Steven S NittanyLionWe're not even entirely sure where the center of the galaxy is anyhow. Actually they know precisely where it is. Astronomers spent 16 years tracking the stars that orbit the black hole at the center of our galaxy. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/09/unprecedented.16.year.long.study.tracks.stars.orbiting.milky.way.black.hole Steve S
NittanyLionWe're not even entirely sure where the center of the galaxy is anyhow.
Actually they know precisely where it is. Astronomers spent 16 years tracking the stars that orbit the black hole at the center of our galaxy.
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/09/unprecedented.16.year.long.study.tracks.stars.orbiting.milky.way.black.hole
Steve S
They even have a slight idea as to where we are in our own little galactic group called "The Local Group" including the Milky Way, Andromeda, and many smaller satellite galaxies orbiting the two monster galaxies. They even know that, in some time from now, we are to collide with Andromeda.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.
-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.
BroadwayLionhat's 1 TRILLION, 6 HUNDRED 79 BILLION to 1 odds.
I give it 1,000,000,000,000,000 (one quadrillion) to 1 that it will happen.
BroadwayLionThat's 1 TRILLION, 6 HUNDRED 79 BILLION to 1 odds.
And if it happens? Oh well, guess I will paint my Postwar Lionel locomotives to resemble the Polar Express.
Lehigh Valley 2089 They even know that, in some time from now, we are to collide with Andromeda.
Yep, but we've got about four billion years before we need to worry about that. Besides, that's about the same time the sun will be expanding into a red giant, so colliding with Andromeda will be the least of earth's worries.
Steven S Lehigh Valley 2089 They even know that, in some time from now, we are to collide with Andromeda. Yep, but we've got about four billion years before we need to worry about that. Besides, that's about the same time the sun will be expanding into a red giant, so colliding with Andromeda will be the least of earth's worries. Steve S
I think I heard that we're to collide in 10 to 20 billion years, but the sun is indeed to burn out into a white dwarf and radiate it's last bit of heat into the cosmos before that happens. In fact, Earth may not exist during the collision because they think that as the sun expands, it will swallow Earth. (Don't worry though, they think that Earth may be more Mars like when it happens.)
Lehigh Valley 2089I think I heard that we're to collide in 10 to 20 billion years,
Not to worry! By the time the sun burns out and we hit Andromeda we'll all have evolved into a higher plane of existence. In other words, model railroaders will rule the world from their sundry self-supporting well lit basements and Andromeda will be just another station stop for the chronically underfunded Galactic Belt Public Railway.
The Cedar Branch & Western--The Hillbilly Line!
Aw cmon guys.....
1) 95% of all Brick and Mortar Hobby Shops are in Heaven
2) We have eternity to shop at them
Mine doesn't move.......it's at the station!!!
richhotrainAw nuts, the world comes to an end one week from today according to the Mayan calendar.
So if we were working according to the Mayan calendar, maybe all our passenger trains would have 13 cars, and we would buy coal gondolas in blocks of 13, OR maybe it should be the beginning of a new Epoch on our model railroads.
4 Days 23 Hours 34 Minutes 38 Seconds and counting.
Realistic Water still has not completely cleared.
I just don't know if I can get this project done in time.
I have cancelled all pre-orders and ended all of my eBay auctions.
Rich
Alton Junction
It started with the guy with the brown suit and spider hair-do on History 2 telling us it was going to happen and he read it on the wall of the site of where ancient aliens landed! Good Gawd guys, get with the program, here!
The earth is 4-5 billion year old! Yet for some stupid reason we humans all think, Oh, yea, I'm so important that it absolutly makes sense that it will end in my lifetime!
So, let' change the discussion: In years, days, hours, minutes and seconds, how old is Earth?
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
What's really going to happen is that this is going ot be the day Galactica finally finds Earth, and the Lost Colony. We will be reunited with our surviving brethren, all all switch to model rockets as a hobby. Good thing, because the Cylons will be hot on their heels.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Lehigh Valley 2089 Steven S NittanyLionWe're not even entirely sure where the center of the galaxy is anyhow. Actually they know precisely where it is. Astronomers spent 16 years tracking the stars that orbit the black hole at the center of our galaxy. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/09/unprecedented.16.year.long.study.tracks.stars.orbiting.milky.way.black.hole Steve S They even have a slight idea as to where we are in our own little galactic group called "The Local Group" including the Milky Way, Andromeda, and many smaller satellite galaxies orbiting the two monster galaxies. They even know that, in some time from now, we are to collide with Andromeda.
In my book, if you still have a plus/minus on how many kiloparsecs, you haven't nailed it down yet.
Yes, functionally we know that its right around Sagittarius A* but if you're going to need to have something more precise than a 1,000 ly window for something to "align" with it.
Eh, whatever though. I'm more of a planetary astronomer in my amateur astronomy and I only got a C+ in that one astrophysics class I took. Did better in the other astronomies!
Life can occasionally be bizarre when you wear tri-focals -sometimes seeing is not believing.
When I first saw the title of this thread I thought it read: "Working on your Layout - Gangnan Style"
Talk about visions of the apocalypse! The end of the world seems less bizarre.
George V.
NP2626 I'll give 4.5 billion X 365 to 1 the world doesn't end on the 21st! Any takers?
I'll give 4.5 billion X 365 to 1 the world doesn't end on the 21st! Any takers?
Since you won't be here to pay off, could I have my winnings in advance? Preferably in cash since there won't be time for a check to clear.
Thanks
Paul
NP2626 It started with the guy with the brown suit and spider hair-do on History 2 telling us it was going to happen and he read it on the wall of the site of where ancient aliens landed! Good Gawd guys, get with the program, here! The earth is 4-5 billion year old! Yet for some stupid reason we humans all think, Oh, yea, I'm so important that it absolutly makes sense that it will end in my lifetime! So, let' change the discussion: In years, days, hours, minutes and seconds, how old is Earth?
Good Gawd, this thread is tongue in cheek, you know, like humor? It makes you laugh, well most of us anyway.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
And what do you think I'm talking about here, Geared Steam, reality?
I'm beginning to worry about you, NP2626.
With the end less than one week away, what have you done to prepare, particularly as it relates to your layout?
Apparently nothing!
Nothing !!!
Texas ZepherI would still like to learn where that idea came from. December 21 is simply the end of the 13th Bak'tun.
A Spanish explorer probably saw this and thought that is what it ment, and then all this hype came up probably because the Mayans were in tune with the Earth and universe.
Some of our boneheaded politicians up here in Canada believe that the world is only 5000 years old! Our current Prime Minister is one of them
Dean
30 years 1:1 Canadian Pacific.....now switching in HO
richhotrain I'm beginning to worry about you, NP2626. With the end less than one week away, what have you done to prepare, particularly as it relates to your layout? Apparently nothing! Nothing !!! Who, me!? I'm building a Northern Pacific Bay Window Caboose from a wood kit, having a very enjoyable time, too! I'm sure the above was an absolutely inappropriate response, seeing how it is the end of the Earth coming! Or, is it the end of the universe? I guess someone needs to clarify this! There I go again, using too many exclamation points!
Who, me!? I'm building a Northern Pacific Bay Window Caboose from a wood kit, having a very enjoyable time, too!
I'm sure the above was an absolutely inappropriate response, seeing how it is the end of the Earth coming! Or, is it the end of the universe? I guess someone needs to clarify this! There I go again, using too many exclamation points!
NP2626m sure the above was an absolutely inappropriate response, seeing how it is the end of the Earth coming! Or, is it the end of the universe? I guess someone needs to clarify this! There I go again, using too many exclamation points!
As far as the end of both the Earth and Universe, we still have a long way to go, especially the universe. Depending on what happens to the universe, it could take 100 cosmological decades ( roughly 1 google years) for it to die, and that's if it goes through "The Big Freeze".
As far as Earth? Life may have another 2 billion years, and the planet might have 4 billion more years.
To answer your question, the Mayan calender may have been referring to Earth specifically, but I am not really sure.
NittanyLion Lehigh Valley 2089 Steven S NittanyLionWe're not even entirely sure where the center of the galaxy is anyhow. Actually they know precisely where it is. Astronomers spent 16 years tracking the stars that orbit the black hole at the center of our galaxy. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/09/unprecedented.16.year.long.study.tracks.stars.orbiting.milky.way.black.hole Steve S They even have a slight idea as to where we are in our own little galactic group called "The Local Group" including the Milky Way, Andromeda, and many smaller satellite galaxies orbiting the two monster galaxies. They even know that, in some time from now, we are to collide with Andromeda. In my book, if you still have a plus/minus on how many kiloparsecs, you haven't nailed it down yet. Yes, functionally we know that its right around Sagittarius A* but if you're going to need to have something more precise than a 1,000 ly window for something to "align" with it. Eh, whatever though. I'm more of a planetary astronomer in my amateur astronomy and I only got a C+ in that one astrophysics class I took. Did better in the other astronomies!
The way I see it, if they have it narrowed down to less than 500 light years, it would be a very big accomplishment, especially when you are talking interstellar space as far out as 5,000 light years, and 20,000 light years in intergalactic space.
Steven SYep, but we've got about four billion years before we need to worry about that. Besides, that's about the same time the sun will be expanding into a red giant, so colliding with Andromeda will be the least of earth's worries.
But if you were using a 'fast clock' wouldn't this speed up the process?? Shoot, at the rate I am going I will need that kind of time to ballast the track.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
I think it is time to lock this thread.......
.......end of the world mayan crap.........
............AIN`T GONA HAPPEN PEOPLE.
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
rdgk1se3019 I think it is time to lock this thread....... .......end of the world mayan crap......... ............AIN`T GONA HAPPEN PEOPLE.
What's the hurry?
It will all end anyhow on Friday.
rdgk1se3019 ............AIN`T GONA HAPPEN PEOPLE.
Thanks for letting me know. That gives me time to go out and buy a lottery ticket for Friday's big draw. At 14,000,000 to 1, I know my turn is just around he corner.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Tongue in cheek stuff, no one here is really taking it seriously.
Besides, I wouldn't believe any end-of-the-world stuff unless there was some actual proof of it.
Not only that, we started talking about astronomy more here, really interesting topic.
Lehigh Valley 2089 rdgk1se3019 I think it is time to lock this thread....... .......end of the world mayan crap......... ............AIN`T GONA HAPPEN PEOPLE. Tongue in cheek stuff, no one here is really taking it seriously. Besides, I wouldn't believe any end-of-the-world stuff unless there was some actual proof of it. Not only that, we started talking about astronomy more here, really interesting topic.
If this thread is to be locked, can we wait till Saturday to do it?
That way, we still have through Friday to communicate on this important issue.
Not knowing how it might end, perhaps we can offer up our layouts as ransom in exchange for an agreement not to destroy us.
O311HRS West Coast time. I wonder if I should set the alarm? Come to think of it, I think I will. If I get up and nothing happens, I'll just take the oppourtunity to pee and that will save me getting up an hour later anyway.