Elliot´s Trackside Diner XXIV - on a new track

[blownout cylinder]

AmanaMedic

Trainman Sam

Every time I THINK I have a good idea, I realize that the space available, and the space NEEDED are not even in the same township, let alone neighborhood!

'Ats why I asked to have a soft rubber pad installed at the drawing table...for head banging purposes...

Yep. It'll definitely help when you realize there is not enough space. Then again, I think ol' Murph set up residence in some quarters

Chris: That multi-horned apparatus may be the cousin to a 3 horned fellow that has 12" bells up here. It does look similar in looks

Good Afternoon.

Just spent a bit of time putting a couple of houses together for the diorama. That and headbutted by the little 'Spring'

Chloe, I'll have a coffee and an Apple strudel please------I'm over at the corner booth for now

[Packer]

Afternoon ya'll

As I though, the area would go nuts if there was any talk of snow being a possibility. Everyone is all over the place stocking up on supplies, for a whopping 3 inches of snow at the very maximum... No snow yet, but it has been raining all day and it's might get colder later.

Sam: I may have missed it. I still have the loco, was going to put it on the bay if someone didn't say anything.

Robby, how much is involved with doing one of those "census jobs?" I could use the extra money. Big wreck there too...

Garry, that's a good one with the Honest Abe; we don't celebrate his birthay for some reason either... Going along with what you said, the local sherrif got canned for fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, corruption and wire fraud. IIRC he got more than 1 million, but only got 6 years... He disguised his taking of tax dollars and homeland security grants as pay raises for the cops, which he then gave to himself. I wonder if the local tax collectors are guilty of something similar.

[AmanaMedic]

Trainman Sam

Every time I THINK I have a good idea, I realize that the space available, and the space NEEDED are not even in the same township, let alone neighborhood!

'Ats why I asked to have a soft rubber pad installed at the drawing table...for head banging purposes...

Good afternoon... some Barry burgers, and a bucket of Ed's OJ please 'n thank-you... I think this...whatever it is...has moved into a new phase. After carpet bombing it with OTC meds, it now has dug-in. It will now be a long, protracted battle.

Trainman Sam

Me thinks that you need to STAPLE your lungs in so as you may partake of the ensuing comedic content here in the diner.

Thanks...they seem to be staying put a lot better here over the past day or so.

Hey SAM, I found this old beast:

When I saw it (February, '93 at Beverly Yard (CNW), I thought it was a Metra engine coming "home" to die. But, after seeing your F40 model, I'm wondering if this wasn't NJT instead. I wonder if CNW didn't sell/lease power to NJT, looks like a CNW commuter F, but 'taint THAT "your" NJT paint???

ROBBY P: I forgot to say, THAT boxcar looked pretty good. You've gotten THAT fade and rust down to an absolute art form. Loving Wife took the dumpster article to work, allegedly will be scanning it there sometime... then I'll finally get it to ya. Oh, and she's going to pick up envelopes tonight with the groceries. I found her in-storage scanner...figured I'd just plug the darn thing in, etc. But...where's the cable? "It's right there next to it...." Nope. Blank stare ensued. Can't never find nothing around here...

Nik .n: Since you seem to be a sireeeeen expert, maybe you can tell me what it is I've got "protecting" my end of town.

 

Other sirens in town look like this or like a coffee can, with peaked roofs.

Further evidence God has a sense of humor...and justice: the video you described of the "idiot" loudspeaker getting blown away while a tried and true T-Bolt gets the job done. I love it.

TODD: I was wondering when 'Ol Murph would drop by to check on your progress...

I'ma gonna yield the floor now... have myself a seat in a not too distant booth...see what-all goes on around here for a spell before I have to head out for W**k.

Have a goodun,

Chris

[Robby P.]

 Garry.......Seen your picture in the WPF very nice .

 Here's some pictures I received in a email.  The pictures of the run-away on Sand Patch this past week. 113 out 130 cars piled up. The locomotives broke away before the derailment, and the crew was safe. Speeds of over 65 mph coming down Sand Patch with 2' of snow, and whiteout conditions. Dynamics and brakes where not operating. Two units and 13000 ton.

[Trainman Sam]

Trainman Sam

Vincent- Got the package!

Sorry, I thought you saw my message!  I got it, and it LOOKS great... NOW about that locomotive?  Do you still have it?

[Cox 47]

OPPPPS...Looks like I don't drop in for awhile and end up buying...How about a "bean" supper?...big pot of Pinto beans,corn bread, fried taters and Brots and Polish with all the fix'ins?....Jerry

[Cox 47]

Good Afternoon all...Its cloudy and 28 here..just went out to get the mail and its not to bad out there..I'll have aHot dog,onion rings and a diet Coke please...Thank You..

I started a wooden craftsman kit this morning...and ran trains for awhile..

You all have a good one...jerry

[Trainman Sam]

Hey Guys,

I’m finally getting caught up here, OUCH… This weather STINKS! I got to work yesterday, a whole 6 HOURS, yes I said HOURS, early… Thought I was supposed to Sign-up by 1:26pm, NOPE, 4:55pm. WHOOPS! But I did improve on my diesel train handling. It was also fun to come to a grade crossing and find that the people plowing the roads left a good 2 foot embankment for me to ram through. Let me tell you, at 60 the hard packed snow FLIES!!! I feel sorry for a few of the people that stopped just a bit too close to the gates, their paintjobs probably have to be touched up at this point!

Jim- No, I don’t have any new track plans to post. Every time I THINK I have a good idea, I realize that the space available, and the space NEEDED are not even in the same township, let alone neighborhood!

But, I am still working on one… Just have to figure out how to get continuous running out of it. I’ll see if I can’t use this weekend to get something on paper!

Chris- Me thinks that you need to STAPLE your lungs in so as you may partake of the ensuing comedic content here in the diner. (Did that sound enough lawyer-ish? Lol Sometimes I just don’t know what comes over me with these elongated statements… Hee hee hee)

Also, you reminded me of a quote from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade “ Only the Pestilent man shall pass” Lol

Vincent- Sorry, I had mentioned in past diner that “I received that Package, Thanks” I thought you got it… I have it, It is sitting on my Filing Cabinet in my office, right next to my NJ Transit F40/Comet IV Cab Car!

Here’s a Link:

Sorry about the quality of the picture, but I had to use my old cell phone, the new one doesn’t send out info, and my Digital Video Camera Won’t take the photo like it’s supposed to… Grrr Gotta love technology!

Lee- I really like the machine shop! The photo’s of the Roundhouse make me want to expand the NH&I just enough to warrant one!!! Darn it, I have become officially infected with the Steam Bug… Well, here we GO!!!

Jpowell- I am sorry for your issues, I had to go through something similar with one of my cats a few years ago. His name was Sonny, He was a beautiful Orange Tabby/Persian mix… I rescued him from the ASPCA. We had him for about a year, when we found out he had a bladder stone, I opted for surgery, and he came out fine! What we didn’t know was that he was a trickster, when my mother would give him his pill ( I was living with my parents at the time) he would HIDE it somewhere in his mouth and spit it out later. We didn’t know it until after he died of kidney failure, and my mother was cleaning the living room. THAT is when she found the neat little pile of his pills behind the hind leg of the sofa… He was such a gentle cat, big and oaf-y and just so cuddly!

Jim- Unfortunately with the RR, Workmans Comp DOESN’T exist… They have a rule book the size of most telephone books, and they recently passed a rule that allows them to “discipline” you for having a mishap at HOME!!! I mean, add insult to injury if you fall off your step stool reaching for a can of beans, they then write you up for improper use of a climbing device! ( I understand their philosophy, If I hurt myself, I cannot come to work, so they have to call someone else to run the train, and most likely pay them overtime to do it, so it has now cost NJT money for my mishap at home) Now, that doesn’t mean I agree with it… HEY can we get rid of this darned Soapbox??? It’s like a bad penny, it keeps turning up!

 Well, I have the next two days off, work sunday (fuel move from Bay Head to MMC and back, then run "Shuttles" for the remainder of the day, running from Bay Head to Long Branch)  Hopefully I can get some sort of trackplan completed this weekend!  BTW in case any of you forgot, it's Valentine's Day on Sunday!!!  Just so you don't wind up a PART of the scenery on your layout!!!

Chloe, a large OJ, two eggs scrambled, french toast with raspberry jelly, and a side of hashbrowns please?  Thanks!   I'll be in the WAY BACK booth, I don't want my wife thinking that those gorgeous women in here are with me, or that I am attempting to TALK to any of them!  Jeff, can you PLEASE tell them that I am TRYING to be a GOOD boy?  Thanks!  All I keep saying to myself is what Mr. Potato Head said in Toy Story "I'm a married Spud!  I'm a married Spud!..."

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Honest Abe Lincoln's birthday is today. Noted, politicians do ot use his nick name these days. WOnder why.

I posted my picture in WPF. It was fun doing that scene.  

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Sir Madog

Jeff - what´s that white dusting I see on your pic? Dandruff? This is about what we usually get in terms of sn*w, the 24+ inches we now have is hopefully a one-time experience.

The snow here has stopped and most of what had accumulated has melted, but a white patch still remains here and there.

[nik .n]

AmanaMedic

nik .n

I just love the sound of the sirens, especially the double tone models. Another siren I like is the Allertor 125. To me, it looks like a turbocharger.

I guess we all have our vices... "one man's diversion is another man's perversion." - Jules Koefed, criminal justice instructor, Kirkwood Community College, ret.

NIK: Check out Day of the Killer Tornadoes, you'll get your Thunderbolt fix, especially if ya like seein' 'em flip the switch, hit the big button, dial it up, etc.

IF ya wanna hear a really awesome siren...not a tornado/air raid/end of the world is imminent siren, but a FIRE ENGINE siren...check out the Federal Signal "Q." It is THE ultimate fire apparatus siren. 

I'm guessing the Thunderbolt, being motor-driven, is an endangered species as all-electronic stuff replaces them? Kinda like the mechanical crossing gate bells going away to be replaced by the electronic...things. I guess, with the continued dumbification of our society, a loud blasting Thunderbolt just isn't enough to warn the ignorant masses of danger...they have to have something capable of broadcasting a human voice to say "you need to go hide now...Mr. Tornado is coming to town...and he's very, very angry..." or whatever other "multiple hazard messaging capability" the Emergency Mis-management Agency morons deem necessary for their jurisdictions. Sheesh.

Whatever happened to "you hear the big siren, you go inside and turn on the radio or the TV?" I mean, THAT's what they used to teach us! I remember seeing signs posted at parks: "If siren sounds, tune radio to 600 AM for official information."

Hey, who just kicked THAT soapbox over here??? Nope...don't need it, I'm done ranting.

Apologies for drifting away there for a moment... I have bouts of disgust with the human race in general, and our society in particular...especially when tried and true, common sense things are discarded.

NIK: Any idea why the Thunderbolt videos got pulled? I saw some really....uh....um....."strange" siren videos by your large super pasta piece siren video. You call it a turbocharger, I call it a mutant macaroni piece.

 

Yeah. I had watched a video of an electronic siren blasting a warning in multiple languages, and by time they got past the second language, the siren was blown off the pole, while this old, beat up thunderbolt down the road was pouring its guts out blasting the alert tone. The more amazing part is when a Allertor was smacked with a 4x4 and still was blasting. I am still trying to figure out why they are replacing a reliable siren with some large speakers. I mean, one severed cord could disable an entire system of electronic sirens, while if one cord was severed on a system of motor driven sirens, you could walk to one, and hit the test button, and set off the entire system.

I really don't know why they pulled their videos. I mean, they also had ones of 2T22/3T22's, Model 5's, Allertors, and a whole slew of other sirens. All they have left is one advertising their business (They are a siren sales/service business), and one of a newer siren on a trailer.  

 Jim, I plan to. I might also send a copy to MR for an article.

[Anonymous]

 Good Afternoon,

there is a nice smell coming out of our kitchen. Petra has been making a load of this:

I was able to snatch one to share with you here in the Diner. Zoe, it is Apfelstrudel for everyone! 

Todd - congrats on getting started with your new layout. Getting the benchwork up and laying the first piece of track is the most important step - the point of no return. Get those pics coming... 

John - it hurts a lot, but I think, your decision is the right one. My thought are with you folks!

Jeff - what´s that white dusting I see on your pic? Dandruff? This is about what we usually get in terms of sn*w, the 24+ inches we now have is hopefully a one-time experience.

Have a good day!

[TMarsh]

Good Morning. Coffee and a double order of Huevos Rancheros and coffee please. Thank You. Hey, Jolie Blon on the juke box! Haven't heard that song in years. Whew! Smells like the perfume isle at the Walmart in here. What's been going on?

John- I feel for you and your family who are close to the dog. It is a tough decision to make. Money aside, considering the dogs age, the fact that it is major surgery and the fact that in 6-8 months or less it could be back, I believe as sad as it is, you have made the right choice.

Jim- I must admit I have had very good luck with the locos I've purchased and would not shy from a regular Bachmann,nor would I an Athearn, but hearing what you said, I just may not offer as much. Similar, (but more $ of course) to the Bachmann. Except steam. Don't think I'd try a regular Bachmann steam. Unless.....

Gee Jeff- You, um, sure do have quite a bit of , ah, snow there. Wow, um, ya. Boy, you'd uh, you'd better stay inside there hoss. Hope you have plenty of food. Um, good luck dealing with the, uh, snow.

Well Everything yesterday was going well. Got the bench top in place the foam on and a small amount of track tacked to align were the tunnel entrances and therefore the curve and arch that will be open grid. Slow and sure is suppose to win the race and test fitting and laying the track as I go should insure all will work. Or so I hope. Anyway as I was cutting the trackbed arch for the upper main route, I had about six inches to go on the final cut for the first of the sections, when there came a knocking at the train room door and a feller stepped in and said "Hi, haven't been here in a while, just thought I'd stop by and say hey." I'll give you two guesses as to who it was. Yup, didn't need the second guess did you? I guess it was a giveaway when I said the jig saw, saber saw, whatever it's really called, quit in the middle of a cut. I finished with a coping saw. I shall not cut the rest with that. I'll have to buy another jig saw. My fault, even though it was a Skil, it was a cheap one, so it only lasted about 7 or 8 years. Probably do the same thing again. Of course it happened AFTER I bought the ink.

At first I was a bit apprehensive about taking my old layout down. Afraid I would get sidetracked or put out or whatever and not get one put back up. THAT was my biggest fear. But, I'm glad I did. Real glad. I'm doing the track basics I should have done the first time, (and second, and third), able to work out what works as it's being built instead of modifying something that doesn't really work to make something that doesn't work well either. Having a great time and wish I could retire again to work on the thing more. Oh well, that's how I end up taking shortcuts.

I shall continue with my project until I must unload the groceries at 11:30 then work at 5.

I admit I just skimmed through the last couple pages since I was in last. Hope I didn't miss anything. It's getting late enough now I must get moving or I will get nothing done on the layout today.

Have a Great Day!!!

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe I'll have a bowl of hot oatmeal (with brown sugar), a glass of OJ, and my dark roast coffee in a FGLK mug.  I'll be sitting in the newly repaired front window booth to see whatever is going on with Jeffrey's car out there.

It is currently 28°F outside with a high of 25°F today.  Hm... Let me check THAT again.  Yep that's what it says at Weather.com.  It is also cloudy outside (which makes me worry about all the bright sunshine currently coming in the window.  Oh and we may have some sn*w flurries as well.  Changable, that is the forcast for today. 

Jeffrey what is the white stuff on your car?  Around here we don't even mention THAT few flakes of the stuff.  This is what we call light snowfall:

(Photo taken a couple years ago.) Hope your heater has been w*rking well and keeping your space heated and THAT your water lines didn't freeze.

I have to travel to Weedsport (near Syracuse) today to do some NMRA business.  Best get a move on.

Prayers for all in need!  Have a safe day!

73

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning. I'll have oatmeal and OJ.

It's good the flirty ladies left the diner before Jim CG arrived last evening. We probably would not want to see jim's behavior if they were still here when he was here. I wonder if they are done chasing Jeff.

Ulrich ...Congrats on post 1500. In your honor, I was going to post ARR pictures I took several years ago. Unfortunately my scanner is not working properly and needs major repairs (or scrapping). The mechanism is breaking. This picture is of # 1805 in Anchorage, and my scanner made it blurred. I do have a photo of unit 1503 (F7B) in Fairbanks, but that is as close to 1500 as I have.

Jeff may need to run a rotary plow on his layout if that white stuff keeps coming down.

I have a photo to post on WPF after someone starts it. It shows some of my new scene.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

LSWrr

Jeff,

do you need to borrow my snow blower?

 

You have a nice wooded area there, I was thinking you lived out in the open.

No snow blower needed. Yeah, I like it out here. I can't stand it in town where your neighbors are right on top of you.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

We woke up to-------another dull day with little tiny snowflurries. yay.

High today will be -4C and will be that for tomorrow as well. Low will be -11C. Very exciting, isn't it--

Got a few things to do to prepare for our busy weekend again. I've got two classes that somehow got jammed into each other so I'll be doing both in a row.

Any MR time will be short this weekend---

Chloe, I'll just have a coffee and a breakfast bagel please---I'll be at the corner booth

[LSWrr]

Jeff,

do you need to borrow my snow blower?

 

You have a nice wooded area there, I was thinking you lived out in the open.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning.  It's 34 and the white stuff is falling. The expected high will be 39 with an additional accumulation of 1 to 2 inches of the white stuff.

Woke up this morning to find some strange looking white stuff on the ground and anything else it could land on. My car has gone from blue to white. More of this stuff is expected to appear later today. I'm hoping it goes away soon. Nothing on the schedule for today, yet.

[Robby P.]

  Good morning.  Just a dusting of snow today.  Seems like it just won't stop.  Maybe flurries all weekend.  Might even get some more snow Sunday night.

 I haven't done much to the layout in a day or two.  Hopefully I can work on it today.  Other than that, not much planned.

 Jim......Thanks!!  The problem with me selling more, is..............How do I get more cars???   Baltimore is (MB Klein) is snowed in.  The hobby store I use near me, is snowed in.   Talk about a way to get back in to weathering .

 Sawyer......Tell your mom if she does the census that its about 28 question test.  You need a passing grade of 10 to be considered.  My wife "of course" scored a 26.  She was mad she didn't get a 28.  Now those scores are from PA, but I'm sure its the same score all over the U.S.

 Jeff.........Any snow yet?  Florida, and even Savannah Ga, might get some.  They said they last time Savannah Ga got some was in 1996.  

 Well I better go.  I will pop back in later.

 

[LSWrr]

JR, I bought a 135 foot turntable kit from CMR in 2002 before the Walther’s ready to run tables were available.  It’s made from the same plastic they use to build cutting boards and required special cement.  It’s a big one, but I wanted something to turn the articulated locomotives.  The turntable bridge will handle a Big Boy plus the shop goat.  The ends of the turntable bridge have ball bearing wheels on all four corners, built tough to say the least. http://www.cmrtrain.com/turntable.html

[GMTRacing]

Good morning All,

    15F again this morning but the sun is forecast along with a high of 33 so compared to lately, not too bad. The snow has been missing us, but not the cold. I'll have a regular to go and a toasted hard roll heavy on the butter.

  Lee - sorry to hear you're continuing to have those starter problems. Nothing quite so fustrating first thing in the morning. From the looks of the backshop you put the vacation day to good use. Can't wait to see how the whole group turns out. I don't remember did you get the 130' turntable and who's is it? I want a similar setup when I make the next layout so I've been doing research to see what matches most closely the setup we had in Danbury (90' American Bridge turntable, wooden low peak roundhouse and a brick backshop).  Gotta run - lots of Lotus parts to make today and the usual other stuff.  CUL, J.R.

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,


JP – Sorry to hear about your dog, I’ve lost a few and it never gets easier. Sounds like you’re doing the right thing. Now that the new place is about a year old how do you like it?

Wednesday I ordered a new starter and solenoid for the truck, yesterday morning the truck failed to start causing me to use a day of vacation.  Parts won’t be in until Tuesday so I’ll have to find one more ride into work.  I think I’ll have the shop test the current starter and if it still works I’ll send it to the bay at core price, maybe I can help someone out with a cheap part.

[LSWrr]

Good morning,

Jim I painted those support posts Milwaukee Grey.  The machine shop did come with a strip of dovetailed plastic, I could have locked it together with the roundhouse, but I decided to keep them two seperate buildings.

If anyone is interested in CN 6 wheel locomotives let me know, my neighbor has to get rid of some train stuff before he is allowed to buy more.

[Anonymous]

 Good Morning,

Zoe, whatever the guys are having, it´ll be on me. This is post # 1500 and if that´s not a reason to celebrate, what else would be a reason?

Did not feel too well yesterday , so I just hung around, doin´ really nothing. Even missed my daily visit to this place - shame on me!

Now that I am out of the GULAG, I need again to find a way to fill my day - hey, that even rhymes! If I just had a little bit more "dough" I could start doing some MRRing, but without, it´s 

CUL, folks!

[AmanaMedic]

JimRCGMO

Nik.n - are you making those Thunderbolts in HO, or N scale? Maybe make good notes along the way, as I (maybe also others) would be interested in how to make those.

Welp, with the stuff done for THAT, my mind is now free for a few hours at least, to turn back to model RR stuff. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be easiest for Nik .n to cast the darn things rather than try to craft 'em out of styrene. I'm thinkin' outloud here...stream of semi-consciousness time. But, it seems to my simple mind THAT a clay shape could be fabricated much easier than trying to make the complex shape with styrene. Cast it with resin, use styrene strip/bar stock for the brace along the bottom, styrene tubing for the rotator, knock out a styrene box for the...well, the box; and ta-da: a Thunderbolt is born. Hit it with a good "federal" yellow, slap on a CD logo from THAT Tomkat dude's Civil Defense signs... mount the unit on a pole, or atop a building...and the little people of our miniature worlds will be safe and sound. Heck, I'd even buy one or two off the guy if he did all THAT! Heck, there's already a guy who is casting/selling three other air raid/storm/fire sirens in resin; so it probably COULD be done...just nothing I've ever tackled.

I still think the trickiest part of Nik .n's plan...will be getting the rotation in-sync with the sound.

You know...IF this all works, he could mass-produce them. Then, for the guys with cats...when they get up on the layout and play CatZilla...the owner can hit the button, sound the siren and either a) scare the cat, or b) warn all the little people about said CatZilla!

Sometimes, I make me laugh.

Goodnight everybody, best wishes for all in need, be they human or canine companion...

Chris

By the way...JIM: yeah, CR had the steady tone of doom, and an up and down "wail." I just never heard THAT funky hi-lo "fire call" before. If I remember right, and they used to have a page in the phone book all about this stuff... there was the "alert" tone (steady) for 3-5 minutes for tornadoes or other hazards. Then was the "attack" tones, the "wail" which was for "an attack on the nation."  Huh, just looked, phone book still has it, buried among nuke plant info. CR area sirens have PA, steady, and wail. All the new ones have the "voice of God" capability to 'em, hence the PA.

Here in Clarence, we just spent some bucks to upgrade our antique fire/storm sirens. Now, we can remote-activate them by keying up either the base station radio in the fire house (instead of just...throwing the switch), or from a truck radio (handy if we're short-staffed on Storm Watch and somebody out spotting sees something bad coming). Certain hand-helds can do it as well. Sorry Nik .n, no Thunderbolts here...just four or five coffee cans with peaked roofs.

[AztecEagle]

John Powell;

   Being an animal lover myself,I know how you feel and I;m sure you'll make the right decision about your dog.

Just be sure to give him one last hug before the vet puts him down.

Dogs and Little Children will always love you unconditionally.

Aztec Eagle

[howmus]

 Evenin' folks!

Zoe just a cup of decafe for me.  Please and thank you.

Been home for a while after the Camp Properties committee meeting.  Not really a bad meeting all told, I only ticked off the Committee chair once.....  We were discussing some changes in how we do the 5 year conservation plan And I asked a couple questions on weather the new way would please the "Camp Visitation Team" when they visit during Summer Camp.  In doing so I mentioned that all to often the plan gets written up and stuck on a shelf and never read.....  I said it in response to part of the suggestion the Professional Scouter in charge of Camp Properties had said.  He agreed with me as THAT was why he wants to make some changes.  Which of course caused our Chairman to blow his stack.  He is a retired community college instructor of......  Conservation and ecology, and has written the 5 year plan as one of his "babies" for many years....  I backpedaled real quick!

So where did all the good looking ladies go?  Jeffrey did what!?!  Well they sure didn't bother me at all......  I guess THAT explains the boards covering the front window.

John P, just want you to know I understand what you are going through.  My family had a sweet little Springer Spaniel mix about 24 years ago.  He was 12 years old and started having some bad skin problems.  The vet did a skin scrapping and came back with tears in his eyes to tell us the dog had Mange.  Normally he would have told us to do the best thing for the dog and put him down.  But....  There was a new mitacide that had just come out.  It was far more effective on the mange if the dog was a puppy, but he needed to let us decide.....  We shelled out about $450 for the meds and put our dog through 3 more weeks of torment.  He ended up getting several infections and the family finally all came to a consensus it would be best to end his torture.  The vet met us at his clinic at about 10PM took the dog in and gave him some peace at last.  We never got a bill for the service.  This was on a Friday night and the dog would have had to be in pain until Monday otherwise.  Depending on the breed and size of the dog 10 years can be a good long life.....  Know you are in my prayers with this!

I forget off the top of my head who posted the "Cowboy Boots" story, but I cut and pasted it into an email and sent it on to a number of teacher friends including all the principals of our local schools.  Got a few great comments back, but I want to share this one from the principal of our k-2 elementary school here in Geneva who was one of my principals my last couple years I taught (we are in the week before a vacation):

"Really hit the right note today.  Thanks for including me – you remember what the lead up to a vacation looks like?!"

Well........ Deep subject I hear.  Tomorrow I will be driving over to the house of the Superintendent of the NMRA District next to mine to get his signature on several thank you certificates I should have had done before the combined meet last month.  Then we have to figure out how to get them to each of the people.......

So, I think I'll head out to bed. 

73

[ns3010]

Evening all. Chloe, I'll take a RBF, thanks.

Wow, two snowdays, and yet I've still been too busy to stop in.

Yesterday, I got the basement completely cleaned and rearranged, although I didn't build any benchwork. However, over the weekend, that will begin, for sure.

Today, we went into NYC, and then I had a game. I didn't need to go into NY, but I just went with the family anyway. Saw plenty of trains on the way in, and got a few photos.
Also, we had to drop off some library books that I used for a research paper. The Morristown & Erie shops are conveniently located between the library and the rink, so we made a quick stop, and saw 563, 4240, 487, and a few random flatcars outside, as well as 54 (the Stourbridge Railroad BL2 that I saw a few weeks ago) up on the hill. I have photos, maybe tomorrow.

And we lost our game 5-1. But we didn't play too badly, and I think I played pretty well (for me, that is).

Well, I unfortunately have school tomorrow (UGH!), so I gotta go. Catch ya guys later.

[JimRCGMO]

Good Evening, Chloe, I'll have the chili (the non-jalapeño type), with some grated cheddar on top and some crackers, a grilled cheese sandwich and a RBF, please. Oh yes, and later, I'll have a Rio Grande mug of decaf - I'll holler when I'm ready, so no rush for now on that. Thanks!

Ah, 'only' four pages of posts to go - I might catch up yet!

Cederstrand

Another thing my wife wants to find for her HO layout (along with a go cart, a tot on a tricycle, and a tot riding a tiny bicycle) is a few grocery carts. Anyone know of any of these being available?

 

Actually, Rob, Preiser makes a set of shoppers with carts. Check here. The photo on Walthers shows two carts, but I was thinking the set I have at home had 3 carts, dunno, though. Y'know, maybe your wife should order a Preiser and a Woodland Scenics figure catalog each (and a Merten one, and...). Then again, probably not - she'd find more ideas she might want (and the Preisers aren't cheap (even where you can find them on sale or discounted). Yeah, you probably want to keep her away from the Walthers website, too...

Chris, good to hear you seem to be turning the corner with your variety of pestilence. I'm still doing some occasional hacking, but less of THAT, and it doesn't hurt as often (or much) as before I'd started that blue pill (the antibiotic, not that other one - sheesh!). Rest up and drink your fluids, and Rerun will get his chase-around-the-house buddy back before very much longer, we (and he) hope. Hey, on those Thunderbolts that Nik.n's going to make, for what it's worth, around St. Louis we had the up-and-down-and-up-and... tones.

Jeff, I think your new (larger) avatar pic looks really cool - like it even better than your previous one! But you don't need to drop any more weight, okay? Good to hear they got your prescriptions finally filled (and no close haircuts were involved).

JP, sorry to hear about your tough choice, but it sounds like you likely made your best call on that. I know I can still remember when my dachshund got sleeping sickenss (that's what they called the disease then) - I had taken him out for a walk around the neighborhood, and his legs kept collapsing under him, so I just carried him home myself. After talking with the vet (not a good prognosis), we decided to have him put down and end his (and our) misery. for you and the family. Oh, as for the number of Diner posts, three would be a medium-sized day; some days they can get four or five pages going!

Sawyer, thanks for the info on the 'concrete' lots - have saved that info for any larger areas of concrete I might have.

Ray, good to hear that you're NOT getting all that snow like before.

Tom, I got a chuckle out of your basso profundo story - I can just about see him standing tall in all his glory, singing away...

Todd, what I meant to say, was more like Athearn's Genesis generally is more reliable (and detailed) than the Blue Box locos, like the Spectrums are more reliable (generally) than the regular Bachmanns (of course on the latter, I'm going on others' reports, as the only Bachmanns I have are Spectrums. I have seen some BB Athearns THAT are good runners (I don't have long enough trains to compare how many dozen cars they can pull), though, so it's a lot like you said - it can vary! And I just saw your post from this morning... OHMIGOSH! (faints away.. Comes to with Chloe waving smelling salts under his nose..) Wow, never saw that one coming, Todd!

Nik.n - are you making those Thunderbolts in HO, or N scale? Maybe make good notes along the way, as I (maybe also others) would be interested in how to make those.

CN Charlie - NioCitran, with gin? What's THAT?

Sam, don't overdo on the sn*wclearing, or you'll be out and won't be able to claim it's workers' comp, either!

Robby, great to see your weathering shots again, and hope you sell a bunch more (as you get time)!

Barry (and Jeff) - I'd hazard my (un)professional guess that the weatherguesser might be having some suicidal thoughts, if he/she is publicly making forecasts like that to the populace on-air. Call your nearest mental health service and point that out to them, suggesting that they need to check his/her mental status. Only thing more suicidal would be, if a local sportscaster in N.O. made derogatory remarks about the Saints' performance on Sunday (in a live broadcast from the French Quarter)...

Lee, the machine shop looks good. Did you see my question about the roundhouse support posts? I was wondering if you had painted those or if that was the original color the plastic came in - looked more like wood than most plastic ones I've seen!

DerJohn, check your email again (Part deux).

Another hectic day at w**k - just finish up with one person, and they have a crisis to be seen (in-building, at least), get that one seen/talk with their Dr./relay the med changes back to their case worker and the client, and then another walk-in (and as the day progressed it seemed that the people were running either talkier or just taking longer, not sure which. No lunch and left about quarter of five (only 45 mins. late, unless I count the missed lunch).

Ah, well, at least I got in the casual belt I'd ordered. Couldn't find any men's place or dept. locally that had any I like (or else what I'd bought from them wore out too soon (within two weeks? I don't think so!) after I bought them. This included a Dockers belt, and a Penney's imitation of that one. I ordered an LL Bean one - more expensive, but from the looks of it, it should hold up better. The web portion is more like those web belts we used in the service (with those brass or nickel-silver buckles, remember those?), and those held up well. Okay, how'd this get under my feet? I'll get off of this thing now.

Looks like Chloe had Vinnie board up that window until the glass repair guy gets here in the morning. I guess when the Jeff-shaped hole in the glass got covered over with plywood, the ladies lost interest and started leaving.

I got some Walthers lighting kits for their heavyweight passenger cars yesterday after w**k. Tried putting them in the cars I have, but for the observation car, it seems like the lighting is a bit too long. I'll see how they look and run next Monday at MRR club meeting (I'm hoping we don't get so much sn*w that it gets snowed out). Need to figure out tonight (before midnight) which MR back issues I want/need to order, since they have 'em on sale... I'll be at the other window booth checking over which ones look interesting.

Prayers for those healing up, in need of healing, those needing comfort and those with other/unmentioned needs.

 

Blessings and a good night,

Jim in Cape Girardeau