Running Bear's December 2025 Coffee Shop

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rgeiter said:
Another Walthers code 83 turnout failure. This one didn’t even have a hand throw or a switch machine yet. Guys, beware of these. Very weak connection at the throw bar! I was able to hit it with a little solder, then replace the plastic piece covering the throw bar.View attachment 250301
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Is that an old Walthers or one of the new DCC ready turnouts. I have been using the new DCC turnouts for about 4 years and they are flawless.
 
bnsf971 said:
Looks like it’s bck in stock now. Of course, the price is more than I paid for the engine, then add shipping and tax…
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Thinking positive usually helps. All of your replies have been negative. There are some alternate decoders to the ones you have mentioned. I'm sure some other folks have had the same issues you have and have found a work around. Take some time and search the interweb with your questions. That is where I found the alternate decoders.
I do understand N scale locos are "space challenged" but in most cases (not all) where there is will there is a way.
And sometimes the cost exceeds what you will end up with when finished. Is the cost and effort really worth it.......you'll have to make that call.

Just trying to help here........John
 


santafewillie said:
Good Morning All. Here it's mostly cloudy, foggy and 32°. I can see my hayfield but not the neighbor on the hill. Mid to upper 50's today until next Tuesday when we are forecast to be back into the 60's. Still no snow in sight. Rain yesterday was negligible, got things wet but didn't register in the gauge.

Grocery trek went well yesterday, as did the additional stops at the Vitamin Shop, UPS Store, Schlotzsky's and the pharmacy. Wife went to some jewelry store and some home place while I was in Kroger. We got a lot accomplished on our trip to town.
Later we went to our favorite Italian place for dinner. We were last there 10 days ago, and they had a fire the day after we visited that did some damage, but it was already mostly repaired. They still need to paint some of the interior walls between the kitchen and dining area. The owner talked to us for a while regarding his future plans. He owns the whole small strip center there, the Italian place that he personally runs with some members of his family takes about 1/3 of the building at one end. The other end is anchored by a storefront church that has a long-term lease that will expire soon. That church is the reason that he has never been able to get a liquor license for his place. He hopes to add a small bar after they move out. Between the two is a small Mexican place that leases their space from him. They never seem busy when we go, but my wife says that the local Facebook page indicates that it is popular during lunch. Prior to being the Mexican restaurant, it was a foot/back massage center. The real downside to the restaurant fire, was that their cloth napkins were destroyed and they have had to resort to paper, very cheap paper.
Otherwise the day was somewhat miserable and I didn't do anything outside. Spent some time on the phone with a representative of the brokerage house where we have our retirement accounts at. We're going to make some changes in the type of accounts there. We originally had 3 accounts with them and 5 at a different firm, but they bought the other firm. I've since combined some of the accounts, but the ones from the other firm do not have the same flexibility as the accounts at the current place. It's basically a paperwork change that will not cost anything. I already don't pay any yearly management fees based on the combined total of the accounts. I'm sure that they are skimming off the top in some way, such as paying me 4% on a guaranteed account that they are getting 4.5%.

Not sure of today's plans yet other than I'll be staying out of the car until Sunday Mass and later to Dallas for my granddaughter's birthday party. Next week I have 3 medical appointments including heart ablation surgery, all of which will occupy my time.

I switched gears somewhat out in the train shed yesterday. Yes, I still ran a few trains, that never gets boring. But I also tackled the job of clearing and re-sorting stuff that's been on a 6' shelf under the west side of the layout. Basically some of it was junk that got put into the dumpster. Two boxes had leftover kit parts which got combined. There's a bunch of used track, mostly brass, which went into a different box elsewhere with the same stuff. Haven't decided if or when it will hit the dumpster. Some old magazines from the 80's & 90's that were spoiled by the water after last years tornado also got trashed, a shame because some had some useful information in them. But I could probably get that info from the internet now. I now have room to consolidate all of those empty ScaleTrains engine boxes in one location for my heirs to use some day!:(
No dead rodents or evidence that there are any in the vicinity, occasionally an issue out here in the country because I sometimes leave the door open while I work on a remote part of the layout.
I'm itching to get back into an actual layout project today, but deciding which one from the list is difficult. I'd like to start on the 1/4 of the layout that has nothing but plywood, track and junk on it, but I vowed to myself to complete more blank scenes elsewhere first. One of my bigger issues is paint containers. I have them scattered in 4 locations including on the workbench and should have consolidated them long ago. But I didn't plan for them when I designed the layout room.

Troy - I solved the shaving cuts 50 years ago...have had a beard continuously since 1975; once I was old enough to grow a decent one.
Michael - Like your road, I have a lot of detail work and scenery items that are generally hidden, such as the backs of structures or groundwork as with your road. But I get satisfaction just doing it and knowing that it exists. At some time, I will finally invest in a mini-camera and make a cab view video that will show a lot of that detailing.
Hughie - Same issue here with Texas Roadhouse, it's just too darn noisy. We've started to go to Longhorn now that they have a recently opened location in Denton.
Kevin - Have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves.

Today is the birthday of the late Little Richard. If he were still with us, he would be 93. Surprisingly though, he made it to 87!

Everybody have a great Friday, especially if you're off work.
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You can cut up some of that old brass rail, paint a rust color and use for scrap loads.
 
Bill Tidler Jr. said:
They make exceptional locomotive models.
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Yes they do, I several.

Here is one of my Dash9s

1764972709946.png
 
westtexjohn said:
Thinking positive usually helps. All of your replies have been negative. There are some alternate decoders to the ones you have mentioned. I'm sure some other folks have had the same issues you have and have found a work around. Take some time and search the interweb with your questions. That is where I found the alternate decoders.
I do understand N scale locos are "space challenged" but in most cases (not all) where there is will there is a way.
And sometimes the cost exceeds what you will end up with when finished. Is the cost and effort really worth it.......you'll have to make that call.

Just trying to help here........John
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I had thought positive, but gave up on this thing over two years ago, and tossed it in the scrap box. The subject only came up because Hughie was having the same problem with the same engine.
 
Well, we made to the place at Osage Beach today. Wyndham and spotlessly clean with a beautiful view. Was annoyed that I will have to pay $50 for internet for the week. Then a surprise, went to see if there were any MRR stores around here, but there is only one...Woodland Scenics! Called them and sadly there is no retail shop but if I order over the phone, I can pick it up at their shop. Gonna have to figure out what to order Monday. Anyway hope you all have a good day.
1764975039267.jpeg
 


boogietrain94 said:
not to be a smart ass but don't you go airplane mode when your ya know on an airplane because an airplane is a MODE of transportation
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Airplane is a mode of transportation. It’s also a mode of communications capability on a smart phone. “Mode” is also a scale in a key starting on a given note. (Ie Dorian mode starts on the second note of the scale so in C, Dorian would be D E F G A B C. )
 
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I have a question for you all.

How many of you use JMRI on your layouts for operations? Mainly, switch lists.

I've tried to do switch lists with it and I've done 4 separate lists and each list is taking cars from the yard and putting them in a train.

Meaning, one train will have say a boxcar 105, from yard to the lumber company. Next list has the same boxcar going from yard to say the sawmill. (which both do accept boxcars).

Problem, why doesn't the second switch list made, know that the boxcar is no longer in the yard but at the lumber company. What am I doing wrong in my set up or ????

Oh and, if I run the same "local" is the switch list suppose to be the same or will JMRI make up a new switch list for that "local" train? Meaning every time I use that switch list will it make a new one or will the same one be used. Be nice if it would make up a new switch list for that train.

Before anyone says "there is a lot of JMRI content" where ever, I looked and everyone talks about how to program locomotives not switch lists 😢😢

I like to use JMRI but with the way it works now, I'll stick to my car cards and making up my own switch lists in excel. I know you can program your locomotives, do turnout routing, etc, etc. But all I would like it to do is make up switch lists and route the cars around the layout.

Also, my switching layout, all cars come onto the railroad, deliver cars, and pick up cars and then return to the "yard" (which is a cabinet I have to storage).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kurt
 
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kgstakes said:
I have a question for you all.

How many of you use JMRI on your layouts for operations? Mainly, switch lists.

I've tried to do switch lists with it and I've done 4 separate lists and each list is taking cars from the yard and putting them in a train.

Meaning, one train will have say a boxcar 105, from yard to the lumber company. Next list has the same boxcar going from yard to say the sawmill. (which both do accept boxcars).

Problem, why doesn't the second switch list made, know that the boxcar is no longer in the yard but at the lumber company. What am I doing wrong in my set up or ????

Oh and, if I run the same "local" is the switch list suppose to be the same or will JMRI make up a new switch list for that "local" train? Meaning every time I use that switch list will it make a new one or will the same one be used. Be nice if it would make up a new switch list for that train.

Before anyone says "there is a lot of JMRI content" where ever, I looked and everyone talks about how to program locomotives not switch lists 😢😢

I like to use JMRI but with the way it works now, I'll stick to my car cards and making up my own switch lists in excel. I know you can program your locomotives, do turnout routing, etc, etc. But all I would like it to do is make up switch lists and route the cars around the layout.

Also, my switching layout, all cars come onto the railroad, deliver cars, and pick up cars and then return to the "yard" (which is a cabinet I have to storage).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kurt
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JMRI is difficult to use for me. And I haven't been able to get any help from those guys.
 


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