G'd Evening Gang,
Brunhilda, I see you are working the week-end nights here. Well, I'll have a hot cross bun with strawberry jam and a HC. to send me to bed. Thanks.
Hope this finds you all behaving yours selves on this Saturday night (bath night).
Spent some time this evening on the RIP track. I worked on a Bachmann GP-30 that had turned into be a bit of a growler. I put it in it's place and now it is running as smooth as a kitten. Also did a few rolling stock issues, couplers etc. so all is good for now. But there is usually something sitting at my desk requiring a service of some sort..
Got the Air Dam for my truck back today, it is the one I had to replace after hitting a deer on the U.S. side of our border coming back from Billings a couple of weeks ago. Rather than painting it, I took it and had it Line-Xed (similar to RhinoGard). they did a great job on it, coated it on both sides so it sure stiffened it up alot.
It was chilly here today and they are even forcasting light snow overnight, but spring will arrive for good later in the week they say.
Ed., I too am sad and sorry to here about your Puss cat. I hadn't been in for awhile.
Ulrich, So glad to hear Petra is getting back to normal and fee;ing like doing a few things. Great to see you playing with your Swiss layout and your small modules. Don't give up on them as they seem to bring you some satisfaction and enjoyment. It is a very professional looking layout, be proud of it.
Garry, Thanks for the old cartoon. I remember it well. You could tell that "Walt" was a model railroader.
Cody, my rescue dog is doing great. He now seems that he is free of Cancer and I sure hope he is as it was getting very expensive. But he is a great Guy and for a young Dog with what he has been through, it is amazing that he has kept his loving personality and good behavor.
The Wife of a very good buddy of mine, who had been cursed with Parkinson's for the past few years, succomed to it last week. We laid her to rest on Tuesday. I was their Best Man 51 years ago next month. Next month I will be a best man again, at my youngest Son's wedding. I was more that surprised when he asked me, but I am really honored that we are that close that he would choose me.
Y.G.W. I just think that Garage/shop/train layout room/workshop that you are building looks fantastic. Keep the photos coming,,, and thanks Ed. for your help there too.
Galaxy, Congrats and good luck with your new employment. Hope it works out well for you.
CN. Charlie, Glad to hear that you seem to be all healed up and getting back to all your favorite things. That Birding-- Breakfast thing sounds great. I'm with Ulrich on this one, I wouldn't be going back to Africa or Europe at this time either. I think that is sound advise. I'm almost sick about my Wife and her Siblings going to Denmark, Sweden and Norway this fall. But there is no changing their minds. I might go at that time and ride a couple of narrow guages in Colorado, if I am up to it.
I guess it is time to hit the hay, so I will wish you all a very happpy Sabbath Day tomorrow and I hope the new week goes well in all ways for you.
Night all, sweet dreams of shiney rails in the moon light.
Johnboy out..................for now
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Good Morning!
Sunday! Time for my (virtual) big breakfast! Janie, my regular order of a stavk of hot cakes, maple syrup, fried bacon & scrambled eggs, buttered toast, assorted jams & honey, a not so tall glass of OJ and gallons of coffee, please.
Looks like being a rather dull day today, wet & windy. Our morning visitors did not (yet) show up. Somehow I have become accustomed to watching the deer playing and feeding in our "backyard".
last mountain & eastern hoggerGreat to see you playing with your Swiss layout and your small modules.
Johnboy, I am back to enjoying it very much. Helps me keep my mind off whatss happening in my body and also what´s happening around us.
last mountain & eastern hoggerI'm almost sick about my Wife and her Siblings going to Denmark, Sweden and Norway this fall.
While Norway is still OK to travel to, Denmark and Sweden are a different story. I certainly cannot recommend to go to Sweden at all. The whole country has been turned upside down and is on the brink of a civil war. I cannot say more here, other than you should try your best to make your wife cancel this trip.
yougottawantaLake Rotorua is beautiful. Was it created by a meteor strike ?
"Lake Rotorua lies in the crater of a volcano that apparently erupted 230,000 years ago, last Tuesday. The area is still geothermically active, Mount Tarawera, some 15 miles south east of Rotorua, last erupted in 1886, with the loss of an estimated 120 folks. Operating a model railroad in an atmosphere that contains hydrogen sulphide (with its associated rotten egg smell) is why I’m a big fan of the “John Allen” track cleaning cars."
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Bear!
Beautiful scenery!! We will have to start saving for a visit to your homeland!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter Bear! Beautiful scenery!! We will have to start saving for a visit to your homeland! Dave
Make that a one-way ticket for me!
Edit: Grrrrr!!!! I just found out that there is a tiny, but important part missing on my dear little "Heidi"! It´s the lid on the smoke stack, which must have been broken off during packing! I have just sent a message to the manufacturer for a replacement part, but I am not sure whether they have any body parts as spares for this type of loco. Let´s wait for their response (which will hopefully be not to long a wait!).
Good morning ...
YGW ... At first, we thought Chip and Dale were cute little critters, but thye created too many Chips and too many Dales. The result is destructive. So thye are getting relacated. ..... Your Hobby Barn is progressing nicely. Maybe, you could have the carpentars get you started with the layout benchwork.
John Boy.... It was me who remembered the classic Donald Duck cartoon, but Ulrich is the one who posted the link to the You-Tube video of it. ... By the way, I hope you are doing well these days.
Ulrich ... Thanks for posting the Donald Duck video.
Today is Shelleys birthday, and I have plans to spoil her as if she is a queen. I'll be busy with that most of today and much of tomorrow.
Have a nice Sunday.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
yawn... try again...
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
jlehnert Ken, You can also get ethanol free at most marinas.
Ken,
You can also get ethanol free at most marinas.
Gee, that is great, out here we have to buy ethanol!
And dang, the Exthaol plant is right here in town too. If the wind is just so it makes you want to run right out and buy a fresh loaf of bread!
ROAR
fit-as-a-fiddle! Wonder where that phrase comes from?
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
Afternoon Diners,
My received my Volkswagen bugs yesterday and a get a nice surprise. I got a NS Croxton work sheet summery from April 14.
I thought it might be to good. I also saw a YouTube video on April 15 with the exact locomotives. Later on I'll post a photo.
YGW- I'm feeling better and no longer in shock. It's nice to see the start of the benchwork.
JaBear- New Zealand is a beautiful place.
Garry/Ulrich- I remembered parts of that Donald Duck video but that was a really long ago.
Der5997- Hope to see them when the castle is being built
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
After two days of futile attempts to access my Photobucket picture account, I finally succeeded a few moments ago!
The part that´s missing on my loco is the one encircled.
It´s not a big issue, but it adds to the specific character of this loco and for the price of it, I can expect the loco to be complete. I think of returning it to the dealer, but will not be able to get a replacement, as the loco is out of stock and will not be re-released until next year!
John - "Happy Days" was my favorite TV show back in 1973 and I remember Erin Moran quite well. 56 is way too early to go.
Sad, indeed!
WEll
I'm trying to sat up tonight so I can be awake for work tomorrow. Far cry from going to bed at 8 pmand getting up at 3 am, now I need to be asleep by 3 am and get up around 9 am instead. If not earlier as my appts are all scheduled earlier in the morngin, will ahve to change that to 10-11 am appts.
Mr B will reply soon as I ahve more time, dinner is in the oven.
Mowed the lawn for the second time, but first time for actual mowing, first time was just a cleanup. My, but May is aroud teh corner...one week of April left. SOon well complain aobut heat of sumemr, then first snow flakes! time really does fly, but this winter with record snowfalls dragged on...and on.
Gotta see the dentist aobut pullign a tooth, It broke off and now is starting to bother me, but my personal fave dentist is only in on wed afternoons at the clinic....have to have another dentist pul it, probably the one I hate, just don't like him or his demeanor...that will only leave one tooth on top, all the rest are fake,a dn I need new fake teeth.
well, dinner is aobut done...BBQ chicken, dry rub, stuffing and corn.
Oh Oh my seedlings are starting to pop!
-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.
yougottawanta. . .ROR - is it hard to see below with that type of glasses ?
Not sure what you mean by below. The office glasses are definitely "fit for purpose." They are designed to be used in an office setting where you don't need to see anything too far away. (Like driving.) The more I use them, the more I like them. Given the range, close-up to 10-feet, they are going to be pefect for working on the layout.
Richard
Evenin' folks!
Janie just a cup of decaf for the moment.
galaxyMowed the lawn for the second time, but first time for actual mowing, first time was just a cleanup.
Well.... I mowed most of the lawn today for the second time because the grass was 6" tall in places (again). Most of the neighbors have now done the first mowing. My next door neighbor got theirs done this afternoon. Didn't get quite half way through the lawn using both batteries today and the mower was fighting me and trying to turn left all the time because the drive wheel on that side is shot.... So I stared at the computer this afternoon thinking about whether I really want to deal with this all summer and fall..... (While I was working on some plans to teach Railroading MB to a Scout Troop at the Museum next Saturday). Looked up and compared some costs for the mower I want to get and finally said what the hey! It's only money and I can afford it. Worst Case scenario I will have to wait one more month longer to replace the hearing aids. They could probably keep working for a couple more years if They had to.....
So.... I unplugged the Volt and headed over to the Home Cheapo in Victor, NY (the closest one that had the one I wanted), talked to the first employee I saw after walking in the place and asked where I might find that particular mower. He nodded his head and pointed over his shoulder to a display about 10 foot from where he was leaning against a railing. There it was! Came back over and asked him for help, he went and located a flat thigie to use to load it over in the garden section and came back over to get it for me. He looked to be about my age... I told him my back wouldn't take kindly to putting the huge box on the cart, he looked at the box and the cart, and found someone a few years younger to get it for me. Took the cart and me over to the checkout where I became $600 poorer and they got a much younger guy to load it in the Volt.... I did manage to get it out of the Volt and up on the porch after I got home. Charged up the battery while I had supper, read the manual and got the rest of the front yard done before the sun disappeared. Man! This thing is a lot more mower than the old B & D one.
It even has headlights if you need to mow after dark..... The mower battery will completely charge in one hour and has a one hour run time. Handles beautifully and easily. Even ramps up the power if you hit a section of higher and thicker grass. The old B & D just bogged down and you had to stop. The B & D could run for almost 45 minutes in light grass and took 4 hours to gain an 80% charge. Right now I can get about 20 minutes of run time on a battery..... As I said before the technology has improved a whole lot! Here it is:
https://egopowerplus.com/products/21-inch-self-propelled-lawn-mower
Need to go and start the siphon for the pool behind the steps down cellar.
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Evening Diners
Flo, Ed, Tom, Jan and I will have Crown Royal with a chaser please.
Boy it was a pretty day! Whent out before work and did some yard work. Some how I lost track of time and was 30 minutes late to work! Not really a big deal with this company and I am seldom late. This the first time I just plan messed up.
Track Cleaning Cars For Sale! Finally used ATF on the main line and saw improvements eminently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Walthers PK 2000 Bessemer SD 7 just a few passes after wheel cleaning started stalling on turnouts. Just a split second, sound went off then engine would move and the sound came back. Was getting on my nevers! Mighty Strang B&O F7's B unit was doing the herkey jerky and it wheels was cleaned Saturday!
ATF the main line and Poof stalling and jerking was gone just like that! Walthers PK 2000 Bessemer SD 7 can now go though my unpowered turnout frogs at speed step 1! I know the Clipper Oil trick has been around from the 50's if not later. Sound like Snake Oil Medicine to me! Same with ATF on the rails! Saw no reason either would work! But I will be dang, this stuff works!
Ed, Gary and others. How often do you folks have to clean engine wheels? I run my layout every day and I have not cleaned wheels on the short line for 2 months. I had been cleaning them every other day.
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Nice mower Ray!
Have been running a F-7 A+B Penn. that out of the box were both mabe i'll run, mabe I won't. Would have to run each unit alone, helping along--ran them both last night for over two hours, fast, slow, along with a 4-6-2 that I had all but given up on. All are running fine, have also noticed a lack of dog fur, wood ash on the rails--WTH ?? Re-bottle and sell as Fur Be Gone !
JaBear,
That is a pretty country you live in, thanks for sharing the video. However, I did not see any snow plows----
herrinchoker
Ulrich - good to hear Petra's recovery is moving along in a positive direction :)
Garry - wow, I haven't seen that since we had cable in the early 1980s at my parents' house. Do kids even watch these old toons anymore?
YGW - You make me jealous! Looks terrific though :)
Lion - I'm glad I'm not where you are. Fresh bread is a no-no! I'm on a low carb diet. That means wildebeest is OK to be on the menu though!
This weekend was beautiful, the girlfriend and I spent Saturday shopping (with a stop at the train store of course.) I got a bottle of Solvaset to try and strip these really stubborn decals off my Walthers Gold Line Hubinger corn syrup tank car. I tried one application and it did take a little bit more off. I bought another roll of scotch tape. I suspect what I had was old. I'll try it again tomorrow.
I cleaned out the train room and put up new shelves in the workbench closet. It's always been a bit cramped but now I can spread out a little bit more and have a spot for my unused tools like the scale and DC power pack I only use intermittently when I have a loco apart on the bench before a decoder is all the way in.
UP 8000 finally has its decoder in, though it's a replacement, an ECO-100 instead of an ECO-PNP. The latter was just too big to install. The speaker baffle was also wrong by Soundtraxx's instructions - I had to lower it to just under where the edge of the speaker's bezel is, and fill the 4 holes with silicone before doing as they say and installing the entire thing with silicone in the top of the shell. The sound is great though, as loud as the Bachmann DDA40X it's paired with, and super clear.
Pairing those two back to back was a chore. I got an Accutrack II speedometer in the mail during the past week and couldn't get them matched until I realized the Bachmann unit had the acceleration step set to 6, and when I matched that on the Econami, everything went smooth as butter. I'm still fighting with the forward/reverse consisting though (see my other threads).
I bought a big pile of stuff this week for the layout as well, several structures I needed and the bits to finalize the track. I was okay, and then I broke down when MBK had a sale on Atlas items and uh...rounded out my need for hoppers. It's definitely a sale you should check out if you're on their email list - especially for the N-scalers here (I saw a lot of it when I was getting my HO items.) I snagged a WP GP40-2 with Loksound as part of it. I'm so excited! My first non-UP loco, and also my first ESU! Too bad the era I model has WP locos breaking down and the crews stealing seats, radios, and anything else wasn't welded down for the WP. Still so much fun :)
All in all, a good end to a relaxed weekend.
Julian
Modeling Pre-WP merger UP (1974-81)
hon30critterWe will have to start saving for a visit to your homeland!
Morning all
Off today. Posting from cell phone. Apologize in advance for typos...
My youngest woke me up around 5am. Sick stomach. Three prayers later to the toilet god I decided to keep her out of school and stay home with her.
JaBear - what is "quick biff" ? Loved the video. Beautiful place you live. Would love to visit some day. I think I will skip the high speed boat ride though. Do not understand the connection between John Allen cleaning and sulfur ?
Julian - thanks sorry didn't mean to make you jealous. If you are ever in Virginia come by and visit. You can experience it first hand.
Herrinchoker - Hmmm I think you might have a business opportunity there ! Fur be gone ! Pet owners every where will be lining up to by that !
Ken ! Watch you tongue ! Did you forget the word w**k is a banned word here ? Vinnie calm down !
ROR - I meant do you have issues seeing the ground with the trificols ? I have buficals and I find that bothersome.
Ulrich - sent you an email
Angel - thanks. I think my daughter has your stomach problems
Lion - do not understand " by loaf of bread " how does that connect with foul smells ?
Garry - I have a long way to go before I get to that stage. First I need an elect permit, install elect, insulation, drywall hang and finish, trim, paint...What does chip and Dale do that is destructive ?
Johnboy - thanks. If you ever want to see it for yourself come to Virginia visit us.
Ricky W. - some of the frigerators we install we have beef up the floor system to support these monsters. One of the model weighs 875 PDS !
TTYL
YGW
galaxyGotta see the dentist aobut pullign a tooth, It broke off and now is starting to bother me, but my personal fave dentist is only in on wed afternoons at the clinic....have to have another dentist pul it, probably the one I hate, just don't like him or his demeanor...that will only leave one tooth on top, all the rest are fake,a dn I need new fake teeth.
Galaxy, Congratulations on the new job! I've got some dental work scheduled, too. I had an old tooth which is part of a crown start to decay. My dentist wanted to put me though like a 10 thousand dollar procedure with multiple implants and crowns. I opted instead to just save that tooth, lengthen the space above the gums a bit and replace maybe just that crown and be done with it. She somehow couldn't understand that I'm retired, the dental insurance isn't going to cover much, and it's a lot of money. Besides, as I told her, I don't need dental work that's designed to last 50 years. My life expectancy is only 15 years (statistics, not pessimism) and after 20 years I'd be eating mush anyway.
Other than that, it's going to get to almost 70 today and it's sunny out. Another bike ride is in order!
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good Afternoon!
Had to make an early start this morning, which kind of confused my usual morning routine. My back is continuing to kill me, so I went to see my doc about it. I am not sure what the MRT unearthed, but he has not yet received the results. So far, an assortment of pain meds will have to do.
"Heidi" is now on her way to meet her maker. I had sent the manufacturer an email and they responded today, telling me to send her in for repairs. I packed her up, put a label on the package and took the bundle to the post office. I just wonder how they will compensate me for the postage I had to pay - a whopping 8 bucks! It´ll be minimum 4 weeks until Heidi is back on my tracks
Breaking News - Reptile Action in Engiadina!
Shot this video of my Rhaetien Railway Crocodile yesterday.
Enjoy!
fieryturboLion - I'm glad I'm not where you are. Fresh bread is a no-no! I'm on a low carb diet. That means wildebeest is OK to be on the menu though!
Well then, do not stand down wind of the ethanol plant, You can just inhale the yeasty aromas of freash brewer's yeast.
We always bake our own bread here, nothing commercial for us.
Just wish they would quit with this pork and bring out RARE wildebeests.
Hello Diners: I'm a semi-happy camper this morning. It may be that the Marklin Z Starter Set which tracking said "was in Canada" over (it seems like over anyway) a week ago may have arrived. Since it wasn't in our mailbox this morning I phoned the supplier. They said, after a brief search, that they had had a notification from Canada Post the "A delivery attempt was made at 8:53 am. No REsponse from the address. Since we were having breakfast at thetime, I can attest that we would have known if "an attempt at delivery" had been made. So, I phoned the local Post Office. Rob (they are a friendly first name bunch down there) said that what "attempt at delivery" meant was the item had been entered into their computer - but since there were many packages this morning, he had not gotten around to putting all the pick-up cards in the mail boxes. So when Kris checked around 10:00 and found just a letter, we thought there was no package - again.
Now I'll go down after lunch (it's nearly lunch time) and see if it's there. I would post a .gif with this, but Photobucket (which was fine yesterday) is not opening my folder in Library - won't even hold the page stable! So, news if any later.
Ulrich:
gone to meet her maker
TTFN.
Good evening all.
Flo - Just a RBF for now, please. Dinner is just about ready... And I have Cheeseburger Gnocchi Soup. If anyone would like, I will bring some in shortly...
YGW - 875 Lbs!?! For a fridge!?! Yikes! No way could I move that bad boy by myself! It gets notr resting when little ol' me (5'6" and under 160lbs) has to move one of the LG Black stainless one that are around 400, let alone the GE slate ones.
Der - Z scale... Small layout, or lots of scenery? Oh, the options!
Ulrich - I agree that the postage should, in theory, be refunded, as it is not something that is your fault. Hopefully Heidi will be complete when she returns.
Howmus - Not bad for a cordless mower... Although my yard is just a bit too big for that.
Ken - Glad the ATF trick is working well. Maybe on my next layout...
Weather - Warmer and sunny today. Chance of rain tomorrow, but, I will be w**king anyways, so...
W**k - Decent day yesterday, but the big sale (for me) didn't bite. They say they will be in Friday for it... We shall see.
Trains - Got the Kapton tape in today, so will be finishing a couple loco wiring projects.
Hope all are well, and all have a good night!
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.
I had a great bike ride today. It got up to 70 degress F, warmest day of the season. So far I've stuck to the mountain bike and the pleasant old rail trails. The road bike will come out in another few days. My bad knee has been no problem, so perhaps that's mostly behind me. I certainly feel better. I've been slacking off on my exercise program because of the knee and the weather, and these workouts the last few days have made me feel much better.
MisterBeasleyI had a great bike ride today. It got up to 70 degress F, warmest day of the season. . .
Nice! It was 70F when I was out today also, but I was out at 6:00am.
We have had a challenge with the service team from a well-known appliance retailer (who will remain nameless.) Our side-by-side freezer has been leaking water out the front during the defrost cycle. We had a technician out three weeks ago who found an almond in the drain. He was obviously not the sharpest tool in the bag, but he removed the almond, off he went, and our bank account was $200 lighter. A week later, there is water in front of the fridge. Out comes the same technician who opens up the back and says, "How much do you like this refrigerator?" He said the drain was plugged and we needed to replace the drain hose, said it would cost another $250 to repair, and that he will need to order the part. I am now into it for $450 but that is cheaper than a new refrigerator. However, I am not happy at all with this technician. A couple of days later I get a call from the local quality team and they ask about the quality of my repair. I tell them I have used them before and they have been great. If this had been my first experience, they would never be back. He apologized and said to call dispatch and ask that a different technician be assigned to the next visit.
Fast forward to today. New guy shows up and is a little timid, but extremely professional. He goes to replace the drain pipe and it is just fine. Long story short, the first bonehead did fixed the obstruction problem, but in so doing flattened the front lip on the defrost pan. Now, before the water could run down the drain, it was running out of the pan, and out the front of the refrigerator. This guy fixes the pan, doesn't charge for the visit, and our freezer is back in business.
Oh, yeah, then we discovered we have some subterranean termite tubes in our bedroom. Whoopie. Luckily we have a contract with Truly Nolan that takes care of these things.
And Mrs. ROR's car decided to die.
When it rains, it pours.
Evening all! Could I get an order of cottage fries with whitee cheese? (Not really hungry this evening.) Thank you so much!
Hobby Front: Got busy with the projects past few days. Got more of the lettering on the coal cars. (Getting closer but still will be awhile yet.)
The GN caboose is renumbered to its BN number. (was never repainted to BN green at least in the era I model.) Waiting for a few more parts before it can go to the layout.
The new bulkheads have their ACI plates but are waiting for the needed white stripes ordered.
The combo car got a little further with a few of the filler pieces filed down. (When I try to file the pieces, they keep popping away from the slots.)
Also got some Walthers track stops I had glued together. Next step is get them painted.
Got the coaling tower kits today and haven't even got the shipping box open! (too many other things on the to do list!)
Also bought a couple new to me items (both Northern Pacific): yet another caboose (I think I maybe need 2 or 3 more) and a 60' boxcar (that wasn't in the original plan but the same seller had it listed and I figured why not?). Don't know exactly when they will come in but I am looking forward to them both.
Responded to your PM, check your mail and let me know.
Jan
Flo, Ed and I will have a please. Oh, Rick left me the bill for the Root Beer Float, thats fine.
Not a lot to talk about today so I guess that is good thing, I think?
Rick, you don't have a layout? Boy that is a shame, just no room?
Ulrich. Would they have sent the missing but not needed part? More than once BLI sent the need part so I could repair a steam engine.
YGW Being out of work is that bad, Working is good.
Jan I really don't think selling ATF to keep dog fur of say a couch would go over well. Well a leather couch? You could play slip and slide!
ATF Main Line Front Boy I wished I had not waited this long. Walther PK2000 Bessemer SD7 has not missed a beat! B&O SD 9 that has sat on a team track for a month, took off just fine tonight!