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, March 2017... Celebrating 1,000th edition of MR in Wisconsin; ... Everybody is welcome ! Locked

40535 views
488 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, March 5, 2017 6:08 PM

ROBERT PETRICK

 

 
Heartland Division CB&Q

... Past, Present, and Future walked into a bar. ... It was tense... Laugh....  

 

 

If they had walked in, it would be perfect.

 

 

Robert ... I'm glad to see you appreciate a good pun. Wlecome to the DIner and feel free to visit often. I saw your thread about your SNSR layout, and was very impressed. 

FRRY ... LOL about training. 

Ray .... Too bad your son did not express his wishes sooner. 

CN Charlie ... Gald to hear you made some progress on teh layout. Ground cover improves the looks of a layout.

Dave N ...  I noticed #1,000 had a differnt texture. I wonder if it is a one time experiment. 

Der ... You are making signfcant prgress with the layout. 

 

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 Sunday, March 5, 2017 7:06 PM

I am enjoying day #5 of my five days of retirement. Tomorrow I am off to Sacramento to start the new job. I am a little nervous, but not too bad ... yet. I figure I will be a little more nervous as I climb off of the plane.

Richard

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Sunday, March 5, 2017 7:39 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo, Ed and I will have a Post Hole Digger and a Beer Chaser and give CN Charlie what ever he likes.

 Today counted it up and I have been going to work for 45 years and I am sick of it! If you count the years I had to have a work perment (under 16) close to 46 years. Went to work again sold some stuff, talked with a Dunce late customer. (not a good sign when she asked if we where hiring and want to shop and asked if we had Finacing) Got out late, cleaned more engine wheels and rerailed the derailed train.

 CN Charile I am so sick of this frigging fences problem! Guess I cannot coplain a lot. I have been told that my fences is 50 years old. Not sure if it was made of Ceder or Red Wood? It is red in side and still sort of smells good when I cut up the remains.

 Antivirus Help OK, I let AVG up grade and this computer is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW now! Bang Head Takes 10 minutes to get on the internet. Any ideas on free antivirus besides AVG?

 YGW Till I get this computer to run like something again I will not be able to up load any photos. I am sorry.

 Ken

 

 

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Sunday, March 5, 2017 8:58 PM

Good evening all.

(Music playing...) "Some folks think I'm hiding, it's been rumored that I've died, but I'm alive and well in........ NWPA..." (Music stops.) Yeah, that just doesn't work.....

Zoe - Some fried cheese curds and a Coke please. Thanks!

Lets see if I can catch up here.... Been lurking, but haven't been posting.

Steven - Congrats to you and the rest of the MR/Kalmbach crew on 1000!

Galaxy - Sorry you are having so many back issues, they are not fun.

Ulrich - Sorry about the diagnosis. The (somewhat) upside (?) is that it is manageable with treatment. Hoping for the best. Wishing a speedy recovery for Petra as well.

Der - Nice progress on the layout.

Cudaken- I would stick with AVG. It's the one I use, and it catches things others miss. It is also the only one my friend Charlie will use, or reccommend. (Charlie is my computer guru, and he actually DOES work for Microsoft. Unlike those idiot scammers who call you claiming that you have a virus... I have way too much fun with those guys before I deadpan them in their tracks.) It sounds like there is something else that needs updated as well...

Weather - Well, we had that same 74 to 24 pattern, but not as severe of weather as some had. Forecasters say close to 50 tomorrow. I am not liking this roller coaster style weather pattern... Neither is my Asthma....

Asthma - Yeah.... Not been the best week... It is not happy, nor am I.

W**k - Remodel is going (slowly) along, but is getting on my nerves... We haven't had a garbage dumpster for two weeks as the company we used before kept raising the rate, so they got dropped. The new company has yet to start... And we are in the middle of a entire salesfloor remodel.... GRR is an understatement right now... We have garbage out the wazoo.... On the plus side, our store finished #3 in the entire district (out of 27) on one of the metrics last month, and #4 on a second, so I got a extra bonus, in addition to the commission and spiffs. Decent sales today, but we are behind on a lot of metrics, sales included, for the month.....

Trains - Working on a couple projects, but not much progress this week.

Hope all are well, and all have a good 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.

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Lancaster city
  • 682 posts
Posted by cats think well of me on Sunday, March 5, 2017 9:25 PM

Hi all,

Hoping the best for everyone here.

I got back home yesterday night. I loved the carribean cruise. Definitely recommend Disney cruises. Even if you're not in love with Mickey Mouse, one can still have a great time. We had stops in both the US and British Virgin Islands and I enjoyed both quite a bit. I'd gladly go back if given the chance. 

On the MR front, I went to my club layout and ran first a 24-car freight train powered by a Bowser Pennsy RS-12, and then a BLI Reading T1. I later added a dozen hoppers, I think Athearn, to create a 36-car train. Nice way to spend a couple hours today. I had the day off so aside running trains I did an approximately 4-mile walk on the riverside park about 10-miles from home. Great to just get outside and relax. 

Alvie

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Monday, March 6, 2017 12:56 AM

Heartland Division CB&Q

FRRY ... LOL about training. 

With much of my humor, I get a lot of groans on people realizing that the riddles are quite easy when they don'y get them and then I get all sorts of reactions when they do get them.

Layout Notes: Got a little bit of everything on the layout this afternoon. Got a coaling tower closer to being repaired. (Discovered a couple of damaged parts that needed to be painted and I didn't take the paint with me. Pieces are now painted and will go out next week.) Got the supports for one of the ferry yard bridges that previously didn't have any. (Can't remember why I didn't install the supports beforehand.) Ended up also cutting another layer of cork on the ferry yard as the track wasn't level as wll as under the yard lead on the other side of the river. I won't install the cork until next week to allow the river bed to dry as I filled a few holes and tweeked it in a few other places to cover the bottoms of the supports for all three bridges. I had enough water and newsprint to get one side of the river cut rebuilt and a good start on the other. Another thing to be finished next week. Also finally got the HQ backgroung building up. (The building pieces had been sitting for quite awhile.) However, one of the joints decided to be stubborn and wouldn't glue properly. Didn't have the right clamp to solve the problem. It didn't seem to give the rest of the side a problem so the side is glued up and the right clamp will also go out next week to solve that. a.k.a Lots of project pieces done but not very many completed.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Monday, March 6, 2017 3:42 AM

Happy Monday Morning, Diners!

I hope this finds you all well! Some of you have gone through some disheartening times and sometimes I'm at a loss for what to say other than I wish to offer as much comfort and encouragement as humanly possible. My thoughts and prayers for you all...

I found a listing for the Ringling Brothers Circus cars and bidding instructions. These folks aren't wasting any time!

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=687fed9230ab456284c9c45ddb206dec

LION, here's your chance to buy a real, honest-to-goodness LION car so you can travel in style! Not all cramped in an Amtrak coach!

Fifth of March already... wow the time sure flies! Friends warned me that it would be like this... they weren't kidding. We have almost fifty chicken eggs in the incubator. Some folks make quiche, we make more chickens!

Thanks for the Crown & Brew, Ken! Very tasty. 

The red-winged black birds are in NE Ohio already. I'm sure the warm February had something to do with the early migration. I had better get the oranges ready for the Orioles. They're one of my favorites!

I have been busy with dozens of "projects" on the railroad. I have to get them all wrapped up by the 18th for a visit from a few modeling friends. Time keeps on ticking... ticking... into the future.

Well, that about wraps things up.

I'll check-in again soon—

Regards, Ed

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Monday, March 6, 2017 9:40 AM

cudaken
Antivirus Help OK, I let AVG up grade and this computer is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW now! Bang Head Takes 10 minutes to get on the internet. Any ideas on free antivirus besides AVG?

 

There are many, but LION uses Eset. Is NOT free, but is good, and with four servers and more than 30 workstations I am not about to ditz around with a free product. Eset allows me to manage these puters from my admin console.

 

ROAR

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

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Monday, March 6, 2017 9:55 AM

up831

Got the 1000 th issue of MR today.

Very nice.

I noticed the binding is different, making the possibility of copying drawings for personal model making virtually impossible. 

Is MR going to stay with this binding?

 

No. That was just for the special 1,000th issue (and our annuals, MRP and GMR).

But while we're on the topic of puns, one of my favorites is kind of geeky:

A helium atom floats into a bar.
"Hey!" the bartender shouts. "We don't serve noble gases in here."
He doesn't react.

Anyway, today's Wisconsin delicacy is bratwurst. Sauerkraut is optional, so be sure to tell Brunhilda whether you want yours mit or mittout.

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

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, March 6, 2017 9:58 AM

Good Morning,

Rain hasn't started yet but is expected soon. 

Ken, you have my sympathy on the fence problem. I am faced with it too. If I want a new one I would have to pay for all of it like I did the last time. I am not willing to do that so I will keep on mending it as best I can. I hope it can be made to last another 15 years as that is about as along as we will stay in the house. The neighbour on one side would likely pay half but it would look funny with a new fence on just one side. The wood might be cedar. It has a distinctive smell when cut. 

As far as computer security goes, I use Microsoft Essentials. When we bought this computer it was recommended by the staff at the store. We bought the computer at the university store as they have a lot of very keen computer staff, mostly students who seem to really know what they are doing. I have Windows 7. 

Think I will get a cup of coffee and sit down with the latest Model Railroader. I flipped through it when it arrived and it looks to be a very good issue. I think the binding change is due to the thickness. Sometimes I buy Brit magazines and they have the same binding as they tend to be quite thick. 

I have my 'course' again today. I think it will be cardio and weights today. Not quite as relaxing as yoga. 

Have a good one,

CN Charlie

 

 
 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 1,855 posts
Posted by angelob6660 on Monday, March 6, 2017 10:02 AM

Morning diners,

ROR- I have that Michael Fox book in hardcover. I got it a few years after it was released.

Der- Progress is looking good. Don't worry about the missing scenery ideas it will come in time.

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 6, 2017 10:22 AM

Steven - I´ll take mine "mit"!

Good Afternoon,

I spent the morning in a lecture on Parkinson´s disease, which was very informative and gave me a little comfort. The prospects seem now not to be as dreadful as I feared and that I will have quite a number of enjoyable years ahead of me before things will turn to the worse. I still don´t touch a soldering iron and putting an N scale train onto the rails is not yet possible, but somehow I will eventually manage a more or less normal life. What still eats me up is that all my dreams of moving to a better place in a better country have now been flushed down the drain.

We had chicken fricassee for lunch and while Petra tried her best to give it some sort of taste, I am afraid having to confess I did not enjoy the meal. I had hoped to go for a walk and sneak into the nearest burger place, but St. Peter decided this was not a good idea and sent lots of rain in our direction! No burger for me, so I am glad Steven brought the Bratwurst dogs along!

Instead of getting a little bit of exercise, I started to watch old model railroading vids on Youtube - this time focusing on German built layouts.

Here is a nice one showing a Marklin layout in a winter setting, which I found quite impressive:

In the long run I may have to go back to the old Marklin tin plate stuff, as it is a bullet proof system, suitable for folks with limited dexterity. We shall see!

Have a good one!

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Monday, March 6, 2017 2:09 PM

Good afternoon. 

Ed .... Interesting about the circus cars up for sale. I suppose some may eventually be acquaired by  tourist railroads.  .... Let's bid on the lion car to couple to the Diner. It'll give our favorite Lion a cozy place to stay. 

Ulrich ... I'm glad the meeting gave you a more positive outlook. 

Steven ... Thanks for the bratwurst served Wisconsin style. One of my favorite foods. ..... LOL at the atom pun ... 

Here are a couple of old favorite puns :  

The locomotive would not sit down because it had a tender behind. 

Some railroaders get married because they like to couple up. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Monday, March 6, 2017 2:33 PM

gmpullman
The red-winged black birds are in NE Ohio already. I'm sure the warm February had something to do with the early migration. I had better get the oranges ready for the Orioles. They're one of my favorites!

Dianne and I saw about 200 swans on Saturday. They were too far away to determine which type (could have made good use of that scope we can't afford!). Kind of early for them because everything is still frozen, but that can change quickly.

We are headed to Long Point on Lake Erie Friday night. We have two nights reserved at a nice B&B. Apparently the waterfowl are already there in large numbers.

We rarely see Orioles here but my brother had them in large numbers in Campbellford. I think part of our problem is high traffic (vehicular) everywhere. Orioles typically fly about three to four feet above the ground so they tend to end up as road kill in busy areas.

Dave

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

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Monday, March 6, 2017 2:35 PM

Hi Ulrich:

I'm glad to hear that your perspective on Parkinsons has improved a bit. Too bad about the dexterity problems.

All the best!

Dave

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

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, March 6, 2017 4:51 PM

Good Afternoon,

Dave, hope you have a nice trip to Long Point. The last business trip I made was in 2011 and it was  to Port Rowan. We had a store there that was in the process of closing down. I was there in March. There is a lot of RR history in Port Rowan that is detailed in Ian Wilson's book, Steam Echoes of Hamilton. 

CN Charlie

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Canada
  • 1,745 posts
Posted by JeremyB on Monday, March 6, 2017 5:03 PM

Afternoon guys

ulrich sorry to hear the diagnosis, my father in law found out just before christmas that he also has parkinsons. The medication has helped and he just got back on the weekend from a vacation in Cuba.

i have been mulling the idea if I want to work on the layout. Right now I have my table top sports games setup in there and have been playing them all winter. Don't know if I want to leave that left up for the spring summer and keep playing them or move all that stuff out so I can work on the layout.

at the moment I'm siding on keep the games out and put train work aside for the colder winter months when you can't enjoy the outdoors. We aren't out of winter yet but are on the backside of it I hope.

i get more enjoyment from model trains from late September to late April 

will think it over I guess, would be easy choice if I had another spare room,lol

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Canada
  • 1,745 posts
Posted by JeremyB on Monday, March 6, 2017 5:05 PM

Just realized too I have been a member here for 14 years

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Monday, March 6, 2017 9:59 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo, Ed and I will have a Beer and some Buarts please.

 Work Front Had a couple come in that where around 300 pounds each. They want a Good Queen Set that would hold up under them for $300.00?  Nicely told them Good Luck. Whistling

 Another lady came in and all she was looking for was a King Sizes Frame. She spent $1070.00, bought a King Mattress so I threw in the frame! Big Smile Sometimes you never know what someone will spend.

 Ulrich Glad you see Parkerson may not be as bad you freard. Far as how Perta food taste now? Well you are losing weight, my wife cooking, well no flavor and I still stay fat!

 

Tornado Watch in Illinois

 So I am out of hear.

 

 Ken

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: ROCK ISLAND IL
  • 221 posts
Posted by fourt on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:16 AM

 What a night we had to shelter in the torando shelter tonight for about a hour as the storm went by. See on the news about 1/2 dozen touched down in the area. There is some damage it looks like in area.

Modeling on the cheap

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:33 AM

fourt!

I hope you and your family survived intact. We don't get storms like that very often in southern Ontario but they do happen. Scary stuff!

I hope you haven't suffered any property damage either.

Dave

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

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: ROCK ISLAND IL
  • 221 posts
Posted by fourt on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:59 AM

No damage at our house. Looks as if most of damage was towns around 50 away each direction. I see that cudaken lives way south of me and he got some of the same storm as per his post above.

http://wqad.com/2017/03/07/severe-storm-damage-reported-in-downtown-muscatine/

Town about 50 miles west give or take. No deaths so far in the news.

Wroung time of year for this kind of weather. 

Modeling on the cheap

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Northern Va
  • 1,924 posts
Posted by yougottawanta on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 7:57 AM

Hey all

The next couple of weeks I am going to be a little scarce in here. Since the beginning of the new year things have DRAMATICALLY turned around here as far as sales go. I have four,1 million dollars homes that have to settle this month and yestesterday they relased two more HUGE homes to be built. Getting busier than a one armed paper hanger around here !

Hobby barn news. This weekend we installed the beam, joist, leveled and sqaured and got two rows of subfloor inmstalled.

Hope to have more time later will respond to post as I have time.

TTYL

YGW

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 9:17 AM

Good Afternoon!

Janie, coffee in an IV bag and a slice of that cherry crumble pie, please! I need to have some "soul food" today.

The weather is plain "yuck" and so was today´s lunch. In those 33 years of marriage, Petra hardly prepared a meal I did not like, but the stuff we have to eat now really taste - well, this is a family friendly forum, so I just say "healthy".

I was in a bad mood until I came across this video of an ingenious layout my friend Gerd came up with.

It´s the "Traveller´s Table Top Tramway", a layout in a box designed to take along and play with while you are waiting for your meal in a restaurant or your beer in the local "public house".

Take a look for yourself:

In case you´d fancy to have one of those OO scale, 9mm track narrow gauge live steam engines, Brian Canton of the UK is making another batch now. All you have to do is to part with about $ 1k and wait a couple of years for it....

Enjoy the video!

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
  • 4,256 posts
Posted by Cederstrand on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 9:23 AM

Extra strong coffee in a SOUTHERN mug, please.

***Ulrich, very neat winter layout vid. Enjoyed that!CoolThumbs Up

Looks like a rainy day ahead here. Good time to rest and perhaps do a little more train room organizing/cleaning.

Healing thoughts for those in need.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

 

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 11:02 AM

Today, the Diner proudly serves that other famous Wisconsin product: craft beer. Belly up to the bar, boys. (Just do so responsibly.)

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

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Currently in Chicago area
  • 830 posts
Posted by up831 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:24 PM

Good Afternoon Diners,

Flo, I'll have an extra large coffee with lots of cream, please.

This has been the craziest winter I can remember.  Upper 50s in early February, when it should be in single digits or not much above that.  Tornados in late Feb. All this in metro Chicago.  Go figure!

A town a little south and west of here (Ottawa, IL) got a direct hit from an EF-3 tornado and damaged about 100 homes.  I feel for those folks.

Ed:  Ah yes, a little bit of the Steve Miller Band, another of the many fine Bay Area bands from the classic rock era.  I was decidedly an Airplane fan.  50 years later, I'm still amazed by the things Jack Casady played then.  Yes, it was a lot of eighth note runs, but the way he put it together, the way he carried and drove the band, truly innovative and phenomenal.  I sure didn't think up Playing that way.

Steven:  Thank you for clarifying the binding.  Maybe the helium didn't react because He sat inert, or maybe He just had gas.  

WhistlingLaugh

Don't worry I'm not that quick witted, quick, but not that quick.  I had to sit and think those up.  And, I'd have one of those all beef brats mit out, but unfortunately, I'll pass on the brew.  Can one put sport peppers on brats?

Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.

 

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:43 PM

Steven Otte

A helium atom floats into a bar.
"Hey!" the bartender shouts. "We don't serve noble gases in here."
He doesn't react.

Two hydrogen atoms are walking down the road.

"Oh dear" says the first.  "I've lost an electron."

"Are you sure"

"Yes.  I'm positive."

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

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:49 PM

I'm on vacation in Florida using a tablet.  It's excruciating.  I want my desktop.  At least there is beer in the fridge.

 

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

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 2:50 PM

MisterBeasley

 Steven Otte

A helium atom floats into a bar.
"Hey!" the bartender shouts. "We don't serve noble gases in here."
He doesn't react.

 

Two hydrogen atoms are walking down the road.

"Oh dear" says the first.  "I've lost an electron."

"Are you sure"

"Yes.  I'm positive."

 

 
Ouch! Took me a while to get it!
 
I am slow these days and I think I am starting to lose my English!
 
Before I add another one, I´d better hit the hay!

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!