Coffee refill, please.
***Garry, love the layout shot. Impressive sight with the idling diesels (lights on).
***Jeffrey, great weathering on that gondola.
Got a small file cabinet moved downstairs and have begun organizing all the folders my sister helped put together. Tuckered out just from doing that. Still, it's progress.
Finally put a jacket on inside the house. It's cold in here and just as cold outside. Weather guessers say it will warm up into the low to mid sixties tomorrow. I'm ready for summer to return.
Rob
Good Afternoon
Everything is all ready for the weekend on-call...
Garry: Love the photo of the idling desiels ....
Rob: I'm working away on a number of archived records from work...mind if I join you?
Chloe, I'll have a coffee for now please..I'll be at the RC for a bit
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/
Good afternoon, everybody. Are we approaching Texas, yet? How about some Tex Mex food?
Rob ... Good to see you. Thanks for the remark.
Barry .... Thanks to you also for the remark. I like the streetcar picture.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Afternoon,
Went out to lunch with MOH and Son. Afterwords we went grocery shopping at Wally World and it wasn't too crowded. MOH started feeling bad again so she is laying down to try to minimize the episode. She has to make a appointment with a specialist surgeon to discuss removing the inner ear on her left side. She will have no hearing on that side and she will have to have a permanent shunt. The Radiologist still has not submitted his report on me yet.
Garry- That is a very nice scene in WPF.
Jeff- That is a awesome looking gondola
Talk to you all later.
Curt Webb
The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad
http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/curtwbb/
No layout is too small for this train.
For all my Buddies in the Diner as we head across the Lone Star State this Remembrance/Veteran's Day Evening I found this on the tube and I found it so Special and didn't know if any of you had heard it, I thought this would be a Great Tribute and a wonderful way to end this Day.
Please take time to listen and enjoy..... If you are anything like this old dog, have a rag handy.
Johnboy out ................................and I'm going to listen again.
Normal 0
GI Joe
The Oak Ridge Boys are singing...I had never heard this song before,
but if you'll listen to the end, you may be as surprised as I was.
http://silverandgoldandthee.net/V/Lil.html
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Hope everyone remembered and honored the veterans of all wars today.
With all the temp/barometer/front changes I had another migraine today, even though it was sunny but chilly out. SO I didn't accomplish a thing.
Also the train nut friend stopped by unexpectedly for a "spot of tea".
Well, I seem to now be adjusting to the time factor, though I did spend a lot of tiem in bed sleeping.s o I am on target to go to bed at 9:30 pm tonight instead od of 8-8:30 pm like of late.
So,
i bid you all
G'NITE!!!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Curt Webb Jeff- That is a awesome looking gondola
This afternoons project was a bit tougher than most. I had a turnout fail after ten years of service so of course it would have to be replaced. I'd been putting it off for about a week but today I looked at it and decided it was time. The part that I was hesitant about is that it's located on the east side of the main part of the layout. For those who remember what the layout looks like that's to the left of the Shell station where there are such classics as a 55 Chevy, a 72 Gremlin, an Olds 442 and the infamous AMC Pacer. Well, the turnout is about one foot to the left of that scene. The whole scene drops out from the bottom leaving an access hole. Getting to that hole requires going under that side of the layout and standing up in the hole which puts the top of the layout at waist level. I managed to get to a standing position and leaning against the layout to use it for support. From there I used my Dremel to cut the rails and roadbed of the turnout then cut out some of the area around it then pried it up with a screwdriver. That was the easy part. Next I heated the soldered rail joints and pulled the cut rail stubs out with my pliers then vacuumed up the mess left behind. Now I had to prepare the new turnout. I cut the locking and index tabs off the ends of the roadbed then put it in place starting with the main and diverging tracks first. Those weren't too hard. To get the other end in I had to lift the end of the next piece of track and managed somehow to pop half of one the rails loose. Well, that means I had to replace that straight section too. No problem, It actually made getting the end of the turnout in place. Now all that remains is to securely anchor the new sections and solder the rail joiners then ballast those sections. That however is a project for another day. The new turnout is in, wired and tested and it works flawlessly.This is the old turnout. The points are locked to the main route and will not move to the diverging route. They start to then snap back. And here is the new turnout and adjoining straight section in place.Maybe anchoring the pieces will be tomorrows project. That depends on how I feel tomorrow.
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
Evening Folks and fellow Vets!
Flo, I pay all the taps tonight, eat and enjoy folks! Flo, my self I will take a prime rib medium rare, tenders of fries, side salad and a please!
Thayne You are more than welcome. XVIII Air Born, 16th Military Police Group, 503 MP Battalion, 108th Company 3rd Platoon.
Lion I would take the subway, but I have heard there is a Lion on the lose and they won't let me take the Wolfhound with me! Seems silly if you ask me, they seem to let kitty's on the subway?
Rob Is your furnaces out? I saw where you where thinking about the barrel heater. I thought it was because you where look to save money and not the prime heat system for the house?
Well have a 10 hour w%&k day Saturday, but if we are busy time should past fast!
See you all Saturday night!
Ken
I hate Rust
Time for me to head for the bed. See y'all tomorrow.
GOOD MORNING!!!
Today is Saturday, November 12th, 2011!!!
{We started off with the Roman day names with Saturn's Day for Saturday, my favorite. Now we will examine the ancient Greek monikers for the days of the week}.
The Greek name for today is Hemera Kronu {EE-mare-ah kron-uu} for Cronus' day, for Cronus the Titan, father of Zeus.
Happy Saturday everyone! Speaking of face book... Todd, I have a funny story. My sweet wife plays the games on face book like farmville and mafia war etc. So she signs me up for facebook so she can send herself gifts to play her silly games, About a week later I walk in the kitchen and she comes in and sticks her laptop in my face and asks who is Maria so in so?? After i figure out what the heck is going on I say I don't know?? Then I remind her I have Never been on facebook Heck I don't even know the password for my own profile?? I love her to death but women are Nuts some times! Now I get friends and family members yelling at me because I don't accept their friend requests. Boy oh Boy I sure am glad I have you friends Here in the diner!!!
Thayne,
Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
Good Morning
Kinda dull but clearing later on this morning..high of 55F expected.
Having good ol' fashioned back spasms this morning so I ended up calling in substitute on-call to cover...
Flo, I'll just have a coffee for now please...I'll be at the RC for a bit.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN!!!
HOORAY! It is Saturday, November 12th, 2011!!!
Thought I'd stop in and say hi again.
have a few chores to do today..head much better so maybe i can get them done.
Hopefully those who had a 3 day weekend are enjoying it!!!
Ta Ta for now
Good Morning!! Coffee and um…., how about a stack of buttermilk pancakes with butter and Maple syrup please. Thanks.
(Yaaaaaaawn) Good news, slept for four hours last night. Most I’ve slept in one night in over a couple weeks now. All in a row too. Maybe this means I’m getting out of this slump.
Things went well at the Lawyers yesterday, dispersions have been made and after the receipts have been collected I will be released from my appointed duties and all will be done.
Johnboy- Oh I agree with the do and do not deserve it. Actually, writing it out, even telling it, sounds a whole lot worse than it really is. Eeeeever once in a while she will get really bent around the axle over something, but that’s probably part my fault. I love her to no end, but parts of our personalities aren’t what you would say are…....compatible. They are right, don’t try to change someone or expect someone to “get used to it” It usually won’t happen. Though I must say I do like Asparagus now. As an example, I have a dry, deadpan sense of humor. She does not. She’s a laugher. She also almost needs to hear you laugh to know you’re joking. This sometimes leads to….how should I say…, misunderstandings. Thought she would catch on in time, and she has, but not completely. But regardless of that, when I relay a story, it always seems to come out a bit worse sounding than it was if you were actually there. You know it may be just a few casual comments or questions over several hours but telling the story it sounds like a machine gun burst of angriness complete with fire in the eyes. Over all she’s a great gal with just a few quirks. But so do I. Brother….so do I.
Curt- I don’t blame Facebook, It was the sot that saw a name, a first name, and a picture that wasn’t even my wifes, and drew a conclusion. Same could have happened in the obits of the paper. Probably just glanced at the photo and it resembled Brenda a bit I suppose. Don’t know.
Ray- Check out my response to Johnboy. But I agree, I’ll bet many have just said “why not, I’m getting blamed for it” Luckily I have no desire for that and it really isn’t near as bad as it sounds when I tell it. Like I’ve said before (I think) the stories are true, but sometimes…I may put it in a way that might embellish it a bit. Sometimes for a bit of humor, sometimes it just comes out wrong. She really is a great girl. Truthfully, if one of us goes before the other, I believe she would be the one to remarry. Me….been there done that got the T-shirt.
Thayne- Oh that is funny. Brenda plays those games too. Maybe I should question who all her guy friends are.
I have trouble with my vocabulary. I either make it sound like I don’t care, or it’s the end of the world. I have trouble expressing somewhere in the middle. Especially if you can't hear the tone of my voice when I tell it.
Well, gotta go to the bank for a couple transfrs then it’s off to Lincoln to pick up the truck. Then, it’s wedding reception for Brenda’s nephew at …..4 I think. I asked about the wedding and she said their isn’t one. I said…”oh. Well I suppose that’ll save a lot of time and hassle later.”
Ya’ll have a Great Day!!!
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Good morning, Chloe. Those buttermilk pancakes sound good. May I have a large order of sausage on top of them. Oh, yeah, and of course, my coffee in a NP mug.
Last night, Larry dropped a couple of trees for me between gusts. It is supposed to be stormy with high winds today, so it is good to get them down before the weather gets nasty. The staff from my office are coming out for a wreath party on Friday, and I want the boughs to be dry by then.
Maybe some layout time late this afternoon.
Jeffrey, That is my favorite gondola.
Garry, The E-7's are a great addition, and they photograph nicely at Union Station. Nice modeling.
Thayne, Facebook is addicting. Larry had an account on my email address. When I changed my email, I opened one on my new address. A lot of my friends communicate about events. Finally, Larry opened a new account. It was funny, I left for work with him on Facebook. I came home, and he was on Facebook. I asked, "Did you go to work?" He had found classmates from high school. Facebook, Blah, Blah, Blah.
May I have another coffee to go?
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
gear-jammer Jeffrey, That is my favorite gondola.
Good morning. It's 48° and partly cloudy. The high will be 71°. It will be partly cloudy. Last night I reworked the jammed turnout I replaced yesterday and made it good for manual operation only. The action is a bit stiff but it locks in the position it's set to. I'll save it in case I need a turnout for a little-used spur sometime in the future. This morning I'll be cleaning up the mess left over from yesterday.
Italian Roast coffee in a COLD & SOUTHERN mug, please.
***Sue, may I borrow Larry for a day? Still have a few of those trees along the driveway here. Oh, how about posting some layout progress pics? You guys have such a cool layout.
***Ken, I have the heat-pumps turned off to keep my power bill to an absolute minimum. Until everything is settled, I need all funds for mandatory payments. Won't go into details here online. Lets just say my wife left a real mess behind. I have on two pairs of sweat pants, Tshirt with two zippered sweat shirts, one of which has a hoody over my head. At night I'm sleeping under 1 sheet and 3 blankets. The 2 cats sleep against my legs, which adds even more warmth. It works for now. Having an indoor wood stove will make a HUGE difference though.
***NittanyLion, that looks like an interesting photo. I'll take a closer look at it later when the glare isn't on the puter screen.
Just realized this morning I have been one day ahead, at least in my mind. Thought yesterday was Sat.. Started coals in the little grill outside, got on the puter and forgot all about it. When I went out to feed the critters later, I then remembered the grill. Fortunately there were still enough coals to cool all the chicken. Sheesh!
The high today will be 63F, so I'll open up the house for a couple hours later. Then the next few days it will hit the high 60's. That will be nice.
Have a good day all.
Morning All,
Not much going on here. Woke up this morning with cold feet-I guess Winter has arrived. I tweaked my back yesterday, not like a injury but I definitely feel it. I figure standing on a concrete floor for 5 hours at the train club is not in my back's best interest.
I may try to shoot a video later, I'll see.
Everyone take care.
Anybody up for a quick game of "Queen of the Rock". It looks like Veemila is about to upset Lila's morning. I'll have a stack of flap jacks while I watch the kitties play.
Meanwhile the LION seems to have found the hostler's control box from an R-46 type subway car.
Enjoy your mornings. And I do have to go up and take some new pictures!
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Hello gang! Just popping in to see what everyone is up too. Today its windy and it is suppose to rain/s**w here. Great day for some Train stuff! The wind has finally started knocking the leaves down. I am hoping it blows them over to the neighbors yard..... Today I am working on my layout. I need to take down some of my back drop so I can redo it. After I got it up last weekend Camille my wife was not to happy with the way it looks from our living room. so I am gonna shorten the height a little and try to make it look a little more fancy on the back side. There is a Train show here at our fair grounds this weekend. My club is putting on some how to clinics and I have volunteered to help so I better get busy. See you all soon!
Thayne.
Mornin'!
Zoe, I see we have buttermilk pancakes on the menu this morning. I'll have a short stack, bacon, glass of OJ, and a cup of fresh dark roast coffee in a R&GV RR Mug please. Oh. and leave the Maple Syrup here at the table. Thank you Ma'am.
Nice crisp Fall day here in the Finger Lakes. Currently 44°F under sunny skies. High in the mid 50's.
I will be spending most of today getting ready to go to the Batavia Train Show tomorrow. The NMRA Division has a "Modeler's Corner at them. One of the 3 of us doing the show emailed me last night to let me know someone in the family is very sick so he won't be able to be there. THAT leaves just 2 of us for the day. I plan on starting a Fast Tracks Turnout. probably won't get much done on it as I will be the one talking to people most of the day when they stop by.
Lion, always like to see little kitties playing........ Are they friendly? Do they like people? They do? Almost as much as wildebeast....... I see!
Rob, hope the finances get straightened out ASAP for you. Don't want to see you freeze.......... With all the wood you have on the place, a wood stove would be a wise addition to the house. Too warm here for me to light mine today.
Sue, you hit the nail squarely on the head re: SpaceCrook..... Addicting with no real benefit. At my age I don't Tweet either. I Toot a lot, but I don't Tweet.
Todd, I hear ya! One reason I never remarried was even with all her quirks, I never found anyone who was as great a lady as the one I had the first time!
Best get a move on as i have a full day of stuff to do. I'll catch you all later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good Evening!
A cold day with clear blue sky today. Temperatures did not go over 30 F all day long. I tried to avoid to go outside, but when i did, I forget to put me old hat on. Now I am blessed with the left side of my face in pain, reminding me to put that hat on next time.
Chloe, a large mug of hot chocolate, please, and a a healthy swig out of that bottle you hide behind the counter.
My time as a free man seems to be running short now. There is a list of things I´d like to do before I´ll be back into the treadmill, but somehow I lack the motivation to attack it. I urgently need to put up that shelf, but I have not yet bought all the gadgets I need for it. Maybe next week ...
Ray - I don´t holler, toot, tweet or face it, either. The need for it escapes my understanding - signs of age?
Todd - my beloved better half, known as Petra to you, has spells like that as well. I have given up on reacting on it - I just let her run dry. After over 27 years with me, she should know better. I have to admit that now and then I find it flattering that she thinks I am attractive for other women
Hope that John drops in for a while - I am missing the progress pictures of his layout.
Have a good one, y´ all!
***Curt, nice layout pic.
***ROAR, where did you find the control box? Neat little item. So, have you ever rewired one to run a model train with?
My hand has been feeling recovered from past fence nailing, so went out and nailed back up a few loose sections of an older fence. Time to rest.
I expect to leave most of the wife's (HO) layout as it sits and only make a few minor changes. One example will be the drive in theater will play an old SciFi flick instead of Gone With The WInd. HOWEVER, it has occured to me, I do not need to finish all those carnival rides now. With my eyes, I would rather not deal with that much model building anymore. Can still set up the circus parade through town though.
So, what might I do with that large space where the carnival/circus was going to be? Well, looks like a mighty fine foundation for a Soylent Green Plant. And in HO scale, you could see what is going on there. As for the structures I already built for my N scale version, they could become plain old grain silos. Then I could sell off all those circus kits.
I'll be in a corner booth awhile. Rob
Cederstrand ***ROAR, where did you find the control box? Neat little item. So, have you ever rewired one to run a model train with?
The control box (it is defective... that is why NYCT scrapped it) came from a friend who is retired from a supervisory position at NYCT. Could I make it work? I suppose so, but... My layout operates under Automatic Train Control (ATC), and so there is nothing to control. The power is applied to the mane lion 100% of the time (sorta like DCC), but resistors and gaps embedded in the tracks control the speed and make the stops. A time clock pulls in a relay to release the trains from the various stations. There is no reverse on my railroad. All trains move forward ONLY. With another train only a few seconds behind you, backing up would not be such a good idea anyway. It is also against the rules. If you try it a supervisor will take you downtown for drug and alcohol testing. (The have a name for that in NYC... but I'm not sure MRR will allow us to say that on TV.)
Hello everyone: It's been a while, but here I is!
Ulrich:
What's been taking my time away from the layout (apart from the usual domestic chores) has been research and cataloging at, and for, the museum. For instance, there is in the collection a Christmas Card sent from the HMS Montgomery in 1942. I now know that the chap who sent it was one of only 4 Royal Navy Ratings initial "T" Wright in the Royal Navy in 1942. I can't get at the actual name because the museum isn't "Next of Kin", and so the information is privileged! I do however have the 4 names - but not the ships they were serving on in Dec. 1942. I'd like to think the card is from "Thornton Abraham Wright" because it's by far the more interesting of the choices! The Montgomery (built in the US by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, launched June 25th 1918, as the USS Wickens DD75, 354 days after being laid down) was lend/lease to the Royal Navy 23rd. Oct 1940. Served as a ASW destroyer in the Battle of the Atlantic, even got to hunt for the Admiral Scheer (unsuccessfully - the orders were to only attack at night, and I can understand why!) Based out of Liverpool for 1940-41 she was transferred to Halifax in 1942 - but stayed a Royal Navy destroyer, unlike her sister ship the HMS Salisbury that became HMCS Salisbury. Inn December 1942 - when the card would have been sent, she was under re-fit in Charleston SC! The Montgomery damaged the U 96 which had sunk the Motor Tanker Scottish Standard Feb 21 1941 - after dropping 37 depth charges on it! She had no recorded sinkings of hostile ships, but didn't make it through the war - scrapped on Tyneside early Spring 1945. And THAT's the short story! I've got a 1:700 scale model of her http://www.freetimehobbies.com/NIK7040.aspx which will be a jewel when done. Resin with Photo etched details. I need Kris to change her Christmas present to an Opti-Visor before I can begin!!!
All of which is to indicate that mrr has taken a back seat - I know the underlying reason is this stupid "it has to be perfect" hang up of mine which stops me from forging ahead. Who, really, am I kidding? I don't get visitors more than two or three times a year anyway!!!! You'd think after all this time I would have gotten over it......
Have to go see that Kris' mom has something for supper, and do up some beef patties for myself.
TTFN, John.
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
The LION has been working on his railroad today. He has been installing a new cable for ATC service, and for the new model board that he is building. I have already shown you the face of the model board, here is the back wall of the inside of the board. Note the 1950s vintage wiring. LIONS cannot afford to buy fancy terminal blocks, connectors, and other fancy do-dads... Nails and a soldering iron will have to suffice.
The cables are telephone cables, there are some 12 pair cables that were in outdoor service before the telephone company came and buried all of their copper. Now the copper is replaced with optic fiber. My but we must be growing older. The other cable is a 25 pair cat 3 cable that the telephone company left with me ☺ during their last job here.
Inside the Model board panel:
The first distribution panel:
The second distribution panel:
One of the goals of this railroad was that I should NOT have to go under the table to do the wiring. All connections are made from just inside the fascia or the skirt around the layout, which can be pinned back with a clamp when working on the panel.
The notebook on the chair is a memo of what each conductor is assigned to do. The book dates back to the beginning of my previous layout, so my system has stood the test of time.
Pull up a chair: Wire your layout like a gentle-person!
Evening All,
We finally got the last 3 outlets done in the kitchen. We ended up wiring the GFI 4 times for it to work properly. The confusion was the old switch was wired differently than the new one. At least it is done until MOH decides she wants a different color.
I skipped the train club tonight because my back is still pretty stiff. I did complete a video today. The link is below. MOH bought me a 2 TB external hard drive to store my photos and videos so I will try to figure that out tomorrow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmemy4vSVQ&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Lion- I am very impressed with your layout and you are obviously smarter than me to be able to wire your layout from a chair.
I got the new turnout and straight track section glued down today but didn't do anything else. My back and what's left of my right ankle are still yelling at me about yesterday.