Running Bear's Coffee Shop LXVI


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Back again guys!

Sherrel, Great to hear your progress! BRAVO!

Curt, The tower looks great!

Garry, the bridge is like WOW!

I finally got to "play" in the basement today. Took the rope lights out of my one display case. The were mini-bulbs that had sections burnt out and the clear casing had gotten quite yellow. I replaced them with LEDs from a 16 meter strip I purchased off of ebay. I cut the strip into 26 inch sections, laid a strip of 3M double sided tape under each shelf, then adhered the LEDs to it. I then wired it all up to an old Tyco transformer, applied voltage and we had light. Each engine got a cleaning with a soft brush before going back in. Attached are pics, I think the lighting is just great. The lights were 15 bucks with free shipping from China!
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Doors closed
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1 door open
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LED strip
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Close up

An old friend is playing in a band at a Moose lodge tonight, so I'm about to leave for that.
BTW, is it Mooses, Or Meeces?:rolleyes:
 
Curt ... the tower looks fantastic !

Sherrel and Ken D&J ...... I too have fond memories of VBS.

My church has a pretty good youth program throughout the year and then the soccer camp gives the regulars an opportunity to invite their friends who might not attend church. We had about 140 kids signed in this year.
I do the video support to the church ministries as part of the creative ministries. No live productions, just prerecorded/edited stuff. I did quite a bit of video work years ago, from weddings and funerals to product demonstrations and special family events. I've steered cameras during live talking head news programs to Christian rock concerts and have done man on the street interviews. Slowing down now as the opportunities to do those things have faded since I moved out to King George. Not sure what I'll do with the suite of video equipment I still have, including the video editor. It's 15 years old now but still runs circles around the typical desk top computer. I'll continue making train videos until YouTube does the same thing that Photobucket did.
 
Curt, Joe, Dave B, Karl, and others. ... thanks for all of the thoughtful comments on my bridges. I appreciate them.

Ken D&J ... it sounds like you are in a big church and advantages include enough resources to do those things.

Karl. .. I like your display case.
 
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Good evening fellers,
I've been feeling like crap for 2 days. So I haven't doodly squat except laze around.
I did online order some of the hardware for my new layout. It was free shipping so why not!? You know, stuff like carriage bolts, wood screw, angle braces, etc.
The lumber I would never order without seeing it and being able cull it out.
I've worked enough as a carpenter to never take lumber you don't cull out yourself.

I'll have to do all my cutting off site. This is an assisted care facility and nursing home and hospice facility so it ain't like I've got my own work shop to go to.
However, if I had all my own tools they might let have access to the place's maintenance facility. It's a HUGE shop with about every tool that's ever been made.
The fellers in the shop all know me so they wouldn't care at all. Well... hell.... everyone in this place knows me! I barely know a tenth of the folks here staff and residents alike that call me out by name like we're old buddies. I'm sure most of that fame is just from being seen with Dad here and there and the gossip that "one of Ron's sons is here".
Some of these people I actually did know but gosh I haven't lived here since 1983. I've had a few beers since then so I've certainly forgotten way more than I remember.

Just checkin' in.
Catch you all later.
E
 
Good morning. It's clear and 70, going to 88 today--a real cooldown. Hopefully the humidity will drop as well.
Eric, if you're handy with a checkbook, if you get the lumber from one of the Big Box building supply stores, they'll cut it for you. If you can figure out how to get there, and select the pieces, they can cut it and deliver it. If they can't, or won't, deliver it, most of them have a pickup truck they'll rent for $20 or so an hour, and one of your friends can drive it to where you are.
 
Good morning. It's clear and 70, going to 88 today--a real cooldown. Hopefully the humidity will drop as well.
Eric, if you're handy with a checkbook, if you get the lumber from one of the Big Box building supply stores, they'll cut it for you. If you can figure out how to get there, and select the pieces, they can cut it and deliver it. If they can't, or won't, deliver it, most of them have a pickup truck they'll rent for $20 or so an hour, and one of your friends can drive it to where you are.

I wouldn't mind them ripping the 4x8' boards. The other stuff I'd just as soon cut myself.
My brother can hook us up with a truck. No problem with that.
 
Good Morning All. 73° and partly cloudy. The cool spell will continue here for a few more days, highs in the low 90's. Yep, that's cool for here in July. I'm expecting both daughters, their husbands and all of the grandkids over today. It's called a social visit, but I really think that they want to scoop up more tomatoes before they're all gone.:rolleyes: My two grandsons will stay over for three days...they really enjoyed their last visit a couple of weeks ago.
Out in the train shed, I almost completed the Blair Line laser-cut kit, "Green Door Lounge". Seems like there are an awful lot of "lounge/bar" kits available for us to build! I already have ten of them scattered about. In anticipation of today's visit from the grandkids, I did a bit of clean-up of various tools left about. I do tend to leave them where I last use them unless its a fully scenicked area. I sure seem to have/use a lot of single-edge razor blades .

Bob - Best of luck with the job search. No need to work until 66 if you are able to retire before then. Remember that Medicare kicks in at 65 and supplements are varied in cost. I retired at 63 and have been enjoying every minute. I won't start SS until next year. I'm surprised that the union doesn't have a group insurance plan that they offer.
Garry - You have to quit posting pictures of your layout, you are making me very jealous!:rolleyes: I wish that I was closer to that stage of scenery completion than I am right now.
Karl - The display case looks quite nice. Do those engines ever get out for some exercise?
Eric - Hope that you get to feeling better. I'm sure that this is just a part of the recovery. Keep thinking positively.

Everybody have a great Sunday.

Willie
 
Willie ... Thanks for the complement. I normally don't wait long to do scenery because I don't like looking at just boards and track. Most of the layout was built one section at a time. I did not start the next section until the previous section was mostly completed including buildings, structures, and scenery. The layout is primarily an along-the-wall design, and I have 130' of wall dedicated to the layout. After about 15 years, I am almost done. Then I can go back to places I want to rework.

Eric ... A suggestion to save money is to obtain scrap lumber where houses are being built. Ask the foreman if you can look in his scrap pile for wood you might be able to use. For example, 2X4's can be ripped into 2X2's, and if long enough can be table legs. Some plywood pieces might be usable, too.
 
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Good morning. 57 degrees to start off the day. Didn't get to check in yesterday as we got an early start on my porch project. The porch is around 25 years old, but made of redwood. We had disassembled the railings and replaced a couple of raining pieces previously and changed the stain color from redwood to the gray color. Yesterday we framed in below the porch to close it in. We had lattice around it earlier, but weed would grow under the porch and the lattice was getting worn. I had picked up some cedar planks and my daughter in law and the wife were staining the cedar while my son and I build the framing under the porch. By the time we finished the framing, the cedar planks were dry and we enclosed the under side of the porch.

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There is an access door to the left of the hose for storing items such as ladders, saw horses, lawn items and such plus giving access to disconnect the hose for the winter months. At the left of the stairs are the solar motion sensor LED lights which are nice to have in the winter when the days are short. To the right of the stairs, there WAS at tree. When I planted it, it was just short of four feet high and the nursery said that it would be a max of about four feet in diameter. Not so. It got to about 16 feet tall, but perhaps ten feet in diameter. It had killed the grass in front of the white stones and was just too big. The next step is to get some flowering shrubs to put in along the front of the house and reseed the area where the grass was killed. Then the dumpster can go. Barely had time to clean up and eat before heading to Livingston to run at the club. I has saw dust in places I forgot I had.

Curt -
The tower really looks good. Nice job.

Garry -
Liked the GN Empire Builder photo and the work on the bridges is looking fantastic. Quite the project. Can't wait to see the finished scene.

Willie -
That owl has had two effects. The robins have not come on to porch to crap all over the hand rails and sat dish, but it has drawn some birds who have been dive bombing that owl since I put it up. It is entertaining, plus they're not crapping all over the place. I have no idea what kind of birds they are, but they can't be too smart. They'll div on it and actually peck at it as they fly by.

Karl -
Those display cases are really well done. A really nice job there. well done.

Eric -
Sorry to hear that you are under the weather, but it is better than being under the grass. Hope you feel better soon.

Here's another track photo. Joe, I have no idea where any of these photos were taken, but I got a kick out of your comment. You could be right.

Long_Tracks-wallpaper-11121238.jpg

The NASCAR race is in New Hampshire this afternoon.

Later.
 
Afternoon All,

Very hot here today with almost 0% chance of rain. I sat down to figure out what I needed for the scratch build and what it would cost. I will order the stuff in a couple of weeks. Not much happening this coming week other than going up to see Jon on Thursday...Note to self, Call Phil and let him know.

Garry- Thank you and another great photo.

Joe- Thank you.

Karl- Thank you. The cabinet looks great. You have a large selection of locos to choose from.

Chet- Thank you. By this time have you remodeled the entire house except the exterior walls?:D

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Long day here. Got the video finished and posted to the church. They aired it at both services this morning. Kids loved it.
Was installing the new front tire on the bike when I noticed the front wheel bearings were making a grinding noise. I checked them when I had the wheel off the bike and I could feel the occasional resistance. I had to go down to the Harley dealer to get new bearings then installed them this afternoon. Changed the primary, transmission and engine oil then took it for a test ride and clean up at the 2bit car wash. Runs fine. Now just have to change the antifreeze tomorrow and it will be ready for travel.
In the mean time, I have enjoyed checking the live rail cam that is installed at Ashland, VA. I just discovered today that I can scrub along the play line and see what has already gone by up to 4 hours ago. Pretty cool.
Back to work tomorrow.
 
Here's another track photo. Joe, I have no idea where any of these photos were taken, but I got a kick out of your comment. You could be right.

Long_Tracks-wallpaper-11121238.jpg

Chet: Interesting contrast from modern technique in the foreground to decrepit with battered heads further out. This one doesn't look familiar, though.

This was taken yesterday, by a friend from the former PRR / PC Harris Tower, in Harrisburg, PA.
Harrisburg July 15 201.jpg
 
Hiya gang!
Not much going on here today, just lawn cutting and a few odds & ends. Back to work tomorrow, hopefully the techs can figure out my Impala. Been there since Wednesday, engine wont crank at times, have to turn the key 3-4 times then it cranks over and starts. No power to the starter at times. They've swapped out the ignition switch and the PCM, triple checked all the wiring and when I left Friday they were awaiting a GM Technical Assistance call. Meanwhile I'm driving a used and abused Chrysler mini van, a loaner from my boss.:p SWMBO has my truck,,,,, I want my truck back!!:(

Willie: Yes, they do get exercise on occasion, and once the new layout is built they will get even more. In fact, one got a brief run yesterday!

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Garry, Willie, Chet & Curt Thanks for the kind words on the cabinet. It's one of 3 that were once in the June 2011 RMC. I've been so pleased with the LED lighting I may replace the fluorescent lighting in the other lighted cabinet with LED's. The strips are all over eBay, with or without a power supply (I use an old Tyco transformer). The strips can be cut every 3rd LED, and more power wires can be easily added!

L8ter gang, SWMBO's a hollerin!:rolleyes:
 
The 'cow catcher' on that loco, Karl, looks more appropriate for producing sliced beef :rolleyes:

Since the Western Maryland ran through some mountainous terrain, most of their engines were equipped with this type of pilot, known as a "rock knocker".
 
Evening fellers,
I'm finishing up another model - Walthers JC landry Feed & Supply store (#933-3662)
Finally, a Walthers kit who's instruction were actually decent!!!!!
Anyway, the final thing to this kit is adding a lighting kit from Viessmann.
I'd never head of them before so I did some looking around starting with the power supply mentioned in the lighting kit's instruction (but not included) .
It's the Viessmann 5215 Power Module.

Has anyone had any experience with them and what do you think of their stuff.
You all know I love adding lighting to my buildings.
I haven't done any of that because I don't have of those materials here with me - yet.
Let me know what "you'ns" think.
E.
 
Working with decals.
That model I mentioned earlier said something about Micro-Sol to apply the decals.
I have some Testors "Decal Set". Are these basically the same thing by different companies?
While doing a little searching around I found a thread in some other forum about Micro-Sol and Micro-Set and "Champ".
What are all these about and do I need them?
Generally speaking, I haven't had a problem put decals on.
E.
 
Good morning gang
72 and clear, high of 88
Typical chance of afternoon thunder.
Eric, I prefer Walthers Solveset when decaling. It seems to be effective, yet not as aggressive as some of the others.
 
Anyone done any of these models or wish to suggest something for me regarding intermodal container kit for cranes and forklifts?

Walthers (#933-3109) forklift kit - 24.98 from MBK
Walthers (#933-3122) translift crane kit - 23.98 from MBK
Walthers (#933-3222) TL-1000 crane kit - 23.98 from MBK.
Ratio HO overhead transferring crane - 26.98 from MBK.

I have a ton of intermodal cars and containers but nothing else to go along with them - including curve radii they can handle consistently which I plan on addressing.
E
 
I prefer Walthers Solveset when decaling. It seems to be effective, yet not as aggressive as some of the others.

What do you mean by "aggressive"?

maybe someone needs to school me on these decal solutions are for.
Back in my older days, I just soaked off the carrier paper and slapped them on - no problem!!
E
 
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