Elliot´s Trackside Diner DECEMBER 2010

[fec153]

Well doggone it. Lee, the car in the picture is another one I would like to have.

Flip

 

[fec153]

Thanks Sir John. And don't you know, it isn't available and its a number I want.  Murphys Law.    lol

Flip

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

BRAKIE

Looking back over 2010 I just can't help but wonder where in blue blazes did it go? 

Into the past.

[TMarsh]

BRAKIE

 Looking back over 2010 I just can't help but wonder where in blue blazes did it go?

 

If you find it, let me know. I have more that needs done.

Lee- Do you think Mucinex (sp?) might work? I don't know if it's beyond the abilities of the stuff but according to the commercials...... you'll want to stand clear when she coughs.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

As usual, something else came up. I had to take my mother to a company sponsored dinner.

The dinner went off just fine. Just an early Christmas dinner. One of those grab a seat where you can type deals. I had a nice comfortable padded office chair and there was plenty to eat. I didn't want to leave but I still had to go by the pharmacy in town to see if they had my syringes in yet. They did. I brought enough food home to last a day or two.

[LSWrr]

GMT, Dorothy’s issue is phlegm in the lungs is not forcing itself out, somehow it’s stuck in there.  I tell her to drink more water in hopes it will help hydrate things and loosen up the phlegm.  She has been in the banking and medical field most of her life so she really hasn’t been exposed to second hand smoke or work place pollution.  We shall see what happens.

[BRAKIE]

Good Morning All!

Not much to report from the land of Buckeyes other then its snowing and I still haven't made up my mind on changing eras.Tempting and it sounds good to model the late 50s something I haven't done in what 40-50 years? but,still...Ah well.Plans for today is fool around with Slate Creek and see what I can come up with...Looking back over 2010 I just can't help but wonder where in blue blazes did it go?

I shall have a cup and look over the forum.

Have a good'un! 

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe I'll have the #2 special, over easy on the eggs, bacon, homefries, and a double order of Sour Dough Toast with a cup of dark roast coffee in a R&GV RR Mug,  Please and Thank You!

Its a gray dark morning here in the Finger Lakes.  currently 24°F with a high around 27°F later.  May get a flurry or two, but nothing to cause any problems...

This is the building I was talking about last night.  This is before I added the rail to the ties. 

Today I will get most of the presents wrapped for Christmas...  If the paper lasts.  If not, I will be doing a quick shopping run I guess.

Cold in the house, so I think I will go light the wood stove.

Later!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 64° and mostly cloudy. The high will be around 70° and there's a 40% chance of rain (Just a hair under an inch according to the weather guesser).

Maybe I'll get some work done on the layout today, IF nothing else comes up. Maybe I should put a sign on the door. "DO NOT DISTURB UNDER PAIN OF GETTING A SEVERE BEATING". Of course that wouldn't work with my nephew. He'd enjoy it too much! Nothing really special has to be done. Just mix up some plaster to do a skim coat over the wall joint compound to fill in the cracks. As anyone who's used plaster on a layout knows it's best to be able to do the entire job without interruption as the stuff sets up really quick and joins between wet and dry areas can show up fairly well and require sanding to smooth it out. While I do have an orbital sander to do any sanding that may be required I do so hate the mess that ensues. I have an attachment I made to attach the hose from the ShopVac to the sander but that limits the use of the sander to open areas. Getting it into a tight area with the vacuum hose on it isn't much fun.

[TMarsh]

Odd isn't it? Hospitals have not many more Handicap Parking spots than the local buffet. If I recall correctly, the horsepiddle Mom frequents has like 8, maybe 10 handicap parking places. Sure it is in the same space as the front door and is a seperate area, but it is rather tight and I would be challenged to park a van in there if that is what they have to drive. Of course it is alway full so I guess there will only be 10 handicap people in the place at one time. Considering it's a health care facility, that's comforting. Her healthcare empire where her Doctor's office is has less and they are farther from the door than Walmarts.

What I like (sarcasm) is when we used to take Mom to Ryan's (buffet), how many times we could not park in a non- handicap space because Mario Andretti whipped in the last space and we would be struggling across the parking lot watching the handicap people jump out of their vehicle and almost run to the door to beat others coming in. Maybe I''m wrong by drawing conclusions, but I'm not really sure they need it.

As for me, if I take Mom to a place and I either drop her off at the door when Brenda is with us, or if she waits in the car for me, I do not use the handicap space even if she is with me. I feel if she is not going to walk from a parking space, the one who is is not handicapped and therefore the space is not needed. Of course it is aggrivating to see someone leave the vehicle who did take the space moving better than I do, but I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they are just having a good day. (or at least I try) Maybe they will have trouble by the time they're ready to leave.

You'd think they would at least limp a little or carry a cane to make me feel better.    

[jeffrey-wimberly]

galaxy

Got the Certification from the Dr. for the Handicap tags for the Kia. I can get the tags for my registered vehicle and get the hangy thingy for any other vehicle I am In.

They did away with the handicap plates here for the most part, with the exception of those for people who use a wheelchair or a powerchair, For others, such as myself, only the hanging tag is issued and can be used in any vehicle I happen to be in. I also have the handicap ID card which I can use in lieu of the hanging tag. Just leave it on the driver's side dash. The use of the ID card varies from state to state.

galaxy

Got to go "put goop on my chest and take a picture of my heart" as the pulmonologist put it- he means an ultrasound today. IF I can find the place. they are remodelling the hospital and have it all discumbobulated and bass-ackward. AND try adn find a parking spot!!! I will have to walk form the south 40 I am sure to get tehre out of breath.

I've been through several of the ultrasound things myself from checking out my heart, checking my liver and kidney function. I still have to have at least one a year to keep tabs on my diverticulitis. Now as far as finding a parking spot goes, I can really identify with you there. At the local hospital the docs and staff figure they can park any old where including in the handicap spaces. I had to go in for a physical one day and then couldn't have it done because I had over exerted myself because I had to walk (if you can call it that) a distance of about three football fields to get to the building because the ONLY parking space I could find was way down at the end of the parking lot. My niece works there as a radiologist and she said the staff get their butts reamed over that one!

[galaxy]

Good morning

Man the new muscle relaxer the Dr gave me...puts me to sleep. I think i can only take at night.

Got the Certification from the Dr. for the Handicap tags for the Kia. I can get the tags for my registered vehicle and get the hangy thingy for any other vehicle I am In. Thats a relief. I relize this does NOT mean that I will always get a close parking space, especially at Wallyworld! But MOH drops me off at teh door and then parks, and has to go get the vehicle to pick me up. MOH will like parking so close too, though knows can't do it if I am not with, or It could get reported and I could loose it.

Got to go "put goop on my chest and take a picture of my heart" as the pulmonologist put it- he means an ultrasound today. IF I can find the place. they are remodelling the hospital and have it all discumbobulated and bass-ackward. AND try adn find a parking spot!!! I will have to walk form the south 40 I am sure to get tehre out of breath.

well I have to try to go to the town clerk's office this am to get the hangy thingy.

Toodles

[SilverSpike]

Morning folks!

Cup of Joe Flo! Thanks!

Temps not below freezing last night, might thaw out the snow on the back deck from last week!

Ken, I will try to answer you questions about the RAM requirements. Since 3rd PlanIt (3PI) is a graphic hog, you would need more than 820 MB of RAM to ensure smooth operations of the software. I am assuming you meant MB of RAM and not GB. My PC is maxed out at 3 GB of RAM, even though it has 4 1-GB sticks, the XP 32 bit OS does not recognize more than 3 GB. I may have to upgrade to Windows 7 at the 64 bit OS, which would be able to utilize all 4 GIG. Back to your subject, IMHO, the more RAM you can afford the better, and with your current system I would not recommend purchasing the full blown software until you upgrade your PC, if it can be upgraded. I am not sure what the minimum requirements are for running 3PI, but as a rule of thumb you can never have too much RAM or a higher speed processor.

Later folks!

 

[GMTRacing]

Good morning all,

    28F out - a virtual heatwave - I may go to the beach today.  In the meantime while I wait for the meds to kick in I'll have a regular and a blueberry bagel please Zoe.

   So how cool is that - a fleet of cars dedicated to keeping cookies fresh during shipment. And we thought Sesame Street was far fetched !

   Vincent - tap extractors are magic aren't they?

  Barry - have fun with the RS-2 just be careful of the incision when you're asked to help "bar" the motor prior to firing it up.

   Lee - not good news about the GF. There's lots of ways second hand smoke can cause dificulties but I hope they can find something to help.

   Lots to do again today so I'd best get to it. Are Ulrich and Bill having a global contest to see who can get here earliest?   CUL, J.R.

[TMarsh]

Good Morning! Coffee please. Nope, just coffee thanks. Dark Roast.

My gum is sore around the wisdom tooth that is/has been coming out for the last few years. Hopefully another chunk will come off soon and the pressure will be removed. Should be just about gone by now.

I did get into the train room yesterday. (woo hoo!) Just kinda stared and moved a building or two around to see where it’d fit best-ish. One of those, "I like and want this item but really no place for it maybe try it here" buildings. Mostly I need to clean up. Hoo boy! Much stuff has been dropped off in there as a place to put things I brought back from Mom’s remodel.

Flip- J.R.-- That was too obvious. I did come up with the car Der showed, but I figured that wasn’t it. I assumed it was a nickname for some design of car. Er……I mean, Yup! That’s it all right.

I have to shake my head at cellphonists. (a recently discovered species) Right after I utter some words my Mother would wash my mouth out over. The only problem I have with the no talk on a cell phone while driving laws is, it isn’t, that is can’t be, as effective as they proclaim. We have a problem with cellphone distraction and they can’t really do anything about it. Here is the problem, (patoohy. Ah, there's a little chunk) it’s not the act of holding a phone to your ear that is the problem. One hand on the wheel has been an issue for yeeeears. No law against that, but yet if you’re holding a cellphone, it’s more dangerous. Not so. It’s the conversation and the type of conversations that take place that take peoples attention away from the road. That, and the fact that cellphonists are easily distracted from the task at hand with the introduction of a cellphone anyway… ooo. Look at the pretty flowers… Is that my phone? CAR!!!!! Problem is you can’t enforce a no gab or talk law. CD’s, interior conversations with passengers, (The reason many states, Illinois being one, do not allow drivers under a certain age to have a car load of kids without parent or guardian in said vehicle), even talking to oneself like I do about some aggravating event is the main reason for distractions taking a drivers attention from the road. Cellphones add to the amount of distractions available true, but that is only one of many. So the only way you can tell if they are talking on the phone or to themselves is by looking at the phone attached to the hand to the ear. So, they make it sound like don’t hold the phone to your ear, and get a hands free version, then the conversation won’t be distracting. Have a hot dog. See? Now you’ve freed up that hand to eat with as you negotiate I-35 at rush hour and still discuss the work schedule or who is bopping who in the neighborhood. CAR!!! Does it really make it safe to have that thing hang off your ear but dangerously distracting if you hold it there? It’s just a thing to make it look like they are doing something about a problem for which there is no enforceable solution. Now Texting on the other hand.... that not only takes you mind but your eyes away.

Now if they can just do something about all these pro NASCAR drivers out there practicing their maneuvers on the roads.

Welp, today I’ma gonna head to the Walmart, (yes, again. I need some sort of suffering today) I need to pick up some candy for Brenda’s stocking, and some Tylenol for Mom. Not for me. Actually the tooth chip I spit out earlier seems to have relieved the pressure and the ache is all but gone now. Anyway, then I need to hit her Apartment mailbox, then the house to clean up a tub, then back home. This of course depends on how she is doing today.

THEN! I might get to go into the train room and straighten up a bit. Might as well, with Mom here I can’t get too far for too long anyway.

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

[LSWrr]

Good Morning,

Ray, can you tie a looping over hand knot in the microphone cable to change the resonance?  I would do oil and soot stained dirty wood floors in an engine house.

 

The Cookie Box: http://www.modelrailroader.net/img/e1015.jpg

 

DerJohn, the silver sharpie markers do a good job if you want simulated brush marks, been using it on my signal masts and friends ask me how small of paint brush it took to get the swirls.

 

Dorothy (my GF) failed a lung function test yesterday, been fighting this lung issue all year.  She never smoked, lived healthy and now she is having breathing problems…

 

No MRRing this week, tonight is the Christmas Party at the club layout but that’s about it.

[blownout cylinder]

Going to be interesting here...got a friend of mine who had bought himself a real ALCO RS2--don't ask how..I am going to record his turning the engine on--after he finishes up the work on it...this guy must be nuts..

I'm going to be recording the audio using this little fellow..

I've got the tripod for it as well...we will see how this goes....

[Robby P.]

 Good morning.

 Just a cold/flurry day.   Just a good day to stay in the basement.

 John..........Maybe just enough to get the shine off .

 Vincent.........I hope you get it by then. 

[Wisconsin Railfan]

Good Morning Folks!

Cup of coffee please

Have a great day all!

Steven

[blownout cylinder]

I like me my schnapps with the double 'p' thank you very much!

Good Morning --how be ye?

JohnDer: I have heard him on Inspire...as well, I believe I may have heard him on a few stations around here.....

It is going to be ccold and a bit snowy today and tomorrow---will get about 2-4" of the stuff by tomorrow afternoon which will just add to the amount already on the ground...no worries about whether we will be permitted to have a white Christmas this year...snowcover on the ground here? ---44" worth....

Today I am heading out with a friend to get some more Xmas goodies and to see whether I can get a mixing board I can use for my computer...this oughta be fun...

Flo, I'll have a coffee and a breakfast bagel please...I'll be at the RC for a bit...

 

[Anonymous]

Bill, you must be burning midnight oil

It is not even 8 am over here in snowy Germany. The weather guessers are predicting some more of it during the day - a White Christmas is safeguarded!

Flo, a strong coffee for me, and buttered toast with jam, please.

My old computer lets me choose the languages for the spelling check. I have set it to AE (American English), so I do get all those squiggly lines when I type favour, neighbour, harbour, enquiry. Looks like the only thing that parts the US from UK is the common language

I will be off to a meeting with the TV people to get the missing information. It is only a 25 mile drive, which will take me 90 minutes today As we are all set for the holidays, we will stay put for the rest of the week - all shopping done, all goodies for Christian stacked up in the fridge. Boy, will he gain weight in those days!

Chris - I also got the squiggly lines when I typed in Schnaps, but that´s the correct German spelling. Funny to see it spelled with a double "p".

John - the C-18 is also my favorite. The K-27 looks somewhat wrong - just like the prototype. A too big an engine resting on too small drivers. It was quite difficult to draw it - there is so much detail, which unfortunately is hardly visible.

Have a safe and rewarding day!

[wetidlerjr]

 

Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.

 

[GMTRacing]

Good Evening All,

   Tonight we had the case of the moving station at the museum. As I've rew..ked the track on the iNfuriating gage display, we had to dig it all up by the station. Now on the display as in real life, the station is on the outside of a loop track (double loop track actually) and has a long platform outside the doors also curved to follow the tracks. Once all was uprooted and replaced and fixed with latex caulk funny things started to happen. The platform is slowly migrating closer to the track so locomotives and cars can foul it. I've cut the platform back twice now but it seems as if the station has a mind of its'  own. I suppose the track may be relaxing and moving slightly, but it's hard to believe with the amount of caulk I used under the ties to fix it to the EPS board. Actually had to replace a burnt out B&A Lifelike Proto E-8 that fouled and spun in until it burnt up. We'll see how  I've fared in two weeks time as we're taking next week off. 

Der - could you try a test patch of silver or gray with some white talc sprinkled on over? I did that a while ago on some aircraft models and thought it worked out ok for a weathered look. 

   Gotta go - the back of my eyelids beckon.    CUL, J.R.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Flo, just a cup of decaf, and I'll disapear into the back for a few minutes to sit by the stove and relax.

Got a bit done tonight for the layout.  Got the last needed wire soldered to the track.  It is just an on/off switch for the tack going into the engine house/workshop.  Glued the Quarry Stone Crusher building in place and started a kit for machinery for the workshop in the Engine House....

Question for you folks.  The tracks going into the Engine House at the moment are just glued onto the ties in the building.  Should I ballast the ties/track with some fine ballast/Stone Dust (ie; from the quarry) or put down a wood floor matching the rest of the floor over the ties showing a bit of the ties on the side?  Remember this would be back in 1925....

Der, Using a cell phone while driving (except the hands free) is illegal around here too.  THAT doesn't stop anyone!  Kinda reminds me of the line form Jeff Foxworthy, "What's tha Sayence o' drinkin' if ya ain't gonner drahve..."  Sort of what's the sence of yakking on the cell phone if ya ain't drivin'........  Every 3rd car has a driver talking on the darned things!

Ahhhh, hope everyone has a great evening!

73

[der5997]

Good evening Diners: A hot chocolate please and some cookies by D&RG special delivery!

 

Ulrich:

As I am probably the one among us to be the closest to the North Pole,

....dunno, but I think Johnboy would run you a very close second, if you are correct.

The Bama Shoe Co

Bata Shoes were a well known chain in Canada.  Czech in origin, now based in Bermuda and headquartered in Lausanne! Bama looks like it does specialty footwear, Bata is general. (Thinks, thanks to Wikipedia!)  Good luck with the TV project deadlines, and I hope the information comes in to you in time. 

That´s one of my issues - I put looks before operation

...Kris would say "How like a man!" (ran that past her, BTW, and she said "That's very funny", and really meant it!)  That D&RGW C-18 is perhaps the best looking yet - or is it because it's just like the one in a video I have?

 

Barry: That's quite the year - and on the Corner Office  Oooooh!  BTW, there's another Barry on London who is a friend of mine. You may have heard him on Inspire 105.9 FM (3-6 Wed/Thurs/Fri, and Sat mornings) Barry Kentner  was the chap who inflicted "Phone -in " radio shows on an unsuspecting public 50 years ago this coming January!

 

Lee:

Der, those silos came out really good!

...thanks, I'm liking them a lot - and Kris even said they were good!  The mention of Testors yesterday got me to thinking about how to paint them. I don't really want to lose the metallic look by using just plain grey paint, so I'm leaning towards using Testors silver, which I have anyway, and getting a light grey to mix with it for the zinced metal effect. I don't like to air brush solvent based paints, because of the clean up, but I've lots of Varsol, and the spray booth will take the fumes OK. I'll Dullcoat everything first anway to give the paint some traction on the shiny aluminum, and to seal the plastic against solvent damage.  (Update for Dec 21^st. Spent a very frustrating couple of hours while shopping in New Glasgow / Stellarton today trying to find Testors model paints. No-one sells them there any more "We used to - try xyz" Five or six different stores , small to Big Box, nothing, nada.  So, since it's unlikely we'll be into Halifax before the New Year, and I'd like to get the silos finished, I'm going to see if a spray can of Barbecue Black can be found in the basement, and if Kris' spray can of white is compatible with it. If so, then, will the Testors silver I have mix with both?  If yes to all that, then maybe I can concoct enough to be able to airbrush the result onto the silos.  Well, OK, I'll have to test  a number of mixes to get the right "zinced metal" look I'm after - a slightly silvery dull light grey.

 

Ken: Tiffany, even if its getting a bit late. Never knew a dog to pass up stale cake!. Rosie reached that exalted age before permamently retiring this past July. She would have joined in the general celebrations! Reversing loop into one arm of a wye....I'm using one MRC stationary decoder to handle the polarity on my two reversing loops, which is fine unless trains are at the junction of both at the same time. THAT's a thing I can prevent easily enough. In your situation, if train lengths put you into a situation where a train is at both points at once, you may need two stationary decoders to sort out the polarity issues.

 

Ray:

BTW, Just bought a bumper sticker last week that says:  Hang Up and Drive!

Studies here show that driving while using a cell phone (illegal in Nova Scotia, and a bunch of other Provinces) is equivalent to driving with a shot or two of spirits.  Speaking of which, other studies have shown that the popular energy-drink-shot combo DOUBLES the alcoholic content and effect. Don't ask me how, but those are the results. Take care people, especially the younger set.

 

Chris:

ULRICH: Schnaps 'eh?? I get the red, squiggly line under it when I type it like THAT...seems schnapps is what the 'pooter likes???

....Mr. W. Gates has much for WHICH to answer! If you want red squigglies, try spelling in English, neighbour, harbour, etc.

 

Todd:

Ahem, It's Hand-i-cap.

...or of course, Andy Capp! http://comics.com/andy_capp/

 

Flip: ah, now we know what to Google (my nearest approach was a guy who was NOT going to use "Cookie Cutter" N Scale wheel sets!  I guess this http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/irc/irc46017.htm is what you were talking about!  Wouldn't Robbie like to rust up that puppy?

 

Time once more for bed, so I'll say Goodnight, and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of Healing, Comfort, Prosperity and Peace.

 

 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Intended to work on the layout today but as usual other things interfered. Maybe tomorrow.

[BamaCSX83]

Good evening y'all.  I've been a busy boy today.  Started at 5:30 this morning and still going now, although bed is starting to seriously call my name. 

Got the Honda running again, just repaired the damage to the sensor's wiring.  I did, however; fail at getting both bolts out of  the thermostat housing on a Chevy Venture Van (exhaust crossover pipe and throttle bod are slightly in the way.  Will complete the tackling of it in the morning.  Going to be an even longer day tomorrow as I have to w*rk from 1:30 till 9:30 tomorrow night, so yeah, I'm going to be tired.  Oh well, its part of it.  Thanks for the suggestions on getting the bolt loose.  Welp, gonna have RBF, check things out then go study my eyelids.

Later taters!

[Packer]

Hey guys.

The tap extractor arrived today. When I finally saw it, I was skeptical that it would work. But lo and behold, that spindly little tool got it out. Best part is that the threads are still good despit my many attempt to drill and punch the old tap out.

Drove out to Navarre and picked up a BBK prochamber, with no catalytic converters for my car. Also was given a power mirror switch.

Robb, Good to hear. hope if shows up AFTER christmas. last year my parents wrapped up some stuff I bought or had repaired (TCS decoder) and called it a present.

Chris, yet another example of people on the phones when they should be driving? We have a bunch of idiot drivers, but then toss in a bunch of pig-headed (rude is an understatement) drivers. I saw one driver deliberately speed up to prevent another person from changing lanes. That driver retaliated back by nearly running them off the road (weird seing a small nissan run a big chevy truck off the road )

Sawyer, I saw the game too. Flynn did pretty good (heck, he upstaged brady) until the last minute or so.

[fec153]

J.R.- The numbers posted are what I have. Am looking for numbers I do NOT have. Oh, in H.O. of course.

Thanks for taking the time.

Prayers and Blessings to all.  And of course- MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Flip

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hey! Someone must have left the side door open again this morning. Look who slipped in! Cajun Chef Ryan ! ... Holy Cow! Good to see you Ryan.

Barry ... I'm glad the device is fine as well as the incision. Now, you're wired for sound! ... The technology on those things has advanced significantly, I know.

Flip ... I remember cookie box cars.

Regarding steam vs. diesel, I think the transition era (late 1940's through early 1950's)  is popular in this hobby because you can do both.

Not much done on the layout. We'll be shoving off Thursady to OH and MI for Christmas time.  I'm working on a scrap yard for the layout, and most will be completed after we return.

Livin' ain't simple any more. They's too much non-MRR stuff going on!