Friday, November 4, 2011 Lethbridge
7:00 am
The temperature is -2 C, with a high predicted of -4 C. From the Environment Canada website: Today Cloudy. Snow beginning near noon. Amount 2 to 4 cm. Wind north 30 km/h becoming light this afternoon. Temperature falling to minus 4 this afternoon. Tonight Snow ending overnight then cloudy. Amount 2 to 4 cm. Temperature steady near minus 6. Normals Max: 6°C Min: -5°C.
7:30 am Morning Musings
Snow is forecast, beginning about noon.
It is still dark outside, but as soon as it lightens up I will take my coulee walk. A friend has suggested an iPhone app that provides a map plus an integration of photos taken while on the trip. Worth a try. I have lost 10 pounds in the last month but would like to lose another 10. This will be a challenge as the cold weather sets in, but I like a challenge.
Geocaching will slow down - no more long trips. I am going to focus on filling in some of the days in November and December that have never had a "find". Nov 8, 9, 11, 13-18 are on my radar.
Model Trains will pick up. I have the first train consist assembled and am ready to begin operational running. The track cleaning car is making a huge difference on eliminating stalls when performing slow moving switching moves.
Reading "Infinite Jest" will take awhile as it is both long and intricate.
Now to add some non-fiction reading. Mathematics: "The Symmetries of Things" and Science: "Molecular Biology Made Simple and Fun". Each of these should have 2 hours/day attention.
I will start the fireplace (the one that burns real wood) later this afternoon when it begins snowing.
So a tentative plan for today is
- coulee walk with iPhone
- run train #601
- lunch
- mathematics
- fireplace
- molecular biology
11:30 am Technology
A good friend introduced me to the following iPhone app:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1349666&share=1
Trivially easy to use. Rather neat!
1:00 Model Trains
Engineer Terry climbed into the cab of CN 1720 (a GP-7 diesel locomotive) and started up the engines. He then gently eased it onto the Coaldale roundtable where it was rotated to the exit track. After a quick toot, and with the bell ringing, the locomotive then slowly made its way to track 8 and connected with the consist. Receiving clearance to enter the mainline, Train #601, a local freight carrying 8 cars (6 empties and 2 boxcars carrying clothing), left Coaldale on time at 01:00 hrs and began picking up speed on its way to Queenston.
Train #601 arrived in Queenston on time while it was still dark (03:00 MST) and pulled into the main siding. The locomotive then uncoupled from the consist and backed into the Queenston Cartage siding where it picked up 2 boxcars (ONT 90075 loaded with office supplies and CN 485338 loaded with clothing, both destined for Prairie Dog Station. The locomotive continued on to the Swift Meats siding where it picked up an empty stock car which will be set out at the Angus Stockyard in Prairie Dog. Having completed the pickups, the locomotive returned to the consist where it re-coupled with the original consist and pulled out the first four cars. Two of these were empty boxcars that were setout at Queenston Cartage and two were empty reefers which were setout at Swift Meats. The locomotive, which was still connected to the 3 cars that it had picked up earlier, then backed into the original consist and coupled up. The train is now ready to head out on its way to Prairie Dog.
This is turning into a very smooth operational run. The switching has been very straight forward. I think I am getting the hang of this.
5:00 PM Life
We celebrated the first snowfall of the season with a fire in the fireplace and wine & cheese on the table.
