Running Bear's January 2020 Coffee Shop

[montanan]

Good morning. 31 degrees to start off the day with less than an inch of snow that fell over night. About the same temp as phil but warmer than others.

Willie - Like your photos even though the scene isn't completed. I wanted to do something like that but didn't have enough room to do justice to it.

Johnny - Nice photo. Like the scene a lot. As for your cousin and his elevator items, he may be one sick individual.

I did get some time to spend in the train room yesterday. Ran some through trains for a while and then did some switching in the yards breaking down an inbound freight from the hidden staging tracks and making a local freight for the next time I get down to the train room.

Here's a train that I ran for a while with a track cleaning car.

Here's an RDC stopping to pick up passengers at Gallatin Junction..

When I was done, I did get some mechanical work done, put a rear end in my recliner.

Later

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Warning: Semi-rant
I have now reached the end of my patience with AMERICAN MODEL RAILROAD ACADEMY spamming activities. For the last couple months, I have gotten 4 or 5 "offers" a week for their video services. I have "unsubscribed" on three different occasions and blocked their emails once. I probably should not have tried one of their "free"videos, which I decided was not useful to me.
Any suggestions as to what else to do?

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Good Morning Everyone.....overcast and some rai, mix and 2-5 inches of snow by Saturday.

Never made it to the train yesterday, But, I found another excellent cab ride video. It was also taken at the Colorado Railroad Museum and its one of the best videos I've seen with the scenery and passing trains. It's a must to watch even with its longer length. Excellent video action starting at minutes 19 and 26!!!

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ho+model+train+cab+ride&&view=detail&mid=336C5ED06C9CC8153EAE336C5ED06C9CC8153EAE&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=/videos/search?q=ho+model+train+cab+ride&qpvt=ho+model+train+cab+ride&FORM=VDRE

This video is the best of the videos taken at the museum. Run the video at 1080 for best picture quality.

Nothing else to report on right now.

Greg

 

[kbkchooch]

Warning: Semi-rant
I have now reached the end of my patience with AMERICAN MODEL RAILROAD ACADEMY spamming activities. For the last couple months, I have gotten 4 or 5 "offers" a week for their video services. I have "unsubscribed" on three different occasions and blocked their emails once. I probably should not have tried one of their "free"videos, which I decided was not useful to me.
Any suggestions as to what else to do?

I just did a quick google search, I put their name in and the word "complaints" popped up behind it. The first listing comes from the o gauge forum and the subject of unsubscribing came up. It see several listings where several folks had to try several times to get it fixed.
Either try again, or try again.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Greetings from the West!
Supposed to reach 65 today with variably cloudy skies.
Yesterday was a "bust" with totally overcast all day and 'on an off' misty rain and put me in a down mood. Not much better today - not getting things done and really don't have any desire to do anything.
Just may be a binge TV movie day!
Great photos everyone!

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Well finally heading to the layout room and hope the average room temperature is above the normal 66 degrees.

Got a couple of simple ideas from watching the Colorado Railroad museum video, especially the landscaping and placement of trees. My rock slides need larger stones near the bottom of the slides and maybe the rocks are too uniform in appearance. And, I need to add some vegetation to the slides and infills. I have several aspen trees that plating on the layout.

I'll run #41 while working and turn off its sound but I'll still hear as it travels over my head when I'm at the workbench.

Warning: Semi-rant
I have now reached the end of my patience with AMERICAN MODEL RAILROAD ACADEMY spamming activities. For the last couple months, I have gotten 4 or 5 "offers" a week for their video services. I have "unsubscribed" on three different occasions and blocked their emails once. I probably should not have tried one of their "free"videos, which I decided was not useful to me.
Any suggestions as to what else to do?

Didn't your Spam feature not keep away their unwanted emails? It has to a real pain to keep receiving their emails.

Heading downstairs...

Greg

##################

 

[Beady]

Beady, you ain't right!

Garry, I ain't going to your doctor!!!

Bob, you seem to have a rather unnaturally loud and vigorous reaction to proctology. Just sayin'.

 

[Boris]

Here's a closeup of the barrel racing practice taking place in the corral.

Willie: Looks like a scene from the Tv series "Heartland". Photos look good.

Johnny: Fire Tower or Deer Blind? Either way, looks real good.

Phil: Now don't get frostbite!

Working on the site of the Ford Plant, on my layout last night. Amazing how small 64" is in HO. Then, it occurred to me that the Ford Plant closed in 1959, and my layout is based on operations in 1968 - 1972. During that time frame, the plant site was occupied by Reynolds Aluminum. They made aluminum electrical wire there. No need for multi levels and high cubes, just flats for cable reels, gonds with aluminum billets and box cars. That plus a holding track for Scott Paper box cars... Problem solved.

Got a real workout at PT today. Iced down both knees and ankle when I got home. Third injection of the Gel tomorrow. MIL is doing very well, although she is in isolation for a unrelated (non surgical) urinary infection. When it rains, it pours.

 

[Boris]

Any suggestions as to what else to do?

Mikey: Keep marking them as Junk or Spam then move them to the junk folder. The mail browser should learn to reject them. Check your mail browser's settings. Some of these aggressive marketers just don't want to take no for an answer.

Chet: The RDC coming into the station scene, is great.

Once I get behind by three pages, it becomes difficult to respond to all the interesting posts and photos.

BTW: My current signature is Boris in Old Church Slavonic variant of the Cyrillic Alphabet (Old Russian). My maternal grandfather was literate in Cyrillic languages...wish I had learned Russian when I had the opportunity.

 

[Espeefan]

Warning: Semi-rant
I have now reached the end of my patience with AMERICAN MODEL RAILROAD ACADEMY spamming activities. For the last couple months, I have gotten 4 or 5 "offers" a week for their video services. I have "unsubscribed" on three different occasions and blocked their emails once. I probably should not have tried one of their "free"videos, which I decided was not useful to me.
Any suggestions as to what else to do?

Now Mikey, you should have known those folks weren't going to teach you much of anything after all those years in the Wrecking Crew! You should be giving clinics, not taking them! Unfortunately once they get your e-mail, you're pretty much doomed. You might try e-mailing them and tell them you want to opt out of further offers, or see if there's on opt out link down in the fine print.

 

[Flip]

Temp never got higher than 52* with a blustery never ceasing wind. My body not happy with temps 10 degrees lower than my age. And todays temp was 31* lower.. No BORIS didn't freeze but my teeth were chattering.
Do not get both knees done at same time. How the heck do you expect to get around? Had folks who did both and swore at their Doc. This was when I drove med van.
Should only get to 49 tonight and, hopefully, back up to 75 or so. We shall see
Wish all a goodnight,
Phil

UNCLE: LIKE A DAD ONLY COOLER

 

[Espeefan]

Today's Blast from the Past project: A pair of vintage Athearn Blue Box SD40-2's. They belong to my son, who is learning the hobby. I did the heavy work for him: Drill and tap for a chassis lead, drill and tap, and install Kadees instead of the old BB clip on horn hooks, individual micro bulbs, and a hard wired decoder installation. I hadn't hard wired a BB in years! Digitrax used to sell decoders with the BB hardwire kit in the envelope. Some clips and a pair of pre-soldered motor brush retainers. I never bought one, I just soldered to the existing stuff. Reminded me of the old days. Two functions, headlight and backup light. No sound. Good clean simple fun! Aftermarket windows and a ton of detail parts. I've told my son these are great teaching tools and skill builders. The detail work and final assembly is his to do, and he needs to decide how much upgrading he wants to do. This will be fun to watch! The price on the boxes: $39.50. Those were the days!

 

[Flip]

That is so nice to read. How old is your son? Wish you and son many happy years.
Phil

 

[Espeefan]

That is so nice to read. How old is your son? Wish you and son many happy years.
Phil

He's in his late twenties. I started him young with a Lionel set, he did the usual school-the kids'll make fun of me if they know-cars-girls-etc. Now he's married and has the disposable income for a hobby. It took!

 

[CambriaArea51]

BTW: My current signature is Boris in Old Church Slavonic variant of the Cyrillic Alphabet (Old Russian). My maternal grandfather was literate in Cyrillic languages...wish I had learned Russian when I had the opportunity.

Cool, my mother is from Germany and my father learned it. I wish they'd taught me when I was young but then they used German when they wanted to talk in front of us and not know what was going on.

 

[CambriaArea51]

Today's Blast from the Past project: A pair of vintage Athearn Blue Box SD40-2's. They belong to my son, who is learning the hobby. I did the heavy work for him: Drill and tap for a chassis lead, drill and tap, and install Kadees instead of the old BB clip on horn hooks, individual micro bulbs, and a hard wired decoder installation. I hadn't hard wired a BB in years! Digitrax used to sell decoders with the BB hardwire kit in the envelope. Some clips and a pair of pre-soldered motor brush retainers. I never bought one, I just soldered to the existing stuff. Reminded me of the old days. Two functions, headlight and backup light. No sound. Good clean simple fun! Aftermarket windows and a ton of detail parts. I've told my son these are great teaching tools and skill builders. The detail work and final assembly is his to do, and he needs to decide how much upgrading he wants to do. This will be fun to watch! The price on the boxes: $39.50. Those were the days!

View attachment 43409

Alan - I have some old blue box AC4400 that I added some details from Details West. Coupler bars,MU hoses, air hose and plows can make for a nice engine.

 

[IronBeltKen]

Thank you all for the "likes" on my Monday night post - Karl, Willie, Garry, Tom, Patrick, Sherrell, Chet, Robots, Johnny, Jerome, Jim, roofintrash, B.Bob, Chad, Justin, David, and Phil. Plus anybody whose supportive comment I might have missed.

...
Ken - Somehow I missed your post Monday. Great progress on the road and surrounding areas.
...

Thanks Willie! No worries, I myself missed Greg's post about his weathered SOO caboose because I got distracted...so it all balances out!

...
... I did get some mechanical work done, put a rear end in my recliner.
...

LOL good one Chet!

* * *
Did some more painting of "dirt" onto my most recently-plastered areas tonite. Also covered some more of the ballast on the spur lead, where the ties are partially exposed in a way similar to the turnout that I spent several hours painting around on Saturday. This time I remembered to take an "action" photo, it should illustrate exactly why painting around exposed ties can be such a time-consuming PITA:

Bedtime calling, gotta run - everybody take care!

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Mikey: Keep marking them as Junk or Spam then move them to the junk folder. The mail browser should learn to reject them. Check your mail browser's settings. Some of these aggressive marketers just don't want to take no for an answer.

Now Mikey, you should have known those folks weren't going to teach you much of anything after all those years in the Wrecking Crew! You should be giving clinics, not taking them! Unfortunately once they get your e-mail, you're pretty much doomed. You might try e-mailing them and tell them you want to opt out of further offers, or see if there's on opt out link down in the fine print.

Thanks for everyone's ideas. I found an old email from early December that seemed to have a slightly different address. I wonder if they are using multiple sources to spam their ads? I am going to block them again AND keep unsubscribing..

 

[Trussrod]

Good Morning All. 32° and clear. Another beautiful day in store for us today, sunny and mid-50's, turning to cloudy in late afternoon bringing a chance of rain overnight and into tomorrow. Looks like a trip to the county tax office this morning or tomorrow to get our handicapped parking permit renewed. Got some time in the garden yesterday with the hoe for some pre-emergent weed control after last week's rain. Still too wet to plant, and about a week too early for onions and radishes. I had company while I worked in the garden.
View attachment 43309
They were taking a break from their offspring in my barn loft.

Hash browns, bacon and sunny side up eggs for me this morning Francine.

Thanks for the likes and comments yesterday (and this morning) regarding the various progress photos; Sherrel, Tom, Justin, Jim, Phil, Chad, Garry, Bill, Hughie, David, Bob, Joe, Johnny.

Moving out to the train shed, while I had the small grain elevator off the layout for cleaning, I added some signs. It.s one of the few plastic kits from American Model Builders called "Silex Grain Elevator"; Kit # 121.
View attachment 43310
I am not ready to weather it yet, but that won't be far behind. Workbench is too occupied to bring out the weathering powders right now.
Moving left (south on the layout) we come to Midtown Consolidators. This is a Walther's "Red Wing Milling" kit without the large chimney.
View attachment 43311
I use it as a freight forwarder. I picked it up at a garage sale and had to completely disassemble and reassemble it.
Next to it and also across the tracks is the next pair of structures, the old reliable Atlas Switch Tower and a small farm scene.
View attachment 43312
The farmhouse is a Branchline laser cut kit, everything else is scratch-built.
This scene has a family burial plot behind the shed.
View attachment 43313
Here's a close-up of the shed.
View attachment 43314

Jim - There is a downside to spring coming as you pointed out. Here, I am looking at mowing next week as the native winter grasses (oats and rye) are beginning to get a bit scrappy. I should be doing it today, but while the tractor won't get stuck in the wet ground, it will leave ruts!
Nice progress on the layout.
Greg - That is one decrepit looking caboose. Other than SP, most railroads that I rail-fanned on (ATSF, MKT, KCS, UP, SLSF, BN, SSW, MP in this area) didn't ever let them get that bad.
David - My wife went the Glucosamine and Chondroitin route for several years before finally going to the orthopedist. It offered some limited relief, but it only allowed the inevitable knee replacement surgery to be delayed.

Everybody have a great day.

Willie: I had about the same results taking the Glucosamine and Chondroitin so now I'm trying the Collegen which does seem to offer some relief as it's supposed to help rebuild the cartledge, but that doesn't happen completely overnight.

 

[Burlington Bob]

Good night, America! Spent most of the day in Sparta and Cookville, TN. We've got at least four houses we're going to look at Friday in and close to Sparta. One we really have high hopes for, but we've been disappointed before. What looks good from the realtors' flyers and the road doesn't always look good up close! Saw one of those in Paris Monday.

The temp was 50° today in Sparta...........back in Forgottonia, all the snow and ice we got Saturday is still there with more predicted for Friday. Did I ever say that I really don't care that much for snow? Oh, and it's a four letter word, too!

B Bob ... if you are coming back through KY, we should see if there is a time for you to visit and have a layout tour. Things will be very busy for us through this weekend however . Middle of next week would be soonest I could do anything . ... If you knew you were in Paris, I would have suggested the Olive Pit restaurant. Outstanding Italian food.

... in Jackson, TN the Casey Jones Museum is good .

Thanks, Garry! We never got down Jackson way, but I would love to see the museum! Maybe we can get together another time, as we are planning on coming home Saturday. My wife and I both miss our fur kids a whole lot! We didn't think to leave one of our laptops out for them to send emails to us. They are special, as well as being smart

Love all the pictures and reading about what all's happening. Take care and stay safe!