Today is a great day for me. For the first time in months I have the sights and sounds of trains running in my office. Even better is the fact that all of the track and turnouts are working. Plus it is my grandson's sixth birthday. He told me, "I turned six on May sixth, twenty-sixteen! That's a lot of sixes!" I only wish he didn't live 1,000 miles away so he could have told me in person, and I could have had birthday cheesecake.
Richard
YGW,
Regarding the need for passports when travelling between the US and Canada, you are correct they aren't required for land crossings only, however to avoid that need you must have a special drivers license. In my province you have to apply for it and actually have an interview. If accepted you get a special license.
You actually will need the passport (assuming no special drivers license) to get back into the US.
As most of our travel is by air, we have passports. At least they changed to rules a while ago so when we renewed last fall we were able to get them for a 10 year period.
CN Charlie
rtraincollectorChole kinda down today just learned an old dinner patron has passed away Rest in Peace Jerry Cox
That is indeed sad news. Hadn't heard from him in a while. Sometimes saw posts from him in the Yahoo N Scale Yard Sale, but not recently. Not a good week this, is it?
Howmus - You have to have a passport to go into Canada ? I thought that Canada and America had an agreement where you didn’t need passports ?
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
Good Afternoon,
Well that is really sad news about Jerry. He was the same age as me, born in the same month. I had been following his posts on the N scale forum but noticed there hadn't been anything from him for a month or so. I know he had some health issues but still, it is very sad to hear he is gone. He sure loved his N scale and especially the IC. His wife passed away almost exactly 3 years ago.
Qauck, Qauck, Qauck , Qauck, Qauck..............I am giving up ! It has rained around ten days straight here ! I am either going to turn into a duck so I can enjoy this weather or raise the Union Jack where, I hear, the weather is just like it has been here ! This is NUTS ! Pouring down rain AGAIN !
Henry - when you get done with the WD -40 pass some this way please I am rusying up too ! I will have to look up Monocacy - dont remember that battle.
Batman - LOL ! Rapido fund ! Yea buddy ! Who mows the 49 ? US or Canada ? How wide the dividing line ? Fraction of an inch ? Feet ?
UP831 - HOWDY ! Glad to see you in here! If you want to see a bunch of History come here ! We have Jamestown, Bull Run , Williamsburg ( is amazing ), Fredericsburg, Montecillo, Mount Vernon ( really cool ! ) You cannot step foot with out touching early American history here somewhere. From Early American Indian to recent past.
Ken - Oh My ! 1x8 vs 1x6. Yep good thing you didnt paint them first !
Rick - LOL ROTFL , Dang ! "nice remodel" ! Phew I guess that would be a very affective method ! I agree ! How can to much trains be in the same sentence ?
Krump/HOn30 critter - I had heard that fire described that way too. Here is a for them
Ulrich - How does the boat get in ? Back up ?
Garry - What is a derby pie ?
Howmus - You have to have a passport to go into Canada ? I thought that Canada and America had an agreement where you didnt need passports ?
V8 - Now that doesnt make sense - Give an illegal alien a ticket for being here illigally to Loud !? So its okay to be here illigally if you are just very quite ?
Lion - Do you every operate your railraod when in the night scenes ?
Train collector - Thanks for letting us know about Jerry. Spring has been tough on the MRR group.
Flip - Good to see you in here. Did you take me off of your email list ? You sent out some good stuff.
Gotta git back to W**k
TTYL
YGW
fec153 DER- Sir John, sent you an "E" Glad to see you back. Flip
DER- Sir John, sent you an "E"
Glad to see you back.
Flip
...and sent on as requested!
I always liked his "have a good one" - actually I like it so much, I have adopted it!
RIP - Jerry!
Hey guys,
Mostly waiting for stuff in the mail. Basically containers (NACS & Hanjin w/o website letters), and a Dash 9-44CW BNSF Warbonnet.
I'm still a little upset about the Kato Amtrak baggage car. Not being accurate for the number it was given. Well at least I will have a 7 car set. I wonder if the Regal Dome (Santa Fe 4-4-2 sleeper) ever received Phase I paint after 1974.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
RT ... Thank you very much for telling us the sad news. I really liked Jerry's comments in the Diner, and how he always concluded with "Have a good one" ..... Also RT, feel free to visit the Diner when you can. I hope you are doing well.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Chole kinda down today just learned an old dinner patron has passed away Rest in Peace Jerry Cox
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
LIONS IN THE NIGHT...
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Mornin' everyone...
Zoe, I just need a refill for my mug of dark roast coffee before I head out the door to Ottawa for the NFR Regional Convention this weekend. Hopefully everything I need is packed.
Will be taking 4 photos to enter in the Contest, got my camera all charged up and in the case with my several different lenses, CPAP is taken apart and put in it's case to take.... Let's see what else do i need? OH! Better put my Passport in my shirt pocket to get accross the border! OK, even packed some home made cookies to snack on during the drfive to Canada.
Have a great weekend everyone. I'll be back whe I get home!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good morning ....... It's Derby weekend. We will stay away from Louisville. Too many people.
However, I will have a Barry-sized portion of Derby Pie. Nothing tastes better.
Dave (HOn3 Critter) ..... Yes, the tragic wildfire is on the news in the US. You Canadians can count on friends in the US to donate to the Red Cross as you suggested. ....
The Red Cross helped in a disaster in Kentucky a few years ago. It was the 2009 ice storm which crushed entire forests, stranded people in their houses, caused massive power outages, etc. . In our case, broken trees blocked our road, and we were stranded in our house with no power, no land-line phone, no cell-phone, and no county water for 9 days. Other people in our area went 3 to 4 weeks with no power.
Ulrich ... The layout plan looks fantastic.
Lunchtime!
Chloe, I´ll have the burger, fries & salad dish and make everything Barry-sized, please.
I am waiting for a few pieces of track to arrive, so no work yet done on the little layout. I need to have the track complete before I can start on the benchwork - need to locate the cut-out for the harbor properly. I´ll be making the benchwork together with my friend Claus again - to save Petra from getting the fits if I do it here.
With nothing better to do I worked on the details of the drawing. It´s not that difficult, but requires a lot of thinking ahead when drawing a structure, as you have to draw it in 2D mode and assign each element the proper height. Took me quite some time to figure that one out when I started to use SCARM, but now I am quite handy with it. Too bad the software cannot draw inclines, but that will come in a later release.
Well here´s today´s crop:
Good Evening all,
it was a busy day, but I accomplished getting the workstation desk into my office and assemble (huge). Need to begin the office move in the days ahead.
Der - the desk comes with filing cabs, but I have other lateral cabinets that will fit in the old closet, and the train could go abouve them at a bout 50". There is a foundation shelf at about the 50" height.
if I build a corner, I could also have about 25 linear feet of a "G" scale point to point, along 2 walls in the room ??? hmm
Batman- is that Zero Avenue ? in Richmond, Tsawwassen area maybe? I spent 26 yrs in Corrections: Probation/ Parole / Social Work etc in Langley, Surrey, Salmon Arm (home office now for bookkeeping). I am familiar with the SA Detachment, and did many ride-alongs myself. We moved from Abbotsford to Tappen (near SA) in 2001. I have a JD160 Lawn Tractor to keep things manageable. I've been camping at Scotch Creek a few times. When you are back in the area, you should stop in at the Salmon Arm Model Railroaders Association. I get down to the coast several times a year - probably next in June.
hon30critter - thanks for noting the Fort Mac fire(s). Absolutely devastating. One friend said the it was Hell on earth, that's what I was thinking also. I have 4-5 friends that were working there (one being a former social worker colleague of mine), they are safe and getting out. it's terrible, the town is basically destroyed, and someone told me tonight that the sq mileage covered by the fire is about the size of the City of Calgary. I haven't seen that suggested anywhere, but it is big. Prayers needed for the residents, rescuers, fire fighting personnel ...
that is the EXIT out of town - yikes
Cudaken and V8Vega - sounds like we need to chat about cars and trains (1964 El Camino - given away by my avatar.
Hello to others as I get re-aquainted and caught up after my lengthy absence - Madog (n scale plans progressing), YGW, Howmus, and fec (been a long time), and some that I am just starting to get to know.
Yardwork tomorrow. Stay safe everyone.
cheers, krump
"TRAIN up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" ... Proverbs 22:6
Hi folks:
I'm sure you have all heard by now about the Fort McMurray wild fire in northern Alberta. As of about 10:00 am this morning 88,000 people had been evacuated and 1,600 buildings had been lost. This is the biggest natural disaster in Canada's history.
If you are so inclined, the Federal and Alberta governments have both offered to match all donations to the Canadian Red Cross. If you put in $25.00 your donation will be worth $75.00, and, if you are from the US, that will actually be a little over $96.00 Cdn.
https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1951&ea.campaign.id=50639
Hundreds of families have been left with not much more than the clothes on their backs.
Thanks for your help.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
YGW & DER,
As we are "out in the sticks" there is no real noise ordinance, the only way to handle it is by making a complaint to local PSP (Pa State Police) station, and hope they have an officer in the area to actually hear it, then something can be done. While the neighbor the other side of him from me did complain once, it hasn't stopped, just become more sporadic... It had been the same day, same times, each week, Every Tuesday @5-10 mins before/after sunrise, during the last of the "blue hour" for those of you who are amateur photographers, Wednesday at noon, then Thursday near 10:00 am, and sometime around 1:00pm (13:00) on Fridays, or Saturday nights around sunset if he skipped Friday, but now, it's whenever he feels like hurling cannonballs around his property... Still multiple times in a row when he does it, but no real pattern anymore to it. (I could set my watch by it before, but now, after 5-0 was out once, who knows when he's going to do it next...)
I actually was just down at the PSP station this afternoon, unrelated matter, as some idiot from another state (according to caller ID) kept calling my cell today and cussing at me, no clue who he is or why he's upset... He claimed I kept calling him all day, bugging him, about who knows what, but I was at w**k... I really think he had the wrong number, but.... I did warn him I would file a report if he kept calling. He did, so I reported... The officer seems to think it's someone I know pranking me, but I don't recognize the voice. And the idiots language was extremely unfit to repeat.
And it is not the neighbor... I know his voice. We stay on friendly terms, so I don't end up with a cannonball in my living room....
Although, that would allow a nice remodel job to occur....
YGW, Enjoy the trip!
Howmus, I love the "sinko-de-mayo" explanation.... Good job!
Cudaken, sorry you are having so many issues with the fence... And the neighbor. I would say we are in the same "boat", but that just might get us both shot at....
Ulrich, can you please, define just what "too much train" means? I just really don't think those words go in the same sentence like that.... nice plan for the suitcase though. I knew I had been using mine wrong all these years!
Flo, I will take a slice of apple pie, to go please.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Der: They are Peco joiners on Peco code 55 track.
If I had known it would be this easy to do it right, I would have done this a long time ago. I have pulled and replaced all of the track and joiners and it turned out great. The next task is to re-secure the track.
Howmus:
howmusSinko de Mayo....
Thanks
Der - what about using YOH rolling pin ?
Is that Cuda Kens engine being pulled ?
(to Ulrich) How do you see to rail Z scale ?
Well, after a number of tries on my test board, I have decided to give up on cutting the rails with my Dremel-like tool. I would get one good cut, then one horrible cut. Add to this that the small N-Scale track is relatively unforgiving, and it is not worth the risk. I have been taught "anything worth doing, is worth doing right," so I am pulling up the sections of track and doing it right, in my case, using insulated joiners
The wife puts the coins she finds in pockets on the top of the washer and of course they fall off from the vibration during the spin cycle. Well we found $27.35 under that monster washer. It went right into my "Rapido Royal Hudson" fund bucket.
John - beware of used Marklin Z scale locos. Older ones have that dreadful 3-pole motor in them, which has only two speeds - too fast and way too fast. The 5-pole motor is around for about 8 years now. The Marklin powerpack is also no good, as it does not allow for a smooth control of the speed. I won´t be using it on my layout (or just as a source of power for the switch motors and lights).
If I´d find an easy way to convert the Marklin stuff to MT Z scale couplers, I would not need them, but, alas, there is no easy way!
Hopefully the new train layout (N) will fit above the filing cabinets.
Transfering my blances to avoid the intrest.
Howmus,
Now THAT is the most interesting explaination of the origin of Cinco de Mayo I have every heard; makes perfect sense to me.
Flo A big piece of chocolate cake.
Ulrich, I could never get past the bare basics of Scarm
Batman How on earth do you determine 2229 cycles? Our washer died on the fill part of the rinse cycle. The trickle of water overflowed and took out the basement ceiling, wall, carpet and the wood floor in 2 upstairs rooms.
Silver dollars used to be quite common when I was a kid. They took the silver out and made them almost indistiquishible in size to quarter so they are rare. I honestly don't know whether 1/2 dollars still exist. I tried to pay with one (silverless) and the cashier wouldn't take it, she never saw one before.
UP Bloody Lane it was called. At first the Rebs had the drop on the Yankees because they were hidden in the "sunken lane" Once the Feds figured it out, they flanked the lane, and then shot straight down it. I don't want to post grisly pictures but for those interested they can go to this site.
https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=2412F92B-1DD8-B71C-0728A9DF066D2649
Note what is left of the cornfield in some of the shots.
Rocker bottom shoes. There are jokes about those, but not suitible for Vinnie's ears.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Afternoon Dinners
Flo, please and a Barry Buger.
What is the head banging about you ask? Went to Lowes and picked up the 10 new 1" X 8" X 8' lumber for starting the fence repair. Use a strapdown roof rack on the Towncar to get it home. Got the lumber into the backyard and was getting ready to paint it. Hum, looks a little wider than what is on the fences? Checked and the fence has 1" X 6" X 8' foot slats! Man, I wish I had checked before I took all the lunber into the back yard! Better yet, I now have to store the lumber in the train room / garage before I take it back. I trip over anything now that I have to ware the Rocker Sole Shoes. Well it could be wores, I could have painted it first!
YGW Good talking to you today. Looking forward to the new B&O coal cars. I really don't know why I want them, but I am a sucker for anything B&O and Monon! B&O does seem easier to get.
Credit Card Front Have a CITI Bank Double Cash Back Card coming. REason I am happy about it is my no intrest time on the Captial one card runs May 7th. Transfering my blances to avoid the intrest.
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Good Afternoon Diners,
Flo, I'll have my usual extra large cup of coffee with lots of cream, please.
Dug out my locomotives to put in a new container. Really made me wish I had the time to build a layout.
I too have been to both Gettysburg and Antietam. Just unbelievable carnage. For Gettysburg, there were 58000 casualties in three days. That's as many as we lost in the entire Viet Nam war! For Antietam, there were over 25000 casualties in one day. To look at the corn field, a distance of about 300-400 yards that changed hands about 5 times and bodies were stacked on top of each other from the charges. Just look at that and wonder what kind of people could go into that kind of Miele? What was going on in those guys minds knowing they were facing almost certain death.
Then there was blood alley in which the Union troops charged over a rise that made them visible less than 50 yards from the Confederate troops positioned behind the embankment. Again, it was said that one could walk from one end to the other of the alley and not touch the ground.
On a more positive note, the weather is warming up. One thing I love about spring is that everything is in bloom and the grass is sooo green.
Hello to all, YGW, Ulrich, John Boy, Lion, Ken, and everyone else.
I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
krumpBatman - I don't know where you reside in BC, but how far are you from the Shuswap?
Hi Krump
We are SE of Vancouver in the agricultural belt, close to the U.S. border.The road on the left is in the U.S. the road on the right is in Canada. The grass down the middle is the fortyninth.
We often get to Scotch Creek camp ground and I have a cousin that use to be at the Salmon Arm detatchment of the RCMP that I would visit often. Use to go on patrol with him sometimes, especially when he would go into the back country. Interesting line of work to be sure.
John Deere had a flat tire but like the Dad in Christmas Story I had it fixed so fast It would have been worthy of using a stop watch! I just realized I still have a lot of logs to move from our monster double cherry that fell down before I can cut the back forty.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Greetings everyone ... I'm finally crawling out from under tax season and studies. The renovations are nearing completion, and eager to move south (to the basement). My home office is taking shape, and I think that the new desk will be great - still need to unload and assemble. Hopefully the new train layout (N) will fit above the filing cabinets. Trying to get to some of the neglected yard work now.
I have read the diner posts for May, so I'm caught up. :(
Batman - I don't know where you reside in BC, but how far are you from the Shuswap? (ps - I love it when a river or lake falls off the edge of the layout - painted puddle on the floor :) )
mocha-to-go please, and thanks.
back in a bit.
Ah yes the weather guy has nothing but Sun icon's for the next week. Fair day on Saturday should be very busy, which means $$$$$ for the school. Just about to hop on the Deere for an hour or so and cut up all the dogs tennis balls, bones and other things that they never put away and are hidden in the tall grass.
yougottawantaBatman - isn't strange. Every time we replace a dryer or washer my wife acta so embarrassed by the dirt trapped under there. I am thinking What ? You can't get under there why be embarrassed !?
YGW, In Canada we have $1.00 and $2.00 coins along with all the other usual ones. The wife puts the coins she finds in pockets on the top of the washer and of course they fall off from the vibration during the spin cycle. Well we found $27.35 under that monster washer. It went right into my "Rapido Royal Hudson" fund bucket.
Ran a diognostic on the washer before I went to the parts store just to make sure there was nothing else going on. We had 2229 loads in seven years. The high # is because we wash a lot of hockey jerseys after tournements are held along with a ton of dog related stuff. Everyone can always tell when I wash the jerseys as they are all just thrown back into all the hockey bags in a jumbled heap. When my wife washes them they are all placed in the bags neatly folded. All the hockey Moms give me a hard time as they always know when the wife has washed them all.The washer pump was the first repair and our septic pump lasted 29 years, so we can't complain.
The wife has decided the laundry room must be painted before the washer and dryer are moved back. Quick! To the Batcave.............. or in this case the John Deere!
Flo I'll have a can of WD-40 I am starting to rust. The rain continues but 100 degrees, no thanks. If I ever talk the wife into moving to Prescott, you can come visit and get out of that heat.
Have been to Antietam, Gettysburg and Monocacy many times. I didn't realize Gettysburg was a national destination until the Park Ranger at the Eisenhower farm asked people where they were from. They built a new vistors center at Gettysburg. It's the difference in size between a small town library and a Costco, and very well done. Monocacy I just discovered a couple years ago. It is the battle you never learned about in school that saved DC.
On the trainfront, I had to realign a turnout a glued down with caulk. I got it off but it did not pop off as easily as what I expected from my reading in the forum. I've got feeders to attach, but it's cold and damp and I think I'll just crawl under the covers for the rest of the afternoon. The dreary weather just zaps my energy.
Well, after a number of tries on my test board, I have decided to give up on cutting the rails with my Dremel-like tool. I would get one good cut, then one horrible cut. Add to this that the small N-Scale track is relatively unforgiving, and it is not worth the risk. I have been taught "anything worth doing, is worth doing right," so I am pulling up the sections of track and doing it right, in my case, using insulated joiners.