Hey Russ How you doing?

[southpennrailroad]

I was wondering if that extreme cold hit your area yet. I know you were doing minimal posting because of maxing out your card.

I might not comment much, but am watching the thread to see how you are doing!!

Oh, and loved the picts and history of the RR.

Hugs,
Ratkity

No I was expecting 0's by now but only been in the low teens. This weekend it is suppose to go down to 6 at night. last year we were in -0's during the day so I/we here might luck out.

[southpennrailroad]

Hey Russ

I have been following this thread for some time now but never chimed in. Keep up the good work bud.

Randy

Look forward to giving all the updates.

I have some time on my card until Sunday but use it only to write no pics that's what did me in. From now on any up loaded pics will be done at the library.

[48Rob]

Thanks for clearing that up Russ!

Have you considered tacking a heavy blanket (or a sheet of foam insulation) to the ceiling as a form of temporary insulation, to help hold more of that expensive heat in?

Rob

[southpennrailroad]

Well at least today I have not had any heat on as the temps were well in the 30's I was not in the trailer since 9:00 this morning. It was warm.

[southpennrailroad]

Tonight is the last night at the electric hook ups. It was a good money saver. A whole week and only used 2.5 gallons.

Did find out may I may be staying at the son's in laws next month again.

Test drived the Honda gen today and it kicked right up since the last use in November. Always kept it inside the trailer. I tested it two weeks ago also.

I actually feel really confident that I will make it. Very comfortable so far. Furnace doing great. I am now looking forward to insulating the trailer for next year. I think I will save 1/3 on propane next year. At night just to be sure I leave the furnace on but at the lowest setting. 55 degrees.

Still have the blue flame heater inside the trailer if anyone wants it.

Change subject

Had a week of warm temps / saved on fuel. Suppose to make up for that this week. Get cold again. But then looked at the revised weather and it seems they are re vamping the weather forecast o half bad. Was suppose to get down to -3 a few nights now they say maybe 8 degrees at night instead. I could do that.

You know I was thinking. I have noticed that a few things are not important/mandatory as they seem. For instance some things are said in the subject of refrigerating food as keep frozen is not really important. Not once since I have had my refrigerator has the freezer kept things frozen and that the food has gone bad because of it. (ice cream not counted)

I have two gallons of orange juice that has not been refrigerated for the past 2-3 weeks since I bought it and it is not bad. It sits on the cold floor.

Another subject is the frozen Eiola's pizza. I buy it put it in the freezer and it never freezes but actually thaws and it actually taste better and cooks faster. I always add more pepperoni. I do try and cook that within two weeks after buying.

Same with the ready seasoned chicken I buy. I do put it in the freezer but again it is not frozen but still is good a week later. I suppose as long as it is real cold it is fine.

Another thing. I always never shake hands with people in the winter and I stay healthier that way. I usually get a flue in the early spring. maybe because I let my guard drop.

Ready made jello with/wo fruit. Again they say refrigerate. No, I leave it sit out and it never goes bad. two weeks stored this way and no problem. Figure my trailer is cool like those open fridges at the store anyway. Now summer is a whole different thing.

I do know that the fridge if kept closed during the hottest summer spells that I don't need the fridge running on the gen 24/7 I usually run it every other day and that is run during the awake hours when I am charging up the batteries. April will be a whole year in the trailer 8 months so far.

[pete42]

First thing I thought of this zreo degree moring was "I wonder how Russ is?" sounds like you are doing what it takes to get bye.
take care

Pete

[S. Heisley]

As a child, living near Lake Erie, we had an unheated, un-insulated mud room on the back of the house. During the holidays, we stored extra food in an old wooden cabinet out there. ...Never had any problems. I think my mother was careful in choosing what to store in it, though.

[southpennrailroad]

Thanks Pete & Sharon

I just got set up in Lowe's parking lot for the nigh. it is 2:30 pm. They said Ok to stay. Staying hitched to the truck as the winds are high As soon as I opened the door, I found a few things tossed around from the 3 mile trip. Spent some time in Lowe's just got on to read your reply's.

Furnace working after its first highway trip. It is cold but the furnace is getting me warmed. I heard you can travel with the furnace on but think I will not do that. Checked the temps inside and it said out is 21 but with the chill it feels like 1 degree's inside said 34. As I said it probably would take four hours more to get things to freeze after the temps reached 31 inside. I am never too far from the trailer to check in on it when it's this time of the year. Plus I think when I leave from now on I will set it for the min on the thermostat.

When the weather breaks I am just going to get the 1.5 white with silver lined Styrofoam board. $19.00 a board. I can get two spars done on one board. F 22 inches and the board is 48. So a total of 100 for the sides. That won't be to bad. 200 the whole trailer.

[southpennrailroad]

As a child, living near Lake Erie, we had an unheated, un-insulated mud room on the back of the house. During the holidays, we stored extra food in an old wooden cabinet out there. ...Never had any problems. I think my mother was careful in choosing what to store in it, though.

I see lots of farmers do that on their closed in porches. Its the wind that does most of the damage I think. Cold is cold but a sheltered porch helps keep things cold but not to the freeze point.

[southpennrailroad]

When I woke up this morning I thought how dreadful a day it would be having to dig out of the snow that had accumulated in the front of the trailer. Then get a shower in the soon to be gone house and then start securing everything (locking down) to hopefully pull out of the secure spot I had been in for the past 2.5 months. That is something I will look back on to get me through the rest of the winter.

Anyway it all went perfect. I was able to hook up without a problem and then pull out. Temps are now at night are in the low single digits and I am able to stay warm. Cooking chicken now in the toaster oven and that help on the heat. Have shell noodles as well. Battery is up to 13 volts and charging. When it gets time to pull the gen in I will be for the first time only on battery through the night. Will check the battery usage b4 bed and when I wake up. feel like I am gliding through this winter. Right now I have on just a pair of sweat pants socks and thermal shirt laying on top the blankets. By far this is the coldest day of the year or winter.

Note: Still no insulation in the trailer so I suppose it can be done to those who really want to do this in an un insulated trailer.

[48Rob]

When the weather breaks I am just going to get the 1.5 white with silver lined Styrofoam board. $19.00 a board. I can get two spars done on one board. F 22 inches and the board is 48. So a total of 100 for the sides. That won't be to bad. 200 the whole trailer

Russ,

Ask your host, or any of the other big box stores for damaged or seconds sheets.
They will often sell them for less than the listed price, and since your trailer isn't 8' wide... the damage won't matter.

Rob

[southpennrailroad]

When the weather breaks I am just going to get the 1.5 white with silver lined Styrofoam board. $19.00 a board. I can get two spars done on one board. F 22 inches and the board is 48. So a total of 100 for the sides. That won't be to bad. 200 the whole trailer

Russ,

Ask your host, or any of the other big box stores for damaged or seconds sheets.
They will often sell them for less than the listed price, and since your trailer isn't 8' wide... the damage won't matter.

Rob

Rob I would love to do that when the time comes but I have no place to store it now or gather it together right now. When the time comes I will probably be able to do it at the company but it can't lag. The trailer has to get gutted right a way and insulated and get back up and out of the company driveway. I think it needs done like that TV show where they have a week to gut the place or tear it down and start a new but mine needs done almost in two days three at the most. It is my only home. I feel like a hermit crab. It needs one day tear out the next day install it and then put it back together by the third.

The only other thing to do is rent a storage spot empty the trailer into the shed and then insulate and then the third day reinstall everything. I am leaning more towards that route.

Yes I have done that b4 with damaged goods. That is how I got the sheet of 1/4 inch luan for the front cabinet.

[mikeschn]

Sounds like you're hanging in there Russ! Hang tough, this is supposed to be a cold weekend!

Mike...

[southpennrailroad]

Sounds like you're hanging in there Russ! Hang tough, this is supposed to be a cold weekend!

Mike...

Thanks Mike

Well its good news. I just woke up at 4:45 and checked the battery and it still reads above 12 on the meter so I think the furnace use on the battery is good. When daylight comes I will re fuel and run the gen to recharge, or maybe just leave it to see how much maybe two days goes w/o charging. Maybe with this cold I should not chance it.

What do you all think. Temps on the inside read 44 and outside reads 9.

The only other bad news is that the battery blanket did not work last night. Have to check if the wires are off.

[pete42]

9 Dag-gone man that's cold it's -3 degrees here near dayton ohio wind chill -10
I would recharge battey when ever you have a chance better safe than sorry.
blanket not working may be the reason the battery still reads 12 volts.

take care.

pete