The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[Teamubr]

Loving the train convo and pics, but I wanted to post a place Ed knows well.

Also checking a 1st off our list with a cruise vacation. Thanks to Arc and Josie for answering all our questions and helping convince us to give it a try.

Jetty Park.







j

 

[Sjm9911]

@Sjm99 and @bama_ed
I appreciate you two inspiring me to get the trains out. My wife and I both had a lot of fun setting up the board again! Except for the broken crank on the T-1 which I haven't found the part for its made us both happy! Thanks again View attachment 817135Ed and Spence.
Pictures of the finished layout...
View attachment 817133
View attachment 817134
Lights out...
View attachment 817136

I am blowing my x mass cash that I gave to myself on some trains I dont need. Oh well. When I get them Ill post. Some nice pre war stuff!

 

[bama_ed]

Loving the train convo and pics, but I wanted to post a place Ed knows well.

Also checking a 1st off our list with a cruise vacation. Thanks to Arc and Josie for answering all our questions and helping convince us to give it a try.

Jetty Park.

View attachment 817154

Must be karma. Or something .... else.

I just booked a reservation tonight for post-DISMeet at Jetty Park Campground about an hour ago.

There must have been a disturbance in the Force as Jim and Donna sailed past JPC that made me do it.

Spooky.

ED

 

[Teamubr]

I just booked a reservation tonight for post-DISMeet at Jetty Park Campground about an hour ago.

Nice.

Did you book one of the sites right by the water or one on the back?

I didn't realize they had 2 sections.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Nice.

Did you book one of the sites right by the water or one on the back?

I didn't realize they had 2 sections.

j

The sites along the cruise ship channel (the wide grassy open area) only have water service.

Then in your pic is the picnic/day area and behind that among the trees are the camping/rv loops where I am. They also have a few tiny cabins.

I booked it as an option same time-frame as my 3rd-of-3 FW back to back reservations. DW does NOT like JPC but I do so you can probably guess how it will end up.

 

[garneska]

@Teamubr cant wait to hear about your cruise and how you and donna enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy it. Bert and I like cruising.

Mom update: SHe has been in the nursing home for 3 weeks. Last week she was doing better with therapy. She still needs help to stand up, but has been able to stand for a while once up and walk with a walker down the hallway. She was also practicing getting into and out of bed from the wheelchair. Then this weekend the rails fell off. First on Friday, they accidentally removed the catheter. She has a urology appointment on Dec 18. It happened late Friday afternoon so it was a bit like, well we are going to try and use the bathroom. Unfortunately mom did not pee at all on friday and by Saturday morning she was not feeling good. She was able to get up and get to the toilet (with help) but could not pee. That is a problem. They finally did a straight cath about 1pm so almost 24 hours since the foley came out. Took 2L of urine out again. They also did not leave the cath in and said they would do it again in 6 hours. I don't think she peed again then on Saturday. I got there on Sunday and she peed trying to get to the bathroom but no one really knew how much. She was also sick at this point. Coughing, head congestion, sore throat. She did not have any energy to get any where and spent the day in bed. Monday i am like i have to go to the nursing home because i am worried about her lack of peeing. I get there about 11 am and now they have a foley back in and took 2L of urine out. I was glad they had a foley back, but now i am like she is real sick. They took her temp, it was 101. They decided to test her for covid, she is positive. The only benefit is she has her own room now.

 

[jbrostek]

@garneska I cannot fathom the stress and frustration you must be facing right now with the facility and your moms health. I hope she recovers and everything gets sorted out for her care.

@Teamubr Enjoy the cruise!!! Been a long while since I have done one, I hope you have a really fun trip!

All quiet on the home front. Jessica had her first big gymnastics meet in Baltimore. She did well, 4th on Floor exercise for her age group. Could have done better elsewhere but top 10 on vault and bars. She had her new beam routine her first competition attempt! She scored in the 7s, but that just leaves room to improve next time.

Friday is Melissa's birthday and we are going to go see the Cirque Dream Holidaze on Sunday at MGM National Harbor. Looking forward to the show and treating her. Now to figure out what to get her for Christmas, I already got her birthday gifts of an Apple Watch SE (which was her request) and Disney inspired bracelet for when she doesn't want to wear her charms. She keeps saying the house remodel work was her gift, but I am still looking for something sweet to give her on Christmas day.

 

[bama_ed]

Don and Spencer,

I came across this article regarding Frank Sinatra and his collection of Lionel Trains.

http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/frank-sinatra.htm

This article identifies some of the engines/trains Frank had based on photos:

https://www.trains.com/ctt/how-to/toy-train-layouts/the-frank-sinatra-lionel-collection/

There are more references to read on-line but it sounded like he was a kid again whenever he played with his trains.

ED

 

[Stratman50th]

Also on Tuesday afternoon after visiting the St. George LH, I started the latest 1,000 piece puzzle of Lionel Trains. This is what the finished product looks like.

View attachment 808932

B

So @bama_ed Your puzzle.
Our puzzle:


My wife just bought this for herself. She picked it out because of the puzzle and she wanted it for the layout. I guess I lucked out and got me a good one. She's a train lover!

 

[Sjm9911]

Don and Spencer,

I came across this article regarding Frank Sinatra and his collection of Lionel Trains.

http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/frank-sinatra.htm

This article identifies some of the engines/trains Frank had based on photos:

https://www.trains.com/ctt/how-to/toy-train-layouts/the-frank-sinatra-lionel-collection/

There are more references to read on-line but it sounded like he was a kid again whenever he played with his trains.

ED

I did not know that. Now Rod Stewart , I knew about. He even traveled with a train set on tour. Lol.

 

[bama_ed]

My base unit for the remote control throttle croaked last weekend and a replacement arrived yesterday and I hope to get it swapped in tomorrow. We've had overnight visitors at the house this weekend and a contractor working on the outside of the house so it's been too busy to play with trains.

My new base unit isn't working so after calling Customer Support, we are going to Plan B.

Can't run my Fr*********n trains during a lull in daily life which is really frustrating.

Guess that mean's I'll have to buy more loco's, freight cars, and cabooses in the mean time.

ED

PS - Christmas Day is the next lull start. Maybe prices will drop after the 25th. They're stupid-crazy right now. WILL.NOT.PAY.STUPID.PRICES.

 

[Sjm9911]

I have no idea, what you run the g stuff with. Is it just a power pack? Like the basic models, or an in depth machinery of modren tec? I have an extra power pack, I think I do anyways.

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok, I went a bit nuts and bought trains I didnt need. So , long story long, I unboxed a ton of stuff and gave a bunch away ( probably over 1 k worth of stuff to a relative that gave me a ton of stuff). I was happy to unload the stuff, but then saw the blank spots.....so I always wanted some more prewar stuff. And some guy in the next town over was selling it for a fire sale. He had trains and a big layout, but he was selling these shelf queens for cheap, so wanting to buy one set, I brought over a handfull of cash and offered him a deal for everything. This was good and bad, I got a steal, but spent way more then I wanted too. But here are some pictures. Pre
war lionel stuff , almost mint, these trains are like from the 1930s. They look almost new.

 

[bama_ed]

I have no idea, what you run the g stuff with. Is it just a power pack? Like the basic models, or an in depth machinery of modren tec? I have an extra power pack, I think I do anyways.

I was using this remote control power pack from PIKO:

https://www.piko-america.com/products/35028-r-c-analog-power-set

It was simple and I liked the ability to walk about the attic while carrying the remote.

I have 120'+ of mainline track basically set out like an horse race oval more/less. The furthest from end-to-end is 50' almost. So that's why I liked the portability of being able to walk around and control it while it was running. But I do have the corded/wired power pack that I can use temporarily (and may just go back to it going forward because although I have to be there to changes speed or direction or come to a stop, it always works.

... he was selling these shelf queens for cheap .....

"shelf queens". Heck, Spencer make those pieces know what it's like to run a regular route. But hey, if they are in that good a shape and as old as you say, then they are a steal.

 

[Sjm9911]

That is a fancy remote. If you were electrical savy, you may be able to add seprate functions for speed control and then have them controlled by voice through an alexa. Me, I would by the remote, as I have no idea how to do that. But using the alexa for simple power control , on , off, that will give you a dead man switch is very easy to do.

 

[Stratman50th]

Sorry Ed. I feel bad for ya, especially since the two of you were the main reason I have a running layout this Christmas.
@Sjm9911
Nice score Spence! Need more layout photos from both of you guys. Maybe we should start a train thread since we seem to be taking up so much space here?
Anyway, the wife and I decided to splurge some on a new locomotive to pull all the Christmas rolling stock.

Tracking says it should be here Thursday, just in time for Christmas.
I'll say it again, very lucky my wife enjoys the layout as much as I do.

 

[bama_ed]

It TALKS!

We could start our own Camping Community thread. I vote 'Aye'.

 

[Stratman50th]

It TALKS!

We could start our own Camping Community thread. I vote 'Aye'.

I don't have all the fancy controllers that might be required for the "crew talk" functions so the talking part might not work. Pretty sure the railsounds will function, chaffing, whistles and bells. Spence might know more about it. It says it's compatible with Bluetooth through an app so there's a chance. We'll see. Just excited to have some Christmas themed motive power. I used to use the little Disneyland RR General but it doesn't have enough power or weight. Poor thing just sits and spins. Now it sits in its display box watching all the big boys pull the heavy consists.

 

[Sjm9911]

I don't have all the fancy controllers that might be required for the "crew talk" functions so the talking part might not work. Pretty sure the railsounds will function, chaffing, whistles and bells. Spence might know more about it. It says it's compatible with Bluetooth through an app so there's a chance. We'll see. Just excited to have some Christmas themed motive power. I used to use the little Disneyland RR General but it doesn't have enough power or weight. Poor thing just sits and spins. Now it sits in its display box watching all the big boys pull the heavy consists.

You will be able to control it through the ap. Or if you want to get the new universal hand held controller. So, most of the funtuons will probably be avaliable. I dont have anything newer, but this is the way they are heading. The universal ap or controller will be able to control all lionchief stuff, even the first generation. I do have a few of those. Its fun to run. So next is, your power source. It needs to be set to 18v. Then the train speed is controlled by the remote.

 

[bama_ed]

That all sounds cool, guys.

I bought primarily Aristocraft (Aristo Craft, Aristo-Craft) trains starting around 2002, 2003 because they were American trains in G scale when there wasn't much American rolling stock (Euro locos with the round bumpers don't strike a chord with me).

But AC got in a financial pinch with the stock market crash in 2008 during the Obama years and they tried to limp along for a few years after but they had off-shored their manufacturing to China (who owned the molds for all their models) and revenue/cash was hard to come by and they finally shut down a few years later. AC had the highest quality, most realistic American G-scale rolling stock on the market at the time.

All that to say my command-and-control for my gear is about 20 years old. The Piko system worked okay (when it worked) but did not activate AC proprietary sound systems (for example). I am envious of the c&c apps and capabilities you have now with your Lionel gear. But I am happy with what I have.

ED

PS - let's talk amongst us three via PM about a separate train thread.