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!

Welcome to the August Diner, this time in sunny Mexico Locked

23702 views
571 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 5:19 PM

Good afternoon 

John York 1 ... Thanks for commenting about my eye surgery. One good thing is the doctor has me on restrictions that will preclude me from performing "honey do" tasks. LOL 

CN Charlie ..... Thanks for yoiur remark. I have worn eyeglasses since I was in third grade. Now I do not need them except I will need some reading glasses. 

Kevin  .... Thank you also. If your wife's eye surgery is cataract, she has nothing to fear. As Henry encouraged me prior to my surgery, it is a "piece of cake". My surgery only needed a local anaesthetic, and I felt absolutely no pain during the operation . I just layed there and watched a "light show". It did not take very long. 

.... 

Mexican food tastes good to me. 

Below are my two Mexican boxcars. they are custom painted and lettereed for N de M. 

 

If there happens to be any Mexicans in the MR Forum, I hope they will visit with us in the Diner. Of course, they would be welcome. ..... Actually, all MR Forum members are welcome here. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 4:54 PM

I just saw Space Mouse in the "Users Online" box.

I hope this means we hear from him soon.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Paducah KY
  • 1,183 posts
Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 4:19 PM

 

E8 not Alco

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 11:06 AM

I'm with CN Charlie and Ray. There is very little Mexican food that I like. We have a couple of Mexican restaurants here in town. I assume they know their stuff because their primary clientelle are the Mexican farm labourers who spend months here in the summer working on the Holland Marsh. We went in once and ordered a bunch of dishes but nothing struck my fancy. I do like burritos and guacamole though!

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
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 10:55 AM

SeeYou190
How can you not love Mexican food?

Well.....  I, for one, am not a big fan of Mexican food!  They seem to have to have Tomatos in and on everything. LOL  I do not like Salsa at all and when my sister insists on going to the local Mexican Restaurant (an excellent one, BTW) I kinda pick at it and try not to gag...  Old childhood dislikes I guess, but prefer most other ethnic food (love Asian).  Actually all food has ethnic origins, I guess, but no Mexican for me!  (barf!)

12

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 10:47 AM

York1
Kevin, it's great you could get a drywall lift.  Years ago, I had very little money, so I put sheetrock on a ceiling without a lift.  I ended up cutting it into smaller sections to make it more manageable.

The drywall lift is a cheap-o from Amazon for less than $200.00. I only need to hang about a dozen sheets for the whole project so I did not buy a good one.

It has proved to be an example of money very well spent. It is wonderful.

Heartland Division CB&Q
Second eye had surgery two days ago (Monday). It tested 2030 only 20 hours after surgery. It is expected to improve to be 2020 also.  I'm very happy about it. 

Good news to hear Garry. My wife is going in for her eye surgery next week. She only needs one eye operated on.

moelarrycurly4
Kevin: Drywall looking good, I don't understand why they use nails, yes i do it is quicker and cheaper for them. 

My house was built in 1988, which is in the ultimate "bad time" for houses to be built in Florida. It was during the era of high interest rates and before Hurricane Andrew, so all kinds of building codes and inspections were relaxed.

gmpullman
The builders must have still been "transitioning" from using the old wood lath because they nailed all the drywall with short, blued, straight-shanked nails that were traditionally used for wood lath. They were barely over an inch long!

These nails were one and a half inches long, but the shanks were bright and smooth. They certainly did not have much holding power.

Now I am fretting about the interior ceilings. I need to take down the ceiling in the bathroom, so I will find out soon.

CNCharlie
I'm not a fan of Mexican food. It isn't  very popular in my city. There are one or two small Mexican restaurants but that isn't much for a city of 750k.

WHAT?!?

How is this possible? There are cities here in Florida with 10,000 people and four Mexican restaurants. How can you not love Mexican food? How can there be an entire city of people who do not love Mexican food?

My mind is blown.

CNCharlie
Kevin, nice work on that ceiling. Must be handy to be as tall as you are.

Thank you. I hope to have it done and ready for texture by Friday.

I still need a 14" high work platform to do the ceiling work out back. The Lanai ceiling is 8' 6" high.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 2,123 posts
Posted by CNCharlie on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 10:33 AM

Good Morning,

Another nice sunny day here.

This tour of Mexico is likely the only one I will make as it isn't on our list of places to go and I haven't been there before. I'm not a fan of Mexican food. It isn't  very popular in my city. There are one or two small Mexican restaurants but that isn't much for a city of 750k. We have food from many lands even a couple of Turkish ones.

Well I went and did it as in buying a brass CNR J4e Pacific. Several have come on the market recently and I just couldn't resist. I bought it from Brasstrains. It will need a can motor installed and I think a sound decoder but we shall see. I plan on selling off my BLI Pacific and maybe the Mikado too. That will cover a lot of the cost of the new loco. Both of those locos are GTW. CN didn't have any USRA Pacifics and only a few Mikados that they bought but modified heavily.

When I had my car in for servicing they found an outer tie rod end that needs replacing. I'll need a 4 wheel alignment too. Not sure  if I'll get the dealership to do it as they want $200 to do the alignment when the going rate most places here is about $110. Not sure why they deserve 80% more.

Today is the day I caulk that skylight. Hopefully I am successful. It didn't leak during the last rain storm but only when we had a light rain. Go figure.

We are still just staying home and not going anywhere. My wife is just too afraid even though we only get a few new cases per day. As she says, 'it only takes one'.

Garry, glad to hear your eye surgery went well. You can throw away your glasses now, assuming you did wear them before.

Kevin, nice work on that ceiling. Must be handy to be as tall as you are.

We are getting a lot of birds in the yard now. My wife is feeding live meal worms to the chickadees. They are mad for the things and start pestering her as soon as they see the dish.

CN Charlie

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 9:34 AM

Rob, hope you're feeling OK.

Garry, good news on the eyes!

The picture below is what I've decided I want for Christmas.  I'll be leaving hints to my family.  It may involve not following our $50 limit on Christmas gifts.

 

https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/11/inspection-cars-for-railroad-inspectors.html

York1 John       

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 9:19 AM

The storm came right through here, but by that time the winds were down to 35 mph and there wasn't much rain at all.  I was out for a walk by mid afternoon.  There were a few small tree limbs down, but I didn't see anything major.  Our power never faltered.

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

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
  • 4,256 posts
Posted by Cederstrand on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 9:08 AM

Strong Italian roast coffee in a Santa Fe mug, please.

Hope to get a little more of the old layout removed today.

Have a great day all.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 8:47 AM

Howdy .... 

I hope everybody in East Coast states is surviving the storms. 

Thanks everybody for well wishes regarding my eye surgery. .... This is a good year for eye surgery .... 2020. 

First eye had surgery a week ago on Monday. It is now 2020. 

Second eye had surgery two days ago (Monday). It tested 2030 only 20 hours after surgery. It is expected to improve to be 2020 also. 

I'm very happy about it. 

I'll catch up to your posts when I can. You guys seem busy. I can't look at compter for very long. 

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 Wednesday, August 5, 2020 8:27 AM

    — Mornin'

Hope everyone's well this fine day. A balmy 59°F along Lake Erie this morning.

  Hey, MLC!  From your Alco to my EMD!

 2006 photos 713 by Edmund, on Flickr

Enjoy the day, Folks —

Regards, Ed

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 7:58 AM

MLC, no cupholders in that cab.  My truck has six (!) in the front seat.

York1 John       

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Paducah KY
  • 1,183 posts
Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 7:41 AM

Good morning

Kevin: Drywall looking good, I don't understand why they use nails, yes i do it is quicker and cheaper for them. 

hope all are safe from storm.  I hate tropical storms, lived with them for years in Houston Tx. 

 

 

Some blues for you. Sorry no video

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 7:17 AM

Good morning, everyone.  Bacon, eggs, and coffee. Again.

Not much going on today.  I have not worked on the layout for several months, so today I'm going to try.  Something always seems to divert me.

Kevin, it's great you could get a drywall lift.  Years ago, I had very little money, so I put sheetrock on a ceiling without a lift.  I ended up cutting it into smaller sections to make it more manageable.

For those of you on the east coast, I hope you have no issues with the storm.  Hyping storms that were not serious is what caused many people in New Orleans to not evacuate for Katrina.  They had grown complacent after years of news reports predicting doom for every tropical storm.

Tomorrow is day 14 of self-quarantine.  Even though we were in the same house and the same car with someone with an active case, and none of us wore masks except to go out, it seems we may have not caught anything.  A couple more days and we will all breathe easier.

Hope everyone has a good day.  Stay dry.

 

York1 John       

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 11:56 PM

SeeYou190
I cannot believe how dangerous this was. There were no screws in this sheetrock, just nails.

I recall doing some home improvement work in my first home, built in the early '50s using an early type of drywall. It wasn't sheetrock or rocklath but older 4 x 8 sheets of actual gypsum sheet.

The builders must have still been "transitioning" from using the old wood lath because they nailed all the drywall with short, blued, straight-shanked nails that were traditionally used for wood lath. They were barely over an inch long!

I could see them popping out all over the place and, yes, the ceiling drywall could easily be pulled down with very little effort. I spent days driving in ring-shank drywall nails (before screws became common) for security and peace-of-mind.

Cheers, Ed

 

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 10:24 PM

 Eveing Diners

 Flo, give the gang and I a Beer please and Dirk a dog treat, he was a good boy today.

 Today was a ball buster at work! Not that busy with new customers but with the store shippment and pickup's my brain is fried. Boy that first Beer tasted good when I got home.

 I may be MIA for a while. With my 68 Road Runner coming home more that likely I will be looking for parts and hitting the Mopar Sites again.

 Is it really August? It is 64 degress in Mrayville IL right now?

 Later, Ken and Dirk say's Beep, Beep Daddy!

 Edit, Top Of The Page.

 Flo, I am buying.

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 7:35 PM

I have been working on the ceiling over the Lanai.

This is what I was dealing with. The 32 year old sheetrock was sagging badly and the texture was coming off. There was almost no truss for some of the sections to attach to. When I pulled on these just slightly, big sections of sheetrock came down. I cannot believe how dangerous this was. There were no screws in this sheetrock, just nails.

I added lots of bracing to the trusses to make a grid of openings no further than 24 inches apart. This still seems like a lot to me, but there is about 3 times as much support as original, and some of the spans were 32 inches originally.

The new sheetrock is going in nicely, and there are plenty of fasteners and support to keep everything in place permanently this time.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 7:02 PM

According the the official NWS measurement at the Naval Academy, we had 3.5" of rain.  According to people who call into the tv weathmen we had 5-7"   The bucket next to my house has 3.5" so in this case, your government is correct.

The power flickered several times, but did not go out and around my neighborhood, only branches came down.  Damage was worse in Baltimore and the eastern shore had a couple tornados.

Elkton is at the top of the Chesapeake Bay, glad none of these are my cars.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Finger Lakes
  • 10,198 posts
Posted by howmus on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 2:56 PM

MisterBeasley
Weather Crisis hype is getting to be The Boy Who Cried Wolf again.

Hmmmm???  According to CNN there are about 2.5 million people without power at the moment due to the storm....

I still like mowing lawn.  I can get well over a mile of walking in, it costs me almost nothing and I don't have to have big polluting gas equipment hauled to and running around on my property.  Oh, yes, I have an EGO battery electric mower and other equipment which gets it's power mostly from the roof of my house.....

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    December 2012
  • From: Mesa, AZ
  • 1,530 posts
Posted by RideOnRoad on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 12:31 PM

MisterBeasley
. . .I haven't mowed my lawn for a long time. It's one of those chores I would rather pay for than do myself. . .

I am in the same boat. For me, life is too short to spend my time doings things that don't interest me and I can afford to pay someone else to do. We have had a yard guy for years. I also pay someone else for even the most mundane maintenence on my car. I figure I am helping to pump up the local economy.

Richard

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 11:20 AM

The storm will be done in a couple of hours.  Some rain, some wind 30-35 mph, but really not a big deal.  Weather Crisis hype is getting to be The Boy Who Cried Wolf again.

I haven't mowed my lawn for a long time.  It's one of those chores I would rather pay for than do myself.  Now I'm in a planned community and the HOA fees cover it.

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

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 10:17 AM

York1
I wish I could bring myself to pay a lawn service.  I think the way I was raised stops me from paying someone to do something I can do myself, but I sure hate lawn work. 

I pay my lawn service $80.00 a month for the "Quickie Cut" service.

They mow the 1/4 acre lot, and edge the driveway/rock garden. That is all.

I still take care of the the vegetable garden, weed the rock gardens, groom the trees, trim the hedges, and prune the roses. I still do about 90 minutes of yard work a week, but not the part I hate, just the parts that make the yard look good and give me pride in the house.

It has been a good compromise for me.

The "Full" lawn service would be $50.00 per week.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 8:31 AM

Good morning.  Just coffee this morning.

We got over an inch of rain last week, so today is lawn cutting day.  The best part of today will be when I put the lawn mower away and come back into the house.

I wish I could bring myself to pay a lawn service.  I think the way I was raised stops me from paying someone to do something I can do myself, but I sure hate lawn work.  Someone needs to invent a grass for my area that grows to two inches tall, quits growing, allows no weeds to grow, and repels all leaves.

 

At the Yucatán Train Museum:

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/Yucatan-Railway-Museum-259057224241957/

York1 John       

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New Milford, Ct
  • 3,232 posts
Posted by GMTRacing on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 7:41 AM

Good Morning All,

    72F and intermittent rain today. Had the tag end of a storm pass through last night with high winds and heavy rain for about 20 minutes. We'll see what today brings.

   Haven't been downstairs to do anything with the layout. CFO now wants to move to a more rural area so that will mean tearing down and restarting or at least I'll find out if I was clever enough when building that I don't have to dumpster everything and start over. Sigh

   Rob - good to hear from you. Hope your progress report is good.

   Garry - good luck with your latest operation. Hope it is as successful as the last.

All for now - back to it in the shop.     Ciao, J.R.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
  • 4,256 posts
Posted by Cederstrand on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 7:13 AM

Extra strong coffee and a flan. Haven't had one of those in a very long time.

***Garry, best of luck with the eye surgery. Hope you heal quickly and completely.

***Henry, was just talking about that very subject with Patti here. Maes no sense why some of the nicest folks have such tough things happen to them. 

The two HO Gnesis A&B F Santa Fe bluebonnets arrived. They look nice. Will probably be a month or two before I have anyplace set up to really run them. Will get a few silver cars for them to pull, transporting mail and a few wee little folks around parts of the new layout. Still working on demolition of the old one, but making progress. 

Still sleeping more than I would like from the brain cancer. Waiting on updated results from yesterdays MRI to see where I am at with this.

Have a great day all.

Cheers! Cowboy Rob

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
  • 9,577 posts
Posted by cudaken on Monday, August 3, 2020 10:18 PM

 Eveing Diners

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

 My 68 Road Runner has to come home. Friend has been storing it for free for the last 4 years. He is selling the land that the garage sits on. I have mixed feeling about it. I don't know if I have another car left in me, my 69 Charger R/T was going to be the last one.

 While the Road Runner is all there, it is a hep of work. I hate to sell her, I got her when I was 17 and Mom and Daddy bought her when I was 12 years old. Needed parts and car cover will sit me back $2500.00 or so. That is all so if I do 85% of the work. With no garage that is a problem. The $2500.00 all so does not count body work which I love to do, but then again the no garage is a big problem.

 Later Ken and Dirk says Me's Love's Beep, Beep Cars Daddy, lets go for a ride Woof, Woof!

I hate Rust

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, August 3, 2020 9:23 PM

I doubt it is authentic, but we are in Mexico...

I want some fried ice cream!

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, August 3, 2020 5:09 PM

Thanks Mike, that reminds me of Soapapillos, served hot, sometimes with ice cream.

https://www.acozykitchen.com/new-mexico-sopapillas

I've not made them myself.

Passwords.  I have been having a fistfight with Verizon.  I had 2 accounts, my cell phone and my Internet, landline.  I wanted to check the Fios TV schedule and I couldn't log in, even thoug I use a password program.

I clicked reset my password, and it reset the cell phone password.  Now I can log into the cell phone account, which seems to be the only way to get to the Internet account, by selecting Home Account.

However that requires the Home Account password, which doesn't work and when you click forgot password, it resets the cell phone account password. 

I really don't feel like calling support, talking to the voice recognition computer for 15 minutes that doesn't understand my Bawlamer accent and insists that I can do what I want online, then talk to someone in Mumbai.  I had Indian professors in college and numerous Indian colleagues and every single one was perfectly understandable. Their accent is pleasantly lyrical.

These guy on the help desk....they must be from the sticks.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Paducah KY
  • 1,183 posts
Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Monday, August 3, 2020 5:02 PM

Afternoon all, w*rk was not too bad, started an oncall week, had to clean up messes from me being out but not too bad. I need to mow  but it is about to rain 

The Sept MRR showed up in mailbox today!

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

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!