ELLIOT'S TRACKSIDE DINER - AUGUST, 2011

[cudaken]

 Evening Fellow Dinners

 Flo, a beer please.

 Lee I just did a quick peek at the link you posted. First thank you! Second did you see the software I was asking about? I might have missed it.

 Just go figure the printer died! Just when I need it to print stuff! Sue wore it out printing $5.00 gift cards from Kohl s department store for things (well I) do not need. Paper will not load, will pull it apart later but I cannot see anything stuck in the paper shut. (never did like the thing anyway)

 Illinois Department of unemployment. If you are Caring, Intelligent, Problem Solver, and Fast! This is not the job for you!  Hum, I fit right in! Well I filed today so it is official, I am now part of the unemployed figures! There where only 3 people in front of me, so it only took 2 hours to file? 

 Illinois Human Services (food stamps) See above! Sue has been calling on and off for 2 days now. No one will answer the phone! I called and used the speaker phone and let it ring for a hour, no one picked up! Drove there today (35 mile round trip) filled out some paper work, and now have to go back Friday between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. What can you say, yes we need the help and gas is so cheap here at $3.70 a gallon. 

 Jeffery I may have a box. Funny how the small stuff slows me down.   

 Bank Of Stupid They called today want to help me refinance, where were they 3 weeks ago?

 Rob Keep us posted on your dad.

 Galaxy Good luck on the Bank Of Dad and the furnaces.

 See you all later.

                  Ken

        Ken

[gear-jammer]

I stopped by for a RBF. 

Lee,  Sounds like you shouldn't have a leak.  I always blame vents.

Rob,  That doesn't sound like very long.  At least we don't have much lightning.

Off to mow the lawn.

Sue

[blownout cylinder]

Good Afternoon...

Well(not too wet)...it got to be a dribbly monsoony kind of afternoon here...

Last nights storm did do us an interesting thing...I found the back stairwell had a 2" puddle of water at the base of it...of course there is a window..not very well sealed there..and, of corse the wind brought the rain right to that side of the house...

Oh Frabjious Joy    

So, having found this wonderful piece of news out we ended up wet/drying the floor up and placing a couple of fans there to dry the air out a bit..which led to more fun and games...trying to place fans in an enclosed area to deal with this is no fun...

Anyway..off to Home Desperate to pick up some caulk to do a temporary seal on the dang window...

And, as Chris, so elegantly put it..hope everyone gets to do stuff without certain nasties coming around to throw stuff at you...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Picked up three 1/2 pint cans of mis-tinted paint recently. A couple are pretty bright!



Anything with that reddish color on it is going to need a volume control. That's loud! It looks like bright pinkish red lipstick.

[AmanaMedic]

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooood (I guess) afternoon...cup 'o coffee please, and thank-you.

TODD: Well (toads are splashing about), I'm not exactly sure what I've got to deal with to be honest with you. This weekend, time and mood permitting, I'm going to pry the screen door open and see just what I've got. I took "door only" measurements of it so far. Likewise, I'll pry the antique wood door open (again) so as to get a really good look (first in years) at the whole situmacation therin. You see, I had this...crazy...insane, really...notion THAT I could just pry open the screen door, unscrew the old frame, toss the whole mess at the curb and put a pre-hung storm door in it's place. 

Easy, peezee, lemon squeezee.

Yeah.

I know.

But, it was a two-birds with one stone theory: 1) replace junked screen door with insulated storm door, 2) buy some time on restoring the inner (antique) door. So far, at least the screen door...junk THAT it is...locks. And, the inner door fits so tight, it too requires much effort to force open. THAT's part of why I've just looked the other way when walking by them for the past several years. We had 'em both open last year for the garage sale on the porch... THAT's when some of the hardware on the antique door fell apart. 

Fun.

I expect by the time all is said and done, there will be some sawing and scabbing taking place. Also some blood-typing of the project and words said THAT Mom told me to never say. A tool and or piece of material may end up flying across the front yard too at some point.

Oh joy. Oh rapture. 

When we looked at this place, I was going to pass on it due to all the things needing w**ked on. She said "we can do it, we'll just do a little at a time." Since then (six years plus)...very little of anything has been done. In  part due to a time vs. money thing. When I have/had "time," I didn't have the money. When I had the money, I didn't have the time. Also, not having any clue what the hell I'm doing also hinders the process. She keep reading "how to renovate your old home" books...then says "I'll do this," or "I'll do THAT," and goes and gets materials...THAT sit and sit and sit and sit and sit and sit and... Case in point. Last fall, she got the bright idea to insulate the pipes in the basement. She bought a stack of pipe insulation. "I'll do it tomorrow." "I'll do it this weekend." "I'll do it......." The material is now stashed in a closet somewhere. Looks like I'll be picking up THAT ball (now flat) and running with it. THAT said, I'll start some project and realize "easy to install" isn't, nothing is square or level or "standard" with the modern world; get frustrated and contemplate grabbing Rerun and my camera gear, dropping a match, and off we go to Kansas. It also comes to pass, THAT I'll start trying to repair, re-do, replace something...and discover THAT "gee, I can't go any further on this until we do something with THAT...and THAT is gonna cost some bucks."

But, she loves this house. She loves this town. She loves where she works.

So................. here sits me trying to figure out how to make lemonade out of a moldy lemon. 

LEE: Thanks for the website link, hopefully NS3030 JOE will take a look at THAT website. I didn't see the lens I'm looking for: Nikon 70-200 F2.8.  The purchase will be made in late October/early November, from a local pusher. The college where the wife w**ks has an employee computer/electronics purchase plan. The college buys it, the employee pays the college back over three years. So (not a needle pulling thread), once my D-90 and 18-200 F4.5-5.6 and her laptop are paid off, we go right back into owing the college for the faster lens (which will hopefully make my job easier). 

We don't have a camera/lens pool at w**k. THAT Editor and Mr. Boss use Nikon products, but with our  staff going multiple directions, trying to share equipment would be all but impossible. So, I just use my own. Actually, I prefer playing with my own toys. IF something happens, I'm the only one *** at me.

Speaking of Rerun, I need to get him his mid-day trip outside, check the mail, grab some lunch, then see what I can do for THAT Editor to get some content going for her. Tonight, the high school volleyball season starts with my Clear Creek Amana Clippers on the road in Solon against the Lady Spartans. THAT's two teams for the price of one for us: Clippers for THAT Editor's Leader, Spartans for Mr. Boss's Economist.

Have a good day peoples...hoping everybody dodges storms, falling trees, swirly things in the sky, big spinning things out to sea, and all other manner of annoyance, pesitlance, etc.

Chris

[Cederstrand]

Coffee in a  SUNNY SOUTHERN  mug, please.

***Sue, I think there are numerous factors which effect how long any given pump should last. That said, the type we have should last 10 years. Our old one survived 16 years. Only difference is the new one has a second lightning arrestor in it, for what it's worth.

No news on my dad. I hope that is a good thing.

Have a great day all.

 Rob

[LSWrr]

Sue, Lake Erie is a storm generator for us until it freezes over, but last night’s storm was really bad and came out of Canada.  High winds, driving rain, enough lightning I thought it was day time outside at 0144.  I hope I find the leak also. New flashing on the chimney and a new “bird cage” on the top, new flashing on the roof, new 90 pound rubber roof on the upper level roof, new commercial grade shingles on the lower roof with a rubber membrane behind all the gutters and new ice ridge material along the gutters.  Went over all the siding looking for any holes or missing corners, caulked all the window frames upstairs, cleaned all the rain gutters and downspouts, and I still have a leak during heavy rains!  I think over the past 8 months I’ve spent $2,200 chasing the leak.

 

Galaxy, OH I got it.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

My internet service is running in fits and spurts today. Up for a few minutes, down for ten or fifteen minutes. Guess they're having trouble getting the equipment calibrated after all that storm damage.

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone....  Opps!  Lunch time I guess....

Zoe, sure glad we serve breakfast all day....  I'll have a breakfast Bagel w/ cheese and sausage and a cup of the finest dark roast coffee you have.  Yes, use my R&GV RR Mug.

Jeremy....  Whew!  I am glad the wood will be used to keep someone warm....   I am one of those people THAT any wood left at the curb will go in the back of my pickup for cutting up for the wood stove....  Haven't had time to do THAT this summer so I will end up buying wood to heat the house this fall...  I like the idea of free wood better.   I try to get as much of my heat from the wood stove as possible as it is carbon neutral and cheaper than heating with fossil fuels (Natural gas here).  There is also the great feeling of laying on the floor near the stove and soaking up the radiant heat from it.  I copy the cats on THAT one!

Barry, more firewood up your way, huh?  Have fun cutting up the downed trees.  Hope there is not a lot of damage to the neighbors house or yours.

J.R., I will keep you in my prayers as Irene comes your way this weekend.  The Finger Lakes will get some wind and maybe some rain out of it, but most likely anything too damaging. 

Ken, have you gone to the HP website and tried to download upgraded software?  You may need something newer if your OS has changed (upgraded).

Yesterday I sent the electrician home with some fresh vegetables from my garden.  When we walked back over to his truck we noticed a large group of wasps resting at the peak of the neighbors house next door.  Almost immediately we had about 5 or 6 of them investigating us.  We decided to stop chatting and he took off.  I waited a while and checked to find wasps still going in and out of the peak of their roof.  Went over and told the lady of the house about it.  She said ever since they have gotten home from Vacation last weekend, they have had one thing after another and she would tell her husband.  i think he must have sprayed last night as there are no wasps around this morning.  She was concerned as they have been getting them in the house.  I figure he must have climbed up to the attic and got them.  I hope, since I am having a large gathering of family and friend here labor day weekend......

Prayers for all of you in the path of Irene.....!

73

[LSWrr]

www.oldapps.com and you can download old software…

[jeffrey-wimberly]

cudaken

 Jeffery I did miss type what my computer is missing. I need Microsoft Java "Viral" Machine. The old computer ran XP Pro, this one runs XP Home. From looking on the internet I know Microsoft no longer supports Java Viral Machine. There are other versions of it but there not supported any longer my Microsoft. Any ideas?

A photo editing program I use offline is PhotoImpressions. It's a great photo editing program that's easy to use. I found it at the local Walgreen's store. They have a small $10 digital camera that comes with a drivers CD-ROM. On the CD is the PhotoImpressions program. It can be installed quickly and easily. If you can't find one I may have one laying around.

[cudaken]

 Morning Dinners!

 Flo, Galaxy paying? Just a cup of coffee then.

 Pulled Post Steve is the one that pulled the post. I did find a E-Mail from him this morning. That was the main thing I was mad about, I was expecting something in conversations about why it was pulled. Guess I cannot blame him either. I never said I need the help so I could post pictures in WPF so it was not train related.

 Jeffery I did miss type what my computer is missing. I need Microsoft Java "Viral" Machine. The old computer ran XP Pro, this one runs XP Home. From looking on the internet I know Microsoft no longer supports Java Viral Machine. There are other versions of it but there not supported any longer my Microsoft. Any ideas?

 My old laptop "XP Pro" has the HP program I want, I tried to save it on a thumb-drive but still did not work. I looked on the hard drive in program files for the needed Java and could not find it. Any idea where it might be hide?

 Well, time to poke around the site.

     See you later today.

                          Ken 

  

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 73° and very cloudy and wet. The high will be 100° (feel like 113°) and there's an average 40% chance of thunderstorms all day.

Well, two of my friends, David Parks and Mr Raintree are off the net until this heavy cloud cover moves out. They both have satellite setups and this kind of weather blocks them out.

The trip my mother and I made to Deridder for lunch yesterday went without incident.We both enjoyed the buffet at Ryan's. On the way back to Leesville we heard a weather alert over the radio that a large storm was moving down from Arkansas. The report stated 'Minor damage could occur'. Boy, was that the understatement of the year! The storm hit while we were at Wal-Mart in Leesville. I'm glad we were there and not on the road. Trees blown down, power lines down all over, rain coming down so hard you couldn't see thirty feet and high winds blowing that rain almost horizontal. Over half the parish was without power and emergency services. Many of the volunteer fire depts were out helping clear the roads and getting trees off lines in addition  to their normal duties. My power was out until 11 pm and cable didn't come back until earlier this morning and is still going going on and off. So far it's gone offline twice since I've been typing this. How hard was the wind blowing? My nephew's boat which is parked in my yard usually points at a 45° angle relative to my trailer. Now it's pointing at 75° relative to my trailer and it's no lightweight. It's a big heavy Glasstream. You lake fishermen out there would probably be familiar with that. The area out here looks like a war zone. Trees down, branches, limbs, pine cones all over the place. I found a piece of someones rain gutter in my parents yard yesterday. It's not theirs. I checked.

Bama: Nice weathering job. Good to see you got the Dash 8-CW I sent you. It was too big for my layout. My smallest and largest curves are the same size. 18" radius.

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,

    74 degrees and humid with thick cloud cover as far as the eye can see. I'll have a regular to go please ladies.

    Went right to sleep last night when I got home from the shop. Musta been a long day though I did get a lot done. I guess we're in the middle of the new predicted path of hurricane Irene though they're guessing it'll be down to cat 1 by the time it reaches us. We'll see how the hurricane/tornado thing goes Chris. Of course, since New England has more of everything we have both.

Galaxy - I'm sure you'll get lots of advice and commiseration but do have the dealer/installer check out state and federal energy credits on the new furnace and installation. Beyond breaks you might get because of the health angle, there are a ton of energy savings grants out there for the taking when upgrading to a more efficient unit. No need to let big oil have all the tax breaks, right?

   Lot to do again so I'd best get to it. need to climb on the trailer roofs today and check the hatches and skylights before we get the "big storm".     CUL, J.R.

[teen steam fan]

Tmarsh- Freshman only is an hour long period where its just freshman in the morning. Advisory is like a study hall, homeroom type deal. Foods can get certification if you take two years of it, but I am already familiar enough with it to know an egg is an egg and how to handle it properly. You certainly don't go like this and.....(Splat)......ooops..... Uhhhh......I gotta get to school....gottagobye

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!! Just coffee please. Thanks.

Sunny, with a high near 84.

TSF- You….only have one class? That’s what my Dad would have said. Seriously, What is Freshman only and Advisory? Hm, I thought you would have been familiar with food yeeeears ago. Guess they do thing different in your area.

Bama- The only thing I see on the weathering, now this comes from someone who is not good at it at all, is on the sides. I believe if instead of a side to side action as it appears to be, a top to bottom action would be more appropriate. From all I’ve seen, heard and what little I have done, the occasional side to side is ok especially if representing a rubbing action, but a top to bottom action represents weathering from rains etc better. Gravity and all you know. Looks good though.

Joe- I recommend the Cannon Rebel . I have the XS. Don’t know if there are other versions of the Rebel as I’m not really that into cameras anymore and that is part of the point. This camera takes great pictures and is easy to understand and use. It is a true SLR so what you see through the view finder is what your picture will look like. The settings are fairly simple and actually there are quite a few to keep you busy learning how to use them. It also takes lenses from the old SLR’s (before digital) so there is no special lenses you have to buy. Or so I was told. I know a Pentax I was looking at was that way. I suppose you could but may not be able to use the AF and Auto zoom functions. Anyway, the pictures I take have improved greatly with just a few shots with this camera above the Sony point and shoot the wife had/has. If you follow the path of photography, I’m sure you will outgrow this camera as it is an introductory camera. But for around $500, it just may be the only camera you will need. I know it does more than I need. It does not, however, do video if that is of interest to you.

Chris- Don’t feel bad. Had the same, well similar, door issues with Mom’s house and it was built in ’72. Doors themselves were taller, door frame height was too. The Height of the opening from the floor to the top, or what they call the rough, was the same size as now. What I had to do was after removing the old door frame, was scab in the appropriate amount of floor joists (on one door due to the brick/concrete sill. The other was just a 2X2 trimmed and fitted in the notches cut out ) to raise the height so the 1 inch, yes it has a 1 inch sub floor, could be pieced in. Then, a standard height door could be used. I assume since you’ve measured for a screen door it wouldn’t w**k that way for you?

Welp, have to w**k tonight so….. Aside from my daily trip to Mom’s, think I’ll do some odds and ends around here. I will tackle repairing the seam in the bedroom wall Saturday  when I will have all day. Been putting it off, I don’t like repairing textured walls. Besides I have a Wake to go to this afternoon. Starts at four, I asked the another kid who w**ks there and recently moved to the apartment upstairs of the Restaurant, if he would zip downstairs and cover for me until I could get there.

Ya’ll have a Great Day!!!

[teen steam fan]

Morning, coffee to go. 

NS- the A/B is when the split the period in half for lunch, so my lunch period is at 10:30 

Bama- Nice weathering. Not too heavy, which is very easy to do.

 

[galaxy]

LSWrr

 

Galaxy, you found a furnace with central air for $3,600.00?  Buy it before they figure out the mistake! The new furnace with central air we installed in my Aunt’s house 4 years ago was over $6,000.  See if your town/county offers home improvement loans.  The HUD loans in my area are 2% to 3% max for home improvements.  I know it’s still a bill, but it beats going without a furnace.

 

NO, NO NO!!! The furnace for heating only is $3,600.00. It IS a "ready to install A/c unit". THAT-adding A/c would be an EXTRA $3,000.00 for a total of $6,600.00!!!!!!!!!!!

It doens't matter one way or the other if you haven't the money!

Will have to talk to the "bank of Dad" and see what he thinks {I.E. what he will give me in cash to pay for it}

Later EDIT: Looks Like I got top honors...go VERY EASY on me guys..I have to cough up the credit cards for a furnace!!

[gear-jammer]

Good morning, Chloe.  I am early enough that I need waffles with my coffee, please.  Had a good evening climbing last night, even if it was 84 degrees inside.  There is one small fan which barely circulates air.  It is  like a  steam sauna.

Labor  Day weekend, I will be trying my first time at dispatching on a friends operating layout.  I am excited.  I love the operations as much as the modeling.

Rob,  How long is a pump expected to last?  I am  dreading the day when ours will need CPR.

Lee,  This is August.  Is a storm unusual this time of year?  Hope you find the leak.

Sue

[jeffrey-wimberly]

cudaken

 Well, here is the question that was struck. Reason I have not been posting any new pictures is because I cannot get my HP photo & imaging software installed in the replacement  computer I am on now. It is HP Version 1.1 for Windows. When I try to install it I get "Error Microsoft Java Machine not installed".

 While I have Java installed, it must be the wrong version.

 Jeffery Can you help with this problem?

  I will drop in a little later.

                 Ken

Doers your computer use the same Windows version your other one did? (Window Vista vs Windows 7 as an example?). I had the same problem myself so I dropped the HP Photo Imaging software. I use Photobuckets online Photoflex editor instead.

[LSWrr]

Good Morning All,

Last night’s storm was worse than I thought; woke up this morning and both my flags on the front of the house were in the driveway.  The metal brackets were broke in half I guess by the wind.  I know the ceiling was leaking in the computer room again.  I can’t figure out where the water is coming in from.

 

Galaxy, you found a furnace with central air for $3,600.00?  Buy it before they figure out the mistake! The new furnace with central air we installed in my Aunt’s house 4 years ago was over $6,000.  See if your town/county offers home improvement loans.  The HUD loans in my area are 2% to 3% max for home improvements.  I know it’s still a bill, but it beats going without a furnace.

 

Curt, I think the last set of videos I bought were from Green Frog Productions, not sure if they carry the Herron Video Series.  If you get the RFD-TV channel, but they have a couple good shows on train stuff.  I really enjoyed the Steam and Diesel on the (insert railroad name here) videos.

 

Chris, go to www.microcenter.com and look at their SLR prices for Canon and Nikon, sometimes you can get a good deal.  Their 700mm stabilized Nikon lens was under $2K.  I bought the Nikon 300mm, stabilized, for under $600 last spring.  The only “bad” thing is they will not process a credit card order without speaking to you on the phone first.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Kind of cool and damp out today..high will be 71F . The storm dumped 3" on us in 45 minutes last night...that, and our house took another direct hit of lightning as well...two trees behind us got struck by lightning...both split right down the middle..so there are going to be a bit of chainsawing to be had by neighbours behind us...one of the trees landed right on their roof by the looks of things....

I'm going to be doing some examining of our siding and see if I need to do a repair job on it or it can just be cleaned off...who knows.....at least we were grounded really well here...

Flo, I'll have a coffee and a danish please..I'll be at the RC...

[JeremyB]

Howmus:

 

Its all small branches and what is worth keeping for firewood my parents are taking. Its not going to the dump per say, we have a spot by the dump where are local trash pickup takes leaves, grass, trees. Thats where we are going. Us locals just call it the dump because its right beside.

[galaxy]

GOOD MORNING!!!

Today is THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011!!!

This day shall visit us but once,

Make it a good one!!

It will be with lots of so I will need a with which to do my errands today!!! The whole western 1/3 of NY is now covered in severe storms. I turned on the A/c to cool down the LR and it came right on and stayed on. THen I looked up the temperature outside. Near 70* no wonder it stayed  on- warm outside.

[Anonymous]

Yup, Chris - I am up, ready to head for the shower and off to another day at the STALAG.

Good Morning,

it is a miserable day here in northern Germany - fog! Morning temperature is at 20° C, daytime high expected to be 30° C with the odd spell of rain - yucch!

Chloe, just a coffee for me, please - I don´t have much time left before I have to go.

Have a good one!

Edit: Joe, if you don´t want to spend that much $$$ on a SLR camera, take a look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-5. It´s got an excellent lens (made by Leica) and sufficient gadgets to cope with just about all kinds of situations. I have its predecessor and I am quite happy with it.

[AmanaMedic]

Evenin'

Well (toads sleeping peacefully on a cool August night under the stars), I was...with much regret...wrong. JOE: I just checked a camera dealer in Cedar cRapids...best up your bucks to $600-$700 for an entry-level Digital SLR. I guess I was w**king off of prices from three years ago in my brain. I'd recommend Nikon, mostly from having used their wares since 1992 (FM-2, N-70, N-80, D-90 in THAT order). Canon is what the snooty "pros" use, and the primary choice for the big boys in media. I think part of THAT, is they think the huge lenses look really cool painted white (Nikon gear is black). But, in the Canon line, the digital Rebel seems to be a reliable beast for about a $100 less than Nikon's entry level unit (both in "kit" form i.e: with a lens included). 

BAMA CSX: Hey, not bad on the weathering. I use washes myself, never messed (no pun intended) with chalks, pastels or powders. I know we've got some guys in here THAT swear by 'em though. I guess I'd suggest a thin wash of black to...blend?...the powders in. I hesitate to make a suggestion as I'd hate like heck to have you try something and have it backfire on you!

 

Door wars: I've decided THAT the best (easiest, least expensive) option for the antique door will be to restore it in-place, and soak the mechanism in Liquid Wrench for a few days. THAT and some cobbling of door parts the idiot left behind, and maybe a little help finding the correct screws (hello ACE Hardware!); and THAT door should be just fine. In the meantime, I decided to look at replacing what's left of the screen door with a nice looking, energy efficient storm door. Ha ha ha ha ha ha...silly me. Again, the odd height is going to be problematic. I did find a good looking door at Menard's, but the tallest they go is 84 or 85". I need 89". 

"We can get a door" the wife said (*picture THAT said in an Edith Bunker voice). I say "yeah, but custom doors run north of $1k. "We'll figure something out..." she says. I don't know, we've lived with the condition for six years plus... silly me for thinking I can make this place look nicer and less like White Trash Corner. What gets me, is w**king on a 100+ year old house seems to mean THAT nothing "modern" fits..."easy to install" isn't...nothing in this house is square, level, or "standard." I see why people take these old houses, gut 'em, and essentially start over. 

It's just easier.

I say "tell me again why we bought this place?"

"Because we love it" she says (in an even more grating Edith Bunker with a throat condition voice).

"Oh. Yeah. I keep forgetting."

She walks out of the room, goes upstairs, closes the bedroom door. 

Oops.

Oh well.

On THAT happy note...hope you guys have a better night, and an even better tomorrow. Good morning to Herr ULRICH!

Chris

 

[ns3010]

Evening all.

Chris, $400-$500 is probably the range THAT I'll be looking in. I've done a little looking around, but not any actual shopping yet, as the purchase won't be for at least a few months.
I've also had more than my fair share of D'OH moments while shooting. Last week while at BB, a CSX train had a HLCX SD40-2 leader. I got a (somewhat blurry) shot of it, similar to the one of the smoking NS train, but then couldn't zoom out fast enough, so, as the train passed, all I got was a rather blurry closeup of the nose of the leaser unit. Oh well, you win some, you lose most...

Ray, I'd love to come up your way to get the merit badge and help you get a few extra points towards Association Official, but there's no possible way THAT I could find the time to get up there. Sorry...

TSF, what time is your lunch at? In my school, "A Lunch," which is 5th period, 11:02, is good, because I'm already hungry by THAT time, but bad because I'm hungry again by 7th period, which is at 1:11. Overall, I think C Lunch (6th period) is good because you're hungry until you get to eat at 12:28, but then you only have two classes after lunch.

Bama, on the weathering. I tend to keep my weathering subtle, but THAT's just me. If you like your units dirty, then THAT's fine by me!

Well (shining in the moonlight), THAT's about all I have to say for now. But I'll be hanging around for a while longer.

-Joe

PL42AC 4028 leads a Raritan Valley Line train through BOUND BROOK Interlocking, ready to make its station stop.

[Cederstrand]

Veggie & Fruit Smoothi, please.

***Curt, as I type the thermostat reads 89 degrees, yet it feels like 70. Now that it has cooled down, I turned it off for the night. Will try replacing it once we're caught up on expenses. Might be a while though.

***Galaxy, OUCH, and I thought our well pump replacement was painful.

Hey folks, how about posting some extra layout pics and weathered cars, for those of us whose layouts are on hold?

Have a good night all.

Rob

[BamaCSX83]

Evening all.  Just stopping in for a RBF and some company.  Not a whole lot happening, but I FINALLY made some progress on my MRR stuff!

I did some weathering on my SD40-2, think I did a fair job, by all means, feel free to comment on what I did right, what I did wrong, what I could do better.  Weathered the unit by drybrushing colors on, and using some floquil paint pens (namely weathered black and roof brown) along with simple flat white, flat black, and flat red.  Hope it looks ok and that the pictures show up properly.

I also got my package from LA, and a large thank you goes to Jeff for sending it to me, it will be greatly appreciated and used quite frequently.

[tcwright973]

Ray - Thanks for the information about the diner in Penn Yan. I appreciate it. I don't know the name of it, but there is a family restaurant in Watkins Glen that serves up a pretty good breakfast. But it would be nice to try some other places as well.

We drove up to Cresson and Cassandra, PA yesterday to do a little railfanning. It was somewhat busy, but the high point of the day for me was RJ Corman dropping off a coal train in Cresson for Norfolk Southern. All the times we have been there, I have not been able to catch them. It was a long consist with 3 Corman and 2 Norfolk Southern engines in the lead, and 3 more Corman pushing.

Later while sitting on a bench in Cassandra, I thought I felt some tremors. But the wife said she didn't feel anything, so  I was wondering what was wrong with me. It was kind of a relief when we were almost home and I heard on the car radio about the earthquake. Always something interesting happening when railfanning.

Have a good one...     Tom