Ray: Nice to see that the robins have gotten out on their own. We haven't had any robins down here since Rita passed through in '05.
Good news! My mother came through her surgery just fine and is back in the ICU. They're decreasing her sedation slowly so they can keep control of her blood pressure as she regains consciousness. Now we have to deal with the after effects of all this. One of those is her hair was shaved off prior to surgery, so she's gonna be a bit difficult to live with for a while. Glad I've got my own home to hide in. My father's not so lucky so he's gonna have to mind his P's and Q's. Ever seen a ticked off Indian? He has, and he has no desire to see that again. While I have an explosive temper my mother makes me look like a fire cracker next to a pound of C4. I'll be treading lightly!
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
Afternoon,
Been helping my son who is still trying to get his boat trailer finished. It is finally getting there, and we may get it finished tomorrow. He is making a boat winch to pull the boat up onto the trailer and hold it in place.
I went out to the back porch this morning and my little robins have fledged! Empty nest! None of the 3 babies nor the parents are anywhere around today. Lucky I got a photo of them yesterday. I knew it was getting close.
I also happened to have the camera in my hand and caught Blackie being his usual scamp of a kittie...
Hope all is well for Jeff and his mom!
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Well Jerry, I had some pictures of it up in one of the previous diners, I don't remember which one though. Right now its in B&O paint as #4123 (which coincidentally survived the Chessie Days and currently wears CSX YN2 paint as 6023), but since I'm modelling the Montgomery-Dothan area of Alabama, it would be more "right" to see 6017 (which is the Chester Yard engine in Montgomery and provides help on some of the trips south (and at least once every 90 days goes over on a Q-train to Waycross for service). So I'm trying to get the paint off, get the worm assembly and driveshaft replaced (just before I put away the train stuff the front worm gear, cover, and worm shaft decided that it no longer liked me and left the locomotive; she'll still run, but its a little funky when its picking up power on both trucks, but only pulling with the rear), upgrade the wiring and install a DCC board (y'all got any good suggestions?), super-detail the engine, and finally get YN3 paint on it as the prototype engine currently is. Then I'll start on my next project, a Life-Like GP38 that came out of a trainset that I had when I was about 8, gonna DCC, Detail, and Upgrade it so that it can run on my layout as a local engine here in Troy, AL.
Wow, that was a long-winded deal there, didn't realize I had it in me. Zoe, I'll take a RBF and hang out here at the Rivet Counter and see whom else strolls in.
Thanks guys. I have another car to weather but that will take some time to do.
J.R.........The weeds are the "fake fur" from the craft stores. I cut it to size, and sprayed some hair spray on top of the fur. After the spray was added, I then put some "green turf" to the wet fur. After that step, I then used the hair spray again. Kinda keeps it all in place.
Well I gotta go. Be back in later to catch up.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Sitting here at work (for a moment, been REAL busy here), the boss stepped out. The weather has not been the best. Too damp to paint outside, and until today, to hot to work in the attic. Maybe I can get away with primering in the basement.
Rob - ???? You sure you didn't just take a bridge shot and clip out the car???? I'M KIDDING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's an incredible looking car. That 'rust' finish and the graffiti is amazing! Sir, you are a master at your craft.
Jeff - Keeping your Mom in the prayers.
To much to keep up with.. Eric
SCHOOL'S OUT!!!! YES!!!!! Model railroading time :)
Looks like I got top, lol. Dig in guys.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Afternoon All...Its partly cloudy and a cool 65 her it dropped into lower 40's last nite..Strange weather!..Looks like I missed breakfast..I'll have a double pork burger,onion rings and a diet Coke Please..Thank You...I got good news this morning Visiting Nurse released me..
JR....Congrats on your racing and glad to hear you were not hurt..Good luck in races coming up..
PC..Great photos..Is there anything that You don't do well?
Bama...Hope to see photo when You finnish it...
Jeff...Prayers for your Mother...You gotta take care of yourself too!!..
Robby...Wow you are an artist!!..Another great job..Keep those photos of your work coming
I am working on 3 two bay coal hoppers that I had in junk box...Had to replace some of the bracing and steps on ends..when you get up close they are pretty ruff but on a moving train they won't look to bad..Coal hoppers take a beating anyway...
You all have a good one...Jerry
twhiteJeff: Any news on the surgery?
Morning all from We-Just-Got-Clobbered-Cal. Last night a big thunderstorm cell sneaked up the east side of the Valley and got hung up over us and the foothills for about four hours. We just got pounded. The weather report said that at the rate of the rain, the hills east of us were getting an average of seven inches per hour!
Now that might not seem a lot to some of you, but remember, this is CALIFORNIA, land of Shake and Bake and Fruits and Nuts, not tornadoes and hurricanes. At any rate, when I got up this morning, after being kept up most of the night by thunder and lightning that sounded like an orchestral percussion section on drugs, we were soaked, there were still little patches of golf-ball sized hail, and branches all over the place. Quite an eye-opener.
I have no idea how many fires might have been started in the hills by lightning strikes, but Nevada County, to the northeast of us in the Sierra had registered over 700 lightning strikes just by midnight. It was a real banger!
Odd thing about it, at the height of the storm, both Spooky and Uff-Dah were perched in the kitchen window going "Ooh" and "Aah," while their pet Human (me) was waiting for a lightning bolt to split the house in two. Those are two WEIRD little furballs.
Jeff: Any news on the surgery? We're all praying for the best.
Jim: Much as we could use a LOT more sane, neat people like you out here in this crazy state, I would NOT recommend moving here, at least at this time. The Guv and our overpaid, underworked Assembly are running around like Henny Penny, slashing everything they can think of. The latest: They think that they can save a couple of million a year by lowering the euthanization time of pets brought to the local animal shelters from six days to 36 hours. Hello? It takes almost that long to FIND the local animal shelter around here, it's way out in the country at the dead end of an unpaved farm road. Luckily, my two cats are microchipped, and wouldn't go outside if you dragged them, but that doesn't mean that every animal in Sacramento County is, or they don't accidentally get out, sometimes. I'm still shaking my head about THAT one!
Ol'Timer: Yes, there are quite a few of us Cab-Forward freaks out here, by golly. Card-carrying and all. And proud of it. Beautiful lokies. I was almost thirteen before I realized that most articulateds ran cab-backward and I thought they were all funny looking, LOL! Didn't Williams at one time put out an absolutely SPECTACULAR version of the Missabe M-3/4 2-8-8-4? Seems I saw one some years ago and spent a good hour drooling over it. If I didn't have two HO Akane versions of the same loco at that time, I'd almost have switched scales.
Well, it's kitchen table time (after I feed the cats)--gotta find out why my Genesis F-3's are so shy about running in reverse. It looks like the shells just slip off, but I'm almost afraid to look underneath. So if you hear an "ARRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!" coming from this end of the country, it's me blinking at HO scale diesel innards.
Best to all, prayers for those in need.
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!
Well everyone, looks like that rain that everyone else was talking about has made it in. Its currently pouring down here (ahhhhh....rain on a tin roof at work, in a dark room....wanna, wanna sleep...). I'm going to check my GP40-2 out one more time to see how the alcohol is working, if it isn't, then I'm just going to continue letting it soak, and go buy some 90% and throw it in there on top of the 70, see how them apples work. I'll take a RBF and sit by the window and watch the trains.
Jeff, your mom is still in our prayers, and to everyone else, we'll keep y'all in our minds and hearts too.
Before I forget, anyone got a recommendation for what I should do as far as wiring up new lights for my GP40-2? I've still got the original wiring hook up for the engine right now, but I'd love to actual working ditch lights and a better head light set up on the cab end and actually put a light on the long hood end. The engine is not currently DCC, but I will be setting it up for DCC as I "upgrade" it with detail parts, current paint and make the repairs to the front truck drive.
pcarrellhowmusWas there a tornado involved as well? Nothing official, but it looks like it. One of the pics shows what looks to be the beginnings of one.
howmusWas there a tornado involved as well?
Nothing official, but it looks like it. One of the pics shows what looks to be the beginnings of one.
That's what I thought......
Mornin' everyone!
Slept in late again today ('course I was up after midnight last night.....). The president of the MLK committee stopped by before he went to work this morning (that would be 8AM I guess - people are actually up at that time of the morning) and tried to wake me up by ringing the doorbell. Then he knocked on the door as loud as he could. I didn't hear a thing! Except that guy running the chainsaw in my bedroom. Why he does that I don't know! Anyway as soon as I finish the coffee Flo brought me (in a R&GV Museum Mug) I will get dressed and rescue the checks he left me so I can pay some bills for the committee. They are presently signed by him and residing in my grill outside.
Jeffrey, hope you have some good news for us this morning. Do know that your mom and you and the family are in my prayers!
Philip, those are amazing photos and since I have been through some vicious hail storms over the years that had hail no bigger than an inch across, I can't imagine what that sounded like coming down. I am amazed that people weren't killed by them. I can tell you that dime sized hail can leave some major welts if you are caught out in the open...... Was there a tornado involved as well?
J.R., so your going to up in my neighborhood next weekend, huh? Watkins is at the other end of Seneca Lake so you'll be about 30 miles due South of me. That is a great track (I guess) and is the only one where I have actually been to races (Formula 1 way back in the late 60s). Good Luck!
Paul sorry to hear about the old cow. Hopefully she at least had a healthy calf. Glad she had the strength to give birth at least!
Robby, I also use the Sophisticated Finishes for a lot of rust. Great stuff and nothing looks like rust more than....uh....rust!
Well time to get a move on. See everyone later.
BamaCSX83 .... called them the names .... not when they were near though ... LOL
Twhite .... 5 !!! cab forwards .... you lucky rascal you ... going to install a set of sanders on one of the Williams CF's .... got lucky and found a pair of brass ones cheap on ebay ... believe it or not finally got another deal on the Bay ....
JimRCGMO .... I did'nt realize so many folks loved them ... darn we should start a Cab Forward clan .
RobbyP .... great idea on those finishes ... Michael's will be on my stop list to check the rust out .... Best of luck on your wife's checkup ...
Next cholesterol chekup is 2 weeks away so ... ... 1/4 pound of bacon crisp ... 2 eggs over easy ... 4 slices of toast with real butter .... hope it flushes out of the veins by then or my doc will go off on me again ...
I may leave the front couplers alone ... working ones look huge on the front ... may rig an adapter and dremel/fabricate a full sized one instead ... on and off deal ... slip over and keep original the adapted ones can be used for when i want to run them pushing .
Good morning, Biscuits and Gravy with 2 scrambled eggs on top of the biscuits and coffee please. What? No, no, no, (ha ha) coffee in the mug, not on the biscuits. Not much happening today, I want to go to the FLHS today and spend some of my tip money. Not a bad night for no busier than we were, $56 so I could get something, Hmmm, Paint! Yep I need to find some paint that is an acceptable compromise for "Swamp Holly Orange" I can't find that color anywhere but in some industrial paint spray can on the internet. "Now with more heavier pigment" think I'll pass on trying to make that "heavier pigment" work. Oh well it just has to be close. I'm dying to use the new airbrush but until I get some 90% alcohol, to strip some cars first...., if by some freak chance it turns out ok I want to be prepared!!! I have 70% and thought I'd give it a try but after following Bama around to see how his try is working I think I'll just get some 90% when I'm in town today. Mom day ya know. Speaking of Mom,
Jeff- How's your Mom? I heard the surgery that was needed NOW hadn't happened at least 8 hours later. Still praying for her.
Bama- I've decided, courtesy you, to forgo the attempts at 70% alcohol to strip paint and just get the 90%.
Paul- Glad to hear the calf's ok. Hopefully the calf got to momma enough before she died. (oh I see you already said she did.)
PC- The pictures were awesome to say the least. But awe inspiring at the same time. A reminder that we are just living on this planet with the other creatures and are by no means "King of the Hill".
J.R.- I'm holding my breath on your house that construction doesn't go kaput again. Good luck this season and be careful driving. 6th place after a yaer and a half ain't bad, ain't bad atall.
Gotta call Mom, get her grocery list and get a move on. Have a Great Day!
EDIT: Aaaaa HA! It was the putting the names in bold in the word processor that caused the annoying indentions thing. Putting them in bold after pasting seeems to be the preferred method for me now.
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.
Good Morning All,
Good grief is it really Thursday already? I'll have a regular and a corn muffin please Zoe. Yes grilled with butter - yum.
Looks like lots going on as usual - Jeff I hope your luck gets better soon. Your mom is in our prayers and please let us know if there is news.
Robby - the cars look great but what i'd like to know is what you used for the weeds between the tracks (it's a few pages ago but they look spot on for our area.)?
Ran my first race in a year and a half at Millville (south of Atlantic City) Finished 6th overall 3rd in class out of about twenty cars in my Lotus 7. Had a fender bender on Saturday when someone spun in front of me and I just couldn't quite miss him (right fender to right fender) but otherwise no real issues other than a rusty driver. Got back and was flat out finishing cars for VIR (Danville, Va.) which left yesterday morning but I stayed at the shop to catch up paperwork and stuff for Watkins Glen next week and Mosport the week after that. Busy busy - must be race season.
On the home front the sheet rockers are hard at work, we need to get flooring sorted out, and trim arranged soon. Once the rockers are done we can seal and paint the walls and ceilings so it's starting to look like a house again.
No model railroad wok to report other than continuing with the O gage layout at the museum and dreaming of a new layout once the house is done. Lots to do so I'll catch y'all later. J.R.
Check this out: http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=10468563 I was very close to 116th & Allisonville Rd. (About 2 miles from there)
Some pics (Warning: LARGE)
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4604372106_1403-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4604345img_1628-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4604224p1030549s-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4604223p1030550s-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4604176downtownindy-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4603993lone-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4603967possibletornadodamagehighvoltagepowerlines-f.png
http://indy.planetdiscover.com/files/extImages/3/4603966dsc02923-f.png
Prayers for those in need!
Good morning y'all. I'll have biscuits and gravy with a side of sausage and the biggest glass of milk you can get me. Well after waking up this morning to the sound of rain on the roof (and wishing it wasn't the alarm clock that woke me up), I'm up, alive, and here at w**k. I guess that I won't be doing anything outside today, other than looking at it and watching those raindrops keep falling, so today will be an inside day. I've got my parts cage and my shop to get cleaned up (sweep, take the trash out, no real, major cleaning) and that's it. I'll probably be in here a lot. I think I'm about ready to give up on the 70% alcohol for my GP40-2, its just not doing the job, checked it again this morning and not a speck of paint is missing. Anyone got any better suggestions?
Hello----
We're having our usual mix of sun/cloud with the chance of showers pegged at 20%. High of 20C with the low of 6C tonight ---
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Robby--I love the paint scheme on that loke---that also sounds like a great deal!! I've also got to get me some of that "Rust"!!
Jeff-Hope everything is OK there? Any news?
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Well got some work related stuff to do this AM so it's off to the office to do this stuff
Chloe, I'll have a coffee and in tanker and some muffins to go please-----
CYABYE!!!
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/
Gotta go this morning for the wifes meeting with the doctor. Make sure everything is ok after the surgery. So probably no train stuff today.
Packer.........Thats the "rusting agent" I used. Here's another shot of a roof I did using the stuff.
Also would you believe that the LHS has one of these engines in stock!!! They want $79.99. I was in love at first sight.
Well I better get ready.
Everybody have a good one.
Jeff - Your Mom is in my prayers. I know the wait can be frustrating......
Lee - A public apology; I didn't forget (well, it sorta slipped my mind), I've been so busy. I'm taking the package to work and will mail it this afternoon... promise.
Chloe, a coffee and a bowl of oatmeal (for the Dr.) I've got a couple of minutes before I need to leave for work.
Eric
AmanaMedicJEFF: Hoping the surgery went well, sounds like it's still a dicey situation...
*yawn*
Good Evening,
JEFF: Hoping the surgery went well, sounds like it's still a dicey situation...
ROBBY P: As usual, NICE job on the boxcar, and thanks for posting the link to your magic solution. I've been using Mountain Modelcraft's "Rusty Steel" weathering wash for several years. My bottle is about out, and I don't recall seeing it listed on their website the last time I looked. I may need an alternative...and you may have just provided one.
We had a special training session tonight for helicopter ground ops. The crazy pilot was flying tonight...and we were all highly entertained as he educated and enlightened us. This guy is by far the BEST EMS pilot I've ever known. He got his start (as many have) by flying choppers in 'Nam. IF I ever need 'the bird' he's the guy I want flying it.
In other news of the day, I interviewed "The Bug Man" today in North Liberty. Neat guy. He's running his own pest extermination business out of his house. He started out in Las Vegas, and battled scorpions, fire ants, and killer bees. YIKES! Should be fun writing up the article on him.
*YAWN*
Oh, found out another one of our firefighters is a UPRR guy. He's on a system rail gang, working a week or two at a time, then off for a week or two. The other guy is the section forman based out of Lowden, about 5 miles East of Clarence. Apparently, the ballast undercutter is working the Clinton Subdivision, so might have something interesting to look at yet this week/next week.
I think that'll do for tonight, so will yield the floor and head for the rack.
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
Thanks Jeff, that answered that question. I'm still old school and all my stuff has horn-hooks on them (just never got around to converting them all before I put the "train stuff" away when I was younger). So I guess that I will be asking a lot more questions on them, but at the same time I can always use the conversion list on their website. Oh well, back to compiling my "to-do" list on this locomotive as it seems I have lost my former parts list.
JimRCGMOIs that diesel in the photo an HH series? Doesn't look like any EMD units I know of... And I think that's the first 'portable' trainorder device I've seen - only have seen the fixed ones (usually with steps on the side away from the track so they can get to the 'V' that holds the orders).
Hi Jim! I may be mistaken but....... I think that loco has a Fairbanks Morse Prime mover. It was a US Army switcher possibly used at the Seneca Army Depot at one time...... But to be sure, I would have to ask one of the "historians" out at the Museum. My understanding of the "Train Order" thing is that if a Semaphore had a "caution" position or a "slow" (yellow) marker, the orders could be picked up on the fly as the train passed. That way the train didn't have to completely stop and have the engineer or conductor leave the train and go into the office to pick up the orders. Yes that pole was used for those type of train orders way back when. Probably on the Erie which is the original line that served the Industry Station.
I spent the rest fo the evening after Deacons tonight (Short meeting, done in 45 minutes) updating the Division Membership information for my NMRA Division. Not the easiest thing to try and figure out..... Now I have to learn how to update the email client from our website so that I can have an updated listing to send info to our membership. Fun and games.
Hope all of you have a good evening!
Prayers for all in need!
[edit] Jim that loco is a Fairbanks Morse H12-44. You can see her in action here: http://www.rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/usa1843/index.htm
Evening Gang: I am still here. Well here and there. Mostly there.
We are doing fine. We got rain last night, about 1 1/4 inches. Not to be ungratefull but it can stop now for about 5 days while we get the hay cut and baled.
One of our old cows had a calf the other day about a week ago. She was a real walking skeleton. I told Mary Ann that we needed to sell her before she died and we got nothing again. Well she had the calf and then died that night. Now we have a bottle baby on our hands. Fortunately she lived long enough for the calf to get the cholestrum in the first milk. Anyway the calf is a boy and doing fine.
Mary Ann is doing well with her dialysis. Sometimes the staff get on her nerves but she is taking it all right.
Jeff I'm happy to hear that your mom is doing allright. Tell her I said hello.
We went by U.P.s Davidson yards yesterday and they had at least three tracks full of dead locomotives. The number of trains coming through our place is way down also.
Well tomorrow is an early wake up so I'd better get out of here.
Good Night All
BamaCSX83I do have a question for youse guys though. I checked Kadee's website and they recommend converting my Athearn GP40-2 to a #38 coupler, which I guess would be fine, but I was thinking of using either the #148, or the good ole #5, so how compatible would it be to go from what they recommend to something like the 148 or 5?
Evening all...Just stopped in for a RBF before bed....Reds are beating the cards 7-2 in late innings..I worked on 3 hopper cars from the junk box today.....You all have a good nite...Jerry
Well y'all, I've got my daughter in my lap and doing the one-handed typing thing here, so any typos, I apologize in advance. Nothing special happening, still got my locomotive body soaking in 70% alcohol, still nothing happening, but hey, I'm going to give it time (not like I can really do a whole lot else right now). I do have a question for youse guys though. I checked Kadee's website and they recommend converting my Athearn GP40-2 to a #38 coupler, which I guess would be fine, but I was thinking of using either the #148, or the good ole #5, so how compatible would it be to go from what they recommend to something like the 148 or 5?
I'll have an Arnold Palmer please.
Sue it's good to see you back, I just got home myself after being out to sea. I left and it was cold and came home to the sun. I have to say, after the winter we had, and several months underwater that ball of light in the sky hasn't looked better. You and Mark are my closest neighbors so I wish you a happy summer in the Pac North West.
Garry, great looking Alco's.
Robby, once again your weathering is top notch.
Mark enjoy your summers while you've got em. I wish I had mine back. That rifle sounds sweet. I recently aquired a Rock River M4 just before going to sea so I haven't had much time to play with it. I'll post a pic when I'm don't "fideling" with it.
Jeff give your mom my best, I'll keep her in my prayers.
Nothing new around here, I had planned on getting out this fall, but with the economy the way it is, i just re-enlisted for another 5 years. I'll be at 9 years in September, 11 more to retirement, and then I'll move on to a job that'll let me enjoy my kids AND my trains a little bit more.
I just got my July issue a couple of nights ago. Half way through the article about the South Shasta lines I started thinking about what is going to happen to the layout when Godfrey Humann passes. I was saddened to learn at the end of the article that he had passed away before it got published. Does anyone know what the plans for the layout are? It would be a shame for such a gorgeous layout that was so painstakingly and lovingly built go away.
I just received a couple of books in the mail from the Southern Pacific Historical and Technical society. One is Serving the Golden State Branchline Style, a look at the SP's Friant Branch, and the other is Southern Pacific Steam Pictorial vol. II. So I'm gonna go read for a bit.
Jason
Modeling the Fort Worth & Denver of the early 1970's in N scale