G'Morning, eh? Zoe, I'll have a cinnamon roll and a San Juan Central mug of coffee please. Thanks!
Didn't intend to be gone this long - it got busy at the 'w' thing, then it was payday (and time to pay those various bills, etc.), and I've started on my Branchline Yardmaster boxcar kit (it's almost done - things go together amazingly quick!), got Goo Gone and Oops for my paint stripping task (but - after talking with our repaint/electronics guru Kevin at MRR club meeting, decided to order the Scalecoat paint stripper thing that's on-sale in the flyer).
Oh, at the club this past Monday, we started laying roadbed on the connecting sections (as well as helping Kevin put in some connecting sections). Starting to shape up - I'll take photos next Monday's meeting and post 'em here.
Anyway, I have a lot of catching up to do, but good to see Ulrich's back and that Barry's surgery/implant/?? is done (good excuse, Barry!). Someone (Ulrich? Garry?) asked about Bama, and I recall last time he was by the Diner, he'd been reporting his job was taking more time (which if it means more MRR , is a good thing, right? ).
And not that I plan on going to narrow gauge myself, but I saw that Malcom Furlow's book on building the San Juan Central is back in print (see Bob Hayden's website if you want to order, as I did - look up 'Bob Hayden Consulting'). I figure that book will kinda be like Garry's and several others' photos in here - excellent for mining for ideas to use.
That said, I'll grab a seat at the RC and begin the catching up... (all those pages...).
And FYI, we Midwesterners don't have any accent! (yeah, right!)
Blessings,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
P.S. and wouldn't ya know it - first day back, and I got TOP! Okay, Zoe, start the tab for me. Chowhounds?
Good morning, nice and sunny today!!
Well I finished up the St. Marys this morning. I think it turned out good (plus thanks for the comments on it). I also have to run around town this morning.
Todd......I wasn't referring the rust buckets to you , its the other people that say they don't use them anymore. Or.............when someone weathers something and they said its over done, that really "grinds my gears". I just want you to know, it wasn't towards you at all .
Here's the boxcar:
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Robby- Whoops, sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like I took it that way, I didn't.
I was just clarifying,or trying to add to, what I meant. I've seen those same people comment and there are a good number of rust buckets rolling down the pike. If they study your work, and some others, including those that don't post anymore if they can find them, they can see what makes the difference between a good rust bucket, and a great rust bucket.
I know I have saved most all Robby's shots to use as examples when I make a serious attempt with weathering my cars. I would recommend the same to others. Proto shots are great, but for me, studying what someone else has done helps more. I ask things like, "what is different with his and mine that makes his look so much better?" Usually the answer is I've verdone it in spots. Ok, so the whole thing. But that's another problem all together.
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.
Mornin' Everyone! (Mornin' Bill!)
Zoe I'll have a Waffle with some blueberries on top and leave the Maple Syrup..... And don't forget my dark roast coffee in a FGLK Mug, eh.
I see Bill is his usual talkative self and Duke had to wake up to get the diner of of page 2.
Robby, Robby, Robby! I was going to accuse you of passing off photos of the prototype in here this morning, and then I spotted the Kadee coupler on it.... Wow! Sure wish you did stuff from about 1920! The ones you do are about 80 years too new for the SLOW.
Didn't get down to the layout again yesterday.... I did walk through the cellar a couple times getting some tools for other things I did get done. Got a sympathy package mailed out to each of my remaining SILs and my BILs Daughter. Wrote each a long note on the "Reserved" cards and included a couple of photos for them. Today I may do some MRRing. I may also plant some fall snow peas.
Nice cool Fall like day here in the Finger Lakes Region. Currently 66°F with a high of 68°F later this afternoon. Skies are Partly Cloudy with the other part promising to be sunny.... I may just go out and soak up the sun when it is out. Don't get too many perfect days around here!
BTW, I don't have no accent! Now people who are from Rochester (pronounced Ratchister - like rat) they done gots an accent! Us country folk down here in hicksville (not to be confused with the one near the rotten apple) don't gots no accent. Everbody else does......... Now down in the Southern Tier they just use double negatives a lot. They say things like, "I don't got none". An English teacher back when I taught in Waverly always said, "So don't I", when agreeing with anyone.... Used to drive me nuts as Miss Helfer (my Jr. High English teacher) would have me on detention for a week and not able to sit down if I said THAT in her class!!!!
Hope you all have a great day!
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Mornin', I'll start the day right with a Mega-Monster Burger Combo...
Welp, after a SLOW week, not to be confused with RAY's S.L.O.W., a very busy period begins this evening with the debut of high school volleyball coverage. Tomorrow night is the first high school football game of the 9-week regular season. Saturday has me at two events to cover for THAT, and on Sunday evening, I am to interview a trio of Boy Scouts who went to the big anniversary Jamboree in Wash. D.C. not so long ago.
Should I ask 'em what they thought of the POTUS going to "The View" instead of visiting them???
Rust-Buckets. I just looked through my freight car photos file...and whaddaya know? I've got a few in there from my '87-'93 era. I wouldn't want a complete train full of 'em, but one or two, here and there; sure wouldn't be too far out of the realm of "plausibility." And wouldn't ya know it, I found at least a couple the "experts" would have fits over, screaming "it's over-done!!" "THAT's not realistic!"
Heh heh heh
I like messing with the "experts."
Chris, NOT an "expert"
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
Good afternoon. It's 89 here heading for a high of 93. It will be partly cloudy.My plans for this morning got put on hold when my father called requesting my help. His elderly terrier finally passed away and we buried her in the back yard near the lake this morning. She was 20 years old and was blind and deaf and had a bad case of arthritis. There's an old wood foot bridge in the back yard that goes out to an island. She had the habit of going across to the island and resting there. We're pretty sure she got too close to the edge of the bridge and fell off into the lake, where she drowned. My father found her this morning. Hard to believe how hard the ground is just 20 feet from the waters edge. She's resting in peace next to my father's Siamese cat which we buried there some years ago. Afterward I got on with my days business. I went to the bank and made a deposit then on to the post office to send out a package. From there on to Wal-Mart to pick up some things i needed then over to Lowe's to get a gallon bucket of drywall joint compound and some Liquid Wrench lubricating oil for my front door. The latch is dried out inside and is sticking somewhat and the hinge (single long piano hinge) needs oiling. Later I'll see about changing out the ignition lock cylinder in the van.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
A house across the street from the farm I work at got burned down to the ground. It was abandoned by some development company, so no one was hurt. Then some kids stole a big wheel from a farm down the street from us, and crashed it into the corn. Needless to say, I am worried about the farm where I work, there's an older woman who lives there, and I'm worried about her, If I find those kids, they are going to be seeing stars for a long long time
A roast beef dinner for me and a side of mashed taters. Thanks
If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran
When in doubt. grab a hammer.
If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer
If it's broken, get a hammer
If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!
teen steam fan Then some kids stole a big wheel from a farm down the street from us, and crashed it into the corn. Needless to say, I am worried about the farm where I work, there's an older woman who lives there, and I'm worried about her, If I find those kids, they are going to be seeing stars for a long long time
jeffrey-wimberlyTake my advice. Get evidence together against the kids. When you find them turn the whole thing over to the law. You'll be saving yourself from a lot of grief and trouble. Been there and done that.
teen steam fanI dunno about that, the local bears are investigating it now, but a couple weeks ago, some houses across the field got broken into, and one of them was family friends. And we had some kid show up in a beat up Toyota, looked like something I would pick out of the grill of my Jeep or my dad's truck, and our dogs were barking and carrying on. That might of saved our hinds. The town's finest are working on it, looks like Barney Fife has something to do besides traffic stops.
I still like HP cars!
I hate Rust
jeffrey-wimberly We had similar stuff happening here for a while. Done by kids mostly. The cops nailed the whole bunch of them when one of the kids tried unloading a VCR in a pawn shop in Texas. The VCR was marked and traced back here on the list of things taken. When the cops pressed him the kid sang like a canary and turned in the whole group. Not a one of them had even reached the 8th grade yet. Some of them were from poor families but some were from well-to-do families and were doing it for the thrill mostly. They didn't think it was such a thrill when they got busted.
It's a sorry world we're living in.
Ray: YOU have an accent--WE do not have an accent. Actually there is an accent of a sort up here --a curious mix of upper mid west and muskokanese. It comes abouts when one spends their time in cottage country for more than a week--then it takes like 4 months to leave. One never quite gets rid of it either--
Teen Steam: We've been having a bit of a rash of breakins up here as well as vandals breaking into schools and wrecking things in them. We also have a watch cat ( or two) here--I was surprised recently when one feral cat went after some punk with his claws just by our driveshed. Kid got away with about 50 stitches to his face, and a wonderful police record now----cat is now an indoor cat at neighbors.
Welp, I got the bad news about the brakes this afternoon. It'll cost me about $675 to get the ABS brakes rebuilt on my Audi There goes my hobby budget for the next 4 months But then brakes are important--doo doo bedoo bah--mana mana
Tomorrow I'll be back on call for another weekend then I'll be off and running to Woodstock to conduct some QA tests at the facility there--as well as babysit sisters 2 cats--so I'll be somewhat surprised by all the supposed changes to the forum when I get back
Chloe, I'll have a super duper quadruplex burger platter with a bucket of fries with gravy please--also a RBF as well please---I'll be at the corner booth with Duke here snoring away
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/
Flings door wide open and runs over to the Rivet Counter!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys! Hey Guys!!! Tries to stop hyperventilating...... You will never guess what I got a photo of this afternoon.. No not a rare train, Huh? No Flo, I'll order later! Well, I guess I should start at the beginning.
Had to go over to church this afternoon to reset-up my small mixer for sound on Sunday. After we got THAT set up, we found another problem with 2 of the radio units. They seem to be picking up each others frequency.... Anyway, after we figured out a workable workaround for this Sunday, Al (the other guy at the church) and I decided to take down the 24' ladder THAT had been used to reach the unit up on the organ chest. We took it out the main doors and through the parking lot to put it away in the garage out back. Al didn't have the right key on him so he went back in the office to get it. A woman and her small daughter who had just out of the church (today is WIC day) came up to me and pointed out a huge bird in a tree at the back of the parking lot. I of course didn't have my camera on me, so I got in the truck, scooted home, grabbed the camera bag, almost didn't remember the card was sitting at the computer, grabbed THAT, got in the car and drove as fast as I dared back down to the church, changed to my 100mm lens, And managed to get few decent photos of it. The sun and the trees were not co-operating. I think it is one of two possibilities.
So! Any Ornithologists in the house???
The raptor was about 2 foot from head to end of tail. I would guess it is an Osprey, but could be young Bald Eagle from the Montezuma Refuge East of Seneca Falls. We have several breeding pairs out there and some youngsters have been sighted over near Waterloo recently. So what do you think it is? I would like to have a positive ID before I contact the local paper with the photos.....
OK, Flo, now I'll order. I would like a nice Rare (as close as you can) NY Strip steak with mushrooms, a nice garden salad with blue cheese dressing, and a baked potato with sour cream. And a Dr. Pepper to drink.
Mr. Teen Steam Guy - Remember what Falstaff said in King Henry the Eighth, part 2 (well you probably don't because I doubt you have read much Shakespeare yet...). During a battle where he spends most of his time hiding.... "Ah, valor *** me on! But, what if valor *** me off, eh, what then? Methinks the better part of valor is discretion!" Actually good advise for your situation. Gather info and help the local police if you can. THAT is being a good citizen. Putting yourself at risk is both bad for you, and not any help to the police......
Barry, I DO NOT have an accent! Well I do when I go up North to Canada... And when I go down South to Flowiduh. But around here I do not have an accent......
Ray: That does look like an immature Bald Eagle. The thing that messes that thing up is the light colouring in the chest--I'd go with the Osprey.
blownout cylinderRay: That does look like an immature Bald Eagle. The thing that messes that thing up is the light colouring in the chest--I'd go with the Osprey.
Yeh, it doesn't exactly match photos I can find of either one. The Bald Eagle and the Osprey are the 2 big raptors found around here and I have never seen either in the city before...... Way cool, huh?
howmus blownout cylinder Ray: That does look like an immature Bald Eagle. The thing that messes that thing up is the light colouring in the chest--I'd go with the Osprey. Yeh, it doesn't exactly match photos I can find of either one. The Bald Eagle and the Osprey are the 2 big raptors found around here and I have never seen either in the city before...... Way cool, huh? 73
blownout cylinder Ray: That does look like an immature Bald Eagle. The thing that messes that thing up is the light colouring in the chest--I'd go with the Osprey.
Those are two great shots too of that bird!
Ray: What you have there looks like a Peregrine Falcon to me.
jeffrey-wimberlyRay: What you have there looks like a Peregrine Falcon to me.
I would doubt it. I have seen Peregrines up close and seen them hunt. They are the fastest birds on the planet and amazing to watch. A bird handler had one at an Outdoor Education clinic back when I was still teaching and was on the committee. They are a beautiful bird! It is good to see they are expanding their range. They are now seen often in NY City. They were going to bring in a few to the local landfill a few years ago to keep the population of Sea Gulls down. The Loonies had a hey day with them killing those poor little defenseless Sea Gulls........ (Which there were thousands of creating a major mess in Seneca Falls.) Oh, and please do something to clean up all the bird poop on my sidewalk...........
This bird has a pure white underside, is 2 to 3 times the size of a Peregrine and has a heavier (broader) body type as well.
Evening, Chloe, just here to settle up my account from the lunch crew's bill. Ooof - that much? (What a bunch of chowhounds...)
howmusSo! Any Ornithologists in the house??? The raptor was about 2 foot from head to end of tail. I would guess it is an Osprey, but could be young Bald Eagle from the Montezuma Refuge East of Seneca Falls. We have several breeding pairs out there and some youngsters have been sighted over near Waterloo recently. So what do you think it is? I would like to have a positive ID before I contact the local paper with the photos.....
Ray, I'm no ornitholo ornithuli bird-watcher, but based on the size and some kind of difference in the head shape, I'd think Barry has it about right, as an osprey (but I could be wrong). If that's a peregrine falcon like Jeff said, it may be on summer vacation from the big city to the south. I've heard they introduce them to some larger cities to control overabundant pigeon populations. Oh, about the forum closing temporarily? - I noticed on the note about the forum upgrade (sure hope it's that, all right), it said that 9 a.m. Monday morning is when things go offline (and the forums will be off later than the rest of the site). Me, I will be chompin' at the bit for the forums to get going again, since I'll be on vacation from w**k next week. Might have to put together a few more kits and upload photos to my PBucket account in the meantime.
TSF - as others have said, take names, but leave the b*tt-kicking for your local police. The jerks who tend to practice THAT kind of stupidity would be inclined to come after you with all their friends, and if the police get one of them (as also mentioned), the caught one usually sings better than any bird we might see pics of in the Diner. Get names, license plate numbers, descriptions of what they're wearing and look like (besides dumb...), and turn THAT over to law enforcement.
Robby - great job on that 'bleached out rustbucket'!
Chloe, I'll take one of those double-fudge brownies to go, please. Thanks!
Blessings and prayers,
howmusThis bird has a pure white underside, is 2 to 3 times the size of a Peregrine and has a heavier (broader) body type as well.
Wow .... What happend last night? Diner was mostly empty excepr for the guy sleeping in the corner booth. He must have fallen on the floor. Bump!
bjdukert BUMP
BUMP
I see JimCG made it in to the diner. Good!!!! I hope he brought some CG frozen custard. Yum!
Nice photos of birds today. We have Osprey, Blue Heron, White pelicans when migrating through here, buzzards, wild turkeys, and Geese.
Yesterday was my Mom's 91st b'day.
Today, was busy. My mrr friend from Paducah was in town. Gus, Dan and I treated him to a layout tour.
On the layout I'm presently making a trestle from parts salvaged from two smaller trestles from my old layout.
Happy Model Railroading.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Good Evening,
My vote on Ray's big bird is an osprey. Used to see quite a few on Lake of the Woods when I lived in N.W.Ontario.
Ran a few trains tonight, well one actually. I'm giving all my CP locos a little run and just finished with the RS3. Have the little decapod on the tracks with a work train. CP had decapods but they were large locos, far larger than the little Russian version I have but hey, it is a decapod. Sept. 1 the CNR takes back running rights on the Mortimer sub so only a few days left for CP.
Taking my wife out for lunch tomorrow to a local restaurant with a really nice patio as it is supposed to be sunny and about 88F. Likely the last of the really warm weather.
CN Charlie
Gooooooooooooooooooooood Evening Morning, sedation please 'n thank-you.
Not being an orin, orthoin, bird-watcher; my first guess was also a peri-something falcon. Cedar Rapids has a bunch of 'em. I'll take more experienced opinions THAT RAY's bird is an osprey, I wouldn't know one if it was pecking my eyeballs out...
TEEN STEAM: Heed the advice given by the others. Yeah, beating the miscreants to a bloody pulp would feel good...but then THEY would be the victims, and YOU the perpetrator. Western Justice only seems to work in the movies. We've got a bunch of pukes, I mean punks causing trouble in little 'ol Clarence. The local fuzz "knows" who is doing the dastardly deeds (including knocking over grave stones), but doesn't have a little thing called "evidence" needed to prove it. MR. FUZZ has had some "encounters" with a few of the little scum-bags, but for other offenses. He's watchin' for 'em, and has the extra eyes of the Clarence Vol. Fire Dept. for back-up. 20 of us plus one cop means sooner or later the little turds WILL be caught. Unfortunately, the Bovine-Substance "judicial system" will likely sentence them to "community service," "probation," and a bunch of other useless "penalties."
Me, I'd ship 'em off to some kind of boot camp somewhere...
I think I need to tear the entire second floor off of my house and start over.
I'm still fingering-out exactly HOW it is I'm gonna have a small yard for the CCP, a complex looking sorta-kinda like Quaker Oats, fit-in THAT ex-RI roundhouse I worked so long and so hard on; as well as include two short industry tracks (Jerabek Wholesalers <beer dist.>, and Loftus Distributing <lumber products>); plus something resembling something kinda like the Cargill wet corn milling operation.
It "can" be done... trouble is, to do it I have to re-arrange the geography of the whole district, and do a LOT of not-so-selective compression. I knew this going in... dozens upon dozens of rough and not-so-rough trackplan sketches later...it is becoming painfully obvious I'm gonna have to seriously re-think my whole concept.
The good news...is I CAN do the CCP's "B" Yard (ex-IC/ICG) pretty much as-is... It's only six tracks plus a strange engine house/freight house/yard office and turntable. Iowa Electric Light and Power's 6th St. power station is alongside it, THAT can easily be done by a shallow-depth structure on the backdrop (wall).
It's the rest of the desired area THAT is proving problematic.
IF I could knock out a few walls and take over Rerun's bedroom/future (eventually) kid's room...and evict the Wife's stinky, anti-socal cat (so as to take over her room as well)... I'd have a much better fighting chance.
Even if I went to half-Z scale...although I'd be able to get EVERYTHING I want in...I'd still have to physically relocate items. Think of it as taking several of Koester's "LDE" things for a given scene...and then arranging them "out of sequence."
THAT's my dilemma.
For now however, my greater dilemma is trying to get some sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep as it will be an early wake-up so as to go see THAT for weekly face-time.
A good, SAFE day to us all...
Chris
Good Morning,
yesterday was Doc´s day again, but this time I had hardly time for a breather in between the various test and exams. Seems as if I am on a good way to recuperate
Germany is drowning currently. A little south of us they had 60" of rain last night - that´s no fun. Furthermore, a series of tornadoes hit us, but fortunately no major damage in our region. I guess we have to learn how to live with those things in the near future.
TSF - go easy with those guys and let the law handle it - you may find yourself in deep trouble, if you don´t, and that ain´t worth it - as others have stated.
No plans for the day - the HD list has been worked down and I will relax and read my October copy of MR, which just has arrived. Hey, it is still August!
Have good day!
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
Good Morning Folks!A strong cup of coffee please.Hope all is well this fine Friday!Thanks to everyone that responded to my "first kit" question.Lee - I like the look of the Walther's Benson 5 and dime - I have some idea's for a slight "kit bash" for that kitTodd - Thanks for the great building tips on the DPM kits. I have the DPM catalog, I saw a few that I like.
Steven
Good morning all,Barry, I liked those DPM kits, but like you said the directions are a little fuzzy, you have to basically “scratch” build the roof, and often you have to sand the edges of the parts. DPM Kits are defiantly not a kit for a first time experience, but they make excellent down ton blocks of buildings and I like them for backdrop buildings due to the thick plastic. Todd has a point, but I still think several of Walther’s or Atlas kits are the best for your first building experience.Break-ins, what’s wrong with kids these days (OMG I SOUND LIKE MY DAD!!). My girlfriend’s neighborhood had a rash of break-ins until one day…. Dorothy and I were doing yard work at her house, middle of the day I was trimming branches and had just dropped a bundle on the tree lawn when I heard Dorothy yelling: what business do you have in my yard? I walked to the back of the house and she had 3 teens standing at attention in her yard. Now Dorothy was raised in good old fashioned Polish household but there was my sweet innocent girlfriend holding a .357 magnum revolver on 3 street punks (yea it was an old Super Blackhawk). It was obvious the kids had been jumping back yard fences while the neighbors were at work; they had pry bars and screwdrivers lying about their feet. Dorothy held their attention while I called the police. Police couldn’t keep the kids on trespassing, but I noticed ANYTHING that happened in the neighborhood there would be 3 police cars at the house these guys lived in. Finally they messed up and are in jail. I don’t recommend carrying a gun and hoping for the same results (I do recommend being nice to any woman of Polish decent wearing a baggy shirt and shorts).Ray, I don’t think it’s big enough to be an Osprey; the feathers are too nicely groomed, and it’s missing the; “I’m crazy and I’m going to kill you look”. It looks like a peregrine falcon. Osprey’s size will challenge a bald eagle and if you ever have a job changing lamps on aids to navigation or re-setting fog detectors there is a high chance you will get to see one extremely close up. First encounter and 20 some odd stitches later I had some fins and feathers officer asking me (in the ER) if I thought I injured the Osprey. Heck I opened the door at the top of the lighthouse and never knew what hit me until my buddies told me. Normally you can see the nest nearby, it’s huge and made of heavy sticks and always near water.
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Good morning.
Not much planned for me today, maybe wash up a car or two. I did do some work on the layout yesterday, and maybe some more later.
I'm not much of a bird guy, and whatever y'all say it is.......it is .