Welcome to September in the Diner!
This is a place to gather, a place without an agenda or a topic. It's free to all, to read, to join in, or just to enjoy some virtual food. Our gracious hosts ask only that we avoid certain hot-button topics like politics and religion that sometimes raise tempers.
You'll get to know the friendly staff just by listening. It's a place to share your day, your concerns, your joys and sorrows. Welcome aboard.
This month, the Diner is on a short run-around siding in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. It's a lovely seasonal town that will close for the winter shortly, even the AmTrak station where the Downeaster now makes several daily stops. Meanwhile, enjoy the clams, scallops and lobster specials all month, and don't forget to look up to see the Ferris wheel and roller coaster silhoutted against the blue sky over the ocean.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The RIP track is the place for us to pay our respect to our friends and forum members who are no longer with us.
Mr. B .... Thanks for starting the September DIner.
I am now leaving for my 5 hour trip to Cincinnati. Tomorow, I'll head up to Michigan. I'm pleased to say I do not have a pain problem already today from yesterday's teeth extrations.
Have a nice Labor Day Weekend, everybody. I may not be on the computer ver much if at all for several days.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Does anyone know how to fix the apostrophe in the title line?
Hi MisterBeasley:
To 'fix' the apostrophe you actually have to eliminate it. Steven Otte explained not too long ago that the software interprets the comma as a command, not a punctuation mark.
To get rid of the goobeldygook, go to your original post and select 'Edit'. At the top of the screen you should see a box which says "Edit Title" or words to that effect. Then just delete the comma and hit "Update Post".
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I've locked up the old joint, and fixed the apostrophe on the sign before I left. So, we're in Maine, eh? I expect the trees should start changing soon.
And did someone mention lobster? Looks like we have today's special...
Hm, we all know the names of our servers here at the Diner, but has anybody ever bothered to look in the back and meet the cooks who prepare this delicious virtual fare? What are their names? All I've seen of them is a hairy arm handing plates through the pass-through window, with a heart lettered "MOM" tattooed on the bicep...
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
Oh boy! Lobster Rolls!! Thanks Steven and thanks to Mister Beasley for parking us here in Maine. I've never actually been to Maine but I have been to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick many times so I guess it is somewhat similar, especially the seafood.
A very warm 80F here which is unusual for this time of year. We are expecting a repeat tomorrow too but then back down to a more seasonal 70F.
Ran trains yesterday a bit while I was defrosting the downstairs fridge. It resides in the workshop/furnace room/ N scale layout room. Yes you do have to defrost a 60 year old Westinghouse fridge. I suppose we should get rid of it as it isn't too efficient but then again I don't relish the thought of wrestling it up the stairs. It isn't that large but it sure is heavy.
Tomorrow I have an appointment with the Urologist for another hormone jab which will be the last one before the big day probably in late November. The delay is to let the drug do its job of shrinking my prostate before it gets yanked. Think I'd rather have a tooth extracted quite frankly.
Think I'll head out to the back garden as it is a beautiful evening.
CN Charlie
Evening dinners. I never understood ruining a good lobster with a bad hot dog roll. Steven it you go to Bar Harbor, take a ride on the Rockefeller carriages and eat at South Port. The wooden(log?) 1 story restaurant will serve you, the white house with patio dining will not.
It was 78 degrees and 78% humidity when I woke up. That means it was 100% humidity and felt every bit like it. Cloudy and some showers off and on all day.
I spent most of the day trying various versions of LokSound programmer and sound files. Finally I discovered they were having website issues and files I needed were simply not there. grumble grumble.
Charlie Ouch! is that an injection in your prostate?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
My lady friend and I shared a pair of lobsters outdoors on picnic tables over the weekend, with wine and a huge salad. We were in heaven.
Lazers Hi Diners, Sorry I’m a bit late, but Lambretta’s are slow by notoriety and cruising (68 mph max) around the wrong State for a while hasn’t helped either, but I’ve made it at last and pleased to be here. Hullo Ma’am, that’s correct I’m from England and thank you, I’d like a Pot of Green Tea and some house-speciality Cookies please, that’s if that Low-down, No-good, Cookie-mooching Bear hasn’t gone and eaten them all? In the Dunes along Lake Michigan’s South Shore, I’ve hired a Trailer from a guy called ‘Angel’. He seems a bit dodgy, but the rent’s low and the previous tenant, Jim Rockford from California, has left me some of his gear to use, although I can’t seem to adjust the Answer-phone greeting! But it’s handy for Train-spotting The Chicago South Shore & South Bend RR and connecting Companies RR’s. The reason I’ve ended-up here (first stop at least) is because the patches of green between the areas of Industries are similar to those on Teesside, the Railway region in N.E. England that I have always modelled along the R. Tees Estuary (South Bank) although the latter is on a like-for-like ratio of around 0.0001:10, by comparison. Thing is, it’s somewhere in the USA that I can relate to, including the shoreline and climate. I’m sure there are other similar places in the States but I can’t check-out every one of them and I like the Orange Livery of the CSS Locos. However, I need to gather more info on the different types of Trains and the Yards they originate from, terminate at, their Dispatch Nos and a Timetable and how they fit-in between the (Electric) Suburban Lines and Amtrak services. I’ll take my trusty GP200cc with its phenomenal 11.7 bhp downtown to North Carroll Avenue and hook-up with the CSS PR Dept. – see if they can help me out. However, with winter coming on, I’m also looking for something a bit more upmarket. I’ve answered an advert from a ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce in Maine looking to sell his cherished Willys MB 38 complete with Canvass Roof, so it’s just as well the Diner is so close by. Oh, here comes Flo’ with my order. Say, I hope no-one minds if I dunk my Cookies in my Tea? It’s an Olde English tradition. Paul
If you are still along the South Shore of Lake Michigan, do your a favor and stop at a place in New Buffallo Michigan called Redamacs. It is right on Hwy 12 and they have excellant burgers. Then look for a friend of mine who is an engineer on the South Shore. His name is John
Evening Dinners!
Flo, Douglas, Ed and I will have a in a Monon Mug Please.
What a great day to work outside! To bad I had to do 2 hours of running this morning!
Fence Front Got some of the hatch job called "The New Fence" problem fixed! I added some new stringers down low and cut around 40 18" pickets and got them installed. Still around 100 to go, about 30 more 18" pickets and the rest will range betten 13" and 6". Glad Habor Freight wanted so much for the saw blades I and I did not buy the Mitter Saw! While my cutt's with the Jig Saw would not be up to YGW standerds they work for a fence!
Train Front. Last night I got a wild hair up my caboose and decided to run the PCM Big Boy on theB line dragging some passanger cars. It ran great arond the layout for about say 20 times then finaly derailed by the window A/C unit. Lifted the Big Boy off the rails and left it about 5" from the edge of the layout and went to bed.
I was wearing short today and when I reached to turn on the window A/C, the shorts leg caught the Big Boy and down it went! I felt something, and leaned aginst the layout and the engine more slid down my leg (it sure hurt) but the tender hit the floor! Engine drive rods look fine, that was what I was worried about. Tender looks OK as well, I may test run later tonight.
Lazer to the dinner!
Looks like my old computer moniter is dying. So if I am not on the site, it kicked the bucket!
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Big Daddy, the jab is in my posterior so not much of an ouch. Besides shrinking the prostate the drug shrinks cancer too which is a good thing while waiting to get it removed.
Meeting an old high school chum for lunch next week as he is passing through on his way home. He is a big time Corvette fan and is currently restoring a '65 coupe that he has owned for a long time. He is doing one of those to the last bolt restorations and plans on entering it is a competion. He only likes small block 'Vettes'. Bet he wishes he never sold the '63 split window that had fuel injection. He bought it in 1970 for $1500 and it was in great shape.
Well telie time so good night all.
Evening Diners,
I totally forgot that it was September, for half the day.
I got my Burlington Northern covered hoppers today after a revenue trip around the country. Also got my Union Pacific LO. When I got them I felt disappointed because it took to long.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Hey all
Had a bad week. Monday I injured my back on site. Extreme pain. Stayed home Tuesday. Wednesday morning took an ambulance ride to the ER. Scans and X-rays revealed fractured vertebra, compressed disc. Badly inflamed muscled. Looks like I will be getting out of the Horsepiddle tomorrow. Will be using a walker for a while. Good news is that the pain is largely gone and swelling is down. Unfortunately modeling. Have been catching up on MRR articles.
YGW
Evenin' folks!
Janie, just a refill for my decaf please....
Spent most of the day putting together a totally new format for the NMRA Division newsletter. The old editor felt the time was right to retire from it. He is no longer publishing his local newsletter he made for over a decade and had some major computer problems... Since he is no longer a member, I took him up on it and will publicly thank him for several years of doing this for the Division in the first edition I create. I will take one more term as the Superintendent and then after that may want to do the newsletter as I have all the right programs and some experience in the field of publishing (from my Music Business) over the years. Right now it is a bit of fun but an anoyance as I really don't have the time to do it. Has to come out of my scarce modeling time, but I will have some fun with it.
I need to start getting myself ready to do the training next weekend.... Lots of review I need to do on the portions I am leading. It is a fun old course and it looks like we should have a good percentage of the troop there for it.
Looked out the window this evening just in time to see a loose Pit Bull run around my house.... I think it belongs to a family over on the side street. Have seen it out in the back yard when their kids are out playing in a fenced in trampoline in their back yard. Have never seen it on the loose before and sure hope it won't become a common occurance! Bunch of neighbors started out walking their several dogs just about the same time. The lady next door was letting them know about the dog who would have run right through their garage I think to get from their fenced in yard...... I shall take out the kittie litter in the morning just in case.
Time for me to call it a night... Have a good evening out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
YGW:
Sorry about your back!
If I can suggest, make sure you let it heal properly, and don't go back to work, or at least don't do ANY lifting, for a while.
My back is a mess. It gives me constant pain. I can hardly get to the bird feeders or the mailbox and back without having to sit down to let my muscles relax. I used to lift engine blocks by myself. Dumb! Don't go there!
Best wishes.
September: The month I have been waiting for since March. My major vacation for the year occurs this month. While I'm on vacation, my posting maybe be a little sparser than usual. Also about the only time I can buy trains items by looking at them in person. I've made my list of things that I want but I suspect that I won't stick to said list. (I didn't last year either, but I did find a few things that I would have needed eventually anyway.)
He AIN"T no cook. He is a CHEF. Name is RYAN.
DER- did you get the gleaming letter ???
FLIP
Good morning!
Sunny and mid 70s here today. I should be good for a bike ride. I've had a sore back myself, presumeably from hockey about 10 days ago when I got clobbered. But, that seems better and I've got to get out and get some exercise.
My brother has a big old boxer (The one who ate my cpap mask). The neighbor has several dogs, the big ones are ok, the little ones are a problem. My brother and wife keep mace handy incase the little ones come into the yard.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Already back from my ride. I am ready for summer to be over, or at least to dry up. This morning at 5:30 it was 80F and 50% humidity. During our dry season when it is 80, the humidity would be 20% or lower. When the humidity is that low, the body's natural cooling mechanism works great--you sweat, it evaporates, you stay cool and dry. It is pretty wild to come home from a ride and have my clothes be as dry as when I left. You know you have been sweating though when you rub your forehead and it feels sandy from all of the dried salt. The staying dry part is a problem for our visitors. Since they are never wet, they forget they are still sweating and forget to drink.
Richard
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I would like a short stack of blueberry pancakes with real NYS Maple Syrup, a couple sausage links, and a 30 cup pot of "Ring of Fire" Organic Dark Roast Coffee to keep my FGLK mug full for a while. Thank you Ma'am!
YGW, sorry to hear about the accident. Hope you have a full and uncomplicated recovery!
Currently 68°F outside here in the Finger Lakes Region with a high of 73°F late this afternoon! Shut off the air conditioner and opened the bedroom window yesterday. Put the fan in the window too. The pleasant weather won't last as Sunday is supposed to be 85°F they say. But for today, it is a beautiful day out there. Need to mow lawn again.... It is making up for lost time I guess. No rain on tap untill next Thursday... The beans in the garden are now in blossom (Pole Blue Lake) so I should be canning some by next week.
Have lots of STUFF to do so I best get moving!
Afternoon Diners,
Well my sister's dog Charles now needs to take 3 baths a week for a month or two about his missing hair. Plus rub eye medication for his pink eye. It not really pink eye it's abnormal pink around making it pink by rubbing it, but he doesn't rub it. If the medicine doesn't work than he would wear the cone.
I've been using shingles for roads since I was in high school. (They were castoffs from when my paternal grandparent's had their roof shingled. I remember that it reminded me of gravel roads.) Hence, why I picked up as many of the unused pies as I could.
Dave: I have to say that my ears pretty much told me what it was before my eyes did. The sound of the four big engines could only have been coming from a vintage aircraft. At first I thought it might be the Lancaster that flies out of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, but the silver fuselage soon put the boots to that idea. Thank you for taking the time to help me identify that beautiful aircraft. Very few people at the party I was attending even bothered to look up, and there I was with goose bumps from the sight and sound. …a very good friend of ours’ mother was a War Bride who emigrated to Canada in 1946. At her first CNE – in the late 40s I think, there was a low Lancaster fly-by. On hearing the sound of those Merlins, she flung herself instinctively to the ground! PTSD wasn’t as recognized then as it is now!
I have to say that my ears pretty much told me what it was before my eyes did. The sound of the four big engines could only have been coming from a vintage aircraft. At first I thought it might be the Lancaster that flies out of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, but the silver fuselage soon put the boots to that idea. Thank you for taking the time to help me identify that beautiful aircraft. Very few people at the party I was attending even bothered to look up, and there I was with goose bumps from the sight and sound.
Thank you for taking the time to help me identify that beautiful aircraft. Very few people at the party I was attending even bothered to look up, and there I was with goose bumps from the sight and sound.
Douglas: Peace and Longevity Douglas PS: never heard of "trekker" in my 50 years of being a trekkie. Does this mean i have to use a certain bathroom now? …so long as you’re not Klingon! On screen shots, - thanks for the tutorial BTW!- I’ve been using the Snip tool and saving from there – cropping on-screen is handy before even any saving is done – as I’ve done to get this
Peace and Longevity Douglas PS: never heard of "trekker" in my 50 years of being a trekkie. Does this mean i have to use a certain bathroom now?
Larry: I got some track down on the new Slate Creek and the siding for Margo Polymers Corporation I need to build a between the rails unloading grate for covered hoppers(plastic pellets) and a unloading area for tank cars (plasticizer). …a chemical/plastics related industry would be very compatible for my layout, could you post some pics please? Ta Ever-So
I got some track down on the new Slate Creek and the siding for Margo Polymers Corporation I need to build a between the rails unloading grate for covered hoppers(plastic pellets) and a unloading area for tank cars (plasticizer).
Ken: B&O Sprung Truck Coal Cars. Got end of the sprung truck fairly free wheeling with the PK 2000 wheels! Went to the other end, side frame fell off! Guess it is time to ask for help on the main page! When I was in HO I bought a pair of those puppies out of curiosity. I agree with you that they can be tricky! Once tuned they performed well IIRC.
B&O Sprung Truck Coal Cars. Got end of the sprung truck fairly free wheeling with the PK 2000 wheels! Went to the other end, side frame fell off! Guess it is time to ask for help on the main page!
Garry: (by Johnboy Hi Garry, I feel for you, and hope the healing is quick. That reminds me though, I’ve a dentist Co-pay bill sitting upstairs I should get paid now the pension cheques are in.
(by Johnboy Hi Garry, I feel for you, and hope the healing is quick.
Johnboy: Hope all this tube feeding gets sorted for you soon – can’t be either comfortable or convenient. and Br. Elias, that's not an English subway either..........
and Br. Elias, that's not an English subway either..........
Ed: A few passing showers has provided us with .71" of rain finally. Maybe I can get to the train room early tonight! – same in these here parts! Our water butts are all filled, and the last three evenings we haven’t had to water the veggies. In fact osmosis is splitting the cherry tomatoes. Layout time however remains elusive as “stuff” keeps getting in the way – enjoyable stuff, ( e.g we have friends coming over for dinner tonight and so yesterday was housework and shopping; and today has been assisting with the prep for the stuffed Manicotti [two kinds] and a more than general fancy table setting, an unusual-for-us mid-day dishwasher cycle] …but still managed to de-crud a length of Z rail ready to put back on its tie strip (used on previous layout as rails for a container crane, now needed for the N3n line)
A few passing showers has provided us with .71" of rain finally. Maybe I can get to the train room early tonight!
LION: …if you have seen one metro train, then you have seen them all. That’s one thing which has really changed (above ground) in the UK judging from the last time I was there (some years back now) The colour schemes on passenger cars were bright and imaginative. Sadly, a Google search turned up results of the kind for which I was looking only for Indian railways! All the other images seemed to be the dull old liveries to with which I was familiar when I lived there up to 1967. Some locomotive images were quite bright though.
…if you have seen one metro train, then you have seen them all.
Paul: The reason I’ve ended-up here (first stop at least) is because the patches of green between the areas of Industries are similar to those on Teesside, the Railway region in N.E. England that I have always modeled along the R. Tees Estuary (South Bank) although the latter is on a like-for-like ratio of around 0.0001:10, by comparison. to the Diner - we emigrated to Canada from the Tyne valley (Crawcrook) in ’67. One thing I remember about the general landscape, which sounds like it hasn’t changed, is the sudden change from urban to absolutely rural when one left a town or village. Used a second hand BSA 125 cc scooter to get around in the early days of my Lancashire/County Durham experience. Big fun on the A1(M) going south to court the Best Beloved on weekends, especially in a cross wind!
The reason I’ve ended-up here (first stop at least) is because the patches of green between the areas of Industries are similar to those on Teesside, the Railway region in N.E. England that I have always modeled along the R. Tees Estuary (South Bank) although the latter is on a like-for-like ratio of around 0.0001:10, by comparison.
CNCharlie: I've never actually been to Maine but I have been to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick many times so I guess it is somewhat similar, especially the seafood. – next time you’re in NS, come on down in Lobster season (the tanked critters waste away in captivity, wouldn’t you?) and you’re in for a treat. Our personal and biased opinion is that there is no lobster anywhere as good as those from Sober Island, NS! Area 32 season is April 19-June 19. Now you know!
I've never actually been to Maine but I have been to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick many times so I guess it is somewhat similar, especially the seafood.
Yes you do have to defrost a 60 year old Westinghouse fridge. I suppose we should get rid of it as it isn't too efficient but then again I don't relish the thought of wrestling it up the stairs. It isn't that large but it sure is heavy.
Dennis: Sometimes having a tool that you hardly ever use can be a lifesaver. – Oh yes! – but remembering you have it is the big trick! Glad it worked for you – usually those things are rusted up and despite penetrating oil etc. won’t budge for me
Sometimes having a tool that you hardly ever use can be a lifesaver.
Flip: He AIN"T no cook. He is a CHEF. Name is RYAN. ..and here are his mmr creds! http://piedmontdivision.rymocs.com/ DER- did you get the gleaming letter ??? My bad! I didn’t post it right away, and just now when I went to my InBox to have a look at it, I had it open, saw a typo which I thought could be confusing, clicked on that and Poof! The whole email disappeared and isn’t in Trash! So, folks, here’s a link to what Jeff Wimberly was explaining about the Gleam Method of Track Cleaning – which is just about what Flip wanted you y’all to see…http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/221146/2443425.aspx it’s the post just after that by LION !
Company will be arriving soon, so I’d better get “on deck” – may be back in later. Feels odd not to have the new month opened by Ulrich hope he’s back in soon.
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
Happy Labor Day (early) to our American diners! Here's your Blue Plate Special for the long weekend:
And just because I'm off for the long weekend, don't think you can get away with starting trouble. Vinnie will still be here watching.
Hello all, wishing everyone here a good September.
My dad's birthday is today, so I'll give him a quick call tonight.
I went to North Carolina to see my granddad as it had been his 92nd bday last Saturday. I got there Tuesday and returned yesterday. I try to visit him as much as I can though it's a long drive down there from Lancaster City, but it's worth it for me. I learned for myself, I do not like listening to music stations much, I prefer talk radio by far, especially if I can get a history lesson or two our of a program.
Not much in the MR front to report. Just going to keep plugging away at projects, like adding details, getting models built, and painted. The usual. My plan is to have the fleet ready to run by the time my club has their Christmas open houses.
I'm uploading photos onto photobucket, and plan to show off my models, and photos of real-life railroad scenes.
Alvie
Howdy. Posting with iPhone . Arrived in Michigan okay. There was an hour long delay in southern Ohio because of a seven vehicle accident . I'm doing mostly okay following the extraction o 3 teeth . My wife was already in Michigan because she flew up several days ago .
We will celebrate my birthday which is September 3rd and our anniversary which is September 5th With family in Michigan. Well drive to home in Kentucky middle of next weeK stopping in Cincinnati where our daughter in law will celebrate her birthday. .. September birthdays are the best.
--
.. YGW. Sorry you have a back injury. I recall you had a bad one several years ago too . .. My back has been a problem since drunk driver hit me many years ago .. Hope your father is improving.
Lazer . Welcome to the Diner
Evening Dinners
Flo, Ed and I will have a in a B&O M1A mug please.
Today was pretty uneventful. Did get to Best Buy and bought a new flat screen monitor for $65.00 with tax. Not in a hurry to set it up, it not like I wanted a new one. But this one is on it last leg.
YGW Soory to hear about the new problem with your back!
When was the last time any one heard from Ulrich? Sure just hope it is the heat or he just to busy playing the the layout.
Galaxy I sure hope to hear from you. While many of us may not ask where you are of late. You Are Not For-gotten and missed!
Garry:
Happy Birthdays and Happy Anniversary!