Welcome to the August edition of Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner!
Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner is open to all who wish to join!
It´s a meeting place where we may talk on-topic, but also off-topic (as a matter of fact - the only place tolerated by our hosts), but always within the limits of the forum policy.Talk about your ongoing or future model railroading projects, show us your latest acquisitions or simply share your day with us.
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, which are same as the general forum rules! As Vinnie is slowly getting of age, Steven has stepped in and, believe me, he is as vigorous as Vinnie was in his younger days when it comes to avenging any violation.
The staff is exceptional, and anything you desire to eat is available 24/7/365. The staff waiting on you are Janie, the twins Chloe and Zoe, Flo, Daisy and the latest addition, Brunhilda ! The food is always excellent and tasty, just good old home-cooking!
So, pull yourself in, bank your fire, and sit a spell and enjoy!
The RIP track is the place for us to pay our respect to our friends and forum members who are no longer with us.
Mornin' Everyone...
I've been passing the diner while riding the rattly 'ol streetcar a (PCC no less) on my way to w**k every day and just now got the gumption to stop in and say Hi!
Must be some real steamy conversations going on in here 'cause the windows are all fogged up most days, even in warm weather!
Cuda Ken and Yougottawanna sent me invites some time ago but that pesky w**k always seemed to take up so much of my time. So the good folks at GE told me— after 38 years—stay home, play with your silly trains, visit with your wife if you remember her name, we don't need 'ya around here anymore...
Woosh (sound of door slamming)... out to pasture
So here I am. I'll take a stool at the counter for a while and it will be a shorter walk for Flo to keep the beer coming...
I'll be 60 in a few days and I've had railroading in my blood for almost as many years. I've had some great opportunities that I'll be chatting about here. I'll probably stick mostly to model and railroad-related topics for now. Weather, aches and pains, the darn cats (and goats, ducks and chickens we raise) and all those other things I'll chime in on from time-to-time as well, just not too often
Thanks for getting things started, Ulrich, and I bow my head in remembrance of the fellows mentioned above. Say, can I nominate someone for the Honor Roll oops, RIP Track? I remember having some good discussions and advice on the forum with Bob Hartle. I believe he passed away unexpectedly back in March of 2015.
Hopefully I'll behave well enough not to have Vinnie throw his shoe at me.
Thanks for the invite, fellas. I'll be checking in again soon. Hey, everyone's breakfast is on me go ahead, have the steak and eggs!
Regards, Ed
gmpullmanI'll be 60 in a few days
to the Diner, Ed. It´s a great place to hang out with friends! May I join you in turning 60 in a few days? My birthday is on the 19th...
gmpullmanSay, can I nominate someone for the Honor Roll oops, RIP Track? I remember having some good discussions and advice on the forum with Bob Hartle. I believe he passed away unexpectedly back in March of 2015.
Why, of course - let´s add him to the list next month, this gives us time to confirm his passing. I hate to have a post like "rumors of my passing are greatly exaggerated". Sometimes people just stop posting here, after having been frequent contributors for years.
Starnge things started to happen on my layout this morning! At 8am, Matterhorn Gotthardbahn officials announced that services will be suspended for some major landscaping efforts taking place in and around Stalden (VS)-Neubrück. Service will commence as soon as the white glue has set and all excess foliage has been duly removed.
While services are down, the PTT (that´s the Swiss Postal Services) will be operating bus services to and from Zermatt, employing all their available busses.
The bus in the foreground has been commissioned into service just today, it´s a Saurer L4C Alpenwagen IIIa of 1952. Follwing behind is a Saurer 3DUK PTT version of 1968. Both models are from Arwico AG, Switzerland.
TTFN!
Ulrich,
Great job on the intro!
Ed,
Youngster...
Have A Great Day, Everyone!
Frank
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Congrats, JaBear, for making it into the editorial of the September MR edition! And thanks for the link to Bob Hartle - I will go back to my post and amend it accordingly - no need to wait until next month!
Me again!
I have to resist the temptation to get the vac out and remove all the excess fibres. I carefully cleaned the track and the spots for the buildings, so the layout starts to look like the final thing.
Once the excess fibres are vacuumed off the layout, it will look a little greener.
Good morning .... I'll have coffee and a donut, please.
Ulrich ..... You certainly did a great job opening the diner for August. The RIP Track is as we talked about. .... Your Swiss layout is looking like museum quality now. Great work !
Ed... Thanks for joining us. I hope you become a "regular".... By the way, we refer to the counter as the rivet counter.
July is over, and we have been blessed with a new month. What are everybody's plans for model railroad projects this month? I'm still working on scenery, and I hope to begin my bridge project.
Happy Model Railroading, Everyone !
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Pardon me, but as I am not able to run a train or two over my layout, I am a bit in a talkative mood, so Here I am again.
Garry- I have a number of little things I´d like to do on my layout this month. As the basic scenery is now mostly done, I will revert my attention to detailing the layout. All those nitty-gritties which finally turn a good layout into an excellent one. Things, that you don´t see at a quick glance, but require close observation. Like adding a bus stop sign where the old Saurer is parked at the station. Adding the lining, marking the place for the bus (and thus being off-limits for others). Adding the crossbucks at the grade crossing, the signal bells (one for each direction) in front of the guard´s house, a few more trees and figures. Unfortunately, all these things have a price tag on them and I don´t know whether they will be in my month´s budget. If not, It´ll take a while longer.
There bare quite a number of things on my list which have to be added, even after w*rking down the above list - like adding a couple of station lights, more vehicles on the road, a few bicyclists, completing the wiring and last, but not least, the catenary and finishing touches to the backdrop.
All of this will take me well into 2017, but I don´t mind the delay. I am back to enjoying what I am doing!
Sir MadogI have to resist the temptation to get the vac out and remove all the excess fibres.
Why "resist?" The vacuum cleaner is part of my scenery equipment. Loose stuff needs to be removed lest it get into the equipment. Just be careful that your citizens don't end up in the vacuum bag along with fibers and loose ballast.
Good morning, everyone. I'm not done with even my first cup of coffee yet, so it took me a minute to realize that the diner was still on its first page, and why. Thanks for opening, Ulrich.
Cloudy and dreary here, low 70s. Carol the Corolla has something loose in her exhaust system and needs to be looked at. In a few weeks, she will become the trade-in when my daughter buys her new car, so I don't want to put any more money into her. Hopefully this will be an easy fix.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasleyWhy "resist?" The vacuum cleaner is part of my scenery equipment. Loose stuff needs to be removed lest it get into the equipment. Just be careful that your citizens don't end up in the vacuum bag along with fibers and loose ballast.
Well, the schtuff has to dry first, doesn´t it! The white glue I use sets within a couple of hours, so after a little over 8 hours, I got the vac out and cleaned the layout. No casualties in terms of little people getting sucked in! As expected, it´s a shade greener now, but still a light, yellowish green - just like I wanted it to have (and my memory tells me it looke 50 years ago, when I was in that region). I have to add some spots with higher fibres, but only along the track and some other spots. But not now, not tomorrow - maybe during the coming weekend!
A couple of pictures of the status quo:
Good morning to all. Flo, could I get an Hawaiian omlette this morning? (Ham, pineapple and cheese.) Please also include a cinnamon raisin toasted bagel with some butter and a large glass of OJ. Thank you.
Hobby Front: I go see about at least starting the process to add a little more real estate this morning. All depends on my budget.
Sir MadogWell, the schtuff has to dry first, doesn´t it! The white glue I use sets within a couple of hours, so after a little over 8 hours, I got the vac out and cleaned the layout. No casualties in terms of little people getting sucked in!
Oh, that's different. I thought Petra was sleeping and you didn't want to wake her up.
Mornin'.... Errr, Hmmm??? OK, start over. Afternoon everyone!
Chloe, just need a refill for my cup of Seneca Lake Dark Raost Organioc Fair Traded Coffee!!! Better make another pot.
Ed, wecome aboard! Always good to see a new face in here. Good to have you youngsters on board.... I be turnin' 70 in a couple months.
As I predicted yesterday, I am a bit sore this morning. Hip bruise and major back soreness when I move mostly. I will recover. May even get out and finish the weed cutting where the lawn is supposed to be.
It is dry here in the Finger Lakes Region. I have lived my whole life whithin a 75 mile radius of where I live now and have never seen it this dry. During the month of July we usually get 3.5" of rain on average. This year the July total was .85" of the stuff. I did do fairly well on the solar power though. Looked at the online portal this morning and I ended up wth 576.19 kWh this July. Highest was last year at 610.67 and the lowest was in 2013 with 562.76. It actually was the secoind best July for the system. Only problem was that with the heat, the airconditioner has been running nonstop the whole month so my electric usage was way up as well.... ( I really hate to get up to visit the little room at 5AM to find the air conditioner is running..... That has happened several times this summer.)
Have a great day out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good afternoon everyone.
Maybe it is just that I missed it, but, where exactly are we now?
Flo, I will have a mint-mocha cappuccino, extra strong please. Thanks. (Yep... One of those days for those of you who know me....)
Weather - Warm (78F), very humid, and slightly damp. (Had a brief r**nshower a few minutes ago, didn't really help matters much... Only cooled us a bit, down from 82F, but way too humid...) Had lots of r**n over the weekend, getting close to 5 inches since Friday night! We have needed it though, just not all at once!
W**k - I go back tomorrow, so getting a couple projects going today.
Hobby - Got a couple of projects still going, slowly working on them. (Depending on if the cappuccino works will depend on how much I get done.)
Hope all enjoy the day, and have a great afternoon!
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.
ricktrains4824 Maybe it is just that I missed it, but, where exactly are we now?
In reviewing the posts, I agree with you. I didn't see that either.
Hobby Front: The lumber wasn't an expensive as I thought, so I ended up going "whole hog" and got all the needed lumber. Originally I wasn't going to do the triangle for the coaling/water track, but I found a piece of plywood in the yard's scrap pile that I can make work. (I had already gotten more than enough framing.) All the lumber ended up costing about the same as what I was going to spend on the bulkheads that I was bidding on but didn't win.
Good morning all. It has been awhile since I have stopped in, the RIP track caught my eye and I must say, well done.
Seeing a couple of those names brought back some memories. Sometimes when some of the threads on the forum would get a little intense, Stein and I would shoot (PM) funny "one liners" back and forth on what was being said, it was always good for a laugh. Also when I was getting back into the hobby and had lots of questions I would get an occasional answer from Andy Sperandeo via PM. What a nice guy he was.
This summer has been a little different so far. For as long as I can remember it was hit the road with the kids traveling soon as school was out. The #1 kid going into grade 12 this fall decided he better start getting the bank account built back up. The wife also has a couple of fleabag litters a few years in the planning happening this summer. So there I sat twiddling my retired thumbs, not use to being home all summer. It didn't last for long.
Some people would have no luck if they didn't have bad luck, my #1 son is the exact opposite for the most part.
Back in the Spring, he was doing a charity run for disabled sports in Vancouver. I dropped him off early in the morning to take the Skytrain into town and as he emerged from the station downtown all these Japanese tourists came running up to him. They were on a Movie locations tour and thought he was a guy that is on the "Game of Thrones" show. It took a while to escape that crowd trying to convince them it wasn't him. None of us had ever seen the Game of Thrones so when he got home and told us the story, we looked up the character, and ya he looks like him. Game of Thrones is filmed in Eastern Europe I think, so I wonder why these movie fans thought this guy would be walking the streets of Vancouver.
My kid makes money in a rather unorthodox way and is usually free by noon or so. He was getting bored quickly. My sister and a bunch of our doggie friends were over and were talking about being in the movie "best in show" way back when with all their fleabags and how much fun they had. They suggested my son sign up as a movie extra for something to do. Now these ( extra's ) people usually just sit in the background and cheer or do whatever when the director tells them to.
So I take some pic's and sign the son up online along with my 14-year-old HO people painter daughter who thinks it might be fun. The way it works is they tell you where to report and you say yes or no, show up for the day, get paid.
A couple of days pass and the phone rings, they ask my son if he wants a minor cast roll (with lines) in a movie. Kid says I have to ask my Dad I'll call you back. He calls back and says OK. Casting Director says come to Bridge studios for Camera test tomorrow, OK kid says. Early the next day we get a call saying we've been postponed a couple of weeks as they are still dismantling the set from the last Star Trek movie on our sound stage. Ok says the kid. Kid also says, you know I have no Acting experience other than my grade 5 play, don't you. Casting director says it doesn't matter you have the look we want, you will learn fast, then she laughs.
So yesterday #1 daughter gets a call for a movie. It turns out to be the same movie, they ask her to be in certain scenes as close background for classroom and high school shots being filmed between now and the end of September.
Parents must be on set with kids. I have been on movie sets many a time, it is as exciting as watching paint dry. I am glad I signed them up as they will make some pretty good cash, it will however, be torture for me.
It all starts this week, I need to take the laptop with me so I can have someone to talk to.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Batman, that's very exciting! When the movie comes out, you'll have to let us know if their footage makes the final cut so we'll know to look for them!
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Made a minor with my lumber purchases. I forgot to purchase the 2x2 I needed for the legs. Given that I'm not assembling the section until next week, I can get the legs later this week. (Maybe Saturday.) I will also have to remember to have them trim them so that they fit in Mom's car. (We managed to wrangle the 8' pieces in the car but it was a challenge.) The other problem: I will need to see if I can find my Dad's framing (right angle) clamp set. It has been too long since I have used it. I've pretty sure it is in the shop building somewhere because I know I put it away the last time I used it.
Evening Diners,
My dad is coming home late at night from his "working" vacation. Packing up things at Jackie's apartment and traveling back home. She might be home tomorrow since their driving separately.
We're getting our gate replaced later this week around the weekend. The past two weeks the gate broke in two parts, then last week it broke in three parts. We basically have nothing to hold it up expect old junk. Plus it doesn't help when rains and heavy winds blowing it down.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Evening guys
nice night out tonight
had a big family dinner yesterday that my mom has every summer. It's nice to see all the family together. Didn't do much today at all. Did some laundry and played some strat baseball
Good Monday evening, All!
Hot and muggy. Seems to be the re-occurring forecast here lately.
We'll be starting to form footings on the second house tommorrow. Trades are roughing in first one.
Here is an updated video of the layout. Sorry for the first few seconds....
https://youtu.be/fsC-V_RnWXM
Terry
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
How do I get the video to come up, in size, instead of just the link? Like Ulrich does?
saronaterry How do I get the video to come up, in size, instead of just the link? Like Ulrich does? Terry
Terry,
The little film-clip icon in the tool bar, right one in the middle group, should work for you.
Copy the YouTube URL, open the "film" icon in M-R forum reply then paste the YouTube URL on the source line. You don't have to enter any other lines.
Hit "Enter" immediately after and that should bring the bar cursor below the frame so you can continue to enter text.
And that should take care of it.
A gray box will appear in your reply pane but when you post your reply the video should appear with a play arrow.
I see where Lionel got the idea for "Magne-Traction!" Nice video!
For some reason, the "full screen" mode is disabled in the YouTube toolbar when linked from this site but if you click on the next icon to the left, "Watch On YouTube" the video will come up in the larger screens from their site.
[edit] added screenshots
Thanks for the warm welcome and birthday wishes, Folks!
Evening Dinners
Flo, I will have a please and get Ed One as well.
Ed, great to see you hit the dinner! Your tap is on mine everytime you are here!
Boy, today did not work out as I planed!
Work Front It has been slow on Mondays for about the last 3 months. Maybe 2 to 4 customers. So today I took my B&O GP 7 to work so I could install the decoder! Well, it was slow but every nut job with in 15 miles came in today! At one point I felt like I was in a 1950's Citcom Radio Show going on, all that was missing was Jack Benny and Rodchester to join in. Two black ladies (in there 70's) and there 4 year old grand daughter came in.
At first I was frusted, could not get them to really understand anything I was telling them. Fun part was listening them explaining it to each other what I had said. I had a big smile on my face most of the time. Kept calling me Mr Ken. I all most wished I could have recorded it. I was glad after a hour and half they left. Said they be back and I think they will be.
Had a few customer of Jerry the so I could fix his errors. One told me "He is nice, but does not seem all there." I held a straight face for a few mintues till she told all of the things that she thought was odd. Then I finally when we have noticed.
Ray If your town needs so rain get the town to buy me a plane ticket and I will take a few day's off up there. seems to follow me on my days off.
Terry Man, your engines can pull! I seen HO Slot Cars go straight up, but never trains! Must have traction tires and frog snot on the wheels! Great looking layout I will add! Pretty steep grade at the start!
Ulrich So are you keeping the current layout? It sure looks good!
YGW How is your dad doing? I was hoping to see you post today.
I am off Tuesday and off to the VA Hosptial to meet my new Dr. Just hope I can understand the man, or woman. Pretty sure they where not born in the states. I am fine with that, as long as I can understand the Doctor.
Later, Ken
Yep Ed, I have B&O Fever pretty bad!
I hate Rust
cudakenYep Ed, I have B&O Fever pretty bad!
Hi, Ken! Glad to finally step into the Diner! The aromas have been tempting me for years. The Pecan Cinnamon coffee cake is quickly becoming my favorite...
I'm still on a B&O kick myself. Last week MB Klein featured some Genesis F7s in the simplified blue scheme that they "found" in the warehouse! So an A-B set is on the way to me if they didn't get washed down the Patapsco River in that flood!
Got a pair of Rapido FAs in the works, too!
Well, now that you mention it, the Capitol Limited is sitting on the main right now, too! Yep, got that B&O blues... and that aint' bad!
Check in later...
Oh, and thanks for the suds
Ed
Lunchtime!
That cinnamon pecan coffee cake Ed brought with him is smelling awfully tempting! I think I´ll go for a slice of it and some coffee, Edna, dear!
You don´t know Edna? Edna is sitting in for Brunhilda, who is off on a vacation in Iceland.
After waiting 3 long nights and days poised on that bridge, Urs Zurbriggen, the photographer, finally succeeded to get that surprise shoot of the newlyweds leaving the church. It must have been quite a ceremony, or could it just have been he took down the wrong date?
My friend Claus (that´s the who helped me build the benchwork) did a little bit of photoshopping with one of the pictures I sent him the other day.
TTFN - I am getting ready for an after-lunch snooze!
Good morning .... What's this !.... Cinnamom Pecan Coffee Cake ! .... Yum..... (I bet if Barry was still with us, he would have eaten it all. ) .... I'll have a slice with hazelnut coffee, please.
Terry .... I've have not had goood luck when I tried posting videos here. If I try again, I'll try Ed's suggestuin.
Ed ... I like the looks of Walthers Capital Limited. That is one of the trains I rode in the pre-Amtrak era. I recall riding in the dome car on a westbound train after departing Washington, DC. I remember the spotlights shining on the scenerey, but the sun, of course, provides better lighting. I also recall awakening in the middle of the night in Pittsburgh.
Ulrich ... I like the photoshopped picture.
Speaking of B&O ...... I still use this travel bag which I purchased at the B&O museum gifts shop many years ago. .... It commemorates B&O's 170th anniversary.