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Elliot's Trackside Diner FEBRUARY, 2013! Locked

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  • Member since
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  • From: Alberta, Canada
  • 624 posts
Posted by chochowillie on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 7:33 PM

It's amazing sometime what you end up with after a parent passes. I know that I ended up with stuff from my Mom that I didn't even know she had. 

Your new video camera works just fine from the looks of the video you shot. You'll have all sorts of fun with it.

Where the heck did you find that ho scale shinny rv Jeffrey. .... My mind just went blank..... can't remember the brand.... OH Air Stream, that's it Confused I just hate it when that happens.

Took Furnando our Burmese cat to the vet today for his Ännual Checkup" Vet says he's super healthy. He wasn't impressed with the needles for his vaccinations but he was a good boy and just hissed a couple of times. He's generally pretty placid. Anyway another $136 spent. At least it wasn't to the Government. Pirate

Other than that, it was a trip to Home Depot for some paint and some plywood to finish up the mine extension. Would you believe $23.95 for a 4 x 8 sheet of spruce 1/2 inch sheeting. That up $4 bucks since last summer. Crooks but what are you going to do.

Nice tractor by the way. On my lawn, it would take about 3 rounds and I'd be done.

That's bout it from the Great White North for today.

Dennis 

CDN Dennis 

Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada

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Posted by Lehigh Valley 2089 on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:54 PM

alexstan
chochowillie

Here's a small announcement that may just be what some may be hoping to hear....

Soundtraxx Announces Tsunami DCC Decoder For Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet Locomotives

Since the Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet was released, there has been a demand for a high quality, accurate DCC w/Sound decoder. It has been a longer wait than most anticipated, but the wait is now over as SoundTraxx is releasing a GenSet Tsunami decoder.

Cheers

Dennis

That's definitely going to be mine. I'm glad I didn't get the MRC drop-in decoder.

I'm currently waiting for a company to come out with a drop in decoder for the GP20 that Walthers recently came out with in N scale. May be a little while. 

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

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Posted by howmus on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:47 PM

Evenin' folks!

Janie can I please get a hot cup of decaf coffee and a seat next to the wood stove?  Thank you Ma'am!

I don't know about Howahya, but here in the Finger lakes it is chilly outside.  Currently 17°F outside and going down to 8°F overnight.  Not only that we are going to have a good old fashioned Nor'Easter in the North East for the next few days.  The weather channel says this for where I live:

ACCUMULATIONS... UP TO 2 INCHES OVERNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT... 5 TO 10 INCHES FRIDAY... 4 TO 7 INCHES FRIDAY NIGHT... AND AN INCH OR LESS SATURDAY... LEADING TO STORM TOTALS OF POTENTIALLY 9 TO 18 INCHES.   (Talking the white, "Partly Cloudy" stuff...)

I have a dinner reception to go to at Hobart and William Smith Colleges Tomorrow night followed by a lecture by the President of Rochester Colgate Divinity School.  When I get home from that I shall bring in wood, feed the fire, and hunker down and enjoy the Blizzard.  Probably won't be too bad here actually.  Do hope my son stays safe as he will likely have to drive in some of the worst of it on roads that are known to have white outs if there is any wind....

Went shopping this evening so I have beat the rush to clean out the Grocery store of bread and milk.  I did get bread and milk but only because I was almost out of both of them and need to buy them...

Jeffrey, great find.  Glad your dad gave it to you!

Seems like there was some other things I wanted to mention...  Oh, well, I'll be back before bed I guess.

Later!

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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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:09 PM

I got a JVC video camera today. Model GC-FM1. I got it for a good price. F-R-E-E. My father was going through some of my mothers things this morning when he found it. Still in the box and never been used. She bought it years ago to use when she went on her next vacation. That vacation never came and it sat in a drawer of her desk forgotten. I looked it over and told him I'd like to have it. After a few seconds it was mine. I brought it home and charged it while I read the manual. Pretty simple and straightforward. I then recorded a short video with it and uploaded it to Photobucket. Here is that video.

Click on photo


Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:04 PM

chochowillie
Hey Jeffrey, good picture of your Dad! He certainly is a BIG FELLA. All those years in the Military and he's still got his hair Big Smile Hardly even grey.

Don't let the lack of gray fool you. He keeps Grecian Formula in business!

chochowillie
Green grass Wow, it's been quite a few months since I've seen any of that! As in mid October. Hmm

Mowing season ended here in early December. It's about to get started up again. The grass, it be growing. Really, and this is true, it's not unusual to be mowing the grass right through Christmas into the next years mowing season without a break.

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


  • Member since
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  • From: Victor Harbor, South Australia
  • 362 posts
Posted by alexstan on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 5:58 PM
chochowillie

Here's a small announcement that may just be what some may be hoping to hear....

Soundtraxx Announces Tsunami DCC Decoder For Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet Locomotives

Since the Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet was released, there has been a demand for a high quality, accurate DCC w/Sound decoder. It has been a longer wait than most anticipated, but the wait is now over as SoundTraxx is releasing a GenSet Tsunami decoder.

Cheers

Dennis

That's definitely going to be mine. I'm glad I didn't get the MRC drop-in decoder.

Modelling HO Scale with a focus on the West and Midwest USA

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Alberta, Canada
  • 624 posts
Posted by chochowillie on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 5:53 PM

Here's a small announcement that may just be what some may be hoping to hear....

Soundtraxx Announces Tsunami DCC Decoder For Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet Locomotives

Since the Atlas Trainman Plus GenSet was released, there has been a demand for a high quality, accurate DCC w/Sound decoder. It has been a longer wait than most anticipated, but the wait is now over as SoundTraxx is releasing a GenSet Tsunami decoder.

Cheers

Dennis

CDN Dennis 

Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Alberta, Canada
  • 624 posts
Posted by chochowillie on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 5:46 PM

Hey Jeffrey, good picture of your Dad! He certainly is a BIG FELLA. All those years in the Military and he's still got his hair Big Smile Hardly even grey.

Green grass Wow, it's been quite a few months since I've seen any of that! As in mid October. Hmm

Dennis 

CDN Dennis 

Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada

  • Member since
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  • From: Canada
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Posted by JeremyB on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 4:34 PM

Well fellas,

Just checking in here one last time before I have to get something to eat and go. A 12 hour night shift will be a first for me. Worst part is I have been up since 7:30 this morning and couldn't sleep a drop at all during the day. Is it appropriate for me to ask in the night " I have never done a 12 hour shift or a night shift before can I leave early"? probably not Stick out tongue Im sure I can make it.

Wish me luck guys, I will be back on to let you guys know how my first day went sometime tomorrow. Either it will be right after I get home and showered or after I wake up from hopefully a good sleep.

See ya tomorrow ( or after work for me,lol I guess its the same )

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Posted by Cederstrand on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 3:59 PM

jeffrey-wimberly

The last time he decided to 'rest' the house grew from 2,400 square feet to 5,000 square feet.

***Jeffrey: MY FIL was just like your Dad, except in stature. Retirement didn't slow him down in the least. It's nice you still have him around.

NEED (DCC) HELP: Put the new Bachmann (HO) Climax loco on the Digitrax DCS50 ProgMode track and tried to ID the decoder. It kept coming up with [d nA] (note: checked my other locos on it, no problems) Then stuck the Climax on the regular track and it activates on factory address 03, but makes a constant LOUD HISS. The directional lights, whistle and forward/reverse all work fine. But that constant HISS is seriously LOUD??? Something isn't right. Please help, anyone?

Just brought the splitter home. It had a good cup or more of water in the fuel tank. How the heck? Anyway, going to have a coffee then start putting it back to work until dark or I run out of fuel (human fuel that is).

Cowboy Rob

 

 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 2:55 PM

JeremyB
Your Dad was in the army right?

Twenty-seven years. He retired in 1980 and has been working more or less steady ever since. The last time he decided to 'rest' the house grew from 2,400 square feet to 5,000 square feet.

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 galaxy on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 2:39 PM

Good afternoon/evening

Still have the stomach bug. aboe to hold down soup but it roils my intestines fairly hard.

The cramps are the worst.

It's been 24 hours and so its not the 24 hour kind, so I give it 3 days then go to the DR. if not better.

Alos sleeping ALOT. and hard when I do about every 1 hours awake, alseep for 3.

well, I'd best get back to bed.

Have e great day.

ULRICH- I DO hope your brother comes to his senses, even if he isn't coming as he feels he 'has done his fair share already'. We allowed my other's two sisters to get here to say goodbyes before we disconnected Life support on my  mother. Then everyone had their goodbyes. I hope it doesn't turn out to be too late for him. I DO hope things go swiftly for your parents if it is to be, nto slow hard and painful. I have a prayer candle just for you and yours.

have a good dfay

 

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 last mountain & eastern hogger on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 2:24 PM

Whistling

JEFF,  You are really spoiled,

Even a cup / drink holder on that Tractor for your RBF.

Johnboy out...................

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

We have met the enemy,  and he is us............ (Pogo)

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 2:00 PM

thanks for sharing Cedar!

she looked happy.

not sure I'm going to pull the trains out today either can't decide upon what I want to do.

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

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Posted by Cederstrand on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 1:57 PM

Lunch Special, please.

***Jeffrey, really nice looking machine you've got there.Thumbs Up Enjoy it! Wish I had that one instead of this Cub Cadet that gets stuck at the slightest hint of wet grass and forget about making it over a patch of mud or going up much of a hill. It also only runs well on HIGH.

Missed the upholstery guy twice today, so no seat yet for the little JD.

Sticking around today incase the splitter is fixed and ready for pickup. The two old fellas didn't want it taking up space in their workshop so planned on trying to get it running same day, which would be terrific.

Think I'll take this short respite to try out the HO Climax and see if it runs.

Cowboy Rob

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Posted by JeremyB on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 1:55 PM

jeffrey-wimberly

JeremyB
WOW, your dad is a BIG guy. His arms are the size of my legs,lol. I wouldn't want to anger him.

I think you could outlast him. He's only 78. Then again, he is in great shape.

Your Dad was in the army right?

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Posted by Lehigh Valley 2089 on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 1:54 PM

Good afternoon. Tired right now, but I suppose that comes with having a swimming unit in gym. It gets to be not very fun when you're tired.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 12:52 PM

JeremyB
WOW, your dad is a BIG guy. His arms are the size of my legs,lol. I wouldn't want to anger him.

I think you could outlast him. He's only 78. Then again, he is in great shape.

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 JeremyB on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 12:41 PM

Nice tractor Jeff

WOW, your dad is a BIG guy. His arms are the size of my legs,lol. I wouldn't want to anger him.

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 12:30 PM

Took some photos of the new tractor this morning. Here's one of my father sitting on it. He's like 6' 5" so he makes it look smaller than it is. He's tried running it and has already scared himself off of it. See that pole in the background? He got a very good look at it as he just barely kept from hitting it! I wish I'd gotten a photo of the look on his face! It was PRICELESS!



For those interested you can see more photos HERE.

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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  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
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Posted by Cederstrand on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 11:36 AM

Coffee refill, please.

If you haven't seen it, here is a train video to put a smile on your face:

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/3-olds-birthday-dreams-come-true-first-train-221036712--abc-news-parenting.html

Cowboy Rob

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Posted by howmus on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 10:55 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Nothing for me right now, I'll be heading out to my son's house soon to watch Granddaughter #2 for a couple hours.

Sun has been coming out every now and then and i have been watching the meter down cellar go from 500w to 3220w as I was finishing some laundry.  A guy from the electric company that installed the system had to stop by and get another photo for their records.  Seems they misplaced the one they had of the spot.  Made over 11Kw yesterday and should making about the same today.  By June I should be making 25 or more Kw a day.

Did a bit more on the new scenery section in progress while I was waiting for the laundry to finish.  It is the other corner opposite the last section I got done.  When that is finished I will have the entire background of that wall done and I can start putting together the rest of the trackage (return loop) along that wall.  At least I am getting so I can fikgure out which first thing I have to do first these days.

Jeremy, Thanks.  My cats were gifts from my Father just before he died, and will be 12 years old in April.  Not really old for cats.

Ulrich, I do hope your brother at least can over to see his parents before it is too late.  When my Mother was dieing my sister in Indiana drove almost non-stop from her home in South bend (Stopped just once for gas) be see her before she passed.  My mom's 3 children were together at the end and were able to put aside all differences during that time.  My two sisters have not been at all close as the sister in Canandaigua insists on forcing her religious thoughts on the other sister (The Rev.).  I just let it go in one ear and out the other....

Gotta get a move on.

Later!

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 JeremyB on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 9:53 AM

Paul : Sorry to hear about your wife and MIL

Ulrich : also I hope you and Petra can get through this, sad to hear your brother wont help out.

Howmus: Also sad about poor blackie, how old is the little guy?

Jeff: You should take up lawnmower repair, maybe make a few bucks as it sounds like you know your way around tractors and lawnmowers.

Well, today is the day I start the new job. Tonight 7pm-7am. I really wanted to stay up last night and try to sleep during the day today but I was up at 7:30. And I know I wont be able to sleep at all today. I think the nervousness and excitement that comes with a new job ( new job, new people ) will carry me through the night and sometime around 5am I will be completely exhausted. the good thing is you only work two days and then get two off except every other weekend then its three on. I have been trying ot keep busy today doing housework and what not to keep my mind busy. the wife says If I cant sleep I should be sitting or laying on the couch to save my strength and energy. I'm sure she is right but I need to keep busy when my mind is racing. Any tips and well wishes would be great at the moment. You know how it is when you get encouragement from people, kind of makes things a bit easier.

Jeremy

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Posted by Cederstrand on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 9:01 AM

Coffee in a FOGGY & SOUTHERN mug, please.

Have a good day all.

Healing thoughts to those in need.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

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Posted by Packer on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 7:50 AM

Morning guys

Paul, That blows you lost 2 family memer in such a short time. My condolences.

Jeff and Todd, I guess my mower is an odd-ball. It has a clutch/brake on the left side controlled by a pedal. The lever for deck hieght is on the rear right side of the hood towards the driver's seat. Blade engagement is on the right rear facing the driver. Speed control is on the right fender. There is no drive lever or gas pedal. It has a speed control setting, with 6 notches for foward and 1 reverse.

Vincent

Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....

2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 7:41 AM

TMarsh
Jeffrey- Sounds like the new tractor operates very similar to my old ’77 Cub Cadet Hydrostat. My lever is on the right of the dash. Throttle is separate. You can change directions by simply pulling the lever back or forward depending, but the speed inceases or decreases the farther you push or pull, so as you pull the lever back say, the tractor has stopped by the time you get to the “neutral” to change directions.... no matter how briefly. Can’t break the law of physics you know. It does have a brake pedal, but as you said, pretty much only useful for parking though it does work as a brake and will slow the tractor down in relation to how far you push the pedal not necessarily through actual braking power but because it also moves the Hydro lever towards neutral as well. That way is an effective way to stop, though not always the smoothest. I would assume it is similar to your foot operated ones, excepting that it is a lever on the dash attached instead of the foot pads, which I see would be very difficult for you to operate. The Cub Cadet would be ideal. Basically no foot controls needed. Just the brake to start, but that little issue could be very easily rectified.

That sounds very similar. This one has the drive lever on the left fender by the seat. The deck height and PTO controls are on the right fender. Parking brake lock is to the left of the steering wheel, ignition switch to the right. The drive lever works like you described. The further it's pushed the faster you go, same for reverse.

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 TMarsh on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 7:11 AM

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and a bowl of mixed berry mini frosted wheat please. Thanks.

Paul- Welcome back. I bet it is very hard to lose a spouse, I’m very sorry for that. To lose you MIL so soon as well.... Prayers continue.

Darren- I never was any good at track plans, but I do like what I see.

Jeffrey- Sounds like the new tractor operates very similar to my old ’77 Cub Cadet Hydrostat. My lever is on the right of the dash. Throttle is separate. You can change directions by simply pulling the lever back or forward depending, but the speed inceases or decreases the farther you push or pull, so as you pull the lever back say, the tractor has stopped by the time you get to the “neutral” to change directions.... no matter how brieflyMischief. Can’t break the law of physics you knowConfused. It does have a brake pedal, but as you said, pretty much only useful for parking though it does work as a brake and will slow the tractor down in relation to how far you push the pedal not necessarily through actual braking power but because it also moves the Hydro lever towards neutral as well. That way is an effective way to stop, though not always the smoothest. I would assume it is similar to your foot operated ones, excepting that it is a lever on the dash attached instead of the foot pads, which I see would be very difficult for you to operate. The Cub Cadet would be ideal. Basically no foot controls needed. Just the brake to start, but that little issue could be very easily rectified.

After ZivaStick out tongue……don’t know. Brenda is sending me to Sam’s Club today to pick up snacks e.g. candy, for the Junior High dance. So I will be in town for that so……Hmm, guess I’ll time that around lunch with the Chinese girls! Then Church meeting tonight. Mean time hopefully I’ll get to look at the train stuff. I wanna get that bridge set.

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!

EDIT: Oh TOP..... eat up, I don't get TOP very often.

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 jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:40 AM

Good morning. It's 51° with 100% humidity and dense fog. It'll be cloudy with a fair chance of rain. The high will be 68°.


Today I'll try to get the model# of the new tractor and maybe get a few photos. Later I can look it up online and maybe get a PDF copy of the operating manual so I can read it at my leisure. Knowing my father he's already squirreled away the paper copy and I won't see it again until parts are needed. I leafed through the manual initially to note enough of the operating procedures to figure out the controls and the dos and don't s thereof. Driving it is a lot like the old one but there's still a bit of a learning curve involved. With the Peerless the throttle and drive lever were tied together. On the Murray they're separate. The Peerless had shift on the go forward and reverse and could go directly from forward to reverse. The Murray can't go from forward to reverse without coming to a full stop first. On the Peerless hitting the brake disengaged the throttle and drive. No such luck with the Murray. There's essentially no brake until the drive lever is in neutral and by then it's stopped anyway so there's no point to it unless it's on a hill. Then the brake will keep it from rolling. In the next few days I should be able to experiment with it and figure out a bit more about it. From there I can figure out how to make it do things the know-it-all that wrote the manual says it can't do. Usually they're just going on notes that outline the procedures in black and white without looking at the gray areas in-between. The tractor came with a two year warranty. That wasn't quite good enough. We got a three year warranty with an option to extend it. Well enough about that.

If the weather should decide to preclude any outside activity I can always work on cleaning up the layout or work on a project and make a new mess.

Well last night I finally changed my Photobucket account to the new version. It didn't take long to figure it out and discard most of the things I don't want, like thumbnail IMG tags. I know some had a problem with those. So far the only thing I don't like is they did away with pages and everything is in one long string that reloads when I get to the bottom of the screen. That's a big bother if the photo I want is near the end. Maybe I can look around and possibly find a way around that.



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 Lehigh Valley 2089 on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 6:22 AM

Good Morning.

Work tonight. Things have been going in such a way that I think I will have work all this week.

Darren. So far it looks good. What era is it going to be?

 

 

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

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Posted by galaxy on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 3:30 AM

ALOHA!

Kauai Railroads:

Railroads on Kauai date from 1881 with the first three miles of rail laid at Kilauea   Plantation, and by 1915 there were nearly 200 miles of narrow gauge track  in service on the sugar plantations of the Island.

Early sugar planters encountered transportation problems from the start, struggling with wagons on unpaved roads to move cane from the fields to the mills and processed sugar to the ports for shipment to market. In late1881 management of the Kilauea Plantation ordered rail equipment from the John Fowler Co, of Leeds, England.  Track gauge was 2' and the tiny (likely 6 tons) 0-4-2 Fowler locomotive could move up to ten loaded cars of cut cane in one train.

While the original  line at Kilauea Plantation remained at 2' gauge to the end, all the other lines on Kauai chose 30" gauge, the only Island in the Hawaiian Chain to  run with this gauge.

By 1887 the Koloa Sugar Plantation operation needed more powerful engines and ordered a 10-ton, 0-4-2T locomotive from the Hohenzollern Co. of Germany. Today this engine is preserved by the Grove Farm Homestead Museum in operating condition - it is the oldest functioning plantation locomotive in Hawaii and is put in steam occasionally  for special events.

As  the lines increased in length and management wanted to move larger quantities of sugar cane per trip, the locomotives were upgraded to larger units. The Baldwin Locomotive Works, of Philadelphia, became the prime supplier to  most Hawaii plantations and Kauai was no exception. Initially the 0-4-2 design was popular, but soon the larger 0-6-2 Saddle tank  was favored because of the high tractive effort and the ability to negotiate less than perfect track. Historians have called these the "Bulldog Baldwins" for their squat, compact appearance and renown pulling ability. At one point in history there were more than 20 of these engines in service on Kauai at once. Three of them survive in the collection of the Grove Farm Homestead Museum, two of which are operational.

By 1927 plantation  managers began to experiment with internal combustion engines and a 12-ton  Plymouth diesel was placed in service at the Kekaha Sugar Company and was  soon followed by similar units on other operations. In 1936 management at  the Lihue Plantation purchased a 10-ton Whitcomb diesel-mechanical engine, which proved to be successful. The following year a second, similar enginewas brought on line.

Also on the KPRY roster is a 1948 GE diesel-electric  engine similar to the early GE units purchased by Lihue Plantation Co.

Unfortunately, THey experimented with motor trucks to meet their hauling needs, and the locos were scrapped on site, sold to other Kauai RRs or shipped off somewhere else.

Mahalo {thank you} for reading this history snippet.

Have a great day!

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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