possibly remember everything.
The live steam "layout" sounds really cool.

Well I'd better go and get the day going. There's a lot to do today. Hope everybody has a great day.
Tom

[der5997]

Good morning to one and (y')all:
Big_Girl_4005:

QUOTE: The white flours are worse than the brown flours. So is the white rice vs brown rice. When my mom was first diabetic the emphasis was sugar, now it is known that carbs need to be watched just as close. My mom was kinda screwed diabetic and heart troubles (also an Hiatal(sp?) Hernia so there goes roughage)so everything was bad for her-bummer. I know that being diabetic has nothing to do with weight. Actually skinny might be worse--less body mass to absorb stuff -who knows?

I think you may be onto something with the skinny may be worse bit. The rapid fluctuations in and out of high and low blood sugar would be explained that way. As to the carbs thing, I agree brown is better, but doesn't explain why I can get away with potatoes, but not breads. Wierd. Enough!

TEFFY: I'll have some Chapman's on hand if you fancy trying that, it's sugar free[C=:-)]

Paul: Yes, just try it. If you hit a SNAFU, email me and we'll see what may be done. Just remember, I've only a dangerous amount of knowledge[:D]

Mrs. der's mother is due at the hairdresser shortly, so must go.

See you later,

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tomwatkins

Good Mornin' Everybody,

Did you ever hear about Alan Shepard's prayer as he was sitting in the first Mercury capsule before launch? Reportedly, it was "Dear Lord, don't let me
---- up" I suspect that's a very frequently prayed prayer.

Tom

To tell you the honest truth "Dear Lord, don't let me ---- up" was my mantra this past month. Along with "Hey I'm the Captain now, I can do that[:D]" remembering as I said that " Power corrupts, Absolute power corrupts absolutely" Talk about trying to keep an even keel.

Ed: those were excellent pics of the museum!

As always

Fergie

[Anonymous]

Elliot:
I thought CShaveRR was her brother, I knew JEN had a cat but never knew it was the one named Mookie, instead of Mookie only being Jen's screen name.

Noah:
To add to my previous comments, maybe that's why I like the Duluth/Superior, and Northern Wisconsin areas so much better than around here!

[Noah Hofrichter]

Chris:

QUOTE: You Wisconsin and Minnesota people have waaaayy too much fun.
[;)]

That's why we live here.................

Canoeing was absolutely great, I loved it. Problem is now if I walk my arm and back muscles revolt and make me sit down. I am now stuck in the computer chair untill my mucles give me further notice. I may still be here tommarrow, check back then for a full report..................

Noah

[Paul W. Beverung]

Teffy;
Been there and still do that. My dad passed away in 82 and I still get a wetness thinking about him when I'm on the commutte to or from work. The last time I saw him was a couple of months before he died. I had left and started home when I had the strongest feeling that I'd never see him again. I was about 2 blocks from his place and turned around and went back. I just sat down with him and told him how much I loved him. There's somthing in my eye now.

Der;
I'll give it a try and let you know what happens. I've got a friend at work who is more litarate in computers, so I may invite him over to help.

I just finished mowing the U.P.s right of way so we could see the trains coming. What a mess. My hay feavor went beserk. A shower and a chat fixed me up.

Take care all Paul

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjm89

Elliot:
I thought CShaveRR was her brother, I knew JEN had a cat but never knew it was the one named Mookie, instead of Mookie only being Jen's screen name.

Noah:
To add to my previous comments, maybe that's why I like the Duluth/Superior, and Northern Wisconsin areas so much better than around here!

Christopher, it's like a soap opera, and you have to follow it carefully. Mookie is the cat and her main screen "persona". Most of the posts are written from the cat's perspective. Millie is the truck. I think when she talks about driver, that's a reference to her husband. This is why she says things like "got milk?".

Many of the members find that stuff cute. I find that it gets old after a short time. These forums are supposed to be about trains and things train related. Not that every post should be about trains, but when over 50% is about fluff, that in my opinion is getting excessive.

This topic is supposed to be the exception, and works beautifully, allowing the members to be social, and leaving the rest of the forum for trains. Just try teaching that to a cat.[swg]

[der5997]

Fergie: I tried to post this earlier today, but some glitch got in the way.

QUOTE: With Teffy coming I have some work that has to be done in order for the trains to run. Not to worry Teffy your not putting me out of my way. I refer t it as friendly motivation.

That pretty much sums up my situation too. I've now got some facia up on my lower tunnel section.
This sort of mess
is now this



The small lights are track occupancy indicators for the hidden passing siding, and the larger red is power on for turnouts and track occupancy circuits.

Now I've got the glitch sorted, I will post some more photos. However just now it's TEA TIME[:D]

See you later,

[der5997]

QUOTE: Ed: I said on the Sunday Photos re your beautiful switcher job, that I had only an out of focus pic of a Docksider I had detailed. For what it's worth, here it is. You can't see any detail. It's got a scratch built tender to give it the range to be where it is out under the big Albertan skies!

That's from page 94 in this swiftly moving conversation[:p]
Anyway, I bring it up because in the now recovered photos is another shot of the docksider. Still blurry (I think I moved the camera while taking it), but shows a bit of the "spit and polish" that I thought a fan trip loco ought to have[:D]



In the same vein, is an HO military figure I put to civilian use on my first layout. He's a machine gunner, now cutting steel. The sparks are fiber optics driven by flashiig LEDs below the layout.
One set for the sparks out of the steel, another for the fallen sparks on the plate beyond the cut piece[8D]
They don't show very clearly in the photo. I'd like to think they showed clearly in the model, but it just didn't happen[V]


Also, Ed, we were talking some time ago about the Northern Alberta Railway. How's this?


The figure by the Mazda B2000 is an avid railfanner and Nscaler who has helped me considerably. (Currently on vacation in Europe having been suitably impressed by the London
Underground!)

Finally in this set, There's a prototype for example for everything in model railroading, or so it's claimed. Here's sectional track outside Edmonton, Alberta.


Goodnight all, God Bless.

[Fergmiester]

Great photos Der: I'm sorry I never got a chance to see your layout when I was in town. Maybe next time!

Paul: I see you fly my favourite machine: the Helicopter! I've flown in 206L's, MBB105's and a Labrador (Chinook). As a certified FDO I've worked in addition to the before mentioned Astar's (Europcopter).

Lisa came home tonight with a pit in her stomach. Her hobby is weather forecasting and tracking Hurricanes (she's good) and she doesn't like how "Karl" is forming. As she said the last time she saw a system form like that, we got hit by Juan, which she predicted long before the Meteotroligists did. I'm hoping she's wrong but this has so far been a season we shall not forget. Hopefully everyone got through Ivan unscathed.

Regards

Fergie

[Anonymous]

Western PA is getting hit pretty hard by Ivan. We/They got a ton of rain after Charley and Frances and now Ivan pushed it all over the edge. A couple counties have been declared disaster areas and at least one town is under a mandatory evacuation. Apparently more rain fell on Pittsburgh today than any other day in recorded history. There's a lot of really, really bad flooding almost everywhere. One of the pictures I saw of Oakdale, PA was deep enough to completely submerge gas pumps, so the waters there were pushing six feet deep. The rivers are supposed to peak at four feet above flood stage, which is a lot for one day of rain. Even out here in central PA its starting to get nasty. There's about seven inches of water in my apartment building's parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Good Evening All:

I can't believe that I'm up this late but I've been working on the railroad. Really running trains. I've got the Super Chief with about six cars and it was nice to watch.

[4:-)] Fergie and John:
This is going to be an enjoyable visit. After 50 + years I've seen just about everything that can go wrong. I'm not comming to pass judgement but to enjoy.
John - do you want me to bring my Kato E-8/9? It hasn't run in a while but it would give me a chance to see what you think of it. Mrs. "T" has found a picture framing show in Toronto one day later then were're going to be in Niagra falls so we may slip a day. Heck, I don't know I'm just the driver.

Fla/Phil:
I laughed so hard my sides hurt. I think that some of them could be put on the forum but you never know who has their feelings on their sleeve.

I'm off to bed. Ya'll have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob

[Anonymous]

Hi Nick [8D]

Glad to see you pop in every now and then and make a post. I will talk with you Saturday on AIM. [:)]

Bob [:)]

I enjoyed our phone conversation and am looking forward to your visit. I would like to send a few "items" north of the border with you for our Canadian friends, that is if you do not mind. They won't take up much room, but I would like it to be a "surprise". [;)] [^] [;)]

<Bet they are really wondering now. [}:)] [:p] >

[Fergmiester]

Good Morning all

Radivil: the rains can be as menacing as the winds. When I first moved in I had to do some major lanscaping and a bit of irrigation as my backyard would turn into a lake.

Dartmouth has been flooded in the past but since then they have installed pumping stations to overcome this. Of course this wouldn't be a problem if people didn't build on a swamp,

Teffy: If your inToronto you'll have to check out George's Train, There's also one or two good LHS's in the inner core! Avoid the rush hour!

[fec153]

Paul- hope u have sat. go to 379- life steam show on now!

[Anonymous]

Hey I am new here.... and a friend of mine told me to post here. Just wondering how everyone is and want to say hi to everyone.[:)] Well back to cleaning my trains..[:)]



John

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Pennsyduplex

Hey I am new here.... and a friend of mine told me to post here. Just wondering how everyone is and want to say hi to everyone.[:)] Well back to cleaning my trains..[:)]



John

HI John [:D]


John is one of my AIM chat buddies. [:)]

Everyone give him a warm [#welcome] please. [^]


[#welcome] [#welcome] [#welcome]


Nick is also one of the guys on AIM. [:D]

Nick is [#welcome] [#welcome] [#welcome] too [:D]

[Anonymous]

[#oops]


Njmike is also one of the guys from AIM. [8D]

I don't think I ever [#welcome] (ed) him. [B)] [:0] [B)]

So Mike [#welcome]

[der5997]

Good Morning people:
TEFFY:

QUOTE: John - do you want me to bring my Kato E-8/9? It hasn't run in a while but it would give me a chance to see what you think of it.

Well now, Bob, sounds like it would be quite at home, not having run in a while and all, just like my paltry stable. [V] If it's DCC and addressed anywhere above 32, then we would have to re-program for the address. (limits of my MRC system, and I don't plan on having 30 locos anyway.[:p])
I'm still not sure if I'll be running on DC or DCC when you come. I did get the decoder installed in my Atlas GP7 last night, but haven't tested it or tried to program it. Unless my dash 8 comes in the mail next week it would be the only DCC loco I have, assuming it runs. Then, my Trainmaster is the only DC loco I've got that's worth running. (Waiting for Atlas to re-issue the DCC light board replacement in Dec. Anyone know of a source for that part [N] ?) That's because the RDCs are down, their decoder is back at MRC being replaced with an upgrade. Hasn't come yet either. If it doesn't come, I may hot wire the motor for DC so we'll have them as well.
So, if your E8/9 will run, sure, bring it along, but I may not be in DCC.

Incidently, do any of you States side travellers have trouble getting back into the US with high tech items you brought with you? (I'm thinking cameras but locos etc might count) Customs have been known to ask for proof of purchase in your country of origin.

jhhtrainsplanes:

QUOTE: I enjoyed our phone conversation and am looking forward to your visit. I would like to send a few "items" north of the border with you for our Canadian friends, that is if you do not mind. They won't take up much room, but I would like it to be a "surprise".

Nothing that will make bells ring in deep concrete rooms in our border security I hope!![}:)] [:p]
It's very kind of you.
(That "deep concrete rooms" thing isn't original with me, it's from a Brit show, I forget which, back when the RAF's "Lightning" fighter was a state of the art jet. The comment was that on afterburner it was "either out of fuel over the Bay of Biscay, or making bells ring in deep concrete rooms in Poland")

Fergie:

QUOTE: I'm sorry I never got a chance to see your layout when I was in town. Maybe next time!

Lets us know when, and I can lay on transportation, so long as we are at home. Or, if you are in the area, give us a call. We are in the Aliant book in the Sheet Harbour section.

Lunch looms, then to test that GP7.

See you later.

[fec153]

there was an article about customs. they wanted proof u didn't buy the cars in Canada.
either take pictures or bill of sales showing u brought them with u and are taking them
back.
Phil

[Anonymous]

Oh no, nothing that would make bells go off. [;)]

[fec153]

njmike and john. welcome aboard. Coffee in the lounge. I'd put up smilies, but don't
know how.
Phil

[lupo]

[#welcome] to the Coffeeshop [C=:-)] new guests ! tell us about your trains,
coffee is on the house! [:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fec153


I'd put up smilies, but don't know how.
Phil

Phil, look next to the quick reply box, there is a ""show smilie list " click on that and you get a box with smilies popping up ( if you use a pop-up blocker that could be blocked ) if you are typing a reply, just click on the smilie you want to put in and voila:
there they are: [:)][:D][8D][:I][:p][}:)][;)][:o)][B)][8][:(][8)][:0][:(!][xx(][|)][:X][^][V][?]
and more

now back to the workshop ( turn around my chair roll back 3 ft ) and continue servicing my son's engines and rolling-stock, he is really setting up tracks, he changes the layout at least twice a day and his trackwork still needs supervising and help to make it possible to run trains.

[fec153]

Good evening lupo- thanks for the input[:D][:D][yeah][wow][tup][swg]. DUH!! Guess have to put in the code. I'm to old for these new fangled gizmo's.
Phil

[fec153]

HEY- it WORKED! All it shows in the original is the code. But in the message the
smiles show up. Neat! Thanks again lupo.
Phil.
{guess I'm not to old to learn new tricks.}

[Fergmiester]

Teffy: are you aware that was a two hour phone call!? I was hoping it was going to get me out of the house work. Nope! time to clean the washroom and vacuum the family room. I might see the basement some time today[:(]

As always

Fergie

[Noah Hofrichter]

John, [welcome] to the coffee shop, stop in anytime you feel like. The coffee's always on the conversation is usually pretty good.

Not much in Wisconsin again today. Hope to go to my adopted LHS today in Madison, hopefully. See ya'll later,

Noah

[der5997]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Fergmiester

Teffy: are you aware that was a two hour phone call!? I was hoping it was going to get me out of the house work. Nope! time to clean the washroom and vacuum the family room. I might see the basement some time today[:(] As always Fergie

Fergie: I see that AIMJohn( [#welcome] BTW, to all you new chaps.)cleans his trains! Now there's the perfect cover "I'll just go do a little cleaning Dear, it may take a while!"[:D] [8D] Of course, if your layout is in the basement, and that's all that's down there, it's not going to work too well.

Speaking of not working too well, I smoked the GP7s decoder.[}:)] [xx(] [V] There were no shorts sounding on the continuity meter.(I hadn't put the shell back on either) The motor moved a little on the programming track, as I was told to expect when the decoder acknowledged the program. The lights didn't come on, but they didn't all flash at once either. I wasn't concerned about the lights not working at that point because the lights hadn't come on on the RDCs when I tested them, and they ran in DCC more or less OK. So I moved it to the main layout (I'm using my fiddle yard off the layout for programming), dialed up the address, and poof! Costly smoke[}:)]
Now, this is a TCS decoder. The deal Mike at Maritime Hobbies has with TCS is that they will replace any of their decoders free, no questions asked, once per decoder. So Monday I hope to get another. (Yes, kept he bill on that one![:D] [:p])

So, TEFFY, I've taken the fried decoder out, and put the loco back onto DC. I've just got the couplers to reinstall. I'll probably wire up the RDCs for DC too. That will give 3 units that will run.
If my Dash 9 comes before you get here, then we can run it and your E8 on DCC. Changing over doesn't take long, we'll just have to watch the reversing loops. I haven't decided yet just how I'm going to wire up the stationary decoder for the loop polarity. I want to run both loops from the same decoder. However, since the wiring is designed for DCC, running on DC will mean only one train at a time[:0] [V]

The remains of Ivan are now going through. Jeanne we are watching, and Karl hasn't yet made it onto the Weather Channel. What a season. We were told it would be busy! Our prayers continue for those effected by all the storms and floods.

See you later,

[Junctionfan]

Hello all,

Just thought I would hang around here for awhile. It's friendlier here than in the magazine part of the forum.

Ah well...

Welcome John to the forum.[#welcome]

[der5997]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

Hello all,

Just thought I would hang around here for awhile. It's friendlier here than in the magazine part of the forum.Ah well...Welcome John to the forum.[#welcome]

Hi Junctionfan: I certainly find it friendly. Not too many people dropped in today 'though. The best bit is there's no topic, and a great variety.

Just fired up the woodstove for the first time this season. Did it more to burn off the BBQ paint smell from the stove pipe before guests arrive next week, than for a need for heat. It is clammy here on the eastern shore today as the rain from Ivan passes by.

Frustrating thing this model RR. Left off running trains a couple of weeks ago to concentrate on doing stuff to the layout. They ran fine then. Now, all sorts of problems. Derailments at turnouts that were perfectly fine. Couplers not staying coupled. Looks like I've got some fiddling to do. Not tonight though. Too tired for that finicky stuff.

The Atlas GP7 now back together, and running on DC. However, it's noisy, where before it was quiet as a mouse. Anybody else experienced this? If so, what fix did you find? As far as I could tell, I put everything back in its proper place. No bits left over[:p] Everything looked lined up and square where it should be. Why the noise?[%-)] I hadn't removed the brushes when I did the failed decoder install, so it's not that.

Big_Girl_4005: Mrs der (who has a ladies night out tonight) was asking when the GBP were playing next. So you see, we are interested, and interested to see if our interest produces the desired negative effect.[}:)] [:p] Do they play this weekend, or do we wait for Monday night? Tomorrow's paper may tell all.

Can't see the guest or the annonymous member sharing the shop with me. Must be in the booth over in the corner[:D] Too early fo rTea, so I might have another cup of coffee when I go and check on the stove.

See you later

[:D]