BATMANMy daughter was giddy when she got home after her first day on the job. The first day was all about security and meeting her co-workers. Her top-of-the-heap boss took her out for a get-to-know-you lunch. Tomorrow she is introduced to some higher security areas. She came home with a wack of keys and pass cards and a proximity tag. So many she has two lanyards. They did thumb, hand, facial and retinal scans on her.
Possibly it's just me and my paranoia, but if one of my offspring were involved in something that is possibly government and involves that much security, I think I would be reluctant to advertise that fact to anyone outside of my immediate family no matter how proud I might be of them. Just too many nefarious characters out there these days.
Mornin' folks!
Ed and Tin Can, I remember those mixers well. Only place I ever saw them was at County and State Fairs though. Only place I ever got to sneak a few of those.... LOL That may have been why I generally gained a few pounds every summer doing the fair circuit with our Guernsey Show Herd.
The Tesla Owners Club New York State is sponsoring what could be a fun day at an airport. It is the ADK Region Autocross - Tesla Vs. Corvette.
"Push your Tesla to the test on Saturday, July 23rd (rain or shine), with check-in from 8am to 9am, for our first ever autocross event. To make things event better, this will be a battle of the best of American ICE vs. the best of American EV, with Southern Tier Corvette Club meeting us there to see who can get the best time around the track."
If somebody shows up with a new Tesla Model S Plaid, it will be a "no contest". 0 to 60 in 1.99 seconds with the quarter mile at 9.23 seconds (Fastest Qualified run was actually 8.83 seconds but that car had some mods) and finished with 155 mph... HP rated conservatively at 1020! Top speed 216mph! Handling is excellent as well. Might be an interesting match up though.... Don't think my wimpy Model 3 (2 wheel drive) would come close but it might be fun to see what I would do in the quarter mile. Top speed of mine is a paltry 130mph.....
Have a good one out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good morning, everyone. Bacon, eggs, and a black coffee, please, Chloe.
Retirement means having lots of leisure time to do what we want, right? Why am I so busy doing things I don't want to do? Marriage plays a big part of it! I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'll check back in to the diner later when I get home.
The California Zephyr near Donner Pass, California:
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
In remembrance of Mel, this is a picture I took near Bakersfield, California:
California Is A Beautiful Place
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
I love the mountains way off in the background. It seems that I did not take a single picture while I actually was in Bakersfield.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
BATMANTechnology was not what it is today, I had a proximity tag I had to wear 24/7,
I'm amazed at how many people at GE would show up late and "forget" to log in at the Kronos time keeper then claim they weren't late.
Boss would point out "You used your card to open the employee lot gate, then used the card again to open the guardhouse door, all with the exact (late) times recorded, but once you got to the time clock you 'forgot' your card?"
This is what makes engineer's hair turn gray:
YES! That sandwich looks scrumptious! Don't mind if I do
Cheers, Ed
SeeYou190That is the sandwich I made for dinner last night. Sometimes you just need to go "Full Decadent Dagwood" with these things and make an already great day end with a perfectly tasty treat. I made the bacon, then pan fried the breaded chicken cutlet in the bacon grease. I butter-browned the flat surfaces of the bun. Then I assembled the sandwich with pickles, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonaise. It is like a BLT married to a Southern Chicken Sandwich. It was AMAZING!
Hi Kevin,
I didn't have anything to eat all day Wednesday, but I was doing fine until you posted that sandwich! Now I am starving!!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Evening all.
I use to be a milkshake junkie all through high school and I remember those machines. Every day on the way home from school we got our shakes. They gave you it in a tall glass along with the metal container for the refill.
My daughter was giddy when she got home after her first day on the job. The first day was all about security and meeting her co-workers. Her top-of-the-heap boss took her out for a get-to-know-you lunch. Tomorrow she is introduced to some higher security areas. She came home with a wack of keys and pass cards and a proximity tag. So many she has two lanyards. They did thumb, hand, facial and retinal scans on her. I was surprised they still used old fashion keys.
I remember going through my security screenings some 40 years ago, no computers back then, it was two three-hour sessions of questions on everything you could imagine. I think in the end they were just making sure you answered the questions the same way every time they were asked. One day it was two guys and the next it was three. I remember being pretty relaxed about the whole thing as they had asked me to take the position as a favour on a temporary basis and I didn't really care if I got the job or not. I ended up never leaving and I can't imagine having a better job ever. Technology was not what it is today, I had a proximity tag I had to wear 24/7, and it worked well, but they tried the retinal access technology and that was a dismal failure as was the hand scan. Keys and pass cards were it.
I just walked in the door from a 6.44km walk through the forest. It was getting pretty dark under the canopy towards the end. I came upon a movie set that was still fully intact. They had given notice for two days of 18-hour shoots Monday and Tuesday. There was not a soul to be found anywhere as it was getting pretty dark in there. It looked like some sort of fantasy set, it covered a large area.
There were flowers everywhere, some real some plastic. There were also hundreds of these lanterns all over the place still lit. They had flickering LEDs in them. I went to take photos and my phone died, but I got two.
Time to pick a few tunes and then hit the rack.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Doughless The Coney Island Lunch Room has been a fixture for 80 years and is still run by the same family (well, last I checked 4 years ago). No secret its the Katrouzous family (Greek heritage).
There used to be a diner in Arcadia, Florida run by a Greek family. It was called The Paradise Diner, and it had been there for decades.
When they widened Highway 17 through Arcadia, the Diner was torn down to make room. It did not reopen in a new location. It was a loss.
York1Pretty neat.
Pretty Neat is right! Glad that a simple photo of a milkshake mixer can "stir-up" so many fond memories. I think H-B called that color Jadite Green. Seems like Fiesta Ware had a similar color.
It is a shame that the general trend is toward "Big-Box" fast food and not the mom & pop eateries. My wife rolls her eyes when I bring up George's Corner Lunch where I used to hang out in the early '70s. George Papadimitriou was Greek, too.
My memories of milk shakes came from dining at the Marion,Ohio, Union Station where there was a beanery that sold the BEST pies and shakes. OK, best might have a tinge of bias in it but that lunch counter was known far and wide in the railroad community.
ERIE_829_Marion-OH by Edmund, on Flickr
Union Station and the diner is on the right in the above photo.
C&O, Marion, Ohio, 1969 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
Double post Again!!
Happened to me yesterday, too. The forum is making up for eating my reply from two days ago
Well, I'll use the space to post Douglas' YouTube video...
York1 gmpullman My grandkids might like Slurpees when they're out and about but when they come to grandpa's house they get malted milk shakes with a scoop or two of old fashioned malt powder ... Then they watch as this (older than me) Hamilton Beach mixer makes it into one tasty treat! Ed, while it's not an exact match, it is a Hamilton Beach. I think Douglas would know this place. In a town near me, there's a pretty neat little diner called Coney Island. It has been there at least since I was a kid. They have the best chili hot dogs. This is on the shelf behind the counter. This looks like their heavy duty model; it has three mixers. Same green color, too! Pretty neat.
gmpullman My grandkids might like Slurpees when they're out and about but when they come to grandpa's house they get malted milk shakes with a scoop or two of old fashioned malt powder ... Then they watch as this (older than me) Hamilton Beach mixer makes it into one tasty treat!
Ed, while it's not an exact match, it is a Hamilton Beach. I think Douglas would know this place. In a town near me, there's a pretty neat little diner called Coney Island. It has been there at least since I was a kid. They have the best chili hot dogs.
This is on the shelf behind the counter. This looks like their heavy duty model; it has three mixers. Same green color, too!
Pretty neat.
Yep. The Coney Island Lunch Room has been a fixture for 80 years and is still run by the same family (well, last I checked 4 years ago). No secret its the Katrouzous family (Greek heritage). I went to school with the owner's kids, the daughter being in the same grade and known since 7th grade, and George, the brother one year younger. I think he took over the business from his father. He must be about 58 years old so I assume he still runs it.
It's a popular place. Good food. Authentic and traditional.
Not to bother others with our common memories too much, but another staple, Ruff's Bar (aka Netties) is still popular and in the same downtown location for decades (Facebook says 1952), albeit a different owner. It was always the warm-up bar before we hit the others later. Nettie closed down early to go home. She was a grandmotherly figure and would blow a refs whistle when all of us early 20 somethings got to loud and rowdy...told us to quiet down. Its been decades now, and she's gone, but the sign still says Ruff's and the place is still called Nettie's (or Ed & Nets).
Edit: Coney Island Lunch Room is so popular it gets its own Q&A string on a Google search. LOL. Look like ol' Gus still owns the place at age 96, and George runs it. Its been there for 90 years.
John, you always spark memories and further inquiries. George has his own Youtube interview from the local paper, for those interested in the history of a 90 year old family business:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dip9TFeWWL8
- Douglas
'Evening guys. I just read the news on RR_Mel. Since the diner is in California already, here's one for Mel. A Southern Pacific AC-9 class. I think it was his favorite.
Mike
gmpullmanMy grandkids might like Slurpees when they're out and about but when they come to grandpa's house they get malted milk shakes with a scoop or two of old fashioned malt powder ... Then they watch as this (older than me) Hamilton Beach mixer makes it into one tasty treat!
Good afternoon.
It is so quiet around here with no wife or daughter and only two dogs that did not go to the show with my wife. I did something called vacuuming, which certainly is an interesting process. Kind of like cutting the grass but inside, John, you would hate it I'm sure.
With my wife not being too well I have had to take over the gardening end of things. I detest gardening though I am slowly coming around, I must be getting old as I find it sort of relaxing. I had no idea we had so many roses on the property, I am not kidding when I say I have enough rose trimmings to fill a boxcar.....or two. It has been a while since the wife has touched them, she use to never stop trimming them, they get away fast. I am a bloody mess as I have not got my head around the thorn thing yet.
My daughter's first day on the job at the new facility and she spent all morning learning security procedures. They gave her a fancy phone that encrypts both text and voice communication. I am getting a funny feeling that they are going to try and get her to take time off from University to work past the six-week contract she has. I hope she doesn't bite, though her Mom took a year off to travel all over Europe and elsewhere between University and Vet school, so who knows.
If Kevin is not too mad at me that sandwich looks like good eating, I bet they are a thousand calories each so I'll have three or four. I eat a ton when I am working out a lot. I have a bet on with my kid on knocking a couple more years off my fitness age which is 48 right now, I'm 65. I told him he was trying to kill me off to get his inheritance sooner. He said, you got it! I think I'll throw some eggs on those sandwiches as well. He said if I hit 45 he will buy me a whole case of rum or scotch, my choice. It would be nice to get it before hockey season to stock the bar for Saturday nights when the gang shows up.
I had to send my Rapido FP7B in as the decoder or motherboard is bad. I have been talking to ESU and Rapido and they say there is something not right with what is going on. ESU is back-ordered but Rapido has some all programmed and ready to go. I think for those on a budget when buying a loco you need to add a percentage for returning them for warranty work. It seems most brands have issues these days and it is a given that you will be sending at least some of them back for repairs. I still love'em over what I had as a kid.
I have another 12oz rib steak in the fridge and I am going to cook it up with some eggs, tomatoes, onions, and cheese. Then, in three hours I'll cook dinner for my daughter and me when she gets home. I have not eaten yet today.
All the best to all.
Good afternoon, diners. Errands are done, I'll have one of Kevin's sandwiches in the diner, take a nap, and then it's off to work on the layout.
up831Someday, I want to grab the wife and go on a limo tour of Napa. On limo tours you can do a lot of tasting, get comfortably wrecked, and not have to worry about the CHP getting you before you get back to wherever you're staying.
Jim, I've never been there, but my kids have taken one of these tours several times. They love going out there, taking the tours, and finding wines they like.
A while back, someone in the diner mentioned going to ride the Skunk Train in California. I can't remember who it was. I haven't been there, but I found some pictures of it. If you've ever ridden it, can you find some pictures for the rest of us diners? I'd love to see them.
Skunk train:
It's time! My LazyBoy rocker-recliner is calling. I'll try to start a movie on TV and sleep through most of it. Have a great Hump Day.
Tin Can IIIt was claimed by one of my siblings when they downsized to an adult retirement duplex a couple of years ago.
If I had endless counter space. I would be looking for one.
My entire kitchen is full now.
That is the sandwich I made for dinner last night. Sometimes you just need to go "Full Decadent Dagwood" with these things and make an already great day end with a perfectly tasty treat.
I made the bacon, then pan fried the breaded chicken cutlet in the bacon grease. I butter-browned the flat surfaces of the bun. Then I assembled the sandwich with pickles, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonaise.
It is like a BLT married to a Southern Chicken Sandwich. It was AMAZING!
Dig in and have one for yourself.
gmpullman H-B33M mixer by Edmund, on Flickr
H-B33M mixer by Edmund, on Flickr
Ed, my parents had this exact same maltshake mixer, and it was claimed by one of my siblings when they downsized to an adult retirement duplex a couple of years ago. My maternal grandparents ran a small truckstop/diner, and this mixer was part of their counter service. It still works. Thanks for the picture.
Good morning everyone.
Waking up at noon is the way to live. I don't need to be at work for a couple of hours yet, and I am free to just relax and start the day easy. My "job" has no real stress or responsibilities, so I don't even think about it in the morning.
Chloe can bring me a large cup of coffee, and I have the time to enjoy it.
Here is to a new day!
Good morning, everyone. Bacon, eggs, coffee, and then I'm off -- have some errands to run this morning.
Hope everyone has a good day today. I'll check in when I get home.
gmpullmanI believe they are, Bear. They all seem to have an allegiance to the Southern Pacific
I enjoyed that “Hollywood Outtakes” Ed. I wonder if those Navy MPs were also railfans??
I believe they are, Bear. They all seem to have an allegiance to the Southern Pacific
USN_Shore Patrol by Edmund, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
Good Morning Diners. Zoe, a large coffee in a Southern Pacific mug please.
BIG scale is something I think I would have a blast with as long as it was at a place with some size/space like the club in Ed's video. I could probably put that gauge track around my backyard, but going in circles there would get boring fast. I remember some years ago seeing an article about a house for sale with an outdoor railroad like that. There were several acres with the house and the track went through all of it. They even had a crossing in the driveway. Pretty cool.
Ray, now you have me intrigued. I've been keeping an eye on the happenings over there.
Ricky, you made me laugh out loud with your Bugs Bunny reference. I remember that one vividly.
Got a meeting with one of the corporate big wigs this morning. Not me specifically, but I'm part of a larger group of people that were hand picked to meet with him this morning. Not sure what it means, but we'll find out.
To everyone, thanks for stopping in the diner the last couple days, with a shout out to tankertoad135. Good to see you here! The more the merrier in the diner.
Take care everyone.
Griffith Park is also the long-time home, sixty-six years in fact, of the Los Angles Live Steamers club:
I remember it being featured on a now-vintage episode from National Geographic called Love Those Trains or something like that.
Great stuff. I miss BIG scale.
dti406 This is by Furnace Creek the hottest area of Death Valley.
Great pictures Rick. I would like to get to Death Valley eventually.
Looking at the weather maps this week, I have been very surprised that over 1/3 of the country is hotter than South Florida. We have had overall, a very mild Summer so far.
I had a 100% fantastic day today. I felt great, nothing has gone wrong, and everything seems just the way it should be.
Now... lets see what tomorrow holds...
Speaking of California, I have been there numerous times. While working for Harley-Davison I did a number of computer conversions and field training visits in the early 2000's. I managed to go to San Diego, Temecula, Oceanside, Victorville, Visalia, Merced, Holister, San Jose, Redwood City, Fremont, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and Novato. Many times I was piggybacked two locations in two weeks so I hit a lot of the National Parks and tourist sites over the weekend when I was not working. Spent a lot of time a various brew pubs and had a great salmon dinner at a little restaurant in Half Moon Bay. Also managed to get to Lake Tahoe while I was doing a dealership in Carson City, NV. had a great time there. I have pictures, but since we moved I have no idea where they are.
My daughter now lives in Pasadena, and we manage to get out there at least every other year, but the Pandemic screwed all those trips up. Did make it to a couple of places while there.
When we went out for the birth of my first grandchild, my eldest son wanted to go and see Death Valley, so I went with him. This is by Furnace Creek the hottest area of Death Valley, note the water in puddles in the picture, they had a lot rain the week we were there.
We also went to the Griffith Park Observator and Planetarium, a neat place to visit and it has a great overview of LA and the Hollywood Sign.
Well, thats it for California for now, I am sure we will be going out again in the near future.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Howdy, Me again!
BATMANRay, good to hear from you, don't be a stranger. Didn't you say you may be heading across the continent this Summer?
'Twas thinking about it, but doubt it will happen. Too much other stuff going on around here. I did check to find the Tesla Chargers enroute, and I would need to cross into Canada just west of Chicago to be sure of charging stations..... (I won't say anything about some places being far ahead of others on Green technology! Oooopps! I just did!) Would still like to come out for a visit... Maybe in the fall?
My son (#2) was just home for a visit from the UK. He combined business and pleasure to do so. They finally sold their house in Chicago and he had a major conference to attend in Washington, DC on electrical and battery developments (Not sure if he was just attending or was a presentor at it.) On the flight over he managed to catch COVID! That hit him the day after the conference was done. (Yes he is fully vacinated and boostered with the vaccine they use in the UK). He decided to rent a car in washington rather than sit there since had to rebook all his flights due to it anyway, and drive up to the Home area. Rented a hotel room (Told them he had the virus. They said that was ok as long as he stayed far away and isolated from everyone else). He had test strips with him and finally tested OK with about 3 days left here. I did get together with him down by Seneca Lake, outside and distanced for "lunch" while he was still positive.... Major family reunion after he was "safe"!
It was the first time he has been State Side in 5 years. Was so good to see him! We didn't talk much about a guy named Boris, but he did say that something was in progress..... (Yeah he is party to much of the "rumors" with what he does.... Keeps quiet about most of what he hears.... !) Didn't give any specifics but said to keep watching the news.....
Ray, good to hear from you, don't be a stranger. Didn't you say you may be heading across the continent this Summer?
Well, I didn't get to go to lunch with my daughter, she was on the phone with work getting set up for her start tomorrow. She is getting her security clearance finalized for her first day at the new facility.
I went to Safeway to get a few things and I tend to park way out in the lot so I don't get door dings on my 22-year-old truck. I came out and could see this old guy leaning against my truck and thought the heat had caught up to him. I asked him if he was OK and he said he was walking past my truck and the wind blew his hat off his head and through the window into the back seat of the truck. He said he did not want to get charged with breaking into a vehicle to retrieve it. He was looking a little worse for wear in the heat with three grocery bags so I drove him home. Nice guy, he was 82 and lived in a nice-looking house but did not drive anymore, he had been headed for the bus.
I had just returned all our returnables at the bottle depot and when I was checking out at Safeway a young Mom had to ask the cashier to take some stuff back as she did not have enough money. The lady in front of me pulled out a $20.00 bill to help out and I threw in my $12.45 that I got from the bottle depot. We both told her to keep the change. I feel so lucky to have never been in that position.
Time to crank up the barbecue, I bought rib steaks at the butcher.
Evenin' Folks!
Californ-I-A??? Never been out there myself. A friend of mine who was a well known grape pathologist spent the last summer of his life out there working on some diseases of grapes though. It was the last year as he became infected with a fungus that lives in soil out there. He died about 3 weeks after returning home. (sigh)
I have had some OK California wines but personally I consider them second class. Probably have just never tasted some of their best. That said I live in what many people believe is the finest grape growing and fine wine place in the world. I evidently am not alone in that opinion!
https://www.fingerlakes.org/things-to-do/wineries/finger-lakes-wine-region-no-1
Well yeah, I am very predudiced in my opinion.... LOL
I do like a good glass of wine now and then. My son nearby has gotten into the "flavored" beers from around this area. so when I go over for Sunday dinner he usually talks me into a bottle of some. I would rather have the "Old Fashioned" real stuff, but far prefer a good glass of wine.
I have been running "Papa's Taxi Service" for the granddaughters lately. The oldest is in a Summer Volleyball thing at her High School. She didn't get to play this last year as she broke her ankle and had to keep the bench warm for the season. Physical Therapist and Doctor gave her the go ahead to get back at it!