HEY! Who’s that hogging the counter this morning???
Welcome back Jack. It seems we ‘dropped’ off about the same time and they sent out search and rescue teams! They found me shacked up at work working on a major project… that still isn’t done… and is looking like it will run over budget, miss the implementation date, and still be a resounding success! (never understood how that happens). Sorry I missed your call last night, I was dead to the world in a sound coma! (finally)
Well a couple nights ago, during my phone conversation with The Chief, I realized I didn’t like how the upper area of the layout was taking shape, so I redid the track plan. I was able to extend both legs of the upper sidings allowing me to get 4 coal cars (instead of 2) on the coaling siding and I now have room for 5 tankers (instead of 3) on the oil field siding. Also started working on another rock formation on the other side of the layout (same end, just the other side). If this turns out well I’ll have two options for other cliff faces that need to be created, and I’ll be able to get the facia boards up along the edges! [tup] If you remember back during the initial construction when the river was cut in I had used some scrap aluminum and steel I had laying around to build two girder bridges… well I never liked how they turned out and had been looking for replacements. I had been reading up on trestle bridge construction and found plans for a wooden deck bridge, so New Year’s Eve Day I stopped by a LHS and bought them out of 1/4x1/4x2 basswood strips and New Year’s Day I built a wooden deck bridge to replace one of the girder bridges. Turned out pretty nice and with a little weathering it will fit in right nice… so now I’m designing another to replace the other steel girder bridge. [:)] I also extended a section of track by 1.75 inches with designs of building a 7" high trestle bridge. This will take some planning and solid design effort to make it look the way I’m hoping… mo
It is cold in SE Indiana with temps in the teens. Guess I better let you know I am leading a task force of Hoosiers as we go to the heart of the South next week. I have a conference in Atlanta, and I promised my supervisors I would behave, but if somebody makes a really stupid remark (which usually occurs during conference calls), I may make Sherman’s “march to the sea” look like a cakewalk…lol. Came home last night as wife and son were finishing up a movie. They were going grocery shopping so I went to YMCA. We ate at 7 PM and she wanted to watch Jeopardy and Bones. Then at 9 PM she wants to put away Christmas stuff!!! I help for awhile but then I go to bed. I did get to work on my building some more. Should finish tonight. Sure has been a lot of activity on the pot. Jack, welcome back and greetings to the newcomers. I had the regular fare on the dining car. I hope everyone has a good day.
Howdy all! Great to see Jack back. Glad you are OK, we were concerned as last we heard from you was just prior to the big power outage and storms.
I think Kevin left the door open in Alaska…it was 46 when I came in this morning! You know it is going to be a bad day when as you crest the bridge leading to the hospital, you notice a helicopter landing on the roof…ah, more business! Big day with plenty of work to do. I slept through the night, but after the last 3 weeks, it was still not enough.
Bride is really wanting to help with getting layout completed…I married well. If they leave me alone this weekend, I will get some progress.
Don, when you leave mexifornia, you can come settle in Dixie…we’ll teach you how to make grits and to slow down to enjoy life again. I hear things are so bad in California, that they applied for a bailout from Mexico… just kidding. Hope things get better for our left coast bretheren.
Don–I’ve heard it’s not crowded in North Dakota [8)] but then there’s a reason for that. My BIL and family have lived up there forever and they love it, slower pace/lower taxes/excellent schools/a high quality family centered life style/superior hunting & fishing/etc. With all that said, the weather/winter is BRUTAL, I’m not sure many of us could hang in there but then again you don’t have to watch your back or lock your doors. We never locked our doors for 12 years but our German Shepherd, who lived outside and was not locked up, was our greeter–most folks would not get out of their cars. Sure miss him.
I have to think with our current economy that all 50 states will have serious budget issues for the next several years. Ironically, that was the same situation in 1969 when there was no money for teacher raises–my 2nd year. Some things never change.
Getting a little chilly down here in south Florida, in the 60’s this morning, tomorrow it should be in the 40’s. Really shouldn’t complain when I don’t have snow & ice to deal with. I grew up in snow & ice winters and learned how to drive on ice covered roads. Ever lose control in a 6X6 truck? I did when I was in the army over in Germany, couldn’t get the truck out of the motor pool, started sliding even taking off in 5th gear in 6 wheel drive. I parked the truck and told the motor sergeant that I wasn’t driving it or anything until the roads were better, two minutes later the motor pool got a call from the base commander saying all non emergency military traffic is now stopped.
Kurt, I can buy a new TV set for $400.00 at Target, so why should I pay $300.00 or better to fix an ailing TV set? Still can’t get the Panasonic TV set to recognize the new remote control, guess the receiver is burnt out for the remote feature.
fifedog, Have you seen the newer FEC SD-70’s? They bought some SD-70’s from Union Pacific and painted them yellow with blue lettering.
I might hook up another track to my DCS unit to see how it works with conventional engines and speed control. Still looking for another transformer to power my Fastrac layout.
Morning all. Was sunny but now it is clouding up [what is new!!!]. Wanted to get leaves up even though they are WET. Keep all that cold air up Nawth. Weatherpersons are saying might have cold temps below the records of the mid eighties. Global warming I guess. [(-D] Took Lucy to the vet’s. She will be back tomorrow at noon. Sure is quite here. Biscuit time [stopped at Hardees for a porkchop and gravy biscuit as I was out and about]. Have a good one.
Currently we have 1/4” of ice with 1” of snow and more coming slowly. The birds were waiting for me to fill the feeders, I had no more filled them when they started coming in. Waiting to see if I am watching grandkids or not. Services went well last night.
Through eBay I found someone who lives within 30 miles of me that has an American Flyer collection! We contacted each other and as it turns out I know his wife from high school. We are going to hook up and talk Flyer!!![:D]
NDNboy – Welcome!!! [#welcome]
Kurt – The story of Martha and Mary is one of my favorite stories. I gave my bride (Mary) a statue of the scene because it does show the importance of maintaining priorities. I write my homilies out and when I have the one done the married / un-married distraction to ministry I could send you a copy if you want.
Dennis – Congrats on the movie. [bow] I have pre-ordered Fireproof from Praises. I am looking forward to seeing it.
A balmy 19F right now! Heading up to Detroit later to look for some abandoned industrial narrow gauge trackage I heard about. Will be getting plenty of photos if I can find it.
Morning all. Glad Jack is back - I thought I felt his presence a few weeks ago. Brent, that sounds like a great new plan for that part of the layout. Sunny but cold here and getting colder. Just enough snow to be annoying. Just dropped the youngest off at school. Have some car work to do and real work too. Suggested moving to North Dakota to the bride; she countered with Florida or South Carolina. LOL. Guess we’ll stay put.
Woke up to more lite snow on the ground. Sunny and 28 now though. Lots of talk in the coffee room this morning and me with nothing to say. Jack, glad you had a safe trip, did you get pictures of the rest areas. Sounds like thats all you got to see in your travels. I got a good nites sleep with the neighborhood quiet again, kept dreaming about the chiefs dog barking at me though.
Well its back to school today for me. 30 and cool here with high winds. To get more winter weather on Saturday.
Wired up coal layout yesterday with day off only have 3 power drops for area 5 X 12. Lots o power for this small layout. Now to figure out where everything goes.
Good to see my friends Jack & Brent again…welcome back
NDNBOY a hearty Welcome to the “pot”, enjoy yer stay here. It’s all in good fun and fellowship!
Looked at the under tree layout, and boy oh boy what happens when I’m not there…a disaster fer sure,
one of the reasons I DIDN’T want to go north for Christmas. It’ll start coming down tonight, unfortunately.
Afternoon all. Limbs and more limbs. Limbs from neighbor’s pine tree plus cones. Got my aux antenna for my Legacy today [after a mixup in Chicago, it came quick]. Will test it and photo it. Windy today but not like yesterday and especially last night. Even had lightning one time that “shut down” my area light on the garage [flash was so bright]. Now back outside to more limbs. Take them to the pond area and feed the deer. Got Democat exectuive board meeting at 6 in Raleigh. Usually do not go as I do not quite fit that group. This one is important so will make a showing. Later.
Well, made it through the morning. Last scheculed case is about done and we have an add on case that will be starting in about 40 minutes. I am tired, but at least the end is in sight.
We had some serious wind yesterday, trees down, power poles broken, looked like a tornado came through. No official word on it yet though. Just think, wife had wanted me to put the trampoline together and out in the yard for the kids. If I had, the deer in the woods would be the only ones to use it.
May catch the game tonight…go Gators! Not a Florida fan, but hey, it is the SEC!
Supposed to turn colder here, so I hope to be able to stay indoors most of the time. Gives me a good reason to work on the layout…not that I need one.
Dennis, when you do put up that tramp, I recommend securing it to the ground - I’ve had our frame up for years without problems…Our neighbor - who sneered at my shenanigans - looping the frame with plastic-covered steel cabling and spiking it into the ground - using cork-screw-like spikes - had his tramp blown apart against his house in a windstorm. It may not look like you need to do so because its so heavy… I also re-secure the ‘cage’ netting every so often so it doesn’t ‘give’ a lot when a youngster hits it.
