Running Bear's May 2022 Coffee Shop

[D&J RailRoad]

Virus not wanting to kill the host? I guess the Ebola, Black Plague, HIV and numerous other virus didn't get the note. (smirk)
Spiritual journey? Dang, who designed that path? I might have hit on that idea while enjoying a Morphine buzz many years ago. The nurse just smiled and continued changing my wound dressing. A close friend of mine still razzes me about that on occasion to this day.
Still wrestling with tryin to repair the glued truck on my Scale Trains GTEL tender. I applied a solvent that's supposed to dissolve AC glue, but it's not working yet. ST lists a part number for the truck. I'll see if they sell it before I go to plan B. Plan B is to just drill out the truck king pin then rebuild it with plastic and a screw.
It's cigar day. Havin another Rocky Patel Vintage at the lounge. I was going to go visit a friend in the Spinal injury ward of the VA hospital in Richmond, VA but he will be discharged today. I'll prolly go see him at home tomorrow or Monday. I'll just go for a long ride this afternoon instead.

 

[Boris]

Despite the protestations of the politicians and the bleating voices on TV and Radio and social media telling everyone to get boosted. This is based on studies and new data coming out. Actual scientific data. Covid is now endemic and like influenza -- will be with us and changing from now on.

Selective media has taken what they want from recent studies in South Africa (and possibly the UK), indicating that those previously infected with a Covid Varient are likely to be reinfected with another Covid Variant. Supposedly, those vaccinated and boosted are less likely to be reinfected. [Or something like that]. Biggest problem is inconsistent policy from the CDC and FDA, followed by questionable news reporting, followed by Timid Politicians who are more concerned by their "numbers". Does anyone find it strange that the studies are always somewhere else. Not here in the USA?

BTW: Wife and I just had our second Moderna Booster, five months after the first.

Meanwhile, the "YellowDust" and "Tree Snot" are falling at a rapid rate, as our Oaks and flowering trees blossom. I haven't used my Albuterol Inhaler this much since last Fall. Maybe I should wear a mask?

Shortly after the Merger, NYC ALCO and PRR EMD power haul coal train through Michigan. Unknown Location J. Quinn Photo Collection.

 

[chadbag]

Supposedly, those vaccinated and boosted are less likely to be reinfected. [Or something like that]

Except the data shows that those places and people with the highest rates of vaccination also have higher rates of Covid (now, with the latest variants). Israel, Vermont, and many other places that had very high vaccination rates so their case rates soar. UK was releasing weekly raw data (they may still be doing so) which showed the vaccinated had higher rates in some age groups.

Saw this headline today: "Higher COVID-19 Infection Rates Among Vaccinated Children Than Unvaccinated, CDC Data Show". There are conflicting data and reports. When data goes against the party line, they say all kinds of things like "possible previous infection rates" may be skewing the observed data rates but they never present any of THAT data.

The politicians have been selling this vaccine story as the cure and way back to normal and they keep doubling down on it, and so need to make sure the headlines back up their vaccine push, even when they don't.

Now it has become endemic and it appears from various reports that the vaccine has little to no effect. (I follow Dr Peter McCullough, "a renowned cardiologist and epidemiologist" who posts links to studies, journal articles, etc.). The sooner we recognize this and make adjustments the better off we will all be. No need to be in fear all the time.

One CDC report measuring vaccine effectiveness in 12-15 year olds with the two dose regimen that 2-4 weeks after second dose it was 60% effective and plummented from there, going to 0 at 5 months, after which that age group was more likely to be infected.

I hear reports daily on various FB groups related to travel and on other forums where it is relevant of people who test positive -- all triple vaxxed. And the less vaxxed or not vaxxed seem to have approximately the same case rate and same rate of severity (my observations are all anecdotal, I freely admit).

(FWIW -- I received the J&J end of the year (End of Nov). Had Covid for a week and half in January -- was not tested but the wife was and we all had the same thing -- also we [except me, I was not sick] probably had it again last week but no one was tested and symptoms were just a longer than normal cough and cold and sore throat and achy body. Not being tested it is just a guess that that is what everyone here but me had. Similar symptoms to when we did have it).

Anyway, not trying to be political or create arguments.

 

[ctclibby]

At Loves I65 just in Tennessee going southwest tomorra. Thought that all you that know about trucks and trucking might get a giggle. Since leaving Libby on Monday, we have rolled across 12 of 14 scales. We have not rolled that many scales during the last 3 years! If ya remember, we picked at Cat in Spo. BoL said we had 39,945 so we weighed it; anything over 36k we weigh.

Trailer tandems were all the way back and the blonde girl and I guess to where they should be. Scale ticket is 1st weigh. Looks like we guessed okiedokie.

 

[JeffH]

Infection rate may be higher, but I'd like to know if the symptoms are the same or less severe.

I got Covid not long after getting the first Moderna booster shot last October. It was just like a cold, but more chesty and less nasally. I was grateful to be able to breath through my nose while sleeping with a CPAP.

I stayed home to keep my germs to my self, but I felt good enough to work from home most days. Lasted a little over a week.

 

[ctclibby]

At Loves I65 just in Tennessee going southwest tomorra. Thought that all you that know about trucks and trucking might get a giggle. Since leaving Libby on Monday, we have rolled across 12 of 14 scales.

Forgot, those of of you that don't play with big trucks - when you slide your tandems, you are attempting to balance the trailer weight between the tandems and the tractor drives. The Fed says for this truck and trailer we have a max of:
Steers 12K
Drives 34K
Tenders 34K
With Gross weight at 80K. None of the 3 above can be over even if you are under gross.

 

[LesterL]

Something model train related. I remember reading about soaking smoke units but I don't remember exactly what it said. I'm wanting to know with what should I soak it? I have an older smoke unit that hadn't been used in 20+ years and now doesn't smoke. Maybe soaking it will help.

 

[bnsf971]

 

[Bruette]

Willie, thanks for sharing the good news!

 

[Texas Hobo]

Good afternoon, all! A very warm day here in Houston. Yesterday was wasted on Costco, but today a got started on the Transfer Building kit.
It is an American Model Builder kit, the first one I've tried. The parts are quite fragile. Most of the pieces fit well. The instructions don't call for stiffeners, but I added a few anyway. I bought 3 AMB kits form Fifer Hobbies. This is my first purchase from Fifer. Package was delivered in 3 days from ordering, not the usual 7 to 10 some other suppliers need. Well packaged.

STAY SAFE

LATER

 

[chadbag]

It was just like a cold, but more chesty and less nasally.

yeah that was like what my experience was in Jan. For me it was a bad cold that was mainly in the chest.

The various reporting sites for cases, fatalities, etc are interesting to look at -- look at the logarithmic scale as it shows the a better view if rates and changes. Not a lot happening in terms of deaths etc in the last year compared to cases. Was quite different the first 6-9 months.

one place: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

[Jaz avalley]

Hello fellow modelers and smokers.

Consider this as traitorous. I don’t need my meat smoked and while I have supposely had excellent brisket at Black’s in San Marcos and Franklin’s in Austin neither did anything for my taste buds. The SIL thinks he is a budding smoker chef but…

I will take a charcoal grilled steak over brisket any day. Our son thinks I am crazy. He likes a smoked Buffalo steak the best, brisket is second on his list. When in Austin we always hit one or 2 places supposely renowned for their smoked meats. I do applaud your efforts though.
View attachment 145830

Working on tree armatures, this group is 5-7” tall.

This is shows the branches off the main trunk. This batch of trees is 8 spins around my measuring template giving me a twisted trunk of 16 wires. I will usually twist the main trunk 1 to 2.5” coming out of the soil and branch off above that. This will get fleshed out by pulling the wires above 2” into individual branches.

Over the next few days I will show this guy becoming a tree. it is 93 degrees outside. They have lowered the high for the day, but it is 68 in the train room and it feels nice

TomO
View attachment 145834

I like a cheap shoulder steak in a slow cooker, salt and pepper, plus garlic if the steak is a little light on fat.butter always a good add.

I fry steak in salt and pepper and garlic, but for extra flavour add paprika chilli caraway finish in butter, sorry food never lasts long enough to photograph

not keen on blood,

 

[Boris]

Not being tested it is just a guess that that is what everyone here but me had. Similar symptoms to when we did have it).

Funny, but back in December, I came down with a vicious case of "Bronchitis" [or other Respiratory Infection]. Co-incidentally, this was about a month after the first booster. In any event i had all the symptoms associated with Covid - and a host of other diseases. I was quick tested, with a negative report, and also given the lab test, and placed on protocol pending results. The Doc prescribed Anti-antibiotics and Prednisone which I picked up on the way home. Two days later, the Doc called and advised the test came back negative. I finished the meds, and felt fine until Easter, when the grand Children brought whatever was going through their school with them and shared.

Either I had Covid and the two tests were wrong, or I had a COPD flare-up that became an infection...your choice. Wonder how that was reported to the CDC?

Covid is a real medical problem, that unfortunately became sensationalized and politicized by the media first, then the politicians, then the opportunists who smelled a buck. Meanwhile, We the People, became isolated, more divided, fearful, and frustrated. The Media, the Bureaucrats and the Politicians won't let this go. We cannot even have a civil discussion about it without fear of being political or offending someone.

Wife and I decided to go the vaccination route, after consultation with our Medical Care Groups. Our frustration, as that the government after coaching by the Media, elected to prioritize distribution of vaccines for medical professionals, and "first responders", many of whom refused to be vaccinated for reasons of their choosing. Rather than make the vaccine available to the next priority group (65+ and immune compromised), they held back while trying to coerce the medical and first responder refusniks to get their shots...

So today, this story breaks in the Times, about re-infections, and vacciated. I read this, perhaps two hours before our appointment. We decided that it can't hurt, so we got our second booster.

I'm skeptical of the CDC, and FDA...today the FDA suddenly approved Pfizer Vaccine for small children, and allowed the Similac plant in Michigan to re-open, because of political backlash over the Government caused Baby Formula shortage. I'm more skeptical of reports from places such as South Africa, Israel, France or other countries with their own standards, politics and agendas.

FWIW, I / we go by our own experiences...we are higher risk, because of age and chronic ailments. We don't hide and have been going out. Since the CDC decided that cloth masks don't work,(after we successfully used them for 2 years), and then relented and said we don't need to wear them, we have gone out without a mask. My /our philosophy is if the vaccine + 2 boosters work, we don't need no stinkin mask or distance...if it don't work...we are screwed, mask and distancing not withstanding.

You're right, it's time we stopped living in fear of this disease, (and some of the other sensationalized garbage we are fed on a daily basis).

 

[McLeod]

Guy- Nice 1:1 shots. Is the grey paint scheme a standard or an oddball scheme?

Curt - The CN locomotives in the grey scheme are ex-CitiRail. I don't know what the story is with CitiRail, but CN bought a bunch of their locomotives. I've been seeing them around Alberta.
Here's one I found in Jasper last year:

And another that picked up a train in Whitecourt:

I have photos of a fourth engine on another flash drive, but, I'd need to go looking for it.
Both of the photos posted here have been posted before, so are just reruns.

Thank you for commenting. Have a great evening!

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet people who are vaccinated.

It's Troy again

Today, lets talk about 3 printing a TIGER!

No, not that kind. A 1:56 scale Tiger 1 tank from WW2.

Got a bigger resin printer, and I still had a tough time fitting all the parts on the build plate. I could have shoehorned them on, but it was easier to just print the hull, then run a second print job with the tracks, turret, and gun.

And, earlier this week, I installed handles on my Saturn (Resin Printer)... Makes lifting the hood up and over the build plate much easier. Yes, I used my OTHER 3D printer to make the handles out of filament.

As for vaccines: remember that they are to protect you from SERIOUS illnesses. Some viruses can get knocked right out by a vax, others not so much. And, they affect everyone differently.

Unfortunately, we've discovered that C-19 has animals it can hide in. So it's here like influenza. It will be back every year. I've mentioned her before, but Dr. Monica Gandhi (on Twitter: @MonicaGandhi9) is a great resource, with lots of threads that avoid politics and look at the science. She's been critical of both skeptics and the govt agencies. Worth your time to visit her feed, and read through the studies she links in the various topics/thread.

 

[chadbag]

@troyphoto

Why 1/56 ?

That is not a gaming scale I've seen before.

 

[troyphoto]

@troyphoto

Why 1/56 ?

That is not a gaming scale I've seen before.

28mm for Bolt Action. They've gone a bit heroic in scale, so 1:56 instead of the classic 1:64

some of the players like the vehicles in 1:48. but 1:56 looks good and scales pretty close to the Warlord Games figure

 

[MikeInHubCity]

Willie, all I can think to say, quoting Buford T Justice, is "What the hell is da world coming to".

Truckdad- GTHIHB

 

[Smudge617]

Good Morning All. Mostly cloudy and 72° on this more normal morning. Looking at continued warm in the lower 90's through Saturday and then supposedly thunderstorms Saturday night through Tuesday with highs only in the 70's. So far according to my gardening records, this has been the hottest first half of May since I started keeping those records in the mid-80's.
Yesterday was quite concerning although everything eventually turned out OK. Maybe I overreacted, but at this stage in life, it is better to be safe than sorry. Felt much better later in the day to the point that I mowed for about 30 minutes and did some other yardwork.
The pool temperature is great at 81°, but I haven't gotten everything right yet. The pH is right on, conditioner level is good, but I can't get the chlorine level just right and there is too much suspended particles in the water.
This morning I have a previously scheduled visit to the cardiologist to discuss a date for an angioplasty, I think that is what it is called. He wants to explore and probably put a stent inside. I am not looking forward to this, as I feel that hospitals are cesspools of germs. I accepted the visit yesterday with apprehension, but the last time I was a patient in a hospital was in 1968 to get my tonsils removed. That doesn't count a colonoscopy done in an out-patient clinic a few years ago.
I actually don't consider myself having any major health issues thankfully. Yes it is suspected that there is some minor blockage that a stent will take care of, but aside from the pneumonia that I had earlier this year which may be related to the heart, I generally do not get sick. Sure some age related things have cropped up, I am quite hearing impaired as a result of too much loud rock & roll in my youth and I have a family history of high blood pressure; but those are things that can be easily controlled. I plan on being a thorn in anyone's side for many years to come.

I do wish to once again thank everyone for all of the well wishes and advice offered. That is what makes this community so great.

A few updates on the garden. Broccoli heads starting to form.
View attachment 146053
View attachment 146054
Onions forming everywhere. They will be small this year since I was a month late with planting.
Overall view right now.
View attachment 146055
And the part of my hayfield that grows naturally without planting.
View attachment 146056

Let me just offer a summary regarding activities in the train shed since Saturday.
I don't remember whether or not I posted pictures of the rehabbed townhouse, so here are a few more in case I hadn't.
View attachment 146047
View attachment 146048
View attachment 146049
I did finish painting the newest bank.
View attachment 146050View attachment 146051
View attachment 146052
I am sticking with the mottled brick color since it looks more realistic. Less weathering that way. I intend to paint some random bricks a darker color to add to the contrast.

A lot has happened here in the Coffee Shop since I made my last normal visit Sunday, and I won't bore anyone with all of the comments and remarks that I could make while catching up. So I will just post on what I thought stood out for now.

Chad - I am sure glad that everything turned out OK with your misadventure on the ladder. While my wife now discourages me from getting on the roof, I still use the extension ladder to prune upper branches on trees - they're actually higher than the roof! I can't even count how many times I made the "two step" dismount when I was younger. Unintentionally always!
I agree with you on watching TV. I don't normally watch more than 30 minutes of Fox Business most mornings, nothing else. I found that my most reliable sources of news on the Internet are BBC and Al Jazerra. Generally all facts and no spin. But I was bored yesterday laying on that gurney.
James - Safe travels for you.
Sherrel - I'm counting on you to improve real soon.
Guy - Coming at you later regarding the windshield for the truck.

Everybody have a great day.

Willie, don't worry if you have to have a stent, had one done two years ago when I had my heart attack, took 15mins, and didn't even feel a thing, I was conscious the whole time, worst bit, Dr. tells me I might feel a slight stinging sensation from the local anesthetic, (mine was through my right arm), more like grabbing a electric cattle fence for 2 minutes, but after that eased off it was fine, didn't even know he'd finished till I was told I had to walk to the ward for overnight observation.

 

[Patrick]

Morning all,

Busy day at home this morning, so posting from work.

Currently cloudy and thundershowers in the area with 70° on the thermometer. Going for sunny later and a high around 94°.

City I live in has a major N\S artery that has had signs up for 8 months that there going to do major reconstruction of the road this spring. Now that spring is almost over they're finally getting started in 2 weeks. Road to be open to southbound traffic only during the construction period. Expected completion late 2023. Wife will need to find a new way to work. Normally it's 11 miles to her job from the house one way. Any alternate routes make her trip 25 miles one way. As in all things with the city where I reside, we put crap off because we don't want to spend a buck to redo things, only to have to do 4X the work at 10x the price 5 years later. could have resurfaced the road, grind down top 2 inches and repave. too much money. Now the road has deteriorated to the point where even the road base is shot and has to be rebuilt. I don't see how we really saved anything. This isn't the first time the city has done crap like this....

Oh well, Enough bitching...

BBL