Ian Abel

Weather - Into the office today and a balmy -17C for the drive, no more snow overnight but expecting some tonight (avoiding Paul apparently, lucky you ) We're going for the roller-coaster effect this week, -2 tomorrow, -12 Friday, +1 by Sunday. All the result of "Alberta Clippers" that bash down on us form Canada this time of year... Marriage - I strongly recommend it, with the right person. Mrs and I enjoying 32+ years now. Not without it's own roller-coaster effect but wodnerful for us - "affordable" wedding with small group back then. Enjoyable for all without any punch ups Weddings - people have gone NUTS it seems. All we hear over here (generalization) is huge expenses, for young folks that shouldn't be wasting their money on the even to the extent they do, PUHLEASE, exercise some sanity! Olddudders (Ian #1) - I'm with you (seems alot of us in the same age group are) - out of step with many of the current societal values - yay for us Exercise - we've an "elliptical" that Mrs uses to great effect, I can't get to grips with it, even being fairly fit the stupid thing hurts my knees when I use it Instead, we're "power walking", 3 miles at about 3+ mph most days when we can fit it in. Of course in WINTER that means we can't walk outside, not the cold as much as fear of slipping on the icy sidewalks, so we join the ranks of what are known here at least as "Mall walkers". The enclosed large shopping malls are the perfect place for a brisk walk, especially around the dinner hour, everyone who'd be shopping is home eating and you only bump into other "walkers"... Mini - LOVE IT, the new ones aren't exactly mini are they if I can fit easily (6' 3") they aren't what they used to be, besides they're really a BMW now or worse!!! OK - off to do some work before lunch calls - part of the reason for coming in to the office one day a week is to have lunch with a long time buddy, Z-scale currrently.

Blimey!!! It now makes this item http://www.ebay.com/itm/MODEL-LOCO-LTD-BY-DJH-4MM-OO-KIT-NO-ML6-112-BR-REBUILT-MERCHANT-NAVY-4-6-2-/261361285095?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3cda58b7e7#ht_623wt_1201 that I've been watching, a relative STEAL, since it contains the exact same motor/gearbox. At the "currnet bid price" for the motor alone, it makes the loco kit without motor only worth about $60US!!! The guy in the US has been trying to sell this kit off-and-on for about 6 months or more now with obviously no takers. As an aside - I'd love to buy and build this actually, but figured it was a bit above my price range since I'm not sure I could do justice to the kit <sigh>...

Morning... Thanks to all for the warm welcome and encouragement to participate in this particularly endearing thread, certainly nice to have a place to chatter, almost like a pub (where's the beer??). Overcast and -6 here right now, got a couple of inches of snow overnight and it's still snowing albiet very light. Expecting as much as 4-6+ inches when it's all done, if the weather "presenters" - makes no sense to call them forecasters anymore as they are more entertainers than scientists - are to be believed. They're usually off by a bunch with their snow predictions, and could be in either direction <sigh> so they can tend to be no help really. The beauty of the location is that we get so much snow and cold regularly that we don't skip a beat unless the snow if falling at rates exeeding an inch or more an hour. The roads are plowed pretty much as fast as the stuff comes down, all deliveries (newspaper, mail,, FedEx etc.) continue as if it's springtime, and it just has a tendency to look "pretty" as you go about your normal routine. I'll try and avoid making too many banal entries here but it is handy to watch the thread whilst I work, and add any comments that are appropriate, or NOT

Trying to do my bit for sure There have been occasions when, on re-entering the US through customs/immigration and they ask; "why are you here?" I've wanted to reply "to regain my rightful heritage", but my wife and family have told me they will disown me if I even THINK of saying that Hell, I used to "smuggle" good English cheese and bacon back in years past, but my daughter kicked up such a fuss at even the mention of me doing it, I no longer consider it an option <sigh> Boy, I DO miss good English cheese (obtainable here but at WHAT COST!!), bacon that's not 90% fat and decent bangers... and I've been over here for nearly 40 years now!! ARRGGHHH!! and don't get me started on British Outline OO trains... (see the http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/80802-Hornby-new-trade-terms-what-will-it-mean-for-the-customer/ thread for my RANT on that subject!!) Edited: It's also good that this topic is "freelance", I have managed to take it waaayyyy off course, I do tend to wander/digress - old age ya know

Ahh thanks Pete - good to know and probably means I should've read the T&C more thoroughly Afraid not an American outline, good old BR/SR. It's what I grew up with and know best. Besides, I wanted to have more than one train running at a time and that pretty much discounts modelling anything US in the last 60 years for sure <har har har - ducking in the presence of US natives!!> Living in the suburbs of Minneapolis, there are many rail lines and even a few freight yards in the metro-area, 99% freight, but trains are pretty scarce by UK standards. Hell, there's a track about 500 ft from my house but we only see one or at best two small 6-car freights a day, it's a feeder to some local warehousing businesses. Even the Amtrak "Empire Builder" is having a hard time being relevant given it shows itself only twice a day. Once heading east at about 7:30AM and once heading west at about 10:30PM in St. Paul. The GOOD news is that they have rennovated the old St. Paul Union Depot and starting early this year they will be running the Amtrak from that location again, instead of having it stop in some dingy industrial estate hell-hole that has been it's "station" for the past umpteen years. We have more "trains" running with the light-rail service that connectes the Mall-of-America (supposedly the US largest Mall - wooo-hoo), the airport and downtown Minneapolis - it's even a double-track line!! This year also, the second light-rail line is opening between Minneapolis and St. Paul which will add more "trains" to see. This will give me an opportunity to see some activity since when I go into our office in St. Paul - usually one day a week - I'm about a block from the line...

Morning from the "left" side of the pond... Not actually sure if I'm eligible to post in this section, on reflection, since by the time most read anything I'd post it's far from "early" and everyone is "risen" !! Until I get the requisite minimum posted as I understand it, I can't start thread(s) about my layout progress and other directly related topic. Anyway, it's a nice sunny day here, and off to a good start since it's only -2C heading for a "high" of -1C With all the snow we have on the ground a huge percentage of the big orbs rays are simply reflected back into the void and don't do much to warm us up, result is we're headed for an overnight low of -8 again and tommorow only a high of -7 with an advancing front that is expected to bring us more snow the next couple of days... Managed some fairly good progress on baseboards (now completed) for the layout and feel like I should get some more track laying done, maybe as early as this evening after work

Morning (yes I know mid-afternoon for many/most!!) - it's getting warmer here finally, as of 9AM it's up to -15C - we're expecting it to be 0C by tomorrow, everyone will be out in short sleeves for sure Of course the warmer (relative, RELATIVE) weather brings with it the inevitable likelihood of some more snow, expecting 1-2 inches overnight. We won't be seeing any daffs popping up here any time soon - be lucky this year if the ground isn't still frozen in late April . Currently have about 8-10 inches compacted snow on the ground - I must get a picture of the place and post it for folks... Working from home today, always to be enjoyed when the option is out in the cold and snow - have a good day all

I always love this response, and my answer to that is "I've worked a lifetime and still work in IT developing billing systems ,I'd be happy to fix the problems with your crap for my standard rate of $200 and hour plus expenses - either put me through to your CIO so I can get started, or correct YOUR mistake, thank you!" Often enough they can figure out a way to correct things

Thought I'd add my 2 cents as a newer member... I have the "luxury" of generally working from home, but venture in to our office usually once a week, on Wednesdays, BINGO, today it is, and the car even started, whoopeee In jolly downtown St. Paul, Minnesota it's a balmy -23C right now (9:15AM US Central time), which is excellent since it's been about 10 degrees colder the past 2-3 days! We've finally sent the Polar Vortex east some (therefore towards Paul - sorry mate) and are expecting even milder (YA RIGHT!!) temperatures by the weekend, it might even make it to just below freezing - that still doesn't make the last day or so any nicer to have experienced, we had wind chills around -45C - -50C the last couple of days Surprisingly, this far into the north and central part of the country, it's no significant issue in the grandest scheme of things as temperatures around -10C with lashings of snow are common in the early part of January. So whilst you MUST be cautious and dress accordingly when venturing out, it's mostly business as usually, with the exception that the state govenor DID close all the schools Monday as it topped out at about -29C for the high and even THAT was more harsh than we usually experience... EDIT: Oh, and I will post some Model Railway/layout related stuff once I can (minimum posts etc., blah blah). Been back "at it" for almost a year now, and regular on another forum, but just started here...

I'll have to send for you guys if I ever get far enough along to "do scenery"

Hattons have been my preferred vendor for UK outline supplies since the '80s. They were always very efficient even when you had to phone in your orders, before the internet, and NOW they are simply brilliant. The web site ordering is first class with correct US exchange rates posted as you order, removal of VAT and a selection of delivery options, all of which are always more than reasonable. Simply a very satisfied customer...

Yo - dt - so when are you going to start modelling the snow, I can't wait to see that