I was going to participate, but this thread has digressed to other subjects.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Back to the topic.
Age: 57. Plan on retiring at age 62. Still have two teenagers living at home until then since I got married late in life by normal standards.
Been on the forums since about 2008, but lurked for a few years before that.
First train set at age 10, 4 years after being totally bitten by the display at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
Grew up in Grand Island Nebraska where the BNs (CB&Q) Atkinson Branch (to the powder river coal area in Wyoming) crossed the UPs double main line on the east side of town. I'm told that during this period, it was the busiest at-grade freight RR crossing in the country. Unfortunately, I was a model train fan and not a real rail fan so that bit of trivia was unappreciated at the time.
Went to University of Nebraska to recive BA degree in Accounting and Finance, and became MOPAC, BN, and a UP fan.
Accepted a job with a nation-wide company in auditing and financial risk assessment and have worked for it since age 22, 30 years of it in the Indianapolis area. Accepted a promotion to the ATL area in 2016.
Now live in the burbs on the unconventional non-north side of ATL but in a SW county near Newnan GA.
Unlike Nebraska and central Indiana, the woods of south edge of the Piedmont provides tree shade to escape the sun in summer. No snow. Little wind. Love the weather.
Built two previous HO layouts. Currently working on my third, which is the latest iteration of my consistent interest in freelanced/protolanced modern shortlines....set now in the SE USA. Using ex-MOPAC, ex-BN, and ex-UP locos would be a nice achievement, but any paint scheme works.
Used to be a strict DCer but succumbed to the dark side of DCC/Sound about 5 years ago.
- Douglas
Douglas, I sent you a message.
York1 John
Don't know if anyone is interested but:
I am 64 and live outside of Pittsburgh, PA. (like one mile)
High school education and some technical school
Been married to my wife Cyndi for 31 years. No children.
I worked doing industrial drafting until realized how much I disliked it. Then I switched to a production artist at a small ad agency. Around 1988 in a moment of insanity, I blew my life's savings to start City Classics.
Still doing that and probably won't ever retire.
HO Scale
I don't have a layout except for the one I use to display our products. You may have seen it at shows or in Model RR Planning last year.
I'm not sure why, but I'm a fan of the New Haven RR and some of the regional railroads from this area (P&WV, P&LE and now W&LE).
Outside of modeling, I enjoy music. Everything from the English Invasion (especially The Kinks), all the way to New Wave and Aternative (Springsteen, Tom Petty, Ramones, Roxy Music, Nick Lowe, Lyle Lovett, Echo & the Bunnymen, and I could go on forever.) Just not much classic rock because I've heard it since it wasn't classic. I also enjoy doing artwork, old movies, our pets and studying the Bible. For the last 3 1/2 years my new hobby has been visiting doctors and hospitals for some serious health issues. I don't want to bore everyone with details, but after bring poked, prodded and cut everywhere imaginable (and I do mean that) I have no privacy left. I just didn't want to run on any longer.
Jim
ctyclsscs Don't know if anyone is interested but: I am 64 and live outside of Pittsburgh, PA. (like one mile) High school education and some technical school Been married to my wife Cyndi for 31 years. No children. I worked doing industrial drafting until realized how much I disliked it. Then I switched to a production artist at a small ad agency. Around 1988 in a moment of insanity, I blew my life's savings to start City Classics. Still doing that and probably won't ever retire. HO Scale I don't have a layout except for the one I use to display our products. You may have seen it at shows or in Model RR Planning last year. I'm not sure why, but I'm a fan of the New Haven RR and some of the regional railroads from this area (P&WV, P&LE and now W&LE). Outside of modeling, I enjoy music. Everything from the English Invasion (especially The Kinks), all the way to New Wave and Aternative (Springsteen, Tom Petty, Ramones, Roxy Music, Nick Lowe, Lyle Lovett, Echo & the Bunnymen, and I could go on forever.) Just not much classic rock because I've heard it since it wasn't classic. I also enjoy doing artwork, old movies, our pets and studying the Bible. For the last 3 1/2 years my new hobby has been visiting doctors and hospitals for some serious health issues. I don't want to bore everyone with details, but after bring poked, prodded and cut everywhere imaginable (and I do mean that) I have no privacy left. I just didn't want to run on any longer. Jim
I don't think they had to do any testing to find out I'm not normal.
But they knew right away. In November of 2016 they found I had bladder cancer. I had two small surgeries to remove the tumors and a round of immunotherapy which works 70% of the time to prevent them from returning. I was in the other 30%. So three years ago I had major surgery to remove my bladder, prostate, lymph glands and anything else they felt like removing. At the same time, they used a piece of my small intestine to "make" a new bladder (or neobladder). The key was doing it right away before the cancer spread outside of my bladder (everything came back that it hadn't). I needed two smaller surgeries after that for scar tissue and a hernia, but so far so good. I'm just at the point now of annual exams to make sure nothing shows up anywhere.
selector I won't post any more about my eating habits as I don't want to impose my new eureka on Brent's interesting thread. However, what you don't want is to combine carbs with fats. Any other combination is fine, but if you have a donut or potato chips, you're very much eating incorrectly. The body will deal with, in order of preference: fructose (only the liver does the work on fructose), carbs of other kinds, proteins, and then fats. If fats are left over after all your needs have been met, insulin will cause you to store the fats at 2.2 times the calorific density of either carbs or protein. So, don't eat the fat if you're going to have oatmeal or Cheerios...or toast. No butter, no peanut butter, no wedge of cheddar... I agree with the previous poster about the modern diet. Who, who lived 10K years ago, had shelves with blueberries from N. Zealand in January? Or grapes from Mexico. Fruit was only eaten when it ripened and was sufficiently decent to eat and abundant in the northern hemisphere, and that means for about 6 weeks in the mid-late summer and some apples into the fall. Otherwise, it was pretty much meat and fat...if you caught it. Maybe some dug-up tubers. Fruit raises blood sugar very quickly (the fructose), but it therefore causes an insulin response. Insulin is a storage hormone...period. What do you want going for you as winter approaches? Insulin. And berries.
I won't post any more about my eating habits as I don't want to impose my new eureka on Brent's interesting thread. However, what you don't want is to combine carbs with fats. Any other combination is fine, but if you have a donut or potato chips, you're very much eating incorrectly. The body will deal with, in order of preference: fructose (only the liver does the work on fructose), carbs of other kinds, proteins, and then fats. If fats are left over after all your needs have been met, insulin will cause you to store the fats at 2.2 times the calorific density of either carbs or protein. So, don't eat the fat if you're going to have oatmeal or Cheerios...or toast. No butter, no peanut butter, no wedge of cheddar...
I agree with the previous poster about the modern diet. Who, who lived 10K years ago, had shelves with blueberries from N. Zealand in January? Or grapes from Mexico. Fruit was only eaten when it ripened and was sufficiently decent to eat and abundant in the northern hemisphere, and that means for about 6 weeks in the mid-late summer and some apples into the fall. Otherwise, it was pretty much meat and fat...if you caught it. Maybe some dug-up tubers. Fruit raises blood sugar very quickly (the fructose), but it therefore causes an insulin response. Insulin is a storage hormone...period. What do you want going for you as winter approaches? Insulin. And berries.
Since the thread has taken a rest from its topic, I'll just lift this up to agree.
My understanding is a simpler one. The body burns sugar. Everything we eat it converts to glucose, then burns it for energy, no matter what the food is. It converts a Jolly Rancher into useable glucose faster than it would convert a spinach salad into useable glucose.
In the end, its about calories. The body digests and converts the food into sugar and burns what is needed. The excess calories, no matter what the food, gets converted into fat and stored in the body.
If it was possible to eat 4,000 calories a day of spinach leaves, you would still gain weight if you only burnt 2,500 calories because the body will take the other 1,500 calories and convert them into fat to store later. It doesn't matter that the excess calories are in the form of low fat high fiber food. Excess calories get converted into fat.
When you burn fat, the body has essentially run out of easy carbs to convert and must retrieve fat cells and convert them into sugar in order to burn it as energy. Unlike bears, humans don't need to fatten up for the winter.
To lose weight, don't eat empty calories. Eat nutritious calories. Be efficient and get all of the nutrients you need while eating as few calories as possible.
This means lay off any snack foods since they come loaded with calories but provide very lttle nutrition, which you are going to need at some point anyway and your hunger will force you to eat more calories to get the nutrients the body craves.
I once searched the USDA site for the "most nutritious" foods, and the top of the list was red meat, followed by chicken, then fish. Fruits and veggies ranked high in one particular nutirient, like Oranges are loaded with Vitamin C, but hardly anything else beneficial. While meats are high in calories and fats (some more than others), they are also high in nutrients. Breads were not very effiicient in delivering nutrients. Maybe this is why the high "fat" (IOW meat) diets with low carbs works for many, because they are getting nutrients by ultimately eating fewer calories than they would with other diets.
ctyclsscs I don't think they had to do any testing to find out I'm not normal. But they knew right away. In November of 2016 they found I had bladder cancer. I had two small surgeries to remove the tumors and a round of immunotherapy which works 70% of the time to prevent them from returning. I was in the other 30%. So three years ago I had major surgery to remove my bladder, prostate, lymph glands and anything else they felt like removing. At the same time, they used a piece of my small intestine to "make" a new bladder (or neobladder). The key was doing it right away before the cancer spread outside of my bladder (everything came back that it hadn't). I needed two smaller surgeries after that for scar tissue and a hernia, but so far so good. I'm just at the point now of annual exams to make sure nothing shows up anywhere. Jim
Good luck, thoughts and prayers for continued healing. My dad (85) is going through something similar; we are waiting for the go ahead to do surgery to remove tumor, ureter, and possibly kidney and/or bladder.
At some point in my life I will get a BL2 in Monon black and gold (Purdue colors). I have a Monon F3 A&B; number 66 (my son's number at Purdue). Technically, Monon never had a #66; but they added a 65 to replace a wreck, why not a 66? A little bit of fun, at least for me.
Doughless My understanding is a simpler one. The body burns sugar. Everything we eat it converts to glucose, then burns it for energy, no matter what the food is. It converts a Jolly Rancher into useable glucose faster than it would convert a spinach salad into useable glucose.
As a biochemist, let me tell you that your understanding is incorrect. Unlike plants, animals (including humans) can only convert a very small portion of dietary lipids (= fats) into glucose: the glycerol backbone of triglycerides (which is less than 10 % of its total mass) and fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms (which are rare; most dietary fatty acids have an even number of C atoms). The rest is burnt to gain energy (directly, without intermediate conversion to glucose) or stored as fat.
JW
DrWAs a biochemist, let me tell you that your understanding is incorrect. Unlike plants, animals (including humans) can only convert a very small portion of dietary lipids (= fats) into glucose: the glycerol backbone of triglycerides (which is less than 10 % of its total mass) and fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms (which are rare; most dietary fatty acids have an even number of C atoms). The rest is burnt to gain energy (directly, without intermediate conversion to glucose) or stored as fat.
Can you explain that in terms a simpleton can understand?
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Joined January 2008, about 1080 posts.
62
Retired 3/20/2020, but still picking up easy jobs for beer money.
College and Tech school
NW Wisconsin
HO
30x 42 basement filler
70's Burlington Northern
Motorcycling, Fishing
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
Deleted.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
ctyclsscs Can you explain that in terms a simpleton can understand? Jim
I do not want to drag this any further off topic, but a simple summary would be:
More than 90% of the fat you eat cannot be converted to sugar. It has to be used directly to provide energy or stored as fat.
.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Well, I'm 54, married 22 years with 2 grown boys who like to tell me what I should do on my 13' x 13' layout- they dream up wild stuff but arent interested in model trains. I have degrees in agriculture and accounting and have lived in Montana since I was 22. Still working in banking.
I joined this form in 2016 after taking a 20 year break from trains, and after 5 years, I still can't get posting a photo to work! I model about Y2K as I love both the Santa Fe and Montana Rail Link, and that allows me to run both on my HO Montana based layout.
Steve
PS: my wife put me on a keto no carb diet several years ago and I'm pretty happy with what we eat!
Perhaps Weight Watchers or Atkins a more appropriate chat site for those not following the OP's original topic
This is a model railroad forum. With exception of off subjects allowed in the Diner, all other threads are best kept on topic
Not my rules but I thought I'd point them out
TF
I hope this thread keeps going on it's original theme.
It's neat to read the bios of the people who love model railroading. It seems the hobby appeals to a wide variety of people with different backgrounds, education, work experience, etc.
The only variable not included is that I think it is 99.9% male.
Geez...what happened to this thread? Get your own thread! Some of us don't care to learn our dietary needs from a model railroad forum...
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
Real truth about people is we are all different. I eat one meal a day and at 67 can still put in a full day of construction ( i was rather surprised I could still do it recently). Train wize been working on a spare bedroom layout, got mainline done except for an area that requires some scenery work before a bridge goes in, not in scenery mode except for planning yet.
Tsroute; don't worry. Sooner or later Steve will see this thread and may likely either delete the irrelevant comments or just Lock the thread altogether.
trwroute Geez...what happened to this thread? Get your own thread! Some of us don't care to learn our dietary needs from a model railroad forum...
Hmmm
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Member of forums since 2003.
Age 65
Retired at 53
Some college; majoring in journalism and photography.
Spent 25 years as a computer programmer/analyst.
Lives, Clinton, MO.
Scale HO
Had Lionel and Märklin trains as a kid.
The current layout fills a 35'x37' room.
Likes steam best but can't resist things from all eras.
Other current and past interests are drag racing, high-performance cars, and traveling.
61 Married with one son (who has 4 paws and goes woof woof) and from surprise Staten. Island NY).
Perfer mid 70's to 80's era modeling with some ocasional steam or modern intermodal units from time to time.
Joe Staten Island West
I joined the forum in June 2003.
I am 73, married 51 years with 3 sons, 1 daughter-in-law, 1 grandson, and 1 granddaughter.
Attended several colleges from 1965-1996 eventually getting a BS in Computer Information Systems at age 49.
Have lived in Virginia for most of my life (continuously since 1974).
Retired in 2010 at age 63 after my first heart attack.
Worked for 40 years in computer software development and maintenance. All of it with DOD, 6 years in the Army and the rest working for contractor companies. And in retirement moved from Fairfax County Virginia to Culpeper Virginia.
Currently recovering nicely at home after my second heart attack which led to double bypass surgery on March 31.
While I had trains (Fleischmann) as a child, I started in the hobby at age 24 in December of 1971. Initially in HO for about 4 years, then in O for four years, then went dormant for about 10 years as my 3 sons grew up, and finally in S since 1992. I still dabble in HO and O occasionally as well as 3 rail O gauge.
I have built 10+ layouts over the years in different scales. Currently working on the "big one" in S scale. Phase I is 10.5' x 34'. Benchwork is 99% complete. The room is 17'x44' so there is considerable room for additional phases if I want to. The point to point railroad follows the Maryland and Pennsylvania RR in the early 1950s. Phase I is Baltimore, MD to Red Lion, PA. A later phase will include York, Pa.
I am not a stickler for protoype accuracy, so my layout will include cars lettered for fantasy railroads like the G&D as well as other anomalies.
Other hobbies include woodworking, computer gaming, and reading.
Paul
Joined the forum about 10 years ago, mostly lurking (< 200 posts).
Age 65, still enjoying my job - doing research and teaching (biochemistry). Retirement will have to wait at least until the kids are independent; both are in college now.
Grew up in Germany, had a 7' x 3 1/2' Märklin layout, all built by my mother (including working signals and catenary).
Used the kids (especially my son) as excuse to start an 8' x 4' HO layout 16 years ago, West Texas-themed. Rolling stock is mostly Santa Fe, transition era with some latitude. I have steam engines where the prototype was scrapped in the 1930s and Diesel engines that were built in 1959 (but in that lovely black/silver zebra stripe paint scheme). All engines, including brass steamers, are able to manage 22" radii. Exception: my beloved doodlebugs. So far, they are restricted to display objects. One day I will try to modify them so that they can get around 22" radii, but I am still hesitant to lay hands on a $500 brass item.
My other hobbies: cooking, music (listening, from 60s' psychedelia to today's alternative), outdoors (especially bird watching; my life list is above 500).
IRONROOSTER ... Attended several colleges from 1965-1996 eventually getting a BS in Computer Information Systems at age 49. ...
...
I don't wanna rag on ya, Paul, but many of us like to add a 'c' after the....ummm.....BS...'cuz....you know.....
I'm 32 years young and grew up on a ranch in central Montana. I graduated with an accounting degree from Montana State, but really missed working outside. I ended up getting a union apprentice and after busting my hump around the west for 3.5 years I earned my journeyman lineman card and am working for our local utility company. Don't think I'd trade it for any other career at this point.
I prefer to model BNSF as that is what I grew up around. However, my last layout was a 12x32 double deck depicting MRL from Helena to Missoula. I ended up getting bored with it and I missed having grain elevators as a key focus. So I'm currently planning two entirely different layouts and not sure which one I will choose. One is of the Havre, MT BNSF engine terminal and car shops (I have a lot of engines and would love to be able to use them). The other is the BNSF Fort Benton Subdivision, which is a lonely stretch of rail (unless it's harvest season) that is near and dear to my heart. The line has three unit train grain elevators, several smaller co-op style elevators, and a few remaining ag related businesses that are rail served.
Can't remember when I joined the forum but I hae not been very active on it, which is something that I need to change.
My hobbies outside of models railroads are elk/mule deer hunting, taxidermy, and photography. My wife and I also have 45 pairs of hereford cattle and 6 horses and mules that keep us plenty busy!
selector IRONROOSTER ... Attended several colleges from 1965-1996 eventually getting a BS in Computer Information Systems at age 49. ... I don't wanna rag on ya, Paul, but many of us like to add a 'c' after the....ummm.....BS...'cuz....you know.....
okay I'll try to remember that next time