Afternoon all from the warm and sunny West Coast.
I have been working my butt off pulling up the flooring in the front hall, office, powder room and laundry room. Hardwood, tile and carpet along with the 3/8 subfloor.
I have had some new goodies for the layout including an F7B, and a Mid train dome car for a week now and they are still in the box. I did get the SW1200 on the layout but I have just been to busy to unbox the rest with my old eyes open.
Henry, I am jealous you got to go skiing. I spent a good part of my life plummeting down Whistler Mountain as fast as I could possibly go. They would set up the downhill for competitions and when the races were over you could pay a $1.00 and they would time you. It was kind of like when they let you take Dads car on the dragstrip after the races were over. On a good run I would hit a 100KPH but there were no Olympians in danger of me taking their spots. I only had one very spectacular wipeout and just remembering bouncing and tumbling down the course for what seemed like an eternity. When I finally stopped, everyone on the lift was yelling and asking if I was all right. I was no worse for wear but had purple arms and legs the next day.
This is the interior of a Baggage dormitory car on the Canadian, does anyone (Ed) have any more pics of the inside of one of these cars?
Charlie, I had a lot of relatives flying in WWII, mostly bombers like the Lancaster. The two main reasons the bombers could not shoot back would be because either the gunners were dead or severely wounded or they would just be out of ammunition. Those .30cal and .50cal rounds were heavy and they could not carry as much as you might think. Weight of the bomb load and fuel load would also affect how many rounds they could take along.
I think I will get my Covid shot in April if all goes according to schedule. I am willing to wait a little longer being skinny and fit. My wife is very high risk and I hope she gets hers soon.
The wife just showed me an oceanfront house on Vancouver Island that has a 53" x 17" unfinished train room in it (no windows). If our house was not in pieces we may have made an offer. It is only a 20-minute walk or 3-minute bus ride to UVIC where our daughter is going.
I keep thinking about a track plan for it.
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/22781373/2228-arbutus-rd-saanich-gordon-head
I think I'll go and unbox something Rapido. Pics to come.
All the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
SeeYou190My master bedroom was pretty small (11 by 13), and two of the bedrooms were only 9 by 10.
For comparison, the firebox of a U.P. Big Boy is 8 feet by 19.5 feet!
I just came in from running my snow blower. Not as much fun as these guys were having. The scenery wasn't quite the same, either
Cheers, Ed
PM Railfan And now Kevins saying his old one room master is the train room, and his new master is two rooms, a bath, and living room in size.
Kind of...
My modest house was built in 1989. At that time, what sold houses was a HUGE great room. My living room is ridiculously large for a house this size. My master bedroom was pretty small (11 by 13), and two of the bedrooms were only 9 by 10. All the bathrooms were tiny, and the master bathroom did not even have a bath tub. Ah, the 1980s.
The house was good when we had the three girls at home, but now it is just the two of us.
So... the master bedroom, closet, bathroom, and the hall closet will become my 11 by 22 train room.
To get a good master bedroom suite, with room for king size bed, two walk-in closets, and a big bath tub, I needed to rob every square foot I could get. So the two smallest bedrooms, a bathroom, and half of that massive living room are being combined.
This is going to be our retirement home, and it was easier to make this one into everything we both wanted than to try to find a house with a suitable train room in Florida.
My wife really wants a master bedroom suite like you would find in a 3,000 square foot house, but neither of us want an overall large house.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Cats think well of me Massanutten is where I skied. I pooped out before I skied enough to be sore the next day. I have a friend who calls himself Snowbum. At the age of 70, he was betting younger guys he could beat them to the bottom at Heavenly at Lake Tahoe....and winning the bets. He has some interesting life experiences most are not suitable for the forum.
A good thing about Covid is they limit sales of lift tickets so there are no lines to speak of at the lift.
The state of VA is shipping the vaccine to health departments instead of hospitals, after it found that hospitals, or at least my hospital, was only giving it to patients whose doctors were hospital employees.
My former hospital in Maryland gave it to people who manage the Foundation's money and have no patient contact nor are elderly.
I am on a waiting list to be on a waiting list.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Good Afternoon,
Expecting a storm tonight and then the temp will decline to -30 by Saturday.
Douglas, my Dad's log is interesting to read even if therecis little detail. There is one entry that jst says 'Attacked by ME 110'. Dad did expand on that entry late in his life. That 110 shot down the bombers flying on either side of them on the return trip home. Dad thinks the fighter disengaged because they were firing at it from the tail and top turrets and the planes shot down were not. Some crews got lazy near the end of the war and those Crews paid with their lives.
Still working on that box car kit. I should be done in a few days. Wish I had a few more kits. I paid $4 for that kit at a train show.
Running the J4e Pacific a fair bit. Sure is a little beauty. Can't beat the detail on those Samhongsa brass engines even though it is 45 years old.
CN Charlie
Hello Railfans!
Top of the day to ya! And daytime it us, ugh! I just get back into my rythym of sleep at day, up all night and here i am again..... eyes open when the big light is on. HUMBUG!
Well today is chore day, so out from under my rock i went. The upside to all this is today is also the day my part orders go in. Hot-diggity-do-da-day! Ive got a dozen trucks all over my desktop needing springs, a dozen flatcars needing details, not to mention the other projects sitting around waiting for some attention.
(Ya know, they print money everyday.... and its only printed to spend. So why dont i have more than i do?)
Charlie) Interesting to hear about your dad. Its a shame he didnt talk more about it. I truely understand why most dont. However, unless we pay attention to the great deeds that were done, then we are doomed to repeat them. And there are no more generations like those who went through the big wars to save us from it.
I too had Uncles and Grandfathers in the war. Unfortunately they all passed before i was born or old enough to understand. I have heard a couple stories passed down from one uncle who arrived in Pearl just after the 7th. Its not a pretty story. And i never heard it first hand.
I cant imagine the adrenaline it musta took to fly a night raid in a bomber. Daytime i think would be a bit worse but nighttime wouldnt be a slouch. Bomber or fighter, the history is too rich not to be fascinated by it. And what it took to make it happen.
David) Im with you, any spare space is train space. And now Kevins saying his old one room master is the train room, and his new master is two rooms, a bath, and living room in size.
Honestly, his feet cant hangover the end of the bed that far for him to need two bedrooms as one. My My how the mighty have fallen.
I think hes still got it backwards! The man gets a new lazer zapper and he goes construction happy. If we get him a new Challenger like TF got, do ya think we can sway him back over to the Railfan side?
Kevin) Fer shame! Looks good, but shame on you! One measly room for trains... im shaking my head in utter dismay over here!
Well folkses i spect thats about it for the time bein. I shimmy on by after while maybe, see whats crackling in the grissle pan.
A#1 North!
Douglas
Good evening all.
Kevin. Another room is a train room. That's okay then.
Chicken Kiev Pasta Bake with Lemony Courgettes.
Fruit Salad for dessert.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
NorthBritKevin - Guest bedroom? Over here it is a candidate for a railroad room.
The house is going from 4 bedrooms to 2 bedrooms during the remodel. What was the master bedroom will eventually become the train room. The new master bedroom is occupying the space that was previously 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and about half of the living room.
York1Kevin, I've put in a lot of doors in our house, but I've never done a pocket door. Was it difficult?
After talking to people that do remodel for a living, I was told to use a Johnson #1500 pocket door mechanism. I got the one for a 30 inch door, because it is easily cut for smaller sizes.
The mechanism needs to be framed into the wall. Since this door went flush with one wall, and the other had to be as short as possible, there was a lot of math in figuring that out. One that just goes into a flat wall would have been much easier to figure out.
A laser level is a must-have for this project!
The only hard part was all the trim work at the end. Johnson makes a trim pack for pocket doors, and I should have just gone with that. It seemed kind of expensive, but not after all the material I went through, and it would have saved a ton of time.
I need two more before I am done. They are a lot more work, and if you make a mistake, nothing can be accessed after the drywall is up.
I will only use them where I need them.
Mornin' floks!
mbinsewiThat storm that dumped 7" on us, last weekend, sure hit the East with a vengence! Surprise
Yep!!! Even way inland here in the Finger Lakes Region. I just cleaned out 10"+ out of my driveway) amazing power that little battery operated EGO has. Was able to walk right through it and was throwing the snow at least 20' into the yard. I did need 4 batteries of charge to get it all done... But... I have a big driveway too. I have the Tesla heating up to finish melting the sn*w off the windows and roof before I head over to my Podiatrist's appointment this afternoon. We have had a total of about 16+ inches from the storm and may get a bit more "Lake Effect" too.
Called my Lady Friend Monday night, left a message as she didn't answer. Told her I would call back Tuesday unless she called me. Called last night, she didn't answer. Was starting to get worried.... This morning I see she did call me back and sounded upset with herself for not hearing it ring. She called me back about 10 minutes after in hit the sack last night. (sigh) We will try to talk tonight I guess. Man I hate this pandemic stuff! I am still waiting to hear about getting an appointment for the jab(s). Have 4 different contacts that could work if they ever get enough vaccine to the area.
I am the only adult in my family here that hasn't either had the virus, or gotten vaccinated yet. (sigh)
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Kevin, I've put in a lot of doors in our house, but I've never done a pocket door. Was it difficult?
I have one place in our basement bathroom that I should have used a pocket door. To tell the truth, I never considered it at the time. I wish I would have thought of it.
You've done a great job with your house.
York1 John
I know the diner has already passed this part of Colorado, but I couldn't find the photos quickly enough.
The first is the funicular at the Royal Gorge, and the second is the D&RGW tracks at the bottom.
These were taken in January, 1973, on a college geology trip. Passenger traffic no longer used the tracks. The Rio Grande still used the tracks for freight at that time.
Good morning crew.
The CRRX (Canon City & Royal Gorge) 728 has been around. Started out has a typical GP40, built for freight service, worked for the AWP, the CSX, the SBD, and then rebuilt for passenger service, equiped with HEP, designated as a GP40PH-2, and now serving on the CRRX. It's had a variety of paint schemes, even while with the CRRX. I like the current version.
That N scale layout is fantastic! He sure has a way of blending the bacdrop into the scenery! Photoshoped? I dunno, but it sure looks great! Thanks for the pics Ed.
Sunny and cold here in SE. WI this morning, more snow for Thursday. That storm that dumped 7" on us, last weekend, sure hit the East with a vengence!
My kitchen base cabinet retrofit is on hold right now, my shop, for cutting plywood, is the back patio. Winter has taken it over. After this next storm, I'll dig it out, and hopefully continue.
I'm converting base cabinet shelves with full extension pull-outs.
That's all for now! Enjoying the trip!
Mike.
My You Tube
Good morning
Today and part of tomorrow is the last of the mild weather up here and then a very cold streak is coming. I guess we been a bit spoiled this winter so far. The cold is going to be here awhile now.
As always, Thanks for the Train goodies Ed
Have a great day all.
TF
gmpullmanI was there in '66 and again in 1968! Wonderful memories!
Hi Ed, that's fantastic. I just watched 'After the Storm'. Nice clean Exhaust, with a feather of steam from the Safety's - except on that first grade where she slipped a couple of times, in the snow, in quick succession.
That very last climb, the Exhaust beat was so syncopated 1-2-3-4, and what fantastic scenery. No wonder the Open Carriage was so full of Passengers. Paul
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
LazersHi Ed, I recall Mike Danneman's layout very well.
A real work of art, indeed!
We're here in the mecca of Narrow Gauge in the western U.S.
I was there in '66 and again in 1968! Wonderful memories!
DRGW_1966 by Edmund, on Flickr
DRGW_1969_Silverton by Edmund, on Flickr
That's me in the OD windbreaker bringing up the markers
DRGW_NG2 by Edmund, on Flickr
Good morning all. A full English with tea is on the table.
There is so much rain here there is warnings of floods, so staying indoors.
Kevin - Guest bedroom? Over here it is a candidate for a railroad room.
York John - Sherry Trifle. -- It's Swiss Rool cake sliced and placed in a bowl. Fruit of your choice, a soaking of Sherry, warm jelly poured in and allowed to cool down. Once the jelly has set make some custard and when cool pour over the top. Whisk some double cream and pour that on top of everything. Scatter hundreds and thousands on top (for kids no matter how old )
Yesterday I had to make two large bowls and two small bowls of it.
Coffee time. with Swiss Roll that was left from yesterday.
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require.
gmpullmangmpullman wrote the following post 7 hours ago: PM Railfan Some of the Rio Grande shots you posted I had to look twice - they look like models shot outside. The "is it real" shot does have me looking hard for the "give-away". I suspect foul play! Hey, Douglas. I wondered if anyone was going to mention those last two shots. They are both Mike Danneman's N scale layout!
Hi Ed, I recall Mike Danneman's layout very well. The Layout is very well thought-out and the scenic effects are impressive. Even the road has tyre-ruts in the snow and the model car has snow, caked on it's tyres. Paul
Good Evening,
Douglas, my father was a Bombadier or Bomb Aimer as the RCAF caĺled them. He flew in a Halifax( a 4 engine bomber). He was also alternate navigator and tail gunner plus co-pilot on take off and landing as they only flew with a pilot. He only talked about the close calls after he had a stroke. I have his flight log but it doesn't say much. Some trips were 7 hours mostly at night.
I agree most frozen pizzas are terrible except for Giuseppe by Dr. Oetkre. Not sure if they are available in the U.S. Have to add cheese though,
Time to hit the hay.
The guest bedroom is getting closer to being a guest bedroom!
Hanging doors is a lot faster now that I have a laser lever.
I spent today installing trimwork around the doors. This is the first pocket door I have ever installed, and it was an additional challenge because the opening is flush with another wall.
Operation of the pocket door is good, and all the trimwork went in OK, once I figured out what I was doing.
One trim piece needs to be removable so the door hardware can be accessed. I used #8 wood screws to hold this one piece in place.
Now I need to finish the shelves, put in the floor trim, and finish the remainder of the painting. Then this room will be done!
The World Is A Beautiful Place.
BigDaddyI have no explanation for why my head looks photoshopped on to the body.
Henry: You look to me like a happy guy in really great shape having a really great time.
Have fun, and be safe.
Hi all,
I'd like pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage please. My family always has sausage on Groundhog Day as it's ground hog. Har-har-har.
Henry I like the pics of your ski-trip. Glad you're getting to go and enjoy skiing again. The one and only time I went skiing is a place in the Shenandoah Valley when I was a student at Lord Fairfax Comm. College, a place I'm sure you've heard of, Massanutten?
I worked today to help out my coworker who couldn't get in to work and had to be home with her kid. In exchange, she's working my weekend shift this Sunday. I'll take that. I'm going hiking with a friend I've known since college this Saturday which I'm looking forward too. We were going to have a state inspection but that's going to be delayed which no one is unhappy about.
I managed to crack my right-hand taillight on a tree while trying to get out of a parking space today which I'm not thrilled about. I can replace it, but it's always nice not to have to do that ha-ha. Ordering one online tonight.
I worked on a couple freight cars, and posted pics in a couple threads on here. I'll get back to work on the models after I post my message on here.
Alvie
Good evening ..
Henry ..... That is fantastic you have recovered from the valve replacement, and now you can ski again. Congratualtions !
Ed .... Thanks for posting photos and the link to Mike D's F;ickr pictures of his N-scale D&RGW layout. Very impressive !
John York 1. .... It has been many years, but I recall seeing the Royal Gorge and being on the supension bridge very high over the canyon. I remember also riding in a cable car over the canyon. Not the place for people who fear hights.
Here is an SD9 assisting a Burlington E5 and E7 between Denver and Colorado Springs.
Everybody: ..... Have a nice evening.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
PM RailfanSome of the Rio Grande shots you posted I had to look twice - they look like models shot outside. The "is it real" shot does have me looking hard for the "give-away". I suspect foul play!
Hey, Douglas. I wondered if anyone was going to mention those last two shots.
They are both Mike Danneman's N scale layout!
Snowing lightly in the High Country by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Threading the Flatirons by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Mike's album at Flickr HERE
That is an amazing bit of realism, especially the snow scenes!
Top of the day to you all! Got a bit of catching up to do so lets get started.
First, to much suprise it snowed all last night. ALL night. We got a whopping 1". And since that bright thing in the sky came out, most of that inch is gone. If a person didnt notice it was cold..... youd think it was summertime around here! HUMBUG!!!!!!
Ed) I wouldnt have minded if you took the month off, you did such a great job last month. But, glad ya did anyways, gives us all something good to look forward this month.
However, i hope we dont run into too many scenes like the Tennessee Pass shot where someones "goo" let go and their latex boulder slid down the hill. Keep up the excellent work!
Some of the Rio Grande shots you posted I had to look twice - they look like models shot outside. The "is it real" shot does have me looking hard for the "give-away". I suspect foul play!
Bear) I thoroughly enjoyed the latest post on the F4U. I certainly have NO problem listening to those all day long. Especially since all the "original" writers of those stories are passing away. Once their gone, those storys will be too.
Stuff like replacing wing parts with "borrowed" parts. Just things the "History Channel" etc leave out all the time for the sake of making room for a commercial. I couldnt imagine what it would be like to read a flight log from a fighter pilot. Or Bombardier for that matter.
As stated, there are alot of "American" stories, so it is refreshing to hear a British aspect, or yes even a Kiwi aspect of the F4U's marvelous journey into history. The Corsair is the perfect example of man's machine, and in the hands of a skilled pilot can weave storys for centurys to come. Rabbit on my friend, rabbit on!
John) Nice shots of the Royal Gorge. Thats a very strange EMD unit wouldnt you say? Dont see many of those around.
As for the caboose, all i can say is this.....
Cletus - "Hey Zeke?"
Zeke - "Yea Cletus, whatchu wants?"
Cletus - "Did yall knowz there wassa workin door n steps uh both ends uv this heren ka-boose?"
Zeke - "Naw Cletus, I couldn be lookin that far."
Cletus - "So we gonna puts anotha onez on zee otha side?"
Zeke - "Well uv'caws we iz ya fool! T'aint ourn fault iffin they parked it crosswayz."
Henry) Why does your head look photoshopped on top of your body?.... because thats where God put it. Be thankful he didnt put it betwixt two pillows like some people i know.
Just talked to dear ole dad, said he got 4" up there. Congrats on the ski trip victory! Massenutten? Smith Mtn? Oddly enough, being from "that place" i always went up to Hidden Valley in Pa to ski. Or 7 Springs.
In General) Hey guys put me down for the 'jukebox' serenades too. Having the "gift" (like our friend Ray) gives me a certain appreciation for music. Though i could do without the jumping millinial. Have enough of those out my front door, in every direction.
I think thats about the thousandth way ive seen or heard "Crazy Train" done. Prolly played it a dozen diff ways myself.
It was good to see Pam and Robin again. She was gorgeous, he was a prodigy. Both made us laugh histerically. And THAT(!) is a good gift to share. Who would disagree?
I couldnt tell you which of Robin's films would be my fav.. When someones that good, they dont make it easy to choose. I could say the same for Clint Eastwood.
Well folks, thats 600 words on the ticker, enough to give TF a run for his money. Yall have a great evening. Ill catch up again later.
Clear Ahead!
Baa Baa Black Sheep, Pappy Boington wrote an autobiogaphy. He was a scoundrel and a drunk, but it is interesting reading.
My uncle was a tail gunner in a B25? According to my mother, who was not firmly planted in the truth, he got shot out of the tail and survived, in Burma. I never asked him about it.
In December 2014 I had my aortic valve replaced followed by enough complications that I never thought I would see 2016. Today, for the first time since, I went skiing in VA. I only lasted 2 hours but it was a victory.
I have no explanation for why my head looks photoshopped on to the body.
BroadwayLion 48 degrees in North Dakota... I wonder how they are doing in NYC
48 degrees in North Dakota... I wonder how they are doing in NYC
Wait a minute ... we're 600 miles south of you and our temp is 30°.
I don't like this situation at all.
32F with s**w showers
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
To catch up questions, yes Bear, the 172 has the 180hp upgraded engine. The radar is an app along with the navigation system but I can do both screens at once. Only issue is some of the bigs don't show up on the screen so in the vicinity of the city sometimes we will look over as a 737 or similar comes out of nowhere. I think the last software upgrade just about put paid to that problem though.
CN Charlie - F-40 Motorsports is on the other side of the Connecticut River from us, about 40 miles or so. Mr. Carini is quite the celebrity locally. One of our truck drivers (and a very good racer in his own right) could pass for his twin brother. Of course when we needed to send an AC Bristol there for transport to France we sent Will much to the confusion of the office staff at F-40.
David, I had to look up what an English trifle was. That was a term I'm not familiar with.
Since the diner went through Pueblo, Colorado, it was close to a pretty neat place -- the Royal Gorge. I arrived there too late in the day to ride the train, but walked around the area. It's something to see, and if you haven't been there, it's worth the trip.