ELLIOT's Trackside Diner VI: The Full Meal Deal!

[Cederstrand]

in a SOUTHERN mug, please & thank you. 

***Jeffrey, that's a cool new fireplace...or should I say "that's HOT".

***Robby, looking forward to seeing more of your layout as it progresses.

Keep the photos coming, Y'all.

Tile guy is here today with some family members. Looks like they might even finish up everything today, which would be excellent. Kitchen back-splash, bathroom, and spare room downstairs (next to train room).

Healing thoughts to those in need.

Rob

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Got my new shoes and do they feel good. I don't have all that weight on my feet now.

[C&O Fan]

C&O Fan

LSWrr

Terry, What is the best web site for decoder pro?

Here ya go

Have fun !!!

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

 

Sorry Lee i forgot to include a link to the JMRI Group

They are a great bunch of guys and will help you with any problems you may have

while learning to use decoder pro

I strongly recomend you join their group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/

[LSWrr]

Sue, I’ll have to send you my girlfriends (Dorothy) web site, she is huge into quilting, crocheting, cruel, cross stitch, etc..

 Phillip, comforting thoughts and prayers for you and your family. 

I need to build another wood freight dock for the layout so this time I’ll do step by step pictures and try to post them on my web site with a materials list.  This time I’ll be modeling piers instead of the normal wood supports. I’ll also be scratch building corrugated steel over hang for it with supports.  I took the DPM linen works and converted it to a REA building adding cargo doors to the back of the building. 

 

 Lee

 

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Flo, nice cup of dark roast in a FGLK mug, please and thank you!  Short stack of sourdough pancakes to go along with that would be nice, and don't forget the NYS Maple Syrup.

blownout cylinder

PC; I understand the homesick. When my dad passed on that piece that your friend wrote pretty much nailed the feeling I had--- We'll send prayers...

 

I second that Philip!  You and your family are in my prayers. 

Last night I was working down cellar on the layout trying out a wash of earth colored paint in the yard (Decided I don't like the effect) and I went back to the workbench, the jar of mixed paint in my hand (luckily with the cover on), and sat down in my old office chair I relegated to service down there.  As I sat down the whole seat broke off and I went flying.  Whacked my head hard against the corner of a bookcase behind me and landed on my side on the concrete floor.  Said a bunch of very nasty phrases assessing the situation!  I have a lump on my head where it made contact with the bookcase and have disposed of the  d@%n chair.  The chair had been repaired several times over the years...not a good design, but was a gift from my sons about 10 years ago.  So, I now know what my first major purchase in 2009 will be.............  All told, it could have been much worse.

Have to run the vacuum this morning as I have a couple of musicians coming over to work on an album they started almost 2 years ago with me.  They are both on vacation at the moment and are in town so its a good time to make progress.  Both of them are former students of mine in the Middle School.  One is now an English teacher in the Middle School and the other is a Math teacher at a Jr. College in New England.  Best get going!

Prayers to all in need! 

[SilverSpike]

No rain today! YES!!!!! As much as we were in a drought 8 months ago we are now up to our elbows in rain now!

PC ~ Our hearts and prayers for you at this time of need.

Robby ~ Great pics from the CSX line and layout too, enjoyed them much.

Lee ~ Great of you to post the DTC rule limits.

Der ~ Thanks for the update and Happy New Year to you too!

Jeff ~ Going to keep warm now it seems!

Tom ~ Hope Remington is better real soon.

Vincent ~ I really like your hoppers.

I did some track replacement surgery on the layout this past weekend, you can see my full posted thread in the General Discussion section.

Happy New Year!

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good Morning...

PC .... Thoughts and prayers continue for your famiy.

Lee ... Yes we are very close to MacombTownship.

I would like to report a Duke sighting.  I spotted Duke lurking in Great Lakes Hobbies north of Detroit. Seriously, I had a very enjoyable visit with Duke.

Happy Model Railroading.  

[Robby P.]

PC, I know its rough around the hoildays.  Its still rough for me.  I am the kind of person that keeps things inside.  I believe the last time I cried was at my grandmothers funeral.  Which was over 2 years ago.  The only thing I regret is not spending more time with her, and telling her, "I love you".  You know that you will meet again.  You just have a new angel, that will watch over you. 

Well heres a look at my cement plant.  yeah I know I left pieces off.  I'm not to good at putting buildings together, AT ALL!!!  I still need to add a sign, and do much more touch ups.  Theres also a picture of my new backdrop.  Yeah its kinda off at the top of each other, but you wont see that in the picture.  Still gota paint, paint mountains, and maybe a "happy tree".  Famous words of Bob Ross.

Sorry the pictures aren't to good. I am using the desktop, and I need to download the new picture editing file.  It just takes to long for the laptop to boot up.

 

[blownout cylinder]

PC; I understand the homesick. When my dad passed on that piece that your friend wrote pretty much nailed the feeling I had--- We'll send prayers...

[gear-jammer]

Jason,

I do quilting as well.  By moving the bookcases under the layout,  I freed a corner of the computer room for my sewing table.  Larry installed some track lighting for me.  I suspect that I won't go quite so long between projects.

What kits have you been working on?

Sue

[gear-jammer]

Philip,

I am sure that I speak for everyone here.  Our prayers are with you.

Sue

[Robby P.]

I will start with the "Hungry mans breakfast", and OJ.

The are calling for about a 1/2in. tonight, and maybe a 1in. tomorrow of snow.  We haven't had anything to bad this year.  Even though there is only 1 day left.

Well today is me and my wifes 2 yr anniversary.  I will have to go out and get a card or something.  I asked what she would like to do tonight, but you know women.  "It doesn't matter."

Jeff, I like the heater.  We thought about getting on up stairs, but no outlet where we would wanna put it. 

I will have to work on my backdrop today.  Theres one more side left.  I started to lay down the lower part of the layout yesterday.  I forgot I need to work on the back drop.  I dont wanna spill stuff all over the track.  That shouldn't take long. 

Well everybody have a good day, and I will be back for lunch.

Robby

[pcarrell]

Morning.....

Today is a long day.  The funeral is today.  I probably won't be around much, at least til tonight.

My friend Bart's words come to mind..............

 

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

[LSWrr]

Railroadnut; I bought a great book at my LHS on weathering from Model Railroader. It covers chalks, brush paints, and air brush techniques.  I think it’s available as a download from this site for $8 or the book is $19. Vincent nice cars and coal loads. Tom, I use to give my cat the hairball remedy from the tube.  You put it on your finger like toothpaste and the cat will lick it off.  It seems to keep the kitties happy and cough free. I downloaded 2 movies from M-H-M on Decoder Pro and downloaded the software last night.  Come to find out Dorothy bought me the Super Chief 8 amp with Radio.  In the box was the antenna and the IR sensor.  I guess we will find out if the throttle radio is turned on or not. 

 Lee

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 34 here and clear. The high is expected to be in the high 60's and it will be partly cloudy.

After finally getting fed up with having to kick and shake the old electric heater to get it started I went to Lowe's yesterday and got a new electric heater or more accurately an electric fireplace. I had to trim 7 inches off it's height to fit it into the space available but it's working very well and has the entire trailer at a toasty 70 degrees this morning. Whereas the old one pulled 1300 watts at 15 amps to heat a small space this one pulls 1350 watts at 12.5 amps and heats the whole place. I really like it. I have to go to DeRidder later this morning to see the orthopedist there to pick up my new shoes. That means I'll be able to get out of these dang boat anchors I've been in for the past couple of years. Now if I could get my car running properly everything would be fine. The computer said the problem was a bad EGR valve. I replaced the EGR valve but the problem remains.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      12/30/2008

Wind Chill:  35°F
Humidity:  90%
Dew Point:  33°F

So Far Today
High:  38°F
Low:  35°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  0mph NNE

Today  High: 68    Mostly sunny early in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 60s. Light winds in the morning becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight  Low: 45    Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. Light winds in the evening becoming north 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,

     Back to typical weather 23F and windy as all get out. The predicted snow never happened last night so we're up one on Ma Nature. I'll just have a regular to go please as I need to slide over to Newtown for a meeting with the contractors at the new shop. We're now two weeks behind schedule and no C.O. in sight.

   Working on the new track plan in my head at the moment and am concentrating on a round the walls with a peninsula from one end to encompass a loop yard and small service facility. Guess I need to start checking out CAD track planning programs.

   Good to hear we're all keeping warm and dry through all this weather, but I'm still praying for Jerry and any of us that are also in need.

Trainnut675 - one way to do weathering by hand is to get a makeup brush kit with the huge soft brush and all the little applicators (Wally world or the local discount drug store). If you embarass easily, you can try asking a sympathetic female to pick a kit up for you (my daughter loves any excuse to shop LOL). The large brush is great for dusting on chalks, and the little applicators can be cut to a point for little details like rust spots or streaks. About the only rattle can stuff I use anymore is the clear dullcoat or satin clear from Krylon as it sprays on a very thin coat that doesn't hide the detail. Michaels is a good source for that. The only other tip is to use some scrap or el cheapo rolling stock to practice on first so the learning doesn't involve your favorite cars.

   Gotta run - lots to do again today and I'll try to check in later.         Cheers, J.R.

 

[LSWrr]

Good morning. Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. West wind 8 to 18 mph becoming south.

Tonight: Snow, mainly after midnight. Low around 26. Blustery, with a east wind 7 to 10 mph increasing to between 22 and 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. 

Hazardous Weather outlook posted for snow accumulation for the snow belt.

 

Lee

 

[blownout cylinder]

Good morning from not so windy London. Where we will be seeing highs around -5C and tonight's low at -11C. Snow is expected late today with accumulations of up to 10cm(4") with another 7cm tomorrow---aaahh some buildup I see. Quite a few flooded areas the last couple of days so we have to see a build up again---let's just hope we don't see a repeat this time--

Tom--I had one of those cougars in a bag of animal toys that you can buy---I'm pretty sure that the critter was about HO scale---if it wasn't it came awfully close to it---just have it lurking in a bush---it wouldn't be so obvious that was outsized maybe?---eeerrgh

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning from Tipton IN !

[blownout cylinder]

I just spent time with the learning curve of XtraCAD. Yeeessh. Loads of fun---trying out various turnouts for Exceda Yard which is the collector point for the Exceda wye which ultimately should bring everything down to Leemer at the bottom end(even tried to do handlaid turnouts on this). I's be going to have a lot of fun on this program----

I am going to head of to bed and work my little head to sleep---g'night---

[twhite]

Hi, there, Railroadnut.  Try the Bragdon self-adhesive chalks.  They're available at most hobby stores and really work well for me--and I'm NOT a guy who weathers so that I want to show it off, LOL!   Dull-cote the model you want to weather, apply the chalks with a Q-tip.  If you don't like what you just did, wash it off with warm, soapy water and try it again.  But the chalks stick to the Dullcote really well.  Bragdon makes a whole array of weathering colors. 

Here's a car I weathered with them--my ashpit car.  It turned out pretty well, I think, considering my very limited talents at this sort of thing.

 

Tom

 

[railroadnut675]

Another pleasant day in Tampa. Who knows how to weather without an airbrush or liquids? Advice appreciated.

[der5997]

Good evening Diners, and if I don’t get in tomorrow,

 

Barry:

John der; All that salt encrustation leaves me wondering---how do you get it off the windows?

…No worries, we had rain and wind the night after I took that pic.  Here’s the morning view…

 

 

I too suspect salt doing the verdigris on the connex, loads of fun scraping that off.

…I’m leaving the feeder wires as they are.  The track I’ve got about 2/3rds. Of the layout cleaned off. On the lower yard I started with 320 grit Emery Paper, followed by 600, followed by 1500.  The rest of the layout is getting just the 600 and 1500.  I’m not going to burnish and polish as in the Gleam method, because that excellent shine hasn’t lasted. I’ve taken Jerry’s suggestion, and loaded a fresh roller on my Centerline track cleaning car, and am applying Clipper Oil to the cleaned track. I hope that sealing the surface against the atmosphere will keep the salt at bay. The track cleaning is turning up all sorts of maintenance chores and glitches too.  There are two turnouts that need attention, one with a misaligned rail joiner, fortunately that one is in a non-ballasted section of hidden track.  There’s another in hidden trackage, but the fault is in the Atlas Switch Machine controllers (two for  this particular turnout).  I’ve taken them apart and cleaned off the contacts (they are both over 20 years old, and I’ve cleaned them before, so I didn’t have to spend time drilling out rivets this go around). Now one works just fine, but the other still only works one side of the turnout. Then there’s the two turnouts I was going to replace when I got around to it. Now’s the time, and I’ve got a wet towel soaking the ballast around the first one.  May not get that done tomorrow as I really  have to get the snowblower working, from the sound of the weather forecast; and then I’m going over to Truro to get our daughter and sons.  The second one will have to wait until I’ve got the first back in operation.  Way back in the summer I bought a built up station on the Bay.  It didn’t exactly fit the site, so I’ve  now trimmed the roof line on both sides, and although one side isn’t quite to NMRA standards gauge for clearance, trains can squeak by, which is all that maters, and that side is away from view. The front of the station has to fit onto a section of Atlas station platform.  So I had also to cut down the ticket office to fit under the awning.  That part is now attached to the awning rather than the building!  That’s until the whole thing gets glued as a unit.   #1 grandson asked on the phone today what I wanted for my birthday, and I said “Enough time to get my layout cleaned off, and a year where you don’t break any more bones!” What’s been really good is running trains again.  I took the time to move the cars in the lower and upper yards by loco rather than the 0-5-0, once the initial 320 emery work was done and something could move! 

Well I did it. Put my attempt at weathering on display and found that STREAKINESS happened. I thought I had it out but---   ---not quite.

…know what you mean.  The sun was just right thisafternoon for me to take some natural light pics of my storm-tossed cove.  I dusted off that part of the layout, and took 8.  All seem to have white specks on the waves….grrrr! Guess I didn’t dust enough. I’ve got them in a sub-album in my Photobucket account.  I can give folks the url if interested, but I don’t want to take up too much space here.   

 

 

 

CapeJim:

DerJohn, that gizmo looks really handy - she got it at Wally World? I may have to check that section out tomorrow. Looks like #11 blade that fits it - that about right?

…X-Actomundo!  Yes Wally World, and yes #11 is what it came with.  

 

 

 

Todd:

Der- Glad to see you are fine. I hope this storm heading east peters out before it gets to you. You don’t need it. That knife looks great. Probably has a good feel to it when cutting I’ll bet.

…Thanks, and yes it missed us, but the New year’s Eve snow won’t.  The knife works fine, as I found out making emery belts for my  handy dandy mechanical (that is spring loaded) sanding sticks in order to start the track cleaning.  

 

 

 

Morgan:

Just a quickie. SOmething is bugging me that I forgot to do. Train related. No clue

…In my case it’s generally some part of the layout power, thank goodness for indicator lights…but even then it can be hours before I notice there’s a light still on!

Mom used to ride, before life got in the way and made her busy. (ah, job security) she hated riding in winds, when they picked up suddenly on her.  

…reminds me of my scooter days in England. Driving along pointing the thing at the curb in order to go straight!  Great until the wind drops and you are headed for the ditch. Ooops!   

 

 

 

JR:

Der - those winds up north have been wicked. Mom has lost power several times down Lockport way and has had trees knocked over and trellisses flattened by the wind. She's not as far from the water as you but on higher ground. Some of the gusts are clocking in at 140 kph plus! Do you have trouble with the windows getting etched by the salt spray? She's got all plastic covered storms now because the aluminum got eaten alive by the salt air.

…Our milk delivery guy said he’d heard that Yarmouth had a sub-station burn down, and so NS Power are trying to route power around that.  Wouldn’t surprise me if Lockport is involved with that mess.  As to the windows, we had plastic frames from the get-go., but thanks for asking.  Despite the salt, algae continue to grow however!  

 

 

 

Sue: Sounds like you’ve had your hands full, but the extra storage in the train room will pay off, I bet.  

 

 

 

Well, that’s caught up to page 160, and the beginning of the 29^th Dec. so I’ll say Goodnight  and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of healing comfort and peace.

 

[jguess733]

I don't know how much we got, but I know the base was covered still today. It seems like they coated the entire base in about 12 feet of sand. I wish she was a model railroader too. She tolerates it. I don't have a layout, so I'm stuck building kits and such. She likes to quilt and cross stitch, and all that other stuff that has to do with fabric. I had an epiphany the other night when we were on the couch. she was sewing something or other, and I was bent over the coffee table working on a kit. We're in our mid to late 20's and and it was like I fast-forwarded 30 years, and saw the same scene. We both got a good laugh out of it. Hope you can get your car out soon.

[gear-jammer]

Hot cider, please, Chloe.  It felt good to get back to work.  The snow makes you lazy.  Well as lazy as you can when you have outside animals.

Tom,  Was that your son making all that noise.  Actually, the snow made it so quite.  Very peaceful.

Jason,  After you left, it snowed everyday.  As one point it was 1 1/2 feet  deep with drifts up to 2 feet.  Our driveway only  has 6 inches now.  With a couple more days of rain, maybe I can drive my car again.  For fun,  I got my husband to pull me on the toboggan behind the quad.  It sounded like you got more snow in Bremerton.  Is your wife a model railroader, too?

Sue

[Packer]

This is what I've been working on recently:

The CP is MDC, the N&W and B&O are P1K, and the DT&I and NP are Accurail (not 100% on that). The coal loads I made usning the leftovers from when I did 25 hoppers at once. I could proably do another 20 or so with what's still leftover. Pretty darned good for 8 bucks to be able to do over 50 cars. I'm going to P-coal again tommorow, maybe I'll get some more cars. I also put in an order to Atlas for some parts for my U30C and some shells for my C424 projects.

[jguess733]

Hey Sue, just wanted to say hey and find out how hard the storm hit you. The wife and I flew out of SEATAC at 8 last Saturday morning, to spend my Christmas leave down in Texas with my folks. When we got back to Bremerton on Friday, I couldn't believe the amount of snow everywhere. I had to dig my truck out to go turn in my leave papers. I'm kinda sad I missed all the snow. I can't get enough of it.

[twhite]

Barry--

That's something to consider about Remington.  Despite the fact that it's the California Central Valley, where wet winters and dry summers are normal,  it has been basically a 'dry' climate around here the past couple of winters.  I'll mention it when I take the Big Guy back after the tests arrive.  Should be Friday. 

Thanks, I never thought of that. 

Tom

[jeffrey-wimberly]

fec153

Hi Jeff, looks like you got the heater just in time for another cold snap. Is it one of those that can be placed in any room when needed or is it stationary?

It's quite stationary. It's 34" wide x 28" high and weighs about 70 pounds. I'm not gonna be moving it anytime soon.

[blownout cylinder]

Tom; ---Our vet told me that 'Spring' could get dry throat sometimes---if you live in a really dry place(like we do) that could get the little one coughing---something to consider if nothing comes up.