Speaking gondolas, I saw a photo recently of a gondola when it was nearly new. It was filled with water after heavy rains. Evidently, that would happen until railroad car maintenance workers would cut holes in the bottoms with their torches. Shippers of scrap metal did not want to pay to ship the extra weight caused by the water.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
gmpullmanI mentioned in the prior thread a heat gun for crafters that I find handy for seversal tasks, similar to this one:
Thanks for the link Ed. I just ordered one. I think I will be much more comfortable using a small heat gun rather than the butane torch.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
gregcThere's no mention of the Yeungling Brewery (oldest in country) in Pottsville
The real Yuengling brewery is in Tampa, Florida. This one is the workhorse of the organization. The obsolete one in Pennsylvania is just for advertising and mythology.
I'll bet they spill more beer in a month at the Florida brewery than they make in a year at that one in Pennsylvannia.
Heartland Division CB&QI saw a photo recently of a gondola when it was nearly new. It was filled with water after heavy rains.
The bed of my pickup truck fills with water in the rain now. Apparently whatever drain holes it had have become plugged. I could turn it around in the driveway so the gate is on the downslope.
Or... maybe I should get out the torch.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good evening everybody. It has been a little quiet in the diner.
Matters on my botanical front are improving daily, much to my relief. Last month I posted pictures of my sickly looking Queen Palm. Since then, two new fronds have sprouted, and they look to be healthy.
Even after I cut through a whole bunch of the roots for the Madagascar Deciduous Palm, it is still gowing foliage and looking healthy!
Today the first blossom appeared on the Royal Poinciana. Late, but it still counts!
Even the Hibiscus has joined in the new healthy life of my plants.
All this is quite a relief. Everything was looking bleak and sick just a few days ago. Now my yard is looking like it is filled with life and tended with care.
The World Is A Beautiful Place.
Breaker — breaker, good buddy...
Let's explore coal breakers on a Sunday morning.
From the Wikipedia article:
The first function of a coal breaker is to break coal into pieces and sort these pieces into categories of nearly uniform size, a process known as breaking. The second function of a coal breaker is to remove impurities (such as slate or rock), and then grade the coal on the basis of the percent of impurities remaining. The sorting by size is particularly important for anthracite coal. In order to burn efficiently, air must flow evenly around anthracite. Subsequently, most anthracite coal is sold in uniform sizes. In the 1910s, there were six commercial sizes of coal (with the smallest size having three subsets):
Coal pieces smaller than 3⁄32 inch (2.4 mm) in size were considered "culm," and unable to be separated from the impurities (and thus useless). The grade of coal ranged from a low of 5 percent impurities for steam or broken coal to a high of 15 percent for pea-size coal and its subsets.
Much has been written about the young "breaker boys" —
Breakers, Kingston, Penna. by Edmund, on Flickr
Breakers sorting, at-work by Edmund, on Flickr
And a happy Mother's Day to those so inclined
Regards, Ed
Good morning
I'll check out the Old Saint Nicholas Coal Breaker in a minute Ed.
This is what I was talking about yesterday morning. I've never seen nothing like that up on tall poles before.
I couldn't see the wires on my small phone screen until I zoomed in on it this morning. Still don't know what it's for?
TF
SeeYou190 Heartland Division CB&Q I saw a photo recently of a gondola when it was nearly new. It was filled with water after heavy rains. The bed of my pickup truck fills with water in the rain now. Apparently whatever drain holes it had have become plugged. I could turn it around in the driveway so the gate is on the downslope.
Heartland Division CB&Q I saw a photo recently of a gondola when it was nearly new. It was filled with water after heavy rains.
Track fiddlerThis is what I was talking about yesterday morning. I've never seen nothing like that up on tall poles before.
I think the exact location of the train, right behind the insulators on the pole is making an "optical illusion".
There is a flat bed truck trailer, loaded with nine "Reading" work truck bodies stacked vertical and the semi trailer they are loaded on is chained to a railroad flat car moving across the bridge.
The big, brown insulators on the pole are obscuring most of the wheels and axles on the flat-bed trailer on flat car.
That's the way I interpret it, anyway Like these, but in primer and stacked like soldiers:
Reading_body by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
Interesting photo.
Utility truck beds perfectly aligned with the utility poles. One of those one in ten thousand photos from the focal point tricked me. They looked like the big counterbalance weights I seen on a Milwaukee Road Bridge is why it baffled me.
Thanks for clarifying that one.
Good morning, diners. Just coffee this morning.
Several granddaughters are coming for a visit today. I will clean the layout room before they get here. I'll clean it again after they leave.
We had big thunderstorms last night. Normally I don't wake up, but these were loud.
Hope everyone has a good Sunday.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
Good morning, everybody .....
It is raining here for Mothers Day.
Kevin .... Those Florida trees are beautiful.
TF..... That is good your granddaughters will be visiting. Enjoy !
Ed .... Your post about the coal breaker is very intersting. Thanks for sharing it. If you want to repat it in the coal hauling thread, feel free to do so.
Everybody .... Have a good day.
Track fiddler I don't know why but I always loved coming out in the morning opening the tailgate and pulling out of the driveway watching all that water run down the hill in my rearview mirror.
I do the exact same thing!
My house is on a fill of about eight feet, so my driveway is on quite a slope, and I back in like you did. I think the bed gets about 1/4 full in a rainstorm.
gmpullmanThere is a flat bed truck trailer, loaded with nine "Reading" work truck bodies stacked vertical and the semi trailer they are loaded on is chained to a railroad flat car moving across the bridge.
We used a lot of Reading service bodies at work. They were expected to last through two or three chassis.
Heartland Division CB&QKevin .... Those Florida trees are beautiful.
Thank you Garry.
I was very concerned for the last month as my neighbor's trees were "Springing" to life, but mine were not looking good. I am relieved that things are looking fresh, green, and healthy now.
This is huge news for me! I am going to get to go to a four day wargame convention for the first time in two years! I cannot wait to roll dice and push metal soldiers around.
This has me very excited. I have had almost no social interactions in such a long. I am finally going to see people, laugh, have fun, and hang out.
NOW... Bring on the Train Shows!
Heartland Division CB&QIt is raining here for Mothers Day.
I had to shovel my rain!
May_9-snow by Edmund, on Flickr
I was just thinking of getting my bathing suit ready
Thank you Mr. Ford:
Chloe has been baking pies all day! We have the favorite of the eastern Pennsylvania "Dutch" — Shoefly pie:
Shoofly by Edmund, on Flickr
Or for you more traditionalists, a Peacn variety:
pie-pecan by Edmund, on Flickr
Maybe this will entice a few more visitors to the Diner?
gmpullmanOr for you more traditionalists, a Pecan variety:
Is Pecan Pie a Pennsylvania thing?
I have always associated it with Georgia.
SeeYou190 gmpullman Or for you more traditionalists, a Pecan variety: Is Pecan Pie a Pennsylvania thing? I have always associated it with Georgia. -Kevin
gmpullman Or for you more traditionalists, a Pecan variety:
Pecan pie is served in all of the southern states.
if you want the ultimate pie (my opinion), get an authentic Kentucky Derby Pie made by Kern's.
SeeYou190Is Pecan Pie a Pennsylvania thing?
Maybe I didn't use the right phrase when I wrote "traditionalists". I guess I meant those folks who would prefer a more "mainstream" pie. Shoefly is probably more of a niche variety.
Personally, I'll have a slice of Boston Cream, which isn't really pie but that's what it's called just the same
BC_pie by Edmund, on Flickr
Some of the first references to pecan pie in America originated in Louisiana and Alabama.
Good evening
It's funny how things come round in clusters of three but they do. The other night we had individual slices of Boston Cream Pie at the drive-in. It was so good, on Saturday I went and bought the whole pie. And now it's being posted
I bought a new mask today while I was out.
Judy was laughing when I picked her up from work. I gave her those flowers that are behind me with my mask on.
Here's a look at the modules at the club where Randy was involved. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him enjoying the operations but I didn't see him in this go-around.
Fun to watch, though. These guys have a nice setup
I cannot get the gutters off of my house!
I removed the long nails, I do not see any other fasteners, and I can pry them away from the house. However, they will not budge and come free.
I am afraid that one of the re-roofs might have put an adhesive behind them.
SeeYou190I cannot get the gutters off of my house! I removed the long nails, I do not see any other fasteners, and I can pry them away from the house. However, they will not budge and come free. I am afraid that one of the re-roofs might have put an adhesive behind them.
Did the roofers put some kind of caulk near the top of the back of the gutter?
Howdy ....
TF .... That mask is creative. LOL
Kevin: ..... Gutters? .... We had all of ours replaced when we had the roof replaced a couple of weeks ago. I don't think any of that should be do-it-yourself projects. My
Ed ... The Boston Cream Pie looks good even though it is not really a pie as you said. .... The Reading RR layout in the video is impressive.
....
Today, we celebrated Mother's Day by going out to eat at my wife's favorite Asian restaurant in Murray which is 30 miles west of here. After eating, we went to JC Penney's which was having a going-out-of-business sale. We bought a few items discounted 75% or better. Sad to see the store closing permanently.
York1Did the roofers put some kind of caulk near the top of the back of the gutter?
That is what I am thinking. These gutters have been there for the 20+ years I have owned the house, and we have had the roof replaced twice.
Heartland Division CB&Q I don't think any of that should be do-it-yourself projects.
I only have 60 feet of gutter along the front of the house. It is a very simple system. This is definitely in my "can-do" ability, if I can get the old ones off of the house with no damage.
Heartland Division CB&QWe bought a few items discounted 75% or better. Sad to see the store closing permanently.
We lost our Sears a few years ago, but J.C.Penney's is still holding on, but I doubt for much longer. I think the countdown clock is ticking for all these old stores.
I hate gutters!
We had all new seamless gutters put on after a little reno in 2012. The old gutters had a leak at two of the inside corners right where I have a walkway. Wouldn't you know, those same exact two corners leak again today even though everything nearby, the drip edge, fascia and gutters have been replaced
I've had dripping between the back of the gutter and face of the fascia even though the drip edge is perfectly placed. The water just follows the fascia and runs behind the gutter.
That's probably why your installer caulked behind your gutters, Kevin.
gmpullmanThat's probably why your installer caulked behind your gutters, Kevin.
I guess I will continue to fight with them on Tuesday. Tomorrow I am going to work on cleaning some gravel and getting ready to put in some pavers.
Good morning Diners. The usual Tea and toast, please, Chloe.
It was Dawn's and our Son's birthdays yesterday, so had the family visiting. Our daughter brought me a blueberry muffin. . I shall have that with coffee this morning.
Guttering. We had ours renewed when we had the new rooves on our property last November.
Spending a little time on the layout today and building a few small items.
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Haven't decided what to do with the day yet but I'm enjoying my coffee.
Gutters, yes. Usually nails are hiding on those Kevin. If gutters are included in the roof job, most of the time the guys nail the gutters up before the flashing (drip edge) is installed because it's so much easier. So nine times out of ten there's Nails hidden under the drip edge Illustrated in my rough drawing here.
So when you remove the screws from the gutter brackets you think the gutter should be free but they're not. You got to sneak behind the gutter with a Wonder Bar to feel where the nails are. Then remove them behind the drip edge once you locate them and it's kind of a pain in the butt. It's all done by feel because you cannot see them.
This is 'Usually' the case most of the time but not all the time.
If you're trashing the gutters it's just easier to pry the gutter away from the fascia from behind and just let the nails suck through the aluminum. Sometimes they pull out with the gutter anyway.
Some of the seamless guys will come and roll you out a 60-foot gutter and charge you accordingly even if you're not having them do the work. You don't want seams in your gutters if you don't have to.
But maybe you're doing away with the gutters all together because you have landscape rock where the water drips and don't need them anymore. People with basements still want to get the water away from the house but you don't have that problem.
I don't think I'd want all kinds of water soaking the ground around the edge of my foundation slab unless there's deep perimeter footings under the edge of the slab. I would certainly think there would be trench footings but I don't know how they enforce foundation slabs to code in Florida having no frost issue.
Track fiddlerThis 'Usually' is the case most of the time but not all the time.
My drip edge nails from the top and the heads are then under the first row of shingles. Plus the pitch of the gutter, by the time it runs 30 or 40 feet is far away from the drip edge, probably 3 or 4 inches.
"Old" drip edge used to be pretty skinny. I like to get the widest stuff I can to give me a good nailing flange.
I like the internal brackets for the gutters. No holes in the front, no nailing, just zip the screws in with a hex drive.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Amerimax-Aluminum-Gutter-Hidden-Hanger/3032886
I still hate gutters!
My wonder bar is nice and flat. I probably have five or six different ones.
I just dropped Judy off at work and it's cold and rainy outside. The sun is supposed to come out early this afternoon. I hope so because I need to get my pigsty of a truck organized. One is known to just throw stuff when it's cold out in the winter so the winterkill is a bit overwhelming.
I went to Cabela's and Fleet Farm yesterday to see what flannels they had on clearance. I'm picky about my flannels because I do not like all the patterns. I managed to get two nice Carhartts that were normally $55 a piece for $25 each. That's my game as I buy flannels in the spring and T-shirts in the fall for a huge bang for the buck.
I couldn't help breaking my thrifty rule buying two Carhartt T-Shirts though. They were really cool and I like Manly T-shirts
Well another coffee is in order and I think I'll get out my modeling mat until the sun comes out.
Make it a great Monday gentleman
Good morning everybody ......
I'll have coffee and a pecan roll (sticky bun) please.
I am done claening up tree branches from the storms of recent days. I should have time for the model railroad today.
Good morning, everyone. Sausage, eggs, and coffee, please.
Granddaughters and son-in-law loved the layout. They enjoyed holding their hands over the track to watch the crossing signals begin to flash. Then, after about two minutes, they were off to the playroom to get 2,000 toys spread around the floor.
I made Red Beans & Rice for them to eat. Our daughter loves that dish; she is still a New Orleanian at heart.
Today I'm back out to the shed to work on the lights. When I built the shed, I put in a sub panel out there. It makes this work a lot easier.
Garry, my sister-in-law lives in Bowling Green. She keeps us informed about the weather there. You guys get some interesting storms there.
TF, Cabelas is also my choice of a clothing store. Cabela's is the kind of store in which I can spend a lot of time looking at everything -- guns, tents, clothes, survival gear -- I love it all. The only thing you can't look at is ammunition. They, like all the other stores, are out of it.
It's nice now to be able to buy clothes that I like. For 45 years, I had to buy clothes that involved dress shirts, ties, and dress slacks. Since retirement, I got rid of all but a couple of ties, most of the dress shirts and slacks. The only suit I kept is for attending funerals.
Ed, thanks for the video. That is some rugged country for the trains to run through.
Dave, I read your comment about buying a small butane torch to use on some gondolas. Did you try it before you bought the heat gun? You're braver than I am.
David, I'm glad you've been able to see your grandchildren again. There's light at the end of this stupid virus tunnel we've been in.
Ray, when the museum opens, will you be operating under all the restrictions, or has your state relaxed things a little? Out here, outside of Lincoln and Omaha, we are about as normal as we were before the virus. The only place still requiring masks is the health clinic - hospital.
Bear, I know you're entering winter there. Does it get snowy and icy in your part of NZ?
Everyone else, I hope you have a good day. I hope everyone can check into the diner and let us know how you're doing.