Jeffreys Track Side Diner for March 2023

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
22

I hope the doctors are right Terry. Fingers crossed.

23

The World Is A Beautiful Place

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

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Chloe, please keep this cofee cup filled while I wait on my bacon and hashbrowns.

There is another roofing company coming by today to give me an estimate. I got an uneasy feeling about the previous company and decided to look elsewhere.

I want this to be the last roof I ever buy.

-Kevin

24

Good afternoon Diners. Dawn has come down with symptoms of Covid although the tests say no. Therefore a large coffee on the go please, Janie.

Terry. As my daughter would say, “Knocked sideways. Never backwards.” I know it is difficult, (Dawn and I have been in a similar situation with our son,) but remain positive.

Try and call in later.

David

25

I hope that recovery will be speedy and this is nothing serious.

-Kevin

26

Good morning

Hi Terry, good to hear from you. Stanley Hubbard, sure, he played hockey for the University of Minnesota and made his fortune in the TV and radio business. Didn’t know about the Ice Wolves in New Mexico though. That’s cool your grandson plays for his team.

Glad to hear your daughter’s condition stabilized and she is doing better. Certainly can understand your concern from her last CT scan as having two daughters myself, can only imagine your worry. Rightfully so, that’s just what a good father tends to do. Continued prayers and best wishes from Judy and me over here[swg]

Still hold on to that fun memory, the day we ran trains on that impressive basement layout of yours. Remembering all the cool consists of trains that came out of that neat staging room with the window overlooking the layout. The only thing I’d do differently that day, is take some pictures of the great ideas seen in your modeling.

Judy and her sister had a ball at the bar where they got dropped off in Spooner for beers and lunch, so everyone had fun that day.

Hope you don’t mind me posting our pic that your lovely wife took. I’m thinking that’ll be okay as it was posted the day it was taken.

Hope to have an afternoon like that again one day.

TF

27

I couldn’t resist the temptation to blow up this photo. All sorts of goodies can come to light. Such as what these old photos reveal about “hat culture” in the past. Like the guy standing at unloading track level: coal handling in a bowler! Now that’s real class! Mr. Hands-in-his-pocket is duly inimpressed. Is it enough to call for a Beartoon? [:-^] [(-D]

Attuvian1 John

28

Terry: Hope your daughter remains stable. My brother is a transplanted Texan living in St. Croix Falls; that is where his wife is from.

David: Hope Dawn feels better, soon.

My journey to better vision takes a big step on Monday when I will have cataract surgery on my right eye. I have been in my new job for 25 months; and I have not been able to see out of my right eye for 18 of those months because my original corneal transplant “died” and then I developed a cataract in my newly transplanted eye. At some point, I will probably have to have a second transplant on my left eye as it is experiencing issues, as well.

29

Good morning, diners. Bacon, eggs (no matter what they cost), and black coffee, Chloe.

Our egg prices here are down to about what they were before the price increase. I paid around $3.00 a dozen yesterday.

Terry, I also hope the doctors are right. Modern medicine can do so much more than even just a few years ago. Praying.

Ed, the detail work and your photography of your passenger cars is excellent. Your photos remind me of Mel’s passenger car interiors. I can’t imagine the time and effort you have put into that work.

Bear, what exactly is the state of ownership of trains in NZ now? Does the state have outright ownership, or is there a combination of private and public operation? I didn’t know that background of NZ’s trains.

Kevin, good luck with the roof. I know what you mean about hoping for a roof that you will not have to worry about in a few years. With my latest roof put on this past summer, and my age of 71, I have high hopes this is my last roof.

David, I hope Dawn feels better soon with no side effects.

TF, I hope your hectic work schedules calm down and you can post more in the diner. We missed you.

Tin Can, I hope the eye surgery goes well.

MisterBeasley, you have a great system with your food supply. I wish we had the same. We do have fresh beef, chicken, and eggs available here, but everything else has to be frozen or canned before it gets here. At the start of Covid, when there was a shortage of some things, I kind of wished I had the system some people have of storing enough food for a year.

Instead … I make a trip to the grocery store at least four times a week. We have enough food to last us about two days before we would have to start borrowing some of Daisy the Dachshu

30

I hope this is my last roof too, but I am only 56.

A steel epoxy coated hidden fastener white roof is $32,000.00 which is about double what a shingle roof will cost.

I think it would be worth it. That should get me to 76-81 years old.

Things to consider…

-Kevin

31

I put a 70 year metal roof on my house about 10 years ago. Added 18 solar panels on the sunny side. IIRC the cost of the was about double what a top quality asphalt shingle roof would have been. In a few more years the Solar Panels will have paid for themselves as well! It should outlast me at least!

73

32

They are calling the one I was quoted a 50 year roof.

However, the warranty and wind guarantee on the dimensional shingles option is better.

-Kevin

33

Good evening Diners. A glass of Pusser’s Rum please, Chloe.

Give a drink of their choice to all who come into the Diner. Put the charge on my tab.

IMG_4996 by David Harrison, on Flickr

Thank you Gentlemen for the concern for Dawn. It hasn’t been a good day for her.

I am a member of The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society. In the latest magazine there is an article about The Blackpool Club. Basically some regular travellers from Blackpool and Lytham St Annes paid an annual suscription on top of their annual payment for First Class Travel between Blackpool and Lytham, to Manchester Victoria (and return).

In that extra payment they were guaranteed their own seat in the carriage. No worries of would they find a seat. No need to be at the station early. Once on the platform their carrige was waiting. As an extra an attendant would provide teas and light snacks on the journey.

The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Trust own Number 47 Blackpool Club Carriage.

Looking at the last picture; what a way to travel to and from work.

https://lyrtrust.org.uk/our-collection/projects/47-blackpool-club-carriage/

David

34

Rolling Stock:

I’ve always had a fascination for the so-called torpedo or bottle car for hauling molten iron:

Hot_metal1 by Edmund, on Flickr

Bottle Car 148 by Todd Dillon, on Flickr

This model looks “too new”:

Treadwell_80T_hot-metal1 by Edmund, on Flickr

Here’s a big fella’:

Hot Metal Torpedo by Edmund, on Flickr

Some cars were designed for slag removal:

Hot Soup by jgurbisz, on Flickr

IMG_5848_fix by Edmund, on Flickr

Hoping for a speedy recovery for Dawn. [angel]

Thank you, John!

Regards, Ed

35

David, praying for a quick recovery for Dawn.

36

Anytime, John!!It’s more fun with 2-3 more guys so bring friends!!

Thanks for the well wishes on the daghter, everyone. She is one strong woman.

Terry

37

I don’t know if this has made the national news yet… we are having a serious crisis down here.

Insurance companies have been cancelling people with no notice. I received mine in the mail today.

Sure enough, the cancellation date was Feburary 1st, but I did not receive notice until March 2nd. They have the notification date listed as February 22nd.

This is perfectly legal due to changes made to insurance laws after Hurricane Ian.

When I first started hearing these stories a couple of days ago I thought it was untrue. I know better now.

People have had burglaries, fires, and accidents in the past month that are not covered when they thought they were insured.

I paid my annual premium, which was hefty this year, on January 1st. Now it is cancelled. Where is my money?

This is going to be a nightmare.

-Kevin

38

Wow Kevin! That is serious business! I really hope that someone can step into the fray and deal with the issue. Otherwise, the future for residency in Florida could be bleak. You have put so much work into your home! I hate to think the worst.

Hang in there! We all support you!

Dave

39

Good morning Diners. Tea and toast please, Janie.

Dawn is feeling much better today and thanks everyone for their concern. Though I must add, she asked for her breakfast in bed? [:-^]

Kevin. That is not good news. (Been there in similar circumstances.) Insurance Companies finding every loop-hole they can. If they cannot, then make one.

Class 142. Pacer. Nicknamed ‘Nodding Donkey’ because of the way ot rides the rails. It was that bad they were withdrawn 16th Feb 2020.

seen at ‘Locomotion Museum’ Shildon, 17th February 2020.

IMG_3455 by David Harrison, on Flickr

The model ‘nods along’ as well.

IMG_2122 by David Harrison, on Flickr

David

40

Rolling Stock:

A simple Akron Canton & Youngstown box car:

Thomas Underwood-Akron Canton & Youngstown Railroad (3) by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr

and the model:

ACY_XM_PS1 by Edmund, on Flickr

Or a caboose:

Thomas Underwood Coll B&O849 by John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library, on Flickr

BnO_I18c by Edmund, on Flickr

Seems like extreme climate is here to stay. Fires in the west, drought in the southwest, tornadoes seemingly everywhere. It ain’t going to be pretty.

I wonder if you can get insurance on a small Hyundai or Kia? I wonder how fire departments are going to handle the water shortage along the Colorado river?

Cheers, Ed

41

Kevin: That sucks. Hope you are able to find a replacement, affordable homeowner’s policy ASAP.