Elliot's Trackside Diner 26

[AmanaMedic]

 Good afternoon...lunchtime! "Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so" - Ford Prefect from The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Welp, with THAT said...a double cheeseburger basket with a large Cherry RC...at the RC, please 'n thank-ya.

I finally got past a major case of writer's block in trying to write a new business feature...was going great guns...then WHAM! Head-on into another writer's block.

JimRCGMO

As for that yellow CNW covered hopper, I'm sure that our club is short on RC's (except maybe one member, who is a bit of a RC about trucks.

JIM: You do know I wasn't being critical, an azzzzzz-clown, a rabid Rivet Counter, etc. about THAT CNW hopper...right?  It just kinda caught my eye as I used to see them, many of them, on a daily basis in the North Yard.

 

BAMA CSX (Eddie): Your parts-counter experience reminds me of a guy I used to know at a tractor dealership. He had his customer base so memorized, a guy would come in for...an oil filter, and before the farmer was done requesting, the guy had grabbed the correct part and was writing it up! Incredible. There were times I think he knew the farmers' equipment better than they did!

ROBBY P: THAT is exactly why...I'll be real hesitant to let Loving Wife "play with the trains" when I finally make it THAT far... Must've been some discussion...trying to convince her of WHY covered hoppers had to go to the cement plant instead of a perfectly good warehouse... I like LEE's idea, by the way...

*sigh*

Time to get back at it... gotta find a way around this writer's block, try (again) to bug some people by telephone (I HATE THAT thing...telephones...evil, evil creations. *Apologies to PC...*), try to get some other stuff done around the house. 

It just never ends...

Chris

 

 

[JimRCGMO]

Good afternoon, Zoe - I'll have a BLT and a bowl of potato soup, please. Thanks!

Sounds like - is that you in the back corner booth, Barry? Wow - I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Packer

Jim, what type of industry is that supposed to be? I like that one a lot since it's bigger than the cars that serve it.

  Vincent, that's a paper company (not sure if it's supposed to be a Proctor & Gamble plant - since the guy who built it w**ks for our local plant, which makes diapers). The one on the club layout stretches across most of the one (thinner) end of the layout and around the corner a couple of feet, so it's a pretty good sized complex. As for that yellow CNW covered hopper, I'm sure that our club is short on RC's (except maybe one member, who is a bit of a RC about trucks. He's the one I asked when I was wondering which model trucks/tractor-trailers would fit my RR's era). One thing on how some of the industries are fairly big is, some are kitbashed from buildings on the older layout (in a number of cases 2 or 3 different industries!).

Hmm, didn't mean to get Todd going by reminding him about those cards.. Ouch! Hey, Todd, why are you throwing things at me? I was just kidding, really!

Sam - congratulations on surviving w**king with Transit for one year (so far)!

DerJohn, that's some hefty snowbanks in your CP loco post! Guess the engineer had best not have his arm out the window on the armrest, eh?

Robby, it sounded like watching your wife running trains just about gave you your cardiac w**kout for the day there. Got your job prospects on the list.

And oh, Lee... stirring things up in Robby's household! Tch, tch, tch...

Chuck, it's good to see you in the place again, and how's your layout coming along (any photos)?

Jeff, make sure that Great Dane doesn't step on your foot again (wasn't that how you got your foot hurt, or was the dog just in the way and you fell because of him - I forgot now). Anyways, watch out for those two 'pups'.

Ulrich - I got your back (so to speak) on the Diner list; saved a copy from your post of it the other day, and added Chuck and Eddie/Bama. But you get to wear the medallion as the official Keeper of the List and all. How's your spring there coming along - any sunshiney days? I know our days don't seem that warm, but if you're inside (home, car) some place where the sun shines, it can warm the inside up a bit.

Eddie, in all fairness to you, I'd bet you have a knack for remember where THIS particular dealer keeps THAT part that you know the number for, right? 'Cause I doubt that all places have a standard floor plan in their parts warehouse (like 2nd row from the left, about halfway down the row, etc.). That's the one downside to changing jobs, the having to re-learn where everything in the new place is (or goes, when you unload the truck). And how're the girls (the smaller ones - Heather and Mikayla)?

Wow, Ray - I don't think I can recall the part number on my Scout knife (maybe because I didn't even have one back then? Maybe...). But I am suitably amazed that you do - is this still your first one, or have you had to re-order it THAT many times?

Well, about time to head out for me. Have 2 and 3 p.m. clients at the office and then on-call tonight. Hope it goes as well as last night (NO calls, at all...)

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Robby P.]

 Just a quick stop.

 EDIT:  Seems like I have top honors.   "Whats that???  We are out of everything, but the dollar menu items.   Good, I won't complain then."

 Made it to a LHS, and grabbed up three cars to do.  I have to start the fade today.

 I thought I would wait and see what comes by (train wise).  A friend called me and said Amtrak is 7 hours behind, and should be near me in about 30 minutes.  So about 30 minutes later here it came. 

 So............here's a shot. 

 

[howmus]

Ah.....  (Looks at watch)!  Holy Cow, where did the morning go?  Afternoon everyone!

Zoe I'll have a Reuben Sandwich with chips and the obligatory dill pickle along with a Dr, Pepper to fuel me back up.  Lets see I guess I want to stay away from Barry in the back (has he been sneezing all morning?), so I guess I'll go sit in the front booth and just watch the trains outside.

I was just about ready to post this morning when the phone rang.  My son called.  I say, "Son", he says, "Father", then after his usual pause, "What ya doin'"?  He was out with Granddaughter #1 getting the last item out of the storage unit this morning.  Finally found the paperwork from his uncle in South Bend (who gave him the boat before he died a couple years ago.  Got the license for the trailer and was moving it to the new house.  Granddaughter #1 wanted to show "Papa" her new boat!  She is claiming it as hers...  They drove over here and we opened up the train room and ran trains for about 45 minutes before they had to leave.  I started to show her how to use the throttle (she turned the headlight on and off several times and got to start one of the trains herself)  She is 2 1/2 so it won't be long before she can help Grandpa run trains.  She was not happy we wouldn't get Thomas out and tried to hide on daddy so she wouldn't have to leave.  This Grandpa thing is wonderful!  Art says every time they are driving by the FGLK yard and she sees a loco just sitting there not moving, she says, "Train broke!"

It is 33°F outside right now under partly cloudy skies.  Little wind so it is actually quite comfortable.  The sn*w is gradually melting and soaking into the ground which is better than running off into the storm sewer or my basement!  Spring must be just around the corner as I heard the sump pump run once last night........

Oh, they forgot to cut my Reuben Sandwich.  No problem I will just get out my official Boy Scout Jackknife, catalog #1996 for the job.  Yeah certain numbers seem to stay in the mind after a while....

Didn't get to the grocery store yesterday so I have to get there today (out of some items....) So I best be getting a move on.

Later!

73

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Jeff ..  If you go to CNW historical society you can see photos of CNW's "400" streamliners. 

http://www.cnwhs.org/  Also, I sent info on couplers for Rivarossi to you via PM.

Ulrich ... I'm sure Petra was sad. We hestitate to replace for same reason. Also, pets can be messy, especially aging pets. We have much to clean.  .... I recall German classes in high school. Can't speak the language now. I tried in Germany, but people there know English much better.

 

 

 

[BamaCSX83]

Good late morning all.  Stopping in for a tall glass of milk and biscuits and gravy.  Well, I've got my "wish list" from MB Klien completed, and now its sitting in Amy's email box ready for her look-through for when I've been a "good boy". 

Flip, I currently work for Advance Auto Parts, but I've been in the parts business for 8 years in July, started with AutoZone, went to Car Quest, and now I'm at AAP.  I think I'll be staying with them for a while, and you're right, the part numbers are something you just remember.  It makes a lot of people give me a funny look when they tell me what they need (in particular oil filters and brake pads) and I just go off and get the right part.  Of course I then have to tell them that I've been doing the job for as long as I have and I just remember stuff after a while. 

Not a whole lot else happening around my fair homestead today, currently its sunny outside with a projected high in the mid 50s with light winds.  Should be an overall beautiful day. 

Well, I guess I'll go and sit in the window booth away from Barry and his cold, no offense Barry, just dont' want to get sick. 

[Anonymous]

 Good Afternoon Folks,

Zoe, a bucket of coffee, au lait svp, and a Barry-sized slice of that apple pie, topped with vanilla ice cream and a serving of creme chantilly.

Todd - was it you who appointed me the "Lord of the List" - keeper of all names and maintainer of all illusions? What a job! I still can´t get over forgetting Eddie (Bama) and Chuck...

Well, I´ll try my very best!

Barry - a big "Gesundheit" to you - why don´t you give the cold back to who gave it to you in the first place. Can´t remember hearing you order it...

Garry - we never got a pet again after Carrot left us - it would just break Petra´s heart to see one passing away again.

Jeff - seit wann bist Du ein Sprühdosen-Rembrandt? (and now you like to know what this means) I did not know that you speak German...

 It has been a clear but cold day today. Still no real end of winter...

Have a good day!

 

[Blazzin]

  "Coffee please~"

  Ah Jeff,  tough choice between Chicago/NorWestern or the  L&A tourist colors.  I've always liked the C&NW.. but since Jeanne likes em too,  and she's a very important part of this layout.. she's clamed the C&NW lines. She has two E7A's .. in whicfh to us.. are the prettiest (smiling face of front of engine).. coolest.. engine you can get.  And she even has a Shark Nose to go along with the 11 cars of her C/NorWestern .

  Well today, I'd love to post a pic of my progress.. but to others.. it wouldn't look like I've accomplished much.  Although.. careful planning.. measuring.. and just plain dumb luck has brought me thus far.  I am at the point.. well I did cobblestone streets.  doh~!  Do you paint white lines on cobblestone for the car lanes?  Zero Time I'm sure. 

  So now~  I've gotta look up some pics on cobblestone brick streets to see if white lines are painted on the streets.  I'm also at a very tricky point.. before installation of the streets and sidewalks.. well they all have to be painted before the finally installation.  Including 'oil drippings' from cars.. and tire marks.

  I am also at that point.. as soon as I know.. where the final footprint is of the station and town.. I will set it aside and start..or should I say restart laying track again.

  Thanks to Jim,  and his warnings of possible 'forgot to do's' .. I haven't laid and glued the staging area of tracks and yard.

  Jim, and anyone else...  I am not planning on final glueing of the stagin area.. for many reasons..

1.  It has allowed me the freedom of  moving the station and town around until the desired area has been found.  Lining up the derailers..(road) with the town.. and allowing so much space.. well thats one reason why I haven't glued the tracs/yard down.

2.  By not gluing the tracks and station down.. it has also allowed myself  to make sure the elevationg of the mains are in conjuction with the station/town as far as height and road levels.

3.  I have not drilled holes for wiring the track.. and as far as I am concerned.. little wiring will be scheduled for the staging area.. little will be needed.. probably a wrong guess.  What ever the case.. I have left a tube to 'tap' into.. to feed wires.  Also I don't believe I would have any trouble laying down wire later on.. I have made certain cuts.. and will not glue until its final.

  What am I getting at here..

  Is there something I'm missing.  I am going slow.. as Todd and a few other have mentioned.. this is taking time.. whew.. I'm in way over my head.. I'll be the first to admit it.

  So,  any ideas.. or personal.. "I forgot to do~.. when I laid my track down.

  I know this.. I will not weather the rails / ties of the  bottom staging area.. Its suppose to be more of a newer look.. besides.. I don't know if I want another 'added variable' to the whole mess.. I'd probably end up with  a 'short' somewhere in the tract afterwards.  Ok.. .. so thats where my head is at today.  Wish me luck..lol.. this could be the final  moment.. yep.. the layout looks 'Dorky' cause I painted white car lanes on cobblestone streets or I forgot something.. any ideas?

  Did I mention.. I am even going to go with "Fiber Optics" on this town? .. LOL

[fireman216]

 Good morning!!...Coffee to go please...thanks. Have to run to therapy so they can bend my shoulder all the ways it doesn't want to go. Back to work next week finally. It's a balmy 29 degrees out with a high of 35 today. And it's actually SUNNY!!!! May stop at the LHS shop after to "browse" some things.....catch ya later....Tim

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 30 and sunny. The high is supposed to be 63 with not a cloud in the sky. We'll see.

I had plans to do some model railroad work today but my sister popped up last night (don't relatives have an infuriating habit of doing that?) and told me I have to be at her place today to sign for a package that's coming by FedEx. I can't do any MR work there on account of all the dogs and cats, especially the great dane and the pit bull who wrestle with each other constantly. Well, she does take me to dinner once in a while and helps me out when money is tight so I guess I can give up my plans for a day. One project I'm looking at for the near future is repainting the three Rivarossi passenger units (Pullman roomette, RPO and parlor/observation) into my L&A tourist color scheme.

[Trainman Sam]

Hey guys! Going to head out soon to get some prototype shots, to help when I do get this thing up and off the page and into somewhat 3-D…

Joe- dead in tow is not a normal “move” for Transit. Even dead in tow, we have to fully MU the locos together, that way the brakes are still functional (so long as that wasn’t the problem in the first place). ACES is a different animal, since they have had to put the locos on opposite ends of the train, which if I am not mistaken is due to the fact that we got the P40BH’s from Amtrak (and they were mothballed before they gave them to us, really nice right!). The wiring in the P40’s, if I remember correctly, isn’t compatible with the ALP 44’s wiring, and it would then “blow up” one of the locos… not such a good idea.

On the count of the Comet III’s, you may be closer than I am on the count, but I seem to remember that there are between 8 and 10 cars on each of the three tracks… have to find out for you!

Der- The reason for the mile long restriction was due to the fact that the bridge was not a physical characteristic (meaning it wasn’t listed on their information page, as some of the more pesky bridges have been). Since it isn’t a “known” location, Amtrak had to give the nearest Mile Posts for the beginning and end of the restriction. I know, it was terribly slow going, especially when you are used to whizzing through that particular section at 90-100 MPH!

On the BlondeStar!!! LOL ROFLMAOIC (Rolling On Floor Laughing My A** Off Into Convulsions)

Well, I found my camera, of course the battery is DEAD… more money spent NOT on trains…

I am going to have to run into the Wally World to get batteries before I can even think about running into New Hope…

See you in the PM friends!

[LSWrr]

Robby,

Go to the LHS tonight an buy yourself a pair of brand new F3’s or F7’s with DCC and Sound.  Be sure to spend at least $300.  When your wife throws a fit remind her she over ran the locomotives and burned up the brakes and you needed a replacement.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

Jeff- Ah, one that drops down. That could be an answer to one problem I see.

The one that drops down is held in place by three brass barrel locks of the type shown.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

HAPPY SOLDIERS DAY ... (March Fourth Forth)

How many of you wonder why Army privates have no privacy?

Jeff ... I always thought the CNW had a sharp paint scheme. I fondly recall the 1950's when USA had the best passenger trains in the world. Sadly, government policies in this country favor travel by highway and airway instead of railway. ... and we depend on forign oil becasue why?

I had a little fun last night with the thread on creating your own MRR April fools joke. Looks like not many others felt like adding their own. Where are the humorists when they are needed?

 

[Robby P.]

Todd......I agree.

 

[TMarsh]

Good morning all. Nothing but coffee for me thank you. I'm gonna try and make this brief. (ROFLMAO holding side and catching breathe.) Oh I'm a funny man. Anyway I want to cut fit the ¼ inch this morn before I head out for the day, so I can get an idea of what I'm dealing with as far as actual size and reach.

Jim- thanks for sharing a peek at the MRR club. Looks great.

Barry- Yes, I'm referring to the layout. The bottom of the bench work is 36 inches from the floor. I have been under and it is comfortable to crawl and twist and sit for connecting wires, hiding while eating my Raspberry Zingers and also when I stand up between the cross braces of the bench work.

It's not as much getting under and up through it, as it is the actual hole in the layout. Like, is it difficult to disguise the seams. Do you have trouble getting it in and out. What do you do with the chunk of layout you pushed up. Is it more of a PITA than is said in the magazines and such.

Chuck- Gotcha.

Jeff- Ah, one that drops down. That could be an answer to one problem I see.

Robby- Like kids, women hear what they want to hear. Sometimes what we don't want them to hear too.

Speaking of this list. I hope Ulrich is keeping it up on his end.(where is he?) I started because I figured it might be a good idea for a backup in case of a computer crash or accidental deletion (not that I've ever done that) or something. But as for the official list, that's Ulrich. If there ever has to be cards sent out, you'll have to talk to him.

Have a Great Day!!!

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.  The suns out, and the high will be about 36 degrees. 

 Well I didn't do much yesterday.  I moved around some train cars on the layout, and that's about it.  I'm still debating to go to a LHS today.  

 I forgot to tell y'all that I had my wife do some switching on the layout the other day.  My goodness was that a "wreck" waiting to happen.  She had it full-throttle.  I told her to slow down some. Had a few derailments.  Well onto a quick story.

 I said "why don't you move some hoppers around.  Take some from the yard and move them to the cement plant".  Well after the engine went screaming into the yard, and grabbed some hoppers, she went to do some switching.  Well........She started to go into the "middle island".  I asked "where are you going????", she replies. "I'm putting these hoppers at that warehouse".   "What, you can't do that!!", I said.  "Why", she said.   "THAT'S A WAREHOUSE FOR BOXCARS, no hoppers".  I said.  After a few minutes of arguing, she finally moved the hoppers.  "Ok, now what".  She said.  "Well, its like a puzzle, you have to get these hoppers, in the cement plant".  "Well I will be parked on a main-line".  (I will say she knows that much).    Well after she moved some hoppers around she finally got everything fixed. 

 One other thing.  Sometimes I will "floor the car" to kinda blow it out,  she was making the engine go WAY to fast.  I said "that's to fast",  she replies "I'm blowing it out".      

 Jim........Nothing yet.  The job interview was Monday, and I'm sure they got a lot of applications.  The had a booth a the job fair, which I'm guessing had lots of people calling for interviews.  I'm sure it will take a few days to pick who they like.  Well I hope I hear something.

 Barry....Hope you feel better.  

 

 

[blownout cylinder]

Good bordig

Yeb--I'b dow got adother code--sniff sniff cofff cofff --HONK!!---Subhow I had to fide subone with a code who wadded to pass theirs od. yay----

We have another sunny day today with our temperature staying around the 0C mark---oh well ---it is sunny out---and the Cardinals are singing

I'm going to spend the day cuddled up with a thick quilt and a rum toddy to sweat this dang thing out'n me

Flo, I'll have a very hot cup of coffee and a breakfast bagel as well as a Giant Glass of ED's OJ please--I'b be goig to the back corder bood to read somb RR mags---coff coff hack gack coff snuffle AAAACCCCHHHOOOOOO!!! ---HONK!!

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

Jim, Trainworld has a minimum shipping charge of $9.  So I spoke to the local MRR Club and we decided I would buy 25 billboards for the group.  I plan on keeping 10 for my layout a few are going on the club layout and the others go to the members.


Garry, I have some older unused switch machines, I forgot who made them originally but I was told they were bought out by PECO or Shinohara. They operate on AC or DC and have posts to connect position lights directly to the machine.  They can be mounted under or on top of the layout.


I scored 2 rotary switches, and the toggles I needed for the turntable last night from the club’s junk box, and a Nat Gas storage tank that needs some TLC.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

sunsetbeachry

JEFF I like those pass. cars I tried but I guess I was wrong????  I can only tell my era very well. Just play with the 1890's thru the 1930's.

The Pullman roomette cars first appeared around 1937 and the basic Pullman design was still in use well after the Amtrak takeover in 1971.

[sunsetbeachry]

HI ALL ..............I didn'n see my name probably because I don't get in very often,............JEFF I like those pass. cars I tried but I guess I was wrong????  I can only tell my era very well. Just play with the 1890's thru the 1930's............Late at nite and am going to Seattle in morn. to pick up another Harley basket case..REALLY CHEEP (native bird of poland parakeet) cheep..cheep...LOL  chuckFair Winds and Following Seas 

PS..I was so lost but I found my truck out at MP 25 where I left it tired from walking out but I drove it back and found where the diner was parked. So I skipped 6 or 7 pages and here I am again chuck.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

Jeff and Ray- I know you guys have pop ups don't you? If you had to do it over again, would you do the same way? Or would you look for another. You may have had no other choice, but say you realized you could have done something different, would you.

If you're talking about pop-up's in the layout, yes, I have two. The park is a thick white foam lift out section and the area with the Shell station drops out from underneath. I don't think I would do anything differently.

 

Packer

Jeff, You said Great Northern cars right? Are they covered hoppers?

Sorry, no hoppers of any kind. Just three pieces of passenger equipment, an unassembled Athearn GN caboose kit, and unassembled Athearn GN double door 50' boxcar, an Unassembled Athearn SP 40' flatcar, an unassembled Athearn wood side 'Snicker's' billboard reefer and two Athearn AT&SF single dome tank cars. All the kits are marked between $3 and $5. The two tank cars were sold together for $8. I'm not sure exactly how old these kits are but the instruction sheet for the caboose is dated 1973. Upon closer inspection all the instruction sheets are dated 1973.

 

Heartland Division CB&Q

Jeff ... That's kinda neat how trains just show up in the mail for you. The CNW sleeper looks neat, but I didn't think you had passenger service. I suppose you can start up a KCS Southern Belle train, and think up a reason for the CNW sleeper

It's a mystery to me sometimes too. Sometimes it's an arranged delivery that I know about beforehand and other times stuff just shows up with no return address and no clue as to who sent it. There are two other CNW cars, and RPO and a Parlor/observation car similar to an Amtrak one that I converted to MoW service by installing sliding doors in the sides for loading and unloading.

[blownout cylinder]

TMarsh

With my trackplan and structures, the grain elevator, the popup can't be very big I'm afraid, at least that's what it appears, and even though I'm not very tall, as Jim can attest, we don't have to be wide, it takes almost as big a hole for us to unwind through. Have to do some thinking, but like Keith, I need to see it in real size first.

Todd:-Excuse me here but I'm rather curious about that pop up idea. Are you considering something along that line on your layout? At the current table height? Wouldn't that be kind of rough on your'n back?

Then again maybe that avatar of yours is kind of distorted a tad----or my eyes are sideways---

[TMarsh]

ns3010

Todd, I don't feel too bad for not remembering Texas Independence Day. We haven't gotten there yet in US History

See, there's a problem with our educational system. Instead of those silly ABC's they should be teaching that.

 

[howmus]

 Evenin' folks!

Flo just my usual decafe this time of night.

Packer

My right arm has been bugging me all day. If I moe it up or back it starts to sting right below the shoulder on the outside.

 

Packer ever seen the routine on Hee Haw?  Nah you're too young.....

Patient: Doctor, doctor, every time I move my arm like this it hurts!

Doctor:  Well, don't move it like that!

It's been one of those days.... Deacons was a riot tonight!  These people are a bunch of Loonies anyway and are both some very dedicated Servants of their Lord and Savior and completely nuts at the same time.  Every thing that we discussed tonight ended up with all of us laughing.  It may be that 3 members of the board who were on sick call last month have recovered and were back.  A lady who is my Vice Moderator (I am Moderator of the Board) last month was absent.  She was in the hospital after just being diagnosed as having Acute Leukemia.  Her prognosis at that time didn't look good.  She walked in the door right after I did tonight and we found at the end of the meeting that she does not have the acute form, but rather Chronic Leukemia.  She went through some Chemo to bring her count back down and is now in remission and will only have to take medications to control it!  So I think the crazyness was very justified....  We have all spent a lot of time in prayer for her!  And will continue to as well.

So I'll give you a sneak preview of what I have been w*rking on this week as time permitted.  Here are the 3 walls of the workshop on the side of the Engine House:

Next the walls will be assembled and the outside of them painted.  Then the assembly will be glued onto the base.  Oh, and Yes, those are HO scale 2 x 4s cut and "nailed" (glued) in place.

Todd, I really don't have what would normally be referred to as a "Lift out" on the layout.  I will sometime down the road in the new room have a removable mountain of scenery which will allow me access to the track and turnout below it.  The only PITA I have is an area where I have to crawl under the layout into an open corner to be able to reach scenery and trackage.  Would I do it different if I had it to do again?   Probably..........

Hope all of you have a great night!

73

 

[Cederstrand]

A plate full of grilled chicken, please. 

***John W, that CP pic is incredible. Where did the rails go? Tis' now our desktop background.

Mixed more tile mortar mix than I realized tonight. Spent around 2 hours applying it to the canyon walls of the wife's HO layout. Now I'm beat. Just have to do night critter rounds and then can hit the hay myself.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Rob

[AmanaMedic]

 'Evenin', RBF please 'n thank-you...

"Perhaps a tour company chartered the sleeper for people to travel from Iowa to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. You know those Iowa party animals like Chris, don't you ... ooops ...heh heh .. hello Chris"

Well hello GARRY, hey, do we have a dictionary around here? I gotta look up "party animal," and see just exactly what THAT is... It's been awhile But ya know, I think them Illinoissssssssssssssssssss boys might have the edge on us good, decent, sensible Iowans.... Why I think even 'ol Joe Friday would feel right at home here in Iowa... yessireeBob! Indeedee Doo!

ns3010

These are signs of the end of humanity (or at least common sense)

I hate to tell ya this Pally, but "common sense," isn't... Or, as my Chief in Central City used to say, and I quote: "A little common sense goes a long, long ways."

Ma Nah Ma Nah

VINCENT (Packer): Hey, if your college has a "health center" or "campus nurse," you might wanna stop in and let 'em take a look at THAT arm if you're still having trouble with it in a day or so. In the meantime, have you tried ice and/or ibuproffen...yes KEITH, in small (or "normal person") doses; NOT in my pop 'em like Skittles doses...

Welp, back at it...no party animal activities for this boy tonight!

Chris

 

 

[TMarsh]

I'm baaa-aack. Meeting at Church went well. Yes they had it. But, I forgot m Orange Crush so things weren't peachy. I tried a Cherry Crush earlier. Yuck. I don't like Cherry flavored stuff so I don't know why I bought it. I like cherries, cherry PIE and things with cherries in them and I like Cherry Coke, but cherry flavored candies and things, nope. Maybe it's because they all taste like the cherry flavored medicine and that just is hideous to me. Hm, maybe if I slathered it in gravy.

Coming back from Mom's I stopped at Menard'sand picked up another sheet of ¼ inch and another sheet of foam. Pink this time. Blue from Lowe's Pink from Menards. Both the same price though. $20. $5.50 for the 4X8 ¼ inch. Forgot to say that earlier because I panicked when I thought I'd have to send cards. Thanks to Barry, I feel better now. Tomorrow before I head out I will try to get downstairs and fit the sheet to the bench work. I can see now I will need a pop up. Not for any future derailments, but for just working on parts of the scenery. I don't really want one, but I will probably need to have one there and another on the part that will be built a bit later. Way too wide to reach and I don't want to buy one of those layout lean over things. I'd rather spend the money on the layout.

Jeff and Ray- I know you guys have pop ups don't you? If you had to do it over again, would you do the same way? Or would you look for another. You may have had no other choice, but say you realized you could have done something different, would you.

With my trackplan and structures, the grain elevator, the popup can't be very big I'm afraid, at least that's what it appears, and even though I'm not very tall, as Jim can attest, we don't have to be wide, it takes almost as big a hole for us to unwind through. Have to do some thinking, but like Keith, I need to see it in real size first.

See, questions are starting to form that I'd like opinionated through experience type responses to to make decisions by. Anybody else have and an opinion?

Think I'll call it an early night. Prayers for those in need.

[der5997]

Chloe, MooShu pork and pancakes please, with a sid eof stir fry veggies, thanks.

Todd: I agree about the frequency of the "backgrounder" for the Diner personnel - just don't lose the file please!

I'll take fries topped with cheese curds and covered in beef gravy please. Heard about that tasty sounding creation tonight. Can't remember the name, but our NOTB buds probably know.

..that will be Poutine - part of the Quebec contribution to Canadian health care costs! Thanks for the kind words on the tower; I planted the light standard before bed last night, and will figure out the required resistor later.

(you gotta admit the winker would be pretty nice to be twins though)

Blondes aren't everything you know.

Jeff:

PowerTorque drive can be somewhat interesting to look at

....when they become flat car loads?

With the beginning of the month bill paying scramble behind me

...the "universal constant" knows no borders!

ESP:

The waterbased scenery method was what was the in thing, plaster over a card board skeleton followed by latex paint and ground foam sprinkled into the wet paint.

....sounds like about where I came in! (except it was Zip Texturing and coloured sawdust instead of ground foam, I've still some of that in my kit.) I like the basic theory of water-based scenery technique, as it's so adaptable and forgiving. Now I'm in Normal Scale the static grass and super-detailed trees aren't a "must have", which helps the budget too!

So I decided to have the best of both worlds and try to keep the structures in keeping with what would be found during the transition era yet still be plausible to be in existence during more modern times

...I'm trying for as modern an effect as I can get, but have to go with whatever I can pick up reasonably cheaply. So, for instance, I've two engine  houses  that are the same building kit (gives the impression they belong to the same RR) but are from the steam era, still being used. The yard office in the freight yard will be a brick building that was the drying house for the sanding tower now replaced by the newer facility getting sand from covered hoppers and sending it to a modern sanding unit  A great many of the cars I have are too old to be permitted to run, certainly not on interchange service, but they are all I can afford to field for now. BTW, are you in Horribly Oversized?

Sam: I was wondering why the mile long slow order after the damaged bridge. I can see staying slow until the train is clear, but a mile?  I've seen mile long trains, but I don't associate those with NJT. And thanks for the fuller story on the air traffic thing. If the planes had been airborne, that's a whole different ball of wax, but I doubt the controller would have allowed his son to talk to them in that situation,IMHO.

CapeJim: Your club sports some nice big buildings!

The chap I needed to see at the LHS had "stepped out for an hour" - so since I couldn't  hang that long, I just had to leave my dud decoder loco and a note with a side-kick and leave. Not even a decent used structure this time around. I don't usually leave without any purchase.

The answer to the resistor value suitable to run my 1.5volt micro bulb from the DCC track power bus is 680 ohms, according to my handy dandy Loy's Toys tester thingy. So tomorrow I get to rummage in the electronics box and find out I'm out of them, and cobble together a string of ...no wait, that's a familiar value, I think I've a card of them....Oh, Hello Mr. Murphy, when did you get here?

Today's outhouses

Once more it's getting late, so - Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers continuing for all in need of Healing, Comfort, Prosperity and Peace.

[ns3010]

Evening all.

Remember how HOURS ago, I said I would be hangin around? Yeah, well THAT never happened...
Somehow the washing machine drained onto the floor and flooded the laundry room, and the carpet in the family room around it. AND, it's a finished basement! Ugh...

Garry, I agree. Maybe you should consider adopting another cat. We adopted ours from a rescue. And it just happens that the guy who found the two kittens was the guy who used to own my LHS! When we got to the rescue, they told us that they were at the store. The owner built them a little home in one of the display cabinets!

Todd, I don't feel too bad for not remembering Texas Independence Day. We haven't gotten there yet in US History

Chris, yeah, I heard that on the radio this morning. What is this world coming to? These are signs of the end of humanity (or at least common sense)

Jim, I don't remember what you're talking about. Now I'm gonna hafta go back and check my own post...

Sam, what about if a locomotive is dead in tow? Or ACES? And yeah, I heard that the PL42s are gas guzzlers. Sure didn't seem like 40 CIIIs, so I'll just say 24. I heard that scrapping has begun, but I don't know how much truth there is to that.
And congrats on one year!

Gotta go. I'm going snowboarding with my old school's ski club tomorrow, so I won't be in. And I have lax practice on Friday (yes I decided I AM playing).

Later!