Elliot´s Trackside Diner XXIV - on a new track

[jeffrey-wimberly]

AztecEagle

Problem is my SIL's Dog is scared of the Cat!!!SERIOUSLY!!!

Maybe the cat got it's bluff in early.

[TMarsh]

tcwright973

So no matter how tough circumstances get, somebodys always in worse shape. My life is good.

Couldn't agree any more. Some of the wisest words ever put together.

Good Morning. Goll dang if I didn’t oversleep again today. Stayed up too late trying to watch the DaVinci Code as the Eagle referred to. Only I tried to watch the 0100 showing. I never have seen the whole thing. Still haven't.

Paint some walls today and a bit of rearranging for the stuff then removal of the last part of the layout.

I have decided to use some advice from, I believe it was Lee, to build the layout in sections. The largest being 4X8. It won’t be a full 4X8 but an “L” shape. Not planning to move, but, you never know and after taking this thing apart…..

Rob- Don’t sweat the names running with the UP. Living on the line, as many who do can tell you, there is no limit to what you will see lashed up. Well, within some reason I suppose. But the names….. Who knows what you’ll see for whatever reason. Also, Atlas and Bachmann Spectrum are good reliable choices. I have a non Spectrum Bachmann that runs really well also, but so many are against them, maybe I just got a good one. Not sure about Athaern, Athearn, however you spell it, ‘cause I don’t have one of those, but I hear they are good also.

Tom in PA- Glad you are warm and safe.

Garry- Prayers for your son’s family

Lee- Ah yes, that is what I thought you may have meant later. I do usually purchase the “studs” as a rule unless I need to span 8 feet or for some other special reason. Most often for what I do, that extra 4 inches costs way more than it’s worth. Especially when most times it’s laying on the floor!

Jeff- You’re not alone in the prescription complaint line. My Mother deals with the same thing occasionally. Like you it always seems to be the most important of the meds that the insurance, or fax, or stockage, or even the medicine laws, or whatever they’re called, messes with.

Regarding ancestors, and since we are referring to what country they are from, or nationality, I must say, other than a GGrandfather who was born in Texas in 1837,making him of Texas Nationality and therefore, blah,blah,blah. (GGGrandfather was born in Tejas in 180-something, and I guess, technically, Mexican. I ignore that, not because I have anything against them, it just doesn’t fit in the plan.)I have not followed my heraldry. So I claim Texan or United Statsian, depending on the situation.

Have a Great Day!!!

[TMarsh]

In my experience, most dogs who try to actually catch cats....,never caught one. At least a fully armed one. There are of course exceptions, but for the most part 16 needles ripping into you at blazing speed, it takes quite the dog to stick around, let alone come back for more. Usually they run away and then turn around and look like, "what the heck was THAT!"

[ns3010]

Hey again.

Good to see I wasn't the only one haveing problems logging in...

Rob, rocks look great! And I think CSX would work fine with UP. I saw a CN loco in Conrail (CSAO) territory back in August- looked neat mixed in with NS and CSX! But like Barry said, couldn't get a shot of it, since I was on a plane taking off at 300 mph
Anything from Atlas, Athearn, or similar would not be bad. Atlas makes new announcements monthly, so they should have just about anything you may be interested in.

Speaking of Atlas, still no word on my Genset. It was supposed to be shipped to dealers in January, but it seems they haven't shipped the container yet...

Garry, sorry to hear about your loss

Sam, I've seen those photos as well, with the PL42s coming down from Hornell, and FHs and CATs going up to Montreal. Here's 4908 (ex-4192) and 4913 (ex-4123) going for their rebuilds (not mine, BTW).
Also, how's operating going? Where are you starting out of now?

Don't know if I'll be back in cause I got that party later, so just in case, I'll see ya later tonight or tomorrow.

[Cederstrand]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

As for the Super Bowl, guess we will be pulling for the underdogs Saints here. If I had to place a bet though, it would be on the colts. With none of my teams having made it (Falcons, Cardinals, Hawks), this will be (for me) a case of watching two good teams play football.

Rob

 

[AmanaMedic]

Welp, good afternoon everybody... I too was locked-out a day or two ago, not sure what THAT was about.

I've caught bits and pieces of the past several pages via the take-out window...I'm not gonna try to comment on all THAT's gone on around here.

I did see where ancestory has become the topic again...always interesting to see THAT. Dad's side was traced back to the 14th (I think) century to Germany (Bavarian region). Mom's side? I don't know what-all has gone on there...

Hey, for the second year in a row, I get PAID to watch the Super Bowl. Yup, THAT is sending me to cover the community Super Bowl party in North Liberty. Of course, since the STEELERS ain't in it, it isn't REALLY a Super Bowl...more like an exhibition game... Loving Wife and her clan are pulling for da Saints... the result of living in the "Nahlenns" area. I offered to take her along, so THAT she could watch the game in all it's big-screen, high-definition glory. But...she'd rather just watch it at home. OK..welp, can't say I never offered.

On the way there, I have to stop by the Solon office to drop-off pics from Friday night's basketball game. I'm sure I'll have to deal with Maggie, the Creepy Proofreader Girl in the process...

Greetings, to the "new guys," best wishes to all in need,

Chris

[Robby P.]

 Just a quick stop.  Give me a sweet tea to go!!!

 No football party for me.  I agree with Chris, if it ain't the Steelers, I'm not watching!!   I'm just to "fond" of this game at all. 

 Hope everybody is having a good day.

[TMarsh]

Dr. Pepper please. Just stopped in to see what's going on. As for me, like a good Ret. Federal Employee, I'm watchin' paint dry. Yep, puttin' my training to good use. Too bad there's not two or three of us doin' it.

Change of plans, instead of the first peice being an "L", I've decided to make it 14"X8', which will probably get accomplished today depending on the color decision. The "L" part will be added next. Also, I will continue with the fastening to the wall for stability like the last one. That way the legs on the parts that are close to the walls will not have a rocking tendency. The larger parts will have 2X4's for legs as Lee suggests. He had some good points.

Haven't decided if I want to paint the room a sky blue or leave it white and use a printed background. Leaning towards printed background.

(Sluuuuurp) Welp, back to watchin the paint.

[Trainman Sam]

ns3010

Also, how's operating going? Where are you starting out of now?

I've been doing well.  The Instructor Engineer told me for where I am in the game I was doing pretty well.

I'll be out of Bay Head for the next two weeks. One round trip to Hoboken, then one round trip as a Bay Head Shuttle.  We shall see just how well I am doing after operating over the 95+ public crossings at grade!!!

Well, gotta run some errands.  Talk to you guys later!

[blownout cylinder]

Hello--

Sheeesh! Got all that stuff done and now I've got to get my stuff together for my Monday-Wednesday outa town runnin' 'roun'!!

I've got to check on a few clients and to train some people on how we treat our clients. mmm---I thought we had certification so they would know how it was to be properly done but still----we have to chase after lazy------hey, where'd this soapbox come from?

See if'n I'm going to get any MRR time THIS week!!I'll be living somewhere else this week----outa town---

Chloe, I'll have a SMALL Salmon steak with a SMALL baked potato and some veggies as well as a SMALL RBF please. I'll be at the RC for a bit

 

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Hey Chloe were is everybody tonight?  What?  A game?  Huh? The Stupid Bowl??  Oh, Superbowl!  Dang hearing aids anyway.  Thought they did THAT last year?  Oh, they have one every year.  Why?  I mean, "Why, of course!"  So who are the Yankees playing this year?  (Dodges flying frying pan!)  Hey!  Just kidding around.....  Relax!  (A guy really has to watch what he says around here...)  OK. let me see the menu.  I see we are fresh out of Buffalo Wings.... (Heck they aren't playing anyway!) and pizza.  How about the hot roast beast sandwich and mashed taters with the vegetable of the day.  Oh, yeh, a cup of freshly brewed decafe if you please.  I'll just kinda wander round and look at all the empty tables for a while........

OH!  Hi Barry!  Supper Super  Bowl 44 tonight.... Well THAT will be 43 that I have missed.....  The other year I got stuck at somebody's house and couldn't help but be a captive audience (I did try to change the channel several times, but decided I would like to stay among the living a while longer!

I can tell you which team is going to WIN!  THAT is a no-brainer.........  OK, listen carefully. (The team THAT scores the most points.....)

My son came round today and we loaded the pickup truck (Anacrusis) with about 800 lbs. of weights, car jacks, trolling motors, boat trolling battery, and several other nice light fluffy things...... enough so the trailer is now being held up by its own suspension system.  Now all that is left is to hook onto the trailer and tow it to his house later this week.  I hope!  He says there are still too many boxes to be unpacked in the garage (Honey do first - or else!).

Hmmmm, guess everyone else is now watching THAT game........  I did get a bunch of dead florescent ballasts removed from the old light fixtures that my son needed to get rid of.  They are all now wrapped and packed in a box for next summers Toxic Waste Day at the dump.  I think I will start on some new project in the layout room..... maybe finish up one or two of the dozen or so I have already started....... 

Well, hope somebody shows up later.........  Maybe half time?  Opps, I forgot this is the one where they have the halftime show.   

OK, Later!

73

[Trainman Sam]

Ray, you're not the only one NOT watching the Stuper Bowl... I can't be bothered if it isn't the Eagles... and THEY won't be going there with there current coaching staff... oops   darned thing somehow got under me...

Anyhow,  I got some more research done.  In searching the area in G**gle Earth, I found out the possible name of the RR in Lambertville, NJ (the town across the river from New Hope).  The canal that is there is listed as the Deleware & Raritan Canal, so it would seem fitting that the RR would also have the same name.  Until I find otherwise, that is what I will be calling it!  This is turning out to be quite interesting and FUN, who would have known that history could be this interesting.   (Don't tell my old highschool teachers though) Lol.

Well, enough of me takin your time, I see that everyone here with the exception of Ray and myself are GLUED to the TV.

 

[fec153]

Hi Guys-Ray and Sam and now me. Game? Oh, yeah, young horses and halo wearers. Nah, almost time to shower and get some sack-time. If I mention the temps. here, either Vinnie will get after me or the mobile pieapult will be put into action.

Hope y'all get your lectricity back very soon. Know from experience what it means to be without. Heartfelt prayers for all.

Flip

 

[TMarsh]

NEVER paint a room RED!!!

Funny commercials are being interupted by some baseball or basketball game. Maybe tennis? I don't know. 

[Cederstrand]

Happy with the Saints win, although I do like colts. After all, we raised quite a few of them here on the ol' farm some years back.

OK, to keep me out of hot water with the wife, I picked up one of these for her. Now we will both have a CSX on our respective layouts. Thing is, now I need to sell something from my collection. Not really a problem...already had a loco in mind To Go.

Rob

[AmanaMedic]

TMarsh

NEVER paint a room RED!!!

Funny you should say THAT... Loving Wife's studio is..."ruby lips red." It started out some pale, almost white, kinda pinkish-mauve-ish color. Looked like it would cover real fast.

"Ruby Lips Red" is a deep, deep, very saturated red.

 

It took SIX coats to MAKE it a red room.

Welp, I covered THAT big game, actually a community party in honor of THAT big game. Icy/dicey drive over there...white-knuckle drive back home. Seems we have white stuff falling out of the sky, and it's greasing up the roads very nicely. I'll confess, I spent more time watching the "Puppy Bowl" than I did "THAT big game." Loving Wife is watching it...might be about done by now. Saints "the guys with the halo's" had just scored a 2-point conversion after the ball "broke the plane." As I was heading up to Man Land...I heard her groan. The little Horsey's possession must not have been to her liking. She's rootin' for the Halo boys.

Guess I'll hang-out at the RC for a bit...see whom else makes it in. I've got a scanner tuned to Cedar Rapids/Linn County/Johnson County...listening to all the rollovers, cars in the ditch, a fight at a crappy bar in Cedar Rapids...two people yelling at each other in an alley...

Chris

*OW!* Dagnabit...I just stubbed my toe on something...what's this? A soapbox? Where did THAT come from?

***EDIT*** Welp, since I'm here, and got tops, I'll take a plate of Barry Burgers and a bucket of Coke. Order up gents!

[Packers#1]

Who woulda thought we'd ever hear the the words THE SAINTS ARE SUPERBOWL CHAMPS!

[Trainman Sam]

AmanaMedic

*OW!* Dagnabit...I just stubbed my toe on something...what's this? A soapbox? Where did THAT come from?

 

I see you found it too!  I keep runnin' into that occursed thing.  Glad you made both trips with little incident. 

I hope everyone else fared as well or better on their journey's to and fro?!?

I believe I will NOT be calling the RR across the river the Deleware & Raritan... I'll be fudging that one too...

It'll be the S&S Shortline, traversing the terrain from Lambertville to Raritan.  S&S stands for: Sam & Sue Shortline!  THAT is something I think will work to get the CFO into the mix with the layout, we shall see!

I ordered several things from Kalmbach today:

1.  The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Yards

2.  How to Build Realistic Scenery (Pre-Order)

3.  How to build Realistic Reliable Track

4.  Model Railroad Planning 2000 ( I'm trying to get all the backissues I don't currently have, 2000-2005) but I have to order one per month due to "Hobby Budget" being a little thin at the moment.

Any way, all the ordered material should help me with planning the railroad empire of the NH&I!!!

Chloe, can I please have a LARGE RBF,  a bowl of Rocky road icecream and some marshmallows? Thanks.

I'll be in the booth again, both reviewing my research for the layout, and reviewing my special instructions for the Nerth Jersey Coastline...  I had a good two weeks operating on the Northeast Corridor, especially since I got to do some extra service moves.  This Bay Head job seems like it will not disappoint either.  Unfortunately, I have been told to watch exactly what I say to people about what my assignments do, others have gotten into trouble for divulging too much information as to the inner workings of NJT.   So I do not want to push the envelope along the middle of the desk let alone get anywhere close to the edges!

Well, I'll shut up now and get to my papers!

[TMarsh]

Really didn't care either way, but I'm glad the Saints won. You were right, they had the most points and they won. Commercials were lame.

After discussing it with the wifey poo, I've decided to go with a backdrop instead of painting the walls. That way it'll be much easier to match the backdrop with the area landscape instead of guess. Plus with the way I change my mind, it seems it would make more sense to be able to change a backdrop than the wall. Brenda concurred and Missy well,

 

didn't really seem to care. Odd, usually she takes interest in these kinds of things.

I will be building the first piece of bench work either tomorrow or the next day. Or the next. Or the next. I hope. It will be 14" X 8' and it's first use will be to hold the stuff that the last part of the layout is holding so I can take it down and finish the wall before continuing.

Prayers for those in need.

[LSWrr]

Evening all,

That was a good football game tonight.

Sam, have you looked through the downloadable books on the Kalmbach site?  They are the same book in PDF but you save about $10/book.

While watching the game I finished the walls of the roundhouse (finally).  All the windows are glazed and installed. Now all I need to do is install the tracks and build up the walls.  I still have the windows for the Machine shop to assemble.  I also have a open house to attend Monday night.

[Anonymous]

 Good Morning, everyone!

 Well, the final days in the GULAG - Wednesday will be the last time I will have to go there. I will miss all the time surfing in the internet.

Zoe, I need a good breakfast to take me through this day. Coffee, hotcakes & maple syrup will do - thank you!

Nothing specific planned for the day - maybe I will fiddle around with my track plan(s) a little more. I am through with reading my March issue of MR and was a little bit disappointed about its contents - the dang thing is getting thinner and thinner.  Talked to my father about renewing the subscription, but I am not sure whether he will sponsor the next 12 months. 

The cold has come back to northern Germany. Temps are way below freezing again, turning the remaining sn*w into ice. I can´t remember having that much sn*w before. The weather guessers are predicting more of that stuff to come.

I wish I could do some MRRing!

CUL!

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning--

I'm off to go outa town and see about things for a coupla days. Be back on Wednesday. We appear to be going to have some snow again then---which'll be typical, I go outa town, come back driving through another snowy, windy, blargh day----

I might be able to get on internet sometime during that time -----

KaKLOOOOONK!! OUCH!!---Who would leave a soapbox such that one can kibosh their foot into it? BTW--where did this thing come from?

Chloe, I'll take a breakfast bagel and a coffee to go please----Have a good one people!!

 

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

Cold with a chance of 6-10 inches of new snow according to the NWS and the NWS is known to forecast on the cautious side.

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.  Its cold, and the same here as Lee.  More snow is coming!!

 Watch some of the game last night, and it was a good one.  Tidays plan is to work on the layout and maybe clean the house some.  

 Hope everybody has a good morning.

[Trainman Sam]

Good morning friends!

Chloe, may I have the same thing Ulrich is having? That looks GOOD!

Lee- Thanks for the suggestion. I have looked at them, actually have “Shelf Layouts You Can Build” on file, but my personal preference is to read a “physical” book. Call me old-fashioned!

Weather guessers will only tell me that “significant snow accumulation possible” for Tuesday thru Wednesday! WHAT! Oh well… we shall see

Have a great day friends! Stay safe on those sloppy streets!

[Anonymous]

 Hi there,

I am back from the GULAG - only two more days to go!

Zoe, just coffee for me, please - I´ll stay here at the RC, if I may.

Heard on the radio, that some of our elected politrucks are again debating the "high" social security payments. They should be reduced by 30%. If that happens, you won´t find me around in here, because I´ll be  - starved! I don´t want their freakin´ money, I want a job!

To say, that I am just worried about the developments here, is an understatement.  I wantt to get out of here, asap! Is there a place for Petra and me to go?

Official end of rant !

 

[Blazzin]

  Morning all~  Sunny cold morning here.. sure hope everyone has survived the winter blast.  I wish I had more to say, but I'm off to work on the layout.

Keith

[Cox 47]

Good morning...Its sunny and 22 here posta snow late tonite...I'll have coffee and toast please ...thank you...Not much going on the I&S today..you all have a good one...Jerry

[der5997]

Hello folks: A large JR Regular please Zoe, and a slice of your excellent banana bread with butter, thanks.  I've been working out scenes and sequences for a new video of the layout operations with the fiddle yard in use. That's been fun. Also, I bought some time ago the Cornerstone sanding towers kit,   and decided this weekend to get around to it. Thinking about the two towers, the older one is just too out-of-era for my supposed time frame. So I went on-line to see what a modern replacement might look like. I've settled for a bulk tower  to be filled from a covered gondola, and a trackside service tower  that a single operator could use to fill the sandboxes on a loco.  I won't be using the old tower and its open sandbin at all, but will use the brick drying house as a building associated with the more modern of the Cornerstone towers. So Saturday evening I got the bulk tower pretty much roughed out, and Sunday the trackside bin. So this is how things  stand now, with various pipes to be added, and both units painted up. The bulk Tower, BTW is made from Apridra ® insulin pen parts!

Who was asking about Shay Windows? In my search on Saturday I came across a site (why filed under sanding only the search engine knows!) that had to do with Shays. So I wrote the chap who'se building a large scale model, and here's his reply.

Hi John,

The Shays at Cass, WV all have glass windows.    The front windows seem to be fixed and probably can't be opened.  The front half of the side windows have glass  and the back is open.  The back half has a padded arm rest.  There is a narrow vertical pane  that seems to be able to be rotated much like the vent windows of autos from the WWII era.  I suspect (but don't know) that glass is fitted over the back half of the window in  cold weather.   Such a rear window might open by sliding past the window over the front half.     I suspect some Shays in warmer climates didn't have windows.    I've attached two photos of Shay No 5 at Cass.   One photo shows the fireman's side widow from the outside.  The other shows the cab interior on the fireman's side  with a good view of the edge of the side window --- there appears to be two window frames side by side.   Maybe that arm rest comes off and the window for the rear half is already in place and just needs to be slid back to close.   Hope this helps, Nelson

And the photos are

And interior...

Time for lunch soon. TTFN.

 

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Flo I'll have an everything Bagel w/ cream cheese this morning to go along with my cup of dark roast in a FGLK mug....  I'll be sitting at the Rivet Counter.

Looks to be a nice Winter Day here in the Finger Lakes.  A bit chilly, currently 20°F with a high of 23°F later in the day.  Low tonight will be around 17°F.  A few pieces of partly cloudy are floating around outside, but nothing THAT will cause any problems out there.

I decided to continue w*rking on the database of layout rolling stock last night.  For a lot of items, I put in the data I have from the car and them go online to the manufacturer and look up the kit #, etc. for the car.  Started doing my locos last night and since most of them are Bachmann, I went to their site for the stock numbers.  They don't list any of the locos I have from them anymore.  Most everything comes with their pathetic sound crap/garbage decoder in it.  Lucky I was able to buy all my locos when they didn't charge an extra $150 or so for added junk!  Guess I'll have to find the original boxes to get the info.  (Can you tell I am not a fan of HO sound.....?)  OK, put the  away. Do wish they would sell them as DCC Ready like they used to so we could have a choice though.

Only have 1 meeting and a dentist appt. this week.  Might actually get some quality time in on the layout........

Later!

73