Mornin' everyone!
Chloe I'll have the #2 special this morning. Over easy on the eggs, bacon, homefries, and a double order of sourdough toast. Don't forget the ketchup and the hot sauce...... Oh, and my usual dark roast coffee in a FGLK Mug.
LSWrrRay that is good news someone got a good price for their house. Housing in the Cleveland Metro area is still in the dumps with the loss of the auto industry. The steel mills are silent and all the factories that supported the auto industry are very quiet or closed all together. In 2000 my house cost $105,000.00 and right now I can take my pick of a similar house for $45,000.
The house they are selling is one that his wife bought before they were married. She paid something like $18,000 for it as I had been sitting on the market for a while and was a perfect size for her. It sits in a "borderline" area not far from the college in Geneva. It was originally housing for railroad or factory workers. It has a very, very small lot (house next door on one side sits about 8 foot from hers). Anyway they have been saving a down payment ever since they got married and have some equity in the house. The housing market around here has been fairly stable during the entire downturn. I bought the house I live in 25 years ago for $39,000. It is valued at $90,000 today. If my house was up in the "uppah clahss" area of Canandaigua it would have been $75,000 when I bought it, and valued at $150,000 today.
My other son lives in Chicago and bought (along with his partner and another person) a two story brick house in an up and coming neighborhood for $450,000 (it was a "steal"). It had 3 apartments at the time. The owners lived in 2 of the apartments and they rented the other. Back 5 years ago it had gone up in value to $600,000. They also had removed the rental apartment and used it for storage/work space. When he was bragging about all that I informed him that Chicago was grossly over valued, was a bubble market, and was going to burst...... His response was to roll his eyes and say, "Poor Dad, he just isn't up on how things are", and assured me that I was way off base. Well, he and his partner were fortunate enough to be able to remortgage the house, pull some of their equity out of it, and get a low, locked in rate just as the market colapsed. House is now worth around $300,000......... He was smart enough, and had from his job at U of C at the time the ability to react quickly when he realized dad was still smarter than he thought....
Barry the Jordan Kits are great, but are definitely craftsman level. lot of extremely small parts, lots of fitting, and removal of flash to deal with. You will absolutely need a good pair of magnifiers and some steady fingers to work with them successfully. That said, give one a try and see how you like them.
Well I see breakfast has arrived so I'll go sit at the Rivit Counter and chat some more.
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Morning fellas! Its been a while since I've been able to get into the diner. Things haven't been well here. On June 26th, I was terminated from my job and have not been able to find one since, although I've also only been heavily looking in my "preferred" (read: autoparts and repair) job field. I figure if nothing comes up after Friday, on Monday I'm going to start going to places like the grocery stores and restaurants and applying. Heck, if I've got to, I'll get a job digging ditches. Its not like I'm afraid of work.
Oh well, on the MRR front, I've been slowly but surely getting all the things together to at least use my existing paints (mostly Testors paints I've used for years painting aircraft and vehicle models) to whack at some of my existing rolling stock. It can't hurt it much to put a layer of paint on some of them in lieu of buying parts.
Ahh, well for the morning/almost lunch, I'll have a RBF and a bacon cheeseburger. Thankfully right now I can "relax" a little on the job hunting, it won't be until the end of the month that I'll be "desparate" for one. Sorry I wasn't/haven't been able to make it into the diner recently, and I'm sorry to say that I don't like having seeing the old diner going to the torch, but I think we've got a bigger diner now, don't we?
Good Morning All...Its sunny and 74 after some thunder bumpers yesterday evening..I'' have coffee and a sweet roll please...Thank You..
Chris...Yes they told me it should be no trouble to get a new chair..I hate to give the old one up after over 5 years and lots of miles...
Rob..10.00 for a B-Man 0-4-0 with shipping sounds like a good deal to me...
Lee...good luck at Doctor today..Ole' Artur is no fun...
Garry....Have a safe and good trip to Cincy..Gonna be able to make any side trips to rail fan or hit train shops?
Jeff..Hope you get your comuter problem fixxed soon...Hows your Mother doing?
This is Foundry I have been working on out of "left-overs" from New River MIne..Its goes on back drop..I call it Rowe Foundry after foundry here in Martinsville that get scrap metal in gons on CSX and ships out TRactor wheel weights in box cars..I gotta put windows in,paint,weather and detail...
You all have a good day...Jerry
Had to take time out to glue hair back on doll for Tootie...
Its afternoon already??????? What happened to the morning?
I went to a LHS for the next weathering project. I go early beofre they open, so I can get some "rail shots/video". Well a auto-rack was coming and I started to recod it, near the end of that train......Well was one right on its tail. It has two tracks. But they both were going in the same direction. I thought that was real neat. Kinda looked like a race. I will get that video up later tonight.
After that, I got my new projects. Two boxcars. A Ex. Rock Island 'Patched to CNW", and a Ann Arbor car. I will fade them both today, but start on the CNW tomorrow. Here's a couple of before shots.
Jerry............Thats a nice looking building.
Well I will get that video up tonight. Have a good afterrnoon.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Cox 47Jeff..Hope you get your comuter problem fixxed soon...Hows your Mother doing?
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
Went to see the foot doc this morning so he could poke and prod my feet some more. They're about the same as they were the last time. I left from there and to pick up my lunch at Burger King then came back to my parent's home and made lunch for my mother Then I ate my lunch as I typed out this post. As you can see there's not a lot going on in my world today.
Afternoon all. Zoe, I'll take a RBF, thanks.
I was going to go into the old diner to catch up, but then saw that the tore the siding up! Oh well...This reminds me. I finished up the paint on the DDA40X a while ago, but never got around to emailing the guy. Once I get permission, I'll post it. Then I'll just need to do the GP40PH-2...
Well, after some comments and suggestions, I revised my trackplan:And for those who may not have seen the old one:
I'll be in the back corner catching up.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
Hey, everyone. I conferred with Wade Emblad this morning about how to handle this thread in the best way for the server. Contrary to what I had understood, it is actually better for him in terms of retrieval and control if I simply lock the thread and let it fade away. Deleting it as I did can be much more costly in the long run. Wishing to keep everyone as happy as possible, and now knowing more about both camps, I will lock the thread when it next comes time to fold it up and start a new one.
Sorry for ruffling any feathers and bonnets out there.
-Crandell
Crandell, I think that the biggest hitch was for us that were behind a few pages and wanted to at least catch up before getting moved into the new diner. Apologies accepted. Well, since its post-lunch, I'll just go with a RBF and a small bowl of vanilla ice cream. I'll be in and out all day as time goes. I've now got my GP40-2 soaking in 91% alcohol, so we'll see what it does in a couple days, then I can slap a coat of "primer" on (probably going to be a simple flat Testors white paint that way I can work with something easier than black.
No problem Crandell. Too bad it's too late to relay the old siding, but what can you do...
Hi Crandell, I appreciate all you do for us, But what I would like to see is when the time comes to shut the old Diner down and start a new one that the last 48 hours of posts could be transfered or copied to be the first posts on the new one. That would be far less stressful for us old Pharts. See what you can do in that regard.
Again, THANKS.
Johnboy out..................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Coffee in a large UNION PACIFIC mug, please & thanks.
***Jerry, the Rowe Foundry looks great.
Our local power company linemen have little to do these days (no construction going on), so they finally came down the driveway and took out that big old dead pine that has been threatening our transformer for years. Then they tightened up not only their power lines, but even raised the phone line (not their job). Neat!
Have a good day all.
Rob
Hello
Whew!! I thought we were going to be---"On The Move Again--" every 3 days!!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Busy day today, started out by seeing about another 10 clients and getting forms filled out and recording comments---then it was back to the office and getting some of these things up on the 'pooter up here. Next week-----more of the same!!
Tomorrow, I'll have off so I'll be up at a more 'sensible' time-------
Chloe, I'll have a RBF and a blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream please--- I'll be at the RC with RAY---
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/
Here's that video. Sorry about the bad "shooting" near the end. Trying to get them into view. Its about three minutes long. The best part is near the end.
Well gentleman, I have 3 hours of soccer camp tomorrow, then it's off to my grandma's for the weekend. however, I will hopefully get a ride to a great hobby shop in Greenville and also get new running shoes.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
My mother finally tired herself out around 4 pm. She has these exercises she has to do to build up her upper body strength so she can stand up unaided. She's getting there but still has a ways to go. She finally went to bed at about 5pm. I stuck around a bit to help my father with the groceries when he came in plus I had two loads of my mother's laundry going. My father was worn out from work so he headed right for his bed while I put the groceries away. I went to Wal-Mart a little later to get a 5-pack of T-shirts and a quart of transmission oil for the car. That's been about all for my day today. Oh yeah, I also pumped about a 1,000 gallons of water from the well to the pool to replace what's evaporated over the past week when we had those really hot days.
Good evening, Chloe, Diners - Chloe, I'll have a cup of coffee in a Santa Fe mug, and a cinnamon roll, if you have some left. Ulrich, the cinnamon rolls here are great, too - don'tcha love how big they are? Could feed a fella (or gal) well enough to get through from breakfast until suppertime!
Crandell - thanks for checking on the arrangements for the Diner, and that sounds better with you just locking the old thread when we have to change sidings. Easier to keep up for those who aren't in on a daily basis in here, too. Did Wade have any suggestions on what (in the way of posts) does/doesn't help to lighten the load on the server? Or should we take up a collection for more memory chips for it? (Hey, if it'd help, I'd start putting back some nickels and dimes to get there...)
Ulrich - if you can get them there, I'd recommend Kadee couplers - I took one look at the (I think they're called) 'Accu-Mate' couplers and decided I wasn't even gonna wait to put the Kadees on later; did them right then!
Robby, I dunno about that idea of taking the Diner wheels off - I saw a big ol' 250 ton crane not far from the old Diner siding, so that might be what they hauled everything off with. Great video of the two trains, too. Sounded like some wheel bearings need a bit of lube-ing on them...
Speaking of freight car (kits), I went and looked for my P2K C&O gondola kit tonight before I came into the Diner. Turns out I have a few gondola kits to assemble, but weird thing is, so far the P2K ones all are black in color - WP, C&O, two Frisco ones, all are black. I was thinking more gons were like Santa Fe painted theirs - kind of like boxcar red (or is it mineral red?) in color. Will need to order in some decals for AT&SF gondolas (including data marking) and get some of that red paint ready. I'm debating about re-doing one of the Frisco gons and turning it into a Santa Fe as well. I already have one SP that's the 'boxcar red' kind of color, a Frisco (both of those are LBF kits, assembled). I'll need some of that same color when I paint my ore cars, also. I think I do have the ore car data decals.
Okay, Garry, you have me curious now - what are TH's 'old-fashioned' donuts like? And how are they different from cake or glazed donuts (texture, taste, crunch or whatever?
Jerry, it sounds like you feel about your old chair like several of us do about the (last/older) Diner(s). Hope you get the new one 'broke in' (not literally...) soon enough. And great job on the Foundry - get the windows and doors on that, and that'll be a major moneymaker for your RR.
Rob, if that little Dockside runs okay, that's a great price on it - and even if you need to coax it a little and fine tune it, it's still a very good price. Of course, since I have some partiality to the 0-6-0T Saddle Tanker (first the MDC/Roundhouse one, and now the Bachmann Spectrum remake of it), I can understand liking those cute little switchers. Hey, good deal on your bonus from the power company - guess it w**ked out okay that their folks had a little free time on their hands, huh?
Sawyer - remember your gatorade (and plenty of it)! Don't want any problems out there for those three hours.
Jeff - sounds like your whole family is tuckered out. Whew! On your modem (or more exactly, your folks' line), it looks like it's call-them-up time for the (cable?) company again. It must have been really humid around your folks' home, if 1000 gallons worth evaporated over those past few days. That's a bunch! Tonight would be a good great time to catch up on your sleep.
Today at w**k was... well, I'll just quote from one notepad my friend in Memphis sent me:
"The urge to scream tells me I must be at w**k."
It's kinda weird right now, as I'm by myself on one side of our end of the building, and everyone else is back in either the middle (support staff and supervisor), or on the other side of our 'wing'. Had a couple of maintenance guys who were spackling and then painted the walls in a couple of the empty rooms, but otherwise, it was me and the clients who showed up today (had two who didn't show up).
[rant] Then at noon was our monthly staff meeting (which we haven't had for a few months...). Our CEO goes over how they arrived at the budget for this fiscal year - July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 - and points out that for our entire agency's budget of about $9 million for all our counties served, the expenses put it within about $16,000 (and change..) of the income, so basically not lots of flex room in it. Then he winds up with saying 1) that we can't afford to miss our 'production' objectives that were used for the budget (based partly on last year's average figures and some adjusting), and that if we do fall behind, 2) since payroll, FICA taxes, health benefits, and insurance, etc. amount to most of the budget, if we do fall behind it will require some jobs to go, but 3) our history in the past has been consistenly that we tend to somewhat exceed the production estimates. (Okay, good news, possible bad news) Oh yeah, figures were based on the first 10 months of last fiscal year (through May 2009, expanded to 12 months for the budget. I think there're about 300 employees)
Then our financial officer (CPA) is asked if he has anything to say. He does, and he proceeds to say that he got today the figures for June production, and of the 30 case workers, only 2 in our local office made their production estimates, and none of those in our outlying offices made their production estimates, and that at that rate, it would make us $600,000 under budget for the year. Then he says that if that happens, there's have to be about 30 jobs cut, since payroll is so big a part of the expenses (He did say that we'd have to cut 7 administrators to cover the projected shortfall, but we only have five - supposedly. I say, let's only cut 10 regular employee jobs and 5 administrators!....). Boy, does that guy suck big time at motivation! Since we only have two people handling crisis and walk-in services (including me), and the other one is brand new this year, I don't think my job is likely to be cut (since they *have* to provide crisis and walk-in services). Personally, I think a few admin. salaries could be cut back to make the budget w**k better, but hey, that's only one opinion on that...[/rant]
Think I'll go cool off at the RC with my cinnamon roll and coffee for now. Sorry if I got carried away. I just seem to notice that admin. types in our area are not very much in touch with the ones who actually provide their salaries... ( - slipped back into [rant] mode again...)
Prayers for those needing healing (internal or external..), comfort, and a good night's rest. And I'm sure that would be a lot, if not all, of us in here. Yep, including Crandell, perhaps.
Blessings and prayers,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
(Rob, what'd your sig say again?...)
Hello diners! That was a sudden change! I emailed Crandell about t e wiping of the old Diner, and he is contrite. (Not because it bothers us, but because it is worse for the system. Here's his reply
Subject:Elliot's Diner threadMessage:Hello, John. I consulted with Wade Emblad, the forum guru and internet services supervisor about the locking vs. deleting question. It turns out that it is worse for them, and server capacity, to delete the thread than it is to simply lock it. So, armed with this new knowledge, I will lock the thread from now on. Sorry to have caused you some annoyance with my actions. Regards,
Regards,
Rob: On the Docksider. I got mine to go through turnouts by adding some wipers that contacted the rails between the drivers. Painted black, they didn't look too awful, and certainly helped. That was HO, which is what I'm assuming you mean. If N, the same would probably be do-able, but a bit fiddly.
No furhter work on the Port Security fence. The first gate proved to be too high, so i have to re-build. It was a guess anyway. At least I know that grazy glue will hold the wires OK. There is a bit of excess glue that has to be trimmed off when its dry. Like a badly cast plastic kit, in a way.
Had visitors to the layout yesterday,and the gremlins were out in full force. First of all, my P42 Via loco's decoder failed (before they came), so I put on the F40PH (the one your F unit trucks are in Jerry), and ran it into a tunnel so that I could drammatically have it appear for the guests. Only the loco appeared! It's always run that train without uncoupling...but not this time, in fact it kept on uncoupling! Very embarrasing. Apart form that, and my container dock loco insisting on going at full tilt on the dock, it was enjoyable, and they had never seen "anything as small as this."
Bed time again. Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.. I'm on page 2, so I'll grab a nsa Malt Shake, and sit at the Rivet Counter while I catch up.
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
JimRC: I just love budget meetings ---- NOT!!---Especially when they throw around the non motivators like the ---"We're doomed, doomed we tell you!!"---gambit. Does not really encourage anyone. Generally, so far, with all kinds of knocking on white pine, we aren't in the lay off/ staff reduction thing here----yet. The annual staff report got thrown at me when the previous staff left for sunny California last December---so here I sit going to work on a project that takes up to a full month to accomplish-----and this will probs give me plenty to about
JimRCGMOIt must have been really humid around your folks' home, if 1000 gallons worth evaporated over those past few days. That's a bunch! Tonight would be a good great time to catch up on your sleep.
Seems to me that Crandall doesn't post as much as he used to anymore. Maybe he's real busy policing all of the trains.com forums? We ought to invite him in to hang out with us more. I always liked him....He's alright!
So, I'm in love. BAchmann has announced a gem of a C&O articulated. And I need one. Or three. Maybe a few for HO&N
-Morgan
Evenin' folks!
I started a few new projects for the layout as well as some outdoors things that needed to get done. garden was finally dry enough to run the rototiller to weed between the rows. Tomorrow I will spent some time hand weeding as much as I can around the plants. On the layout I started to put together a Jordan Buckboard. Another "fun" kit with lots of very small parts. This one you very quickly get to the point where to get the next piece glued in place you will be breaking off pieces that you glued in place earlier...... The kit has two buckboards in it so the one I am doing now will be placed where the screw ups won't matter.... Also putting together an actuator for the Tomar signal at the Hopewell Station. It is a circuitron assemble using a Tortoise for power. Tomorrow I should be able to crawl under the layout and get it installed and wired. A few more odds and ends and I will start taking photos for the Scenery Certificate.
Speaking of photography, I also spent way too much money today...... Found a slightly used Canon EF-S 17-85MM lens at B&H. By the time I checked out, I had spent about $400. Not bad actually as a new lens alone lists for $500 and I picked up a lens hood for it as well. This way at camp I will put the old kit lens from my old Digital Rebel back on the old Digital Rebel and send that out with someone to shoot the section of Sci Tek Camp that the two us us who usually work photos aren't covering (as opposed to them using their cell phone or some other thing like that....), and I will use the new Rebel XSi with the better lenses myself.
I have to set up a new album at my Photobucket account for this year's camp. Every night Mom and Dad (and friends) can check out what their kid did at camp that day. I started doing that the first year we did the camp and it is one of the things that comes back with rave reviews every year. That has become my primary job out there.....
Just about time to hit the sack! See you all in the morning!
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind around 7 mph. Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11pm. Increasing clouds, with a low around 72. South wind between 5 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Good Morning
We're kinda foggy right now---fog will clear up to sun. The afternoon will develop cloudy periods and by the evening we will have a chance of showers and those t'undering boomers. Highs today will be 27C with tonights low at 17C.
I'm going to be doing a few MR things today---I MIGHT still get a chance at doing some photography around a couple of really old mills tomorrow---weather permitting, of course. Trying to photograph anything with a t'under boomer crashing around one is not my cup of tea thank you very much
Chloe, I'll have the breakfast platter with 3 eggs sunny side up and multigrain for the toast please. And a large bucket of coffee as well. I'm over at the RC see who else shows up on this fine morning---
Good morning.It's 74 and sunny. The high will be in the upper 90's and it will be partly cloudy.Yesterday was extremely uneventful, in fact it was downright boring. I did get some time last night though to finish up the freight station and set it on the layout. I still need to finish the Corner Diner and get it into it's place.Today's Weather for:Sundown, LA 71446-6114 7/10/2009Heat Index: 79°FHumidity: 95%Dew Point: 73°FSo Far TodayHigh: 77°FLow: 74°FRain: 0.00"Rain Rate: 0.00"/hGust: 3mph SEToday High: 98 Sunny. Highs in the upper 90s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.Tonight Low: 75 Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.
LSWrr Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind around 7 mph. Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11pm. Increasing clouds, with a low around 72. South wind between 5 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
I always get your weather 6-8 hours before you do!
Indianapolis Area
Good Morning....Its sunny and 74 here posta be in 90's..I'll be in under A/C today...Dr says I should stay in..I'll have coffee and toast please..Thank you...Grand daughter Tootie is going home today..Grandma and I sure will miss Her..You All have a good one...Jerry
Good Morning, Zoe - I'll have a Rio Grande mug of coffee and a cinnamon roll, please 'n' thank you.
I mis-spoke last night on the gondolas. When I went back to look at the Frisco (P2K) gondola, I found that it is painted in the boxcar/ mineral red color, after all. So I probably won't convert the Frisco gondola(s) to AT&SF, but just use the C&O one. I do have boxcar red paint, I know. I'll just need to get out one of my Badger airbrushes with the little cans of air and (if the weather cooperates) and maybe get the gondola body repainted over the weekend. I did notice the P2K gon kits have all those little bitty grab irons and steps for me to drill holes and glue in place. Oh, joy... Well, I've had my pin vise with the drill bit ready for a while (but haven't got the wood Santa Fe caboose holes drilled yet, either). Time to see about getting used to drilling grabiron and step holes, huh?
77 F (25 C) and 72 percent humidity this morning in Cape G.-land, and clouds or haze depending on your definition. The weatherguessers are saying the storms to the west (and north?) of us are likely to fall apart before they get here, but the guy on the radio just said after looking at the radar, he's not so sure they'll be accurate on that. We'll see, I guess.
I'll join Barry and Jeff at the RC and see who else drags comes in.
Blessings,