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Jeffery’s Track-side Diner for September

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, September 2, 2022 12:16 PM

Good morning everyone. Chloe, just a black coffee and two bananas please.

The AC guys fixed all the problems beneath the roof, so now I can continue working after a six week delay.

Lets see how much I can get done today.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, September 2, 2022 11:47 AM

BroadwayLion
The problem here is that 150 other elevator operators heard the same price on their radios, and they all called for 150 cars to be on their sidings by tomorrow morning. They all want those cars right now, becuase the price they heard on the radio is only good at the terminal, and by the time he gets his cars, the price is back down again.

Exactly right Lion.  I didn't quote your complete statement, just the end result of it all.  Yes

Howdy gang, I'm still lurking.  Been a very busy work season.

Mike.

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Posted by Water Level Route on Friday, September 2, 2022 9:52 AM

Good(?) Morning Diners.  Flo, I'll take a pot of coffee.

Went to bed a bit later than normal last night as I'm off today.  Then I got a call from work at 3:00am.  Then another at 5:00am.  Mind you, I'm not on call this week! Angry  Then they tell me on the first call, the person that is supposed to be on-call basically blew them off! Bang HeadBang HeadBang Head  Couldn't sleep in as I had a chiropractor appointment this morning. So my tender is dragging today.  

Kevin, those nachos look great!  Nachos were a weekly staple in our house for a long time.  We've since backed off, but they are still a favorite when we make them.

Well, the lawn is mowed, the garage is basically clean, no inside projects to work on that I know of.  This could be a good weekend!

Mike

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Friday, September 2, 2022 9:24 AM

Grain.

Reminds me of a Trains commentary many long years ago. The complaint was aboujt getting cars lined up for the harvest. They opined "Surely the harvest is no big surprise to the railroad."

But I Opine to differ.

The harvest was no surprise to the FARMER.
He gathered his harvest into his grain bins.
He went into the kitchen, turned the radio on and put his feet up...
(Hopefully not on the table) ...

And there the grain sits until one day he hears that the price of grain is up, so he puts it in this trucks and brings it to the grain elevator.

There the manager puts the grain into his bins, turns on the radio, and puts his feet up on the table... (There is no wife in the grain terminal)
He listens to the radio, and then sometime in December or January he hears of a good price for his grain, so he picks up the telephone and calls the railroad: He wants 150 grain cars in his siding tomorrow morning!

The problem here is that 150 other elevator operators heard the same price on their radios, and they all called for 150 cars to be on their sidings by tomorrow morning.

They all want those cars right now, becuase the price they heard on the radio is only good at the terminal, and by the time he gets his cars, the price is back down again.

 

(Yawn)

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by Tin Can II on Friday, September 2, 2022 9:01 AM

Terry:  Hope your daughter continues to improve.

We occassionally shop Menards in Garden City; it is a 45 minute drive. Lots of neat stuff there.  Garden also has a Home Depot and a Sams.  Habits are hard to break, though, because our go to home improvement store in Texas was Lowes.  We have a Sutherlands in Dodge City; we try to shop it when we can, but we needed a certain type of fence brackets.  Not stocked or online at Sutherlands or Menards; Home Depot had them in stock for $11.xx a piece.  We needed 60, so price mattered.  We got them mail ordered from the Hutchinson Lowes for $3.50 each. 

I found out last week that there is not going to be a Dodge City train show this fall.  That kind of bums me out, but I have not yet joined the local club, primarily because my vision is not where it needs to be to drive to the out of town meetings alone.

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Posted by NorthBrit on Friday, September 2, 2022 7:15 AM

Good afternoon Diners.   An Irish coffee please, Janie.  

A morning of form filling and paperwork done.  Hopefully no more to do. 

 

Terry.  I hope your daughter's health continues to improve with the treatments.  We went through a similar situation with our son in 1999.

 

Menards is too far away for us.  Whistling

Last years news.

https://www.world-grain.com/articles/15724-kansas-earmarks-52-million-for-rail-improvement-projects

 

Stay Safe Everyone.

 

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 11:37 PM

maxman
Especially since the closest one seems to be 4 hours, 42 minutes away.

The closest Menard's to me is 1,072 miles away, and I go there quite a bit.

No excuses!

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

I made Nachos for dinner tonight. I am not sure how well they will pair with John's wine selection, but please dig in!

-Photographs by Kevin Parson

I got my hands on some of the thick round corn chips, and they are delicious.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by maxman on Thursday, September 1, 2022 8:42 PM

York1
I, on the other hand, love Menards

I didn't say that I didn't like Menards.

I just said that I would never go there.

Especially since the closest one seems to be 4 hours, 42 minutes away.

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 7:10 PM

Terry, You are the best and I will always remember my visit with you.

I wish the best for you and your family, and fold my hands with my Judy at night.

You know you are my friend.

 

 

John

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Posted by York1 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 7:03 PM

Terry, I hope your daughter continues to do well with the treatments.  It's good to hear from you.

 

Maxman, I, on the other hand, love Menards.  While my wife and daughters could shop in clothing stores for hours, I could walk the aisles of Menards for hours, checking every tool and bolt.

 

Edit:  Hey!  How about that!  I'm the first top of the page winner for September.

It's after the evening meal in my area, how about a glass of wine from James Arthur Vineyards in eastern Nebraska?  One glass is on me; if you want more than one, you buy it!

York1 John       

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Posted by maxman on Thursday, September 1, 2022 6:57 PM

Track fiddler
I'm almost at Menards

I have absolutely no intention of ever going to a Menards.

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Posted by saronaterry on Thursday, September 1, 2022 5:30 PM

Monthly check-in.

Still here. building goldenrod trees for the layout. harvested last fall, they are ripe for trees!

Daughter's new brain tumor  seems to be responding to medication. That's good.

Wife  works at Menard's now, stocking . Loves it, no pressure or stress. " I put S@&t on a shelf". Ha, ha!

Oldest grandson is in New Mexico Playing NAHL hockey for the Ice Wolves. Very proud Papa here.

Youngest grandson's All-Star base ball team took 2nd place in Minnesota a couple weeks ago at the State tourny. Proud, again!

Son and DIL are thinking about traveling again. They're in CA. Probably sell everything and buy a trailer!He decided that going after his Masters in Physics will take too long. At least there's a Sheldon Cooper in my family! Ha. Ha!!

I'm supposed to be retired, but have a very hard time saying "no". TF can empathize, I'm sure!! Right now I'm 8 weeks in to a new cabin for a friend of a  friend. It's on a beautiful lake, and about 10 minutes from home. Again, TF can probably agree! Ha!!

That's it, I think! 

Hope all continues to be well for my train buddies!

 

Terry

Terry in NW Wisconsin

Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 5:07 PM

And that's why painters make a really good livingHuh?

Mind you, These painters have no PF or TF eitherWink

 

Solitude with no distractionsYes

 

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 4:38 PM

EveningWink

She hasn't quite responded yet because she's doing our laundrySad

 

If you should go skating on the thin ice of Modern Life

Dragging beside you the silent reproach of a million tear stained eyes

Don't be surprised if a crack in the ice appears under your feet

You slip out of your depth and out of your mind, with your fears falling out behind you as you claw the thin ice

 

https://youtu.be/zLSCJmOIIJI

 

 

TF

 

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 3:09 PM

I'm in big trouble Buster!

Judy got off early and I'm almost at Menards and I don't have my chores done yetZip it!

And I need to pick her up!

Hey, she can't pull that one on me because she don't have her laundry done yetLaugh

 

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 2:54 PM

POST HOG!

Good talking with you gentlemen but I need to go to Menards.

No offense to Home Depot guy but Judy sends in the 11% rebates faithfully and I have a $23 credit.

I need to get one of those metal straps with the holes in it and strap up my muffler with some bolts and fender washers.  

The truck ain't loud yet but I noticed my muffler is sagging and I'm not going to do the old coat hanger trick that only lasts one winter.

I certainly wouldn't want to give Midas any of my hard-earned moneyTongue Tied

 

She's hanging on by a thread Kids, Tme to strap her up! Laugh

 

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 2:28 PM

Well, I try to eat healthy where I can! 

But let's face it gentleman, There is no substitute for Smile(Bacon)Smile and nobody's taking that away from me. 

For this reason is exactly why I eat healthy where I can, when I don't a lot of times in the morningLaugh

I figure, I have all day long to process the good stuff and keeps my organs in check so they have something to doYes

 

You know what they say, Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Might as well do that rightPirate

 

 

TF

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 2:22 PM

Wheaties.  Still a great cereal.  But now, ounce for ounce, one of the most expensive (not counting yuppie and designer varieties).  And that in spite of their relative simplicity.  How did this great breakfast injustice come to pass?

John (not York1) 

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Posted by York1 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 2:17 PM

Wheaties used to be my go-to breakfast .... in high school.  That means it's been 55 years since I've had Wheaties.

With bacon and eggs, when you're eating the best breakfast ever, why change?

York1 John       

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 1:44 PM

Thank you kindly JimYes and I thank you too JohnPirate

 

York1

There's not a whole lot of wheat grown around me.  About 70 miles south of me

But the question is this John?

When was the last time you had your Wheaties with black coffee, instead of bacon and eggs, to support your local Grain Elevator? Laugh...Wink

 

 

TF

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  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 1:34 PM

Good afternoon, diners.  I've already had bacon and eggs for breakfast, so I need some lunch -- how about an omelet?  It's a little early for happy hour.

It's nice to see pictures of my area of the country.  Flat?  Yes, it's flat out here.  And very few trees.

There's not a whole lot of wheat grown around me.  About 70 miles south of me, where the soil is more rocky, the wheat fields of Kansas begin.  Around me, where the good soil is deep and water plentiful, corn is the main crop, along with some fields of soybeans.

I was driving the other day and this caught my eye.  This was parked at a grain elevator about 10 miles west of me.  I have no idea where it came from or if it is even used anymore.  If it is used, I imagine it would be moving grain cars for the elevator on the BNSF line through here.  The picture's not real clear -- I took it out the car window. 

Hope everyone has a great day.

York1 John       

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 1:23 PM

Track fiddler

  . . . it's just sitting on a shelf now collecting dust . . . 

TF

 
Ha!  My lazy approach to weathering.  All very natural.  Laugh
 
By the way, TF, really nice job on that elevator!  Thumbs Up Thumbs Up
 
John
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Posted by up831 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 1:21 PM

hi Everyone,

TF: Thats a very nice looking grain elevator.

Bear: The Kansas Pacific tracks went right through the area I grew up in.  It later became the Union Pacific Kansas Division.

Here is a thumbnail description about wheat.  The first picture is wheat in April.

 Wheat in early to mid April by Jim S, on Flickr

The next picture is wheat at around Memorial Day.  It has a grain head but is still green and not ready to harvest.

 Wheat not yet ready for harvest around Memorial Day by Jim S, on Flickr

Third picture, the grain is mature and ready for harvest.  This would be in June depending where the field was.  The grain matures going North, so wheat would be harvested in the south part of the state before the north part.

 Wheat ready for harvest in June by Jim S, on Flickr

Finally we have harvest.  This picture is of what we would call a custom cutting crew.  You can tell because theres more than one combine.  Combines are very expensive and it wouldn't make sense for a farmer to own more than one.

 Custom cutting crew harvesting wheat by Jim S, on Flickr

The wheat is accumulated in the combine until full, then it is unloaded into a mobile grain bin pulled by a tractor to be loaded onto a truck, or loaded into a truck directly.  Then off to the local elevator.

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 12:26 PM

POST HOG!

Track Fiddler's Grain Elevator experiment sometime in 2019.

If you Google Grain Elevator Project, the whole crazy thread comes up on Model Railroader - Trains.com

I never did put any signage on it???  Maybe I've been waiting for Kevin to send me (SeeYou190 Grain Pool and Associate), so I can finish itSmile, Wink & Grin  I would certainly post a picture of thatPirate

For real Kevin.  Just come up with some of your Fine Artistic Craftsmanship and lick a stamp so I can post itYes 

The part of the model where the signage goes on is about 3 1/2".  So the signage should be no bigger than 2 1/4" wide and I need two of them.  Maybe an oval ellipse shape would be niceHuh?

Too bad I always just wanted to build one but have no room to put it on my N scale layoutCrying 

It was fun to build though and that's the important thingWink 

it's just sitting on a shelf now collecting dust but fun to look at occasionally when I walk byLaugh

 

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Thursday, September 1, 2022 11:53 AM

Lunch Time!

Just got done with another tier of decks and railings this morning just in time to run errands and leave for Wisconsin tomorrow.

Thanks for opening the Diner Jim but unfortunately I'm not in Kansas anymoreLaugh...Whistling

I can share something with the Grain subject though.

Nordic Ware are the owners of the first prototype cement cylinder grain elevator experiment that was a success in St Louis Park, Minnesota.

And here's how it looked when it was built way back in the day.  See the big prairie grain elevator lurking in the background? Pirate

Soon to be quite small and even obsolete.  I remember looking at that cylinder out my grade school window around 1969 -70.  And by no means is that like looking at a clock at a quarter to 12

I didn't know what I was looking at back then until learning about it many years later. 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peavey%E2%80%93Haglin_Experimental_Concrete_Grain_Elevator

 

 

TF

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Posted by NorthBrit on Thursday, September 1, 2022 10:55 AM

Gano Grain Elevator, Ardell, Kansas.

 

https://takemytrip.com/2016/08/gano-grain-elevator-ardell-kansas/

 

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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Posted by up831 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 10:31 AM

Hi Everyone,

POST HOG!!!

Here is a diagram of basically how a grain elevator works.

 How grain elevator works by Jim S, on Flickr

I'Ve never been inside of a grain elevator, but I've seen plenty of them

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by up831 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 10:10 AM

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to everyone for the encouragement.  It is much appreciated.

Yes, Kansas is flat compared to Nepal, but not as flat as you might think.  One of the factors that makes Kansas appear flat is the lack of trees out on the plains.  The word forest just isn't in the lexicon there.  And where there are trees, you can bet a river or stream is nearby.  When you're out in a field or pasture, your visibility is about 20 miles.

 Half mile long grain elevator by Jim S, on Flickr

 

This is a picture of a grain elevator in Hutchinson, KS.  This elevator is a half mile long and is one of if not the largest elevator in the world.  There are several large elevators in Hutchinson, most are serviced by BNSF.  

Theres a story.  When I was a boyscout, we were returning back to my home town (not Hutchinson).  There was a very large grain elevator just outside of town.  I commented doubtfully that that elevator was the third largest in the world.  My scoutmaster said, "what other countries even have grain elevators?"  A fresh dose of perspective that was.

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by NorthBrit on Thursday, September 1, 2022 8:56 AM

This is the kind of flat I like.

 

 IMG_3118 by David Harrison, on Flickr

 

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

  • Member since
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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, September 1, 2022 8:48 AM

Jabear
I got the impression that there was a vast amount of FLAT!   

Water Level Route
So very true for Kansas.  And Nebraska.  Iowa.  Oklahoma.  A lot of Texas.  Eastern Colorado & Wyoming.  Vast indeed!

Pfffffft!

I have been to all those places. The flatness did not impress me.

You want flat... come to South Florida.

When the highest point of ground in five counties is the artificial hill on a miniature golf course... then you got flat!

* * * * * Disclaimer: I know that is probably not true, but that is what the sign on the hole says. * * * * *

Wink

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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