Elliott's Trackside Diner VII: Best View Of The Rails In Town!

[New Haven I-5]

 Good Evening!

    It looks like Zach Johnson won the Sony open and the Steelers beat the Ravens! 

 

 

                                           EDIT: It looks like I got TOP honors!

[Packers#1]

MadSinger

 

Packers#1

lol, I thought u said u were a packers fan?

I am a Packers fan, but am surrounded by Bear fans. It is interesting to say the least. 

Looking forward to school off tomorrow.  Tues. & Wed. is finals for me, thanks to the cold last week, they were post-poned.  At least it gives me a little more time to study.  Then again, I will be going to school until June 15.

 

ah. listen to this:

I've never been to lambeau field

 I've never been to Green bay

never been to wisconsin

no family up there

now:

I've been to chicago twice (and therefore, iliinios twice)

I've been to soldier field (soccer match)

 I have an aunt, an uncle, and three cousins in chicago.

kinda funny eh?

What's also funny is the fact that your superbowl mnatchup for this year is:

ARIZONA CARDINALS vs. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

[der5997]

Blowing the heat up the chimney tonight,and snowing while the temperature rises. Not fun, but we're indoors, and the power is on so far.

PC: Mmmm...home made bread!  Any left for the Diner?  I made a batch of my Lassy Mogs as Kris had the oven on for a pork roast.  They're all in the feezer, sorry about that

Got to go to a birthday party

..We all do, it's Terry's birthday tomorrow! Terry!

Eric: Prayers for your mom and dad.  Check your e-mail.

Sue: Good looking ride..roll on the good weather, and stay safe.

Jerry: That's maybe the best looking train yet, thanks for sharing.

Madsinger: Welcome to the Diner! ...hope you like it here. Thanks for telling us about the La Crosse & Southeastern, any chance of photos. (I see from the # of posts that you are newish to the MR Forum. If you need help on the "How tos" of photo posting, just ask.)  Madrigals, OK that explains it.  The talent of the Diner dwellers just keeps swelling and swelling.

Barry: 

My aunt Gertrude, is almost 92 years old

...Kris' mom was 92 last September. It sounds as if Gertrude is a lot more mobile though  Enjoy the visit!  I double Ditto Flip's comment on getting those stories recorded!

Sawyer:

i'm not that kind of idiot!

...And at 5' 11.5", 188 lbs, I'm not about to ask what kind of idiot you might be.

Luke:

 Looks like MadSinger has TOP honors!

...or he would if this wasn't his first time for TOP...so I'll get his tab, enjoy the chicken!  From what I remember of Spectrum from my HO days, that F40PH should be sweet.

Morgan: Good to see you back again, hope the sinus thing clears good and quick.

Time for bed again. Have to let the fire go out as it's just wasting wood keeping it in, and we have the furnace for back-up. Goodnight all,and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.

 

 

 

 

 

[Robby P.]

Boy did the Steelers have me bitting my nails some.  I will have to hang my flag out tomorrow.  Looks like the Steelers might get a 6 pack this year.  No way the Cards will compete.

[ns3010]

We lost our scrimmage 12-4. Their record is 1-9, so they were happy. But a little too happy considering that they were a varsity team who murdered a 2nd year JV team. They were so dirty, and the refs didn't call anything. Not to mention the rink. It used to be a garbage disposal place, that some guy bought and turned into a hockey rink. I've heard that he bought the boards off ebay. And while skating, I fell over nothing, leading me to think that I hit some concrete or something. Anyway, we tend to do pretty good in games, but we lose almost every scrimmage we play.

Sorry, about my rant, I'm just so mad.

Pix 1st thing tomorrow.

I was hoping for the Giants again, but that didn't happen...

[Flashwave]

der5997

Morgan: Good to see you back again, hope the sinus thing clears good and quick.

Time for bed again. Have to let the fire go out as it's just wasting wood keeping it in, and we have the furnace for back-up. Goodnight all,and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of healing, comfort and peace.

Thank you.  (And I love seeing my little Amtrak repaint being used by friends. Makes me proud of it)

Oh, and welcome to the Diner MadSinger!

Anyone have experiance with stopping Microscale decals from disintegrating in water? I''ve already sent them an e-mail.

[TMarsh]

Oooooohh I can’t believe I ate that much pie. Ya know small town, church get together, women. Add it up equals too much good food.

BC- I echo what Phil said. Family history on my Mothers paternal side is almost gone. I have the family bible from 1865 and it only goes back to 1805. And it reads like this Name. born Texas Aug 1805. Name- born Texas June 1836, Name Born Texas 1869 etc. of course it lists siblings and spouses but you get the drift. Not much is known and some of my kin are into geneology bigtime and can’t find anything past 1805. Not even the parents names! Grab the info while you can. !

Eric- It’s good that things are set up so well. It’s difficult enough without the stress and worry of those kinds of details.

MadSinger- Boy are you lucky. It looks like these guys have taken mercy on your virtual wallet. Don’t think it’ll always be like this. Boy can they be chowhounds. And as a singer myself I am often asked to sing so low.......

Luke- I have one and I have had no problems with it at all. (now watch me start it and it quit) It runs smooth and pulls real well. But I’ve only had it about 7mos. Oh wait. I see now it’s not the same one. Mine is a Spectrum but does not have that fine of detailing. Or strobes or, hmmm I wonder….just a minute….Yup says Spectrum on the bottom. Anyway, I would however assume that since they are both Spectrum, the business end of it would be at least the same or better. And this one performs flawlessly.

 I wonder how old this thing was when I bought it. Too bad they don’t put production dates on them.

Anyway, time to hit the hay. Prayers to all in need.

Todd 

[twhite]

Flashwave

Anyone have experiance with stopping Microscale decals from disintegrating in water? I''ve already sent them an e-mail.

Morgan--

Soak them in a dish of medium cool water for about ten seconds or so, then move the decal to the side of the bowl above the waterline and just let the water work into the backing until it soaks through.  You don't need to immerse the decals in water for a long time.  Then slide the deal off the sheet with a wet, soft model paint brush to where you want it to lie on the model.  Works for me every time.  Oversoaking those decals will just make the film weak.  I learned this years ago when I first started using Microscale.  You just soak them long enough to let the water infiltrate the backing and the decal starts to come loose. 

Tom   

[fec153]

Not all people who use steroids are stupid. As a teenager my wife was on them for SEVEN years to fight arthritus. Both hips replaced by age 22.

Flip

 

[Flashwave]

twhite

Flashwave

Anyone have experiance with stopping Microscale decals from disintegrating in water? I''ve already sent them an e-mail.

Morgan--

Soak them in a dish of medium cool water for about ten seconds or so, then move the decal to the side of the bowl above the waterline and just let the water work into the backing until it soaks through.  You don't need to immerse the decals in water for a long time.  Then slide the deal off the sheet with a wet, soft model paint brush to where you want it to lie on the model.  Works for me every time.  Oversoaking those decals will just make the film weak.  I learned this years ago when I first started using Microscale.  You just soak them long enough to let the water infiltrate the backing and the decal starts to come loose. 

Tom   

That usually works for me too. Usually, it takes them about 15-20 second soak for me. (Not uncommon by their FAQ) I just put roadnames on (4) pairs of Oscar/Pikers using Microscale decals. And tried different water. Only difference between the decals that I can find is the size and that they came from different sheets. The other kicker is that the torn pieces weren't ready to come off the paper yet anyway.  So I don't think they had oversoaked. And some of the larger pieces look like the colored part of the stripe has come off the film itself, But I can't honestly tell. Hmm.

fec153

Not all people who use steroids are stupid. As a teenager my wife was on them for SEVEN years to fight arthritus. Both hips replaced by age 22.

Flip

 

In m ybook, there's two different kinds of steroids.

1) the kind that are needed because of medical reasons
2) The kind that are used by dumb people who want to be unnaturally larger in some places and unnaturaly smaller in la cabeza y usually the pants. (yes, that's an innuendo)

 

[blownout cylinder]

Todd, Eric; She did us a HUGE favour today--she not only had it on tape--but she found a few old photo albums of stuff--letters, pix of her and her husband(uncle?) in all kinds of places---gone around the world a few times and well I'm still trying to sort through stuff----she did this after I posted the last time---she is still here---everybody just went to

You all have a good night---I'm out

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning from Tipton IN !

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 42 and partly cloudy. The high should be in the low 60's and it will still be partly cloudy.

Didn't get much done on the layout yesterday. I used a little expanding foam to fill in a gap where two pieces of foam come together. I removed the wing wall from the O.L. King & Sons building so I could fit it into a narrower space. Still plenty to do.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      1/19/2009

Wind Chill:  42°F
Humidity:  65%
Dew Point:  31°F

So Far Today
High:  43°F
Low:  41°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  0mph NNE

  Today  High: 62    Partly cloudy in the morning then becoming mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

  Tonight  Low: 35    Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.


 

[blownout cylinder]

Good morning all. I'll have a coffee and blueberry muffin to go, please.

It's going to a high of -6C today and then we have to visit -17C tonight. A mix of sun/cloud is in store for us today

So, we are off and running with the Aunt today to the University of Western Ontario to visit someone she knows through someone else who is/was a professor in Geophysics up there. -did I say something about her collection of minerals and such? She seems to have enough of a collection, a few universities have used them----  so off we go up there, once she's done up there she comes back here to pack and BIL et al. get to take to Toronto to the airport to go back home----oh, she is also taking her laptop everywhere she goes----needs it, so she says!

[pcarrell]

Mornin' everyone!

We're on a warming trend still.  We're still above 0, but the wind chills are like -3.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Currently: 9°F Mostly Cloudy

Wind: West at 6 MPH
Humidity: 87%
Dewpoint: 7°F
Barometer: 29.78 inches and rising
Wind Chill: -3°F

Man, traffic was nothing coming in this morning.  Guess everyone except me has MLK day off?  No matter, the coffee is brewing!

Looking forward to tonight........I'm going to make some home made lasagna.  Should be good!

Oh, and der, three loaves....gone!  Quick as a flash!

So whats up with all of you?

[Robby P.]

Still snowing.  Its mostly flurries right now.

I wish I had me some home made lasagna.  I haven't had that in a looooong time.  The wife works on Monday night, so that means I will have a sandwhich for dinner .

Not much planned for me today.  Sit around and do nothing I guess.  Maybe go run a train or two. 

I am on the top again for like the 3rd time in a week.  Ok who is setting that up

I will be back for lunch. 

[MadSinger]

Good Morning all, from Chicagoland!

No snow here, got a dusting yesterday, but there's about 11" on the ground.  Sunny, and high in the upper twenties here. 8 degrees now with a wind chill of -5!

Happy MLK day to everybody, especially those who got off work/school like me!

I always am on the top for some reason on the Teen thread, so maybe they're after us!

MadSinger

[fec153]

MadSinger- Belated welcome. have enjoyed your postings.

The record here for T O P is three in a row shared by pc and Flip.  Funny thing is, our first names are PHILIP.           

FLIP      aka Fla.Phil

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning...

Robby's idea of lasagna might be a great one at dinner time.

For now, I'll have a carmel pecan roll and coffee.

Reviewing posts of the past day or so, I read of Eric's Mom and Dad. Prayers for Eric, his parents, and his family. Also, prayers continue for Paul's mary Ann with kidney disease and for Ryan's Dad with prostrate cancer.

Tom:  I certain wish I could watch your "Royal Gorge" passenger train in person. The  Walthers cars can be finicky and derail, but if you work with them enough they will eventually do fine. Sometimes, it is just the truck screw being slightly too tight.

Yesterday afternoon, Gus, Dan, & I drove to Marion, IL (2 hour drive) to visit Chuck of Chuck's Depot. his model train store is closed on Sundays, but has has model railoraders over to operate his huge HO layout in the basement of his building. The basement is roughly 30' x 64' and it is filled with his giant sized layout. He assigns a train with a radio DCC cab to each guy. Then, each guy just goes and goes through the maze of tracks looping all over. He sure has a lot of tracks and wheels to clean!

Of course, Chuck let us in his store to shop after the operating session.

Happy Model Railroading

PS ... Welcome to "MadSinger"

 

 

 

[ns3010]

Robby P.

I am on the top again for like the 3rd time in a week.  Ok who is setting that up

Ah, you have discovered my plan. MUAHAHAHAHA!

Finally have the pictures.

An aerial shot of the mostly completed MPB. Note the weathering on the silos and transfer building.

A tired and dirty NS GP50 pauses after switching MPB.

And the rebuild of my F40PH into NJT F40PH-2CAT 4113.

We have off today, but I'll probably end up studying all day.

 

Peace out.

[pcarrell]

fec153

The record here for T O P is three in a row shared by pc and Flip.  Funny thing is, our first names are PHILIP.           

FLIP      aka Fla.Phil

Yup, we're doomed!

[blownout cylinder]

While we're at the University I'm using auntie's 'pooter----I see our plan is working---keep them up there----heeheehee

[galaxy]

I hate to say it Robby, but you could learn how to make that lasagna yourself.

Or learn to cook a few things and then you could  surprise the wife with a hot home cooked meal when she gets home from work !!!!

Cooking is not that hard and really is not a mystery.

You CAN do it!

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning, Zoe - I'll have a glass of Ed's OJ, and a JR regular in an AT&SF mug, please 'n' thankyou ma'am. Not too bad this morning - only 24 F and a wind chill (depending on if you count the airport or downtown) of 9 (or 11) F. North winds at about 15-17 mph. Supposed to reach freezing today, and very slight possiblity of a couple of snowflakes (nothing like our NOTB neighbours...).

Eric, sounds like some careful planning will at least keep a little of the pressure off you and your siblings. It's a whole 'nuther matter when absolutely no plans were made, and they have to be made abruptly for the care of a loved one. At least this way, the load is distributed and not all on one person's shoulders. I'm sure that doesn't make it feel any better, but we're here for you.

ewl01

If the world had more like this group, well there would be no strife, no conflict, and true understanding.

  Well, except for those arguments about which scale is best...

Paul, be sure to get your rest each day - kind of a 'go-to-bed' (as opposed to a 'wake up' call, hitting the gate. Don't get too tired or you may wind up sick or injured, and we do NOT want that, right?

Barry, sounds like you're having some good catching up with your aunt - Good to hear she put the family history on tape (and brought the letters and stuff). Hey, bet that late Christmas present doesn't hurt either, eh? Another bonus is, Spring's giving her his headbutts, so your side isn't as sore...

twhite

--if I told you our high temperature out here in the Valley today, you'd all kick me out of the diner.

  Yeah, Tom, we might, but we'd still love ya! (Just wait until you have that cold snap to tell us the temperature, however...)

Probably be a slow day at w**k today, as a lot of people think we are a state agency (not, but some of our funding comes from the state) and will be closed for Dr. King's observance (but we aren't - we hardly close for any reason ). And my paperw**k is caught up from Friday, so I can plan my next LHS order, maybe. Need to order two additional DPM module kits for my background warehouse, and may be seeing which items from Walthers' sale flyer (the one that ends 01-31-09) I want to get. Probably some more figures, a Chooch boiler load, and some CMW vehicles, and some street lights and lampshades (to make those yard lights that tstage has directions for on his website. I'll see what the budget allows.

Garry, sounds like you and your buddies had fun at Chuck's. His layout does have a lot of tracks - when I was there last, he showed me the layout before I left. How'd you like his store's selection? Those aisles are a bit snug ("No passing zone"...), aren't they?

All right, Galaxy, now you're meddlin' - suggesting one of us guys could cook!  Just so long as Robby's wife doesn't read the posts over his shoulder...

Well, I'm gonna settle in this window booth and watch the morning switcher a while while I drink my coffee.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[der5997]

Good morning all:  Got up late this morning, so am running late. A JR Regular and some nsa Banana bread with Becel please. It's stopped raining, but the wind is still too strong to make use of the wood stove practical. Forunately the temperature is above freezing (hence the rain, and I'm very glad it wasn't snow, from theh quantitiy of rain we had!) so the furnace shouldn't be on too much today. I'm feeling sick - not medically, tempramentally. I was deleteing the old Diner bookmark last night so I could update to this page. I hit delete thinking I had the Diner highlighted, and sent to oblivion my entire Trains bookmarks folder.  That's all my mrr Articles folder, my Hobby Supplies folder, my container crane research folder, my Photobucket quick access...  At least the last one was easy to get back!  I can recover some more, but it's the time...and those articles I'd really like to have back....Oh well.

Morgan: I'm wondering if your decals are old.  Anyway, if the timed soaking isn't working, maybe you could try spraying with something like Dullcoat first, cutting out the decal, soaking as usual, and seeing if the extra layer of impermeable stuff holds the decal together better.  As to the Amtrack paint job, it's imaginative and cool, thanks for doing it!

Jeff: That park is a pleasure to see at any angle!

Joe: Like those buildings...for the most part mine are just boxes indicating where and how big the styrene ones or built kits will be.  1" Blue Foam? or is it 1/2"?...I've used 1" on the present layout.

It takes rock castings well, and I used a narrow-blade box cutter to carve contours, no need for a rasp or hotwire, in my experience.

RobbyP:

(Galaxy) I hate to say it Robby, but you could learn how to make that lasagna yourself.Or learn to cook a few things and then you could  surprise the wife with a hot home cooked meal when she gets home from work !!!!Cooking is not that hard and really is not a mystery.You CAN do it!

...Double Ditto to that too! My mom made sure both my brother and I could cook, keep a house moderatley clean, do laundry, etc.  Her hidden agenda, get some Home Help (why not)...Her stated objective..."I don't want you boys falling prey to some conniving woman because you're helpless!" (Come to think of it, I never saw my dad cooking etc...I wonder now...)...Sorry Jim, but here we differ!

BTW, I found the reason the RDC was hanging up on the turnout was due to the way the Peco plastic thingy holding the motor for a table top mount was fixed to the throw bar.  I had used a piece of thin wire, and the final bend I'd left pointing towards the rails. This wasn't a difficulty for any other loco or rolling stock going through that turnout, just the Kato RDC. So, a quick bend of the wire the other way, and all is peace.  That same RDC also "found" the top of the inner guard rail on the bridge on the lower level of the doorway module, a feat not accomplished by any other aforementioned locos or rolling stock!

I've had to take them off. I'll either grind them to a lower profile, or get some code 55 rail when I go to the city this coming Thursday.

Getting towards lunch, so I'll say TTFN.

[Cox 47]

Good Morning all....Its sunny and 12 here with another dusting of snow over nite...I'll have A big slice of Garry's KY Ham on a biscuit,and coffee please...Thank You...nurse just left she changed my bandages..She is going to order a Hospital bed for me and My son is going to move my Layout, work table and computer into Bed room and He says we will have room to expand layout! Not sure just how much room yet...

Flashwave..Might try spraying decals with dul-coat while they are still on sheet...I did the on some old Microscale NP decals and it worked for me..

Jeff...Nice work on park...Who's winning the Baseball game?

PC...How about baking up some bread and bring into Diner? Have you found any time to work on your layout?

Garry...Sounds like a good trip to Chuck's..Did you pick-up any goodies?

Joe....Nice GP 50 looks like a real work horse...Keep those photos of your work coming...

You all have a good one...Jerry

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Cox 47

Jeff...Nice work on park...Who's winning the Baseball game?

The east side kids are whipping the west side kids 7-4.

[Cederstrand]

 in a SOUTHERN mug, please & thank you. (and keep the pot handy)

***Der, looks like blue foam nervana there. Inspirational photo for the wife & I. That one pic has taken over our desktop background today.

For those who get RFD-TV, Trains & Locomotives (German Steam) will be on at 6:00pm EST.

Temps will drop again for a few days so will probably be back to breaking ice soon...ugh! Might get some snow, too. Time to top off all the water troughs/buckets.etc..

Have a great day y'all. Rob

 

 

[ns3010]

Thanks for the comments guys!

Der, its 1/2 inch. That's all they had and I couldn't find 1" anywhere.

[pcarrell]

Cox 47

PC...How about baking up some bread and bring into Diner? Have you found any time to work on your layout?

Bread, yes.....layout, not so much.  The wife keeps saying she wants me to work on it, but the hunny do list is way too massive.  It's one of those deals where she says something like, "All I asked you to do was this one little thing that only takes a few minutes.", but in reality, 27,000 things have to happen before that one thing in order to make it happen, and each one takes forever.  (Hows that for a run-on sentence?)  I absolutely have to get layout time very soon though as we're due to have guests soon and I want the room to be at least presentable, ya know?