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

[Anonymous]

All ya'll come to the party I'm throwing here and on the NES, as I have just passed the 1000 mark, sure took long enough[:D][:D][:D]

Coffee and cake on me.[:D][:D]

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lupo

---

Coupler question:
my new Lionel Veranda keeps uncoupling and stalling at switches,
I looked closely and the lower part of the coupler touches or gets stuck at the points of the switch, can I take a plier and bend it upwards a bit or is this a code 100 track problem?
thanks in advance!

BTW I thought I post this question in this small friendly corner of the coffee shop, because I think the forum out there is not quite up to some more UP Lionel Veranda topics right now[xx(]

---

Lupo,
Get some "trip pin pliers". they are rounded and will bend the trip pin up and
out of the way. I've never tried regular pliers, but it seems like it would be
tricky. http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/380-237
Dave

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lupo
BTW: [4:-)] Fergmiester my tulips were allready gone last month! ( but thosebulbs were governement issued ) [:p]

My point exacly!

My tulips should have dried up and wilted weeks ago. too wet, too cold come on summer MOVE IT!!!!!!!!

[Noah Hofrichter]

Yahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![:D][:D][8D][:)][swg][:-^][tup][tup][(-D] No more school no more books well....... I stop there. Every thing went grate i done got straight a's and i done forgetting everything l learned already. it nice to not have remember nothin and not havin to remmmber notin' Seriously, I really am happy. The water stopped and I can work on my layout again, I fixed a electrical problem I was having, and I got the engine I won on E-bay. It was like advertised in unknown condition. It just needs some TLC. I had to realine one of the worm gears, and I should clean some of the electrical connections with a little alcohol, to get the grime off, but it should be all good. It also needs new Kadee couplers. I haven't test run it yet, so I better get going and do that.

Christopher, Jim pretty much summed up the ARK for yah, I did that on page 15 or so. It's a joke on Noah and the ark from the Bible. The ark was the boat Noah built, and with all the flooding in my basement, I just thought it fit.

A very, very happy Noah

[Roadtrp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

Hello!?!?! Am I invisible here? Every post I make on this topic seems to get completely ignored. If this is a private conversation just say so. Otherwise I think I'm done with this particular topic.
Ron

Ron,

I read your previous post and was going to respond, until I read your last line...

QUOTE: Rest assured, however, that in a week or so I will be back. I have to get that new little model railroader here first.

After reading that I figured that if I posted back now it wouldn't do any good - that you wouldn't be back to read it for a week anyway. Perhaps other folks thought the same thing. I don't think anyone was trying to ignore you.

Hope all goes well with you and your family. [:)]

[lupo]

great story Jim !
btw: you will not offend ME by sending those 3985 pics as this beauty is in my H0 roster as well!

---

Coupler question:
my new Lionel Veranda keeps uncoupling and stalling at switches,
I looked closely and the lower part of the coupler touches or gets stuck at the points of the switch, can I take a plier and bend it upwards a bit or is this a code 100 track problem?
thanks in advance!

BTW I thought I post this question in this small friendly corner of the coffee shop, because I think the forum out there is not quite up to some more UP Lionel Veranda topics right now[xx(]

---

BTW: [4:-)] Fergmiester my tulips were allready gone last month! ( but thosebulbs were governement issued ) [:p]

[philnrunt]

Jim- great story. A friend of mine that lives in Seattle(Kent) Wa, and was somehow related to the late, great Willie McCool (pilot of the shuttle that fell over Texas) got a chance to "fly" an A6-E sim on USS Enterprise (CVN-65- The second greatest ship to ever sail the 7 seas after USS Enterprise CV-6) a few years back during Sea Fair. He said Willie told him not to try any dogfight stuff, a warning that went unheeded. Terry (my friend) said he did'nt get physically ill, but that he wobbled the rest of the day.
And again, it is so good to hear someone point out that playing a kids game for 5 million a year in NO WAY makes you a hero. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, coasties, and of course the Marines, they are the true, forgotten heros of this country.
[soapbox][soapbox] Guess I'll climb down now. Thanks again for a fun read.

[JPowell]

Morning, Afternoon, Evening, whatever it may be in your part of the world. I'll take a Ice Coffee w/ 4 sugar, 4 creamer, and 2 scoops of Chocolate Ice Cream! Also, is the kitchen open for "full-menu" yet? Awefully hungary.....

[Anonymous]

Hey guys. [:)]

I posted this super funny story in the "Humor Thread" in the trains.magazine forum but since some of you probally don't go there or read it I wanted to post it here and share it with you. It is a hoot. [;)] [:D] [8D]


F-14 Commentary

Below is an article written by Rick Reilly of Sports
Illustrated. He details his experiences when given the
opportunity to fly in a F-14 Tomcat.

"Now this message is for America's most famous
athletes:

Someday you may be invited to fly in the back-seat of
one of your country's most powerful fighter jets.
Many of you already have ... John Elway, John
Stockton, Tiger Woods to name a few. If you get this
opportunity, let me urge you, with the greatest
sincerity...

Move to Guam.
Change your name.
Fake your own death!
Whatever you do .
Do Not Go!!!

I know. The U.S. Navy invited me to try it. I was
thrilled. I was pumped. I was toast! I should've
known when they told me my pilot would be Chip (Biff)
King of Fighter Squadron 213 at Naval Air Station
Oceana in Virginia Beach.

Whatever you're thinking a Top Gun named Chip (Biff)
King looks like, triple it. He's about six-feet, tan,
ice-blue eyes, wavy surfer hair, finger-crippling
handshake -- the kind of man who wrestles dyspeptic
alligators in his leisure time. If you see this man,
run the other way. Fast.

Biff King was born to fly. His father, Jack King, was
for years the voice of NASA missions. ("T-minus 15
seconds and counting ....." Remember?) Chip would
charge neighborhood kids a quarter each to hear his
dad. Jack would wake up from naps surrounded by
nine-year-olds waiting for him to say, "We have a
liftoff."

Biff was to fly me in an F-14D Tomcat, a ridiculously
powerful $60 million weapon with nearly as much thrust
as weight, not unlike Colin Montgomerie. I was worried
about getting airsick, so the night before the flight
I asked Biff if there was something I should eat the
next morning.

"Bananas," he said.

"For the potassium?" I asked.

"No," Biff said, "because they taste about the same
coming up as they do going down."

The next morning, out on the tarmac, I had on my
flight suit with my name sewn over the left ***.
(No call sign -- like Crash or Sticky or Leadfoot ...
but, still, very cool.) I carried my helmet in the
crook of my arm, as Biff had instructed. If ever in
my life I had a chance to nail Nicole Kidman, this was
it.

A fighter pilot named Psycho gave me a safety briefing
and then fastened me into my ejection seat, which,
when employed, would "egress" me out of the plane at
such a velocity that I would be immediately knocked
unconscious.

Just as I was thinking about aborting the flight, the
canopy closed over me, and Biff gave the ground crew a
thumbs-up. In minutes we were firing nose up at 600
mph. We leveled out and then canopy-rolled over
another F-14.

Those 20 minutes were the rush of my life.
Unfortunately, the ride lasted 80. It was like being
on the roller coaster at Six Flags Over Hell. Only
without rails. We did barrel rolls, sap rolls, loops,
yanks and banks. We dived, rose and dived again,
sometimes with a vertical velocity of 10,000 feet per
minute. We chased another F-14, and it chased us.

We broke the speed of sound. Sea was sky and sky was
sea. Flying at 200 feet we did 90-degree turns at 550
mph, creating a G force of 6.5, which is to say I felt
as if 6.5 times my body weight was smashing against
me, thereby approximating life as Mrs. Colin
Montgomerie.

And I egressed the bananas. I egressed the pizza from
the night before.

And the lunch before that. I egressed a box of Milk
Duds from the sixth grade. I made Linda Blair look
polite. Because of the G's, I was egressing stuff that
did not even want to be egressed. I went through not
one airsick bag, but two.

Biff said I passed out. Twice. I was coated in
sweat. At one point, as we were coming in upside down
in a banked curve on a mock bombing target and the G's
were flattening me like a tortilla and I was in and
out of consciousness, I realized I was the first
person in history to throw down.

I used to know cool. Cool was Elway throwing a
touchdown pass, or Norman making a five-iron bite.
But now I really know cool. Cool is guys like Biff,
men with cast-iron stomachs and freon nerves. I
wouldn't go up there again for Derek Jeter's black
book, but I'm glad Biff does every day, and for less a
year than a rookie reliever makes in a home stand.

A week later, when the spins finally stopped, Biff
called. He said he and the fighters had the perfect
call sign for me. Said he'd send it on a patch for my
flight suit.

What is it? I asked.

"Two Bags."

[Anonymous]

Morning all. [:)]

Jim is crying the blues as Bergie hasn't posted any of his 3985 pics. I emailed Noah some and Noah liked them but Bergie hasn't used any yet for Photo of the Day. whaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaa [:(] [V] [:(] [V] [:(]

I will be glad to share them with anyone who wants to see them. At least someone who likes steam might appreciate them. [;)]

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Eriediamond

Lupo----------- [(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D] those boxes are calling you!!!

I know, I know!
[:-^][:-^] I am thinking up excuses to go and play with my trains![:D][:D][:D]
[oops]
what I mean: [:p][:p]
I feel am urge to start reviewing my newly required model railroad equipment!

[Eriediamond]

Morn"in y'all. Seems school is out or soon will be. I finished school back in 1960 ( yeah, I know, an old geezer). Ah, to go back to the days when we had nothing to worry about but what was in those books!!! Fergie, I had the good pleasure of visiting your area back in 1961, compliments of the US Navy on a wooden hull minesweeper. When we went ashore on liberty, the gang plank was on the fantail and when we returned only the mast was to be seen above the dock as the tide was out and now the gang plank was leading down to the bridge. Wierdest thing to me was seeing Mercury pickup trucks. Hey Lupo----------- [(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D] those boxes are calling you!!!

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

Hello!?!?! Am I invisible here? Every post I make on this topic seems to get completely ignored. If this is a private conversation just say so. Otherwise I think I'm done with this particular topic.
Ron

Hey Ron

We all feel ignored from time to time, my posting is down this past week or two as I'm trying to get caught up. This going to sea for a living really hampers my social life! Hopefully when the new addition comes along you'll get to cut the cord, really neat experience as I had the privilage on both occassions. As far as private conversations I think people get caught up or teamed up into cliques and it can be frustrating to break into the groove. It's nothing personal more to the point most people only have a couple of minutes at a times during coffee breaks to drop in pick and choose then get back to the grind. Timing is everything, I've posted waited for a reply got nothing for a 24 hr period then a nibble then someone may or may not bite. Lupo's always a sure bet for my big shiny lures![;)] Fishing wouldn't be the same without him!

Hey Lupo! My tulips are still blooming![:D]

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by philnrunt

Noah and cjm- enjoy those vacations as much as you can, don't waste a single second of them.
And hey, I'VE been out of school since May, 1973!!!!! HARHARHARcoughcoughhack ...sigh.

Interesting comment

I finished school in 80' and college in 84' and I still find myself deep into the books from time to time. In today's society you have to keep current if you want to keep ahead. Before anyone gets annoyed with me and starts calling me a book worm or whatever, try pointing the finger at the real culprit, Mr. Gates! Technology is a wonderful thing providing you keep ahead of the ground swell and not under it. I hated school but found out afterwards it was one of those necessary evils!

Yeh I know enough with the lectures

As far as the vacations, Phil's right take good advantage now as you won't have these opportunities later!

PS have a great and safe summer!

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

Were going to a waterpark for the last day. It should be alot of fun.

Noah

ROFL [(-D][(-D][(-D] Didnt you have enough of that yet?

have fun ! [:p]

as I first was grumpy [|(] when the doorbel disturbed my editing off this message:
but now I might say:

"me thinks me happy camper today "[:p][:p]:

the mailman just brought me a parcel from Firsthobby . . . . . . . . . . .
3 armour [:p] yellow beauties! #61, #602 and #604B

ripped open the box put it on tracks and for the first time:
claclunk gloglogloglogloglo phsissssssssst SOUNDS !!!
( first test was on DC, maybe gonna try the DCC tonight !
can't wait, but must work, also tonight that is difficult, because I know the layout is just a few feet away from work, ARGHHHHH such a dilemma!
shifted workstation to a place where I cannot see the boxes, but there is internet acces to the forum sooooo.

[Anonymous]

Ron [8D]

Sorry you felt "left out", it was not intentional.

Congrats and best wishes with the new addition to the family. [:)]

Your posts and topics are always welcome and enjoyed. [;)]

Don't give up, we are here and looking for more post from you. [:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

Jim, I like it! I think I'll go with Appleton, Reedsburg and Kenosha. It makes sense because the WSOR connects to all those cities (although some are with traffic rights). Why didn't I think of that before. I should have gone local right away![:D]

Noah

A little more history of the ARK. [8D] [:)] [8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Let's all help Noah with the ARK. [:D]

How about Allentown, Reading & Knoxville (Dougal should like this one. [:)] )

OR

Appleton, Racine & Kenosha (I think Noah might like this one [:)] )

OR

Well, I am tired so yall make up some. [;)]

Good night/morning to yall. [:p]

Have a great day. [8D]

I think 5 is the magic number now, right Noah? [^]

Just a little history of the ARK. [8D] [:)] [:D]

[Anonymous]

Noah-what the heck is the ARK??!!!

It wouldn't be an affiliate of UP, would it?[swg]

Just ordered a BLI Mikado from First Hobby today, although the Q's 2-8-2s of this design were oil burners with Elesco heaters, plus I'm going to have to start building up rosters of grain loading boxcars, silica sand hoppers, and Western Fruit Express and BREX reefers, so when I get a few more scratchbuilding tools and an airbrush later this summer I should have quite a few modeling projects to last me through winter....

[philnrunt]

n2mopac- sorry we left you out, it sounded like you wer'nt going to be free to check back for a week or so.
Hope everything is going well with the new lil' engineer, and his/her momma.
And when you DO get some free time,(if you have 2 already, you know how long thats gonna be) c'mon back and chat with us newbies.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Today's words of wisdom:

Sanity? What Sanity!

Only one more day of school, and even thats not really school. Were going to a waterpark for the last day. It should be alot of fun.

The ARK is starting to lose buisiness again.[:D][:(][:)][xx(] As you can see from the smileys I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing.[?]

Noah

[lupo]

Ron, Your posts are read !
[*^_^*]

your post about the new modelrailroader born to your family puzzled me at first , but after reading your topic about the signal lights this what I understand: The addition to your family is coming tomorrow, on thursday ! Cool!
must be hectic indeed the last days! specially when you have a date in advance.
and it's also good to have proper medical care around!
I have only one son, and he came 2 weeks early, so no chance for us to get nervous in advance! We had our share of that during his birth, starting off at 11 pm at home the "natural way" than to a local hospital, after some complications shifting to another hospital in an ambulance with screaming sirens in the middle of the coldest night in a decade, to end up with my son born with a cesarian the next day at 11 am. I'll never forget that!

I wish you and your family all the best in the upcoming period!

btw does "Radio Shack" or "Tandy" ( or is Tandy history ) have the electronics to make that flashing effect ? In Europe we have mailorder companies specialized in all kind of electronic gadgets[:o)][:o)][;)]

[n2mopac]

Hello!?!?! Am I invisible here? Every post I make on this topic seems to get completely ignored. If this is a private conversation just say so. Otherwise I think I'm done with this particular topic.
Ron

[Anonymous]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING!

I've had three cups of coffee and I'm feeling reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally good. Aww...the power of caffeine. [:D]

Eleven days til my 42nd birthday. Hurray! Thanking God for another year of life. Can't take anything for granted, you know!

As for trains? My 'friendly' UPS delivery man (who has the personality of a used tea bag) delivered the fifth car in the Super Chief subscription series yesterday. It's the 29 seat Dormitory-Lounge--a real beauty. Needless to say I was as pleased as a horny rooster mixed in with a bunch of amorous hens[(-D].

Glad to read that Snake is indeed alright and had taken some time away.[:)]Hope the Forums will have the pleasure of his return soon.

Andrew

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lupo

yep phil, it's looking good!
and there are a lot more goodies to "enhance " your post, ( btw there are forum members who do not like the use of all these gadgets in their posts, there were some "discussions" about that in the past )
if you need help, feel free to ask!

[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

Fergmiester, glad to hear Dave "Snake" is allright ![8D]

Noah: [bday][bday][bday][swg][swg][swg][wow][yeah][:-^][:-,][(-D][angel][:P] on your 3th STAR! some members will turn [^]GREEN[^] in envy!

You know what would be a real 'Hoot"? A smiley holding a sign that said, "Congrats on your new star". OH boy, wouldn't that drive SOME forum members off the deep edge. [}:)] [;)] [:D]

<Maybe LUPO can make one for us. HInt Hint [8D] [:)] [:D] >

[lupo]

yep phil, it's looking good!
and there are a lot more goodies to "enhance " your post, ( btw there are forum members who do not like the use of all these gadgets in their posts, there were some "discussions" about that in the past )
if you need help, feel free to ask!

[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

Fergmiester, glad to hear Dave "Snake" is allright ![8D]

Noah: [bday][bday][bday][swg][swg][swg][wow][yeah][:-^][:-,][(-D][angel][:P] on your 3th STAR! some members will turn [^]GREEN[^] in envy!

[philnrunt]

Bill & Jim- Yeah, that was one of those hollow brags. And that workin' the rest of your life seems to grab hold of everybody, and it never lets them go until it's way too late to do anything about it!
Just signed up for the Atlas Forum, but there dos'nt seem to be as much ...lets say ''spirit'" ... as there is here. A little controversy keeps it interesting.But there is a bunch of knowledge there too.
I'm glad you guys keep the same hours as me, it's good to get on here and see familiar names. I used to be able to watch the nightly freight (CR-NS) switch the 2 glass factories for a few hours, but now we only have one plant left and the train comes in from the south end of town, by-passing the police station completely. It drives me crazy to hear the horn and the cars coupling, but unable to see them. So now i check in with the forum whenever it gets slow. Which is about 6 out of 8 hours.
I tried some of those smiley faces on my last 2 replys, and they actually worked! I said I wanted to get as good as lupo and the others(read that you guys and a few others)[bow][bow]. Looks like everybody uses 'em, guess I'd better get on it and catch up.
[:D][:D][:D]
Take care today, guys.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by philnrunt

Noah and cjm- enjoy those vacations as much as you can, don't waste a single second of them.
And hey, I'VE been out of school since May, 1973!!!!! HARHARHARcoughcoughhack ...sigh.

lol lol lol

Now Now Phil, don't gloat. [;)] [:p] [8D]

There is always someone who can top that, (1973) but it won't be me. [;)] [:p] [:D]

[Anonymous]

hey philnrunt - I got you beat by ten more - I said goodbye to hi school in '63, and then spent six years in college, only to have to work the rest of my life.
Hey Noah - that's good advice re: flare topics. . .
Enjoy your vacations everybody !
BILL

[philnrunt]

Noah and cjm- enjoy those vacations as much as you can, don't waste a single second of them.
And hey, I'VE been out of school since May, 1973!!!!! HARHARHARcoughcoughhack ...sigh.