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Jeffrey's Trackside Diner - July 2016 Locked

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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 3:55 PM

YGW May your father make a complete recovery.  The news everywhere is terrible.

A friend of mine visited by way of the auto train from FL.  Novelist Tony Hillerman says a day that starts bad, ends bad.  He was 10 minutes late and they wouldn't load his car so he had to come back the next day.  On they way up they hit some guy going around a crossing barrier.  He kept driving but the sherriff, Amtrak and CSX had to do an investigation and then they had to get a new engineer from Jacksonville.  That put them in the way of track construction and it took them over 24 hours to make the 17 hour trip.  He pays an extra $50 to have his car unloaded within 20 min or so rather than maybe a couple hours later.

Food is served on disposable plates these days.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 1:26 PM

Since when does the Lion love Dunkin´ Donuts and hides on the awning?

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 1:10 PM

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 12:33 PM

YGW....

Bushy LION will come and sit with your father.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 12:03 PM

YGW ... That is horrible news about your Dad... Praying for him. 

Ulrich .... I meant to say Happy Anniversary earlier.  

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by howmus on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 11:53 AM

Afternoon folks,

Chloe, I'll have a Barry Burger and a RBF for lunch today......  Huh?  I dunno, I just feel like it I guess.

 YGW, How terrible!  Will keep your Father and all the family in my prayers!

 Ulrich, the layout is looking great!  You are still able to do some fine work in spite of the handicaps!!!

I am currently wiping the hard drive on my old MacBook to get it ready to dispose of....  I will check and see if it has any resell value at the Mac Place, if not I may offer it to the schools.  Still has some life left, it is just slow for what I need these days.  If no one else wants it, it will go to the next recyling day for electronics at the county landfill.  The  7 times over erase will take 4 hours using the install CD that came with the old girl.

Yesterday we had......  RAIN!.........  Wow!  Yep some actual rain fell around here.  All of .6 inch of rain....  That is equal to all the rain we have had for the last 5 weeks.  We could use several days of the same.  There have been many sightings of deer in the city.  Poor things are very stressed with scarce water for them.  Some are treking several miles each day to get a drink from the lake.

Did manage to get some more scenery started on the layout and hope to get a few hours down there today.  Will take some photos in the next few days on the progress.

Have a Goodun'

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 11:23 AM

Good afternoon all.

Flo, Barry burger, fries, and a Coke please.

Ulrich - Happy anniversary! 

Dave - Happy anniversary as well!

YGW - So sorry, will be hoping for speedy recovery.

Weather - Cooler and less humid here today, highs in low 80's, with dew points upper 50's to low 60's. Compare with yesterday 93 with dew point of 78, it was hot, hot, hot! This week will be in low 80's rest of the week and weekend.

W**k - Been slow, and zilch for spiff money chances. Our district manager is supposed to be visiting this week. We shall see. (Took 3 weeks last time we heard this.) 

Hope all are well, and everyone enjoy the day!

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 11:15 AM

YGW - for your Dad:

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Posted by yougottawanta on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 10:38 AM

Hey all

Popping in for just a second. Need Prayers for my father. Late last week while at his mailbox he was struck by a car that we believe was doing around 55 mph. He had to be flown out to a hospital in Charlottesville Va. There they determined that on the right side of his body he has two broken bones in his leg, fractured hip, fractured rib, broken forarm, broken hand, broken bones in his face, bruised brain and perforated intestines. So far they have removed part of his intestines, installed a rod in his leg, plates in his arm. Thursday they will be performing surgery on the broken bones in his face. Luckily he survived but recovery will be a very long road.

Ken - I will get the coal cars out to you when things settle down here

Ulrich - Congrats on your anniversary

TTYL

YGW

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 8:30 AM

Lunch was great and Petra and I enjoyed eating out for a change very much! Last year we went to try out a new Greek restaurant and were utterly disappointed. When it comes to food, we are a picky bunch!

Just been doing some experimenting with that new camera of mine. It´s a clever point and shoot thing and I am quite happy with the way the pictures turn out.

7 months ago the layout looked like this:

Quite a transformation!

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 7:39 AM

Good morning ....  I'll have coffee and a donut, please. 

Chris .... I like your new acquistion, the GMD-1. 

Ulrich .... Your Swiss model railroad looks fabulous. You do great work!

Dave ..... The trip to BC sounds wonderful.... Several years ago, we went there. On the way back, we rode the Rocky Mountaneer from Vancouver to Calgary which was a great trip  for us. 

I'm planning to work on my scenery project later today. Also, I am planning for a project to include bridges. 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by MonkeyBucket on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 4:51 AM

G'day all...

Geez Flo...I could go a nice hot choclate thanks with some toasted bannana bread...its been cold out today.

On the work front...I am still waiting to start on a new job...Admin has been a bit slow so I have taken the time to take the oldest to school and look after the youngest while the wife trys to get her career back on track. Its been a little hard for her to find something after raising the 2 lil fellas for the last 5 years.

On a good note...I received a call from the local hobby shop today and my new pride of the fleet has arrived...I purchased a EMD GMD-1 from Rapidotrains... I loaded the lil one into the car and off we went to pick it up...I checked the local club General meeting times and we got lucky...today the club was open so we went down to give the new loco a run...

Here is the new road switcher...and some pics of it stretching its legs on the club layout...It will soon become part of the local loco power on my layout.

Very happy with this lil runner. I only have it in DC silent as to suit my home layout but it operates so smoothly it has just become one of my favorites already.

 Just heard there are some big aniversaries coming up...congratulations to you Ulrich and Dave thats something to be proud of...I am only looking at my 8th in October...and I can honestly say being married isnt for the faint hearted...its a test of ones temperament... knocking out some kids and managing a lifetime together.   Many resects to those that have tried and failed...I would think it fair to say we were all built to do things a little differently...after all, that is the key to progress.

Best wishes to all for the future.

Ooorroo...

Cheers...

Chris from down under...

We're all here because we're not all there...

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Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 3:36 AM

Ulrich:

It's the thought that counts!

August 14 will be our 35th. We are celebrating by going to British Columbia to do some grizzly bear and whale watching! I just paid the last installment for the lodge we will be staying at. I'm still out of breath at the price - way way way over our normal travel budget!!! However the reviews are fantastic. We fly out Friday afternoon.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 2:39 AM

Thanks, Dave!

32 years were normal in the good old days, nowadays it appears to be an extraordinary achievement! Being married for that long a time is a daily give and take and there are certainly times when there is more giving than taking ... Whistling

Just got back from a short trip into town. I had to post two little packages containing some stuff I sold on Ebay. No treasures, just dust collectors from an earlier layout attempt. The money was already transfered, so I was able to buy a little nothing for Petra on today´s occasion. Their is some money in my pocket so the restaurant bill can be taken care of.

TTFN - I will drop by later in the day!

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Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 2:02 AM

Ulrich:

Happy 32nd Anniversary!!!Yes I hope your chinese food is as good as usual.

Our favourite chinese restaurant was sold recently. The new owners jacked the prices up, reduced the size of the containers, and are producing lousey food to boot. We ordered from them once. We won't be back! Unfortunately, we haven't found a replacement.

Our go to place now is a Wimpy's Dinner just around the corner. The name is a take off of the Popeye The Sailor Man cartoon character who was always eating hamburgers. The food is typical diner fare, not fancy but it is terrific. The staff are very friendly and welcoming.

The restaurant has been owned by several people over the 28 years we have been here and several of the owners were less than capable. Two years ago it was bought by a Korean lady (emigrated to Canada when she was 12) who has an admirable work ethic. She brought her brother in law who has been dishing food for 35 years into the kitchen. Between the two of them they have worked wonders. Everything on the menu is great. Even the vegetables are cooked perfectly every time. In fact they are done better than any restaurant that I have ever eaten in regardless of the prices on the menu. It is really nice to have a reliable place to go to when my back won't let me stand in the kitchen long enough to make a meal.

All the best!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by FRRYKid on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 1:51 AM

Madog: Happy anniversary to you and your Mrs.

Hobby front: Once I put the plow on the F45, the rest of it goes on hold. The detail part that I purchased to help me put the extra windows on the cab shows me that the handrails are interferring. As I will see an NP expert modeler in September, I will take the engine with me and see if I can pick his brain.

The freight car bug struck again. I found an NOS Walthers BN FGE RBL. I had one of them many years ago and unfortunately it was damaged and rendered unusable. I'm also looking at a pair of MDC BN bulkhead flats.

Time for me to go to bed, though. Got to work tomorrow.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 25, 2016 11:02 PM

cudaken
Ulrich I am sorry to hear about the sad state of affairs in Germany. Confused Just do not understand what drives that kind of killing?

Ken - the answer is hate! Hate that has been taught them since their early childhood. I can´t say more here.

Good Morning!

I had a bad night with very little sleep. Not because today´s our 32nd anniversary, it has just been too hot! The missus and I will go out for lunch today, most likely to our favorite Chinese place (hear the bell ringing, Todd?). You get good food for very little money during lunchtime at that place. A BigMac and fries at McD.´s are more expensive and a lot less tasty!

I hope it´ll cool off soon, this is just not my kind of weather.

TTFN!

 

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Posted by cudaken on Monday, July 25, 2016 10:25 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo Beer please and if the Buick Guy showes up, give him one as well.

 Work if you can call it that stunk. I don't mind if a customer will let me do my job and don't buy. I hate it when they will not let me help and walk around clue less at what they are looking at! Bang Head Then they have to ask me the price, and again will not let me help the idiots!

 Still should have been a good day! Got a check from BOS (Bank Of Stupid DBA Bank Of America for the new diners) for $775.45 because I over paid the escrow account. But my Wife Quickly made me mad! Angry She was watching that stupid show where a single woman is trying to find the love of her life on TV? Anyway I wanted to tell her something, But I cannot speak when she is watching the crap! Yet, if I am watching something, she just starts Talking Away!

 Train Front Well it seems my new Atlas B&O ate a decoder! Not sure if the motor took a dump or the motor. Rather it be the motor, the decoder sucked. It was a early Atlas and I never cared for the way it ran.

 YGW Did your Post Offices get a new horse yet? Looking forward to getting the other coal cars. Guess you are back at the Mill Stone today.

 Ulrich I am sorry to hear about the sad state of affairs in Germany. Confused Just do not understand what drives that kind of killing?

 Later, Ken

I hate Rust

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Posted by ATSFGuy on Monday, July 25, 2016 4:24 PM

Sir Madog,

I agree, The GE 4/4 II's have a high pitched whistle, whilt the GE 4/4 III's have a rather odd sounding horn. In the GE 4/4 III cab the engineer sits in front of a big dashboard. You don't see that in the GE 4/4 II's cab.

I listened to a sound demo of an LGB GE 4/4 III loco, It started with a BOOM, then the motor started reving up and a faint whirl sound until a conductor announcement came on, then the horn sounded and the locomotive started moving. After mabye 5 seconds I heard the brakes being applied and then a very loud noise for 5 more seconds, then stopped and then another BOOM. 

I'm guessing that loud noise was a cool-down fan,  I'm not sure.

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Posted by FRRYKid on Monday, July 25, 2016 4:17 PM

As promised, here is a picture of the GP30 that I have finally finished:

The board that the track is sitting on is my test track.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 25, 2016 1:30 PM

ATSFGuy
What does that wheel do?, I also saw a black lever near the windshield, I assume this must be an emergency brake.

It´s not exactly a steering wheel, but a kind of rheostat for acceleration and deceleration in speed steps.

The RhB Ge 4/4 II (second series) is my favourite RhB loco for it´s typical Swiss look that all SLM Winterthur (Swiss Locomotive Manufacturer) had in the late 1950s to the early 1980´s. The newer Ge 4/4 III are too modernistic for my taste and they also have lost the typical Swiss whistle tone. They don´t have taht wheel any longer, just a joy stick.

The Ge 4/4 III will be last loco series acquired by the RhB. SLM Winterthur went belly-up in 2005 and has since been taken over by Stadler Rail who is only making rail cars. I doubt that Siemens or Bombardier is intersted in developing a new narrow gauge electric for those Swiis narrow gauge lines - not enough business to pay the cost.

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Posted by ATSFGuy on Monday, July 25, 2016 12:57 PM

Sir Madog,

That Locomotive is a Rhaetian Railway GE 4/4 II pulling a RHB boxcar and a few passenger cars.

LGB released the same models in G Scale.

I've always been fascinated by the fact the GE 4/4 II, GE 2/4, and GE 6/6 I locos have a "steering wheel" in the cab?

I've taken a cab peak in some of the LGB RHB Models.

What does that wheel do?, I also saw a black lever near the windshield, I assume this must be an emergency brake.

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Posted by angelob6660 on Monday, July 25, 2016 12:40 PM

Afternoon Diners,

It's supposed to rain too, with a 50% chance in the afternoon or evening.

My dad is traveling today to Virginia to visit Jackie and bringing her back home within a week. Hopefully the travel down will be a week or two if we're lucky, instead of 4 days.

I hope model railroading is helping you heal, Ulrich. Maybe you should stop watching and reading the news.

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 25, 2016 11:48 AM

Good Evening!

Another hot and humid day! We had a thunderstorm later in the afternoon, followed by downpour, which did not bring the expected relief. Au contraire, Messieurs - it´s now steaming, just as in India during the monsoon!

I tried to get my mind of that horrible suicide bomber attack in Anspach, where a terrorist tried to enter an open air music festival and blow himself up amidst 2,500 people. As he was not admitted he went to a nearby wine place and blew himself up in front of that place, luckily killing only himself, but "only" injuring a few others.

Unthinkable what could have happened, had he been able to enter the festival ground!

I did the second tunnel portal and I have to admit it came out even less perfect than the first one. Still, it is a significant improvement in the overall appearance of the layout!

Just a couple of pictures (I don´want to use "shots" after the Munich shooting on Friday):

P1030314_zpssswbpnwk.jpg

P1030318_zpsbzkhvsx2.jpg

P1030317_zpsmrikruap.jpg

P1030316_zpsxni0ng8u.jpg

Slowly, I am getting to where I wanted to be!

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Posted by howmus on Monday, July 25, 2016 10:05 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe, I'll have a bowl of Heritage Flakes Cereal with fresh blueberries and a pot of Marrakesh Express Dark Roast organic Coffee to keep my R&GV RR mug filled for a while.

Very nice morning here in the Finger Lakes Region.....  Well, it really is because it is what we really, really need!  RAIN!!!!  Complete with thunder and lightning even.  Talking about as much as an inch of rain today.  Kitties are terrified and in hiding...  We are having a break between the storms so I got on line to check and see what is happening out there.

I'm hoping to get some quality time in the train room today!  We shall see what we shall see.....

Catch you all later!

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Monday, July 25, 2016 8:40 AM

Good morning.

Demolition crews blew up the old bridge over Kentucky Lake near here this morning. 

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/story/32520401/explosion-takes-down-majority-of-old-eggners-ferry-bridge#.V5YR5qfAkyI.facebook

This new bridge is one of two similar bridges under construction here at the Land Between the Lakes in western Kentucky. ... The second one is very close to where we live, and we can hear construction noises. It was started about 1 1/2 years after the first bridge was started. 

Each will have a large arch span in the center with smaller approach spans. Each new center span is 550' long and 100' from the deck to the top of the arch. 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by PM Railfan on Monday, July 25, 2016 2:04 AM

Hello Railfans!

Made it back from the weekends ritual routine only to catch myself a good case of insomnia. Thats the excuse I use anyways. Truth be known Ive always been a third shift person. Either that, or I was born on the wrong side of the planet. Cant sleep a wink.

So I thought Id mosey on down here to the diner and catch up with you folks for a couple minutes. Since were at the top of the page - the tab is on me! Better bring another bucket of ice for Ken though.

I see from the pics above some very good work is happening. Especially Terry, I like your trees. Ken, yours look pretty good too. I just cant imagine the hassles, hair pulling (if Ive any left by then), cursing, stomping, etc etc, I am going to go through when I finally get my chance to do scenery (and love every minute of it too!).

In the world of real railroading Ive managed to catch a couple NS intermodals in passing. And by passing I mean both times we passed in opposite directions. The second of the two trains featured 2 UP units - of a three unit lash-up. Ive seen those frequently on the NS the last few years. Even a couple Canadien units too. Those are rare!

Ulrich - I sure hope that wasnt Kens beer you poured all over your feet! Laugh

Well thats pretty much it. Work week starts tomarow. Im thinking it is another slow week. If so, I may stop in a couple times. Id be curious to know how the opening page is gonna look for next months installment of the Diner. Is it decided on presentation? Is the list done? Is it secret - is it safe?

See you folks later!

Douglas

 

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Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, July 24, 2016 10:44 PM

FRRYKid:

You have put a lot of work into your hills, but IMHO they are much too square. Mother Nature doesn't build things square. Only Man does.

I'm not suggesting that you start over, but you might consider chopping off a couple of corners at different angles, or maybe even cutting in some curves.

Just a suggestion.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
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Posted by FRRYKid on Sunday, July 24, 2016 10:25 PM

Given the heat around here as well, could I get a jumbo glass of raspberry iced tea and keep it refilled please. Thank you.

Heartland Division CB&Q

FRRYKid ... Sounds like a good idea to post of photo of what you are talking about. 

How about four? Different angles and such to show all the areas.

 




I hope these give the group a better idea of what I'm looking at for having to cover. And, yes, as can be seen in picture 2, that half is a big hill. It is roughly 3 feet wide by 5 feet long and it is a bit of a bear to wrangle. (Mostly from the hydrocal portals and retaining walls. The wall that can be seen in the front of pictures 2 and 3 are modified hard plastic (concrete) retaining walls. (It's been too long to remember where they were from but a quick check on Walthers didn't lead to them being found. Mountains in Minutes product I think. My Dad ended up helping me with them by using the radial arm saw to rip one set into a few pieces and cut the rest in half and then I glued them together to make them tall enough to cover the area in question. )

BigDaddy

Nascar doesn't get the attention it deserves in my opinion.  There are almost no perfomance enhancing drug issues, gambling, or drivers getting shot or posting inappropriate tweets.  For a bunch of guys that didn't go to college, they speak better english than the college grads from a more popular winter sport.  Instead of being penniless ten years later, all the successful drivers have charitable foundations.

There is an exception to that no college rule. IIRC, Ryan Newman has a degree in engineering from one of the Indiana schools.

I hopefully should be able to post a few pictures of the GP30 tomorrow.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, July 24, 2016 8:53 PM

Howdy .

Terry ... I like the video of your layout.

Ken .... LOL ... I did not see the foreat for the trees ... Whistling.....Forest is what I meant. ... Sometimes auto correct on the Apple gets me in trouble if I don't carefully proof read every word. 

Angeloob6660 .... The C30-7 sounds like it will be a fun locomotive for you. 

Ulrich .... The bad news keeps happening. Prayers for Germany. ... and France .... and the rest of civlization. 

RT .... Interesting auction items. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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