Ed .... You are bringing back memories, too. ... I lived in Kalamazoo in 1971. ... Also, I did ride the South Shore from Chicago to Michigan CIty, and was in the station in your photo.
Mike... Interesting. I did not know South Shore cars still ran. ... I see they switched to using trolley poles.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
The East Troy Electric Railway runs a few of the old South Shore cars.
https://www.easttroyrr.org/
Picture courtesy of the ET Chamber of Commerce.
Mike.
My You Tube
Garry,
The South Shore photo brought back some memories!
I was with a friend that went to the Checker Motors factory in Kalamazoo to pick up some parts for his Checker Marathon back in 1971. we decided to go to Michigan City and ride the South Shore into Chicago for the day.
SouthShore_104-Michigan-City by Edmund, on Flickr
The street running in Michigan City was really neat and the "store-front" depot was just like the ones the old interurban lines used to have.
What great fun that was. It was about as close to riding an old interurban as any kid in 1971 could get. I sure miss those times
Cheers, Ed
Good afternoon .... I'll have a slice of Chicago style pizza please.
Lion .... Intersting video. How many cops does it take to catch a racoon? LOL
EMD Mike ..... That is a nice looking IC SD70.
Speaking of Illinois Central, here is a photo of an IC electric commuter train. Thse cars from the 1920's were oepated in pairs with one power car adn one trailer each. Trains , therefore, had even numbers of cars. IC commuter trains served suburbs south of Chicago.
Another electric commuter line, was the South Shore Line which connected downtown Chicago with cities in the northwest corner of Indiana.
These two electric commuter lines are still being used, but the equipment has been replaced with newer types.
Since we are Chicago, home of the Cubs, some proper Illinios power for front end friday is in order. Here we have an OMI brass IC "Death Star" SD70. No layout yet for a really good pic, so one of her sitting on top of her box will have to do. Only a 3 hour drive from my place to the outskirts of Chicago, 4.5 to Wrigley field depending on traffic. My cousin is a police officer in that area as well. Lots of good train shows and I assume still a couple really good hobby shops there as well. Mike the Aspie
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Racoons seem to be in the news this morning...
I had a stuffed Racoon once... Mom was NOT pleased...
Lion was a little younger in those days.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
York1 I will try to drill up through the table without damaging the turnout.
Hi, York! I'm not sure how much advice you have recieved so far but I might also suggest using a Forstner bit if you plan to drill. These will not dig in so aggressively and will drill almost flat bottomed hole. Excellent for woodwork.
https://tinyurl.com/y2h7qfrj
When I had to drill a hole in the 3/4" plywood sub roadbed I useed a "Rorozip" tool, kind of like a dremel but made for routing and rotary cutting. I set the depth to just under 3/4" and it cut through the plywood without touching the track ties.
York1Retirement is great. I wish I had done it 40 years ago.
Amen!!!
Good Luck, Ed
It's about 50 and clear here in the middle of the USA. Lots of fog this morning, but it will be 70s this afternoon. This is one of the few times of year when the weather is just about perfect. We seem to be either below zero or above 90 most of the year.
Today I am attempting to put in a switch machine on a finished turnout. I will try to drill up through the table without damaging the turnout. Got some advice to slip a putty knife under the track, so I will try it. I have every belief that I am going to be replacing the turnout by this evening.
With the weather so nice, I won't be able to do much on the hobby. Lots of yard work and outdoor fixups after a long snowy winter.
I have only been to Chicago twice, almost 30 years ago. After reading some of your posts, I am really wishing to go back. First stop would be the Science and Industry museum.
Retirement is great. I wish I had done it 40 years ago.
York1 John
good morning all,
hope all are well. not much going on in this neck of the woods.
have a chilli dog on me.
I have been in a Dennys once only. It was about 20 years ago. We were in Niagara Falls, Ontario and we decided to have breakfast in the Dennys just above the Falls. When we sat down we ordered two coffees for us and two milkshakes for the kids (not their usual breakfast fare - we were on vacation). That was before we saw the menus. We were shocked at the prices! Talk about a tourist trap! IIRC, I think it would have cost more than $60.00 for four simple breakfasts, and that was on top of the coffee and shakes. We politely declined to order anything else and asked for the bill. Rarely in my life have I ever been treated with such derision!! We were literally told to get out after we handed them the money. I asked for my change back and didn't leave a tip. That made them even nastier! Needless to say we haven't been to a Dennys since.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I am in Jacksonville this morning. I have a heavy work schedule for the next three weeks.
.
Next week I am going to be working directly with the Norfolk Southern Railroad at a large intermodal yard in Georgia.
I don't know why I am so excited, it is work, and in line with everything I have done before, but I am going to be in a real rail yard!
I hope I can keep my excitement down and not turn into a little kid in front of an important customer! I surely would be embarrased if I went all fan-boy while we are talking business.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good Morning All,
30 with a glowing red sky this morning. Best of luck in the Keys Ray. Hope you find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and all that.
I was busy in the basement last night acting on suggestions from the place next door as to how to fix the problems in my new service yard. I now have to add more drops to the buss as once I fixed the big problem the spaghetti tracks didn't always route power the way I wanted. At least I feel I'm getting close.
Ja Bear, I always take those "largest in the world" claims with a bit of caution. A lot of it means "largest in the world" that we know of.
Sort of like who invented the internet. I bought an Engineering Marvels of New Zealand book the last time I was over and it looks like the Kiwis were leading developers of precast concrete structural components for bridges. Nothing seems to create innovation better than nothing or at least having to go through extreme lengths to get something delivered from the other side of the world (or even Oz).
All for now. Back to the shop to reinvent a gearbox. CUL, J.R.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Evening folks,
Had to work a double at the Y, why you ask? Well amber the got canned today, not surprising due to her derelict behavior, she was late, when she finally got to work she had her face glued to her phone, then she said she had to go to the restroom and disappeared for around a half hour?!
The good news is I'm off the morning shift which was KILLING me! Now I'm working 1-5 every day which is OK, hopefully my boss will keep me in that position for the long run.
So weird phenomenon I noticed today, throughout my shift there separate women came in to work out, well we have to scan their membership cards, all three "appeared" to be around my age to maybe college graduate age, when I scanned the first one in, 31, ok sure she could pass as a 31 I guess, next was 35, again plausible, after all she probably regularly exercises, so last one and youngest looking of the bunch 40!, now I'm more than capable of distinguishing 30+ and even 25+ y/o from younger college age girls and the last two didn't have photos on their membership to help verify, either someone fudged the DOBs for them or they've found the fount of youth? better than them looking 24 and being 14 I guess!
TF, sorry but no shootin iron talk, I personally don't take issue with firearms but some can get extremely uncomfortable with that discussion.
Cool loader though! I'm wanting to try a mine kitbash and now could probably afford it! I'll probably put in on a diorama.
Today I head a real live radio play!? Didn't know those still existed but apparently they do! tonight we tried Dave's Pizza in Jackson, a quite literal hole in the wall place, but it was pretty good definitely better than digoirnio or the hut! And they deliver to my street!
Well thats all from me, later!
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
drgwcsKevin I was one of the ones that was giving you hobby shops- (Lived in Chicago but moved away) I could have sworn that I mentioned Zientek's,
You might have. If so, I am going to be kicking myself for not going there!
I don't know when I will be back in the Chicago area.
Ray .... I just read your post..... Best wishes to you ! I hope all goes well ! Looking forward to hearing from you upon your return....
XboxTravis ... That is a great photo of the NS heritage unit for EL .... I wish all NS units had color instead of black.
Evenin' Folks!
Just poping in to say, I won't be around for the next 5/6 days or so. Tomorroe MNorning I get to drive to Rochester Airport to begin a journey that I hope will be life changing for me..... I'm heading out to Key West to see a lady friend who is a Snow Bird down there and hear her sing in a choral concert this Sunday. Well she knows that was just a good excuse to visit......
I won't have any way nor time to be sitting staring at the computer while there, and I don't have a smarty pants type of phone. My old flip phone can make phone calls... That is all I want it for. May be able to get on line on their computer, but I would much rather see some of the great sights down there. Will be nice to get where it is a bit warmer, I think and do some walking on the beach. Tomorrow morning is supposed to be one of icy spring days here in Central NY, so I will be driving carefully!
See you next week!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
For those who appreciate Pink Floyd I would greatly suggest Tangerine Dream force majeure not anywhere near as good but when we're dealing with Pink Floyd half as good is good too! And there is a ghost train
TF
All good in the hood Ed
Track Fiddler
Track fiddlerI suggest you brush up on your Pink Floyd
OK, you're right! Part of the intro. I think I'll put "The Wall" in the DVD player tonight while I'm working on models
"Pinky! Get off the line you idiot"
My hands felt just like two baloons... Ed
The Lackawanna heritage unit made its way out to Salt Lake City today. The NS units are a rare sight out this far west so deep into UP territory, so it was fun to see!
Thanks Ed. I may have overlooked that one. Right before the song of well lyrics quoted by you, they say "Is there anybody out there". I suggest you brush up on your Pink Floyd
Track fiddler I think even Pink Floyd said at one time through my days of remembrance.... is there anybody out there?
I think even Pink Floyd said at one time through my days of remembrance.... is there anybody out there?
If I'm not mistaken, TF it's "Is there anybody IN there"
Track fiddlerOh come on Ed, it's all in fun. Just some funny good Yuk's.
Meanwhile in New York.......
Howdy .... I'll have a Chicago style hot dog, please.
The Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin was an interurban railroad connecting western suburbs with downtown Chicago.
I haven't worked for a month Mike I think I'm having paranoid delusions of grandeur, I was enjoying my time off at first, now it's getting a little old actually I'm getting very concerned about this, I don't like to work anymore unless it's something I like to do
Okay it must be that mid boring part of the day here. No train stuff being posted. I would post some but all I have is boring drawings on paper of a modeling project I'm starting. As far as I understand the Diner can be off-topic from trains so I need to share a funny.
My Judy just called from the hotel. She is not happy which is surprising because she usually is. She is the house cleaning supervisor and has to get involved helping out with cleaning when the hotel is too busy. The hotel has been busy.
Last night she told me about this pervert that was nancing around in his underwear while she was straightening up his room. Today she calls me and says, John I have to go back to that room and I don't want to do it but nobody else will. I tell her, relax Judy. Do you remember doorbell ditch when you were a kid? She says yeah.
I tell her, here's what you do. Get some towels together, some coffee, some chocolate mints that you put on the beds, maybe even a complementary cheese tray from the kitchen.... bang on the door three times and start booking down the hall to the elevator and get off that floor.
She laughed and said thanks, that's what I'm going to do.... she called back laughing, I was laughing too.
TF, aren't you suppose to be at work
Oh come on Ed, it's all in fun. Just some funny good Yuk's.
A little different than when things get too thick around here, when the monitor has to step in.
I did post a Chicago dog I'll go watch the video now, I surely ain't getting much modeling done
Vinnie's just getting back from lunch. Not sure he's going to follow along with these recent posts? Aren't there enough railroad and modeling topics to talk about?
How about a moody photo from the master, Jack Delano? January, 1943.
To_Trains by Edmund, on Flickr
This is the old waiting room, Chicago Union Station, demolished in 1969.