Elliot's Trackside Diner V, at the diamonds

[ModelTrainLover]

hey guys. school has started up again,  working on a oral presentation for history. talk later.

 

[Packers#1]

Fall is definitly coming. Today's high was 73 farienhiet! Thank the Lord, my favorite season is fall. Tommorow's high is supposed to be 78, w/clouds and a 20% chance of rain.

 

[super cheif n]

I can't stand fall it messes up my allergies.  

[LSWrr]

Jeff, that hopper would fit well on a hospital car.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I can't stand fall it messes up my allergies.  

Yours too, eh?

 

Jeff, that hopper would fit well on a hospital car.

I was thinking of having it sit trackside somewhere as an abandoned wreck.

[sleeper33]

that will look good whereever you place it Jeff

[rtraincollector]

Well got my trains in today will try to get pics tomorrow. Really like this command control stuff had it hooked up wrong a first but finally got it right and have trainsounds, crew talk, tower talk, ect ect. Hope all is fine with all.

[Flashwave]

I can't stand fall it messes up my allergies.  

I can't stand time it messes up my allergies.

[der5997]

So, there we were having coffee this morning, when out of the blue this thought came..."When should the Van registration be renewed?" A quick look at the rear licence plate revealed that it should have been in July...Today being Tuesday, the local Nova Scotia Access office was open (10:00 to 4:00 Tuesdays only) Normally this would take about 11/2 hours, as the place is jammed. When we got there, I was the 3^rd in line!...not only that, but the government had given an amnesty to the end of Sept. for all July and August renewals! God is Good! ...So there was time before lunch to spray weed killer on the garden path.  After lunch it was the driveway, and then pressure washing the back of the house...no mrr until this evening...but I have been able to do some.  A bonus for the morning was that the Access office is in the same building as the library, and it was open too. The Sept. MR I had ordered was in..Yes!

CapeJim: 

DerJohn, nice work there on the 'concrete' (and pretty quick, from the looks of it). Will you be making it 'concrete' later, or keeping it that colour?

...Thanks, but it wasn't quick Jim, and continues being not quick! You must be confusing me with Jeff!  I just did a touching-up-the-levels pour before coming in here this evening. It will all get painted a beige sort of concrete colour.  I made the paint mix too grey last time. Now I can correct that.

The siding looks pretty long in the pics, nice length.

...don't forget it's in Normal, so a little goes a long way!  The tracks on the dock are just 45" long. Only room for a Big Boy and a car or two in Horribly Oversized.   The camera makes it look longer of course!

Lee:

Der, how do you keep all that plaster from cracking?

...Keep Mrs. Rob's Circus Elephants off it!   Hadn't given it any thought.  I think, now that you ask, that the multiple media and multiple layers may help.  The acrylic paint might add some toughness and flexibility to the surface too...any thoughts on that anyone?

Jeff: Thanks for the grade crossing workshop.  The waxed shoelace trick is brilliant!  Who'd have thought (Well, you for a start...but I think you know what I mean.)  In Normal Scale strips of styrene sheet give all the flangeway clearance needed in most cases. I didn't bother to replace the long strips of between-the-tracks concrete in the container dock with a plaster fill, but the styrene is what I would have used. The roads look great, BTW.

Dick:

DER JOHN: Have you used Sculptamold at all on your layout?

...No, as I don't have any to hand.  What you said about buying power reduced by 50% in 7 years is Oh so true...so I'm using up materials that I have on hand...like the two kinds of spackle, and the plaster.

Rob: Prayers for your wife's shoulder to be fixed ASAP.

PC:

AAADD
KNOW THE SYMPTOMS!

...ROTFL...and your time will come! ...Oh, on reading down

I know!  I was busy with the........oh, there's my coke I was drinking earlier!  It's getting warm, so I'll get some ice......that reminds me, I need to clean out the fridge!  Oh shoot, I can't clean out the fridge til I take out the trash......now where's the trash bags?  There they are, over by my........hey wait!  There's my glasses!  Ummmmm, what were you saying?

...I see it has!!!

Jerry: Great to know that the chair came back just after lunch.  Did you get a good night's sleep?

Tom:

Morning all from SunnyCOOLCal (at least here in the Valley).  High today is expected to be about 81 or so

...Cool I guess is relative,  We didn't get up to 81 yet this summer, and less than a week to go! ...On Jeff's wrecked Hopper

That grain hopper looks Very Cool! 

...well yes, it is now! ( and I agree, it does!) Hope the stitch removal goes well; and it's good to hear Lowell is doing better. That's a great scene with the bears!

Hoople:  No GS-4, but you've saved for it, so the cash is available for ??????

Ryan: Monique is very much a keeper!

Kim P said that would be great if everyone bought their kits because they were named after family members....

...Three identical stations yet to be built for the Maritime Trunk are the Model Power MALDEN kit.  I grew up in Morden, Surrey, and Merton and Malden were not far away.  So when I saw the name, it definitely went into the purchase decision!

Jeff:

I learned through trial and error (mostly error) that installing grabirons is not my forte either. I got so aggravated I gave the kit away to the first person who wanted it.

...When I was in HO I did the grabs by heating them with a soldering iron while pushing gently down one end at a time.  I only tried that on plastic cars of course! Doesn't do for purists, but worked for me! I haven't even thought of trying that in N

Nice building Gav.  Sure beats worrying about the little lambs and the Vodka Revolution!  Must be quiet if you can hang here for the evening!

Time to check on the plaster (too fresh to shave it yet, but tomorrow should be OK), and get off to bed. Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and Peace.

 

 

 

[Paul W. Beverung]

Evening Gang: Speaking of allergies. Mine are running away with me. Running nose, watery eyes, headach, the works.

RT I ment to say JR. Seinor moment you know. I guess that the dreaded AAADD may have gotton me. I'm happy to hear that you got a good nights sleep. Feels good EH.

Gav you may feel that a hurrican would be better then vodka night.

Well I'm a mess. I think that I'll head for the showers and then bed.

Rob my best to your wife. I've been there with the torn rotator cuff. The recovery from the surgary took a month and a week. I'm as good as new now.

Good Night All

[Hoople]

Der: Yes, I have $450 lying around now. With no purpose at this point.

[Railfan Alex]

Hello!

How's everyone?

Packers#1:

Hmmmm... Time for some Celsius to Fahrenheit conversions:

This morning it was a lovely 44 degrees, and it warmed up to a beautiful 64 degrees!

Night all!

[TrainsRMe1]

Hi Zoe,

   I'll take a Ice cold Root beer and som of Ryan's good 'ol gumbo, dat be good ther son!

  Yes, Jim I do have a plan already, it's going to be a freelanced railroad (Union Pacific subdivision from Eugene Oregon to Coos Bay, With coal and wheat coming in from Central Oregon by BNSF, and with a (MODEL FED GRANT) SP IS BACK ON THERE OWN!! YEAH BABY!!!!!!!! I have that same theme with my Basement layout but when the new trainroom is done, I will using sections of that layout for the new one.  I'm hoping to have a small club with op sessions, I would like to introduce our neighbors to Modelrailroading who knows maybe one of the kids might have the great mind in the future to build a layout like the Late John Armstrong!

    

[Cederstrand]

Awe heck, "hot fudge brownie" with whipped cream & nuts, please & thank you. Have a sweet tooth tonight.

***Dick, I have always thought the weasel family was interesting. Fishers are big ones indeed. Interesting that you have so many there. There must be a pretty good food supply for them. Oh, when you're done with your house, want to paint our barn?

***Jeffrey, I can't believe that car warped that much through a window. How hot was it inside? Yikes! Nice tutorial on the RR crossing. Thanks for posting that series of pics. Is that a farm pickup truck with hay/grass in the bed? Sure resembles the bed of ours. And lastly, I wish our grass grew like it does down your way...we wouldn't have to buy so much hay for the horses.

***Gav, nice looking model there.

***Tom, I was scanning posts and saw your desire for a "mountain lion". My initial thoughts was, "that is a mighty strong cat to have as a pet". Then I realized what you meant. The only mountain lion I had any "hands on" with was in Montana and it felt almost like chiseled rock. Sure wouldn't want to mess with one...but a model on a layout would be very cool. BTW, nice mommy bear with her cubs there. Hope no backpackers happen by while she's there.

***Jerry, just a thought on that bals wagon idea: perhaps you could use a tube of fabric paint (that keeps it's shape) to add some 3D effect to the print out? This is something I have thought about and may well try when I help with the wife's layout. Perhaps might even glue some gold trim (fabric stuff, I don't know what exactly what it is called) to doctor things up. Just thinking outloud here.

We bought a new mower today and returned it before even loading it. Went to start is up and it made the most dreadful sound. Seems to have been sitting out all summer. They ordered us a "new one" that will come direct and still in a crate. Wife is growing impatient with the weedy front lawn.

Have a good night all. Rob

 

 

[Train 284]

Been a busy week so far. I think I will take a chocolate shake if I can. Making more plans for the layout. It seems I cant get started because I keep getting new ideas and I keep changing my plans....lol. Of course I guess it always seems to work out that way right? =)

[grayfox1119]

  I think I have two paint jobs lined up so far, RYAN needs his house painted, and now ROB needs his barn painted. I really don't mind painting, I actually find it relaxing when I am not rushed. Lets see, we can work out a barder deal here, Ryan is a great Chef, so I can get room and board, and great Cajon meals, and Rob, what do you have to offer? Of course I would need toll and gas money both ways to get to your houses.

DER JOHN: Nothing wrong at all with using whatever supplies you have remaining. I save every scrap of wood, sheetrock pieces,  etc. for any future need, and this has saved me $$ many times.

PAUL/GAV: VODKA ??? Man I hate that stuff. The only time I ever got sick celebrating, was when I drank the Panther's P** back when I was in the Army. I haven't touched it since. I think I got a hiatal hernia from dry heaves on that stuff.

JIM: Did you loose power very long or have any flooding at your house? What brand track are you guys using at your MRR club? BTW, isn't the Micro Engineering plant in your state?

DUKE: I know where there is a bike for sale. It seems that some guy didn't get permission from his wife to buy this very nice blue bike!!! LOL

Time for bed

[Cederstrand]

[and Rob, what do you have to offer?]

*** www.cederstrand.com Rob

[sleeper33]

unfortunately Der no

did the building while they were at V.R. busy when the got back now got to clean up someones stomach contents which they decided to leave on the carpet in the lift lobby dirty sod!

 yes Paul that would be preferable at least i woudnt have to do the above job

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good evening diners!

Cajun Chef Ryan's recipe's look terrific. Ryan, I think my friend from Paducah was at your train show. Did you notice a guy from Paducah selling RR books?

Packer, I know waht you mean baout walthers grab irons. You have to be extremely patient. I'd only do one or two per evening if your new at it. I sometimes cheat using #78 drills instead of #80's, and that works fine for me. Have plenty of spare drill bits, too, if it's your first time.

Gav .. the building looks great!

Rob:..Sorry to learn your wife was hurt lifting a heavy patient. I saw some big patients in my recent stay in the cardiac unit. All that weight is not good for health. They even have double wide wheel chairs for them.

Dick:  One of my retired friends here fell off a ladder similar to yours. He badly broke a leg. Next time, consider getting a young guy to do that sort of work.

Tom: You can attest to the dangers of senior clumsiness; correct? Perhaps you can explain the concept to Dick.

Montreal Alex...... I used to make business trips to your beautiful city back when I actually worked for a living. Nice town!  

TrainsRMe says he's introducing the hobby to the neighbors. Thumbs up for him! 

Everybody: Did you know a covered hopper is a rabbit wearing a hat?

Our family in Cincinnati is still without power since Ike passed thru on Sunday. That city had a huge blackout form Ike.

Like many of you I accumulate trains. Now, I'm fixing up some old Tyco and Bachman train set type stuff. I have put together a steam pwered freight train and a diesel passenger train. I'm giving this stuff to two brothers of about 10 years old more or less. Their parents bring them to church regularly, and they don't have much money. So I'm giving the boys the train set I'm putting together.  

Happy Model Railroading

 

 

 

 

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning from Tipton IN ! 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

***Jeffrey, I can't believe that car warped that much through a window. How hot was it inside? Yikes! Nice tutorial on the RR crossing. Thanks for posting that series of pics. Is that a farm pickup truck with hay/grass in the bed? Sure resembles the bed of ours.

My windows are made of a type of tough plastic called lexan. I got tired of rocks, baseballs and  basketballs breaking the glass. It has a weird habit of twisting the light into bands. The part of the car that isn't warped was in partial shadow. The trick with using shoestrings to make the flangeways is something I picked up from Life-Like's scene-tips magazine many years ago. That's Ezra Smith's old '71 Chevy truck. He runs a gas station as well as helps his daughter raise horses.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 62 and partly cloudy. The high is expected to be around 80 and it will be partly cloudy.

Most of yesterday was taken up with getting started on cutting up the willow that fell on my parent's island bridge. Man, that tree's big! We made a cut through the middle of it. It's just under two feet thick there. We also cut off several of the large branches. It's gonna be slow going. I cut down the tops of two old Mantua flatcars last night to make them, well, more flat. I leveled off the tops with wallboard joint compound. Later I'll put scribed paper over them and paint it to look like wood decking.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      9/17/2008

Wind Chill:  60°F
Humidity:  84%
Dew Point:  56°F

So Far Today
High:  62°F
Low:  61°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  8mph NNE

Today  High: 78    Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 70s. Northeast winds around 5 mph.

Tonight  Low: 58    Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s. Northeast winds around 5 mph.

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,

    Loads of fog this morning and a bit of a chill. A nice hot cup of coffee (cream no sugar please - what we locals call regular) would be a real treat just now. Maybe a toasted, buttered hard roll as well. Buried in work again and off to Elkhart Lake Wisconsin tomorrow morning for the weekend. This will be the start of three weekends in a row again with Danville Virginia the week after and then Lime Rock after that.

Jeff - thanks for sharing the tip on crossings. I've been rolling an old Tyco diesel truck with the big deep flanges through the partially set plaster which is messy. Your (Lifelikes) idea is better. The graveled road looks great as well.

Jerry - glad your chair got fixed. Could you try embossing the back of your pictures with the end cap off a sharpie or similar rounded off point? That could add some depth without a lot of extra carving.

Gavin - perhaps it is time to petition management to tile the lift floors or at least add slop buckets for the urchins. "I almost made it back to the room" wouldn't cut it with me.

Well - time to get back to it. Lots to do and little time left to do it.   Cheers,  J.R.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff - thanks for sharing the tip on crossings. I've been rolling an old Tyco diesel truck with the big deep flanges through the partially set plaster which is messy. Your (Lifelikes) idea is better. The graveled road looks great as well.

The gravel road was really easy to make. I just made a semi-smooth road surface with wallboard joint compound and allowed it to dry. Afterwards I coated it with white glue and applied a generous layer of WS fine gray ballast and gently pressed it in. I carefully blew off the loose stuff. After that I sprinkled on some WS green blend turf. The result is what you see in the photo.

[LSWrr]

Good morning from the chilly north coast!

Well I think fall fell a week early up here, can only hope for a good Indian summer.

Garry, that's pretty cool I bet the kids will enjoy those trains!

I did a little work on the MoW cars last night; maybe I can finish those this weekend.  I need to get myself back to the layout and finish laying the spurs for the MoW equipment and that rotary dumper I started.

Lee

[pcarrell]

Morning all!

A little nippy this morning!  I rode in on my scoot and it was, shall we say......brisk!  54 degrees, and I was doing 40mph most of the way.  I'm awake!

Rob, take care of that wife!  Hope she's better this morning.

[SilverSpike]

We got some very sad news late last night. We had just returned from TLC at the church around 9:00 pm and listened to a voice mail from Bens' friend Eric who said something about his mom and to call back, mostly unintelligible message but we knew it was Eric on the phone. Long story short, we learned that Eric's mom Brenda was involved in a fatal car accident yesterday afternoon on the way to work. Apparently her Mustang got hit on the passenger side from an oncoming van traveling on Jones Dairy Road, which is the main road out of our neighborhood. It was raining all day yesterday and with little to go on for now we think that either the van or Brenda's Mustang must have hydroplaned and caused the vehicle to swerve into oncoming traffic. We will know more in the next few days with arrangements and such.

  In Loving Memory of Brenda Hunter-Envoldson  

Mother to Eric and Carrie Envoldson, and Wife to Michael Hunter and friend to many

 

Rob: Prayers for your wife's shoulder to be fixed ASAP.

Ryan: Monique is very much a keeper!

Kim P said that would be great if everyone bought their kits because they were named after family members....

...Three identical stations yet to be built for the Maritime Trunk are the Model Power MALDEN kit.  I grew up in Morden, Surrey, and Merton and Malden were not far away.  So when I saw the name, it definitely went into the purchase decision!

Rob I was not aware of your wife's shoulder so prayers and thoughts for her recovery and healing!

Thanks Der, she sure is a keeper and all my heart too! Kim will be glad to hear of another common named kit buyer.

I served up some Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya and some of my Black and Bleu Chicken. Just click the links to view and print the recipes.

aaaaaaeeeeeeeeee boy dat sum nice luziana cookin you got going dere son. Make us proud Geaux Tigers....  

Lazzez les Bonne Temps Roulle......Geaux Tigers!

  I think I have two paint jobs lined up so far, RYAN needs his house painted, and now ROB needs his barn painted. I really don't mind painting, I actually find it relaxing when I am not rushed. Lets see, we can work out a barder deal here, Ryan is a great Chef, so I can get room and board, and great Cajon meals, and Rob, what do you have to offer? Of course I would need toll and gas money both ways to get to your houses.

Yepper Dick....Cajon meals fer sur.....and that should keep you busy for a few months too!

Good evening diners!

Cajun Chef Ryan's recipe's look terrific. Ryan, I think my friend from Paducah was at your train show. Did you notice a guy from Paducah selling RR books?

Thanks and sure enough Garry, we saw him there with about 10 tables full of railroad books and some dining plates and wares too! Wish I knew he was your friend before so I could have properly introduced myself, oh well, next time I guess.

Jeff, your grade crossing technique is much appreciated, thanks for posting it here!

Gav, I like your building!

Tom W, I've seen some bumper stickers around here that say, "Yankee go home" I think it's a red neck thang!

TrainsRMe1, glad you like the Gumbo!

Thoughts, hugs and prayers for all my Train Buds, their families and friends!

[grayfox1119]

Good morning gents, a beauty of a day today, 64F, very low humidity, completely clear sky. The new Bow window ( 4 lite ) arrived here this morning at 7:45, so I was still in bed asleep ( yes, but I was up until 12:30 last night dead tired ). I flew out of bed at the wife's begonning to help the driver unload the window. Thankfully he had a roller ramp, this window is a heavy beast. When we converted all our upper level windows back in 1998, we did not change this window out ( $$ ) the budget was spent. The window is in sad shape, not energy efficient, and faces the Northeast, and being on a hilltop, this gets a beating in the Winter. The new one has all the latest energy efficient features, Argon gas filled, thick double pane, UV glass all that stuff. So Saturday that gets installed with the help of sons, daughter and SIL and 2 grandsons.

JEFF: You really should start documenting your tips and construction ideas Jeff, they could be printed in future editions of MRR. And, you may also get MRR craftsman award, you certainly earn it with your fine workmanship!!! I like the gravel road, I am going to use your tip for mine.

RYAN: That is horrible!!! Please convey our thoughts and prayers to the family. I think each of us has been touched by traffic accidents in someway. I lost my cousin years ago in a traffic accident, his wife was 9 months pregnant. How long do you think it will take to do your house???? I ddi mine in a three days....split level ranch with an "L" out the back.

GARRY: Yup, had an accident of sorts with ladder back in 1993. I had just cleaned the chimney one nice February morning, and was coming back onto the ladder with the poles and brush. I had one foot on the ladder and was swinging my other foot onto the top rung when the ladder slid out from under me. The ladder was on the wooden deck which had been sealed in the Fall so it was water beaded in the early morning dew. So there I was hanging from the eaves as it slowly was giving way. I finally realized that my wife could not hear me, so I dropped straight down with my legs bent slightly. My left foot landed ona small patch of ice and was taken out backwards like a rope was tied to it. My Patella Tendon was ripped off my lower leg bone and my kneecap was up in upper thigh. I ddin't feel any pain, but when I tried to stand up, I went down just as fast. I was later told by the surgeon that these type injuries are very common in Paratroopers. I told him, "close Doc, just not from a plane". I no longer trust ladder rubber feet on any wood surface, I only use the ground now, and if the ground is questionable, I drive a crowbar inbetween the first rung...that ladder is going nowhere.

Later guys

[Cox 47]

Good Morning All...Its sunny and cool here this morning dipped down into upper 40's last nite and headed for low 70's for a high..Great weather!!....I'll have biscuits and gravey and coffee please...Thank You...

Jeff...Nice work on old Mantua flats I'd call that Sows ear to Silk purse modeling..I'd like to see photos when you get them done...

JR...Thanks for tip on circus wagons..I am going to give that a try..Sounds like you are gonna be busy the next few weeks...Have you had any time to work at Museum?

Ryan...Sorry to here about Ben's Friend Eric's Mother...

I was fiddling around yesterday afternoon and made some trees with tooth picks and a little WS....

 

You all have a good one...Jerry

[Paul W. Beverung]

Afternoon Gang: Well just barely. I just came in from hauling brush that we trimed along the fence lines. My allergies have me on the ropes. The whole deal, sneezing, running nose, itchey eyes, headach, etc. It's been about 15 years since I've had this much trouble.

Ryan I'm sorry to hear about Brenda. Please extend my sympathies to the family.

Jeff I think that I have some Mantua flat cars that I'll have to get running. They are cast metal and will have to go under the milling machine to remove the slopped mount for the old loop couplers. Yes they are very old.

Someone shot 5 cows and 2 horses about 3 miles from us. They used a high powered rifle from a car on the road. Later that night they came back and cut out the toungs of two of the cows. The sheriff called they low life cowards and he will find out who they are. I know that H.D. Britton the Texas Southwestern investergator will also be looking for them. He's good and that is his only job so they are going to get caught.

Jerry those are really good looking trees. From tooth picks hu. What did you for follage?

Well the water works are really running so I need to find another hanky.

See you all later.