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

[jeffrey-wimberly]

howmus

I have 3 messages on the machine (brand new one) right now.  Each message I can understand until it gets to any important information. Typically it sounds like this:  "Hi Ray, this is fhdejowhu  Hkmijba, I'm calling about the Mlsdncjh cbdsjiknbc xbsw that is due tomorrow.  I want to know if dasjdbc djhajds sjbdskm  in the bcskaksbd box on the entry form.  Please call me back as soon as possible at 78%- ?6#8.

I've had the same problem at fast food drive thrus. When they read my order back to me everything comes through crystal clear except the most important part. The price! It gets garbled EVERY time.

[howmus]

der5997

Ray: I really like the pressure treated green look that line pole.  The insulators in this neck of the woods are clear, brown or green.  Don't see too many white, that I remember.  I've been thinking about those new looking poles of yours...how about a stretch of them set in a longer row of weathered one, with the trees in that section showing damage?  Dick can show you some excellent wind/ice damage on trees from his woodlot!

 

Thank you Der!  Yes, I think I will take that one out and replace the insulators with either clear or green which would be more likely for the North East and wouldn't stand out nearly as much.  The one in the photo was as much of an experiment as anything else.  There is a MMR that has an online store who sells HO sized glass beads for that purpose. He is on vacation for a few days, but hopefully will get back to me as soon as he gets home. The white ones I used were from A Seneca Lady who was selling beads years ago at a National Order of the Arrow Conclave (Boy Scouts).  They are almost the right size, but too bright in color.

I am getting so I really hate phones......  I have 3 messages on the machine (brand new one) right now.  Each message I can understand until it gets to any important information. Typically it sounds like this:  "Hi Ray, this is fhdejowhu  Hkmijba, I'm calling about the Mlsdncjh cbdsjiknbc xbsw that is due tomorrow.  I want to know if dasjdbc djhajds sjbdskm  in the bcskaksbd box on the entry form.  Please call me back as soon as possible at 78%- ?6#8.  Thanks so much, I'll talk to you soon."  Lots of fun going deaf........  One of them I finally made out to be a local School and that it concerns the MLK Art and Poetry Contest.  So I call the School and ask if the Secretary has any idea who called me.  She doesn't but will make a general announcement at the end of the day before the staff leaves.  So I sit here by the phone for 2 and 1/2 hours and guess what?  Nobody calls back.   GRRRRRR!  (sorry, end of rant....)

[unca roggie]

I'm not familiar enough with the forum crowd, to recognize who it is posting, right away....so I clik on the rusty looking boxcar above, to see it big, and first thing I think is: "Oh boy, the "Rust Lover" guy in here, is gonna LOVE these cars." 

Turns out its YOU, Robby. 

I know, I know: Duh.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Ryan: Check your PM's.

[C&O Fan]

Actually it's a nice Sunny day here in Houston About 60 degrees

ok ok you can stop throwing snowballs now !!!

 

Wow Robby that's a great weathering job

 

I finished my 3rd miners house and put a porch roof on this one

 

 

[der5997]

Ray: I really like the pressure treated green look that line pole.  The insulators in this neck of the woods are clear, brown or green.  Don't see too many white, that I remember.  I've been thinking about those new looking poles of yours...how about a stretch of them set in a longer row of weathered one, with the trees in that section showing damage?  Dick can show you some excellent wind/ice damage on trees from his woodlot!

No arguements over dinner tonight, it's the second half of the beef curry we had last nigth that turned out to be about twice as much as we usually make!

I hear Rosie-the-dog saying it's about supper time, so I'd better do something about that.  Tonight's Arts Association MRR presentation is postponed to Tuesdaynext because of the icy backroads...and the temperature is dropping fairly fast. Only a few more pages to get caugth up

TTFN

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 It's gonna be another cool one tonight. The low is supposed to be 28. Tomorrow night is looking like 26.

[Robby P.]

Good afternoon everybody.  The snow is falling, and I'm a watching.

Well since the weather is bad, I thought I would do some more "weathering" myself.  I had some old Athearn (BlueBox) Railboxs, and thought I could paint them.  Kinda get two different cars.  So I thought I would try to paint them (spray paint that is).  Never done it, and it looks pretty good.

I still need to add the reporting marks, and maybe a few touch ups.  I painted one the light blue, and other one a light white/yellow color.  That will be done tomorrow.  Well heres the shots!!!

 

[ns3010]

Hi Zoe. I'll take a hot chocolate with loads of whipped cream.

It is currently about 5*F outside, and I just got home. I am freezing, considering that my bus stop is downhill from my house, just to make the walk seem even longer.

And now for some BREAKING NEWS: I still haven't accomplished anything on the layout. Yay for me! :) XD

See ya all later.

[SilverSpike]

CapeJim

Ryan, how wide will your upper level be that you're adding?

 

Howdy Jim and thanks for asking. It depends on the location, along the walls is about 24" deep, for the peninsula they go from 24" to 32' deep.

 

After some thought on the matter the Piedmont Division (PD) will no longer feature the Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroad, but will added the Norfolk & Western (N&W) as it's replacement in the larger scheme. This change will be more fitting with the history of the initial formation of the Norfolk Southern (NS), which came out of the merger of the Southern (SOU) Railroad and Norfolk & Western in 1982. In adding the N&W as a replacement to the KCS I will emulate both rolling stock and motive power from the N&W heritage. All current KCS rolling stock that is in inventory will be saved for simulated through freight operations with the exception of passenger cars, however the motive power will be converted to either NS, SOU or Conrail heritage pieces.

With this decision to eliminate the KCS motive power comes a new project to convert them to NS and SOU road names. I have 7 pieces of KCS motive power units and all but 1 of them can be converted to either NS, SOU, Conrail or NW motive power. I will most likely strip the current paint schemes and re-paint them to NS and SOU schemes. The lone piece which will not be converted is the SD45T-2 unit, and since neither NS or SOU had tunnel units this one's fate is still yet to determined. Sell it? Keep it? Locobash it and make it a regular SD45? No decisions yet.

 

Any ideas on what I should do with the SD45T-2 unit?

The 6 KCS pieces in inventory that will be converted are listed in the matrix below:

Make	Model	Road Name	Road#
LLT Proto 2000	E6 A	KCS	24
LLT Proto 2000	E6 A	KCS	25
Athern	GP40-2	KCS	4764
Athern	SD40-2	KCS	670
Athern	SD50	KCS	708
Athern	SD50	KCS	710

[howmus]

last mountain & eastern hogger

Well for all you whoosses who are complaining about the Temperature, right now it is -33c and the wind chill is -45c and not a fly nor mosquitoe to be found.

 

So Johnboy what time are we leaving for the camping trip.  I got my tent packed.......   Your right haven't gotten bit by a skeeter in a couple months now!  Not only that I haven't had any trouble with those pesky Yellow Jackets that hang around all summer either.

[Cox 47]

Afternoon all....Its windy,cold and snowy here with schools letting out early....I'll have a bowl of chili,cheese and a diet coke please..Thank you...I still havn't got caught up on back posts....I am hopping to get the railroad unpacked and running soon...I picked up 2 more 50 foot trailer train cars and I'll try to get a photo of pig train posted when I do...You all have a good one....Jerry

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Stop by again soon, y'all hear? (Jeff, did I say that about right? )

Come back soon y'all, ya hear?

 

I finally got in! Since 10 am I've been getting those facockamamy error messages!

[howmus]

JimRCGMO

Ray, the poles look good - are the insulators for telegraph (and RR utilities) white in your area? I always thought they were either clear or a kind of clear greenish color.

 

Thanks Jim, that was the comment I was waiting to hear.  While I have seen white insulators around here, and today they come in all sorts of colors, I want it to look right for 1925.  I keep looking at the pole and sometimes think, "It looks OK", and other times think, "The white insulators stand out too much".  Unfortunately the other colors I have would be very unprototype.......  I sent an e-mail off the a guy who sells small beads for that very purpose and will get some clear or green ones.  And thanks to all of you for your kind words about the scene.

I have been knocking on the door here for almost 3 hours now trying to get in and have some lunch..... That error thing is getting to be a real PITA!  Sure hope they get it taken care of soon.  

[der5997]

Bama: I've barely space on the passing track from which the lead to my container port heads to the port for more than a cut of 3 well cars.  These are delivered to the passing track by a local, and the Harbour Grace Port Authority's loco picks them up from there; returning them when they've been "processed" at the port.  But then, on my freelanced Canadian Maritimes themed railroad I can do as I like My "prototypicality" only extends to being as modern as I can manage on a limited budget, and as time constraints allow in re-painting locos etc...which is so far = zero!  (Morgan, I haven't abandoned the Railink project...just haven't ben able to get the time to persue it to a conclusion. )

BTW, to the Diner, and may I extend that to any other recent newcomers. It's good to see you here.

TTFN

[JimRCGMO]

Afternoon, Zoe - I'd like that NP steak that Ryan has on the menu today, medium rare, and a RBF, please.Thanks!

Had the dreaded timeout problems today.. Don'tcha love technology? Couldn't get the duplicate ones deleted, because I had a timeout then, too. So I 'edited' the other two down to no extra text to have to read through...

Robby P.

Jim, its from Walthers (Corner Stone Series).  Its just 2 propane tanks, and a couple of small buildings.  One thing I suggest is: When the two pieces come together, you might wanna add some putty or something to fill in the gap.  I didn't.  So, thats whay I have a few rust spots.  Kinda trying to cover up the gap.

Yep, Robby, that's the one I have. It has a small metal shed-type office building with it, right? Thanks for the heads-up on putting together the two halves. I'll use some Squadron Putty to fill in the gaps - and add some rust, too.

Time for my RBF while I wait for my sirloin. 

 

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Paul W. Beverung]

Morning Gang: We just got back from another doctors appointment. This is one of those weeks when every day is a doctors visit.

It's good to hear that Jerr is back home. I haven't gone back in the posts far enough to see his post.

The lawerys joke I missed was the one before the catfish one. I believe that lawerys are  a cut above oil and gas people.

Well I need to get going and get another load of stone rubble. I'll check back in tonight.

[Packer]

Anyone got any caramel popcorn here? I feel like celebrating a little bit. 

I checked Athearn's page to see if the BN F45s got pushed back. I was suprised when they weren't showing a due date. Does that mean that they are being produced and shipped to distributors now?

http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=f45&CatID=THLD&RN=BN

If so, mine should be here fairly soon. My parents preorderd one for me for christmas, can't wait to have it here and run it with my P2K SD45s. I want to get a second F45 (dunno if it'll be sound or not, depends if I think it'll sound okay for 4 units) for the conist, but since the 2 SD45s and F45 will pull at least 100 cars each, I don't think it'll do much more than look really cool.

[Robby P.]

Jim, its from Walthers (Corner Stone Series).  Its just 2 propane tanks, and a couple of small buildings.  One thing I suggest is: When the two pieces come together, you might wanna add some putty or something to fill in the gap.  I didn't.  So, thats whay I have a few rust spots.  Kinda trying to cover up the gap.

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning, Zoe - I'll have a JR regular and a glass of Ed's OJ, please. Thank you, ma'am.

 Busy place lately here in the Diner. Zoe, have they checked about the second car for the Diner yet? We sure may need it, with everyone making it in on a daily basis.

Rob, good idea - get the carpet laid down, and immediately get your door up to stake out your layout space. Otherwise, that circus will grow and fill the rest of the train room! ]:O] Sounds like when your wife starts to put some of her stuff down on the 'Plywood Prairie', she may realize there might be a bit of a problem fitting everything in there... And I'll have to wait for the 'cheater' photo of your 'walking stick' critter.

YAY!! Jerry's home!! Good to see you posting from home again, Jerry, even if it's brief posts. Get your strength built up and take good care of yourself and Sallie. We've been saving you a seat in the Diner.

Unca Roggie, don't get too discouraged - we can't 'rescue' everyone out there who doesn't "get it". You did your best, and if one of 'em decides they want to 'take the plunge' later, they'll know who to contact for more info. Oh, are you sure that someone didn't scoop up some ballast from outside of the Diner and put it on a plate for you?

And Barry, I think you and Lee have the idea down pretty good. I'll have to keep that in mind (especially once my grandson gets a little older and comes over to visit). By the way, Barry - has Spring ever watched someone in your house fixing tea? Maybe he's smarter than we (already) thought!

Lee - she wants more purple cars?? You might have created a monster there. (Are there that many (2?) RR's who had purple in their color schemes?) Gee, must be bad when the Coast Guard gets sent home!

Robby, excellent job on the propane tanks! You give me something to aim for, every time I see one of your weathering jobs! Who makes that kit? If that's the Central Gas kit (Walthers), I have that in my 'to be assembled... someday' stack.

Barry and CN Charlie (and Johnboy, if you're listening in) - no problem on the weather we're getting in the Midwest (and east), unless of course you actually can controll the weather and deliberately sent it down here.... In that case, we want to talk wih you about some other mods to our weather, okay? And I understand that CalifTom would love to have some of your weather, right, Tom? (Something about Remington liking those Norwegian winters...)

NSJoe, best wishes on your exams next week (and study up hard for those)!

Galaxy, good to hear from you, and maybe pick an easier kit to start back up with (one you can leave on the workbench in between, so you get 'tempted' to do 10 minutes here, 10 there, and before long - surprise! - you'll have it all together!). Stop by again soon, y'all hear? (Jeff, did I say that about right? )

Paul, your day sounds busier than about any of the rest of us. We'll prop you up in the booth next to Duke, and you can catch up on your rest.

Oh, on those timeouts - I got a response back from Bergie on my email to him, thanking me for sending him the error message text, and saying that they're working on the problem. So help is on the way (once they get the gremlin traps put out...)

Ray, the poles look good - are the insulators for telegraph (and RR utilities) white in your area? I always thought they were either clear or a kind of clear greenish color.

Wasn't sure from your post - Luke, did you mean your TV is 'retro' and back to plain ol' black & white now?

Buggy, good that at least you didn't have anything to shovel off your walks and driveways... Stay as warm as possible - I realize you folks down there aren't used to that kind of temps.

Ryan, how wide will your upper level be that you're adding?

Johnboy - that's downright nasty cold (even if they say it's a "dry cold" - yeah, right!)! Hard part is, all that cold doesn't completely kill off your flies and skeeters, does it?

Since Johnboy has the TOP, I might just add some scrambled eggs, strips of bacon and a stack of waffles please, Zoe - and could you bring that coffee pot around when you get a chance, please? Thanks!

We're 'only' supposed to drop to about 9 F by tomorrow evening, so we're only catching the edge of that Alberta Clipper that our eastern Diners are getting hit with this week. Thank Heaven for small favors.

I forgot to post last night or Monday, but at MRR club, I spent most of the evening cutting and stripping wires for feeders for the layout there. One of the other members kept revising his count of how many more black or red wires I needed to cut, and I started threatening him after a while of that.. It's amazing how many feeders that a long, multiple tracked yard needs, not counting the rest of the layout!

Just bring my breakfast by the window booth when it's ready, Zoe. Thanks!

 

Blessings and prayers (and a warm place to be today),

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Robby P.]

Well another cold day, and the snow is coming this after noon.  Not much only about 1-4 after its all done. 

Well not much planned today.  Had to go and get the wifes car at work.  She said it was leaking oil.  I forgot to change the filter last time.  Took it to a place to get it changed.  I am not going to lay outside changing oil at 15 degs.  Hey, I'm a southern boy.  I have only lived in Pa about 3 years.   Still not use to the cold yet.  So.............the oil change was $40.00 .  Thats why I do it in the driveway.

Jeff, Thats good about your heater.  We thought about getting one for uspstairs, but the father in-law put a baseboard heat system in the bedroom.  Works ok.

Rob, Must be nice to get new carpet.  We can't till all of the 4 legged animals are gone.  Well at least the dogs.  That dog (boxer) has been killing my nerves lately.  He has decided to pee everywhere.  Man I am MAD!!!  Thats the reason we can't get new carpet.

Its lunch time, so I guess I will look at the menu.  Stay warm.

Robby

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Looks like John has the page! I'll have ham and eggs.

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

Good morning All.

Zoe, when the time is right, I'll have Bacon & eggs with the eyes open and a double hot chocolate, Please and thanks.

Well for all you whoosses who are complaining about the Temperature, right now it is -33c and the wind chill is -45c and not a fly nor mosquitoe to be found.

I haven't been able to get much time with the "Wobbly" lately. There always seems to be 4 to 5 inches of snow to move each day here for the last while. and by the time that is moved I am pooped.

Really good to hear from Jerry, hope he gets home to Sallie real soon. The Illinois Southern is missing it's CEO.

Glad to hear your heater is  working great Jeff.  That will be a great comfort to you. And those shoes as well.

Rob, are you going to show us some pictures of the new carpet and the train room ??

Well, I am at work so I had better make it look like I am earning my keep.

Keep smiling Gang.

Johnboy out............

[howmus]

Good Mornin' everyone!

Janie, I'll have my FGLK Mug filled with dark roast and then some nice hot oatmeal with brown sugar.  Need something to warm me up.  It is currently a nice pleasant 6°F outside here in the Finger Lakes with a high this afternoon of 10°F.  This is the weather where your feet on the snow crunch!  No wind out there and clear and sunny.  Visibility is at 8 miles right now.  Low tonight will be 2°F with snow. 

Thanks to all of you that have commented on the photos I posted here.  Glad you liked the scene.

Jeffrey glad your heater is working well!  28° where you live is a lot less comfortable than 6° where I live. 

I have a short list of "must get dones" for today so I best finish my coffee and get going.  See you all later. 

[Cederstrand]

 in a SOUTHERN mug, please & thank you.

***Unca Roggie, my wife falls into that catagory. She even wants to model an Amtrak derailment.

***Barry, have a look at this stick bug I took a photo of. That is, if you can find it. It's a tough one to spot, so I also have a cheater pic where I outlined it which I can post later.

Carpet guys are on the way. YIPPY!

Rob

[jeffrey-wimberly]

LSWrr

Jeff, I’m sending those gas pumps and a few other odds n’ ends to you today, you should see them in 3-4 days. 

Thanks. It's much appreciated.

 

Well my new heater got it's big test last night. It's 28 outside and a nice toasty 72 throughout the entire trailer and I never had to adjust it even once. My old heater NEVER did that.

[SilverSpike]

Morning folks!

 

Today's Lunch and Dinner Specials at the Trackside Diner
Soup du Jour ~	c $3.95 b$4.95
C&O – Chesapeake and Ohio Oyster Bisque
From the Grill ~	$7.95
Northern Pacific Sirloin of Beef with Mushroom Sauce
Diner Special ~	$5.95
New York Central Spaghetti Bordelaise
Blue Plate Special ~	$5.95
Rock Island Chicken *** Hawaiian
Dessert ~	$3.95
Southern Railroad Pecan Pie a la Mode
Just let Floe, Jeanie or Chloe put it on your virtual tab! or, if your lucky the TOP honorary poster will cover it for you!

 

Paul W. Beverung

I missed the lawyer joke, could some one repeat it please when I wake up.

 

Oh OK Paul, since you asked here is the one that I posted:

What is the difference between a catfish and a lawyer?

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

One is a scum sucking bottom dweller and the other one is a fish. 

 

Nice work on the layout Ray! 

New Haven I-5

The color wheel on my Samsung TV broke yesterday and it won't come till the end of the month.

 

Luke, that is one reason why I opted for an LCD as opposed to the DLP and projection type screen.

 

I've been working on the layout the past few weeks and started the upper deck benchwork and lighting project. Here are a few of my latest photos of the progress.

Measuring the outside length to mark cuts for joists.

 Added a new tube light fixture, now I can see!

For those who may not know about it the new online magazine MRH is now available for download, it is over 75 MB and in PDF format. It was released on Saturday the 10th.

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/

[pcarrell]

Mornin' all!

When I rolled out of the driveway this morning it was 11 degrees, but it's warming up now.  Later this week they're talking about wind chills in the -30 to -40 below range.  Can't say as I'm looking forward to that!

Currently: 12°F Light Snow

Wind: South at 12 MPH
Humidity: 83%
Dewpoint: 11°F
Barometer: 29.99 inches and steady
Wind Chill: 1°F
Sunrise: 8:05 am
Sunset: 5:43 pm

Well, my wife has a ladies Bible study every Tuesday morning that she hosts.  These things often end up as all day affairs.  Yesterday they got to throwing around a few questions that a few of them have had in the backs of their minds.  It's great seeing people so hungry for knowledge.  Ended up, the questions that didn't get an answer got posed to me last night (You know, one of those "Lets ask the Pastor / Bible College student!" things).  I will say, they hit on some tough ones!  Some of them were the kinds of questions that the answer is, "We'll just have to see when we get to heaven."  I'm pretty sure that wasn't my most popular answer with them.  Oh well, I don't want to say something that I can't back up, right?  It was great though, just seeing these ladies with that want to know attitude, and talking about things with them.

Well, I'd best get back to the phones.

Later!

[blownout cylinder]

AAH---good freezing morning everyone---we are sitting at -23C--so 'pooter is telling me--with some more snow on top of the 15cm we got yesterday. And it will be a high of -14C with tonight's low at -24C----just a few minutes north of here the low will be -30C---YIKES!----thankfully the wind is not putting out rediculous windchills---for example the windchill here is just -28C----if the wind was any stronger we'd definitly would be in CNCharlie territory----

Buggyman; YIKES--for where you are that is cold and hard freezes to boot---the citrus growers are going to love that----stay warm down there---

Rob; Praying Mantis--when we see them are fascinating. We don't really see a lot of them up here-----but last summer we saw a couple of 'stick' insects---they do look like twigs---then a leg moves----

Well, I got a few things to catch up on today---no work today so I get to do some rail stuff---

[LSWrr]

Good morning all, Tom, I’ll take a high cube box car of that 70 degree weather you have, it was 7 this morning when I woke up.

Ray, the green on the roof of the passenger station was a nice touch.

Luke, I would like to hear your comments on the MRC decoder once you get it running.  I just ordered a Heavy Steam Tsunami 1000 series. I watched and read all the critiques on the MR MAG web site and everyone said it was a good decoder.

Jeff, I’m sending those gas pumps and a few other odds n’ ends to you today, you should see them in 3-4 days. 
Sue, I’ll be working on the creek section of the layout soon.  I will be installing a small dam and some fishermen and stuff and I’m shopping around for the best deal in fake water.  Any recommendations or products to stay away from? 
Lee