Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Jeffrey's Track Side Diner for the month of June. This time we are exploring Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota Locked

26203 views
717 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Monday, June 29, 2020 3:49 PM

gmpullman
Track fiddler
I looked up the word ailment and did not like what I seen. 

I prefer ale ment:

 

 PRR_Mug by Edmund, on Flickr

ale

fermented alcoholic beverage: Order me a mug of ale.
Not to be confused with:
ail – to feel ill; to make uneasy: What ails him?
 
 
 
 
 
I hope everyone is ailment-free today!
 
Cheers, Ed
 

Ahem!!!!  Ah, Rule G is in effect unless you are off duty!  Just a reminder... WhistlingLaugh

Hmmm.. Well, Since I AM off duty, I'll have a cold mug!

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Monday, June 29, 2020 1:49 PM

Track fiddler
I looked up the word ailment and did not like what I seen. 

I prefer ale ment:

 

 PRR_Mug by Edmund, on Flickr

ale

fermented alcoholic beverage: Order me a mug of ale.
Not to be confused with:
ail – to feel ill; to make uneasy: What ails him?
 
 
 
 
 
I hope everyone is ailment-free today!
 
Cheers, Ed
  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Monday, June 29, 2020 9:28 AM

Good Morning,

Another hot one here today. We are expecting a humidex of 104F which is hot indeed. To top it off, the mosquitoes have decided they like heat too so it isn't very pleasant outside in the afternoon. 

Ulrich, personally I think you have made the right decision. Sounds a lot less stressful than dealing with a new language and healthcare at our age. 

I have a short agenda today as in most days. I'm waiting for a couple of deliveries and also have to do a small grocery pickup. Think I'll take the cooler as I'll be getting some frozen stuff and dairy. Not sure it would be good after 20 minutes in a hot trunk. 

Have a good day,

CN Charlie

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, June 29, 2020 9:22 AM

Good morning

Ulrich,  Thanks for sharing the Germany pics and vids.....Enjoyed.  I'm hoping you and Petra's move is a smooth one.

Heartland Division CB&Q

Soo Line was a railroad we should have talked more about while visiting this region. It connected with Canadian Pacific at the border in ND, and ran from there to the Twin Cities and to Chicago. It privided passneger service until Amtrak with mostly older equipment. 

 

Garry,  Thanks..... I'll see your Soo Line and raise you oneLaughWink

Here's her little sister in Osceola Wisconsin right across the border from Minnesota.

Judging by the numbers there must have been quite a few of these.

Somebody open the back door and let her inLaugh

She had to reconnect after it was time to turn around and head back.

The conductor and I shared some good conversation that day.  I kid you not he was going to let me drive her.  Unfortunately there was a new engineer in training.  He told me maybe some other time.

 

 

TF

 

P.S.   This has nothing to do with this post but has something to do with one of my prior posts.  For some reason I was wondering about my knowledge with definitions in vocabulary.  I looked up the word ailment and did not like what I seen.  I realized I used this word in the wrong context.  I went back and edited one of my prior posts.

I do always mean wellSmile

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Monday, June 29, 2020 9:22 AM

Heartland Division CB&Q
I showed the photos of MILW's Hiawatha yesterday. Here is a one of the locomotives used to pull it. It is the Fairbanks Morse passenger locomotive called the "Erie Built" becasue those units were assembled in Erie, PA.

Note that is most likely a picture of the Olympian Hiawatha, which ran from Chicago to Seattle (Milwaukee Road was the only railroad that could run trains the whole way on their own tracks until the BN merger in 1970) rather than the Twin Cities - Chicago Hiawatha. If you look closely at the Erie-built in the photo, it says "Olympian Hiawatha" on it.

Stix
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Monday, June 29, 2020 8:40 AM

Good morning, everybody 

Ulrich ...... Best wishes with your move. I only saw a little of Germany, but to me, all was very beautiful. I think there will be many advantages to you and Petra staying in your home country. There are many aspects of Germany for you to be proud of. The steam railway looks especially nice. 

Meanwhile, back in MN, ND, and SD ........ The upper Midwest has very much level flatland such as in the photo below. With zero grades, a Soo Line GP9 has ample power for a very long train. 

Soo Line was a railroad we should have talked more about while visiting this region. It connected with Canadian Pacific at the border in ND, and ran from there to the Twin Cities and to Chicago. It privided passneger service until Amtrak with mostly older equipment. 

Soo Line was owned by CP.  In the 1980's it aquired Midwest tracks from bankrupt Milwukee Road.

Today it is essentially merged into CP.  Much of the crude oil from the Bakken Oil Formation in ND is shipped via CP on the Soo Line tracks. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Monday, June 29, 2020 8:33 AM

York1

Very nice looking city!  I love the gothic cathedral.

 

Görlitz is the only town in Germany that has kept it´s renaissance character. The town was founded when the vikings discovered America and the center of the town was built long before the Mayflower sailed for Plymouth Rock. What´s nice about the location is the short distance to one of my favoutite steam railway lines - just a 25 miles to south!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

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

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Monday, June 29, 2020 8:17 AM

Very nice looking city!  I love the gothic cathedral.

 

York1 John       

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Monday, June 29, 2020 12:21 AM

Good Morning!

Another nice day is starting! Nice and bright, not too hot, lots of crisp morning air right now.

Petra and I feel comfortable with the decision we have made. We are going to look for a small 1 bedroom apartment in a well maintained house at an affordable rent. The place needs to have an elevator, so we don´t have to lug all our groceries up 2 or 3 flights of stairs. It also needs to have parking available, preferably with a charging facility, should we one day want to buy an EV. A small apartment means minimizing the utility bill and the upkeep of the place, leaving us some financial leeway to do a little bit of traveling in the area, or simply rat out or enjoy a nice ice cream in an ice cream parlor. You now, all those little things that make life pleasant and we have been missing for the past 10 years. A quich search I did yesterday revealed, that ther are such places available in the area of our choice. I just want to wait for a couple of more weeks for my eye to completely heal before we hit the road and drive down there.

Here are some impressions of the city we have selected as our retirement residence:

Görlitz is one of the few German cities that saw no destruction during WWII, so most of the 1800s buildings are still around. 40 years of socialistic decay has taken its toll, but thanks to a former citizen of the town, who left a fortune for the renovation of his beloved home town, Görlitz is now a very attractive place, with a surplus of very nice apartments.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

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

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Monday, June 29, 2020 12:18 AM

Evening all.

It has been an exhausting week here as life returns to normal we have a lot on our plates as far as catch up goes. Looking after this Estate of an old friend of my Mothers is going to take forever and it is wearing thin. Not being able to get things done Stateside means we hurry up and wait.

 I have a lenghty meeting at the Lawyers office tomorrow to try and get some things going with the assistance of the U.S. consulate in Vancouver, should be interesting.

We had our usual eight in for Sunday dinner tonight for the first time in months and it was great to get together again. There are only 17 people in hospital in British Columbia right now with 10 new cases reported today. 

Kevin, sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations with your sisters. I hear a lot of stories like that and feel fortunate that my family is pretty matter of fact when it comes to dealing with loss of those close to us. We all have a good cry and then move on. I guess that is why I have a drawer full of wills as I am the executor of quite a few people. I am suggesting that some of the kids of those I am Executor of are old enough to deal with it now, so my drawer is starting to empty. We have been having get togethers at someones house to celebrate peoples passing now, rather than a formal service. Casual remembrance by those that wish to speak. There were about 150 at the last family one at my BILs house and it was a pleasant afternoon to all be together.

Well time to hit the sack, only got 31/2 hours last night and I am not as young as I use to be.Sleep

Got to love a RR that has its own Airforce.Laugh

CP Air: CP Air's Fleet of Douglas DC-3's

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, June 28, 2020 11:54 PM

Tinplate Toddler
We have decided to go back to our original plans of renting an apartment in the southeaster part of the country.

Hi Ulrich,

I know how much you and Petra wanted a nice place in the country, but I think that choosing to go into an apartment might be a wiser choice in the long run. The challenges of maintaining a rural property could get onerous over time.

We have a nice small urban property and Dianne does a great job on the gardens. However, we pay for all the other services like lawn cutting, snow removal, tree pruning, window cleaning, gutter cleaning, house repairs and whatever else comes up because I can't do any of that stuff anymore. I can barely fill the bird feeders. Eventually Dianne will not be able to do much gardening so we will be paying for that too.

I just hope you can find a place with some access to green spaces. The view from your current apartment will be hard to give up.

Good luck,

Dave

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

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, June 28, 2020 11:36 PM

SeeYou190
Not going to drudge through the details, but I cannot wait for this to be over.

Hang in there Kevin! I have two older brothers (one deceased) who I hate(d) dealing with. They have (had) absolutely no regard for my opinion. They simple told me how things were going to be. I haven't seen the surviving one in almost three years and that suits me fine. We may have talked six times in that period. He is still dealing with our mother's estate seven years after she passed. I don't ask questions because it would upset him.

Families can be good and bad. I get along with all of Dianne's brothers and sisters just great!

Dave

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

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, June 28, 2020 11:10 PM

I am in Ohio. Everything is a complete mess, and I am having a hard time dealing with my sisters.

Not going to drudge through the details, but I cannot wait for this to be over.

Everyone take care... and be safe!

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, June 28, 2020 9:41 PM

Ed ... I'm glad to see you. I wonder where everybody else went to. 

I like the cool photo of the NCL in its brief BN period. 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, June 28, 2020 9:15 PM

This should cool anyone off that needs it Cool

 

 BN_9822_Butte-MT by Edmund, on Flickr

No. 26 at Butte, Montana, North Coast Limited with the 9822 in the lead on December 20, 1970. Note the steam loco bell on the Geep to the right.

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, June 28, 2020 9:20 AM

Good morning, Diners ! ...... I'll have coffee and a donut, please. 

TF .... Thanks for posting pictures of Hiawatha cars. Excursion passenge trains sometimes have a locomotive at each end. A locomotive will be leading the train as it travels in each direction. 

I showed the photos of MILW's Hiawatha yesterday. Here is a one of the locomotives used to pull it. It is the Fairbanks Morse passenger locomotive called the "Erie Built" becasue those units were assembled in Erie, PA. 

 

 

Chicago and Northewestern RR also served the Twin Cities and it also had Erie Builts.

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Sunday, June 28, 2020 8:36 AM

Good Afternoon!

A mix of sunshine and ra*n today, but fortunately much cooler than yesterday. We have been keeping the windows wide open to cool down the place. While it doesn´t take much time for the place to heat up, cooling it down takes quite a lot of time!

We have decided to go back to our original plans of renting an apartment in the southeaster part of the country. Rents are much lower down there and there are actually some nice small apartments available, which seem suitable for us. We will have some funds left for the enjoyable things of life, like eating out or even traveling. Downsizing is the name of the game, which will also save quite a lot on the utility bills to come.

If you think it is too hot outside, how about some cool pictures?

Your computer still works - there is no sound in that video!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

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

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Sunday, June 28, 2020 8:25 AM

Good morning.

Not much going on today.  I have one project with a kitchen wall, and then a full day of nothing.  A think a Sunday afternoon nap will be called for.

 

York1 John       

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, June 28, 2020 7:31 AM

Good morning 

Another beautiful one here.  I woke at 7:00 which is rare but I'll take the extra hour or two.  I'm going to train church as we call it.  It will be good to see every one in the back yard this morning. 

I'm not looking forward to the next couple of days, especially tomorrow.  Judy has to preview her Sister at the church with her niece to make sure she looks okay for the service Tuesday.  I'm sad for her she has to go through it twice.  We'll just have to get through the next couple days so the healing can begin.  We both have had plenty of support through all this and it is greatly appreciated.

On a good note the family is in town and tomorrow is Judy's nieces birthday.  We are renting a patio at a Mexican restaurant.  It will be good to see everyone, I just wish under better circumstances.

Well time for another cup of coffee and off to the club.

 

Have a great day everyoneSmile, Wink & Grin

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
  • 2,508 posts
Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Saturday, June 27, 2020 10:13 PM

cudaken
Getting sick of what is going on in the country, maybe I should move to another country.

Same here!  But where to? There is hardly a civilzed country which is not affected by the current "mental illness".

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

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

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Saturday, June 27, 2020 9:47 PM

I wonder how many guest rooms Bear has at his house?

York1 John       

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Saturday, June 27, 2020 9:35 PM

BATMAN
Often ranked the best country in the world. I'm coming too.

They certainly have good wine!

Of course we have pretty good wines here in Ontario too!

Dave

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

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Saturday, June 27, 2020 9:17 PM

cudaken
maybe I should move to another country.

Otorohanga - Wikipedia

Often ranked the best country in the world. I'm coming too.

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 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Saturday, June 27, 2020 7:07 PM

 Evening Diners

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

 Work Front, why do they make me work a extra day now? Lets see, last Saturday I worked Jerry and I had 1 customer each? Today Jerry had 1 coustomer and I had 0?

 Getting sick of what is going on in the country, maybe I should move to another country.

 Later Ken and Dirk say's I bite them for you Daddy, Woof, Woof!

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, June 27, 2020 6:37 PM

York1

 

 
Track fiddler
Instead I made her one out of a cement sono tube and OSB splines and 13 300 foot spools of twine.

 

 

Nice!  That looks like something that could bring quite a bit of money online.

 

 

You could be right but there's not enough money in the world for me to ever do that to my fingers againLaugh

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Saturday, June 27, 2020 6:33 PM

Track fiddler
Instead I made her one out of a cement sono tube and OSB splines and 13 300 foot spools of twine.

 

Nice!  That looks like something that could bring quite a bit of money online.

 

BigDaddy
Lots of humidity and thunderstorms, just when I wanted to grill steaks.

 

We've got the heat and humidity, but no storms.  We really need a good downpour.  All the pivots are working overtime.  Hope your steaks taste just as good cooked on the stove or in the oven.

 

Edit:  Top of the Page!

Since it's after dinner on a very hot and humid day, everyone can have one of these for dessert:

 

York1 John       

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, June 27, 2020 6:20 PM

Speaking of twine, I have a little story for you John.  I've been known to do some crazy things sometimes.  Judy had a huge ceramic vase.  It was a gift from me and a rather expensive one.  It was one of her most favorite things.

We had a black shepherd.  He was a good watch dog.  Magnum looked like a wolf, rather scary looking, intimidating to most.  I know you know what's coming next.

We had a front door with one of those big oval windows in it.  Someone came to the door he didn't like and when he ran around the corner he knocked the ceramic vase over and broke it into a hundred pieces.

Judy was very sad she wasn't getting another ceramic vase. Instead I made her one out of a cement sono tube and OSB splines and 13 300 foot spools of twine.

There was 20 feet of twine left over after I wrapped this vase for her.  3880 feet of twine and you should have seen my bloody fingertips after days of wrapping it.  I had a spindle screwed down to an old table.

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, June 27, 2020 6:07 PM

Lots of humidity and thunderstorms, just when I wanted to grill steaks.
My neighbor has a ocean front condo and he told his dog 'we are going to the beach', meaning their OC condo.  The dog took off at top speed and jumped into the river.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, June 27, 2020 5:53 PM

Today was a great day John, I agree.  We just got done sitting outside until the humidity soaked in enough, then went back inside to 73 degrees.  Can't beat it.

I have not seen that ball of twine before.  I do remember a giant ball of rubber banders though.  Look up the world's largest pencil.  You'll get a kick out of that one.  Especially if you find the site that explains the construction of it.

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Saturday, June 27, 2020 5:44 PM

Track fiddler

Hi John

You do realize that is a computer image I'm sure.  Show me the real image pleaseWhistlingSmile, Wink & Grin

 TF

 

Hey, I don't claim them!  I just report!  Wink

 

By the way, aren't days like this great?  I hope your coming weeks are better than what you've had lately.

 

Now, if you really want to argue, let's talk about the world's largest ball of twine!

https://www.wideopencountry.com/biggest-ball-of-twine/

 

 

York1 John       

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!