Elliot's Trackside Diner July 2010

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

I have a MRR open house on Saturday to go to, then I need to fix a downspout, toilet is leaking, and the tub faucet is dripping. I will try to rip some tempered masonite for my layout and the clubs layout this weekend.  I’m painting the masonite with Tuscan sky blue and gluing winter wheat and corn fields to the boards for the north wall of my layout. And the east wall of the clubs layout.  I got a refund on the last child support payment so I’m going to shop for ink for the Alps printer and try to buy 100 sheets of water-transfer paper. If my bonus comes in I might buy the block signaling electronics for the layout.


It started raining last night and continues to do so today, a nice break from our dry spell.

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.  Its less hot today, but rain/storms today.  It hasn't rain in 10 days!!!

 Well I'm off to work this morning.   The MIL made it in last night, and the wife had a good b-day.   Hopefully I can get some MRR done while she's here.

 Here's a over shot of the town I've been working on.  Its also posted in the WPF.

[Anonymous]

 Good Morning Guys,

it´s been a hot and sticky night - too warm for poor little me to get a good sleep.

Janie, I am going for coffee, lotsa coffee and a hearty breakfast with buck wheat pancakes, sausages, bacon and scrambled eggs, please.

Yeah, it is an old Mercedes-Benz and it is still in a pretty good shape, given its age. In a few years, it´ll start to be a collector´s item, as they are getting rare on our roads these days. The ones being on the market are bought by African traders and shipped to Africa, where they will be in service for many years to come. That model was the last of those "Benzes", which were built like a Tiger Tank heading for El Alamein, the thereafter following generations  are not up to the level of built-quality any longer.

I must have received a dozen or so calls from those African traders so far. The conversation over the phone is like this:

Nice car? Yes, very nice car, clean and in good shape! Your price? As advertised! Is last price? Yes! Click!

I have heard stories, that they sell a car for 10 times as much as they paid for it. Some years ago, all our old Benzes went to Poland (not always having been paid for) and Eastern Europe, but now it´s Africa. 

Parting from it will be a little difficult for me, but it has to be. We need a car, which Petra also likes to drive. I am looking for a used Toyota or Suzuki, as they have a good reputation of building long lasting cars.

Todd - I haven´t thought of the WS concrete paint. Faller used to make one, which was simply a light gray. I did not like it at all, because it was, how to say that - well, just gray. 

You all have a rewarding day!

P.S. has anybody heard a word from Sam? Or Bama?

[Cederstrand]

Veggie stew, please.

***Ray, hope the Doc can putyou on the right BP meds. Sometimes no meds are better than what some Docs put you on. My brother has been seeing numerous Docs who have had him on everything available at one time or another and his BP is crazy high. He now has numerous stents and keeps having heart attacks. My BP runs in the neighborhood of 90/50, do to the Protocol I am on for sarcoidosis.

***CNCharlie, they play 2 episodes of Trailer Park Boys here on Thursday nights. (we got our "fix" tonight about an hour ago)  Tonight I added the rest of the shopping carts beside Bubbles shed. All that's left is to paint a Ricky figure. Wife wants me to make a Sunnyvale sign for the entrance of her park.

Laid the foundation (mix of styrofoam & joint compound) for the hospital on wife's layout tonight. Also did some boring little stuff. Progress!

Have a good night y'all.

Rob

[TMarsh]

Evening, glass of Raspberry iced tea please. I like that stuff. Thanks.

Made it in to the train room this morning, but only to take the trash out. Today was trash day. I need to clean up in there bad. I also think I'll do a bit of extending. Probably the North west corner addition is what I will call it. Very appropriate I feel since that's exactly what it is. This area will be the town that has the modern trains station which will have a siding for said station as opposed to being on the mainline like I have in the past and the one in Gold Creek. That way I can park a passenger train there also. Brilliant idea I think. But that's just me.

Ulrich- Wow. You have a Mercedes! Oh, that's right you're in Germany. Looks very nice and clean and in good shape. Of course I kinda expected that from you.

Charlie- I'd thought of WS paints but haven't tried them yet. I'm gonna use some primer grey and then maybe another black wash first and if I can't get what I'm looking for I will try them. I'm so glad to hear little Pippa's hanging in there.

I guess I'm just gonna have to break my cheap ways and make some stuff to experiment on. I hate to waste stuff just practicing, but it seems the only way. I know I know, it's not like I've never been told.

Garry- My thoughts exactly. I thought Ulrich had a good ole United Satesian Mercury. Guess we should have figured it out but hey......

Since we're on the subject of MIA's, is California still attached to us? Haven't heard from Keith in a while. Don't really think about it on weekends since he's usually busy with family and all and this past being the 4^th especially and maybe a long one, but I figured he'd have popped in by now.

Well (yawn) better mosey off to snooze city. Prayers for those in need.

[CNCharlie]

Another cup of your great coffee please Chloe and how about some of that blueberry pie, which I see is made with wild blueberries as it should be. 

After walking the dogs, I went to the store and when I came home, faithful little Pippa was waiting by the door as usual.

Ulrich, that is a good looking Merc!  A lady in my department has a '94 E320 which I think is a really nice car. She has had it for at least 10 years and has no plans on selling it . It is the same colour as yours too. Over here it would fetch a lot more than $2,000 dollars!

Think I'll head downstairs and finish the last touch ups on the wharf and then maybe I can get the water poured tomorrow.

Say, I can't recall hearing from Jerry in the last while. Do hope he is OK. Miss his reports from Pearl St.  He sure does some amazing things in N scale.

Rob, Do they  still run Trailer Park Boys on TV in your neck of the woods?  Up here it is on every night on the channel ( Showcase) that originally ran it. I watch it from time to time to see what is happening in Sunnydale. I really enjoy the episodes with Conkey.  It was filmed not that far from where Der lives.

CN Charlie

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good evening Diners!  

Ernie C. ...... Good to see you in the Diner. Sounds like a bad fire. Glad to hear you lost no structures.

Ulrich .. Your car looks new in the photo. When JR called it a "Merc" I thought of the nick name for Mercury, and that's no Mercury. ... It's a Mercedes I thought. .. Hmmmm. A Merc is a Mercedes now.

Jeff ... Does that tanker have another load of bulk Geritol? You are now 50 and I though it could be. It's a stealth tanker with no lettering to clue me in.

JP ... Glad to see you again.

Ray ... Watch that BP!

I think we have some absentees this week. PC? Dick? RT? to name only three.

 

[GMTRacing]

Ray,

   I  hate it when the meds don't work as they should. I can usually tell when the pressure is getting high again as I fly off the handle with little provocation and bleed like a stuck pig when I cut myself (occupational hazard). At any rate make sure you do the tests as we want you around for a while yet. No lectures on salt from this camp but really it's in so much stuff already I don't ever add any more to the food. Wish I could be more like the CFO who eats what she wants and still has an admirably low BP. Ah well - genetics strikes again. I sympathize, but also please take care.  J.R.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Flo I'll have one of those chocolate brownies with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.  What Oh, of course I want some chocolate syrup on it!  Don't foget to bring me a cup of decaf too...

Had a pretty good day today, got most everything done i wanted to plus a couple of things i didn't know i wanted to do....

Met with the financial guy down at church and we agreed on a plan to present to the head of properties for his OK and then to the insurance company.  Then went to the band for some pictures of dead presidents for my wallet.....  I got 2 Jacksons and a Hamilton...  Stopped at the drug store and bought a new Omron digital blood pressure cuff.  Couple of days ago I was feeling very stressed and figured it was time to do what I have been supposed to be doing ever since the doc changed my BP meds.  Switched on the old cuff tried to take my BP and it showed an error.  since THAT was late at night, I figured I would figure it out in the morning.  Remembered THAT EE usually meant I didn't put enough pressure in to start with, but it usually showed it right away.  Next morning I take it and blow it up to over 180...  Comes in with a reading of 169/112...  I almost have a stroke on the spot!  I then think, when did I change the batteries last?  Hmmm, can't remember ever changing the batteries, so i decide to pout new ones in.  Take it again....  165/122!  Hmm. No way!  So I went down to church since i had to take something down there anyway.  Our Parish Nurse was in her office along with the guy i needed to see, so she took my BP.  168/94.  A bit better, but still way above where it has been.  I figured 1. I need a new cuff, and 2. I probably had way too much salt over the weekend, and 3. the new meds aren't working...  So I will be watching things closely and making a Dr. Appt. to see what he says.  This afternoon the cuff said 164/ 87 .... improving.

Also weeded about half the garden by hand this evening, sawed up a plank to use when I move the log splitter on the small trailer, and did some w*rk on the quarry scene.  Spent more time trying to find where I hid the ;lathe and other belt driven models for the engine house....

Catch you all later!

73

[Cederstrand]

Chicken & rice enchiladas with rice & beans, please. 

***Chris, I sure would love to have that bog ol' JD. Would have to put in a few larger gates for it and find a loader that would attach to it (no w that would be a site), but it sure would be fun to have around here.

***CNCharlie, love your "therapy". If we had a LHS, I'd sign up for a session, too.

Haven't made it down to the train room today. Maybe a little later. Long day, kinda tuckered out.

Rob

[CNCharlie]

Good Evening!

A belated Happy Birthday to you Jeff and many more besides. Good luck tomorrow with the 'rotoroter'. I too am supposed to have one and have been trying to get my schedule in synch with the surgeon who is supposed to do it. Like you I'm not looking forward to it but he has promised me full sensory depravation.

And a Happy Birthday to your wife Robby. Gosh, I can actually remember being 31, well faintly anyway.

I have decided against ordering one of those NP GP18's that Trainworld has or likely had according to J.R. I feel better for it, sort of smug, not giving in to temptation and all that. Anyway NP was far from my fictional southern Ontario setting. I did go to the LHS today as a mild form of therapy. I picked up a N Scale MT box car that was on sale but it is too new for my layout so I will take it back.

I haven't poured the Realistic Water yet as I wasn't happy with the fit of the harbour cribbing with the warf, so I had to fix it up.

Todd, for concrete I would recommend Woodland Scenics paint for roads. They also have a good asphalt colour. Turns out I had darkened the paint for the warf, the colour is actually a very concrete-like light beige.

It's a nice evening so we are going to take the dogs out for a little walk. Pippa is very slow but still seems to enjoy it.

See you tomorrow.

CN Charlie

[JPowell]

Hi gang!

Just passin by and thought I'd drop in for a sec. Sorry yet again for being so tardy! Yard work has been keepin me pretty busy as of late. Do me a favor please... pray for RAIN! We could use it in a bad way here. My flowerbeds are hard as a rock! I'm suprised that the flowers are not dead yet!!!

Take care!

[GMTRacing]

Tean Steam Fan - magneto or battery ignition?  Best bet is NAPA, they have an illustrated book with a zillion sets of points in it including about a dozen for IHC. Most likely are CS763A or CS63A. If you have a pic or the old parts you can match them up. J.R.

[AmanaMedic]

teen steam fan

Hey Chris, tell the uncle I said nice Farmall, is it a 560, very nice. Does he know where to get a points set for a 52 H?

THAT is a 656...and it is no more. It burned up last winter As for where to get points for an H...I doubt he'd have much idea. He's got an M in bad need of restoration. But, he still uses it.

I'll betcha if you did an internets search, you'd find a dozen ready suppliers. You could also try the latest issue of Hemminger's.

 

Time to go to w**k...

Chris

[teen steam fan]

AmanaMedic

 Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Afternoon. Large bucket of RBF please...

JEFF: Happy birthday to ya, a little late, but hey...everyday is a holliday right?

ROBBY P: A happy birthday to Jessica (one of my all-time top ten favorite names for females). You want "farm photos?" Well Lad, ask and ye shall receive!

You'll appreciate the rust on this:

A shot taken at my Uncle's farm in Kansas... don't know when Grandpa built the shed, probably in the 1940s.

A farm near Alburnett, Iowa, taken from atop a rather tall grain bin while hanging on by my finger tips.

The silo at Grandpa's/Uncle's farm, complete with iron pile/old implements, etc.

I hope these help!

 

ULRICH: Sorry to hear you have to unload your car. I hope you get some decent money for it. I've got a hunch your situation is going to become very, very, very common to the delight of some "progressive" folk who don't want us driving around in personal cars anyway... Hmmm, the soap box just revved-up over in the corner, guess I'd better stop here. I'm just waiting for "Cap and Trade" to pass so I can try to figure out how to pay for $8.00/gallon gasoline just to go to w**k for THAT Editor...

 

Speaking of THAT, she's sending me to Wilton tonight to watch the Solon girls lose in a first round (regional semi-final) tournament game (varsity softball). I was going to go out to Clear Creek Amana high school and watch the Solon boys take on my Clippers... *klaxon buzz* Wrong. THAT has my whole baseball/softball schedule figured out for the next week or so... *sigh* THAT's what she gets the big bucks for, I guess.

Welp, 'spose I'll meander on over to the Rivet Counter, see about some lunch. Then, I have to subject myself to the torture of listening to a tape of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors discussing their proposed new "Justice Center." Hmmm, do you think Batman and Superman will hang out there? Maybe Robin and Wonder Woman will sip on latte's in the cafeteria...

Have a gooden,

Chris

Hey Chris, tell the uncle I said nice Farmall, is it a 560, very nice. Does he know where to get a points set for a 52 H? Well, I guess I'll eat that Ruben sammich on the counter right there. No use in letting food go to waste.



Bugger, looks like I get the tab this time, Dang It!!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

AmanaMedic

jeffrey-wimberly

They certainly are for me. PMR = "Permanent Medical Retirement". That roughly translates to "No need to set the clock, no money, no job, getting good look at ceiling as I go up wall".

 

I don't know Pally, for all of your toils and troubles, you pack more activities into your life than a lot of people I know... its actually kinda inspiring.

I try to stay busy doing what I can. Sitting around feeling sorry for myself isn't going to do anything besides lead to an early grave. Besides, I'm not that kind of person. I try to help others instead of placing my own welfare ahead of theirs, hence the bunch of stuff I send out to others either for trade or just give them something.

[AmanaMedic]

jeffrey-wimberly

They certainly are for me. PMR = "Permanent Medical Retirement". That roughly translates to "No need to set the clock, no money, no job, getting good look at ceiling as I go up wall".

 

I don't know Pally, for all of your toils and troubles, you pack more activities into your life than a lot of people I know... its actually kinda inspiring.

 

Chris

[Packer]

Hey guys

Not a whole lot going on. Been helping the brother with the suspension on his car, took the dog to the vet, then took my sister to her friends house. On the way back from the later I hit a a pot hole (it took up the whole late and it's hidden by brush on a blind corneer), and it knocked my rear-view off. Wish the county wouls spend half as much on the roads as they do on building new multi-million dollar offices that are close to being massions or palaces.

Jeff, happy belated B-day.

Robby, happy B-day to the misses. Hopefully the MIL visit won't be too bad.

Ulrich, sucks that you'll have to unload the car.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

AmanaMedic

JEFF: everyday is a holliday right?

They certainly are for me. PMR = "Permanent Medical Retirement". That roughly translates to "No need to set the clock, no money, no job, getting good look at ceiling as I go up wall".

[Cederstrand]

Extra strong coffee in a  UNION PACIFIC  mug, please. It's 98 degrees here, but still gotta have my mug of java.

***Robby, unless you have a lot of layout space for a farm, suggest you keep it small like a typical hobby farm, as you were contemplating doing. Rarely do modelers get real farms right. Of course "who cares", as long as everyone finds joy in whatever they create. Much of my wife's (& especially mine) layout(s) are anything but prototypical. Oh, I still haven't "placed" my wife's (HO) chickens around her hen house. Hope I can see them well enough not to glue them upside-down. Sheesh those things are tiny.

Our neighbors trackhoe fella is digging stumps up along the driveway now. Suppose we'll find out the damages soon.

Cheers! Rob

[AmanaMedic]

 Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Afternoon. Large bucket of RBF please...

JEFF: Happy birthday to ya, a little late, but hey...everyday is a holliday right?

ROBBY P: A happy birthday to Jessica (one of my all-time top ten favorite names for females). You want "farm photos?" Well Lad, ask and ye shall receive!

You'll appreciate the rust on this:

A shot taken at my Uncle's farm in Kansas... don't know when Grandpa built the shed, probably in the 1940s.

A farm near Alburnett, Iowa, taken from atop a rather tall grain bin while hanging on by my finger tips.

The silo at Grandpa's/Uncle's farm, complete with iron pile/old implements, etc.

I hope these help!

 

ULRICH: Sorry to hear you have to unload your car. I hope you get some decent money for it. I've got a hunch your situation is going to become very, very, very common to the delight of some "progressive" folk who don't want us driving around in personal cars anyway... Hmmm, the soap box just revved-up over in the corner, guess I'd better stop here. I'm just waiting for "Cap and Trade" to pass so I can try to figure out how to pay for $8.00/gallon gasoline just to go to w**k for THAT Editor...

 

Speaking of THAT, she's sending me to Wilton tonight to watch the Solon girls lose in a first round (regional semi-final) tournament game (varsity softball). I was going to go out to Clear Creek Amana high school and watch the Solon boys take on my Clippers... *klaxon buzz* Wrong. THAT has my whole baseball/softball schedule figured out for the next week or so... *sigh* THAT's what she gets the big bucks for, I guess.

Welp, 'spose I'll meander on over to the Rivet Counter, see about some lunch. Then, I have to subject myself to the torture of listening to a tape of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors discussing their proposed new "Justice Center." Hmmm, do you think Batman and Superman will hang out there? Maybe Robin and Wonder Woman will sip on latte's in the cafeteria...

Have a gooden,

Chris

[ErnieC]

Ulrich,

Best of luck with the forrest fires, we just lost almost 16,000 acres.  Spent a week on evacuation notice, but never had to actually leave.  Did not lose one structure, fire fighters did a stellar job!

Think rain,

Ernie C

[Robby P.]

 Jessica (my wife) want's to THANK everybody for the b-days.  We have been home most of the day, just to hot to go anywhere.   Her mom is now in NC and she still has about 8 hours to go.  She's coming in from Orlando.   I guess when the MIL gets here, I will hid in the basement .

 I've been working on the layout some this morning, and now I'm about to go the the library and get some MRR magazines.  Hopefully I can find some with some "farm" shots.  Nothing to big, just a garden maybe.  I will probably skip the whole chickens, cows, etc.....look.  

 Hope everybody has a good afternoon.

[Anonymous]

 It is just an old ´94 E220 with that sturdy 2.2 litre, 150hp engine, which was designed in 1937! The car has only 95,000 miles to it, but it is things like the brakes, catalyst, shocks, etc. that start to fail now. With a little care and some money, the car can go on for another 10 years, but it is that money I don´t have - so it has to go!

[GMTRacing]

Ah, lunch time! And please Robby wish the CFO a Happy Birthday from us as well.  I'll have a double swiss burger with sweet potato fries and an RBF extra large please, no make that two RBF,s one to go when I'm done. Nothing like trying to drive and have an RBF at the same time. Darn spoon keeps interfering with my forward vision. Good job it's virtual food, no?

  Just brutally hot outside today - might rain a bit as well (usually when I'm trying to load the trailer, right?

As an aside with Trainworld, if you want one of their specials or blowouts, best to act immmediately. I tried to snag one of the cab forwards they found and 20 minutes after the E-mailed offer, no stock - sold already. Don't know who sits all day waiting for those deals, but man they were fast! Ah here's the food.  Just need some Guldens mustard and I'm all set .

Ulrich - what model Merc is that? I have a '99 300C 2.8 sitting in the back yard here while we try to get paperwork for it. Nice car in and out but the motor is going to require a lot of attention - bad valve guides, etc.

[Anonymous]

 Good Afternoon,

it is a hot day again - temps are in the high 90´s and will surpass the 100 F tomorrow. We are on forest fire alert - for the first time in over 35 years! And no rain in sight ... 

Zoe, I´ll have a RBF to coolme down a little, thank you!

Robby -  to your wife! 31 ain´t nothing, pal, the best years are yet to come!

Had to take my car to the garage today, as they brakes didn´t do their job anymore. Cost me a few hundred bucks to get the job done. I have placed an ad in the internet to sell the car, and there seems to be some interest for it. Tomorrow, a guy from Bremen will come to take a look at it - hopefully that works out! Will be funny to say good-bye to this old horse, though.

Have a nice day!

 

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Just had a nice post all ready to go here and I hit the wrong button.....  Anyway, Zoe, I'll have a blueberry muffin with real butter to go along with a cup of your wonderful dark roast coffee in a FGLK mug.  Thanks!

Robby, please say Happy Birthday to your wife for me!  Hope she is doing well.

So Jeffrey, getting ready for the rotorooter job, huh?  I've had a couple of those myself....  The biggest pain is they won't let you play with #11 exacto knives for the rest of the day......

I supposedly have a meeting with the church Financial Officer this afternoon to go over the estimates for the repair of the sound system.  I also have to mail a pile of invites to our NMRA Summer Picnic.  Then I think I'll mosey on over to the Farmer's Market downtown and see what has come in season so far.  Some fresh local vegies would be good.

It is 89°F already in the Finger Lakes this morning (feels like 93°F).  The high could be a few degrees higher.  Both my air conditioners are running full blast and the house is at 78°....  I think I will disapear to the basement train room to see if I can find the missing kits for the engine house...

Later!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning. It's 80 and partly cloudy. There's a 50% chance of rain today. The high will be 94.

We got some good rain yesterday but we still need more of it. Last night I tried out the little hand-held Fuller Brush vac that my mothert gave me for my birthday. It's a very powerful little cuss but is uncomfortable to hold onto as it gets quite warm very quickly. If I had to clean the layout with it that would take some time as the area covered by the brush is only one inch wide. It does however do a very effective cleaning job in that one inch wide area. Now for the bad points. The hose (18") is far too short and would require the vac to be held in one hand while the cleaning tip is held in the other hand. The cleaning brush attachment appears to be quite fragile so great care must be taken not to damage it. The filter works great but after looking around town I have yet to find a place to get replacements locally. Replacement filters would have to be ordered from the company. The dirt hopper is very small and fills up quickly requiring that it be emptied often. The fast way to do this and clean the filter at the same time is to use one of my two Shop-Vacs to clean out the dirt hopper and clean the filter, thus the dust and dirt from the layout ends up in the Shop-Vacs anyway.So while it's power is impressive the overall performance isn't. There's also no way to hang it up anywhere, meaning it has to take up valuable closet space that I could be using to store MR supplies. Somehow I don't think this little vac will be seeing much service on the layout.

[blownout cylinder]

Happy Birthday to Robby's wife!!!

Welp--gotta be off and runnin' 'roun' doin' stuff----have a good one!!

[Packers#1]

 Robby, happy birthday to your wife! That house looks like a bachmann farmhouse someone painted, looks very nice!

Well, no real plans for the layout today, may build another structure to mix things up.