Running Bear's May 2020 Coffee Shop


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Afternoon All,

Started out running some errands and chores. With the Mill kit I got everything painted and put in the doors, windows and glass. Although the interior kit (power plant) was scheduled to arrive Saturday it arrived today :) so I painted those 7 parts ($18 for 7 plastic parts:confused:) so tomorrow I hope to get everything put together on that kit. I do need to scratch build a beam crane because I'm not paying that cost. I have already put shingles on the roof parts. I should have pictures tomorrow.

Joe- Nice layout shot and locos. I thought GG1's were modified to raise the vents to prevent the shorting issues.

Garry- Beautiful looking wall.

Ken- Good to see you posting.

Louis- Happy Birthday. Great historical photos.

Willie- Very nice scene. You have a long way to go with the bare spots.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Man I feel like I'm new to the forums again. It's really been quite some time since I dropped by. I do hope everyone is doing well. I've been rather busy lately and cant ever seem to find time to slow down. I got had on ebay last week. Recieved a poorly packaged C&O GP38 in the mail. Not just any GP38 either. $162 Atlas Master GP38. So yeah it's broken ofcourse. Runs good! But it's broken none the less. I dont even know if its fixable or not. Anyways moving on. My son finally had an opportunity to watch a train in person. In typical West Virginia fashion it was also a coal train. Now as for my layout. Nothing new there. Been trying to get all of my hoppers upgraded to metal wheel sets. Purchased a truck tuner from micro mark to kinda help out when needed. My athearn hoppers dont take to well to the metal wheels for some odd reason. I need to verify the gauge on some of my sets. They just dont seem right to me. Still have some turnouts that I'll need to replace at some point. The list goes on...... That pretty much does it for me for right now. I'll catch everyone later.
 
Man I feel like I'm new to the forums again. It's really been quite some time since I dropped by. I do hope everyone is doing well. I've been rather busy lately and cant ever seem to find time to slow down. I got had on ebay last week. Recieved a poorly packaged C&O GP38 in the mail. Not just any GP38 either. $162 Atlas Master GP38. So yeah it's broken ofcourse. Runs good! But it's broken none the less. I dont even know if its fixable or not. Anyways moving on. My son finally had an opportunity to watch a train in person. In typical West Virginia fashion it was also a coal train. Now as for my layout. Nothing new there. Been trying to get all of my hoppers upgraded to metal wheel sets. Purchased a truck tuner from micro mark to kinda help out when needed. My athearn hoppers dont take to well to the metal wheels for some odd reason. I need to verify the gauge on some of my sets. They just dont seem right to me. Still have some turnouts that I'll need to replace at some point. The list goes on...... That pretty much does it for me for right now. I'll catch everyone later.
Hi, Justin! Welcome to the forum! We have threads and topics about many subjects which should interest you! If you need help navigating the forum, feel free to ask.


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Evening, still alive and kicking. Trains are on rainy days and with the weather we have lately it'll be awhile. Outside work is complete with edging, mulch, opening the pool, planting the garden and getting the water garden cleaned up and mulched. Now it's just mowing, campfires,pool and sunsets.
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Good evening. Spent some time weeding and assessing the progress of the garden. Looks like tomatoes on all three plants and peppers on the pepper plant. Lettuce is doing well. Basil, Parsley, Oregano not so well. Need to cut the lawn, first opportunity.

Received a package from Micro-mark today, mostly gator foam, basswood lumber and a Walthers DC turntable motor. Receiven an announcement from Tangent, and ordered two 8000 gal 1917 tank cars UTLX 1958 paint scheme black lease cars. There were many similar in lube oil service in the era I'm modeling.

Garry: Thank You for the complement. Have a long way to go.

Curt: The GG1 modifications and Snow screens mostly worked, but during a certain fine swirling snow, they failed. That's when we got to see the SAL and RF&P power on the Florida trains.

Tom: Nice photos. Looks like a delightful place.

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Broadway Limited departing Chicago, prior to 1966. Note lead E8 is first in class # 5700, one of two delivered with headlight and oscillating light.
Most PRR power had single headlight.

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Acela passing through Middle River, MD. I liked running these, but was alwats a bit nervous, because we didn't get much opportunity to do so at Race St.
 
Good morning Everybody!

Thanks for all the Birthday wishes!

My Williams by Bachmann PRR - Congressional 72' Scale Streamliners 4-Car Passenger Set arrived yesterday. I had no time to open them yet. I cannot wait to see them run behind my Tuscan red GG1.

My wife spoils me. With all I have bought recently she says to me yesterday, “you should order something for your birthday” I have more than enough honey.

Spoke to my cousin David who lives in Jacksonville, FL. He told me he has stage 3 lung cancer, but the prognosis is good. They have already done surgery and chemo is next. The good news is his company changed his position to keep his salary and medical coverage coming. He is now in charge of special projects. That way he can take off any time he needs. I asked him if he needed help with medical bills. He said, “no sense in bankrupting us both” He is positive now, but I worry for him going through chemo. Chemo is a real “ass kicker”.

Due to the virus I had no birthday party. It’s all good, I never had “Happy Birthday” sung to me over the phone so many times before! I talked to a lot of people on the phone yesterday and I missed many calls, but I did have time to play Gears of War with my grandson!

My gout continues to improve, I feel rested and ready to do something. Let me see what I can get into today.

I will be back at break time, probably many breaks as usual!

Have a great day Everybody!
 
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Morning all. Happy Friday! A pretty good week this week. The stimulus check showed up. I found out I'm going back on full pay, sooner than expected, and Tangent has released another run of 8,000 gallon tank cars in my era. Life is good!

On another front, here are the last three cars for the COSF disassembled and ready to go to the paint booth. From back to front: the 10-5 sleeper Rincon Hill, the Sleeper- Observation-Lounge Russian Hill, and the 12-5 sleeper Telegraph Hill. Lots of hills in San Francisco, so I guess the names are appropriate!

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Morning all,

Clear and 60* in Doo-Dah with a high of 80* expected today. Par for the course, a delivery company said they had a window of 10a-2P yesterday, so I had to leave work early. They showed up at 1:30p. Could have worked a few more hours instead of today, but I had to be up anyway.

Still experimenting on the paint. I didn't get the paint Willie suggested as $7 for a 3oz can seems way too high for me, so I ended up with a can of Rustoleum Camo paint, which looks OK, but reacts with the base foam. So I'm still looking into an acrylic\latex paint I can use that doesn't react.
 
Good Morning Everyone. It's clear and 63° on this fine Friday morning. Things are finally drying out. Mowed part of the east side of the yard yesterday, I'll finish that today and do the south side as well. Started to do some weedeating, but ran out of string immediately and didn't feel like refilling the spool. The spare was empty as well. The grass/weeds will still be there today.
The grocery/beer trek went as planned yesterday, just a bit more crowded. No shortages noted anywhere and there was a large display of hand sanitizer. Face masks were still about the same percentages in the Kroger store as in past weeks, 100% of employees and about 75% of customers. Same at the Vitamin Store and pool supply place. Not so good at the small town BBQ place, where I was the only one wearing one. Despite being allowed 50% dine in service, there were only take-out customers though. That most likely changed as I walked out and six local law enforcement officers walked in. They're located a block from the police station and next door to City Hall. I think that they get a discount.

I'll take my sunny-side-up eggs with a big handful of bacon this morning Flo. Skip the toast today since I gained an extra pound recently.

Thanks for all of the likes and comments regarding the completed Earl's Oil scene posted yesterday; Jerome, Karl, Louis, Guy, Joe, Patrick, Garry, James, Chet, Bob, Chad, Curt, Ken, Rick, Alan. That scene was quick and fun.

While it wasn't a wasted day in the train shed yesterday, it wasn't a work day. I just ran trains and admired the job that I did on the last project. I pretty much decided that the large area that I posted yesterday will be the next project, "The Charlottesville Urbanization Project". It will start with adding a short section of backdrop across the north window.
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Downside is that it will block part of my view of my pond behind the train shed. I am height-challenged at 5'4" and I will not be able to readily see visiting wildlife there.
I also took a good inventory of the structures already built that could have a home there. Here's a few of them.
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I have two ideas in mind about how to map things out. Some of them will be along the front of the layout with an imaginary street just off the layout in either case. The other side of the tracks can either have the rear side of additional structures along the track with a street between them and others (fronts only) against the backdrop. Or option #2 which is to have the street alongside the tracks with full sized structures against the backdrop. Got to think about this for a while. In the meantime I have about two weeks of work repairing the seams in the backdrop, ballasting the track and determining the front side plat.

Guy - Thanks. My first priority when building the layout was to get trains running ASAP. I did all of the benchwork and track laying first, with the intent to come back to the scenery later. That's where I am at right now. While I have many industries in place, in some places, I have switches already in the passing sidings, that lead nowhere for future industries. Besides those larger areas posted about yesterday, I do have some smaller gaps in the scenery here and there. This most recent area which included the confectionery, grain elevator, antiques store, salvage yard and oil distributor has been a very satisfying project. With the exception of that vacant lot posted earlier, I completed scenery from fascia to backdrop for about 7'.
Nice RR pictures that you have been posting. It must be neat to have the real thing so close by.
Joe - Some days I just like to run trains as well. Yesterday was one of them! :) Keep up with the progress pictures.
Greg -
I visited San Antonio , Texas in early spring and I couldn't believe how many gardens were planted and we were still getting snow in Wisconsin.
San Antonio is further south of here and they start gardens there a bit earlier than I do. Despite being further south, they don't get quite as hot as it gets here so they last longer into the summer. By the end of June, I am done with everything but tomatoes and peppers, and those are "iffy" in some years. However I can come back in September and replant many things for a Fall harvest in November.
Bob - Everything is cheaper in the South than Illinois. We don't have to house so many ex-governors in prison.
Tom - Nice homestead that you have there.

Everybody have a great day.
 
Good morning America, how are ya? It's 70 and mostly sunny now with a high of 80 and a 30% chance of showers this afternoon here on the Cumberland Plateau. Got to get everything together and packed for our trip in the morning. Don't want to go off and leave something. Seems like we're always about a hundred miles away before we remember something. Sometimes getting old sucks!:rolleyes:

We had our air conditioner checked and serviced yesterday to get ready for the summer. Looks like it should be good to go! Been planning on doing some remodeling..............the wife is talking new kitchen cabinets and flooring.:eek::eek::eek: As long as I still get my train shed!

Got to run or nothing will get done! Stay safe and six feet away!
 
Well wife and I went to see the grandkids in Dubuque last weekend. Very needful to see them. While we were there a contractor came and got rid of the remains of the hedge. He will come back and finish it in a couple of weeks. I hate hedges. Also on saturday the rental house across the street had its foundation collapse do to heavy rains. Instead of being verticle they are bowed out at like 11oclock angle. Guess the landlord didn't fix the basement like he said he would. My basement is nice and dry thank God.
 
Good Morning Everyone....cool front came through and it's nice but cool.

Heading to the cabin fro a weekend alone. Planning on do some staining either Saturday or Sunday. The stain takes better when its cooler and hopefully less sunny.

Checked the coal cars yesterday and they ran with a track cleaning car in two for two hours without a problem. I do want to start a thread on how often a modeler cleans his track work. Should be interesting.

I did drop a tiny coupler box cover screw from an Atlas car and it was an hour's search since I didn't have any spares in stock. Finally found it on the dark gray and charcoal carpet tiles. %&^%$#@! after searching for the screw.

Cambria:
Awesome yard!!!

Willie
: Sent us some tomatoes please. Big Boys if you have them.

My rust bucket SOO #4436 ran fairly well but stalled at two spots until I cleaned the track with some ACT 6006 cleaner.

That's all for now.....

Greg

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Good morning, everybody ....

Thanks again to those who commented and "liked" my photos.

Tom .... Thanks for sharing pictures of your place. It looks very nice.

Willie .... I like your downtown buildings. . You said you would add a backdrop across the window. I think the natural backdrop looks great for now, and you need not make the backdrop a high priority. Your remark about "cheaper in the South" is funny.

Joe ..... I like the picture of the Broadway Limited in Chicago. It is interesting about the E8 headlights. I wonder why they retained the lower headlight on the first E8's if none of the other E8's had them.

Alan .... I have been enjoying your posts about he COSF project. You do god work.

Louis ..... Sounds like you received a nice Lionel passenger train.

Everybody ..... have a good day.
 
You said you would add a backdrop across the window. I think the natural backdrop looks great for now, and you need not make the backdrop a high priority.
I only intend to make the backdrop 4" tall across the window. Just enough to reduce the fading that the sunlight will do on any structures/etc. that are placed in front of the window. The sun only sends direct light in that window from about June 10 - July 10, but I have seen the effect in the past. I used to store freight cars there before the rest of the layout was completed and I have boxcars that are lighter on one side than the other.
 
Afternoon all. A beautiful day in the neighborhood, would you, could you be my neighbor? Warm but low humidity making it pleasant out.
Well step one has been completed, the Conductress understands and approves the layout change. Kinda like getting a permit from city hall.
I thing I can modify the existing table, so no new lumber will be needed, just foam board. Now to find a track plan. See what you think of Possible 1.
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Hughie - If I recall correctly, you are in N scale. This looks like it can keep you busy switching in the center while having trains running continuously on the loops if that's your preference. I can only pay attention to one at a time so I only run one at a time. Nothing complex here like reversing sections to be concerned with, and all of the switching locations seem to be rather straightforward. I don't remember whether or not you run steam engines, if not, the turntable might be something to eliminate.
My only concern would be that this really needs access from all four sides or maintenance/rerailing/cleaning could be a b***h. I find that any reach over 32" tends to crush scenery/structures in the front. This plan seems to be at the limit (my limit of course) for reach.
Waterfront Willie's is probably going to be quite a swinging joint.
 
Afternoon All,

Started out brushing the pool this morning then finished the power plant after that. During the afternoon I worked on the mill mainly putting all the details on the walls before putting the walls together. I would estimate I'm about 60% done with the mill. I should be able to finish it tomorrow.

Justin- Good to see you posting. I hope you and your family are well.

Tom- Nice looking yard.

Joe- Thanks for the GG1 info and nice photos.

Louis- Prayers for your cousin David.

Alan- I look forward to seeing your progress.

Willie- Nice looking buildings. I have the same type window issues.

Hughie- If that's N scale it should work. Is each block 6 inches or a foot?

The power plant is purposely filthy because it is coal fired and it will be close to the mine.

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I hope everyone has a good night.
 
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