Running Bear's April 2019 Coffee Shop


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Afternoon All,

Finished running all the locos today. I found one today that is making gear noises (have 2 to look at) and when I was running my BLI NW2 it was running fine then just stopped and I couldn't get it to do anything. After putting it on the programming track I was able to do a factory reset. After that everything worked again, but I could not figure out how to change it to a 4 digit address, so finally I dug out the Digitrax manual and got it done.o_O

Garry- Happy Birthday to your wife.

Joe- We have a mall close to us just like that. I think the only reason it stays open is the movie theater, but it has been having issues with the local trouble making teenage a**holes.

Max- Looks like great progress. I like the idea of bridges to connect the separate table tops.

Terry- YAH! Good news about the computer.

Justin- Nice 1:1 photos.

Willie- Nice scenes and details. I was going to suggest a RH and TT but I think you model the 60's or later.

Johnny- Very nice modeling.

Chuck- If you're OK with it then it's fine, if you're not then if you are like me it will be changed sooner or later.:eek: I have always liked that kind of striping.

Here is my Dad's WM M-1 he keeps on my layout. He used to watch these pull coal drags as a kid during WWII.

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I hope everyone has a good night.
 
A belated Happy Easter to all, and Happy Oester to the rest of us (probably just me).

I read on one of the Facebook MRR groups that it's possible to speed-match DC locos, but there was no explanation how. Anybody know? I've limited myself to simply seeing how fast particular locos are, compared to other locos.

For lack of anything substantial to post, here are some interesting pics I've found here and there:
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Jerome, Sherrel, Patrick, Dave LASM, Justin, Johnny and Chuck - Thanks for the likes of my layout photos!

Patrick said:
Your layout looks like mine...Still being laid out and tools all over.
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Thanks for the comment! My layout will probably be like that for a couple of more months. A lot of work, but tons of fun!

logandsawman said:
is your name Jim and who is Max?
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My name is Jim. Max is just short for max diyer.

Justin - I like the coal trains! Probably my favorite as I have hauled out of and into many coal mines in western PA, WV, SE OH and KY.

santafewillie said:
Your pictures remind me of the state of much of my layout over the past few years. Indeed there is still a place that looks like that. Problem is that if I clean it up and put everything away, I would not be able to locate it as easily as I can now. Didn't I read on another thread that you are soon to retire and will have more time? That's actually a fallacy regarding retirement!;) You'll soon be hearing "Oh, you're retired so you have time to...(insert favor here)". Especially true if you happen to own a pick up truck.
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I don't clean up after every build session either and agree that it's easier that way! I don't have to worry about "Better MRR Layouts and Train Rooms" (a takeoff of Better Homes and Gardens) coming in for a photo shoot!:);):) LOL
But your layout would probably be on Allen Keller's list. :)
I planned on retiring last July at age 65, but some unforeseen delays have extended it out to probably next January. :( I know all about doing favors, as I've had pickups and trailers since '68. I just complain about my bad back and they have to help load/unload, so I usually don't have any requests.;):)

Sherrel - now that you found the trains, even a small layout would be nice.

PRR Modeler said:
Max- Looks like great progress. I like the idea of bridges to connect the separate table tops.
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Curt - Thanks for the comment! I'm making progress, but slowly. The separate tables wasn't in my original design, but more by necessity as the support post column required to be a part of my layout! So I decided to incorporate it in the build and will disguise it as a grain bin. There will be a creek in the gap with 2 mainline truss bridges, a shortline girder bridge and a highway bridge connecting the 2 platforms.
I really like your Dad's M-1!

Here's some photos . . . Have a good day!

W. Memphis TN
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PA Trolley Museum, Canonsburg PA
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Good Morning Folks
Fantastic pic,s by all { too many to mention }
I turned on the TV yesterday , and a guy dressed in Armour with A Sword was saying , Winter Is Coming :)
So i said i must be prepared , so the plough in BN is making its way to the spray shop to be Painted into CN
Dont know if any of you guy,s have Watched Game of Thrones it is a HBO Show
most of it shot on location here in Ireland , Great show , but one must watch it from the start to make sense of it .so if you have some free time have a look at it . ok have a great day All

Chuck
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Good morning Willie and the rest when they come in. 63°and sunny.

Ray: That's quite the hood ornament on Warren Buffet's engine. Just guessing by the new car sticker, that this happened at an Auto Terminal or Port location.

Boris
 
Good morning all...

Cool this morning(48) and partly cloudy. Supposed to be sunny and 72 later today.

Did a couple of hours last night to correct some things I didn't like and address the derails at the switch group. More on my layout page. I need to start getting the track finalized as it seems my T-pins and rail connector coming loose are the cause of most of the derails. It would also help to not be shifting the trackage around causing some of the rail connectors to move.
 
Good morning everyone. 72 and cloudy. Thunderstorms moved through overnight. Great for the yard, but means I'll have to mow again soon.

Boris, Sherrel, Curt, Dave, and anyone I may have missed - Thanks for the comments on my neighborhood store.

Started working on details for other shops in the town, like the store I posted yesterday. Having some problems matching the sidewalks, but I suppose mismatches were common in the 50s, so I'm not too worried about it.

Have a good day everyone.
 
Good Morning All. 61° and cloudy, rain stopped about three hours ago. Light thunderstorms overnight left 1.1" in the rain gauge. Thunderstorms are still in the forecast for all day today, although they seemed to have moved south and east of me; we'll see how long that lasts. Woke up with some aches earlier, I must have overdone it when I emptied the dishwasher yesterday!:D
We're slowly restarting the second bathroom remodel after a four month hiatus for holidays and my wife's temporary tax season employment. The hold up has been the painting, she refuses to allow me to do any painting. I have dozens of pieces of floor molding and ceiling/corner trim cut and ready to install, but none of it has been painted! Can't install and then paint because she is uncomfortable on a ladder and bending/stooping to do the floor molding bothers her arthritic knees. So I got a temporary break. Also being held up by the fact that she hasn't decided in the sink fixtures which will determine what ancillary components to buy to hook it up. Hint; because of the design of the new vanity that she bought with a drawer in the bottom that needs clearance, the trap and drain piping has to be modified/rerouted in order not to have to rip out wall and deal with it there.

Thanks for the likes and comments yesterday; Justin, Joe, Sherrel, Chuck, Jerome, Patrick, Curt, Dave, Jim, Tom and all others whom I may have missed.

Due to the rain, I spent some extra time in the train shed yesterday. A lot of time was spent tying up loose ends. Wrapped up the quarterly clean-up project in the NW upper portion of the layout which is mostly still plywood. I did some rail painting on the peninsula project and can now start ballasting. On the other side of the aisle, I measured and marked out building locations, fence lines and a bit of other pre-project stuff on that narrow strip that I posted yesterday. I almost completed the build of the "Oakleaf Shipping & Storage" complex; adding most of the details and some figures. Like most of my builds and projects, I'll study it for a few days/weeks more and do some minor tweaking and detailing. I didn't get a chance to add the outside light fixtures over the doors yet, as the paint was still wet when I called it a day.
Updated pictures. Some details came with the kit, figures and other details were my own.
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Posting pictures always brings out the need for some improvement or points out missing details, in this case it looks like I need an "Office" sign over the office door.
Not too sure that I am happy yet with the "painted-on" sign on the left side. I should sand it a tiny bit more to allow more of the underlying paint to show through.
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The kit came with a casting intended (according to the instructions) to be cut in half and added to the dock under the shed. However I determined that cutting it in half would not be favorable and since it is a "pile of junk", it wold be inappropriate on the deck. I am going to use it off to one side after I "plant" the structure on the layout. Here is a picture of the half-painted casting.
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Garry - Belated Happy Birthday to Shelly. Or is it Shelley?
Johnny - Nice work on Nill's Store.
Sherrel - Quite a full day for you yesterday. I'm glad that you survived it.
Dave - Regarding the garden. They were/are quite common in the general locale that I model, and being an avid organic gardener myself, I include them where possible. I have two others on the layout, but that one is the most photogenic.
Chuck - I'll say it again, you do fast modeling work. I wouldn't have noticed the stripe without someone else bringing it up.
Jim - Interesting series of pictures yesterday.

Everybody have a great day. As Karl would say, "It's hump day".
 
Good morning all, headed for mid 60's with sun.

Johnny--I like the pre used train photos
Jim--Looks like a UFO in the upper right corner of the top photo
Karl, Boris, Patrick-- Good morning
Willie-- you did a great job on the junk pile. Building turned out fine as well!
Chuck-- I hear a lot of talk about Game of Thrones but it doesn't come in on our Tele.

Wife and I were at Menards yesterday, bought some shelves and repurposed a desk we fond in the junk. It turned out really nice. Will be used for me to work on my models, has a top shelf for Beth's plants, so everyone happy

Todays layout shot, Mile marker 2:




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more later, Dave
 
Good Morning. 44 degrees to start off the day and we should make it up into the 60's again by this afternoon. Didn't check in yesterday. Went to Billings and did stop by the hobby shop there, but as usual, they did not have what I needed and offered to special order it. Not an option.

Got the bill from the hospital yesterday. I dreaded opening it but when I did, I almost fell over. The hospital alone was just over $41,000 but with my Blue Cross supplement, all I was responsible for was $350. Time for a bit of whiskey to celebrate.

Karl - Those WM Alco units really look good.

Jim - Good photos of a construction site. You're making progress it seems.

Terry - How long do you think the new lap top will last before your past history with computers catch up with you?? icon_lol.gif Murphy could be lurking again. Lock the doors.

Justin - More nice photos.

Willie - Excellent photos again. Like the people working in the garden.

Johnny - Enjoy seeing your town scenes. Looks good.

Chuck - That GP unit is coming along nicely. Excellent weathering. Nice plow. I have watched a number of videos of plows in action. What a hoot.

Joe - I am going to have to agree with your editorial. I have noticed the same thing. Sad but true.

Curt - That M-1 is beautiful. Thumb up.gif

Beady - Interesting photos.

Dave - Nice photo

I'll probably head down to the train room and get things together for the train show and operating session Saturday. I noticed that a few freight cars have a slight wobble to them.

Time for some photos. Here are my favorite F unit diesels

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And of course ---- In Livingston, MT.

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Later
 
Good Morning Fellow Model Railroaders....sunny and mild here in Wisconsin. Rain and snow is in the forecast for the weekend!!!

Today, the Mrs. plans on spreading additional mulch that we purchased yesterday. I helped her on Monday so this is her project and hope she has fun. My pick up is going in for some interior and exterior detailing tomorrow at 10:00 AM so I need to clean out some of "Up North" equipment that's in the rear floor area. We had Cathy's convertible's interior professionally detailed two years ago and it looked like a new vehicle even then being a 15 year ago vehicle that's in showroom condition.

I enjoyed watching the video on adding weathering rust to a box car roof. The results were amazing and I need to try that method on a couple of box car roofs. I'm sure it would work on the sides of certain pieces of rolling stock as well and maybe even locomotives on a smaller scale. Hobby Lobby here I come for some oil paint and brushes.

I never watched the videos by Ken Patterson and the MRH's U Tube video but will need to start watching after seeing them posted by Mark.

After some computer projects I'm heading down to the layout. When I was working on repairing the power pickup on one truck on the SOO Line GP38-2, a small piece of clear styrene fell off the fireman's side window. The parts list says this is a wind defector. Unfortunately, it flew off into sky when I was trying to reinstall it. But, when I was using some loop and hook fasteners, the clear plastic sheet they came on is perfect to be able to cut out a replacement wind defector. This will be my first project this morning. I'll attach it using a small tab of Canopy Glue which dries perfectly clear.

Then I want to check my inventory of ore cars since I may have not entered a batch of UP ore cars.

Great photos everyone.

Dave: In the photo you posted there's a marker post with the number 2. That's exactly what I need to mark the turnouts in the Saxeville Interchange even having the turnouts' positions indicated by signals. I need posts #1 to #9. The Interchange is just below eye level so its difficult to see the turnouts and the guys don't like running locomotives in this area. I already have the control panel toggle switches marked, but the turnouts are next. I would mount the markers near the turnouts to assist the engineers.

In all there's six cross-overs will a total of 12 - #6 turnouts powered by Tortoise Machines. Complex, but fun once you know how the use the run- around tracks and have the correct train lengths.

That's all for now.

Later.

Greg

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Internet photo - unknown source.

A weathered SOO caboose by Fred Firkus from Wisconsin. Fred is a master at weathering and his weathered locomotives are fantastic and I listened to him at a swap meet while he gave a weathering clinic. Later I sat and talked to him at length. - Greg
 
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