The Hobo Camp Fire Is going well #IX.. Stop In!!!

[tompm]

Good morning folks

It is 34 right now. A couple of hours ago it was 25 as I ventured around the job site. High today is supposed to be 50.

Due to the colder and windier than predicated weather we didn’t get any of the outside chores done this weekend. Instead, we did a few of the inside items such as a heavy-duty cleaning of the range top. Saturday we dropped off some Amazon returns at Kohl’s. We had to make trips to two pharmacies since our regular one was out of an asthma medication my wife needs. With this being pollen season we could not wait for it to be ordered and had to find a pharmacy that had it. We also made a grocery store run and stopped at Staples to get some foam board. Sunday was a trip to Delaware for gas. Paid $2.93 with 30 cents off grocery rewards. Then we stopped at a produce/nursey store to grab a few items. Lastly another stop at the grocery store to get what was forgotten the last time.

I thought I would get more train time this weekend but things didn’t work out that way. The time I got was in short bursts. I did, however, finish the Nickle Plate Double Sheathed Wood Boxcar Accurail kit. I worked on painting and the mortar lines on the Morgan Building kit. I cut out the base for the Union Station from foam board. The big accomplishment was programming my first DCC consist and it working which meant I did get to run some trains.

After work I have another pharmacy run. This one for my son’s medication. Tonight should be an easy night but it never seems to work out that way.

I hope to work on the base for the Union Station, and painting another wall for the Morgan Building. If things go really well I might continue running the consist and adding cars to it.

I hope everybody has a good day.

[ezdays]

     Don, did it require a special permit to trim that cactus? 

No, just as long as I don't move it. Arizona requires a permit anytime you take a cactus out of the ground, even if it's on your property. Trimming it is a safety issue and I still have more to trim, my biggest concern is that the HOA will tag me for littering since I can only throw a few pieces at a time in the garbage due to the weight.

[hillyard999]

Hillyard - cool catch.  No Pictures?

Tom

QTTX 130654 Depressed center HD flatcar

I just figured how to post, over in weekly photo fun 3/17/-3/23
Took several tries til I found the max file size thread.
Reducing size made the photo a bit blurry when you zoom in.

I was thrilled to catch this.
No idea destination or origin.

[jim currie]

hi all. well its Monday again with not much to report. only thing i can say it the wet season must be over the sand verbenas are losing their blossoms.
Jim

[BR60103]

We had the plumbers in today. Two faucets that were dripping. One single handle that required an extra twist to stop it. The other in the basement. It's been going bad for a year or two: I had to use pliers to turn it off and lately even that didn't work. It was dripping at one drop a second. We're now prepared to have technicians in the house if they're masked. The basement taps are the ones I get water from for the trains.

The first one was really gunked up with calcium; the tech could hardly get the innards out. I'm glad I didn't try either of them myself.

[ezdays]

Good morning all, I just looked at the local rain map and see where the only place we've had rain so far today is right here in Surprise, not much but enough to register. Suppose to rain on and off for two days. Pat is coming over to help clean up the mess with cutting off all those cactus arms, (or pipes), but not if it's raining.

I spent 45 minutes on the phone yesterday with the DPS wondering where my concealed carry permit renewal is. It expired yesterday and I sent in the renewal application on Feb. 2, "oh, it'll go out in tomorrow's mail" she says. I wonder how long they planned in keeping it if I didn't call..... Next call is to the IRS, "where's that $500 you keep telling me you're sending back to me?" I'd like it before they run out of money at the rate they're giving it away or it becomes worthless with all this inflation.  

Gas is down a bit, close to $4.00 at some stations, $4.19 is still pretty common here, close to $3.00 in other parts of the state, especially around Tucson. Bullhead City is on the Colorado River, halfway between I-10 and I-40 and they're at $3.14, hard to understand.

Enough sarcasm for today, enjoy the day and stay safe and dry...

[FiatFan]

Greetings, gang.

29 headed for around 50 today with a slight chance of some sprinkles this evening.

Routine day yesterday. Gym and grocery store. Also put up a new solar light in the outdoor train. I also noticed last night that the solar rope lights outlining the track held up very well over the winter. Gym this morning and call again and complain about not getting the paper.

All stay safe.

Tom

[sir james]

Hello Blue
Sun and 50s today. it's going to get wet again around here too.
Got a haircut yesterday, taking wife out to lunch today, we will meet up with a couple of her high school friends.
Looks like summer travel in Michigan will be an orange barrel nightmare, they have started already.
Lowest gas I saw yesterday was $3.39. 
S.J.

[doctorwayne]

We had the plumbers in today. Two faucets that were dripping. One single handle that required an extra twist to stop it. The other in the basement. It's been going bad for a year or two: I had to use pliers to turn it off and lately even that didn't work. It was dripping at one drop a second. We're now prepared to have technicians in the house if they're masked. The basement taps are the ones I get water from for the trains.

The first one was really gunked up with calcium; the tech could hardly get the innards out. I'm glad I didn't try either of them myself.

The easiest way to get rid of calcium build-up is to put the parts in vinegar.  If it's so clogged-up, and difficult to remove, put some vinegar in a glass or cup, then use anything that's handy to create a platform, onto which you can place the vinegar to immerse the business end of the tap in the vinegar, which will make it easy to remove the parts.

Wayne

[Charlie B]

Good morning It's 43° in East Palestine with a high expected of 50. 

I worked on the second yard lead last night but could not figure how to get the 6th track on the ladder. I gave up and came in and watched Brokenwood Murders on britbox and when it was over it suddenly dawned on me that all I had to do was  install the switches the same way I had done with the first yard, just the opposite so I was in the train room until 1:30 correcting what I had already laid out.  It works fine. 

I got a letter yesterday from a water company in Washington state telling me that even though the EPA sys my well water is fine it isn't. It is full of contaminants, and they can fix it for $5 or 6000 dollars. I am 150 feet higher than the railroad and my well is 100 feet deep. I am also 9000 feet away from the derailment so I am not the least bit concerned until they repeal the law of gravity. 

Cheapest gas this morning is $2.97.  I am sure it will go up before noon. 

Days, we now have constitutional carry in Ohio but you can still get a permit that is recognised by almost every other state. When the law was passed every one was crying there would be gunfights just like the old west. We haven't seen them but I imagine some crooks are worried because John Q may be carryng   

Rain tomorrow
Charlie

[ezdays]

Days, we now have constitutional carry in Ohio but you can still get a permit that is recognised by almost every other state. When the law was passed every one was crying there would be gunfights just like the old west. We haven't seen them but I imagine some crooks are worried because John Q may be carryng   

Rain tomorrow
Charlie

Charlie, it's always been legal to open carry in Arizona, then they started issuing concealed carry permits. A few years ago, they made it legal for anyone (within reason) to conceal carry. And no, we don't have duels at high noon (except down in Tombstone a few times a day for the tourists), but we still have those idiots that shoot during road rages and drive-by's, but that would happen regardless. I keep my permit because I earned it, and it's easier when buying a gun, no background checks. Still have to fill out that ATF4473, for now that is, God knows what they're planning.... Many states have reciprocity, but you have to be careful when traveling, those that don't can be very harsh. I count 19 states that have constitutional reciprocity. And you're right, John Q has had more than a few surprises for the bad guys....

[BR60103]

Wayne: the tap that was gunked up is a single handle job and the gunk was inside where the mechanism is. We needed it back in service so that we could turn water on for the whole house.
I'm satisfied with the job that was done.
Saw a (GO) train today while we were downtown.

[FiatFan]

Greetings, gang.

40 and some fog in the area. Supposed to get to 50 again today then colder for the weekend with rain, freezing rain, sleet, and finally some snow overnight tonight.

Routine day at the gym. Newspaper finally showed up mid morning. They also sent along yesterday's paper. Then the mail arrived at 6:50 PM last night with another copy of yesterday's paper. I can't imagine what kind of chaos is going on behind the scenes at the post office and the newspaper.

Need to do some house cleaning today. Sister-in-law arriving tomorrow and staying until Sunday. The visits will slow way down at the end of May when they finish the interim pastor gig in Nebraska. This having to clean the house every month or two is getting to be a real strain. It should be a semi annual job.

Gas was $3.15 yesterday. Eggs were $3.79.

All stay safe.

Tom

[ezdays]

Good morning all, first the weather, we had rain on and off all day yesterday, not a lot in some places, but up in Flagstaff they had almost 2 1/2" of rain, and almost a foot of snow. There's flooding all over the state, mostly due to the release of water from local dams. The same for today, we have a light rain out right now. It stopped for a while yesterday afternoon and Pat and I had a chance to clean up what we cut off of that cactus. Man, we had to cut it in small chunks since it was so heavy with water.

Now for the stupid stuff. Woke up, the clock read 5:43, geeze, I must of have been really tired from helping Pat and overslept, suppose to meet someone fore breakfast at 6:00. Showered, clock said 5:57, dressed got in the truck and noticed the clock there said 10:12....WHAAAAT!!! Cell and wristwatch both said the same. The difference between a "5" and a "9" on a digital clock is one bar and it didn't light. Back to bed for five more hours, over to Walmart this morning for a new bedroom clock.... I loved that clock because it has big numbers, easy to see in the dark, I gave it a point of prominence, gave it everything it asked for, but that love affair is now over, I feel abused, lied to, taken advantage of, but mostly tired this morning..... Do I see a divorce lawyer or just throw it in the trash.... can't afford a lawyer

The TV gal said there was a 20 cent rise in gas prices yesterday, but not now. Some stations had jumped to $4.49 a few days ago, but went back down to $4.19 quickly. I filled up at Costco for $4.05. Can't keep up with things. I ordered something yesterday and the shipping charges were almost as much as the product. Large eggs at Walmart here are $3.16, extra large, $3.54 a dozen still twice what they were a year ago.

Enough already, have a great day everyone, stay safe and stay dry.

[Charlie B]

Good afternoon. 
         55 degrees here and light rain predicted. 

         I repaired the on air TV antenna yesterday, I thought the rotor had given up one of these but after taking it down I found the coax was degrading so I spliced together a few chunks I had to make enough to replace the bad piece and ordered a 100 foot section from Home Depot. (It was 13.97 ship free to home but 39 bucks to pick up in the local store) These antennas work remarkably well but they have to be where you can see them in order to aim them properly. I found the main conductor had rotted off at the main connection (copper clad steel) so I replaced the male connector as well and we now get over 60 local channels without having to turn the antenna, (I could get many more when turned but I have to rescan the TV to add and lose wat is already there). I have been trying to find a coax antenna to usb or hdmi tuner that will allow a manual add of channels but so far no good )

        The lawyers are in a feeding frenzy here and they are the ones that will walk away with a payday while people that have a legitimate claim will get little or nothing.  

     The EPA is forcing NS to remove the possibly contaminated roadbed  under the tracks  and right of way this is about 4 foot deep, 2000 foot long and 100 foot wide in this area 
     
The 2 center tracks were removed in 1952

       They must be going way deeper in places because they already have over 27000 cubic yards of dirt removed and have not begun on the other track. 

       They finally admitted the derailment was caused by the crew failing to stop to check the train when it was first reported. I am waiting to find out why they did not stop. 

        More work on the train yard this afternoon. I am getting bored with this so I will be glad to be done and running trains once again. 

Charlie