Extra strong coffee in a UNION PACIFIC mug, please and thanks.***Herrinchoker, enjoyed the story about Russ. Most of the rc pilots I fly with are Viet Nam vets. Great group of guys. They are humorously referred to as, The Geritol Gang. The oldest vet at the field (91 years) obviously dates back even farther. He was going to work at the plant where my fathers plane (B24 Liberator) was being manufactured, just when that program was ended. ***YGW, all I know is most of todays tractors are computerized. That is supposed to make using them more efficient and easier, if you can figure them out. ha ha The Tier 4 stuff seems to have issues and it will be interesting to see if they last anywhere near the time frames of older basic machines. Most run at higher RPMs and many require down time for "burn off". All that makes them cost more, too.***Ed & Ken, I really like those layout scenes. Well done!***Richard, sure hope Scout returns. Good luck with the recital. **Ray, neat vid. What condition is it in?Healing thoughts for those in need. Cheers! Rob
Good Afternoon!
Just dropping by to say hello to all!
Nothing to report from this end of the Big Pond - it´s been a rather dull day, not only in terms of the weather.
Janie, it´s not yet supper time, so Iwouldn´t mind going for a slice of that apple crumble and a mug of coffee, please, but hold the wildebeest for me!
Talking of wildebeest - take a look at this:
Morning all.
Chloe - A hot cocoa please. And, I will cover Lion's dinner special today please. Just put it on my tab. Thanks!
Ed - Yes sir, everyone seems to forget how to drive in this weather out in my area as well.... Waiting for someone to hit my mailbox in this storm. It gets hit every year it seems. Speaking of -
Weather - Still snow and blow, and cold. Have about 8-10 inches, and counting. Some areas it is impossible to see to drive, due to the snow and blow. Lake effect snow Warning has been extended until Saturday evening, so expecting over 2' of snow. Yesterday's interstate 90 crash in NW PA had ~70 vehicles involved, with over two dozen injured, but, 0 fatalities. It has been reopened, this morning, but speed limit is drastically reduced down to 45MPH. (Normally 65, and in this weather, even 45 is pushing it!) The local authorities have requested limited travel, if at all possible, but many have not listened, and unfortunately many have to travel for w**k. (As I type - MVA just off my property.....) Speaking of -
W**k - Scheduled to close today, and tomorrow, and off on Sunday. Owner was supposed to come out today, but cancelled due to weather issues. Only sales I am anticipating are snow throwers.... Leaving all model trains at home today, as that is one less thing to move if I hit the slip&slide that many are finding.... (Like the car just off my property mentioned above.....)
Note - Chloe, make that cocoa to go, looks like I need to leave early due to the MVA just off my property, to get to w**k on time....
I will check back in later.
Hope all are well, and have a good day!
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.
Mornin' Folks!
Zoe, while what Lion is having looks good, I think that would be a bit rich for me for breakfast, so just a bowl of Organic Granola and my pot of Seneca Lake Blend Dark Roast Organic Coffee today....
Had a very busy day yesterday and din't get in here to post, so I'll catch up today. I went down to church to get a few things from their SERRV shop for Christmas Presents, One thing I want is in a pile of shipping boxes that are in the back room waiting to be unpacked this week. So I will stop back in after they have gotten all the new items on the shelf. While I was there the guy who does sound and I ended up having a long conference on final stuff for the installation of the speakers in the Narthex of the Church. Then I had to go to the CU to deposit a check, then to the Dollar Store to buy some cheap tablecloths for our tables at the RIT Show this weekend. Final stop was at the Vet to pick up kittie food for the boys... Got home, plugged in the Volt, and attempted to carry both the large bag of dry food and the case of canned food into the house at the same time. I managed to stub my toe on the last step up to the deck and landed myself very hard flat on the deck . Managed to not land on the case of cat food food but hit first with my right knee on the deck! Tore a chunk of skin off the knee about the size of a 50¢ piece... Bled like a stuck pig I did. Finally managed to control that and get a large bandage over the injury. I also wrenched my back again, so today I am moving slowly to say the least. Of course, today I have to pack everything in the car for the RIT Train Show....
Speaking of cats! ROR, I do hope that "Scout" shows up at your door and is OK. I know the feelings you are going through.... Horrible to have a loved pet just be missing! Good luck on your recital! I know you will be brilliant! Personally I would much rather sing a recital/concert than have to give a speech! But then, I am a professional Musician (or was....).
Just got a great video from the Museum showing LA&L #20 arriving at the Museum a couple weeks ago. You will see 3 antique ALCOs and two GE's in the video (as well as our FM which wasn't doing service that day.) Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny_7bMDj6u4
Both of the operating ALCOs from the LAL are Century Units and the Loco we are receiving on loan is their RS1 #20. That will be so cool to watch an LA&L train run by the museum when we are open and have our train being pulled by #20!
Have a great day out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Beach BillThe antelope can all rest now, LION shall eat straw like the ox. HIM can meditate on Christmas, A Gift given with no box.
Very Nice... Thank You.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
JAMES MOON. . .ROR, how did your recital turn out?. . .
The recital is scheduled for 12/22. I am starting to panic. I have never done anything like this before. I have no trouble with public speaking but playing the piano is a different story. Hopefully this will make me stronger.
Things are kind of depressing on the homefront. Two nights ago, Scout, our monster house cat (36" from nose to hindquarters) got out. He has never been outside before and has not made it home. There are posters up, notifications in more than a dozen social network sites, and nothing. Things are not looking too hopeful right now.
Richard
Good morning.
MLC .... Engineers whistle while they work.
Bear .... Your beasts are funny.
CN CHarlie .... You will be in our prayers for your surgery. WHen is it scheduled.... I bet your rotary plow will be fun to watch with the decoder controlling it. .... Interesting about girraffes.
Jeremy .... I hope the back pain is just muscles and improves soon.
Ed .... Your plows look intersting .
Ken ... I can't see the NYC Hudson very well, but the Monon 578 looks good.
Steven .... Looks like good stuff for Lion this morning.
We will be up in Michigan for Christmas. Hopefully not too much snow. We have not had snow yet here in western KY.
My friend and I worked on one of my engines yesterday. The headlight would not light up. Finally figured out a resister failed and no electricty went through it.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Just for LION, today's Diner special is roast wildebeest sirloin (medium rare of course) with cameline sauce over sauteed autumn vegetables. Dig in!
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
December has now arrived here. BRRRR
Give me a large Dr pepper.
dang headlights ( low beams) went out on the wife's car, having to fix the wire harness. GM's genious of shoving it between the body and the windshield fluid bottle makes it corrode. I had to take most of the car apart to get to it.
GRRR
Nothing on the train front, other than who ever the engineer was on the local was hamming it up on the horn last night as he passed by. If my freind Brian were alive I would have thought it was him. He would lay on the horn for about a mile through the two crossings just to say "hi" when he come through at night.
I would have to chide him the next time we had a model train show.
Just stopping in quick guys before work.
Its my birthday today too
a few weeks ago I hurt my back lifting something at work, I felt a kind of pop in the left side of my back. The pain has only got worse too. I don't really have a hard time lifting something heavy but bending over is quite painful and uncomfortable. It kind of feels like a elastic is being stretched so I don't know what it could be. I go to the doctors on Tuesday to ask about it. Laying down is where I feel the most pain so for the last couple weeks have been sleeping kind of sitting up in the corner of the sofa.
talk to you guys later
Beach BillThe Wildebeests were all cryin’, They really were so sad,
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Evening Diners
Flo, if Ed comes back give him a Crown Royal neat and I will have
Been kind of a sad day for my family. Last night my daugher had to put Jessie down, her Yorkshiire Terrier. Sharon and my wife are all broken up about her passing. My self, not as much. While I have meet Jessie it was only around 15 times in her 14 years so I was not attached like my wife. But I stil know the pain they are going through.
Bill That was pretty good!
Lion Hope you heal fast.
K-10 Model Trains That darn Bessemer SD 7 was still there! But, I was a good boy and only walked out with to pack of Kadee #5 and a pack of wheels.
Train Front, what is old is new again. Last night for some reason I ran my old BLI NYC Hudson. Reason I had not ran it in a few years was derailing problem (it was a track problem that I fixed) and no power pick up from the tender. Still not sure on the power pick up from the tender, I did replaces the tender cable. Not sure if the cable was new, or one I replaced before? To counter the problem I run it as a lash up in front of some B&O oil burners. Tracking very well and best sounding whistle of all my steam!
Artic BBQ is done (just as I ran out of Propane) and so am I.
Ken
Hudson coming around the bend.
I hate Rust
Good Evening, Diners,
Nothing for me at the moment, Flo. Just passing through...
I hope for a speedy recovery for you, LION. I have a book on my shelf and every time I see it I think of you. Perhaps during your convalescence you would like to read it?
It is titled 722 Miles by Clifton Hood. The building of the subways and how they transformed New York.
If you don't already have this book and would like to have it for your library just give a quick roar and I'll be glad to send it to you.
Rick, same conditions here, I-90 closed just east of Painesville, OH. Every year it seems drivers have to learn all over again how to handle less than ideal conditions...
Oh well
CN Charlie, thoughts and prayers for you (and your medical staff!) as well.
That rotary idea sounds pretty good!
I'll check in later,
Regards, Ed
Good afternoon,
The storm has finally stopped and it is clearing up but that always means a big drop in temperature. It is 7F right now and we are supposed to get down to -20F by Sunday night. Oh joy. I plugged in the car a while ago. For those of you 'down south' that means a block heater.
Thanks for the kind words on my pending 'op'. I was at the hospital yesterday morning for a pre-op meeting. I was there close to 3 hours while they reviewed all my medical records with me, did a consult with the anethesiologist, etc. They certainly are thorough. It was recommended that I get a epidural for pain management afterwards. It is done by the anethesiologist who does have many years experience. I am nervous about anything being stuck in my spinal area. My hospital stay will be a minimum of 4 days after the surgery day and probably 5. At least they don't hustle you out as I have read on the 'net'. Some places you only stay in for 2 days! I am sure I have bored you enough by now, just feeling a little nervous but at the same time glad the 'little offender' will be gone.
I think I will get out my rotary snow plow and run it around the layout even though it is set in summer. It was a gift from my best friend and I do treasure it. I added a decoder so I can change the speed of the blade and I put a light inside. The weather outside here is appropriate for that.
I saw on the news (BBC) that giraffes are now endangered due to loss of habitat in central and east Africa. They sure are magnificent animals. We are lucky in that we have seen them in all of our trips over there. The size is amazing. They can kill a lion with one kick from a hind leg but when viewing them you can get fairly close as they aren't aggressive.
Hope everyone is well,
CN Charlie
Afternoon.
Flo - A hot cocoa please. Thanks.
Lion - Speedy recovery of him leg is wished! Flo, get him some hot wildebeesties stew to make him feel better.
Weather - Snow and blow and cold here. Guru's are calling for 24"+ by Saturday morning. Interstate 90 is now closed in NW PA due to multiple traffic incidents, the largest is in western Erie County Pa, involving many vehicles. Hoping for a slower day weather wise from here on out! (And, as I type this, "Special weather statement" just got issued, restricting travel, and calling for 1-2" per hour! Good grief!)
W**k - DM was in yesterday, did a few extra training sessions on a few things, and bought us lunch. Had me doing circles part of the day, with three assignments at once, and kept changing which he wanted done first, so I finally chose one and went and completed it, while hiding in the back warehouse. Didn't sell too much, but we did beat our daily sales goal, so that was a plus. Had a tractor trailer show up, and knock the hydraulic lift off (again!) while the DM was there. The best part? The tractor trailer came to the wrong store! He belonged where I worked prior to now, and I realized that immediately. So, his boss came out, got ahold of a fork lift, and pushed/pulled/lifted it back into place. He did say his driver would be getting written up for a "preventable accident", with a catch. According to him, our "loading dock" was made incorrectly. The concrete "bumpers" (his terms, not mine) are spaced too wide, at 102" apart. Trouble is, they were not designed as a tractor trailer bumper stop, but to prevent the snow plows from coming up into the hydraulic lift... Whoops!
Trains - Caught the NS Interstate heritage unit Tuesday, solo on 26R, will post pics if photobucket cooperates later on. Supply order for a Modelling project should be here tonight, weather pending. Something tells me I will have some modelling time coming up due to weather issues...
Hope all are well, and everyone have a good day!
Hello all
Well tomorrow is the day. At 10:40 eastern time Friday I go under the knife for the last time this year to have the lump removed from my chest. The surgery does not worry me it is the thought of having to function with a "tube" hanging out of my body that has me bothered. I guess for a few days I will truly be "holey"
Train front - Today I placed the order for trusses
Bill - LOL Bravo on the poem
Garry - I agree I have been there and it very moving. I choked up a bit as I walked down the wall...
Herrinchoker - That was a good friend you had there.
CG - I think the Vietnam vets should get as much applaud as anyone. They served when it wasnt popular. That is a harder condition to operate under
Henry - LOL two bones !? Interesting part of living in an area here is that it was trampled by both civil war armies I know many of the people whose distant relatives fought here. It is interesting to hear first hand accounts of those that made history. It is many times different than the run of the mill text book histories and some times contradict the story in the books
Jim - Dont you have a skilsaw ? That is easier than lugging a table saw out.
Angel - I like the first drawing. It has ppoint to point and cont. running
Rob - OH, What about the new JD machines ?
FRRYKid - How do you like Rivarossi equipment ?
Ken - How is your foot and daughter going ?
Der - That is an incredible photo of the CP line ! Geez that is a LOT of snow
Howmus - WOW. You all are running NYC Empire cars ! Do you have any photos of the inside ?
Qoute of the day :
A people fired ... with love of their country and of liberty, a zeal for the public good, and a noble emulation of glory, will not be disheartened or dispirited by a succession of unfortunate events. But like them, may we learn by defeat the power of becoming invincible.
I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.
tcwright973Lion - Best wishes for a complete & speedy recovery. I was surprised to hear of your accident though, as I thought lions were more agile than that. You weren't partaking of any of that formented fruit I've seen monkeys & elephants doing in videos were you?
LION had just made some purchases at Menards, stowed them in the vehicle of him, and was pusshing the cart empty, back to the building.
A lump of Ice and a gust of wind, and the cart flew 50' down the road, and the poor LION feel, twisting the leg of him. Him needed help to get up, LION is old and can no longer lift himself from the floor anyway. (When visits a mosque, him sits in the back). Him hobbled to the car, and then through another errand. But then him thinked that instead of driving home, him would visit the ER to see what happened to the precious leg of him. The Vet said it was broken, and I'd have to call another driver to come and take me home. Of course that meant two drivers, one to drive the driver and the rescue car and one to drive me in my car.
Rescue car arrived in Diockinson via the interstatem but that was coming west. Eastbound the Interstate was closed due to the storm. The roads were perfect between Dickinson and Richardton, but they would not let anybody on the interstate since there is no place between Dickinson and Bismarck that could accomodate stranded travelers. And Stranded they would be if they went any further east than Hebron.
Oh Well, while I am tied up with a Broken Leg, one of my helpers cleaned up my room for me, so it was not a lost cause. Maybe I can get him to come down and do my office next.
ROAR
Afternoon Diners,
I hope you feel better LION. Best Wishes.
Garry- Thanks for the commit. It will be a fun layout.
Ulrich- Sometimes its hard for for me to make an simple oval also.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Happy hour in Germany!
Flo, I´ll have a mug of hot cocoa and add a hearty swig out of that bottle Vinnie hides under the counter, please.
I have been trying to come up with an idea for building a British outline micro layout for that little loco adorning my avatar. I still have a few lengths of N scale track and a Peco swith left to build an inglenook type layout, but I have difficulties visualizing what´s in the back of my head for it.
The main purpose of this exercise is to get my mind off the things happening around us. I am afraid it did not work the way I wanted it.
We had a spectacular sunset an hour ago:
A kind of Wagnerian "Goetterdaemmerung"...
Or is it more like "The Ride of The Valkyrie"?
Good morning, everybody.
I'll have coffee and an apple turnover, please.
Yesterday, I was at my model train friend's house. We worke on his lyout and two of my locomiotves that had problems.
Herrinchoker... Thnk you for sharing Russ's story. There are so many heros to be thankful for.
Henry .... Yes, and the entire Civil War was the most deadly in US history.
Central Gulf ... You mentioned the Viet Nam War. I have been to the memorial in Washington to see names of heros on the wall. It is an emotional experience seeing it.
Jim .... Sounds like your work bench project is doing well.
Angel .... Looks like a good track plan with fun operations.
Have a nice Thursday, everybody.
December 7th. 1941
Russ Pinfold was the vet who treated my dogs. I had known, and on occasion, worked with him for over twenty years before I found out the following:
Russ Pinfold was the head vetinarian at the Parker Ranch in Hawii. After the attack on Dec. 7th. 1941 he, along with several other vetinarians were pressed into service taking care of the wounded.
Russ, along with the other vets, were used to working in less than ideal conditions. One afternoon while we were duck hunting he described the aftermath of the attack. Sterile dressings were soon used up, and the vets had large cauldrons of antiseptic boiling over wood fires to sterilize cotton wraps that they used on the burn victims.
He always took great pride in the number of people that the vetenarians saved during the following weeks, under very primitive conditions.
The Japanese made several attempts to intoduce hoof and mouth disease into the cattle on the Hawiian Islands, and Russ was pressed into service by the War Department to combat these attempts.
Most are unaware that vets in those days had four years of regular medical school before going on to vetinary school.
A woman had a car accident, and had her carotid artery in her neck exposed, and lacerated. Russ saw the accident, ( he was coming back from farm calls) sewed up her carotid artery and the surrounding damaged flesh, and saved her life. Never gave thought to possible litigation for the act.
I would go with him on farm calls to assist on occasion, and we spent many hours chasing striped bass on the Kennebec River, as well as duck hunting. Every year at this time I remember him, and the service he provided in that time of crisis.
He was one of the many who went above, and beyond the call. He is missed.
herrinchoker
BigDaddy I took care of some WW1 vets and it was disturbing to realize years later, there are no more WW1 vets. Some of you will see the day when there are no more WW 2 vets nor Korean vets.
I took care of some WW1 vets and it was disturbing to realize years later, there are no more WW1 vets. Some of you will see the day when there are no more WW 2 vets nor Korean vets.
Viet Nam vets are starting to disappear too. It almost seems like nobody cares. I know that is not true in all cases, but the antipathy by some Americans toward the whole Viet Nam involvement unfortunately spills over into how Viet Nam vets themselves are viewed by some.
I could go on but it would invite political discourse, so I'll let it go.
Big Daddy, did you work for the VA by any chance?
CG
I've read larger numbers of survivors with 200 attending. The stories I've read this year are the most graphic I've ever seen, describing the burn injuries at the time. I took care of some WW1 vets and it was disturbing to realize years later, there are no more WW1 vets. Some of you will see the day when there are no more WW 2 vets nor Korean vets.
While it was a pivotal time in American history, in terms of death it was hardly more than one of the cornfields at Antietam. That's not meant to belittle the suffering and the bravery at Pearl Harbor.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Good evening to all. Just finished reading the last three pages of posts to get caught up. Lion, best wishes for fast healing and complete recovery from your fall and broken leg.
Ulrich, thanks for the posting of the Moonlight Sonata which is acutally the first movement of a piece that translates to Fantasia in English. My German left me about a week after I left class my Senior year in University. Coincidently I played through the piece this afternoon as it is one of the Beethoven pieces I am trying to improve upon playing. It was also a piece I did in my senior recital in 1961 many years ago. ROR, how did your recital turn out?
Finally finished the frame for the new workbench and am ready to cut the plywood undertop tomorrow pending more nice weather. My table saw is in the unheated garage and requires a fair amount of suffling of junk to acess.
I figured this morning that my conception must have occurred about the same time as Pearl Harbor as I was born about nine month later. It is hard to believe that the attack occurred 75 years ago and that so few people still survive. I heard that the oldest survivor is now 104 and was to be in attendence today for the services at Pearl Harbor.
The highlight for the past week was hearing the 90th annual performance of the Messiah by our local college music department and community choir and orchestra. The head of the music department said our communities annual performance of the Messiah and Macy's Thanksgiving parade are both 90 year old traditions this year. Anyway the performance kind of kicks off the holiday season for me.
Hope everyone needing healing prayers will have them fulfilled.
Jim
Moment Of Silent For Are Fallen Brother's In Arms.
Flo, give Rob a strong cup of in a UP mug, if Ed makes it is a Crown Royal Neat and I will have a Please.
I have all so been to Pearl Harbor and visted the entomb on BB-39. It was a beautiful day and as I looked around it was hard to picture what happen on Dec 7th 1941. I have meet some of the few remaining WWII vets at the VA.
Train Front Boy am I glad I tested the Might B&O F7a on the programing track first! Started making some God Awful sounds when I tried to read the decoder.
Shipping Crown Royal Hum Seems that is just about impossible unless I lie about what is in the box?
Later, Ken
Sorry about not posting yesterday due to internet maintenance.
As promised my track plan for your thoughts.
The first one, with a small grain elevator on the left. A station next to it. Upper right a fuel distributor, and a warehouse on the lower right.
The next one is original artwork than the top. This one had a lot work done. Due to eraser marks and over 6 years designing. It contains a staging yard and a tail track. The tail track enough room for a NW2 and two tank cars.
Some of the business were changed, but I didn't change them back. Due the damaged paper.
The original had a grain elevator on the left plus a refrigeration building. The top right was a location for a small engine facility. It was quickly dropped. The same fuel dealer and warehouse locations stayed. It has a small staging yard for a locomotive 8 cars and caboose.
My friend Claus has just sent a couple of pictures of the layout we built for his grandson.
He will add a removable shelf for the power packs.
This is just the basis from which further construction will be done, but together with his grandson. There will be more vegetation coming, roads, structures, streetlights etc. Claus will also have to add a loco and some more cars - the railcar pictured is mine....
I think this is going to be a nice layout for an 8-year old.
Extra strong coffee in a UNION PACIFIC mug, please and thanks.
***YGW, the older J.D's are great machines. My only issue is with the mechanics.
***Der, the awesome silos are still sitting on the layout where they will eventually be planted. I know, takes me forever to get much done. Once the new benchwork is finished and the old section of layout is raised (still not sure how I'm going to do that), I will finish up those detailed areas.
Healing thoughts to those in need.
Cheers! Rob
Heartland Division CB&Q A moment of silence in rememberance of Pearl Harbor Day.
A moment of silence in rememberance of Pearl Harbor Day.
Let us not forget the events of this day 75 years ago. (I read an article a few weeks ago that there are 5 military survivors of Pearl Harbor still living.)
Hobby Front: Got a little further on the combo box. One of the people in a FB group I am in offered me a set of the offset NP lettering that is unique to this size of car. I took him up on the offer as I hadn't been able to find anything similar. Getting yet a few more ideas with the U25 that are relatively inexpensive that allows me to keep the existing Rivarossi drives.