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

[Packers#1]

FINALLY! It's my birthday today! I'm turning 14. What all I've gotten is:

A new Atlas U23B, ATSF #6330

4 Atlas boxcars

2 Atlas plastic pellet hoppers

A new MRC Tech 4 220, w/ momentum (I love it)

GMR 2007

A new watch

a cool cross made from metal w/ the base being a shell casing (bullet)

A new Packers hat (knit cap)

3 CDs (two ealier Pillar CDs, and Relient K's newest)

A pikestuff 2 dr. enginehouse

pikestuff roof vents

and a few other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

I'll be back later. Got a basketball game at noon, and then who knows what else I'll be doing until we go eat at Golden Corral around 6:30, then come home and watch Texas Tech-Oklamhoma. Go Red Raiders!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning.

It's 33 and clear. It will become partly cloudy later today as the temp rises to a high in the mid 50's.

Didn't get much done yesterday. I had lunch with my parents then changed out the couplers on some Athearn and Bachmann cars to Kadee's. The knockoffs were added to the piles of scrap in twp gondolas I have just for collecting scrap. It doesn't take long to get a load of scrap around here.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      11/22/2008

Wind Chill:  30°F
Humidity:  67%
Dew Point:  23°F

So Far Today
High:  34°F
Low:  33°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  10mph E

Today  High: 58    Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 50s. East winds around 5 mph.

Tonight  Low: 45    Partly cloudy. Not as cool. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds around 5 mph.

[pcarrell]

blownout cylinder

pC; do you do screenplays? It comes across like you might.

Naw, I work at the phone company.  Someone sent that to me and I thought it was worth a laugh, thats all.

[LSWrr]

Good morning,

Not much snow accumulation here (I’m close to the Lake), but you go a little inland and you can see it stacking up.

Ray, when she drives through Ashtabula County tell her to take her time if there is snow on the road.

Jim, I should be ok; 2003 F-250, Diesel 7.3.  The truck weighs in at 6,000 pounds.

Went to the doctor yesterday and I have bronchitis and both ears are infected.  Needless to say not much is getting done this weekend.

Lee

 

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning from Tipton IN !

[CNCharlie]

Good Evening Diners, no technically it's Good Morning here,

Well it's a frosty one out there tonight with a low of 0F and then the temp is streaking up to a balmy 25F tomorrow. A heat wave!!! Pippa won't be happy. And yes Jim she does have a thick coat.

Took the afternoon off today and went out and bought some glasses. I don't need them for distance but close up is another thing. I got tired of taking those drug store reading glasses on and off so it was time to bite the bullet.

Tomorrow night we are going to an opera here. They're doing Il Travatore which I have never seen. In fact it will be the first one we've attended in a few years. We had season tickets for many years and were quite involved with it but somehow just stopped a few years ago. The tenor singing Manrico is Richard Margison who has done the role many times at the Met. How they got him here I'll never know. The last time I heard him here was 15 years ago just before he made it big. Should be a good night.

I'm busy working on my loco service yard doing some ballasting and installing the engine house. I have some medium blended gray ballast for the track leading into the yard but will be vacuuming it up tomorrow as it is just too light. I think I'll stick with the cinder ballast for the whole yard.

Well it is late so I'll see you all tomorrow.

CN Charlie

[railroadnut675]

Well, I think I have gotten through the busiest two weeks of the year

I had three basketball games in a row. Our team is now 2-2, but we beat our archrivals St.Mary's. I'm also involved in the school play, Last Stop til Christmas. We have the debut on Tuesday for grandparents Day. I play the part of the obnoxious husband.

The other week I made the dessert for Sunday night. It was called chocolate angel pie, though it was more of a cake. It was mostly egg whites and sugar with cocoa powder thrown in.

Question: I like the game Sid Meier's Railroads and I see a demo on the site page. It looks free, though I haven't checked it out. Does anybody have the game, and should I download the demo?

[blownout cylinder]

You'd be surprised at the weird stuff around here. We here in the sw pt of London saw maybe 25cm of it, some place just a couple of minutes s of us got zip, and just 8km w of us is where the 80cm is... these things just whipsaw around here and all you can do is ask 'wha...ppenned??'

Wah'll I's ah be heddin' fo' bed too. night night...

[der5997]

Hi gang! Dick says: “So that is what is keeping me busy and out of the Diner these days, so please let the guys know I am still alive and busy if you enter for a tea and crumpets.”  So it looks like I’m having toasted crumpets (the only thing to go with those is strawberry jam), and a large green tea please Zoe.   

 

 

 

Jerry: I don’t know if this would fit your era, but it’s up on epay now http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250327080165    

 

 

 

Blownout:

I am going there this weekend

…hope you can, the Weather channel tells us you guys have over 80cm of snow, maybe no-one told you yet!    

 

 

 

JR:

I was always hitting my head on the loop and with less and less "padding" up top it's gotten rather painful.

…I know what you mean. Our attic is more of a crawl space, max height about 3½-4 feet, and not much of that. I was constantly following your example. Now my nearest and dearest insists on my wearing a hard hat up there!  It lowers the available height even more, but does save the noggin!   

 

 

 

Sue:  Thanks for the cheesecake…I’ll have a slice please Zoe, right after the obligatory crumpets and tea.(If B-C and CapeJim and Jerry have left any that is…that was a whole cake Sue left...could Packer be jumping the gun as well…..)   

 

 

 

Fergie:

So is your snow blower ready to go yet?

…no, that’s the one thing I didn’t get around to on this very busy “Blue Jobs” day. Did get the snows/rims on the van, and some wood in. I guess I’m going to have to use this one…    since it’s N, it could take some time to clear things tomorrow. Actually CTV were calling for temps around 8°C for us in the afternoon. It will be interesting to see just how much snow stays around.  I figure on shovelling just enough to get at the dog house and the woodshed.  We weren’t planning on going anywhere.

 

 

Looks like an indoor day tomorrow, so maybe some mrr, hope so anyhow.  Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and Peace.

 

 

 

[Fergmiester]

 Good Evening All

Just passing through... Have a good evening

Der John: It was good seeing you at the show last weekend 

So is your snow blower ready to go yet?

Fergie

[Paul W. Beverung]

Evening Gang: Not much going on again today. I didn’t get back to the field and the mesquite. Maybe tomorrow. We’ve had two calves this week. When they are only a day or so old they will come over and give you a sniff and let you rub there backs. That’s always nice. After a couple of days they won’t let you get near them. I guess the mothers tell them that we are bad.

 

The page 67 was spread out way to the right tonight. Page 68 is normal.

 

We spent the day going to the hospital for a cardio vascular test on Mary Ann. The tech said that everything looked normal. Later this afternoon we went to the doctor and he said that her heart looked good, no problems. She still is retaining fluid but she is getting rid of that slowly. She lost 3 lbs since yesterday. The doctor changed some of her meds and will check her Monday. I also have my yearly checkup Monday. He’s going to give me H for my weight.

 

BC that mill on different levels sounds very interesting. If you had the room it would make a really neat model.

 

Well I think that I’ll head for bed.

 

Good Night All  

 

[Cox 47]

Evening All...Just stopped in for a cup of coffee and a slice of Sue's Cheese Cake..MMMMM that looks good!...Didn't get much done on layout today still didn't get trailers from Ebay deal...but mail always slows down this time of year..You all have a good evening....Jerry

[blownout cylinder]

The Purina mill is pretty interesting too. I'm still figuring these cameras out so i'll get both up for you all.

The problem with the Purmill(short) is that to model this one I have at least 3 heights or levels for the truck (off street side) and 2 different loading spur heights to contend with. Like I said, this goes up/down and all over...

And yes it is on me...

[JimRCGMO]

 

blownout cylinder

Sue: Now you did it. I want/need that recipe for a Huckleberry Cheesecake. My wife saw the name and said we need that!

And it looks like dinner and dessert are on you, B-C! But hey, for that Huckleberry Cheesecake recipe, it's worth it, right? (Couldn't come up with another short version for your name). That feed mill sounds interesting - if you can, post pics when you get them.

Zoe, I'll have a rib eye with salad and some brocolli and a half-peach and a glass of 2 percent milk, please, on B-C's tab. Thanks!

Sue and B-C, I'll join you there until my dinner's ready.

 

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[blownout cylinder]

Sue: Now you did it. I want/need that recipe for a Huckleberry Cheesecake. My wife saw the name and said we need that!

[Packers#1]

Well, I made it through school, thank the lord. Now to make it through the rest of the evening, then when I wake up, lol, I can finally quit waiting.

[gear-jammer]

I made 3 huckleberry cheesecakes this morning, and thought that I would drop one off here at the diner.

No MR today.  We are doing Thanksgiving at my brothers tomorrow, so I have been baking and preparing.

Sue

[GMTRacing]

Not quite evening and going home time yet. That's a nice shot out back there Jeff - love those Atlas towers. I like the idea of monitoring what you can't easily see and with the mini cams getting cheaper and cheaper - why not.

    I think the shed is not going to fly, but if we go with the radiant floor heat I should be able to make a nice space where the current big boiler and main loop are. It wasn't good space before as I was always hitting my head on the loop and with less and less "padding" up top it's gotten rather painful. Still that 12 x 20 open space was tempting.

PC - loved the adaptation of Who's on First - hadn't seen it before.

I'll have an RBF and loiter for a bit before I get back at it.  J.R.

[blownout cylinder]

Good afternoon everyone and I'll have a roast beef on rye and a large mug of mellow roast Kona if you please. pC; do you do screenplays? It comes across like you might. I had to print that off to show an A&C fan i know! jeff; Is that backdrop painted on or what? It looks good from here. And be safe with pump! I'm going to start another one of those what the--------- is he doing projects. A feed mill we have not to far from us recently became abandoned/bankrupt/simply closed down. I am going there this weekend with a friend who used to manage the place 20yr ago and try to get some half decent shots so i can model this place. It sits on a rather low spot by the Thames R. (hence on more flat ground than the Purina plant in Woodstock,ON which seems to go up/down hill and all over...). This aughta be FUN!!! WWWEEEEEEEE!!!

[JimRCGMO]

Hi again, Zoe. How about another RBF, please?

Jeff, that looks good, too, but I like that there was more action in the first photo you'd posted. Looks like your track repair crew got things cleared out pretty quickly.

 

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff, do you have someone to help you with the fuel pump part of things? No taking wild chances, okay? I like that photo of the backside of the layout, by the way.

 

Here's a somewhat better shot from the same location:

[pcarrell]

JimRCGMO

PPC, ....What're you up to today, by the way?

Just trying to keep my sanity in an insane office!

[JimRCGMO]

Hi Zoe, Diners! Zoe, I'll have a ham 'n' cheese sandwich

     

and a root beer float for now (to tide me over until Ryan posts the lunch menu).

   

Thanks!

JR, if it were me deciding, I'd go for part of the basement (wiring available, always at a tolerable temp for your layout, etc.) rather than the shed. But that's just my .

Lee, you sure are in the snow belt today, judging from that forecast. Hope you have good traction in your vehicle.

Jeff, do you have someone to help you with the fuel pump part of things? No taking wild chances, okay? I like that photo of the backside of the layout, by the way.

PPC, thanks for posting the Abbott and Costello (updated) computer story. What're you up to today, by the way?

Jerry, nice photo of the layout - looks like that one industry (gravel distributor?) is keeping busy. Keep those RR revenues up!

Ray, keep your snow shovel handy. And another Mac user!

Ryan nice photo there that you found (I can see 'desktop pic' written all over that one!). Hope Monique's  scan and results come back well.

Oh, and where's the lunch menu?

Sunny outside but cold here in Cape G. today. 32 F with a wind chill of 26 F(-3 C) and 6 mph (9km/h) winds out of the NNW. Wind has a bit of bite to it today. Good day for being inside and (tonight) doing MRR stuff.

I'll be at the window booth, watching the mixed freight switching its cars. Prayers for a warm place to be (or at minimum, a warm coat and hat), and for healing for those with ailments (like dry socket).

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[SilverSpike]

Glad you all liked those videos I found, really neat huh!

Good one PC!   I am sure that is exactly what Abbot and Costello would have come up with!  

Took Monique in today for a CT scan this morning, I guess we will get the results next week. Her pain is manageable now but still has to watch what she eats.

Hope all is well with everyone, thoughts and prayers for all!

I found this image on Flicker by Joe Canarecci who says he stopped by the side of the road for this shot, the clouds, tracks, flowers were all too good to pass up. Ther are lots of big sky and long horizon opportunities in the UP. Love this place! I thought it would make a great weekend photo fun entry even though it is not my own. 

It uses a technique called HDRI or High Dynamic Range Image where the resulting photo is actually 3 or more bracketed exposures and then merged into one file. Then using another imaging tool the high definition colors are extracted so to speak to take advantage of the dynamic color spectrum.

 

[howmus]

jeffrey-wimberly

That's an old AIPTEK pinhole camera that I use to monitor the long side of the layout. It gives me this kind of view:

 

Ah, yes.  I have heard you speak about that, but had never seen it before.  I am going to have to get something like that for some hidden areas on the SLOW where it would be good to be able to follow the consist through. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

howmus

Jeffrey, what is that taped to the "water tower"?  Camera attached to your computer?  Inquisitive minds want to know.

That's an old AIPTEK pinhole camera that I use to monitor the long side of the layout. It gives me this kind of view:

[howmus]

 Mornin' everyone!

Lee, we're getting some lake effect here in the Finger Lakes (may get 4 or 5 inches by Saturday) but nothing like what you folks over near Lake Erie are going to get.  My sister from South Bend is planning on driving in for Thanksgiving on Wednesday.  Hope you folks keep the plows running......... 

Philip, that is funny! One of my favorites.  As a Mac user, I have been graced with it several times.  Still funny and good to read again. 

Jeffrey, what is that taped to the "water tower"?  Camera attached to your computer?  Inquisitive minds want to know.

Zoe, just a big mug of dark roast in a FGLK mug and some old people cereal this morning.  Gotta save up for the Turkey next week. 

(edit)  Man you gotta type fast over here.  Mornin" Garry!  Mornin' Jerry! 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

PPC ..... Funny one.... I just copied and emailed to my son, the computer guy of our family.

[Cox 47]

Good Morning All .....Its sunny and a cold 21 here....I'll have coffee and a couple of biscuits with apple butter please...Thank You...Thanks for all the birthday wishes yesterday...I had a great day and am looking forward to party saturday...I am still waiting for the two trailers to come in from Ebay they have already given me feedback so maybe today..

PC...Your take off on"who's on first" made Sallie and I laugh..I have heard the Abbott and Costello one a bunch of times but still laugh every time I hear it..

I was mewssing around with camera yesterday...

You all have a good one....Jerry

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good Morming......

JR .. I am glad to hear about the progress rebuilding.  It will be better than before with the expanded layout area.  That's a "done deal", right?

Galaxie .... Sorry to hear abot the tooth problem. Enjoy building the lumber shed.

JimCG ... Glad your stuff arrived.

CN Charlie ... What? Politicians were rude and stayed up late! Horrors!...

Paul.... I suspect you are waiting for results of tests yesterday, and I hope they have good news for you.

Tom ... that's some cat..... I guess you are keeping that name for the cat, but we could call it a Tom Cat, right?

I'm running trains on my newly completed lower loop. So far so good ........other than I srewed up wiring a toggle switch.