Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Elliotts Trackside Diner II Locked

130630 views
3024 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Cherry Valley, Ma
  • 3,674 posts
Posted by grayfox1119 on Monday, January 28, 2008 6:06 PM

Good evening everyone!  A beauty of a day here today, but the Cape got slammed with a Blizzard yeaterday and last night, they had 14" of snow in some towns.

Today I continued on a major HD jar project, redoing the master bathroom ( see why I can't get much done MRR'g? )  Had to remove the 40 year old ceiling light and fan unit and reduce the cut and resheetrock the hole for a round light fixture and the associated electrical wiring. Tomorrow some plastering is in order ( practice for layout), and begin stripping the poly and old stain off the cabinets and doors. I hate this job !!!

PAUL: Lost your license? Ohh ohhh, it has started already, first signs after retirement, ohhh my !

MIKE: How far to live south of Interstate I-90? All you need to do is drive up to I-90, hand a right, and stay on that road all the way to West Springfield, Ma. Then you hop off the interstate onto route 5 South for about 3 miles to the Big E . From Ohio, it is about a 10 hour ride according to my friend who has a brother in Ohio and does this trip anually.

TIFN

Dick If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got!! Learn from the mistakes of others, trust me........you can't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself, I tried !! Picture album at :http://www.railimages.com/gallery/dickjubinville Picture album at:http://community.webshots.com/user/dickj19 local weather www.weatherlink.com/user/grayfox1119
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Mexico
  • 2,629 posts
Posted by egmurphy on Monday, January 28, 2008 6:45 PM

Good Evening Coffee Clubbers,

Another beautiful day down here in Paradise.   Cool [8D]  Not much doing, although we did have to make a run to town earlier for a couple of things that couldn't wait for tomorrow's normal shopping day.  I did make a French onion soup Chef [C=:-)]  this afternoon that came out pretty good.  There's some left over, in case Ryan wants to add it to tomorrow's menu.  No hot peppers.... Big Smile [:D]

Northern Phil:  I remember the hundreds of little 8 sided (I think) cardboard punch outs, with every possible type of Whermacht and Soviet armour, and the games taking so long to set up.
iirc, the pieces were square, but the board ‘squares' were octagon shaped.  Their first games had square ‘squares', but they discovered that this gave an unfair boost to diagonal travel.  Yeah, as they got more complicated they took more time to set up.  I think my last AH game was "Waterloo".  That was my personal Waterloo with those games.

JR - glad your trip to the show was a success.  Yeah, it's nice to see other Coffee Shop/Diner guys.  I saw Trent (who hasn't been in here in quite a while) at a show in San Antonio two years ago.

Ryan:  That oyster stew sounds good, and with chili powder too! I bet that kicked it up a notch or two! And speaking of golf, watched Tiger Woods in the Buick event yesterday and he was -20 at one point.
Yeah, that oyster stew was a hit here.  I'm not a Tiger fan, but I have to admit that he's a tremendous golfer.

Three years today, huh?  Yeah, I remember back then.  Another career, another house, another state.... Pre-Katrina.  Weren't you just putting tile down in the train room and thinking about starting a layout?

Bob:  Had this great post about the show last night and some of the gremlins grabbed it and it disappeared into some dark hole or something before hitting post.
I used to suffer with that until I learned to write my posts in Word, then cut and paste when I want to post the reply.  That way if I lose it, all I have to do is cut and paste again, and just redo the smilies.

Btw, excellent and thorough trainshow report. I could almost imagine myself being there.  Nice that you had a chance to meet up with Dick and JR.

Jerry:  That must be a real pain to boil all the water you cook with and drink bottled water.
Actually you get used to it pretty quickly.  We have those 5 gallon water jugs delivered to the house, and have a dispenser in the kitchen.  We wash dishes with tap water.  If I'm boiling potatos or something like that, we also use tap water (it's going to boil anyway).  But if I add water to a soup recipe, for example, it's going to be bottled water.

Any progress on layout?
No, but soon.  Over on TrainBoard they usually have a "Spring Layout Party" where about 20 people (+/-) spend 7 weeks working on their layouts.  You start off with a writeup giving a bit of history of the layout, current status (with photos), and a description of what you want to achieve during the seven week period.  Each week (at a minimum) you have to report back on progress, preferably with photos.  The peer pressure and having stated what you were going to do help to keep you motivated.  I did this back in 2005 or 2006, and that was the last significant progress I made.  So I'm going to participate in this year's event also.  It starts on Feb 1st.  I'll post a link to the thread once we get started.

Johnboy:  ED, don't you wish you were here ???  you would have to use those fluorescent red/orange golf balls.
I remember playing in Medicine Hat in the middle of winter when the course was frozen, but when there wasn't any snow.  And we played "snowshoe" golf up in Ft McMurray, using one club and a fluorescent tennis ball.

Colby - congrats on the team being unbeaten.  Thumbs Up [tup]  Nice photo.

Lee:  I'm currently working with an electrical engineer from NASA (friend of mine) to scratch build block occupancy detectors and animated semaphores for my layout.
Good luck, that will be quite a project.  They had something like that in MR a few months ago, didn't they?

Paul:  I managed to do a bit more with the layout today but not much. John and our friend Micheal are going to help me Friday night I hope.
There you go.  Definitely better with help.

That's it for this evening.

Hasta mañana,

Ed

The Rail Images Page of Ed Murphy "If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home." - James Michener
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: hillbilly hide away and campground C, M-ville,ILL
  • 2,153 posts
Posted by inch53 on Monday, January 28, 2008 7:40 PM

Evening, a barley pop please Cleo,

Forgot some news, our oldest grand daughter turned 18 yesterday. I always called her my super bowl baby, she was born the day before and we got to watch the big game together on her birthday once.

Mother taking over the comptroller's job at work, which a pay raise in the future. She's still got all her other jobs to, but their hiring her some help. 

 grayfox1119 wrote:

MIKE: How far to live south of Interstate I-90? All you need to do is drive up to I-90, hand a right, and stay on that road all the way to West Springfield, Ma. Then you hop off the interstate onto route 5 South for about 3 miles to the Big E . From Ohio, it is about a 10 hour ride according to my friend who has a brother in Ohio and does this trip anually.

TIFN

The quickest way to I-90 is 4 hours, if the traffic is good or we could head up by Cleveland [where our daughter use to live] it's 8 hours from here with good traffic. Me n Mother don't ride good on long trips and the price of gas, eating out, motels, I figure we'll stay near home.

PAUL, losing your license here is a pain anymore. A friend lost theirs and it took alls kinds of ID, n address, and still cost him $20.

RYAN,, congrads on 3 years. I join the forum 3 years ago Sunday, but don't remember when I started posting in the Coffee Shop.

Need ta get off while I've got some plat time. Hope ya'll has a gooden n stay safe

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309

DISCLAIMER-- This post does not clam anything posted here as fact or truth, but it may be just plain funny
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New Milford, Ct
  • 3,232 posts
Posted by GMTRacing on Monday, January 28, 2008 8:32 PM

Good Evening All,

     Spent the day making radiators and chasing parts so a bit of train time was much appreciated. Finished rework on the cars we ran at the Amherst show with the exception of the two that need coupler mounts drilled and tapped for which we must wait for the tap (2-56) to be delivered hopefully tomorrow. Also spent a bit more time on the kitbashed building which is temporarily in place while figring out the next move. At any rate, some pics of progress

the back of the building showing the floors and the pass through for the track

the front of the building - still need to trim in the upper left corner and make the rock flush

the side of the building showing overall placement and an idea for the row of shops and houses on the street behind the "Chinese track" (obscure New Haven reference to the raised track on cut rock).

I guess my third anniversary here was a week ago. Hardly seems that long. I will say with Ryan running the diner menu the food is much improved (and you have our undying gratitude for keeping "boiled New England dinners" off the menu). 

Welcome to the new arrivals, and congrats Colby - an unbeaten season is worth crowing about, don't you think?  Through all the travails, illnesses and car crashes I'm glad to see us keeping our spirits up. PC - your wifes progress is really great to read about as was your sons' great effort - starting even - how cool is that!

Ed all you need to do is bring an emergency Pina Colada kit when you use the ferry and make sure the camera is on the ready should you take an unanticipated river cruise, no? Not so sure I'd be so sanguine about it all, but whatever works for you is ok with me.

I love seeing the progress on the other layouts especially our spray can Rembrandts, though they all look good.

Time to see if the glue is set enough to move on and get some more time in before turn in time. See y'all tomorrow.    Big Smile [:D] J.R.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 2,124 posts
Posted by fec153 on Monday, January 28, 2008 9:01 PM

Hi RYAN- Heard an oldie goldie on an A.M. radio station this morning and thought of you.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS?   Hope this brings only good                         memories.

Bedtime for this UNretired O.F.           PRAYERS for all.

Flip

 

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Nova Scotia, Northumberland Shore
  • 2,479 posts
Posted by der5997 on Monday, January 28, 2008 9:33 PM

 

Good evening Diners; and once more the bill's on me, so order up! Well, Saturday turned out to be "One of those days" on the layout; but I've been able to turn the whole experience into "One of these days."  What I mean is that fixing an un-foreseen electronic problem has led to clearing up a lot of small jobs that were going to be done "one of these days"!

 I had left the Diner to go and GLEAM the track in the lower tunnel. There are passing tracks in both my tunnels and the loop at the mid-point of the run.  This means that there have to be sensors to detect train position on the hidden trackage.  Here's the lower tunnel, behind the facia.  That had to be removed in order to clean the track with the GLEAM method.  The shine  on the rails shows up in this "after" shot!

The day went downhill from then because after I'd got the track clean, I thought that I'd replace the original grain of wheat bulbs that showed passing track occupancy with bi-colour LEDs, as I have on the other two hidden passing tracks.  There was something not working right with the bulbs, but I couldn't see quickly what it was.  Turned out to be the relay in one of the detectors.  It took quite a while to find that out, and longer to try to clean up the contacts.  Here's the work station for that... .  Much fiddling and frustration later I determined that the contacts were irredeemable, and the relay had to be junked.  The search was then on for a replacement relay.  This is where the "one of these days" bit really started.  To find a suitable relay I hunted through drawer after drawer, box after box, throwing out, re-organizing, labeling, all sorts of things that I'd get to "one of these days".  I found a relay, fitted it up, and it didn't work.  (I hadn't read the side ...24 volts, and the circuit delivers only 11) Disassemble, look again.  Finally I came across the old "out and back" circuit for the traction set up I mentioned a few weeks ago.  There was a relay in that circuit, and it was a 12 volt one....lss, I got it installed, built 4 bi-colour LED circuits... , wired them up, sorted out a polarity difference due to miss- coded wires on one of the detectors that I had forgotten about...and everything is back to rights.  I even have new labels for the detector lights, and the turnouts. I even did labels for my turntable controls... In doing the turnout labels, I've been forced to actually give names to two communities on the layout.  So I have Mercy Harbour for the station near the Container Dock, and Annapolis Station for the community that has the interchange. (The one railroad was there before the interchanging one, so it didn't get called "Junction" is my story)  All in all a busy three days.  Here's a darkish shot of two of the bi-colour LEDs .  They indicate that the west end of the lower tunnel passing track is occupied, but that the east end is clear.  The red light far left is the "turnout power" indicator light...turn it off before retiring!

 

And retire for the night is my next thing.  So, goodnight all, and God Bless.  Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.Angel [angel]

 

 

"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: central Indiana
  • 775 posts
Posted by philnrunt on Monday, January 28, 2008 10:49 PM

        As I was getting ready to post my reply, I realized there were no "reply" boxes to click on, then it dawned on me that I hadn't logged in. Thats pretty bad, but then I thought about PaulB's license, and I felt better.

   Cederstrand- I'm not familiar with your art website, could you post it for me to check out? I hate to hear you are in dire straits. I think alot of us have been there, and it gets old real fast. Hang in there, keep plugging along and know we are keeping you in our thoughts.

    Ed- You are right, the AV pieces were square, the "squares" were 6 or 8 sided. I remember my best friend and I were playing a game of Stalingrad, and I had it set up in my kitchen. I got home after w**k one dark and stormy afternoon, and the wind had blown every piece all over the place. I re-set it as best as I could remember, beat the blue be-jeebers out of my friend after that re-deployment! HARHARHAR! He was the king of cheating, so I'm sure he got me back more than once. Sure do miss that boy. We lost him in '01.

    LS&W- Thanks for that advice on the font's available. I'll check it out. As for your yearly car total, 120,000 sounds right to me for a busy regional. My MIDWest is an Industrial road serving 2 main factories and a few small manufacturers. My count is based on the number of cars I saw setting on the sidings around the area back in the '70s. It could increase, especially if, oh, say a big regional off to my east wanted to throw a little business my way- I'll have my people get with your people!Whistling [:-^]

   I enjoyed today's weather, 40 plus and breezy. Now it's 42F and windy, and we have storms predicted for tomorrow. I'll take that over the -40 that Saskatchewan and Alberta are getting. I have experienced -26F (actual air temp) once, and -64F wind chill, and that was more than enough of that stuff for me. I don't know how you guys NOB don't go crazy at the end of every autumn, knowing what's coming next. Jeesh!

   Gonna start gathering up my re-claimed trackwork and begin cleaning it up, so when we get the hobby room ready I don't have to mess with it. I thought about going to code 83 (from 100) but don't really want to spend the extra cash. Now if I get to the swap meet in Feb and find a great deal on it, wellllll......

   Stay warm, everyone, especially you Canadians. And Ed- Get a job. Evil [}:)]

   

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Cape Girardeau, MO
  • 3,073 posts
Posted by JimRCGMO on Monday, January 28, 2008 10:52 PM

Evening, Diners! Chloe, I'd just like a custard concrete, please.

Oh, okay, cup of coffee, too.

 

Thanks, DerJohn! Good to hear that you got some of the 'round tuit' jobs accomplished over the day Saturday. Thumbs Up [tup]

I see Flip's already called it a night. Well, he gets up pretty early in the morning, so I can understand that.

Jerry, good to hear about your progress on the turntable. 

Jeff, like your new Alco, and its paint scheme. Think I have an F-unit in that (Genesis one I caught on sale a bit back)

Mark, hope you enjoyed your snow day - is it enough snow to be off tomorrow, too?

Johnboy, I hear you on the snow in the Northwestern US - they were showing the map on tonight's weather, and predicting heavy snows from there perhaps as far down as Colorado. Then it'll be coming our way, and probably the next day or so to Inch, Jerry, and our Indiana/Ohio Diners. Breezy here tonight - some areas near here had 50 mph gusts, and our wind's currently about 24mph out of the SW. Tomorrow night it's supposed to drop into the teens (F).

Congrats on making the front page, Colby - that's really great about your team's record! You're a tall fella, looks like. Bet your Mom has you get things off the top shelves, right? That's what mine would do when as a teenager I was a foot taller than my 5'3" Mom was...

Inch, bet it felt weird to hear from others that you supposedly had a gas leak. Shock [:O] Good thing that it wasn't your place. I gather that they didn't find it at the other place?

Garry, no real problem - I just have to defend my (alleged) appetite's reputation (and my stylish figure - yeah, right!).Laugh [(-D]

Ed, your Trainboard spring layout thing sounds about like when Dick is telling Ryan that he wants a report with photos on his progress... Whistling [:-^]Whistling [:-^]Whistling [:-^]

JR, I really like your buildings! I forgot - are either of the big ones scratchbuilt, or did you you start from a kit?

Tonight at train club we were working some more on benchwork, though there's only enough work and cordless drills/drivers to keep 2 to 4 people (maximum) at a time. I did wind up buying a John Deere F-100 pickup, which can fit into my layout's era. And if it didn't, I'll just do a bangup job of weathering the thing! Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

I was looking at the pics in this posting over on the Atlas forums/fora today, and was wondering if anyone knows of companies that make (affordable and) good wood 'small town' stores like in the pics here?:

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42124

I was thinking that I need some more clapboard buildings (or board & batten ones) for the smaller towns on my layout. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Smile [:)]

Anyone else notice that today is the 50th anniversary of the Legos blocks? Smile [:)] Must be the kid in me that noticed Google's logo for today and went snooping.

Oh, and with the talk about Diner/Coffee Shop anniversaries, I went to see when mine was - last November 14th (2007) was my 3rd year, which means there are several others who've been here longer than I have.

Hope everyone stays warm tonight - if your winds sound like ours, it's gonna get cooler tomorrow, for sure!

 

Blessings and shelter from the winds,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: central Indiana
  • 775 posts
Posted by philnrunt on Monday, January 28, 2008 11:43 PM

   Jim- I linked to the Atlas site, apparently thats the ONLY way I'll ever be able to get on their site...but I digress.

   Isn't that a great looking layout? It is featured in theis years Great Model Railroads issue, I don't have it here with me at w**k, but I'll try to remember to check it out tomorrow and see if the makers of the buildings is mentioned.

   You might want to see if Rix has a website, they make a line of homes that look along the same lines as the buildings in those great pics.

   They look good enough to be wood, but we'll try to find out.

 

  

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: IN/USA
  • 2,495 posts
01-29-2008
Posted by wetidlerjr on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 3:31 AM
 

Good Morning from Tipton IN ! Big Smile [:D]

Clown [:o)]

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: hillbilly hide away and campground C, M-ville,ILL
  • 2,153 posts
Posted by inch53 on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 5:58 AM

Mornin, I'll have the breakfast bar n coffee Zoe

today
Showers Until Noon, Then a Break with Mostly Cloudy Skies, Followed by the Passage of a Band of Showers & Thunder in the Late Afternoon & Evening (NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF LIGHTNING, BUT SOME THUNDER, RAIN & DAMAGING WIND).  This Line Will Produce SPORADIC 45-60 mph Wind Gusts.  High 57.  South Wind 25 mph with Gusts to 43 mph. 
Tonight
Period of Light Snow Early in the Evening with Nothing More Than a Bit of Light Accumulation.  Since the Cold Air is Working in So Quickly, Any Water on the Roads Will Freeze, So Watch for Slick Spots.  Low 17.  West-Northwest Wind 26 mph with Gusts to 44 mph, Before Diminishing to 15 mph with 26 mph Gusts Late. 

 

Found out the story on the gas leak over the hill. The girl that's living there now [a city girl], got to smelling gas, so she called the gas company, and they called the FD [because they didn't want to get out] and they gave the wrong location, but the right name for there. Turned out the propane tank was almost empty and when that happens you can get the gas smell inside.

JR,, your city scene is really coming along great.

JIM CG,, even if I'd had a leak, I wouldn't have called the FD, I'd just shut it off  at the tank till I it was fixed. You might check out Ebay, I've seen some buildings like you want there sometimes.

Best gets round, almost time to get Mother up, then bout the time she leaves, I have to get Leroy up. Hope ya'll has a gooden.  

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309

DISCLAIMER-- This post does not clam anything posted here as fact or truth, but it may be just plain funny
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 6:20 AM

Ever have one of those days when you get out of bed, and all you want to do is get into bed?

Thats me today!

Philip
  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: Lewiston, Maine USA
  • 914 posts
Posted by ModelTrainLover on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 6:41 AM
 JimRCGMO wrote:

Congrats on making the front page, Colby - that's really great about your team's record! You're a tall fella, looks like. Bet your Mom has you get things off the top shelves, right? That's what mine would do when as a teenager I was a foot taller than my 5'3" Mom was...

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

Yeah front page of the sports section but hey its the front page, and I might be one of the few freshman to get his letter freshman year!! I need 150 pts to get it and I have 125.25.

 

Maine Central rules! Lewiston High School Swimteam nickname: Loco Colby
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Greencastle, PA
  • 462 posts
Posted by OzarkBelt on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 7:15 AM

Morning all- I think I'll grab some food from that breakfast bar. It sort of reminds me of a  joke- "Two pigs walk into a bar. The third pig ducks."Laugh [(-D]

Colby- good job with the swim team. You must be better then i was my freshman year. I didn't get a letter until my sophmore year. What events do you swim? 

got to go! see yall later! 

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot Visit my blog! http://becomingawarriorpoet.blogspot.com

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: Lewiston, Maine USA
  • 914 posts
Posted by ModelTrainLover on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 7:21 AM
I've made states in the 100yd freestyle (58.28), 100yd butterfly (1:10) 200yd IM (2:29) 200yd freestyle (2:09) 50yd freestyle (26.76) and I think something else but I can't remember. So I gess I can beat anyone in this diner at swimming. Big Smile [:D]
Maine Central rules! Lewiston High School Swimteam nickname: Loco Colby
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Greencastle, PA
  • 462 posts
Posted by OzarkBelt on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 7:24 AM

 ModelTrainLover wrote:
I've made states in the 100yd freestyle (58.28), 100yd butterfly (1:10) 200yd IM (2:29) 200yd freestyle (2:09) 50yd freestyle (26.76) and I think something else but I can't remember. So I gess I can beat anyone in this diner at swimming. Big Smile [:D]

I bet i could beat you at the 500 free (5:58) and the 100 breaststroke (1:15) Big Smile [:D]

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot Visit my blog! http://becomingawarriorpoet.blogspot.com

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Cape Girardeau, MO
  • 3,073 posts
Posted by JimRCGMO on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 7:39 AM

Morning Zoe - Wow!! [wow] we've got a crowd in this early already! I'll have a coffee, glass of Ed's OJ, and some of the breakfast bar, please. Thanks again, DerJohn!

Philnrunt, if those buildings are fromstyrene (or other plastic) kits, great! But as you said, they look like likely a wood craftsman level kit was at least the start (or maybe just craftsman level weathering and painting). If you spot anything on that e-place, just PM or email me the link. Those pics on the Atlas site link I posted are the 'outtakes' that GMR didn't use. So maybe I should get that issue (though I don't usually get the GMR's, since it seems that the layouts in there lean toward too large for me to find usable). I don't think I recall any store-type buildings on the Rix site, but I'll check again - it's been a while since I was there.

Colby, sounds even better if you might get your letter in your freshman year! Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup]

PC, may you have a better day today, and a great day also for you, Rob! Angel [angel]Thumbs Up [tup]

S'pposed to be blustery today here, with possibly severe storms in the afternoon/evening as the cold front gets here. This morning the weatherguessers were even talking about some afternoon wet snow being possible. Currently, 54 F (12 C) with SSW winds at 22 mph, and we're about at our high for the day (55 F/ 13 C), but going to drop to 29 F (-7 C) tonight. Probably have fogged up car windows when I come out after w**k tonight. Better bundle up if you're heading outside today, Inch, Jerry!

Best get myself going for now. See you later in the day, Diners!

 

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape Girardeau (which might be mistaken for Chicago today...) 

 

  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Wake Forest, NC
  • 2,869 posts
Posted by SilverSpike on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 8:41 AM

Worked on the layout last night, I started putting on some corrugated roofing on the roundhouse. I bought 5 sheets of black 8 ½ X 11 corrugated paper at Michael's Arts and Crafts for $0.99 each. I spray painted them some silver metal color, dried, and then cut up a bunch of 4X12 foot HO scale sheets. Then I glued them onto the roof with some Elmer's white and will take a few photos tonight, and post them soon.

Question: What do you guys north of the Mason-Dixon do for keeping your pipes from freezing in the winter? When the temp drops below 32° F here I drip my pipes, but with the water restrictions due to the drought I need to come up with some alternatives. I have covered up the outside faucets with those insulation caps and turned off the valves inside the crawl space that feed them, but that's about all I have done.

Bob K. sounds like the show was a success! Thanks for the run down as I continue to wipe the drool from my mouth... Approve [^]

Jim did you save any dessert for the rest of us? Dinner [dinner]

Jerry you got off easy, no one ordered from the special menu while you were washing dishes yesterday! Everyone must have started some diets or something... Whistling [:-^]

Happy snow day Mark! Thumbs Up [tup]

John Boy sporting an "Egg McVinnie" yesterday morning eh! Is that the one with the eggs black-eyed up? Black Eye [B)] Laugh [(-D] Heard about that storm you were talking about, but I also heard it was going to be a short one too! Let us see some photos of your latex molds, even if they are a bang head venture! Thumbs Up [tup]

Congratulations Colby, great spread on the swim team! Oh...you're the one holding up your fist right! Yeah!! [yeah]

Hey Mike that propane scare sure made me think twice before I cleaned up my stove top last night, we run our oven/stove with propane too!  And Happy Birthday to your grand daughter! The Big 18 eh, that is a milestone!

Flash hope you don't get sick too! Angel [angel]

Rob nice site on your paintings and farm animals. Hope you and the misses are getting better soon. Angel [angel]

Thanks Garry, John Powell, Ed, Flip/Phil, and Mike on the anniversary! 

You are right Ed, a lot has happened in the three years since my initial CS post. That was one of the hardest things in my life leaving that house in New Orleans after all the blood, sweat, and tears I put into renovating that 40+ year old dwelling! But, we are better off in the long run now, Katrina was really a blessing in disguise for us! Oh, and the French Onion Soup sounds like a winner!

I like that TrainBoard Spring Layout Party; I'll have to look into that one! Big Smile [:D]

Paul glad that you found your driver's license, boy that was a close call huh! Good thing you obey the law and such while on the road! Troopers don't like it when you can't show a DL! Blindfold [X-)]

Dick after you finish up the HD jar project I got a crawl space weatherproofing project for you! Whistling [:-^]

J.R. I like those structures you have there, and they are giving me ideas about the ones I want to build for background and backdrops. I didn't know that "boiled New England dinners" was something you guys didn't like; I guess when no one ordered one that should have told me eh!

Hey Flip I like that song more now than ever! We are going back to New Orleans for a few days in May for my step-sons' high school graduation! BTW, he was accepted to LSU and will attend in the fall!

Der John that is quite an impressive electronic clinic you performed and provided! I like the roundtable buttons and switches you have there, I am trying to come up with a similar installation for my roundtable using a rheostat for varying the motor speed, I have to figure out how to attach and install the darn thing first! I have to retro-fit the 30+ year old turntable to a new motor, still thinking about that one therefore it is on the back burner project list.

Jim I saw that on Google too yesterday, so Lego's are only 50 years old huh!

 pcarrell wrote:

Ever have one of those days when you get out of bed, and all you want to do is get into bed?

Thats me today!

Funny PC, because me and the wife both felt like that too this morning....we had a late night because she pulled a double shift yesterday and didn't get home until 10:00 pm last night. Then trying to wind down until 11:00 pm...then up at 5:30 am.... Zzz [zzz]Sigh [sigh]

Ryan Boudreaux
The Piedmont Division
Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger era
Cajun Chef Ryan

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Saskatchewan
  • 2,201 posts
Posted by last mountain & eastern hogger on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 8:46 AM

Sad [:(]

BBbbrrrrrrrr.     Goooddd Moornningg crew,

Well just when you thought it couldn't get worse , well this morning as I am going to work it is    -37   and a wind chill of -52c.   It is in the area of -50c all over the province. Too darn cold for man or beast.  It's enough to freeze the n--- off a brass monkey.

Cool [8D] Ed, where are you ??  PLEASE send  some heat...............

Chloe, be kind to me and quickly give me a hot chocolate to start and then the ham & scrambled eggs with sour dough toast.  I'll be at the end table beside the heater.

Kevin and CN Charlie, how are you guys surviving this ?  I'll bet you have got the ear flaps down today.  Stay warm and dry.

I don't know why we are here, there isn't a chance that anyone will come to the museum today.  Oh well, I'm here and I guess they will pay me. A few more bucks to help pay for the WP RS-2 by Atlas that is in the mail to me. I have a couple of the Atlas Classics locos and I am quite happy with them. The RS series if anything are a little lght in the wieght dept. They would pull a little better if I could get some lead into them. But keep them on the level in the yards and they do just fine.

Cedarstrand,  Our prayers are with you and your family. We really hope that things turn around for you and 2008 turns out to be better for you than expected.

I know our buddies in the New England states and Maritime Provinces  are being inundated with snow and wind as well.  I bet Fergie can't even find the ski hill.  I'll sure be glad to see spring.  One thing about it is, I haven't seen any flies or mosquitoes for awhile.  Guess you have to look on the good side.

Hope you all have your tummies full and stay warm today, I'll check back later.

Johnboy out..............

The "Wobbly" isn't moving today (froze solid)

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

We have met the enemy,  and he is us............ (Pogo)

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 8:54 AM
 Flashwave wrote:

NOO! Don't repaint the black widow Jeff! not that!

The Black Widow is safe. It belongs to my neighbors son. He brought it over so I could photograph it.

BTW, anybody spot anything unusual on that Black Widow? Go back and look at the pic closely. When you see what's different it'll smack you right between the eyes. 

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:01 AM
Good morning.

63 and wet here with more rain expected this afternoon. High around 72.

Today's Weather for:      
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      1/29/2008


Wind Chill:  65°F
Humidity:  86%
Dew Point:  62°F

So Far Today
High:  66°F
Low:  61°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  20mph SSW

Today    High: 72    Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning...then showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.    
 
Tonight    Low: 35    Mostly clear. Colder. Lows in the mid 30s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the north after midnight.

Been working on some structure lighting. I got the south-west engine house lit up Saturday.



Yesterday I put in two billboards (still have to change the pics on them) and got them lit.





And last night I installed lights in the Ace Hardware and Jimmy's Barbershop building. They already one cheap bulb each, which I removed and replaced with Life-Like stick-on bulb, one per floor.


Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:11 AM
 jeffrey-wimberly wrote:
 Flashwave wrote:

NOO! Don't repaint the black widow Jeff! not that!

The Black Widow is safe. It belongs to my neighbors son. He brought it over so I could photograph it.

BTW, anybody spot anything unusual on that Black Widow? Go back and look at the pic closely. When you see what's different it'll smack you right between the eyes. 

EMD trucks; no handrails.   But it still looks nice.

I see i passed my first anniversary here. Didn't notice until Ryan posted how long he's been here. Bunch of old timers.

I really like JR's city scene with large buildings, and the creative transition to the upper level by way of roof tops. Neat.

Happy Model Railroading

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:13 AM
 SilverSpike wrote:

 pcarrell wrote:

Ever have one of those days when you get out of bed, and all you want to do is get into bed?

Thats me today!

Funny PC, because me and the wife both felt like that too this morning....we had a late night because she pulled a double shift yesterday and didn't get home until 10:00 pm last night. Then trying to wind down until 11:00 pm...then up at 5:30 am.... Zzz [zzz]Sigh [sigh]

Work from sunup to sundown yesterday, then go to school until 10pm, home by 11pm (got a long drive from school to home), then eat dinner, wind down, and back up before daybreak today.  Mondays are rough!  And they don't make Tuesdays much fun either!

Philip
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Euclid, Ohio
  • 2,822 posts
Posted by LSWrr on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:14 AM

Good morning everyone.

 

It's 48 right now with a forecasted high of 50F today, rain, thunderstorms, fog.  Tomorrow the high will be 22F and snow.  If you don't like te weather in Ohio just wait 5 minutes and it will change.

 

Ryan, if you have a basement you shut off and drain your outside pipes.  If you don't have a basement you wrap your pipes in heat tapes and insulate the best you can.  A heat tape looks like a flat extension cord with a thermostat on the plug end, the power runs through the "tape" and keeps the pipes above 32F.  If they still freeze there is always the Lincoln Arc Welder trick to thaw them out.

 

Jeff, very impressive!

 

Lee

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • 1,089 posts
Posted by BlueHillsCPR on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:37 AM

Morning all.  Girls, bring hot coffee and lots of it!

Censored [censored] it's cold out there!

The thermometer says -34C, that's about -29F south of the border. Another 6 degrees colder and the two temp scales will even out. Smile [:)]

This morning I had the pleasure of pumping up a tire so I could drive the car down to the shop to get a new one and regular service.  Walked back home into the wind...sure glad I'm only about a block from the garage.  That's some bitter cold weather out there but it's the first REAL cold we have seen this winter and it's only supposed to last until Wednesday and then it's supposed to warm up.  Overall I can't complain...if this were pre-global warming/climate shift days we would be looking forward to three weeks of this weather about now.  Yesterdays Blizzard was the first real winter storm we have seen.  Getting spoiled I think.  That's why it seems so cold.  Not conditioned to the cold weather at all this year.  Gee if the wind would stay down I could even enjoy the cold but when the wind has the flag whipping straight out from the pole it's really hard to appreciate a frosty cold day like this.  On the upside the sun is shining and the coffee is good!

Hope Johnboy, Barry, and the other Saskatchewanians are keeping close to the fire today!

Have a good one guys. 

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: East central Illinois
  • 2,576 posts
Posted by Cox 47 on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:41 AM
Good Morning All....Its cloudy,damp, and windy here this morning Posta turn much colder this afternoon....I'll have Ryan's Blue Olate special and Peach pie with diet Coke please...Thank You...

I scraped my coal mine yesterday I never had got it to look right..I am going to go to a truck dump and skip loader...I did a couple of coal piles yesterday to see how they would look ..I have a skip loader that Inch gave me that I am going to weather...I will check Wally world to see if I can find some coal trucks I can use..I have one old Micr-machine I weathered and repainted that doesn't look to bad..

Der John...Sounds like you got a lot of teck work done on layout...

Jim....Looks like scratch building to get anything close to the general store....DPM has a Small wooden building 2 story that could be bashed into the feed store I think..

Colby...Congrats on making State...Good luck in the meet....

Ryan....Tin sheeting sounds neat...Can't wait to see some photos....

Jeff the Rattle Can Rembrandt....Neet lighting on layout...Like that Brando billboard...

Well you all have a good day....Jerry
ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: East central Illinois
  • 2,576 posts
Posted by Cox 47 on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:43 AM
Darn!! Looks like top of the page again!...Get my apron out and take it easy on me..Please!.....Jerry
ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Wake Forest, NC
  • 2,869 posts
Posted by SilverSpike on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:49 AM

Hey Jerry, your timing is impeccable! Two days in a row, you might be near breaking PC's record!

Hey, I think Chloe said something about some vegetables that need preping in the back, better than doing dishes eh!

 

Ryan Boudreaux
The Piedmont Division
Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger era
Cajun Chef Ryan

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 11:20 AM
Best I've done is three or four in a row, then skipped a day and hit two more.
Philip
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Cape Girardeau, MO
  • 3,073 posts
Posted by JimRCGMO on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 11:38 AM

Good Day, Zoe - I'll try that French Onion soup, glass of milk, and just in case, pass me the Tums, please. Wink [;)] Don't have the cast iron stomach that my Dad always said he had.

Jerry, if that's the Skip's Ribs building by DPM, I have one of those, and would just need another one for a bit of kitbashing. I'd need to add a front porch and some signs, but that's not that difficult. Not like DerJohn's wiring projects, anyway...Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

 SilverSpike wrote:

Hey Jerry, your timing is impeccable! Two days in a row, you might be near breaking PC's record!

Hey, I think Chloe said something about some vegetables that need preping in the back, better than doing dishes eh!

Nah, Ryan - Jerry has a ways to go to match PC's record! What is it PC, six or seven times in a row? Oh, maybe it was Flip (which was how he earned the nickname...)Wink [;)]

I'll be at the window booth, sunning myself. Better than the outside with the temps dropping.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!