Elliot´s Trackside Diner - November 2013

[Anonymous]

Welcome to this month´s Elliot´s Trackside Diner, now at a new location in Milwaukee. We will explore the Kalmbach offices, have a chat with Neil, David and Cody and take a close look at the making of our favorite magazine.

Join in for a month of fun, entertainment and friendship.

A trail of bread crumbs leads to the old Diner location:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/221050.aspx

[Anonymous]

Good Morning Folks!

Already November! Today´s a public holiday in most of Germany, but not here up north, were folks are mainly of protestant creed.

No trick or treatin´ last night. There was a lot more going on in past years, but not really in my neighborhood.

I´ll be taking the car to the garage to get the tires changed for the coming winter season, other than that, no major plans.

Dennis - sorry to hear about your granddad´s passing.

PATom - a belated to you, Sir!

[galaxy]

morning coffee in the diner..

Thank you Ulrich for opening the diner...

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING!!!

Today is Friday, November 1st, 2013!!!

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!!!

Today's Fun limmerick:

I've done it; I've done mown the lawn,
But my muscles are aching and torn.

I could swear there are some

In my legs and my bum

I've not used since the year I was born.

Today's fun Children's medicine claims:

Ayer's Sarsparilla

Purifies the blood

Quickens the Appetite

Makes the Weak Strong

Ayer's Sarsparilla

Prepared by Dr. IO. Ayer VA Lowell, Mass.

Cures others will cure you

Today's weird words:

affret:(n.) a furious onset or attack Etymology:

[Cf. It. affrettare to hasten, fretta haste.]

titivation:(n.) /TID uh VAY shun/ the action of sprucing up or 

making small additions or improvements in appearance

Etymology: [titivate + -ion; Alteration of earlier tidivate : perhaps tidy + (ele)vate.]

Mucronate(adj.) (biology) (mykr-nt) - Adjective 

meaning coming to a hard, sharp point. Etymology:

[from Latin mūcrōnātus pointed, from mucro]

[galaxy]

To those who need special thoughts and prayers:

For the passing of Bill: My condolences to his family. I didn't know him {been here since 2006 but not in the diner til later} but I have lighted a prayer candle for his positive passing.

For Dennis: I have lighted another prayer candle for your grandfather's positive passing. He is in a far better place, even if you don't have religious beliefs, the Superior energy of the universe will see to him. Small concession, but Remember HE would WANT you to celebrate your Birthday and ENJOY life!

SO, for Dennis:  Though it may not seem an ocassion for happiness, as I said, HE would want you to celebrate your life's milestones...

[galaxy]

Johnboy out says: Galaxy, I'm loving and sharing some of your limericks.

Thanks Johnboy, it's nice to know they are appreciated, I don't think half the guys here even read my limmerick posts. Here is one JUST OFR YOU!:

Then Johnboy stood up to shout,

"To Galaxy, I'd like to tout,

The Limmericks are fine,

They are so very devine

That I share them all about."

[hon30critter]

galaxy:

I read your limericks and your word definitions. Always good for a chuckle, and I learn something every time from your uncommon words. Actually, I get a real kick out of when you post a word and I already know the meaning, which does happen occasionally - not too often, but often enough to increase the fun.

Thanks for the brain exercises!

Dave

[hon30critter]

Have a great day everybody!

Dave

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and a bowl of cheeseburger soup please. Thanks.

Partly sunny, with a high near 56.

Ray- I’m glad the CPAP is working for you.

Jeff- That’s great news on the walking by Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed Mr Murphy stays occupied elsewhere.

Dennis- My condolences on the loss of your Grandfather.

PA Tom- Happy Birthday yesterday to you!!

Sounds (and looks ) like we didn’t get many trick or treaters last night. I probably got as many at the restaurant and that was just a couple of my friends kids. Guess the rain kept them away. It wasn’t really raining, just kinda drizzling.

Most importantly, I found out what was wrong with my foot. In Walmart yesterday buying $50 inserts for my shoes, and I run across a friend of mines wife and tell her why. She responds with “and when you rest it then get back on it it hurts like a …” ..well I can’t say what she said cause that won’t get me a just reprimand, it’ll flat out get me kicked off the forum for life! But I agreed wholeheartedly. She said she has it and has had it and it is Plantar Fasciitis (sp?). Not the most comfortable of all things I must say, but I’ll survive and it could have been worse. Main thing she said was to try and stay off your feet as much as you can at first. THAT is almost an impossibility for me but….after tonight I should have three days of no wo*k. We’ll see. In the meantime, these stretchy type exercises, and  Ibuprofin is my friend I guess so I’ll get some today. We’ll see. I gotta do something cause last night I waited on tables and oh my gosh my foot was killing me. Even my right foot started to hurt due to me favoring the left and wearing tennis shoes which I can't wear anyway but figured the heel was softer. Never do THAT again.

Welp, off to do…..as little as possible for the next few.  Hey, at least I have an excuse now!

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 53° with 100% humidity. The high will be 75° and feel like 79°. Dense fog.
[http://vortex.accuweather.com/adc2010/images/icons-numbered/11-h.png]

We have a dense fog advisory in effect until 10:00 am. Looks like it covers most of central Louisiana.

The only definitive plan I have for today is to get the monthly bills paid. Beyond that I have no plans.



KCS 683. An SD40-3 'snoot'. It was still in white the last time I saw it. Photo taken Sept 16th 2007.


KCS 682. An SD40-3 'snoot'. It's been on the KCS since it was new in 1978. Sept 24th 2007

[MisterBeasley]

Happy Friday, everyone!

My car sleeps in the garage at night, and it's a direct connection to the basement, so neither the car nor I get to feel the the weather until the big door lifts up.  When I got to work, I was struck by a very strong wind, and immediately thought of the old Gordon Lightfoot song about the Edmond Fitzgerald, and the line "When the winds of November come early."

Train season is here.  The shows start up pretty soon, and the weather does not invite me outside.  So, until ski season, I'll probably find more time for modeling.  But first, we've got some more levity this weekend, with a (grown-up) Halloween party on Saturday, and the "Flavors of Bedford" charity+food event on Sunday.

Todd, get that looked at.  Plantar Fascitis is going to take some time to heal.  My wife had it.  They had her in one of those odd plastic boots for a while, but she eventually got over it without surgery.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Todd: Very definitely get that looked at before it gets a chance to get out of hand. You don't wanna end up like me do you?

*

I picked up two items for use with my Apple //e's. One is a Disk II disk drive guaranteed to be working ($80) and the other is a CP/M co-processor card ($63). These items could have sold for a lot more. They should be here on or about Tuesday (5th). Got free shipping on the disk drive.

[BroadwayLion]

jeffrey-wimberly

I picked up two items for use with my Apple //e's. One is a Disk II disk drive guaranteed to be working ($80) and the other is a CP/M co-processor card ($63). These items could have sold for a lot more. They should be here on or about Tuesday (5th). Got free shipping on the disk drive.

Hey! We got a couple of CPM machines up in the attic. First computers we got (used, of course) .

ROAR

[Curt Webb]

Hello All,

I am fighting off some kind of minor stomach virus today. Last night the grandkids and daughter came over and we did trick-or-treating in the downtown area of our small town. The town sets up a safe area with the local merchants.

Found out yesterday that my Mom is having her right knee replacement surgery on veterans day. She has said that both need replaced.

Dennis- I am truly sorry to hear about your Grandfather. I am saying prayers for your family.

JohnBoy- I am saying prayers for you also. I hope everything turns out great for you.

Jeff- Hope your leg fitting goes smoothly and you are up and walking very soon.

PA Tom- Happy Birthday

Hope everyone has a great weekend and prayers for those in need.

  

[JeremyB]

Hi Guys,

Off to a doctors appointment in a few minutes. Will stop back in later. Probably no layout projects today.

[tcwright973]

Todd - Some others have given you good advice. I had  Plantar Fasciitis about 15 years ago. I didn't know what was wrong and played around until the pain was unbearable and then I went to the Doctor. He sent me to physical therapy and that was of great help and it hasn't bothered me since then. I do remember doing stretch exercises, but don't recall exactly what ones. I'm sure you can find the proper exercises on the internet, but it's probably going to take some time to clear it up.

Had my eyes examined this morning. Good news overall. They told me that my Diabeties Type II hasn't effected my eyes at all, and that there's no sign of any other eye problems like cataracts, etc. I did get a new prescription for glasses, which he said was optional as the change wasn't that great. But as the ones I have are about 3 years old, I picked out new frames and lenses. I should have them in 2 or 3 weeks.

The mailman delivered another Santa Fe passenger car from Walthers today, which has been on backorder. It's the observation car from their latest run. I'm certainly no expert, but I think these cars look great. I have one more on back order, that one is the dome car. Now they don't fit into my Western Pennsylvania collection in any way, shape or form, but as I've mentioned before, the "Super Chief" from Lionel was the passenger train I remember seeing and operating as a kid in the 40's. Sentimental journey I suppose.

[galaxy]

well 

we did a bunch of running around.

Did Sam's club. "Bought" 5 items. at the register anyway...But got to the door, and reciept said "4 ITems purchased". Well! Although she didn't exactlyaccuse us of trying to steal, we had to go through to find which of the 5 items she didn't scan. The cashier didn't pay close enough attention to the register as she was impatiently witing to close and go on break.  I said here take it back then to the door guard,, she demanded to know why we didn't want it then, and I wasn't about to wait in line again for an item we didn't have dire need of. It was all neatly packed in the cart by the cashier, and I thought the total was a little light compared to what I mentally quoted my self. But I thought I had made the mental  error instead.What a hassle and with people lined up behind us waiting impatiently! Usually they never really pay close attention when verifying the reciept, but she was a real stickler {rightly so, I grant you, but made us angry over how she handled it it}.

We also went to FILs. He wanted me to sign something that I know he signed and verify it. Problem is It should be a "disinterested party" and as MOH's legal spouse, I AM an 'interested party" as It will benefit me too in the ultimate end when it benefits MOH. SO we had a mini  fight, or rather FIL rasied his voice loud and clear and argued I COULD sign it, so we left. He always thinks he knows everything.  A disinterested party must verify by signature, plain as day I am not that. Of course FIL thinks MOH thinks/knows everything too. Probably thinks I think/know everything too, ocassionally I DO.

So dinner will be a sub as I forgto to pull anything from the freezer earlier.{see sometimes I DO miss something.

Well

have a great evening.

Prayers for those who need them. you know I may not mention it every morning, but I DO still light the prayer candles.

EDIT: wow! Tippy TOP again, this is getting to be a regular occurrance again! Daisy! Here's my CC! and a nice $100 tip for you!

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Dennis B..... Condolences for loss of your grandfather. Sorry it was close to your birthday, but I wish the best for your birthday a day late.

PA Tom ... Happy late birthday. Sounds like a Santa Fe passenger car arrived to help celebrate.

Jeff .... Glad your leg is healing and soon you will be walking.

JohnBoy .... Have a good week end trip.

CN Charlie .... If I remember correctly, this is your final day of work. Congratulations on retiring.

Duke .... Thanks for posting .... That is sad news.

Ulrich ..... Milwaukee is a nice city. Would you like me to re=post pictures I posted last year of MR's HQ?

We never have trick or treaters here, and we were at the neighbors last evening while it rained.

Where is Barry ?

[JeremyB]

Dennis : Sorry I forgot to offer condolences before.

Doctor appointment went good, was in and out pretty quick. Didn't see any trains ( CN dundas sub runs almost beside the office )

Im in one of those moods right now where I don't know what to work on my layout. One side of me wants to find something to do on it even if it is small. And another side of me doesn't even want to work on it at all. just at a weird impasse that im sure all of us get at one time.

The only thing I feel like doing lately is sitting in front of the TV playing video games, I don't have kids or other commitments other then work and only really play games when the wife is at work. I figure if the household chores are done and I have free time I can do with it what I please, but I just feel SOOOO lazy when I do that. At the time of the year when its dark at 5 and cold outside sometimes thats all I feel like doing.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Janie, a nice hot of hot chocolate before bed would be nice...

I spent most of the day in Rochester today.  Had a long but very productive meeting with the other officers on starting to pout together a Region Convention in 2015.  We have most needed positions filled, and a good plan already in place.  now we have to start working it.  The next step is to write up and send what we have done so far to the region.  A couple of us went out to lunch after the meeting, then I had to run the mixer board from Camp over to the sound store where I bought it.  Two channels were blown by a lightning strike last summer and repairs will be made under warranty.  the guy will completely check out everything on it and make sure it is up to specks for us.  That is why I would spend a few $$$ more and get the products where I know what type of service to expect if something goes wrong! 

Got home late afternoon, had to fill up the fossil fuel tank on the PiP.  In about 8 days I will have 5 trips to Rochester, possibly 6.  That will shoot the gas mileage for this month with only about 11 miles of electric for a 100 mile trip... Today I was driving into a 35mph wind with gusts almost to 60mph on the way to Rochester.  That shoots the efficiency quite a bit too.  Only got 45mpg on the way there.  Had the wind to my back on the way home and got 63mpg doing the same route.

I did a bit more on the Blacksmith's Shop this evening.  Dull Coated the sides that have been stained and poured another side 3 (the one I broke last week).  I am now ready to start making doors and windows in the sides that are ready for them.  My sister from Florida will be visiting some old friends that live near by for part of one day, so that may be the next chance I will get to work on it.  She will arrive next Wednesday and I will be taking her to the airport the following Sunday,  Lucky she is between Chemo treatments so she should be feeling fairly good.  Her Doctor just told her the tumors had shrunk by about 25%, but he had hoped for more.  Since she is in very good health otherwise they will be increasing the treatments to see if they can get the tumors shrinking a bit faster...

I need to give Blackie his Meds, and then head for bed.  I have to out at the Museum mid morning to start doing the RR Merit Badge with another Scout Troop tomorrow.  Sunday is closing day for the museum for the season so I will be once again doing car host on the old Erie Caboose!

Prayers for all in need, my friends!

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well I feel a bit better than I have the past few days but still a bit puny.

Been looking around on Ebay today for more stuff for the Apple IIe's I'm working on. I'll list them here as links and you can click them to look at the items if you wish or you can ignore them. Item #1 is a Z80A CP/M co-processor card. Item #2 is an Apple Disk II disk drive. Item #3 is an Apple IIc disk drive modified to work on an Apple II, II+, IIe and IIgs via a Disk II controller card. I had to have this simply because it's unusual. #1 and #2 are for my mothers old IIe which I'm refurbishing.

Only other thing accomplished today was I got my bills paid. I paid most online. My father dropped my payment at the loan office and brought me the receipt.

I watched 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' today. First time I've watched it all the way through. It was a bit tough watching Dumbledore get killed but at least it was Severus Snape that did it and not that cowardly weasel Draco Malfoy. I still laugh when I think of him being transformed into a ferret. That was very fitting!

Time for me to call it a night, or rather a morning as it's after midnight here. See y'all later.

[galaxy]

this won't be tippy-top!

Morning coffee in the diner...

GOOD SATURDAY MORNING!!!

Today is Saturday, November 2nd, 2013!!!

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!!!

Today's fun limmerick:

This limerick's simply sublime
And inspiring in meter and rhyme;

It expresses but nought
With intelligent thought

And to write it used hours of time.

Today's Olde Tyme Children's medicine claims:

A Boon to nursing mothers

the greatest tonic with the most delicious taste is:

Anheuser-Busch's Malt-Nutrine

A pre-digested food in liquid form- acceptable to the weakest and most delicate stomach. Promotes appetite and aids digestion when taken with meals and give healthful and restful sleep when taken before retiring. Sold by Druggists and grocers

The product of the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Ass'n St. Louis, USA

{sure get 'em drunk then they will eat anything or sleep "well"! And I would just LOVE to eat "predigested food"!}

Today's weird words:

schiamachy: [saɪˈæməkɪ], sciomachy, skiamachy

 [skaɪˈæməkɪ] n pl -chies : 

 a futile battle with an imaginary foe

Etymology: [from Greek skiamakhia a mock fight, from skia a shadow + makhesthai to fight]

Glaistig -  /ˈɡlæʃtɨɡ/ (n.) Gaelic for beautiful fairy; or just the opposite: a hag in the shape of a goat-  half-woman half-goat similar to a satyr, or in the shape of a goat. Also known as maighdean uaine (Green Maiden)

abrodietical : (n., Adj.) a delicate person/delicate Etymology: from Ancient Greek ἁβροδίαιτος First used as a noun in 1623 by Cockeram

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning everybody..... 

Ray ..... Your blacksmith shop sounds like a really fun project. In fact, it's fun just reading your updates. .... Prayers for your sister for her chemo treatments. 

Curt ... I saw your WPF post. Nice! 

Jeff ... Your layout photos look good. 

Galaxy .... You were up in the middle of the night evidently. 

I have another project for my railroad in addition to the layout extension. .I just began assembling some very old kits for CB&Q commuter coahces. These are the Budd bi-levels which Burlington used for its Chicago suburban service starting in the 1950's. I have a large number of un-started layout projects to look forward to. 

Cheers. 

[galaxy]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Galaxy .... You were up in the middle of the night evidently. 

I always am up early. Of course I often am in bed by 8-9pm too. Or I may take a nap after dinner, then be up for an hour or so then go back to bed at about 9-9:30 and get up somewhere around 3-4 AM.

Hence why I always have a cheerful and colorful early morning day-starting greeting!

Going today to see a friend, who happens to be an attorney, for a  visit and a talk about our wills.  Need to have a further meeting with his son/DIL about our "final arrangements" as we have no children of our own and no neices/nephews or anything to see to those needs. We can think of no one else we would entrust such things to, however, he/she {the son/DIL}  may NOT want the hassle of doing so, so to be sure, we need to have a meeting of the minds.that will all happen another day. Then we see about a Living Revocable Trust for us with Incapacity Clause and set up the trust within the next year hopefully. Have to have some $$ to do so, but we can start with the arrangements.The trust will guide and relieve them of the major burden of our final arrangements.Hopefully this will be simple and easy, it should be there isn't much to complicate things..Everybody should have a Living Revocable Trust. Revocable so it can be changed, IRRevocable is cast in stone foreverwith no changes allowed.

So that is how things stand for now.  MOH is making a REAL German style Black Forrest Cake to take for when we go the next few days.Real with vodka soaked cherries that willl be tasty in the cake! It will be soaked with the cherry-ized vodka remaining  too. Real whipped cream from scratch and all. Will be one 3 layer for them adn one one layer for us! YUM! {we always get short changed when MOH does so, as they offer us a piece when visiting/bringing it, but never offer us to take a piece or two home! I don;t blame them tis very GOOD}

Well, off to do things. Laundry at least.

Today is 62F, tomoorow a chilly 36F!!! BIG difference! BRR!

[BroadwayLion]

Here there be LIONS

[pascaff*]

  Morning All,

  Currently it is 33 with an expected high of 67 under mostly sunny skies.

  Did have to w**k yesterday, but got off early after 5 hours. The person who makes the schedule had changed and this month, (Nov.) was the first one he made. There were 17 of us in the afternoon, we kept running into each other as there were not a lot of customers. So many of us that were scheduled to be off at 5 got sent home. A good way to start my weekend off.

  Today I will go into Carson City and turn off the sprinklers at my house that my daughters live in. Then my younger daughter, and her husband, and I will head up to Lake Tahoe to help his dad celebrate his birthday, by going out for Sushi.

  The older daughter wants to look at my expenses to see what I can cut and what I need to make to be able to retire ASAP and not wait the 2 years till I turn 66.

  While in Carson, I will stop at a very very small model train shop, the only one for about 100 miles, to see if I can find an HO scale hearse or facsimile for a cemetery scene I am w**king on.

   Dennis - Sorry to hear about your grandfather.

  I know how hard it can be to loose someone on or near your birthday. Starting on Oct 10th, the day before my birthday, we lost our dog. On Oct 20 we lost a daughter, my wife passed away on Nov 15, my father on Nov 22, and I lost several uncles in the month of Dec.. Not all these losses happened in the same year, but it is still a very difficult time for me.

  Prayers to all in need.

  Paul

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 55° with 82% humidity. The high will be 74° and feel like 69°. Sunny with some clouds.


Decreased the number of Mickey's relatives by one this morning. Score another one for the snap traps. The glue traps as usual came up empty.

No particular plans for today. I may work on Paradise Cove later if I feel like it. Nelson Street is almost done.



Whoops! KCS 4743 is on the ground!

[Anonymous]

Good Afternoon Folks!

It´s been a somewhat slow day today - time for daydreaming, making plans, thinking about life.

I took my time to add detail to 2-D view, enhancing the buildings with brickwork detail, the roof with individual roof tiles and other small items. This is about as far as I can go with the track planning program. The file consists of about 25.000 shapes now, slowing the computer down to an unbelievable 3 minutes between each single operation.  I should have prepared the track plan and the 2-D view in separate files for that purpose.

Well, I didn´t, so now I have to live with it.

Got an interesting phone call yesterday evening. I am a frequent contributor to a German model railroading forum, specializing on larger scales. One of the members lives within 10 miles of my place. He is an avid scratchbuilder of locos and rolling stock and has a shop equipped with all those machine tools you need to do a good job. We will meet next week for a chat. I am certainly looking forward to that.

MIA role call:

• Wheres Ken?
• Where is CapeJim
• Where is DerJohn (got a message from him a few days ago - he has completed the move and now has a large basement which is waiting to be filled with model railroad goodies)?
• Where is Chris?
• Where is Sue?

The Diner has lost a considerable number of its patronage!

Have a good one!

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Ulrich .... other MIA's ...... Barry, JR, Bama, Jerry, Inch, Cuda Ken, Gary BN24 ................. and several others.

Also, Keith "Blazin" is welcome back to the Diner anytime. He has a very good thread about plaster scenery in the Layouts and Layout Building category. ... We can say "Hi" to him there if we like.

Everybody is welcome in the Diner! ... Anybody looking in? Stop in, and tell us about your model railroading.

[Packer]

Afternoon guys

*checks watch*, yup afternoon.

I went to the train club this morning, ran that pacific around a bit. It doesn't pull very good, but I found a few places to add weight to it. I figure I can add about an ounce and a half or so. A club member wants to test some bullfrog snot on it. Since the middle driver is the geared one and it doesn't pick up power, I'll stick it there. 

[Anonymous]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Ulrich .... other MIA's ...... Barry, JR, Bama, Jerry, Inch, Cuda Ken, Gary BN24 ................. and several others.

Ken = CudaKen

Actually, I am quite worried about Barry - he has not been in here for quite a while now, and I know he has some health issues. I hope to hear from him soon!

Bama ist probably busy with the young´uns.

Also missing: David