Running Bear's Coffee Shoppe LIX

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Good Morning All. Dense fog this morning with a temperature of 46 degrees. So dense that I cannot see the train shed from the house...not to worry, I can still find my way! Received about 1" of rain yesterday, mostly between 7:00 and 10:00 pm. Should clear off early and the temperature will be in the upper 60's today and tomorrow. Then winter returns for a few days with highs in the mid 40's until Tuesday. Took down the Christmas tree & decorations yesterday (Epiphany), not sure I want to return them to the attic or find a place on ground level. I'm getting too old to be climbing up that ladder anymore.
Eric - Foam or not, I would probably round off that corner anyway. Don't ask why I know this.
Chet -
Older Athearn locomotives can be greatly improved by changing out the old wheels to nickel silver wheels and by hard wiring the pickups and getting rid of the clip that they have over the motor to the trucks.
Amen to that, I have about two dozen BB's myself. All have been modified over the past 25 years. Also another nice photo. I'm getting there soon.

OK, it's off through the fog to the train shed to look around and make a list. I received several gift certificates to my new LHS for Christmas and I need to use them as they don't collect interest. I am planning a trip there for Friday, it's 65 miles away, and I will visit my granddaughter while in the neighborhood. I really miss the more "local" shop that closed in October that was only 25 miles away...same town I do grocery shopping in. I was there every week.

Willie
 
As for the SW8, I thought of Justin when he mentioned getting a "quality" engine. If he doesn't want it, y'all can let me know which one of you wants it, and we'll go from there.
There will be other "bargains" coming up as I thin the herd...
 


As for the SW8, I thought of Justin when he mentioned getting a "quality" engine. If he doesn't want it, y'all can let me know which one of you wants it, and we'll go from there.
There will be other "bargains" coming up as I thin the herd...

I won't be in the running for any of your excellent stock till the jar gets full, I will pine from the sidelines and drool for the nonce!
 
I don't run DCC as of yet. Though I could probably use a decent switcher.

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I only run DC also but have a few DCC locomotives. Click below on Switching in Chirchill. The switcher is a Bachmann Alco. I am like you running only DC and have no plans at all to change to DCC, but I am nut for anything decorated for the Milwaukee Road. Not really interested in the sound, which is all pre programmed, but it is an excellent running locomotive. I do have a couple of proto 2000 locomotives (one a Milwaukee Road unit) and they are very decent running locomotives.

Starting off at 28 degrees with a light dusting of snow this morning.

Below is my Proto 2000 Milwaukee Road SD-7. Guess it can be my photo for the day. It is an excellent running unit. Like I mentioned, I am a sucker for anything painted for the Milwaukee Road.

attachment.php
 
I only run DC also but have a few DCC locomotives. Click below on Switching in Chirchill. The switcher is a Bachmann Alco. I am like you running only DC and have no plans at all to change to DCC, but I am nut for anything decorated for the Milwaukee Road. Not really interested in the sound, which is all pre programmed, but it is an excellent running locomotive. I do have a couple of proto 2000 locomotives (one a Milwaukee Road unit) and they are very decent running locomotives.

Starting off at 28 degrees with a light dusting of snow this morning.

Below is my Proto 2000 Milwaukee Road SD-7. Guess it can be my photo for the day. It is an excellent running unit. Like I mentioned, I am a sucker for anything painted for the Milwaukee Road.

attachment.php
As you are a nut for the Milwaukee Road. I am a nut for Chessie. I too have an SD7 that is a solid runner. Probably the most quiet out of my fleet. Not to mention its slow speed is amazing! Life like had it right with their P2K line.

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ne thing I will say about running DCC locomotives on DC is that the track does have to be kept clean. I guess it's the same when running on DCC. I founf that my DC locomotives can apparently run fine on mildly dirty track. A dc locomotive can run flawlessly but if a DCC locomotive is run over the same track, I have experienced som electrical pick up problems. A quick track cleaning takes care of that problem.
 
Good morning. 26° and sunny. So it's actually colder here in Jersey than it is in Montana right now, eh?

Right now, I'm running my "test" layout using uni-track, and a MRC DC power source, running DC only locomotives around, while I test the workability of my track plan. If I didn't already have a DCC System, with a bunch of DCC engines and a bag full of DCC decoders, I would go back to DC in a New York minute.

Chet: The MILW SD looks great.
 
Joe - You are the first person that I have seen posting that they would switch back to DC from DCC. I understand the situation you are in already having a DCC system and a bunch of DCC locmotives. Sort of like being between a road and a hard place.

As I have mentioned many times, I was really tempted to convert to DCC but after a lot of thought about how I operate and the time and expense of converting over being a major thing to think about, When a good modeling friend from out of state who is a DCC guru was visiting, he actually admitted that in my case, DCC wouldn't be of any advantage, it sealed the deal.
 
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Good morning, everybody ...

Our lake level is still very high, but we heard the Corps Of Engineers and TVA have decided to release more water over the dam starting today. They were waiting for Mississippi River floods to sudside.

Chet .... I like the MILW SD7 a lot. I also agree the Proto models run very well.

Bob ... You were talking about lighting. We had stocked up on the conventional incandescent bulbs before the law went into effect because CFL's look so ugly in fixtures designed for clear bulbs. However, I am considering LED lights in another fixture where the bulbs can not be seen. I don't want to exceed the watt limits of the fixture, but the room needs more light. LED's would provide more light while consuming less watts.
 


During out remodeling project last summer we changed almost everthing over to LED bulbs including outdoor flood lights. My son in law is a professional electrician and he turned us onto some LED lights that look just like recessed can lights that install directly into an existing electrical box. The few CFL bulbs we had went into the dumpster (without a hazmat team). LED bulbs are dropping in price also. Picked up four packs at Home depot for $6.99 on special. As soon as the old regular incandescent bulbs remaining but out, they're be replaced by LEDs.

The one bulb that used to be a real pain was the outside porch light. CFL's don't like cold weather and a regular buld was lucky to last a month. Put an LED bulb and it's been going strong for over 2 years. You really can't tell the difference in the light they give off, except for the outdoor floods. They'll probably pay themselves off in no time.
 
4 for $7 isn't that bad. I could handle that.
Ironically, the bulb in my light next to me went out this morning. Like I said, this place eats lights like candy!

I suppose they make them for the little candelabra lights as well don't they? I need 7 of those - 4 in the entry way and 3 for the ceiling fan.
I'll just call the landlord and have him pick some up for me. He's always going to HD or Lowes for something.
E.
 
Good morning, 30 here and light snow. Holding on, though, supposed to get below zero by Sunday night.

Good morning. 26° and sunny. So it's actually colder here in Jersey than it is in Montana right now, eh?

Chet: The MILW SD looks great.
 






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