Running Bear's December 2023 Coffee Shop


Status
Not open for further replies.
Troy, sounds like the video tape playing decision years ago. VHS or the other one! Which machine to buy and will the format survive. I feel years from now when the dust settles and AI is creating our pictures, words and running our remaining factories it will be too late for those that didn’t adapt.

Good morning all from splitting headache ville. I went to bed at midnight with the beginnings of a minor one but it has not gone away. As soon as the sun comes up I will take a walk in the fresh air and drive it away or me to the medicine cabinet. I did sleep well so this is starting to bother me.

The son will be heading out sometime today. He says he’s had a good time, is relaxed and has slept well here. But, he said he must return to the real word and as he travels home he will finish deciding some business things. He realizes his business interests are too eclectic. He has his charter plane business, his bat and bird remediation business, property management, the sound studio and window washing businesses. I keep saying pick the one he’s most happy with but he says the sound studio is a tough business in Austin and he likes to have positive earnings. He has had some interest on selling each but has been refusing them. He wants to decide now while the business side of the economy is doing ok. He agrees with me and my brother that a crash is coming. He did say yesterday to his mom and me that he’s sorry he was so quick to say no to us about our property rental business. He said thankfully he changed his mind and kept the Austin portion. Yeah, too f…ing late on that!

After he leaves I will head to the bench and my organization efforts to include my Xmas re-supply. I thought it’d take an hour or so yesterday but it didn’t. I will finish that today. Then hopefully after 7 days of no time working at the bench I can get back into it…

From what I understand we have no scheduled visitors until I return from golf in February. Terry does think we but definitely me should visit my sister in Pasadena. She finally started using a walker yesterday. Last week the condo put in a couple doors that can be operated by pressing the button to open as my sister was having issues going out to the lobby. I asked Terry and my brother in our weekly conversation about that as the sister was very happy the condo association did that. They didn’t, my brother did at Terry’s urging and let the association take credit!

enjoy the day
 
TLOC said:
Troy, sounds like the video tape playing decision years ago. VHS or the other one! Which machine to buy and will the format survive. I feel years from now when the dust settles and AI is creating our pictures, words and running our remaining factories it will be too late for those that didn’t adapt.
Click to expand...
I can be counted on to choose the wrong thing to survive.
I bought a Betamax player, a laser disc player, and an HD DVD player.
 
Good Morning All. Clear and 36°; full moon is still hovering over the western horizon. High today and tomorrow might reach 50°, then back into the usual December pattern.

Last day of requisite Christmas visits, as we go to my wife's family early afternoon appetizer and dessert get together. It will be at a nieces home in Boyd TX, which is actually closer to us than any other location this season; just 40 miles away compared to the others which were all at least 65 miles away. It's a new to them house which we have never been to before, the state highway to get there is a mile from us as the crow flies, but 2.5 miles as the roads go. Thankfully no Interstates on this trip.
RANT: We encountered way too many erratic and inconsiderate drivers during our recent journeys. Maybe it's just infrequent holiday drivers or as we witnessed, too many folks who talk and text while driving. Law enforcement is absent because as we have read and heard, all departments are overwhelmed with the influx of illegal immigrants in our state. They're coming to your state soon if not already there. They don't know how to drive either.

I unpacked my meager model RR Christmas booty yesterday. Not nearly as much as I usually get, although there is a gift certificate for $30 at Discount Model Trains. That will ultimately lead to $200-$300 out of my pocket. Gotta make that 65 mile journey worth the gas.
IMG_1186.JPG
IMG_1187.JPG

IMG_1188.JPG
IMG_1189.JPG

Three sets of figures and a model house. I also got this, which could be used in the train shed.
IMG_1191.JPG

I don't read in bed, but it may come in useful for short spurts under the lower level benchwork when I won't be there long enough to set up a light.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I did start to paint the mobile home, but it wasn't as successful as I wished. I started with the roof.
IMG_1193.JPG

Really looks crappy, and this is after three coats. So I looked at the bottle of Tru-Color paint, and realized that it was for airbrushing. Didn't say so on the bottle anywhere; I had just bought it a few months ago. It didn't brush on even though there is a primer coat underneath. I sure miss Polly S paints. I started the windows on one side, and will go over them later with a finer brush.

Mike - Best wishes to your wife for a speedy recovery.

Everyone have a great day.
 
bnsf971 said:
I can be counted on to choose the wrong thing to survive.
I bought a Betamax player, a laser disc player, and an HD DVD player.
Click to expand...

But all those devices, maybe excepting the Betamax, had their day in the sun when there wasn't anything better. Time and technology marches on-at least until we run out of fuel to support it or the apparently unsatiable quest for power and/or money (is there a difference?) by certain individuals destroys the planet.

Another mostly clear brisk morning. The big decision of the day: whether or not to make a run to Costco. Heaven forbid, we are out of avocados---
 
PRR Modeler said:
Afternoon All,

Started out the day sleeping in for a bit. Once I got moving, I headed to the train room where I glued the weight (BB's) into the bottom of both flat cars. When I finished that I was informed we were transferring Shadow (the rescue) to Ocala where the new owner received him. That took about 3 hours. Tomorrow Dad has another VA appointment. This time to fix his CPAP machine (or get a new one). After we got home son helped me put up a shelf that holds a display of 3 Funaro Pennsy FM flat cars acting as "gun flats" with the Laser Kit Battleship gun barrel (how they were transported during WWII). I'll take a photo tomorrow. I built the diorama years ago (before the current layout) and just rediscovered it in my closet. Sometimes I'm not the sharpest tool in the toolbox.

Happy Boxer Day to all my Commonwealth friends (I believe that includes Canada).

Louis- Great looking train.

Todd- They love you. Our skunks are the same. They lay on me but not MOH.

Bill- Neat photo. My fictitious RR is from that general area.

TomO- I'm going to check out "the squealer" I've tried to use switch lists in the past but found them cumbersome, but it's just me operating.

Grizzled- Nice looking brass locomotive.

Chad- It's only 31F.:eek:

I hope everyone has a good night.
Click to expand...

Curt, I’m not a fan of switch lists either but from what I’ve seen of them it helps the layout owner get organized. It maybe Fall 2024 before I have an “official” operating session. Right now I find the 4 pulp cars, 4 box cars and some tank cars for the papermill. Take the cars from Paper Mill Yard to the paper mill siding, pull what’s there and put the new ones in their place. 2nd shift is just pulp and wood chips and the easiest of the 3 shifts to operate. 3rd shift is different chemical spotting but again 4 box cars to load the outbound paper along with another 4 pulp cars. The simple version of the paper mill takes around 30-40 minutes to work a shift. I am still only running maximum 12 car trains. There are 24 spots in the paper mill. It’s easier to work the mill than to explain it. The only thing I keep track of now is the shift. I have a white board at the entrance to the Crew Lounge saying what shift it is…
 
santafewillie said:
We encountered way too many erratic and inconsiderate drivers during our recent journeys. Maybe it's just infrequent holiday drivers or as we witnessed, too many folks who talk and text while driving.
Click to expand...
You will find the same thing in Maryland. Since the pandemic, the number of "idiot" drivers has increased exponentially. In Maryland we have a shortage of police officers in every city and county, including the Maryland State Police. The roads have become the "wild west" anything goes!
 
Sa
Bruette said:
You will find the same thing in Maryland. Since the pandemic, the number of "idiot" drivers has increased exponentially. In Maryland we have a shortage of police officers in every city and county, including the Maryland State Police. The roads have become the "wild west" anything goes!
Click to expand...
Same in Wisconsin. I can handle the speeders as I am one but more controlled than I used to. Now usually 10% over the posted limit.

But, the lane changers while on the phone, and the guy going 45 in a posted 65mph, those are the ones I mainly have issues with. That’s just the 4 lane Interstate or Expressways drivers. Local city driving is worst with the cell phone users and lack of patience.
 
Grizzled said:
But all those devices, maybe excepting the Betamax, had their day in the sun when there wasn't anything better. Time and technology marches on-at least until we run out of fuel to support it or the apparently unsatiable quest for power and/or money (is there a difference?) by certain individuals destroys the planet.

Another mostly clear brisk morning. The big decision of the day: whether or not to make a run to Costco. Heaven forbid, we are out of avocados---
Click to expand...
Beta was a much better quality of video. It was also more expensive to manufacture, as well as the tapes cost more to produce.
Most don't realize this, but the driving force behind VHS was the porn industry. I'm sure I don't have to say why, when they adopted that format as standard, suddenly everybody needed a VHS player.
 
TLOC said:
Sa

Same in Wisconsin. I can handle the speeders as I am one but more controlled than I used to. Now usually 10% over the posted limit.

But, the lane changers while on the phone, and the guy going 45 in a posted 65mph, those are the ones I mainly have issues with. That’s just the 4 lane Interstate or Expressways drivers. Local city driving is worst with the cell phone users and lack of patience.
Click to expand...
Let's not forget the ones who wiz past you only to exit a 1/4 mile up the road and you pull up next to them because the stop light gets them.

I feel kind of stupid if I do that, but most don't, and continue to do it!
 
bnsf971 said:
Beta was a much better quality of video. It was also more expensive to manufacture, as well as the tapes cost more to produce.
Most don't realize this, but the driving force behind VHS was the porn industry. I'm sure I don't have to say why, when they adopted that format as standard, suddenly everybody needed a VHS player.
Click to expand...
And today high-speed internet is needed! 🤣

How times have changed.
 
bnsf971 said:
Beta was a much better quality of video. It was also more expensive to manufacture, as well as the tapes cost more to produce.
Most don't realize this, but the driving force behind VHS was the porn industry. I'm sure I don't have to say why, when they adopted that format as standard, suddenly everybody needed a VHS player.
Click to expand...
Yes Beta was of higher quality, but Sony was greedy and did not license the technology cheaply, VHS architecture was freely shared, so Motorola, RCA, Panasonic, Zenith and others all jumped on it, so the play of supply and demand pretty much bulldozed Beta out of the market.
 
dgrafix said:
Afaik in Africa, between Nigeria Libya and the Sudan.
Edit: ahh! sorry i get it now :D
Hi Chadbag.
Click to expand...

I always tell people I have a country named after me.

But more interestingly, my sister and BIL are in that country in Africa. He is on active duty as military attache there. Has been there over a year and has close to a year left IIRC. So when she came back this summer for a vacation she gave me some sort of souvenir with the name on it (in French).
 
migalyto said:
Let's not forget the ones who wiz past you only to exit a 1/4 mile up the road and you pull up next to them because the stop light gets them.

I feel kind of stupid if I do that, but most don't, and continue to do it!
Click to expand...

Yes I laugh at them all the time.

I drive a PHEV (plugin hybrid EV) -- Audi A3 e-tron sportback. It is an A3 hatchback with 1.4l turbo engine with 6 speed automatic manual dual clutch transmission (so called automatic but not with torque converter but real gears that auto shift), but also has an EV motor built into the transmission and small 8.8kwh battery that was good for 20-24 miles pure EV mode when new. I can get "regen" to happen by flicking the shift lever into "Sport" mode -- the mode that allows you to manually shift gears up and down. This applies resistance and slows the car down as it charges the battery. So I'll get off the interstate by getting into the right most exit lane and shifting into regen. I slowly slow down and recharge my battery and save my brake pads. Cars behind me get impatient, tear around me, go 65 mph up or down the offramp and then brake at the last minute at the light. And I then slowly pull up next to them, hardly having had to hit my brakes at all and saved a ton of brake wear. And they're not really any further ahead of me at that point. Same ting when driving on city streets. Light in front of me turnbs red -- I let off gas and coast up to the light, using regen if I need to slow down faster than coasting. People behind me will pass me and tear up to the light and slam on their brakes. It often turns green right before I get there and I just cruise past them and keep going, never having come to a stop and am ahead of them again.

(the only "down side" to my PHEV is that it also has a 12v battery to run the electronics, controls, dash, radio, heater, etc and that gets recharged by the high voltage car powerpack battery. They decided to stick it in the hatch trunk area under the hatch floor liner next to the EV battery. After 7 1/2 years I think it needs to be replaced as I am getting a failure warning on screen in the "electric system" but my OBD2 scanner doesn't pick up any codes. But the car is driving and charging fine so I think it is the 12V battery given the long time it has lasted. I won't pay $500 for the dealer to swap but my hatch is full of building tools and supplies and it is a PITA to unpack everything... And its cold out though this week we should be back to mid to upper 40s during the day by the end of the week.
 
Afternoon All.

Started out the day with a walk at 62F. It's supposed to cool down and rain overnight. In the train room I attached the brake mechanism to the top of the flats and glued the shaft to the hand wheels but did not attach those to the car. Tomorrow I will probably add the bottom foot stirrups then they will be ready for paint. After paint I will attach wooden decks from LaserKit.

Mac- Great job on the steamer.

TomO- Great present from your kids.

Willie- I'll give that site a try. I use 1440 News now. Nice job on the trailer construction.

Both flats are F22's (what I'm currently working on). The flats decking and battleship gun tube/brackets are from LaserKit.

20231227_095318 (1).jpg

Pennsy FM flat car. All the flats are Funaro resin kits.

20231227_095308.jpg

20231227_095234.jpg

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
I just read that Tom Smothers died from cancer at age 86. Really great Smother's Brother's Comedy Hour shows from the 60's. One of my favorite episodes was when they had The Who playing "My Generation" with their trademark drum explosion at the end. Unfortunately Keith Moon (the drummer) and Tom had secretly quadrupled the amount of explosives in the drum and caused Peter Townshend to start experiencing deafness and tinnitus in 1967. My dad didn't let us watch the show anymore after that episode, not from the explosion, but the performance in general, but fortunately he wasn't always home on Sunday nights, men's club meetings at church.
Tom Smothers
 
Last edited:
Good evening. 50°, cloudy with occasional rain and fog. Back from Northern NY, where it was also wet and Mild. We had a nice Christmas with our family. Drive including pit stops for potty and fuel 6'20". Traffic was light. Gas prices in upper NY ranged from $2.99 to $3.09/gallon, PA $3.46 / Gallon. Jersey was $3.15 when we left. No comment on the Pizza discussion.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.



Back
Top