Elliot´s Trackside Diner - February 2012

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I can't see the Japanese text, just blocks with four characters in each.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Had an electrical issue with the layout. Turned on the Zephyr and pressed the button for track power. Indicator lit and got power to the track then there was a puff of smoke just under the edge of the layout and then no power to the track. Problem turned out to be a crimp-on connector that was missed when I went to all soldered wire joints. The connector had corroded inside and compromised the connection, resulting in the wire burning in two. This is a perfect illustration of why I got away from crimp-on and suitcase connectors. Even at their best they're undependable. I'm pretty sure that was the last one.

[blownout cylinder]

グッドイブニング..

そう、誰もが今夜どうです？

So, to translate that back...Good Evening

So, how is everyone tonight?

Well? 

Good!!

I definitely am feeling good tonight!!

I actually got some train time to run my choo choos...

[Seamonster]

I hope we see some pictures of our travels through Japan.  Are we going to get to ride on the Bullet Train?  And the flowering trees in full bloom in the spring (I know it's not spring yet) look so beautiful in pictures but they must be breathtaking in person, not to mention the perfume from the blossoms.  Back in the 1970s the company I worked for then sent some engineers to Japan to test equipment that the company was buying.  They came back with some fantastic stories.  I think the funniest were their stories of their searches for restaurants that served food more to their Western palates.  They weren't very adventurous when it came to food.

Blownout:  People who dump animals out by the side of the road should be . . . . . . . . . um . . . . . . I can't say it here.  That's just downright cruel and despicable.  People like that should not be allowed to have pets.

I appreciate all the kind thoughts from all of you on the death of our cat.  The other day we got a pet sympathy card with a picture of a cat on it from our vet's office with little messages and signatures from all the doctors, assistants, and all the staff who work there.  That was so thoughtful of them.

 

[Cederstrand]

jeffrey-wimberly

I can't see the Japanese text, just blocks with four characters in each.

***Jeffrey, unless you read Japanese, you're really not missing much. I don't feel like translating all of it and just skip on to what I can read. Call me lazy!

One last coffee refill, please.

I'll have to take a pic of my one and only Japanese loco to share. It's an older model with rapido couplers. A copy of the first loco I bought (myself) as a kid after working odd jobs for neighbors until I had saved enough money. It was about a 30-40 minute bicycle ride to the Hobby Store from my house.

Goats were out again today. Little bastar*s!

 Rob

[Curt Webb]

Evening All,

Been a busy day today with errands and MRR work.  I finished the front of the back hill and tomorrow I'm starting on the back side. The back side is sore from the bending over I did today.

Rob- I think those goats are Houdinis the way they are always getting loose. You would think they would stay put to keep from getting eaten.

 

 

 

 

 

Everybody have a great night.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hello from Sunny Arizona cactus country.We're having a great visit.

The UP RR line (formerly SP Sunset Line) here is very busy with lots of modern power on the trains. Usually there are 2 or 3 units at the head end and 1 or 2 units pushing from the rear.... There was a local freight train with 2 older units (looked like GP40's from a distance).

Japan! ........ Is this like a Japanese steak house this month?

Talked a little with neighbors about the collapsed bridge. I did talk with the guy who actually was on the bridge, and it was scary to him. When I saw the photos, I could tell the ship had tried to go under the wrong span. I suppose the span crashing on the pilot house may have been a clue to the captain that he was off course. ..... New bridges for the two lakes are already designed. Construction barges were already working at both lakes a few months ago doing preliminary work. It is my understanding each bridge will take 3 years to build once they start the construction. ... We traveled on the bridges regularly to Murray, Mayfield, or Paducah. I always pull off the road onto the shoulder before driving on a bridge if I see a barge coming.

Cheers.

 

 

Edit .... Record snowfall in Japan is in the news.

 

 

 

 

[saronaterry]

Hi, All!

Mailbox wars are over and I won!

Another day of 40' ladder work as we finished framing up the chimney chase. My legs are a little upset with me.

 Finally uploaded some Christmas pics. This is my son and me.

He said the worst part of Basic so far was the chemical training where you get doused with tear gas and such The best was sighting in his M-4. The SF recruits get those, the other guys get M-16s. They fire three 3 round bursts. His first3 were a little high and left. He adjusted the sight himself and the second 3 were in the 300 meter silloette. The SSGT. adjusted the sight and the next 3 were solid bullseyes that I can cover with a PENNY! ( he brought the target! ) SSGT. stated" you will be an expert marksman when I'm through with you." LOL! I asked Steve if anybody did as good, he said there was a guy from Texas and one from Virginia that "covered their holes". Wow!

 

 On the MRR front, I added a fence and some ( temporary ) cattle to the hayfield to see how it looks. What do you think?

 

 Rob, I could build one for your goats if ya want!

 

Terry in NW Wisconsin

 

 

 

 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Went to the fire dept meeting tonight. They had more on scenarios (continuation of last time) to see how much the people remembered. A few new things were added and I was able to pass on some of my knowledge and experience. These sessions aren't really like a classroom thing. Getting information from a teacher who may or may not have 'hands on' experience is one thing but getting it from someone who's been there and knows first-hand what can happen in any given situation is something else again. Having a fire scenario presented in text book fashion is OK but it's been my experience that the fire didn't read that text book. Some small change can make the situation start going south in a hurry and you have to be able to recognize it and do something about it. A text book presents it in steps of A, B, C ,D but when you're out there and it goes A, B, and suddenly R jumps in there what do you do? The teacher is NOT there and mommy and daddy aren't there to comfort you. You have to know what to do and that's why learning from a seasoned veteran is important. They've been there. But enough about that.

Time for me to call it a night. I have a doctor appointment early so I need my rest.

[Cederstrand]

Decaf coffee, please.

***Terry, CONGRATS to your son. Well done! Really like the cows in hay field. Give them a week and let's see how much they've eaten it down.  Oh, build what exactly for my goats?

Well, time for the night critter rounds. If I don't make it back on here, y'all have a good one.

Rob

[BamaCSX83]

Hey all!  I'm not MIA any longer!  Life got in the way from my online time for the past couple of months.  Things have relented and allowed me to get in here.  I did get a chance last month to glance into the window, but never got a "real" chance to catch up and actually say hey to y'all.  Just wanted to say that I'm currently working on going through the rule book for CSX so that I have a better idea how things work on the real rails through here.  I'm also still working on assembling a good roster of not only locomotives, but also rail cars. 

So we're in Japan for the month?  Wow, haven't been here before, should be awesome!

I'm probably not going to be back in here this evening as we just started the movie Courageous on the blu-ray player, so I'm going to settle in and hang out with the wife.

Night y'all!

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Just a cup of decaf for me right now Cio-Cio San.

Got the taxes done and filedl, did my grocery shopping, and did more taking apart and storing of stuff in the train room.  I have now decided to get the floor painted/sealed before I rebuild anything.  Made some temporary tracks to get the two long unit trains out of the side being worked on to the the old part of the layout.  The coal train pulled by one of the 2-6-6-2s went through the new trackage without any problem.  The Fruit train of Reefers pulled by the other 2-6-6-2 came over into the rebuild yard in the old room, and promptly started to derail all over the place.  The loco can go through one of the new turnouts sometimes, but derails every time it backs through the turnout.....  I will find and fix whatever is causintit tomorrow, I hope.

 

Have a great night, and prayers for all in need!  BTW, what is that glow in the sky over to the orth of us???

73

[cudaken]

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, Beer please, and I will take some raw fish please. Oh, cook it first.

 Ken

[Anonymous]

Good Morning!

It is icy cold up here. Nighttime "high" was 5 F in our neck of woods and it is supposed to get even lower than that in the coming days. Bad times for the homeless!

Just a couple of pictures to get a feeling for Japanese Railroading:

Only the bullet trains run on standard gauge, the remaining network is narrow gauge (3 1/2 ft.). I find Japanese trains quite impressive!

Flo, coffee and a bowl of cereals, please.

Have a good day!

[wetidlerjr]

 

Good Morning ! from Tipton IN.

 

 

:

 

 

 

[galaxy]

おはようございます  OR   Ohayou gozaimasu

GOOD MORNING!!!

Today is Thursday, February 2nd, 2012!!!

Have A Great Day!!!

[galaxy]

I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so

 

Uh oh! I think Im turning Japanese. I really think so, I wonder why?  Now that we are in Japan, that old song of days of yore has been running through my head....Had to get it out!!!

Well, except to run vaccuum and do dishes, I have nothing planned for today but to rest. I had a busy day yesterday.

Have a  nice day!!

[GMTRacing]

Ohio Gozimasen,

   Thought it was taking a long time to get to the diner even through cyber space. Japan, eh? Yeah been there too courtesy of our uncle. Mostly Okinawa with some side trips (TAD to us) to Yokosuka and Misawa. Been down with a cold or somesuch the last couple of days and just now getting back to human. Missed both the afterschool trains and museum this week but in between sleep and sneezing did get some of the micro engineering viaduct started. Tons of little tiny pieces but it seems quite strong once it's assembled (used Tenax 7R for most of it).

   Back in the shop now to catch up jobs. Catch Y'all later, J.R.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 63° and cloudy with fog and a 20% chance of rain this morning. The high will be 75° with a 30% chance of rain for the afternoon and evening. Looks like it's going to be wet all the way through to Monday.

Got a doctors appointment in a couple of hours so I don't really have time for anything else this morning. There's been a lapse in security on the layout. The wolf spider has died. In time a suitable replacement may come along. Well, see y'all later.

[inch53]

 

 

Thought I’d drop by since I hadn’t been in for a spell, Zoe can I have an irish coffee on this very foggy day please dear.

 Weathers was great yesterday sunny with a high round 55, todays supposed to be in the 50’s again an sun, a whole lot better than last year. The 1’st we started getting freezing rain by 9 pm electric was out. We got up the 2’nd an 1”+ of ice, to no electric and high wind, got power back for 2 hours, and then lost it for 6 days. It was fun trying to keep us, Jim next door and pipes warm, plus keeping toilet flushin n drinkin water. Needless to say, it wasn’t very enjoyable and Mother never wants to have another candle light romantic dinner.

Got my last and best Christmas present couple week ago,,, my grandson came home from Korea after a year. He’ll here till next Saturday then he goes to FT Bragg..

Have been kinda keeping up some with the goings on here,, but hadn’t finished any of the post I started. Seems I kept getting interrupted by kids or something else that need doing. I’ve enjoyed all the photos and projects reports that’s been posted tho.

I’ve been runnin trains most every day; helps keep the kids out of trouble for a few minutes. And workin on the layout some when granny or mommy’s home to keep the girls busy. Need to find a new AC power supply for the switches. The old one was bout wore out and I had a couple wallwarts that I was going to use, but derned if I can find them now. Oh well normal for round here.

Best get movin afore I get to windy, bout time for me to get Mother up for work [Beth’s already gone] , Leroy n KC n fed for school, Yazee will be up in a bit needing a cuppy and a dry pullup and I’m sure Roary will need a diaper and her bottle.

 Thoughts n prayers for all those in need and some days the list keeps growing. Tis good to hear of severals improving health.

[LSWrr]

Good Morning All,

 

Boy you guys are a chatty bunch this week, LOL.

 

Inch, good to see you back in the diner.

 

I wandered into the AAR Codes chat room last night to get the AAR code for Ore Jennies, very helpful group over there.

 

Curt the elevated hillside looks good, now you need about 400 JTT “branches” to finish it off. J

 

I hear the ground hog saw his shadow, but not sure how that will affect us this year since we never really had winter, more like a rough spring or fall season. Today it’s in the forties and a little wind.  Tuesday it reached up into the 60’s.  Normally by this time we have permanent snow pack on the ground and Lake Erie is almost if not completely frozen over.

[GMTRacing]

Inch,

   Good to see you drop by. #1 son lost power for 6 days in Oct with the early heavy snow so we can sympathize. Shop was only out for 5 days and some were powerless for 9 or more. Can sympathize about the mess involved as well. Good your grandson got to stop by between assignments. Once I shipped overseas, I was only able to get home once (flying on top of cargo crates on a KC135 to BealeAFB, then home from SFI and back to Clark AFB.

   Glad you're getting some "training" in as well. Have the little ones been recruited to help on the layout yet?    J.R.

[gear-jammer]

Good morning, Chloe.  I will have  a cinnamon roll with my coffee this morning.

Terry,  Congrats to your son.  Tell him thank you for his service.

Your cattle look like they just broke into the hay field. 

"Quick.  Eat fast before they see us in here!"

saronaterry

 On the MRR front, I added a fence and some ( temporary ) cattle to the hayfield to see how it looks. What do you think?

 

Later,  Sue

[Curt Webb]

Morning All,

Supposed to be 80-82 F today. I'm fixing to get started on the train back drop. I should have all  day to work on it since I did chores and errands yesterday and MOH is at work.

Terry- That is  a great looking scene. I agree with Sue please thank  your son for his service.

Lee- This is probably going to make me look stupid but JTT branches?

Everyone take care. 

[blownout cylinder]

galaxy

I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so

 

Uh oh! I think Im turning Japanese. I really think so, I wonder why?  Now that we are in Japan, that old song of days of yore has been running through my head....Had to get it out!!!

 

Well, now you got me doing that in my own head....here is the video for it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmJ-VWPDM4&ob=av2e   

----------------------------------------------

Good Morning

Currently sitting at 30F going for a high of 33F today...in the dull dull dull skies here...

Doing the grocery thing today as well as getting some tiles for the bathrooms...that will be the start of Floor Wars, London ON division, part 2   scenario we all so much

Tomorrow I will have for running some trains and seeing how the new yard at Exceda Wye is working

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

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

galaxy

I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so

Somebody has too much free time on his hands.

[Anonymous]

My camera is a Panasonic,

my notebook a Toshiba,

my stereo a JVC,

my TV a Sony,

my car a Toyota,

my trains are Kato,

I eat sushi, sashimi and tempura

I drink sake

- do you think I am turning Japanese?

I also eat pizza, but I am not Italian,

I don´t drink beer, yet I am a German,

I hate Sauerkraut, and I am still a German

my friends are US citizens & Canadians - gosh, what am I, where and what is my identity?

I feel like being lost in global space.

Good Afternoon!

Janie, how about some American Roast coffee, and a slice of that American cherry crumble pie, topped with American ice cream? Thank you.

 

[galaxy]

Sir Madog

 - gosh, what am I, where and what is my identity?

Janie, how about some American Roast coffee, and a slice of that American cherry crumble pie, topped with American ice cream? Thank you.

You are uniquely YOU.

Welcome to the great American Melting Pot!

Have some of that great American stuff!!!

 

 

No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women
No fun, no sin, no you, no wonder it's dark
Everyone around me is a total stranger
Everyone avoids me like a cyclone ranger
That's why I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so

Boy THAT would be enough to make Some people cry!

 I think I'm turning nicchuukantougou, houjin, OR nicchuukan

 

*Note: no fun intended poked at the great Japanese people!

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!! Coffee and…., ya know what, give me some of that there kaneeshewah stuff. Sounds pretty good. Thanks

Sunny, with a high near 57

Japan huh…never been there. Duffel bag sat in Kadena (sp?)for a couple days once. Myself, I was in Korea. Now I’ve been there 5 or 6 times.

Terry- Proud of your son? You should be. Tell him from a vet, HOOAH! (Ok so I said it. I always hated that when they started saying it. Considered it a cheap knock off from the Marines.) From a citizen, thanks for serving!

I see JR is in Ohio. Couldn’t find the town on the map though. Must be real small.

Inch- Good to hear things are normal for you.

Sue- Great scene!!

Floor Wars Williamsville: Phase….I lost track - Still grouting and laying tile, though the tile is laid in the kitchen. Now the “oh look an empty space to put stuff” room. Kinda cramped so it’ll take way longer to do than it should. Yesterday, due to interuptions, all day I got four tiles laid. Yup, 4.

Ya’ll have a Great Day!!!

[howmus]

Kon'nichiwa, ohayōgozaimasu,

Whatever THAT means......  Zoe, I have the Steamed Rice, Miso Soup, and whatever edible side dishes THAT comes with....  Oh, can I get a cup of dark roast coffee or two over here....?

I see THAT some of our patrons are already going completely natty already and it is only the second day here.  Lucky it is a short month I guess.  Where exactly are we in Japan, BTW?  And what is that glow on the horizon?  Kept me awake all night!  Hmmmmmmmm............

Catch you later!

73