Good night, all. Sturbridge, -MA is expecting frost overnight, but I put scrapers in the car before I drove down to the Northeastern Region convention. I know there are some who don't partake, but I enjoy prototype RR enthusiast, SciFi, farming and technical conventions too. I've been active in the HUB Division for 35 years and see many friends at division events. Holding office can be rewarding and frustrating, sometimes simultaneously, but someone's got to do it. I'll go to the hotel early for the Awards Breakfast, then to RI for an op session and home via Boston.

Karl, I've never seen a tomato seed germinate in a ripe tomato. I wonder if it was grown far away and needed some kind of exotic treatment to last long enough to be sold here?

I had a minute before departing to the NMRA Northeastern Region convention in Southbridge, MA, so I'll open up: Urn warming up, Baldwin, Haralson and Beacon apples on the counter. Sorry, haven't found any pastry options worth writing home about on this trip.  Intersting visit to the Connecticut Eastern RR Museum in Willimantic yesterday, including a guest appearance by a freight on the former CV line to New London.

Once at the hotel I'll check in at the contest to see if they need another judge.  Otherwise conversations with friends, attending presentations and occaisional IT interventions, the usual convention stuff.

Good morning,all.  As Dave says, this part of New England has nice weather today, but over the weekend my house is forecast to get a second frost. This might actually qualify as a "hard frost", killing the annuals etc.  As recently as 25 years ago, we expected the first hard frost in the 2nd or 3rd week of September.  At any rate, I turned on the heat last night, but with thermostats set to 58F. Back to highs in the 60s next week.

After lunch I'm off to the Northeastern Region NMRA conference in Southbridge, MA.  I'm giving clinics on soldering and researching how the RRs used the vast amount of track around most urban areas in the pre-interstate era.

Good afternoon Jeff, Dave, Jaime and those outside on the porch. Dave, my butternut trees are almost bare and the sugar maples are dropping leaves rapidly.  Oaks haven't started to change yet, though.

It's gotten quite pleasant outside in the lower Merrimack Valley. My ex-B-in-L stopped by and we figured out the most efficient way to fix a floor hatch into an otherwise isolated crawlspace under my El (probably the "little house" part of my "big house, little house, back house, barn" complex).  Then a couple more storm windows installed, laundry got done and hung out. I took a moment to check in here before lunch.

Quote from: deemery on October 11, 2026, 04:33:24 PMJerry. I wouldn't want to have to -change- one of those tires!

It's done with a truck-mounted crane, even when the tires aren't loaded with water for more traction.  Even the 60", un-loaded tires on our Speed Swings are a handful for 2-3 people.

Good morning, all. Leaf-peeper season is at full force along the NH seacoast, and the trolley museum is crowded with bus tourists from away. My wife did OK selling her clay flowers Sunday in Newburyport, but far from selling out. Meanwhile I got most of my storm windows on before the rain came late afternoon. The paint touch-up I did is dry this AM, so I'll be putting the rest up in between washing and hanging a basket of clothes.

Modeling today is unlikely, but I will fit in some improvements to the "What Was All That Track For?" clinic I'm presenting Friday at the NER convention.

Looks good. It's been a long time since the area you're modeling was under an ocean; The slight crookedness is very much par for the course in sedimentary rocks I've seen in Vermont and between Binghampton and Albany in NY.

Good evening to anyone who's out late. I've refilled the hot water and put it on a timer for anyone who's in need of a pick-me-up.

As Dave's forecast suggested, it did start raining on the NH seacoast about 4. I got most of the house's storm windows on before it started.  Two more have paint drying and my wife has to move furniture so I can do the next two. The last four are reached by crawling under my layout; no big hurry given no frost in the current forecast.

Good morning, all. My bit of the NH seacoast is 50-ish. It's just clearing a bit after a 2nd rain shower in an hour. Rain is forecast to end in a couple of hours and reach 70F later.  Still harvesting apples and pawpaws, need to get a load of each to the farmstand.  Also visit my bank, then the welding supply store and finally to Seashore.

Good morning, Jeff, Greg, Dave and those looking in. My weather is Dave's, except forecast 60F today and a frost warning for tonight.  Most of my apple crop is harvested, as are the PawPaws, but another load or two of both for the farmstand remain.

Working on replacing my 33-YO stove this morning, then charity business and a run to the scrap yard this afternoon.  The Northeastern Region convention in Southborough, MA is next week, so I have clinics to work on.  No progress on the models I'd been thinking of entering in the contest, which will simplify my judging.

Good morning, all.  Was out most of the morning with my daughter, showing the house I grew up in to an agent.  Then home to bury a chicken we found dead next to the road this morning. Now time for laundry. Still gray and damp but tomorrow promises some sun. But before lunch, start a load of laundry.

Good afternoon, all.  In the lower Merrimack Valley it's been raining off and on. Mostly off when I gave my son and GF a tour of the apples, mostly on for the past hour. Forecasters think think this will continue till Tuesday morning, with more than 2" of rain through tomorrow. That might put water in some basements nearby, but unlikely to bother mine.  As of this morning my cell can't see its SIM anymore, so my current project is figuring out the best way to replace it, while avoiding the lock and preloaded crap I'd get if I went to my carrier.

Dan, your picture suggests the Chicago River during a 1900-era dredging project?  Jeff, i keep a BBQ lighter around in case my gas range's sparker fails. Won't do much good if yours is electric, though.

Good morning, Jaime, Jeff and those on the way. It's 50-ish on the NH seacoast and still sunny.  Forecast is clouds coming in, everything warming up as the storm approaches but rain not arriving before the wee hours.  I have laundry to do, but while the machine is working I'll take a load of apples and pawpaws to the farmstand.

Good afternoon, Jeff, Karl, Greg, Dave and anyone stopping by on their way home. Sunny and mid-60s on the NH Seacoast; My daughter-in-law and grandson stopped by this morning; I picked them a bag of Beacon apples as a parting gift.  I was out for a bit putting up fencing for a Town event next month, then right back for a Flying Yankee online meeting.  Next phone calls and check-writing.  Modeling someday...

Good morning, Rick. I'm off to Maine for more track work in a bit.  Interesting to see that whatever contractor the RR has hired to spread ties has their train set up to plow snow in the winter (off-season for ties, you only replace what you absolutely have to when ground is frozen).

Good morning, Jaime and those on the way. The lower Merrimack Valley is overcast and in the mid-50s now, with sun and mid-60s forecast for midday.  Chickens are out and fed, and no Pawpaws to pick up.  I'm off for more track work at Seashore in a bit, so I'll put a basket of Beacons on the counter and leave the rest of our apples to my wife.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear a crossing tender had a sideline, but it's drilled into RR employees to be ready for a train on any track at any time. Their shanties usually didn't have toilets but did have dispatcher's line phones to get permission to go down the street or wherever.