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Jeffreys Track-side Diner - April 2020, this time in the town of Golden, British Columbia! Locked

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Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, April 11, 2020 1:13 AM

Post Hog

And now for something much more cheerful is 4014

It's the 1:13 in St Paul

 UP 4014 Pirate

Much BetterStick out tongue

 

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, April 11, 2020 12:53 AM

Thanks Dave

Pets are really something else  They are always a member of the family and like one of our children  always are hard to let goWink

 

 

TF

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Posted by hon30critter on Saturday, April 11, 2020 12:43 AM

TF,

That's a neat story about Nellie.

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 Track fiddler on Saturday, April 11, 2020 12:13 AM

SeeYou190

I hate snakes and frogs. Lizards are OK.

 

 

Now this is going to seem a little off the wall  especially at midnight on a Friday  in the night  in the darkLaugh

My Nellie  my favorite Springer Spaniel  God Rest her soul

When she was just a puppy she had this little stuffed frog toy   All her other toys she tore apart to bits and got out the little squeaky thing inside  I think she thought it was the prize

Her little stuffed frog was like her baby and she would stuff it in the couch cushions at night and go retrieve it again in the morning and always took care of it 

Long story short  years later when she grew up  We had a beautiful pond in the backyard with waterfalls that Judy and I made together  Judy and I always called Nellie's frog toy Hopper

The whole rest of her life Nellie would find a frog in the backyard and pick it up in her mouth and I don't know why but she would drool repulsively like a sieve but she never hurt that frog  Judy and I would always say did you find a Hopper Nellie?  Then she would carry the Frog to the pond and release it in the water  she didn't drop it  she stuck her nose in the water opened her mouth and released it

 

Go figure   Still hate frogs Kevin? Smile, Wink & Grin

 

 

TF

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, April 10, 2020 11:36 PM

hon30critter
I hate the way they treat their employees and I hate what they have done to small towns all across North America.

I know they treated my wife very well. She took a part time job one holiday season to earn extra money for Christmas. In five years she was a department manager. Five years after that she was opening new stores in SW Florida. Then she became ovenight manager. My friend Randy works at Walmart in his retirement, and he loves it.

I have no knowledge of what Walmart does to small towns other than what I have read. Within five miles of my house I have two Walmart Super Centers, a Walmart Neighborhood Market, a Super Target, an Aldi, and three Publix Supermarkets. 

up831
Kevin: I'm guessing with you that those are snake eggs. <SNIP> If its venomous, well you know how to handle it.

Whether it is venemous or not, all snakes get handled the same way. I hate snakes and frogs. Lizards are OK.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by Track fiddler on Friday, April 10, 2020 10:23 PM

LaughLaughLaughLaughLaugh

I Got That! Laugh   The computer in the car just didn't understand BearWhistling

Or have enough modern day technology...unfortunatelyLaugh

 

And thanks for the great dish, desert and a fine shotYes

 

 

TF

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Posted by maxman on Friday, April 10, 2020 9:45 PM

Today was a bad news/good news day.

Some are saying that there is a flattening in the virus expansion curve, but I'm not seeing that in my county.  In my township we appear to be holding steady with 6 reported cases.    However, countywide we now have 9 deaths and 489 positives out of 3342 tests.

When all this started the cases were increasing by 2 to 3 per day.  Then it became 8 to 10, and then 20.  The increase between yesterday and today was 70.

"you can stab it with your steely knives but still can't kill the beast".

On the good news side I received an email from my auto insurance company saying that because there were fewer miles being driven due to the virus they were going to refund 15% of my last quarter's premium.  Not much, but a lot better than nothing.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, April 10, 2020 9:05 PM

Before whatever the date on my avatar is, we went to the Finger Lakes.  I don't remember the B&B we stayed at, but their thing was to serve a 2 or 3 thousand calorie breakfast.

We enjoyed Suzannne's Restaurant, which was an upscale restauarant in Lodi?  She closed the restaurant, but we got email on her cooking classes.  She now has a youtube channel and is living in the Low Country (South Carolina)  I suppose that is a big change for a New Yorker.

How about carrot cupcakes?

I mentioned in the Covid thread, my neighbor came over in full mask and gloves.  He's a realtor and has a lead on someone who wants to move into my neighborhood, a waterfront community.   We hadn't intended, nor are ready to put our house on the market, but I'd love to have a contract in the current uncertain economic times.

We are building a home in the Shenandoah Valley.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by "JaBear" on Friday, April 10, 2020 8:40 PM

SDGP by Bear, on Flickr

 

Edit: looks like the grubs on me...

Leg o lamb by Bear, on Flickr

Pud by Bear, on Flickr

Yum Rum 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 BATMAN on Friday, April 10, 2020 7:58 PM

Good late afternoon from the beautiful West Coast. It was 17c today and has been sunny for at least a week and the forcast is for sun for the next week.Big Smile

My daughter is playing TV music on the piano while I type, it is wonderful to have so much music in the house. Game of Thrones and Lost themes are on deck right now. She is playing this right now.

Got my truck fixed yesterday after a bizzare start in tracking down what was wrong. It was relying on compression to start and that usually means the glow plug relay, so I turned on the ignition and the meter showed 11.8 volts running through it so I was instantly deflated as that meant something much bigger was going on if power was going through the relay. Then out of the blue the relay turned into a giant smoke show! I was so happy as the relay was the cheapest quickest fix. I took the relay off and it fell to pieces in my hand. Off to Ford for a new one. This engine is big and you have to crawl across it and lay on top of it to fix the the relay, tough for a guy full of Arthritis.

Got the truck goin just in time to distribute the huge turkey dinner my wife cooked to the senior members of the family on lock down, normally they would all be here for Easter dinner but this year the kid in the car and me in the truck made like couriers and got the grub out. I see a lot of PWRS gift certificates in my future even though we keep telling them not to.Laugh

A good friend of ours just won $500.000.00 in the lottery. He is third generation Orthopedic surgeon and their whole family does so much for the community, I am sure it will be going to something worth while.

Henry, I think it was you that mention homelite chainsaw not running, check the goofy fuel line set up. I had to replace mine as it disintigrated when I went to check it. Ran like a top with the new one.

I often have conversations with the computer in the kids car, I swear it is getting smarter the more I torture it. The kid brought his Alexa home from Ottawa and set it up in the kitchen, I love the thing, just ask a question and you have the answer or tell it to turn on the stereo with your favourite music or turn on the theatre and que up the movie you want so when you walk in the room it is ready to go without getting buttery popcorn fingers on the remotes.

The dinner gong is gonging and I need a bottle of red as it is italian tonight so until later.

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."

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Posted by Track fiddler on Friday, April 10, 2020 7:11 PM

LaughLaughLaugh

I experienced the same thing when I rented a car on vacation Ed, ...maxman.

It was the same scenario.  I pushed a bunch of buttons on the steering wheel and the woman's voice freaked me out.

Soon Judy was busting a gut because I was saying things toying with the computer that the computer did not understandLaugh

 

P.S.   I never did get what I wanted eitherWhistling

 

 

TF

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, April 10, 2020 6:27 PM

maxman
I said "herd of what".

Who's on first?

Plenty of YouTube videos of Alexa and Siri or whatever the other ones are called, going round-n-round.

I don't actually have any of that space-age stuff. DCC decoders are "techy" enough for me.

Last fall I was driving my new Chevy pickup and I wanted to set the cruise control. Somehow I pushed one of the twenty-eight buttons on the steering wheel and a voice asked me "What would you like?" Been a while since a woman asked me that! I said, "I'd like an ice cream sundae"  I replied to the voice.  "Today is Thursday" she says. OK I guess she's right.

Never did get my ice cream sundae. Never got the cruise control set, either Bang Head 

Regards, Ed

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Posted by maxman on Friday, April 10, 2020 5:29 PM

gmpullman
Alexa said "Beernuts are a favorite party snack". No, I said "Pea Nuts" "Peas should be planted in early April in zone five" Aw nuts! "Nuts are a favorite party snack"

I had a similar issue.  I asked her what do you call a bunch of cows,

She said "herd".

I said "herd of what".

She said "herd of cows".

I said "yes, I've herd of cows"

She said "No, no, a cow herd".

I said "I'm not nosy and don't care what a cow herd.  Just answer the question."

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Posted by York1 on Friday, April 10, 2020 5:28 PM

gmpullman
Speaking of Alexa, welcome to the 1962 version of the 21st Century compliments of AT&T:

 

That's one of my best memories.  My family attended the Seattle World's Fair when I was ten.  I remember the Bell Telephone exhibit.

That was such a great fair, and a great influence on my life.  Since then, I have always had great hope for the future.  I think it was one of the most fun and forward looking times in the U.S. that I can remember.  Everything seemed possible.

Many people don't realize how great an impact the Bell Labs had on our life today.

York1 John       

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, April 10, 2020 5:27 PM

Different country, but I did see a UPS delivery truck out in my neighborhood today.

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

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, April 10, 2020 4:52 PM

maxman
Did you ask Alexa?

Alexa said "Beernuts are a favorite party snack". No, I said "Pea Nuts" 

"Peas should be planted in early April in zone five

Aw nuts!

"Nuts are a favorite party snack"

I then proceeded to put a bag over Alexa's head. Speaking of Alexa, welcome to the 1962 version of the 21st Century compliments of AT&T:

Check out the nifty pager at 5:10 Geeked

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by CNCharlie on Friday, April 10, 2020 3:36 PM

Good Afternoon,

Well I guess the UPS guy won't be coming today. I forgot it was Good Friday. 

I got the N scale running but need to clean the tracks. That ME rail seems to gung up quickly. 

CN Charlie

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Posted by maxman on Friday, April 10, 2020 3:26 PM

gmpullman
Does anybody know why a US Mail first class package envelope has to have ONE foam peanut inside?

Did you ask Alexa?

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Posted by howmus on Friday, April 10, 2020 3:18 PM

Afternoon folks!

Pretty much an icky day here in the Finger Lakes Region of NYS. Lots of Sn*w this moring, but nothing that stuck.  Temps are about 35° F at the moment but right now the sun has decided to shine.  Wind is still fairly strong so it feels very cold out walking in the neighborhood...

up831
Ah yes, the good ol'e time honored SM-58. Probably the best cardoid dynamic vocal mike ever! Personally, I always preferred 57's, but they both had a nearly identical pickup pattern. There was a showcase club in LA that miked everything with 57's. Worked for them. For several years, I did some mixing for some of our church convention sites. What I found out was that none of the performers being or having been in the industry were comfortable with getting up on the mike. That forced me to set the faders to where they were clipping to pick them up well. Solution, I started using condenser mikes for vocals. They could be comfortable standing 2 feet away from the mike, and I could still pick them up in reasonable fader and trim settings. I know you used to do sound for church. Did you have similar experiences?

I had a good collection of both the SM-58s and the SM-57s.  I used the 58s for vocal use mostly and stuck usually to the 57s for instrumental reinforcement.  SM-57s were a bit more forgiving for instrumental use.  Had IIRC 8 of each in my bags.  I did have a couple small diaphram condensers and one very nice large diaphram condenser as well in the collection.  Used them mostly for recording, but for live sound on occasion.  The large diaphram condenser was Awesome for recording bass instruments, BTW.  I did a recording of a professional string quartet run by one of my students from Geneva who was also the cellist.  The rich, warm sound of the cello in that recording just melted me when I first heard it during the final mixing for the CD....  The Condensers were wonderful for recording and for overall miking from a ways back for large groups (Choirs, etc.)

My front end for live sound was JBL front end and Yamaha stage monitors.  Basically the same equipment the the Dave Matthews band was using at that time.  I was the small company here in this area.  I only had 5,200 watts front end..... (grin)  It could still be heard about 2 miles away, but I just had to crank a bit higher than the other guys...  LOL

In the words of "Ma" Deal (Home and Careers teacher), "I told you you were gonna go DEAF!!!!!!"  To which I always replied, "Huh?"

Oh... I did oversee installation of the current Pro-sound system in my church and did a lot of church recording back in the day.  Some were church choirs, services and such, and some were community groups performing in various churches.  By the time my church was using a decent sound system and board, I had given up doing sound due to my hearing.  My audiologist though says my hearing loss started as a kid on the farm.  I did get to drive all the cool stuff as a kid.  Most didn't have anything called a muffler on them though! Whistling

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, April 10, 2020 2:18 PM

Hello, again.

Does anybody know why a US Mail first class package envelope has to have ONE foam peanut inside?

I've recently been buying a few 35mm slides from eBay sellers. When the envelope arrives there is the slide inside along with one little scrap of foam. I remember some time ago one of the sellers mentioned this is to satisfy "Postal Regulations" and did not elaborate.

Any body know what the deal is with these "regulations"? Next I'll ask about "Electronic Rate Requested" but that's for another day.

Cheers, Ed

 

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Posted by York1 on Friday, April 10, 2020 1:38 PM

In our little town, we are 55 miles from any clothing store, tool store, etc.  Those stores closed long before Walmart was here, so Walmart cannot be blamed for hurting our town.

In fact, it's just the opposite here.  People who have few skills or lack an education can get a fairly good job there.   They have general products for us that we would not have available if they weren't here.

 

I got both TP and Paper Towels today!  I got there right after the truck delivered.

I was not real happy with the weather report.  It's cold, windy, and snow is predicted starting tomorrow and continuing through Wednesday.

Have a good Good Friday!

York1 John       

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Posted by up831 on Friday, April 10, 2020 12:46 PM

Hello Everyone,

The bear pictures are fascinating.  Never seen one in the wild.  Not sure I want to, or if I do, I don't want it to be up close and personal.

Kevin:  I'm guessing with you that those are snake eggs.  The question is what kind?  If you have access to one, you could put a security Type camera outside focused on the section of wall where you found the eggs.  A snake would likely be in the wall during the day and come out to hunt at night.  If its venomous, well you know how to handle it.

Ray:  Ah yes, the good ol'e time honored SM-58.  Probably the best cardoid dynamic vocal mike ever!  Personally, I always preferred 57's, but they both had a nearly identical pickup pattern.  There was a showcase club in LA that miked everything with 57's.  Worked for them.  For several years, I did some mixing for some of our church convention sites.  What I found out was that none of the performers being or having been in the industry were comfortable with getting up on the mike.  That forced me to set the faders to where they were clipping to pick them up well.  Solution, I started using  condenser mikes for vocals.  They could be comfortable standing 2 feet away from the mike, and I could still pick them up in reasonable fader and trim settings.  I know you used to do sound for church. Did you have similar experiences? 

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by maxman on Friday, April 10, 2020 12:43 PM

gmpullman
I bought something from Amazon once and found out the package came from Wal-Mart? No where on the site said that the seller was Wal-Mart.

Happened to me just recently.  Ordered one item thru Amazon that came in two shipments.  First item to arrive was from Walmart via Fedex was 4 tire valve stem covers, value less than a dollar.  I thought that someone had hacked my account.

After multiple calls to see what was what, turned out that original Amazon vendor had run out of what I ordered so they turned around and reordered from Walmart so I wouldn't be "disappointed".  The valve covers showed up because the original vendor needed to add them to their order to reach Walmart's free shipping minimum.

I actually found out about all this because the first call I made was to Walmart asking them why I received the covers.  Their rep politely explained what happened, and then asked me why I had ordered thru Amazon when I could have bought what I want cheaper from Walmart.

So far as Walmart goes, I will go there occasionally if I know the item I need is less expensive.

The boss, however, will have nothing to do with the place.  All I have to do to get her cranked up is put on my jacket and say I'm going to Walmart.  Her response is "if you go the locks will be changed by the time you get back".

I believe that she has seen too many of those internet Walmart shopper pictures and believes they all carry the virus with them.

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Posted by CNCharlie on Friday, April 10, 2020 12:09 PM

Good Morning,

A blustery day here too. Might get up to 45F. 

We have ethanol in some grades of gas here, lower the grade the more ethanol. Shell and Esso don't have any in the 91 octane grade but it costs about 60 cents more per gallon, or 15 cents per litre. Many years ago when I worked as a sales rep for Sunoco, they sold a 104 octane gas, the highest of any oil company at that time. All the performance cars came to our stations. The pumps were blender pumps that could mix regular gas with the 104 stuff to make 4 different grades. Those pumps were complicated things and changing prices was a pain. I know as I had to do it on occasion causing skinned knuckles on several occasions. 

Well I didn't get the N scale layout wiring issue fixed. Maybe today.

We have been ordering blue shop towels to make face masks. Apparently they are very good for that. I think we likely have far too many rolls, but we can always use them as regular paper towels. Loews will deliver them free of charge or we can pick up at the store without going inside. Not sure where I will put the boxes for quaranteen. I ordered the towels yesterday morning and they will be delivered by UPS today which is good service. 

We normally don't shop at Walmart but we broke the rule yesterday and placed an order for paper products and a few other items to pickup. 

The flock of Juncos are hopping about on the patio, so I better go put out more seed, will be the third time this morning. It is easy to watch them from the dining room window as our house is very low to the ground in the back. From the back door it is just one step down to patio level and the windows in the back go to about a foot from ground level. 

I hope that UPS guy comes soon as they only do curbside so I can't do anything much until I see the truck arrive. 

Have a good day,

CN Charlie

 

 

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Posted by Track fiddler on Friday, April 10, 2020 11:38 AM

B.L.T's sound great Ed and I have the fixings.  Judy made a 7 layer salad for lunch with some of the Easter eggs.

Help yourself,  B.L.T's for dinner it is.

 

 

TF

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, April 10, 2020 11:19 AM

hon30critter
Hope I haven't offended Vinnie!

Seven hours and no one has visited the Diner? Where's Steven with that pizza? Or maybe a fish fry today?

Seems like winter is back in NE Ohio. C-O-L-D and blustery! I have the wood stove fired up and a tray of bacon slow-cooking in the oven for B.L.T.s for lunch today Dinner

Got to play with my new Rapido Alco FAs last night Big Smile

 BnO_4011-FA-aba by Edmund, on Flickr

 BnO_4011-FA by Edmund, on Flickr

 EL_7381-pit by Edmund, on Flickr

I hope everyone is doing well today Angel

Cheers! Ed

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, April 10, 2020 3:28 AM

gmpullman
I can honestly say I've never been in a Wal*Mart. Never saw any reason to. Since old man Walton passed I don't care much for how the kids have run the business.

Good for you Ed!

I shop at Walmart very rarely. I may have been there five times in the 15 years since they opened. I hate the way they treat their employees and I hate what they have done to small towns all across North America. Most of their stuff is absolute garbage too.

Hope I haven't offended Vinnie!

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 Tinplate Toddler on Friday, April 10, 2020 3:24 AM

Good Morning!

It´s Good Friday today, which means everything except train stations and gas stations are closed. Not much different to the previous days, though, as this country is locked up tight. No church services today or any other day in the foreseeable future, as churches stay closed.

This is about the saddest Easter holidays since 1945 in this country. No egg hunts, no nothing! The lock-up is quickly eating into people´s patience. Petra and I try to maintain a good spirit, but start to preparing ourselves to shelf the idea of moving to Denmark. The borders will be closed minimum until May 10th, but are expected to stay closed even way beyond that date. It doesn´t make much sense to try to come up with a plan B for the moment - we will cross that bridge later in the year.

Walmart did not succeed in Germany - for a number of reasons I don´t want to elaborate here. Aldi and Lidl serve our needs pretty well and are a perfect match to our "shopping culture", which is quite different to yours.

I have a lot of respect for people working in retail. I only worked once in retail. It was a student job in a toy store, in which I ran the model railroad department  (what else?) for the Christmas season. You meet all kinds of people, but the number of, say, rather odd characters seem to prevail. At least they are the ones you remember. I have learned to treat store people with all due respect, even if I was not happy with their service.

Ever heard of wombats? I think they are the cutest!

Stay safe and healthy!

 

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

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

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, April 10, 2020 3:07 AM

SeeYou190
My wife worked for Wal-Mart for twenty years.

My son-in-law is an associate there, too. He likes it well enough, I suppose. When he started out he worked night shift and he had a two-hour lunch break. But — if a truck came in to unload, lunch was over, now! So he was at the store for ten hours, got paid for eight and was "on-call" for the two hours of "lunch". Often working through and missing out of any meal-time.

Didn't dare complain, of course.

Regards, Ed

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, April 10, 2020 2:43 AM

gmpullman
I can honestly say I've never been in a Wal*Mart. Never saw any reason to.

My wife worked for Wal-Mart for twenty years. Her last role was as overnight manager at a Super Center.

Since she retired, we have not been back even a dozen times.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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