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Jeffrey’s Trackside Diner for December 2023

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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, December 24, 2023 12:32 AM

Okay, one for Brent Ed.

Although all appreciated, sometimes one misses that udder West Coast Canadian eh?

 

WinkTF

PS    FYI, a very little-known fact.  Did you know, there are palm trees growing on the west coast of Vancouver up in Canada?  They were never native in Vegas, and they're certainly not native up there.  But they're thereHuh?  And Brent's dog mows the lawn a little east of thatPirate

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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, December 24, 2023 12:09 AM

Had to tilt my screen sideways to reply, and took a bit of effortLaugh

That's a good one, and a nice fixer upper my friend, and now I'll try digging something up.

 

TF

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, December 23, 2023 11:52 PM

Track fiddler
but where, or when did the Moose come in?

Couldn't resist...

 

Ed

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Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, December 23, 2023 11:49 PM

That's It!!! Laugh

Thanks for clarifying that one Ed, but where, or when did the Moose come in?

 

WinkTF

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, December 23, 2023 11:43 PM

Track fiddler
Can't remember the circumstances with this one, if it had to do with the Bear, Ohio Guy, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or me.

I seem to recall that Brent posted a photo of an Elk standing alongside the Canadian as it passed by and I pointed out that it was strange that the elk wasn't casting a shadow. I then repaired the photo to correct that little Photoshop flaw:

 canadian-winter-martel-shadow-fix by Edmund, on Flickr

In the original there wasn't any shadow (a sure giveaway the photo was altered (or antlered?)

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by Track fiddler on Saturday, December 23, 2023 11:25 PM

Evening & Happy Holidays

 

Past 11:00 O'clock and Rack Time.

 

Can't remember the circumstances with this one, if it had to do with the Bear, Ohio Guy, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or me.

Perhaps two of the above, but only the picture remains amongst my many.  Vaguely remember it had something to do with shadows, or lack of.

 

At the very least, ...Watch out for Moose while driving KidsSmile...Wink

 

TF

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, December 23, 2023 9:14 PM

Steam in Snow —

 

 Big Boy blizzard by Mike Danneman, on Flickr

 

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, December 23, 2023 11:49 AM

Our movie last night was It’s a Wonderful Life.  We saw Miracle on 34th Street earlier in the week.  That's my favorite.  Probably get to White Christmas tonight or tomorrow.

Only 3 more days of Holiday Pop on the car radio!  Yay!  I've been listening to an Eric Clapton CD in the car.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, December 23, 2023 9:56 AM

York1
On the other forum, some posters mentioned the movie White Christmas.

Thanks for the reminder to watch White Christmas again, John!

Mrs. Pullman and I finished a huge country breakfast and I put ols Bing and Danny Kaye on the telly and it was a wonderful time. Yes the Technicolor rendition is beautiful and even seeing the Santa Fe and Union Pacific going to Vermont was indeed fun!

 NYCS_Window by Edmund, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by York1 on Saturday, December 23, 2023 9:11 AM

Good morning, diners.  Bacon, eggs, and black coffee, please.

I don't know why I check the weather for the forecast.  Every day, what was predicted is changed.

For Christmas, the forecast was cloudy.  The next day, the forecast was cloudy and rain.  It stayed that way for two more days until yesterday.

Now the forecast for Christmas is four to six inches of snow.  That means that by Monday, we will either have sunny weather with highs in the 60s(F), or we will have two feet of snow.  Your guess is as good as the guys that are paid to predict.

It's a little unsettling since the kids who live in the south where it doesn't snow, will be driving through it to get here.  If we see it's going to be really bad, I guess we will tell them to delay the trip by a day to give the road crews time to clear things.

My day today?  Just in case it's worse than they predict, I'm going to fire up the snow blower to make sure it's working.  It's 87 days, 13 hours, and one minute until Spring.

https://days.to/spring/2024

 

After all the layout's work the past weeks, running trains show one issue with the track.  Strangely, it's not where I was working.  I kept getting certain cars derailing in the same spot right past a turnout.  I think I've got that fixed.

It has been fun to get back to the layout after a long summer of house work and other projects.  Winter is good for something!

I hope everyone's preparations for Christmas are going well, and everyone's health is good.

 

Cheyenne, Wyoming, Union Pacific station:

 

York1 John       

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Posted by wetidlerjr on Saturday, December 23, 2023 6:12 AM

Good morning! Just two days more!Smile, Wink & Grin

1703333336422.png

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, December 22, 2023 8:12 PM

CNCharlie
Dave, mine were made by Walkers.

Hi CN Charlie,

Thanks for the suggestion. I just ordered a box. I trust your word that they will be worth the price!Smile, Wink & Grin

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 CNCharlie on Friday, December 22, 2023 5:41 PM

Dave, mine were made by Walkers. I  had their regular ones last year but found them to be too sweet. The ones with the Scotch in them are really good. Wish I had ordered 2 boxes. My wife doesn't like them which is good for me. 

CN Charlie

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, December 22, 2023 4:58 PM

CNCharlie

I love mincemeat tarts! I would have made a batch this Christmas but I have been so hobbled with knee, back and shoulder problems that it just wasn't feasible. Also, the reviews for Robertson's mince filling were very poor. Apparently they have changed the recipe and not for the better.

To make things worse, last night I watched a true Scotsman making mincemeat tarts from scratch including the filling. They looked sooooo good!

Cheers everyone!! May your indulgements this Christmas make you happy!!

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 CNCharlie on Friday, December 22, 2023 2:59 PM

John, thanks for understanding. 

I'm about to tuck into a mincemeat tart infused with Glendfiddich accompanied by a cup of Yorkshire Gold tea. Join me in the Diner.

Nice to hear about the Christmas prep some of you are doing. The older I get the more I miss that and loved ones now gone. Dad passed at Christmas 31 years ago and Nazareth 41 years ago. I seem to miss Nazareth more and more. Never had such a strong bond with any other dog, not even most people. He liked to lie against the sofa and rest his chin on my leg for ear scratches. If I stopped too soon he would flip my hand with his nose.

CN Charlie

 

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Posted by Water Level Route on Friday, December 22, 2023 1:21 PM

Good afternoon diners.  Chloe, milk and cookies please.

I've got prepped what I can for Christmas Eve.  We will be at my family's tomorrow, so won't have the prep time I otherwise would have.  We'll make it work though.  We took a drive last night to look at Christmas lights around the town.  It was a nice time.  Some places though that put up more, more, more, without any cohesiveness to what they put up or any sense of taste...sheesh!  I have a lot of outdoor lights up, but they fit to a theme/style and it is tastefully done.  The places that fill their yard with blinking snowflakes, inflatable abominable snowmen, a manger scene, etc, etc...It's those places I feel bad for their neighbors!

Mike

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Friday, December 22, 2023 11:36 AM

CNCharlie

AEP528, Exactly. My wife's fear is long covid which is a real possibility. We don't have any family for support so long covid would be devastating. 

CN Charlie

 
Charlie (and AEP528),
 
I rue my post.  Although I am aware of folks who have greatly isolated themselves without any co-morbidities and other family factors, it was impertinent of me to take the circumstances in your home as an occasion for my observation.  My deepest apologies to you and any others that I may have offended.
 
John
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Posted by CNCharlie on Friday, December 22, 2023 11:01 AM

Good Morning,

AEP528, Exactly. My wife's fear is long covid which is a real possibility. We don't have any family for support so long covid would be devastating. 

While driving on a grocery run this morning, they were playing Stuart McLean's Christmas story from his Vinyl Cafe series. Truly one of the funniest stories I have heard. We have several of his CDs. I think it is on Youtube if you want a good laugh. 

CN Charlie

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Posted by wetidlerjr on Friday, December 22, 2023 10:33 AM

Good morning, all! NKP map, 1937

1937-NICKELPLATEROADMAP.jpg

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Friday, December 22, 2023 8:45 AM

AEP528

But it must be a conspiracy to increase fear and control when people are asked to show compassion and respect for others by being aware and not spreading disease. 

 
Merely pointing out here the difference between compassion and paranoia.  The encouragement towards the one should not have to be the production of the other.
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Posted by AEP528 on Friday, December 22, 2023 7:45 AM

Our local hospitals are at nearly 100% capacity with respiratory illnesses, and nearly all of that is flu and COVID. But it must be a conspiracy to increase fear and control when people are asked to show compassion and respect for others by being aware and not spreading disease. 

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Posted by NorthBrit on Friday, December 22, 2023 4:08 AM

Good  morning all.  A coffee on the go please, Brunhilda.   Just had the 'Christmas Groceries'  delivered.  Had to return  some items.  The store sent some items that have to be eaten today?  Now I have to do a mini shop.

 

Charlie.    Hope  your wife gets over the fear of Covid.  Here in the U.K.  the media keep giving  out news to try and keep the fear factor in the country.  Yet those spreading the news carry on as normal.

 

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, December 21, 2023 10:54 PM

Hi Everyone,

Today was the first day of winter.  Fortunately, we have had very little snow and mild temps in the 40's F.  I got out my wife's snowman coffee mugs and put them on the mug tree.  I get them out at either the first significant snowfall or the first day of winter, whichever comes first.  Then they get put away on the first day of Spring.

John:  I didn't know that the UP bought and built Sun Valley.  Thats what CP did with Banff and Lake Louise.

Enjoying everyone's winter scenes and the depots.  

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Thursday, December 21, 2023 5:40 PM

CNCharlie

My wife's anxiety won't let her be with anyone due to covid fear. 

CN Charlie

 
Glad she didn't break anything and is feeling better.
 
Arrgghh!  "Covid fear".  Sometimes I think that what was often advanced as a protection factor has turned out to be worse than the disease.  I really do sympathise, Charlie.
 
John
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Posted by CNCharlie on Thursday, December 21, 2023 4:44 PM

Good Afternoon,

Very warm here as in 34F. 

Wife fell on ice last Sunday and really hurt her arm so off to the doc early Monday. We were at his office by 6 am. He does start early. She had an Xray by 7:30 and no break luckily. Much better now.

Bear, I have been many times to the town where that RDC photo was taken back when I was working. It is in southern Alberta .  Watched a show about the train from Christchurch to Picton. Beautiful scenery. 

Ray hasn't been in lately. Hope he is ok.

Nothing new here. Will just be the two of us at Christmas.   My wife's anxiety won't let her be with anyone due to covid fear. 

CN Charlie

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Posted by York1 on Thursday, December 21, 2023 8:54 AM

Good morning, everyone.  It's a foggy, cold morning on the plains.

Brunhilda, I'll have bacon, eggs, and black coffee, please.

My appts., projects, and meetings are all over.  Now the real work begins -- cleaning the house for the entire family to show up for several days.

It's an experience to have eight adults and eight kids all staying here.  Of course, it's tripping over kids on the floor, getting an open bathroom, making sure the snacks are continually replenished, etc.

The house seems very big and empty when everyone leaves.

Ed and others, I love all the winter train photos and ads.  I found these on the Union Pacific calendars.  Sun Valley was built by the UP in the 1930s.  I read that UP bought the land, almost 4,000 acres, for $4 an acre!  I have been close, but have never visited Sun Valley itself.

Have a great day, everyone.

  

York1 John       

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Posted by wetidlerjr on Thursday, December 21, 2023 8:49 AM

Good morning!

Depot Bluffton Ohio (LE&W/NKP).DEPOT_BLUFFTONOH.jpg

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, December 21, 2023 4:39 AM

Friends visiting today to talk trains and run the layout. Looking forward to the camaraderie!


 

 NYCentral_Lionel by Edmund, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by "JaBear" on Thursday, December 21, 2023 3:47 AM
Gidday Chloe, is everyone away preparing for Christmas or the Holidays; or like Mr.TF hard at w**k?
Track fiddler
Got one of those this morning, there's some concrete blobs near a quarter inch high in the bed room...   ...They just laughed at my ice scraper.  I'm gonna have to get out the grinder and put a fan blowing out the window,..  ...Yuk, there's at least a couple hours of prep, before continuing the floor,
 
This was on my suggested watch on YouTube, so after that floor episode, perhaps this may help Mr. TF relax?
 
 
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 Track fiddler on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 6:33 AM

Good morning

Thanks David, Challenges, Yes.  Got one of those this morning, there's some concrete blobs near a quarter inch high in the bed room.  Those ain't gonna fly!  They just laughed at my ice scraper.  I'm gonna have to get out the grinder and put a fan blowing out the window, and finish with dependable skin coat.

Yuk, there's at least a couple hours of prep, before continuing the floor, but its gonna be another great day.

Emojis don't work this morning.

 

Have a good day Y'all.

 

TF

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