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Chatterbox Fall-2016

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, September 26, 2016 2:22 PM

BOB WITHORN
So, saturday 9/24/16 as a birthday present, my son paid for a day of track time at Gratten Raceway north east of Grand Rapids, Mi. I took the Corvette and he came with his Porsche Cayman GTS. Private track day, 60 drivers in 4 skill groups. WHAT A BLAST!!!! took a lot of miles off the brakes and tires. Figured I was decent until I road with my son - I can drive fast BUT, he was maybe 30 seconds faster on the 2 mile, 11 turn course. Still, had most of the family there and had a blast. Oh, I was able to drive the car how, no damage, still had brakes, still had tires and a little gas left.

Spent 9/19 - 9/23 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course outside Lexington, OH competing in SCCA's National Championship Runoff's.  Managed a 8th in my class.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, September 26, 2016 12:37 PM

Some years ago I was in North Carolina for some classes in Greensboro.  We had a couple of sections of the classes that were in succeeding weeks, so rather than fly home and back, we stayed.

Killing time one of those weekends, we wandered down to Charlotte and stopped in at the speedway for a tour, which included a lap or two of the track in a van.

The next day, though, the track was running a fundraiser where you could drive your own car on the track, and it wasn't terribly expensive.  If I'd had my own vehicle, instead of a rental car....

I have had the pleasure of driving a fire truck around the local DIRT track - but not for time, just to show it off.

I've driven on a track at GM's Proving Grounds, but it was under limited conditions.  Rode with my father on their oval track (on the way to go fishing!).   I'd like a 'Vette, a full tank of gas, and the run of the place for the day...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by CShaveRR on Monday, September 26, 2016 10:04 AM

That sounds fantastic!  Happy birthday (a couple of days late)!  I'd try, but I have no appetite for dust, especially that of other people.

Today starts my last week of antibiotic infustions, and--about a week behind schedule--some physical therapy.  I'll be glad to get off the antibiotics, as they make food taste funny.  It's hard to find stuff that actually tastes the way it should.  Blessing in disguise there, though--I've now dropped about 15 pounds.

I plan on making the walk all the way to and from the infusion today (minus the parts where I hop on the train).  It's a cool and breezy day today here, and I hope to be up to an hour's extra trackside time.

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by BOB WITHORN on Monday, September 26, 2016 7:14 AM

So, saturday 9/24/16 as a birthday present, my son paid for a day of track time at Gratten Raceway north east of Grand Rapids, Mi. I took the Corvette and he came with his Porsche Cayman GTS. Private track day, 60 drivers in 4 skill groups. WHAT A BLAST!!!! took a lot of miles off the brakes and tires. Figured I was decent until I rode with my son - I can drive fast BUT, he was maybe 30 seconds faster on the 2 mile, 11 turn course. Still, had most of the family there and had a blast. Oh, I was able to drive the car home, no damage, still had brakes, still had tires and a little gas left.

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Posted by NorthWest on Sunday, September 25, 2016 10:54 PM

Busy day here...

Caught a C&NW patch this morning, and UP derailed a HAZMAT load in Eugene blocking the Brooklyn Sub for several hours. The Starlight hasn't been on time in several days, and train 507 was cancelled in Salem.

http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/34835321-75/13-car-train-derailment-prompts-hazmat-precautions-in-west-eugene.html.csp

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Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, September 25, 2016 9:36 PM

One year we raised carrot patties!

Didn't till the soil deeply enough, and the carrots coudn't penetrate the clay.  They turned out to be two inches thick and about three or four inches in diameter.

Our carrot wedges were the talk of the neighborhood.

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, September 25, 2016 8:34 PM

tree68

And we can't forget the problem with strained carrots and a little one who likes them a lot - orange babies!

 

We have a scottie pup excavating them before we can pick 'em'Dinner

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, September 25, 2016 8:06 PM

And we can't forget the problem with strained carrots and a little one who likes them a lot - orange babies!

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Mookie on Sunday, September 25, 2016 5:38 PM

Tree: As a child I would watch my favorite western on tv and have a carrot - maybe from our garden, to munch on.  They were so sweet and crispy.  And I can't think of any way carrots could be prepared that I wouldn't like - except now.  Won't eat them raw or even cooked any more.  Why waste the time?

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, September 25, 2016 4:07 PM

Always enjoyed pulling a carrot out of the ground from the garden, giving it a quick rinse, and munching down on it.  And carrot sticks were often a part of the lunches Mom packed for school. 

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of cooked carrots. 

The brotherhood camporee went well - no real injuries, and our amateur radio presentation was well received by those who stopped by.  Actually talked to more troop leaders than scouts.  We did give a number of scouts their "first contact" as part of their radio badge, if they pursue it.

Had some nippy sleeping - temps got down into the upper thirties both nights.  Fortunately, the little heater I had with me was able to keep up and kept the tent comfortable.

Now it's time for recovery...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, September 24, 2016 8:30 PM

evening

Fostoria was fun and we stopped in Deshler on the way home.Csx was running a bit if everything.Even had some power to pick up from the C&O yard in Fostoria.The landfill south of town also has another engine to help out.Will post a couple pictures in the trains Fostoria hotspots blog.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Norm48327 on Saturday, September 24, 2016 7:31 AM

Mookie

 

 
Uncle Jake
Additional carrot info: there are varieties of carrots that are long and narrow, which after being harvested are peeled and cut to make the "baby carrot" shape.
 

 

 

My husband will be so pleased.  This is exactly what he told me!  And they "engineered" the taste out of them, too!

 

 

But they look good in chicken noodle soup. Wink

Norm


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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, September 24, 2016 7:19 AM

Uncle Jake
Additional carrot info: there are varieties of carrots that are long and narrow, which after being harvested are peeled and cut to make the "baby carrot" shape.
 

My husband will be so pleased.  This is exactly what he told me!  And they "engineered" the taste out of them, too!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Uncle Jake on Friday, September 23, 2016 10:49 PM
Additional carrot info: there are varieties of carrots that are long and narrow, which after being harvested are peeled and cut to make the "baby carrot" shape.
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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, September 23, 2016 10:22 PM

Mookie. the only place I ever saw carrots growing was in the ground--the green tops that you may see in stores are above the ground, and the carrots themselves are in the ground. When they are pulled, they are already orange in color.

Johnny

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, September 23, 2016 9:21 PM

Ah, Johnny...I was just thinking about you!  You are a very wise man, so I want to pose a question to you.  Something that has been bothering me for years!

What kind of trees do carrots grow on in today's world.  Years ago, I used to eat carrots almost by the pound and they were so good.  Today, we get baby carrots that are not very long, but as big around as a good sized branch.  And the taste matches exactly.  So I am going to assume they now grow like branches on a tree.

Not sure if they are orange on the tree or are chemically treated for color - like almost all our food today.

Can you help me out?

Thank you!

Mookie

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, September 23, 2016 8:44 PM

We had rain a good bit of today--which is good, since we are very short on water. Many people have thought more of keeping their lawns green than they have thought about the overall water situation--the water usage for lawns has been above the average for the summer.

The ski resorts want heavy snowfalls early--and we need the snowpack to be built up so that we will have more water to used next summer.

I doubt that we will have much lake effect snow (Larry, send us some before it hits the ground) this winter. The lake is so low that large sailing boats are unable to get out of the marina, and there is not much precipitaion in prospect in the near future. THere has been snow on the higher peaks around.

Johnny

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, September 23, 2016 6:40 PM

evening

busy afternoon here.Went into town for Matt to do yardwork.Csx ran what looked like a y101 to omni.Didn't see it go back through.Took care of a patch of yard between the house and the shed.Put stone down so now we don't have to mow that little spot anymore.Tomorrow is Fostoria and the trainshow.We'll see what we can find.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, September 22, 2016 7:47 PM

CShaveRR
Under normal circumstances I'd be proud of a 15-pound weight loss.

Getting sick is never a fun way lose weight, but it seems to be quite effective....

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
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Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, September 22, 2016 7:30 PM

CSX just doesn't have enough hours in a day, huh?

Still hanging in here.  Got some "told you so" news today, at which point my surgical drain was removed.  I'm now okay to lift more and mow more, but--thanks to antibiotics making things taste awful--have no strength for much of this.  Under normal circumstances I'd be proud of a 15-pound weight loss.

Some train-watching tomorrow after my infusion of antibiotics, if I feel up to it.  I was driven to the infusion and surgeon's appointment today, and still slept three hours this afternoon.  Bedtime soon, I can tell.

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, September 22, 2016 4:29 PM

Ns was clear when I left work.Took Mamma's car in for a recall notice.Csx was jammed up on the west side of the county.Had an eastbound salad shooter(q090) and a westbound salad shooter(q91) waiting among other trains.Tomorrow is Friday.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, September 22, 2016 10:39 AM

BOB WITHORN

Best time of the year - other then it leads to the worst time of the year

I really don't mind the upcoming cold/snow season.  In fact, on the railroad, fall is the worst season.  Wet/dewy rail and falling leaves combine to effectively grease the rails.  On a line like ours, where it's pretty much either up hill or down hill, that can be a real problem, even if the sanders are working properly...

We're expecting rain tomorrow, followed by some pretty chilly weather.  Just in time for the big Boy Scout camporee I'll be attending (as first aid - not as a Scout).

Maybe it'll slow the lawn down a bit, though.  After a very dry summer, it's making up for lost time...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by BOB WITHORN on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 9:38 PM

Best time of the year - other then it leads to the worst time of the year

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Chatterbox Fall-2016
Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 4:36 PM

Well tomorrow is the first day of Fall.Guessers say a high of 85 too.Ns had more empties uptown.The swamp got mowed today.Have a few things here and there to get ready for Saturday.Saturday is Fostoria's railfest.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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