Elliott's Trackside Diner - July 2012

[MisterBeasley]

Sir Madog

Jeff, Galaxy - I am an innocent fellow, I don´t know any bad words. My mom used to wash my mouth with soap, to keep my language clean.

Good morning.  I grew up not swearing, as neither of my parents did, but college cured me of that.  On the other hand, when our daughter Annie was born my language got a lot cleaner.  When Annie flushed a "blockage" down the toilet, I sent both her and her Mom out of the house for the day so they wouldn't hear me as I removed, cleared and replaced the porcelain convenience.  When I removed the "soiled" item from the pipe, and saw it had a Happy Face on it, I laughed.

It's only going to be low 80s here today, with overnight lows tonight in the 50s.  Pretty pleasant summer weather.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

der5997

With just the thought of the US going back to steam locomotives as the major form of moving freight I can hear the EPA and DEP hitting the ceiling.

[Stourbridge Lion]

der5997

Now that is the kind of smoke I enjoy seeing and smelling!!!!!!!

[der5997]

Good morning folks: Sky is clearing of fog, I've cleared an obstruction in a feed chute on the chipper, and am waiting for some epoxy to cure on a repair (piecing together like a jig saw puzzle) of the collar housing for the main feed chute that I completely smashed by over-enthusiastic shoving in of rotted tree trunks last week.  So while that happens, I'm off to finish the mowing. Just the walking paths to do today, and we're good for another week - 10 days - if it doesn't rain too much and bring on another growing spurt.

Galaxy:

.I am pleased as punch {wher did that phrase ever origninate from??}

...yes, counterintuitive isn't it?  My pre-Wiki search guess it's from the UK, and refers to the Mr. Punch of the Punch and Judy puppet shows that were (and maybe still are?) a staple at village fetes and fairs. OzChris could have used one of those at his children's party the other day!  Anyway, why "Pleased as Punch? Mr. Punch's standard facial expression was a grin - which his anti-social and murderously violent behavior belied!  Come to think of it, Punch and Judy shows are probably so Not Politically Correct that I doubt they are allowed in their original format any more. I'll leave you to Google up the details. Hope your migraines clear quickly.

Barry:

I, too, am an innocent fellow....I never swear...

...joins Ray  in chorus of "What never?"; "Well hardly ever!"

Sawyer:  I missed saying that modules are a great idea - but I don't know my scale, or space available. I do know that I'd like to go steam era next time.  Transition era? Could be - I'd just like to see those piston and side rods again......besides, it should be far easier to get equipment - taking the path of least resistance I suppose.

Ulrich: Glad your MIL was better than you had feared.  May I second your motion (non-rant) about North American vs. European passenger service?  My last visit to the UK was spent largely on the rails, zipping inter-city at speeds that here are just dreams. As to "public will" - VIA is halving it's Halifax - Montreal (and other routes) service in half! Mind you they are doubling service in the Toronto-Montreal corridor.

Coffe's nearly done. TTFN.

 

 

 

 

[Stourbridge Lion]

Good Morning Modelers!

It's currently 70F heading up to the low 90's; still hotter the seasons average but at least it's not 100+

Fire News:

Sadly the number of dead has risen to 3 after two more people perished in the Waldo Canyon Fire and the count is 346 homes lost in that fire alone.  Heart wrenching photos coming out of folks returning to what was their homes including this man who just recently returned after severing over-seas in the Army

[Anonymous]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Ulrich ... Glad you MIL was okay.  Actually, fowl language is acceptable in the DIner. ... "Turkey!" ... "Chicken".. Goose".

Garry - you are putting my language abilities to test

[jeffrey-wimberly]

blownout cylinder

 

Sir Madog:

 

Jeff, Galaxy - I am an innocent fellow, I don´t know any bad words. My mom used to wash my mouth with soap, to keep my language clean.

 

 

I, too, am an innocent fellow....I never swear...

Never swear? Well, let's just say I had a few Mr Bubble treatments when I was a kid.

[Anonymous]

Since when does coffee moan and groan?

Just watched my favorite afternoon TV show - R"Railroad Romantics". Today´s feature was about a ride on the California Zephyr, from San Francisco to Chicago. Aside from the really spectacular scenery the train passes through, I now understand why taking a train is not really an option in the US:

• 56 hrs for 2,500 miles - that´s an average of just 45 mph. This may be OK for freight, but for passenger service this is way too slow!
• Train depots are located somewhere in the boon docks or hard to reach places.
• Station platforms are too low. Elderly people may find it hard to enter a train using that step. The same goes for those high-level cars the train consisted of.
• Stop-over time at intermediate stations is way too long. Manually open each door, getting out the step and escorting people takes too much time. Why not automatic doors and platforms level with the entrance of the cars?
• On-board atmosphere is somewhat sterile, though functional. Other than being able to get up and walk around a little, there is not much of a difference to the atmosphere and comfort of an airplane. That´s not enough to attract folks to riding trains again, as there is a trade off between comfort and traveling time. Trains, even those HSR beast we run here in Europe, will never beat planes in terms of time, so they have to excel in comfort and atmosphere.

I took AMTRAK´s Coastal Starlight Express back in 1974, all the way from Seattle down to LA Union Station and even in those days, that train was no match to the name trains in Europe, like the famous "Rhinegold" train from Basel in Switzerland to Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands.

If there is a public will to revive long distance train travel, there will be an awful lot to do. But that would certainly require a different mandate to AMTRAK, a different organization, maybe even a different management, but certainly a different way of funding.

This is by no means a rant, so you can keep the soapbox, Chloe. It´s just an observation from someone outside of the US, with a major in transportation science ...

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning. 

The heat wave continues. Driving to town yesterday, the car thermometer said 108 F. We're putting the SeaDoo in the water today anyhow. It should "only" be 100F today. 

Getting concerned about Ken. 

Ulrich ... Glad you MIL was okay.  Actually, fowl language is acceptable in the DIner. ... "Turkey!" ... "Chicken".. Goose".

Sawyer .... Good to see you back in the diner! Sounds like things are fine with you. 

Have good day! 

 

 

[blownout cylinder]

Sir Madog

Jeff, Galaxy - I am an innocent fellow, I don´t know any bad words. My mom used to wash my mouth with soap, to keep my language clean.

I, too, am an innocent fellow....I never swear...

[Anonymous]

Jeff, Galaxy - I am an innocent fellow, I don´t know any bad words. My mom used to wash my mouth with soap, to keep my language clean.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 70° and partly cloudy. The high will be 95° but will feel like 102°. There's a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon.

I'm spending today recovering from yesterday. Got overheated while mowing my parents yard and being on the edge of a sugar crash at the same time didn't do me any favors. No layout work or any other work planned for today.

[wetidlerjr]

Refill?

 

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

galaxy

 

Sir Madog:

 

Jeff - forum policy won´t allow me to say what I´d do if I get the guy who shot a paint ball at you. I hope they´ll find him and ... (beep, expletive deleted)!

 

 

That's right, Ulrich!! I won't Allow Such language here !!! I like to see a good forum, so the powers that be { Including You as User Mod, Ulrich LOLOLOL} won't shut down the diner!!! LOL it'd be funny if you had to reprimand YOURSELF, LOLOLOL!!! and suspend yourself out of hte diner, tee hee, tee hee!!!

Yeah, even my own forum doesn't allow that and the rules are fairly sparse there.

[galaxy]

Sir Madog

Jeff - forum policy won´t allow me to say what I´d do if I get the guy who shot a paint ball at you. I hope they´ll find him and ... (beep, expletive deleted)!

That's right, Ulrich!! I won't Allow Such language here !!! I like to see a good forum, so the powers that be { Including You as User Mod, Ulrich LOLOLOL} won't shut down the diner!!! LOL it'd be funny if you had to reprimand YOURSELF, LOLOLOL!!! and suspend yourself out of hte diner, tee hee, tee hee!!!

 

Jeffrey..I am pleased as punch {wher did that phrase ever origninate from??} you reported it..next time someone could get it in t he eye. I was  a teen driving my parents van once and I was sent to pick up my little brother. Onthe way home rounding a curve on a short country road I haerd a loud POP and echo of it. WHen we got home to back in the driveway, I was shocked to see the back drivers side door of OUR 1976 DODGE Sportsman van {loaded} was "crashed" out. I then remarked to my brother {as I had said to him "I wonder what that was" he siad "I don't know"} I remarked we had been shot at!!! They didnt' have paintballs then. We reported it and they never found a bullet int he van or a culprit but it was reported!

 

Well- MOH is upset taht we will not get the vacation time off we requested as the dept. manager is not allowing it. It was fine in January to request the paid time off around our anniversary{July 12th}, but now she can't find ohters to hire and is on tight staff, but only the last week deciding to give MOH the hours MOh deserves. MOH going in to talk to the Store manager to see what can be dome. MOH like  raving lunatic now spttin' and sputterin' nails and pacing like a caged cougar!

WE are planning on goin off to THe Arcade and Attica RR for a steam train ride..... we shall see..there are so many such things we want to do that we can't after Labor Day here...

DIshes, trip to CU, and don't know what else besides sleeping off y migraine medication..

Had a migraine develop yesterday. wasn't as bad since i now take a medication to PREVENT them..but had to take two pills for treatment after it set in. I have WAY many FEWER headaches withthe new pill so I will take it!!!

WEll, I guess all for now.

[Anonymous]

Good Morning Folks!

Lunchtime - all we will be having is Petra´s famous cheese dogs. Weather is playing roller coaster again. Although it is nice and sunny outside, it somehow does not feel right - too humid. Temperature is only at 19 C - enough to steam up everything after yesterday´s thunderstorm. Southern Germany is in a pretty bad shape, a series of thunderstorms caused a lot flooding. 3 people got killed by lightning. They were playing golf when lightning struck ...

Jeff - forum policy won´t allow me to say what I´d do if I get the guy who shot a paint ball at you. I hope they´ll find him and ... (beep, expletive deleted)!

Barry - I am feeling for you! I have been struck by insomnia for years now. The most I catch is about 4 hours of sleep - that´s not enough to get me through the day. I hope things will be turning out alright for you soon!

Petra´s calling me - off to eat hot dogs!

CU later & have a good one!

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning...

Up at a weird hour of day...could not get to sleep for the life of me...chemo-induced insomnia.....

Going to get to 86F today, feeling like 92F.....in the sunshine....

Today is getting some shut eye day...hopefully...otherwise trainroom in the basement...

 

 

[wetidlerjr]

 

Good Morning! from Tipton IN.

 

 

 

NKP Bridge&Building Gang/1945

 

TIPTON

 

[galaxy]

GOOD MORNING!!!

Today is Monday, July 2nd, 2012!!

Make it a Great Day!!!

[MonkeyBucket]

Morning from the wide brown land.

Coffee and Big breakfast this morning. Eggs sunny side up.

Feeling a bit run down after the young boy had all his friends over yesterday for his 1st birthday party. I have only just gotten close to finishing the cleanup after 15 kids from 1 YO to 10 YO unleashed a tornado of fun on the backyard. Sweets and kids are a dangerous combination.  At least everyone had fun and no one got hurt.

Jeff.. I know how getting caught in the trajectory of paintballs can feel as the boys took me out to the hills for my bucks party many years ago for a bit of a paintball battling. Making me wear a Hi Viz vest mad me an easy target.

I am glad it did not hit your eyes. Some people just don't realize how dangerous mucking around like that can be.  

Sawyer... The diorama looks like its coming along just great.

Hope all the unwell patrons will be feeling a bit better soon.

Weird thing reading some of these post is I was dreaming of fireworks last night.

Weather for Perth WA

18°C | °F

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Clear

Wind: N at 19 km/h

Humidity: 42%

21°

8°

20°

8°

20°

8°

22°

10

 

[Packers#1]

Derjohn, not currently. And might I recommend building a few modules like what I'm doing? i'm looking at a year and summer until college, so I'm keeping my layout reasonably modest and easy to move. Two 5' by 18" modules for now.

[der5997]

Well, Taylor Head Beach had 65 people when we were there - Oh, 67, forgot to count us.

Our cat Penny has now discovered that sitting on laps is not the most dreadful thing that can happen, and has also taken to staying out all night most nights. This evening though she came in early, and has just climbed up to see what the computer keyboard is all about.  From the desk it's just a small jump to the layout, and since she was eying the distance, I had to dissuade her reasonably firmly!

Jeff: Here you go  http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Latex-Paint-from-Clothes Rubbing Alcohol, which any mrr probably has around, and any diabetic almost certainly.LOL

Glad you filed that Paint Ball report - the police need to know this going on in their patch.

Harry:

no i have bine here for a time now , but i will buy it for u

....shows how little I've been in! Anyway, thanks for lunch, it was delicious

Sawyer:  Great to see you in again, it's been some time, not that I can talk on that front.  Good numbers on your tests too This still  in your train room? LOL

CapeJim:

DerJohn, I hope your new place will have some suitable train room/space. I recall your layout, and moving it is not likely to be very easy. Hopefully, you can retrieve/salvage some modules with turnouts/yards and the like, and not have to go through that again. If you stayed in iNvisible scale, you'd be able to reuse your turnouts (which I find are about the most expensive part of a layout (second to DCC, perhaps).

...We are a long way out from getting into the details of what another home would have for train space (if any, in a dedicated room sense).  First off is getting this house sale-ready ; and then marketing it.  We know what we would like to buy, but as it's a manufactured home, not everywhere is open to having those.  The particular one we've seen would have a spare room, if we can afford that model when the time comes. The sale and purchase are closely related in that regard, as you will appreciate! Time line could be two years or more depending on market conditions once we are ready.  That's the worry-cat dilemma. What do I do with mrr from now until the tear down and room rehabilitation?  I rather think it's a case of not very much if anything.  And it will be tear down. I can't see saving anything to re-use. Sell on, well that's a good possibility. There's that 640 scale feet of viaduct for instance - and some interesting structures - the container crane comes to mind. I may build some of the kits that I've in hand - and sell those. The stations are all colour themed, and there's two more of one particular design yet to build.  They'd make a neat set for anyone so minded. As to saving track - I don't think so. I've decided that if I do another layout it will be Unitrack - I'm totally sold on my test oval and turnouts....and so is Jerry if his requests  on the N Scale Yard Sale Yahoo group is anything to go by.

We've just heard from our West Virginia friends. They are OK, and as they were driving when the storm hit (it was diverted by the local mountains, so not as bad as it could otherwise have been) stayed at friends close to where they happened to be.  24 hour power-out - so again not as bad as many other people.

It's bed time here. So Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers for all in need.

 

 

 

 

[Packers#1]

yeah man, it's probably also helping me as much as him, with patience and understnading other people etc. 

Here's where my diorama stands at the end of today

[blownout cylinder]

Packers#1

B.O.C., I've been enjoying finally relaxing. I had quit working at Tyler's for a few weeks because of school, then wound up working at Cold Creek Nursery for about a month before being laid off at the start of the summer. I had Palmetto Boys State a few weeks later, but wound up getting sick there and came home, and this past monday started my summer job, which is spending time with an autistic kid who comes to my church. His dad has MS, so the county gives him some money to pay a person to kind of be like a big brother to him. I will spend more than the two hours a day with him though, because the kid is really sweet and he can use the help etc. (Jim, there's your answer haha).

I wound up coming away with good grades though, straight A's for the year. And me SAT/ACT grades were pretty good: ACT 30, SAT 1390 (730 reading, 660 math). 

That is always a good thing to be doing..I done something like that when I was younger as well...

 

[blownout cylinder]

Good Evening...

We had our neighbourhood fireworks display tonight...all of 30 minutes of it. About 300 kids and adults showed up for it...lots of fun to be had...

Now it is time to relax...well....sort of....come back here with that caboose you little ....

[Packers#1]

B.O.C., I've been enjoying finally relaxing. I had quit working at Tyler's for a few weeks because of school, then wound up working at Cold Creek Nursery for about a month before being laid off at the start of the summer. I had Palmetto Boys State a few weeks later, but wound up getting sick there and came home, and this past monday started my summer job, which is spending time with an autistic kid who comes to my church. His dad has MS, so the county gives him some money to pay a person to kind of be like a big brother to him. I will spend more than the two hours a day with him though, because the kid is really sweet and he can use the help etc. (Jim, there's your answer haha).

I wound up coming away with good grades though, straight A's for the year. And me SAT/ACT grades were pretty good: ACT 30, SAT 1390 (730 reading, 660 math). 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff, Pretty hefty splashback on your van panel there, though! How big is a paintball?

Paintballs range in size from .40 caliber to .68 caliber. I got hit directly by one of a large caliber and another, possibly two more hit the bottom edge of the window. There was paint on the outside of the door as well as a good amount soaked into my shirt, so it was more than one shot for sure.

[LSWrr]

Galaxy, I had a gift card from switching to U-Verse so I thought it was ok to walk inside Harbor Freight.  I picked up my free LED flashlight and a battery tester for my truck; I’m having issues with the alternator dying so now I can keep track of things on my own before getting stranded.

Jim, I would be looking forward to Louisiana style stuffed jalapenos, BBQ Pizza, and everything seafood myself…

[JimRCGMO]

Good Afternoon, Flo - how about a RBF, grilled cheese sandwich, and some cheesey fries, please? Thank you!

Jeff, that does NOT look good (even this early on) beside your eye. I would second the recommendation to report it to the police Good to hear you reported it to the sheriff - at a minimum, so the 'painters' don't shoot some little old lady driving home, and she then dies (from the wreck that she'll likely has, if not the heart attack..). The deputies could help keep a lookout in that area, hopefully. Could've been worse - coulda been a bottle rocket...('tis the season this time of year). If your headache continues through today, might want to go see your doctor and make sure you didn't get a concussion out of that. (Whew!) Todd may have it about right - painball! Pretty hefty splashback on your van panel there, though! How big is a paintball?

Happy Canada Day! to our NOTB brothers (& any NOTB sisters who may just be too polite to post from there) (And DerJohn, though I know I wasn't in the Diner in the 1980's, I sorta had been thinking of "Dominion Day" - must've heard it somewhere, I guess)

DerJohn, I hope your new place will have some suitable train room/space. I recall your layout, and moving it is not likely to be very easy. Hopefully, you can retrieve/salvage some modules with turnouts/yards and the like, and not have to go through that again. If you stayed in iNvisible scale, you'd be able to reuse your turnouts (which I find are about the most expensive part of a layout (second to DCC, perhaps). Great job on the teensy-tiny scale ship, and as usual for you with the smaller scales, you did your usual excellent job. Though I can see why (with that many pieces) you'd prefer not to make another of that complexity. Ah, moving - such a wonderful experience... for things to go much better than my last couple of moves. Indeed good to plan ahead.

Ummm,... Todd, I suppose it'd be hard to have some 'accident' happen to the Chihuahua (like a bare wire with say, a 9V. batter hooked up, under that part of the couch that the little critter is partial to...)? (Unless Missy comes up with a better idea, that is) Yeah, I would expect someone to ask first before bringing their dog (of any size) to my home. Heck, family or not, I'd be stopping them at the door before they even thought of bringing some little "territory-marking" varmit across the threshhold. (And usually, I like dogs - at others' homes, that is, or if it's my own dog)

And speaking of precipitation, it looks like we might be getting some of that here (well, at least, we have some dark clouds approaching from the west-southwest currently. But then again, we might get five or six drops, or just enough to raise the (already) high humidity. Temperature was 104 F (40 C) with heat index of 109 F (almost 43 C) a few minutes ago, but it is dropping - it's now only 96 F (38 C)(heat index of 100 F/ 38 C), but no sign of rain yet(!)

Simon, looks like your boys were having a good time there. I've never been 'across the pond', so I wouldn't have a clue on where the last couple of photos were taken - Dover?

Curt, my guess would be along the lines of yours (or maybe in their early twenties, and still stupid...). (But hoodlums are hoodlums, IMHO, no matter how young & stupid they might be)

Lee, best wishes on a smooth transition back to w**k tomorrow.

Sawyer - good to know you're still kickin'! Are you w**king any this summer? (Helps with MRR funds...)

Sakel - to the Diner! Yep, we are using Gregorian calendars, but they (I had to go look it up) weren't adopted until 1582 AD. Julian was much earlier...(No, I wasn't around then for the start of either calendar...) So what are your MRR'ing plans/design/dreams? Fill us in and have a beverage on me.

Barry, in the train room sounds like a good place to be - how's the yard coming along? Have you posted pics of it yet (and if not, why not? )?

Last night, I was thinking about making a 2'X4' section for the layout (and trying to set it up so I could put some more structures on it along with tracks). But didn't get to that just yet. Did start getting my financial stuff for this year entered into the program on my MacBook Pro. Gonna need to set aside several (fairly short) blocks of time for that, I can see. No question in my mind about why I never though about becoming an accountant or bookkeeper, nope!

So we're in Shreveport, Louisiana, eh? Guess that means crawdads will be added to the menu, along with some gumbo and a few other things (so long as they don't all have a Jeffery-sized portion of 'DaBomb' already added to them..!) I'll donate my portion of that sauce to you, Jeff!

It was good to hear that the firefighters in Colorado are starting to make some headway against those fires. for the people who will then be going back to see what's left of their homes, and for some well-earned rest for all the fire crews (on the ground and the flying crews as well).

 

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape G.

[blownout cylinder]

Packers#1

*opens door, looks around, sinks to counter, orders bacon cheeseburger and sweet tea*

Hey fellas, bout time I poked my head in...been a good long while. This past school year really beat me in, but overall it was a fun year. I'm certainly glad it's the summer, hopefully I'll be able to catch back up with y'all!

How have you been, other than getting beaten in from schoolwork?

Hope everyone is doing well were you are....

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

Good Afternoon

I'm working away down in the basement with a few new yards to put together...

83F feeling like 88F....so far...