Elliot´s Trackside Diner - February 2012

[galaxy]

Wa Sa Bi

GOOD MORNING!!!

Today is Saturday, February 11th, 2012!!!

The weekend is Here!!! Hoo Ray!!!

[cudaken]

 Hello Fellow Dinners!

 Flo, Beer Please and I will pay the tab tonight!

 House Front, Todd what are you doing next Friday? Yep, the Illinois Hardest Hit Program has came through for us and is paying $19,520.00 on the house note. I will be in Springfield Friday to sign the paper work. For the newer dinners the reason I am so far behind is because of the way Bank Of Stupid handled my home loan when they took it over 3 years ago? Guess it was that long ago. They reduced my payment from $872.00 to $480.00 for 16 or so months, then went Surprises We Want $17,000.00 Now Thank You!

 While I have other worries about the coming help, I will save that for a later post. For now I going to take the help at face value.

 Bob Thanks for the links! I do scan U Tube everyday all most for newer EM 1 videos. Sound is a little weak from what I have heard. Sounds like a snare drum when it comes to the chuffing sounds. I think it is the fact it only has a 1 inch speaker and not the decoder. If I can skip this coming house payment, I will have one of the EM 1's next week. If I can I will contact Ulrich Models about a better speaker first.

 http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/StoreFront

 Steve knows is stuff (Owner) and is top shelf as far as bending over backwards to make things right!

  Latter folks.

                            Ken

[GMTRacing]

  Good Evening All,

 I know I've been remiss stopping in but between the shop and making up for being sick last week it's been fraught. Both my trailers flunked annual DOT inspection, one had a cracked cross member and the other had bad brakes on one axel. I now have the trailer up on blocks and all 6 wheels off while I replace all 6 brake sets and turn the drums. Better safe than sorry especially as it will go to Fla in a couple of weeks. Based on wear not all the axels are working the same so I have that to figure out as well. At least the cars we're taking are in good shape and on schedule. I did get the leaks stopped at the house by digging out the old grout and sealant and starting over on both tubs. This along with fixing the cross threaded compression fitting seem to have done the trick.

   I love the pics you guys are posting. I especially like the subway pics and the look of Curts' trackwork.

 Ulrich - how are the modules coming? Did you ever solve the space/configuration problems?

Bob and Ken - I love the way the articulateds' look but except for a borrowed MEC 2662, the New Haven never used them.  My loss I guess.  Ken - hope some change for the better comes your way. I must be tiring being there in that situation all the time. Even if you get canned (bearer of bad tidings and all) it's better than no change.

 Jeff - sounds like you have a good handle on your latest escapade. safety switches are over-rated.

Ray - Nice haul on the patches. I lost all mine in the house fire save for a couple of neckerchiefs. Yeah, I used to do the scout thing too up to being a scoutmaster for a short time before I was drafted then a cub scout program at a local elementary school before we were shut down for being not politically correct enough.

Curt - On most northeast railroads, the yards and a lot of the sidings built by the roads were done in cinders and slag. The yard in Danbury is cinders and a bit of trap rock.

  On the layout front I have been beavering away on the viaduct and the river basin it crosses. Not much else - tons of tedious little bits to figure out but it shoud look good with the Beichenstaller bridge in the backround at a higher level both crossing the same basin.

   Back into the shop tomorrow to see how much more I can get done on the brakes (supposed to snow and of course the trailer is outside).   Catch y'all later, J.R.

[Stourbridge Lion]

Ray, those are some fine looking patches, very cool! 

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

what a great gift Ray,

Talk about killing two birds with one stone.  Railroading and Scouting. 

I bet you were surprised.

ROB,  We want you to take better care of yourself.   I know it is difficult under the circumstances, but stop pushing so hard.  The animals need you and we want you here for the long haul.

I wish I was closer I sure would like to help you out.

Barry,  I feel for you.  Even though I have only had one water heater let go and put about an inch of water onto the basement floor, I know what a pain it is in repairing drywall and insulation etc. as well as any goods on the floor that have to get trashed.   Good luck with that.

Good night JEFF,

Good Morning Tipton Bill and Galaxy and Ulrich.

Sleep well and sweet rail dreams to all others.

Johnboy out,.............................................on three days off  

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Janie, I could use a cup of decaf and a small slice of the pecan pie over there on the counter.  Yes, just a sliver...  Not THAT small, double that and you got it right.  Sheesh!

I have had an interesting day today.  I'm going to grab a seat by the stove in back, If you want you came join me and I will tell you about it.....

An old Scout friend of mine, a gentleman who has been the Camp Chaplin on a few occasions and spent several weeks on commissioner staff with me over the years, gave me a call out of the blue this afternoon.  He asked where I live.  Told him , "In a House on a street in Geneva...."  He knows me so he wasn't offended at all.  I asked, Why?  He said he was going to be driving to Geneva to go to the old Scout Service Center just outside of the city and to meet him there at 2:15PM.  He said he had something he thought I might be interested in and it was about trains.  Of course I was thinking somebody sold off an old toy train set or something and he picked it up at a garage sale and wanted me to give it a good home or something.  (I have had that happen several times....)  Nope, he had a patch for me he had gotten....  I drove the half mile over to the Service Center and went inside, and he and the new District Executive walked out to the counter where I was standing.  The guy grinned and pulled this out of an envelope.....

This is a backpack patch from National Jamboree in 2010 from Three Fires Council (Northern Illinois)!  It measures 7.5 inches across flat side to flat side.  I was floored!  Then..........  He pulls out a small plastic bag and inside there are 6 more patches for me!  These are pocket patches to be worn as a temporary patch on the Field Uniform for Scouts....  One for each of the 6 Fallen Flags that used to serve the area!  They fit on each flat side of the main patch to complete the entire design.

I was speechless!  Although he intended it as a gift to me, I will be taking some of my patch collection to the next Commissioners Roundtable to let him have his choice of several......  Patch trading is an old Scout Tradition.  He told me he traded at a patch site online for them.  The owner had 2 complete sets and decided to part with one of them for several other patches. 

WOW!

Later!

73

[blownout cylinder]

Good Evening...

Well, it has been one of those days of not getting a lot of things done.. ..as it turned out to be another one of those brokenpipeville kind of days..except said broken pipe occured behind us..with all its water running into our back yard and into our multiyard lake...

So, here we were watching our sump pump going at 15 second cycles as water started to seep...yes...I said seep into our basement from one of the window wells that caught some of the dang stuff

I'm going to go to the corner booth to sit and mope...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Howdy ...

Just got back from Nashville, TN where I had appointments at the Vanderbilt heart clinic. So far, they have done a great job enabling me to have a nearly normal life as well as saving my life. The doctor told me today my implanted device is approaching an end to its battery life, and I can expect surgery to replace it in about a year.

Rob ... Look out for coyotes!

I was scrolling through here and some some nice layout photos from Curt, Lion, and Terry. I see Jeff is busy again with Sundown Shops doing some "patching". I see a lot of Diners ahve posted including Ken, Alvie, and many others, and that is good. Keep on posting, everybody. Have Lee and JimCG been here this  week? Also, what's up with the MIA's?

I just posted pictures in WPF of activity in the City of Heartland. I plan to work more on the downtown area this weekend.

[Cederstrand]

The House Special, please. And a mint tea while waiting.

***Lion, I would have guessed India, although can see NY city as well. You've captured it well on you layout.

***Terry & Curt, really enjoyed your layout pics. Excellent work guys!

Long, exhausting day. Plum tuckered out. Have a good night all.

 Rob

[Curt Webb]

I see that I have top of the page. I gave my CC to Flo so everyone eat and drink up.

[BroadwayLion]

The photos were taken in New York City.

Here are some that I took on my own layout.

[Curt Webb]

Evening All,

Just got done with supper. I'm watching the news and MOH is cutting coupons. I made a appointment with the Dermatologist in 2 weeks for a spot on my back that MOH says is growing. Ran a K4s consist pulling reefer cars for awhile today after I cleaned track. I was surprised the track wasn't as dirty as I thought it was.

Yesterday when my son was helping me fit the framework he knocked over my Diesel loco storage box, he caught it before it hit the ground so I didn't think anything about it. Today when I got my FP-7 that I use for pushing the CMX car I saw the front coupler was broken. Do you want to guess how many couplers I replaced today. I believe it was 6. At least I already had the couplers.

Lion- With those colors and lush greenery it looks like the picture is from Asia or maybe India..

 

 

 

Hope everyone has a good night.

[saronaterry]

Hi, all! 10 and cold sun. Wind is still strong.

Worked on some structures. Looks like Smith & Sons picked up some work:

Tried out the loaded unit train. Only 8 cars so far but they really track well now:

 

DerJohn, check your e-mail.

Keep the photos coming,guys! It's neat to see what everyone's doing. 1000 words and all that!

Terry in NW Wisconsin

 

 

[cats think well of me]

Just woke up from a nice afternoon nap thanks to the cat who's now sleeping on me. 

Bob, nothing like fire in the belly to start the day! I like that idea, but I'm going to grab a few videos to bring for baby-sitting. Leaving the models at home, but I see a National Geographic video "Love Those Trains" sitting on my wall. I liked that as a kid and hope the boys I'm hanging out with tonight will like it too. 

I spent an extra 2.5 hours at my personal care job, I didn't ask too, it just happened that way and worked out for the better. But while at the coffee shop I talked to a friend about another job possibility, though that's all relative these days, with a local school doing some after-school program staffing/coordinating stuff. I'll be happy to post some pics of the X29s once they're done. I have seven, three in the common circle keystone paint, two REA and two in Merchandise Service lettering. Plus two in N&W lettering.

Alvie

[Cederstrand]

Coffee refill, please.

***Roar, some very interesting architecture in your pics.

Paying for an active yesterday, no energy at all. Will be in the booth next to the stove awhile. 

UPDATE: Had just put on my ankle brace and walked out the front door when I saw a goose being attacked, by a lone coyote in broad daylight. I ran down (as best I can these days) shouting obscenities and as I got close, grabbed a BIG stick and large rock, ready for battle. It let go and took off as I got within 25' or so. My lungs already burned from the short run, so followed it at a walk until out of sight. Looks like the goose will survive, but now I'm out for coyote blood. Will start wearing a sidearm again while out on the farm. Now I'm coughing again.

Rob

[BroadwayLion]

LIONS with Cameras...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well. I was going to run the wires for the switch today but the weather isn't cooperating. It'll have to wait til tomorrow. At least I have the tools together, most important of which is the meter to be used to isolate the ignition wire on the relay.

[BroadwayLion]

bogp40

Good morning, Chloe I really need a strong coffee to start with...

Lion:  So how you handling all that snow out there. We've been quite lucky here in Boston. Last year we were hammered storm after storm.

 

Eh? Snow... All of about 3/4" It's windy, but not enough snow to make drifts: it just gets caught in the grass. Now the last three years the snow was up to the roof line on some buildings, but not this year.

MUSICAL CHAIRS:

We just got 125 new chairs for our dining room. So yesterday we moved the old chairs to the west door (you know, the one by the STAIRS!), and at 0700 this morning the truck shows up with 125 beautiful cherry wood chairs made by the Amish in Indiana. (The chairs were a gift from a benefactor). Later today we took the old chairs (you know the kind: metal school desk chairs from the 1950s or so) down to the North Lounge (below the dining room) and put these in a store room there, but took about 100 or so similar chairs (in unrefurbished condition) out the back door and stacked them in a trailer. They will be taken (are being taken as I write this) to the gymnasium warehouse. ☺

Of course these only replace the chairs that are set out for guests, we have different chairs at our own tables, heavy oaken chairs that we made ourselves about 80 years ago. They are sturdy and solid, and the seat is quite a bit taller than one would expect. They are also 80 year old, but we keep them and our tables in good repair. And we *like* them.

The new chairs are the first (and easiest) step in remodeling the dining room. A new ceiling, and a new sound system are also in the works.

And no, an air compressor is not part of our decor.

 

ROAR

[howmus]

Ohayōgozaimasu!

Zoe, Coouple eggs over easy and an English Muffin (you did find some real butter I hope...) and a cup or 3 of dark roast coffee.  I'll be in the front booth watching the trains going by.

Chilly and gray outside this morning.  Currently 31°F outside on its way up to 38° later.  Need to get the wood stove fired back up.  Looking at a few of something we call flurries around these parts over the weekend.  No accumulation of "white stuff" expected.

Todd, I usually get along well with most folks, and get at least tolerated by everyone........  My off the wall sense of humor does get me in trouble at times.  I sent an email to an office a few days back that was written in my sarcastic (sourcaustic) style after a bad day of trying to get some things accomplished asking them to please list all the people and any hoops I still need to jump through to get a simple task accomplished....  It got forwarded to the guy who had to do the task for me, and I got a really nasty email calling me some rather not nice things back.....  I must have stepped on the dog's tail on THAT one.  I send an apology back and explained why I had gotten sarcastic and that he was not in any way who I was directing it at.  If he knew me, I'm sure he would have seen the smile behind the words.  I do tend to see the humor in most situations, but never learned to keep my mouth shut!

Jeffrey, good luck getting the starter problem fixed on the vehicle.  Sounds like what you have in mind ought to do the job.  Hope there hasn't been any damage to the starter.

I have a couple errands to do today, but then can spend some time "improving" the cellar for the trains.

Later!

73

[bogp40]

Good morning, Chloe I really need a strong coffee to start with...

Today is suppost to be the pick of the week- getting up almost to 50. Snow moves in tomorrow AM (3-6")  then that Artic blast will take over for the weekend. Better finish up the intake project on the Olds. Found the problem yesterday and needed a new plenum. EGR sleeve burned holes right through the plastic to the coolant passages. No wonder the lower aluminum intake was full to the top w/ antifreeze. Cars don't mind a bit of "water" injection, but this is making it a V6 water pump.

Gallaxy: I know what you mean when w**k schedule messes w/ your sleep, used to HATE working on restaurants and other commercial projects where you do the "Graveyard". When it's not a permanant thing you still try to fight daytime sleeping. I found that leaving the washer lid open will help stop any mildew and better to let the tub dry out. I know what you mean about machines running in a closet supported on the plywood floor. When I build those 1st floor laundries besides insulating all the walls, always try to place on a tiled closet  and or use a dense rubber mat. Some codes require these to be placed in a pan. That's when you build a 2x4 ft and back curb and pad under the pan itself. The machine can only move and bang the drier.

Todd:  The so called jobs/ economy turnaround is more political propaganda, I find even my "Wealthy" high end w**K customers have come to a screeching halt. Only one Pool/ deck job but not 'til April. What's the compressor doing in the dining room? I know Jeff should take it easy for now, was hoping MOPAR Ken would give his opinion on the sw. Bypassing a bad or shorting sw w/o totally disconnecting from the circuit could cause all sort of other probs. Hope Jeff can have someone crawl under the van. Did you get a free standing slide in for the stove, most of the counter height glass tops don't have enough "min" leg adjust to accomadate the added flooring. I have to cut or remove the legs when there ends up up less than 35 1/2". This is even more trouble w/ thinner granite tops. This is why when I install cabinetry on subfloor and having a finish floor more than 5/8", I need to raise the cabs by furring strips to cab sides when installing. Even some of the high end DW don't have that min clearance too. That masonry dust sure does get to you after a while. You think that after all the years doing this that it wouldn't bother me, Nah, all the high alcali products even demo old plster kills me, even using a mask.

Jeff: You must be feeling much better. If you're not sure if the trans sw is disconnected when you do that bi-pass @ the relay, just disconnect the wiring from the sw. This should only be temp as you know you will loose backup Lts and start in gear. By not loosing the trans wiring you still could have problems especially in Rev. as the IGN #1 circuit will still run to the sw.  That's quite funny, some of these young guys have no clue about some of that old stuff. Kinda like asking for a standard suspension part and they ask if you have AC or automatic.

Alvie: Wow, you sure like a "Firery" breakfast. If that little guy is old enough, bring some train stuff, (couple of junkers),  might keep him occupied for a while.

Sue: Can't wait to see the car shop when done, the rest of the layout is looking very nice.Good luck to you and staff today, sounds like a long day....

Lion:  So how you handling all that snow out there. We've been quite lucky here in Boston. Last year we were hammered storm after storm.

GARRY: Job situation still same- nothing. Seen some of your nice layout work lately. your entitled to a break once in a while.

Ken: Been waiting a long time for someone to produce the EM-1 in plastic, could never afford it in brass, and w/o serious tweeking the brass doesn't run that great. I had pre ordered when announced, but w/ w**k and $$$ didn't think I would ever get it. My kids got together (they know the LHS owner also) and surprised me w/ it for Christmas. This loco has been talked about all over the B&O crowd, Many online stores have it available well under $300, I have even seen it for $220. This is of coarse w/o sound module  http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,18857.0.html This forum explains much about it and the sound itself. Many don't like the Bachman sound module and feel the Tuasami 1000 w/ heavy steam better reproduces the articulated chuff and the B&O "Hooter". The link also gets into solving any issues w/ running on tight radius (which you have) Great detail picks and info about the EM-1     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwsEYgHX6Og&feature=related  Have you checked out Jeff's Neut safety sw trouble. Think he's on right track, but if all linkage/ jacket is not worn to death, the sw should be the culprit.

Rob: Would another pour of water work w/o having a redo, might bring water level to work w/ the overflow pipe.

Everyone, have a great day. Warming up outside now, need to get back to that Olds intake. Should be running today.

 

[Cederstrand]

Strong coffee in a  UNION PACIFIC  mug, please.

Ended up doing a lot of work on the little beast yesterday. Looks like the most important project will be a do-over.  Set the pond overflow pipe a bit to high.

Tomorrow the high will be in the 30s. Perhaps I should have started work on that tile base for a wood stove. It will be a cold week ahead.

Have a good day all.  Rob

 

[Stourbridge Lion]

Good Morning Modelers!

It's 19F and Sunny here at 5280+ and they still say we will see some snow on Saturday.  Things at least melted enough yesterday that when I got home I was able to break away part of the road ruts in front of the house.

[Southern Traction & Power]

Going to pickup my grandson about 3:30 today for his weekend visit. We will probably start building the control panel for the Rico Yard.

Got a E-mail from All Electric saying there is some problem with payment for my order. Boy that is a bummer, will try to get it straight today.

jerrold

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Curt Webb

Jeff- Good luck with the van but you seem more than knowledgeable to fix it.

I have many years of experience, especially on older ones like mine.

I took it to one of the auto parts places in town to have the alternator output checked. I was having a hard time keeping a straight face watching the guy trying to find the voltage regulator and then a port he could connect his computer to. The regulator was right in front of him on the firewall but in this modern age with the regulator in the alternator it was like he was trying to see an elephant through a microscope. As for a connection port, I couldn't help him. There isn't one.

[Curt Webb]

Morning All,

Sitting here drinking coffee looking through the site. Should be a lazy day with not much planned. MOH authorized (I always ask) the purchase of the Miller PRR flashing Billboard which I have been looking at for a year. It looks like I will mount it on top of the meat packing  pllant..

Ken- I hope things look up for you soon at work.

Todd- Good  luck on the stove hunting expedition. If YOH is like mine she has already made up her mind and this is a formality.

L&N- I have been looking at yard pictures and they are mainly black (especially with steam) with mostly bare ground and some weeds.

Alvie- When you get your X-29 box cars done shoot us a picture. 

Jeff- Good luck with the van but you seem more than knowledgeable to fix it.

Everyone take care.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 45° and mostly cloudy with a small cave-in at one end of the culvert at the turn onto the main dirt road. The high will be 57° and there's an 80% chance of rain. That should help clear the culvert.

Well I thought I was going to have to go in search of a heavy duty push-button or rocker switch to fix the random tripping of the starter relay on my van. I'm pretty sure now that's being caused by a fault in the steering column and I'm not changing THAT out again unless I absolutely have to. Thanks to a suggestion from Todd (Tmarsh) I've found the switch I need and it's already in the dash. The siren switch in my old police air horn. It's more than heavy enough and what thief (who would want to steal a rough looking thirty-one year old van?) would think to TURN ON a siren to start a vehicle? Come to think of it that would be down-right comical to watch. If the weather cooperates I can do that today. If not it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Increasing clouds this morning with periods of snow this afternoon..about an inch expected through the day..then tonight..up to 6" of fresh snow as a cold snap settles into the area...tomorrows high? 13F...with a windchill that will make it feel like 2F....

Today is take Audrey out for an early Valentine's scenario..as my Valentine's day will be spent at various doctor appointments and other such like events....

Todd:  Well, as it is/was I managed to mix just the right amount of the dang stuff to do this bathroom ...I do believe I shall use the premix with the next bathroom...

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

[gear-jammer]

Good morning, Chloe.  I will have my NP special, please.

The CD came for the NP class C two-story depot.  I can't wait to finish my scratch built car shop so I can move on to that.

No relaxing today.  At work, the staff has volunteered to do a free day.  Looks like a 7 hour day with no breaks.  What was I thinking?

Later,  Sue

[Anonymous]

galaxy

 

Sir Madog:

 

Good Morning -

- from sunny Germany!

 

 

ULRICH...you mean you got SUN???? What's that?

Yup, it is sunny, but still icy cold,  - 6° C. It´ll get warmer the next days, but lots of snow is expected.