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Jeffreys Track Side Diner February 2023 Locked

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, February 4, 2023 11:08 AM

TOP OF THE PAGE

Drinks Are On Me!

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How about a Goffel Kolsch? This is a delicious brew from Koln, Germany

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

Everyone enjoy yourselves, I will join you for a round after work tonight.

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howmus
Actually my Model 3 is about 3,600lbs.  That is about the same wieght as most other vehicles the same size.

Vehicles are much heavier than they used to be.

My 1989 full sized short cab Ford F150 with 5.7L cast iron V8 and eight foot bed weighed several hundred pounds less than my 2008 compact short cab Chevrolet Colorado with an alluminum four cylinder and a six foot bed.

The weight increase is primarily due to safety requirements. This trade off is worth it. I am a big fan of safety.

Another part of the weight increase is because cars are expected to have a longer service life now. A lot of parts are heavier for durability. 

SeeYou190
I hope to get some soffit framing done today before work.

Nope, I did not do anything.

I made a long response in Weekend Photo Fun instead.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by GMTRacing on Saturday, February 4, 2023 11:35 AM

Ray,  That is impressive. my current Focus ST is listed at 3,223 lbs and if I don't get too enthused is at 24 MPG (93 octane only please). I get spoiled as all my race cars are under 1,000 lbs. The big thing here is battery technology which seems to be improving at a good rate. The next generation is supposed to get away from the easily combustible litium ion current state of the art. I don't see long distance travel going electric any time soon though. Time will tell.

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Posted by NorthBrit on Saturday, February 4, 2023 11:46 AM

Thanks for the beer, Kevin.

Took me back to when I visited Koln - Cologne.   Love the city.

 

Railway bridge with the line turning to the right into the station.  The beautiful cathedral not far away.

 

 IMG_2485 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

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Posted by howmus on Saturday, February 4, 2023 12:07 PM

GMTRacing
Ray, That is impressive. my current Focus ST is listed at 3,223 lbs and if I don't get too enthused is at 24 MPG (93 octane only please).

A fact I ran across the other day.  It actually takes 7.5 kW of electric to make a gallon of gas.  A kW of electric will take my car about 4 miles (if I don't show off too much, LOL).  So the electric it takes to make a gallon of gasoline will take my car about 30 miles.  Hmmmmm????

My son, back when he was at Argonne National Labs, said they were working on a system using Capacitors.  They were hopeful but never found a way to control the discharge for use.  He is in the UK and is a writer.  Most of his current work is teaching and writing about current tech for electric vehicles.  There are some amazing possibilities being explored at the moment.

Oh...  I, a couple years ago, did check out if I could drive from my house to visit some guy we know who lives on Vancouver Island.  Yes it was very doable. I would have to cross over into Canada just after Chicago though.  Canada has the infrastructure already in place to get me charges all the way.  The US???  Nope!  BTW, for trips you plan your route and charge when you stop for lunch, bathroom breaks, etc.  I took a lady friend to Niagara Falls a few years ago.  Charged to full before I picked her up near Rochester, NY, drove to the Falls, spent a few hours there, and then drove to Cheektowaga for lunch.  They have the new Tesla superchargers there.  I had 61 miles of range left when  I plugged in, we were in the place having lunch for 20 minutes, and when we came out I had 210 miles of range.

You just have to think ahead and plan differently with EVs.... Whistling

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by GMTRacing on Saturday, February 4, 2023 3:40 PM

Ray, True. It's not that much different than driving cross country in a truck and trailer. Most times stations are close enough you can just get on with it but there are surprisingly still areas where diesel is dificult unless you plan ahead or go far off the highway. Modern smart phones have made this all easier so long as they keep up with closures and changing hours of operation.    J.R.

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Posted by howmus on Saturday, February 4, 2023 6:39 PM

GMTRacing
Ray, True. It's not that much different than driving cross country in a truck and trailer. Most times stations are close enough you can just get on with it but there are surprisingly still areas where diesel is dificult unless you plan ahead or go far off the highway. Modern smart phones have made this all easier so long as they keep up with closures and changing hours of operation. J.R.

Hey J.R.  Being in the race car business, you just might like this video of the S Plaid....  I especially like the reaction of the woman riding in the passenger seat about half way through.....  I think if I was in that car I would have had to go change clothes when I got out of the car...  That is 0-60 in 1.98 seconds....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctZORiCCPwc

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, February 4, 2023 7:37 PM

hon30critter
Sorry to hear about the rotting wood, but it looks like you have the problem solved. I am envious that you are able to do the work yourself. I used to do almost all of my own work but now I can hardly do anything. Ticks me off!Grumpy

Back in 2008 I built a small pole barn for the goats. I doubt I had more than $1500 in material including a nice metal roof.

 June 12 Morning Walk 001 by Edmund, on Flickr

Today, I just wrote a check for $5,600 just to have some of the rotted siding repaired and new siding applied over the 1 x 8 T&G. Sometimes writing a check is less painful that doing the work. Yes, I could have done it but it would have been an all-summer job — no thanks. I resided the caboose three years ago and that was enough for me Whistling

 

Some of the media are reporting that people are buying up egg-laying hens so they can get "free eggs" and beat the high prices.

Yeah, OK. I just ran some numbers and NOT counting the cost of the chicken coop and estimating the cost of utilities (heat lamps, water) our "free" eggs are running us about $5.75 a dozen! Feed alone runs $140 a month.

Free eggs...

 Hen and baby by Edmund, on Flickr

A buddy of mine at GE wanted to keep chickens so he could enjoy "free" eggs and asked me to stop by his place so I could see his setup. He had just bought some chicks from the feed store.

Well, I stopped there one evening after w**k and looked at his nice setup. All good I told him. Don't expect too many eggs anytime soon. Yep. — he had four roosters.


 

Fancy paint from Wisconsin:

 WC Marinette, WI 07-17-1990 by Hiawatha Rails, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Saturday, February 4, 2023 10:33 PM

GMTRacing

Ray,  That is impressive. my current Focus ST is listed at 3,223 lbs and if I don't get too enthused is at 24 MPG (93 octane only please). I get spoiled as all my race cars are under 1,000 lbs. The big thing here is battery technology which seems to be improving at a good rate. The next generation is supposed to get away from the easily combustible litium ion current state of the art. I don't see long distance travel going electric any time soon though. Time will tell.

 

Sodium Ion is supposed to be the next stop. I think Musk has alaready change assembly lions.

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 BroadwayLion on Sunday, February 5, 2023 6:14 AM

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 York1 on Sunday, February 5, 2023 6:45 AM

Good morning, diners.  Just coffee this morning, Flo.  It's donuts today.

No NFL games today.  I'll have to find something else to watch this afternoon.

Raise chickens?  No thanks.  As a boy on my grandparents farm, I got all desire to raise chickens out of my system.  I killed and cleaned enough chickens to know that the best chicken is bought at the grocery store.

Have a great Sunday, everyone.

 

York1 John       

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Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, February 5, 2023 7:48 AM

York1
Raise chickens?  No thanks.  As a boy on my grandparents farm, I got all desire to raise chickens out of my system.  I killed and cleaned enough chickens to know that the best chicken is bought at the grocery store.

Hi John,

I know the feeling.Ick! When I was a pre-teen my older brother and my father went fishing for smelt (Lake Ontario sardines for those who aren't familiar). I never got to go fishing with them but it was my job to clean the buckets of smelt that they came home with. I spent hours in the back yard hacking the heads off and cleaning the guts out of literally hundreds of the slimy little things! I hated the task, and I never ate any of them!

Fortunately that experience didn't turn me off of eating herring later in life. I thoroughly enjoy sitting down with a couple of cans of herring in paprika sauce. The fact that the empty cans stink up the kitchen and give me bad breath is irrelevant.Smile, Wink & GrinLaughLaughLaugh

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, February 5, 2023 9:03 AM

The World Is A Beautiful Place

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

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Good morning everyone. Chloe, I am not hungry this morning, so I will just have a cup of coffee and sit for a while. I will still leave you my usual tip.

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I had an emplyee in North Carolina that raised chickens as a hobby, a very serious hobby.

His chicken coop was magnificent, and those animals lived a pampered life. I'll bet each dozen eggs cost hime at least $25.00 total after expenses.

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Saturday Night Live last night had a parody ad for an HBO show based on the Mario Kart video game in a dystopian future.

It was supposed to be a joke, but my wife and I both agreed that we would definitely watch this show if it was real.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by howmus on Sunday, February 5, 2023 9:42 AM

The World Is A Beautiful Place

 

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, February 5, 2023 5:52 PM

Dee Ann's Honda CRV is a 2015 and when it comes time to pass it on to one of the grandkids we will be looking for an electric vehicle (besides Wilson's golf cart).

Here's the model I have in mind:

 Electric by Edmund, on Flickr

Both Railway Express and Wells Fargo ran fleets of battery vehicles in larger cities. Here's some battery-powered ice cream delivery trucks in Johnstown, Penna.

 Electric Ice-Cream by Edmund, on Flickr

Cleveland was a bit of a manufacturing center for battery vehicles back in the day. Elwell-Parker was a big one. We had many electric trucks and "scooters" at the GE plant where I was formerly employed. They were smooth, quiet and powerful.


 

One-of-a-kind paint:

 

 Shamu by Mike Danneman, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

 

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Posted by NorthBrit on Monday, February 6, 2023 4:08 AM

Good morning Diners.  Tea and toast please, Brunhilda.

A busy day with a list of things to achieve.

 

On the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, locomotive 'Northern Rock'  in a 'one off livery'.

 

 IMG_2223 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

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Posted by "JaBear" on Monday, February 6, 2023 4:53 AM
Gidday Chloe, a chocolate milkshake, please.
The NZR RM class articulated 88 seater railcar were built by the Drewry Car Co, England, but because of their two 210 hp engines became more commonly known as the “Fiat Railcars.”
In their original Red with the silver stripes.
 
 
In the “Blue Streak” colour scheme…
 
 
… though in this photo it appears more green than blue. (I thought Mr. TF may like the viaduct.)
 
 
They ended their service life, as unpowered carriages after the removal of the drivers’ cabs, and engines, known as the “Grassgrubs”.
  Grass Grubs by Bear, on Flickr
 
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, February 6, 2023 8:22 AM

The World Is A Beautiful Place

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Good morning everyone. I need a banana and a cup of coffee please, Chloe.

I went to bed very early last night and slept for ten hours! 

Needless to say, I am feeling really good this morning.

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Bear: Have there ever been HO scale models made of those Rail Cars?

Kato made a model of a German railcar set called the "Flying Hamburger" that I like. I would someday like to add a model of something like those.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by up831 on Monday, February 6, 2023 9:11 AM

Hi Everyone,

Brunhilda, coffee with cream, please.

John (york1):  In last month's diner you posted a picture of a teepee motel and said it might be a good model.  Funny yo9u should mention it.  Here is a picture from this last year's Trainfest.

 N scale teepee motel by Jim S, on Flickr

Earlier, I said I got the brake lines  in on a model.

 First time brake line by Jim S, on Flickr

The one line is too long and the bend too low.  If it comes unglued when I try to paint it, then I'll fix it.  Otherwise I got it to stick in place, I ain't touchin' it! 

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by York1 on Monday, February 6, 2023 9:29 AM

Good morning, everyone.  Chloe, I'll have bacon and eggs.  And coffee.

I actually slept late today.  Daisy the Dachshund decided she needed to go outside at 2:30 a.m., and I couldn't fall asleep after that unscheduled walk out in freezing temps.  I read for a while, and I woke up at 8:00 a.m.  Unheard of for me.

 

up831
John (york1):  In last month's diner you posted a picture of a teepee motel and said it might be a good model.  Funny yo9u should mention it.  Here is a picture from this last year's Trainfest.

 

Jim, that's amazing.  When I first found the photo, I looked online for some model railroad photos of it, but didn't see any.  I don't have room for it on my layout, but I sure remember places like that from growing up in the 1950s.  I remember going to a souvenir store called Jerome's Teepee, which was in a building something like that only bigger.  Neat photo -- thanks!

 

I bought an N streetcar which is DC.  I'm going to put in a streetcar track completely separate from my DCC system, so I'm going to buy a cheap used DC power control.  There is a train show coming up in two weeks about 50 miles from me, so I hope I will find a good cheap one at a vendor's table.

Have a great Monday, everyone.

 

York1 John       

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Monday, February 6, 2023 10:55 AM

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 gmpullman on Monday, February 6, 2023 11:03 AM

 

One-of-a-kind paint scheme:

 221113_1_juniata by lmyers83, on Flickr

Oh, that will just rub out...

For anyone with crooked handrails on their models:

 221113_3_juniata by lmyers83, on Flickr

Prototype for everything!

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by NorthBrit on Monday, February 6, 2023 11:16 AM

Good evening Diners.  A glass of Pinot Grigio please,  Janie.

York1John.   Always nice to have a streetcar on a layout.   Gives a little more atmosphere.   You must show us a picture.

Mine is at the rear of Sovereign Street.

 IMG_2495 by David Harrison, on Flickr

 

It had to happen!   Younger granddaughter has taken to play soccer  with a local team,  whilst our older granddaughter plays basketball  Newcastle Eagles Arena.   Mindst you, when they visit us they are in the train room. Yeah

 

Dinner  Corned Beef Hash  with Raspberry & Strawberry Trifle to follow.

 

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 howmus on Monday, February 6, 2023 6:12 PM

Hey, hey, hey....!

Just found out something rather cool!  I don't have cable TV as I generally really hate watching 10 minutes of commercials to see 3 minutes of program.  So...  I didn't see the Grammy Awards yesterday.  If I had known I would have found a way to tune in, I think!  A gent I went to College (Eastman School of Music) with got one yesterday!

Best Historical Album: Bob Ludwig ’66E, ’01E (MM), mastering engineer, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition)

Bob was two years ahead of me there, but in a college that small everyone knew everyone.  Sometime I may tell you about a record at Eastman I still hold with a guy named Mitch Miller.... Wink

73

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

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by "JaBear" on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 3:00 AM
Gidday Chloe, could I please have a large banana milkshake to quietly sup on. I got in and stacked 8 cubes of firewood today and am a little (?) wacked.

SeeYou190
Bear: Have there ever been HO scale models made of those Rail Cars?

Kevin, as the rail gauge in New Zealand is 3 foot 6 inches, the scale to model the NZR was, and still is the predominant one, when I got interested in the hobby, was Sn3.5, (3/16” using HO track) too large for me, though had NZ120, or TTn3.5, (TT scale using N scale track) been around, I think I would have looked at seriously at going down that track.
 
However, the Brazilian firm Frateschi does make, in HO scale, in various NZR liveries, a DA, Dc, and Dx class locomotives. The purists tend to sneer at those who use those locomotives, but I have seen on several occasions a portable layout that very nicely depicts local dairy production from the farm to the consumer via the dairy factory , and the various “milk trains” involved.
But there is not an HO scale “Fiatrail car.”
 
Speaking of NZR railcars, tonights offering is the NZR home grown “Standard Railcars” built 1938, lasting in service until 1972, these 50 seaters, had each worh out at least 3 sets of diesel engines! I’ve only seen a couple of paintings and colourized photos, but I think the original livery of ivory/silver with the green stripe was quite attractive, but the motorsts of the time complained bitterly that the railars were to hard to see at level crossings, so they were quickly repainted red. It would to nice to think that one of the preserved Standards would be painted in the original scheme.
 
Standard by Bear, on Flickr Courtsey of Tranzpress.
 WP25 by Chris Bradley, on Flickr
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them. Kia Kaha.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 8:03 AM

The World Is A Beautiful Place

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Good morning! 

Absolutely nothing new to report here.

With all the new insulation and insulated inpact windows, my house does not change temperature with the outside air very much at all. On the very cold days, and only cool days this year, the house has stayed in the 65-70 degree range on the inside without running the heater.

Stepping outside is a suprise now.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Bear: Thank you for all the information on New Zealand Railways. A lot of your pictures end up in my "ideas" file. I really love the styling on a lot of the equipment.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by NorthBrit on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 8:19 AM

Good afternoon Diners.  A large coffee please, Zoe.

A busy morning with looking after Dawn.  Now to collect oldest grandson from school.

 

Some  British Locomotive Liveries  from 2018 to 2021

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBKtuZUgUt4&ab_channel=LinesideSouthEast

 

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 York1 on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 8:25 AM

Good morning, diners.  The usual please.

We had another day of temps in the 40s, so the snow is almost all gone.  There is still some ice in the street, but it's going fast.

Another friend died -- another funeral Friday.  I'm getting leery about reading the obituaries in the paper.  I hope I don't see mine soon.

 

SeeYou190

 

Isn't it amazing how ornate the old buildings were?  Today's modern buildings are so bland and utilitarian by comparison.  Even in my little old town, several old buildings downtown are works of art, while newer buildings are forgettable.

 

Not much else going on today.  I've been working on taxes again.  It's kind of depressing thinking how much time, effort, and money goes into our tax system, when it could be so simple.  I guess they are aiming to make it simple again:  1.   How much money do you make?  2.  Send it to us.

Layout progress is slow.  Isn't it strange how each of us looks at a layout job that we estimate will take two hours, and it take two days!  I guess that's why it's such a good hobby.  We love the time spent working on it.

 

I don't know if this is a one-time paint job or not.  I thought it was unusual for a railroad where every locomotive is yellow.

York1 John       

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Posted by Steven Otte on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 8:48 AM

Good morning, all. In about 10 minutes (9 a.m. Central, for those of you reading this later) we'll be in the workshop, doling out structure kits to the staff for next year's project layout, and if I can convince the others, maybe laying some cork roadbed. Those of you who are subscribers to Trains.com can watch on the webcam at https://www.trains.com/vid/webcam/workshop-webcam/. (Until we're there, you'll see recorded video of me fiddling with things yesterday.) See you there!

--
Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editor
sotte@kalmbach.com

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 12:14 PM

I finished what I was doing to the house today, and took a shower.

When I went to the kitchen I found my wife had just made cinnamon rolls!

What a great surprise.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 3:05 PM

York1
I don't know if this is a one-time paint job or not.  I thought it was unusual for a railroad where every locomotive is yellow.

That UP engine sure had the interwebs in a flurry back in 2006 when it first appeared, some even still insisting the photos of it were manipulated in Photoshop and the unit really never existed.


 

 Motor City Zephyr by Edmund, on Flickr

Got the Wordle on the third try today Geeked

Cheers, Ed

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