Running Bear's April 2021 Coffee Shop


Status
Not open for further replies.
Good morning gang
Brrr, 37° and sunny, heading to 60°. Taking my truck to get emission tested this morning, then lawn duty later. HVAC guy will be here from 2-4 to tell me why my 6 year old system wont turn on....more $$$$$$
Somewhere in there will be train time.
 
Morning all,

A little cool today, supposed to be 56° today, normal should be 68°. They're talking snow here Tuesday or Wednesday.

Waiting until I know the kids are up before I go to sand down the skim cat and then touch up any spots.

Guy: Too bad for the little old ladies...😂
 
Good Morning! - 35° heading up to 60° under sunny skies; the calm before the storm. Tomorrow is supposed to be snow and a whole lot colder.

Karl - Where I live, there's no need to spend lots on HVAC. We spend more time trying to keep warm rather than trying to cool off. Our HVAC is the open window and a shade tree with a chair under it. - I feel sorry for you, having to waste good modeling money on a repairman.

I'm going to post two side x side photos of different SD40-2W's. Both of these locomotives have been used as local switchers, and these are both my photographs taken about one year apart.
Notice the difference in configuration between the two. This confuses me. My first thought was that CN 5266 was not an SD40-2W; I thought the listing in the CN roster might be a mistake. - I'm surprised that there is differences between them, and I remain confused as to why.
CN 5266_SD40-2W_04-15-2021 (1).jpg

SD40-2W_2020 (1).jpg

I do note that one says GF-30P on the side, and the other says GF-30t. I suppose that might reference the differences.

Not much in the works for today. I'll probably get the lawn-mower prepped and do a bit more on the layout room reno; though, I prefer to be outside on the nice days.

Anyway, I'll find something to do. Have a good one!

Edit: I just edited my post because I had the CN numbers mixed up.
 
Last edited:
Happy Saturday everyone. Not posting much lately but I have been lurking. O'Neill's work continues. I probably have about 9 months of evenings and weekends into this kit, though sometimes it's only an evening or two a week, and there have been dead weeks to be honest 😁 Still, I'm getting there. The main structures are all pretty much done. I'm currently working on a pair of "drive-unders" with large canopies, Large in HO scale anyway! There are also some dock platforms and an oil tank platform that are in work. Most of this, no all of it, is board by board construction. You do this over templates, similar to the balsa wood aircraft kits we built as kids. I use double sided tape to hold components to the template instead of straight pins, and it goes pretty well, though it can get tedious! I'm going to begin assembling the diorama soon.

Main building canopy support:
Canopy Support.JPG


Main building canopy:

Drive Under Canopy.JPG


Oil sump dump area drive under canopy support. This one will teach you patience! The language got rather atomic putting this one together:

Sump Support & Drive Under.JPG


Test fit of the oil sump dump area canopy

Oil sump support assy with overhang.JPG


Tower dock. Note the double sided sticky tape holding the assembly to the template. Also note the mistake on the template. It should say 5/64, not 5/4! The stripwood in this kit is not color coded, so I've had to do a fair amount of measuring to confirm I've got the correct size. There have been one or two boo-boo's, but I was able to recover from them. You get plenty of material, and the various sizes are different lengths so the instructions will say to "grab six pieces of the 6 inch long .020" by 1/16" limber from Bag 4" so as long as you keep things where they belong you'll stay out of trouble.

Tower Dock Assy.JPG
 
Good Morning Everyone. It's cloudy and 46° outside, it's a warm 75° in here with the wood-burning stove. I believe that this is the latest date that I have had to use it in the 40 years that I have lived here. And it ain't over yet. The current long range forecast is calling for temperatures near freezing Tuesday night/Wednesday morning here before seasonal temperatures return Thursday. Let's hope that it changes since the tomato plants are getting too big to cover up. :( That's more than a month past our average frost-free date.

Thanks for the likes and other encouragement regarding the present state of the layout; Hughie, Garry, Guy, Jaz, Rick, Ken, Gary, Patrick, Phil, Justin, Sherrel.

Hello Flo. Let me have a chicken fried steak sandwich with gravy for breakfast this morning. I need something substantial today.

Out in the train shed yesterday I made some more progress on several things. I managed to dust and vacuum a half dozen structures as I got to the end of the west wall. Now I move south through the town of Vernon that I have been posting the past week. Didn't do any upgrades on any of them but made a couple of notes.
Moving down the block on Main Street, next to the hardware store is a few more small businesses.
IMG_5991.JPG

All three are Smalltown kits, the two on the right are older ones with my own signs and interiors, the boutique is a newer one that came with signs and interior. Of course the tax office is a tribute to my wife's employer.
Then I have another block of small businesses.
On the corner is Don's Pizza, an older DPM structure with some offices upstairs.
IMG_5992.JPG

Next to it going south are another pair of structures.
IMG_5993.JPG

Presently the one on the right may be a "place-holder", since that overhead door seems out of place there. Maybe, maybe not!. On the left is another DPM kit that I am using as a bookstore.
Lastly is a Walther's kit, Jim's Red Owl grocery. It is an upgraded version of a former Magnuson model that Walther's originally released as something else that I just don't remember this morning.
IMG_5994.JPG

Meanwhile on the other end of the layout, work continues in Rycon Township. I added ground cover in parts of the area between the deli and the existing scenicked area.
IMG_6039.JPG

Part is still blank because I have raked my wrist across wet scenery in the past and I know better.
The raised area will get another structure, while just scenery will go to the left of that. Some of that scenery will be trees to the left next to the beehives, as a scenic divider between the two areas; while some will be low cover so I have access to the two ground throws behind this spot. The graveled drive next to the deli is a loading zone to the door on this side.
So what will I put there? Stay tuned for tomorrow to see what I am thinking.

Sherrel - Got any idea where your second photo of the three-unit lash up was taken? The surrounding area looks vaguely familiar.
Jaz - Always interesting to see your photos, especially with all of the vehicles on the wrong side of the road.
Guy - Interestingly enough, those two pieces of machinery came from two different DPM Gold kits as I recall. Both are motorcycle related. One was Poppa Wheelie's and the other was Harlee & Son. Both kits had far more white metal details than I needed for the scenes that they are in.
Your photo looks close, but you are right that the castings that I have are floor mounted.

Great morning. Since I started this post, the sun has come out for the first time since Tuesday. I just stepped outside and noted that I have trapped the pesky opossum that has been digging the place up this last week. It dug up some onion plants which I had to replant. Doesn't eat any of the garden stuff, just uproots things in it's search for worms and grubs. So in a few minutes, I have to take it far away for release. I usually take these critters to a wooded area next to an ATV park about 8-9 miles away.

Everybody have a great day, and an awesome weekend. I have to get dressed and take a opossum for a trip
 
Good Saturday for a funeral! Speaking of Philip of course. He was quite a guy! The Spousal Unit is glued to the telly - she relishes these kinds of events.
Starting the day off here at 52 degrees with a predicted high of 76 later under partly cloudy skies.

My BIL and I managed to reconnect "MOST" all of the wires on the RV yesterday and only had two wires on one side and one wire on the other side that we could not figure out where they went?
The Vehicle started but there are three lights on the dash that says we screwed up some where?
One is the "ABS"
One is the "check engine"
One is the 'wrench"
We have a spider web of wiring hanging down due to the fact that trying to work underneath with about 2 inches of clearance between chest and frame was a nightmare. Anyway, we can now move it to where we can raise it up on a hard surface and it can be towed if need be.
That harness cable will need to be replaced - and the three unconnected mixed color coded wires have to go to something. I will take it to the mechanic to next week to see if he will work on it and what the cost "might" be - a bunch I am sure.

The Spousal Unit and I tried out a very nice Italian place last evening, and had very good meals; the cost blew our budget to pieces for the month. It was the first (and Last) time that I will have paid $50 for a single bottle of wine; it was good, but not that great - of course I have not ever had anything to compare it with. Guaranteed that there are no more moths in my wallet - neither is there any money!

JAZ - you asked if the KCS loco was running - at the time of that photo, it WAS!
All KCS locos around that date were pretty beat up and ratty looking.

GUY - Awesome photos today, thanks!
 
...

I'm going to post two side x side photos of different SD40-2W's. Both of these locomotives have been used as local switchers, and these are both my photographs taken about one year apart.
Notice the difference in configuration between the two. This confuses me. My first thought was that CN 5266 was not an SD40-2W; I thought the listing in the CN roster might be a mistake. - I'm surprised that there is differences between them, and I remain confused as to why.
View attachment 127061
View attachment 127062
I do note that one says GF-30P on the side, and the other says GF-30t. I suppose that might reference the differences.

...

The major difference I see is the lack of dynamic brakes on the 5266 as represented by the extra bulge, two fans and an extra grill in the top center of 5326. Dynamic brakes are most useful on long downgrades so, especially back in the 1970s when these were built, were just an extra expense for locomotives operating in relatively flat areas.
 
he major difference I see is the lack of dynamic brakes on the 5266 as represented by the extra bulge, two fans and an extra grill in the top center of 5326. Dynamic brakes are most useful on long downgrades so, especially back in the 1970s when these were built, were just an extra expense for locomotives operating in relatively flat areas.
It appears to me that 5266 may have started life with dynamics and they were removed .
 
Good Morning all! We are expecting a visit from our youngest day. It will be our first indoor, maskless visit in over a year. Hope I recognize her :D
Did a little work on the CG Base. Building was Waterfront Willie's, a Bar Mills structure. I going to redo the 40' utility boat, but I wanted something there.
CG-Base.jpg


Jaz - The locos you see behind the pallet shop are in the roundhouse. The area around the roundhouse is not yet completed but you get the idea.
Roundhouse - A.jpg


STAY SAFE

LATER
 
It appears to me that 5266 may have started life with dynamics and they were removed .
Looking at build numbers, it was from a group of at least 37 locomotives 5241-5277, the first part of the group had dynamic brakes and it looks like the second half or so starting with 5262 didn't have them. There aren't a lot of photos of them from the 1970s on rrpicturearchives to be certain though.

Dynamic were added and removed to locomotives so they could have been removed. I think it was Soo bought some BN SD40-2 and removed the dynamics. IIRC, UP added dynamics to some MP locomotives.
 
Looking at build numbers, it was from a group of at least 37 locomotives 5241-5277, the first part of the group had dynamic brakes and it looks like the second half or so starting with 5262 didn't have them. There aren't a lot of photos of them from the 1970s on rrpicturearchives to be certain though.

Dynamic were added and removed to locomotives so they could have been removed. I think it was Soo bought some BN SD40-2 and removed the dynamics. IIRC, UP added dynamics to some MP locomotives.
I was just looking at the photo the area where the dynamic should be looks like it was covered over and has been repainted at a later date than the rest of locomotive.
 
Good evening ...

Busy day here . We did errands in town this morning . Then we had a nice lunch with friends at Patti’s in Grand Rivers , KY. ( this is one of the best known restaurants in western Kentucky).

Later, the friends came to our house to see my layout. Happy to say no gremlins spoiled my fun. I have a section of track with an S-curve where passenger trains tend to derail or uncouple. Today passenger trains went through that section with no problems. Yay !

There were no derailments anywhere as I showed off the layout. I ran several trains mostly on the main lines.

Everybody : ... Have a good night.
 
Morning all,

Should have the daughter's bathroom ready for paint later today, then it's on her. Once that's complete. I'll change the light fixture and the sink\vanity and put the medicine chest in place.

Talking snow here Monday night into Tuesday morning. Not the latest I've seen it snow here, but at least it won't last.
 
Imagine that yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in shade of the neighbors backyard having friendly conversation. It was hovering around 68°F under blue skies; a beautiful afternoon.
The wind picked up early in the evening, and was howling come 9:00pm. I could hear rain pelting down when I went to bed at 10:00.
When I awoke at 6:00am this morning, there was snow on the ground. It's still snowing outside as I pen this note 1 hour later. - I am rudely reminded that I live in the Great White.
I had to move all the wife's flower pots into the warmth of the house this morning.
It's a very good day to work on the layout room reno going on in the basement.

Today's rather poor photo reflects my mood. A tank car that looks like it has a tree growing out of it:
UTLX 630455_04-15-2021.jpg

That shot proves that one has to watch out for everything when snapping a photograph.

GeeTee & Paul - Thank you for the discussion concerning my SD40 comparison photos. You have enlightened me.

Willie - I noticed in your Town of Vernon photos that there is a huge variety of automobile model years motoring around, Looks like from the 1920's through to modern times. I like that.

Hughie - Well done on the waterfront. It all looks great; but, I believe the boat will have to wait for low tide before it can maneuver under the bridge.

Alan - You must have a very disciplined character in order to work on a single model over a period of 9 months. The workmanship is excellent, though. Kudos to you.

As always, thank you for the likes on these simple posts.
Have a good one!
 
Hi There RR Fans! We are at a cool 48 degrees and looking for an 83 High later with sunny, clear, and breezy skies!
The high temps will be all over the next ten days from a high of 88 to a 64 like a roller coaster - maybe, just maybe a lIttle moisture in there during one of those days?

All I managed yesterday was to police the yard for dog cleanup and take one of them to the groomer. I did help my BIL for maybe 10 minutes while at the MIL's attach one of the repainted fenders back on his new toy - a 48 Ford tractor that was given to him from one of his former employers. It had not run in years, now it is going again. Among other things he spent 140 dollars on 5 gallons of transmission oil and he has had to buy two tires for the front wheels as they were flat. Thing purrs like a kitten!

Great photos GUY and WILLIE! Micky, very nice "park band" display ! Is that Jerry Lee Lewis at the piano - you have to find a gitar person or it cannpt be a rock banc!

Must be time for another cup! My spelling gone to pot!
 
Good Morning Everyone. Clear and 41° in these parts. That's 15° below our average for this date. I am still quite concerned about the chilly temperature that has been predicted for Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. The forecast is now for 33°, clear and no wind. Perfect conditions for a frost or freeze, coming more than four weeks after our average frost-free date. No problems with onions, garlic, lettuce, spinach or broccoli, but the tomatoes, peppers and green beans are not cold-tolerant and I will need to cover them up. I can do that but it will be a lot of trouble and work.
I spent over 2 1/2 hours yesterday, assembling my new charcoal grill/smoker that I picked up Friday. Home Depot offers free assembly if you do the curbside pick-up, but it wouldn't have fit in the car. Damn thing weighs 132 pounds so it isn't easy to move. But is heavy-duty steel. Cost was $199.99 + tax, but they didn't have a cover in stock so I have to order one.
IMG_6058.JPG

The warming rack is removable for smoking large hunks of meat or a large turkey. Chances are that the first time that I remove it, it won't go back in. Never used the one in the old grill over it's 12 year lifespan.
IMG_6059.JPG

There's a larger grilling surface than we will generally use, but I want to start cooking whole meals out there especially in the summer. It will cut down a little with the strain on the A/C.
IMG_6060.JPG

I could conceivably use the smoker side grill for smaller tasks, although the fire is fixed from the bottom of the grills, no adjustment like the main grills.. There's no wind this morning, so that will be a perfect time to "season it" before actual use. On the bucket list for 2021 is to learn better how to use wood. I have some seasoned maple , pecan and oak ready to go. My SIL is cutting down a peach tree (I hope that he did it yesterday) and my wife is going to bring that wood home today to begin seasoning, I need to research what other trees on my property ave any value as cooking woods. Note that it is not equipped to use propane, even though I have a 150 gallon tank about 30' away. If I am going to use propane, I might as well just use the broiler on the range inside. I specifically bought this to use charcoal or wood.

Mornin' there Flo. How about some southern biscuits, cream gravy along with sausage and a pair of sunny-side up eggs this morning.

Thanks to all who took the time to like or comment on the layout progress/tour yesterday; Alan, Guy, Sherrel, George, Karl, Hughie, Gary, Ken, Jerry, Patrick, Phil, Rick, Troy, Garry, Justin.

Meanwhile out in the train shed, I messed around with the area immediately left of the deli that I partially added ground cover to the other day. I have a cardstock structure that I made a few years back that has just been moving around over and over.
IMG_6040.JPG

IMG_6041.JPG

I detailed it up a bit by adding some extra dimension to it with the addition of some strip styrene to make protruding window/door frames.
IMG_6042.JPG

Looks like it could be a perfect fit int the area, both location-wise and suitability.
IMG_6057.JPG

I can still easily access the ground throws behind and off to the left side. So I will now mount it on a styrene base and move forward.
The ongoing tour of Vernon is going to continue later.

Guy - SD40-2W's had a long build span. 5266 was built in 1975, while 5326 was built in 1980. Builders in many cases changed stuff along the way. In addition, my research shows that 5326 was rebuilt to a SD40u in 1995. From the pictures that I have seen, 5266 never had dynamic brakes, while 5326 had them when it was new and still has them.
CN 5266
CN 5326
Alan - I continue to be impressed with O'Neils, both the kit and your excellent work. You posted before about a companion kit that I looked up at the time. Together they will make an absolutely magnificent scene.
Mikey - That's definitely a 50's era rock band, with a horn and uptight bass and no guitar!

Everybody have a great day. Stay safe and test negative.
 
Willie - I noticed in your Town of Vernon photos that there is a huge variety of automobile model years motoring around, Looks like from the 1920's through to modern times. I like that.
Quite frankly, it's still like that around here. Although they no longer go back to the 20's. There are still numerous vehicles from the 50's onward on the roads. I do believe that it is because there is no salt on the roads here in the winter, so cars last a lot longer. I am just trying to emulate what existed during my modeling era.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.



Back
Top