Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to try to log on to this site! It took me like 20 attempts to get through! I have never seen such a badly performing business website before!
howmusI really believe they ARE the future for several reasons
I totally agree, Ray. I used to be quite a "petrol head" but that has changed. For the little we drive, only an EV makes sense. I just hope the prices come down when sales numbers rise. I feel that this year will be a game changer for EV. There are so many new models coming up - and not only those big, fat luxury vehicles only the chosen few can afford to buy and use as a nce toy. I have laid my eye on a SMART ForTwo EQ, which appears to be exactly what we need. The current prices are still too high, though. Maybe that changes when SMART goes completely electric by next year. Volvo will follow by 2025.
Motorbikes - not for me. With 6´5" I am too tall and now too old and fat for them. Did some motorbikin´ back in the late 1970s, but haven´t been on one since.
And now for some railroading:
3 days ago, somewhere in the southeast of Germany...
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Mornin' Folks!
SeeYou190I really like electric cars. I believe we are right on the edge of this technology becoming accepted by the puchasing masses.
Yep, I already have some experience in them. I really believe they ARE the future for several reasons. My next car, I hope, will be a used Tesla, which are quite affordable and come with lifetime electric. There is a Tesla charger over at the college which I could use while I go for a walk, but would likely trickle charge it most of the time with my 18 amp charger I use for the Volt (Would only need the adaptor). My Volt uses electric for most of the milage I put on it. Kicks over to the fossil stuff when I go to Rochester or Syracuse, etc. but I have used a gallon of gas only every 135 miles with it. I like that the gas engine basically only spins the generator so it operates similar to a diesel electric locomotive... LOL
Motorcycles... Closest thing I used for a while was my youngest son's little moped.. I did enjoy riding it to work at school while son was in college and could keep it there. The lady I am "courting" says she is terrified of motorcycles (and that facial hair tickles) so I guess I am too old to take up riding antique Harley Hogs (I have ridden on one way back when as a rider).
Best get back to w*rk as I have a lot to get done today before I telephone that certain lady (in Florida) to chat later this afternoon......
12
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Too bad the finally took down the 18 story tall Kentile sign.
The sign survived the company by 50 years.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Good morning .. Coffee and a donut, please.
Ed .... I recall seeing SP 6051 at the Sacramento museum.... And I recall a family trip by train when I was a kid in the 1950's. We rode SP trains with the entire trains painted in the daylight scheme. ... In the 1950's, USA had the best passenger trains in the world.
One of the reasons why I selected my era for model railroading was because I liked the passenger trains then.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Good Morning, and Happy Tuesday!
From nearly the same location as Sunday's photo, here's a shot with much more pleasing power on the head-end! Didn't we agree that we'd rather see Es or PAs?
SP_Extra6051_4-27-85 by Edmund, on Flickr
This was an employee special run on April 27 and 28, 1985 from San Diego to Sacramento.. On Sunday's trip the E-9 6051 remained in Sacramento where she was donated to the California Railroad Museum.
SP_ExtraX-6051_4-27-85 by Edmund, on Flickr
Thanks to Marty Bernard for sharing these great Roger P. Uta photos.
On my fiftieth birthday some years ago I was meeting with someone at a local restaurant. I took a shortcut on a street that I don't often travel on. There I spotted a shiny, Honda Magnum motorcycle on someone's lawn with a For Sale sign on it.
Well, all through that lunch I kept thinking about that silly motorcycle. I'd never even been on one up to this point!
Sure enough that bike followed me home. I had a good time with it, maybe only two or three "close calls". Later I bought a bigger American Calssic Edition and had another two years or so with that machine.
Then... that one fateful night! While cruising in to w**k I was meandering at about 40 or so and up from a grassy culvert jumped a big doe. I watched the whole thing in slow motion. It was her hind hock that hit my front tire and the next thing I know I was kissing the asphalt.
It was a darned good thing I wore a helmet as there was a 3" chunk of fiberglas missing from it when I checked it out.
Didn't break any bones but I sure had a bad case of road rash for the next few weeks. I made it in to work and as it turned out had to stay over 'til noon the next day. An afternoon thunderstorm dumped an inch or two of rain for my ride home.
I would dump the water out of my boot at stop lights. The right one had a hole in it where the foot peg smashed through it so I didn't have to drain that one.
Well, that was enough fun for this old man.
Here's the only thing with spoked wheels I ride today:
IMG_9653 by Edmund, on Flickr
Enjoy the day folks!
Regards, Ed
Good Morning All,
Still home this morning as I have an errand to do first thing in town. Yesterday it was warm enough to do some stuff in the trailer so I fired up the lift gate and it promptly blew one of the hydraulic lines. Looking at the rest, they were all rusty so off they came and I will pick up new ones this morning at the shop we use for that stuff. Of course we could have done it in house but all the fittings are different (45 deg flare vs our 37deg aircraft stuff plus different threads often). Long story short the repair shop is a couple of blocks from the house so I'll just wait til they open and pick up the stuff.
Spent time last night tidying up and fixing one transition from the main to the last part of the yard I need to build. Should be ready to lay out turnouts in a day or so as I want to take as much advantage as possible of the good weather before it a: rains and b: gets cold again. The break from sub zero temps is greatly appreciated.
I gave up motorcycles here as the traffic is just too heavy and now it is worse with way too many people not paying attention. I was looking at hybrid or electric cars last time as I only drive ten miles each way to w**k. I decided against an electric because I still take the occasional long trip and an all electric doesn't have the range for long distance travel yet. I was still looking at hybrids when I walked into the dealership and found a Focus ST at a price I couldn't pass up. I got that on the premise that you're never too old to have a happy childhood. It's paid for now and I haven't lost my license yet despite it being faster than anything I have owned including the race cars. I have to admit though a hybrid makes a lot of sense for my situation. Maybe next time. The whole battery/recycling thing does bother me though.
An E-Tron would be fun. We got invited to test when the Audi factory team was debuting their E-Tron prototype race car and it was interesting. Between the diesel fuelers in their space suits and the light on the roof to tell you when it was safe to touch the car the whole thing was a trip. They had rented the shuttle landing strip at Cape Canaveral and we spent two days running high speed tests up and down the 6 mile runway in between the Audi team testing.
So far so good. Time to get over to the hydraulic store and get hosed. J.R.
RideOnRoadFor what is worth, Audi ran a Super Bowl ad touting their growing e-tron line.
This is one of the cars developed solely to meet the US fleet criteria. At close to $100k hardly a car for the masses. None of the big brands is really involved in developing affordable EVs. There are a few upstarts like e.go, Sono, Microlino who seem to be the only ones attempting to create a real EV "Volkswagen" .
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Tinplate Toddler. . .The German car makers are seriously lagging behind in this upstarting industry. . .
For what is worth, Audi ran a Super Bowl ad touting their growing e-tron line.
Richard
SeeYou190I believe we are right on the edge of this technology becoming accepted by the puchasing masses.
Not in this country. There is a strong feeling against EVs, nurtured by a number of, let´s say, fairy tales about them. Add to that prices which are still high in the sky and hardly any charging stations around and the package deal is not at all attractive.
The German car makers are seriously lagging behind in this upstarting industry, with the US, Korea and China being miles ahead. This will have disastrous effects on all of the German economy!
Should I ever have to buy another car, it´ll be an EV!
Ulrich: I think the second may be the winner.
BigDaddyI don't watch Saturday Night Live, so forgive me if this is known to everyone, but the Mercedes Electric AA is exactly how I feel about electric cars.
.
I really like electric cars. I believe we are right on the edge of this technology becoming accepted by the puchasing masses.
I have a good friend with a Tesla SUV, and it s amazing. And I am not just talking about the tricks it does, although its ability to "tuck itself in" at night is pretty cool.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Evenin folks,
Henry, I can agree that now it might be obscene! but yes I've heard of the show and controversy, Gilligan's Island had some trouble with that too.
Someone mentioned the NFL all stars commercial, heres an explanation of who exactly the girl in the red dress was...
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/the-teen-girl-in-the-nfl-legends-super-bowl-commercial-is-award-winning-football-player-sam-gordon.amp
Anyways, this weekend I'm going to Pulla Part! Looking for some parts for my truck and the 387 I'm getting ready to build.
Well thats all for now.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
RideOnRoad Tinplate Toddler . . .Something like this one?. . . The trick is finding a good one in N Scale.
Tinplate Toddler . . .Something like this one?. . .
The trick is finding a good one in N Scale.
https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/BICYC%5F2%5FLED/138-2-0-264849-013014-0-0-0-0-0-0-grp-gb-p-0/ein_produkt.html
https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/BICYC_2_LED/138-2-0-243649-013014-0-0-0-0-0-0-grp-gb-p-0/ein_produkt.html
I saw a flyer at the train show for "Nostalgia Convention" with Barbara Eden. Stephen, back in the day, it was to risque for TV to show us her navel. Now to see an 87 year old lady dressed up as a genie, might also be obscene.
I don't watch Saturday Night Live, so forgive me if this is known to everyone, but the Mercedes Electric AA is exactly how I feel about electric cars.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Tinplate Toddler. . .Something like this one?. . .
Ken I didn't bring up the motorcycle classes, though I do have a motorcycle. I have not ridden it for a couple years because of varioius medical issues, but I think I lost my nerve. I catch every news story about cars hitting bikes. Either the cars are turning left or putting out from a side street into the bikes.
When I was riding, I went to a MC weekend and was talking to this woman who was in a Mini, waiting for her husband, whom I did not know. A couple weeks later he got killed, following another car too close, he slammed on the breaks, the bike went down and into oncoming traffic.
Ken
Sent you a PM
herrinchoker
There was only one commercial from yesterday's game worth mentioning . . . the one where a bunch of football greats are at some kind of banquet. You gotta be careful before yelling "Fumble!" in a crowded restaurant.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I please.
I am getting sick of all the running I do now that I am working part time! My wife is doing less and I keep doing more and more? Then she complains "I never get to leave the house!" Hum, I have a idea!
Hoarding Room Clean Out. Took more junk to dump and there is still a lot to go. Right now I wish I owned a Pick Up Truck, my car is full again and there is still more junk on the front porch.
Wife and Daughter found my first Lap Top! It runs window 98, Flop Port, CD player, no usb ports but it started right up, well slowly but started. Seems to think it is Oct 2018. Not bad for sitting for 20 years! I will play with it a little and then off to the recycler it goes.
Henery on the motorcycle! If things had not gone south on the house I had hoped to buy a bike this year. I have ridden around 100,000 miles and love it! I rather have a motorcycle than a new Dodge Hell Cat! Well, it would depend on the motorcycel. Main advice I will give you, watch for gravel in intersections! They can act as little rock ball bearings, not good on a bike!
TF Got the rope foam filler for the larger window to brick gaps.Thank on that tip!
Trains are running well, so later.
I hate Rust
The TV was on and I saw some plays. The only commercial I took notice of was for Hanna. I tried to screen capture the video. The software said that it had to close some funtions down to get a quality recording. I ended up with 45 min of sound a a recording of just my task bar.
It looks like a weird movie. A baby is kidnapped from a hospital nursery and people start getting killed off immediately. I don't think I will make the effort to try again.
Went to the Timonium train show and got some coal cars. Happy to see Bowser and Athearn there.
RideOnRoadI already have a group of kids with bicycles on my layout, it looks like now I am going to have to find an old guy with a motorcycle.
Something like this one?
or this?
A year ago my middle daughter was in basic training at Fort Jackson, then AIT at Fort Gordon (for the Arizona National Guard). Before she left she was driven, but not adventurous. When she came back, she was ready to try a number of activities that had scared her in the past. She invited Mrs. ROR to try skydiving and last November they jumped out of an airplane. She has always been afraid of water so she decided to get scuba certified. Lastly, at least for now, she decided she wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle. I have always said I wanted to get a bike with a motor in addition to the bikes I pedal, but I would not get one without learning to ride first. My daughter said, "Okay, Dad, let's learn to ride. Here is the course. You need to enroll." And I did. Previous to this I had ridden my brother's enduro bike some 30+ years ago for all of 2-3 miles. We took the MSF Basic Rider Course, passed the test, and received our motorcycle endorsement.
I thought, "Now that I have learned the basics, the only way to reenforce what I have learned is to practice, and the only way to practice is to get a motorcycle." It made sense to me, but I figured Mrs. ROR would exercise her veto authority and I did not have the necessary votes to override the veto. Much to my surprise, she said, "I think you should get one." I did some looking around and found a great used bike with very low miles and an excellent price tag. I am hooked. I already have a group of kids with bicycles on my layout, it looks like now I am going to have to find an old guy with a motorcycle.
Good afternoon everybody.
... I’ll have a RBF please . Temperatures have been in the sixties here yesterday and today. ... I saw some flocks of white pelicans swimming in the lake and a pair of bald eagles in the trees.
Ed ... I have wanted the video of the City of SF stranded in Donner Pass a few times before . I always like watching it. Thanks for sharing it.
Steve O ..., My March MR has arrived . It looks like another great issue. Efforts by the MR staff are appreciated. I’ll read it soon.
Super Bowl ... I did not waste about three hours of my time watching it or the silly ads.
Happy Model Railroading
Good Evening!
Not much going on at this end. I am waiting for the approval of my application for support, and I feel not only a little uneasy about it.
Steven - I meant to say there is no word for "zeitgeist", but of course it can be translated, just like kindergarten, angst and some other German words that have entered the English language. I guess that more English words have entered the German language than vice versa. Strangely enough, we have some words which sound English, but you won´t find them used the way we use them. We call mobile or cell phones "Handy" - I have no clue why.
When I was in Japan some 30 years ago I noticed many "foreign" words to which the Japanese had just added the ending "o" or "ko", the latter one as a diminiutive. When Japan opened up for trade in 1863, they must have been in a rush to find words for the things they didn´t have before.
I have recently noticed, that my ability to express myself in the English language is going south, not rapidly, but constantly. Speaking the language is becoming more of a chore these days. Maybe it´s the lack of exercise, but with the exception of an occasional talk over the phone, I have no opportunity to keep it in shape.
Tinplate Toddler For me, the most interesting new suppliers is a firm with the unusual name Zeitgeist (there is no translation for that) producing models of the German NG line to the Zugspitze, Germany´s highest mountain.
For me, the most interesting new suppliers is a firm with the unusual name Zeitgeist (there is no translation for that) producing models of the German NG line to the Zugspitze, Germany´s highest mountain.
"Zeitgeist" isn't untranslateable. In English it means "spirit of the times" or "spirit of the age." In America, we often just use "zeitgeist" without translating it. As in, "The Art Deco movement captured the forward-looking, progressive zeitgeist of the Roaring '20s." English is like that; we're always stealing words from other languages. That's because England was conquered by so many other cultures during its early years. Romans, Vikings, Normans, etc. So when we hear a cool concept we don't have a word for, we just take it.
Though other languages do this, too. Every few years there's another popular push in France to ban non-French words from their language.
And did you know that before European explorers opened Japan, the Japanese had never heard of bread before? Not just the word, the very idea of it. So there was no way to translate "bread" into Japanese. So they adopted their word for bread from the one Portugese explorers used -- "pan." And those Japanese breadcrumbs you see in the foreign grocery aisle, panko? Literally in Japanese it means "bread children."
Isn't language neat?
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Good morning
I'll have a cup of that really good Starbucks Pike Place roast.
I don't know about you guys but for me that was the most boring Super Bowl I can ever remember. As always we made a Food Fair out of it so we still had fun.
TF
That Subway stretch looks good Lion. What are you preying on down there? I couldn't find the cat.
The big cats are very religious... They love to prey!
ROARING
Mornin all,
I was going to ask if shed like my seat but the partys host came over and asked if she wanted a seat she replied no thanks and continued sitting on the floor.
LION, do you root for the Giants? Also your story about your nephew and Super Bowl 30 was hilarious.
Well I'll be around.