Running Bear's Coffee Shop LXXII


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truckdad said:
Olie Don't let what happened to me, happen to you. I found this forum in Nov, and stumbled into the coffee shop shortly thereafter having all intentions of getting a train room built in my shop, doing my benchwork and start layin track. Christmas came along and the "spousal unit" of 45 yrs, who I shall refer to as my "tender" since I always seem to be in her sight, seemed to have one project after another in an attempt to keep me away from trains. So, I started watching the coffee shop fellows videos of their railroads. I have ridden all over the US and Austraulia at the expense of others. I have become a digital or "virtual" HOBO!! Sooner rather than later I will get the train room started, and use all I have learned from this fine group of gentlemen. Welcome.

Dave in PV aka Pops.
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Dave,

Thank you for the heads up. Maybe I'm lucky but my better half has shown some interest in the train area. Even if she wasnt interested, she let me do pretty much whatever I want, within reason of course.
 
Chet, how did the tracks get those divets? From an SD70 doing a smokey burnout with the brakes on?
 
Good early morning. It's about 0510.
Current temp is around 59. Expected to hit around 73 today.
I can't find my wallet with my ID.
Good thing the beer store people know me!
 
Lost my sister yesterday, she was 80 and for all practical purposes died from Alzheimers! Her and I had a special bond, she will be sorely missed!
 
D&J RailRoad said:
Sorry for your loss Mark.
Is that your first loss of a sibling?
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Thank you Ken for the kind words!

Yes, there where three of us: my sister who was 12 years older than I and a brother who is six years older. Lost my Dad in 1974 and Mom is 2000.
 
Good morning everyone. 66 and cloudy here in SW MO and that's the high for the day. We're going down the ski jump to 29 tonight. Forecasting lotsa rain, about 7 inches between today and Saturday, so some possible flooding. We finally get back to sunshine on Sunday, appropriately enough. Right now, time for some coffee and a chocolate croissant!!

Dave in PV - Welcome back. Prayers for a non-virtual future. One day . . .
Olie - Good to hear from you again. MBH is also very kind about my time in the train room. She doesn't approve of the latest expansion (which I have yet to post photos of), though, probably because she wonders if it's the last one - - - hmmmmmm.
Mark D - Sincere condolences on your sister's passing. I don't have any siblings, but I do have some close cousins and I've lost one of them already. Definitely hurts.

In the train room, I did some finishing touches on the revamped fire house - will post a photo this week. Today I'll pick up the plywood for the layout expansion and hopefully screw it down tonight.

Have a good day everyone.
 
Good Morning All. 69° and sprinkling very lightly. A very brief thunderstorm moved through about 0400, but it doesn't appear to have left much rain, I haven't ventured out far enough to check the gauge. Still hearing thunder off to the southwest so it ain't over yet. Radar indicates that it is a light rain and is about a half mile away. Walked around in the garden yesterday and observed that everything was responding favorably to Saturday's rain. New seedlings and transplants alike are all standing at attention despite the 25 mph+ winds from the southeast that we are enduring (three days now). Planting wise, there's a 30 day break right now until the soil warms up enough for spring crops like beans, tomatoes, squash and peppers. By then I should be eating the first radishes and salad greens.
Out in the train shed, I spent almost all of my time running two 50' buss wires and wiring all of the new yard feeders into them. One buss is for the main line only, all of the yard tracks are powered by off/on switches from the other. Still to come is to extend the common rail wiring from its current end point, although the rails are adequately handling it right now. I cannot continue on the bridge construction until I take some sheathing up to my neighbor's shop and rip some 2" guardrails on his table saw. My handheld circular saw just doesn't do a neat enough job.

Johnny - Your math is spot on. Now you need to learn pacing! For example with my grandsons, I limit them to 25 football passes each before I open another beer. They also learned the art of self-entertainment early on which made it easier to deal with. Granddaughter is currently three and shows off her singing, dancing and art skills which I just have to watch. She also likes to hear grandpa's voice reading stuff to her.
Sherrel - At least you got to ride a train. Whoa! Watch those stop signs. You deserved an earful for that.
Justin - Well that was a good surprise. Glad that it worked out that way.
Olie - Welcome to the Coffee Shop. Looking forward to hearing more from you.
Chet -
Sending you some cooler air Willie.
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Thanks but no thanks. A look at the immediate forecast shows that while temperatures will drop for two days, they won't go below freezing, back to the 60's by Friday.
Dave - These forums can get addictive. That's why I weaned myself off all but two, this one and MRH. Took too much time away from the train shed!

Olie, Johnny, et al - My wife reluctantly tolerates my model train addiction, although sinking $15K into building a train shed sent her eyes rolling. Good thing that she hasn't seen the database with all of the rolling stock expenditures.
Everybody have a great day.

Willie
 
Good morning all.
NP2626 - thoughts are with you and your family.

I really do appreciate the warm and inviting welcome I have received from everyone. I am starting to wonder if joining the forums was the right thing to do. With all the knowledge and experience on here and the fact you let newbies just roll right up on in, I'm thinking that might be a recipe for .....GREATNESS! I have so many ideas it's scary. I guess my biggest reservation is I am active duty military so we will eventually be moving again. Oh well....cross that bridge when I get there. Or just scratch build myself....LOL
 
Mark .... Condolences to you regarding loss of your sister. .....

Olie, Dave (PV CA) , Johnny, Willie, and others. .... Regarding wives and our hobby. .... My Main Squeeze actually is glad I have a hobby. There are times, however, when she thinks her stuff is more important than my stuff, but we usually work things out.

Today, we are getting ready for our trip. We leave tomorrow for Arizona. Remarkably, it has been cooler there than here. Yesterday, we were on the deck the 70 degrees and sunshine. Meanwhile it was in the 60's there in AZ. It will change here tarting late today. It will rain here the next few days and it will be cooler. .... I won't have computer time for the next week, but might check in via the iPhone if I can.

Cheers.
 
Good morning. Need a cup of HOT coffee this morning Flo. Starting off at -17 degrees. Got all the way up to +3 yesterday. I think Mark sent it to us.

Mark - Very sorry to hear about your sister. Condolences.

Olie - Nice to see you back in here. I missed model railroading when I was in the Navy. No room for a layout on a destroyer, but traveling and visiting over 70 countries, I did get to ride on the real things. Loved it.

Sherrel - Sound like you have a nice trip. No [passenger trains at all around here to ride.

Justin - Happy to hear that you got some of your incoming mail. Hope mine gets there soon.

Migalyto - We really haven caught a break in the weather this winter. It really isn't abnormal. We really haven't had a hard winter in quite a few years. I can remember having temps below -60 back in the 80's. Entire herds of cattle were lost when they went into lower places for shelter and then got drifted over with drifts as deep as 30 feet. I have photos of the 14 foot snow drift we had in out front yard one year. Thankfully back then I had a great snow blower mounted on the front of out tractor. Took a bit of work, but we got everything cleared out. The problem is that this was many year ago. Getting too old for this crap. Just hope that it might run off some of the newbies who have moved here in recent years.

Garry - You guys have a safe trip. My wife really doesn't care that I have my trains. Guess she thinks it's better than hanging around in bars.

Here's a rail picture for today. No divots in the track today.

Railroad.jpg

Later
 
BRRRR! - 25 degrees this morning, but no snow, and the clouds seem to have passed.

Negative Guys - We did not get the train ride yesterday! The Doctors office called just before the train was to leave - another 10 minutes and we would have boarded. Actually we did talk about just riding to LAUS- having brunch, and returning- but changed our minds.

WILLIE - Yes, I was luckly on the STOP SIGN. Fortunately, it was a four-way stop - and other than one car following me - there were no other autos around. I had not been that was in a couple weeks and had no idea that they had installed stop signs at that intersection. Surprised thatthere was not one of the local motorcycle traffic cops sitting there - that's what they usually do!

Mark - Very sorry and sad to hear of your sister passing. I only have cousins left and a few of them have gone on ... I did lose a daughter a little over a year ago - that was tough.

DAVE (I believe) - You nailed it! I seem to be an "internet hobo" - working on that problem, albeit slowly.

More car to the shop again today - alignment this morning.
Better throw another log on the fire!
 
Sherrel I don't think there is any shame in being a virtual or internet hobo. In my case it is a good thing as my planning skills are limited and ridin the rails has given me ideas on the layout. Finding time has been the real issue, I am on 4 acres with 30+ fruit trees and more landscaping than I want to deal with, a motorcycle, guitar, not to mention "her" projects. Doesn't one of the model railroaders 10 Commandments state; Thou shalt not have more than one hobby?
Dave PV
 
Dave PV - I have to put my 2 cents in when it comes to having more than one hobby. Yes trains are close to the top of the list, but I have many more hobbies. That's why it has taken me over 30 years to get where I am on my layout.

I love restoring classic cars. More so during the summer months. I enjoy flying and the wife and I really enjoy taking road trips. We haven't taken any in the past couple of years renovating our house, but we are hoping to take a few next year. During the road trips we always are on the look out for scenic railroads to take a ride on. The wife has been talking about possible going to the Durango and Silverton again.
 
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