Welcome to Coffee Shop 17

[kbkchooch]

WOW, the day is finally over!
Graduation went fine I guess. After about a half mile walk uphill from the car, I arrived to a crowded facility (hot inside!!) and one of the 1st persons I see is my 13 year old! Then I see the Ex The go to thier seats, I looked elsewhere and took photos from a nice high vantage point during the ceremony. Afterward a breif meeting with the whole gang, and the 13 year old came home with me for the weekend. He would rather be at my place than in a house full of just graduated teenagers. I guess the thing that drove me the craziest about it was she practicly had her entire side of the family there. I was the only one invited from my side. Now since he is 18 and graduated, the divorce decree says I owe her nothing else from here on out, but I graciously am continuing to pay her "support" until he graduates college while he is away. His scholarships cover all the other expenses, except about 200 bucks a month. My family is also paying for his books. That being said, there better be more than 1 ticket available 4 years from now!!!
Tomorrow, the little guy, stepmom, and myself are going fishin! I may be sunburned and smell like fish tomorrow night, but I bet I'll be happier!!

Jim/BOC Take scumbags like that, tatoo "Child Molester" across the forehead, and put them in prison with the "general population". After awhile, they may plead for a lethal injection!!!

ta ta ,,,,,,,,i'm sleepy

 

[UP2CSX]

Dan, carting around two elephant bags in the pouring rain with lighting striking all over the place is one of the things that turned me off to golf. Sounds like you did pretty well considering the conditions.

BOC, I sure wish there were some good train spotting locations with a reasonable distance of the house. The best place I can easily get to is about 35 miles away. There's some good yard in Montgomery but it's hard to get to with out getting thrown out by the railroad cops. Sounds like you guys did good. I remember the story of that little girl up there. The problem is that Canada has no death penalty. In theory, California has one, but hardly anyone ever gets it. Alabama is a little different. The state pays for one appeal and then it's a visit to Ol' Sparky. Well, now it's a visit with an IV needle, but at least people here pay for their crimes.

I've been battling a few engines that don't want to work on my programming track, even to read back CV's. One of the things I really hate about the Digitrax Zephyr is that a lot of decoders need more power on the programming track to read back but you can read back anything from the main. The low voltage programming track is a good idea for new decoder installations but I wish they had an option to boost the programming track power when you just want to read back CV's. Maybe there's a way and I haven't figured it out yet.

Karl, just missed your message as I was posting. Sounds like things went as well as could be expected, given the circumstances. Time to have a talk with the 18 year old though. They get the graduation tickets for college, not mom, so he should distribute them fairly. It's nice you are still helping to support him to get through college. Even though you don't have to, it's the right thing to do. I'm sure a day of fishing will make you feel a lot better. As for that lowlife, he's been in solitary for the past 16 years. He'd survive about 10 minutes tops in GP.

 

[kbkchooch]

I've been battling a few engines that don't want to work on my programming track, even to read back CV's. One of the things I really hate about the Digitrax Zephyr is that a lot of decoders need more power on the programming track to read back but you can read back anything from the main. The low voltage programming track is a good idea for new decoder installations but I wish they had an option to boost the programming track power when you just want to read back CV's. Maybe there's a way and I haven't figured it out yet.

Jim, Get yourself a PowerPax unit from Tony's. It boosts power to the programming track to solve that problem.

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Good morning---

We're getting a few 'showers'---more like 10 minute monsoons--today with the high at around 22C and the low going to 11C---this will be the trend for the next several days according to the weatherguessers.

I ended up downloading something like 122 pix---now I'll be trying to weed out the weeds to get at some of the better ones---then I'll put those up here.

Have a good one----

 

[IronBeltKen]

Ken, young women sometimes don't seem to have a lick of sense. I don't think they will issue a warrant just yet. Call the court clerk in the county the ticket was issued in and explain the situation. The clerk will probably let you mail in the fine. Most counties really don't want warrants floating around if they have someone willing to pay the fine right now. ...

Jim, Sarah would gladly have paid the fine right then and there - if she knew how much it was for. When she asked what was the amount, the officer couldn't tell her. Both she and her mother tried to call the phone number on the ticket on Thursday afternoon, and left voicemails; nobody ever called back on Friday. Forcing an out-of-state driver to appear in court for going 9mph over the speed limit, seems a bit extreme by my reasoning.

... How did you manage to lower your electric bill that much? ...

We replaced our old, barely-functioning clothes dryer in April of last year. We were running it for 3 times as long as normal to get our clothes dried - we noticed a major drop in KwHrs on the first bill after we installed the new one. But we're on so-called "budget billing" where the monthly amount stays the same for 1 year, based on average usage during the previous year. And BG&E had just recalculated our average use right before we got the new dryer, so we had to wait a whole 'nuther year for the monthly rate to go down!

Jim, Get yourself a PowerPax unit from Tony's. It boosts power to the programming track to solve that problem.

Karl, I guess I too will be placing a Powerpax order with Tonys. I'm unable to read back the CV on my factory-sound-equipped Atlas CW40-8, but all the locos read back OK.

. . .

A good Sunday morning to all! This has so far shaped up to be mostly a great weekend - the previously predicted rain didn't fall on Saturday, so I was able to get the whole yard mowed and weed-whacked. Earlier in the day I drove to Kleins to pickup my web-ordered Atlas GP40-2 and a decoder to put into it. But in the evening when I went to install the decoder, I discovered that Atlas has totally reworked the interior so the standard Atlas-compatible decoders don't fit anymore. So now I have to put that project on hold for a few days until I can exchange the decoder I bought, grrrrr...

On a happier note, Vicky and I will be going out to dinner this evening to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 63 and cloudy. The high will be in the low 90's and it will be partly cloudy.

My mother was doing well yesterday. The breathing tube has been removed so she's now able to tell the docs what she thinks of them. She's due to be moved out of the ICU to a room with more reasonable visiting hours. That waiting 4 hours for a half hour visiting time was for the birds. Not much happening here today so I'll probably catch up on my sleep a bit.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 6/7/2009

Wind Chill: 69°F
Humidity: 88%
Dew Point: 65°F

So Far Today
High: 69°F
Low: 62°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 5mph SSE

Today High: 90 Sunny. Highs around 90. South winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight Low: 70 Mostly clear. Lows around 70. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/DSCN1009.jpg

 

[pcarrell]

Jim, BOC, this is what we get when we throw God out of our countries. The Bible clearly defines how God thinks about this. I'll get off of my soapbox now though...........

 

[vato loco]

Man I take a short Holiday and you guys start talking bible and things Sounds like I need to start up a DMSF to break up the hum drum around here!

My puter went down and just got it fixed today. Friday I got one of those 24hr. Flu bugs I left work early... Holy crap Friday night I thought I was going to die! Lucky for me I woke up Sat morning with a slight headache. I was able to mow my yards and get some house work around here done. We have been getting a little rain every afternoon like usual around here. Looks like our summer time weather pattern is settling in just fine. I got's one more week of work and I got VACATION! And I don't go back until the 5th of July Well, I got to clean up the back patio.......Be back soon


BTW: My wife is doing better, she is keeping me on my toes and cracking the whip more........So I had better tend to that patio before I get three days in the hole!

 

[blownoutcylinder]

OK---Really dumb question time---when someone posts photos up here do you get the thumbnails that are on your Photo Gallery or do you get the whole schmozzola --by that I mean the full 2.44 Mb shots here? I'm going to see if'n this thing will do this and I don't need some giant thingummee showing up!

 

[RexHea]

Hope all are having a peaceful weekend and yours is as beautiful as mine.

BOC: I think there is a 350k restriction on the size...at least using the thumbnail method.

JIM/KEN: I have a Chief and only had some difficulty programming the first Tsunami's on the program track. I bought the Powerpax from Tony's and haven't had any more problems. This is a common problem with all units when programming sound decoders, particularly the ones that have the capacitors: QSI, etc. The current values going to the program track are normally around 80ma, but the booster brings it up to ~200ma (values may be slightly off). Now, some of you may say you have no problem. Well, I don't with QSI, the most common to give problems. I guess it is one of those things that have many varibles that may or may not upset things.

Just a side note: I don't program anything other than the address using the program track. Since the CV's that control operation need to be tested back and forth, I use the Op programming on the main track. There, you have full power. You will not program any other loco unless it has the same address. I know that this doesn't help with read back of the CV's but it does take care of any programming issues caused by too low of power.

 

[vato loco]

OK---Really dumb question time---when someone posts photos up here do you get the thumbnails that are on your Photo Gallery or do you get the whole schmozzola --by that I mean the full 2.44 Mb shots here? I'm going to see if'n this thing will do this and I don't need some giant thingummee showing up!

I'm almost afraid of what your going to post by the sounds of your question

 

[vato loco]

Hope all are having a peaceful weekend and yours is as beautiful as mine.

BOC: I think there is a 350k restriction on the size...at least using the thumbnail method.

JIM/KEN: I have a Chief and only had some difficulty programming the first Tsunami's on the program track. I bought the Powerpax from Tony's and haven't had any more problems. This is a common problem with all units when programming sound decoders, particularly the ones that have the capacitors: QSI, etc. The current values going to the program track are normally around 80ma, but the booster brings it up to ~200ma (values may be slightly off). Now, some of you may say you have no problem. Well, I don't with QSI, the most common to give problems. I guess it is one of those things that have many varibles that may or may not upset things.

Just a side note: I don't program anything other than the address using the program track. Since the CV's that control operation need to be tested back and forth, I use the Op programming on the main track. There, you have full power. You will not program any other loco unless it has the same address. I know that this doesn't help with read back of the CV's but it does take care of any programming issues caused by too low of power.

I was almost considering to dcc my next layout but by the sounds of it.....naaaaaa. I can barely figure out my puter and computer speak well I'm totally a Bumb ss when it comes to that too. I'll stick with good old simple block control for a tech dumby like me And any who how it would kill me to ask my wife to help get the choo choos running angain like I do with the puter

 

[blownoutcylinder]

OBSERVE new signature---dangnab it----it don't wanna post either way but this! So there -----HAARRRUUMPH!!

 

[bnsf971]

Plan "A" never works

OBSERVE new signature---dangnab it----it don't wanna post either way but this! So there -----HAARRRUUMPH!!

I clicked you link, and got this:
Page not found

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

It's really quite easy. If I want a photo to show up full size on the screen I use the IMG tag line from my Photobucket account and it shows up like this:

Or I can use the attachment option of the forum to host the direct link from my Photobucket account and it will show up as a thumbnail, like this:

 

[blownoutcylinder]

OK!!----my so called speedy typewriting short circuited my photobucket!!
See what happens when ONE silly letter is not in the URL!!
GRRRR!!!

But is all fixed

 

[blownoutcylinder]

I clicked you link, and got this:
Page not found

Try it again----missed one letter in URL---

 

[UP2CSX]

Afternoon, everyone.

Karl, sounds like that PowerPax is what I need. The low current programming track is fine for testing new decoders but not so good for reading back CV's on some engines. As Rex says, it seems to be quite variable. I have one Atlas engine that works fine and the other one won't read back variables at all.

Ken, the officer wouldn't know the fine. It's set differently in each county. As I said, find out the clerk of court's number for that county and call him. You really don't have to appear in court for a 9 mph over speeding ticket. Most states just give you an envelope with the fine amount for you to mail in but Ohio is behind the times on that. If you keep having problems, call your insurance agent and ask for assistance. They can usually get court information right off the computer. We bought all those "green" appliances when we moved in three years ago and still pay an arm and a leg for electricity. I suspect it's the 10 year old heat pump that's the culprit. My brother, who worked for Honeywell, says a new one would cut electricity costs by about half. Unfortunately, at about $4,000 for a new unit, that's about a 10 year payback.

Jeffrey, glad to hear your mom is continuing to improve.

Phillip, while agree with the Biblical admonition, this is not really a religious issue. It's an issue of do we live in a safe society, where the murderers are permanently prevented from doing any further harm, or do we descend into anarchy? If the government won't to its job of protecting the innocent, the days of the wild west will return again.

Chris, glad to hear your wife is doing well and keeping you on the straight and narrow. Sorry about your flu but it sounds like you bounce back fast.

Rex, I do all my programming on the main also since it doesn't do much good to do it on a programming track and not know the effect of the change. The best one is my Walthers GP-7 with QSI sound. It talks back to me when I change a CV to confirm it took. Now, if I only wasn't half deaf...

Alco, go to the Microsoft web site and get the Photo Resizer software. It's free and integrates with Windows Explorer. You can then change any size picture to reduce the size. The large size (1024x780) is just right for attaching to posts here as thumbnails.

Hot and clear today with a high of 94. Looks like we are in for a hot week also. Anyone else following the Air France crash? They've now found seven bodies, including at least four in life jackets. There's no way the passengers could have been prepared for ditching if the aircraft was being affected by severe turbulence. The data burst show the pilots made an attempt to turn back to the Brazilian Air force base about 400 miles to the east. The systems deteriorated gradually over at least six minutes, which indicates to me a hole in an unpressurized part of the aircraft that propagated to the rest of the fuselage. Combined with the Spanish air line pilot that reported a bright flash and flaming debris, this means a bomb to me. You couldn't pick a better place. Just out of radar range, out of VHF radio range, and the HF radio was probably near useless because of the static from all the lightning in the area. In addition, the plane went down into some of the deepest and most hostile seas in the Atlantic. The data and voice recorders are probably down at least 20,000 feet in a terrain that resembles an underseas Himalaya mountain range. Amazingly, all the governments involved are scrambling to proclaim this wasn't terrorism. Wonder why, when the last airliner to disappear under similar circumstances was back in 1979? Certainly not a common occurrence. I'm currently adjusting my tinfoil hat to get stronger readings.

 

[leghome]

Been a real busy day today. Glendia and I hoed the green beans, corn, green peppers, pumpkins, sunflowers and zucchini and then I ran the tiller thru the whole thing. While she was finishing the hoeing I got out the snapper walk behind and trimmed up what I did not get to yesterday. The yard and the garden now look in tip top shape and with rain predicted for most of the rest of the week I got it done just in time. My oldest daughter and SIL came and picked up their dog Bo a little while ago. They had went camping and Bo is not a very good camper so we dog sat since Fri. morning. Every time we have him for a day or two I remember why we now have no pets thank goodness. After two days I am ready for him to go home, Every time we get shoes on he thinks he is going outside and starts prancing around and going to the door or if you leave the room he follows us around all over the house. Bo is about 11 years old so he will probably not be around to many more years. His whiskers are gray, he has uncle arthur and can not run anymore plus I think he is going deaf. If you hollar at him he either does not hear you or ignores you. Oh well we have the house to ourselves until Weds. when Colton our grandson comes for the day and we have to go the the train room for him to look at the trains YaHoo. I need to get the trains running again then he will really want to spend all day in the train room.

 

[Secondhandmodeler]

Hey guys, I'm still in Vegas, but I had to check in quick. I have a half naked sister in law in the pool as we speak! Only problem is that it's the one with the buddha belly. I can't wait to get home. I don't think I ever need to come back to Vegas again.

I'll check in when I get home.

Take it easy.