Welcome to Jeffrey's Trackside Diner. It's a place where you can come, relax and talk about most anything except religion, politics, immigration, or any other hot button topic that gets people angry and upset. Please see forum rules if you have any questions.
The staff here is very friendly and able to serve. There's Zoe, Chloe, Flo, Janie, and Brunhilda. They'll serve up plenty of virtual food with a smile and a friendly "Gruezi mitenand!"
Enjoy!
"Gone, but never forgotten!"
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I wasn't planning on doing this, but Ulrich must have overslept.
Fall colors are a little past their peak in western Pennsylvania but lets go to Horseshoe Curve. According to Wikipedia: Work on Horseshoe Curve began in 1850 and took over three years.[9] It was done without heavy equipment, only men "with picks and shovels, horses and drags" Cost for 31 miles of track (more than just the curve) was $80,000/mile Cost of the Durango Silverton "Highline" was $1,000 a foot.
http://www.railroadcity.com/visit/world-famous-horseshoe-curve/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmCkBPm7ICk
Not really Amish country, but Shoefly pie for everyone in the Diner.
Last try at an edit, only one linke wants to be clickable at a time
Heard a car horn alarm last night and it reminded me that as a kid people used to do something to car horns on Halloween night to make them honk. Did we call it pinning the horn? How was it done?
My wife was born in 1960 and she doesn't remember that.
Ah... Halloween... Our cook was dressed up as a cow, complete with a plastic udder.
She served a Jello brain with gummy worms crawling out of it.
Pork ribs were served, but LIONS do not *like* pork if they can get something else.
This LION found a bowl ful of candy in the community room.
Him was reading the New Yorker with a pile of candy wrappings scattered around his chair.
All SNOWS day to you. It is snowing outside, not fearcely, but nicely and in earnest.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Ricky W - Too bad you didn’t catch anything on your trip. You did mention hearing of 2 on your scanner, and that’s another good thing about that section of the Fort Wayne Line between Conway Yard & Pittsburgh, plenty of defect detectors. Where we railfan, there’s 1 to the east of us & 1 to the west. Both give ample notice of approaching trains.
Not as busy on Halloween night compared to last year when we had over 230 kids. This year we only had 152. But there were some really cool costumes. We get all ages & don’t mind the older ones. There’s not that many of them & they are always appreciative & polite. They come in groups of 3 or 4, & are having a good time. Don’t mind the ones who come by car from other neighborhoods either if it means the little ones are having a fun night.
Halloween was a big deal when I was growing up in the 40s, & it remains one of my favorite holidays. We had so much fun, even having certain houses you ran to early because they handed out special treats like hot chocolate with little marshmellows, homemade candy apples, fresh pop corn & other homemade goodies. I wonder if anyone does that anymore.
Ray - Your probably right about homemade goodies these days. When you mentioned cookies for your granddaughters, it brought to mind another special house on Halloween. The lady gave out homemade peanut butter cookies that were really good. Everyone got 3. I wonder how many she ended up baking because there were a lot of kids out then.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
Good afternoon Diners,
Flo, I'll have an extra large coffee with lots of cream, please.
My memories of Halloween are pretty vague. Never really liked the holiday. I do seem to remember that back in the 50's, when I last participated, people used to give out homemade popcorn balls and sometimes homemade cookies as well as candy. It was an entirely different world then.
My more recent memories of Halloween was the zoo on Hollywood Bl back in the 70's. If it existed, it was on the boulevard that night. Sometimes people would dress in costume in some of the clubs I played in at the time. I actually used to work with a keyboard player who refused to work on Halloween because it was his religious holiday. I wasn't too worried though, the pentacle he wore around his neck was right side up. But, I never hung out with him.
I don't have any MRR news to report.
Thanks Big Daddy for opening up the diner this month. So, are we in Switzerland or Pennsylvania? Horseshoe curve is really cool. No wonder it has long been a sort of tourist attraction.
Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
Afternoon Diners,
Nobody serves homemade goodies for Halloween anymore. They're trying to give out candies with no weird stuff that can make kids allergic. Kids are getting allergic to everything nowadays probably because women are having children pass 30 recording by studies.
Visiting the Horseshoe Curve would be nice, when I decide to go there.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Nice job of opening the diner, Henry. Both of the links on your post work. Interesting stuff on Horseshoe curve.
Switzerland hey?, never been there, but, I have been known to go out of my way for a cold one! , a round one me.
Don't remember the horn thing, born in 49, but I lived most of my childhood and teen years on farms, or in the country. Not many trick or treaters.
Mike.
My You Tube
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309
Hey to everyone, guess I'm having an okay day mentally. Haven't had an anxiety attack in a week, so that's progress.
I literally hid in my house from trick or treaters, since I don't give candy out.
I'm planning to start doing work on building a module for the club's portable layout. Of course, that means someone else will have to build another one to balance it out....
speaking of the club, we're approaching another open house season, and it's coming closer than normal- we got asked to open up for the town's "Light up Night" on the 17th of November. Update on the Castle Shannon show from sunday: I did well. I took 150.00 to spend, and showed a lot of restraint. This time around, I actually only got stuff I needed, instead of whatever I wanted. I got some wonderful deals to- an exactrail waffle boxcar normally selling for 50 bucks? picked it up for 20 bucks. A factory painted Athearn unit for Wheeling, a rare unit? 70 bucks. I also got two proto 1000 hoppers for 15 dollars.
I'v got this sore throat, headache and hoarse voice that's going around here. So I hope everyone else here is feeling well.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
Western Pennsylvania and Shoefly pie were important clues as to where the diner is this month.
Police cars all over my neighborhood. The kid up the street didn't come home from school. I would be beside myself it was my kid.
New Demo webcam on youtube from Chicago.
Howdy. ... We were in Nashville all day yesterday it was a very long day
Henry. ... thank you for starting November‘s Diner.
inch. ... good to see you here. I was hoping for a miracle and you were okay, but sadly that did not happen. I remember when you and “Mother” visited here . It was a great visit. You got to see the 3 layouts here. The other two are my friends’ (Gus and Dan). Dan has cancer too. He had extensive surgery three months ago and now is having chemo treatments. It’s rough but he might get through it all. ... I’ll see if I can do the PM thing to you to get email addresses, but not right now because I am posting with smart phone. (Actually it is dumb) When I get back on the computer I will try. ... we don’t here much from the old Diner regulars unfortunately.
Everybody: ... Have a great November.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Hi Folks!
Henry, I think maybe visitors to the diner are getting confused because you might want to edit the opening, third paragraph?
All Fixed! Thanks and Welcome to the Famous Horseshoe Curve!
I do like the idea of having the Diner at Horseshoe curve, though! Thank you for making the move
Lots of former Pennsy action...
PRR_General_0002 by Edmund, on Flickr
I wish there was something encouraging I could say for you, Inch. It sounds like you are doing your best to handle the situation and you are in my thoughts. Do not hesitate to ask if there is any way I may be of help.
I LOVE Shoo-fly pie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoofly_pie
Cheers, Ed
Evenin' folks!
Janie, A cup of decaf would be nice right now.....
Hope you all enjoyed All Saints Day and will have a pleasant All Souls Day tonight and tomorrow. Actually All Saints starts at sundown which most call Halloween. Actually that is a shortened form of All Hallows eve or All Saints eve. In many cultures way back when the next day started at sundown, so you were always going from darkness into light........ Always kinda liked that concept.
Just got home from Boy Scout Roundtable and back to getting some stuff done for the upcomming NMRA Meet. Way behind where I should be at this point, but will get it done somehow.
Inch! Good to see you sir! Pop in often, please.....
Have a great night everyone.
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
OK Henry, now I'm confused, I thought the diner was in Switzerland, or are we in Pennsylvania ? Clues? we need to guess where the diner is? OK, where ever it is, I'm here now, so lets have another!
The "new demo web cam from Chicago" you show is the cam from Railstream, what they call Chicago, IL, aka MH Tower.
And with the kid up the street, I would be crazy if it was mine. Hope everything is OK.
Mike
Ed oops, and thanks,
Edit maybe I copied the ampersand with the Switzerland bit. My bad.
WOW, all of the sudden the Switzerland paragraph is gone. OK. Things happen fast here in the diner.
I guess we are at Horseshoe Curve, in PA. !
Eveing Diners
Flo, Inch, Gary, Ed, Brent, Henry, Jan, Ulrich, Galaxy and I will have a
Henry Thank You for opening the dinner, I was thinking about but I got up a little late and had to leave for work early.
Inch I have been keeping you in my thoughts and other here at the dinner. There will all wise be a on the bar for you.
Ed Still running the Mighty CB&Q and they are running strong!
Work Stunk so that is covred.
Halloween Guess I was around 9 years old and my Mom and I lived in a large Mobile Home Park with around 350 trailers. I swear I hit every mobile home that had the lights on in the park! Had 3 old style grocery paper bags full of candy! No wonder I grew up to be over weight!
Trains are running good and slow tonight!
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Hello again, Folks...
I just came across a few Altoona and Curve photos to share:
RR_views_0026 by Edmund, on Flickr
On board #44 in the fall of 1989
RR_views_0038 by Edmund, on Flickr
A couple of "Snappers" on the Curve. I don't know the origination of the name, but helpers were called Snappers in this area of the Pennsy.
RR_views_0034 by Edmund, on Flickr
A fine Mack apparatus donated to the Altoona Fire Department by Conrail!
RR_views_0024 by Edmund, on Flickr
And the entrance to the great Altoona Shops all decked out for Fall, mums and all!
cudaken Ed Still running the Mighty CB&Q and they are running strong!
That's great news, Ken!
Garry, that photo of UP 3300 I posted last week was a commemorative locomotive that was dedicated to United Way and had just brought a special train to Chicago for a political convention in August of 1996.
RR_views_0043_1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
Morning all. I'll take a breakfast pastry and some crystal lite.
Inch, you're in my thoughts and prayers.
Ugh, I have the second part of that illness...I work at 12 and made the mistake of taking some nyquil a couple hours ago....this will be fun.
Since we are at Horseshoe Curve this month, perhaps I can share my photos from this past June.
I went over the curve on Amtrak, a bucket list item of mine. Plus I saw the K4.
So, what is everyone planning to do today, does anyone have snow yet?
Ed ... Those are very nice photos. Thanks for telling about the special Union Pacific train. UP does stuff like that.
Jimmy .... Glad to see your photos from Horseshoe curve. We have no snow here.
Last night I worked briefly on my corner project on my layout, and I hope to accomplish more today.
Happy Model Railroading !
If this works - here's a video I took out the window of my car on the Pennsylvanian is August 2013 as we went through The Curve.
I have lots of other photos from the trip, which broght me hime from Milwaukee (2nd trip, with problems on each of the 3 flights - so I INSISTED they book me on Amtrak coming home - it was cheaper than the flight, too.). Went from Mitchell Airport to Chicago - that train had a Cabbage leading. The overnight to Pittsburg on the Cap Limited, with a bedroom. And finally the Pennsylvanian to Harrisburg. Once it was light enough out, I kept seeing large groups of railfans taking shots of our train. I had no idea why until I got off at Harrisburg and finally saw that the loco was one of the heritage units.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
May as well contribute one of my photos from Horseshow Curve. This was taken in Sept. 2016, shortly after the trees had been cut back. Previous to that time, and for a number of years, very little of the complete Curve could be viewed.
I have a question for you folks. When I click on a photo in my own post, it comes up almost full screen, does it also enlarge if you click on the photo?
tcwright973 does it also enlarge if you click on the photo?
Gidday Tom, yes, and if I click on the photo again, it enlargens again, approximately 1/4 fulls the whole screen.
Great for looking at details!
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good morning from the wet coast of Canuckland.
We sometimes have years where the temperature does not go down to freezing, however tomorrow it is supposed to and with a little snow to boot. Very unusual this early.
Had dinner plate sized Maple leaves all over the property yesterday and after going over the acre we have in grass "twice" on the Deere, you would never know there was a leaf on the lawn at all. I ruined the dogs fun as they really love playing in them. Oh well, maybe they will have more of this to play in, come tomorrow.
Took this last Christmas, someone wants to use it on a calendar.
Got a call from the kid yesterday, he rarely calls as we chat throughout the day on Facebook. He got an E-Mail that he will have $13,000.00 deposited into his bank account for university. He got a corporate grant for all the volunteering/fundraising he does for disabled athletes and other volunteering he does such as introducing hockey to troubled youth. Between that and his $6000.00 in scholarships, he is laughing. The old adage "A good deed comes back tenfold" sure applies to him. He deserves it and we are really proud of the contributions he makes to the community. We don't mind either as it helps with easing the daughters' medical school aspirations.
Big Daddy was talking about the tubby trick or treaters. When the kid was home last week he had his shirt off and still had a good 8 pack going on up front. I asked him how he could still have that being at university and riding a desk. He said he takes the stairs up 9 floors to his room every time.
Randy, you got me watching Horseshoe Curve video's all morning and that meant lots of coffee. I will be going to the WC all afternoon now.
I have taken everything out of my train room office and bought better shelving. As I am putting it back together a lot of stuff is going in the trash. My daughter is going to share the room and do her homework in there. She is having issue's with not being able to stop studying and learning long enough to get proper sleep, so we are separating her from her books and computer. She is an addict to learning. The University Of British Columbia has been studying her brain development over the years including taking MRI's once in a while to see what is going on in there. How she is so smart with a dummy like me for a Dad is hard to figure out. We don't have a mailman out here in the boonies so that rules that out.
My Ford F-350 needs a new wiper motor, normally that is an easy job, however, I just don't have it in me right now to tackle, so I will take it in later to get it done. The guy at Ford told me to get the motor as I can get a better price through connections. It has to be aftermarket as Ford doesn't make them anymore as the truck is 17 years old. The guy at Ford says he knows of no other 17-year-old truck that is in such good condition and we get lots of people wanting to buy it. It has the 7.3 ltr diesel in it and they are getting hard to come by. I keep thinking I should get a new truck, but there really is no reason to.
Well back to the TR office to fill my new shelves.
All the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thanks Bear...
Somewhere I have another collection of photos, from when I went and was on the other side of the train, watching trains go by on the Curve. And I also visited the museum in town. I was in Altoona for business and was rather annoyed that I drove all that way for 15 minutes, so I told my co-worker who rode with me that I was going to go visit the curve while I was there. Walking back down to the car, he remarked that he expected to see maybe one or two trains in the time we were there - it was more like 6. We were there for maybe a half hour.
Jimmy_BraumI literally hid in my house from trick or treaters, since I don't give candy out.
.
I am sorry to hear that you skipped Halloween.
Halloween, specifically trick or treating, is my favorite holiday of the year.
Neighborhood kids come to my house, and I am allowed to give them candy to spread happiness. All the neighbors are out and everyone is in a good mood.
It is really beautiful. It is the only holiday where we get to do nice things for total strangers just to make people enjoy a day.
I love it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
We don't give out candy on Halloween, either. We figure kids get enough of that from the neighbors, and besides, we don't want to be tempted by any leftovers.
Instead, we give out Halloween-themed pencils, toys, and trinkets, like rubber skeletons, vampire teeth, glow-in-the-dark spiders, stickers, etc. The kids seem to like them just fine, as we've been doing this for close to a decade and the house hasn't been egged yet.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com