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Jeffrey's Trackside Diner - August 2016 Locked

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Monday, August 29, 2016 7:43 PM

Good evening everyone. 

Chloe, any more of that special left? Feeling adventurous, so I will take one with the "red sprinkles" please. Even take extra "sprinkles" from those who didn't want them, if that's allowed. A ice water, and a Coke, for drinks please. Thanks.

Weather - Still quite warm here too.

Weekend - Well, w**k took up Saturday, and got called in for a few hours yesterday, as someone turned in her two-weeks notice, then called off yesterday... No further comment on that.... Before getting off for a graduation party for a friends daughter. (Yep, it was a very warm temperature, so a hot party.... Weather wise.) I got roped into the egg-toss game, and into two volleyball games. The food was chicken, pepperoni balls, watermelon, and salad. Cupcakes and cake-pops for desert. Went through more bottled water than I have in a week. The volleyball was fun, if a bit warm. The second game lasted quite sometime, as we kept forgetting the score and starting over...Whistling But it was later in the day, so it was cooler, and was more fun. Still really don't know which team won, but it don't really matter. It was just for fun anyway. 

Speaking of w**k - No, still no further comment on the call-off.... Got 209 pieces of truck today... Next truck, due Wednesday, is going to have to go on the roof at this point, as we have zero room for more. Stacked 6' high, and a walkway to the electrical room, and a walkway to the main receiving door. That's all... Even our breakdown carts are out in the hallway, normally they are in the backroom with the freight. Yep... That's a filled up backroom alright.... The newly appointed store manager has not been allowed into our hiring system, yet... She is not happy about that. (Especially now that someone is quiting.) Of course, she is also unhappy about the truck bringing 209 cases today... Well, at least we will be busy!

Steve, is that cod from a weekend fishing trip? It's pretty good.... And the "sprinkles" are nice, if Vinnie can figure out what exactly that stuff is, he should get some more, and make this a regular menu item... It's pretty good. The "sprinkles" are what makes it though, other than the fine cooking of the crew in the kitchen, of course. 

Well, since other's have covered breakfast and lunch, let me cover the dessert tab! Special for desert - In honor of the heat - Ice cream sundaes - all flavors.

Chloe, I will do a chocolate peanut butter sundae please. What? Oh, of course with real whipped cream on top. Please, and thank you.

Hope all are well, and have a good day night.

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 FRRYKid on Monday, August 29, 2016 7:35 PM

Mentioning the blender, the box store is easier for me than the thift shop. I don't exactly remember why I started using ground up newspaper but it seems to work very well for what I need it for. I have used it in another section of water and I even used it on top of some of my beadboard scenery. (Didn't dfry quite as fast as on the screen but it still worked.)

I've been using shingles for roads since I was in high school. (They were castoffs from when my paternal grandparent's had their roof shingled. I remember that it reminded me of gravel roads.) Hence, why I picked up as many of the unused pies as I could.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Monday, August 29, 2016 6:50 PM

Howdy...... I am still busy here.... I just returned from another trip to Nashville. ... A lot more stuff for me the next few days. (another trip starting at end of the week. ) .

Der John ...  I like those old layout photos. Looking forward to seeing your progress.  

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by der5997 on Monday, August 29, 2016 12:28 PM

Good Day Diners: Oooh - Top of Page - so I'll pick up the tab Dinner Well, we had fun last evening. On Saturday the TV local news (Global, Halifax) had an item about the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra’s performance in Lunenburg that day, featuring a Bassoon soloist, Nadina Mackie Jackson. So we Googled that and found out they were playing in our town the next night! Tickets only $10, so we went. Not only is Nadina totally a Bassoon wizard who looks like a Rock Star,( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaZ4PbBpvPU for instance - her hair was blue for our show and her dress had more bling and less train) but the whole program was a real pleasure.Nadina had the entire first half of the show. Bumble Bee wasn't on the menu, I just chose that clip as it's short.Music
 
Layout Front: The entire layout has had its first rub down (320 grit emery paper) to remove paint and grime – now the Gleam Method begins, hopefully this afternoon. I’ll use 600 grit and 1300 grit papers before the stainless steel burnishing. The Mothers Mag and Wheel polish seems to have survived 3+ years of non-use just fine, so that’s the final step.
 
FRRYK: Glad the heat pack did the trick for you!
Unfortunately, in the process of finishing off the last sheet of newspaper I had grabbed, I blew up my blender. No big loss. Cheap box store blender.
  hereabouts the cheapest source would be any charity thrift store – Sally Ann springs to mind. On the papier maché – I use a crude version which does an end run around the need for blenders. Mind you, the smoothness of the final finish would depend on the fineness of the starting material; and some sifting might be necessary depending on your specifications – but I’m talking sawdust/water/white glue mix for scenery. As you can see, takes paint, can be cut for access hatches and so on, and is easy to apply. I've only used it on insulation foamboard though. Dry time similar to papier maché thanks to its near identical source material = wood
Or this hill which will be re-used on my new layout: 
First encounter with using paper products wasn’t too successful – straight pulp mill sheets cut up, soaked and applied to scenery framework. Really difficult to pierce for planting trees! (Campbell River layout in the 80s)  That was before I found out about rock castings!
(One of the turnouts already was equipped with one and I had another machine on the table that I could use. Additionally, I didn't think I could keep the points centered to get the throw installed.)
That reminded me – in the September MR there’s an article on installing Tortoise sw machines. It reads in Step 2 Switch motor installation “….With the turnouts  installed, it was time to add the switch motors. Using a straightedge, I marked the centerline of each turnout and the switch rod. These marks would help me locate the Tortoise switch motor.”  Now, here’s my question. The photo clearly shows the marks drawn on the underside of the layout. (photo 2) How? I’m probably being dim, but I just don’t get it. Would anyone care to shed some light?
I then decided to get some more roads built. (Another nice thing about the expansion.) These are the same shingles that I have used on other parts of the layout.
I’m figuring that when I get to that stage I’ll be able to use the same self-adhesive foam strip I’ve cut up and used for track bed – but “full strength” as it were. 2” wide in N roughly = 27 feet – about right for a road.
 
JaBear: Haven’t seen Devonshire Splits in many years – thanks for bringing them in!
From Northern (?) English slang, scran = food, feed.  In this context, “Garry ate all the donuts.”
Take a boo at the usage example for #32 on http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/64-slang-words-phrases-you-3026057 Sorry about the stupid Quiz to access the site! When we were in Geordie country “bait” seemed to be the generic for food. “Me man’l be haem fer ‘is bait.” Can’t say I remember hearing “scran” m’seel.

Steven:

Tell your server if you don't want all the red sprinkles on it. Might be paprika, might be cayenne pepper, even Vinnie doesn't know because the label's worn off the shaker and nobody's ordered it in so long.
LOL – our Kraft Parmesan cheese container is in nearly the same shape – we’ve re-filled it with Bulk Barn PC many, many times! Sell-by date wore off long ago, so I don’t know just how old it is.

Track Gleaming awaits, cultr.

"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

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Posted by howmus on Monday, August 29, 2016 9:04 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Yawn........!  I am still in recovery mode from the party last Saturday evening.  Ah, Zoe, I have a couple of those thingies that JaBear brought in this morning.  Oh, and yes, a large pot of Marrakesh Express Dark Roast Coffee would be great to wash it down....  What?  Yes, my R&GV RR mug is a good choice.....

 Steven, I'll save what your having for dinner tonight.  Looks delicious!  Lunch today will be down at Water Street Café downtown.  An old Scouting friend and collegue who is coming over today to work on planning a training program (JLT) for the Handicapped Troop we work with.  That is only two weeks away and we have a lot to get done on it.  I need to find someone to give Blackie his morning insulin in order for me to be able to stay out at camp that Friday night so we can get started early in the morning on Saturday....

I still need to catch up on some of the posts before the guy arrives, so I'll 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 Steven Otte on Monday, August 29, 2016 8:51 AM

Thanks to Weighmaster, today's lunch special is... COD. Laugh

Tell your server if you don't want all the red sprinkles on it. Might be paprika, might be cayenne pepper, even Vinnie doesn't know because the label's worn off the shaker and nobody's ordered it in so long.

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

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Posted by yougottawanta on Monday, August 29, 2016 8:14 AM

Flo Good morning. Can I have a glass of water? I need something to wass these ibuprofen down. I had to go to my fathers house and fix some stuff in his house because he is laid up in the Rehab center. Involved some demo, ripping and hauling out. Plumbers coming today to fix the problem. Man I am so sore. Used muscles not used in a while Whistling .  I tell you when it rains it pours !

Also please set everyone up for whatever breakfaxt they want. panckes, steak and eggs, grits, scrapple, oatmeal ( yuck Ick! ) or whatever they want. Looks like there has been some very fine food in here this weekend ! Oh and set Vinney up to he is in a bad mood maybe that will help restore the smile on his face.

Gotta run, inspections, meetings, problems to solve....

TTYL

YGW

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, August 29, 2016 8:01 AM

Good Morning one and all!

Not much to report from the land of withered Buckeyes other then another hot day is on tap so, no railfaning today. Work on the new Slate Creek is progressing slowly the bench work is up 12" wide boards on metal "L" shelving braces set at 18" centers at 54"" height from the floor-for me that just upper chest level perfect viewing for switching when standing and since I will be using manual Peco switches perfect. Once the track is down I will add two jacks for my Tech 6 throttle. I'm debating if a bus and feeders is really needed since the layout is L shape and each leg is 12' . I decided my video gaming table and work desk will occupy the other two walls. My older 12' Slate Creek is still in operation since its portable and thus the slow rate building the new Slate Creek.
Hindsight is clearly 20/20..I should have incorporated that layout into my new Slate Creek. I suspect once the snow starts flying and the wind chill is below the zero mark the new layout will be built in no time at all.

In my best Homer Simpson's voice MMMM Donuts..Donuts is the vice I keep well hidden from my diabetes  doctor. I figure two jelly donuts once or twice a month won't hurt seeing my 6 month blood sugar test averages around 6.2 which is in the acceptable range.

My morning and evening test averages around 100. Even at that she would go nuclear on me if she knew of my donut vice-she hates everything sweet.. I would hate to be her husband or kid sheesh!

Have a good'un!

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, August 29, 2016 7:19 AM

  re the decoder: C.O.D.=Cause Of Death...Smile, Wink & Grin

doh!

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by "JaBear" on Monday, August 29, 2016 5:30 AM

hon30critter
"Scranned". Never heard the term before. Translation?

Gidday Dave.
From Northern (?) English slang, scran = food, feed.  In this context, “Garry ate all the donuts.”

hon30critter
By the way, please don't put icing sugar on the second plate. I hate icing sugar! It gums up my mustache!

The taste is worth the mess, besides, you get seconds.Whistling

hon30critter
Like I need those like a hole in the head!

Likewise!!!!Sigh
 
I think your observational skills from when you were an Air Cadet haven’t deserted you; I suspect it was the B17 Sentimental Journey.
 
 
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. Douglas Adams
 
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, August 29, 2016 12:35 AM

Bear:

"Scranned".

Never heard the term before. Translation?

By the way, please don't put icing sugar on the second plate. I hate icing sugar! It gums up my mustache!LaughLaughLaugh Like I need those like a hole in the head!

On an aviation note, I was sitting in a backyard in Barrie, Ontario (50km north of Toronto) today (Sunday) when I heard the distinct sound of four big piston engines reverberating overhead! I only got a quick glimpse. It looked sort of like a B17 but I can't be sure. It was silver with a blue stripe on the tail. It didn't look like military markings to me, but as I said, I only got to see it for a few seconds.

The only reason I could think of to explain the presence of such a rare beast would be the Canadian National Exhibition Air Show. The C.N.E. air show has been a fixture in Toronto every late August for decades. The aircraft I saw would likely have been using CFB Borden (Canadian Forces Base) which is just west of Barrie. I went to the air show website but there was no mention of anything like what I saw.

Cheers!

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 "JaBear" on Sunday, August 28, 2016 11:18 PM

Hmm So Garry scranned all the donuts, better put a large plate of these “healthy” cream buns out for the diners, please Chloe.
 
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by FRRYKid on Sunday, August 28, 2016 7:53 PM

As you may remember, yesterday my back decided to give me grief enough that I didn't go to work. Before I went out to the ranch, I grabbed a generic heat pack and put that one. That seems to have solved the problem. With that on, it loosened up my back enough that I could move and lean and all that other stuff.


The river bed after the application of the paper mache. (Newspaper ground up in a blender. Unfortunately, in the process of finishing off the last sheet of newspaper I had grabbed, I blew up my blender. No big loss. Cheap box store blender. Thankfully, I had enough mix to finish off the river.) Rather than using plastic flatware, I decided it would be easier to just use my fingers. This was taken shortly after I finished. When it dries, it will turn a light gray. Main project for the day.
I then decided to finish up a few random projects. I found a terminal joiner in order to provide eventual power for the shelf track. I had thought about putting  undertable machines on a couple of other turnouts on the switchback, but decided to wire up remote machines for the two. (One of the turnouts already was equipped with one and I had another machine on the table that I could use. Additionally, I didn't think I could keep the points centered to get the throw installed.) After finishing the remote machines, I decided to chop some ties for the eventual need for building 4 more crossings.


I then decided to get some more roads builld. (Another nice thing about the expansion.) These are the same shingles that I have used on other parts of the layout. This is the side by the industrial yard.


This is the area where the new road joins the already existing section. (The very top of the previous picture.)


This section goes off the end of the layout and the narrow section to the top left goes off toward the river and the track for puller engine storage. Most of these sections are just put down as I ran out of construction adhesive. The curved section in Picture 3 and the top angled section in this picture are glued. (Wasn't planning for roadwork, so I didn't get an additional supply.)

"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 Weighmaster on Sunday, August 28, 2016 7:24 PM

BigDaddy

 

 
Weighmaster
C.O.D. old age, perhaps?WhistlingLaugh

 

You talkin' to me? Big Smile

In my case COB is Chairman of the Board as in Sinatra, ....or is it Springsteen?

COD is a Henry the 8th fashion piece  It was a politically correct statement in it's day. Back then political correctness was enforced with an axe. 

If you are refering to some other post, I have proved myself the fool, not the first time. Indifferent

 

re the decoder: C.O.D.=Cause Of Death...Smile, Wink & Grin

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Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, August 28, 2016 6:20 PM

Weighmaster
C.O.D. old age, perhaps?WhistlingLaugh

You talkin' to me? Big Smile

In my case COB is Chairman of the Board as in Sinatra, ....or is it Springsteen?

COD is a Henry the 8th fashion piece  It was a politically correct statement in it's day. Back then political correctness was enforced with an axe. 

If you are refering to some other post, I have proved myself the fool, not the first time. Indifferent

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by Weighmaster on Sunday, August 28, 2016 6:09 PM

C.O.D. old age, perhaps?WhistlingLaugh

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Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, August 28, 2016 5:28 PM

I figured out the light pipes and was all set to glue everything in when it occured to me to connect it to the DCC board.  The DCC board seems dead, no reset possible. It's the NCE basic board DA-SR in an old Atlas RS1.  The loco ran when I soldered all the truck and motor leads.  I changed the address.  It went forward and backward a couple feet and I took it off the tracks.  It was never consisted, locked, or shorted on turnouts, it sat on my bench of 2 weeks and now it's dead.

Not happy, not because it's dead, but because I don't know the cause.

Henry

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Posted by tcwright973 on Sunday, August 28, 2016 5:15 PM

angelob6660 - I been looking at some Norfolk Southern videos pulling some coal cars. I been trying to identify what locomotives are assigned to them. 

The coal trains I see where I railfan can be a mix of any of the 6 axles. Today a coal train had an SD70ACe in the lead with a D9-40CW trailing. But they often have ES44AC, ES44DC, Dash 8s, well, you get the picture. Oh, we often see foreign power assigned to the coal trains as well.

Speaking of railfanning, yesterday I finally got photos of the Conrail Heritage unit. It has been very elusive and I was beginning to think I would never see it. But at long last, she showed up. I now have photos of all of the Heritage units. Another surprise was the "GoRail" showed up today. First time I've seen that one too. Good weekend railfaning with a total of 25 trains. Last Saturday we had 17 on Saturday and 13 on Sunday.

 

Tom

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Posted by angelob6660 on Sunday, August 28, 2016 3:45 PM

Afternoon all,

To late for donuts, but I'll have a blueberry muffin.

It's a very slow day with a few posts.

I been looking at some Norfolk Southern videos pulling some coal cars. I been trying to identify what locomotives are assigned to them. 

I tried doing scram for my modern layout and two other ones, but I got bored laiding track and founding pieces to fit.

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, August 28, 2016 9:22 AM

I wanna chocolate donut.

Been looking at the US archives site.  This may be more addictive than youtube.  See my thread http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/258307.aspx

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, August 28, 2016 9:11 AM

Because nobody else is here yet. I get to eat all of the donuts ! ... Yum ! ...Dinner

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, August 27, 2016 10:14 PM

cudaken
 B&O F7 A and B are now dragging coal and I am tickled! Need to play with the voulme some but they live! I may call BLI and ask about the type of decoder that are in these engines. Checked the CV's in both the units and no cv 6?

Ken

First... Thanks for the much appreciated brewski!

Second. That's great news about the F7s. You have me scratching my noodle, though.

Here's my JMRI screenshot for the 233 (I use the same settings for the A and B units)

I know you have been VERY busy. It has been my experience when working with decoder programming you have to have your "mind right" (quote from Cool Hand Luke). I mentioned doing a HARD reset a few days ago in the DCC thread. You have to remove track power and reapply track power for it to take effect. I know some QSI decoders don't use the v=mid setting but for some reason (I checked all my other QSI decoders) they do show a 50 written in CV6? 

I wonder if you did that? The Hard reset using the reed switch?

I also gave the text from the silly QSI "sleep" modes in that post.

Are you confusing F6 on the throttle with CV6 in the decoder programming?

The silly sleep mode has the user tapping F6 twice to "wake up" the locomotive. Maybe that's what finally got it to wake up? (also mentioned in the DCC post)

NOW my head is hurting. Confused

Anyway, it sure sounds like you are making some progress and at least you're hauling the coal!

I sure hope tomorrow goes better for you, my friend...

Regards, Ed

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Posted by cudaken on Saturday, August 27, 2016 9:49 PM

 Evening Dinners

 Flo, Ed and I will take a beer please.

 Work Front Started out as a sort of rotten day. Lot of "I need to bring back my other half" customers. We call them One Leggers, there reason not to buy is there wife or husband need to try the mattress.

 Nancy got me PO'ed today! (owners wife) We had a customer order a $2400.00 Cal King mattress because they thought they had a Cal King. They where wrong, it was a nomal king. Mattress is still in the buyers house and I have to asume they are slepping on it while they are waitting for the correct sizes king!

 Today I had a couple that did have a Cal King and need a new mattress. They could not find any mattress they both liked! Plus they did not want to waite 2 to 4 weeks for a speical order. I knew about the Cal King coming back, so I had them try a queen like it. They liked it did not love it but could live with it. I did call the main store to find out if we had it back yet, Nancy answred the phone! (she is the person that sold them the wrong sizes) So she knew I had someone in the store that was looking for a Cal King.

 I was honest and told them the truth about where the mattress was, in a customers house. Well they need to think about it, and I understood.

 Half hour later Nancy called back to she if they bought there mistake! Told her no, they needed to think about it.

 Flo SoapBox please.

 Nancy said "You Blew It!" To many details, you should have just said WE HAVE IT COMING, NOT FROM WHERE!

 I swear that woman would tickel your Ball Bearing's so she could reach around your back and pick your pocket! Bang Head  

 Day did finish up well! Last coustomer of the day spent $2400.00! So I am Big Smile. Going to ask Nancy if I blew that one to! Yes

 Train Front Trains strated being real mean to me again today. I swear I was up and down to the layout 15 times before things started working right! 

 B&O F7 Front One of the things I wanted to was change the voulume of the F7-A withe decoder pro. While I was getting the F7A I thought what the heck I try resetting the decoder of the F7B on the main line!

 Used OP mode with the SEB, changed CV 8 To 8, hit the button and the B unit just sat there when I tried to move it! Bang Head So I thought what the heck, and tried F-6 with my DT400 and I will be dammed! It started moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes

 B&O F7 A and B are now dragging coal and I am tickled! Big Smile Need to play with the voulme some but they live! I may call BLI and ask about the type of decoder that are in these engines. Checked the CV's in both the units and no cv 6?Whistling

 Later, Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate Rust

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Posted by cats think well of me on Saturday, August 27, 2016 5:48 PM

gmpullman

 

 
gmpullman
Thanks again for the head's up. Maybe I'll take a stab at opening one later tonight.

 

Good Morning, Folks—

Don't bother with the menu, Flo, I'm just passin' through.

Cats Think Well Of Me mentioned opening the newest Broadway Limited PRR P70 coaches so I thought I'd take a stab at it and post my results...

and the verdict is—  Yes BLI did their homework on this aspect of the design!

You can see little pockets where you can insert a flat tool (skewer?) but with a little prodding I managed to get the floor out without using any tools, just my digits.

And one more view of the window glazing and catches. 

Just slight outward pressure on the car sides at the bottom and a gentle pull while rocking at the end steps and the floor begins to move free, then work the other end the same way gently pulling down on the steps and up at the carbody ant you're home free.

There's about two feet of excess floor height so any figures will have to get the axe, or the #11 (They'll look like the Elbonians in the Dilbert strip)

Now I really have to figure out a way to get some axial free play in the snap-in, unadjustable bolster pin truck pivots and I'll be hitting a home run!

Maybe there is too much downward pressure from the bronze contact strips in the floor that does not allow for enough free play in the trucks? (first photo just above the truck leaf spring)

We shall see Confused

I hope everyone is doing well and I'll stop by later when I can pull up a chair and chat a spell.

Have a rewarding and safe weekend, everyone!

[Edit:] Looks like I made "top-'O-the-page"! Everything's on my tab. There goes my train budget for the week. Crying

Ed, Thank you for the posts on opening the P70s up. I'm going to try adding figures soon. There is more room for figures inside compared to other passenger cars I've had, though it always requires some amputation of figures to get them to fit properly. I have several seated Preiser figures ready for a train to board. Maybe tomorrow, or late this evening after work, I'll try adding figures. I'm also curious to see how much work it'd be to put the Glatzl dummy couplers from Sergent in place of the Kadees. I won't switch them much, so dummy couplers would probably do fine for them.

I ran a 13-car milk train, a 24-car mail train, and a 9-car passenger train on the club layout last night. The latter two were pulled by K4s. The milk train had a BS12 for power. A lot of fun, though a lot of work to keep three trains going. 

Alvie

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Saturday, August 27, 2016 5:18 PM

Good Afternoon,

A cloudy day up here in the GWN but supposed to be mid '80s tomorrow and sunny. Likely summer's last gasp. I saw a few yellow leaves on the old elm tree in our yard. It gets its leaves early but loses them early too. Hope we can keep it going as many in our neighbourhood have succumed to Dutch Elm disease. In fact there are 5 nearby that the city has tagged for removal. We get our injected with a chemical that does help resist  the disease but it isn't 100%.  

It has been a busy week here. We went down the Thief River Falls to visit our good friends there. We went out to dinner to celebrate an anniversary and 2 birthdays. We always order the ribs and this time they really were outstanding. I also picked up a few orders from Kleins that I had sent there. I now have 2 more express reefers.  I like express reefers and find they make a nice train on my little layout with a Pacific or Light Mountain. These are BLI's version and they are very well detailed and very free rolling, far better than the Walthers versions I have. Kleins had them on sale for $35 a pair which I think was a very good price. I also picked up a couple of True Line Trains boxcars, one ONR and one CN express. 

Last night we went out for dinner to celebrate my wife's birthday. Had a great dinner at our favourite restaurant beside the river.  It was expensive but worth it for very high quality food, especially the beef. I had Beef Wellington and it melted in the mouth. 

Talking of food, it is soon time for our supper. Just a frozen pizza tonight and a movie. Our dog, Robbie, goes nuts over pizza. We can't even say the word out loud. 

CN Charlie

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Saturday, August 27, 2016 5:02 PM

Heartland Division CB&Q

Richard .... NP means Northern Pacific in my book. Smile, Wink & Grin

Mine as well. But then, of course, having family that worked for the NP would tend to influence that. (My maternal grandfather was an MOW person.) My first non-trainset engine was an Athearn F7 in NP paint. As a matter of fact, I still have that same engine to this day. (The drive unit for my passenger F7, the 1412. The shell has been replaced a few times and I think the gears have been changed but the rest of the major components are the same-circa 25 years old.)

On a totally different subject, while I was typing the first part of this post, I got a knock on my door. It was the postal carrier with my new Athearn gondola. (Rather large box, but not the first time I have been surprised by the box size.) The only thing I had to do with it was tighten the truck screws a little bit. Considering that everyone has a little different desire for how tight trucks are, I can't fault the screw tightness. The car even had the appropriate ACI label. (Not very common in my experience. I have many sheets of ACI labels for that very reason.)

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Saturday, August 27, 2016 3:18 PM

Howdy ..

Ed ... That BLI design looks like a good one. In particular, I liek seeing they molded the roof and sides togethr. Some other passenger car models have a gap showing between the roof and the sides. 

Richard .... NP means Northern Pacific in my book. Smile, Wink & Grin

Ulrich ... I would like to see photos of those big electircs. Are they on an articulated frame ? 

Brakie ... I recall several trips to Cedar Point on Lake Erie many years ago. 

I posted my latest project just now in WPF. I changed a highway bridge in Downtown Heartland. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    December 2012
  • From: Mesa, AZ
  • 1,530 posts
Posted by RideOnRoad on Saturday, August 27, 2016 10:34 AM

It is disappointing to me to see how quickly performance on the bike drops during an extended break the older I get. Due to migraines and inclement weather I have not ridden for a week. My average speed for the same effort, as measured by average heart rate, dropped a full mile-per-hour. What's more, the same effort was a NP (near puke) effort whereas lasat week it was aggressive, but acceptable. It could take as much as two weeks to regain what was lost in a week.

W*rk has been all consuming as of late. The good news is I am enjoying what I am doing, but it doesn't leave time for much else. It may slow down a little by the middle of next week.

 

Richard

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 27, 2016 10:31 AM

Afternoon, Folks!

It is hot!

Zoe, make that 3 Beer for me , please - 1 to coold down my feet, 1 to pour over my head and 1 to cool me inside!

Not much doing today, it is just too hot!

angelob6660
No one suggested that the PRR GG1 looks like a streamlined crocodile.

Well, the signature element of a Croc is that long, low slung snout & tail, which the GG1 does not have, so it can´t go for a crocodile.

To be fair, there are only two locos officially known as Crocs - the Swiss Federal Railway one being the SG version and the Rhaetian Railway Baby Croc. All others are just pretending to be Crocs.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 1,855 posts
Posted by angelob6660 on Saturday, August 27, 2016 10:06 AM

Morning diners,

Murray (my brother's dog) got his teeth cleaned. He will be a little unmobile in 24 hours. Since Murray got drugged my sister's dog Charles is bothering him everywhere he goes. We managed to keep them apart.

Train News: I got a letter back from my hobby store saying we couldn't fill all the numbers you wanted, so it's been cancelled. So I went to other store to get the same BN covered hoppers and spent extra $20.

Best wishes for your dad YGW

I prefer the older crocodiles they look better Ulrich

No one suggested that the PRR GG1 looks like a streamlined crocodile.

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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