Running Bear's Coffee Shop LVIII

[kbkchooch]

Good afternoon and a Merry Christmas to each and every one of you!

Quiet Christmas today, I'm still trying to shake a chest cold that has gripped my for the last week. Mucinex and Delsom are my best friends right now. Kept me out of Midnight services last night, fearing a coughing attack with a lit candle in my hands was not a good idea. Otherwise I feel fine. Tomorrow the kids and grandkids hit, so I have pre-staged some trains for the little ones to ogle. Their Daddy and Uncles will have to hold them up. while me with my radio throttle will remain at a distance.

I was off on Christmas eve (a rarity in the car biz) My cough kept me from visiting my Mom in her assisted living facility (they are like watchdogs there, one little sniffle, you don't get in) so I managed to refit one of my old Mantua Mikados with a Canon can motor & flywheel. On the bench it is as smooth as glass, but I find today I have to take a die grinder to the inside of the boiler for the shell to fit. A minor amount, a minor inconvenience.


SWMBO is calling,,,later!

 

[new guy]

Well NG: I see what you mean by cutting off the steps (whiskers are you said) on the DDA40X would make it work.
I'm not going to do that to mine so I looked at other options.
Body mount couplers wouldn't work. The nose pushes out too far over the track and would simple derail everything it pulls.
So I'm not seeing any option.
Re-doing my layout with new curves is NOT an option.
E.

I admit, it's rather drastic but I looked and looked and it did not seem like it would hinder actual operations, just be missing a bit here and there and appear totally non-proto. Function won over form in this case, I would not be 'chopping' on the$e Loco$ ju$t willy nilly for no rea$on! The truck mounted couplers pull just fine on the tightest curves! Plus I can make it 'dog track' down two lines at once on the big straightaway along the front!
It pulls fine in this mode, the trucks point straight down the line! The curves are not in gage with each other and it won't make it around there.

 

[BigE]

I admit, it's rather drastic but I looked and looked and it did not seem like it would hinder actual operations, just be missing a bit here and there and appear totally non-proto. Function won over form in this case, I would not be 'chopping' on the$e Loco$ ju$t willy nilly for no rea$on! The truck mounted couplers pull just fine on the tightest curves! Plus I can make it 'dog track' down two lines at once on the big straightaway along the front!
View attachment 54807It pulls fine in this mode, the trucks point straight down the line! The curves are not in gage with each other and it won't make it around there.

I did take a serious look at what you did and what I'd have to do to see if I could make it work.
Best I can tell, even taking out the least amount of steps means the front and rear railings would come off. At least on mine it would.
In thinking about it some more however, even if I made it work I have 4 tunnel portals on curves that I doubt it would make it through.
My ES44AC squeaks through with a few millimeters to spare - not likely the DD would be so lucky.
E.

 

[new guy]

I did take a serious look at what you did and what I'd have to do to see if I could make it work.
Best I can tell, even taking out the least amount of steps means the front and rear railings would come off. At least on mine it would.
In thinking about it some more however, even if I made it work I have 4 tunnel portals on curves that I doubt it would make it through.
My ES44AC squeaks through with a few millimeters to spare - not likely the DD would be so lucky.
E.

I really have to be careful on curves, the nose and tail hang WAY out and the body hangs way IN!

It's knocked other locos right off the track on curves, the lines were laid too close, but that's one of the reasons this set up is temp, very temp.

 

[bnsf971]

I really have to be careful on curves, the nose and tail hang WAY out and the body hangs way IN!

It's knocked other locos right off the track on curves, the lines were laid too close, but that's one of the reasons this set up is temp, very temp.

What you need is a nice Schnabel car...

 

[Trussrod]

Hi All,
Glad to hear everyone had a good Christmas!

Karl: Sorry to hear you've been feeling bad for the lat week.

Enjoy the day!

 

[BigE]

Wow did the skies just open up on us right now!! And, I don't mean sunshine.
Guaranteed all those flood warnings are to be extended tonight.
I almost can't see the copter-eating oak across the field and it's not that far away.
I could probably hit with a golf-ball with a fat 7 or 8-iron shot.
E

 

[BigE]

Surprise phone call from Chet just now!!!
Thank you!!!!
E.

 

[tootnkumin]

NG, what you've done to that poor DD, reminds me of when I was 10 or 11. Local church had a kids fancy dress party (to which I was forced to go). At the time I was "hangin' out" for a Hornby Dublo train set. (NZ in '49-'50, had just come out of wartime rationing). There was no way I could get one. My dream engine was their L.M.S. "Duchess of Atholl" 4-6-2 (English profile of course, but the closest to NZ locos that might just possibly be had).

Anyway, get to the party and what do I see but this girl, dressed in Scottish kilt etc (not what you're thinkin', but I can still see her) and what's she got tied to a bit of string, dragging around the floor. Yes that's right, one of these locos (they came out just pre-war). I feel for your DD, like I felt for that poor OO steamer.

 

[tootnkumin]

What you need is a nice Schnabel car...

And just think, NG could put 1 half on the front of his DD and the other on the back

 

[Bruette]

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

I hope you can all forgive me for being AWOL, life happens! Minor problems with my kidneys (stage 2) and part of the treatment/prevention is to take frequent short walks. That would not be a problem in and of itself but I also have a bad back and I am still trying to adjust, but I will!

Add to that the additional fun things that Christmas brings and I have not had much time. When I am not busy walking, resting, decorating (still not done), shopping/wrapping (now complete) I have had computer problems. I have had 2 video cards fail in 2 weeks and an ignorant stuck keys keyboard, now all repaired.

Hopefully I can get everything done on the decorating front before it's time to put it all away again.

I did get all of my trains up and running with the exception of the N scale set, but 8 but of 9 isn't bad in my book.

Bottom line we had a great Christmas, my boys (grandsons) don't care if everything is not perfect, they did not even notice. Christmas does not have to be perfect. I am sure Joseph had other plans for his pregnant wife then to give birth in a manger, but that was a great Christmas!

I hope everybody had a great Christmas and is enjoying the holiday season.

I missed you my friends!

God willing I will be around more often now.

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. It's kinda warm this morning here in North Central Texas, with 68 degrees and a heavy overcast sky. The weather guys are predicting 5-6 inches of rain today and tomorrow with flash flooding. Then it's cooler temperatures of 30-50 for the next 10 days. Christmas went well. Train wise I received three gift certificates for Discount Model Railroads, which is now my LHS. My grandsons gave me a Walthers "Golden Valley Canning" kit and some Presier firemen. They had noted that I had two fire stations but no one dressed as firemen. My daughter said that they nixed about a dozen other structures because they knew that I already had them. Same thing sorta happened about two weeks ago when I took them to a large modular holiday display and they pointed out all of the buildings on the modular set-up that I had.
new guy - Watch which locos you butcher. If you or your heirs ever have to sell stuff. it won't be worth anything. Bachmann (old toy type) is probably OK, Kato, probably not.
Karl - Get well soon and good luck with the retro-fit.
David -

Willie: I new a fellow who worked for an aluminum window manufacturer in Fresno, Calif and then he all of a sudden disapeared. I wonder if the same thing happened to him?

While I am not too familiar with west coast manufacturers, there were hundreds of small (less than 5 million $/year) manufacturers that bit the dust from 2008-2012. A few bigger ones as well. Our particular location was losing well over a half million a month during the worst months. Our payroll alone ran about $350,000 /week, but they had to keep enough skilled employees to keep going since sales were still about 5 million/month.

Well after a 1 1/2 day absence, it's off to the train shed this morning as I await the rain.
Merry Christmas once again to all of my friends on the forum.
Willie

 

[tootnkumin]

Good to see you back and hear from you. Sorry you've had some health issues, comes with the territory don't it. I guess you didn't see the "O" scale tugboat for sale called "Baltimore". Went about a week ago.

 

[Bruette]

Thank you and it is good to be back!

Yes, health problems come with growing old, but I won't sit on my butt wait for things to get worse.

No I missed that tug boat, but probably a good thing because where I would put it would have been the question. I have been asked "do you have too much stuff?".

Judging by how long setting up Christmas is taking the answer is probably yes, but too much Christmas and train stuff? I think not, I think I need a bigger house!

 

[Boris]

Good morning. 59° with thunderstorms in Clarksville, TN this morning. Hope everyone had a great Christmas. (We did). We will be here one more day, tomorrow, we start our trip home. The weather forecast for the next couple of days is for more rain and fog.

Louis: Nice to see you post, and sorry to learn of your medical problems. Doesn't get any easier, does it? You are in my prayers, and walking is a great past time, as long ans the weather hold off.

Be back here in a couple of days.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's cloudy and 60.




Welcome back, Louis.

 

[new guy]

Good Morning All. It's kinda warm this morning here in North Central Texas, with 68 degrees and a heavy overcast sky. The weather guys are predicting 5-6 inches of rain today and tomorrow with flash flooding. Then it's cooler temperatures of 30-50 for the next 10 days. Christmas went well. Train wise I received three gift certificates for Discount Model Railroads, which is now my LHS. My grandsons gave me a Walthers "Golden Valley Canning" kit and some Presier firemen. They had noted that I had two fire stations but no one dressed as firemen. My daughter said that they nixed about a dozen other structures because they knew that I already had them. Same thing sorta happened about two weeks ago when I took them to a large modular holiday display and they pointed out all of the buildings on the modular set-up that I had.
new guy - Watch which locos you butcher. If you or your heirs ever have to sell stuff. it won't be worth anything. Bachmann (old toy type) is probably OK, Kato, probably not.
Karl - Get well soon and good luck with the retro-fit.
David -
While I am not too familiar with west coast manufacturers, there were hundreds of small (less than 5 million $/year) manufacturers that bit the dust from 2008-2012. A few bigger ones as well. Our particular location was losing well over a half million a month during the worst months. Our payroll alone ran about $350,000 /week, but they had to keep enough skilled employees to keep going since sales were still about 5 million/month.

Well after a 1 1/2 day absence, it's off to the train shed this morning as I await the rain.
Merry Christmas once again to all of my friends on the forum.
Willie

THOUGHT I saw a white day after when I got up but it was just frost on the garage roof!

LOL! RE-sale??? 12 loco's and 100 boxcars does not a "legacy" make! This was never intended to be a savings program and the future value of these things NEVER entered into the calculations! I bought what I wanted to PLAY with! The Bachman DD40, I had no qualms about 'customizing', the BLI's? NO WAY! The Riv still needs the connector replaced and I'm afraid to go tearing into it before I get some quality guidance in the form of a video or an individual who KNOWS what I need to do to repair it and not destroy it. If I owned a Kato I would not be cutting it up! It was mostly because I wanted the thing to run on ALL my track as my 'go to' beasty! The Bachman 4-8-4 I won't be cutting up, no point, it won't take less than 24"s no matter what I could ever do to it, the '8' just won't fit anything less than 24"! I won't be buying any more loco's in the foreseeable future, going to concentrate on the rolling stock and the new track plan.

Some slight modification to the table is needed before the next track build, I need to add some inside corner pieces to be able to make the curves 'correct' for this new plan. They were in the original plan but were left out in the interest of getting 'up and running' by the target date.

When I die it will not be sold, it will all be given away as per my wishes. I'll have her send everybody on the forum a roller and the rest will go to somebody local with a need for some layout bits and loco's!

 

[GarryCBQ]

Good morning .

For us I'm glad we decided to postpone the trip to Alabama. There have been many storms there along with flooding. I hope the Alabama forum members are all okay in the severe weather there.

We had had plenty of rain here, but storms are not as severe as Alabama and Mississippi. ... It was not a "White Christmas" ... Instead, it was a "Wet Christmas". .... We still plan our trip north for next week.

Louis ... I'm sorry to hear about your health issues and hope you will be okay.

 

[Bruette]

Thank you Boris and Terry!

I am so happy to be back. I have a long to do list, but I am taking a break today. All I plan to do is to help my grandson unpack his games/toys and set them up.

I don't let heath problems bring my spirits down. I worked and played hard for many years and I have earned each and every problem I have, no regrets.

I am the richest (I don't measure wealth in dollars), luckiest and happiest man alive or at least tied for the top spots. That is what I call a Triple Crown! I would not change a single thing in my life because I am happy to be where I am. I would be afraid to change anything because it could change everything. I thank God several times a day, everyday for all the undeserved blessing I have.

I don't mind walking, changes in my diet and other changes in my lifestyle, but tests and doctors appointments are a pain in the back side! Why is it they want us to show up early only to make us wait? Oh well, I can endure that too.

Now I have to find a way to fit the Xbox one into our entertainment center. We have been a PlayStation family but my grandson wanted an Xbox and Santa even brought the new Madden football for me. I wish it would have been for the PS4, now I have to learn to use another controller.

Have a great day everybody!

 

[Bruette]

Thank you Garry, I am doing fine. In four months when I get tested again my numbers will be better because I will do my best to make sure they are.

I believe luck is the result of planning, preparation and diligence. I once heard this somewhere "the harder I work, the luckier I get"