Running Bear's August 2021 Coffee Shop


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santafewillie said:
Good Morning Everybody. Drizzle and 72° to start the day here. Yesterday was interesting weather-wise, with the high of 84° reached at 10:00 am, than rapidly plunging to 70° by 1:00 pm. This is not typical August weather for North Central Texas. The rain gauge had 0.35" in it from that three hour period. Between 5:00 and 6:00 this morning, we received another 0.1", looks like more on the way. The ten day forecast shows "normal" weather returning Sunday - Thursday next week. I was able to mow some of the "back 40" yesterday before the rain started. Then I took my last dip in the pool for a few days, thunderstorms today and tomorrow.

Thanks everyone who commented or liked the progress on the General Store build that I posted yesterday; Justin, Christian, Patrick, Hughie, Gary, Karl, Garry, Tom, Rick, Joe, Guy, Chad, Jaz.

Western omelet and extra bacon this morning Flo, the usual large OJ but no toast.

I know that I went out to the train shed yesterday, but I don't remember if I did anything significant. I did run some trains for a while, and studied parts of the layout while they passed by. I am a little disappointed that the new General Store doesn't quite fit where I hoped to put it. It fits but it is too close to the imaginary off-layout street out front.
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The back step touches the ballast as well. OK though. I have at least two other locations that it will fit and it will also blend in with the surroundings, and almost blend in a third location.
I also examined the contents of another laser-cut kit that will fit there, it's a dry goods store by American Model Builders..
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I actually more than examined, I detached them and decided that I would add some corner supports that were not supplied. This is a real simple kit and won't take too long. Just depends on how concerted an effort I make.
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Other than cutting the supports and detaching the parts, I have done nothing yet. I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to these kits, just can't stop!

Steve J - When it comes to wiring tracks, regardless of where, ladder or main, I wire as I go - before fastening down. I use track nails but that's just my way. I test the track with a small loco before fastening. Any adjustments to track or power are really easy at that stage. For me, nails are easier to remove if there are any issues later as well, although I have broken a tie or two in the process before. Ballast can usually disguise a broken tie. Even after over 30 years, my soldering skills are pitiful.
Christian - Maurice Genevoix is where I know Raboliot from as well. I had to read excerpts from that book back in high school (late 60's), but I cannot remember anything about it now.
Tom O - Sorry to read of your many plan changes. While the newest wave in the pandemic hasn't put any dampers on our social life, kinda non-existent anyway, I am concerned about the direction that things are taking. Masks are not popular in Texas although people wore them religiously until May of this year. 90% of restaurant staffers and 100% of medical people still wear them, but otherwise there are very few. My concern is children who are too young for vaccinations and their exposure to those who are refusing vaccines; medically compromised folks excepted although they're in danger as well. I am opposed to mandates, but I favor things like an insurance surcharge for the unvaccinated. All of our insurance rates will go up due to the thoughtless anti-vaxxers who end up in ICU.

What do you find objectionable with Super Trees? I have a box, but I have only made two trees from it and I am not impressed, but I just considered it lack of experience. That and I hate making trees to begin with but they're a necessary evil.
Terry - First of all, best wishes for you and your wife's recovery. Fate works in funny ways.

Thanks, I suspected that, but I haven't been able yet to find anything to confirm that. I have many of the Homes of Yesterday kits but none of the other structures in that series seem to match. Patal also comes to mind but again I cannot find anything.
Garry/Joe - Thanks also for identifying the structure as IHC.
Joe - Busy day yesterday.

Heavy thunderstorm outside right now. I'm not going out to check the rain gauge yet, but the Weather Underground station around the corner shows 0.4" in the past 20 minutes.
Everybody have a great day.
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super trees, Willie- the trees to me are:

too thin in the trunk

too fragile

not a proper green, mine seemed to have a blueish tint

a strange branch structure

but most important to me they are too short.

I purchased 200 trees from Scenic Express and those are the issues I had. I know a few Wisconsin modelers that make their own trunks and cut the branches off the super tree trunk and glue them on the new trunk. I tried that. In the time it took to create 1 new tree using the branches and apply to my own trunk I could make many more wire armature trees.

I know many modelers love them, I just do not
TomO

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Howdy ...

Tom O ...... That T-shirt about Illinois is hilarious. I grew up there. Not ever moving back.

Willie .... I like the general store, and the dry goods store kit looks like it will be fun to put together.

Joe ...... The DD2 looks interesting. I can't count the wheels because the photo is too dark in that area. I'm guessing 8 drive wheels

I mentioned yesterday we saw I-24 traffic being detoured through our little town. The Interstate has a major construction project with a single lane in each direction with concrete barriers along the sides. A truck crashed and burned between them. By the time local fire trucks arrived, the entire tractor-trailer was burned up.

Here is the BL2 preserved at Kentucky Railway Museum. It was built when EMD was owned by GM. Apparently, automotive stylists tried to cross a GP7 with an Oldsmobile, and this was the result. .

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Good Morning all! Raining at the moment and predicted to be on and off for most of the day.
Going back to curbside pick up since the covid numbers here are rising. While we both have had our vaccinations there is no sense in tempting fate.

I should find time later to continue with Mooney's Plumbing. The more of the older plastic structures I replace with today's newer laser cut ones the more I like the look of the layout, somewhat less toy looking. Say goodbye Plasticville..

More egg cream - If memory serves, the syrup was U-Bet. It came in vanilla and chocolate. The secret was to continuously stir has the seltzer was added.

Willie - Nice general store. Question - Did you put a really special scene that grabs the viewer as they enter the door?
The same question to you other diner guests. Did you put something special, impressive, has the first thing a guest would see as the first see your layout.
Guy - Love the the abandon track photo.
Garry - Shouldn't there be some kind of rocket ship emblem on the hood. (Rocket 88)
Tom - Like your trees. I tried adding flock for the first time yesterday. While not as complete looking as yours, it was a definite improvement to the spindly wire tree I had.

SAFE SAFE

LATER
 
MilwRoader_Steve said:
Ah, thanks, I did not recognize the 'ACC' but have always seen it as 'CA'. Smarter today - but I hate that I have learned my one thing so early today! <grin>
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model-railroad-hobbyist.com

Adhesives terminology - ACC vs CA

I have some confusion about the use of the term "ACC" when used in a discussion or article about the use of a cyanoacrylate adhesive (CA). Where did the acronym ACC originate? It does not, IMHO, derive from cyanoacrylate. Is/Was it an acronym derived from a manufacturer of a cyanoacrylate...
model-railroad-hobbyist.com model-railroad-hobbyist.com


I had actually never heard of ACC until these comments here and had to go look it up. I thought maybe it was French, as they always take simple words and make complete phrases out of them...
 
Texas Hobo said:
Willie - Nice general store. Question - Did you put a really special scene that grabs the viewer as they enter the door?
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Hughie - Short answer - Yes. On the upper (eye) level I have a 2' x 2' peninsula jutting out from the layout where a 32" radius curve rounds the corner. On it I have 10 laser-cut wood structures and a small park. Six of the kits are Bar Mills, three are JL Innovative Designs and one is scrarchbuilt.
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There are over 50 figures (including drivers) 15 vehicles and 5 motorcycles included.
 
Afternoon All,

Spent the morning on the layout before picking up grandson from school (early session) then went grocery shopping with MOH and spent way too much money. After that I helped Dad fill out a social security form and called them to verify a couple of things.

Joe- Sounds like a busy day, remember you're retired so don't make us look bad :D. Nice photos. Do you have any updates on your layout?

Guy- Excellent photos. You have a good eye for composition.

TomO- That is a busy workbench.

Willie- Nice scene. I have built a bunch of AMB kits (now Laser Kits) and most of them are great for beginning builders. No, I'm not saying you're a beginner.

Garry- That is a darn ugly loco.

My first time doing static grass

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I decided to break up all the black with sand/small rocks. Later I'll add static grass so it won't look so flat.

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I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Hi fellas! Just a quick drop-in to have a cold squishy.

Who remembers this song taught in the 1st grade:

'Choo - Choo - Choo, It's coming down the track'
'Choo - Choo - Choo, It's something big and black'

I forgot the rest, but give me a break; it's been 60 years.

This photo I took today reminded me of that song taught in Mrs. Weirs class:
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Have a good one!
 
McLeod said:
Hi fellas! Just a quick drop-in to have a cold squishy.

Who remembers this song taught in the 1st grade:

'Choo - Choo - Choo, It's coming down the track'
'Choo - Choo - Choo, It's something big and black'

I forgot the rest, but give me a break; it's been 60 years.
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What I was taught is something like

"Choo Choo, the big train is coming down the track
Choo Choo, the big train is coming down the track // alternatively: Choo Choo, the Big Train, is ***** big and black [I forget the word]
Stop, look, and listen
Stop, look, and listen"
 
TLOC said:
Good morning from the south deck in Wisconsin where the fire haze has returned to the Dairy State. A more humid morning at 67f degrees then the last 5 gorgeous mornings. The wind is showing as calm on the weather app, meaning 0mph. Higher temps today into the upper 80’s.

Yesterday’s road trip was fine with a great stop for lunch thrown in. Today the granddaughter will be here at 8:30 for all day adventures and noon for the grandson who has hockey practice at 1. The daughter has finally come to accept that if neither she or her hubby are working for us there is no weekly check. So have I but still having some adjustment issues without the SIL running the property. Or maybe it’s I don’t want to work that hard anymore.

Trains today is a quick cleaning of track and checking if the new ground goop is ready for a base color, (doubt it). I have 2 Creek scenes that I need some real pictures to work from. Terry mentioned she would like to see the Lake DuBay bridge scene completed.
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I told her not in this new 60’ of layout but the next 20’ I may fit it in.
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next up is my modeling area. The above picture is going away. I have enough space that I can create a new modeling space of about 8’x12’. I could go bigger but there is no need. What I miss and want is a standup work table. Hopefully I will get it started by years end.

Enjoy your day
TomO

fellow Wisconsinites, saw this yesterday
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Tom O- Those darned FIBs(& MNans, too). 😂
Joe- I think you missed the other A in “Ac-a-ME”. 😉
 
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MilwRoader_Steve said:
I think that I have shared that both my daughters have a retinal disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa.
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Sorry to hear that. One of my cousins ended up with that disease, so I'm somewhat familiar with it.
santafewillie said:
Steve - Really nice pictures from North Metro.
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Oh man, more are coming! Yesterday was to be my last day as a member, but I have been asked left and right to wait until the end of the month at least. Either way, I had taken the day off work to "celebrate", sort of. I had the layout to myself for about six hours, and that meant I had lots of room to stretch out with about 50 of my own freight cars and seven locos. (Nine, if we're counting helpers for the hill).
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Later on I broke the train in half, and shot video of each half moving from Duluth and 2nd Street shelf to Minneapolis, to be made into the big drag. So in one, rather lengthy video, I'll have all of my favorite elements of the layout on display, as well as my own personal takes to spice it up (helpers, for example).
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Also, Monday night I knocked out video #1 in a little series about the module I'm working on.


[EDIT: I just finished up a speaker change in my two MNS SD39's, new speakers from Scale Sound Systems. HOLY CRAP they are good! Not only louder, but more bass! ]
 
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