Elliot´s Trackside Diner, Mark XX

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.  Just a quick stop.

 Not much planned today.  Maybe get a car washed, and thats about it.  Busy huh??

 Well I hope everybody has a good morning.  

 

[AmanaMedic]

Gooooooooooooooooooooood *yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn* Mornin' Chloe? Since pancakes seem to be all the rage this morning, set me up with a stack please....and the maple-flavored corn syrup is just fine to me...

I see we have quite a crowd in here already this morning... I'm also in the "didn't sleep worth squat last night/this morning" category. I finished up the stuff for THAT around 0100 or 0130...but couldn't even think about getting to sleep until around 0400

Oh yeah, Chloe? I'll need the "to go" bucket of coffee to go with them flap jacks...attagirl....

I read last night where one of our esteemed musical edumacators showed a "boob scene" to a bunch of high school guys... lemme just say In a way, I kinda envy those guys. My freshman year, we watched the Franco Zefereli-something version of "Romeo and Juliet." All I remember of the movie, was that Juliet was...extremely well-blessed, in the extremist! Unfortunately, they remained relatively covered the whole time... I think we woulda given a "standing ovation," uh, as it were...had they not.

Well, time to chug the coffee, hit the shower, and prepare for weekly face-time with THAT. Afterwards, it'll be time to call the auto repair joint, and see how much I can afford to have 'em do for the next round of repairs on my pickup.

Have a good, SAFE day everybody...

Chris

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Also, Jeff .... I see you did not sleep long last night. You may skip the Geritol. Save it for Todd.

My sleep, or lack thereof, is controlled by my back and neck pain. There's nothing like a pinched sciatic nerve to wake you up.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Happy FRIDAY THE 13 th.

Perhaps I had better refrain from operations today cobsidering what I did with my SD9 the other day. ...

Has anyone seen the CSX advertsing campaign lately? Effective message I would say. They advertise the news. About 95% of my TV watching is for news and financial news, and there is not much of my time spent on that. As a general rule I do not care for fictional TV or movies at all.

Cal Tom.... Speaking of movies, that's some story. ...tsk, tsk.....

Jeff .... If Bulk Geritol is a hazardous commodity, I hope you don't have a bad derailment. If one of those Gramps cars ruptures in town, you will have lots of very active 1/87 people.[:

Also, Jeff .... I see you did not sleep long last night. You may skip the Geritol. Save it for Todd.

Vincent ... I did not know BN chopped noses on the SD7's and SD9's. I recall seeing lots of those units in the pre-BN era. I was in Colorado, and Burlington's subsdieraries (C&S and FW&D) would run lots of them on a train. I could see 4 to 6 units per train with both red and black paint schemes.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

blownout cylinder

Jeff: Just how many tankers do you have with Geritol? It looks like a few around here need that Geritol

I have three. That makes for 180,000 pounds of the stuff.

[GMTRacing]

Good morning All,

    Just passing through again. I'll have a regular and an english muffin please Zoe. Been out to Chicago since I was in last picking up the rest of the Lola Indy Lights parts at Carl Haas shop (the importer). Flew into O'Hare, got my rental box truck loaded up in Lincolnshire and took two eight hour days to drive back. We now have all the remaining new parts for what was a feeder series for CART which is good as we have four cars running out of here and the possibility of a couple more in future.

Tom - I am faimiliar with the debater on brass and though I didn't participate on the forum I think a lot of the locos do end up with collectors who do not run. I think the brass has always filled a niche for those who model lines with out of the mainstream rolling stock or people who got on the super detailing bandwagon before most of the plastic offerings caught up. I base my premise on the large number of "NIB" older brass offerings on the bay and train shows. The brass industry has been a boon for the people who run rarities as without them for instance, New Haven modelers wouldn't have any electrics with any accuracy beyond the Bachman EF-4. The presence of "collectors" also assures "runners" such as yourself a ready supply of NOS equipment that you can run with just a bit of tinkering. No problems with brass here (except of course forthe budget issues).

Gotta run - lots to do again, I'll try to catch up posts later.   CUL, J.R.

[blownout cylinder]

Packer

Jeff, I'm feeling the same way as Todd; and I'm to young for Geritol!!!

Jeff: Just how many tankers do you have with Geritol? It looks like a few around here need that Geritol

---------------------------------------------------

Good Morning--

Got up with a bad case of cottonmouth. Blargh. I went to bed last night with a throat that felt like I gargled with razor blades and broken glass Now I see I have good ol' fashion cottonmouth----hhhhhhh!!----typical ----

Got some stuff to do in the house to get the place ready for the first of our Xmas get togethers--ohno ohno----yes. It is that time of year----and it is our turn to do 'dis--

Anyhooooo-----

Chloe---I'll have a heap o' them pancakes with the maple syrup and a coffee please----no--I like my maple syrup, not that ---er--um ---interesting stuff for Ray's usage that Todd left. I'll be over at the RC for now

[Packer]

Tom, yup, that's pretty much all guys my age care about.

Garry, The reason for wanting a low-nosed SD7/9 is BN had a few, and I think it might be intresting to model one. I have a few-depowered units becuase one I got as a dummy, and the other I tried to remove a flywheel (can't be done on newer atlas units) to re-solder the wires to the commutator.

Jeff, I'm feeling the same way as Todd; and I'm to young for Geritol!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

Great. I'm getting sleepy and it's time to get up.

Somebody didn't take their Geritol.

[TMarsh]

Mrning from the land of no Winkin, Blinkin or Nod. Coffee and a large stack of flapjacks please. Yup, real butter and Maple Syrup thank you. Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. South southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. South wind between 11 and 13 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.

Can't sleep for some reason. Didn't get to sleep til after midnight (tossed and turned for about an hour and a half. Which is odd for good ol 5 minutes to sleep me) and now at 4 am, I'm awake again. Tired, but awake. Fairly busy day today interrupted by a small stint at the restaurant from 10:00 to 12:30 to make sandwiches for the teachers at school, then off to the Wal-Mart to do some grocery shopping, then home to make chili for the chili cookoff tomorrow. Since I didn't make it in yesterday I might as well get caught up now.

Ulrich- I'm sorry to here things aren't letting up. But remember they say it's always darkest before the dawn, so keep an eye out. Both you and Petra are in my prayers.

Ray- Wow! What a B-day celebration you're gonna have! I hope somebody brings those sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. Ooo, or scalloped pineapple! Mmmmm. Oh and......

Yeah!!!!! We knew you'd get it Congratulations!!!!

Keith- Overkill? Well it depends on what you use it for. Hit it with some dullcote, or whatever, ( I use the term generically for any dulling agent you choose to use) and by golly there is some building somewhere that will look like it. Almost a guarantee. However that being said, I'd try to blend the distintion of the colors myself. Notice I said try. I'd try using a paper towel dipped in 70% alcohol and try to erase the colors. But not completely. This I would think, should soften the color contrasts and blend them in. Then some Dullcote and poof! Hey, Chris's wash idea sounds like a try too.

Jim- Belleville's not too far away. If things progress to that of course.

Joe- We will be needing the eggnog tanker here in about a month. Might as well get the contract going now.

psssst. Zoe. Could you bring me a bottle of that maple flavored corn syrup. I want to leave it here on the counter for when Ray comes in. (he he). Love to see the look on his face when he sees it! Make sure it's the real cheap stuff.

Great. I'm getting sleepy and it's time to get up.

Have a Great Day!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning. It's 42 and clear. The high is expected to be 70 with some clouds.

Yesterday I had nothing better to do so I dusted off the track and ran some trains for a while. The big SDP40F's got a good long run while the Athearn GP42X and GP38-2 got some run time on the inner loop. I parked the SDP40F's on the siding and let the two old Atlas GP40's pull the heavy freight for about half an hour before bringing the big locos back off the siding with a patched UP unit, L&A 527, lashed up with them. Today I won't have much time for the layout. I have a foot doc appointment this morning and the Home Health nurse comes around noon and there will be plenty of household jobs to keep me occupied.

[ewl01]

Howdy,  I know there is maintanance going on this weekend but I'm still logged on.

Storm IDA is churning up the coast here, might take a ride to Avon-by-the- Sea and check it out before work.

Ray, congratulations of course!!  I admit to only briefly looking at your work but needless to say, impressive!!

ns3010 -  Even though I"m only 75 miles away things sure change.  A Mt. Arlington station!  Imagine that!  I trust it is a shelter, not a full building.  Still, a step in the right direction.  Does NJT still run to Hackettstown?

Eric

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Ray ... that's quite an honor about the NMRA master builder scenery..... Sorry I did not comment earlier.... I was having fun with Jeff's Gramps tank cars and bulk geritol .....

Jim .. You commented about Duke. ... Perhaps a serving of bulk geritol will help. .... Jeff dispatch a load of that stuff to the diner..

Of course, we can pick on berkshires again to awake Duke..... I'm thinking of getting one for the layout. I'll paint it pink so the girls will like it ..... (Have I riled up Duke yet?)  .... Maybe a Berk would look good in pink. Waht do you think, Duke? ...... ooooohh.... just kidding, Duke.... no need to call Vinnie..

Vincent said .... "Garry, that part of my problem, those chassis are hard to come across. And they are a pretty good one too. In truth, I could probably turn both of my dummy engines into powered engines if had one of those chassis. That and maybe figure out why one of my SD9s makes a weird clicking noise and keeps getting junk in the gearbox (me thinks the bottom cover plate might be messed up). I'd also be able to get a bit more practice with milling weights for a low nose SD7/9."  .......... It sounds like your dummies are depowered units. Why is that so? The clicking noise may mean you need a new trck assembly, and Walthers is no longer stocking them. You have to buy the whole chassis and they are nearly out of them. I wonder why you want a low nose SD7/9.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff - I love that backdrop (with the wooden buildings and evergreen trees)! Which (Walthers) stock number is that (I'm guessing it's one of your new Busch ones)? The tankers look good - who made them? And (ahem..) that's bulk Geritol loads??

The background with the trees is from Busch. The Walther's # is 189-2872. It's not in stock but you may find it at one of these locations. As for the buildings, I cut those out from this scene from Detail Associates. Yes, that's BULK Geritol. Need a few gallons?

[ns3010]

What, did someone mention EGG NOG?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!

With the way I drink that stuff, we're going to need another tank car added to our train!

Hmm, just had a thought (stand back)... I'm getting a couple tankers... Maybe I could get an extra one and have a model of the "ETD Egg Nog Tank Car"...

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Zoe just a hot cup of decafe in a R&GV mug tonight.   No, I told you this morning I don't need any of the stuff Jeffrey brought in his tank car............  Sheesh!

Barry, John, and others, thanks for the kind words.  I didn't really think there should be any problems with the application, but.....  Every once in a while there is some technicality that throws a monkey wrench into the process.  I am glad it is (so far) going smoothly.  It would be rare for National to have a problem with it after an application has gotten this far.  I did have that little rise in blood pressure though when I opened it, but mostly just being dramatic in announcing that the application has been approved.

Tom, I loved Amadeus!   The actor portraying Mozart did a marvelous job of being Mozart and keeping in the period for the whole time.  I seem to remember the scene you mention in the version I saw in the theater, but not in the version we had at school........  I used to point out to my 8th. graders some of the inconsistencies with known facts about the plot.  Having him end up married to the lady he did in the movie for instance.  She married the Count!  Mozart ended up with her homely sister, but she could cook!  (Mozart's words BTW.)  I love best the chapter on Mozart in Victor Borge's "My Favorite Intermissions"................  If you haven't read the book, you should!

I had Camp Properties Meeting tonight (Boy Scouts).  Got roped into a disaggregating of data project for priorities for camp expenditures.  One that hasn't been started yet and needs to be done yesterday...  The chairman looks around the room and says he needs someone to do this.  before i could hide he appoints me! 

End of the meeting one of the guys who came in about 45 minutes late asks me if I would drive him down to his truck which was parked near the college.  I told him sure, but wouldn't you have been better off driving it up here?  He lives about 50 miles away from the meeting site.  His truck broke down and just quit about 2 miles away from the office, thus explaining why he was 45 minutes late.  He walked.  He had already called for a tow truck (AAA) and had just got a call from the Geneva Police dept. Informing him was truck was illegally parked and they were about to tow it....  I found his truck easily, it was just ahead of the police car with all its lights flashing.  After a short chat with the officer he settled in to wait for the tow truck.....  Two hours and 3 phone calls later, the officer gets on the radio and calls for a different company to get there and has a bit of a chat himself with AAA.  That truck arrived in 10 minutes!  I stuck around during the wait as I figured here in town I am a known entity.  The officer asked me my name when he heard me chatting about my students.  Wanted to know what I taught, and said, "Oh now I know who you are, I used to see you at the Middle School.  He is one of the officers that does duty at the school from time to time (great program BTW). 

Hope all of you have a good evening, and prayers for all in need!

73

[JimRCGMO]

Good Evening, Chloe - since the eggnog shipment seems to have arrived, I'll have a big cup of that, with some cinnamon sprinkled across the top, please. Thankyou!

TMarsh

I feel kinda weak when I listen to the rosters you guys have. But hey, we all started somewhere so I hope the good Lord gives me time to get caught up!

Hey, Todd, just in case you're including me as having a 'strong' roster (and I wouldn't), all my P2K stuff, most of the RDC's and some of the Athearn locos I have were bought on that 'Bay thingee, as cheap as I could snipe 'em... The Bachmann 0-6-0T saddle tanker loco, I bought from an i-LHS (online) at the lowest price I could find from recommended online stores. And all of these were purchased over a period of 2 to 4 years, and not with any economic stimulus package check that I didn't get. Call me a Frugal Shopper... And hope you get a good chunk of MRR'ing time in Toddland!

Mark - like Todd and Ray said on your amp purchase; it's the same as buying speakers for the stereo, except in this case, take along your axe you want to use with the amp you're considering. Reviews are nice, but your ears and preferences are better!

Dick, sounds good for your layout w**k, since you have the wife's Christmas tree layout up, and all the outside stuff prepp'ing for winter done. Heck, toss a log on the fire and now you can get to the layout - is your track all laid, or are you still fiddlin' with that as some of us are?

Jeff - I love that backdrop (with the wooden buildings and evergreen trees)! Which (Walthers) stock number is that (I'm guessing it's one of your new Busch ones)? The tankers look good - who made them? And (ahem..) that's bulk Geritol loads??

Ulrich - catch up on what posts? You just come in whenever the doctors let you escape out the door for a bit, and ease on down to the Diner. That's what we're here for, friend - that and ...

Sue, good to hear that you and Larry are proceding with your layout w**k. From the looks of the weather maps this a.m., Larry might be a bit of a while to get all his solo hours.

Allllrightee, MBSAP Ray - soon to be a published author and workshop resource, too! Let me get in line after everyone else here... Good to hear your foot's doing better/less painful today, perhaps even more important to you. I think it might take me a couple of lives (okay, one - if the next one doesn't end, maybe...) for me to make MMR!

Keith, on the depot walls (if it were my station - which it most certainly isn't!) I'd blend/soften the edges of the mottling. But again, that's just my - your tastes may vary (and feel free to differ with me. I am guessing you will Dullcoat it after you get things the way YOU want them, right?

Sawyer - the plexiglas buffer sounds good; just remember to always put it back up after you are w**king on that part of the layout. I think I recall someone else didn't do that. Word to the wise...(from the sorry, whoever that was...)

Calif.Tom, you mean you have to have a plausible reason to run that Pacific? Nah.... Just run it! (to paraphrase a certain athletic shoe manufacturer...)

DerJohn - your remarks on Jeff's patching job(s) are gonna get me actually doing something about some of the ones I have that need a little movement toward CAW paint and colors... Might just have to do a little bit this weekend on at least on of my locos.

At w**k, it looks like they won't be implementing the changeover just yet - my co-worker doesn't have his okay from the hospital to w**k in their ER. I heard that they're also talking about all new practitioners (which category includes us therapists) will be asking for drug scans. Of course, they don't ask the doctors to do that... which has our medical director (and psychiatrist/doctor) a bit miffed with them. Also got an email about a change (back to an earlier way we used to do things with the ER) that the hospital was supposed to put into effect (and hasn't...). Hard telling where this all could wind up... So no raise just yet, but no extra on-call hours, either. I'm okay for now with that!

I've also been emailing with another woman online. She's a little further away (Belleville, kinda east-southeast from St. Louis), but she both is taller (5'7"), and more pleasing to the eyes, as well as I get a better feeling from our emails so far (not needy). Again, we'll see where the good Lord leads things...

I guess Duke must be sleeping very soundly - didn't see him flinch at all when Todd made his Berkshire comment...

Think I'd better head for home now. See you all tomorrow, and prayers will continue in the meantime.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

 

 

[ns3010]

Jim: Thanks for the concern. Today, my dad said he is doing a lot better. It all depends on the day. Some days he's (somewhat) fine, and others, he looks awful. Just taking it day by day.

Ulrich: Sorry to hear you're not doing so good again. In our prayers.

Tom: WHAT? A group of high school interested in a boob shot in a movie? No way... Kids these days... We're crazy!

[der5997]

Hi again. I forgot to say that Ed has sent me thr url for his Trainboard Album of  his N "Layout on a door." ( that's my description, not his.)  Check out the buildings - most of them IIRC are mock ups - including that Engine Service Area, and the Juice Plant. As I said, WAY better than just a card box, as the warehouse on my container dock has been for several years now! That's an ancient photo, and the "building" hasn't changed yet. I guess, like BridgeTom and his brass locos, I'll actually have to "put it on the layout" so to speak if I want it different.

Ulrich: Sorry to hear your health, and general situation, are still major concerns. You are indeed in our prayers.

Jeff: Your quick patching has got me inspired to try some myself. Most of the locos I have are due for re-painting into lease company liveries, but in the mean time, could be patched well enough for those lines. I'll start, I think, with a BN GP7 (?) that is for yard duty. It doesn't even have those honking great numbers on the long hood. So all I need to do is blank out the BN logo, and the Burlington Northern name below it on the cab, and add numbers there; putting the lease company name on a patch on the long hood. I'll have to see what rub on letters, or decal sets I've laying around.

In the mean time, I poured some plaster before lunch to fill in most of a small grassy depression that will have re-located yard tracks crossing it on my lower yard re-model. Why is it that when you don't want plaster to set quickly it does, and when you are in a hurry (for lunch in this case ) it takes for ever?  I had added a dose of India Ink to the mix - maybe that was acting as a retardant? I need to tidy up the edges a bit once the tracks are in - or maybe the ballast will do that anyway.

I'm off to see what letter sets I have on hand. Maybe that first patching will get done sooner than later.

Goodnight all, and God Bless - prayers continuing for all in need of healing, comfort prosperity and peace.

[blownout cylinder]

twhite

Some interesting comments on whether we brass guys 'run' or 'collect' our locos.  Well, DUHHHH!    Of COURSE we brass guys collect them, how else would we RUN them?  I mean, they don't just magically appear on the layout, do they?   Like anyone else with a locomotive roster, we go out and buy them.  Brass, plastic, die-cast--who cares, as long as it gets you the locomotives that you need?

You model a specific RR that is not on anyone else's radar!! So I expect you, of all people, to go out there and find the dang things that'll work in your era/locale----but then again--I model something that is very granger oriented and I get people saying I've got too many hoppers and grainboxes. But do they model that era or location? Nooooooooooo

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Packer

Jeff, the patch looks good, but the text seems kind of small.

Those were the biggest decals I had.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

twhite

Jeff:  I was looking through an old Lucius Beebe book on railroading and found the Louisiana and Arkansas.  It was a subsidiary of a major rail line in that area.  Was it the KCS or the Cotton Belt?  Most of the photos were taken in the 1930's so it was all steam, but the locos looked kinda/sorta like Cotton Belt motive power.   Just curious if you've got a background on it.  I like your patching, BTW.  Especially the UP locos.  They've been patching everyone ELSE'S motive power, it's time someone patched THEIRS.  

It was the KCS. Back in the late 20's a group of investors led by Harvey Couch began buying up L&A stock. They owned electric and telephone utilities in Arkansas and Louisiana, and felt that the ownership of a railroad in their service area would also be profitable. When control of the L&A was secured on January 16, 1928, a new company was chartered in Delaware in 1928 to acquire the former Louisiana and Arkansas Railway Company and to acquire and lease the Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company. Louisiana Railway & Navigation operated a marginally profitable railroad between New Orleans, Shreveport and Dallas. The L&A inaugurated a new premier passenger train, The Shreveporter, on December 30, 1928, operating between Shreveport and Hope, Arkansas. This train carried a through Pullman sleeping car between Shreveport and St. Louis, Missouri, in conjunction with the Missouri Pacific Railroad. A second passenger train, The Hustler, was added to provide overnight service between Shreveport and New Orleans, beginning on July 2, 1932. The Harvey Couch interests began purchasing stock of the Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) in 1937. After gaining control of the KCS in 1939, a decision was made to merge the two properties. KCS was the surviving corporation, with the L&A as a KCS subsidiary, but the KCS president and the controlling stockholders were all from the L&A. This created "single line" railroad freight service between Kansas City and New Orleans, and on September 2, 1940, a new KCS-L&A diesel powered streamliner, the Southern Belle, was inaugurated to connect the two cities. In a letter to Ernest W. Roberts in 1948, Harry Truman described the difficult working conditions for certain black workers employed by this railroad. The identity of the L&A gradually disappeared in the 50's and 60's. By 1966 all reference to the L&A had disappeared from the stockholder reports of KCS. The Shreveporter, once the pride of the L&A, was discontinued on January 24, 1962, and the Southern Belle was discontinued on November 2, 1969, ending all passenger train service on the former Louisiana & Arkansas. In 1992 KCS dissolved the subsidiary L&A Railway, although the former L&A route continues to be a major part of the KCS.

[twhite]

Afternoon all from OvercastCal: 

We're supposed to get another one of those Alaska storms dipping down here tonight.  Nothing scheduled for the Valley as far as rain--at least according to our weatherpersons--but the Sierra might get a touch of snow.   Hey, we'll take ANYTHING! 

Dang--I spend a heavy week at school and miss out on almost seven pages here!     Well, I could have dropped in yesterday (Veteran's Day) but I went to a couple of parades around here instead then drove up to my home town to make sure a flag was installed at Dad's grave.  He was with Patton's Engineers in North Africa and Italy during WWII.   I had one all ready, but the caretakers at the funeral home had already taken care of it.  Bless them. 

Funny thing at school today.  One of my choir classes is so far ahead of the rest as far as the upcoming Winter Concert, that I Leah and I decided to give them a movie break instead (last period).   So I went over to the library and got a copy of AMADEUS.  That very neat movie about Mozart and his (supposed) arch-rival Salieri.  Got back to the room, the guys looked at me and said, "When's the 'boob' shot, Doc?"

I stared at them in surprise.  "There IS no 'boob' shot.  What kind of movie do you think this IS?"  Put the movie on.  We're all watching it, and suddenly--OHMYGAW!   There's a "boob" shot.  The guys all whoop and cheer, I'm staring at Leah.  She shrugs.  "The library has the 'director's cut', not the original DVD.  It's got additional scenes that got cut from the theatrical version."   Well, the 'boob' shot is very brief, but I sure don't remember it in the theater, LOL!    Live and learn.  But the library knows about it, the other teachers seem to know about it, and certainly the students who've watched the film know about it. 

I've got to stop living in the PG world, I guess, LOL!   Besides, it's one "Hella" film, as my guys would say.  No wonder it won so many Academy Awards the year it came out.  Just terrific!  The guys were all leaning forward in their desks, taken in by the drama of it.  Despite the 'boob' shot, LOL!

Jeff:  I was looking through an old Lucius Beebe book on railroading and found the Louisiana and Arkansas.  It was a subsidiary of a major rail line in that area.  Was it the KCS or the Cotton Belt?  Most of the photos were taken in the 1930's so it was all steam, but the locos looked kinda/sorta like Cotton Belt motive power.   Just curious if you've got a background on it.  I like your patching, BTW.  Especially the UP locos.  They've been patching everyone ELSE'S motive power, it's time someone patched THEIRS.  

Just noticing on the forum that we've sure had a lot of threads about brass locos, lately.  Pro and con.  Some interesting comments on whether we brass guys 'run' or 'collect' our locos.  Well, DUHHHH!    Of COURSE we brass guys collect them, how else would we RUN them?  I mean, they don't just magically appear on the layout, do they?   Like anyone else with a locomotive roster, we go out and buy them.  Brass, plastic, die-cast--who cares, as long as it gets you the locomotives that you need?

Okay, end of rant. 

I have tomorrow off, so I'm going to go out and run my latest 'resuscitation' project, a sweet little Akane USRA Heavy 4-6-2 that I bought used for $25 around 35 years ago and has just been kinda/sorta hanging around in a box because it really doesn't fit the layout.  Or so I thought.  If nothing else, these forum topics on brass have made me realize that "If you've got it, for cryin' out loud, RUN it!"   I've been working on it for the past several evenings.  Needs stripping and a new paint job.  But it runs sweet, now.  Looks kinda/sorta like those handsome Southern P-5's.  Only without the 12-wheel tender.  We'll see.  Maybe I'll turn it into a 'ficticious' Rio Grande 810 series (the Rio Grande 4-6-2's only ran up to about number 808 or so).   But whatever, she's a little sweetie and a VERY good runner for a loco that has to be at least from 1963 or so. 

Best to all, prayers to those in need.

Tom

 

 

 

[ns3010]

Evening all. Zoe, a RBF, please?

I'll be in the back catching up.

[blownout cylinder]

der5997

Congratulations Ray on the Master Builder Scenery AP Certificate!  I wasn't worried that you wouldn't get it. Your scenery in general and rock work in particular leave me drooling!!

Cheers, John.

Took the words out'n the keyboard! Same from us'uns!!

[der5997]

Congratulations Ray on the Master Builder Scenery AP Certificate!  I wasn't worried that you wouldn't get it. Your scenery in general and rock work in particular leave me drooling!!

Cheers, John.

[Packer]

Jeff, the patch looks good, but the text seems kind of small.

Garry, that part of my problem, those chassis are hard to come across. And they are a pretty good one too. In truth, I could probably turn both of my dummy engines into powered engines if had one of those chassis. That and maybe figure out why one of my SD9s makes a weird clicking noise and keeps getting junk in the gearbox (me thinks the bottom cover plate might be messed up). I'd also be able to get a bit more practice with milling weights for a low nose SD7/9.

Not much done today on the car. All I did is pick up a $1.86 bolt from the ford dealer, and admired (read: drooled) the Taurus SHO, the GT500 and the GT500KR. Anyone got $70,000 so I can get the GT500KR?

I'll probably work on wiring some LEDs in a bit.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 The new UP unit has been patched.

[Packers#1]

Robby P.

 Sawyer....Not a bad video.  I was looking at how close your one line was to the side of the table.  Might have to put a net up. 

 

Thanks. I have a pelxiglass buffer planned for the three sides that aren't next to the wall; a backdrop for the end next to the wall.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

blownout cylinder

How about with French Vanilla Coffee from Starbucks?

That would work!