Lee:
Thank you, friend , that's a load off of my mind, LOL! And yes, I have a whole FLEET of Rio Grande boxcars with the same number (made a real raid on Accurail when they came out), and it doesn't bother me a bit. I even run them in tandem with a clear conscience because they look so cool behind one of my big articulateds.
Nice to know I'm kinda-sorta 'normal' when it comes to that.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Afternoon all. Chloe, I'll take a slice of pie, thanks.
IT"S FRIDAY!!!!!!!! Finally! 3 and a 1/2 weeks left.
Robby: Excellent work on that boxcar
Eric: I know exactly what you mean about those BENNIES. Everything's fine until the vacationers come down... I remember, a few years ago, someone put a sign at the entrance to the Parkway: GOOD BYE BENNIES!
Tom: Good that you found a solution to the Atlas track cleaner. I was planning on getting one of those, and after a positive report on them, I'm definately getting one of those things.
I guess that's about it for now. Just chillen for a while, then I'm going to watch a hockey game, and then maybe I'll stop in again later.
See ya.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
Hiya Eric,
I think ya mighta misunderstood my intent with the "Johnny Bluelight." I've always taken that to mean the guy who has everything ever made with a Star of Life (or Maltese Cross) on it (regardless of how tacky, cheap, cheesey it is), has no life outside the FD or EMS unit, and has more flashers/strobes on his POV than the real response vehicles. Operating a blue light to make the station or get to the scene does not in and of itself qualify... I had one for awhile, but sold it to an idiot after realizing it was more useful getting waves from other firemen and cops than actually getting traffic to move (on a related note, we were always taught they're for ID only...and carry no authority for having people pull over...maybe that's just an Iowa thing). On an unrelated note, everytime I ventured into Illinois, I had to stash the light...apparently over there, blue is ONLY for the cops, and the vollies run with red...the exact opposite on THIS side of the Mighty Missisippi. I met vollies in Kansas that had full red, white, and blue lightbars on their POVs. EMS here is supposed to use a white light.
Useless trivia for the day...
I guess, think of the EMS equivelent of your "guidos"... or the EMS equivelent of the most rabid RR foamer...
At the risk of jinxing you badly... may you have a q***t weekend...and always STAY SAFE...
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
Afternoon all from SoFarSunnyCal: We're supposed to get a western dip of those Sierra thunderstorms into the Valley this afternoon, so it could turn out to be an interesting day. The mountains and foothills really got pounded yesterday afternoon, but there was also TONS of rain accompanying the storms, so hopefully no fires out of that one. Of course, in the high country, a lightning strike can smolder for days, so we'll see.
Robby/Jerry: I really like the weathering you guys did on your cars. Very nice. Weathering is just NOT a talent of mine, so anyone that does a nice job has my total admiration. The last car I weathered looked as if it had been buried in the Sahara Desert for a couple of Millenia.
Ray: What a neat series of photos on the robins. We had about a 5 year period out here where they disappeared completely, but they've come back this spring and taken nest in my palm tree, of all places.
I notice that we've had a little on-going discussion about Rivet Counters. Well, sorry to tell you, friends, but evidently I'M one, but I hope in a good way. I didn't even realize it myself, until I found myself inspecting my rolling stock for a 'build' date. And waxing all upset because a couple of my Walther's Rio Grande streamline cars have a single stripe instead of the four stripes and the single stripe came into being several years after the era I'm modeling. Oh well--guess what. I'm still running the single-stripers in my "Prospector", LOL! As to the 'build' date on the freight cars, I thought: "Hey, I have to use a magnifying glass to see it, so what's the Big Deal?" But I do like to keep all of my equipment within the 1940-50 era.
The exception being my new Atlas track cleaning car, LOL! Boy, does THAT little puppy look 'surreal' being hauled around the track by one of my little 2-8-0's.
Got most of the lab results back from Kaiser. It appears to have boiled down to the fact that I am suddenly lacking a type of bacteria that aids in digestion. At least so far. Other than that, I'm pretty clean (and cleaned out!--sorry, couldn't resisit ) so we'll take it from there. Dr. told me not to take on anything that takes me away from a comfortable distance to the men's room for the next 2-3 days, so that means no Mass this weekend. Rats!
Spooky and Uff-Dah had a little 'territorial' dispute last night about who got first turn at the scratching post that ended up with Uff-Dah sitting on my lap and blinking a lot while Spooky took her turn on the post, then just sat down and stared across the room DARING him to come by and try to use it. And believe me, you've never been STARED at until you've been on the recieving end of one of Spooky's glares. I just told Uff-Dah, "Hey, you're a late-comer and she's a Princess. What can I tell you?" They were fine, this morning. But you've got to realize that a disagreement between those two involves about 40 pounds total of ticked-off Feline, LOL!
Well, that's it from this end of the Coast.
Best to all, prayers to those in need.
Thanks everybody for the boxcar remarks. I am currntly working on a hopper. That will take me a few days.
Went train hunting and got about 30 pictures of rust hoppers, some gons, and the C&O caboose. Between not making the geese mad (had 5 babies with them), and letting CSX know what I'm doing...........Its been a buy afternoon, and its on 2:45!!
Here's a few shots of what I got. I see some good ideas in those pictures .
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Amazing architectural work on the part of the Robins. I build things and need 35 page instruction manuals after learning for 10 years the hard way. Nature never ceases to amaze me.
Jerry, Rob, great looking cars. Weather is supposed to clear up a bit over the weekend. Maybe I can get something hobbywise accomplished. As long as the BENNIES (Tourists) don't go crashing into things over the weekend.
On that note; Chris, you mentioned 'Blue Light Wackers' (my term) the other day. Unfortunately, around here on summer weekends that is the only possible way to get through traffic in POV's for calls. Those City Folk don't know what volunteers are, they think EMS is sitting at the station (we don't have enough members for duty shifts). During the rest of the week we generally don't use them as the traffic is lighter.
oops, boss is back, catch-ya later. Eric
Afternoon folks!
Flo, I'll have one one of those Apple Turnover thingies that somebody brought in. I plan to eat it standing up. That way it doesn't count you know!
Where's Jeffrey today? I brought something in to show him. I don't want him to foget what they look like ya know. He says there haven't been any of them around his place in a while. I got a nest of robins in the light fixture on my back porch. This pair last year built their nest in a hanging coil of extension cord on the same porch. Since I took the coil down last fall, they decided to use the light fixture which won't stay closed. Over the years I have had a couple different species of birds try to use it for nesting. I will let them be for the season. I may then replace the light with one that will stay closed.......
Here are the parents on the neighbors fence just a few yards from the porch:
Mama Robin:
Papa Robin:
The nest site:
And a close up of the babies:
All photos were taken with a medium telephoto lens so as not to unduly disturb the nesting pair. They will now let me get as close as 3 or 4 feet away from them in the lawn and don't fly away, just hop a few more feet away from me. They will even stay on the nest if I open the door and quietly walk into the porch.
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Coffee in a UNION PACIFIC mug, please & thanks.
***Robby/Jerry, nice weathering on your box cars!
Finished critter rounds for the moment. No storms today so it's back to pulling posts.
Have a good day all.
Rob
Good afternoon one and all...
Chloe? Double cheeseburger and fries please and thank you...oh yeah, with a Coke to chase it down the food tube.
Hey, some good looking boxcars in here today. You guys are an inspiration. Had the weekly meeting with THAT editor this morning, and got my leads for next week: a new lawn/garden/nursery operation, a fish farm near Swisher, "The Bug Guy" for a profile/business feature, and a thing in some park on Sunday afternoon...I guess people get to play with mushrooms, birds... mostly a "have us (the paper) be seen at it" gig for an easy photo feature. Speaking of photos, I turned in a bunch from a graduation and Memorial Day service. Boss had what I call a "photogasm," that's a pleasant physiological reaction to a photograph...
I think they'll keep me for awhile yet.
I "should" go mow the yard...might finish the cement hopper instead. Sitting in a cool room sounds more inviting than baking in the sun, wilting in the humidity, and battling the zillions of nats we have this year.
Hmmm. Might have to ponder this one awhile...
Have a good 'un...
blownout cylinder Morgan--That would look like an oversized critter. I think that's neat looking though------Now to think of it as an Articulated---HMMN
Morgan--That would look like an oversized critter. I think that's neat looking though------Now to think of it as an Articulated---HMMN
Anyone here Star Trek fans? Or, anyone here like listening to debates btween the smart guy and the uncontroled brat? This is hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XZBTv5yrmA Note, this is the summarized varient. The full version is far longer, and copyrighted
-Morgan
Good Morning All...Its 67 but kinda humid here..Sun is in and out...I'm moving slow missed breakfast so I'll have a cheese burger,fries,and a diet Coke..I have been spending morning in our apartment we have a lady with some problems who has been out in the parking lot and its just easier to stay away from her..Sad but not much we can do about it..
Rob...Another great job!! Keep thsoe photos coming,,
Where is Jeff this morning? Hope He is OK?
Been listening to scanner CSX is doing some MOW near here..
I finnished the Model Power 50 foot double door box I have been working on...It had been kicking around in my junk box..I picked it up at a train show in sad shape for 50 cents but I liked the paint work on it,,I put new trucks and couplers on it,took roof walk off,painted rook and weathered,I should have lowered brake wheel and shortened ladders maybe latter but stuff like that is hard to see in N scale anyway...
You all have a good one...Jerry
Well, its time for the lunch bell to ring here at w**k, just kidding we don't really have a bell, so I'm stopping to top off the tanks. I'll take a grilled chicken sandwich with cheese and bacon, along with an order of fries, with a RBF please and thank you. Robby, the boxcar looks awesome, I really need to get some of my older boxcars and rolling stock and go ahead and get the weathered up for my layout (although the layout isnt' even started yet). Seeing all the work and progress on everyone's stuff in here makes me really need to get my hands busy building again. Well, as for right now I'm sitting at my desk, staring at a big ole pile of nothing (that's right, all the to-do projects are DONE!), and I hope that my afternoon stays that way.
Here is one of the apple turnovers. Help yourself. That is thick cinnamon with pecans on top. Tons of apple filling, and a great pastry. Don't plan on being hungry the rest of the day if you eat one. They are huge. Calaries included.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Robby,
Nice job on the boxcar!
Mornin' everyone! YAWN!!!
Tossed and turned a lot last night and finally woke up at 10AM......
TMarshyou don't want to be that guy who hung in way past his time, only to be referred to out of the corner of the mouth as "he used to be good.
Todd you are absolutely right and if I was too continue doing sound that time would be very soon I am afraid. As it is I now rely on the meters to do the job more than how it actually sounds. Luckily experience has me able to do that and "get away" with it. I studied with a lady named Anna Kaskas for two years at Eastman. Miss Kaskas was the leading contralto at the Met back in the 1930s and was part of their "Broadcast Quartet" for many years. She left her career at the Met to teach voice. Once at a party at her house the topic of discussion became Zinka Milanov who was still one of the leading sopranos at the Met and a close personal friend of Anna. Somebody said that Zinka was amazing to be able to sing that well in her 60s. Anna replied "Bull ......". (She was colorful to say the least) The D@%% fool should have retired years ago when she could still sing. She is just an embarrassment now! Hope I am never referred to like that by my friends... Oh, and yes I did get just a little misty eyed last night..............
It is a cool, dark, damp day here in the Finger Lakes. Currently 64°F under cloudy skies. High will only be 65°F with some showers and maybe a thunderstorm later in the day. The next several days appear to be more of the same. Sure am glad I went and bought plants to put in the garden yesterday. It needs to be rototilled again to work in the manure and get it ready to plant and it is a bit muddy right now. Oh well, more time to play trains I guess.
Mornin' Philip! Philip! Good Morning! Wake up and move over so somebody else can watch the trains who is actually awake for crying out loud.
Robby nice job on the boxcar. I like the load inside.
Hope you all have a great day today!
Ooh, Robby, I like that! Did you make the crates for the load, or whose are those? Chooch?
Alright, everybody, careful - it looks like PC has had his morning coffee IV already and he's primed to go!
Jim in Cape Girardeau
Good Morning, Zoe, Diners - I'll have an egg, cheese and bacon croissant and a cup of coffee, please 'n' thankyou.
Thanks for the info on my boxcars, Lee. I don't think these were the billboard ones when I got them (maybe I got the version before those), but it is very possible that I might've got them in the early 70's before the all-plastic ones came out. ANother thing might be, they could've been part of one of those 3-in-1 kits that MDC/Roundhouse made back a ways. These boxcars have been on the 'back bin' for some time, so almost anything is possible on their ancestry...
Our weather's supposed to be mostly sunny today - so wha' happened? Got clouds at the moment (we had some light fog overnight, I heard). Might reach the 70's (F) today, so won't warm up a huge amount or anything.
Garry, I'm with Todd - are you just tormenting us, with that description of those apple turnovers? Hey, good to see you brought some this morning! What've you got going this weekend?
Went through last night and got a rough inventory of the freight car kits that I have yet to assemble (and what loads for cars that I have). Yeah, I could keep busy with those this weekend, but I'm thinking that I'd like to get some of the STUFF cleared off of the layout instead (and then I could start checking track and get ready for wiring the leads and buses). Could w**k on getting some of those buildings finished or further along. Hmmm, seems like there's always something waiting to do on the layout. Oh yeah, and I could do some more weathering practice (after I find the matte spray). Decision, decisions...
I'll settle down in the front window booth a while. Prayers for healing and comfort, and for good doctors' visits for Jeff and anyone else seeing/getting checked out today.
Blessings,
The Sun is UP!
I've had my coffee..............
I'm ready and rearing to go..............
AND...........
Well I finished up the boxcar. I worked on it most of the night, and this morning. It wasn't my normal rust bucket. I added a load to the car, kinda give it the "being used" look.
Here's a few shots.
Before:
After:
Coffee and an apple turnover, please.
Todd ......... There are plenty of apple turnovers to go around. Each one is almost as big as a pie. They are really good!. ... If I see anybody using them as ammunition in the pie throwing contest, this will be the last time for the turnovers, however.
Hey, I haven't seen Sue lately. What are Sue and Larry up to?
Mornin', kinda cool yesterday but today is suppose to be nice. Sunny and 82F.No train time yesterday and I didn't get to FLHS or H-L. Hmm. I do need some window well covers the hail storm destroyed. Maybe while in town I might use the 40%, but on what.....? Decal paper? Oh well I gotta mow today. Or at least I should because they are calling for rain possible Saturday. If I will or not remains to be seen.
Bama- A belated to your "better half" Didn't get back in yesterday after you posted.
B-Tom-Glad to hear you don't have the Guiardia.
Ray- These last few times will be the hardest. Yet they will be the best. Sounds like everyone loved and respected your work. You have a lot to be proud of. Yet, all good things must end, or so they say, and you are doing the right thing by ending now for two reasons. (my opinions)First and foremost as you said, the hearing is shot and you need to hear your grandchildren. You don't want to miss their voices and their songs if it's something you can do. Second an least important of the two,(because you don't strike me as overly vain) you don't want to be that guy who hung in way past his time, only to be referred to out of the corner of the mouth as "he used to be good. He should have quit when he could still hear." It's stll something to consider. You're doing the right thing.
I like the term "Rivet Counter" for the dining counter. Maybe every so often they will show a picture or have a piece to display and then it can be analyzed or identified of something. Ooo maybe some of us under educated RR folks may learn something. Why is everyone looking at me like I'm the only one? .... oh.
"Rivet Counting" or prototypical railroading, or whatever it's actually called in this politically correct society, is a very valid and necessary part of the hobby. Even I, yes I, an RRM (that's Retired Redneck Mechanic) has to have wants my railroad to at least be believable to the normal person so it has to have some level of prototypicalness. What that level is......? Like, I don‘t want the old Kelloggs Covered Hopper, or the Green Giant billboard cars I have from the first go around, (though they'll get used) because the billboard cars don't fit the modern and I want the types and RR names of the cars to at least be in the area to kind of fit if you know what I mean. If others don't care even about that, who cares. They're world, their money, their entertainment. I have a CN boxcar that the wife proudly got me for Christmas. I can easily figure how it got there on my line, after all it is my world and it plays by my rules. Cars show up all over the place. Like the 20+ yr no more MKT hopper I see in Springfield. Maybe it was bought and never painted or is awaiting painting (I assume that is the deal). Ah well like someone said there is a prototype for almost everything. It's the snobs that give the group a bad name. Kinda like the few bad apples in the biker world, right Philip?( though the bikers are slowly loosing that stereotyping).
Lee-Sorry to hear about your Grandma, but glad to hear about your Mom.
Jim-Isn't it great to have someone so good at weathering like Robby, be so willing to share with others how-to's? Some can be kinda, well snobbish. Though I must admit the good weathers as a whole really do like to help others.
Garry- Aaaaaaaannd you brought some of those turnovers in for us to sample? Or are you just teasing us and making us drool on the floor so someone has to pull mop duty.
Best get a move on
Have a Great Day!
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Morning all, the rain is gone down here, and the sun is out and brightly shining. Jeffrey, thanks for telling me what your frankenstein engine was, I knew I didn't recognize it. Well, nothing really happening, got a ton of work-orders to enter in, then gotta go get a sample of the material we use for QA to check (I'm really getting sick of quality issues here) and a mad dash of other paperwork to finish, then I think I'm going to goof off after that. By the way I'll have a tall glass of milk, sausage biscuit, and I think that'll cover me for the morning. I'll do my best to check back in around lunch to see what else is shaking. For now I'll inhale these groceries in front of me and get back to dreaded w**k.
Good morning.It's 60 and sunny. The high should be around 85 and it will be partly cloudy.My father was up and around yesterday though moving quite slowly. He expects to be back at work tomorrow. I have an appointment with the foot doc at 10 this morning so I don't see much getting done on the MR front. Maybe this weekend I'll get something done.Today's Weather for:Sundown, LA 71446-6114 5/29/2009Wind Chill: 61°FHumidity: 90%Dew Point: 58°FSo Far TodayHigh: 63°FLow: 60°FRain: 0.00"Rain Rate: 0.00"/hGust: 0mph NNEToday High: 88 Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.Tonight Low: 62 Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Northeast winds up to 5 mph.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Good foggy, light drizzle, morning. I will take a blueberry muffin for now.
Well the wife wnet back into work this morning. Shes having ANOTHER meeting about that woman shw works with. This time she went to her supervisor.....supervisor. Maybe something will change.
I will work on my weathering projects today. Kinda let the grass dry out before I can cut it. I'm going to try to get one done. I will post some pictures of it later.
Well everybody have a good day.
Morning guys.
Full english breakfast please, I am hungry.
Another dreary/rainy day here. Can't really complain I guess all last week was beaut-eous.
My check should arrive today. Holidays always can mess it up. I DO know peeps who have DD for something...paycheck, pension, SS who have found the computers don't always DD it on the proper day either or if a holiday ensues, and have bounced checks cause of that. SO I know DD not to be totally accurate either. My bank is offering $100 free if you have new checking account with DD to it. Maybe I take advantage of that offer? Maybe I search for a CU to do it to?
If it comes I will have to run like a bunny quickly to Social Services and pay my spenddown for my Medicaid and do my other running around. Between my Medicare primary insurance fee and secondary Medicaid insurance fees, I pay about $265/ a month to have my health insurance! Medicaid is NOT free to everybody, everybody. That may be cheap to some of you, but for someone on SSDisability that's a chunk of change.
Should be working on transferring shtuff out of train/junk/storage room to enclosed porch in preps for yard sale in July, but won't have time with my running around today. Perhaps this weekend. Have something I have to ship off to Jeffrey W. also when my check gets here.
Well I have bored you all enough. I shall open up the throttle and chuff chuff chuff out of here!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Good Morning---
Weather here is calling for more rain--there is even talk of some streets having pontoons being used instead of cars. Gee, I wonder why. The highs are going to be around 20C today and 17C for tomorrow--sun may show up on Sunday then it will be right back to the swing of things with a few more days worth of rain---
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Garry--An Apple Turnover that big and tasty would not last for long around here---mind, some might use it for another missile---
TomW--At least it wasn't THAT. But get well--- Love those two in the pix--such Regal fellows. Spooky looks more like she owns the place----
Got a bit of running around to do this morning as I need some X-acto blades. Gee, why didn't these get bought a couple of days ago?---HMMN. Anyways, got that to do then it is off into the trainroom I go----I've got a few pix I've got to post--
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
*Has Alice Cooper's School's Out playing in Trackmobile* Ennergy Jim I think you mistakrefor Fatigue-driven slaphappyness. Back from club tonight, painted the staging yasrd (cause it looked bad ?) and chased some power "issues" (Okay, so I stood there and watched a guy who actually knew what he was doing) seems a block or six have phantom's powering them when they're unplugged...Sill works fine though, If it werent' for the signals, I;d be leery of fixing something that;s only half broken.
Tom, et al. Get well Soon. I may be getting myslef one of the sweepers. Dunno yet. Might help if I had a layout
A gift: Alright, I sent e-mails for permissions, and had the e-mails sent back t me by the Internet Post Office. Since I'm out of leads, I'm going to take that to mean that the permissions are somewhat free, so I'm gong to share this with yous guys. I'm sorry if I step on anyone's toes. I give you, A Saddletank Duplex CabForward: