Running Bear's August 2020 Coffee Shop


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PRR Modeler said:
Although that looks like a sharp turn in the back ground it's a 28" radius same as the main loop.
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Curt: Not for nothing, my 32" main line curves look sharp. 28" will handle anything you wish to run on it. Your layout is going to give you years of enjoyment.

I spent much of the day on the laptop, looking up all the Medicare MSNs and Supplemental Carriers EOB. Looks like everything related to my recent surgery was paid.

Forgot about the Scale Trains announcement, they usually offer models that were common after 1976, so in most cases their offerings don't fit in on my layout. Hard to beat the detail on their Rivet Counter line.

Wilmington DE 1995.jpg

Pair of Meatballs and train on #2 track at Wilmington, De in 1995.... The Station is currently named for Amtrak's most famous regular customer. Hint, He's not a DuPont :rolleyes::eek:
 
Boris said:
I spent much of the day on the laptop, looking up all the Medicare MSNs and Supplemental Carriers EOB. Looks like everything related to my recent surgery was paid.
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That was our experience as well. I had to pay about $40 for drug co-pays on wife's first knee replacement and that was it. Of course when you factor in the monthly Medicare, supplemental medical insurance and prescription drug plan payments, we did pay something!
 
I am having weird problems with my computer, and yet it has allowed me to come on here and post. Nuts. Did a 3 hour full scan yesterday, told me there was an unwanted App and to go into security to decide what I wanted to do with it. Went where it said and couldn't find any mention of it.. Been crashing.
 
Espeefan said:
I did a bunch of my own work as well, including replacing a busted timing belt, which required pulling the head because of a bent valve. Most of the systems weren't terribly different as cars go, but the parts were still bloody expensive! anything computer related had to go to the mechanic. That stuff was beyond me. No equipment for it!
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Well done, you put yourself ahead of the game. You saved yourself a small fortune!

You might be surprised to know if you have the manufacturers service manual and the proper equipment the electronics is easy, “idiot proof” almost. They keep it simple for the inexperienced people dealers and other big shops like to hire. If you take notice; most shops usually only have one maybe two highly competent, experienced service techs. The rest are often low paid “grease monkeys” or kids right out of trade schools. Trade schools are a good starting point, but experience is the best teacher, at least in my opinion.

I bought OBD1 and later OBD2 diagnostic equipment. Turned out to be a poor investment for me. I did not do enough work for profit to make it worth my investment.

Many retail customers want a “deal/discount”. I tried to sell them “you get what you pay for”, but why bother. I made far more profit doing industrial work and I had truly little personal or professional use for the diagnostic equipment. Most of my commercial customers had late model equipment and traded it in before they had many electronic troubles. A few like Bethlehem Steel had old equipment with no electronics at all.

When I stopped turning wrenches, I was lucky the OBD2 equipment was upgradeable and I got most of my money (about 80%) out of it when I sold it. All in all, I turned a small profit on the OBD2 equipment. I ended up giving away the OBD1 equipment. I had made enough with the OBD1 to pay for it and some fair profit as well.

I am never happy with a small return on my investments, it is a waste of time and time itself is money. In my mind a small return is really a loss. I could have been using the time to make a higher profit doing something else.

bnsf971 said:
I remember way back, I managed to have a BMW 2002 and a VW Dasher. Everything on the BMW was at least 10% cheaper than the same VW part, and usually cheaper than that.
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My young friend Richard has a VW something or other. He has a mechanic that does work for him and he often pays a total of about half of what I would have charged just for the labor.

Maybe VW pricing policy has changed, I do not know how the guy does it. His is an independent mechanic and an older guy, maybe his pricing has not kept pace with the rest of the industry.

Richard’s mechanic must do good work, he has yet to have a “come back” in the 4 years I have known Richard.

No more BMW for me. I used to care about what I drove, now all I care is it “starts, runs and stops” All in all I have been incredibly happy with my Chevrolets.

To be honest if I was going to buy something I really liked it would have been the new Chevy Blazer. I really like it, but they would not give me a big enough discount so I bought the Equinox. Have I become a typical retail customer? 😊
 
kbkchooch said:
Mine did a Microsoft update yesterday, took me 15 minutes to get mine back to normal. It kept trying to shove Microsoft Edge down my throat. 🤨😡

🤬Microsoft!
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I still haven't got my printer back yet after the major update back in June. Probably end up buying a new one. I can't find a way to get rid of the repeat "search suggestions" appearing in the Google search bar which I've never had before. The two major crashes were biggies and then when I tried theis morning the computer went through a whole series of restarts, crashes and the beep that accompanies it going from one part of boot up to the next, became a stream of loud beep-beeps. Only way to stop it was to hold the off button in to shut it down, Then since about mid-day, started up normally and been running OK :mad:o_O:oops:
 
Good Morning Everyone. Mostly clear and 72°. Yesterday was pleasant with the high only reaching 90° due to a light thundershower that rolled in around 3:00; only left 1/2" of moisture though. That would be a deluge to Sherrel! Looks like Laura has made the turn eastward, not sure where Jim Cantore is headed...watch out! Well, just for a change of pace, today and tomorrow's high temperature will be 103°+, so any remaining moisture will evaporate rapidly.

Sunny side up eggs and corned beef hash for me this morning Flo.

Thanks to all who liked or commented on yesterday's round of museum pictures; Joe, Sherrel, Jerome, Lee, Phil, Alan, Guy, James, Patrick, Tom O, Bob, Chad, Tom, Chet, Louis, Rick. More to come.

Another slow progress day in the train shed yesterday, but at least it was progress. I applied a second coat of black paint to the asphalt parking area in the tenement area. It just didn't come out right the first time. I also made the remainder of the InstaFence sections, cut all of the posts and started attaching them. I did a few more track trials into the piggyback ramps and that seems to be OK for now. It still makes me uneasy so I am holding off ballasting for a while longer. I got sidetracked running a few freight trains and opened a cold one instead of modeling work.
And now for a few more scenes from the Foley Museum.
09-27-19 trip 108.JPG

09-27-19 trip 109.JPG

09-27-19 trip 110.JPG

09-27-19 trip 111.JPG

09-27-19 trip 112.JPG

09-27-19 trip 113.JPG

09-27-19 trip 114.JPG


Troy - You do nice benchwork.
Alan - Very nice work on the Overland car.
Guy - Happy anniversary to you and your wife. I hope that you kept your hands off all of your wife's lady friends so you can celebrate another one.
Tom O - Continued best wishes on your recovery.
Curt -
PRR Modeler said:
Willie- I really like the O scale size but the room needed and the 3 rail track was always a non-starter for me. I know you can now get 2 rail for O scale.
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Completely agree, although not so much on room as I could have made the train shed much larger than I did. The reason that the museum went three-rail O gauge was because almost all of the layout, structures and equipment was donated by an individual, who started modeling with Lionel many years ago. Many of the current engines are newer models and many of the originals are in the display cases now. If you're ever in the mood for a two or three day outing, you should head that way. About 500 miles from Orlando, and a side trip to the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola could be included. There is also a small medical museum in Foley and it is just a short hop to the beaches in Gulf Shores.

Today is National Red Wine Day. It's too bad that my wife is taking narcotic pain pills and cannot commemorate
Everybody have a great day and a wonderful weekend.
 
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