Good evening all.
Zoe - Don't you dare tell me you can't serve virtual food in the diner.... Vinnie, straighten her out will ya? After that, I will take the largest hot fudge sundae you can make. Thanks.
Trains - Finished assembly on the hopper kit. Next comes weathering. No layout progress however.
The odd part of finishing the hopper - Somehow I broke a number 77 drill bit.... while using a number 68 bit.... Must be I gave it a dirty look by accident....
Covid-19 - PA has forcibly closed all bars, and will begin to forcibly close "non-essential" businesses who have refused to obey the prior direction. The penalty is indeed steep - Revocation of business licenses. My j*b was deemed essential... Guess it's better to be wanted there than on the post office wall....
I have stated that I am no longer delivering to one of the repair garages due to the fact that the co-owner has been going in sick the past few days. The order is stay home if sick, even if your w*^k is essential. He refused to listen, so to protect myself (having asthma) I am no longer going there.
The first official case in Erie County, where I live, was mis-handled very badly... The individual was not reported timely by his primary physician to the health department, nor was the test properly administered. (Protective gear was not used.) The individual was also allowed to return to w*^k prior to the results coming back. (Positive....) So, the individual exposed his w*^kmates, and who knows who else... His w*^kplace was shut down by county health board yesterday. All his w*^kmates are now under 14 day quarantine.
Weather - Went from a (relatively) hot 68F at 1pm local time to a now cold 36F a scant 7 hours later... Yikes! Totally surprised the storms were not strong.
Hope all are well, and all enjoy the night!
Edit - Top of the page! Guess this still employed guy is picking up the tab, so order up!!!!
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.
ricktrains4824Covid-19 - PA has forcibly closed all bars, and will begin to forcibly close "non-essential" businesses who have refused to obey the prior direction.
We have a good governor! He closed all the bars, but you can order a drink by phone and pick it up in your car with curb delivery.
It reminds me of New Orleans and their drive-thru Daiquiri shops. Just like a fast food drive thru, you could order a drink, go to the window and get the drink without ever leaving your car.
York1 John
I'd like to restoke the diner's firebox with some more humor - by way of YouTube. Now if I but knew how to slap it into a post (it's not covered in Mr. Otte's directions) . . .
John
If you want to post a video, hat´s quite easy. All you have to do ist to copy the URL of the video, click on the icon with the film symbol and paste the URL into the field "Source" in the box that opens up. Click enter - that´s it!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
John, Nice name!
Here is the link to insert a youtube video:
Edit: Ulrich beat me to it -- he thinks faster than I do!
Thanks, Ulrich and John.
Give me some time, I've got to get one of them over to my email before I can snatch the URL. And it's already past time for dinner.
As for the name above the generic avatar, it's courtesy of Attu Island at the end of the Aleutians. A most amazing place for birders and anyone who's ever had the good fortune to get there (unless you were sent there by the Coast Guard). It's now virtually inaccessible to all but researchers - unless you can pony up an enormous amount for a trip by boat. Permission from the USFWS (it's part of the Aleutian National Wildlife Refuge) is probably free - if you can get it.
Hilarious news report tonight on the 10:00 Fox News local channel.
Basically they were saying that we Floridians are used to this sort of thing because we have been through so many Hurricanes, and went on to say how much this "shelter in place" thing is like the aftermath of a hurricane.
Well... I call 100% horse-feathers on that bogus comparisson. I have lived through four category 3 direct hits. "Shelter in place" is a cake-walk compared to the aftermath of a hurricane.
#1: We have power. THE AIR CONDITIONER IS WORKING!
#2: We have running water, so we can flush the toilets.
#3: The street are passable.
#4: I still have a roof.
#5: No one is frantic because the ice is melting and there is no where to get more.
#6: My yard is not full of stuff blown over from my neighbor's yards.
#7: We are not arguing with an adjuster from my homeowner insurance company about how much liability they will accept.
#8: Plywood, roofing material, and plastic sheeting are not being delivered in convoys escorted by the National Guard.
#9: There are not semis full of donated used clothing coming down from churches in the North where apparently they think hurricanes make us naked.
#10: I am not helping my elderly neighbors make their house somewhat inhabitable until proper repairs can be made.
Nope, all we need to do in this case is not put on pants, stay home, and watch TV all day. I wish that was what it was like in the aftermath of a hurricane.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good evening .
Sad. A neighbor and very good friend of ours died this morning. He had knee replacement surgery a few days ago. Next, he had a major stroke. This morning he passed away. His wife is a very nice person, and we know she is hurting very deeply. This is a close knit group of people here at the lake, and each of us is devastated.
Good night.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Hilarious news report #2 of the day. This one from our local NBC affiliate on the 11:00 news.
They were interviewing some of the Spring Breakers that have been all over the news lately for partying on the beach. The kids said they will be going home tomorrow.
The reporter went on to conclude that they were finally listening to the suggestions to go back home, and the message finally got through.
What?!?!? They were all leaving tomorrow anyway! The week is over, and this is when they go back home, on Saturday, just like they planned. This in not a message getting through, it is just what was going to be... becoming to be. The Spring Breakers never last forever.
Stupid.
The real interesting thing will be to see if next week's Spring Breakers show up on Sunday, or if they stay home.
We will see.
Heartland Division CB&QHis wife is a very nice person, and we know she is hurting very deeply. This is a close knit group of people here at the lake, and each of us is devastated.
I would bet that your community is very closely knit together, and I am sorry for the loss.
Living in a retirement community my entire life has let me see this sort of thing happen over and over again. We lost a neighbor down the street late last year, and it is not the same without him.
Heartland Division CB&QA neighbor and very good friend of ours died this morning.
I'm sorry for your loss.
When I was still living at home our next door neighbour who was only in his late 50s died right after a double knee replacement. He was a Bell Telephone linesman and his knees were shot after years of climbing ladders and poles. He was a great guy and a huge outdoorsman. Like your neighbour, such a loss.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
SeeYou190#9: There are not semis full of donated used clothing coming down from churches in the North where apparently they think hurricanes make us naked.
I guess that some felt that those who lost their homes would have lost some of their possessions, including clothing. So much for "it was the thought that counts". I'm sure that they'll be careful about "thinking" in the future.
eejit
maxmanSo much for "it was the thought that counts". I'm sure that they'll be careful about "thinking" in the future.
Hopefully so. It is not the thought that counts.
After a hurricane we have tons and tons of debris to remove and rebuilding to do. Adding countless tons of unwanted clothing to the cleanup effort makes things much worse.
After every storm our governor makes a plea to the world "DO NOT SEND CLOTHES", but every time we end up with mountains of clothes becoming homes to rodent infestations.
Please... do not send clothes after a hurricane. It only makes things worse. All of this will end up in a landfill.
The "Center For Disaster Phlanthropy" website has tons of information on how much damage donated clothing does after a hurricane.
It creates a very real problem.
SeeYou190We lost a neighbor down the street late last year, and it is not the same without him.
We lost our neighbour a week ago last Wednesday. We have been living side by side for 33 years. He was an exceptional neighbour. His house was always as neat as anything could be and his gardens were beautiful. He was a true gentleman. I will miss our frequent conversations.
hon30critter His house was always as neat as anything could be and his gardens were beautiful. He was a true gentleman. I
Dave, I understand these comments well. It seems everytime we lose a neighbor that took pride in their property and knew how to be a kindly neighbor, he is replaced by a buffoon who does not want to be part of the community, but would rather upset the community.
You might think these would be young people, but the current generation that is retiring has some of the worst people I have ever seen. Rude and self-entitled would describe some of them very well.
Good Morning!
I woke up to a bright and sunny day here, but, boy, is it cold. Early morning temperature was well below freezing, but fortunately, it warms up quickly. Day time high, though, will not be much above 42°F.
I try to escape the sheer madness around us by watching old railroad promotional films. Today´s feature tells the story of a boxcar on the Southern Railroad system. Here we go!
Enjoy and stay safe!
Garry sorry to hear about your neighbor. I was never a fan of bilateral knee replacements. I thought it was a 1+1 =3 situation. There is a significant risk of pulmonary embolus.
News you can use: https://howmuchtoiletpaper.com/
I'm good for 173 days.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
According to this calculator, we should be good for 170 days (and a little more, as I have another delivery scheduled for mid of April).
Looking at the stock market, using share certificates could be cheaper than buying toilet paper.
SeeYou190It seems everytime we lose a neighbor that took pride in their property and knew how to be a kindly neighbor, he is replaced by a buffoon who does not want to be part of the community, but would rather upset the community.
That is exactly what happened to us with the house on the other side of our property from the good neighbour. We had a really nice young couple living there but they decided to upgrade. The house was then turned into a rental unit. The new landlords didn't bother to get building permits for the conversion into two apartments. I called the bylaw enforcement people and they got nailed big time! It took them more than a month to meet the building code requirements, but I doubt that any fines were laid.
So far the occupants have been reasonably acceptable. We haven't had any major issues but there were a couple of episodes of junk being accumulated on the property. That really ticks me off because Dianne and I spend a lot of time and money keeping our home looking good.
To make matters worse, we contacted the town when we first realized that the house was to be turned into rental units to see if it was legal to do so. Get this - they told us that it wasn't legal but because there was so much demand for affordable housing the town was no longer enforcing the bylaw! They obviously don't give a rodent's butt about what happens to my property value but I have yet to see a tax decrease as a result of the degradation of the neighbourhood.
What can you do? I really don't want to have to move but if the trend continues we may have no choice.
Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020)
R.I.P.
81 years is a good run, may we all be so fortunate.
Early hours shopping for seniors is just a theory. Wife went to the store today and lots of millenials.
This is what it looks like in Britain
Festival of train horns:
Latest stats on the corona virus show a total number of confirmed infections of 20,705 people, 72 deaths and 209 recovered. Actual contamination rate to be estimated at least 20 times higher, but without any symptoms. Mortality rate among those with confirmed infections 0.35%, considering the estimated amount of contaminated people below 0.02%. Under the assumption, that our entire population will eventually be "contaminated", the number of people expected to die from this "pandemic" would run up to 14,100 people .
The country is more or less completely locked down, severe food shortages are occuring in some areas (like where we live), first lootings have happened, borders are closed, but not for "refugees", even if they come from corona virus infested countries. Businesses are folding up by the thousands each day, mainly shops, restaurants and hotels, but also small trades businesses. All automobile manufacturers have closed their production for an indefinite period of time. Stock market has lost over 20%.
The real danger is not the virus, but the idiots who run this country.
Good morning.
Hope you all are well considering the shenanigans these days.
Wish we really could all have coffee together and chat about things, it could be interesting. If we did and one of you got within six feet of me, I wouldn't bark at you too loud
I found the flu history of the past interesting. Hong Kong flu of 68, Asian flu of 57, Spanish Flu of 18 and some of the newer viruses in between these old dates.
When they say we have never seen anything "LIKE" the Coronavirus. I pay to differ but I keep my opinions to myself. I choose not to be opinionated, unless I'm asked.
I also prefer free will. It just doesn't seem we have as much of that these days as we have in the past.
Judy's home made cakes for all, with lots of syrup
Try to have a great day everyone. That's all we can do
TF
Good morning, everyone.
Sorry to hear of good neighbors passing. Living in an isolated town of less than 8,000 people, anyone's death here is someone we know.
Sitting here day after day and working haphazardly on the layout, I realized I wasn't finishing anything. I decided to make a "to do" list of layout projects. It's been good for me. I finished some roads and markings that I had been putting off for a long time. It was very satisfying to cross that off the list.
Ken, I hope you won't have any money problems. It might be small consolation, but you won't have to deal with your bosses for a while.
TF, I agree. It would be fun to have coffee with everyone. Of course, we run the risk that meeting everyone else might mean we wouldn't like each other.
Kevin, in New Orleans after a hurricane, we always noticed that the Red Cross was on TV telling everyone how much they were doing, but it was actually the Salvation Army that was out handing out supplies, coffee, and providing help. I've never forgotten that, and when a disaster happens somewhere, they are an organization that deserves support.
I sincerely hope all of you have good health. Those of you with health issues, please be careful where you go and with whom you are in contact.
Garry,
Sorrry for your loss.
I saw a Bald eagle here a few minutes ago just flying around the neighbor hood. I have never seen one in town. I wonder where it is nesting.
NOt much to report here. We are locked down at the hospital where I work. No reported cases so far.
I went out shopping today, pretty much a non event as I found all but the wife's special low calorie bread at Aldi. Some stores are starting to recover from the panic buys of last week. Walmart looked to be still out of TP
It is cold today, I am now tired of the cold.
Hey all.
Virus: confirmed cases in Washington county PA. My county- I feel fine. My place of business had shut down on friday, but is reopening pn Monday-waiver from the state.
Trains: club meetings have been suspended for the foreseeable future- virus. But, im making progress on mine.
I saw nascar is doing an E-league and broadcasting it on tv, until the postponement is over.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
York1Kevin, in New Orleans after a hurricane, we always noticed that the Red Cross was on TV telling everyone how much they were doing, but it was atually the Salvation Army that was out handing out supplies, coffee, and providing help. I've never forgotten that, and when a disaster happens somewhere, they are an organization that deserves support.
The Salvation Army is #1 when it comes to support after a disaster. They always show up, and they always help.
We made our own Happy Hour last night. We deliberately had only 9 people. Everyone brought their own everything. Our community shut down its own Happy hours, but this way we got the drinks we wanted, instead of the lame beer, low-quality wine and rotgut booze their supplier provides.
It was a gorgeous day, so we stayed out in the street and put our chairs 6 feet apart.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
That´s good news, Bear! In these crazy times of mass hysteria, it´s better to be home!
Youtube is starting to circumnavigate adblocking software. This is starting to be a pest. Google is becoming a public nuisance!