Great to hear from Chris he had us quite concerned for awhile.
Guess because of the hour I better settle for coffee and a diet Danish. (Piece of whole wheat Toast with a wish) My Doc says he doesn’t ever remember me carrying this much weight. So he has put me on a rather strict diet.
He says no more young ladies either stay with the older ladies better for my heart. Who’s he kidding!
Anyway nice to hear from Chris will be back this evening.
Happy Canada Day to both sides of the 49th; those “in residence” and “displaced persons” below. May I lift my Stein to a Country that managed to win its’ sovereignty in a bloodless civilized fashion. Hear, hear! This is a special celebration honouring a great Country and a favorite Native Son, Chris Fournier. We’re all pulling for you friend and hope you’re “full head of steam” real soon.[tup] BTW, Boris dusts off your “first stool” daily, albeit with his cook’s apron![:O] Methinks Nick [C=:-)] is lying low until after the Fourth festivities. Blimey Mate, we Colonists just enjoy burning up money and setting fire to things-- --nothing to do with that spat 230 years ago![swg]
Gunns, you might just as well ask some of us to do our own brain surgery as machining tools for a “square tang.”[;)] Personally, I would recommend a little chicken soup…not for the impact wrench…for lunch. Best-a-luck to ya and glad to hear your daughter and grand kids are in town. Keep your check book handy.
Rob, thanks for the thought on “N’arlins” (quote Tom) and the “Pearly” cars. Last time I rode one, I nearly ended at the “Pearly Gates:” full lock-up emergency stop for some Bourbon St. refugee on a bicycle.[:(!] Hey, the cars down by the River (Mississippi) are great too. I hope Dave’s book is moving forward. I’d like to buy a copy before I’m too senile and blind to enjoy the “pichers,” duhh.[zzz]
Okay Boris, ring that sucker (bell) again, this round’s on me. Wattaya mean somebody stole the clapper? Great Granny’s Gummers, first the light bulbs, then the “wet” twilight paper, now the “freebe bell” (nautical time keeper). Is nothing sacred anymore? Never mind, just hit the cuspidore with your soup ladel. HAPPY CANADA DAY to one and all. Oh, Tom more on K.C. a.s.a.p., thanks.
HAPPY CANADA DAY 2005!
(Click to enlarge)
From the guys at “Our” Place to all our friends north of the 49th … enjoy this wonderful holiday weekend!
Drinks free to all who claim Canada as home - OR - who have relatives in Canada - OR - who have ever visited Canada - OR - know where Canada is! [tup] [;)]
Tom (Siberianmo}
Proprietor of “Our” Place
FRIDAY SUMMARY of RECENT POSTS (edited)
[#welcome] Back Chris! Thanx for the Email and know that your friends at ”Our” Place are pulling for you! [tup] [swg]
And again - HAPPY CANADA DAY 2005! to all of our friends north of the border.[tup][swg]
The start of a new month - hard to believe, huh?
Got off to a slow start this fine day, and I’m not sure why. The harder I worked, the behinder I got – or something like that. [swg] Spent a lot of time with my digital camera trying to figure out how to get close ups with everything in focus – near and background – still have to play with it …. Don’t you just love this tech age we’re in [?][swg]
So, here’s the SUMMARY without many of the smilies, graphics and photo’s …… and with limited comments from yours truly![tup]
[quote]
QUOTE: Theodorebear Posted: 30 Jun 2005, 12:26:46
Wow! Its either “feast or famine” at “Our” Place, isn’t it? First, let me catch my breath and an ice cold Molson’s, if you please. It took all morning just to check out the “Links” posted since my last toot, I mean visit. Very impressed with the progress made on your S gauge (suspension table) layout Tom. What are you using for ballast? The textured effect is nice. I had some doubts on the “suspension” concept before I saw the “method in its’ madness” (construction). Good show!
Gunns, I read through the much of the restoration of 2926 and, at the end, didn’t know whether to shout “hoorah” or cry. Godfrey Daniel, the “blood sweat and tears” that’s gone into that project is staggering. In railroad preservation, you and the team are doing the work of Guardian Angels. Trainnut484, my memory is something like a sieve but I believe the
Hello everyone. I’ll take one of those cold, bottomless, draughts again, please. Thanks for the kind words about volunteering, Tom. I just love trains and realized several years ago that I could continue to be one of those railfans that sit around and look at pix or I could go out and help preserve what’s left and hopefully get younger people involved in preservation. One of our biggest challenges at all the groups we belong to is attracting and keeping new blood. At the Midland, we have a Boy Scout program that benefits all involved and has given us several good members over the years, but we still have a tremendous need for younger folks. The wife and I are some of the youngest members on the rr. I would think that a railfan who is really interested in rrs would jump at the chance to help operate a real, live full size railroad-especially with a large metro area so close. I sure did-and we live 228 miles away! After helping out at the Midland for 8 years, I have realized lots of railfans just worship the equipment. Yeah, some of it is nice and I am glad it’s been preserved, but the rolling stock has to be viewed as part of a much larger picture. It’s also cold and lifeless without humans around.
Many people of all ages have never ridden a train of any kind and these are the people who enjoy themselves the most and also could care less about what kind of equipment we have so long as it is comfortable. This segment of our patrons also pays most of our bills.
This is not meant to be a diatribe against railfans. All of us are railfans and would’nt be doing any of this if we did not enjoy it. Most of us watch trains when we get a chance and some of us do special trips to look at different trains.
Good Grief! I don’t know where that came from and I need another beer! Gunns, people like you are the backbone of the preservation movement. I am just into operations and don’t have much mechanical background. I don’t even change the oil in our trucks anymore. Chris, good to hear from you a
Hi earlydiesels-Dan and everyone! Friday night at the bar and the steaks ‘n fries are ready for eatin’ … beer is cold, the gals are workin … Juke is blarin’ out some tunes and the pool tables are waitn’ - What more could you ask for [?] [tup] Whatillyahave [?]
Check out the beginning of Thursday’s SUMMARY - good things happenin’ here on the 4th! [swg]
I know exactly where you’re coming from … and I agree with your assessemnt of preservationists and those who give a hoot about making sure that this country’s loco’s and rolling stock isn’t confiined to just pictures and film.
Those who possess the skills to bring alive the E8’s - steam loco’s - F7’s - heavyweights - cabooses - PA’s - trolleys, et al - deserve one helluva pat on the back for what they do. [tup] [swg]
It doesn’t end there, though. Some are equally gifted in ensuring that the operations go off without a hitch - that the interiors look and feel the way they once did - that the total experience of yesterday’s railroads can be recreated, even for a small segment of time! So you , and your wife, are in that category Dan, appreciated and needed as well! [tup] [swg]
Enjoy the weekend!
Tom
Hi all,
coffee, and a sandwich.
Well I ruined my first pattern for the builders plate, not a great loss though, the materials were not up to the job of being carved to form. Plywood is too corse grained to stand up to the carving, but I learned a lot and got a good feel for the layout. Next attempt will be with masonite and will have seperatly made letters glued on to the plate, then the masonite pattern will be glued tp plywood to make up the thickness I need. Tomorrow is work day again, and a report will be forth coming. first rounds went well with nothing much to report at work, a slow night is a good night in my job.
later,
Gunns
Good evening everyone. It was a long and tiring July 1st but we had a great crowd and even better weather at the museum.Tom I think in honour of my country I’ll have a couple of draft mooseheads and a crown chaser. (I’m off tthe clock and brought a seatbelt for the stool)Gunns I’m not a machinist but I would think that your on the right path for the impac gun.I know are guys tend to use manual tools for most work but none of our equipment contains large high pressure boilers.The tools of the trade just don’t exist other than museum pieces(which we still use}we’ve been luskey enough to get tools donated from various sorces over the years which were built specifically towork on our type of equipment.Our guys have “built tools” when needed we even gone to B&D and other tool companies and had specific old imperial measure tools made for us $$$ but necessary as none of our cars wer built with metric parts.Shop wise i’d say a fully equiped wood and metal shop with lathes,milling machines shears etc.Good air supply compressor for the impac tools and above all the skilled people to operate them. I’m usual;y the shop gofer as in gofer the tool. Our I’m the grind and clean up guy. Oh well one starts at the bottom while learning.TedNot good to put the cars in emergancy like that most electrics will stand on their nose never good for the riding public. I remeber one of our operators who never quite learned how to run a Whitt, we ended up not giving him a ticket as he was just hopeless in training.It is a knack and some people just aren’t cut out for it.My father in law remembers training this gut and he let the pressure on the deadman off which instantly dumps the air and puts the car into emergency.(on the Peter Whitt’s one must exert downward pressure on the controller while moving the car. This is the deadman kill switch ) Unfortunatly 2786 the Whitt in question had the original K37 controller with westinghouse brakes, so once the air dumps the brake cylanders lock.So the shop guys have to manually re
Tom your right I never have been to sea.I did think of joining the RCN but ended up on a differant career path.Mind you ships are an alternate hobby of mine and I did have a one week cruise of lake ontario once. But that’s way [#offtopic] so let me grab a round. Nite all.
More Coffee!!,
An Idea just Smote me,
and Ya’ll are elected to vette it, our tender has 8 wheel buckeye trucks under it, these trucks have 4 points where the side frames are pivoted to a mainframe for equlization <dont mind the spelling it’s late>, we need to bore out the frames to replace the bearings. The commercial machine costs 16000.00 and more than we want to pay even to rent, Sooo, I am thinking of building a parallel from 3 inch angle iron placeing that across the truck frames above the pivot to be bored, straping it down then strapping a drill press so that the center line if the drills advance is pointed down the center of the pivot point of the truck. We then put a fly cutter in the chuck and punch out our holes to the right size for the new bearings. A tool extender may be needed to make the full deapth of cut, but that shoulden’t be a problem.
Am I missing something?
Gunns
Morning All time for coffee and another diet danish. Friend of mine who’s larger than me said his doctor told him to lose weight a couple of years ago but he found a hevay doctor and that solved his problem.
Just got the format all finally set the way I liked it on the forthcoming book it now stands at 266 pages and hopefully about twenty more should complete it. But I thought twenty would complete it about sixty pages ago.
Anyway I am looking forward to the fourth will probably drink a fifth in celebration and feel like you know what on the fifth.
Well must get on with the book bye for now But before I go continued improving health to Chris and anyone else who is ailing this AM.
SATURDAY SUMMARY of RECENT POSTS (edited)
Long retired from anything truly productive, these formerly rare (for me) long weekends always seemed as if they were full of Saturday’s. Nothin’ wrong with that! [tup] – so whatillyahave this fine day [?]
WHERE’s NICK[?]
Meeting results of the Selection Committee of the Order of the Stools:
It has been decreed that the Order of the Stools be revised to reflect the following:
Permanent Stool Chris First customer, [^] Barrister and Quebec connection
Permanent Stool Ted Customer with unparalleled good cheer [swg] and determination
Permanent Stool Nick Chief Chef [C=:-)] of “Our” Place and customer supreme from West Wales
Permanent Stool Trolleyboy Rob If it concerns street cars, talk to me! – and Ontario connection
Permanent Stool Passengerfan Al Walking, talking “Classic Train” Aficionado [2c] from California
Reserved Stool *** Watkins Rail enthusiast, world traveler – and Texas [C):-)] connection
Reserved Stool earlydiesels Dan Restorations are us! … And train lover at large [2c]
Reserved Stool West Coast S Dave California man of mystery [8D] and west coast connection
Reserved Stool coalminer 3 Northeast rail Aficionado [2c] and West Virginia connection
Reserved Stool Gunns Kevin Machinist, loco restorationist supreme [2c] and New Mexico connection
Reserved Stool Trainnut484 Russell AT&SF and rail enthusiast, model railroader [:D] and Kansas connection.
Congrats [bow][wow][yeah] to passengerfan Al for the Permanent Stool award
I suppose it may be “off topic” to do very much ranting over our two Country’s Birthdays, so Tom, please ring the bell a couple of times “on me.” I would ask Boris but he has “a thing” for bell clappers. (???)[alien] Since we “did in” most of the Crown Royal yesterday (Canada Day), I’ll settle for a Jack Daniels Black Label in the interest of my “patriotic duty.” Better mix that with soda Tom as I’m not real “big” on Bourbon, thanks. These back-to-back Holidays can be down right dangerous so I’ll go home via Mylow Claude Ball’s Red Top Taxi service ( a word to the wise). [C=:-)]Nick, if all is forgiven, please join us in the tipple of your choice…a Gin and Tonic perhaps?
Rob and Gunns, you gents are far too modest in accepting the accolades from your peers with the work you guys do in preserving our great rail heritage. If I wore a hat, it would be in my hand now! Salute! This group is truly exceptional and may we all raise a tankard to the liberties we enjoy that make a site like “Our” Place possible and free from the fear of tyranical censorship. Naturally, that goes for Jolly Olde England as well.[tup]
I did something rare this a.m. (for me). I saw a HO Roundhouse [M.D.C.I.] Pullman Palace Car kit at the LHS and did an “impulse purchase.” Its a plastic (also rare for me) model of a 1890’s A.T.& S.F. wooden obeservation car (80’) replete with ten oval (vanity style) windows, brass (colored) fixtures, 16 stained glass (upper) frame (arched) windows, and copius under body and roof details. I’ll use Central Valley (vintage) trucks which I “stock piled” years ago. [reminds me, I need to do an inventory soon] I’m glad I broke my oath today: its a darn nice kit.[tup] One question about this model! It is painted a Coach Green (w/gold fillagree). Shouldn’t it be the old Santa Fe light brown (tan) color for that vintage car?
Okay, enough of my palaver for now. Everyone have a happy, safe Holiday and if you are motoring; you have my sympathy. Tom, I understa
Hi Ted That was quite a morning post [swg] [;)] Black Label JD comin’ right up [tup] love that stuff myself … just a wee bit too early in the day for me, tho… [swg]
Oh [yeah] no problem with the bell clapper supply, they’re right over there beneath pool table #1. Came in with the supply of pickled pig’s feet. [?]
Mylow Cluade Ball’s Red Top Taxi service [?] [wow] this may really cause our young friend Rob to jump aboard his trolley and scoot! (Do trolley’s scoot [?] - probably not. [swg]
Happy to learn that you’re not the only one who yeilds to temptation now 'n then … I don’t know your setup, but I’ve found that display cases are perfect for those gotta haves of the hobby. In the pix of my Can-Am trainroom, you’ll catch a glimpse or three of them … good place for your Pullman Palace Car. My guess is that you’ll soon be reading some thoughts regarding the proper colors.[tup]
That’s interesting what you said about Mr. Doyle, Private Investigatgor being back in Merry Olde - last I saw of him and Inspector Clueless of the Local Constabulary was during earlydiesels Dan’s Birthday Bash. They took on the job of security and as the evening wound down - they wound up with two of our gals, heading for the uppermost floor of “Our” Place - the Penthouse Suite. Haven’t seen 'em since. Also, Cindy and Nick were last seen together … hmmmmmmm. Could it be [?] Nah. But… hmmmmmmm. Maybe [?]
Still awaiting that Email regarding my Amrak/KCity or Chicago thoughts …[;)]
Tom
Hi again Tom, just wanted to let you know “you have mail” and cast aside any thoughts of our “security” people engaging in any clandestine tristes. Not a bit of it, Boris checked the upstairs bath tub for “tell tale” rings and there were none (more is the pity). Also, Doyle is back in Tea Town and advised of our Chef’s absence just in the “Nick” of time, ooooh![V] I can’t stay but will have another quick JD please, strictly for “patriotic” considerations, don’t ya know?[;)]
Again, happy hoilday to all. Ted
Ted Email received and responded to! Thanx [tup]
Where and how are you getting your updates regarding our Sleuth’s [?] The gals have since returned to work, but these two have been MIA since their hiatus to the Penthouse Suite. And … Good Gawd Gertie, don’t let Boris anywhere near the upstairs bathtup to the left of the second door on the right. That’s where Nick’s kitchen money is kept. [:0]
So, Jack Daniels was a Patriot, huh [?] Boston Patriot as in original AFL team now known as the New England version [?] Whatever … enjoy! [tup] [swg]
Tom
earlydiesels - Dan,
I can make it Sunday morning (tomorrow) providing the weather is not raining or not too hot. Could you email me tonight? I heard something on the grapevine this morning. My email address is atsffan@hotmail.com
Take care,
Russell
Hey Boris don’t let him out … C’mon back Russell … Whazzup [?] Just come on in - leave a message - walk out [?]
No hello - no brew - no food - no nuttin’! Geesh!
Okay, Boris let him go …[:(]
Tom
Hearty Hello to everyone [:)] I’ll take my usual Miller Lite
Sorry Tom and Boris. Had some home cooked breakfast this morn and I felt if i had one more bite of anything…well…Boris would have to do some heavy cleaning, and would need more than just a plunger [}:)][;)]
I thought earlydiesels-dan would check in from the Midland, but according to his last post, he won’t be in till the 4th. Slight oversight on my part [oops]
Take care,
Russell
Good afternoon everyone. If the crown’s gone I’ll have a couple of keith’s.TomTrolley’s can scoot but it’s not considered dignified. LOL If we really wanted to our Whitt’s and the PCC’s are quite capable of hitting the 60 MPH mark 100KM’s for those of us who are metrically inclined. Take a peak at Bowser’s website Tom they have some nice running trolly’s for that new transit system on the canam. A line from Our place down to the Union station would look quite good don’t you think.Not to worry if ever we are in MO we will drop you the appropriate warning e-mail.[tup] Ted I think you are likely right on the paint job on the palace car. They are nice kits however.I’ve been looking at them as a potential spare parts sorce for interurban car scratch building projects.[oops][#offtopic] again. I see Boris is already setting up the shots for everyone.The sooner the trolley lines installed the better Tom. Catch you all later. Rob