Running Bear's May 2026 Coffee Shop

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Good afternoon, Everybody!

Happy Birthday Mike!

Just checking in, I'm still on the upside of the grass.

My energy level is low, but I am still working, my version of physical therapy.

I'm still making progress in my attic, albeit a bit slow.

I’ve been tinkering with home theater systems. I stumbled upon a Sony setup in my stash of electronics. That sparked the idea to pair it with the Sony speakers I had in the attic. After some effort, I got them down to the basement, where the Sony system will be hooked up to my old 50" Panasonic Viera plasma TV—still my favorite! As it turns out, the speakers work perfectly with the old Sony system.

Next on the list was finding replacement speakers for the Pioneer Home Theater in the attic. Buying modern gear is never easy for me—I know my way around old-school audio, but modern setups are a whole different world. I also realized I didn’t really understand home theater systems, so I spent some time researching both. Once I felt more confident, I started my search. After hours on Amazon spread over several days, I finally found a pair of Cerwin Vega speakers for the front, a pair of Pyle speakers for the rear, and a Polk Audio center channel speaker. I'm more about quality and value than having a matching set. All the impedances and power ratings check out, and the prices were unbelievably cheap! The speakers arrive tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll have the energy to get everything set up.

Still no progress on the attic layout bench work. I keep getting sidetracked by one thing or another, but I will never give up!
I hope and pray Everyone is happy and healthy.

I'll be back - fair warning. :D
 
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bnsf971 said:
The "Squirrel!" generation.
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SquirrelWatch003.jpg
 


Wow. It really IS raining. I don't know for how long, but the weather-guessers were correct in that it would rain today.

And a tornado watch...

And a severe thunderstorm warning. I think Mother Nature is just doing this because I said it wouldn't happen.
 
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Happy Birthday Mike!
Made a run to the grocery store this morning and picked up a couple of prescriptions. Then had some leftovers for lunch. Last night watched some old Doctor Who, Tom Baker's Doctor and it is not just nostalgia, but he OWNED that role.
On the subject of hobbies, we are truly in a Golden Era for both MRR and tabletop gaming. The quality of model railroad stuff has improved so drastically from 25 years ago when I had left the MR hobby for a bit. Affordable really good running locomotives, better quality cars and structures all are overwhelming in their availability. And for the gaming hobby, the improvement in paints and the detail of miniatures is breathtaking. And let us not forget 3D printing in both hobbies has turned many aspects into two-way travel between the new technology.
 
TLOC said:
If I didn’t know you as a regular Troy I would respond as “Troll, go back to your mom’s basement”! However because it’s you I know you’re asking it as a thoughtful question. So here goes…

As Terry said he is aware of its dying as he’s read about it since the 1940’s. I’ve only been around since 1952 and model railing since the early 1960’s. But Yes, it’s been dying since I can remember reading my 1st MR mag. Therefore because someone has read about it, it must be true!

It’s not dying, it’s changing. It’s never been a cheap, heck even an inexpensive hobby. Hobbies are meant for disposable income and that’s what has changed. There is less disposable income today than the previous 25 years. Why do we keep hearing it’s dying because those with the most disposable income even in times of belt tightening are generally the seniors or folks in the 50’s without children. We seniors stand out and is a point of contention for some. If oldsters are buying now who will buy when they are gone. The population and disposable income continues onward. Heck even in wartime and recessions modelers find a way and will continue to do so. The hobby constantly changes with the ebb and flow of technology. Slot cars killed the Model railroading hobby completely in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Gee, how’d that turn out?

What should have killed the hobby was the proliferation of Casino gambling across the USA. Have you ever stepped into a casino on a Wednesday afternoon. If you are under 60 years of age you might get carded. But it didn’t happen.

We are in a golden age of model railroading. Look at the variety and the accuracy of the selections we have. Prices, well IMO they have always been higher than kite flying, slot cars and a few others. But less than bike riding, auto collecting or restoration and golfing. It’s all a matter of where you put your money.

Have things changed? Absolutely. I belong to a private group on FB that are all weathering artists that sell their work. Many are complaining they are not making enough money because the sales are down. Well they’re down because the disposable income is less, not because the hobby is in its death throes. Economics plays an important part in any hobby. That hasn’t and will not ever change.

2020 with the bonus money Mr. Trump handed out and Mr. Biden followed up on spoiled the weathering artists, hobby shops locally and online. Believe me I couldn’t keep up with the demand but that demand is gone. So the price of that SD38 that came out that you were craving costs more so you only purchased 2 instead of the 5 different numbers you wanted. That’s smart not a dying hobby. It why manufacturers are looking at preorders. It’s just a different economic world than it was 6, 10 and 25 years ago.

Even if I slow my spending or stop completely for a month or 2 doesn’t mean the hobby died. Like many of us if we even stopped spending for a few years the hobby will always live on for us.
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I think any hobby flounders or flourishes with the economy.

Food for thought......a couple of "Hobby" descriptions.
1. A “hobby” is a recurring or continuing activity in which an individual engages for pleasure, not to earn a living.
2. A "hobby" is an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.

John
 
I just got off the phone after an hour and a half with my ex-wife to thank her for the early birthday gift she sent to me. I have a lunch date with her this Friday. I haven't seen her in 15 years even though we talk much more often than that.

Going to a nice restaurant a couple of towns over.
 


TLOC said:
less disposable income today
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Not doubting you, but I find that surprising as I see some of the ridiculous stuff people are willing to pay for. Memorabilia stuff immediately comes to mind. I don't what the current trend is.

And then I see stuff like "the struggle is real" stickers on $50K trucks...

Changing is right. To me, it seems to be going niche, maybe? as the cost of the locos are way more than I'd like to spend. The cheapie old Athearns, Atlas models. People bought tons of them, made them better and had long trains running. Now, the models come with everything on them and are super detailed (to the point where I don't want to handle them for fear of breaking something off). Costs reflect that.

One comment I read on another forum was that in the n-scale world, Kato is known for their smooth mechanism, detail and cost (at least in Japan). Other manufacturers such as Microace and Greenmax cost more and to me, do not run as well and look cheap by comparison. The comment was that they were smaller, niche type companies so expect the higher cost. My response to that was I wouldn't buy something that cost more, didn't run as well, and didn't look as good. It didn't make sense just to buy a name.

I don't know, maybe I'm just mixing stuff up.
 
troyphoto said:
That's 5.979 per gal.
Reg Unleaded was 4.92 per gal.
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Thats a big spread. Around here it's typically about 35 cents spread from regular to the ethanol free. But it can be more. But it's also a mid grade (we have 85 and not 87 here as regular and 88 or 89 as mid grade -- the 85 is due to the higher altitude). The ethanol free is usually 88 around here. I suspect that its the same base as used for 89 or 91 gasoline with ethanol -- ethanol raises octane so you can use a cheaper grade of gasoline and get your rating by adding ethanol.

For your small motors -- power washers, snow blowers, lawn mowers, generators, etc. -- the extra money is worth it. I used it in met cars for over 10 years and I would continue to if I was better set financially. Its better for your car and gets you better gas mileage.
 
Marlin39 said:
N scale is growing out here due to housing logistics and apartment life.
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N is the predominant scale in Japan for the same reason. Most people live in small apartments, or in houses with small rooms (houses tend to be taller and smaller footprint). They can use KATO Unitrack or Tomix Finetrack and set up a temporary floor or table based track and run trains and then put it away again. H0 is in Japan but is very expensive and much less common.
 
Good evening. A decent looking but cool day in my part of Wisconsin about 80 miles west of downtown Milwaukee. Made it to 58 real degrees but only 45 wind chill.

I’ve been working on 3 projects today. 2 paper mills, my friend’s 1965 PNW mill and my own Wisconsin River Valley 2020 paper mills. His paper mill is under construction mine is getting design changes and a template made. The 3rd project finally is working on the weathering for 7 UP MoW trucks and 5 pieces of UPS equipment. The UPS stuff is being weathered to reflect a busy day and before the daily nighttime washing at the depot/terminal. Moved in and out of the train room all day never spending more than 90 minutes in there at one sitting.

My doctor texted me today asking if I was still doing my mid afternoon naps? Replied to her yes, 20 minutes with the alarm set. She was reading some recent medical study about seniors napping in the afternoon might increase the chances of dementia. She will forward the study to me. I have it but have not read it yet! She is my Endocrinologist but also one of Terry’s good friends.

Yesterday I got an offer on the property I have started developing for a new subdivision. This offer finally exceeds by 10% my minimum acceptance for April. I did tell them 3 offers ago I would not be accepting offers after 4/30 and yesterday was 5/1. Terry asked me what I was going to do? I’m seriously thinking about saying no. I’ve been tremendously worried about the economy and the future. I should take it and reduce my worries but my word has always been me. I’m 98% sure Monday I’ll say no. The trees for the roads have been logged and most are sitting in the log yard at the saw mill. If the weather stays dry the stumps will be removed starting Monday and continue they think for about a week.

The Hurricanes/Flyer NHL game tonight is boring and I’m not sure these referees are competent! They are letting way more go than they should but calling the ticky tac stuff they don’t need to call. I am watching the game, twisting wires together for wire armatures for 9” trees between periods as I now have an order for 100 +/- 10% armatures only. I am using voice dictation to create this posting
 
I'm of the opinion that too high of an octane would prevent a full combustion as it takes higher compression to ignite, which is the inverse of normal thinking. My itty bitty motor, even with the turbo, recommends regular gas. The base only had high octane for a while and when they started carrying regular, I started buying that instead, saving money and not seeing a change in performance. They still have one pump with the high octane, which is good for the sporty cars. But, I've heard that the high octane includes better additives? Not sure.
 


TLOC said:
The Hurricanes/Flyer NHL game tonight is boring and I’m not sure these referees are competent! They are letting way more go than they should but calling the ticky tac stuff they don’t need to call. I am watching the game, twisting wires together for wire armatures for 9” trees between periods as I now have an order for 100 +/- 10% armatures only. I am using voice dictation to create this posting
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A seriously multi-tasking man. Armatures, hockey and dictation all at once. I would get confused, but that might be because of the beer.
 
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