Running Bear's January 2025 Coffee Shop

[Alcomotive]

Well howdy there internet peeps and new guy Len!

It's Troy again, and I have a conundrum...

On the left, a bottle I purchased. On the right, a gift from the daughter's boyfriend (technically both of them). But he picked it up at the store.

View attachment 208653

Looks like a darn good gift. Single Barrel, 115 proof Rye!

But, it came as you see it. I asked if they'd opened it and had a swig? I expected to hear, year, "I just had to give a pour...."

NOPE! "That's the way it came"

Looked like someone at the Liquor store assumed the boyfriend was the one who sampled it and sold it like that (Hint: look at the top of the bottles. Left is unopened).

We agreed that taking it back to the liquor store would be futile. They were just happed to see a bottle someone had opened, swigged, and put back on the shelf walk out the door.

So, if it were you, would you wipe off the mouth of the bottle and give it a pour? Or pour it down the drain? I HATE to dump it, but I don't have an enemy nearby to give it a taste test.

I would use it for lighter fluid....nothing more......DO NOT DRINK IT not worth risking your health......

 

[TLOC]

Thinking of how you can get more layout space by better organization.

That is a true model railroader!

Because of some walls coming down in the lower level I may also gain about 40’ of shelf and the possibily of a turn back loop whicjph I can use as the start of a nolix! I have dreams but I’m not begging (couldn’t get back up from kneeling if I did) so we shall see

 

[TLOC]

Don't worry, if you step on a few toes all you need to do is say "pardon me" This is a talented group of modelers (excluding me) more important these are great people.

No egos here to get bent out of shape!

 

[Bruette]

Its full of alcohol. Kind of self-disinfecting. Just wipe it down on the outside with alcohol wipes or disinfectant wipes and enjoy

I'm thinking of the Tylenol murders in 1982

Now who is Paranoid Terry?

 

[Bruette]

I couldn't pass on the chance to post this.

 

[chadbag]

I would use it for lighter fluid....nothing more......DO NOT DRINK IT not worth risking your health......

This is probably better than my suggestion if you can't take it back. My suggestion was assuming someone had taken a taste test, not possible malicious action

 

[santafewillie]

Troy - My dad used to get bourbon by the case; he was a manager for a liquor distributor and the stuff was to give away as samples. Most went to the priests at our church. We kids would line the bottles up on the bar and note the difference in fill volume, so sometimes that happens. Since that bottle looks like it had been opened, I would ditch it after attempting to get my money back. I once had a liquor store owner tell me that a person who buys something of that high quality is not going to try to rip him off, especially if they ask for a replacement.

 

[CambriaArea51]

They let me in so I’m sure you’ll be welcome.

You're still on probation.

Hot chocolate Flo, I need to warm up. Cold temps high around 22 low around 14. Getting just enough lake effect snow off of Lake Ontario at night that we have to salt in the morning.

 

[kbkchooch]

Troy - My dad used to get bourbon by the case; he was a manager for a liquor distributor and the stuff was to give away as samples. Most went to the priests at our church.

Something a little stiffer than the sacramental wine? Oh my!

 

[santafewillie]

Something a little stiffer than the sacramental wine? Oh my!

It was actually part of his yearly tithe to the church.

 

[kbkchooch]

Speaking of spirits, had a customer give me this today

Garage oil badass whisky. It's chillin in the under the layout fridge right now.

 

[santafewillie]

Just read that Peter Yarrow, of the folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary; died this morning at the age of 86.

 

[Patrick]

Evening all,

After it warmed up enough this afternoon, the idiot messages are off on the truck...finally got enough sun on the tires to warm them enough for the sensors to thaw. I figure I introduced some moisture when I put the air in on Saturday.

Len: Welcome to here. Anything but religion and politics goes on in here, and the new guy buys..(says the guy trying for a free beverage). This is the area where most anything goes.

Willie: I read that earlier in my day, but was busy this afternoon. He was the last of the group, Puff is sad.

 

[bnsf971]

Speaking of spirits, had a customer give me this today
View attachment 208666
Garage oil badass whisky. It's chillin in the under the layout fridge right now.

Unfortunately, that drink has been "coming soon" to the state where I live for the last two years...

 

[santafewillie]

I read that earlier in my day, but was busy this afternoon. He was the last of the group, Puff is sad.

Actually Paul Stookey is still alive and performing at 87 years old. He ain't "Leaving on a Jet Plane" yet!

​

 

[Len Turner]

Thanks all for the comments.
Troy - I'm wary of opened stuff too. Don't think I'd drink it but might make some good track cleaner...

 

[Boris]

Len: Welcome!
Troy: Might be a waste of good liquor, but under the circumstances, I wouldn't drink it.

Currently 26° with increasing clouds, High today 33°, going to 17° and 27° tomorrow. Still windy with blowing snow. Winter in Jersey. Have a safe night.

 

[NorthBrit]

Good morning all. Another day where the temperature stays below zero C.
Not a lot happening here. Only had a few hours sleep, so made breakfast for Dawn, now to catch another hours sleep.

Back Later

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good morning! It's 18°F in Tipton.

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps, and those taking naps after breakfast

It's Troy again

Actually did some work on the layout yesterday. I decided that whichever scale I end up in, the foam risers I have glued down are not the track plan I want.

Pulling the foam risers showed where I had reused "project panels" one too many times. Too many gouges and rough spots. Fortunately, they're all in the front of the Right hand leg. That was 2 replacement panels (cut to about 18" x 24"), and then I went ahead and reused one removed piece in the front corner yet again. It won't have much trackage on it, so I put the good corner where the track might cross.

New foam cut and glued down with Alex 300.

But, I'm running out of paint cans for weight to hold the "new" foam down while the glue dries.

So I used some gaming totes to weigh it down. The one on the left is terrain pieces and two tablecloths screen printed with either grasslands or desert. The one on the right is full of Orcs riding dinosaurs miniatures. I'm glad a built a strong table if I have to put dinos on it!

Track Planning and Scale:
No matter which way I go on scale, the old track plan was toast. It was why I stalled. I just couldn't figure out elevations to do what I wanted with lines crossing over other parts of the line.

If I go HO, it will be a simpler layout design. One elevation, fewer scenes, with more detail.

If I go with N-scale (decision after the eye doc visit on Jan 30) - I want to have a visually interesting track plan. Up til now, I was trying for one figure 8 loop on the main line with variation in elevation. Realizing that I need 2.5 inches elevation height for any cross unders/overs was making that challenging with 2% grades. And the layout was mostly inclines.

New idea is two mainline loops on the same level. One will have only a few industries, and be elevated on risers 3" above the grade zero for the other lane. I'll need a connection between the two. And the "Tall Line" will be the one that exits into the eventual helix for the upper deck.

Keeping N-Scale?

The more I ponder the unponderables, and list my druthers and givens, I'm coming back to N Scale as the likely choice.

Two things. With double-deck, already built benchwork, I want to add a helix between the decks. I started measuring out the footprint of 28" radius helix for HO. I figured that was wide enough to avoid most derailment issues. That's 56" square (make it 60" for safety). OUCH. That's a BIG footprint for my space. N-scale is 17 inch radius, so 38 inch square. I've already budgeted for that just to the right end (off camera) of the above end of the layout.

A 60 square helix in the same spot won't work. I'd narrow the aisle into my gaming area/writing cave by a good foot-and-a-half. Putting it on the other side, would work, but would be a huge challenge to expand the layout later. I do have plans to expand.

I dug out gaming toy soldier models in n scale (1:160 figures) vs some that are close to HO (1:87) or 20mm. That's about double the size from one to the other scales. I can paint either. The secret to N-scale is don't sweat the details on people. Block in the colors, add a filter/wash, and drybrush with a light color to highlight details. Done. HO needs a bit more than that to be striking if the figures have any details.

HO is good for added details, and ability to see the "pose" of the figure. But they're still smaller than my orcs. And my WW2 figures. HO scale figures are about the same as I'm painting for my American Civil War minis.

If I go with N Scale, I lose some human-interaction in the scenes, but not much. If I want a person sleeping on a park bench, I can do that pose with a figure in both scales. Someone fishing may not have a line off the fishing pole in N scale. Heck, I'm not sure I'd put a line on the pole in HO.

Though I hear that Cat whiskers are good for fishing lines in modelling. My cat would get grumpy if I started plucking him just for the railroad fishing folks.

So: it's scenery and track plan druthers, vs more detail in humans and on the rolling stock/locos. I don't have room for both. I'm back to leaning toward N for the terraforming and train in the scene variability I'd get with N. I just have to accept that I'm not going to super detail out rolling stock nor figures.

In other news, I fired up the Kamado last night.