ELLIOT's Trackside Diner VI: The Full Meal Deal!

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
2221

Good Morning, Zoe - I’ll have a cup of coffee and glass of Ed’s OJ for now, please. Need to look over the menu and see what strikes my fancy for breakfast food.

Dick, good to hear from you - and watch out about those branches, you hear? Good to hear you’re getting closer on your layout arrangement. I should be as busy… Glad you had your generator (and I’ll bet your kids and their families are, too).[;)]

Lee, obviously you have a CFO who knows her trainman, eh? That’ll be fun to play with once the Super Chief arrives - and sounds like Dorothy is a super-shopper, getting it at that price! [yeah] Either of those gas stations would be a great choice - I like the Bar Mills, too. Looking forward to seeing how your progress goes on it.There is a drive-in theater kit from Blair Line, but the photos in the catalog only show the back side (where the cars entrance usually is). Costs about $28 for the HO scale one.

Cat names and ice storms and chain saws, oh my! Amazing what I’ve learned about stuff in the Diner (including, for example, about generator buying tips).[:-^]

Tom, that was funny about your naming Spooky. [(-D] Guess MC cats are pretty furry, huh?

BC, stay warm up there, and hope your weather guessers are too high on their estimates of snow and ice amounts.

For those with (grand)kids who might find it of interest, I say today that NORAD will be tracking Santa’s flight using Google Maps this year, so just point your browser to Google Maps this evening.[Ho, ho, ho…]

RT, Fergie, JR, good to see you Diners stopping by - any Christmas plans?

Looks to be an “All is calm…” day today at my office (though not very br

2222

Mornin’ everyone and a Very Merry Christmas!

Luckily the prediction of freezing rain for last night didn’t really amount to much. The forecast for today is a high of 42°F with showers this morning. Around 1/4" possible. The snow on the roof is melting at a pretty good rate and I will be turning on the electric deicers in a bit to help prevent ice dams.

About all I have to get done today is make up some baked squash to take to my sister’s house for Christmas Dinner tomorrow. Tonight is the Christmas Eve service, then tomorrow morning, breakfast at my Son’s House, then over to my sister’s house for the “formal” toodoo…

Also waiting on the UPS Truck to bring me my gift to myself…[swg]

Looks like most of you are having a great Holiday so far! May your hearts be filled with joy!

2223

I can’t wait to get out of this office today!

2224

Hang in there, PC! [;)]

Ray, good that you didn’t get what the weatherguessers were saying. Bet waiting for the UPS truck is almost as hard as (when we were kids) waiting for Christmas morning to come, so we could open up presents…[:-^]

Jim in Cape Girardeau

2225

Morning everyone, and a Very Merry Christmas to everyone. Or as some of us are prone to wishing each other:

FROLISCHE WEINACHTEN! (You have to imagine the Umlaut) [:P]

Cloudy and raining here, the Big One is due to move in tonight and all day tomorrow, with snow levels down to about 1500 feet in the mountains. Tommy phoned from Vancouver a couple of days ago, they’re getting royally whacked up there, so I told him to forget coming down for Christmas, we’d do that when the weather gets better. Playing two Christmas Eve Masses tonight–hope I don’t have to do them in Hip Boots or anything. Then a quiet Christmas Eve watching a couple of my favorite Christmas movies. I tend to go in for the ones made in the 'forties, so it’ll be THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER and CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT. Funny, charming movies and I always watch them this time of year.

Fergie: Welcome back! [bow] And yes, those two cats of mine are HUGE! They’ve been playing Godzilla with my On30 Christmas train around the tree. Lots of fun. [:-^]

Rob: Ahah–“Ma’s Place.” That little devil is hard to find. I turned mine into an --ah–“Establishment” [:I]just outside of Sierra City that is very popular with loggers and miners. And the Mayor’s son, LOL! It’s a cute little kit, just made for kit-bashing. Have fun.

PC: No need to apologize for your statement, at least from MY end of the line. As Fr. Anthony reminded us last weekend at Mass: “Jesus is the reason for the Season.” 'Nuff said. [:D]

Garry: Just for you, the B

2226

[soapbox]My point exactly. And many times it gets forgotten. That is why many times I get Scroogeful this ime of year. It doesn’t last long though. Comes in spurts. Though I still like the presents[:D]

Bait and Pizza??? Must be a real small town.LOL

That many presents the garage won’t close?[yeah]

Did I mention the name Chopper?[:-^]

Todd

2227

Uh oh… People are poking fun at our bait shop pizza. Actually, the best pizza in town is at the gas station.

Tom … Thanks for posting the photo with the 3 yellowstones, the Mountatin, and the CB&Q coal hopper. Terrific!

Everybody… Merry Christmas. It looks like we will begin our delayed Christmas trip to see familiy in Ohio and Michigan early Christmas morning. I will have little or no computer time for the next week or so.

2228

I went to Lowe’s this morning and picked up the outdoor thermometer for my sister. It’s a brass type that she mount to one of the posts on her porch and be able to see it from the kitchen window. I also picked up a 2 foot tall indoor/outdoor garden statue of St. Francis for my mother. She’s a nut about that sort of thing.

2229

Nope, not poking fun. Just sounds so…like…perfect! LOL. I want to live in there. And I’ve had some of the best food at gas stations in rural Louzaner. Right Jeff?[dinner] May not have known just what it was and might not have wanted to but, yum,yum!

Todd

2230

How about the BBQ sandwhich and a sweet tea!!! I’m pretty hungry.

Well one more day, and the mess is all over. We went out yesterday to get some paint and L brackets. Man it was a mess. I try to get my shopping done soon, so I don’t have to fight the rush. Plus its raining. No way you will catch me out today.

Well heres a shot of the other corner of the upper part of the layout. This is the side I was telling Sue about. I think the other backdrop looks good, and this one went down the drain. I think it might look better with more trees added. I wasn’t going to add any foliage to that corner. Kinda leave it like it is. I also added a small looking tunnel. Have that old blasted out look. Well heres the shots.

2231

There used to be a place in Leesville called Willie’s Drive-in where I went for lunch several times a week back when I worked as a computer programmer. They had some of the BEST home cooking I’d ever had. It was a sad day when it was bull-dozed to make way for the Auto-Zone autoparts store that’s there now.

2232

Hi again, I just had to pop back in and say, I was wrapping the last two presents, and that Bait shop/Pizza/Gas Station thing just wouldn’t go away. That’s when it hit me. Yes that’s what I need for a small rural spot. Perfect. [yeah]Thank you very much Garry for the idea. [bow]Now to find a building. I took a quick look at the Pikestuff and am leaning toward the add-on showroom. It looks a lot like the gas stations in Louisiana that I remember. Well kinda. Somewhat close anyway. OK so it’s a metal building with windows. Hmm[#dots]

Now I really have to go. Christmas eve at the In-laws. I miss Christmas Eve services. Preacher said he could use me as a…donkey. ROFL[(-D]

Prayers for a safe drive to all your Holiday celebrations. Enjoy yourselves for tomorrow is His Birthday!!!

Todd

2233

Oh and Robby- I think it looks fine. Maybe if you put a few trees scattered right along the edge of the backdrop it might give it a little more depth maybe, 3 dimensional. Or blend in better??? If that’s what you’re unhappy about[?]. Just a thought an artist or landscaper I’m not.

Todd

2234

Afternoon, nothing for me Flo, this is a post n run.

For all you kids of any size [or age] you can track Santa here.

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10128642-2.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

Also a big deal [well those of us around then] was APOLLO 8 in 1968 when it made the made the first lunar orbit of the moon in manned vehicle. More info here,

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo8info.html

It also has the Christmas Eve broadcast by the astronauts.

I’ll stop back in later when I have more time.

2235

Jim,

The blair-line drive in is missing the flat screen TV for the movie. The Burning River N club out here has the drive in move theater, but can’t find any pictures online.

Also those long supports are Evergreen # 186 for the team track. .125" x .125"

Lee

2236

Everybody … The link below is for your enjoyment…

http://www.aroundmd.com/whitechristmas/

Todd … If you are building such an establsihment, you need to include teh surrounding scene with more clutter and junk than can be imagined.

Robby … Nice progress on the layout.

2237

Evening all and a Merry Christmas to all.

Haven’t been around much lately but all is fine. Just wanted to stop by and wish the best to some great guys and gals here in the Diner.

Heading out for our traditional family Christmas eve.

Peace,

Bob

2238

Well, it’s been a tough day. It’s a day of mixed blessings.

See, I left work around 2pm to go have lunch with my family and my Grandpa. We had a great time at a local japanese steakhouse. After lunch we all went back to my in-laws to have desert. Grandpa headed to the downstairs bathroom while someone else headed to the upstairs one. We didn’t notice, but after about ten minutes we hadn’t seen grandpa and so we decided to check on him.

He left this earth to be with his Lord and Savior at around 4pm today. He was 87 years old.

He is survived by three of his five children.

He was a World War II veteren. He was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 flying over Germany. He was shot down twice. The first time he spent three weeks behind enemy lines until he snuck out of Germany. The second time he was captured and spent two years in a German concentration camp. As the war was ending the Germans marched 20,000 prisoners around what was left of Germany, shooting 1000 prisoners a day and forcing the rest to march on. When he was liberated there were only 2000 prisoners left. The war had officially ended 4 days earlier. He rarely talked about it, but when he did, you were literally rivited to the seat.

When he returned stateside he became a handyman and raised a large family. His wife, whom he married after knowing only three days and married right before he was shipped off to war, went to be with the Lord almost 20 years ago.

We all rejoice in the fact that he knew the Lord as his personal Savior and is now with Him, but we are deeply saddened by the fact that he will be greatly missed here on earth.

William Earl Ogle was one of the finest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Here’s to you Grandpa…

<

2239

Phillip,

That is truly sad news in what generally is a festive time of year, my condolences to you and your family on your loss. It is sad to see so many of our WWII veterans passing from this earth to the tune of almost 80 every month it’s like we are losing something that makes us who we are. I hope there is some comfort knowing he had done and experienced more than most of us will ever do, see, or feel in our lives and from your comments it sounds like was the foundation of a loving family.

Again I’m sorry for your loss, if there is anything I or we can do for you or your family just ask.

Comforting thoughts and prayers to you and your family,

Lee

2240

Merry Christmas!

If you haven’t noticed, I haven’t been online for a week. Well, the reason is… my computer’s motherboard fried.

Phillip: Sorry about your loss. I know how it feels when a member of your family is lost so sudden.

Happy Festivus!

Luke