Running Bear's October 2019 Coffee Shop


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Kevin Bunker - ‎Steam Locomotive Photographs
Southern Pacific 3-cylinder 4-10-2 No. 5004 in 1925 fresh from the Alco factory and standing outside SP's Sacramento Shops to be ogled. While it still seems hard to believe, SP intended to place these on the Donner Pass line in passenger service to eliminate double-headed smaller locomotives and the use of Cab-forwards in passenger use. These enormous locos were accordingly fitted with air-powered clamshell smoke deflectors to reduce the blast effect on snowshed roofs.

It took little time for the railroad to realize its folly: engine crews still had to wear gas mask respirators on "the Hill" as the 4-10-2s and their superheated exhaust flooded in and around the locomotive working hard uphill in tunnels and sheds. And the enormously long rigid wheelbase -- even with several "blind" (flangleless) driving wheel tires, was torturing curves on the mountain.

In fairly short order these locomotives and their sisters were moved down into the great Central Valley and line across Beaumont Pass east of Los Angeles, and also doing some duties up the Sacramento River Canyon to Dunsmuir and over Cascade Pass in Oregon.

In the end, they mostly wound up fully reassigned to Southern California. There, the last survivor No.5021 remains as a "display queen" at the Pomona County Fairgrounds as part of the R&LHS Southern California Chapter collection housed there.

SP Photo - David W. Joslyn, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives.
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Chet: Chiming in about the festivals and events in Milwaukee...the largest is Summerfest (largest music festival in the nation), German Fest, Italian Fest, Polish Fest, Indian Summer all held at the Summerfest grounds on the shore of lake Michigan and Summerfest runs over a week and the others 2-3 days. All feature food and music.

Then of course are the local church festivals and the fire/police and community festivals held during the summer throughout Wisconsin.

Lots of food and music and fun.

Greg
 
FWIW - my past relatives must have come over from Scotland from the area of West Wemyss/East Wemyss which is north of Edinburgh.
I worked with a co-pilot who told me that his ancestors worked for my ancestors. They came to this country during the 1600's and settled in Virginia somewhere in the area of Williamsburg.
A few facts: The Wemyss family are mostly linked to three castles within Scotland. The first is Macduff Castle, then Wemyss Castle which is the principle seat of the Chief of the clan, and the third is Elcho Castle.
Clan Name: Wemyss - various spellings - Elcho, Vemis, Vemys, Vemyss, Veymis, Weemes, Weems, Weemyss .

I have not made a decision on the truck at this time.
 
Good morning everybody :


Bruette said:
Chicago & North Western Historical Society
GP-7 i leading a short train along what the rails call the "Ridgerunner line." That line ran from Madison,Wisconsin west along a series of ridges to Monfort, Wisconsin. It served communities like Mount Horeb, Blue Mounds, Dodgeville and Cobb, Wisconsin. The line was pulled up fairly late in C&NW history. Such tight squeeze! It is a Joe Holman photo.
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Here is my CNW 1500 series GP7 number 1518. It is a gift I received several years ago, and is an Atlas/Kato model. The Athearn caboose was included in the gift.

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Has anybody heard from Dave LASM ?
 
I have the 1st generation of the Colorado and really like it. Mine is the standard cab model, which isn't available in the new version. I I only regret not having the larger cab model.

I haven't seen the Ranger yet in person, but on mid-sized pickup ratings it came in behind the Ridgeline, Colorado and Canyon. Their biggest beef with the Canyon was it didn't offer anything the Colorado didn't and was more expensive.

My personal issue with the Ridgeline is how do you get to the spare of you have a load in the back? A lift panel in the bed makes it impossible to get to without unloading the vehicle first.
 
Chad -- I watched a few videos on the Kato Shiki Shima. That is a nice set, looks really good going around a layout. As much as i would like to buy one I need to hold off on any new purchases until after the holidays.
 
One interesting thing about Japanese N scale. Except for the Shinkansen bullet trains, Japanese N scale is 1/150, not 1/160. However, the Shinkansen bullet trains are 1/160. (The European stuff is all 1/160 like the US stuff). Interestingly, the KATO Swiss narrow gauge (Rhätische Bahn) stuff is also 1/150 (sold by Noch in Europe), while the KATO labeled N-scale German ET425 (commuter rail) is 1/160 (and other KATO stuff sold by Lemke).

KATO made European HSR is 1/160.

Most non-Shinkansen trains in Japan are "cape gauge" or 1067mm or 3' 6". So I guess they went with 1/150 to make it look more natural on the track. However, some (actually a lot) of non JR private railway in Japan is standard gauge, but is still 1/150 (so it works on the same layouts as the JR stuff). The Shinkansen are 1/160 -- probably so really long sets are a bit smaller and work better on smaller layouts. But also because the prototypes are standard gauge. Probably why the Swiss narrow gauge stuff by KATO is also 1/150.

Shinkansen in the same station do not look out of whack with non Shinkansen as the difference is not that great and the trains are totally differently configured from a design standpoint, so you are not comparing like items.

(Japan H0 is 1/80 on the same H0 track -- probably for the same reason)
 
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Good Afternoon Everyone....sunny and cool today...nice fall fay.

Just waiting for the physical therapist to arrive for her last visit. When down stairs again today and worked on the railroad. Didn't run the trains since I had too many single locomotives on the layout. Still slow moving but steady. First thing I found was a broken hand rail on a Buford Milwaukee Road transfer caboose. It fit back in place perfectly with the broken parts cleanly fitting and a bit of canopy glue in the rear repaired the car. I put it back into its original box for safe keeping.

I was missing some tools from my modeling area which I later found on my work bench in the shop area.

I did confirm the purchase of a weathered, 50' Intermountain box car, added detail parts on it and the G&D logo and other G&D lettering applied. I just like the G&D logo and everything that has something to do with John Allen's layout. I'll park it where I'm sure it with get some attention from visitors in the know. I also ordered a sheet of G&D decals from the NMRA's store. So for fun, I may use some of the decals on an old MRC, F3 locomotive that I stripped of its lettering for weathering.

In a storage area for some of my rolling stock and locomotives I found a SOO Line GP38-2 from Proto 2000. It's new in the box and needs DCC added. I purchased at a train only hobby shop in a small town which is only open several hours a week. The day we visited the shop it was closed we needed to call the owner to come and open his shop. After several hundred dollars of purchases we all left happy.

Did clean up my model work shop a bit after see some of the Forum members shops. I still have a way to go. I showed the Mrs. a picture of Jerome's organized work area and she only said we have to get going on our basement, thank you Jerome for the extra catalysis to help get the Mrs. moving in the right direction.

When I was in the hospital she agree to us to have a plumber come and remove the water softener brine tank, filtering tower along with all associated piping. I could do the job, but the piping is copper and it's near the ceiling. I like sweating and working with copper piping, but the years have taken their took on me and working from a ladder is no longer an option and besides the tower is heavy to carry up the basement stairs.

Getting 20 or so N&J relay switch machines on Rix mounting brackets ready for E Bay.

That's all for now.....

Greg

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Here's the Intermountain box car with the GD Logo and lettering. I like the weathering which is not over done and with nice touches like the rusty brake line fitting, the waybill near the door and the detailing of the KD coupler.-Greg
 
Afternoon All,

Yesterday I had a bad reflux issue that prevented sleep the night before but I'm finally feeling better and had a decent night's sleep. This weekend we are watching the grandkids while their parents are on a short cruise that leaves Friday and returns Monday and I will be dropping them off and picking them up. Luckily the port is only about 75 minutes away (Port Canaveral).

One of my grandfathers immigrated from Scotland in the 20's and a Uncle from England post WWII.

Beady- More neat posters.

Willie- That will be a great looking area when finished.

Joe- Nice Pennsy photo.

Sherrel- That looks like a amazing medical device. I have a 2007 (bought in 2008) Colorado extended cab. The only repairs made are new tires, new battery and a new fuel line (some type of plastic).

Greg- Nice looking box car.

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I hope everyone has a good night.
 
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Hiya gang!
The problem with the Colorado and the Ranger is that they are almost as big as a full sized truck, cost as much, and get worse mileage!
(Yes, I still love my little S-10)
But if I was gonna buy a new truck......

and I work for Chevy!
 
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