Running Bear's May 2025 Coffee Shop

[migalyto]

There is a guy here in town with a storefront that is housing an HO scale layout under construction. I have been watching for him to be there and today as I was driving past, the lights were on, so I stopped. He was super nice, he has an HVAC business there in the back half of the store and decided to put the unused space in front to use for building a large Pennsy layout. Most of his benchwork is done and he has started laying track. He is also looking for folks to help with construction and eventually operating the layout. Guess who is now a volunteer!

It truly is a small model railroading world. Great that you found someone so close to share the hobby with.

One of the projects that I never had time for when I worked full time was to get power out to my shed and have an outlet for my pool pump. I was running it off of an extension cord. I dug the trench and buried the conduit and had an electrician from town come pull the wire and do the hook-up. When I took him downstairs to show him the breaker panel he seen my layout. Turns out he is a model railroader as well. That struck up a long conversation on trains. Unfortunately he has no layout but has collected quite a collection of stuff over the years with plans to do a huge layout in his building that houses the business when he retires in a few years.

 

[Boris]

They are more worth it for rolling stock with extended drawbars or cars that are susceptible to uncoupling from vertical curves. Full-length passenger cars and 89' flats of most flavors are examples.

Agree. In fact, I have them installed between 2 Proto RDC1s, (CNJ), which I run in the Summer. The conversion was made when I had a layout with vertical curves, and were intended to stop pull aparts. They hadn't been upgraded to DCC at that point. No longer have the Issue, but I still have the shelf couplers installed. I also considered using them on full length passenger cars, but haven't as yet.

 

[kbkchooch]

It's midnight, no posts since 7 pm, where is everybody??

 

[traiNscale]

i was in the trainroom yesterday evening!!!!!

- good morning everyone. yes it is a good morning, wife is feeling better, and i was in the trainroome yesterday evening. and i had some ideas for the industry section, but this will be covered in my building thread.

tonight is league night, looking forward to that. and on the weekend as i told you already, train show but also garden work to do on saturday.
but first. a day full of work.

lets grab a coffe and start.

cheers
marco

@migalyto about the 86 feet box car. here is your answer:

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's 70 and clear.

 

[troyphoto]

It's midnight, no posts since 7 pm, where is everybody??

View attachment 219347

Over on the MRH forum reading the new thread on tariffs?

Out to dinner?

Watching sportball or Hockey?

Cancelling their subscriptions to whatever honked them off?

Gazing into the void, wondering when the Vogons are showing up for the new interstellar highway construction?

Searching for their towels in case the Vogons do actually show up?

Heading down to the Winchester to have a pint?

Bonus points if you understood the last three references.

 

[NorthBrit]

Good morning Diners. Tea and a toasted teacake please, Flo.
A warm, sunny day.
A few household jobs to attend to before seeing the train room.

A Quiet Day

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good morning! It's 64°F and mostly clear here.

 

[NorthBrit]

Bill reminds me it is coffee time.
Flo. A large coffee please.

 

[bnsf971]

Over on the MRH forum reading the new thread on tariffs?

Out to dinner?

Watching sportball or Hockey?

Cancelling their subscriptions to whatever honked them off?

Gazing into the void, wondering when the Vogons are showing up for the new interstellar highway construction?

Searching for their towels in case the Vogons do actually show up?

Heading down to the Winchester to have a pint?

Bonus points if you understood the last three references.

The answer is 42.

 

[rgeiter]

Ya, agree. Romex is ~5/16 x 3/16 x length. Pulling 2 through is gonna be nothing but pain. Even if the romex is straight/flat ( stretched ). - then you have sweeps - boy you are in for fun! Guess you could pull the individual wires out of the romex which would make it a little better although you would be down to which wire is which.

Which brings up another question: 14Ga romex is smaller and should be a tad easier. Don't think you need to terminate @ 20 amps for the XBox and TV so 15A would be okiedokie. What is the necessary power to run the layout? Are you plugging in wall-worts for accessory power in addition to what ever DCC boxes you would need? Even if you have 4 or 5 PC power supplies for the low voltage stuff, you might be at 8A tops. Now if you are planning on using PC supplies and capitalizing on the 30A@5V and 5A@12V taps, 10 - 12 Amps depending.

Why the conduit in the 1st place?

L8r

Not using Romex. Looks ugly. I like the clean look of the pvc conduit.

 

[rgeiter]

Isn't 6x 12ga Romex a little tight for 3/4"?

Not using Romex. Running six individual 12awg stranded wires. Two black, two white and two green.

 

[migalyto]

The answer is 42.

to the 6TH power.

 

[migalyto]

Good morning all!

Going to be a scorcher today with temps souring into the 90s. A little too early for that!

Still getting a plan together for today, we shall see what it brings.

Have a safe day everyone!

 

[migalyto]

Over on the MRH forum reading the new thread on tariffs?

I've been following it too! Cant help myself for some reason.

I expect it to get shut down before too long since the debate has now turned to prisoners
building our models in the US as cheap labor.

 

[kgstakes]

Good morning, little rain this morning but not bad. Not sure what we’re doing today maybe deadwood. Then from there ??

Right now in hill city, it’s 42f and yes heater going in camper. High 50

Let the fun begin!!! Ya’ll have a great day!!!

 

[TLOC]

Over on the MRH forum reading the new thread on tariffs?

Out to dinner?

Watching sportball or Hockey?

Cancelling their subscriptions to whatever honked them off?

Gazing into the void, wondering when the Vogons are showing up for the new interstellar highway construction?

Searching for their towels in case the Vogons do actually show up?

Heading down to the Winchester to have a pint?

Bonus points if you understood the last three references.

I read it, was tempted but got the heck out of there before I responded

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy???

 

[Patrick]

Morning all,

62° and partly cloudy, high of 81° later. No rain in the forecast.

District wide band concert this evening. We have a 6th grader involved, so we have to be there. School out for 2 of the grandkids, so no more kindergartener.

Grandson walked home from HS the other day. He talked his mom into letting him walk home (literally 2 blocks) but she told him he had to go the extra 2 blocks south to the cross light to cross the main road in front of the school. When he got home he asked if his grandmother could pick tomorrow. We've been picking him up all year, so no big deal except it took him longer to walk than getting picked up.

Troy: I have my thumb and babel fish as well. I just can't find my guide.

TLOC: Yes!!!

 

[logandsawman]

Good morning all,

53f and a little off and on rain. It is.very dry here so the moisture is welcome. Headed for 80.

Easy retired guy day for me, I finished hauling topsoil (with a wheelbarrow) yesterday, pics later

Dave LASM

 

[troyphoto]

Anyone get the Go to the Winchester for a (cold) pint?

I should have added, and "and wait for this to all this blow over"