Running Bear’s May 2021 Coffee Shop


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Man, y'alls work looks so nice ... ... ... ... mine looks like a 4 yo did it! <grin> maybe someday.

Track plan posted on layout design forum. I'd appreciate a looksie and tell me what you think.


Not entirely sure how to post threads here - hope that is right.

Anyway, I am now laying out the yard area. My thought is to get the turntable and roundhouse situated and mounted. and then start laying out the yard ladders. Had a few sleepless nights over one thing: Waaay back in December, when I built the benchwork I planned the tabletop and support joists such that they would leave the space for the intended TT and RH. Of course, I had neither at the time. Went back in March, and sure enough, was starting to plan how to cutout the joist re-rig a cross beam. Lo and Behold, the light shineth! Bega laying out in earnest the TT/RH and whadyaknow? This blind chicken did get some feed. All I can say is "God is good!" He does look after idiots and children, you know, and I know I ain;t no child!

I'm going to cut out the template for the Walthers 90 foot TT and recheck the layout this evening, that is unless wifeykins wants a few scotches - - she's having a tough day, I hear. Scotch and precise measuring do not mix. Though I did do okay the other night after 2-1/2 dram-ee-poos soldering two ME TOs, crossover style, (ref previous statement re: The Lord looks after ...).

Hope to have the TT and RH installed by the weekend, and then start the C70 yard ladder.

Anybody have experience with Tam Valley Depot servo turnout switch machines? I'm looking at the octopus and octocoder. Seems more reasonable than Cobalt or Tortoise machines.

Cheers all!

PS Sunny and surprisingly warm today here in Minnesnowta: 72 as of 1600!
 
Good afternoon from the great POLLINATOR loving county in Wisconsin. Flo, may I please have a apple, cinnamon, oatmeal raisin pancakes, just 1 slab? If you still have a diet Dr. Pepper I will take one and put one on reserve. Thanks.

I am not sure what’s crazier right now? No Mow May or finding out the 4 local grocery chains including 2 national ones don’t have any diet Dr Pepper in cans or bottles. Per the local distrbutor there is no shortage but the big sale this past weekend must have sold out, yes I did call them. I shall survive this!

I took an ATV ride this morning with the wife. It‘s called payback as I have to ride those monsters called horses occasionally with her. We have a swamp on our property with a creek running through it. Might be a movie in that line! Anyway, lots natural things in bloom with many pollinators flying around. Most of this country is still empty land, if you don’t use chemicals on that land, nature will takes its normal course.

I am thinking of doing something not smart. I have a 32’ section of my layout that I may re-do. Hard to explain what I will be attempting but I have no pictures yet. But basically create a frame made like a C or E 6’ long and build it at the bench. I will get some pictures in the next few days. I need staging and I think it will go under the main portion of the layout with the bottom of the E holding it.

Hope the health issues for family here get resolved. Not having good health is tough.

TomO
3B226EC6-113C-4AD7-9489-B8FCEA6AF0EA.jpeg
 
I am not sure what’s crazier right now? No Mow May or finding out the 4 local grocery chains including 2 national ones don’t have any diet Dr Pepper in cans or bottles. Per the local distrbutor there is no shortage but the big sale this past weekend must have sold out, yes I did call them. I shall survive this!



TomO
Tom, if you really can't live without Diet Dr. Pepper, I still have some of the custom blend formula with the mouse droppings in it. Let me know what your address is, and I'll be happy to send you all I have.
 
Hiya Shop Dwellers, 53*F and calm under clear skies at my house.

Thanks everybody for the "likes" etc. on my Tuesday post.

MILW-Steve, welcome to the Coffee Shop!🍺

Lots of people here in the East are in panic mode, buying up all the gasoline they possibly can because of the oil pipeline ransomeware situation. I honestly had no clue this was about to happen when I filled my tank and 2 mower jugs yesterday, sure glad I went when I did! o_O

My "fifteen minutes" of committed layout time morphed into 45 minutes as I cleared a work area under the layout, set up my portable floodlamp, and installed the first 5 layout skirting "pincher" hangers on the backside of the fascia - here is one of them:

SkirtHangerNumberOne.jpg


...and here are the tools (other than the wire cutters) and materials I acquired yesterday for this project:

SkirtHangerToolsAndMaterials.jpg


The heavy-duty wire cutters are for clipping the end off of one side of each clothespin, from the side that gets hot-glued to the masonite. I know I'm gonna need a lot more of these hot glue sticks and clothespins to do the entire layout. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze into each of the under-layout locations that I need to be in, so I can install the rest of these hanger clips.
 
Good morning gang!
40° outside under clear skies, should get to almost 70 today.
IBKen, why are you trimming the clothspins? It would seem to me that the longer the clothspin, the more place for glue, the stonger the joint. Or am I missing something??
Well, off to work I go, BBL
 
Tom... I feel your pain

Once a palate gets set to the joys of diet Dr P we're stuck.

Fortunately when we lived in the teeny-tiny LA apartment, we lacked extra beverage space in the fridge, so I reset to iced tea that I made myself daily.

Getting back into the Midwest style with a beverage fridge in the basement to supplement the normal food storage in the main fridge, I started watching pennies and worked back into sodas with the store brands (Kroger in this area). The store brand isn't miserable. And they over-carbonate it to help disguise the formula difference. I tell my wife that's whey I get "turbo thrusters" when walking.

She asked if the brand-name Dr. P did the same to me. Of course not. It's REAL Diet Dr. P.

Buy that, then. We're not destitute, she said

We also have a Soda Stream machine, which the wife likes. However, they seem to only do one production run of cola syrup per year. So, she's been back to 2 liters for her go-to Caf-free Diet cola. We can still find diet cola and diet lemon lime. She always points to their version of Diet Dr. P syrup and asks if I want it.

I shudder.

I can debase myself and drink the store brand when all else fails. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS. But one bottle of that Soda Stream syrup (as in I made one bottle) was too many. I looked at the Soda Stream syrup bottle, and poured the rest of the syrup (about enough for another 8 liters) right down the drain. Then I poured out the bottle I just made up of the nasty cough syrup masquerading as a tasty beverage.

If you run down to Indiana, I've got an extra 12 pack you can have. Of the real stuff.
 
Morning all,

44° and partly cloudy this morning with a sunny day and a high of 71° expected. I'll be off tomorrow so I can update servers on Saturday. The joys of network administration. If I don't do it, it doesn't get done.

The pool filter was struggling when I got home last night, water didn't go down, but the chlorine inducing floating flamingo got caught in the skimmer, which happens when the pool level is too low, but still above the minimum. I've been avoiding filling the pool higher as we were supposed to get some rain. Still no more leakage that I can detect. Always a plus.

MILW-Steve: Welcome to the coffee shop and the site.
 
Man, y'alls work looks so nice ... ... ... ... mine looks like a 4 yo did it! <grin> maybe someday.

Track plan posted on layout design forum. I'd appreciate a looksie and tell me what you think.


Not entirely sure how to post threads here - hope that is right.

Anyway, I am now laying out the yard area. My thought is to get the turntable and roundhouse situated and mounted. and then start laying out the yard ladders. Had a few sleepless nights over one thing: Waaay back in December, when I built the benchwork I planned the tabletop and support joists such that they would leave the space for the intended TT and RH. Of course, I had neither at the time. Went back in March, and sure enough, was starting to plan how to cutout the joist re-rig a cross beam. Lo and Behold, the light shineth! Bega laying out in earnest the TT/RH and whadyaknow? This blind chicken did get some feed. All I can say is "God is good!" He does look after idiots and children, you know, and I know I ain;t no child!

I'm going to cut out the template for the Walthers 90 foot TT and recheck the layout this evening, that is unless wifeykins wants a few scotches - - she's having a tough day, I hear. Scotch and precise measuring do not mix. Though I did do okay the other night after 2-1/2 dram-ee-poos soldering two ME TOs, crossover style, (ref previous statement re: The Lord looks after ...).

Hope to have the TT and RH installed by the weekend, and then start the C70 yard ladder.

Anybody have experience with Tam Valley Depot servo turnout switch machines? I'm looking at the octopus and octocoder. Seems more reasonable than Cobalt or Tortoise machines.

Cheers all!

PS Sunny and surprisingly warm today here in Minnesnowta: 72 as of 1600!
99.9 percent of us started there,and some have a yen for that exact look and stay there,getting your electrics,electronics,weather,scene making,kit building skills will take time,but people her will share,offer advice give tips and discuss breakfast - I don’t usually eat breakfast but have tried sone of the ideas here for other meals,but you get a modelling family,so it is a nice relaxed atmosphere,feel free to share pictures do not expect criticism here, they are a friendly bunch
 
Good Morning All. Cloudy and 56° this morning. Sun should finally make an appearance in a couple of hours, after what seems a week away. Then Sunday, the forecast has seven days in a row of thundershowers, maybe more after that but I can only see the 10-day forecast. They're predicting 4" total, so none are supposed to be severe. It will be warm (and humid), with temperatures in the mid to upper 70's.
The weekly grocery/beer trek is today; I'll look for Diet Dr Pepper! That's my second "go-to" soda after Diet A&W Root Beer.
Why the hell are gas prices going up here in Texas??? We should have a surplus since it can't go anywhere! Seriously, good luck for all of you who might be affected.

Flo, I'll try the "all you can eat" bacon special this morning. Whoever discovered bacon deserves a Nobel Prize!

Thanks to all who commented or liked my post yesterday; Karl, Patrick, Gary, Hughie, Phil, Guy, Rick, Joe, Garry, Tom O, Justin, Ken, Tom, Jaz.

I made more progress on the bus station yesterday out in the train shed. Almost finished.
IMG_6305.JPG

IMG_6306.JPG

Normally I do not glue roofs on, so I have an opportunity to remove it later for detailing etc. In this case I did glue it because there was a slight bow in one wall that allowed a gap along one side. Since this is going to be on the lower level, it might be noticeable.
The kit came with extra stuff, an envelope of Microscale decals to start.
IMG_6303.JPG
IMG_6304.JPG

I can only use the "BUS" sign on this structure though.
A sidewalk kit that matches Walther's street and sidewalk stuff, although that doesn't matter to me
IMG_6308.JPG

A sprue of extra detail parts like fire hydrants, mail boxes, roof vents and other roof details that I cannot use.
IMG_6301.JPG

It has most of the parts for a roof water tank except the tank itself.

Gary - That's one hell of a dining room table. Looks like special equipment is needed just to move it.
Steve - Welcome to the Coffee Shop. Hope to see more of you here. Sorry, I have no experience with the Tam Valley stuff.
Ken - I saw one report of a person partially filling a plastic trash sack with gas in the Baltimore area. That wasn't you was it?
Patrick -
The pool filter was struggling when I got home last night, water didn't go down, but the chlorine inducing floating flamingo got caught in the skimmer, which happens when the pool level is too low, but still above the minimum.
I hate it when that happens, although I do not have a flamingo tablet holder. The suction has caused my plastic piping to collapse.

Everyone have a great day. Stay safe and prayers for the health of all members who need them, including doggies.
 
Quit drinking Diet DP after 30 years , switched to Diet Dr Pete , havent looked back. You can get Diet Pepper in bags , the problem is the sweetener goes bad before you can consume it all. D D Pepper uses Nutrasweet , if you've ever had a can or bottle thats close to the sell by or has overheated (90F) , then you probably had an unpleasant experience drinking it. Pete uses Splenda I believe which has longer shelf life and is more stable . It also has much more taste ( almost like cane sugar) .

There is a national shortage of CO2 and it is and has been affecting the soda pop and beer market. I believe It has to do alchol production as it relates to hand sanitizer.
 
Morning all!
With the temps going to hit the mid-60's and no chance of rain, it will be a door painting day for me.
The new backdoor looks so nice, the wife wants to see the front door changed out now. I'm trying hard to come up with a justifiable reason why that's just not possible, but, she's threatening to give the door a karate kick if I don't do it.

I thought the Tree Swallows had evicted the House Sparrows from out of the two bird boxes on the back of my home. I guess not, the sparrows are putting up and good fight, and it looks like they are winning. The sparrows are a tough little bird; introduced and not native to these parts.
Now, I'm hoping they'll settle on a bird box for each. Just not sure if they like living that close to each other. - I had hoped the swallows would win the day, as they've been nesting in those boxes for the past 20yrs. I believe it's been generation after generation coming to those boxes.
Here's a photo of last years Tree Swallow family, just prior to heading south for the winter:
TreeSwallow2020.jpg


I'm just going to have toast and one more coffee, and then I'll get to painting. I like to paint earlier instead of later, before the sun's rays have a chance to hit the work directly.
The wife started her tomatoes from seed and they are now 2' tall; she's getting them ready to replant outside. I told her it's still to early and there will be frost, but, she's head-strong.

Before I get painting, I'll just post one more photo of the local rails. The MOW workers are maneuvering a high-rail onto the tracks in the distance:
MOW_05-10-2021.jpg


Thanks for all the posts and layout photos! Thanks for a spot to let it out a-bit!
Have a good one!
 
Good morning, everybody ..... I'll have coffee and a donut, please.

Willie ..... Your bus station looks good.... Yes, the Bachmann kits do provide useful detail parts. I still have extra mailboxes, sidewalks, and other details left over.

My "fifteen minutes" of committed layout time morphed into 45 minutes

Ken ..... LOL .... I'm laughing because my 15 minute projects also take much longer than intended. Sometimes, I'll tell my wife I'm going to the garage to work on something for 15 minutes. Next, one thing leads to another. I don't come back in the house for at least two hours, and the original project is not completed yet. I worked on a lot of other stuff though.

Everybody ....... Have a good day.
 
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