joe323 Since I will be Chicago in a few weeks coming in by train is there any must sees besides Union Station while I am there?
Since I will be Chicago in a few weeks coming in by train is there any must sees besides Union Station while I am there?
Since you are coming in by train your choices will be more limited- many of the hobby shops are suburban or further out and don't have rail service or will be a LONG bus trip for those that are in the city. That being said Zienteks at 2001 W 18th is a short walk north from the Damen station on the pink line (CTA Train) It is all HO. They are a wonderland of old out of production stuff upstairs and downstairs. They do close at 5- get there earlier and allow at least an hour to browse probably more. Zienteks is a must stop. The only other one that I can think of that is close to a rail line is Grayland Station which is about a block away from the Metra Rail MD-N (Milwaukee District North) line Edgebrook station. Metra is a seperate ticket from any CTA ticket or pass you might get. Check their hours before you go- they are not open Sun- Tues and their hours are different on other days. This is a small shop but packed to the rafters. If you are into N it is a must stop. Their HO selection is smaller but they do deal in used stuff and have a good book selection as well. Never failed to find something. Those are the two that I can think of that will be easy access.
One thing that you absolutely MUST do is go to the Museum of Science and Industry. Allow quite a few hours on this one to explore. Their layout is incredible and features downtown Chicago as well as a trip to Seattle. For an interesting perpective on it go up to take fight in the airplane suspended above. I dare say it is the only layout you can feel like you are flying above in a plane! Downstairs as you come into the museum is the Pioneer Zephyr. They have a neat tour inside. There are other railroad exhibits as well as many other things including a tour of a coal mine (extra charge) It will be a bus ride but they run express busses. Go to Transitchicago.com to plan your route from where you are staying.
There are a lot of other hobby shops and such to do but they are much easier if you are renting a car- and Chicago traffic isn't much fun. Way Way out is the Illinois Railroad Museum in Union about an hour with no traffic- figure longer- but there is no way to get there except by car. It is fantastic- the largest in America. Check Schedule only open on weekends until May 20th. allow an entire day.
Good morning from the sunny West Coast. All this rain we are waiting for seems to be not happening as we have not had much of what they keep promising. Not good.
Spent a lot of time in the trainroom the last few days and that has put a smile on my face, I have been doing more work on lighting for structures and a few other things. I have become a soldering dynamo!
There is an Amazon TV show called "The Man In The High Castle" that had four seasons. The kid was an extra in two episodes and got really good screen time in one of them. They are selling off 80,000 set items from the series this week, so the wife and I might go buy his costume from it as a souvenir for him. He really enjoyed working on that one. He wore the same costume both times, in fact, he found his long lost "good pen" in the pocket of it when he went back the second time a year later. He had been doing homework between takes, that's why it was there.
There is a huge shortage of bodies for the TV/movie biz this year, It looks like the kid will be on the production side of things this summer as they have been talking to him about it quite a bit. Maybe I'll go be a movie star this summer if I can work on the same thing the kid is working on. It would be nice to see what he gets up to. I would make a good Zombie.
I am still enjoying the tour of Illinois, it is nice to have so many pics and vids. Not so sure about all those heart attacks on a plate food pics, at least I don't have to eat it. When you get North of sixty years of age and do intense workouts they tell you to get a BP monitor to keep an eye on things. My BP was 109/68 HR58 this morning. Had my sister and BIL, and wife's parents over for the usual Sunday dinner last night. Fil is 82, BIL is 72 and I am 62, all three of us are really, really fit, the three wives, not so much. It is weird that it is like that.
Were off for probably a 10 km walk with the dogs and then it will be back in the trainroom for me with some good tunes playing. It is a day off from training, the walk doesn't count.
All the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Loving the Chicago pics and videos that folks are posting. Keep 'em coming!
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
Inside the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry they have a captured German U-Boat from World War 2.
.
It is impressive, but much more fascinating are the displays of some of the inner workings of the vessel. It is amazing how primitive things were in 1944. Compared to the way things are made today, it was really interesting.
This piston really stood out to me. Compared to a squeeze cast steel monotherm pistons mounted to fracture split forged steel rods like we use in diesels today, this thing is either a bear skin or a stone knife.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Happy Monday!
What's better than a K4 leaving Chicago on a cold, January, 1943 day?
Double-headed K4s, of course!
PRR_Eastbound-K4s by Edmund, on Flickr
Thank you Jack Delano and OWI for saving these beautiful moments in time! {please click to make bigger}
Regards, Ed
Is it just me, or does that track have a really high profile? Like to see those switch machines in action.
This is cool.
https://www.facebook.com/UNILADTech/videos/2195436874101998/
BATMANLike to see those switch machines in action.
USS Electro-Pneumatic machines. They have a really neat sound to them. I watched/listened to them for quite a while when hanging around Washington Union Station. They have a pleasing air-hiss, gear whirr-klunk kind of sound to them .
Not sure, I'll have to look but they may have removed them all from Chicago when they upgraded the track/switch/signal system here some years ago.
Cheers, Ed
Eilif Loving the Chicago pics and videos that folks are posting. Keep 'em coming! joe323 Since I will be Chicago in a few weeks coming in by train is there any must sees besides Union Station while I am there? drgwcs summed up the big two quite well. Museum of Science and Industry and Zientek are musts. If you have time, getting a bite at White Palace Grill (corner of Canal and Roosevelt) and then walking up on the roosevelt viaduct to see the South end of Union Station and the Amtrak yards is defintiely worth it. Great views from there. Ogilvie station is a couple blocks from Union Station in the opposite direction. not a particularly impressive station aesthetically, but ALOT of METRA traffic. If you've got any favorite quisine's let me know and I can probably make a restaurant recomendation. Feel free to message me if you have other questions.
You are right about adding cuisine recomendations- While there there are three things that you need to get. 1- Chicago Deep Dish Pizza- there is a lot of debate as to who has the best- giordanos, Lou Malnatis (pronounced kinda like the secret organization) or Ginos East- others could be thrown on here. 2&3 You also have to get an Italian Beef and a Chicago Dog- (do not ask for ketchup on your hot dog whatever you do) Al's Beef has several locations and has a great Italian Beef. Portillo's is good for these and has a location in River North but there are many other places that serve these. I missed Chicago Pizza when we moved away to VA but I did find a really good place just outside of Raleigh (we are right on the state line)
drgwcsYou also have to get an Italian Beef and a Chicago Dog- (do not ask for ketchup on your hot dog whatever you do)
Why not? What's their "beef" with that?
Howdy ..... I'll have a slice of Chicago style deep dish pizza please. ... One slice is a big meal.
Ed .... The K4 double header is a nice picture...
How about a CB&Q S4 (4-6-4) ?
Also, here is a photo of the Galesburg Local .... It operated daily between Chcago and Galesburg, It stopped at numerous small, rural towns between Aurora and Galesburg.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Just for the record, I LOVE Ketchup on my dogs.
Hey all, I guess I can finally show off my new house. To begin, we are looking in the kitchen towards the dining room, master and spare bedroom. This room has been repainted, re-tiled, cleaned, and other stuff. The Appliances are brand new to.
Next, we see the finished cabinets. These were sanded down from an orangish brown, to this light brown. They were really fun to hang up (Sarcasm). The old Counter top was this dated coral color and flower pattern.
Next we move onto the brand new bathroom. Basically the original bathroom was gutted completely, and has had everything from the subfloor up redone. There was a giant window behind the present Shower enclosure.
Here is the floor in the living room, After I cleaned it off and polished it.
Don't forget, there is a 26x 30 ft room downstairs for my model railroad when the time comes to start on it.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
drgwcs Eilif Loving the Chicago pics and videos that folks are posting. Keep 'em coming! joe323 Since I will be Chicago in a few weeks coming in by train is there any must sees besides Union Station while I am there? If you've got any favorite quisine's let me know and I can probably make a restaurant recomendation. Feel free to message me if you have other questions. You are right about adding cuisine recomendations- While there there are three things that you need to get. 1- Chicago Deep Dish Pizza- there is a lot of debate as to who has the best- giordanos, Lou Malnatis (pronounced kinda like the secret organization) or Ginos East- others could be thrown on here. 2&3 You also have to get an Italian Beef and a Chicago Dog- (do not ask for ketchup on your hot dog whatever you do) Al's Beef has several locations and has a great Italian Beef. Portillo's is good for these and has a location in River North but there are many other places that serve these. I missed Chicago Pizza when we moved away to VA but I did find a really good place just outside of Raleigh (we are right on the state line)
Eilif Loving the Chicago pics and videos that folks are posting. Keep 'em coming! joe323 Since I will be Chicago in a few weeks coming in by train is there any must sees besides Union Station while I am there? If you've got any favorite quisine's let me know and I can probably make a restaurant recomendation. Feel free to message me if you have other questions.
I'm going to come right out and say that Lou's is the best for real Chicago Deep Dish. Lou Malnati's dad was the guy (or one of two) who invented it at Pizzeria Uno and I think he perfected it. Ginos I can take or leave, Giordano's is good, but not quite original, but Lou's is it! There's also at least one or two Lou's downtown and probably near where you are staying. I also have a particular respect for the good work Lou's has done in my neighborhood.
For Chicago Dogs, Portillo's is a great choice. I'm hesitant to say so since they actually started out in Villa Park, but they do Chicago dogs right. I'm not an expert on Italian beef.
A couple other train things...
1) Head up the Red Line El to get to the "Garfield Clarendon" Train club. Definitely a layout worth seeing. I've not heard for sure, but it's days might be numbered if that park gets redevelped so see it now! http://www.garfieldcentral.org
2) You have to take METRA, but the Elmhurst Model Train club is only a ride away. http://www.emrrc.org. Definitely a nice destination if you're the sort of person for whom a ride on some 1960's bi-levels -virtually unchanged since the 60's- appeals to you!
I'll also amend my Zientek recommendation to say:
-Ask John the proprietor if you can see his basement layout.
-Ask if there's something you're looking for in particular. He has quite a bit of backstock and a fair amount of consignment stuff.
Three other food/entertainment things.
-Downtown The Drake Hotel has free Jazz on Saturday evenings in the lovely Palm Court. A classy hang with no jeans or shorts allowed.
-For the best Ethiopian food I've ever had, "Ras Dashen" is just off the Thorndale Red Line stop.
-A drink at the almost-top "Signature room" of the John Hancock building is far more relaxing and much cheaper than paying to go to the very top observation deck.
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a and leave a stein outside for Ulrich.
C&N Charlie hope you are enjoying Aferica. By chance have you visited Egypt? That is one of the few countrys I would like to visit, that and Italy or should I say Rome and Pompeii.
Jimmy What No Ship Lap! Did you do the work, or just some of the work? Either way it looks good. Far as the cabints, are you leaving them bare wood?
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Jimmy_BraumHey all, I guess I can finally show off my new house.
Your house looks sharp and should be a source of pride for you, Jimmy.
I'm impressed with your collection of books
Most young people today wouldn't know how to open a book, much less how to plug the USB charging cord into one. I'm glad to see you are building a real library.
I wish you many years of comfort and security in your new home!
I'm right along with Ed, Jimmy. Congrats on the new house. A 26 year old with his own place? a house and not an apartment? That is very cool! You go!
Mike.
My You Tube
Jimmy_Braum Just for the record, I LOVE Ketchup on my dogs. Hey all, I guess I can finally show off my new house.
Hey all, I guess I can finally show off my new house.
Congratulations Jimmy!
The wife and I bought our house at about your age and it was the best decision we made. Sounds like you've been wise.
No shame about ketchup on your hot dogs. I was raised a suburban heathen and still request it at Portillo's. I have developed an appreciation for the wonders of celery salt though.
Jimmy!
Congratulations on owning your own home at 26 years of age! Not many can claim that accomplishment.
The work you have done is excellent! Dianne and I worked our butts off to renovate our first house and when we sold it a few years later we were well rewarded for our efforts. You will be too!
Now sit back and have one on us! You deserve it!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
maxman drgwcs You also have to get an Italian Beef and a Chicago Dog- (do not ask for ketchup on your hot dog whatever you do) Why not? What's their "beef" with that?
drgwcs You also have to get an Italian Beef and a Chicago Dog- (do not ask for ketchup on your hot dog whatever you do)
There are a few things that will cause a fight in Chicago White Sox vs Cubs someone putting ketchup on a hot dog and who has the best pizza. As to the ketchup on a hot dog- I have no idea where and how it started????- they do put sliced tomato on a Chicago dog- maybe that was why. You just don't do it my wife asked once at one place when we first moved there. They said said and I quote "I ain't gonna ruin that hot dog with ketchup it's over there if you wanna ruin it"
Best Pizza is also an argument. My favorites were giordanos and Lou Malnatis. I probably liked Lou Malnatis peperoni a little better but didn't like their sausage and peperroni as much I swear they cut a circle out of the pig and put it on the pizza for the sausage. Just a little bit much.
Good Evening All,
Been over in the electronics area all day trying to suss out the track wiring in the service yard.
Let me add my congrats Jimmy. House looks nice and the work is impressive. I vote for stain and urethane. Our first apartment had painted cabinets and rather than yank them, we disassembled stripped and stained them. Didn't hurt that the CFO at the time was a trainer for BIX so we had access to the training facility.
I'll have a beer with Ken over there in the corner. Nice you keep Ulrich in mind Ken. I'm afraid I've never had any Mopar products though I've driven a few. We have lots of twisty bumpy hilly roads here and the little ankle biter cars I have had are really a lot more fun on them.
Turns out I had a round of bursitis from spending the week on the concrete runways at Sebring and driving home aggravated it. Been following doctors orders and taking the scrips and am doing a ton better. Now all I have to do is figure out all the faults in my trackwork.
Love the pics and videos you are all posting. Catch you all later, J.R.
Good evening all.
Didn't get to our walk today, the wheels fell off for family members today just as we were going out the door. The wife hopped in the car and I in the truck to save the day once again. I see another PWRS gift certificate in my future.
Jimmy congrats on the digs. Now let's see the important part....The trainroom!
Hot off the press from Rapido, a Royal Hudson factory video. I saw mine.
I only have enough in me to watch the idiot box tonight. I always feel like I am wasting my life doing that.
Charlie, send pics of the wildlife and maybe a few of some animals as well.
BATMANHot off the press from Rapido, a Royal Hudson factory video.
Bill Schnider needs a better mike setup, something like Ken Patterson uses. Ken has more audio equipment than NBC and CNN combined.
Nice to get a behind-the-scenes look at the LRC Factory
Well, it has to be Texas in overtime for the Final Four as my son is here at the game.
TF
It don't look good I will see him for breakfast, before leavin town tomorrow
TF He will be all right
Good evening ....
Jimmy .... You did a great job getting the house ready to live in.
Brent ... Thanks for posting the video of Rapido trains being built at the factory.
Erie was another railroad serving Chicago. ..
I recall seeing the Erie E8's with their attractive sceme with two shades of green.
It was good to see my Son. He came down from North Dakota to see the Final Four.
Of course Mom accommodated him in the hotel she works at. The hotel rooms here went from $500 to $1,500 Citywide for this event. My kid paid $150 for two nights.
Saturday night we ordered in pizza in his hotel room and watched the two final four games. It was fun spending time with him.
The rest of the time he was here was spent with his friends he flew down with.
Understandable, I was young once too.
Jimmy Braum: Congratulations on the new house. I hope you have many happy years there, especially since you're getting a large train room.
I'm curious. In the appliance picture, it shows the range directly adjacent to the refrigerator. Is that permanent or just temporary? It's Your house, do what you want, but if that's where the appliances are staying, I would highly recommend that you place at least a 15" cabinet between the range and the fridge, and place a minimum 12" cabinet on the other side of the range. I think you'll find it to be better. There needs to be landing areas for your food for both the range and the fridge. Ask another designer and they will tell you the same thing.
Food in Chicago: for deep dish, Lou Malnati's, for hot dogs, ther are some small vendors that are superb, but Portillo's is very representative of the classic Chicago style dog, which FYI are the best on the planet. Ketchup on hot dogs, sacrilege! I think Al's is reputed to have the best Italian beef. If you like hot spicy, be sure to have your beef with gardenaires. But, for hamburgers, sorry, go to In-n-Out in LA!
Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
Good Morning All,
I'll have a regular with a glazed donut please Zoe. 42F with fog this morning. Busy day yesterday sorting out what we're doing on several projects. Trying to be ready for "one day" surgery later today so the entire works don't stop on my account.
I noticed the stove next to the fridge too. The spacer idea is good and it will also cut heat transfer from the stove to the fridge so it doesn't have to work as hard. Even the energy star type are not brilliant on insulation.
Stayed up til the end of the finals last night and the same with the womens finals Sunday night though my interest levels took a hit when UConn went out. Good games though.
Back into the shop to pick up tools. Chow, J.R.
Thanks for all the compliments and advice everyone. Ill try to adress everyone. It was my dad's house, and when he passed back in June I inherited it. Not the way I wanted to get it, but I own a house, and a little under an acre of land in a "higher class" township-_ NO HOA thankfully! My mom will be moving in with me as well-my house, but she'll be "paying rent and expenses" to help out.
Hardwood floor is original to the house, and I polished/cleaned it to restore it. Thr darker wood I did myself, and that was just that peel and stick stuff. I made the mistake of starting on one side instead of in the center of the room, so I had to correct by the time I got to the center. Yes, ive got about over 100 books. A lot of Stephen King(two bottom shelves), but I've got a lot of RR reference and RR topic books to.
The cabinets are done, it Was just given a poly coat.
Yes, we're going to move the stove over, since we have a few Island carts. the contractor I had hired to d the bathroom and kitchen will be enclosing a "breezeway" outside, so I have a dining room/mud room.
The train room underneath runs the squarefootage of the addition- its an old ranch house that had the square footage almost doubled. So thr train room is 26' length and 30' width. when punch a brick in thevoriginal wall out, I'll have another 10-12' of modeling space.
I do love a good pizza, it's generally an easy go to food when you Go Anywhere. Since I have food allergies, there aren't many pizzas that have peant oil or butter involved. I love to cook to.
Quiet tonight. Vegging out in front of the one eyed monster after working on the tracks again tonight. Lets set up the bar. I'll have a glass of red and whatever anyone else wants, and a stein set aside for Ulrich.
I need to develop a plan for gaping then powering the track past the frogs. Seems the power routing turnouts I used are not much good in a yard where there are a bunch close to each other. Makes dead spots when I least expect it,sometimes seems to stop things dead. Ah well. Keep at it until I find what I did wrong. Catch y'all later, J.R.
Flo, give the gang and I a please, I see RJ left a stein outside for Ulrich all ready.
Work Front I felt like a Fertilizer Sales Person today because all I sold was poop! 6 customers 4 bought yet I still only had $788.00 in sales?
Jimmy I am envious of your train room sizes! My room is 19' X 25' but I had to give up my garage to have it.
JR I like all cars but I love my Mopars. Bet you would like a Plymouth Prowler! Heard they handle well. Now if they just had a V 8.
Wife Credit Score? Sue been getting a few credit card offers in the mail but never wants to try because we know she has bad credit hisory. My daughter gave her a Kohl's Deparment Store card in my wifes name about 7 years ago with a $2500 limt. Around 15 months ago I gave Sue a Citi Bank Card and that limt is now at $2250.00 with a balances of $110.00 as of right now.
I have been working hard to get my credit score up! I am now up to 698 which is not bad. Ran her last night and she is at 740? I understand why, shows she has $4750 in credit only has a blances of $110.00 or using 3% of her credit limt. Of crouse my daughter and I take care of the accounts.
Later Ken