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Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner - December 2015

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  • Member since
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  • From: upstate NY
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Posted by galaxy on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 3:33 AM

GM, MEN!

Well, someone asked why we didn't paint frist,then steam clean the carpets. That was the plan..but due to a death in the family, our friends we were counting on for help had to bow out. ANd we jsut couldn't get it done in time ourselves. It has been an ordeal getting things one, let alone purging again and packing and moving stuff. No large furnitture was moved either. Maybe next weekend we can gets ome moved with one ohter friend as our grieving friends aren't forthcoming wiht a commitment. We cannot really afford to hire painters or movers.It cost $300 fo rthe locksmith to do the necessary adjustmetns and replace the locks with commercial grade {expensive} locks-all 6 of them. It cost $200 for the steam clenaing. It will cost at least $200 for the overhead door company to re program the auto garage door opener codes and give us new fobs and an estinate on widenig the door. We spent $500 on paint and fixtures and such at Lowes {some few  I can take back as we don't need them} so we have easily spent $1k on such things that realy need to be done. We want to locate a stackable inteh kitchen so I dont have to navigate t he narrow steep steps tothe basement everyday for laundry, and taht will entail the plumeer and electrician, we also want the electricin to install dedidcated outlets for the windows a/cs and a  few other electrical things, as well as the electrical for the dryer upstairs, so he will cost some moeny. Some things you may wonder why i don't {or can't} do myself...I WANT IT DOEN RIGHT, not half-butted like I may do. The locksmith spent 3 hours adjusting jams and strikeplates for the 6 locks alone!!! It would take me twice as long and I'd loose patience.

so there have been extra expenses we dind't quite expecctthe costs of, and more coming. buying a hoosue, even when you ahve "everyhting" never is JUST buying  ahouse! those who bought should know thta!

so I am sleeping there, mOH here, nad we are apart driving the cats nuts, he misses his pop-pop! and we are not liking the separationas we have dinner athe new hosue and speparate the reconveine at the old house for like now...the am.

well, that is about it.

later.

MAKE IT A gREAT DAY!

Geeked

-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.

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Posted by cudaken on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 9:43 PM

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, Lemande Please.

 

angelob6660
Every burden is a blessing. -Walt Kelly

 Personally I think old Walt's head is up his caboose!

 Ulrich When you said the layout has twisted, are you talking about the frame or the top it self? Far as the engine that needs work, I hope you get the need parts.

 Surprised I feel as good as I do tonight. At work I got dizzy and saw stars for a few seconds. Not sure if I had a high or low blood sugar attack?

 See you all Wednesday

      Ken

I hate Rust

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Posted by RideOnRoad on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 7:11 PM

CNCharlie
. . .What make is it and how large?. . .

It is a 6'4" Boston GP-193. It is something we have been saving for for a very long time. Rumor has it, it is now in Arizona, and waiting to be serviced by the technician. It will still be a few weeks before we can take delivery.

galaxy
PS I hope I am not the subject of the 93?

I think the 93 emails were notifications anytime anyone posted to last month's thread. Steve was subscribed to the thread.

Richard

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  • From: upstate NY
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Posted by galaxy on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 7:00 PM

Steven Otte

Okay... I subscribed to the last Diner thread to make sure things didn't flare up again. Just got done reading through and deleting about 93 e-mail notifications that came in while I was on holiday break. Sleep

Now please keep it cool in here so I don't have to subscribe to this thread, too. Big Smile

 

Hi Steven!

WELCOME Welcome to the diner thread....officially!

Can you tell us, beside political posts, what the themes of the 93 were about? so we all know what to watchout for?

Thanks,

and

Welcome

again

PS I hope I am not the subject of the 93?

Geeked

-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.

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 6:29 PM

Good Evening,

Another mild sunny day here in Winterpeg.

Not much new but I am making progress on that N scale industrial building. I have it largely painted except for some of the detail parts that I am doing now. Painting window frames on an N scale building is slow work. Funny that my hands are steadiest in the evening, not morning like you would expect. 

Richard, congrats on the piano. What make is it and how large? There has been a grand in our house since we got married 35 years ago. My wife brought her 5'6" Heintzmann along with her but we replaced it with a Baldwin about 20 years ago. 

Not much new going on here, a little TV tonight and also play with Robbie. He is waiting for me to get off the computer.

CN Charlie

  • Member since
    December 2012
  • From: Mesa, AZ
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Posted by RideOnRoad on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 6:20 PM

The benchwork is now complete for my extension. I am hoping to install it during the next week. When it is added, I will have an L-shaped, N-Scale layout that is 14'0" x 11'4". It has loops on both ends with a little over 51' of mainline (1.5 miles, scale), a 7' long siding for my station, and a 6-track staging area, with the longest staging track measuring 6'. A key design point was to be able park and run long trains. Originally, the plan was to extend the layout down another wall, but that is no longer an option. We just pulled the trigger (oops, I hope I can say that Wink) on the purchase of a full-size grand piano, a desire of ours for our entire married life. With the new arrival, we needed a place for our upright piano, so it is going to share the office with the trains. I will be surrounded by the things I tolerate (w*rk) and the things I love.

Richard

  • Member since
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  • From: Kentucky
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 5:10 PM

yougottawanta

Garry wrote - Getting back to the cat conversation, we currently have three adopted rescue cats. One from Cincinnati, OH... One from Paducah, KY .... and one from Clarksville, TN --- Garry how does the southern and Yankee cats get along ? Whistling

YGW

 

YGW ...Other than two of them meowing with a Southern accent, they go very well together.

 

Mr. B ... I also have the figure of the elderly man with a cane on my layout. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by howmus on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 1:44 PM

P&Slocal
Ray, Do you use all the electric you generate from solar or do you sell to the electric companies? I have heard some people do thhat and wondered if it was worthwhile. I have a friend that went solar in the late 1990's. He lives in the lake effect snow belt south of Erie, PA. He told me he usually generates more electricity in the winter months due to the leaves being off the trees and the reflection from the snow pack.

Hi P&SLocal.  My panels are sized to provide about 70% of my total electric over the year.  They use something called Net Metering.  If the panels are producing more than I can use at any given time the power flows into the grid.  When they are producing less than I need power flows from the grid into my house.  For about 5 months a year I actually may produce more electric than I use that month.  On those months I get a credit for the kWhs excess. On the months I need more electricity than I produce I use up the credits.  Once a year they "settle up the account.  It used to be done on the May bill.  At that time I got paid for any excess at the rate of 4¢ a kW....  If I use the credit I save about 16¢ per kw.  So it is much better to use the excess rather than have them buy them.  I now settle up in March when I definately owe them (but save the most in the long run).  When you get the most from the panels depends on a lot of conditions.  My house faces the right direction and there are only a few trees that ever block the roof.  April through September are my high months.  If your friend is in the Lake effect belt, I bet he spends a lot of time cleaning the white stuff off the panels and if he is making more during the winter....  He has a poor placement for his panels and is getting them blocked!  Last January/February the storms dumped do much snow on my roofs that I wasn't able to clear them off.  Over a 6 week period I made all of.5kWh!  Normally February is about 125kWh.  About my worst month, but they never really came on at all. Summertime the sun is around many hours a day longer than in the winter and is at a better angle generally to produce power. 

The largest collection of Wind Turbines are in the Southern Tier to the East of 390, BTW.  The farmers that have them on the hills there love them!  The companies put in nice gravel roads through the field mostly following the old mud farm paths they already had so it is a lot easier and better on the farm equipment to get to the fields.  They are also getting good rent off them...  Around the Geneva, Waterloo and Seneca Falls area where I live there are a lot of new Solar installations going in.  Many companies, stores, and the colleges are getting involved with it.

Just got back from the Grocery Store...  Ran into a whole bunch of people I know but haven't seen in a while.  One is a local Black Pastor here in town who I stopped and chatted with.  I was just going to ask him where his "better Half" was (she was in 7th. grade my first year teaching here in town and one of my all time favorite students) when she came around the corner, sees me, and shouting my name gave me a huge hug!!! Smile, Wink & Grin  Talked to several other folks along the way and almost all of them have recently had their identity stolen (including some who work over at the store).  It appears to be rampant around the area, and most of us have gone to using checks or cash.

OK, back to putting in the Rivets!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 12:30 PM

Steven Otte
Now please keep it cool in here so I don't have to subscribe to this thread, too. Big Smile

But.....you'll miss all the cute cat pictures!  And dog pictures, too!

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
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  • From: Miles City, MT
  • 375 posts
Posted by P&Slocal on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 11:52 AM

Morning folks.

It warmed up a little here. I only had a low of 9 degrees last night. :) The weather prognosticators are saying we are heading into the 30 today. I don't mind a little warm up. Maybe it will finish melting the ice off the front steps....and the roads!

Dennis, I got a chuckle out of your tv post. In the last place we rented, the tv guy came in and was running new cables. He asked if I wanted a jack on the wall for when I get a new tv. I still have an old magnavox with a dvd and vhs player built into it. I laughed. He thought my equipment was antiquated. I had to tell him that there would be no new hi definition flat screen tv until this old one takes it's final nap. I guess some people expect everyone to join in on the American Commercialism bandwagon and live their lives in constant debt. Sure, the new tv's are alot cheaper these days, but I have actual debt I would sooner use that money to pay off.

Ray, Do you use all the electric you generate from solar or do you sell to the electric companies? I have heard some people do thhat and wondered if it was worthwhile. I have a friend that went solar in the late 1990's. He lives in the lake effect snow belt south of Erie, PA. He told me he usually generates more electricity in the winter months due to the leaves being off the trees and the reflection from the snow pack. Are they still putting a lot of wind mills up in NYS? I was shocked at the amount of turbines along 390 the last time I went up through there in 2010. 

Well, I think I will get some more stuff moved to the basement before the kiddo wakes up. Have a good day.

Robert H. Shilling II

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    April 2007
  • From: Northern Va
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Posted by yougottawanta on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 10:47 AM

Garry wrote - Getting back to the cat conversation, we currently have three adopted rescue cats. One from Cincinnati, OH... One from Paducah, KY .... and one from Clarksville, TN --- Garry how does the southern and Yankee cats get along ? Whistling

Ulrich - It sure doesnt seem like it has been a year. I am sure they are struggling around the holidays with out Jeff. I sure do miss seeing him here. I loved his how feisty he was. Point blank sometimes especially when it came to his nephew.

Angelob The Sun Tzu qute is dead on. Good one. In every trial or burden I have faced ( there has been many ) I have learned and grown much

V8 Vega - That is so true about TVs.  It has gotten so bad in electronics that the company who installs our sound, visual and audio systems in our houses does not even stock anything - know why ? Becasue by the time it is in and on the shelf for one or two weeks it is already out dated !! Thats just nuts. Heck one year into building this subdivision we have already totally revamped our security system. It is not anywhere close to the system we started with.

To all of the rest Hello and I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful

Steve - It wasnt me this time Surprise

YGW

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 10:37 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe, I'll have a short stack of Buckwheat Pancakes and real NYS Maple Syrup, a couple sausage links, and a large pot of Seneca Lake Blend Dark Roast coffee this morning please.

Hi Steven, nice of you to stop by...  Oh, it was an official visit, I see.  It is always good to see you anyway!

I got up this morning to find a message from the vet office on my machine.  I put in my hearing aids fearing something terrible with the boys!  It said she wanted me to bring "oasidjbvak" in for her to check over this morning....  OK, I had a quick breakfast, washed up and got dressed, then called the office to find out which kittie I was to bring over.  Turns out she wanted to check out the  Syringes I was using to make sure they were the right ones for the boys insulin...  They are.  Either they were indeed having a very low blood sugar yesterday or her meter is off.  (If the strips are old or have been exposed to the air, they can go bad...)  Anyway They are getting a bit less insulin for the time being.  I'll be taking them in again in two weeks.  Always interesting being deaf!

Have been busy getting a letter to the local schools announcing the 2016 MLK Art and Poetry Contest ready to send.  just waiting on the contest chairman's approval to get them sent out...  Need to do some housecleaning and then to some more riveting!

Ended the month of November having the best electric output for November of the 4 years I have had the Solar Panels on the roof.  Beat the record by over 20kWh!  Won't get much today...  Currently 46°F under heavy clouds and rain showers here in the Finger Lakes.

Have a good one!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 9:57 AM

 

Getting back to the cat conversation, we currently have three adopted rescue cats. One from Cincinnati, OH... One from Paducah, KY .... and one from Clarksville, TN

It's our little family so we don'y have an empty nest.  

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

Moderator
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Posted by Steven Otte on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 9:30 AM

Okay... I subscribed to the last Diner thread to make sure things didn't flare up again. Just got done reading through and deleting about 93 e-mail notifications that came in while I was on holiday break. Sleep

Now please keep it cool in here so I don't have to subscribe to this thread, too. Big Smile

--
Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editor
sotte@kalmbach.com

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 8:35 AM

Heartland Division CB&Q
I assume it is only the wood that must be replaced, and the tracks are okay.

I am having a number of issues with the track as well. Bemo track is manufactured by Shinohara to a level of quality, which is 1970´s, but not 21st century. As the track was a gift, it´ll be not a big loss.

A Swiss MRR friend has a complete spare chassis, which I may get for the cost of shipping - that would make my day!

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Posted by angelob6660 on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 8:30 AM

Wake up, wake up it's the first day of the month.

Good morning diners, 

Just wanting to say hi to everybody.

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by angelob6660 on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 8:25 AM

December 1: The quotes and word of the day.

 

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.

-Sun Tzu

Every burden is a blessing.

-Walt Kelly

Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship-never

-Charles Caleb Colton

 

Consequential (adjective) \kahn-suh-KWEN-shul\

1: Of the nature of a secondary results: indirect

2: consequent

3: having significant consequences: important

4: self-important 

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

  • Member since
    January 2007
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 8:04 AM

Good morning ........ I'll have coffee and apple strudel, please. 

Ulrich .... Thanks for starting the December Diner thread. ... It is hard to beleive it has been nearly a year since we lost Jeffrey. He definately is missed. I sometimes wonder how his surviving family memebrs are doing. I hope they are well. 

Also Ulrich .... I assume it is only the wood that must be replaced, and the tracks are okay. MEanwhile, I hope you can resolve the gear problem with your locomotive. 

The weather guessers say the rain will finally leave us today, and we will have several days of sunny weather beginning tomorrow. Glad for that. 

 Happy Model Railroading 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    April 2003
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 1:48 AM

Good Morning!

While opening this month´s Diner, I noticed that we lost our friend Jeff almost a year ago. I still miss him!

I am still annoyed about the breakdown of my loco. I could send it to the manufacturer for repairs, but that will most likely cost a fortune. A new chassis sells for a little less than a complety new loco. I wouldn´t need a complete chassis, just two new gear boxes, but I doubt that they have them on stock, as the design change took place more than 15 years ago. I guess I´ll have to write off the loco as a loss.

CryingCryingCrying

I discussed the issue of the twisted benchwork in my Swiss narraow gauge modeling forum and it looks as if the use of beech plywood is the culprit, as this type of plywood seems to have a natural tendency to twist. Had I known this earlier! Unfortunately, the comments I received suggest not to continue with the layout but start anew - ouch! Don´t know what I will be doing, I will concentrate on getting the loco up and running again.

I will give the service department a ring this morning to find out whether they still have gearboxes ...

Have a good one!

  • Member since
    April 2003
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Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner - December 2015
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 1:24 AM

In memory of

Jeffrey Scott Wimberly

July 07, 1960-December 15, 2014 

AKA Running Bear, Dr. Frankendiesel, The Spray Can Rembrandt

Volunteer firefighter, exceptional model railroader

and dear friend to many of us.

Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner was formerly Elliot´s Trackside Diner, but was renamed to honor our dear friend Jeffrey "Running Bear" Wimberly.

 Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner is a meeting place for all who wish to join. We may talk on-topic, but also off-topic here (as a matter of fact - the only place tolerated by our hosts), but always within the framework of the forum policy.Talk about your ongoing or future model railroading projects, show us your latest acquisitions or simply share your day.

If you need to let off some steam, you can do it here, but beware - Cousin Vinnie, the proprietor, is keeping a close watch on the language and is unforgiving when it comes to violations of the house rules, same as the general forum rules!

The staff is exceptional, and anything you desire to eat is available 24/7/365. This would includeJanie, the twins Chloe and Zoe, Flo, Daisy and the latest addition, Brunhilda ! The food is always excellent and tasty, just the way you like it!

So, pull yourself in, bank you fire, and sit a spell and enjoy!

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