Good morning, everybody ....
Here is a publicity picture of Milwaukee Road Fairbanks-Morse passenger locomotives. FM was located in Beloit, Wisonsin, but these passenger lcomotives were built in GE's Erie, PA factory. They were called "Erie-Builts" becasue of that.
The engines operated throughot the Milwaukee Road including Wisconsin of course.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Happy Monday!
A little something to help pass the time...
Train 406, Fergus McDonell, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Great "Behind-The-Scenes" drama of a busy railroad— This is MY kind of railroadin' !
*To watch in better quality or full-screen, click the "Train 406" link to take you to the NFB site and watch there.
Enjoy...
Ed
Good Morning!
The weather has not yet improved, but I don´t feel as blue as I did yesterday. Maybe howling like a wolf did the trick!
hon30critterHearing and seeing the wolves brought a smile to my face and made my skin tingle.
Can you imagine how thrilled we were seeing and hearing a wolf pack on that meadow bordering our back yard?
Over nearly 1 1/2 centuries, wolves were thought to be extinct in Germany and it was safe for little red riding hood to pay a visit to her grandma in the woods. How wrong we must have been! Granted, the iron curtain was insurmountable even for wolves, who would not have made it through the mine fields and the concrete wall or special wire mesh fence used to prevent capitalist invasion, but once that was all gone, the wolves rediscovered their age old migration routes and are claiming back their territories!
Hiking in the forest has got a new thrill now! However, chances to ever encounter a wolf crossing your path are close to nil, as they are very shy creatures. They see you, but you don´t see them.
Chloe, coffee and a breakfast bagel, please!
Heartland Division CB&QEd ... Sorting through all of those pictures would be interesting. That photo is humorous. It sounds like you were busy with showing your layout too.
Hi, Garry.
Yep, neat stuff! The only downside to sorting these photos is that I am terrible at keeping files organized. So I have many duplicates in MANY different folders. Some of the original scans are huge, file-size-wise, and I want to be sure I don't delete anything irreplaceable. Most of the photos I have cleaned up using Photoshop but I wasn't always careful about how I named these files.
Here's what the plant looked like in 1936, three years after it opened.
That guy on the speeder should look funny, that's Buster Keaton of The General fame Click the link to see the film. Several other great railroad films are on the National Film Board site, too.
Yes, layout visit was fun but exhausting for the host, and hostess
ROR, Glad you got a chuckle out of that
See 'yall later,
gmpullman. . .I hope you didn't go to the cleaners and tell them you wanted to get Doctor Pepper out of your underwear! . . .
Bwahaha!
Richard
Lion .... Thanks for the spaghetti. I hope we are not stranded in the Diner.
Ed ... Sorting through all of those pictures would be interesting. That photo is humorous. It sounds like you were busy with showing your layout too.
Ulrich .... Thanks for the wolf video. We Diners care about You and Petra, and wish you the best.
Angel .... I'm not sure what you mean about pre and post big bend. I have only seen the MR&T one time.
Ken .... Glad your friend, Larry is improving. That is a lot of foam board on your layout. I like the coal mine.
Good Evening, Folks...
I'll take a heaping plate of that spaghetti that LION is offering, fresh grated Romano and an extra meatball, too, Brunhilda. You can put it on AngeloBob's tab! Thanks! Maybe a little Chardon-Yay with that would be nice, too...
Richard, Yukk! Good thing this isn't ANT season. I hope you didn't go to the cleaners and tell them you wanted to get Doctor Pepper out of your underwear!
Ulrich, those howling wolves had the cats scampering out of the room! That might make a nice sound-effect for the layout. Around here when I hear the coyotes howling I know the chickens are getting nervous. Sometimes they travel in pretty large packs. Actually the fox do more damage than the wolves. We lost maybe two-dozen chickens to a fox last year.
I do hope there is some relief to your torment you are suffering.
Mike! WOW, that's a LOT of red and orange! Even the lipstick! Thanks for posting that, pretty NEAT!
hon30critterYou may have guessed by now that I am a bit of a nature nut.
Dave, I agree—and share your interest in preserving and viewing nature, yes, even with the chicken predators, it is still great to observe the natural cycle of events outside
cudakenEd Not a reason in the world to thank me for buying you fake internet beer!
Can't help it. My mom raised me to be polite, even if it IS a virtual beer—and a Milwaukee's Best, to boot Sometimes I would get Olympian when I was in the mood for a "budget brew" These days it's Miller High Life and the occasional Heineken. (Hiney-KEN? Oh NO we won't GO there!)
cudakenMaybe next year when I retire I can make the drive out to Ohio and give you a real (but cheap beer) that I drink.
You're always welcome for a visit! The caboose makes a comfortable "Cabin" and has all the comforts of home-away-from-home! After thirty days I'll have to kick you out, though. Fish and company go bad after that
Things are foggy and gloomy here in NE Ohio, too. Good day to stay inside. I'm taking a little hiatus from the layout for a day or two.
I have a big project to do using Adobe Photoshop. I have to get a slide show put together with about 2000 photos of the GE plant where I retired from. The plant is closing and folks have asked me to put together a little memorial for it.
Over the years I have collected thousands of negatives, slides and prints that were "abandoned" at the plant. I scanned them and returned the originals to a safe place. The roof was caving in on them where they were originally stored!
So, that's my project for the next few weeks. Ken Burns here we go!
Stay safe and healthy, everyone! Prayers to those who may be hurting...
https://www.nfb.ca/film/railrodder/
Regards, Ed
Evening Diners
Flo, Ed and I will have a Crown Royai with a chaser please.
Sort of Work Front. Felt like caboose today so I am glad it was slow! One thing that did put on was because I had a Be Back (some one in a nother day that came back) Not because she bought I will add! She was looking at a close out only one left in the company king size set at a pretty darn good prices! While she was there another couple came in and started looking around. She said "I need to go to my car to make a call, I will be right back in!" Buyers are liers, she sat in her car for a minute or so, then drove off unlike she said she would do!
Couple that came in while she was there, bought the Mattress she wanted at a higher prices (by $20.00) so it was gone. I loved the look on her face when I told her The couple that came in while you where here bought it after you went to your car!
Ed Not a reason in the world to thank me for buying you fake internet beer! Maybe next year when I retire I can make the drive out to Ohio and give you a real (but cheap beer) that I drink. I like Milwaukee's Best Light. Same beer as Miller lite I will add.
Der Far as Larry Mo he seems to be fine. No new heart problems and got the feeling and use of his hand that night. They think it was a pinch nerve.
Later, Ken
All most all on the hill can be lifted off I will add.
I hate Rust
LION'S FIRST RULE OF SPAGHETTI:
If it fits on the plate, then the plate is too small.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Hey diners,
Garry- Those are good pictures. If you go again you can have pre and post Big Bend.
Ulrich- I'm sorry that your miserable. I hope the sun opens that cloud.
ROR- I hoped you went to the laundromat that same day.
I watched the 2015 version of Cinderella on Starz yesterday. It was alright of a movie, I did enjoy it. I watched different versions over the years and this one is the top 5 list. I would made it a little more better. (When people say they want a more human approach.)
Nothing on the hobby. I'm looking at same Chessie System locomotives for my small layout. Including some Burlington Northern, Santa Fe, and probably start the G.N.O. Railway.
*Edit* Top of the page. I'll be paying for the tabs.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Ulrich!
Thank you for the wolf howling video! I'm sorry that your current situation has left you 'howling at the moon', but I loved the video.
You may have guessed by now that I am a bit of a nature nut. Hearing and seeing the wolves brought a smile to my face and made my skin tingle. I could listen to it over and over many times! On very rare occassions at our cottage on the north shore of Georgian Bay we would be treated to a wolf serenade. Dianne and I were thrilled when it happened.
You made my day Ulrich! Thanks!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I found a colorized picture of the twins, that Ed opened up with.
There they are! Don't know what happened with the first image. Must have something to do with the kitty cat thread.
Mike.
My You Tube
Richard - next time, don´t pack Mr. Murphy in your bag!
What a day! I am just glad it´s dark, so I can´t see the misery outside! It started to r*in at 7am this morning and has not stopped since. The meadow behind the house has turned into a bog, which will eventually turn into a pond, as there is no end in sight.
Nothing shows the mood I am in better than this video:
Richard - Opening your bag had to had to be a real downer. I learned in the military (and no, it wasn't the civil war. I'm old, but not that old) to always put liquids in a leak proof bag. Today the wife & I use Ziplock gallon storage bags. Cheap insurance.
Ray - I kind of guessed that was going to be your news from previous posts. See, I do read them. Anyhow, it makes a lot of sense. I don't ever see us going to Canada again, although we always had great vacations there. It just isn't worth the trouble.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
I've got a question for those of you building separate barns or whatever for you layouts. Do you put plumbing into them? Is there a requirement for that? In bad weather, I'd rather not have to sludge through the rain and snow to answer the call of nature, and having a sink for rinsing brushes or washing my hands would definitely be a plus.
On the other hand, around here that simple improvement would probably cost you tax-wise, and might even run afoul of zoning restrictions if some bureaucrat decided you were actually building an in-law apartment and not simply a train room.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Today I find myself alone in a hotel in Las Vegas, at least for the morning. I am here for a huge conference sponsored by IBM. My check-in experience was less than stellar. I parked in self-parking and walked the ½ mile to the registration desk (without my bags). I did find out that we were comp’ed valet parking, so I walked back to my car and drove to the entrance. Wahoo, no schlepping my bags the ½ mile! I had a Dr.Pepper (the fully loaded, sugary kind) in the car that I tossed into one of my suitcases to bring up to the room. Unfortunately, the cap was not on tight, so, you guessed it, sticky soda all over almost everything in the bag. Luckily my shirts and slacks were in another bag, but my jeans, socks, and undies were not so fortunate. With a start like that, the week can only get better.
Mornin' everyone! (Yaaaawwwwwnnnnnnnnnnn)
Ah, Zoe, I'll have a couple left over donuts from the NMRA Meet yesterday and a very large pot of Seneca Lake Blend Dark Roast coffee this morning, please!
Well, I survived the Meet yesterday. My clinic went well and was well received. I came home with first place awards on both of the photo contests, and the President of the Niagara Frontier Region of the NMRA who came all the way from Toronto, Ontario, Canada to be with us went home with the first place ribbon for the model contest! Huh? Why was he there, all the way from toronto? Glad you asked.
For the last several years, my division has been working on moving from the NFR Region (Incorporated in Canada) to the North East Region of the NMRA Based and Incorporated in the US. One of the biggest reasons for the move is that My members for the most part will no longer brave the border crossing into Canada to attend anything there. (No Politics in your answers please, it is what it is....) For the last decade or longer only about 7 or 8 of us travel to Canada to attend the Convention there. I have assured the officers of the NFR that the same folks will likely still be heading to Canada to attend the fine Conventions they put on. I have been spending a lot of time getting the move accomplished as has the President of the NFR. My officers here spent a full year getting signatures on a petition that is required (2/3rd.s of the members have to vote to move) and I was able to hand that to the President last May at the Convention in Quebec. He then had to have a revote of the Region BOD to allow him to pettion National NMRA BOD to move us to the NER. The NER also had to vote to accept us into the region. In February the NMRA National Board voted to allow the transfer of the Lakeshores Division to the NER. So The president of the NFR came down to make the announcement of the move in person and to spend a day with us as well. I spent some time with him thanking him for all his work with this. I also enjoy seeing him. Fine gent! BTW, his reason in getting this done came from a question he asked us. How will the membership here be best served?
So, now you know one of the big reasons I have been busier than a cat covering poop on a marble floor for the past year. This is only the beginning, Now My Division will have to get "integrated" into the NER which will mean all kinds of stuff needing to get done like: Rewritting the by-laws to both update them and get them accepted by the Region, coming up with a new logo (in progress), finding out what committees we need representation on and who it will be, updating our materials for shows, etc.
I am supposed to be a guest at the Region BOD meeting Online) tonight, so the process begins!!!
I'm going to be spending today getting things put away, and maybe even starting to build a new bridge for the SLO&W.... Lots of new bridges to be building!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good point, Ed. I wasn't thinking of them as a fire stop. Back in the 70's and 80's, I was on our local volunteer FD, and a fire at an old farmhouse, balloon framed, was in the attic, before we could even get there.
Hi, Mike...
mbinsewi I was referring to the 2x4's, that run horizontally, in the middle of the wall, commonly called bridging,
I have often seen this refered to as "Firestop" a code requirement in (possibly) all regulated construction.
I believe it was more of a concern in baloon framing where it was possible to have an air channel all the way from the basement to the attic back when houses were framed that way. I remember helping my dad run wire in an old house and, of course, there was no insulation in the outside wall, and he dropped a string-line (plumb-bob) down from the attic and I grabbed it in the basement for pulling wire up.
http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/fire-stops-fire-blocking-in-studs/
Most places require all openings (pipe, wire, ducts, etc.) to be plugged or filled with fireproof "caulk" also to slow fire progress. It is all to meet the time-rating on the fire resistance rating.
That's my take on it anyway...
Hope that helps,
Good morning to Ulrich, Mike, and anybody else who comes into the Diner this morning.
This month's theme, of course, is celebrating MR's #1,000 with a visit to Wisconsin. .... Continuing with that, here are photos I took while visiting MR's headquarters about 4 or 5 years ago. Jim Hediger was my guide, and he should me the MR&T layout which is fabulous. I took these photos.
Thanks Johnboy, I know about the trusses, I was referring to the 2x4's, that run horizontally, in the middle of the wall, commonly called bridging, it stiffens the wall, just like the bridging in the floor joist, (look in your basement, the short pieces of 1x4's or metal, that form an "X") it keeps the joist from "rolling". You don't always see that horizontal bridging in walls. Just wondering if it was a code issue where he lives. It's a good thing, just wondering.
Good Sunday morning to all! We finially have some sunshine on the diner. It's suppose to get in the low 50's here in SE WI. !
I was so busy doing nothing else than worrying about our future that I did not find my way to the Diner yesterday. Shame on me!
i was feeling a little blue yesterday, straining my non-digital brain (in fact, it seems to be clockwork operated, because it needs to be rewound now and then) by trying to figure out a way how to get us out of this mess this country is turning into. I won´t say no more, other than it is much worse than you will see in the news at your end of the Big Pond.
John, thanks for leaving a slice of that gorgeous looking pie for me - I´ll have it for breakfast now, with plenty of coffee, Brunhilda, if you please ...
The trusses on YGW´s look a liitle "light" to me. I have no doubts they are meeting the resp. building codes, but here they would be twice as strong. But then buildings are a lot more (that´s a big "lot") expensive here and are designed to withstand an atomic blast or the invasion by the red army, whichever comes first.
Thanks for the coffe and the slice of John´s pie, Brunhilda - if you domn´t mind, I´ll hang out in the back booth for a little while.
Hi Gang,
Just stopped by for a H.C. night cap and some cinnamon toast with P.J. Thanks Brunhilda I wasn't sure it was you tonight.
YGW. Great looking job going on with your Hobby Barn, BTW., what direction does your garage doors face ?
Mike, That ladder trusses on the left end of his Hobby Barn are just the ladders for the over hanging soffit (eave), if I understand your question properly.
Slept in a few hours this morning and yet I am ready for bed again. Sure tired lately.
Did run a few trains this afternoon, but now I have to get our Taxes ready before I can dedicate some time down there.
Steven, Are you trying to corrupt our young readers here with all the beer and fattening foods ?
Garry, I'm with you, about the N.P. but I love the Lowrey scheme.
Ulrich & Galaxy, Take care good Buddies. I believe we all pray for your better healthy and well being.
Good Morning to you Bill Tidler, it is great to see you stopping by again. Please fill us in on what's been happening in your world
Have a great Sabbath Day all, will check back in tomorrow.
Sweet Dreams of shiney rails in the moonlight, and lonesome whistles in the distance.
Johnboy out, Thanks for the snack, whoever picked up my tab.
off to ZZZzzzsssland
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Nice ! I built a 24' x 24' garage on our property in northern WI, I was by myself, so trusses were a challenge!
Is that bridging in the middle of the walls a code thing where you live? You don't see that in WI., not much any way.
Mike
Hello Folks!
Whooped!
I've been up since 9 AM Friday. No, not for parades or parties but getting the layout ready for a few visitors after a local train show in the Cleveland area today.
Removing some unnecessary rolling stock and engines (Where ever do they all come from?) ; clean track, test-run a few trains (Saint's Be Praised! No wiring issues after making some modifications and wiring some frogs) finally it was Four AM! Then I tossed-and-turned for four more hours until I left for the show...
Then lunch (at ANOTHER diner sorry Flo) and finally here to run a few trains! I'm whooped, indeed... but in a good way
Bought some books and two more Proto hopper cars! OH, THAT'S where all these cars are coming from...
I try to set-up a new little scene for visitors to see. Last night I staged a little Bistro/Biergarten at the north end of the Union Station concourse. Warsteiner on tap!
YGW, Great progress on the Hobby Barn. I love this stage of the framing! Of course, save the scraps for benchwork!
Ken, thanks for the
Great photos, DER! Yes, my pages get scrambled in Chrome, too. I just close the tab and open MR in a new one and that seems to sort it out for a while.
And a good day to all! to those in need!
regards, Ed
YGW's Hobby Barn UPDATE!
Timber; Tyvek and Trusses...
This is the stack of trusses delivered Friday. The top section is the "scissor trusses" the bottom portion of the stack is the standard trusses that go over the garage area.
Today we built the beam/wall over the garage area. Built, sheathed and installed Tyvek on the gable end trusses. Lifted them in place, (with all that stuff attached they were crazy heavy !) Installed the string line on the trusses to line up the center trusses. Moved all of the scissor trusses into the garage area and cleaned up ! Time for Ibuprofen !
On Behalf of YGW...
Respectfully Submitted,
Good Saturday evening to one and all. This was started in MS Word days ago, and I’d better get it posted as tomorrow and Monday are going to have little in them for Diner Time. I ddin’t get to eat my way through π Day, so if Brunhilda could cut me some of this, and leave some for Ulrich that would be fine. Also a Decaf, black, please.
I have had a few problems getting to the last page of the Diner over the past couple of days. Sometimes it said that there were five pages when there were actually six. Computers!
Der Yes that is a lot of pink foam, far as how it turned out, you have seen many photos of it. It is the K-10 Mining layout. Tip I have learned is when buying the foam, look for damged sections! Take it and ask for the deparment Manager. Been a while but I was getting 75% off for the broken sections.
Der - Hoping you can get the bridge in and the layout progresses.
DER - That makes sense. Our area was settled mainly by the Scotts, Germans and some Irish. I wonder from which of these "vitals" came from ?
Janie, just a cup of decaf, some half & half and stevia along with that.
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
Flo, Ed and I will have a please.
mbinsewiKen, there is a chain of stores, 7 in the Milwaukee, WI. area, that are called Hassless Mattress, that have no salesman in the store.
Mike Never heard of them. Far as Hassless, that is me. I give customers that want to be left a lone, well a lone. If they see something they seem to like I will help them. I will never tell them if they don't buy it now I cannot give you that price later! That is BS!
Mr B Said "I know what you mean. My dentist keeps trying to sell me on multiple dental implants. I told her, "Y'know, I'm 70 years old, and I really don't need a fix that will last me 50 years."
OK I see where fixing the theeth so they will out last you sounds a little silly. But would have a cheap repair that will causes pain, or one that will only last a year on the chance you kick the bucket first?
Well I am fading fast, come down with a head cold. 1 day late for Saint Patricks day.
Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo? Seems to be a bit of an echooooooooo in here. As this place never closes, could I get a club sandwhich, cottage fries with white cheese on them and some sweet tea. (Yes, I may be a northerner but I still like sweet tea.)
While I hate to make your easterners jealous, we had 70s here today. I actually threw on a pair of my denim shorts to go out this afternoon. Very unusual for March. (I took today off from work.) It will drop to the 50s for Sunday but that is still very good.
Looking forward to getting more work done on the layout on Sunday. Although this will most likely be the last Sunday I get to work on it. I am changing positions at my job, starting Tuesday. (Needed to get away from what I was doing and this position popped up at the right time.) With this new position, my days off switch from Sundays and Mondays to Mondays and Tuesdays. I also start at 11:00 a.m. rather than the 1:00 p.m. or so that I had been. (That's going to be the hard part. I have never been much of a morning person.)
cudakenCouple of ladys came in looking for a Twin size power base and mattress for a 100 year old lady? Showed them the lowest prices one we had that was $800.00. Pointed out to me "she is 100 years old, we don't need a good one!"
I know what you mean. My dentist keeps trying to sell me on multiple dental implants. I told her, "Y'know, I'm 70 years old, and I really don't need a fix that will last me 50 years. My life expectancy is probably 15 years, and by that time I'll be eating oatmeal anyway." She was shocked that I turned down a $7000 dental bill in favor of a more reasonable solution.