Running Bear's April 2019 Coffee Shop
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I don't agree with the idea that people are either one; or, the other. Like everyone else, I have times where I am pessimistic and times where I am optimistic. It also depends on the topic of discussion. At times I can be pessimistic about the hobby of Model Railroading, because the hobby, as it is today, no longer really fits what I feel a hobby should be about. The hobby to me, is about building models. This is how it was when I got into it 30+ years ago. Now, much of the equipment available is already built and ready to go. I have no interest in Ready to Run/Ready Built stuff for my layout, even though most of the people involved today, this is what the hobby is today.
People may attempt to talk to me about considering the hobby as it is now, as better! That would be the "Optimistic View" to consider this as true, and the "Pessimistic View" to view it as false! In the end it is simply about what a person considers to be "The Hobby"!
My dear lady Flo, I won't hug you anymore as that makes me a "MASHER"; but, I would love a couple eggs over easy and throw some type of meat in a skillet for a short time to warm it up, then white toast and Hash browns and keep my "Cup" full! Thanks so much!
The difference in what I see as the 2 sides of the hobby. Modelers and operators. We're all a little bit of each, some more one side or the other, kinda like politics. Personally myself, I lean toward the modeler side of things. I've been accused of monkeying with darn near everything before it gets to the layout. I can't stand the cookie cutter looks of pikes with straight from the store stuff.
Karl, Mark et All: Not for nothing, my current layout has structures, booth complete and incomplete placed at sidings, and not much else representing scenery, as it is not any where near complete, and I like operation. The other side of the coin is that while this layout is being built for operation, it does need structures and scenery, and those structures need to be customized, to resemble some of the structures contained in the fire ground photos I occasionally post.
Every time I open a model magazine or a Micro mark Catalog, I see more laser cut, stick built structure kits available. You don't have to go beyond the coffee shop to see some of the competed laser kit stick built kits or kitbashed structures on Willie, Curt and Chet's and others, model railroads. There is something for every one in this hobby, much more than ready to run products.
There are also numerous sources for these products, ranging from Manufacturer's direct sales, through internet discounters, or well run LHS, as well as a price spread that will appeal to all ranges of modelers.
Boris
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NP2626
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I don't agree with the idea that people are either one; or, the other. Like everyone else, I have times where I am pessimistic and times where I am optimistic. It also depends on the topic of discussion. At times I can be pessimistic about the hobby of Model Railroading, because the hobby, as it is today, no longer really fits what I feel a hobby should be about. The hobby to me, is about building models. This is how it was when I got into it 30+ years ago. Now, much of the equipment available is already built and ready to go. I have no interest in Ready to Run/Ready Built stuff for my layout, even though most of the people involved today, this is what the hobby is today.
People may attempt to talk to me about considering the hobby as it is now, as better! That would be the "Optimistic View" to consider this as true, and the "Pessimistic View" to view it as false! In the end it is simply about what a person considers to be "The Hobby"!
My dear lady Flo, I won't hug you anymore as that makes me a "MASHER"; but, I would love a couple eggs over easy and throw some type of meat in a skillet for a short time to warm it up, then white toast and Hash browns and keep my "Cup" full! Thanks so much!
kbkchooch
Verified Human
The difference in what I see as the 2 sides of the hobby. Modelers and operators. We're all a little bit of each, some more one side or the other, kinda like politics. Personally myself, I lean toward the modeler side of things. I've been accused of monkeying with darn near everything before it gets to the layout. I can't stand the cookie cutter looks of pikes with straight from the store stuff.
Patrick
What, me worry?
Morning all,
Just coffee for me this morning.
Rainy this morning and scattered showers throughout the day. Highs in the mid-60's. Currently 53 degrees.
After seeing the debate, I also tend to think of myself more as a modeler than an operator. I like to see the trains running on a smooth track, while I build whatever I'm working with at the time.
I have a lot of work to do...lol
Just coffee for me this morning.
Rainy this morning and scattered showers throughout the day. Highs in the mid-60's. Currently 53 degrees.
After seeing the debate, I also tend to think of myself more as a modeler than an operator. I like to see the trains running on a smooth track, while I build whatever I'm working with at the time.
I have a lot of work to do...lol
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Boris
Beach Bum
Karl, Mark et All: Not for nothing, my current layout has structures, booth complete and incomplete placed at sidings, and not much else representing scenery, as it is not any where near complete, and I like operation. The other side of the coin is that while this layout is being built for operation, it does need structures and scenery, and those structures need to be customized, to resemble some of the structures contained in the fire ground photos I occasionally post.
Every time I open a model magazine or a Micro mark Catalog, I see more laser cut, stick built structure kits available. You don't have to go beyond the coffee shop to see some of the competed laser kit stick built kits or kitbashed structures on Willie, Curt and Chet's and others, model railroads. There is something for every one in this hobby, much more than ready to run products.
There are also numerous sources for these products, ranging from Manufacturer's direct sales, through internet discounters, or well run LHS, as well as a price spread that will appeal to all ranges of modelers.
Boris
N
NP2626
Guest
Yes, I didn't even touch on price! Pressing up against $40-$50.00 for a freight car is a tad nuts in my opinion! (Added for HO at 12:49 PM 4/4/2019).
Last edited by a moderator:
logandsawman
Northern Pacific history enthusiast
Good morning all--- 32 and sunny.
Tom, Boris, Karl, Terry, Mark, Patrick, Flip----pass the coffee! I had my bowl of shredded wheat already.
Garry--really nice "Burlington" scene
I spent about an hour last night just getting the decals on the front of my 4-4-0. Finally got it as good as I could. Problem with something that small in a small space is getting exactly centered could be impossible.
Today's layout photo is the Grizzly Flats station. Not sure why I didn't put any trains in the photo
more later, Dave
Tom, Boris, Karl, Terry, Mark, Patrick, Flip----pass the coffee! I had my bowl of shredded wheat already.
Garry--really nice "Burlington" scene
I spent about an hour last night just getting the decals on the front of my 4-4-0. Finally got it as good as I could. Problem with something that small in a small space is getting exactly centered could be impossible.
Today's layout photo is the Grizzly Flats station. Not sure why I didn't put any trains in the photo
more later, Dave
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Good Morning All. 60° with thundershowers. Not much rain yet and they should be gone in another hour or so.
Thanks for the comments and likes on the pictures from yesterday, Chet, Johnny, Sherrel, Phil, Joe, Curt, Dave, Tom, and anyone that I may have missed. The garbage truck is a 30+ year old Magnuson resin kit (#439-955). I'm not sure whether or not Walther's ever re-released it after they took over the product line, or if there are any left on the internet.
Moving slowly along in the train shed. I did add some more weeds to the current project area; I'm now toying around with backdrop structures. I had saved a bunch of those cardstock background structures that fellow forum member TomKat put up in 2012 and I print them on 65# paper art a reduced scale. After cutting them out, I go over the cut paper edges with a black felt marker to eliminate the white "cut paper" look, and spray with Dull Coat to reduce fading; and then paste them to the backdrop at varying heights depending on how much I downsized them and how far in the background I want them to appear. Another member here, I believe that it is Garry, has done the same thing with the pictures from the front of structure boxes.
Here is where I am with that. I printed it with the entry door a scale 8" shorter than normal as I want it to appear somewhat nearbut still back a bit. Forced perspective.
First but not final placement.
I am thinking that raising it maybe 3/8" will give me the look that I am after. Trees and bushes or undergrowth will complete the illusion.
Chet - While the cab on that garbage truck is most likely from the 60's, 50's era cabs for Magnuson vehicles are available all over the net. I'll try to get a cab picture if I remember. Great set of pictures from your uncle.
Garry - I like that passenger steamer entering your "new" old town.
Mark - You have certainly made some thought-provoking postings in the last couple of days. I agree with some and respectfully disagree with some of them.
Part I - Model Railroading. As Karl pointed out there are modelers and operators in this hobby. I like both. While freight car manufacturers have mostly gone to RTR which I have mixed feelings about; Accurail and several smaller manufacturers still make a lot of kits. I still have over two dozen kits on my "round tuit" shelf to assemble. I'll have room on the layout in a few more years. As far as price is concerned, yes many manufacturers are in my opinion, gouging people. ExactRail and Tangent come to mind. Athearn offers many RTR models that are basically their old blue box kits that are assembled and have much greater detailing like etched-metal roofwalks and end platforms, metal wheels, knuckle couplers and in some cases underbody brake rigging and metal grabs. I think that they're reasonably priced for all the extras.
When it comes to structures on the other hand, there is an unlimited offering right now, most are quite good. Many of the laser-cut wood kits still require measuring and cutting sticks, shingles and other details; and there are generally a lot of white-metal castings that the individual hobbyist can customize. And that doesn't preclude kitbashing or adding additional detailing as I do. I like operations and I like modeling equally as well. Scroll through some back Coffee Shops to see what I have done, albeit slowly.
Part II - Pessimism, Pessimism with government has always been present regardless of which party you support or which one is in power. We are currently looking at a stalemated government that's investigating everyone in Washington, instead of legislating. On the bright side, they're not passing any legislation that costs us money, but they're frittering away taxpayer money with those investigations.
Everybody have a great day.
Thanks for the comments and likes on the pictures from yesterday, Chet, Johnny, Sherrel, Phil, Joe, Curt, Dave, Tom, and anyone that I may have missed. The garbage truck is a 30+ year old Magnuson resin kit (#439-955). I'm not sure whether or not Walther's ever re-released it after they took over the product line, or if there are any left on the internet.
Moving slowly along in the train shed. I did add some more weeds to the current project area; I'm now toying around with backdrop structures. I had saved a bunch of those cardstock background structures that fellow forum member TomKat put up in 2012 and I print them on 65# paper art a reduced scale. After cutting them out, I go over the cut paper edges with a black felt marker to eliminate the white "cut paper" look, and spray with Dull Coat to reduce fading; and then paste them to the backdrop at varying heights depending on how much I downsized them and how far in the background I want them to appear. Another member here, I believe that it is Garry, has done the same thing with the pictures from the front of structure boxes.
Here is where I am with that. I printed it with the entry door a scale 8" shorter than normal as I want it to appear somewhat nearbut still back a bit. Forced perspective.
First but not final placement.
I am thinking that raising it maybe 3/8" will give me the look that I am after. Trees and bushes or undergrowth will complete the illusion.
Chet - While the cab on that garbage truck is most likely from the 60's, 50's era cabs for Magnuson vehicles are available all over the net. I'll try to get a cab picture if I remember. Great set of pictures from your uncle.
Garry - I like that passenger steamer entering your "new" old town.
Mark - You have certainly made some thought-provoking postings in the last couple of days. I agree with some and respectfully disagree with some of them.
Part I - Model Railroading. As Karl pointed out there are modelers and operators in this hobby. I like both. While freight car manufacturers have mostly gone to RTR which I have mixed feelings about; Accurail and several smaller manufacturers still make a lot of kits. I still have over two dozen kits on my "round tuit" shelf to assemble. I'll have room on the layout in a few more years. As far as price is concerned, yes many manufacturers are in my opinion, gouging people. ExactRail and Tangent come to mind. Athearn offers many RTR models that are basically their old blue box kits that are assembled and have much greater detailing like etched-metal roofwalks and end platforms, metal wheels, knuckle couplers and in some cases underbody brake rigging and metal grabs. I think that they're reasonably priced for all the extras.
When it comes to structures on the other hand, there is an unlimited offering right now, most are quite good. Many of the laser-cut wood kits still require measuring and cutting sticks, shingles and other details; and there are generally a lot of white-metal castings that the individual hobbyist can customize. And that doesn't preclude kitbashing or adding additional detailing as I do. I like operations and I like modeling equally as well. Scroll through some back Coffee Shops to see what I have done, albeit slowly.
Part II - Pessimism, Pessimism with government has always been present regardless of which party you support or which one is in power. We are currently looking at a stalemated government that's investigating everyone in Washington, instead of legislating. On the bright side, they're not passing any legislation that costs us money, but they're frittering away taxpayer money with those investigations.
Everybody have a great day.
Raincoat2
Well-Known Member
Good morning everyone. 63 and raining out there. Thunderboomies woke us up around 2 this morning. Didn't last long.
Chet - Nice photos. Great that your uncle kept those photos and passed them on to you.
Willie - as always, nice photos of your progress
Nothing to report from the train room. On another forum, I asked about locomotives from different manufacturers and how they speed-match (or don't). I have an Athearn Genesis F3A NYCentral diesel that has become my workhorse around the layout, but I also have a couple of BLI diesels. Since I like to run two trains at a time (non-DCC), the two BLIs match each other's speed pretty closely, so I can run them simultaneously, just have to watch a couple of intersections to avoid crashes. But the Genesis doesn't speed-match the BLIs one bit, so I've been looking for another Genesis NYC and I've had a bear of a time finding one. Finally found one on EBay - I'm not a big EBay fan, but I pulled the trigger this morning and bought it - won't arrive for a couple of weeks, but I hope it will speed-match my existing one at least pretty close.
Have a good day everyone.
Chet - Nice photos. Great that your uncle kept those photos and passed them on to you.
Willie - as always, nice photos of your progress
Nothing to report from the train room. On another forum, I asked about locomotives from different manufacturers and how they speed-match (or don't). I have an Athearn Genesis F3A NYCentral diesel that has become my workhorse around the layout, but I also have a couple of BLI diesels. Since I like to run two trains at a time (non-DCC), the two BLIs match each other's speed pretty closely, so I can run them simultaneously, just have to watch a couple of intersections to avoid crashes. But the Genesis doesn't speed-match the BLIs one bit, so I've been looking for another Genesis NYC and I've had a bear of a time finding one. Finally found one on EBay - I'm not a big EBay fan, but I pulled the trigger this morning and bought it - won't arrive for a couple of weeks, but I hope it will speed-match my existing one at least pretty close.
Have a good day everyone.
Sirfoldalot
Days Gone Bye!
Good Morning - nothing new on this end - same old stuff.
Supposed to be 64 later on and cloudy with chance of showers.
More coffee, please, couldn't sleep again .. up at 4 AM.
A few of you may enjoy reading this?
https://condrenrails.com/Reader/Trains-March-1963.html
Supposed to be 64 later on and cloudy with chance of showers.
More coffee, please, couldn't sleep again .. up at 4 AM.
A few of you may enjoy reading this?
https://condrenrails.com/Reader/Trains-March-1963.html
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
Good morning. 37 degrees with clear skies. Got up to 58 yesterday and may do the same today.
Justin - Sweet photo of the derrick car.
Garry - That was a 2-6-2 Prairie. Here's the one I have. When I got it, it had no tender, no pilot or headlight. It sat in my parts bin for quite a while until I came across the small vanderbuilt tender. Went into my brass detail parts and cobbled it together. Even installed constant lighting in it. A sweet running little locomotive. I have no idea who made it. Nice photo of your 2-6-2. Like the baggage car also.
Dave - Like the Grizzly Flats station. Nice photo.
Joe - I enjoy both modeling and operations. I am a bit further along than you, but in the over 30 years I have been working on it, I have learned a lot. I knew absolutely nothing about painting, but attending the school of hard knocks, I learned how to custom paint locomotives and other items. There were no where as many kits available years back and I learned how to scratch build, using both wood and styrene or a combination of both. I also enjoy wood structure kits. I have run out of room on the layout for any more structures unfortunately. I can't count how many times I have gone down to the train room to work on some kind of project but just end up running trains and switching.
Willie - More great photos. Sure wish I had more room to expand so I could add more towns and industries. When it comes to freight equipment, I would guess that over half are old blue box kits, but many started off as undecorated units that were custom painted and weathered. I do have a number of wood kits from Silver Streak and other manufacturers which I really enjoyed putting together. I also have a number of the old Tichy kits which have excellent detail. In fact, I ran across a few that have yet to be assembled. I have not bought any from Accurail, Tangent or others and most are for a more modern era than I am modeling. I will skim across politics. I am really fed up with the Damnocrats. Instead of trying to face many issues that the country is facing, such as the immigration problem, they are acting like a bunch of sore loser grade school kids with their investigations. I just can't believe that they refuse to work together to work on more serious problems that they were elected for.
Here are a few photos I took yesterday while running trains. Here the switcher spots a couple of tank cars at the oil distributor and then after the outbound NP freight leaves, picks up a reefer and spots it at the potato warehouse.
Guess I'll head down to the train room and run some more trains.
Later.
Justin - Sweet photo of the derrick car.
Garry - That was a 2-6-2 Prairie. Here's the one I have. When I got it, it had no tender, no pilot or headlight. It sat in my parts bin for quite a while until I came across the small vanderbuilt tender. Went into my brass detail parts and cobbled it together. Even installed constant lighting in it. A sweet running little locomotive. I have no idea who made it. Nice photo of your 2-6-2. Like the baggage car also.
Dave - Like the Grizzly Flats station. Nice photo.
Joe - I enjoy both modeling and operations. I am a bit further along than you, but in the over 30 years I have been working on it, I have learned a lot. I knew absolutely nothing about painting, but attending the school of hard knocks, I learned how to custom paint locomotives and other items. There were no where as many kits available years back and I learned how to scratch build, using both wood and styrene or a combination of both. I also enjoy wood structure kits. I have run out of room on the layout for any more structures unfortunately. I can't count how many times I have gone down to the train room to work on some kind of project but just end up running trains and switching.
Willie - More great photos. Sure wish I had more room to expand so I could add more towns and industries. When it comes to freight equipment, I would guess that over half are old blue box kits, but many started off as undecorated units that were custom painted and weathered. I do have a number of wood kits from Silver Streak and other manufacturers which I really enjoyed putting together. I also have a number of the old Tichy kits which have excellent detail. In fact, I ran across a few that have yet to be assembled. I have not bought any from Accurail, Tangent or others and most are for a more modern era than I am modeling. I will skim across politics. I am really fed up with the Damnocrats. Instead of trying to face many issues that the country is facing, such as the immigration problem, they are acting like a bunch of sore loser grade school kids with their investigations. I just can't believe that they refuse to work together to work on more serious problems that they were elected for.
Here are a few photos I took yesterday while running trains. Here the switcher spots a couple of tank cars at the oil distributor and then after the outbound NP freight leaves, picks up a reefer and spots it at the potato warehouse.
Guess I'll head down to the train room and run some more trains.
Later.
Johnny, I didn't notice you were on the hunt for Genesis NYC F units. I have an ABBA set of them, though they are sound equipped.
Patrick
What, me worry?
OK, I have finally posted a track plan for the odd table setup I have.
It looks weird, but it was setup in 2011 at a different location, taken down and stored in late 2012 until a couple of years ago, (btw Moving several times in a 2 year period isn't fun). The original table design was 12' X 8' with a bar top lift on on of the 8' sides. I lost a lot of space in the successive moves, but don't need as much as I did.
It looks weird, but it was setup in 2011 at a different location, taken down and stored in late 2012 until a couple of years ago, (btw Moving several times in a 2 year period isn't fun). The original table design was 12' X 8' with a bar top lift on on of the 8' sides. I lost a lot of space in the successive moves, but don't need as much as I did.
chessie_system3
Well-Known Member
Afternoon fellers. I have to say if I was to choose. I prefer building kits. I have freight car kits galore I haven't even put together yet. I have a Chessie GM50 blue box locomotive I still have to finish putting together. I enjoy my kits. RTR is ok if you wanna run out of the box. My main motive power is an Athearn RTR locomotive. Prices are insane and they aren't getting any better. They just keep climbing. New release comes out and automatically it's well over $100. Needless to say I'm out of the motive power buying spree for the time being. I have my kids to worry about and I have enough locomotives on hand to mix it up when I want. Anyways here's some pics to enjoy.
Beady
Well-Known Member
Don't forget the collectors, which i would define as those mainly interested in, umm, collecting. I guess that's where I currently fall, kind of by accident. I've got everything I need for a layout, but dont have anything up and running. Another place I fall, and I don't know if there's a name for it, is as someone more involved with temporary layouts than with permanent, since all I've got is sectional track.
Sirfoldalot
Days Gone Bye!
This will do it for me today!
PRR Modeler
Well-Known Member
Afternoon All,
My trip to Jon's today had to be cancelled after I left for his house. The route I take (toll road) had a hour backup so I turned around. It sounds like the road is still closed so there must have been a traffic fatality. With the extra time I finished my coal trestle project. Saturday I plan on going to the quarterly train show here. I normally don't go since it's a hour away, but I want to find about a dozen 1940-1950 automobiles without paying $15 or more apiece.
Chet- Thank you. Nice layout shots.
Justin- Nice MOW crane and other 1:1 photos.
Joe- Thank you.
Garry- Thank you. Nice shot of you're old time village with the Prarie.
Dave- Nice layout scene.
Willie- Really nice job on the background building.
Johnny- I did the same thing buying another Genesis GP7 a couple of years ago. It speed matched almost perfectly out of the box.
I hope everyone has a good night.
My trip to Jon's today had to be cancelled after I left for his house. The route I take (toll road) had a hour backup so I turned around. It sounds like the road is still closed so there must have been a traffic fatality. With the extra time I finished my coal trestle project. Saturday I plan on going to the quarterly train show here. I normally don't go since it's a hour away, but I want to find about a dozen 1940-1950 automobiles without paying $15 or more apiece.
Chet- Thank you. Nice layout shots.
Justin- Nice MOW crane and other 1:1 photos.
Joe- Thank you.
Garry- Thank you. Nice shot of you're old time village with the Prarie.
Dave- Nice layout scene.
Willie- Really nice job on the background building.
Johnny- I did the same thing buying another Genesis GP7 a couple of years ago. It speed matched almost perfectly out of the box.
I hope everyone has a good night.
PRR Modeler
Well-Known Member
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