Running Bear's January 2024 Coffee Shop

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps in your snow drifts and igloos.

I'm hunkered down in the basement. Snow got rained off yesterday, but the roads and parking lots are S.L.I.C.K!

The Nscale club is trying their ops session today. Sounds like the 20 min drive to get there will be along the lines of 40min or longer, with a very slick parking lot, according to the head conductor.

Looks like, I'll be in the basement cave today instead of the ops session.

good news, I got the basics of the figure 8 on my layout figured out after about 4 sheets of graph paper. Here it is... for now, it will probably change as I start laying out the foam risers.

In my post from yesterday, Pic 1 is of the right side. Pic 2 of the middle back, etc,

Key:
PINK Text = 3 or 4 inch above grade
Orange/red text = 2% grade
Yellow = at grade
Green = 2% grade transition

The grade start and stops are guestimates until I get the foam down, and start measureing.

For those NScalers out there, what is the minimum clearance for cork+Track+car to do an underpass? Looks like 1.5 inch with what I've got on hand for standard box cars. I do plan on running passenger service, and those cars are buried in the boxes under the layout at the moment.

 

[Grizzled]

Morning folks

A brutal night. -36 when I took the canines for their short stroll last night at 2:30 am. To the point where it doesn't make much difference if you hang an "F" or a "C" on it. None of the dogs had any interest in the usual sniff and wander thing for some reason. On a positive note, the two wood stoves managed to heat the 3600 square feet, at least sort of. 62 for indoor temp right now. Tonight isn't looking any better.

bnsf971, I'm in the same place. I have last several good friends over the last 3 years and they were all younger than me.

White Sulphur Springs & Yellowstone Park Railway wedge plow, sitting derelict on the Y track eight years after abandonment.

More detail photos here:

White Sulphur Srings & Yellowstone Park Railway Wedge Plow, July 1988

Explore this photo album by John Goering on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

What I can't remember is why on earth I was driving my 74 Chevy C30 and what the hell was on the bed. It was a nice truck but with the 454, the mileage wasn't the best, usually about 13 mpg.

 

[santafewillie]

For those NScalers out there, what is the minimum clearance for cork+Track+car to do an underpass?

I'm not an N scaler, but I would strongly recommend getting a NMRA N scale gauge to determine clearances and a bunch of other stuff.

 

[santafewillie]

I'm not an N scaler, but I would strongly recommend getting a NMRA N scale gauge to determine clearances and a bunch of other stuff.

OK, I just looked it up, it is 1 23/32" on the gauge. So essentially 1 3/4 ".

 

[Sirfoldalot]

I note that there are many younger (to me anyway) modelers here on this forum and in the Coffee Shop in particular. By younger, I mean anyone younger than say 60 or so. There may be more than I think because not everyone put their birthday in their profile.

That has always "bugged" me ... I like to see the age of people. I'm proud that I have made it this far, and pray that I am around a lot longer!

The other thing is the "location" -- I am a map lover ever since my mom bought that globe that is on a pedestal. ( I still have) I flew al over the US and Alaska only using a compass and a sectional map - very few radios in the planes that I ferry from factory to distributors - I like to see where folks are from! I still spend hours looking at Google Maps!

But that's just me ....

 

[TLOC]

I cannot blame the snowplow guy. But, yesterday was a clear the office driveway twice along with the mailboxes. Since our snow cleaner quit yesterday and the SIL is at a hockey tournament with the family I was it.

This is what I found this morning at the office.

This will be saved for the SIL to hand shovel

I am taking a break and then the ATV with the plow blade will do the clean up

Now do you see why I may re-think my Maui decision to not move there

 

[TLOC]

Good morning, everyone!

The weather folks pretty much nailed this one. I'm not sure how much snow we received yet, but I estimate 7-8 inches so far. We had a reprieve from 7-9am till the next round is scheduled to hit.

Figured I better get out and clear the driveway and get the first layer off.

View attachment 179412

Here is the view from the neighborhood:

View attachment 179413

I don't know how well it will come out, but here is the neighbor's deck and picnic table, this is how much we have gotten so far from the 2 storms this week.

View attachment 179414

Stay safe everyone!

Great neighborhood pictures

 

[TLOC]

That has always "bugged" me ... I like to see the age of people. I'm proud that I have made it this far, and pray that I am around a lot longer!

The other thing is the "location" -- I am a map lover ever since my mom bought that globe that is on a pedestal. ( I still have) I flew al over the US and Alaska only using a compass and a sectional map - very few radios in the planes that I ferry from factory to distributors - I like to see where folks are from! I still spend hours looking at Google Maps!

But that's just me ....

I love Google Maps and Earth Pro. Locomotive pictures, model train forums…

It is also one of the reasons I am shutting off the internet on Tuesday and Thursdays.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

I cannot blame the snowplow guy. But, yesterday was a clear the office driveway twice along with the mailboxes. Since our snow cleaner quit yesterday and the SIL is at a hockey tournament with the family I was it.

This is what I found this morning at the office.
View attachment 179463View attachment 179464View attachment 179465View attachment 179466View attachment 179467View attachment 179468This will be saved for the SIL to hand shovel

View attachment 179469I am taking a break and then the ATV with the plow blade will do the clean up

Now do you see why I may re-think my Maui decision to not move there

TomO! Sure Reminds me of my years in Silverton!

 

[troyphoto]

I'm not an N scaler, but I would strongly recommend getting a NMRA N scale gauge to determine clearances and a bunch of other stuff.

Thanks for the reminder that my NMRA membership needs to be renewed.

And yes, I'm lazy enough to forget they have that stuff on their site. I did forget that my NMRA gauge is roughly the size of a loco... just checked with the calipers, 1.7 in top to bottom if you count the nubs of the track and flange ways.

 

[bnsf971]

Thanks for the reminder that my NMRA membership needs to be renewed.

And yes, I'm lazy enough to forget they have that stuff on their site. I did forget that my NMRA gauge is roughly the size of a loco... just checked with the calipers, 1.7 in top to bottom if you count the nubs of the track and flange ways.

That reminds me of when I built a layout with an over-and-under area, and I used a 40' boxcar to check clearances.
Needless to say, I encountered some clearance issues when I tried to operate "Plate F" equipment...

 

[chadbag]

Growing up in New England in would laugh at the people who moved to Florida or Texas or Arizona during the winter. Now as I get older I understand them more and more.

 

[migalyto]

Great neighborhood pictures

It was really peaceful yesterday early morning. Not a sound and nobody had ventured out yet!

I cannot blame the snowplow guy. But, yesterday was a clear the office driveway twice along with the mailboxes. Since our snow cleaner quit yesterday and the SIL is at a hockey tournament with the family I was it.

This is what I found this morning at the office.
This will be saved for the SIL to hand shovel

I am taking a break and then the ATV with the plow blade will do the clean up

Now do you see why I may re-think my Maui decision to not move there

Wow! You guys got hit worse than we did!

 

[CambriaArea51]

Good morning! No railroad pics today. This is me at Danang Air Base, Vietnam in 1968. I was 20 at the time.
Today, I am 76. How time flies!
View attachment 179451

Happy Birthday Bill.

 

[CambriaArea51]

I cannot blame the snowplow guy. But, yesterday was a clear the office driveway twice along with the mailboxes. Since our snow cleaner quit yesterday and the SIL is at a hockey tournament with the family I was it.

This is what I found this morning at the office.
View attachment 179463View attachment 179464View attachment 179465View attachment 179466View attachment 179467View attachment 179468This will be saved for the SIL to hand shovel

View attachment 179469I am taking a break and then the ATV with the plow blade will do the clean up

Now do you see why I may re-think my Maui decision to not move there

No snow here yet, lots of wind and cold temps. Time will tell as both Lake Erie and Ontario are 40 degrees the last I checked. Mother nature's snow machine down wind. On standby if the snow starts.
They already moved the Bills Steelers game to Monday at 4:30 due to the Lake effect snow they are getting and the 40 mph winds with it.

 

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

Started out the day with a walk at 71F and currently 60F. We are expecting lows in the 30's the next couple of days. I spent most of the day at my buddy Tom's house and had a great time.

Airbrush- Neat photo.

Troy- Nice progress on the layout.

David- I've always thought that us as modelers need to be a jack of all trades.

Bill- Great photo. Thank you for your service. Happy Birthday.

Grizzled- I don't envy you those temps. Very cool photo.

I hope everyone has a good night.

 

[kbkchooch]

Clear and windy here, temp 40° right now, close to 50 later.

 

[Boris]

Good morning! No railroad pics today. This is me at Danang Air Base, Vietnam in 1968. I was 20 at the time.
Today, I am 76. How time flies!
View attachment 179451

Happy Birthday Bill !

 

[Espeefan]

My weather widget said we got an additional 1.08" of snow last night. Isn't this the biggest 1.08" you ever freakin' saw?

Not sure what they measure with! More like and additional 4-6" for about 18" or so total.

 

[Texas Hobo]

Afternoon, all! Just finished the last preparations for the predicted freeze. Seems we are to have a couple of nights with a light freeze and 2 hard freezes. Temps to hit 23 degrees. Not normal for us. Should be OK as long has ERCOT learned their lesson from 250 deaths in 2021. No snow for us, and I'm not sure about Willie's neck of the woods.

Bill - Happy Birthday. Thank you for your service. In 1965 my cutter, Point Caution, was sent to Vietnam for operation Market Time. I volunteered to go, but the Coast Guard only sent rated people, and I was not yet rated.

Met the wife - She was dating another Guardsman, (I don't like the term Coastie) at the time. She and Joe were going into town and offered me and another guy a ride. It was her car, Joe was driving, I was in the back seat with my buddy. I found the Christmas gift she had purchase for Joe and I was holding it up saying " I know what you're getting for Christmas". She wasn't too happy with me on our first meeting. They broke up some time later and I ran into her at a Coast Guard hangout. That was March 1966, September 1966 we married.

STAY SAFE
LATER