Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Jeffrey's Trackside Diner, January 2017 at Bretton Woods, NH Locked

37562 views
545 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2012
  • From: Mesa, AZ
  • 1,530 posts
Posted by RideOnRoad on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 5:29 PM

yougottawanta
. . .One time while working on my in laws house I put together a team of family members to help. My son was there that day and mid day I lost my carpenters pencil. While I was fuming and fussing turnover this and that looking for it I noticed my son looking amused at me. I stopped and inquired what he thought was so funny. He said "Dad your pencil is behind your ear!" hate it when that happens. . .

More than once I have "lost" my glasses on my face.

Richard

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 1,855 posts
Posted by angelob6660 on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 4:26 PM

Evening Diners,

Flo I'll have a chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream.

I was researching the Chesapeake and Ohio yesterday. Figuring out what equipment would I buy to model it in 1941-1952.

I noticed there isn't much motive power in N Scale, but good range of freight cars. Plus I do go overboard instead of simple. 

I don't understand why I can't go simple on making a small layout. I'm stay planning/thinking of still making it a reality. I think small but my ideas are huge.

Edit:Top of the page. Everything is on me.

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: North Myrtle Beach, SC
  • 995 posts
Posted by Beach Bill on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 12:41 PM

Just some sweet tea for now....

My son's surgery went well in Florida and they flew back to North Cackalackie this morning.   Mrs. Beach Bill should be home this afternoon and I will have to go back to cooking and behaving.

C.N. Charlie      When I started with the Police Department, they also had a minimum height requirement, which was not a problem for me at 6' 3".   There was a fellow working for the airport police (a separate agency) who wanted SO MUCH to become a city officer that he had those anti-gravity boots and would hang upside-down in his closet every day trying to stretch himself and become taller.   It then became understood that height requirements discriminated against female applicants, and the policy was discarded.  The fellow from the airport police applied immediately, scrapped his hang-like-a-bat habits, and became a solid police officer for the next 30 years.

Also, good news on the lab report.  Yesterday marked 11 years since my surgery for prostate cancer.   I also attest to the importance of a PSA test, as I had no symptoms or problems and was only 54 years old when that test led to the discovery of the cancer.   Do prepare yourself mentally for testing the rest of your life.   I went five years with a PSA of 0.00 and then the doctor said that I could test only once a year instead of every six months.  Sure enough, after that year it went to 0.01.   I've now been at 0.02 for about two years (it has to get to 0.4 before they formally say that the cancer has returned).   Those pesky cancer cells live forever, and if just one or two cells "escaped", they can grow elsewhere.   I call it my "crazy week" when I go in for the blood test and then have to wait a week and go back in to be told the results.   That PSA is a life-saver for men, though, and should not be passed by.

Sprayed the flat black "weathering" overspray on a N&W Accurail USRA hopper yesterday, so final assembly and construction of the coal load happens next.

Bill

With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost. William Lloyd Garrison
  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Northern Va
  • 1,924 posts
Posted by yougottawanta on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 11:49 AM

Hello all

Havent been in in a few days. Weekend was busy doing honey do chores, Yesterday was just awful ! Raining cats and dogs, wind was howling and then we lost power for the better part of the day and evening. By the time I arrived home I was half frozen and my clohing was soaked through !

GGriffin Glad you stopped in, hope you are more "social" : ) in the future

Ed -Rivorassi is being shut down?!

FRRYKid - Did you find your putty yet ? One time while working on my in laws house I put together a team of family members to help. My son was there that day and mid day I lost my carpenters pencil. While I was fuming and fussing turnover this and that looking for it I noticed my son looking amused at me. I stopped and inquired what he thought was so funny. He said "Dad your pencil is behind your ear!" Bang Head hate it when that happens.

Ken - Why do you continue to work there if the palce is dieing ? Isnt there any better options ?

Jim - Where is the water coming from ?

Rob - You didnt grow up either ?!

Tom - I didnt see anything tieing the Humvees down. Are they "dogged down"?

CN Charlie - The only reason we get a newspaper is for the coupons my wife uses. It actually more than pays for the paper. Not much news in them anymore. Mostly advertisments.

Mr. B - hope you are feeling better

Howmus - Oh please dont say that word "t--es" !

Ricky W - That stinks so you loose commission and you have to work twice for nothing ?

SSEpxress - The race drivers have become a bit childish havent they.

Henry - Hope you are feeling better. How did Mr. B get your cold ?

Beach Bill - You are welcome. How did you deal with giving someone the bad news that there family member had been lost due to an accident, murder etc...?

Ulrich - Hope your computer hangs in there. I have teh same problem to much month left at the end of the money !

History qoute:

As to my Title, I know not yet whether it will be honourable or dishonourable, the issue of the War must Settle it. Perhaps our Congress will be Exalted on a high Gallows.

 

 

 

Mr. B -

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 11:21 AM

Good Evening!

I am still online, which means my computer has not yet died on me! I have put a piece of lumber under one side to lift it up a little, so the air can pass underneath it. I hope this helps to transport the heat away from it as long as I don´t have that cooling pad. It should arrive tomorrow!

My back still hurts and I am somewhat limited in doing the regular household chores. Petra is much, much better, so we are slowly getting back to our normal life.

Our neighbors seem to get noisier and messier day by day. The house is turning into a dump. I am just glad we hardly have visitors calling on us - I´d be ashamed to receive them here. Time to move is long overdue ...

While killing some time, I found a short video of a really impressing Japanese N scale layout.

Very nicely done! I really should be doing something with that left over Kato Unitrack!

DigitalGriffin
I'm really sorry to hear your laptop is calling it quits.

Not yet completely dead, but I am sure it´ll die within this year, even with the cooling pad. My son may be able to get me another computer by mid of this year.

 

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 9:38 AM

First things first

 

Ed (gmpullman) Love the B&O shot and the porter nastalgia.  Where would we be without George?

And morning all.  Been a long time since I stopped in, but wanted to be social today.

Madog, I'm really sorry to hear your laptop is calling it quits.  If you want tips on possible ways to ressurect it on the cheap, let me know.

 

-D

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 8:58 AM

Sorry, guys, but even here in the Diner, we can't allow linking to hobby stores or online auctions, unless it's in the context of answering a "where can I find [x item] for sale" question. Thanks for understanding.

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

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 5:30 AM

Good Morning, Everyone!

Here it is, 6AM and I haven't been to bed yet! I got started on another "project" on the layout, that is gluing fabric onto the fascia in the area where I made track re-arrangements and, well, lost track of time! One of the plusses of being R-e-t-i-r-e-d! Big Smile

I caught a "rumor" on one of the other forums that, perhaps, Hornby's U.S. distribution of Rivarossi models is going to close and that one particular hobby shop on Long Island, NYC, had bought-out the remaining stock of Rivarossi products.

[Plug for eBay and hobby store removed by admin]

OK, enough for the plug. Maybe I should mention it in a thread on the General Discussion forum but I'm afraid of getting into the commercial plug territory?

So...

KEN! Thanks a lot, pal! I was running MY Mighty B&O F7 and look what happened!

Yep, the front truck derails! I never had this problem before... The engine has been on the layout for two years or more. NOW it decides to start derailing? Did you send some kind of curse back to me? (JK) Smile This is a sister to your 233!

Well, I'm off to the lower berth! The porter has the crisp, white Pullman sheets folded back just right and my shoes will be spotless in the morning!

 From 1925!

My prayers and thoughts for a better day to all of you...

Regards, Ed

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 12:10 AM

MisterBeasley
Ulrich, my experience with laptops is that the batteries have a very limited lifetime. Replacement "original" batteries are expensive, and the after-market ones hav an even more limited lifetime. How does it work if you just leave it plugged in all the time?

The battery of my notebook went dead before my son gave it to me. I looked for a replacement battery, but the cost is prohibitive, so I just leave the computer plugged in all the time. Let´s see how things turn out with that cooling pad. It should be here by Thursday.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Monday, January 23, 2017 11:48 PM

Steven Otte

 

 
Sir Madog

This may very well be one of my last posts for quite some time. The reason? My computer is letting me down. It keeps on crashing for no reason at all, as if somebody just pulls the plug. It´s an 8 year old TOSHIBA notebook my son gave me some time ago. It´s had it´s time apparently. Unfortunately, my piggy bank ist empty, after we had to buy the new washing machine. There is only small change left in it, not enough to buy a used computer, let alone a new one. I´ll be dropping by as long as I can start the dang thing over and over again, but I doubt I will have much of a service time left with it.
 

 

 

My older computer used to do that on occasion. If you find that it works normally for a while after sitting and resting for a few hours, the problem might be overheating. New software takes more processing power, and notebooks aren't good at getting rid of the heat that generates. I got a cooling pad that goes under the laptop with four fans, and it keeps the computer from overheating any more. Might be worth trying -- it's certainly cheaper than a new computer.

My laptop is being a pain on the overheat as well. The system is telling me that my system fan is going out. I do have a mat currently installed but I have a new 5 fam chill mat ready to go. Unfortunately, it didn't have the needed double-ended USB cable. I have a new cable on order from my local supplier and will get a refund for part of the amount from the seller. (Worked out with the seller as I thought it would be easier for all parties.) Using a clip fan on my laptop table to compensate until the bigger mat gets installed.

Hobby Front:  Got the engine house a little closer to finished. The door frame and the door have been painted and flat finished. Will install the door later this evening. Also annoyed with myself. Got the bridge supports modified as I wanted but ... I can't find my tube of body putty! I know it has to be somewhere but heaven help me to as where. Hopefully it will show up when I quit looking for it.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Monday, January 23, 2017 10:29 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo, Ed and I will have a Beer please.

 

ricktrains4824
Ken - Just curious, but, if you were offered $30+ an hour to sell furniture, would you think there were strings attached?

 Rick $30.00 a hour must be based on commission. When I first started in the Mattress business with Mattress Giant, after I polished my skills I was making $1100.00 a week. So it is possible, then the company got bought by investers and they turned a $1100.00 a week job in too minimum wage. Mattress Giant went out of business shortly after I left. The strings will be you have to make sales!

 My self, I would jump on it. My comany is dying and the owner will not try to breath in life into it.

 Big question Rick is.

 1 Do you need the possible extra income? Need and want are not the same thing!

 2 Do you enjoy your current job?

 3 Are you willing to handle the possible pressuer of having to get the deal?

 4 What do you know about the company that made the offer?

 Reason I would jump, I need more income. At rates things are going my savings will be gone by May if not sooner.

 Ulrich Over heating could be the cause. You might try a Can Of Air and blow out the insides of the laptop. Make sure the fan is working and is not covred in dust and nicotine.

 Later, Ken

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 369 posts
Posted by JAMES MOON on Monday, January 23, 2017 10:21 PM

Good evening diners.  Haven’t been around much lately.  The weather in SE Ohio is really too wet right now.  I spent about an hour off and on today shop vaccing water out from under the layout.  The dehumidifier is working overtime and its hose has partially plugged up.  I like to run a box window fan when it is wet in the basement to move the air to the dehumidier but the old box fan finally gave up the ghost and decided not to run.
Uhlrich, I was having the same type problems with the 11 year old HP laptop tonight.  Unhooked everything on the computer and then did a full dead power stoppage by removing the battery for 2 minutes and then restarting. I do run the laptop on line power all the time.  It worked  this time but I too feel like I am living on borrowed time.  I do have a cool-pad with three fans that seems to  keep the temperature in operating range.  Occasionally I use the vacuum cleaner hose to suck the dust out of the computer vent screens on the bottom of the laptop.
Time for some reading before zzz’s.  Prayers to everyone suffering from winter colds and flu.
Jim
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, January 23, 2017 8:25 PM

Ulrich, my experience with laptops is that the batteries have a very limited lifetime.  Replacement "original" batteries are expensive, and the after-market ones hav an even more limited lifetime.  How does it work if you just leave it plugged in all the time?

I downloaded some freeware that told me the temperatures each of the CPUs was running at.  I discovered they worked better when I rearragned the cards inside my tower differently.  In a laptop, of course, you can't rearrange the cards, but at least you can see if your machine is indeed running hot.

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

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
  • 4,256 posts
Posted by Cederstrand on Monday, January 23, 2017 7:06 PM

Chamomile tea, please.

***Ray, those are beautiful locomotive pics.YesCool

***Tom, nice captures there.

***Garry, breath deep some of that pungent Arizona desert air for me. I loved growing up out there. Well, I've never really grown up, but you know what I mean.Big Smile

Healing thoughts for those in need.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Monday, January 23, 2017 5:47 PM

Good evening.

Vinnie - Just a large OJ please. Thanks.

Ray - Yep, certainly one of her sisters...

CN Charlie - Alco fever is highly contagious..... Welcome to the club! Devil

Tom - Nice catch of the Reading, and the humvees were something different from normal. I found out I missed catching the Erie unit (for the third time) over the weekend, and missed the Lehigh unit today.... Oh well, there's always next time!

Ulrich - Glad to hear Petra is staring to feel better. Still wishing a very speedy recovery. I would be very cautious of the washer dryer stacked that way, as, at least here in the states, our dryers do not have the structural support to hold a washer... maybe they are built a little differently there.

Ken - Just curious, but, if you were offered $30+ an hour to sell furniture, would you think there were strings attached? I just had a somewhat offer for just that... Something is telling me to run away from it though.... Far, and fast.... Very far.... And very fast....

Hope all are well, and all have a good 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.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,155 posts
Posted by tcwright973 on Monday, January 23, 2017 5:08 PM

It's been raining all day here, with the temperature falling as well. But the weekend was very nice with temperatures in the 60s. So railfanning was pretty good. We saw 16 trains on Saturday, and another 7 on Sunday. The only foreign power was a couple on Union Pacifics. Saturday however, we were treated to a unit train consisting entirely of Humvees. They looked new, but I suppose they could have been reconditioned. With no markings, I have no idea where they are destined for. Could even be going for export. Based on the axel count on the detector, I estimate there were about 235 of them. 5 per car.

Sunday we caught another NS heritage unit, the Reading. It's only the 2nd time we have seen this one. Must have been washed not long ago, as it looked pretty clean.

A couple of other fellows who frequent the tracks where we do showed up. That was nice as we havent seen them since mid December. So we all had some catching up to do.

 

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Monday, January 23, 2017 3:51 PM

Howdy 

Still in AZ .  We went to the Arizona Railroad Museum in Chandler over the weekend.  Interesting. 

Also, our daughter and husband live in Casa Grande where we are staying.  The Union Pacific's line through town is the former Southern Pacific Sunset Route. It is a busy double track line. 

CN Charlie..  I was pleased to read your good news.  You offer good advice about getting PSA tested. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 23, 2017 11:32 AM

Steven - thank you! That could be it! Now let´s check what a cooling pad costs!

Edit: I found a cooling pad for the affordable price of about $18, incl. shipping. I hope this will do the trick! But now I am flat broke and 8 more days in this month! "At the end of the money, there is always a lot of month left" Crying

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Monday, January 23, 2017 11:27 AM

Sir Madog

This may very well be one of my last posts for quite some time. The reason? My computer is letting me down. It keeps on crashing for no reason at all, as if somebody just pulls the plug. It´s an 8 year old TOSHIBA notebook my son gave me some time ago. It´s had it´s time apparently. Unfortunately, my piggy bank ist empty, after we had to buy the new washing machine. There is only small change left in it, not enough to buy a used computer, let alone a new one. I´ll be dropping by as long as I can start the dang thing over and over again, but I doubt I will have much of a service time left with it.
 

My older computer used to do that on occasion. If you find that it works normally for a while after sitting and resting for a few hours, the problem might be overheating. New software takes more processing power, and notebooks aren't good at getting rid of the heat that generates. I got a cooling pad that goes under the laptop with four fans, and it keeps the computer from overheating any more. Might be worth trying -- it's certainly cheaper than a new computer.

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

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Monday, January 23, 2017 11:21 AM

last mountain & eastern hogger

I know that Model Railroader makes no mistakes. So why do I find the date of Feb. 2016 on the front of my Feb. 2017 issue of M.R.   That would be far to early for an April fools joke. Just find it hard to believe that Steven, Cody or Neil would have missed that.  So there must be a reason ???????

The reason for that is, stuff happens.

By the way, congratulations on being the first person ever to point out the error to us. Cake

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

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, January 23, 2017 11:09 AM

Good Morning,

Since Vinnie is on duty today I'll just have some of that oatmeal he served Ray if it isn't too much trouble. Coffee from anywhere is fine. 

Ray, loved that photo of the old Alco. I find Alcos strangely attractive so perhaps I am coming down with something or it is just chronic. 

One problem with not being able to do much, is too much time to read the news on the internet.  Not good.  With the credit card problem my subscription to the Washington Post will terminate which is a good thing. I had planned on canceling it anyway. Normally I just read the Canadian papers, CBC and the BBC. That is quite enough. 

Today I will work on our financial plan for 2017. I started it yesterday but need to consult my 'financial guy' before I can do much more. I must confess that I still like doing that sort of thing and miss that aspect of my working career. Perhaps a spreadsheet is in order.

This week my wife and I plan on starting the downloading of the photos we took in Africa in 2015 and 2016. There are many thousands of them so hopefully the computer has enough storage. I do have a seperate hard drive if necessary. I suppose it is strange to take so many photos and then take a year or more to look at them, but it is a big job and we had too many distractions this year what with my health issues.  My wife wants to go back again and so do I but it will have to wait a bit. 

No sign of the rabbit. Sometimes I feel like Elmer Fudd as I am always looking out the window and hoping I don't see it. 

Well coffee is beckoning. 

CN Charlie

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 23, 2017 10:56 AM

Afternoon!

This may very well be one of my last posts for quite some time. The reason? My computer is letting me down. It keeps on crashing for no reason at all, as if somebody just pulls the plug. It´s an 8 year old TOSHIBA notebook my son gave me some time ago. It´s had it´s time apparently. Unfortunately, my piggy bank ist empty, after we had to buy the new washing machine. There is only small change left in it, not enough to buy a used computer, let alone a new one. I´ll be dropping by as long as I can start the dang thing over and over again, but I doubt I will have much of a service time left with it.

Will be seeing you!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, January 23, 2017 10:37 AM

Yay Patriots!  Favored by 3 in the Superbowl, too.

I've got my cold back, too.  I took some over-the-counter meds yesterday.  Remind me not to do that when I have to drive.  I started watching the Patriots's game, laid down on the couch and I would have fallen asleep if the cough didn't keep me awake.  I went to bed and had to go online this morning to see who won.

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

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Monday, January 23, 2017 9:07 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Ah....... Hi Vinnie.  Zoe around?  Oh, she got the flu and is taking the day off.  I guess I will have the #2 Special...  Huh?  Oh!  That is a couple eggs, homefries, 3 strips of bacon or a sausage patty, and toast.  Make the eggs over easy, bacon, and a double order of the the sour dough toast.  No sour dough bread today?  Humph!  OK, make it a regular order of whole wheat toast then.....  Oh, I definately need a pot of Seneca Lake Dark Roast coffee to wash it down.  Got it?  Ok, thanks.   Wonder what he will actually bring me?

 Ricky,  You mean one of these?

The LA&L only run Alcos.  Their old Century Units are their main power and it is great to see them run by the Museum at speed pulling a line of tanks cars filled with corn syrup (Going to the Cool Whip Plant).  SWEET!

Been a busy few days in the family here.  My oldest granddaughter was a reader in church yesterday.  She is the youngest kid to ever be a reader in the service (by a couple of years I think).  She asked the Pastor if she could do that, got trained by our "Actress in residence" an older lady that is well known in local theater, and did a fine job at 9 years old! She did the Call to Worship, and the opening Prayer.  DIL and both granddaughters marched in Seneca Falls on Saturday....  They are all shuffling schedules to help the family whose daughter is in the hospital (Rett Syndrome) with pneumonia and their old Beagle doggie has a badly infected tooth and has to wait until Thursday to have surgery...  Face is all swelled up and he is not a happy doggie.  They have him on major antibiotics and pain medication, but I hope he makes it to thursday.....  I will getting the granddaughters off the bus today and tomorrow.  Will be the ace on the hole when help is needed. 

Today I need to get some MLK Materials over to the schools here in town.  Also hope to get some grocery shopping dome before the predicted (maybe, somewhat, but the weather people are not quite sure about as of last night) 5 to 10" of heavy wet white STUFF starts arriving in mid afternoon.  Started getting receipts and stuff sorted in preparation of doing my taxes last night.  Still have to wait on several form xyz's to arrive from variuos places to get it started.

Hope you have a good one out there.  Stay safe and warm! Ah...  Vinnie?  That is not what I ordered for breakfast...  I didn't order oatmeal!  Huh,  OK, I'll shut up and just be happy you have that in stock.  Why didn't you say the cook is out with the flu as well?  And, Dunkin Donuts Coffee in a styrophoam cup?  (Shakes head.....)

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Monday, January 23, 2017 7:32 AM

Good morning all.

Flo - I will take a cream filled donut, and a coffee, with milk and sugar please, in a back corner booth. Yes Flo, it's one of "those days" today.... Seems a head cold is bugging the asthma... 

Also, what's up with Vinnie, He is working counter today? Oh, someone is out with a cold.... Well, it is going around... I think I got it from someone else, between a cow**ker and family being ill, I didn't stand a chance!

Weather - Probably not helping either... We hit 65 yesterday, down to 39 last night, high of 40 today, and rainy. Snowstorm forcasted for later in the week. Maybe we will sell the last of our snow throwers!

Big Daddy & SS Express - Yes, I was also disappointed in both ball games yesterday, not watching much of either one, as neither game was even close! I have now decided, for at least the Super Bowl, to root for Atlanta, as I dislike NE more.... Here's hoping Daytona is good this year! I used to be a very big NASCAR fan, but some of the changes they have made have turned me off to it, and most of the races are now broadcast on cable channels only, which I do not get, as it is not offered where I live, nor will I pay for satellite tv, as it is way over priced. So, other than Daytona, and a select few at the beginning and end of the year, I do not get to see them. I used to always catch Daytona, Talledega, Bristol, Martinsville, Darlington, Brickyard 400, Pocono, and both Road courses, every year, but now, half of those races are on cable every year. And tickets are always tuff to get, and pricey. And NASCAR wonders why they are losing fans....

W**k - Had a good sales day on Saturday get wiped out yesterday, as we finished in the hole for the day yesterday due to a return from a idiot customer. When someone uses who they are to get their way, regardless of normal operating policy, it gets on my nerves very quickly! 'Nuff said there!

Trains - Got to catch a local on Thursday, in passing, being led by, to me, an old friend, an Alco 425 I had gotten a cab tour of quite some time ago. Pointed it out to family with me, so it made for an interesting (albeit quick) story.

Hope all are well, and all 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.

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Philly area
  • 174 posts
Posted by SS Express on Sunday, January 22, 2017 8:44 PM

Good evening diners!! Flo, I'll have a big ol' mug of hot cocoa and boston cream to put me to sleep with a smile on my face. Big day tomorrow for me at a new shop, woohoo!!

Big Daddy, I hear ya 'bout Daytona. I assume your talking about the 500?? I used to be a huge NASCAR fan, not so much anymore. I'll watch the 500 and that's about it. The drivers are all spoiled brats that don't work on their own cars anymore and I am tired of hearing about all the "engineering" that's needed to make a car turn left. Brutal, made for TV and the fair weather fan.

Dispatch called tonight and said they recieved a letter from the NKP asking to use the HVBL for some thru freight express work. I am sure we will find a way to accommodate the NKP. Work is finally complete on that SD-40 from the CN. Next up should be some "pm" service work on our RDG GP-7's this week. Also on tap are some lighting upgrades on the HVBL. We'll keep busy for the rest of the month, for sure.

Good night all,

Rich

 

Building the RDG, PRR, CNJ, LV railroads on the Huntington Valley Basement Lines.......
  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, January 22, 2017 7:28 PM

My head cold turned out to be a mild case of the flu, complete with headache, chills, coughing aches and pains.  The good news is it seems to be leaving quickly.

We live about 200 yards from  the river and from there, a light house is visible about 5 miles away.  It must be foggy because they have the fog horn going.  We have heard it often but tonight it sounds twice as loud as usual.  There is no wind to account for the acoustics. 

I watched parts of the Green Bay game, seemed to be a blow out everytime I tuned in.  As an old Baltimoron, I have no interest in either Pittsburg or New England so I am not watching.  I'm waiting for Daytona.

In reference to the fog horn, I recall being told of a Civil War battle that could be seen but not heard by approaching troops.  I googled unsuccessfully for that but did encounter the original meaning of Basket Case.  It was not someone who was mentally unhinged.

in WW 1 it was someone who had both arms and both legs amuputated and was carried around in a basket.  The Army denied there were any such cases, both in WW1 and WW2. 

I knew a surgeon who took care of such a patient in Vietnam.  At the end of surgery, the OR team was horrified at what they had done.  It bothered him for years until he encountered that same patient in Walter Reed Hospital.  The man was extemely grateful that his life had been saved.  That is also a triumph of the human spirit. 

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Sunday, January 22, 2017 7:12 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo, Ed and I will have the usual please.

 Far from the worse day I have ever had, but I will be glad when it is over. Sigh

 Work sucked Rail Spikes. Goosh awful weekend with only $290.00 in sales? Bang Head Up till the 16th of this month things where looking great with $15,000 in sales.

 Might Strange B&O F7's! Fired up the layout befor work, B&O F7b had sound again? (did not move the engines, just powered up the layout) Tonight, no sound? Opened the B unit and only thing I found with the speakers that did no seem right is the front speaker was not held down tight and could move. Fixed that and use decoder pro to change it address from 3 too 233. Read all the CV's that was in the factory default setting's, then rewote them in the roster settings. Did the same with the A unit.

 While I was not suprised the B unit sound was not working again. What really made me confused was the A unit would not run on the 233 or 3 address? Grumpy If it where not for the CB&Q's and my Steam Engines I would say all QSI decoders belong in the Ash Pit!

 Later, Ken

 

 

 

 

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Sunday, January 22, 2017 11:39 AM

Good Morning,

Another dull, foggy day here but at least it is still very warm( 33F!).  

Inch, glad to hear your infection is on the mend. Not a good thing to get after surgery. 

I had called my Doc's office on Friday with a question but had to leave a message. A couple of hours later the phone rang and it was the Doctor himself returning my call. He gave me the results of the pathology on my surgery and it was very good news. While the tumor had perforated the prostate, it hadn't spread at all. Talk about dodging a bullet. If it weren't for those PSA tests, I likely would have had only 5 or so years left on this earth. While it isn't a perfect test, it did the job for me so I do encourage all of you especially if you are over 50, to get a test as part of your annual physical.  

Just another week to go before I can drive again. The car really needs a wash too. 

We haven't seen the backyard rabbit for a couple of days now so perhaps it got out of the yard or the Great Horned Owl got it.  I heard it hooting nearby a couple of nights ago. While they are a large bird I saw a show on TV about them that showed how they can manouver through trees by folding in their wings. It was really amazing. I had thought one couldn't get anything in our yard due to the tree branches and shrubs but it turns out I was wrong. 

Beach Bill, I too wanted to say 'Hats Off' to you for your work as a police officer. My grandfather joined the Winnipeg Police in 1914 and was with them for 20 years before he joined the CNR police. In Canada railway police were and likely still are the only private armed force.  My mother actually had a copy of the ad he responded to to get the job in 1914. One of the requirements was that you had to be at least 6' tall.  He was 6'2" and just over 200lbs.  Most of the officers you see now aren't very big at all so no wonder they have to resort to tazers, etc. Back then the average height was only about 5'8" so the police force had size for intimidation. He worked on a farm as a young man so he was incredibly strong too.  Interesting too that he was an American citizen when he joined the force as he was born and raised in the Chicago area.  

Well enough of my babling,  time to do a few laps.

CN Charlie

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 1,855 posts
Posted by angelob6660 on Sunday, January 22, 2017 11:08 AM

Hey diners,

Ulrich- I remember the MR 2010 Salt Lake Route layout. I thought of making it too.

I just realized this morning while walking the dogs. Since my NYC collecting for the 1960s is half completed. I couldn't really build a layout. (I talked about Charles being the crazy one.) He hasn't calmed down or behaved, making it a challenge. I really can't take trains out around him. He doesn't believe in personal space. I haven't stopped getting materials to build it.

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!