Running Bear's February 2023 Coffee Shop

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Morning all,

Been busy with work the past few days. Home today, but busy with catch-up chores already this morning. Got grandkids for a sleepover this upcoming weekend.

Had to fix the washing machine as the cold water valve started dripping into the washer. Only took about 20 minutes as it wasn't hard. Part ordered online and was 1\4 the price of anyplace local.

Try to get to some trains today.
 
I've been having a saga with a brand new N scale Atlas Dash 8-40C. This is one of the new truck designs that use a small wired plug to carry electricity from the axle wipers to the split frame. Not a fan of the wires, but also not a fan of the locomotive in general.

One of the trucks would lock up. No matter what I did, it would lock up. I called their CS dept., and ended up buying 2 replacement trucks rather than wait for warranty repair. Total cost was less than $30 shipped.

I have tried each new truck, and they just keep locking up. I also noticed, that it's always the front truck that locks up. And when it does lock up, sometimes going in reverse clears it, sometimes it stays locked up. So I started wondering if I could figure it out.

I did a bit of a "post mortem" on the first truck that locked up. I removed teh truck, and tried to move the gears using a small pick to mimic the work gear, and the gears would not move until I applied enough force to break it free. This lead me to believe that the problem is within the gears inside teh truck, and not anything to do with teh worm gear/drive shaft, which doesn't come out with the trucks.

These things came from the factory caked with white grease, so I cleaned them all up, and applied just a small amount of Wahl clipper oil.

Reinstalled everything, and it ran great for several minutes, then locked up again. So I tried each of the 2 replacement trucks... they both locked up after a few minutes. So I don't think it was just the excess grease causing the problem. I found no foreign objects in the gears.

So now, I'm thinking it has something to do with the trucks, but only when they go in one direction. So I decided to run the loco backward while pulling about 10 cars. It ran for over a half hour without any trouble.

So... I ran out of time, but the only thing I did differently this time was to run the locomotive in reverse while pulling cars. And it had no failures of any kind.

Have any of you run into anything like this? I've had people suggest it's the worm gear being misalligned, but why would teh truck be locked up like it was after removing the truck from the loco?

Anyway.. It's been a real head scratcher
 


Boris said:
Good evening. 39°, and raining. The rain is supposed to end by 0100, after which it will clear up and go up into the 50s.

Tomorrow, is my first Post-op Doctor's appointment. Afterwards we need to stop a BJ's or Costco for some vittles and supplies.

Curt: Orlando is as good as anywhere else... Not sure that I want to go that far away from the kids. I'm looking midway between Watertown, NY and Jacksonville, NC... BTW, is your latest project a camp car, or a rider car for the wreck train? I can vividly remember seeing similar cars, painted grey or Yellow, stored on nearby sidings, in Camp train service.

Chet: Phones are a royal pain. My phone has seen better days. looking for the best deal. I prefer to own mine outright. Love that car. Rocket 88, right?

View attachment 161945
Road crew tacking cabin on rear end prior to running around train, 2391 is an ex NYC GP35 working in PRR territory...also ex NYC cabin. 02/12/2023.
Click to expand...
That one of the Tangent models? Looks like one!
 
Morning for the day after the Superbowl! Wonder if that might be the name for another "made for TV serial"?
OK - Happy that K.C. won - After Andy suffered for so many years of losing (in thge last few minutes of so many games). I did disagree with his choice of plays right at the end. I would have gone for the TD which he seemed to muff on a couple downs to burn the clock?

Low of 39 this morning and looking for only a 61 high later. Partly cloudy today, but the street, yard, and patio is wet which indicates we had a (choke) shower last night - maybe just enough to resemble rain and smear the windscreen?

SWAL - Sorry, I have never watched that show? Guess that I should? I'll check it out.

You are now being directed back to your regular program!

Happy RR-ing everyone!
 
JeffH said:
Have any of you run into anything like this? I've had people suggest it's the worm gear being misalligned, but why would teh truck be locked up like it was after removing the truck from the loco?
Click to expand...
I had trouble with one engine, but it was my own doing. I added a Lok Sound decoder and some cube speakers to the HO Atlas engine pictured below. I also changed the wires powering the trucks. What I didn't realize is I used a heaver wire in doing so and it caused the trucks to have trouble turning. I changed to a smaller gauge wire the problem was fixed.
Swal

Lok_Sound_decoder_TCS_board.JPG
 
santafewillie said:
Good Morning All. Partly cloudy and 40° in this part of the world. Upper 60's to low 70's for a few days with a high wind advisory beginning around midnight tonight, but it will be from the southwest. That generally means a duststorm coming from northwestern Mexico. Sustained winds of at least 25 to 30 mph are expected, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph. There goes the lawn furniture again! And it's all metal!:mad: Maybe light rain tomorrow morning when this wind collides with the moist Gulf breezes from yesterday and today, although the humidity right now is abnormally low for this time of day. The wind noise is highly amplified in my hearing aids.

My wife thanks all of you for the well wishes on her birthday yesterday, although she has no clue who any of you are except Sherrel.

I also wish to thank everyone who commented on or reacted to the general layout views yesterday.

I saw a few minutes of the football game last night when I went into the living room to start the overnight fire in the heater. I haven't really kept up with or watched the NFL for over 20 years now, but I always disliked Philadelphia since the 60's when the fans made snowballs with transistor radio batteries embedded in them and threw them at Tom Landry. So I am happy that they lost.
We ate supper at halftime, so I didn't get a report from my wife. The last good one that I actually saw was Z Z Top played in 1997 or so.

I never had a traditional mortgage loan, but bought my place in1981 when rates were outrageous, near 18%. I got my land for 10% owner financing which was paid for by 1991, and the house was builder financed also for 10% and paid for by 1995. By the time refinancing rates hit single digits again, I was almost done paying for the house. Land was already mine. However I have not had a mortgage payment in 28 years!:) I have not considered moving as it would be an awful lot of trouble. Train shed is too large to move! But I am happy with where I am at, even if it is far from everything.

The usual Sunday short day out in the train shed yesterday. While on temporary hiatus fro the Ethanol refinery, I tackled a small job on my extended project list. I added shingles to a small laser-cut wood structure.

View attachment 161951
Then I started painting the trim.
View attachment 161952
View attachment 161953
Second coat today.

Sherrel - "Rambling"? Never heard of that concept!;)
Chet - I have always contended that I could have done better with the $$$ that I put into Social Security over the years. My retirement fund is proof positive of that. I am soon going to be required to take RMD's which will more than double my income and put me into a higher tax bracket! I may have to buy your '59 Chevy.
Terry -

It's a shame. I certainly understand your reasons for starting over, but that sure makes the rent back in Winston-Salem look good.

Everybody have a great day
Click to expand...
Terry still “plays“ with the money and in the last 15 years we have had and then payed off many personal mortgages depending on what was best for the “plan”. But when we payed off our 1st house mortgage in the early 90’s that was cause for celebration.

Terry had to watch interest rates because even .5 of a point was significantly important when financing the apartment complexes. We had a business associate (now deceased) who had maybe 100,000 apartments around the country. He had a team of 5 that would watch interest rates daily. He is the one who proved to Terry how important it was to have great contacts in the banking world but that you needed to react when things break in your financial favor. Banks do not call you and say, here’s a better rate no matter how great a customer you are.
 


Sirfoldalot said:
SWAL - Sorry, I have never watched that show? Guess that I should? I'll check it out.
Click to expand...
They think someone maybe the Nights Templar buried and booby trapped treasure on Oak Island, Nova Scotia.
The booby trap they set has stopped anyone from retrieving any treasure that maybe found there but their working on it.
Their always showing maps from the 1700's of the place.
Swal

oak_island_map.JPG
 
santafewillie said:
Good Morning All. Partly cloudy and 40° in this part of the world. Upper 60's to low 70's for a few days with a high wind advisory beginning around midnight tonight, but it will be from the southwest. That generally means a duststorm coming from northwestern Mexico. Sustained winds of at least 25 to 30 mph are expected, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph. There goes the lawn furniture again! And it's all metal!:mad: Maybe light rain tomorrow morning when this wind collides with the moist Gulf breezes from yesterday and today, although the humidity right now is abnormally low for this time of day. The wind noise is highly amplified in my hearing aids.

My wife thanks all of you for the well wishes on her birthday yesterday, although she has no clue who any of you are except Sherrel.

I also wish to thank everyone who commented on or reacted to the general layout views yesterday.

I saw a few minutes of the football game last night when I went into the living room to start the overnight fire in the heater. I haven't really kept up with or watched the NFL for over 20 years now, but I always disliked Philadelphia since the 60's when the fans made snowballs with transistor radio batteries embedded in them and threw them at Tom Landry. So I am happy that they lost.
We ate supper at halftime, so I didn't get a report from my wife. The last good one that I actually saw was Z Z Top played in 1997 or so.

I never had a traditional mortgage loan, but bought my place in1981 when rates were outrageous, near 18%. I got my land for 10% owner financing which was paid for by 1991, and the house was builder financed also for 10% and paid for by 1995. By the time refinancing rates hit single digits again, I was almost done paying for the house. Land was already mine. However I have not had a mortgage payment in 28 years!:) I have not considered moving as it would be an awful lot of trouble. Train shed is too large to move! But I am happy with where I am at, even if it is far from everything.

The usual Sunday short day out in the train shed yesterday. While on temporary hiatus fro the Ethanol refinery, I tackled a small job on my extended project list. I added shingles to a small laser-cut wood structure.

View attachment 161951
Then I started painting the trim.
View attachment 161952
View attachment 161953
Second coat today.

Sherrel - "Rambling"? Never heard of that concept!;)
Chet - I have always contended that I could have done better with the $$$ that I put into Social Security over the years. My retirement fund is proof positive of that. I am soon going to be required to take RMD's which will more than double my income and put me into a higher tax bracket! I may have to buy your '59 Chevy.
Terry -

It's a shame. I certainly understand your reasons for starting over, but that sure makes the rent back in Winston-Salem look good.

Everybody have a great day
Click to expand...
Rent on the three bedroom house on an acre was $750/month.
 


Afternoon All,

Started out with a walk at 48F this morning. Supposed to get up to 68F today. I'm wearing blue jeans! After breakfast I did a couple of chores and errands before heading for the train room. I finished the grabs and stirrups except one (on order from Tichy). I also cut out the flash out of the cupula windows. It went surprisingly well considering the really thin window frames. Tomorrow Dad as a chest Cat Scan at VA.

Thank you for the photo likes on the build.

Chet- Great photos. Love the 1:1 restored auto.

Sherrel- I spent a huge amount of time working and using charts. Don't pilots call them charts also?

Joe- I'm building the 1943 version as a cabin car. The NX23 was used to make up the shortage of cabin cars during the war years. There is an article in the Keystone four years ago that's invaluable for the historical photos. The cabin cars (before use as MOW) were painted in freight car red.

Willie- Nice job on the building. The shingles really make a difference.

I forgot to download today's photo. :(

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
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