Running Bear's April 2023 Coffee Shop


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Good morning, all! A nice day here, wind out of the north which means lower humidity. On today's agenda, mowing and edging.

I did get to run some trains yesterday, but I think some track cleaning may be in order. In a couple of spots locos seemed lose signals. Maybe this afternoon I get to clean track, at least drag the cleaning car around.

Last night the wife and I were sitting talking and cuddling. I said, "Babe you know, come September we'll be married 57 years. After all these years, is there anything you would change about me?" I thought the PowerPoint Presentation was a little over the top.

STAY SAFE
LATER
 
Had a brain fart on the drive for errands this morning.... What if I switched my Train Area with my desk area? The Writing and Hobby desks make a U shape, that could easily move into the current train space. And the gaming table is also in the Train Area. Better use of that space.

I'd be using a roughly 6x8 area for trains that is currently only occupied by the treadmill. I think I can tuck it into the old train area where it won't interfere with anything, and still be accessible for my walks to nowhere.

Pros:
1. I don't have to worry about blocking the Main Elect Panel access
2. I pick up more space for both the Trains and for the Gaming area because each section would be better utilized

Cons:
It's the FIRST thing visitors see when entering the basement... but right now, they're seeing the treadmill.
I lose the ability to look past my computer monitor to see the screensaver on the TV... which I really don't do very often. It will become a 90° turn of the head to do the same.

Instead of keeping my layout in a folded 10x10 area, I'd have a 16x8 area. And one end would be accessible from either side, where it buts up against the TV area. I can see a folded dogbone with 48" wide ends of the bone and a 36" wide peninsula in the middle (basically the shape of a 3)

Since I'm planning a tear-out and rebuild, this may be the way. Hmmmm....
 
kbkchooch said:
Good evening gang and those with newborn kittens.

Been a busy day, finally got all SWMBOs stuff off the trailer so I can go to HD tomorrow and get mulch (postponed from today), added an extra board to the bottom of the fence so the French Bulldog granddog can be secured inside the back yard on visits. It made it to 90 ° this afternoon, I was a sweatin! Also got 3 loads of laundry washed, so SWMBO is having a folding party right now. Tomorrow HD, then cutting the grass before the p.m. thunderstorms hit.

The kid came home from college for the weekend (the A/c broke in his dorm) So I will get some assistance with the yard tomorrow, and also with moving my club modules across the basement so more benchwork can be created.

Tony, I keep checking our basement pit where the woodstove chimney exit the basement. 2 years ago at the peak of Covid one of the neighborhood ferels deposited 5 kittens in the "pit" and we were suddenly parents. 2 weeks of round the clock bottle feedings, the weaning and we found good homes for all. The dogs and our cat took it all in stride. Like you, I couldn't see the alone out there.
View attachment 166987View attachment 166988
This picture of one of the kittens and our late dog Bud always has be a favorite of mine.
The smaller of the 2 black kittens now lives next door to us. We get updates occasionally on the rest, all doing great!

View attachment 166992
Thinking of selling all my HO stuff for something bigger, if I can get SWMBO to go along with it.
Click to expand...
Sorry to disappoint you….I don’t think the model comes with the bikini clad lass on top..
 
troyphoto said:
Had a brain fart on the drive for errands this morning.... What if I switched my Train Area with my desk area? The Writing and Hobby desks make a U shape, that could easily move into the current train space. And the gaming table is also in the Train Area. Better use of that space.

I'd be using a roughly 6x8 area for trains that is currently only occupied by the treadmill. I think I can tuck it into the old train area where it won't interfere with anything, and still be accessible for my walks to nowhere.

Pros:
1. I don't have to worry about blocking the Main Elect Panel access
2. I pick up more space for both the Trains and for the Gaming area because each section would be better utilized

Cons:
It's the FIRST thing visitors see when entering the basement... but right now, they're seeing the treadmill.
I lose the ability to look past my computer monitor to see the screensaver on the TV... which I really don't do very often. It will become a 90° turn of the head to do the same.

Instead of keeping my layout in a folded 10x10 area, I'd have a 16x8 area. And one end would be accessible from either side, where it buts up against the TV area. I can see a folded dogbone with 48" wide ends of the bone and a 36" wide peninsula in the middle (basically the shape of a 3)

Since I'm planning a tear-out and rebuild, this may be the way. Hmmmm....
Click to expand...
That a much bigger area, 10x10=100 16x8=128 sounds good to me
 
Hutch said:
We upgraded our 2004 Suburban with a 2019 Pathfinder. We need this to pull our little camper seen in the background. Camping season is upon us. This should take me through a few years of retirement quite nicely.View attachment 167015
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Each to their own. Strictly my opinion is I would rather have a 2004 Suburban pulling a trailer than any Pathfinder. Pulling a trailer will put that CVT transmission in an early grave. I hope you prove me wrong. And I don't know what shape your 2004 is in. Fact is, I'm just not crazy about any of the new cars.......over priced and under built.
 
troyphoto said:
Caveats: Yes, I know 4% is a steep grade. But I envision the upper deck with smaller curve radii than the lower deck which has 18" radius throughout. So smaller train length to do the back and forth between levels would need to happen anyway.
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Don't forget, curves add resistance, in effect, making it more difficult for a train to climb a grade. The tighter the curve, the more rolling resistance.
wombat457 said:
4% in N Scale isn't THAT bad - obviously NOT ideal but doable.

From the looks of your "plan" I don't understand why it needs to be that steep?? Unless I am misreading something, your purple/pink line (the 4%) could be dropped to 2% or even 2.5% and still by plenty to get you to the next level up and have clearance.
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Scale really doesn't matter, weather it be G, O, S, HO or N. 4% is tough. Not only the grade, but the transition from grade to level has to be gradual to keep couplers in line with each other.
troyphoto said:
Had a brain fart on the drive for errands this morning....
Click to expand...
It's only a brain fart if the idea stinks. I call this an epiphany.
troyphoto said:
Since I'm planning a tear-out and rebuild, this may be the way. Hmmmm....
Click to expand...
Sounds like a plan!

Speaking of grades, I finally have 1/2 of the layouts subroadbed installed. The grade is pretty light at an average of 1%
image_50424321.JPG

Here is where the .9 % was measured.
image_50425857.JPG

plus an overview of what I have so far. The other half of the layout will be beyond the bridge at the laundry room door.
image_50420993.JPG


BBL, taking SWMBO out to dinner!
 
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