Elliot's Trackside Diner V, at the diamonds

[jeffrey-wimberly]

let me know what you think, how can it be improved. Thanks  

It's lookinhg good so far. The only thing I really have an issue with is track right at the edge of the layout. It should be avoided if at all possible.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 75 and cloudy with drizzle. The high should be in the mid 80's and there's a good chance of rain.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      8/20/2008

Heat Index:  79°F
Humidity:  87%
Dew Point:  71°F

So Far Today
High:  75°F
Low:  75°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  5mph ESE

Now through 06:00 AM CDT August 20, 2008
    
Through 6 AM...numerous showers and thunderstorms will continue to move northeast across Tyler...Hardin...Jefferson counties in southeast Texas...and from Sabine Pass to High Island out 60 nautical miles. Within the stronger storms...expect occasional cloud to ground lightning...brief gusty winds of 25 to 35 mph...and heavy rainfall of one to one and a half inches per hour. Elsewhere across the remainder of southeast Texas...central and southcentral Louisiana...patchy light rain will amount to less than a tenth of an inch per hour.    

Today  High: 85    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
    
Tonight  Low: 72    Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

  

Jim, thanks I was disappointed in that IHC model, there were more flashing points than needed.  Small flat circles with no sprue touching the model, I think each wall had 4 and the roof alone had 6.  I painted it to match my Great Uncle Gilbert's Swan Creek switch tower in Toledo, OH.  If you look in my "other albums" on my website you can see some kid climbing the stairs to the tower (that's me back in the early 70's).

 

Rob, I'm glad the coupler swap went well.  Those are the simplest knuckle couplers to use.  If you convert a Bachman car you will need to twist a drill bit in the hole a couple times, but they go in just as easy.  I saw W's has the portable rest room and a crew wagon on sale this month in their flyer for the German circus wagons.

 

Oscar Myer Hotdog box car: I saw one last night in an old B&O (1950) movie a friend loaned me.  I thought those were only a marketing ploy by Tyco!!!

 

I've been invited to be a guest speaker at the local MRC/NMRA Division 4 meeting in January 2009.  They asked for a 45 minute presentation on rail road bridges and the Coast Guard, complete with power point. I'm glad they gave me some lead time.

 

Another nice day here, High 79, wind ENE 13 Kts. AC is off and the windows are open.

 

Lee

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Oscar Myer Hotdog box car: I saw one last night in an old B&O (1950) movie a friend loaned me.  I thought those were only a marketing ploy by Tyco!!!

Billboard reefers were a common site on US railroads during the 20's and 30's. I'm not sure what year the use of billboard cars was banned, sometime during the 40's I think. There are other old movies out there (can't remember the titles) in which you can catch glimpes of these rolling billboards, including the Oscar Meyer cars.

[Cox 47]

Good Morning all.....Its partly cloudy and 65 here this morning....I'll have biscuits and gravey with coffee please...Thank You...

Garry..Sorry to hear about your heart problems...Glad that you are doing better and are home..Take care of yourself..You are in my thoughts and prayers....

I got tank battery mostly finnished yesterday need to weather it today but don't know how much time I'll have as service is coming to work on my power chair this morning and don't know how long that will take...Also got the 2nd door in Rix kitbash used razor saw for the long cuts and it made short work of it...

You all have a good one....Jerry

[pcarrell]

Oscar Myer Hotdog box car: I saw one last night in an old B&O (1950) movie a friend loaned me.  I thought those were only a marketing ploy by Tyco!!!

Billboard reefers were a common site on US railroads during the 20's and 30's. I'm not sure what year the use of billboard cars was banned, sometime during the 40's I think. There are other old movies out there (can't remember the titles) in which you can catch glimpes of these rolling billboards, including the Oscar Meyer cars.

1933 - Billboard reefers outlawed as a violation of the Anti-Trust Act.

1938 - By this time the billboard reefer was virtually gone from the rails. 

Strangely enough, all wood underframes (1940) and Archbar trucks in interchange service (banned from interchange after 7/1/40) lasted longer!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

An oddball type of reefer that appeared as a 'one of' in the 30's was nick-named the 'Depression Baby'. It was made by the North American Car Company. It was a one-of-a-kind, four-wheeled ice bunker reefer intended to serve the needs of shippers that didn't generate sufficient product to fill a full-sized reefer. NADX #10000 was 22 feet long, all-steel construction and resembled the forty-and-eights used in Europe during WW I. The prototype weighed in at 13½ tons and was outfitted with two 1,500-pound ice bunkers, one at each end. It was leased to Hormel and saw service between Chicago, Illinois and the southern states. It failed to gain acceptance with the eastern railroads and no additional units were built.

[C&O Fan]

Morning All !

 

Hope you are feeling better Gary !

Do the Doctors have you doing any special exercises

 

I finished my Passenger station last night you can see it here

http://cs.trains.com/forums/1509431/ShowPost.aspx

I'll be in the back booth join me if you like

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Right now the weather here is of the liquid variety. We've gotten 1/2 an inch in the last two hours and expect more.

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

I've read the about the billboard reefers but forgot what year they were banned from rail service.  This reefer I saw in the movie was a 40 or 50 foot wood side reefer pulled by a B&O freight train in Toledo near the CUT with an E9 leading a passenger train on an adjoining track.  The reefer was well weathered but you could distinctly see the hot dog icon on the upper left of the car.  If I can run the DVD through my computer and do a screen capture I'll post a picture.  Back in the day my Mom would buy me locomotives and rolling stock for Christmas and my Birthday but her resolve was to buy me HO stuff she considered "cute", hence the collection of Hershey, Hormel, and Gerber's reefers in my wall display and not my yard.  Maybe with more research some of those could come off the shelf?

I did get a good laugh out of one of the extras that ran in the movie; It was a B&O passenger train running from Detroit-Toledo-Cleveland-Florida to take collage kids to Florida for 2 weeks spring vacation for them to visit museums and historic land marks in the Ft Lauderdale, Miami and Key West communities.  I think they should have called it the SPRING BREAK KIDS GONE WILD PARTY TRAIN!

Lee

[SilverSpike]

Morning foks!

Lee those are some great shots you posted of the layout, nice long coal drags too!

Be careful Morgan, many transportation organizations are on a heightened state of awareness these days.

Jeff nice pics from the "other side of the tracks" on the layout!

Duke continues his daily fix of great model railroad pics!

Garry hope you are feeling better real soon.  Thoughts and prayers continue for your recovery.

For those following the status of my dad his test results are supposed to come in today so we will know more this afternoon. Thanks again for all of you who have kept him in your thoughts and prayers. Your love and kindness is apreciated more than you will ever know!  

Ryan - my prayers for your father. Hope the tests help.

Thanks J.R.!

Ryan, praying for your Dad!

Thanks PC!

Best to all on sick call and those recovering

Thanks Duke!

Ryan, I may have missed mentioning it yesterday, but your Dad's on my list also. Any new word on him?

Thanks Jim!

To Ryan, Jeff, Gerry,

  From the Trainsrme1 family: Our thoughts and prayers are with you, May these prayers reach and grace you and your family.

        Much family love from us to you and yours-

                                                          Trainsrme1

Thanks Trainsrme1!

 You all have a great day!

---

Well what do we have here, TOPS honors this morning!

Chloe, here's the CC....belly up folks.

[Cederstrand]

in a SOUTHERN mug, please. And how about a Ryan's Special Grilled Salmon with Garlic Mashed potatoes, too. Thanks!

***TrainsRMe1, looks good to me. And who doesn't love Union Pacific.

***Lee, that presentation sounds like fun, providing you know your stuff.

***Terry, EXCELLENT!

Made a hay & feed run this morning. Still waiting on the tractor delivery. If it isn't here by evening, I'll drive the hay out to the front pasture in the truck. Trying to work up enough energy now to start that deck expansion out front. Not much else to report on.

Have a good day, all. Rob

[ModelTrainLover]

Colby, Nope, the layout continues to be at a standstill.  Life keeps getting in the way.  Working more has allowed me to make some purchases that will make nice projects this winter though (if time allows).

 

 Well let's hope that old man winter will help you out a bit and make some time for you. 

Hey everyone, I can say that from a 15 year old point of view I'M RICH!!!!! Thanks to some money I've been saving from my lifeguarding job which is now done for the summer. 

As for the layout well it's done for now I still need to add the finishing toutches to the coal mine and after that run trains, keep the tracks clean and wait for christmass and the layout will get a make over not to menchion the paper buildings will be replaced, rolling stock roster lengthend and plastic wheels replaced with metal ones.

A root beer in a Maine Central mug and the Maine Baby shrimp basket. 

[bjdukert]

Afternoon all

Terry Very nice!!!!!

Ok here are a few more

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/bjdukert/NORTHLANDZ/?action=view&current=NORTHLANDZ029.jpg

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/bjdukert/NORTHLANDZ/?action=view&current=NORTHLANDZ031.jpg

How is this for a control panel and Rob notice what kind of power pack is used the most???

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/bjdukert/NORTHLANDZ/?action=view&current=NORTHLANDZ105.jpg

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/bjdukert/NORTHLANDZ/?action=view&current=NORTHLANDZ106.jpg

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/bjdukert/NORTHLANDZ/?action=view&current=NORTHLANDZ107.jpg

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b350/bjdukert/NORTHLANDZ/?action=view&current=NORTHLANDZ108.jpg

That's about it

Best to all on sick call and those recovering

Talk to you later

Duke

[JimRCGMO]

Afternoon, Zoe! I'll have that Grilled Salmon that Ryan's having on special today. Smells good - oh yeah, and a RBF, naturally. Thanks, Ryan!

Lee, with that much notice on your presentation, maybe you can locate some photos of some billboard reefers on a bridge, and mix some humor in with the 'educational' part. Congratulations on the honor! That is an honor, right?

Terry, I've been following your station/depot progress - even putting lights in the office for the hard-working depot agent, huh? Can't wait to see it in its final location and all.

Ryan, let us know on your Dad once the test results are back. We're pulling for him (and the rest of ya). 

Got a late start this morning. Was backing up my iTunes songs (hadn't for a while), and with 3 new CDR's left to go and only into the M's (having burned 24 CDR's already) I decided I'd wait until payday to finish, after I get some more CDR's. Probably will need couple of printer cartridges by then, too.

We have grey skies in Cape Girardeau currently, and some scattered sprinkles, but not lots of rain so far. The weatherguessers are saying better chance of rain tomorrow (after Jeff gets done with them and sends them up our way). 76 F currently (25 C, for our NOTB friends).

Looks like the August sale flyer from W-land is heavy on figures and vehicles. They have maybe half of Woodland Scenics' vehicles and a lot of everyone's figures on sale, I'd guess. And as someone in here said, the figures are at times expensive, but that's less painful than handpainting them (and definitely for you N-scalers!).

I've been debating about whether to build any benchwork for under my corner addition I want to put my turntable in, or (as one of our club members suggested) to just bolt it to the adjoining sections that will have benchwork. Of course, if I go the no-benchwork route, I'm debating on using plywood for the supporting surface for  the turntable or to try using the foam that came with the W-S corner module I got. Or maybe, a combination of some sort...? Decisions, decisions.

Paul, hope your feet feel better today. Are there arch supports you can get and put inside the boots that are causing the trouble? Hopefully there's something you could add to minimize your aching feet's problem.

Colby - so, how much of your summer's loot will you be using on the layout, and how much for other things (gas, oil, girlfriend, etc., you know...)?

Time to get to my lunch/dinner now. Let me join you there, Terry, and tell me about your tricks for getting that station depot looking so good...

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[JimRCGMO]

Duke, after looking at those Northlandz photos, I'm guessing they order by the caseload - on dials, switches, power packs, everything. Gollee!! Nice to know they like those MRC's as well as I do. But I'd think you'd have to be an electrical engineering grad to make sense out of the control room - a bit reminiscent of the original Star Trek series...

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I got word from the Parks family today. They're doing fine, other than feeling a little soggy. I can't tell you exactly where in Orlando they are but they're near Brier Cliff Drive and Brookvilla Avenue. Their trip was uneventful with the exception of a flat tire while going through Alabama.

[OzarkBelt]

*BUMP*

Saw the diner was slipping into the black abyss of page two...

not much new with me. I'll have a milkshake please!

[TrainsRMe1]

Hey Wat's up??? Good Afternoon,and Good Evenin'

   How did everybody's day go today?? Hi Zoe, I'll have the seafood gumbo w/ cornbread and a ice cold coke on the side !Jeff,Ryan and Gerry, how's your family? We have a prayer list and you guys are on it!!!!!!! Thanks for viewing our layout guys,  your comments mean so much to the improvment of the layout and many more would be appreachated Thanks

       We are a large family linked by care & rails----

                                                                      Trainsrme1

[JimRCGMO]

Hi Diners, Chloe - I'll just have a cup of decaf, please.

Anyone in the Diner ever put together Walther's Modern Coaling tower? This one:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2903 

It looks good (though I'd need to provide major space for it), but I'm wondering how difficult it would be to assemble. But it's less expensive than the RDA Ogle coaling tower on eBay now (the seller announced that his minimum set for it is $80). I'm curious - like the looks of this coaling tower, but don't need another major challenge in the structure-building dept.

Rain is sort of misting currently - I think it had stopped during dinnertime. Down to 75 F (24 C) for now.

I'll join the bunch in the booth for now.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[C&O Fan]

Hi Diners, Chloe - I'll just have a cup of decaf, please.

Anyone in the Diner ever put together Walther's Modern Coaling tower? This one:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2903 

It looks good (though I'd need to provide major space for it), but I'm wondering how difficult it would be to assemble. But it's less expensive than the RDA Ogle coaling tower on eBay now (the seller announced that his minimum set for it is $80). I'm curious - like the looks of this coaling tower, but don't need another major challenge in the structure-building dept.

Rain is sort of misting currently - I think it had stopped during dinnertime. Down to 75 F (24 C) for now.

I'll join the bunch in the booth for now.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

Yes Jim i've done one

I guess it would be a 6 or 7  0n a 1 to 10 scale

The coal shoots and pulleys are a little tricky

and the big bunch of parts are a little overwhelming

but once you get started you'll be ok

[jeffrey-wimberly]

My mother is coming home from the hospital tomorrow. Since I'm the only one available I'll have to be there to help her take care of herself, so I'll be transferring my computer activities there.

[JimRCGMO]

Thanks for the info, Terry. Not sure on that coaling tower - might keep it in mind for later (after I have more space available), though.

Wonder how Paul's feet have been doing today - Paul? 

Jeff, take care of your Mom and hope she heals up well (even if it takes a little time). One of my co-workers had surgery on both of her knees done, and after (probably too short of) a recovery period, she tried coming back to work. Left that same afternoon... So tell your mother to rest like the Dr. and the rehabilitation people tell her, so she doesn't end up (as I wonder if my co-worker had to) going back for more surgery. for her healing, and for you to have patience during her recovery (if that's needed ). 

I've been wondering about a move, but have some things in the way (for now). Think I've mentioned that the landlord's been a bit slow on some things (painting Kilz on my water-stained parts of my living room ceiling, getting the carpet replaced in the stairways - that had been pulled up a few months ago, etc.), and he's only had one new tenant (in the studio apartment downstairs), so I doubt that he has abundant funds to do much new. Anyway, I also feel the neighborhood has gone downhill since a few years ago when I moved in (had a police friend from church as much as agree with me), and want to find something better. But then there's rent and utility deposits, etc. I haven't called Charter about installing DSL and phone, because I don't want to pay a moving/re-installation fee in a couple or three months. Also want to get some excess stuff moved to the dumpster before the move, whenever it happens. Guess I need to - as the saying goes - "just suck it up and get to it!", huh?

Speaking of which, I think I'll see about going home and start some of that weeding out.

Everyone take care, and I'll see you tomorrow morning.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

 

[Cederstrand]

A tall glass of lemon water, please & thanks. 

***Duke, enjoyed the pics. Must admit, I would not want to live on that particular farm with those massive cliffs surrounding me. I do appreciate those transformers. (Jim, the Starship Enterprice would probably be easier to figure out. )

***Jeffrey, you are a good devoted son. Hope she does well.

***Jim, sure hope (if a move is in order) that you find a nicer place and it all goes smoothly.

Is a vintage LifeLike passenger car worth $17 if it is a perfect addition to one's train?

The JD people returned the tractor today and lived up to my extremely low expectations. They didn't do three of the things I requested and the reason I decided to let them do the general maintenance. Didn't replace the leaking seal, didn't sharpen the bushhog blad, and didn't do one small weld. Sheesh, how do they stay in business? Maybe there is a very good reason everyone around here drives Kabotas. Rant over!

Only got two posts up on the porch extension. Going to do the rest of the posts the old way: soak them in an oil/diesel mix and cement them into the ground, rather than using those metal bracket thingies. We have fence posts 10 years old that are still in good shape, so why not use the same approach for a deck?

Rob

 

[Paul W. Beverung]

Evening Gang: My feet are better. I went back to wearing my old pair of boots. I got out a new pair that the company paid for about 6 months before I retired. Actually they got me two pair. The new boots just don't feel good at all. I think that they had something to do with the feet hurting. Anyway I think that I'll donate them to the Mana wharehouse since I can't return them. I'll go over to Wally World and get another pair like the old ones. These have lasted almost 3 years.

We had more rain today. There was a good 3/4 inch early this morning and it rained off and on all day.

Terry the depot looks good.

Rob: I don't think that I could go for a week or more with out a tractor. I know how you feel about the poor service. I have to go into the dealer once in a while and get things straightend out also. Fortunately the service manger and foreman are good guys. I've known the foreman for about 30 yrs so I feel I can tell him how I feel and not hurt his feelings.

Well I've got an appointment for some lab work tomorrow at 8am.

Good Night All

 

 

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning from Tipton IN ! 

[pcarrell]

Take care of Mom, Jeff!  Praying for a fast recovery!

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,

    I'll have the same as Bill please Zoe and a regular coffee with that as well. Back at w..k finally after what seemed like forever out in Cali.

Good to hear that you're all doing better and good to hear from Luc again.

Ozark - I did indeed get confused with the parking lot adjacent to the mill. And yes - that location is a natural for a commuter stop.

Lee - I did get the pics to load but not on the laptop (which is an old, pretty used up Dell). When I got back to the shop, my wife and son had set up the new zt tower and it works real well. The old HP was good but we couldn't get it cleaned out enough to work with any speed at all. I remain wedded to the concept that I shouldn't need to be able to rebuild a computer in order to use it. At any rate, the tower looks great and I saw also the turntable and roundhouse which look nice also. Do you plan on weathering them?

Trains R me - looked through the slide show and I'm impressed with the finished bits you have. The edge of the layout is a risk as Jeff said, but a clear fascia can fix that if you want. There have been several discussions here if the search function works that might help. The one thing i did notice is that there seem to be some kinks in the track work. I know from unhappy experience that they will rise up to bite you eventually if not corrected. One thing i do to check the curved areas is to use a long flex scale turned on it's side. I arc it to fit the radius of the track and use a sharpie to mark any places where the curve is not smooth. Turned flat it also works on the straight bits and can help make the trackwork look more prototypical.

Paul - hope the shoes work out. We spend so much time on our feet working, that a poorly fitting pair of shoes can trigger all sorts of problems and just make life a misery.

Rob and PC - the WS cops and robbers set combined with the rail fan set features on the museum railyard with four squad cars and cops with guns drawn herding a group of camera toting railfans to represent the treatment many have gotten from the local, state, and rail police forces of late. I know we need to be mindful of those who would do us wrong, but I would think railfans are more an asset and extra sets of eyes and not a clear and present danger. 

Well, lots to do today so I've gotta run. I'll try to drop in around lunch time.   CUL,  J.R.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Take care of Mom, Jeff!  Praying for a fast recovery!

As are we all. Last time she was over-medicated and was he** to get along with. And there's only so much I can do being disabled myself.

 

Good morning.

It's 73 and very cloudy. The high is expected to be in the mid 80's and there's a chance of thunderstorms later.

We got 3/4's of an inch of rain yesterday. Hopefully we'll get more today. Every little bit helps. I spent part of yesterday rewiring two Proto 2000 locomotives so they'll have all wheel pickup to feed one decoder that will be driving both motors. Obviously this means they'll be permanently lashed up together. The decoder is one of Bachmann's $20 wonders so I'm not too worried it. It'll either work or it won't. The stall tests say it will.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      8/21/2008

Heat Index:  79°F
Humidity:  87%
Dew Point:  71°F

So Far Today
High:  76°F
Low:  75°F
Rain:  0.29"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  12mph SSE

Now through 07:30 AM CDT August 21, 2008
     
Through 7:30 AM...scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms will continue to move north-northeast at 30 mph across southeast Texas...western Louisiana...and adjacent coastal waters from Grand Chenier to High Island out 60 nautical miles. Within the stronger storms...expect frequent lightning...brief gusty winds to 30 mph...and heavy rainfall of one half to one inch per hour.

Today  High: 85    Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Tonight  Low: 72    Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds around 5 mph.


 

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

Red sky in the morning; sailor take warning.  The sky was defiantly red this morning, maybe we will get some rain today or tonight.

Jeff, good luck with your day at Mom's I hope she is doing well.

Rob, NO! No it is not vintage and NO it's not worth $17. LOL, ok what did you find?  I find the word vintage abused a lot when people try to sell trains.  Words like: Vintage Tyco Caboose or Rare Tyco brown box edition caboose gives me goose bumps.   

GMT, Yea I plan on some weathering.  Just haven't got that far, LOL.

Lee