Graphics by SeeYou 190
Welcome to Sunny California, U.S.A.
This month the Diner will explore the vast and diverse geography and railroad history of the great state of California.
The Diner has already been tied down and connected to stand-by power along Sunset Boulevard:
Sit back and enjoy the warm Pacific breezes while we discuss railroading and the modeling thereof plus other day-to-day topics of general interest.
Did someone say Scenery? You’d be hard pressed to beat the variety and splendor offered in the 31st state to join the Union.
California Zephyr at Coal Creek by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
No. 6 at a snowy Pinecliffe by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Zephyr at Tunnel 29 by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
One for the bridge guy:
SP, Redding, California, 1984 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
Thanks for opening the diner, Ed. Them yellow UP diners sure are distinctive! Flo should dye her hair that color; might increase her tips!
Thanks for moving the Diner Ed.
I’ll start researching some material to post.
Cheers!!
Dave
Thanks, Attuvian. They sure look better when they’re not stuffed & mounted:
UP directors train 1980 by Edmund, on Flickr
UP E9A 960 Directors Special, Feather River Canyon, March 1980 by Marty Bernard, on Flickr
Cheers, ed
Gidday Chloe, November!!! Where has the year gone too!![:O] [sigh]
Thanks for the move, Ed.
Hope those who celebrate (??) Halloween had an enjoyable time.
Being a farm boy there were always cats around. Having a “Native Bush Reserve” down the back of the farm seemed to be the place for unmentionable types to dump unwanted cats. Those that survived had, I think a pretty good life on the farm, plenty to eat, fresh milk from the cow, (if the cats could be bothered to go to the cowshed), plenty of mice, and the choice of a dry haybarn, or a spot in front of the fire. My Grandma had an open fire and she had, amongst others, a very LARGE fluffy tabby who would get as close as possible to the fire, and quite started smouldering and need sparks to be removed. Never seemed to bother the cat though!!!
Seeing we’re on the yellow theme…
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pd7tUb][img]https://live.sta
Good Morning Diners! Chloe, coffee and cinnamon toast please.
Seems the snow we got hampered the trick or treaters coming out. Our numbers were on the low end of whats normal for us and my in-laws.
Decided I would post something about the origins of the Central Pacific Railroad. This was their first locomotive, the Governor Stanford. It sits in a museum today.
The colors of the locomotive seem muted compared to others I’ve seen from that era.
Happy November guys!
Thanks for that photo of the Sacramento Museum, Mike. I was there (can it be!?) twenty years ago!
We have our first snow in NE Ohio, maybe 2" here but closer to lake Erie some areas got a robust eight inches.
Cheers, Ed
Good evening, diners.
California’s Surfliner between San Diego and Los Angeles passes through some great scenery:
US - Del Mar - F59PHI 453 by Jan-Geert Lukner, on Flickr
Have a good evening, everyone.
Gidday Mike, I can’t find it but there was a well-researched article in the NZ Railfan magazine on the various colour schemes of the locomotives built in the 1870s by the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works of New Jersey. The New Zealand Government Railways bought 8 of their 2-4-2 locomotives in 1877-78, hence the NZ interest.
The first two were reported to have been delivered in a “kaleidoscope” of colours, red, green, blue, gold, purple, and yellow and their Russian Iron boilers. However, it appears that the remaining six were “black!”
The NZGR K class of 1877 were successful, and were in service until the mid-1920s, though by then they had been reboilered, had Westinghouse brake equipment fitted, and the wooden cabs replaced by steel ones. They had a huge influence on the future “New Zealand” designed steam locomotives.
Two have been restored, K88 twice…
Good Morning Diners. Chloe, I’ll have, um, surprise me. And add a cup of coffee.
Bear, that’s an interesting story about the NZ Rail engines. Wonder why the last 6 were plain black. [:^)] And look at the colors on the ones you posted! That’s what I think of for engines of that era.
Here is the Collis P. Huntington. Same era as the Governor Stanford above. It was actually the Central Pacific’s locomotive #4. It was later sold to the Southern Pacific where they renumbered it as their locomotive #1.
I’ve always wondered, back in those days how did they get locomotives on and off a ship that could carry them half way around the world?! Just doesn’t seem like dock cranes of the era would be likely able to lift more than a couple thousand pounds?
Something to try to coax Track Fiddler out of hiding. Somewhere in Mendocino County, California.
Coincidental that you should mention a 2-4-2, Bear. I just scanned a Kodak that I believe was taken by my dad’s brother-in-law, Stanley Mackenzie, of the East Branch & Lincoln four spot:
East Branch & Lincoln No. 4 by Edmund, on Flickr
Both my dad and Stanley made quite a few photographs of the aftermath of the 1936 floods of New England.
Back to California…
Three colorful noses:
rr6336 by George Hamlin, on Flickr
Temps dropped below freezing last night and Wilson, in his infinite wisdom asked, “What are you saving all that firewood for?” He was right, of course, and we now have the stove fired up. It will probably remain hot through early April…
Wilson guards the Wood Stove by Edmund, on Flickr
This was Wilson’s first winter here, back in 2008. He has mastered the operation of the airtight stove without compromise.
Cheers, Ed
Wilson rules!! [bow]
(Looks like a rather benign dictatorship) [(-D]
Good evening Diners. A late afternoon tea and cream scone please, Janie.
Had results on my ankle etc… Not as bad as feared. A slight damage to a ligament… The vampire nurse still wants more blood from me.
Ed. The black and white cat is a double of one we had. Dawn could not believe it when I showed her.
Now to try and catch up on old posts.
David
Wilsons Fireplace by Bear, on Flickr
[:)]
Good afternoon. It’s 61° out! It feels like summer again. One week ago we had snow on the ground.
We used to have cats at our house. Our last cat died about 15 years ago, and we’ve had only dogs since then. I can’t say I miss the cats – it was my job to clean the litter boxes (and surrounding floors) each week. I hated that. Of course, I didn’t have to walk a cat or take the cat outside when it’s 30° below zero and snowy, either.
Another view of the Surfliner along the California coast:
I have had trouble signing onto the forum today. Very frustrating. I can sign onto other sites with no issues.
Good morning Diners. A coffee and blueberry muffin please, Zoe.
‘Blinded by the sun’ this morning. a rare occassion indeed.
Delivering birthday presents today. Older granddaughter is 8 years old tomorrow. Where does the time go? Seems only ‘five minutes’ since she was born.
David
Good Morning Diners. Zoe, a large coffee and a stack of glazed doughnuts please.
Got the outdoor stuff put away last night. Went better than I thought. We have more I had to fit into the shed this year than previous years, but somehow I got it all in and still have a functional shed. Happy about that. Debating bugging out of work early today to get more outdoor stuff done before the rain that is coming this afternoon. We’ll see.
David, good news on your ankle! Glad to hear it. Hopefully a full recovery comes quickly for you.
John, the cat litter box is something I don’t miss either. We had a self cleaning one for a while. That was nice until it broke. The dogs didn’t like that box as it kept their endless supply of treats cleaned up. [+o(]
Happy Friday guys!
Good morning, everyone. Bacon, eggs, and black coffee, please.
We can’t complain about the weather today. Cool this morning, and in the 60s this afternoon. Just about perfect.
We had excitement in our house. I’ve had my firewood ready since last spring. I brought some in and started a fire. I was in the train room when my wife called and said we have a problem. In the fire, about 15 wasps were crawling around one of the burning logs. I put the screen up very tight against the fireplace! I have found several wasps at a window, but I haven’t seen any more since then. I didn’t know wasps had nests in old firewood.
Demolition of part of the layout began yesterday, and I will work on carefully getting a bridge out today. I am going to change the bridge from single to double track. I should be able to save the sides of the bridge, and just have to replace the top and bottom if I am careful enough.
David, glad to hear you are on the mend. How is the elevator working out?
Mike, I admire you for the fact you can get into your shed. Mine is so full I can’t navigate it.
Have a great Friday, diners.
In Truckee, the UP is ready for snow on Donner Pass in California:
UP Snow Removal Equipment (spreaders) at Truckee, Ca. by DJ shekky, on Flickr
