Hi everybody who visit the Diner. Just to give you some background I live in Scotland and have an interest in model railways (uk) and model railroading. A few years ago at a model railway show here in Scotland I was talking to someone who recommended this site if I was interested in US modelling. I duly went on asked a few questions and got many replies all of which were positive and helpful. But some of the best posts were from a called Jeff Whimberley and I thought what a nice guy. He told me about the diner and in truth I always "lurcked" but never joined in I felt that sometimes the "diners" were talking about things I never understood like "muscle cars" and Jeff's van. So I kept on following because I became fascinated by your interaction. However I was saddened to hear about Jeffs demise, I came to appreciate the mans grit, determination and absolute courage. As a British ex serviceman I could relate. Recently I felt that rather than just "LURK I should drop into the diner and order a beer or two and one for all.
Evenin' folks!
Janie, just a cup of good strong decaf please...
Cambus, welcome to the diner. You will notice that most of us order coffee or hot chocolate, 7up, and other softdrinks, but the girls do keep a 6 pack or two of beer in one of the refrigerators for Ken and a couple others who seem to need it. Cousin Vinny just ignores that we don't have the proper license to serve those beverages in here. Just don't get out of hand or he will bend a crow bar over your head.... Good to have you onboard. Sit and chat for a while and tell us about yourself.
Got warm enough today here in the Finger Lakes to do some major melting of the STUFF on the roof... For a couple hours I once again had water dripping into the living room pretty good. Then it stopped.... Enough ice had melted that it routed itself outside and dripped off the eave trough.
I spent all day removing all the items, photos, knik knacks, books, and all the old cataloged issues I have of Model Railroader and the NMRA Magazine (some of those are wet too) on an old shelving unit. Cleaned out some room in one of the bedrooms now used for storage for quite a bit of it. Took apart the old shelving and the bottom was completely rotted out... Those shelves were a present for my wife one Christmas a couple years after I started Teaching. I saved every penny I could for almost a year to get it for her. She loved it until she found out it cost me over $400! That was an awful lot of money for us back then (over 40 years ago).... Then she got mad.... After that she started to cry because I would spend that much money on her... Talk about mixed emotions! May have had water coming in for quite some time in the living room.... Lots of mold and mildew under there. I got my two portable hepa filter units up and running to pull the crap out the air also. I haven't been running them since I had the whole house air conditioning installed a couple years ago.
I have a load of electronic recycling to take down to the company that does that here in town. Will do that when I make my rounds tomorrow.
I'm not the only one around here having problems with all the STUFF on the roof... The Rochester news has this story about some nearby buildings... "This afternoon, dozens of elderly residents were put in harm's way after firefighters say ice damming on the roof of an assisted living home in Geneva melted and burned up electrical panels. Last night, a building in Shortsville collapsed, and firefighters say heavy snow buildup on the roof was to blame."
Got all the way up to 30°F but will go down to -4°F overnight. Tomorrow it will only be around 4° and then plunge to -8° Monday night.... After that it should start too warm up little by little. One can only hope!
Stay warm and safe!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
I am NOT HAPPY {To put it mildly with the national chain auto repair place I do business with. I can't say what I'd like to! It changes management/teams every so oftne and this current group of nit-wits has destoyed my minivam!
I take it in for a "routine " {are they EVER "routine"??} oil change {$30} and 2 special deals: a 6-pack of serice including rotating the tires, etc.{$10} and a thermostat change {$130}{its the original and at 9 years old with weather like we have been having I don't trust it so much anymore.}. They open at 9 AM sundays, I was there at 8:30.
SO: He comes out an hour later, and says the one side brake line is dripping,so it will need to be replaced. Not right away, he says, but will need to be replaced. {really? leaking Brakelines not needing replaced IMMEDIATELY?}. He DID say now that i think of it, that he didn't have "his brake guy" with some fancy tool on staff then, but then said "wait, it comes with the brake set".
I SAY do it, but do BOTH of them, if one is leaking the other is bound to soon too. Ok. $139 more. I am there already, with my luck brakes will fail and I don't need that. S'ok.I've had my quota of accidents with being rear-ended last year!
He comes out 2 hours later to say that while they were bleeding the lines,"the screw broke of the calliper", and "It will take about another half hour to an hour and I will have someone take you home so you aren't just sitting here." It is 1:30 now, they close at 5pm. I call at 3pm..."the calliper "just broke" too, I ordered a replacement, come at 4:30". Ok> at 4:00 he calls "the other calliper "just broke" too".
I MADE HIM IMPERATIVELY AWARE I HAVE TWO "SIGN OFF MEDICAL APPTS TOMORROW I MUST GET TO BY 11AM! he says "I will get you a car".
SOMETHING IS FISHY HERE!
FIRSt TWO, COUNT 'EM TWO callipers don't "just break". THE EITHER: 1] tried to force something, 2] dropped the assembly and broke it.
AND 3} they DON"T EVER GIVE rides home out and he turned down a couple earlier who needed one. 4} AND THEY "DON'T DO" RENTALS. SO HE KNEW AT 1:30-when he sent a guy to take me home THAT they WERE IN TROUBLE!
I WILL BE there tomroow bright and early at 7AM when tehy open to find out from the manager {a female, mind you, I am not prejudiced, just NEVER, and i mean NEVER had a female working on cars} to find out what is going on!!! I tell you that!AND they'd better get me a CAR I CAN GET INTO, NOT A MUNCHKIN CAR BY 9AM!
UPDATE: ULRICH
I got another pledge {dont' know the amount} going out tomorrow!
GOOD JOB! YOU know who you are!KEEP 'em' coming a long way off!
Well, i'be jiggered, I am sooooooo upset, I tell you!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Evening Gang: I can't get used to this new and improved format for the forums. That plus this computer is from England and the thing is diverent from our stuff. The key board has a slightly different arangement and it doesn't want to work with the Verison wi fi sometimes.
Mary Ann and I are doing alright. There is just an awful lot going on. The ranch is taking up alot of time. Like today I had to put out hay in the rain and cold wind. Of course when ever I had to get out of the tractor cab it rained harder. Get back in the cab and the rain slacks off.
I have been working on the HO almost every night for a bit. I've been redoing one of my staging yards for the Milwaukee Road Everet st. depot that Walters put out several years ago. It will still be a staging yard just senicked with the depot. My ore car fleet has hit somewhere around 400. Alot of the most resent cars are second hand MDC that need work to get them to close couple and painting. I guess there are about 100 of them. I do get to run a few trains and work the ore dock. I got Digi Track two years ago and it really makes running great. DCC and sound are the way to go.
Well I'd better go and get to bed. Tomorrow is supposed to be Sleet and ice. We'll see.
Today's quotes:
Modern English is the Wal-Mart of languages: convenient, huge, hard to avoid, superficially friendly, and devouring all rivals in its eagerness to expand. -Mark Abley, journalist (b. 1955)
This morning I go back and SEE what REALLY happened to my minivan yesterday.
ANd they'd bettter get me a rental I can get in and out of!
But, since they are NOT in teh habbit as a chain of providing a car to anyone, I think THEY REALLY SCREWED IT UP.
I want to be shown WHAT they have done. The two broken calliper sets and all!
There MUST be more to it than That, since he offered to 'get you a car'.
GRRR/
I need coffee...
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
For SIR MADDOG....
Maybe you could model this...
Question ot the sub chat site: does this train shed still exist. Given wars, I sort of doubt it. Terminals make good targets.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Cambus
Welcome back to the diner and feel free to join in. If you dont understand some of the odd "American" subjetcs such as "muscle cars" feel free to ask. We like you thought much of Jeffrey. He is still missed. This week end for breakfast I had an egg omelet with "louisna hot sauce" on it to honor Jeffrey our Cajun fellow modeler.
Hello all
Been down ill for the past 10 days. Very ill. So much so that I lost fourteen pounds and today is the first day back on me feet. I have not been that ill for a long time. It was like having strep throat, stomach flu, sinus infection, bronchatus and a migraine all tied up into one. Thank God I am finally better. There were a few days I looked so bad my children asked my wife if I was going to die.
Anywy much to catch up on.
Galaxy thank you for keeping teh words coming
Lion - ROAR !
Garry - Howdy
Ulrich - Hello and I hope to be able to send some help in the near future.
To everyone - Hello and "good day" Gotta a lot of w**k to catch up on.
TTYL
YGW
Italian roast coffee in a VERDE VALLEY RAILROAD mug, please.
***Cambus, welcome aboard.
***Galaxy, good luck with the car issues.
***Paul, I envy you have a tractor cab to get into during winter weather. I sure do understand the "joys" of taking hay out this time of year. So thankful when I get back inside the house. That is a LOT of ore cars. Impressive numbers. Great seeing you in here again.
Finally going to try driving today, just to the feed store. Will use my left foot for the brake and IF need be, can always use it for accelerator, too. Should the ankle start hurting too much. Will stick to less travelled roads. Wintry mix coming again, so need to re-stock up critter food, just in case.
Healing thoughts for those in need.
Cheers! Rob
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I'll have the #2 special this morning, over easy on the eggs, bacon, home fries, and a diuble order of sour dough toast to get me going today. Oh, yes, I need a pot of Marrakesh Express dark roast coffee as well. Ah, bring the tabasco sauce for the eggs while you are at it.
JaBear, good to see you in the diner! I guess you guys get Typhoons and we get piles of white STUFF that cause all kinds of problems with houses.... All evens out my friend. Thought I saw a Lion crouching behind the counter earlier as well....
Currently 5°F outside here in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region with an exceptionally nice high of +7°F later this afternoon.... maybe.... It will be a bit crisp outside tonight when the thermometer dips to -9°F. Sun is trying its best to shine amongst the little white flakie thingies falling here at the moment. (I'm trying to as cheerie as possible!)
"The difference between a violin and a viola is that the viola burns longer." - Victor Borge
Hey all:
Ulrich Update:
I received 3 donations today in the mail! IT was great to open the mailbox and see that! One from the great states of Mass-a choochoo-settes {a former home of mine}: one from th great state of of my birth, Mich-ee-gan. and one from the great state of Oh-HIGH-OH. Add that to the one from the great state of Mini soda I got on Staturday!
There was ONE Donation that has a problem with it, I have called the donor and will try to send an email.
FOr a GRAND total all combined now of $345.00! {{though I may up my donation making it now a total of $370}}
I know of at least two more on their way in the mail!
So THAT will raise the total too!
ONLY ABOUT half way there!
It s SO GOOD to be able to help ULRICH!
I will tell you all aobut the car reapair maybe later when I have cooled down....
Evening Dinners
Flo, yes it is me and I will have a JSTL and a please.
Train Front One of the reasons I have not posted for sometime now. The PK 2 E Units are giving me fits! I have been working on them, fix one of them, the other one breaks. Fix it, then problems with the other one! By the time I am done messing with them and reading the post here at the dinner I am to tired to make a post. I gave up early tonight on the PK E-6 B so I am posting.
Galaxy Two things.
1 Thank you, you where the only one that wished me well with my new foot problem!
2 After running Midas'es and working at NTB I will never trust a chain repair center again! I had 5 Midas shops I ran, of the 5 stores I had 1 good Tech and 1 really good one. Far as NTB, I worked at 5 of there stores, I only trusted one of there Techs!
Well Feb 24th is my I will be 59 then. Funny thing, I am looking forward to getting older now so I can collect Soical Securty. I will still have to keep working, but it will help and I sure need it!
Cambus to the dinner!
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Good Morning!
Typing with my nose stuck an inch from the keyboard is no fun, but I thought I drop by and say hello to all of you.
Folks, I am overwhelmed by your generosity! Your donations will bring the day, when I can again see properly, much closer! Live is certainly challenging when the world around you is anything but a fuzzy blur. The days seem to be endless when there is hardly a thing you can do. I listen to music most of the time, as reading or anything else is restricted to a few minutes before my eyes begin to hurt. Thanks to you, help is near!
Ken - I am sorry to hear about your new (old) foot issue! I hope it´ll mend soon! And a big to you! It´ll be another 6 months before I turn 59.
Cambus - to the Diner.
Will someone be so kind and give me a helping hand to find the door? Thank you, Janie. Promise I´ll be back soon!
Ulrich,
Good to hear from You....hang in there!
Galaxy,
Sent You a PM.
Take Care!
Frank
P.S. KEN
I see the surgeon early today, so best get MY butt in gear....
Frank with the stripes: I PM'd you back!
Thnaks so much for helping a fellow man! Together we cna have Hope for Ulrcih:
A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.
Recieved Your PM....Reply sent.
Take Care! Have a Great Day.
Morning diners, It was a balmy -7 F in SE Ohio early this morning. The slush is frozen solid from the wamer weather this weekend. My dog had problems navigating the crusty snow this morning. She is a rescue airedale from Louisiana. She does not seem to be a big fan of snow or real cold weather.
Galaxy, what was the shops conclusion on your brake problem. Ken, wasn't Midas the king who kept all the gold? Always figured that was why the repair chain came up with the name.
Time for a cup of hot tea and then get ready for delayed Mardi Gras luncheon at our Tuesday bridge group. It was snowed out last week.
Italian roast coffee in a DEATH VALLEY RAILROAD mug, please. Just trying to give winter a hint. It snowed here last night.
***Ken, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you. Hope you can make the most of the day and make time for some train stuff. Healing thoughts have previously gone out (and continue to) for your foot issue.
Maybe did a bit to much yesterday. Ankle was froze up this morning. Thought I was past that part. Will rest today, except for mandatory critter stuff, like taking hay out to the horses, etc...
Stay safe out there in wintery weather places. And enjoy the sun in those others.
Zoe, I need another refill for my mug of Marrakesh Express Dark Roast please...
Rob, hope the ankle gets to feeling better soon. No fun to have to limp around to get the critters fed! You continue to be in my prayers.
Ken, a happy birthday to you, and I do hope the foot is OK... been keeping you in my prayers as well. How is your blood sugar doing?
I finally got the antique Secretary's Desk moved from the living room to the dining room. It is close to 100 years old, but is a copy of the original of this style. It belonged to my Grandmother, and I inherited it from my Mom. It has been valued at around $800 but if it was one of the originals it would be worth around $8,000. I called my son this morning (his day off from work) to see if he could come over and help me move the 100 gallon aquarium, stand, and some other stuff. He has either a bad cold or the flu. I told him to stay home! I don't need to catch anything!
Emailed one of the Representaives at my insurance company... I can remember when I used to call and the Insurance agent would answer the phone about half of the time. It has grown from a single agent and his secretary to a major comgloberation of 8 or so agents and about 25 "Customer Service Representatives". I emailed the only name I recognized, she got right back to me and said she forwarded my email to the Customer Service Representative who now handles my account. That person is supposed to call me and mumble a bunch of gibberish into my answering machine sometime in the next 6 months or so... (likely before the end of the day actually). I emailed back and said, "I'm DEAF!", have her email me. So I await an email from the very big Insurance group....
The sun is actually trying to shine outside today. Temp is currently 11°F on its way up to 23°F this afternoon. Have to run a few errands this afternoon. I may actually get downtown and back without the ICE fireing in the PiP. Yesterday, I got in out the car in Ready Mode, and the ICE started immediately and did a full warmup on the way downtown. I did get to use EV on all the other stops I had to make. At the moment I am getting around 90 mpg on this tank!
Catch you all later!
Hello Railfans! Flo, my usual please. And a double for the birthday boy - Ken!
In general - been pretty busy doing family/life stuff the last couple weeks. No time for trains, which in my opinion should be against the law!
One thing of mention (for the record books actually) is we finally actually got some snow here. About 4", which is pretty much record breaking for around here. Dont worry, it will be melted in a day or so. Pretty cold temps around here though.
Yesterday was a very numbing wind blowing and mom dearest decides its the perfect day to go car shopping. Gotta love checking out cold cars in a cold lot. Kinda felt for the salemen crew stuck their doing their jobs.
I see another train got wrecked (calif) by some stupid human again. Wish there was a way to make the average doh-doh wake up and realize something as simple as grade crossing safety. Thankfully no one on the train was injured (so i have read so far).
Speaking of injuries I hope all here are doing well, safe and warm.
Catch you folks later, time to go to the parentals and aid them for the day.
Douglas
Good afternoon.
Welcome new Diners and welcome to some who are returning from long absences.
Just got back from Nashville, TN where I had appointments at Vanderbilt Heart Clinic.... I go back to Vanderbilt again in about two weeks.
Looking into my old PM's, the most recent was from Jeff a few months ago, and he gave me info on the hospital where he was a patient at the time. I miss Jeff.
I have not changed my PM stettings, but my PM's do not work.
YGW .. Sorry you have the flu.... That is what I had last month. It was awful.
Paul .... Sounds like you are more busy than ever. Glad your family is doing well. That is a lot of ore cars. Sounds like you have plenty of model railroad projects. Good seeing you here.
Ken .... Happy Birthday late.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Well Hi again, and good evening to all. I just remembered its only afternoon across the pond sorry about that, I will have to make sure I dont post at 10'o clock local(to here) as it will be 4in the morning with the majority of diners. I have been most grateful for the welcomes I have received from a lot of the regulars made me feel most welcome.
i should have posted sooner but I have had a major health problem since last Friday, whe I got home from work MOH said that I had a huge swelling round my throat as it was too sore we both agreed to see how things went. I hardly slept on Friday so on Saturday went to the local out of hours clinic (here in Glasgow) they referred me to the major hospital not too far away after being examined the doc s said I had an abcess which they then lanced and drained. I felt much better but I had to go back on Monday for a follow up. seems I have a cyst on my tyhroid gland that needs to be removed so it will mean more trips to the Hospital. Its just wait and see. Someone asked if I could give a little info on myself whch I do tomorrow as the medication I am on makes me drowsy and a little confused. So heres till tomorrow.
Coffee refill with the House Dinner Special, please.
***Ray, Thank You kindly.
Printed out some graph paper the other day and cut out various sized shapes to move around and study for potential bench work. Have no idea yet what it will end up looking like.
Been watching model train reviews and window shopping online. The latter can be dangerous. Keep coming back to the Intermountain Cab Forward. Wonder if any of the 3rd runs with new motor and new decoder are available somewhere?
Healing thoughts to those in need.
Good Evening,
The Siberian Express continues to have its way with us as well. Got to 2F now back down to -4F with a windchill of.... -20F...and, to top this all off, I just got out of the office right into a bunch of white STUFF which made driving a PITA
What would have been a 15 minute drive turned into a 75 minute drive...
Tonight not going out ...buying survival basics tomorrow and sheltering out of the bitter cccold winds and such...try to keep warm guys!!!
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
JAMES MOON Galaxy, what was the shops conclusion on your brake problem. Ken, wasn't Midas the king who kept all the gold? Always figured that was why the repair chain came up with the name.
No, MR. Moon,
King Midas wished that "all I touch truns to gold" to have riches beyond his wildest dreams.
So once his wish was granted, he touched a goblet , and it turned to gold!
He touched a platter, it turned to gold!
He went about his palace touching things, they all turned to gold!!
Then: he touched his living beautiful daughter.....and....she turned to solid rock-hard gold...
He asked his wish be recinded...
Moral?
be careful what you wish for,"all that you touch" is not what you want for gold, etc.
The letter is in the Mail...to You.
zstripe Galaxy, The letter is in the Mail...to You. Take Care! Frank
Frank with the stripes!
I PM'd you back jsut now, AND THANKS SO MUCH!
Ulrich UPDATE: the mail was devoid of anything but catalogs and a magazine. Perhaps tomorrow! Was good to see ulrich stop by! I hope his retina does NTO detach before we get him funds fo the new special glasses!
Me; saw the surgeon today..only a week form tomorrow...I can and can't wait...will be nice t o have no pain and free motion of the shoudler...he filled out paperwork for mOH to take family medical leave for takign care of me for the next month!
Brakes: I wont' go into in hree, i am SO pis angry that i won't have printable forum words here and woudl liekly get banned! sudfffice it to say I have little in the way of brakes and have to take back ro to other shop to fix it right!
later
Good evening Diners,
Flo, I'll have my usual gigantic cup of coffee with lots of cream, please.
just a brief note to say I'm still here and the new gig is going well. Not exactly what I thought it would be, but it's good to be working again, so I'm not complaining.
Im so sorry to read that so many of you are having some really substantial health issues.
Have a small reprieve from the cold today, BUT the deep freeze will be back tomorrow! Ugh!
i hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
It rained this morning twice and I did some weeding before the ground got hard again. I talked to my next door neighbor two days ago and today. He wanted me to pull his weeds, I politely said "I barely pull our own weeds and we're all in same boat."
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.