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Jeffrey´s Trackside Diner March 2020 - This Month in Texas!

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Thursday, March 19, 2020 10:34 AM

No kid pictures from me, I am afraid. They are all at my parents´ house, to which I have no access, since my mother in her hate decided to disinherit me.

Here is a question to all with some basic knowledge in chemistry! If you add CO2 and H2O in a heated, pressurized environment, you get - at least in my understanding - in the first phase of dissociation H+ + H2CO3, better known as carbonic acid, which you find in any sparkling water or soda pop. This is an unstable solution, which dissociates in a second phase to H++CO23.

Does that mean that a steam engine is "greener" than a Diesel engine?

Edit: Top of the page - your choice of poison, please!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by York1 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 11:15 AM

Tinplate Toddler
Edit: Top of the page - your choice of poison, please!

Coffee right now, an adult drink later.

I just got back from the grocery store.  With the exception of TP, everything else has been restocked and has everything in quantity.

 TP is something else:

 

York1 John       

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, March 19, 2020 11:35 AM

Being retired, with Social Security and a pension, I only experience this nonsense from the consumer side, but since we moved to Delaware we have made many friends in the supplier community as well, and we really hope this nonsense ends quickly, for their sake.  If I do get a government check, I plan to spend it locally on local goods and services, to support our local economy.

Tip your servers well.  This is hard for them.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 11:36 AM

York1

 

 
Tinplate Toddler
Edit: Top of the page - your choice of poison, please!

 

Coffee right now, an adult drink later.

I just got back from the grocery store.  With the exception of TP, everything else has been restocked and has everything in quantity.

 TP is something else:

 

 

 

I wondered when that would start.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 1:11 PM

Tinplate Toddler
Does that mean that a steam engine is "greener" than a Diesel engine?

No. A Stage V compliant diesel engine is infinitely cleaner.

I could not tell if you were kidding or not.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Thursday, March 19, 2020 1:23 PM

SeeYou190
A Stage V compliant diesel engine is infinitely cleaner.

I have yet to see a comparison between the CO2 emissions of a "modern" steam engine and a Diesel engine. One of the drawbacks of a steam engine is the amount of soot and particles it emits, but I would think there could be a solution for that, just like a DPF for Diesel engines.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 1:44 PM

Tinplate Toddler
I have yet to see a comparison between the CO2 emissions of a "modern" steam engine and a Diesel engine. One of the drawbacks of a steam engine is the amount of soot and particles it emits, but I would think there could be a solution for that, just like a DPF for Diesel engines.

It takes a lot more than DEF/SCR/DPF to make a diesel engine clean. Those are all components of the aftertreatment system, and the components that get the most attention in discussions of this topic.

However, most of the advancement towards clean diesel technology (Non-VW) has been with in-cylinder technology and advancements. Also, the fuel is one thousand fold better than it was 40 years ago. With better fuel, injection systems, and cylinder designs, the engines are simply magnificent in how they run and how clean they are.

There are some Stage V compliant industrial engines that do not require a DPF to be compliant. That is how for in-cylinder combustion technology has advanced.

The size of the DPF on many on-highway engines decreased significantly in 2020. The manufacturers simply do not need to rely on them as heavily for compliance.

If you just want to talk CO2 emissions, any hydrocarbon fueled engine will emit CO2 almost in direct relationeship to its thermal efficiency, and we all know how innefficient steam engines are.

CO2 is the least deadly of all engine emissions. The fact we are even discussing CO2 shows how far these products have advanced.

If your steam engine is fueled from a source other than a mined hydrocarbon, that can become a whole different discussion.

Steam locomotives are gone, diesels are better, electric would be best.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Thursday, March 19, 2020 1:49 PM

SeeYou190
Steam locomotives are gone, diesels are better, electric would be best.

That´s why we continue to string wires in Europe.

Anyway, my question was a little tongue in cheek!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by RideOnRoad on Thursday, March 19, 2020 4:51 PM

And, in the midst of all this madness, I enter my 70th decade.

Richard

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Thursday, March 19, 2020 5:00 PM

 

RideOnRoad

And, in the midst of all this madness, I enter my 70th decade.

 

 

Richard ...  Happy B-Day

 

Ulrich ... I liked the Super Chief video.  It shows what it was like riding that train in the 1950's. As I said, our family rode on it from Chicago to Los Angeles in the 1950's . Back then , USA had the best trains in the world . Much of the demise of US passenger trains can be attributed to government policies favoring competitors. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Thursday, March 19, 2020 5:11 PM

Heartland Division CB&Q

Much of the demise of US passenger trains can be attributed to government policies favoring competitors. 

Not to mention the Eisenhower Interstate Highway system.

LINK to SNSR Blog


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Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, March 19, 2020 5:40 PM

RideOnRoad
And, in the midst of all this madness, I enter my 70th decade.

Ummm Richard, did you mean '7th decade'? Otherwise you a really, really old dude!Smile, Wink & GrinLaughLaugh

Happy Birthday!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 5:42 PM

This was my third 12 hour day at work......

We are almost on total lockdown at the Hospital where I work. 

Tomorrow starts employees can only go in at certian entrances.  

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Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, March 19, 2020 5:52 PM

RideOnRoad

And, in the midst of all this madness, I enter my 70th decade.

A Time Lord, like Dr Who! 

How many regenerations have you had, and being a WoKE kind of guy Devil how many genders and races?

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Thursday, March 19, 2020 5:56 PM

Heartland Division CB&Q
Back then , USA had the best trains in the world .

Quite right, as all of the European railroads still struggled to overcome the war time damage. The first "modern" Diesel engines were introduced in the eraly 1950s in Germany, but in verysmall numbers. Same goes for the post-war generation of electrics. In West Germany, steam was still king, with 13,000 engines in my year of birth.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by cudaken on Thursday, March 19, 2020 6:05 PM

 Eveing Diners!

 Flo give the gang and I a Beer please and Dirk half a dog treat.

 Just because you are paranoid does not mean there not out to get you! Guess I joined the crazy crowd and bought a box of 100 hand condoms! Well that was what I called them when I was in the Auto Body Business, other folk call them disposable gloves. Bought them from Advances Auto! I felt a little stupid for wearing them at the market, but for $18.94 it was worth it.

 Dirk is a little sick again. Wife has been trying to get him to eat more for reason? She started adding chicken brooth to his food again. Hum, he gained 3 pounds in the first 4 months so he needed to lose weight. So now he has soft stool again!

 Ed, why did I find a Shark on my front pourch? Is a new or use shark?

 Later, Ken and Dirk say's woof, woof.

I hate Rust

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Posted by GMTRacing on Thursday, March 19, 2020 6:35 PM

Happy B-Day Richard ! 7 or 70 decades is still a good long time.

Not sure about this latex gloves at the supermarket thing. No one in masks today though. So how would it work. You don gloves to go in push the shopping cat (if you're from Boston it's a cat not a cart) around, pick up your groceries put them in the cat, pay and bag them (in your reusable cloth bag you brought with you as we have banned one use plastic bags). Then go back to your means of conveyence home put the bag(s) in the car and take the gloves off then? Or, drive home and unload the groceries and then take the gloves off? Do you spray the groceries with bleach or disinfectant? What about the bag? I went tonight, got what i needed and washed my hands when I got home before handling the groceries which may or may not have been "clean" when I picked them up. I wash my hands a lot more but now the skin cracks so I need to carry hand cream but that is like a germ magnet and on it goes. I have resigned myself to getting something and hope it's not too severe. I agree Ken - It's not paranoia if they are all out to get you. 

   Time to take the comedy routine to the basement and see if I can make some more progress on desultory trees.   With tongue firmly in cheek,  J.R.

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Thursday, March 19, 2020 6:59 PM

I listened to one of our country´s leading epidemiologists and virologists today, and he reasoned, that unless you live in complete and strict solitary isolation without any contact to the outside world (which, in fact, is impossible), there is no way of avoiding gettting contaminated with the virus. This won´t automatically lead into an infection which you notice, if your immune system is OK. Even if the virus causes an infection, it does not mean you always get terminally ill. Actually, in most cases the symptoms are rather light and quite similar to an ordinary flu. Furthermore, he stated, that the virus may have been around for some time longer, but was not yet discovered as a new variant and therefore, not reported or any deaths attributed to it.

I must say, I think that what he says sounds quite plausible to me. There is hardly a way to keep the virus from spreading, or even delaying it, but there may be a way to strengthen one´s immune system by the right kind of food and exercise. Putting us into "self-isolation" and having no fresh veggies and fruit available in the grocery stores may be just the wrong kind of thing to do. Avoiding large crowds and coughing and sneezing people is a no-brainer.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, March 19, 2020 7:23 PM

I dropped my tax stuff off at the accountant.  I had to leave it in a cardboard box outside the door.

The mall was practically empty at 2 pm and the governor closed all malls at 5 pm.

I went to an orthopedic office to drop off some submarine war diaries I had xeroxed years ago from the Navy Yard.  My Orthopod's father was a submariner.  The secretary was busy with a patient and she wiped down the pen she asked the patient to use.

The upside was traffic was painless. 

The downside is that one or two thousand dollars doesn't help all that much for people out of work or businesses that have to pay rent, loans and maybe some payrolls.

Gloves.  Years ago your dentist didn't wear gloves.  Only surgeons, proctologists and gynecologists wore gloves. 

The problem with gloves, if you are not practicing sterile technique, as in doing an appendectomy, is you touch everything in the world, your pen, papers, the door knob and at least one of my anesthesia colleagues, the OR coffee pot.  (That generated a sign on the pot)

I don't hesitate to go to the hardware store, and I better go to the liquor store soon before the nanny state decides they need to be closed, but I don't shake hands or get near to neighbors or friends.  Other than that, I'm not losing any sleep over the virus.

The submarine war diaries, form the USS Triton, were surprisingly nonchalant.  "We fired 4 torpedos at a tanker, and were attacked by a patrol boat that dropped depth charges."  No indication of how many depth charges or how long they were under attack. 

The Triton went on 6 war patrols.  The first 5 were successful.  She did not return from the 6th.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by drciesel on Thursday, March 19, 2020 7:48 PM

BigDaddy

and I better go to the liquor store soon before the nanny state decides they need to be closed, 

Just make sure you stop after five missions.

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Posted by RideOnRoad on Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:12 PM

hon30critter
RideOnRoad
And, in the midst of all this madness, I enter my 70th decade.

Happy Birthday!!

Dave

Good catch. This corona virus is really messing with my head. Wink

Richard

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:13 PM

So, they "closed" the beaches today.

What really happened was they did all they legally could do... close the public access points and public parking lots.

In actuality, the beaches are still open, and beachfront hotels are nearly full.

These kids will be going home in a few days. Usually they just go home with a hangover, commemorative tattoo, and maybe an STD. The liquor stores and tattoo shops are closed.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:15 PM

drciesel
Just make sure you stop after five missions.

Army Airforce rules: 25 missions.  My uncle was a tail gunner in Burma on a B25

I so wish I asked him about it.  Too late now.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:40 PM

cudaken
Ed, why did I find a Shark on my front pourch? Is a new or use shark?

I thought you asked me to get one for you?

Delivery was FAST, tracking number said Saturday, FedEX.

Does it smell new? I think it is new.

https://tinyurl.com/yx6os95l

I sent you a PM yesterday and made a mention of it here. If I ordered it by mistake you can send it to me and I'll put a NYC shell on it Surprise

 

GMTRacing
You don gloves to go in push the shopping cat (if you're from Boston it's a cat not a cart)

I like to call them trolleys. Pretty sure that's what theBrits call 'em. I just like saying trolley. My rolling trash bin is a trolley, too.

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, March 19, 2020 9:28 PM

BigDaddy
I don't hesitate to go to the hardware store, and I better go to the liquor store soon before the nanny state decides they need to be closed,

Did that today!  Mischief  In WI., you don't take a chance, get it while you can !  The heck with toilet paper and potatoes!  

Our govenor has said hardware stores were important.  Hours have been cut, but they are open.

The podiatry practice the wife works for, as turned into a ghost town.  85% or more of the patients are seniors, older seniors, that have their needs done via Medicare, and a few, through Title 19.  They are not coming in, social distancing.

The wife is licensed to do this at their home,  for about the same as their co-pay is at the office, and they don't have to go anywhere.  Her list is growing like crazy!

Her yearly ASPMA ( American Society of Podiatric Assistants) conference at the Hyatt in down town Chicago has been cancelled.  She has alternatives for getting her CEU's

She does "routine cares", and if this keeps up, I'll have to order her more business cards.

I have 2 pensions and SS, plus insurance through the unions, brick layers and cement finishers, so we are good to go.

It will be back to normal soon.

Richard!  I walked across that line 6 months ago, Happy birthday!

Mike.

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Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Thursday, March 19, 2020 9:47 PM

gmpullman
GMTRacing
You don gloves to go in push the shopping cat (if you're from Boston it's a cat not a cart)

I like to call them trolleys. Pretty sure that's what theBrits call 'em. I just like saying trolley. My rolling trash bin is a trolley, too.

Cheers, Ed

Down South, we call those things buggies.

Robert 

LINK to SNSR Blog


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Posted by York1 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 9:53 PM

Spring officially starts here in one hour.  10:49 pm CDT.

It sounds like a hurricane outside.  Snow is starting.  Wind gusts over 50 mph.

I'm so happy Spring is here.

York1 John       

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, March 19, 2020 10:24 PM

ROBERT PETRICK
Down South, we call those things buggies.

Yep, them things're buggies.

I did not hear the term "shopping cart" until I went to college in Nashville. When I went grocery shopping with my roomates, and called it a buggy they laughed at me.

But those college girls from the North thought the way I talked was cute, so, whatever. Laugh at me, I had a date for the weekend.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, March 20, 2020 12:12 AM

SeeYou190
Yep, them things're buggies.

I don't truck with no buggies Wink 

I just liked the way Daisy Werthan said, "I'm fixin' to go to the Piggly Wiggly on the trolley, Idella".

I'm forever coming up with unusual or archaic names for things.

If my wife and I decide to have leftovers, we're having orts for the meal. { Common crossword puzzle answer }.

Any furniture in the bedroom is a chifferobe. Thank Harper Lee for that one.

I like picking up funny quotes from movies.

"They done turned Petey into a horny toad"

and on and on...

Cheers, Ed

 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, March 20, 2020 12:21 AM

This border closing announcement with Canada is causing chaos on the Florida highways.

We have lots of RV owners that "Winter" in Florida that are Canadian citizens.

These fellows are pulling up the jacks and hooking up as fast as they can to get out of town. They are planning on driving straight through to get to the Canadian border before it closes.

Elderly people driving 60,000 pound Class A Recreational Vehicles with no sleep. This sounds like a disaster in the making.

I hope everyone makes it OK.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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