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Jeffreys Track Side Diner - APRIL, 2019: Chicago, Illinois Locked

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  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New Milford, Ct
  • 3,232 posts
Posted by GMTRacing on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 9:35 AM

Lion,  I like waffles too but they are not a recommended part of my rocks, dirt and grass diet.  The local diner here made the best until they burnt the original waffle iron down and replaced it with the "Belgian" waffle type. Just not the same consistancy.   J.R.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 9:37 AM

mbinsewi
I've never been in a Denny's, or a Golden Corral. I don't plan on starting now.

 

LION 8 at Dennys once, cause one of the other monks wanted to eat there.

Golden Coral was ok. Its salads were fresh and excelent, If you wanted fresh bread and a salad it was great. Ther other idems were quite dreadful. They are closed now for the second time and it does not look like it will open again.

 

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 9:43 AM

I have noticed while on our drive to our place in Northern WI., two GC's have closed up, both in major populated areas.

No loss as far as I'm concerned.

Mike.

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 10:16 AM

You guys eat in the "haute cuisine" places like Denny's.

If you want a real experience, there's no place like Waffle House.  

You can sit at a counter and listen as the waitresses argue with each other and with the cook.  You can listen to the cook complain about the handwriting of the waitresses.  And to top it off, you can experience old world charm in the restrooms.

My wife is not a fan, so I don't get to eat at Waffle House on our trips.  She's an addict of Cracker Barrel.

It's still cold here, I had to bundle up for my two-mile walk this morning, but at least the water has gone down and the cleanup is progressing.

Have a great day, everyone!

-- John

 

York1 John       

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    January 2017
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Posted by NWP SWP on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 10:35 AM

Morning folks,

I have never eaten at Golden Corral, Dennys, or Waffle House, I have eaten at Cracker Barrel and Ryan's, personally I avoid all the above and any buffets.

Anyways,

Henry you stepped into some stuff last night, I'm glad I have the email notifications on the diner so I could see what was the offending comment.

Ken hopefully your roofing woes will be solved soon.

Steve

If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!

  • Member since
    December 2012
  • From: Mesa, AZ
  • 1,530 posts
Posted by RideOnRoad on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 10:51 AM

Don't forget you get a free breakfast on your birthday at Denny's.

As for Waffle House, I stepped into one once a few years back in the South. Just standing in the entryway was like smoking a pack of cigarettes. We walked out and I have never been back.

Richard

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Paducah KY
  • 1,183 posts
Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 11:01 AM

RideOnRoad

Don't forget you get a free breakfast on your birthday at Denny's.

As for Waffle House, I stepped into one once a few years back in the South. Just standing in the entryway was like smoking a pack of cigarettes. We walked out and I have never been back.

 

 

You can't smoke in Waffle House anymore, atleast here.  so it is ok. 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 11:51 AM

Howdy.

we don’t care for Golden Corral or the Awful House. Cracker Barrel is good . 

Also, AARP is a political organization, and I don’t think it should be promoted here. 

Have a nice afternoon, everybody. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 1:22 PM

Good morning from the left side of America ( the Canadian part) 

We had UFO's all over the sky last night, it turned out to be clouds! This morning we woke to rain, YIPPEE! We have already had a bunch of forest fires and not having our usual amounts of rain it looks like another record year on that front. We should get 75mm by Saturday.Yes

When we went down to my son's hockey tournament South of Seattle just before last Christmas we stopped at a Denny's by the arena as he needed to fuel up for the day. Yuck, pretty well describes it. It was a grungy place, I felt like I was in a third world country. I didn't know about the senior's menu, I just ordered quick as we wanted to get to the rink. The kid ordered a ton of food and agreed it was not a great place. There are not too many Denny's around greater Vancouver, I know of only one.

When we are on the road we usually will eat at a hotel restaurant like at a Best Western, Hilton or Hyatt or something similar. They are often along the highway and right near the cheapo chain joints anyway. The food tends to be much better quality and will not have all the preservatives and nitrates in it. Plus the coffee is better than the swill at Denny's.  There is nothing like seeing a fifty-pound bag of machine shredded preservative filled spuds being dumped out in the kitchen to turn you off your meal. The price per meal is maybe two or three bucks more per person but so much better in every way.

Great stuff people are posting about where we are this month. I think the locals always know where the best places to go are. living in a place lets you enjoy the real gems, not the tourist traps.

It has been two weeks since I have been on the bike. I was only going to take one week off, however, the old body is very good at letting me know what it needs. I am going to start HIIT ( high intensity interval training) training today. Apparently, it is a much better way to increase performance. I have kind of hit a level where I won't do any better so a change is in order. I have been reading a lot about it and I am always game to try something new.

I picked up the kids' hockey gear from his coach and he said he noticed the kids' fitness level had gone down. University does that to you I guess. Plus he was just getting over the Norwalk virus. He will need to pick it up, as a lot of his movie work has come from him being really fit and being able to go, go, go doing very active stuff for up to nineteen hours a day. In Deadpool 2 he spent one entire 15 hour day running up the ladders between the floors over and over again for hours while they shot the fight sequence in the icebox prison scene. He got that job just because of his fitness level and was the only extra working that day.

The kid just made his flight to come home after the last game. He didn't even shower. He was on a 40-minute (Dash 8) flight to Calgary and he said thankfully it was almost empty and he sat far away from everyone else. When he got to Calgary he bought a new shirt and had a shower at the airport before his connecting flight to Ottawa. And his fellow passenger appreciated that I am sure ( if they only knew)Laugh

Time to start peddling, the wife has gone to Costco, hope I don't have a heart attack she won't be here to give me CPR. It's the mouth to mouth I enjoy but she's caught on to that trick.Mischief

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."

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Chicago, IL
  • 306 posts
Posted by Eilif on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 1:35 PM

Haven't stopped into the diner before, but since you all are visiting my town, now is as good a time as any.  Welcome to Chicago!

 

First off Happy Birthday to Steve.  Secondly, thanks to all of you who have been posting great Chicago railroad pics, especially of stuff that pre-dates me.  Really enjoying seeing those.

As for the town, I love it.  Lots to do, eat and see. If there's any way I can be of help in locating such places, let me know.  Chicago is a paradise for the adventurous eater.

I came here for college and never left. At the end of this year I will have lived in the city proper longer than all the rest of my years combined.  Currently raising kids here and planning on dying here though hopefully that's too far off to say for sure.

Chicago is also great for seeing trains. I'm on the west side and even though I usually don't drive more than 3 miles from home, I cross tracks 10-15 times a day.  UP, BNSF, CN and NS are all common (almost daily) sights.   I've been taking pictures of notable locos and such and you can see them at the blog linked in my sig.  Direct link to the train pics HERE.

One last shout-out for Zientek trains, just a couple neighborhoods east in "Pilsen".  If you visit Chicago, you've got to stop in and see it. New stuff too, but more NOS rolling stock kits that you've proably ever seen in your life, packing out a former bar and the apartment above it.  A real treasure hunt of a place.

Here's a beauty I spotted recently, though technically this was just over the border in Cicero where there are a couple of good yards for spotting.

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading. 

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:06 PM

Great shot Eilif, just curious, who's yard is that in Cicero, between 26th street, and old 66 ?

I could spend hours just looking at Google maps/earth at all the yards in the Chicago area.

Mike.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:07 PM

Welcome to the Diner, Eilif!

I love Chicago, too. Always encounter friendly folks and the railroading is second-to-none!

I'm trying to remember the downtown hobby shop I visited back in 1971. Just about two blocks from Union Station, may have been on Monroe or Adams?

I named my favorite cat Cicero Smile

Seen around Northwestern Station in August of 1996:

 C&NW Station, 24 August, 1996 by Edmund, on Flickr

 

 C&NW Station 24 August, 1996 by Edmund, on Flickr

 

 C&NW Station 24 August, 1996 by Edmund, on Flickr

This was the power assigned to a spacial Union Pacific train for a convention held in Chicago at the time.

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Chicago, IL
  • 306 posts
Posted by Eilif on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:26 PM

Great pics Ed,

   Nice locos, but it's the CNW peeking out the back that brings back the best memories. I lived for about 8 years as a kid on the CNW line (now UP) in the town of "West Chicago" about 35miles west of Chicago.  I didn't know much about trains back then, but a low-nose CNW diesel (probably a GP or SD) is still burned into my mind as what a loco should be.

Quick shout outs for Lou Malnati's, the best Deep Dish (not "Pan") in Chicago.  You can get it in the suburbs too and they'll mail it all over America.

mbinsewi

Great shot Eilif, just curious, who's yard is that in Cicero, between 26th street, and old 66 ?

I could spend hours just looking at Google maps/earth at all the yards in the Chicago area.

Mike.

 

Thanks Mike,

That picture is at the east entrance to the CN Hawethorne yards.   Technically it's fenced in, but the gate is gone. You can drive up the access from the Walmart (from where you can see if there are any locos parked), take pics from your car near the CN parking area and drive off before anyone takes notice.

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading. 

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Jersey Shore
  • 313 posts
Posted by wojosa31 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:39 PM

mbinsewi
AARP is relentless. They'll keep sending you envelopes full of junk, never ending, no matter how many times you call, and ask to be removed.

Mike, I have found that the best way to handle AARP, is to place their mailings directly from themailbox to the garbage can, unopened. The only reason We maintain membership, is because their discount for eyeglasses at my preferred vendor is much better than AAA discount.

Calling them, just encourages them to badger you more. Similar to answering telemarketing calls.

Boris

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Chicago, IL
  • 306 posts
Posted by Eilif on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 2:55 PM

mbinsewi

Great shot Eilif, just curious, who's yard is that in Cicero, between 26th street, and old 66 ?

I could spend hours just looking at Google maps/earth at all the yards in the Chicago area.

Mike.

 

Just realized I didn't actually answer your question in my last post. Sorry.
 
The yard between 26th and Ogden (old 66) is the BNSF Intermodal.  It sees a huge amount of interchange/exchange though and I can't remember the last time I went by there and didn't see UP locos and others operating there as well.  
The UP yard is just up (East and a bit north) the tracks. CN Hawethorne is just south, though trains connect via a loop east of Cicero Ave. 

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading. 

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 3:52 PM

Thanks Eilif, I also see the BNSF has the Corwith Intermodal yard, East and South of Cicero.

I'm never sure what yard is who's !  They probably all "play" together anyway.  I do know of CN's Kirk yard, in Gary, which I believe they accuired with the "J".

I remember when the CN was the WC, they always talked about the Clearing Yard, whatever and whereever that was/is.

Mike.

  • Member since
    April 2011
  • From: About 20 minutes from IRM
  • 430 posts
Posted by CGW121 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:11 PM
I almost never post here but the aarp( or yarp) has a very good medicare supliment insurance. My wife works in the medical field as a case manager in  a rehab unit at a local hospital. She works with this stuff 40 plus hours a week. AARP has one of the best plans. Others are as snarky as a used car salesman. It is too bad they try to pull one over on senior citizens.
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:12 PM

mbinsewi
remember when the CN was the WC, they always talked about the Clearing Yard, whatever and whereever that was/is. Mike.

Mike,

The Clearing Yard is The Belt Railway Company of Chicago. Has one of the largest Hump Yards in existance......a stones throw from CSX Intermodal, Bedford, Pk Il. Where I had My trucks leased to and also was a crane operator for a few yrs. in semi-retirement. I have a close friend that worked for The Belt, now has beeen retired for many yrs.

http://www2.beltrailway.com/

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:35 PM

gmpullman

I'm trying to remember the downtown hobby shop I visited back in 1971. Just about two blocks from Union Station, may have been on Monroe or Adams?

Probably All-Nations Hobby Shop.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:37 PM

Eilif
One last shout-out for Zientek trains, just a couple neighborhoods east in "Pilsen". If you visit Chicago, you've got to stop in and see it. New stuff too, but more NOS rolling stock kits that you've proably ever seen in your life,

.

Why didn't anyone mention this place when I was in Chicago last December?

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 4:47 PM

richhotrain
Probably All-Nations Hobby Shop. Rich

By golly, Rich, that's it.

 19780140 26 All Nations Hobby Shop by David Wilson, on Flickr

I only visited there once but it was mighty impressive. Another favorite was to ride the C&NW to Park Ridge and take the short walk from the depot to the Hill's  Hobby Shop.

Fond memories, Ed

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Chicago, IL
  • 306 posts
Posted by Eilif on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 6:37 PM

A Food-and-Trains suggestion for those visiting Chicago.  

White Palace Grill at Canal and Roosevelt.  

It's an institution. Everything on the menu is great, but the Chicken and Waffles are semi-legendary.  Eat well and then walk a half block West On the Roosevelt viaduct to see the outlet of Union Station on the north and the Amtrak yards on the South. 

White Palace is one of the reasons I now rarely eat at IHOP, Dennys, Waffle House, Golden Coral, etc...   We're very thrifty folks but the wife has shifted my thinking to the point of view that if you're going to take the time go to a restaurant, spend the cash and take on the calories, it's worth spending just a bit more to eat really good food rather than save a couple bucks and stuff yourself on mediocrity.

That said, I do McD's more often that I should when in-a-hurry and on-the-go.

zstripe

 Mike,

The Clearing Yard is The Belt Railway Company of Chicago. Has one of the largest Hump Yards in existance......a stones throw from CSX Intermodal, Bedford, Pk Il. Where I had My trucks leased to and also was a crane operator for a few yrs. in semi-retirement. I have a close friend that worked for The Belt, now has beeen retired for many yrs.

http://www2.beltrailway.com/

The Belt Railway is just a few more miles down Cicero Ave, a mile or so past Midway.  From the drive on the south side next to the Aldi you can see a fair bit, but walking up on the overpass is quite a vista.

 

mbinsewi

I'm never sure what yard is who's !  They probably all "play" together anyway.  I do know of CN's Kirk yard, in Gary, which I believe they accuired with the "J".

Funny you should mention the J.  Our townhouse in West Chicago was only a few blocks from where the J crosses the CNW line.  EJ&E is one of my favorites now but because we lived just a few dozen feet from the CNW line (and I was less than 10) I never knew that the J was so close, nor do I have any recollection of big orange SD's. 

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading. 

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 8:07 PM

Eilif
Chicken and Waffles are semi-legendary

.

Hey, hey, hey! Not cool.

.

We are not doing hot dogs or pizza "Georgia Style", or anything crazy like that down here. You up there in the far-far-north better lay off chicken & waffles.

.

That is our thing.

.

Thanks.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 8:19 PM

So, speaking from the far far North, mac and cheese with everything imaginable is a Southern thing, isn't it?

Mike.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 569 posts
Posted by drgwcs on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 8:54 PM

SeeYou190

 

 
Eilif
One last shout-out for Zientek trains, just a couple neighborhoods east in "Pilsen". If you visit Chicago, you've got to stop in and see it. New stuff too, but more NOS rolling stock kits that you've proably ever seen in your life,

 

.

Why didn't anyone mention this place when I was in Chicago last December?

.

-Kevin

.

 

Kevin 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, could be wrong or maybe I didn't emphisize it enough. Sorry I generally lurk in the diner but probably ought to chime in this month. I just wish I could find my pics of the layout at Science and Industry.......

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 9:57 PM

Howdy ... 

Speaking of All Nations Hobby Shop in Chicago, I recall going there many years ago when I was young. 

Here is another histroic photo of Chicago Union Station. There are more tracks coming in from the south (left side of photo) than from the north.... Tracks on the south were PRR, CB&Q, and GM&O. Tracks on the north were MILW. 

Here is a MILW train which has just departed from Union Station. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 10:11 PM

Got to love my Judy. 

Since I moved my layout from the dining room table, I'm now back to modeling on the glass table,  my Judy has joined me and is modeling too.

She's making a penny ball.  She told me about it and I said "what" she said yeah a penny ball.

She found a penny and placed it in the center.  It's her Mom's birth-date.  She put four pennies around that.  Those are the dates of her three siblings birth dates and her's.

Now she's just gluing pennies around and around to fill it.

I've been helping her with my railroad T Pins because her glue lets the pennies slip.  Got to love my JudySmile

Track Fiddler

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 10:38 PM

Am I a lucky man or what....  just look at her  Everyday I wake up  I thank the good Lord  I'm waking up with this Kid at Hart that always remains a kid   My Judy  There's nothing more

Track Fiddler

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 10:49 PM

 Eveing Diners

 Flo, give the gang and I a Beer give Eilif what he wants and leave a stein outside for ulrich.

 Eilifi Thank You for the Bessimer Photo! Big Smile Yes I am a bit of a Bessimer nut thanks to Ed. Has I miss spell I have Bessimer SD 7 #802 dragging some hoppers and Bessimer SD 7 #453 is getting ready to hit the rails again!. You made me smile for the first time today! Big Smile

 Life has sucked rail spikes for the last few days!

 Work Front 2 days with out a customer!

 Roof It did not get trapped and we have rain coming Thursday. Sigh Matt (our handy man ) said he be here Thursday at 7:30 AM so we hope he beats the rain.

 Sparkie seems to be going down hill again. He seemed fine before I went to work but when I got home wife said he would not eat again and does not seem to drink his water. Pee is very yellow from what my told me. I gave him some of my rotisserie chicken. He was fine with that so maybe he will snap out of it again.

 Golden CorralWhen it opned we where pretty impressed with it! Now, well they still have some food we like. There fried chicken is still good, I love there meatloaf and few of there iteams are Ok. Not a total waste of money but if I wanted to impress someone not where I would take them to dine.

 Later, Ken

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    March 2017
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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, April 4, 2019 12:50 AM

Ken  I have to ask.  How is it that you got your name cudaken?

You must have had a Cuda.... had or possibly still have it.  A 1970 440 Cuda is my second favorite car.  

Iz  just Gots to know's 

I need the Cuda story Ken

TF

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