Running Bear's January 2026 Coffee Shop

[TLOC]

Morning ladies and gents

Saturday plans include a morning visit to some relatives then I’ll be scouring the interweb to see if there is a free track layout planning site

More likely I’ll simply be using a protractor and graph paper to check the feasibility of my layout on the table I’ve already built (or just lay some rope on the table and take some measurements

I prefer graph paper, pencil and compass but you do you! What type of space are you looking at? There is a guy , Rob Chant on Facebook his page is all about small space layouts

His real treasure especially if you’re a non believer in Facebook is his blog. Accessible from any browsers he shows many of his designs over the years.

Most with back story and colored renderings.

If your into bigger spaces Take a few of his scenes and combine them

Not sure this is helpful to you but it’s a neat dive into layouts that fit

 

[RetiredinIowa]

I prefer graph paper, pencil and compass but you do you! What type of space are you looking at? There is a guy , Rob Chant on Facebook his page is all about small space layouts
View attachment 253403

His real treasure especially if you’re a non believer in Facebook is his blog. Accessible from any browsers he shows many of his designs over the years. View attachment 253405Most with back story and colored renderings.

If your into bigger spaces Take a few of his scenes and combine them

Not sure this is helpful to you but it’s a neat dive into layouts that fit

Thank you and yep… I’ll will be doing compass and protractor work on graph paper

Yes, I’m not a FB user but will see what I can see with my iPad or phone browser

Looked at a few apps (don’t use a computer… I only only an iPad and Samsung phone) and nothing is ‘fit for purpose’… so paper and pencil it is!

 

[RhB Michael]

29°F this morning. There is a definite chill in the air in my house upon rising this morning. That probably means it's too dry and I will have to inspect the back tracks on the layout today and make sure they are getting enough moisture.

Not doing anything today. Might make it to the train room for running after inspections. There have been a couple of years before I started adding moisture, that the tracks buckled so badly a train could not travel across them without derailing. The back tracks is not somewhere I want that happening.

Have a good weekend all! Servus!

 

[Patrick]

Morning all,

Currently 27° and cloudy, high of 48° later.

Yesterday was a decent day, wife and I ran a bunch of errands. Stopped in at a shoe place as I have been having feet related issues I believe were caused by the brand of shoes I've been wearing for years. Mostly they were just uncomfortable and I'd take them off as much as I could. Not my work shoes, but the after hours "tennis" type shoes. New pair is twice the price, but lightweight and feel like slippers.
Got signed up for Medicare part A and will get part D as soon as I get my red, white and blue card as my city drug plan isn't Medicare creditable (non-compliant). Still covering both of us is cheaper through the city than parts B or C. We'll see how good they are when it's time to use it. Wife's plan last year said a drug that's a generic wasn't covered and we'd need to fill out forms and try other drugs first. City's plan said it's a generic, $10. We play the who charges us the least game.

Not sure what kind hornets nest got stirred up in Venezuela. Too many stories over the years about us getting involved down there.

BBL

 

[TLOC]

Good morning from Wisconsin. The sun has disappeared after showing up for most of yesterday. We are back to the January gloom we’ve had pretty much since Xmas. It’s a decent 17f degrees (hey it’s January in Wisconsin) heading to 25. There is no breeze so it’s ok out there. I tossed some more ice melt on the sidewalks this morning (corner lot) so when the wind did blow last night it moved some powder onto the north/southbsidewalk.

The daughter, SIL and grandson are in the UP of Michigan. Played last night in Calumet and won 8-6. The grandson got the final 3 goals in the final 2 minutes. Playing there now but too lazy to put the game on the live barn streaming app. I don’t know which arena or which rink at the arena so, I’ll get a text with details if something happens. The wife and granddaughter are still sleeping at 7:49am as they would know which rink, but not waking them 4 that! Next stop for 2 more games this afternoon and evening is in Houghton, Mi.

I went over to the daughter’s studio/shop and finished the pit lane for the son yesterday afternoon after waking from my nap. Spent the morning at a friend’s work session for his layout. We alternate Friday’s going north 45 minutes to Baraboo or 15 minutes to Fitchburg. 2 good friends layouts that I asked about the mainline runs. Staging to staging is 550+ feet in Baraboo, 1170+’ in Fitchburg. So neither are small. Yesterday was lots of fiddly stuff that needs to get done. One in double deck the other is a mushroom style withh4 decks in places! I’m ok with my single deck 61’ of mainline

Off to donuts with the now awake granddaughter. KwikTrip here we come

 

[RetiredinIowa]

Not sure what kind hornets nest got stirred up in Venezuela. Too many stories over the years about us getting involved down there.

BBL

Will be interesting to see where this all goes, that’s for sure

 

[migalyto]

Good morning all!

As Tom said in his post. A typical January day in the North. Currently 20F with an expected high of 26F under mostly cloudy skies.
looks like the warming trend will start tomorrow with above average temps thru next week.

Not a whole lot going on today. Typical stuff for me. I will do the weekly grocery shopping trip later this morning and make a gas
run for the wife's car. I'm not even sure where mine is since it hasn't really moved for the couple weeks of Christmas break.

Im thinking its time to buy something new and shiny train related. I only spent $175.00 the entire year on rolling stock, No new
locomotives were purchased this year. I guess I have reached the point where I have everything I need and more, but need a
little retail therapy. Just a couple more cars, but I really don't have any gaps in my rolling stock.

Have a safe day everyone!

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Clear and 44°, only reaching into the 60's today. We saw 74° yesterday. Cold front coming in around noon today will drop the overnight temperature into the mid-30's overnight, but back into the 60's & 70's tomorrow and all next week. Rain still in the forecast for next Wednesday night, but no reduction in temperatures.

Nothing special about yesterday, cut some downed branches up, burned the burn trash and just generally puttered around. Full moon overnight was quite bright, I observed a couple of deer grazing on the wheat field across the road. The usual household chores this morning with the dishwasher to start things off. Hit the scales yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised that I have lost 6# since the surgery on the 11th; that despite 3 different holiday celebrations in the interim.

Maybe we'll hear from Marco soon regarding the tragic fire in Switzerland. Very sad.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I almost completed the pipe load on the bulkhead flat car. I damaged the matte-finish and need to fix that up. I also finished completely emptying the staging yard to begin this quarter's biennial cleanup project. Looks hauntingly bare.

I also did the ground inspection and found no loose parts. Then cleaned all tracks with a mild track cleaner and vacuumed the whole area. Tracks didn't really need much cleaning since they are covered most of the time. I also do not have a lot of dust in the train shed and use metal wheels exclusively.
Now it's time to move everything back in. After backing that one train down 160' of track Thursday, I may try to back some of them back in and test the trackwork in that direction as well. This is usually the time that I rearrange consists on thru trains as well. This yard can be actively switched by using the main line (for tracks 3-12) or the interchange track (for tracks 1-2) as the switching lead. I sometimes just use the interchange tracks as branch line staging.

David (Marlin) -

Willie - Even with all my classical culinary training I have yet to figure out the real difference between corn "bread" and corn "cake", other than "bread" crumbles and "cake" is sweeter.

Please educate me on the true Southern definition.

Best as I can figure, corn "cake" is sweeter as you pointed out, and is fried instead of baked. Many around here refer to it as Mexican cornbread. When I lived in New Orleans years ago, it was referred to as "Johnny Cakes". Corn Cakes also has flour in it instead of all cornmeal.
Louis - My opinion on the declining murder rate in Baltimore is that they are running out of people to shoot at!
Patrick - I too am waiting for the dust to settle in Venezuela. I should have bought defense stocks last year when I was re-balancing the portfolio.

Everyone have a great Saturday.

 

[RhB Michael]

Good morning from Wisconsin. The sun has disappeared after showing up for most of yesterday. We are back to the January gloom we’ve had pretty much since Xmas. It’s a decent 17f degrees (hey it’s January in Wisconsin) heading to 25. There is no breeze so it’s ok out there. I tossed some more ice melt on the sidewalks this morning (corner lot) so when the wind did blow last night it moved some powder onto the north/southbsidewalk.

The daughter, SIL and grandson are in the UP of Michigan. Played last night in Calumet and won 8-6. The grandson got the final 3 goals in the final 2 minutes. Playing there now but too lazy to put the game on the live barn streaming app. I don’t know which arena or which rink at the arena so, I’ll get a text with details if something happens. The wife and granddaughter are still sleeping at 7:49am as they would know which rink, but not waking them 4 that! Next stop for 2 more games this afternoon and evening is in Houghton, Mi.

I went over to the daughter’s studio/shop and finished the pit lane for the son yesterday afternoon after waking from my nap. Spent the morning at a friend’s work session for his layout. We alternate Friday’s going north 45 minutes to Baraboo or 15 minutes to Fitchburg. 2 good friends layouts that I asked about the mainline runs. Staging to staging is 550+ feet in Baraboo, 1170+’ in Fitchburg. So neither are small. Yesterday was lots of fiddly stuff that needs to get done. One in double deck the other is a mushroom style withh4 decks in places! I’m ok with my single deck 61’ of mainline

Off to donuts with the now awake granddaughter. KwikTrip here we come

When I was married the second time, Stephanie and I would vacation in the UP just south of the airport and north of Hancock at her dad's summer home. I used to know the area well and have visited and passed through Calumet many times. We used to hike, visit the Jam Pot run by Monks, visit Copper Harbor, etc. It is some of the most beautiful country I've visited in the US. I think what I enjoyed most was the hiking...if you could keep the black flies and mosquitos at bay. The place is infested with them in summer.

Her whole family are second generation Finns (her being the third generation), and it is very much Finnish country up there. Lots of saunas around, pasties wherever you stop to eat, and so on. I used to really enjoy it in summer where the temp averages about 76°F in August.

 

[RhB Michael]

That fire was terrible. It was broadcast extensively on German television since it happened. From the information I've received so far, someone holding a sparkler was hoisted on someone's shoulders and caught the ceiling on fire that rapidly spread throughout the ball room. Death toll is at least 40 with many more injured.

 

[TLOC]

Thank you and yep… I’ll will be doing compass and protractor work on graph paper

Yes, I’m not a FB user but will see what I can see with my iPad or phone browser

Looked at a few apps (don’t use a computer… I only only an iPad and Samsung phone) and nothing is ‘fit for purpose’… so paper and pencil it is!

Yep, I’m iPhone and IPadPro person only. I think just the ideas you can gather from his blog are great. Worth a visit, have fun

 

[troyphoto]

One book cover redesigned and uploaded. Only 8 more to go, then start all over for the ones on Lulu.com

Wife thinks she wants to go to a hockey game tonight.

Keyword "thinks".... we've both hit that age where "Yah! Lets do that tonight!" Then tonight comes around and we're both in the "Why leave the warm and cozy to go out in the cold and dark? There are people out there. We'll have to people if we go out." And we end up staying home.

About the current situation in Venezuela... I cannot say anything without breaking the NO POLITICS rule. So I shall post a meme ab out my new favorite activity

 

[TLOC]

Good morning all!

As Tom said in his post. A typical January day in the North. Currently 20F with an expected high of 26F under mostly cloudy skies.
looks like the warming trend will start tomorrow with above average temps thru next week.

Not a whole lot going on today. Typical stuff for me. I will do the weekly grocery shopping trip later this morning and make a gas
run for the wife's car. I'm not even sure where mine is since it hasn't really moved for the couple weeks of Christmas break.

Im thinking its time to buy something new and shiny train related. I only spent $175.00 the entire year on rolling stock, No new
locomotives were purchased this year. I guess I have reached the point where I have everything I need and more, but need a
little retail therapy. Just a couple more cars, but I really don't have any gaps in my rolling stock.

Have a safe day everyone!

Mike at $175 for the year how do you expect the economy to keep rolling? . We have to pay taxes to pay for those $1,000,000 missile destroying those terrible weed boats!

All kidding aside. There wasn’t a lot new in 2025 that I needed to see on the layout. The transverse Coil cars from Rapido look different but I haven’t seen any in Wisconsin yet. Maybe once I do. Some detail pieces would be nice but I think the 3d printer guys are weeded up. The price jumps over 2024 have been too drastic.

I just purchased some Walters Mainline 60’ High cubes for $22 each from Walthers direct. 6 Exactrail 50’ high cubes the day after Xmas from Scaletrains direct 40% off for $29 each I think, good prices nice cars. All getting stripped for my freelance railroad. Not expecting to much new for the rest of the year unless I get a itch to upgrade the diesel fleet

 

[TLOC]

Good Morning All. Clear and 44°, only reaching into the 60's today. We saw 74° yesterday. Cold front coming in around noon today will drop the overnight temperature into the mid-30's overnight, but back into the 60's & 70's tomorrow and all next week. Rain still in the forecast for next Wednesday night, but no reduction in temperatures.

Nothing special about yesterday, cut some downed branches up, burned the burn trash and just generally puttered around. Full moon overnight was quite bright, I observed a couple of deer grazing on the wheat field across the road. The usual household chores this morning with the dishwasher to start things off. Hit the scales yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised that I have lost 6# since the surgery on the 11th; that despite 3 different holiday celebrations in the interim.

Maybe we'll hear from Marco soon regarding the tragic fire in Switzerland. Very sad.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I almost completed the pipe load on the bulkhead flat car. I damaged the matte-finish and need to fix that up. I also finished completely emptying the staging yard to begin this quarter's biennial cleanup project. Looks hauntingly bare.
View attachment 253411
View attachment 253412
I also did the ground inspection and found no loose parts. Then cleaned all tracks with a mild track cleaner and vacuumed the whole area. Tracks didn't really need much cleaning since they are covered most of the time. I also do not have a lot of dust in the train shed and use metal wheels exclusively.
Now it's time to move everything back in. After backing that one train down 160' of track Thursday, I may try to back some of them back in and test the trackwork in that direction as well. This is usually the time that I rearrange consists on thru trains as well. This yard can be actively switched by using the main line (for tracks 3-12) or the interchange track (for tracks 1-2) as the switching lead. I sometimes just use the interchange tracks as branch line staging.

David (Marlin) -

Best as I can figure, corn "cake" is sweeter as you pointed out, and is fried instead of baked. Many around here refer to it as Mexican cornbread. When I lived in New Orleans years ago, it was referred to as "Johnny Cakes". Corn Cakes also has flour in it instead of all cornmeal.
Louis - My opinion on the declining murder rate in Baltimore is that they are running out of people to shoot at!
Patrick - I too am waiting for the dust to settle in Venezuela. I should have bought defense stocks last year when I was re-balancing the portfolio.

Everyone have a great Saturday.

I know Marco is ok. He posted on my FB page yesterday but yes it would be great to hear from him here

 

[TLOC]

When I was married the second time, Stephanie and I would vacation in the UP just south of the airport and north of Hancock at her dad's summer home. I used to know the area well and have visited and passed through Calumet many times. We used to hike, visit the Jam Pot run by Monks, visit Copper Harbor, etc. It is some of the most beautiful country I've visited in the US. I think what I enjoyed most was the hiking...if you could keep the black flies and mosquitos at bay. The place is infested with them in summer.

Her whole family are second generation Finns (her being the third generation), and it is very much Finnish country up there. Lots of saunas around, pasties wherever you stop to eat, and so on. I used to really enjoy it in summer where the temp averages about 76°F in August.

The UP was part of my territory when I was on the road selling! I think as soon as you cross the Wisconsin/UP border the black flies and mosquitoes are there to greet you. It is stunningly beautiful up there. The daughter said the roads are snow covered and terrible.

Pulled from the WeatherChannel app for Calument, Mi a few minutes ago.

Current Snow Cover (Estimated)
• Average Depth: Approximately 15 to 20 inches in open areas.

• Wooded/Hardwood Areas: Some reports indicate levels around 15–16 inches as of late December/early January.

• Snowmobile Trails: Groomed trails in the area are reporting a base of roughly 18 to 20 inches with "good" to "excellent" conditions.

• Season Total: The area has already received roughly 97.25 inches of snowfall for the 2025–2026 season so far.

Look at the season total!

Wow

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang!!

22° at sunrise, currently 28° heading to 35° under cloudy skies, sitting here with Taylor ham on a bagel and a glass of lemonade, waiting on an ebay order and an Amazon delivery, Each are needed for current projects. I did manage to cut all the masonite pieces and get them painted, so I will get some more of the backdrop up today.

Morning all from the UK where it is a tad chilly...
Going to need cake and coffee to warm up before I tackle my newest acquisition, another cheap off Ebay Atlas yellow box series Alco S2.
View attachment 253396
View attachment 253397

An old custom paint job with separately applied grab rails, probably not been used in years, it's a runner but needs a little TLC.

I have a few of them, Yellow box (Austria) and Red box (China). Operationally, I can't tell the difference, they both are smooth and quiet runners. Given a little TLC, they will run for years. The only bad thing I can say it that they are a bugger to add a decoder to, but it is doable.

Breakfast is over, time to pee...

 

[Patrick]

The mosquito is the U.P's state bird. I watched one try to carry off my then 5 year old sister, but I managed to distract it.

The U.P. has only 2 seasons anyway, winter and mosquito\blackfly season.

Mom and dad lived there for nearly 10 years after dad retired, and we vacationed up there a lot in the late 60's and early 70's, before we moved to Kansas.

 

[RhB Michael]

Stephanie and I were hiking one morning and she turned to say something to me and there was a black streak running down the middle of her forehead. When I told her about it, and I got closer to her, we noticed that black streak was actually dark red and it was blood.

Something bit her below the hair line and the blood was almost to her nose. It took out a small piece of skin, whatever it was, but we suspected a black fly or other hungry bug.

 

[bnsf971]

The mosquito is the U.P's state bird. I watched one try to carry off my then 5 year old sister, but I managed to distract it.

The way you kill one of those mosquitoes is with a shotgun. Shoot out their landing lights and they crash.

 

[DeaconKC]

Good morning folks, cloudy and 37 here today. Working on second cup of coffee, my Missus is down again, she just can't get the infection out of her system, thankfully it's just low grade temperature and frequent trips to the bathroom. May fire up the space heater on the porch and put some paint and spackle on different ends of the layout later.