Elliot's Trackside Diner, Mark XIX

[AmanaMedic]

JEFF: YOU sir, should be a writer... Glad the doc got you fixed up, hope the foot continues to heal.

Good afternoon...Chloe? Coffee in the CNW Iowa Div. cup please 'n thank-you.

I am to cover a candidates' forum tonight for guys who think they want to be elected to the City Council in North Liberty. I'm thinking of wearing my old fireman's 3/4 boots...the pull-up type that come up to the thigh. I might need 'em for wading through all the bovine byproduct I expect to be in the room... I'm not jaded and cynical when it comes to politicians...really I'm not.

ULRICH: While I hate to see you leaving your house, I am glad the paperwork and red tape are finally being resolved, if nothing else think of it as a few less hassles on the road to a new (better) future. Oh, and I also think hibernation is a good idea this time of year. THAT said, it's 70 degrees out today, and mostly sunny. It was supposed to be cold, windy, and rainy. Weather speculators blew it again. The hourly forecasts keep saying "a chance of rain," but the way he says it, it's like he's hoping for it...."please RAIN! PLEEEEEEEESE RAIN!!!" As if that would vindicate his error.

The head cold/creeping crud Loving Wife brought home a few weeks ago still lingers on. I've been holding it off, more or less since she contaminated the house. Today, I've got a full-blown head cold going on. No, it isn't the dreaded H1N1, wrong symptoms...just a good 'ole fashioned head cold. But, it's enough to really knock down my productivity as I sit in front of the computer feeling stoned and wanting nothing more than to crawl back into bed. I tried listening to the tape from the bridge forum. After listening to the same quote 5 times, and still not getting it transcribed correctly...I decided to hold-off until tomorrow. The muckety-mucks are on vacation, so no facetime/staff meeting Friday (YAY!), so that buys me an extra day. I'll turn in my stuff on Saturday enroute to a waffle breakfast I am to cover.

Time for another round of whatever cold medications I can find. I usually concoct a little "drug cocktail" when it comes to these things.

Have a good rest of the day, and an even better night...

Chris

Whoops, top. Looks like late lunches and the dinner rush are on THAT editor's expense account. Order UP!

[Packers#1]

 Jim, sometimes it's better to have the ref blind, lol. course, that game we ahd one who usually calls it tight, and both times he saw my slide tackle, so it was legal.

Ray, it's pretty much a rule you have to have shin guards. I've played without them though, but jsut in pick-up games.

Chris, hehe, yeah man.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

AmanaMedic

JEFF: YOU sir, should be a writer... Glad the doc got you fixed up, hope the foot continues to heal.

Speaking of the foot, I have to go see the foot tomorrow morning then tomorrow afternoon I have to go to DeRidder to see my urologist.

[blownout cylinder]

AmanaMedic

JEFF: YOU sir, should be a writer... Glad the doc got you fixed up, hope the foot continues to heal

That writer comment I agree with wholeheartedly----!!

AmanaMedic

THAT said, it's 70 degrees out today, and mostly sunny. It was supposed to be cold, windy, and rainy. Weather speculators blew it again. The hourly forecasts keep saying "a chance of rain," but the way he says it, it's like he's hoping for it...."please RAIN! PLEEEEEEEESE RAIN!!!" As if that would vindicate his error.

AHAH!! So that is where this dang so called 20% chance came from! It rained all b---------y day here! Tell that guy to turn it off please---

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

Good Evening peoples

Did a whole bunch of runnin' 'roun' doin' all the basic stuff and could not go anywhere's near any LHS---grumble grouch mumble snort Even better all available $$$ went south---for the basics So therefore even if i found an errant LHS all I could have done is stared at the stuff making myself go-----grumble grouch mumble snort I just love it when the gotta buys come aong and wipe any Hobby $$$ out----I just go on a !!

Sheeeesh!---now that I vented my spleen Chloe, I'll have a chocolate fudge sundae and a large RBF please----I'll be by the RC for now

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

blownout cylinder

all available $$$ went south---for the basics So therefore even if i found an errant LHS all I could have done is stared at the stuff making myself go-----grumble grouch mumble snort I just love it when the gotta buys come aong and wipe any Hobby $$$

 

I hear ya Barry!  I decided not to get the oven on the stove fixed as it is 20+ years old and the company that made it has been absorbed by two or three other companies over the years.  Besides the old stove has a few other things about ready to fail and suffers from terminal crud from boiling over stuff over the years.  I do try to clean it.... at least a couple times a year, really!  So that will take care of any slush for a while as the new stove I want will set me back some $$$$.

Ran into my lawyer today.  Lucky niether of us were hurt.....  No, I saw him at the grocery store and while we were talking (he is an old friend as well as my lawyer) I asked him what I need to do to officially get out of business.  He says, easy just go to the county clerks office and file form xyz 32-4837294675 removing a DBA from your name pay three times as much $$$$ as you did to originally file the DBA and then report it along with your taxes........  Maybe Ulrich can help me, he seems to have experience at filing paperw*rk...

No rain here Barry.  Lots of clouds, but no rain.  I finished mowing the lawn for the year.  If it grows any more or gets covered in leaves, tough!  It will still be there in the spring.

OK, back to getting some things accomplished....

73

[JimRCGMO]

Good Evening, Chloe - yep, it's 'hump day' I'll have a hot fudge brownie tonight, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, please, and a CAW mug of coffee. Thanks!

I see Jeff's taking his dinner by straw tonight. Hi Jeff! ("Smdfulkjdfsalh," eh? Don't worry, it'll eventually go away) (Hope I don't get a dentist like that when I have my wisdom teeth taken out) Are you sure you're not related to that other Jeff (Foxworthy)?

Chloe, if I behave myself, can I sit at the counter with Chris (THAT guy who has lunch with the famous Rerun)? Hey, I'm sure Rerun enjoys 'doing lunch' with you. And I'd say I'm with you about fiddlin' with a kit, rather than buy RTR. Think I've only seen one Evans kit - ever. I just enjoy the process of putting together a kit (even a P2K one...). I feel like I did something, no matter how imperfect the end results may be. Hmmm, I may have just lost my RC privileges with that remark... And we know that you really just like the buzz from those cold meds cocktails, right? (heh, heh...)

Hey, Chris - how hard are those Evans kits, and do they have any in 1940's-50's era? I might have you do a scouting trip for my next payday... (Hey, I can hope!)

Barry, good luck with your HB trip, and if you look hard enough, I'm sure you can find a LHS (but you may want to hold off on getting the ice cream until after that...). Sorry to read that it didn't w**k out for you that way.

Ulrich, good to hear you have the paperw**k, so now we'll adjust our to the landlord getting back from holiday within the next half week or less. You are making good progress, from the sounds of things. To chime in with what Chris said, I can tell you one nice advantage of flat/apartment living - no lawn to have to mow or rake leaves off of!

Robby - what kind are you making? Pine/conifers? Or something else? I have the fixin's, but have yet to do Aggro/others' method for making pines. But I have all the basic materials (did I mention that I have the materials?)....

Keith - you sound so bouncy and eager there (or did you forget your Ritalin...?)

 

(Just razzing you; I'd love to have your energy level when it comes to gettting more done on the layout here). Oh, the word I've heard is that the real fun starts with ballasting.

Ray, I'm guessing you have some kind of checklist of the stuff you need/want/have to have done before Monday, right? Ah, good.

DerJohn, sent you an email with a couple of things in it. How's Kris' writing been doing, since we've been talking about writers tonight?

Jerry, I like your excavating crew there - though maybe you need some more supervisors? Do you have some Modge Podge (glossy) for the pond? I understand it w**ks pretty well, and isn't too pricey, either. It's what I will likely use for my puny little creeks on my layout, anyway.

Was trying to figure out how much I (realistically) want to try getting done for the layout before Christmas arrives (vs. how much neatening, straightening and tossing stuff in the apartment). But to get that figured out, i may need to just keep myself in one of the back booths a while and do the old pencil (or pen) and paper pad thing. Seems when I get going on the computer, I get sidetracked on too many other things...

I may be in a back booth for a bit. Keeping you all in my thoughts and .

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

I see Jeff's taking his dinner by straw tonight. Hi Jeff! ("Smdfulkjdfsalh," eh? Don't worry, it'll eventually go away) (Hope I don't get a dentist like that when I have my wisdom teeth taken out) Are you sure you're not related to that other Jeff (Foxworthy)?

Not unless he's related to a bunch of Chickamauga Indians (lower Cherokee). As far as being a writer, I dabbled in that when I was younger . That dream got shot down when I was in the 7th grade. Dyslexia set in with a vengeance. Today I can only read for a few minutes before the letters start doing strange things and while typing or writing my eyes will start to hurt so badly I have to stop after a max of less than 10 minutes. When my nephew realized he has it he figured he came by it honestly as my mother and I both have it, she less severe than I. My two sisters also have it but not to the severe degree that I do.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hello ...

Grandchild # 5 arrived OK in Michigan this evening. His name is "Oliver", he weighs 7 lb 5 oz, he and his mother are doing fine.   Shelley is in MI to be with them.

Meanwhile, I went to Alabama to be with my 90 year old Mom. I brought here here to Kentucky for a few days before I take her back. I just gave her a layout tour.

Below is the George Wallace Rest Area just south of TN on I-65. AL has played a big role in NASA engineering, and the rocket is on display for that reason.

I'll continue to be busy for a while.

Keep those train rolling, and happy model railroading.

[AmanaMedic]

JimRCGMO

Chris (THAT guy who has lunch with the famous Rerun)

Actually, JIM, Rerun IS famous! You see, he stars as "Rerun the Pirate Dog" in a little book called "The Pirates' Alphabet" written by a lady named Wigington, and illustrated by Kit Umscheid, AKA: "Loving Wife." Keene Publishing/Moo Press put the book on the shelves a couple of years ago, still availible through Barnes and Noble (they can order it if it ain't on the shelf), or through Amazon. GREAT alphabet/reading book for kids in the 4-10 range. It's not your typical alphabet book: "A is for anchor, B is for boat." Instead, Kit took Wiginton's words, designed a crew of charecters, and crafted a journey from A to Z "Ahoy to Zzzzzzzzz" with a boat full of funny pirates.

Yeah, I'm kinda proud of both of 'em.

JimRCGMO

how hard are those Evans kits, and do they have any in 1940's-50's era? I might have you do a scouting trip for my next payday... (Hey, I can hope!)

I got your PM on THAT, not sure if the reply went or not. I think you mean McKean... I built an Evans plugdoor boxcar, by McKean, maybe THATs what threw ya. From what I remember, the LHS mostly had 50' ACF exterior post boxcars (modern) and some of the ACF smooth side single-door boxcars. I guess from the 60s. I believe these kits were picked up by Accurail, along with the ACF CenterFlo grain hoppers. They sure look and build about the same to me, except Accurail molded on the grabs while Front Range/McKean had 'em seperate. Also, almost all of the smooth side boxcars were in FGE "Solid Cold" paint and markings. I think it was a dreaded "foobie." I snagged one once, thinking I could make it a CNW patch. Then looked at my pics...wrong car style, wrong color. I soaked it in brake fluid, repainted it, and it became a CNW boxcar anyway from a general merchandise class, and not a RBL plugdoor as was anticipated. As for difficulty, like I said, the ladders and grabs are seperate parts, kinda delicate to cut off of the sprues. "Fit and finish" weren't exactly McKean (or Front Range)'s hallmarks, so I'd expect to do some adjusting to get things (like the doors, and the roof) to fit. For pre 1960s, I'd stick with the Accurail version. I rarely pick one up, but when I do it's: 1) for the nostalgia, 2) because I couldn't afford them "back in the day" since they were 2 to 3 times as much as a blue box, and 3) since I'm modeling '87 to '93 I can trim the ladders before installation instead of having to shave them off and then trying to match the paint.

The Front Range and McKean cars appear frequently on "theBay" as well. The last time I grabbed one there, it wasn't any more or less expensive than the LHS other than having to pay postage instead of gas.

Part of me wants to find the centerbeam lumber flats they did. Then again, I read a review which said THAT kit was a good reason to not leave a loaded gun lying around the w**kbench...

THAT all said, I can sure take a look for ya sometime when I'm out THAT way...and do a little recon for ya.

JEFF: I'd forgotten about the dyslyxia. But, with your wit, humor, and story-telling ability...I'd say grab a tape recorder and let somebody else do the typing.

Have a good even'nin eve'rbody...

Chris (on a quest for more cold meds...)

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,

    43F and cloudy this morning but it's supposed to stay dry until Saturday. Predicted high in the mid 70's today but we'll see....

   Still scrambling to catch up paperwork and sorting out in the shop as we get ready to do winter rebuilds. Catch y'all later.    J.R.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 This morning I have to go see the foot doc so he can poke and prod at my feet some more then this afternoon I have to go see the urologist so he can can poke and prod at other places. Glad I've got nothing going on Friday except a visit from the home health nurse and an antibiotics delivery. I'll be able to get some rest from this busy week.

[LSWrr]

Keith, I have the same sense about my layout.  I have a bunch of stuff to do and try to do something every night, but it just doesn’t work that way.  Overall if you look at my 2008 and 2009 progress albums you’ll see that I have completed a lot of stuff in 24 months.  The areas that seem “done” are not done at all, as I find details or have the money for more details I add them to the layout. 

Jeff, I’m glad they got that tooth when they did, and $102 is a bargain!  I hope you faired well after the Novocain wore off. 

Grandpa – Congratulations! (Garry) on #5.  How is your Mom doing?

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

The one finger hunt and peck is the name of the game today---'Spring' has decided to cuddle up with me while I'm on the 'pooter. The weatherguessers have forecast a rather dull rainy next few days for us with one sunny day then back to the usual stuff again. Temperatures around here will be mostly around the 7C-14C range...

I'm getting a whole bunch of trestle bents stained today and then I'm going to start up a whole new batch later on---

Garry: Congrats on grandchild #5!!----Hope all is well with your Mom--

Jeff: Everytime I go to the 'Tooth Doctor' it's a major thing has to be done-----so I tend to want to avoid them. Hope everything goes well today--

Chloe, I'll have a coffee and some toast/jam please----I'll be over at the RC for now

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.  Anoither nice day, but rain tomorrow.

 Not much planned today.  Looks like it will be a lazy day.

 Jim........I'm doing pine trees.  Like Aggros way.  Cut the filter, paint the "chop" stick brown, and break/mess up the filter.  Spray the filter with hair spray, and sprinkle with green woodland scenics grass, and respray with the hairspray.   

 Garry.....Congrats!!    Also thats a neat picture.

 Well hope eveyrbody has a good day.

[Cox 47]

Morning...Its cloudy and 55 here posta rain latter...I'll have a glass of Ed's OJ and toast please,,Thank You..I almost had a disaster last nite I hit the front door on my power chair knocking it into wall and with shelves with train on them in next room 5 or 6 cars fell..but can't see any damage..door came off one car but no broken steps..I am working on a back ground building that I printed off internet..

Jim..I am going to try Modge Podge...I'll let you know how it works..can't beat the price I got a "life time' can at Wally World for a couple of bucks..

You all have a good one...Jerry

[Blazzin]

   "Coffee Please"

  Jeff, what a story.  You should be a writer, I read that one to my wife.  We could feel being there~!  Once again I get it all wrong.. today.. you go get the x rays.  But my thoughts were with you yesterday, and rightly so.  I hate going to the Dentist. 

Jim, bouncy?  At the very least....  Charismatic.  If I was any happier, I couldn't stand myself!  But dont' get me wrong, I've had adversity in my life.  I guess its just how you deal with it, that makes you stronger or weaker.  But bouncy?  As it was, yesterday... I was working on the layout and get a phone call.  A friend, saying "Surfs Up.. come on down~"  And since I have the surfboards, a whole garage full of them.. and  parking pass.. and only ten minutes away.  I'm 57, and the younger of the bunch.  I surf with a group of old Vietnam Vets, guys you really don't want to mess with.  We all surf, but we surf.. big 'Long Boards'  The weather is getting hot again.. and should be in the 90's  by Saturday. Don't get me wrong, its the only lifestyle I've ever known.  It's like almost growing up in Hawaii. But I stay active as much as possible, having two sons keeps you active.  AS for my wife, she's an even keel person.  Gives balance to my personality.. and always keeps me in 'check'.  As far as Retilin goes, when my other son was in 1st grade they / the teacher approached me..concerning my child.. and putting him on drugs.. I said "NO"  .. absolutely NO.  I would never ever want to take away the beauty a child has.. and the trill of every days miracles that happen in a simple act of a butterfly floating around from bush to bush.  I had asked.. "Is he disrupting the class?  Is he learning.. is he keeping others from learning?" It was quite clear.. there was no need for drugs.  Retilin has been around since the early 70's when I had first read about it in Pyschology Today magazine.   As it turned out, my oldest son is very smart, has a good job.. and nice girlfriend.. and that makes me just 'Fine and Happy'  Although, I 've never been one to take any drugs.. not even an aspirin.  I get a head ache.. once every two years.. and if and when I take aspirin, my head ache goes away.  Now the only real medicine I take is my soup... which I talk about lower in this posting.  But thank  you for the kind word  (bouncy)  .. yup.. thats me.  I'm just glad I can talk to others than enjoy Model Railroading.

Chris,  I have been following your posts for some time.  Many of times have I wanted to share with you my 'Cold Remedy Soup'. Everyone that has tried this soup, has had great reviews.  I gave some to my neighbor, and he says... "Wow Keith, that reeeealy punched my ticket'  If I told you the ingredients .. you would turn you nose up at it.  But if you tasted it, especially if you have a lingering cold, you'd say.. 'At least I can taste this!~"  And then you'd feel the warming sensation of the ingredients.  Then your sinuses open up.. your chest is breaking loose.  You will have now discovered the 'Exlisor of Life'  no kidding.  If you have two bowls of this soup, you will not get a cold .. ever again.. the flu will be mild.. and for one year.. you will never ever get a flea bite.. or a mesquito bite.  No kidding.  In fact, if there was ever a remedy for the Blubonic plague.. this would have been it.  Whats in it? Not telling.. yet.  I worked in a hospital for a rather long time.(17 years one place) and sometimes.. hospital personel really dont' get lunches.  Oh you do, but sometimes.. and usually once a week... someone would bring in a Crock Pot.. or a pot luck lunch thingy.  So my friend brought in this soup... I couldn't believe it.  I finally talk him in.. into giving me the recipe'.  I go over to the Emergency Room (we all friends) and use their 'copy machine'  once its found out.. I've got Ron's  Polish Chili Verde.. everyone wanted a copy of his recipe. Enough of this .. I won't give the actual recipe' cuz that takes up space.. but if you think you are desparate enough to try it.. I'll write it down.  But its made with Pork Rump Roast, onions, garlic, green whole chili's, celantro,green enchilada sauce.. all in a Crock Pot...and if done correctly.. you don't taste anything.. but just good stuff.  Remember, you'll never get a cold again, never a flea bite, or have any friends.. unless they like garlic and onions.  I guess it depends on how desparate you are, but .. once tasted, you be telling others.. and they'll wonder what kind of BSer you are.. but its the gospel truth.

Lee,  all I can say, I work on it everyday, sometimes very little and some times.. for hours.  I feel just working ten minutes .. is still working on it everyday.  I know where I left off besides.. if I waited  day or two, I might be saying.. "Now where was I"  its bad enough I say that everytime I work on it..but everyday does help.

Jeff, one of my sons suffers from Dyslexia, I finally had to go out and buy the audio version of some of his books.. because he couldn't concentrate on reading. (Dune the trilogy, big thick, long book) But if he read, while he heard them talking he did just fine.  It also took him 6 years to get done with Junior College, but he's in a University now.. so I'm happy.. and the money was well spent.  Jeff, we'll all be hoping your x rays turn out nice.. and show good healing going on.

Keith

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Flo I'll just have a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar, and lots of dark roast coffee in a R&GV mug.  I'll go sit in the front booth for a bit and watch the switching going on.

It's a dark, cloudy but warm Fall day here in the Finger Lakes.  Currently 57°F with a high around 64°F later this afternoon.  Expecting a few showers along the way, so I will spend most of the day doing inside stuff......

Going over to a local appliance dealer that I have done business with many times in the past to see what he has in stock for stoves/ovens.  Hopefully I will get something installed soon.....  I got another piece of skirting done last night and installed on the layout.  Managed to run out of thread though.  So I will probably run over to Canandaigua as well and pick more of the heavy duty black thread I need.  

Guess I best get moving, so I'll catch you all later!

73

[colesdad]

Jeff,  I have a couple more questions concerning the use of ez track for your layout. you mentioned you raised thr terrain, did you you use sheet cork, or build it up with sculptamold or something similar to that? Also, for your turnouts, how did you mount, or attach the turnout controls. are they mounted on top or underneath. By turnout control I mean the black switch that comes with the turnouts.

Thanks again.

Bob

 

[Cederstrand]

Tall glass of cool water & some mixed nuts, please.

Met the new Doc (she could probably talk me into exploratory brain surgery with just her smile alone) and put me on BP meds. Even with them, it is a bit high and my HR remains higher than it should be. Next week I will have a CT scan of the head and ultrasound of the neck. Still waiting for the sleep study folks to send info to my old Doc so he can write a perscription for the Cpap machine. My wife flunked her sleep study even worse than I did and will be using one as well.

It's offical, we finally own our front yard, driveway and side yard. Going to sell off the timber to help pay for fence materials. Need pasture more than trees.

Hope everyone is doing well. Rob

[blownout cylinder]

Good Afternoon---

Got some more trestle bents done and also found some time to finish off a couple of grainbins and get those attached to the co-op mill that 'm building up----I think it is going to be a bit bigger than I thought It goes across the full 24" of bench work on the Anson spur line

Chloe, I'll have a burger platter with gravy on the fries and onion rings---and a large RBF as well please---I'll be at the corner booth checking out the MRR mags here---

[howmus]

Afternoon Everyone!

Flo I'll just have a Dr. pepper and go sit at the Rivet Counter for a while.

63°F outside and very dark.  Probably some rain or something that Barry is sending my way.  That's OK as I got the woodsplitter loaded into the trailer so it can go out to the museum for a few weeks to be used in getting the winter fuel supply all split for the depot.  I also went and bought a new stove this morning.  Ended up getting this one http://www.frigidaire.com/products/kitchen-appliances/gas-electric-ranges/FGF368GC  They had it right on the floor so I got to take a good look at it.  Got kidding around with the salesperson and mentioned that I saw online that stoves today can only be expected to last about 20 years and since the one I have is about that old I figured I should either buy a new one or get an 75 year old antique one that still works and will for the next 100 years....  The lady who is one of the owners came over to me and said 20 years?  If only they did!  Then pulls me over to a chart they have behind the counter and said, "Ray, look at this."  She points to a line on a document that comes out from the industry that says, 1 to 5 years.... replace and repair parts.  5 to 8 years assess condition of stove and repair only if in good condition.  Over 8 years replace stove....  Take about planned obsolescence!

Yesterday morning I took a good look at a patch of psoriasis that I have had for several years that has not responded to the treatments the Doc has me on.  This is a patch of crud on my side.  Looking at it in the mirror, I saw that it seemed to have new plaque in an arc along where the old has been.  Got to thinking...... (always a scary thing)  So yesterday morning I hit it with the medication I use for the fungus I had on my leg a year ago.  Today the area is already starting to clear.  So I guess I know why the psoriasis wasn't improving....

Rob hope you can get the CPAP machine soon.  You may find that your BP and headaches improve.  I know a Scout leader who had sleep apnea very bad and he is like a different person since he got the machine.  His heart problems and several other health issues went away.  Good luck!

I ran out of the thread I need to make the skirting for the layout so I just got home from Canandaigua where I can get it.  $2 for the thread and $2.25 for the gas to get it.  Should have bought more thread when I picked up the rest of the cloth but forgot.

I best get doing something of value.  (not that being in the diner isn't something of value as it is!)

Later!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

colesdad

Jeff,  I have a couple more questions concerning the use of ez track for your layout. you mentioned you raised thr terrain, did you you use sheet cork, or build it up with sculptamold or something similar to that? Also, for your turnouts, how did you mount, or attach the turnout controls. are they mounted on top or underneath. By turnout control I mean the black switch that comes with the turnouts.

I used wall board compound to raise the terrain surface. It cracks as it hardens so you'll have to put a thin layer of plaster of the top after it's dry. I let mine dry hard for about a month before putting the plaster on. The area around turnouts must be dammed off so plaster can't flow into the mechanisms. As for the turnout controls, all the turnouts on the main part of the layout are hooked through a control panel. I wire them in pairs through a DPDT center off momentary contact toggle switch. A pair of wires attached to an old Bachmann power pack supplies power. The - (negative) wire goes straight out to all the turnouts. The + (positive) wire runs to a row of SPST toggle switches. This supplies power to all the SPST switches. To send power to a turnout I run a wire from the other side of a SPST switch to one of the center legs of the aforementioned DPDT switch. I then run another wire from one of the outer legs of the DPDT that's on the same side as the leg I attached to. This wire on the outer leg then goes to one of the outer control wires on a turnout. Then I run another wire from the other outer leg on the DPDT to the other outer wire on the turnout. Now when I turn on the SPST for that side of the first DPDT I can make the turnout snap from one position to another by pushing the toggle on the DPDT one way or the other. Left for the diverging route, right for the main. Then I do the same thing with the second SPST and the other side of the DPDT. Two SPST's to one DPDT to two turnouts. Both turnouts can be controlled individually or at the same time. For six turnouts I would use 6 SPST's and three DPDT's. I hope the pic explains it a little better.

 There are three turnouts on the extension that are controlled remotely. For those I use the switch boxes supplied by Bachmann. They get their power from the same power supply that powers the other turnouts. The control wires run straight from the turnouts and plug into their respective switch boxes. The three boxes are all connected together end to end.

[gear-jammer]

Good afternoon, All.  Chloe, I will have a RBF, please.  Just exercising the locos.  Not much else going on.

Sue

[Packers#1]

 Well, alzer tag got postponed b/c there were only 9 kids signed up. Shot up the GP35 and GP9 w/ model master insignia red today. Think I added a bit too little thinner, but oh well. I'll stick with polly scale after I shoot the model master white. no pics yet though, they're drying right now

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Got the new X-rays done of the foot this morning. Looks like the ends of the dut bones are healing nicely and some bone regrowth is starting. Went to See the urologist in DeRidder this afternoon. Checked out good on my prostate exam. It's a little enlarged but no more than it was last year. There's no sign of any nodule formation which is a good thing. Just have to see what comes back from the blood test.

[Packers#1]

Packers#1

 Shot up the GP35 and GP9 w/ model master insignia red today. Think I added a bit too little thinner, but oh well. I'll stick with polly scale after I shoot the model master white. no pics yet though, they're drying right now

 

Well, the locos are dry, so thoguht I'd take some pics. got a little drip under the masking on the walkways to fix, otherwise, they look good. the model master worked good, adding a bit in some palces would be good, but I'm going to go ahead and see if it will help the weathering. who knows? I'll be buying some clear acrylic matte medium this weekend in greenville (hopefully), and then I'll mask for the white stripe (I know, shoulda painted the white first, but no masking tape small enough for the stripe). Anyways, here's some loco pics, but first, a pic of my old SEC scheme. just replace the grey w/ red and yellow w/ white and make the lines straight, lol.

 

Now for the loco pics:

ANRR power as of now:

 

Also, weathered this hopper:

 

[AmanaMedic]

Good evening, Chloe? Pot of coffee please 'n thank-you...with a double cheeseburger basket, I guess. Yep, at the RC.

JEFF: Well sir, I'm sure after being poked and prodded from both ends this week you'll be most happy to be done with it. Interesting wiring diagram, I may have to snag it and add it to the wiring file.

KEITH: I tried to PM you...don't know if it went or not. The recipie sounds interesting. There was only one thing I'd never heard of...don't even remember what it was now. Nothing there to make me "turn up my nose," not the most common of stuff in some ways... but hey, whatever don't killya makesya stronger right?

RAY: (I think it was) interesting about the stove. The oven part of ours died about a year or so ago, we figured it'd be cheaper to just replace it (came with the house, questionable habits of previous owner), but haven't had the "spare" bucks to do so yet. An el-cheapo pizza oven, and toaster oven have sufficed fantastically. Thanks for the heads-up on how long the pieces of crap are supposed to last now... that's more than a little disheartening and disgusting.

No "facetime" with THAT editor tomorrow! Yay! But...still have to get some w**k done for her. All that is left is a write-up on a candidates' forum I covered last night for the North Liberty City Council. It "should" be fairly easy as she only wants around 700 words. But...listening to the tape to get the quotes could be hell. The room had pretty echo chamber-ish sound. My el-cheapo digital recorder might come out sounding like the grown-ups in a Charlie Brown cartoon.

Well, time to cram down the chow, and get back at it...

Chris

Interesting, the UP's "diesel doctor" is telling a crew how to reset/re-boot/re-start their locomotive. Good grief.

[ns3010]

Evening all. Nothing for me, just stopping in.

Sorry I haven't been in in a long time. I was pretty busy, and then I was having computer problems (still am). But hopefully I'll be back in soon...

Night all.

[howmus]

 Evenin' floks!

Flo how 'bout a nice cup of decafe to sooth my nerves?  I'll go sit at the rivet counter for a bit.

Hi Joe!  Good to see you sir.  Computer problems huh?  Been a lot of that going round.

AmanaMedic

Thanks for the heads-up on how long the pieces of crap are supposed to last now... that's more than a little disheartening and disgusting.

 

Chris the biggest reason why the life of the new stoves is so short is the electronics on them.  All the new doo-dads that everybody wants only last so long.  Now the old restaurant type gas stove and ovens we have at church which are about 30 or more years old will keep right on plugging away for the next 30 I'm sure.  The fan system above them which is about 10 years old has had to be serviced several times........  BYW, she said they don't usual go by the chart and keep right on servicing them as long as they can get the parts or unless repairing is more expensive than a new stove.  One of the reasons I am willing to spend a few bucks more and go to a quality store that services what they sell (and a lot they don't!). The new stove will be delivered late tomorrow morning.

Got a couple more lengths of skirting done and most of the tools, bottles of this and that, and other stuff picked up around the layout today.  I'm hoping tomorrow to be able to finish all the rest of the skirting in the old room of the layout even though only about half of the room will be judged for the certificate.  It does make a big difference on how the layout looks.  I'll need to do about 3 panels to get it finished.

Jeffrey, glad everything went well for you at the doctor's offices.  You appear to be at that time of life when if it weren't for doctors office visits you wouldn't have any social life at all.....

In great anticipation of being able to move on to another section of scenery soon, I ordered a couple building kits from the LHS this evening.  Campbell's Grist Mill is finally back in stock at Walthers so I ordered that and also Branchline Trains' George A. Nichols Milling & Feed.  Also bought a box of Micro Engineering's code 70 flex track.  Decided I am going to pull up the old handlaid code 70 in the logging area and change a few things.  Twenty two years of sitting has some of the rails going out of gauge and the ballast starting to self-destruct and since that is the next area to complete.......

Have a great night everyone!

73

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hello everybody ...

Thanks for the well wishes regarding new grandson, Oliver.

Jerry, I have use modge podge for water. It is what I used on the "Mrs. Hippy River".

It's been busy. I'll have to catch up next time.

Cheers.