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Great visit with a Club Member


Chris727

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Took a day trip up to the border area of IA, IL, and MO to see Rich Nolte (B-16IC)  and his collection. I had a few items to trade him. It was a nice mild day in the 50's for temps. The Mighty Mississippi also looked pretty with the ice melting. I went up through FT. Madison IA which is a fascinating community and is home to the last double deck swing bridge open to automobile traffic on the Upper Mississippi.  I am fascinated by old bridges and trains so I will bore you with non-tractor related trip highlights.  The bridge was constructed in 1927 and carries two sets of tracks and the upper deck carries automobile traffic with a $2 toll.  They have two historic rail stations as well as a large locomotive on static display. There is also a recreation of the original "Fort Madison" on the riverfront.  DSCN6830.thumb.jpg.2504baedd07db93328ee842929c67610.jpg

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Recreation of "Fort Madison" 

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1944 Santa Fe steam locomotive on static display since 1960, retired in 1955. 

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Restored A.T.S.F (Santa Fe) depot museum.

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After departing Fort Madison I traveled south to Nauvoo, IL to visit Rich. His friend Dave, a collector of antique walk-behind tractors, was also visiting and I enjoyed his knowledge. I also saw a few machines I used to own that got traded or sold then traded to Rich. I greatly enjoyed visiting with Rich and Dave. I was there probably 4-1/2 hours and could have spent more time visiting if it wasn't getting cold and dark. I traded Rich some David Bradley items for this B-207. I don't know much about it but I am looking forward to taking the four B-207's I have and making one really good one.  IMG_8984.thumb.jpg.121b6634f9a2867b756984ae2b6133c0.jpg

Also saw my old 5010 Broadmoor I traded to Dave Bloomberg (DaveBsACs) that he later sold to Rich along with a 610.  Shuffling these tractors around has in part been made possible through the relationships made through this site.  The B-207 was once owned by Jared Olsen (SimplicitySwede). It has seen MANY travel miles. 

 

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 Sounds like a fantastic trip! That’s a great use of a rare, warm, mid winter day! 

I really enjoy those types of meet and greets

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Believe it or not I catch sight of an old swing bridge everyday at work. We have an old one in downtown Milwaukee near usps.....pretty neat engineering feat from the past.

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It was great visiting with you as usual Chris!dOd It was a pleasure to show you around the mess and swap stories. Thanks again for bringing that stuff up for me, most appreciated.

I continued to do a rearranging in the garage on Sunday afternoon, got everything back in just before dark. In doing so I found an engine I forgot I owned. dz Looks like a good option to power the 7010. Here's the packing job all done. 

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6 hours ago, B-16_IC said:

It was great visiting with you as usual Chris!dOd It was a pleasure to show you around the mess and swap stories. Thanks again for bringing that stuff up for me, most appreciated.

I continued to do a rearranging in the garage on Sunday afternoon, got everything back in just before dark. In doing so I found an engine I forgot I owned. dz Looks like a good option to power the 7010. Here's the packing job all done. 

20180128_171746.jpg

Nice Job on the rearranging. My rearranging usually leads to more stuff drug out than previously. 

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Fantastic pictures that bring back wonderful memories of Fort Madison, where I visited a few years ago!  How much gap is there in the railway lines, when the bridge is closed?  Does the precision of the engineering simply line them up with “no” gap, or are there adjustable inserts?  Just wondering!

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Dince, you visited Ft Madison? What was the occasion? I couldn't tell you how many times I've been over that bridge. Been over it a couple times on the tracks riding Amtrak. I have a nearly 4yo boy that is rail obsessed so Ft Madison is an exciting trip for him. 

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On 1/30/2018 at 11:01 AM, dince said:

Fantastic pictures that bring back wonderful memories of Fort Madison, where I visited a few years ago!  How much gap is there in the railway lines, when the bridge is closed?  Does the precision of the engineering simply line them up with “no” gap, or are there adjustable inserts?  Just wondering!

Dince that is a good question about the rails. Afraid I don't have the answer. 

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18 hours ago, B-16_IC said:

Dince, you visited Ft Madison? What was the occasion? I couldn't tell you how many times I've been over that bridge. Been over it a couple times on the tracks riding Amtrak. I have a nearly 4yo boy that is rail obsessed so Ft Madison is an exciting trip for him. 

Well, B-16_IC, it’s a long story.  I’m now 70, and when I was 9, I began writing to a girl, as a pen friend, who lived on a farm at Wever, Iowa.  We communicated for about 10 years and then lost touch.  In about 2010, I tracked her down,  and asked if I could visit her, and her husband, in Chicago where they lived.  We met, and I stayed with them for several days, then we all drove to Burlington, to visit her ailing Mother, and visited her family farm, and ended up spending time in Fort Madison, enjoying the sights, before I boarded the train to Los Angeles, where I caught my flight back to Australia!  I have subsequently made three more trips to the US, at two year intervals, and this year is two years since the last one.  I am planning another trip, this time with a mate, hopefully, to get to one of the Old Threshers Reunions, among a list of other things, and folk I would like to visit, and to pick up Simplicity parts.  I usually take home several cases of excess luggage!  All I need now is “Domestic Approval” to enable me to progress my planning for yet another a wonderful visit and new friends!

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22 minutes ago, dince said:

the Old Threshers Reunions,

Is that the USS Thresher or farming threshers?  If it was the USS thresher you would probably be coming to New Hampshire. which is only about 100 miles from me.

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I am assuming you are referring to the Old Threshers Reunion at Mt Pleasant Iowa? If so, I try to attend myself yearly. If you do get the domestic approval arrangements made let us know, would love to meet up! dOd

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Dince, count me in to meet up as well  if you make it over here, I live just north of Burlington., Have you seen Snake Alley in Burlington? I am going to try for threshers this year as well. There is a lot of things to do on that weekend around here, I was just in Wever last week, , For those of you reading this . Wever is one of those towns you can classify as if you blink while driving by you would miss it,  talk about a small world!

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6 hours ago, spi said:

Is that the USS Thresher or farming threshers?  If it was the USS thresher you would probably be coming to New Hampshire. which is only about 100 miles from me.

Well, spi, I am aware of the magnitude and complexity of the renouned US Navy, but certainly have never heard of the USS Thresher!  Was this a support vessel, to provide basic corn flower for the catering units?  LOL. No, I do not mean disrespect!  I fully admire your military resources, I recall when the USS Enterprise visited Melbourne in the 1960’s, except it couldn’t fit in through the heads of our Port Philip Bay.  She was escorted by a destroyer, whose name eludes me, that fit into the bay and I was able to join an inspection visit!  Wonderful!  So, after all that, bs, I is a farmer thresher function I am planning to visit!

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4 hours ago, B-16_IC said:

I am assuming you are referring to the Old Threshers Reunion at Mt Pleasant Iowa? If so, I try to attend myself yearly. If you do get the domestic approval arrangements made let us know, would love to meet up! dOd

Yes, B-16_IC, it is the Mt Pleasant Reunion I am planning to visit, however my travelling mate has heard of a bigger one at Rollag MN.  It seems that there are several good reasons to come to Iowa, including your invitation to meet you!  I will certainly keep you posted!  Thank you.

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1 hour ago, Chris727 said:

I didn't attend until 2014 but have been back three times since. Its a fantastic show. 

Thank you Chris727 for the endorsement of the show!  Where do you stay when you visit, or do you camp?  Ii do hope we can meet up!  Kind regards.

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1 hour ago, dince said:

Thank you Chris727 for the endorsement of the show!  Where do you stay when you visit, or do you camp?  Ii do hope we can meet up!  Kind regards.

I would love to meet up as well. I live just a short 2 hr 40 minute drive south so I usually just make a day of it and leave early in the morning and drive back home later in the evening. 

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1 hour ago, DaveBsACs said:

Dince, count me in to meet up as well  if you make it over here, I live just north of Burlington., Have you seen Snake Alley in Burlington? I am going to try for threshers this year as well. There is a lot of things to do on that weekend around here, I was just in Wever last week, , For those of you reading this . Wever is one of those towns you can classify as if you blink while driving by you would miss it,  talk about a small world!

G’day DaveBsACs!  I too will be keen to meet up with you!  No, I don’t recall Snake Alley in Burlington.  I know we had a Snake Pit at the Ag College I attended in the middle of last century, where the teaching staff gathered for morning teas and midday meals!  Any resemblance to Snake Alley?!

Yes, you must have been travelling quite slow to have noticed Wever!  Did you know of the Lodwick property, Bryn Ayre Farm, over on the edge of the Missisippi River, in area surrounded by massive levy banks and with huge pumps for flood times?  That was my pen friend’s family property, now dispersed and sold.

Roll om Labour Weekend!

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1 minute ago, Chris727 said:

I would love to meet up as well. I live just a short 2 hr 40 minute drive south so I usually just make a day of it and leave early in the morning and drive back home later in the evening. 

Chris727, is 2 hours 40 minutes south of Mt Pleasant still in Iowa?  Does that long day get you to see most all of what is on offer, or should we plan for more than one day?  Two, or even three?  I will make sure we meet up!

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2 hours ago, dince said:

Chris727, is 2 hours 40 minutes south of Mt Pleasant still in Iowa?  Does that long day get you to see most all of what is on offer, or should we plan for more than one day?  Two, or even three?  I will make sure we meet up!

Since it would be your 1st time plan on at least two-days. I live in Missouri about 2 hours south of the Iowa border (near St.Louis). The whole town is setup with yard sales and flea markets during the show. You could spend a day just going through those. The show has an extraordinary array of machinery exhibits, a functional railroad and streetcar line. Also many museums and vendors. They have a reasonably famous County music show one night too. 

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Chris727, wow, it is sounding better and better!  We can certainly afford two days!  Any suggestions where we might stay?  In towm, locally, or out of town a bit?  I expect we will have a car, or a semi to carry all our “loot”!  We are both avid collectors of anything interesting, but not modern junk!  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you, in anticipation!

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FYI   USS Thresher  SSN 593  was a nuclear attack sub sunk in a deep dive test with all hands during sea trials in 1963. She had undergone post shakedown availability at Portsmouth Navy yard.

It was a big thing around here, and even though I was only 11 at the time I remember it vividly. They have reunions for the families of the crew and vender reps. once in a while.

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