Elliot's Trackside Diner September 2010

[LSWrr]

Good Morning,

Well I survived my trip to Michigan; I had some time to kill and visited Great Lakes Hobby on Van *** Road. Wow, 10,000 sqft hobby store.  I picked up some cool stuff; PRR gondola with steel loads, Port Huron & Detroit box car, and a couple other items.  The prices were way below what my LHS typically charges.  They also had several used items at a fair price ($5 to $8).  My next trip will be in November for my Son’s Birthday.  Maybe on or about the 12^th.


Robby, well I would like to help you out a little with your business adventure. If you could shoot me an email at [e-mail] so we can chat about me sending you a car to be weathered, I’ll pay for it.


Ken, it seems the buttons on the DT throttles stop sticking after you get them broke in a little.  Until then just make sure you push on it straight down.


Barry and Galaxy; happy belated birthday!


Jeff, I agree the Duracell brand is top shelf!  I have 4 (10 year old) AA Duracell rechargeable batteries for my digital camera. They last for days and charge up quick.  I have bought the green and white rechargeable batteries from Harbor Freight and they are a close second in durability.


Barry, good luck at the doctors, I hope everything works out.


NeO6874, welcome to the diner (must have missed your grand entrance), Euclid, OH here.


North East Rail modeler, welcome to the diner!

[Wisconsin Railfan]

Good Morning Folks!

Just a cup of coffee please!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Steven

[blownout cylinder]

GOOD MORNING!!!!!

Now that everyone--there are people in here, right?--are awake, how be ye? I'm all awake and energetic this morning. Audrey and I took a morning walk--yeah, I know, can't see much when it is still dark outside--but we done it anyways.

Welb, today is going to be getting some w**k done on the layout day as tomorrow morning I'll be having my heart wall examined to accertain whether my heart can take the implant, or, whether we try another thing altogether---

Anyhoooo--Chloe, I'll just have a breakfast bagel and a coffee please--I'll be at the RC waiting to see who else shows up this fine morning

[howmus]

Hey Todd......

You will love the "Live View".  THAT is how I get good shots from angles where I can't get my eye up to eye piece to see what I am shooting.  Mine only has that in Manual Mode (possibly some of the other manual type modes).  That is the one feature I like and use the most for hobby photos.  It can zoom in on a specific spot in the photo 5x and 10x to get it perfectly focused at that spot. Then set it back out check to see you have the photo framed the way you want, and then take the picture.

Oh the Kodak Guy at the store is right.  The Digital Rebel is a High End Consumer Camera/Low End Professional Camera. It is an entry level EOS DSLR.  I know several professionals THAT use them in their arsenal of cameras.  It isn't quite as good as this one though.... Canon EOS - Mark III  It is a bit more affordable though....

Later!

73

[AmanaMedic]

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood, Oh My Goodness! BILL sure knows how to pick 'em!, Evening... RBF and a plate of fries please 'n thank-you.

GARRY: I'm liking your WPF shot...THAT is my favorite shot of all the ones you've posted. Not sure why, but I'm liking it.

Here's hoping the birthday boys had good days, I see nothing left of the cakes but crumbs. They sure looked tasty from the take-out window this weekend.

RAY: Awesome bridge shots!

TODD: Sounds like Mr. Kodak gave you good advice. I'm a Nikon fan...but you can't go wrong with a Rebel. Heck, the "big" newspapers seem to be mostly Canon around here. What little I know about 'em, the controls are the opposite of a Nikon... The "live view" is nice feature, my D-90 has it, but I've never used it. Keep in mind, it could suck the battery down quicker, at least Nikon tells me THAT is a risk with mine.

K-1000?

I miss mine... I sold it several years ago, and really wish I hadn't. I swear you could drive a nail with THAT thing and still get a good picture! Geesh! Now I'm getting all "misty" about "the good old days:" Kodak Plus-x, Tri-X, and T-Max black and white films, Dektol, HC-110, and D-76 developers, fixer solutions, "pushing" film to get the shot... my old well-worn Kodak "cookbook" of darkroom chemistry formulations... *sigh* Extar 25, Ektapress... the many versions of good 'ol Kodak GOLD... *bigger sigh* Digital has made my life infinitely easier...but I still miss FILM.

I've still got my Nikon FM-2 with MD-12 motordrive sitting on the shelf above the 'pooter. Neat thing about Nikon, I can use my newest lens on it, and use whatever lenses for it I still have on the D-90.

The '90 will earn me some more money this week as I line-up an interview with a new Pastor in Ely, shoot high school volleyball on Tuesday evening, and yet another Football Friday Nite. I've already got three articles for THAT THAT I need to finish and package... Included will be the very rainy car show with THE BATMOBILE! One of only five in existence, it's the real deal! I'll have to tack up a pic or two of it one of these days.

Might get some RR time in this week, might even get the yard mowed again... Hmmm, I probably oughta do THAT first, then the RR stuff. As it is, today I slapped more parts on the ex-ROCK boxcar, and have begun the process of trying to ruin all my careful handy-w**k with weathering... If you feel so inclined, please light a candle for me THAT I don't botch this one too badly! Pictures of it one of these days if it isn't too much of a disappointment!

A good night to all (good morning to Ulrich), and a good week to all...

Chris

Shot with my trusty Pentax K-1000 on Kodax T-Max 400 film

 

[TMarsh]

Evening. Mt Dew Throwback please. Not quite as sweet as the HFCS ones. Pretty tastey.

Jim- Unfortunately, I can't see the screen well enough to see if the picture or at least the part I need/want is in focus until I get the thing loaded on the computer and use a bigger screen. For some reason using tyhe view finder, I can.

Speaking of cameras. I stopped by the Walmart before going to Mom's apartment to get the model numbers for the two cameras I was looking at so I could come home and research on the net which one I wanted. Brenda was off today as the rain we had last night kept the farmers from the fields today so she help out at the house then we went to see Mom. Some fella asked if he could answer any questions on the digital cameras. I looked at him and said, "well if all you can do is read the sign...., no". Said he works for Kodak not Walmart and knows quite a bit about digital cameras. I told him I was torn between the Nikkon and the Rebel. And was looking for a reason to push me in one direction or the other. He said, "actually, both are really good cameras and there isn't much of a difference between the two models other than control locations and anyone who would say different is trying to sell you that camera. I'm not" he said. "I work for Kodak." He then began telling me all this stuff about the two some of which I had to pull a Willie Nelson on him (smile and nod as if I knew what he was talking about) Then I spotted the difference, looks like Nikkon wins. It has a 3 inch screen while the Canon has a 2.5 inch. SO..... "oh" he says, "there is one difference. The Canon has live view screen capabilities if you want. This Nikkon doesn't" I start to think how the screen doesn't matter to me, but then I think again. (The thing that always gets me in trouble). Sometimes that may come in handy. I know it has on Brenda's, I may not know if it's in focus, but I at least can tell if it's in the shot over my head. SOLD! Canon Rebel it is. Broke into the old envelope I've been saving up in and shelled it out. I took it with me just in case. Hey, I may have gotten there and there would be only one left. And there was. Got the last one. Til Tuesday anyway.

Besides, if I have any questions, I can just slide on over Ray's way and ask away. (chuckle) had to throw Ray into the conversation with the dude when he said the cameras were great entry level unuits. I said I have this friend who has one, thinks it's great and takes absolutley fantastic pictures with it. He said they do take great pictures  but just not like some of the better units. Of course they cost considerably more. I said I was totally happy with my Pentax K1000. I'm sure this wiill do things I'll never do. He said" Ah the Pentax K1000. The camera that wouldn't die. Did you know they stopped producing that camera like a dozen times? But kept having to bring it back by popular demand. Probably the best camera made and I'm, with Kodak. They make a digital version of it, great pixel count too have you thought about that?" I told him yes I wanted that but....yada yada yada. (see earlier post)

Welp bent your ear long enough if you're still with me. Can't blame you if you decided to go back and visit with Bill's Angels.  Best get to snoozing. The counter tops arrive tomorrow at 8:30. So I have to be at Mom's pror to that. Then back to the Church for bookwork sometime before the bank closes.

PFTIN    

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Flo just a decaf for me.  I'll be in the back with Bill and his friends.....

Started w*rk on a project that I hope to use for the Merit Award I need to finish the Civil Engineer Certificate for the NMRA.  Got the frame finished tonight and realized the thing is too shallow for the tortoise machines to operate the turnouts.....  I may just add some short "legs" to it so everything will fit.  It will have a turnout, a crossover, and a 19° crossing all scratch built using the Fast Tracks jigs.  I hope to have it done to be judged at the October Meet in a month.

How about some coal cars?

Later!

73

[nik .n]

A Mt. Dew Throwback and a ham sangwich , Chloe.

 

Hi all!

The Athern BB SD40-2 came yesterday, and I immediately went to work oiling bearings and gears, and making the BLI shell fit. I'll post pics of my efforts in the next WPF.

 

On the family front, not much. Dads still getting laid off on a few weeks, and he's still looking for a job.

  economy.

 

Happy 'late' birthday, Galaxy.

 

See yall later!

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good evening ..

Hmmmm ... Bill T ... You're really enjoying retirement. Watch out. You'll get Jim CG all riled up with that last photo.

Ray ....I like those photos. The PA trip was a good one I can tell.

Ken ... I saw your good pictures in WPF. The Santa Fe "alligator" is a mdel I definately would have purchased if I was still doing much Santa Fe modeling. I noticed the CB&Q covered hopper in your train.

Here's a picture of an Amtrak unit in Denver.

[wetidlerjr]

I just dropped in for a cup of cocoa  and some Fig Newtons !

 

 

I brought some friends with me. 

[JimRCGMO]

Afternoon, Janie - I'll have a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of chili, with a RBF for dessert. Thanks!

Looks like a slow night in the Diner yesterday (or at least after I left).

Todd, if I had a few extra hundred$, I might consider a DSLR, but I'm afraid my tastes would get too pricey on me (having used medium format cameras back in the film days, grasshopper...). My (more or less) point and shoot Canon manages the focus okay most of the time, but I also check in the finder where the rectangle (that shows what it's focusing on) is, and if I need, I can reframe so it is on the main thing, slightly depress the shutter to see that the rectangle's on THAT, and then (without removing my finger any) reframe for composition. But I'll still have maybe 10-20 percent of the shots that I may do some sharpening in the computer. (My , anyway). Hope you get your w**k on your Mum's house done soon and can go catch up with the rest of your life.

NeO6874

it's so the decal adheres completely to the item in question. 

The semi-gloss (or flat) finish paints are usually rough (not necessarily to the touch though) and the decal won't adhere as cleanly... also air will get trapped in the spaces.  overall, the decal will end up looking fuzzy rather than clean/crisp.

, what he said! And I'm betting Robby will confirm that you want all your decaling done before you start any weathering, too.

Yesterday was overall, pretty good for on-call. One phone call (info), and nothing through the night (well, until about 6:15 a.m. this morning ). Had one phone call a bit before lunch (for, of all things, checking with me if I thought that someone who had been having suicidal thoughts for several days and had a friend to drive them to the ER, should be told to go to the ER....Anyone wanna guess what I told 'em - politely, of course?) ("Uh, yes."). They said their protocol now was that they should run it past the on-call. THAT can get to be a real PITA when they start 'checking' with me around 11:30 in the evening and I'm trying to nap, before the client actually gets to the hospital, gets medically checked out and the ER Dr. then talks with the on-call shrink, and then they call to ask me to come in - maybe 2 hours later, that I could've been sleeping...). Ah, such fun!

Ordered some more 40' boxcars (Santa Fe) and a few figures (W-S) that I didn't have and I felt my layout would be incomplete without 'em.

Looking like we might get some rain today. It was cooler this morning, got down to about 50 F overnight, and only up today to mid-60's (F), before dropping off to mid-40's F tonight.Yep, fall is a'comin', all righty! Next, the leaves will change colors/colours (usually right before we get a good rainy day that takes down all the pretty leaves). Got out a long-sleeve shirt this morning for church - first one since way back at the end of winter.

I'll be tending to my (late) lunch and watching the switcher do its stuff.

 

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape GIrardeau

 

[NeO6874]

it's so the decal adheres completely to the item in question. 

 

The semi-gloss (or flat) finish paints are usually rough (not necessarily to the touch though) and the decal won't adhere as cleanly... also air will get trapped in the spaces.  overall, the decal will end up looking fuzzy rather than clean/crisp.

[cudaken]

 Why does it have to have a shine? Is it so I can move the decal around?

                  Ken

[Robby P.]

 Its half-time.   Steelers 28    Buc's (tampa bay) 6.   I thought I would stop by and see what's going on.

 Ken......I don't really have a special way.   First it has to be a shiny surface.  I've tried to put decals on a dull surface, and IT DON"T WORK!!   I put a drop or two of Walthers decal solution on the spot where the decal will be.  Then I let the decal soak in "distilled water", and then I put in on the car.   Make sure your solution on the car hasn't dried up.   Then peel/slide the decal off and place on the car.   After I have the decal straight, I will use a paper towel to soak up any water/solution.   That's about it.  Well the way I do it.

 

[cudaken]

 Afternoon Madison IN.

 Flo, BLT with Cream Cheese and a Dew.

 Cold Nasty, Raine Fall day here in Maryville. Just got back from Lowe's and it was only 54 F outside.

 Getting ready to do some more Bob Villa stuff in the kitchen. But, the floor except for three tiles is done! Reason I have not laid them, is because I am waiting to see what I am going to do in the family room.

 On the Train Front Got the freshly painted Athearn Blue Box set up and on the rails. Added new trucks and track fine. Could still smell the paint and felt a little tacky this mourning. But, I did not leave any fingers prints.

 Robby P Any tips you can give me on applying the decal's? I am going to wait a few days to make sure the paint is going to cure.

 See you all for Dinner

                 Ken

 

 

[galaxy]

Morning all a breakfast croissant with sausage egg and cheese pleas.

 

TMarsh

G- The Flying Lady recesses ??

Yes, Todd. The Flying Lady hood ornament on the Rolls Royce retreats and recesses into the car when the engine is turned off. She is exposed and pops out again when the engine is started. It is an anti-theft, anti-vandalism feature to keep her from getting damaged or stolen!

Hope y'all have a great day!

TTYALLL8R

[TMarsh]

Good Morning! As you can see by the time I will not be at Church. I’ve gotta get some stuff done at Mom’s house. I’m running out of time. Then I must see her again this afternoon. I wonder why I’m taking so long to finish the house. They have no idea how long it takes to do all the odds and ends that need to be done.

Ray- I have a tripod. At the Walmart you can pick up these two cameras. They’re tethered to the counter, but I can pickup and piddle with them. Zoom in on the pretty girls and their hoot.......  (AHEM!! cough) Reason I said might not focus is, on the Rebel the focus functioned freely, on the Nikon it did not, or in my hurry, I just couldn’t, or ( more likely) just didn’t find the focus and I didn‘t spend any time with either. Was in a hurry you know, toilet paper run. Some I have seen do not have manual focus. These are usually the cheaper less expensive of the DSLR‘s. But manual focus is a must for me. An AbsoLUTE must when taking certain photos. Especially closeups like for my choo choos. The camera wants to focus on a point that is not the point it needs too. And the little screen just doesn’t do it for me. I can’t see it well enough in that thing to see if it’s in focus well enough or not. I can, however tell through the SLR viewfinder if the picture is in focus. Go figure. $500 is about the tops I’m wanting to pay for one as we don’t take near the pictures we used to anymore. I was hoping to get one for about the 3 to 400 dollar range, but apparently Pentax does not make the 2000 in that range anymore. They used to, but by the time I got around to making up my mind to get one they jumped in price. Just like when the truck needs gas. Boing!!! It would be nice to have a decent camera again.

Like I said earlier, I have to go in and see Mom today. Maybe I’ll take the time to stop on the way home and look at the two closer. At least get the model numbers so I can research at home. I could ask the clown at the camera department about them, but I’m afraid he will just read the card to me. They usually do…. While pointing to the words as they read…, to me….. Like my reading teacher used to do to us..... When we were like…., 16.

G- The Flying Lady recesses ??

Somehow, the thought of Jeff leaning forward into the wind wearing nothing but a bed sheet……. Sort of turns me off.

Y’all have a Great Day now ya hear?!!!!

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe just a quick cup of dark roast coffee in a FGLK Mug for me.  Have to get to church.  Confirmation class this morning and I have to be with the young man who is my assigned confirmand for this year.

Have a good day!

73

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.

 Not much planned for me today.  Watch the Steelers, and then head into the basement.  

 Hope everybody has a good Sunday.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning.

I see that we have a Bachmann bashing thread again--- Oh well.

Anyhooooo---had a few emergency calls last night so I just got home--hopefully I can get a wee bit of sleep today so I can actually get some paperw**k done later---yay

Chloe, I'll have a coffee and a breakfast bagel please--I'll be at the RC for now

[wetidlerjr]

 

Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.

 

[sleeper33]

morning all

ill have a tea and toast please zoe. well its sunny and cold overhear autum is apon us.once again so out with the jumpers. hope everyones well. happy birthday galaxy have a great day

[teen steam fan]

Packers#1

 

teen steam fan:

 

Packers1, careful with the duct tape, don't want to wreck your mom's paint job

 

 

It was on there maybe two days, doesn't look like it messed w/ the paint. I'm still pumped that I made that fix and it survived the interstate haha.

Yeah, but Duct Tape has some strong adhesive. I can understand your thrill that it lasted the interstate. But if you want a more substantial fix, try some zip ties. Crazy as it sounds, it holds those stinking things up pretty dang good. Besides, you would know if it fouled up the paint. Mainly because it would take the paint off. 

[cudaken]

 Flo, just a Antacid and a tonight.

 Wife has been sick for a few day's and has not eaten much. This mourning she asked me to go to Hardee's and get her a Biscuit and Gravy and there Hash Browns.While I was there I got my self a Breakfast Burrito, big mistake! Have not felt good all day now.

 I did get the Old Athearn Hopper Painted today. I painted it about 1:00 PM and it is now 4:18 PM and feels a little tacky and I can still smell the paint a little. I am pretty sure it is Enamel and came out of a rattle can. I hit the ends a couple of times to get the ladder section good. Then I shot the main body, let it flash 15 minutes between coats. Texture is not bad and I like the color.

 Any tips on applying decals? Went to K-10 Model Train's, he did not have a lot to pick from. I was hopping there be some Monon's but there where none. I bought a set of Santa Fee Box Car, I am not picky. Set is by Micro Scale and I am guessing they are old. Package is marked MSRP at $2.00 and I paid $5.00? Well that is a first at my LHS.

Hopper has ribbed sides, that is where I need tips. I last time I but a decal on anything I was 14 years old. I take that back, I was around 25. I was building model cars back then.

 I think I am going to do a little switching. Need to take some of the coal cars off the Y-6, train is 25 feet long right now!

                Cuda Ken feeling like ---- again

[JimRCGMO]

Afternoon, Flo - I'll have a chocolate malted shake, please. Haven't had one of those real malted ones in a long time. Thanks!

Galaxy, a belated to you; hope you had some fun and got some MRR stuff (or LHS coupon, etc....)

Jeff, is that a front PTO for the van? Cool!

Garry, thanks for the email, and I'll get the rest written back to you soon.

Been kinda busy this week, had to deal with the SS Division (technically Division of Senior Services) and THAT day ran super-long (9 p.m. getting home...).  I'm on-call this weekend (and just looked at October's schedule and they have me doing next weekend too? ).

Kinda ticked at the lack of info coming out of my relatives over the past several years. Besides learning a while later about them plowing under my old subdivision, I'm looking today for the old business address for the company my grandparents started (it was on South Grand in St. Louis), and I don't find it, but I do find that St. Louis University's med school apparently is in process of building a new multimillion $$ research facility. Sheesh! I'm wondering why I'm left out of the loop on any news connected to the family (on either side of my family)! Sent a short rant to my brother - mostly because he's the only person I have any email address for...

Oh, on my wish for Accurail to make brake details for their boxcars like they have on their gondolas? The MRR fairy must've been listening - when I wrote and asked them, they said they are offering the brake details (in 3 colors - black, mineral red and red oxide). So I ordered one of each for my boxcars, plus some Santa Fe numbering decals.

Kinda feel like crawling into one of the back booths that Duke isn't using and catch some .

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Packers#1]

teen steam fan

Packers1, careful with the duct tape, don't want to wreck your mom's paint job

It was on there maybe two days, doesn't look like it messed w/ the paint. I'm still pumped that I made that fix and it survived the interstate haha.

Galaxy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Well, AHS lost to Irmo 35-23. However, that game was AWESOME! at one point we had cut irmo to a 28-23 lead, went for 2, got stuffed, then irmo scored. still ahd a BLAST in the student section haha

[jeffrey-wimberly]

galaxy

 

jeffrey-wimberly:

 

 

howmus:

Jeffrey, you mean THAT isn't a "Hood Ornament"?

 

Nope. That be me.

 

 

 

And a handsome hood ornament at that!  Does it recess when not in use like the flying lady on the Rolls Royce?

Nope. It just climbs into the drivers seat or goes into the house.

[galaxy]

jeffrey-wimberly

howmus:

Jeffrey, you mean THAT isn't a "Hood Ornament"?

 

Nope. That be me.

And a handsome hood ornament at that!  Does it recess when not in use like the flying lady on the Rolls Royce?

[galaxy]

Bottom of page one on my birthday? I think NOT!

 

BUMP!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

howmus

Jeffrey, you mean THAT isn't a "Hood Ornament"?

Nope. That be me.