ELLIOT's Trackside Diner VI: The Full Meal Deal!

Cederstrand

***Jeffrey, to make sure I understand, you have numerous "sets of 2-bulbs each", running off of the one 11 volt power supply, correct? Thanks for the info. Sounds like the way to go for both the wife's and mine layouts.

Rob

Here's a simple table of some common string lengths using 12 volts as the power.

35: 120 divided by 35 = 3.4 volts. 4 bulbs.

50: 120 divided by 50 = 2.4 volts. 5 bulbs.

75: 120 divided by 75 =  1.6 volts. 8 bulbs.

100:  120 divided by 100 = 1.2 volts. 10 bulbs.

You can see how that works.

Here's how I prep the two bulb sets to go into a structure.

First I cut the set from the string and leave the joining wire intact. I strip the ends on the other 2 wires.

I then tape the sockets together with electrical tape.

Good morning, everyone.  I thought I drop in here to pass on some good news.  First, though, some coffee and pie.  Thanks.

A couple of weeks back, we heard that Tom_Bryant_MR was in the hospital after suffering a heart attack.  Like a number of us, I sent him a PM to wish him the best.  I was happy to see a reply from him this morning.  He's back home and obviously working through his online backlog.  Nothing like a happy ending.

And speaking of happy endings, how about another piece of pie?

Well when I saw the other diner was closed, I thought the economy got another one.  But when I saw its a new diner "The Full Meal Deal", I was thinking........."Ha, take that economy!!!"

I guess I will start off with a OJ.  Give me some time to look at the menu. 

I think they are calling for rain to in southwest Pa.  Better than snow, but I give that another month.  I will probably just hang out at the house today.  Might see what I can do, layout wise.  Anything to keep me away from "THE SOAPS."

Good morning.

It's 72 and very wet here as I can hear a slow rain outside. The high is expected to hit a paltry 75 today and there's a chance of thunderstorms.

Yesterday I went out and bought several strings of mini Christmas lights. I made sure that these are 20 light strings. I'll be cutting them up into sets of 2 bulbs each for use in my structures. I already have 2 pairs made up with 1 pair already in a structure. Some will be easier than others while a few will be a real pain in the butt. For some reason I find myself looking forward to those few.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      10/16/2008

Heat Index:  77°F
Humidity:  94%
Dew Point:  70°F

So Far Today
High:  73°F
Low:  72°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  7mph SSE

Through 9 AM...a band of showers and thunderstorms associated with a slow moving cold front and extending from Galveston Bay and Lumberton to Merryville and Anacoco will move southeast at 7 mph. Rainfall rates 1 to 2 inches an hour can be expected around Buna and Merryville. Winds will shift out of the northwest behind this band.

Today  High: 78    Showers likely and isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s. Southwest winds around 5 mph in the morning shifting to the northwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Tonight  Low: 60    Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms. Lows around 60. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.


 

 Well Robby what can I say? The menu has basically remained the same except for the additional starters such as Chicken Wings, Mega Burgers and daily Specials that may be a bit too Spicy and exotic for some. The Deep fat Frier has been augmented with a Broiler to cut down on the fat content! But... the Prices are the same as well as the Attitude one would expect from Floe and Zoe!! Though we have changed there uniforms. Sorry boys They are no longer wearing roller skates

Mister Beasley (aka Mr. B) Glad to hear about Tom as it's always unfortunate to hear about a fallen member, especially from something as hideous as heart disease. Tell him he's always welcome here.

Jeff: what are you going to use as a power supply? I'm curious as I'm slowly weeding myself off of incandecent and going LED as I really don't like the amps I'm drawing (I've got a host of transformers and it worries me sometimes)

Today is Wally World day with my MiL, probably look for some of those "Cherries" everyone speaks of.

Later All

Fergie

Fergmiester

Jeff: what are you going to use as a power supply? I'm curious as I'm slowly weeding myself off of incandecent and going LED as I really don't like the amps I'm drawing (I've got a host of transformers and it worries me sometimes)

Good Morning, Zoe - yep, still a slight 'new paint' smell to the Diner, but I like Fergie's paint job. Fergie, you must have some experience with painting, huh? I'll have a glass of Ed's OJ (glad our twins notified the railroad about the new location and where to ship the tanker cars), cup of coffee, and some of the breakfast special please (with blackberry jam). Thanks!

Rob, sent you a PM with a link on your wiring question that hopefully will help.

Lee, sorry I didn't call last night - I was in the Diner until about snooze debate time, and by the time that was over, it was too late to call. 

Jeff, thanks for the directions with the photo, for those of us still kind of getting the hang of this electricity thing.

I did check my wire last night that I have, and here're the types:

• Radio Shack - 12 gauge, stranded
• WireWorks - 20 gauge, solid
• LaBelle - 23 gauge, stranded (have it in 2-conductor and 3-conductor

If I recall correctly, the 12 gauge would be used for the busses (spelling?) and the 20 or 23 gauge for feeders (plus the Atlas 'terminal' rail joiners as feeders, for about 1' or less to the bus lines). How about that, Diner electricians? Would that be about right, or what would I need something else/more? I have some terminal/barrier strips that I will have at each end of a section for the bus lines to hook up to.

I'll get to breakfast while greater minds than mine think about the wiring. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau
 

A large coffee in a SOUTHERN mug, please & thanks.

***Jeffrey, thanks for the clear explanation. Hey, as long as the current delivered is less than the rating for bulbs, I would be OK, right? I would prefer to have dimmer lights in structures, compared to what some of them use to come with.

***Jim, thanks for the link.

Have some farm stuff to do today. Have a great day folks.

Rob

Cederstrand

as long as the current delivered is less than the rating for bulbs, I would be OK, right?

Good morning,Coffee please. 

MrB,  I am glad to hear that Tom is getting back on track.  (A little pun there)

Sue

Fergmiester

Chandeliers have been reinforced with grade 80 chain and... It's been Phil Proofed!

Hey!  What chew talkin' 'bout Willis?

Afternoon All...Its sunny and 59 here...I'll have a root beer float with double Ice Cream please..Thank You...Havn't done much on Railroad...I fiddled around with a old portable scanner left over from Radio Station days..I didn't think it would work but got it going..Programed CSX in to it...I am trying to find a old phone reciver cord to use on my hand held trottle I got one a Wally World but the new ones have wire to fine for my old eyes to mess with plus I don't think it would hold up...need one from a old dail phone...Well its almost Nap time...You all have a good one...Jerry

Good late afternoon of a pretty much wasted day (up until now of course!)

Sup up lads and lasses, I haven't had top for quite a while! Service is going to be slower without the roller skates, especially as they really got the hang of not overshooting the tables!

#1 granson broke his foot fooling about. (He's 14, so go figure!) That was so swolen when they Xrayed, there was some uncertainty in reading, and an appointment with an orthopedic specialist was recommended. Isn't one in his home town, so Halifa or New Glasgow (which is quite a bit closer). So today mom reshedules her brand new job, and I leave home at 7:00 to go to get them to take them to NG. Arrive NG about 9:30. They go and wait for processing while I run errands, come back, no progress. Have lunch, and run some more errands. On return (total elapsed time at hospitial just north of 3 hours) to find that the specialist won't be in today,and anyway their doctor had referred to the IWK inn Halifax anyway. Just didn't bother to tell Elinor. So now I'm back home (arrived about 4:00), and we are waiting to find out when the first available appointment at the IWK might be. Oh Joy!

Glad the menu has only been added to

But when I saw its a new diner "The Full Meal Deal", I was thinking........."Ha, take that economy!!!"

Slowly getting there on the hoist trolley for that crane, when that's done, it's the spreader that hangs beneath it, and actually lifts the containers.  I hope to get another set of Z trucks at the Truro train show this Saturday.  I guess if you're roofing Fergie, you won't be there.

Wish there was a Preview on this, I wonder why they took that feature off.

Turkey soup for dinner tonight. TTFN if I've time.

bjdukert

PC

Hey! What chew talkin' 'bout Willis?

It goes back to the original Coffee Shop and the first party when we hit the first 1,000 post. Turned out to be quite a party and Phil ended up with a  when he found out how to tell the twins apart as well as a little pinch. But we would never mention anything about that,now would we??

Duke

Ahhhh the Good Ol' Days!

Yeppers that's when we had to replace the big bay windows in the front on a regular basis of the 1st place as someone would inadvertantly get "Da Boot". That's why none of us MESS with the gals!

One would have thought it was a Mariner's Bar... Pass the hot sauce please!

Fergie

My calf muscles STILL hurt from those cramps. But no practice today or tommorow (THANK YOU COACH!!!)

 Der; your story reminds me of some wasted days I've had, and  I agree, they are agravating in the extreme and usually a monumental pain in the butt. I had to go see a specialist in Alexandria one time. I get there and sign in and have to wait a couple of hours only to be told he won't be in because of 'pick your reason' and I'll have to reschedule for another appointment in three months! I can't wait that long! I call my doctor and explain the foul-up to him and he sets up an appointment with another specialist in Lake Charles for the following week.  Well, that was in September of '05. A little thing called hurricane Rita put an end to that quick. He then got me set up with a specialist who was visiting our area. It was the guy I was originally supposed to see in Alexandria!

(Late) Afternoon, Diners - ah, I see DerJohn grabbed the TOP honours this afternoon. I think I'll have a couple of filets, since they're small and all... (anyone want to help me out with the other two that the chef fixed by mistake?)

and a nice salad, please.

Yep, I'll have a glass of milk and a cup of coffee to wash it all down when I'm done... Thanks!

Fergie, those reinforced chandaliers sure look like they'll hold up better than the ones in the old Coffee Shop did. Of course, since Chloe started having Vinnie 'chaperone' our parties, things have tamed down (a little, anyway...)

I see that Duke woke up long enough to chime in on the (ahem..) 'parties' at the former place (Coffee Shop). (More like a "mariners' party", eh, Fergie?) But now it looks like Duke is back to his 's. Are we sure the twins didn't move him along with the DIner furnishings?

Sawyer, keep those calves iced down. Sounded like it was a bit of a painful game for you (and the rest of the team).

Somewhat busy day today at w**k, but ended up a little early, which was nice. Definitely felt like fall with the cooler morning (but no frost to scrape off yet - YAY!!). I got my electric bill for last month, which was down some (mostly because I hadn't had to run the air conditioning for a while). It's that time of year when the light turns a golden shade in the afternoon - Very Nice!

I'll be at the corner booth, eating up DerJohn's money (well, this filet is probably tastier than even Canadian money, but y'know...).

Blessings and a good evening,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

Well that;s gotta be the shortest lived Diner so far.  Ah well.

I;m gonna bring this up from the last location, it;s the work schedule Jim posted. SDince I;m sure the girls look forward to quitting time as much as we do:

For everyone's general info, the usual 'schedule' for our virtual servers is Zoe - breakfast shift and weekdays, Chloe - dinner and night shift on weekdays, and on the weekend it could be Janie or Flo or (what's the newer gal's name, folks?)... But all of that is subject to change if the twins (Zoe and Chloe) need to cover for one of the other servers. The Diner's cook can fix most anything you can describe (depending on how game you are to eat it if it's a new dish). There's several booths, including one on the corner window, with a good view of the tracks for trainfanning, plus several tables and the usual counter. In the back there's a pool table and (might need some dusting off) a simple RR layout table, if you don't have company to talk with (like in the wee hours of the morning). 

Oh, one other thing - if you post the first post for a page (called the Top Of Page or TOP honors), you get to pay for the virtual food and beverage bill for that page. Zoe and Chloe will keep a tab for you, but don't get too late in paying, 'cause you don't want to have to talk with their cousin Vinnie (if you know what I mean...). The Diner gets tank carloads shipped in of virtual OJ, courtesy of our Diner Ed, who has an orange grove in his place SOTB (south of the border, in Mexico, not to be confused with SOTB as described by our Canadian Diners in referring to what we call the United States)

And just because a Diner patron is not moving, it doesn't mean that he or she has deceased on the premises. Some have been know to doze off for a few days (uh, Duke?...) after working hard at their day jobs.

If you're new to the Diner, it never hurts to fill the other Diners in on what kind of MRR'ing you are into - like scale, modeling freelance or a particular prototype, kind of layout you are designing or building, etc. We're a nosy friendly bunch, and it's fine to share how your day (MRR'ing stuff or other) has been, and we don't push religion or prayer, but if you want 'em, there are several of us who'll put in some *Removed due to coding errors...Sorry* for your needs.

And keep in mind that this is a family establishment, including some of our fine teenage MR'ers, so watch your language, or Vinnie and Chloe will have the bar soap out for ya.

Has anyone even see or heard from Elliot in the last 18 months?   Last I heard (really old news) he was still having health issues.

Fergmiester

bjdukert

PC

Hey! What chew talkin' 'bout Willis?

It goes back to the original Coffee Shop and the first party when we hit the first 1,000 post. Turned out to be quite a party and Phil ended up with a  when he found out how to tell the twins apart as well as a little pinch. But we would never mention anything about that,now would we??

Duke

 

 

Ahhhh the Good Ol' Days!

Yeppers that's when we had to replace the big bay windows in the front on a regular basis of the 1st place as someone would inadvertantly get "Da Boot". That's why none of us MESS with the gals!

One would have thought it was a Mariner's Bar... Pass the hot sauce please!

Fergie

So let me set the record straight here..........

First off, the difference between Zoe and Chloe is that Zoe has a mean left hook, while Chloe is a righty. 

This was discovered when I was defending trying to explain that it wasn't Fergie that ate all the pie and Duke simply wouldn't let it go.  Inch tried to get in between us to break it up, but by that time Chloe was sick of all of us.  I'm not sure which one of us went through the window first, but we all found ourselves outside in short order.  All I know is that faceplanting into ballast is not a good idea!  The part that got me going though was when I looked up and Gerry was just sitting there looking through the reminants of the window laughing his fool head off!

PC, you forgot to mention that Flip - from Florida, NTBCW (Not To Be Confused With) Phillip C. - found out (allegedly) one other way to tell Chloe from Zoe, but in the process of Flip finding out, he got a , and also found out about the left vs. right hook that you mentioned.

Okay, so does everybody have that all straight, now?

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

Texas Zepher

Has anyone even see or heard from Elliot in the last 18 months?   Last I heard (really old news) he was still having health issues.

Texas Zepher, I haven't seen anything on Elliott since probably around then. Maybe Fergie or someone else may know.

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

CapeJim, those filets look just the thing,I'll join you, since you're offering, thanks!  After all, it's my tab anyway.. this ought to cover it, and then we won't have to get all political about currencies and who causes what

Morgan:  Thanks for taking care of "background" so well!

Of course, since Chloe started having Vinnie 'chaperone' our parties, things have tamed down (a little, anyway...)

Dessert time, and then I think I'll call it a day. goodnight all,a nd God Bless, Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.

Hello Fergie & gang,

Been a coupla years since I posted here, I realize - been trying to actually get stuff done on my layout. Hard to do that and hang out on the forums when you've got a daytime job, and kids who need help with their homework.  I see quite a few familiar faces.   I'm still not sure what to think about the new & improved forum software though. 

-ken 

 It's "Old Home Week" once again! Tex, Ken (good to see ya) and this means we should dig up Murph! As to Elliott's whereabouts... I did senf d him an e-mail eons ago to check up on him but never rec'd anything back. Heard on one of the other forums that he took a hiatus from the hobby. Maybe I shouold give him a buzz again to see what he's up to and give him an invite. Anyway I'm still working on getting the lights on and roof hung in this place!

DerJohn: Sounds like you've got your hands full! Anyway hope everything works out for ya and if your in town please give me a shout can't run trains as of now with the main lines all torn up but I can still make coffee!

Later

Fergie

PS Sorry Morgan didn't mean to shut the doors on the old place  it was tossed around the other day and figured it was time to tear down the old place before Bergie stepped in as It was thought 2000 posts is where he likes to cut things. Gotta love those new uniforms! Providing Phil, Duke and company can behave themselves!

Evening Gang: I've been having problems with the forums tonight. It's been taking so long for the pages to load that I get a time out message. I switched to Verison hook up from the Yahoo and things seem to be working better. The page w hen I' m typing is still going off the right side of the margins. If I try and back space to correct some thing It  throws things all wacko. I think that I'll just head for bed before this thing drives me nuts.

Good Night All

Tall glass of cool lemon water, please & thanks! 

***Der, hope #1 grandson isn't in too much pain while waiting to see the Orthopedic Doc. (been there myself as a youth)

***Sawyer, make sure you are well hydrated and taking in enough potasium. Make a banana & pineapple smoothie in the blender if you have them. Unless you tore something, also suggest massage for them. My worth.

Have a good night all. Rob