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Kevin's Coast to Coast Hobby Shop Adventure

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Monday, May 6, 2019 1:03 AM

So is PF&S going to be a stop as you head east? I guarantee you won’t regret any time spent there!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, May 5, 2019 11:59 PM

Day 17:

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Short update today. I had no trains at all, no light rail, no street trolleys, no BNSF yard, nothing.

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We went to the Museum of Pop Culture in Downtown Seattle today. I got to pilot a space ship and ride Prince's motorcycle from Purple Rain.

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For dinner I had an avacado, bacon, and turkey club sandwich at a corner pub.

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Then, back at the apartment, my daughter's friend made us a fantastic strawberry shortcake for dessert.

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Tomorrow I am on the road again.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, May 5, 2019 11:51 PM

SeeYou190
tstage
You're in salmon country...and you eat southern cuisine???  Nothing against southern cooking (I grew up in the south and love it) but...that's just SO wrong.

I agree, but my wife had a complete aversion to seafood. When I am with her all fish are off of the menu.

So, Kevin, you're saying you can't even eat seafood around your wife?  That is too bad.

Tom

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Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, May 5, 2019 11:10 PM

SPSOT fan
What!? No trains in Seattle!

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Sorry, Seattle is a daughter city, and daughters take precedence over trains.

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21 Days of trains, 4 days of daughters.

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York1
Kevin, you were very smart to ride the Monorail to get to the Space Needle.  My wife and I made the mistake of driving to the Needle.

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When we arrived in Seattle, by a miracle, there was an open parking place in front of my daughter's apartment. We parked the Impala there, and I am not moving it until we leave. We have been taking mass transit and Ubers everywhere.

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tstage
You're in salmon country...and you eat southern cuisine???  Nothing against southern cooking (I grew up in the south and love it) but...that's just SO wrong.

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I agree, but my wife had a complete aversion to seafood. When I am with her all fish are off of the menu.

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richhotrain
"Dinner in Seatle without King Salmon, that is simply "lewd, lascivious, salacious, outrageous".

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I agree. I love salmon, and I am missing out.

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blackpowder1956
Kevin, the best place to see trains in Seattle is at the BNSF yard at Interbay.

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There is a slight chance I can make it by as I leave, but no guarantees.

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rrebell
You have to like fish and then you have to like salmon.

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I love them both!

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Southgate
I'm glad you made it over to the Redwoods. I hope you found it worth the detour. Pictures really do them no justice, you enjoy the experience in the moment.

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What you say is completely true. They are magnificent and overwhelming.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, May 5, 2019 10:17 PM

tstage

Absolutely, Sheldon.

This thread is a mixture of travel destinations, LHSes, train musuems, flora & fauna, and food, as Kevin has posted photos of all those.  To me that means it's open to comment, which folks have been doing all along.

And my comments to Kevin about not eating salmon in Seattle were merely tongue 'n cheek - i.e. a ribbing, more-or-less.  Folks can eat what they want - even if they are different than what I would choose while traveling in a given region.

Tom

 

And I was onboard until the "feel sorry" comment......

    

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, May 5, 2019 10:01 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
To each their own.

Absolutely, Sheldon.

This thread is a mixture of travel destinations, LHSes, train musuems, flora & fauna, and food, as Kevin has posted photos of all those.  To me that means it's open to comment, which folks have been doing all along.

And my comments to Kevin about not eating salmon in Seattle were merely tongue 'n cheek - i.e. a ribbing, more-or-less.  Folks can eat what they want - even if they are different than what I would choose while traveling in a given region.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, May 5, 2019 9:39 PM

tstage

 

 
rrebell

You have to like fish and then you have to like salmon.

 

 

Yep, on both counts.  And I feel sorry for those who don't.

Tom

 

Really? We are now going to comment on each others taste in food?

Well, you don't have to feel sorry for me or anyone who is less than fond of fish/seafood.

I grew up, and still live here, in the Chesapeake Bay region, and I grew up on seafood.......my mothers family was in that business. We always had a feezer full of fish, jumbo shrimp, lump blue crab meat, soft shell blue crabs, etc.

Summer was always full of steamed Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs........I grew up watching them get steamed by my grandfather and uncle.

But now that I am a grown up, and can pick my own foods, seafood of any kind is pretty low on my list. I do like a few fried shrimp with my steak at Red Lobster from time to time, but it's really not important.

But, as noted earlier in this thread, some of us live to eat, others eat to live. 

Seafoods, fish or shell fish, and the spices and sauces that often go along with it, don't do much for me.

And if I have my father's fragile stomach, not liking that kind of stuff might actually make me live longer. At 62 I already have out lived my father by two years, who passed from heart surgery complications that ruptured a stomach ulser.

To each their own.

If a drink of water does not get the taste out of my mouth, the food was too spicey.......

Sheldon

    

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, May 5, 2019 8:26 PM

rrebell

You have to like fish and then you have to like salmon.

Yep, on both counts.  And I feel sorry for those who don't.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by Southgate on Sunday, May 5, 2019 7:17 PM

I'm glad you made it over to the Redwoods. I hope you found it worth the detour. Pictures really do them no justice, you enjoy the experience in the moment.

I'll check out the shop in Roseville this fall. 

Keep 'em coming!

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Posted by rrebell on Sunday, May 5, 2019 6:10 PM

You have to like fish and then you have to like salmon.

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, May 5, 2019 5:07 PM

tstage
 
SeeYou190

Day 16:

We ate dinner at a little Seattle restaurant that specializes in Southern Home Cooking. The biscuit and gravy were the best I have ever had. The collard greens were perfect.

 

 

Kevin,

You're in salmon country...and you eat southern cuisine???  Nothing against southern cooking (I grew up in the south and love it) but...that's just SO wrong. Tongue Tied

Tom 

LaughLaughLaughLaughLaughLaugh

As Jackie Childs, Kramer's attorney on Seinfeld, used to say, and I paraphrase, "Dinner in Seatle without King Salmon, that is simply "lewd, lascivious, salacious, outrageous".

Rich


Alton Junction

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Posted by blackpowder1956 on Sunday, May 5, 2019 4:04 PM

Kevin, the best place to see trains in Seattle is at the BNSF yard at Interbay. My son's family lives in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle real close to the railyard. I always bring a camera when I visit.

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, May 5, 2019 3:52 PM

SeeYou190

Day 16:

We ate dinner at a little Seattle restaurant that specializes in Southern Home Cooking. The biscuit and gravy were the best I have ever had. The collard greens were perfect.

Kevin,

You're in salmon country...and you eat southern cuisine???  Nothing against southern cooking (I grew up in the south and love it) but...that's just SO wrong. Tongue Tied

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Sunday, May 5, 2019 12:41 PM

Now is a monorail really a full train, or is it only half a train?

Yes, the great philosophical questions of railroading!

 

 

So is a 3rd rail electric one and a half trains?

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Sunday, May 5, 2019 12:39 PM

Yes, Seattle traffic is terrible! Especially on the highways! You’ve got to budget a bunch of extra time in that city!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by York1 on Sunday, May 5, 2019 12:30 PM

SeeYou190
No trains today, but I did get to ride this Monorail to the Space Needle. That is close enough for today.

Kevin, you were very smart to ride the Monorail to get to the Space Needle.  My wife and I made the mistake of driving to the Needle.

After spending lots of time trying to find a place to park (garages were all full), we spent time at the glass museum and other attractions.

Then the real fun started.  At 3:00 p.m., we tried to get to I-5 to go south, using Mercer St.

We didn't realize that 27 million other cars had the same idea.  I'm not exaggerating -- it took two hours.  I'm sure Seattle people know some shortcuts, but once we got into the traffic, there was no way out of it but to move one car length every 5 - 10 minutes.

Looks like you're  having a great trip!  Lots of us envious people on this forum!

York1 John       

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Sunday, May 5, 2019 3:14 AM

SeeYou190

No trains today, but I did get to ride this Monorail to the Space Needle. That is close enough for today.

What!? No trains in Seattle!

You must be too busy with other things to check all the rail stuff Seattle has to offer. Sad Sounders, Cascades, Amtrak, BNSF, UP, the list never ends. I hope you get a chance to check something out besides the monorail before you leave!

SeeYou190

 

 
SPSOT fan
Wow, that railroad bridge is quite a find! Kevin (or anyone else), do you know what railroad once used it? Was there a sign or something by the bridge giving more information?

 

There was no marking or information.

I am guessing it was a railroad bridge based on its size, and because it was part of a hiking trail, many of which are Rails To Trails.

A shame there was no markings. I do agree with you though, it looks railroady!

I think it looks like a lighter railroad bridge, so I guess it was once shortline or logging line.

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, May 5, 2019 1:48 AM

Day 16:

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We made it to Seattle to hang out with my baby and her husband.

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No trains today, but I did get to ride this Monorail to the Space Needle. That is close enough for today.

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The Space Needle was a thrill to be sure. What a view!

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We ate dinner at a little Seattle restaurant that specializes in Southern Home Cooking. The biscuit and gravy were the best I have ever had. The collard greens were perfect.

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Then we had some beer at a local brewery called Optimism. The ABV was a bit high, and I had a great time.

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This is my favorite picture today. We were going through old family photographs and we found this one of a young strapping guy working on a Shrimp Boat in South Florida. What a handsome lad.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

  • Member since
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, May 5, 2019 1:40 AM

SPSOT fan
Wow, that railroad bridge is quite a find! Kevin (or anyone else), do you know what railroad once used it? Was there a sign or something by the bridge giving more information?

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There was no marking or information.

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I am guessing it was a railroad bridge based on its size, and because it was part of a hiking trail, many of which are Rails To Trails.

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York1
What a great time!  Wish I could take a trip like this!

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I have wanted to do this for a LONG time. It is a great time.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by York1 on Saturday, May 4, 2019 5:43 PM

What a great time!  Wish I could take a trip like this!

York1 John       

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Saturday, May 4, 2019 5:37 AM

SeeYou190

This is my favorite picture of the day. We saw this neat old railroad bridge. It turns out is was part of a hiking trail, so I walked back and forth across it. 

  

Wow, that railroad bridge is quite a find!

Kevin (or anyone else), do you know what railroad once used it? Was there a sign or something by the bridge giving more information?

It looks pretty light and small, was it perhaps a logging line, that doesn’t look quite like class one construction to me.

Continue to enjoy Kevin’s adventure!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, May 4, 2019 3:07 AM

Day 15:

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No trains or hobby shops today. We decided to make the trip to the Redwood National Park, and that was a good long ways off of course.

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We started in the National Forests in the Shasta region of Northern California.

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The Impala is beginning to look right at home in the mountains.

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Then we went West to Redwood National Park. The Redwoods are incredible, but they are almost impossible to photograph. They make a nearly full canopy across the sky, and block out a lot of the sunlight.

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I saw two terrible pieces of scenery building today in Northern California.

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Look at the terrible job with these rock castings. You can see the joints between the individual mold sections, and the coloring is not realistic at all. It looks like the rocks on the right were just stained with olive green paint and dry brushed with gloss white. There is no attempt to blend the coloring together. It just abruptly changes from brown to green. Green rocks??? Terrible modeling.

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How about this toy like model of a church? It is obviously just a bright shiny plastic model that was molded in color. There is not any weathering, and the ground cover does not even fully cover the building base. I don't even think this is an American prototype church building. I don't usually criticize other people's modelling, but someone was really cutting corners on the realism here.

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This is my favorite picture of the day. We saw this neat old railroad bridge. It turns out is was part of a hiking trail, so I walked back and forth across it.

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I am spending the next day with my middle daughter in Seattle, so I doubt I will have very much to report.

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Stay tuned...

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, May 4, 2019 3:02 AM

SPSOT fan
I hope you’ll get to them tomorrow... if you’ve got time...

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I can't... tomorrow is another daughter day in Seattle.

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I hate having to make choices. Why can't I have unlimited time and money?

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Saturday, May 4, 2019 2:59 AM

SeeYou190

I decided to make the trip over to Redwood National Park this morning, and did not get to Portland until 9:00 PM. I had to miss both hobby shops.

Sad

Nooo! Crying

I hope you’ll get to them tomorrow... if you’ve got time...

What a loss! Portland has some of the best hobby shops in the area! You can’t miss them!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, May 4, 2019 2:54 AM

Attuvian
If you stop in Portland, OR there are two quality "all-trains" shops. The Hobby Smith is just off I-80 at the Cesar Chavez (39th Ave.) exit. Whistle Stop Trains is 12 minutes away, a mile east of I-205 on Division. Don't forget to hit the cast-off/consignment closet at the latter.

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I decided to make the trip over to Redwood National Park this morning, and did not get to Portland until 9:00 PM. I had to miss both hobby shops.

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Sad

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JaBear
BEARTOON

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Great toon Bear! Very funny.

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rrebell
just ask when you order just ask for "well done fries".

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I do the same thing at Five Guys.

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Southgate
Do you recommend this Railroad Hobbies shop? I took some pictures through the bars also last time I was there of the cool stuff in that locked up shed. That Santa Fe engine is sure looking better than last time I saw it. Boy, wouldn't ya love to have gone over to the Sacramento Shops across the river, where SP used to build and repair the big-guns? Honk when ya get to the Highway 58 cutoff just south of Eugene.

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Railroad Hobbies is a very good shop. It took about 35 minutes to drive there from Sacramento. I really wish I could have gotten access to that shed. The Santa Fe Northerns have long been favorites of mine, I think because of the N scale Bachmann model. I got to go in the back shops at the Spencer Railroad Museum, awesome. I did not blow my horn, too late at night, sorry.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by Southgate on Friday, May 3, 2019 2:09 PM

One thing I was watching for in your trek through the Sacramento area is to see if you'd find a better hobby shop than anything I could find when visiting family each summer there. Do you recommend this Railroad Hobbies shop?

I'm sorry the RR museum was over run by kiddos. I took some pictures through the bars also last time I was there of the cool stuff in that locked up shed. That Santa Fe engine is sure looking better than last time I saw it. Boy, wouldn't ya love to have gone over to the Sacramento Shops across the river, where SP used to build and repair the big-guns?  I hope you saw it from I-5

Some of the pics you posted remind me of my early childhood in SoCal.  Yep, That big ol' puddle of water has been there all along, at least al long as I can remember! I can still remember that awful taste of the first time I accidently swallowed a gulp of salt water.

Enjoy the trip north. Honk when ya get to the Highway 58 cutoff just south of Eugene. Maybe I'll hear ya from Bend, just over that little line of bumps (Cascades)

Um, while we're on the subject, Eugene Toy and Hobby is nice shop. Not huge, but still the best shop I know of in Oregon till you get to Portland. Tell 'em Dan in Bend sent ya, should you make it in. 

For what it's worth, what's left of the old Southern Pacific engine terminal in Eugene is now owned by a rather informal local shortline. I went up and asked at the diesel shop there if I could go out and take pix of the BIG turntable, sanding towers, etc. They said yes. I could even drive my car around over to get there. Probably not worth the time it might take you in your schedule though.

Dan

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Posted by rrebell on Friday, May 3, 2019 9:19 AM

SeeYou190

 

 
gmpullman
If you don't mind me sayin, those fries look a little anemic for my tastes. I like 'em a little longer in the hot fat!

 

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The fries were certainly not the kind I like either. I like them about twice as thick, crispy brown, and piping hot.

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rrebell
You should have kept to the coast, at least two steam trains and spectacular veiws.

 

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We are trying to see as many different areas as possible. Agriculture fascinates me, and California is obviously the king of all things farm related.

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-Kevin

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In and out fries can be well done, it is part of their secret menu (not so secret), just ask when you order just ask for "well done fries".

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Posted by "JaBear" on Friday, May 3, 2019 2:50 AM

Bench. by Bear, on Flickr

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Friday, May 3, 2019 1:34 AM

I’m quite certain it is in that shed out back locked in a cage. My grandpa once called the museum to see what color the car was originally painted and the caretaker was able to go out and look at it so it’s back there somewhere. It seems a shame to me that a mueseum must have stuff in fine conditio, but not on display.

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, May 3, 2019 1:28 AM

SPSOT fan
Nice to see you made it to the California State Railroad Museum, a big shame it was spoiled by less that desirable conditions,

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The same thing happened when I visited the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry... hundreds of kids running around... it happens.

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They had five pre-1900 locomotives in the museum. In a shed out back, locked in a cage, they had a lot of really neat stuff I could barely see off of display. I don;t know if they change out the displays in the museum or not.

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There was a Santa Fe 4-8-4 in the yard being worked on. That was great to see.

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I did not notice your motor car.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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