Elliotts Trackside Diner III

[jeffrey-wimberly]

BREAK -----BREAK-----BREAK - We are following Breaking News in Syracuse - The CNY Transportation Corp Security Dept, in conjunction with the CSX Railroad Police Office, have just found a stray OJ shipment here in the Syracuse NY area. It's shipping instructions state that it's for the CS. Will the owner please contact us immediately for delivery.

Thanks!

Dialing now!

[LSWrr]

Evening all,

I needed some materials to make more trees for the layout so I went to Michaels this afternoon and Dorothy (G/F) went with me.  I dropped her off at Joann fabrics and I went to Hobby Town USA and Michaels then met her in Joann's.  I spent $74; picked up a shaker bottle of blended turf, cut stone bridge pier, sheet of Evergreen sidewalks, Styrofoam cutter (110v) 1lb of sand (trackside detail), 2 cinnamon brooms, 7 oz of mars black, 400 "apples" and a box of plaster.

Dorothy spent $1,500 and all she got was a sewing machine, some thread and material.  I'm obviously a better shopper!

Ok it's a Huskvarna Viking embroidery sewing machine.  You snap material in this hoop thingy and the computer in the sewing machine makes butterflies, flowers, L.S. & W. Logos.  You draw or download images to the computer then transfer it to a memory card, then stick the card in the sewing machine.

Lee

[gear-jammer]

Good Evening, All.

Dick,  Thanks for the tip on the earthquake.  I did not have a clue.  I will see what the paper says tomorrow.  No I haven't found the book yet.  I may wait for it to come out in audio format.

Mark,  Did you know about the earthquake?

Sue

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Did somebody say earthquake? When and where?

[der5997]

Good evening Diners: 

(by Dick) FERGIE: If you think that last storm was bad, wait until you get the one that is headed up the coast tomorrow off the mid Atlantic, this will be a rip snorter  headed for Newfoundland about Monday afternoon.

  ...not by what the weatherguessers are saying this evening Dick.  Yes the storm is headed to Newfoundland, but our share is some wind, and maybe an inch or so of snow, but they don't think that very likely. So we are thankful for that. (In fact Fergie probably won't get as much wind as we will here further down the shore. "Down" in this instance being north and east towards Cape Breton.  I'm told it's because the current off-shore flows  easterly like a river from the direction of Yarmouth in the south, towards Sydney in the north.  So, in a boat going east it's like going downstream.  We are "Down the shore" from Halifax, although we are further north than they are!  Aren't you glad you asked?)

While absent from your entertaining and educational company, I've not been totally idle, mrr-wise.  My retro-fitted passing track is up and running (except for a visit by gremlins yesterday, manifesting as a total lack of power on one section of it...checked continuity of the solder joints for the feeders; thinking "cold solder joint", nothing.  Checked the main power bus from which it's fed, no faults....but today, it's working just fine.).  I've been able to add the inside guard rails that my viaduct has lacked since it was built.  Code 40 rail painted Dark Chocolate (Hey, Easter's coming up, so give me a break!...actually, I use dark chocolate and a little black as my overall rail painting rust colour.)  The joints where the viaduct module's tracks join the main layout are now equipped with blackened rail joiners, but they are, as yet, very difficult to slide on and off.  They do hold the joints in gauge a good deal better.  Furthermore, all the fixed layout track (i.e excluding the fiddle yard) is now cleaned with the GLEAM method, and that shows a bit in this shot of the first train across the viaduct since these improvements were started weeks ago. The view is from inside the hole in the wall through which the tracks pass after the doorway.  It's a closet, and I just put the camera on the track, and used a mirror to get the view aligned down the track before pressing the shutter, since I couldn't get behind the camera to do it.  Sorry the train isn't quite in focus, but the viewfinder screen showed the green rectangle, and I hoped for the best!

Gav:

absolutely lashing it down overhere

...would that be "raining stair rods", or "stotting down"? 

One of the little angels has just chucked a bag full of gone off curry all over the floor of the lift.

...the colleges in New Brunswick were all closed recently because of a strike by maintenance workers.  The problem causing the shut down was the very rapid degeneration of the conditions in the rooms, corridors and especially wash rooms because the students behave like pigs, rendering the buildings unsafe in a very short time.  (Now I'm not getting into the issue of unions and so on in this, just that the students are disgusting in their habits!)...So you are not alone.Enjoy your break, sounds like you've earned it!

Was able to get to the train show in Dartmouth Saturday while taking our granddaughter home to Truro.  Not the greatest show, at any rate for N Scalers.  However check out this High Hoe I scored new for $6.00   I'm after a logging truck anyway, and Kris suggests a scene where the logs are loaded from a clear-cut.  I think I can adapt the bucket arm of this beauty, replacing the bucket with a claw, or building a replacement arm-with-claw.  There is a pin that acts as a hinge, and I'm sure I can do a replacement.

It's getting late. Goodnight all, and God Bless.  Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.

 

 

 

[sleeper33]

Der 5997

yep lashing it down means just that.

your right students are pigs but ours arn't that bad yet they just havnt got to getting used to not having mom come round behind them. ther bathrooms are in there rooms so if they mess them up they're living with it. listening to those placenames I thought you were in Devon or Cornwall .

Gav

[egmurphy]

Good Evening Coffee Clubbers,

Another beautiful day down here in Paradise.     But once again it got up near 95º (35ºC) by mid afternoon.  And it's forecast to stay just as hot or even go just a bit higher in the next couple of days.

This is the start of the two week Easter break down here.  At this time of the year the center of the country empties out and heads for the nearest shore.  Therefore here in Tuxpan we get inundated with people from Mexico City, Puebla, and other points of the interior.  Traffic is problematic, forget trying to get a hotel (not a problem for us) or go to the beach.  So we escape by going over to the golf club.  There's a bit more activity than normal there, but still pretty quiet.  Fran and I took the first of a series of golf lessons this afternoon, while the kids (ours plus two nieces) spent the afternoon in the pool.  Nice way to kill the afternoon.

Garry:  ...you like giving us a bad time about "Paradise" and playing golf an all that stuff, eh.

I have to do that now while temperatures are still bearable here and you guys are still shoveling.  Soon the temps here will make it seem more like Hades than Paradise.  Then you'll have your revenge.     

Seriously, I'm glad you like where you are.

If I were choosing in a vacuum we would be up in the mountains or the highlands somewhere, rather than down here on the Gulf Coast.  But we didn't choose in a vacuum, and there were a lot of personal issues that entered into the equation.  But in the grand scheme of things it's probably working out okay being here. 

If you have the time for it, take a look at the thread pertaining to "existential issues". I'm curious of your opinions of it.

I went back to the thread only to see your comment.  I didn't have much interest in the thread from the start.  Once I read his original post : "It has struck me, being a jerk, bleeding heart liberal ......, that there is a dark side to model railroading.........., that prototype railroad is hauling coal mined by miners in one of the poorest areas of the country, under working conditions that are horrific for most people, yet the model glorifies the prototype.  Does this matter?"  My answer (which I didn't bother to post) was ‘No, it doesn't matter.' I knew the thread would go way off track and decided to give it a miss.  But since you asked.

Dick:  Out of OJ !!! When are the Valencia due? 

Never, we don't grow Valencias, even though they are the most common type in the US.  And I keep telling you, guy, OJ shortages are caused somewhere in the middle of the supply chain.

Right now I am going to go fix a coconut rum cooler...

There you go, that ought to put you in  Veracruz frame of mind. 

JP:  Do you think I can have a slice of the pie, please?

Of course!  Coming right at you, packed in dry ice.  Do they still make that stuff?

...have just found a stray OJ shipment here in the Syracuse NY area. It's shipping instructions state that it's for the CS.

See!!  Told you it wasn't at this end. 

Lee:  Ok it's a Huskvarna Viking embroidery sewing machine.  You snap material in this hoop thingy and the computer in the sewing machine makes butterflies, flowers, L.S. & W. Logos.  You draw or download images to the computer then transfer it to a memory card, then stick the card in the sewing machine.

Great, now we can get logos done for the "Elliott's Diner" group.

derJohn - nice to hear an update from you.

That's about it from down here this evening.  Catch up with you tomorrow.

Hasta mañana,

Ed

[Hoople]

Mark,  Did you know about the earthquake?

Saywhat?

Earthquake? When? Where?

 

[sleeper33]

 5.5 off the coast of wa. even I heard about it

Gav

[Cox 47]

Just stopped in for a Diet coke before hitting the sack....Jerry

[New Haven I-5]

 Chole, please give me a cofee.

[grayfox1119]

Any coffee left in the pot? No? Ohh well, time for bed anyways.

DER JOHN: Glad to hear that the storm passed well off the coast of NS, we missed it down here also as it passed 100 miles off the coast, just flurries here. You might have a loose connection somewhere, cold solder connections don't go away, but loose connections  make and break with every little bump of the table.

GAV: Tea? What tea? Ohh, you mean that brew that they are serving tomorrow to celebrate Evacuation Day in Boston?

ED: Middle guys huh? Lets see now, what states lie between Mexico and New England? Do I see a few guys running for the door?

SUE/HOOPLE: You guys didn't hear about the 5.4 EQ off the coast of Oregon on Saturday about 10:30am PT I believe. Check the earthquake data reporting system online, it can show you all the data and pinpoint the center. Gav heard the news in England, it made the TV news here, and you guys didn't know anything about it? NOT GOOD!! I think your early warning system people need to be talked to.

HOOPLE: Where is that Bigboy? Lost with our shipment of OJ probably!!

Gas hit $3.14 here today, I expect to see $3.50 by Summer and it could go as high as $3.75 by August.

Did any of you guys watch the History Channel tonight by any chance?

Bon Soir,

[sleeper33]

 Grayfox

 I'll give you that 1 about the tea.

We'll be back one day

 cheque please girls see you all in 4 days

Gav

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning from Tipton IN !

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 62 degrees here with cloudy skies. Expecting a high of 82 this afternoon with mostly cloudy skies and windy.

Today's Weather for:      
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      3/17/2008

Wind Chill:  61°F
Humidity:  76%
Dew Point:  55°F

So Far Today
High:  65°F
Low:  62°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  29mph SSE

Important Message
    
Lake wind advisory in effect until 1 AM cdt Wednesday.    

Today  High: 82    Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Warmer. Highs in the lower 80s. Southeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.    

Tonight  Low: 68    Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 15 to 20 mph.    


 

[LSWrr]

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Gav, I saw your tea shipment in the hump yard Saturday in a center flow dump bottom hopper, it should be in Boston Tuesday.

HA!  Let's have a little design contest!  Make a logo for the Diner and we shall vote to decide the winner.  I'll take the design, convert it to a PNG file and ask my GF to embroider patches or hats or something.  Good idea ED!

5.4 Earthquake, that's kid's stuff we get them here all the time.  Last one we had was 20 miles NE of my house.  You just get a glue gun and glue all the nick-knacks to the shelves.  Not only does this help in an earthquake but you can dust your house with a leaf blower.

Lee

[rtraincollector]

Morning all Happy St. Pattys day to you all. Not to much happening today getting ready for work talks to you alls later

[gear-jammer]

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

  

I am still waiting for the news to mention the earthquake.  If it is off Oregon, that explains the lack of concern.

Diesel prices in our area are at $4.09.  A friend said that he paid $4.40, so we are off the charts.

I need to get ready for work.

Sue

[New Haven I-5]

 Omg! I forgot today is St. Patties Day. Wear green or you'll get pinched!

[Cederstrand]

in a Union Pacific mug, please & thank you!

Does a 5.4 earthquake unsettle the wee little people on a layout?

Rob

[Hoople]

in a Union Pacific mug, please & thank you!

Does a 5.4 earthquake unsettle the wee little people on a layout?

Rob

Not sure, but that 7.2 one a couple years back did...

[Cox 47]

Happy St. Patricks Day all....its cloudy and cool here posta start raining tonite and weather guesser says up to 3+ inches....I'll have a sasauge sandwitch and coffee please...Thank you...My mother in law is celebrating her 80 th birthday today...

I did some more work on the fish shack over the weekend...I had the HO plans in the new RMC copyed 1/2 size then glued them to a Walmart "for sale' sign then cut it out and glued it together..I'm am finding a photo shows up my crude modeling..I see somethings I need to work on It amazes me I look at something and think it looks pretty good then take a photo and see were my modeling needs to improve




Well you all have a good one...Jerry

[JimRCGMO]

Top o'the Morning to You (Not to be confused with the Top of the Page)! Zoe, I'll have a glass of Ed's OJ (now that they've found the tanker cars),

 

cup of coffee,

 

and a green waffle or two, please.

 

Man! Sorry I missed Jeff's pineapple BBQ chicken yesterday, they looked yummy! Sorry for not stopping by the Diner over the weekend, and it looks like everybody was chatty while I was out. Lots o'pages to catch up on...

PC, first off - congratulations on your news with the wife and son. That is terrific! (Rom. 8:28) Yep, I'd be bragging on your surgeon too if I were you. Do let us know for the Christmas cards, too. Wonderful news, indeed!

And it's a special day if Bill T. makes it in twice in the same day. Nice shot of that NKP station, also. Maybe you're getting ready for some trainfanning now that you've retired?

RT, sorry that you need to move again - never one of our favorite things. Is there still a possibility of that VA job opening up for you, or is it in VA(the state)? Good idea to keep a few of the trains out until moving day.

Jeff. sounded like you get one thing fixed on the car and another decides to break on ya. Hope you get the new thing fixed, and don't have any other stuff to take it to the shop for. Remember to check that plastic plate every so often for wear (but I'm sure you would be doing that anyway). That's great that your Dad is spotting you the repair money. How big is his lawn?

Paul, hope things with the blades went well (and that they'll come off smoothly the next time you need to do that). That 7.5 RR keeps you pretty busy, sounds like.

Rob, sounds like you're enjoying those Tech II's pretty well, huh? Amazing what such a simple upgrade will do for the running o' the trains. After looking at the photo, I think I have one like those.

Gav - when you had that coffee over this side of the pond, was it a Starbucks? Theirs is way stronger than I like, so I usually get a mocha or with something in it (even add water sometimes), so I don't get totally wired.  Oh, I just checked your job, and I don't envy you that task (especially on the weekends...). Of course, I'm sure British students are more well-behaved than American ones, right? Hope you have en enjoyable (and uneventful) rest of the break there.

At least you found the OJ. i'm still waiting for the shipment of tea I ordered. Last i've heard it was in Boston

Gav

ROTFL! Love your sense of humour. I would think you might want to re-order, but through another shipper this time. As for coming back, not sure if they'd want the 'colonies' after the way we've managed them...

JR, sorry to hear about the ignition switch problem putting that car out of commission. Hope you can get parts and fix it quick enough for your next event.

JP, hope you and the girlfriend had a great dinner. Whose birthday? 

CN Charlie - how's your new caboose running now?

Terry - I haven't been to the post office since last Thursday, but will check today (it's probably in and waiting for me to get myself down there...) What are you using to make your chain link fences? I have some of the Walthers stuff that I haven't assembled. Other MRR club members said it's not a piece of cake to put those together. I figure my Bar Mills wood fences will be much easier.

Ed, you might be better off getting up earlier, so at least you're on the last hole or two by the time it hits those high temps. Of course, if you like heat stroke, go ahead. (Just kidding there, wouldn't want that for anyone) You need Dick to send you down some of that snow he has left (if he still does), to help cool you down there.

Dick, you mean there is an end to the HD list tasks? Good to hear you're about there with that one. How many more to go?

Uh, Lee, I'd have to agree that you got the better bargain (though I'd bet Dorothy might see it otherwise; we just won't tell her...). Heck, for what she spent, you could've bought a couple of really nice locos, a DCC system and had change left over for some more scenery! At least it will help her embroider some LS&W official shirts for their employees to wear. I like your housedusting idea, too, even though I don't have a leaf blower. (Hmm, might check prices on a glue gun and one of those come payday...)

Nice photo of the viaduct, DerJohn - it makes it look really long from that viewing spot. Nice High Hoe - and best of luck on getting the replacement arm made (and getting a logging truck or two). Hope your gremlins get tracked down soon.

 

Does a 5.4 earthquake unsettle the wee little people on a layout?

Rob

Are ye talking about the leprechauns, laddie?

This past weekend I got in my Glacier Gravel kit (Friday), went to our church singles progressive dinner (those things are just too tempting - gained 4 pounds) Saturday (and tasted Key lime pie (PC - those things are tasty! ). Sunday was church, twice - a friend was getting baptized at the '5:01 Remix' service (it's the service Sunday evening for the 20 & 30 somethings, but they allow us older types to come ). The baptismal pool is behind the sanctuary platform, so they had a video camera showing the people being baptized. A nice thing for the friend was, her mother came to the service, and when the friend was asked if she had something to say, she spoke for a while and that must have touched the mother's heart (their relations hadn't been the best previously). The friend and her mother went out for dinner after the service, and apparently had a good, healing talk.

Okay, I'm getting a bit long-winded here, so before I take up a whole page by myself, I'll get to my St. Patty's Day waffle and coffee.

 

Blessings,

Jim o'Cape

 

 

[Paul W. Beverung]

Hi Gang: I just dropped in for a minute and a cup of coffee. Not much going on so far today. Mary Ann has a Dr appointment at two so we'll be there for a bit of the afternoon. We have an appointment with the new operators of our gas well tomorrow. I need to talk to them about the production since they took over. It's about half of what it was with Shell. That hits the MRR money.

Der that Cat excavator is used for log loading. It is equiped with a graple in place of the bucket.

Well I have to get out and let the cattle into the pasture by the UP, then put out some hay. Besides the coffee is gone.

See you all later. 

[pcarrell]

St. Patty's day, huh?  Well, Hope everyone has a safe and happy one. 

I'll be in work and school all of my waking hours today, not that St. Patricks day means anything to me anyways.

Supposed to be pretty nice today for the most part, but rain is going to move in later.  It's OK though because I'd rather rain then snow!

My wife is calling to set up the appointment with our surgeon today to see about helping out our son.  We'll have an appointment later this week I assume to go over the details.  I sure hope this all works out!  It could mean a huge change for my son! 

Oh well, I'm off!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff. sounded like you get one thing fixed on the car and another decides to break on ya. Hope you get the new thing fixed, and don't have any other stuff to take it to the shop for. Remember to check that plastic plate every so often for wear (but I'm sure you would be doing that anyway). That's great that your Dad is spotting you the repair money. How big is his lawn?

You know how it is with old cars. Mine will be 14 years old this year. I'm glad my father is footing the bill for the repairs. His lawn is 5.5 acres.

Took the car to the shop this morning and left it with them. It should be ready sometime tomorrow. The price tag is about $205. The head man there said that GM makes 6 different types of ABS master cylinders. Five of them are relatively easy to work on. The sixth one is a pain in the butt  to bleed. He raised the hood and looked at the master cylinder, groaned and said 'I should have known you'd have the sixth type'. He then laughed and said not to worry, they'd get it done. 

[pcarrell]

Just gotta throw this out there......

Ya know, there have been some really great layout shots around here lately!  I mean besides Jeff's daily treat!

Great stuff folks!

[grayfox1119]

The top of the marnin to all ye Irish today, may the wind be at your backs and sun in your faces, and may you be in Heaven 2 hours before the Devil knows your gone!!

The Bathroom projects are DONE !! Yippeee !!!  The wife is happy, I'm happy, the major projects for this Winter are DONE. Of course there will always be outside work to do every Spring, Summer and Fall, but most of them are never major in scope.

GAV:  I have news for you lad, you are back, there are so many people here now in New England from England working in many industries, I hear the accents in every store it seems I go into. I love it, I have so much fun with the ladies and gents. We have many Auzzies here also. They must love our Winters with the snow at the holidays, the bright colors of Fall, the warm ocean waters in Summer on the sandy beaches of Cape Cod, the great skiing in the mountains just an hours drive north, then you can take the CAT from Portland and go see Fergie and John in beautiful Nova Scotia and the Cabot Trail. And there are MRR hobby stores on every street corner.

LEE: Yes, you live on a fault line that is perhaps more destructive tahn San Andreas. The infamous New Madrid fault line. That one is overdue, and it will do some real serious damage when it lets go. The last time it went, 1830's I believe, the Mississippi river changed it's route in several areas and it was felt all the way to Boston.

JIM: Yes, the HD jar list does get low at times, but women are always seeing something new that they want to change, and that always means run and hide for the men, just ask Fergie and Der John and the rest of the married men.

JEFF: 5.5 acres huh, I think I would invest in a few goats or sheep. You also get some great "by-products" that can rake in the $$ for MRR use.

?: Have any of you guys seen the new Pacifics from Roundhouse ( Athearn )? Do any of you have one? If so, what are your comments on them?

TIFN

[Cederstrand]

refill, thanks!

[Ya know, there have been some really great layout shots around here lately!  I mean besides Jeff's daily treat!]

Just looking at Jerry's fish shack shows what an effective approach that is to creating a distinctive model.

Time for some tough choices here again. Considering selling off the last of my diesel locos (except for the Kato 90/43MAC), to cover financial needs. Wish a painting would sell instead, but need the cash. Might have to thin out my steamers as well, but will keep all the best ones. Will also look at selling a few models I won't need on the layout. Perhaps one day things will turn around, but right now I'm feeling completely crunched. Spent over $200 on one pickup load of hay today. I hope it will last one week...OUCH!

Back to work here. Rob

[SilverSpike]

Afternoon folks! And Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Erin go brea!

Sorry for being out a pocket for the past three days, but been busy playing "Mr. Mom" and keeping all the kin folks well and rested up over the weekend. Ben and Monique are both better now, thanks again for all who thought of them!

So, Friday I did get to put in about 4 hours in the train room and built the Walther's Background Structure and will call it a Cold Storage Facility, just have to come up with a business name still.

Walther's Background Structure - Cold Storage Facility

These are some structures that I build when in my teens in the 1970's and have been boxed up for 35+ years, I just set them out to see what they look like in the "city scene" area for a scene test.

Old City Structures from 1970's layout

Old Passenger Station from 1970's layout

Now time to catch up from page 44 with all the chatter in the Diner....

Paco is doing great too, and Jim there was no cast or support, just a set of stitches that will need to be removed. He did get some pain meds and some antibiotics; he is still limping around but looks better since the surgery.

Glad you like Jazz Jerry, it's still alive and well in ole N'Awlins!

Hey Bill, nice depot photo from Hillisburg, IN! Oh, and the NKP signal gang from 1947.

PC all I can say is "...ain't no mountain high enough" and congratulations on the wonderful news for you and your family! And speaking of Pikes Peak, I will be attending a conference in Denver next month. And thanks for the Indy Ortho hospital doctor tip!

Alex thanks for the You Tube links, great steam action there.

RT moving is never a fun venture until you get settled into the new location! Good luck with the move again!

Jeff I see you have a nice collection of You Tube videos too! Kewl!

CN Charlie, it was Paco's left hind leg knee, the joint kept getting out of the socket the surgery put in a piece of material to keep it from popping out again.

Gav farthest east I have been of North America is 100 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Ocean. Looking forward to making it your way in about 5 years, that's when Ben will graduate and he wants a trip to Europe for this graduation present....

Dick thanks for the metallurgical warnings. That is a real big problem for rebuilding folks in New Orleans since Katrina, people been stealing aluminum siding, copper plumbing, brass lamps, wrought iron fences, etc.... architecture artifacts, etc... And congrats on finishing up the projects around the house.

JR sounds like a fun trip, and FL in the 80's is nice too!

Der nice pic from the top of the tracks! And thanks for the update!

Lunch and Dinner Specials

(Courtesy of Drago's Restaurant ~ New Orleans)

Starters

SHRIMP & CORN BISQUE

STUFFED ARTICHOKE

CHARBROILED OYSTERS

Entrees

HERRADURA SHRiMP

PORTABELLA AND BEEFTIPS

CHICKEN BORDELAISE

Desserts

Hot Brownie A La Mode

Spumoni Ice Cream

 

Bonne Appetite