The NEW diner for February is here:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/244101.aspx
-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.
Evenin' folks!
Janie, I sure could use a refil for my decaf, please!
The current storm Linus and Lucy, or somethin' like that (the tune has been running through my head all night) will be arriving tomorrow in the Finger Lakes. Tomorrow morning and afternoon should be OK with some flurries, but tomorrow night and much of the day on Monday.... Well lets just say it will not be fit for man nor beast out there. Calling for 8 to 12" of blowing and drifting sn*w.... I think there will be lots of cancelations around this part of NYS. Probably flights into the Rochester Airport may be affected.... OH! Guess when my sister is supposed to arrive back from her trip to India? Yep, her flight is scheduled to arrive at the airport at 9:36AM on Monday Morning. I bet you can guess who is supposed to be there at that ungodly time to chauffeur her back home to Canandaigua... I'm hoping against hope that she gets grounded in Newark, NJ.
Old family story. My sister knows everything about everything about the many parts of the world she has visited and likes to share it. On Christmas day, years ago the tradition (that meant we didn't have a choice) was that the entire family had to gather at my sister's house for Christmas Dinner (consisting of Rock Cornish Game Hens, stuffing with rice and raisons, veggie and cheese tray, rolls, and cranberry - orange relish purchased at Wegman's) and as soon as the presents were opened we all had to gather in her little living room to get a 2 or 3 hour travelouge of whatever part of the world she had become an expert on that year. One year I made the mistake of agreeing with her about some little known factoid she had just unleashed on us. Should have known better, she went into a tirade about how I knew absolutely nothing about anything because I was her younger brother and ended with, "You have never traveled to a foriegn country!!!". I calmly said, "I went to New Jersey once." My father doubled up with laughter so hard he couldn't breath and my mother didn't get it. My sister just got angrier at me, so I decided to just keep my mouth shut for the remainer of the year.
A few years later, my sister missed a flight and had to stay overnight in Newark, NJ and was very, very upset about the whole thing and let me know all about it. I reminded her of the fact that I went to NJ once... She thought for a second, looked like she was about to take my head off, and then started to laugh.... Whew! It has now become a family joke. (Actually I have been to NJ several times and really liked it there, as long as I was just driving through the state.... I actually did spent two weekends being trained for being a Boy Scout Camp Director when the National Office of the BSA was in NJ and another weekend at a Presbyterian Retreat Center many years later.)
Any rate..... Monday could be an interesting day!
Time to check the weather and head to bed. Stay safe and warm out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good evening.
Ray ... Your model railroading talents are outstanding. As for joke telling ... uh ... any more like that one and some of us might croak.
Uncle Bob ..... But you are a groan man ...
I have been experimenting with taking videos. I find it takes a lot of cordination to opeate the camera and run trains at the same time.
Here is a video of trains operating on my layout. It has my SD24's with Sountraxx Tsusami sound; my BLI E7's with factory installed sound; and an Intermountain GN F7 with MRC EMD 567 sound in consist with non-sound P1K F3's.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Ray quipped: (Are you ready?) "It's a knickknack Patty Whack give the FROG a LOAN!"
(Are you ready?) "It's a knickknack Patty Whack give the FROG a LOAN!"
You forgot to mention that this was not just any frog, but Kermit Jagger, frog-prince son of a well-known rock-and-roller.
"It's a knick-nack, Patty Whack give the FROG a LOAN! His old man's a Rolling Stone."
HO scale frogs are too small to model, I'm afraid.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Evening Dinners
Flo a JSTL and a beer. Give the Buick guy one as well if he shows up.
Work was busy for the first hour, had 4 customers and 5 load out's in the first 2 hours! After that it was dead.
Ray I don't blame you for running after that joke!
Train Front Having problems speed matching the PK2 E-6 to my PK1 PA's. E-6 takes a higher speed setting to start moving than the PA's. I posted in the DCC section and will try what Randy suggested.
Had a coupler fall off my newly built Rio Grand Waffle side box car. Should be a easy fix, but I have thought that before.
Latter, Ken
I hate Rust
/GROAN!!!!!
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I'll have a bowl of Pumpkin Seed Flax Granola and a pot of Marrakesh Express Dark Roast Coffee this morning. Huh? Oh, my R&GV RR mug would do nicely...
MisterBeasleyOh, is it the weekend? This retirement is fun, but it does detach me from the time cycles used by the working world.
Ain't it nice Mr. Beasley! I finally realized I was retired from teaching on the first day of School that year. I heard something outside, a squeal of brakes and a diesel engine. Rolled over in bed so I could look out the bedroom door and through the dining room picture window to see a big yellow vehicle going down the street... I just giggled, rolled back over and took a two hour nap!
Nice to have the stiches out! Took all of 20 minutes from the time I put the PiP in Ready Mode to when I walked out the door and put the PiP in ready mode again to come home... They once again called me right in (I did officially check in. The receptionist was one of my students back a decade and a half or so ago. She was grinning from ear to ear to be signing me in. I told her it was good to see her again. She gave me a huge smile! The nurse who removed the stitches was in training (older lady actually) and acted a bit nervous taking them out. Did a good job (didn't feel a thing). They said it was healing up nicely.
Some Boy Scout Humor....
Once there was a little FROG with a big problem. His CAR had broken down. Try as he might, he couldn't fix it, so he went to the BANK to get a LOAN for a new CAR. He walked up to the LOAN officer of the BANK, Mrs. Patty Whack, and said, "I'd like to borrow some money to buy a new CAR." Patty Whack said, "The BANK can't give you a LOAN for a new CAR just like that, Mr. FROG! Do you have something of value to use as collateral against the LOAN?" The FROG said, "The only thing of value I have is this little FROGGY pin that my dear departed mother gave me." Mrs. Patty Whack, the LOAN officer, told the FROG that she would need to go to the BANK manager and ask him to approve the pin as collateral to LOAN money for the new CAR. Then she left to find the BANK manager. After hearing about the FROG's need for a new car, the BANK manager looked the LOAN officer straight in the eye and said..... (Are you ready?) "It's a knickknack Patty Whack give the FROG a LOAN!"
(Runs away covering his head....)
Later!
Well, I had a big psot going, adn *poof* aol went out on me.
My OH and I had yet *another* big fight, then MOH stormed off to work for all I know,.. WOn't say more... tsk tsk...
I have given up *Z scale* dreams for now, with the fighting, tight budget, etc. now is NOT the time...
Been working on taxes {another thankless task MOH doesn't appreciate, along with the budgeting} won't get as much back, but haven't yet done state...may change...
Well, working on the *usual home chores*
Well, the medical prescritpiton plan has decided to COVER a script for a year again, how NICE of them...after all it IS a necessary script...
I think I need a drink
later
Good morning diners,
It's going to be another rainy day. I would like to walk the dog but I didn't buy him a rain coat yet. So I'm going to wait when the rain stops.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Oh, is it the weekend? This retirement is fun, but it does detach me from the time cycles used by the working world.
I finally got my daughter's 2012 (yes, two oh one two) taxes straightened out. She got a nasty-gram from the IRS, asking for $4000 dollars. As it turns out, she has a brokerage account we set up for her when she was very young. Our investment guy suggested some changes, which were made just fine. But, brokers report only the sale value to the IRS, and it's up to the taxpayer to provide the cost basis for capital gains calculations. That's usually no problem, as Turbo Tax will download all the information. Only, that didn't work. So, last night I filled in all these tiny transactions manually and demonstrated that she owes nothing. Now, if they would just send all of the information instead of just the sales price, wouldn't that make more sense?
Oh, well, sunny and cold today. I need to do some shoveling before the next storm hits in a couple of days.
Today's Quotes:
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb
Sometimes you can't see yourself clearly until you see yourself through the eyes of others. -Ellen DeGeneres, comedian, TV host, actor, and writer (b. 26 Jan 1958)
Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it. -Colette, author (28 Jan 1873-1954)
Chamomile tea, please.
***Ray, nice work. Really like the road and the tree cover.
***Ken, very cool. Have always wanted a blast furnace with facilities on a layout, but time, space and patience has made it unrealistic. That has to be about the most impressive model (IMO) ever produced.
Healing thoughts for those in need.
Good Night All. Rob
Evenin' Folks...
Janie a cup of decaf and a seat by the wood stove would be very nice indeed right now.
Currently 10°F outside and on it's way down to 5°F overnight. I'm getting to the age where the cold bothers me more.... Can't stand to be out it this kind of chill for very long. Heck, I used to go camping in this weather.... Loved Winter Tent Camping.
Got a bit more down on the layout tonight. Even took a few photos of the progress. here is one I didn't use in the WPF thread:
Somebody say something about a stupid bowl??? Hmmmm. I dunno, my hearing isn't that good anymore.....
Have a safe, warm, and snug night, my friends! See you all in the morning!
Well Lion I'm not sure about spaghetti, but the Super Bowl will be in Phoenix, AZ.
Flo a JSTL (Does anyone here know what a JSTL is?) and a . If the Buick guy shows up after work, give him a Beer as well.
Rob and Galaxy Layout is my LHS K-10 Model Trains that is a whole 2 miles from my house. Here is a video from Crisp (Simmon son that use to run my layout) it may gibe you a idea how big the layout is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57wZyef1pj0
Scale miles is over 78 miles of track and is 80 feet by 61 feet. I quite running it because I got tired of chasing the trains.
"It's a lovely day today... And whatever you've got to do...."
Chloe, How about a cup of hot chocolate to warm me up?
Currently 14°F here in the Finger Lakes and it feels like -2°F... Still getting a lot of "flurries" and blowing sn*w. I ended up making the drive to Canandaigua to take care of Claude. SIL, had an appointment this afternoon and it would be after dark before she would be able to get there. Claude is fed and cuddled for the day and I arrived home in one piece. Took 5 & 20 (Main Road) to Canandaigua, roads were so-so but drivable. On the way home I took my usual route (Rt. 4) Not nearly so good… Road was passable but ice covered in a lot of places. Right outside of Geneva where there is a curve in the road and I saw all kinds of flashing lights up ahead. One of them good old boys with his Foe wheeeeeeelll Draaaahve pick-em-up truck (a commercial one at that) had done found out that foe-wheeeeel drahve doesn't handle much better or stop quicker than them little two wheel drive auto-mobiles in a curve on ice….. He done went off the road, into the ditch and hit a tree. Even messed up his snowplow on the front of the Pick-em-up truck. Funny, I was able to negotiate the curve (I mentioned it was all ice) just fine with my Prius…. I guess the difference was about 30 mph! I was driving 30, so him…. I'd guess by how far he went off the road, probably 60 to 70… County Mounties and a couple more Foe Wheel Drahve Pick-em-up trucks (from the company) were there already.
In one hour I will head over to Urgent Care to have the stiches removed from my thumb... Looking forward to being able to use it again. Seems to have healed up well, so hopefully that will be the end of it.
Galaxy that little home made from the passenger car would be just what I would want for a "retirement" place. Wonder If I could get one and park it in my son's back yard. There is already electric out there for what was a swimming pool at one time. Hmmmmm.
up831 - I use WinRail 8.0 for my drawings, a 10+ year old track planning program I bought many moons ago. Atlas used to have it as a free download, limited to Atlas track, of course. That program allows you not only to draw track plans, but you can "assemble" various shapes in different colors, giving you what I think are quite nice renditions of track plans. I do a little touch-up work with MSPaint.
I have abused the software to do actual drawings - like the ones below:
... and even a blueprint for a Gn15 loco I designed:
Good afternoon Diners,
Flo, I'll have my usual gigante coffee with lots of cream, please.
Not much to report today, still thinking about that little 2x4 plan that Ulrich designed. It is a real gem, with plenty of expansion potential for yards,staging, etc. but, the main focus will always be the switching at the elevator siding.
Ulrich: What software did you use to generate your designs?
I think how this will manifest is that I'll build the N scale plan for space and to get back into active MRRing, but I'll still do detailing and model building in HO for someday..... Because if we don't have a "someday," we might as well roll over because we will have basically stopped living anyway.
Incidentally, I've had a concept for a room sized HO plan for several years now. I seriously doubt I'll ever be able to build it. The old malady, just no space.
Ken: Where was that giant layout? It looks from the picture that it could be several scale miles of track.
Well, that's all for now. Hope everyone's health holds up. Prayers for all.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
Heartland Division CB&Q Galaxy .... All you need to do is move to NM for that home. I thought you were the designated person to start the Feb thread, and I have been looking forward to seeing you do that. Ulrich did well starting the January thread, and you have a tough act to follow.
Galaxy .... All you need to do is move to NM for that home. I thought you were the designated person to start the Feb thread, and I have been looking forward to seeing you do that. Ulrich did well starting the January thread, and you have a tough act to follow.
Yeah, but I am not so hapy with the "decor".... I'd have to redecorate in a nautical railroad theme! Plus it is the Part of NM that gets snow..I'm thinking NOT. WONDER if I could have it moved here?
I know tough act to follow...I will be more than happy to open it, and will still include homage to our esteemed friend, Jeffrey, naturally.
"My back is hurling insults at me"
-Jeffrey Wimberly, {2012, 2013, 2014}
Ulrich... my ticker is not so good with too much excitement, but still functions relatively well, just have to be used to almost constant palpatations and faint feelings. Hence the reasons for "don't get me started", as my blood already boils and my heart rate quickens...YOU Rest easy, and begin again slowly tomorrow...
AND ROb: my body has been giving up the ghost for year..another patch of surgery ..next monday i have a toenail re-removed, and in a month, surgery on my shoulder. I was gonna put off the other shoulder till fall, but I think in May will be a good time to do it BEFORE summer!
"These days, my heart often wants to tackle projects my body may not have the energy for."
Welcome aboard, Rob!
Strong coffee TO GO, please.
***Johnboy, any pics to share of the feather river progress?
***Ken, that is a LOT of track. If it weren't for being on rails, a train could get lost on that layout.
Have a really crazy idea how to expand my future layout. If I transform most of the back screened porch and area below it into "sun rooms", I could run the track through the wall.
Granted, I could just make room in The Dungeon (workshop/garage) and loop the track through that wall without doing any structural building/adding on to the house.
Or, be more realistic and just make a layout that fits well in the current train room. These days, my heart often wants to tackle projects my body may not have the energy for.
Have a great day all.
Cheers! Rob
"Puker" was giving me fits. MOH came to rescue and got back on.
Still fighting darn cold. Temp. here vary low 40s at night to near 70s somedays or stays in low 60s.
Sorry to read about all the on going health problems.
Galaxy- Here are some quotes you left out. KEN-These are for YOU!
"24hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not." H.L.Mencken. "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Ben Franklin
"BEER: Helping ugly people have sex since 3000 B.C. W.C. Fields.
Flip
All white outside the door here in the Finger Lakes... That includes the lawn, the road, the driveway, and the air! We're getting gusts of wind up to 26mph and what they call snow showers... My day to drive to Canandaigua to feed Claude the cat! I juast sent an email to my SIL to see if she is driving into Canandaigua sometime time today (she lives just outside of Canandaigua) and would be able to stop and feed the little guy.
Zoe, I'll have a short stack of Buckwheat pancakes, a side order of bacon, and a large pot of Seneca Lake Blend Dark Raost Coffee in my FGLK RR mug today.
I see Galaxy has returned.... (Pssst.... Don't get him started....!)
I better get ready to face the day... Catch you all later!
oh, here is house for all of us:
http://tinyhouselistings.com/train-raiload-car-tiny-house/?utm_source=New+Properties&utm_campaign=8141e6e62d-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN+%28New+Tiny+House+Listings%29&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_548c403727-8141e6e62d-291709113
what you think?
where have I been?
well, we have had Drs Appts all this week at 8 Am or 9 AM, and MOH doing homework on the 'puter before our shower/leaving, I had "0" tiem to post, then spent all the afternoons fighting with insurance companies over coverage. and in the evening too pooped ot post.
It will now cost $600+/m out of my pocket for my meds as they are, on top of $300/m out of pocket for insurances all to have them argue over covering things. We cannot afford health care!! Also MOH MET the $2600 in this "fiscal insurance year" on top of THAT all to have them argue over things too. One Drs. office said {without checking first JUST ASSUMED because it was January} "you have to pay for today due to your high deductible"...I said WE MET tHE $2600 deductible, DUH! MOH's insurance year is May 1 through April 30th! This happened before, now trying to get a rebate form the drs. office is a pain, naturally, they sure want money up front but dont want to give it back when they over charge you!DOn't get me started GGRRRR!
SO, IF I need to open the diner, let me know, it is sunday, so I should be able to, as MOH won't have homework....
so, whazzup?
What is this super bowl you speak of? Does it have Spaghetti in it?
LIONS *like* spaghetti. Spaghetti with Wildebeest!
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I do miss Galaxy also. Hope for good wishes.
Ulrich I like the layout plan.
Today's announcement in the desert for this weekend, Rain. Our capital city is hosting the Super Bowl this Sunday. Let's hope they put the roof on the stadium before it snows. And not gets ruined featuring the half-time show with Katy Perry.
Good Afternoon!
Following Garry´s advice, I will abstain from having coffee and go for a mug of hot chocolade and a slice of that apple crumble pie, please.
I hope Galaxy is just having problems connecting to the Internet. Let´s hope for the best!
I did some more research on the Bregenz-Hafen station. My findings resulted in a few changes, making the layout a little bit simpler, increasing the chances I will build it soon. The track plan is now a near match to the prototype. I got rid of two switches (which I don´t have to buy. What I thought to be a passing loop, is just a stub-end track for the EMU´s from Bregenz (and beyond). With those changes, I can operate my trains following the prototype schedule!
CUL!