hon30critterAre you on natural gas?
Nope, there is no natural gas in any residential area of Cape Coral.
Thanks for the possibility. I did not know that about gas lines.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190When I was digging I found this 8 gauge white wire buried in the yard. Does anyone have any idea what it might be for? I don't know why this wire would be buried out there.
Hi Kevin,
Are you on natural gas? If so, that wire is likely to be a locator line for the gas pipe. When the service guys want to know exactly where the gas pipe is, they will put an electric charge on the wire so they can trace it with sensors.
If you look at your gas meter you will likely see the wire coming up out of the ground to the meter.
If you haven't had a cable and pipe survey done, I suggest that you call somebody up to have all the connections to your house mapped out before doing any more digging. Some of the feeds like cable tv and phone lines may be quite close to the surface. In Ontario the service is free and one company marks all the locations for all the different feeds coming into your home. If we don't use the survey service and we snag a line, we pay a stiff penalty and the costs of the repair!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I started out the day by digging access out around the reclaimed water connection and installed the tap onto the valve to feed the irrigation system. This was the hardest part of the day. There were so many grapefruit sized rocks in this area, and the valve for the water tap would not close all the way. I finally worked it back and forth enough to get it to close, and then I could make the connection.
I am using 1 1/2" schedule 40 PVC pipe for the water flow lines. The city regulates how much water flows through the reclaimed system by lowering pressure as the reservoir gets lower, so the larger pipe will help the system work during low pressure times.
Today we had 35 PSI, kind of low. I did a flow test through the pipe, and it filled a 5 gallon bucket in about 4 seconds. I think that is plenty of flow.
I was wrong about the length of the trench. It is over 50 feet long. I did not have enough pipe and had to make a parts run. Those 10 foot long pieces of PVC seem so long in the store, but they are so short when I lay them out on the yard.
The yard slopes up about 7 feet above the roadway. I used 45 degree elbows to terrace the pipe up towards the house. I don't like bending PVC pipe, and prefer to use elbows to make the elevation changes.
I had time to build the manifold connections for the seven zone irrigation system. the pipe along the bottom is 1 1/2", and it drops to 1" to go through the valves. It will go back to 1 1/2" once the pipe id underground again. This thing is heavier than it looks.
When I was digging I found this 8 gauge white wire buried in the yard. Does anyone have any idea what it might be for? I don't know why this wire would be buried out there.
I am so sore. When I install all of the piping and sprinkler heads I am definitely renting a trenching machine.
The World Is A Beautiful Place.
Good Evening,
Had a cool day here, only about 32F with a strong north wind . Expecting the same for a couple of days.
Got the sound decoder installed in the RS3. Had a little trouble with the lights but got it sorted. It works fine with good Alco sound and decent motor control. The brand is XL Systems who apparently made MRC decoders for 20 years. I have to adjust the CVs but that is a job for tomorrow. I was testing it and my wife called down from upstairs asking what was that horrible sound. Not an Alco fan I guess.
I was tired as soon as I read about Kevin's project. I would help but the border is closed and I'm over the max age for digging projects. Sorry Kevin.
I saw Blazing Saddles when it first came out and thoufht it very funny. I saw it on TV a couple of years ago and thought it was very silly and boring. Guess my tastes have changed in 50 years.
Time for tea and tellie.
CN Charlie
York1 MisterBeasley, Blazing Saddles was hilarious. I'm not sure if it can be shown nowadays -- it's not exactly politically correct in today's world. I haven't seen it in years.
MisterBeasley, Blazing Saddles was hilarious. I'm not sure if it can be shown nowadays -- it's not exactly politically correct in today's world. I haven't seen it in years.
I realized years ago after seeing the movie censored for TV that I would need my own copy if I hoped to see he original version. So, I bought a DVD.
A few months later, I bought my first big-screen TV. I hooked it up and it worked fine, but I remember asking myself if I just spent all that money to watch the Drew Carey Show. I pulled out Blazing Saddles and all was right with the world.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
York1 TF, I'm glad you and your niece and family enjoyed the drive in so much. She sounds like a great kid.
TF, I'm glad you and your niece and family enjoyed the drive in so much. She sounds like a great kid.
Good evening Diners. Pour yourself a drink. Relax for a few minutes. A quick tour of Scotland.
Glasgow.
Stay Safe Everyone.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Good morning, diners. Bacon, eggs, and coffee, please, Brunhilda.
Kevin, I'm glad I don't live any closer to you. I would feel obligated to volunteer to help you dig. It's too bad I can't help! The stone work looks good. If anyone else needs help doing any digging, I also live too far away from you, no matter where you live.
David, continued thanks for the vacation you're providing in Scotland.
Charlie, Dave, Ed, and others, hopefully by now you've all had your first or first and second vaccinations. I'll tell you that you start to feel a lot more relaxed.
My area did a good job of getting people signed up, called, scheduled, and vaccinated. Lots of volunteers and medical people worked hard at getting us all in.
Ed, that's a neat photo of the 1/12 scale railroad. I can imagine the work on something like that.
Garry, that's great that your layout performed so well. For weeks my railroad has run flawlessly. Last week, we had out-of-town company visit, and you can guess what happened when I showed them the running trains. The one passenger train I had uncoupled, and an intermodal train derailed. I got things running again when they left, and it worked perfectly again.
MLC, that festival in Clarksdale sounds good. That is a great center of blues musicians. I've never been, but I'm glad they were able to hold it.
Ricky, have you figured out the bird yet? I hope you can find out and let us know.
I hope everyone has a good Sunday.
York1 John
SeeYou190 Today I will be digging a 40 foot trench in the front yard
Today I will be digging a 40 foot trench in the front yard
Good morning everyone. I just gave Chloe my order for a stack of whole wheat toast.
Today I will be digging a 40 foot trench in the front yard to bring the reclaimed irrigation water from the city hook-up to the pad where the sprinkler controls will be installed. I am going with seven sprinkler zones.
What fun.
Good morning Diners. The usual toast and tea with marmalade, Janie.
A day in Glasgow on our tour of Scotland.
A film of North British Railway locomotives around the world.
Mainly Freight Trains around Glasgow 14th/15th July 2015
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require.
Greetings from the Southern command,
We have been to Juke Joint festival this weekend. We were so glad to see live performances.
Saw our friends who are performers and saw some new ones.
Had decent weather, a bit cool, but no rain. lots of music.
no issues at South house.
gmpullmanSign in, registration, a dozen questions, insurance policy numbers (optional BUT suggested) an automated phone call with the secret log-in code number, pick all the squares with a traffic light and all that. PITA
We gave up on our normal routes for the vaccination nown here, and my wife went to the State Run Site for vaccines that is barely publicized. We had appointments immediately and it went smooth as silk.
Good evening ...
It was a busy day here. This morning we ran errands in town.
Next , we wembt to Grand Rivers and had lunch with friends at Patti's, which is one of the best known restaurants in western Kentucky.
Later, the friends came to our house to see my layout. I ran several trains, and I am pleased to say no gremlins spoiled the fun. There were no derailmenta at all. ... Not even on a troublesome S-curve where passenger trains tend to derail or uncouple. ... Yay !
Everybody: .... Have good night.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
I went to the web site that my primary care provider sent to me in an email a few weeks ago to register for an appointment for the vaccine.
Sign in, registration, a dozen questions, insurance policy numbers (optional BUT suggested) an automated phone call with the secret log-in code number, pick all the squares with a traffic light and all that. PITA
Finally got to the site and... sorry all appointments in you area are taken. Check back later. This went on for two weeks.
Today I went to the site for my county health department, enter name and email address. Pick the date you want (only Tuesdays or Thursdays) and two minutes later I got a confirmation email.
So much for managed healthcare.
A Beautiful Place:
Big MACs in Bootlegger by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
CNCharlieDave, have you and your wife had the shot yet? Hope so seeing what is going on in your neck of the woods.
Hi CN Charlie,
Dianne and I got our shots last week. No side effects other than sore shoulders for a couple of days.
I won't comment on how well (or how poorly) Ontario is doing handling the pandemic. Any observations would fall afoul of the forum rules.
Cheers!!
Good Afternoon,
A nice day here, about 55F and sunny. I sat outside on the patio with Robbie for awhile.
We spent most of the morning watching the funeral for Prince Phillip. The BBC did a very nice job of the coverage. Have to say that for me no country does the pomp and ceremony thing as well as Britain.
I recieved my sound decoder for the RS3 in the mail so I will have an install job to do in the next few days. It is a very easy one as the board is custom for an Athearn RS3. I'm now following a PK2 GP9 on ebay. I had a Bachmann version once that ran nicely but the paint colour was wrong for CN. The green was way off and it bothered me so I sold it.
BBQ is on the agenda for supper. We are doing more of those prime rib burgers.
Sure wish we could go out and at least go for a walk. Our neighbourhood is great for walking as we have the river close by and there are trails in the old golf course but my wife is just too afraid of covid to venture out even with a mask.
TF, sounds like you had fun at the drive in. Last time I went to one was in the early '80s with my wife. We saw Mr. Mom I think. That drive in is now gone as are all others here. Back in the early '60s there were 5 or 6 of them in or near the city.
Getting close on deciding the contractor for the fence. I hope to make the final decision this week or i should say I hope my wife does as they are booking mid-June now.
Dave, have you and your wife had the shot yet? Hope so seeing what is going on in your neck of the woods.
Have a nice day,
Good evening Diners. A coffee with milk and little sugar, Flo.
Kevin. Glad you like the Sulzer's. I have three models of them.
We are now back in Glasgow. Films of two Main Line Stations in Glasgow that have been demolished.
Ex-Caledonian Railway Station - Buchanan Street
Ex-Glasgow & South Western Railway - St Enoch Station.
Stay Safe
Good morning. Bacon, eggs, and coffee.
TF, I'm happy your night at the drive-in went so well.
It seems like drive-ins are the perfect answer to our pandemic life.
In my town, everyone who wants a vaccine has gotten one, there are virtually no new cases of the virus, and life is about as back to normal as we can get. There is only one store that has a sign about masks. Even my church was just about filled last Sunday.
The Lincoln, NE, Rock Island Station:
gmpullmanKevin, Did you know Bill Koster down in Homestead?
Probably not. I never went to a live steam event on the East Coast.
I went to a few live steam meets when I was in high school and could hitch a ride. I have been to a handful with my wife since then, but we don't meet anyone when we go.
NorthBritToday we are in Brechin, Angus. At the Caledonia Railway Society Station.
I love those Sulzer diesel locomotives.
Track fiddlerAll that little girl does is laugh. She is so full of life and fun.
She is also getting big! They grow up so fast.
Track fiddler Drive Inns used to be all over the place when I was young.
We had an active drive-in in North Fort Myers up until a few years ago.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Scottish Cattle are so cute!
Good morning
The drive-inn was a blast last night because my little niece CC was there. Judy took a picture of us after I was chasing her around the cars. All that little girl does is laugh. She is so full of life and fun.
I'm paying the price as my knee is a little wanky today from playing with CC last night but that's just what uncles do.
They let you grill at this place, so we brought our mini grill and cooked hot dogs.
She really liked the Tom and Jerry movie sitting in our lawn chairs so it made everything all worthwhile. By the time Godzilla and King Kong came on, the temperature had dropped from 50 to 40 and our little CC had conked out. We had a bed ready for her in the back of the SUV.
John and Mr B. I remember seeing Blazing Saddles when I was a Kid at the Historic Cooper Theater in St Louis Park before they tore it down. It was an old school theater with the old world charm. It had a balcony we always sat in. We rode our bikes down across the tracks to see movies down there right around the time the Green Machines were running rampant. That was a Mel Brooks movie wasn't it? Young Frankenstein was a hilarious one too. A lot of people don't know Aerosmith got the inspiration for their song "Walk This Way" from it being said by Igor (Marty Feldman) in the movie Young Frankenstein.
That Starlight Drive-In sign looks exactly like the sign that was at the drive-in up in Blaine Minnesota Kevin. The Starlite Drive-Inns must have been a national chain. We still have one in Litchfield about an hour and 45 minutes from here.
We've never gone to that one because I don't want to drive an hour and 45 minutes at 1:00 in the morning. Maybe a hotel sometime.
Drive Inns used to be all over the place when I was young. There used to be the France Drive-Inn directly across the highway from where I live now. Before that one got torn down they built high-rise apartments right next door to it and people would sit on their balconies and tune in the radio station and watch the movies for free.
We like the King Arthur pizza crust Ed. We mix some sugar and Himalayan salt in it to add flavor. I remember you told me what you mix in with yours for the flavor but I don't remember what it was that you did.
Those huge model locomotives sure are cool. I was checking out the bridge you posted with the Canadian National zebra paint scheme. I've had my eye on an F7 A&B unit with the zebra themed paint job. I just need to twist my own arm a little harder
Have a great Saturday gentleman
TF
Good morning Diners. Toast and tea with strawberry Jam please, Janie.
I hope everyone is keeping well.
Today we are in Brechin, Angus. At the Caledonia Railway Society Station.
SeeYou190I joined the Florida Live Steamers in 1984 when I was in high school, and actually bought the first parts of this project with money from my first job stocking shelves at Winn Dixie.
Kevin, Did you know Bill Koster down in Homestead? He built a battetry powered GP7 for my dad back in 1971. We rode Auto-Train (the original one) to Sanford and met with him to see the construction progress.
I'll have to find some photos of his track.
7_1-2_inch_5749 by Edmund, on Flickr
Some years later we bought a gas-hydraulic GP50 from a fellow in Galesburg:
1.6 inch scale GP50 by Edmund, on Flickr
I saw SO many guys start steam projects and either died or sold them off before ever completing them. We almost bought a 2-6-0 but the guy selling that died and his widow wanted to keep the engine for the kids.
I was a partner in this F7 pair for a while, too:
F7_Inch-half9 by Edmund, on Flickr
F7_Inch-half4 by Edmund, on Flickr
Fun while it lasted but got to be a chore after a while.
Hope your night at the drive in went well, TF. You like the King Arthur flour?
Time for some bridge work:
Soaring over Cisco by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Beautiful!
Track fiddlerThe first Tom and Jerry movie is supposed to be a real life movie with the cat and mouse cartoon characters dubbed in.
You mean like this...
bjdukert Ok Garry Hi to everyone and have a good day. Best to all on sick call and those recovering Take care Duke
Ok Garry Hi to everyone and have a good day.
Best to all on sick call and those recovering
Take care
Duke
Duke ! ... Nice seeing you here !!!!!!!
...
Everybody ... if you are interested, I posted trains I recall riding on in my lifetime in the thread "trans you have ridden on"
Track fiddler Wifey has today and tomorrow off and was just informed by one of her friends on Facebook that Vali-Hi Drive-In is opening tonight.
One of the last times I was in Atlanta, my wife and I took in a show at the Starlight Drive-In.
York1 The last time I was at a drive-in movie was in college, 45 years ago. A lot of beer, and we thought Blazing Saddles was the funniest movie we had ever seen.
The last time I was at a drive-in movie was in college, 45 years ago.
A lot of beer, and we thought Blazing Saddles was the funniest movie we had ever seen.
I vote for Blazing Saddles as the funniest movie ever and maybe the best movie ever.
We went to the Drive-In in Wellfleet, MA, a couple of years ago. We saw another comedy classic, The Princess Bride, and then we, a couple of sixty-somethings, made out in the back seat for the less-than-memorable second feature.
Post Hog!
We thought it would be a good idea to eat some good junk before we get to the drive-in and eat all the bad junk. I guess we're junkies today
We made homemade pizza again with Ed's recommended King Arthur flour. I think Brent makes his pizza that way too if I remember correctly.
Before
After
Scrump-dilly-icious Kids Everyone grab a piece or two. I'm ready to Chow Down!
P.S. I'm happy to find out my niece and my great niece CC is coming to the drive-in too. I just love my niece CC
Hopefully the second one has some hilarious parts too Ricky. I always enjoy a good laugh.
I remember those days too John, we used to sneak in a buddy in our trunk. No beer this time but those were the good old days
I found this rather interesting. This guy in Alton Illinois was doing some work on his heaved sidewalk in front of his house and discovered an old tunnel under there when the walk caved in.
https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/alton-man-discovers-mysterious-19th-century-era-tunnel-beneath-his-property/
I'm sure it's too shallow and small to be a narrow gauge railroad tunnel