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Jeffrey's Trackside Diner: JUNE 2024!

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Posted by NorthBrit on Monday, June 17, 2024 3:50 AM

Good morning Diners.    Tea and toast please, Janie.

A busy morning with household jobs.    Taking granddaughter to Brownies  tonight.  In between  I shall be in the train room finishing off the street scene.

 *EDIT*    Somehow I made the TOP OF THE PAGE.  

Breakfast is on me.

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, June 17, 2024 5:30 AM

Good morning

Have fun at the golf tournament Chris.  Sounds like a great event.

 

One for David

  Gettyimages

It's raining this morning, cooling things down nice.  I'm glad it held off yesterday, but man was it hot.  

 

Make it a good Monday gentlemenSmile

 

TF

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Posted by Water Level Route on Monday, June 17, 2024 5:41 AM

Good Morning Diners.  Zoe, just coffee today.

Hope all you wonderful gentlemen had a nice Father's Day.  I did, although this was the first one with my youngest not home, so that felt a bit off.  She still sent me a wonderful message though.

MisterBeasley
So, the audience started singing White Christmas, the last thing that was playing.  Those little girls went back into their recital as if nothing had happened. 

Special moment.  That's really neat.

hon30critter
Let's hope I can stick to it.

You got this Dave.  

Mike

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Posted by "JaBear" on Monday, June 17, 2024 5:59 AM
My Goodness Chloe, I’ve got in tonight. Nothing exciting, just work.
 
 
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them. Kia Kaha.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile
 

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by Tophias on Monday, June 17, 2024 7:35 AM

Dave, I want to say it's great news that you're finally home. You should feel much better by the simple fact you're home and not in medical prison.  All the best!

Regards, Chris

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Posted by maxman on Monday, June 17, 2024 9:11 AM

 
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them. Kia Kaha.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile
 
 

Well, a little better than the first guy, but not much.  If they're in so much pain they should take the night off.

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Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, June 17, 2024 9:36 AM

Good Morning,

A nice sunny day here, should get up tp 21C or about 70F. Yesterday it was very windy so no yard work got done as my wife hates wind. The planting should be largely completed today. Expecting TFs rain tonight.

We have a racoon in the carport ceiling. I want to evict it but my wife says it has babies so leave it alone. I think it is the same one that was here last summer that had 4 little ones. It left in Sept. I plan on taking down the ceiling where it resides in the fall so no repeats next year. So far it hasn't done any damage. It can't get into the house thankfully.

Coffee time. Just waiting for the yard boss to get up.

CN Charlie

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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, June 17, 2024 7:04 PM

Hi CNCharlie,

I hope you are aware of the dangers of handling raccoon poop. It can contain some very dangerous roundworm eggs which can make you extremely sick if you come in contact with them. A mask and long gloves are a good idea.

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, June 17, 2024 7:20 PM

hon30critter

Hi CNCharlie,

I hope you are aware of the dangers of handling raccoon poop. It can contain some very dangerous roundworm eggs which can make you extremely sick if you come in contact with them. A mask and long gloves are a good idea.

Cheers!!

Dave

 

I had never heard of that, so I looked it up. Yikes! The advice is to hire a pro to decontaminate your attic. It is that serious of a health hazard.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, June 17, 2024 7:43 PM

richhotrain

 

 
hon30critter

Hi CNCharlie,

I hope you are aware of the dangers of handling raccoon poop. It can contain some very dangerous roundworm eggs which can make you extremely sick if you come in contact with them. A mask and long gloves are a good idea.

Cheers!!

Dave

 

 

 

I had never heard of that, so I looked it up. Yikes! The advice is to hire a pro to decontaminate your attic. It is that serious of a health hazard.

 

Rich

 

Good warning.  Even the raccoons know to wear masks.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, June 17, 2024 9:13 PM

Thanks all for the concern about dealing with racoons. I do wear a mask, goggles and dispoable gloves when dealing with any area where it has been as the dung can be very nasty stuff. 

Rich, the racoon is in the 6" space in the carport ceiling. The carport has a flat roof with gyprock on the inside. I have knocked down about half of the gyprock and will do the rest later when we are sure there are no young present. I use an ice chipper that is quite sharp to cut through the gyprock and as it has a long handle it can be done from the floor safely in case there is anything nasty up there. I also spray down everything with disinfectant.

CN Charlie

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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, June 17, 2024 9:15 PM

Not only is the raccoon poop dangerous, but the stupid critters poop in and around their own nests!

Another reason to get them out is that they have fleas. The fleas can contaminate the whole house. My aunt and uncle bought a house with raccoons living in the garage. The whole house was teeming with fleas.

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
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  • From: Currently in Chicago area
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Posted by up831 on Monday, June 17, 2024 11:02 PM

Hi Everyone,

Sounds like you need a haz-mat suit to deal with this stuff.  I too would recommend caution.  Some years ago there was a family I knew that had acquired a house and wanted to do some work or remodeling.  The wife was a healthy young mother of three and she started tearing up walls in the basement.  I guess there was a lot of mold and some kind of animal *** where she was working.  I don't think she was wearing any masks or any other protective equipment.  Not long after that she came down with cancer and was dead less than a year later.  So, it pays to be careful.

It is hot here (at least for this region).  97F today.  The local media called it extreme heat.  Yes, it was warm,but extreme?!  Well I guess that depends on one's perspective.

i hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day.

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by "JaBear" on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 5:24 AM

maxman
Well, a little better than the first guy, but not much.  If they're in so much pain they should take the night off.

Why do I think Maxman makes for a difficult audience??!!
 
 
More from Shorpy…
 
 
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by Water Level Route on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 5:34 AM

Good Morning Everyone.  Brunhilda, coffee and a danish please.

Charlie, glad to know you are being careful.  Probably a good thing you are going slow with opening up the carport ceiling.  If it had young up there, it could just as well come after you.

As for heat, the forecast was calling for 80 or maybe 82 yesterday.  We hit 91!  Now I'm not one who expects the forecasts to be perfect, but how can you be that far off?!  And, this is something like the third day in a row they've been way off.  Calling for 80 again today.   We'll see...

On this day in history (1775), the Battle of Bunker Hill began.  In honor of that, and for when it gets a little too warm today for everybody:

Finished up the weekend's outdoor project last night in the heat.  Might be a great night to stay in the basement.  Still haven't seen my Arizona Rock & Mineral order.  I emailed them about it last week, and haven't received a response.  This isn't good.

Mike

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Posted by Track fiddler on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 6:15 AM

Good morning

They certainly have plenty of railroad tracks and signals...

...behind the Pink Floyd Animals factoryIndifferent

Anyone ever been to that neck of the woods?  Apparently it's across the pond somewhere.  Looks like a great vacation spotLaugh

 

Enjoy your Taco Tuesday Kids, I'll recommend the porkSmile

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 7:07 AM

Post Hog!

 

One or two for the Bear

 

Man! You live in a Beautiful Country over thereSmile

 

TF

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    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 8:17 AM

Good morning, diners.  Bacon, eggs, and coffee, please.

Joking about dance recitals, thankfully my daughters were more sports- and piano-minded than dance.  Not sure how that got the granddaughters into dance.

The big news from our part of the plains is that there's no news.  It rains every couple of days, and while it's hot (upper 90s), it's not anything out of the ordinary.  Life goes on here just like it's gone on since we moved here in the 1990s.  The corn is doing well, people are complaining about their property tax valuations, kids are all making happy noise at the town's public pool, etc.

It is going to rain today, so that means more layout time.

I hope everyone with health issues has a better day today, and I hope everyone has a good Tuesday (or Wednesday if you're on the wrong side of that strange line in the Pacific).

While this isn't really a railroad signal, it is a strange crossing signal:

 

https://railroadsignals.us/signals/unusual/index.htm#Chicago_IL

York1 John       

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Posted by CNCharlie on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 12:17 PM

A cool, as in 60F day here with good chance of showers.

On the racoon front, it emerged this morning into the back yard with a kit. Only the one and I was surprised how large it is. Mom was keeping close watch. Last year there were 4 little ones with Mom close by. The eviction will have to wait. I put the car away last night due to thunderstorms which can mean hail. Have to get it out today. In the afternoon they should be sleeping so will do it then. We have always had racoons visiting our yard as we are near the river. Gave up on goldfish in the pond as they were being eaten too often.

Have the C liner on the layout. It was my bargain loco purchase. I paid only $80 cdn for it plus the decoder that I had from a previous project. TLT 5 axle C liners are $250 or so on ebay. 

I pulled out my very first loco and put it in a display case. It is an Athearn F7 in Burlington livery. I got it for my birthday in 1958. It still runs ok even with the rubber band drive. 

Mike, how is Otis doing? Glad to hear surgery will be soon as it won't heal on its own according to advice we were given. The vet we had for many years is now retired but told us vets today aren't trained to do surgery unlike when he practised. It is now a specialty. 

CN Charlie

 

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Posted by maxman on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 12:56 PM

Water Level Route
Still haven't seen my Arizona Rock & Mineral order.  I emailed them about it last week, and haven't received a response.

They do have a phone number.

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Posted by maxman on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 1:00 PM

Why do I think Maxman makes for a difficult audience??!!  

No, not really.  My criteria is pretty simple.  If I can hum the tune or any parts thereof in the shower, I probably like it.

If there is no tune, or if the music sounds like a collision between a truck load of empty cans and a truck load of scalded cats, then NO.

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 1:47 PM

CNCharlie

On the racoon front, it emerged this morning into the back yard with a kit. 

CN Charlie

Charlie -

Varney, Blue Box, Accurail, Red Caboose, Branchline?  I know they're curious critters, but ya gotta keep them outta your goodies!

John

  • Member since
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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 4:57 AM

And two became one:

 

 16-60m by George  Hamlin, on Flickr

Pick one...

 Sunset at Birdwood by Mike Danneman, on Flickr

One of these things is not like the rest:

 NYC Signals by Todd Dillon, on Flickr

I had a raccoon wandering around in broad daylight yesterday. Not a good sign. She eventually found her way into the trap. Sorry, but not sorry. That's a sign of a rabid animal.

Regards, Ed

  • Member since
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Posted by Water Level Route on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 5:33 AM

Good Morning Diners.  Flo, coffee please.

In a few hours I have to give a presentation (more of a conversation really) to one of the corporate senior vice presidents.  My boss was supposed to do it, but he is on vacation.  Not looking forward to it.  Wish me luck.

CNCharlie
how is Otis doing?

Thanks for asking Charlie.  He is doing pretty well.  He gets around on three legs pretty good most of the time.  Uses the hurt leg occasionally, but not for very long.  We got a "doggie play pen" that I put up last night.  He will need to stay in it for most of the summer following the surgery.  I crawled in it first and he investigated cautiously all the way around the outside before he finally decided it was okay to go in.  He has been going in it on his own since (we put a dog bed in there).  Hopefully makes it easier when we have to lock him in.

maxman

 

 
Water Level Route
Still haven't seen my Arizona Rock & Mineral order.  I emailed them about it last week, and haven't received a response.

 

They do have a phone number.

 

Yeah, and I've tried that too.  After going through the menu and waiting for someone to pick up the phone, the automated service said nobody was available and hung up on me.  I did some investigating last night and found on another site where others are having the same issue.  One of the people got ahold of ARM earlier in the year and found out they are very behind on orders, as in months behind.  They were told that ARM had hoped to be caught up by the end of May.  Guessing they aren't quite there yet.

Mike

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 6:05 AM

I just dropped Dianne off at the Toronto airport. She is on her way to spend a week on Haida Guaii. For those of you not familiar with the location, Haida Guaii is a collection of islands north of Vancouver Island off the Pacific coast of Canada. The were formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands. She will be spending her time on nature hikes, whale and bird watching and getting immersed in the Haida culture and cuisine.

She is staying with her sister in a beautiful modern cabin right on the beach on the east coast of the islands. They have the cabin to themselves. The cabins are built to resemble indigenous long houses with lots of heavy wooden beams and a low pitched roof. There are full kitchen and laundry facilities right in the cabin and a hot tub on the front deck overlooking the ocean.

This is the trip of a lifetime. The number of tourists on Haida Guaii is strictly limited so there are no crowds, just nature and the local people. I really wish that I was able to go but my limited mobility precludes that.

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    March 2017
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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 6:33 AM

Good morning

This week I've been studying three thick books from school, all day every day, for a state exam.  This is going to take awhileCrying

 

Attuvian1

 

 
CNCharlie

On the racoon front, it emerged this morning into the back yard with a kit. 

CN Charlie

 

 

Charlie -

Varney, Blue Box, Accurail, Red Caboose, Branchline?  I know they're curious critters, but ya gotta keep them outta your goodies!

LaughLaughLaughLaugh  That struck me as some funny stuff over coffee this morning John.  It looked like the "Fountain of Youth" sprayed across the coffee table, taking a sip while reading itLaugh 

Just had to check the keyboard to see if the (t) was next to the (d).  It was kinda kitty corner.  Those typos happen to everyone, but not too often they turn out to be funny.  Knowing Charlie, I'm sure he could find the humor in that one as wellYes

 

Well, with my raccoon story already told a month or so ago, I've now got nothing.  But did manage to get some kinda waterfowl sickness about a year ago. 

Restoring John's deck and railing, he had three feeders, and always had wood ducks and other waterfowl feeding up there.  Rubber gloves are always used when using bleach to prep a deck for painting, but got into it somehowTongue Tied

Just goes to show, stay away from any animal poop, as none of it's any good.  Don't know if that was the bird flu, but the symptoms were terrible, and lasted over a week.

 

 

Have a good hump day everyoneSmile

 

TF

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Posted by BATMAN on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 12:31 PM

Good morning from the sunny West Coast. There are 110 fires currently burning, none of them on Haida Gwaii. Dave I hope your wife has a great trip, it is a stunning part of the world.

I have been preparing the garage for painting and boy those walls need a lot of spackle.Laugh Today being sunny it is back to fence repair as I am only a fair-weather fencer.

Rapido has sent my D-10 on its way home, it was picked up by Canada Post from Rapido yesterday at 1500hrs, processed in Toronto at 1900hrs and out the door at 2200hrs.

TF, what ya taken at school? I ran into two friends who were working at retirement jobs. One at BC Place Stadium was supervising stadium staff, he had been a structural engineer in his past life, got a job as a host and was quickly promoted to supervisor, not what he had planned on but it was still easy work. The other was at the blood lab, he was a driver going between the different labs picking up and dropping off samples in coolers, he had been a history professor at UBC. 

My son was up at 0345hrs this morning and on the corporate jet at 0600hrs flying East. He sent some stunning photos of the Rockies. Last week he played a round of golf with a guy who was a previous global CEO of a well-known fast-food chain. Not sure how long the kid will be working his current job. He and his wife are looking to upgrade their living accommodations, although what they already have is pretty nice. At 25 he is doing pretty well.

Attuvian1
Charlie - Varney, Blue Box, Accurail, Red Caboose, Branchline?  I know they're curious critters, but ya gotta keep them outta your goodies! John

LaughLaughLaughLaughLaugh

Every once in a while one of our dogs will catch a rabbit, the guilty dog goes right into quarantine and cannot come into the house. The dog is most certainly covered in fleas by that point. The wife also checks for other things as well, she has a big honkin microscope that gets put to use. Poop from anything wild should be handled with caution.

Bear, really enjoyed Marillion and went on to watch a few more videos.

Just can't get going today, so it's time for another cup and a pile of bacon and eggs.

I usually get in better shape once the weather improves each year, however, it is taking longer this year, maybe I am just getting old.Laugh I usually am just kissing the pink by now, not sure I'll get there this year, however at 67 I am doing pretty good.Hmm

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."

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 8:39 PM

Evening

A Long day at the office booksSad...Laugh

BATMAN

TF, what ya taken at school? 

Hi Brent, and thanks for asking my friend.  Give me some rack time, and I'll brush you up in the morning. 

Too much time in reading glasses, make sore eyes bulge out like VolkswagensLaugh 

 

  remembering Marty@pixels.com

 

Mr Feldman was the bestSmile

 

TF

 

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Posted by Water Level Route on Thursday, June 20, 2024 5:38 AM

Good Morning Diners.  Zoe, coffee mocha please.

The meeting with the VP went well yesterday.  Still, I think my boss owes me one! Laugh He did call me to find out how it went and thanked me again for doing it.  I'm going to be disappointed when he retires.  He's one of the best bosses I've had.

My youngest got home last night from her trip to Peru.  She had a great time, got to see tons of neat stuff, and had a lot of good, local cuisine.  Her best friend was on the trip too and my daughter actually made her mad at the start of the trip by pressuring her to try new foods instead of getting food she could get here.  By the end of the trip my daughter had her converted and the friend was thankful.  Her parents were even more thankful.  My kiddo was one of two kids (out of about 25-30 that went) that the others relied on to translate for them.  It's sad more of them either didn't or couldn't use their Spanish.  Hearing her stories last night it was apparent she absolutely soaked the experience in.  We got our monies worth.

Looks like a bit of a rainy weekend on tap.  Doesn't hurt my feelings.

Cheers fellas!

Mike

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    October 2020
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Posted by NorthBrit on Thursday, June 20, 2024 5:57 AM

Good morning all

A quiet day.   Youngest grandson visiting after school.

 

Reading about Mike's youngest coming home fro Peru  reminds me of my daughter in Africa.

She was in a party helping to build a school in a small village in Tanzania.

Seeing her and others leave the airport to fly to Dubai.  They then flew to Nairobi, Kenya.    A bus took them to the village across the border.

Mount Kilimanjaro looked down at them as they built the school. 

The stories my daughter told have lasted enough to tell her children.

 

David  

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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