Weekend Update 3/22/26

[Sokramiketes]

This was an ebay purchase 15-plus years ago from a seller named Chuck the Printer. Since it's my railroad, patrons are allowed to put Catsup on their fully dressed Chicago Dogs which is how I like mine.  However, it is a mortal sin in Chicago to use Catsup.

And I thought you were a fully functioning adult...   

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[Roger Holmes]

Mike, Mike and Peteski-- You guys are making me hungry.  Sonic used to have a pretty decent Chicago dog and a New York dog with brown mustard, kraut and grilled onions.  I used to order one of each.  We now have a Portillo's in Springfield with great Chicago dogs and a proper Italian Beef sandwich (dipped with sweet peppers)  The original Portillo's shack was not far from where I grew up in the Chicago 'burbs.

[nkalanaga]

I eat Inland Northwest hotdogs.  Meat, mustard, pickle relish, cheese, wrapped in a slice of bread.  We don't eat enough at one time to make a bag of buns worth buying.

Use the heel of the bread if available, otherwise whatever slice is handy.

[wm3798]

First of all, it's Ketchup.  Catsup is something I scrape out of the litter pan.

Second, a Chicago Hot Dog is not a sandwich.  It's a hot dog based hand-held casserole, with too many things, making eating it while driving completely impractical.

Third, everyone knows that a hot dog in any guise is a handful of nothing, when compared to the best of the wurst, a Polock with the Works.



Lee

[C855B]

The Great Hotdog Wars on TRW! Whatever happened to bacon?

[nkalanaga]

Catsup vs Ketchup:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchup

"Ketchup or catsup[note 1] is a table condiment with a sweet and sour flavor. "Ketchup" now typically refers to tomato ketchup,[6] although early recipes for different varieties contained mushrooms, oysters, mussels, egg whites, grapes, or walnuts, among other ingredients.[7]"

"Terminology
The term used for the sauce varies. Ketchup is the dominant term in North America and the UK, though catsup is commonly used in some southern US states and Mexico.[10]
The term tomato sauce is also used in the UK.[11] "

Oddly, growing up in the Inland Northwest, "catsup" was the most common spelling.  On the other hand, we had a large Hispanic, mostly Mexican, minority, and immigrants from Arkansas and Oklahoma had arrived in sizeable numbers before WW II, so that may explain the spelling.

It does explain the common Northwest pronunciation of the state as "Warshington", and the resulting joke that "There's no 'R' in Warshington."  "Warsh" was, and may still be, the common Arkansas pronunciation of "wash".

[Dwight in Toronto]

I had a one year job stint in Chicago in 1989/90.  Had a great time, and I often reminisce about the legendary hot dogs.  I miss Vienna Beef … it’s a damn shame that we have never been able to get them here in Toronto. 

[Maletrain]

.  .  .  .
It does explain the common Northwest pronunciation of the state as "Warshington", and the resulting joke that "There's no 'R' in Warshington."  "Warsh" was, and may still be, the common Arkansas pronunciation of "wash".

"Warshington" is also the common local pronunciation of the National Capital city.  We here joke that the refugees from Maine stole the "r" from "Bah Habbah".

But, in truth, I think it was a more local job.  The "r" from "Wooster County" (Worcester County) also went "missing" about the same time.

And, Maryland being a border state, we can choose either ketchup or catsup at the local "Walmert".

[Maletrain]

And, speaking of trains , the test of the magnet car went well, yesterday.  It made the trip around the DCC layout mainline and cutoff tracks without a hitch.  It collected some small bits of stuff plus a sort of "dust" that was the same color as our rock ballast.  Not much, but obviously picked-up material.

There was no problem going by Atlas snap switch solenoids.  And, the L-brackets that I had used to build a track fence too keep derails in the tunnel from going to the floor turned out to be stainless steel, so had no effect on the car.

The only thing that is a problem for this car is a decoupling magnet in the tracks. The club has one on each end of the fiddle yard tracks.  When the car approaches one, it is either strongly attracted (if the two magnets are aligned with opposite polarities) such that the car gets pulled strongly to the center of the track magnet, or strongly repulsed if the magnets have matching polarity.  A loco spins it wheels trying to pull the magnet car away from the track magnet when they attract each other.  And, if it can push the car close enough to the track magnet when they are repelling each other, the close end of the car magnet rises up and then twists, derailing the car.  If I tape the car magnet down, the car still derails.

So, other than needing to avoid uncoupling permanent magnets in the track, this car is a success.

I may still take nkalanaga's suggestion to tie the magnet down in the car.  It doesn't seem necessary while in use.  But, in a club environment, the parts are likely to be separated when it is not in use.

[peteski]

And, speaking of trains , the test of the magnet car went well, yesterday.  It made the trip around the DCC layout mainline and cutoff tracks without a hitch. 

The only thing that is a problem for this car is a decoupling magnet in the tracks. The club has one on each end of the fiddle yard tracks.  When the car approaches one, it is either strongly attracted (if the two magnets are aligned with opposite polarities) such that the car gets pulled strongly to the center of the track magnet, or strongly repulsed if the magnets have matching polarity.  A loco spins it wheels trying to pull the magnet car away from the track magnet when they attract each other.  And, if it can push the car close enough to the track magnet when they are repelling each other, the close end of the car magnet rises up and then twists, derailing the car.  If I tape the car magnet down, the car still derails.

I found it interesting that you call  those "decoupling". I usually see the word "uncoupling" used.



As for the MTL uncoupling magnets, they are polarized in a way that both N and S poles are parallel to the rails.  That way the trip pins of the couplers will move apart.
Judging by the shape of your magnet, it is likely polarized in such a way that the poles are on the large flat surfaces. Like a sandwich. The pole facing the track is either all N or all S.

[Maletrain]

Peteski, The magnet I am using in the car is a Bachmann under-the-track uncoupling magnet.  It seems to be polarized in the same way as the MTL magnets in so far as the location of the poles.  The poles seem to be on the long edges of the magnet, for the same reason as the MTL magnets.  The goal is to pull the trip pins to the sides, not down.  A magnet with its poles on the flat surfaces would not respond differently to a 180 degree rotation on its vertical axis, as this one does.

As I posted, I cobbled this car together with things I already had in my stashes from multiple hobbies, including sailboats.  I suppose I could buy a magnet with the poles on the flat surfaces.  I don't think that would behave any better going over a between-the-rails magnet, because it would be attracted strongly to one edge of that and repelled strongly by the other edge, trying powerfully to slide the car sideways, which is also likely to derail it.   

What I have now, when approaching the between-the-rails magnet in the repulsive orientation, just repels both sides equally, lifting it vertically on the closer end as it approaches along the track.  But, the lift is unstable in that any slight tilt to one side or the other causes an accelerating rotation around the axis parallel to the track direction.  After a 180 degree rotation around that axis, there is strong attraction instead of strong repulsion.  But the forces derail the car as the magnet moves in it.