Greetings from beautiful Southern California in the Tehachapi Mountains on the UP/BNSF mainline at the Tehachapi Loop.
Welcome to Jeffrey's Trackside Diner. It's a place where you can come in, relax and talk about most anything except religion, politics, immigration, or any other hot button topic that may ruffle feathers or is deemed inappropriate for a family-oriented hobby. 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 "See any nice trains today?"
Chef Ryan has set up a fire pit and smoker to cook up some good ol' BBQ!
Enjoy!
RIP Track:
"Gone, but never forgotten!"
The MOW crew was kind enough to let us spot our two car diner train on a temporary stub track inside the loop!
Have fun!
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Thanks for moving the diner but you confuse old guys like me who think it is still 2017.
Apropos of nothing, here is a heavily weathered PC hopper I saw while video railfanning.
No it's not Calif, it's not UP nor BNSF, best I can do on the east coast this morning.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Since it’s January 1st i’d like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Good morning from the clear and sunny West Coast. There is a blanket of snow still on the ground that has been here for over a week as the temps have been hovering around freezing for a couple of weeks.
Thanks for moving the joint Steven. I usually learn something about the RR and surrounding area we visit as it often leads me to read more about what gets talked about.
Ken, So sorry to hear about your Dad, I lost mine in 1993, however, I swear he is inhabiting my train room smiling ear to ear.
Life here has been a gong show since the flood at the end of November. It would take pages to tell what has been going on and I just would not know where to start, so I will just skip it.
Right now we are waiting for one of our bitches to whelp a litter of three puppies. My wife has hit the hay for a few hours as she slept with the "Mom to be" last night in the family room. The wife imported the Semin from Finland I think it was. It usually takes about six pups to break even on cost so this will chew up the bank account a bit.
The kid has been home from Ottawa for a week now and was asked to go to Seattle for a Hockey tournament yesterday. They smoked the Seattle team, however, he is really suffering from being at University, it is finally starting to catch up with him in the fitness department. He has been asked to join the team at Easter in Edmonton for a big tourney there. He will fly to Edmonton from Ottawa to play over four days. I have to get his gear to the team at the airport to take as he brought it home from Ottawa and will now leave it here for the rest of the year as he was and is too busy with school to play. He does have his skates and will buy a hockey stick to play a bit on the Rideau Canal though.
Dave, I remember you saying you put a stack of Gordon Lightfoot records on the player to study by when you were at school. The kid said he has started listening to Gordie while he studies. It may be because it reminds him of home as well. I will often play for up to three hours some mornings, mostly Lightfoot. He is listening to the stuff I started listening to some fifty years ago. Pure acoustic can be quite relaxing in a world where the musicians are all plugged in so a computer can correct their mistakes.
Time for another Java.
Here is to a Happy and productive (modeling wise) New Year for all my fellow model railroaders. Stay safe in this cold weather.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Howdy there, here's an interesting tidbit, In 1916 I believe the SP proposed a second alternative route through Tehachapi Pass for uphill trains. I shall post a picture if I can find one...
Good afternoon Diners,
Brunhilda, I'll have another extra large coffee with lots of cream, please.
Hey, I was the last poster in the December diner before it was locked. Beverages of choice are on me.
Batman: Funny you should mention starting to listen to Gordon Lightfoot 50 years ago. Last night I was listening to songs on my iPod and The Beatles "Hello Goodbye" came on. I was listening to that song while studying 50 years ago to the week. Brings back memories of the music then. Hendrix "Axis Bold as Love," and Cream "Disraeli Gears" to name a couple. Hard to believe all of that was 50 years ago. Scary!
Well, if 2018 will be anything like the last 4 or 5 years went, I'll set some goals for the year, and the year will speed by and the goals will end up not being achieved because other things always take precedence. I would like to have a little time to model something, but not likely to happen. Oh, well. I can still dream.
Again, hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Was I supposed to post that picture?
Afternoon Diners,
Don't worry Henry, it's still an excellent picture.
It's not the new year and we moved a day early. Good day 2017 and hello 2018. Let's hope my social worker gets me a job this year.
Thanks Steven to a warm location. Maybe to hot for those California wildfires.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
NWP SWPWas I supposed to post that picture?
So JaBear, that picture IS required???
Also I did post the RIP Track and the rules...
Thought I'd announce that from 6 PM tonight to 6 AM tommorow drinks are on the house!
A bit more history about the area, Walong is named for the SP executive W. A. Long who worked for the SP at the time of the Loops construction...
Now I wonder if there's Billy Joels "Miami 2017" in the jukebox???
BigDaddy Thanks for moving the diner but you confuse old guys like me who think it is still 2017.
Heh heh, a high school kid hosting an old guy coffee clutch! Hey, stranger things have happened!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I've been told that I am an "Old Soul" mostly because I could'nt name a top 100 artist of the past 20 years! If not longer! Newest music I listen to is Billy Joel... I'm a little behind the times...
Happy New Year from the Great White North!
It certainly has been frosty here for the last couple of weeks. This morning at 10 a.m. it was -22F with a windchill of -45F.
We are staying indoors today and will just have a quiet New Year's.
Ken, I was very sorry to hear of your Dad's passing and especially the way you found out. I do admire the way you just carryon in spite of adversity.
We had friends over for dinner last night and had a nice time. They needed a break as the funeral for Chris's mum was on Friday. A very upsetting time for all.
Nothing new on the RR front. I seem to have lost my enthusiasim for it lately but I expect it will come back at some point. I have run the HO a little but the N scale layout just sits. I have thought of selling it off but probably will just let it sit.
Stay warm and have great new year,
CN Charlie
Hi Crew,
to all, may it be a railfully great year.
Have our Kids here from Billings so it will be a great N.Y.E. although I wish they could stay longer that Tuesday.
Sorry to hear about those who have passed and those on sick bay at this time of year. Prayers for you all. Cuda Ken, I lost my Dad in 1981, but I still talk to him quite regularily.
Br. Zero, remember last year upon receiving the Feb. 2017 issue I notified you that you had put the Feb. 2016 date on the cover. Well this year I get the Feb. issue with advertising cover over the cover page of the issue, and low and behold that Advertsing cover is upside down on the magazine. What do you folks at Kalmbach have against Feb.
On the LM&E right now I am working on disguising the hatch for the opening into the mountain to access any problems that might occur in there. So far over the years there has only been one incident in there and that is when the hatch got opened up, but I never finished it. (new years resolution #1)
Hope you all have a great N.Y.Eve and that all stay safe. Remember if you drink don't drive and visa versa.
Give all your favorite girls an extra kiss for me at Mid-Night..
Johnboy out.......................till 2018.
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
NWP SWP: Don't worry too much. The month that I moved the diner to my home town was quite interesting. I had been on this group maybe a month when I did that.
Given that we are in California, I would be remiss if I didn't put in a ¡Feliz Año Nuevo a todos!
Hobby Front: From what the tracking is showing, Tuesday should be quite the day for presents. All the railroad items I have ordered should be showing up. Now the only thing is to hopefully have a warm Tuesday later in the month to be able to build the new section for the 3 way turnout. (I still need to get the cork sheets, the capacitior discharge unit, and the control boxes to get everything all hooked up.)
BATMANDave, I remember you saying you put a stack of Gordon Lightfoot records on the player to study by when you were at school. The kid said he has started listening to Gordie while he studies. It may be because it reminds him of home as well. I will often play for up to three hours some mornings, mostly Lightfoot. He is listening to the stuff I started listening to some fifty years ago.
Well, he certainly has good taste! I have a CD player that will hold a mind boggling 200 CDs. The inside looks like an old slide projecter magazine. The first dozen or so are all Gordon Lightfoot. I still have all the LPs too.
Happy New Year Brent and family, and to everyone else as well!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
MUSIC to study by was Basie, Ellington ,Ella , Sarah, Goodman , Shaw and a few dozen more.
FOSSIL PHIL.
Happy new year !
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Happy New Years!!! Goodbye 2017 amd good riddens!!! Hello 2018!!! Just got out of the concert 1:34 AM Eastern Time... First song played after Aud Lang Sine was the iconic "My Life" what a way to start the New Year!!!
NWP SWPJust got out of the concert 1:34 AM Eastern Time... First song played after Aud Lang Sine was the iconic "My Life" what a way to start the New Year!!!
Glad you had a good time!
Never a dull moment at a Billy Joel concert, especially on NYE
NWP SWP Also I did post the RIP Track and the rules...
Yeah, but if you're going to do the job, at least try to do it properly!!
http://www.goldenwestbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/tehachapi-02.jpg
Top of the morning ladies and gents. A fresh cup of coffee please.
New Years Eve was uneventful, spent most of it working due to the cold. One of my plowing contracts requires clear roads and walkways, and even though it's not snowing at ten below, the wind has been drifting banks terribly.
The cold has gelled up most of our equipment. Two loaders, the plowing skidsteer and the skodsteer with bucket are all dead. The two tractors arent far behind as they started having issues with fuel yesterday too. The steady winds have made it the equivalent of negative twenty or below. Even running Kerosene mixed into our fuel isn't helping. Gotta set up a shelter and some portable heaters today as the temp is supposed to rise up to one degree. A heat wave!
Time to get ready and go start the trucks.
This space reserved for SpaceMouse's future presidential candidacy advertisements
It is so cold at the zoo that the hippopotamus got frostbite and lost an ear.While the zookeeper was dealing with this one of the lions got out an killed a wildebeest.Our resourceful zookeeper was able to save an ear from the dying wildebeest and graft this onto his ailing hippopotamus.So let me be the first to say HIPPO GNU EAR!ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
NWP SWPI've been told that I am an "Old Soul" mostly because I could'nt name a top 100 artist of the past 20 years! If not longer! Newest music I listen to is Billy Joel... I'm a little behind the times...
.
When I was in High school, in 1982, in Cape Coral, FL (retirement community), I listened to Frank Sinatra, Brenda Lee, The Beatles, Elvis, and Louis Prima.
Now, I really love Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, and Meghan Trainor.
It just took me a while to catch up!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Goooood Morning and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Wishing today is the beginning of a healthy and prosperous year for all!!
I‘ll just sit here at the RC for a bit, have a cup of that Marrakesh coffee and the breakfast buffet please and thanks.
Ya’ll have a goodun ya hear!?
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Good morning Diners,
Brunhilda, I'll have an extra large coffee with lots of cream, please.
It's 10 below zero Farenheit here. Actual, not wind chill. I don't care what anyone says, that is cold. Might as well be in Winnepeg or Yellowknife at this rate.
Having morning coffee while waiting for the parade to start. I've probably said this before, but the Rose Parade needs to be seen live to be appreciated. MOH and I camped out on the parade route a couple of times. It was a lot of of fun,......then! After our son was born, he was about 5 months old on NYE, we wrapped him in a "snuggly," wrapped my coat around both of us, and the three of us started at Colorado and Sierra Madre and walked the entire parade route to the Wriggly Mansion on Orange Grove and back. It was approximately 12 miles. On NYE, the parade route is a 6 mile long party! Good memories!
Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone isOK, safe, and warm.
JaBear, have a drink and calm down... The complaint department is on the fourth floor...
Kevin, I have heard those artists names, can't name a single song though!