Running Bear's February 2022 Coffee Shop

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


Status
Not open for further replies.
Good morning. It's clear and 31.
I discovered this morning that Prime membership is going up another $20 a year, but only in the US. Reading the news article, it says Amazon's net profits are down to only $3.6 billion a year.
$20/year only if you pay yearly. A lot more if you pay monthly. It will be $139 yearly and $180 yearly by the month. We paid our $119 in January so we get 11 months cheaper!
 
I have had thoughts of taking everything down except the east side of the paper mill which includes the pulp yard and wood chip pile. Even with the slot track There is plenty of space in the train room and I am currently dissatisfied with my track issues. Again as a warning. If you glue your rail down like I do, do not use mineral spirits to clean the track. What a mess i created.

Specifically, what kind of glue? I am using the clear Latex caulk to glue the track to the WS foam roadbed, and use WS Foam Tack glue to secure the foam roadbed to my painted extruded foam sub-road. Does Mineral SPirits attack the latex caulk?
 
Good morning gandy dancers, +5 and windy. We got about 1" of the light fluffy stuff

Still had night sweats, ended up on the couch after soaking the sheets. However, my wife took my temp this am, only 97.6. That would be nice if I am good by Monday.

Louis - sad to hear about your loss

Willie - I love your tavern scenes

Gary - your trains and track work have a pleasant appearance to them, very neat and tidy

TomO - I was going to comment on your pulp cars. Looks like some I used to see at Sappy in Cloquet They are beautiful modelling.

Here is what is going on outside, light snow and birds, occasionally the little red squirrel

IMG_1954.JPG


This is our back door. No close neighbors.

I spent a couple hours in the building hospital, got the smokestack glued together and the steam engine back in place:


IMG_1948.JPG


These buildings recently came out of storage,

I spent a lot of time trying to get the belt taught, however this is the best I could do. JB weld sticks everything in place, looks like the sawyer has muddy boots

IMG_1951.JPG


The reason this building has withstood so many moves is the JB weld at many critical joints. Supposed to be rubbish piles when on the floor,

Have a good day,

Dave LASM
 


I wonder what the weight difference would be, lighter or heavier with the batteries. I guess if they had a trailing car or 2 that was a solar panel car to help with charging might have to be considered.

At the scale needed for a NA freight train, I don't think a couple "solar" cars will do anything at all. We're looking at solar and will put 42 panels on the house (once completed). This is about a 13.2KW system and would be good to run a house with electric hot water and a heat pump (pumps) plus general purpose needs most of the time. (All approximate). It is probably Apples to Oranges but these locomotives have outputs ranging in the 3x00kw range. What goes in must comes out -- I am thinking that a couple of "solar cars" wouldn't be more than a drop in the bucket for what the train needs to operate. (Again, this is not my line of work so I probably made 1000 bad assumptions here)
 
Good morning. It's clear and 31.
I discovered this morning that Prime membership is going up another $20 a year, but only in the US. Reading the news article, it says Amazon's net profits are down to only $3.6 billion a year.

Of course this sucks, but if you do any amount of decent ordering from Amazon and have the Amazon Prime credit card which gives 5% back (only on Amazon purchases -- other categories are less), you are still ahead (the same card gives 3% back on amazon purchases if not a prime member).
 
Don't worry they have an engine and and generator to charge the batteries. 🙃

I wonder what the weight difference would be, lighter or heavier with the batteries. I guess if they had a trailing car or 2 that was a solar panel car to help with charging might have to be considered.
More likely they will have to put solar panels on all the freight cars, to supplement the power and Trains will be Shorter and /or Lighter as well
 
Good afternoon ya'll! It has been a dreary, sunless and cold day here in H-Town. The temps are to take a dive again tonight. I know some of you are laughing, "shot, 28 ain't cold". You need to bear in mind yesterday was 72 degrees.

Flo, a burger with a side of onion rings and a Shiner's bock.

With the cold weather I thought about chasing the Conductress around the house. Then I thought, what would I do at my age, if I caught her.

Did some track cleaning and little programing. The wife found some kind of 3M abrasive, very fine, that cleaned the track very well. Track that looked relatively clean, turned this little pad black with grime. I tried one of my most finicky locos and it ran flawlessly.
 

Attachments

  • 1644014817126.jpeg
    1644014817126.jpeg
    292.7 KB · Views: 213
Good afternoon ya'll! It has been a dreary, sunless and cold day here in H-Town. The temps are to take a dive again tonight. I know some of you are laughing, "shot, 28 ain't cold". You need to bear in mind yesterday was 72 degrees.

Flo, a burger with a side of onion rings and a Shiner's bock.

With the cold weather I thought about chasing the Conductress around the house. Then I thought, what would I do at my age, if I caught her.

Did some track cleaning and little programing. The wife found some kind of 3M abrasive, very fine, that cleaned the track very well. Track that looked relatively clean, turned this little pad black with grime. I tried one of my most finicky locos and it ran flawlessly.
Picture or link, please?
 


Good afternoon. It's clear and 32.
Murphy came to visit me today, pretty much derailing my plans to go job hunting.
The bathroom sink completely stopped up, and my wife didn't notice, so a lot of water and "stuff" on the bathroom floor. An hour and a half of bailing and plunging got me nothing but a large blister on my hand from the end of the plunger--and a LOT more foul-smelling "stuff" all over the bathroom. Floor, walls, and me.
Currently the house and I both smell like an open sewer. I cleaned up most of the "stuff" in the bathroom, and went downstairs to the garage to get the car and drive to my local Big Box store for some liquid drain cleaner.
The basement garage is directly below the bathroom.
There is also lots of "stuff" all over the car.
The car washes are all closed because of the low temps.
So, I got the liquid plumbing stuff, and poured it in.
Waiting for results.
I rinsed the car off with a hose.
The water froze.
Now I have icicles on the car, along with "stuff". Frozen "stuff". Hopefully the car will thaw out, I parked it in the sun, so it should warm up enough to melt. It's 32 now, we're supposed to get to 36 today, warmer in the sun.
I'm pretty sure I know what would happen if I showed up trying to get a job while smelling like sewage, and I can't really shower until the drains are open again.
 
Last edited:
Hello all. Sorry it has been so long. I have been busy after getting my house sold.
I am not willing to pay the rents here in the Bozeman area as a decent apartment starts at $2,000 a month and most people will not rent to people with pets.

I did buy a condo up in Libby, MT and have slowly been rounding up what I will need in the condo. Had to get a stackable washer and dryer as that is the way that the laundry area is set up. Also spent hundreds getting shades ordered as the condo is on the ground level. My son still hasn't found a place up there as available properties have pretty well dried up for the winter, but being up there, I can look at a property he might find and take a look at it in person to let him know if it is worth while checking out. It's over a 400 mile trip one way.
I just got back yesterday afternoon after spending some time with an old friend who now lives in Mesa, AZ. He talked me into coming down for the Jackson-Barrett 50th anniversary auction. I did not buy anything. Most everything down there was way above my pay grade as I haven't seen prices like that in ages. It was nice to be in the warmer weather also.

Terry - I have been off the forum for a while and am sorry that you're having to find a new job. Hope you can get the plumbing working soon.

Hughie
- Excellent photo.

Louis - Sorry to hear about your loss.

Dave - Nice photos of the mill.

Karl - Really like that RS-3. Sweet.

Willie - I see that yu haven't lost your ability to do some excellent mini scenes.

Looking at the photos with all of the snow makes me appreciate having a condo. Having kept up a 2 acre lawn and plowing the driveway every snowfall is very appealing.

As much as it hurts, I will head into the archives to post a few photos. It still pains me to have to get rid of the layout.

IMAG0866.jpg


IMAG0947.jpg


20171029_172528.jpg


20171210_111123.jpg


IMAG1158.jpg


thumbnail_20171022_164702.jpg


Have a number of things to take care of after being gone for a couple of weeks.

Later.
 
Afternoon All,

Started out with a couple small chores then headed to the train room. I finished putting together the small dock (individual person pickup) and mounted it on the build. It went together surprisingly well and easy. The directions recommended putting together a hanging sign on the front office wall. After looking at the sign (blurry) I decided not to add it. The directions recommend mounting the build on the layout before building the next 2 platforms and last add-on. I'm thinking of using foam board modeled to look like a concrete pad, so I tested putting in expansion joints and it looks doable. If it doesn't work out I'm not out a lot of money.

Joe- Thanks for the info. I looked at it on MTS last night and almost pulled the trigger. I need another loco like I need a hole in the head, and I can use the money more for the upcoming layout scenery.

Ken (IL)- Doesn't sound like a good night.

Steve- I hope your wife feels better. It looks like you're making good progress on the layout. I suggest trying Elmer's (not the school glue version). I use it for gluing down cork roadbed and scenery. When I'm building a layout, I buy it by the gallon. I'm getting ready to open the third gallon on this build. I use Foam Tack glue on my wood structure builds. I feel it's a little thicker than Elmer's and dries quicker but is more expensive.

Tom- Nice looking diesel. What's the purpose of the chains over the trucks?

Willie- More great bar scenes.

Dave- It looks like you have a nice sized back yard but it's way to white! :) Nice repair job.

Hughie- Very nice scene. Can you post specifics on the product you mentioned?

Terry- When you get a bad clog do the following: pour white vinegar and baking soda into the offending drain and cover, after about 10 minutes pour a pot of boiling water into that and cover for 10 mins (to keep from losing the heat) and try to flush or drain. I know this sounds like BS, but it has worked for us several times.

Chet- It's great to hear from you. Beautiful scenes.

20220205_130429.jpg

20220205_130440.jpg

20220205_130453.jpg

20220205_132004.jpg

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
When you get a bad clog do the following: pour white vinegar and baking soda into the offending drain and cover, after about 10 minutes pour a pot of boiling water into that and cover for 10 mins (to keep from losing the heat) and try to flush or drain. I know this sounds like BS, but it has worked for us several times.
Yes it does work indeed. I have used this when needed.
 


Got things set up at the Timonium show. Lots of heart burn over warped wood and misaligned track. Some turnouts weren't working properly either. Wrong polarity in the diverging route.
I just can't do this anymore. I worked on these modules a couple months ago then set them up again a couple weeks ago and still had alignment problems. Fixed em all. Now, they're warped again making running trains miserable. Decoupling, derailing loss of power, inverted power.
I'm done. I'll take these home tomorrow and try to salvage the track and turnouts. Prolly be able to keep the DS64s and dwarf signals too, but the modules are not worth my time anymore.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top