Jeffrey's Trackside Diner - August 2016

[FRRYKid]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Good morning ...

FRRY ... I have leftover HO Walthers Modulars parts ... Hang on until I have a chance to see what I have. 

Does anybody else have plans for working on their layouts in the days ahead? 

Wasn't planning on doing any building quite yet, other than maybe getting a vehicle doorway that's too small bashed to the needed size. I figure that getting the expansion section closer to being done, rough scenery wise, is going to take up most of the time. River work takes a bit of time between getting the screen installed and getting the paper mache made and applied. This time I will also have sandbars that I will have to do things a little differently than I have in the past.

[last mountain & eastern hogger]

Ulrich, I sorry to hear you are still being bothered by various things, that certainly is no fun at all. But keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.

My low point was after they tired to open my esophagus and the radiated scar tissue tore and bled profusly collapsing my right lung etc. I had gone from 208 lbs. to a low of 162. But I have survived and now, even though eating is non existance, only down the stomach tube, I have gained wt. back to 180.  I do not want to go any higher, so I have to keep an eye on that now.

But you too will overcome, we are all pulling and praying for you, so please find strength in that.  Do what the Sawbones tells you and Petra also.

A Belated Happy Birthday to you and Ed. as well.  I have you Guys beat by 15 1/2 years, so you have a ways to go yet.  I'll be 76 this Nov.

I love the new additions to your Swiss layout.

Johnboy out.................

[saronaterry]

Hi, guys!

62f and light rain. All day. Started raining yesterday. 2 days ago it was so hot I sent the crew home at 1:00pm.

Hang in there, Ulrich.

FRRY Kid, how about some pics of your progress? We like photos!

I took your question about working on the layout as a personal challenge, Garry! This area south of Spooner was the first attempt at scenery some 10 years ago. It looks more like the bayous of the south than NW Wisconsin!

 

Sooo, out it came:

 

 

Then I dressed the ballast a little and added some ground cover/ underbrush:

After this sets up, it'll be time to forest the hillside. More later!

Terry

[ATSFGuy]

Saronaterry, 

Cool photos of your layout!  Is this based on a particular location? What time period do you model?

 

[saronaterry]

ATSFGuy

Saronaterry, 

Cool photos of your layout!  Is this based on a particular location? What time period do you model?

 

 

Hey, ATSF Guy! Thanks!

Hard to see, but my avatar is a map of the old Omaha X (C&NW) in Spooner WIS.

I model the line from Spooner to Cameron. The ROW is a snowmobile/ATV trail now and runs past my house.(about 2 miles away). Kind of a proto-what if layout. I like the BN in 1972 just after the merger so I can run BN,CB&Q, NP and GN just like Garry. In my world the BN bought the system when C&NW wanted to abandon it. That didn't actually get abandoned til the 80's, but that's my story.

I try to stay faithful to the "prototype" as far as town sequence and trackage. With an around the walls linear design that was pretty easy!

So there ya have it!

Still raining. Wish we could send some out west!

Moving along on the scenery re-build:

Terry

[cats think well of me]

Ulrich, I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and wishing you a successful recovery. 

Terry, the layout photos look great. Thank you for sharing them with us.

On the home front, I got a load of old furniture taken to the thrift store. 

My BLI P70s arrived yesterday. I like them so far, as they're a significant improvement over previous P70 models I've owned. Tomorrow, I'll try the cars out at the club layout. 

Alvie

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Just popping in to say hi!  I spent all day working out at the R&GV RR museum on the old Erie Caboose.  We were being pushed by our US Army FM H12-44!  I say Pushed because the cabooses were in between the to Diesels we were using so the back of the tiny train I was working had the H12-44 behind the Erie when we were moving forward.  The other "train" is service was the PC Caboose being pulled by the Alco RS3m  (LV #211)  We finally have to old girl back in service now.  Sweet, sweet, sweet to hear the Alco fire up her EMD 567B Prime mover!  Yep you heard me right!

http://www.rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/lv211/index.htm

Here is the H12-44: http://www.rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/usa1843/index.htmHave a great night!

73

[cudaken]

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, Ed and I will have a and give YGW anything he wants.

 OK the good news.

 1 Got the computer up and running again with AVG installed!

 2 Got the B&O coal cars from YGW! You are right, great looking cars! I only un-wrapped 4 so far but I am 

 Not so good news.

 1 Health is looking questionable. (spell check) Left foot may still be a problem. I am wearing a wound boot and it does take a lot of pressure off the toe with the ulcer. I am suppost to see the foot Dr again Tuesday and have a bone scan to see if there is a infection in the bone. But more than likely I will not be able to go due to problem 2.

 2 The dependable car is DOA. It is no longer worth fixing. Repair cost could be well over $800.00 and the car is just not worth it! I cannot drive the second car into St Louis in the shape it is in! It was the one I was going to get rid of a few weeks ago.

 There is more to talk about, but I am beat.

 Ken

 

 

[MisterBeasley]

Gentlemen, keep a positive attitude.  That's the best advice I can give.

I have a wife and 3 girlfriends.  Got that?  No, things between me and the wife aren't great, but, well, I'm keeping a positive attitude, OK?  I've got high cholesterol, high blood pressure and now Type 2 Diabetes.  And you know what?  I feel better than I have in years.  I'm getting exercise and taking care of myself.

Don't complain.  Your life belongs to you. Do what you want with it.  Remember that things can always be better, and if you try just a bit, they will be.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good evening .

Terry ... Wow ! ... You are mking quick work with scenery re-build, and the results look great. . .... I think you have early Burlington Northern which includes CB&Q, GN, and NP.... My layout is CB&Q in 1962, and GN and NP have running rights over my line. 

FRRY ... I found a bag of left over Walthers Modulars parts which include some of the connector pieces if you need some. Problem is my PM's don't work even though I have tried to get the settings correct for that. 

Below is my bakery made mostly with Walthers Modulars. ... The photo cuts off most of the smaller bakery ofice building to the left. 

[FRRYKid]

saronaterry

FRRYKid, how about some pics of your progress? We like photos!

For the moment, all I have it a lot of plywood, track in a few places, the beginnings of the river and not much else. Maybe if I get the river covered I might take a few pics.

Heartland Division CB&Q

FRRY ... I found a bag of left over Walthers Modulars parts which include some of the connector pieces if you need some. Problem is my PM's don't work even though I have tried to get the settings correct for that. 

I have an idea on that subject but let me do some checking on it.

["JaBear"]

Gidday Chloe, my usual green tea please.

 

YGW that is actually the hydraulically operated bucket at the rear of the truck. The very first trucks had the bucket at the front which was filled from bags, but the use of bulk fertiliser was far more efficient hence the double cab design shown in the photo. At about the 1min 30 mark in that video I posted you see the load being dropped from the truck bucket into the Beavers hopper which occupied the cabin behind the pilots seat.  Depending on the slope of the airstrip, wind strength and direction, from memory, the Beaver started off with 19 cwt (2128 lbs) going up to 21 cwt (2352 lbs) as the fuel burned off.

 

I was not actually offended by the old surplus comments made here in the Diner, though in all seriousness the subject has been on several occasions like waving a red rag at a Bear. The most recent was at a meeting chaired by the Director of the NZ Civil Aviation Authority on future funding models for the organisation. In a lengthy presentation the CFO for a large training organisation proposed that the bulk of the funding be carried by operators of old aircraft because according to his Risk Management Assessment they required more oversight from the CAA inspectors due to their age. I pointed out that his RMA was flawed as he did not take into account the possible risk to his own person by insulting the professionalism and integrity of the certifying maintenance engineers of these older aircraft. As the Director is an ex Air Force Engineer he did get my point though it didn’t do my Fit and Proper Person Status much good.

 

Flipand Dave, a pleasure. Here’s a link Dave to what is now ZK-VAS, my photo of the Otter on floats, when it carried the RCAF serial 3677.

 

http://www.dhc3otter.com/janvennix2011.htm

 

I would think that in military service both Canadian and US, that the Beavers and Otters would have mostly operated on their wheels especially the US ones that Tom mentioned seeing in Viet Nam. (I hope I haven’t raised bad memories).

 

I never got my tickets for certifying helicopters, (I hate exams) but have certainly enough experience and if I was ever to admit that I had a favourite helicopter, it would be the Huey. I first worked on the RNZAF Huey refurbishment programme as member of the civilian contractors’ crew, and later contracted to an outfit that bought up a number of US military surplus Hueys for forestry work, fire fighting, spraying, lifting etc. On paint stripping one we found the evidence of former combat in the form of some nicely done bullet hole patches.

 

I had to have a look Ray, but there are still 3 Pietenpol AirCampers active on the NZ register with another being built, though it is proving a slow process, the builder keeps getting side tracked on to other projects.

 

Rick J, I’m not saying that turbine engines don’t fail but while I can’t remember the exact figures from attending a PWC PT6 series maintenance course, a lot of the statistical odds were up around the 1: 1,000,000 and that was not taking into account any warning signs. And yes I’m getting old fashioned, I still like cables, push rods and the like.

 

I’ve had a think on how to say this nicely but at the risk of sounding completely unsympathetic, you need to see that foot doctor Ken, you’re not doing yourself any favours.

 

Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.

Cheers, the Bear.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Howdy.   Where is everybody?  Is anyone working on their model trains today? ... I worked on bridges last evening do a while. 

[cats think well of me]

Good day Garry,

I got a coal load done for a loco that didn't have one. A piece of expanded cell foam cut roughly to shape and Woodland Scenics fine coal added on. Glue, water, alcohol mix to hold it in place. Great project to get done before work.

Alvie

[hon30critter]

Bear:

More interesting photographs! Assembling the Otter is just like building a model.

Thanks

Dave

[der5997]

 

Zoe, a large mug of Russian Caravan tea, and if there’s any of Petra’s cherry cake left, that would be grand.

Ja Bear: Read your parts price list in that MR Intro (Kudos, BTW) One question; was that US or Kiwi dollars? Oh, wait, second question. Our cost accountants in the bakery I worked with in England in the mid 60s would have every product carry its full weight of ingredient, labour, admin, sales and depreciation. (In consequence, real profit was near nigh impossible to achieve in a competitive meat pie market!) Your parts list costs are for whole packets of parts, rather than those used for the single one-off model? If so, wouldn’t that bring the cost down to well below $40?

Just sitting back and listening to all this air/naval yarn spinning is a wonderful way for me to get an education! Thanks guys! BTW,

And yes I’m getting old fashioned, I still like cables, push rods and the like.

“Fly-by-wire” has always reminded me of my far off days of control line model airplanes! LOL

Garry asked

I am starting my bridge project which should take a few weeks with all of the non-model-railroad interruptions considered. Does anybody else have plans for working on their layouts in the days ahead? (….and about an hour ago) Howdy.   Where is everybody?  Is anyone working on their model trains today? ... I worked on bridges last evening do a while. 

Have finally sorted out exactly how the tracks are meant to work – the container cars having made non-sense of the SCARM drawn track plan as regards the larger curves. So, here’s the latest effort.

Also, the Z scale tracks for my N3n “Tourist line” to a castle on a hill  now loops through the castle walls. Getting the gates to look anything like realistic was my main task for this afternoon.

 

Workout Front: I’ve pretty much given up walking while there’s frequent yard work. However, the dry weather has meant less mowing in the past few weeks. Tending the veggies just isn’t the same exercise. I know I should be more intentional – your constant reminders may do the trick!

Horticulturally this is turning out to be a banner year for flowers, even the orchid left us by our friends who are now outside Victoria, B.C. is blooming.

And the Foxgloves and Hollyhocks we planted two years ago have been a pleasure. 

The far ones there got to be as high as the eves trough before the last rain brought them down.

There is a mmr connection to all this flowery language. Trees, á la Saronaterry!  Most of mine are home grown – or field gathered in the case of wild Spirea. I find Golden Rod a bit too feathery when it’s dried. Astilbe is a wonderful start point. Being in N helps of course – most flower stems are a tad thin even for N, let alone H orribly O versized. I was interested to see that you applied the ground foam to the underside of the Golden Rod first. Have you ever gone to the length of using a darker colour foam for that stage, to represent shadow? I read somewhere that can be effective – tried it, but can’t say I saw a great difference – and one has to use two different excess foam collection box lids. Too much like w*rk…

Johnboy:That’s some low-point!  Hope you and Ulrich and all the others in here needing better situations see happier days soon. That’s not a casual BTW, most days my wife and I remember you, even if I’m not in here that often.

 Time to thinking of this evening's "Farewell Dinner" for a couple at church who are moving next week to Moncton. They're all hyped about the move (a promotion for him, I think) but when we look at the weather forecasts year-on- year it's not a move we'd rush into!

Once i get the track all painted (touch up still hasn't happened) and cleaned there's the wiring to see to. I'm planning on re-using a hill I saved from the last layout. It's going to have the interchange run through it. So I'll get it set in place on the layout and then clear some trees,and bore the tunnel. Say, almost getting to be prototypical in my old age! I wonder how many other layouts have tunnels cut-in-place?

DER is AFK.

"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

[hon30critter]

Terry:

The rebuilt scene is impressive. Very realistic trees!

Dave

[hon30critter]

der5997:

I like the layout plan.

The flowers look good too!

Dave

[der5997]

hon30critter

der5997:

I like the layout plan.

The flowers look good too!

Dave

 

Thanks Dave - the layout plan has gone through many versions - and (GASP!) has no lakes, streams, rivers, bridges - any that do happen will be retro-fits! Heard somewhere that "Less is more" so I'm giving that a whirl this time around.

[angelob6660]

Afternoon guys,

Nothing much is happening. Just waiting for the Trainworx BN hoppers to leave the hobby shop. I got 4 of them, 2 with the big BN logo and name, the other two are plain. I can't find pictures of the small BN logo without safety stripes to represent my timeline.

Top of the page. I'll pay for everyone's meals and drinks.

[cudaken]

 Afternoon Diners

 Flo, Ed and I will have a please.

 Work Stunk so that is covred.

 

MisterBeasley

I have a wife and 3 girlfriends.

 Mr B, no wonder you have a positive attitude.  I had 3 girlfriends when I was 27, but I was in better shape then!

 YGW Have four of the coal cars on the layout now! Boy the person that made there sure knew there stuff! I was shocked to see how free wheeling they are.

 Ed I hope to take the F7 B to work Monday and see if I can figuer out why the rear turck hits the coupler pocket? F7 A runs great, har as the clicking sound, that is gone and the engine is running some what faster. Maybe it just needed to be broken in? It is now dragging 21 cars by it self easy.

 Time to look for a better car.

 Ken

[hon30critter]

der5997:

My layout plan has undergone far more revisions that I can remember. I have been working on it for more than a decade.

The first versions were based on pure ignorance, i.e. ridiculously small radii, mountain goat type grades, totally disfunctional from an operations perspective, you name it, I had it screwed up! I have refined the plan many many times over the years as I learned more about realistic track plans. These forums have helped enormously as have several MR publications like Track Planning for Realistic Operation. Quite frankly, I'm glad the layout has been delayed. Had I charged ahead years ago it would have been a mess.

Now I'm actually at the point where I can start to build the layout! My son has just bought a house and he is moving in three weeks so I'm actually going to have the layout space available very soon. We are also going to install a small garden shed so we can get lots of stuff out of the way of the layout (which will be in the garage).

My plan doesn't qualify for the "less is more" rating. There will be lots going on.

Regards

Dave

[FRRYKid]

der5997: I like your quote. I am a big Trekker myself (and looking forward to Star Trek: Discovery).

Hobby Front: Per certain requests, here are the pictures of the items that were created as a result of the expansion of my layout. (Some things are still in progress.) All of the pictures go right to left (clockwise) on the layout.

Freight Forwarders yard expansion


Mainline expansion and another view of the Freight Forwarders yard expansion (Two reasons for expansion)


Completion of reverse loop for tourist line (Other reason for expansion) The undertable machine pictured was installed after the picture was taken. Eventual plan is to have all the turnouts on the tourist line controlled by undertable machines.


River extension (A foot-long piece of 3 foot wide aluminum window screen, lots of brads and a handy pair of screen cutters)


River extension with sandbar bases installed. (Beadboard foam with construction adhesive on the window screen. We shall see how the foam adheres to the screen come next week.)


Covering to create sandbars with the river clamshells. (As you can see, Woodland Scenics Fine Earth Turf for the sand and some very small {11/0} beads for the clamshells.)

The extension of the coaling/watering track with eventual plans for engine house/residence for puller engine and crew. (Where the Walthers modulars I have been discussing will be used.)

[gmpullman]

Good—very early—Morning, Diners!

Petra, since Angelo is buying I'll have the filet mignon and a Crown Royal chaser! (No, dear, that's not Royal Crown, the other way 'round)

Ken, sorry, thanks for the beer but can I have a wooden nickel instead?

Our friends at Shorpy dug up a dusty old photo of the diner! Just look at how Flo had that youthful glow back then!

http://www.shorpy.com/node/21229?size=_original#caption

There's Vinnie, sleeves rolled up as always. Even Brunhilda managed to crack a smile! And what's up with the guy near Vinnie? And the other fellow, with gloves?

Those Hollyhocks look grand, DER! The missus planted some in our side yard and I never knew what I was missing by not having them! Sometime I'll have to post some photos of the Mountain Laurels that I'm so fond of. They're in the rhododendron family and the State Flower of Pennsylvania. Main reason I planted them is because the Pennsylvania Railroad featured them on their dining car china.

Ken, I really hope you get some relief soon, on the health front, the car front, the job front! Wow, things are coming at you FAST! Hang in there good friend...

Garry...

Does anybody else have plans for working on their layouts in the days ahead?  

You're kidding, right? Do you remember the scene in The Shining  where Jack types-  "All work and no trains makes Jack a dull boy" ?       I must have my train time!

Ulrich, Johnboy—you too, Ken, I wish you all the good cheer I can possibly muster 

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Johnboy  have a slice on me!

Terry, that is some fine looking trackage and scenery! IF I had it to do all over again I would definitely have a linear layout without deep "no-reach in zones". I have places where it is getting impossible to access the track to pick up derailments and do track maintenance. Big no-no!

Whew...

So, on the train front!

Friday saw the arrival of the Big Brown Truck and a package from Brooklyn with a half-dozen PRR P-70 coaches!  (I never used to be a Pennsy fan but I was abducted by aliens wearing striped caps that took me to their mother ship in Altoona)

I really didn't need more rolling stock, but you all know how that story goes!

Tuscan everywhere!

These cars are nearly perfect. BLI did make one or two goof-ups but nothing major!  One thing is certain—these are the free rollingest (is that a word?) cars—freight or passenger—I have ever witnessed!

I took the first one out of the box, set it on the main and turned around to get the next car.

Went back to where I placed the first car and... it was gone! I know age does funny things to you but what.. here it was about twelve feet away! On "perfectly level" track, mind you (or so I thought!)

OK, I'm getting the hint, you guys have had your Keystone-fix for now... 

Well, time for me to cash-in my chips. Check please, Flo  OH! never mind, hand it to that guy over there! Thanks, again, Angelo!

Later,

Ed

 

 

 

[hon30critter]

Ed:

Neat picture of an old diner, but I'm sure Vinnie keeps the floor cleaner than that!

Pennsy passenger cars look great.

Dave

[gmpullman]

hon30critter

I'm sure Vinnie keeps the floor cleaner than that!

Don't look in the kitchen!

Thanks, Dave 

Regards, Ed

[yougottawanta]

Hey all

Just popping in to say good morning. TTYL. Flo set em up with any breakfast food they want even steak, stacks of pancakes, grits, smoked bacon, peach yogurt .... if that is their desire !Here is a stack of $20s that should cover it.

YGW

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning .... After looking at Ed's diner photo, a traditional diner breakfast would be good. .... I'll have eggs over medium, with hashbrowns, and wheat toast. ... Grits, too, since we are now in the South. 

It's good to see so much MRR progress!

Alvie ... I bet the steam loco looks great now with the coal load you installed. 

Der John .... I really like the layout plan. You will get a lot of enjoyment building the layout and operating it. 

Ken ... You mentioned an F7 truck hitting the coupler pocket. Is it on a tight radius curve track ? 

Dave... Good news! .... You will be starting your layout now. I bet you will have much to show in the months ahead.

FRRY ... You are a hard worker based on seeing your progress photos.

Ed .... I like the PRR coaches in your photos a lot. You remind me of some free rolling cars I have. I spot them on "level track", but learn it is not as llevel as I thought.  Maybe, my switch crews will need some 1/87 chocks to place against the wheels. .... For a while I had some Pennsy trains on this layout because I thought I chould have railroads which interchanged with CB&Q in addition to my CB&Q. I don't have them anymore. 

YGW ... Good morning ! 

Keep on Railroading ! 

 

[ricktrains4824]

Good morning all.

Flo, I will have an apple danish, and a glass of OJ please. 

Weather - Finally cooled off a little, 70's with lower humidity.

W**k - Have today off* but was there all weekend. The Friday reports (printed on Saturday) were all crazy off, and by crazy off I do mean crazy off... I had more new accounts than I had customers! And, contest numbers enough for a HUGE (high tripple digits!) bonus. (Only problem - I had zero contest numbers on Friday!) Even those who no longer work in our store got contest numbers! Somehow, Friday's report included the total for the year for everyone, then added in our weekly and monthly total's on top of that! (Of course, I jokingly said that the district manager owed all of us in the store that day a steak dinner for those high numbers, all in one day! ) Now, the asterisk on off* today - I don't have to go in, but have to attend a phone meeting with all managers from my store later this morning. It is supposed* to be a very quick (under 10 minutes) meeting, but that remains to be seen. (Maybe we are getting that steak dinner! ) 

Trains - Due to a issue, didn't get to work on that car kit last night. Might have something to do during that w**k call I have to make in a little bit....  

Car - Cudaken, sorry you are having issues, but I am starting to feel your pain. (Only starting to, as mine still runs.) Had to do brakes, twice, as first, I had a brake pad shatter on the left front (zero outside pad, but inside pad was about half worn. Left front inside and outside pads were both also about half... Might be the slider pins in the caliper are sticking...) and then I had to again work on them, as I broke the right front brake line about two weeks later. (In downtown traffic too!) Now, I have to work on the left rear, as I have a flat tire, and my left front is soft... Otherwise I would be running errands before my upcoming phone call. Sounds like a slight issue of some kind of debris picked up...  Yippee.  Something to do before my upcoming call.... 

Hope all enjoy the day, and that all are well.

[Steven Otte]

gmpullman

Our friends at Shorpy dug up a dusty old photo of the diner! Just look at how Flo had that youthful glow back then!

http://www.shorpy.com/node/21229?size=_original#caption

Wow, that old picture is something else! Flo, I'll have the hot meatloaf sandwich and a root beer float. Here's $1, just give me back a nickel for the Music Box and you keep the rest. You're worth it, kiddo.

Yum, worth every penny.