Number Twelve Coffee Shop is now open [Archive]

UP2CSX

08-23-2008, 08:13 AM

Good very early morning everyone.

Saw the remodel job and it looks good. Flo is fgoing to need Larry and Rex's money to pay for the new booths. :D

Haven't had much time to get in here today. The wife's 30th high school reunion is tomorrow night and we went out tonight with group of folks who were here close friends in school. Interesting to meet them and see what they've become. Most of them have become very successful. On of the guys was an F-15 jockey who now flys for Delta, another is a civil engineeer, and one her best girlfriends is a CPA. The strange thing is that most of the women got better looking than they were in high school and guys got fatter and have way less hair. Must be something in our male genes that makes less attractive as we age. :)

Fay is just getting her outer rain bands into our area now. It's pretty windy for a tropical storm that's still about 200 miles away. We've had gusts of 39 mph and I think the wind field may be a little more extensive and the winds stronger than weather guys are thinking. Only a few sprinkles now but it looks like we should get a good rain started by dawn. We have flash flood watches out and, from Fay's history, we should get 4 to 8 inches of rain. We can certainly use it and even 8 inches shouldn't give us serious problems since the reservoirs and mainstem rivers are so low. A change of about 50 miles north in Fay's track will give us more like 15 inches and that could be a problem. We should get the worst of it just about the time for the reunion to start. It is, of course, my fault. :mad:

CSX_road_slug

08-23-2008, 09:02 AM

G'morning Flo and everybody. Been awake ~ 30 minutes and couldn't get back to sleep. Larry, nice job on the remodeling - I'll go easy on your tab by only ordering a glass of OJ.

Jeffery your BIL isn't the only one with truck problems. My Durango overheated and started spraying coolant from the bottom of the radiator Friday evening while my wife was driving. She managed to get it to her mom's driveway. I'll be going over later today to attempt to drive it to my mechanic's garage which is only 3 miles away - hope I don't have to pay for towing in addition to a new radiator!:(

Chris, glad you got the rain you were hoping for! And Jim, I hope Fay gives your area just the amount of rain it needs without flooding or interfering with Diana's high school reunion.

Rex, how are the new teeth doing - are you able to talk normal yet?

C U later, hopefully I get get back to sleep before too long...

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-23-2008, 10:47 AM

Good Morning from Tipton IN ! :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/TIPTONDEPOT.jpg:eek:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Diner/SteakEggs.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Diner/THECOFFEESHOP.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/3dflagsdotcom_usa_2fawl.gifhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Diner/Diner.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Diner/menu_breakfast_1.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Diner/waitress3.jpg

vato loco

08-23-2008, 12:00 PM

WEATHER
8 AM 77 °F Cloudy Mostly cloudy with showers inland. Still a bit breezy.
2 PM 84 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Variable clouds with scattered showers, especially north and east.
10 PM 79 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.

Fay is trying to make her way out of here, and leaving a mess in her wake! At this time a very Strong line of T'Storms are fixing to roll through. The weather man said as Fay exits, she will make the atmostphere very unstable. T-Storms will randomly pop up fast and hard! Great, I got yards to mow!

LOCAL NEWS

State puts Fay death toll at seven
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7265168&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
How can you blame a storm for peoples error's? If they had stayed HOME they might be alive today:rolleyes:

Fay, Fay, go away...
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7241451&version=111&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Tornado touches down in Polk County
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7269293&version=9&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

MyFox Tampa Bay weather webcast
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2387954&version=2551&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1
WATCH THIS! Are Drought is OVER:eek: so greenie will find some reason to say other wise!:mad:

PERSONAL NOTE
"Flo, I'm real Hungry! and being that Larrys pockets are nice and deep. I'll have.........4 over easy Eggs, Double Order of home fries, 20 oz T-bone steak, two butter milk biscuts, large coffee, Large OJ, slice of apple pie ala mode and get Larry some water to put that wallet fire out!;) " Yes, I can really put that much food away!:D

The Drought is over!:D Until some Greenie finds a reason to put up the Warnings...........Fay is still giving us rain here and there, I got's plenty of work today. Rain needs to go bye bye! Hey, we got another storm cooking of the coast of trinadad! hmmmmmmmmmmm.:eek:

Jim Stay home went the storm hits, if you read the stories above. Only people that get hurt are the one who go out in it! find a good project to do at home;) I avoid reunions....I didn't amount to much as expected!LOL's

Ken we got more than enough rain! Looks to be more on the way too:eek:

Rex your to nice, Larry is paying! Get a whole pie and pot of coffee to go!:D :D

Mikey Hi, Mike!:D :D :rolleyes: ;)

Jeffrey I just got done paying the repair dude yesterday! My wife's cars cylinder lock took a crap! Dang, $400 worth of pain! My wallet had a 5 alarm fire! RIP wallet you will be missed! I will never by a fully loaded car ever again no more alarm systems and toys!

jeffrey-wimberly

08-23-2008, 12:17 PM

Good morning.

It's 76 and mostly clear. The high is expected to be in the low 90's and there's a chance of thunderstorms.

Yesterday I completed my project of having two locos run by one decoder. It's quite a success. Last night my brother-in-law had to go out and pick up his son and tow his Jeep back home. It had thrown a rod as he was heading home after having dinner with the family in town. In no way does this mean his mobility is limited. He has four more cars to go through before that happens.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/23/2008

Heat Index: 80°F
Humidity: 84%
Dew Point: 71°F

So Far Today
High: 77°F
Low: 76°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 3mph N

Today High: 92 Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. North winds around 5 mph.

Tonight Low: 72 Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. North winds around 5 mph.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/IMAG0019-1.jpg

pcarrell

08-23-2008, 02:12 PM

Morning all!

The morning should be quiet, but as the cold front approaches the state, scattered thunderstorms will develop. Highs will be in the mid to upper 80's.

http://wishtv.images.worldnow.com/images/3761_G.jpg

Hi 87 F
Lo 71 F

Around here we're just getting ready to head out for a week and a half on the houseboat. We'll tool around Dale Hollow til we find a spot to tie up, then it's nothing but relaxing, jet ski's, and fishing for a good long while. On that note, you won't see me around here after tonight most likely as there's no real internet access down there on the lake. I'll stop in later today though and say hi!

For now, I'm outta here!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/N%20Scale%20Trains/11-29-07.jpg

OldGettysk

08-23-2008, 03:24 PM

Good Morning Guys ! just when I was getting used to the old place they go and remo del it . I'll have coffee, OJ and rye toast . I see that Fay is going to help end the draught down in the South. we're have another baeutiful day here on the Niagara Frontier . Not much else going on around here except for a piegrogi festival . Might have to make that one. I see they had a train derailment in Oklamhoma yesterday . They had some fire witht it also. Well have to go watch my little buddy so hope you all have a nice day . Philip have a real nice vacation!

RexHea

08-23-2008, 05:33 PM

Hi Mikey and good morning to all! Lunch time and I'm ready, Flo what do you have that is soft? shssssst!.

The Bama boys (pups) are very much Golden Retrievers. They have been playing in the rain all morning, jumping in puddles, rolling in the grass, really having a fun time. (We gave them a bath last night:rolleyes: )

Ken, the teeth are doing just fine. The speech....well, still working on that. My jaws are tired from trying to form words and my tongue is totally confused trying to find things. I don't know how many times that I have bitten my cheek while trying to eat.:D

Chris: B----, B----, B----! :D

Philip: Hope you have a grand and relaxing vacation.;)

Jim: You shouldn't play with the weather and then you wouldn't get blamed. While T-town will get a good amount of rain for a few days, it looks like the turn back will give us that extra bucket full. BTW:They say we men get "Distinguished" with age.:rolleyes:

Jeff: were the locos pretty well matched before you put in the common decoder? EDIT: Oops! I just read my answer on the WPF. Well, at least I am paying attention...some :D

Paul: Hope you have a wonderful day.

Steve B

08-23-2008, 07:25 PM

Big portion of Black pudding for me with two fried egg's fried bread, beans, sausage, and a big cup of tea please Larry

vato loco

08-23-2008, 08:14 PM

? Black Pudding? ahhhhhhhh? What?????????????????????

Rex, B______,B_____,B______. is really all I'm good for;-)

UP2CSX

08-23-2008, 09:10 PM

Afternoon, everyone.

Ken, that's too bad about the radiator. I hope it's just a blown hose or something cheap. Those Durango radiators are about the size of a double bed!

Chris, I know Florida is really sick of Fay at this point but it is nice, in the long run, to get all the rain. Believe me, if I had a choice, I'd stay home. Unfortunately, Dianna is bound and determined to go and it's only about three minutes from the house so I'll hope for the best.

Phillip, sounds like you'll have a nice day on the lake. This is one of those times it's nice to be living in Upstate.

Paul, I talked to my brother in Cleveland today and he said it was sunny and 88. I told him we don't have to worry about sun or heat down here for a few days. :)

Rex, I bit the heck out of my cheeks the first month I had dentures so get used to it. :( It was kind of weird to have to learn how to talk again. Looks like everyone south of Birmingham is getting their share of rain from Fay.

It finally started raining here about 6 am after the wind had been blowing all night. The rain hasn't been all that bad so far, only up to .55 inches, but that should change later tonight and tomorrow. We've been getting steady winds of 35 mph with gusts to 46 mph and the barometer is falling like a rock. All this and Fay is still about 200 miles away from us. As Ray alluded to, the current forecast track has Fay chugging along at about 8 mph all the way to the New Orleans area by late Monday then taking a right, going up through Louisiana and Mississippi, then taking another right and hitting Alabama again Wednesday or Thursday. :eek: Fay is the storm that just won't die. It looks like she will finally lose tropical storm status Tuesday, which will make her the longest-lived tropical storm to never achieve hurricane status. Watching the trees get whipped around outside my window, I'm glad she never did get any stronger.

jeffrey-wimberly

08-23-2008, 09:14 PM

? Black Pudding? ahhhhhhhh? What?????????????????????Also known as Blood pudding or Blood sausage. It's made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. Pig or cattle blood is used most often. Typical fillers include meat, fat, suet, bread, sweet potato, barley and oatmeal.

You asked.

There's rain coming down here. Glad I got the mowing done this morning.

vato loco

08-23-2008, 09:28 PM

WEATHER

wet, weT, wET, WET!:eek: Man the atmostphere is real unstable, we got's a T Storm worst than any thing Fay had! On and off T-Storm's today should slack of tomarrow!

LOCAL NEWS

Not much to report, for a change!

PERSONAL NOTE

Going to the in-laws for a visit:rolleyes: and return their car! As soon as this T-Storm blows through we leave! We got are yards done in time before the rain hit thank God........

Jim Hope Fay pays you a visit she gave us plenty of rain. You see the new storm brewing? oh My!:rolleyes: .....Hope you drive safe, and enjoy the party!

Mikey Hi.....Mike Hows it going:D

Rex My Black Lab/Chow mix is Hydrophobic! If We use the B-A-T-H word in the house a 85 lb dog goes missing :D Bathing him is a chore:( :rolleyes:

rhoward

08-24-2008, 12:37 AM

Ah....... So this is the new place. You know Flo maybe you could just pay off the health inspectors.... no, no I didn't really mean that, shhhh.

Oh, Evenin' Everybody!

I spent most of the day riding on LV RS3 211 down at the museum. I got the job of assistant fireman..... Whatever that is. I know what the fireman was but....... Anyway I got to make sure everyone was safe riding on that end of the loco, help them on and off and count heads to see how many were riding each trip. Had a lot of little kids 3 or 4 years old. Parents were very good watching them and being safe. Small children can ride with their parents in the cab but not outside in the walkways. I think I will sleep well tonight and hope I wake up in time to make it there on time tomorrow morning.

Ken old #211 had a leaky radiator today as well. Nothing serious but hopefully she will make it through tomorrow with no problems. She may have been just heating up and blowing off some excess........ I have decided that I really do like the Lehigh Valley paint from way back then.

Flo, cup of decafe and a nice butterscotch sundae please. I think I have earned it today!

vato loco

08-24-2008, 01:07 AM

Also known as Blood pudding or Blood sausage. It's made by cooking blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. Pig or cattle blood is used most often. Typical fillers include meat, fat, suet, bread, sweet potato, barley and oatmeal.

You asked.

.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Ewwwwwwwww! Basicly american hot dog's UK's cousin!

rhoward

08-24-2008, 01:52 AM

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Ewwwwwwwww! Basicly american hot dog's UK's cousin!

Only much better........:rolleyes: :D

UP2CSX

08-24-2008, 05:43 AM

Ray, I think assistant fireman is left over from the feather bedding. I had an uncle who started with the N&W as an assistant fireman before being promoted to fireman then engineer. He said he spent most of his two years as an assistant doing the fireman's job while the fireman sat and watched him. :) He made sure he did the same thing when he was promoted.

I had black pudding once when I was in the UK, not knowing what it was. It was pretty revolting, especially after my host told me what it was. Everyone in the pub had a good laugh at my expense. :D

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-24-2008, 10:54 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

08-24-2008, 12:56 PM

Good morning.

It's 74 and cloudy. The high is expected to be in the upper 80's. Showers and thunderstorms seem to be the order of the day as there's a very good chance of rain today.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/24/2008

Heat Index: 78°F
Humidity: 89%
Dew Point: 70°F

So Far Today
High: 75°F
Low: 73°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 7mph NNE

Today High: 85 A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning... Then showers likely and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Locally heavy rainfall possible in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Tonight Low: 72 Showers likely. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Lows in the lower 70s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010118.jpg

Secondhandmodeler

08-24-2008, 01:56 PM

Good morning gentlemen. It is forty nine degrees outside right now! I had to break out the new slippers I bought the other day! My wife's birthday went well Friday night. I had twenty adults and seven kids to our townhouse. Thank God the weather held out so we could have it outside! A few more of my nephews put in a request to see the trains run. Boy do I have a mandate!

I purchased most of my turnouts for the layout last night. Fourteen number sixes and four curved turnouts, all from Peco. Boy was that expensive! I still need to order the road bed and flex track. I'll use my old track as filler until I can save a little more money. I figured that I could start setting out the turnouts and see if my track plan will actually work with the space I've allotted. I have a sneaking suspicion that I haven't left enough room for the buildings I want to build. It looks good on paper, but I need to see it in 3D with some of my old buildings to make sure. If the plan works, I still need to order four more turnouts!

I just thought I'd pop in to give an update. I hope everyone is doing well.

vato loco

08-24-2008, 02:03 PM

WEATHER
8 AM 78 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Mix sun/clouds with storms developing.
2 PM 86 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Variable clouds with numerous showers and thunderstorms.
10 PM 79 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.

Rain Chance, 60%

LOCAL NEWS
Old Skyway bridge fishing piers set to close
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7272870&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.1.1
I like fishing there! sad to loose one of them:(

PERSONAL NOTE
"Flo, I'll have the usual steak, taters, and eggs. put this on Rex's tab!";) :D

FAY is out of here, our weather is slowly getting back to normal and so is life. The weather man just said the two storms down around tobago might not hit us but looks like mexico/texas area. Not much planed for today, just relax and might clean the layout up and get some pic's of it I going to try to sell it !
Blood pudding!:eek:Ewwww, No thank You! I have eaten some strange foods(Mostly Mexican) but I think I'll pass on pudding:) I'm Not that brave!

Jim, How was the reunion? nice to see old friends sometimes and meet new ones:) How much Rain did you get from Fay?

Ray Your 1/1 scale train fun sound great! I hope you guys get that leaky radiator fixed!

Mikey, Where are you:confused: Hi......Mike!:D

Jeff, Steve, Paul, Ken, and everyone else ........Good Morning!:) :)

OldGettysk

08-24-2008, 03:57 PM

Good Morning ! We still have sun but rain is expected in a little while as a cold front is heading our way from the midwest .Thanks alot ! Sure glad that Fay is just a tropical depression now . At least the winds might settle down . Well have to go get the morning paper and some coffee so I hope you all hjave a nice and peaceful Sunday !!!!

Secondhandmodeler

08-24-2008, 04:09 PM

Paul, you're welcome for that cold front! The air behind it is beautiful though.

Steve B

08-24-2008, 07:33 PM

Chris they look like something the dog did, but they are delicious :) :) :) had it for breakfast today at work along with toast, sausage, beans, fried tomatoes, fried onions, fried mushrooms, fried eggs x2, bacon and a potato cake, YUMMY, but it's only an occasional treat

RexHea

08-24-2008, 07:42 PM

"Flo, I'll have the usual steak, taters, and eggs. put this on Rex's tab!"
HEY! Belay that order you swabby! Larry has to buy this week.:D

Sure have enjoyed the steady rains. It hasn't been bad here, just rain and gusty winds (rain, stop, rain, stop). I think we have had 2" of rain since it started. They say we will have another 3-4 days of "rain likely". Now if the danged tornadoes don't form we will have benefited tremendously from Fay. Then we will send it all up to Ken, Paul and Ray.

Ray/Jim: Don't you know that anytime "assistant" is tagged to a job title, that is the one who does the grunt work and no glory.:D (or in the area of Education, someone's relative:eek: )

Steve: I have eaten many things around the world, some I didn't know what it was, but I have to pass on black pudding (even though that sounds better than BLOOD Sausage.) Would you care for a good'ole American Hot Dog? :D

vato loco

08-24-2008, 09:49 PM

WEATHER

Sunny and HOT. we got some evening T storms starting to build! we might get hit again.

LOCAL NEWS
"Flo, put it on Rex's Tab!" "He's got deeper pockets than Larry!":D :) :p

Residents recount Polk tornado
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7275691&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

PERSONAL NOTE

Great day, washed both the Truck and car! Now it's going to rain:mad: :rolleyes: o'well.

Steve I'll stick with good old American Hot Dogs! Made with good old left over Pig,cow, and chicken parts blended in a unsanitary and unsavory way by undocumented guest workers doing jobs white folk won't do:D :) :rolleyes: :eek: ! Mmmmmmmm! Infact thats what I'm cooking for dinner tonight! Hot dogs, Tater Tots, and Baked beans!

jeffrey-wimberly

08-24-2008, 10:13 PM

I'll stick with good old American Hot Dogs! Made with good old left over Pig,cow, and chicken parts blended in a unsanitary and unsavory way by undocumented guest workers doing jobs white folk won't do:D :) :rolleyes: :eek: ! Mmmmmmmm! Infact thats what I'm cooking for dinner tonight! Hot dogs, Tater Tots, and Baked beans!Make that hickory smoked beef sausage for me. Can't stand hot dogs!

vato loco

08-24-2008, 10:19 PM

Make that hickory smoked beef sausage for me. Can't stand hot dogs!

These are the smoked beef hot dogs made by bar S! I bake mine in the oven, i don't boil hot dogs! Add tots and bean.........ahhhhh-Man there goooooood:p

rhoward

08-25-2008, 12:39 AM

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh, time to relax. Diseasal Days are over for this year. Actually I had a lot of fun. Oh and you are all very right right about the job of the assistant....... Actually at the museum it means you are one of the "Hosts" on the Locomotive. We help people on and off the loco, make sure they are riding safely, explain how "stuff" works, add a bit of history, and generally keep an eye on things. Today I was a "Car Host" on our old Penn Central Caboose. Same basic job as yesterday but on the caboose instead. On our last trip down the hill to the yard (deadheading), somebody put a torpedo on the rail. Scared the livin' bejesus out a couple of us. I had a good idea what it was, one of the "experienced" crew said, "What was that?" I looked at him said that it sounded like a torpedo, he just grinned. I had been explaining to guests why whistle blasts were used on the train and a few had asked about the box labeled fusses and torpedoes. I knew I was right when I smelled the gunpowder after the "BANG!" I have a feeling I may have been overheard..............

Hope all of you had a great day!

RexHea

08-25-2008, 01:20 AM

"Flo, put it on Rex's Tab!" "He's got deeper pockets than Larry!"

Oh brother, I just can't get no respect! :D

vato loco

08-25-2008, 02:24 AM

O.K. Rodney!;) :D Next time I'll try to remember to order a glass of water for that wallet fire!LOL's:D :D :D :rolleyes:

UP2CSX

08-25-2008, 03:46 AM

Evening, everyone.

Well, it's been a wild 24 hours here. Made it to the reunion through sheeting rain and trees starting to fall all over the place. Had a 68 mph wind gust in the backyard with steady 45 mph winds from about noon yesterday through early this morning. I was amazed we didn't lose power but I was amazed too soon. Lost power just after we got home at midnight and got it back on at 4:15 pm, only to lose it again for another hour. I'm hoping it will stay on tonight. It's darned hot here without A/C. :eek: Rex, we got a little over 3.5 inches, not as much as I thought we'd get. This afternoon was scary for a while, with multiple tornado touchdowns, all luckily just a few miles to east of us. I'm sure glad this was just a little old tropical storm! Looks like we're liable to hammered again tomorrow and Tuesday as Fay's remnants meander around Mississippi and then back toward us again. Some folks have had over 15 inches of rain and the prediction is up to 10 more inches tomorrow and Tuesday, which could cause some serious flooding problems. On top of that, there's another disturbance in the southern Caribbean that looks like it has the potential to be a serious hurricane next weekend between Florida and the Gulf Coast. Ah, August in the Southland. :)

As you might imagine, I didn't get any model railroading (or much else) done today. :D

CSX_road_slug

08-25-2008, 04:07 AM

Good evening gents!

Jim, glad you survived driving in the middle of Fay yesterday.

Spent the entire day on the road, taking my daughter back to college. 12-hour round trip, and I'm totally exhausted! At least I put all the miles on the rental car (I had to pay a slightly-higher rate for the privilege of driving it long distance). The Durango's sitting outside my mechanic's garage, guess I'll find out tomorrow what the actual damages are.:eek:

No railroading today for me either.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-25-2008, 10:51 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

08-25-2008, 11:22 AM

Good morning.

It's 78 and mostly cloudy in the Sportsman's Paradise this morning. The high is expected to be in the upper 80's and there's a fair chance of rain.

Yesterday I converted an Athearn BB SD9 to DCC and prepared an old DC Proto 2000 E6 for a decoder.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/25/2008

Heat Index: 81°F
Humidity: 76%
Dew Point: 69°F

So Far Today
High: 80°F
Low: 77°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 10mph NW

Today High: 88 Mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight Low: 72 Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 70s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010123.jpg

tompm

08-25-2008, 01:38 PM

Good morning folks

It was 71 F this morning on its way to 83 F. It looks threatening right now and they say we could get some isolated thunderstorms.

I take the weekend off and come back to find us in new digs!

We had a busy Saturday with my son’s exhibition football game. His team lost 13-0 in a very poorly played game by the first string. I can’t understand when something is not working why coaches keep trying to force it and don’t make player changes and then they can’t figure out why they got beat. On Sunday we did the old grocery shopping.

My son and I ran some trains as we continued to experiment with the EZ-Command system. We were running two locomotives and switching them on and off sidings. I have been impressed by the ease of operation of the system. It so easy that after watching a DVD a ten year old can set it up, program locos, and then show his dad how it is done. Also one of his friends and classmates who lives around the corner has the EZ-Command system so they have been running back and forth between both houses running trains.

I hope everybody has a good day.

rhoward

08-25-2008, 02:53 PM

Gooooooooooooooooood Morning Coffee Shoppers!

I slept like the proverbial rock last night. Woke up about 10 minutes before the alarm went off. Had to once again get up early to get everything ready for the rug cleaner to come. He should be arriving in about 10 minutes. I will be good to get the carpet cleaned professionally to get all the remains of Sheila's "accidents" removed. Then I will feel better about having my granddaughter over. She is just starting to walk so I will have to "childproof" the house while I am at it.

It is 65°F here in the Finger Lakes, cloudy, with 77% humidity. Sounds like a gresat day to have your rug dry......... If it were 85° the air conditioners would dry it out in a hurry, but right now everything is damp!

I should be able to get some quality time in the trainroom today and get some more things done.

Hope all of you have a great day!

OldGettysk

08-25-2008, 03:32 PM

Good Mornin ! It's a nice day after yesterdays sorm. this was a cold front that came in from the midwest . Thanks Corey ! My friend works at our local sewage treatmant plant and he sai we had ove 2 and 1/2" in little over an hour .let me tell you we had some flooded streets and basements . A lot of our storm and sewage lines share the same pipes since it's an old system so lots of troubles . Oh well it's nice and comfortable now. Have to get up and do some stuff so I hope all is well in your part of the world !!!!!

UP2CSX

08-25-2008, 04:51 PM

Tom, I've been using EZ-Command for about a year. I'm now upgrading to a better system because I finally understand more about DCC. For a starter system or for someone who just wants to run a few trains and not get into CV changes, it's a good, cheap way to get your feet wet with DCC. It even controls my sound locomotives pretty well. Tough to beat for $50 or so.

Ray, good luck with the carpets. We had ours done about two moths ago and they still look good but no accidents to clean up either. I'm glad you got a good night's sleep - I wish I could say the same. :(

Paul, sounds like the prelude to fall has started up your way.

Up bright and early to the sound of the weather radio alarm. Had our first tornado this morning about 7:00 am and got the whole family down to the basement about 8:15 when we had one headed right toward us. It veered away about half a mile a minute before it would have hit here. Had almost continuous tornado warnings until about 10:00 am. Getting a little break now but the remnants of Fay keep spinning more rain bands in from the south so I expect we'll have another round of severe weather this afternoon. We've had another inch of rain this morning alone. This will probably go on until tomorrow night. The only good thing about is that these tornados from tropical systems tend to be weak and short lived so it's not quite as scary as the one we had in February.

That area of disturbed weather is now Tropical Depression 7 and I expect it will become a tropical storm by late tonight. It's forming in the same area as Fay and the computer models want to take it on the same path. They also want to bring it into Florida and then over to the Gulf as category 1 or 2 hurricane. I hope the computers are wrong about that but we shall see. The good thing for us, in addition to the much needed rain, is that it has really cooled off today. It's only 72 right now, which is about equivalent to a hard freeze for us in August. :)

PNKFLOYD

08-25-2008, 04:57 PM

:D A great big "HOWDY!" to everyone who was kind enough to say "Hi" to me.

Even the cats wouldn't speak to me over the weekend.

Had crazy computer problems with my home computer over the weekend.

I could get the system up and running for a few minutes and the whole system would go black. I checked my CPU plug going into the electrical power strip, checked the internet connection into the phone line, then turned the system on again. Success!
Everything went black again in about 5 minutes.
I tried checking everything again, could not get the system back up.
Over Sat and Sunday, I checked circuit breakers, outside phone wire and ground connections in the rain. No more computer, no electricity to the computer to show any operating lights.

Last night, one cat was batting a ball under the computer desk and there was a loud "clunk" and the cat vacated the area. Long story short, a book had fallen off the printer and partially unplugged the power strip.

I amaze myself at overlooking what is obvious in hindsight.
Does anyone else have such adventures??
Mikey

jeffrey-wimberly

08-25-2008, 05:24 PM

I've been using EZ-Command for about a year. I'm now upgrading to a better system because I finally understand more about DCC. For a starter system or for someone who just wants to run a few trains and not get into CV changes, it's a good, cheap way to get your feet wet with DCC. It even controls my sound locomotives pretty well. Tough to beat for $50 or so.
I've been using mine for about two years now. I picked up a booster almost a year ago and can now run all the locos I want. It's not unusual for me to have six running at one time. That's three trains pulled by two locos each.

RexHea

08-25-2008, 06:09 PM

Happy Monday to all retirees;have a good day workers!:)

Jim, you like trains...how about the rain-train that you are riding on, right now?:D

HI Mikey, when I was with the Gov. and after trying to fix a problem via radio, I got on a plane, traveled 3 hours up to the Laotian border from Bangkok, worked 1 1/2 hours troubleshooting a communications setup...then looked behind at the wall plug:o :o :rolleyes:

More relative to the hobby: I had a short somewhere on the layout: I removed all locos...still a short, I removed all rolling stock...still a short. Now, there is nothing left on the track and its time to start cutting sections....whoa...what is that sitting over there on that siding...OOPS! My track cleaning car and no material on the cleaning head...bare metal to metal. Time: 3 hours

Paul, you have had almost as much rain as I have. Don't worry, Jim will wring it out good before sending Fay's remains up to you.

UP2CSX

08-25-2008, 07:17 PM

Rex, the rain train can take a break for a while now. We've had 1.50 inches this morning and it still coming down. Looks like we should be coming to the west end of the rain band within the next hour and then it should just be more scattered showers after that. No real damage from the tornados so it's still been a good storm for us. Looks like you've been pretty much bypassed up there in T-Town.

I got a new patrol once and nothing worked. The radio, lightbar, siren, everything was dead. Had to take it to the county shops and stand around for three hours while they ran tests on all the wiring. Just for the heck of it, I popped the hood to check out the main relay. I asked the chief tech if the big red cable hanging under the relay was supposed to be attached to something. Ooppps...:o

Edit: Tropical Depression 7 has already become Tropical Storm Gustav and should be a hurricane by the time it gets to the Dominican Republic in the morning. This one looks like real trouble for Florida and the Gulf Cost depending on where he goes after he transits Cuba.

Steve B

08-25-2008, 08:27 PM

Well i'm ready for weekend, we had a three day holiday this weekend but i worked it all, no choice, 27 hours overtime will come in handy,,, the wifes spent it already, on a fold up bed so her nan can come for a week,,, the joy that will be,,, not, she's very nice but very hard work, all i can say is i hope the wifes got a week booked off work to look after her, it's not a job i can do.

trainman1980

08-25-2008, 08:59 PM

jeffrey-wimberly

08-25-2008, 09:31 PM

when the police officer parked and turned his ignition to accessory,the lights and siren came on.
That's something I can identify with.

vato loco

08-25-2008, 10:22 PM

WEATHER
Say hello to Tropical Storm Gustav
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7280654&version=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

MyFox Tampa Bay weather webcast
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2387954&version=2560&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

LOCAL NEWS
Family spots black bear in yard
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7278527&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Video of day: 10' Gator caught in North Port
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=0EAC8FBD60D946CDBF299096FC851293 ?contentId=7281036&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

PERSONAL NOTE
"Flo, I'll have the 30 oz. T-Bone steak med. rare, Large Baked potato with butter/sour cream and chives, steamed green beans with bacon and Ice cold Michalob Amberbrook or two or four. Then I want a big slice of apple pie ala mode! Put this one on Jims tab! also Flo can you bring Jim a big glass of water for that soon to be wallet fire!;) "

Well come on down Gustav, your the next storm on, "Let's wipe Florida off the face of the earth!":D :p Dang, it's that time of the year again, we're going to be buzzy!

Jim/Rex, you can have Gustav, you need the rain right? I'm off vacation and really don't want to get called to duty next week!:rolleyes:

Mikey Hi Mikey!:D Your buying the first round of beer at tomarrows dinner at Flo's!;)

Steve hope you house guest is well behaved! if not a tightly rolled up news paper is a good behavior modifier:D :rolleyes: ;)

Paul, i'm glad we ain't got basements! corrections there is two homes here in Spring hill that has basements! they ain't nothing but trouble!

Ray, Thats why 80% of my house is tiled! Any pet messes clean up easy and cheap!

L&N Castle

08-26-2008, 02:14 AM

Evening all. After a day of working out in the rain,I'm just trying to unwind,and dry out,if that's possible.:D :p :rolleyes: . I'm glad to see the rain,but I'm also ready for a break from it. Haven't done to much modeling,just been working on a few projects,but not at any break neck speed. Mike the only thing great about computers is,when they actually work like they are supposed to,otherwise,all they do is find new ways for us them for batting practice.:D . But seriously,I hope you got everything back up and working. Also,thanks to everyone who saw my photos of the Incident on the Cof GA. I tell ya,at first I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary,but when I got a second look,WHOA,I mean whoo man,that had to hurt. Anyway,just a glass of ice water Miss Flo,then I gotta run.Y'all have good,and hopefully,a better day tomorrow. Night. William.

leghome

08-26-2008, 02:49 AM

Well my better half and I spent about 4 hours at the Kubota dealer today looking and test driving the different mowers. First a 1982 Kubota B7100, 3 cylinder diesel, The a Kubota new BX1800 18 hp 3 cylinder diesel and finally a ZD18 Kubota 18 hp zero turn mower about 5 years old. Ended buying the new BX1800 with a 54" mowing deck, 54" snow blade and a used PTO driven three point hitch roto tiller. Glendia kind of talked me into the new one befcause of the trouble I had had recently with 1978 12 Kubota. She said the new one has a warranty and will last me the rest of my days. So the one and one half hour drive was well worth it. The BX1800 is a demo model with 54 hours on it, Power steering, hydraulic lift, hydrostatic four wheel drive for snow pushing and the rear mount tiller for doing the spring garden tilling instead of the back braking walking behind tiller. I am so glad that I took her with me because I would have gotten the used 26 yr old tractor. So I am broker now than this morning but also a very happy camper.

UP2CSX

08-26-2008, 06:38 AM

Larry, lawn tractors are way too complicated for me but I'm sure Chris can give you good advice. I find my wife thinks of things I don't when we're out shopping, much as I hate to admit it. :)

William, that was a very cool sequence on the engine damage. I sure would have liked to see the size of that tree. :eek:

Chris, looks like Gustav will be a hurricane tomorrow as it passes over far western Haiti. He's much better organized than Fay and is following a very similar path to Fay. He's still too far out for the models to get anything accurate but the Canadian model, which did a good job with Fay, has him crossing Cuba as a minimal cat 1 then hitting the Keys as a cat 2 and moving up the west coast in the Gulf. Looks like landfall somewhere between the Panhandle and Houston along about Monday. He's one bad hombre and deserves watching by all of us down here.

Tranman, we had the shop wire the windshield wiper switch to the horn for one guy we all disliked intensely. They did this in July and it didn't usually rain until October. Everyone forgot about it until we had our first heavy rain and we could hear him heading back to the station with the horn blaring the whole way. :) We told him that quality control was just lousy nowadays.

Steve, good luck with your visitor. Any news on the results of your wife's test yet?

Looks like the rain is finally out of the area for tonight but I expect a repeat performance tomorrow. Our high was only 75, which broke the previous minimum high of 84 in 1942. We've had 5.12 inches of rain in the past three days and I expect another inch or two tomorrow. I'm hoping that Fay will start to lift out to the north by Wednesday so we can get some drying before Gustav pays us his visit. Should be an interesting week.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-26-2008, 10:20 AM

vato loco

08-26-2008, 10:29 AM

WEATHER
8 AM 78 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Coastal showers moving inland.
2 PM 88 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Variable clouds with numerous showers and thunderstorms.
10 PM 81 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Partly cloudy with a few showers.
Chance of rain, 30%

LOCAL NEWS
Not so harmless caterpillar
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7285762&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.1.1

Watercraft blows up with girls on board
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7285801&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

PERSONAL NOTE
"Flo, I'm running late! Just a cup of coffee, and do you know how to get to Leghome(Larrys) house?"

The weather man sounds sure that the hurrican won't get us! I hope he's right!!! Got another day at the park! Today got's to mow the Soccer fields!
Yes, Jim your right. After I read what Larry bought http://www.kubota.com/F/products/bx1850.cfm , I hooked up my trailer and fixing to barrow his new toy:D

Larry, I like mini tractors, Kubota and massey fergusons are great! If you don't mind me asking what did it set you back? I wouldn't mind one....Now at the park we have a 3130L 4 wheel drive! dang thing is like driving a car! ZTR's are great for cutting grass but that's it, Tractors have way more uses! You didn't get the front end loader and box blade:eek: those are money makers!:) :D Enjoy your new toy, and keep it in the garage! there's people who would slip in and barrow your little toy! I want one of these: http://www.kubota.com/F/products/F2680E.cfm But at $22K I might have to wait:rolleyes: :D

jeffrey-wimberly

08-26-2008, 12:34 PM

good morning.

It's 76 and mostly clear. The high will be in the lower 90's with a chance of thunderstorms later.

I spent part of yesterday rebuilding an old Athearn F unit from the workbench up. New gears, new wheels, new motor and an updated hex shaft drive to replace the old spline shaft drive. I also cut off the metal coupler pockets and replaced them with plastic draft gear boxes to avoid hot frame issues after I install a DCC decoder. I tossed the old rubber motor mounts and substituted plastic mounts which are held in place with screws, thus assuring the motor is fully seated. Everything is in place for a DCC conversion. Installing the decoder will take about 5 minutes.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/26/2008

Heat Index: 78°F
Humidity: 86%
Dew Point: 70°F

So Far Today
High: 76°F
Low: 74°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 6mph NNE

Today High: 92 Mostly sunny early in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. North winds around 5 mph.

Tonight Low: 72 Partly cloudy until late night then becoming mostly clear. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 70s. Northeast winds around 5 mph in the evening becoming southwest after midnight.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010126.jpg

tompm

08-26-2008, 01:08 PM

Good morning folks

Temperature on the way in this morning was 61 F. Our high today is supposed to reach 78 F. The weather guessers are saying that the remnants of Fay will reach us by the end of the week.

I ran a train last night. I found several of the cars and one locomotive had little problems. There were several broken grab irons and a railing post. I can’t figure out how they happened. I repaired most of them.

I hope everybody has a good day.

leghome

08-26-2008, 01:31 PM

Chris The sticker price for the BX18 was $11,800 with the 54" snow blade but this being a demo with 50 hours for little over 9G. The used 42" tiller for $500 was cheap compared to new for $1,300. I was looking in one of our free for sale papers before I bought the Kubota and there was a nice looking Jacobson with 51 horse Kubota motor and an 11 foot cutting width for $6,500. The ad said it was over $50,000 new and was only a 1996 model. Just waiting now for a phone call to set up a delivery time.

OldGettysk

08-26-2008, 03:34 PM

Good Morning All ! It started out on the cool side 52 going up to 74 with lot of sun . It looks as Jim says a prelude to Fall . I took my daughter's car at the garage to get it inspected and my mechanic asked if I wanted a ride home. I went macho and said I'd walk and stop at the Farmer's Market on the way home . It's only a mile so it should be a peice if cake . Well I forot my cane and with my bad hip it was like walking uo hill the whole way even though it's flat as a pie. Next time I will take him up on the ride. Looks like we will get some of Fay aslo . She just won't give up. Well gotta get my garbage can in so I hope you all have a nice day !!!!!!!

PNKFLOYD

08-26-2008, 04:28 PM

Good day y'all!

I tried the computer again last night. It worked fine.... for about 5 hours as my wife caught up on her emails and jigsaw puzzles. I never did get on the thing after I turned it on.

Flo- two very cold beers, please! And if Chris doesn't get here in the next few minutes, I'll have to drink his to keep it from getting too warm!!:D :D

Please excuse me! After two beers, I gotta go visit the little boys room.:o
Mikey

rhoward

08-26-2008, 05:29 PM

Mornin'...... er... Afternoon everyone!

Flo, I'll have my usual breakfast for lunch today. Keep the coffee coming. (Put it on "you know who's" bill, OK.)

One rug cleaned, one to go. My cats have been trying to figure out what is going on. They do know that they don't like it one bit! Both of them have been asking for a lot of attention as if to say, "Daddy, I'm scared.......".

A nice cool bright sunny day here in the Finger Lakes today. High will be in the low 70s, humidity only 37%. Read the meters this morning, and found I used almost 300 kW less electric this August compared to a year ago. And, there were two more days in the reading cycle. Got to be happy about that.

Mikey, glad your 'putter is up and running. Hope it stays that way. Ain't Technology great?

Tom, gremlins..............

Larry those price tags make me glad I live on a 1/4 acre lot in the city........... I could buy a couple Ford 8n's, a John Deere B, and a Farmall H for that kinda money. I always think in terms of antie-ques ya know. That reminds me, I have to get my son to move his boat (resting upside down, killing the grass on my side lawn), I probably should mow the lawn sometime in the next couple of weeks........

Have a great day!

Steve B

08-26-2008, 08:01 PM

Evening,,, Flo just a cold milkshake for me,,, just had a jalfrezi chicken curry, and it was HOT STUFF.

Jim no news yet, she's got to go back in a week or so for a resting scan for comparison, they won't say anything till then :(

RexHea

08-26-2008, 09:47 PM

Good afternoon everyone! Flo, I will join Steve with a milkshake, sounds good and make mine chocolate, no vanilla, no ... heck give me one of each. I think most of our rains are about over. We only got around 3.5-4" total and it mostly was just a nice steady shower; not many downpours which made everything seem nice and easy.

Have an MR friend coming over this evening to have some playtime. He just got back from a very wet Florida vacation...should have known better than have it in August, but that was their condo time.

Time to go out to the depot and see what isn't working :rolleyes: .
CUL :)

UP2CSX

08-27-2008, 12:10 AM

Chris, sounds you and Larry should team up on some tractor purchases. You can use it in the summer for grass and he can use it in the winter to plow snow. Sounds just like a good locomotive type leasing arrangement to me. :)

Steve, some of those curries can rip out your mucous membranes but they sure are good. I'll keep praying that final news on your wife is clean bill of health.

Ray, our cats freaked out so much with the carpet cleaners that we had to lock them in the laundry room. That, and they would have bitten up the hoses. :D

Mikey, computers just don't make sense sometimes. We have four in the house so that way, one will usually work.

Paul, sounds like tough walk without your cane. None of us are getting any younger, you know. I went for several four mile hikes on our men's retreat up in the mountains and my legs are just recoving.

Rex, we've had just a little less than six inches total since Saturday with some more showers today so it was a healthy storm. I'm getting really concerned about Gustav though. If we don't get a high pressure ridge over us soon, there's no way he won't escape into the Gulf and then all bets are off. I'm getting the impression that somewhere between New Orleans and the Florida Panhandle are the most like areas in the cone of uncertainty. Chris, it doesn't look like Gustav will trouble you but there's another one just behind it, Invest 95L, that may give you and the eastern seaboard problems. What really bothers me about Gustav is the rapid intensification, something we didn't see with Fay. He went from a tropical depression to a cat 1 hurricane in 16 hours, which ties the record for the fastest intensification. These are the kind of storms that get into the Gulf and cause big trouble. I hope I'm wrong but I've been watching these thing for 45 years and I usually am not far off the mark. I'll take a big mistake this time and have it go into the Yucatan.

vato loco

08-27-2008, 12:28 AM

WEATHER

It was HOT and HUMID! and very little rain in sight for the next few days!

LOCAL NEWS

Stray cat set to live like queen
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7292324&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

PERSONAL NOTE

Mikey, I hope it fell off! Offer me a beer while i was at work then Drink my beer while I was working:mad: ! That's cold blooded:( Now order me another beer:D

Larry 9K for it was a great deal! A ZTR would have been way more$$.........I'll deliver the tractor for ya!:)........After I put 300 hrs on it:rolleyes: :D

Jim Larrys mower is getting delivered here first. Then when I tire of it i will send it to him!:D

jeffrey-wimberly

08-27-2008, 01:08 AM

I've been doing some light layout work today. The evil 'S' curve at the front of the layout is fixing to go away. As the photo below shows I've already got the deck that'll hold the new track section in place.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010135.jpg

After I've marked off the areas where the ends of the new section will marry into the existing track I'll cut out the offending section, trim the ends, put a piece of half inch foam down on the new deck and install the new track section. Here's a photo showing the new section set in to show what I'm going to do.

Any lovers of 'S' curves speak now or forever hold your peace.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010136.jpg

trainman1980

08-27-2008, 02:17 AM

My catch from this morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nae0sNbqpHk

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-27-2008, 02:20 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/GouldTower1947NKPWB.jpg

NKP West Bound by Gould Tower-Toledo OH-1947

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/Smilies/speedbanana.gif

rhoward

08-27-2008, 02:24 AM

Ah, Bill? Sweet, sweet, sweet! Thanks, I needed that.

I spent most of the day installing a remote thingy for a torti. The directions say 3/4 the way through to "relax, your almost done. It will take longer to read the directions than to finish the install". Maybe so, unless the part that actually turns the turnout points is in a completely impossible place to get your hands in place and your eyes where you can see it......... at the same time. Poor planing seems to be something I excel at.............. It is done, works perfectly, and next time I will have a better idea of what I am doing. Photos some time in the future......

jeffrey-wimberly

08-27-2008, 02:43 AM

The new track section is in place. Now for the ticklish part. The areas where the rails were cut is fairly difficult to get at to cut under the rail ends. So I'm having a spot of bother getting rail joiners in there. What I'm going to do is simply this. I'll clamp the rail ends in place so they line up precisely with each other and solder a piece of iron wire across each rail joint on the outside edge of the rail. After the area is ballasted it'll hardly be noticeable. Have I done this before? Yes. How many times? Twice, and that was many years ago.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010139.jpg

rhoward

08-27-2008, 03:54 AM

Hey, hey, hey...... Two new videos of Diesel Days at the Rochester and Genesee Valley RR Museum is up on line. The first one shows the two diesels and their crummies moving on our 2 mile long demo line. There is a very quick shot of me standing on the PC caboose right at the end. (I'm the old guy with the beard covering up the triple chins.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUwvsEdMzXI

This one is the Trolley operation at the other end of the line at the New York Museum of Transportation. Visitors started there, rode the trolley to the transfer point, got on the train and rode that down to our museum. At the end of their stay they rode back up the line, took the trolley to where they were parked. This is the first yuear that trolleys have transported people to the transfer point. Newly installed poles and catenary made it possible (We used to use track cars.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhxglWlhwxY

Enjoy!

jeffrey-wimberly

08-27-2008, 04:15 AM

I now have the rail ends soldered together and I just ran a test train made up of my pickiest loco and cars over the area and they worked flawlessly. I label this project a success.

UP2CSX

08-27-2008, 04:50 AM

Bill, nice picture indeed. Running the year after I was born with an old NKP way car behind the Consolidation. Must have been on a transfer run somewhere.

Ray, nothing you need to add after trackwork and scenery is in place will ever be easy to reach. I think there's some kind of law that overs that, like the one about your layout blowing up whenever you have visitors. :) Nice videos. You can tell you've got some really sharp curves when even a trolley ahs that much flange squeal.

Jeffrey, I know you're proud of your project but have some mercy on the dial-up users and only post the photos in one thread.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-27-2008, 10:32 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

08-27-2008, 12:06 PM

Jeffrey, I know you're proud of your project but have some mercy on the dial-up users and only post the photos in one thread.
Sorry about that. I get carried away sometimes.

Good morning.

It's 75 and mostly clear here. The high should be in the mid 90's and it will be mostly cloudy.

Yesterday was a productive day. I put nickel silver wheels in my Athearn SD9 and I tore out an annoying 'S' curve on the layout and laid a new section of track that's decidely less problematic. The old section put a big strain on the couplers of some of my stiffer cars that don't have much coupler movement (Genesis cars mostly) and on some of my stiffer locomotives as well. I started the project at about 6:10 pm with the tear-out and had the new section in and operational before 9:30 pm. There's still much work to be done but the hardest part is behind me now.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/27/2008

Heat Index: 78°F
Humidity: 86%
Dew Point: 70°F

So Far Today
High: 78°F
Low: 74°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 0mph NNE

Today High: 95 Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight Low: 72 Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/P1010129.jpg

CSX_road_slug

08-27-2008, 12:34 PM

Morning everybody,

This is my last week before the Back-To-School Madness begins and I'll be spending most of my 'free' time doing Dads Taxi Service. All good things gotta come to an end, including summer vacations *sigh*...

Ray - excellent videos, looks like a great time was had by all!

Jeffrey - I need to do some track re-org on my own layout as well, I'm just trying to get some operation time in while the trainroom is somewhat clean. BTW - maybe if you just posted links to your photos here instead of embedding them, that would make things easier on us bandwidth-challenged patrons...;)

Bill - great vintage photo of that NKP, I'm sure Koester would drool over it!:D

Rex - Are you referring to your MRR friend who used to live in Maryland? Sure wish I coulda met him while was there...

Jim - I've been following your thread on RF scanners. I sure wish I had the funding for one of those right now, but after paying for a new radiator in the Durango, I don't think the CFO would be too pleased to see me putting one of those on the credit card. I need to wait until I have some real money in the checking account!

Gotta run, C-U later

tompm

08-27-2008, 01:43 PM

Good morning folks

It was 58 F as I hit the road this morning. High today will be 79 F. it looks like we could have another no air conditioner day. We had one until last night around 8:30 PM. At that time the plane spraying for mosquitoes flew over head and we had to close the windows. Since our area has been a hotbed for West Nile encephalitis the state DEP decided that they needed to do something about the mosquitoes.

No modeling last night. I came home yesterday and found my son and his friend with the O-scale trains spread out over the living room floor.

Tonight is one of those crazy nights. My son has to have his ID photo taken for football. We also have our last Cub Scout summer Pack Meeting at the same time. I will be running back and forth between the two all night.

I hope everybody has a good day.

PNKFLOYD

08-27-2008, 03:12 PM

Good morning to everyone!
Flo- a cup of strong black coffee to go this morning, please.

No major problems this morning, except for Chris.

He's going to make me give up drinking beer.:eek:
Just because I was doing him a favor to get rid of his warm beer yesterday.
I know, with friends like me, who needs enemies.:o

Chris- we will just have to get together another time to make sure your beer is cold... and drunk only by you.:D

Gotta run, catch y'all later.
Mikey

rhoward

08-27-2008, 05:02 PM

Mornin' everyone!

Today is furniture moving day again...... Have to move everything back into the dining room/ office room and then move everything that isn't nailed down out of the living room. Tomorrow the cleaning guy will be back. He is actually an old friend, fellow teacher (elem. phys ed), and one of my son's favorite coaches (cross country and track). We get to talking shop and nothing gets done...................

Hey Mikey, I will be going to a family picnic (my late wife's family) tomorrow evening. I'll tip a cold one in your honor.

Tom remember Scouting is only an hour a week....... Yeah, right!

Ken, yes it was a lot of fun. The operations crews were dead tired by 6PM, a lot of stress to make sure everything was done safely. But, a lot of "High Fives" being given out by e-mail to everyone who worked the weekend.

Gotta run. my son is on his way over to help move some stuff.

PNKFLOYD

08-27-2008, 05:22 PM

Ray- thanks for the kind offer to tip one in my honor.

Please limit it to one cold one for me.
"We" don't want to become too tipsey that we cannot drive.:D
Mikey

Cjcrescent

08-27-2008, 05:25 PM

Hi fellas, Whazup?

Been outta circulation for a while. Came down with an infection and a half earlier in the month. I think I've lost at least 10lbs if not more from it. My white count is still elevated, but I'm on my third round of AB's and hopefully I won't need a fourth. If I do the MD's say its gonna be a couple of days in the hospital for IV's to restore balance. Hope that doesn't happen. :mad: With monthly IgH treatments, I'm fast running out of usable veins for them to stick.

Hadn't done much on railroading front, except I did finish the construction on my Bowser USRA 2-10-2. Although it builds into a very smooth runner and really powerful puller like all Bowsers, this kit has some really major shortcomings if you're wanting to build it as a true USRA. The directions were typical Bowser, and if you've ever built any Bowser engine kit, (this is my 10th, including 4 of my own), you can get a mech that rivals brass in its smoothness. The problem is the boiler. Why they did the things they did, I'll never know. If I can, I'll do an indepth critique of the kit as soon as I feel better.

As for FAY, up here we got a lot more rain than I thought, and there was even some wind damage in the neighborhood. A neighbor lost a 6 ft maple!;) He had just planted it less than a week ago, a gust of wind blew it over. But what was worse, even with all windows rolled up tight, the inside of my truck got a good 4" of water in it. Both seats are soaked! I bet that's gonna smell real good soon! I've got both doors open and all windows down trying to dry it out.

KenL; Sorry I missed ya while you were here. Would have been great to see ya.

Well, enough about me so I'll be going now. Time for some more meds.:(

vato loco

08-27-2008, 10:13 PM

WEATHER

Hot and Humid, what else!:D :rolleyes: :eek:

LOCAL NEWS

Gustav kills 22; eyes Louisiana, Gulf coast
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7291288&version=25&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Fay didn't bust Bay Area drought
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7292136&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
Told ya, those SOB Greenies from Swift mud would try to spoil the good news!:mad: :rolleyes:

Copper thieves target baseball fields
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7299340&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

PERSONAL NOTE
Work was work today nothing new to report other than Hotter than a cat on a tin roof today! If it weren't for the sea breeze once in a while I would have died today!

Hey Mikey, How about that beer:o I need a few:)

Ken, I feel your pain! 8 weeks ago the washing machine took a dump! -$400 for that! 4 weeks ago my trucks water pump died! -$400 for that. then 2 weeks ago my wifes cars anti theft system shut the car down! -$400 for that mess! all total we spent $1200 in less than two months! Our budget is in and will be in the RED for the next few months!:mad: Just when it looks that we might catch a break:) :) :) we get broken:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Jim, Gustav, looks to be headed your way!:eek: or close to ya:eek: Your turn;) The next one might get me:rolleyes: we'll see!

RexHea

08-27-2008, 11:16 PM

CSX_road_slug

08-27-2008, 11:57 PM

Howdy crew!

Carey, good to see here again!

Chris, I'll buy you a Cold One since your broke from all those repair bills, I haven't completely maxed out my credit cards yet!:D

Mikey - I'd offer you one too, but I don't want you getting a DWI :eek:

I sure wish this forum software allowed us to change the titles of our threads. That one I posted about the Alabama trip has started taking on a life of its own, I'd change its name to "Virtual Irondale Cafe" if I could!

vato loco

08-28-2008, 01:00 AM

Hey Chris, while cutting my grass, you came to mind (don't know why:rolleyes: ) for a question. I have Centipede grass and fertilized it in the spring. I was wondering if I should now do it again. Also, do you fertilize when you will have the yard dry for a few days or the opposite. I have heard both recommended by X-purts, so which is it? I've never had any problems either way, but ...:confused:

Easy Q! It's the most common one I get asked!

Fertilizer should be applied 3 to 4 times a year or every 13 to17 weeks and no more than that! That's if you live where I do and it doesn't snow:D...... Does your lawn look yellowish or has yellow patches in it, you see a rash of weeds popping up and growth rate has slowed some? Then Yes! If it's still lush and green and growing like there's no tomarrow than wait till you see either a slowing of growth or the lawn starts to yellow some! A healthy properly watered and feed lawn should grow 1/4"-1/2" a day and be a nice even green(Not yellowish)! You can apply Dry and liquid fertilizers any time regardless if it were wet or dry, Just remember to water the snot out of it right after you put it down, at least 1" of irrigation or rain fall for fertilizers with a nitrogen count under 16%! Ferts with nitrogen over 16% should not be applied when in drought or with air temps are in the 90's unless you can keep up with the water needs!

Just a reminder of what the #'s mean onbag of fertilizer.

16-4-8 or N-P-K

16% Nitrogen, this Greens and makes the grass grow faster!Warning, Higher the % the more water it will need to water in and the faster lawn growth the more water it will need!

4% Phosphorus, this aids in blooming and going to seed!(Not needed much with grass that does not reproduce/spread by seed!)

8% potassium, Makes for healthy deep growing rooting system! also helps your lawn with drought issues!

I tried to keep from writing a book on the issue there's ton's more info;) :rolleyes: :D !

BTW: When I'm cutting the Grass My only thought is, "God must be mad at me, why else am I here!"LOL's

RexHea

08-28-2008, 02:08 AM

Thanks Chris! My yard looks good after all this rain, but hasn't had the runners (centipede) that it normally would have. September is around the corner and it is usually a dry month for us.

OldGettysk

08-28-2008, 02:21 AM

Hi All ! had a busy day making stuffed cabbage rolls and just got done. Waiting for Fay to hit tonight or early on the morning . Not much else going on so I guess I'll call it a night !

UP2CSX

08-28-2008, 07:28 AM

Good very early morning everyone.

CJ, Nice to see you again. I'm sure your medical issues must drag on you but I sure hope the IgH treatments start to help. I know that getting competent veins starts to be a real problem when you've been stabbed over and over. I'm glad to see you're still doing some model building.

Chris, I have one of those lawn services doing my fertilization this year and they've really done a good job. Much fewer weeds and the grass is much thicker. I was doing the fertilization myself but I don't think I was getting the coverage right or fertilizing at the right times. I'm just not a very good lawn guy, I'm afraid. With all this rain, I think the lawn has grown about three inches since Saturday.

Rex, how have the teeth been treating you? I hope you're starting to get beyond the jello and pudding stage. :)

Ken, I think we should all meet at the Irondale Café next time and be done with it. :)

Paul, must be some Polish in your background with all those stuffed cabbage rolls. My SIL calls them pigeons. I don't know if that's an Ohio regionalism or common for those cabbage rolls but they sure are good no matter what they are called. That's one of the things I can't get down here in Alabama.

Chris, the picture on Gustav has become considerably more murky since last night. Gustav is really getting torn up by being over Haiti so long and is down to a minimal tropical storm. How soon and if it regains hurricane status depends on how far away for Cuba it stays. Some models are starting to dissipate the storm over Cuba, Others want to take him to the Yucatan, and most want to take him into the Gulf but as a cat 2 and maybe even a cat 1 headed toward the Louisiana/Mississippi border, with landfall sometime late Monday. It looks like it's going to spend a few days in the Gulf since steering currents are going to be weak. This could either make Gustav stronger or weaker than the models predict. Five day forecasts for landfall average a 50% error rate and intensity averages are usually off either way by 25 mph. My gut feeling is still somewhere from New Orleans to Mobile but we won't really have a decent picture until Saturday and maybe not even then if he decides to spend a few days relaxing over the Gulf. All I know is I spent two hours at Walmart today stocking up on hurricane supplies to beat the crowd. If it's not Gustav that gets us, it will be another storm this season.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-28-2008, 10:12 AM

vato loco

08-28-2008, 10:20 AM

Thanks Chris! My yard looks good after all this rain, but hasn't had the runners (centipede) that it normally would have. September is around the corner and it is usually a dry month for us.

If you have irrigation you can use up to 10-16% nitrogen and up the Potassium as much as possible! Scotts makes a all potassium fertilizer, I think it's called water smart:confused: It's nitrogen is around 6-8% and the potassium is around 40%.

Most fertilizers coverges are labled on the bag. Do to liability, feritlizer Co. up the coverage to keep people from over feeing/ burning there lawns!:rolleyes:
Like my favorite fertilizer says, 40# of product covers 5000sqft. It actually only covers 2500sqft! If you follow the instructions you hardly see any effects!
Jim, your right it is a balancing act! you have to know what your lawn needs to get it right! Down here some of our local spray tec's screwing up big time, they add way to much weed killers in their tanks!
If you just feed your lawn on a regular schedule and do it right the natural growth of your lawn will choke out the weeds!

My normal schedule is: 7,500sqft of lawn
January 3 bags of 16-4-8 and 20# bag of Ortho max
April 3 bags of 10-10-10 and 20# bag of ortho max
July 3 bags of 16-4-8 and 20# bag of Ortho max
October 3 bags of 10-10-10 and 20# bag of Ortho max

I spray liquid Iron one bottle between feedings to maintain the dark green!

jeffrey-wimberly

08-28-2008, 12:08 PM

Good morning.

The temp here is 77 and it's mostly clear. The high today is expected to be 93 and it will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain this afternoon.

Didn't get much done yesterday. Serviced a pair of Athearn P's (PA2-PB2 set) and put them in service. They're DCC, using a pair of old Lenz Bach1 decoders.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/28/2008

Heat Index: 81°F
Humidity: 89%
Dew Point: 73°F

So Far Today
High: 78°F
Low: 76°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 0mph NNE

Today High: 95 Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. West winds around 5 mph in the morning becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Tonight Low: 75 Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the mid 70s. South winds around 5 mph in the evening becoming light after midnight.

rhoward

08-28-2008, 02:49 PM

Good Morning Coffee Shoppers!

The carpet cleaner is hard at work removing all the very icky remains of hairballs and worse from the living room carpet. I have to go do something else or we will never get it done. The two of us like to talk about teaching (we both taught here in Geneva for many years). He is a physical education teacher at one of the elementary schools that I did some teaching in.

Cool and cloudy right now here in the Finger Lakes. Currently 64°F with a high in the low 70s. The remnants of Fay should arrive very soon and light rain is predicted for the rest of today, tonight, and tomorrow morning. The neighbor across the street must be very frustrated this summer. He has completely stopped watering his lawn. The last time I saw him water was almost a month ago the day after we got 3" of rain.........

BTW Chris what should I put on my lawn? It is a blend of Kentucky Bluegrass, Red Fescue, dandelions, Chicory, and other native varieties. Keep in mind that I want it to STOP growing! I've mowed the d@%% thing way too much this year. Normally it is that nice brown dormant color by now. I have the greenest lawn in the area. My secret is to never ever fertilize, weed, or kill any bugs on it. What am I doing wrong?:rolleyes: ;) ;) If the city fathers would let me, I would let it grow into a beautiful bed of local native wildflowers and be done with it. My vegetable garden, that gets tender loving care. :rolleyes: :D (Hope you know I am pulling your leg a bit here....)

Have a great day all!

tompm

08-28-2008, 03:08 PM

Good morning folks

It was 64 F on the van thermometer this morning. High today will be 76 F. We have a chance of showers tonight and tomorrow.

Yesterday was one of those crazy days with kids. My son had a Meet and Greet with his teachers. Next he had to have his photo ID for football taken. We topped off the night with a Cub Scout Pack Meeting. Needless to say no modeling got done.

I hope everybody has a good day.

OldGettysk

08-28-2008, 03:34 PM

Good Morning !!!!! Another perfect day here on the Niagara Frontier . Not the weather it's overcast with some rain as Fay is almost here . I mean no work and my dog is in my lap helping me type . Doesn't get any better the that . Not much else going on here . I'm with Ray my grass is a combo of Kentucky Blue Grass , Rye , dandelions etc. I have it fertilzed four times a year but it seems that the neighbor wwho doesn't always ends up in my lawn. All you guys in the Gulf , I hope Gustav weekens before it hits landfall !!!! Hope everyone has a real nice day !

jeffrey-wimberly

08-28-2008, 07:15 PM

My parents lawn is most St. Augustine and Bermuda grass with an unknown number of types of weeds for variety.

PNKFLOYD

08-28-2008, 07:20 PM

I was trying to do as asked above and I was curious about the hoscale.com site advertised on this forum.
I clicked on the link and came up to the HO Scale home page. But, it required me to register before I could look to see if I wanted to join.
With all the spam and virus warnings going around, I am picky about which sites I visit and give out my email address. So I backed away from the site and will not try again.
Am I overcautious in my selection of computer websites or am I right to be careful where I leave contact information?

Cjcrescent

08-28-2008, 11:42 PM

Hey Flo, how about some iced water. Stomach's a little unsettled today.

Looks like we got a spammer!!!:mad:

Yoc

08-28-2008, 11:47 PM

Mikey, I'm with you, if they can't display their wares without your e-mail address, somethings fishy. They may be on the level, on the other hand why do they need your e-mail?

vato loco

08-29-2008, 12:25 AM

WEATHER

FREAKIN HOT and HUMID! No rain in sight!:mad:
Fay, come back!

LOCAL NEWS

Elderly man killed in home invasion
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7309528&version=10&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Teen charged with school plot
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7310657&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

PERSONAL NOTE
OK another real hot and humid day, We need fay to come back! Lawns are like boats, nothing but a Hole in which to throw away good money! Why do we put such effort into a thing which we hate to mow?

Ray, You have been blessed with real GOOD Soil, and I hate you for that!(My soil is pure Sugar Sand takes a great deal to get stuff to grow) But if you tire of mowing your lawn I'm sure some Round Up Pro can help with that!:D

L&N Castle

08-29-2008, 01:55 AM

Mikey,it do sound like a spammer. Good thing your were able to get outta there unscathed. Miss Flo,I'd also like a glass of ice water please. By the way,what do y'all think of Gustav? Where do y'all think the storm will end up? William.

Cjcrescent

08-29-2008, 04:26 AM

Mikey,it do sound like a spammer. ...By the way,what do y'all think of Gustav? Where do y'all think the storm will end up? William.

William, the spammer I was referring to had been placing marketing messages into various discussions, that had no reason being in those discussions and were totally unrelated to Model Railroading. "The Boss", took care of them.

As to Gustav, I think it a nice Nordic name.

Little too early for us to be too concerned about it.

Go here for the latest:

http://www.abc3340.com/weather/

Click on the Tropical Weather link on the lt. side.

trainman1980

08-29-2008, 04:48 AM

William, the spammer I was referring to had been placing marketing messages into various discussions, that had no reason being in those discussions and were totally unrelated to Model Railroading. "The Boss", took care of them.

As to Gustav, I think it a nice Nordic name.

Little too early for us to be too concerned about it.

Go here for the latest:

http://www.abc3340.com/weather/

Click on the Tropical Weather link on the lt. side.

I had a spammer on one of my posts earlier.

UP2CSX

08-29-2008, 04:53 AM

Evening, everyone.

Chis, never tried liquid iron. I'll put that on the list for next year. For now, these guys have a done a good job bringing the lawn back. The folks that had the house for five years before us never put any fertilizer on anything so it was in pretty bad shape. I think that, once it's stable, I can probably maintain it.

Ray, I wonder where the whole idea of lawns came from? I'm pretty sure they didn't have them back in colonial days. Seems like a huge waste of water and resources sometimes, although they look when they look good.

Paul, looks the remnants of Fay should give you some nuisance rain and then clear out pretty quickly, with nice high pressure ridge setting up for the weekend.

Mikey, unless I already know the site is reputable, I won't register just to see something for sale. Some of these operations are set up to offer lowball prices on almost anything but really make their money from harvesting e-mail addresses. If you actually try to order anything from them, they are always out of stock and then the site just disappears one day, with the FTC hot on their trail.

Hot and humid day here too, with a high of 95, although we did get a five minute shower. William, I wish I had a better guess where Gustave is going. A lot depends on how soon and how strong that high pressure ridge develops over the east that I was telling Paul about. The stronger it gets, the more Gustav will be pushed to the northwest. If the high pressure ridge either doesn't develop or is weak, he will move northeast in the Gulf toward that weakness. Right now, any place from Galveston to the Big Bend area of Florida has almost an equal chance of being hit. Gustav is also a very small storm and a lot depends on how much and how fast he can intensify. If he can get up to cat 2 or 3 status by Saturday, the cloud shield and wind field will start to spread out and he'll have more local influence on his travels than just the high pressure ridge. My gut feeling is still between New Orleans and Mobile but he's still too far out to back that up with anything scientific. The most surprising thing is that oil dropped over $2 a barrel today when the consensus track has Gustav plowing right through the center of the offshore oil platforms. I guess it's a sign the speculators really are bailing out of oil.

If Gustav wasn't enough to worry about, Tropical Storm Hanna has formed out east of the Bahamas, Tropical Depression 7 is right behind her, and another menacing looking tropical wave is coming off of Africa. Looks like it will be an interesting September.

Cjcrescent

08-29-2008, 04:57 AM

Evening, everyone.

...The most surprising thing is that oil dropped over $2 a barrel today when the consensus track has Gustav plowing right through the center of the offshore oil platforms. I guess it's a sign the speculators really are bailing out of oil.

According to "Marketplace" on NPR, it was because the "Guvmint" promised to open up the strategic oil reserves if Gustav did any damage to the offshore rigs.

UP2CSX

08-29-2008, 06:25 AM

CJ, I heard that too but it's a pretty hollow threat. If Gustav really follows the consensus path, it would put most of the rigs in the Gulf out of service for at least a month, maybe longer if there was actual destruction of the rigs. We get 25% of our total oil from these rigs. If the SPR was used to replace this oil, it would be drained in about 25 days. That's assuming there wasn't damage to refinieries that would make an increase in unrefined supply a moot point. I expect oil will take a jump up again if the path firms up to be landfall on the Louisiana coast but I think the day of "$200" oil is over for now.

vato loco

08-29-2008, 10:17 AM

Yes, I use iron between feeding. It's a great supplement to regular feedings, but not to be used as your primary fertilizer! I know the tricks the local spray techs use, most of the time they charge you for chemicals they didn't use! They normally follow the same schedule I use/posted but cut back on the expensive Dry fertilizer and they Liquid iron/image your lawn to death! Image(weed killer) and liquid Iron should be used only as a supplement.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-29-2008, 10:26 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

08-29-2008, 12:25 PM

Good morning.

It's 79 and clear. The high is expected to be in the mid 90's and partly cloudy.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446 8/29/2008

Heat Index: 84°F
Humidity: 78%
Dew Point: 72°F

So Far Today
High: 81°F
Low: 77°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 5mph SSE

Position of Gustav at 5 am ET
18.1 N, 78.1 W.
Wind speed: 65 mph

Position of Hanna at 5 am ET
21.7 N, 62.3 W
Wind speed: 50 mph

Today High: 95 Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning...then a 20 percent chance in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds around 5 mph.

Tonight Low: 72 Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 70s. East winds around 5 mph.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010143.jpg

Steve B

08-29-2008, 12:59 PM

Glad it's the weekend, it's been the most busy seven days of non stop work i can remember

leghome

08-29-2008, 01:10 PM

I was able to play with my new Kobuta yesterday afternoon/evening. It usually takes me 1 to 1 1/2 hrs to mow my yard. I finished my yard and one of the neighbors yards in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Yard looks great and the tractor is so much quieter than the old one I could actually hear my wife talking to me with the thing running a very impressive machine indeed.

Secondhandmodeler

08-29-2008, 01:10 PM

Good morning folks. All this lawn talk makes me miss my lawn. Last year, my neighbors asked what I put on it to make it so green. I said that I didn't scalp it every time I mowed like them! I also didn't cut down all of my trees! Their son was a lawn guy and couldn't figure out why my lawn looked better than theirs.

As of noon tomorrow, I am off of work until Wednesday. I will be spending the weekend at my mothers lake house up north. Actually, I'm coming home on Monday so I can paint and mount my back drop. I decided to go with a really light blue for now. It's almost white in color so it doesn't look like 'sky blue'. I have to get ready to start laying track. My turnouts should be here any day!

I hope everyone has a good weekend. Good luck with all of those nasty storms.

tompm

08-29-2008, 02:01 PM

Good morning folks

It was 70 F and cloudy as I headed in for the last day of the work week. We are expecting some rain and a high of 78 F. We need the rain. The ground is hard as a rock.

No modeling last night.

This holiday weekend we have a few things planned. On Saturday we were going to take the kids to the Hagely Museum. On Sunday we are going to go canoeing on the Brandywine Creek. Monday we haven’t figured out yet. At some point over the long weekend I have to mow the grass and do some other yard jobs.

I would like to learn some more about the EZ-Command system and run some trains. I need to look around the layout and see what details I can add. I still need a trip to the LHS to get some Kadee couplers and then I can start a couple of car kits.

I hope everybody has a good day.

OldGettysk

08-29-2008, 03:33 PM

Good Morning ! From Rainy Western New York , Fay has finally made it here and then we get a mild cold front and finally a nice weekend , Phew . We have it easy compared to Louisiana and Gustav heading their way . Just hope that all is well down there . Yep Jim I expect oil to rise after Gustav gose through . I can see all those oil execs. just rubbing their hands over all thos profits ! I have to go get something to eat before my sugar crashes . Hope you all have a nice day !!!

RexHea

08-29-2008, 04:29 PM

Good morning all! Hope everyone has a good weekend. This is Bama's first weekend of football and against No.9 Clemson. Game at Saturday, 8:00pm EDT, CBS. I expect a very good game, but my expectations fall short of a win for BAMA.

Ray, I wonder where the whole idea of lawns came from? I'm pretty sure they didn't have them back in colonial days. Seems like a huge waste of water and resources sometimes, although they look when they look good.

No grass yards, but they swept the the dirt everyday to remove fire hazard. Then there was MUD! Think I would rather cut grass.

You know, for decades hurricanes have passed over the gulf oil rigs and never raised the price of gasoline. Now with the "older" Yuppies controlling the world economy, all a seagull has to do is make a deposit on a rig and the price of crude jumps $2. This is not because of a shortage, but because of fear of a shortage (or is it just an excuse to get richer).

Gustav: lots of if's and too much hype by the media. All they can think about is po-po New Orleans again. Notice how there is little said about any other cities/communities. Love the way that idiot Mayor said they can evacuate 30,000 residents, wow! I guess the rest can swim for it. How about the population given: less than 275,000. Sorry, but the metro area has 1.1 million.

rhoward

08-29-2008, 10:15 PM

Afternoon everyone!

Flo, hope I'm not too late to get a piece of that apple pie I saw earlier. Put a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on top if you would. Yep, need have that as I have been out shopping most of the day partly to get some stuff for the Cannon Digital Rebel XT (the eye piece was lost at SciTek Camp and I needed some cleaning supplies) and to pick up a card and a few pictures of George for my Father-in-Law's 95th. birthday party coming up next week (I bet there will be both cake and apple pie....). We will be celebrating it on Monday. I would have put a picture of Hamilton in the card, but he only likes Washingtons these days. He has always been a bit unique, but I guess at 95 he deserves to have some quirks. He gets out of the Nursing Home 2 or 3 times a week to have lunch at his favorite dinner so I'll foot his coffee bill for a while.......... There is an old brick and morter camera shop over in Seneca Falls that I have been wanting to find, so that was the other part of todays fun. This place is where most of the pro's in the area get their equipment and repairs done. I love stores like this! You walk in and it is a total mess. Stuff just piled all over the place, stacks of old broken parts and cameras pilled on the back counter, but the owner (Near 80 I would think) can walk to any part they have in the store and find it. Not only that, he actually knows what he is talking about. It is like going back in time to the 1950's but still having state of the art cameras. He also has the best prices around. The only thing was he didn't have the particular eye piece I needed as they are on backorder. He hopes it will be in next week.

Rex they had lawns up here in the north back then, but you always had some sheep fenced in or a couple goats staked out to keep it in control. Your chickens were useful in keeping the bug population in check and provided you with breakfast and Sunday dinner as well...... Only place you can find that near here anymore is Genesee Country Museum.

CSX_road_slug

08-29-2008, 11:10 PM

Evening everyone.

Fay's remains have been covering my state for the past two days, giving us a pretty good soaking - though nothing compared to what Florida and Alabama got. I don't like the looks of Gustav - seems poised to be an exact repeat of Katrina (though hopefully some of those stupid mistakes will not be repeated :rolleyes: )

This is my last weekend before the kids are back in school, then it's gonna be a major culture shock for all of us! Whereas most modelers say they do less train activity during the summer, fall is the period where I have virtually zero time for trains.

Ray that sounds like a great li'l camera shop you have up there! Best wishes for the F-I-L.

Supper's waitin' at home and I gotta get to it...

UP2CSX

08-29-2008, 11:20 PM

Afternoon, everyone.

Ray, I think most lawns back in the 18th century were really just nice looking pastures for the sheep and goats. I remember reading that Thomas Jefferson even designed Monticello with lawns sized for a certain number of goats to be able to keep the grass clipped. Maybe I need some goats. :) Congrats to your FIL for getting to 95 and for having a son-in-law who still cares for him. Sounds like a character, which I seem to be slowly turning into as I age. I figure if I make it to 95, I can do just about anything I darned well please and people will just write it off to me being a character.

Rex and Paul, oil actually fell today. The oil platform anchors have been substantially upgraded since 2005 and the pipelines are buried deeper in the ocean floor. Gustav will cause some evacuations from the drill rigs and temporary disruptions but it's not going to be a Katrina by any stretch of the imagination. I still expect oil will continue to fall once hurricane season hype is over.

Rex, there's no way Bama is going to beat Clemson, no matter how much the faithful are rooting for it to happen. If they can play them close, that would be a good sign for the rest of the season though.

Tom, there's really not much to learn about E-Z Command. You can set the engine number up to 9, turn headlights on and off, and control most sound functions using F2 through F8. Other than that, there's not much more to it. No setting CV's or anything exotic. It's served me well for a year and, although I'm upgrading to a Zephyr, it was a good, cheap learning experience. If anyone wants one, I'll be selling mine cheap shortly.

Corey, take some pictures of your progress. always nice to see a new layout come together.

Larry, that sounds like a sweet tractor. I've always wanted a tractor just because they seem like a cool thing for a guy to have but there's not much in the way of level spots on my lot and some fairly steep grades. I'm pretty sure I'd end up wrong side up at some point. If I lived in a place that got snow, I'd definitely get a tractor just so I could plow snow. I'd deserve it after being the family's human snow plow for ten years in Ohio. :D

Chris, my lawn service uses a big drop spreader and they put on some kind of combination fertilizer and weed killer. I paid extra to have the lawn aerated in the spring and I suspect that helped as much as anything else since we have clay here and it was really compacted. I'm having a problems with one spot I can't get grass to grow under a big oak tree in the front yard. Any advice about that other cutting down my tree? :eek:

Steve, enjoy your weekend. I well remember those killer weeks in my younger days. Retirement is very nice.

I see the governor of Mississippi is already ordering evacuations of anyone still living in temporary housing along the coast. Nice to see a politician getting ahead of the game instead of New Orleans, which is still "thinking" about what to do. I find it both appalling and humorous that Ray Nagin, the guy who screwed up the evacuations three years ago, now says he doesn't want to start evacuations too early in case it's a false alarm. I wonder what he would do in a building if the fire alarm started going off? Maybe wait and see if his floor was on fire before he decided to do something. :mad:

Gustav is past Jamaica and has regained cat 1 status. There's nothing to stop him from getting to cat 2 before he hits the Cayman Islands and a small part of western Cuba. He will be weakened a bit but should pop out into the Gulf and develop into a cat 3 by early Sunday morning. All the forecast models want to move him further west, toward New Orleans and the Louisiana/Texas border. This is based on the high pressure system that's forecast to develop over the east coast but hasn't happened yet. Thus, we have one forecast based on the forecast of something that's supposed to happen but hasn't yet. I think the actual strike point of Gustav is still up in the air. If I lived in New Orleans, I would be getting out now. If Gustav maintains cat 3 status and hits near the mouth of the Mississippi, it will be first test of the levees that have supposedly been strengthened to withstand a cat 3 storm surge. If I lived 10 feet below sea level, I wouldn't want to stay behind as a tester. The next thee days will be critical for the Gulf Coast so we'll just have to wait and see. After that, folks on the east coast should start paying close attention to Hanna, who's following close behind.

vato loco

08-30-2008, 01:30 AM

Hey guy's!

Jim, The tree is starving the grass from light and air flow! Yes, the amount of air flow over plants helps them breath better ! I'd have the tree thined and topped! That will let some sun and air through, It's also a very good thing to do every 5-8 years to the tree!

Larry,I need to barrow your mower! where's the pic of you and your new baby enjoying a mow!

Corey, your right! Most lawn types do best at 3"-4" cut hight! Most people now a days want that low golf course look to their lawn! They tell the lawn guy to mow it as low as the mower will go and then they are suprised when the lawn dies. Bent and bermuda lawns are really the only grasses that do best when cut lower than 2". Also the lower you keep your lawn the more water and food it takes to keep it green. The grass leaf is not only for breathing and making food but, also is the storage tank. grass stores it food and water in the leaf tissue! So during those hot summers it's some times best to just leave the lawn alone and keep the mowers of of it!

Rex, you hit the nail on the head! Down here the Origanal cracker homes built in the mid 1800's to early 1900's down here had sand yards! Most homes were build in the woods or close to them and a 1-2 acres around the house was cleared right down to the bare sand! all leaf litter and sticks were cleaned out and raked to help protect from wild fires!

RexHea

08-30-2008, 01:38 AM

Ray.......Rex they had lawns up here in the north back then, but you always had some sheep fenced in or a couple goats staked out to keep it in control. Your chickens were useful in keeping the bug population in check and provided you with breakfast and Sunday dinner as well...... Only place you can find that near here anymore is Genesee Country Museum.
Now that is an idea, but it would put Chris out of business: Grass control, fertilizer, and bug control all in a package.:D Yes, many town homes and the fluent had yards, but those in rural America used their "yards" as a work area for chopping wood, washing clothes in the old black pot on a fire pit, honey-do projects:D , etc. Not much could grow in such an active space and any grasses that tried to grow presented a fire hazard from the chimney or open fires in the yard. Also, many houses had dirt floors that were swept daily to remove loose dirt, etc., just as if they were wooden.

Jim: I agree that it in improbable for Bama to come out on top tomorrow evening, but we've done it before. Oil prices? wouldn't you know that the Weather Channel is already saying that gasoline prices have started to rise. Sounds more like gouging to me. What a bunch of ....!

Any how: Go BAMA! ROLL TIDE!

vato loco

08-30-2008, 01:46 AM

Now that is an idea, but it would put Chris out of business: Grass control, fertilizer, and bug control all in a package.:D

I would just open a Butcher shop and BBQ joint!:D I'm harder to take out than a Roach!:D :rolleyes: Rex as long as people have money I will find a way to get them to part with it!;) I'm thinking of selling carbon credits now!LOL's

jeffrey-wimberly

08-30-2008, 03:25 AM

Data on Gustav

Storm Path:
Date: Aug. 29, 2008
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Winds: 80 mph
Strength: Cat. 1
Direction: Moving northwest near 11 mph
Latitude: 19.3 N
Longitude: 80 W

UP2CSX

08-30-2008, 07:44 AM

Chris, I really do need to get that tree thinned and topped. I'm sure it's never had any thinning since it was planted and it's a good 60' high now. I'm surprised I only lost one small limb during Fay.

Rex, Prattville has to play St Xavier in Cincinnati Saturday night. Compared to Prattville, the Tide has a real good chance of beating Clemson. :)

Gustav is now about 50 miles east of Grand Cayman and is undergoing a rapid intensification cycle. It is now a cat 2 with sustained winds of 100 mph and gusts of 125 mph. I'm afraid the Caymans are about to get flattened again, just after they had finally recovered from the effects of Ivan four years ago. :( It looks like Gustav will reach Cat 3 status just before landfall tomorrow in Cuba. Current models call for slight weakening over Cuba then another rapid intensification cycle while in the middle of the Gulf, bringing him up to a cat 4. After that, the models keep wanting to push him west, with a few wanting to take him to Brownsville. Some other models are still targeting New Orleans and all the models have moved 50-75 miles east or west during the last few model runs so landfall anywhere on the Gulf Coast is still possible. I don't know if we have any members who live within 40 miles of the coast but, if so , they should be preparing to evacuate tomorrow. Gustav may either speed up or slow down and waiting until Sunday could be a big mistake. The models also want to take Gustav as a tropical storm all the way to the Tex-Ark-La border so those of you in that area should get ready for heavy rains, wind, and tornados. I'm sure hoping we have a better handle on where Gustav is going by tomorrow afternoon since everyone along the Gulf Coast is sitting on pins and needles.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-30-2008, 10:20 AM

Steve B

08-30-2008, 10:51 AM

Rolled out of bed and into the car for this early morning shot 6201 Cumbrian Mountain Express (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReeRKQ6rCak) It was supposed to be on the down fast line but came on the down slow right next to the bridge i was on,,, Still fantastic though

Rex how's the teeth doing, hope they are settling in well, So,,, the mayor can evacuate 30,000, and the poor guy's who are not on the "A" list get to swim out,,, check out the rich guy on this video who steals a poor womans life jacket as the ship is sinking (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nzd0R_OeOc)

jeffrey-wimberly

08-30-2008, 01:31 PM

Good morning.

It's 77 and clear. The high will be in the upper 90's and it will be mostly cloudy. There's a small chance of thunderstorms.
Please excuse the slightly different layout of data. Our weather monitor seems to have a gremlin in it this morning.

UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From ENE at 3 mph
Humidity: 88%
Pressure: 29.95 in.
Dew Point: 71°F
Visibility: 7.0 miles
Gustav Data

Date: Aug. 30, 2008
Time: 5:00 a.m. ET
Winds: 110 mph
Strength: Cat. 2
Direction: Moving WNW at 10 mph
Latitude: 20.2 N
Longitude: 81.3 W

Today High: 98 Partly cloudy. Isolated showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 90s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight Low: 72 Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. East winds around 5 mph.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010135.jpg

jeffrey-wimberly

08-30-2008, 02:50 PM

New Orleans is being evacuated. Tourist have to be out by noon.

rhoward

08-30-2008, 03:43 PM

New Orleans is being evacuated. Tourist have to be out by noon.

Good decision. I sure hope they get everyone out this time......

Mornin' everyone!

The sun is busy shining up here in the North Country. Currently 70°F with a high of 77° in the Finger Lakes today.

I guess I need to get to work on the speakers from camp that have been sitting in the back of the pickup since Sci Tek Camp. Finally have a plan to get them put back together. Hope I can get it to work. I really don't want to donate $1000 worth of speakers to them (so that the staff can destroy them.....). I also want to finish up some work on the layout today.

Flo, I have a short stack of pancakes with a side of bacon this morning. What? Of course, keep the coffee coming!

Hope you all have a safe and pleasant day!

OldGettysk

08-30-2008, 04:14 PM

Good Morning ALL ! From sunny Western New York , Looks like another warm summer's day on this wonderful Labor Day Weekend. Flo I just need some coffee, apple juice and Texas toast and I'm on my way out to cut the grasss before it gets to hot . Hope you all have a real nice Satruday!

UP2CSX

08-30-2008, 06:50 PM

Steve, very funny about the life jacket. :) Nice train too.

Jeffrey, I'm glad to see New Orleans finally taking some action. The best decision they've made is not to allow a mass shelter in the city. That will do more to move people out than anything else. Trying to shelter people from flooding in a city below sea level is hopeless.

Ray, I hope you don't spend too much time on speakers that the staff will ultimately destroy anyway. I sometimes think that non-profits would be better of paying for more things instead of getting them donated. They'd have a little more incentive to see that the stuff was taken care of.

Paul, have fun with the grass. Since we've had all the rain, the lawns have started sprout mushrooms in profusion. No one seems to know if they are any good to eat. I wish I could find out because I probably have a couple of hundred in my lawn right now.

Gustav is moving away from the Caymans and headed toward the Isle of Youth in Cuba as a cat 3 hurricane. It looks like the Caymans lucked out as Gustav went just north of the islands and they felt the effects of the weaker south side of the storm. Lots of trees down but not much structural damage.

Gustav should cross the Isle of Youth and then the far western tip of Cuba tonight. It may weaken very slightly but will undergo another rapid intensification cycle after getting back out into the Gulf, and should be a cat 4 by tomorrow morning. The models are now starting to tighten up, with landfall sometime around noon Tuesday 50 miles on either side of Morgan City, Louisiana, as a cat 3 hurricane. This still puts New Orleans at risk depending on how high the storm surge is and how slow Gustav is moving. Those of you in Florida and the east coast now need to keep an eye on Tropical Storm Hanna, which is likely to turn into a hurricane later next week and be a direct threat to the east coast of Florida.

Edit: The latest reports from the hurricane hunters at 1:20 pm EDT now put the maximum winds of Gustav at 125 mph with gusts to 140. This puts him as a category 4 hurricane so the rapid intensification cycle is occuring even earlier than expected. If he can maintain category 3 strength over Cuba, he will probably reach category 5 by tomorrow afternoon. This may change the path and threat level to the Gulf Coast, since hurricanes this large tend to create their own deep low pressure system that can reduce the steering effects of other pressure systems. Stay tuned.

RexHea

08-30-2008, 07:24 PM

Hi everyone! Just a note before our ball game company arrives.

Chris: I went ahead a put out some fertilizer today, betting on some rain next week with or without Gustav's help.

Jim: Don't know what kind of grass your lawn has, but a good shade grass might be the answer as well. The expensive St. Augustine or Centipede will grow well under trees if they have at least some light and have good nutrients added to put back what the tree steals from them. They are both spreaders with runners and will go everywhere, but they provide a very lush and bouncy carpet. NOTE: If you try these, don't go the seed route, sprig or sod instead. It takes 2 years for the Centipede seed to come up. I screwed up a new yard once thinking the seed was bad. I took my tractor and plowed in up and planted Bermuda. Two years later, every place that I couldn't get with the tractor had a nice thick covering of Centipede:( :D .
BTW: My Uniden scanner will be here mid week. ;)

Steve: The new teeth are doing well. I still have to get use to such a strange thing in my mouth, but I have been eating most everything...carefully;) . There will be more adjustments needed as my gum shape changes; this not a big deal and only taking a few minutes at the Dentist. I should add that I feel for those that have whole dentures and had to get used to them. That has to be super frustrating.

jeffrey-wimberly

08-30-2008, 08:54 PM

Done been to Alexandria and back. Picked up a package of 40 Kadee #5 couplers, a Genesis Trinity covered hopper and a Bachmann remote left turnout.

The evacuation from the southern part of the state seems to be in full swing. The southbound lanes of hwy 171 through Leesville had almost no traffic while the traffic in the northbound lanes was insane!

vato loco

08-30-2008, 09:52 PM

WEATHER
8 AM 78 °F Partly Cloudy partly cloudy
2 PM 92 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers Scattered thunderstorms.
10 PM 81 °F Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy with a few showers.
60% chance of rain!
Local Radar: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Weather;jsessionid=708A4D62E929917B1D9EFF3EE341D0F C?pageId=9.1

LOCAL NEWS
Nudist denied visits with grandchildren
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7320222&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Investigators: husband killed trying to defend wife
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7319468&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

PERSONAL NOTE
"Flo, I'll have a 30oz. T bone Medium Rare (I want it Mooing on my plate!), Large baked Potato with butter, sour cream, Bacon bits and chives. also steamed mixed vegies, and bring the cold beer and never let the glass empty! also to round it of Large slice of peach pie ala mode and a cup of coffee.......Then call me a Taxi!:D Put it on Rex's, Jim's and anyone else I answered lawn qusetions for Tab!;) Thanks Guys!:D"

"Happy Three Day Weekend!"

Well guy's, I got my yards done around oneish today, and not a second to soon! It started to rain right after I got every thing loaded in to the trailer on my last lawn!:) The money was spent on Gas for the next week for back and fourth from the park! My son Tried out last week for Football! Well he got in, Not sure what pos. he will play I'm sure it will be defence! He never played football before but, the booger has put fourth the most effort i have ever seen him do!:D :D I didn't get to watch practice today but, my wife did! She told me the kids had a hell of a time trying to plant his butt in the ground!:D :D when he got his equipment thursday, I had to laugh, he looked like a purple Sponge Bob!LOL's He was as wide as he was tall:rolleyes: :D :p I hope he sticks with it, he could be a good lineman if just keeps on keeping on! I'll Try to get a Pic' of Sponge Bob Monday to share with you! "Go Bobcats!"

Rex, Glad to hear you fertilized you lawn, I'm sure if it could talk it would thank you!

Larry, where's your tractor?I thought you were lending it to me?;) :rolleyes:

Jim, Thining and topping your tree is the way to go! the Grass will quickly recover under it with a little food and Love!;) :rolleyes:

Mikey, Come help me drink these beers!:D we got a Taxi Comming!

jeffrey-wimberly

08-31-2008, 03:34 AM

Gustav data:

Date: Aug. 30, 2008
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Winds: 150 mph
Strength: Cat. 4
Direction: Moving northwest near 15 mph
Latitude: 22.7 N
Longitude: 83.4 W

RexHea

08-31-2008, 04:40 AM

Uh, Jim: What was that you were saying?:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Alabama 34 Clemson 10
hehehehehehe

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Cjcrescent

08-31-2008, 04:54 AM

Uh, Jim: What was that you were saying?:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Alabama 34 Clemson 10
hehehehehehe

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Rex, its ROLL TIDE ROLL!

They, the broadcasters, started the night with how this was gonna be a close game.
After the first quarter it was how Alabama was working its defense well, JP seem comfortable.
At the third quarter it was TOTAL DOMINATION! by Bama on both sides of the ball. Clemson was supposed to be the ACC's best this year.

Did not get figure at end of game, but with 3:30 left in 4th Quarter it was.

Alabama 423 Total Yards.:D Clemson 149 Total Yards:mad:
Alabama Time of Possession 38:58 :DClemson 15:08:mad:
Alabama # of plays 78:D Clemson 37:mad:

The station here didn't give the game summary but it was a domination like the Bama teams of old! If their freshmen corps continues to play like this, Auburn and the rest may have their hands full.

UP2CSX

08-31-2008, 06:27 AM

OK, I'll take my crow served medium-well, please. :) Either Clemson is vastly overrated or Alabama really does have a good team this year. A lot of folks in Vegas lost money on that one.

On a sad note, Prattville's winning streak came to the end at 30 games with a 15-10 loss to St. Xavier in Cincinnati. St. X is one of the top rated high schools in the country and Prattville came in as huge underdogs but had the lead until the fourth quarter and just couldn't pull off another touchdown. :(

On a happier note, the Cal Bears beat Michigan in another upset. :D

Gustav continues to plow along in the Gulf and should be up to a cat 5 by noon tomorrow. I'm starting to get a mite nervous as each model run pulls him a little more east. I don't think he will get any further east than the mouth of the Mississippi but landfall there as a cat 4 or strong cat 3 will be another flooding disaster for New Orleans. I hope the people are really leaving this time.

Bill Tidler Jr.

08-31-2008, 10:51 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

08-31-2008, 01:15 PM

Good morning.

It's 77 and mostly clear. The high is expected to be in the mid 90's with a chance of thunderstorms.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 8/31/2008

Heat Index: 81°F
Humidity: 87%
Dew Point: 72°F

So Far Today
High: 81°F
Low: 76°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 7mph NE

As of 4 a.m. CDT, Gustav was centered about 425 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, moving northwest at 16 mph. Along the northern Gulf Coast, a hurricane warning is in effect from east of Cameron, Louisiana, to the Alabama/Florida border, including Lake Pontchartrain and the City of New Orleans.

Click link to see weather map.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/map_huralrt07_ltst_5nhato_enus_600x.jpg

Today High: 95 Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts to around 15 mph.

Tonight Low: 75 Partly cloudy until late night then becoming mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph after midnight.

Click link to see today's photo.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010002.jpg

Steve B

08-31-2008, 01:28 PM

Afternoon gent's
flo,,, I'll have me one of those T bones Chris is having, just cut the horns off and wipe it's ass and that do just fine for me !!!

Went out with the boys for a bit of late night steam train watching, 6201 came back well after dark last night, it was fantastic listening to it working very hard up the grade with fine spark's shooting up the stack, brilliant.

Roll Tide roll ;) you Bama boys did good

Cjcrescent

08-31-2008, 04:13 PM

I know Jeff's already posted it but here is more detail from the Hurricane Center as of 10:00AM CST on Gustav:

"A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
FROM CAMERON LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER…
INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER….AND FROM WEST OF
CAMERON LOUISIANA TO JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS. A TROPICAL
STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF CAMERON LOUISIANA
TO JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT
HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY
WITHIN 36 HOURS.":mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

My wife and I went thru Hurricane Frederic in 1979 in Mobile. We've had brushes with several others. I don't even want to be near this thing!

One of the ARG boys, Jim Mc., is coming over today to work on the layout with me. Hope to get Burnsville in and Fulton finished. Hope it doesn't start up with some convective showers, I don't want to have to do any wood cutting in the garage.

After all this, we'll be B-B-Q-ing outside, rain or shine. My son works in one of the better local restaurants and has learned some tricks and is turning into quite a chef himself. When he cooks for his Mom and me, it has always been awesome. Last time it was steaks marinaded in merlot wine, red and green bellpeppers, potatoes, carrot sticks and some "special" seasoning. After being used as a marinade, this mixture was boiled until everything was cooked and their were the veggies. Cooked on the BBQ grill made it even better. I don't know what he used but the steaks were so tender we didn't need knives to cut them apart. Today its gonna be beer brats with some more "special" seasoning as part of the mixture. Of course Jim will benefit from this as well. Gotta pay the help some way! Aren't ya jealous!!!:p:D

Cjcrescent

08-31-2008, 04:25 PM

OK, I'll take my crow served medium-well, please. :) Either Clemson is vastly overrated or Alabama really does have a good team this year. A lot of folks in Vegas lost money on that one.

On a sad note, Prattville's winning streak came to the end at 30 games with a 15-10 loss to St. Xavier in Cincinnati. St. X is one of the top rated high schools in the country and Prattville came in as huge underdogs but had the lead until the fourth quarter and just couldn't pull off another touchdown. :(...

Jim, the broadcasters were commenting on that Saban has one of the top if not the top recruiting class this year.
Plus he was using them early.

Sorry to here about Prattville losing.:mad: Last year our school, Hoover, was rated in the top ten by USA Today and we were gonna play some team up north that was rated way up there as well. But the BOE wouldn't let them play on a Sunday so it could be broadcast on ESPN. The game that they wanted to play, never got played.

rhoward

08-31-2008, 04:51 PM

Mornin' everyone!

Looks like everyone is packing to get out of Gustav's way. I sure would be! My thoughts and prayers to all of you who are anywhere near where that monster comes ashore.

Congrats to all you Bama Fans out there. Jim that is still a great streak of wins. They will just have to get to work to make a longer one..... Actually I always feel sorry to the kids in two types of teams, the ones who never win, and the ones who never lose. Both are important to learn in life. I was always glad my sons were in track. They could turn in their best times ever in an event and still lose. Then they could feel good and bad at the same time.;)

I just got a call from my son. He is on his way home from a family reunion (his wife's) in PA. They just found out that their house is going to be shown this afternoon at 2PM and it is a mess as they left on Friday without cleaning or picking up. MIL I think is with them. That leaves yours truly to clean the house before the Realtor shows up. Man are they in trouble.......:eek: :rolleyes: :D

jeffrey-wimberly

08-31-2008, 05:50 PM

Gustav is coming and it looks like nothing is gonna stop it. See the red dot on the white line for Tuesday? That's where I am.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/Gustavprojection.jpg

SpaceMouse

08-31-2008, 06:05 PM

Good luck Jeffery. Hunker down (or get out if you have to) and put sand bags around the layout.

SpaceMouse

08-31-2008, 06:09 PM

Well, I did it. I've been wanting to take up golf after a 30 year hiatus, so I bought a used set, hit a couple buckets of balls and headed out to the wide open spaces. I even broke 65.

And I only lost 3 balls!

rhoward

08-31-2008, 07:03 PM

Hey Chip! Good to see you! (Flo, give Chip whatever he wants this afternoon. Oh, put it on Jim's tab....)

Well, I did it. I've been wanting to take up golf after a 30 year hiatus, so I bought a used set, hit a couple buckets of balls and headed out to the wide open spaces. I even broke 65.

And I only lost 3 balls!

And that was on the Front 9???? Certainly a lot better than I could do. I haven't played a round of golf since I taught in Waverly, NY close to 35 years ago. And that was just just the teacher's end of the year tournament.

What's going on with the layout? Anything?

RexHea

08-31-2008, 07:47 PM

Hi everyone! Just got back in from visiting a friend. I was on I-20/59 and the northbound lanes are packed, all with Louisiana cars. At least some are listening to the warnings.

ROLL TIDE Roll! Thanks Steve, I knew we could get you on our side :D

Jeffrey: Tie it all down and batan the hatches, you're going to get a blow. The best of luck to you.

Steve B

08-31-2008, 08:58 PM

Hey Carey Send me a slab of steak would ya,,, you may have to wrap it up very well so it won't get cold en route, sounds like you hit the jackpot with your son's future....

me,,, i'm munching on tortilla and salsa dip and washing it down with a cold can of Guinness

vato loco

08-31-2008, 09:17 PM

Steve, that's a real no no! Tortillas and salsa with UK Beer!:eek: OMG Man get some Corona and lime or some Cerveza Dos Equis! Now thats going south of the boarder!;) You guys should import some of our undocumented Workers from Mexico:rolleyes: ? They will add to your culture greatly and do jobs you guys won't do!:rolleyes: ;) :D

jeffrey-wimberly

08-31-2008, 11:34 PM

Gustav data:

Date: Aug. 31, 2008
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Winds: 115 mph
Strength: Cat. 3
Direction: Moving NW at 20 mph
Latitude: 26.4 N
Longitude: 87.3 W

TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM CDT TUESDAY...

A TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ARE NOW IN EFFECT.

...PARISHES/COUNTIES AFFECTED...

BEAUREGARD...CALCASIEU...VERNON.

TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING. FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

PERSONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

EVACUATION INFORMATION:

BEAUREGARD PARISH.
A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION IS IN EFFECT.

CALCASIEU PARISH.
A MANDATORY EVACUATION IS IN EFFECT AS OF NOON TODAY.

...WINDS...

HURRICANE GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH- CENTRAL OR SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST AROUND NOON MONDAY AS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 130 MPH AND GUSTS UP TO 160 MPH.

ON THE CURRENT PATH OF GUSTAV...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IMPACTING CALCASIEU PARISH BY MID-AFTERNOON ON MONDAY...THEN CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHWARD TOWARD DERIDDER AND LEESVILLE AS GUSTAV MOVES TO THE NORTHWEST. WIND GUSTS TO HURRICANE STRENGTH WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...MAINLY NORTH OF DERIDDER.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...

LAKE CHARLES.
TROPICAL STORM...66 PERCENT.
HURRICANE...16 PERCENT.

DERIDDER.
TROPICAL STORM...65 PERCENT.
HURRICANE...11 PERCENT.

LEESVILLE.
TROPICAL STORM...64 PERCENT.
HURRICANE...9 PERCENT.

3 TO 6 INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL LOUISIANA. RAINFALL OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL LIKELY RESULT IN FLOODING...AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

...TORNADOES...

ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ON MONDAY AND LASTING INTO TUESDAY.

SpaceMouse

09-01-2008, 01:04 AM

Hey Chip! Good to see you! (Flo, give Chip whatever he wants this afternoon. Oh, put it on Jim's tab....)

And that was on the Front 9???? Certainly a lot better than I could do. I haven't played a round of golf since I taught in Waverly, NY close to 35 years ago. And that was just just the teacher's end of the year tournament.

You got it. The front nine.

What's going on with the layout? Anything?

I have a new plan for the Rock Ridge and Train City. My son and I have been clearing the basement for a couple weeks. When I moved my business home my wife talked me into temporarily storing all the furniture & supples from three rooms at the office to my train room and garage. I hope to everything ready by the start of train season and have working trains by spring.

http://www.vitaconnect.com/photos/rockridgetraincityII-2a.jpg

tompm

09-01-2008, 01:47 AM

Good evening folks

It has been a busy day. We got back from canoeing on the Brandywine Creek in Chester County. The trip we took was supposed to take 1 ½ hours but too k close to 2 hours and 15 minutes. The creek was running low so we ran aground quite a few times. I am sore. My son came home and crashed. I think he is down for the night.

This morning my daughter performed a flute solo in church. She did Amazing Grace.

I am contemplating a hot shower right now.

Jeffery and everyone else in the path of Gustav we are praying for you.

I hope everybody has a good evening.

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 03:30 AM

Well fellas, here's the track of Gustav. I'll take it easy on the dial-up guys. Just click the link to see the radar map.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/at200807_radar.gif

OldGettysk

09-01-2008, 05:18 AM

I'll be the first to wish you all a HAPPY LABOR DAY !!hope you all have a restfull day .:D :D

Bill Tidler Jr.

09-01-2008, 10:26 AM

vato loco

09-01-2008, 11:02 AM

WEATHER
8 AM 78 °F Cloudy Mostly cloudy and still a bit breezy along the coast.
2 PM 88 °F Partly Cloudy / Showers A few showers, especially north.
10 PM 81 °F Partly Cloudy Variable clouds.
50% CHANCE OF RAIN

LOCAL NEWS
Great waves, but danger underneath
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7329158&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.1.1

PERSONAL NOTE
"Flo, 20oz Steak and eggs over easy, Home fries make that a double, 6 strips of bacon, Coffee, OJ, and A large glass of water for...................Ray's wallet fire! Thanks Ray for picking up the tab, I'd help ya with that wallet fire but a mans gota eat!:D ;) :rolleyes: "

Not much going on here, Spent yesterday doing nothing really. Did some arm chair modeling and rumaged through some boxes in the train room. other than that potato kinda day! might wash and wax the car and truck today if i feel up to it:rolleyes: Rain like on and off all day yesterday due to gustov. that should be over.

Jeff, I know what your going through, we're praying for ya! stay safe!

Chip, I like your track plan!

vato loco

09-01-2008, 11:05 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 01:42 PM

Good morning.

It's 78, extremely cloudy and getting worse as Gustav approaches. The high will be in the mid to upper 80's with a high possibility of thunderstorms.

As I sit here on my hilltop looking down at the lower properties around me the weather is getting extremely ugly. I'll be out of here within the next two hours.

Click here (http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/at200807_sat_anim.gif) for satellite map

Click here (http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/at200807_radar.gif) for radar map

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 9/1/2008

Heat Index: 82°F
Humidity: 74%
Dew Point: 69°F

So Far Today
High: 81°F
Low: 78°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 9mph NNE

Important Message

Tropical storm wind warning in effect until 3 PM cdt Tuesday. Flash flood watch in effect through Tuesday afternoon.

Today High: 82 Tropical storm conditions. Highs in the lower 80s. North winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts to around 30 mph in the morning increasing to 30 to 40 mph with gusts to around 60 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight Low: 75 Tropical storm conditions expected. Showers and isolated thunderstorms. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Lows in the mid 70s. North winds 45 to 55 mph with gusts to around 70 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010006-1.jpg

rhoward

09-01-2008, 02:27 PM

Mornin' everyone!

Jeffrey good luck and stay safe. Hope you get out of there and have someplace to weather the storm.

To any of you in the path of Gustav, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours!

Today is my FILs 95th. birthday party! He was born September 3, 1913. Two days before my Father. They went to school together, played in the band together (The last time they were both 82 BTW). Their fathers were best friends............. One of my sisters was best friends with one of Barney's Daughters in High School. And I ended up marrying the prettiest of the lot! (He had one son and 4 daughters) Lots of connections. It should be a great celebration!

Have a great Labor Day!

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 03:44 PM

I'm at my parents home now. It has a couple of reinforced rooms that serve as storm shelters. The newer part of the house was purpose built with tornadoes and hurricanes in mind. The older part was retrofitted.

OldGettysk

09-01-2008, 03:46 PM

Good Morning Folks ! Just had my morning workout trying to get my wife's slipper out of and away from my puppy . He thought it was a game of keep it away . Wow he wore me out. It's another beautiful day here in Western New York. Sunny and temps. in the low eighties . Jeffrey sure wish I could bottle it up and send it your way .My prayers are with all you Southern Folk and may the Lord keep you safe in the storm's path . I'm ceaning up . We had a party yesterday and I cooked 15#s of ribs . They truned out pretty good for a city boy doing the cooking. Today it's chickens trun on the haet . Hope you all have a safe and and nice Holiday ! Ray a big birthday wish to your father-In-law and wishing him many more !!!

SpaceMouse

09-01-2008, 04:12 PM

I just got off the phone with my daughter in Gulfport, MS. Her husband is in the SeeBees and so he is hunkered at the base waiting to go out on call. My daughters house is four miles away and not in a flood area. They've had wind gusts and rain, but they are not suffering much damage. They lost a board on a window, but that's it. They lifted the tornado warning a while I was on the phone.

Cjcrescent

09-01-2008, 04:21 PM

Mornin' there Paul. It appears there's not much traffic in here so far.
Flo, just some orange juice. Since I've had this GI infection, I've lost the desire for drinking coffee. Now it just makes me queasy when I drink it.
All of yall who will be are are being affected by Gustav, take care. Although its now just a Cat 2, it has slowed immensely. You'll be affected by the wind and rain a lot longer.:(

Well gotta go. Today is my wife and I's 35th! Gonna spend today with her and our son said he would cook us some real good food for supper tonight. He's turning into quite a chef!:D

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 04:22 PM

Colfax, Oakdale and DeRidder are getting hit by the leading edge now. We're next. The wind has really come up quite a bit and the sky is getting really ugly.

Click this link to see the radar map: http://icons-pe.wunderground.com/data/storm_radar/at200807_radar.gif

pcarrell

09-01-2008, 05:00 PM

Morning all!

We just got back from vacation last night, and as promised, here's a couple of pics of our accomodations for the last week. My wifes Aunt and Uncle own it (we all get along real good). It's pretty nice, and it comes with two jet ski's like the one pictured, and a fishing boat also. (Click to enlarge any of these pics)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Vacation08039.jpg

And lest you think the inside is rather sparten, here's the living room (Yes, thats the wife) and kitchen (all looking quite "lived" in).

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Vacation08111.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Vacation08113.jpg

Truely, a great time was had by all!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Vacation08054.jpg

Also, I took some scenery photo's that would work real well for eastern United States hilly backdrops. I got a bunch when the weather was a bit overcast, and then a few sunny ones too. They're pretty good size and real generic, so if anyone wants them you can PM me with your email address and I'll zip them over to you.

Steve B

09-01-2008, 05:23 PM

Afternoon
Carey Happy Anniversary Sir hope you have many more to come

Ray wish the old guy Happy birthday from me will you, thats quite an age

Jeffery Fingers crossed for you over here, best of luck

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 05:30 PM

Thanks Steve, we're gonna need it. This thing's going to smack us right in the teeth. If we come out unscathed I'll be very surprised. I'm charging my camera batteries now so I can take some photos and maybe a little video later. My SM card for my old Olympus is only 64MB while the SD card for the Vivitar is 1GB. Anybody have an old SmartMedia (SM) card lying around? I can sure use it.

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 06:21 PM

The storm front just entered Vernon parish.

http://icons-pe.wunderground.com/data/storm_radar/at200807_radar.gif

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 07:13 PM

The storm front covers half the parish now.
http://icons-pe.wunderground.com/data/storm_radar/at200807_radar.gif

Steve B

09-01-2008, 07:17 PM

And just when you thought you had seen it all This comes along (http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/imaging.centre/showimage.php?image=117386) Only in Poland

jeffrey-wimberly

09-01-2008, 08:03 PM

Ha! That's not a trackmobile! That's a model one of the guys picked up as he went out the door!

UP2CSX

09-01-2008, 08:52 PM

Afternoon, everyone.

Jeffrey, looks like you'll get some heavy rain and gale force winds for the nest few hours but things are looking much better. The eyewall collapsed just before coming onshore and there is a mass of very dry air that is now getting caught up in Gustav's' circulation. It appears that Gustav will maintain its forward motion until it get to at least far northern Louisiana so that should lessen the flood risk. Believe it or not, it looks like Shreveport may get more rain and have more flooding problems than your area. I'm glad you're in a safe place since tornados are probably the greatest risk for the next 8 hours or so.

So far, the levees in New Orleans are holding but the news people may be declaring victory a little early. From the film I've seen, there's considerable overtopping of the levees happening and the maximum storm surge is just now reaching New Orleans. The overtopping is not a problem but is hows a tremendous amount of pressure being placed on the bottom, or toe, of the levee. The failure usually comes from failure at the toe leading to a collapse of the levee wall. I'm hoping they all hold but I'll be surprised if some don't fail. Luckily for New Orleans, Gustav came ashore just to the west of the delta, which lessened the storm surge coming into New Orleans by about 4 feet. Thankfully, with the grace of God and about 4,000 police, national guard, and army troops, this will not turn out to be another Katrina.

CJ, CONGATULATIONS. :) These days, making it to 35 years is quite an accomplishment.

Ray, I love Barney. He has the greatest grumpy old man look I've ever seen. Happy birthday to him.

Chip, things are looking very good for Mississippi. As the eyewall collapsed, it really contracted the hurricane wind field and I've only seen one report of a 74 mph gust in Gulfport. That 40 mile jog to the west made all the difference, thank goodness. I think they are out of danger by now.

Paul sounds like great weather and a great feast. save me some of those ribs. :)

Phillip, those houseboats are pretty plush now. We rented a catamaran in the Caribbean that had similar space and amenities. Quite a change for a 36 foot mono hull sailboat. Sure wish my retirement plans to live aboard a cat down there for a few years would have worked out. :(

Steve, I hate to make Polish jokes but a Fiat trackmobile? I'm sure it was one that manufactured in Russia when they had a Fiat license. They were barely able to keep the running on a street, much less a railroad track. I'd sure hate to be in one of things when it stalled in the face of an oncoming train. :eek:

We've just had some wind here, which is all pressure differential wind. We had one outer rainband of Gustave last night bit no rain. Since then. We've started to move into subsidence situation, where the return air coming from Gustav is coming in at 20,000 feet and then dropping like a rock over us. That leads to low humidity, hot temperatures, and no rain. That's why it's 90 degrees with 44% humidity right now. I was hoping for some rain but that seems unlikely now. OTOH, compared to a direct southerly hit on Mobile, I'll take. Just to add to next week's fun, Hanna has just been upgraded to a hurricane and looks like she will be a threat to the Bahamas and the Carolinas about this time next week. There are more lined up out there so it should be an exciting month!

pcarrell

09-01-2008, 11:44 PM

Phillip, those houseboats are pretty plush now. We rented a catamaran in the Caribbean that had similar space and amenities. Quite a change for a 36 foot mono hull sailboat. Sure wish my retirement plans to live aboard a cat down there for a few years would have worked out. :(

That houseboat is 80ft long and 20ft wide. There are upper and lower bedrooms on board (3 queen size suites and 1 with 2 full size singles), two bathrooms that share a shower, the living room and kitchen, a short deck on the lower front, and a big one in the back, plus the whole upper deck is usable with it's complete bar and helm. There's solar panels on board, heat & A/C, big screen TV with theater type surround sound, DVD/VCR, phone, basically all the comforts of home.......to go! It might be an alternative to your cat plan if that doesn't work out?

RexHea

09-02-2008, 05:34 AM

Well, I tried to open the Coffee Shop door, but noticed the sign that it was closed for the evening in observance of Labor Day. At least Flo and the girls get to enjoy their well deserved day off and I can always come back in the morning.
'till then.

UP2CSX

09-02-2008, 05:51 AM

Phillip, those houseboars are nice for inland protected waterways but they'd make it about two days on the ocean. :) The cat we were looking at buying was 38 feet long and just about 22 feet wide so it don't have as much square footage as the houseboat but it was pretty plush for an ocean-going sailboat. Unfortunately, I'm a lousy single handed sailor so all those plans changes when my first wife died. :(

Rex, I'm here! Just got back from celebrating our oldest daughter's 21st birthday at a Japanese restaurant and she had to try some sake. She downed about four little cups of the stuff and had a strawberry margarita. She failed the field sobriety test I gave her in the parking lot. :D I suspect you'll have a little headache in the morning.

Bill Tidler Jr.

09-02-2008, 10:37 AM

pcarrell

09-02-2008, 12:22 PM

Morning all!

Looks like Gustav is pretty much over. Now it's just the cleanup. Hope to hear from Jeff soon, but who knows with his flaky connection provider.

Jim, sorry to hear of the wife. And you're right, they're no good on big water.

Oh well, off to work!

tompm

09-02-2008, 12:48 PM

Good morning folks

It was a bright and sunny 67 F this morning on the roads. High today will be 89 F.

We spent most of yesterday recovering from our canoeing trip on Sunday. We did get out and hit one of the local craft stores. My wife picked-up some supplies and created a new Halloween decoration for the house.

My son and I ran some trains. He also tried to clean-up the outdoor G-scale line off. I wasn’t able to help as I had to deal with an exploded glass cooking dish in our outdoor grill. We were able to salvage the food but the dish shattered into a hundred pieces. It was a dish we have used many times before.

I hope everybody has a good day.

Secondhandmodeler

09-02-2008, 02:17 PM

Good morning folks. I am enjoying my last of three days off. I'm going to paint my backdrop today. It needs to have the majority of painting done in the garage before installation. Before it's installed , I have to add the supports and bolt the bench work sections together. I'm thinking I'll use eighth inch bolts with wing nuts and lock washers. Boy am I glad that I put leg levelers on the sections!

My turnouts arrived while I was gone! It kind of lit a fire under me to get the bench work finished. I also need to order more flex track and road bed. Unfortunately, I've depleted the train fund into negative territory. I may need to wait a while to really get moving. At least with the turnouts, I can start laying out the main town and yard area.

I'm glad that nobody was displaced by those nasty storms. I'll take my cold weather and blizzards over that any day!

rhoward

09-02-2008, 03:30 PM

Mornin' everyone!

Hope all of you that were anywhere near Gustav have come through the storm unscathed! Glad it was a lot weaker than it might have been. My thoughts are with you!

I spent last night working on the layout while my son came over to use my computer for his Fantasy Football league draft. His wife was on their computer for it so he comes over here. I got two more Tortoises installed. What a comedy of errors though. While putting a drill bit into the drill, I dropped it and spent the next half hour on my hands and knees searching the floor to find it. I saw it bounce but couldn't tell what direction it went in. It was hidden next to a support post about 5 feet away from where it dropped.... This is an area that has 3 switches very close to each other and there is no way to put all 3 machines in place normally. So on one of the installs, I needed to use one of the remotes. I managed to install it backwards so the little tube for the wire that comes with it couldn't be used. I debated taking it all apart again which would have meant finding some small piano wire to fit the one that I would have wrecked going to the turnout. I finally just installed it with some thick piano wire going from the torti assembly to the actuator. Works fine..... Mumbled a lot under my breath.

Another nice bright and sunny day here in the Finger Lakes. Currently 68°F with a high around 80°. Probably will have to turn on the air conditioners this afternoon.

Hope you all have a great day!

jeffrey-wimberly

09-02-2008, 05:32 PM

Guess who!

We got three inches of rain from Gustav and it's still coming down. I really don't like it. I LOVE IT!

There was no really bad damage here, that was north and south of us. The power here was out for around eight hours and the cable internet signal crapped out about four hours before that. Both came back on about an hour ago.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 9/2/2008

Heat Index: 82°F
Humidity: 87%
Dew Point: 73°F

So Far Today
High: 77°F
Low: 75°F
Rain: 1.01"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 30mph WSW

Important Message

Flash flood watch in effect until 7 PM cdt this evening.

Rest Of Today High: 82 Showers and isolated thunderstorms. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Highs in the lower 80s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Tonight Low: 75 Showers likely and isolated thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

This is the extent of the damage at my parents place this morning. Told ya it can take a wallop!
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/IMAG0150.jpg

rhoward

09-02-2008, 05:37 PM

Jeffrey glad you and your family are safe and weathered the storm well! Hope their was no damage at your trailer.

OldGettysk

09-02-2008, 05:48 PM

Good Afternoon All ! Another nice day here on the Niagara Frontier just a little farther up the state from Ray. Philp that is one nice boat there look s like you and the family had a real nice time. Jeffrey has not posted today hope he made it through the storm . My daughter started classes today so I had to get up at 6:45 to get her up. Dad is the alarm clock . today I went to my Personal Doctor , Tomorrow it's off to my Transplant Doctor , friday it's my Enodcrinologist . One busy week . My transplant doctor is in Rochester ,New York which is an hour away so I have a bit of a ride coming up . That;s about all thats' going on here. Oh Carey Happy Belated Anniversary to you and your wife. Wishing you many more. hope everyone has a nice Day !!!!!Jeffrey glad hear you made ti through the storm

PNKFLOYD

09-02-2008, 06:06 PM

Jeffery- Wonderful that you weathered the storm so well!
I thought of you everytime the TV showed the projected hurricane path.

I had a tough weekend.
Some of my honeydews grew to watermelon sized projects.

We are getting the flooring of my mother's kitchen replaced today. Everything had to be moved, including the side-by-side refrigerator freezer yesterday. It is too big to go through any door except the back door, but only after taking the doors off the fridge AND the house.
Had to take the ice-maker water line loose and turned off the water at the street to do that.
My 60+ year old body crawled under the house in the damp dirt to find the water cut off valve for the icemaker line. No cut off valve! Lots of dirty clothes and spider webs. Had to get the wife to hose me off before I could take a shower and go to a hardware store for water line fittings.

Then the line plug leaked after I cut the street valve back on at 9 PM.

I had a bad attitude and a vocabilary limited to four-letter adjectives.:eek:

This morning, the bucket I put the leaking pipe in only had a cup of water in it!
My attitude improved greatly and I can think about trains again... until I have to put the refrigeration back.

Central to north Alabama got little rain from Gustav, so I suspect most of the wind was caused by the college football fans talking about their favorite teams over the long weekend!
Flo, after that tirade, please bring me something large and cold to cool me down.
Y'all have a nice day, y'hear!
Mikey

jeffrey-wimberly

09-02-2008, 06:26 PM

The only damage I have at my home is a cracked window. Since the window panes are made of lexan some JB weld will take care of that.

UP2CSX

09-02-2008, 07:54 PM

Afternoon, everyone.

Jeffrey, glad to hear from you. Looks like most everyone dodged a big bullet with Gustav. North Louisiana and Arkansas will be the focus of flooding problems for the next few days but even these won't be as bad as feared.

Mikey, that would have been way too big a job for me. I've learned there are some things I just pay people to do. They can usually do it faster and better than me. Sounds like you did a good job though.

Paul, hope all the doctor's visits go well.

Corey, sounds like you at least have most of the track you need so spending some time getting perfect track alignment is time well spent. You're right about those leg levelers. A lot of guys assume the floor is level and then find it's not when they end up with spme unexpected grades.

Phillip, my wife died in 2004 from leukemia. She was diagnosed just three days after we had sold the house and put a down payment on the boat. Dang! She was the one that always lived right, never smoked, exercised, ate healthy food, and I'm the opposite. I have no idea what God's plan is but there's always a reason for things like this. Here is is four years later and I'm a member of the Alabama Rail Gang and have a new family. Things change.

Hanna is developing off the east coast of Florida but she's under a lot of wind shear and the chances of her developing into a major hurricane are slim. It looks like she will just skirt the northeast coast of Florida and then come ashore around Savannah. Hanna may not even be able to maintain Tropical Storm status before landfall and should bring some beneficial rainfall to areas of the southeast that are in severe drought.

Ike is another matter. Although he's a long way out, he's developing in an area of warm water in a low shear environment and should be able to scoot almost directly westward. He may present a threat to many of the same areas as Gustav in the next 10 days. We'll just have to watch and wait again. September and October are nervous times down here.

jeffrey-wimberly

09-02-2008, 08:15 PM

Looks like most everyone dodged a big bullet with Gustav. North Louisiana and Arkansas will be the focus of flooding problems for the next few days but even these won't be as bad as feared.
As far as Gustav is concerned, it looks like the iron man turned out to be a wimp! Not that I'm complaining. It could have been much worse. Compared to Rita, Gustav was a cake walk.

PNKFLOYD

09-02-2008, 09:36 PM

Mikey, that would have been way too big a job for me. I've learned there are some things I just pay people to do. They can usually do it faster and better than me. Sounds like you did a good job though.
.

Jim- after years of observation, my wife has developed a theory about a "Floyd Project".
A Floyd project is an ordinary 10 minute project extended into a 3 hour ordeal accomplished by anguish and often Floyd blood and flesh.
My home layout is a prime example of the time element.

Jeffery- Please do not become complacent. It looks like someone has a hurricane shotgun aimed directly at the Southeast. :p

UP2CSX

09-03-2008, 06:11 AM

Mikey, apparently I have the same Floyd Project syndrome. I can't tell you how many times I've wasted countless hours and dollars doing projects I just wasn't qualified to do. I can handle most plumbing stuff but any electrical work that involves more than 12 volts, I'm not only lousy at, I'm downright dangerous. :)

Bill Tidler Jr.

09-03-2008, 10:13 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

09-03-2008, 11:35 AM

Good morning.

It's 79 and very cloudy and wet. The high today is expected to be in the mid 80's and rain is very likely.

I spent much of yesterday getting my life back on track after Gustav passed through. There wasn't much damage hare, no big trees blown over. There were a lot of branches and small debris. The only damage to my home that I could find is a cracked window and that has already been tended to. My parents had a heavy patio table get blown over and the sliding screen door to the pool area got pulled out of it's frame and collapsed. Over than that it's just tree branches strewn about the yard.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 9/3/2008

Heat Index: 88°F
Humidity: 83%
Dew Point: 75°F

So Far Today
High: 81°F
Low: 79°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 21mph WSW

Important Message

Flash flood watch in effect until 1 PM cdt this afternoon.
Now through 06:00 AM CDT September 03, 2008

Through 6 AM...thunderstorms with very heavy rain will continue to affect portions of central Louisiana. Locations affected include Glenmora...Lecompte...Alexandria...Bunkie...Marksv ille and Bordelonville. Rainfall totals of 7 to 10 inches have been noted across this area over the past few hours and additional rainfall of up to 3 inches is possible. Elsewhere...bands of light to moderate rain will move east across south central and southwest Louisiana. These bands will extend over the coastal waters from pecan island to 40 nautical miles south of Cameron.

Today High: 88 Showers and thunderstorms in the morning...then scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the upper 80s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Tonight Low: 68 Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the evening...then partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. West winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010033.jpg

rhoward

09-03-2008, 04:51 PM

Mornin' everyone!

Another warm sunny day here in the Finger Lakes. Currently 78°F with a high of 83°F. Not a cloud in the sky, but that will change by Saturday if the projections for Hanna are correct. We may see some rain from her.

Just got a call from my son. Olivia is home from daycare with a cold and he needs a babysitter for a couple hours this afternoon when he has to leave for work until his wife gets home from work. So I get to play with my Granddaughter (Although she probably isn't going to feel like playing with Grandpa....).

On the hobby front, I installed two more Tortoise machines last night. Both easy installs. I also painted the wood under and below the fascia black. There will be a fabric screen all the way around the layout, but that way any spots not covered will be invisible. Wanted to get that done before I install the fascia and mount the torti toggles.

Have a great day all!

tompm

09-03-2008, 05:27 PM

Good afternoon folks

It has been a wild morning. We had to meet with a Philadelphia County Maintenance crew so we could take measurements on a major highway. We needed them to provide traffic control while we measured the roadway width in various locations. We had to find out exactly what is on the ground because we are trying to design a safe traffic control scheme during constructions and literally inches matter. The crew had to use their trucks to block traffic while we ran across the road measuring things. We had to do it at about six locations. The roadway has about 70,000 vehicles a day on at most of them traveling well over the post 50 MPH limit. To do what we needed to do without traffic protection would have been taking our lives in our hands.

No modeling last night. I am hoping for some time tonight.

Jeffery, good to hear you made it through without too many problems.

I hope everybody has a good day.

jeffrey-wimberly

09-03-2008, 07:06 PM

I'm really not feeling well today, so I'll probably be off for a while.

Steve B

09-03-2008, 07:49 PM

Get your feet up Jeffery, we'll still be here later

RexHea

09-03-2008, 08:18 PM

Glad you made it ok, Jeffrey. I too, was watching the weather radar at your location. I thought you would have needed a snorkel:D . Kick'um up and take it easy. CU when recuperated.

Everything is moving slow today. That danged JIM gave me the scanner bug and mine arrived yesterday. At bedtime I made the mistake of turning it on for just a "few minutes". RIGHT! It was 2 a.m. before I forced myself to turn it off. While I still don't have the freq for the local railroads, I could listen to police, fire, and the airport control tower easily. Lots of crap going on in my little city...darn scary.

Guess I will venture out to the depot and continue ballasting. Its mindless work and that is about all I can do today:D .

UP2CSX

09-03-2008, 09:14 PM

Afternoon everyone

Jeffrey, sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. Sometimes all the stress of waiting for a big storm, even when it turns out not to be a big deal, can take its toll.

Ray sounds like your getting the whole Tortoise thing down. I have just two I need to install for crossing gates and I've got to get to them someday but they just look so intimidating. :) Hope Olivia's cold isn't too bad.

Tom, we used to provide patrol cars to slow down traffic when there was a lot of worker occupancy of traffic lanes. The red and blue lights work a lot better than the amber road crew lights to slow down traffic. You ought to talk to your department about getting the county or state police to give you a hand in situations like you were in.

Rex, sorry about the scanner bug thing. :) I actually wish more people had scanners so they could hear how things are really happening where they live. As you said, there are a lot of scary things that go on that you'll never read about in the paper. As for railroad frequencies, load the ones at http://www.alabamarailfan.com/railfanning.php?location=birmingham in your scanner. They aren't specific to Tuscaloosa but I think the frequencies are basically the same as the ones used in Birmingham. Since you have 200 channels available, you can also just add all 90 ARR railroad frequencies from http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Railroad and then figure out which ones have the most action in T-Town.

Hanna looks pretty sick today, with a lot wind shear tearing her up. I still don't think she will become a hurricane or, at most, a weak category one before coming ashore a little further north than the models predict, somewhere around Charleston, SC. She should bring 6-10 inches of rain to Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, all of which are in severe drought and can handle the rain without serious problems.

You guys in the northeast may have an interesting situation developing. A low pressure trough is moving east from the plains and should pick up the remnants of Gustav. As it get east to Ohio, the remnants of Hanna should also get caught up in the trough. This could lead to some major rain and flooding in the northeast, especially Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.

Josephine is way out in the Atlantic and it looks like she will turn to the north and become a fish storm before ever reaching land. Ike, on the other hand, is making me nervous. He's under low shear and in very warm water. He has all the earmarks of a major hurricane that could threaten the Bahamas, Florida, and possibly the Gulf Coast. He will be someone to keep an eye on for sure.

rhoward

09-03-2008, 09:38 PM

Ray sounds like your getting the whole Tortoise thing down. I have just two I need to install for crossing gates and I've got to get to them someday but they just look so intimidating. :) Hope Olivia's cold isn't too bad.

Hi Jim! Actually the most difficult part of a tortoise install is getting the little wire up through the tiny hole in the turnout throw bar..... I have already installed about 30 of them. What gets fun is hand building throw devices for areas where the machine can't fit. Quick story. A year and one-half ago Harold Russell, Master Model Railroader #14 stopped in to inspect my layout for the Golden Spike Award. I met him at the door, he looks at me and says, "Oh I've seen you around at the meets." I looked at him and said the same thing. We went down to the train room and the first thing he did was pick up one of my Tortoise assemblies. Looked at it and says, "Wow, you do these exactly like I do! I learned it from an article in the local Rochester Model Rails....." I told I do them that way because I wrote the article...... ;) We then figured out that he was the one who taught me how to do clouds. A friendship was born! If your interested in the article throw me an e-mail and I will send you a PDF of it.

Olivia spiked a 103° fever yesterday. She also went to the doctor as she has developed styes in both eyes. She is on eyedrops to help her get rid of them and some other meds for the fever and cough. She was tired and a bit grumpy when her Dad left for work, but Grandpa got her laughing for a while by bouncing her favorite ball for her. My DIL got home early so I only had to watch her for about 3/4 hour total.

Jeffrey hope you are just tired out from the last few days and are not having sugar problems again.

UP2CSX

09-03-2008, 10:30 PM

Ray, I would indeed like a PDF of your mounting methods. Tortoise machines are one of the few things that scare me, especially since I've got to get the throw rods to operate crossing gates in a convincing manner. I've got a lot of clearance to work with but I need to get the mounting just right so I don't tear up the gates. Small kids seem to get sick so often. Sounds like she's not too bad off and a little TLC from grandpa probably didn't hurt either. :D

OldGettysk

09-04-2008, 12:12 AM

Afternoon ALL ! Well went to the Transplant doctors today and they let me know that I will have to go back on the Transplant list since my kidney is wearing out . The wait for cardaver kidneys nowadays is 5 years so mine is in such bad condition they anticipate 5 years or less is left on it. Well have to have a medical workup to get back on the list ! Jeffrey sure hope you are feeling better . You went through a trying weather experience so it is understandable you aren't feeling up to snuff, Tom I was no our thruway today and saw the construction crews as I went by and wondered how it feels with all the cars flying by . Must be some kind of feeling . Well have to get going with my little friend bugging me , hope you all have a nice night !!!

jbaakko

09-04-2008, 01:06 AM

Huh, here's an odd English language thing for you...

"ghoti"

How do you pronounce that? After you attempt it... check yourself: http://www.howjsay.com

tompm

09-04-2008, 02:22 AM

Tom, we used to provide patrol cars to slow down traffic when there was a lot of worker occupancy of traffic lanes. The red and blue lights work a lot better than the amber road crew lights to slow down traffic. You ought to talk to your department about getting the county or state police to give you a hand in situations like you were in.

We have done that but in this case it would have involved the City of Philadelphia Police. The previous mayor in one of his many rash actions disbanded the Highway Patrol so we would have had to have ordinary patrol cars and to be quite honest they are busy enough patrolling and fighting crime. The part of the road we were on is not part of the Interstate system and therefore out of State Police jurisdiction. (Just a note: The new Mayor of Philadelphia is in the process of reforming the Highway Patrol and the Mounted Patrol).

Where we were what we had is what I would wanted. Two two-rear axle dump trucks with flashing panels and crash cushions. When these guys stopped there was no way any was going around them. If someone ran into them the trucks were going to win.

jeffrey-wimberly

09-04-2008, 04:52 AM

I'm feeling a little better now but still a bit tired. I've been under quite a bit of stress the last couple of days.

UP2CSX

09-04-2008, 06:50 AM

Paul, I sure hope your battered old kidney holds up until another top quality on shows up on the list for you. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Josh, I don't get that one. I thought ghoti was one of those New York crime families. :)

Tom, those big dumps with the crash barriers are nice to have but we used to sit about a half-mile out from the contruction scene with our lightbars going to slow down traffic so they at least hit the construction truck slower. Too bad the mayor there is such a nitwit.

Jeffrey, I think all of us down here in the southeast have been under a little stress the last couple of days. :( Get some rest.

Speaking of stress, Tropical Storm Ike blew up into a category four hurricane in less than 8 hours, a new record to go from a TS to a Cat 4. I just don't like the way Ike looks or the way the steering currents are setting up. In addition to pounding Haiti again, which has already had its share of misery, Ike may be the one that puts Miami in the bullseye. It's still seven days out but storms like Ike just give me the willies. :eek:

Bill Tidler Jr.

09-04-2008, 10:03 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

09-04-2008, 12:16 PM

Good morning.

It's 71 and mostly clear. The high will be in the mid 80's and it will be partly cloudy.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 9/4/2008

Heat Index: 76°F
Humidity: 82%
Dew Point: 66°F

So Far Today
High: 75°F
Low: 71°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 6mph W

Today High: 85 Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight Low: 68 Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. North winds around 5 mph.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010031.jpg

tompm

09-04-2008, 12:41 PM

Good morning folks

It was 67 F on the way in this morning. The air is so thick and heavy you can almost chew it. High today will be 92 F. If Hanna comes up the coast as predicated my son will be playing his first football game of the season in a tropical storm on Saturday.

No modeling last night. I had to do some last minute Back to School shopping to get items that were not on the lists but are needed now. I also did some Cub Scout stuff as we are getting ready for the beginning of the Scouting Year.

I hope everybody has a good day.

Secondhandmodeler

09-04-2008, 01:28 PM

Good morning Jeffrey, Tom, Bill. One of my wife's gas stations was burglarized last night, so I've been up since four! Well, on and off since four. She hasn't slept yet. Sometimes I feel guilty making her continue this job for another year. Oh well, she's a tough girl, and the money is good. We are waiting to get busy at work. This is the time of year that we have to wait for cold weather. Men don't buy suits until it gets cold. Isn't that funny? I'm hoping this year isn't any different. We'll see, people are holding on to the purse strings a little tighter this year.

My layout is moving along nicely. I have all of the backdrop supports mounted. I'm just waiting to cut the hard board to size, mount it, and finish it. I also got six of the seven sections bolted together. It looks much better now that everything is level and there are no gaps.

My wife has been making fun of me again lately. She has been watching how much time and money I have been putting into this. I have been working harder on this job than my real one. She wants to know why there are no trains running yet! I told her that this isn't exactly a circle of track on the living room carpet. She noted that if it were, at least we could watch some trains go! She just doesn't understand!

I hope everyone has a good day. Thursdays are my hell days at work. Let's hope every thing goes well.

PNKFLOYD

09-04-2008, 01:47 PM

Jeffery- I don't know how you could NOT be stressed with the weather past, present and on the radar. Try to relax as best as you can.

Jim- I don't know which is worse, listening to the weather crystal ball gazers or listening to the political speeches. However, Vice Presidential hopefull Sarah Palin made a pretty speech for her party last night.

The first politician to promise me a model train layout for every home will certainly get my attention! LOL
Well, back to work and let's see if we can help get some lights and air conditioning back for people in Louisiana!
Mikey

jbaakko

09-04-2008, 01:50 PM

Josh, I don't get that one. I thought ghoti was one of those New York crime families. :)
I still don't get it either. Our instructor explained it, but it just confused me more. Weird though.

Trussrod

09-04-2008, 03:33 PM

Good Morning to all from a cool Coarsegold, Ca.
It was a cool 60* here so the weather is definitely starting to cool down, thank God. I sure don't like the Hot weather except for swimming etc.

Hope everything is going along well for everyone.

Work on the C&S West Shortline seems to have ground to a hault but will hopefully pick up soon.

A good day to everyone.

rhoward

09-04-2008, 03:43 PM

I still don't get it either. Our instructor explained it, but it just confused me more. Weird though.

Isn't it an old card game? You know, Go Ghoti? Supposedly George Bernard Shaw made it up as an example of the complexity of the English Language. There was a push a few decades ago to simplify the spelling of English to make it easier to learn. Huked on fonix wurkt 4 me!

Mornin' everyone!

A gray, cloudy day here in the Finger Lakes with a chance of a couple showers and possible thunder boomer later. My son in Chicago is getting dumped on today though they may get 2 to 4 inches of rain in the next 24 hours as the remains of Gustav have arrived.

Paul my prayers are with you sir hoping your kidney lasts until a new one can be found.

Tom good luck with the Pack! They are lucky to have you.

Jeffrey glad to see you up early this morning. Hope you are feeling better.

Jim check your e-mail.

Mornin' Bill!

Steve B

09-04-2008, 05:46 PM

Josh Thats just weird, it speaks like a southern softie (English southern softie that is) not the baba boys,,,, i'm off before i git lynched

OldGettysk

09-04-2008, 06:47 PM

Afternoon All ! just another nice day here after a bit of early morning rain . Our local forecaster are saying that Gustav and Hanna are going to miss us all together . I guess sometimes it's good to live in Western New York . Sure hope all you guys along the East Coast don't get to much damage. Jeffrey sure glad that your feeling better . Stress can be trying . We have a Peach Festival at one of our local towns this weekend . Apologies to you Georgia folk but our Peach Shortcakes are pretty dam good. well have to get some things done so Hope I hope you all have a nice rest of the day !!!!!!

UP2CSX

09-04-2008, 09:02 PM

Afternoon, everyone.

Corey, next time she starts making fun of your layout building, start making fun of one of her purses, No, scratch that idea, but you get what I mean. :)

Mikey, don't want to violate the political rules here but she gave a great speech and she wasn't too hard on the eyes either. :D Actually, it seems like utility restoration is going better than expected in Louisiana. I understand they have 11,000 utility workers from all over the south and midwest down there. What a difference for 2005!

David, sounds like wonderful weather up in the foothills. I just hope those offshore winds don't start kicking up for you. This was always the time California worried about the wind more than those of down here in the hurricane belt.

Ray, got your e-mail, thanks, I'll have a reply off directly.

Paul, you should be far enough north and west to escape most of the rain. Downstate is going to get a good lawn watering though.

Hanna is still plugging along and the media keeps trying to hype her into some big deal. I still don't think she'll make hurricane status and the big problems will come inland when she gangs up with the remnants of Gustav and causes some pretty good flooding.

Ike is still a category 4 although weakening some and will probably be downgraded to a cat 3 because he's coming under some northerly wind shear and a little cooler water. He should be out of the shear environment in the next two days and over warmer water. I'm not convinced he'll get back up to cat 4 but it's not out of the question. I do think he will maintain cat 3 status all the way to the Bahamas and may weaken a bit there because of the cold water upwelling from Hanna. I still think he presents a direct threat to south Florida so I hope everyone there has their hurricane plans in order. It should get in the area about next Wednesday.

Just partly cloudy and hot here, with the remnants of Gustav pulling to the north and pretty much missing us altogether. With Hanna moving north also, we'll be trapped in dry, subsiding air again. It will be just like Vegas without the casinos and strippers. :eek:

jeffrey-wimberly

09-04-2008, 09:58 PM

Hanna is still plugging along and the media keeps trying to hype her into some big deal. I still don't think she'll make hurricane status and the big problems will come inland when she gangs up with the remnants of Gustav and causes some pretty good flooding.
Hanna isn't the one you should be worrying about. Keep an eye on Ike! That sob is a cat three at this time. Check out this 5 day forecast:

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/ike5dayforecast.gif

leghome

09-04-2008, 10:41 PM

Hey Chris you wanted to see a tractor picture check out the New Toys of Summer thread in the ANPL Coffee Shop.

RexHea

09-05-2008, 12:39 AM

Speaking of Chris: HEY CHRIS! Where you is?:confused:

jbaakko

09-05-2008, 03:02 AM

Isn't it an old card game? You know, Go Ghoti? Supposedly George Bernard Shaw made it up as an example of the complexity of the English Language. There was a push a few decades ago to simplify the spelling of English to make it easier to learn. Huked on fonix wurkt 4 me!

So THATS where go fish came from?

UP2CSX

09-05-2008, 08:52 AM

I still think he presents a direct threat to south Florida so I hope everyone there has their hurricane plans in order. It should get in the area about next Wednesday.

Jeffrey, I think I said the Hanna is being overblown by the media and Ike is a real threat to South Florida. The 2:00 am update has him headed right toward Miami as a 120 mph cat 3.

Bill Tidler Jr.

09-05-2008, 10:03 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

09-05-2008, 12:44 PM

Good morning.

it's 72 and cloudy. The high will be in the upper 80's and it will be partly cloudy.

Yesterday I had to remove the new turnout from my layout. It was causing problems with some of the larger locomotives that I use. My curves are 18" radius (it's not possible to go larger) but the curved part of the turnout is more like 15" radius and some of the larger power didn't like it, and they're Athearn BB's. Get that! My P2K E's took it just fine but the Athearn P's wouldn't touch it.

I went in to see the foot doctor yesterday, two days late because of Gustav. He likes the progress I'm making on my healing and is setting things in motion to have a new pair of shoes made. That's a long process that requires precise measurements, castings and fittings. It can sometimes take the better part of a year. It's not like I can just buy my shoes off the rack like everyone else does. I wish I could.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 9/5/2008

Heat Index: 77°F
Humidity: 82%
Dew Point: 66°F

So Far Today
High: 72°F
Low: 72°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 6mph N

Today High: 88 Mostly cloudy early in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 80s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight Low: 65 Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s. Northeast winds around 5 mph in the evening becoming light after midnight.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010142-1.jpg

tompm

09-05-2008, 01:01 PM

Good morning folks

It was 74 F this morning on the way to the office. The air was downright oppressive. It felt like you were walking into a wet blanket. High today will be 88 F. We are currently under a Flood Watch as we wait for Hanna. We are supposed to get between 3 and 5 inches of rain tomorrow.

No modeling last night.

My son is supposed to have a football game at Clifton Heights tomorrow afternoon. I guess it will depend on the weather. His game is at 4 PM which could be when the worst part of the storm passes. If the game is postponed it will be played on Sunday. We also have the dreaded biweekly grocery shopping to do.

On the modeling front I need to check the basement and make sure nothing is in harm’s way especially if we get 5 inches of rain. There could be some water issues in the basement with that much water. If I can I would like to continue getting used to the EZ-Command System. Additionally I need to go over the kit box pile and pick out a project or two.

I hope everybody has a good day.

Steve B

09-05-2008, 01:35 PM

Chris thats a bad ass storm heading your way,
Jeffery i watched a TV show last night about a surgeon from just up the road from us who works in Malawi in Africa, he's a foot specialist who does club foot operations and so on, he has done thousands in Africa with amazing results. he makes his own anti bacterial stuff for ulcers out of sugar, Vaseline, glycerin and honey and it works a treat, even in the humid hot conditions of africa. I didn't much care for the hammer and chisel approach to his surgery, that sounded terrible !!! good job the guy was asleep i say

Steve B

09-05-2008, 01:36 PM

Must be the week of bad weather,,,
floods, tornados and so on this week here, it's already claimed lives and it's just begun

rhoward

09-05-2008, 03:56 PM

Mornin' everyone!

Gonna be a hot one here in the Finger Lakes today. Currently 80°F with an expected high of 87° later this afternoon. If the current projections hold true the Finger Lakes region will get scant rain from Hanna as she goes by.

As always, I have about 3 days of things to get done yesterday that I need to get done today, so I best get at it!

Have a good day all!

Steve B

09-05-2008, 06:02 PM

The boys want to go out and look at the waterfalls nearbye, it is POURING down and they will be roaring, they built a great viewing platform to look from !!

I'll have some sun and warn weather Ray

UP2CSX

09-05-2008, 07:59 PM

Afternoon, everyone.

Oh Chris, where are you? I hope you're taking a nice vacation or something.

Steve, I looked at the radar for the UK and it does look like you're getting dumped on. It's an unusually warm extratropical low for being that far north. I'll bet the waterfalls are spectacular.

Jeffrey, I wondered if you'd have any problems with that E-Z track switch. I only have two on my layout for a passing track but they have given me fits ever since I installed them. I've finally got them where they will take most six axle power and cars up to about 60 feet long after a lot of realignment and point filing but anything bigger will cause a derailment for sure. I have Atlas #4 switches that will handle larger power and cars with no problem. There's something about the diverging route on those Bachmann switch that just don't seem to have the right geometry. I'm glad your foot is getting better but it is an awfully slow, and I'm sure, frustrating process.

Tom, I think you can pretty much forget that football game. This weekend should be a washout for just about everyone on the east coast. The heaviest rain is staying east of the ragged center of Hanna, out to sea, so I think the flooding problems won't be as bad as they are forecasting, but you will get good bit of rain.

Ray, you and Paul should miss most of the rain since you're so far upstate but you'll get a real good dose of tropical heat and humidity. Time to break out the sunscreen. :)

Hanna will move onshore around the SC/NC border just about midnight and then slide up the east coast over the weekend, finally exiting back into the Atlantic after passing the Canadian Maritimes on Tuesday. She will not be a hurricane and the heaviest rain and wind will stay offshore but she will ruin a lot of picnics and ballgames for the weekend.

Ike is really getting me concerned. The models are not in complete agreement yet but the most likely course is just south of the Bahamas, hitting Florida somewhere between the Keys and Miami, and then crossing Florida and getting out into the Gulf. None of the models have a clue as to what will happen after that. Ike is a cat 3 now and will hit Florida as either a cat 3 or cat 4. Unlike the Gulf Coast, which has a long and relatively shallow continental shelf, it's deep and warm water all the way to Florida. This means that land falling hurricanes in Florida don't usually lose any strength unless they get close enough to Cuba to get disrupted. This could happen with Ike but I doubt it. Everyone in south Florida, on both west and east coasts, needs to pay close attention to the forecasts for Ike and be prepared to evacuate. This is a very dangerous storm and it's going to hit an area of very high population density. Evacuating New Orleans wasn't easy but evacuating south Florida is going to be a nightmare. :(

jeffrey-wimberly

09-05-2008, 08:33 PM

Jeffrey, I wondered if you'd have any problems with that E-Z track switch. I only have two on my layout for a passing track but they have given me fits ever since I installed them. I've finally got them where they will take most six axle power and cars up to about 60 feet long after a lot of realignment and point filing but anything bigger will cause a derailment for sure. I have Atlas #4 switches that will handle larger power and cars with no problem. There's something about the diverging route on those Bachmann switch that just don't seem to have the right geometry.:(
It's the radius of the diverging track that's the problem. Bachmann likes to say it's 18" radius but it isn't. I measured it to be sure. It's more like 15.3" radius. I've positioned the turnout differently so that the through train can go by on the straight part and the diverging track goes to the spur.

Steve B

09-05-2008, 10:01 PM

Jim didn't take the camera it was persisting down, the falls were roaring like a hundred angry lions, the water looked like gravy and full of debris from summer, kids loved it, glad we live a hundred feet above it

vato loco

09-06-2008, 02:31 AM

I'm here sort of:rolleyes: I've been very buzzy with the park, winter ball is fixing to start and we are way behind due to government cut backs.:mad: We usually do field maintance during the fall and winter to get them ready for spring ball! But the leauge in it GREAT wisdom has started having AAU in Sept-Oct! and several winter ball camps. Now we have to try to do our usual Maint. around their activites:mad: It slows us down big time and to make matters worst I'm still going to the other park on mondays and tuesday to help them out:mad: ! In short we're so far behind we think were first!:rolleyes:

As For Ike, I'm so buzzy with the parks, my lawn service, and Ryan's football tryouts that I might not even notice Ike hitting us:( Honesty, I'm rightly not to worried about Ike:rolleyes: I worry more when they hit us on the west coast first then roll through. If it hits Miami(Little Cuba/Havanna) first it has a way to go to get to me:) after 30 years of hurry cans, when the hair on the back of my neck stands up we'll run:D right to Rex's or Jim's House!:D Hope you guys got two spare beds for the wife and boy and some Michlob on ice for me just in case;) Keep your layouts tracks clean too;) We can be at your house in 24 hrs:D

Larry, as soon as I get a chance I'm going to barrow that mower of yours!;)

Jim, I just got off a one week vacation two weeks ago! I still have 194 hrs left in my vacation leave and 425 hrs in sick!:eek: I won't be due for time off for few more months!:D

Steve, Ike a B-a____ :confused: ? Please:rolleyes: ...... I P harder than that storm can rain:D ! Steve, when Jim or Rex is complaining on his company he has over then it's a bad storm:D

rhoward

09-06-2008, 02:49 AM

Last week I mentioned finding a local camera shop (Canon). Older gentleman that owns the place has been in business there for many years and I doubt he has ever cleaned it..... My kind of store, like going back about 50 years in time. I stopped back today to get the eye piece that I lost on my Digital Rebel XT and sure enough it had arrived so I got it and while I was there I also picked up a Remote Shutter Switch as well.

He had a used (Like all of 2 photos were taken with it) Canon EF100mm F2.8 Macro Lens. This little beauty lists for $600. The guy that originally bought it is a local professional who found that it wasn't going to do what he needed and he traded it for another lens just a couple days after he got it. After I drooled for a little bit...... I pulled out the credit card and got both the lens and a Lens Shade for it for $450. What the heck, its only money. I'm spending my children's inheritance for them! Photos to follow after I read the manual and play with it a bit.

OldGettysk

09-06-2008, 03:46 AM

Hi All ! Just stopped in to say hello . Dodging raindrops outdside , some of Gustav , that guy was a pain . just got back from eating a couple of "scummers" at the loca dinner with a hearty a hearty oreder of fries. Treated myself after a week of doctor's visits . Today was the endocrinologits turn . My blood sugars have been very good ant I lost 7 lbs since my last visit so the doctor was very happy . That's why I treated myself. Well I'm really tired so I'll be heading off to bed . I hope all of yo have a real good night!!

UP2CSX

09-06-2008, 05:46 AM

Paul, sound like you're doing well keeping the old blood sugar under control. What's a scummer? Doesn't sound good but I'm sure it is. :)

Hey, Chris, good to see you. Nice to hear you are busy but you've got to take some time off before you die. If Ike turns mean and swings up the west coast (which isn't out of the question), we've got a whole basement with an extra bed, air mattresses, and a train layout. Just hop in the car and start heading for Prattville but do it before everyone else gets the idea. I-65 north was jammed here with Gustav refugees.

Ray, sounds like a good deal on the Canon equipment although I have no idea what you're talking about. :)

Steve, sounds you had quite a storm to get that waterfall going like you describe. Looks like it's about over from what can see on the UK radar.

Hanna just went ashore about 30 miles south of Wilmington, NC. She never became a hurricane so I get an A on that prediction. The 11:00 pm update on Ike has shifted the track slightly to the south, which is good for Miami and not so good for the Keys and the Gulf Coast. It looks like there's a better chance it will advance up the west coast of Florida and make a second landfall between Louisiana and the Panhandle. All these forecast are five days out, which are subject to large errors. It seems that the Keys are going to get it no matter what model you look at and I just read they've started evacuations. If Ike maintains cat 3 status, the storm surge will cover all the Keys and the winds and surge will take down a number of bridges so getting out now will save a lot lives. There's no part of Florida or the Gulf Coast which is not at risk form Ike at this point so all we can do is watch the forecasts again and hope. Another interesting week lies ahead.

Bill Tidler Jr.

09-06-2008, 11:16 AM

vato loco

09-06-2008, 12:19 PM

"Flo, I'll have the all-you-can eat breakfast!"

Got a couple of yards to do this morning, and later to day I have to pick up a tire and rim for my FIL trailer. Other than that not much on the list to do:rolleyes: Jim, I have a feeling Ike is headed your way!:eek: Our forcasters don't think it will bother us in fact we might loose more rain chances! we haven't seen real good rain for over two weeks!:( Look like your going to have to run this way!;)

Secondhandmodeler

09-06-2008, 01:20 PM

Good morning folks. Just stopping in to say hi. I hope you all (or y'all, I suppose) :) make it through the storms OK. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'll take blizzards and snow over a hurricane any day. When we get news of a bad storm in the winter, it just means that everyone stops to stock up on alcohol and munchies. I couldn't imagine living in fear of those storms down there. Good luck!

jeffrey-wimberly

09-06-2008, 01:26 PM

Good morning.

it's 67 and cloudy. The high today should be around 90 and it will be partly cloudy.

I've been keeping an eye on hurricane Ike and I must say the data on the 5 day forecast is taking an alarming direction! Unless something happens to keep the storm out in the gulf long enough to send it to Mexico it will make landfall in the vicinity of New Orleans and roll right across the state to my area, as if we haven't had enough already. Here's a map showing the current 5 day forecast.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/at200807_radar.gif

Here's hoping a high pressure front will keep Ike away from the US coast and keep it tracking west.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 9/6/2008

Wind Chill: 67°F
Humidity: 83%
Dew Point: 62°F

So Far Today
High: 70°F
Low: 66°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 3mph NNE

Today High: 90 Partly cloudy. Highs around 90. Northeast winds around 5 mph.

Tonight Low: 68 Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly clear after midnight then becoming partly cloudy late. Lows in the upper 60s. East winds around 5 mph.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n3/proudIndian/P1010054.jpg

Steve B

09-06-2008, 01:35 PM

Jim Yes, the sun's come out now, still black clouds around though, the river is still rising as it's rained non stop for at least 36 hours, heavy as well. Dad just called from his caravan / trailer home, it's on the banks of the river Weaver and it's halfway up his garden and rising, the guy's boat down the site has gone under, he only left around four feet of slack on the moorings and it's risen a lot more than that, the boat finally got pulled under around 9am, that'll be a fine stinky mess later. and to cap that the 76 year old site owners wife was rushing to get in out of the rain and she fell breaking her hip.

Glad to get done at work today, we cleaned out 60ft of 12ft deep racking that's not been swept for five years, a nasty job if ever i did one !!!

pcarrell

09-06-2008, 02:01 PM

Mornin' all!

OldGettysk

09-06-2008, 02:58 PM

Good Morning ALL !! And a big hearty hello from Western New York ! looks lke we have the vvery western end of Hannah here . A bit of rain falling down. Jim a Scummer is a fine Sahlens Hot Dog on a bun loaded with , relish , onions , meatsauce and Frank's Hot Sauce . A real gastic treat for the stomach . Well have to go take care of my litttle buddy so hope you all have a nice day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Steve sounds like your weather is pretty bad also . Hope you dry out soon !!

Steve B

09-06-2008, 03:45 PM

We just got a good soaking while out at the scarecrow festival,
I could eat one of those Sahlens right now Paul ;)

rhoward

09-06-2008, 04:34 PM

Mornin'! It is still morning I guess.

I slept in this morning. Woke up around 10:25. Guess I needed to catch up on some shuteye.

Paul looking at the northeast on Weather.com, I think you are more probably getting what is left over from Gustav drifting to the east. Hanna's Northwestern bands are nearing central New York right now. We are also getting some rain today and will continue with showers today and tonight. The main part of Hanna should pass well to the East of us though.

My thoughts are with all of you waiting for Ike to visit. Hope he cools off a bit more before he makes landfall.

Steve you guys aren't supposed to have that much rain over there. Your better known for fog! :rolleyes: ;) ;)

Have a great day everyone!

tompm

09-06-2008, 04:35 PM

Good morning folks

It is 79 F on its way to 80 F. We are still waiting for the other shoe to drop. So far, Hanna has missed us. The heavy rain has been to the south and west. We got a little bit last night, just enough to get the pavement wet but not the overnight deluge predicated. Right now, the pavement is dry and it is overcast. We are still under the Flood Watch and Tropical Storm Wind Warning. If Hanna tracks as predicated and the center goes through South Jersey then later this afternoon we will get the heavy rain. They are still calling for 3 to 6 inches. Of course, it looks like the heavy rain will come during my son’s game.

No modeling last night. We were getting ready for Hanna. I had to mow the grass and put away the lawn furniture and anything else that could blow over or away.

I hope everybody has a good day.

Steve B

09-06-2008, 07:01 PM

Check this out Surname Profiler (http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/) type in your surname, or anything for that matter and it shows you were the name is spread out over the world in Frequency per million

CSX_road_slug

09-06-2008, 07:42 PM

Hi gang,

Hanna's outer bands have been passing thru my state since early this morning, the eye is moving across the Bay to the Eastern Shore. So far no real damage to speak of, just lots of rain. My town is just outside the area marked for "possible" power outages - but it seems like we ALWAYS lose power here anyway, even when the winds aren't that high. Just to be on the safe side, I fueled up and test-started my generator last night and rounded up a half-dozen working flashlights. Best way to prevent a power outage is to be fully prepared for one :rolleyes: Frankly I'm more worried about what Ike may do to the Gulf Coast than I am about this storm.

I'm debating whether or not to drive to M B Klein's and pick up some B&O position light signal masts, they're currently on sale. I'll see what Vicky has to say about local roads when she gets home from work.

I do believe I'll indulge in one of Paul's hot dogs...

vato loco

09-06-2008, 08:03 PM

What did I get myself in to! :eek:

vato loco

09-06-2008, 08:09 PM

Done!:D At least the skeeters ate good!:rolleyes:

UP2CSX

09-06-2008, 10:13 PM

Chris, you managed to do all that without getting attacked by a gator or rattlesnakes? Good job! I think I would have died of sunstroke before I got done.

Ken, it looks like Hanna is going to be a good girl, with just rain and a little wind. She never had a lot of punch to begin with and she's getting torn up pretty good as she moves further north.

Paul, that scummer sounds like something even worse for your health than what we've dreamed up down here. :eek: I'll take two though. :)

Ray, you're right, you're getting the last gasps of Gustav there. Luckily, Gustav and Hanna stay far enough apart that they didn't merge, would could have caused some big problems. It's amazing how much moisture these tropical systems can carry so far north.

Corey, I hate blizzards, snow, or any form of frozen precipitation. The first snow was always pretty and then it was just five months of hard shoveling after that. I really hated it when my hand got frozen to the door handle of my car. Hurricanes are no fun either but at least I don't have to shovel rain. :D

Steve, that rain really should be moving over the continent now so I hope you dry out. That surname profiler does not work right. My late wife's maiden name was Srpan. She was from Slovenia and, even there, it's a very rare name. Every single Srpan I've tracked down is related to her, yet the profiler shows people with that name in India! I can assure there are no Srpan's in India.

Another hot and dry day here in the Southland as we all wait to see what Ike will do. The only thing I know for sure is that the Turks and Caicos Islands are going to get him full force. It's ramped back up to a cat 4 with 130 mph sustained winds and 160 mph gusts. The central pressure fell from 28.38 inches to 28.01 inches in three hours, the sign of a rapidly intensifying storm. It's about three hours away from the east Bahamas and eight hours away form Grand Turk Island, packing a 9 to 12 foot storm surge. I can't see any way that the Turks and Caicos and the southern Bahamas will escape devastating damage from this hit.

Things get much more murky after the next 12 hours. It looks like the Bermuda high will continue to push Ike further south in the short term, which means poor Haiti is going to get yet more killer flooding. The models are split on how close he will get to Cuba and how much time he will spend over land. The more time he spends over Cuba, the better for the Keys. If he just skirts Cuba, he will be at least a strong cat 2 or cat 3 when he should make a northward turn in response to the low pressure trough left behind by Hanna. A slight change in the track north or south has important implications for the Keys.

Now things really start to get hazy. The models are split between wanting to take Ike right over the Keys and then up the west coast of Florida, just offshore, and moving him further west before he makes his northward turn, with minimal effects on the Keys. There's even one model that wants to take it up the west coast of Florida and have it make a hard right into Tampa Bay. :eek: I think that's very unlikely but not impossible.

Once Ike is in the Gulf, we are right back to where we were with Gustav. He could make landfall anywhere from Houston to the Big Bend of Florida. My main concern is that he is a much more powerful and better organized storm than Gustav. He has already gone through two rapid intensification cycles and is likely to do the same again at some point. The forecaster's nightmare is that he approaches landfall as cat 2 and then rapidly intensifies to a cat 4 or cat 5 with only 10 or 12 hours warning. I hope this doesn't happen but the emergency management agencies should assume it will.

We have almost zero ability to predict track or intensity five days out so all I can do is urge everyone in Florida and the Gulf Coast to stock up on supplies in anticipation that a major hurricane is headed your way and evacuate early if that looks like the safest option. Closely monitor the forecasts and be prepared to take action immediately. This is a not a time to panic but it's also not a time to assume that Ike will just be another Gustav.