Elliot´s Trackside Diner, Mark XX

[der5997]

Brought some cookies baked this morning (and a banana loaf, but it didn't spring as much as it should.)

A quick stop, like Robby P, as it's almost Rosie-the-Dog's dinner time

I thought I'd finish off that tar trailer from weeks ago, before it gets lost or damaged. Needed my Poly Scale Oily Black, which hasn't been opened in years. Top wouldn't budge until I remembered I have one of these in the tool shed.  So the project is now done.

Soup this evening, chicken with lentils and peas. Should be good.

BTW, Rob (Cedarstrand) check your PM.

TTFN.

[Robby P.]

 Just a quick stop. 

 Been getting the house ready for winter.  No time for MRR today.

 Hope everybody has a good afternoon.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Went to Wal-Mart earlier to pick up some groceries to last to the end of the month. The rain has been falling all day so it seemed a good thing to do. I got my items and as I was exiting the store I saw a guy in a red pickup almost run over a woman and the child she was carrying in the yield zone right in front of the store. If she hadn't jumped back a couple of feet he would have. Did he stop? Or even look back? No! He showed no reaction whatsoever because he was too busy talking on the darn phone! I wasn't able to see his plate so I couldn't get his plate number. I hope somebody did. Jerks like that don't need to be on the road. There's a time to talk on the phone and it's NOT when you're behind the wheel, especially in a crowded parking lot.

[TMarsh]

I feel kinda guilty spending my day in the basement enjoying myself today, what with the sun shining and all. Not guilty enough to stop, but guilty 

Twotruck- ( sounds kinda like an indian name) HEY! a man after my own heart. PBR, my choice also. Well until they start sending Lone Star up here again. Or maybe Pearl. Ya don't find too many people admitting that anymore. What a find with the caboose, by the way! An apartment. Hmmm.........

Welp, an executive decision has been made and approved by the king of Toddland (that's me) Weathering the ole SW-2 or 2 1/2, whatever it is, is the way to go. Some soot, grime and rust will make the paint look just fine for an old work dog. I've tested a few areas and came to the conclusion, yep, that'll work. 

I shant buy Badger paint a gain. I don't want to hear about priming, Mr Wimberly sir. even though for spraying they say you don't have to, I primed a piece of plastic and test sprayed and it did the same thing, not quite as bad granted, but like they mixed it too thin. OR, maybe it requires a different spray pressure or volume. Hm. I'll check that out some other time.

Now, it's time to head to Lincoln for groceries and a buffet dinner at the Bonanza Steakhouse, before returning to Toddland (of which, did I mention, I'm king.)  

[Two Truck Shay]

A late morning to 'yall! It's 45 and sunny in my part of Oregon!

Zoe, I'll have a virtual BLT with a PBR (Virtual stuff can't hurt, right?). I'll be over at the rivet counter...

Being an N scale type guy, I have been thinking about track and have some samples on order to evaluate. I'm leaning heavily towards Micro Engineering code 55, but am concerned about finding switches for it (I'll need about 25). Gone are the days when my LHS had it all in stock and you could buy a few pieces to check it out, now I have to order them over the internet and wait...

If I can carve out some RR time, I'll work on installing the grade from my staging loop to meet up with the unbuilt mainline above. Other than that, I'm waiting for my homasote roadbed order.

Meanwhile, in my travels along the McKenzie River, I drove past this quite out of place piece of SP history. There's no rail line through here, so I was fairly shocked at what I saw. I turned the car around and took this photo. There are no signs around it or anything so I don't know if it was donated and on display or if someone is living in it (probably not, it's way too tidy around it)!!!

But it made my day!

[Cederstrand]

Large, strong coffee TO GO, please.

With 1-2" of rain heading our way tonight, it's probably a good time to plant the twigs trees. Still not finished with barn chores. Long rest of the day ahead.

Have a good day and I'll see y'all later, folks.

Rob

[Cox 47]

Good Morning...Its sunny and 52 here..I'll have biscuits anf gravey and coffee please..Thank You..Thanks for all the birthday wishes!...I had a good day..Finnished most of the work on fiddle..one more ground throw to put in...You all have a good one...jerry

[Packers#1]

 Whoot, first basketball was this morning, and we won in dominating fashion, 40-25!

Today, probably gonna weather my locos up and maybe some scenery and planning the furniture factory.

[TMarsh]

Good morning, just coffee thank you. Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Southeast wind between 6 and 8 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. East southeast wind around 7 mph.

No call for farmin' soo. TRAIN DAY!!!! Oh yeah, I have to go to the store. I know, I know, I put it off yesterday. Hey, I had to help replace a bathroom light/fan at the restaurant. You know a direct replacement. The kind that should just swap right out? "Gee, It looked like it should. They said they're pretty much all the same" she said.....

Speaking of weathering, lately I've noticed a lot, and I mean A LOT, of cars the UP is dragging around that look fairly new, clean, repainted recently, something. Yesterday they were Hoppers hauling gravel and the whole string, 30, 35? ( I didn't count, maybe 50) all looked like it was their first load. Even the one that sat unattended long enough to get a dose of the "G" word looked clean and rust free.

Rob- two words for ya... "Attack of the Giant Leeches" (ok more than two words). Hefty or Glad made a fortune off that one.

Ulrich- Wrong about wanting it perfect? No. Maaaaybe a bit high expectations for the present, but to strive for perfect. No way! You should want you new pad to be as homelike as possible. After all, for the foreseeable future, it is your home. Why, we want things perfect all the time in our hobby, why not real life.

Which reminds me. I painted my AHM 1000 HP switcher (SW1, 2, whatever it is). The Polyscale Engine black, thinned by yours truly, went on fine. I decided that in lew, le-you, leee-yoooou, excuse me (thumbs through dictionary, l-e, no. L-i..., ah ha.) lieu of Swamp Holly Orange, a color non existent as far as hobby paint goes short of me adding an inconsistent amount of what I would assume to be red, to some yellow, I settled for C&NW Old Yellow. I chose this in the pre diluted Badger Flex paint. Sounded good. Less waste. I was happy with the colors of engine black and the yellow, but they Badger paint pooled and didn't adhere well like the Polyscale. Now I wust decide if I want to make do and try to weather this old thing like the old switcher it would be, or remove the yellow and re do it. Hmmm, decisions. Best put that off for later.

Have a Great Day!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning. It's 52 and cloudy with rain likely. The high will be 56 an dit will be cloudy with rain likely.

Hopefully today I'll be able to get to those two buildings that have been bugging me for so long and get the mortar lines done. So far that's the only thing on the schedule, so I should be able to get it accomplished. I just know Murphy is waiting to pounce!

[blownout cylinder]

Sir Madog

Chris - some years ago, someone said, that roundabouts prevent accidents. Now all German communities, even the smallest one. build roundabouts. We have one which is so small, that even a normal car cannot properly circle around it. Imagine an ambulance with a heart patient ...

 

There is a little tiny one by a friends subdivision that has a paved inner circle----guess what everyone is doing there? Yep---right through the traffic circle--

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

Good morning--

Doing the typing thing a la the chicken this mornig--'Spring' is between my arms doing a purrmotor thing---

Got some news this morning that a certain segment of the building we do our class seminars in done sprung a leak last night so we are class cancel today----sheeesh---this means a busy Monday again---

Chloe--I'll have what Ulrich's having----I'll be sitting with him talking 'bout the planners and those roundy round things---

[Anonymous]

 Good Morning,

Zoe, I need a BIG breakfast with all the works, coffee, scrambled eggs, bacon (crisp), toast, OJ, jam, please n´ thanks.

Big day today - hopefully we will be able to gain the ground lost the last days.The to-do list for today is a mile long. Maybe I am a bit too ambitious, but I want that flat to be as nice as hour house is. Petra is a German housewife, so our house is immaculate! The bathroom in the flat is a mess - turning it into a tidy and nice place does not cost much, but it is the extra work and time that kills me...

The doors and the toilet will be replaced by the landlord - when?

I am also concerned about the entrance door - just give it a strong push and it will pop open. I hate to see somebody "visiting" us in the middle of the night!

Am I crazy wanting the flat to be perfect? I guess it is to minimize the impact of losing our house...

It ´ ll be a long way... 

Jim - there is one box yet unpacked 

Chris - some years ago, someone said, that roundabouts prevent accidents. Now all German communities, even the smallest one. build roundabouts. We have one which is so small, that even a normal car cannot properly circle around it. Imagine an ambulance with a heart patient ...

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Duke ... Yes I've noticed the photo at the top. ... It's about time for MR to change it, right? ... I wonder if MR could replace it with a pix of one of thsoe old Athearn hustlers !!!!! ... What do you think? .... BTW, have you seen pictures of Santa Fe's 2-8-4's. Years back, PFM impoirted brass models of that prototype. Nice engines !!!

Cal Tom .... So the kids call it a study session at the movies..... Did we ever do anything like that when we were kids? ..... Remind us of the b'day on 12-10-09.

Jim CG .... Sounds like they change the rules frequently at the w__k place. Must be rough on a grandpa.

I received the new chassis for my "floor model" SD9, and it is back together. My DCC locos at present time are three SD7's, one SD9, and one VO1000. ... That will be plenty for the section of the layout with DCC. I'll solve problems and learn DCC with them. ... My two old SD7's (black and gray) have circuit boards programmed with the direction of the engine with long hood forward. I'll have to solve that later. The red and gray SD's have short hood forward which is correct for CB&Q.  Burlington's SD7's and SD9's were used in both passenger and freight service. ... Meanwhile, I have 2 new DCC equiped street cars that were on sale in Micro-Mark. ...

 

 

[Cederstrand]

Large glass of cool lime water, please. 

***Tom, thanks for the movie chuckles. One difference between us, I watch those kind of SciFi movies at home now where nobody can see me. I even have a set of old black & white SciFi movies before decent special effects had been invented. They're a riot.

To answer the questions: The orchard is made up of varieties of apple, peach, plum, pear, cherry, fig, and others trees I don't recall off hand. The first fruit from the trees we've already planted could begin producing as soon as 2 years away (I think). Not sure on the time frame of all these "twigs" I'll be planting tomorrow though.

Never made it into the train room.

Godd Night Y'all.

Rob

[AmanaMedic]

Good Evenin', a hot fudge sundae sounds good...maybe even with a slice of that birthday cake...if any is left. What's that? Crumbs only? Oh well...maybe just kinda sprinkle 'em on the sundae then, please 'n thank you.

JERRY: an almost belated happy birthday to you Sir! Hope it was a good-un for ya, and many more to come.

TIM: I've got several binders full of articles I clipped out of RMC and MR from the 80s and 90s. It is a rare day I find multiple articles to clip out of the current offering...not to beat a dead horse or resurrect the frequent "content complaints" found elsewhere on the Kalmbach property. I buy an issue now only if it has multiple articles...or maybe I oughta say "multiple pages" of stuff I might have a use for.

ULRICH: If its any consolation our house needs: windows (almost all are the 100 year old single-pane originals), doors, I hate our environmentally friendly/socially conscious/saving the planet one weak flush at a time toilet (I want something with the power to suck down a small animal...), the tub/shower combo needs replacing, the kitchen needs new flooring, the furnace is a 1950s vintage oil burner, we also need siding and insulation, we have no gutters, the garage is in such bad condition our insurance man won't even look at it...; then there's the automotive fleet in need of various (expensive) repairs. I guess what I'm trying to say, is you ain't alone! It may feel like it, but you ain't.

How's THAT for good grammer? grammar? Goodly use of the English language and wordage...

*YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN*

LONG meeting with THAT and Mr. Boss today. THAT was in an especially scatter-brained mode today... woulda been fun to watch if there hadn't been so much crap to go over. They want to be gone around Christmas and New Year's...so early deadline for everything from Dec. 23 through the end of the year/first of next year. Mr. Boss also wants to put out a special publication if Solon wins their third in a row football championship, much jaw flapping about THAT. Mr. Boss and THAT are gonna cover the high school football championship game tomorrow in Cedar Falls... while the high school pumpkin pushin' season started tonight with a girls home game in Tiffin. Tonight was the first basketball I've shot since 1997, it looks like I did OK. Of course, a lot of the credit goes to Nikon...

I forget who it was that mentioned monuments in the roundabouts...could they be memorials to all those unfortunate souls who were wrecked in them? Or perhaps just drove around and around and around until they died from old age trying to find their way out???

Nighty-Nite...

Chris

[TMarsh]

Chuck- First setup a Photobucket account. It's free. Others will work also I just don't know how they work. Then load a picture into photo bucket per their instructions. Then, start your post here in the forum. While the post is still being done, go to photo bucket and place your curser over the photo you want to show us. A drop down menu will appear. Move your curser over the line titled “IMG Code”. Left click on the box that has the code starting with [IMG]. The line should be then highlighted. Right click to get the popup menu then select copy. Go to the post and select where you want it then right click and select “paste” . YOu will see the code on your post until you post the post. When it appears it should be like the ones you see. Hope I said it completely. If I didn’t someone will correct me.

[sunsetbeachry]

Hi All, I'm back again. Will somebody tell me how to get my photos here PLEASE.....or tell me where to find very simple steps to do this.I will come back in morn to read all. Dinner time and then go to meeting and then to bed............Prayers for all in need..........Fair Winds and Follow Seas...By the way 50mph gusts all day. Better tomorrow ,just rain      chuck

[fireman216]

 Ok..I am an idiot...I know it was 20 years...figures...that's why they never let me be the banker in monopoly... I guess my whole point was that I couldn't believe that I was reading the same magazine that I do now and it was double the size..it was very informative and took me longer to peruse than current issues. I guess I was looking at the 9 on the year and just added 10 to it... Forgive my error folks...I got everyones breakfast today!!

[JimRCGMO]

Good Evening, Chloe - how about a slice of birthday cake, plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and a Santa Fe mug of coffee to wash it down with, please. Thanks!

Jerry, hope you have a great , and get some train-running time today, as well!   , when Petra does a birthday cake, she does it up right! Is Sallie fixing you a special dinner (or treating you to dinner out)? Hey, we're the same age (until the end of this month, then I'm ahead of you again...), just like Ray!

Keith, check your email - sent you (as, uh, Vinnie might say...) 'an offer you (maybe) can't refuse'. On your layout pics, I'd say you're getting there - will you have plenty of room off the right side for the mains to turn before they run off the end of the table? Just checkin'...

Ulrich, you mean that you and Petra didn't keep one box (of the paper plates and cups and plastic utensils and such) out/open to tide you over until the move is done? Bummer! Every move I've done, I leave one unopened (until the last) box of "things to go in the car or truck' stuff (including couple of towels and washcloth, deodorant, razor, toiletries, and all that stuff above, etc.). I only close it up when the truck or vehicle I'm moving stuff in, arrives. I also would keep trash bags and duct tape in that box, just in case... Hope you can get those things at the new flat done before your stuff gets moved in(?).

Ray, those were some great photos you linked to.

Duke, that loco in the page header looks like a 4-8-2 BoilerForward to me...

jeffrey-wimberly

30, old? I'm getting a headache trying to remember back that far.

Well said, Jeff! ROTFL!

Tim (Fireman216) - no problem with a rant every so often in here. We all need to have a safety pressure valve, right? Hang onto those old MR issues - I sure do (for some of the same reasons you mentioned...)! And don't worry about that 10 or 20 difference, it's not like the US governmental math (which only counts something if it's in billions or bigger...).! Did I do that again? My bad!

Rob, do you think your wife has the delivery driver on her payroll ("Extra money in it for you if you wait to deliver that package until Saturday...")? Nah, a wife wouldn't do that, would she? Hope those orchard trees plant easily for you/her/whoever...

Ah, Calif.Tom, you just like getting to play like the kids you teach - same as when I taught (of course, I taught at the elementary level mostly, so I might've had more fun)! So, would you say 2012 was worth the money? I'd heard a little about it, but haven't seen much of the trailers for it. (And why do they call those things 'trailers', when they run 'em before the movie comes out? 'Leaders' would make more sense - like a leading truck on a loco!

Found out this afternoon that next Tuesday at w**k, we will be starting the 'new' arrangements for covering on-call. Oh, joy! And on Monday we get to find out about what the 'stipend' will be - at least they're talking about this being only a temporary thing for Jason and myself. (Is that like the Ice Ages were only temporary?) I think from what I saw, that with the schedule, I may get to take Tuesday off - hey, some MRR'ing time! And I will get the week between Christmas and New Years' Day off (for which I had already put in my request a ways back). We did get mentioned in an email our supervisor sent out to all the current on-call people, about how Jason and I agreed to 'take on this endeavor' (doesn't that sound like something, huh?), and complimented. Of course, to avoid ruffled feathers, she also thanked all the other on-calls for giving up (in the past) time with family and friends to help with the past monthly schedules. There might be some (minor to moderate) relief coming, as one therapist (now a supervisor in one of our northern counties) who had for a while covered weekends a lot, will be able to possibly take one or two weekends a month (perhaps, at times - I'll count that when it happens...)

But it's the weekend  - besides it being Jerry's BIRTHDAY!! - so that means some MRR'ing time (before they click the shackles onto us?). Want to finish vaccuuming the layout, double-checking the soldering on the feeders and start running the bus wires under the layout (after drilling some holes for the runs underneath).

 

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[twhite]

Evening all from Rainy/Cal: 

Yup, we got another one.  Well, not that much rain down here in the Valley, just enough to let us know what water in the gutters looks like, but the storm is hung up over the Sierra for at least a day and a half, with Winter Weather Warnings for everything above 4,000 feet, and 1-3 feet of snow predicted before it clears up tomorrow afternoon.  And there's another Alaska Special due to roll down here Sunday, so we just might be seeing a 'normal' winter around here, again. 

Actually, that early October Hurricane put us about 180% of normal for precip this year, so anything that goes 'normal' around here for the rest of the year will hopefully break our drought.  The ski resorts are all opening this weekend, so all of our 'skiiers' can go up and injure themselves on Thanksgiving, LOL!   Hey, I'm not being facietous, I used to injure myself all of the time back when I was a kid in my 'forties, LOL! 

Besides, if it keeps up, it means that UP will have to warm up those old SP rotary plows that they inherited, and take it up over 'The Hill' to Truckee, to clear the tracks.  This is assuming, of course, that UP recognizes what the rotary is FOR!  "Oh man, you mean it blows SNOW?" 

Jerry:   62, huh?  Man, I remember 62--vaguely.   My 70th comes up Dec. 10th.  Only reason I admit it is because I find myself catching little cat-naps around 4:30 in the afternoon. 

Ulrich:  Don't even WORRY about coming off to us as negative.  You're going through a rough patch, and you're venting.  That's what friends are for, to let you vent.  If I lived anywhere around, I'd zing onto the Autobahn and come up to help.  (Of course, if I lived anywhere around, it would be Salzburg and you might have to wait a few hours, LOL!  ).  I hope this doesn't sound to 'Pollyanna" of me, but I've always thought that God tends to close windows only to open a door.  Hang in there, we're all for you.

Well, I'm sure if any of you know teenagers, you're aware of this "Midnight" phenomonon the past couple of days--evidently Romantic Teenage Vampires are all the rage at the movies.  The first showing was at 12.01 this morning.  I went to the movies last night at my local Cineplex to see this big, dumb, fun movie called "2012" and as I was walking out of the theater, there was a line of teenagers around the block waiting for the midnight showing.  And wouldn't you know it--I run into several of my students?   One of them just stared at me in shock. 

He and his girlfriend looked like I'd caught them in the back seat of his car or something, and he just looked at me and said, "Uh Doc, don't tell anyone you saw me, okay?  I told my parents that I was at an all-night study session."  I grinned at him and said, "I'll make a deal.  You don't tell your friends you saw me coming out of a big, dumb Sci-Fi movie and I won't tell anyone I saw you waiting to watch skinny guys with overgrown canine teeth.  Deal?"  He grinned.  I grinned. 

In chorus, today, I surrepticiously asked him how the movie was.  "Dumb," he blushed.  "How was yours?"

"Dumber."  I chuckled. 

We left it at that.  God, I love my job! 

Best to all, prayers to those in need. 

Tom

[CNCharlie]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JERRY!!!!!!

Hope you had a great day!

CN Charlie

[TMarsh]

Jerry!

Could I get some cake and vanilla, no make it chocolate ice cream please. How about a double scoop, I need something to perk me up.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Didn't get to do much today. Got some laundry done, got my dressings changed and received more antibiotics and supplies from the pharmacy delivery driver. By the time I got back home I was too tired to do anything on the layout. These antibiotics really wipe me out. Thankfully I'm almost finished with them.

[Packer]

Jerry, Happy B-day

Tim, I was born in 1989 and I'm 20.

Nothing much going on for me at the moment.

[Blazzin]

  "Coffee .. please~"

  Ok.. you guys.. tell me if I am getting close.

  Yeah I know~ LOL

  On the left ... I could have tied in the yellow yard line into the blue A/D line.. and then tie it into the red hot main.

   Am I getting close?    btw.. I feeling pretty dumb right now.. and I'm ready to go lock myself in the closet.

[howmus]

Evenin' again.....

Zoe can I get a cup of decafe over here?  Thanks!

Rob, what kind of orchard is your wife putting in?  How long before we start getting pies from it in here?

Hey Barry!  Are you going to the Train Show in Toronto tomorrow?  If you are mybe our paths will cross.  I'll be there for a Region Board meeting.  Hopefully I will get to take in some of the show before we leave to come home.  (Car pooling with another person from down here in the states.)

Oh Zoe, I forgot we have birthday cake here tonight.  If you bring me a nice big slice of it, I will have something for the decafe to wash down..............

Later!

73

[Blazzin]

  Jerry, just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday.  For a father of 6 .. you don't look youir age ... lol.  Have a good one.

Keith

[blownout cylinder]

Jerry: to you!! From Us'uns!!

Good Evening---

Got nose out of joint--started looking into a coupla closets and ---voila!!--cleaned out a bunch of junk---heeheehee now I got more space to clutter it all--oops, I mean keep organized----did I say that too loudly?---OOPS----

We just got some more 30% on us and it was dull dull dull---

BTW---30? OLD? if that is so then I'm Methusela--- Heeheehee--

Chloe--I'll have a coffee and a SRP as well please-----I'm at the RC

 

[Cederstrand]

Tall glass of cool lemon water, please. 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY", Jerry. May your locos run smoothly and may your tracks be free of autos, cows, and other obstacles.

Twas a long farm day here. My buddy (UPS driver) brought my wife's remaining orchard today. Looks like a tall box of sticks with roots on them. Guess I'll be planting them in the ground for her tomorrow. She works this weekend so won't be here to do it herself. (I think she planned it that way)

Rob

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

Hi Gang,

Really busy for a coule of days. Will try to get back in on Sunday.

In the mean time a Belated Happy Birthday to the CEO and Brass Hat of the "Illinois & Southern.

My hat is off and my glass is tipped for you Jerry.  I hope you and Sallie get out to Celebrate some tonight...     Many Happy returns and many more to follow.

Johnboy out for now.......................