Printed them myself using my Canon Photoprinter that I got for free with my latest PC. Had to do some P-shopping on it, though, the printer kept over-saturating the colors, making it look absolutely unreal. I'm not 100% satisfied with the result- maybe someday I'll hook up with a P-shop expert here and tweak it some more (is that you, Chris?).
I figured everybody would like one of those- Chris and Chad already have one as well. Gotta print a couple more tonight for an upcoming meet with forum members...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Brian,
It did an excellent job.
Not bad for a freebie!
More people impressions.
Carl and Pat…they go good together...he starts a sentence, she can finish it, and vice versa, I don’t think they realized they do that!
Pat could make you just about anything…she is a true seamstress in all aspects of the word.
I was looking at the shirt she made Carl, and you could see the quality she added…finer stitching, clean button holes, and the buttons were all sewn on the same way, plus it fit better than an off the shelf shirt…little things, but it shows.
My mom sewed, made both of my sisters wedding gowns, so I can see the difference.
We visited at Mookie’s later, for coffee and cookies, and during the conversation, I swear she knitted a complete sweater!
If you want to know about a freight car, Carl is your man…I would hazard he has a tremendous collection of info, enough to publish if he was so inclined.
Mudchicken….southern gentleman with a dash of boyish humor…all dipped in a tremendous coating of knowledge.
Aimee says he is teddybearish…leave that up to you alls imagination!
And after meeting his Pat, I can see why he hurries back to the coop every chance he gets…the chicken wrangler is a class act all the way around, and so pleasant to talk to.
Not to mention easy on the eyes and pleasant on the ears, when she laughs, you have to laugh along, even if you don’t know what you’re laughing about, it’s kinda infectious…I hope MC brings her along next time; there is a lot of interesting things going on behind those eyes.
Brian…didn’t get to visit with you as much as I would have liked…I guess guarding your ankles and getting photos took up a lot of time, but my first impression was a good one, and I did notice you were listening to Carl and the Mudchicken, getting the scoop on what was happening on the tracks.
I see a return to Mookies spot in the near future?
I can say my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, Aimee said I was grinning all the way home.
Overall, a group of folks I would be quite happy to spend as much time as possible with, all pleasant to be around, and all just different enough to keep it interesting.
Everyone already knows what I think of Willy and his parents, so that leaves Mookie and Driver…which will go in a later post because I just finished a big Subway club sandwich, and the couch is calling, telling me it missed me so much!
Besides, you always leave the best for last!
23 17 46 11
CShaveRR wrote: Replying to myself: Anyway, Willy, we were watching Channel 6, the NBC outlet in Omaha, Sunday morning. Turns out that their weatherman, Mike Born, is a guy our older daughter went through school with--we watched him grow up! If you ever wind up on TV, I hope you enunciate a little better than he does. He also has the Nebraska pronunciation of Norfolk which drives Mookie, Pat, and me up a wall (I'm told there's a story behind the "Nor-fork" pronunciation, but it still grates). Happy 16th, Willy! I wish we could "gift" you with a trip to Chicago, but we'll let your parents decide when the time is good for all of you.
Replying to myself:
Anyway, Willy, we were watching Channel 6, the NBC outlet in Omaha, Sunday morning. Turns out that their weatherman, Mike Born, is a guy our older daughter went through school with--we watched him grow up! If you ever wind up on TV, I hope you enunciate a little better than he does. He also has the Nebraska pronunciation of Norfolk which drives Mookie, Pat, and me up a wall (I'm told there's a story behind the "Nor-fork" pronunciation, but it still grates).
Happy 16th, Willy! I wish we could "gift" you with a trip to Chicago, but we'll let your parents decide when the time is good for all of you.
Carl - How neat! I agree that Mr. Born needs to enunciate a little better. Also, he is really not a very good meteorologist. When you see his forecast just expect the opposite of what he says the weather is going to do. If he says sunny, expect cloudy. If he says warm, expect cool. I aim to do much better than that.
Ed - You're making me blush! I wouldn't be the person I am if it wasn't for my parents. They are super! You are right, I plan on going above and beyond a local meteorologist. I would really like to work for the NWS or the NHC (National Hurricane Center). Also, I agree with Ed that Carl's wife is very talented. Her gift for Mookie was incredible.
Brian - Great photos! My pics pale in comparison!
Willy
Alrighty now…
Mookie in person is exactly the same as on the forum, in reality what you read is what you get.
She brooks no fools, but is a big hearted person.
I got the feeling she tries to only think of good things to say about people; she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.
If she likes you, you become family, with all that implies.
I am sure she wouldn’t hesitate to try and help anyone, for pretty much any reason.
And she is Lincoln’s biggest booster; we got the history of pretty much every building we saw from her!
She loves her city and its history, and she really loves trains and the part they play in that history.
I don’t doubt she would be tickled pink to meet pretty much any forum member, she would entertain you, wine and dine you, take you train watching, or just sit and talk with you, if that’s what you wanted.
She is one of those people who make you feel comfortable the instant you meet her.
The most excellent of host, and to quote Aimee, “She is neat beyond belief”.
Well worth the drive, and I plan on making as many trips there as she can stand!
I could go on and on, but I think I would end up embarrasing her, and that is the last thing I would want to do.
The surprise turns out to be her driver, who she portrays as a stoic, John Wayne/Richard Widmark kinda guy…which he is, but so much more.
I don’t doubt for an instant that if the driver saw something wrong, he would step in and try to help fix whatever the problem was.
But he is funny too, and very personable.
Quick of wit, with a sense of humor that wont quit.
I am sure he laughs a lot; he has a benevolent sense of humor, in that he finds something funny in just about every situation.
Like Mookie, he first looks for the good in people.
He is one of those guys that would give you the last dollar in his pocket, and drive you someplace to spend it, if he though you really needed the help.
But at the same time, if he though you were gold bricking, he would instead keep the dollar, and give you advice on getting a job and getting your life in gear, which he would also help you do.
If I was ever in need, these are the two people I would call, because they would help with no question asked.
Maybe the best way to put it is to say that they are the kind of people I would want my kids to grow up around, and hope some of them rubbed off on the little twerps.
Ed
edblysard wrote: Maybe the best way to put it is to say that they are the kind of people I would want my kids to grow up around, and hope some of them rubbed off on the little twerps. Ed
And those kind are so hard to find anymore...
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Well, Ed, you now have another admirer of your way with words. Pat just kept saying, "He's right....he's right"...between gales of laughter.
She says I finish her sentences because I have the right word that she's looking for, and she finishes mine because she can't wait for me to do it myself.
She also agrees that (1) everyone there is our real peer group, and (2) that we're all a great bunch of people, with enough individual differences to keep it interesting.
Having done a couple of books already, and having edited or assisted on several others, I'd have to say that there is a possibility, but that would require years of an otherwise dreary retirement, and that information comes in much faster than I can process it. That Saturday afternoon probably gained me more good stuff than a normal week of 1000-car days at work!
SJ, tell your Ed that his painting was up in the place she'd planned for it within an hour of the time we got home.
MC, I just heard the sad news--our hearts go out to you and Pat. Somehow, I don't remember saying goodbye before you two left.
Pat's impression of Cedar Rapids was that there seemed to be freight cars in every nook and cranny (all visible from U.S. 30, but probably inaccessible otherwise). Brian, is there a power plant in town that receives coal by rail?
Also, Brian, I need to know: Was Bowling Road the nearest spot for seeing the bridge? And what is the "fifth" season? We only have two around here--Winter and Construction.
And Ed and Aimee, sounds like you're doing a good job of raising your little twerps, too! They sound well-rounded, yet very much their own ages. You're obviously as proud of your girls as we are of ours.
Happy birthday, Willy, once on the actual day. Remind your parents that most of your required driving hours could be achieved on one leg of the trip to Chicagoland. Do come when you can stay for a while.
Pat's birthday was made by the fact that we did everything I'd expected to when I wrote last night, yet still got home in time to pick up the mail from the post office. We didn't stay long at Rochelle, but saw about six westbound and two eastbound freights between there and Elburn.
SJ, I hope a hug can convey everything I have to say to you.
And now, bedtime. Everything else will have to wait.
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)
Houston Ed asked me to post these photos he took in Lincoln. He's unable to post them right now so I have been given the honor of posting them.
Really nice pictures, Ed!
EDIT: For some reason they won't show up, but rest assured that they are really good.
CShaveRR wrote: MC, I just heard the sad news--our hearts go out to you and Pat. Somehow, I don't remember saying goodbye before you two left.
Yep, there's actually THREE. A small one just north of I-380 and east of Quaker Oats, another small one privately operated by ADM at their facilities next to U.S. 30 on the southwest side, and Alliant Energy's power plant near the river, just across C St. from where I got my UP1995 shot.
You guys must've come in via Highway 30 to I-380, and therefore got a good look at ADM's railyards, which are serviced by CRANDIC. Good thing the wind was from the north, if that's the case.
Also, Brian, I need to know: Was Bowling Road the nearest spot for seeing the bridge?
I'm not sure what bridge you're referring to there, but if it's the Cedar River former gantlet bridge, no, Bowling is not the nearest spot- C St. runs just a couple of hundred yards west of it across the UP on a grade crossing, with a bicycle trail/ped bridge between it and the river following the former RI ROW. The ped bridge abutment next to the tracks is where I was sitting for the aforementioned picture.
And what is the "fifth" season? We only have two around here--Winter and Construction.
The "fifth" season is allegedly "time to enjoy". //shrugs
, Willy! BTW, your links to Ed's pictures aren't working for me...
Y6bs evergreen in my mind
CShaveRR wrote: Having done a couple of books already, and having edited or assisted on several others.....
Having done a couple of books already, and having edited or assisted on several others.....
Sounds interesting! What are the titles? Do they involve C&O or PM by chance?
Sir Chicken - I feel so bad for Pat and you. What a tragic loss!
I can finally see over some of the piles on my desk and can find my puter screen.
Ed & Aimee were a delight to meet. They were both a lot quieter than I had imagined. But I was instantly comfortable with both of them. These are not hard people to be around. Just think of an expensive pair of shoes that you love the minute you put them on! And those shoes come with a soft, Texas drawl.....
And I am now a certified switchperson. Got all the things I need to prove it. Hat, scanner, papers, lantern - all but the gloves - I left them with Ed so he will come back to Lincoln to return them to me!
Brian left his ankles unprotected. I think I am lulling him into a sense of security..... I was reminded why I went for the ankles and not say, an arm. I would have strained a muscle trying to jump that high!
Mudchicken and Boss Hen - We are always happy to see you when you get past the asparagus and into our city. We always learn something fascinating about our world around us when you visit!
Willy - (and Dad & Mom).....I am so glad you wrote me that first e-mail. It has been a good friendship that we will treasure always.
BC & Pat - I was gifted with a beautiful hand-quilted wall hanging from them. I wish everyone could see it up close and personal. It is a blue Mookie (my favorite color), sporting a koala ear cuff (which I wear!) and feathers scattered around. Think about it! There are train tracks in white, quilting done of trains along the boarders, and my sleeping kitty sign @ all over the body of Mookie.
Each corner is significant material of cowboys for Houston Ed, Chickens - which need no explanation, a scrap of material from a shirt made for my favorite pseudo-brother and a race car for Driver with a tiny Mookie alongside.
And while I have probably left out something, Pat didn't. There are small yellow beads on each quilted train engine - The Yellow Thingies!
What is not to like about a weekend with good friends, decent weather and a cooperative railroad!
Perfect!
And last but not least - Happy Birthday to
Boss Hen - 9th, Willy and Pat S - 10th, Aimee on the 12th, Zardoz on the 15th (there is someone I would like to meet!) and Brother Carl and Tree on the 16th. (another one I would like to meet)
I hope I have these dates all right. If not, well - celebrate your new birth dates!
Life is good, isn't it?
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Mookie wrote: Brian left his ankles unprotected. I think I am lulling him into a sense of security..... I was reminded why I went for the ankles and not say, an arm. I would have strained a muscle trying to jump that high!
Guess my arms are safe, too....
...Tree on the 16th. (another one I would like to meet)
Likewise, for sure. Perhaps meet towards the middle, another Rochelle adventure...
I hope I have these dates all right.
Right on the nose....
Larry 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...
blhanel wrote: , Willy!BTW, your links to Ed's pictures aren't working for me...
, Willy!BTW, your links to Ed's pictures aren't working for me...
I'm not sure what's wrong with them. I try posting them and they show up the first time I view the page, but then I go to another page and come back and they won't show anymore. If you would like, I can try forwarding them to you via e-mail.
Mookie wrote: Happy Birthday to Boss Hen - 9th, Willy and Pat S - 10th, Aimee on the 12th, Zardoz on the 15th (there is someone I would like to meet!) and Brother Carl and Tree on the 16th. (another one I would like to meet) I hope I have these dates all right. If not, well - celebrate your new birth dates! Life is good, isn't it?
Happy Birthday to
One more to add in here--Chris (CopCarSS) on the 13th.
I wouldn't mind meeting Jim or Larry sometime, either!
Why, oh why, didn't we know about Boss Hen's birthday? We could have gotten her a card, too! A belated happy birthday (and a virtual hug), Pat!
.....Cannonball:
Thanks for the rt. 30 comments....It's one of America's oldest federal highways coast to coast.
My family had an Esso Station on it back in Pennsylvania for 45 years beginning in the late 30's. It {rt. 30}, had just been relocated outside of our little town and my dad had the station built at that time and we had Standard Oil Products all that time except it was closed for the war...{WWII}...1942 until 1946...
Rt. 30 had a world famous landmark about 12 miles east overlooking a vast valley where it crosses the Allegheny Mt. range at ele. of 2684...Was known as "Grandview Point Ship Hotel"....Vandals burned it to the ground back I believe it was about 2001. One can see 3 states and 7 counties from that point. It was a famous locaton for tourists in the 30's and 40's before the Pennsylvania Turnpike was put through....{on the approx. location of the ill fated South Penn Railroad}, started back in the late 1800's and never finished. Work stopped on it in 1885 and the turnpike was constructed between 1938 and opened in Oct. 1940.
PS: Anyone interested Photos and info on the "Ship Hotel" can be found on Google.
Quentin
One from the Mookie's spot.
Some of the details in a part of town know as Havlock...
Modelers would love this place, still has a old time movie theater.
Last one for tonight, I think...
Could have spent a day all by itself wandering around the Havlock area and downtown looking at the architecture and taking photos.
I am tickled to death they haven’t turned everything into “loft” apartments like has happened down here.
It is so sad to see the Southern Pacific Houston Headquarters with that big sign on the roof now reading Pacific Lofts.
Oh well, at least they didnt tear it down to make room for a high rise for a condominium.
Back in days gone by, Havelock was a big name on the CB&Q and (to a lesser extent) on BN. A lot of box cars were built there in the company shops.
I agree, Ed--that was a neat little downtown area. The guy (and puppy) in the quilt/gift store was an interesting-looking character, too.
Yup,
We was impressed with the big city life up there in Nebraska, Bob here says they even got a Dairy Queen!
Speaking of Lincoln's architecture, Ed Blysard took a picture of one of the churches in downtown Lincoln. Can anyone identify the church itself? It seems that I had seen it once before while visiting my sister Renee in Lincoln once before.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
.....Now what kind of trickery with dogs and "teeth" are we seeing in that picture....
Those aren't the Dairy Queen owners are they....
Those "noses" look suspiciously the same......Maybe just waitresses...
Modelcar wrote: .....Now what kind of trickery with dogs and "teeth" are we seeing in that picture.... Those aren't the Dairy Queen owners are they.... Those "noses" look suspiciously the same......Maybe just waitresses...
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