Running Bear's December 2019 Coffee Shop

[Patrick]

Good morning all,

Flo: Give me the same thing Willie's having. It sounds good.

Clear and 18* currently, supposed to be sunny and 43* today. A welcome cry from the ice and snow yesterday. We got between 2-3 inches, but as some of it melted I left it on the driveway. It didn't drift, so there really isn't enough to run the snow machine. I have a 6 year old snowblower with about 3 hours of run time. Most of that in the spring to empty the fuel tank, but I'm not supposed to be pushing snow anymore, so it works.

 

[ACL-CSX]

Sherrel - not sure how I missed it, but I am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Unfortunately, death is only hard on those left behind.

Willie - hardware store looks great. Can't wait to see it in it's completed state.

I was sitting around, enjoying my lazy morning provides to me by the rain, when I remembered that I have a rented trencher to return. Into the muck I must go.

May try to do some train stuff later. Dunno yet. Have to see what the rail boss has planned for the rainy day.

 

[Raincoat2]

Good morning everyone. 23 and a mess out there. Over 100 surrounding school districts and private schools were closed yesterday and again today. We closed early yesterday to allow folks to get home safe. Last evening the slush turned to ice and then we got a dusting of snow over that. Growing up in New York and Vermont I learned how to drive in junk like this, but you'd be surprised (well, maybe you wouldn't) how many folks think they can drive 40 mph on black iced back roads I lost count how many spinouts and wrecks we see on the way in to work in this kind of stuff.

Here's a photo of our back yard yesterday evening. Pretty, isn't it? That looks like snow, but it's pure ice. That's what's on the roads, too - then we got a dusting of snow over that, making for a nightmare commute this morning. We have a lot of hills and curves just to get from our house to the nearest main road (i.e., one kept clear by MODOT). AWD and slow driving got us to work just fine. All in all, though, we didn't get hit too bad this time.



Willie, Tom, IB Ken, Jim, TexasHobo, Wheeler, Greg, Chad, Flip, Patrick, Sherrel, Chet, Karl, BurlingtonBob, Curt, and anyone I may have missed - thanks for the likes and the comments on my photos of the landscaped main street through town. I'm pretty satisfied with the way it looks.
Willie - We'd be glad to ship some of this weather your way. In fact, Amazon Prime would get it there in one day.

Here's another look down the freshly-landscaped main street. Ran out of trees, but will finish that landscaping in the next week or so.

 

[Raincoat2]

Don't know what's going on. Here's that other photo of the landscaped main street.

Have a good day everyone.

 

[ACL-CSX]

Growing up in New York and Vermont I learned how to drive in junk like this, but you'd be surprised (well, maybe you wouldn't) how many folks think they can drive 40 mph on black iced back roads

Having lived in the south my entire 37 years on God's green earth, snow has not been a major factor but it does occasionally pop up. And people's reactions to it are comical.

 

[bnsf971]

Death is only difficult for the people not dead. The dead don’t know they’re dead.
The same thing applies to being stupid.

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Johnnie- That is a great street level photo. Makes you feel like you are 3/4" high.

McWane Science Center had their annual member appreciation party last night. from 5 to 8 PM. Weather guessers predicted thunder storms and high winds to hit Birmingham about 6 PM, so we only had about 1000 people attend.
I was there to talk with the crowd and help promote the hobby. At one point, the tallest person within 25 feet of me was 3 feet tall.
I usually dress in striped overalls and hat, so I am identified as a conductor and the rain driver by most of the kids, I could not understand the role until one mother mentioned her son watched all the "THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE" videos.

 

[Espeefan]

Good Morning Everyone. 36° and cloudy. High today only expected to reach 42° and then we return to normal for a while. Busy week coming up with car trips every day. We'll sometimes go 4-5 days without getting in the car, except going to get the mail a mile away.
Mornin' Flo. Those waffles that you got Jesse look really good this morning, extra bacon as well.

Thanks everyone for the likes and comments yesterday for the street corner picture; Bob, Jerome, Jim, Tom, Sherrel, Phil, Rick, Ken, Curt, David, Patrick. I have updates today after charging the camera battery.

The burn-out in the train shed didn't last long and I got back to work on the Hardware & Feed store. It's beginning to look really nice. Touched up the painting all around, finished the small tower and added signs and the first details.
View attachment 42366
View attachment 42367
Front porch is next.
View attachment 42368
There is no stair parts at all for this side door, or the one on the other side. I will use stairs from some ancient Walther's stair and ladder kit. I am also planning to scratch-build a loading dock for that double door.
View attachment 42369
You may be asking about that tall tower. Well it seems that the corrugated siding for it didn't make it into box, and I am awaiting delivery from Bar Mills.
Speaking of Bar Mills, here's another surprise from the instruction sheet.
View attachment 42370
Everybody have a great day.

Hi Willie! Looks like those window sills are still giving you fits! Second photo down: Upper left window looks good, other three need the sill straightened up. Last photo before the instruction sheet, those windows look right. I have an amusing story about instructions and kit parts too. This doesn't just happen to Bar Mills. I'm currently building ONiell's Fabrication from Sierra West Scale Models. It's a high end craftsman kit, and has been a lot of fun so far but has also had its share of tribulations. That kit's instructions are in a spiral bound book with about 112 pages of stuff. Anyway I was building the loading dock doors. They assemble much the same as the Bar Mills doors and windows, except they are made from a resin impregnated cardboard which is kind of fragile. You prime them first to stiffen up the material, them paint them and weather them, then assemble them. It's a bit of work for doors and windows but the result is worth the time. So as I was working on the doors, I found I couldn't get the scribed siding pieces to make that "V" pattern in the book. I tried over and over again. I finally gave up, called the guy and said basically "I can't make this work. That may be because I'm a blithering idiot, and I will accept that title if you'll please tell me how to do this!" He said "No, some of the early kits had this problem, which was due to a mistake in one of the CAD files. I'll send you correct doors." He did, and I felt better because, hey, nobody wants to be a blithering idiot, or if they are, admit it! I'm hoping to get back on this kit over Christmas Vacation if family, Honey'Do's and other such vacation stuff allow me workbench time. Here's a couple of pics of the offending doors, and the walls I've finished so far. Your build looks good. Will you weather it? How do you like that wood corrugated roofing? I've never used it yet, just the metal stuff.

 

[Espeefan]

Greg, I love Mannheim Steamroller, and have all their Christmas albums. I'm not as big a music aficionado, but we do have several Bose systems: one for each tv, one Bose radio and attached 4-cd changer, and one bluetooth speaker I keep in my electronics travel bag for when I stream on the road with phone or tablet.

Question for the group: Unlike me, most of you are modelers and, as I've said before, your work blows me away; it's far more than I'm capable of. But I've noticed what seems to be an inconsistency: While great care is taken to weather the rolling stock, I don't recall seeing many weathered structures. This is both online and the completed structures I've purchased.

You are exactly right Beady. I think it's the same as weathering rolling stock. Some modelers are intimidated by it, or they have a ton of time invested in a structure build and are afraid of wrecking it. I weather my structures, and I do it as they are being built. It can be really tough to weather a competed structure depending on the methods you choose. I use paint application by sponge, streaking, dry brushing and chalks or pastels, or both. I find weathering a flat wall before assembling the "box" is much easier. There are several guys on YouTube that show their weathering techniques, and they're pretty good.

 

[GarryCBQ]

Howdy everybody ...

I see a photo of La Grange, KY and a video was posted here. Below is my photo. There is a very nice restaurant next to the track in the street. La Grange is about 15 to 20 miles NE of Louisville, and it is next to I-71. The CSX line there runs between Louisville, and Cincinnati .

Johnny ..... Your layout looks great.

Karl and David of CA ..... Thanks for your thoughtful comments regarding my MIL passing away. ... Everybody else who commented expressed condolences is appreciated.

Chet ...... I read your PM. Thank you.

B Bob .... We should be here most of January except for some short trips to Nashville.

We are getting ready for Christmas traveling to Ohio and Michigan. ... So, I still won'y have much time to visit here.

Have a good day, everybody.

 

[Espeefan]

Johnnie- That is a great street level photo. Makes you feel like you are 3/4" high.

McWane Science Center had their annual member appreciation party last night. from 5 to 8 PM. Weather guessers predicted thunder storms and high winds to hit Birmingham about 6 PM, so we only had about 1000 people attend.
I was there to talk with the crowd and help promote the hobby. At one point, the tallest person within 25 feet of me was 3 feet tall.
I usually dress in striped overalls and hat, so I am identified as a conductor and the rain driver by most of the kids, I could not understand the role until one mother mentioned her son watched all the "THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE" videos.

Mikey,
Sorry to hear about your family issues. Right at Christmas too! I hope things level out for you.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Currently 53 with a high expected 66 high - partly sunny - Very windy 15-30 mph!

Moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will impact the mountains, foothills, and inland valleys through Tuesday evening. On Wednesday and Thursday, a weak trough will bring a brief period of onshore flow. This will be followed by dry, warmer weather Friday and Saturday under weak high pressure. Showers are looking more likely next week as a slow moving Pacific trough moves inland across the West.

Jesse - I feel for you having to work in the cold and mud; that does not sound enticing.

Johnny -- That street-level photo is fantastic!

Willie/Alan -- Your "build" stories are neat ... thanks for sharing them.

Mikey - Only a thousand people, wow. You are a busy man!

This is a new one in my book ... I mentioned my friend's passing, but I wanted to share something that I have never heard of before. Besides, Bob won't let me mention politics, LOL!
Bill got a flu shot - he had a reaction to it. I forget the exact medical term applied to it, but it caused second degree burns over 90% of his body. He was in the burn unit in Las Vegas for most of a week. His skin was literally falling off of his body and they were trying to "save" some of his skin. Because of other medical issues that he had, they were unable to give him enough pain killer to work. His wife said that it was just horrible - I can't even imagine!

 

[GarryCBQ]

Everybody ..

Apparently, we neglected to honor Jeffrey Running Bear . He passed away 4 years ago on December 14.

Jeff was a popular member of several model railroad forums. I recall talking with him on the phone a couple of times in addition to conversations within forums. I miss him.

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Alan- The family issues appear to be improving slightly, thanks to you and some many others for your concern.
The weathering on your walls is so realistic and varied. I assume you are weathering the individual boards and selectively building your wall to get the most variation and contrast. Please keep us updated on your progress and pictures are always welcome.

A local digital newspaper did a couple of stories on McWane's holiday train show and The Wrecking crew's layouts a few days ago.
Here is an example of our costumes during the show, photo taken by THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. My friend, Chuck is on the right.

 

[montanan]

Good morning. A bit cooler this morning at 14 degrees but we could get above freezing today.

Garry - Nice to see you back in here. Hope you have all of the loose ends tied up before Christmas. Thanks for bringing Jeffery up.

Greg - A Samsung S-8 phone is what I take most of my photos with. My larger digital SLR camera won't fit into many of the spaces where I would like top take photos.

Johnny - Like that ground level photo. Ice can be the norm up here. Last year we had over an inch of solid ice on all of the local roads and weeks of below freezing temps. It wasn't fun. What really made it bad before it finally melted was the areas where the ice would be chipped to the bare highway and constantly changing the level of the road.

Alan - Quite the building project you have ahead of you. Really like the staining you've done. Sweet.

Mikey - Those guys look like charter members of the Geratol for Lunch Bunch.

Willie - I have also added loading docks as well as doors to service the docks on a few buildings. Customize them to do what you Need.

While I was switching, I was shifting the Tschache Oil tanker and noticed the Urlich tanker truck I lettered for the oil company. Make me really feel old because these truck were still in production when I picked up a few of them.

Later

 

[GarryCBQ]

Two questions.
1. What book is that? I would like to see that picture.
2. What decoders did you use in the FM units. That is one install I have always struggled with - the Proto 1000s.

The book is entitled “ Santa Fe... Steel Rails through California “. Copyright 1963. Photo on page 91.

I am using NCE decoders in the FM’s. At first, I installed them myself , but the headlights were too dim. A friend who is talented with DCC installs did it again for me. He removed the light boards , and he wired directly with resisters and new light bulbs he provided. We listened to Sountraxx same of FM sound on their website, and I am considering that.

 

[Espeefan]

Alan- The family issues appear to be improving slightly, thanks to you and some many others for your concern.
The weathering on your walls is so realistic and varied. I assume you are weathering the individual boards and selectively building your wall to get the most variation and contrast. Please keep us updated on your progress and pictures are always welcome.

Good guess Mikey! Graining and staining first. Graining with steel wire brushes, staining with Rembrandt chalks, then damp brushing to apply paint. Here's a pic of the boards, and a couple links to Sierra West's site where he shows how to do this. This is the guy Tom Schultz likes so much. I think Tom has done every one of his kits!

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Good Morning Everyone.....cloudy and cold this morning but warmer weather coming soon.

Thanks everyone for liking my posted weathered structures photos. I enjoy weathering, but I'am still afraid to do locomotives other than the two I did several years ago. Rolling stock is no problem to weather especially with powders which can be removed if necessary.

Chet: I do want to look at Samsung phones from the quality of the photos I've seen of your layout taken by a Samsung and the information I received from others. I like how you are faithful to your time period that you are modeling.

Willie and Espee: Those kits look like they are fun to build and it's easier in my opinion to weather structures while the sides are still flat. The wood materials adds to the realism of the construction. I want to scratch built an old shed that was near my house but demo'ed for a medical complex. The original farm house had a brick, operating outhouse that because of the owners were original relatives of the homesteaders, the outhouse remained in service into the 1990's.

The last owners, two single brothers, were originally offered 1.5 million for the 10 acres of land, but held out for like 3 million since the buyers really wanted that land to build upon.

The wife will be gone this afternoon so I hope to do some layout work which never got done yesterday.

Not much more to add....

Later.

Greg

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Here's an interesting railroad bridge near Hubertus, Wisconsin.-Greg

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Espree: Excellent videos...thanks for sharing them with us.

Greg

 

[Espeefan]

Espree: Excellent videos...thanks for sharing them with us.

Greg

Glad you liked them Greg. If you want to see others, go to his website, and from the home page, click on "University", then when that page loads, click on "Videos". He's got a bunch of them and they're all useful.