Running Bear's August 2025 Coffee Shop

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Mornin', folks. It's 78F and 83% out on the patio this morning. Had about a tenth of an inch of rain yesterday, if that; better than nothing, I suppose. Forecast says we might get some rain on Thursday, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Ended up not doing as much as I originally wanted; spent the afternoon with my parents instead. Not complaining, especially since I'm very lucky to still have them.

Today I'm not planning on going anywhere, so probably will get something done. I think I more or less settled my mind on the server budget, so ordering that is the main one I want out of the way. That, and more time with RailModeler Pro to see if I can settle on a track plan (heh, yeah, right!).

Have a good Saturday, everyone!
 
troyphoto said:
I found a few scattered pieces and blog posts from Jim Six, some archived in the Way Back Machine. But nothing current. Does anyone know if he's still around and posting anywhere?
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He does post from time to time on Model Railroad Hobbyist forum. He does have a few threads on his modeling over there. Not sure if he has posted recently.

I believe he does still write some articles for the magazine as well.

Maybe go search over there.
 


Good morning all!

The Weekend is upon us!

Going to ne another warm one today. Currently 72F heading up to a very humid 92F. Heat advisories have already been posted. Yesterday
evening they issued a severe thunderstorm warning around 7:30. As with our typical summer pattern it was heading right towards us and
took a dive south so we never received a drop. We really could use some rain.

Nothing much going on around here. Nothing big planned for today as of yet.

No time yesterday in the train room. Will try to get down there today and accomplish something.

Have a safe day everyone!
 
So.... I was noodling on my track plan via graph paper today, and having a dickens of a time trying to figure out how to get the train to have to a reverse loop or a double helix...

then I thought to myself... Self, what did Gerry Leone do on his new layout?

So I went and looked at his track plan over on Trains.com "Back on Track" Series of vids. We've both got Folded Dog Bones with two levels. His is totally free standing. Mine is against the wall on two sides...

Then I started looking at my track plan vs his. Pretty much same given and druthers... want a long main line. But I was going to add my helix later, once I figured out some furniture rearranging in the basement. So far, I have a problem of where to put the treadmill. And there is no easy solution.

But then I stared at the track plan.

I scratched my head. Then stared some more... Hmmm...

The great Leone used the Helix area to have a return loop for constant running on one level if so desired. That return loop goes around the outside edge of the helix on each level.

Then I stared at the offending treadmill that so complicates my life....

Then I scratched my head and walked to the other side of the layout.

Why not move where I was going to put my helix? I've got an odd corner that I'm having trouble figuring out what scenery to use there?

Helix Ver 2.jpeg


The old location for the helix was lower right.... you can barely see the pink X in that location. I covered it over with a sticker.

New location is in upper Left. Backdrop will split that section. There is only a wall along the top edge of the drawing. The area to the left is open. Upper benchwork is only 26 inches wide from the backdrop. BUT there is plenty of room to build out and widen to the left. Lower level is about 34 inch wide there, so only minor modification to the upper deck to widen on the approach to the helix. That will keep the mainline toward the front of the benchwork in the area to avoid reach in issues.

Helix would wind in a clockwise direction up from the lower level.

Ignore the xtra yellow mark in the upper left where it branches off the orange. I was trying to see how I'd run it as a double track helix, and I forgot to white out the stupid idea...

Hmmm.... I might have exhausted my brain on this one.
 
Troy I do not give advice on track plans. Each to their own. I only say is can you reach all parts of the trackwork?
Can you still reach the track at 8 - 7 leaving the helix? It looks difficult to me.
(We all know trains love to play tricks at difficult parts of a layout.)
 
Good Morning All. Clear and a warmish 76°, might hit 97° today just like yesterday. The ever present heat advisory is still in effect. Summer is winding down though, as the highs for most of the next 10 days are only going to be in the mid-90's. No chances for snow!

Uninteresting day yesterday after I found and spliced the freezer wiring. Hardest part was moving the full 20 cu ft freezer with 1000# of food in it. And since it hasn't been moved since we bought it 4 years ago, cleaning out behind and under it took some time. Mainly dust and spider webs. One of the downsides of living in the country with plowed fields and gravel roads 150' to the south. Not a single thing thawed during the 14 hours that it was out, not even the bread which is the second thing after ice cream to thaw. Wife moved her ice cream Thursday night to be sure! Afterwards I drove to town to order new tires for the Accura since the current ones will not pass inspection. Hasn't really been an issue since we don't use it very often any more. We tried 3 years with just one car, but it just didn't really work out well, so we are keeping it maintained and ready. I think that we might have put 5500 miles on it last year. Stopped on the way home and refilled the gas cans for the tractor/mower.
Today is already a "nothing" day. We have a celebration of life event for a friend who passed away last month. He was 74 and decided to discontinue his daily kidney dialysis. Lasted 3 days after that. Quality of life had been suffering for at least the last 3-4 years. We have known him for about 40+ years, and I have known his wife for 54 years. We met during college when she (and 3 other chicks) lived in an apartment below me and a high school buddy, who eventually became my best man. However the celebration is at an awkward time for us. It's from 1-4 at a bar an hour away! Wife and I haven't decided yet on who drives home! It's always me at any distant events since she can no longer drive in the dark, but today it will be light.

As I read posts from the last few days, I am amazed at the soft drink consumption of some. At best I drink a 12-pack of Sugar-Free A&W Root Beer a week. Though I do fill in with regular beer later in the day. I grew up in a household where we didn't drink soft drinks and I never really got into them until I retired 10 years ago. I don't remember what we called them before moving to Texas in 1961, but once here everything is called coke regardless of what it really is. I for some reason, always referred to them as soft drinks instead of pop, soda or cola. Overall, I try to drink 110 oz of fluids a day, of which about 60 oz is ice cold tap water from my jug in the fridge.

I did spend some quality time out in the train shed yesterday. Since I didn't visit on Thursday and will not see it today, I just ran trains and ran some more. It was a great session with only one minor derailment when I forgot to throw a switch. Ran 3 locals and about a dozen through freights. Haven't decided on my next project yet, but I looked at some possibilities. It's really about deciding which one from the list.

Troy - I got into an early version of OpSig back in 2000 or so. I still have an inventory/switching program written by the late Dave Husman, an eventual member here, but I am not using it right now. I am currently just making handwritten switch lists for my local switching runs, but pretty much following what I learned back then.
Louis - Good luck with the roof repair. My wife told me no more getting on the roof once I reached age 70. Fortunately I haven't needed to get up there since then anyway.
David - Best wishes for Dawn.

I don't listen to any of her music, but Madonna is 67 today.
Everyone have a super Saturday and a wonderful weekend.
 


Well, AI has struck again.
I contacted my local big box electronics emporium about a guaranteed price match on an item I’d purchased.
The AI bot immediately added 12 automated vacuum cleaners to my cart and asked me to click “pay now”…
 
bnsf971 said:
Well, AI has struck again.
I contacted my local big box electronics emporium about a guaranteed price match on an item I’d purchased.
The AI bot immediately added 12 automated vacuum cleaners to my cart and asked me to click “pay now”…
Click to expand...
have you ever considered becoming Amish?

tech seems to hate you.

According to the guys running our local train shows, Amish seem to love running model trains in their barns or cellars. 12 volts is 12 volt, even if it comes from a repurposed car battery.
 
NorthBrit said:
Troy I do not give advice on track plans. Each to their own. I only say is can you reach all parts of the trackwork?
Can you still reach the track at 8 - 7 leaving the helix? It looks difficult to me.
(We all know trains love to play tricks at difficult parts of a layout.)
Click to expand...
almost... I'd need to stand on a small stool to get all the way back. the upper deck is at (as Lance Mindheim says) "Armpit height" on me.
 
migalyto said:
He does post from time to time on Model Railroad Hobbyist forum. He does have a few threads on his modeling over there. Not sure if he has posted recently.

I believe he does still write some articles for the magazine as well.

Maybe go search over there.
Click to expand...
He was writing articles in the premium add on magazine. Last one I read, I got the impression he was unsure of which direction to follow with his personal layout. He was involved in a build of a large switching layout, in his house.
 


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