Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Elliot´s Trackside Diner DECEMBER 2010 Locked

60780 views
883 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Thursday, December 9, 2010 10:56 AM

 Mourning Folks

 Flo, just a glass of water please. Think I have another Kidney Infection. 

 Well, just thought I let you folks know I start my new job Monday. Yes Ashley Furniture hire me, I just got off the phone with them. I have to fill out some paperwork Friday and take a drug test. Hope the kidney infection does not cause a false positive.

 Plus side now is I should be able to get my home loan modified! If they will do that, it will take a great burden off my shoulders. While I will earn less than when I am on unemployment (till I start making commission) Sue will start getting some SSI funds.

 Other plus, I will get away from my wife some. She is starting to drive me nuts.

 While I should be over joyed that I got a job in this slow economic times, i do have reservations. I really want to get out of sales. I am tired of the up's and down's in pay. Plus I hate that luck comes into play. 

 Here is a real example. I had the next customer that steps into the store (I had been waiting for 2 hours) See a couple getting out of there car heading our way. Before they got to the door, a 16 year old girls pop's in looking for a twin mattress that her Father would pay for, but he was not there. Mean while the couple (in my mind I should have had) buys a $2500 mattress set, while the teenage girl has a giggle fest on her cell phone. Bang Head The door swings both ways, and some time the luck was with me. I just like to have luck removed from the equation.

 Don't mean to sound like I am looking a gift horse in the mouth, and I am gate full to have a job again.

 Train Front, I think I have a plan! If you take a peak in the layout section you will find a posting from me. If you look on page three, you will see 2 plans 1 from Paul and 1 from Chris. I think either one will work. While there are not 4 main lines, there are 3 of them.

 See you all later today.

 Have a job again KenBig Smile

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Troy, AL
  • 724 posts
Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, December 9, 2010 11:33 AM

Ken, much congratulations on the job front.  I know what you mean about having a job again, I'm grateful for mine. 

Todd, glad to hear about your refi, I know that can be a big burden to get rid of, and like you said, as long as you can keep paying at your current payment then slapping 300 extra down on the principle isn't a bad thing at all. 

Well other than that, good morning everyone, although its almost lunch time here in Bama.  Not a whole lot happening at the moment, about to get ready for w*rk and head off to sell auto parts to the masses. 

Guess I'll putter around here and see what else is happening, will probably stop back in here before heading off for the day.  Later taters.

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: East central Illinois
  • 2,576 posts
Posted by Cox 47 on Thursday, December 9, 2010 12:10 PM

Afternoon All...Its cloudy and cold here with snow coming in for the week end says the weather guesser on TV..I'll have a RBF please..Thank You..still not getting much done on the I&S...gotta clean the track and get some trains running!...I'm way behind on you alls posts but hope everthing is going well...Have a good one...Jerry

ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 9, 2010 12:14 PM

Just a short stop to refill my batteries.

Zoe, it is past happy hour, so I´ll go for someDrinks instead of my usual Coffee

Barry - you will be in my thoughts and Angel tomorrow!

CU folks at midnight Whistling

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Thursday, December 9, 2010 1:13 PM

*Opens door and while stepping inside, stops dead in the tracks*

What's THAT smell???????Ick! Oh, TODD needs some hygiene? OK.... moving on... *dabs Vick's Vapo-Rub under the nose*

By gosh and by golly....it's a little warmer today, but off and on "light s*** showers" are conspiring to grease up the roads by the time I have to go to w**k tonight. At least we haven't had the "freezing drizzle" yet...emphasis on YET. I still reserve the right to just sit in my recliner with a glass of Maker's Mark this evening, and shoot basketball instead tomorrow night. THAT way, THAT Editor still gets two sports pages since I shot the CCA boys basketball game Tuesday night.

We shall see.

TODD and DER JOHN: "Transport chairs" are just THAT...designed for short-hauls, such as from the car into a house. While I have seen people buy them for "everyday, all-day" chairs...and they can often be less expensive, they really aren't designed for THAT. To self-ambulate, the user has to propel themselves with their feet...not real handy or convenient. They are very lightweight and don't take up a whole lot of room when folded up, THAT could be a couple of "pluses" for them, I guess.

TODD: You keep giving me glimpses of the future. Currently, both of my parents are alive and well. But, their days will come too. Dad just went through the various power of attorney and living will paperwork with me a few days ago. I now have the ability to pull the plug...and am the executor of the will. I guess THATs part of the "joys" of being an only child. Nobody else to turf these matters onto. I'm not quite sure how to put this, but watching you go through everything you're going through: remodeling the house, emptying the house, nursing homes/hospitals, etc.; It's helping me to at least start preparing for THAT day with my folks. I'm already dreading going through the tons of electronic stuff in Dad's sub-terrainian laboratory (the basement). Billions of electronic pieces and parts and bits...from his ham radio stuff. A mountain of "QSL" magazines to move/sell/dispose of. Not looking forward to it...someday it will happen.

CUDA KEN: Congrats on the job!

 

I 'spose I'd best get to being productive. I still have to hammer out the captions and game summary from Tuesday. I was feeling "prolific" last night and knocked-out a lengthy piece looking at the North Liberty Police Department's Use of Force policy. Here's a hint boys and girls...if you be nice to the policeman, he probably won't make you dance on the wire (Taser). I also wrapped-up a photo feature from CCA's production of The Wizard of Oz, and the masochistic Methodists freezing for their faith (live Nativity).

THAT Editor should be quite pleased tomorrow morning...

A good, SAFE day to all,

Chris

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Williamsville, ILL
  • 3,698 posts
Posted by TMarsh on Thursday, December 9, 2010 5:35 PM

My feet smell like Dial soap now.Clown

Barry- In case I don't get in before you leave tomorrow (? it is tomorrow right?) Know you're in my prayers.

Bama- Yep, sure will be nice knowing. Of course, we don't haveanything signed yet so I'm waiting for the other shoe that always seems to fall to hit me in the head and nix the whole deal.

Ken- Congrats on the job. Remember, just because you have a job now, doesn't mean you still can't keep looking for one you like better. Just not as much pressure.

Chris- Oh yes. I didn't mean to sound like a transport chair is a replacement for a wheel chair. It just depends on the need. If Der's MIL just needs to get around sometimes and they have hard floors, (or she has the muscle structure in her legs of a linebacker) a transport chair may be all she needs. As her main source of locomotion, no I would not recomend one. Mom will not be using it alone. If that time comes, yes we will look into actual wheelchairs. So far it's distances that she would not be traveling by her lonesome where she needs one because she doesn't leave the house unaccompanied and the doc wants her to get as much exercise, supervised exercise as she can. I know all about the dreaded "powers. Am going through that right now. .

Time to leave for Brenda's Christmas Party. Free food and drink. Dinner

Todd  

Central Illinoyz

In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.

I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk. Laugh

Moderator
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: London ON
  • 10,392 posts
Posted by blownout cylinder on Thursday, December 9, 2010 5:42 PM

Todd, Ulrich:  Due to certain weather conditions that came along, a whole pile of operations of a far more serious sort have to take precedence hence, my scheduled session won't be until Wednesday the 15th of December--and no changes this time...WhistlingHmm Mind, what with all the dang snow and all the dang road closures and what all else up here--I'm really not surprised. So what'll I be doing tomorrow? Getting some more scrip set up and doing some Xmas shopping...heeheeheeMischief

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Thursday, December 9, 2010 6:04 PM

Todd, great news on the house!  You too Cuda!

Philip
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Thursday, December 9, 2010 6:19 PM

Looks like I have much catching up to do here.

Ken... That's good news from you. ... Let's celebrate with a round of RBF's !!

Todd... glad to hear about the refinancing. .. Does that mean more funds can be made available for the layout? ... Look out Castle Hobbies! Here comes Todd!

Duke .. Glad you stopped in.

Bama .. Good you are back in the diner.

Barry ... Now you say it will be the 15th for your operation. Again, I would like to assure you, it will go well for you based on my similar experiences. Of course, prayers are essential.

Der John .... I enjoy seeing your layout progress.

Jeff .... Your locos continue to have character thanks to Sundown Shops.

Ray ... I looked briefly at your pictures of your new sturcture. Nice!

On the layout, I have a new acquisition: A pair of sound equipped BLI Blue line CB&Q E7's. I'm happy with them so far.

It's rather cold here. Should have stayed in AZ.

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Nova Scotia, Northumberland Shore
  • 2,479 posts
Posted by der5997 on Thursday, December 9, 2010 9:37 PM

Good late evening Diners: Colder day today - maybe some sun tomorrow.

 

Chuck(sunbeach): Great to see you dropped in.  There have been a number of long-time patrons stroll in over the last few weeks. Must be the coffee!  In the mean time, we've recently acquired a second Chuck - also on your side of the continent, as it happens.  Happy to hear you are coming through the loss of Kathy - our thoughts are with you in that.Angel

 

Chuck (tomikawa):

If King James hadn't bankrolled the most-used English translation of the Bible, would the Apostles have addressed Jesus as "Boss???"
...checkout http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Patch_Gospel you may well be right! OTOH, colloquial versions of the Scriptures have a somewhat limited shelf life, because the language changes so quickly. The King James Version, like English from Shakespeare's time, stays around I think because it is quoted and otherwise used so much, so despite it being no longer "everyday speech" it endures, while "like far out man", or "groovy" have pretty much come and gone in my lifetime! You dig? Laugh My 2 Cents (I'd also hazard a guess that the Japanese used in the Shinto shrine is older rather than more current - am I right?) Neat addition to your layout, BTW. Scratch built, or a kit? IIRC, I've seen them on eBay.

 

Ulrich: Is what we see (expanded image) what we get - that loco and car are the actual size of the models? I ask because I have one of the locos from that HOn30 section on the Alberta layout  - it's a 0-6-0 Roco? (Austria anyway) Putting up against the Forum page on my screen, it dwarfs the small image, but against the expanded image, it is dwarfed in turn. How long is your loco ( or that turntable bridge Smile) ?

 

Robby:

 First thing I found this morning was the cats knocked over the Christmas tree.   I have no idea what the cats do at night.   I guess stuff they aren't suppose to do!!
  'Tis the season...it's a recurring theme in the Diner, and the Coffee Shop before that. Wasn't it BridgeTom's cats would do that on regular basis?

 

Todd:

 Check this out Der, Brenda did get her a.... not a wheelchair, a.... transport chair I think it's called. Looks like a wheelchair but has 4 small wheels instead of the two large and two small. She got it at Walgreens for $100. However it just went on sale I guess she said so she will check on getting some money back. It's not good as a wheel chair unless they have pretty strong legs to pull themselves around on carpet. But pretty good on hard floors and especially if you are going to do the pushing.
  Thanks for the thought, most kind... It's mobility that's the issue however, and not having the kind of leg strength that the transport chair would require. She can propel  herself OK with those hand grip thingies on a regular wheelchair, but the regular one won't go through the  doors it needs to for her to get it close to the toilet, or into her living room, or out into our part of the house.  Speaking of houses, THAT is great news about your re-financing on the mortgage.Thumbs Up What a Christmas present!...and by a Bank!Surprise On the feet... .  just a thought, Whistling

 

 

Galaxy: In addition to what's already been suggested about lighting for treating your SDD, the flyers today had a Wally Mart one with a portable (as in looks like hand held) unit for just that purpose. Around $80 IIRC. If you are at all interested, let me know and I'll scan the ad and send it to you PM.

 

Ken: on the job! Now to rack up the sales to get over the commissions threshold! The drug test shouldn't be affected by the kidney infection (about which Angel BTW) unless you are taking medication.  Real cranberries, or the juice, has a good reputation in that regard.Thumbs Up

 

The second attempt at the fibre optic adaptation for my NJ International signals has ended in failure - if you measure by finished product, but success in that I now have a more clear idea of what it may take to pull this off. That is, I need to insert each fibre of the bundle one or two at a time into the front of the signal head, and then bend it behind the head and down the mast.  First attempt was a single fibre 1.5 mm thick. Too inflexible for the bends involved, especially as there is an off-set between the mast and the head. Second attempt was a pre-formed bundle of fibres approx 1.5 mm thick. More flexible, but still too stiff for the geometry.  So now will it be third time lucky?  I can't just get at it however, because all the handling of the signal has resulted in some major damage that I shall have to put right before I can continue. Fortunately these are brass, so I can solder the parts back together with a thin shim brass strip to strengthen the join. (Head and top of mast broken from the rest of the mast) Update - THAT worked just fine (well, mechanically anyway, it's not the prettiest join I've ever soldered, but I didn't want to linger too long, as the signal head may have melted from the top piece of mast. I used the reverse end of a drill bit through both sections of mast to hold the pieces and act as a heat sink for the mast. I couldn't figure a way to also protect the head-mast joint with a heat sink.) now to begin stuffing fibres so as to make the necessary bundle. I think I'll cut the casing off a longer piece of bundled fibres - the extra length would make installing the finished signal on the layout easier. That's a job for Saturday as tomorrow is totally taken up with other things.

If you are wondering why I'm bothering to do this when NJI makes the thing with mini tri-colour LEDs already to go - check out http://www.njinternational.com/nscale.htm and the price of just one of the single head signals. I need a bunch of them, and $30 plus shipping is out of my league.  BTW, the  "SA Type"; would that mean "Single Aspect"?

 

Well, that's it for me for tonight.   May or may not get back in tomorrow. So, Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of Healing, Comfort, Prosperity and Peace.Angel

 

"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 10, 2010 1:06 AM

Good Morning Folks,

my sleeping habits seem to improve a little. Although I woke up again, it was a little later than in the past weeks, and I also could go back to bed and fall asleep Thumbs Up

Chloe, coffee and a breakfast bagel, please!

Nothing much planned for today, other than the Friday grocery run. Maybe I will fine tune my drawings ... Whistling

John - the loco is about the right size, but the buildings are too tall. Part of that is due, that WinRail is not made for this kind of drawings - it´s a track planning tool, too "coarse", as the minimum size for an element is 5 pixels. I will try to re-do the drawing.

Barry - I will defer my thoughts and Angel to the 15th!

Last night brought only a little more of the white stuff, but the weather guessers are predicting loads of this for this afternoon. Unlike most of the times, they seem to be right now.

You all have a safe day!

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: IN/USA
  • 2,495 posts
12/10/2010
Posted by wetidlerjr on Friday, December 10, 2010 1:16 AM

 

Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.

Dinner

 

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Friday, December 10, 2010 5:26 AM

 Mourning Folks! OK, Bill seems you and Flo are the only ones here so far.

 Flo, Glass on Cranberry juices, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast please.

 Todd, just saw your post about the house payment. Now that I have a job it would be great if they did that for me. 30% off would get the payment down to $645 from $922. Before I got behind I had 12 years left on my loan.

 Got my first taste of winter last night. I had not driven my Daytona sines September and deiced I better add some antifreeze. Battery was dead so I put it on a 2 amp trickle charge for 45 minutes. Went out and start her up and added a little of the green stuff. Got the car up to full temperature. Shut her down to let any air out of the cooling system. Tried to start her back up, battery was dead again. Guess it may be time for a new battery.Will try charging again today but I am not holding my breath.

 Here is the plan that Chris drew up for me.

Chris used 3rd PlanIt to draw the layout. I need to download the free version and see if I can read the file with it. Left side against the wall has hidden staging where the 3rd main line runs under the the two outer main lines.

  See you all later, Ken

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 10, 2010 5:34 AM

Lunchtime!

Chloe, a bowl of Chili and a Beer, please!

Ken - now you are coming along! That´s a fantastic looking plan! I´d say go for it!

Some more playing with my plan resulted in buildings, which are more appropriate in size, although I still have a hunch they are a tiny bit too large. But see for yourself:

My question to my fellow Diners - have I captured the "Western" flavor that I am aiming at?

CU all L!

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Euclid, Ohio
  • 2,822 posts
Posted by LSWrr on Friday, December 10, 2010 6:44 AM

Good Morning,

Ken congratulations on the new job!

 

www.usajobs.gov is a good place to job hunt for those looking…

 

DerJohn, I get all my LED bulbs from a guy on EBay who sells them for electronic manufacturers, but he is an avid model railroader as well.  The 3 color LED he carries come in various sizes and he sells them by the bag for around $20.  I’ll look him up if you’re interested and send you his information.  His smallest size could be used as locomotive or caboose marker lights.  I spent $25 and had enough LED bulbs to scratch build all my signals.

 

Monster Snowstorm Eyes Area from Midwest to Quebec: http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/42767/monster-snowstorm-eyes-area-fr-1.asp

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Shelby, NC
  • 2,545 posts
Posted by Robby P. on Friday, December 10, 2010 7:04 AM

 Good "snowy" morning.

 We are suppose to get a dusting today, and thats fine by me!!   The BIG thing now is......To cancel Direct TV or not.   At one point we were paying $80 a month, and we called and got it down to $30.   Now its back to $55.  All that for 120 channels.    With me starting back to school in a couple of weeks, we are really leaning on getting it shut off.   Plus you can watch some many shows on the internet now.

 Lets see........Maybe work on the layout some more, and maybe do some Christmas shopping.  

 Ulrich.........I think it looks fine, but I don't know that much about "western" towns.  I'm more a "eastern" guy!

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Friday, December 10, 2010 7:33 AM

Good morning. It's 39 and partly cloudy with patchy fog. The high will be 65 and it will be mostly cloudy. 50% chance of rain tonight.

Looks like more layout work today. There's about 10 feet of track that has to be leveled and locked in place. I have a gallon of wall joint compound standing by for the job. Now where did I put that putty knife? Lot 1 of the MR items I had up will be put aside and I'll start getting lot 2 together. For those who may have missed it, here's the remainder of lot 1:

That's all for now.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Williamsville, ILL
  • 3,698 posts
Posted by TMarsh on Friday, December 10, 2010 7:37 AM

Good Morning! Coffee and a sweet roll please. Thank you.

No Mom today, doc wants to keep her until tomorrow.

Garry- Unfortunately, I don’t see an increase in the MRR budget yetSad. However, through trickle down economics, I do have a feeling some extra cash may find it’s way into said non-budget. Our plan, for the most part is to keep trying ( I said trying. remember the promise we all made ourselves whenever a car loan was paid off? (whips into Hank Hill-ish voice) “ I’ll pay myself the monthly car payment into savings and be ready to pay cash for the next one or have a bunch of money saved for….,” Never happens) trying to pay the same we do now. It would be nice. Reeeeal nice to have no mortgage in a little over 8 years. Tomorrow would be betterLaugh, but I’ll settle for 8 years.

Ken- I like the new plan. Probably the best so far except… the engine terminal loop with the holding tracks. Though I think it would look cool, are you sure you want that many holding tracks? Just a knee jerk thought with no actual reasoning behind it. It would look cool though.

Ulrich- Why you shorely have captured the feel of the west there pardner! Saddle on up and see what you can scrounge around the corral to get a move on with that there layout! They say where there’s a will, there’s a way. Now, just because that Public TV gig fell through, doesn’t mean they all will. I think it was a sign to just hang in there because the right job is a comin’. Maybe not just yet, but it’s a comin’. In the mean time, there have got to be pieces of wood (oh if the shipping wouldn’t kill us both, do I have some wood for you from mOm’s house) laying around. Friends? Um… neighbors..., businesses that may have some scrap. Since the layout isn’t THAT big, their scrap may be your bench workYes. Who knows?

The Shadow knows….

Dig this man, so far this morning being in the diner has been groovy. Like real far out. But I’m gonna have to get movin’ I have a crazy day ahead filling the dumpster and clearing out more stuff before I have to head to w**k this afternoon. I have to figure if I need another dumpster so I can call the cool cats at the trash company so they can drop off and pick up the same time on Monday. 

CAN YOU DIG IT!!!! 

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

Todd  

Central Illinoyz

In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.

I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk. Laugh

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: upstate NY
  • 9,236 posts
Posted by galaxy on Friday, December 10, 2010 8:10 AM

WEll, morning all

Dodged a bullet in that the TPMS {Tire Pressure Monitoring system} on the Kia alerted us to low pressure in the right rear tire. At least it wasn't a nail! That thing can be a great asset, but cna be the bane of our existance going off every time the temp fluctuates! 2 times before ti went off...one was a nail and the other was just low pressure due to colder temps snap this fall. I think its a bit of a PITA.

The bushings for the Kia engine motor mounts have yet to come in. Been over a week.now. He tought he would have them in 3 days. Ha! As long as they get repaced before our trip to Springfield MAss to teh Amherst Society train show at the end of january!

Temp is at -4 according to the weather guy. SHould be Feb for that cold! The probelm with global warming is that it doesn't just mean warm weather, but changes weather patterns altogether so snow and cold temps can reach teh warmer temperate climes too.

Ken congrats on strating the new job! too bad you missed out. Hope you get refied.

COngrats of the house Todd.

congrats to everyone who needs desrves them!

Angel for those that need them!

AHvea great day!

 

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Friday, December 10, 2010 8:24 AM

Goooooooooooooooooooooood Mornin', bucket of coffee, to go......

Just stopping by before heading out for "facetime" with THAT Editor.

Oh joy. Oh rapture.

Hey, CUDA KEN: Thanks for the credit on the trackplan there Pally...but 'twasnt me THAT designed THAT! Heck, I STILL can't even draw up the simplest of plans for MY railroad!!!! Might've been MORGAN who drew THAT up for you, or ULRICH...but again, 'twasn't me! 'Twasn't even someone who looks like me... But, all THAT said, I agree with The King of Toddland in his A-ssessment of it.

 

A good, groovy, out-of-site, SAFE day to all of us...

Chris

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Friday, December 10, 2010 9:46 AM

Good Morning All!

Not much to report from the land of snow covered Buckeyes other then I went to the hobby shop yesterday and walked out with $60.00 in goodies.I'm surprised the old chap hasn't had a coronary thrombosis by now based on the fact I am spending large sums of money in his shop..Of course the stuff I am buying now doesn't warrant ordering through the Internet since there is very little savings after shipping-one could argue the cost of gas adds to the final price but,to my mind its justified because of Coney Island(yum-o!) or Skyline Chili (Chili Dogs yum!) and those are two delicious delicacies you'll not find in Bucyrus...I seen a Lionel 0-8-0 that looked pretty darn good-good enough I just had to have a look see and I usually walk by Lionel type trains without a glance..NS sounds busy this morning.

I shall have a cup and look over the forums..Thumbs Up

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Friday, December 10, 2010 9:55 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe, I'll have a bowl of hot oatmeal w/ brown sugar and a cup of dark roast coffee.  Why is it, Zoe, THAT human beings can put a man on the moon, create little electronic devices that you can talk on, take pictures with, text on, get email, updates from Tweety, Facecrook, and liespace,..........but we can't create a coffee carafe THAT doesn't dribble on everything???

Well (another deep subject), I am up and around and being grumpy.  Ken is mourning getting a job.  Barry is still waiting to get his ticker to tick correctly. Galaxy is blowing up his Kia..  Chris is facing THAT editor, and Ulrich can't get to sleep again.  Must be.....  THE WEATHER!!!  I am lucky here in the Finger Lakes.  We are only going to get a few inches of white and fluffy from the storm moving across the continent right now.  I might go out and see how much wood I can get piled up on the porch today.  Hopefully it is not completely frozen solid out there.

I also need to go buy some salt to deice the driveway and walks here.  I should be able to get the "other" present i am getting for my son at the same store.....

Best get moving.  Hope the coffee doesn't freeze before I get to the car......  It was hot when she poured it on me.....

Later!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Troy, AL
  • 724 posts
Posted by BamaCSX83 on Friday, December 10, 2010 10:43 AM

Good morning all.  Just stopping in and seeing how things are going.  Not a whole lot happening in my neck of the woods, just spending a little time with the family but about to get ready to go and check out a car before heading off to my "real" job.  Guess I'll be checking in later tonight when I get off and back here. 

Later taters!

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
  • 4,256 posts
Posted by Cederstrand on Friday, December 10, 2010 1:40 PM

Extra strong coffee in a large UNION PACIFIC mug, please.

Nothing worth reporting on. 

Hope y'all are doing well these days.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: upstate NY
  • 9,236 posts
Posted by galaxy on Friday, December 10, 2010 2:20 PM

afternoon guys,

we were posta get a dusting, it seems to be turning into inches. Still can't complain as what we do get seems to melt off some inteh meantime.

Frozen sliding doors on the Kia...the service tech said I was on the right track when I said tongue in cheekly:" what are we supposed to do, put vaseline onthe door gaskets?" He said right idea, but to use silicone spray instead. SO we bought two cans of silicone spray to spray every bit of rubber we could find around the doors. WE shall see. I also used it to spray in the lock of the locking mailbox hope it helps loosen it up and makes it give us back our keys, which sometiems get stuck inthe lock.

Hoping to work some on the tree layout but will do that tomorrow. First things first, clean off the table and wash the current table cloths onthere. Gotta find an empty box somehere to put stuff in. Then gotta paint teh board white.{inside with ceiling paint and primer and let it dry while keeping cats off it!}

Gotta dig out some old material that i have in dresser drawers inthe train room and donate to the ladies guild that makes quilts for the military vets in teh hospitals and vet homes.I made three quilts three years ago-one for the MIL {earned some  real points there}, me and MOH all got quilts for xmas- and I had grandios ideas of making more... {yes I sew..mother taught me how to sew, cook, clean and do laundry so I wouldn;t starve, could mend/alter my own clothes, live clean-ish and so I would always have clean clothes that didn't all come out pink}.They only take red white and blue material so I hope I have enough to warrant giving them and to give me space in which to store TRAIN STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Train stuff is everywhere in this house, not just the train room. the computer room has most of MOH's Nscale stuff {supposed to go on shelves I was supposed to put up eons ago on the wall above teh stored rollaway. Maybe if I am really ambitious i can get that done this weekend too.

ALL assuming my back holds out...I also need a dose of "pep"...anybody got a  spare can?

Wll. need to put an add inthe paper to get rid of a large fishtank complete set up, an excersize bike, a swing/ski excersize machine, the old snow blower,and a few things like that that will help clear out stuff {I hope} hate to throw away and not looking to make big money on them, but a few bucks for myself for my efforts.

So, now we go off to see the MIL in the nursing home. SHe is improving once they took her off some meds, and changed some meds. WE went last night, but at 7:30 she was really ready for bed already-of coursethe nurses like it when everybody in bed by 7 for the night! so they have time to "play" I think. They also only have 3 people to care for 33 patients on the floora tthat time so they like everybody in bed then. SAd. But teh overnight night nurses and morning crew has to get tehm all up and bathed and medicated and and dressed and ready for their daily duties of physical therapy and such they have teh real hard jobs!

So have a great evening guys

 

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Liverpool New York
  • 245 posts
Posted by fireman216 on Friday, December 10, 2010 2:54 PM

Hello gang...I would like an ice cold Pepsi...but the doctor swore me off caffeine. I had been having these weird heart palpitations the last few weeks and the made me wear a 24 heart monitor. And they found my heart speeding up with extra beats and slowing down with less beats. So know I get a trip to a cardiologist which hopefully will just mean some medication therapy. Other than that I just finished cleaning up the driveway from 48 1/2 inches of snow we got from Sunday to Thursday. And guess what??...They said we will get another Lake effect snow event starting next Sunday for another five days which means another 3+ feet of snow!!! Ray...I wish I lived in the Finger Lakes...No one can ever understand Lake effect snow unless you live in an area that gets it. We are talking 1-2 inches of snow per hour. Just give me a decaf and I will go sulk at the rivet counter...Tim

A true friend will not bail you out of jail...he will be sitting next to you saying "that was friggin awesome dude!" Tim...Modeling the NYC...is there any other?

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Friday, December 10, 2010 3:03 PM

Good afternoon, diners!

I'll sit at the rivit counter with Tim, Galaxy, and Rob. I'll have a cheeseburger ad a vanilla malt, please.  

Just started WPF with my E7's.

People were talking of snow. I recall a winter when I was in Michigan' Upper Penensula. There were five storms with over 3 feet of snow each. Plus numerous days of "flurries" which was about 12". Snow was pile sky high all over town. ... I prefer milder climates.

Cheers.

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Friday, December 10, 2010 3:27 PM

Afternoon folks!

Was about ready to go start to stack firewood this noon when email arrived.  Music Dept. over at school was having trouble setting up the sound system for next weeks concert.  Seems they had run out of cords.......  I had one of the reels over at church to test out the new recording mics.... Oops!  Actually they would have had all kinds of mic cords if the AV guy hadn't taken one of the reels over to an elementary school (THAT should have their own)...  So, I sped over to church and got all the cords then sped over to school, signed in, and the sound guy had found a box of cords he didn't know about and was all set.  So we spent the next 45 minutes figuring out why he was getting some strange things from the radio units.  On 3 of them someone had set the squelch to zero...  If the transmitter wasn't on, we had lots of White Noise!  He had also found several thousand dollars worth of equipment that has been sitting in the racks supposedly doing their jobs, that had never been hooked up.....  Gotta love it!  The new sound guy is one of the best in the world, and owns a major "Live Sound" company that works the entire East Coast of the US.  He is doing sound as a favor to the Music Dept.....  I get called because I know the Auditorium and Sound System.  He has already figured out a whole bunch of stuff I had no idea about there.  Anyway, wood will have to wait.

fireman216

Ray...I wish I lived in the Finger Lakes...No one can ever understand Lake effect snow unless you live in an area that gets it. We are talking 1-2 inches of snow per hour. Just give me a decaf and I will go sulk at the rivet counter...Tim

Tim, I hope the Heart condition is easily controlled!  Geneva is just far enough South of the lake not to get too much of THAT lake effect stuff!  Usually....... Whistling  Best thing to do is just hole up and worry about digging out some other day!

Later!

73

 

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Friday, December 10, 2010 3:36 PM

 Afternoon Folks

 Flo, give me a beer and keep them coming!

 If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. The job offer from Ashly never sounded great, but doable. Just got back from signing the HR paper work at there corporate offices. At the very end April took a letter and started to fold it up and places it in a envelope while stating "This is are slandered job offer letter" and was placing it in my folder. Hum, I like to take a look at that!

 Seems what I was told is not what the letter had on it.

 1 Told it was $10.00 a hour, letter stated it was a salary of $20,800. Hum, that means I could have to work extra hours and receive the same base pay. OK, I can deal with that.

 2 Was told anything over $38000.00 a month I would get 5% commission. All the letter said was I would get a bonus, did hot stated at what rate. This is the first time I have not been given a commission schedule, that seems odd.

 3 While I was filling out the paper work I over heard April telling a person on the phone "next training class starts 01-13-2011. Hum, I start training on this Monday. What kind of turn over rate do they have anyway?

 4 Here is the kicker. My unemployment is $1692.00 a month. I was told I was being paid $10.00 a hour and I would work 40 hours, that is $1600.00 so it was $92.00 less. I would miss the $92.00 but I could deal with it. I was all so told that training was 2 weeks.

 The letter stated " I would receive $360.00 a week during training and training was 4-6 weeks! Even if the training only lasted 4 weeks. That is only $1440.00 or $252.00 less than I am getting now not counting Taxes! I am giving my mortgage company $500.00 ever two weeks to try to keep the house. That would leave less than $440.00 (taxes) to live on for a month. Then what if they keep me in training for 6 weeks?

 It bothers me they kept things from me during the interview. What might they have plan after I start working there? Just not having a warm and fuzzy feeling about things right now.

 I take the drug test Saturday, if I knew where to get one I might fire one up just before the test! Whistling

 Got a lot of thinking to do before Monday.

            Ken 

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: North Jersey
  • 1,781 posts
Posted by ns3010 on Friday, December 10, 2010 3:53 PM

Afternoon all.

No time at all this weekend.

Tonight is prom.

Tomorrow, we're getting our tree, then going to dinner, then I have a game.

Sunday I'll be on the Toys For Tots train all day and then I have a game.

So I'll see you all Sunday night, unless by some miracle, I get in before then. Later!

My Model Railroad: Tri State Rail
My Photos on Flickr: Flickr
My Videos on Youtube: Youtube
My Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!