Well, so much for my intention to spend three days in Yellowstone during June.
Available hotel rooms are way outside of my budget. It looks like it will be extremely crowded.
Oh well, I will spend a couple of days kind-of nearby and do some visiting in the park. At least I will see it.
Please join me for a Chicago Style Hot Dog today at Joey D's. Yummy!
(sorry, I do not have any pictures of Pennsylvania food)
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good early afternoon....
Sun is trying to peak out around the clouds a bit today before the rain and cold return (well, cold is still with us. Mid 40's is a bit chilly for May.). Hope to get a mile and a half run in this afternoon around some stuff I HAVE to get done today.
York1Ray, when the museum opens, will you be operating under all the restrictions, or has your state relaxed things a little?
Oh, we will be following all current guidlines for masking and distancing. NYS has modified some of the advice and requirements as cases have gone down recently, but all CDC and state guidelines will be strictly enforced! They better be or I sure will not be out there again and would drop my membership! I believe in following exactly all the current rules for getting the pandemic in control. Have lost a few too many old friends from it and have no use for people who think they don't have to follow the "rules".... We are no longer needing to be masked around small groups of people who have also been vaccinated (family, friends, ect.), but in stores and large groups, venues, etc, yep, masks are still the safest way to go and for the most part people follow the guidelines.
At least we are able to be open using the prescribed limits this year. I haven't seen exactly how things will be marked off, but we will have to limit total capacity on trains and keep families physically distanced to some degree. Hopefully even that will be relaxed by the end of the year. My county is saying that we have over 60% of eligible people that have had at least one dose right now with 46% fully vaccinated, and our numbers are steady going down for infections!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
SeeYou190Well, so much for my intention to spend three days in Yellowstone during June. Available hotel rooms are way outside of my budget. It looks like it will be extremely crowded. Oh well, I will spend a couple of days kind-of nearby and do some visiting in the park. At least I will see it.
Kevin, we'll be staying three days at Old Faithful Inn in July. My daughter made those reservations last July, exactly one year before we are going. She said that one year in advance is needed for several of the in-the-park hotels. I'm glad she takes care of it. I wouldn't know anything about it, and I know I wouldn't want to pay the bill if I made the reservations. When someone else does, it seems easier to swallow.
She also got us two days at a cabin in Grand Teton Nat. Park. I'm looking forward to it.
The crowds are always bad. I really liked the way some of the parks are now handling the crowds. Zion makes everyone park at the entrance, and you have to ride shuttles through the park. I know some of the other parks are doing the same thing.
Those Joey D hotdogs look good! I've never had one. I love hot dogs, especially with chili, cheese, and onions. Skip the ketchup.
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."
York1Dave, 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?
Hi John,
No, I haven't tried the butane torch. I have to find my fuel bottle before I can do that.
I bought the heat gun because it just sounded easier to use. Although I thought that using an open flame would be okay, it can be pretty tricky. There isn't a lot of margin for error. The heat gun will be more forgiving.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Heartland Division CB&Qif you want the ultimate pie (my opinion), get an authentic Kentucky Derby Pie made by Kern's.
The best Shoo Fly Pie that I have ever had was in an Italian restaurant in Quebec City many years ago. The top was crusty, the filling was just on the verge of being runny and the pastry melted in your mouth. I had to fight myself from having a second piece!
Last week we had six butter tarts delivered all the way from Perth, Ontario. The tarts were good but the best part was that they were accompanied by a bottle of Top Shelf Distilleries Butter Tart Moonshine! Sweet doesn't begin to describe the stuff, but was it ever good in coffee! It came with a recipe for making Old Fashioned cocktails which we will try once the proper Bitters (two different Bitters in the recipe) arrive from the same distillery. Ya have to support the local businesses ya know!
Greetings All,
Got back yestrday from a few days to see some friends up near Chicago.
I only saw one train while up that way, a BNSF double stack headed West.
Went on call this week.
I am headed back to the hospital in Elizabethtown next week to help them some more.
I am starting to help the NRHS edit some of their heritage films into a nice "story" instead of a bunch of jumbled up footage. They have taken in a lot of donated railroad footage and are converting it from film to digital.
I got my first drive with footage to edit this past weekend. Very nice footage from the early days of Amtrak and some visits to some Steam tourist railroads in the early 1970's . Who ever they had transfer the footage from film did an excellent job.
Garry: i slept through those storms the other night, most went South of me and into your neck of the woods. I bet you ate at August Moon.
Track fiddlerUsually 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.
Sir, you are 100% correct. I am not going to fight with those darned things anymore. I found the hidden nails, and there is adhesive up there too. I guess I will put the big alluminum nails back in and spray paint the gutters.
Thanks for the drawing. That helped a lot.
Track fiddlerI 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.
Rain water will never hurt my slab foundation. There are no footers at all, we do not need them.
My slab is installed on a tall built-up hill of mixed baserock. All the surroundings slope away from my house. I just need gutters over the garage and front door, as well as the roof corner with the deep valley.
York1I made Red Beans & Rice for them to eat. Our daughter loves that dish; she is still a New Orleanian at heart.
That sounds good. I have not made my signature Red Beans And Rice in ages. I have been eating the boxed Zattarain's stuff for a while now. It is better than what they serve at Popeye's.
I need to make a batch from scratch again.
York1The crowds are always bad. I really liked the way some of the parks are now handling the crowds.
When I visited Grand Canyon National Park, the crowds were too much for me. The guides told us we were there on a slow day!
Joshua Tree National Park was much less crowded, and I enjoyed it a lot more.
Some of the State Parks have been excellent. The Valley Of Fire State Park in Nevada was an especially good one to visit.
York1Those Joey D hotdogs look good! I've never had one.
I love authentic Chicago Style Hot Dogs! Once I even enjoyed them in Chicago!
The World Is A Beautiful Place.
Good morning Diners. Toast and tea please, Flo.
The sun is shining. A Wintry chill is in the air. Showers later. We need some warm weather.
It has been a tough week for both Dawn and I. With not feeling anywhere near 100% okay.
I have some jobs to do around the house, then hopefully run some trains.
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
Good morning
Glad you got the gutter thing figured out Kevin. Yeah those things can be a bear to remove sometimes. I remember one time Scott and I were removing some and they also had some type of gutter apron installed. It took a better part of a day to remove those things and I had some slices in my fingers from the sharp edges of that makeshift gutter apron.
If I had that job to do all over again I think I would have drilled holes with some ropes through and pulled them off the house with my truck
You like Cabela's too John I love that place! I don't know why but I get some kind of adrenaline rush when I first see the store pulling up into the parking lot. I suppose it's similar to the way a Kid feels arriving to the candy store I guess.
The lack of ammo everywhere subject I don't even dare get into I don't think conspiracy theory chat is allowed here
I hope the weather straightens out for you David. We've been hovering around the 50 degree marker lately, a bit chilly in the morning though. I'll try to send the warmer afternoons your way
I got my truck so dialed yesterday it's like a fine-toothed comb organization wise. I know where everything is now sure feels good
Enjoy your Taco Tuesday everyone
TF
Hello Tuesday!
We're still in for more colder days but not as bad as last week and at least NO S**W in the forecast!
Many of the Anthracite roads called Philadelphia home or at least one of the larger cities on their map. Here's a look at what the Baldwin headquarters building looks like:
Ine other neat thing I stumbled upon while "surfing" YouTube was the cutting up and salvage of the MV Golden Ray that capsized near the Port of Brunswick, in Georgia back in September of 2019.
They are using anchor chain to cut the ship into seven sections in order to float away the hull for scrapping. Now that's an operation I'd like to get a good look at.
Here's a look at one of the "slices" showing the decks jammed with new autos that were destined for the Middle East:
Here's another look from the local TV station:
There were 4,300 Kia, GMC, Chevrolets and Dodge Rams plus a handful of Mercedes-Benz vehicles on board. All 23 crew and one pilot were rescued and unhurt. Loss is expexted to be about $80M for the ship and $80M for the cargo.
Interesting. I've seen limb cutters using a length of saw chain links tied to a rope or cable but cutting a whole ship in pieces with an anchor chain after a little trimming with torches? Amazing
I hope you and Dawn have a better week ahead, David
Cheers, Ed
Good morning Fellas. Chloe, a large coffee and a couple asprin please. Had several large trees removed from our yard last fall. Their equipment put quite the number of ruts/holes/dents in our yard. Walking was treacherous all over the place. So, I had 5 yards of topsoil delivered yesterday. I spent several hours shoveling this stuff last night after work to spread it out across the lawn. Got about 2/3 of it moved before I had to move on to other chores last night. Feeling a little sore this morning, but honestly better than I expected. Hoping to get the rest done tonight. Anybody want to help?
Have a great day guys!
Mike
Good Morning All,
Trucks all loaded for Summit Point and starting to load for Birmingham next week. Lime Rock last weekend went well though with only four cars there you would hope so.
Starting to move some of the more delicate furniture and stuff ourselves to spare the agita with having the moving company bop glass front cabinets and china around. The new digs are only about 15 miles away from the present house so no big deal.
Hope you are all doing well. I have been hanging in there and the vertigo I had seems to have gone for now though the bad knee and hip seem to cause the occasional stumble. Maybe I will get the knee done at the end of this seasons racing.
We went to both the Grand Canyon and Yosemite off season staying in Williams so we could take the train to the Canyon and in Yosemite we lucked out and got a place right at the base of the big falls the name of which I can't remember just now. I like the idea of everyone parking on the perimeter and using a shuttle system for several reasons. It keeps the emissions in the parks to a minimum, frees the roads of rented campers and motorhomes, and probably creates much less trash in the parks as people then have to carry everything in and won't have as much detrius to leave behind. A side benefit also has to be interaction with the other people on the bus. I wonder how many go now and never speak to anyone not in their party. As to crowding, my youngest son would agree. He is in Long Beach these days and often goes to Joshua Tree to hike when he has a couple of days off. When we lived in Ca. growing up, I liked the Pinnacles for the same reason. Plenty of hiking trails and not too many people.
Lots to do again today and it's time to pick up tools. Ciao, J.R.
gmpullman I stumbled upon while "surfing" YouTube was the cutting up and salvage of the MV Golden Ray that capsized near the Port of Brunswick, in Georgia back in September of 2019.
Wow. Those were interesting to watch. Quite an expensive mishap.
Water Level Route Anybody want to help?
Actually, if I lived close-by, I would.
GMTRacing We went to both the Grand Canyon and Yosemite off season
Unfortunately, I am hitting Yosemite right smack-dab in the middle of the On-Season.
Circumstances made any other schedule impossible. If only we could have had the vaccine six weeks earlier.
Good morning. Flo, bring black coffee to the table and leave the pot.
I have nothing to do today -- I'm kind of hobbled by my knee and will spend most of the day in my chair. Another exciting appt. with the physical therapist on Friday. Going to the physical therapist is about as exciting as going to the dentist.
JR, I don't envy you with the moving. I've moved only several times in my life, and it was not easy. On our last move, I regret not putting my foot down and making my wife get rid of some of the stuff.
Mike, I also don't eny you. Moving dirt with a shovel and wheelbarrow is not enjoyable. When I've had to do that, I kept dreaming of getting a Bobcat for Christmas, and driving that thing around the yard.
Ed, thanks for the photos and videos. Very interesting.
TF, ammunition is like the pandemic toilet paper. The store shelves are empty. Whenever some is available, it is gone within minutes. I'm not sure if you've heard of Hornady ammunition. Their factory is about 45 miles away. If you ever travel through Nebraska on I-80, Hornady manufacturing is just a couple miles off the Interstate, and they give a great tour of the factory. They have an amazing 200 yard underground testing range.
Kevin, I know some people like to travel without reservations, but right now, so many people are traveling again that most hotels along major routes are booked. Last year I made reservations and was checking in about 5:00 p.m., and there was a group of people in the lobby wondering where they would stay. Every hotel and motel in the area was filled.
MLC, that sounds like interesting work. I didn't know that you did film editing, too. I imagine it takes some creativity to be able to judge what should and should not be included, and weave it all into a coherent video. You must be good at it.
David, sorry to hear of your and Dawn's difficulties. I know your wife faces huge physical issues, and we are thinking of you.
Everyone else in the diner whom I haven't mentioned, I hope you all have a good spring day ahead of you today.
I have a bunch of old Roger Moore "The Saint" TV shows recorded to watch from my rocking chair today. One benefit of a hurt knee is that I'm not expected to do any household chores. This isn't really too bad.
York1Kevin, I know some people like to travel without reservations, but right now, so many people are traveling again that most hotels along major routes are booked. Last year I made reservations and was checking in about 5:00 p.m., and there was a group of people in the lobby wondering where they would stay. Every hotel and motel in the area was filled.
I never travel without reservations. That is how you end up staying in a Knight's Inn because it is all that has vacancy!
The travel plans are all done now. 27 days of adventure await.
I was shocked at how many areas had no vacancy. I am not spending multiple nights in a hotel in Colorado as intended because two-night vacancies are nearly impossible. I also need to spend one night in Denver because it has reasonable prices on that night.
Some comproimises were made, but I made it work, and on budget. New Orleans did not work out. That is OK, it is close by, and I can make it there for a long weekend anytime I want to. I got all the Western places that I need to see.
Travelling back through the South, hotels are plentiful and inexpensive.
Good morning ....
Kevin ..... I know your trip is firmed up, but there is one other place in Michigan's Upper Penesula I should have mentioned/ It is Porcupine Mountains and Lake of the clouds. It is in the northwest corner of the U. P. .... Absolutely beautiful scenry.
My trip to Yellowstone was many years ago. I recall we got an exceptionally nice cabin in a group of cabins located just east of the Eastern entrnce to Yellowstone. The company that rented it was lcoated in Cody if I recall correctly. Every morning while we were staying there, a big bull moose walked through the parking lot.
Also, Kevin .... Thanks for helping out in the coal thread.
Ed ... Thanks for the videos.
MLC ... The Asian Restarant was Jasmines
Everybody .... Have a nice day.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
ah yes Jasmine. We have one here in Paducah.
Heartland Division CB&QThere is one other place in Michigan's Upper Penesula I should have mentioned/ It is Porcupine Mountains and Lake of the clouds.
My plans for the day from the Upper Penninsula to Minnesota have not been staked out just yet.
My wife is researching places to go, and she also mentioned Porcupine Mountain as a possibility for that day.
Good afternoon Diners. A cup of Highgrove Tea, please, Chloe.
John. Thanks for your comments. Dawn was told on Tuesday she would not get better. In fact things would deteriorate. Off course it has knocked us (sideways, never backwards). Then we remembered she was told she would never walk again. Okay, so she can walk 15 to 18 steps; it is 15 to 18 more than the Specialists said.
John, you must visit Scotland.
Kevin. That is some journey. I like it.
TF. Looking forward to some decent weather.
Rules are being relaxed over Covid (at last). We shall be able to hug our grandchildren again. I can be relegated to Signalman when the grandchildren run the trains. It has been over a year since they were last in the train room.
Selection of different Mushrooms and Pasta in a Creamy Sauce.
Stay Safe.
Hi everyone and could I have Large Beer and Plate-full of whatever tonights Special is, please Ladies. I know 22:15 UK time is a bit late - but I don't care.
I know we don't usually like to mention wrk, but the reason I am being reasonably optimistic and cheerful (for once) is that after 6 months of hard slog, an email came thru (unexpected) with our Certificates confirming our successful Acreditation to ISO 9001:2015 and BS EN 1090 Excecution Class.2 (EXC.2)
This latter allows us to mark Steelwork 'UKCA' (equivalent to 'CE' marking used previously) Now we can Fabricate Structural Steel for Buildings etc. It all represents us taking the Co. to higher status than just a local 'Jobbing-Shop', repairing anything from broken Baby-buggies to Industrial machinery.
I'm looking forward to a better standard of Engineering wrk to complement the hard wrk involved in us recently gaining a good H&S Audit.
This post is like one of those TV quiz-shows, where you must not say, 'Yes' or 'No' - trying to write wrk in place of wrk.
Anyway food's here, thank you. Also thanks for all the vids & photos. Keep 'em coming. Paul.
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
SeeYou190Wow. Those were interesting to watch. Quite an expensive mishap.
I agree. I'd like to know, as modern as the ship was, why did they leave port with a) improper ballasting and or b) the vehicles not sufficiently anchored to prevent shifting at sea? I'm wondering if they kept the ballast tanks light in order to get out of the St. Simons Sound then planned to flood the tanks when at sea?
I've heard stories of ore boats leaving or arriving ports with hatch cover clamps removed in anticipation of unloading only to have a last-minute storm come by and catch the crew with their "battens" bunched up.
I look at some of these modern cruise ships and they look like jiant sky scrapers turned on their sides yet they hardly have any draft. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Costa Concordia)
I'd like to see the official NTSB report on the Golden Ray. Hyundai is being pretty tight lipped about it.
I tried to get a little done outside today but it is still only 48°! Brrr.
Mance, Pennsylvania, 1988
Rain and color at Mance by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
moelarrycurly4 ah yes Jasmine. We have one here in Paducah.
¿¿ Is that a restaurant ??
Hi all,
I posted about having some layout space finally. I'm thinking out how it'll go. As it'll be a fairly temporary enterprise I'm not going to make it a super detailed thing. I'd like to just get some loops of track up and running in I hope a few months. One of my friends from the train club I used to belong to said he'd help. I'll post more pics soon. The room will still be used for storage, but I'll work it around the bench work in there, and I have a work bench there.
Alvie
Glad to hear that Ken is Ok.
Kevin Do go to Cody, there are 5 museums, Buffalo Bill, Winchester, Native American, Art and Natural History and catch the rodeo. The road to Red Lodge, via Bear Tooth Pass is beautiful. Little Big Horn is another must see. They have the graves marked and you can see how they were chased up the hill.
The rabbits have chewed on every tomato plant I planted despite surrounding them with marigolds. I am now trying a cut up bar of Irish Spring soap. I found, walking the dog, that they feed at night. I have neighbors on the other side of the golf course, so there is no ballistic option.
Saw my mother and kids for Mothers' Day. My DIL says she is getting email where the sig line includes their pronouns
Henry
he, him, his and that son of a....
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
cats think well of meI'd like to just get some loops of track up and running in I hope a few months. One of my friends from the train club I used to belong to said he'd help. I'll post more pics soon.
Great news. Keep us posted with some photos.
LazersThis latter allows us to mark Steelwork 'UKCA' (equivalent to 'CE' marking used previously) Now we can Fabricate Structural Steel for Buildings etc. It all represents us taking the Co. to higher status than just a local 'Jobbing-Shop', repairing anything from broken Baby-buggies to Industrial machinery.
Congratulations! Hard work pays off. It's nice to go to w*rk each day when you feel you are accomplishing something and are appreciated.
BigDaddyLittle Big Horn is another must see. They have the graves marked and you can see how they were chased up the hill.
I'll second that. I didn't want to stop, but my wife did. I was so glad we took the time. It was an amazing place, especially if you like history.
Here's a few minutes of activity at PRR's Enola yard. Lots of horn dubbed in because Ed Kaspriske was the "Horn Guy" RIP. The neat thing is that it shows the ramp track where the cabin car was "humped" onto the rear of the departing train (did Ed run out of film?)
I wonder just how much savings the big RRs reaped by eliminating the caboose and all its related handling and maintenance costs?
BigDaddyKevin Do go to Cody, there are 5 museums, Buffalo Bill, Winchester, Native American, Art and Natural History and catch the rodeo. The road to Red Lodge, via Bear Tooth Pass is beautiful.
I am spending two nights in Cody. Definitely a lot there I want to see.
I went to Little Big Horn in 2019. It was the second most impactful battlefield I have visited, the most powerful being Shiloh Church. I still need to get to Gettysburg and Bull Run.
I received a nifty item in the mail today.
This old 12 inch long HO/OO scale turntable by Airfix Models.
The instructions are ancient. I looked all over the box and paperwork, but I could not find a date anywhere.
I did a dry assembly of the model, and every single part is still there. It is 100% complete! What a surprise.
I have no idea what I will ever do with this. I bought it for the girders because I thought they would make a great over-length gondola load. Since it is complete, which is surprising, I might do something else with it.
Good evening ...
Kevin ... Other interesting sights on the way to Yellowstone of course are Mt. Rushmore and Devils Tower. ....
You said you plan to stop in Frankenmuth , Michigan , so I will say more. There are two main restaurants downtown. They are Zehnders and Bavarian Inn Restaurant. We go to Zehnders although they are nearly the same. At Zehnders , we ask to be seated in the Cow Path Room which is smaller than the large dining rooms elsewhere in the building . It has only 6 or 8 booths.
I suggest you have the all you can eat chicken dinner. Their chicken is as good as it gets. Several side items are served including really good German style noodles. They have ice cream for dessert which is included with the meal. We like swirled with vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. It hits the spot following a huge main course.
Everbody ... Have a nice night
Good morning Diners. The usual tea and toast please, Brunhilda.
A day of sunshine and showers.
Kevin. The Airfix turntable was first released in 1961. It is still being produced under the Dapol Brand. The picture on the box is a 1960s design.
I have been asked to bake a pie. My younger granddaughter likes me to show her to bake and is visiting after school. We shall bake a three types of mushroom, bacon and egg pie. If possible (if there is any pastry left) some pineapple tarts.
That's my afternoon taken care of.
Thanks Ed for the fine job hosting the diner this month. Enjoying the interesting and entertaining videos everyday
The cross sections of the Golden Ray shows how Mammoth that thing was. If a couple decks were removed between each four, it could haul locomotives and make them look like toys. Ships are truly fascinating.
I read a couple articles on the Golden Ray Wreck after seeing your videos. One was called Ship Happens You sure were correct about the ballast tanks Ed. It sounds like a bad mathematical error was made in Brunswick when they unloaded sub-compacts and loaded SUVs. They said the extra weight added in the swap and the amount of water discharged from the ballast tanks at that time, made the ship like balancing a pencil on its tip. That sure was a costly error. There seems to be a lot of ship captains in la la land these days.
Looks like a great travel plan Kevin. I think you and the wife are going to have a lot of fun. I don't know if you noticed but the shape of your travel plan is alarmingly close to the shape of Lake Superior. Could be a subliminal message to stop in Duluth and Proctor to see the Yellowstones before you go to Yellowstone
The Spirit Mountain Inn hotel where we always stay overlooks Duluth on the Skyline Parkway. They have much more reasonable rates than the hotels in town. It's a beautiful 5-10 minute view driving down the hill to get to everything to see in town.
I like that turntable kit. It's quite unique as it looks heavy duty like a turntable/bridge all in one
I'll be sending warmer weather over there for a slice of that pie David. A slice of quiche is always delicious for breakfast