Elliot's Trackside Diner..MAY 2013!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

cudaken

Have a chances to buy a lot of B&O engines at what may be a good prices. But I have some questions first I am sure Vince's and Jeffery can answer.

 1 What Proto engines had gear problems.

 2 Witch Proto engines used the Athearn clone motors besides the SD 7, 9's?

 Atlas engines, was there a bad one made? One in question is the box that is closes in the picture.

BL2, FA1/FB1, FA2/FB2, GP7, GP9, GP20, GP30, Proto 1000 FA3. I would look sideways at pretty much any of early four axle Proto diesels that used the Athearn clone drive. I also came across some E units that had gear problems. A few of the older Proto six axle diesels I came across had gear issues, again this involved an Athearn clone design. Those with the Kato truck never had gear troubles that I'm aware of.

Proto locos that used the Athearn type motor that I know of: E6, E7, F3, FA/FB, BL2 and I'm thinking GP30.

The only bad Atlas loco I had was a switcher. Motor problems. The replacement Atlas sent had truck problems. That was my first Atlas and it put me off them for many years. Since I started back into them I haven't any bad Yellow Box Atlas diesels unless they'd been severely abused. I've had several Red Box models, again excellent units. No complaints about the Silver Edition locos I have.

[wetidlerjr]

"Good Morning!" from Tipton IN

5/12/13

TIPTON IN

[galaxy]

GRRR!!

I was all set to go to the store to get the morning paper as this weeks has tons of coupons in it, but MOH said" well, I leave for work in about 20 minutes, can't you just wait til i leave"....GRR

OK> so I do.. then I leave in the KIA and MOh uses the 98 Gr Caravan to drive to put the mileage on the older vehicle, BUT MOH meets me at the mailboxes and says" I have no dash lights" GERR

I say well you are only driving in daylight, so go on and we'll DEal with it later...GRR

Then MOH flashes hazards at the end of a road out o f the park and I come up behind and MOH comes back and says  "I have no gauges either,,they are not working either"  GRR.

So I switch vehicles but not before grumbling " shoulda let me go to the store when I wanted!"

SO now i have to take it to Firestone or somewhere to get fixed...GRR

Great start to the morning!

 

[galaxy]

Oh , RE the 98 caravan failed gauges:

I checked the fuses...can't tell which one is for the dash gauges and lights..the interior lights one is fine, but even IF I did find a bad one, I don't have the replacements..not those sizes any way! GRRR

I may have to take it tomorrow to the Chrysler dealer to get it fixed..they may be the only ones who can help....Firestone may not be able to. GRR

We are hoping it holds out for 20 more months as that is what is left to pay on THe Kia, then we buy a newer vehicle to replace it with. But mayber not if the gauges are gone?

Maybe if KEN sees this he knows what is worng? But he may not see until after I leave for the repair shop they open at 9 AM....I will be there at 8:45 with bells on my toes-es and rings in my noses!

GRRR

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning.

Galaxy ... Theelectronic stuff in cars can drive you crazy. Some problems can be fixed quickly and cheaply, but other problems take a lot of labor time at the shop and are costly for parts, too. We never know it seems.

BN24 Gary ... I saw your picture of your masking tape problem. Please do not feel discouraged because we all have gone through trials and tribulations in this hobby. I suggest yo strip the paint off and spray paint. An air brush was mentioned in the WPF thread, but you might not have to get one. A well-stocked hobby shop has a wide selection of colors, and you may find suitable choices. With spray paint, it is best to apply too little and let it dry. The do another thin coat. Repeat until okay. Ask the diners for advice as you do the work. Jeff, for example, has a lot of experice with strippimg off paint and spraying with spray cans.

That's all from me. Leaving for Nashville, TN now ......... I won't know about my model railroad friend, Gus, and his condition until phone calls this afternoon.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Cool, dull and somewhat dribbly is our weather today...the high will only be...taadaaa!!...42F...where did summer go?

Today I'll be spending time on my layout...no..not that way!!...sheeesh...trying to rewire some new extended yards and being all picky about the joins...heeheehee

Have a good day!!

[blownout cylinder]

HAH!!!

It's my turn at top!! Have at it, guys!!

[galaxy]

Well, Erm

Took it to Firestone. When I started it it had no dash lights, even the Odometer and PRNDL was out. as soon as I put it into drive, the lights all came on, but the SERVICE ENGINE SOON light also came on. ERM. GRR.

SO Firestone says "the engine is not communicating with the dashboard"...UH DUH! No idea on cost want me to bring it in Tuesday for the day..may have to tear apart the dash to replace the part.

Dunno, meanwhile their is a 2001 for $1600 nearby town If still available my "trade in ours" and buy it instead. Now to find $1600.

Dunno. will look at craig's list too. I don't trust C's list either, but gotta start somewhere..people don't list $1600 cars in the paper anymore.

we will see what we will see when we shall see it.

And she sells seashells by the seashore. and the sixth sheik's sixth sheep is sick.

 

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and the Sunday Breakfast buffet please, thanks.

Sunny, with a high near 59.

Now Ray, question. Would the Alco humor have something to do with they are smoke belching, fuel sucking, oil dripping, environmental enemy displayed on an environmental friendly car.

Ken- Hope the daughter gets well quick.

Mike- And the room lighting has a lot to do with it too. That’s why when you take a picture in a light bulb lit room without a flash, everything looks yellow, but with a flash it looks more correct. Unless….you use those “daylight” bulbs and they remove most if not all the unwanted/unseen yellow, because they do not put out a yellowish tinted light. Go to the big home improvement stores and in the paint section, you may find a box with different types of light bulbs so you can see what the color of the paint chip you choose, looks like under the type of lighting you have. The camera most likely does have a color correction or white filter…., something like that.

Prayers for Garry’s friend.

Jeff- Not suggesting (for the forums sake) this get carried away, but I myself like the language stuff. As you may know I’m trying to learn Cantonese (so I won’t be trying to learn Cherokee so to speak, but I could pick up a few words or phrases if it strikes me) and it seems very similar to the Native American languages. Not in words, but in that they speak in ideas more than individual words, though they do have individual words for things. Mostly however, the multiple words translations are simply us trying to make the language translatable using our verying words that actually mean the same thing. Like the verb to be or just be. You can substitute be for any of it’s other words and it would make sense.  But because of the idealized type of language, there is actually no exact direct translation for many words. Meaning if you had three different translators translating one statement, you would get three different translations. All meaning pretty much the same thing, or the same idea, but chances are they would, or could be very different verbage. Also, you almost, in many cases, need to know what someone is talking about before you can make sense out of, or even know what the words they use means. Like when someone says what does this mean , you would say depends on what they are talking about.

Jim- ya, I’ll give the Cub a few more weeks, maybe one, before giving her up to the guy. I’m usung it to pull the lawn roller now actually. The new tractor pulls it ok, but the old Cub Cadet pulls it better. Funny a 12 hp motor, oops, sorry engine, pulls better than a 19.75 HP engine.  The Cub is actually a garden tractor and is built like a little farm tractor and if you could see the difference between an old Garden tractor and a Lawn tractor, you’d know what I mean. International Harvestor (John Deere and a couple others as well like Ford) made just scaled down versions of their farm tractors. You could get little plows and disks and planters, tillers, you name it in addition to mower decks (WHICH by the way, were separate purchases from the tractor, unlike today), just about any farm implement for them to take on the biggest garden or just look cool rusting in the back yard.

Welp, my Aunts visitation and funeral went well. Very nice. Lot’s of people knew me that I don’t remember.

Now for today……I need to mow and since it’s Mothers Day, I need to entertain Brenda (though she is not my Mother and we go through this every year, some how it doesn’t matter. The kids call up, want to know what we’re doing and horn in on it off my dime. Not my Mother, she’s yours! The kids are grown and my time of acting on their behalf should be over. Now the dog I understand.  she wants to get a job…..we just won’t let her. She’s too young and we just aren’t ready to let the baby grow up yet.

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 61° with 83% humidity. It'll be sunny with a high of 78°.


Today I hope to do more cleanup on the layout. I have no other plans. Today's word is deganágalisgá. Translated it means 'cleaning'.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Galaxy: Good luck on getting the problem with the atsododi (car) squared away. All the myriad electronic details in cars today is enough to drive you ulánotisgi (crazy). Sometimes I'm glad I have a near fossilized tiyohali gákua (dinosaur). Well, back to the ditlilosdodi (model) talugisgi nánohi (railroad) atlodi atsinukowisgá (layout).

[galaxy]

Jeffrey- I am not Pupu'le yet! {crazy}. I may  be when I get the repair bill.

lookinga t options for a newer cehicle..IF we can get some financial help form a parental ynit.

The thing is, Jeffrey- YOU can work on yours, I know nothing about auto repair..and I can fry a  toaster getting it out of the box! I know where to put gas and fluids and how to change a spare, but I have roadside assistance for that. I didn't even have a fuse package for the type this thing has on it.

Maybe I should have taken auto shop in HS instead of Wood shop alas...

SO, ...

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning, and a Happy Mothers' Day to both of you, Flo, Janie. I'll have a  Rio Grande  mug of coffee and one of those cinnamon rolls, please. Thank you, and here's a little extra since you're in on Mothers' Day.

Galaxy, I sure hope that the rest of this day goes better for you. Bummer of a start!

Barry, it sounds like your area is having what I heard somebody call "Blackberry Winter" there. We got a little cooler temps than yesterday here this morning (but only 47 F), and we're already warmed up to our predicted high temp of 62 F/17 C, so I expect we may top that prediction. I think we're supposed to have low 70's (F) tomorrow, and mid-80's(F) Tuesday and Wednesday, until another shower front comes thru on Thursday. But I expect that summer will be coming. With the start on our fall so far, maybe we won't have the drought pattern this summer.

Jeff, you got me curious (after Todd's description of the difficulties and varieties of translating between two languages): I'm assuming that the Cherokee might be a bit later-on-the-scene than when the dinos roamed earth, so what two words do you have to put together for "dinosaur"? Terrible lizard (similar to the Greek origins of our English word)? Or something else? (Inquiring minds, y'know...)

And Todd, does Brenda know that you're learning Cantonese? She might think you're wanting to flirt with Susie (and then you could be in BIG trouble...)

I'll be at the window booth, figuring what colors/colours I want to use on my Merchants' Row kit. I do want to get some more painting in today on some structures and such.

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape G.

[JeremyB]

Hi Guys,

Haven't been in for a while. I will have to do some catch up. I haven't worked on my railroad in close to a month now as I have been busy in my free time watching the Jays and playing mlb the show on my ps3 along with doing yard work. But as the jays are tanking fast and the yard work has been caught up I can now turn my attention again to the Model railroad. Going to the hobby shop after work tomorrow to pick up a few items.

Speaking of work, its going ok I guess. Working 6am-4pm Monday to Thursday and have the option of OT on the Friday for 8 hours. The weather has been awesome here until yesterday. It was 22c all last week and yesterday it was 14c and today its struggling to get to 7c, yuck. The warm weather was just what I needed to recharge my batteries and get out of that winter funk. Its suppose to get nice again here by mid week so I can put up with the cooler weather for a few days.

Going over to my parents a little later on for dinner. Going to order some pizzas. Well I going to go have  a read over of the diner here

[AmanaMedic]

Good afternoon, Rerun and I will take a plate of cheeseburgers please...with a bowl of water for him and a large Coke for me. Thanks.

Well (a tad bit chilly today, toads have sweaters on again), had an interesting assignment yesterday. A fellow named Rand Paul showed up in North Liberty, IA to have breakfast with the Johnson County elephants. THAT Editor wasn't going to assign it initially, but said if'n I'd go, get a photo and write "an extended cut-line," then Big Boss would reimburse me the $20 to get in the door. I said, "I'll just go as media (which is what I are after all)," got the appropriate credentials issued at the door (a "Hi, my name is..." nametag) and got paid straight hours instead, with the "appropriate" tax deductions to go with THAT.  Anyhow, watching my fellow "media" chase the guy, with microphones and cameras in his face and scribbling away furiously in their notepads from the second he set foot on the grounds...amusing and disgusting at the same time. He goes to get his plate filled (it was a breakfast, afterall), and almost every other photog puts on the wide-angle lenses and crowds each other to get the apparently quintessential shot of the guy's plate being loaded-up with a breakfast cassarole. Amazing. 

"Oh MY GOD! The man EATS! Wow! Who woulda ever thunk it? Quick! Get a picture of the plate! Oh no! He got the eggs and bacon casserole thing...what message does THAT send?" 

I figured, if the guy had stepped out to take a leak, they probably would've followed him to the urinal! God help him if'n he'd had to perform another bodily function, they'd probably have crawled under the stall walls to get in there with him...for the full details!

So today I'm seeing high praise for the guy from the Iowa City (de)Press(ed) Citizen newspaper, a zippy little guy. I'm seeing high praise for the freaky-looking guy from the University of Iowa's Daily (liberal) Iowan newspaper, even for an article for McClatchy newspapers. My piece won't even be filed until next Friday, and won't run until the 22nd at the earliest. I wonder if the Johnson County elephants will even notice it. Probably not, my w**k seems to be printed in invisible ink. 

Enough about THAT.

BN-SP&S GARY: I saw your paint trouble. Yeah, an airbrush is nice, rattle cans are good, but if you don't take the time to seal the tape down...you'll get the same result. The key is to work the tape down into every crevice, every door line, hood louver, panel line, etc. It's tedious, it's not fun, but it pays off. Two of my recent locomotive projects have been brush painted. I've got an airbrush but need a new lid/sucking tube for it. Sometime, I'll pick one up. In the meantime, careful masking and careful application is doing just fine. You might have to thin the paint somewhat, especially for N-sane Scale. 

Have a good, safe day everybody. Thoughts and prayers to those in need. 

Chris (in Iowa) 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff, you got me curious (after Todd's description of the difficulties and varieties of translating between two languages): I'm assuming that the Cherokee might be a bit later-on-the-scene than when the dinos roamed earth, so what two words do you have to put together for "dinosaur"? Terrible lizard (similar to the Greek origins of our English word)? Or something else? (Inquiring minds, y'know...)

I couldn't say. I put both Cherokee words through a translator individually and they both registered as 'dinosaur'. Our word for 'terrible' is ulosásdi. I don't know of one for lizard or even for reptile. My dictionary doesn't list one either but it's nowhere near listing the entire language, more like a quick reference for putting phrases together. But it's the best thing I've got. The online dictionaries are no better. I used to know the language quite well. I had relatives who spoke it often and I had to know it to be able to talk to them. But that was many years ago and my grasp of it now is about the same as my grasp of German which I used to know quite well. Now I have trouble with simple phrases.

EDIT: I did dig up 'lizard'. I knew I had an old list of words around here. It's tlvdatsi.

[galaxy]

Heartland Division CB&Q

My friend, Gus, is not doing well. His reaction to the bite from a brown recluse spider has become more serious and his kidneys are acting up. He may need to be transferred to another hospital. I'm sad this has happened.

 

Garry,

I missed this first time through....but I  lit an extra prayer candle for him..those spider bites are nothing to fool around with.

hope he proceeds well.

[galaxy]

jeffrey-wimberly

JimRCGMO

Jeff, you got me curious (after Todd's description of the difficulties and varieties of translating between two languages): I'm assuming that the Cherokee might be a bit later-on-the-scene than when the dinos roamed earth, so what two words do you have to put together for "dinosaur"? Terrible lizard (similar to the Greek origins of our English word)? Or something else? (Inquiring minds, y'know...)

I couldn't say. I put both Cherokee words through a translator individually and they both registered as 'dinosaur'. Our word for 'terrible' is ulosásdi. I don't know of one for lizard or even for reptile. My dictionary doesn't list one either but it's nowhere near listing the entire language, more like a quick reference for putting phrases together. But it's the best thing I've got. The online dictionaries are no better. I used to know the language quite well. I had relatives who spoke it often and I had to know it to be able to talk to them. But that was many years ago and my grasp of it now is about the same as my grasp of German which I used to know quite well. Now I have trouble with simple phrases.

Todd/JIM: Like Jeff, I used to know a few languages quite well, for varying reasons I learned them. Now if I translate or try to, I may come out with several words form each of the differing languages I know to make up the sentence!!Talk about confusing.  I just can't seem to remember to translate in all one language.

i call it rusty brain syndrome.

NOW  My MIL wants me to learn German and I have trouble with the long words. I don't imagine I will get much of it down pat, and what I do say amuses MIL so  I am happy with that,. If I try to translate into German, I may come out with a German, french, Greek, Portuguese {Brazil style} and an English word all in the same sentence.

The reason for Hawaiian language is, while it is not necessary for retirement there, It helps to know why a place is called something that it is. There are some English named places  in Hawaii, but there are also a  lot of Hawaiian named places, and a few well placed Hawaiian words in business transactions never hurt! By the way, my Hawaiian-English/English-Hawaiian dictionary doesn't have 'dinosaur' in it, but "terrible lizard' is " weliweli mo'o".

IF ,and I mean IF, we were to retire to a tropical other country climate, I told MOH we should consider seriously learning Spanish for central/south America countries. that/they may be a great place{s} to retire {apparently cheaper than Hawaii anyway, too}.

While   I have it going for study, it is not necessary that anyone here even reads the Hawaiian, as it is most don't bother to read what I post anyway, so it doesn't matter. If they read it and learn it, so be ti, if not,oh well. I have not, except the words above in this post, used ANY hawaiian today. {BTW you are reading this Todd?}

WEll, ermm,

MOH had a long day today, 6.5 hours work then 3.5 volunteering, so I'd best get to dinner as MOH will be starved when getting home in a half hour!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

galaxy

Heartland Division CB&Q

My friend, Gus, is not doing well. His reaction to the bite from a brown recluse spider has become more serious and his kidneys are acting up. He may need to be transferred to another hospital. I'm sad this has happened.

 

Garry,

I missed this first time through....but I  lit an extra prayer candle for him..those spider bites are nothing to fool around with.

hope he proceeds well.

Seems I missed it as well. I hope he gets better soon. Those brown recluse spiders are nasty!

[chochowillie]

Well, it's quite a day here. Thirty degrees C with an ever increasing south west wind currently gusting to 60 Km/hr. Needless to say things are dry dry dry. Forest fires to the north and west so smoke in the air. 

I finally got tired of working out in the wind on the yard and am now "Twisting the afternoon away" making flat tree armatures into what is supposed to be a tree  Don't know... maybe it works, we'll see.

Weather guessers are calling for severe thunder storm activity this evening so we'll see about that too. 

CU later on if the power stays on.

Dennis

[rdgk1se3019]

Spent the weekend making a fixture to build truck dumps........and worked on other projects.

[tcwright973]

Not too bad a day here with temperatures in the low 50's, very gusty winds and scattered clouds. Dropping down into the low 30's overnight with possible freeze warnings, so they say. To err on the side of caution, we put the newly aquired hanging baskets etc, into the garage for safe keeping. I'd rather spend a couple of minutes doing that than have to pay for replacements.

Rail fanning today wasn't too bad. Traffic was sort of light so we only caught 6 trains in 2 hours. One kind of odd thing was that they were all east bound. Intermodals, mixed freights and one grain train. On one of the mixed freights was a "Pillsbury" cylindrical hopper. I picked one of those up at a train show years just because I liked the looks of it, but this was the first prototype that I've seen. So now it does fit into my Western Pennsylvania theme. I knew I would need it eventually.

The wife and I went to the local Chinese restaurant we patronize late this afternoon. It's now kind of a tradition for us to go there on Mother's Day. That started many years ago taking my mother out to dinner, and this was where she wanted to go every year. After she passed away, we just kept going there. So we had our usual beef chop suey along with a takeout order of shrimp fried rice that I get everytime we eat there. If history prevails, it will be all gone by bedtime.

So all in all, another nice weekend. Hope yours was as well...

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Chloe I'll have Buffet tonight and a cup of decaf coffee please.

Didn't get in this morning as I didn't have time before heading out to camp.  At one point there were 7 people helping with the speaker installation on the outside of the dinning hall.  By the time we had lunch a little after noon, all 4 speakers had been installed on the building and most of the speaker wire had been run to where the speakers are also.  After lunch the wiring was hooked up and the wires stapled in place and I started to get the wiring hooked up in the room where the sound equipment is.  I provided all the wires with spade lugs for easy hooking up and solid performance.  Crimped and soldered! By 3:30 I had enough done to be able to do a sound check with two speakers at a time.  I have to find a copy of the manual for the old amp we are using to check and see how the input wiring needs to be done (there is also a ground connection and I need to make sure everything is wired right), so I just used the single channel that was for the old speaker system.  Should have the new mixer and the rest of the needed supplies by the end of the week.  This system is going to kick butt!!! 

TMarsh

Now Ray, question. Would the Alco humor have something to do with they are smoke belching, fuel sucking, oil dripping, environmental enemy displayed on an environmental friendly car.

  Now you mean like this?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKKzKEO1mYA&list=UUkoOG5exBPqBlrkK3GdlXhA&index=13 

Jim, How 'bout an Alco with an EMD 567B prime mover like we got out at the Museum? 

V8, I would if I was looking at a car that old  (I tend to buy new and drive them for 10 years), on both accounts given the proven reliability (which varies by company) of the platforms (Batteries tend to outlive the life of the cars even although capacity decreases over time...).  Edmunds doesn't keep records for the 2005's, but the 2007 is similar.  http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/prius/2007/reliability.html?style=100777218&sub=

Gotta get a few more things done soon.

Latter!

73

[saronaterry]

Good Sunday evening, Diners!

48f and clear, windy. Ice out was Friday afternoon. The oldtimers say they can't remember one this late.

 Went to St. Paul Saturday to watch GS #1 play Little League, what a blast! They won both games. Cold and very windy, though. Oh, and it HAILED I just can't catch a break on the weather.

Also got 10 minutes to swing by Becker's MRR Supply in New Brighton.That's what SWMBO gave me anyway! Worked out OK ,I knew what I needed.WS ballast( Fine grey blend),WS cinders (for the yard)WS fine ground foam( Soil, for more pine trees) and some KD's.

 Today was a lay-around day, haven't made it downstairs.Besides, I hate ballasting.

That's all for now!

Terry in NW Wisconsin

[JimRCGMO]

Huh? Oh, I see several Diners have come in while I was, uh... zoned out. Flo, could I have a RBF, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a bowl of chili (yep, with my usual grated cheddar, diced onions and those oyster-ey crackers, please? Thanks again, darlin'

Chris, you probably (if it makes it into your Boss' paper...) will have the most accurate (non-fawning and non-grovelling) take on the bigshot politician (and you didn't have to follow him into the bathroom!). Who knows? Maybe one of those other editors in your area might try to entice you to some w**k for them (maybe only freelance, but get a foot in the door and y'never know...).Hey, Rerun sure did "woof" down those 'burgers, didn't he?

Oh, BN/SP&S Gary - Chris reminded me of one idea that might help on your paint tape problem (depending on what paint you're using). In one of my painting classes (eons ago, but it oughta still w**k...), for a cleaner edge - after you put the tape down and burnish it down as much as you can - take a brush and apply a coat of acrylic polymer medium (it's clear, and available in matte or glossy) across the tape (in line with the tape line). Let it dry, and *then* paint. The APM seals under the edge of the tape so you get cleaner edges. I need to refresh myself on that technique, as I have some masked painting to do (NTBCW any superheroes...)

Jeffrey, thanks for checking on that for me. Now that I think about it, since the word "dinosaur" is likely a recent addition to the language (unless native Cherokees spend much time sitting around and talking about dinosaurs; I know I don't...), I am guessing that a new word (or maybe one related to something similar in topic/content) may have been how some American English words creep in/get made up. We have had some names for things that changed over time - for example, when I was in elementary school, we went to the "grocery store", later the "supermarket", then "supermart", and now Wally's place is "Wal-Mart". And I've read about how some other (European & others) languages borrow words directly from us. Go figure!

Galaxy, I read your posts (sometimes, I even try to pronounce the Hawaiian phrases/words, but I'd probably make you smile like you make YOH smile with your German. (And German has quite a few of those "glottal stops" and other fun sounds that Americanese doesn't usually have...) Hey, I'll just be happy to retire, once I get to that point in time! Best wishes and on the car repairs/replacement, also.

CDN Dennis - if those 'armatures' are the WS variety they have, I've not been a big fan of those. I like their white metal (older style) ones (which alas, cost more...). So they're gonna let you have spring or summer up there this year? Cool! (I mean, neat!)

rdgk1se3019 (Dennis) Nice truck dumps/ramps - and the cost is right, eh?

PA Tom, are you that hungry, or is that the old line about getting hungry (an hour after you eat...)?

Ray - that's an Alco in that night shot? Hard to tell in the dark, but the lines look like a good ol' Geep 7 or 9!

Oh, I mentioned how warm it was gonna get today? I forgot to mention what the low temp tonight is s'posed to be: 38 F/3 C (!) But then back into the low 70's (F) tomorrow? What's with THAT??

I have a question for those of you with longer experience with Proto locos - do any of you know how the engine/gearing for their Proto (1000) RDC's (HO scale) are (reliability, equivalent Athearn or other parts, etc.)? Since I have yet to get my layout module wired and powered up, I am wondering if I should know a few things about maintaining/repairing them (for when I do get power on the CAW). Anybody who has experience with the Proto RDC's? I have articles about how to convert them over for DCC, but I will want to ensure that the engines run okay on DC before I tackle that project.

Terry, if you ran over the 10 minutes at Becker's, was she going to make you walk home?

No word back from CB&Q Garry on his buddy Gus yet? Does anyone recall if Gus was in a Nashville hospital? I know Garry had said he was going to Nashville when he left the Diner earlier today. Maybe we'll hear something later today/tonight, or else in the morning.

Prayers will continue for Gus and others in need of healing, a good night's rest, and/or comfort. And for a safe trip home for Terry's son.

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape G.

[howmus]

JimRCGMO

Ray - that's an Alco in that night shot? Hard to tell in the dark, but the lines look like a good ol' Geep 7 or 9!

Yep, Jim. that is LV #211, Nicknamed a "Hammer Head", an RS3m, also known as DeWitt Geeps.  The Hammer Head name came from the raised short hood when they added dynamic brakes on her.  A "DeWitt Geep because she was rebuilt with the EMD prime mover in 1979. This practice was started by Penn Central in the DeWitt shops in Syracuse, NY.  She may be the only surviving example of the group (may be one other still in existence) and is the pride of our Museum.  She was saved twice from the scrap line, and has worked for 6 railroads (including the R&GV RR) over her lifetime.

She is a sweet old locomotive and is a joy to ride.  More about LV 211 can be found here.

A short movie of her being started last Spring.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy3hWrzJrfk&list=UUkoOG5exBPqBlrkK3GdlXhA

73

[cudaken]

 Evening

 Flo, Beer Pleases and a BIG HOOK if you would pleases dear.

 B&O Grain Train just had a hot box it looks like I have 5 to 8 grain cars on there side! Just to tired to care tonight.

 Galaxy I have a idea what is wrong, but I will let the folks at Firestone tell. I don't want to be the barer of bad news. I do that for a living and I hate that part of the job!

 Jeffery Thank you for the answer!

 Ken

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Real%20Trains/pictures_90006_BO2_8_8_47607frontbw_zps63950850.jpg.html]

[blownout cylinder]

jeffrey-wimberly

galaxy

Heartland Division CB&Q

My friend, Gus, is not doing well. His reaction to the bite from a brown recluse spider has become more serious and his kidneys are acting up. He may need to be transferred to another hospital. I'm sad this has happened.

 

Garry,

I missed this first time through....but I  lit an extra prayer candle for him..those spider bites are nothing to fool around with.

hope he proceeds well.

Seems I missed it as well. I hope he gets better soon. Those brown recluse spiders are nasty!

Yikes!! Hope he gets better as well!!

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

Well, good evening...

Well...we got to....35F with winds and snow/hail/sleet ...just a wonderful bunch of stuff for our viewing pleasure

I actually got a whole lot of rewiring done on a couple of yards and part of the back track here...now I can see if'n it will do better than it did the  last time...dang tortoisii

Anyhow, have a peaceful evening...

[AmanaMedic]

Good evening,

JIM (in MO): Thanks Pally! I do leave my poly-ticks in the parking lot when I'm on assignment, even when I agree with much of what the subject is saying. THAT said, yeah, my "blurb" will be a completely neutral offering. I think C-SPAN was there (might've been live-streaming/live TV, not sure), one reporter-dog was with the NY Times, and there were others I'd never seen before. As for getting snagged and dragged away from THAT Editor by any of the other outlets in the area...not likely. Here's why: The de-Press-ed Citizen (a Gannet property) likes J-school grads. I never went. The Cedar cRapids Gazette is the same way. No J-school, you're not even qualified to type-in obits. The Daily Iowan is staffed by University of (liberal) Iowa urinalism, I mean, journalism students. THAT ain't me! Nope, my best hope for a different gig is to get out of the biz and go do something else. 

Relocating to another part of the state or even another state is officially a "no-go." The wife just got a promotion and raise...what she makes now, even fulltime with a daily newspaper, I'd only make (at best) a little less than half of THAT. So...no way in hell can I even think of moving her someplace else, so I can take a job making so much less. 

*sigh*

I guess its a good thing I'm "happy in my w**k." THAT reminds me, "Sliced Bread" joins us Friday at semi-weekly Facetime. He graduates on Saturday, I think, from the U of I. THAT will put the "cap" back on my hours. 'Twas nice while it lasted. Why do I call him Sliced Bread? Well, the way THAT Editor was gushing about him, made him sound like the greatest thing to come along since sliced bread. 

CUDAKEN: Sounds like you're trying to model the UP. They had a coal train fall off of the tracks this past week in western Iowa. When it fell off, it knocked into a stack train, knocking it off the tracks. 

See? A prototype for everything, even trains just falling over. 

Have a good evening everybody, and a better week.

Chris (in Iowa) 

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Oh my gosh I missed a lot. Will catch up tomorrow when I have time.