Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner - January 2015

["JaBear"]

Gidday All, Chloe, a large iced green tea for me and a fill of whatever for those that want one, please.

Have just spent the day doing paperwork and battling bureaucrats, don’t worry ffolkes they’re every where.

YGW, as an outsider from a very small country looking in, I don’t find it strange because there was / is so much going on in the States, though dare I say it I think we’re better off having more of a “world view”.

 

Gee CN Charlie my research indicated that you guys were a week late, declaring war on the 10^th of September 39. As one of my sources also indicated that more than a million Canadian men and women served full time in the armed services, with more than 42000 paying the ultimate sacrifice, I would be splitting hairs to hold that against you chaps. Another source indicated that the RCAF had 34 squadrons that served overseas, and that of course doesn’t take into account, those gentlemen like your father who served in the general RAF and “Commonwealth” squadrons.

 It is also hard to forget the role that Canada played in theBritish Commonwealth Air Training Plan as a number of New Zealanders completed their training there.

Here’s a link in Batmans Waldorf and Satlers Photo of the Day thread that shows how the Canadian National Railway contributed to the Plan. (Canadian Steam at War).

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/239981.aspx?page=2

   

My English grandparents lived in Birmingham England and provided “home stay” for mainly RCAF airmen on leave, and I have in my possession a bird fashioned from a bulls horn that was a thank you gift from an RCAF sergeant who I gather stayed with them a couple of times, and was shot down over Europe, became a POW and survived the war, returning to Canada.

Thanks Johnboy, I try to keep it interesting without waffling on too much.

The high was 77 F today and now at 1137 hrs it’s 62 F though there’s a nice breeze cooling it down a bit so will probably be able to nod off without having the fan churning away.

Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.

Goodnight and Cheers, the Bear.

[galaxy]

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING!

January 21 {already!}!

For those in need:

HEALING Energies,

POSITIVE Thoughts,

for: Ulrich, ME, MOH, 

Johnboy, Jonhboy's BIL,

YGW's friends,and any 

one else I missed

MOH not doing so well, so a quick emergency trip to the Dr.s is in order.

 

Today's word;

mythomane

 

PRONUNCIATION:

(MITH-uh-mayn)

 

MEANING:

noun: One having a tendency to exaggerate or lie.
adjective: Having a tendency to exaggerate or lie.

 

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek mythos (myth) + -mania (excessive enthusiasm or craze). Earliest documented use: 1954.

 

USAGE:

“[Laura Cumming’s portrait] ... of the mythomane, egomaniac, and relentlessly self-promoting Gustave Courbet, who somehow nonetheless remains true to himself through all the lies, is hilarious and oddly heart-warming.”
Simon Callow; On Self-Portraits by Laura Cumming; The Guardian (London, UK); Jul 25, 2009.

Today's Quote:

Is it [hunting] really a sport if you have all the equipment and your opponent doesn't know a game is going on? -Bill Maher, comedian, actor, and writer (b. 20 Jan 1956)

Go Ahead, Make it a

GREAT DAY!

[Anonymous]

Good Morning!

It´s a cold and foggy day here with temperatures below freezing. It´ll stay that way for the next days.

Janie, hot coffee to warm me up, please.

Rob - building a lift bridge is not really difficult. All you need is a set of hinges, pins for alignment, some lumber and a little bit of wiring. The wiring is necessary to cut the power when the bridge is up, preventing your trains taking the plunge. How a lift bridge is built, you can find here. There are also several videos available on the "tube", showing how to build it. Here is a link!

No plans for the day, other than w*rking down a short HD list.

CUL, Folks!

 

[Cederstrand]

A few pics of the start of a circus parade on the old layout. A little tribute to a lady friend: "Princess Sonja and her Performing Chimps, with her friend Rogana assisting." I will add some bits of hay to the flatbed later. None of these look sharp. Will try next time with the telephoto lens and see if the pics improve.

Almost forgot, the reason there are no draft horses pulling the Band Wagon is they got old and are enjoying retirement out to pasture. Funny to be putting things on the old layout, knowing full well I will be dismantling it to start all over again.

Cheers! Rob

[Cederstrand]

Chamomile tea, please.

***CNCharlie, I would like to use the Kato manual #6 switches for most of the layout. Will save the #4s for around the Plant (or two) and logging line. Most likely, I won't ever bother powering them as even when I have done so (both on the N and current HO layout), I end up switching them by hand.

***Ulrich, that is a cool looking layout. Just not sure I trust myself to make a decent "lift gate" that will function long term. I know, two blobs would eat up a lot of room.

***Ray, I am wondering if this is the same problem I am having with my camera. Can't seem to focus sharply at all. Will try the telephoto and see if it does better. (will post some of the blurry pics shortly)

Cheers!  Rob

[howmus]

Evenin' Folks!

Janie, just a refill for my decaf please....

Place is pretty much empty here tonight.  I'll be in the back by the wood stove trying to stay warm.  Currently 9°F outside with an overnight low of 4°F.  The light dusting of sn*w on the panels on the roof melted off quickly in the sun this morning and the Solar brought in 6.87 kWh of power today.  Second best day so far in January.  Never a great month for making electric, but I do hope conditions improve and the power starts to add up better..

Claude was waiting for me at the door when I arrived at my sister's house this afternoon.  He is such a sweet kittie!  He was wanting both his food and to get his head scratched today.  I obliged on both accounts.  I would take him home in a minute!

He weighs just under 20 lbs. and is not at all fat.  Just a big boy!

I got the information finished for the Art and Poetry release that will go to the schools and soon to the locale paper for publication.

Found out yesterday that the focusing problem I have been having with my DSLR Camera has to be the lens...  At the service it started acting up again so I decided to get some telephoto shots from the balcony of the church.  The 100mm fixed lens worked fine,  I then changed to the 10mm-22mm lens, and that too worked with no problem.....  I'll be taking the camera down to the shop over in Seneca Falls sometime in the next couple of days for service.

Hope everyone has a great night!

73

[cudaken]

 Afternoon Dinners

 Flo, a JSTL and a Beer Pleases. If the Buick guy shows up give him a and my Bar Tap. I think he would make it to the dinner more if he had a 318 Dart Swinger.

 Well it was a sort of good day off. Sue is with a friend and Sparkie and I could do what we wanted. Watched Blue Blood on charter on demand. Then we had a small road trip. Went to the bank (Dog Friendly) and the Libary. He was very well behaved in the car. When Sue is with us he shakes.

 Trains are being a Pain In The Caboose, well a engine that is! My Blue Line RSD sound decoder is DC! DC stands for Dasied and Confused! Resat to default, I see address 3, then read the decoder and it is address is 4? Write the address I want which is 98, read the deocder and it is 100?

 YGW I model what ever catches my fancy. Most of my engines are Sante Fe Warbonnet. When I was around 6 my Grand Father house over looked a B&O engine yard. I loved when a F7 Sante Fe Warbonnet was in the yard! Then I got the UP bug, then Monon. My Y6b got me intrested in NF&W. Now I am in to B&O.

 Later, Ken

 

[JeremyB]

Evening guys,

Just thought I would drop in quick. Not much going on here, head back to work tomorrow after a couple days off. Have a touch of a cold but not too bad.

[Anonymous]

How´s that?

[galaxy]

Hi

Back fromt he Drs. the Dr. changed MOH's med for the Pagets disease hip. We stopped at teh parmacy and I informed all the girls there {ladies really} that they won't see much of me as I am having to change pharmacies. They all siad "but you will stop by won't you?" They will miss me. I get/got excellent service/rush orders filled by them besides pleasant conversation when time//customers allowed.

 

Ulrich: He has 2 doors in that room directly across from each other. He'd need 2 liftgates if he has an around the walls. I too, envy his space.

Well, we are feeling better sorta,and ate at Denny's with our AARP card for Moons Over MyHammy. There was enough left over for dinner too. at least I don't have to cook!

We watched a borrowed DVD of "Frozen", and MOH has the Hans Christian Andersen collection, but doesn't remember "The Snow Queen" {?} on which it is based? I think I vaguely remember that story. AN act of selfless love...well I knew the two men involved weren't THAT smart...only sisters!

MAil should be in soon, it is always late after a holiday and I don't like to make the trip for naught if she hasn't been there yet. Not in this weather, anyway.soon enough.

I have lost about 15 lbs, but don't feel good about it. It all disappears from top to bottom, making me "lop-bottomed" already! only about 60lbs to go....Imust do it by sheer willpower as I cannot have the lap-band surgery as I had corrective surgery on my stomach/esophagus already and it cannot be undone...

Speaking of esophagii,{??} Johnboy, that sounds like great news, any proceedure is a long one, when you want it bad, huh? Ah to taste something again for you, i can't wait for you hard enough!

Well

later dinner will be left over Moons over MyHammy.

 

[Anonymous]

Good Evening!

Chloe, a 1/2lbs. tenderloin steak, medium rare, a plate of fries and a side dish of veggies, please. Add a to wash it down, thank you!

It´s been not really a thrilling day here. Our maillady brought the double-slip switch I ordered. Although advertised as used, it´s brand new - I like that. Some curves and 5 pieces of flex track - that´s all I need to get going. I should build the benchwork, though I hope to do that coming weekend in my friend´s shop. I have the drawing ready, so I can prepare the sheets of plywood. Will get them the day after tomorrow!

Other rhan that, I just watched a few steam videos on the "tube"...

Jim - I am glad you like the plan. If I hadn´t started with that German stuff - heck, I´d build it myself! I may change a few scenery bits in the drawing in the next days and post the plan here again - with a track list, so you won´t have an excuse not to start with that layout

Rob - I have been giving a few thoughts to your train room and a possible shape of a layout. If you go for something like a folded dogbone, you will have to big "blobs" of a diameter of 6" eating up a lot of real estate in that room. I´d love to have a room that big, but I think to "blobs" are a little too much. How about a layout along the walls, with a peninsula in the middle? you´d need a lift gate, though, but they are not really difficult to make.

Well, I´ll be retiring to the sofa now, watch a silly movie in the idiot box and let my mind wander off to a few items and need to think about when starting on my layout...

Have a good one and blessings to all!

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

Hi Gang,

Chloe Dear, I'll have an order of home fries and a coney dog and as Jerry would say, "drag it through the garden"

I am at work for a few hours this afternoon but tomorrow will be in that city north of us for the first treatment to try and get my esophagus open again.  Apparently it will be a long process of a visit every two months for about 2 years.  But, pitter patter lets get at 'er, I sure hope it will be successful.

Attended a funeral this morning of a good Lady friend of ours that was admitted to the hospital after Christmas with Pneumonia and while they were taking fluid from her lungs they discovered Cancer cells and she only lasted about two weeks.And I was under the impression that 2015 was going to be better than 2014. Sure hope this streak doesn't continue. But we are all getting older, at least most of us.

Been doing more detailing on the mountain and river portion of the LM&E and just about ready to make the river wet. (envirotex)  Will see how I feel when I return fron the north and may get at it then.  I did make twenty furnace filter trees that turned out pretty good. The next batch I will make look more airy as I think some of these ones are too dense. Learn as you go, experience is the best teacher.  Made about five bottle brush trees too, three of them I put on the layout the other two weren't worth keeping. I like the Furnace filter trees better anyway. I also made some Bumpy Chenile trees that fill in nicely. I have some more of these but will have to paint them first before going any further. Other than a few Rip Track repairs that's about it for railroading lately.

ROB,  I like the suggestion to put one of your loops between the windows and one at the left end to get that continuos running.  Mine is around the room, but I do have a duck-under below two bridges, but it is at chest height so it isn't two bad yet.  The lower level on each side will be into stub end yards and industries so no loop or duck-unders required there.  The benchwork is there for it but no trackwork down there yet.

 

BEAR, Thanks for the NZ. & Mexico history, I am quite interested in WW2 stuff and some of that was new to me.

Thanks much to all of you for all the kind thoughts and wishes for Norm, my BIL. He was a great Guy and has a wonderful hard working Family who will dearly miss him.

Prayers and blessings to all in need.  I best make it look like I am working here or my modelling money might be cut off..   HaHa.

Johnboy out...........................for now

 

 

[up831]

Hi everyone, 

Flo, my usual ginormous cup of coffee with mucho cream, please.  We won't belabor your wine "offerings!"

hope everyone is ok.

Ulrich, I just saw the track plan.  It's terrific!  I couldn't ask for any more than that.  You are truly a master.  If, no let's say when I get to building the RR, i will use this plan. It has everything I need.  You pretty much nailed it right out of the gate.  WHEN I build this, I'll keep you posted on its progress.

Something has come up at work and I'm looking for a new gig.  I am a corporate level Interior Designer and I also do kitchen and bath design.  I have a 2 year degree in Interior Design, and im very experienced.  I know a lot of you guys are retired, but if anyone knows of anything in the Chicago area, I'm all ears.  Thank you.

Ken, love the B&O pictures.  If anything, they are good for weathering examples.

Well, that's all for the moment.  Have a few errands to run.

[BATMAN]

yougottawanta

They declared war with England ?

Nope, we declared war with Germany cause we knew who was going to win.

[yougottawanta]

V8Vega - I am having some strnge issues with my puter too starnge thing is I am connected but I keep getting this message that the mail cannot be sent because there is no service ! ?

Charlie - I didnt know Canada entered WWII In 39. They declared war with England ?

Rob - so how is the coal dust topping ? I bet it is delicious !

JaBear - we are very aware of Shermans ( and Grants ) attitude on war here in the south. Where I live we can still see the remenants of the burned down structures and the earthworks the northern aggressors built. I agree on the perspective the winner gets to write the history. It is strange that in America we do not hear about the contribution by the other allies much ( I really wish they would include that ) and that is why I like to hear from people like yourself and CN Charlie. There is a whole history missing from our text books.

Ken - Do you model the B&O ? If I wasnt into N&W I would consider the B&O they have  wonderful history.

Howmus - You were a teacher ? Well that occupation deserves more praise

Galaxy - Are you still feeling under the weather ? If so I hope you get better soon !

Gott get back to w**k

TTYL

YGW

[howmus]

Mornin'....  Well it was mornin' just a few minutes ago.  I've already done more thgan a day's w*rk here trying to get some information from the secretaries over at the schools here in town.  Heard back from a principal and a Superintendent of Schools, but only one of the 4 secretaries who need to identify and chek the spelling of the little mosters who won prizes in the MLK Art and Poerty Contest...

Zoe, I'll have a short stack of blueberry pancakes and a pot of Seneca Lake Blend Dark Roast coffee please!

CNCharlie

Must be one of Ray's tropical heat waves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePRYhNNdzwk

Sun is trying to shine here today...  Currently 21°F with a high around 26°F later this afternoon.  Had a dusting of light fluffy stuff last night.  Went out to drive over to the vets to get food for ther boys and see that the solar panels are clearing themselves, so I might make a few kWh today.

I will be driving to Canandaigua today.  My turn to feed and play with Cluade the cat.  Also have to get to the grocery store.  No milk, no lunch supplies, no whole lot of other stuff left around here.  Been too busy to get near the place this last week... 

Hope you all have a great day!  Stay warm and dry...

73

[CNCharlie]

Good Morning,

A very balmy -5C here in Winterpeg. Must be one of Ray's tropical heat waves.

JaBear, Thanks for the WWII info about NZ. My father flew in a Commonwealth squadron of the RAF. The tail gunner was from NZ and there was also an Aussie in the crew who became a best friend of my father. Just a slight addition to your info in that Canada too declared war Sept.3/39. 

Rob, I am using Kato HO track on all my main lines and a few sidings. It is compatible with DCC. I have a few of the manual #4 turnouts and it is a simple matter of changing a couple of screws for DCC if I recall correctly. It is also very easy to add electric motors later if you decide to do so. If you buy the electric #4's they are actually made a little different than the manual ones as they have metal frogs. The electric switches have a little slide so you can  throw them manually too if you so desire. 

Not much new here, I finally finished the Revell tug boat kit and it did turn out fine. It is a little small for a tug boat as it is 1/100 scale but it actually looks good in my small harbour as it doesn't overwelm the scene. In HO it is a scale 65 feet which might be ok for a lake tug. My harbour is supposed to be on Lake Erie so I guess it is of after all. Just convinced myself. 

My wife and I just joined a fitness facility here. It is called the Reh-fit and it is the only accredited medical fitness facility in Canada. It caters to anyone who has had a heart attack or has other issues and really is an amazing place. Time to get fit so I don't have to join because I had a heart attack. We walked the track yesterday and my wife definitely is one of the younger persons there. I think the average age must be about 70 so no embarrasment in the locker room.

Well time to get ready to take my MIL out for lunch.

CN Charlie

 

[Cederstrand]

Extra strong coffee TO GO please. And go ahead and add the coal dust, might be worth a try.

***Galaxy/Ken, good suggestions. That is along the lines of the only thing that seems like it could be made to work.

Anyone know off hand if (HO) Kato Unitrack manual switches are OK for a DCC layout? Even though my current layout has (Bachmann E-Z track) remote/powered switches, I have always just switched them by hand anyway, so figure I can save a LOT of $$$ if I can just go with manual Unitrack switches.

Have a terrific day all.

Cheers!  Rob

[MisterBeasley]

Good morning again!

At least it's a better morning for my wife and her parents.  Her Dad was admitted to the hospital last night, which is the best place for him because he can get the care he needs to get over this bronchitis.  Her Mom is still in the rehab facility to rebuild her strength after pneumonia, so finally my wife herself can get a decent night's sleep, and I don't have to fly down there.  The next stop for her parents will be an assisted living facility.  They finally agree that they can't live independently any longer.

Meanwhile, instead of going down myself, I've got to package up and send my wife's pills down to her.  A couple are perscription, but mostly it's a mountain of overpriced vitamins and supplements.

So, I will be home for the big Springfield train show.  Perhaps I'll finally get to put some faces together with names there.

["JaBear"]

yougottawanta

How was your country affected by WWII

Gidday All, Zoe, a large iced green tea for me and a fill of whatever for everyone who wants one, please.

YGW, my apologies for taking awhile to answer your questions, as it is it’s going to be a two part answer. To borrow a phrase from the Aussies, “I’ve been flat out like a lizard drinking”.

When you mentioned the “lesson” word I was taken back to hot summer afternoons with a certain teacher droning on and on and on and onabout some boring subject, my mind switching off and my eyes glazing over until I was bought back to reality by a rap over the knuckles with his cane. At least here if I start going on for too long, you can skip to the next post. History was my best and favourite subject at high school and I still retain an interest which is why I might bang on a bit.

One of the problems with history is who writes it. Once upon a time I read the official USSR History of the Great Patriotic War for children and if it was the only reference available to me then I would have gained the impression that the Soviets were the only ones actively engaged in the defeat of the Hitlers Third Reich.

While there is little or no glory in war, (“There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all Hell.” General William Tecumseh Sherman), one between two totalitarian dictators with opposing ideologies who cared very little, if at all, for their common folk, got very nasty and the while the Russians did incur (8.7 million military dead?), and also inflict huge losses, we know it is not the full story.

At the other end of the scale, how many people realise that the Mexicans fielded a fighter squadron that was attached to the USAAF and served in the Philippines in 1945?

So perspective is very important to my mind when discussing who did what.

 

NZ population in 1940 was 1,600,000, 204,000 men and women served at the height of mobilisation, and 140,000 served overseas , 104, 000 in the 2^nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The others served in most of the branches of the British Military, for example, the Royal Air Force had 7 “New Zealand” squadrons. (One RNZAF pilot was attached to a USAAF fighter unit in 1944) and some 7000 served in the Royal Navy including 800 in the Fleet Air Arm.

I had difficulty in finding a similarly sized US Military Force as a comparison, but seeing we are a model railroad forum, I found that just by itself the US Army Military Railway Service had 43,500 soldier-railwaymen in WW2.

(As an aside we had a Headquarters, New Zealand Railway Construction & Maintenance Group, the 9 (NZ) Railway Survey Company, 10 & 13(NZ) Railway Construction Companies, the Headquarters, New Zealand Railway Operating Group, and 16 & 17(NZ) Railway Operating Companies, that served in North Africa).

New Zealands war started 3^rd September 1939 when along with Great Britain and Australia, war was declared on Germany. The 2^nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (New Zealand 2^nd Division) arrived in Egypt in February 1940 and as part of the British 8^th Army fought in Greece Crete, North Africa and Italy till VE Day.

With the entry of the war by Japan with the attack on Pearl Harbour 7 December 1941, there was much consideration that both the New Zealand and Australian troops fighting in North Africa return home to defend against the Japanese; the Australian troops did, as Australia was far more at risk to Japanese invasion, and consequently fought a gruelling campaign on the Kokado Trail In Papua New Guinea.

In 1942 New Zealand did raise the 3^rd Division for combat in the South Pacific and indeed it saw action, as part of the US 1^st Marine Amphibious Corp, in the Solomon Islands Campaign, but due to dire manpower shortages it was disbanded in 1944, the majority returned to civilian agricultural production and some 4000 reinforcing the 2^nd Division in Italy.

24 RNZAF squadrons saw service in the Pacific (mainly equipped with American aircraft) and the RNZN had at various times, 2 light cruisers, an armed merchant cruiser, and 39 minesweepers and danlayers which served in New Zealand waters and the Pacific under our own command, US Navy command and with the British Pacific Fleet.

At the end of the war in the Pacific with surrender of Japan, New Zealand troops and airmen were part of the occupation forces.

 

Getting old, hmmmmm they don’t warn us do they.

While I suspect I a bit of a pup compared to some of the venerable gentlemen that frequent the Diner it sinks home when I’m explaining, through a story that I was part of, about why we carry out certain procedures, when one of the young blokes I’m working with asks when the story took place, and then tells me he wasn’t even born then!!!

 

up831. “....and we also have some Australian friends”. I won’t hold that against you.

 

The high today was 77 F; it’s currently 65 F @ 1121 hours.

Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.

Good night and Cheers, the Bear. 

[galaxy]

GOOD Tuesday Morning!

January 20th, 2015!

I don't feel so hot right now, and so I jsut say good morning.

MOH has a dr. appt later.

Dont know what else yet,Hope I feel better. I feel probably as lousy as MOh did yesterday.

[cudaken]

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, a JSTL and a beer. If that Buick guy shows up, give him a beer as well.

 Tuff day to day. My caboose is dragging. Paul is rearanging our 20,000 squar show room. While I did not have do any heavy lifting, I was on my feet 8 out of 10 hours today. I only had 1 sale today, but it was a Good One! $3600.00 and some change.

 Rob What if you change Lions plan a tad. On the window side (Right) make the line to the blob a 45 degree angle off the wall. Would that give your room for another blob on the left side of the room?

 John Boy So to hear about your loss.

 Ulrich I read the recipe, made me hungry!

 Gary Yep I haul a lot of coal on my layout. That was a good picture of coal cars.

 Well I am beat, see you all Tuesday.

 Ken

 

[galaxy]

Rob, I have an idea may or may not work, and I cannot do a sketch like other fine folks do so bear with my desription: you want a "blob" on the end of each end of the track for continuous looping, right?

Well, what about altenating the "blobs"? who says they have to be equal? put one "blob" by the door, and the other in the middle of the windows, staggaered off the other? Kinda like this {the "O"s representing the "blob"}:

----------|

|          O

|

O

door     door

Will that work?

MOH was not feeling good this morning, I was nto feeling good all afternoon. I have tried to do without my allergy med {as it will be expensive now} and that may have been it. Ifinaly gve in with my nose running like  faucet, and my head swimming.

Have a good night

 

[Cederstrand]

Chamomile tea, please.

***Ray, HO scale. With dwindling eyesight, my old N scale will unfortunately be relegated to a coffee table layout in the library, one day down the road. HO I can still work on using a magnifier.

***JLS, one level only. Going to keep the track plan very simple, (and affordable).

For times when I want to "put trains to work", I will for sure have two industries, one of which is a logging operation. But there will also be times when I just want to sit back and let them run round-y-round. A dual purpose (if you will) layout.

Rob

[up831]

Evening Diners,

Flo, could you maybe ask Mel and see if he would be willing to stock a little wine that doesn't come in a box or screw top?

Oh, never mind.  Just my usual giant coffee with lots of cream, please.

a thought on the concept that Lion posted.  it would be rather ambitious, but on e south end along the wall, there could be a double level tear drop shaped loops.   The circle in the center could be a helix, and the approaches coming out of the helix could be at a parallel to the tear drop loops across the aisle.  If I knew how to post a picture I could draw it and post it.  Then add industries, yards, etc.

YGW, yes, I do like wine and we had just gone to the Paso Robles region in Central California last Autumn.  I'm kind of fascinated with winery design.  Want to study into it more.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Janie just another cup of decaf please...

Long, fun day today.  Everything went well at the MLK Activities.  I only saw the tail end of the march from the Public Service Building (Police Station and Court).  The police provided 5 cars with flashing lights for the march and did traffic control as they always do for parades.  The service was inspiring.  Our speaker for the Service was Silvio Torres-Saillant, PHD.  Dr. Saillant is a professor of English at Syracuse University and a brilliant historian and author.  I had the privilage of talking with him for about an hour.  Truely brilliant man and a interesting and amiable person.

I do love being able to see and chat with some of my students from years and years ago at these events.  One lovely lady who is now married to a local Black Pastor here was one of those kids who you couldn't help but love. She had and still has a totally wacko sense of humor not unlike my own. She was a 7th. grader my first year teaching here in town living at the time in a subsidized housing complex with her younger brother and Mother.  I reminded her of the time we had a late Spring Concert with another school a few miles away.  Concert got done around 8PM, and and I overheard her telling some kids she was going to have to walk home and was a bit scared of walking in the neighborhood at night.  I told her I would take her home.  (One of those things a teacher isn't supposed to do, But I was not going to have her put in danger.)  She got into my old VW Bug and we headed to the projects....  As I was approaching her building a 6th, grader recognized me and jumped out several yards in front of my slow moving car.  I hunkered down behind the wheel and made it look like I was going to run over him....  Patty looked at me and said, Mr. Howard, you ain't gonna run over him, you in da getto now!  (Huge Grin...)  She has turned into a very classy and loving person.  That incident happened over 30 years ago!  She is now a new Grandmother of a cute little girl. She and her husband sat across from me at the dinner.  Fun, but I get to feeling old these days!  Got all kinds of hugs, lots of grins, and handshakes from several of my old students as well.  Makes me think that maybe I did some things right as a teacher...

 Rob, what scale are you building this in?  I should know but don't.

 Johnboy, Very sorry to hear about your BIL!  Will keep your whole family in my prayers.

Been sitting here getting caught up with a lot of odds and ends that have been put off for some time.

Catch you all later!

73

[saronaterry]

Johnboy,

 Sorry about your BIL!

8-pin was a bonus. Came out of a unit my buddy replaced with an NCE. Pretty sure it's a B-man DCC On-Board. If you can't use it I am sure you can find a home for it! It works.

You are MOST welcome!

Terry in NW Wisconsin

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

Calling Wisconsin Terry,

FYI, that package arruved this afternoon, Thankyou very much.

Tell me about the "eight pin"

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

[Cederstrand]

***ROAR, good approach. Needs to have 6' at each end for continuous running, and still room to work around the layout. That is what is causing my brain cells to hurt. Could use a bigger room, but this is it.

 Rob

[BroadwayLion]

Cederstrand

The windows are close to north facing, so very little sun hits the room and only for part of the year. The line between the opposing doors should be kept open. My main issue: I have some Kato Unitrack R790mm (31 1/8") Radius 22.5 track I want to use for the outermost track. Think in terms of a meandering loop of sorts with switching into the interior, so I can let a train or two run. Also want easy access to all parts of the layout without any duck unders or swing bridges, etc..

Two levels along left wall, climbs, makes loop, returns on upper level.

Cut out some cardboard shapes and move them around. see what works.

ROAR