Running Bear’s June 2025 Coffee Shop

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Boris said:
Credit Unions, are different in so many ways, from commercial banks. But they have strayed from the original intent. I belong to what was once the Reading Company Employees Credit Union. It has changed from what it was. They are getting away from the concept of you're a shareholder to you're a credit risk, you're lucky we let you belong, and we don't have to tell you anything.
The only reason, I still belong is a 4% Second Mortgage, and once it's paid, they're toast.
Even a commercial bank doesn't charge you for moving money from one account to another. I move money from my primary bank to the CU and the Brokerage account monthly without charge... Maybe you should call them, something isn't right.
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Okay, instead of just whining, I made a phone call and asked them. They applied part of my payment to principal, and part to interest, instead of the entire amount to the entire balance. They told me that even though my balance now is higher, over the remainder of the loan it will be less at the end. That sounds like Common Core math, but at least it was an answer other than “we charged a fee”.
 
bnsf971 said:
I've made one of my discoveries, this time about space requirements and availability.
I looked around inside the place I live, and discovered something I already knew. This is what is known as a "bunkhouse" model, which means there are several spaces for people to sleep. In beds, and bed-like things. And I realized the area where my workshop/project area is, originally had a pair of twin beds stacked over each other. Those beds were 3x6, and had pretty solid platforms. So, I can move a couple of things around, put one of the bed bases back in, and have an instant 3x6 layout base. That would give me room for an oval with 15" radius curves for simply running, if I wanted to do that, and/or an area more than large enough for a switching layout. I don't know if there's room to have it both ways. A simple loop would get pretty boring pretty quick, but a switching layout wouldn't really give me enough space for anything to really "go somewhere". I could build an N scale layout in the area, but the reason I'm looking at HO is the small size of N, and the layout I have now is 3x6.5, so it wouldn't make much sense to just build something smaller with the same scale size restraint.
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Terry,
If you want to watch trains run in circles just stay with N. You could make a pretty nice long run. Folded figure 8 combined with a dog bone.

I you want something that is easy to work with, focus on structures/scenery/operation, then move on to HO.
You put an industry like this on one end, reconfigure to fit if you wanted to, and think of the amount of switching, types of cars (hoppers, gondola, tank, boxcar), and a small engine (44 tonner, sw7/9/1200)
www.walthers.com

Valley Cement Plant -- Kit - Overall complex measures: 40-1/2 x 23-1/4 x 11.5" 102.8 x 59 x 29.2c

The Walthers Cornerstone Valley Cement kit gives you the structures you need to add a realistic cement factory to your HO Scale steam- or diesel-era layout. Cement is one of the most popular of all building materials. Modern cement is made in special plants consisting of several buildings, each...
www.walthers.com www.walthers.com
 
Boris said:
Sounds like you have made your decision. Now, time to be creative. Assuming you use foam for the base, you could safely extend 3" over each edge, giving you an additional 6", if you need it. Have fun developing your idea.
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One side of the “bed” is against the wall. I can go out 3”, so I’d have 39”. I can’t go much further than that, even as an L shape, since that part is in a slideout room which has to be able to be retracted when we have hurricanes. If I wanted to build a removable extension, it would be another 36” or so, which could be an area for a couple of sidings/spurs for businesses.
 


Marlin39 said:
Terry,
If you want to watch trains run in circles just stay with N. You could make a pretty nice long run. Folded figure 8 combined with a dog bone.

I you want something that is easy to work with, focus on structures/scenery/operation, then move on to HO.
You put an industry like this on one end, reconfigure to fit if you wanted to, and think of the amount of switching, types of cars (hoppers, gondola, tank, boxcar), and a small engine (44 tonner, sw7/9/1200)
www.walthers.com

Valley Cement Plant -- Kit - Overall complex measures: 40-1/2 x 23-1/4 x 11.5" 102.8 x 59 x 29.2c

The Walthers Cornerstone Valley Cement kit gives you the structures you need to add a realistic cement factory to your HO Scale steam- or diesel-era layout. Cement is one of the most popular of all building materials. Modern cement is made in special plants consisting of several buildings, each...
www.walthers.com www.walthers.com
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I’ve found an Athearn RTR SW1500 and an Atlas HH660 on feebay for a reasonable amount. The atlas has Loksound already installed, the Athearn is already painted for a shortline, and has a speaker pre-installed. If I’m going to have only one engine, I probably don’t need DCC and all the complications that go with it. It would be cool to have the engine make noise, though.
 
Good Morning All!
54F @ 72% cloudy. More rain again.

Protolance: I am pretty sure this came from MR many moons ago but I do not have an index to all of the mags. Anybody know ( or can find out ) the issue where it was 1st used? Not earth shattering, it just bugs me when google is not your friend. I have almost all the issues, but do not want to thumb thru 1000+ of them.

Had some excitement last night - dogs went nuts so we figured another bear or cat. Nope, police with lights flashing were out in the park that borders our north property line with 3 or 4 officers and flashlights searching. Figured it better to stay inside instead of walking out on the deck of our bedroom. Bet they really wanted to see a naked guy with a 45. Watched for awhile but never saw anybody or anything caught. Probably will find out the cause later today.

Went to Trout Creek yesterday to look at trees for our fallen friend's Mother. Ya, one tree right? Ended up with a Granny Smith for him, Apricot and Plum for us ( 6ft trees ) along with 2 Rhody's, Wisteriem ( ?sp ), Japanese Maple and another I don't remember. The greenhouse was having a huge sale. 60% discount of which Maria paid $140ish. Almost pulled the trigger on 3 Blue Spruce ( 4ft ) @ $25 each, but not ready for those yet. Could not see out the back window of the Expedition. Thank God for backhoe's. We were in Ponderay for Wal*Mart and HD and got a hair up and headed up SR200. For those of you that might get this way, it is a great drive along Lake Pend Oreille and the Clark Fork River that feeds it. You can bump over to I90 at Paradise to St. Regis. Did see xMRL's to boot, alas no pix.

L8r
 
bnsf971 said:
I’ve found an Athearn RTR SW1500 and an Atlas HH660 on feebay for a reasonable amount. The atlas has Loksound already installed, the Athearn is already painted for a shortline, and has a speaker pre-installed. If I’m going to have only one engine, I probably don’t need DCC and all the complications that go with it. It would be cool to have the engine make noise, though.
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If the engines are dual mode you will have engine sound. I have found DCC to be simple, flawless, and plug n play. Walthers DCC ready switches make it real easy.
 
Good morning all!

Going to be a warm day again. Currently 77F but with the humidity it already feels like 88F. High will be 87F under mostly sunny skies.

I didn't have the gumption to mow yesterday so that is on the agenda for today. I did get everything else accomplished yesterday I
want too.

Tonight is the Cities 4Th of July fireworks at the lake. We are fortunate to live within a couple of blocks so all the aerial display will be
visible from my backyard. I cant see the ground displays but I've seen enough of those in my day, so no big deal. I will watch on a
floatie from my pool and have no crowds to attend with. Many people come from neighboring towns since its the first one in the
area.

Not really much else earth shattering in my world, hope to keep it that way!

Have a safe day everyone!
 
Good morning all,

65f and sunny.

Completed cutting out the styrene for the new builds, one snafu but I can work around it. Need to order windows from Tichy!

Cereal: yes

Tips: always with good service, practice generosity when deserved!

Our garden, the deer, rabbits, and turtles cannot get it.


garden.JPG


That is my outdoor grill just to the left and behind. Four stones and a grate.

Its a beautiful day here, too:

driveway.JPG


Thats a Jack Pine at the end, tall skinny tree. I just built a bunch of them for the layout. The white barked ones across the road are the popples that show up in some of my scenes.

Have a great day...

Dave LASM
 
Well, looks like my adventure in HO has been put on hold for a couple of weeks. The only remaining hobby shop in the area is closed until July 5, and I have to work that day. Next time I’d be able to do anything there is the following weekend. Lots of time to change my mind, and return to the status quo.
 


bnsf971 said:
I just made an interesting discovery about the credit union I’ve belonged to for the last decade and a half.
I have a personal loan through them, and it has a current balance of $605.58. I decided to make an additional payment of $5.58, to make it an even $600.
I made the payment, then checked the account balance. Imagine my surprise when the balance was $602.42, instead of $600.There is no explanation at all where the missing money went, it just shows balances. If I had to guess, they charged me $3 or so for me to move my money from one of my accounts in the credit union to another account in the same credit union.
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I suspect it went to accumulated interest. Most places compound daily and will take payments against interest before applying to principal. I have a credit union that does it exactly that way (though it discloses this in the way the details come up). I have a small overdraft “loan” and every once in a while I’ll overdraft it if something is due and the wife doesn’t get paid for a day or two. You can pay some daily in it and you’ll see a small amount go to interest each day and the rest to principal.

My other credit union only applies interest to the account once a month it appears and so if you run a balance, after making the minimum payment for the month (which is mostly interest but has a small principal slice in it), any additional payments made throughout the month go directly to principal.
 
bnsf971 said:
Okay, instead of just whining, I made a phone call and asked them. They applied part of my payment to principal, and part to interest, instead of the entire amount to the entire balance. They told me that even though my balance now is higher, over the remainder of the loan it will be less at the end. That sounds like Common Core math, but at least it was an answer other than “we charged a fee”.
Click to expand...
It’s sixes really depending on if they just figure simple interest separately and aren’t compounding but in the end the interest ends up getting interest charges on it. For that small amount any difference is probably a penny or three.
 
ctclibby said:
Good Morning All!
54F @ 72% cloudy. More rain again.

Protolance: I am pretty sure this came from MR many moons ago but I do not have an index to all of the mags. Anybody know ( or can find out ) the issue where it was 1st used? Not earth shattering, it just bugs me when google is not your friend. I have almost all the issues, but do not want to thumb thru 1000+ of them.



L8r
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I believe it was Tony Koester’s term when he was the editor at RMC. It was used in the series about Allen McCelland’s V&O railroad
 
Well, howdy there internet peeps and those with interest of both the good and bad kind. It's Troy again.

We've begun the next birthday celebration. From Mid-June to Mid-July we have 4 celebrations. MIL's B'day, 12 days later wife's birthday, 8 days later my birthday, 11 days later our wedding anniversary. It'll be 38 years on that last one.

So this weekend is wife's birthday weekend. We went and had gooey pizza for lunch at the mom and pop place about five miles from home.
503650136_18504978118035711_5806307183695851440_n.jpg


Tomorrow she turns the big 60. To recover from the shock, she's upstairs napping now. She and her sis go see their mother every Sunday after lunch, and she expects her sis to bring cake or sweets of some sort to celebrate. So we may be heading out TONIGHT to get her last ice cream of age 59 at Culvers. Can't overload on sweets. You gotta space them out, you know...

In other news, been painting up the dwarves for the gaming army. Figured out I have enough of them assembled (not painted, tho) to play a full sized game. And I still have more to assemble. And a LOT of them to paint.

Here's the dude I did the 3d Printing conversion to.
502338377_18504950656035711_2207564033013259748_n.jpg


I need to add some extra armor above his shoulders. I couldn't get the 3d printed cape to bend enough even soaking it in hot water, and it stick up to high behind his head. Some decorative armor bits should help disguise that. Below is his back side. Still a Work in Progress.

503497798_18504979180035711_1072230584589306636_n.jpg
 
Okay, I finally managed to go back to sleep for an extra couple of hours, but now I'm up for the day -- and still no internet. They sent an email out finally that said "we had a planned maintenance go wrong last night, will be restored by noon." I wonder why they didn't tell us lowly customers they were planning maintenance? Or let us know when things went wrong that... things went wrong, and instead waited 'til the next day? Oh, and it's almost 1PM now, and still no internet...

Bah! I know I'm extra picky because I was in related industry and we had these nasty things called SLAs that dictated a much higher level of service than this, but still... This seems like an extra special level of incompetence. How would people react if their power or phone went out for half a day, and nobody said a peep about when service would be restored?

Oh wait! My phone is out, because I get the service... over the internet! From the same company as part of a bundle, too!

Okay, I'll stop ranting about the lack of internet now.

I have a feeling I'm not going to get to work on anything train-related today. I haven't called them yet to see, but I think I'll end up down with the folks installing that light I mentioned before. And probably half a dozen home automation toys. And then dinner!

We'll see where the rest of today goes. In the mean time I'm going to go back to bumbling around the place and being annoyed that Alexa tells me she can't talk to the Internet every time I ask her to turn a light on. I guess it's a good thing that everything other than voice control works without internet... Sigh.

I did say I was done ranting about that, didn't I? Sorry.

@logandsawman: That's a beautiful place. I'm jealous.

@chadbag: A Spaceballs followup? Seriously?! That will either be hideously entertaining, or just plain hideous. I've not known of many Mel Brooks flops, though, so...

Have a great day, folks! I'm wandering off now so I don't run my phone out of data.
 


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