Elliot's Trackside Diner..MAY 2013!!

[galaxy]

JIM in Cape G wrote:

 

I'm kinda like Ray, still trying to figure out where we are... Anybody got a GPS handy? Turn it on and let's find out where the Diner is.

Galaxy, I've wondered what a Lowbiscus looks like - got any photos of one? (And careful there - remember, those plastic cards also have a very annoying thing about sending the bill to you, and for some weird reason they expect people to pay...).

 

Jim: The diner is in Anytown, Anywhere state, USA OR Anywhere, Earth. I told everybody the diner was in their own backyards and to provide links to what was going on in their backyard...so far no one has done it. {except the pics of layouts-they don't count}.

I haven't had the top in awhile {now watch I jixned it}

 

A LOWbiscus looks like a HIbiscus, but it is lower, naturally. We actually have a Hibiscus I bought MOH a few years ago it is about now 6 feet tall on one branch, 4 feet on another! The blooms of a HIbiscus only bloom open for ONE day!!! {then it closes and dies off If you  didn't know}. I told MOH to buy a  BEAUTIFUL Hibiscus for the MIL as it is big beautiful bright yellow with dep red center, had lots of blooms, and is now compact. MOH is afraid the FIL will kill it. I said we have tried with no sunlight in winter, scattered sunlight in the summer, little/no water fore a few days, etc tried to kill ours, and it still  grows like a weed! SO I don't think the FIL will kill it. We need to cut ours and start some new plants! Ours blooms year round, but not as many buds as on MIL's! Ours is too busy growing to the ceiling from the table {it is there, so we have to trim it! If we had HAWAII's weather, I'd plant it outside, along with some colorful splashed anueanue* crotons {which should grow like bushes} {croton {look closely to see the color splashes}: http://houseplants.about.com/od/foliageplants/p/Crotons.htm }

MIL's hibiscus is like  the middle top picture the "Concorde": http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/.

I could find no picture of a LOWbiscus, though....

 

*Pi'o mai ke anuenue nou, e Kalani  {anueanue {ponounced "ah-new-ay-ah-new-ay" as one solid word} is the Hawaiian word for RAINBOW and one of my favorite words}

have a GREAT DAY

[wetidlerjr]

"Good Morning!" from Tipton IN

5/5/13

TIPTON IN

[wetidlerjr]

Curt Webb

Here is the finished section

 

 

That looks VERY good!  

[galaxy]

That was close....

Good to see Bill T post..though late, but good to see...I thought for a minute I was  going to have to light another candle for him!

HAve a great day!

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Sunny and a high of 74F for us today...

Got a bunch of things done yesterday but the list kept right on a'coming as well...so today will be another one of those days

Rn into an old band mate and friend of ours and was invited to help get the band together..we need to find our drummer....

Better be off and doing stuff...have a great day!

[blownout cylinder]

Condolences to Sally and Jerry's families on Sally's passing

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning. I'll have coffee and derby pie left over from yesterday.

Everybody ........ Galaxy had a super idea. Pay attention. 

Galaxy said: " Jim: The diner is in Anytown, Anywhere state, USA OR Anywhere, Earth. I told everybody the diner was in their own backyards and to provide links to what was going on in their backyard...so far no one has done it. {except the pics of layouts-they don't count}."

Bill T has been doing that all along with many photos from the Hoosier State especially close to his town. Many are historical. 

In KY ....... Here is My Old Kentucky Dinner Train operated by R J Corman.

Here I am chowing down (as usual) with Shelley and friends. Actually, it's my friend, Reggie and his wife from Illinois. (Yes, he is who I named my scrap yard after)

The train was stopped next to a box car. 

Thanks Galaxy for a good idea. .... Next person? 

[kbkchooch]

Howdee gang! 

Flo, just coffee please, (for now)

Been mucho busy with the new job, finishing up another article, and yesterday, got 5 engines dropped off for paint & DCC/sound , and 2 more coming! man, when it rains, it pours!!  Last night after returning home from a viewing, the wife informed me washing machine no longer agitates.  Found washer needs to be unhooked from the hoses to turn it around and inspect it, BUT the cheap plastic shut off valves in the house WONT SHUT OFF!! So its off to Home Depot to get new valves, so we can disconnect the washer, to figure out what's wrong with the *** thing! Then another trip to get parts. Who says the washer won't agitate. I'm agitated!!!! 

I WAS going to spend the day shooting and editing some video of the latest engine,,oh well! 

Barry, getting the band back together?? LOL! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzOHq5WbQ8k

Jerry, my condolences to you and yours on Sallies passing.

Ulrich  Go get em! I'd vote for you if  could! 

Vincent and Alexander  to both of you!  

L8ter Gators!

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

JimRCGMO

Jake, hope you're feeling better by now (I'm still catching up on the posts - took me a while to find the breadcrumb trail to the new location).

Yeah, better now. Just a bit tired. 

Good morning. 

Typing up an English research paper today. Beyond that, no plans for today. 

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and the Sunday Breakfast Buffet.

A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Cinco de Mayo……Sinko da mayo…naise. (siiiigh)

You know…..I had sooooo much to say but after that…… (shakes head)

Hauled a lot of rubbish to the Township dumpsters. Three truck loads. On and about a half was for me…, no maybe two. The other one was for the restaurant and the bank. Could have taken more, but alas I was summoned to the community Center to assist in the cleanup for the sale they had there, and then of course she was hungry and didn't feel like cooking. Imagine that.

Now with the ground so wet and soppy (2.4” so far) I need to get that lawn roller filled and roll the lawn smooth again. But alas, Brenda wants to take another trip to Nebo today to bring my Aunt a piece of Salmon. I don’t mind as she is literally on her death bed, but I really need to get some  stuff done around here. Monday, she will complain because her car is still outside and I haven’t got the stuff out of the garage that was put there for this weekend.  And will "notice" some things that could have gone to the dump but I didn't. Oddly, she has yet to grasp the idea that when you want someone to do something, you cannot take them away and occupy their time to do this, then expect it to be done. Which she does constantly. Like she waits for you to be doing something, then wants you to do something for her all of a sudden. Lays in wait....like a Trap Door Spider. Maybe some day.

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Ah, Zoe, I see the Buffet is out so I will have a trip to the Breakfast Buffet and if you would be so kind as to bring me my dark roast coffee, Seneca Lake Roast, I would be very appreciative.

The big bright thing is out from behind the clouds and the little wheel down cellar is spinning fast this morning.  Todd, we could actually use some of the stuff that makes the ground wet and sloppy around here.  It is dry.

I will try to get started building the first of two raised bed gardens today...  Maybe...  Have some weeding that has to get done in the herb garden where the asparagus bed is, and a few other things on the list that can't wait.

Best get moving!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 54° with 54% humidity. Isn't that a coincidence. It'll be sunny with a high of 68°.


I don't really know what I'll be doing today. I'll probably put a decoder in the GP40 I rebuilt yesterday. The parts all seem to get along with each other considering they're from two different eras. As the frame was missing one coupler mount and the other mount was damaged I body mounted Kadee 242 draft gear boxes. They had to be put together in a stacked configuration with each stack being two boxes thick and held together by super glue and a screw.

I feel better today than I did yesterday though I still feel like crap. At least I don't feel like I'm freezing anymore. I've come to the conclusion that I have a really bad cold.

[galaxy]

IF I can get MOH motivated, we wil clean off the  porch and prepare for garbage day to dispose of the "junque" we don't want.

It is nicely cool now and will get hot later...so After the TV program MOH is watching now, we will.....I hope.

We have had very NICE weather for a change...not to rub it in with those with snow and rain and chilly cold, but we had enough of THAT here this early spring!

That and maybe I can get MOh to sort clothes no longer wanted...

MOH had a successful day at work...they were surprised how fast MOH picked up the new register...MOH has possible plans to get to supervisor?! MOH did ask to be put on first thing the morning...as we like early mornings!!! {as you know I am up early here}.

The yard needs to be mowed again too...

Well, best get to it I guess....

hanohano no 'oe i ku'u maka, Ke kama ho'oheno a ka Malie

 

EDIT: OOPS I SPOKE TOO  SOON earlier about not having TOP in a while.....eat up...the Midnite Flyer special is on me... Daisy here is my CC...

 

[kbkchooch]

Oppps, almost forgot!!

Happy

[rdgk1se3019]

Wouldn`t it be Stinky Mayo if its in the sink?

[Burlington Northern #24]

I hope you get better Jeff. 

hmmm not much on the front for anything today, might go look at the layout some more. I'd work on ti"N"y but I've no idea what I should use for a grade crossing, any suggestions?

I wish that this track shortage would go away, I'd really like to get my 4' x 6' together or have the track atleast. I've been looking at SP&S #750 she wore three schemes hourglass, broad stripe, and green. I could order a pre painted model but I think they're all gone, Life like is the only one who makes E7's. I'd be saving money if I did it myself. but I'd have to figure out what paints work, brush painting stuff can be a pain when you have stubborn paint that doesn't hold well and isn't second layer friendly.

[Anonymous]

Just a quick stop here before I hit the day.

I am really busy these days - just came home from a work meeting. Still the To-do list is more than a hundred miles long

CU tomorrow!

[galaxy]

Listening to my favorite Hu wale ke aloha nou, e Kalani, Pi'o mai ke anuenue nou, e Kalani, Ani pa’ia ia ‘oe, e Kalani, Eia ku’u wahi’ mele nou, e Kalani Got it mostly memroized now.

Well we got rid of a huge pile of stuff off the porch until we disturbed a hornet's nest with the bug spray...

Then we stopped, until next week...

Then the week after we tackle the shed!

The garbage men will LOVE us!!

There was a guy on here who wanted N scale Bachmann EZ TRACk...IF he is still here and still wants it, I can get to it now! PM me with a private conversation!

Well dinner time

[Curt Webb]

Evening All,

Got back from Patrick AFB about 4 PM. Pretty beat and spent too much money.

Now my daughters family is over and I will be BBQing ribs. Not thrilled about BBQing but happy to see the family.

Cape Jim & Bill- Thank you.

Garry- I used WS Cinders. After looking at old engine facility pictures that was the closest thing I could find. I do a Grey Mixed/Cinders in the yard.

Here are a couple of pics from downtown Winter Garden (home) at the old ACL station

 

 

 

 

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

[cudaken]

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, Yea you know and thank you dear.

 Went to K-10 today and got gears for the NIB PK GP 30 I bought from them last week. Ken (The owner) was busy in the layout room with it being open house today. I asked Ken's Sister (Just came out a few months ago to help Ken) for a discount for the needed gears and showed her the recite for the engine I bought last week and explained the gears where cracked. She said "Bring it back and will will exchange it". Told her "It is easier to fix it". "Besides the other GP 30 will have cracked gears anyway." Luckily Dave (he volunteers there like I did) over heard the exchange and stepped. He told her to give me the gears and she acted PO. Dave is a Model Railroader and she is not.     

 Got the gears replaced and all 4 where bad. All so forgot how hard it is to install wheel in the new gears! Got the decoder and front LED installed. Boy it was a SOB getting the shell in places! I was afraid I was going to break something pushing down to get the coupler pocket's in places.

 The GP 30 B&O runs quite, but so far not impressed with what it can pull. On the B Line it can only haul 11 cars, well maybe 13 if I add a few, but that is about it. Hope it gets better with some wheel break in time.

 Later, Ken

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Real%20Trains/pictures_87954_6BampO69446-87_zps96b5a41f.jpg.html]

[Burlington Northern #24]

examining SP&S steam rosters a Kato Mikad will definitely make a good stand in for an O-3 class Mikado(ex NP) these puppies oulasted O-1, O-2, and O-4 class mikados. (latest I saw was '57). I'll need 4 F3A's, an E7A, a ton of RS3's, 4 RS1's, and some GP38's (we'll say they got there a bit early, the last three will be in BN green and the first two will be broad striped). now if only I could find a challenger for a price I'll pay(or I could save). 

[pascaff*]

  Evening All,

     Did get to pull some weeds in the front yard this morning. Yard w**k is not my favorite thing.

    Was able to get the engine house finished and put on the layout. Still need to finish some scenery around it, but looks OK for the time being.

  Prayers to all in need.

      Paul

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Good evening. 

Got my English paper typed up, and got my Me 109's second coat of paint on. The instructions said to use grays with a blue tint. I just used a standard light and dark gray two tone scheme. It also is to have a yellow nose. It was to originally supposed to go back to the first exhaust pipe, but I took it back to the 7.7mm machine guns. 

Night everyone. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Today I put a Digitrax DZ125 decoder in the rebuilt CN GP40 and it now runs like a dream. I started on another GP40 this afternoon using parts from a GP40, a GP38 and a GP30 and a few parts from other sources. You can look at the photo below and decide for yourself which is which. The shell is pretty obvious. The GP40 is about the easiest Bachmann diesel to rebuild. So many of the parts are universal.



Most of my day was fairly slow. I only ventured outside once and that was for a very few minutes. I'm still quite weak. I doubt if I could fight off an anemic Cub Scout in my present condition. At least I'm not cold anymore. Neither the a/c or heater have been turned on at all today.

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

[JimRCGMO]

Evenin', Janie - I'll have a bowl of chili with some grated cheese and onions on it, and a RBF to wash it down with, please. Thankyouma'am! (Wow! The tab from yesterday was amazing...)

CDN Dennis, I was like Jeff, and I thought it was Virginia (looked it up, and it's the "Old Dominion" state, if there's any fine distinction there...).

Jeff, I was wondering about some hognose snake or the like, but you had the photo. Doesn't that snake whose pic you showed, if the 'rattler imitation' doesn't work, roll over on its back and play dead? There's one of those lookalike snakes that does, I think. But I'd want a goodly distance between me and even a look-alike one until I was sure (absolutely sure!) it was a fake and not the real deal!

Ah, Vincent - you're right, that isn't at all that kind of snake. Hmm, I wonder how ticked the snake got while your brother is taking all those photos of the li'l critter? ("Stupid humans, a snake can't get a decent nap in without them interrupting...")

C&O Terry, sorry for your 'gain' - that does put the icing (no pun intended...) on your cake, doesn't it? (Our loss, sniff, sniff...woe is me down south here...) Hey, it's all right - you'll get us back come August, when your weather is more tolerable than mine - or Jeff's, which is even more humid and hot, right Jeff? And Terry, you keep posting those layout photos! I'm gonna take a wild guess - that's your mower under that white stuff? What are you doing, making sand castles with really fine sand?

PA Tom - you're like me; you can spot the chowhound in the crowd.

Jeff, on your Black Bart mine, go to http://hoseeker.org, and then to here. I bet they may have a copy there that you could print out. I was kind of surprised to see that they have Suydam literature/directions. They have a bunch of old directions, assembly diagrams, etc. there. I think Mr. Beasley's right about your caboose (I have a couple of the Athearn cabeese, one of which is missing that thin metal ladder...). And thank you for the link about Sallie.

Garry, nice NP train photo! Your lake's water level started to go back down yet? I'm just glad I don't live right by (either) the Mississippi River, or the diversion channel a bit south of Cape.

Galaxy, have added YOH's-you-know-what to my list (shhhh!...) Okay , if you're gonna give us the Hawaiian lyrics on that song/chant, at least don't leave us hanging & wondering - what's the translation for that?

Mr. Beasley, thanks for your Diner photo, also! This Diner might not quite have all of the Library of Alexandria's stuff/knowledge - but a bunch of Diners also can find an answer very quickly! So, what's the story about the mother and the kid (or is that a Sister walking the kid down the steps) there in your photo? And you did an excellent job with that Atlas turntable - wouldn't recognize it, if you hadn't told me!

Mike (mbinsewi) - in addition to "de-Nortonizing" your computer, try a check of your Firefox add-ons (I think it's under Tools in the menubar) and see which extensions you have installed. If you have NoScript or Ghostery, there's a setting or two you can turn on for the website with the camera, so you get to see it. Let us know which extensions (and plug-ins) you have, and Jeff or I or another Diner will sort it out for ya. (And I agree with Jeff - Firefox is better about security than IE). Oh, about the funky quote? If you look closely, it appears you cut off the ending square bracket, aka "]" that was on the end of the quoted part, when you went to write your response.

AmanaMedic

Evening, 

If the Diner is everywhere at the same time, isn't THAT using the infinite improbability drive from The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

Chris (in Iowa)

Ulrich - C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! ! (on your election). (I tried to match the colour of your...lanyard?... that you're wearing. Getting elected (and all that campaigning, meetings, and so forth) will keep you out of Petra's way for a little while, eh? Oh, as one of the - at various times - MIA Diners, I wish the rest of you weren't quite as talkative when I'm gone - harder to get caught up!   Now that you mention it, I don't recall if you mentioned what possessed you to get into politics - what was it?

Man, it looks like a bunch of you Diners have been busier than beavers with errands and stuff! Busy is as busy does, huh? Whew - makes a guy tired just reading through all that you've been up to!

V8 Dennis - my (older) brother lives in the Thousand Oaks area, and when I saw on the news about the fire, I called him. At that time, he said the fire was 2-3 miles away, but that they were watching it closely. I'm hoping it didn't get any closer to his place.

BN/SP&S Gary - if you don't object, I'll add your 'Oma' and the rest of your family, to my prayer list. (Seriously). And if she's as tough as a DB 2-10-0, I wouldn't count her out just yet, either. We "stubborn 'dutch'" (as my Dad used to say) can be quite...uh, "persistent" about hanging on. And all of we Diners are here for you. Spend as much quality time with her as you can. And for the ethnicity survey, I'm half German (Hannover), and the other half a mix of English/Welsh/maybe some Irish in there.

JaBear, thank you for the invite for tea - I just hope the fruit cake 'Down Under' there is NOT like what gets given as presents around Christmas time here in the Northern hemisphere! (It's got to be better than ours!)

So Todd - what's your next project on the never-ending HD list? (Just wondering what's up next for you...)

Speaking of economics and politics, wasn't it Mark Twain who said:

"Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.'" (Disraeli was another politician...)

Okay, Vinnie, I'll be moving along now, no need for a trip out the back door with me...

Curt, I had looked in WPF before I got my post done the other day (Friday? Saturday? I forget...), and really liked how you (re-)did that TT approach track. And I would agree - very good job on the ballasting!

Todd (with an assist from Karl)... (I missed the last part of yours, Todd - until I saw Karl's photo - and mentally re-said what you had written...)

Gary (BN) - you could try watching deBay for one of the Life-Like locos, and then save a search for that - they'll send you emails (DO specify as a search term that you only want items listed in the US, or they'll for sure send you listings in Great Britain and other points where the exchange rate (& customs fees) might not be good for you). Then see if what they're going for is close to what you are willing to pay (or just wait...).

NV Paul, the enginehouse looks good (and, nice color choice)!

Jeff, make sure you eat enough, and get rested up. If whatever you have continues, you may want to set up a trip to your doctor's.

I think I'm almost caught up (for now...). I did want to post a couple/three photos of the intial painting I did on my resin junkyard/work shed castings.

This is the smaller box-builder/junkyard building, from the front. And here's the back of it:

This is only the first step in the paint, since I want some of the recessed areas a bit darker than this (without darkening everything).

Now here is a fence area that came with the shed (the 'front' side). And then here's the back side of the fence: (Much neater, right? )

I'm happier with the washes on this piece than on the shed itself. The castings are from Model Tech Studios, their HO D0230 Handyman's Shed and Fence Assembled Undecorated. Got mine from M.B. Klein, for those inquiring minds out there.

We do have several Diners who are tired lately (for a variety of reasons), as well as those healing up (emotionally and physically), so will add them to the list along with Jerry (and his and Sallie's families). Best wishes to Ulrich for keeping up (as best possible) with the more hectic pace of politics, as well. As for myself, I head back to the office tomorrow a.m. Hoping my St. Louis Cardinals have continued their winning streak (don't actually know for sure, and I may be in the dark on that until next Friday; whole 'nuther story there). Prayers for a good night's rest all around.

Blessings,

Jim in Cape G.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JimRCGMO

Jeff, I was wondering about some hognose snake or the like, but you had the photo. Doesn't that snake whose pic you showed, if the 'rattler imitation' doesn't work, roll over on its back and play dead? There's one of those lookalike snakes that does, I think. But I'd want a goodly distance between me and even a look-alike one until I was sure (absolutely sure!) it was a fake and not the real deal!

Yes, you're describing perfectly some of the behavior of the hognosed snake. When it's threatened, the hognose snake will flatten it's neck and raise it's head like a cobra, and hiss. It may feign strikes,though they'll almost never bite unless you happen to smell like their prey. This has earned them several nicknames. "Puff adder", "blowing adder", "flathead", "spreadhead", "spreading adder" or "hissing adder". The nickname "puff adder" is only a nickname, and isn't scientifically correct. There's a highly venomous viper from Africa called the puff adder.

This photo from Wikipedia is of a western hognosed snake.

[Packer]

Evening guys

This is kinda weird me being up this late. IDK why, but I was tired all day. But now I feel awake and alert... Didn't work on trains today as I've been napping most of the day. lol

I think I struck a pretty good deal on my first steam engine. I managed to get a Bachmann Spectrum 2-10-2 in KCS for $50. Only got it because I like 2-10-2s and it seems to be about 1/2 of what they are going for. The guy has an NP F3 shell too. I'll probably patch the NP F3 to BN 704. It's sister unit, 702 (part of the same NP order as 704) wound up with an F7's DB fan and a totally different nose light.

Ken, I have a B&O coal hopper I don't want, along with a few weathered covered hoppers. Figure I'd let you know before I strip them. PM me if you want them.

Jim, I think I woke the snake up. It came out of my brother's miata when I was taking the fender liners off his miata. If it had landed on me I probably would have freaked out and hit my head, lol.

Karl, my birthday isn't until August.

I got a bunch of train projects to work on. Getting my 2 GP38-2s beacons lit (halfway with one, just have to solder magnet wire to some plugs I have) and switch the sideframes on one of my BLI C30-7s (thanks maxman for swapping with me), then the BN SD40-2 (I just need MU hoses and a few athearn mini-bulbs). I have 2 beacons left to install, and it looks like 1 is the right type for BN 5127 (C30-7), IDK about 5533 (C30-7) and 8097 (SD40-2). The 2 C30-7s and the SD40-2 would be a decent representation of newer BN coal train power in the early-mid 80s. (older power was U30Cs and SD40s, with SD45s and U33Cs thrown in)

[Burlington Northern #24]

shed looks good as does the fence Jim.

As for the locos I have a source for some of these locos. some poor WP F3A's will be meeting the brush and a new set of decals, some RS3's(specifically atlas ones) and RS1's, will be donors from varied roadnames, the mikado will be a donor from some road whichever one's being sold the cheapest, the E7A will probably be a western unit(for the two headlights), and passenger cars are varied donors as well. you could say I'm a custom painter addict, I bugged microscale for some more decals to be released.

[galaxy]

Morning Coffee in the diner...

GOOD MONDAY MORNING!!!

Today is Monday, May 6th, 2013!!!

The prayer candles will be lit at 5:30 AM for those in need...

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!!!

[galaxy]

JimRCGMO

 

Galaxy, have added YOH's-you-know-what to my list (shhhh!...) Okay , if you're gonna give us the Hawaiian lyrics on that song/chant, at least don't leave us hanging & wondering - what's the translation for that?

 

Jim: first you might want to listen to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgffvR44Yek