Elliott's Trackside Diner XXIII: Moving on...

[AmanaMedic]

Good evenin', Chloe? another bucket of coffee please 'n thank-you, oh and with a double cheeseburger basket.

Welp, Loving Wife made it in to w**k this morning after "enjoying" an hour-and-a-half commute. The trip normally takes about 45 minutes. She left early...took nearly 2 hours to get back. The State Patrol declared the route "travel not advised" just before she got home. Winter in Iowa...ya gotta hate it just a little.

I found a link to an online scanner, letting me listen to Cedar Rapids PD/Fire/EMS, snow plows, State Patrol, Linn County Sheriff, Linn County Fire, Johnson County Sheriff/Fire, and another one or two entities as well. Fender benders and rollovers all over the place. Most minor, a couple serious. It amazes me how people STILL either haven't learned how to drive in this crap... or just choose not to apply "common sense." Makes me glad I w**k from home as much as I do! AND THAT Loving Wife can, on occassion, "tele-commute." Her boss started out as a blithering idiot...has gotten better over time, and now has a "safety first" policy where she'd rather have someone leave early (or stay home) than end up in the ditch or worse.

Good grief. I heard a snow plow go in the ditch about 3 hours ago...they're still trying to pull him out.

KEITH: Interesting pic you tacked-up...THATs a lot of tracks you've got going on there. Refresh my memory, please, just what all the switches/tracks are for??? I've been wondering where you've been lately.

BAMA CSX: I wouldn't say I'm a "huge" fan of The TIDE...but given the opportunity to root for 'em, I do. There's a history and tradition there...I admire THAT.

Now I've got "Sweet Home Alabama" and Steely Dan's "Deacon Blues" playing in my head...

"...They call Alabama the Crimson Tide...call me Deacon Blues..."

Speaking of THAT, I've gotten a little w**k done for her today... I'm battling a very anti-climactic meeting, which went on for over 2-1/2 hours...and accomplished nothing. Yet, she expects a compelling piece of content from it. I can get her the 700-800 words she wants...but this one won't be an award-winner. THAT won't like that. As it is, I'm hoping "facetime" tomorrow can be handled via e-mail or one of her 20 minutes (to say 10 minutes of stuff) phone calls. The wind hasn't really cranked up here yet...once it does, the plows will have a losing battle (as-if they haven't already) on their hands.

Hmmmmmmm. I'd best go hammer out a few more paragraphs. Rerun and I will plow through the s**w later for an evening snack...

Chris

[Blazzin]

  *quietly walks into the diner and posts a pic with a small note*

  saying* " I'm busy layin track,  argh~" "I'm around here reading but busy ..  I'm fine~ Just thought I'd leave a note."

[pcarrell]

Taken this afternoon as the snowstorm dies down in Central Indiana

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Prototype%20Train%20Photos/IMG_1017.jpg

[Cederstrand]

Cowboy beans, grilled chicken & veggies, please.

Wrote a long post earlier and found myself somehow signed out. So this is just a quick stop to say, Howdy Folks. Hope everyone is doing well.

It's snowing here and will continue into the wee hours. Then an arctic blast hits. Spent the day preparing the farm for Mother Nature's little slap across the face. 

Tomorrow is our chosen day for taking down the Christmas tree.

Rob ps: was a bit of a walk finding the new Diner. Could have used a Speeder.

[ns3010]

Afternoon all. Chloe, I'll have the regular, thanks.

I'll be in the back booth doing a crapload of homework. I'll catch up later.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

grayfox1119

JEFF: Can you pump the brake petal up, or does it just keep going low with no pump up?

I can pump it a little but it always goes back to the same low level when it's pulling it's little tricks.

[Packers#1]

Sir Madog

Sawyer - Rugby is certainly one tough n´ rough a game - watch out for yourself not get some of your bones broken.  I now what I am taking about ...

 

lol, I will watch out for myself man. Ain't broken anything in a long time, and I'd enjoy keeping my streak going, lol.

projected high today was 35; it's 49 right now. there is a chance of snow tonight, so tomorrow either school will be delayed or shut down. Hopefully just delayed, because if it's shut down we have to make it up (idk what happened to snow days).

also have rugby tonight; will be wearing the same basic clothes I wore tuesday, lol.

John, that is one cute beagle puppy man!

[grayfox1119]

Good afternoon gents, a hot chocolate with cream please. Finally hit 32 today but very little melting with early January sun at 72 degrees north latitude. No MRR yet today, the doggone kitchen corner base cabinet bi-folding hinge broke and we spent 4 hours trying to locate a replacement. The place where we bought the cabinets just went OOB. We called around several companies that carry Schrock cabinets before we finally found a hinge company that could help us. We found the exact hinge and ordered 2, one for replacement and one for spare. If the last one lasted 15 years, I will have 30 years of use, lets see, that would make me 101 years old.

 MID WEST GUYS: That is one mean storm, I hope you don't lose power !!

JEFF: Can you pump the brake petal up, or does it just keep going low with no pump up?

LEE: Ahhh, you have some Branchline kits, they will keep you busy, lots of detail in those kits!

 My thoughts and prayers to any of you guys in the St. Louis area who may have known any of those killed or in critical conditions due to that power plant worker who went postal today.

KA1VEI  "73"

 

[Paul W. Beverung]

Hi Gang: I'm still hanging around. Been real busy with the ranch and other things. Mary Ann is doing well and I'm feeling good too.

I haven't done any Mrring lately. There is just too many things that need doing. I have been cleaning out the accumulated junk around the place. I sold $120 worth of steel scrap and almost $700 worth of lead that I had piled up. Would you believe that I still have a bunch of lead left? The money from the junk is going for an antique pull behind road grader that I found down south of here. It needs some TLC but is in usuable condition as is. I like old machinery and this can be a great help in maintaining the miles of roads on our two places.

Well duty calls again.

You all take care now.

[TMarsh]

jeffrey-wimberly

Thought about fixing it myself but it's a lot easier to pay someone else to do it. It has anti-lock brakes and that particular model is a mother to bleed

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 I did some sharp stops this morning as well as some long slow stops but the brake problem wouldn't come out to play. Everything worked normally. Thought about fixing it myself but it's a lot easier to pay someone else to do it. It has anti-lock brakes and that particular model is a mother to bleed. Went to the pharmacy and got refills on six of my prescriptions then went to Wal-Mart and got some salad dressing so I can have salad tonight and i got a gallon of anti-freeze for the car. I'll put that in later after the radiator has cooled down some.

[TMarsh]

BamaCSX83

And it'll be funny to see what Texas can do against Terrance Cody, they've already said that they're going to have to double-team him the whole game.....

Nyaaaaah, that's only because they have to have so many guys on the field and there's not enough for all of them to do. 

 

[BamaCSX83]

Garry, what's her major, I did a double major with English and History, both were excellent programs.  I've been thinking about going back to get a masters, but finances haven't allowed for that at the time being.

[LSWrr]

This Afternoon: Snow. High near 29. Southwest wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Tonight: Snow. Low around 23. Calm wind becoming west between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Friday: Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 23. Blustery, with a northwest wind between 14 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible. Friday Night: Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 15. Wind chill values as low as -1. Blustery, with a northwest wind between 18 and 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

 

I live in the primary snow belt and they have a warning that by Friday afternoon we may have 17+ on the ground.  Already told the boss I may take leave if the weather is really bad.  I see this storm is merging with the rain from the Gulf coast right before hitting my house, I guess I need to warm up the rotary plow for the layout.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Bama .... I have a neice attending U of Alabama. I know who she roots for.

[BamaCSX83]

Chris, I'm glad to see a fellow Alabama fan on here!  Thought I might have been the only one.  Well y'all its just before time for me to head off to do the w**k thing, I think I'll swing through for a bite to eat.  I'll take a RBF, hot ham and cheese sammich and some cheesy bacon fries.  Guess I might as well wolf this down then shoot myself off to sell some auto parts and help people. 

[Cox 47]

Good morning...Its snowing with about 5 inches and lots of blowing..Temp is 16...I'll have coffee and a dougnut please...thank you...Gonna take my coffee over in corner and see who comes in....you all have a good one...Jerry

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe a short stack of Buckwheat Pancakes with NYS Maple Syrup would hit the spot this morning.  Don't forget my Cup of dark roast java in a R&GV Mug please and thank you!  I'll go sit in the back booth and try to get warm.  

Looks like today will be another day full of odds and ends that have to get done.  Have to make a bank run, go grab some groceries, get some foam ready to take with me to the meet for a raffle, hopefully finish up a couple models and possibly make a "load" for one of them so I can enter it in the model contest, help a lady who can't seem to get her new laptop to save files for email correctly (not exactly computer literate....), and several other things as well. 

Started this post over an hour ago......  Interuptions already seem to be the norm for today.

73

[AmanaMedic]

Roll TIDE!

Good mornin',  bucket of coffee please 'n thank-you...

TODD: Loving Wife did the same thing: dug herself out, never woke me, even though I offered multiple times. Your "home remedy" sounds a lot like my old lemonade and Jack Daniels elixr. Now I turn to OJ and Southern Comfort In fact, my favorite uncle sent a little Christmas cash for the sole purpose of acquiring some SoCo. He said it would "ward off all sickness and other evils." Good man!

JOE: Not to beat a dead horse (no...I've NEVER done THAT....), your buddy will learn, one way or another, for himself. It sucks to watch it happen, but it's about all you can do. He'll survive and wonder what the h. e. double hockeysticks he was ever thinking. I just hope he doesn't catch any "social media" in the meantime...if she's as...."prolific," as I think she is.

JEFF: About them brakes... I'm not a mechanic, don't even play one on TV...but I do agree 100% with your assessment: one more thing to play havoc with the finances. Seems everytime Loving Wife and I get a few bucks (very few) ahead, something comes along to snatch 'em up; dumping us right back into the hole. Maybe that nephew of yours can find time in his not-so-busy day to deal with your master cylinder?? Putting a boot to his rear may not be an option for you at the moment...but a 2 x 4 works too!

Welp, speaking of finances...time to get busy earning mine...THAT will be expecting some content tomorrow.

Chris

EDIT: Brunch, late breakfast, and/or early lunch is on me...

[BamaCSX83]

Thanks Robby, I'll always take the snow when it comes. 

 And yes Todd, I know that you guys have a big temp difference up/over there, at least y'all mostly have seasons.  Down here we have Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Cooler/Rainy season.  And it'll be funny to see what Texas can do against Terrance Cody, they've already said that they're going to have to double-team him the whole game.....

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.  Its snowing AGAIN, and that makes six days in a row.  Calling for 3-6 inches with the next storm.  As mush as the weather people have been wrong, we might get a inch or a foot.  You never know.

 I went and switched cars with the wife.  Its suppose to be real bad by this afternoon.  At least she will have better traction.

 Not much planned today.  Maybe see what I can do on the layout today.

 Hope everybody stays warm, and hope you "southerns" get some snow.   From one "southern" to another.............YOU CAN HAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hot coffee and hot oatmeal for me please.  

Don't worry about the 0-6-0, Ulrich. It's only a little tender behind.

Ice has been forming on our lake lately. Now, there is snow on the ice. Highly unusual. The lake is really the Cumberland River with a large dam. Upstream from here is south into TN and then east through Clarksville and Nashville. Farther up stream is back in KY and on to the Alleghenies. The Cumberland River in Nashville is also frigid, and I doubt Al Gore is sitting on his deck at his mansion there. Nor is it likely he is cruising in the Cumberland on his river yacht. Temperature lows will be below 10 F through the weekend. Up north, it is cold enough for politicians to actually have their hands in their own pockets.

There is not enough ice to purchase any ice skates. That is just as well. Last time I tried ice skating it was funny enough for the ice to make a few cracks.

Cheers everyone.

[TMarsh]

Bama- Ok you can be a kid if you choose with the snow. But think of this. In the midwest or central U.S. or what ever they call us here, we get to enjoy the blistering summers touching on 100 an above degrees, AND the frigid winters at near or below zero. That my friend, is a 100 degree difference in seasonal temperatures. I'm not that keen on snow. Why don't I move? I have no idea. Parents I guess. Anyway, I hope it snows enough for you to build your snowman. I know you'll be wanting something to do during the game. Might get a bit boring what with Texas constantly hogging the ball and making all those touchdowns. Rude bunch of kids. 

[Anonymous]

BamaCSX83

And finally, Ulrich, I apologize for the damage to your 0-6-0, if there's anyway I can help, be it with actual repair of the unit or payment for damages/parts, you just let me know (besides, I DON'T want to get Vinny involved...)

 

, we better keep Vinnie out of this- Glad he was sound asleep, so he did not notice. Talking of the repair on the 0-6-0, it is being dealt with by the road´s shop people. Actually, a good reason to rebuilt it into an Allegheny, as there are two of its kind around! 

 

[BamaCSX83]

jeffrey-wimberly

Good morning. It's 46 and very wet. There will be more rain coming in later.

I was thinking about my cars brake problem last night and I started having the sneaking suspicion that the front brakes aren't working. I'll have to check this out when the weather allows. If that's the case it would indicate a possible master cylinder problem. The brake fluid level is OK but the function isn't. Normally the front of the car will lower quite a bit when the brakes are applied, but now it doesn't, rather the braking seems to be coming from the rear. There's been no indication that the front pads need replacing but they'll get checked anyway. I do know that the brake pedal travel is excessive, almost all the way to the floor. The only time it did this in the past was when the master cylinder failed completely. Yet another thing to strain the finances.

Hey Jeff, that sounds like either you've got an issue with either the master cylinder (like the plunger is allowing fluid to bypass and not actually leave the cylinder so the brake fluid level remains fine, but you have no braking effort) which is more likely, or the proportioning valve (controls front-to-rear brake bias) is somehow going/gone bad and only allowing the rear brakes (which normally only does about 25%-35% of the stopping in a normal car/truck) to do most of the whoa-ing up.

[TMarsh]

Jeff- Based on your description, I would say you are looking at the master cylinder as you said. A strain to the finances, but relatively inexpensive as to other problems. At least other than the bleeding, there isn't much, on the ground time. Kill the back time yes, on the ground time not a lot.

[TMarsh]

Good morning. I'll have eggs over easy, bacon and hash browns with toast and grape jam please and a cup of coffee thank you.

Well it happened. Awoke to about 4 inches of fresh powder. Still coming done a bit, real lite. Supposed to get maybe another 1-3 by tonight. We'll see. Didn't have to shovel Brenda out as she got up early and shut the alarm off then went and shoveled herself out. Said she didn't want to disturb me because I was sick. Not that I want to shovel snow, but actually being out in the moist cool air actually helps me breathe better. I didn't tell her that.

Dick- And I have some kits and some track plus some wood, so that means I won't get snowed in

Ulrich- I...... don't think I'll try the TALL glass of hot wodka. I'm loopy enough. But thanks for asking. I am about ready to dip into the Mason jar of Mom's magic elixir. Just honey, lemon and whiskey. She swears the stuff is wonderful. And I'd have to agree. Even Brenda dipped into it a year or two ago out of desperation because nothing she could get was working and just couldn't sleep. Now, after all the years of saying, "no way" she swears by the stuff. Must use sparingly as it is a bit potent. Just a couple of sips will do. I remember as a kid taking the stuff, I thought it tasted horrible. Still do. But, it worked for the night time coughs. Still does.

Joe-I super duper double ditto what Lee and Ulrich said on the girl thing. Couldn't have said it any better. They're kids. "love" will come and go countless times. Hearts will mend then be broken again. That's life. Better get used too it.

PC- We have the same retention deficient drivers here in Illinois with a silent "s".

Well I guess I'll make a trip to the basement and see what I end up doing. I'm going to wait a bit before shoveling the drive in case of more snow. See Lee? Easy. Don't give up on the resolution man.

Have a Great Day!!!

[BamaCSX83]

Good morning all.  Well, I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of two things.  First off, I'm waiting for my SD40-2 which will arrive today via UPS at some point, I checked its status this morning and it was still up in Montgomery, which means it'll be heading this way soon.  I'm also waiting on this evening so I can see whom will be the BCS National Champs.  My bets are on my good guys (The University of Alabama Crimson Tide) are going to beat the dog snot out of Texas.  But only time will tell. 

Expecting snow today, not much 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the stuff, but for my area that's going to be interesting this afternoon and tonight.  I honestly can't wait, for someone like me who has grown up in Alabama and gone through the summers here (as Jeff can also attest to the Louisiana summers), seeing snow just brings out the kid in ya.  Heck, I might even go out this evening and build a snowman if we get that much. 

As for this morning, I'll have a short stack of buttermilk pankcakes, some sausage and a tall glass of milk to wash it all down.  I've gotta be at w**k from 11:30-5:30, so I might be on in the interim before the game, and I'm sure that I'll be on afterwards, but I can't be certain of that.

And finally, Ulrich, I apologize for the damage to your 0-6-0, if there's anyway I can help, be it with actual repair of the unit or payment for damages/parts, you just let me know (besides, I DON'T want to get Vinny involved...)

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 46 and very wet. There will be more rain coming in later.

I was thinking about my cars brake problem last night and I started having the sneaking suspicion that the front brakes aren't working. I'll have to check this out when the weather allows. If that's the case it would indicate a possible master cylinder problem. The brake fluid level is OK but the function isn't. Normally the front of the car will lower quite a bit when the brakes are applied, but now it doesn't, rather the braking seems to be coming from the rear. There's been no indication that the front pads need replacing but they'll get checked anyway. I do know that the brake pedal travel is excessive, almost all the way to the floor. The only time it did this in the past was when the master cylinder failed completely. Yet another thing to strain the finances.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

LSWrr

True, but I would hope they speed matched the RAM with the FSB

Ah ha. I see what you're getting at. The number indicated by the red arrow here. The same number is on my memory sticks in addition to the frequency #, in my case, 667. I'm looking to upgrade to 800.