Trains.com

THE FLAT WHEEL CAFE Locked

152992 views
5201 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cordes Jct Ariz.
  • 1,305 posts
Posted by switch7frg on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 10:01 PM

  Randy;  trucking is full of surpises. Loose wheels are a real hair raiser. I found an easy to find one or more. If you have steel wheels , look for rusty streaks around the bolt pattern or for aluminum look for gray streaks . Usually they reveal after wheels get wet.  Or take a ball peen hammer and tap around the bolt pattern ,tight lugnuts will sound solid . You can tell a loose one by a different sound if the wheels are dry. It could save you from a (out of service ) tag. Good luck to you on the slab .

                              Respectfully, Cannonball   ( ret. ?? )

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: MP 175.1 CN Neenah Sub
  • 4,917 posts
Posted by CNW 6000 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 12:29 AM
I think I'll grab a small cup of frozen custard that I see back there and lurk for a bit.  Then I'll clean up and prep for the AM.

Dan

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, August 14, 2008 5:18 AM

Good Thursday morning, everyone!  And Dan, thank you for putting everything to order in here! Looks great!  

Coffee is on, and there's plenty of fresh juices.  On the breakfast bar this morning:  turkey bacon, sausage, home fries, scrambled eggs, biscuits w/sausage gravy, watermelon, grits, toast, bagels, bear claws and muffins.  

Today is the start of the Kentucky State Fair.  For the next 10 days, traffic is going to be pretty heavy on the streets all around the fairgrounds, as well as a couple of the interstates:  I-65 and I-264 (known around here as the Watterson Expressway).  At least so far, it looks like it's not going to be extremely hot during the next 10 days, according to the weather outlook.  But, we all know that could change.  Just hope for no severe storms to come through, and no extreme heat.  

You all have a great morning, and take care.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,315 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:11 AM

good morning

a nice cool start this morning.maybe a shower this afternoon.time for a nap then its friday.CW try not to eat too many elephant ears.

stay safe

joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:40 AM

....67.1 starts the day up here {at this late hour}, and we've had a pinch of rain but the radar shows not much left on the screen.  Windows open now, but really don't know how much humidity will develop today and maybe it will be time to close up the house again, later in the day.  It must be some kind of record of not using A/C {this long in August}.....Certainly different.

Quentin

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 9:10 AM

Then, on the way home I was hoping to see GO Transit in motion - no such luck.  But I did see three CP Geeps (each in a different paint scheme - bright red CP, dark red CP, dark red Canadian Pacific) pulling autoracks over a bridge over the 401.

 

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, August 14, 2008 11:28 AM

Don't worry, Joe:  if I get to the Fair, it won't be elephant ears I'll be looking for:  it'll be the homemade fudge they have out there.  The chocolate and the peanut butter fudges!  

Here's what I've come up with for our noon and supper menu today:

I  fired up the grill, and on the warmer bar you all will find:

Burgers, hot dogs, brats, chicken (no one mudchicken knows, by the way), pork chops and steaks.  Side dishes:  corn on the cob, veggie & fruit kabobs,  baked beans and grilled "baked potatoes", and there's also cole slaw and potato salad in the cooler section of the warmer bar.  

And, I pressed the button, and we have the awning over the patio, so if it does rain, even a little bit, it shouldn't be a problem.  

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 11:57 AM

Keep that grill going - that sounds like a good supper, too.

There's some pictures from my trip over at the Lounge.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: MP 175.1 CN Neenah Sub
  • 4,917 posts
Posted by CNW 6000 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 12:16 PM

Burger, burger, burger, burger...yum!  Ooh...brats too!  WOO HOO!

You just made my day!

That plus I just got my motorcycle temps...duck and cover world!  Mischief [:-,]

Dan

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Aledo IL
  • 1,728 posts
Posted by spokyone on Thursday, August 14, 2008 3:10 PM

CW
I can't get enough of corn on the cob this year. My tomatoes are doing great! And I'll bring my baked beans.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,315 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, August 14, 2008 5:15 PM

fill the plate up and fill it up again!!! sounds great CW thanks.Dan I hear some stephanwolf music in the background!!!

stay safe

joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, August 14, 2008 5:26 PM

Okay everybody:  the grill has been fired up a second time, and everything has been replenished on the warmer bar, including all the side dishes that can't be done on the grill. 

Dan, you can park your bike right in front of the front window, so you can keep an eye on it.  And Bob, there's plenty of corn on the cob, and also plenty of fresh picked from the vine tomatoes.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Florence, SC
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by grampaw pettibone on Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:01 PM

Good evening. I had a big day, and a big week for that matter. Tuesday was my 61st birthday and the wife and I went out to celebrate. Once a year, I get to blow my diet with a huge plate of BBQ ribs and ice cream. Once a year cause it takes us that long to pay the credit card for such a meal.... Today, I had to ride over to the VA hospital in Columbia for an evaluation. Over 200 miles on the buggy and half a tank of gas for a consultation that was over in less than 5 minutes. Wow, that could have been done over the phone. My wife is closing her business and we stopped off on the way back to pick up some of her stuff from the building. End result was an SUV full of stuff, two aching backs and three cuts. There is still more stuff to get, but I think we'll let it slide for a day or two. It is good to be back home under the air conditioner. Ain't nothing better. I did manage to see several NS tracks with freight cars, but no engines.... RATS! Keep cool.

Tom

COAST LINE FOREVER

It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof than to share a house with a contentious woman! (Solomon)

A contentious woman is like a constant dripping! (Solomon)

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Winston-Salem, NC
  • 247 posts
Posted by piouslion1 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:42 PM

And Good evening to you sir:

Sounds like you have been busy. I'm just on a bit of vacation this week, but delayed (deferred) chores have caught up  with me. Fixing the front steps, replacing floodlights on the house, painting the new boards for the steps, and errands l have forgotten how many to run. Sounds to me like some oven toasted and buttered pound cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top might just be the end of day snack that should be shared with the better half. Personally I'll have mine with some good decaf coffee as well.

Sounds good to me and I'm only 56

PL

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:49 PM

....Tom, that's a shame you and many other vets have to drive so far to get what's needed at a VA hospital.  It has been my pet peeve for some time now....Cure this Vet hospital condition, situations we hear so much about....and whatever else by giving a Vet a plastic card good at any hospital to have his needs taken care of.  Yes, It would be costly to our government, but....and it's just my opinion Vets of all stripes deserve this service....

Edit:  We used to come down to Columbia on I 26 and turn south on 321 to head down almost all the sway to the south tip of South Carolina and then over to I 95 down to Jacksonville and so on....on our way down to Florida for the winter.

Quentin

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:54 PM

Hmmm - makes me want to sing:  N-E-S-T-L-E-S.....the very best - C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E......

after all that food - gooey chocolate would be very good!

PL - I have been wondering - what is a Piouslion?  (a religious kitty?) Sounds very British - something Germanium would know.....

Curiouser and curiouser....

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Winston-Salem, NC
  • 247 posts
Posted by piouslion1 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 8:06 PM

Mookie:

It is just a nickname I have had since I was 12.

Actually I'm Scots-Irish

Regards to a great lady,

Roy Alexander

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, August 14, 2008 8:24 PM
 grampaw pettibone wrote:

Good evening. I had a big day, and a big week for that matter. Tuesday was my 61st birthday and the wife and I went out to celebrate. Once a year, I get to blow my diet with a huge plate of BBQ ribs and ice cream. Once a year cause it takes us that long to pay the credit card for such a meal.... Today, I had to ride over to the VA hospital in Columbia for an evaluation. Over 200 miles on the buggy and half a tank of gas for a consultation that was over in less than 5 minutes. Wow, that could have been done over the phone. My wife is closing her business and we stopped off on the way back to pick up some of her stuff from the building. End result was an SUV full of stuff, two aching backs and three cuts. There is still more stuff to get, but I think we'll let it slide for a day or two. It is good to be back home under the air conditioner. Ain't nothing better. I did manage to see several NS tracks with freight cars, but no engines.... RATS! Keep cool.

 

Tom, let me apologize for forgetting your birthday Tuesday!!  To make up for my mistake, let me know what you'd like to have tomorrow, and I'll fix that in the Cafe/Diner for your belated birthday dinner!!!!!  (I'm glad I still have the birthday decorations handy:  I'll just put them back up tonight. 

Does anyone else have a birthday this month?!?!  If so, let me know, and I'll mark my calendar!!

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Florence, SC
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by grampaw pettibone on Thursday, August 14, 2008 8:30 PM
No problem, CW. Are you familiar with a pig picking cake? If so, I sure would like one with a candle on top. If no, a coconut layer cake will do. Thanks, and don't worry about forgetting. It happens....

Tom

COAST LINE FOREVER

It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof than to share a house with a contentious woman! (Solomon)

A contentious woman is like a constant dripping! (Solomon)

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Friday, August 15, 2008 5:34 AM

Good Friday morning, everyone; and, belated Happy B-Day [bday] to Grampaw Pettibone (Tom)!!

Coffee is ready, and fresh juices are available, along with hot water for hot tea.

The danish, doughnuts, muffins and cinnamon rolls are on the counter.  There is an apple danish with a candle in it for Tom; otherwise, the rest of the breakfast menu is up for grabs for everyone.  

Tom, is your 'pig picking cake'  the same thing as a  'pickling pig cake'?  You know, the one that has Cool Whip, mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, coconut and nuts in it?  If so, I do have a recipe for that.  And will bake it later on this morning for tonight.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Burlington, WI
  • 1,418 posts
Posted by rvos1979 on Friday, August 15, 2008 6:15 AM
 switch7frg wrote:

  Randy;  trucking is full of surpises. Loose wheels are a real hair raiser. I found an easy to find one or more. If you have steel wheels , look for rusty streaks around the bolt pattern or for aluminum look for gray streaks . Usually they reveal after wheels get wet.  Or take a ball peen hammer and tap around the bolt pattern ,tight lugnuts will sound solid . You can tell a loose one by a different sound if the wheels are dry. It could save you from a (out of service ) tag. Good luck to you on the slab .

                              Respectfully, Cannonball   ( ret. ?? )

Cannonball:

Thanks for the tips, but my wheel failed in a different way, it rusted through and separated at the welds.  Looked okay when I picked up the trailer that morning, but near as I can figure, failed about 300 miles down the road.  When the mechanic took what was left off, he whacked it with a sledge, and a lot of rust fell off.  Saved the piece, plan is to give it to one of our instructors at the school we have in Trenton, OH, next time I get down that way.

Is there ever such a thing as retiring from trucking?  Heard a story on the trucking channel on Sirius about one couple, after retiring from pulling reefer, they had to install and program a generator outside their bedroom window so they could sleep through the night, they were so used to having the reefer unit running that they couldn't sleep without it.

Anyway, in East St. Louis this morning, will drop off the load in Pontoon Beach in a couple hours, then probably either reload out of there or run over to Budweiser for a load, of course this is subject to change.

Dan, just don't end up under one of our trucks, PLEASE?  Motorcyclists make a big mess when we run over them, and nobody likes to clean it up, either.....

Another trucking news item:  Apparently, Woman's World magazine ran an article in the last issue saying that one can save about 10% on fuel if one tailgates behind a semi.  Pardon my French, but what the %#^*&#%$ was that writer THINKING?!?!??  Yes, it does save fuel, but it's also a great way to wind up UNDER my trailer, and I really don't care for the lawsuit, and neither does my company.  To borrow from the news show host on Sirius, it's a 10% gain in mileage, a 400% rise in insurance, and a 90% decrease in material between the shoulders when they go under the trailer.....

Okay, rant over, time to cool off and have some of CW's good home cooked breakfast.  See everyone later.... 

Randy Vos

"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings

"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,315 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, August 15, 2008 6:39 AM

good morning

yeah randy they gave that story on a local news channel too.you could also be cited by a patrolman for assured clear distance.we did get a little rain last night but going to be a nice weekend.highs around 80 lows in the 50's.tommorow looks like a great day for deshler days(formerly the corn city festival).Cw thanks for supper.time for a nap then chores to work on.

stay safe

joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Friday, August 15, 2008 7:16 AM

...Our day here is building with a 62 degree temp and sunshine.  Today will be a mowing day.

Of course tailgating a semi is a no-no and all good drivers will certainly know that.  There is also a certain distance behind a semi that produces rather noticing buffeting.  That being back a ways where the air is banging back together from being split by the rig passing thru the air.

Quentin

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Friday, August 15, 2008 7:35 AM

Belated Happy Birthday Tom.  And many, many more!

PL - I love to know why people use the screen name that they do.  Kind of a hobby of mine.

Pickled Pigs, Pigs Pickling, not sure about this cake, but hey - it's food, so I am willing to try it. 

Weather cooler and ergo more humid.  Forecast calls for rain/no rain, cloudy/sunny, cooler/warming up - just a normal Friday in the true Midwest. 

Did some housecleaning on puter today.  Runs a little better. 

Randy seems to be a real mover these days.  See the sights while you are young, I guess. 

CW - coffee on the veranda - or is it the lanai - or how about just the patio?  (Too much HGTV lately!)

 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Friday, August 15, 2008 7:40 AM

At the present moment we have 63 degrees here in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and it is shaping up to be a very nice day here. Yesterday was nice too, weatherwise, we had finally gotten a break from the ultra high humidity last week.

I went to see my doctory yesterday morning for a long overdue physical exam, and despite having high blood pressure and type II diabetes, he told me that he thinks I'm in pretty good shape for my age. I weighed in at 166 pounds and my blood pressure was not too bad, 130/84. I did end up having my doctor's pretty nurse clean out a buildup of excess wax from both of my ears, and that was not fun at all.

Happy Birthday to Tom! I hope your birthday, Tom, will be special and filled with a lot of fun......Happy B-Day [bday]Happy B-Day [bday]Happy B-Day [bday]Happy B-Day [bday]Happy B-Day [bday]

Ray     ooo    ooo ooOOOOOo

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Friday, August 15, 2008 9:41 AM

.....Jen....you might pass on some basic tips of computer cleaning you might suggest.  Might be something many of us could learn from.

Quentin

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Winston-Salem, NC
  • 247 posts
Posted by piouslion1 on Friday, August 15, 2008 9:58 AM

Got to sleep in a bit (vacations are good for that) so the report is a bit late from here. Here in Winston-Salem presently we have 76 and rising with a high of 82 for this afternoon.

Happy birthday to Grampaw Pettibone, with the wish for many more to come

A good day to go kayaking on the New (the river that is) close by here in Jefferson NC.

Sandwiches and tea for lunch by the river.

Everybody have a great day,

PL

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Florence, SC
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by grampaw pettibone on Friday, August 15, 2008 10:20 AM
CW, that sounds similar, Pig Pickin cake has a lot of fruit and I believe it has some custard baked in. It is very moist. The name comes from the fact that you make a pig of yourself picking it apart! Thanks for the wishes, and by the way, some BBQ ribs would be nice for supper. Thanks

Tom

COAST LINE FOREVER

It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof than to share a house with a contentious woman! (Solomon)

A contentious woman is like a constant dripping! (Solomon)

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Friday, August 15, 2008 10:53 AM
 Modelcar wrote:

.....Jen....you might pass on some basic tips of computer cleaning you might suggest.  Might be something many of us could learn from.

I have an older free puter from former job.  It had a few games on it that I had put on myself.  When I tried to use the media, it said I was short on memory and I said - well I tried not to let that show. 

Anyway - it asked if I wanted to delete some unused files and I said why not.  This will be one of those occasions when you threw something away and then after 27 years find you are looking for it. 

I deleted some silly games I had put on and never used.  Went through my programs under the start button and cleaned some of those out.  Be careful.  If you get too exhuberant you end up with a rather large paper weight on your puter desk.

I have gone in to cookies in the past and culled some of those out.  Probably should do it again, but not too sure just what is good cookies and what are stale cookies. 

Puter was running quite slowly - but scans revealed nothing, so figured it was just limited memory.  Works better now.  I can type 85 wpm and it was really not keeping up with me.  Much better now.

Now need to find a dust cloth!

J

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Friday, August 15, 2008 11:02 AM

.....Thanks Jen.....I'd say by deleting those "games" programs you did the most good.  As you indicated, made space available...to do important work...{Trains.com}...ha.

We had 4 or 5 girls in our high school typing class that could do that rate of typing but not too many boys.  I really liked typing class...had two years of it and then did not use it for 40 years or so....I still think of my typing teacher as I work our fun stuff on here daily.

If I remember correctly, I was a "B" student in typing but not near as fast as your figures.  Still enjoyed it.

Quentin

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy