Running Bear's March 2021 Coffee Shop


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Morning all,

Not much today. I am glad the weekend is over. Got the first mow on the yard as I needed to get the crabgrass preventer down. On the first mow I usually cut it 1/2" shorter that normal. It didn't help that it was 3" taller than I thought...Took me 2 hours to catch the front yard. I wanted to take advantage of the rain we were supposed to get last night, but rain is moving in this morning. At least all the yard equipment fired up and is running. I did have to put the charger on the riding mower as it was a little cranky about being woke up.

I think I finally have all the painting done at the boy's house. It was a marathon session, even between going home and getting the yard work caught up. I got the broken cabinet drawer replaced. I had to build a new one, but it looks fine. Now to get the doors rehung.

The apple and peach trees are showing leaf buds, but nothing on the blueberries. While I'm going to wait, they may have winterkilled. It was a dryer than normal winter, and the -17° period 5-6 weeks ago didn't help. I planted southern highbush varieties that it may have just been too cold for.
 
TLOC said:
Good tips. I have not thought of using my IPdPro.

TomO
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It is more difficult to get into position,the phone may have a better camera,but the iPad will give you a much better idea of what is going on immediately, you can use it for trouble shooting too photograph a derail etc and view it prior to throwing your hands in and damaging something, and the focus point helps,you can use it as a dry run then use your phone especially if it has a focus point then view on a larger screen,sometime though the lower resolution plays in our favour :) It is certainly worth playing with.
Pull good detail forward move poor detail further away, trees often look best in groups and can hide obvious model details as a canopy develops
 
Good Morning to All. Partly cloudy and 56° outside this morning. Expecting some rain this morning, although how much and how widespread is anyone's guess. NWS is predicting 1.3"; current radar shows a track that may skirt past us on the NW and head up to Oklahoma City and Doo-Dah (Wichita) in Kansas. You can never tell about these spring storms though. I got 24 tomato plants planted yesterday, hoping to get some bell pepper and spinach plants out this morning before the expected rain. I also managed to replace the brake pads on the front of the SUV yesterday.

I'm ready for a good hearty breakfast this morning Flo. Chicken fried steak with cream gravy and biscuits should do the trick.

Thanks for the likes and comments regarding the newly acquired modeling stuff; Karl, Sherrel, Justin, Tom, Hughie, Tom O, Chet, Joe, Gary, Rick, Ken, Garry, Jaz, Patrick. I got other stuff like ballast and some DPM wall sections that aren't worth showing.

Another very short day in the train shed yesterday. I did no modeling but I did get a chance to put up some tools and supplies that I won't be able to find the next time that I need them.
So back to the archives it is. I was posting feed store pictures earlier this month in another thread, here are a couple more.
First a small one from Bar Mills that they call Simpson Feeds.
03-14-21 001.JPG
03-14-21 003.JPG

And another small one that I built out of stuff that was in the scrap box.
03-14-21 007.JPG

03-14-21 004.JPG


Jaz - Nice tutorial on the cows. I apply dull coat to all of my little people to remove the shine. I have experimented with a wash of India ink/alcohol but have not been happy with those results.
Greg - I'm not worried about Chet, I've seen the same vehicles (except the Dodge Charger) already on his layout. JTT makes a lot of reasonable looking trees, primarily smaller ones that are just right for "fence-row" type applications. No one will notice the Kadee #146's on my layout, as I don't normally have any knowledgeable visitors to begin with. Trouble-free operation is my main goal there.
Tom - Yea! The financial reporters were having to work overtime on Sunday for that CP/KCS story. While it is a good fit and doesn't stifle competition, the STB doesn't always like foreign companies taking over stuff like that.
Karl - Noch has a reputation for putting out some saucy figure sets. I don't generally post them here as this is a kid friendly forum, supposedly! However mine are just R rated, not XXX.
So sorry to read about your son being admitted to the hospital. Well wishes and prayers for his recovery.
Kleiner - Hope that you don't mind a suggestion, but I would put a couple of diagonal braces on those modules. 1" x 2" ones would work.
Ken - I didn't think that you and Louis had any communication besides the forum. I only thought of him since you mentioned Maryland. He has stopped communicating with me, although I think that it has more to do with his new business venture than sports or ideological differences. Our last E-Mail interchange was Christmas Eve.

All right, today is National West Virginia Day. Let's all meet up over at Justin's house and party until the neighbors complain to the police!
Otherwise everyone have a great day. Stay safe.
 
chessie_system3 said:
Well fellers I guess the weekend has come to a close. Replaced two turnouts today. One by the mine and one at the yard. Man I hate pulling up track. It never seems to go back the same way. Oddly enough I found myself standing my cork roadbed with 80 grit sandpaper. I have never sanded cork. Never had to! Until today. The poor quality lumber lowes and places carry make layout building a nightmare! My layout has more dents and bumps in than my head does. Built it up like I should. Supported like I should. Still finds ways to go sideways. However my trains run good. So I guess my complaints are unnecessary. Still getting the hang of my new throttles. More I mess with them the better I run my trains. So all is good there. More hoppers on the way as well. Finally got a freaking headlight in my Atlas GP7 too! I found a miniatronics bulb in my toolbox. Installed it and now I have light! However not directional. But theres a fix coming for that too. I ordered some warm white leds. That should fix the Atlas headlight woes. I'm just concerned they will be too bright. I'll cross that bridge when I get there I suppose. That's all I have for now. I'll stop by again tomorrow sometime. Yall have a good night.
View attachment 126142
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To me your layout is moving forward, you are finding ways to address issues,so learning and coping, you have more goodies coming so something to look forward to, I would be very happy, a few bits of tweaking is not a big issue, do lay a cloth over items when sanding and hoover so that muck does not get in those little engines and chokes them - I bet you did, and awww he SHOULD wear the costume, be proud of your roots, and the culture they chose, I have Welsh relatives and ancestors and Irish ancestors I am had a surname this is likely Scottish I am proud of that but I am English thorough and through, shame we do not have a national dress....bowler and umbrella perhaps lol. To me a great update.
 
santafewillie said:
Good Morning to All. Partly cloudy and 56° outside this morning. Expecting some rain this morning, although how much and how widespread is anyone's guess. NWS is predicting 1.3"; current radar shows a track that may skirt past us on the NW and head up to Oklahoma City and Doo-Dah (Wichita) in Kansas. You can never tell about these spring storms though. I got 24 tomato plants planted yesterday, hoping to get some bell pepper and spinach plants out this morning before the expected rain. I also managed to replace the brake pads on the front of the SUV yesterday.

I'm ready for a good hearty breakfast this morning Flo. Chicken fried steak with cream gravy and biscuits should do the trick.

Thanks for the likes and comments regarding the newly acquired modeling stuff; Karl, Sherrel, Justin, Tom, Hughie, Tom O, Chet, Joe, Gary, Rick, Ken, Garry, Jaz, Patrick. I got other stuff like ballast and some DPM wall sections that aren't worth showing.

Another very short day in the train shed yesterday. I did no modeling but I did get a chance to put up some tools and supplies that I won't be able to find the next time that I need them.
So back to the archives it is. I was posting feed store pictures earlier this month in another thread, here are a couple more.
First a small one from Bar Mills that they call Simpson Feeds.View attachment 126144View attachment 126145
And another small one that I built out of stuff that was in the scrap box.View attachment 126146
View attachment 126147

Jaz - Nice tutorial on the cows. I apply dull coat to all of my little people to remove the shine. I have experimented with a wash of India ink/alcohol but have not been happy with those results.
Greg - I'm not worried about Chet, I've seen the same vehicles (except the Dodge Charger) already on his layout. JTT makes a lot of reasonable looking trees, primarily smaller ones that are just right for "fence-row" type applications. No one will notice the Kadee #146's on my layout, as I don't normally have any knowledgeable visitors to begin with. Trouble-free operation is my main goal there.
Tom - Yea! The financial reporters were having to work overtime on Sunday for that CP/KCS story. While it is a good fit and doesn't stifle competition, the STB doesn't always like foreign companies taking over stuff like that.
Karl - Noch has a reputation for putting out some saucy figure sets. I don't generally post them here as this is a kid friendly forum, supposedly! However mine are just R rated, not XXX.
So sorry to read about your son being admitted to the hospital. Well wishes and prayers for his recovery.
Kleiner - Hope that you don't mind a suggestion, but I would put a couple of diagonal braces on those modules. 1" x 2" ones would work.
Ken - I didn't think that you and Louis had any communication besides the forum. I only thought of him since you mentioned Maryland. He has stopped communicating with me, although I think that it has more to do with his new business venture than sports or ideological differences. Our last E-Mail interchange was Christmas Eve.

All right, today is National West Virginia Day. Let's all meet up over at Justin's house and party until the neighbors complain to the police!
Otherwise everyone have a great day. Stay safe.
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Love the detailing in the first picture labels, rust/dirt on barrel, the weighing scales going to the trouble of marking the cement bags? In two pens so looks like labelling, all Those steps make a big difference in my mind I suspect you touched up the weighing scales too looks a much better paint job than an off the shelf model, and the guy turned away so any facial lacking details are not an issue, it has life, and thought
 
I had forgot to mention the CP-KCS proposed merger. CP already owns a couple of short lines in the US (SOO and D&H) and operates a line to Kansas City already. KCS owns lines into Mexico, so it's a win\win for the railroads, whether or not the Governing bodies see it that way is another story.

I already see CP and Ferromex locomotives on the BNSF lines through the town I live. Although I hadn't realized that UP owns 26% of Ferromex.
 
Patrick said:
I already see CP and Ferromex locomotives on the BNSF lines through the town I live.
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I see them all of the time on the BNSF line that I railfan on nearby. Maybe for a different reason though. About 26 miles south, close by the Texas Motor Speedway, GE Transportation built a diesel manufacturing plant in 2012 that has since been bought by Wabtec. Due to the downturn in the diesel engine business, they converted the plant into a rebuild facility about two years ago. CP engines go north to Kansas City, Ferromex and KCS engines go to the KCS interchange wye close to where I live, while UP engines go south to an interchange in Ft Worth. I have also seen NS engines parked on the KCS wye which I assume are going east to the Meridian Speedway for further interchange. The Ferromex engines go to Shreveport and take the KCS line south to Laredo. The plant is prepared to go back to full manufacturing when and if the rail economy improves. I used to see some rather large lash-ups of new diesels when the plant was manufacturing them from 2013-2018. GE was originally going to shut down their plant in Erie PA when this new one was built, but Wabtec kept it open and moved one of their operations there from Boise Id.
 
Good Morning all! Looks to be a partly sunny day, 20% chance of rain. Guess I'll try to mow.
Flo, a couple of breakfast burritos please, coffee.
No trains yesterday as we decided to take a drive just to get out. I did make a quick check on the sculptamold molds, damp and soft after 48 hours. Directions state plaster hard in 30 minutes.

STAY SAFE

LATER
 
chessie_system3 said:
National West Virginia day is it? Well let's open a jar of shine and howl at the moon later! I thought it was June 20th....well that's the day we became a state. Today is the day we seceded from Virginia.
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One of the online wargaming games I play offers a model of USS West Virginia, a WWII battleship. The boat itself is pretty good, though the offshore people that designed it seem to believe the stereotypes about the area. The captain of the ship looks like an alcoholic...
 
bnsf971 said:
One of the online wargaming games I play offers a model of USS West Virginia, a WWII battleship. The boat itself is pretty good, though the offshore people that designed it seem to believe the stereotypes about the area. The captain of the ship looks like an alcoholic...
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The USS West Virginia was sunk during the Pearl Harbor attack. Was refloated, repaired and off to war she went. Was retired and scrapped in 1959.
 
Good Morning Everyone....overcast and windy. Rain later and for the next few days. Almost all the snow is gone...just piles where the plows pushed the snow. Early this morning Cathy and I when to a local park where the Milwaukee Road "Bug Line" once ran. The Bug line served many small, local industries and quarries. It ran from Northwest Milwaukee to North Lake, Wisconsin. Lots of dog walkers and hikers in this park that I once hunted deer and small game there in the 1960's. A local farmer donated all the land that comprises the park, likely over 300 acres.

Terry and Justin: Almost 20 years ago we rode Honda Gold Wing motorcycles and toured a lot of the United States and we belonged to a local Chapter of the Gold Winger Riders Association. A member of a local chapter passed away January many years ago He came home from work and sat in his favorite chair and was found passed away in his chair, with a TV remote in hand and his dog at his side. He loved West Virginia and each year gave many tours of the state to fellow riders. At his funeral, the Pastor remarked about his love for West Virginia and touring the state on his Gold Wing. The Pastor paused and John Denver's. "Take Me Home" was played.

Grown bikers started to shed tears at hearing this John Denver's song, especially when Denver sang "Country roads, Take me home, to the place I belong, West Virginia". At the end of the funeral service, his black Gold Wing was parked, empty, at the entrance to the funeral home. I'll never forget that day, nor his friendship.

Listening to an album of hit songs of the Vietnam era and they bring back a lot of memories.


Puppy sitting again for Riley while Cathy shops. No trains again today. Riley is in her crate at the door to my home office and isn't so happy about being in the crate. Every once in awhile I'll leave her out and play a game of chase to get her back in the crate. She's five months old today.

While I'm alone today, I think I'll cruise the web for a HO something or another to buy. I like that steel reefer by I believe Scale Trains or maybe RAPIDO.

Worked on taxes yesterday and finished them in draft form and then this morning Cathy found a receipt for Lab work and I had to revise my numbers and Turbo-tax. Every deduction counts. Next year I'll be 72 so I'll need to start doing my RMD and pay more taxes.

That's about all for now.

Greg

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Saxeville Tunnel entrance.JPG
The mainline of CM&N passes through this tunnel which is under the Saxeville Interchange.-Greg
 
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chadbag said:
With regards to gasoline prices: I would think the threat to Fracking represented by the current regime would be a major underlying factor. In the past several years, an Opec decision to restrict oil by X barrels never had much lasting effect because the frackers could make up for it and keep the flood of oil coming. Now, Opec making the decision, where Fracking is under political pressure, the markets don't think the frackers will make up for it. That, and the current, last few months of saber rattling in the middle east. Between Iran, bombs in Syria, etc. it makes an excuse to move oil prices.

The prices have been rising too fast (I've had multiple times where it is up 10 cents and a day or two later another 10 cents) to be purely a reaction to Opec in my opinion.

I think that if the election had gone otherwise, and Opec still made the decision, the change in oil prices (and gasoline prices) would not have been the same as we have seen the last month or so. A lot of daily market pricing (oil, stock, etc.) is based on sentiment, not underlying economics. Long term the economics play more a role.
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Try a 30 cent jump in one day. That's what we are experiencing.
 
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