Running Bear's LXXIII Coffee Shop


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Alrighty = We stopped today about 3:30 PM at a beautiful little campground in Riverside, Alabama. For you NASCAR fans that is 17 miles north of Talladega, Alabama. This is our first night in a "campground" as we drove to late, after dark, and several places we tried to stop were already full. Let's see: 1 night a casino - 3 nights Walmart - shitter full and water empty, so we had to have a decent place to stop today. This place so nice that I wish we could stay a couple days here on the banks of a river/lake - Spousal Unit took a chair, bottle of wine, and couple glasses to walk and sit by the lake 200 feet in front of us .... I'm off to join her ... Later folks!!!!

I'm still tryig to digest WILLIE's Layout. WOW, WOW, WOW!
I wish I had been a little more clever - I would have left him a couple of "Killroy was here" on several railcars and buildings! HA!
 
Howdy.

Sherrel ... Glad you are having a good trip so far. I hope the dogs are enjoying it too. Alabama has some very nice scenery and the campground sounds like a good one. ... I hope you can continue giving us updates.

Louis ... I hope you are doing well. That was a short post from you.

Johnny ... I see now your books are right side up .

Everybody. ... have a nice night .
 
Good evening. 60*F, cloudy and calm here in central MD.

Johnny - I'm glad I didn't totally scare you off with the prices of the crossing flasher hardware. Actually, the total is about the same as what you'd pay for a decent factory DCC+sound equipped loco. My love of flashing crossbucks goes all the way back to the one I got with my Lionel set at age 5.

Chet - 5 multi-direction grade crossings does seem like a costly proposition! There aren't anywhere near as many 1:87 automobiles available for my 1969-72 era; few cars, fewer roads - problem solved!:D

Sherrell - you're just a few miles East of where my wife's sister & family live (Pell City). We used to go down there regularly to visit before the kids all grew up. While there, I got to spend time with Carey (CJCrescent), Rex (rexhea), William (L&N Castle), Mikey (PinkFloyd) and a few other forum members that no longer hang out here.

Louis - good to see you here, glad you're doing ok!

* * *
Since I get off work early on Tuesdays, I figured I'd have a few hours of 'quality time' to spend getting started on running wires for my crossing flasher detection circuit. But it wasn't meant to be...

I was checking my email and left my laptop on while I stepped into the kitchen to grab a beverage. When I got back, the screen resembled an old-time color television that wasn't tuned to a functioning channel. I moved the mouse around, pressed the 'enter' key a few times - no reaction. So I did the Microsoft Solution of Last Resort: powered it down completely and restarted it. That cleared the video/screen problem.

But I started wondering if, at some point in the near future, I would have to bring my laptop to the Geek Squad for hardware repair work. They do NOT guarantee protection of my personal data, it is my responsibility to make sure I have everything backed-up before I drop it off. The external HD I had been using for my regular backups had gotten full over a year ago and I couldn't figure out how to get at the old backed-up data to erase it, so I just stopped doing backups. I wound up spending a few hours on the phone with a Geek Squad "agent" to address that problem, and a few other minor ones that I had been procrastinating on. Having a functional backup utility seemed a tad more important than working on the layout. At least now I'm running backups once again, don't have to worry about losing all my photos!
 
IronBeltKen -- Very interesting your post about the location here! https://www.google.com/maps/dir/33....m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!4m4!1m1!4e1!1m0!3e0?hl=en
and a photo to go with it!

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Riverside, AL-02 (Large).jpg

That's the Better Half enjoying the view with her glass of wine and a book. HA-HA - Looks like she may jump after our 2200 miles so far! Hope to make somewhere East of Columbia, SC today. We are thinking that we may head down the coast towards Jacksonville going back - we will see later on. What a wonderful sound ... there is a Railroad about 400 feet in back of the campgroung here and in the last 12 hours there have been at least eight trains blowing for the h/w crossing.
 
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Sorry about the double picture!
Will have to try and figure out how that happened??
I only show one thumbnail of each?
I'd hate to lose the entire post if I try and delete one of them - HELP!
 
Good Morning All. 42° with clear skies. Cool enough that I had to start a fire last night as the outside temperature never got above 58° yesterday. Very unusual for us to need heat this late in the season, but I always keep a day's supply of dry wood and kindling inside. About .4" of rain fell yesterday, spread out all day long. I was at least able to spread some additional compost on the garden before it started. The new dishwasher was delivered yesterday, and my wife was insistent that the delivery men take the old one away even though we have a dumpster that it would fit into. So as luck would have it, I needed one plumbing fitting that was on the old one, that I had failed to remove...had to make a run to the nearest hardware store, 12 miles away, to buy a new one. Successful install that took only slightly longer than expected not withstanding the 35 minute trip to the store and back. Fortunately I had removed the power cord which was also needed. I can still remember when all that stuff came with new appliances. Today, it's the grocery/beer trek that will take away time from the trains.
So with all else to deal with yesterday, I spent very little time in the train shed. I was able to vacuum and touch up the paint in the new project area, as well as some other areas that needed paint. Thought that I would take a "before" picture, and discovered that the memory card was not in the camera. Maybe today after the run to Denton, since it will still be too wet to mow.

Johnny - Looks like Bob fixed your photo. Nice titles. I am sure that you will enjoy them.
Greg - Have a safe trip to the cabin.
Sherrel - Thanks for the comment regarding the layout. I am hoping to get much of the missing scenery and undeveloped areas done over the next two years. Dang man! Should have told me that you needed services while you were here. I have water and if a direct deposit into the hayfield seems too primitive, I also have a direct connection into the septic tank. Thirty amp electrical service (120 & 240) as well as wifi are also available here. No deck over the pond though.
Louis - Ah! You show up again. I am glad that everything is going well, although I thought that I read on a different thread that you had some health issues.

Hey! Everybody have an awesome day. By the way, where the heck is Justin?

Willie
 
Raining "Cats & Dogs" here and I need the dogs to go for a walk and I have to disconnect everything!

Here's a couple of Willie and the layout!
 

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Good morning. 30 degrees this morning with clear skies and an expected high in the high 60's.

Forgot to post the tree after the tree service got done with it. We had branches coming out a just barely above the ground level and now for the first time since I planted it 38 years ago, I can actually walk under it.

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Sherrel - I can't believe all of the campers that park at Wal-Mart up here. Suprised that they don't put in hook up and charge for the spaces. Glad you're enjoying the trip and that you got rid of the poop. Nice photos. A good spot to relax. The photo of you at Willies actually give a really nice view of his layout. Willie has to post more photos. He's keeping secrets.

IronBelt Ken - Not having many crossings does solve the problem along with not having many vehicles available for the area you're modeling. Cross bucks are going to have to be my solution.

Joe - Thanks for passing along the story about the T-1. A lot of railroad history.

I never got my tires changed yesterday. A rental car company dropped of 10 vehicles at the tire shop yesterday. Will give it another try today.

Here's a rail picture for today.

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Later
 
Good morning, everybody ....

Iron Belt Ken ........... I remember you talking about seeing family in AL and seeing some AL forum embers.... I did have the pleasure of meeting CJ while visiting family near Birmingham a few years ago. I Dont get there much after my mother who lived there passed away a couple of years ago.

Sherrel ...... It looks like you two (4 counting the dogs ) are "roughing it" on your camping trip.... :) ..... You found a beautiful campground in AL. I believe the trains in the distance may be on the NS on the old Southern Ry route where The Crescent operated.... .... If you are going to Jacksonville, I would suggest you continue to St. Augustine, America's oldest city. They have a "train" which takes tourists around town with various stops where you can get off for shopping, sightseeing, and so on. One of the stops is at a winery where Kate can stock up. LOL.The oldest house in the USA is in St Augustine, and an old Spanish fort is there, too. Much more. .... Ponce De Leon would be happy if you did. LOL ....

Willie ..... It was good to see you and Sherrel together with your impressive layout.

Chet ... The tree is very nicely trimmed, and that is another good daily rail photo.

Terry .... Good morning !
 
Good morning everyone. 49 and cloudy here in SW MO, heading for 62 and clearing this afternoon. Still a beautiful weekend coming up.

A little late today with the post because our SUV wouldn't start this morning. Easiest fix was to call Triple-A and they jumped it but said it wasn't a bad battery, just a low battery. Looks like it decided it doesn't want to hold a charge anymore. We've had that SUV about 6 years, and it's the battery that was already in there when we bought it (pre-owned). So, I took it to our local mechanic to put a new one in today. It's just a couple blocks up the road from where I work, so I always leave it there and walk to work; will walk back later to pick it up. Good exercise. But it's time for coffee!!!

Willie - Really nice photos. Finally we get to see a bit more of your layout - very impressive.
Chet - glad to see the tree trimming went well. That's a real nice rail photo.
Ken - the working crossing cost is prohibitive for me right now, but I'll keep it on the back burner
Bob - guess it was you who right-sided my photo. Don't understand why it posted upside-down 'cause it's right-side-up in my photo library. Hope it doesn't do that all the time.
All - re/comments about the library sale - we go to both of them each year (spring and fall). There must be tens of thousands of books there! In addition to the three railroad books, I got a brief history of the Dodgers (my team!), a couple of history books, one on native Americans, a few others. We got 20 books for our 20-month-old granddaughter (the one who loves the trains), 4 or 5 for our 14-year-old grandddaughter, one for our SIL, and 10 for our DIL. About 45 books altogether - $65 total!! Everyone in our family loves to read, and I'm really glad for that.

In the train room, I finished work on the Cape Cod house and am trying different places on the layout for it. The DPM kit is ready for the roofs and awnings and a little weathering and advertising posters. Signage will say Johnny's Printing in honor of my dad.

Have a good day everyone.
 
Sirfoldalot said:
Sorry about the double picture!
Will have to try and figure out how that happened??
I only show one thumbnail of each?
I'd hate to lose the entire post if I try and delete one of them - HELP!
Click to expand...

You only had two photos, but you inserted the second one twice. I fixed it for you, but next time give it a try, you can delete the "attach" code and not lose the images. In fact, you can remove all of the "attach" codes and the images will still be there, at the bottom of the message, unless you specifically delete them.

As for how it happens, I'm not sure, but it's a common problem. Maybe folks double click and it inserts the image twice, maybe the forum software hiccups on occasion. Haven't nailed it down yet, but it's easy to fix so no need to worry.

Sample image, intentionally not inserted, to show what happens when you remove all the "attach" BB codes.
 

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Raincoat2 said:
Bob - guess it was you who right-sided my photo. Don't understand why it posted upside-down 'cause it's right-side-up in my photo library. Hope it doesn't do that all the time.
Click to expand...

Phone photos do that from time to time, they get confused which way is up, maybe you were holding the phone at an odd angle. I see you were looking at the floor, so at that point it's easy for the phone to pick the wrong "up". No worries, it's easy to fix. It shouldn't be a problem most of the time.
 
gngsquared said:
Willie: I have been wondering the same thing since the switch to the new software. Last time I saw a post from him was the day of the switch.
Click to expand...

If anyone has contact with him please check and see if he's having trouble logging in. If he is, he can get in touch with me (PM me for contact info) and I'll work on fixing his account.

I'm going to guess he's having password issues, maybe his e-mail isn't working (the forum notifications end up in spam fairly often). In any case, we can get him back online if he contacts me.
 
Thanks for all the hard work on keeping the best forum on the web functioning. Kudos and Salute!

Timing is perfect, got the tv out of the way and after the hedge hog funeral I will be bringing down the shelving unit and clearing the table. Measuring and figuring the new track without clutter in the way.

We had three but now the last Heggie has bit the dust, VIDAR will be missed. (taps plays in the background)
 
OK - An hour late getting on the road and I am trying to dry out from walking the dogs and un-hooking all the support equipment. Wish we had an extra day just to sit there, read, internet, and watch a movie or two on the Sat TV -- and see somw trains going by!
About 90? miles drom Atlanta - Mind is heavy on ERIC! I pray that he is enjoying his walk in the Sunshine up there.

Here's a photo from the freight depot and passenger station/museum in Quanah TX. I could have spent a whole day right there!
 

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bob said:
You only had two photos, but you inserted the second one twice. I fixed it for you, but next time give it a try, you can delete the "attach" code and not lose the images. In fact, you can remove all of the "attach" codes and the images will still be there, at the bottom of the message, unless you specifically delete them.

As for how it happens, I'm not sure, but it's a common problem. Maybe folks double click and it inserts the image twice, maybe the forum software hiccups on occasion. Haven't nailed it down yet, but it's easy to fix so no need to worry.

Sample image, intentionally not inserted, to show what happens when you remove all the "attach" BB codes.
Click to expand...

Nice TRACK photo, BOB!
Thanks for the tip -- Geeze .. 75 and still having to learn -- I should know everything by now?
 
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