Elliott's Trackside Diner XXIII: Moving on...

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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Good Evening Diners!

Good news! The cold weather here is supposed to end next week as the weatherguesser says it will hit 0C so hopefully there will be some let-up for those of you to the south. Wait a minute, everyone is south of me.

Jim, The windchill in parts of southern Manitoba was supposed to hit -40+ but I have never heard of -50 and N. Dakota is only about 60 miles south of me. As for IHC locos, I have seen their Mikes and I really don’t think they are worth the asking price. I have a Hudson that I got a few years ago as my first acquistion that got me back into the hobby. I paid $80 for it new as part of a train set. I just put in a TCS decoder in it as there is space over the motor. It works quite well as does the Sante Fe I also have. I only bought them as they were slightly modified to somewhat resemble the CNR versions of those locos.

Sam, Congrats on passing that test!

Chris, Sorry to hear things have gone downhill on the job front. From what you said your boss appears to be spreading the assignments rather thinly so there might not be enough for anyone. Trying to do a little empire building? Some bosses seem to think adding staff makes themselves more important whether or not there really is enough work . I’ve seen that before in the company where I work. Not true now as we have been ‘downsizing’ on nearly an annual basis for the past 4 years. I’ve been asked to see if I can get by with one less in my department and I only have 4 staff now.

Well tomorrow should be a good day as I’m LHS bound with Christmas money burning a whole in my wallet and I don’t want to buy a new wallet so I better get rid of it. I have my eye on an Intermountain F7 in CN green and yellow. It would be another addition to my N scale collection. Speaking of which I have an old door in my workshop I had been saving for what I’m not sure but it would work for a little layout in

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Good morning all,

Jim, I have an IHC 4-8-2 and it runs great, but if you want details you need to pick up some parts to trick it out. Most of the detail is molded on and it looks ok, but if you’re looking for detail I would go with a BLI or a modern Life-like locomotive. February is when the BLI’s normally go on sale and trust me I’m watching for those sales. Last year the Mikado BLI was 2 for one, and several of the articulated locomotives dropped down to 70% off. If I see a sale I’ll post a note here in the diner. As for the plow there are way too many people around here with plows, plus I have a 6 speed, the clutch would never last.

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Good Morning–

mmmm—Have to give everything time to warm up I see. The typing fingers don’t seem to want to work to well–

We’s be kinda cool today—it’s -18C with the windchill at -24C. We’ll see our high get to -11C today. And SUNNY!! Hey. I know the only time we see SUN is when it CCCOLD out but around here we don’t see much SUN!! period. So we’ll take it whenever it gets here…

Sam: Congratulations on passing those exams!!![:)]

Chris: I’d be starting to get that ol’ resume updated and ready at this rate. What with all those interns it might just be that the programs they’re on that THAT may be the only game in town but then again. [:-^]

PC: I love augmentations-----[:)]

DerJohn: Peter Thorne? Books? I’ve got two of his—that etching one is my favourites—heeheehee[:D]

Jim: Well—like I said up here I’d rather see SOME sun and have it be cold rather than be just plain ol’ DULL and be damp and raw------and CCOLD[:)]

It’s gonna be bit slow this weekend by the looks of things. Got a phone call from one of the TA’s asking about whether there was any seminars this weekend and I had to say that there was going to be one this afternoon----and that’d be it----the only reason would be so people get to meet and greet—[swg]

As far as the MRRing is I’m waiting on some scratchbuilding parts to come in—Walthers back order on some small detail parts that are still getting made-----[:-^]

Chloe, I’ll just have a coffee and a toasted bagel with egg/sausage please----I’ll be at the RC[:)]

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Good morning, and its still snowing. Not much thou. By the way…Its been snowing each day since December 30, 2009. From a dusting to over a inch each day. I’VE HAD ENOUGH!!

Not much planned other than grocery shop. Seems like we are running low on things.

As far as the custom load…My computer crashed with the pictures on it. I still got the way I did the load, but I don’t think I have anymore pictures. [D)]

Hope everybody has a good Saturday.

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When you can walk a mile in another persons shoes, THEN you can make your case.

Didn’t see any snow but it is sleeting. Not as cold as predicted but cold enough for skim ice to form. Groves in danger and growers doing the best they can.

Anyone know what colors the D&RG RR cookies box cars where in? I have four in silver and one in White. Not a protofreak, just curious.

Prayers for all

Flip

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Good Afternoon,

well, the storm has hit us, but we are missing out on the snow. That deserves a [tup], because we could in no way cope with 40 " of snow in this area. Chloe, the drinks for all are on me!

[comment deleted by selector…would be confusing in light of a previous post by another person having to be deleted] I have just received my February issue of MR and still wait for the January one. I am still pondering, or should I now better say, sulking, over my yet unsolved layout issue. I have a feeling that I start to think too big again. What´s the use of a plan I will not be able to turn into reality for financial reasons. As there is no short term improvement in sight, I better settle for the budget version, whatever that is. Ideas, ideas - a kingdom for ideas!

Made a mistake of showing John´s puppy pic to Petra - now I want one!

Have a great day!

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Hey Jeff- Ignore the Tarnished silver pilot . Maybe it will stay away. WE Diner regulars like you and darn sure admire your modeling skills. Keep at it , my friend as you serve as an inspiration to me and probably the rest in here. Prayers, buddy and stay warm.

Love yuh! Flip

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Good morning. It’s 17 and sunny. The high is projected to be a balmy 41. That seems somewhat optimistic considering it never got above freezing yesterday.

It seems pretty much a certainty that the car will be going to the shop Monday though I still have to get with the money man (my father) about that. While he’s usually accommodating about things like that there are times that he makes Scrooge at his most miserly look like a drunk sailor and it takes some serious bargaining to get the work done. I’m sure you’ve all had such times in your lives. As for my day today it looks like the high point will be when the Home Health nurse comes to change the dressing for the wound vacuum. That thing is uncomfortable for me but as long as it works I’ll put up with it. It’s been a real wonder so far and I wish I’d known about it sooner. The only ones I’d heard of before were big clunky bedside affairs that allowed very little freedom. With this unit I can at least get around a little but it’s still heavy enough that it shifts my center of balance which was already precarious in the first place. There’s no walking a straight white line with it on. lol. I’ve really enjoyed the responses I’ve gotten from the people I recently sent items to. Going to the post office to send such things out is painful but knowing that I’m bringing happiness to others makes it worth it.

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Good Morning, coffee please. Tempting, real tempting [:-,]. [sigh]

Gonna pick Mom up from the Nursing Home and take her home today as her PT is done. I hope she can manage as well as she thinks she can.

I hope to get some RR time in today and tomorrow. I feel like I want to do something. Now you watch, I won’t have time.

Sam- Congratulations Hoss. Keep hangin in there!

John- I’m gonna wait to check out the video for when I have time. I love British humor.

SilverPilot- So nice of you to drop in.

Best get a move on before Mom gets antsy.

Have a Great Day!!!

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ditto.

Thanks for the concerns about my back guys. Ray, I’m with you, I think it’s just a strained muscle because like I said, it feels like once it’s loose it will feel fine. Jim, I think I probably hurt it when I tackled one of our coaches (when we’re running our lines they’ll play defense and we gotta try to tackle them if they get the ball)

Well, I have a basketball game today and next saturday, but then I think my season is over b/c of rugby, unless there is a friday game freeing me up for saturday.

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Good morning, Diners … Hot oatmeal & hot coffee please. …

We’re having computer problems again and that kept me busy yesterday. …

Sam … Congrats for your exam results. Also, I know what you mean about some railroaders having a problem with railfans. Just remember it is their problem and not yours. I know guys who are both railroaders and railfans. I learned not to say much about the hobby at work during my railroad years.

Bama … congrats on the U of A win. My neice is studying psychology there. I guess that’s OK for her, but I did not care much for my psychology classes. I questioned why I needed any of the humanity classes to get my diplomas. I wondered why training rats would have any sort of practicle applications.

Jeff … Nice photo. Looks like GP-40’s are in charge today.

We could use some winds coming from the Gulf instead of from Canada. It’s rather cool here.

I’m working on the layout some more. Still working out some bugs and going thru the learning curve with DCC. The process has resulted in some smashed up plastic Hayes bump posts. [:(!]

I’m continuing my FT ABBA project now that my Walthers order is here. (One item was micro scale decals). The striping for the CB&Q F units is a bit tricky. There is a narrow stripe that is placed on a rivit strip along the sides of the units, and the decal likes to slide back and forth on the rivit heads. I apply the solvaset and with luck the decal does not move out of place then. Other parts are also a challenge.

Another project in progress is an Ulrich Models trailer that I am painting and lettering for Great Northern piggyback with the “Empire Builder” scheme.

Happy Model Railroading.

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Because of my hours at my job, I don’t get to the diner as often as I use to. The Old-timers like Der and Dick and Cape Jim know me. That doesn’t mean I am not concerned with each and everyone. I have serious wife problems and , thankfully, the prayers from all helped. She will be having more ops. on spine next month and - what will be? will be. ---- Had to replace stoplight bulb, went to Discount auto and almost had a heart attack. Two bulbs-$4.99. Didn’t buy. Went to regular auto parts store, 2 1157 bulbs , 64 cents with tax. Much better.

Well, I was wrong and weather-man correct. Its 33 f and some sleet. Hands and ears cold. It sure reminds me why I left N.Y. to live in Warm sunny Fla. lol.

FEC bought sd-40’s from U P a few years ago. Left them in original colors and put their logos on them . Somewhere I have photos of them.

Hope all are staying warm. Prayers for all, including me.

Flip

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Good morning,

[comment deleted by selector. The post to which this was a reference was offensive and deleted, so the comment here is out of place]

JEFF: My half-a-cent worth of opinion: I admire you for the fact that you do accomplish so much, you don’t just lay around, you’re doing things for yourself AND for others. Who among us hasn’t or doesn’t “overdo it” from time to time? Hell JEFF, I salute you!

Also, I know all too well what it’s like having to borrow money from family. I would’ve sooner ate my spleen right out of my abdominal cavity.

With the car, from what I remember seeing in photos, I always thought it was a Fire Dept. issued car for your role as Safety Officer. I just thought maybe, in that case, the FD would/could help with the maintenance/upkeep on it. Maybe not. Best wishes to you, as always.

I’m gonna just have a seat at the RC, enjoy some of Ed’s OJ…and a pot of coffee…and try to refrain from “playing with the troll.”

Chris[8]

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Good afternoon gents, it has struggled to get to 24F (-5C) today and will not get much warmer if at all. Another 1" of snow overnight, just enough to be a nuisance. I may get some MRR’g done today. although I am Lector at 4pm Mass so it looks like that may be after church.

[edited for content by selector. A previous comment by another person was offensive, and the comment here was a comment on that post. The first post has been deleted, so this comment would otherwise cause confusion.]

J.R. : Yes, I am planning to attend the show in West Springfield, and will look you up, please let me know which building at section number you will be at.

KA1VEI “73”

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Good Morning, Flo (yeah, for a few minutes, anyway), I’ll have a stack of waffles, a pat of butter on top, and some maple syrup, with a Rio Grande mug of coffee, please ‘n’ thank-you-ma’am!

JR, while I like to think my memory is good, you flatter me. I was tossing my fishing line out there, figuring that surely someone had experience with IHC’s locos (maybe even their newer ‘Golden’ whatever). I’m having to stick with a Mikado or Pacific in order to fit on the Walthers 90’ turntable kit I have (yet to build). Since the CAW RR is set in the mid-to-late 1950’s, I’ll only have a few steam engines in the stalls, but will need the turntable for those. Thanks for the info - the FDT/BLI engines are stretching my budget (a lot), and there’s that other thing of having to buy them ‘RIGHT NOW’ before they run out of them. So I can’t always find the MIkado or Pacific (for Western RR’s) at the ‘right’ time for me.

Barry, I hear you on having sunshine with my cold weather. It does (from inside…) make me think I feel a little warmer, anyway. [;)] Now you know, you’ll likely need to drill some holes in that spare door before you get done building your N scale empire, right? [:-^] Hey, email a pic of Pippa to me, please. Thanks!

So Jeff - what kind of things (MRR’ing or otherwise) do you have planned for this weekend?

Flip, I don’t know about the D&RGW Cookie Box colors, only ones I’ve seen have been the silver kind. But maybe they had some of the white ones at some time (perhaps dropped that after seeing how easily dirt showed on the white vs. the silver?).

Ulrich, it’s good that you dodged the sn*w this time around. Don’t they have any snow removal stuff, as far north as you live? On your layout plans, think in

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Probably nothing more strenuous than clearing some of the junk off the layout. There’s leftover pieces from some projects, a pile of co-pay receipts from the pharmacies and providers my medication and equipment come from as well as some regular household clutter.

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Ulrich, do you think the snow plows have been called out? Caught this one several years ago on a trip to Germany. Can’t recall where, but it was just outside a large passenger depot on the way from Frankfurt to Dresden via a circuitous route. Sorry, for the poor photo. Dusk was falling, but as I recall the plow had only two wheel axles.

Mark (comfy in central California while elsewhere the northern hemisphere freezes)

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Talk about snow!!!

Here’s a shot from a email I got. The house is in Quebec City Canada.

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Aw, c’mon Robby - I know for sure that you probably got that from CN Charlie, or Barr****y, of one of their neighbours there…[:O][wow]

BOY, am I EVER glad I don’t live there…

Jim in Cape Girardeau (where the snow is a tad bit more moderate than the above area’s)

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**Jim…**That was one of several pictures. One picture has a snow mobile parked on the roof of a house. I thought just svereal inches were a headache.