Afternoon from snowy Centrasl new York State!
I was supposed to be at an "Executive Board" meeting this morning of the NMRA Division, but considering the prognosticators have predicted up to about 20" of the lovely white stuff to fall today and tomorrow complete with 35 and greater mph breezes, it got called off. Whew! Here in Geneva we have had abvout 5" so far and supposedly it is just beginning! Even our church has cancelled services tomorrow due to it. So far we have not had much wind. That is supposed to show up tonight and tomorrow. "Oh Joy, Oh Rapture!" I do have the back-up generator sitting in the shed which can be put to service if needed. Oh.... Wind Chills tonight and tomorrow may get down to -35°F. I think I shall stay inside as much as possible!
Sound amps? I used to have some pretty good sized ones back when. They ranged from a couple little Ashleys (500w/per chanel I think) to the Larger Crest and Crown 1500w/chanel monsters for driving my JBL front end and the Yamaha stage monitors. Still have one of the Crown amps to use when I do a small outdoor gig (Usually for church). I kept a pair of the Yamaha Monitors which do nicely. I had exactly the same set up that the Dave Matthews Band used but about half the size of theirs.... Still talked to you pretty good and could be heard about 2 miles away from the stage.... LOL (Don't ask how I know.... but it had something to do with a Scouting Gig where a Judge living in the area threatened to call the police if it didn't get turned WAY down). And that was not anywhere near full power. I have mentioned my being deaf these days I think......
Hope everyone out there is having a great day!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Snowmagedden has started here, now predicted to get 7 inches with snow rates if 2 inches an hour......
I hear you Big Daddy. I will admit that the newer cars handle a lot better and stop better for sure but a lot of the electronics I just find superflous. I'm current with most of the classic English sport cars though we campaign single seaters more than anything else. They just have a great feel to them and so long as you remember they employ mostly 1930's technology you can have a lot of fun. My Focus ST will run circles around my Lotus 7 but for sure the 7 is way more fun on the track. The more modern LeMans Prototypes we run are technological marvels but they require a computer for the motor, a computer for the gearbox paddle shift, a computer for the data acquisition and another computer in the pits for the telemetry and data downloads. I'm happy with points and a manual 4 speed thank you.
Oh, and I remembered this morning that the tube amp was a Macintosh not a Mc Gregor. I claim a senior moment on that. J.R.
And I get top of page. It''s gotta be 5 o'clock somewhere. Just put it all on my tab Zoe.
I remember passing an MG-T on my way to elementary school, everyday. Around 1960, a friend of my dad's had a Triumph TR-3, which to my eyes, was a step up in to a more modern design. I was still young enough to ride in the rear seat of the Triumph, so I never got to drive one.
My father bought a 240 Z when they first came out. It was an ugly mustard color, not very comfortable, even for my 18 yo body. They were in short supply and he sold it 6 months later for exactly what he paid for it. My aunt had a bug eyed Sprite and that was more fun to drive the the Datsun.
I am surprised that stick shifts are still standard in Europe. I would have thought mass production would have reduced the cost.
In the US we keep tacking on fancy and expensive electronics that work some of the time. The collision avoidance system has a cow when you are in a construction zone that has shifted the lanes over by half a lane. The button that automatically opens the rear hatch works 95% of the time. No one understands what happens the other 5%. Looks like my self darkening rear view mirror could be replaced for $400+ if it breaks. The old system worked fine.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Good Morning All,
Well, still no s**w and the temp is back up to 25F. I suppose when we get weather it will just be bad. CFO is at the house waiting to hear from the heating contractor as we think something is up with the boiler. When we redid the house after the fire, we put in a Buderus system with in floor hot water tubes. It works a treat and has been pretty good over the years so I'm not panicked yet. Just isn't quite up to temp right now. 6 pumps for two floors plus the main pump and those all seem ok. No codes on the screens yet but........ We shall see when we get the service people out. I had the single pipe steam all sussed out but putting the new system in saved so much room it was really worth it (and we had the house stripped to bare throughout anyway). The whole thing is no bigger than a water heater plus the piping with pumps on one basement wall.
Steven: Unless you have some real attachment to the Rustang or you want to DIY, you will find out that you can get a pretty nice example of one for about a third of what you will ultimately pay for a restoration. If you haven't already, treat yourself to a copy of Hemmings Motor News and see what is out there.
Slowly getting there with the freight yard. I think though I will need to put another zone in just for the yard to minimize what I think is interference from turnouts on the main part of the layout. If I operate some of the turnouts on the approach tracks, I can stop the yard jobs dead in their tracks. I think somehow it is messing up the polarity though the only reverse loops are isolated and the turntable bridge is unplugged. Breakers and auto reverse from Tonys are shipped so I should have them in a day or so. At least the mains are pretty well all sorted.
In the shop this morning doing a couple of projects I can't do during the week without messing up everyone else. Catch Y'all Later. J.R.
Evening diners,
Ken, I didn't get the feeling that the shop was blowing me off, I understand the reason for the long wait, back in 2016 we had what us locals call the Great Flood of 2016, we got over 36 inches of rainfall in less than a day, Central was particularly affected, the shop had 12 cars being restored at the time of the flood, they had to start over on all of them.
Also I went there for a bodywork quote not the interior or anything.
I figured 60-70k for a full restoration on the car anyways.
Well I gotta hit the sack, goodnight everybody!
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Evening All,
A glass of wine sounds fine. Cabernet please. Can't have too much beer anymore as it agravates my gout but it does still taste real good.
Spent time in the yard checking out track tonight. I continue to clear out all the guard rails and frogs as I seem to have somehow gotten ballast in all the crevices.
I think Ken that Steven may have had the restoration shop give him a time out. I agree that a restoration at a pro shop can easily run 70k and I doubt the car would ever be worth that. We get people in would want to do a restoration and the first thing I tell them is that they will spend far more than the car is worth. The very best way to buy a race car is to buy someone elses finished car. It just works out that way.
Charlie the best amp I ever had was an old McGregor tube type. I have a Sony of some sort now and a couple of pairs of Bose 301s that survived the house fire. I actually still have some other stuff I got overseas but the new Sony sounds great with the speakers and turntable records. Of course I rarely use the turntable anymore as I have most everything I listen to on reel to reel tape. Better play dynamics than CD or anything else short of the good old round record.
I worked at a dealership then a race team when i did Datsuns so I didn't really have to deal with rust problems. The race cars were what they called engineering cars that we got from Nissan corporate as they were imported for testing and could never be street registered. The only other fate they could have was to be crushed for scrap . Waste of a perfectly good car.
Back to the basement glass of wine in hand.......... Cheers, J.R.
Good Evening,
Well I was wrong, the windchill this a.m. wasn't -44 as predicted, it was only -37 !!!! Dug out my down filled parka so I was toasty warm going out with the dog. Not sure he was though.
I'm alone with the dog tonight as my wife is staying over with her Mum after her day surgery.
Speaking of music, I heard a song on the car radio today that is one of my favourite pop music pieces. It is 'Try' by Blue Rodeo. As I was alone in the car I turned it up annoyingly loud. The car has a decent sound system but not as good as my home system.
Brent, that puppy is really a cute little fellow. Don't tell Robbie I said that. By the way the tires weren't square this morning. They were a little stiffer than normal but with the compounds they use now, the square tire syndrome is a thing of the past. I agree with your comments on sound for your TV. I use an old AR amp with a pair of floor standing Paradigm speakers. It amazes me that that amp is 27 years old and still going strong. I keep it well ventilated as it does produce a lot of heat. While it doesn't have the surround effect the sound quality is better than a lot of systems I have heard with TV.
Those Datsun 240Z were nice cars but I remember the rear spring towers rusted out in about 2 years in southern Ontario where I was living in the early '70s. I worked as a sales rep for Sunoco so I spent my days in service stations where I did pick up a fair bit of info on cars.
Well time for another glass of wine.
CN Charlie
Eveing Diners
Flo, the gang and I will have some Mumm Champian please.
Reason for the Mumm Champain? Well if Issca Bell likes it then so do I. If you are a Clive Clusser fan more than likely you will know who Issca Bell is. It seems Clive was some what of a rail fan as well, talks a lot about trains in this series.
Steven did yot get the feeling you where just blown off by Wayne's Auto Restoration? If you did get a price it would be a round $70,000.00. One of the reason I went to V.O.T.E.C.H school for auto body. No body shop would give me the time of day when it came to having the rust fixed on my 68 Road Runner and I was 24 at the time.
What if any plans do you have as far as a career? Might look into auto body. Never have to drive a beat up car or truck unless you want to.
Trains are running well so later.
Ken
I hate Rust
Another inch of snow last night and possibly some ice tomorrow night.
My back has been sore all week, for no particular reason, but compared to the usual everyday pain, it really hurts but does not radiate down a leg, which is also unusual for me.
It's not Texas, it's Horseshoe, all I have
Opened a bottle of wine for dinner, Il Duca Imperiale, which I now note says SWEET WINE. It tastes exactly like alcoholic Welch's Grape Juice. yuk
Hey everybody!
Been busy!
I got the Rustang out on the waiting list at Wayne's Auto Restoration in Central, Louisiana, oh and its two years before they'll even look at the car and give me a quote.
Speaking of Mustangs yesterday in Zachary I saw a convertible Mustang, a red convertible 69 Mustang! That was one fine peice of automobile!
Remember that penpal app I told you guys about, well I now have penpals in China, Costa Rica, California, and North Carolina, my NC penpal is a girl that grew up and loves rebuilding engines and cars!
Well that's all the updates from me, I'll try to stop in again this evening.
cudaken Never had a problem finding girls or women. Now getting them to talk to me was another matter! Smile, Wink & Grin I did OK, she still needs and love me and I have yet to killer her!
Dad did not have a problem finding mom.
She pushed him into a closet at work and kissed him.
73 years later and they are both burried in the vetran's cemetary outside Camp Lejeune.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Just a regular coffee this morning please. Lots on the plate today, just not food. What was originally predicted as a major storm was downgraded and instead of an accumulation, we got only a dusting so far. No complaints mind you but it can be commical sometimes watching all the hysterics on the tube before the event.
Had our annual "Mad Men" dinner last night for a group of us vintage racers and mechanics sponsored by a friend. About twenty of us and a good time at a local eatery.
Military pay: I seem to remember right after I got posted to Okinawa we got a 100% increase as the end of the draft was in sight and they realized even with free room and board, people needed to make some money. A lot of the career people weren't thrilled about it all as they had endured through it all for the promise of a pension at the end and the increase was too late to have a big impact on the pension payments.
Still waiting on my new auto reverser and with the dinner last night, no time spent on the layout. I've been doing most of the track proving with a Bowser U25B as it has the RP25 wheel sets and is pretty sensitive to track problems. I was also using my Fairbanks Morse CPA24-5 but the decoder on it packed up and it needs to go out for repair. That's a "roundtoit" job and I haven't figured out where to send it yet as the unit came from Canada and the company doesn't appear to be around anymore. Back to the nether regions of the shop. I'm back and forth on the 'puter during the day so I may drop in again. J.R.
Good Morning!
We are nearing lunchtime, so it´ll be just coffee for me, please! Petra is busy in the kitchen, preparing a kind of "mac and cheese" cassarole, which includes spinach and ham - delicious, I say!
The adjustment phase to my new beeper is not yet over. I am still having difficulties to get them "sit" correctly. It´s normal, but just a tad awkward. I am sure it will improve soon!
When I woke up, the world was covered with a dusting of snow. There may be more to come during the rest of the day. Public life always grinds to a complete stop at the sight of the first snow flake, so it´s all quiet right now. We are stocked up with food to make it well into next week, so we stay put.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Brent,
The video of the 240Z being restored brings back a lot of memories. I helped a friend restore one a very long time ago. The floors were so rusty that the only reason that the driver's seat hadn't fallen out through the bottom of the car was that the seat was just a bit wider than the hole! It was a basket case! The automatic transmission was stuck in high gear. We managed to get it running properly and looking half decent. I won't use the term 'restored'.
I went through a similar exercise with my MGB when I was in my teens. When I got it the door gaps had closed up because the basic structure was so rusted out that the body was sagging. I managed to rebuild it. My methods were rather crude. I lacked the proper tools and knowledge so I jury rigged much of it. I fabricated my own floor boards and rocker panels. I didn't have a welder so I screwed the floor panels into place using dozens of large sheet metal screws. By tightening each screw a bit at a time I was able to pull the floors into place very tightly. The car passed a safety check a few years later, and we drove it for another 10 years after my patch job.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Flo, give the gang and I a please.
Brent Good to see you posting and thanks I think for the photo? But it was funny!
Military Pay I am thinking as a E-2 (Went in for 4 years and was E-2 out of boot) I was making $325.00 a month and jump pay was $75.00 a month. Draft was over so maybe they bumped up the pay? I do know as a E-4 I made $20,400.00 in my last year.
Never had a problem finding girls or women. Now getting them to talk to me was another matter! I did OK, she still needs and love me and I have yet to killer her!
Train Front. Found the derailment problem that was causing Penn's SD 7 to derail. Againg I found a lot of black gunk built up in a turnout frog? Cleaned it out the Penn SD 7 is running fine again. I know it is not due to me running ATF on the rails because I had this problem before I started using ATF. I guess there are still some plastic wheels on the rolling stock?
First time in a long time I am glad I still have some 18" radius turns! BLI sure had some Eye Candy on there website tonight! Luckly they all need 22" or larger radius turns or I would have hammered my credit cards! I have badly need house repairs so I am glad I have 18" turns!
Trains are running great.
Later Ken
Saw that and this on imgur last night!
Hey Brent - He needs to get in touch with the guy in my area who painted his black, but added a full fledged train horn to it.... He has the loudest "tooter" in town!
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.
BATMANNever been on a cold call "date" in my life.
.
I thought I was the only one. I have never asked a girl out, and I have never picked up a girl. It always just happened.
My friends were so jealous, all that effort, and I just let it happen.
Life can be magical if you allow it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good one Brent, where on Earth did you find that. We never had such a fine service when I lived up in koochiching County.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Evening
Nothing for me thanks.
Just finished one of my favorite easy dinners. Two Colby-Jack grilled cheese grilled to a perfect Golden Crisp. Cut into triangles, dipped and heaped in Bean with Bacon soup till it's all gone.... Content. TF
George Carlin told us years ago that we could get a new dog that looks just like our old dog. His Youtube videos aren't Forum Safe
11 weeks and 13 years. Puppy is from frozen semen of a dog that died 15 years ago.
Brent, that auto rotissery looks real cool. Almost a must have if your going to do this kind of work, and it seems to come at a reasonable price.
Cool video, thanks.
Mike.
My You Tube
CNCharlieWe are expecting some very cold weather tonight, down to about -35C. We will be up early tomorrow as my MIL has to go in for some day surgery.
Could be a "square tires" ride to the hospital. Hope it goes well.
Speaking of cold, did any of you ever watch "Ice Pilots"?
RMR paid them a visit.
Mikey McBryan has a fun new home made series going.
If I was young I would be up there looking for a job for sure.
Good Afternoon,
I remember my Dad saying that he was paid about $275/month flying with the RCAF during the war as a Flying Officer( about equivalent to a US First Lieutant). The money was saved as my Mum stayed with her parents while he was away and they used the money saved as a down payment on their first house.
We are expecting some very cold weather tonight, down to about -35C. We will be up early tomorrow as my MIL has to go in for some day surgery.
We get Amazon Prime because we, I mean the wife orders so much stuff. We always get free shipping as well. I always go to Amazon first now as it is a whole lot cheaper than rolling the metal down the road. We often get same day delivery.
Finally broke down and bought a new surround amp for the movie watching. My old one packed it in and I had been putting it on hold as so many of the houses we have been looking at have theatre rooms. Didn't go whole hog just bought a Sony STR-DN1080 to see me through. I also had my Bose 601s completely rebuilt as I use those for the surround speakers and listening to concerts and Symphonies. I have a pair of Paisley speakers I use for more "electric" type music. The Bose meet new specs. The guy at the shop put them on the meter and they were perfect.
Just got a call from the kid, they offered him a spot in a 10 episode Net-Flix show. Had to turn it down as it was shooting from Feb to June. He didn't even audition or know about it for that matter. Just one of the Directors he had worked for had him in mind for the role. Too bad it was good $.
Watched a timelapse Datsun 240Z rebuild. I think the guy replaced every bit of steel in the thing. My friend has done that twice. One a Bronco and the other was a Vega that became a drag car. He taught himself to weld on another old Vega he didn't care about. He and us had a lot of good laughs on his first efforts. It took a while but he is really really good now, 40 years later.
BATMANI am going to have to watch that "Strategic Air Command" flick. It looks a little corny but I get a kick out of those movies.
It was intended to be one of those flag-waving, hip-hip hooray type movies. I rember being impressed with the beautiful film work and deep, saturated color of the Technicolor "Vista-Vision" 1.85:1 screen.
BATMANI see Colonel Potter was in the Airforce as well as the Medical corp.
Jimmy Stewart was no slouch in the service, either.
Having learned to fly in 1935, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1940 as a private (after twice failing the medical for being underweight). During the course of World War II he rose to the rank of colonel, first as an instructor at home in the United States, and later on combat missions in Europe. He remained involved with the United States Air Force Reserve after the war and retired in 1959 as a brigadier general.
There were several filming "goofs" in the final cut, but that's the fun of watching these vintage movies! In one shot they were "ready to roll" and the pitot covers were still in place.
Amazon Prime has the full movie. I'd like to get it on DVD but haven't seen it available anywhere. Maybe Ebay?
Cheers, Ed
Morning from the overcast West Coast, it is 8c.
I am going to have to watch that "Strategic Air Command" flick. It looks a little corny but I get a kick out of those movies. I question the takeoff roll, hanging the nose wheel like that and not turning on the jet engines until they were on the runway as well as the way they did the checklist, but what do I know. I see Colonel Potter was in the Airforce as well as the Medical corp.
I think the military as a career is a great path to take. So many professions to choose from and with most of them you can step into the same line of work in the private sector, once retired.
I got my pilots license in 1977 (I think) and went to the Armed Forces to check out being a pilot. Had three interviews and was seriously thinking about it. I had so many things going on I didn't want to give up at the time I kept putting it off and putting it off and before I knew it I was old. At the time they kept calling me back over the next couple of years to see if I was still interested. They must have been desperate.
It was the mid-1990s when I hit my first million accident-free driving miles with the Feds. I am guessing as my name made the rounds in all the industry literature of the day people thought I would be a good candidate for certain testing of different vehicles. I was approached by a couple of Auto manufacturers to test prototypes in real driving conditions and vehicle ferry companies to move vehicles around the world as required. Also, companies looking for instructors also came knocking. Having annual training helped a lot. Alas, I turned them all down as I had my own business interest to take care off.
In my later years, I would get (what I call) days off to sit on accident review panels. Stupid is as stupid does was basically what it boiled down to. I think the most common and sometimes career-ending mistake drivers made was not applying the parking brake when exiting the driver's seat and in airbrake equipt vehicles, not chocking the tires when parked.
Saw a truck roll into a fully loaded 747 once. The driver just put it in park and did not apply the parking brake. It was a day of very high winds, enough to push the vehicle to the point of breaking the parking pawl. The plane had to be offloaded and a replacement found. That guy's career was short-lived. Some people make their own luck.
I am really feeling the arthritis today, may have to retire to the train room instead of carrying on with the garage archeology. We will see.
I never chased girls, they were always chasing me which I never understood. On a good day, at best I am average looking. It must have been my charming personality. Ya right.
Never been on a cold call "date" in my life. All my relationships started out through friendships. I have had five serious relationships and other than my wife the longest lasted eight years. Neither one of us was in the settling down mode but enjoyed sharing our pursuits together, whether hang gliding or scuba diving, sailing or traveling. At 62 she is still doing those things, she never married and has not slowed down. The others were too career-minded or not adventurous enough for me.
My first true love was my next door neighbour. We were in High School and she moved back to the United States after living in Canada for two years. She is now a Dr. at the University of Chicago hospital and we are still good friends to this day. There was a good 25 years before either of us got married and over that time if we were both unattached ( as far as seeing someone) we would visit each other and travel together. Our lives had gone in very different directions and though we talked about it a lot her Church and career-oriented life were not what I wanted.
Well best get to it.
All the best to all.