Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Elliott's Trackside Diner XXIII: Moving on... Locked

57255 views
737 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Williamsville, ILL
  • 3,698 posts
Posted by TMarsh on Sunday, January 24, 2010 8:13 AM

Goooood Morning. And happy National Pie Day. I know it was yesterday, but we Williamsville United Methodists (or WUMC's as we are sometimes called) will celebrate tonight by going to the Church this eve bearing a pie. We all set down and begin consuming said homemade pies. ‘Tis a wonderful holidayBig SmileBig Smile. Speaking of that, I must watch the time I take to write this post. I have to shower before Church. Not that I stink, but my hair looks a bit, how shall we say, bed-headishShock.

I surely hope to get some RR time in today as it will be rainy all day and after Church I have no plans nor do I think Brenda does.

Speaking O Brenda, Chris- I don't think I could move the wall without her noticingWhistling. Unfortunately my wife notices things like...., well...., wall locations. She would notice the lack of a second door, floor space (the tile section of floor especially), the fact her table and chairs would now be against the wall instead of about 10 ft from it, and of course the lack of the ceiling light that has yet to be replaced along with the other two that have, that she keeps houndi...I mean asking me about. Never finish a project I say, you‘ll run out of things to do when you retire. (mainly saving things to do when they want you to do something you don‘t. Doesn‘t always work, but sometimes....). Good idea though. Real good idea. One I hadn't thought of.

Jim- ST Louie eh!? Well, that's not really too far. 5'1''hmm. Brenda is 5'3". You do know shorter women also mean shorter fuse on a more packed charge don't you? Have you mentioned the Choo Choo train? Hey, just kidding. Good luck buddy.

Tom- Hey NO tornado is just a little wind. That service actually sounded like it would have been rather enjoying to set through!

No, I didn't mean it that way guys. You don't have to scoot away, there won't be any lightning strikes. The big guy knows what I meant. (looks up and says half under breath, "uh.. You do know what I meant. Right?)

Ulrich- Hey man, what have we been saying? Little things like that are showing the light is at the end of the tunnel. May take a bit longer than you want to get there, but it's there. So, get some real rest. OK?

Keith- Aw don't sweat it. Getting a couple of wires crossed is about the easiest thing to do when wiring a layout. Or doing anything to a layout except look at it for that matter. When you get some turns and spurs and such you have a tendency to very easily get the direction of travel twisted up and backwards. Just remember most times just because a team track goes back from the main, doesn't mean that the direction of travel has even if you plan on driving a loco forward r backward. Oh yes, yes. yes. I prefer salsa on eggs regardless of how they are cooked fried hard, OE or scrambled. Better ‘n ketchup.

All this talk of meeting women online makes me wish I'd met Brenda on line. Instead I met her in a bar. A smoky bar. There she was, sitting on the ole upright piano in a red dress and a silly hat, singing a song and swinging a feather boa. No wait. Now that I think about it, that's not how it happened at all. I wonder how I did meet her.....?

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. Laugh

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, January 24, 2010 8:12 AM

Blazzin
1.  Do I,  .. should I hook leads to both ends of the track.  That is, wires from the transformer to one end of the track.. (east bound).. and hook up additional wires at the other end (west bound) to make sure 'connection' runs through the system.

My layout was originally set up for standard DC so it's broken up into blocks, each block on it's own DPDT switch. All I had to do when I switched to DCC was simply disconnect the old power packs and connect the DCC unit. Power is fed to the track through the block wiring, two wires per block, attached in the middle of the block. I have over 130 feet of track and I don't have any feed problems anywhere. A train running at the back of the layout gets just as much power as one running at the front of the layout. If I have a short somewhere along the way, say from a derailment or a tool laying across the track, I can simply turn off the power to that particular section of track and continue running trains on the rest of the layout while the problem is corrected. On a layout purpose built from the start for DCC many modelers keep the entire track connected, in other words, no isolation gaps for blocks. They then run two wires along the underside of the layout following the track. These two wires are the power buss. Feeder wires can be connected to the buss lines and run up to the track and connected to the rails. Some use terminal joiners which are simply rail joiners with wires attached to them while others prefer to solder the wires to the rails. When attaching the feeders to the buss lines you'll have to decide how you'll accomplish that. Some solder the wires to the buss lines while others prefer to use crimp connectors better known as suitcase connectors. Personally I don't like suitcase connectors because they can be rendered useless by corrosion getting the wiring joint whereas a soldered joint is solid.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Euclid, Ohio
  • 2,822 posts
Posted by LSWrr on Sunday, January 24, 2010 8:01 AM

Good morning all,


Yesterday I picked up the parts required to connect the turntable motor to the turntable.  I found a pair of T.P. &.W. box cars to add to the layout. And I picked up some more ground cover.  I need to find an appropriate size box for the old roundhouse and put that on the bay this week to make room for the new roundhouse.  Still waiting on my LBHS to call me so I can pick up my last order from him, I suspect the Digitrax order is holding it up.  They came out with a new sound decoder in N-Scale that will fit in my HO-Scale GE 44 ton locomotives.  Decoders come with a small speaker already attached (SDN144PS) $49.95 MSRP, however I see Lichfield Station is offering them for $39.  Walther’s noted a delivery date of 30JAN10.

 

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • 734 posts
Posted by Blazzin on Sunday, January 24, 2010 7:11 AM

  OK.. it would seem no one is up at this hour.  Just me~  Well the temp has dropped to 39 degrees.. and maybe just a tad lower. 

  Ok.. this mornings dumb question is..  DC question.   If I were to test my staging area hooking up a transformer,  and I want to test the flow of electricity through the rails... using a Volt meter. 

1.  Do I,  .. should I hook leads to both ends of the track.  That is, wires from the transformer to one end of the track.. (east bound).. and hook up additional wires at the other end (west bound) to make sure 'connection' runs through the system.

2.  When using a volt meter.. what exactly am I looking for? ..lol. good conection?

  And most  importantly .. What the heck am I trying to do?  I dunno?... but I am .. we.. are both having fun.  Well~  we're looking for some type of separation of lines.. coming off the mains into the yards... using various electro's and insulfrogs.  Right now,  I'm sure I'll have to take out a few.. replace this .. that.. make some cuts using a Dremel... but thats about it.. I thank you all.. or any that wish to reply.  Thanks Keith 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • 734 posts
Posted by Blazzin on Sunday, January 24, 2010 6:20 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

 

Blazzin
  So whats the actual weight of the car?  Few pennies?.  And just what exactly do you achieve.. or striving for when you add the weight?   Does it run on the tracks better?  Is there some rule of thumb here?  Thanks  Keith
The weight of the car with the container on it is 5 ounces. It's an 8 inch car (measured coupler face to coupler face) and assumes 1 ounce of initial weight with an additional half ounce added for each inch of length. That comes to 5 ounces. The weight makes a too-light car heavier and it will track better and will resist string-lining (tipping over) in a curve. This page from the NMRA recommended practices explains it quite well.

  Jeff,  Todd,  I thank you both.  That was fun and interesting.  And I actually get it! ...lol.

Moderator
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: London ON
  • 10,392 posts
Posted by blownout cylinder on Sunday, January 24, 2010 5:09 AM

Good Morning!---**coff**

We're going to see a bunch of raiin today with showers then little tiny snowflurries tomorrow. Going up to 9C today then cool off tomorrow after tomorrow's high of 5C. Oh, and a bit of wind for us too.

I'm up awake and piculous this morning. Gonna do the seminar thing today then see whether I'll get a chance to do any building of buildings that need building-Smile,Wink, & Grin---mmmm---that kinda sounds oddodWhistling

Sam: The only problem I have with my keyboard is my inherent habit of addingg and drping of letttes.Whistling-----geee---I wonder why---

Urich: My favorite line for DIY rebates---"Well, it was addressed to me!"Whistling See how far that gets you!!WhistlingLaugh Oh. If that fails I'll give Audrey my sad puppy look and pout, "Gee mom!! Everyone else gets one to play with!!"----a lot of the time that works!! lol!!LaughLaugh

Chloe, I'll have a large bucket of coffee and a breakfast on a toasted bagel please--I'll be at the fireside warming up a bitSmile,Wink, & Grin

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/

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • 734 posts
Posted by Blazzin on Sunday, January 24, 2010 4:34 AM

   *The Diner door busts open with another person coming in*  

   "Good Morning. I'll have the same as Todd, scrambled eggs, hash browns and some salsa covering please. Oh yeah, and some coffee. Thanks"

  Keith and Jeanne reporting in from  Water World.  The rain stopped,  wicked stuff.  Have you ever seen rain? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2pVPWGYMQ   (lol, one of my dogs comes to the edge of the bed, I guess she likes CCR.)  When I said Biblical proportions.. let me tell ya,  I was scared.   Now even with my kids all grown up,  you have to maintain a certain level of confidence.  Two of my kids looked at me with eyes wide open.  90 mile/hour winds when it wasn't raining, then pouring rain.  "Oh sure, back in 64' it rained Cats and Dogs, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a few coming down any minute."  The Husky begged me.. and begged me to go for a walk.  Well sure enough.. two blocks away.. pouring rain.. I could have sworn the rain stopped... well,  no use in trying to stay dry.. might as well enjoy the rain... we were sopping wet by the time we got home.

  Today.. I shall be off to.. well somewhere to buy some type of Digital volt meter?  Two days ago I hooked up a transformer.. wow..(polarity problems/ short circut?)  I told Jeanne.. " I might start all over with the layout/staging area.. even though I spent all this money on turnouts... I think I want to start all over"     Jeanne said,  "I think we'll go out and buy a Volt meter"   I think Jeanne wants to learn everything I know about electricity.  30 years ago I could have sat down and drawn out schematics of 'self rectified' generator.. and tell why an x ray tube uses both halves of the sign-wave (useful energy).. to make a 3phrase 12 pulse.. and so on. 

  So if anyone wants to know.. what is Keith and Jeanne up to.. ? ... as far as Model Railroading.. well we're reading and looking up.. Polarity.. electrofrogs.. verses insulfrogs.. and what the heck is going on.  Should be a fun day today. 

  Although, its about 2 A.M. right now.  I went to bed early.. 8:30 Pm .. now I'm wide awake.  But it was cold... and the thought of trying to sleep when the whole house is cold... I dunno~  Yeah, yeah yeah.. I know.. Southern Californians.. don't know what cold is.  The temp right now.. is 40 degrees and dropping.  But if there are no clouds at night.. the temps.. well you might as well be in the desert.  No wait, this is the desert.. lol.  30 degree temp spreads.  Sure.. it could be low 70's.. really a nice day.. but at night.. don't be caught without a jacket.  It can fool ya.    Still,  there are four more hours of darkness and I say.. its getting colder.. I can tell and my lousy knee also say so.

  Todd... ".... scrambled eggs, hash browns and some salsa covering".. Todd,  now that is a southwest dish.  Salsa and scrambled eggs .. always goes together.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  And any of your others that have never had Salsa and eggs..for breakfast.. well,  "Ese' .. you're missing something"

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 24, 2010 1:38 AM

 SHIIIIVERRRR!

(The door to the diner flings open. An icy gust of wind fills the place, when a tall, fury creature steps in. Is it man or is it beast?)

Good Mornin, folks!

Brrrr - it´s been an icy cold night, temps down to -12 C, highs will be -10 C today - and no improvement in sight! Zoe, I´ll have a bucket full of cafe au lait and that French breakfast basket that Vinnie has put on the menue following his visit to "Parih".

 It´s a day to stay home. I will warm up my fingers, get the old track planning software going and doodle around. Nothing specific - just to fill my library of track plans.

The mail man  brought me a shopping voucher from my local DIY store. This is a rebate on the purchases of the last two years and it could take care of the lumber I need to start building my layout .... Whistling. Let´s see how I get this passed by  Petra.

Jim - just a Thumbs Up.

Tom - Rowdy Medieval Latin Drinking Songs? I never thought of Carmina Burana to be that. I know that Carl Orff did enjoy drinking a glass or two (too many), but I doubt that this was his inspiration. Saw Carmina Burana once, in the ruins of an old castle along the Rhine river - what a show! The entire scene was lit up with flaming torches, very nice.

Robby P. - I now understand how to measure the distance between two tracks - is this according to NMRA RP?

Barry - how´s your cold, eh - you, doing? Getting better - sniff, harrk, coff?

Ray - Jeff is getting rid of the sucker ? LaughLaughLaugh

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Manassas, VA
  • 344 posts
Posted by Trainman Sam on Sunday, January 24, 2010 12:13 AM

howmus
Wednesday and Thursday will be moving days.  Friday they have to clean out their old house for the buyer........It needs it! Whistling

Hey, how'd the trailer turn out?  Hopefully on the better side?

Hopefully all you CAlifornians came out of the storms ok... The news on the mud isn't looking to good, prayers for you...

Jim- Good luck, I met my wife online!!!  Thank you AOL Christian Singles Chatroom!!! YEAH!!! Knew she was the one for me when we met in person the first time!  Oops, sorry for getting all sentimental and "mushy"...

Ever since my puter "Updated" itself, I have been having minor issues, slow to boot up, and not recognizing key strokes occasionally... I checked it out for a little, seems to be running ok now... we shall see!   I am into my second night attempting to "reset" my sleep habit.  Last night was a disaster, as I was in bed by 2am... I have to stay up LATE tonight, or else I may be asleep for my first shift of trainhandling (which I will most likely not run the train anyway, just take notes on initial braking points and car spots!  Will be interesting!)

Well, I'm off to take another "stay awake" break.  Chloe, may I have a double Mountain Dew Float along with a "5 hour energy" shot?  thanks...

 

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)

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: East central Illinois
  • 2,576 posts
Posted by Cox 47 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 10:19 PM

Evening All...Its 48 and rainny here..just dropped in for a cup of egg nog before hit'in the sack..you all have a good night...Jerry

ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Carmichael, CA
  • 8,055 posts
Posted by twhite on Saturday, January 23, 2010 9:55 PM

Evening all from QUIETCal. 

Yes, the clouds are kinda/sorta broken up around the Valley tonight, and we might even get some--gasp!--SUN tomorrow Shock.   That is if I can remember what it looks like.  It's kind of bright and yellow, isn't it?  I seem to remember it being SOMETHING like that. 

Anyway, if so, poor little Mallet goes out into the garage and gets STRIPPED!  YAY!   I'm getting tired of walking by the kitchen table and having her staring at me as if I bought her just to abandon her.  Tongue

Well, played Vespers tonight--we had Baptisms, and just think of how many things could go wrong during a Baptismal ceremony and you've got what we had.  Sound system went berserk because the sound man was down with the flu, so we got Stereo "Popping" through the entire church every time Fr. Garibaldi turned on his Lavalier mike.   And one of the little dears PEED in the Baptismal Font as they were being Baptised.  And one of our Cantors got the words mixed up for the Ceremony and accidentally sang the Wedding Verse.  It was one FUNNY Mass.  But we survived. 

Besides, we do these things for God, not Critics! Whistling

Anyway, it was quite a night. Confused

Chris/Todd:  Believe it or not,  we DO get Tornadoes here in SunnyCal.  Mostly here in the Valley, and they're not very big, but enough to tear fences down and lift barn roofs.  And there have even been some in Southern California.  So we're not immune from them, even though they aren't the type that would take Dorothy from Kansas to Oz.  But they're still NASTY!  Shock

Jim:  Big, BIG thanks for the PM, it had me on the floor.  I just LOVE stuff like that.  Bow  You really should share it with the rest of the diner, just so you can hear the groans, LOL! 

Well, that's about it from my little corner of the world.  I have to go out into the garage and clean up the floor.  One of the neighborhood cats trapped a rat in there while I was at Mass, and--well, you don't want to know the rest, do you?  I hope not!   Thankfully, it was not Spooky or Uff-Dah, they don't go out there, and if they ever did and saw a rat, they'd be back in the house so fast it would make your head spin.  "Ooh, Daddy, there's something GROSS out there. Yuk!" 

Best to all, prayers to those in need.

Tom Big Smile

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Cape Girardeau, MO
  • 3,073 posts
Posted by JimRCGMO on Saturday, January 23, 2010 9:34 PM

Evening, Flo - just a go cup of hot chocolate, please.

Have been running errands today, getting laundry done, bought some drill bits Smile, and have been trying to track down both info on how big of an external hard drive my PowerBook 2000 will recognize (whether I partition the drive or just have one half-a-honkin'-terabyte hanging out there on a Firewire(IEEE 1394a)/USB (2.0) cable), and also find the best buy on such drive that WILL w**k (or at least play nice...) with my PowerBook.

Also started communicating with a match from eHarmony, will take a bit to see how that goes. She's in St. Louis (can you say roadtrips? Smile,Wink, & Grin), and she's 5'1" (but she doesn't see it as a problem "I'll wear heels; if we get along well, it won't matter"). And NO, no "film at 11"... Oops

I did start on painting one of my Boy Scout figure sets - going to have at least 2 patrols in my layout's troop, by golly! Also got some more plastic tubs for some MRR stuff that was in boxes previously. Got reminded I have a few other structure kits...

Well, time for me to get gone. Flo, if I get the TOP with this, just start my tab, and I'll settle up after church tomorrow when I'm back in.

Prayers continue for those in need of 'em (which is about all of us).

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 


  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Shelby, NC
  • 2,545 posts
Posted by Robby P. on Saturday, January 23, 2010 8:05 PM

  Well l got my new computer going.  Finally got the internet to it, and photobucket is working.  So.....tomorrow maybe I can get some pictures up.

  Here's one I got in a email.   Its called "The BIG Split".

   

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Saturday, January 23, 2010 7:37 PM

TMarsh
I can fit what I want on the space I have, but I want some space between towns and such. I haven't asked, but I have a good feeling the perfect wife isn't so perfect as to let me have the ENTIRE basement.

Ya 'spose THATs why they gave us N-sane scale and Zoiks! scale??? Heck, in Z, I'm sure I could accurately replicate either layout ideeeer. So Perfect Wife probably won't give up the whole basement? Welp...Loving Wife won't let me have the entire upstairs either. Her cat is in one room (very anti-social, Rerun wants to exterminate it, it wants to exterminate Rerun...). The remaining room is fairly large for a bedroom. It's the junk room, Rerun's room, the spare bedroom, and eventually Future Kid's room... At the rate we're going, Future Kid will be in diapers...and so will Loving Wife and I!!!!! I keep saying "what do we need a kid for? We've got a Rerun! He's like a kid...he just wears a dog suit and walks around on all fours!"

Oddly, Loving Wife doesn't quite see the humor in this.

TMarsh
if I moved a wall and the storage closet I could have a lot more layout space. Don't think I'll bounce that one off the CFO. It's good to have lofty dreams.

Hmmmmmmmm. And just how long do ya think it'd take to move the wall? It "could" be moved while she's out of the house.... once she's used to the new look "that always was..." you then relocate the closet.

"No Honey, THAT wall was always over there.....Whistling"

ChrisEight Ball

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

Moderator
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: London ON
  • 10,392 posts
Posted by blownout cylinder on Saturday, January 23, 2010 7:21 PM

TMarsh
Chris- THAT's my main problem. I can fit what I want on the space I have, but I want some space between towns and such. I haven't asked, but I have a good feeling the perfect wife isn't so perfect as to let me have the ENTIRE basement. Oh well, gotta take some bad with all the good.

We found that to get space between towns I had to limit the towns to between 5 to 8! Talk about major grump------Grumpy

Good Evening

It's been another dull day for us'uns again. Supposed to get all rainy by tomorrow and warm---hey now a 10C day will draw out the shorts, the sandals, the t-shirts,even sun tan lotion if it get sunnyWhistling Which it won't---this timeWhistling

I'm having an off day today---even my turn outs did not turn out----grrrGrumpy Think I'll go for some comfort food----

Chloe! I'll have 6--yes 6 Big ol' sloppy grease burgers with mozzarella cheese and portobello mushroom sauce on 'em, a platter of home fries and a slice of that NYC style strawberry cheesecake, as well as a large RBF pleaseDinnerMischief

I'm going to the corner booth to try to cogitate the turn out issue-----ConfusedWhistling

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/

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Williamsville, ILL
  • 3,698 posts
Posted by TMarsh on Saturday, January 23, 2010 7:02 PM

Evening. Just a Dr Pepper please, Brenda is making ribs for supper. Beef or pork? I didn't ask and don't care! Mmmmmmm! I love ribs no matter cow or pig.

Wasn't much of a flame war, though I get the feeling it was wanted. Thought it kinda funny the last post he made was. Seemed a bit "steamed"Laugh Luckily the diner patrons are a bit more, how do we say, tolerant than some.

Tornadoes in CA? Wow. Glad Mark's in the clear. Hope Tom and Keith are too.

Chris- THAT's my main problem. I can fit what I want on the space I have, but I want some space between towns and such. I haven't asked, but I have a good feeling the perfect wife isn't so perfect as to let me have the ENTIRE basement. Oh well, gotta take some bad with all the good.

Ray- You mean you don't just reach for the cars and get the data? You actually spend the time to bring them to you with a loco? ( he he ) IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY!!!????

Jeff- get some rest there hoss. When that sucker gets off your foot you'll be all over the place.

Hauled some more stuff from Mom's house to her apartment. I don't know why she wants all the stuffConfusedSigh.

Also was down in the basement today, not long enough to work on the layout, but long enough to think if I moved a wall and the storage closet I could have a lot more layout space. Don't think I'll bounce that one off the CFO. It's good to have lofty dreams.

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. Laugh

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, January 23, 2010 6:26 PM

 Tired today. Physical therapy was a bear. I may turn in early tonight.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Saturday, January 23, 2010 4:47 PM

Evenin' folks!

Zoe I'll have the Hot Turkey Sandwich, Fries with gravy, Cole Slaw, and a cup of decafe on a R&GV mug.  I'll go sit in my seat at the Rivet Counter.

Finally have the Art and Poetry photographed or scanned in for posterity (although the MLK President has some ideas on fund raising...... which is why I have been scanning everything for years.....).  I was downloading and wo*king with the photos when the phone rang.  It was my son.  I say, "Son..........".  he says, "Father".  I say, "whatcha need"  Tells me he is standing on my porch and the door is locked.  I ask if he just wants to stand on my porch for a while or come inside?  He says, "Your granddaughter is here to see you".  I say, "Be right there!"   He had a large box of old fluorescent tubes he has been putting off recycling for a few years.  I had him bring them over here as I go to the toxic wste day at the landfill every year.

Olivia made a bee line for Thomas.  We had to tell her there wasn't time for Thomas today.  I did ask her if wanted to see Grandpas trains.  She said, Uh huh! and ran to the cellar stairs.  While Art and I were finding a place to store the old tubes, she got out her crate she stands on and was all ready to see a train run.  She looks at me and points to the 0-6-0 yard goat and tells me, "That one Gampa!"  So we ran a short little switching operation I was going to do later anyway to get some more cars out to the front of the layout so I can get their data into the database.

My son and his family are in the middle of closings on the houses.  They closed on their old house yesterday and will close on the house they are buying next wednesday.   Wednesday and Thursday will be moving days.  Friday they have to clean out their old house for the buyer........It needs it! Whistling

Catch you all a bit later!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Saturday, January 23, 2010 4:11 PM

markpierce
The TV just made a tornado warning with the emergency altert system.  Fortunately, the storm's direction is away from me.  (Good luck, Discovery Bay.)  And here I thought we only had to fear earthquakes, fires, and mudslides out here where there aren't (hardly) any basements.

GLAD you're in the clear on this one MARK... Just wondering, how many Californians do you think are Googling or Wikipedian-ing the words "tornado warning" just to figure out what the crazy weather dude is talking about???Smile,Wink, & Grin Hopefully, it's just a "radar indicated" rotation (swirly-thing) and not the actual "Finger of God" we see here in the midwestShock.

Good afternoon, double cheeseburger basket with a Coke please 'n thank-you...yeah, at the RC.

Welp, I'm actually having what could almost be considered a "productive" afternoon. I found THAT by stretching and compressing various parts of "The National Docks Ry." layout featured in the 2/07 MR and 6 Railroads you can model (2010)... I can have a decent little chunk of "Cedarapids" (representing Cedar Rapids). Fingering-out the trackage/structure arrangement for MY Quaker Oats complex, and a simple yard for the Chicago Central seem to be the biggest hang-ups at this point.

I also did a little more w**k on the roundhouse project, which thanks to a key element in the National Docks trackplan...is all but garunteed (sp.) a home.

I even managed to take care of some "Hazel duties," took RERUN out for a second trip in the cold, wind, fog, and rainDisapprove; and had an epiphany.

Going back to the Kansanian theory of a future layout... Westmoreland, Flush, Louisville, and Wamego are geographically so close together...it wouldn't make any sense to have multiple crews/multiple trains ("The Flush Flyer," "The Flusher," etc.). In fact, only 2-3 guys would be needed (in the real world) to run the train, another couple of guys for MOW duites, a secretary/billing clerk, and some kind of "management" person. I figure operations would be on a semi-daily basis: run from Flush to Wamego twice/week, run to Westmoreland 1-2 times/week or as-needed. A couple of geeps, some 10mph track (with plenty of deferred maintenance 5 mph slow orders)... could be do-able. I'd need a fast clock though, otherwise the trip to Wamego would take only 2-3 minutes (small room).

The plan floating around in my brain would work best in a larger bedroom, or a good-sized basement...or in N-sane scale for the room I've got. The key would be to get some kind of distance between the towns. Scenery would be easy: Kansanian farm/pasture land mostly. Could go with several small bridges or trestles over the meandering Rock Creek to break things up a bit; as well as parts of the towns of Flush, Louisville, Wamego (URPP interchange), and Westmoreland (north end).

OK, so who's gonna go buy RERUN and me the winning lottery ticket so I can put up a building for all my layout ideers????

Anyone?

Anyone?

ChrisEight Ball

***WHOOPS! Looks like my rambling on just cost me dinner for some lucky Diner patrons! Order up boysDinner

 

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 2,124 posts
Posted by fec153 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 4:00 PM

No basements here either. Just sinkholes,fires.tornados,floods and hurricanes. Pythons,gators,a few crocs,and anacondas. What did I leave out?  Welcome to mid-Fla.

Flip

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Martinez, CA
  • 5,440 posts
Posted by markpierce on Saturday, January 23, 2010 3:45 PM

The TV just made a tornado warning with the emergency altert system.  Fortunately, the storm's direction is away from me.  (Good luck, Discovery Bay.)  And here I thought we only had to fear earthquakes, fires, and mudslides out here where there aren't (hardly) any basements.

Mark

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Saturday, January 23, 2010 1:45 PM

Hello everybody ....

I just posted in WPF with my newly completed FT ABBA.

 This very old poster inspired the model. The poster is in poor condition, but the old picture isOK.

It's been busy for me lately.  

Jim CG .... Gus made an appointment to see Chuck in Marion IL  at Chuck's Depot. Normally he is closed on Sunday, but he does make appointments. I'm telling you thius in case you want to take time to go there also. We'll get there about 3:00 to 3:30, and won't be there very long.

 

 

 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 2,124 posts
Posted by fec153 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 1:02 PM

I know most of us like Steam. I have saved some 'E's that Steve in G.B. sent me. One has the Tornado, the NEW 4-6-2 Pacific they built. Also some railtrips thru the English countryside. If anyone wants to see them, p.m. your E address and I'll forward them.

Prayers,

Flip

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Shelby, NC
  • 2,545 posts
Posted by Robby P. on Saturday, January 23, 2010 12:47 PM

 Good afternoon.  Its a nice sunny day, and warm.  Its about 50 degrees.

 Well for two days now I've tried to upload some pictures of my new shipping company.  Well photobucket is having some problems.  I guess once they upload I wll post them.

 Not much planned today.  Probably just taking it easy.  

 Hope everybody has a good Saturday!!

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Saturday, January 23, 2010 12:46 PM

Afternoon folks!

Zoe I'll have the soup and sandwich special.  Tomato soup and a toasted cheese.  Oh a Dr. Pepper would round it out nicely.  I'll go sit in front booth and watch all the activity outside for a while. 

Starting to make headway photographing the Artwork from the contest.  Only 3 more to do.  I then have to scan in all the poetry that were winners.  Shouldn't take long.

twhite
I just extracted myself bleeding and a little beaten from one that is (or was) going on in the DCC IS THE GREATEST thread.

 

Sad, isn't it, that a poster is exited about his new system and how well he likes it and almost immediately the "We do it this way" bunch has to start taking sides....  I admit to being in THAT thread myself.  Just apologized to a guy who I assumed was using and telling how wonderful a certain DC system is that I wasted some big $ on a few years back.  He is using the older system by the same company which evidently w*rks....  I too wanted something different from plain old DC (I had one of those DPDT and SPDT toggles everywhere layouts back then) and made a very bad choice.... bought the system I was railing about.  Many folks (yourself included) have good and valid reasons for staying with what you have.  I guess some people just have to "WIN" or else..........Confused  BTW, Tom, your posts were well thought out, clear, and concise.  You made very valid points as to why you have stayed with DC.  Have fun teaching Carmina Burana!  I envy you with THAT.....Big Smile

OK, break's over....  Back on my head!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
Posted by Packers#1 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 12:18 PM
blownout cylinder

Packers#1

howmus

Sawyer sounds like you should have an interesting year next year.  Some work cut out for you, but I know you will do very well with the course load.

 

Thanks Ray. actually, next year's course load, in theory is lighter than last year. However, spanish is going to be a SERIOUS pain in the you know where, haha.

I was going to mention that it does look like the course load might not be as bad---then again I remember that a few 'bird courses' turned out to be real bears instead. Spanish can be expected to be 'interesting' at times--Whistling

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

Barry, according to my friend you just have to put time into your drawings for art, and computer aps is just keyboarding. Today my basketball game was at 10 am. It's my last one unless a rugby game is cancelled during the basketball season. I won't have the energy after playing on Friday to go play basketball saturday. We won though, so at least I went out on a win, haha. As for the rest of today, I've finished editing my latest MRN article and sent it in, now on to the research for a project that isn't due for a month (I'd rather just get it over with. It's 43 and overcast outside right now.) I can't wait to go play rugby tomorrow though! That'll be the high point of my weekend.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Saturday, January 23, 2010 11:58 AM

howmus
Actually I am glad the moderators stepped in early and got us away from the destruction...

Aw geeez, and I miss ALL the fun around here...Mischief

FLIP: Not to beat a dead horse, or stir up a pot of anything, but in answer to your question about 1st Amendment rights: I'm a big 1st Amendment supporter...but, ya gotta keep in mind it's Kalmbach's house we're carrying on in. Their house, their rules. Now if we was to take an individual out back to the public, taxpayer funded alleyway....we could say anything/everything our hearts desired. Open to the public doesn't necessarily = "public" place. Hmmmmm, I'm dangerously close to drifting into a private property/property rights rant.

From the sounds of things...we must've missed a doozy. I see VINNIE standing over in the corner there...still has a wild (well, wilder than usual) look in his eye. Hmmmmmm.

STEVEBLACKLEDGE: From one firefighter (volunteer) to another, have a cup on me. It's good to meet you, like TODD, I'm also kinda new around here, and don't think we met before. Sorry to hear the economy has caught you up too. Not being very familiar with the British Fire Service, any odds of going from being, I guess what we'd term a "call firefighter" to a fully paid "career" position? Stay SAFE, my brother.

Welp, it is just about Noon local time... the fog continues, we've got some rain (not freezing, for once), and a bit of a breeze. Not a nice day out. Good day for layout planning/dreaming...emphasis on dreaming. But... I just don't feel like it. Seems kinda futile as nothing will be built anytime soon.

Gee, as-if on cue, RERUN has showed up to a) cheer me up, and b) insist I take him outside, in the fog, the rain, the wind....

Have a good afternoon everybody...

ChrisEight Ball

 

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Carmichael, CA
  • 8,055 posts
Posted by twhite on Saturday, January 23, 2010 11:53 AM

Morning all from BetweenStormsCal: 

Last one moved out early this morning and we're supposed to have a little break before the next one arrives tomorrow afternoon through Monday.  TONS of snow in the mountains, lots of water down here.  Everyone is carping about the bad weather until they realize--oh wait, we USUALLY have a wet winter here, except in the Drought cycles. 

And this is definitely NOT a drought cycle, LOL!   Unfortunately, Southern California is getting a lot of mud damage because of last summer's fires which burned off so much of the undergrowth. 

But if the sun actually comes OUT today, I'll take my little mallet out to the garage and strip her.  She keeps looking at me very forlornly from the kitchen table.  "Get me out of this ugly PAINT, daddy!" 

So what's this about a 'flame war' in the diner???  I just extracted myself bleeding and a little beaten from one that is (or was) going on in the DCC IS THE GREATEST thread.  Still thinking about it--unfortunately the person who I was duelling with is a poster that I usually like pretty well.  So I'll rest up, hope things simmer down between us.    If not--oh well, it's only a hobby (he said, taking a deep breath).  Whistling

Other than that, just the usual.  Play Vespers this evening, play a Jubilee Mass tomorrow for Sr. Margie, then back to teaching Rowdy Medieval Latin Drinking Songs ("Carmina Burana") to the guys at school, Monday.  Then when (or if) the weather clears up, heading out to the layout in my spare time to do some work. 

Best to all, prayers to those in need.

Tom Smile

 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Williamsville, ILL
  • 3,698 posts
Posted by TMarsh on Saturday, January 23, 2010 10:29 AM

howmus
Actually I am glad the moderators stepped in early and got us away from the destruction...

Thumbs Up

 

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. Laugh

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 2,124 posts
Posted by fec153 on Saturday, January 23, 2010 10:29 AM

Haven't been thru Sebring in many a year. Used to be 27 was a plain ole two lane. Pete Cooper  had opened his transmission shop on southern outskirts of town. Couple years later, it was Cooper and Sons. Darn, where have the years gone????????  Deb having her surgery Feb 16 , prelims 14th. What will, will.

Keep your snow blower working and the heaters on.

Phil                   aka Flip

 

 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!