Elliotts Trackside Diner (est 1-1-07)

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 JEFF: The thread was: This is very Confusing, author: Smoke . This poor guys is getting some "strange" feedback on what to try to strip the paint off his shell.

Thanks. I'll look it up and see if it's not too late to set him straight. Brake fluid attacks many types of plastic and can melt it or make it become extremely brittle.

[pcarrell]

Ed, cool crane....and the water tower looks real sci-fi!

[egmurphy]

We wandered around on the other side of the small yard away from the station. Security wasn't particularly tight on that side. In fact, the locals obviously used regular pathways through the yard area.

There was a work train sitting on the main when we got there. Maybe about 7 cars. At one end was SD40-2 3185, another left over "Smurf".




One of the m-o-w cars in the work train was this old flat converted to a tie car. Note that it still bears the old NdeM reporting marks, and hasn't been patched with FXE marks.




And it had the big hook and it's boom tender car. This crane has been repainted and shows "Ferrocarril Mexicano", which is the full name for Ferromex, or FXE. Again, sorry about the lighting. The sun was going down and there was no way to get either a better abgle or better light. btw, I saw and grabbed a shot of this same crane heading north through Aguascalientes duringthe convention.




And at the other end of the work train was this C30-7 number 3586. I'm not sure why a short work train rated two locomotives. But the both of them were still with the same short consist when we shot them the next day.




While we were there, the work train eased ahead and backed into one of the sidings off the main. I figured they were clearing the mainline for something to come through, and they were.

More later.

Ed

[egmurphy]

Okay, new page?  So it's safe to post again?  Here we go with more of the trip report.

 

Leaving the convention, we headed a short ways up the highway towards Zacatecas, and old silver mining center, and capital of the state of the same name. It's a really neat city, fun and interesting to walk around. Lots of up and down hill walking. The elevation bothers some people, as it is at 8,000 feet (about 2,500 meters) above sea level, but we were fine.

In between Aguascalientes and Zacatecas we turned off the highway a bit to get to Chilacote. That's not a place of interest to any of you, but it's one of the few places where the KCSdeM tracks meet the FXE tracks. There's a "Y" interchange there and I stopped to take a few record shots (which I won't bore you with). Just before we got to Chilacote, I caught these FXE ES44AC's southbound with a manifest freight. It may be of interest to note that these are two of the ES44AC's that i shot a couple of days earlier at Aguascalientes. This time, since they are southbound, I got the different locomotive leading. Looks the same from this side in any case.




We arrived in Zacatecas, found and checked into a hotel, and started to walk around the city center. Yeah, I know, shame on me because we didn't make a beeline for the tracks. Hey, I had the family in tow, you have to make some concessions. Anyway, while walking around we could clearly make out the sound of a train blowing for a crossing. Obviously the tracks weren't that far away. Ditching the kids in the hotel (they were tired of sightseeing anyway and wanted to watch tv) Fran and I grabbed a cab and told him to take us to the old station. He was kind of confused about that, since there are no longer any passenger trains. Guess we were the first railfans he had run into. But after a short cab ride we got to the station. Out in front we saw a 4-8-4 "Niagra" (that's how they spell it down here) stuffed and mounted. These were the last steam locomotives that NdeM ordered, and were constructed by both ALCO and Baldwin in 1946. This one, 3030, should be from ALCO. Unfortunately, it needs a little bit of tlc, and maybe some paint. Fortunately, that doesn't show in the photo.




The old classic station is long gone, replaced by a nondescript concrete block. The guards, as is typical of guards down here, weren't interested in letting us past the gate. So we simply walked up and over the highway overpass (which gave a good overview of the station area) and came down on the unfenced back side of the area. Here's a shot of the station, freight station, and what's left of the tracks and platforms. Sorry that it's against the setting sun. That's a work train parked on the main. The tracks to the right all dead end against the new highway overpass just to the right of the photo. You can make out the earthwork just left of the mainline and ties piled up along the left side. Looks like they are redoing a long passing siding there.




And I just had to post this little gem. This is about the cutest little water tower I have ever seen. At least, I'm assuming it's water. can't be fuel oil, not likely to be diesel, and doesn't have any sand tower nearby.




More from Zacatecas leter.

Ed

[pcarrell]

PC, have you been sleeping again? BUMP!

More like working!

[grayfox1119]

YIPPPEEEEEE  !!!! Rob pays !!!!!!!! I'll have a  rootbeer float and hamburger with onions and pepper and few mushrooms to boot.

[Cederstrand]

...and make it a stong one please.

Only 99F today, then back up to 102F tomorrow.

Starting to wonder if I will ever get around to some of the kit bashing/scratch building loco projects or not. If I sold off those few locos waiting to be "transformered", then I could use that money for instant gratification and buy one of the diesels I desire. Although committed to steam these days, I am intrigued by the detailing on the the newer (to me) Kato AC4400CW, SD9043MAC, and the ATLAS GEB40-8W. They would sure look sweet on my computer desk. Tough call.

Off to start the day now. Take Care All! Rob

[grayfox1119]

WHAT ??????? I was last one on this morning at 9:58am??? Where IS everybody??? Jim just walked in the Diner, Jim...it's you and I an one of us is going to the TOTP and shell out lunch I fear.

 

[JimRCGMO]

Goodness, folks, we're not even on page 2! PC, Duke, have you been sleeping again? BUMP!

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[grayfox1119]

 Good morning, a very nice day here today in New England, low 70's, low humidity, clear skies. It looks like Sue, Hoople, Der John, Fergie, Luc, J.R. and I all have the same nice weather.

Any thoughts from you guys on the new Athearn Diesel Catalog?

JEFF: The thread was: This is very Confusing, author: Smoke . This poor guys is getting some "strange" feedback on what to try to strip the paint off his shell.

R.T. Any luck on finding employment yet?

DER JOHN: The Sunday paper here had a story with pics about a guy who started collecting rainwater in a barrel when his town placed a bad on watering during a drought. His design was liked by a few neighbors, so he had some plastic barrels made to his design, and the business is taking off!! He can cascade the barrels so he captures all the rain water, and he has spigots etc. Necessity is the mother of invention.

MIKE: Having Arthritis that bad really sucks. There is a doctor around here that treats Arthritis sufferers with bee stings from honey bees. Apparently the venum stimulates the production of healing fluids that gives excellent relief. Natural methods win again!

Time to get out and get things done while weather is so good, see you guys at lunch.

[pcarrell]

Mornin' all!

14 DAYS IN A ROW!  If you're keeping track at home, the consecutive 90-degree day streak is now up to 14!  This is the hottest streak since 1995 and the potential for more than 14 straight is in the long-range outlook.

WILL TODAY BE DAY 15?:  Here is a map of high temperatures for today.  Areas north of Indianapolis should only hit the mid to upper 80's, while areas south of Indy will hit the low 90's.  Where the airport will land should be interesting...

Hi Chloe, hook me up!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

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

Today's Weather for:  
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      8/14/2007 
 
Heat Index:  79°F
Humidity:  84%
Dew Point:  70°F
 
So Far Today
High:  78°F
Low:  75°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  3mph NNE
 
Today  High: 102    Mostly sunny. Highs around 102. Light and variable winds becoming east around 10 mph in the afternoon.  

Tonight  Low: 75    Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 70s. East winds around 10 mph in the evening becoming light and variable.

[inch53]

Mornin, just coffee Zoe,

Not to bad this morning, 64 outside but headed for a high in the 90's, with slight chance of a rainstorm this evening.

DICK,, I can still drive, just not very far, for over 2 years now and yes it's my knees, hips, neck and back [darn arthritis]. If I set very long, I kinda lock up n can't hardly move.

And it was nice to get out huntin trains; I even got Mother to stop at Harbor Freight [tool store]. She say's, I more trouble controlling myself there, hardware stores, and lumber yards, more than the LHS.

JIM CG, we'll bout a 100 mile west of you, by St. James. I check the forecast for them and their showing 95 and a 30% chance of rain for Saturday. Weather guessers here are also calling for rain this weekend too, so maybe you'll get a drop or two.

ED some more great pics, thanks

Best get moving, 2 of the kids are here and they went back to sleep, but I still have things to do, before the other 3 get here bout 7:30, hope ya'll has a gooden n stay cool.

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana.

08-14-07

[JimRCGMO]

Evening, Chloe - just a cup to go, please.

Ed, the pics are awesome!  Got any more?  I've enjoyed them all!

Rob, she's a keeper!

that, on both counts, PC! And Ed, besides the RR (museum?) having good-looking passengers, I like their headrest covers - really nice logo and colors. That's one cool display with the roundhouse and all, as well.

Mike - I'd love for the weatherguessers to be wrong (in the direction of getting some rain to cool us off). Would it sound cynical if I figured that you might get rain for your fishing trip, but it'd head north (your way) and miss our area?(Nah...) As I said, I'd love to get some rain and cooler weather - Sue? Mark? Paul? Send us some rain, please!

At the MRR club meeting tonight, we found out the space at the new location is (95 percent) ready for moving into (and the landlord was okay with some moving tonight), so we moved all the cabinets and a bunch of other smaller stuff over into the new place. Afterward, my shirt was soaked all over, except for the tips of the sleeves and the tails of it. We'll be moving the bigger sections starting Saturday at 8 a.m. (but since I have to do laundry, I'll be there more like 9:00 a.m. or so). The new place has lots of lighting, plenty of wall plugs, drop ceiling, drywall walls that are painted already, carpeting, pretty much ready to move into. Hope it's not super hot Saturday (yeah, right...).

I've been sitting downwind of you for a reason, Chloe. Need to head back home and hop into the shower before I gag a skunk.

 

Blessings and cooler weather for all of you in the heat (like me),

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

JEFF: In the General forum, there was a thread by a guy who was having a tough time trying to strip the paint off his loco. He said he had used up to 80% alcohol and it didn't touch it. Others are telling him to use Brake fluid and all kinds of concoctions, I think he needs your help.

What thread are you referring to?

[grayfox1119]

Good evening...real late getting to the Diner today, grocery shopping this morning, then I finished the wall construction job out front finally. The rest of the day was spent fighting with the internet connection. It seems that the Router was acting up again. I used Speed Test to check what was going ON, the download was at 4.5Mbps, but Upload was "0". So I ran the cable from the computer to the Cable Modem instad of the Router and voila, the upload speed was at 500kbps. So, I proceeded to check out the router settings and things are back to warp speed.

I received the new Athearn Road Diesel Collection catalog in the mail today, did any of you guys see it yet? Really nice stuff in there !!!

ED: Thanks for the excellent photo session, real nice shots !!!

MIKE: Good to see that you are back railfanning again, I enjoy your pics. I ddin't know that you weren't driving anymore, when and why did this happen? Bad knees ?

FERGIE: The 1st hurricane of the Atlantic season will form on or about Thursday. It should head straight towards the Bahamas, but after that it could swing up the coast. Far too early to predict that yet, but the position and expected track is very suspect based upon previous storm forming in this area and the present atmospheric conditions.

JEFF: In the General forum, there was a thread by a guy who was having a tough time trying to strip the paint off his loco. He said he had used up to 80% alcohol and it didn't touch it. Others are telling him to use Brake fluid and all kinds of concoctions, I think he needs your help.

TIFN

[der5997]

Hello everyone: Just dropped by to get some of that Gooseberry Fool with whipped cream before going to bed.

Ed:  I'm going to have to rtake some time to let all those photos download. The little I've seen are just great.  Thanks.

Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers for all in need of healiing, comfort and peace. 

 

[inch53]

Evening,  a barley pop Cleo please

Hot again today, but with a bit of a north breeze sure helped. To bad the wind shifts back south tomorrow and even hotter.

ROB mine's kinda special too, since I don't drive anymore and she hauls me round, and puts up with my train pics.

Speaking of which, here's some from Terre Haute. First ones are from just east of the PRR Wabash river bridge of a coal train. We seen this train go through out back, just as we were leaving home.

They're waiting on clearance to head into the yard. They'll change from CSX crew to INRR for trip south to Sullivan, IN, turn west to Newton, IL.

We got lucky later on in the day we caught up with the pusher engine at Deming Park on the east side of town.

That was Sat., me n the kids seem it come through today west bound on it's way back home

PAUL, this one is kinda for you, then train ride at Deming park, but it on 2 foot center.

It has a gas engine, that's all I know. I ask the girl that was running it, she didn't know, nor cared in no uncertain terms [not a very friendly soul]. A guy told me several years ago that the rail came from the Terre Haute brewery.

Still got some more pics from over there for later.

JIM CG, that for thr report and I sure their wrong or the fishing trip may be a bust. And looking at the weather maps, Paul's rain may make it a damp one.

Best get on to bed, kids will be here bout 5 in the morning.

[egmurphy]

As we were about to leave the convention, we had a couple of last opportunities to grab some shots of trains heading by. First we caught another pair of new ES44AC's heading up a northbound train. The lead unit is 4600, didn't catch the second unit's number. Probably as interesting as the locomotive is to see the hands sticking through the fence (that separates the park from the mainline) holding cameras and video cameras. I wasn't the only conventioneer trying to grab one last shot.




Then came an old GP38-2 running light. I'm really not sure where this guy came from or where he was going. I know that FXE does have a yard a few miles north of town. Sun was on the wrong side, but hey, you take what you can.




And one final shot from the convention. Here was that group of retired railroaders from San Luis Potosí getting their group photo taken before heading back home. I had a chance to talk with 3 or 4 of these old timers, and it was very interesting to hear their stories.

San Luis Potosí was another big rail center, sort of a rival to Aguascalientes. They are only about 150 miles apart, but Aguascalientes was on the old Mexico Central Railroad mainline from El Paso to Mexico City, while San Luis was on the Mexican National Railroad mainline between Laredo and Mexico City. I think these guys were a little disappointed that the city of San Luis (where the shops, while somewhat diminished, are still active) still has not set up any kind of railroad museum. Anyways, here's a parting shot from the convention.




Okay, Convention is over. But the trip continued on. Next we headed north to the old silver mining center of Zacatecas. More photos after I upload. Don't go away.

Ed

[egmurphy]

Moving right along, we'll head back from the land of dioramas to the land of 1:1 stuff.

Remember that I said that the park had two locomotives on display? Here's the other one. It's a U36C, built in 1974, and equiped with a steam generator for passenger service. (btw, pictures of this locomotive in service appear on page 87 of Matthew Herson's book, "NdeM in Color".)




We also spoke about the shop building that had been reconditioned. Here's a front view of the old locomotive repair shop. They did major steam locomotive rebuilds here, not just minor repairs. In fact, after the steam age had passed, they assembled several hundred (don't have the exact number) of diesel locomotives sent down as "kits" by GE. I know they assembled B23-7's and C30-7's. Frame, trucks, cab and motor came from GE. Hood fabricated locally. All the parts assembled here in this shop.




Here's an interior view of the shop building. It's now used as a hall for events. Note the glass panels on the floor, they provide a view of the rails and inspection pits still in place below the floor. The traveling cranes are still up on their rails.




And they left some of the huge machinery in place when they cleared out the shop. Makes for interesting during a formal dinner, I suppose. Here's a sample. I believe this is a large lathe for turning wheels. (Of course, it could be something else.)




Regards

Ed

[egmurphy]

Ed, that speeder looks like fun, except for the whole seating issue. And as for that crane, what keeps it from toppling over when in use? Looks decidedly unstable to my eyes, but that cannot be or it wouldn't exist, right? Have enjoyed all your photos.

They had several speeders in different stages of completion. 

Burro cranes were common as railroad m-o-w cranes.  Generally light capacity, relatively small counterweight, they wouldn't be picking anything up with the boom out like that.  But with the boom in a much more vertical position, they would be used either in yards (or repair track situations) or out on track maintenance.  They were motorized and had couplers at each end, and could pull several cars if necessary. 

Okay, here is another installment of the trip report.

One of the neatest little things they have at the park is an automated diorama of the old roundhouse and turntable. It normally operates on the hour during weekends. Here in the first shot you see a huge railroad watch (operational) on top of the diorama cover. By the way, the guys in the red shirts were a bunch or retired railroaders from San Luis Potosí (another major railroad center about 3 hours east of Aguascalientes) who were over on a day trip.




Next the cover opens to reveal the diorama that is down in the pit. By the way, that large building with the red roof that you see at the top is one of the old locomotive repair / erection shops. This one has been saved and reconditioned. You'll see more photos of it later on. In between the shop and the diorama, were the yard (where the boulevard is) and the locomotive service facilities. You can't make them out in the photo, but you can still see the remaining foundations for the turntable and part of the roundhouse.




Next the diorama comes up to operating level. Sound effects include typical loco servicing area sounds, plus voices of engineers and hostlers supposedly directing the loco around the turntable.




Finally, the locomotive (I think it's most likely G scale, but I'm not really sure) backs out of the engine shed, onto the turntable, gets aligned with a lead, does a couple of loops around the layout, back onto the turntable, and winds up in a stall in the roundhouse. At the close the diorama sinks out of sight and the cover closes back up. Note that the model locomotive is a 4-6-4 and numbered 2708, just like the one on display.




Later

Ed

[Paul W. Beverung]

Evening Gang: We got the calves sorted out and only the ones going to the sale barn are in the corral now with there momies. I guess about wednesday we'll load them up.

No MRRing today. I did get some new air hose so I don't have to haul what I've got back and forth from the depot to the shop.

Ed on the last picture I got the red X. Just to let you know.

The temp here was 104 and I don't know what the heat index was but it was up there. They are saying possible rain Wed, Thurs, Fri. That figures the guy is coming to cut the hay.

Well I'm off to bed.

Good Night All

[pcarrell]

Ed, the pics are awesome!  Got any more?  I've enjoyed them all!

Rob, she's a keeper!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Since Rob is buying, I'll have the steak and potato.

 

[Anonymous]

It just stopped raining here right now, and I can see a rainbow! Now THAT would be cool on a layout! Tricky though......

[Cederstrand]

Coffee please & thank you.

***Ed, that speeder looks like fun, except for the whole seating issue. And as for that crane, what keeps it from toppling over when in use? Looks decidedly unstable to my eyes, but that cannot be or it wouldn't exist, right? Have enjoyed all your photos.

Another hot one here in northwest Georgia. PLEASE, somebody send us some rain. Worst drought in history and now even our big creek (Salacoa) is a trickle. YIKES!

You know your wife is special when she is behind the wheel and we nearly go off the road because she's watching the train rolling beside us as much as I am.LOL Then she quickly pulls off besdie a bridge to watch it go past. Mostly tree loads with some assorted box cars trailing them. I AM a lucky man....(except for the whole inlaws moving in thing).

Will be back to work on flooring tonight. Hope everyone is doing well. Rob

[egmurphy]

Okay, next installment.....

 

Okay, here some less dramatic shots, but just to show a few more things at the museum.

I've already mentioned that the main station serves in part as a musem. The freight house has also been reconditioned and turned into a museum. Even so, they have many more pieces than display space, and have to regularly rotate displays. The freight house also has one end dedicated to the local club "Amigos de Ferrocarril de Aguascalientes", and they have a permanent space there where they have several small layouts (incl N, HO and G). I believe that the observation car on the left was once part of the presidential train.




They have a bunch of small items scattered around, including a number of speeders and handcars. Here's one that has been reconditioned, but has the seats removed to show the motor and drive train.




Here's a nice looking little Burro crane. You can see from the masking that they're in the process of giving this little dude a new coat of paint. The car behind it is an old Pullman that was converted into a division Supt's car. At one time it was on the old Sonora and Baja California Railroad, but it now carries FNM paint.




They have several passenger cars, this one has been reconditioned and has a number of tv screens installed. They use it for video/film projection. That's me and Fran in the foreground. We're waiting for them to show "Viento Negro", a dramatized version of the true story about a survey crew laying out the line for the construction of the Sonora and Baja California RR that got lost in the Altar Desert of Sonora and perished. The events happened in 1937, the film was made in 1965.

By the way, the guy in the seat behind Fran is another TrainBoarder, Tony Pawley, (aka espee4441), who was down from Vancouver to attend the convention.




Next up, a neat automated turntable and roundhouse display.

Later

Ed

[JimRCGMO]

Good afternoon, Zoe - nice hot and muggy day, good one for a large root beer float and a tall glass of ice water. Come to think of it, leave me a pitcher of ice water, too. I just might need it to help cool off...

JIM CG,,, what's the weather forecast down your way, for the weekend ??

Mike, they're talking only a couple of degrees cooler by Friday (merely 99 instead of 101 F) - haven't heard about next Sat./Sunday's weather just yet. I wouldn't mind if we got some movement on that big HOT high pressure dome that's been sitting just to our west. Last night's weather showed it as moving over on top of us by Friday, but that's still hot! I want it to move on, and maybe let some cooler rainshowers come in. 'Nuther warm day out. Sue or Mark, can you send us some cooler weather? We'll trade you several hopper car loads of what we have. I can see why down Ed's way, they use that mañana word, with this weather sort of like theirs.

Turned out my eye doctor appointment this morning I made by mistake (thought I'd missed one in the spring, but I didn't) was too early, as my six month checkup wouldn't be until next month. So I changed it to September.

Got my decals set in the mail today for renumbering my Accurail plug door boxcars (ATSF). Still waiting on a kit that's supposed to be on the way. Not lots of other MRR'ing just yet today.

Should be interesting tonight to see how much more was done on the club stuff & getting it ready to move. We got an email from the club secretary recently, about possibly making the big move next Saturday. But we might be able to move some smaller stuff like boxes of things, if the new location is ready for it tonight.

Went by Barnes & Noble and got a frappacino and browsed some magazines just to go sit in a comfy chair a while and sip on the frapp, and then took the car by the place where I had the oil changed (they'll give you a raincheck if you don't want the free wash that day), and got the car washed. So far, I don't think the local birds have noticed...

I'll be in the corner booth a bit, working on my float...

 

Blessings and prayers for health and healing, and cooler weather,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

[Cederstrand]

Coffee probably will have no effect, but I'll have some anyway, in a UP, ATSF or SOuthern mug please...whichever is available. Bad insomnia again.

***Ed, wonderful photots. Thoroughly enjoyed them.

***Scott, don't go robbing banks to pay for all the new trains you want before you meet with the Officer.

Healing thoughts all those in need.

Rob