Running Bear's Coffee Shop LXI


For those wondering, we sent out two large boxes 'o trains to Eric. He said they showed up Friday, so he'll have them to fuss with when he gets home.
Anybody else that has any surplus stuff that needs a new home, shoot me a PM, and I'll give you Eric's current address.
 
montanan said:
Garry - Bring your Porsche up here and we'll get it back in good shape. Haven't worked on one of them in a long time.

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Click to expand...

Chet ... I'd love to drive it in MT. Well, at least in the summertime. This Porsche is the 1984 928s which was advertised as the fastest street legal car for sale in the US in 1984. Top speed is said to be 146 mph, but I will never do close to that. I think, most of the car is now in good running order. One major problem remaining: The leather interior is in terrible condition. All of the leather should be replaced. .... Your layout scenes look great with a lot of detail.

Terry ... Nice of you to help out with Eric. I'll keep your idea in mind. I wonder if there is anything in particular he can use.

Louis ... I hope your grandson feels better soon.

Karl .... Cute photo of the birthday. .... Your 4-8-2 project looks like fun.

Speaking of doodlebugs, here is one operating in rural Illinois many years ago....

CBQ%20motor%20car_zpsufszg3id.jpg


Here is my Bachmann doodlebug. I replaced the mechanism with the NWSL re power kit. Runs extremely well now. (Yes, the scarecrow has crows on it.)
pumpkin90991_zps5eeca649.jpg
 
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Garry, he got excited when I told him I was sending some glue. The stuff I sent was the Testors model cement in the tube. He could probably use more of that, and some medium CA.
 
The hits keep on coming. This time, I have been following the Oroville Dam problem. The dam is being overtopped at both spillways, both of which are seriously damaged, with failure of either or both possible at any time. I hope at least some of this is media hype, if not, it could rapidly become a disaster.
 
Late evening guys,

Hi Francine & Flo, How about some coffee and hot Minced Meat Pie, if you have any? No kidding, you doo, great!

Today started out cool and cloudy but cleared up in the afternoon with the sun out so it was nice. I had cut up a bunch more 50Lb tar/felt paper patches and took advantage of the nice day to try and correct a couple of trouble spots and corrected a few others too.


Saturn5tony said:
Thank you so much Dave! Im beginning to really love that machine along with my appreciation for the FL9's. Come to think about it an SD40-2 that Ive been seeing on youtube allot as well. Oh no.. it looks like Im hooked..hehe... I did not know that about the sand dome. I saw it labeled that way on a chart that was at the Big-E show when they had a few 482's and the 4884 bigboy and such and walked away thinking (why do you want to fill the water up with sand... HAHA!) Mainly because it was on top of the machine and I kept thinking about it, but did get the idea it must be for the wheels somewhat later.

Thank goodness for youtube. I did find, a few days ago, a very cool bunch of videos about Steam locos. One I just could not put down, that showed almost an hour of a rebuild of the sumpter valley steam engine. I think that was a 4-8-2 as well. (no it was a 2-8-2, just checked, lol) Yea, I guess I am gonna like this stuff, lol Again Dave, thank you so much for filling me in about steam. I welcome you or anyone's opinion, I am not proud. At least here you guys know quite allot about all this stuff and its very well appreciated. Thank you so much.
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Say Tony: Your very welcome, I wasn't sure if that was something you didn't know or did but took a chance you didn't and glad you appreciated the info. There is a lot of info to be learned as well as hands on build of the the tables and track/switch laying as well as electrical work. Feel free to inquire as you care to about whatever your getting involved in.



Say Toot: The darn old summer time temps of 102* I think you said? Your faced with the heat and here in most of the U.S.A. it's quite cold and wet.


Say Karl: Your grandson knows how to dig into the cake alright! He looks like he'll be a handsome guy! Congrats about him and the one coming up.



GarryCBQ said:
Chet ... I'd love to drive it in MT. Well, at least in the summertime. This Porsche is the 1984 928s which was advertised as the fastest street legal car for sale in the US in 1984. Top speed is said to be 146 mph, but I will never do close to that. I think, most of the car is now in good running order. One major problem remaining: The leather interior is in terrible condition. All of the leather should be replaced. .... Your layout scenes look great with a lot of detail.


Speaking of doodlebugs, here is one operating in rural Illinois many years ago....

CBQ%20motor%20car_zpsufszg3id.jpg


Here is my Bachmann doodlebug. I replaced the mechanism with the NWSL re power kit. Runs extremely well now. (Yes, the scarecrow has crows on it.)
pumpkin90991_zps5eeca649.jpg
Click to expand...


Say Garry: Interesting you should mention the leather interior or your Porche being less than acceptable. The cloth head liner covering and on the sun visors of my 1996/7 Mitsubishi Eclipse is going to hell too and I'm not sure why? Fortunately the cloth seats still seems to be in good shape.

Interesting shot of the real Doodle Bug and your looks interesting but I know your just trying to unload those year old punkins on us again. It's a wonder they haven't collapsed by now! LoL Nice scene, really!


Now I'm going to see if I can't get back out in my garage and work on my switchs again.
 
Good Morning Everyone. 52° and partly cloudy this morning. At least the wind has died down somewhat, only 9mph instead of the 22mph we experienced all day yesterday. Forecast is for rain tonight and most of tomorrow, predictions are for 1.5". Temps won't vary much until Wednesday. First rain in over a month, Yesterday was my wife's birthday so my gift to her was that I wouldn't go out to the train shed! She chased me out around 2:30. LOL
Still just working on odds & ends in the train shed. Landscaping, detailing of existing structures and general layout cleaning are on the project list right now. That could change the next time I go out, although I am trying to stay focused on 1-2 projects at a time for a while. Some of you probably know the drill: Head for the curtain/window detail drawer and notice some dirty track; look for the Brite Boy and see a figure that has fallen; retrieve the Scenic Accents Glue to upright the figure; gaze out the window at some ducks that have stopped for a rest in the pond behind the train shed; turn around and try to remember where you left the glue; spot a derailed car and go to re-rail it; note that it still has a McHenry coupler on it and take it to the workbench, where the original structure on the workbench is still in the way and start over. Whew! Net result = 0. Time for a beer.

Greg - Received the PM, thanks for the observations.
Beady - Saw your pictures of the open house over on the other thread. Nice looking layout. I really need to turn my monitor back to the upright position now.
Chet - The towns are coming along nicely.
Karl - Nice looking grandson.
David - I guess that you are far enough away from the Oroville situation that you are not in any impending danger.

Everyone have a great day.

Willie
 
Good morning. 26 degrees with clear skies.

Garry - Nice Doodle Bug photos. Wouldn't mind replacing the drive on the one I have. Quite noisy but it does run well. What repowering unit did you use. After remotoring all of my old Athearn locomotives with NWSL can motors, and getting the great results I would definitely consider your fix to the Doodle Bug.

Tony? - No Tony. He must be shoveling snow.

Karl - Love the photo of your grandson. Have one similar when my grand daughter turned one. She had Chocolate cake and it did look a bit messier.
 
Good morning, everyone. I'll have a cup of regular and a chocolate croissant - my favorite to dunk in hot coffee!! 40 and partly sunny here in SW MO. Boy, what a weekend - 82 on Saturday and 52 on Sunday. In the middle of February?! supposed to be in the 50's and 60's all week, sunny every day. But we really do need some rain, or ANY kind of moisture around here.

David - Thanks for the hint about not hammering rail nails in so much they cause binding spots.
Louis - hope your grandson is continuing to improve.

Had some good time in the trainroom this weekend. Got more perimeter scenery done, laid out the trainyard and the section next to it to see how things will look and work - looking good. Thought about some more industries/businesses for the layout - probably a small trucking company and a flour mill, maybe an oil distributor. Went to the hobby store in Hollister, but owner Mike Wenig wasn't there. I mentioned him in a post last week. Bought a large piece of cork and used it to cut out a half dozen turnout roadbeds for our layout.

Still hoping to post a photo or two of our progress later this week.
Have a good day, everyone.
Johnny
 
Everyone -Speaking of cute, messy kid photos - - when I was about 1, my Mom went out shopping one day and my Dad sat me down in the middle of the living room and turned the entire room into a shambles - he overturned chairs and tables, laid lamps on the floor, pictures upside down on the wall, books off the bookshelf, papers and magazines strewn everywhere, etc. - and he took a photo of me in the middle of this riot. Then he put the room back in order. When Mom came home she had no idea. Sometime later, when the photos came back (remember the days when you took your film in to be developed?) she saw what Dad had done and they had the biggest laugh. I've saved that photo all these years. Well, guess what I did with out two kids? - - Yup, same thing. I'll have to hunt for them, but I'll post one if I can find it.
Johnny
 
Morning gents!!!
Here I am. Certainly got my ass whooped this time!!!
They told me yesterday that MRSA infected my and thus it had to go right away.
So much for that day off from radiation. In all treatments were put on hold! The pain from the infection was most serious and sleep eludes me a lot.
Case in point, i just fell asleep in the middle of that last sentence.
And...... just now again right to sleep.
I'll just have to catch you guys later.

PS: I'm back in the hospital again - since Wednesday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
montanan said:
Garry - Nice Doodle Bug photos. Wouldn't mind replacing the drive on the one I have. Quite noisy but it does run well. What repowering unit did you use. After remotoring all of my old Athearn locomotives with NWSL can motors, and getting the great results I would definitely consider your fix to the Doodle Bug.

.
Click to expand...

Chet .... This is what I used. This is copied from the NWSL on-line catalogue. (Note: The dummy trailing truck in the kit is really not needed.)

#1171-4 HO Bachmann Doodlebug, $129.95

................

David in CA .. Thanks for commenting. The leather interior is 33 years old and is splitting apart.





Terry .... Is it Testors plastic glue ?

Eric .... Sorry to hear you are back in the hospital. Praying for you. .... Are you able to work with models now ?
 
E - Sorry to hear about the set back. Hope the situation is taken care of in short order. Good luck buddy.

Garry - That's more than I paid for the Doodle Bug. Their prices sure have jumped compared to what they were charging years ago.
 
Chet/Garry: Yes, my Walther's Doodle Bug has a motor mounted above the truck assembly and a round rubber band connects the motor to the truck. I purchased the critter off E-Bay and the seller glued the body to the frame. It was almost impossible to disassemble to install the decoder and LED headlight. The SOO paint job looks nice. Nice to install a front coupler.

Chet: I have a new in the box Bachmann Doodle bug that's undecorated, never have seen it! Forgot I had it until you mentioned you have a Bachman as well.

Sun is out and soon down to the basement and the train room.

Found out yesterday that I mounted a terminal strip behind my layout's fascia, really a dumb mistake. Going to cut the wires and remount a new terminal strip under the layout.

Sure miss Radio Shack for simple electronics and supplies!!!

Greg
 
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montanan said:
Good morning. 26 degrees with clear skies.

Garry - Nice Doodle Bug photos. Wouldn't mind replacing the drive on the one I have. Quite noisy but it does run well. What repowering unit did you use. After remotoring all of my old Athearn locomotives with NWSL can motors, and getting the great results I would definitely consider your fix to the Doodle Bug.

Tony? - No Tony. He must be shoveling snow.

Karl - Love the photo of your grandson. Have one similar when my grand daughter turned one. She had Chocolate cake and it did look a bit messier.
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Hehe, never saw a doodle bug! Very cool prototype and the Bachmann is so nice.

Yea did the snow last night but Springfield DOT plowed our driveway in again, so I gotta get out there and clean it up so my wife can go to work. Just cant stop reading these websites about trains and wathing youtubes.

Never met Eric but I wish you well and hope you can get back to your trains soon!!

Good Morning to you guys again!!
 
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santafewillie said:
Beady - Saw your pictures of the open house over on the other thread. Nice looking layout. I really need to turn my monitor back to the upright position now.
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I'm really sorry about that. They were right side up when I uploaded them, but on their sides in the post. Then, there was one video that wouldn't upload at all.

My favorite is the car wreck vignette. It's right by the front door of the clubhouse. I'd encourage you to follow the link to their Web site for some exterior shots.


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Greg - My Bachmann Doodle Bug was also undecorated. Slapped some decals on it and put it on the layout. As I mentioned, it does run well but is a bit noisy.

IMAG0205.jpg

I would like to have it a bit quieter, but at the $129 that Garry mentioned that NWSL wants for the power truck, I think I'll pass. Sometimes I'll put a coach behind it, but one coach is about all it can handle up the grade. It isn't a bad looking unit.
 
Greg@mnrr said:
Sun is out and soon down to the basement and the train room.

Sure miss Radio Shack for simple electronics and supplies!!!

Greg
Click to expand...
Hi Greg, yea been into electronics all my life (was my profession) and now getting into trains (again) I can really understand how important Radio Shack was to all of us. I live in the city and lucky 1 is still open to us but its a bit far away when you just need a switch or something. Got some of my test equipment from those guys.
 
I used to go a "old" hobby shop that had a small turnover of model railroading items. It was common to find products that were in stock at least 10 years and still have the original price from 10 years ago or longer.

Blue Box rolling stock was easy to find there and I found cars for as little as $3.50!!!

I think the secret of this hobby shop got out on the street and the stock of old items got smaller and smaller.

Chet: I think I paid $79.00 for my Bachman model. Yours looks great with the Logan Valley decals. I usually pull a box car or mail express car behind my doodle bug since regular rail service does not exist on the Milwaukee Northern.
 
Here's an interesting aerial video of the area around the area in the Gallatin Valley around where we live.

[video=youtube;9__k_nv2MQ4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9__k_nv2MQ4&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
Eric - Just saw your post - sorry to hear you're in the hospital again, but we're praying for you and hope you'll recover quickly and get back to your new layout!

Guys (and any ladies, too) I never know whether to ask specific layout questions on this forum or on one of the others, 'cause I know this site has forums on Structures and Buildings, Vehicles, Layouts, etc. So if this is too far afield for the coffee shop, just tell me to shut up and I'll repeat my Q's over on the other forums :)

I have two specific questions about scenery. 1) Many of you have done the Merchants Row structures - they're great for a small town and the era I'm modeling (late 50's to late 60's). I've got MR IV done and want to do at least one more for our town (plus some individual buildings). My question is whether in your experience any of the MR buildings would look right for a small town bank? 2) I need some semis (18 wheelers) from that era and the stuff on MBKlein look too new. Are there other websites that have a wider selection that might have semis from my era? For example, Chet's layout has numerous old-time vehicles - where did you get the semis?

Thanks.
Johnny
 
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