Running Bear's Coffee Shop June 2018


Boris - We purchase a lot of items from Amazon, mostly items that are difficult to get or unavailable where we live. The sales tax being put onto internet sales really doesn't bother me, but I am wondering how many small businesses that sell primarily on the internet it will effect. In order to collect sales tax, a merchant has to apply to each state for a tax number and then pay the sales tax quarterly or monthly depending on the state. This can take a lot of time and I have no idea of what it may cost, but it will impact many small sellers. I am also wondering about ebay sales. If I sell you a locomotive, do I have to pay the New Jersey sales tax ?????? It will be interesting to see what happens.

We usually do not by vehicles locally because the dealers in out town think they are the only game in town. They're not. We can usually get a lot lower prices from other areas. We have bought them from other Montana cities and even out of state, and on the out of state purchases, we DO NOT have to pay any of the local taxes.
 
Afternoon All,

Started out today trimming the hedges and trimming back tree and bush growth along the driveway. It looks like the family next door has moved (renters). The next family will be #7 in 22 years. Talked to Phil for a little bit today after getting done outside.

MOH is going to SeaWorld tomorrow with daughter and grandkids. I don't do theme parks after working EMS in WDW for 8 years. Today Patrick (daughters husband) decided he wants to go so I have to drive there, get him in, pay for parking ($30), then return home and clean the house walkway (mold from rain). I have to go because they are free veteran tickets (4 each for MOH and me).:rolleyes:

Joe- Thank you. Is the pier that you're modeling from someplace in particular or modelers license?

Garry- Thank you. Safe travels.

Justin- Sharp looking loco.

ACL-CSX- A lot of business is a good thing.

Chet- The facility was originally just coal, but I later added the oil and gas portion as the time frame of my layout shifted from the mid 40's to the mid 50's. The fittings and piping are from plastruct. Nice rail shot.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
I forgot to mention today that I scraped off insulation on the end of the light wires, tinned them, tested them and glued them in place. I'm letting the glue dry overnight and hopefully I will have them hooked up electrically tomorrow.
 
PRR Modeler said:
Joe- Thank you. Is the pier that you're modeling from someplace in particular or modelers license?
Click to expand...
Both! Obviously, I'm using commercial products, and the fit is an approximation, but it's based on a 1939 Aerial photo and my personal recollection from the early 60s when it was a place to go and catch a cooling breeze off the river.



index.php

The particular pier is to the lower left of the photo. It continues beyond the edge.
 

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Truth be told I am impressed with the condition the locomotive is in. Not a paint chip anywhere and over all is really sharp looking. However......she needs work. She runs but needs lubricated badly! She is missing grab irons. I'll be seeking those out soon enough unless I have a donor to rob them from. Paint I've already ordered. She has the blomberg type m trucks when it needs type b trucks. Not that I care too much about that. I have enough of those to fix it if I so choose. Has the in cab light bulb that will get gone first thing and I'll have to wire in the can motor. Add directional lighting and the usual quick plug DCC board. I still plan to eventually go DCC just not at the present moment. However I want it to be an easy transition so my locomotives need to be as ready as can be. That's what is on the work bench for this weekend. The little one is going to her grandparents for the week so dad duties will be lifted. All the more time to work on this locomotive. She's sharp now. I plan to have her looking really sharp!
 
Chet, Your wonderings about sales tax being applied to internet sales interstate, echos what is going to happen here on July 1st with international internet purchases. Our internal sales taxes got replaced by a 10% GST (goods and services tax) like the VAT taxes used elsewhere. The increasing volume and value of imports has long been a bone of contention with local retailers, who are required to collect it at point of sale and then pass it on to the Govt's coffers.

Collecting the GST on imports had been considered a "too hard basket" item to enforce, or collect. So far Ebay has agreed to collect it and pass it on, at point of sale, but Amazon, which has only recently entered the Australian market, will only collect it on local sales and any customer trying to buy from one of their international sellers, will be denied and referred back to the local website, much restricting that trade.

I have a parcel coming from MBKlein's which has been paid for a few days ago, but won't arrive within a port of entry till next month. Going to be interesting as to how that will be handled, or for that matter, any order placed with any international non Ebay source, after the 1st of July. There has been no information forthcoming from the Gov about this. "Hard basket" indeed.
 
Here are a couple of photos of what I have finished so far. Paint weathering, structures and water are still to be done but it's a start.

Market Street Pier 2.jpg


Market Street Pier 3.jpg
 
montanan said:
Boris - We purchase a lot of items from Amazon, mostly items that are difficult to get or unavailable where we live. The sales tax being put onto internet sales really doesn't bother me, but I am wondering how many small businesses that sell primarily on the internet it will effect. In order to collect sales tax, a merchant has to apply to each state for a tax number and then pay the sales tax quarterly or monthly depending on the state. This can take a lot of time and I have no idea of what it may cost, but it will impact many small sellers. I am also wondering about ebay sales. If I sell you a locomotive, do I have to pay the New Jersey sales tax ?????? It will be interesting to see what happens.

We usually do not by vehicles locally because the dealers in out town think they are the only game in town. They're not. We can usually get a lot lower prices from other areas. We have bought them from other Montana cities and even out of state, and on the out of state purchases, we DO NOT have to pay any of the local taxes.
Click to expand...

With the new internet tax issue, not only would businesses be responsible for charging state tax, but also county and/or local tax. Here in Wisconsin, sales tax is 5% for the State, and then every county has their tax(most are an additional 0.5%, a few have 0.1% Stadium tax, some have both & yet a few others only collect state tax). I imagine other states are similar.
 
Quick question about wiring. Solid wire, or stranded for track power and accessories?
 
I was told years ago that stranded could carry more current for the same gauge, but apparently that is not so. The main advantage then with stranded wire then seems to be greater flexiblity. Many use stranded for the Bus and solid for the feeders.
 
As electricity flows along the surface of the conductor, known as skin effect, the more surface area you have in your conductor the better. Stranded wire provides much more surface area than a single solid conductor. As Toot added, stranded is more flexible for routing purposes. Solid for feeders is ok due to the short distance but once again, stranded is better.
 
tootnkumin said:
I was told years ago that stranded could carry more current for the same gauge, but apparently that is not so. The main advantage then with stranded wire then seems to be greater flexiblity. Many use stranded for the Bus and solid for the feeders.
Click to expand...

I also recall hearing that stranded wire could handle more current, but I believe that was concerning 8 gauge aluminum wire for an electric range.
Stranded can be found everywhere, and is cheaper than solid, but leaves a lot to be desired for model railroad wiring. I use 16 gauge stranded for the bus and 20 gauge solid for the feeders.
 
D&J RailRoad said:
As electricity flows along the surface of the conductor, known as skin effect, the more surface area you have in your conductor the better. Stranded wire provides much more surface area than a single solid conductor. As Toot added, stranded is more flexible for routing purposes. Solid for feeders is ok due to the short distance but once again, stranded is better.
Click to expand...
That was what I was told, exactly, but I had read a discussion elsewhere recently that refuted it. Seems there is a difference of opinion on whether there is a skin effect or whether the current flows through the body of the wire. Personally, to me the skin effect seems logical. The main reason that I can see for using solid for feeders is twofold. 1, it is easier to bend the end at right angles for soldering to the rail and 2, a little easier to wind around the bared bus wire too. Both can be achieved with stranded wire by tinning/soldering the stripped ends to turn them solid. So it's a matter of choice or what you can get.
 
Thanks guys. The main reason I was asking is because I use 18 gauge solid wire in my irrigation systems. They run on 24 volts, so I was considering using it for the layout. I can buy 250' of 2 strand wire for $20. If I need to color code, I can buy higher strand counts. I think 6 strand was about $70 for the same length. Starting out, I shouldn't need too many colors to keep things in a nice and neat order. The wire is solid copper.
 
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