Greetings from beautiful Southern California in the Tehachapi Mountains on the UP/BNSF mainline at the Tehachapi Loop.
Welcome to Jeffrey’s Trackside Diner. It’s a place where you can come in, relax and talk about most anything except religion, politics, immigration, or any other hot button topic that may ruffle feathers or is deemed inappropriate for a family-oriented hobby. Please see forum rules if you have any questions.
The staff here is very friendly and able to serve. There’s Zoe, Chloe, Flo, Janie, and Brunhilda. They’ll serve up plenty of virtual food with a smile and a friendly “See any nice trains today?”
Chef Ryan has set up a fire pit and smoker to cook up some good ol’ BBQ!
Good morning from the clear and sunny West Coast. There is a blanket of snow still on the ground that has been here for over a week as the temps have been hovering around freezing for a couple of weeks.
Thanks for moving the joint Steven. I usually learn something about the RR and surrounding area we visit as it often leads me to read more about what gets talked about.[:)][tup]
Ken, So sorry to hear about your Dad, I lost mine in 1993, however, I swear he is inhabiting my train room smiling ear to ear.[(-D]
Life here has been a gong show since the flood at the end of November. It would take pages to tell what has been going on and I just would not know where to start, so I will just skip it.
Right now we are waiting for one of our bitches to whelp a litter of three puppies. My wife has hit the hay for a few hours as she slept with the “Mom to be” last night in the family room. The wife imported the Semin from Finland I think it was. It usually takes about six pups to break even on cost so this will chew up the bank account a bit.
The kid has been home from Ottawa for a week now and was asked to go to Seattle for a Hockey tournament yesterday. They smoked the Seattle team, however, he is really suffering from being at University, it is finally starting to catch up with him in the fitness department. He has been asked to join the team at Easter in Edmonton for a big tourney there. He will fly to Edmonton from Ottawa to play over four days. I have to get his gear to the team at the airport to take as he brought it home from Ottawa and will now leave it here for the rest of the year as he was and is too busy with school to play. He does have his skates and will buy a hockey stick to play a bit on the Rideau Canal though.
Dave, I remember you saying you put a stack of Gordon Lightfoot records on the player to study by when you were at school. The kid said he has started listening to Gordie while he studies. It may be because it reminds him of home
Howdy there, here’s an interesting tidbit, In 1916 I believe the SP proposed a second alternative route through Tehachapi Pass for uphill trains. I shall post a picture if I can find one…
Brunhilda, I’ll have another extra large coffee with lots of cream, please.
Hey, I was the last poster in the December diner before it was locked. Beverages of choice are on me.
Batman: Funny you should mention starting to listen to Gordon Lightfoot 50 years ago. Last night I was listening to songs on my iPod and The Beatles “Hello Goodbye” came on. I was listening to that song while studying 50 years ago to the week. Brings back memories of the music then. Hendrix “Axis Bold as Love,” and Cream “Disraeli Gears” to name a couple. Hard to believe all of that was 50 years ago. Scary!
Well, if 2018 will be anything like the last 4 or 5 years went, I’ll set some goals for the year, and the year will speed by and the goals will end up not being achieved because other things always take precedence. I would like to have a little time to model something, but not likely to happen. Oh, well. I can still dream.
Again, hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
NWP SWP - “What’s the responsibilities of opening the diner?**”
ricktrains4824 – *“*SWP Steven - I was going to say that you have to be able to haul the diner to its new locale by rail, and buy everyone’s dinner tab for the last of this month plus the first of next [swg]but instead, it’s be responsible to open the month in the new location, (Florida, Arizona, Cajon, Tehachapi, San Bernardino suggested, maybe others I missed?) with the rules post and the RIP track. (Copy/Paste should work for those.)”
I’ve been told that I am an “Old Soul” mostly because I could’nt name a top 100 artist of the past 20 years! If not longer! Newest music I listen to is Billy Joel… I’m a little behind the times…
It certainly has been frosty here for the last couple of weeks. This morning at 10 a.m. it was -22F with a windchill of -45F.
We are staying indoors today and will just have a quiet New Year’s.
Ken, I was very sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing and especially the way you found out. I do admire the way you just carryon in spite of adversity.
We had friends over for dinner last night and had a nice time. They needed a break as the funeral for Chris’s mum was on Friday. A very upsetting time for all.
Nothing new on the RR front. I seem to have lost my enthusiasim for it lately but I expect it will come back at some point. I have run the HO a little but the N scale layout just sits. I have thought of selling it off but probably will just let it sit.
Have our Kids here from Billings so it will be a great N.Y.E. although I wish they could stay longer that Tuesday.
Sorry to hear about those who have passed and those on sick bay at this time of year. Prayers for you all. Cuda Ken, I lost my Dad in 1981, but I still talk to him quite regularily.
Br. Zero, remember last year upon receiving the Feb. 2017 issue I notified you that you had put the Feb. 2016 date on the cover. Well this year I get the Feb. issue with advertising cover over the cover page of the issue, and low and behold that Advertsing cover is upside down on the magazine. What do you folks at Kalmbach have against Feb.
On the LM&E right now I am working on disguising the hatch for the opening into the mountain to access any problems that might occur in there. So far over the years there has only been one incident in there and that is when the hatch got opened up, but I never finished it. (new years resolution #1)
Hope you all have a great N.Y.Eve and that all stay safe. Remember if you drink don’t drive and visa versa.
Give all your favorite girls an extra kiss for me at Mid-Night…
NWP SWP: Don’t worry too much. The month that I moved the diner to my home town was quite interesting. I had been on this group maybe a month when I did that.
Given that we are in California, I would be remiss if I didn’t put in a ¡Feliz Año Nuevo a todos!
Hobby Front: From what the tracking is showing, Tuesday should be quite the day for presents. All the railroad items I have ordered should be showing up. Now the only thing is to hopefully have a warm Tuesday later in the month to be able to build the new section for the 3 way turnout. (I still need to get the cork sheets, the capacitior discharge unit, and the control boxes to get everything all hooked up.)
Well, he certainly has good taste! I have a CD player that will hold a mind boggling 200 CDs. The inside looks like an old slide projecter magazine. The first dozen or so are all Gordon Lightfoot. I still have all the LPs too.
Happy New Year Brent and family, and to everyone else as well!!
to all, may it be a railfully great year.