Running Bear's February 2023 Coffee Shop

[chadbag]

Quick house update from last few days.

My son and I have been spending an hour or slightly less or more, and I've spent a couple extra hours by myself. We've been working on garage wall and today we finished the first main row of foam on the outer garage long wall, and put in most of the rebar. My son had to go and I put in some form lock (straightener) and a corner and 2 long pieces in the second row.

The son from the 2 guys I hired has been putting in more window bucks, making some and adding some waterproofing, and also putting up more bracing/scaffolding to support the windows and the walls. They've gotten a lot done though the dad is away this week. Most of the house main floor windows' bucks are installed except a few that are bathroom and higher up on the wall where the wall is not yet installed. Those bucks are made and waterproofed but we're just waiting to get the next row of foam in this week to get those window bucks in. And the two windows in the outside garage wall are made but not yet installed as the wall is not high enough. Otehrwise they just need to do the door bucks and garage door bucks, Getting more exciting.

I'm off from work tomorrow and Friday and my BIL is coming again so he, my son, and I will be working to finish getting the garage walls up high enough where they can install the window bucks not yet installed and then we'll bring all the walls up more rows of foam. My goal is to have all the walls up to main floor height by next week sometime so we can just do rebar (window lintels etc) and penetrations and schedule the pour.

The outer garage wall my son and I have been working on the last couple days:



The main floor walls and all the window bucks installled (or sitting waiting to be installed up higher):

 

[bnsf971]

For interested parties, Raquel Welch passed away today.

 

[TLOC]

Quick house update from last few days.

My son and I have been spending an hour or slightly less or more, and I've spent a couple extra hours by myself. We've been working on garage wall and today we finished the first main row of foam on the outer garage long wall, and put in most of the rebar. My son had to go and I put in some form lock (straightener) and a corner and 2 long pieces in the second row.

The son from the 2 guys I hired has been putting in more window bucks, making some and adding some waterproofing, and also putting up more bracing/scaffolding to support the windows and the walls. They've gotten a lot done though the dad is away this week. Most of the house main floor windows' bucks are installed except a few that are bathroom and higher up on the wall where the wall is not yet installed. Those bucks are made and waterproofed but we're just waiting to get the next row of foam in this week to get those window bucks in. And the two windows in the outside garage wall are made but not yet installed as the wall is not high enough. Otehrwise they just need to do the door bucks and garage door bucks, Getting more exciting.

I'm off from work tomorrow and Friday and my BIL is coming again so he, my son, and I will be working to finish getting the garage walls up high enough where they can install the window bucks not yet installed and then we'll bring all the walls up more rows of foam. My goal is to have all the walls up to main floor height by next week sometime so we can just do rebar (window lintels etc) and penetrations and schedule the pour.

The outer garage wall my son and I have been working on the last couple days:

View attachment 162147View attachment 162148

The main floor walls and all the window bucks installled (or sitting waiting to be installed up higher):


View attachment 162146View attachment 162149View attachment 162150

It must be a great feeling for you to review these pictures and say, we did this. Rooting for you, it’s a project I could never have been able to carry out.

 

[chadbag]

It must be a great feeling for you to review these pictures and say, we did this. Rooting for you, it’s a project I could never have been able to carry out.

Yes. Some days more than others. Major milestones are awesome or when changes are great (in terms of visual amounts you see) or it is a new piece done.

 

[Boris]

Good evening. 57°, partly cloudy. Going to 48° overnight. Depending on what reporting station one consulted, today's high temperature ranged from 66° to 69°. More than a bit above normal, but not unheard of for mid February. FWIW, I'll take it over bitter cold and snow any time.

Walked another half mile + this morning. Busy day at the Park, as the State Police Special Ops were training on the water. Many hikers and cyclists enjoying the nice weather. Going to try and get another walk in tomorrow, before the rain.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's clear and 59.

 

[NYC_George]

I feel sorry for those people in Ohio and what they have to go through now. I see it was a 150-car train. I also see no cause of the accident yet.
I want to know what caused the accident. How fast was the 150-car train going. What was the single indication it was running on?
Were there any speed restrictions in place at the time? A 150 car train is way too long especially if there are empty mixed in. When you apply the brakes on a train you have to wait for the air blow to stop before releasing the brakes otherwise you get a herky / jerky motion back in the train. That's a long blow for a 150 cars. When I was working a hostler in Croton Harmon they told me were setting you up as an engineer in Selfirk NY tomorrow. I said, no your not. I'm bidding back to Brewster tomorrow. A whole lot easier running a 8 car passenger train then a 100 car freight train. There's a good chance that one of the 100 cars is have is having braking or other issues going on. When trains ran with a caboose the cupola was there for a reason. It gave the brakeman a chance to view the whole train on a turn looking for any car trouble that may be going on, but in reality, he's most likely sound asleep.

Some employees from Northern Southern said,
“What people see on the ground is a really big amount of pressure on moving as fast as possible, as lean as possible, and generating as much profit as possible.”
Norfolk Southern alone has lost 40 per cent of its workforce in recent years,

In 1975 the law cut the crew size from 5 to 3, Big mistake.
Swal

 

[santafewillie]

I feel sorry for those people in Ohio what they have to go through now. I see it was a 150-car train. I also see no cause of the accident yet.
I want to know what caused the accident. How fast was the 150-car train going. What was the single indication it was running on?
Were there any speed restrictions in place at the time? A 150 car train is way too long especially if there are empty mixed in. When you apply the brakes on a train you have to wait for the air blow to stop before releasing the brakes otherwise you get a herky / jerky motion back in the train. That's a long blow for a 150 cars. When I was working a hostler in Croton Harmon they told me were setting you up as an engineer in Selfirk NY tomorrow. I said, no your not. I'm bidding back to Brewster tomorrow. A whole lot easier running a 8 car passenger train then a 100 car freight train. There's a good chance that one of the 100 cars is have is having braking or other issues going on. When trains ran with a caboose the cupola was there for a reason. It gave the brakeman a chance to view the whole train on a turn looking for any car trouble that may be going on, but in reality, he's most likely sound asleep.

Some employees from Northern Southern said,
“What people see on the ground is a really big amount of pressure on moving as fast as possible, as lean as possible, and generating as much profit as possible.”
Norfolk Southern alone has lost 40 per cent of its workforce in recent years,

In 1975 the law cut the crew size from 5 to 3, Big mistake.
Swal

I believe that a failed bearing in a truck on a covered hopper car caused the derailment. Here's an article showing the truck on fire 20 miles before the derailment.
Truck on fire

Not sure why this wasn't noticed by someone???

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang

49 and cloudy high temp near 60 with rain

need cofffffffeeeee!

 

[Jaz avalley]

Quick house update from last few days.

My son and I have been spending an hour or slightly less or more, and I've spent a couple extra hours by myself. We've been working on garage wall and today we finished the first main row of foam on the outer garage long wall, and put in most of the rebar. My son had to go and I put in some form lock (straightener) and a corner and 2 long pieces in the second row.

The son from the 2 guys I hired has been putting in more window bucks, making some and adding some waterproofing, and also putting up more bracing/scaffolding to support the windows and the walls. They've gotten a lot done though the dad is away this week. Most of the house main floor windows' bucks are installed except a few that are bathroom and higher up on the wall where the wall is not yet installed. Those bucks are made and waterproofed but we're just waiting to get the next row of foam in this week to get those window bucks in. And the two windows in the outside garage wall are made but not yet installed as the wall is not high enough. Otehrwise they just need to do the door bucks and garage door bucks, Getting more exciting.

I'm off from work tomorrow and Friday and my BIL is coming again so he, my son, and I will be working to finish getting the garage walls up high enough where they can install the window bucks not yet installed and then we'll bring all the walls up more rows of foam. My goal is to have all the walls up to main floor height by next week sometime so we can just do rebar (window lintels etc) and penetrations and schedule the pour.

The outer garage wall my son and I have been working on the last couple days:

View attachment 162147View attachment 162148

The main floor walls and all the window bucks installled (or sitting waiting to be installed up higher):


View attachment 162146View attachment 162149View attachment 162150

It is definitely looking a lot more than just footings, the view thru the windows is spectacular

 

[bnsf971]

I believe that a failed bearing in a truck on a covered hopper car caused the derailment. Here's an article showing the truck on fire 20 miles before the derailment.
Truck on fire

Not sure why this wasn't noticed by someone???

I’ve called NS before to report crossing gate malfunctions, and it took me almost half an hour, as well as my call being transferred repeatedly, before connecting to the right department. Then, they couldn’t find the crossing numbers I was reporting.
Imagine seeing a hotbox, and trying to call it in…

 

[santafewillie]

I’ve called NS before to report crossing gate malfunctions, and it took me almost half an hour, as well as my call being transferred repeatedly, before connecting to the right department. Then, they couldn’t find the crossing numbers I was reporting.
Imagine seeing a hotbox, and trying to call it in…

Someone's head will roll over this one. I have also read an unverified report that it went past a hotbox detector and was either not recorded or it was ignored. To George's point about eliminating their workforce, it seems like NS is a leader in the concept of "precision scheduling", cost cutting with longer trains and less train crews and ground members.
I'm not sure that I agree with the "controlled release" of the chemicals either, although I don't know enough about the behind the scenes logic involved.

 

[NYC_George]

I believe that a failed bearing in a truck on a covered hopper car caused the derailment. Here's an article showing the truck on fire 20 miles before the derailment.
Truck on fire

Not sure why this wasn't noticed by someone???

Willie That's what I said about the caboose cupola. In a 5-man crew someone's supposed to be up there looking out for any car trouble on turns.
1974 law 5-man crew Engine (Engineer, Fireman, Headend Brakeman), Caboose (Conductor Rearend Brakeman). 1975 law 3-man crew Engineer, Headend Brakeman, Conductor. I'm not sure what year they got rid of the caboose.
Swal

 

[Smudge617]

Someone's head will roll over this one. I have also read an unverified report that it went past a hotbox detector and was either not recorded or it was ignored. To George's point about eliminating their workforce, it seems like NS is a leader in the concept of "precision scheduling", cost cutting with longer trains and less train crews and ground members.
I'm not sure that I agree with the "controlled release" of the chemicals either, although I don't know enough about the behind the scenes logic involved.

My understanding of this "controlled release" was to avoid a potential explosion of the tank cars by releasing the pressure build up inside the undamaged although derailed cars caused by the fire.

 

[Alcomotive]

Some of you might get this if you watch Yellowstone.....

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps. And those who know what "The push of pike" means.

I didn't... now I know

Took the Sis in Law and her roomie out for Mexican last night. SIL's bday. Wife and her sis talked most about their middle sibbling (also a sis) who might be moving back from San Antonio. That sis's live in boyfriend left his job as a jet mechanic, and is interviewing up here in West Lafayette, home of Purdue Univ.'s aviation program. So, even if this position isn't with the univ. it's in GE's umbrella of support around the university.

IF they do move back here to Indiana, wife and local sis are both plotting how much they can get middle sis involved in Mom care. She'll be two hours away IF the move happens, but the girls are ready to bring the other sis in. Whether she wants to help or not.

Also, the two started discussing our daughter (turning 30 this year) and her live in... we're waiting on someone to pop the question. BUT, that didn't stop the girls from planning the daughter's wedding at the planned family gathering here at our condo's clubhouse this summer.

I texted daughter to warn her. All she said was "Well, I hope we're engaged by then..."

Part of the daughter/wedding issue is our daughter has a large budget and thought mom and dad were going to cover it. We keep reminding her that the wedding money went into the down payment on her condo. We dropped enough that she was over the 20% down she needed, and closing costs. Back then it sounded great to her. Now she's been watching too many TV shows and wants what she sees on TV.

As for me, I just nod and say "Yes, dear" to whatever the wife says.

BUT, what about this push of Pike?

Well, my favorite game company is coming out with 13.5mm (about 1:120 scale) Pike and Shotte figures for their game system of the same name. They're targeting the 30 Years War, or the English Civil War from the 1600s.

Growing up in the American Education System, I know NOTHING (insert Sgt Schultz voice) about those two conflicts. BUT, the game looks like it's going to join my growing pile of shame.

I know the game is between popular scales in model railroading but is close to TT scale... Does anyone know if they make the scale to run on Nscale track, or is it an entirely new system to convert over? Cause I'd love to set up some gaming scenes on the railroad. Converting several hundred $$ in track and turnouts to TT scale, if I can find any, not to mention converting the limited rolling stock and engines...

Oh, well, probably a pipe dream. If I can find the STLs to 3d Print, I can downscale to Nscale easily. It's just more figures to paint up.

 

[bnsf971]

Willie That's what I said about the caboose cupola. In a 5-man crew someone's supposed to be up there looking out for any car trouble on turns.
1974 law 5-man crew Engine (Engineer, Fireman, Headend Brakeman), Caboose (Conductor Rearend Brakeman). 1975 law 3-man crew Engineer, Headend Brakeman, Conductor. I'm not sure what year they got rid of the caboose.
Swal

I think it was around 1987 or so when Virginia’s caboose law was either removed or expired. It was the last law in the US requiring cabooses.

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Mostly cloudy and 40°. The thunderstorms predicted for yesterday never materialized, another ace[?] for the NWS. It did get colder though. Mid 40's today, low 50's tomorrow and 70's and 80's most of next week. Windy again today although no alerts have been issued.

Weekly grocery/beer trek to town is today. I believe that we're going to Wally World on this week's trip for hair dye or something. Maybe the Vitamin Shop as well. Yard and garden is still too wet to do any realistic work outside despite it being 78° yesterday, today won't be any better with the stiff cold wind from the north. Nothing really pressing anyway except tree pruning before it warms up enough to get the sap flowing.

Thanks for the comments and reactions regarding yesterday's postings.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I took a look at another Logan Valley structure, this one is the Gateway Market.

Chimney caps are needed on two chimneys. Not bad for an 1800 mile journey with the Post Office.

No biggie, a few pieces of .040" x .060" styrene painted gray took care of that.

Then I shifted my attention back to the Ethanol refinery. I had decided to put the four fermentation tanks and their building on a styrene base, both for ease of handling and full alignment. First was to paint their bases.

OK, it looks like the short piping and walkways work.

Then the long walkways and pipes.

Oooops! Walther's didn't quite engineer these things quite right. Or maybe I'm missing something. I'll have to explore further today.

Chrιstιaη - Overall the number of structures on my layout is about 350±. Very few are actual houses. There are 12 separate towns, both large and small, and since I like switching, there are 70 industries to switch. Each town has 6-8 industries. One town has none and is all small businesses. Of my remaining blank space, I am currently adding my largest industry, the Ethanol refinery; I have a like-sized area on the lower deck beneath it that is undetermined right now. What I do with some of the other area is also undetermined. For sure there will be another grain elevator and a railcar re-builder. Keeps me busy.
Tom O - That's some expensive trees, but they sure look good.

Everybody have a great day.

 

[TLOC]

Good morning. Ohio happened, it was an accident. 12 months from now we will know the cause. A caboose on that train would not have prevented the accident. Equipment failure. detection failure, personnel faolure ( I hope not) but what will come out of this?

More automation and less personnel.

Weather, So. Central Wisconsin is supposed to be getting slammed with the monster snow storm. First it was midnight, then they said 3AM, I just checked the radar. It’s coming but right now the leading edge is about 90 miles southeast of us around Dubuque, Iowa. If I had a school aged kid I’d be pissed that school today for the 3rd Thursday in a row has been closed or switched to virtual

Trains, the model kind. After an exhaustive search of my notes, looking at sections of the layout ( most laying on the floor) and thinking about the layout industries, I don’t really need anything. The train show this weekend, now I’m not so sure about. I want some more pulp cars. Maybe 1 more Atlas Centerbeam, Reefers nope, boxcars not really but maybe the yellow TBOX cars. Coil cars nope, covered hoppers, absolutely not. So, I am going anyway. The things that have sold well after weathering by me have been, pulp cars, 2 bay hoppers, centerbeams and recently modern tank cars. I decided though that since I along with the weather weenies cannot predict the future I am not going to buy cars to just weather and sell. So, it will be interesting to see what does come home Saturday from the show.

Ice hockey. The daughter sent me this picture last night after the grandson got home from practice.

That was $80 in August! He and I will hit up Pure Hockey tomorrow for a new one after school and then to his favorite eatery, 5 Guys.

Haircut at 9 this morning. A stop to deliver 4 packages to the post office after that. Finally got paid by 2 different guys that had me worried they were backing out of the weathering deals. Then depending on the snow storm a trip to Hiawatha Hobbies for Woodland Scenic grasses and a few other things. I have an order for trees and I need the stuff I use and locally most of it is unavailable. Stops along the way will be Michael’s, Joann Fabrics and a great hardware store. The order was confirmed just before midnight is for 800 trees and 200 bushes by Labor Day picked up in batches of 100. He never flinched at the new pricing. I have always over made by around 20% for my own use or inventory. Not this time, maybe 5% overage but I don’t need any for myself. Looks like I will start watching TV, specifically the NHL again while I twist the wires together to make the tree armatures. I actually enjoy making them. This is a returning customer and the most I have made in 1 order has been 250 trees. So…

enjoy the day

 

[Smudge617]

Good Morning All. Mostly cloudy and 40°. The thunderstorms predicted for yesterday never materialized, another ace[?] for the NWS. It did get colder though. Mid 40's today, low 50's tomorrow and 70's and 80's most of next week. Windy again today although no alerts have been issued.

Weekly grocery/beer trek to town is today. I believe that we're going to Wally World on this week's trip for hair dye or something. Maybe the Vitamin Shop as well. Yard and garden is still too wet to do any realistic work outside despite it being 78° yesterday, today won't be any better with the stiff cold wind from the north. Nothing really pressing anyway except tree pruning before it warms up enough to get the sap flowing.

Thanks for the comments and reactions regarding yesterday's postings.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I took a look at another Logan Valley structure, this one is the Gateway Market.
View attachment 162170View attachment 162173
Chimney caps are needed on two chimneys. Not bad for an 1800 mile journey with the Post Office.
View attachment 162171
No biggie, a few pieces of .040" x .060" styrene painted gray took care of that.
View attachment 162172
Then I shifted my attention back to the Ethanol refinery. I had decided to put the four fermentation tanks and their building on a styrene base, both for ease of handling and full alignment. First was to paint their bases.
View attachment 162175View attachment 162176
View attachment 162177
OK, it looks like the short piping and walkways work.
View attachment 162179
Then the long walkways and pipes.View attachment 162180View attachment 162181
Oooops! Walther's didn't quite engineer these things quite right. Or maybe I'm missing something. I'll have to explore further today.

Chrιstιaη - Overall the number of structures on my layout is about 350±. Very few are actual houses. There are 12 separate towns, both large and small, and since I like switching, there are 70 industries to switch. Each town has 6-8 industries. One town has none and is all small businesses. Of my remaining blank space, I am currently adding my largest industry, the Ethanol refinery; I have a like-sized area on the lower deck beneath it that is undetermined right now. What I do with some of the other area is also undetermined. For sure there will be another grain elevator and a railcar re-builder. Keeps me busy.
Tom O - That's some expensive trees, but they sure look good.

Everybody have a great day.

Your Ethonol plant looks the bees knees Willie.