Running Bear's February 2022 Coffee Shop

[troyphoto]

Time for some real controversy

Battle of Midway!

OK, It's just a game (called Blood Red Skies). I finally got the models painted from the Midway starter box. B
IJA/IJN Zeroes. Went for the green color. Sources vary greatly on just how green the green was (Hollywood likes grey planes... being canvas, they faded back to a cream/grey, but unevenly. Most began life as greenish of one shade or another).

and the F4F Wildcats

These planes began the war with an aluminum color, but quickly went blue since they wanted disguise against the water below from enemy fighters.

The widgets underneath are 3d printed to drop over the flight stand. The planes come with a triangular inset into which the flight stand tab fits... if the hole is molded properly.

It's easier to drill a round hole, glue in a sleeve widget, and just drop it over the flight stand. A bit of poster-putty in the sleeve, and the plane stays oriented properly on the widget.

If you're in the mood for a fun game of aerial warfare, Blood Red Skies is a great one. A friend of mine is a retired USAF colonel. He's now a professional wargamer for the USAF, teaching service members how to use tabletop commercial games to learn how to think outside the military box. Training gets you so far, but no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. That sort of thing.

He said that this particular game isn't as number crunchy, but the aviators all love it for its simplistic design and capturing the Feel of aerial combat.

If you're just into modeling, these are 1:200 scale. So they could be a forced perspective background plane on an N-scale layout or an overhead decoration for an airport scene.

Painted with (Mostly) Vallejo Model Air colors (both planes had to be mixed colors to get the shades I wanted). I used a product out of the UK, called Flory Wash to settle into the panel lines. For sharp creases like those, Flory Wash is great. In the USA, you can find it through Mile High Hobbies in Colorado.

PS: Got in a hurry and missed some mold lines on a few of the planes. The close ups really show the fringy bitz.

Tried to file them after priming and made it worse. Fortunately for the game, most of those spots face down on the game table.

 

[ctclibby]

Thank You All!
This is much better/easier when train talk is the talk

 

[bnsf971]

Me likes! Sound?

Both of them have sound. It was a "if you buy this one, the other one's 50% off".
Both are currently tooling around the layout, breaking in.

 

[bnsf971]

Thank You All!
This is much better/easier when train talk is the talk

Usually, we're all pretty good, but once in a while we need to be reigned in a bit. I don't like doing it, and probably let things go longer than I should. Sometimes I even am one of the guilty parties... I have to yell at myself in a mirror when that happens.

 

[chadbag]

I just ignore the stuff that doesn't interest me.

---

Train wise, I am trying to get up the resolve to get out the bins and start packing away all my trains and stuff. It will be months before the house is done but we need to start packing away stuff now and I don't have the time to run anything at the moment anyway...

 

[CambriaArea51]

Well Todd, Lee, and others who want the train topic, I finished # 906 (weathering) which is now paired with #927. They will be pulling a grain train at a show at the end of the month.

 

[bnsf971]

I just ignore the stuff that doesn't interest me.

---

Train wise, I am trying to get up the resolve to get out the bins and start packing away all my trains and stuff. It will be months before the house is done but we need to start packing away stuff now and I don't have the time to run anything at the moment anyway...

I'd leave an oval of Unitrak and a couple of turnouts out, along with a couple of locomotives and a handful of cars. Then, if the urge strikes, you won't have to unpack boxes--or be frustrated. A single small box should be room enough for that.

 

[chadbag]

I'd leave an oval of Unitrak and a couple of turnouts out, along with a couple of locomotives and a handful of cars. Then, if the urge strikes, you won't have to unpack boxes--or be frustrated. A single small box should be room enough for that.

That is pretty much all I have right now anyway. I need to resist the urge as I have a TODO list that is way long for the house build ( and work ).

I have not yet started to put things away though.

 

[Alcomotive]

Both of them have sound. It was a "if you buy this one, the other one's 50% off".
Both are currently tooling around the layout, breaking in.

Did they by chance have a D&RGW?

 

[TrucTrain55]

Well Todd, Lee, and others who want the train topic, I finished # 906 (weathering) which is now paired with #927. They will be pulling a grain train at a show at the end of the month.View attachment 140572

Thanks for sharing CSX is my favorite modern rails I always enjoy going there to pick up containers.

 

[TrucTrain55]

Here’s a pic of my truck I took it yesterday sunny but cold I was hauling empty containers to be loaded with grain on our yard then pulled to the CSX to go on a train then overseas.

 

[Boris]

Excellent point, I was assuming that, that molasses and stuff could be different for sure !

Gary: When I worked WPSA31 out of Browns Yard on Conrail, we handled Tallow, (animal fat), right behind the engine(s), usually 4 tank cars. three times a week, for the Anheuser-Busch Yeast plant in Spotswood NJ (Now closed). The siding was a facing point Westward, that crossed another siding over a diamond crossing, then switched back to access the plant. The lead held exactly two diesels and four tank cars clear of the reverse switch. These cars were not placarded, so they did not need to be spaced. The other lead was switched on the return trip, Kimberly Clark's cigarette paper plant. they took 6 box cars of paper pulp daily, and a tank car of chlorine twice a month. The chlorine tank car, loaded had to be spaced six deep, when loaded, and at least two deep empty. Same with chlorine cars for BASF, in Cranberry. The tank cars for Union Carbide did not require spacing, they hauled liquid adhesive (white glue). When we switched the Hightstown Industrial, (Twice per week), We had a weekly tank car of LPG for Carter Wallace, (used for aerosol propellant), which had to be spaced, six deep loaded, and two deep empty. The seasonal loads of "Plant Food". did not require spacing, and went to a farm supply place...

Generally, Crude Oil, Gasoline, Propane, acid, caustic soda, chlorine etc. had to be spaced. Lube oil inexplicably did not.
Unit trains of crude oil, or Sulpheric Acid, required one spacer on either end of the train. why not five, I don't know. Keep in mind, I have not worked freight for over 24 years. Some of the regulations may have changed.

Curt: That recurring bug doesn't sound good. Take care, and get well.

Received a notice that the RS3 has shipped, and to expect delivery by UPS tomorrow.

Some progress with the covered coil car. Have to drill ad tap the other coupler draft gear, and replace the hand brake. Then some light weathering. With the condition of my hands, this takes a little longer.

View of PRR crossing protection sign, used instead of cross bucks. Class G5 in background, Excursion at Lenni PA

 

[CambriaArea51]

Here’s a pic of my truck I took it yesterday sunny but cold I was hauling empty containers to be loaded with grain on our yard then pulled to the CSX to go on a train then overseas. View attachment 140573

How do they load the containers with grain.

 

[TLOC]

Good evening former tax talkers. Just kidding, but I guess and agree Terry had to stop it.

After my missive into the forbidden territory I went for a walk. Turned on the TV to the you tube, Boomers Immersive diorama and from the treadmill started to walk. I took the picture before hitting the start button. Did 13 minutes when I realized how unstable I was and being in my cave/crew lounge alone I thought better of it. No need to go back to the hospital if I fell.

The trains are a few feet away.

Cleaned off the bench for installing new Soundtraxx decoders in 3 different units with keep alives and 5 new speakers in 5 units. 1st unit I started with let out some white smoke. Not a happy camper and basically confused. I still am unable a few hours later to figure it out what happened. All I did was pull the ESU decoders and plug in the Soundtraxx. The keep alive plug in had not been added yet. I have a short somewhere!

TomO

 

[Smudge617]

So glad I was awol

You have no idea

 

[Smudge617]

While the entire discussion remained civil, I guess that taxes may vaguely cross the line. I tried to keep my comments unpolitical, but if I offended anyone, I apologize.

You didn't offend, you made a simple comment and others decided to have a rant. It's all good Willie.

 

[Jaz avalley]

View attachment 140565

Isn’t that the way your supposed to eat it?



seriously though mine goes in a milkshake or in a bowl with extras,creams a must if in the house,fruit and nuts,muesli at a push with oats for the arteries,fruit cordial or sauce as a little drizzle,the husband does chocolate,and a small spoon so it lasts longer,well in theory…….

 

[Jaz avalley]

Usually, we're all pretty good, but once in a while we need to be reigned in a bit. I don't like doing it, and probably let things go longer than I should. Sometimes I even am one of the guilty parties... I have to yell at myself in a mirror when that happens.

Terry I was so glad I wasn’t taking a drink when I read this I would have spat it out laughing lol

 

[Jaz avalley]

I just ignore the stuff that doesn't interest me.

---

Train wise, I am trying to get up the resolve to get out the bins and start packing away all my trains and stuff. It will be months before the house is done but we need to start packing away stuff now and I don't have the time to run anything at the moment anyway...

I ignore the stuff that if I touch it the other half goes into a tailspin, moving rolling stock to photograph in a better position and not putting it back just so upsetting a DCC man who schedules is a very dangerous thing, lectures can occur. luckily he hates doing scenery or weathering, although he loves doing electrics,electronics,re badging,those finicky kadees,and is excellent with a soldering iron from his tine working with electronics,he used my dads old carpenter tools to make the layout and made it strong enough for me to climb over,I like the ‘pretty’ stuff, and attempting to fool people for a second.On the rare occasion I am allowed under supervision to run the trains but he watches me like a hawk as though I am going to crash them to the floor,which I have never done and he has done several times especially when he made his homemade helix,which he dismantled with swear words.

The last we moved we needed 3 deliveries,furniture,plants,pony. if we ever moved again we would need a functioning TARDIS! but the doors might not be big enough to get the tractor in, whmmmm I think the T ARDIS can get bigger and smaller, we could scoop up everything! And leave an almighty hole lol.

FYI just sneaking this in,not political, no no not,did you know if you have a poly tunnel,a greenhouse or similar if there is a nuclear war,the soil inside if the kept the doors shut except for access would be nuclear fallout free and food grown in it nuclear fallout free, now water would be an issue. Looks over shoulder in case Terry is running in my direction…….

 

[Jaz avalley]

Good evening former tax talkers. Just kidding, but I guess and agree Terry had to stop it.

After my missive into the forbidden territory I went for a walk. Turned on the TV to the you tube, Boomers Immersive diorama and from the treadmill started to walk. I took the picture before hitting the start button. Did 13 minutes when I realized how unstable I was and being in my cave/crew lounge alone I thought better of it. No need to go back to the hospital if I fell.
View attachment 140575
The trains are a few feet away.

Cleaned off the bench for installing new Soundtraxx decoders in 3 different units with keep alives and 5 new speakers in 5 units. 1st unit I started with let out some white smoke. Not a happy camper and basically confused. I still am unable a few hours later to figure it out what happened. All I did was pull the ESU decoders and plug in the Soundtraxx. The keep alive plug in had not been added yet. I have a short somewhere!


View attachment 140577
TomO

I often have both these covered waves