Elliotts Trackside Diner (est 1-1-07)

[Hoople]

Please stop talking about the cowboy's game.

please.

[TRENT B]

Howdy all,

Hope no one wanted that old Santa Fe hearld from the old shop. I liberated it as the wrecking ball was pulling up to do its FOUL deed! I hope someone remembered to snag that pic of the PRR duplex!

Don't ya love it when the good guys "clean up" at a show like that.

Now that things are settling down I can take my chances @ paying for all the  bottomless pits who stop in for a "glass of water"!

Found out over christmas that a short line ended in my in-laws town. It was only about 40 miles. The town was clearing some wooded land and found the old roadbed. When my dad-in-law gets me some pics of the rr I'll post them. He said that since the Doc lived in the town of Conroe if anyoe got sick in Coldspring he would hop the train and they would run him up the line. Next time I'm up there I'm gonna hit the antique shop for some remains if they got any.

Best wishes for all and prayers for theose under the weather.

Trent

[grayfox1119]

I hope I can do as well at the BIG E the end of this month.

Big E?

PC: Sorry Phil, the "BIG E" is so well known in the northeast and even into central and mid Atlantic states, I falsely assumed that you knew.

The "BIG E" stands for Big Exposition Center in West Springfield, Massachusetts. They have the biggest model RR show in the Northeast every year, the last weekend of January. It is sponsored by the Amhearst MRR Club.

JEFF: I think you hit the nail on the head re Romo.....now Texans are calling for the Big Tuna's head too!!!!

[grayfox1119]

I just saw the end of the Seattle/Dallas playoff game......for those who saw it, or will see the sports highlights later, what kind of a plane ride home do you think Tony Romo is going to have? I think I would walk back to Dallas.

Don't you know he's on every cowboy's fans * list! 1 point!

Yeah but think you got to say it was a gut getter the whole game it look likes from the clips I saw this am it was close all game just some bad luck at the end sry not a cowboy fan (carries over from the 70's and cowboy/steelers kill the man with the ball games (sure miss those games)

RT: Ya but the Big Tuna pulled a big bone head play right at the start of the game when Dallas was on the 10 YL and he elected to go for it on 4th down instead of a Field Goal. That FG would have given them the 3 points that would have won the game as it later turned out.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Remember the big Super Bowl game back in the 70's that went into overtime and nobody told NBC? For obvious reasons, that game became known as the Heidi game. NBC still hasn't lived that one down. Their headquarters got so many phone calls that the phone system went down!

[rtraincollector]

Hey all got this email and thought I would share it with you all yes its long but its good.

>good friend shared this with me and it really made me stop and think. I'm
>off to buy my marbles....
>
>
> > The older I'm get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's
>the
>quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the
>unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours
>of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.
> >
> > A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup
>of
>coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a
>typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems
>to
>hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it:
> >
> > I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio
>in
>order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came
>across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice.
>You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting
>business; He was telling whom-ever he was talking with something about "a
>thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to
>say
> >
> > "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they
>pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family
>so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or
>seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your
>daughter's dance recital," he continued. "Let me tell you something that
>has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain
>his theory of a "thousand marbles."
> >
> > "You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average
>person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live
>less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.
> >
> > "Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is
>the
>number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime.
>Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.
> >
> > "It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in
>any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over
>twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be
>seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went
>to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having
>to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and
>put
>them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next
>to
>my gear."
> >
> > "Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it
>away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the
>really important things in life.
> >
> > "There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to
>help get your priorities straight ."
> >
> > "Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take
>my
>lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble
>out
>of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I
>have
>been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a
>little
>more time."
> >
> > "It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your
>family,
>and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 Year old Man,
>K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"
> >
> > You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off.
>I
>guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the
>antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to
>work on the next club newsletter.
> >
> > Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey,
>I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast"
> >
> > "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.
> >
> > "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a
>Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while
>we're out? I need to buy some marbles."
> >
> > A friend sent this to me, so I to you, my friend.
> >
> > And so, as one smart bear once said..."If you live to be a hundred, I
>want
>to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without
>you."
>- Winnie the Pooh.
> >
> > Pass this on to all of your FRIENDS, even if it means sending it to the
>person that sent it to you.

My boss would need and extra 2149 marbles so far. lol he'll be 96 the 29th of this month

[gear-jammer]

Please stop talking about the cowboy's game.

please.

What do you mean " the Cowboy's game"?  I thought that Seattle won. 

Sue

[rtraincollector]

I think we have a Seattle person that was routing for the wrong team. So I like you would call it a Seattle game not a cowboy game

[Paul W. Beverung]

Hi Gang: Mary Ann and I did some shopping today after taking in breakfast at the little donut shop in town. After that we headed to Ft. Worth and looked at cook stoves. She needs a new one bad and we found one that is just right. I figured that she'd jump at it but she said we'll wait untill next month. They may have it on sale and she can get a washer and dryer also.

John and I went out to his place later to put some new locks on his shop and check things out. He's had a trespass problem and we have to check the place often. The hunters cought two guys last month on the place and read them the riot act befor sending them on there way.The county DA is preparing charges against them. They rent a house next to his place. We also made plans for the 7.5 inch gauge railroad that he's starting.

Well tomorrow I'll start nocking off another week. It won't be long. Not that I'm watching the calender or anything.

Well I think that I'll head for bed. I'll see you all tomorrow.

Good Night All

[gear-jammer]

I think we have a Seattle person that was routing for the wrong team. So I like you would call it a Seattle game not a cowboy game

We would definately will not claim Seattle as our home, and  the safety play looked like a Volleyball game.  I was yelling block so loud that I barely saw the failed field goal attempt.  That was a once in a million play.  Dallas did out play them.  It was just luck.  They are not the team that went to the Superbowl last year.

Later,  Sue

[JimRCGMO]

Evening, All! Just a cup of hot cocoa in a go cup, Chloe.

Aarrrgghh - avast there, me matey, PC! Some haul that ye made there! We all want to know your raiding techniques, for sure! Congrats, definitely!

- and it looks like I'll be buying the grog for this round! Okay Chloe, let me know what I owe in the morning. 

Sorry for the delay in getting back in to the Diner. Haven't been doing much MRR'ing over the weekend. The 'new' Power Mac (from my brother) came in last Thursday, and after almost giving myself a hernia hauling the 17" (CRT) monitor up the steps into my apartment, have been connecting, checking, downloading various updates, trying to get my email switched over to it, etc. until tonight. The first time I tried, the email program imported and showed the folders, but none of the emails in 'em. After some hunting around on Apple's tech support pages (and a new book on Mac OS X - Tiger), I got it to work. But I can only get one of the two computers to connect at the same time (I suspect AT&T doesn't want to let me log in twice at the same time for some reason...), though the Power Mac has an Airport card, so I might be able to use the internet via that to the Power Mac and then via the cable to the DSL modem (and the internet). The laptop has the previous OS version, but that's not a biggie. Okay, out of geek mode...

Oh, I did get some MRR related stuff done this weekend, after all - the chuck for that tiny drill bit came in, so I picked it up on Saturday. Also bought one of the new Atlas hairpin fence kits that our LHS/club member got in. The fence looks pretty good - I may paint some sections of it white and put them around a house, and paint other black and use them by the passenger station. You might want to take a look at your LHS if they get some in. Less than $4 a box.

Well, time I need to be heading out. Good to see you in here Chuck and Kathy, and to the new folks.

 

Blessings on your week,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

 

[grayfox1119]

Last call for Coffee for the guys and gals on the East coast!!!

It looks like we are in for a wild night here, and certainly the early morning commute. Heavy rains and strongs winds up to 45 mph as yet another "rain" storm ( no snow storms yet this season ) hits the Northeast. Maybe the Northeast will start to look like the Northwest and we will have rain forests also!! LOL

Time to turn in, see you guys in the AM for coffee, Fergie, your on Atlantic time, 1 hour before us....have it ready big guy !!

[twcenterprises]

I also put this in the Photo Fun, but since the weekend's pretty much over, I just had to post it again for more to see.

FINALLY!!!!  After all this time, much head scratching, and cursing at the technological hardware and software, I've finally uploaded some honest-to-goodness photos (not just track diagrams).  I'm working in a "cave" with poor lighting, and had to rely on the flash, so please excuse the rather poor quality of the pics, but I picked the best of the 11 I took.

The trackplan, adapted from the NMRA 1995 Atlanta Convention Layout.

I have the whole outer loop laid, just took a pic of the better lighted side.

Had to have a bit of fun! 

The more I look at this picture, it looks like a well painted backdrop.  It is, in fact, a tannish/beige on the wall to the right, and above the layout on the left.  The left wall is half concrete, half finished sheetrock, the concrete is painted a 2 tone grey, supposed to look like granite or marble.  The photo must have been a fluke thing.

Brad

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Today's Weather for:  
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      1/7/2007

Sundown Fire Dept., Station 23
 
Wind Chill:  41°F
Humidity:  66%
Dew Point:  34°F
 
So Far Today
High:  45°F
Low:  45°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  8mph NNE
 
Rest Of Tonight

 Low: 40  
 
Mostly clear. Colder. Lows near 40. Northwest winds around 10 mph or less.  

Monday  High: 58    Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northwest winds around 10 mph in the morning becoming light and variable.  

Monday Night  Low: 32    Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Light and variable winds.

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana.

01-08-07

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,

     Raining like crazy here but still in the fifties for temps. Not like any January I can remember and Saturday hit 72F an all time record high.

     Spent time in the yard fitting blanking plates into the filter openings on the DL-701 (RS-11) fixing a broken fence etc. Yesterday we jacked up the SW-8 to try to change out the gearcase cover on the traction motor. Lots of large blocks of wood and two 50 ton jacks (manual ratcheting) but we couldn't get the two inches of lift we needed without risking the wood (makes ominous creaking noises when close to it's limit) so we will try plan B as soon as we come up with one.

   Also got some time on the home layout the last two evenngs. The Prodigy Advanced is working well on the two levels and three segments I have live. I did some senicing/ballasting just for something different besides soldering/electrical work. It's good to see trains running on the layout again.

JimRCGmo - thanks for the tip on the decoders last week (last week already?). I found some NCE decoders that will fit and are still 1.3 amps and have them on order through my new favorite shop Tonys' Train Exchange along with a pair of plug ins for my two RS-1's. Reasonable prices and a huge amount of information on their web site. Speaking of decoders, the NCE seem excellent while the MRC's I have will end up getting removed. They work well, but the the amount of noise they make is unreal. I will keep them for my NH electrics though - they sound just like subway cars with the whine they generate.

All for now - I have a shop full here at work and need to turn some wrenches. I find I can play with trains or hang out in the coffee shop but am having troubles scheduling both these days. At least with the Jets and Giants both losiing football season is over for me. Just have to root for the Bears from afar now.        CUL, J.R. 

[pcarrell]

Mornin' All!

How's everyone today?  Good here, just headin' out to work.

I'll have the special today Chloe, and put that on Jim's tab!  Thanks!

Aarrrgghh - avast there, me matey, PC! Some haul that ye made there! We all want to know your raiding techniques, for sure! Congrats, definitely!

Thanks!  It's simple really.  Be there when the doors open and keep moving, you have a lot of ground to cover.  Oh, and beforehand, search all the online discount dealers so that you know a good deal when you see it and can pounce!

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning, Zoe - I saw JR heading out as I came to the Diner this morning. Since I'm paying for this round, why don't you fix me a ham, egg and cheese omelot, with a side of toast and cup of coffee and a glass of milk. Thanks!

JR, glad that tip was useful for you - and that you'll be able to use those other decoders. You have a GG-1?

Brad, looks like you're making good progress on your layout so far. Keep up the good work!

Tonight our MRR club is supposed to have a night out at the local Red Lobster. Rather than up my cholesterol with the lobster, I think I'll probably be ordering salmon instead.

I've noticed one annoying thing outside my apartment lately. Apparently some squirrels have been scampering down the wall (maybe from an open spot in the (soffit?/the overhang), and I hear them scampering down on the screens outside the living room. When I want to and get up quickly enough, I go over to the window and pound on the venetian blinds and the window to scare the critters off. But they haven't been scared enough. I might mention to the landlord that the hole in the soffit needs closing up (which might keep the squirrels out, I hope).

This weekend, I saw a serving tray (one of those you'd use for breakfast in bed) at Target on sale, and got it. On the way home, I was figuring that I might use it as a place for my MRR paint bottles, pliers, cutting knives and other tools (for easier cleanup of my workbench (aka dining room table). We'll see if I can fit it up to work. Hope so.

Time for me to get ready for work. Cool this morning, but they're not predicting much rain today, possibly some sunshine. See you all later!

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

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

Hello to Brad, Bill, J.R., Philip, Jim and anyone I may have missed.

I'll be having the pancakes if that's not too much trouble.

[SilverSpike]

Good morning! Tall coffee and a bowl of Kashi cereal with a banana please.

Wet and wild ride into work this morning, heck, it's been raining since yesterday afternoon.

Did I get any work done on the layout this weekend, heck no!

I watched the NFL Wildcard Playoff games this weekend, now the SAINTS will be hosting the EAGLES on Saturday.

Ryan, Great reminder of what is to come.  If it would dry out enough out here, I would probably mow to level the lawn.  Today it is raining and 37 with snow in the rain and 30-40 mph winds.  So they say that the globe is warm. Hmmm.

Sue

Sue, actually, truth be told, I like working in the yard, especially in the Spring when everything outdoors seems to come back to life. We were taking down the outdoor Christmas lights this weekend and I noticed that the yard could probably use a quick mow already, starting to look a bit shabby since it was cut last in October.

Today we not only broke many records in New England for temperature, we down-right smashed them. I went to church at 4 today in a short sleeve shirt...never did that before in January. It is still 60F here at 7pm...that's right 60F. Global warming is only a myth, don't believe it guys............Ya RIGHT!!

Dick, we actually turned on the AC Saturday afternoon for a few hours, while it was in the mid 70's. Shorts and tank tops were the attire.....

Soumodeler, I like those pics you posted this weekend. Thanks for sharing.

Philip, looks like the train show was a success. Nice grabs too, and thanks for showing us what you picked up. Those Southern gons sure are pretty! They came with the coal loads too?

Tonight our MRR club is supposed to have a night out at the local Red Lobster. Rather than up my cholesterol with the lobster, I think I'll probably be ordering salmon instead.  

Jim, good choice, salmon also has those Omega 3 fatty acid anti-oxidants that help to prevent free radicals forming cancer.

Cheers,

Ryan

[ModelTrainLover]

Hey guys!

Our Historic Engines Need Help!!!!!!

 

In 2004, the MNGRR's Steam Program fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration. This means all four of our steam locomotives now have to go through a thorough inspection. FRA mandated upgrades must then be completed before a locomotive is allowed to run. At the start of 2004, the MNG used its available funds to put Monson Railroad engine #4 through the FRA process. To this day, number 4 is our only available locomotive. The museum has since set aside funds to put Bridgton and Harrison engine #7 through the same process. Since #7 is much bigger than #4, the cost for rehabilitating engine 7 exceeds what the railroad can currently afford. We estimate it will cost between $25,000 and $30,000 to put #7 back on track. We will not start the restoration work until we have the sufficient funds to complete the project. We need your help! A Maine native, #7 is a 1913 Baldwin built for the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad. Weighing in at 33.5 tons, #7 is a 2-4-4RT type locomotive that hauled passengers and freight in New England for nearly 100 years! After her career in Maine, in 1947, she went to the Edaville Railroad in South Carver Massachusetts as founder Ellis D. Atwood's first engine! She made her return to Maine in 2002. She saw occasional service at the MNG in 2002 and 2003, but has not turned a wheel under steam since. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to put this engine back into service! Checks should be made out to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad. Most importantly, be sure to include a note indicating that the check is for the "Engine 7 Fund." You can also click the donate link on the left, and during the payment process you may specify "Engine 7 Fund" in the memo field. If you have any questions about #7 or our steam program, please contact Mike Moulison at  [e-mail]. 

 Mail to

Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad

58 Fore St.

Portland, Maine 04101 

 

Any of you could help out?? I'll get pics of the engine so that you will know what you money in being used for.

 

[Derrick Moore]

Y'all had better be careful when your dealing with the turbines...

Jawn Henry is rumored to have a foul temper.

Ah yes,....the Jawn Henry,.......very possibly the ugliest thing to ever ride a rail, but thats just my opinion.

 

You are not alone there! 

And now you know the "ditto" tree factor.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Y'all had better be careful when your dealing with the turbines...

Jawn Henry is rumored to have a foul temper.

Ah yes,....the Jawn Henry,.......very possibly the ugliest thing to ever ride a rail, but thats just my opinion.

 

You are not alone there! 

And now you know the "ditto" tree factor.

[Derrick Moore]

Good morning! Tall coffee and a bowl of Kashi cereal with a banana please.

Wet and wild ride into work this morning, heck, it's been raining since yesterday afternoon.

Did I get any work done on the layout this weekend, heck no!

I watched the NFL Wildcard Playoff games this weekend, now the SAINTS will be hosting the EAGLES on Saturday.

Ryan, Great reminder of what is to come.  If it would dry out enough out here, I would probably mow to level the lawn.  Today it is raining and 37 with snow in the rain and 30-40 mph winds.  So they say that the globe is warm. Hmmm.

Sue

Sue, actually, truth be told, I like working in the yard, especially in the Spring when everything outdoors seems to come back to life. We were taking down the outdoor Christmas lights this weekend and I noticed that the yard could probably use a quick mow already, starting to look a bit shabby since it was cut last in October.

Today we not only broke many records in New England for temperature, we down-right smashed them. I went to church at 4 today in a short sleeve shirt...never did that before in January. It is still 60F here at 7pm...that's right 60F. Global warming is only a myth, don't believe it guys............Ya RIGHT!!

Dick, we actually turned on the AC Saturday afternoon for a few hours, while it was in the mid 70's. Shorts and tank tops were the attire.....

Soumodeler, I like those pics you posted this weekend. Thanks for sharing.

Philip, looks like the train show was a success. Nice grabs too, and thanks for showing us what you picked up. Those Southern gons sure are pretty! They came with the coal loads too?

Tonight our MRR club is supposed to have a night out at the local Red Lobster. Rather than up my cholesterol with the lobster, I think I'll probably be ordering salmon instead.  

Jim, good choice, salmon also has those Omega 3 fatty acid anti-oxidants that help to prevent free radicals forming cancer.

Cheers,

Ryan

GGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD mornin', everybody! It's a cold 22 deg F out here in the desert. I'll have pancakes, please. And it was shure crammed in that school bus this morning.

[Derrick Moore]

Y'all had better be careful when your dealing with the turbines...

Jawn Henry is rumored to have a foul temper.

Ah yes,....the Jawn Henry,.......very possibly the ugliest thing to ever ride a rail, but thats just my opinion.

 

You are not alone there! 

And now you know the "ditto" tree factor.

Whoa, chain reation, look out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

[Attaboy]

Good morning all, our primary software here at work just decided to go on vacation so I thought I would check in here.

PC, nice haul at the train show.  Timonium is coming up in four weeks and I would like to go. Not sure if I will though.  Looks like I won't have much cash available so it is a case of go and create more work for the drool moppers or stay home and avoid temptation.

Dick said

I just saw the end of the Seattle/Dallas playoff game......for those who saw it, or will see the sports highlights later, what kind of a plane ride home do you think Tony Romo is going to have? I think I would walk back to Dallas.

But if the rumors are true he's going home to Carrie Underwood, how bad can it be?

I see a lot of folks complaining about rain, at this time of year I'll take all the rain we can get.  It's better than the white stuff.

See you later.

[Hoople]

Please stop talking about the cowboy's game.

please.

What do you mean " the Cowboy's game"?  I thought that Seattle won. 

Sue

[Hoople]

Y'all had better be careful when your dealing with the turbines...

Jawn Henry is rumored to have a foul temper.

Ah yes,....the Jawn Henry,.......very possibly the ugliest thing to ever ride a rail, but thats just my opinion.

 

You are not alone there! 

And now you know the "ditto" tree factor.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

What is this? A pyramid theme?

[grayfox1119]

Good morning all, our primary software here at work just decided to go on vacation so I thought I would check in here.

PC, nice haul at the train show.  Timonium is coming up in four weeks and I would like to go. Not sure if I will though.  Looks like I won't have much cash available so it is a case of go and create more work for the drool moppers or stay home and avoid temptation.

Dick said

I just saw the end of the Seattle/Dallas playoff game......for those who saw it, or will see the sports highlights later, what kind of a plane ride home do you think Tony Romo is going to have? I think I would walk back to Dallas.

But if the rumors are true he's going home to Carrie Underwood, how bad can it be?

I see a lot of folks complaining about rain, at this time of year I'll take all the rain we can get.  It's better than the white stuff.

See you later.

Good morning everyone...raining here, 40F, clearing later this afternoon.

ATTABOY: Tony Romo "thinks" he is going home to Carrie, after that game, she'll dump him.....girls are like that you know, they want winners these days, not like "our" days when they went for good looks and brains. LOL

RYAN: I certainly believe you were in shorts on Saturday and Sunday, up here they had some TV shots of people at the beach playing in the sand in the bathing suits!!! This is NUTS !!!! But the hammer will fall soon I fear!!!