cudaken Jeffery, thank you and I hope that was a copy and paste!
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
Greetings and salutations to all!
Cloe, Just a tall diet Coke for me dear, gotta watch my figure ya'know?
Lee! That new math is sumptin aint it? LOL! Oh,, did the cake set off the smoke detector again??
Galaxy, hope the tooth gets fixed before the cake is all gone!
Been working on the kids layout, almost done there, but Christmas came early for me!
Seems one of my co-workers had been telling me for months he had some trains at the house he wanted to get rid of. He left for another job a few months back, and since he had never brought them in while he was working there, I figured I would never get a chance to see them, or make him an offer for them. He dropped them off the other day when I wasn't there! I called him and asked him what he wanted for them. He said he was just giving them to me, and that he hoped I could use them! Of course, I said yes and thanked him profusely.
What did he drop off?
A Bachmann Spectrum 2-10-0 decapod and an Athearn F7A (powered) and B (dummy). Both units seem to never have been run, were a little stiff at 1st, but limbered up after a bit. The decapod will be renumbered (I already have this road #) and get a Tsunami, the Pennsy F's will probably just go in the display case for now. They may go to the grandsons later, depending on how well they care for the set Santa is bringing!
Well, gotta head for bed, 5;30 comes early, and I have a class after work tomorrow!
Karl
NCE über alles!
Jeffery, thank you and I hope that was a copy and paste!
Well my eyes are bleeding and my head hurts! Guess the CSX slowing down is not that big of a deal after all!
Ken
I hate Rust
chochowillieI also have a fairly good fleet of coal hoppers to go with the planned mine and power station. ever if coal is a "NO NO" now days.
chochowillieBy the way Jeffery, I love your pictures. Great inspiration!!!!!
galaxyI don't have a choice as it will always be the way it is now and get infected again and again. SO It will have to come out. I don't want to, but unless the dentist can do a root canal or somehing {even then 1/2 the tooth is filling so it will crack off} and maybe crown it? {if there is enough tooth left} I will have to lose it.
I feel for you Galaxy , I've spent the last 5 weeks in the dentist chair. Extractions, fillings and what not. Spent another hour this morning getting a molar way at the back filled. Hate those. Friday I have two more in the front to fill, then I should be finished. Need two partials but that will have to wait. Too much spent already plus MOH needs a new bridge. Sigh, it never ends does it?
Dennis
CDN Dennis
Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada
jeffrey-wimberlyI have a thirty-two unit freight on the move now. Head end consists of two GP7's, a GP35 and a slug.
Sounds like fun... oh well, one of these days I'll get some trains rolling. Just have to finish my main line for now. It's all done except for a few areas where I have to finish up laying in the turnouts. The sidings can wait till I get the main all wired and tested out. I'm sure there will be a few issues, aren't there always.
I have my full stable of motive power purchased, all dcc plus four that I have to put decoders in. Then of course there are a bunch of older diesels that are dc era. We'll see what I decide to do with them later.
I also have a fairly good fleet of coal hoppers to go with the planned mine and power station. ever if coal is a "NO NO" now days.
I do have a set of Rivirossi heavy weight passenger cars to go with my Mountain Class Steamer. It's going to be an excursion train. Have to please the tourists in the Rockies don't ya know.
Got a lot done on the RR today which is nice for a change, just a few more hours of that darned track and I can run.... finally.
By the way Jeffery, I love your pictures. Great inspiration!!!!!
Cheers
howmus Galaxy, hope the infection in the tooth has quieted down a bit. Thinking good thoughts for the extraction tomorrow, may it happen with no problems and a quick recovery!
Galaxy, hope the infection in the tooth has quieted down a bit. Thinking good thoughts for the extraction tomorrow, may it happen with no problems and a quick recovery!
RAY- This afternoon and evenign the antibiotic seems to be working and withthe pain killers working, I have little discomfort now. My appetitie {which was missing over the weekend} is back somewhat too.
SO, no doubt it was infected!
I don't have a choice as it will always be the way it is now and get infected again and again. SO It will have to come out. I don't want to, but unless the dentist can do a root canal or somehing {even then 1/2 the tooth is filling so it will crack off} and maybe crown it? {if there is enough tooth left} I will have to lose it.
The bad thing is that the meds I take can take a toll on your teeth.
-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.
cudaken Jeffery off the top of your head, do you know the CV that controls Digitrax Decoders that have BMEF, or is it BMF? I need more BMF or what ever at slower speeds for my Blue Line CSX GE AC 6000. I will have to check to see what decoder is in it, it is either N or Z scale. I am 95% sure it has the needed speed / load control.
55, 56, 57.
Scaleable Speed Stabilization (Back EMF): CV55, 56 & 57Some Digitrax decoders offer scaleable speed stabilization or back EMF controlto help smooth out low speed operation. This feature is especially beneficialfor switching. Speed stabilization is a decoder feature that can be used withany DCC system. Digitrax FX3 decoders are shipped with CV57, the ScaleableSpeed Stabilization CV set at a value of 006/x06 and CV55 & CV56 set at000/x00. These values are beneficial to the operation of most locomotives.Other Digitrax decoders that support this feature are shipped with scaleablespeed stabilization turned off so, to use it with those decoders, you will need toprogram the following CVs.
CV55 controls the STATIC compensation or how much the decoderconsiders the difference between the current motor and locomotivespeed and the target speed set on the throttle when determining thenext speed command to send to the motor. This is like the stiffnessof a spring. The stiffer the spring, the more compensation you willget. CV values can range from 000/x00-255/xFF. Higher values givea more intense reaction and lower values give less intense reactions.The factory default setting for CV55 is 128/x80. It will have noeffect on decoder operation until you program CV57 as describedbelow.CV56 controls the dynamic compensation or how much the decoderconsiders the historical difference between the current speed and thetarget speed when determining the next speed command to send tothe motor. This setting is like a damper or shock absorber on thespring that helps to restore the spring to its new position. CV valuescan range from 000/x00 to 255/xFF. Higher values cause more rapidadaptation to the target speed and lower values cause slower adaptationto the target speed. The factory default setting for CV56 is048/x30. It will have no effect on decoder operation until you programCV57 as described below. Excessively high CV values programmedto CV56 will tend to let the locomotive "hunt" around anew desired speed when a change of speed is commanded. We recommendthat you use the lowest CV value in CV56 that gives thedesired performance.CV57 control the amount of intensity or speed loss as load isincreased, by limiting the amount of change or compensation thatthe decoder is allowed to implement. CV57 controls the intensityseparately for both regular addresses and consist addresses. The firsthex digit controls the amount of intensity in effect when speed iscontrolled using the standard decoder 2 or 4 digit address. The secondhex digit of the CV value controls the intensity in effect whenthe decoder is part of an advanced consist for speed and directioncontrol. Values for each digit can range from 000/x00 to 015/x0F.If either digit is 00, speed stabilization OFF. A value of 015/x0F isspeed stabilization FULL ON. If the intensity CV value is too high,you may see locos jump from one speed to the next if theyencounter an obstacle or problem with track work. If the value is toolow, there will be very little speed stabilization effect at all. A higherdigit makes the intensity or speed fall-off less. A typical value formost locomotives not part of an advanced consist is CV57=005/x05,but the actual value that is best for a locomotive and train size mustbe determined by observation and experimentation. Note that thisvalue of 005 for this example means that no speed compensation isused when this decoder is in an Advanced Consist.CV55, CV56 and CV57 can be changed while the locomotive is moving usingOps Mode programming. With Ops Mode, you can change the operating characteristicsof the decoder while it is running on the layout. When you are usingScaleable Speed Stabilization (Back EMF), you don't need to program a largeCV value for V-start (CV02) to compensate for sluggish motors. This isbecause when scaleable speed stabilization is in effect, the decoder will automaticallytry to adjust the motor power up to at least the Vstart setting, toachieve the actual speed commanded. This means that low speeds like 3% or4% of full speed will give best performance when CV02 is programmed to aCV value of 00.How to set up a loco with Scaleable Speed Stabilization (Back EMF)1. Install the decoder.2. Program CV57 (Intensity) to a CV value of 005/x05. This will turn onspeed stabilization.3. Put the loco on level track and run it at about 20% of full speed.Beginning with the default value of 128/x80 in CV55 (Static), reprogramthe CV value to increasingly higher values until you observethe loco jumping as speed steps increase when you run the locomotive.Finish this step by reprogramming CV55 to the CV value justbefore the jumping started. Ops Mode programming on the mainline works very well here.4. Follow the same procedure with CV56, beginning with the defaultvalue of 048/x30 and increasing it until you notice the loco oscillating,faster-slower, faster-slower, as speed is increased. Finish thisstep by programming CV56 to the CV value just before the oscillationstarted.5. Follow the same procedure with CV57, beginning with the value 05 asprogrammed in step 1. Increase the CV value in this CV until thespeed when going up hill is roughly equivalent to the speed on leveltrack. This will yield a best intensity consistent with the locomotivecharacteristics.6. Keep notes about the values you program for these 3 scaleable speedstabilization control CVs so that you can use them as a starting pointfor setting up scaleable speed stabilization in similar locomotives.
Flo, Beer Pleases.
Been a rotten train night!
Think I jinxed my self by asking for a Train Wreck Picture in the Show Me Something post. I have had 2 uncoupling accidents with in 1 hour? Darn, just happened again!
VA Visit Went as usual, wound looks great, keep up the good work good work and all that happy horse stuff. I will not have to go back for a month. But, what do you want to bet that it gets infected again with in 3 weeks? That seems to be the pattern so far!
Jeffery off the top of your head, do you know the CV that controls Digitrax Decoders that have BMEF, or is it BMF? I need more BMF or what ever at slower speeds for my Blue Line CSX GE AC 6000. I will have to check to see what decoder is in it, it is either N or Z scale. I am 95% sure it has the needed speed / load control.
I open Wednesday, so I have to be up around 5:30 PM. I will see you after I get home.
Later, Ken
howmusJeffrey, is that all with all the power on the train? I could move that train with just one of my 2-6-6-2's (on the level at least. Is the lead engine chasing the caboose?
Evenin' Folks!
Chloe, I'll have the chicken salad melt sandwich, french fries, and a side order of cole slaw, please... Oh a decaf to wash it down with as well...
"I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas..." What little white stuff we have had so far this year has not stayed long...
Jeffrey, is that all with all the power on the train? I could move that train with just one of my 2-6-6-2's (on the level at least. Is the lead engine chasing the caboose?
I have the wood stove going, but the wood I am using at the moment is some that I just brought to the back porch from the pile in the driveway. In other words, wet! Waiting for it to dry out in the stove and take off. I got 4 more wheelbarrows full moved this afternoon between bringing in the trash dumpster and the recycling buckets.... I also have been printing the Christmas Cards for this year. Managed to print a bunch of cards and then discover several blatant misspellings! They are in the recycling and I have now used up all the card stock I have, so tomorrow will be a trip over to Staples for more.
OK, back to w*rk!
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
chochowillieProbably the fact that anyone crazy enough to be a Fire Fighter must be nuts enough to want to build a Model RR
Hey Jeff, seems to be a fair number of ex Fire Fighter round here. Wonder what that's all about????
Probably the fact that anyone crazy enough to be a Fire Fighter must be nuts enough to want to build a Model RR
Well, well
I got the injections in my spinal nerves, so now "crippled" for a few days .
Tomorrow the tooth gets pulled.
Last night was the worst! I tend to clamp my teeth together and that agrivates the tooth.
I shall rest the rest of the day.
chochowillieOpen cabs, ah yes, lovely on a warm spring day chasing a grass fire but not so lovely in the winter at minus 40. Been there done that.
tcwright973I think i'm in a minority, but I always preferred an open cab.
Open cabs, ah yes, lovely on a warm spring day chasing a grass fire but not so lovely in the winter at minus 40. Been there done that.
Barry, I don’t live on a corner lot, but the city has determined that 2 street lights benefit my property. So I pay $120/ year for those and I pay $60/year for trash removal. This was costing the city too much money to collect these checks and cash them so they cried to the county who collects the $180 from me and deducts it from my escrow account paid by my bank. Then the city only has to cash one big check from the county every 6 months. The “Rain Tax” will be part of our water bill.
Thanks for the birthday wishes, I’m celebrating by taking a 4-day weekend on the 15th and doing whatever I feel like. I think I’ll be casting some new molds and painting some gondolas.
Tom, on the volunteer department I started driving the 1950 FORD cab over with an American La France 500 gallon pump package and hydraulic breaks. That had twist and lock plugs on the back. Then I started training on the 1975 FORD 1000 gallon with air breaks that had twist and lock plugs. I say had but we managed to rip too many cords out….
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Late Morning All
Flo, Diet Dew Pleases, and what ever the boy wants!
Boy Lee, a whole 26 years old! I have cars older than that!
Have not posted for a few days but I have been dropping by. Just really nothing of interest to type about! No news on if I passed the two manager test I have taken. Guess I will have to call Dave about that Wednesday and see what is up.
Dodge a bullet with the Wife's Car Today, I hope! She warmed up her car yesterday before she drove it. After she left I was a good sizes puddle of engine oil on the driveway from the left side of the car. Just check the oil, and there is not a drop of oil showing on the dip stick! Oil light never came on and the motor was still quite when she got home so I think the motor is OK.
With where and how clean the oil looked, I think (and hope) it is the Oil Filter Adapter Gasket. If it is, should be a cheap fix, around $40.00 or so.
Off to the VA Hospital again, this is starting to get old! But, I am still thank full for the needed care I am getting.
Sometimes it good not having anything to talk about!
Lee - I was going back many years when diesel engines were new to the fire service with most trucks being gasoline engines. Our first diesels were twin engine with dual pumps and the plugs were twist & lock. Later trucks were quick disconnects. But even those didn't always work as advertised. For an old guy, this reminded how much I have seen fire equipment change over my lifetime. Trucks with chain drives, mechanical breaks, and my favorite, open cabs. I think i'm in a minority, but I always preferred an open cab.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I'll have a bowl of organic vanilla flax seed granola and a cup (pot) of dark roast coffee in a R&GV RR mug please and thank you!
Lee, illegal? Guess not... Using something like that when it has been covered within the property tax rate, make it a separate "fee" and then say that "we", meaning the party in control, didn't raise taxes is a bit dishonest to say the least. The Monroe County executive just lost her bid to be in the State assembly.... Rather glad she did. We have enough of her type there already! A similar idea was tried here in Geneva to have all the owners of property pay for the lighting on the streets. I would have been nailed twice as I live on a corner! The idea was, since over half of the property in Geneva is tax exempt they would be able to lower the tax rate and get the tax exempt properties to pay for it as well. That would be all the churches, the colleges, NYS Experiment Station, and the hospital to name a few. The Colleges and the Hospital threw a fit and offered to pay a major "gift" to the city which would have been more than their share of the lighting bill. The current people in charge said no to that and started to proceed with the idea. The churches and colleges, hospital, etc, started a lawsuit... The city decided to come back to the table and accept the idea proposed by the Colleges. Colleges and hospital then lowered what they would give by half. City decided to just accept it and shut up as the damage was already done.
I told the then mayor of the city several years ago when people were complaining about our high tax rate (compared to some nearby cities with much higher assessments...) that I had a plan that would cut the tax rate in half. Told him just to double the assessments in the city! He didn't like the idea... The last hair brained tax cut idea they had around here (28 years ago) supposedly saved me $200 a year on my taxes being an average tax payer, but cost me $276 per year (now $400) for the same service done "privately". It did save a few millionaires much more... Sound familiar? I think I better shut up now.
Todd, actually you do still use the little push buttons on the dash to set the clock, I just had to figure out which ones as there are a bunch of them for various things. Good news is I don't have to find that pen any more... LOL
Little white things were falling out of the sky when I got up this morning. None of them stuck to the ground though. I really wouldn't mind a nice dusting of the stuff on the ground to take the photo I will be including in my Christmas Cards. The bright thingie is supposed to make an appearance this afternoon so I will send a "green" version of the staged shot I guess. Hmm, that might be appropriate actually.
Catch you all later!
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
LEE!!!
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/
Lee? Birthday? So that's where the fire trucks were going! Happy birthday!
Lee!
Good Morning!!!
Fruit plate and coffee please. Plenty of them little Clementine’s too. I like them. Thanks
Lee!! Whoo Hoo! Cakes on Lee!!!
Well, got my boots yesterday…..drove down the wrong street. Turns out it’s not Ash or Isles……it’s Laurel. From now on I’m gonna remember, hopefully, turn at the Baskin Robbins.
Ray- You figured out how to set the clock!!!! I’m unworthy to be in your presence. Isn’t that ridiculous how you have to know some secret combination of buttons to set the clock? Whatever happened to the two tiny little hr and min buttons you pushed with an ink pen or some such thing. Glad the color wasn’t green. It’s too pretty a color for me not to like. So the engine doesn’t run even to get you started? Not started in the first place like you said earlier, I mean like started from a stop. No gas at all. Hm. But you can’t just pack your extension cord and plug into someones house if you stayed over right?
Ok, ok…I guess the bringing bags idea is good one, but still. If people would PICK UP THEIR TRAAaaaAASH!!! (sighted as one reason) and recycle at the box in front of every Walmart, then all these bags would end up….being bags again. What is a tax gonna do?? Speed up the decay of the bags in a landfill or make it flap to some shredded up degradable size in a tree or along a fence? Haven’t figured that out yet. OH! If they offered a discount for bringing own bags okee dokee! Of course it wouldn’t be much, but hey… Bettern another tax. I just don’t like the idea of having to always carry a bag just in case I stop at a store…or two, on some other non-related run. I have a wife you know and a cellphone. That means unplanned stops. Or how about I decide to combine runs, Menard’s Walmart, Shop-n-Save. How many bags amI gonna have to take? A truck full? Then I have to ration them cause I’ll need some for the next stop. Oh Crud! I need to stop at the Farm and Home for…well nix that idea…out of bags. Maybe just get a couple plastic totes and keep em in the trunk or….don’t know where in the truck, might fit in the back seat, yah they will. Then just load em right back in the cart and roll to the tub. Like Lee said, we do it at Sam's. Wonder what would happen at Walmart if I did that.
Things change, didn't like the plastic bags over paper either and I'm sure when they came out the shoppers thought it was silly when they could just bring their shopping... bag....with.....them. Hm. Are things just coming around full circle?
Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!
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 All,
41F and rainy today - really just more of the same but better than s**w. No layout progress to report other than running the second of 3 busses (upper level, lower level, yard plus the reverser). Next is solder drop wire to rail joiner, drill 1/8" hole through bench, feed wire, hook up, repeat.
Museum tonight so I'm looking forward to that. Keeping busy between the shop and the ever expanding HD list at home plus the start of next years season in January. I remember when we used to have November to March to sort things out but no more. Good to see some missing faces in here lately. Catch Y'all later, J.R.
Good Morning
We actually got a dusting of snow last night here. Current temperature is at 24F going to a high of 32F...with few little snowfluffies..
And...today we are going to be doing the runnin' 'roun' doin' stuff dance again...
mmmmm....Lee....ern...putting trash pickup and streetlight fee in escrow? How's that work?
Good Morning all,
We had a snowy slush on the roads this morning in the Snowbelt.
Today is the 20th anniversary of my 26th Birthday. So I guess that makes me 26 with 20 years of experience today.
Todd not a big deal I shop a lot at Sam’s club and that’s exactly what I do. I bought 3 trunk organized bags that fit in the back of the truck or on the floor in the back seat that work great and they fold up when not in use
Katje evidently got a bad rawhide bone and was pretty sick this past weekend so I took her into the vet. Vet gave her some anti-biotic but said she is otherwise fine.
LED bulbs; I found them at Microcenter for $5 to $9 non-dimmable and $25 dimmable. They have some specialty bulbs that are a little more expensive. I’ve only replaced the high use bulbs with LED but you figure taking the four 60 watt bulbs out of the bathroom vanity, the 60 watt and 100 watt out of the desk lights, and the two 60 watt lights out of the living room has cut my household use down to an average of 24 KWH/day. That’s not bad if you figure the block heater on the truck is 100w, the central air, freezer, refrigerator, microwave, Christmas lights, and that other stuff we use.
Galaxy, I didn’t replace my appliances until they really needed it. I took advantage of the 12 months same as cash options and did one appliance a year. That 1994 chest freezer I had was costing me over $30/month to run.
Tom, when I was a volunteer firefighter our trucks had outlets in the rear of the truck and the cords for the block heaters would pull out if you forgot to unplug. The outlets were actually a marine plug for boats.
Richard, when I was on active duty we carried nuke pagers to detect radioactive stuff during vessel inspections. Women who recently dyed their hair red and people who recently had radioactive testing would trip our pagers off. Some people would be shocked at what everyday things are radioactive. Water softener salt is normally radioactive. We used smoke detectors to check our equipment before we walked out the door.
The guy down the street from my aunt developed the modern glow in the dark watch faces. He passed away and new people bought the house. One night the new owners were bothered by a light coming in the window from the back yard. Years ago the previous owner buried several cans of the glow in the dark paint he was using in the back yard and built a brick BBQ pit over it. The BBQ pit cracked and the glow could be seen in the ground. Several people from the watch company in hazmat suits spent a few weeks cleaning the back yard up.
Ray, so the $$$ the county charges me out of my house escrow for trash pickup and streetlights is illegal??
Jeff, good luck with your tests!
Good morning. It's 31° with 95% humidity. It'll be partly cloudy and the high will be 52°.The weather service says we're under a freeze warning this morning. Wonder what gave them that idea? Oh well. Good day for staying inside. I have four locos pulling a train this morning. An F7A, two F3B's and the F unit slug I bought earlier this year. No plans for today other than running trains and watching some movies.
Morning coffee withe the boys in the diner
GOOD MORNING!!!
Tooth killing me so no tidbit today...at least not until after pain killers kick in