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Welcome to the October, 2020 Jeffrey's Trackside Diner in Michigan

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  • Member since
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  • From: Kentucky
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 9:56 AM

Good morning, Diners. 

mbinsewi

 

 
BATMAN
This car was spotted in Banff today. Didn't Milwaukee die in 1987?

 

Nice! a MILW. ballast hopper(s), looks like more than one.  Must have been on a CP train.

I think the SOO/CP took the MILW over in 86.

Mike.

 

Yes. .... I recall when the trustees of the bankrupt MILW were selling it. First they abondened all except a core system when included the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis / St Paul, and Kansas city. All western lines were sold or abandoned. 

To sell the core system, the trustees entered into a sales agreement with GTW/CN. MILW would have been merged into an expanded GTW. C&NW filed a motion with the courts which stopped that from happening. Next, there was a three way bidding war (GTW, C&NW, and Soo Line. Soo Line won. 

Upon acquiring MILW (core system), SOO then sold its Duluth - Chicago route to a new railroad called Wisconsin Central. (The original Wisconsin Central operated from 1897 until it merged with SOO in 1954.) 

Next, CN/GTW entered into a coordinated service agreement with Burlington Northern. This effectively gave CN a route to Chicago from western Canada. 

In 2001, CN acquired WC, and secured a route to Chicago without the coordinated service with BN. 

 

When I worked for GTW (1972-1992), I was involved with various studies for the proposed merger of MILW and GTW which did not happen. We looked at anticipated traffic flows over MILW, GTW, and DW&P. DW&P is a CN-owned railroad which runs from Duluth to the Canadian border.  

Regarding GTW, CN stopped treating it as an autonomous company in the early 1990's. GTW effectively became an operating division of CN. Any headquarters functions were thereafter performed at CN headquarters in Montreal. Later, CN acquired Illinois Central, WC, EJ&E, DM&IR, and B&LE. 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 1:14 AM

hon30critter
Nice job Kevin!

Thanks Dave.

When I pulled the toilet up this morning, the wax ring was completely out of place. I did not know it was possible to mess that up so badly.

All is good now.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, October 5, 2020 11:19 PM

Lastspikemike
Anything built in the last 40 years or so will use ABS pipe anyway so this problem is very simple to repair. 

Yup. Five dollars worth of silicone did the job nicely! The flange is in poured concrete so it isn't going to move. Whether the toilet is bolted to the flange or glued to the concrete is irrelevent. It has stayed dry for 18 years.

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
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  • From: Bradford, Ontario
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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, October 5, 2020 11:17 PM

SeeYou190
BATHROOM!

Nice job Kevin! You're hired!

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
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  • From: Maryville IL
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Posted by cudaken on Monday, October 5, 2020 10:30 PM

 Eveing Diners!

 Flo, give the gang and I a Beer please, Tin Can anything he wants and Dirk and Robbie a dog treat.

 Tin Can Long time, did the new sign get you in the door? Just so happen to be running the B&O GP 7 you sent me!

 Dirk Pip was sick today. Wife said he pooped in the kitchen this morning and later had the runs outside. Just layed around and would not eat.

 I get home, and he was a Happy Boy. Did his hello daddy give me a treat dances. Seems fine to me tonight.

 Work Front Looks like I will be working Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Looks like Skittles for Brains Jerry Dunce is becoming a Grand Father. He needs to go to Kansas City so he can sit in the parking lot of the hosptial so he can be close by? Cannot go into the hosptial nor see is daughter or grandchild, guess it is a grandfather thing.

 Kevin You did a good job opening the dinner and tell your daughter Great Job!

 Trains ar running great.

 Later, Ken and Dirk say's Woof, Woof!

I hate Rust

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Posted by tin can on Monday, October 5, 2020 5:47 PM

Kevin and daughter; good job with the sign!  

We had problems with the toilet in our bathroom related to a broken flange; I tried to fix it, gave up, and called a real plumber.  He put on a sleeve down into the waste pipe; and no problems since.

We are going to be pulling up linoleum in both bathrooms and replacing with tile in a few weeks; so that toilet will have to be pulled and reset.  We'll see how that goes.  I am hiring out the work, mainly because I have never laid tile, the space is tight, and we have saved up to have someone do it.  

We are repainting the interior of the house.  It takes a lot of time to paint with furniture in place and working a full time job.  Hopefully it will get done before the holidays.

 

Remember the tin can; the MKT's central Texas branch...
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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, October 5, 2020 5:37 PM

I am reminded of David Letterman's Fruitcake Lady, who was late night TV's Ann Landers, on topics suitable for late night TV.  That's all I can safely say.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, October 5, 2020 4:25 PM

BigDaddy
Kevin you cheaped out and didn't get the Japanese toilet with the heated seat, front or back cleansing and blow dryer

No, not in the budget.

In fact, since I took early retirement, a lot was left out of the bathroom plan. Most notably, the wall on the right was supposed to be moved 12" to accomodate a 72 inch tub.

Unfortunately, the ONLY load bearing posts in the entire house are in that wall. It would cost an additional $4,000.00 to move that wall, so no 6 foot tub for me.

The wall tile was also opted out for a less expensive option from the original plan.

And, while not a super-smart Japanese toilet, we were going to install a fancier thing for my wife. That might still happen in the future. That upgrade did not need to be built into the house.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
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  • From: Paducah KY
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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Monday, October 5, 2020 4:09 PM

 

finally headache is gone.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, October 5, 2020 4:08 PM

Kevin you cheaped out and didn't get the Japanese toilet with the heated seat, front or back cleansing and blow dryer?Confused

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, October 5, 2020 3:49 PM

BATHROOM!

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Monday, October 5, 2020 2:50 PM

BATMAN
This car was spotted in Banff today. Didn't Milwaukee die in 1987?

Nice! a MILW. ballast hopper(s), looks like more than one.  Must have been on a CP train.

I think the SOO/CP took the MILW over in 86.

Mike.

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, October 5, 2020 2:44 PM

moelarrycurly4
my hair hurts. I have a stinking migraine. 

I feel for you.

Hopefully you can get away from it all for the rest of the day and relax.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Monday, October 5, 2020 2:35 PM

moelarrycurly4

ouch,

my hair hurts. I have a stinking migraine. 

 

My wife and daughter get migraines when they eat dairy. They never get them at all if they behave themselves. I can eat anything and do, being food-sensitive would be horrible for me. I'd never survive.Laugh

Brent

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

  • Member since
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  • From: Paducah KY
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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Monday, October 5, 2020 2:15 PM

ouch,

my hair hurts. I have a stinking migraine. 

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Monday, October 5, 2020 1:28 PM

SeeYou190
If all goes well, pictures will be shared this evening.

Will the photos be before or after the escape of the elusive brown trout?Smile, Wink & Grin

Got the framing for the shower door done and today will caulk the shower.

In my last house, the downstairs toilet was up on a riser, I have no idea why but I dug down outside to see the level of the sewer pipe outside and it was plenty low enough so I rented an electric jackhammer and replaced the pipe to the outside and had the toilet on the floor like it should have been in the first place. Come to think of it the shower was on a riser as well and I did that at the same time. That was my first ever bathroom remodel and it was pretty easy to do, not rocket science. I build railroads! How hard can a bathroom be?Laugh

I have to drive into Vancouver today to drop my twelve-string off as the bridge is pulling up. I have had the guitar over 50 years and it is mint and the age has made it sound incredible. It is the second time the bridge has pulled up, the last time was 24 years ago. I am a little nervous about leaving it away from home.Crying I left my Fender Precision bass at the recording studio and the building caught fire. I had come home from a movie and turned on the late news to see the place on fire. The bass was under eight feet of water for quite a period of time before it was recovered but was salvageable and was rebuilt. 

Had some of Californias best wildfire smoke roll in here last night. It was pretty thick but was gone in an hour or so.

I have a lot of energy today and that made for an easy workout. I do 25 situps and 25 pushups every day but today I did 50 of each and did not even notice a difference in the effort. I also peeled off 1100 calories on the bike while watching my 4-4-0 and six cars do 6-minute laps all while listening to some good ole rock n' roll.

Had a young couple come to the house yesterday on a dog-related matter and he spotted "TRACK" through the door to the trainroom.Laugh His wife continued with the dog talk while we men repaired to the trainroom. He has a 10' x 10' British layout. Over the years I have had quite a few fellow model railroaders show up here with their wives for dog-related things.

It is a sunny warm day and I still have not had to turn the furnace on but it is clean and ready to go when the time comes. I wish I still had my RX-7 Turbo II for the rip into Vancouver on a day like today.

This car was spotted in Banff today. Didn't Milwaukee die in 1987?

Image may contain: train, sky and outdoor

TO THE BATMOBILE!

In reality, it is truck or car?Tongue Tied

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."

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, October 5, 2020 1:15 PM

Water Level Route
It's safe to come in guys.

Yes, and I will shower before coming back to the diner.

It is safe to come in.

Where is everyone today?

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    February 2015
  • From: Ludington, MI
  • 1,862 posts
Posted by Water Level Route on Monday, October 5, 2020 11:39 AM

Hello?  I know Kevin was pulling his toilet up, but I thought it was in his house, not the diner.  Can't smell the sewer gases from here.  It's safe to come in guys.

Bueller?  Bueller?

Mike

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, October 5, 2020 11:16 AM

Good morning everyone!

I am planning to pull the leaking toilet, reset the seal, and finish the bathroom today.

If all goes well, pictures will be shared this evening.

TOP OF THE PAGE!

Everyone get a tall glass of Orange Juice from Flo on me.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Monday, October 5, 2020 10:57 AM

Lastspikemike
Anything built in the last 40 years or so will use ABS pipe anyway so this problem is very simple to repair. 

Not if your in Kevin's situation, with the house built on a concrete slab.  You'd have to bust up the slab enough to get well below the flange, probably a foot or more, saw off the excisting pipe and damaged flange, use a coupling to splice on new piece of pipe, and flange, and then repour the section of concrete.

Mike.

  • Member since
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  • From: Paducah KY
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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Monday, October 5, 2020 7:42 AM

I see J. David Ingles has passed, condolences to  the Trains family. 

  • Member since
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Posted by mbinsewi on Monday, October 5, 2020 7:40 AM

SeeYou190
I don't know if that was a "proper" repair or not, but in twenty years we have had no problems out of it.

It sounds good fix to me.  Your on a slab, you don't have much choice.

Our upstairs bath has a 2" layer of concrete as a base for the ceramic tile floor.  I did the same procedure when I replaced the toilet.

And I agree, great job of moving the diner! Yes  A nice new look.

Mike.

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Paducah KY
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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Monday, October 5, 2020 7:31 AM

my 1927 flange was broke on my downstairs toilet, I got a "flange repair kit" which allows you to put the bolt dohicky on the side that broke off so that you can screw the toilet back down. I also put in a no wax seal so that I won't have to replace the seal. it costs a little more but worth it.  

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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, October 5, 2020 3:20 AM

SeeYou190
When we bought this house, the toilet in the current master bedroom wobbled. I pulled it out and found the closet flange was broken where the bolts were supposed to go into the slots. My nephew came over, and drilled two 1/2" holes into the cement slab and epoxied 1/4" studs into the holes to hold the toilet down.  So that toilet is fastened directly to the slab now. I don't know if that was a "proper" repair or not, but in twenty years we have had no problems out of it. -Kevin

Thanks Kevin!

I will keep that in mind if ever the toilet needs to be removed.

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 Monday, October 5, 2020 1:33 AM

hon30critter
The last time I replaced the wax seal was when we tiled the floor. I had two choices. One was to do the job properly and replace the flange. That involved digging into the concrete floor deep enough to get at the drain pipe. Not going to happen! The second choice was to silicone the toilet to the floor, which I did. Being me, I used copious quantities of silicone. I hope and pray that the seal never leaks. Getting the toilet off of the floor will be a major challenge!

When we bought this house, the toilet in the current master bedroom wobbled. I pulled it out and found the closet flange was broken where the bolts were supposed to go into the slots.

My nephew came over, and drilled two 1/2" holes into the cement slab and epoxied 1/4" studs into the holes to hold the toilet down. 

So that toilet is fastened directly to the slab now.

I don't know if that was a "proper" repair or not, but in twenty years we have had no problems out of it.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, October 4, 2020 10:56 PM

SeeYou190
I tested the toilet, and it leaked onto the floor under the base. I knew I knocked the wax ring out of position when I set it into place. I need to fix that tomorrow. I have had enough frustration for today.

Hi Kevin,

The previous owner of our house managed to mangle the flange under the toilet that holds the toilet bolts in place. It won't hold the bolts anymore.Grumpy The last time I replaced the wax seal was when we tiled the floor. I had two choices. One was to do the job properly and replace the flange. That involved digging into the concrete floor deep enough to get at the drain pipe. Not going to happen!

The second choice was to silicone the toilet to the floor, which I did. Being me, I used copious quantities of silicone. I hope and pray that the seal never leaks. Getting the toilet off of the floor will be a major challenge!LaughLaugh

Good luck with the toilet!

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 2007
  • From: Kentucky
  • 10,660 posts
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, October 4, 2020 10:29 PM

Lastspikemike

 

The original car transport cars were modified boxcars, why did carmakers move to open rack railroad cars?

 

 

Last Spike Mike ..... I've seen pictures of boxcars being loaded with automobiles before auto rack cars were used. It appeared to be very labor intensive and costly. Loading auto rack cars would be less costly. After railroads began using them, the market share for rail transport of vehicles increased significantly. Unfortunately, claims for loss & damage due to vandals and thieves increased too. Fully enclosed cars were designed to solve these problems. 

Kevin ... Not sure if I said so, but I like the sign for the Diner as others do. Thanks to your daughter.  

Ed .... I like the photo of #2. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, October 4, 2020 10:04 PM

Thanks to everyone that complimented and commented on the Diner sign my daughter put together for us. I have relayed the positive reception to her in Seattle.

I got the bathroom 99% of the way done today, then I tested the toilet, and it leaked onto the floor under the base. I knew I knocked the wax ring out of position when I set it into place.

I need to fix that tomorrow. I have had enough frustration for today.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Maryville IL
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Posted by cudaken on Sunday, October 4, 2020 7:52 PM

 Eving Diners

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

 Just stopped by to let you all know I am still above dirt.

 Another not much done day's off. Did vacuume out the fresh air intake for the furance, change the filters Friday. Did not start? Today I dragged my wife junk out of the furance / laundry room and got the pilot light going. Got the sucker fired up and it is good to have heat again. Garage has been nice and warm from it gas heater. Big Smile

 Enjoyed the video about the SS Baddger.

 Latter, Ken and Dirk says I saw a deer Daddy! Woof, Woof!

I hate Rust

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Sunday, October 4, 2020 4:25 PM

Good afternoon all.

Zoe - A big RBF please. Thanks.

Kevin - Like the sign design.

Weather - Cooler and been kinda damp this week. Need the rain though, as we now have a drought watch.

Trains - Doing a few small modeling projects still, and have done a bit more railfanning than I had been for a while. Currently waiting on a trailer to dry for a second coat of paint before decals get applied.

Hope all are well, and all enjoy the day!

 

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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