Come on back to the caboose and get a cup of coffee [or sweet ice tea] Part V

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Good Morning..........
Yes, today is my Birthday. 66 years young. Chief left the secret out. So, Thank You for the Birthday wishes, Chief.
Today is a beautiful day. Sunshine. I will be mowing some grass later, as soon as it dries out.
Everyone have a nice day,
Chuck
 
This morning I fixed the leak that popped up in the pool pump piping yesterday. Cut the PVC line to the filter so I could remove the steel pipe from the pump head then got the pipe into a pipe vise and removed the PVC adapter. Wrapped the threads of the steel pipe with four layers of Teflon tape and put the adapter back on. I then screwed the pipe back into the pump head and tightened it by tightening the adapter as far down as it would go then twisted the pipe itself in even farther with a pipe wrench. To join the two pieces of the cut PVC pipe back together I used a flexible coupling. This joined the pipes and it also allows easy disassembly later if the need arises, which it probably will. Murphy never sleeps.
 
sir james said:
EVENING ALL
I went to my fav. train store today and a hobby shop that carries Weaver, they had a real nice looking D T & I caboose, but retail was $51.95 and I just can't get myself to that price range yet. Especially when I don't really have to have it. But of course that is the way all the nice items are leaning,sadly. Enjoy your weekend and I will look in now and then....S.J.
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S. J. , The Weaver cabooses are very nice, one of their best products. The only problem I have with mine is that the pickup rollers are very square on the ends, no taper. As a result they cause problems when you use scale type track such as Atlas. They catch on the switches and derail the caboose. I was able to get a partial solution by installing the plastic inserts that Atlas supplies with their switches to keep the sliding shoes on older operating cars from catching, but every now and then it still causes a derailment, usually when I am showing off the layout. :mrgreen: Probably they would not be a problem on tubular, fastrak or Gargraves as that track has a rounded top.

The MTH caboose that I pictured listed for 59.95, but since it was a pre-order I got it for 50.00 even, which is a pretty nice discount, at a LHS. Of course that was from the 2007 volume 2 catalog which was two catalogs ago, so if you are in a hurry that is not the way to go. :sad:

Had a nice morning at Harris tower with my uncle. Here is a picture of him in front of the track board.

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He worked this tower twice in his career. First during WWII as a lever man, when the tower was manned by 5 and later at the end of his career, working for Amtrak, when he was the train director and sole operator.

The train board appears as it did during the heyday of the RR. Now only about 1/3 of those tracks still exist.

BTW, he retired 29 years ago! And acts younger than me. :thumb:
 
Forum is acting a little weird today. Several posts appeared that were posted earlier today that were not there when I started posting my last post. So sorry Chuck, but here it is:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK!
:band1::band1::band1:
:wave7::wave7:
:row1::row1::row1:
balloon6balloon6balloon6balloon6
AND MANY MORE!
​
 
John...I bet that brought back a lot of memories for your uncle....That control panel is awesome...!!! How did he ever manage to handle it all by himself..??

Lights and interiors make sense in a caboose that size...In the smaller scales, you're lucky to see the windows...much less peek inside....

Chuck....Happy B'day....May you be granted many more..!!!
 
As most of you know I have been on a diet and posted a before pic well here are the after picsscan0002.jpg
 
jefelectric said:


Had a nice morning at Harris tower with my uncle. Here is a picture of him in front of the track board.

He worked this tower twice in his career. First during WWII as a lever man, when the tower was manned by 5 and later at the end of his career, working for Amtrak, when he was the train director and sole operator.

The train board appears as it did during the heyday of the RR. Now only about 1/3 of those tracks still exist.

BTW, he retired 29 years ago! And acts younger than me. :thumb:
Click to expand...
That's great!!! I love pics and stories like that!!!
 
Thanks for all the Birthday Wishes, Guys.
I appreciate them.
Today was a beautiful day. Sunshine and in the 70's. Got a lot of outside work done.
Tomorrow I will run trains.
Chuck
 
steamhead said:
John..How did he ever manage to handle it all by himself..??
Click to expand...

By the time Amtrak took over the number of tracks and switches and traffic had been greatly reduced. All of the Conrail freight traffic just ran straight through on their own tracks, except a few that used Amtrak tracks to access local industries. And the number of Amtrak trains was down to several trains a day plus commuters. The track board reflects how it looked in 1936, which stayed basically the same until about 1960 or so. When the tower opened in 1930 they handled 100 passenger trains a day, and 25 freights a day. The amazing thing is that every train had to have the power switched from electric to steam or diesel going West and those going East from steam or diesel to electric. As well as switching sleepers on the passenger trains to get them on the right trains to take the passengers to the right city. And all without computers.
 
GOOD EVENING FOLKS
CSX-that is awesome,I don't know if I would have the will power to do that. Hopefully I wouldn't need to find out.
That control tower picture is something, wow Just pull one wrong lever oops.
Pa. John-I took a good look at the weaver DT&I caboose and it really looks nice,I was not aware of the roller problem though. I use GG track. Its still in the back of my mind. and its in their latest catalog but I don't know if it will be rerun.
Chuck- I hope you had a nice birthday. TTFN S.J.
 
Good evening folks

I got here very late tonight and I am ready for bed. We spent the day at the Philadelphia Zoo. Our Boy Scout Council had its Tiger Cub Graduation at the Zoo today and we attended in support of our Tigers. We had two out of three of our Tigers attend. Since we are members afterwards the Tigers and us toured the zoo. The kids got to ride on the Zoo Balloon, camels, swan boats, and the Dodge Photo Safari.

When we got home the kids and I went out to get my wife her Mothers’ Day gift. I got home and crashed for about an hour. I can’t believe the kids and still going.

One thing with the Philadelphia Zoo is it is right along side Amtrak and the old PRR Zoo Tower. I could here all kinds of Amtrak, NJT, and SEPTA trains. Once in a while I could capture a glimpse of one through a fence or the roof going by.

Happy Birthday Chuck. Way to go CSX!

I hope everybody has a good night.
 
John: Great pictures of your uncle! He looks right at home there.
Chuck: Happy Birthday!

CSXect: Great photos! I bet you could keep up with the young ones now!

Doug: Extra prayers for you and your family.

Kurt
 
Thanks everyone:wave:

As far as keeping up with youngones I do not have any. :confused:

Women tend to smile at me more in the stores lately:thumb:

Weight is undercontrol for the moment, next fire to put out is the job situation beend laid off far too long :nope:
 
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