Elliot´s Trackside Diner May 2011 - Welcome Aboard, Everybody!

[Attaboy]

I don't fold the fitted sheet.  I just put it back on the bed. 

[submmbob]

Hello all

Been a pretty good day. Fixed one of my antique radios so I can use it in the garage and set up the Kato Unitrack this morning and ran some trains. The Unitrack goes together very nicely and is much smoother than the EZ track and looks a bit better too.

Jeff - you'll get a laugh out of this one. After looking into the HO trailer kits, I was curious to see what was available in N-scale. As you have pointed out, not much is out there. I then found two unbuilt NuComp N-scale kits on Ebay, which I bought. Will be my first N-scale structures, so it should be interesting.

Galaxy - I agree w/ you, how do you fold a fitted sheet?

Bob

 

[Attaboy]

Hey everyone.  Well, the evenings entertainment has ended.  I was right when I said it would be interesting.  No laughs though.   I got home from work and she wanted to start in right away but I told her I was taking a shower and getting some dinner first.  Then it started.  She presented me with a list of six questions and said I could take a couple days to think about it if I wanted to and said I "couldn't" file the divorce papers until Friday. (Why do women always have to make lists like that instead of just asking?)  I looked through the list and told her I've done nothing but think about it for the past six months and could answer every question right now.  We spent about an hour at it, even had some really meaningful conversation, but the whole thing seems to have been another delaying tactic.  She TOLD me not to file the papers and said she wanted to think about it.  Then she said if we did try to save the marriage she was still going to sleep in the other bedroom until we worked things out.  That's when when I told her that was okay because I wouldn't touch her again until she was tested for STDs including AIDS since I know she has been having s*x with other men.  You all should have seen the fireworks.  They were so pur-r-r-ty!! The evening ended with her trying to get into my room to get the divorce papers and tear them up then hitting and kicking the door several times when I wouldn't let her in.

I don't know if I will be able to get them to the court house tomorrow or not.  It's her day off work and she will probably stick to me like glue to keep me form taking them to the court house.  But she has to go to work sometime, like Tuesday morning.  So I will get them there soon.

Ain't life grand?

[New Haven I-5]

Hi all-

I'll have a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup, its chilly here. Just won a Athearn RTR GP35, which was detailed to match the SP prototype for $46 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=140546451244&si=5pxWBpGNfzA7B7bTdO8ZhHQACk0%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT)

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

I should know and when you tell me I’m sure I’ll say “duuuuhh”, but what is ‘dry gas’ ?

 

Dry gas is an alcohol-based additive used in motor vehicles to prevent any water in the gas from freezing, or to restore combustive power to gasoline spoiled by water.

[Curt Webb]

Evening All,

All of the layout is wired now. I am having issues in the coal tower area that may be because of the switches moving shorting out the section.They are PECO Insulfrog #5 turnouts with the spring removed for Tortoise switch machine installation. They just seem to want to stay in a intermitant position. The track down stream has power so I believe it is a switch position issue.

I have run a H10-44 with 4 stock cars on the the two mains and also ran a LL P2K E-7A/B. I had to fix one area that had verticle movement causing the B unit to decouple, after shimming no decoupling. I also had to sand down part of a atlas turnout so now the B unit does not derail there.

All in all a very good day. still a huge amount of testing to do but at least I can run trains while I work  

Ulrich- I remember when we first moved to Germany in 1971. Initially we rented a house on the economy. It was October so it was cold. The house burned coal for heat requiring my brother and I to go to the cellar for coal. I remember that it scared the you know what out of me. It made me feel like I was in a horror movie. I still get chills thinking about it. 

Chris- Hopefully there was no sequel on the14th of the Engine rollover.

Rob- You look like you are really taking care of buisness on that roof.

Galaxy- I am with you. I should of taken more naps, because I feel like I always need one now.

Todd- If I remember right it isa liquid additive poured in the gas tank that removes water somehow.

Everyone take care.

     

[howmus]

Evenin' fffffffolks!

c-c-c-c-c-cold!  Spent most of the day outside in the cold pouring rain at the museum today.  Flo, I could sure use a hot cup of decaf to warm me up a bit.

What a day!  Even with the rain it was a record crowd.  Haven't heard the final count but it was well over 500 (possibly close to a thousand)..  The coach was heated, the Depot was kept warm with a nice wood fire in the stove, the refrigerator car was nice and warm with a small electric heater....  I spent the day in the Baggage car.....  No heat.  All the 5 docents we had today also have to help with the loading and unloading of passengers every half hour out in the pouring rain.  I did mention cold pouring rain didn't I?  I was soaked to the bone and turning hypothermic so the last couple hours out there I helped in the Station office as much as possible and stood right by the nice hot wood stove......

TMarsh

Speaking of him, Ray- I should know and when you tell me I’m sure I’ll say “duuuuhh”, but what is ‘dry gas’ ?

Dry Gas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_gas

Currently 46°F under cloudy skies and a bit of precipitation here in the Finger Lakes.  Got all the way up to 61°F today.......  We have gotten .66" rain in the last 24 hours (almost all of it today).  The good news is we have also had 0.00" of snow this month!  Yippy!

Back to getting a few needed items finished beofre I head to bed tonight.

Later!

73

[cudaken]

 Evening Dinners!

 Flo, a beer please. Wife made chili so I will eat when I get home.

 Work Front The 54 degree temperature (This is May Right ) did not help the store today.  Only had 4 customers closed 3 of the 4 (made a deal) but, 2 where turned down for financing by Wells Fargo. Only person that bought spent a whole $360.00 and it took over a hour to pry it put of there hands as there 2 kids went wild in the store.

 Jeffery I have been meaning to say this for awhile but your layout looks pretty good in the pictures you have posted. Only real thing I would have done different is to have a paved road running through the town and not gravel.

 See you all Monday.

            Ken

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

Jeff- Went to Castle Trains today as well as poked around my “stash of to do things” May have a deal for you after all. Check your PM’s…. IM’s…QM’s…Converses….whatever their called.

 

Message received and understood. That's too good to pass up. Check your PM's, conversations, whatever they're called.

[TMarsh]

Whew! Made it. Large mug of Dark Roast coffee please. I'm chilled.

Things went well today so far other than meeting every Tom Dick and Harry in central Illinois out gallivanting around in the cold and drizzle. Rain still tonight then it appears the rest of the week is just the opposite of Ray’s.

Speaking of him, Ray- I should know and when you tell me I’m sure I’ll say “duuuuhh”, but what is ‘dry gas’ ?

Jeff- Went to Castle Trains today as well as poked around my “stash of to do things” May have a deal for you after all. Check your PM’s…. IM’s…QM’s…Converses….whatever their called.

Welp, I got a bit of time earlier this morning to hit the train room but just poked around looking. Good thing I did. I found a few things I’d bought that I forgot I did. Nothing big, but things like….horses. My coral can now have horses without any additional cash outlay. Something Jeff might reeeally like, some ladders and safety cages so I can add that to my grain bin, which just reminded me I need another one. Some fencing too so I think the Bed and Breakfast is going to get a fence. Several other things like roof top details and leftovers from other projects.

Also went to Castle Trains (FLHS) while we were on that end of town and got some scale 2 X 6's and the last tunnel portal. Miscounted last time but should be good now. There was something else I needed but I got sidetracked when I was there and forgot what it was.

Best get downstairs before I get sidetracked again.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hey, Rob ..... Is that photo a scene from "Nightmare on Elm Street"? ...

Jeff..... I liked the idea in your photo yesterday of a dead tree next to the GP38. Your layout is looking good.

Oz Jim ... Great progress down under!

Ulrich.... I have to wonder why Germany agreed to the Euro. 

Chris .... Ouh, oh.... THAT editor again!

Galaxy ... Your list  could become a long one.

.

[galaxy]

SOme of life's rules and mysteries: {part one}

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm computer font.

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died. {actually my father said this and when my mother died, he insisted her cause of death be inserted into hers}

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least "kind of tired". See #3 again.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I'm sitting here watching an old movie. It's on a pair of Video CD's (View CD's or VCD's). Anybody remember those? I had to go looking online for a VLC media player as this computer I'm on didn't know what the heck it was looking at, which is funny since I made them many years ago with a video transfer program (transfer VHS to VCD) on another computer since I didn't have a DVD player or DVD-R/RW drive. Those things were still many hundreds of dollars back then.

[Cederstrand]

Coffee in a AT&SF mug, please.

Some great layout progress pics being posted here in the Diner these days. Keep 'em coming, folks.

Still working on roof repairs here on the ol' farm. My wife snapped this action pic. Most of the time I'm working sitting down up there or resting below with a bottle of water.

Not much else to report on. Have a great day y'all.

Cheers! Rob

[AmanaMedic]

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood (so far) afternoon... bucket of coffee please 'n thank-you.

Wrapped up another week of content creation for THAT Editor...she should have plenty to fill her pages with tomorrow. Been hitting the take-out window here in the Diner quite a bit lately, but have caught most of the goings-on and general assorted what-not.

Will listen to the race, at least until the next calamity strikes my ill-fated driver....then likely go finish the mowing. I got most of the yard done Friday night. Then the rains came. Now, about 30 minutes-worth left...*insert words your mother told you to never use *

Saw ROBBY P and SAWYER had stuff in THAT Weekend Photo thing...kinda miss seeing 'em in here.

Oh, Friday the 13th? I don't sweat them. It's Saturday the 14th THAT makes me nervous (the fire engine rollover was on a Saturday the 14th). Case in point, my Harbor 'O Freight air compressor done busted yesterday. Specifically the el-cheapo plastic pressure a-juster. Peachy. A quick look at their website and it seems the one I have has been replaced. Maybe next paycheck...

Have a good, safe day everybody...

Chris

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

submmbob

Jeff -  I found out the maker of the kit from the video. It's Sylvan Scale Models. Unfortunately, they don't list it as being currently available on their website. I couldn't find the kit number. I did find this for you though:

city-classics-trailer

Hope that might work for you.

Thanks but I already have one of those.

 

 

Good morning. It's 61° and sunny. The high will be 73° with plenty of sunshine and a UV index of 8 or more.

Down at my parents place today. So far it's shaping up to be a quiet day. I wanted to watch 'Unstoppable' today but this computer doesn't have a DVD drive. So I brought a DVD drive with me and hooked it up with a USB adapter kit. So far it's working great. About the time the good part of the movie comes up Murphy will snicker and the power will go out or the drives power supply will fail or a meteorite will strike in the front yard. I hope my father gets off work early today. I can't really relax here and my ankle is already giving me problems.

[Anonymous]

Galaxy - the price I stated is in US dollars. For Germany, this is really cheap. Where I live (close to Hamburg), the price would be just about double that. Housing is much more expensive in Germany in general - one reason being the different way of construction, mostly brick & mortar, less wood and less prefab. Building laws also require "low-energy"-standards to be observed. Houses are usually built to last centuries, and I don´t mean only a couple

I am sure you´ll find the right one - soon!

 

[Curt Webb]

I forgot to mention that the blogger for the Pennsy Historical society at the annual meeting mentioned  2 things of interest today:

1. BLI isready to go to production on Freight Sharks but is trying to resolve scheduling issues with the factory.

2. Save your money for something that makes power from steam and most people will want several of them. Based on modeling surveys and discussions on PRR sites I think that a unknown manufacturer (probably BLI) is going to produce a 2-8-0 locomotive. This will be HO scale. Again this is my take on it. We shall see.   

Take Care.   

[Curt Webb]

Morning All,

Just waiting in standby mode right now for my friends arrival then on to MRR work. It looks like it is trying to rain but nothing so far. I sat down last night and figured that I will spend another $150 more before everything is done (minus scenery). Of course I think I will be spending weeks working on installation of switch machines.

Lee- congrats on your  childrens acdemic achievments. Education is very important.

Ulrich-  I can sympathize with your feelings of frustation with the EU. Our government seems to feel we need to support everyone else in the world except our own citizens. It is like when a celebrity goes to a foreign country to adopt a baby, what about the babies that need adopted in your own country. I just don't get it.

I found this link in another section of the forum and it is truly amazing if you have not seen it yet.     

Model Airport

Everyone take care.

[galaxy]

LSWrr

Galaxy, my HVAC neighbor said yes they can be replaced part by part.  He suggested you have a HVAC guy come out and give you a free quote.  Now if you need the cast iron heat exchanger replaced he said a new energy efficient furnace would be cheaper and you can normally get on a payment plan now to have it replaced before it gets cold out.

 He told me what was more than likely the issue, but to me; a non-heating and air conditioner guy it sounded like you needed to realign the dilithium crystals with the orbital axis of the moon on the fifth Monday of the month or something.

The furnace is in a trailer, so it's a down draft instead of up draft, so they are more expensive. It also is a 1983 model OIL FIRED furnace that was CONVERTED in 1995 to a  NATURAL GAS BURNER INSERT. The Induced draft motor is shorting out and the whole burner unit INSERT is no longer available and there are NO PARTS for it. In order for it to run, we have t o close the door which hits the switch to make it operate and the induced draft motor{creats a draft up the chimney BEFORE the gas is ignited} will run all the time shorted out and not stop working. If it fails, the WHOLE BURNER INSERT will have to be replaced, OR IF ONE WON"T RETROFIT to our furnace, the whole new furnace must be put  in!!!

THERIN lies the issues. Even the new insert IF ONE WILL FIT, will cost aobut $1k.

 

Well good morning guys.

already went to wally worlld, got gas and a paper.

Only have the dishwasher adn a load of wash to do today. and take a nap.

ULRICH- I don't know if the price you quoted for your parents house is in Euros, or USA dollars, but either way it is priced out of our league,,,,we are ina  cheaper range than that here.

have a great day!

TTYALL8R

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!! Lots of coffee please. Looks to be another dreary day. Breakfast? No I don’t believe so. I am going to take my bride out to eat a bit later this afternoon.

(sound of "Goodhearted Woman" through a cheap speaker )

"Hello.....Huh? Oh ya, be right there Honey." ( closes cell phone) I thought theses things didn't work here. Anyway, love to stay and chat, but Brenda just stepped in and reminded me we have to go freshen up the house for the showing today at noon. Still have 2 pages to get caught up so if anyone offered up a million dollars free, don't count me out I just haven't seen it yet.

Be back……who knows when. She's going too. 

Ya’ll have a Great Day!!!

[james saunders]

Gday folks, did a couple of hours work on the layout this afternoon/evening. Got a couple of pics... there will be a couple more in WPF.

Carved out some foam to form the first part of the hill slash scenery block at one end of the layout.

 

 

and an overall view of the layout, you can see at the far end work on my 3 track drop leaf staging yard for a bit of extra capacity... (taken before above photo)

 

 

And this is a shot of a ballast wagon, one of my side hobbies is building Queensland Rail HOn3.5 kits that my good friend Adam Wuiske manufactures. They are Polyurethane and cast in NZ! He is progressing to injection moulded products which is unthinkable considering 10 years ago there was stuff all available. I run the kits I build on his own layout 3.5 hours from where I live.

 

Anyway thats enough shameless plugging, time for a good sleep. Very sore after cricket on saturday, bowled too many overs - if you know anything about cricket you know what I mean.

 

Good night...or is it Morning all.

 

[LSWrr]

Good morning,

Well today I really don’t have anything going on so maybe I can get some work done on the layout.

[Anonymous]

Me again!

I am just finished with preparing lunch - spaghetti con prosciuto e´ tonno, delicious! A few more weeks, and I will surpass Petra´s cooking (don´t let her know this)

Galaxy - my parents´ house would probably a near fit to what you are looking for. It´s a 3 bedroom house, all on one level, with 1400 sqft. in total, on a 16,000 sqft. property, nice, english style garden in a very quite residential neighborhood. No flood issues, no tornados to be afraid of - just the wrong country. Houses like this sell for about $ 150,000 in this region.

Well, I am going to have a nap!

CUL Folks!

 

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.

[Anonymous]

Good Morning Folks,

A wet Sunday here in northern Germany. Our weather is back to normal, rain and temperatures not exceeding 55 F.

Chloe, I´ll go for a Sunday breakfast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, buttered toast, pancakes, a tall glass of OJ and coffee in an IV bag, please.

YGW - yes, this yeat has turned out to be not an easy year for me. Eats up a lot of my energy, of which I have little left. I need a break from it, but how can you have a break from life?

Attaboy - I think Vinnie will accept my Euros on a 1-to-1 basis when he learns he gets $ 1.50 for each Euro I give him . I still have not really accepted that currency. I want my Deutschmark back! I still convert prices back into my good old DM - 10 years after the introduction of that (expletive, deleted) European money. Without getting into politics, my country would be much better off without the Euro and being a member of the EU. Our national debt can solely be attributed to the EU membership. It is Germany who picks up the tab for just about everything in Europe. WW II reparation payments ...

Garry, Ray - from the pictures I have seen of your layouts, it´s definitivly time that MR runs features of them. Your layouts deserve

Lee - my name is Ulrich and I am a member of the MRAA , German section. You have not heard of the MRAA? They are the Model Railroaders Anonymous of America - offering comort and support to folks being infested by the vicious LPBO bug. This bug is absolutely resistent to any antibiotic and can only be cured by a heavy dose of Layout Planning, Building and Operation.

Ken - one thing I have learned is to stay away from any MRRing on a Friday 13th! Not that I am superstitious.

Lots of MIAS! Jim, John, Chris, Sawyer, Keith (for a very long time now), Ryan, Ed, Robbie (saw him posting in the WPF thread) - I hope athey are OK.

Have a great day!

[submmbob]

Another quiet evening collecting photons.

Jeff -  I found out the maker of the kit from the video. It's Sylvan Scale Models. Unfortunately, they don't list it as being currently available on their website. I couldn't find the kit number. I did find this for you though:

city-classics-trailer

Hope that might work for you.

MononJim - thanks for that Dave Barry link last week. I needed a good laugh.

Nothing new on the train front other than reading magazines. Since I think I'm finally caught on sleep (it take a couple days to get used to the schedule), I think I will set up the Kato track set in the morning and try it out.

Bob

 

[yougottawanta]

Hey All

Raining again, more rain in the forecast and forseeable future.Chloe, can I have a cupp of Joe? Yea that pots thats been cooking for a while will be great . No RRing today. Spent the morning paying bills, tax money came in, paid mostly Doc bills amazing how fast a pile of money goes! Not enough left to buy a box car . Then off to run errands, replace broken wiper blade on PU, replaced burned out bulbs, laundry, cleaning....bought some take out watched a movie with kids ,put them to bed and sit down to catch up on the forum news.

Curt- thanks,drinking a lot of fluids still.

Cuda-what year Daytonna do you have ? Do you have the eary model with the high wing , 427 hemi ?

Attaboy- hang in there. It does get better. Women can be mental. I will never forget my wife after she had to go find herself came back the day before I was to marry my current wife and informed me she had made a mistake and wanted to get back together! I looked at her like she had three heads, but kept it civil and declined. Some years later , looking back, I am thankful she is gone. She was totally a mental case.

Ulrich - how are you doing. Geez what a year you are having. Let me buy you a drink. Sorry to hear about your brothers MIL.

[howmus]

Lee,

I know William would like RIT!  It is one of the best of the best.  Very friendly and focused school.  A lot going for it.  There is a kid who is an RIT student who volunteers at the museum who has a profound hearing loss and he is doing quite well.

Do look me up if you get up this way!

73

(OK, i'm out of here.  Very early morning tomorrow.  Opening day at the museum!)

[LSWrr]

Ray, daughter is working on her Vet Tech degree now, not sure if she will go any farther as my Post 911 GI Bill runs out in 24 months.  William might go to RIT; he is deaf, has a cholera implant but needs more help than what he is getting in Macomb TWP, MI.  William wants to get a BS in Computer Science.  My GF just got her Masters in Medical Administration. Not sure what she is going to do with it.  Right now she works for the Red Cross, but that doesn’t pay a lot.