Hello everyone. Anybody care to have some angel food cake from the Amish town south of Champaign? My treat. Good stuff.
I'm concerned about Jerry & Sallie, and I continue being concerned about Luc and Gloria.
Thanks to Jim CG, inch and others who commented on my trip to the wedding.
Inch, I'm sorry to learn about the arthritis. Refresh my memory.... .. Are you the guy who brought together 12 kids and grandkids to make a foot? (12 inches; get it?) I like the photos you posted. What CSX line is that?
JR, I hope you get a chance to meet Duke in Grand Rapids. I found out he's a really good guy when in Detroit.
Ed .those Mexican Pictures are great. Not sure about the engineer, though.
Mark... it's great you are saving for the 4-8-8-4. Do you have Sherman Hill on your layout yet?
Scott ........ now that your with NS, I bought some of their stock today. I expect really great things from you.
Rob........I hope the bathroom looks great when you're done. I'm thinking if Shelley painted a bathroom here, however, I'd just leave it alone.
Dick...yes, I've seen the Athearn diesel catalog. Impressive. I'm interested in the Colorado & Southern SD-40's.
Paul...best wishes with the new VA doc. Stay healthy!
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
8/15/07 in Pendleton, Indiana
It's not the greatest video. My camera isn't really made for video ya know. The sound is terrible (gotta work on that!) but the trains are cool. Even got a surprise in the lead loco of the second train! You don't see them around here much!
Wouldn't ya know.....standing around for 20 minutes and not a soul. Trains show up and I begin filming and everyone and their brother shows up!
Anyways, here's the clip!
http://pcarrell.blip.tv/file/341486/
Good Evening Coffee Clubbers
Just a quick check in before hitting the hay, so to speak.
C.G.Jim - So what do you do next year to top that?
Nest year's convention will be down in Cuautla, Morelos. Long time Coffee Clubbers will recall that that's the home of Mexico's only operating steam locomotive (and narrow gauge at that). So we're definitely looking forward to next year's get together.
For those of you not familiar with the 279, she's a Baldwin 2-8-0, outside frame, constructed around 1921. Originally an oil burner, she has now been converted to run on diesel. Here I am in the cab.
And here she is smoking it up at the depot.
Paul W. Beverung wrote: So when are you guys coming NOB? Where was the Taconite coming from? That's interesting.
Coming north of the border? That's easy, Thanksgiving. But when are we planning on getting up as far as DFW? Won't be this year. Outside possibility it could happen next year.
The taconite was for the Mexican steel company "Hylsa". They have mines and pelletizing plants in Colima and Manzanillo, both on the west side of the country. So one of those two places.
please & thank you. Going to work late on projects tonight.
***Paul, hauling hay AND watching UP trains go buy, is what I would call an almost perfect day. I say "almost", because a perfect day right now (here in droughtville) would include a downpour. Oh, and you are correct, wife was not looking over my shoulder. But, which comment were you refering to: how I can obtain more trains or the inlaw thing? Both equally tricky topics.
***Ed, kinda sorry your trip photos have come to an end. Found them all quite enjoyable.
***Scott, thought of one place you might really enjoy checking out while in GA..
The Southern Museum where you can see The General.
There is also a tiny little loco in another part of the museum,
but I don't remember what it was. The museum is in Kennesaw.
Oh, it also details the Civil War's Great Locomotive Chase.
Rob
Hey Paul, You're right, haven't seen Sue in for a bit - maybe she went on a trip with her hubby?
I know nothing about cattle prices - was that a pretty good or average price on the cattle you sold? I just know what I have to pay for the finished product. Hope you get your engine mystery on the truck figured out. Oh, and good luck with breaking in the new doctor - that can be its own hassle at times.
In a while, I'll be doing that myself (just not at the VA, though maybe I should check with them; I am a vet and we have a local facility here). After I get through my legal matters, I am switching doctors, since my doc doesn't seem too aware of what the co$t of the procedures he wants me to have done are going to be for me. I think they should require those going through medical schools to be able to explain to their patients the financial impact of whatever the patient is expected to have done. Just my personal rant, though...
I hear what you say about washing the vehicles and/or getting the hay cut. Usually, just washing the car will do it for me, but it hasn't worked the past couple of weeks (I tried having the car washed...).
Jim in Cape Girardeau
CPRail modeler wrote:I haven't posted here in a while so I thought I would post this idea. What would you think of having a MRR project forum to replace the MR 70th anniversary forum? The 70th anniversary forum is pretty useless because almost no one posts there. Having a project forum would spread out traffic in other forums and yield a place to talk about upcoming projects like "I'm going to kitbash ________". It could also be used to talk about DCC installations and scratchbuilding projects too.So what do you think?
I haven't posted here in a while so I thought I would post this idea. What would you think of having a MRR project forum to replace the MR 70th anniversary forum? The 70th anniversary forum is pretty useless because almost no one posts there. Having a project forum would spread out traffic in other forums and yield a place to talk about upcoming projects like "I'm going to kitbash ________". It could also be used to talk about DCC installations and scratchbuilding projects too.
So what do you think?
CPRail, are you thinking of a particular topic? They have had forums (fora..?) from individual persons on specific topics from time to time - like Joe Fugate's ones on scenery and others on topics like DCC, etc. That would just be a matter for whoever wants to start a topic and share tips or raise questions on doing a particular thing (such as kitbashing structures, etc.).
Or maybe I'm missing what you're really asking here. Fill us in more about what you mean, please.
Thanks,
Evening Gang: We hauled the calves out to the sale barn this morning. Mary Ann did all right. She got $1.12/ lb for one of the calves and nothing less then $1.10. On the way back the check engine light came on again. When we stopped for breakfast I checked under the hood and couldn't find any problems and everything was normal on the gauges. I tood the truck by our repair guy and he checked the puter but found nothing. He said drive it and when we can leave it for a bit he'll do a more detailed check, no charge. I love those words. This afternoon I hauled some hay and watched a couple of UP trains go by.
Ed There were a couple of FEX auto cars in one of the trains and I saw a FEX loco in a train yesterday. The pictures are great. So when are you guys coming NOB? Where was the Taconite coming from? That's interesting.
Rob: I take it the your wife wasn't looking over your shoulder when you wrote that comment.
Well I guess it's going to rain. The guys came and cut the hay and I washed one of the pick-ups today.
So I haven't seen Sue in lately. I wonder where she is?
I've got an appointment with the VA doc tomorrow. He's a new one to me since my old doc left. Now I've got to break in a new one.
Time to cut out.
Good Night All
Evening, Chloe. How about a nice steak - medium, Chloe - and asparagus, please? Thanks, JR!
Ed - more excellent photos, and Fran's getting the hang of railfanning, all right! I was a little surprised at them hauling the taconite in gondolas, but I guess it works for them. Definitely a great trip. So what do you do next year to top that?
Mike - also excellent shots of the IC - are all the tracks in your first (yard) photo part of the yard? Have you heard any more news from Jerry on how Sallie's doing? It does sound like your weather there has been slightly cooler than ours here. I saw one thermometer over lunch today that was reading 105 F (let's see, that'd be about 40.5 C, huh?). Still plenty hot, no matter which way you measure it.
I'll be working on my steak over at the corner booth and see who else comes in.
Blessings,
And the final installment.......
As much to keep busy as anything else, we wandered along the mainline in the direction of the yard and station. I didn't really expect to catch another train in the short amount of daylight we had left. But then we heard a horn, coming from the same direction as the train that had just passed. I thought it was strange to have another train coming down the mainline so close behind, but we got ourselves in position in any case.Finally it came around the curve, our old friend the work train from yesterday. Pretty much the same consist. And it still had C30-7 number 3586 on the front end.Here's another one as she came right past us. This is one of Fran's first railfan pictures. She's getting the hang of it.As the back end came by, we could see that SD40-2 number 3185 was still pulling (or pushing?) up the rear. I'm still not clear why such a short work train warranted two locomotives, but I took photos anyway. As he went by I almost instinctively motioned for him to give us a blast on the horn, and he obliged. And as it headed out around the curve I snapped off one last shot. Losing light but still worth posting.And that was it. Next morning we bought the last of the souvenirs, checked out of the hotel, and headed back down the highway towards home. We passed a couple of crossings on the trip home, but nothing worth photographing. But it was a great trip. Hope you enjoyed some of the photos and play-by-play.Best regardsEd
Good Afternoon Coffee Clubbers
Time for another installment of the trip report.
As you could see from the shot of the crane, it was getting really late in the afternoon. Just about sundown. But I was right about them moving the work train because something was coming. Heard the horn way off, and we waited as the train got closer.Finally it came up over the small rise just north of the yard. An AC4400-CW number 4564 along with C30-Super7MP 3809 bringing a long train of empty autoracks through town. Not the best shot due to the sun angle, but here it is anyway.To me, a train of autoracks is pretty boring. Give me a short mixed freight behind an old 2-8-0 anytime. But you take what you're given. Here's the last shot of the day, with just enough sun glinting off the new sides of one autorack to make the shot interesting.Next day, after a pretty full day of sightseeing in town (it's really a great place to visit), the kids were again ready to catch some rest at the hotel. I was sure the tracks passed closer to our hotel than the station itself (with our hotel room window open the night before, I could clearly hear the squeek of the wheels on tight curves). During the day, while up on the highest hill in town, I had a chance to use my binoculars to scout out the line and sure enough I figured out where we could fairly easily walk to it. So Fran and I set off for one last bit of railfanning.It may not have been the best spot in the world to catch trains, but at least we had the sun to our backs this afternoon. Wasn't too long before something came along. Here we have another AC4400-CW, number 4541, along with what I think is another ES44AC, number 4617, pulling a long northbound train made up entirely of gondolas loaded with taconite pellets.That heavy load, coupled with some serious uphill grades, required mid train helpers. Here they come, SD70ACe number 4001 and C30-Super7R number 3731.I figured that would be it for the day, but we had one last opportunity waiting for us.RegardsEd
,please & thank you!
Still wrestling with train decisions...do I forget about doing some kitbash ideas and sell xyz in order to buy new UP or not!?!
Going to go lay the second coat of paint in the guest/inlaws bathroom today, then finish up some other small projects. 102F today and still no sign of rain.
Have a great day, all! Rob
hi everybody,
Morning all!
Hey, check this out! Read the color out loud. It messed me up!
http://www.ojohaven.com/cgi-bin/ColorText.pl
So what's up?
Not much here.....just another day of work.
Weather looks about the same!
It's makeing my air conditioning dollars look like this!
Can't wait for fall! It's my favorite season anyways!
Well, I'm off! Later!
BTW, love the IRR pics inch.
Mornin, coffee please Zoe. Another hot one here with a chance of rain and we need the rain bad to finish out the crops.
GARRY ,,, glad your trip up this way went ok. To bad you didn't get to the museum when they were open, maybe next time you're up this way. I don't remember seeing that business car last year, might be a new addition
JIM CG,, it wasn't to bad out yesterday [87], but it's making it for it today. Highs back up into the 90's and humid. It's suppose to cool off for the weekend, highs in the mid 80's and into next week. Hope you enjoy your last day of freedom.
Here's some from the IRR yard in Palistine,
#34 pulled the INRR's Civil War museum around last spring
Liquefied petroleum gas tanker.
This is like one of the coal cars we see going through here
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309
Good Morning, Zoe - I'll have a cup of that coffee Luc has, and one of Bill T.'s donuts (the chocolate ones), please. Thanks, JR!
Only 71 F (22 C), but supposed to hit 102 F (39 C) today. They are predicting it tomorrow to 'cool down' to only 99 F... Yeah, cooler - right! Another day to stay inside someplace cool, definitely!
Well, hate to eat & run, but got to do the W thing. Prayers for Jerry & Sallie, as well as for Luc & Gloria and all the others among us who are ailing currently. Take care of yourselves and keep us posted when you can, okay, folks?
Good morning
Happy MRRing
Good Morning All,
It's been a hectic couple of days but we got the truck loaded and sent to Grattan (Grand Rapids) this am and now have time to at least post. Sunny and hot already this morning but not as humid as last week. Good news is that Duke should be able to visit us at Grattan and I'm looking forward to meeting him.
Ed - love the pics from the road trip. I'm still not caught up with all of them, but great work.
Jerry - hope you get a chance to stop in, we're pulling for Sallie and you're both in our prayers.
Well back to trying to catch up posts and news I hope the rest of you are doing well. I was sorry to see that Scooters left us. He brought back memories of a better time when it was a thrill to go to the stadium and see the work of legends. Mantle, Maris, Berra, Howard, Skowron, Ford and so many more before and after. Last time back the grass was atrificially green and the fans had become vulgar and obnoxious. Sad to see the game reduced to "business" and civility out the window. It was truely different and better in the past. CUL,J.R.
Good morning.
There's rain in the forecast today as well as a lot of heat. Heat index: 107 - 110.Today's Weather for: Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/15/2007 Heat Index: 80°FHumidity: 88%Dew Point: 72°F So Far TodayHigh: 80°FLow: 75°FRain: 0.00"Rain Rate: 0.00"/hGust: 0mph NNE Important Message Heat advisory in effect until 7 PM cdt this evening.
Today High: 101 Partly sunny. Isolated showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs around 101. Southeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent. Heat Index readings 107 to 110 in the afternoon.
Tonight Low: 78 Decreasing clouds. Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 70s. Southeast winds around 10 mph in the evening becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Good morning ! from Indiana.
08-15-07
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
[Ed: That is one great museum. The turntable diorama is fantastic. By the way please bore me with those boring pictures you mentioned.]
from me on all counts. Sure would be cool to have a layout like that turntable diorama in our side yard, all animated. Now, where did I put that winning Lottery ticket?
Got the old paint scraped off the bathroom wall, a little new caulking in the corners, then the first coat of new (and FINAL) color down. Wife is no longer allowed to paint any walls, as I always end up having to fix her mess. Will finish tomorrow and have one more house project checked off for good.
Have a nice evening all! Rob
Evening Gang:
Jerry: I'm pulling for Sally. You take care now.
Ed: That is one great museum. The turntable diorama is fantastic. By the way please bore me with those boring pictures you mentioned.
It was another hot one here. The electrician did his thing and the electrical power company showed up promptly to change the service out. I cheated by calling our service rep direct. We've had alot of dealings with her since the meter reader locks us out on occation. Anyway she had things speeded up for us. It pays to be nice even when complaining. 104f again today. Tomorrow we load the calves early and head for the sale barn. I'm about done in for tonight so I'll head for bed.
Good Evening, Chloe - think I'll have a hot fudge sundae, please, and a cup of coffee. Thanks!
Couldn't say the wedding went (ahem) "without a hitch", huh, Garry? Sounds like a very good time spent there, plus you got to see some train equipment, too.
Mark, sounds like you're in close range for that Big Boy loco. Shouldn't be too hard to get together the rest of the money. Sure I couldn't talk you out of some of that cooler weather, even for a multi-decker cone?
Inch, your weather sounds a bit cooler than ours - we're at about 83 F now (9 p.m. our time currently). Supposed to be our 15th day with over 100 F for tomorrow. Let us know what you hear from Jerry & how Sallie's coming along. Will keep them both in our .
PC, you get a couple more days of hot weather, and then you'll catch up with us down here... I'm ready for October to get here, all right!
Well, 'bout finished with my sundae and coffee, so I'll be heading on out for now.
Evening nothing right Cleo, just quick stop
I talked to Jerry a bit ago and Sally's not doing well. Please keep her, Jerry and the family in your thoughts and prayers.
He might slip in later and give the details.
inch
Hey all!
A nice cool, 72* F outside... Clear skies all over.
Jim: I enjoy the nice cool weather. No trade.
Closing in on the big boy, $243.77 saved, and $41.33 to go.
Well, later guys!
Mark
More pictures from Monticello............
Hello everyone.
You poeple have been rather busy I see in your posts. Ed's Mexican pictures are really nice.
We just returned from the great wedding in Champaign, IL. It was better than wonderful. My son and his bride did just about all of the planning and arrangements themselves, and all went smoothly. (I can't say "without a hitch", however.) It was really good being with people I've not seen for along time.
Before driving back yesterday, we went to railroad museum on Monticello. They only operate on weekends, but equipment parked outside can be viewed. Museum grounds are neat and well maintained.
Pictures below show IC business car and an IC passenger train with CN locomotve units. Paint look fresh and clean.
Afternoon, again. As Ed said:
egmurphy wrote:Okay, new page? So it's safe to post again?
Okay, new page? So it's safe to post again?
Gee, you can tell the ones who've been here a while - they rarely miss and hit the TOTP, right Ed?
egmurphy wrote: And I just had to post this little gem. This is about the cutest little water tower I have ever seen. At least, I'm assuming it's water. can't be fuel oil, not likely to be diesel, and doesn't have any sand tower nearby.
And I just had to post this little gem. This is about the cutest little water tower I have ever seen. At least, I'm assuming it's water. can't be fuel oil, not likely to be diesel, and doesn't have any sand tower nearby.
Ed, you have solved that mystery from the 1950's - those flying saucers back then were just the result of some Nor'Americano's who went SOTB, got a little too much tequila, and wandered way down there! Well, it sure could pass for a flying saucer - see the hatch open on top and all? Yep, PC, Rob, I'd have to agree with you there...
Scott, I didn't figure you'd have lots of spare time to take pics for a bit. You want to learn your job(s) thoroughly and keep yourself safe first and foremost. Later you can take pics. Of course, the will add up and make it nice for LHS trips. Plus, if you end up with a job that has layovers, you can find new LHS's, perhaps.
One more afternoon and evening of freedom, and then tomorrow back to wk. But it was nice, and tomorrow, I see outpatient clients, so that'll be easier to come back to. 'cept, I'm on-call tomorrow night. Hope the hot weather will keep everyone inside under the A/C and/or fans.
Zoe, I'll have a root beer float and a burger. I'll take the corner booth and watch those eggs cooking outside on the sidewalk...
Hey there y'all.
Norfolk Southern Update:
The officer came by the house yesterday. He was a great guy, asked me about some model train stuff surprisingly. I filled out the necessary paperwork. He said that my background check was clean so far and all the paper work should be filed today. So hopefully soon I will get a date to go down to Georgia.
And I now know why I never heard from Amtrak. Apparently, when I told the HR manager that I would also be attending the recruitment session for NS, he immediately wrote me off, believing that I had no company committment. How can I have committment for a company that I don't work for? He could have told me right then and there that I wouldn't be considered, instead of telling me to wait to hear from them. But whatever, I would have chosen NS over Amtrak anyways, but that definitely changes my opinion of Amtrak. If they won't hire people that are looking for opportunities and choices, then I don't ever need to work for them.
Ed: Your series of pictures is amazing! I love the automated module display. That is very unique!
Jim in CG: Hopefully soon my friend....Hopefully very soon.
Colby: Sooner or later, I'll be able to snag a few pictures. But I will be there to work, not take photos, so it won't be a priority of mine and probably won't happen right away.
Rob: What? I can't go robbin' banks? There goes my plans for this week...Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until I start making money.
I think that's it from me y'all. I'm outta here for now.
Scott - Dispatcher, Norfolk Southern
Hey, anytime I'm buying, there will be "FREE COFFEE" in the Diner, in honor of one of God's greatest gifts to mankind, the coffee bean. Your choice of Columbian or Verona. Note: Anyone found bouncing off the ceiling for extended periods of time may be cut off from the caffeine, depending on how funny the rest of the diners find you.
***Philip, we must think alike. First thing to pop in my head was, "that's not a water tower, it's an alien craft using extended landing gear until they are ready to begin exploration of the Earthling city."
While getting the underlayment yesterday to finish the floor, I forgot to buy more tape. Will work on repainting the guest bathroom today instead.
Afternoon, I'll just have an ice tea Zoe. So far the weathers been cloudy an cooler than forecast, even had a sprinkle of rain or two
DICK,,, we check on the bee stings, but for the type I have it doesn't help much. I've always looked at as" it can always be worse, and it does no good to complain about it. So try to enjoy what ya gots." If'en ya don't believe, just take the time to look around ya, and then give thanks, though it be mighty damn hard at times. Hey it's worked for me many a year.
Here's some more pics from Saturday. After leaving Harbor Freight, we headed east on Ft Harrison, stopped for gas at 25'th, just before we left the signals came on, then we heard the whistle, I grabbed the camera and almost missed this one headed for Indy.
Then we went on down 25'th to check out the old NYC yard, tried the yard office, nobody around to tell'em what I was doing [ya know security anymore], but found still these without pushing luck to far.
This one was coupled to some ballast cars.
The one kinda hidden had a MOW caboose coupled
This car was there too, and thought it was interesting.
After that was when we when we caught the coal train again, by then me n Mother were both bout done in and still had 2 more shopping stops to make. We were going to go down by the Milwaukee yard, but all we wanted was home. So that'll be another trip. Next are the ones from Palistine and a NYC Cairo line bridge on Sunday after football.