Banned

[bob turner]

Neill has internet courage - he persists when there is no discernible benefit to doing so.


Was on the OGF for a short time, but got tossed off because I insisted on educating a few posters as to what first amendment rights actually meant, and how they did not apply in private forums such as OGR

Unknown poster as quoted by Hondo - I have never been to OGF, so whoever that was was not educating me. I am "out" as a pinko liberal, but react violently to such things as speech codes in university settings. I think folks should be able to discuss loaded words in a classroom. We would all do well to avoid offending our fellow countrymen with offensive epithets, but still, we should be able to use them, and indeed all of George Carlin's words, in a sentence in a classroom. I know I did.

But there are genuine questions about how the First Amendment applies to things like internet forums, private clubs, etc. I am in the middle of a huge treatise by Eugene Volokh - the 2014 edition, so it is dated info - but back then it was not at all clear where all this was headed. Things change - a few of us think that a giant slab of the First Amendment sheared off the Constitutional Shelf yesterday, and will be making big splashes for the foreseeable future. Who knows what is next, but things are changing for all of us.

[bob turner]

Back to being banned - that horrible museum piece that folks think sort of looks like an Alco PA? I would have instantly reminded prrjim that the CLW early cast PA had an accurate nose/windshield. it would be neat if somebody could do that for me. You can repeat my photo if you give me credit.



Left to right - early CLW sand cast, most recent Lionel (and in my opinion the most accurate in O scale), Overland (pretty good, but the windshield could use work), and one of my MTH lost-plastic efforts. Not shown is the later CLW nose, which was a travesty in many different directions, but not nearly as bad as that museum piece.

The CLW windshield needs adjusting, but that is easy. And I think I could fix the MTH windshield if I got motivated - it just needs a new frame and less of a widow's peak. Not going to cut in to the Overland, and the Lionel is long gone.

Otherwise, I assure you I do not miss posting all over the place on OGR. They do not need my opinions.

[robert.]

I tend to agree. No freedom of speech on someone else’s soapbox.

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... Kind of reminded me of this.
Ronald Reagan , and “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House of Representatives were two political opposites. While much of their political partnership was based on smart gamesmanship, Reagan, the Republican, and O’Neill, the Democrat, could put aside their party differences to find solutions. They had mutual respect for each other that separated their ideological bent from the need for basic human decency. Reportedly, the two political rivals were good friends who frequently enjoyed a drink together at the end of the day.

Odd timing, I am just finishing a book called "MAN OF THE HOUSE" by Tip O'Neill; an interesting read.

[HONDO74]

...snip... Kind of reminded me of this.
Ronald Reagan , and “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House of Representatives were two political opposites. While much of their political partnership was based on smart gamesmanship, Reagan, the Republican, and O’Neill, the Democrat, could put aside their party differences to find solutions. They had mutual respect for each other that separated their ideological bent from the need for basic human decency. Reportedly, the two political rivals were good friends who frequently enjoyed a drink together at the end of the day.

Odd timing, I am just finishing a book called "MAN OF THE HOUSE" by Tip O'Neill; an interesting read.

There is another book by Tip O'Neill, All Politics Is Local: and Other Rules of the Game

Then there is one by Chris Matthews, Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked.

[bob turner]

I wasn't going to read it, but somebody gave me a copy of John Boehner's book, and I found it an easy read. I read the O'Neill book so long ago I don't even remember enough to comment.
I found Jamie Raskin's book a bit tedious.
There are now books to be written that will be essential reading - we are watching almost revolutionary history being made daily.

[bob turner]

Back to that strange ugly Diesel model:

https://images.app.goo.gl/eNL7LXvSwJpsvare9

That link doesn't quite get you there, but close. Look for an Erie freight train near Salamanca NY. Not exact, but corrugated sides, blunt nose, and butt-ugly (opinion).

A better link:
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freig ... -ups-downs

[E7]

Back to that strange ugly Diesel model:

https://images.app.goo.gl/eNL7LXvSwJpsvare9

That link doesn't quite get you there, but close. Look for an Erie freight train near Salamanca NY. Not exact, but corrugated sides, blunt nose, and butt-ugly (opinion).

A better link:
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freig ... -ups-downs

stick an ALCO head light assembly in there and you'd have a PA. That cheese grater mess around the headlamp really sucks!

[bob turner]

I thought you were pickier than that. The only way to convert that to a PA is in a steel mill. It even has corrugated sides!

Interesting that the opening photo is of a rare trainset which was a test bed for General Electric, classified by GE as their model UM20B. There were 2 A and 2 B unit locomotives built in 1954 and operated on the Erie before being sold to Union Pacific. Though GE learned a lot from the experience, they were not considered to be successful and no others were produced.

[bob turner]

And, Nah-Hah! Sold to the Union Pacific! The models in question say “Union Pacific” according to one poster.

The reason they were never duplicated is because they were turning management’s stomach with their appearance!

[E7]

It's hard to find anything more BLUNT than an ALCO! Maybe a cube!

[bob turner]

Being banned is almost a relief. I don’t feel constrained to add my infinite wisdom all the darn time.

Once in a while I have this reaction:”they need me!” Fortunately they emphatically do not!

Two cases in point:

One, a driver came loose. My steel-trap mind said “600 Loctite!” Then two folks at least as wise as me offered that solution.

Then somebody posted a Hines/Pearce $20 Mikado with CLW tender. Took a little bit longer, but Carey finally chimed in.

They really don’t need my input.