Running Bear’s November 2019 Coffee Shop


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chadbag said:
Couldn't you create a VM with an older version of Win 7 or even WinXP or something? I have a bunch of older games -- some never opened -- that I will attempt to get working through a VM (especially since I am Mac based).
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An Apple or Linux machine VM host wouldn't necessarily have the same issue. A Windows 7 VM as currently patched would in any format. If you use Windows 10 as the host for your VM, then the problem would still be there as the OS handles the request and does not allow the VM to pass through to the hardware directly. Another reason Windows Hyper V (Microsoft's Virtual Machine manager) couldn't accept VM's from previous VM managers. I actually had a Windows 98 VM on the machine to run other games. Can't use it on Hyper V without a complete rebuild of the VM, but since the VM can't directly address the hardware, there isn't any point.

Problem wouldn't affect an WinXP in any form except in the case of using Hyper V on a Windows 10 machine. The more I do this the less I like Windows 10, but since the business world is using it....

I have 2 Mac's I support on my network. So I'm not a Windows vs. Mac, Ford vs. Chevy, Pepsi vs. Coke type person. The hardware since the loss of the PowerPC processors is exactly the same between a PC and MAC. I ran 64-bit applications on IBM R/S 6000's with the same chipset for years and thought it was a superior processor for what it needed to do.
 
Good Afternoon Everyone...cloudy and cool, typical for November in Wisconsin. Planning a trip soon to the cabin to check on things and take some things back to the cabin for next spring. We used go to the cabin in winter, but the cabin never really warms up the few days we're there and the concrete slab radiates cold since it freezes when the heat is off when we're not there. The coldest ever inside of the cabin when we arrived was 2 degrees and it took the fireplace and furnace six hours to bring the inside temperature up to 68 degrees.

We used plan spending the first weekend of deer hunting season at the cabin and then turn off the water and drain the system. This year it's been too cold to leave the water on until deer season since neither the pump house or cabin is heated during the winter. I used to wake up the first Saturday of the deer gun season to the sound of gunshots near the cabin.

No model railroading today since I'm just not in the mood. I get that way once in awhile. I hope that on Saturday my mood will change and I'll work on the layout. I'm bummed out about missing TrainFest this past weekend. I do have to add small number decals to the backs of round sign posts that I'll use to mark the turnouts in the Saxeville Interchange. This was the only way I could mark the turnouts and not have the markers look completely out of place. Every turnout has a LED position indicator and most operators find it hard to throw the correct turnouts form the master panel on the fascia.

I enjoy running a track cleaning train with a locomotive moving a box car fitted with a Masonite pad on the Interchange tracks.

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I've since added numbers next to the mini-toggle switches to help operators identify the correct turnout(s) to throw. Most toggles are wired to two Tortoise switch machines that operate two turnouts that form a crossover between tracks in the Interchange. The lower left three toggles are for special lighting effects. The panel is mounted on a 1x2 frame and the exterior of the panel is made from a picture frame that I had made for this panel and the front is on a piano hinge and drops open for service. I used 1/4 inch Lexan for the panel's front and painted the interior face of the Lexan-Greg

I did work on the electrical schematics for the Electrical portion of the MMR program. I did some free hand drawings yesterday and I think I'll use the drawings to develop some drawings in Excel format and label them using MS Paint program.

Willie: I wish we had your mild winters here and the room for a layout like yours in the "Train Shed" which has the space.

Toot: Great photographs of the MRL locomotives. A friend of mine used to collect the MRL locomotives, but sold all of them to enlarge his O scale collection.

I may go through my collection of locomotives that are still in their boxes and find out what all in there and check my inventory spreadsheet to be sure that all locomotives are in the inventory.

That's all for now....

Greg

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Hidden under the layout is the DCC booster/command and electrical power sources for the LED's, signals, DCC, incandescent lighting and turnouts. Each power source has its own buss line that travels the layout in two directions with this electrical close to the layout's center. Some of the power packs are hidden behind the black panel. The power packs plug into a surge protector strip. (I have on my to do list to straight the cream colored transformer - it's from a store at a mall that was being remodeled and used to power the fire/burglar system. I added the rheostat and the control nob from a MRC power pack to lower the voltage powering the layout's incandescent lighting to 10 volts to prolong the lamps life.) -Greg
 
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Hey Jerome,

Have you figured out the type of track you are going to use? code 100, 83,70, 55 or other? Atlas Peco, Micro Engineering , Shinohara or other? Or just a combo of everything?

I have been pondering on my layout start-up build. I was wondering what direction to go. I was thinking code 100 on the double main lines then 83 or 70 on the sidings and switch yard. What do you think? or you guys here think?

I need to start ordering switches and turn outs etc.
 
Afternoon All,

Just worked around the house today so no train room time.

CA David- Good to see you posting. I hope your health improves.

Toot- Nice photos. That is a unique video.

Ken- I look forward to seeing your progress.

Clint- Amazing video and modeling.

Johnny- Your workbench hurts my OCD:oops:.

Tex- Nice layout shots.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
That MRL photo with the helper sets, is I would say, one of those happy coincidences when the 2 sets of 3 are passing each other on double tracks and aligning up so they appear coupled. I suppose it could be done taking a still out of a video shot too. If you look carefully further down the track, past the trackside instrument box, there is the front of another loco appearing (or maybe disappearing). The lights being just visible, would suggest it's coming upgrade, but with the amount of traffic on the grade, they may leave the rear one's lights on for safety reasons. There are other photos in the series that I'll check to see if they shed 'light' on that.
 
Alcomotive said:
Hey Jerome,

Have you figured out the type of track you are going to use? code 100, 83,70, 55 or other? Atlas Peco, Micro Engineering , Shinohara or other? Or just a combo of everything?

I have been pondering on my layout start-up build. I was wondering what direction to go. I was thinking code 100 on the double main lines then 83 or 70 on the sidings and switch yard. What do you think? or you guys here think?

I need to start ordering switches and turn outs etc.
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If it were my layout I would use Code 83 on the mains/sidings and Code 70 on the spurs and and in the yard for greater realism. The turnouts I would use the PECO brand.

Greg
 
Alcomotive said:
Hey Jerome,

Have you figured out the type of track you are going to use? code 100, 83,70, 55 or other? Atlas Peco, Micro Engineering , Shinohara or other? Or just a combo of everything?

I have been pondering on my layout start-up build. I was wondering what direction to go. I was thinking code 100 on the double main lines then 83 or 70 on the sidings and switch yard. What do you think? or you guys here think?

I need to start ordering switches and turn outs etc.
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James, code 100 for the mains and staging tracks. Then code 83 for sidings and yards that are visable. I have a bunch of Walthers 83 and Atlas 83 switches already
 
santafewillie said:
Good Morning All. 35° and clear. Other than a brief dip tonight, it appears that we won't see another freeze for at least ten days, near 70's for a high beginning Monday. Spent some time raking leaves yesterday. Just as I finished (for now), a crew from the local phone provider showed up and dug a 250' trench across my front yard to install fiber optic cabling to the house. Trench goes all the way to the right to near that road.View attachment 41519
The original trunk lines were installed in 2010 but never connected; the feeder lines were installed early this summer. Tuesday the feeders and trunks were connected with the closest active line, yesterday the customer feeds were installed (some of them). Now just waiting on installers to make the final connections. None of this would be possible without a state grant. The feeder box in front of my house serves only three customers and is 1.5 miles from the next nearest box...we're at the end of the line; hardly a profit center for the phone company. A stipulation of the grant will not allow the phone company to raise the rates of existing landline customers. Neighbors who dropped their landlines will have to pay for installation if they choose. Satellite internet is not exactly an option out here and cell phone data usage rates would bankrupt many. Not sure how the increased capacity will affect me as I already have pretty good DSL, and we don't stream stuff.

An extra glass of OJ this morning Flo, along with a couple of ham, sausage, egg and cheese biscuits.

Thanks for the likes and comments regarding yesterday's grocery store publicity shot and the helicopter views of Maultown; Jerome, Sherrel, Chad, Patrick, Chet, Joe, Phil, Hughie, Curt, Johnny, Tom.

A short time was spent in the train shed yesterday, at least it was warm enough for short sleeves. Just did some minor work on the two structures in the rehab mode including adding some additional figures. I am rebuilding the "over sidewalk" sign for the drugstore as part is missing. No pictures yet.

Sherrel - The century is only 20 years gone so far.
Chad -

In some cases the answer is yes, and that includes PM's as well. However replies quoted by others in their posts seem to remain.
David - Thanks for checking in. I am doing well and I hope that you will return to good health.
Ken - Looking forward to following your progress as I have a number of areas that resemble yours.

Everybody have a great day.. I'll be headed out on the weekly grocery/beer trek soon.
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At least you got fiber Willie. I'm on 'mixed technology'. Fiber to a 'Node' a mile or so away, and the ancient copper that's been in the ground about 45 years or so from that. I don't stream either.
 
This photo establishes that the track closest in the series of pictures is the 'down' road and the far one the 'up' as far as the grade is concerned. Also clearly confirms the yellow reflectors on the Canadian Caboose. I did see somewhere on FB that Tyco made that type. Might be a bit hard to find.

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A closer look at the machine on top of the Gondolas
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A nice long shot
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tootnkumin said:
This photo establishes that the track closest in the series of pictures is the 'down' road and the far one the 'up' as far as the grade is concerned. Also clearly confirms the yellow reflectors on the Canadian Caboose. I did see somewhere on FB that Tyco made that type. Might be a bit hard to find.

View attachment 41541

A closer look at the machine on top of the Gondolas
View attachment 41542

A nice long shot
View attachment 41543
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Ray, those old Tyco cabooses are everywhere here. You can find a couple dozen at any swap meet.
The only problem is, the cupola is offset more on the Tyco version, which was based on a CB&Q way car.
 
Morning all,

Time for coffee this morning.

Supposed to be sunny and about 55* today in Doo-Dah.

We're getting a new triple-A baseball team to be known as the Wichita Wind Surge. Wichita Wind Surge
Used to be known as the New Orleans Baby Cakes. I think the name leaves a little to be desired, but the logo looks good. Affiliated with the Marlins.

Nice to have affiliated baseball again after 12 years of doing without, although the independent team we had always put on a good time. Wichita Wingnuts

Hopefully some train time this weekend. As family and work stuff crept into the weekend, I guess I won't be trying to chase 4014 on Saturday.

Toot: Where does this Rail Link operate? One of the 2 engines along with a caboose I gave the grandson in N-scale is that line. My feable seaches for it come up with Rail lines different than that.
 
Good Morning All. 36° and clear here in North Central Texas this morning. We have an early morning doctor appointment this morning, just the routine quarterly one required by Medicare. The only bad thing about it is that it takes a good hunk of beautiful day to accomplish. Same as yesterday when we went on the weekly shopping trek. One of the very few negatives about living out in the middle of nowhere.

How about a couple of those great breakfast biscuits this morning Francine. Sausage, egg and cheese should be just right today.

Thanks for the likes and comments on the "ditch" yesterday; Patrick, Joe, Phil. Chad, Tom, Ken, Ray. I guess that it was the ditch since my avatar is still the same.

I got some time in the train shed yesterday. I was able to finish up the two structures that I was rehabbing. They were part of the "Storefronts of Yesterday" series sold by IHC about 30+ years ago. The corner one is known as "Grant Cary's Apothecary", a fancy name for a drugstrore back then, and the other is just known as "the Smoke Shop".
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Signs have been refurbished and attached, the downtown chamber of commerce has renewed the plants in the planters and life is back to normal.
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As you can see, Monica (in the blue dress), has been revived and is upright. I also added a few more figures.

Patrick - I used to get Cowcatcher free when there was a LHS nearby. I am lucky to get one now as they are usually gone when I visit the place that's 65 miles away. I thought that it was a great little magazine that was done by folks like us instead or MRR or RMC.
BTW - I didn't understand a single thing that you posted in post #401 (or a couple of others) yesterday!o_O
Greg - Hope that you get over the modeling "funk" soon. I enjoy reading of your little adventures. Mild winters? Yes, compared to many others. I may have posted before, but on average, we only have six days a year where the temperature doesn't get above freezing. However we can easily slip into the single digits (last year for example), and a foot of snow isn't that uncommon.

Time to get ready for life. See you all later. Everybody have a great day
 
CCoffran said:
Raincoat2 -- Sounds good. I used to live in New London, over by Lake Sunapee.
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Clint - that's exactly where my cousin lives. The one time we visited him, we stayed for a few days and one day we walked from his place to the shopping center where Hannaford's is and had breakfast at a good restaurant there - don't remember its name. We also ate dinner at Peter Christian's Tavern.
 
Willie: That was all inside computer related stuff intended to Chad. It was basically a discussion about how Microsoft is doing what Apple did in the past and forcing people to buy new equipment and software if you want the latest supported operating system. There are folks who are strictly Apple or Microsoft people and then those of us in the real world who have to be able to support either.

And as far as the Cowcatcher, We no longer have a shop that carries it, and for the cost of a couple of train show admission fees, I get a copy every other month. I like reading it and don't always have a train show close or often enough to get a free bi-monthly copy.
 
Good morning everyone. 22 and sunny out there. Nice day in store, though, despite the low temp start - should make it into the mid-50's. Nice weekend coming up, too.

Willie, Lee, IB Ken, Tom, Clint (now that I know your name), Chet, Patrick, Boris, Wheeler, Flip, Curt, and anyone I may have missed - thanks for the comments on my workbench area.
Curt - OCD???
Clint - see my response to your response earlier.

Not much to report from the train room. Did some work on the Bait&Tackle place, and ran trains for a short while - - keep finding cars whose couplers don't match and they like to uncouple especially around the sharper turns. Lots of work yet to resolve that.

Have a nice day everyone.
 
Good morning. Not a bad start to the day at 31 degrees. We could make it up to the mid 50's again today. We did hit 50 degrees yesterday with sunny skies. I let a friend talk me into going flying and hel[ him find where the game may be. This is not spotting, which is illegal, because we have no contact with anyone on the ground plus he won't be hunting until Saturday. We did see some animals and a lot of signs of game where he wants to hunt. I gave up hunting a while back. It's easier to get meat in the grocery store.

Ray - Those are some great MRL photos. Thanks for posting. With you posting I don't have to go up on the pass.

Willie- Enjoyed your photos. That little grocery store is a winner. Guess that woman just fainted and did not pass away. I really like the over all photo showing the majority of that town. I can see a lot of opportunity for detailing there.

IBKen - Thanks for the photo. I really enjoy seeing a layout or just a scene come together.

Clint - Interesting video on the subway.

Johnny - Looking at the photos you posted, it seems that you may have a lot of work ahead of you.

Hobo - Nice shots of your old layout.

Haven't gotten down to the train room for a while, so it's back to the Logan Valley archives for a photo. Joe, this Baldwin is for you.

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Later
 
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