Running Bear's April 2020 Coffee Shop


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I like these pig facilities. Nice work guys. Working on that SP TOFC car kits has gotten me a little further into these operations and I find them interesting. One suggestion I would offer for those using the little Athearn 24 footers: Get rid of the dual axle. It's a short piece of work with a razor saw, even shorter with a Dremel! I've been playing with them to kick up their appearance a bit. Whether you do this or not is of course a matter of priority. If they're background scenery only, meh, who cares! If they're loads or foreground scenery, you might feel different. I had a couple of boxes of these on hand, six packs for $7.95 (shows how long I had them!). Three easy mods are:

Go to single axle:
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Move the landing gear back. You can move it back a bit, as shown above but it's not far enough as I've found It's right up against the back of the cab's frame as shown here:

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Here's a comparison between the Athearn trailer and a CMW trailer for landing gear placement:

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I'll probably just eyeball a mounting location that makes sense. Last would be to add a Kingpin so it will hook to your tractors. A piece of brass or styrene rod will do. This is great "light work" if you want to do a little modeling but don't want to get seriously into something you can't get called away from.
 
Good morning. 34 degrees and sunny to start off the day. Got up to 60 yesterday and should make it into the mid 60's today. Spent yesterday out in the shop putting the finishing touches on a couple of cars that I have buyers for. Selling ones that haven't had the valve work done for today's gasoline and fuel lines that could be effected by the ethanol. Also doing fuel line work on the cars I am keeping to deal with the ethanol.

Greg - Very sorry to hear about your loss. Condolences. Nice photo.

Louis - I am well aware of how important education is, but unfortunately the local school board (none are native Montanans, mostly from California) have really gotten out of have in recent years. Well over half of property taxes go to schools. With so many newbies moving into the valley the school board had to build a new school. It ended up going way over what they estimated plus there are a lot of items that are being added that are duplicates of the existing high school (which is less than 2 miles away). an additional football field which will require a separate athletic department. They are spending worse than a drunken sailor. When the sailor runs out of money, he stops spending. There are many native Montanans living in the valley who are barely making ends meet and some are having to take part time jobs in their 80's or just having to move elsewhere. The county just seems not to give a crap. In their minds, if you can't afford it, leave. The Bozeman city council is made up totally of ex Californians. This os one reason we are seriously considering moving as much as we like the area.

Ray - Like your MRL photos. Saves me hunting around for something that is right in my front yard. Here are a couple of shots of the crane in the Livingston yard I took last year. Different gons.

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Sherrel - I also have a couple of box cars which have end doors. Mine are older Walthers cars. One is a Union Pacific and right on the car it says that it is an auto carrier car.

Alan - nice photos. Like the details on the tractor.

Karl - Like the buildings, nice job.

Paul - You and Toot should get together being that you are an MRL fan. I live south of Bozeman, MT and mt model railroad club is in the basement of the old Northern Pacific depot in Livingston, MT. Have to go over the pass to go to the club and with the MRL shops in Livingston I get to see a lot of traffic.

Joe - Nic Conrail photo. Don't think they stayed that clean very long.

Willie - As usual, love tour photos. Like the faded look of the old John Deere sign.

Garry - Like the photo. A lot going on there. I have a couple of the old Mini Metal GMC buses that I am also using for flat car loads. None of the towns on my layout are large enough to justify bus service.

My son is on his way over to put new brakes on his Subaru so I better get out in the shop and make room to work. I left crap all spread out in there yesterday.

Paul - Here are the helpers we use at the club. Part of the front coupler has been removed so when the train reaches the top of our two and a half percent grade, all that has to be done is to put the helper in reverse and head them back to the yard.

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We also have some guys running different MRL power too.

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Gottra run, Later
 
Another Sequester Saturday...Looks like rain with temperatures in the 40s, but OTOH, there is no place to go.
Angry knees permitting, I plan on running more wire today. I want to finish this layout while I have the opportunity. o_O

Garry: Like the Intermodal terminal. In addition to the GM buses, A Reading end door box car could contain a shiny new Mack firetruck, for the local FD...

Karl: Nice. Liked those films.

Willie: Good looking city block.

View attachment 46748
The Conrail, (former PRR/PC) Valpariso , IN - Chicago commuter train on the layover track at Valparaiso. Note, rear coach, has PRR Red and buff striping, but no logos, the other two have PC logos, while the pair of GP7s have CR stenciled on the side.
 
Espeefan ... Thanks for posting your photos along with good ideas for modifying Athearn TOFC trailers. I may use your ideas.

Chet ... Thanks for commenting on my picture. I like the MRL photos you posted.

Boris ... thanks for commenting on my photo. That is interesting about shipping fire trucks. I saw GM test shipping a GMC motor home from Pontiac, MI in an enclosed car. The car looked like an enclosed tri-level or bi-level on the outside. Inside it had only one deck.
 
Chet, north Idaho, where I grew up, has some similar problems with locals being priced out of the 'hood, especially Sandpoint and Coeur d' Alene area. Do Montanans not run for office? They are probably out getting stuff done and not as concerned about being in charge. Western Montana is one of my favorite places in the world. When my dad and I were there, we stopped by and saw the club, there was a train show and open house going on, if I'd known, I would have said "hi". I'd like to come over again but the googles say it's 800 miles one way. Someday.

Here's a photo of MRL's crane when it went and got a refresh a few years ago (not my photo but google 'MRL crane flatcar' and you'll find similar):
https://flic.kr/p/jesWGK

The idea of removing the knuckle is simple and effective, I probably would have overthought it and tried to make some DCC controlled thing.

Garry, I'm glad I could provide a little inspiration.

Thanks, guys, for the inspiration/motivation to make my SDP40 correct. To be honest, I have counted a few rivets in my life. I realize it's not for everyone but I like it (when it's done).

I googled a little on that press in the wheel video, I think it's a 10,000 ton press. Sort of makes Flyboy's 300 tonner look like the toy version. Granted, they have different purposes. The biggest one is a Chinese 80,000 ton press. That's like using 4 loaded coal trains to smash something.
 
montanan said:
Good morning.

.... to put new brakes on his Subaru....
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I need to put brake shoes on my 06 Forester. I went to Rock Auto and there are 11 options from $9 to $29. How do you know which ones to get? My '99 Forester needs fronts, same thing. I rebuilt the power steering pump and replaced the rack in the '99 so I can probably do the work, just too many parts options.
 
My son has a Forrester. We have been keeping up with it and it's been a good vehicle for him. I let him pick out what he need for it. Where he likes in town they don't plow the side streets and it's a big improvement over his old VW Jetta. The motor is probably due for a rebuild as it has over 230,000 miles on it but not leaking any oil yet. He is thinking of replacing it later this year with a newer Forrester. I was interested in an Outback, but the new ones all have the CVT transmission which I detest.
 
My 99 has 252k. It burns a little oil and the transmission doesn't feel quite right any more but it still gets around. That's the one my daughter and I go driving in. It is lowered on progressive springs and 17x7 wheels and is quite fun in corners now. My wife had it before she met me 20 years ago. I got the 06 a couple years ago because it was cheap and a manual. I've tried to sell it several times but then the buyer realizes they don't know how to drive a stick shift. My wife, mother-in-law and my mom all have Outbacks, the newest is a 18. What drives me more nuts than the CVT is all the "safety" driver assist things. They are so distracting especially the lane departure on a narrow curvy road like US 12 from Lewiston to Missoula. It is pretty amazing to me that our CVT 14 Outback can get 30 mpg on the highway. I've gotten up to 35 mpg with it.
The 99 as my friend said, "Looking sultry":
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Keeping it train related, the plastic undertray got tore up in some crusty snow and has been replaced with a sign from an abandoned railroad spur. The sign says, "Danger, Not Sufficient Clearance" and was originally a warning for railroad workers to get off the side of the car before they got smashed into the building.
 
bnsf971 said:
Ten years ago, a woman in one of those things rear-ended our '87 Suburban 2500. The car was demolished, and had to be towed. I was upset the back bumper got bent in the accident.
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But safety and crumple zones! I don't think many, if any, cars from the last 20 years would do well against the back of an 80s Suburban.
 
kjd said:
I need to put brake shoes on my 06 Forester. I went to Rock Auto and there are 11 options from $9 to $29. How do you know which ones to get? My '99 Forester needs fronts, same thing. I rebuilt the power steering pump and replaced the rack in the '99 so I can probably do the work, just too many parts options.
Click to expand...

I always got the expensive ones, or the ones with the lifetime warranty. You might consider going to the stealership and getting OEM replacements. This isn't the place to save money. The front brakes do 70% of the braking system's work. Go too cheap, and they may wear too fast, be noisy, or even fail. There's tons of cheap Chinese crap in the auto parts business.

I recommend a guy on YouTube named Scotty Kilmer. He has a channel that's geared to guys who like to do their own work, and who have questions about getting things done. He has a video on this subject. Check him out.
 
Fired up the lawn mower for the first cut of the year. Ran the gas out of the snow blower. Pruned a couple of trees and cut back the raspberry bushes. My decals for the City of San Francisco showed up today. I got them from The Original Whistle Stop. For you Big Bang Theory fans, that's "The train store in Pasadena that got too big for it's britches". I ordered and had them two days later! Fred is such a great guy. The store is closed but they are still doing on line and call in orders. The Champ sets that came with the cars are wrong. The red letters are OK but there's no black edging. I'm not going to do all the work of painting them, then put incorrect decals on them. Maybe some pics later this weekend. :)
 
montanan said:
My son has a Forrester. We have been keeping up with it and it's been a good vehicle for him. I let him pick out what he need for it. Where he likes in town they don't plow the side streets and it's a big improvement over his old VW Jetta. The motor is probably due for a rebuild as it has over 230,000 miles on it but not leaking any oil yet. He is thinking of replacing it later this year with a newer Forrester. I was interested in an Outback, but the new ones all have the CVT transmission which I detest.
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My 96 grand am had 695000 km when I donated it to Alberta Diabetes Association. They got a $100. Original drivetrain, was still going, but I didnt want to register & insure 2 vehicles any more.
 
Afternoon All,

Did some routine pool filter cleaning before it started to rain, then the wife dragged me to Wally World. About 3/4 of the people were wearing masks. Generally the 20 year old's weren't. While the wife was checking out I went to get the car because it was pouring and even with a umbrella I managed to get moisture in the USB/Power cord connection of my phone so it wouldn't let me download any pictures. I tried using a cool setting on a hair dryer but no luck.

Today I built another bottom of a building (less legs to do) that has longer legs then put it in the jig for drying. After that I cut out 50+ windows from the sprues. These are the same as the last kit so there are 7 steps for each one. I'll start on that tomorrow.

Chet- Sorry to hear about the changing politics there. It's a Catch-22. People leave someplace because it's become too expensive or the rules have become onerous and then start doing the exact thing again at the new location. A lot of that occurs, also with segments of the refugee population. It's something I have never understood.

Joe- Nice Conrail Photo.

Paul- Nice job on the modifications.

Toot- Nice MRL photos.

Willie- Neat scenes and I really like the John Deere wall ad.

Karl- Neat looking trailer.

Garry- I would check to see what Bowser has for 50' auto box carriers. I know they carry them but don't know if the ends can open. Not too long ago I saw a old photo of a FD hook and ladder being unloaded from a Pennsy one. It was pretty neat.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
kjd said:
I need to put brake shoes on my 06 Forester. I went to Rock Auto and there are 11 options from $9 to $29. How do you know which ones to get? My '99 Forester needs fronts, same thing. I rebuilt the power steering pump and replaced the rack in the '99 so I can probably do the work, just too many parts options.
Click to expand...
Paul, try to get something as close to OE (original equipment) as possible. If the brake pads are too hard the rotors will wear out quickly. If the brake pads are too soft the pads will wear out quickly.

If you can't find something close to OE choose the cheaper pads. Brake pads are cheaper than rotors.

Also, it always a good idea to turn the rotors on a brake lathe, especially if it was not done at the last brake job. If the rotors are wearing good you can sometimes skip the lathe.

Check brake lines for wear and or sever ozone cracking also the calipers for leaks and binding and clean everything as best you can.
 
Good Evening all. Well it has been a rainy Saturday. Yesterday was spent waterblasting the walkway up to the house. I ran out of hose, so need to go back to finish, once rainy weather clears. I did get some train time in. Cleaned most of the track, set some cars out and train watched for a while. I then decided to put some of my DC locos on the track. These locos haven't run in 4 years, residing in a closed cabinet out of sight. One is my first N scale loco, an F-3A that is a Trix and about 45 years old. Yes it did run and pulled 6 cars up the grade.

Greg - Condolences to you and your family.
 
kjd said:
You might consider going to the stealership and getting OEM replacements. This isn't the place to save money. The front brakes do 70% of the braking system's work. Go too cheap, and they may wear too fast, be noisy, or even fail. There's tons of cheap Chinese crap in the auto parts business.

I recommend a guy on YouTube named Scotty Kilmer. He has a channel that's geared to guys who like to do their own work, and who have questions about getting things done. He has a video on this subject. Check him out.
Click to expand...

I go for OEM always, the only time I have deviated from replacement parts being the same as the originals is when GM debuted their ceramic pads back on the early 2000s. I had a 99 Alero at the times and by jove I loved those pads. They stopped great, didn't squeal and best of all, they didn't ;eave brake dust on my pretty chrome rims!

As far as Scotty Kilmer, I can take him with a grain of salt. Being in the biz I can usually detect when he is spewing bovine excrement.
 
Good evening gang!
Just a quick pic of the "Stooges" so far, Larry, Curley, Moe, and Shemp done and lounging at the shop. Curly Joe is still on the workbench.
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2 of the SWs have flashing alternating strobes, all have LED lighting and decoders, the lil guy has been detailed out and sports a working rotating beacon , NWSL Stanton drive and a TCS decoders with built in keep alive circuit.
 
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