Running Bear's June 2019 Coffee Shop


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Good Morning All. 73° and partly cloudy, no wind and it seems quite muggy although the humidity is normal for this time of day. Whole wheat blueberry pancakes sounds good this morning Flo. Wow! Household chores caught up with me yesterday after getting home from the grocery/beer trek. Spent the afternoon on laundry, emptying the dishwasher (and refilling it), clearing out part of the fridge etc, etc. Looking forward to my wife's knee replacement and recovery so she can get back into the routine. Picked the first real tomatoes from the garden yesterday. I had previously picked some damaged ones from the hailstorm June 1, but these are the real thing!
Late in the day, the farmer who farms next door brought his combines (two of them) in to harvest his wheat crop. Man, those are massive beasts. Of course the south winds blew all of the chaff over to settle in the pool!:confused:

Thanks for the comments and likes regarding the completed Tire Shack yesterday; Jerome, Dave, Chet, Patrick, Phil, Ken, Garry, Curt, Sherrel, Justin.
How about something else new today, some homemade flatcar loads. First up is a pipe load made from soda straws obtained from the local RaceTrack convenience store. I never had a clerk ask me about grabbing a handful when all I was buying was beer and gas. Bulkhead flat car is an MDC Roundhouse model.
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Steel I-beams made from Evergreen styrene shapes. This is a very old Athearn Blue Box kit, among the first I ever owned, although I didn't make the load for at least ten years after I purchased the car.
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Here I used some leftover concrete highway supports from several Rix overpass kits. They provided five for each 24' wide span when in real life only three are really used; thus all of the extras. Bulkhead flat car is also from Roundhouse.
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Here's an EMD diesel engine from Walther's. Can't remember where I got the chain from. Flatcar is a 54' GSC car from Walther's.
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I did get to visit the train shed yesterday, sandwiched by the afternoon visit to the pool and making homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs for supper. I further cleared the workbench, I should take a picture as there is an area of almost 1.25 square feet uncovered! That is out of an almost 4 sq ft bench! There are some tools that I won't find today! Some of the clearing involved completing the painting of a few more figures and removing the excess cardstock from the Masonic Lodge build, which seemed to occupy every nook and cranny.

Dave -
Willie-- I cant believe how quickly you completed the tire shack. Those roof details are sweet! Super job!
Thank you very much. After nearly a year of assembling laser-cut kits and cardstock structures, it was nice and amazingly easy to do a plastic one again. This was pretty simple as well. I am a big fan of roof details, properly placed of course. Fully half of my layout is at 36" so roofs are the first things normally seen. Even though this structure is going on the upper deck at 54", I can see (and anyone taller than me can see) roofs on single story structures readily. Besides I never know if I will move it later on in life!
Johnny - Sometimes even failed kitbashes can be used as structures in disrepair somewhere, usually "across the tracks".
Patrick -
Tossed the 13 pound brisket in the freezer and now their on sale for another dollar a pound cheaper. Go figure.
I know the feeling, but I have noticed that the cheapest prices for "smokin' and grillin'" meats is just before the traditional holidays. Kinda like corned beef and St Patrick's Day also. I purchase in multiples around all holidays. I got four racks of spareribs yesterday.
Garry - I'll be interested in seeing what else you do to the coal mine. They don't exist around here and there were none in the locale that I model, so I really don't have a clue what they look like except for Justin's pictures.
Curt - Yea! Folks seem to think that retirement means that you become the odd-jobs "go to guy"; especially if you own a pick up truck, which I do not! I politely inform them that they have to supply the beer and drive me to and from! Since I am many miles from most civilization, that dissuades many requests. I do help with family if I don't think that they should be using "younger" friends instead. Electrical work for example. I was a manager for most of my professional career so I am good at giving directions.:cool:
The tire rack was relatively easy to make with scraps from the styrene box. I used some .020" triangular pieces for the sides, and used .030" rod for the bottom horizontal pieces. I used .020" rod for the top for a little variety and because that's the way I remember them. Five of the tires are actually pieces of leftover sprue material that I had saved.

OK, I need to get off my rear and move around a bit. I'll watch the grass/weeds grow since I can't mow yet. I still have stuff left in the car from the shopping trip yesterday to unload.
Everybody have a great day, and a wonderful weekend.
 
Morning Troops: I think I missed yesterday? Seems that the hurrier I go the behinder I get!
Supposed to be 88* today (finally getting there temp wise- normal for this date is 89*), was 79* last year, and a record 104* in 2013.

Spent the day yesterday accomplishing actually NOTHING! I think I will finish it today?
All day I could not get more than 10 feet it seemed from a toilet - boy, something decided to attack me good and it won!
 
Todays photo is the NP drum and bugle corps, taken Feb 19, 1939. Must have been something really big to bring out the brass instruments in the middle of winter:

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Taylors Falls is just down the road from Wyoming, where a lot of my research has been done. Near where I grew up. There is no track to their presently, not even a trail.

more later, Dave
It would be pretty easy to find out. The newspaper and/or local library will have an archive that you can access via a personal visit or a telephone call. Since you have the date and location...

That's how we did things in the old days.
 
Oh Joy! I just received notice that my driver's License has to be renewed. It's like starting all over again with a written test, vision test, and maybe even a driving test? The DMV out here is akin to the IRS.
If only it was as hard to get into this Country as it is to get an appointment at the DMV!

I think that the taxes on gasoline is supposed to increase again so that the State can fund more worthless projects!

WILLIE - I will have to find that photo again - I should have saved the date and place.
It was either Oklahoma City or Tulsa. I'll find it.
 
Good morning. Looks like another nice day ahead without a cloud in the sky and an expected high in the mid 70's again (without Phil's humidity)

Sherrel - I thought I did almost nothing yesterday. You beat me. I did water the plants with Miracle Grow yesterday, and then went to the stock cars races last night. We have a nice dirt track in Belgrade.

Willie - Sure like your flat car loads. I cheat and use Chooch loads.

Terry - Interesting situation with the truck. The Silverado is a nice truck, and larger than the Colorado and would probably pull your trailer better. I guess the big question is the payments. The price sounds good. Not interested in that Milwaukee Road RS-1, but the Prairie looks interesting, but I had one of the springs in the seat of my recliner break and that will be on the list of things to get higher up. We are also replacing out gas stove we heat the house with in July. Got out moneys worth out of the old one which has serves us well for over 20 yeas.

Garry - Looking forward to see what you do with that mine. An interesting project. Like your little Prairie too. Here's the mine at my club.

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I am now procrastinating. I have everything I need to install the crossing flashers, but have out door projects that need to be done first. I could also go fly my drone.

Later
 
I think I'm going to give up any hope of getting back down to the basement, now that we're near normal temps. The front porch is calling me, although there's no beer in the house; whiskey will have to do. Maybe I'll go stroll around the zoo, although spider monkeys are the only primates they have. The Detroit zoo is the nearest great ape exhibit, but much as I enjoy visiting the relatives we were just down that way a couple of days ago.

BTW,for anybody looking for a road trip, there are a couple of steam engines, including the original Polar Express, in Owosso that you can learn to drive. It "only" costs $500. https://www.michigansteamtrain.com/

Speaking of road trips, I think we're going to be staying close to home this year. We're still recovering from last year's expeditions and are getting ready for next year. We've been back here for a month shy of seven years, now, and have yet to visit the museums in Chicago, or Mackinac Island and the UP. Mackinac and Key West are my two favorite places on earth, and I used to visit the museums almost every weekend when I was stationed at Great Lakes.

Well, the sun and drinks with umbrellas are calling. Gotta go.
 
When was that taken??

Frisco was bought out by Burlington Northern which later merged with the Santa Fe.

sorry, Pactrick -- I thought it was Willie who asked!
Anyhoo - here is the info!

GP38-2 688 leads a coal train at West Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 31, 1980 (Ken Moore – Trackside Slides).
 
Good evening.
I fixed the transmission problem--permanently.
New Colorado shifts completely differently than the old one, which to me means the old one always had a problem. I also got an extended powertrain warranty, I can't afford to shell out 4 grand every 30,000 miles.
 
Got some chores done then played dodge carts at grocery store. Kids as bad as the parents..
Can't shake this loss of strength and stamina when just walking to the mailbox. Hell, it's only 30 /40 feet. Or just eating. Must have gotten old..
Anyway, calling it a day. Wish all pleasant dreams
Prayers for All and Blessings,
Phil

I meant to behave but there too many options.
 
Got some chores done then played dodge carts at grocery store. Kids as bad as the parents..
Can't shake this loss of strength and stamina when just walking to the mailbox. Hell, it's only 30 /40 feet. Or just eating. Must have gotten old..
Anyway, calling it a day. Wish all pleasant dreams
Prayers for All and Blessings,
Phil

I meant to behave but there too many options.

Had your vitamin B12 checked lately? I'm on a course of 3 injections over 3 months.
 
Good morning gang.
Big thunderstorm last night, so has a nice cool walk with the pooch this morning. Heading to the beach tomorrow with the future Mrs. and the kid for a week, hope to get some fishing in.
Need a big breakfast today, lots off odds and ends to do before we go.
 
Good morning to all. Starting out at 74* , only get up to 89*.
RAY- I take vitamin pills along with a couple of RX meds.
Coffee is hot and calling me.
KARL- In your case, "W T F" MEANS- " WHERE"S THE FISH'
Enjoy the day everyone.
Phil

The main reason for stress is daily contact with idiots
 
Good morning. It's sunny and 71.
Although I know nobody can really advise me, I hope I made the right choice in getting rid of the truck with the problems, and getting another one very similar. The replacement transmission is an exact replacement for the broken one, and I was extremely concerned it would have the same issues. The next time it fails, it will be out of warranty, and a $4k expense. The new truck seems completely different, so there have been some refinements, and hopefully it will last longer than what I had. I expected to keep that one until it was paid for, and keep it as long as it was reliable. I could have waited a year or two to trade, but it would have long been out of warranty, with another two years' depreciation, and two years' price increases on the new models, though I would have owed less. Sooo... I did get an extended warranty, the first one I have ever purchased in my life, along with gap insurance and a service plan. Basically, if anything breaks out of warranty, I pay $100 and it gets fixed, all maintenance is paid for, so nothing out of pocket there, and if I get rear-ended tomorrow on the way to work, and the truck gets totaled, I limp away owing nothing for it.
Hopefully this will be the last drama about this, other than the occasional crying about the monthly payments.

If anybody was wondering about the Silverado, I decided to stay away from it, since it has a brand-new engine, with all the first-year teething problems in store. A known quantity was, in my opinion, the better route. Only time will tell if that was the right move.
 
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