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

[dharmon]

Bill....I understand what you mean. A few months ago I was at a soccer game and a lady asked me why I had Texas plates on my car. I told her I was in the service and it was my state of residence and I'm just damn proud to be a Texan. She said she didn't know what the big deal about Texas is, there's 50 other states that are just as good.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Hey all [:)]

I just wanted to let everyone know that in the next few weeks (maybe a month or so) I will be making less visits and posts in the coffee shop. I am trying to advance my career at work and need to really spend more time studying for my Airframe and Powerplant licenses. They have recently hired two geeks, I mean inspectors, so I need to buckle down and get those licenses now.

I wish everyone well. [:)] [;)]

Jim..it's about freakin thime you had a little oversight in that job....[;)]

Good luck on the A&P card. It will open more opportunites....and more headaches...

[Anonymous]

Good morning everyone. Today I am going railfaning on the CSX/NS Lehigh Line. Hope to see some good stuff. Hoping to see the CP Rail train. Anyways how is everyones day going so far?

[tomwatkins]

Good Mornin' Everybody,
It's a very foggy morning this morning in the beautiful North Georgia mountains. We may actually get some sun today, which would be wonderful. I'm our daughter's transportation department today, so it will be a busy day. In between running her where she needs to be I'm going to get started painting the kitchen. I did get the Digitrax system up and running yesterday. I really don't know what happened, but after I powered everything all the way down (Unplugged, disconnected and batteries removed) I powered it back up and it was fine. My understanding is that powering down resets everything to the original configuration. Sounds good anyway.

Cody , the "Grosser's Nostalgia Trip" Soo Line layout features a model of their layout in a model of their barn. It's been in MR a number of times. It's a really nice sectional layout .

Jim, good luck with your licenses. Stay in touch as much as you can.

Bill, don't be doing that anymore! Hitting yourself a hammer hurts badly enough. Air dances are dangerous. I don't know for sure about you, but I don't bounce nearly as well as I used to.

Got to go for now. The transportation dept. has to report for duty.

Have a great day,
Tom

[Anonymous]

Well I rode NJT today and saw a few Remote Control NS GP38-2's, and a few CSX engines (including an ex Erie Lackawanna SD45-2) at the CSAO (Conrail Shared Assets Operations)

[Noah Hofrichter]

Ed Glad your having a good time, and can't wait to see photos.

Chris Glad you had a good trip, I can wait to see photos from your trip too. You know me, I love to see photos of trains.

Codyr I saw in a hobby shop once, made by lionel, a hobby store model. It had a glass roof so you could see inside, and it had a moving train around a little layout, as well as a flying plane, and maybe a few other things. Bad part though, it cost quite a bit of money, I think around a hundred dollars, but don't hold me to that. I don't think it was HO scale either, or maybe it was, I don't honestly remember.

Not much to do again today. I'm waiting the arrival of the WSOR weed train to town. I saw the local last night and they were moving cars off of one siding so the train could spray in there and cut the weed count down, as it's hard to walk back in there in the summer time. I hope he comes soon, I really want to see him in action. I saw the equipment sitting in the WSOR yard in Madison on Saturday, but, like I said, I'd love to see him in action.

Noah

[Anonymous]

Hey all [:)]

I just wanted to let everyone know that in the next few weeks (maybe a month or so) I will be making less visits and posts in the coffee shop. I am trying to advance my career at work and need to really spend more time studying for my Airframe and Powerplant licenses. They have recently hired two geeks, I mean inspectors, so I need to buckle down and get those licenses now.

I wish everyone well. [:)] [;)]

[Anonymous]

The weather's about the same down the hill from you Tom, and I too had a busy weekend, if you can measure that by the number of aches and pains I have after framing 2x6 walls in my basement. . .Then there's the tale of how I hammered my thumb big time, and how I did an airborne "dance" as I sorta fell off of the ladder w/ my brand new framing nailer in hand. Getting too old for this stuff !

I've been to the Spencer Shops before in Spencer, NC, but not in several years, and I understand that there are a lot of improvements as of late. The model railroad hobby shop that Tom mentioned is called the Little Choo Choo Shop, and it is a good one. (but who ever chose that name?)

More of the same on the agenda today. Wall between the shop and mrr room going in this afternoon, followed by more of the same all week long til it's done. My niece's husband is assisting, time permitting - he has a real job and time is limited - for he's a model railroader and is keeping the fire lit under my butt so he can start running trains asap. Still no word on my nephew' fate in Maui, and that's been tough on the family - staying busy is probably the best way to deal with it - at least for me. . .

When you dwell in the basement for weeks at a time, not too much exciting happens except on TV. Looking forward to my trip to northern California in Sept. to see my daughter's new daughter due early in July. While in CA, I intend to make the rounds of the hobby shops in the Bay area, and do some railfanning - at least as much as one can do with all the heightened security around railroads these days. Has been years since I visited the old South Pacific Coast (abandoned) branch of the Espee, as well as the Roaring Camp & Big Trees (ng) RR . Anybody visiting the Bay Area should make a pilgrimage to Felton, CA in the Santa Cruz Mtns where this railroad is located.

Coffee sucks this AM. My ever frugile bride sometimes buys Kroger's house brand, and it doesn't even measure up to Maxwell House Colombian, which is okay. Grungy and scrungy Waffle House still has some of the best "high octane" brew around, and the 'colorful' local conversations you can eavesdrop on, or even join in on, are sometimes "interesting". As an example - Approx. a month or so ago I heard a funny one that kinda explains how some in the 'new south' view "politics" -- Two men (one in late '20s and the other at least twice that) were discussing presidential hopefuls for this November's elections, and the younger said he "didn't like Kerry 'cause he looked too much like that Lincoln character". The elder said "he looked that way because he was French, and he wouldn't vote for him because of that reason alone. . ."The younger asked "was Lincoln also French?" And the elder thought for a moment or two, then replied "Yeah, I think so, and that proves my point!"

Play it safe. Later.
BILL

[tomwatkins]

Good Mornin' Everybody,
It's another gray rainy day in the mountains, but the coffee is very good and it's still going to be a great day. Sorry I haven't been around in the last couple of days but the weekend just got real busy.

Yes, the struggle with the squirrels continues. The "squirrel proof" feeder actually seemed to work well. The squirrel's weight was sufficient to pull it down and close the feeding ports off. Unfortunately the perches were too small for some of the larger birds. We have several pairs of cardinals and blue jays that are very large as well as very beautiful. So, backing up to square one, the old feeder is back out front and the new one is hanging off the back porch.I greased the pole out front with vaseline. We'll see what happens.

Bill, that trip home doesn't sound like any fun at all. Too bad you didn't get a chance to make it to Spencer. It's definitely worth the trip. There is also a great model train store right across the street.

Ed, have a safe trip, take lots of pictures, and stay in touch as you can along the way.

I'm going to spend the day in the railroad room today. My Digitrax system went wierd on me Friday. The throttles seem to have lost their ability to select and control trains. Lots of lights and readouts but all seems to be nonsensical. All 3 throttles are doing the same thing. It's pretty much got to be a command station or power supply problem. I've powered everything down and reset it to original configuration so this morning I'll try to bring it back on line and see what happens. Since I'm electronically challenged I'm going to take notes at each step as to what lights are doing what and what the read outs are so if I have to call Digitrax I've got good information. It should be an interesting day.

Have fun everybody,
Tom

[Anonymous]

i just thought of an idea has anyone ever modeled a train layout on their layout

just a thought

[Anonymous]

I'm back!

Ed, Noah, and anyone else, I did get a few good pics (one of an SD-40-2) at the Amtrak depot in Galesburg. I have them on regular film, but I'll be asking for the digital disc of them as well as the photos. (Even Dougal would be surprised at how many trains go thru Galesburg, it was almost hard to go thru 5 mintues without hearing an airhorn!) I saw CB&Q Hudson #3006 (non-operational), I did get a few photos of it, but because of the fence around it, none were probably very good.

I met Dave Lotz at the train show, he gave me a BRHS calender and bulliten for free, and I bought a AMB Laserkit from him. He invited me to the BRHS meet in Galesburg in September, If I can go I definently will.

On the way back I saw several sections of the old Toledo, Peoria & Western line, and it's in sad shape. It wouldn't surprise me if discussions are going on right now on when to abandon it.[:(]

As soon as I scratchbuild my spray booth, I'm going to buy a Paasche airbrush. (This is the one tool I really need to get all of my projects done!)

Also, my parents want to take an Amtrak train to Chicago sometime, maybe they finally got the railroading bug![:D][tup]

[egmurphy]

Evening guys

Your roving correspondent here, reporting in from just north of San Fernando, in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. All went well today. We're stopped for the night in a small hotel that actually has a computer available in the lobby (will miracles never cease). About another hour to go to the border in the morning.

Big day. Actually saw my first Ferromex engine/train. Just north of Tampico we spotted the little devil running alongside the highway. I raced ahead and snapped off two shots. DW got a couple more as we passed over the tracks on an overpass a short while later. I'd tell you what it was, but without my diseasel spotter's guide (which I unfortunately left home) all I can tell you was that it wasn't a steam engine.

It's actually the first Ferromex engine I've ever seen. To show you how you can get fooled, all I'd ever seen of this (relatively) new line was some shots in Trains last year. I thought the color scheme was red/white/black. Turns out in the light of day that it's red/white and dark green!! (Picture to follow after trip when I can download photos and post to the hosting site I use).

I know this may seem insignificant to all of you, but let's remember that it's the first train I've seen in a couple of months.

Okay, don't want to test my luck with this connection much longer. It just froze up for a minute and gave my the jitters.

Boblonian and anyone else looking for a good free train photo hosting site should try www.railimages.com. It's the same site with Trainboard.

Hasta mañana all

Ed

[Anonymous]

I missed the Warbonnet again and I also missed a KCS by a couple of hours.[:(] But I did catch a CSX CW40-8 leading an NS train[8D]

[Noah Hofrichter]

Boblonian, Good question, I've been wondering that too. Sometimes your internet provider (the company that supports you web server) might have a place where you can up load a few photos. Why don't you give them an e-mail and see if they have anything like that.

Dougal too bad you didn't get any pics, I would have liked to have seen them.

Jim Don't worry neither do I.

Ed Since I probably won't be back on the rest of the Day, have a good trip, we'll be waiting for you to get back and for more of your [ahem] interesting posts. So long.

Bll Thanks, that's quite a compliment.

Not much to report around here, so I guess I'll be off surfing the rest of the "ocean"

Noah

[Anonymous]

Yesterday when I was heading through Allentown Yard I saw a BNSF Heritage 1 and a Warbonnent but a slug was in te way so I couldn't get a pic.

[Anonymous]

Hi all [:)]

Sounds like the "completed" trips were good with the exception of the "driving" rain ( haaaa, pun lol). [;)]

I need to find a way to hide myself in Ed's luggage and go ride the steam trains. [}:)] [;)] [:p] I am very jealous. Never been there, don't have the t-shirt OR the coffee mug. [:(] [V] [:(] <sniff sniff>

Seems to me we have a Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hide. Some posts are civilized while others are nonsense. Beats the heck out of me how one minute the posts don't make a hill of beans ( [:D] ) and the next minute they are normal. [B)]

Well everyone have a great weekend. [:)]

[Anonymous]

just completed my second scratchbuild, a contanier depot and it looks good but does anyone know where i can upload my photos to show you

[egmurphy]

Evening group,

Quiet day here putting things in order before the trip. As usual, it's the night before and we're just starting to pack. Not to worry, we need to do some shopping anyway, so whatever doesn't make it in the suitcases, Walmart here we come.

Nice planning Andrew! [;)] You really expect us to believe that you didn't know ahead of time about the New River Sub running along your rafting trip route? It would be tough to have had as good a week (although Noah tried). Congratulations. Pix?

radivil asked about finding spare parts. First suggestion would be your LHS, but I don't know if you have one close. Don't know if Athearn has a spare parts dept that you can order from. You might find the type of brake wheel you need for the flat by leafing through mrr magazines looking for something similar. Lot's of small manufacturers making specialty parts these days, and many have websites. Try checking the small ads in MR magazine.

Okay guys, got to run. DW wants me to help pack the suitcases. I think that means our magic number is down to 1

Hasta mañana

Ed

[Anonymous]

Well I'm off to the Adirondacs of Northern New York State to see the folks for a few days. Be back next friday, so wish me luck.

[Anonymous]

I've been up in Raleigh, North Carolina the last several days visiting w/ my son, so I thought I'd just pop in and say hi.

Noah-sounds like you had a good birthday - (without sounding patronizing, Noah, you are a very mature young man w/ your head screwed on tight. I thought you were older than you are, and your posts are always a pleasure to read.

Happy birthday to anyone else I missed while gone.

Lupo - I owe you a reply re: the UP stuff. I've been jammed, and haven't opened all the boxes yet, but should get back to you in a couple of days. Finally got rid of that truly annoying targetword / information search 'puter glitch that has been driving me crazy for so long !

Had plans to stop by the Southern's Spencer Shops (NC Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC) on the way home, and Mother Nature finally nailed the southeast with the kind of rain everyone else has been getting hit with lately (except the west coast). It was a white knucles ride all the way home - took over nine hours to go 400 miles. At times you couldn't see 50 feet in front of you. . .

It's always good to get home to your own stuff, even though we like to travel. Is that a sign of aging? Need to get back on the basement prep tomorrow for the shop and mrr room. Am getting anxious to start on the layout, but I've got to start generating some revenue first, or will severly test the bride's patience, risking possible revocation of my 'kitchen pass' to use 1/3 of the basement for a layout. . .

Anyone have any favorite railfanning sites in the San Jose/San Francisco/Santa Cruz area? I'll be out there in Sept. for a week.

Not too much else exciting in this neck of the woods to report. At least it is cooler than it was, and should be a good day tomorrow to work my tail off. . .It's 8PM and time to put the coffee on. I'm one of the few people around here that drinks coffee in the evening. In Raleigh they look wierd at you if you order coffee much after 12 noon !

We stopped outside of Raleigh on our way home yesterday for lunch, and I ordered coffee. The sweet young blond thing behind the counter just stared at the register for a bit, then looked funny at me, gazed awhile longer at the register, and literally ran her fingers over each labeled key as she studied it in vain looking for the 'coffee key'. After a couple of agonizingly long minutes, she said that she guessed that they didn't have coffee on the menu. I pointed at the coffee maker behind her and she said she had no idea what it was for. I then pointed up at the overhead menu (which contradicted her), and she said that I couldn't have any because she didn't know how to ring it up. Then she just walked away bewildered. The manager came to the register, and questioned "why would I want coffee at lunch time?" I stated "Because. . ." He then said "I suppose you want me to make some, don't you?" I calmly said "Yup". After fifteen minutes and three or four trips back to the register for the coffee they said they'd bring me, I finally got the worse cup of coffee I've had in a long, long time. I spoke to the manager -again, because the little blond was avoiding eye (and ear) contact, and he said that he "wasn't going to waste a whole pot of fresh coffee on me, so he ran some hot water thru the mornings old coffee grounds." I almost diplomatically encouraged him to drink it, as I presented it back to him, and we left. Good burger - stupid people. That, and the rain, were the most exciting events of our trip !

See ya.
BILL

[Noah Hofrichter]

Ed as far as I know it was plain honest somebody either 1.stupid 2.two teenagers that were being-that's right- stupid 3. some body satole the money and threw it on our lawn. I'm very confused too.

Chris your right it is. I might try getting a job as a ticket agent there when I'm 16, then work my way up the ranks after 18, breakman, fireman, conductor, engineer, and then maybe I can get into a real frieght railroad in ten years or so, when I'm about 25 or 26. I might also look into going to that Modac railroad acadamy that advertises in Trains Magazine.

codyr You might try getting to some how, secretly get him to tell you his password, and if he does it to much you can delete them before Bergie gets around to knowing them. He has good post other places, but it's just here that he get's out of control, and I think nobody wants to see him gone, just the the posts.

Noah

[Anonymous]

Hello all,
I have returned from my adventure. Everything was a blast. COuldn't have asked for a better bunch of people to go with or a better trip. Someone asked a while back why I was going to w.va to whitewater raft. I got my answer as I was standing on the side of the river about to start. A loaded csx coal train rolled by on the opposite side of the river. Little did I know that the csx new river sub ran the whole length of the white water trip. Then later in the trip on the canoe portion the river ran along Norfolk Southern line ran along the river. I was in heaven.

All in all I'm glad to be back and on this forum again. hope everyone else had as good as a week as me.
Andrew Miller

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fec153

Lupo- he is trying to emulate big bro. Like a good stew, needs a little more seasoning.
May take him a few months to realize .
Phil

Months -- at this rate I don't see him "being here" that long.

Codyr, maybe you need to sit on him, hide the keyboard, or something. Much more of this and Bergie might "remove" him from the forums. For his own good keep him off the computer or "monitor" his posts. Bergie could block (I think) your ISP number from entering the forums and this would even keep Codyr from being able to chat. So Codyr, for his good and yours, keep him from posting nonsense, please.

I am not trying to be mean, but trying to keep him and you both able to chat. But I am sure that Bergie has limits on how far he will let this go and I would wager it won't be much longer.

[fec153]

Lupo- he is trying to emulate big bro. Like a good stew, needs a little more seasoning.
May take him a few months to realize .
Phil

[lupo]

About boblonain: after posting overhere ( at least this time in english) he started a poll, than another similar poll, he deleted that and edited his first poll with questions from his first poll and gave " normal " answers,
so it looks like he trying to blend in ( at least today )[%-)]

[fec153]

Codyr- can't you keep your Bro off the 'puter? Tell your parents what he is doing.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lupo

Good evening Boblonain,
You are asking to meet our leader,well, "we" do not really have a leader, but this forum has some kind of leader he is called BERGIE and you might have met him as the guy who supposed to have deleted some of your earlier posts because the were in some language most of us could not understand. [4:-)]
if you go back a few pages you can read his comments.

Our leader -- Bergie -- wasn't too happy about the previous jibberish posts. I have a feeling he won't be too pleased with this new crop either. [:(]

I have a feeling "someone" might not be here much longer. Appearently, "a word to the wise wasn't sufficient."

[lupo]

Good evening Boblonain,
You are asking to meet our leader,well, "we" do not really have a leader, but this forum has some kind of leader he is called BERGIE and you might have met him as the guy who supposed to have deleted some of your earlier posts because the were in some language most of us could not understand. [4:-)]
if you go back a few pages you can read his comments.

[Anonymous]

i call this song recycle.
Can you r e c y c l e recycle dont you p o l l u t e pollute if you drop rubbish i will realy have to kill so start picking up before i have to posin you so dont p o l l u t e pollute i hope your learnt to recycle you.

[Anonymous]

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