ELLIOT'S TRACKSIDE DINER, JULY 2013!

[Curt Webb]

Evening All,

Had the extended family over for supper, so I BBQ'd. Everyone has gone home so I am watching Drag Racing.

Today I moved  all my train stuff into the new drawer units. I also painted the coal trestle and coal mine tracks/ties black. I figure it makes more sense than brown.

This week I w**k Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Tuesday night is the youngest grandsons Birthday (6th). Yes both of their birthdays are 4 days apart calendar wise.

 

 

 

 

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

 

[JeremyB]

Evening guys,

Nice pics Kurt

I have had a uneventful day, watch the F1 and Indycar race ( which I'm going to next week ) and built a couple more freight cars. The shelf is now down to three cars to be built from the twelve a few days ago. Have you guys ever built a car or car(s) I should say that were a royal pain in the you know what. For me it was two bowser hopper cars, I cant remember the last time I had such a hard and frustrating time building freight cars.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

kbkchooch

Hey, I think I passed that guy!! LOL!!  

and this guy too !! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZFCHk1XCDY

its a bit long,,the real hilarity starts around 4 minutes in 

Here's another good laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLgHRJU7pmY

[blownout cylinder]

Good Evening..

Well, we had rain rain and more rain here, it would dry a bit, get more muggy and down it would come again...it still  is doing it though not as much now..sigh...

I did get to the mall this afternoon..even if a little on the wet side...thought I could have used a wetsuit though...

Then, got home a ran some trains around...and watched a few videos as well...a good evening to be had...

Have a good'un!!

Karl:  We see that coming north out of TO on the 400 a lot!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I was out of the house for a short time today enjoying some watermelon with the family. When I came back I found a mysterious box waiting for me. Mysterious in that there was no mailing label, no information of any kind on it and I had never seen it before. No trip wires, springs or switches of any kind were evident. Inside I found two Apple II compatible 5.25" Quentin disk drives and an Apple II drive controller with a note. It said simply 'I hope you can use these'. No idea whatsoever who left them. The drives required only minimal servicing and work perfectly. It took me about two minutes to install the controller in my mothers old IIe. Most of that time was spent getting it out of the closet and putting it back. So that's three more items scratched off the list of things to get. Now I just need a CP/M card for it. Nothing done on the layout today.

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

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good evening DIners! 

Curt .... I like the photos .

Karl, Ray, Jeff .....  LOL at the goofy drivers in the videos. 

Jeff ... I like the oil well. 

Grandkids are here still. It's fun but they wear us out. 

Here is an older photo of a Northern Pacific GP9 with a local freight train on my layout.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Janie, just a cup of decaf please...

I got a lot done today, most of it outside in the hot and muggy.  Unlike Barry, no liquid sunshine fell here today.  Did have a few clouds hiding the sun from time to time though.

I completed the basic part of the 3rd. raised garden.  Had to add the hardware cloth on the bottom, then position and level the bottom half where I want it in the garden.  I then went to the lumber store up the road and got 3 more 2x6x8' to use for the upper half.  They fit nicely inside the PiP and brought them home.  Finished the top half, added the bracing on the inside, and then after dinner tonight moved a couple wheelbarrows of topsoil over to start filling it.  Only moved a bit and then raked it around to let it sift down through the hardware cloth.  There are a few places where the hardware cloth sits a couple inches up off the ground, and I want to get some soil down in there before I get to filling the whole thing.  I also printed the latest issue of the local Division of the NMRA newsletter for those that still live in the last century and require snail mail.

Tomorrow morning I have to open up the R&GV RR Museum for a tour.  Will need to be up early and get on the road by 8:30 at the latest, so I probably won't make it in until I get back home.

Best call it a night I think!

73

[kbkchooch]

jeffrey-wimberly

Here's another good laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLgHRJU7pmY

Funny Jeffrey!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Jeff ... I like the oil well. 

The oil well pump jack is a motorized model (AC) from Faller. I bought it some years ago from a member on another forum.

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Evening guys, will be heading up to bed soon. 

Got the dark gray on the B-17G today. Other than that, not much to report. 

[kbkchooch]

Hey Gang!

Got both the cars washed, dried, tires dress, vacuumed, then had lunch. Then after lunch, did some more stuff in the basement. It was hot but there wasn't a lot of humidity, so I put my car out in the driveway, opened the windows and the sunroof while SWMBO took hers and went shopping. About 3 I was ready to do some painting in the garage. Got the 1st color coat on 3 engines for my friend "2 dollar Bill" today , then I masked off an engine of mine and proceeded to apply its 2nd color. Just as I was finishing, I felt a cool breeze coming in the shop, turned around to see it was now very dark outside. Got my hands wiped off and found my keys with just enough time to get my car backed into the garage as a deluge hit us! SWMBO had also just gotten home at the same time so nobody got wet!!

Now it's more humid outside, but 15-20 degrees cooler than it was, so I guess its a good thing! More on tap for tomorrow late in the afternoon. Oh well, its better than a drought!

Gotta roll out of here at 7 tomorrow

Cya all later!

[galaxy]

Morning coffee in the diner..

GOOD MONDAY MORNING!!!

Today is Monday, July 8th, 2013!!!

I will light the prayer candles at 9 AM for those in need...

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!!!

Is everything 'O.K.'?

MEANING:

Satisfactory - all correct

Origin:

The short, cute story:

When all know it means that everything is fine. The phrase originated with President Martin Van Buren, while he was running for his second term as president.  He was born in Kinderhook, NY.  And his nickname was "Old Kinderhook." So, his fans formed a campaign committee called the "Democratic O.K. (old kinderhood) Club."The campaign slogan spread from then on.

The bigger better indepth origin{s}:

Such a short word and the source of so much dispute. It is possibly the phrase with more alternative suggested derivations than any other. The contenders include:

1. Terms from various languages that sound similar to 'okay' in English; for example:
   from the Scots - 'och aye' (yes, indeed) from Choctaw-Chickasaw, 'okah' (it is indeed) from Greek, 'ola kala' ( everything is well) from Finnish, 'oikea' (correct, exact) from Mandingo, 'O ke', (certainly)
2. A shortened version of 'Oll Korrect', used by President Andrew Jackson when initialing papers
3. 'Old Kinderhook' - nickname of President Martin van Buren.
4. 'Aux quais' - the mark put on bales of cotton in Mississippi river ports.
5. '0 killed' - the report of the night's death toll during the First World War.
6. 'Orl Korrect' - military reporting indicating troops were in good order.

etc, etc.

Despite there being many rival suggested origins there is actually a well-researched and reliable source for the phrase. In 1963, in American Speech, the celebrated etymologist Professor Allen Walker Read published his extensive research into this phrase. To put his findings into context he explains the craze for the use of abbreviations that flourished in Boston, beginning in summer 1838. He found the earliest recorded use of OK (as opposed to okay, which came slightly later) in the Boston Morning Post, 23rd March 1839, in a story about an odd group known as the Anti-Bell Ringing Society (ABRS). Their reason to be was to have the law relating to the ringing of dinner bells changed. In that article it appears that OK was used as a shortened form of "oll korrect", a comic version of "all correct".

We don't really have to look further for the origin, but people still do.

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be much hope of Read's work being accepted as definitive. Even as early as 1840, which by Read's account is but a few months after the term was coined, there was a dispute about its origin and meaning. In the Lexington Intelligencer, 9th October 1840, we have:

"Perhaps no two letters have ever been made the initials of as many words as O.K... When first used they were said to mean Out of Kash, (cash;) more recently they have been made to stand for Oll Korrect, Oll Koming, Oll Konfirmed, &c. &c."

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!!

[Anonymous]

Hi - the prodigal son´s back, if only for a moment!

Jeff - a belated and all the best wishes for health and happiness from Petra and me!

All the hurdles to get registered as a party and participate in the upcoming general election have been overcome - hooray!  Official campaign will commence on July 22nd, that´s two week from today, but a lot of miles to walk in prep work. Not easy, given the small amount of cash we have...

Have a good one!

[MisterBeasley]

Good morning.  What's not OK is the temperature.  It was 79 degrees F. on the way to work at 7 AM, and just as warm in my office because they don't start the AC early enough on Monday morning after these hot weekends.

It was brutal all weekend.  I pretty much stayed inside, watching the Tour de France, installing the track, turnouts and Tortoises for the last sidings on Phase 2, and then beginning the assembly of the tannery.  It's a Walthers kit, and they put it together with modular sections.  That makes it somewhat easy to modify where doors and windows go, but every wall is made up of many, many pieces.  After 2 days, I've got 2 of the 4 buildings' walls assembled, masked and almost painted.  (I ran out of paint.)  The walls aren't put together into a building yet, since I've got to mortar the bricks first.

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and two eggs over medium, bacon , hash browns and a couple biscuits with butter and strawberry jam please. Thanks.

It’s not been that hot here but humid.

 OK is one of the two most recognized and universally understood words in the world. The other?….Coke

Ray- Ah the slow down once they get in front of you people. Yup. Know them well. Like they gotta be in front of you. Of course once they get around the truck/vehicle they resume a speed just slightly faster than you are going. Drrrrriiift back down to a bit slower and, as you pull out to pass them….., they speed up. You pull back in the right lane……, starts all over again.

Karl- You also probably dealt with the cruise controllers who do not speed up as they pass another vehicle that they are going exactly 1/57^th of a mile an hour faster than. Taking 3 miles to get around them blocking both lanes.

Welp, I was reminded by my “boss” that I agreed a month ago to wo*k for him this Wednesday night so’s they could go to the ball game in St Louis with his son in from Norway. So, that means I now have no “all day” to wo*k on the apartment this week as I’ll be w*rking every night til Saturday. I thought I was retired. WHICH reminds me, Brenda has decided while we were eating uneventfully despite Suki being our waitress, that she wants to go to Peoria for dinner next weekend. Now ANY other weekend of the year most likely would be fine EXCEPT the weekends in July until this apartment project is done. Once again something she knew and, will acknowledge as “oh I know, that’s fine.” in one breath then…."but you said we would go someday. We just haven’t gone and…etc, etc, etc", in the other. I still think it’s a test to see just what I’ll give up for her and what I won’t (shakes head). Like the Black Raspberry incident of recent and OH! She just offered up Saturday night “as many as you want, just let me know they are just taking over and we’re getting rid of most of them” the very same berry starts that she was “concerned” I was giving away too many of to my friend...., to her Aunt. AND, her brother was standing right there and also heard when I told his sister that's all I can get her for a bit. Brenda’s concerned I’m giving too many away because now suddenly she wants them. As per tradition.

She did make me a delicious Strawberry Rhubarb pie last night so….I think I’ll keep her. Love. Good thing there is such a thing or we’d never be able to live with anyone.

In the end, truth be known, I probably need her more than she needs me. I shall never repeat that again.

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Kind of dull and stifling out there ...only 66F out there but it feels more like 83F right now..supposed to go to 85F feeling like 103F later on, under those ol' tunderin'boomers    

Not much planned for today other than messing around in the studio...under the A/C....

Have a good one!!

[EMD.Don]

Morning all...coffee if you please with milk and splenda.

Hot here again. It rained a bit yesterday which has made things worse ...you can actually see the humidity hanging in the hills and the minute you step outside you can feel the moisture in the air. But...I did manage to cut my grass, which was badly needed.

I plan on starting to work on my old Athearn Santa Fe passenger car kits. I picked up 8 of them at my LHS before my railfanning trip North. All mint in their boxes. I want to tint the windows on the cars as well as the vista dome, add diaphragms, new couplers, and possibly some new wheel sets. No interior lightning as I run mainly daytime operations...and I am a bit too lazy to fiddle with all that wiring and such (hey, at least I am honest about it...). Eventually, these cars will be pulled by my new Bachmann DCC and Sound Santa Fe EMD F7a and F7b...which currently look rather silly running around car-less .

Lehigh Valley 2089

Got the dark gray on the B-17G today. Other than that, not much to report. 

I built that kit years ago, with "Outhouse Mouse" nose art on it. The B-29 kit that you have is impressive when completed. I used Baremetal Foil on one, and Model Master Metalizer colors on the other. If it's a REALLY big kit that interests you, pick up the Revell/Monogram 1/72 B-36...YIKES!!!! I have one that is perpetually under construction...I just don't have anywhere to display it once finished. Good luck with the project(s).

Happy modeling and good day all!

Don.

[inch53]

Mornin,,, an irish coffee please Zoe. Got some sun out today, well atleast for now,, a chance of a thunder boomer comin in laters..

TODD,,,, got your E, I’ll holler back to ya laters. Glad to hear you friend n his Mother got out safe.

Karl,,, Stories like sure makes me glad we live where we do. We don’t have traffic jams like that normally, unless I-70’s closed for some reason n the traffic is routed on to US-40, then it’s slow going. That reminds every-one of how it was afore 70 opened.

Best gets round ta chores. Got a guy that wants to buy our dodge van with the tranny out, so need to finish cleaning it out. Would have like to fix it n keep it round, but it’s hard to justify, butting a $1,400 in a $600 van with over 200,000 engine. He’s offered us more than we could get for scrap. I’ll get on to other chores when that’s done

Thoughts for those in need n hopes ya’ll has a gooden

[pascaff*]

Morning All,

   Well it is still morning out here. Currently it is 68 with an expected high of 95.

    My knee was hurting so bad yesterday, I was only able to do 3 hours at w**k and had to leave. Iced it down most of the rest of the day and evening, but it is still a bit sore. May have to have an MRI to see what is wrong with it, as the x-rays did not show anything when I had them taken in Feb. W**k again today, hope I can make a full day. So no layout w**k today.

   I would comment on bad drivers, but my blood pressure would go through the roof. I have a 31 mile one way trip to w**k, almost all on I80, and I encounter multiple bad drivers each way, no matter what time of day or night.

   Prayers to all in need.

    Paul

[soilwork]

Good afternoon!!

                   I will have a large Butter Pecan Ice coffee with cream and X sugar please!!! It's been brutal out here on the east coast, to hot to do anything really. When out on a few dates over the weekend with some girls I met on a few dating sites. I'm getting sick and tired of doing everything by myself, so I guess it's time to try and meet some one!!

                 I was doing some wiring on my layout last night and walked into the cord for the NCE power supply and ripped it right off the circuit board. This is that second time I done that. so I went and got a surge protector and mounted it under the layout. Now the cord is no longer in the way where I can trip over it, get caught up in it or stomp on it..

                Not working today so no case of the Mondays for me. Gonna throw some chicken on the grill and open up a bottle of wine. Have a great day!!!!

John!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 84°, feels like 91° and the humidity is 69%. The high will be 92° and will probably feel like 106°.


Looks like it'll be a hot one today. Yesterdays mystery of the computer parts has been solved. They came from my neighbors father. I needed it, he didn't so his junk became my treasure.

Tomorrow my father and I will be heading to Oakdale in search of a doctor who can do something about this foot of mine for what Medicaid pays. No doctor here will touch it for anything less than having their mortgage paid off it seems.

[Cox 47]

Good Morning All...Its becoming cloudy and as Inch said rain moving in its 78 here...I'll have a diet Coke with lots of ice please...Thanks...Been running trains and working alittle on the layout...doing some background buildings..

Anybody know what happened to the thread here that had lots of background building you could use..I had it in my favorites but when I go there now its not there?..

Fair week here in Martinsville..may go down on my power chair one afternoon and watch races..Great Midwest trot and pace would be some good racing..

You all have a good one...Jerry

[tcwright973]

Good afternoon all,

With yesterday being Sunday, it was rail fanning time. Not all that great a day though. Besides raining off and on the whole time we were there, we only caught 6 trains. Most of the first hour and a half was spent watching an ES44AC & a Dash 9 switching out a long coal train from off the main and onto a couple of storage tracks. Also got to talk to an out of state visitor who stopped by to railfan with us.

Up and out the door early this morning for breakfast, grocery shopping, and errands that took us from one end of the county to the other. Stopped around 1 o'clock for lunch as we were on the way home. Got here about 2 o'clock. So I put a load of laundry in the washer and then just sat down. Ran out of steam and I'm not planning on doing anything else today. Besides, my back is telling me it isn't getting much better, so that needs to be rested as well. I did get lucky earlier in the week though. The handle on the wife's recliner broke. Called the manufacturer about a replacement but ran into a problem right off the bat with a tag containing the serial / model number missing. I've never had the chair (13 years old) upside down, so I know I didn't remove it. Anyway, wouldn't you know they have about a dozen different handles. So the young lady said she would send one she thought might work. Well, it came and glory be, it's the right one. No charge either having a lifetime gaurantee that I didn't even know about. So the wife is happy once again, and that is always a good thing.

The grass in the backyard needs cut again. I'm hoping for a few thunderstorms so I have an excuse to just ignore it. He says with fingers crossed. Hope everyone had a nice weekend and good days ahead.

[Train Master]

jeffrey-wimberly

Yesterdays mystery of the computer parts has been solved. They came from my neighbors father. I needed it, he didn't so his junk became my treasure.

That was funny! I told my dad what you are doing and he disappeared into the black hole he calls a closet. After nearly an hour I was going to call the the Marines, the SAR squad and the Discovery Channel so they could document everything and have Mike Rowe narrate. Then my dad emerged from the black hole and ruined my plans! He had the stuff under one arm and dropped it into a box. All he said was "I hope this stuff still works". He was very happy to know that it does. You were not home so he just opened the door and set the box inside. I told him you would not mind too much.

[kbkchooch]

 Evenin y'all!

Flo, can I get an RBF and a cone,  bowl , no, a quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream??  

Oh,,,,Mr. Todd, 

TMarsh

Karl- You also probably dealt with the cruise controllers who do not speed up as they pass another vehicle that they are going exactly 1/57^th of a mile an hour faster than. Taking 3 miles to get around them blocking both lanes.

Yes, I am familiar with the strain of imbecile. That's why I want one of these for MY Impala!

 

Love that push bar! 

In the end, truth be known, I probably need her more than she needs me. I shall never repeat that again.

You don't have to repeat it,,,,,,the internet is forever!!! 

Galaxy, you're OK by me!! 

Inch Obviously you don't get down to my end of 70 often. Usually backs up every morning and evening between 695 and 95. And 40 has more lights than a Christmas tree!

Ulrich  Leave a stack of ballots by the door, we'll fill them out! 

1st day at the new job, all went well, I could get used to this Time to work on some loco's,, catch ya all later!!

[JeremyB]

Hi Guys,

Was at the doctors today. He doesn't know when I will be able to go back, so it looks like it going to be fun trying to get short term, will probably get it but when????

Look like alot of rain heading this way, seems like that's all we had this summer. Oh well, my weeds oh I mean lawn is green. Just finishing up a few freight cars again tonight. I will have a a bare shelf come tomorrow as I have built them all. Which is good, I'm kit building out at the moment and want to run trains. After a few days pass I may tackle that walthers warehouse that has been sitting here for years.Funny when you get a ton of free time kits go together somewhat quick,lol

Well back to my list im making of things to do on the railroad.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Janie, a cup of decaf would really be nice right now...  Thank you Ma'am!

Weird Day around here.  I got up early, had breakfast (yes, I had dark roast coffee - I do every day), gave Blackie his morning pill, and headed out the door to go open the museum for a bunch of little kids from a day camp in the area.  Half way down the Thruway I hit a patch of rain coming down so hard I seriously thought about taking the ditch and waiting it out.  Then I thought about the idjuts out on the road and figured I was safer keeping going.  Moving target is harder to hit!  By the time I got to the Museum the rain had stopped and in fact they had gotten no rain out there.  Had fun showing some train stuff to the 5 and 6 year olds in the group.  A couple of them are already train nuts and knew a lot about railroads!

Locked up the Museum and headed back home through a couple episodes of rain, but nothing too bad.  Got home, had a late lunch and charged the PiP.  About 4 PM I headed out to the Mennonite Landscaping store to buy a dozen blocks of stone to do the small raised garden around the boulder I bought a few weeks ago.  Sun was shining.  Drove the 4 miles over to the store, went in and told the guy behind the counter what I wanted, but could I look at some before I bought.  He says, sure, and goes to get another kid to take over to where they are.  He also brings out a huge umbrella.  I look out side and it has just started pouring down bucketfuls.  Unbelievable!  I told him, "Lets just wait until the storm passes." About that time we hear "BOOM!!!"  We both figured it might be smart to let the storm pass.  45 Minutes later storm is still thunderbooming around and rain is still coming down hard.  I tell the kid, I'll come back later in the week.  Run out in the rain, jump in the PiP, and with the wipers on high I manage to hit the road.  Two miles down the road...  just a sprinkle.  At my house........  Nothing!

Think Toronto, CA has had that kind of day today too!  Heavy Flooding.  Barry, did it rain where you are???  Actually same system of storms.

The neighbors and I have decided on the exact design for the fence between our properties.  I picked out what I thought would work well, and sent all the possibilities to them by email.  They just sent one back with the one they like the best.  Done!  I have been drawing up the needed stuff on my property map to be turned in for the Permit this evening.  Just about finished.  I am also going to see what a contractor (one of my students from back when) will charge me to do the install.  somehow digging 7 or 8 post holes 3' deep in the rocky and root infested soil there doesn't appeal to me like it would have 30 years ago.

Hope you all have a great night and all of us here in the North East stay dry!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Gotta be up at 5am and on the road to Oakdale no later than 7am tomorrow. My father4 and I are going to talk to a doctor there. Other doctors we've asked says he might be able to do something about this foot of mine, like make it go away. They say he can do it on what Medicaid pays. We'll see. If nothing else he may know someone who can do it on Medicaid. No way am I paying for somebodies mortgage!

In layout news, I looked at the park and took some measurements. Other than that there's no layout news.

In computer news, the power supply I put in my mothers old IIe is making clicking noises. Maybe that's OK, maybe not. Today I looked at a couple of power supplies online. One is used but is reported in good condition. The other is brand new. Never been out of the box. After comparing the prices with shipping included there was a difference of 89¢. I ordered the new one. For such a small difference might as well get the best. Total $63. Birthday money at work.

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

Old all-metal kit-bashed Bachmann steamer.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hey Todd : Any Strawberry Rhubarb pie left? ..... It would hit he spot.

Jerry ....... I really like you background buildings. They fit right in and look realistic.

Some of this talk about bad drivers on congested highways, reminds me of why I like western KY. There is not much highway traffic here.

Watch out for the buffalo, however.

Especially the bull!

I took these pictures a couple of years ago near here.

Railroads once had the same problem.

We've been busy with grand daughters, and I don't have much layout prgress to report.

Best wishes to Jeff with his medical appointments.

Paul ... Hope the knee will be okay

Jeremy ... Hope the illness gets better.

Flip ... Din't have a chance to reply to you about your post where you mentioned the Mallard. I saw that engine in the British Railway Museum in York England.

 

[blownout cylinder]

OK...did we get a few showers here...all of 5" on the rain gauge here and TO got hammered...flash flooding all over the place. Our back yard lake looks more ocean-like tonight... ....the channels are doing their thing though.

Tomorrow promises to be a wet one too...just what we needed...yeeeeaaaaahhh....right....