Running Bear's March 2022 Coffee Shop


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forgot to do my weigh-in this morning when I stepped out of the shower.

Wife is heading down to her mother's this afternoon. Meeting with the rural auctioneer that specializes in senior relocations. Be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Tomorrow she heads back again (going with Sis #1 both times) on Sat. This time they'll meet with their cousins and aunt. There is jointly owned farmland in question. Two of the cousin have inherited already. Two haven't. Nor have my wife and her siblings. Since my MIL has sought legal advice from an attorney specializing in senior matters, they're sharing what they've learned. And telling of the plans for my MIL to sell and move up here across the street from us.

On the BBQ front, I discovered I grabbed a shoulder roast instead of a chuck roast. They're similar but different.

Got the grill too hot, and was planning a three-hour cook (3# of meat). Once the meatr® thermometer app told me it was only a 45 min cook, I shut the vents and got the temperature to decline. Still stuck it in the oven inside (oven off), wrapped in foil, and let it rest for 2 hours. Had to turn the oven on to "Warm" twice - about 5 min each - to keep the meat temp from falling too quickly.

Here's a link to Chuck vs Shoulder

And here's a link to my favorite in meat thermal probe. I use this on every long cook. Even on steaks that I'm reverse searing. (Smoke first, then crank the vents open, and drop it back in to sear both sides.)
 
Well, that didn't take long.

Even with interruptions that one is in the books. Isn't that just the way of life that just as I am getting good at this track laying thing - I'm essentially all done!

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Another wine train, for your viewing pleasure. I can see that I am going to have to get some of those mini bottles of wine for flatcar/gondola loads to keep this crowd satisfied!

Does anyone else who uses Micro Engineering flex get frustrated with their ME joiners? Fussed and filed, and they still were giving me fits. Finally said (and soooooooooo inappropriate for a man of the cloth!) "Eff it!" and reached for the bottle of Atlas joiners. "I'll solder the bastards later."

Now I think some wiring. Time to drill holes and solder feeders. Tomorrow, when the caulk dries, I'll have to drop and solder feeders for the reverse loop and then test the PSX-AR. No doubt, fun times ahead!

Steve J
 
Good Morning all. Thanks for the likes and complements yesterday. Got this Bachmann FA in the mail the other day here’s it is doing some Early Morning Switching on the Wortham Layout you can here the Rooster Crowing in the background as he picks up the Boxcar. Well that’s my Rooster in the background he just wouldn’t shut up while I was taping. Enjoy your day.

 
Does anyone else who uses Micro Engineering flex get frustrated with their ME joiners? Fussed and filed, and they still were giving me fits. Finally reached for the bottle of Atlas joiners. "I'll solder later."
I have not used micro engineering joiners, and I don't know what the issue is. But if the issue with the Atlas is that they are loose on the ME track - soldering later isn't a good idea. One doesn't want the solder to BE the electrical conductor. Solder is only to hold a good electrical contact in place. Lead and tin are very poor conductors compared to copper and even steel. I've posted this before somewhere. The picture I drew below is for a feeder, but the same thing would apply to a floppy rail joint.
solderjoints.jpg
 
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Good Morning All. Cloudy, windy and 45°, might make it to 60° later on. Cold tonight and then 75° tomorrow after the wind shifts from the south again around daybreak. Then we repeat the up and down pattern with 80° on Sunday and next Saturday, and with 35° tonight, Wednesday and Thursday.

Another uneventful grocery trek yesterday. Prices seem to have stabilized at least for this week. It also seems that my Kroger store has been able to hire a few more employees, as shelves look a lot better than they have looked since Christmas. Less restocking carts blocking the aisles as well.

After posting earlier this morning, I went back to bed and slept another hour, really felling great right now. I used a Temazepam last night that the doctor had prescribed. The pneumonia symptoms are continuing to be reduced, so maybe it was just more time to recover than I wanted.

Obvious disaster inside my tankless water heater. The parts arrived early yesterday and I removed and replaced one of the heating elements.
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Disintegration is the best way to describe it. However that didn't fix the issue and I suspect that the other heating element is the same way. Didn't check but just ordered another one to arrive today. It takes about twenty minutes to replace.

Thanks for the likes and comments regarding the loco pictures yesterday; Lee, Guy, Chad, Smudge, OB Ken, Steve J, George, Tom O, Sherrel, Dave B, Hughie, Patrick, Joe, James, Curt, IB Ken, Rick, Gary, Tom, Mikey, Jaz, Louis.

Another day of no train shed time due to obligations around the house. I'm beginning to miss that place.
So let's look at more engine pictures.
A pair of SD40-2's passing through Ft Wish. These are Kato models and they got the shade of yellow paint slightly off.
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Another pair of SD40-2's in Vernon.
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A different view of that GP60M/GP60B lash up from yesterday.
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Another pair of SD45's passing through Charlottesville.
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Guy - Nice progress. Copy away on the fence. I recently described how I did it, but maybe you were on Grandad duty at the time. I'll send a PM.
Nice story regarding the camera.
Troy -
I was going to name him Stampie, to go with Stompie, the first elephant I printed.
Perhaps Stumpie would be more appropriate!
Dave B - I like to have action even with the animal figures.
Terry - I am continuing to send positive thoughts and prayers for Marie and you in your time of need. May you make the right decision.

Oooops! I started this post at 0630, stopped for a bit when my wife called me to talk, talk, talk; then me and the granddog went for a walk since I forgot that I wasn't finished here. From there I visited the garden to see how my plants were faring in the wind and did other yard chores...now I discover that I didn't finish so here we are!:eek:
Everyone have a great day. Be safe
 
Good Afternoon,

It is a little cooler today, now at 38°. We are going to have 50's and sun tomorrow, yippeee

Patrick - our corned beef and cabbage was great, leftovers today. Wife made it in a cast iron kettle on the gas range:


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she put potatoes, cabbage, carrots in the mix. mmmmmgggooooood

Gary - nice scene with the 5" gun and figure, is that you?

Jaz avalley - sometimes I wonder what they are measuring that they call "intelligence"

gjsls Tom - love the d&RGW loco

Ken OBTC - glad to hear the feet are going to get off that concrete. My previous job was hard on mine, same circumstances

McLeod - great info on the mill and train activity in your area

TomO - good to hear the snow is just about gone. Ours shrinking fast

Lee - not much better than a new locomotive on clean track

Weekend - plan to do some major cleaning in the train room, getting ready to complete the loop on my new layout.

Finally, a photo from the old layout. Quite an assortment of trees, one sticks out as being a little odd, however a lot of the scene is pleasant to look at

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more later - Dave LASM
 
Afternoon All,

Took dad to the cardiologist. What a waste of time. All they did was change a bandage on his thigh. ☹️ I think I have enough medical training to do that. After getting home I did some house chores and applied a small area of ground cover around the one side of the icehouse. I also cut an additional piece of styrene to extend the parking lot to support a second freight house that I scratch built for my last layout. It won't have street pickup, just a transfer point for rail transport. I may make this warehouse a FGE facility since it's very close to the icehouse.

Gary- The ship is super cool. Do you already have a name selected?

Lee-It's ALTO tower (Altoona). It's a Scientific kit from Micromark. They have several PRR specific kits. Very nice EL FA and video.

Jaz- Great save with the loco.

Tom- That steamer is fantastic.

Ken(IL)- Congrats on your last day.

Terry- Prayers for you and your wife.

Steve- Did you use plastic joiners on the RL? Also, the RL needs to be long enough to hold the entire train. If you know this already I apologize.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Best laid plans of mice and men:
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First was to "line" my river bed for the plaster mix. The second was the plaster mix 3 minutes after I got it to the proper consistancy...I did save the container.
looks familiar. It took me a couple batches to figure it out, I put one half styrofoam cup (about 4 oz) water in my cool whip container and slowly add a slightly heaping styrofoam cup of hydrocal to make soup. I do not add any more hydrocal or water .

It is gradually setting up in the bowl, I am slowly stirring and walking over to the layout.

Still stirring a little with my rubber scraper. It is still thickening a little, will dribble a few drops on the damp paper towel. It is a runny malted milk when I start putting it on the towels. Within a few to several seconds it starts to harden a little, begin smoothing with the scraper. When it is a little thicker I may pour the whole batch out, spreading as I pour since it is still runnier than a thick malt.

If I do it perfect, I can finish smoothing with my fingers and it doesn't stick. If it is a little runny, the finger trick does not work. But the spatula works.

Maybe this weekend I will get my wife help me make a video, because my method is by now slick and easy.

I have gone through 30# already and will be getting another 25# from Amazon this week. That will be enough for the entire layout.

Dave LASM
 
Does anyone else who uses Micro Engineering flex get frustrated with their ME joiners? Fussed and filed, and they still were giving me fits. Finally said (and soooooooooo inappropriate for a man of the cloth!) "Eff it!" and reached for the bottle of Atlas joiners. "I'll solder the bastards later."
I can't believe you're having trouble. I have about 50 pieces of this track joined with their rail joiners and had no problem with them. I did solder them all if that's the issue?
George
 
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