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

[Fergmiester]

Good Afternoon Everyone

I was over in Halifax this morning taking Dad for his Flu shot (Got mine too) and I had a really good morning, Really, Really, REALLY GOOD Morning (honest)

I went to the Station and got a couple of additional photos of the Turntable for Teffy, Well Actually I got 22 and they are now on my Railimages. Saw a Train and stopped was able to tell the crew one of their power cords ( Refrigerated Container ) were dragging along the gound, good deed for the day, could you imagine the smell once that had travelled several hundred miles thawed?

Bought a little something that I will share with erveryone later, it's priceless![:-^]

And Yes John I've been caught by the Gypsum train and apart from the two SD60's hauling it it's long and monotonous and never ends!!!!

Anyway I gotta go stir the pot and make supper

Fergie

[Paul W. Beverung]

Hi Gang; Just a short one now. I've got a friend of mine on the way here. We're going to work on a couple of our rifles.

Jim; Try looking up Live Steam. There is a magizine by that name and the general subject should net you a few sites. Also Backyard Railroad,mdmlocomotiveworks,7-plus-ngm.org,avwrr.com. There are a bunch more. The next step up from 7.5 is to 15 in, 16in gauge. There are laso some doing almost everything in between. Let me know if you need any more info.

Paul

[Anonymous]

Good Afternoon All:

I don't remember who I promosed this link to but it is Charley Comstock's home page. For those of you that don't remember Charles Comstock - he won the MR photo contest several years ago and , I think, that he had a placing last year. Be sure and click on the "selected clippings form the SOUTH JACKSON GAZETTE. I found this webb site very entertaining.

http://www.bcsj.org/rr/


Krump:
I've been wanting to tell you this for several days but I always forget. We took ten busses to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and I took all of our employees. We were going to be gone for six weeks and Mrs. "T" wanted to know "Who was going to cut the grass?" Our lots at that time were about six and one half acres at the shop and one and one half acres at home. When I'd been gone about three weeks she told me that she'd bought a new lawn mower. I was P O'd as their was nothing wrong with the old one, except maybe a little cantankarous (SP). When I got home I found out she'd bought two sheep and two goats. One pair was at home while the other pair was at work. We used them for about four years to maintain the grass and bushes. By the time we sold all of them we were up to nine animals as one time a eue (female goat) only had one off spring.

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

[TrainFreak409]

Hey everybody.
On October 30th, Purkey's Toy Trains is having a special K-Line Fall Fair Days event. Sales on K-Line items, possibly others, demonstrations of new products, give aways, and refreshments. If anyone is in Sykesville at the time, you should drop in.


~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~

[der5997]

Good Morning everyone: A brilliant day on the Eaastern Shore. Just got back from a flu shot. We'll have to see if there are side effects.

Bob:

QUOTE: John:
It was in the same book as the train dectector.

Then it will be in the 34 New projects book

QUOTE: I went down to radio shack Sat to get the parts and they don't carry all of them in this store so now I'm on hold.

Know what you mean. RS have ceased to be of any real use for electronics parts up here. If there is a dedicated electronics parts store near you, I'd try them. Failing that, there are many online sources.
http://www.aeri.com/
http://www.allelectronics.com/
http://www.jameco.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/jameco/home.d2w/report?cgrfnbr=503&ctgys=503;
for instance.
I find my LDEPS in Dartmouth will order in most of what I need even in small (= 2 or 3!) quantities[8D] [:D]

On my way in a hurry to get to an ATM yesterday I was delayed by a National Gypsum unit train of 3 bay hoppers at a grade crossing. The car numbers are (or the ones I waited for were) all low, like 20- 125 or there abouts. They would look great as a train on my layout. Have to think about that. "the ones I waited for" ? I was in a hurry and near a place to turn off (on Akerly, Fergie, just up from Morris) so I pulled a U turn and of course had no opposing traffic because of the train, and went to find another machine. I had an appointment, or else I would have waited. No, really I would have[:O][swg]

Well, I see the mail lady just went down the road (late today) so I had better go and see what's there.

[Anonymous]

Good Morning All:

It is nice here with the windows open and a nice breeze, but we did sleep with the AC last night.

I am on pins and needles as to what happened to Stewart Models. The second post said anancement (SP) at 10:00 AM. I don't want to start the "FLAMMERS" but I sure hope that is not another consolidation into the Horizion family. I've got several of their "A-B" FT's, five sets as a matter of fact and I like the product. Thier hoppers are nice kits.

Paul:
Congrats on the anniversity (SP). I have to tell about my trip in squirts as if I told it all at once it'd be 22 pages long and no one would read it. I sure learned a lot and saw some things I'd read about and got to see how they worked.

Fergie:
Before you buy switch machines for those cross-overs in your yard ask Tom about his "finger-flickin" switch machines. I figure they cost about 3 cents each. I'm going to use them on some of my switches, for that cost, you can screw several of them up and still be ahead finanically. They even might work for Normal scale, but I'm not sure. I'm waiting for the newspaper instructions, will it support the rock faces that I'm going to make with tin foil?

John:
It was in the same book as the train dectector. I went down to radio shack Sat to get the parts and they don't carry all of them in this store so now I'm on hold.

Well let me got get ready for work

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

[tomwatkins]

Good Morning Everybody,
It's a gray, rainy day in the mountains today. It's supposed to rain all day and be pretty heavy this afternoon.It will be a good day for working on the railroad. I got the Branchline car sides sprayed yesterday, so this morning I'll get the detail painting done and start on some of the subassemblies. I'm going to let the paint cure a bit more before I do the lettering.

Fergie, the pictures for Teffy arrived yesterday. I got them forwarded to him this morning.

Radivil, now that does sound like an adventure. Lots of thing going on, but it sounds like a lot of fun too. I'm glad the conductor was nice and easy to deal with.

Chris, Home depot and Lowes both have 2x2's. I'm glad you got your computer going again.

Der, the foam mountains look good. The more I use foam, the better I like it, especially compared to plaster or plaster cloth. I agree that solutions tend to suggest themselves as you go along. You got in and out of a hobby shop in less than 5 minutes and for less than 5 dollars. I thought that was against the law. It does have to be the record or very close to it.

Ed, I see the Red Sox won again. It is high drama time. That's all I'm going to say, because I don't to jinx anybody.

Paul, a rather belated congratulations on your anniversary, and many, many more of them!

I'd better sign off for now. It's time to work on some passenger cars.
Have a great day everybody,
Tom

[Anonymous]

Well forgive two posts in a row. If you knew what I went through to find the thread I was looking for you really wouldn't mind. I might have to double up on my high blood pressure meds after the ordeal AOL put me through. They definately don't want to call me for a customer survey anytime soon.

But the thread is only 11 pages but it turned out to be the one with the squakes in it that I talked about a short while back. There are some funny stores and such. That thread basically started a friendship between Adrian and I. He now is in college in Phily. He is a good kid with a good head on his shoulders. Any father would be proud to have him as a son.

Anyway here is the thread.

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=1&TOPIC_ID=6576

If you have a few minutes you might read 2 or 3 pages, or 4 or 5. [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter



Fergie, do you mean SNOW!!! I love SNOW, becaue I get lots of money shoveling SNOW. Problem is I have to get up early before school when it SNOWS, to shovel the SNOW. I can't wait till it SNOWS so I can get some money, let it SNOW let it SNOW let it SNOW!!!

Noah

Hey Fergie [8D]

I sure am gonna miss that boy. [:D] [;)] [:D]

<Would you consider a strong censure instead of deleting him. [?] >

Ok, all joking aside . . . time for the news. Well at least a Jim story, I have not told one of those in a good while. I will have to dig up (if I can even find it) a thread with lots of funny stories and such. It was in the trains.magazine forum though.

Today we had a very strange day weatherwise. Monday morning at about 945 am my Weatherbug "chripped" so I clicked on it to see what was up. There was a tornado warning ,not a watch but a warning. Overnight beginning about 2 am it started raining, the rain was heavy at times. I was able to walk the dog several times between "rains". But at 945 it began pouring. The bug chripped, I saw the tornado warning, brought up the radar, and saw the situation. The storm sirens sounded but the tornado was south of me. Believe it or not at times I could even see blue sky north and west of me. But south and east of me all hell was breaking loose. The lightening and thunder was putting on a big shot. To make a long story short, about 25 to 50 homes were destroyed, one school was damaged (kids sent home and no school there tomorrow/today), people were injured, power was out (not mine though), trees down, well you know the usual hayhem and damage. I am sure more damage and injuries will surface but since I don't really watch much tv all I know was from one internet source. The high today was around 85, so I am definately not chilled today. Right now the humidity is 100%, it is about 145 am. Oh, they have changed our forecast, now it is calling for mid 80s for hights and upper 60s for lows. Now you see why I didn't lite the furnance. There is an old saying about, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes it will change." I have the windows up and ceiling fans on and am still sweating. And how was your day. [;)]
byw, the only damage here was small limbs and lots of leaves.

Noah, I will thrown in a loaf of bread, a pound of balony, and a 2 litre bottle of coke, is that enoughts eats for your trip here [?] Oh, I was thinking about 2.50 an hour, and can you fit in a suitcase? [}:)] [:D] [;)]


I did some checking in the Garden Railroad forum the other day. But most of what I saw there was small stuff not 7.5 inch gauge like Paul's. So what would be the next logical step up from 7.5 inch?


You know several nights ago I was sleeping in sweats and now I might be sleeping in my . . . awwww . . . well . . . never mind, it isn't my birthday anyway. [;)] [:D]


Is anyone interested in joining Mike's little yahoo group? It is sorta like the coffee shop only a lot smaller, like wayyyyyyyyyyyyy smaller. [;)]

Well, time for some ice water. Duchess Von Levy wants to go check out the outside. So off I go. [^]

[der5997]

Good evening all:
Picked up a couple more packets of Atlas wheel sets from the LHS this afternoon. Fergie, this was in record (for me ) time of well under 5 minutes, straight cash, $5 under the list price without HST, "catch you later for the difference" all because G****e was on the phone and didn't want to handle plastic[:D]

Bob:

QUOTE: John:I didn't realize that the book case had a pass throu. Stephanie ask me how you went to the bathroom with it in the doorway - I didn't have a clue.

I'll just say that if I REALLY have to go with the module in the way, and am too lazy to pull it out of the way I....Oh wait, didn't eastcoast get nixed for this....[:I] [:0] [;)]
Seriously though folks, I just pull out one of the drawer units and carefully climb through. BTW, I have a bit of earthquake insurrance in the engineering of the viaduct. The plaster extensions of the Atlas viaduct pillars are glued to those units with contact cement, so there's some "give" there. Then, the plaster pillars are fixed to the module with silicone bathtub caulk, and that has lots of give. As a matter of fact just yesterday i accidentally knocked the end of the viaduct on the module with my elbow. No disaster, the shock absorbers worked[^]

QUOTE: What was the name of that book that the track detecter was in? Their is another article that struck my fancy so I thought I might try to find a copy.

34 NEW Electronic Projects for Model Railroaders by Peter J. Thorne. It's a Klambach.
His first book is Practical Electronic Projects for Model Railroaders. I don't know which one your article would be in, as I had both out, if you recall. What was the subject, perhaps i can narrow your search.

Fergie:

QUOTE: DerJohn: How do you get access to derailed engines in the tunnel?

Not all the details are clear, but in principle, there will be access hatches for a 0-5-0 with a suitable hook at strategic points all along the tunnel. For the lower tunnel, I just unscrew the facia. That's not possible in the upper one, but the principle is the same. I find it not too fruitful worrying about this kind of thing. As a rule solutions suggest themselves as I go along. I have a rough idea of how to cover up hatches with scenery when the time comes. Are they to be from the side, like thte facia, or from the top, as the turnout hatch is, I don't know yet. It may be a combination. Probably most will be from the top, as the scenery is viwed mostly from the side, and top opening hatches are easier to hide from a sideways perspective.

Paul:

QUOTE: Der; Nice job on the tunnels. I haven't tried foam on the layout yet. I have used it at work alot.

Thanks, it's a bit of an adventure, as this is my first foray into foam for a layout.
I'm not looking forward to shaping it with a surform type tool because of the static cling of the dust. Shop vac (and what the Brits call "ear defenders") to the fore! At the moment I'm just carving off bits that aren't needed, and glueing on bits that might come in handy as outcroppings. I figure on using a lot of rock castings, or their foil equivalents!

Like Noah, I've some paperwork to do. So, Good night all, and God Bless.

[fec153]

Noah- you trying to pull a "SNOW-JOB" on Fergie?
Phil

[fec153]

Noah- you trying to pull a "SNOW-JOB" on Fergie?
Phil

[Paul W. Beverung]

Chris; I believe that Home Depot has 2x2s. I don't know what they charge, but I imagine that it would be a little cheaper to cut your own. Myself I usually use what ever I can scrounge up and cut to size. I hateto wast any thing. You ought to see my place there must be an acre of salvage lumber, tin roofing, trusses, and other stuff. I'm a pack rat.

Krump; I'd like to see BC one day. I may just pull up and knock on your door. Red is a no-no in the farm truck here. Thanks to our comptroler. She has really complicated things for us in ag. And to think I voted for her.

Der; Nice job on the tunnels. I haven't tried foam on the layout yet. I have used it at work alot.

Well, I have to go. Thanks to one and all for the congrats. I do so love her.

Paul

[Noah Hofrichter]

I agree with you Fergie, Digital is the wave of the future. I plan on going soley(sp?) digital in a few years, when I can afford a good camera, but for now I'll stick with my little digital for almost everything and still take the occasional picture with film. I mainly want the film camera to do what my current inexpensive digital cannot, untill I can afford one that can. And your right, a film camera may have something alittle cheaper, I'll have to look into that.

Jim, I'd be willing, just pay my fare (Amtrak of course), food, lodging, and my $10 and hour fee. Total would only come to about $500.[:D][swg]

Fergie, do you mean SNOW!!! I love SNOW, becaue I get lots of money shoveling SNOW. Problem is I have to get up early before school when it SNOWS, to shovel the SNOW. I can't wait till it SNOWS so I can get some money, let it SNOW let it SNOW let it SNOW!!!

Paul, Happy ANNIVERSARY! Hope it's a good one.

Well, I better get going, as I got a paper to write for school tomarrow, 300-400 words. See ya all later!

Noah

[fec153]

Paul-Happy anniversery!
krump- For SHAME. Get your thoughts out of the sewer and back into the gutter.
Phil
[:O][:O][*^_^*].

[Fergmiester]

Teffy: the pictures did not come through, regardless I think in times like these though the pictures were not necessary! I just wish some would think this Forum was a box of Crayons!!!

I will post some pics and an explanation in a couple of days. As I'm putting the garden to rest while the weather is still holding out.

I'll try to get to the Turntable tomorrow to get more photos.

Jonathon: That 4 letter word that starts with S and ends in W is a foul word in these parts and if you say it again I'll have you deleted!

DerJohn: How do you get access to derailed engines in the tunnel?

Ed: I'm presently working with the guy who's link you sent me. Hopefully I'll have something before Christmas. When I was talking to Bentnose Willie at the train show, he had told me he had also heard good things about GMCrailgraphics.

Time will tell a tale.

Fergie

[Anonymous]

Afternoon everybody. Another boring, cold and windy day here in Michigan. Won't be much longer until its starts snowing.............
Anyways I'm still in need of some pics and info contributions for my site, www.freewebs.com/steamfans . If you've got any pics or info on modern excursion steam locomotives, let me know! (Elliot, thanks again for the pics of 3985![:D])

[Anonymous]

Good Morning All:

I can't believe yesterday - came home from church got comfortable and never left the house, even took a nap, which I never do.

If you are doing scenery you want to catch Fergies answer to this post as it's a good way to do scenery. The results are very nice and it's simple.

John:
I didn't realize that the book case had a pass throu. Stephanie ask me how you went to the bathroom with it in the doorway - I didn't have a clue.

What was the name of that book that the track detecter was in? Their is another article that struck my fancy so I thought I might try to find a copy.

Fregie:
Did that e-mail come through with the pictures, sometimes the pictures don't go.
Would you please go through the newspaper scenery in here so I can re-read it and get the steps right.

I can't beleive it's so late and I've got to get dressed and go to work.

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

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

How about them Red Sox!!!!! [:D] [^] [tup]

Okay, so they probably still won't win the series against the Yankees, but at least they didn't just roll over and die.

Outside chance they could win again today. That way, even if they wind up losing in New York, they leave the home town fans with a win to end their season.


Ed ("Reverse the Curse")

I was impressed, I thought they were goners. True Red Sox drama.[;)]

[egmurphy]

How about them Red Sox!!!!! [:D] [^] [tup]

Okay, so they probably still won't win the series against the Yankees, but at least they didn't just roll over and die.

Outside chance they could win again today. That way, even if they wind up losing in New York, they leave the home town fans with a win to end their season.


Ed ("Reverse the Curse")

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by krump

QUOTE: Originally posted by fec153
[It's called -Extendable crevice tool. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

all I can say is - What were they thinkin' ? How can you "market" it with a name like that... sounds painful. (best laugh of the day though, thanks)[^]

Well, I never knew that cleaning out my floor furnance would get such laughs. [;)]

And I did use the E C T, but ONLY on the floor furnance and NOWHERE else. [;)] [:D]


Paul [:)]

[bday]

Closest icon we have to "anniversary" [;)]

And I wish you many more and happy ones at that.


Welcome Back Chris. [8D]


Some of you will remember N J Mike. He has posted here before. He started a Yahoo group and is needing members. It is a train related group and you can post photos in the group. You have to be a member to view the photos but I don't believe it cost any money to join, just some info. I posted some pics in there tonight. Right now there are only 9 members so you all can get in on the ground floor. [;)] Here is a link to the site.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/trainsrule/

Mike would be a happy little camper if you would all join. [:D] Go ahead, make his day. [;)] (Sorry, wrong movie. [;)] )

[der5997]

QUOTE: Paul: Happy Anniversary and save some pie for the rest of us when we have our morning mug!

[#ditto][yeah][^]Congratulations U2!

Noah: You are quite right about wanting an optical zoom camera. I'm borrowing a video cam while my digital is off to the manufacturer. Took a pic of the progress on the upper tunnel today with that camera's digital zoom. Kinda muddy, especially the scene in the lightbox!


Anyway, here's unzoomed shots of how the foundations for the mountains are coming along.
First, the hatch for servicing the turnout.

then thte supports for the tunnel roof slab. the cars are to check clearances.

lastly, the roof slab in place. A hatch for getting at the Cds cell and it's light has to be cut from the slab as a plug (thanks, Ed!)


That's about it for today folks. To town tomorrow, so not much modelling expected. May get tot theLHS however.

Goodnight, and God Bless.

[krump]

Happy Anniversary Paul !!!!
btw- out here the red stuff goes into the farm truck also, but I guess due to the weather it looks "purple" out here. However a trip to BC is always a good idea...

[Fergmiester]

Radivil: You made it out alive, that's wha counts and by the sounds of it and despite the weather you had fun

Paul: Happy Anniversary and save some pie for the rest of us when we have our morning mug!

That all she wrote for today folks
Fergie

[Anonymous]

Ed:
I finally got to watch all of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and you're right, it is a great movie! Now only For a Few Dollars More and A Fistful of Dollars to go...

Well the modern day CB&Q is wanting to turn into BN again.[:I] I still like the 1950's era of the Q just as much if not more than I like the modern era, so at the moment I'm sticking with the transition era.

But do you know how awsome a CB&Q SD70MAC in front of a NP SD70MAC would be???!!!

So the modern-day CB&Q still has a chance....[:D][:p]

And I got a module built, a 2x6 one that I'll sand down and varnish sometime this week, however the construction of it leads me to ask one particularly nagging question:

Do they have 2x2 boards (for the legs) ready-made, or do you have to rip a 2x4 in to to make them? On our module, my dad and I just ripped 2x4s in to and used those for the legs, but I was wondering if you can buy these....?


Unfortunate news on the CB&Q front:

BNSF has completely closed down the ex-CB&Q West Burlington Shops, ending a locomotive shop that not only made a great deal of CB&Q steam locomotives but did virtually all maintenence on CB&Q, and BN diesel engines.

BNSF also has sold or is getting ready to sell the CB&Q's old West Chicago-Aurora line to a Illinois regional; this line was the very first part of the CB&Q built in the late 1840's/early 1850's.

[Paul W. Beverung]

Krump: Tempting, very tempting. Unfortunatly the truck needs diesel at $2.06 Per gal. Can you believe that price. I'm glade that I can get the red diesel for the tractors.

Teffy; I've got a couple of old PFM AT&SF 2-8-0s. One is new in box the other is badly painted used. I have a third, but I bashed it to a MILW 2-8-0, it stays.

Fergie; I just thought of something. Being that you were under the layout when that iron landed in your lap. Did you jump and hit your head?

Hi Chris; Well you did miss Teffys excullent adventure. He is in the processes of telling us about it in installments. I guess that the computer is OK now. As I am want to say "Goldurn Rackenfracken computers".

Now it's my turn for food tales. Got home to find My wife Mary Ann cooking pork roast, sauraraut, mashed potatoes, and gravey. Sugar free apple pie toped with surgar free ice cream for desert. Yum,Yum. It is our 35 wedding anaversary.

Now I'm going to sign off and say Good Night All

Paul

[tomwatkins]

Good Evening Everybody,
Today was a really great day. The weather was beautiful all the way up to late afternoon, when it clouded up and started to rain. I got all the airbrushing done on the Branchline coaches except for the outsides of the car sides and ends. The insides of the sides had to be sprayed tan to simulate simulated wood panels, so they need to dry overnight just to be sure. Weather permiting I'll get the painting finished up tomorrow. They really are nicely molded kits.

The "Tin foil" rocks Teffy mentioned are really simple. Take a piece of aluminum foil and crumple it up into a ball. Then unfold it with out smoothing it out at all. This will be the mold, so the sharper and deeper the folds the more rugged the rock will be. Place the tin foil mold into a flat pan which will support the edges of the mold. I use disposible aluminum cooking pans. They are inexpensive and avialable in a large variety of sizes. Small rolled up pieces of newspaper can be used to support the edges of the mold inside the pan. Spray the mold with a silicone based spray lube and then fill with plaster. In my experience the molds aren't reuseable, but no two will be the same. I got this ideal from a Kalmbach book on "Scenery Tips and Technques" which I recommend highly. It's full of ideas like this.

Noah, the idea about looking for a good used film camera at good camera store is an excellent one. I'd definitely go for a 35mm SLR if I were looking for a film camera. The point a number of people have made about going to a better digital camera also has merit. Digital is the way things are going, and as I understand it, the newer high megapixel have really excellent image quality. I really like my Nikon, but a good digital camera would make a lot of things easier.

Fergie, at least you had jeans on instead of something lighter. That doesn't sound like any fun at all. Exciting, yes, fun, no!

I'm going to sign off now because it's been a full day and tomorrow is going to be busy.
Have a great evening everybody,
Tom

[Anonymous]

Well did I miss anything in a week's time? Had a part on the computer that needed replaced....

[Anonymous]

This weekend I had a hilarious and whacky Amtrak adventure.

Friday morning greeted me with horrible rain and wind. Alas, the photography would not be good. I hopped in the car and made the hour long trek down to Altoona. At 1:05, my train pulled up to the station and I climbed aboard. The rain sheeting off teh windows made photography nearly impossible and I missed a chance to grab more pictures of NS #3357 which is just another SD40-2 but it has sentimental value to me (I have more pictures of it than anything else with flanged wheels).

Then everything took a turn for the whacky. Evidentally, the eastbound Three Rivers had been delayed so long than it had arrived at the time the westbound Pennsylvanian should have. As I'm sure you've determined by now, your intrepid writer was heading in the direction he, ironically, had just driven from which is also the wrong way. I had intended to board the Pennsylvanian but as I was out on the platform the whole time, I never heard this was the Three Rivers. I told the conductor and asked if they could just dump me at Huntingdon, PA (The Three Rivers next stop) and that I'd get someone to pick me up there. Alas, my own lack of attention would be the downfall of my weekend.

Roughly ten minutes later, the conductor said "come with me." We went out to the vestibule and there I was informed that the Three Rivers had called ahead to the Pennsylvanian and held them at Tyrone. I apologized profusely to the nice conductor who told me it happens all the time and said not to worry about it.

Since the Pennsylvanian was at the platform, I got first hand experience on how high those coaches sit when there's no platform at teh bottom of the steps. And walking on that giant ballast they have on the Pittsburgh line is harder than it looks. I climbed aboard the Pennsylvanian, a little happy that I'd managed to ride the Three Rivers before its gone. I grabbed some really blurry pictures of Horseshoe Curve while we blew past a coal drag. Too bad #3357 was obscured by a coal drag at Altoona.

On the way home, this time on the right train from the start, we went through the tunnel that isn't with the rest of the tunnels at Gallitzin. I don't remember what htis one is called. The weather was even clearer today but I didn't take many pictures (only three blurry ones of the Curve again). Being on track 1 is damned hairy, clinging to the side of the mountain and looking down there in teh hole. If you went over, it'd look more like a plane cra***han anything else. #3357 wasn't prowling around in Altoona today. I did see plenty of these odd racks they use to transport three container chassis on spine cars.

Here's the only pictures I took that I really liked in their giant uncompressed full sized glory:



The Three Rivers arriving at Altoona.



The Pennsylvanian sitting at Pittsburgh

Oh yeah, by some miracle, the Pennsylvanian was already 20 minutes late before they held it for me for 15 minutes, but somehow we made up the 35 minutes and arrived a minute early in pittsburgh.

[krump]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Paul W. Beverung

Krump; I'd love to come and cut that 7 acres for you. Want to send me a check for the trip? A job like that goes pretty fast when you have the right tools.

Paul

can't cut you a cheque, but I'll pay for your dinner, complete with coffee - after the job is done. [^]