Elliot's Trackside Diner July 2010

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning, Zoe - I was gonna order a breakfast bagel when I came in, but think it's closer to lunch now, so a RBF, BLT, please. Thanks!

First off, a(once again belated):

Happy 26th Anniversary!!

wishes to you and Petra, Ulrich! Nowadays, making it to the 25th is a milestone, so obviously the two of you have been there for each other. May you have another 26 or so. (And [ditto] what Todd said, too)

Robby, I'll avoid chiming in about my opinion on banks.  Except to agree with much of what others have said... Hope the bank gets its collective head on straight again soon.

Rob...chuckle..Thanks, but I don't have that veterinarian's license just yet. Haven't started THAT project, just have it in mind (since I can't get the burros any other way). That sounds like you had one heckuva fireworks show in your back(front?)yard.

Jeff, you're right - your 'Faraday cage' trailer has been well worth the time it took to get it all wired and grounded. Just amazing, it is. Good to hear no major damage to your place (trees or otherwise). Whatcha got going for today?

Vincent, glad you dodged most of the rain (and sorry to hear that Ray apparently hasn't missed any of his rain there).

Sam, good that you & the Mrs. found a suitable train room er, house. Now to get the funding rounded up. Yeeha, doggies! Round up those greenbacks!

Keith, your castings look pretty good already (especially in iNvisible scale). I've debated about traffic lights for my towns/city, but the problem is, most companies seem to be making more modern style of lights (with those sideboard thingees), which I'm not sure if I could cut off and make them still work (and look okay). So, I may make the towns and city smaller, so they don't need lights...

Flip, yeah, I've had some of those tiny little screws for coupler pockets that make me go Aaaarrrrgggghhh!!! But at least I haven't had to put a spring back into a Kadee coupler lately - now THAT's a real head-banger of a task!

Garry, nice shot of those F-units, and thanks for posting the Colorado pics, too (have saved those for my future scenicking reference).

Paul, glad you got the time to swing by (and good to hear Mary Ann's doing well) - I recall a few of your comments about all the 'fun' that retirement has been at times for you. Hope you get a little break again and can have some MRR'ing time to try out the new stuff when it arrives.

Bill T., Hi again to you, and what've you been up to?

Overwhelmed in the train room? Nah, never had that... (well, sorta, y'know, sometimes, well, maybe more than that, I dunno...)

MRR club meeting last night was getting up the last of the ceiling tiles (lights were all put in since last time), sweeping and vacuuming all the dust and bits of tile, cleaning up some stuff from that phase, and figuring out where the two air conditioners needed to go. Next week's meeting will be in air-conditioned comfort - necessary, since we'll start moving around the layout table sections into the new plan. A lot like one of those puzzles where you slide around the little 'chiclet' pieces into the right order (like a design, or sequence of numbers)...

Got an email that my order through our LHS owner/MRR club member is in, so tomorrow (maybe tonight) need to get that. Awaiting another order, which included several colors of paint that I needed (including the Platinum Mist for the RDC's (and general metallic silver color on other stuff). Need a go cup of that motivation to get something going and actually post some progress pics in the Diner - you got any of that, Zoe?

I'll be in the window booth, munching lunch. Prayers for all those (most of us) in need of 'em. And looky here! Guess who has the lunch tab - okay, Zoe, start the tab. I'll start on the dishes after I eat my lunch, I guess.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff, Good to hear no major damage to your place (trees or otherwise). Whatcha got going for today?

Not much, just ducking thunderstorms.

[galaxy]

Hi guys,

went to neurosurgeon today. Arthritis is main culprit as is the necrotic tissue in the fatty tisuue surrounding the spine. Last disc at teh sacroiliac is in some bad shape, but not enough to operate on, nor is anything else.

He sent me for another MRI on Friday and moving Xrays to see movement and shifting of bones as i lean or bend over and to pain management for injections as he could tell that the muscles are taut, tense and hardened from the strain placed on tehm to keep bones in line{a big fat DUH!}. But still not bad enough for surgery yet...that i suppose is good, but would like the pain to end. only happy and pain free when sitting or lying down.

SO ultimtely, it will not parylize {sp?} me, kill me, or require major fusion surgeries, but I will have to learn to live with it the rest of my life unless Center For Pain Management can get pain under control with spinal injections and the necrotic {dead tissue} is considered dangerous enough to remove, which may also be causing pain. It's an abnormailty they don't yet know enough of yet. If new MRI has shown it not changed, they leave the necrotic tissue in? Seems to me necrotic tissue {dead tissue} should come out not good to leave in body, but can be done by general surgeon and not nurosurgeon, he too specialist for that! Also my left foot is weak and wont raise against pressure, but doesn;t "drag" yet. If of concern as that could get worse as time goes by.I frequently have sciatica in left leg also.

Now next on the cardiolgist to find out more info on my heart's failing conditions. Again, currently won't kill me, but not bad enough to do something just yet....but new developemnts and recent EKGs are showing new developements that may cause new concerns and change of meds- if meds only will work. {2 for the heart alone out of the 23 scripts I have} They ran 6 EKGs- SIX of them just to be sure you know- last time I was in hospital to be sure it was "not functioning correctly as it should" {AKA "malfunctioning" but "not yet life threatening" and in need of stress tests and other battery of tests to  further evaluate it's  condition or lack thereof and what to do about it}

Mind you all, Im not LOOKING for surgeries...jsut pain relief and to know the old ticker is doing fine and wont leave me in a sudden lurch.

Gotta love it.

Well enough of my rambling for now

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 

[Robby P.]

 Good afternoon. 

 Long day at work, and ended the day hitting my head.   Now I have a big bump .

 Well not much planned for me tonight.  Watch tv and eat.

 Jeff......Good looking engine.  You might wanna add some black near the grille's/vent on the engine.

 

[blownout cylinder]

JimRCGMO

First off, a(once again belated):

Happy 26th Anniversary!!

wishes to you and Petra, Ulrich! Nowadays, making it to the 25th is a milestone, so obviously the two of you have been there for each other. May you have another 26 or so. (And [ditto] what Todd said, too)

First off I'd like to say the same thing-----Happy 26th Anniversary!!! I know a few more who have done the distance!!

JimRCGMO

MRR club meeting last night was getting up the last of the ceiling tiles (lights were all put in since last time), sweeping and vacuuming all the dust and bits of tile, cleaning up some stuff from that phase, and figuring out where the two air conditioners needed to go. Next week's meeting will be in air-conditioned comfort - necessary, since we'll start moving around the layout table sections into the new plan. A lot like one of those puzzles where you slide around the little 'chiclet' pieces into the right order (like a design, or sequence of numbers)...

Oh!! You mean like the Dominoes that a certain MR uses---that looks interesting there! I've done that route twice now with my layout--And I still have not quite got to the point of photographing all that dang layout lol!!

As it is I've got to find a few more buildings to fill out Williston, then it's Exceda I've got to go after----

Galaxy: Don't you just love going to doctor appointments? I've got three next August and that is only for the cardiac thing---I'll be finding out on August 12th when my defib will be put in me. Then it'll be my diabetes specialist I'll be seeing and then an Opthamologist appointment for my eyesight, then it'll be an orthopedic surgeon for my elbow--to see whether an operation I had last year worked out----sheeesh--

Chloe, I'll have a giant quadruplex burger and a tub o' fries please- I'll be at the other window booth with my magazines on Digital Audio recording----

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

I think UP kept its diesels relatively clean. Here's a link to fallen flags GP9 # 138 leading 4 GP9b's (no cabs with GP9b's)

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up138n.jpg

Here's one that looks a bit scuzzy. Look at the dirt around the lower parts. Also, there appears to be rust at the edges of a battery box cover.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up164.jpg

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Heartland Division CB&Q

I think UP kept its diesels relatively clean. Here's a link to fallen flags GP9 # 138 leading 4 GP9b's (no cabs with GP9b's)

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up138n.jpg

Here's one that looks a bit scuzzy. Look at the dirt around the lower parts. Also, there appears to be rust at the edges of a battery box cover.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up164.jpg

 

Mine are scuzzy and dirty because they're no longer UP. I just haven't added the patches yet.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

jeffrey-wimberly

Heartland Division CB&Q

I think UP kept its diesels relatively clean. Here's a link to fallen flags GP9 # 138 leading 4 GP9b's (no cabs with GP9b's)

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up138n.jpg

Here's one that looks a bit scuzzy. Look at the dirt around the lower parts. Also, there appears to be rust at the edges of a battery box cover.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/up/up164.jpg

 

Mine are scuzzy and dirty because they're no longer UP. I just haven't added the patches yet.

Oh. I get it. Should have known. I have a few second hand engines working the steel mill. Fun making the scuzzies, right?

[Cederstrand]

Meatloaf Dinner with coffee, please.

Today, a semi (with chicken load) pulled out across all lanes in front of us. Barbara suddenly said, "We have no brakes". Her ambulance driving skills kicked in & we flew past the truck on the shoulder. (I grabbed the shift lever, but didn't have to use it). Once in town, with sporadic breaks, we discovered the Parking Break was on the entire time. Vehicle smelled like a truck stop at the base of a long, steep mountain grade. Not sure what damage was done driving so many miles with PB's on(?), but at least we escaped being tarred & feathered with a ride on a Life Flight chopper.

Soooo, you're still stuck with us.

Latest train order arrived so if nothing comes up, it looks like I'll be adding sound to the wife's Bach 2-8-0 tonight. My first venture into DCC.

Cheers! Rob

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Mine are scuzzy and dirty because they're no longer UP. I just haven't added the patches yet.

Oh. I get it. Should have known. I have a few second hand engines working the steel mill. Fun making the scuzzies, right?

Beats sitting around watching the tube and it's fun too.

[Cederstrand]

HELP....OK, quick question: Inside the tender of the Bach 2-8-0 is a circuit board with another mini board plugged in via 8-pin plug. The new decoder with speaker has an 8-pin plus a mess of wires (I think these are for diesels?). My question is, do I

1) plug in the new decoder into the stock circuit board via the 8-pin connecter,

2)tape off the extra wires, including a single stray purple wire(?),

3) glue the speaker in place and that's it???

In other words, toss the mini board, but leave both the stock & new boards "together" in the tender? Hope that makes sense. Lastly, how do I keep the two boards from touching inside the tender?

-Rob

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

Hi gang,

Just a RBF. and a small bowl of almonds, thanks Flo.

On our way out to the lake for a couple of days as I have to work the week-end again.  So don't write to much fellas and gals or I'll never catch up.

I didn't want to leave without wishing Petra and Ulrich a very happy (belated) anniversary.

Ulrich, the place in Canada that is really booming right now is Saskatchewan.  When I get back to town I will gather up some names  and addresses for you to make some contact.  Hope you can wait a couple of days.   We have everything going on here from agriculture, lots of mining, oil, gas, lots of booming small to large industries.  Two huge research complexes in both Regina and Saskatoon, working on everything imaginable.  We have the second largest syncotron in the world. Two universities, a technical complex that is in campuses located in about 5 cities. As well as all the day to day jobs, Gov't,  banking institutions, retail, wholesale, distribution.

Here in Regina they are locating the Western Canada distribution center for Loblaws Foods. They are presently erecting a 1,000,000 square foot building.  CPR are relocating their Intermodal Terminal adjacent to that property as well.

Wife says she is ready to go, so I had better end it for now.  Get back to you on the week-end.

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

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Cederstrand

HELP....OK, quick question: Inside the tender of the Bach 2-8-0 is a circuit board with another mini board plugged in via 8-pin plug. The new decoder with speaker has an 8-pin plus a mess of wires (I think these are for diesels?).

I'm fairly certain the extra wires are for additional lighting functions.

Cederstrand

1) plug in the new decoder into the stock circuit board via the 8-pin connecter,

You got it, and just tape the ends of those other wires if you're not going to use them.

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

 Well it seems like the heat has finally left us here in the North East well at least for the time being any way. the only thing growing in my front yard are weeds so of course thats how I spent my morning. Thats why it's good to have children . They are low to the ground and you can pretty much fool them into thinking that everything is a game. I tried that with my son this morning while waiting for the bus to school/camp. He picked one weed and told me this is not fun and sat on a bucket watching me........ lol well at least he's smarter then his old man. Finally got my order of Homabed  from California roadbed company was all revved up to come down to the train room tonight and lay track , picked up the caulking gun and pulled the trigger you guessed it empty! Well tomorrow is another day.

[Packer]

Hey guys

Back from college and listening to the berkley instructor and dealing with the busted vending machines (funny that the inspection stickers are only a few weeks old; they don't give change, frequently jam, and eat money like crazy)

Garry and Jeff, thanks for posting those photos. I was wondering about GP9Bs and the bachmann GP7 (they are doing RS3s and GP9s soon I hear). Looks like the B-mann 7 is good for a bunch of the BN units (via louvers and pilots, just need a non-db version that'll strip easily). Also noticed that the GP9B has a few extra stanchions.over normal GP9s. I know a guy who has a bunch of the smokey valley kits for GP9Bs, looks like it'll have some extra stanchions. Modeling a BN GP9 might take a bit more know-how; although it's not high on my prority list since there were only 4.

Rob, 1. Yes, there should be some sort of mark on the board in the engine indication which pin is pin 1, the orange wire on the decoder plugs in to that one. 2. Yes, the purple wire is another function wire, like the green, white, and yellow wires are. 3. Yes, to an extent. You might want to have some holes in your tender (for the sound to get out) for the and a speaker enclosure (some already have them).

[CNCharlie]

Rob,

You may also need to cut the capacitors to get the loco to run well. I did that in all my Spectrum steam when I installed decoders based on advice from the BMan forum.

If you need any help I will try to get the info for you.

CN Charlie

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Flo just a decaf for me.  I'll be in the back booth relaxing for a bit.

Spent a good part of today doing a 19° crossing THAT will become part of a Double Crossover for use later.  Also did get a coat of plaster brushed on the Quarry....

Hope you all have a great evening!

73

[Cederstrand]

ARG!!!! OK, so I hear some really sweet start up sounds, but the engine DOES NOT MOVE????? I already snapped out the plasticpart in the middle of the tender (where the screw, screws in from below to hold the shell to the frame), because there is not enough room for everything. I wish I had just hired the guy selling decoders to install it for me. This is NOT my thing. Already hate this DCC stuff. Rob

[Cederstrand]

Der (John) says "HI" to everyone. His computer has been sick and is expected to be released from the puter hospital tomorrow or Thursday. Sure hope he gets it back soon without any future troubles.

At least something positive was accomplished tonight. Installed all the little fiddly parts in a (HO) ambulance model. Once the drive is painted concrete grey, we can set up the scene with the ambulance and medics in the Emergency Entrance. Then I must finish up that helicopter.

Well, it's getting late here so time to hit the hay.

Rob

[blownout cylinder]

HELLOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Is Anyone Home??????

Anyhooooooo---I've got a few things to do today--namely return a bunch of books to the library and see about the weekend schedule and then pick up my prescriptions. Then it is off to the LHS to pick up some more building kits for downtown Exceda----all kindsa fun stuff---

Ch;oe, I'll have a coffee and some toast as well--I'll be at the window booth waiting to see who else shows up----

[AmanaMedic]

 Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Morning.

Bucket of Ed's OJ please 'n thank-you...gotta pre-hydrate.

The long slog of a week continues with the second (and final) Des Moines trip in an hour or so for State Baseball Tournament action. Friday found me in Ft. Dodge to watch "my" Clear Creek Amana Clippers get killed 4-1 in the State Softball Championship Runner-Up game. 3 hours of getting "cooked." What fun.

Did see a GP-30 w**king an ethanol plant along US Hwy. 20. Wasn't able to stop and grab a shot of it though... Felt like crap all day Saturday, then had to write the game story/process photos. Sunday was "go see Maggie the Creepy Proofreader Girl" and drop-off the game stuff. Monday: Des Moines for Solon playing in round one of the State Baseball Tournament. Sitting in a concrete bunker next to the dugout.... a hot time had by all. Yesterday I was at the Johnson County Fair trying desperately to find something photo-worthy (and not a duplicate of last year's photos). Got a girl blowing on her cat to cool it off in the pet show. THAT's the "shot of the day."

But, what do I know? I'm probably in the "middle aged guys who have no job" category THAT guy not too far south of me mentioned in "the locked thread."

Switching gears, have any of you found yourself literally ONE piece of material (styrene strip, wood strip, etc., etc.) from finishing, or at least finishing the construction aspect of a project??? I've got a 100 ton Bowser hopper I'm modifying/painting/decaling to represent an ROCX hopper on lease to the CRANDIC for coal service. The Bowser car has really thin ribs. The ROCX car has larger exterior post-style ribs. I hacked off a piece of Evergreen "S-scale" 1x3 (accidentally ordered S when I "needed" HO on the last Walthers order) and set it on the car...PERFECT!!!  Thus, I happily set-out to hack-off three pieces per rib: one on either side, one on top "boxing-in" the rib. I also added the reinforcement...strip...across the top. All was going along just peachy-keen, until I got to the last rib.

And ran out of stock.

So....I need ONE Evergreen S-scale 1x3 strip to do the final rib and the other reinforcement strip.

This project moves to the back of the w**k table until the next Walthers order...in a month or two.

 

ULRICH: Very belated congratulations on your anniversery!! I'm not sure Loving Wife will put up with me for THAT long...

 

I owe, I owe, so off to w**k I do go...

Have a good, SAFE day everybody!

 

Chris

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Good morning. It's 75 and cloudy. The high will be 93 and there's a 50% chance of thunderstorms this morning, going down to 40% by mid-afternoon.

Not much happening this morning. I inspected the outside of the trailer yesterday to see if there was any damage from the lightning strike the day before. I couldn't find any. Today I'll be starting patch work on the GP7's.

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

 Morning all well at least I thought the heat wave /humility was gone man went out side for a few minutes  and it's so humid you can cut it with a knife, Sitting here occasionally looking over at a handful of DPM buildings that need to have the details painted and I've been contemplating weather ot not to spray em with he airbrush or hand paint the details. Just too much too think about right now......lol hope everyone has a good day

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe, one of those egg muffin/bagel thingies ya got, with Canadian bacon and a cup of my favorite coffee in a R&GV RR Mug if you please.

Already 80°F outside the door with a 30% chance of weather happening.  Going to hit 88°F they say later this afternoon.

With THAT in mind, most of today shall be spent in the cooler nether regions of the basement contemplating w*rk needing to be accomplished.  Actually I need to get some recording stuff done for my Sister's (the Reverend) very late Christmas present and her upcoming birthday anniversary on the weekend.  Yes, I appear to running a bit behind on a couple of items......

Oh Zoe, add a glass of Ed's OJ to the breakfast appropriation for me.

Jeffrey, THAT poor Onion Pacifier Diseasaly thingy sure does need a bath!  Lookin' good.

Later!

73

[Anonymous]

 ... just dropping by to have a quick RBF - maybe that´ll perk me up a bit. Thank you, Janie!

I have got my monthly spell of migraine, which puts me out for a day (or two, or three).

Jeff - I agree with Ray on the Onion Specific Diesel - nice looking and a cool pic!

Johnboy - that´ll be great to have some addresses, makes a search much easier. Thanks for your support!

Out again - my head is hammering!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Sir Madog

Jeff - I agree with Ray on the Onion Specific Diesel - nice looking and a cool pic!

That Onion Pacifier dieselly thing is about to have a Louisiana & Arkansas patch put on it. In fact, the lead unit is just back from the paint shop.

That's one down kicking and screaming, now where did that trailing unit run off too?

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

I recall seeing the UP GP7's and GP's in better days. ... I grew up (1950's and early 1960's) next to the Burlington mainline west of Chicago. There was a daily UP/CBQ run through train with pooled geeps pulling it in the late 1950's and early 1960's. The train went between Chicago and North Platte, NB. Normally it have 5 GP9's with two from one road and three from the other. Burlington would have one or two units at each end, and UP units were always in the middle. ... Units were always clean on that train. Later it was 5 GP20's instead of GP9's. Next, it was 5 GP30's. ... After that, I was residing in Colorado and saw UP GP's there.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 The trailing unit was dragged kicking and screaming to the shop to get it's patch:

[Trainman Sam]

Good afternoon friends!

 Just on my layover, during my 1:1 workday!

Hope everyone has been having a good day?

A definite belated Happy Anniversary to Ulrich and Petra!  Many happy years lay ahead!

I will not be around this weekend.  Going to Allentown for my dive shops annual A-1 Scuba Day at Dutch Springs!  Dutch Springs is a former quarry that has been naturally flooded (due to a natural spring located somewhere on the property).  Part of the property is still in tact, the storage silos (concrete) and is still being used, however not for aggregate, now it;s used for some sort of recycling.

 Jeff- Thanks for the updated photo of the Hopper!  She's looking nice and world worn!

Well, Chloe, may I please have a Large BLT and a side of curly fries?  Oh, and I'll have a Large RBF to wash it down, thanks!

I'll be in a booth reviewing some trackplan books while awaiting my signup time for the go-home train!