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Elliot's Trackside Diner - Sept. 2014

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  • Member since
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  • From: upstate NY
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Posted by galaxy on Monday, September 22, 2014 12:21 PM

Well

FAll has certainly made itself known today!

Current temps: 49F high on the hilltop at the airport, and 52F down here in the valley, 57F on our "enclosed" {but open} porch. High today? 54f. It was reading 69 on the thermostat, but i had to bump it up to 70 to take off the chill in the house.

My feet are cold and I may just have to break out the wool socks. The fluid pill hasn't taken enough off fluid to warm up the feet.

I went out with a medium weight jacket made out of light weight microfleece. It really wasn't enough over a long sleeve shirt and Tshirt when I took some out going mail down to the mailbox. The wind still cut right through all those layers. I will have to be mindfull of that when I go to get the mail and take a heavier jacket!

It seems that before i turned 50 i was always warm to sweating at anything near or over 70F, now seems like 70F is a starting point to being "warm"...

I had the plumber in the other day, well, he didn't clear the drain so is supposed to come back either today or tomorow to see what else he can do. They wanted $1500 to replace the offending pipe last year. The "low price drain clearing deal" is really just a ploy to get you to buy something else, like new piping. Now, it may be true the cheap black discharge piping may be clogged beyond clearing successfully and may have to be replaced, but I think $1500 for 40{maybe ++ fittings} feet of drain pipe is a bit high. I DO understand it will require going under the trailer and such, but I see it as another insulating mess that the mice can get into, and the pipe exposed then freeze like all the new supply lines {replaced a decade ago to the tune of $3200} do come harsher weather. They "aren't supposed to freeze" either! {"but if they do, the PEX won't burst"}. This is the same company that wanted $3500 for a new water heater "certified for Mobile Homes". We got one "certified" from Lowes and installed for just a mere pittace of about $800. I told the dispatcher that "If you can't solve the problem, I will have to get someone else"...he said "No, we'll be out". MAYBE this evening, if not tomorrow afternoon then. I understand they are pretty busyu with new installations right about now as people panic and pony up for what they should have all summer long knowing last winter their system needed replacing!

so we shall see what we shall see when we shall see it!

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 jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, September 22, 2014 12:33 PM

Good afternoon. It's 77° with 60% humidity. High will be 88°. Cloudy with a slight chance of rain.
 with

Got the doc appointments out of the way. Got another one tomorrow morning. These people must think I have a bottomless wallet!

Van ran great. Took three attempts to get into the parking lot though. I kept getting shut out by traffic. So went back a few blocks and tried again. Had the other lane clear that time but when I got ready to change danged if their wasn't a little bitty thing beside me. Looked like a roller skate pretending to be a car! I slowed down so it could pass but it slowed down too. Then sped up to get ahead of it and it stayed right there! So went back and tried again. This time crowded into the other lane and was able to just get to the parking lot. Those itty bitty tiny cars should be outlawed. There's no way they can pass crash test safety ratings in crashes with larger vehicles and certainly not with a tank like mine. Used a quarter of a tank of gas in all that.





Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by galaxy on Monday, September 22, 2014 1:15 PM

jeffrey-wimberly


Those itty bitty tiny cars should be outlawed. There's no way they can pass crash test safety ratings in crashes with larger vehicles and certainly not with a tank like mine. Used a quarter of a tank of gas in all that.

When we were looking at vehicles for MOH, We were looking for mileage gains a MOH drives a lot for work, and as you may know the "reimbursement rate for mileage" NEVER covers it, let alone any repairs/maintenance on the vehicle used.

SO, we were looking at hatchbacks in the "tiny cars" you speak of. Plus they were in our price range, Then we saw a news report on how they don't hold up well in crashes, period.

MOH then declared "NO WAY DO I WANT ONE OF THOSE THEN!"

SO we shifted to midsized cars.

Sad thing is, even amongst the minivans, most do not do well in crashes either, whereas MOH thought we "were safe" in the minivans. Not with a semi tractor trailer barreling at you. Or maybe not even with your old tank.

We didn't have much choice in the car as FIL bought it for MOH. He had the final word, the good thing was MOH had pointed out the exact car we got to me on the roadways and said "I like that design". I find it just a wee bit hard to get in and out of, but I am not used to low cars.

Problem now is with the Paget's bone diseased hip, MOH has trouble getting in/out of the car and we have to kind of wait til the FIL passes before we can get something like a minivan or crossover SUV or something we BOTH can get in and out of.

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 yougottawanta on Monday, September 22, 2014 1:15 PM

Which being hit by a full size international or the nail ? The car accident took three years to get back on my feet and fully functional at w**k. Some of the damage is not repairable. I have had to learn to compensate for the injuries ( knee, steel/screws/plates in my spine, head injuries, hearing loss, vision injuries, mid back injuries etc..) they hauled me off in an ambulance and threes years of specialist, operations and physical therapy I was able to return to full duties at w**k.

Now I can tell you a nail hurts a lot worse for the short term ! Especially when it hit the bone.

I had one rather funny injury. I had my own buisiness at one point in my life and we were doing a tenant buildout for a lawyer. We were screwing drywall to metall studs and I was ripping along screwing the drywall while my buisness partner cut. I got going to fast and forgot to move my hand up the c shaped stud, ZIPP the screw went in , the clucth on the screw gun screamed and then I yelped and out of surprise dropped the screw gun ! The screw had gone right through the drywall , through the stud and into my index fingure and the screw gun was just out of my reach ! I asked my partner to hand me the screw gun. He couldnt he was way to busy rolling on the floor laughing at me with my finger screwed to the wall- I musty admit if the pain hadnt been so bad I would have laughed too.

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Monday, September 22, 2014 4:05 PM

Galaxy .... What is your favorite birthday cake? We'll place an order for it. 

YGW ... 3 years is a long time to recover from a car accident. My accident cost me a year and that was way too much for me. It was caused by a drunk driver, and that is why I sometimes get on a soap box talking about DUI's. .. So far I've not had any major mishaps with tools as you have. 

I've been putting together 1/87 vehicle kits in the last day or two. Otherwise, not much new with the layout. 

Happy Model Railroading ! 

 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by JeremyB on Monday, September 22, 2014 5:37 PM

Evening guys.

A cool day out, cant belive today is the last day of summer. Where did it go? We are going to get some warm temps for at least the next week though which is nice because it wont be long until its cool and frosty in the mornings and will be raking leaves. Some trees around here have started to turn.

The apointment went good today and I go back at 9am tomorrow to get the heart monitor put on and then a apointemnt in the afternoon with my family doctor. I go back on Wednesday at 8am to have the monitor taken off. Im off work for three days so thats good ( get any apointments out of the way )

I have been using the afternoon to work on my strat board game area and print of different scoring sheets. Its a cozy little area in the basement that is nice and quiet where I can roll some strat games. It will be nice when the weather tunrs cold out and I can just unwind at the end of a day playing some games.

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Posted by galaxy on Monday, September 22, 2014 7:28 PM

Garry-

Marble cake with choclate fudge frosting! Cake Dinner

 

Paid the last bill of the month! feels good every month when that happens. Unless we get some stray medical bill floating along that I don't know about yet. Generally bills only come the middel two weeks of the month.

Have to fill out the application for extra help on scripts. This year I qualified, but I still had Medicaid at the beginning, now I don't. Cuts my cost of scrpts way down. I may be ousted as MOH now makes more money. I may have to pay exorbitant costs for the pain meds i have, or they could get cancelled by the current script company,who could also dump me. The cost of some drugs some companies charge for copays in some other plans is actually HIGHER than the pharamacy charges for the med! I know because my pharmacy prints the "ins paid amt" and "cost" amt on the form in TINY TINY TINY print, I guess hoping you won't notice! Lucky for me I am nearsided and can read tiny tiny tiny print without my glasses!

The plumber never made it today. they are going to switch some quipment around {meaning give the 100' snake to my guy} to try again to clear the pipe in the kithcen drain. I fear we will have to replace the pipe. they wnated $1500 last spring to do that this time i get WRITTEN estimates spelling out what they will and will not do! I hope the plumbing companies still know how to WRITE out an estimate!

well, best get ready for bed. Its taht time. warmer tomorrow.

later

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 howmus on Monday, September 22, 2014 9:03 PM

Evenin' folks!

Janie, a cup of decaf would be great right now.  Thank you Ma'am!

I have actually made some progress today...  Early this afternoon I went down to the Natural Food Store where I buy my Dark Roast Coffee and got a couple pound of my favorites, a bag of tropical fruit cubes, some diced dried ginger, and a hand full of organic chocolate bars....  Then stopped at the Hearing place and got more of the Little screens for my hearing aids.  Then it was swing around to the grocery store and get a whole lot of items I am going to need.  Bought some Jello (Lime and Blueberry) for the first time in 6 years...  How do I know it was 6 years.  Because that was how long ago my last colonoscopy was............  Guess why I bought jello this time.  yep thiursday is nothing but clear liquids and jello day and Friday will be have my son drive me to the Roto Router place!

Got home, put the groceries away and saw the box full of newsletters that should have been mailed out last week sitting on the table, so I headed down to the Post Office here in town.  Printed up a couple of large posters of the Cub Scout Promise, Oath, and Motto to use tomorrow night at the Joining night for the new pack.  Sure hope this time we get it going!  Managed to even spend some time down cellar working on the railroad.  Put another coat of dry wall mud on the plaster cloth, and got a 3' section of rail glued down to the raodbed ties on the new section.  Hope to get time to solder it to the PC ties and add the other rail tomorrow.

Well, Jeffrey, actually vehicle safety is a whole lot more complicated than just the size of the vehicle.  Yes the laws of physics are in force (in several ways), but there are other factors at work as well.  Crash tests generally involve the vehicle hitting a solid object and seeing what happens.  With that, there are many very small cars that score well (4 or 5) in crash test catagories.  When an accident involves hitting a solid object like a tree or wall some of the small cars are safer than some of the full sized cars and tend to be considerabbly safer than almost all trucks and the vehicle you drive.  Well actually almost anything built today is safer than that old tank you have.  The risk can be considered in two ways.  What is the risk to the driver/passenger of the vehicle, and what is the risk to the driver/passenger of the vehicle you hit.  You don't want those itty bitty tiny cars off the road.  Then they would be driving larger cars and it would increase the risk for you driving that old thing you have.  Basically the most dangerous vehicle to be in and to be hit by are large pickup trucks.  That is because the pickups have the old I-beam frame and in an accident they don't give.  (The big old Dodge Ram foe wheeeeeel drahve wit the honkin' big V-10 under the hood doesn't do too well against a little itty bitty GE 80 Tonner loco in a head on either you know....) That is not a good thing as the farther the vehicle can move before it stops, generally the safer it is.  Cars are made today with the unibody frames that do a lot more to protect everyone involved.  The small vehicles tend to lose out both in weight and the amount of crumpling the vehicle gets before the engine block stops the forward movement of the car.  The lighter weight also lets a heavier vehicle hitting it move further making the larger car safer.  In the case of your vehicle, it is a death trap for any vehicle that hits it or gets hit by it and the occupants of your vehicle too.  Sorry your old 30 year old vehicle is not a safe one for either you or any car that hits it!  Newer large passenger cars do tend to be the safest do to those same factors.  However many mid size cars (like the prius) fare very well in most crashes today.  Some interesting reading for download here.  I still believe that a smaller car is also a smaller target and given all the other factors is less likely to get hit in the first place..  I don't have any facts on that one though.  One other major factor in all of this is that more young, inexperienced drivers tend to drive the smaller cars as do many older drivers without a family to cart around.  They have the highest risk of getting in an accident in the first place which also skews the data on this.  Basically the most important piece of safety equipment is the big nut right behind the steering wheel....

Have a great night everyone!

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 Packer on Monday, September 22, 2014 9:58 PM

Evening guys

Been out of town for a train show in Dothan. I ran my Amtrak train of Kato superliners, 2 F40PHs, and a brass MHC (no one makes a decent 14xx MHC, but there are 2 good 15xx MHCs?), and a mixed freight of weathered cars on Saturday. Sunday was about half of my coal train and the autorack train. I still need 3 of the life-like late 70s/ early 80s pick-ups for the last one. I picked up a bunch of atlas cars, a BLI loco, 2 detail associates covered hopper kits, and a few other cars.

My car is still running fine, but it's starting to show it's age a bit now. There is some faint white smoke and a faint rattle with the throttle wide open at over 4k RPMs in 2nd and 3rd. I figure both are the valves starting to wear out. I figure the car has a bit more than the 251k the odometer reads. I know I drove it for a while with the odometer not working, and it didn't work when I bought it. I just wonder what the REAL mileage is.

Between the 2 jobs I haven't had time to work a whole lot on the new engine. I have the crank and pistons in, heads are bought and ready for valves, spring, keepers, etc., but me and my father (he's showing me how to build it, along with some of his "unlocking" hidden power tricks) are still undecided on which cam to use. I want something that is a balance between a power (I actually had a big high-power cam, but my father used it in the Mustang Cobra we are selling) and a mileage cam (he has his on the bench, was in a car that made 365 rwhp and got 28 mpg).

Dennis, Generally the cheapest way to get a motor for a P2K is to buy another P2K loco on the cheap for parts. I tried for a while to get a motor for a  older P2K SD9. I bought the last one walther's had a few years ago. The newer ones actually use a can. I'm hesitant to modify a P2K loco to use a Kato motor after my F40's motor died.

 

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 Anonymous on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 1:28 AM

Good Morning!

First day of Fall and we see a dramatic change in our weather! Although it is bright and sunny outside, it has turned quite cold. Night time temperature was only half a notch above freezing. I heard the first flock of geese heading south this morning - very early this year and a clear indication of a cold winter being ahead.

I am running on a high level of frustration regarding my future layout. The plan I posted won´t work! I need a minimum of 3" clearance for the track passing underneath the station, which means a grade of 8%! Too steep! OK, the Rhatian Railway in Switzerland has grades of up to 7%, so 8% is not too far off from what the prototype can do, but in combination with the tight radius of 10" this means inviting trouble. So back to the drawing board!

Garry and YGW - a belated Happy B-Day and all the best wishes for many happy moons to come!

Talking of vehicle safety, I am with Ray. The size of a car is nearly irrelevant to the crash safety of its passengers. More important is how they absorb the collision energy while holding up the superstructure  in a crash. You´d be surprized how badly some of the old tanks like the famous Landrover perform in crash test. Cars in Europe were and are usually smaller cars, yet the number of people killed in accidents has been dramatically reduced over recent years, while at the same time the number of accidents has gone up by the square. When I was a kid, we had to account for 20,000 casualities each year - only in West Germany. That figure is down to about 3,000, the majority of which being pedestrians and motor bike riders.

My little Volkswagen up! was awarded 5 stars in the EuroNCAP crash tests!

Have a happy day!

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Posted by galaxy on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 3:27 AM

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING!

What do I have on the agenda today?

World peace

The Plumber is coming back, and I have a form to fill out for med coverage and have to call two of MOH's doctors; one to get an appt, and one to find out about the treatment that was supposed to happen about 3 weeks ago! I guess I should do the bedding since I did not get to it on Sunday like usual. I have to call in some scripts, too.

That is it so far. Debationg on squeezing in a trip to the grocery store early too. Probably not, as I have a lot of running to do tomorrow. My check comes in tomorrow so there will be some Bank and CU processing as well. SO I HAVE to go out tomorrow to do that so I think groceries will be in the AM tomorrow. 

So, also debating on eating out and where if we do on Thursday, my birthin' day.

Today's quotes:

Our conscience is not the vessel of eternal verities. It grows with our social life, and a new social condition means a radical change in conscience. -Walter Lippmann, journalist (1889-1974)

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.


Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.


Have  a SUPER DUPER 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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Posted by Blazzin on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 6:47 AM

  Good morning to all you folks.  Glad to be here... and finally no trips to the Dentist.  Those visits and work has an effect on you mental abilities.  The weather?  I don't even know.. and probably don't care either. After last weeks heat wave.. wow.. 99 degrees... the day before 95 degrees at 5 pm.. I kept waiting for the heat to level off.. didn't know it would be at 6 pm..~

  Although, still working on the layout.. the on going continuing Saga of The Train Yard~  Actually I've set the track laying of the train yard to "just thinking about it" .. I'd like to add additional rails for holding of additional passenger cars.  I have allocated most areas for yard businesses.. and even an area for cabooses... but I want a rail or two for passenger cars in some type of 'holding'.

  I'm actually working on mountains again.. I've got to find out exactly how much room is left for additional rails. So once again.. I find myself working on other area's.. so I can get back to the track laying of the train yard.... and find out exactly how much room is there. 

  Another reason why I haven't been working on the train yard is because.. I just dont' feel like getting into the wiring of a train yard.  Seems I remember back about two years ago.. when Todd.. was wiring a train yard.. seems I remember him saing.. he had to 'just wire the whole thing' .. yikes.

  Jeff.. once again.. nice picks.. I like the way your frame your pics .. its always such a nice crop of the scene.

Take care everyone

  Keith

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 7:25 AM

galaxy

Marble cake with choclate fudge frosting! Cake Dinner

 

 

Okay, Galaxy......

 

Ladies, please prepare the following for Galaxy's birthday on Thursday:.... Marble cake with chocolate fudge frosting..... Heavy on the marbles.... Thank you.  CakeChef

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by fec153 on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 8:17 AM

Garry- Do you mean  to say-Galaxy has lost his marbles ???

Phil

 

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Posted by galaxy on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 9:15 AM

fec153

Garry- Do you mean  to say-Galaxy has lost his marbles ???

Phil

 

 

No, I carry them around in a little felt pouch!

Actually according the psychiatrist, I may actually have lost them, and the pouch too. He is assuring me the new meds will help find them.....

 

wel,

I made the Dr.s appt for MOH for the regular Doctor.

We/they {the Rheumatologist} is waiting on the "insurance approval" for the IV injection medication for the Paget's disease MOH is waiting on, hoping to get some relief from pain in the hip. THAT is what the hold up is. THAT could take another 3 weeeks or more!

I was happily washing dishes while the sink naturally filled up when al of a sudden I heard water running under the cabinet! Now the standing pipe the drain is tied into "vents" at the top under the counter. I don't know if that is still allowed by code,probably NOT. I don't know if it was coming out of the top vent hole or out of the drain cleanout trap that maybe he didn't get sealed tight again. Never happened before YET. FAST I quickly put the stoppers in the drains to stop water flow. SO i am asking for a WRITTEN ESTIMATE TOO on replacing it with new white pvc piping. last "quote" {NOT written estimate} was for $1500. FOr that kind of money I want to know exactly what tehy will do.  I will shop around a few plumbers to see. It WON'T BE the company who put in the furnace, nor the company who put in the supply PEX piping. They "insulated and sealed upthe holes so well you will NEVER have to worry about frozen pipes no matter how cold it gets" and i quote them directly exactly! WHy, then, is that when it gets down to 20F and below, we have to drip the faucets to keep from freezing up?

Hmmm. Well I just got a strange call I don't know if to give out any info for. It seems some company "is hired by the hospital to deal with your auto accident claims" Please call us or press one now to speak to a rep." I wil have to call the insurance lady first,then call patient accounts at the hospital to get the real story. NO  WAY am I giving out any info over the phone like THAT!

Well I shall go make those calls.

later.

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 BroadwayLion on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 9:30 AM

Long time, no LION hiding out in this thread.

Here is the LION. Him back from vacation in Pennsylvania. The idea was to go into the city and take pictures of subway trains, but before I flew east my mailbox was full of messages from my brothers asking that I should call them before I left on vacation.

Mom and Dad are now 91 years old, Dad had fallen a few times and was in the hospital, and mom, although she drove there every day could not say which hospital or what was happening. Obviously they would not be meeting mea at the airport. My brother from upstate New York was going down there to see what was happening, I I said that I would rent a car at the airport.

Well I spent the whole two weeks with my parents, while my brother went back upstate. But towrd the end of my vacation my brothers from upstate and from North Carolina were there and we got Mom and Dad into an assisted living center, put the house up on the market, and sold the car, since the doctor had told them that they should not drive anymore.

Well things are looking better than they were four weeks ago, but I never did get into the city to take pictures of subway trains. So I will have to content myself with the layout of me, and continue going on. Here, incase you have not seen it, is a picture of my layout and of the new model board that I have built.

Now that this project is off of the table and working on the layout, I will 1) finish making and placing the signals on the layout; 2) repair such train sets as are waiting for an overhaul; and finally 3) get to work on the cosmetics of the layout.

More pictures will follow as they happen.

ROAR

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

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by howmus on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:07 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe, I'll just have a bowl of Natures Path Smart Bran Cereal with a handfull of fresh blueberries on top and a pot of Seneca Lake Blend Dark Raost coffee to start the day....

So far, looks like a nice Fall day outside.  Yep, officially Fall I guess.  Currently 61°F outside with a high this afternoon of 71°F.  Good thing Fall has arrived because the trees around here have already started to turn.  Noticed it out at the museum last Sunday.  The maples are already showing yeallow and a touch of red.  Looks like we could get some spectacular color this year though.  My crab apple tree has lost most of its leaves already (normal for it) and a couple trees across the street are getting very yellow already....

 Lion, sorry to hear about your father falling.  I know it is a gut wrenching thing to get them into assisted care (been through it with my Mom), but in most cases, after they have been there a while they will love it!  Also good you and your family have already put the house up for sale and gotten rid of the car.  The sooner those things get done the easier it is for your parents in the long run.  Helps them to close the door on that chapter of their lives.  My prayers go out to you and yours during this new time in your lives!

I have lots of things needing to get done today!  bet that doesn't surprise any of you......  Need to finish the treasurers report for the  MLK Committee and get a foam board with the Cub Scout Promise and such made up, and get together some supplies for doing the first Pack Den meeting tonight at joining night.  It was a "Tag your it" thing and there is nobody left for me to tag....

Hope to work on the layout for a bit today as well.

Blessings to all of you!

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 Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 AM

fec153

Garry- Do you mean  to say-Galaxy has lost his marbles ???

Phil

 

 

 

It was one of my stupid jokes., Flip....... Does this mean you did not ROTFLOL ? 

Lion .... Sorry to hear about your Dad's situation and sorry your vacation did not go as you planned. .... Are you getting ready for winter and indoor model railroading? 

 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:20 AM

Lion, you've done well.  We could never get my in-laws to move to assisted living, and now they are virtual prisoners in their second-floor condo with no elevator.  But y'know, they wouldn't leave if they could.  At this point (97 and 93) I think that moving would be such a disruption that it would hasten their end.

The doctor told me to cut my Metformin dose in half.  He was concerned about some possible rare side-effects, so I got to fill a cup and a couple of more blood tubes, but all the tests came back normal.  Still, the stuff makes me feel crummy, and he thinks it's just too much of what he still thinks is a good thing.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 2,124 posts
Posted by fec153 on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:39 AM

Garry- I understood and just went along with it.

Lion- You have to understand the feeling of losing independance.

Flip

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Canada
  • 1,745 posts
Posted by JeremyB on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:49 AM

Morning guys

Got the heart monitor put on this morning. I have to go back tomorrow first thing to have it taken off. Its a little annoying but not too bad. I have to go to my family docotor later on today and then might just come home and play a little strat hockey.

I should take a pic of the little cozy area I created for myself to play board games.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 11:12 AM

Lion - be happy that your parents made the move into assisted living. My dad fell last year, which put him in a wheelchair, so my parents had to move into care. My mom did not accept this, making the last weeks my dad had hell on earth. Yup, it was hell for him, and the only way he had to get out of it was to pass away.

I am still searching for ideas for a layout. Most things don´t turn out due to space reasons. As it looks, the only option I have is to have a train shuttling back and forth. If that proves to be true, why not make a virtue out of this limitation and build a mountain cog railway?

Ferro Train of Austria offers a set, including a little 0-4-2 steamer, a car and some track. A cute little model of the Schafberg cog railway. I´ll be putting something on paper based on this idea...

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Northern Va
  • 1,924 posts
Posted by yougottawanta on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 11:34 AM

Garry - yes three years is a long time. It felt like 20. I agree on the DUI. I have lost five family members to drunk drivers. I have zero patience for that sort of buisness. I have also been hit by a drunk driver. Fortunately I was driving a 68 Charger and he went down the drivers side and peeled open the side from the rear wheel to the bumper. Good thing the shoulder was wide. I ran completely off the rod to avoid a head on. Totaled my beloved Charger BUT no scratchedes on me. I will join you on your soap box anytime you get up there ! SoapBox LOL ROTHF "heavy on the marbles " in the cake !

Ulrich - which scale would the mtn engine be in ? That would be pretty neat. You could also add one of those trolleys that go up and down over it too !

Jeremy - those monitors stink sorry you have to wear one. Hope you get a good report back.

Lion - been there with my grndfather. It was hertbreaking , it is one of the few times I have seen my father cry.

Galaxy !!! Does THAT plumber have a gun ? Those prices are highway robbery ! Heck here in Va we can install a WHOLE HOUSE for with three full baths and a 1/2 bath for 6k. Heck that work shouldnt be over a few hundred dollars. I would encourage you to get some more prices !!!

Kieth - just dive in. How do you eat an elephant ? One bite at a time. Pick a spot and start wiring.

Howmus - Roto rooter ? Oh geez sounds like that will be a BAD day !

Well gotta get back to w**k

TTYL

YGW

 

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 4:09 PM

Good afternoon. It's 79° with 42% humidity. The high should be 82°. Doc visit this morning was good. No changes in my condition. Blood sugar was alarmingly low. 64. They wouldn't let me out of there until it came up. So I had somebody go next door (Fox's Pizza Den) and get me a Coke. That did it. I tested at 98 and I was out of there. Got home and cooked up a pasta dish for lunch. Little while ago I cooked up a rice dish with broccoli and cheddar. So dinner is waiting on me.

Van ran good today. No problems. Still no word from my nephew. He can't seem to bring himself to admit that he was wrong and his 'backward' redneck uncle was right. Plans are still in place to convert the choke to full manual operation this winter.

I have no further plans for today.

Funny thing this morning. An old man who can no longer drive drove his lawn mower to the docs office. His family is supposed to be helping out but today none of them could be bothered. I know how he feels. Been there myself. I spoke with his brother about the dangerous position this put his brother in but I fear it all went in one ear and out the other.





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
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 9:57 PM

Good evening. It's 67° with 70% humidity. Mostly clear. Looks like 80's tomorrow.

Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.







Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

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


  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 11:04 PM

Good Morning!

I am up early today, for no other reason than having difficulties to get a proper rest at night.

No real plans for the day, other than waiting for the mail to bring me that warm coat I ordered a few days ago. The old one is pretty much worn out - Petra wouldn´t let me go outside wearing it.

YGW - that little loco is in HO scale and runs on a special HOn3 track. It has a real rack and pinion drive and can climb grades up to 25%.

Here is a short video of it.

Have a good one!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: upstate NY
  • 9,236 posts
Posted by galaxy on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 3:45 AM

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING!

Today I will get some errands run, since i spent 2 days waiting on the plumber. Grocery store, CU, Bank, etc. My check comes in today so I have to move some funds around for safe keeping until needed.

YGW: Yeah the bill's estimate for replacing the kitchen drain pipe WITH heat tape is $1,301. The extra heat tape replacement on the supply line form the ground ot inside the trailer needs replacing too, so another $100 for that. It is 5 years old and got a workout last winter! AT LEAST they DO heat tapes! Some plumbers WON't work on trailers, and most REFUSE to put on heat tapes  citing "responsibility of it catches fire"...if it is put on right, it should NOT catch fire! SInce I have had bad previous luck with certain Plumbing/heating contractors, I WON'T use them again anyway, so it narrows my scope. OH, and DON'T FORGET: I live in NY, which, along with Hawaii and California, Is one of the top three most expensive states to live in!

Jeremy B: Yeah the biggest pain I found wearing one is that with a heart monitor is what to do with it while you sleep so it doesn't come undone! 

LION:GOOD  to see you popping in!!!! At least your parents are SAFE now, or at least safer{??} Than htey were before. Its a hard decision and my father has already said eh'd go to a home before h'd ask or want me to care ffor him in the necessary manner he might need. His mind is still sound at 80, and he is in relatively good health, so I see him going for another 12 years or so, he says "I sure hope not, I'm bored". He rarely goes out in the winter nowadays. and Doesn't drive after dark. SO he IS making some smart decisions,all  though last year he was climbing a tree to cut some branches out, and then said he thought afterwords "how long would it take for someone to ffind him if I fell out of the tree, and I can hear the EMT guy now : 'you're nto supposed to be climbing tees at your age, Mr. X' ". MY FIL is the one we worry about at 86 he is not in the best health.

Quotable Quotes:

Men are often capable of greater things than they perform. They are sent into the world with bills of credit, and seldom draw to their full extent. -Horace Walpole, novelist and essayist (1717-1797)

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.


If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.

Milton Berle {Uncle Milty}

 

 

WEll, I should strat geting ready and get in teh shower, time to turn up the heat a smidgeon.

MAKE IT 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.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Shalimar. Florida
  • 2,622 posts
Posted by Packer on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 7:33 AM

Morning Guys

Actually have today and tomorrow off. I should be able to get some stuff knocked out. I plan to replace the long grabs on my 2 Kato F40s with wire (once I find my stash), weather a few cars, and work on my backlog of kits. I'm out of Kadees, and I will order some when I order that C636 (whenever they show up at MBKlien).

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.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,482 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 8:06 AM

Good morning!  Beautiful day in the neighborhood in New England.

I just checked online and the telephone booths I ordered from Walthers through my LHS are back in stock.  This has been a running joke between me an Gerry at Maine Trains.  Just a small detail part I saw in the Walthers flyer a few months go, but they've been out of stock ever since.  I don't even need them right now - just thought I would put them somewhere, perhaps when I build the scenery for part of my layout that doesn't even have benchwork yet.  I guess now I'll have to get started painting that figure to turn him into Superman.

The doctor told me all was well, all my blood tests came back healthy, and he wants to cut my Metformin dosage in half.  So far, so good.  I felt a lot better at hockey last night, and I'm not dragging this morning like I have for months.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 9:10 AM

Good Afternoon!

Janie, coffee and a slice of that chocolate cake, please.

I fired up my CAD program this morning to sketch a first idea for a rack and pinion railway, following the Schafbergbahn (sheep´s mountain railway) prototype.

The layout would consist of three modules, one depicting the station in St.Wolfgang/Austria, with its loco handling facilities, one "somewhere along the line", and the third one the mountain top station.  The money I get for my On30 layout would more or less cover all the track and turnouts I need, plus a loco and car set. That stuff is quite expensive, but somehow cute. I guess Petra would love it ...

There are a couple of issues with the benchwork, though. The transitions in the grade have to be really smooth. So far I have no clue how to build the modules. I need to think about it.

Friday is the big day - I´ll be off to that Fremo narrow gauge convention. That should also generate new ideas ...

 

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