Running Bear's January 2022 Coffee Shop

[Jaz avalley]

My other SIL now has Covid. Very mild and he wouldn't have known if he hadn't taken a home test. At our delayed Christmas gathering last Monday, he sat on one side of my wife, and on her other side sat my other SIL who's positive previously was the reason we had postponed to begin with.

I know my typing is awful, but is there something I am missing

 

[Jaz avalley]

Christmas is over, no more Polar Express to play with.

Christian has given me an idea I have been toying with. I could build a layout table. I still have the top pieces of the ping pong table I used for my first layout. The table could be used to set up one of the many RTR (ready to run) sets I have. I could make a video of them. I could watch the videos anytime. I could even use some O48 or maybe even O60 track to run some of my bigger stuff! The table could do double duty and be used as a serving table for our annual 4th of July party.

I don't like the idea of no trains to play with and my time is limited, not to mention my poor energy level. I want something to bridge the gap until I get to work on my permanent layout.

Oooh a green felt cover and lay on top,we could all throw ideas how you can do a magician whip the table cloth off back to table and how to get sone bang for your buck on a layout, I. Like this because so many people have this exact issue.

What options do you have

track wise
building wise - if any
and green fluff for scattered bushes so you can scoop them up quick, and do you have access to horse hair
a green felt cover could cost money, an old green table cloth, or an old grubby one with sone green dye, do not do it in the bath tub but in a bucket.
a piece of cardboard that you can fold then add paper which you paint a pale blue
some soil, real soil very dry for a light scatter by the tracks
a few twigs, not for trees you cannot ground them but just a small wood pile
do you have any figures, or almost appropriate cars a four wheeler or two likely the best choice
ok a start,and if you have stuff we can up the game, but we are looking for something that goes in a cardboard box, so you can get to it all fast and tidy it fast, and you can let any kids help pop it out on the table.
We can even look at a broken down little shack.
Last but not least do you have any solid piece of old packing foam we can cut a couple of gentle slopes, hills out of for the edges.

I think this a great project making a basic layout set, this could go on a dining table for a short while, you just need to ensure no mess once you withdraw, thus the other half has no reason to be anti about the odd play time.

weetabix roof, on a card base, thin plastic building, painted windows,basic scratchbuild, we just need to know how high or low to aim for.

 

[Jaz avalley]

Another thing the British do better than us, hard rock/heavy metal, we have some great bands, but they invented the stuff!

Not available

 

[Jaz avalley]

Well you will have an extra sparkle in your smile squeaky clean too!

Hope you didn’t swallow…..grins

 

[tootnkumin]

I have the blues from what I am reading on FB. Blue will soon be gone from Montana. Montana Rail link (MRL) has decided not to continue with it's lease of the mainline (ex NP) owned by BNSF in the merger between Burlington Northern and Santa Fe RR'd's. All jobs are said to be being retained. The original lease was indicated to be from 1987 - 2047. Will be strange to consider it a fallen flag.

 

[Jaz avalley]

You know the old saying:

Find one thing that you enjoy and do well with....craft it and make it your own where no other can replicate it. Whether it be art, craft or a trade. Profit from it for your enjoyment or not. What you do with your skill is up to you......

This guy is.... as I said a retired art teacher. Can you blame him though? Nope I cannot. Good for him. We should all be so lucky to find that one thing you do and have it either provide you with monies or enjoyment or both.....

Fashion statement, and once people do that they will pay silly money,back in the day when I was modelling on a large uk forum and made sone homemade dogs long before 3D printing, I had any number of people offer me a picture and ask to pay silly money for me to model their dog for the layout, but I do not give out my address and could not ‘ would not get into supplying the models in case of issues, lost in post, claims of lost in post, I did however make a number for friends, who I met at a show,one guy was coming over on holiday from Canada for our meeting and when I handed him his dog I honestly thought he would break down in tears,one to a good friend did get lost in post so I made him a second, and if a person is lucky enough to be niche and people willing to pay why should they not cash in, their willingness to pay is their problem.

 

[Jaz avalley]

Jaz- Great job on the figures and especially the bridge. Did you scratch build it?

No I bought it

 

[Jaz avalley]

Good afternoon from a brisk So. Central Wisconsin where the high is supposed to get to +7f/-13.8c. Seems doubtful since it is 2:30 as I started typing. It is +5 degrees now. The winds are calmer now at 10mph versus the high teens and gusts in the high 20’s that we had this morning.

Eventful day, not really but yes.

Kohls at 10 to return items from Christmas and buy something that fits.

HomeDepot for new N95 or NK95 masks. No NK just the N’s which are still fine. The 95’s now are being suggested to replace cloth and the paper surgical masks we have been wearing. Dane County Wisconsin is the highest vaccinated county in the state with almost 80% fully vaccinated and 70%+ having the booster. Rates of hospitalization is still climbing, almost entirely unvaccinated folks and many under 5 year old kids. That must be heart breaking for those parents. So the county health department is suggesting the upgrades.

Then we hit a furniture store for a possible new mattress purchase. Sticker shocker, $2300 for a Queen sized Stearns and Foster firm mattress. Not a set just the top mattress. They have them in stock and the sales person sort of laughed as that might be the only thing in stock at the store.

Then hit the grocery store, barely unloaded the groceries at home and got hit by the dreaded low blood sugar event. At least the 3rd one this month. Like I mentioned previously this has not been a good health month for me. Tried to rest while Terry is napping but not happening, so here I am.

Greg, the layout is not big. Along the walls, cantilevered as a shelf layout. Main wall is 32’, the aisle way wall is 11’, the north papermill wall is 12’ the east papermill wall is 14’ and the bridge wall is 7’ with a 3 1/2’aisle crossing and 7’ of programming track above the work bench. Nothing wider then 24” except for the abandoned quarry corner that is 32-36” not 100% on that. I can expand about 60’ in 2 different direct directions but until we know what our living accommodations will be this will stay awhile.

WILLIE, thanks. I think I have a couple months of work in on that wood chip pile and tracks. Rebuilt a couple times as I was having issues getting the wood chips smaller then a 3’ child. The editor of RMC chimed in a few times and said one day. If the chip is bigger then your scaled down hand they are too big. Everything went into a coffee grinder more then a few times. The chips over the track work are “good enough”.

I pulled all my sales attempts off of Facebook but left the locomotive for sale here on the forum. Doesn’t seem to be any interest and my PayPal is messed up. PayPal is now saying I don’t exist after at least 7 years of using it. So I can’t do payment transactions.

TomO

remember these? Put up for sale for less then I have seen elsewhere online. The others are selling but not mine.
View attachment 138569View attachment 138570

Put yours up in the same place matching the ones just sold

 

[Jaz avalley]

This one goes on for 3 hours, and get the same score as though it had been on for a week, that's why I like it. can't stand the 3 or 5 day games, rather have my legs waxed

Your spare leg is made of wax,is that an issue in warm weather…….
yar yar I know……..running,ducking,diving,laughing like a hyena,at my own joke,even if everyone else groans

 

[Smudge617]

Your spare leg is made of wax,is that an issue in warm weather…….
yar yar I know……..running,ducking,diving,laughing like a hyena,at my own joke,even if everyone else groans

No, not as long as I keep it away from the fire, otherwise it just goes soft and floppy

 

[santafewillie]

I know my typing is awful, but is there something I am missing

Not sure what you are asking here. Basically my wife sat at the dinner table between our two SIL's (Son in laws), one who tested positive for Covid before the event, the other who tested positive after the event. Coincidence??? Or concern???

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang
19 degrees and cloudy, not going to get above freezing today,brrrr!
Better let the truck warm up a bit.
BBL

 

[2Tracks]

Good morning from the far West periphery of the Great Basin! New coffee shop looks good, the coffee is on me today, for I am job FREE! Retirement is the order of things now, although it seems like I'm busier in retirement than with a job!
In looking forward to train room business, I moved the quad & riding mower over to the garage to give room to work in the shop. I have a separate "shop" building that I divided, layout in back, work area up front. All walls & ceilings are insulated, layout room is heated, shop portion is not. Here is a pic of the start of the rebuild, the old layout gone, the end wall cleared of clutter, I'm going to start here.

TAKE CARE, BE SAFE, FIND A REASON TO LAUGH TODAY!

 

[Patrick]

Morning all,

Not much yet going on this morning. Lost an auction overnight on 8 BB models, but with shipping it was over $90. If I go to the local train show in a couple of weeks, I'm sure I can get BB kits for less than $11 each. I am still in play on some Westerfield kits. Anyone work with those? They appear to be nice quality kits and if I can get them for my price, so much the better.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning.
Inaccuweather doesn’t seem to be working this morning, but it’s sunny and cold.
The company where I work still hasn’t straightened out the fact we have no health insurance, but they have mandated everyone has to have three covid shots or provide negative covid tests weekly starting February 1. They need to fix their problems with their health insurance before they start mandating procedures that require health insurance.

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Clear and 31° in this part of the world. Going to work it's way up to 60° later on. The only chilly day in the ten day forecast is Saturday at 46°, otherwise mid-50's to low-70's.

Heading out early today for the semi-annual dermatologist visit. This one's the overall look-see. Been clear visits for 2 1/2 years, so I hope that the trend continues.

Thanks for the likes and comments regarding yesterday's sunrise and train shed projects; Louis, Patrick, Joe, Chad, Christian, Gary, Hughie, Steve J, James, Sherrel, Smudge, Curt, Tom O, Karl, Tom, Rick, Justin, OB Ken.

Chicken fried steak, southern cream gravy and grits this morning Flo. make it the usual OJ on the side.

Despite ambitious plans for the train shed yesterday, I don't feel that I did enough. I did a little more painting on the eight figures, essentially completing six of them.

I just need to do the jacket of the fellow on the lower left, and the hands of the woman on the lower right.
I trimmed and primed the metal castings in preparation for final painting.

But then I ran a train or three. For one of them I was using a F45 in blue/yellow warbonnet along with a FP45 in a red/silver warbonnet; both Athearn Genesis models. Here they are in the staging yard prior to departure.

The first car behind them is an Athearn blue box flat car with a homemade aluminum billet load. This is the first car that I weathered and added a load to, over 25 years ago. Those are actual aluminum brazing rod ends that I salvaged from work and cut to length.

George - That's why I use the blue dishwashing detergent! In the train shed once, I used the bottle of Testor's liquid cement instead of the Solva-set and destroyed a large decal. Now they're on opposite ends of the workbench.
Greg - I have used a cheapo version of the CMX car before, but I was less than impressed. This was in the old train room which was a lean-to on the back of my barn. I now use it running with a dry pad behind my Centerline car to wipe the isopropyl alcohol off the track.
Tom O - The SD40-2 looks really nice and the handrail can be easily fixed, but it is out of my era which ends at the merger. I have too many other things going on to consider a repaint.
Jerry - Are you affected by all of the rain and snow out west?

Gotta go now as the doctor visit is early.
Everybody have an awesome day. Stay safe.

 

[CambriaArea51]

Good morning....No coffee today Flo, recovering from the 24 hour flu bug. The wife had it the day before, and even though I kept my distance and sanitizing things more so than ever I got the contagest bug anyway.

 

[Alcomotive]

I have the blues from what I am reading on FB. Blue will soon be gone from Montana. Montana Rail link (MRL) has decided not to continue with it's lease of the mainline (ex NP) owned by BNSF in the merger between Burlington Northern and Santa Fe RR'd's. All jobs are said to be being retained. The original lease was indicated to be from 1987 - 2047. Will be strange to consider it a fallen flag.

I think there was an ulterior motive to all of this acquisition for BNSF. Warren Buffet wouldn't do it otherwise. I think MRL was more or less forced into this with a carrot dangling in front of them as well. With the Keystone Pipeline shut down and more pipe lines on the verge of being shut down by this administration. Warren Buffet owns the the company that makes the tank cars and of course BNSF so ya cha ching! My 2 cents. I have always liked MRL and I think they have always done well. It is to sad to say they are now a fallen flag.

 

[Boris]

Good morning. 18° and sunny. Food shopping is on the agenda for today.

Solved one problem with my S2 recovery project...the Color scheme. The hood remains Pennsylvania with weathering.

5927 became 9827 during the 1966 renumbering.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Sherrel, don't feel bad, you are doing good. I had a customer call me once saying "I can't get this thing (laptop) open!" I told him to turn it around, that solved the problem.

LOUIS - Been there done that! Just about every other time I pick p this MAC - I have to do that.

BTW - That was funny!

I spent some time looking at your Lionel links - nice work!
What pipped my reasoning was that I was reading an article in an older MR and it was praising the Santa Fe F-3.
The first production run was 16,000 units - talked about later on Lionel was rolling them out 150 an hour!
T would like to know the total built? Have you ever seen it?