Hello. Just got back from a day at Knoebels. While there, I decided to pick up two freight cars from a series that was being offered. When I mentioned that I didn't want to be added to the mailing list for the series, my mom looked and sounded as if she was considering adding us to the mailing list. Today was basically a day to relax. Also, that huge rock I mentioned earlier is no longer a problem. Walter (my older brother) and I make quick work of it with a sledge hammer and a pickax.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.
-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.
Good AfternoonA nice cool day here, sunny out but the air has a certain nip to it...Got a fair chunk of work done today on those files but I found more that needed some work done on them...mmmm...wonder where the fellow who was responsible for this went...mmmmAnyhow...got home in reasonable time to have some train time tonight...so I'm going off to do just that....
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/
Afternoon guys
well that auction for some Amtrak passenger cars I want went to stupid-high levels. It's up around $270 for 4 cars... Geez. The auction was a sleeper, diner, observation, and an RPO... I'd like to have a streamlined baggage car, but I'm probably going to wind up with a friend's brass MHC... So far the train is 1 F40PH, 5 sleepers, 2 coaches, 1 lounge, and 1 amfleet. I may be getting a second F40PH and that brass MHC... As for an Observation, I might stick some red LEDs in the amfleet and use it to mark the tail.
Karl, Todd, and JaBear, thanks for you're guy's input. Looks like I'll be looking at yard sales later. (who knows, maybe I'll find something I can use)
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.
Karl - I think you should consider assigning your engine to the New Haven....
The nose of this EP-5 even has the colors in the same order you do.
What???? Me at the top? Oh, well, eat hearty, but you're responsible for your own cholesterol meds...
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Looks like that new paint worked very well for you Karl.
Sir MadogWell, I shall be retiring to the sofa to watch a stupid movie on TV. I don´t care what it is - they are all stupid these days.
Well it took a bit of work but Apple IIe #1 is now an Enhanced Apple IIe. It now has the CMOS based 65C02 processor, a new character set for the text modes and the required firmware chips. Of the character ROM that was added thirty-two are 'mouse-text' characters, not that I'm going to be adding a mouse anytime soon. Back when I was using this computer for my business a mouse was something you killed. Some old text and speed problems with 80-column text have gone away as well. I now have the capability of running most if no all of the software developed for the Apple IIc and some of that for the IIGS as well more backward compatibility with the old Apple II software. I just checked and yes, I now get the Apple //e at the top of the startup screen instead of the generic Apple ][ that I was getting just this morning.That right there makes all the work worth it.
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
Good Evening Gang!
Another day of fighting and fussing is coming to an end. I am dead tired - no wonder after 14 hours of party work. Too early to go to bed, though, somehow I have to manage to keep my eyes open.
Tomorrow is our 29th wedding anniversary - and I won´t be home to celebrate it with Petra. It´s the first time in those 29 years! I have to go to Hannover to get the final verdict on the list of candidates from the election board. Some (beep, expletive deleted) offspring of a female canine has challenged the list. Probably a guy being paid by one of our political enemies. If he succeeds, that´ll be the end of my political career. I will have three of our most adept lawyers with me, so I hope it´ll turns out right.
Although I miss doing some MRRing, my mind is not really set on it. Too bad I have not yet started on my new layout - I am getting second thoughts about it. Maybe I have to rethink my approach to model railroading completely. There are too many unanswered questions.
Well, I shall be retiring to the sofa to watch a stupid movie on TV. I don´t care what it is - they are all stupid these days.
Have a good night & see you soon!
P.S. Time to send out a roll call - the list of MIAs is getting too long!
Afternoon folks!
Chloe, I'll have a toasted tuna and cheese sandwich, some potato chips and a big dill pickle (yeah the way they usually come...) and a glass of iced tea for lunch today. yep, put on the politician's tab for me. Thanks Ulrich!
I think the Ulrichmobile is going to look pretty good, BTW.
The contractor is here and has a good start on the fence. One of the guys working for him was also one of my students. We just had a nice chat.
Looking good, Karl!
Had a group of preschoolers out at the museum this morning. Cute little kids! I made my explanations fit for the little ones with some extra explanation for the adults with them. There was supposed to be two separate track cars full to visit (one after the other) but it ended up being just the one group. They only stay 15 minutes at our end, so it was a short tour and then I closed up shop and came home.
The big yellow thing has made an appearance today. Hope the little wheel down cellar is spinning a bit faster than it has been most of the month. Another month of little sunshine, and June and July should be the best months. So far May was the best.
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Just a quick comment to my earlier post.
8:47 was the last post, now it's 12:33 . I've managed to hang up a new cabinet in the garage to hold kitty food and other "stuff" that was finding it's way to my workbench,, apply clear poly to a new sillplate and some molding for the master BR, and completed a 3 color paint job on the FM trainmaster shell using the Tru-color paints. Yes, 3 colors in 1 day! Wow, I'm all giggly happy about this!!
Remember, they gave me samples of gray primer, Tuscan red and Brunswick green. So the best "fake" scheme I could come up with looks like a cross between the Southern Railway and the Pennsy,,,,,,I know, the Southern Pennsylvania!
Gosh, I love this stuff!!!!!!!!!!!
Karl
NCE über alles!
Ray : Those cookies look delicious, would be perfect with a large cold glass of milk
Morning All,
Currently it is 70 with an expected high of 98. Pretty much same story weather wise here.
Another w**k day for me, then Skype with my son tonight. I did get a lot accomplished yesterday. Dentist really needed to take that around the head x-ray, so they said they would bill the insurance, who will probably decline it, then send me the bill. Glad I did it though. The regular x-ray looked suspicious but the fancy one showed there was no problem. Went to Costco, then to Wal-Mart, for a few things and picked up a prescription. Stopped at Lowes and Home Depot, looking for some 6 conductor flat phone cable, neither one had it, so I ordered some from Tony's. Also w**ked on a few building kits, and cooked some meals.
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
Well
erm,
I haven't been on as I have been tracking donw info on health insurances and costs with out the supplemental for me after Madicare. Seems the fees I was paying, and the grossly over-inflated tripled charge they now want is acutally far more than the out-of-pocket would be, at least for general Drs visits/services, so it appears to be a rip-off. Will stop it Sept first, and try to go without. Will have to get MOH coverage to compy by Oct 1 with the new laws, but I think we cna do that, too and still br cheaper than the new tripled rate cost for me alone.If I pay for august, it will cover my new bottom partial plate and will be cheaper than paying it myself out of pocket, but barely.
Changed the car insurance, we are insured to the max under an alternative plan that is for those with squeaky clean records and super high credit ratings, so we actaully get the higher full coverage at a lower price than we were paying! Had to pay up today and wait for a refund for balance of old policy in 2.5 weeks.Could have made it cheaper IF i let them do everything policy wise via email and computer, bUT I want everything in the good ol'e mail box, as I still don't even trust electronic deposits yet. As much trouble as we have had with things getting compromised all over the place and such, I don't trust not having hard copies somewhere. Only a $13 differnce anyway. I may change my mind in the future, but we will see now.
Went to do some grocery shoppng this morning, stopped at the pharmacy, and the insurance agency and the credit union,SO I have been around already!
Now to relax as yesterday's migraine is still working onme, but dull ache now. Stress added to it, I am sure, but the changes in the weather sure don't help,, and it was 51F this AM, now 55F. Posta warm up some.
TOmorrrow is the dentist for both of us, me for filling and the impressions for the partial, then in 3 weeks, I should have it. MOH has a fillling to do, too. The FIL has a Dr appt. in the afternoon he is trying to get moved to the AM so MOH can sit with MIL. FIL asked If I could sit with MIL, bUT did NOT understand that BOTH of us have dental appts one right after the other! Dunno he hasn't called yet to say it is changed.
Well, that is about all the news from these here parts...
LAter
have a great afternoon...
-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.
Good morning. It's 74° with 98% humidity. The high will be 95° but will feel like 108°.Tried getting to sleep before 11pm last night but my body apparently had different ideas. So I was up until 2:45 this morning when for some reason I finally went to sleep. Woke up just after 6am so I'm not feeling my best this morning.Yesterdays bad weather left quite a bit of damage in it's wake. There are some pretty good sized branches down in my yard. Maybe someday I'll be able to get the tractor in there and drag them out. No trees down, in my yard at least. I know somebody close by has at least one. I heard it fall. I haven't heard any talk of injuries or worse from the local gossip mill so that's good news so far.Today I'll change out a few more chips in the IIe and move it further along to becoming an enhanced IIe. That'll allow me to use more of the Apple IIc and IIGS software on it with fewer compatibility issues.No word back from the docs office on the results of my last cardiac stress test. He said they'd call if there were any concerns so for now no news is good news.
Good Morning.Well!! Did it get kind of chilly out here last night! It got down to 50! Now we are at 52...and sunny....going for a high near 70 later on....Today I will be rather busy with more files and hopefully some train room time later on...
Good Morning!!!
Coffee and the Brakemans’ Special please. Over medium on the eggs, whole wheat, no make that a biscuit and could I get some Sorghum? Thanks
Sunny, with a high near 80. Currently…Oh my gosh!...54°
Jeffrey- I completely understand why you don’t restore computers for hire. Everything you stated is exactly why I don’t do several things for hire.
Vincent- I echo Karl on the electric vs wooden. I would say the exact same thing. I would also add that I understand money may be tight, but keep in mind, the kid comes with the girl and won’t go away. They’ll only become more……involved. So better get used to paying for him too.
For crying out loud Ulrich. You can’t read what they wrote. It’s in some foreign language. It could say anything and your voters wouldn’t know it unless they spoke that particular language. (my luck it’d say “vote for the other guy” )
Well, not gonna get much done today as Brenda is going in to have pictures of the inside of her colon done. No reason othern she's "at that age". Gotta take her there and sit until she can return. Then, if she feels like it, we have the stockholders annual meeting and banquet this evening at 6:30 I think. Apartment has to wait though I think I’ll sneak up there for a couple minutes this morning before I have to get ready to leave and get them out of the way. But I am ready for the carpet guys Friday.
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.
Another good morning, as it cooled off a lot last night, down to around 60, and the house got comfortably cool with nothing but a fan. Some heat on tap for the weekend, but the evenings should be cool. Hopefully, I can get in a bicycle ride or two.
Best wishes for all.
morning coffee in the diner...
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING!!!
Today is Thursday, july 25th, 2013!!
I will light the candles once I am home for those in need...
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!
We often use the phrase "gone Haywire", SO:
meaning:
To go wrong, to become overly excited or deranged
Origin:
The short version:
Logically, this phrase has to do with bailing hay. Back in 1828, Moses P. Bliss patented a machine that bailed hay. It worked pretty good, but there were times when the wire used on the machine would get stuck in the machine and wrap around the horse's legs, etc. When the men cut it to untangle the mess, it often snapped, causing injuries. The situation slipped into social talk to represent anytime anything gets all messed up and can't work properly (machines, projects, ideas etc.).
The longer in depth origin:
Hay-wire* is the light wire that was used in baling machines to tie up bales of hay. At the turn of the 20th century the expression 'a haywire outfit' began to be used in the USA. This was used to describe companies that patched-up faulty machinery using such wire, rather than making proper long-term fixes. In 1905, The US Forestry Bureau Bulletin described a 'Hay wire outfit' as 'a contemptuous term for loggers with poor logging equipment'.
By 1920, the use of haywire to mean 'awry' or 'out of control' was recorded in Dialect Notes, Volume 82:
"Hay wire. Gone wrong or no good. Slang."
This may be a reference back to 'hay-wire outfits' but is more likely to be a literal allusion to scrambled hay-wire - anyone who has handled coils of wire will be familiar with its determination to gather into an irretrievable tangle. To go haywire was recorded in the late 1920s; for example, in this piece about a basketball game from The Helena Independent, January 1928:
"...their anxiety to score let their passing game go haywire with many wild heaves finding marks in the bleachers."
* also called 'baling wire' as in wire for a bale..
Evening All, Chloe, seeing its going on Ulrichs tab, a coffee, and a small piece of apple strudel would go down very nicely, thank you. Your Feuerwehrauto should be a real eye catcher, surprised you can't use the lights and siren, still legal to do so here, as long as you're not breaking the road rules that pertain to ordinary motorists. ( Does it still have its pumps so you can "cool" down your opponents if necessary ?? )
Packer. I would fully endorse Karls recommendation for a wooden Thomas, for the same reasons. I think back to when my young fellow, now 21, was four and the hours of endless fun he and his friend at Kindergarten had building railway empires.
blownout cylinder, not bad, but must admit to preferring "Nightwish".
Jeffery, I'm glad I don't have to make a decision like yours regarding amputating your foot but hope every thing goes well for you.
Currently 2035 hours and 48 F, forecast to drop to 39 F overnight but no rain.
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good Morning,
Boy, what a night! Lots of rain and thunder-boomers! This was the hottest day for the season - so far. Temperatures went up to 93 F. The rain did not cool it off much. Sunday is expected to see temperatures above the 100 mark ...
A kingdom for air conditioning!
Chloe, coffee and a cinnamon roll, please. Btw, where is Sue?
I went up north yesterday to pick up the fire truck. The previous owner had given it a thorough clean-up job, filled the gas tank, topped the engine oil and even installed an (Illegal) siren. Too bad we can´t use the flashing lights and the siren ...
Driving it back was a challenge. At 50mph (top speed), it behaved like a stubborn mule. It was hot and noisy inside the cab. No wonder it did only 10,000 miles in 32 years! I was baked after the three-hour trip, which normally takes just a little over an hour.
Now the truck rests at a paint shop, awaiting the "decals" to be applied for the campaign. It´ll look pretty much like this one:
There will be a "hot" campaign time ahead of me!
Have a good one!
Edit: I got Tops! Chloe, the day´s fare is on me!
Good EveningIt has been a somewhat hectic day here. Files redone, reports written up on some of them, records expunged, that sort of thing...My Pine lumber is sitting in an air drying rack in my storage barn...yes, I have one of them thar barn thingees...not big, mind, just big enough to store lumber in...Anyways...got a few things to get finished here...have a good evening!!
Thanks for the cookies Ray.
*
No rain in the forecast today, not even the barest mention of a thunderstorm. Yet this afternoon a string of large thunderstorms as real as my tabletop here and just as impossible to ignore came rumbling through this area. High winds, nearly sideways rainfall, heavy lightning and thunder were over this area for several hours. Quite a few times I gave thought to getting out and seeking better shelter. How the heck could the weatherman miss that coming in? Storms are still kicking around out there but they're small fry moving to the south-east. I hope we've seen the last of the big ones for a while. The power went out several times but it was right back on within seconds.In other news, I changed out the 6502 processor in my IIe with a 65C02 processor, starting on the upgrade to an Enhanced IIe. Right now I have Starfleet1 running and it's going from menu to menu faster than it ever has.I looked at a metal F3A shell on Ebay that I mean to pick up as soon as I can. Then all four of the locos in the F-unit quad will have metal shells.Well that's it for now. Time to call it a night.
Evenin' folks!
Janie decaf for everyone (uless they want regular this time of night... Since it is all of 56°F outside (feels good for a change) I figured today would be a good day to bake the toll house cookies I want to take to the picnic on Saturday... I made a batch of dark chocolate ones and a batch of butterscotch ones as well. Help yourselves!
The one on the small plate is mine. I'm trying to cut down so i am only going to eat one!
Jeremy, sometimes I wish I still had my old 5 speed bike I got back when I was teaching in Waverly, NY. I used to tie my books and guitar on it and head to school on days that I stayed in town. Three other days a week I had to drive to Chemung School out in the Boonies so couldn't ride to work.
Signed the contract for the fence at noon today. We made a couple small changes to what he is going to put in for me. May start the project tomorrow... I will be out to the museum all morning so I'll check on progress when I get home early afternoon. I also finished the trim on the third raised bed garden so that one is done now. Did a bit of house cleaning, had to run a couple quick errands, and that is my day folks! Whoopie!!!
[edit] Just got an email from the contractor. They will be here late morning to start the project!
Hi Guys,
Nice and cool here almost feels like a fall evening and not the end of July. Was up this morning at about 4:45am and on the bike by 5:30am. Was at the bike trails by 6:15 and rode about 12 miles before coming home, the bike needed a cleaning when I got home that's for sure. We got a ton of rain last Friday but the trails were already pretty dusty. I'm thinking I might do it again tomorrow and then again Saturday. The only problem with doing a good length on the bike is that you have to pack some gear in case you breakdown on the trails.
Well, I'm going to go and catch up on the diner here.
Packer
As a grandpa of 3 boys, my vote for a 4 year old would be for a Wooden Thomas set. Why? At the age of 4, I'm sure he knows Thomas, its easy for him to handle, wooden track needs no table, other family members can easily add on, needs no electric.
There's 5 reasons there
Why not HO trains. Running on the floor is bad for the trains(esp carpet), electric cords are a tripping hazard, hHO rolling stock is more fragile and a 4 year old may not be able to rerail a car without squashing it .
Check yard sales, wood track goes cheap there, you really only have to pony up the $$ for Thomas, Annie & Clarabel.
If he can handle that well, by 6 or 7 he can "graduate" to "real" trains!
The Rapido car saga continues. 2 of the big passenger car guys at the club gave me guff about using a long shank and a medium shank on the cars. They suggested scale heads and some other things. I tried them, and the cars didn't work for crap. They suggested a hole bunch of stuff that requires tools or materials I don't have (2mm drill, drill press, mill, lead sheet, etc.) So I told them, "you guys were the ones who wanted this, how about you fix them since you two have the tool." I didn't actually expect them to actually take me up on that offer. They said they'll have them done Saturday, but we'll see. I'm expecting them to want some cars weathered in exchange, so that should be doable (provided the rainy season ends soon).
Question about trains for kids: My girlfriend has a son that she said he is crazy about trains. I don't recall how old he is, I think 4. My father suggested getting him a train set. I looked through my junk box and found a bunch of old power-loc track and some transformers that I won't use again. I have a few old athearn BB diesels that I won't use and a few cars I won't use. The club has some stuff in it's sale box as well. So I figure an athearn bluebox U-boat (most of the BB stuff I have is bigger locos) and a few cars, using the power-loc track and an old transformer should work and be cheap. My father says get him a wooden train set, or a Thomas the tank engine set. IDK which would be more appropriate for a 4 year old, but the wooden train set or Thomas set would cost me more than the athearn/lifelike habash. What do you guys think?
Hey everyone. Been working outside mostly today. We're in the middle of installing our water main, and it requires digging a ditch that's roughly as deep as I am tall ('bout 6'), and we just ran into a large rock. Been working on reducing it for the past two hours.
Just for fun I pulled the other two Apples out of the closet and gave them the Krud Kutter and Goo-Gone scrub down to clean them up. After working out the best way to do it on Apple #1 I was able to clean up Apples #2 and #3 in less than an hour and that included scrubbing off the cigarette smoke stains and in the case of Apple #3 some red permanent marker ink that was on one side. I'm a believer in Krud Kutter and Goo-Gone. Anything that can take that off is good stuff. I also took the computers apart and cleaned inside the shells, something I didn't do on mine. I noticed something too. The keyboards in Apple #1 and Apple #3 are attached to the shell. The keyboard in Apple #2 is attached to the base. #1 is an 82 model (made in US) and #3 is an 84 model (made in Singapore). #2 is also an 82 model (Made in US). All three are model# A2S2064. Both #1 and #2 originally had white lettered keys. The keyboard on #1 was changed out by Delta Computers in 1986 with a black lettered one. Both have 6502 processors. #3 has the more advanced G65SC02 processor. I wonder what other design differences there were.
Currently it is 67 with an expected high of 94, cooling off a bit.
Busy day off for me, which has been the case lately. Have one load of laundry to do, some vacuuming, then a dentist appointment with an oral surgeon. My dentist took x-rays last week and he wants to have this guy take a look also. So get a call from his office confirming todays appointment. Then the receptionist tells me, he may want to do a special x-ray, which my insurance only covers every 3 years, and I had one last year. $105.00 out of pocket if he needs to take it. If so I think I am going to pass, as things are real tight for me. I also have to do some grocery shopping, and a quick trip to Costco. Afternoon should be pretty full.
I hope to get some modeling done this morning.
Jeff - Those computers and disk drives look pretty good. I don't blame you for not wanting to work on other peoples stuff, when I was going to gunsmith school, people would ask if I could work on their firearms, not realizing the liability issues and cost of doing something.
Mornin' everyone!
Janie, I'll have the #2 special this morning, over easy on the eggs, Bacon, home fries, and a double order of sourdough toast with a pot of dark roast coffee as well.
Got an email from the contractor this morning. He has the permit for me to sign and a contract for me to sign. He expects to get it done for me within a week!
Jeffrey, those old Apple IIs sure bring back memories of when I first got into computers. I was getting threatening letters from the main office of the school reminding me I had not yet taken the more or less required computer course at BOCES. My response was that I was a music teacher and would never have any real reason to learn anything about a stupid computer (after all musicians can only count to 4). My wife finally sat me down (her job involved using the computer all day) and said, "why don't you just take the "free" course and get it over with?" so I did.... Got hooked real quick, and became the first teacher in the area using MIDI in the music classes. The rest of the dept. thought I had gone crazy and some refused to even talk to me for a couple years! Those were the ones i didn't care to converse with anyway.
Cool outside this morning, all of 60°F. May get all the way up to 69°F this afternoon. Air conditioner is turned off and the windows are open.
Catch you all later!
Well I got the cosmetic restoration work on the disk drive done. It had some scrapes and scuffs on it that looked particularly nasty when photographed. Somehow the camera makes most anything look worse than it really is. But with the application of a little contour putty and some black paint it looks OK now. The Apple Disk II plate had to go as there was no way of saving it. However I may be able to cut the Disk II logo off of it and apply that separately. The black paint I used is a little flatter than I wanted but it's all I had. The drive in question is drive 2 though I did a little work on drive 1 as well.On a related issue, I've been getting email asking if I can do restoration work on other peoples old computer equipment. The answer to that is no. The equipment I'm working on is mine and I have only myself to answer to if I screw it up. I can get replacement parts for it or something that's close enough to do the job. If I screw up something belonging to someone else I'll have to replace it with an identical item that's been fully checked out and tested and that can get expensive fast. Many times I have to purchase an entire item, say a disk drive, just to get a particular part that I need. Plus there are some things that just aren't available anymore.