Elliotts Trackside Diner (est 1-1-07)

[Fergmiester]

Now, it is time for me to get outside and finish the planting and spread the bark mulch.

FERGIE: Welcome back to port......the weather should be fine. How long will you be in port?

Oh    R-e-a-l-l-y? We had snow flurries here this morning (Oh Joy) Anyway by the time I fly home I'll be wearing shorts and sporting a beer and a set of tongs and adding to global carbon stocks with the BBQ!

I'll have to order bark mulch as soon as possible so I can start getting the garden ready.

Some numbers I got today

Ocean gives off 100 Giga tonnes of carbon a year and takes in 102 Giga tonnes. Man creates 6 Giga tonnes a year. So we are adding 4 Giga tonnes to the environment annually more than the planet can handle. Thes numbers don't include all the other crap we hurl at mother nature either.

Anyway it's din din

Later All

Fergie

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Santa Fe engine that might have been mixed up between a PA1 and something else

Now that I see that it has two axle trucks, I can tell you with certainty that that is an FA1.

[grayfox1119]

Good evening gents, making progress with outside work so that I can get back to train room. I called the LHS owner today to see what he wanted regarding the 2-10-2.....it was to inform me that if I paid by cash, or check, he would, knock off another $10 because of what he would save  over using a credit card......no problem with that.

JEFF: My son told me it was a Forestry truck, it is 4x4, brush guards, etc. It carries hose, pump packs, equipment for fighting brush and woodland fires. It has a pump, and a drop box for pumping from marshes, streams, ponds etc,. It is replacing some old '60's piece that cannot get parts for any longer, and a beast to maintain.

CAPE JIM: As you can read above, the LHS ? was a non issue, I couldn't imagine what he wanted. Has the weather settled down in your area yet?

FERGIE: Snow Flurries huh........have no fear, a heat wave is headed your way, you will be in shorts and T shirts tomorrow. As for GW, we may have gone beyond the point of no return for what we as humans can correct in time to stop the impending problem.

RYAN: You were on the cold side of the HIGH...that is about to change big time, so you won't have more 40's in the morning to contend with. That Tropical Depression off the Georgia/So Carolina coast bears watching though, the HIGH is going to block the system from moving north, and cause it to back into the coastline and actually move inland. You may get some rain and winds from this soon.

TIFN

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JEFF: My son told me it was a Forestry truck, it is 4x4, brush guards, etc. It carries hose, pump packs, equipment for fighting brush and woodland fires. It has a pump, and a drop box for pumping from marshes, streams, ponds etc,. It is replacing some old '60's piece that cannot get parts for any longer, and a beast to maintain.

A Forestry truck? Good, that means they won't be afraid to bend it a bit. We got ours from Forestry and put $6,000 into rebuilding it and fitting it out. The engine needed quite a bit of work. It's a Chevrolet V8 diesel that sounds like it could pull the world. One thing we made sure to put on it is a 16,000 lb Warn winch. So far, we've had to use the winch to pull other trucks out of the mud, never our brush truck. It was a bit of a trick to get 12 volt equipment to work on the 24 volt system. The military seems to set their systems up a little differently.

[Anonymous]

Hey guys!

Just got back from some evening fishing. There's a falls just down the road from my house (Colby, you know the one I mean, right?) and the trout were going nuts! every 3 or 4 seconds you could see 'em jumping. Sadly, I didn't catch anthing, mostly because of my VERY limited bait and lure "collection".  Sorry for not posting in a LOOONG time. Anyways. Colby probably told you that he and I went to a "local" (1 1/4 hour drive) train show, and loaded up. I got some track, 2 switches, miscellanious track pieces and bumpers, also some switch controllers, and Colby very nicely treated me to my first track cleaning car, and some rail joiners and insulaters. (Thanks a bunch Colby!) We both got some valuable information about layouts, too. Speaking of which, my dad recently bought some plywood and 2x4s and I'm hoping to get the scraps, for my new train table. If I get them, I should have the table done in a week (I hope). Colby, I like the pics espescially the yard. It sure has changed alot since I last saw it.

-Alex                                                                                                       

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Alex: I'm going to be sending Colby some steel power-Loc track soon. You might ask him if you can have some of it. I'm sending thirty pieces of 18" radius curves. There's a kid in Michigan who's getting some stuff from me too, four Bachmann FT A's. They all run, but need some work, but hey, he's not worried about that. They're free!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Gotta go guys and gals, 6 am comes early.

[Paul W. Beverung]

Evening Gang: Not much going on. We worked on getting a place cleaned up for Mary Ann's storage container. I only had time to check my Pantone color book for the matching paint for the diesel frame. Actually I think that the paint is here it needs to be shaken up good. I'll take it to Lowes tomorrow and see if they will put it in the shaker for about 10 minutes.

Well Daisy the dog wants to go out and I have to put the out side dogs up also.

Good Night All

[bogp40]

Hi guys,

Still just hangin' around. I guess I'm on a wild ride on the emotional rollercoaster. A good day can turn sour in an instant. Not all that great lately.

For those that haven't been informed, I'm still grieving the loss of my wife almost 7 weeks ago. This may explain some of the stange posts. I'm so glad for family, good friends at the club, work and here at the forum. I hope to get my desire to get back into my modeling soon. So many projects just sitting on the workbench. My nerves and lack of concentration has really put a damper on trains for now.

There's many scenery projects still to do at the club. Hopefully I'll be able to jump back in the swing of things- many are depending on me can't let them down.

This area needs the bridge abutments and the scenery under the bridge (marshy spot w/ an abandoned ROW and old derelict abutment. Note the gauntlet trackage under the plate girder.

This spot, nicknamed "cardboard mountain" is on it's way to getting the remaining trees and finishing touches. The rock cut is 12' long and done w/ the Cripplebush rubber rocks.

The contours of this area are not finalized yet, hence the loose cardboard strips.

Another member is doing a great job with this spot, he fabricated the forms for the concrete abutments and has already covered the foam.

Now in this shot, the benchwork and trackwork crews are a bit ahead of of me, you think? The return tracks in the forground are only temporary, the remaining 3 legs are still to be built (60 more feet of room)

I do have some work cut out for me, will keep you posted on any progress with the layout and also with me.

Just lurking for now,

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana.

05-09-07

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning and top 'o' the day to all of ye.

Well, today I start back to work at the workshop. We've got a contract for 80 desks to be built. That means a lot of cutting, sanding, banding, staining and screwing pieces together. That should keep me busy until somethime in June.

Today's Weather for:  
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      5/9/2007 

Sundown Fire Dept., Station 23
 
Heat Index:  70°F
Humidity:  90%
Dew Point:  67°F
 
So Far Today
High:  70°F
Low:  69°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  5mph NW
 
Today  High: 82    Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Light and variable winds becoming south around 10 mph in the afternoon.
 
Tonight  Low: 65    Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the mid 60s. Southwest winds around 10 mph in the evening becoming light and variable.

Steak and eggs this morning, please?

 

[OzarkBelt]

Good Morning All. just popping by to grab.... That Whole plate of Donuts (again). i guess i'll be able to get around to my kitbash today!!!!

see you all later

 

[ModelTrainLover]

Jeff- when do you think I will be getting the track?

and the mountains are almost done just have add a bit more shell and paint. also, the FA1's motor is kinda not working. I have to spin the drive chain to get it to go. the head light works which means it's getting current, but the motor won't go I'll get a pic of the motor and hope that anyone has a working one like it. 

Colby 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff- when do you think I will be getting the track?

and the mountains are almost done just have add a bit more shell and paint. also, the FA1's motor is kinda not working. I have to spin the drive chain to get it to go. the head light works which means it's getting current, but the motor won't go I'll get a pic of the motor and hope that anyone has a working one like it. 

Colby 

I'll be sending it out around the end of the month, unless I have some money to pay for postage before that. I also have some other stuff to send out to other places.

It sounds like the FA1 has a fried motor. If it's a Proto 2000 a Power Points West motor or a Mashima motor would be an almost perfect match. The fun is getting the flywheels off.

[Fergmiester]

Good Morning Gents

Well it's a LARGE day here in St John's and just in time to enjoy it!

Will be flying out later this morning and the Locos are all packed and ready for shipment (knock, Knock, Knock)

Bob: Excellent pics bud and I look forward to seeing more. I'm sorry to here the passing of your wife and can only imagine the hardship you must be feeling. These tribulations are mind and soul bending and hopefully with time you will feel less of the pain. But like everthing time is key.

Well I must go!

Later All

Fergie

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hello Everybody......

Bran muffins & o. j. for me.

Bob k .......  I've been wondering how your handling your loss lately and it's good you shared how you feel.  Please continue sharing your thoughts.  At a recent church meeting I was with two men.  The older guy (Wes) and I were listening to the younger guy (Tim) whose wife's cancer is worsening. Wes held Tim's hand and looked him straight in the eye saying: "Tim, many others have walked on the same path your are on now. I lost my beuatiful wife of 47 years to cancer a few years ago. Although I refer to her as "my wife", the fact is she is God's child. God chose to take his child.  It was not my choice, but I must accept it. Tim, your wife is also God's child.  You, too must accept God's plan for her."  The emotion in Wes's voice clearly suggests he still loves his wife so very much. On the other hand, he knows God has granted him the strength to carry on with life on Earth. Tim told me a few days ago that he appreciated Wes's thoughts, and that God is giving him the strength he needs to conduct his day to day activities.  They have children who know Tim is there to look out for them.

Also, Bob........  I really like the scenery progress at the club.  Hope to see more photos.

Colby.......  I enjoy your layout pictures because they remind me of mine when I was young.  My first layout was in my bedroom. Later, I obtained right of way in the basement.  Also, as a kid, other kids teased me about my hobby, and a girl friend thought I was nuts for being a model railroader.  I think it's good to be yourself and not worry about the opionions of you.  ......A suggestion, if you don't mind ....... it's better to have just one or two high quality locomotves than to have a fleet of cheapie engines.  Say hello to your family from the diner. 

Fergie....... welcome to land and I hope the locos are safe! 

Jeff... I'm impressed with your generosity and willingness to help Colby and others.

Happy Model Railroading

 

 

[ModelTrainLover]

Jeff- when do you think I will be getting the track?

and the mountains are almost done just have add a bit more shell and paint. also, the FA1's motor is kinda not working. I have to spin the drive chain to get it to go. the head light works which means it's getting current, but the motor won't go I'll get a pic of the motor and hope that anyone has a working one like it. 

Colby 

I'll be sending it out around the end of the month, unless I have some money to pay for postage before that. I also have some other stuff to send out to other places.

It sounds like the FA1 has a fried motor. If it's a Proto 2000 a Power Points West motor or a Mashima motor would be an almost perfect match. The fun is getting the flywheels off.

Jeff the enigne is a Power Points West. I remember checking the builders mark. and the way the motor is connected to the wheels is through somthing  like link and pin couplers, I'll get a pix of it when I get home. I'll also get the mesurments for it. But the only promblem is reconnecting the wires. I don't have a sodder. insted I could use a hot glue gun, tape or white glue.

Colby 

[ModelTrainLover]

[quote user="Heartland Division CB&Q"]

Colby.......  I enjoy your layout pictures because they remind me of mine when I was young.  My first layout was in my bedroom. Later, I obtained right of way in the basement.  Also, as a kid, other kids teased me about my hobby, and a girl friend thought I was nuts for being a model railroader.  I think it's good to be yourself and not worry about the opionions of you.  ......A suggestion, if you don't mind ....... it's better to have just one or two high quality locomotves than to have a fleet of cheapie engines.  Say hello to your family from the diner. 

[quote/]

all of my engines are good quallity. only one is having motor problems, the other is a dummy engine which I use for paint experiments and wreck scences. my total fleet of engines that have motors totals 5.    4 Santa Fe    1 New York Central   each engine gets used for different needs. my Santa Fe F7: is used for track cleaning fast freight and passenger service, 0-6-0: local freight and passenger service, 0-4-0: light freight some track cleaning, New York Central: heavy freight and passenger service.

Colby

and this is my tunnel I'm working on

The track that I've been telling you guys about, one side the finished product the other is what it looks like out of the packaging

and finally the Santa Fe engine FA1

 

[SilverSpike]

Good morning folks!

How's about some toast with jelly, much left over from the main general section I see! Thanks Chloe!

Bob K. thoughts and prayers for you man! I feel you heartache, and hope that time, faith, hope, and prayer help to heal your wounds sooner than later. That's quite a club layout you guys have going there, great work too! Keep us posted on the continued progress.

Jeff, I see saw dust in your future! I bet you didn't know I could foretell the future!

Dick, funny sub-tropical weather event huh! We have gotten some rain, not much, but the winds have been blowing 15-25 mph gusts since Sunday. Some of the plants are taking a toll now due to the constant howling wind. Now I have more tree branches on the ground to clean up again.

Cheers,

Ryan

[ModelTrainLover]

Jeff here are some pixs of the engine's motor. it's about 3in long from the part were it connects to the wheels in the front to the one in back, an a little more than 1 in. wide. I checked the botten and the company mark is 'ROCO'

Colby

[JimRCGMO]

Hi, Diners! Zoe, a root beer float, burger and some cheesy fries, please. I might want some chili if I have room enough left...

Bob K., feel free to let us know how things are going, good days or bad ones. We'll be here for you. If w**k is any help in getting through things, your club layout should help a bunch - that's one big layout, and I'm sure it can keep you and many others busy. Looks like a good layout, and getting better as you all progress on it.

Colby, sounds like you and Alex are both going to be making your own progress on your layouts. That scenery and ballasting/weathering the track is coming along nicely.

Fergie, welcome back to dry (more or less) land. Take you very long to get your land legs back? Oh, I understand that Colby wants some soldering tips - want to help him on that?

'bout time for me to head back to w**k. See you all later!

Oh, and since I'm buying, I told Zoe she probably needs to make a few more of those 'Tiny' burgers. Any takers, on me? 

 

Blessings and prayers for fair skies, good health and comfort,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

 

[pcarrell]

Sorry I haven't been in much lately.  I've been pretty busy, ya know?  It's finals week in college and one of the people in my office decided to quit and my boss reassigned her duties to me (no pay raise I might add), so I've been kinda busy!

Bob, thats one nice layout you guys have there.  I enjoyed the pics you shared. 

I know that it all means nothing in comparisson to the loss you're still feeling though.  Just know that you're not alone though.  You have people all around you, and you have all of us here to lean on.

I'd like to pass this on to you.  Maybe it will be of some comfort.  It's just something that seems to express well what I think you may be going through.

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

Hold on to Jesus my friend.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Being a Roco, that makes it a bit old, but good. The drive shafts are right for that type of loco. That's a shaft with slotted couplings. Most of my Bachmann's use that type drive. That motor looks to be an older type PPW motor. The newer ones are almost rectangular whereas that one is round. You're going to have to look around and see if PPW has one that will fit. Mashima may have one as well.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff here are some pixs of the engine's motor. it's about 3in long from the part were it connects to the wheels in the front to the one in back, an a little more than 1 in. wide. I checked the botten and the company mark is 'ROCO'

Colby

I bet any of these motors would work.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/116-70321

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/116-80321

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/116-90321

I shoe-horned one like the middle one into a thirty year old Bachmann GP40. If it would fit in that, it'll fit in anything, just about. The FA1's chassis looks to be about the same as the Athearn F7.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I've got a funeral to go to later this week. One of our fire fighters passed away the other night in his sleep. He was only in his mid fifties. At least he went peacefully.

[Hoople]

Jeff: You have my prayers. Its not fun losing someone.

Well, nothin new over here, besides I might get another cymbal.

Gotta run,

Mark

[Cox 47]

Evening All....Its been Warm and humid here today....I'll have a Double Cheese Burger, onion Rings and a Strawberry Shake just put that on Jim's tab please...Thank you....Havn't been in still messing with "plumbing" troubles....I mocked up a couple of ideas using Walthers New river mine....Its just too big so its going to have to be a truck dump..been looking at some pictures and getting some ideas....That drive looks like a old Model Power E unit I use to have in HO it was a pretty good runner in its day seems like the motor was the same as one they were using in some of the first electric tooth brush....PC ...That was great did you write that?.....Sallie is up from her nap gotta go..You all have a good evening....Jerry

[grayfox1119]

Good evening everyone......this morning I had an appointment at Med City with specialist for my 6 month checkup after Prostate surgery in 2003. My readings have been ranging from 0.0 to 0.3, todays was 0.1. The readings should be 0.0 because the gland is removed that produces PSA...the Doc feels that it is lab equipment error because the reading is so low that it could easily be calibration errors. "If" it were due to some remaining cells, the reading would continuously rise, but it isn't, so that is good news...he said whatever I am doing , keep doing it.....it must be the glass of red wine each night...what do you guys think?

I headed for my LHS after the Doc visit, and picked up the 2-10-2...what a beauty!!!! I bought it unmarked, and I will letter it either CV, or more than likely B&A. Also picked up an 18" truss bridge and two Classic Metal Works cars for the layout....a '36 Ford Sedan, and a '36 Ford Yellow Cab, and the MRR Basic Scenery for Model RR's book.  We then headed for Palmer RR Station for lunch, "The Steaming Tender", and saw 4 trains roll by while eating.

JEFF: I am sure that they have a winch on the truck, as they had one on the old beast. Good news on your work ......more $$ for RR stuff!!!!! I am very sorry for the loss of your Fireman friend, so very early to be called home...but, a nice way to leave peacefully.

BOB K: I certainly know what you are feeling Bob, we lost our DIL 3 years ago at age 33. I sat with my son for many evenings, he was totally devastated...he had 11 years with his lovely wife who gave him three sons. Some say God takes them home...which is true, but I believe that he spares us and them the suffering of seeing a loved one in such pain, by calling them home where there is no more pain. We are here for you Paul, anytime, day of night, to listen, to help in anyway we can.

Great job with the layout Bob, I absolutely love what you guys are building!!!!!!!

CAPE JIM: How far are you from all the flooding Jim? The weather channel was showing some areas with widespread flooding of farmland and residential areas as well.

FERGIE: Don't forget to order the bark mulch, and check in on Der John, we haven't heard from him in a while, see if he is asleep under the layout again.

MIKE: Here is an "ouch" for you......the repair shop just called regarding the repair of the rototiller tiller section....$400!!!!!!!!!!  No wonder I could not get it fixed myself....the shaft, bearings, seals and a few other things were shot!! I guess 22 years of hard use has taken it toll. So $400/22 = $18 per year , I guess I should look at that way.

TIFN

[pcarrell]

PC ...That was great did you write that?

I'd like to say I wrote such beautiful words, but I didn't.  A friend of mine, Bart Millard, wrote that a couple of Christmas' ago (2004) when he lost several people very close to him (8 people in a two week period).  He and his family were hurting a lot back then, so he wrote that from the heart.  It still touches me every time I read it.

[JimRCGMO]

PC ...That was great did you write that?.....

I'll answer if PC hasn't already, Jerry - that's the lyrics to "Homesick", which has been popularized recently by the group MercyMe (album is "Undone"). They have several great songs on the album in addition to "Homesick". Oh, I see PC already has answered before me...

Jim in Cape Girardeau