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Elliot´s Trackside Diner - September 2012 Locked

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Posted by galaxy on Monday, September 10, 2012 4:21 AM

Morning Coffee in the DIner

GOOD MORNING!!!

Bill has provided the date.

We often wish we could get something/or have gotten something "scott Free" or "scot free" for our mini-worlds, though we know we may pay for it somewhere along the way in spades,  SO:

scot free - escape without punishment) - scot free (originally 'skot free') meant 'free of taxes', particularly tax due from a person by virtue of their worth. One who avoided paying their tax was described as 'skot free'. 'Scot and lot' was the full English term for this levy which applied from 12th to 18th century. Scot was derived from the Norse 'skot', meaning tax due from a tenant to his landlord; 'lot' meant the amount allotted. Less significantly, a 'skot' was also a slate in Scottish pubs onto which customers' drinks debts were recorded; drinks that were free were not chalked on the slate and were therefore 'skot free'. In the USA, the expression was further consolidated by the story of Dred Scott, a slave who achieved freedom, presumably towards the end of the slavery years in the 19th century, by crossing the border fom a 'slave state' into a 'free state'

SEE ALSO:

Without incurring payment; or escaping without punishment.

Dred Scott was a black slave born in Virginia, USA in 1799. In several celebrated court cases, right up to the USA Supreme Court in 1857, he attempted to gain his freedom. These cases all failed but Scott was later made a free man by his 'owners', the Blow family. Knowing this, we might feel that we don't need to look further for the origin of 'scott free'. Many people, especially in the USA, are convinced that the phrase originated with the story of Dred Scott.

The etymology of this phrase shows the danger of trying to prove a case on circumstantial evidence alone. In fact, the phrase isn't 'scott free', it is 'scot free' and it has nothing at all to do with Dred Scott.

Given the reputation of Scotsmen as being careful with their money we might look to Scotland for the origin of 'scot free'. Wrong again, but at least we are in the right part of the world now. 'Scot' is a Scandinavian word for tax or payment. It came to the UK as a form of redistributive taxation which was levied as early the 13th century as a form of municipal poor relief. The term is a contraction of 'scot and lot'. Scot was the tax and lot, or allotment, was the share given to the poor.

Scot as a term for tax has been used since then to mean many different types of tax. Whatever the tax, the phrase 'scot free' just refers to not paying one's taxes.

No one likes paying tax and people have been getting off scot free since at least the 11th century.

The first collected edition of Anglo-Saxon charters was John Mitchell Kemble's Codex Diplomaticus, published in the 13th century. In that he re-published the Charter of 1066, which included:

"Scotfre and gauelfre, on schire and on hundrede."

[This is easily translatable into modern English on knowing that a gavel was a tax or tribute and a hundred was a subdivision of a county or shire.]

An early use of the figurative version of the phrase, i.e. one where no actual scot tax was paid but in which someone escapes custody, is found John Mapley's Green Forest, 1567:

"Daniell scaped scotchfree by Gods prouidence."

An example of the current commonly used form, i.e. 'scot free', comes a few years later, in Robert Greene's Pandosto: or, The Historie of Dorastus and Fawnia, 1588:

These and the like considerations something daunted Pandosto his courage, so that hee was content rather to put up a manifest injurie with peace, then hunt after revenge, dishonor and losse; determining since Egistus had escaped scot-free, that Bellaria should pay for all at an unreasonable price

Devil

Geeked

-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.

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Monday, September 10, 2012 6:40 AM

Good Morning..

Wherein we are seeing sunshine and 46F right now...kinda coolish out here....

Today is getting some groceries day and finishing off some gardening that I started yesterday...ding visitors showing up...I may, mind, get a bit of traintime in there as well....

Have a good day!!

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/

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, September 10, 2012 7:45 AM

Good morning. It's 58° and partly cloudy. The high will be 88°.


Still not feeling up to par this morning. Woke up feeling light headed. Not dizzy though. I was able to put brass wheels on an AHM center flow hopper so that's something. I have a car in my train here that needs metal wheels. It's a Tyco Kellogg's center flow hopper. It has body mounted couplers already but still has the original Tyco trucks minus the coupler pockets. I'll need to look through my stuff here and see if I can find a set of metal wheels that'll fit.

I may be able to get out later and work on the tractor. I still have to replace that busted idler pulley on it and the starter relay needs to be replaced. I have the parts so that's not a problem.



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Posted by TMarsh on Monday, September 10, 2012 8:32 AM

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and 2 eggs over medium, hashbrowns, and three strips of brown sugar bacon please. Thank you.

Sunny, with a high near 77.  

Not much to say, Fall Festival Saturday was a success again with perfect weather, Class reunion Friday was a success and Sunday I got just a few things done while she was at w**k and they were a success. Yes Mr Murphy was with me during the water valve project, well actually he was there when I bought the valves a few days earlier not to be discovered until after I cut the lines, but a dash to Menard’s proved successful and the water was back on in time for me to get the yard mowed and a shower taken before she got off w**k and then a trip to the Texas Roadhouse for an ok late Anniversary dinner.

Ken- Word to the wise from my own past experiences. Beer/alcohol doesn’t solve anything. It’s not even a temporary fix. Only adds to the problem. I’m not against drinking as I have a few myself. When you’re down though, THAT’s the time to say no until you feel better. Not to belittle your situation at all, but we’ve all had bumps in our lives, granted some bigger than others. Some have lost careers, homes and loved ones feeling their whole lives are gone. But in the end what is most important is still there. The trick is to realize what it is. What will be will be and somethings can’t be helped or changed. Somethings can though, and others can be dealt with with a change of mindset. This isn’t a preaching or a scolding, just a friendly little reminder. Be wise and careful. Be there for Sue, not Miller brewing company. They don’t need you….., she does.

Today I gotta make the Church’s deposit and then back to the shower project.

Ya’ll have a good 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. Laugh

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Posted by pascaff* on Monday, September 10, 2012 9:02 AM

 Morning All,

  Currently 61 with an expected high of 90 under sunny skies.

  I pulled weeds on Sat. and now have a sore hamstring in my right leg. Had lunch with one of my daughters and then we went to the hospital. Wife was a bit tired so we did not stay long. Although my b'day is not for another month, daughter gave me my early present. New laptop. Wife was kind of tired yesterday so she requested no visitors. I did some grocery shopping, and transfered files from old laptop to new one. Biggest issue was getting JMRI,Digtrax PR 3, and PTB 100 to all work together. Had to download the PR 3 drivers from Digitrax web site. Now I need to see if I can transfer roster from old laptop, and old version of JMRI to new system and JMRI 3.

Doc's want to do a colonoscopy on wife, maybe today, so I am off to hospital. Then work a closing shift if all goes well with wife.

  Prayers to all in need.

    Paul

Living in Fernley Nevada, about 30 miles east of Reno, also lived in Oregon and California, but born In Brooklyn NY and raised on Long Island NY

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Posted by howmus on Monday, September 10, 2012 9:03 AM

Mornin' Everyone,

Zoe, I'll have a short stack of buttermilk pancakes with NYS Maple Syrup and a side order of bacon to go along with the dark roast coffee, please.

Ah, Monday morning, the sun is shining, the temp outside is 56°F, the air conditioners are off, the electrician is on the roof making a lot of noise, and the cats are in hiding!

So...  What's new with you guys?

Anyone heard anything about Ulrich?  I'm starting to get very worried about him.

Ken, do take care of yourself, and know better days are ahead for you and your wife.  I know what you feel, my friend.  In the words of an acquaintance of mine...  "When I was a kid, we was po!  Not poor, po...  We couldn't afford the other "o" or the "r"."  Actually, I grew up being owned by the bank.  Really!  When I was about 9 or 10 years old my father had a Chattel Mortgage slapped on the farm.  Happened only because the bank got sold to a bigger bank located somewhere else and they noticed my father hadn't been able to pay all the $$$ he was supposed to be paying to them.  The bank then owned the farm, the tractors, the cattle, the house, the trucks and other farm equipment, the cars, the contents of the house, and the very clothes on our backs.  Basically we turned into sharecroppers who worked 60 hour weeks for the benefit of the bank!  Now you know why I won't ever, under any circumstances do business with a &%@! bank!  Close as I will get is the credit union.  Today, I'm certainly not rich, but by the grace...  I am at least able to pay my bills and and live comfortably.  I'll stop here before I start talking about my thoughts about the 1%.........

Hope you all have a great day and some time to spend with the trains!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, September 10, 2012 11:59 AM

The long train on my layout. It's grown by a couple of cars and here is being pulled by the trio of Frankenstein F units led by a Santa Fe F7 and boosted by two F3's.



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Posted by Train Master on Monday, September 10, 2012 12:22 PM

How do you make those locos so quiet? They seem to glide past.

David Parks
I am the terror that flaps in the night!

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, September 10, 2012 12:31 PM

Good workmanship and paying close attention to how the pieces fit together. They're some of my best runners even if they are built from scraps from the junk box.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
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Running Bear Enterprises
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Posted by Curt Webb on Monday, September 10, 2012 6:02 PM

Evening All,

Sitting here watching the news on TV. I spent a couple of hours working on the LCL terminal area today. For now I plan on using my 250 T RR crane for it, but may change that for a crane straddling the track. I still need to put in all the detail items. I made a platform between the tracks using wood and styrene.I also want to make a lifting harness for the crane (and possibly have a container attached to it). I cut back the stub track about 5 inches to be able to put a truck ramp in. It's back to w**k tomorrow so I will  talk to you on Friday.

Jeff- Nice video.

 

 

 

 

 

Hope everyone has a good night and prayers for those in need.

Curt Webb

The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad

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Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, September 10, 2012 8:01 PM

Good Evening,

Say has anyone heard from Rob lately? He normally posts most days but it has been awhile since I've seen one. Hope everything is ok.

Ray, as to removing lettering from  Bachmann steamers, I have done a few. I tried most methods including the eraser with or without solvaset but I found that I while the lettering did come off eventually all that erasing caused a lot of base paint to go too and resulted in a lot of burnishing. The method I like best is to use Goof Off with a Q tip. It comes in a little can like lighter fluid and it is about as strong as it contains Xylene. You have to be careful but I found it does remove the lettering with minimal removal of the base black. I wash the area quickly to make sure all residual is removed but I expect it evaporates fast. You can buy the stuff in the paint department of a hardware store.

I've looked at those Moguls too and was at first excited to see they were doing one in CNR but then saw that they painted the smokebox silver which CN never did. Why I have no idea as the ones they produce for other roads have black smokeboxes. Then they put a 6000 series number on it which CN only used for Mountains and Northerns. If I do decide on one it will likely be a B&M version as the herald is about the same size as CN's so I could just remove it with good old Goof Off and put the CN herald over top.

Nothing new here, just very dry but warm. Work is dull so not too exciting all around. Maybe that is good.

CN Charlie

 

 

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Posted by howmus on Monday, September 10, 2012 8:28 PM

Evenin' folks!

Flo, I'll have a NYS steak, medium rare, fresh baked acorn squash, and a trip to the salad bar along with a tall glass of lemonade.  Thank you Ma'am...

Been a good day.  Nice and cool and fall like.  High was all of 65°F back about 20 minutes ago.  The low tonight will be 45°F.  The air conditioners are off and tonight the windows will be closed as well.

I got a bit of tie painting done and some ballast in place today in the train room.  I decided I do indeed like to the looks of the ties with the cuts filled with Milliput (from Micromark).  I will take the time to continue filling the gaps with it on the PC ties not already painted. 

Hmmmm, I started this about 4 hours ago and had to eat supper and get to a committee meeting for the Cub Pack and the Venturing Crew tonight...

Progress was made on the solar install:

They should all be in by tomorrow afternoon and the wiring completed by Wednesday afternoon.  The first inspection of the system will be by the Code Office here in Geneva Wednesday afternoon.

[edit]  Thanks Charlie!  I will give that a try when I get one of the little beasties...  (Probably a few months away).

Hope you all had a great day.  My prayers for those in need!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, September 10, 2012 8:38 PM

Well as I figured I didn't get anything done outside today. Layoutwise I made a few short videos, one of which I've already posted. Here are the other two:

Railfans rooftop video:

*

*

Railfan getting too close to track:

*

*

Well, time to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.



Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by blownout cylinder on Monday, September 10, 2012 8:45 PM

Good Evening

Got up to 62F here this afternoon and we are going to 4F tonight. We had all the windows open here during the day...

Got the gardening done and then the wife asks....mmmmmm...how about we think about a garden railroad for next summer.......Whistling

On that note...I'll do the same thing and head off and watch some garden railroad videos....Whistling

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/

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Posted by cudaken on Monday, September 10, 2012 11:03 PM

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, Beer Pleases.

 Nothing real new to talk about. Called BoS rep again today, voices mail. Bang Head

 Last night when I ate the BBQ I made, I broke another tooth. While there is no real pain, part of it is still in the gum and hurts a little when I chew something. I have some antibiotic left from the toe infection, think it is the same kind I was giving before for a impacted tooth. Be glad when the rest fall out.

  See you later.

               Ken

 

I hate Rust

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Posted by wetidlerjr on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:13 AM

Good Morning! from Tipton IN.

It's Tuesday, September 11, 2012



Bridge over the Mississinawa River at Eaton IN on the LE&W RR

Mischief


TIPTON IN

9/11/01

NEVER FORGET!

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

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Posted by galaxy on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 5:29 AM

Morning Coffee

GOOD MORNING!!!

In Honor of those who were seriously injured, lost their lives, lost loved ones In the horrific attack on the World Trade center's twin towers, A special prayer candle will be lit. Let us never forget and always remember...

Devil

Geeked

-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.

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Posted by LSWrr on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 6:36 AM

Good Morning all,

 

 

54F, 77% Humidity, HI 77F, sunny

 

Too cold too quick, the evening temps should still be in the upper 60’s or lower 70’s not the mid-50’s.

 

I did nothing this weekend; Saturday I felt like I had the flu so I lay around all weekend.  Feeling better today, but I lost the whole weekend…

 

Curt, Happy Belated Birthday!  Black Berry Cobbler, I haven’t heard of that and I just happen to have a huge blackberry bush on the side of the house…..

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 7:41 AM

LSWrr
Black Berry Cobbler, I haven’t heard of that and I just happen to have a huge blackberry bush on the side of the house

What?! Never heard of blackberry cobbler? Man! You don't know what you're missing! Better get to picking those blackberries.

*

*

Good morning. It's 60° and partly cloudy. The high will be 88°.


I feel lousy this morning but that's better than I've felt the last few days. I'm running the F7A/F3B/F3B lashup this morning. I'll probably park it later and run the GP7/GP35/GP7 or the trio of GP9F's or I may forgo those and bring out the GP38-2/SD27J/F7 slug. Or I could bring out the ancient Atlas GP40 and FP7, both of which are Proto remotors. Almost all of these are Sundown rebuilds. Decisions, decisions. If I feel up to it later I'll go out and work on the tractor. No hard work there, just a lot of getting up and getting down. Getting down is easy. Getting up, that can be hard. That's providing of course that I don't wipe out on the front steps, but that rarely happens.



Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
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Running Bear Enterprises
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beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by teen steam fan on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 8:19 AM

Morning

Jeff- Nice pic. 

Ken- Ouch, hope the tooth feels better

Coffee for me, thanks. 

9-11-01 We will never forget

Where where you when the world stopped turning? 

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!

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Posted by tcwright973 on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 8:41 AM

As we usually do when the weather is nice, we went railfanning this past Sunday. Watched 7 trains in 2 hours. Saw a couple of things I haven't seen before. Where we go is a Control Point and trains often catch a stop signal there, but this time one stopped for a crew change. A new crew arrived by taxi and the train departed shortly after the exchange. They might do this often, but it was the first time I saw it being done. Thought it was a little odd as it is only a couple of miles to Conway Yard.

I also noted 6 or 7 spine cars on the front of an intermodal. Each spine car contained somekind of rack which I hadn't seen before, and which I had no idea what they were used for.  When I got home, that wonderful marvel called the internet provided the answer. They are racks which hold trailers used for containers. They can stack 3 or 4 trailers in these racks on spine cars for transport. I'm always amazed at the information that is available on the internet which  would be virtually impossible to discover without it. I suppose one of the reasons I enjoy railfanning is I'm always seeing something new, or learning something new.

Yesterday turned out to be very busy. We started with breakfast at our favorite diner, then grocery shopping and errands. Never got home until after 3:00 pm. I swear we went from one end of the County to the other.

Ray - The panels are looking very nice. Appreciate the photos and updates. One thing I noticed is how thin they are compared to when they first became available years ago. Looks like a nice clean installation. Just try to remember not to gloat when the neighborhood is without power. No standing on the porch yelling taunts at the others who are sitting in the darkness and the cold.  (been there - Done that many times)

Since the wife isn't facing additional surgery on her ankle/foot right now, I've made the motel reservations for the upcoming train show at Timonium in late October. Now all I have to do is sweat something else getting in the way. I'm telling you, I think friends and family go out of their way to plan things on that weekend. It's a conspiracy I tell you.

Well, break time is over, have a couple of loads of laundry and would like to trim the hedges todays as well. Hope everyone has a good one.  Tom

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 8:47 AM

September 11, 2001.

Shelley and I were in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We spent the day watching the horrors on TV. About 50 trans-Atlantic flights landed in Halifax that day because US airports were closed. Canadians we very good at accommodating the thousands of stranded people. 

We had flown via American Airlines from Nashville to Halifax with a change of flights in Boston on September 9th. Thinking back, we realized some of the 9/11 terrorists must have walked in the same airport only 2 days later. On September 10th, we were on a bus tour and learned of tragedies in the past affecting Nova Scotia. There was a Swiss Air crash off the coast a number of years prior. Many Titanic victims are buried in Halifax. In WW I a munitions ship exploded in the harbor which burned down the city and killed about 3000 people. .... We did not know, of course, we would be witnessing a major tragedy with our hotel TV the next day. 

On September 12th, we decided we would return home as soon as we could. Flights were unavailable, and we really were afraid to fly at that time. We considered renting a car one-way to the US, but it would cost over $3,000 to do so at that time. We considered joining other people from the US who were going to charter a bus to Chicago. Finally, we decided to take the train. Several days later we road Via's Ocean to Montreal. Then we road a Via train to Toronto.

We spent the night at a Toronto hotel with plans to take the train to WIndsor at the border with Detroit. We cancelled that plan when we learned highway border crossings into Detroit were taking about  12 hours. We stayed a second night in Toronto, and the next morning we boarded the Amtrak train which crossed through Michigan to Chicago. WHen the train crossed the border to Port Huron, MI, all passengers had to get off the train to ride busses to go through immigration. There were very long lines on the highway entering Port Huron over the bridge. The train was several hour late after that.

When the train arrived at Flint, MI we got off, and we rented a car.We drove it to Nashville, TN, and we picked up our car which had been parked at the airport all of that time. 

Below is a photo I took from the Via dome observation car on Via's Ocean shortly after departing from Halifax. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by Curt Webb on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 9:25 AM

Morning All,

I go in to w**k at 1 PM today (short day). I was on duty  in Orlando. I had just dropped off a pt at ORMC and was walking through the waiting room to use the bathroom and the first plane had just hit the tower, the news people still thought it was a small plane. All of our lives have changed since then.

Prayers for the victims and their families but also for our public safety  workers and the military.

Curt Webb

The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad

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Posted by howmus on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 9:35 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe, I'll have a the #2 special this morning.  Eggs over easy, bacon, homefries, and a double order of sour dough toast to start the day.

Eleven years ago I watched the day unfold with horror at my Father's house.  Dad had had a major heart attack a couple days earlier and the carpet layers were at the house installing new living room carpeting when one of them turned on the TV to have some background noise...  They didn't the carpeting completed that day!  We all watched for a couple hours and the carpet folks decided to take the rest of the day off and be with their families.  I stayed until late that night with my Mom.  She had early to mid stage dementia and couldn't understand what was happening.  I guess most of us couldn't really understand it either...  My father died a few weeks later.

Tom, I wouldn't get far taunting the neighbors as I wouldn't have electric either...  This system is connected to the grid, and if service goes down, my inverter shuts down as well.  It has to be perfectly synchronized with the 60Hz from the grid or it can't be operated.  On the other hand it is a lot less expensive than going with batteries for it.  These are much lighter than the old panels as well.  They all of 2 lbs. per sq. foot.  less than a layer of asphalt shingles...  One of the fun things at the Planning board hearing was having the folks realize that the combined weight of the steel roofing plus the solar panels is still less than the weight of what was up there before.  LOL.

I already have outside and got one more to do this summer done.  I finished tearing apart the old ramp I had for the shed out back.  It was in pretty bad shape so I replaced it with the remains of the old equipment ramp I had on the steps of the deck of the house. 

Hope you all have a good day out there!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 2:12 PM

Looks like the LION has been hiding under a cabbage leaf. Well now that cooler weather is arriving I'll try to get up into the train room and see what I can do.

Elias

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 2:25 PM

Good afternoon: 9-11-01 never forget-never forgive.

Today's weather is a carbon copy of what we had on that fateful day. I was w**king at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids as the EMS Education Assistant, the "company clerk" of the EMS training programs. One of my program directors hollered out from his office asking if I knew anything about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. A quick internet check confirmed breaking news that yes, it was true. At first we dismissed it as a fluke, probably a small plane. Heck, the Empire State Building was once hit by a B-25, so we figured it was probably foggy and somebody had gotten lost and smacked the Twin Towers.

We quickly found out how wrong we were.

At the time I was a firefighter-Iowa Paramedic Specialist with the Springville Volunteer Fire Dept. We had digital pagers, and therefore could use them for personal messages as well. My Chief put out a department-wide page saying "If you're not aware of what is going on, I advise you to turn on the TV or a radio. WE ARE AT WAR!" Well, that got our attention! We grabbed a TV out of the conference room just in time to watch the second plane hit. 

No w**k was done the remainder of the day. We had an EMT-Basic class going on in the classroom building behind ours. There was a hasty discussion as to wether or not the class should continue or dismiss, we weren't sure if the college was going to close or what. Confusion reigned. While having a smoke with my program directors, it hit me: the lady I was engaged to (a Sgt. and medic with the Iowa Army Nat. Guard) would be deployed. It wasn't a question of "if," but "when." "I'm sending my fiance' to war." 

We watched the towers collapse, a textbook perfect "pancake collapse" if ever. We knew there would be tremendous casualties among our Fire and EMS brothers and sisters. 

All of the salaried staff cleared out throughout the afternoon. I, as the lowest man on the totem pole, had to stay until 5pm. I'm pretty sure I was the only one left in the building when the coverage cut to the Pentagon and a group of firefighters climbing an aerial ladder, something very long slung over their shoulders. I watched them walk in single-file along the edge of the roof. Then, the carefully, reverently lowered the Flag down the side. 

I cheered. I hollered, I gave a 'war-whoop.' I even had to wipe some moisture away from my eyes. I'll admit it, it hit me.

In the years since, I've had the honor of meeting two men who were there: Ed Gabriel with the NYC Office of Emergency Management Services, and Walter Kowalczyk, Div. 3 Chief, FDNY EMS. Both narrowly escaped death multiple times. I think it was Walter who ran into an underground parking garage when the first tower came down, along with several other Chief officers, etc. They were briefly trapped by debris, but dug themselves out just in time for the second tower to come down. They said it was luck of the draw surviving: "you zigged left, you lived, you zagged right, you died." 

Now, eleven years later...it's "just another day" for so many people. I'm covering a high school volleyball game tonight. I'll be surprised (pleasantly) IF they even acknowledge the day. The guy in the White House calls for this to be "a day of service." Sorry...you want to go pick up trash in the park, or paint somebody's house? That's fine....that's good. Do it some other day. There are 364 other days in the year to do THAT. Today is about remembering nearly 3000 people murdered by terrorists, it's about remembering 343 FDNY firefighters who were murdered. Pick up the trash tomorrow. Today, remember, honor, and vow to never let it happen again. Thank a firefighter, a cop, an EMT or Paramedic, thank a veteran or active duty member of the armed forces (don't forget the Guard and Reserve). 

Now THAT THAT is off my chest.. hope all are doing well or as well as possible. I've been following things in here loosely via the take-out window. Seems we have some people going through some pretty rough times, here's hoping they find comfort and relief.

W**k has been slow to steady, football and volleyball season give me a chance to do what I do best while an upcoming city council meeting is cause for occupational suffering. 

In RR news, I went ahead and started knocking together the structure for "Elevator G" of the Quaker Oats complex. I'm taking two Walther's ADM elevator kits and combining them into a background structure: a 3-dimensional "flat" to go against the wall. The silos were extended by nearly half, and the main structure walls are being doubled: two walls joined end-to-end for a much taller building. It won't look exactly like Elevator G, the windows won't match-up, but it'll look enough like it people seeing it will know at a glance what it's supposed to be. And, if my current vision turns to crap, it'll w**k just as well as part of a flour mill or more appropriately sized elevator. Walther's as-designed offering is "big" but "small" at the same time.

Best wishes for all in need continue,

Chris (in Iowa) 

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:18 PM

Here's what Elevator G looks like so far:

I need to see exactly how much space it will take up, THAT will determine where the IC/ICG/CCP roundhouse will go, along with the ex-RI CNW mainline and tracks leading off to the CCP, etc. Already I see I'll need to add a little triangle of plywood (to be covered with foam later) for the IC/ICG/CCP structure. As for the elevator itself, I need to fabricate the third wall, paint/install windows and doors, procure more styrene strips, paint the main structure a weathered concrete, paint the silos flat white, fabricate the head house (on top of the silos) and figure out how to make the neon Quaker Oats sign THAT goes on the far end of the silos/head house. 

In other words, there is a lot of w**k left to do on it. Fortunately, I'm in no hurry. The kits themselves have been sitting on my shelf for 2 and 3 years respectively (Christmas gifts). I have a third I don't think I'll need, still sealed if anybody needs a grain elevator...

If anybody knows of a way to convert the Atlas turntable from THAT weird...flat style it is, to a normal bridge type, I'd appreciate it. I "need" a 9-inch turntable, but as-is, the Atlas won't do the job: it looks nothing like any turntable I've ever seen. I'd like to use the Atlas if possible, due to the low initial cost. 

Chris (in Iowa) *eight ball goes here, Photobucket crapped-out***

EDIT: Photobucket took the big dump...I was gonna just delete this, don't see a way to do THAT. Maybe Photobucket will be resuscitated, and all will be well. 

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 2,268 posts
Posted by NeO6874 on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:23 PM

AmanaMedic

If anybody knows of a way to convert the Atlas turntable from THAT weird...flat style it is, to a normal bridge type, I'd appreciate it. I "need" a 9-inch turntable, but as-is, the Atlas won't do the job: it looks nothing like any turntable I've ever seen. I'd like to use the Atlas if possible, due to the low initial cost.

Will take a lot of digging through old posts ... but I seem to remember that either Selector or Mr. B (or one of the other "big posters") did just that.

-Dan

Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:25 PM

Thanks Dan, I did a search a few weeks back and found some blog-type postings, I keep thinking there was an article in RMC or even MR back in the 1980s, but THAT's as far as I've gotten. No hurry, THAT's on the "sometime in the next millenium" list.

Back to w**k I go...

Chris *insert eight-ball here when Photobucket comes back to life*

***EDIT*** Top. OK guys and gal, order up! But I should warn Flo, Janie and the rest...my credit card is in the Photobucket, and it ain't w**kin... 'eh 'eh 'eh.

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 2,268 posts
Posted by NeO6874 on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:32 PM

AmanaMedic

Thanks Dan, I did a search a few weeks back and found some blog-type postings, I keep thinking there was an article in RMC or even MR back in the 1980s, but THAT's as far as I've gotten. No hurry, THAT's on the "sometime in the next millenium" list.

Back to w**k I go...

Chris *insert eight-ball here when Photobucket comes back to life*

***EDIT*** Top. OK guys and gal, order up! But I should warn Flo, Janie and the rest...my credit card is in the Photobucket, and it ain't w**kin... 'eh 'eh 'eh.

Found it!  It was MisterBeasley here on the forums:


Send him a PM and he'll probably be able to give a better description of how he did it...

eidt --> nevermind the PM.  I found the linkage to his "how I did it" thread!

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/99558.aspx?PageIndex=1

-Dan

Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site

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