Running Bear’s July 2021 Coffee Shop

[Jaz avalley]

Good morning....Rain all day today, I'll be in the train room working on a few cars. Coffee Flo need to get the cobwebs out this morning.

Rain all day means no standing watering….be grateful

 

[Jaz avalley]

Good Evening

Sometimes when you are beating around down a forest path, looking for the lost trestle of Blue Ridge lore, you see things that cannot be unseen.
A 1967 Ford Galaxy 2-door:
View attachment 130032

After I finished photographing the car that once was, I found the trestle that cannot be all gotten in a single photograph:
View attachment 130033

The tale continues over a coffee in the morning

And once seen, you need to model it

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Clear and 69°, another cool one. Never made it above 86° yesterday, maybe 89° today. The rain that was not in yesterday's forecast left me with 0.84" in the rain gauge, enough to cool things off and settle the dust.
Learned something new yesterday when I was returning the unneeded mower deck through Amazon. UPS shipping and The UPS Store are not connected, so at the UPS Store I had to pay for the carton that was demolished upon delivery; and then file a claim with UPS Shipping for my $100 back. That's a ludicrous price for a cardboard carton, but the thing weighs 69 pounds and is 32" x 60". Hope that the guy who took it out of the car and carried it in by himself didn't get a back injury.
Made another batch of spaghetti sauce with the homegrown tomatoes, garlic and onions yesterday after I got home. Didn't grill last night because of the chance of rain, but I made a really great tilapia piccata. First time that I tried that recipe and it was an astounding success. I normally am not a big fan of tilapia, but my wife likes it so we have to have it occasionally. I prefer bigger fish like swordfish, halibut, salmon or tuna.
Pineapple on pizza is OK with me, pieces not slices, just make sure that there is some pepperoni and Italian sausage on it as well. Even though I make lots of Italian dishes with chicken, it just doesn't go on pizza!

Speaking of chicken, let me have a chicken salad sandwich with fries this morning Flo. Onion roll please. Sugar-free A&W Root Beer to go with it. Why am I partial to A&W? It's our initials, Arlene & Willie

Thanks for the likes and comments regarding yesterday's current layout improvement project; Guy, Karl, Sherrel, Garry, Patrick, Hughie, Chad, Gary, Tom, Ken, Rick, Joe.

Pause while I go and watch the rocket launch.

Back now with the train shed update. I spent all of my modeling time (while not running trains elsewhere) on piping for the vinegar storage tank.

I think that the shorter tank fits the scene much better than the taller one.

Much to be done here, piping to connect to the pump house, the unloading platform and associated piping needs to be planted, and the pipe from pump house to the cannery itself. The smaller tanks between the two spurs are for corn oil. I think that I will replace the vertical one with another horizontal one since I still have an unopened tank kit. Nothing yesterday on the upper level quarterly cleaning project, I actually finished all of the track Sunday and now I just need to remove structures and do them. Since almost everything there is relatively new, it won't take long. But I do need to look at adding details and figures in some areas

Guy - The more that I see of that pedestrian bridge, the more that I am amazed that they actually built it! Does anyone actually use it besides the fire department for their training exercises??? Four flights of stairs up and four more down when you could just look both ways at ground level!
You don't have to post pictures when you visit the Coffee Shop. Just drop by and say hello and leave a nice tip for Flo or Francine.
Christian - Sorry, but there is no thread devoted exclusively to my layout. Much of it is documented here in the Coffee Shop. I simply never had the time and I have other hobbies as well as maintenance of the estate! I started to post pictures more heavily in January 2018, if you have time to review. If you see anything that you would like more details of, just ask away. That goes for everybody else as well. I am however, looking at documenting as much as possible in a picture-heavy blog. I am still learning the software right now.
Garry - Yes there always seems to be something interesting going on on the layout. I need to discipline myself to be able to spend more time in the train shed, or not to pick up the throttle and run trains so often...not! This current project area has been waiting almost seven years for completion. Track (plan) was completed (except the RH corner) around 2014 or 2015; the two businesses in the LH corner and the cannery have been more or less in place since then as well. I did shift the cannery tracks when I started this area recently. I have always found that I need to be inspired to do a particular area in order to do it well. I am not short of places to finish up as you can see by the fact that there is always something going on. My original ambitious goal of completing everything by mid-2022 has been set back by about a year, but there is still hope. Meanwhile I am still having lots of fun. I have a whole south aisle with nothing on either level on either side that I am purposely holding back on until I get more of the current partially scenicked area done.
Troy - Positive thoughts and best wishes for your MIL.

So, depending on when wife heads down to mother's, I'll be without a car. That leaves me, the cat, and the Kamado grill.

And I see nothing wrong with that situation!
We're experiencing some of the same thing when we decided to shrink to a one-car couple. Scheduling is sometimes a hassle, but we do most things together anyway. It did cut our insurance payment in half. When I travel 65 miles to go to my LHS, I just drop my wife off at one of the grandkids homes since they all live less than five miles from the train store.
Sherrel - Sorry to read about your BIL's misfortune.
Karl - Thanks.
Curt - Welcome back. We have all missed you. There hasn't been a week go by that someone hasn't asked about you. Phil was giving us some info but as you explained, he is having some current issues. Thanks for that update.

Everybody have a great day.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Good Late Morning from the West where it is currently 67F headed for 92F later on with clear sunny skies.

CURT - So glad to see that you found your way "home" here! We have all missed you and PHIL both!
Prayers for your parents. - May God comfort them both in their latter days!

CHAD - I have no idea how I overlooked your "construction" blog? Glad to hear that you are finally underway.
Twenty-five years past the Spousal Unit and I were planning on a nice place about 5 miles West of town - a very nice area with all 20 acres and larger Avocado groves. I had found a 20 acre undeveloped patch which was at the end of a half mile cul-de-sac, bought a tractor, a carry all with a dump bed, and a ton of other stuff and spent the next two years building a road, cutting out a "pad" and trenching, laying water lines and such. Shorting this story - I finally gave up on the project due to the constant exborient fees, taxes, and dealing with all the permits and county on trying to build anything. CA is a nightmare - I did not know there were as many government agencies - no wonder nothing ever gets changed! A rare bird - A burrowing owl - A protected plant - Kangaroo rats, etc.

One quick note on the MIL. I could never have wished for a better MIL had I tried. I have never heard this lady say a disparaging word about anyone - ever! She has quite a humorous side as well - and - when she was 84 - she was mowing her own yard after having lost her husband at age 53. Being second generation off the boat Italian, I thought the Pizza cartoon was funny! My spouse and her three girls were living with her when we met - both of us being single at the time.

OK - I'll shut up for a minute - Have to take the Miniature Dachshund to the VET Dentist this morning for some tooth extractions - not looking forward to this!

 

[Rabοliot]

Christian - Sorry, but there is no thread devoted exclusively to my layout. Much of it is documented here in the Coffee Shop. I simply never had the time and I have other hobbies as well as maintenance of the estate! I started to post pictures more heavily in January 2018, if you have time to review. If you see anything that you would like more details of, just ask away. That goes for everybody else as well. I am however, looking at documenting as much as possible in a picture-heavy blog. I am still learning the software right now.

Many thanks for your answer. Could you post a track plan of your layout ?

 

[McLeod]

Good Morning! 58F with mild rainfall this fine morning. It's going to be a beautiful day; except for the heavy smoke in the air.
I hope the rains help out on all the fires, but, I just don't think it's enough.
I'm not sure if the local wildlife is having a noticeable time with the smoke:

Thank you for all the likes on past posts!

Willie - The story on that 600 grand over-the-rails pedestrian white elephant. There is a newer road traffic crossing at that location. CN would not allow the town to build the road crossing over the tracks until they had that monolith built and in place. A complete garbage disposal of tax payers dollars. The only people I've ever seen on that bridge are fire-fighters training and children playing. Never anybody who is trying to get someplace.
Thanks for the comment, but, I don't usually make posts unless I have photos. That's just an integral part of who I am. I have the capability and the willingness to post photos, so I do, just like you.

Jaz avalley - Thank you for the wonderful photo of the extremely well modeled abandoned vehicles. Except, there is a couple of issues. There are no bullet holes in the vehicle bodies and the windows arn't smashed out just for fun. They still look like one could climb in and drive away.
Abandoned cars always have bullet holes, no glass and no wheels:

Sherrel - Bless the fine looking MIL. Better pay attention to her, she looks like she could still run the marathon. You're a very lucky fella to have you're elders still with you.


Here's a close-up of a garden bee. It struggled trying to fly with that big body and short, stubby wings. It could get airborne, though, I don't know how. It's just a photo I share for the conversation:

Have a great day, everyone!

 

[chadbag]

Learned something new yesterday when I was returning the unneeded mower deck through Amazon. UPS shipping and The UPS Store are not connected, so at the UPS Store I had to pay for the carton that was demolished upon delivery; and then file a claim with UPS Shipping for my $100 back. That's a ludicrous price for a cardboard carton, but the thing weighs 69 pounds and is 32" x 60". Hope that the guy who took it out of the car and carried it in by himself didn't get a back injury.

UPS and the UPS Store actually are connected, just not in the way you wish they were. UPS stores are independently owned franchised stores. UPS (the shipping company) is the owner of the main UPS Store organization, but each store is independently owned, which is why you had the experience you did. The UPS store came about when UPS (the shipping company) bought Mailboxes Etc.

The UPS Store - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[chadbag]

Make sure you have essential materials in place , here in the uk due to lockdown there has been an unprecedented demand - low supplies, then Covid - low supplies and the Brexit war = low supplies with planes running less more is going by container but the UK and the US and Europe have a small number of ports that mo ve containers so they are literally queueing out on the water and each day they queue adds more container costs last spring 2020 a container from Asia cost 2061 pounds at present it costs 5800 pounds and this is not likely to get better, we have shortages of cement,steel - because we bowed to the eu and stopped making steel,wood prices like yours are going high, chemicals from Texas was apparently a problem becaseaao winter,Scandinavian wood is messed because they had a warm winter, I went into my shoe repairers and was admiring a Zippo (US made) and they said yeah they are stuck in a container IN EGYPT, plaster is like hens teeth and people are travelling in the uk a hundred miles to go get some which is just plain crazy, so make sure you’re watching your supplies and are ahead of the game, builders here are literally downing tools because of said shortages, we had 2 projects which we have put on hold,one is a leak,where we can cope with a leak but we cannot cope with a big hole in our roof and a shortage of goods, I added an alarm and a towel and watch the weather,luckily it needs lots of rain and the wind in one specific direction,so we cope…cross fingers.

Thanks. Yes, we are staying on top of that. In Utah construction is going through the roof. Luckily some stuff is opening up and easier to get (not easy, just easier). I think they are finishing the excavation today. I took a picture (below) last night. The spot where the excavator is sitting is the last spot. Unfortunately the close end in the pic was over dug too much and a corner dug out that was not supposed to be. But we'll fix that later.

The first load of the foam blocks for the ICF walls should be here end of the month or very beginning of August. Footings will be started this week once the excavation is done. Some rough-in plumbing and then I start with the ICF walls.

 

[Texas Hobo]

Good Afternoon all! Just stopped in to say, "Howdy"

STAY SAFE
LATER

 

[Sirfoldalot]

The first load of the foam blocks for the CF walls should be here end of the month or very beginning of August. Footings will be started this week once the excavation is done. Some rough-in plumbing and then I start with the ICF walls.

CHAD - I guess that I have CRS? What are foam blocks. CF walls, and ICF walls?
Confused in CA - Ha!

 

[chadbag]

CHAD - I guess that I have CRS? What are foam blocks. CF walls, and ICF walls?
Confused in CA - Ha!

CF = ICF. If I said CF it was a mis-typing of ICF.

ICF = Insulated Concrete Forms. Basically big foam legos you build the house out of and pour concrete into to make your foundation and external walls.

Here is a generic description: https://www.buildwithrise.com/stories/mythbusting-icf-sustainable

Here are the blocks we are using (which are also referenced in that generic description): https://www.nudura.com/products/nudura-icf-series/

 

[Patrick]

Like the view Chad. If I were to build a house, I'd do the ICF as well. Good way to insulate a basement. There are a couple of full on houses built with that tech in the next subdivision. Basically a concrete house.

 

[IronBeltKen]

Ken, look closely at the connector on the laptop. There should be a small pin in the center of the connector. If it's bent slightly, it won't recognize the charger. Also, if you're plugged in to a surge protector, that sometimes will cause an error message on any newer laptop.

As usual Terry, you had The Answer!

I looked into the end of the charger plug, and I could barely see a pin deep in the back. It didn't seem to be bent, so I reinserted the plug - and this time I pressed extra-hard to get it the whole way in. That's what it needed - the pin wasn't making contact the first time I had tried it. When I was setting the computer up fresh from the box, it took awhile for me to find where the power socket was. And when I tried it, I didn't want to force anything and risk breaking something (been there done that). So I really wasn't aware that it wasn't in as far as it could go...

 

[chadbag]

Like the view Chad. If I were to build a house, I'd do the ICF as well. Good way to insulate a basement. There are a couple of full on houses built with that tech in the next subdivision. Basically a concrete house.

When I took the Nudura installer course, there were several builders there learning how to use the blocks. They said they were basically using them to do the foundations, and would then do normal framing. We are using them footings to roof for the outside structure. Internal structure is wood frame/floor.

We will be air tight and have an ERV installed from Zehnder to provide fresh air and exhaust stale air.

For Sherrel: ERV -- energy recovery ventilator. There is also a variant called HRV -- heat recovery ventilator. The ERV is basically an HRC that also captures existing humidity from the house and transfers it to the incoming air, doing both heat energy and humidty, while the HRV basically just does the heat energy. Ie, you don't want to throw your warm air out the exhaust and suck in cold fresh air to replace it, so they use a heat exchanger to suck heat out of the exhausting air and put it in the fresh incoming air.

 

[GarryCBQ]

Good Morning,

I know it's been about 4-5 months since I posted last, but I have been lurking. Mom continues to decline both mentally and physically and my Dad has also started to physically decline. I continue to spend about 5-6 hours a day with them and my better half has been cooking meals for Dad.

I talked to Phil last week on his 85th birthday. He is dealing with pretty bad energy levels after any kind of exertion and he is frustrated from it.

I have been trying to get 1 hour a day in the train room. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the BTS Cabin Creek Mine. I've had to modify some of it to work in it's new home. I do have the track work for it complete and tested with a H10-44 that will be assigned to that location.

That's it for now. Thank you for your prayers and we'll wishes. I probably won't post every day but I won't be such a stranger.

Curt ..... I am delighted to see you here, but saddened to hear your Mom and Dad are declining with their health. Certainly, you and your family continue being in my prayers. It's good you can work in your train room.

Phil .... Happy late birthday. Praying your energy levels improve very soon.

Willie .... Thanks for your reply regarding your work on the layout.

Joe .... That's an amazing photo of four GG1's on one train. Unfortunately, PC let them look too scuzzy.

I had my cardiologist appointment this morning, and everything seems okay again.

Everybody ..... Happy Model Railroading !

 

[kbkchooch]

The powers that be are taking our puters away and giving us these. I'm gonna have to get new reading glasses!

 

[GarryCBQ]

Jaz .... Nice scene with the abandoned VW bus

Guy ..... Interesting photo of the abandoned car.

Jaz and Guy ....... Look in the weeds on this side of the house, and you will see an abounded car. Picture is a bit dark, but it is there.

 

[bnsf971]

The powers that be are taking our puters away and giving us these. I'm gonna have to get new reading glasses!View attachment 130116

That's so you can carry it out to the customer's car, and enter the info there. You should be able to increase the size of everything by reducing the resolution in "display settings". If the resolution is set for 1920x1080, for example, try 1760x840, or something close.

 

[kbkchooch]

That's so you can carry it out to the customer's car, and enter the info there. You should be able to increase the size of everything by reducing the resolution in "display settings". If the resolution is set for 1920x1080, for example, try 1760x840, or something close.

Ahh, but it does not integrate with the little thingy that we plug into the ALDL to download the vin and mileage to report to GM and check coverages, so we have to go back inside anyhow. Just another waste of money.

 

[bnsf971]

Ahh, but it does not integrate with the little thingy that we plug into the ALDL to download the vin and mileage to report to GM and check coverages, so we have to go back inside anyhow. Just another waste of money.

If it won't do that, the company is wasting resources. I know there are programs that will do that, it sounds like the stealership is cheaping out.