It´s past midnight in my neck of the woods, so welcome to Jeffrey's Trackside Diner!
It's the place for you to go to 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 "Servus!" Each month, the Diner will be parked in a different location at places all over the world
This month, the Diner is located in - Austria. I know we have been there already, but "Spring has finally sprung" and there is no finer place to be in the month of May than Vienna, the capital of Austria. It´ll be a month filled with awsome architecture, music and excellent food. We will indulge in the charm of the bygone Austro-Hungarian Empire, as we follow the footsteps of Emperor Franz-Joseph, who was said to have a secret love for trains! Staying in the famous Hotel Sacher, we will take trips (by train, of course) to various places of interest throughout Austria. We will enjoy a boat cruise on Lake St. Wolfgang, wine and dine in the famous "White Horse Inn", go up a mountain with a rack railway, ride narrow tracks, climb up the "stairway to Heaven", visit Mozart´s birthplace and, and, and and ...
Let´s start the day with an preview on what is waiting for us to discover in this beautiful city!
Today´s song is - not what you may have expected, but this:
Enjoy!
Each month, we also pay our respect to friends no longer with us.
Barry Arnold aka BlownoutCylinderJerry Cox aka Cox47Wolfgang Dudler aka Westport TerminalBob Hartle aka cmrproductsEd MurphyBill NorthStein Rypern, Jr. aka SteinjrAndy SperandeoJeffrey "Running Bear" WimberleyAlan BTom Mills
"Gone, but never forgotten!"
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Good to see You were able to make it back, Ulrich.
I also hope things are working out better for You and Petra.......
Maybe now I'll start being in the diner more......instead of just sitting in the corner...watching.
Great country Austria.....been there a number of times. As You may recall My second wife was born there and is still a citizen of that country, as well as Her two sisters. That is the only way they can keep the land they own there, from their Parents..
All The Best, My Friend!
Frank
Austria, very nice.
.
The setting for my third favorite musical.
I just found out that if you reverse the trucks on an Athearn Blue Box diesel it will run backward. Oops.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Austria? As in Austria-Hungary?
Ahol az apámat anyák családja származik, a Huzkas.
That's Hungarian for.
That's where my dads mothers family is from, the Huzkas.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Ah a new diner,
I will have the Austrian special.
Here is what was on the bench this week.
1938 Zenith
I have been listening to baseball from all over tonight. Tomorrow the owners can come and get it. It amazes me that something made in 1938 still works ( with a bit of renewal of some parts.)
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE
I remember all the nice hills in that part of the world.
I have an old radio in my train room.
My Dad was working for the Post Office in Winnipeg during the early part of WWII and my Mom and him wanted a radio to follow the news. He went to Eatons Dept store and of course, buying anything like that was near impossible because of the War effort. The salesman took his name and one day called him at work and said they got three in. Dad told the boss he had to leave and why, the boss said GO! It still works well to this day. Tubes and wooden knobs are just the coolest things. In the sixties I had an old turntable plugged into it in my room.
My Dad was working for the Post Office in Winnipeg during the early part of WWII and my Mom and him wanted a radio to follow the news. He went to Eatons Dept store and of course, buying anything like that was near impossible because of the War effort. The salesman took his name and one day called him at work and said they got three in. Dad told the boss he had to leave and why, the boss said GO!
It still works well to this day. Tubes and wooden knobs are just the coolest things. In the sixties I had an old turntable plugged into it in my room.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
ooo, ahh, wow that's quite a piece of history there!
Just finished watching "The Crossing" it's about as Sci-fi as I'll watch.
Just was surfing the interwebs and found this, https://revologycars.com, who wouldn't want a BRAND NEW 1969 Ford Mustang, albeit a 2018 vintage with the design of a '69.
Forgot to mention the best part of today, I went to the library in Zachary today, stopped by the free to take magazine basket, seems a railfan in the area dumped three dozen or so issues of Trains magazine in the basket, upon seeing them I swiftly rummaged through the basket and walked out with all the issues in hand.
Here's another song about Vienna.
moelarrycurly4Here is what was on the bench this week. 1938 Zenith
That is absolutely beautiful! I have early memories of my family sitting around a huge radio in the dining room. I was enthralled with it, partially no doubt because I was rightly forbidden to touch it.
Right now I am being torn between keeping or getting rid of the predecessor to the tube radios and the old phonographs. We have a pump organ that has been in the family since it was built in 1881. Pump organs were the go to family entertainment centers of the late 1800s. It works perfectly and it is a beautiful piece of workmanship, but it has taken up too much space for too long. Nobody else in the family wants it and we want to update the livingroom where it has sat for 30 years. I could turn it into a stereo stand but I'm afraid that I would feel too guilty for dismembering the thing. So, we are looking for a buyer. Unfortunately, nobody else wants them either so it isn't worth more than a couple hundred dollars. It may cost more to move the thing than it will sell for.
Ho hum!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Good Morning, Ladies and Gents!
Petra came home early yesterday - it was just too stormy to dance with the devil on Brocken Mountain summit. It is still stormy outside - rather unpleasant!
So, we arrived at Vienna´s Schwechat airport today! Going to downtown Vienna has become quite easy these days, as we just have to climb aboard a train, which whisks us to the new Vienna CAT (City Airport Terminal) in no time at all. When I worked in Vienna, taking a taxi or a bus was the only way to go.
It´s only a short distance to our Hotel, the Hotel Sacher.
The rooms still maintain that typical Austro-Hungarian character of the days of Emperor Franz-Josef.
Shall we meet in half an hour for a tour of the city by streetcar?
For a first impression of what is ahead of us, let´s take the famous "Ring" line.
And some bonus footage of the 150th anniversary of Vienna streetcars.
Lunch will be at a "Heurigen" in Gumpoldskirchen, then we had back into town to get a rest - for tonight "Letz Waltz"
Tinplate ToddlerIt´s only a short distance to our Hotel, the Hotel Sacher.
Not exactly diner food, but this is the home of my favorite chocolate treat - The Sacher Torte!
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
Ahh streetcars, we stupidly got rid of all of ours in the US and now are tyring to put some back. I wish we still had them in the town I live in, They would have come within a block of me.
Good morning .... I'll have coffee and a scrumptious goody, please.
Yestday was lon and busy. Finally went to bed at 1:00 am this morning.
Ulrich ..... Auatria will be an intersting location. ... Home of Roco trains.
MLC... I agree it would be nice to still have streetcars... Ditto for the great trains in the USA in the 1950's. ....
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
The dinner has a whole different flavor this time around, and I'm liking it!
Wife and I used to make a long weekend around an Andre concert, but then he stopped coming to Milwaukee, but wait, I hear that he is coming back, I'll have to listen for details.
Another Vienna favorite of mine is Mozart. And although Beethoven was born in Germany, he did spend much of his time in Vienna. His Symphony #6, the Pastoral Symphony, to me, is the gold standard.
I'm not ALL about "outlaw country" music , I do have another side.
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewiAnd although Beethoven was born in Germany, he did spend much of his time in Vienna. His Symphony #6, the Pastoral Symphony, to me, is the gold standard.
Symphony #6 is my favourite, too. Jokingly, people say, that Austria´s greatest achievemnet in history is, that the world believes Beethoven was Austrian and Hitler German
moelarrycurly4 Ahh streetcars, we stupidly got rid of all of ours in the US and now are tyring to put some back. I wish we still had them in the town I live in, They would have come within a block of me.
AFAIK, Seattle, Portland OR and San Diego already have quite extensive systems in place. A number of European cities, which scrapped their streetcars in the 1950´s and 1960s, are re-establishing them now. The strangest vehicle is to be found in Venice, Italy - a kind of monorail guided mix of a streetcar and a bus - connecting the City of the lagoons with the industrial town of Mestre on the mainland.
Boston still runs streetcars and has a pretty big "layout" for them and heavy-rail subways. It is atrociously managed and frequently breaks down, and terribly overpriced. I refer to it as "quaint."
San Francisco has an extensive streetcar system as well. When other cities were getting rid of their systems, San Francisco was actively buying up the used cars. They have been beautifully restored and now serve not only as an active public transit system but also a living museum to the days of trolleys.
I've only been to Austria once, many years ago. What I remember was the beer. Every small town had bars where all I needed was a glass of the local draft beer to be in heaven. That was almost 50 years ago, and the USA is just now getting to the point where a "local draft" is something worth seeking out.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good morning all.
Brunhilda - I will take a nice Apple pastry with a glass of milk please. Thanks.
Sorry I was missing for a bit, I had to go find my passport for the trip!
Pittsburgh trip - Made it back, but boy was the drive interesting! Had a semi hauling styrofoam sheets lose part of his load on the interstate, and it flew into our car! Bounced off of the hood, windshield, and drivers side mirror, giving lots of paint scrapes and scuffs.
Ulrich - Nice Location, and some interesting tidbits already. Much appreciated.
Weather - Warm and sunny, I like this.
W*^k - Off today, but go back tomorrow. Yesterday I ended up about 15 minutes late, as on another interstate on my way in, a car about 10-12 car lengths ahead of me lost control and slammed the guard railing. (The wire cabling kind, tearing the car apart in the process.) I stopped to see if he was ok, and got pinned in by a PSP (Pennsylvania State Police) vehicle while I was there. (Unintentionally, they were stopping near enough to the crash to block access to the wreck, and still be visable to all other traffic. Unfortunately, that meant they were at an angle right next to my front passenger side.) My boss was happy that I did the right thing in making sure the accident victim was ok.
Trains - Making some progress on the painting of the industry building parts, hopefully will have some pics to share soon.
Hoping 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.
MisterBeasleyWhat I remember was the beer. Every small town had bars where all I needed was a glass of the local draft beer to be in heaven. That was almost 50 years ago, and the USA is just now getting to the point where a "local draft" is something worth seeking out.
That has changed both in Austria and Germany, but I am afraid not to the better. The number of small independent breweries has steadily gone down, most of them having been amalgamated into large groups, which are run by number crunchers and not brewmasters. The difference is in the label these days and not in the taste! Actually, those small micro breweries in the US have earned a reputation to turn out some of the best beers in the world!
Morning diners,
Happy Birthday Amtrak! 47 years in service.
Vienna, Austria is a beautiful place and city. The arts, music, etc. I believe it might have changed since the 30s with that old Zenith radio. But I could be wrong.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
angelob6660 Morning diners, Happy Birthday Amtrak! 47 years in service. Vienna, Austria is a beautiful place and city. The arts, music, etc. I believe it might have changed since the 30s with that old Zenith radio. But I could be wrong.
No, you are not wrong! DowntownVienna did not see that much destruction through bombing during WW II and therefore has retained much of its former splendor of a beautiful mix of grand imperial architecture and Art Nouveaux buildings.
Tinplate ToddlerThat has changed both in Austria and Germany, but I am afraid not to the better. The number of small independent breweries has steadily gone down, most of them having been amalgamated into large groups, which are run by number crunchers and not brewmasters. The difference is in the label these days and not in the taste! Actually, those small micro breweries in the US have earned a reputation to turn out some of the best beers in the world!
Yes, the international conglomerates now control most US "beer" production too, but that's mostly from their ownership of Budweiser, Miller and Coors, the "pale yellow" products which I've outgrown in favor of local craft beers. Once a small craft beer itself, Samuel Adams brewery is now the largest American-owned brewer. I've seen In-Bev and Heineken buy some of the craft breweries, too, but most are too small to be worth their trouble, and new ones are springing up all the time.
MisterBeasleyI've seen In-Bev and Heineken buy some of the craft breweries, too, but most are too small to be worth their trouble, and new ones are springing up all the time.
If you make it down to Tampa, there are some remarkable local breweries. All in the shadow of Busch Gardens, owned by In-Bev!
Afternoon All!
Lots of Fronts today:
Vision Front: As some of you may remember, I ended up with high pressure in my eyes last fall. I was prescribed one kind of drop to try to reduce that pressure. Unfortunately, that medication is not doing what it needed to do. As a result, the doctor prescribed a different medication that requires use twice a day. We shall see what that does.
Parent Front: Let's hope stuff calms down. I'm finding that I am still turning into an Oscar entirely too much for my liking. (Think Sesame Street.)
Hobby Front: Got all the incorrect lettering removed from the SD45 and the excess CA removed. Getting ready to install the new couplers except I can't find my 2-56 tap! Also need to replace a couple of drill bits I broke. I hope the local hardware store has them.(Expensive but needed.) A little paint is also needed.
Heading for the hay now, saying "Good Night" with with a famous piece of music the older folks among us will remember!
Good night, Ulrich. It is so good to have you back.
Richard
Tinplate ToddlerSeattle, Portland OR and San Diego already have quite extensive systems in place. A number of European cities, which scrapped their streetcars in the 1950´s and 1960s, are re-establishing them now.
Don't forget Toronto! It's been running street cars since 1861. They almost got rid of them several times but the people of Toronto overturned those decisions each time. Here are some nostalgic pictures of the "Red Rockets" which are what I still think of when someone says "streetcar":
https://www.blogto.com/city/2013/04/what_the_original_red_rocket_looked_like_in_toronto/
Here is what they are running now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMM3n80hTQw
Afternoon diners,
Supposedly Ford is going to buy Detroits Michigan Central Station.
https://jalopnik.com/it-looks-like-ford-is-going-to-buy-and-rehab-detroits-m-1825679175/amp
Here's what I've been working on since Sunday.
http://imgur.com/a/Ej1roNH
Had to dig the trench and run the pipe, it's going to serve as plumbing for the hose spigot and be the supply line for the "shed"
Austria! Cool!
Checking in for the month.
Prayers to my Canadian friend. Good thoughts your way!!
Terry
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
Evenin Folks!
Welll, well, well! Look who is back! Good to see you Ulrich! Thanks for moving the diner for us....
I have been too busy to get in here for the past few days. Spent last weekend at Ops 'till You Drop put on by the Central New York Division of the NMRA (Syracuse area). Oprrated on both of Bill Brown, MMR's layouts. One is set in the 1980s, and the other is in the 1940s. The first operates with working signals for train movement, and we use radios to keep in touch with the dispacher. The second is in "dark territory" and runs using train orders and timetable. Nice to be given a bunch of form 19s to do the work. I really enjoyed that as that is how my layout will be operated when I get to it. The third layout is a new one that is under construction. Small, but a lot of operating going. Great weekend as always.
Yesterday and this morning I was busy writing an article for the local newspaper about the upcoming MLK Scholarship Recipients and Dinner in a couple weeks. Deadline to get evertything to the editor was noon today. I walked in and hand delivered it to him at 11:57AM.... I had to spend most of the afternoon yesterday at the High School getting usable photos of each of the kids. One was not in school (sick) so her grandmother brought over a good photo for me to scan. I also had not yet recieved the Bio of the speaker for the dinner (who was a 1995 MLK Scholarshgip recipient). I was supposed to have his photo and Bio about 2 weeks ago! Unfortunately his father is in the hospital and the guy just didn't get to it. So I get a quickly written bio around 10:30 last night. His Mom was at the Newspaper Office when I went in to hand the article over. She had just brought in her son's photo. I know the family well so we chatted for a few minutes... Then there was the Scout stuff.... never mind.
I am taking some time to be here while the programs for the Eagle Scout Ceremony this Saturday are printing. Hopefully I have the what has to get done before Saturday for that and the NMRA Meet I have to be at in Oakfield Saturday Morning............. Busy is not a strong enough term for what is going on right now, and I WILL get my 3 mile walks in over at the Fieldhouse. That now comes first in my life! Oh, I am down another lb. as of this morning! Have now lost 102 lbs total.
Drove home in a snow storm from Syracuse on Sunday. Today got up to about 75 here today and the lawn mowers are out..... Mine needs it now.
"I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life." - George Burns
Have a great one out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!