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

[blownout cylinder]

Good Noonhour...

Had a bunch of things to wrap up for work..get paid tomorrow so we got to get some stuff picked up tomorrow as well now...I'm getting some more kits built here for the layout..

Jeff:It is too bad that they went out of business..I've started mucking around with a couple of their N scale ones here...

Ulrich: Prayers heading your way....

[BRAKIE]

Good Morning All!

Not much to report from the land of Buckeyes on this cloudy and dam0p Tursday..We had several thunderboomers to roll though here yesterday evening..Yesterday I recieved my order from TTH which contained 4 cars..3 Athearn boxcars and one Atlas (TrainMan) gon.I been wanting these cars for quite some time and decided to order them from TTH.This is the third time I used TTH and they're still slow in shipping-7-10 days but,I'm satisified and will buy from them again..

No modeling over the past 2 days but,I plan on adding KD couplers to my new cars today.

I shall have a cup and look over the forum.

Have a good'un!

[Cox 47]

Good Morning All...Its rainy and 64 here..Weather guesser on TV says temp will hold or maybe drop the PM as cool front passes...we were under Tornado waring last night but most of stuff went south of us..I'll have coffee and sweet roll please..Thank You..

Jeff nice modeling on trailors...Layout is looking good..

Ulrich You are in my prayers..

You all have a good one...Jerry

[cudaken]

Morning Dinners, yes I made it through the night.

Just got off the phone with Shaun, the store is still standing! 

 See you all later today.

              Ken

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!  (Mornin' Bill!)

THAT Biil....  Such a blabermouth!   Good to see you anyway!

Zoe, I'll have the Eggs Benedict with sour dough toast, and lots of dark roast coffee in the FGLK Mug this morning.

Might get some time today to check and see if the Model Railroad is still down cellar here at my house....  been a very hectic week.  The weather people are calling for a hig in the low to mid 80's today and the thermometer is already up to 74...  may have to start the air conditioner in a while.

Hope everyone stayed safe from THAT line of storms moving to the North East last night.  What we were in line for evidently moved North of here, but they are calling for some Severe Thunderboomers with high winds and hail today.  Hopefully nothing like what has been hitting so many other parts of the country.

Have a good one!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 75 and sunny. That high will be 84 and there's a 50% chance of rain this morning tapering off to 20-30% this afternoon.

Not much to report this morning. Yesterdays 'big' storm went by to the north of us so no rain or wind though we did get some brief power outages. The 'on, off then back on' sort of thing. At least I did get the trailers painted. Today I might get to the east side of the layout and get some trees put down.

[cwclark]

Hi guys,

      Haven't been in here much lately. Momma's "Honey Do" list keeps growing so time with the trains is very limited. I wish we would get some rain soon.we've had only a 1/4" of rain since January 25th. It's so dry here in southeast Texas that my yard is getting gaping cracks in the soil. Trying to keep the foundation wet is getting to be an everyday chore.

      Been working on a Walther's power plant kit and decided that it would look good with trains running under it.  I scratch built a huge support column with evergreen styrene I-beam and have built jigs and poured a bunch of plaster retaining walls to fit  around the structure so that it is above the rails. I just completed a jig to make tunnel portals and should be able to make the first pour tonight after work.         Have a great Memorial Day and remember those who have fallen on the battlefield in the name of freedom.....chuck

[mononguy63]

Morning, all. Flo, the belt's feeling a tighter today, so I'll go back to the lo-carb non-fat pancakes & eggs please.

Weather was fun last night. We had storms a-poppin' all around, and each one, when it appeared, had just a little bit of spin to it, which prompted yet another tornado warning. The tornado siren operator here in the city was apparently being paid by the activation, because they went off literally every 20-30 minutes for about five hours last night. And of course the local TV stations, in Full Severe Weather Serious Face Mode, were only too eager to show each little spin-up on their NextGen Accuvision SuperViper Doppler1800 radar. Made for an oddly entertaining night of television viewing. We got one episode of about quarter-sized hail at our house, and that was it. There were no actual confirmed tornadoes in Indy or any directly adjoining counties that I'm aware of.

Of course that all meant no train time again last night.

I'd like to hear how Ken & Simon fared yesterday.

later

Jim

[galaxy]

Morning all

Feeling better today, and to borrow Todd's phrase, if anybody cares.

Going to the insurance man to change the house insurance over to his company. It won't really save us any money, unless they further discount the auto insurance now but we will have better coverage. ANd that can be important. The home-owners insurance will cost us double what we pay now., Because its a mobile home, the old insurance will only insur us against loss by "finding a similar year and size trailer" as that that was lost. THe new Insurance will take into account that the newest cheapest replacement will cost about $39K, and with slab and set and fees and all that could cost up to $50k delivered to move-in condition. It was my understanding that the park shoudl be paying for the slab, but I won't argue. Our home is valued at about $8K, and a new one {which we would want} will cost at least the $39K for a 3/1.

We will do grocery shopping too. Need to. Need spring water bottles for me and tonic water for MOH. The tonic water helps keep joint pain and leg twitching down for those that suffer due to the quinine in it. Just a helpful hint. I can't use those fancy {expensive} water pitchers that supposedly filter the water as I can still taste teh chlorine which makes me nauseas and will cause me to vomit if i drink enough and i drink a LOT of water. also buying AL-U-MIN-E-UM {the "correct way to pronounce "aluminum" HAHA for use ont eh grill if I get her cleaned up and used for BBQ.

Wow its 73 in here already. TIme to turn on the A/c it ran all day yesterday as got to 85 according to our outdoor thermometer. But that IS protected by the proch wihch is sealed off with plastic covering.

Don't like the houses or prices we have been getting lately from the automated listings sender from the agent. SO no house hunting today. One house has been on market for 200 days and has not sold, FINALLY "reduced" thier price by a whole $1000.00. Whoopie! Bring out the baloons and funnel cakes to celebreate!. Is on a slab with electric heat!! no room for a layout and electric heat is "only" $165/mo budget!. Whoopie! Don't expect to find one this summer as I said, they went UP in price for prime selling season.

Well I leave you all to your own devices {dangerous I know} but have a great day!

TTYALLL8R

 

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!! Cup of dark roast and some English muffins with real butter aaaaand….., oh just bring a sampling of jam flavors. Can’t decide.

Dodged the bullet again! Actually, machine gun fire. After we spoke yesterday morning for all the green that was on the radar over us, and all the yellow and red that was taking aim at us, we only received about and additional ½ inch and nothing you'd call severe. That makes the rain total from night before last, all day yesterday and last night.., an inch. Not complaining. Luckily the nasty stuff zeroed in and then at the last second changed it’s mind and pulled off or just disappeared. Figure God just didn’t feel like it this time. I for one, appreciate it.

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then a chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 59. I could freeze.

Water was coming in the window well at mom’s house last night, so it looks like I’ll have to replace the window and run a drain out of said window well to the ditch. We keep this house much longer and it could start costing more than this old boy can afford to maintain.

Jeff- Mobile Homes are looking good!

Johnboy- WOW! That was a lot of trailers. That also is the future way of cross country truck transport and fuel costs. Load the trailer somewhere on the East Coastish area, put it on the rails to Colorado or California or wherever, pick up some along the way, drop trailers along the way like bread crumbs, pick it up with the truck, no unloading, no re loading, no handling of cargo at all. But fuel and labor (driver) saving for….how many trucks over how many miles? I see it start to catch on more and more until it'll be as common to see the trailer cars as it is to see a hopper.

Welp, I have no idea what I’m gonna get involved in today, but I’m pretty sure it won’t involve processed canned nacho cheese sauce and electric fencing. Bad combo I would think. Buuuut, according to the ”future radar” courtesy The Weather Channel DOT com, after this drizzle leaves in an hour or less, we should be in the clear for rain until about oh say 11:30. Then just a little rain for a brief time. So, I may work on the tractor. No I haven’t fixed it yet, other things keep popping up. Should go to Mom’s and check the basement, then may go to Menard’s and look at basement windows. May wait for tomorrow for that. Never know with me.

One thing about me, I’m cheap.... if you don’t mind the wait.

Ya’ll have a Great Day!!!

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning....

Chris: There is a video on wsj.com that showed a strat cast into a wall of a residence in Joplin that was found..http://online.wsj.com/video/a-grim-and-grueling-search-for-twister-victims/42A41719-BCC0-4E1A-BAF7-2A79F63E2D4C.html   .....dang scary stuff...anything can become a projectile then...

Good Morning..

We're having a rain filled, boomy day today..we did have some winds here and a few bits of hail but generally just lots of rain  last night...

Today will be a day of getting the new ceiling fan installed and doing the central ir thing as we are supposed to get into the sticky day thing in the next few days before it cools off over next week...

Flo, I'll just have a coffee for now..I'll be at the RC for a bit...

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.

[AmanaMedic]

"All of a sudden I am not so excited about my youngest Son going to Springfield Mo. for Grad School.  That is just 70 miles east of Joplin and kind of in the cross hairs as well.  Looks like it will be a long two years for Mom & Pop here worrying."

Fear not JOHNBOY, just life in the Midwest come spring and summer... What I mean is, no matter where he'd go to Grad School, Mother Nature has some way of getting him. Be it wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards, tsunamis, etc. Nature always has something up her sleeve to keep life...interesting. I saw a T-shirt once with "the Kansas state tree" on it. It was a picture of a tornado siren.This is a rough year for tornadoes...but last year, there were hardly any at all. The tragic thing is, this time around, they're hitting more populated areas. Just think though, fifty years ago, many of the twisters wouldn't have been detected, and many of the areas hit weren't as big of a target.

I guess what I'm saying, is it's all relative. Much like he'd have to learn where the exits are (at least two ways out please...) for a fire, he'll learn where to go when Nature gets uppity. Hey, at least he's not going to Oklahoma City...I forget how many dozens of times they've been hit. My parents dog-sat in Norman, Oklahoma around this time of year for the past two years while my cool Aunt and her family took a vacation. Dad said it was a near daily occurance to have the weather guessers doing aerobic exercises in front of their colorful graphics and radar displays. Last year, one evening about this same time, they had no less than FIVE tornadoes coming toward Norman. One "storm tracker," at street level, had one on a direct line to the house they were staying in. A native of northeast Kansas, Dad wasn't too badly stressed by this news. Mom (a native of southwest Iowa) was battling one of the many scorpions THAT had invaded the house. Just another day in paradise...

Heck, the room I typically stayed in at my Uncle's farm in Kansas had a board driven into the wall in the 1950s or 60s by a passing twister... We've had a number of "grim looking situations" over the past eight years with The Wife. Times when it really looked like we were going to be the featured attraction on The Weather Channel, when I'd tell her to get the critters ready to hit the basement while I pre-positioned my fire helmet and bunker coat collection so we could use them in-shelter.

Ya just learn what to look for, and where to go. Your son will be just fine.

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Evening, hope everybody is well and SAFE. In Iowa, we be getting strong gusts of wind, apparently due to the pressure system powering/moving the heavy storms down south (JIM, SIMON, CUDA KEN, et. al.). Being on the northern-most edge of the system, we've been relatively...untouched...although Sunday did bring some interesting moments in Iowa County (near my Clear Creek Amana school district) with two spinning things dropping out of the sky. Another dipped down near the Coral Ridge Mall on the west edge of Corallville and seemed to be making a direct line for North Liberty. Apparently it never touched down. THAT storm moved on toward Solon and the home of MR. BOSS and THAT EDITOR. All appears to be well, again no touchdowns reported. But, the line of storms was tornado-warned as it moved east, putting me out on storm watch up at the fire station.

ULRICH: Good luck with the re-plumbing. Try not to look at anything too...inspiring...whilst in the repair shop and on their WiFi...

Jeepers, I blathered on so much about twisty things in the sky and such, I've managed to forget what-all else I was going to say! With THAT, I'll yield the floor to you other night-hawks in the Diner.

Stay SAFE, one and all...

Chris

[howmus]

Evenin' Folks!

Janie, just a decaf for me tonight.

I had a busy day finishing some odds and ends.  Got the rest of the lawn mowed, ran the string trimmer, dug up some Sport Garlic in the garden to prepare for rototilling over the weekend (I hope), cut and brought in some Asparagus, and this evening went down to church for the meeting of the Confirmands, Adult Sponsors, and the Session of the church.  As usual all were heartily accepted into full membership.  A great bunch of High School kids in the class this year. 

After I got home I went through about 125 photos I took a week ago at the Scholarship Dinner.  Threw away the ones that were awful.....  Then processed the rest for exposure and color balance.  Cropped a bunch of them as well to find the picture within the picture.  They will soon be out put on line for the committee.

Now I think I am ready to call it a day.....  Hope all of you have a great and safe night.  Watch those storms out there (some are heading my way as well, but should be about blown out by the time they reach NYS.  They are predicting some sever thunderstorms, hail, and high winds, but nothing rotating at this point!

73

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

well Girls, before bed tonight I think I should have a big slice of BROWNIE with a double scoop of ice cream and a Dr. P. to chase.   Thanks much.     (I like my dreams in technicolor)

Won some atlas tank cars on the BAY  today and a model power flat with a couple of containers.  nothing special, but a really good price.

Thoughts and prayers are with those tonight who are in need of them.  Especially thinking of our German Buddy "Ulrich"  May  all go well and quickly for you so you can get back to Petra and us.

Also to Cape Jim and Rob who seem to be in the cross hairs tonight.  Sure hope you can duck this one.

All of a sudden I am not so excited about my youngest Son going to Springfield Mo. for Grad School.  That is just 70 miles east of Joplin and kind of in the cross hairs as well.  Looks like it will be a long two years for Mom & Pop here worrying.

For those of you who are the insomniacs, instead of counting sheep as you usually do, here is a video of a roadrailer that you can count the number of cars on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i2icAKhBTE            ( can't get it to be clickable tonight-- Sorry)

Do you think that those trailers are built different than an ordinary trailer.  Seems to me that they must be as the one first in line are sure using their internal strength to pull the rest.  Or am I missing something here??

Take care and sleep well all.

Johnboy out............................................for now, and off to ZZZzzzland

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Curt Webb

Man is this slow tonight.

Amen to that! I've seen more activity at a 24 hour dance-a-thon in the 22nd hour.

Sounds like we have a storm rumbling around down here. It's that or the guys at Ft Polk are REAL active today.

[Curt Webb]

Man is this slow tonight.

Ulrich- Winging prayers your way for a successful operation and a speedy recovery. 

Everyone have a great night.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff, excellent job on those mobile homes (and great choice on the paint for 'em). Any plans for interior or additional outside details for those?

Not at this time but I'm sure I'll come up with something. As for the paint, like I said, it's latex mostly, some satin. Mistints I pick up at Lowe's for a buck or two. I have some strange colors but I've seen some prototype paint jobs that have some strange ones too, so anything goes.

[simon1966]

Ulrich, good luck this morning.  Just remember that when you are on the operating table you are in one of the safest places that you can be!  There are so many people looking out for you.  The most dangerous part of the next few days will be the drive home!!

Today's batch of storms have passed by Maryville and Troy Illinois, so hopefully Cudakens house is still standing so we can have a fun DCC troubleshooting hour or two.   My goal is to leave Ken in better shape than when I arrived, in contrast to the last time I visited!!  And Ken, I might just have to join you in a beer to keep me going!!

[JimRCGMO]

Afternoon/Evening, Chloe - I'll have a bowl of chili, grated cheese on top, and a turkey sandwich please, with a Rio Grande mug of coffee. Thanks!

Ulrich, will be keeping you and your medical team in my tonight and tomorrow. Now, you do realize that they likely won't let you use the WiFi during your operation, right? So no live posts to Facebook or such... Good to hear you will be able to connect up from your room afterwards, though, as you said.

Welp, CudaKen, Todd, Garry (from KY/but now in AL), Jeff, MononJim, and others near the mid-country - keep a close eye on your weather tonight (and those in the Southeastern US like Rob, Sawyer, Ryan, Bama and all our other Diners thataways (as we might say)). SE Missouri is under tornado watch until late tonight, and I understand that some have been saying to sleep in the cellar tonight (kinda hard to do in my apartment building, however). So far - from the radar images I've been pulling up on the 'puter/gizmo - the really nasty stuff is west of Cape County, and tracking to the northeast (about 5 or 10 degrees from north) on the main movement (but slowly edging east, so we ain't out of the woods yet, as they say. Rob, if this holds up long enough to reach your area, you may have more tin to hunt down/pick up. Prayers for all along this front's path, as one area a couple of counties west (at the time) had some of that 'multiple vortex' storm coming through (like what they say hit Joplin, MO). (Definitely say some prayers for those along THAT storm's path, for the storm to wear itself out before it gets to major population areas east of us). Our weather folk here are saying that once the front moves through, it won't be any major thing (AFTER the front goes through, they said...). So a good time to 'hunker down' and maintain that definite low profile.

to the Diner, Michigan Bob and Minn.Gary (Weighmaster) Though I think, Gary, that you've been by the Diner previously, if I'm not mistaken, right? Anyway, both of you have a mug of your favorite beverage on me.

Jeff, excellent job on those mobile homes (and great choice on the paint for 'em). Any plans for interior or additional outside details for those? I've been thinking about how to detail the kits I have - got the W-S 'Assorted mailboxes' kit (which has one of those country type, five or six mailboxes-on-a woodpole), and I've started the 'office', plus I have the kit with the push and riding mowers for the 'maintenance guy'/manager of the trailer park...My time living off-base near Memphis when I was in the Navy is proving helpful in unexpected ways now.

Todd, I thought Labrador Retrievers were like the exact opposite of bath towels - they shake themselves and everything else around them gets wet! On the NuComp window frame thickness, I guess one could file those down (though the window sizes might then be overlarge...).

Okay, I'm back now - was at the local WiFi and we were looking to see if everyone had to go back into the walk-in cooler (we didn't wind up having to go). Lots of rain, but I didn't see any hail - though at least the car got a good washdown. But there were some nastier parts of this storm (in that area west and a bit north compared to Cape G.) where they did have a twister come by. Check your local radar and weatherguessers, Diners.

I'm going to have a refill on my coffee, please, Chloe, and a hot fudge sundae to celebrate my 'near-miss-with-the-twister' (Hey, any excuse for a hot fudge sundae, eh?

[Edit}: Oh man, Barry - I think THAT movie was the very first I recall seeing (probably saw others, but the first I recall by name) when I was younger. (Almost) Looked up, and the first wouldn've been "The Incredible Shrinking Man"(1957) and maybe the next after "The Fly" (1958) would've been "On the Beach"(1959)....All of them guaranteed pick-your-mood-uppers, right?

Prayers for all those east of us as this front moves along, as well as for Ulrich's bypass (& recuperation-to-beat-all), and for those cleaning up tomorrow and the next few days as needed.

 

Blessings,

Jim in (now less windy or rainy) Cape Girardeau

 

[Packer]

Afternoon guys

Not doing much. Cleaned off my workbench yesterday and did repairs to a few cars. Found a source for BN covered hopper decals. SO I can take my inaccurate athearn BB hoppers and make them accurate. Said source also has autorack decals, so my derilect DRGW rack (paint is beat up, numbers and data are missing, but the build date is in the 90s) can become BN

Picked up my mother from the hospital today. No one told me she was going in for surgery, so I found out after it happened. She's still a bit groggy and slow to get around but she should be back to normal in a few.

Jeff, Intresting looking mobile homes.

 

[blownout cylinder]

 I already have a tornado path of destruction on my layout...it's called a Sweetpea...my sisters cats I am now babysitting while she's off on a trip...she discovered the layout and spent part of the afternoon bugging some people in Williston....

I'm now doing up some more plantings around my layout...wheeeee!!!   

Chloe, I'll have a giant quadruplex burger platter and a tub of RBF please...I'll be at the corner booth...

[Cederstrand]

Coffee in a SUNNY SOUTHERN mug, please.

***Jeffrey, it's good to see some moblie/modular homes populating your layout.

We have some wicked ideas for creating a tornado "path of destruction" on my layout. I probably won't get to it this year, but it's good to hear her bringing up ideas for it.

For those in the path of todays storms, stay safe!

I've given up on finishing the roofs before storms hit tomorrow. Whether it's the disease or the treatments, I'm just to beat down to push it right now. 

Been running errands today. Need to go put out some hay now.

Cheers! Rob

 

[cudaken]

 Afternoon fellow dinners!

 Flo Big Boy Sub and a tender of fries and a please. Also a for Ulrich by IV.

 Big news so far today is yet more tornadoes heading are way. They have seen rotation in the storm front about 30 miles from me and the front is heading my way.

 Ducks Yep we now have ducks in the in ground swimming pool? Hope they are just visiting, my wife is afraid to let the Irish Wolfhound because the ducks may attack the Wolfhound? They maybe just Ducking the storm front!  

 Train Front Trains Mo Jo seem to be back. No derails for a day now and the Bachmann E-Z is doing fine. I sure hope Simon 1966 can figure out what demons have infested my Digitrax system.

 Got a Conversation from Ulrich Today and he is amazed that there are so many generous people here on this side of the pound, that German people are to selfish to help other people. Had to point out to him he lives in Germany, so he was wrong. There are nice people in Germany. God Speed buddy and looking forward to seeing you back in the dinner!

           Ken

[HHPATH56]

Hi Sir Madog, I was wondering if you could take a laptop to the hospital, or that you would have access to a hospital computer. As you say,"It will keep you from having bad thoughts". I had my right knee replaced Jan 28th, and spent three days in the hospital recovery room and then 20 days in a very pleasant Rehab Center. Total "out of pocket" expense to me was $485. As i recall, one doesn't stay hospitalized for that long with bypass surgery. Incidentally, I live in Hamburg ...Hamburg Michigan USA,that is. Bob Hahn

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The two larger mobile homes (NuComp Miniatures) are done for now.

First a 12x58.


Second a 14x68.

[Anonymous]

Just me!

I have arrived at the hospital and just got my notebook up and running. Surgery is scheduled for 10 am tomorrow and I guess I will be out of order for at least two days. I will report back as soon as possible. I am really glad they have a WiFi hotshot I am allowed to use - keeps me from having bad thoughts.

See you!

[Cox 47]

Howdy all...Looks like more bad weather coming in here...TV just put us under Tornado watch...Had alittle rain blow thru but sun is back out now....

Ran some trains this morning and worked on box car for MOW train..

Got my new lift chair ordered..should be here in about 3 weeks...factory is in Kansas City and it has to be built to specs..

You all have a good one...Jerry

[blownout cylinder]

Ray said..The blood testing is underway.  Started last night just before bedtime....  113.  Not too bad.  Got up this morning and took it and it was 143!  ???????  Thought it was supposed to go down with a 12 hour fast???  I dunno.

mmmm...mmm..wait until you check them after you've eaten..usually I do this about 2-3 hours after I've eaten, then just before you eat again...I get the surprise..hey! It went up before I eat!! thing...

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Flo, I'll have a short stack of buttermilk pancakes, lots of real maple syrup, and  side order of bacon to keep the cholesterol up where  I can see it.  Oh need a mug of dark raost coffee to wash it down with.....

The blood testing is underway.  Started last night just before bedtime....  113.  Not too bad.  Got up this morning and took it and it was 143!  ???????  Thought it was supposed to go down with a 12 hour fast???  I dunno.

Barry, love the photos you put up in here!

My prayers go out to all who are in harm's way today.  Looks like it could be another rough day for storms!  Also prayers going across the big pond to Ulrich for a successful surgery and a quick recovery!

Best get to w*rking on the lawn!

Later!

73