Running Bear's September 2023 Coffee Shop

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Morning all,

Got busy yesterday and again this morning. It was 75° and mostly cloudy when I got in, temps down to 72° and rain supposed to be moving in. They had predicted spotty rain throughout the day with a high of 80°.

TomO: Belated Happy Anniversary to you and the Mrs.

Got home last night and started moving some furniture out of the bedroom. Wife was wondering what I was doing. I told her I wanted to get the room painted and it wasn't going to happen with all the furniture still in the room. Didn't move a ton, but at least I have 1 wall open. Going to have to play musical chairs, so to speak, with the stuff in the room. I still have 2 large bookcases to empty and get out of the room, but at least I started.

Try to BBL
 
Good morning gang!

Sunny gorgeous morning! Started the day at dawn at 55°, currently 65° heading to 75°! 😁

TomO If you go with NCE, you can still use your PowerCab as a throttle. I've picked up a few at train auctions cheap just for that purpose.

About the car fuel situation and only having 45 miles of range left.. Modern cars have their fuel pumps inside the tank. The fuel serves as a lubricant and a coolant for the fuel pump and habitually running low fuel levels can lead to premature fuel pump failure. and replacement is not cheap by any means. Also full fuel tanks collect less moisture than low fuel levels. The last thing you want in fuel is moisture. Fill er up!

That's quite a record! Mine is September, my son's is in September and my dad missed it by one day - August thirty first!

Sons # 1 & 4 are September babies

Curt, I can't believe that is n scale, looks awesome!

BBL
 
I like the look and reviews on the Digikeijs system but it’s been out of stock all Summer at Iron Planet Hobbies.
I use the Dijikeis DR5000. Dijikeis the company seems to have gone under. The guy who designed all the Dijikeis stuff parted ways with them a few years ago and the company I guess did not manage stuff well. The guy who did all the actual design of the stuff formed a new company called YaMoRC (something like Yet Another Model Railroad Company) and the successor to the Dijikeis DR5000 is the YD7100.

The guy who is the designer/programmer is Karst Drenth and he is active on the Dijikeis/YaMoRC is active on the groups.io group dedicated to these systems.


And a version that includes an interface extension if you need extra or different ports.


It just started shipping earlier this year and so goes in and out of stock as new production is snapped up. It is basically an improved DR5000 from the same designer/programmer. They also sell an upgrade chip for the DR5000 to bring as much of thew new firmware over to the older Dijikeis DR5000. I plan on getting YD7100 at some point.

The TCS systems also look interesting.

I replaced my NCE PowerCab with the Dijikeijs and also use Z21 WiFI throttle as well as WiThrottle (with a Digitrax WiFi module) on phones etc. Wired throttles also work.
 
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Good Morning All. Mostly clear and 68° to start this Tuesday morning. Not a lot of variety in our weather coming up, highs in the mid-90's, overnight lows in the lower 70's for the next ten days. Slight chance of rain on Friday, but we all know how inaccurate the NWS has been this year. In their defense though, they got hot and dry throughout August correct.

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood yesterday, I saw 92° for a couple of hours and the pool has warmed up to 81° which is well within my tolerable range. If things keep up, I may get another 8-10 days of use before the water gets too cold and I have to cover it for the winter. It's gone longer than I expected after last week's cooler weather.
I actually got on the tractor and mowed for about 45 minutes on the east side yesterday, where there was some heat-loving weeds invading the dormant Bermuda grass, along with some uneven Johnson grass over in the NE corner and alongside my hay field. Marty (my neighbor) didn't quite cut the hay close enough to the yard this season. I then raked up some of the debris and added it to the compost pile. Today is another outdoor tasks day, with cutting firewood (for 2024- 2025) high on the list. Due to some health setbacks 7-9 months ago, I already know that I will have to purchase about a cord for this winter.

Out in the train shed yesterday, it was another day of trying to clear out the backlog of half-painted figures. I added about a dozen more to the 'finished bucket" to await dull coating when I get enough. The dull coating is twofold, it cuts down on the shine and protects the colors from fading and/or chipping. The Chinese pre-painted ones are all painted in glossy colors; some of which I paint over and some that are OK to begin with. I set the figures aside for a bit because I got the urge to build a structure kit. I chose Walther's Hobby Shop because it will fit on the narrow space between the main line and the layout edge, just like the past two structures of the coffee shop and beer distributor.
IMG_0415.JPG

IMG_0416.JPG

Gosh I said to myself, these walls look familiar! Yep! They are the same ones used in a previous kit from Walther's except in a different color.
IMG_0417.JPG

IMG_0418.JPG

The previous structure is a 7-11 on my layout because I provided the signs. It's something different in the Walther's catalog sine they didn't want to pay the royalties. The front window inserts are different, which is important since they will be just 7' apart across the aisle from one another!
Bonus! I can interchange them in the future if I wish since the footprint is the same.

Patrick - That's one thing about my buddy at work, the IT manager, he never really got a vacation. He was always remotely connected, many times at his own doing. He designed our system from the beginning in the mid-80's and was the only manager from then until retirement. After 2012, he had a really qualified assistant manager who was actually as equal as him, but he just wanted to keep up with stuff. He and the other fellow both retired within three months of one another and the company had to remotely deal with the system from somewhere in Pennsylvania at their headquarters. I don't know if they ever sent anyone down to Texas to take over.
Terry - I keep reading about these lithium battery fires and how tough they are to extinguish. For some reason, the mainstream media seems to be ignoring them.
Karl - Believe it or not, even though they have been around for many years already, I actually saw a Tesla on the Interstate the other day. Only the second time that I have seen one on the road. So at least one person in Texas is trying to save the planet.

Another example of politicians coming up with rules for thee but not me: If you or I want to sit in the Senate chamber to watch our elected officials work, we must wear business attire. But those elected officials can wear a hoodie, shorts and combat boots. Similar to not wearing a mask in public during the days of mask mandates.

Today is National IT Professionals Day. So hat's off to Patrick and any other IT professional's out there.
Everybody have a wonderful day.
 
Howdy there people: Yesterday's supposed drizzle turned out to be a bust - No KARL - not that kind of bust!
Today's weather is forecast to be mostly sunny and a high of 79 degrees!

CURT - The barb wire fences, pasture working guys, and grade crossing all look great - nice work!

I had a laugh over this one - wish you the same!

1695134497349.jpeg
 
Another example of politicians coming up with rules for thee but not me: If you or I want to sit in the Senate chamber to watch our elected officials work, we must wear business attire. But those elected officials can wear a hoodie, shorts and combat boots. Similar to not wearing a mask in public during the days of mask mandates.

A case of 'Do not do what I do, but do what I say.'
 
I use the Dijikeis DR5000. Dijikeis the company seems to have gone under. The guy who designed all the Dijikeis stuff parted ways with them a few years ago and the company I guess did not manage stuff well. The guy who did all the actual design of the stuff formed a new company called YaMoRC (something like Yet Another Model Railroad Company) and the successor to the Dijikeis DR5000 is the YD7100.

The guy who is the designer/programmer is Karst Drenth and he is active on the Dijikeis/YaMoRC is active on the groups.io group dedicated to these systems.


And a version that includes an interface extension if you need extra or different ports.


It just started shipping earlier this year and so goes in and out of stock as new production is snapped up. It is basically an improved DR5000 from the same designer/programmer. They also sell an upgrade chip for the DR5000 to bring as much of thew new firmware over to the older Dijikeis DR5000. I plan on getting YD7100 at some point.

The TCS systems also look interesting.

I replaced my NCE PowerCab with the Dijikeijs and also use Z21 WiFI throttle as well as WiThrottle (with a Digitrax WiFi module) on phones etc. Wired throttles also work.
Thanks Chad. That’s interesting about the new YD7100 system but again Iron Planet has nothing in stock. I fortunately am in no rush. But, that is exactly what I am looking for

I purchased the NCE Power Cab for programming and for the test track. My test track is in my shop above my benchwork and is 3 of the modules from the old layout and about 24’ of track. The Power Cab during the Saturday evening testing worked great with 5 diesels over about 150‘ of track. Adding another. 300’ + though will tax the system

I ordered the circuit breakers this morning from Hiawatha Hobbies for pick up tomorrow and got an out of stock message. I went to Tony’s Trains and ordered the originally highly recommended DCC Specialities breakers instead. They should be here Friday or Saturday.

Our current rain event has held up the soldering guy but he said he will now be here around 10AM. His helper did show at 9 and has stripped the power bus where the feeder connections will go. He is now working on the return loops. He also showed me how to “properly” use my wire strippers and cutter! FWIW, he is 28, a long time model railroader, loves programming, wiring and signaling. He helps build layouts because he is in an apartment and won’t have his own for years. He lives about 4 miles from me and works for the really huge healthcare (Epic) software company based in Verona, Wi. If you have a medical portal called “My Chart”, that’s where he works.
 
What keeps those ships from tipping over in really rough seas?

More weight low down. Most cabins/staterooms are of very light construction. Hence more staterooms are added at the expense of looking pleasing to the eye. The new Cunarder, 'Queen Anne' looks ugly with the added staterooms.

Mindst you, some ships act like 'drunken ducks' in any breeze.

Although cruise companies cannot say so, but (under different names) they have a first and second class system.

It is interesting to see the 'goings on' below decks. One deck is purely a service deck where food, alcohol, laundry etc. etc. can travel the length of the ship before going up to the relevant deck upstairs. That deck has a name; mainly 'Highway 75' on American ships or 'Scotch Deck' on some U.K. ships.

Norwegian Epic looks ugly and top heavy (imo). It travels short distances port to port. Ask it to travel a day at sea, jut hope the sea is calm.

Norwegian Epic in Marseille 8th Sept 23.JPG
 
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Thanks Chad. That’s interesting about the new YD7100 system but again Iron Planet has nothing in stock. I fortunately am in no rush. But, that is exactly what I am looking for
Get yourself on the waitlist. Being a new product earlier this year, it gets snapped up when stock becomes available.

The nice thing is it is compatible with everything, almost, and you can use Boosters from many different companies as well. I have one Dijikeis booster which I will use with mine once I get it (house has higher priority now). Being N scale, 3A per sector is more than enough for me. You'll probably want heftier boosters or more zones/sectors.

Here are Groups.io groups related to YaMoRC/Dijikeis: https://groups.io/search?q=yamorc&p=SubsCount,,,20,2,0,0

The first one is the main one. (I think the second was set up first but then it was decided that the Dijikeis group should morph into a Dijikeis / YaMoRC group since they are related products and have the same engineer/developer behind them.)
 
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While I understand why they build them that way now, I just don't think that they look as stately as the older ocean liners of 60 years ago.

I agree Willie. No elegance or style. Just a numbers game on the bottom line.

A dogeared postcard of the lady that started me cruising. S.S. Uganda; still firmly close to the heart.

Uganda.JPG




Queen Elizabeth 2 was the one that got Dawn onto cruising.

Q E 2 in Dubai.JPG
 
A pilot ejected from an F-35, but they couldn't find the plane, was that because it was a "Stealth Fighter"???




There is a lot of duplication between thes ebut each has some unique ones.
 
Afternoon All,

Started out doing a couple outside chores then the daily ones (animal). After that I made a list of all my locomotives on Word and printed it. I'll use it to get all my locos equal run time instead of just running my favorites. This afternoon was spent trying to get am OTA receiver provided by Dish to work but it ended up as a no-go and it was very frustrating. It'll go back in the box tomorrow.

Thank you for the photo likes yesterday.

David- Nice photos. You're the first person I know with a garden RR.

TomO- I started out with Digitrax because the club I was in used that brand. It does seem overly complicated, and Tech Support is lukewarm. If I didn't know my buddy Jon (expert) when I rebuilt my layout, I would have been looking for something else.

Mikey- Thank you. That's something to think about since I was a scout and a scoutmaster for a couple of years in HI. The swing set is delicate. It's from WS. I repainted it because it was way too bright for the town. I used MM freight car red.

Karl- Thank you. I model HO scale so not so awesome! :D

Willie- I look forward to seeing what you do with the build.

Sherrel- Thank you. You are most kind.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 


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