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

[john1947]

Hey everyone. Just stopped in to say hi and grab a cup of joe. I'll be in the corner booth waiting for the local to go by.

John

[Hoople]

 Twhite: I'd love to be in the drumline, but I live in RainyWa and not SunnyCal... Bit of a contrast. Thanks for the compliments, though.

 

[unca roggie]

Quickie follow up to my insurance rant, earlier:  I copy/pasted what I wrote, here, to an adjuster pal, and his reply email just came in. 

He sadly mentioned that one thing we WILL NOT be compensated for, should a layout ever see disaster, is the MANUAL LABOUR involved in getting it to look that way.  As in many cases, that would be THOUSANDS of man-hours, its pretty sad, alright. 

While the extremely lame job we may have done on the WALLS in our train room, would be covered, with a professional showing us what we should have done, it IS hard to imagine them sending in someone else to do the carpentry, the plastering, the tracklaying, the electrical circuitry, the painting and landscaping, the assembly of kits and scratchbuilt items, the weathering, and all the other artistic touches we were happy to do ourselves. 

On the other hand, it would be fun to watch one of those tv shows where a wad of guys put up a house in a week, doing a fully operative, convincingly realistic layout, wouldn't it? 

{p.s.--no one has mentioned a website they feel is safe enough to lodge photos on....how long has Photobucket been around?}

[Packers#1]

 Man, I'm tired of doing these pikestuff kits. I got the multi-purpose building done and started on another, when one of my jknife blades broke. It's the one I use to chop the side walls and the openings for the doors, etc., so now it's a bit slower to progress. I still have to chop the roof panels (it's a 30' building), so maybe tomorrow, or who knows. Also weathered my U23B and a boxcar today. Pictures probably tomorrow. BTW, elarned my lesson: never try to weather something in ATSF blue again. Waht sucks is I ran out of semi-gloss, so now I have to get another can.

[Cederstrand]

Coffee refill, please & thanks.

***Jeffrey Jeffrey Jeffrey, bet you were a sight for sore eyes, or is that No Sight & Sore Eyes! 

***Der, that is a really effective "active block thingy" you created there. Impressive!

Wife is helping her parents out tongiht. So I vacuumed the train room and moved all her HO stuff down there. Have other stuff to work on before starting any table construction. Must admit I'm getting psyched about the whole idea of finally starting a layout, as is the wife.

Wifes latest two circus wagons arrived today. Snake wagon is nifty. Dog wagon has a GIANT FAWN character in it, not a dog. This will not matter any, as you can barely see anything through the tiny bars.

Will be in a corner booth trying not to doze off.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

unca roggie

Okay, I'm the guy who FINDS you the best insurance deal, NOT the one who handles things when you have a problem...that's an ADJUSTER.  I love having conversations with those guys, as their stories are AMAZING, as you'd probably guess...but the Privacy Act prevents them from telling some of the juicy details. 

You've got it easy! I was agent, investigator and adjuster. Talk about being busy! And did I come across some real doozies! Car insurance rates in this state are so high because people try to get out of their high car payment on that expensive brand new fully loaded sports car by burning it to the ground or creating a staged 'accident'. The signs are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Had one guy (no names) who wrapped the cigarette lighter fuse in aluminum foil, shoved it back into the fuse box, shoved a coin into the lighter hole to short it out and stood by and watched as the car burned. I can tell you from hard experience that if the fire is under the dash or under the car between the engine and the passenger compartment and has been burning for more than a few minutes it's pretty much going to be totaled by the insurance company. By the time the fire dept got there, the car was toast. The only reason the tank didn't blow is because it was full. Contrary to popular belief a full gas tank, 95 times out of a hundred, won't blow. It happened with one of my cars right in my driveway. The car burned to the ground right there due to damage suffered from a head-on collision the previous day. Took it 5 minutes. Four days later I jacked it up, cut the filler hose off and pumped the tank dry. Oh, about the guy who shorted out the lighter to set the car on fire, we caught him. The coin, though melted, was still in the lighter socket and the aluminum foil was slagged over the fuse like a bad solder joint.

 

Now to put this on the topic of trains. I was working under the layout today not on something that I had pre-planned but rather on something that I decided to do on the spur of the moment. My layout has two access holes, one on the west side and one on the east side. Well, the east one, the one the Shell station is on, has always been a bit narrow and getting my 260 pound bulk up through it isn't always easy. So today I fitted a Roto-Zip bit to my new Dremel tool, and took it, my drill with screw bit, screws and some assorted odds and ends under the layout. There's just room enough under there for me to sit up, if slouched over somewhat, to have space to work. First I measured a piece to cut out that was as long as the access panel and would make the hole four inches wider. At this point I put on my safety goggles. I then screwed two pieces of 1x2, each five inches long, to the bottom of the access panel so it bridged the already existing cut. I then used the Dremel to quickly cut the piece loose along the new line I had drawn. I took the barrel lock and hasp (one of three) loose from it's old location and moved it over to the new cut and locked it into position. Prior to that time all that was holding that side of the access panel up was the foam up above. Now that the panel was secure I pushed a knife up through the new cut and cut the foam all along the new line, removed my goggles, then using one hand to brace the panel I used the other hand to pop the three barrel locks loose so I could drop the panel down. It was then that a bunch of sawdust from the Roto-Zip bit fell out of the cut and smack into my face. It would have been a priceless moment for anybody watching and any preacher within earshot would have had his ears horribly burned. Blind as a bat, I had to set the access panel aside, crawl out from under the layout and get over to the kitchen sink, all by touch, to flush the sawdust out of my eyes. Boy, did that hurt. Note to self: Keep safety goggles on until the project is done idiot! Once I could see again I went back under the layout and completed the project. That entailed cutting off a thin sliver of the foam along the cut so the panel would fit into the hole easily without being forced. Once that was done I pushed the panel into place and closed all three of the barrel locks to secure it. All that took about two and a half hours. Now I can get up through the access hole easily.

[blownout cylinder]

Well. I'se back!! It is cold but it is less stinging---or is this the beginning of shellshock---oh well---Chloe, can I have a cuppajava please with a RBS? Yes I am very hungry. Silly me forgot that one eats on occassion---

Walmart seems to have an interesting N scale--or near to it ---item for perusal. Norscot has what are called 'Construction Mini's'---and it fits my 50Ton lowboy trailer to a 'T'. I got a few of them---a bulldozer, a skidloader and two excavators.-----Then I capped the day off by going to a fleamarket and a Goodwill store near the fleamarket----Audrey found a near perfect condx Quilt to add to her collection as well as a 4 harness loom for weaving and I discovered 2 books----a 2 volume set of Le Massena's Articulated Steam Locomotives of North America from Sundance Press and Steam on the Anthracite Roads by one Mike Eagleson from 1974. Then we went to Goodwill and found that our donor fellow who seems to be getting out of MRR'ing left a bunch of scratch/bash parts and pieces on their laps----the mgr there knows me well enough that she saved the stuff and it is with us at home----The disabled child, who name is Eric, was told of the finds---which consisted of several elevators and feedmills and odds and buildings of various sorts, and let out a woop---'Right on!!' was his comment. This will help in establishing the outline of the layout in their basement---

[ewl01]

Afternoon, Chloe.  I'll have a slice of cheesecake and a decaf please.  Coming to you from north New Jersey.  I had mentioned that the father unit was in rehab, now the mother unit has taken ill at home.  Other sister from Maryland drove up this morning so I followed a while later.  Stinks when a family crisis brings everyone together.  At least I got the hotel room.

On a brighter note, I got to stop into my favorite LHS which is only 5 miles from the parents house.  70 miles from mine.  Picked up a couple undecorated atlas 50' plug door boxes and an Athearn container pack.  Think I might bring some wood kit structures back home to post for opinions. 

The saga of the soft brake pedal, it's not a earlier mid to late 90s Chev is it? A couple of years after GM switched from the old full sized pad-caliper to the new stuff, the brakes never seemed quite right.  At the time the local GM shop claimed it was the pad composition they were having trouble with.  Then they said the rear cyliders were too small.  One shop even tried modifying the master push rod length.    Never did get a straight answer.   *Been ASE certified since 1986, not that it means much!

Hah! Looks like I made TOP!  Enjoy all!  My treat!

Eric

[der5997]

Tea time, and I'll have a JR Regular with my Lassy Mog please.  Hey folks, I've found a use for the cold!  We are defrosting a small freezer in our mud-room, and the contents are sitting outside the back door in a laundry hamper while that goes on. Cat Tom, try that on your deck! 

 Barry:

I'm going to Wal-mart today to look at some pieces a buddy of mine came across that just might be in N scale mode---one never knows what they might find---I'm also checking out my neighbourhood Goodwill store----nowadays one never knows what shows up there----considering things-----

...Tell us more, what N type things at WM?

BTW, Barry, I only fairly recently tumbled to where it is you live. I was there at a church conference in July 06. Took some photos of one of your local RR landmarks, but I can't find the file now.  All I have is a print out of one of them that I'm using as a "proof-of-concept" example to solve a scenic problem. I have two return loops, one over the other, and another loop sandwiched between them.  I have the track on the upper one dissapear into buildings, and most of the run plus a longish yard lead, is quite well hidden in that form of view block.  The lower loop however poses a different problem, as there is no-where to make that approach anything like convincing. One arm of the middle loop has a building hiding the entrance, so that's OK. The other has the same type of yawning hole that the lower suffers from. What I'm trying I'm calling an "Acitve View-block"©  Here's a look at the way the problem looks on the middle loop...

and here's the London GE Locoworks as a view-block

and here's why I call it an "Acitve View-block"© 

If all the  © nonsense seems odd, it's just that I want to be able to establish that I had the idea for this in up and running in February last year, since this is the first time I've gone public with it. If there's any commercial angles, I want that fact firmly established.

Having to let the wood stove go out...thank goodness we have furnace back up. There's too much ash built up, and the fire won't draw properly. So we're wasting wood burning it until I lower the ash level. Can't clear it all out, or...the fire won't draw properly!

I forgot an aspect of that excellent customer service from the eLHS about the Kato GE P42 yesterday. While he was on the phone, I asked if this particular loco came with a set of long coupler shanks. (The Kato RDC does, and I was hoping for the same, my Bud passenger cars pretty much need that space between the loco and the baggage car.) He said he would make sure that they were included, even if it meant doing a swap with another kit.  I thought it was like the service you get at a LHS when you've been a customer for some years, and this is my first dealing with this outfit.  Incidently, N Scale Katophiles, he told me that MRC now are doing drop-in decoders for all Kato diesels!

Better check on that freezer.

TTFN

.

[howmus]

Afternoon everyone!

Spent the morning helping to get everything finished for the Art and Poetry Contest at Methodist Church here in Geneva for the Martin Luther King Service on Monday.  Went out to start my truck to help move the kiosks for the church where they were stored and I had a very dead battery.  So I hooked up the battery Charger and gave the Associate Pastor of the church where they are stored (a member of our MLK Committee) a call.  Found he had already called me almost an hour earlier wondering where I was.....  By that time he had everything loaded into his work van so he said he would meet me over at the Methodist Church.  I also print out the award certificates and help with putting up the work.  Anyway I have finished all that I need to do until Monday so I am now going to spend some time on the layout.

Sawyer sounds like you guys had a rough game.  I hope the young man who was benched for the rest of the game will think about what he did and improve his manners.....  Just remember that what counts in all of us is the "content of our character".  There are good and bad in all groups and inside each of us!

Zoe I'll have a big bowl of that 3 alarm chilli that Jeffrey was eating.  Oh and a tall glass of OJ to put the fire out as well.

Have a great day!

[unca roggie]

Hi guys...about a hundred and thirty-seven posts back there, someone mentioned about doing an insurance claim on the busted up GREMLIN...and I tried to reply about that, since my name was brought up (in terms of "don't let the insurance guy hear about it.) 

So I wrote a long posting, hit "POST" and got a new page I'd never seen before, as a result...in any event, my posting didn't make it in here. 

Usually when something like that happens, I assume its GOD helping me not say something totally embarrassing that I didn't catch myself, so I accept the "Holy Censorship" and fuggedda-boudit. 

I'm bucking that possibly good advice, and hereby recreating what I wrote...as it may be helpful to someone: 

Okay, I'm the guy who FINDS you the best insurance deal, NOT the one who handles things when you have a problem...that's an ADJUSTER.  I love having conversations with those guys, as their stories are AMAZING, as you'd probably guess...but the Privacy Act prevents them from telling some of the juicy details. 

Anyway, if something ever happens to you, and your collection of miniature railroad stuff, it will NOT be an easy thing to adjust. 

Imagine having your 1961-purchased Athearn "Hi F" drive SP Black Widow GP9 either stolen or melted to a little pile of muck.  Most policies offer "REPLACEMENT COST" coverage, nowadays.  If the original item can no longer be purchased, you are to be paid for buying the nearest thing to it, that is now available. 

Can you imagine how they'd be choked at forking out the $239 or whatever it'd run for something like that, today?  On the other hand, how would THEY know how much you paid for that original item (wasn't it something like $7.95?)--so maybe no discussion about it would even come up. 

The best thing YOU can do, is have a PHOTOGRAPH of it.  And keep it somewhere OTHER than YOUR HOUSE. 

I have a video I took, opening drawers, closets, etc., from which I can hopefully snag decent STILLS to present the adjuster.  But for the "fiddly" items such as jewellry, and our beloved hobby equipment, a good close-up shot would be best. 

I'm thinking I (well: WE) should all be stashing such photos on an internet website, as a "back up."  I was going to do some research into which one could be trusted to survive the current recession/depression we are enjoying...can you imagine hoping to go retrieve your photos, only to get a page showing: website no longer exists? 

Anyone have any input on that subject?

[TMarsh]

fec153

Isn't there a check valve in line from m/cyl? Or is it from the booster? Check that out.

Flip

 

Checked that too, Holding the pedal down after the truck shut off and it'll push your foot back HARD. Shut the truck off and you can get 3 or 4 easy pumps before it gets hard. Replaced the check valve "just because" and no diff. I'll tell you what it really feels like. Like the back brakes aren't adjusted. But they are, even too tight while I was figuring. I narrowed it down to the calipers in front, I went through 3 sets before I could get the right one to get hard. the left took four to get firm. I don't know if that silly quick takup system plays havic with reman calipers or what but it's done now. They are happy and the truck stops.I just don't like turning loose of something unless it's right Especially brakes.

Well back to the train room to do some more stuff since I think I'll be left alone here.

See ya'll Todd

[TMarsh]

Yep I thought I've seen it all in my..... um.... well....uuhhh. Let's just say I went to auto mechanics school in 1981 and started working FT  as a mechanic a couple years later. (That sounds better to me than putting it in years) But I've never ran into this. Heard about it. But never experienced it and said the same thing to those that had the problem. "Sounds like air." or "bad hoses". Finally let my ASE certs expire'cause I wasn't really getting anything for them anymore. The last ones expired in 2006 and ironically one was brakes. Guess it's payback for the snickers one gives when others have "simple" problems. What goes around comes around. 

Give me a tune-up any day, they're easy. Wait...that's what I used to say about brakes!!

Todd

[fec153]

Isn't there a check valve in line from m/cyl? Or is it from the booster? Check that out.

Flip

 

[TMarsh]

BamaCSX83

I've even gone as far as replacing the calipers, wheel cylinders, and hoses, before just throwing my arms up in the air and going "screw it". 

 

My case to a " T ". This one did need it all. They (the local grain elevator) bought it used 4 years ago with bad brakes and by the time they said can you fix it, it was to the point of it either didn't work, was stuck, broken, leaked or wasn't there at all! Oh the vacuum booster was good and so was the pedal itself.

Just stopped in to celebrate, I think I'll have one of those burritos myself and a RBF. I finally got my main loop completed and though I rushed the test run a bit. It performed flawlessly with the GP 40 pulling freight. The Amtrak of course still has issues with the old section.And a couple of cars want to cut the turnouts, BUT I haven't installed throws or switch machines yet so some don't hold real well.

Think I'll sit over by the window and wait for the sun to shine. The winds whippin' pretty good at times.

Todd

[BamaCSX83]

Yeah, I've seen the same in my 7 years in parts and about 9 years in the mechanic (started doing mechanical work when I was 16) experience in automotive.

[fec153]

I would guess you have checked the brake hose. Outside can look good but INSIDE can be unraveled.   Seen a couple cases of this with 35 years in auto parts busines.

Flip

[fec153]

Hey Jeff! It ain't Murphy messing with your plans, it's that GREMLIN.             lol

Flip

 

[gear-jammer]

 Good morning,  I will have coffee and a piece of pie for breakfast.

Yes, I am waiting for the bike store to open.  I want to be sure that it is ready before heading to town. 

twhite

Sue:  Really wise decision to wait a week between those Realistic Water pours.  I was out lookiing at Bullard's Bar yesterday and just realized that I should have put in some of the ripple 'water effects' myself.  Think I'll do that when the weather warms up.  I keep hearing about the WS getting impregnated with dust, but I don't notice it, even in my garage.  I just go over it with a wet cloth when it starts looking dingy, and the shine comes right back. 

Tom, I haven't noticed much scratching from the dust.  The original pour around the cowboys was done about a year ago.  I wasn't sure that I wanted it to be shiny.  We are liking the tint from the RR tie brown.  It give the water just enough murk to be realistic.  I  plan to use lots of WS effects.

Later,

Sue

[New Haven I-5]

 Good Morning.

        I'll have some black coffe so I can wake up, okay Zoe. Last night  I ripped up some of my track to

  get a complete cleaning. Then I added some gravel to the top of the tracks. Now my layout is realistic

 and the Speed Limit on my Zephyr is 50. 

  

                                                               Yawn.........................

                                                               Talk to you all later,

                                                                       Luke

                       

[BamaCSX83]

Morning y'all.  Didn't hardly do anything yesterday, the little girl was sick (stupid upper respirtory infection), so I stayed at home and played the good daddy that I am.  She's doing about 100% better today, so I might be able to get out and do some plundering.  Today is kind of a lazy day, little too cool to go out and play, but at least its bright and sunny outside.  I might just hang out on the computer today and try to figure out where we can take Heather (our daughter) for her birthday party that would both be good for her (as in be able to keep her busy/happy) and us too (as in good food that isn't a McDonalds with a play place, or something like that). 

Todd, yes, I've had a Chevy truck, and some other vehicles just not ever get a "good" pedal.  Sure they stop, and yes, all the air is out, but its just not as hard of a pedal as a like it.  Seems to happen a lot when there are a lot of miles on the vehicle.  I've even gone as far as replacing the calipers, wheel cylinders, and hoses, before just throwing my arms up in the air and going "screw it".  Ocassoinally you just have to let 'em go if you get it fixed and stopped even though it doesn't quite feel "right" to you.

Chloe, I'll have a hot chocolate and a couple waffles with a side of sausage. 

I might even ask my parents to drag out my GP40-2 out from where all my current train stuff is and bring it with them when we go to Heather's birthday party.  Then I can get a really good second look at it and figure out what I need as far as super detail parts, then I can move into the repair and repaint of the 40-2. 

Prayers and healing to those in need, and warmth to you all.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 I'll have a burrito, a couple of tacos and some chili.

[Packers#1]

 True Rob.

Well, I'll probably end up building my kit that i've been talking about today.

EDIT: Well, looks like I've got top honors.

[Cederstrand]

in a SOUTHERN PACIFIC mug, please & thank you. 

***Galaxy, hope it warms up there soon and your plumbing issues (if any) are minor.

***Jerry, do you have a work crew with crane car to take car of such derailments?

***Joe, [the guy's head was upside down... Who  thinks of this stuff?] People like me and my siblings thing of that stuff all the time. Only difference is we don't get paid to come up with them.

***Sawyer, nothign racist about that....just look at the NBA. Nuff said!

Chance of sleet tongiht and rain tomorrow. Guess I need to put out a couple more bales while the ground is still hard/frozen. Breaking ice is already getting old. When my hands both got sore, I switched to elbow strikes, but eventually gave in to the old sledge hammer. I'm ready for Spring.

Have a good day all.

Rob

 

[TMarsh]

Mornin’ all. Waffle please with strawberries and whipped cream. Aaaaaww quit giggling’ fella’s I like it. Cup of coffee, black.

Not much to report on. Here. Less than three feet to go on the final section of the loop. I guess it’s really a dogbone or maybe a half a dogbone. I was never really concerned over what to call it. Then it’s loopin around.

Galaxy- Glad you’re getting water through somewhere. That’s usually a good sign. But if your drains are froze doya think you oughta be drinkin that much Hot chocolate? Oh yeah, that’s right the great thing about being a guy is the world is our urinal. Best of luck to ya when things thaw out.

Boy I remember some of those stress bangs when I lived in a Mobile home. Make you think the whole back of the house just broke off!  

We are suppose to get our thaw (locals say, I haven’t watched the weather myself since it got real cold) next week. So hang in there Hopefully it’ll come your way.

Have a good day all.

Todd

[twhite]

Morning all.  I'm not going to tell you what our high temperature was out here yesterday, because you'd all throw stuff at me.  Let's just say the SMUD truck was out on patrol looking for anyone watering their lawn and when I went to the store yesterday afternoon there were a whole bunch of ladies in Bermuda shorts and tank-tops.  Spooky spent the day sprawled on the floor in a sun-spot and Remington the Viking kept looking at me as if to say, "Who ORDERED this weather Daddy, don't they know I"m NORWEGIAN?"

Mark:  Caught your video.  You're the MAN!   You really drove that band.  Terrific solo, too.  Love "Watermelon Man" to begin with, but you guys just COOKED!    Boy, if you lived in SunnyCal, I'd get you over here at Jesuit for our drum-line. 

Sue:  Really wise decision to wait a week between those Realistic Water pours.  I was out lookiing at Bullard's Bar yesterday and just realized that I should have put in some of the ripple 'water effects' myself.  Think I'll do that when the weather warms up.  I keep hearing about the WS getting impregnated with dust, but I don't notice it, even in my garage.  I just go over it with a wet cloth when it starts looking dingy, and the shine comes right back. 

Well, I've got Baptisms at Vespers tonight--six of the little dears, so I guess I'd better study the script and find out when and where I'm supposed to play.  You'd think that after 15 years of doing these things I'd have it memorized, but they always keep changing it on me.  And tonight we have Fr. Fong, who is a really NEAT Priest, but he's tone-deaf, but insists on chanting the Prefaces, anyway.  Last time we had him for Baptisms he skipped three pages of script and nobody knew where ANYBODY was.  So I'd better be prepared.  Oh well, as my Music Director always says, "We do this for God, not Critics." 

Best to all, continued prayers for those in need. 

Tom

 

[Packers#1]

 Global Warming my butt!

In other news, going to be adding the tour of the other side of my layout to WPF next.

[pcarrell]

Mornin' all! 

Mornin' Jerry!  I see you're enjoying the same heatwave we are!

Thats right........The Central Indiana area is experiencing a heatwave today!

Officialy at the Airport:
Indianapolis, Indiana
Currently: 20°F Cloudy

Wind: South at 16 MPH
Humidity: 52%
Dewpoint: 5°F
Barometer: 30.05 inches and falling
Wind Chill: 6°F
Today: mostly cloudy. Highs around 30. South winds 15 to 20 mph. Lowest wind chill readings 10 below to zero until midday.
Tonight: mostly cloudy. Chance of flurries. Lows around 20. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 20 percent.

Did you all catch that!  Even with the wind chill, we're above 0!  Break out the bermuda shorts!  It's swimmin' weather!

[Cox 47]

Morning All.....sun is shinning and its already up to 19 posta hit low 30's says weather guesser feller on the tube....I'll have a sweet roll and coffee please...thank You....Sallie and I watched movie The Other Bolin Girl last night on tube we thought it was pretty good.....

Ran track cleaner yesterday..Derailed in small tunnel darn thing had moved alittle got it fixed...If I can set up long enough later today or Sunday I'll try to get a photo of Pig Train..

You all have a good one...Jerry

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning...

I'll have coffee and a carmel-pecan roll, please. 

Sorry to hear about the loss, Sawyer.

If any of you are interested, I posted my diner-parlor cars in WPF.

Happy Model Railroading.