Elliott's Trackside Diner - July 2012

[JimRCGMO]

Evenin', Flo, I'll have a Dr. Pepper and some cheesey fries, please. Just because...

Vincent, all the more kudos, if those are the same ones you were fiddlin' with a while back. They have improved several notches! So you have a shoe-chewing dog, eh? Better make sure to wipe them off after w**k, maybe your dog smelled some drippings from a sandwich on them. Or is your dog pretty young still? I know that pups at times like something to chew on. Maybe put something that doesn't taste good on your shoes (like borrow Jeff's bottle of 'daBomb' and put a drop of THAT on 'em...) Nah, better not - I don't know what kinda damage that that stuff might do to a dog's stomach.

Sam, I take it that you have several containers to go with that Mi-Jack already, yes? Read the directions very carefully, and with the parts sprues in hand, so you are sure which part it's calling for at each step. (Voice of a couple of less-than-great experiences speaking...).

Barry, maybe it's some other guy named like you who I'm thinking of (who gobbles whole plates of quad-burgers...)... Yep, must be!

Sounds like some of our Eastern Diners are getting the front. From our weatherguesser tonight, looks like this front will be 'backwards' for us North-of-the-Equator types (coming from east to west). But that's more due to the jet stream sliding down from NOTB (on a diagonal that starts dipping south, beginning with the Eastern U.S. We had a severe thunderstorm warning north a ways of us early this evening, and when they did the storm-tracking thing for which cities/towns were in its path, they drew it from the storm to the west/northwest (reverse of our usual tracks that we see). At least some people will have a chance at some rain from this front to water some gardens and farms.

Kohn, to the Diner (and Jeff already did report the paintball incident to his local sheriff. Have a beverage on me, and sit a spell - tell us about your RR/layout/dreams for same. (Like, do you follow a particular RR prototype/freelance, time period/era, scale, etc.).

Packer

Ray, I would have perferred a GN/NP 4-6-6-4, 2-8-8-4, or some other mallet/articulated from the Hill Lines, but one can't really choose what they get for cheap. Besides, the only available GN Challenger is worth about half of my Mustang, lol.

So Vincent, if your dog hadn't have eaten half your shoes, you maybe could have got that Challenger?

Jeff, that sounded like a good birthday dinner (plus your 'birthday' presents...). Rest up tonight, maybe you'll get some rain on your room for a lullaby.

Hey, Ken, post a photo of your Get Well Caboose - you have me intrigued there! Sounds neat, though. (And yeah, I can recall that KOT'ing phrase, too...)

I went home during the middle and afternoon part of the day, through suppertime. Today I ordered a decal numbering set from Accurail, for the ATSF reefer cars that I got. The Accurail 8500 series (plug-door) reefer cars reminded me of a Branchline boxcar kit I had put together. The doors were molded with the sides, but then you glue on the ends (look a bit like Dreadnought or such), which have four pins on the inside that go into four holes in the ends of each car. I'll see about assembling at least one of those tomorrow afternoon, after church.

Today I also put my remaining Arizona Rocks & Minerals scenery/ballast into the jars that I got in. Lee tipped me off to the jars, which are pretty much dead-ringers for the ones Woodland Scenic uses for their ballast or turf or foliage stuff. Not a lot of other MRR stuff done today.

Think I'll see about heading for home and catch a few 's (unless the w**k cell goes off,,,)

 

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape G.

[cudaken]

 Evening Folks

 Flo, Ice Water pleases.

 It is hot in the house! Garage / Train / Snake room is a little cooler.

 Simon, Andrew and Crisp came by today and ran the layout. All wise enjoy it when Simon son's come over. They brought me a Get Well Caboose, Up Bay Window with Trucking On Down The Track logo. Boy that dates me, I remember when Keep On Trucking was popular!

 See you all Sunday.

        Ken

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Thanks everybody for the birthday wishes. Their appreciated.

Time for me to call it a night. Just got back home a little while ago. Got stuck here earlier today by a storm and no internet service. Later I went with my parents to do some shopping. I got a bottle of 91% alcohol, a package of socks, a pack of T-shirts and a pack of underwear. My father paid for it. That was my birthday gift. I had dinner at their home tonight. Steak, succotash, collard greens, shoestring potatoes, cornbread. Excellent meal. I helped clean the kitchen afterward. See y'all tomorrow.

[Packer]

Sam, I work at a chain restaruant.

Ray, I would have perferred a GN/NP 4-6-6-4, 2-8-8-4, or some other mallet/articulated from the Hill Lines, but one can't really choose what they get for cheap. Besides, the only available GN Challenger is worth about half of my Mustang, lol.

[howmus]

Evenin folks!

Janie a tall glass of unsweetened Ice Tea would fit the bill tonight.

Been a bit cooler today and we have seen a quarter inch of liquid sunshine....  We sure needed it!  Other than going out to get the mail i stay inside all day.

Packer...  Ah going to get hooked on Mallets huh?  Lots to watch on a 2-8-8-2.  Much more interesting than them diseasal things....  beautiful loco, but a bit too late for the SLOW.  The USRA 2-8-8-2 would be the biggest steam around back in 1925.  Biggest I run is a pair of USRA Mallet 2-6-6-2s in heavy freight drags.

I spent much of today down in the layout rooms.  Here is what I have been doing (among other things):

The shelf is solid Oak.  There will be a second shelf a few inches above the one you see later.

I have to be at the Museum by 8AM and it is an hour away from my house, so I will be heading to bed a bit early tonight.  Have to go get my lunch made for tomorrow.

Later!

73

[schom]

Jeff

I read what you said about the paintballs, The paint is water based, oil has not been used in about 20 years, the caliber is .68.  The staining is the die in the paintball, it seam you were hit by a pink which stains very easy.  I'm sorry you were hit, most of the time its kids who don't really play but cause trouble.  I would contact the police and report it, who knows if maybe they have other reports.  We in the industry don't stand for this behavior.   Sorry again.

 

Kohn

 

[sakel]

where do you work?

[Packer]

Evening guys

Been busy around the house and at work today, so that's why I'm just now posting. I just got back from wally world (strangely enough, and equal amout of weirdes to good-looking girls my age, lol), picked up some groceries, new works shoes, and a battery for my watch. My dog chewed up my old work shoes, which I found out this morning as I was trying to find it for work. SO I worked my shift with a chewed-up shoe.

As far as trains go, I got something Ray would approve of for once. lol. An old rivarossi Y6b. If I can figure out how to get the tender off I could make it pick up electricity better. A friend has volunteered to give it a cleaning and lube job.

Sam and Jeff, Happy B-day to the both of you.

Jim, Thanks for the compliments on the cabs. I tweaked them a bit since the last photo with some putty and will prime them tomorrow if the weather holds up.

[wetidlerjr]

 

 

[blownout cylinder]

Good Evening...

It is a fair bit cooler out here..we are out on the back deck watching the hummers flying around out here..as well as having a small helping of potato salad... Current temperature? 80F feeling like 87F...

I'm having a few friends come by later to run some choo choos.and to see if anything else want to go pop here.....if so then I'll just change a few things...

JimRC: What? Little old me with a huge platter of quadruplex burgers? Never heard of such a thing

[galaxy]

sakel

galaxy:

elcheapo

 

Is that a word?[:D

Technically it should be : El Cheapo

[sakel]

galaxy

elcheapo

Is that a word?[:D

[galaxy]

WEll, well,

so far everyone I know has checked their computers and are NOT infected withteh malware I alerted everyone to check here. SO on Monday all our computers are OK. They say 237,000 computers worldwide are KNOWN to be infected..but you never know..

S do-noting day. we napped/slept in earlier after getting up at regulartime just cuas we could.

Then I helped MOH with the harassment form and then the THunder boomers and set in. so we turned off everything as the lights were flickering!

So nothing else. I guess.

Steak is for diner. with potatoes and corn/green bean mixture.

Much cooler outside now..I may trot down to the mail box to see if mail is in if not too hum-did-ity- for me to breathe with my asthma.

My darn favorite watch stopped. expensive gift and needs new battery I hope only. WIll take to jewelry store to find out. If not, I have an elcheapo backup to wear for now.

 

[sakel]

howmus

Happy Birthday to both Sam and Jeffrey today!  So Sam, you are 14 I hear....  Are you going to be a 9th. grader this Fall or an 8th. grader?  I can vaguely remember being 14 once upon a time, many, many years ago........

I am going into 9th grade.....

On the MRR front, i got a walthers mi-jack and am dreading putting it together...

 I also got some kd's, a tank container, and kato sd-40-2

[tcwright973]

Jim in Cape G.

It did work really well for me. The trick is not to substitute anything (candy, gum, etc) for smoking, but to do something physical that you would normally not do (washing your hands, walking, run a vacumn cleaner, anything). The cardiologist who had me try this did not believe in patches, gum or other methods which supposedly wean you off the habit. He said a person needed to stop completely and all at once if they wanted to really quit. I told a couple of people about it and it worked for them. Some had heard of the method, but never tried it. The hardest part for me was driving on trips. So I resorted to playing kids games, like counting cars with certain colors, or certain model cars, women drivers, etc.  It's been almost 20 years since I quit.     Tom

[JimRCGMO]

Good Lunchtime, Janie - I'll have a BLT, and a RBF in a CAW mug, please. Thank you!

And this

for both of you 'Birthday Boys' - Jeff and Sam!  After they get their slices, I'd like a slice too, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Still hot around here - supposed to hit 104 F (39 C) by the afternoon. By comparison, the temp monitor inside my laptop is only at 129 F at the moment...

PA Tom, that sounded like a good technique that your doctor gave you. I may keep that in mind when I hear of someone wanting to guit. (Couldn't hurt, since if someone avoids eating or smoking, most all the other options wouldn't be too bad)  Hope your wife's new brace works great, and helps her get around much better.

Jeff, that was (in a weird way) funny about the neighbor's "rocket-6-pack" and the rooster (though not from the rooster's perspective, I'm sure)!  Good to hear that the neighbor wised up after that 'lesson'..

Vincent, if those two were ones you 'kitbashed' up, I am quite impressed! I thought they were commercial-grade cabs, didn't look like what I might have come up with. (Hmm, lemme rephrase that and pull my foot out of my mouth...) Anyway, they look great!

Curt, love your roundhouse area photos - you can keep 'em coming! However you made it home from that late night duty, glad you made it. I see Jeff gave you some good advice on that. Part of the thing with magnets is how far under the track you put them. I used the Kadee ones that you bury, and I cut a hole in the cork right under the track, and will cover it up when I get to ballasting.

Chris (in Iowa), nice job on that UP CRANDIC diesel, and glad you got in a little MRR time, for a change! So, ya think Rerun would've taught those Chihuahua Locos something if they'd tried 'marking their territory' at your place too, eh?

Ken, I won't (for Ulrich or the other moderators' sakes) verbalize my opinions about a company that tells you that you have to be back, way before it's safe for you to return, but y'know, something like what happened to that rooster sounds kinda appropriate (except just bigger/more rockets...). Hope Dave can put in a few choice words to 'persuade' them to keep you around. Keep at getting yourself healthier again. Might call your doctor's office and ask them to ensure that those orders are correct about your blood sugar. (Well, I'd want to be sure, and it sounded like you might also). Ken, for your electric bill, one thing I do (but then again, I have a wall unit in my apartment, not a central unit) is to use a box fan and an oscillating fan to circulate what cool air the A/C puts out. That, and reducing what else I run that doesn't absolutely have to be run.

TSF/Sam(uel), congrats on the job (but keep yourself well-hydrated if you're doing outside w**k).Good to have some income for MRR projects, yessiree! And definitely good that your truck A/C is functional again!

Galaxy, good to hear that some train trips are indeed back in your plans. And the trip will probably be fun for Train Nut, too. Sounds good for you OH with the store manager at her w**k - helps to have the store manager on her side. After reading about the store manager approving the time off, then scheduling YOH to w**k on that day, I could make a guess who the company manager meant was one of the "strong-willed" people in her store (and I don't mean YOH, either!). From what I've seen (and not only reports in here) of managers, it leads me to wonder if there's something in the drinking water that they drink...

Ray, way to go on your staging tracks progress (I can wish...). As for that misplaced train control panel, I'm sure that you are the only Diner who has set something aside and not been able to locate it later, right? Glad you finally were able to remember where you left it. Can you call the code enforcement and let them know that you'd love to call their guy, but his messages 'are getting garbled' (let them think it's your machine, though the problem sounds like it's on his phone - or voice). Maybe you can actually reach him and get things put in.

fec153

Good morning fellow diners.  Yep, I'm up early 'cause someone has to wake the roosters.  

... and get the firew**ks too, Flip?

Bill T. - nice yard! Where was that one taken? And I think the Diner is set with enough coffee, from the looks of that 'maker...

Lee, you made me stop and count... Yep, got all that I had on the 3rd..

Todd, maybe you could do a pre-emptive thing for next year, like (a month or two later, or if you know when they'll likely want to come, a month or two before that): "Hi, I had noticed how embarassing it was for you when Frito & Dorito (or whatever the dogs' names were) 'marked their territory', so maybe you'd enjoy your time here better by having them stay (wherever..) when you come this time..." Just in a 'Friendly-I-was-trying-to-save-you-that-anxiety' kind of way. Just a suggestion to think over... Hey, it also takes males a couple of weeks/months/years to notice when a woman changes her hairstyle (unless she prompts us with "What do you think of my new hairstyle?")

Good to hear from some Diners that you've been getting rain. Our turn is supposed to come on Sunday afternoon/evening, I think. Though we had some very spotty thunderstorms in our region yesterday (just missed us here).

Lupo - great to hear from you again! You're in Holland now, eh? Weather better there? And have you started any MRR'ing stuff/projects since getting there? (For the newer Diners, Lupo was around here in the Coffee Shop days (before some of you grasshoppers were born? Not really...)) Lupo formerly lived in Malta, right? [do a Google Maps search]) )

And goodness, my! Duke woke up! Somebody mark it on the calendar! Now, if Curt had posted a photo of a Berkshire on that fine turntable he has, Duke would've woke up twice lately.

Um, Barry, did you mean that people there aren't used to seeing you with such a small waist? (That would be the Barry we know of the 'plateful of burgers, please, Zoe'?, right? And thank you for the offer of your excess humidity (75 percent?), but can you send that in the form of rain instead? May your next treatment be the last one. Good to hear the doctor's seeing good progress from them.

Yep, OzJim, I was wondering what you'd been up to (like taking a nap in the back booth by Duke...). What have you been doing (MRR or otherwise), mate? Any layout photos?

Ulrich, good-looking module designs there - and you're right, "A layout will expand to fill all available space." (One of the maxims of (real-world) layout design... (unless you can convince your neighbor next door to give up a bit of space for the Enoshima's needs)

JR, thanks for the layout progress photo. (Ah, how I'd love to have that much space...) I'm guessing that a lot of that track on the right side of the photo will be put to use in the yard area (on the left side), yes? I would agree with the others, that you are making amazing progress for the little amount of time you are at home and can get to it.

Man, Ken! That switcher is in baaaaaad shape! (Your favorite, right?) (But that Rio Grande diesel looks sharp!

Rob, saw that you had posted about some after-chores pain earlier. Doing better, I hope? And how are your horses and other critters holding up in the heat?

From what Sue said, it got me wondering about the 1:1 RR tracks in this extremely hot weather. After all, we've had some buckling of the concrete on parts of highways (and local roads) in our area. How much do RR tracks expand in the heat (and how do they plan for having enough gap for hot weather, but not so much that when it cools off/in winter, that there don't wind up too big of gaps? Bill T. or any other of you 1:1-experienced folks here know?

Stinker of an afternoon - already at 100 F/38 C and not quite 1 p.m. our time! Time for a shady spot and another one of these:...

Think I'll stay in here in the air conditioned Diner for a while. Prayers for some cooling rain for those areas under the heat (but not to the point of mudslides), and for comfort and healing and good night's rests tonight. Of course, those of you Diners who can sneak a nap in this afternoon, go ahead!

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape G.

 

 

[tcwright973]

Just like a whole lot of other people, we are taking a beating with this heat wave. It's 97 degrees according to the news channel here in Pittsburgh, but I think it's higher in my neighborhood. We have been staying in the house with that most wonderful of inventions affectionately known as the "aie conditioner." I'm only going outside to put the sprinklers on the front yard, and after the sun goes down, to water the flower beds and hanging baskets in the back yard. The grass is already gone back there. We haven't even gone rail fanning for some time now, it's just too uncomfortable sitting out in this heat.

We got a phone call yesterday saying the wife's foot/ankle brace that was being custom made was ready, so we will go pick that up on Monday. Monday is our usual day for shopping, errands, etc. Hopefully, the weather will have moderated some around here. At least, it is suppose to.

Everybody stay cool and safe...   Tom

[JeremyB]

Your lucky Howmus, they have been calling for thunderstorms here all morning but all we have is blue skies. We really need some rain here as it is quite dry. Hopefully later we get something. Im sick of it being so hot and dry lately.

Happy Birthday Sam and Jeff

[howmus]

"Just Singin' in the Rain, I'm Singin' in the Rain, what a glorious feelin' I'm Happy again...."

Mornin'.....  Raining outside!!!  YES!

Tried to get in a few times earlier but every time I turned the 'puter on it started to rumble outside with flashes of light every now and then to boot!  Was 78°F out when I got up at 9AM, but is now 67° out tyhere and still a light rain.  This is the first measurable rain we have had in close to a month and we dearly need it.  Corn has been looking a bit dry in the fields.

Happy Birthday to both Sam and Jeffrey today!  So Sam, you are 14 I hear....  Are you going to be a 9th. grader this Fall or an 8th. grader?  I can vaguely remember being 14 once upon a time, many, many years ago........

Bad news is I can't finish the deck today as it is wet!  Good news is I can't finish the deck so I may have to spend all day in the train rooms....

Later!

73

[cudaken]

Curt Toe is look pretty darn good. Saw your video, your layout all most looks as good as my Toe!  Hope this will be your last Dr visit for sometime!

 Jeffery, thanks for your input. Looking for a replacement motor now.

 Later, Ken

[Curt Webb]

Morning All,

Nothing going on here. I got home at 1:40 AM after picking up my son from work. I go back  to w**k tomorrow but this week I work 4 straight 16 hour days. Thursday I may have to go to court with my son but that will most likely be postponed.  I won't know for sure until Monday, and then Friday morning I have a final follow up with my surgeon (no more issues). So all in all not a great week. The one plus is that I may be meeting Phil for coffee but that still needs to be arranged.

Jeff and Sam-

Barry and Ken- Hope you guys continue to heal  and get better. 

Hope everybody has a good day and prayers for those in need.

[fec153]

Happy Birthday , Jeff.                                                     

Thanks for posting LUPO's  pix

Prayers and Blessings to all.

Flip 

And best wishes to Sam for many more

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning .... 

Happy B'day to Jeff and to Sam ......... Where's the cake? 

We took the grand-daughters to Nashville to visit all of their numerous cousins there yesterday. 

Weather Guessers are saying we will finally get relief from the heat wave after today which again will be over 100 F. Next 3 days will be T-storms bringing the daily highs to upper 80's. 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 73° and mostly cloudy. There's a 60% chance of rain. The high will be 92°. I expect the heat index to be around 102°.

Good morning and I hope you have a good day.

I have no plans today. It's my birthday and there's no telling what other family members have concocted. May be something special, may not.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Ken: I started getting a lot of Athearn's with slow or bum motors about the time they cut the blue box kits and went RTR. I got replacement motors for those and almost half of the replacements were bad. Of the ones that worked only one ran at a speed I considered normal. The others were weak and slow. It should be no surprise I no longer buy Athearn locos unless it's a blue box offering.

[cudaken]

 Guess this is a Jeffery question.

 Jeffery, I just opened up the Athearn Dash 9 and tested the motor. Motor stalled out at 1.12 amps which is safe for a decoder. But the motor run real slow, it starts all the time so I don't think I have burned out a winding.

 Could it just be the brushes? They are original and have a lot time on them.

 Your thoughts?

 Ken

[cudaken]

 Morning Birthday Boy's!

 Flo, I will cover Jeffery's and Sam tap today!

 Main goal today is to get a couple of more engines off the RIP track. Soon as i am done with this post I am tearing into the RTR Dash 9 and see how much power the motor is pulling.

 Guess I will call Dave today and see if I still have a job?

 Days with out beer. So far way easier than I thought it would be, today is day 10. Smokes on the other hand, well not doing good there.

 Today will all so be 10 days in a row of 100 + degree heat. I cannot remember anytime before I has seen that many days in the 100 range. Have no clue on how I am going to pay this power bill!

 I may have train company today! Simon might drop by with his lads to run the layout. If he cannot make it, I am going to rip out some turnouts that are causing problems.

 See You all later.

 Ken

 

[gear-jammer]

Good morning, Chloe.  I stopped by for a waffle, sausage and coffee.

JR,  Nice job on the layout.  You are moving like gang busters.  I am sure this one will be even better than your previous layout.

Tom,  Yesterday at my sewing group, everyone was talking about Magic Mike.  One gal went with her husband and 17 year old son.  That got a few laughs.  I had not heard anything about it until yesterday.  When the temp gets up to 100, do your tracks buckle?

Happy Birthday, Jeffrey & Happy Birthday, Sam

Sue

[LSWrr]

Good Morning All:

Ken, good to hear you’re on the mend.

Jeff & Sam, Happy Birthday!

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

We are getting up to 85F today..which certainly beats having it be 100+F and heat indexes of 119F!!! 

Today is rest day for me..then on Sunday I go  to church and give special thanks....

Ray:  When it gets closer to that time I'll send you a pic of myself...I will pros be a little more healthier looking then...I look a little 'seedy' now