Jeffrey's Trackside Diner, January 2017 at Bretton Woods, NH

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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Just some sweet tea for now…

My son’s surgery went well in Florida and they flew back to North Cackalackie this morning. Mrs. Beach Bill should be home this afternoon and I will have to go back to cooking and behaving.

C.N. Charlie When I started with the Police Department, they also had a minimum height requirement, which was not a problem for me at 6’ 3". There was a fellow working for the airport police (a separate agency) who wanted SO MUCH to become a city officer that he had those anti-gravity boots and would hang upside-down in his closet every day trying to stretch himself and become taller. It then became understood that height requirements discriminated against female applicants, and the policy was discarded. The fellow from the airport police applied immediately, scrapped his hang-like-a-bat habits, and became a solid police officer for the next 30 years.

Also, good news on the lab report. Yesterday marked 11 years since my surgery for prostate cancer. I also attest to the importance of a PSA test, as I had no symptoms or problems and was only 54 years old when that test led to the discovery of the cancer. Do prepare yourself mentally for testing the rest of your life. I went five years with a PSA of 0.00 and then the doctor said that I could test only once a year instead of every six months. Sure enough, after that year it went to 0.01. I’ve now been at 0.02 for about two years (it has to get to 0.4 before they formally say that the cancer has returned). Those pesky cancer cells live forever, and if just one or two cells “escaped”, they can grow elsewhere. I call it my “crazy week” when I go in for the blood test and then have to wait a week and go back in to be told the results. That PSA is a life-saver for men, though, and should not be passed by.

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Evening Diners,

Flo I’ll have a chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream.

I was researching the Chesapeake and Ohio yesterday. Figuring out what equipment would I buy to model it in 1941-1952.

I noticed there isn’t much motive power in N Scale, but good range of freight cars. Plus I do go overboard instead of simple.

I don’t understand why I can’t go simple on making a small layout. I’m stay planning/thinking of still making it a reality. I think small but my ideas are huge.

Edit:Top of the page. Everything is on me.

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More than once I have “lost” my glasses on my face.

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Evening Diners

Flo, Ed will have a Crown Royal and I will have a [B] please.

Another Mixed Day, which is better than a Ash Pit Day I will add!

Work Front was Sloooow. But sort of turned out good. Sold off a old floor model Memorny Foam Mattress and made a extra $130.00 in spiff! [:D] Sort of down side was as I was walking up to the door at 7:59 to leave, had a customer pull up. [banghead] Well I did the right thing and helped her and did a get a small sale of $155.00 and made a extra $5.00. With the O/T with me getting out late I guess it was worth it.

Rick, what have you decided to do? While I was driving to work today I saw a furniture store with a Sales Person wanted sighn. Think I will throw my hat into the ring wednesday.

YGW Biggest reason I have hung around the current company is it is easy. With my feet problem’s I been told not to stand for more than 3 hours a day total.

Ed I swear it was not my fault your Mighty 235 derailed! Might be because I bought you a [B] last night and not a [D], lack of Crown Royal may cause that! [:-^]

Well the Bessemer’s and CB&Q are running well on the A line. Y6b is stalled with a derail on the B line. Do not fell like dragging out the Big Hook tonight.

Later,Ken

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Good (late) evening all.

Chloe - Just a hot cocoa please. Thanks.

Ken - Well, it’s not that I need more money than I am making, but I do need health insurance, which is not offerred where I am currently employed. The other place does offer it to full time employees, to go with the (still seems high, to my mind anyways) hourly rate. That would be the only reason I would even consider it.

Pros - In order of importance - Health insurance. Other employee benefits - Dental/vision/life insurance, 401k, paid vacations. More pay. (To pay for said benefits, if you make sales quota’s to get said commission…)

Cons - In no particular order - Further from home. (This means more driving, more commute time, more gas expense, more car maintenance, more oil and tire use. This might cancel out any and all extra pay acquired.) I like where I work now - I have a nice boss who cares about people, and who is willing to work to make sure the schedule fit our needs. (Most of the time it works out without any hiccups. - Also unsure how this place would handle that one.) Commission based pay. (I see some problems here… Have a poor sales month, get a poor paycheck. I already get a slight taste of that now, though not as bad it seems.)

So, I am on the fence about the offer… And, really still, something is telling me to run… Although not to the offer, but away from it…

Maybe the fact that I have not had a good buying history with them, getting shystered once too many times… From poor products and poor handling of their product guarantees… A sofa should last longer than 3 months before the cushions are pancake-style. (No one in my family is that big, as I myself am under 200lbs, being 5’6" and ~ 160lbs, also only 30 years old, and half the family is under the 200lbs mark, My dad, being the biggest, is still nowhere close to that big either, although he is 6’1". Dog and cat can’t weigh that much either, so that’s not the answer…

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No, but this is the part of the week that railroad stuff doesn’t get done due to work time.

My parents have what we think is a Coon Cat. He is 16#. He was a “show up” cat. We think he was an abandoned/abused cat. My parents first knew that they had gained another cat when, one evening, they heard a rustling in the kitchen and both cats were in the bedroom with them and they found that all the leftover cat food had been eaten! It took Mom a good year to get this cat calmed down enough to get him to the vet to get him checked out. When it came down to naming this cat, Mom & Dad had no ideas. Given that they had a Siamese (which they still have, 15 years old) named Angel and a gray cat (who has since passed away) named Charlie, someone at where Mom worked and I still do, suggested calling him Bosley, which they went with. Most of the time we just call him Boz. He is 10.

Got the new cable for the chill mat earlier today. The new cable wasn’t that expensive and got it installed this evening. The mat works wonderfully and seems to be compensating for the malfunctioning system fan.

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Ricky,

Your new ‘opportunity’ smells fishy to me too. You sound like a decent person, not one who wants to make a career out of cheating people. Apparently you will be selling crap. Do you really want to have to deal with all those customers who will be returning to complain about how long their sofas didn’t last? If you can brush that off, fine, but I think you set your standards higher than that.

My gut feeling is apparently the same as yours but that is pure speculation on my part. Ask more questions. Make your decision based on facts. If they don’t give you clear answers up front before they offer you a job, then I suspect both our guts are right. Even if you decide to not take the job, the process of asking more questions will be very educational for you and will provide you with a lot of good experience and confidence building. Be brave!!!

Also, if I can suggest, don’t wish for ‘Leo’ to prevent your new District Manager from getting to the store. Instead, make the decision to meet the new manager head on (politely of course). Spend some time the night before thinking about your personal successes and abilities and work ethic. You don’t want to shove that stuff down the new manager’s throat, but you do want to be prepared to talk to them positively and intelligently. Best not to go in with a hangover![swg][(-D][(-D][(-D]

Dave

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Good Morning, Folks!

My new cooling pad has arrived - a day ahead of the scheduled delivery date! that makes it 36 hours from the order to the delivery. Not bad a service!

Installing it was just a matter of pluuging the double USB cable into the ports and switch it on. The 5 fans are surprisingly quiet, in fact, the fan of my notebook is so noisy, I can´t hear them at all!

Let´s no hope this will extend the service life of my notebook for a while!

I can only second what Dave has said! If the salary is way above what is normally being paid, than there is either something fishy about the whole business or the stated figure includes boni, spiffs or whatever you are most likely not to get. See what the Better Business Bureau people know about the company.

Out for the moment - CUL!

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Good suggestion!

Dave

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Im thinking the same… And that is, I believe, one of the major reasons I dislike the “smell” of it… The stated “salary” is another big issue…

Actually, I’m hoping ‘Leo’ don’t scare him away till a later date. I want the snow, but I would really like to meet the new DM first.

Off to w**k now, so I will check in later.

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To some extent, that makes it easier. Didn’t the C&O have at least one of everything? I have that C&O Power book by Stauffer and it seems they had every steam wheel arrangement made. This may be connected to the variety of terrain covered, but they still seem to have more varieties of power than similar-sized railroads. Probably only the C&O fans would recognize the dif[:D]l

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Extra strong coffee TO GO, please. Much to do and miles to cover. Hope nobody minds if I borrow that pump car sitting next to the diner.

Have a terrific day everyone.

Cheers! [C):-)] Rob

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Morning diners,

Thanks Beach Bill. I was thinking of something small with two locomotives and less than 20 cars. The track plan I was thinking of using is Deer Mountain and change a few things.

Almost for the past week I have addictive to a Disney phone app. I know it will pass in several days. But it feels like a real problem.

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5pm and the sun is slowly setting, which means

I´ll invite everyone to his/her favorite poison!

The cooling pad seems to do the trick - so far no shut down to report. The notebook stays much cooler and appears to be faster as well. If that stays, those $$ were well invested.

I am still not up to much these days, as my back continues to hurt. I know it´s a pulled muscle, so the pain will eventually go away. Time will tell!

I am going to stay right here at the RC - anybody care to join me?

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Good evening all !

Finally the sun has decided to shine in Virginia again. Usually I do not get depressed by dreary weather but the past week and half or rains and clouds was starting to get to me.

Train front - I think the company who has agreed to haul in the fill material is FINALLY moving in the right direction. They are making a site visit today. I have requested Friday and Saturday haul in. Say a prayer this happens if you are the praying type.

Ulrich - Shewww that was a close call ! I am gald it is working out. Lets hope the cooling pad doesnt go on the blink now. How is Petra doing ?

Ricky W - I would also suggest calling venders, former customers, Look at online sites that rate the company or their products, google there name and see what comes up…

Ken - If and when this company fails what is plan B?

ROR - LOL !! That has happened to you too !!! I done that a time or two [:-^]

Angel - “think small, ideas huge” In my world that statement goes like this " Big plans small pocket book " or as some of my blue collar friends say "beer budget champagne taste "

B Bill - The guy hung upside down ??? How much height did he need to pick up ? I am glad some people want to be police offers. I for one never want to be one. Generally speaking you are having to deal with people who dont want you around, dont like you and or they are at a very low place in their lives. God bless you for doing that job and THANK YOU ! Phew not for me !

History qoute:

As to my Title, I know not yet whether it will be honourable or dishonourable, the issue of the War must Settle it. Perhaps our Congress will be Exalted on a high Gallows.

Abraham Clark

Th

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This place looks deserted today!

Maybe I can lure a few folks to join me by showing a video of a drone flight over a breathtaking Japanese N scale layout?

For those who have been to Japan - it´s really amazing how the builder has captured the atmosphere of this country!

Well, I´ll be slowly making my way to the hay. I am not feeling well. My right side is acting up and shows some of the effects of that stroke I had some time ago. Best is to go to bed, try to catch some sleep and forget about it.

Edit: I just passed the 9,000 mark in my post count - gee whiz!

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Evening Diners,

I have those same problems as well. Most of these ideas and plannings are just talk.

I have one or two that is actually working.

438

I have spent the whole day in bed, I got some sort of resp crud. I think it is a flu. No stomach issues though.

I got up about lunch and up again now. Atleast I am hungry and can eat.

just lots of tissues and snorting.

I feel like I have a fever and when I check I do not…

blah…

I will have some chilli cheese fries…

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Evening Diners

Flo, Ed and I will have a Crown Royal with a [B] chaser.

In a better mood than I thought I would be in today. Did the math and with this check and what is left in the checking account I have $12.15 to live on for the week! [:D] I was thinking I would need to take around $200.00 out of savings to make the payment. So from my point a view it is a win.

New Garage Door. Well it will be new to me. One of the customers I had from work (that bought) install garage doors, his name is Big Mike. He has a used door I can buy for $100.00 and will install for $250.00. For $350.00 I can have a garage door that I can open again! [Y] My old wood door, well it has a few small holes in it and I cannot lift the dang thing anymore. Well, more afraid to! If it fell apart train layout would be junk! OK, it is junk but it works! Only thing I don’t like is there are no windows. Big Mike is looking into the cost to have some installed.

YGW I have 2 plan B’s.

1 I will take early retirment at 62. I will be 61 2-24-17 so I have about 18 months to go. Yes, I will still need to work but it will take a lot of pressuer off me.

2 Get the heck out of this Titanic of a company! I fell like Captain Smith and Gillgan is my first mate.

Rick If I cannot believe in what I am selling I won’t show it.

Later, Ken

440

Moe I have that. I’m on day 5 and except for coughing, doing much better.

There is a guy on Youtube “Bad Lip Reading” that has a hysterical video on the Inauguration. Since it’s all FAKE lip reading, I don’t see it has a political side to it one way or the other so it shouldn’t agitate Cousin Vinnie https://youtu.be/gneBUA39mnI

Got some primer on my tank kit. It’s a dark primer, I may leave it at that and just add weathering