Good evening folks. Ran some trains this pm. I do need to clean the track generally, it's been idle for all the time it took to remodel the freight yard. Maybe I'll do that this evening - there's no Big Bang Theory tonight, not even a repeat. Dullcoated the parts for the interlock tower. It's a laser cut wood kit, and since I use acrylics I'm concerned about that thin wood warping. I found I didn't record, or have lost, the formula for the main building paint for my Maritime Trunk RR! So this afternoon I "reverse engineered" a pretty exact match from the likely pallet of colours in my paint drawer. So, all in all, not a wasted mrr day.
Joe:
Goin to Boston till New Year's Eve. Leaving early tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I can catch some trains from the road tomorrow. Since we're spending all of Wednesday in the city, maybe I'll see some MBTA schtuff.
CapeJim:
Got my personal property taxes paid and have the receipt for that (which I'll need next month to renew the license.
Tea time and a second dessert maybe - there's a banana that needs attention downstairs. I'll likely not be back in tonight - maybe not at all tomorrow with the grandkids etc. so, Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers continuing for all in need of Healing, Comfort, Prosperity and Peace.
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
howmus My favorite car to drive in snow.... The old VW Bugs I drove when I first started teaching. Rear engine and rear wheel drive and the emergency brake located where you could easily grab it to put brakes on just the rear wheels. Got me out of a lot of close calls that would have been a bad accident for sure. I could go through almost anything with those old putt putts.
I had one of those for a coupla years. The wonderful thing was getting into the car turning it on and driving away while everyone else was sitting around shovelling away that 8" of snow.
Good Evening--from Whiteburg
We got about 6" of the stuff and the drivers are freaking out and spinning all over. It took Audrey about an hour to get home from a big box only 10 minutes away---all the major routes had accidents on them---
I got a bunch of things done at the office BEFORE it got stupid out here so I got home at a good time.
We're supposed to see this wind down tomorrow so we'll see how much did fall then.
mmm--seems a certain thread has gone into kvetch mode about a certain person---OY VEY
Chloe, I'll have a QuadraGreaseburger--nah make that 3 of 'em--and a plate of poutine as well---that's fries with cheese and gravy--as well as a supersized chocolate shake please---I'll be over at the corner booth
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/
Evenin' folks!
Chloe I see you have Chile as a special tonight. Hope it has some kick to it? It does, OK I'll have a hot bowl of "Hot" Chile tonight. A cup of decafe to defuse those jalapeño peppers would be good as well. I'll go sit at the Rivet Counter for a bit.
JimRCGMOHow's the weather for our Eastern Diners shaping up? Couldn't tell from the weather maps if that snowy/swirly area was fading away or just not showing up as much over the Great Lakes as it heads your way.
Well Jim....... It will be a white evening with some white knucle driving for some. The Lake Effect Snow generator is cranked up pretty well throughout Western NY. West Seneca (South of Buffalo - I have some cousins that live there) has already gotten 8.5 inches of the fluffy stuff today with a lot more in store for tonight. The Finger Lakes region won't be hit too hard. 4 or 5 inches is about it. Unless the wind knocks it around, that isn't enough to worry about firing up the Snowblower for..... Unfortunately the wind will be picking up so I most likely will get to play tomorrow with the machine and clean out my driveways. Then the city will come along and fill in my driveway so I can go out and clean it again so the city can fill..........
Tomorrow afternoon I get to drive to Rochester airport to pick up my sister in this....... I wouldn't mind at all except for the previously mentioned people with their big 4 wheel drive trucks and SUVs (that they have no clue how to drive) thinking they are invincible. My favorite car to drive in snow.... The old VW Bugs I drove when I first started teaching. Rear engine and rear wheel drive and the emergency brake located where you could easily grab it to put brakes on just the rear wheels. Got me out of a lot of close calls that would have been a bad accident for sure. I could go through almost anything with those old putt putts.
Catch you all later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good Evening, Chloe - I'll have a bowl of chili (no, not the 'burn the roof of your mouth' version that Todd and those other guys like, thanks) with grated cheese on the top, plus some cheesey fries, and a RBF, please. Thanks!
Todd, on that insurance thing, I'm sure if those bean-counters had a family member who needed treatment for their neck, they'd find a way to get it okayed. Oh, yeah - and on the snowy roads, stupid reckless driving is reckless driving, no matter what the person's driving...
Well, NS Joe, sorry to hear about the delay on the airbrush (and that you do have to send the broken one back, but I guess they may have to send them to the manufacturer to get credit for the defects).
Got my personal property taxes paid and have the receipt for that (which I'll need next month to renew the license. I'm not sure if this year will be when we don't have to do the car inspection thing, or if it's next year that that part of the new law kicks in.
Didn't get my new issue of MR in, but I did get the new Walthers sale flyer in, both at the P.O. box and at w**k. I stopped by the office to drop off some paperw**k from Christmas Eve afternoon (when everybody decided to leave a little early and I had to scramble to avoid getting locked in). I brought along my first sheet of decals with me to the MRR clubhouse (there's an area with good ventilation in that building where I can spray them. And the area is warmer than trying to spray on my back deck (outside, in 30 F degree weather).
How's the weather for our Eastern Diners shaping up? Couldn't tell from the weather maps if that snowy/swirly area was fading away or just not showing up as much over the Great Lakes as it heads your way.
Still looking for some word from/about Garry or Ulrich (though I suspect it may take a while to get word on how Ulrich's doing). Jeff, still keeping your doctor's visit tomorrow in
I'll settle back into the window booth and see if they'll have another busy evening for the switcher over there.
Blessings and prayers,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
Evening all.
Not much goin on here.Today, we called Walthers, and they'll send me a replacement centerbeam, but we have to send the broken one back. We also asked why the airbrush wasn't shipped, and they said because the Propel can can't go by airmail. So we're gonna have to reorder that, as well as a can of Glosscote. But my dad found the decal paper, (yes, he lost it...), so that's good.
Goin to Boston till New Year's Eve. Leaving early tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I can catch some trains from the road tomorrow. Since we're spending all of Wednesday in the city, maybe I'll see some MBTA schtuff.Don't know if I'll be back in before then, and up there, so just in case, Happy New Years!
Catch ya later
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
Good, um, afternoon. Busy busy busy I am. I'l take it easy on Jerry as I've already eaten. (EDIT- Well it was a nice thought but it looks like it's now on me)
Jeff- Maybe some of those bean counters would like to swap conditions for a week or so to see if it's "worth it" or not.
Bama- I'm partial to the 148's myself. I've cut the couplers off the truck mounted TYCO's and attached to the body using styrene shims where neessary with no trouble yet. Yet.
Robby- Glad the weather held out for you. I echo the thoughts of "it isn't me I'm worried about it's the yoyo who thinks his driving skills are way better than they are that scares me".
4 wheel drives get up and goes better but they don't stop any better and sometimes worse. Slick is slick no matterwhat you drive.
A 4wheel drive many times just doubles the tow bill!
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.
Good Morning, Zoe (well, almost lunchtime; that's what happens on vacation. Slow start, run a few errands, and where DID the morning go?) Since it's this close to lunchtime, I'll have a roast beef open face sandwich, some mashed potatoes with that, spear of pickle, and a Dr. Pepper, please 'n' thank you!
AmanaMedicTODD: What? You mean you didn't faithfully recreate a La-Z-Boy in all it's intricate details?? You didn't craft an exact replica of a Bark-O-Lounger? I'm shocked! Nay, STUNNED, appalled!
And Chris, I was pleased for your and our Illinois Diners' sakes to see that swirly thing is moving over away from you (but unfortunately for Barry and Ray...).
PC, I think you've done some since the last pics I recall seeing of your layout. I'll have to go back over your plans and see where your steamer missed/skipped the helix. And you have one heckuva collection of muscle cars/kits, my man. Layout looks good, all right.
Robby, good to hear about your roads being okay this morning.
For DerJohn and Barry (and others - I maybe wasn't clear on my description), the dominant color on my pine tree trunks will be a greyish brown. The roof brown was more to hint at the 'grooves' between the bark segments. A bit like this picture shows.
Not sure where I'll actually be putting the Delaney Transfer building yet, so we'll see on your suggestion, DerJohn. Thanks for the idea. Oh, Todd, one phrase I tell myself is, "Just close enough, yet believeable." I'm no better than an apprentice RC, myself.
Wonder how Ulrich and Garry are doing with their respective hospital visits for checkups and all. Guess we'll hear later today. And Jeff, we've got you on the list for your trip tomorrow.
Ulrich, best wishes on cleaning out your email box of all those emails, too. Need one of these?
TA462/'Ontario Dave' - You're absolutely right, the usual problem isn't the s**w, but the ones who don't know how to drive on those roads... And to the Diner! Have a mug of your favorite beverage on me - just tell Zoe what you want, and fill us in on your layout/plans/dreams.
Bama - check your emails... And Jerry (and JR, and Jeff, and...) is/are correct on the #5's. That's what the majority of my rolling stock gets (a lot of BB's, some Protos and Accurails).
Trainman Sam - good luck on dodging the CFO's HD list... And best wishes on getting your phone # switched over pronto!
Today's errands included getting a money order to drop by the county collector's office today. Ah, personal property taxes... And next month is renewing the license plates. Not sure it's there just yet, but I'll check the post office box for the new MR issue. Tonight's MRR club meeting, and I'll be back by after that, likely.
Meantime, I'll be at the window booth, w**king on my lunch.
Blessings,
JimRCGMOTrainman Sam - I'm hoping your Bachman looks better than that one in the pics you posted! That's some severe weathering job, all right... If you're in HO scale, I have their 0-6-0 (saddle tanker) switcher, which looks pretty good and runs okay (so far as I can tell- did some test runs on the MRR club layout). I think your 'puter may have the hiccups, looks like your photos are duplicating or something.
GMTRacing Sam - I haven't seen any 060 HO Baldwins. The only ones so far have been USRA types from Bachman (run ok - good price - won't move much without drama) and the beautifully done Proto (OMG expensive !) Mantua do a couple of tank engines but I've never seen them in person.
Thanks guys, I'll have to keep looking... I might get the USRA 0-6-0 as a "temporary stand-in"
Robby, glad you had better driving conditions than expected... I hate driving in bad conditions as well, I heard we're supposed to get some precipitation later this week!?! Let's hope it avoids us!! Stay safe out there!
I am glad this week has finally arrived, my first "vacation" since I started working in march... time to recharge the batteries, and avoid the wifes "To-Do List"!!!
Chloe, may I please have an orange juice, pancakes with syrup and coffee in an NH&I mug? Thanks
I had an experience over the weekend: I switched from AT&T to Tracfone on saturday. Unfortunately the salesperson at Walmart forgot to mention that it can take 7 to 10 business days to "port" my AT&T number to Tracfone... So I called technical support (Tracfone) yesterday and the first person I spoke with asked if she could put me on hold while she checked the status of my account. FORTY MINUTES later my cordless phone died and I had to call back on the hard wired phone in my kitchen!!! Grrrr!!! I got through faster this time and the gentleman I got a hold of apologized for my inconvenience and told me that it should be on today because the guy that ussually handles the switchover procedure is off on weekends... ok, I'll get off my soapbox
I'll be sitting on the corner waiting for the phone to tell me that it is activated!
Sam
May He bless you, guide you, and keep you safe on your journey through life!
I Model the New Hope & Ivyland RR (Bucks County, PA)
Time for lunch ! Some coffee, a toasted cheese and ham with mustard, and maybe some of that apple pie later, please.
Robbie - glad you made it there and back. More than once we've ended up staying later than intended at w..k to allow the plows a shot at clearing our way. Spent three hours stranded on an icy bridge with a half dozen others one morning before the sanding truck appeared (and he had to back over with the sanders on).
Bama - As Jeff and Jerry already mentioned, #5's should do most of your Athearn cars. The Tyco and LifeLike are another story as most of them have truck mounted couplers. What seems to work best there is converting to frame mounted trucks which entails the addition of mount blocks for the coupler boxes. That runs into money in a hurry so I used the other dodge mentioned and fitted one car with a "transition" set of couplers, the Kaydee on one end andd the hornhook on the other so I could still use the horn hooks of the stock cars. Works ok, they just don't back up well is all. I also cut the uncoupler pins off the bottom of the horn hooks so they'd look better. Because I had a host of troubles with my 85ft passenger cars when I first got them, I also fit them with the horn hooks so they wouldn't uncouple so easily on the transition between an incline and the flat afterwards. As i progressed and fixed the transitions on the trackwo.k I also retired the horn hooks and replaced the trucks with Kaydee or Walthers using metal wheels and put in coupler box pads where needed on Tyco's I kept. That way I did them a few at a time and didn't break the bank. Hope that helps. J.R.
Its lunch. I see Jerry is paying. I will take a cheeseburger, onion rings, and a sweet tea.
I was looking at the computer upstairs, and then it crashed!!!!!!! Talk about a way to start the day. Some virus hit the computer, and now it wont get by the "windows restart". So I guess its done. My wife has a nice laptop, and a older laptop. I guess I will have to hook the old one back up. I have a DELL account, but I don't want to charge a computer. I'm looking at $500 for a decent one.
What else................I worked on my "liftout" bridge. It works!!! No more ducking under!!! I will have to "tweak" it thou. Make sure the track lines up, and buy something for the wires to connect into.
JR........Thats what happened last time. The snow was down before the roads were treated. The are calling for some more s**w New Years Eve Night. Take about a way to end and start the new year. I will be off thou.
Ray....Thanks. I was alittle worried thou. I just need to get some snow tires, which you need $$$ for that.
Well I better run. I believe the weather man called for a quick dusting on the way.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
BamaCSX83Yeah, it'll more than likely take me that long to get all mine done, that's why I was asking. Well, I guess I'll wait until I get the loco in hand to see what all it comes with so I'll know what I really have to do. I do hope that it'll come with a set of horn-hooks so I can convert the rear coupler over to that for the time being. BTW, does anyone know off-hand what Kadee coupler #'s fit BB Athearn, Tyco, and Life Like cars and locos? I know that Kadee has a conversion chart, and I'm more than willing to look through it, but I'm hoping that most of them will take #5's.
Cederstrand****Jeffrey wrote: [They're marked for the Union Pacific and you know what I like doing to UP markings] I'm just wondering if there is a cure for that Union Pacific phobia you seem to suffer from?
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
Fake coffee in a UNION PACIFIC mug, please & thanks.
****Jeffrey wrote: [They're marked for the Union Pacific and you know what I like doing to UP markings] I'm just wondering if there is a cure for that Union Pacific phobia you seem to suffer from? (glad the pump has been helping the healing process)
***Der, I'm blessed to have a wife who would rather go pet on her cows than enter a crowded store after Christmas. Neither of us like shopping, except for model trains (and Breyer Model Horses when she sees one she wants).
Wife approved of the work on her hospital. Took it down to the train room and found it is a very tight fit with minimal parking for the wee folks. I'll bet the wee Docs & Nurses will enjoy working there with such a limited number of wee patient visitors.
Off to do critter rounds. Have a good day y'all.
Rob
Bama its been awhile since I was in HO but Kadee 5's used to fit most of th Blue boxes....Jerry
Yeah, it'll more than likely take me that long to get all mine done, that's why I was asking. Well, I guess I'll wait until I get the loco in hand to see what all it comes with so I'll know what I really have to do. I do hope that it'll come with a set of horn-hooks so I can convert the rear coupler over to that for the time being. BTW, does anyone know off-hand what Kadee coupler #'s fit BB Athearn, Tyco, and Life Like cars and locos? I know that Kadee has a conversion chart, and I'm more than willing to look through it, but I'm hoping that most of them will take #5's.
BamaCSX83I do have a question that y'all might be able to answer. All of my rolling stock and other locos still have plain ole horn-hooks on them. I'm fairly certain that the Bachmann engine that I've got on order will probably come with some form of knuckle coupler. The obvious question is will the two work together, or will I be stuck having to immediately convert all my existing stuff over to knuckle couplers (planning on doing that in the future, but its not a "do it right now or else" thing on my list). I'm also looking at getting a few parts for my GP40-2, too bad I can't find any of the stuff in stock.
Ray:
Attendance at our church was down today also.
BamaC:
The obvious question is will the two work together, or will I be stuck having to immediately convert all my existing stuff over to knuckle couplers (planning on doing that in the future, but its not a "do it right now or else" thing on my list).
Ulrich: I hope I haven't jammed up your inbox with too much stuff over those months!
I was hoping to be able to take my copy of January MR with me, but it has not yet arrived. You guys will be receiving your February issue before I will get the January one.
Your hospital stay is in our prayers.
TA462: to the Diner! We were on the other side of Toronto when we lived in Ontario years ago. Have friends of the family etc. in Bellville and Smith's Falls though. Any details of your Ontario Northland?
Jeff: Boy, can I relate to the useless channels thing! We have Bell TV through the satellite, and so far have just the basic plus one specialty package. They keep trying to have us upgrade to a second specialty package, but frankly there is so little of interest to us out there that it hasn't seemed worth the effort despite the upgrade-to-a-second-package being only about $5 extra/month. The sea of channels we get now are about 85% dross as far as we are concerned. Why pay more for yet more dross?
Lunch time in a bit. Have to move the door module back into position so I can run trains around the layout again (Oh yes, and to clear floor space so the grandsons can sleep in the train room from Tuesday through Friday nights ) Probably I'll do more track cleaning once the layout's re-united. The at least I can enjoy some run time before the invasion!
TTFN.
Good Morning All,
Haven't been in over the weekend as we've been quite busy with thehouse and the traveling about on Christmas Day. Got quite a lot done on the house including a load floor in the attic and the storm door on the front finally which was accomplished by cutting out the door frame to allow a 36" door in a 35" opening. I'll have to do the same on the rear door frame as it was also plated with alloy trim. Also started patching holes where we had to move outlets and continued sorting boxes of "stuff". moving 4x8 sheets of flake board into the attic was fun but sons # 2 & 3 helped so it went fairly quickly.
Robbie - I know how you feel about driving in bad weather conditions. I know 2" of sn*w doesn't seem that daunting, but having to do it in the dead of night often before the crews have been called out and frequently when it is over a sheet of frozen stuff you can't see its really another subject. Really it is often easier further north where it usually is only sn*w with no ice beneath.
Speaking of which we had freezing rain this morning on the way to the shop but the trip featured only one lurid slide (Ford Focus with snow tires and traction control - a good thing).
PC - Now that you've ventured back in there, you might want to finish the tidy up and then pick just one area at a time to concentrate on. Finishing trackw.rk makes sense, and then pick one area to start to lay down scenery. I see you have the same "gotta buy this kit" weakness I have. I think using the distraction to create a budget for trains is a good idea - besides I find toys that run are a lot more interesting for us adult types than static model cars (no I haven't gotten rid of my slot cars - see previous).
Sam - I haven't seen any 060 HO Baldwins. The only ones so far have been USRA types from Bachman (run ok - good price - won't move much without drama) and the beautifully done Proto (OMG expensive !) Mantua do a couple of tank engines but I've never seen them in person.
Hope the rest of you had a nice Christmas and I'll try to stop in later. Our prayers for Jeff and Ulrich.
CUL, J.R.
Mornin' everyone!
Chloe I'll have a big bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar, and my usual dark raost coffee in a FGLK mug. I'll go sit in the back by the stove and keep warm.
We got about an inch of fluffy white last night. They salted the streets a while ago and it is currently melting off the blacktop. The Lake Effect Generator has kicked in and we could have up to 8" by tomorrow morning. I doubt THAT will happen. More like 3 or 4 inches where I am likely.
About all I have to get done today is to get the wood splitter unloaded from the trailer, and find out what happened to the email I sent out 2 evenings ago announcing the Joint Lakeshores and Central NY Division meet in a couple weeks. It appears to hase gotten lost in cyberspace somewhere. Most likely will get some time to "play" on the layout, etc.
Robby glad you didn't have any trouble getting to and from w**k last night!
Prayers for all in need!
Good morning. It's 30 and sunny. the high will be 50 and sunny. Weather guesser is saying rain looms and will make it's presence known within 24 hours.I can tell it's gonna be a typical Monday. My internet connection is making like the stock market. One minute it's up, the next it's down. Someday they'll get that fixed. At the rate things progress here it may not be in my lifetime but it will eventually happen. Then again there's always the chance that pigs will fly. If there was a viable alternative that would allow me to keep my broadband internet speed and my VOIP phone service without depending on this flaky cable service here I would change over in a minute. Can't do DSL because I have no regular phone service, WiFi out here depends on the cable and satellite is way too slow (56 kbps). My phone service requires a minimum of 128 kbps with 256 kbps or faster being recommended. So it would appear that I'm stuck with the flaky cable service. And they're still wondering why I switched to Dish Network. It had a lot to do with them decreasing their service while raising the price of said service. $70 a month for around 60 channels, half of them shopping, news, christian and special interest channels was a bit much when I can get 250 channels, including a bunch of movie channels for that same $70 and I don't have to put up with a lot of worthless shopping, news, religious and special interest channels. I was able to more or less pick and choose what I wanted. Later I have to attach a new vacuum suction line to my foot. The one that was on it wouldn't maintain a seal no matter what I did to it and I eventually ended up taking it off last night and putting on a standard dressing. I tell you, sometimes I get so fed up with this vacuum unit that I feel like just pitching it out the door. On the other hand, it has helped to close up the wound a lot. On the modeling front I did a bit of work on the containers that came with my new flatcars. I faded them a little and added some bleaching. I have yet to do anything to the flatcars themselves. They're marked for the Union Pacific and you know what I like doing to UP markings. It be patching time!
Looks like its on me...There goes my Christmas money!...Order up and enjoy...Jerry
Good morning...It cloudy and 22 here..we have 4 to 5 inches of snow...I'll have coffee and toast please...Thank you...
Jeff...Hope your foot is doing better..Gotta stay off it and take care of yourself..
John..Layout is looking good..Yards look great...
PC...Good to see you back working on your layout!..
You all have a good one...Jerry
Tom (tc), that's kinda what I figured, i may just convert the rear couple over to a horn-hook for the time being until I can get all my other loco's and rolling stock swapped out.
Well, not a whole lot on my plate for today, I've got to do a single injector swap on a Cavalier, then check (if not replace) the rear brakes on a Grand Am. After that I'm free till around 4 when I go and pull my volunteer shift at the firework's stand. Its the rest of the week that will be busy for me.
Chloe, I'll have some biscuits and gravy, along with a tall glass of milk to go please ma'am. I've got to go and get some tools tossed into my truck so I can go car-fixin' at the owner's appartment. Ahh, the life of a mechanic.
Good morning. Light snow all day, but nothing major.
Well I amde it to work. I was in luck.....no snow was on the road. It came down while I was at work, but by then the DOT was working on it.
Thanks for the input. I like to see what others thought. I will keep all of that in mind.
Not much planned today. I do wanna work on my "lift out" bridge. Maybe get some shots of the layout as well.
Hope everybody has a good morning, and I will pop back in later.
TMarshJeff- That sounds like the very thing my BIL had (disk in neck problem). BIL had the surgery and feels great. Two or three days after the proceedure he went to Hawaii with the family. They made a small incision in the front of this neck and replaced the disk and was out of the hospital that night. Of course insurance has a lot to say if it will be done or not.
BamaC,
Your new loco will more than likely have Kadee type couplers. Sometimes a set of horn couplers will come included. If not, simply install one Kadee type on one of your cars so it will couple to the engine while allowing all the other cars to use the horn type until your ready to convert.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
Good Morning
Ulrich: We'll keep you in our prayers---hopefully things will work out--
'Spring' is all cuddled up with me so I'm typing using the 2 finger hunt and peck. He's being a furry purr motor right now
Got a bit of snow overnight. Enough to allow one fellow to park on someone else's lawn--missing the house by about a foot We had so little snow up here that have a little bit o' snow and ev'bod' go into a panic here. And to top it all off the weatherguessers are calling for a possibility of snowsqualls for us'uns. Maybe up to 15cm worth---
I got a bit o' work paperwork to do this afternoon---enough that I gotta show up at the office--yay Then it'll be off the the LHS to pick up some supplies for a certain elevator I'm sticking together
Chloe, I'll have a full breakfast platter and a bucket of rawcaffeine please----I'll be over at the RC for now-
Good Morning,
Chloe, just a coffee to go, please. I have to get ready to be taken to the hospital. Petra does not like driving our old Merc - she hates automatic transmission - so I am glad it will be already daylight when she has to drive me there. She is just like your Loving Wife, Chris - she likes the VW Bug. Years ago I bought her one of those New Beetles, which earned me the biggest hug I ever got .....
Jim - it was the first time we met Steffi - well, what shall I say? She is quite OK, but a little too "pale", or better say "anemic". But as our son likes her a lot, she is welcome. Btw, you were quite right with your statement of "Gee, Dad ..."
John - my e-mail account was inaccessible for me for the last few months, as I was unable to pay the fee for the pro account which I used. I have just converted it to a free account and now try to "retrieve" all the mails I did not receive. My e-mail address will remain the same, as I stay with the same provider.
I was hoping to be able to take my copy of January MR with me, but it has not yet arrived. You guys will be receiving your February issue before I will get the January one. My subscription will end with the April issue and I will not be able to renew it. It is like saying good-bye to a life-long friend...
Jeff - take care while I am gone, will you?
You all have a good time! Will see you next year!
Hey all, I know that its a late-night post for me, but I just got caught up with things. I finally made my first purchase with MB Klein last night. I expect it in on or about Wednesday, its not much, just a Bachmann SD40-2 with DCC (was only $40 plus shipping). I don't know much about them, I hope that it is at least a decent runner and will get me back into pullling some trains (of course I'm going to have to build a small layout) again. Right now all I'd be able to do is run the locomotive in DC, but I don't see why that would be a problem.
I do have a question that y'all might be able to answer. All of my rolling stock and other locos still have plain ole horn-hooks on them. I'm fairly certain that the Bachmann engine that I've got on order will probably come with some form of knuckle coupler. The obvious question is will the two work together, or will I be stuck having to immediately convert all my existing stuff over to knuckle couplers (planning on doing that in the future, but its not a "do it right now or else" thing on my list). I'm also looking at getting a few parts for my GP40-2, too bad I can't find any of the stuff in stock.
Youse guys wouldn't happen to have a worm gear assembly, top cover for the truck, and maybe even a front driveshaft laying around for an Athearn GP40-2, would ya?
Got called in to work tonight. Right as Brenda had supper ready. A smart man I was and said, "I'll eat first" All is well. The guys at work understood and agreed I'd made the right choice!
Flip- Ha ha. Thanks for not "burning" me with your winter temps.
Jim- The party was not a wild party at all. (thank goodness. My wild party days are waaaaaaay long over.) Bingo for prizes, almost like a retirement home party. Suited me just fine. If it was on the You Tube it would be a nice video to watch to put you to sleep. And no, I wouldn't send this stuff to the other Philip with one L. He deserves all the nice weather he can get. If I was smart, I'd be there too. No, on second thought, probably somewhere like Fredericksburg, TX. Cold enough to know it's winter but not real bad. And, no chuckle on the transfer building from me.
Oh great. That's all we need, an irritated Indian.
Oh and Jim, I know there has to be some realism, but don't get too hung up on actually enough room for things like enough room to actually move several trucks around or enough parking for business' ez...ez. I do that quite a lot and get frustrated with not enough room. Then when I see some of these fantastic layouts they don't have that kind of room devoted. Usually a suggestion and with the overall effect it isn't really noticeable. Gotta draw the line somewhere and that's up to you but keep that in mind. Saves the hair too. Also DerJohn beat me to it about the tree colors. I did it the way you described (always been told tree trunks were brown) and they didn't look right to me. Then I looked at trees, tried it the way John said and mucho bettero. Also a slight smattering of white to accent some more. Very slight.
Jeff- That sounds like the very thing my BIL had (disk in neck problem). Then I saw it on the TV show "the Doctors" (Moms favorite show) BIL had the surgery and feels great. Two or three days after the proceedure he went to Hawaii with the family. They made a small incision in the front of this neck and replaced the disk and was out of the hospital that night. Of course insurance has a lot to say if it will be done or not.
OK Philip- Even though the video is a rerun, I'm not going to call it cheating. Why you say? Well since you asked, because your back thinking about it again. Good start. Keep stepping in the room and addressing the layout. You'll be doing things before you know it. Oh by the way, sorry about the sidetracking problems, hope they didn't take too big of bite out of the budget.
Robby- Tough call. Jim and PC are right, the wife and your comfort level with the whole situation are the main things. Growing up in the country with this cra...stuff, I have a very different view of what is too bad of driving conditions. So my opinion on that, and with limited knowledge of the conditions there, I don't think I would have a fair opinion for you and probably they feel kinda sorta the same way. No, Neon's ain't the best or any other light car for that matter, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Don't want you to loose your job, but mainly, don't want to loose YOU! If the boss is a jerk, the best thing happens, you're still healthy and alive to look for another job. Worst thing happens, well we won't go there. Hope you find the right decision. Actually I hope the roads don't get bad.
Ray- Ironic about the Twitter thing isn't it. Attendance at our church was down today also. Of course for us 100 would be a full house. 90 is a good Sunday. We usually have around 80. And do you suppose there could conveniently be something wrong with the Thomas set you'd want to work out before turning it over should the subject ever come up?
Prayers for those in need and especially for those dealing with doctors.
Janie I'll just have a cup of decafe to warm me up before bed... I'll go sit at the Rivet Counter for a little bit.
Der John, funny I spent part of the evening doing some ballasting yesterday as well.... Tonight I reinstalled the facia board, and began to cut some foam board to creat the "cut" in this location. As soon as the foam is in and I add plaster cloth to it (at each step checking for clearances...) I will do the rest of the ballasting at the location. The Old and Weary had several cuts in their northern sections that gave them the fits each winter. They were forever getting trains stalled in the snow drifs that would fill in the cuts and it would take days to dig them out, opnly to have it happen again next storm...... Lucky I model Mid-August so i won't have the problem on the SLOW.....
Robby, If you do decide to go into W**k tonight, I hope you have a very uneventful trip both ways! BTW I found out a while back that 27 states down here in the U. S. of A. have now passed laws against texting and driving at the same time. Sounds good except for fully 25 of those same states now send out road traffic and weather updates on Twitter...........
I think it was you Jim who figured out my MO with the Granddaughter Thomas set up....... Actually the parents decided it would be a good thing to keep here as they have little space in the house they are now in. That will change soon as they are closing in a couple of weeks on a much bigger house with a couple acres of land in the area. I do think the Thomas Set will probably stay here for those times she comes to see Grandpa.
This morning was definitely "Low Sunday" at Church. After two weeks of services being 300 or so people, this morning we didn't quite break 100.... Doing the count was much easier I might add. The Usher Folder has been properly turned over to the next sucker, uh, I mean, "Volunteer" to do the Month of January. I have one more day of Kitty duty at my sisters. Tuesday I get to drive to Rochester during some whit pouts from the storm moving in to pick her up at the airport...... Aren't I lucky!
Forecast for here in the Finger Lakes is 1" to 2" of fluffy white stuff tonigh with 2" to 3" more tomorrow and an addition 1" to 2" tomorrow night. Tuesday calls for more of the same but this time with wind.............
Ulrich I hope you have a good visit at the Horse Spiddle and will be told you are on the mend and sent back home soon!!! Glad you finally have a hook up at home to get online.
Prayer for all in need!