Elliot's Trackside Diner, Mark XVIII

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Just wick it away at the point that it pools and you shouldn't leave any marks.

[twhite]

Hello all from OvercastMuggyCal: 

Yah, still around, LOL!  Been either busy with school or out in the garage working on the Empire.  Mainly electrical and fixing a piece of track that somehow, after seven years of smooth work, decided to "Head South."   Thankfully, it wasn't on one of my sheer cliffs. 

Boy, sometimes this hobby is like smoking a pipe--you spend far more time fiddling with the equipment than you ever do USING it, LOL! 

Went back to school for three days a week, this year.  That lasted approximately one week.  I was originally contracted to work with just the beginning and Concert choirs, but suddenly I was needed for the Chamber Singers and Liturgy Workshop choirs right off the bat.  So Monday, Wednesday and Thursday very quickly turned into five days a week.  Oh well---  Besides, as some of you already know, the word "No" just doesn't seem to be in a musician's vocabulary. 

We have had a major tragedy at school last week, though.  One of our students parents were murdered in their home and he was a witness to it.  His older brother graduated from Jesuit two years ago and was one of my piano students, and I knew the parents fairly well.  Very nice people.  Everyone is still trying to sort out what exactly happened, but evidently the younger brother was in his room studying (his older brother is away at college) when he heard shots from his parent's bedroom.  He ran in, found his parents dead and a man staring at him and waving a gun and telling him to "Get out if you know what's good for you."  The boy ran out into the street and called 911.  When the police arrived, the shooter had killed himself.   The whole thing is in the process of being sorted out.  It's a terrible tragedy.  And of course, the news is rampant with 'speculation' about the relationship between the parents and the killer. 

Needless to say, it's been a pretty terrible week around here. 

On a lighter note, both Spooky and Uff-Dah are in 'Confused' mode--the weather will turn cool and they will very busily start working on growing their Winter coats, then the weather turns hot again and I've got two cats shedding like crazy and staring at me as if I'M to blame for the weather.  I mean, what can I say?  "Hey, I'm SORRY this isn't Maine or Norway?"   

Oh well---

A positive note on the MR front:  A couple of weeks ago, I decided to use a couple of rear-end pushers on one of my trains just for kicks, to move it from South Yuba Canyon up the 2-1/4% grade to the divide at Wagon Wheel Gap.  A short distance, but I was curious.  Now remember, I'm DC, so three locomotives in tandem (two at the rear of the train) is a pretty tricky situation.  Well, it worked perfectly.  Cut the helpers off at Wagon Wheel Gap and was a happy camper.  So the day before yesterday, I decided to repeat the experiment from the yard at Deer Creek clear around the garage and over Yuba Pass.  It worked.  YESSSSS!!!!!     

So for all of the DCC'ers out there that say it can't be done in DC--NEENER, NEENER!   Of course, the locomotives have to be ABSOLUTELY in tandem as far as weight, balance and gearing (actually easy to do with brass, BTW), and nothing over 25smph.  Thank God for the "Nudge" switch on my Controlmaster 20.  I don't know how often I'll repeat that, though.  I've still got visions of the entire freight doing an "Accordion" on Yuba Pass and heading 6' onto the garage floor. 

Best to all, prayers to those in need.

Tom

 

[Robby P.]

 Just a quick stop.

 Todd.........Its just that the town is sitting on A LOT of natural gas.  They will make millions of dollars, and they will give a cut of the money to a group of home owners.    In the local paper they had a story about natural gas, how much money can be made, and where the gas is located.   It seems that our town is located on a "gold mine" of natural gas.  Thats the only way they can get to it, is through the city people.  Plus my wife works with a lady who worked for the gas company and its all common procedure.  It might seem like a lot of money a month, but if they are pumping out millions of dollars, a few bucks to use won't hurt them.  Its like the mineral rights.......The need to get to the gas, and they have to go through us. 

 Here's a website.   http://www.dpspenn.com/about.php  We are in Westmoreland county.

 Back to the yard work I go.  Have a good afternoon.

[Packers#1]

 Hey Chloe, I'll take a dbl. bacon cheeseburger please.

Whoo, just soldered the rest of the track I already have layed down, next comes laying out the rest of the yard, then on to figuring out the town.

[Cox 47]

Afternoon ...Its sunny and 78 with a north-east breeze...Fighting the "tummy flu" today..getting ready to set down and watch Cards-cubs game from St. Lou.....You all have a good evening..Jerry

[Cederstrand]

Coffee in a large UNION PACIFIC mug, please & thanks.

Put 4 LEDs in the hospital for the wife and seeing it last night, she approves. Because of the internal dividers, light placement, and having used a mix of waxed paper & plastic semi-opaque plastic for windows, it appears that some rooms have lights on full while others are dimmed. It is a what I call "a happy accident!"

OK, I've decided to go with Pumice & Sulfur mining operations for the volcanic end of my layout. Question: which N Scale Mining structures could work for Sulfur &/or Pumice mining? I will probably have the sulfer mining inside the crater, while the pumice would be on an outer slope. I would like to use some of those large mining trucks, but will need structures for off-loading and then loading product into train cars??? Thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

Healing thoughts to those in need.

Rob

[JPowell]

Afternoon gang!

  Sorry again for my absence. Not going to discuss it, but life always has quirks in it...

Anyways, Had to hit the LHS today and p/u part of a order I had there. It included the newest Kalmbach book on Shelf Layouts, a POD storage container and .... the newest Athearn SD40-2 in the NS / Maersk Sealand paint scheme. Im going to give the owner my order for the North American Ethanol series next weekend. So, there's more $$$$$$$$ going to this wonderful hobby of ours.

Well gang, I have to wake up the g/f. Need to make dinner for her since she's under the weather.

Take care!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Only thing left on the DPM Robert's Dry Goods kit (#10200) is to fit the roof. I'm also putting together a Plastruct water tank, kit #K-9. It's one of those that you have to cut most of the parts to size. Maybe tomorrow I'll get started on the DPM Front Street Building kit (#120). I'm also getting ready for my usual Saturday night out.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good evening.....

Have you ever had a snake in your train room? Today was a first time for me. It was a harmless, but nasty tempered water snake. Gus and I took it outside where it belonged.

For operations, I did some switching of freight cars in Blackhawk including the packing plant as in my post for WPF.

Cheers.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Have you ever had a snake in your train room? Today was a first time for me. It was a harmless, but nasty tempered water snake. Gus and I took it outside where it belonged.

Not in the trainroom proper but it was close enough. It was a 2 foot copperhead under the kitchen sink. It lost an argument with Mr. Ruger.

[howmus]

Evening Folks!

Didn't get a chance to get in here this morning before heading out the door to go to a meeting with my Executive Board (That's what they keep calling it, and what the constitution of the division has in it, so I guess that's what it is......) for the Lakeshores Division, NMRA.  We did have a very productive meeting and have the next 2 meets pretty much nailed down.  This is a very helpful and agreeable bunch to hang around with! 

BTW, John, I see you are over near Syracuse.  Do you belong to the Central New York Division of the NMRA?  If you don't, you should consider it.  They have one of the best organized and active divisions anywhere.  I am planning on joining them for a division trip in October.  Just got off the phone with their division Superintendent.

Tom.......  What awful news.  My heart goes out to the student who has to go through all this.  Talk about life changing in a flash!  I am glad that you are back playing for the school on a full time basis!  I just had to turn down a request from the asst. lead trombonist of the NY Philharmonic to record her group again this year.  She is coming back home to do another concert next week. I would have loved to record it but I got to thinking that there would probably be a few people who I have already said no to attending the concert........  Not a good way to keep friends.   Darn!  I hate going deaf!

After this mornings meeting, we all got to visit our host's layout.  We were at Master Model Railroader Ned Spiller's home.  He moved back home after a career with the telephone company in Dallas, Texas.  He trucked the layout in sections all the way to Hammondsport, NY and stored it for a year and 1/2 while he rebuilt what was a garage into a layout room.  Here is Ned at the throttle:

We ended up meeting at his place because this weekend is the Hammondsport Seaplane Homecoming festival in honor if Glenn Curtiss.  The high point of the afternoon was watching all the seaplanes taking off and flying over Keuka Lake from Hammondsport to Penn Yan and back.  That was followed by the flying of the "America".  The plane was built by Glenn Curtiss in 1914, and is still airworthy using the original engines.  This is a Biplane with 2 large motors that run in opposite directions to balance the handling of the plane.  I didn't get very many great shots as my camera kept focusing on the pine trees in Ned's back yard.  Here she is:

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Did a little research on the Plastruct water tank kit I'm putting together. The # on the box is kit #K-9. Walther's carries it as #570-1009 and sell it for $29.95. Mine is marked for $14.95 so I guess it was sold quite a while back.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Jeff........ A copperhead in the kitchen. That would be scarey. ...At first, I thought this one was a copperhead, but glad it was only a water snake. .... Interestingly, a guy in WPF posted a picture of a snake in his trainroom.......

"Bridge Tom"........ I was sorry to read the sad story you posted.  Prayers for surviving family members. ...Also, Tom....... Your photos lately are great. Maybe, you can take one of the two helper locos at the rear of the train you mentioned.

Ray....... Nice pictures of the layout and also of the plane.

[Packers#1]

Well, here's a couple vids of how my yard will operate. pics are in WPF.

part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sbpackernut#play/all/uploads-all/1/sQynzyDF_AQ
part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sbpackernut#play/all/uploads-all/0/j6JqFUCuvkU

[Packer]

Hey ya'll. RBF for me

Garry, never had a snake, but I've had geckos. It's really fun get into a boxcar with an open door and lay eggs or droppings.

Work today was actually pretty easy since it had been pouring off and on all day. Wonder it work tommorow will be as easy as today.

Ealrier today after work I went to get the front weight milled from my spare Atlas U33C chassis so I could fit my newer atlas U30C shell (which I had painted the walkway black) on to it. It went well, except for that I forgot to mill part of it so the crew figures can fit it there. Also tried beadblasting a pair of athearn RDC. The bead blasting went well, until the beadblaster broke... I actually don't have a plan for those RDCs, probably just re-paint them and dump them on the bay.

[Cederstrand]

A LARGE Chocolate Malt, please.

***Jeffrey, glad the copperhead didn't win. Did you eat it for dinner? If my wife saw one in her kitchen, she might have heart failure. Only snake that tried getting into our train room was a Black Snake, which I was happy to see around our house. The Rat Sake down at the barn isn't doing his job, as last night I saw a large rat running across the barn rafters. Haven't seen any poisonous snakes around here in ages, which is quite fine by me.

How about using the Walthers New River Mining Company structure for mining pumice? Or would it make more sense to use a Gravel type loader? OK, I know this is very un-prototypical guys, I still would appreciate some help with coming up with a plan. I gave up on the idea of getting a Blast Furnace, even though it is a very cool looking beast.

Rob

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Cederstrand

The Rat Sake down at the barn isn't doing his job, as last night I saw a large rat running across the barn rafters.

You do know that a snake only has to eat once or twice a month, right?

[blownout cylinder]

Hello

Rob: I'd be kind of thinking that I'd go with the new river mining co. structure. But if there is enough space---otherwise go with the smaller loader.

TomW: what happened to that kid was horrible. We have that family and loved ones on our prayer list---everyone take care

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I just got back from doing all kindsa stuff--found out that the scheduler has me up doing the Saturday thing---but may not be as long a day----at least I hope--- One never quite knows about these things---OY

Chloe, I'll be having a SRP with a large RBF please---I'll be at the RC for now

[Cederstrand]

Tall glass of cool lemon water, please. 

***Jeffrey, actually a wild rat snake has a fairly high metabolism and can eat once a week, providing food is plentiful. In captivity, they can go longer between meals. I use to keep one (among other species) when I lived in AZ. Of course as fast as rats breed, and with most of our barn cats prefering easier kills (mice), it's no surprise we still have rats around the barn. About once a month I find a dead rat in one of the horses water buckets. The cats are happy to get those rats.

Rob

[twhite]

Evening all from SuddenlyHotCal: 

Just got back from playing Vespers at the Parish.  It was a kind of surreal service--at least for me.  I really wasn't concentrating that well tonight.  Actually, I think it's my piano glasses--stuff was blurred and I was playing more from instinct than anything else.   Luckily, nobody seemed to notice except me.  

I have a feeling it's time to visit the Optometrist again and get some adjustments.  Ah, Late Youth!! 

Thanks, guys, for the kind thoughts and prayers for the two students.  I'm hoping that the younger one will be able to come back to Jesuit and that the older one will be able to continue his college education down at St. Mary's.  They're both GREAT young men.  I hope that they can pull through this terrible experience, eventually.  

Oboy, snakes and Gekos, huh?  Oddly enough, out here in SunnyCal, or at least MY part of SunnyCal, I've never had that problem.  Raccoons and skunks, yes, but never a little slithering critter taking a short-cut through my garage. 

Actually, I'm kind of surprised that we DON'T have many reptiles around here--when I first moved here, back around the Dark Ages, we used to have plenty of neat lizards, but they're all gone.  I remember a fat little critter that we used to call a "Horny Toad"--looked like a miniature Triceratops with all kinds of neat protrusions out of its skin.  Sure kept the garden clean of insect plant-chompers.  Haven't seen them in years.  Actually, I kind of miss them.  They were kind of cute.  I remember my son Tommy used to collect them and put them in match-boxes for a day or two until he realized that they weren't really 'pets', LOL. 

Garry:  Since you asked, here's some photos of the 'Great Helper Experiment' that I took between South Yuba and Wagon Wheel Gap.  The lead loco is one of my 3-cylinder Mountains, the two very busy pushers are my 2-8-2's.   And you guys think that all I ever run is Articulateds, HAH!     The train was about 22 cars long.  Actually, the 4-8-2 could have handled the train by itself, but I wanted some 'drama'.

I didn't take any photos of the full run, mainly because I was really nervous about controlling the train all the way around.  Next time I try it, I'll try and get some photos of Yuba Pass and the 'scary' Deer Creek Viaduct.  But I'm still kind of knocked out that I was able to do the whole thing using DC (until I realized that John Allen used to do this stuff on a regular basis back on his G&D). 

Nothing against DCC, of course, but do you think that possibly a DC guy like me who CAN do it is maybe getting the wrong kind of propaganda from the DCC'ers who tell me I CAN'T? 

Best to all, prayers to those in need.

Tom

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Tom...... Thanks for posting the helper pictures. They looked so real I could feel the ground shaking with each thrust from the big steam cylinders. Bravo!

As for the snake.... Today it was a small water snake. In teh past, we never saw them near the house as long as we had our pair of five foot black snakes (Charles and Camilla). Unfortunately, they disappeared while a house was under construction next door, and we suspect some workmen killed them. Charles and Camilla's hole was under the far corner of our concrete driveway. They would patrol under the shrubs, and therefore we had no mice, small lizards, and other snakes.

 

[CNCharlie]

Good Evening Fellow Night Hawks,

It's been a little while since I was last in and as this place is busy I haven't caught up on all the posts at the new location. I have read some though and I want to wish Ulrich a speedy recovery and glad to hear you're at home. I have to admire you for even thinking of making such a major move but sometimes it is the right thing to do.

I was out in BC this past week on a business trip and did cover quite a bit of territory. Luckily I didn't have to drive as our District Manager acted as chauffeur so I could do  a little sightseeing. A lot of south central BC is fairly arid and now with trees dying from the pine bark beetle it is looking a little bleak, at least to my eyes. I did get down to Vancouver though and stopped in at Central Hobbies. What a great shop. I've mail ordered from them several times so seeing the shop was a great experience. I thought of Tom as they were unpacking a fairly large consignment of brass, mainly CP. They had 3 Totem CP Selkirks( 2-10-4) and the one on the test track ran quite well especially as it was the first time in over 30 years. I coveted a lovely little Jubilee ( a 4-4-4) but can't justify the cost especially once painting is added. Anyway it was a fun visit. I bought a couple of things including a CN caboose ( N scale) made by Micro Trains.

We've really being having summer here as it hit 30C today and it was 24C at 9 o'clock. I hope it isn't that hot tomorrow as I have to do a little repair on the garage roof.

Think I'll just go over to the RC and see if anyone else drops by.

CN Charlie

 

 

[TMarsh]

Oh my Tom. Nothing I have to say is going to be be of comfort now. But what I will say tonight is my heart goes out to the young man, as well as my sorrow to his loss and his experience. Please tell him there are people who are praying for him. I will be one. By the way Tom, I'm DC also. It's your imagination. The helpers thing didn't happen, it's not real....

Robby- I'm sitting on a lot of natural gas too. Seriously, though I didn't really think you would fall for a scam, but it did sure sounded like a story........ready?........ Full of gas!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!!!

Rob- Opaque. That sounds like wax paper or some such behind a few of my windows in my future. Grand idea! I'll try to remember that when I run lights to my structures. The varied light densities is not something I had thought of. Thanks. And remember who you're talking too when it comes to being unprototypical. Even the prototypical guys like unprototypicalness. Whew, I won't try to say that again.

JP- Aaaaagh!!!!! You're becoming domesticated!!!!

If there is any doubt that Jeff lives in the south. Discharge of a firearm in the house to remove and unwanted, um...well, anything, is all the proof I need. (sounds more like a Texan to me. Any in your family tree?) By the way, Ruger happens to be my favorite choice also. Sturdy built they are. Mine happen to be a Super Blackhawk (new model), a Redhawk, and two stainless steel Old Army's which happen to be my favorites.

The fundraiser went very well they made about $1400 with the food, silent auction amd the 50/50 drawing. Thank goodness for all the businesses and individuals that donated items.

I'm tired  (better double up after Tom's tragic news).

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

If there is any doubt that Jeff lives in the south. Discharge of a firearm in the house to remove and unwanted, um...well, anything, is all the proof I need. (sounds more like a Texan to me. Any in your family tree?) By the way, Ruger happens to be my favorite choice also. Sturdy built they are. Mine happen to be a Super Blackhawk (new model), a Redhawk, and two stainless steel Old Army's which happen to be my favorites.

Texas is my home state. My father is from Austin and my mother's family moved from Doddridge Arkansas to Orange Texas in the 30's. Later they moved to a little place called Troup outside Tyler. My older sister was born in Tyler as was I. My younger sister had to be different. She was born at a military hospital near Robinson Barracks in Germany. Now as to the snake removal tool, it was a Ruger 357 magnum Blackhawk. The shell used was a .38 shot shell which is kinda like a shotgun shell on a small scale. It has a thin plastic dome loaded with pellets a bit larger than rat shot. To say that the snake was punched full of holes is an understatement. It never knew what hit it.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning.

It's 73 and cloudy. The high will be in the upper 80's with a chance of rain.

Still have to fit the roof for the Robert's Dry Goods DPM structure. I may be able to get to that today. Yesterday I started work on a Plastruct water tank kit. By 11 pm I had the main parts assembled and half of the cross braces put on. Today's photo at the end of this post shows my progress as of 11 pm yesterday. This morning I cut and fitted the gusset plates. Later I'll add the remainder of the cross braces.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      9/20/2009

Heat Index:  78°F
Humidity:  92%
Dew Point:  71°F

So Far Today
High:  73°F
Low:  72°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  0mph NNE

Today  High: 88    Mostly cloudy in the morning...then partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. Light winds in the morning becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight  Low: 72    Partly cloudy until late night then becoming mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds around 5 mph.

[LSWrr]

Good morning,

Dorothy and I went to Harley Smith’s house last night for an operating open house.  Since 1967 he has hosted the “Third Saturday night club”; typically 15 to 20 operators arrive and run his approx 45 x 50 foot layout.  The layout utilizes Atlas brass flex track with fiber ties and never seems to have any issues with corrosion.   Most of the buildings are home made with cardboard, wood, and everyday household items.

Looks like our turn to get some rain this afternoon, so maybe I can get some train chores completed today.

 

[fec153]

Gotta make this fast- Heard Vinnie is back.

Fergie posted pictures on  IHC 2-10-2 of two of his steamers and admitted he has a third one still in its box. Must be his " PINK " engine.

Prayers for all. I'm gone .

Flip

 

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

What a way to start a morning. Got up to resetting clocks and clicking/clunking of cassette players and CD players and stuff. Somebody crashed into a pole here and then went through the front of the house a couple of doors down from me. Turns out he was drunk---3X the legal limit Tried to run away but guy's bull masstiff would not let him----he's now having a chat with the friendly neighbourhood police officer

Another thing too. 'Spring' was running/jumping, and leaping after our own animal guest-----a bat. Finally got him out'n the house by catching it in a butterfly net we had in the garage----

I'm going to be sitting in the trainroom doing some trestling right along. Got some more wood pieces for the trestles and some new toothpicks for some more pole pieces for the poles that will be running along the side of the thing-----sheeesh. I'm going to have fun piecing the bridge together when all is said and done

Chloe, I'll have a coffee and a toasted bagel with herbed cream cheese please. I'll be at the RC for a bit

 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 This is the point I'm at on the Plastruct water tank at this time. I still have to make and install the top hatch and the ladder. Afterward it'll be going to the paint shop for a weathered paint job and a black wash.

[Cox 47]

Good morning all..Its cloudy and 64 here and were getting some light rain...I'll have coffee and toast please..Thank You..I'm still fighting "tummy Flu"..gett'in kinda tired of it!..Havn't done any railroading...Gonna watch the cards game on tv this afternoon...You all have a good one...Jerry