Elliot´s Trackside Diner April 2010

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 

  Just came back from buying more lead to use to weight freight cars. I picked up two lead roofing jacks from Lowe's. If you don't know what that is it's a vent type pipe with a flat base that can be put on the roof with the edges under the shingles. The whole thing is lead. The ones I get weight two and a half pounds. I cut them up into the sizes I need.

[Trainman Sam]

Hello again all!

A belated Happy Easter to you all!

I received a bit of a reprieve, as I will have both of my verbals tomorrow with the AC line Road Foreman.

Galaxy- Hope your migraine didn't put a hamper on your Easter plans?  Hope you're feeling better!

Keith- Glad you came through the "quake" with no injuries!  Is your house ok? 

Jeff- I have a B-mann DCC equipped GP-30, she runs smoothly although the motor is ever so slightly noisey.  I haven't attempted to "fix" the issue yet, but figure a little lubricant in the gears would help.  Do you (or anyone else for THAT matter) have any suggestions as to what type I should use?

Vincent- I always disliked when teachers infringed upon my "vacation" breaks from school with school work.  It felt like a smack to the face, like they were saying "HA! You thought you were gonna have FUN did you!?! TAKE THAT!"  Kinda why I didn't go to college, me thinks!

Packers- I liked the egg!  Is that going on display outside the Corporate Offices? Or was it not all it was cracked up to be?  (sorry, I couldn't help myself! It was just too tempting NOT to say anything!)

Lee and Jeff- do you solder the wires together, or use wire nuts, when lashing engines together?

Robby- hope everything works out for you on the house!?

Well, I had better get back to my studies as I definitely want to pass tomorrow!!!  THanks for all the support and prayers!  I really appreciate it a lot!

I didn't get to do any MRR stuff over the weekend, as I spent most of it studying.  MAN, It showed too, I couldn't fall asleep last night, and when I closed my eyes, all I could see was the territory I studied, CRAZY! Psst, don't tell my supervisors, or they might think I am crazy!  (SHHHHH I KNOW you KNOW the TRUTH, but I don't want THEM to KNOW!) Lol

Anyone know of a good program to convert DVD's to Mpeg or MP4?  Trying to convert my dvd's so I can take them with me to work for breaks...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Trainman Sam

Jeff- I have a B-mann DCC equipped GP-30, she runs smoothly although the motor is ever so slightly noisey.  I haven't attempted to "fix" the issue yet, but figure a little lubricant in the gears would help.  Do you (or anyone else for THAT matter) have any suggestions as to what type I should use?

EZ-Lube heavy gear oil for motor bushings and bearings (item #99983), EZ-Lube light gear oil for use on all gears, bushings, shafts and bolsters. It's non-shedding and won't sling off. (item #99984). Or you could use a good plastic compatible lube from another maker. I use Dexron transmission oil myself.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Trainman Sam

Lee and Jeff- do you solder the wires together, or use wire nuts, when lashing engines together?

I solder them together.

[Robby P.]

 Good afternoon.  

 Well the insurance person came by, and pointed out a few bad places.  So we are looking at new gutters, and the flashing around the chimney.   It came to $1,400.   So...........We have to start calling some contractors.   

 Other than that, that was my day.  Plus work was slow.

 Hope everybody has a good night.

 

[JimRCGMO]

Evening, Chloe - I'll have a grilled cheese sandwich, a bowl of chili, and a chocolate shake, please. Thank you! (back?), David (Bellen). Ray, I'd say your most recent steamer/tunnel pic looks to me...like, uh - Ms. Piggy with a fluffy feather boa! Robby - I forgot - hard to keep track on this itsy bitsy screen - did your house have rain/storm damage, or 'just' a leak? SaronaTerry, good to see you in here again. How's the layout coming? I'll have my dinner at the corner booth. Prayers for safe weather for our upper Midwesterners tonight. Blessings, Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Trainman Sam]

Well, I will be hitting the sack, over in the side booth.  Chloe, if you can please wake me at 6am and have a cup-a-joe ready for me?  Thanks!  I have to be in Atlantic City by 11am for my Double Verbal Exam!  Wish me luck! 

I will continue to pray for those on the "Left" Coast.  Hope everyone made it through the "Rolling Quake" ok...?

[galaxy]

Trainman Sam

Galaxy- Hope your migraine didn't put a hamper on your Easter plans?  Hope you're feeling better!

Nope. WE had a quiet dinner at home, so I suffered through it as it did ease up some. We had HAm with glaze, brownsugar/honey carrots, and I went out on a limb to have somehting we haven't had all winter....potato salad!

The bigger problem is my BACK. about killed me even with a TENS unit on cooking Easter dinner.I  have to go back to my Dr. cause it feels like my muscles are being ripped right away off my bones! The MRI was done last Thurs, I don't know how long it takes to get the results to my Dr. but pain meds, PT, and TENS unit NOT helping. I am good for about 10 minutes of standing, bending, moving, leaning- anything but sitting or lying down, then I am in agony!

Tonight we had leftovers easy. But I am falling way behind on my housework and we'll starve if I stop cooking!

Have a great nite guys see you tomorrow?

[belen]

Trainman Sam

Well, I will be hitting the sack, over in the side booth.  Chloe, if you can please wake me at 6am and have a cup-a-joe ready for me?  Thanks!

 

 

Make that a double, but I'll take tea instead of Joe.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

galaxy

I  have to go back to my Dr. cause it feels like my muscles are being ripped right away off my bones!

I know just how you feel my friend. Been there and done that. It's much the same problem I'm having with my foot and ankle. At the moment the pain is tolerable but I'll have to take a couple of pain killers before bed if I'm to get any sleep.

[Packers#1]

Well, tomorrow we're off to Charleston for a day. Today I shot a video tutorial, but the original editing together was over 3 minute too long for youtube so I went back and cut some stuff out, now it's currently saving. not sure if it'll save so I can upload it but should hopefully get a chance. worst case scenario is it's up Wednesday. Y'all have a good one!

[der5997]

Good evening Diners: I started this on Good Friday' so if it seems to jump around it's because it's been added to over three or four days here and there.  Today was almost completely taken up with "To Do-s" not related to mrr. Cleaning the outside windows being the major one. Last year we didn't get good enough weather to get the urge to do THAT. Now, it's hard to see if there is glass in the windows - and it's been a long time since they were like that! Then the garage door opener had to be adjusted - that turned out to be a matter of shortening the link in the bars that push and pull the door. (Limit of travel is, I think, what the adjustment is called. I do know that we had run out of Down Force adjustment on the screw thing, and adjusting the L.O.T has given us some wiggle room in the Down Force department once more.)

Chris:

But, THAT's what we do in "community journalism."

  I doubt that THAT would put up with THIS, from our local monthly.

On those brake shoes, how about these?

Hmmmmm, I wonder if our infrequent visitor will be along to try and dampen our holiday spirits...again.

  I guess THAT isn't Mr. Murphy, because you said "infrequent"! LOL.  Actually had a "Murphy" incident Thursday work out very much to our favour. Our 11 year old dishwasher decided on Wednesday that it wasn't going to play anymore - so I phoned the store where we had bought it to see if they could put us onto a Moffat service chap. They gave me the name Trevor Murphy, and a phone #. The office said he was out, and they didn't know if he did Moffat. "Does he have a cell #?" asked I...""Yes, but we don't give it out"...    "How about you phone him and ask him to phone here?" I suggested...THAT was OK by their protocols; and BTW, how did we get their number? "From Gammons Furniture in Sheet Harbour" I said. "Why didn't you say you were from Sheet Harbour?" "You didn't ask me"...to which she had no adequate rejoinder, but was pleased to say that Mr. Murphy was "on his way to Ecum Secum right now", and she would ask him to phone. In about 10 minutes Mr. Murphy rang to say he was on his way to Ecum Secum, and would drop in when he was through there. Less than 20 minutes after THAT he phoned again to say he couldn't raise the Ecum Secum person, and was coming right over; which he did. He found the rubber hoses to the washer were getting kinked (a sign of old age, he said - so THAT explains much about me I guess! LOL) and recommended, a) we pull the washer out a little for use (It's a portable parked in its own ‘garage' at the end of the counter), and, b) get braided hoses with the appropriate fittings from the local plumber,( who has done work here, and knows where we live.) $30, but an appliance fix well before 24 hours from the start of the trouble. Oh, and the kicker. He's usually in this area only on Fridays, but came up on Thursday because Good Friday is a Holiday in Canada.

Barry:

We say God is all powerful and that----then we delineate what he can and cannot use in His creation-----kinda ironic

...do I ever resonate with that one! Kinda settles the thing for me.

Well, It took until 11:00 pm Friday, but I was able to get the fluorescent light from our daughter's kitchen installed so that the freight yard throat now has much better lighting. From this to this.  I had to re-locate the turntable power switch in the process, and that added a deal to the time. The fascia had to be cut, and the benchwork stringer at that point carved into to take the stand-off dimples and end screw of the switch box. Having got the light fixed up, I saw at once that the old station didn't bear the "full light of day"!  So I  got a round tuit; and re-worked the station in MT colours, de-cluttered it and made a more probable platform. Discovered in the process that the blue gable ends I had proposed for the MT station colour scheme are just too heavy to look good - so cream is now the official treatment! LOL. Here's what the station looked like before.

PATom:

What will you folks be doing for (Easter Sunday) dinner? Whatever it is, enjoy yourselves.

...we couldn't find any local lamb, and didn't want the New Zealand frozen as a roast. So, Kris made us a very good ground lamb pie, which we finished this evening,  together with the bottle of 2007 Apple and Elderberry wine from Sober Island Wineries (aka home brew) which has matured into an almost port or sherry sort of a thing. Anywho, we had a thoroughly enjoyable day of celebration in many ways. Thanks for asking - and I trust you had a good day also.

Keith:

Oh hey.. yeah.. we got hit with an earthquake.. just now!  For over a minute.. a lasting.. jumpy / rolling one.  Lasted over a minute.. closer to a minute and 20 secs.  From Huntington beach.. this was felt deep.. somewhat distant from us.. and somewhere else could have been hit much harder.. that.. just us.. with a rolling one.

Glad you didn't suffer any damage or worse! ...is that the one that was in Mexico, over on your side? We had a news item on one there this evening. 7.2, I think they said. Picking up on galaxy's observation, it seems to me that there is much better detection going on these days, as well as more extensive media coverage. As to whether there are more earthquakes in total than, say, 15 years ago....I'm not a seismo-geologist, or any other kind for that matter; but maybe the US Geological survey folks have some shareable data.

Todd:

And THAT won't be no whoopee cushion!

Among today's chores was taking down the temporary plastic "triple glazing" film from the windows. Pulling off the glue portion of the double-sided tape makes a great Whoopie Cushion effect. Just so you know!

Ray and Todd: On the smoke from steam locos exiting tunnels, I'm inclined towards the very first photo Ray; but the engineer side of the loco, rather than the fireman's.  I'm not Photoshop enabled, so can't comment on the How-Tos, but I like the layered effect on the engineer's side. I'd do both sides that way, and thicken the side layers a tad in the process.(Jeff's comments say it all)   

Spent a bit more time playing with Photoshop.... So.....  Is this an improvement???

...That's what I'm talkin' about! I really like the billows (Is that a bison charging out ahead of the loco?), and would aim for the same billowy edge to the smoke line on the firemans' side. Then if the smoke came down over the smoke box as Jeff says, in that same feathery layered way....WOW!

Sam: Good luck with the verbals...we all know you'll be fine - just look at your track record! (pun totally intended! )

Do you (or anyone else for THAT matter) have any suggestions as to what type I should use?

...I'm using the white grease that came with our garage door package...seems to work just dandy.

Anyone know of a good program to convert DVD's to Mpeg or MP4?  Trying to convert my dvd's so I can take them with me to work for breaks...

...Have a look at AVS4U.  I don't know if that will do what you want but I do know it can take video files in all sorts of formats and convert them to all sorts of other formats including DVD.

galaxy: Prayers for your getting healing and relief from that pain. BTW, is there any home-help you can call in through social services?

That's about all caught up, so I'll say Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers continuing for all in need of Healing, Comfort, Prosperity and Peace.

[TMarsh]

HooooowwwwDEEEEE! Put some drywall mud on the creek bed before I went to work, we'll see how it turned out tomorrow.

Keith- Things still ok out there?

I saw Tom has been poking around the forums since the big jiggle so I'm assuming he's ok.

Jeff, I really like the loco you posted this morn

Ray- I'm sure glad Ulrich come up with that photo for you. I'm sure you'll get it right now. Good luck. Of course you'll give us a preview I'm sure. Oh I see you did. Though the concept is probably right, for some reason, and I can't put my finger on it, I'm not real fond of the latest photo. I still like the first the best. So far that is. I'll have to stare some more. I am, however, grateful for the photo if only for the fact that it gives me a fantastic reference for the height I need for the tunnel opening I'm working on now.

Jim- Oh good! White matches my eyes. And I love those sleeves too. Your post looks sorta normal. The computer back up and running? Ooops, just saw your last post, I'm guessing the answer is no.

Galaxy- I feel for you, as Jeff said I've been there done that and got the T-shirt. Which, by the way, I still wear occasionally. If they don't find anything, and I hope they do to ease your pain, don't forget to suggest looking for narrowing whatever the holes your nerves come out of your vertebra are called. Mine are the S-3 and 4 and the L-1 and L-2 I believe. It's been awhile since they said. Feels just like you described.

Derjohn- Is that Ulrch looking for an RBF under that loco? Kinda looks like him.

Internet, sminternet. I've poked around for hours and still haven't found out where the water fill is on a Schenectady 4-4-0. How am I gonna know where to place the water tower? Found out where everything else is though. How am I suppose to model something I don't know anything about if I can't find any info!!! Keeping a seat at the RC is exhausting

Prayers for those in need and though I don't think he's "in need", for Sam with his test tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

 Goood Morning,

the night was a short one, got up at around 2 am and could not get back to sleep. Chloe, mind if I have one of your dark roast, eye-oping and heart shaking coffees, with a breakfast bagel to go with it? Thank you.

Todd - I may be a big guy, but I am not strong enough to topple a SD ??? loco. Interesting picture, John - what made the loco turn over?

Ray - if you don´t mind, the picture is somehow not right. That Y-shaped plume looks a little odd to me. In the steam days - and I was lucky to see quite a bit of steam powered trains in my youth - there was always a cloud of steam in the tunnels, which got shoved out by the following train. Railroad men called it "The Plug". It would cloud the loco´s  smokebox - kind of "flowing" around it. It was usually not dark, but whitish in color. Unless there was a grade in the tunnel, engineers would close the throttle and let the train drift through the tunnel, in order to avoid excessive smoke. Shortly before leaving the tunnel, they´d open up again, so the exhaust would go straight up.

Here are some more pics for your inspiration:

Hope, that helps.

Last night, I was following up on the thread on David Letterman´s statement about model railroading. Sheesh, what a nonsense! Is it really important, what other people think about our hobby?  In that respect, I seem to live in heaven. We even have a weekly TV program called "On Small Rails". It is a 30 minute show, where layouts from people of all walks of life are shown and the latest developments and products are presented - a joy to watch! I don´t know how big MR´s circulation is, but the leading magazine "Der Modelleisenbahner" (the Model Railroader) sports a circulation of over 200.000 copies each month. You can buy it at any gas station. Germany was, and still is, a railroad minded nation and despite all troubles caused by the demographic development of our society and the recent financial crisis, model railroading is still a multi-million Euro business. Marklin´s 2009 sales amounted to about $ 150 M. If you add up all sales, including magazines and whatever, that figure goes well beyond $ 500 M. Not many other hobbies can sport these figures here in Germany

Petra is calling me - we need to go shopping. Christian is joining us tonight, so Mom has to feed her little son!

CUL

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,


Sam, solder is the only way to go with a little heat shrink tubing.

[Packers#1]

 Well, before we head off to Charleston here's the premier of my video tutorial series A Crazy Guy and His Trains in the diner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQhzHFFB04A

N-JOY!

EDIT: eat up folks, seems I have the honor of getting the tab.

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.   Its a sunny day, but had a storm roll by last night.

 Well today I go in around 3:00pm.  So........I have to find something to do.  

 Sawyer....Good video, and tips.

[TMarsh]

Good morning all. Coffee please. Looks like we'll have to find something else to do this weekend.

Ulrich- Great pictures! I know what you mean on the David Letterman post. Maybe he was pleased, maybe he was poking fun at the hobby because of many folks perception as not "macho" or "grown up" Who knows and who cares. Like one poster said, he throws a bit of random stuff out there. Meant to be funny, some are, some aren't. Even if it was a slam against the hobby, which I really doubt it seriously was, it won't make me cower in the corner and go to my FLHS in disguise and lock my train room door when company comes over. I guess some people are a bit sensitive about their likes and dislikes if they take exception to such things ( I still think that's you in the photo).

Do they make wire nuts that small?

Sawyer- Believe it or not I never thought of using scrap foamy type stuff to spread the glue. Always heard about brushes. I get tired real fast of not getting the brush cleaned out soon or good enough. Good idea, Thanks!

I need to get the mowers out. I need to do the taxes. I need to pay the bills. I need to change the oil in the truck and tune up, I need to fix Brenda's car, I need to start Spring Cleaning, I want to play with my trains. Wonder what I'll do.

Have a Great Day!!!

[galaxy]

It may not show it here but I have, apparently, reached a milestone. 1000 posts. It doesn't seem possible.

BAck killing me again and I have yet to do anything. Muscle relaxers and pain meds here I come. That means I buy a ticket to la la land.

Have to wait til the DR get the MRI results, if I can wait that long till I go and groan for more pain meds...

Hope everyone has a great day. Raining here and first {very Loud} thunder of the season here.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning. It's 64 and cloudy. High today: 80 - partly cloudy.

Got an appointment with the foot doc this morning then the rest of tghe day is pretty much mine to do with as I please. I'll likely use part of the time to work on some freight cars. I've got a Lehigh Valley coal hopper sitting here that doesn't have a mark on it. That won't last. By the time I finish with it it'll look like it's been in the harshest weather elements imaginable for years. It also has (ughh) hornhook couplers.

[Anonymous]

 Good Afternoon,

it is so nice outside. In my good days, I would now be out on the patio, firing up my little  0-4-0 steamer and have her run around in my garden... tempi passati!

Sam should be going for his verbals now - I keep my fingers crossed!

Todd - it´s not me on the picture, it is David Letterman cleaning the DC pickups on this MTH loco.

Petra is spending hours in the kitchen to prepare all the goodies for Christian - why don´t I get treated that way anymore. Ah, the secrets of marriage... 

Galaxy - I send healing prayers in your direction. 

Sawyer - nice video. I really like your w*rk - it certainly is a mature job your doin´ there! Keep it up, lad!

See you, folks!

[BamaCSX83]

Morning all, just stopping in for a bit of breakfast.  I'll have a stack of buttermilk pancakes, two eggs scrambled with cheese, and a side of bacon.  I'll wash it all down with a glass of milk.  Thank you Miss Zoe. 

Well things are going well in the household.  Today is my day off from w**k.  I've only got one thing planned, and that's cut grass, or at least the backyard (my "yard" is 4 acres, we live on 22.5 acres).  Only downside is I have to break out one of the push mowers to do it since well...my rider needs two rear tires, one is split in the sidewall and the other won't always hold air, so its temporarily out of comission.  Later I'll be firing up the grill and making a drunk chicken, tater salad, and mac and cheese for the family since I've got nothing better to do. 

On the MRR front, I've found my art kit with the charcoal pencils in it and I'm slowly but surely working on my SD40-2 (since its just practice until the repaint and renumber happens), I think I've got the general idea, just need to work on getting the engine to "look" right.  I promise to post pictures when I'm done. 

BTW, I'm also glad that someone pointed out it looked like Ulrich tipping the SD70, because I thought the same thing.  I saw the picture and kinda looked at it and went "gee, what's he doing looking under her for?".  Oh well, Todd, if i were closer I'd be happy to help with the oil changing, tuning up, and fixing of cars, that's kinda sorta what I do and enjoy (aside from MRR, hunting, fishing, and when I get the chance, flying). 

Okay, I see my breakfast is here, so I'm going to plop down here at the RC and enjoy.  (sheesh, I didn't know I could be so long-winded)

[Anonymous]

BamaCSX83

Later I'll be firing up the grill and making a drunk chicken, tater salad, and mac and cheese for the family since I've got nothing better to do. 

 

Bama - I have just invited myself for dinner at your place 

[TMarsh]

Sir Madog

Todd - it´s not me on the picture, it is David Letterman cleaning the DC pickups on this MTH loco.

 

[BamaCSX83]

Ulrich, you Petra, and Christian, are more than welcome to come and eat, sir.  I'll treat you to the finest hospitality we can.

[Blazzin]

  Good morning all~  Yesterday rain.. well just and 'early-mornin' rain.. the kind you wake up early to the sound of rain.  Then it stopped.. and a few hours later.. a quick downpour.  Today, this morning.. sunny.. crisp.. and if the wind doesn't pick up .. just a chilly morning.. with the sun warming up every minute. 

  Sawyer.. Jeanne and I just love your vids,  I always laugh.. because we were was watching your vids way before you came to the dinner.. or at least it took a while to place the name with the face.~  I don't know if you can even imagine someone (before I came to this forum) just looking for information.. and stumbling across youtube and see yours.  "Ah Jeanne.. look this young man is going to show us how to do this~" "Coool~"

  Now as far as my layout is concerned.... I have reached an 'impass'.. well at least I believe things are to a grinding halt.  It would seem as if the last week .. all I have been doing is trying to fit a diorama in a tight space.

  Now, I have found the correct,  optimum space.. and fits correctly into its slot.. with the correct 'throw' of the A/D tract.. going into the curve.

  Ok.. fine, I set that aside.. now the staging area.. yes.. yes.. the track.  Well if anyone remembers.. I was laying track.. well I thought I was going to. 

  Now I'm laying cork out.  Except.. I am up way over my head on this one.. lol.  Yeppers.. I'm trying to lay cork down.. that is 1/8th inch thick.. and in multiple layers.  What?  Yes, I want my tracks to have separate levels.. even in the A/D .. including the yard lead.. and the yard as well. 

  From what I can tell, making tracks different levels takes away the 'Flatness' that I have disliked for so long... on many layouts.  Well at least I'm trying to avoid it~

  Aside from making different levels on the tracks.. I am coming to other hurdles.  One or two.. would be the exact height of the tracks in relation to the road.  Now if I am assuming correctly I would care to guess.. and life itself in reality .. would be that roads.. go up and over train tracts.. some might be level.. but some seem the base of the tracks (Ties?) are the same level of the road.. with the rails slightly higher.  In other words. you drive on the road.. and go up slightly.. to go over the tracks.

  But at the same time I am approaching that decision.. I also have to see how the tracks ..and train line up to the height of the train station.  Sort of a compromising decision... or settlement.

  Now why did I go through this blah blah blah.. well I'm big on pics.. but no pics today.  This is going slow.. and I am really over my head.. in some many aspects of building.  I don't really mind.. but I just wanted to let you all know.. I'm here.. but busy.. yuck.~

  Now.. Der John.. just the man I'm looking for.  Yesterday.. I was looking for Steel Mills.. yes.. I'm going to try for that one too.. lol.  But I was looking for .. oh Exhaust Fans.. Piping.. Furnances...Blast furnances.. and the sorts.. and came across a seller on ebay. 

  I started looking at his  stuff.. and thought of your question you asked.. concerning 'Platform fixtures'..

  So if you really want some ideas.. or perhaps buy something.. I believe this seller has unique stuff.  Be sure to check in HO and N scale.. different items.. and many different sizes of the same sorts, plus different items in one or the other.. so check both.

  Like I said.. I was looking for blast furnaces.. and pipes.. and gantry's and cranes.. and exhaust vents.  But looking at / and for platform items.. I got lots of ideals.. and thought of you. 

  But to me..~  aside from all the usual (trash cans and the sorts).. some sort of piping coming out fo the ground.. going up to the platform.. might be a start.  Also even a fire hydrant.. but anyways.. the sellers name is franko .. and maybe here's the site.. lol... I hope this works.. without my ebay name.. lol.

http://shop.ebay.com/franko2828/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

 but check all the pics .. I'm sure you'll find some idea's.  Everything including shelving, pipes.. various.. 'lay around' stuff.

  Just wanted to let you know.. someone is watching also for ya~  I appreciate the help you've given me.  And believe me..   I need help! .. lol.

  Also.. I'm not going back to re-read this if its mis-spelled.. yeah .. well~.. its 8 am.. and I haven't had a whole cup of coffee.. good thing too.. I might have written two pages worth.. ok.. bye.

[AmanaMedic]

DER JOHN said:  "I doubt that THAT would put up with THIS, from our local monthly."

You are correct! She'd throw a fit. As it is, I botched a guy's name in a new business feature last week... don't know how, but I sure as heck did.

One "oh crap!" wipes out 100 "atta-boy's."

JOHN also said... "On those brake shoes, how about these?"

Two words Pal: DON'T SNEEZE! Seriously... the things you do in N-Sane scale just boggle my mind... You want I should dig-up THAT article with the bins?

 

Good morning... LARGE bucket of coffee this morning. Lots of T-storms roaming around last night. Everytime I almost fell asleep...the weather radio went off. Nothing for us, thankfully; just a big-un to the north. Early this morning, same thing: more wakey-wakey action from the weather radio along with a plethora of fire dept. pager tones on the pager and scanner as departments rolled-out for storm watch duties. Again, nothing for us. This time, a big-un to the south. We did have a nice little cell roll over us with a LOT of lightning (near constant), including a very, very, very, very close hit! 

I've already covered one story today: cash for trash at an elementary school. There's a company THAT pays for a plethora of "trash" which they then turn into backpacks, etc. The parent-teacher group has made over $200 since September with it. 

This afternoon...IF the weather holds...a big track meet in Iowa City. IF the weather does not... well, I've got stuff I "should" w**k on. I keep trying to get the writing done earlier in the week, seems I NEED the ultimate threat of a deadline to motivate THAT part of my brain however.

Have a good, SAFE day everybody...

Chris

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe cup of dark roast and an order of sourdough toast with some grape jelly for me this morning.  I'll go sit at the Rivet Counter for a few minutes.

A wet, gray morning here in the Finger Lakes.  Currently 48°F outside with a high around 68°F this afternoon when the thunder storms arrive.  Yep, just like some others to the West of me.  First Thunderboomers of Spring.

Ulrich thanks for the photos.  I take it what you are saying is THAT the main plume from the loco is wrong, and should go straight up.  Guess I'll go back to the drawing board as I don't have anything I can paste in that does THAT!  I may have a couple of photos I can scan in and use the plume from.  I will have to look around.  Actually I may have a couple I took at Steamtown several years ago. 

Had two emails this morning from the folks directing and doing sound for the Spring Musical at the High School.  They can't get the sound system to work...... Yesterday they started to work with the sound for the production.  The show opens on Friday!  All I can say is "Good Luck!"  I emailed them back and said , "what time do you want me there tonight"  The board is not marked and there are several settings to be done before you can pull the signal from the digital board to the 40 channel analog Soundcraft and into the main output.  I told the director several months ago I would be glad to help whoever he found to do sound set it up.  But... 4 days before show time???  He just doesn't get it!

This was me a couple years ago "playing with the system":

have a good one!

73

[ns3010]

Morning all.

I have homework, so I doubt I'll be catching up before the game. I'll catch ya guys later.

[Packer]

Hey ya'll. I'll have a meat ball sub and an RBF please.

Working on more homework for my classes.

So I have a question for the group. What would be the best way to plug holes left from removing parts on a model? I have a factory-painted Atlas WV caboose that was missing some parts for the roof walkway (a loop grab for the ladder top, and a braket for the end of the walkway) so I decided to modernize it by taking the ladders and roofwalk off (atlas doesn't have these parts, and I have little money anyways). Only problem is that there are holes left-over from doing that. I don't have any sprues small enough to fit in them (mounting pegs from busted handrails fit them) and I'm kind of against using squadron putty since it'll eat the paint (although I have silver and BN green, but no yellow). Anyone got anything else to try before I attempt the putty?