Running Bear's September 2020 Coffee Shop


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Good Morning All. Clear and a rather cool 60° on this fine Sunday morning.
It appears that it was a good night last night for my wife's recovering knee. She didn't get up once (yet) for the ice water circulator, first time since she had the surgery done. She has also been walking about the house without her cane occasionally for a week now. I don't think that she really needs it anymore, it's more of a "security blanket". It's also easier to hit me with it to get my attention!
Can't wait to get the new freezer delivered Tuesday. These daily trips for dry ice are becoming a pain, not as big a pain as losing all of that frozen meat might be. Dilemma is that it's supposed to rain Monday night and all day Tuesday. Freezer is too wide for the back door so it has to come through the wider front door. Not normally an issue except the rain. Here in the country, we don't have sidewalks, just yard! As some might remember from pictures earlier this year, the dolly could sink or become extremely muddy. I don't care about the mud, it cleans up. I just want the freezer.

Ah yes! Sunday morning. I'll take the Sunday Special this morning Flo. Eggs Benedict with Taylor Ham instead of Canadian Bacon.

Thanks a lot for all of the likes and comments yesterday; Sherrel, Lee, Guy, Karl, Hughie, Jerome, Phil, Chet, Chad, Tom O, Ken, Justin, Tom, Jerry.

While it was another short day in the train shed, I did get a little accomplished before I threw up my hands and just ran trains for a while. I finally resolved my frustrating dilemma with the candy caned-striped poles.
09-20-20 001.JPG

While the striped poles would look nice, it's painstakingly holding up my progress. All white poles would not look out of place.
For some reason I am having trouble taking a good clear picture of the Dodge Charger with its driver, but here's my best effort from the past couple of days.
09-20-20 004.JPG

The internal roll cage somewhat obscures him.
While the other structure is over on the workbench, I am going to tackle the background/backdrop for this particular scene.
09-20-20 002.JPG

I'll be painting a horizon along the backdrop, spray painting the track, and eventually ballasting it. Still undecided about the backdrop structure behind the tracks, although it's probably a keeper. Just need to decide on what kind of industry it will be. Then full force on ground cover.

George - Great looking job on the shed.
Jerry - That Walther's track cleaning car has a spring loaded abrasive rubber pad on it. No fluid necessary. It is essentially just an improvement over the old-fashioned Masonite car. It doesn't "clean track", but it "keeps track clean". It would probably remove some ground in crud with several passes, but that isn't what it is designed to do. Since I haven't had any ground in crud since building the train shed, (ten years ago), I cannot test it. I rarely even use my Centerline cleaning car any more. While their website shows my CSX car as discontinued, they have nine others, six of which are on sale.
Sherrel - You can keep your HOT or send it this way. I already covered up the pool this season and the water wasn't going to warm up regardless of the temperature.
Terry -
but we do have a small handful of people on the forum that seem to delight in shoving their opinions down others’ throat, in the most untactful manner possible.
Sad isn't it? But it seems that a few of the "my way" members have left over the past few months.
Hughie - I like that track plan. Plenty of industries to switch, fair sized main line, and any layout with a Waterfront Willie's is good by my standards!;) My only concern is the 40" wide unless it's accessible from both sides. If I recall correctly, you are N scale.
Lee - Nice looking chickens. If you're getting more than 6 eggs a day, I'd have that leghorn checked out!
Chet - I do not envy you free-lancers when it comes to decaling your locomotives and other rolling stock. What a pain!
Exchanging the body shells on the track cleaning car hadn't crossed my mind. I do have about two dozen 40' boxcars roaming the layout, so I will give that a look. Then I can run it with regular consists. Thanks for the idea.
Tom O -
This city boy has never touched a live chicken in soon to be 68 years.
I remember when my daughter was about 4 or 5 years old. My father asked her what she did the previous week, and she responded with "I helped Daddy take apart chickens"! He was actually impressed. As a teenager during WWII, he worked on a farm and didn't think that folks still did that any more.
Troy - You sure are moving fast on that layout.

Several commemorative days today, National Queso Day, National Pepperoni Pizza Day, and Wife Appreciation Day. Well I thought the last one was every day, at least in my domicile.

Everyone have a great day, stay safe and go to the church of your choice.
 
I remember when my daughter was about 4 or 5 years old. My father asked her what she did the previous week, and she responded with "I helped Daddy take apart chickens"! He was actually impressed. As a teenager during WWII, he worked on a farm and didn't think that folks still did that any more.
WILLIE - My mom was doing that right up until we moved nearer civilization in 1954.
After that we didn't have chickens anymore!

P.S. That "Charger" needs a Confederate flag on the roof! Where;s Daisy?
 
Good morning gang.
What's all this talk about chickens, a.k.a. yard bird. They seem to be the new in vogue pets. Pets schmets, thems good eating! Growing up we had cows, pigs, ducks, geese, chickens and rabbits, all good, some disassembly required as Willie's daughter would say.
Speaking of chicks..........

Screenshot_20200920-101633_Chrome.jpg

Bob, I must say I am not minding the advertisements the forum is interrupted with on my phone!

Time to get on the puter, listing parts on ebay today.
L8ter
 
Howdy .... Coffee and a donut, please.

Thanks everybody for comments and likes about my photo of SD7 switching stock cars.

WIllie ..... I'm sure just white poles will look fine. I'm wondering, however, if you tried using a red stripe decal wrapping it around in a spiral.

Chet .... I always like seeing your layout photos.

Everybody ....... Have a good Sunday.
 
I have been lax on posting a photo, r two!
That's me by the nosewheel bringing a full load of Marines and gear back from Desert Storm!
Fuel stop in Shannon, Ireland - Too much loaded to make it non-stop!
The Colonel wouldn't let them leave their weapons to go into the PUB, so I had 50 cases of beer delivered to the plane - no gunfights came about!
Dahran-Shannon1991-2.jpg
 
Good Morning all 43 degrees in the Ozark Foothills had to turn the furnace on last night when you ask Chet for something he delivers big time. Flo Waffles and Coffee. Thanks for the complements and likes yesterday. Yesterday as I was in the garage I felt the Chessie fever coming back I guess it was the pic Chessie System 3 posted yesterday so I dug my Chessie stuff out and that’s my project this week.

Hughie. I really like that layout plan I might have to use it if I ever expand the HO layout

TomO. Is that a live or Cooked Chicken you haven’t touched

Mike. That’s a good one never heard of that one

Chet. Those are some Beautiful pics of the Logan you did a great job on those Engines

Sherrel. I’ve always heard that 2-3am is the Witches hour Google it and read why you wake up between these hours you will be surprised 😮

Chessie System 3 Thanks for the Trigger Pic your Chessie stuff looks great always liked the Chessie we had a Cat that looked just like the old C&O Chessie at one time.

Troy. Your layout is really shaping up the top looks good even though you have to sand a little. Thanks for the updates. I’m sorry but you will have to wait till next Spring to see any Baby Chicks. I only buy them around late March early April maybe I’ll have a O Scale special car built by them to haul them 😆.


Today have to get some more yard work done. The garden is just about done the Tomatoes are fighting these cold mornings and I’m done fighting the garden. Here’s some pics of my O scale C&O and B&O Rolling stock. Take care and enjoy your day everyone I’ll check in later.View attachment 117543View attachment 117544View attachment 117545View attachment 117546View attachment 117547View attachment 117548View attachment 117549View attachment 117550
You are more than welcome to use it.
 
Good morning gang.
What's all this talk about chickens, a.k.a. yard bird. They seem to be the new in vogue pets. Pets schmets, thems good eating! Growing up we had cows, pigs, ducks, geese, chickens and rabbits, all good, some disassembly required as Willie's daughter would say.
Speaking of chicks..........

View attachment 117559
Bob, I must say I am not minding the advertisements the forum is interrupted with on my phone!

Time to get on the puter, listing parts on ebay today.
L8ter
You know... the way you cropped that image (not at all) makes it look like I'm advertising that. Good thing my wife doesn't read this forum.
 
Good Morning All. Clear and a rather cool 60° on this fine Sunday morning.
It appears that it was a good night last night for my wife's recovering knee. She didn't get up once (yet) for the ice water circulator, first time since she had the surgery done. She has also been walking about the house without her cane occasionally for a week now. I don't think that she really needs it anymore, it's more of a "security blanket". It's also easier to hit me with it to get my attention!
Can't wait to get the new freezer delivered Tuesday. These daily trips for dry ice are becoming a pain, not as big a pain as losing all of that frozen meat might be. Dilemma is that it's supposed to rain Monday night and all day Tuesday. Freezer is too wide for the back door so it has to come through the wider front door. Not normally an issue except the rain. Here in the country, we don't have sidewalks, just yard! As some might remember from pictures earlier this year, the dolly could sink or become extremely muddy. I don't care about the mud, it cleans up. I just want the freezer.

Ah yes! Sunday morning. I'll take the Sunday Special this morning Flo. Eggs Benedict with Taylor Ham instead of Canadian Bacon.

Thanks a lot for all of the likes and comments yesterday; Sherrel, Lee, Guy, Karl, Hughie, Jerome, Phil, Chet, Chad, Tom O, Ken, Justin, Tom, Jerry.

While it was another short day in the train shed, I did get a little accomplished before I threw up my hands and just ran trains for a while. I finally resolved my frustrating dilemma with the candy caned-striped poles.
View attachment 117555
While the striped poles would look nice, it's painstakingly holding up my progress. All white poles would not look out of place.
For some reason I am having trouble taking a good clear picture of the Dodge Charger with its driver, but here's my best effort from the past couple of days.
View attachment 117556
The internal roll cage somewhat obscures him.
While the other structure is over on the workbench, I am going to tackle the background/backdrop for this particular scene.
View attachment 117558
I'll be painting a horizon along the backdrop, spray painting the track, and eventually ballasting it. Still undecided about the backdrop structure behind the tracks, although it's probably a keeper. Just need to decide on what kind of industry it will be. Then full force on ground cover.

George - Great looking job on the shed.
Jerry - That Walther's track cleaning car has a spring loaded abrasive rubber pad on it. No fluid necessary. It is essentially just an improvement over the old-fashioned Masonite car. It doesn't "clean track", but it "keeps track clean". It would probably remove some ground in crud with several passes, but that isn't what it is designed to do. Since I haven't had any ground in crud since building the train shed, (ten years ago), I cannot test it. I rarely even use my Centerline cleaning car any more. While their website shows my CSX car as discontinued, they have nine others, six of which are on sale.
Sherrel - You can keep your HOT or send it this way. I already covered up the pool this season and the water wasn't going to warm up regardless of the temperature.
Terry -

Sad isn't it? But it seems that a few of the "my way" members have left over the past few months.
Hughie - I like that track plan. Plenty of industries to switch, fair sized main line, and any layout with a Waterfront Willie's is good by my standards!;) My only concern is the 40" wide unless it's accessible from both sides. If I recall correctly, you are N scale.
Lee - Nice looking chickens. If you're getting more than 6 eggs a day, I'd have that leghorn checked out!
Chet - I do not envy you free-lancers when it comes to decaling your locomotives and other rolling stock. What a pain!
Exchanging the body shells on the track cleaning car hadn't crossed my mind. I do have about two dozen 40' boxcars roaming the layout, so I will give that a look. Then I can run it with regular consists. Thanks for the idea.
Tom O -

I remember when my daughter was about 4 or 5 years old. My father asked her what she did the previous week, and she responded with "I helped Daddy take apart chickens"! He was actually impressed. As a teenager during WWII, he worked on a farm and didn't think that folks still did that any more.
Troy - You sure are moving fast on that layout.

Several commemorative days today, National Queso Day, National Pepperoni Pizza Day, and Wife Appreciation Day. Well I thought the last one was every day, at least in my domicile.

Everyone have a great day, stay safe and go to the church of your choice.
Yes it's n Scale. The table is 42" tall and I'm 6' 4" which means I can reach the far side of the layout. I'm not sure if it's dumb luck or the Kato Unitrack, but I very few derailments. Of course now that I have said that, they'll will fall off the track!
 
Was about 48F at the coldest this morning. Is now, at noon, 66F. Had a cold front roll in Friday night. Should warm up by Thursday to high 80s again.

Hughie - I like that track plan. Plenty of industries to switch, fair sized main line, and any layout with a Waterfront Willie's is good by my standards!;) My only concern is the 40" wide unless it's accessible from both sides. If I recall correctly, you are N scale.

I know you were saying this to Hughie, but I run 4' deep N-scale but make sure I can reach it from both sides. Right now it is a 4'x8' frame with foam (no OSB or ply under foam -- 2" foam is stiff enough and allows for easy wiring breakthrough etc).

The train room in the new house will have tables (frames and foam) all around the large room but will have about 2' space between the wall and the back side of the tables for all around access. It will be a large 4' deep "loop" of tables around the room perimeter, with the 2' behind, and a couple peninsulas sticking into the room. It will take years to get set up but there will at least be a loop going all the way around to start, plus the initial work area with some point to point and smaller local loops, like a real city in Japan would have. The large loop going all the way around kind of represents the bullet train line :)

(waiting to close on construction loan -- actual ground breaking pushed off to March as we don't want to be building in thew snow and cold)

Everyone have a great day, stay safe and go to the church of your choice.

Here in Utah, our church has 4 congregations meeting in the same building. Normally each one is assigned a slot on Sunday. With Covid, they had restrictions on the number of people allowed at once (was 99, moving up to 150) so each congregation was assigned one Sunday to have as many iterations of meetings as they needed. We would have 2. Now, starting in October, we get our normal slot back on Sunday and can have weekly meetings again. But limited to 150, and with pre-Covid attendance at 180-220 each week, we will divide the congregation into 2 groups and each one can go every other week. (Other congregations that can fit inside the 159 limit will meet each week for everyone). We will stream the main portion of the service for those who feel more comfortable not being there in person or who are on an off-week. Holy ordinances (the Sacrament ordinance, similar to other faith's communion) will not be streamed. I am the executive secretary for our congregation's leadership (the Bishopric) so attend the meetings planning all this. Just finished a moment ago with such a meeting where we talked about the new allowance and limitations. We are still figuring this out as it was a new announcement that we would be progressing to being a bit more opened up.

--

Yesterday I tried to install a TCS decoder into a KATO DE10 diesel -- a TCS version of the Digitrax that is a replacement for the lightboard KATO uses in this locomotive. I had the TCS K1D4 with the attached brass motor pickup plates sticking down and I think I shorted something by not isolating well enough. Still trying to test the decoder to make sure. I should have used the K1D4-NC, the one without the motor contact plates, and either hard wired from the motor to the decoder or used the slide on clip plates from the light board. We'll see. I wasted too much time on that and did not get that much done on my Throttle/train control app work, but I did get the response to the "set train info" set up so I can parse the result and do what I need with it. That is the result to setting throttle, etc. I will do a little today on finishing up some network commands I had defined but not yet tested (track power etc) but mostly I have to do some day job work and then family time.
 
Good afternoon this fine Sunday. Superb picture.

Lee, never touched a live chicken, I used to love fried chicken. I believe my wife has forgotten how to make it. Now it’s healthy for you grilled chicken, no skin!

People are funny. I only sell my trees to folks that have actually seen them. I have a buddy who asked me to make him some dead season saplings about 21’ HO scale (fall/winter, no leaves trees) or basically some twisted wire with very small branches painted a weathered brown or even untwisted rope quickly dipped in paraffin. Says too difficult. I said grab a Hobby Lobby 40% daily coupon and buy 60 of them for $10 and then the 40% off. He refuses to buy at Hobby Lobby. So, I took 4 pieces of 26 gauge wire, did a pull of 12’, added a hook to my drill and twisted them together, 4 times for roughly 48’. Then ran them through a paint bath, sprinkled on some dark brown leaves, let dry, then cut to 4”. Done. I gave them to him as it took less then an hour and refused payment. He stopped off and gave my wife a gift card for 50 at our local Friday fish fry place.

I was installing some bushes on my hillside and got overwhelmed by the 3m spray glue this afternoon. I have about 6’ of bushes left to cover. After the fumes dispatch themselves elsewhere I will be back in the train room. I have 60 trees ready to install and then figure out how many more I will need. I have formed 30-4” trees, 65-5” all with polyfiber but no leaves yet. Leaves are the easiest, quickess and last tree making function. I have 170+ more trees that are between 5 and 7” painted with no polyfiber added. I am out of 22 gauge wire and until the 40-50% coupons come back to Michael’s that will be it for tree making. Since these trees are going on a hill the tallest are placed in front with the lowest ones in back or along the wall. Picture of my bench yesterday as I got ready to use up the tree making wire. Have a great day. TomO

2B19A02B-4C14-4235-9D2C-780D1ADAC024.jpeg
 
got overwhelmed by the 3m spray glue
That is known as getting 'stoned'; a concept well known to rock stars, the elected leader of my country, and my ex-wife. But, I know what your meaning. Personally, I wear a mask when using anything risky.

Good afternoon, all. Since I can't hit the forest to hunt yet (wife's fault), I decided to stay home and winterize the house and property, and do some little modeling. I finished that crappy Atlas building.
I had a hard time completing it, as I just don't like it. The structure is too noticeably under-scale. I decided to struggle on, though, and it is now done forever. If I ever use it for anything other than a child's layout, it will definitely be on an out-of-the-way spot. - Photos:
Atlas_09-20-2020 (4).jpg

Atlas_09-20-2020 (3).jpg

Atlas_09-20-2020 (2).jpg

Atlas_09-20-2020 (1).jpg

It looks like a 7-11 for short people!

Wonderful photos and stories going on. Sherrel, I really like that airliner photo of yours. Thanks for posting that.
Karl - I don't seem to get many of that type of advertisement. Oddly, I did see something about some kind of weird jock strap. Mostly, I get Ebay and model airplane stuff. Probably because I used to be heavy into model airplanes, and online shopped at that type of store.

Keep the good stuff coming! Have a good one!
 
It will take years to get set up
I know the feeling. It seemed like forever to me. I built the new train shed with some help during the winter of 2010-2011, and then by myself, I insulated it, did all of the electrical wiring and installed all of the interior walls and ceiling during the spring and summer of 2011. I then did my first 2' x 16' section of benchwork for the 12 track staging yard, I needed to at least look at trains, haha! It took until late 2013 to complete the first level because I was still working at the time. As I progressed 12'-16' at a time, doing both benchwork and trackwork, I was able to run some trains from yard to "the end of the earth" progressively at the time. Lower level is about 165' overall. Retired in July 2015 and finished the upper level as well as some scenery on the lower level by winter 2016. Upper level with a 15' extra stoop-under section for continuous running is 180'. Still haven't done the helix, which is planned but may never actually happen. Happily I have been running for a while now on what is essentially two layouts. Still working on the scenery which I estimate will take til the end of 2023. I still have several large swaths of plywood with track running through, along with sidings for future industries that have been imagined but not yet developed.
So don't give up yet. It doesn't seem like you will anyway!
 
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Here are a few pictures of the “dead season” trees on my layout. This is an experiment and is on a lift out section. There is no backdrop because I need access to the water softener and water heater behind this narrow section 8 1/2” x 78” one piece.

Sherrel, I am using either 22 or 26 gauge wire that Michael’s does carry. I am going to wait for the 40 or 50% discount coupons that I have not seen since the pandemic started. I get notifications of 4 or 5 emails daily from Michael’s.

McLeod, I have been stoned in the old days. The 3m adhesive just hit very quickly and totally my fault. I always use a fan to create air movement at the modeling bench and when I was laying tracks. No idea why I didn’t move the fan to the hill area.
TomO

165B0687-056F-4F8E-BA35-E4F11C129F94.jpeg


4C37092C-AE9C-488D-85F9-33C3157B4F13.jpeg


2E012493-C184-409D-BE20-CE7C1828E842.jpeg
 
I know the feeling. It seemed like forever to me. I built the new train shed with some help during the winter of 2010-2011, and then by myself, I insulated it, did all of the electrical wiring and installed all of the interior walls and ceiling during the spring and summer of 2011. I then did my first 2' x 16' section of benchwork for the 12 track staging yard, I needed to at least look at trains, haha! It took until late 2013 to complete the first level because I was still working at the time. As I progressed 12'-16' at a time, doing both benchwork and trackwork, I was able to run some trains from yard to "the end of the earth" progressively at the time. Lower level is about 165' overall. Retired in July 2015 and finished the upper level as well as some scenery on the lower level by winter 2016. Upper level with a 15' extra stoop-under section for continuous running is 180'. Still haven't done the helix, which is planned but may never actually happen. Happily I have been running for a while now on what is essentially two layouts. Still working on the scenery which I estimate will take til the end of 2023. I still have several large swaths of plywood with track running through, along with sidings for future industries that have been imagined but not yet developed.
So don't give up yet. It doesn't seem like you will anyway!

No, I don't plan on giving up. I've been a "hobby" type person since I was a kid. Something to keep me out of trouble and off the streets :) . And mainly because I am compulsive about doing things and reading about things. I spend my time eating, bathroom time, before bed, etc reading WikiPedia or other things. Mostly history or technical (about planes, trains, weapons, etc). I always need to be doing something. I gavce up TV and that sort of thing long ago as it is more interesting to either do something of my own or to read something new.

My hobby list includes (not in any order):

RC planes
Reloading and shooting
Music making and playing (am not a great player but I try)
Wood working -- mostly solid body electric bass and guitar
Programming
Model trains

I usually have a couple of those going on at a time and a couple in hiatus -- to be brought out when I need a distraction and get temporarily tired of something. The music playing is ongoing but the music making (ie, composition and playing with electronic music and computers and synths and stuff is on again off again)
 
I apologize TomO .. I was looking at the Hobby Lobby coupons - not M's.

You scared me with that middle picture --- I thought my dogs had visited your layout?
Please don't talke it personal ... just struck me funny. Wife's on my case all the time to police them while walking.
 
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