Good morning, diners. We’re off to babysit for some of the younger grandkids. We’ll be back soon.
Sadly, this is the state of many old sidings in the U.S. The mainline is gone, and the rails to an old business are all that’s left:
IMG_0652 by Russ Nelson, on Flickr
Morning Diners, A coffee to go as well, Flo
Doing better, finished up another IACR heritage unit for the RJ Corman Railroad Group
David, Glad you’re doing better 
Mike, The birds are indeed singing! 
TF, Going up south is a good one, hope you can get through today to see those two days off!
Bigguy551, Hope you can get the mainboard fixed on your 3D printer
Good morning y’all. Flo, make that a third coffee to go.
The storage cabinet came in earlier this week, several days earlier than I anticipated. Been clearing building supplies off the layout and hope to be that much closer to applying hole filler to smooth the terrain transitions and begin painting. It just occurred I’ve not shared any photos of the 4x8, so I’ll need to do that later.
@York1 it’s a shame many sidings are like this, but it’s also neat that the track is still there. At least the many grain elevators that dot the countryside of the plains still have their sidings in tact.
Good sunny morning from the left side where it is 10c.
Many pusher required. 
I love grain elevators and it is the one thing I had to have on the layout. Every time we hit the prairies we try and take secondary roads just to see some of the elevators and small towns.
There was a big dog show in Alberta the wife wanted to attend and so we loaded up the dogs and hauled the trailer to SE of Calgary.
7.5ltr diesel hauling 7500lbs over the great barrier to Alberta. Fortunately the wife likes to stop often so the dogs can pee. That’s great for me because I don’t have to ask.
During the day the kids and I would go exploring old elevators and other prairie haunts. They loved it.
The CPR would store a lot of MOW equipment and other surplus rolling stock on the unused sidings.
Here are some of our pics.
Wife and trailer left at the show grounds while we explore farm country.
It does not matter where the train is going, what matters is getting on.
There was a pile of about 75 very old switch stands in the grass by this elevator. I wanted to take one home with me but stealing is not in my nature.
Of course there were not just a lot of ghost at the elevators where it seemed like the people just left like they had gone to lunch and never came back. We saw lots of ghost while making our way over the great barrier. Even the dogs liked hiking in to these gems.
Hope the “what I did on my vacation” pics didn’t bore you too much.
All the best to all
Stuck at the desk here, but got it out of the box. New, eleven year old stock. The tape was still on the end of the box. I need to add some bits to it that came along in the box.
I think ( but not sure ) that Canadian Pacific had 18 of these cars. I wanted the Kootenay Park one as I spent so much time in the Kootenays growing up, but what were the odds of me getting the name I wanted.
I need to find out what shield was on the back of this one as Jason put a selection in the box.
Ed, I know you have one of these, what name is on yours and do you know off hand what shield was on the rear of mine?
Hi all. Nothong going on at all. Just in hermit mode after a woman broke me. Not going to go into it to respect her, but im okay physically and financially… just very very emotionally hurt.
Hope you’re doing okay. I’m here if you need me.
Yep! My first choice was also the Kootenay Park as I rode this car on the Canadian back in 1974. MY car didn’t arrive in very good shape!
Kootenay Park Crunch by Edmund, on Flickr
Rapido gladly replaced it but they were out of Kootenays and sent me a Tremblant in its place…
Parked_Park by Edmund, on Flickr
I chose the Beaver shield and ‘Canadian’ train name tail sign:
Park Observation on PV Amtrak train by Edmund, on Flickr
I believe this was the last one used before the Packman emblem came about. It also matches the side emblem. The red background tail sign was the ‘as-built’ style but replaced with the white background in the early 1960s.
Park_crop by Edmund, on Flickr
A fellow I once knew owned Riding Mountain Park and he kept it in Michigan. I’m glad to see the car went to the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Railroad Society. at least they have the means to keep the car fairly well preserved.
Little known fact: the roofline at the rear of the dome is three inches higher than the forward part of the roof.
Congrats on your new toy!
Cheers, Ed
A great clue and a reasonable conclusion. Thanks Ed.
It seems to be the best choice for ‘our’ era of late 1950s and early 1960s before ‘Packman’ and VIA Rail.
CP, Toronto, Ontario, 1958 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
Why stop at owning only one?
Canadians at Pacific Central Station by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
Afternoon Diners, Hambuger and fries please, Chloe.
Light evening ahead for me, getting a few games of Fortnite in with Bobbie, then going to Southline District for some railfanning tonight to add onto the video I’m working on
You just said what I have been thinking. We will see what comes along and how much will power I have. 
Hot dogs and mac&cheese please, not much done not feeling great
Maxman, no bra bulge ads so far me. If they start I’ll see if I can ID the source…
Re relationship issues. I tried to send just the emojis, but that was “not a complete sentence” and the emoji police would not post it! So here they are
I hope you are feeling better.
I have things calm down
Good morning Diners. A cloudy day with some sunshine.
Keep the coffee coming, Flo. A busy day ahead.
Dawn’s birthday today. So is our son’s.
My girl.
Gidday Chloe, a hot chocolate, please.
Firstly Mr. TF, in my trade the only silly question is the one that is asked after the accident/incident! 
Secondly yes, the closer ferry in that photograph is the “Manitowoc" which was in service with the Wabash RR, and while not the inspiration for my fictional “Makwa” is, as I found out later, the sister ship to the Wabash RRs “Windsor” which was the actual inspiration. The “Manitowoc” was built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. in 1926, and the “Windsor”, identical except for the engines, built by the Toledo Shipbuilding Co. in 1930, both for service between Detroit and Windsor.
In my alternative history the “Makwa” was built by Gunnnell & West Limited, an actual subsidiary of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. in 1928.
Wabash RR “Windsor” by Bear, on Flickr
I found that researching the railroad car ferries online can be rather confusing, for instance the river ferry “Detroit” had during its career two, three or four funnels and went from three tracks to four. The Pere Marquette Railroad named it’s Lakes and River ferries numerically but the “Pere Marquette 14” was built 40 years before the Pere Marquette 10. Go figure!
All interesting stuff but only if you want to go down that particular rabbit hole! 
Wabash RR “Manitowoc” at Windsor by Bear, on Flickr
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them. Kia Kaha.
Cheers, the Bear. 
Edit. Happy Birthday to Dawn, give yourselves a BIG HUG. 
Morning all. Lets hope today goes fast.
