Running Bear's Coffee Shop LXXII


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Hiya Gang
Been about 35 pages since I was here last. Yes, I'm still alive and even survived another birthday yesterday. Just been busy with family issues, plus old & new friends demanding my time. It seems I've only been in the basement to do laundry and to clean the catbox until the other day. (more on that later).

Modeling, you guys are impressive!

School shootings baffle me. When I went to school we had gun racks in our pickups, with guns in them. We even had a shooting team! Of course we also had drive your tractor to school day.

Louis Glad to see you are still kickin.

VA Ken Someday I'll have to show you my "rail only" connectors on my 6 ft modules sometime. Good show!

I did have to fix one of my "toys" the other day. I have a small Bell 222B helicopter that I took apart and fixed. While it was apart modelers inspiration took hold of me, so into the Alcohol bath it went, now its stripped, sealed and the 1st of 3 colors are on it. Soon I am going to be flying "Airwolf" around the basement!

Airwolf_side.jpg


MD Ken Don't worry, I wont be buzzing your steel mill! :rolleyes:

I'll catch up more later,, gotta boogie!!
 
Good Day To All...I'm just peck'in away bit by bit...Sometimes I feel like I'm not accomplishing much but after
a few days of little things I actually manage to get some things done...

Willie...'Jacks' is great...Next time I need a set of Tires I know right where I'm go'in shopp'in !!!...Top Quality...Trig
 
Good evening. It's chilly and 42...
My wife called me today to let me know her computer had crashed.
It did.
"Kernel panic" on a Apple product is the equivalent of the Windows BSOD.
I removed the hard drive, and put it in an enclosure to back up to her laptop.
Heading to the computer store to purchase yet another computer... Sigh... This one is from 2012, so I guess I shouldn't complain. That's 56 in Computer Years...
 
Got the whole thing wrapped up now. Loaded the modules into the transport box and applied the water proofing covering along with the net. I have already tested the box in the back of the truck. It will take just a little more umph to get it in there with the modules inside.
A second tarp will go over the one in the picture. The inner layer is stapled to the sides and back of the box. The outer tarp will keep driving rain from getting inside the inner tarp. The net and straps will keep the tarps from blooming with the wind.

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Hi, It's clear here and minus 1 degree. It will be above zero during the day all week long!

Been working on the conversion of a Bachmann 4-6-2 Light Pacific into a Northern Pacific Q-5 Pacific. I am nearing the end of the conversion and I will post a photo when done.

I don't understand how the majority of you can get by with a "Sticky Bun and a Cup of Joe" I need a more substantial breakfast than that. So, Rosy, bring me a couple eggs over easy, hash browns and bacon, some O.J. and Coffee!

Have a good one!
 
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Good morning, 29° and cloudy with a coating of snow on the ground.

Nothing pressing on my agenda, other than scheduling an appointment for a stress test. :( Last week, I preordered a Rapido Reading Budd RDC, through one of my favorite suppliers. Since the Reading never ran RDC2s separately, I needed a RDC 1 to go with it. Well, I found one, for a reasonable cost, and ordered it. I'm outside of my comfort zone here, so I'm eager to see how thing work out.
 
Good morning everyone. 20 and partly cloudy here in SW MO, hitting 45 later. Winter is baaaaaack!!!! Time for another cup of joe and a couple of cinnamon doughnuts to dunk in it!!

I got inspired by all your layout photos and took a few photos last night. Hoping they'll land here okay 'cause the forum's system has been giving me fits about uploading my photos lately!

Here's my Heavy Mikado steamer pulling a short train past the town of Pine Valley:
HeavyMikadoPullingShortTrainPastTown.jpg

Here's a view of the town from the hills to the south:
ViewOfTownFromHills1.jpg

Here's the town of Pine Valley, The road is just black posterboard laying there as placeholder until I can really get to work on a permanent road.
PineValley Jan 2018.jpg

Have a good day everyone.
 
Good Morning Everyone. 29° and clear. Should stay above freezing until Sunday, high near 75° tomorrow - mid 60's til Sunday as well. Even though yesterday's high was only 53°, there was no wind and lots of sun thus making for a beautiful day. New crown install went OK yesterday, took about 40 minutes. Dentist guaranteed that this one won't break, I hope so (he hopes also) since he did this one for free due to the previous one breaking.

Thanks for the comments on "Jack's" junk yard, Garry, Joe, Chet, Sherrel, Curt, Trig, and anyone that I may have missed.
Out in the train shed, I cleared off the workbench which had 17 bottles of paint on it from painting all of those details all week long. I did keep a couple of them out to paint the workbench for "Jacks". I am also returning to that old Magnuson cement mixer that I started on a few weeks ago. It is completely assembled and is just awaiting paint and decals, which I hope are still good after 25 years. Just to kill a little time, I assembled an Accurail double-door boxcar kit that needed to be re-numbered. I purchased that kit at least 20 years ago while they still had "pegs" holding the trucks on. I did convert them as well as the coupler box covers to screws. I paid $7.19 for it when I bought it in the 90's sometime, I saw NIB on E-Bay yesterday for $12.50. What a missed opportunity!

Johnny - Vic's Barber Shop is a fine small kit. I actually have two of them, one that I built and painted myself, and another completed one that my LHS had on it's "consignment" table for $5. I'll try to get some pictures today.
Chet - I am going to use several of the Bar Mills kits, along with similar structures from J & L Innovative, American Model Builders and maybe Blair Line, to make a showcase small older village at eye level immediately inside the train shed door. I have posted some of the structures here over the last couple of years, but have not yet begun to do the village. You might remember the "Miracle Chair Co.", Amos General Store", Four Fingered Tony's Meats" and a recently repaired one called "Bruckner's Woodworking". I have a couple of others on the shelf that I still need to build. I am hoping to work this village into my construction plans before next fall.
Ken (D&J) - Looks like you're ready to go. Nice work on the construction of the traveling case, and the refurbishing of the modules. Now get back to thet bridge!:)
Karl - Still have gun racks in most pickups here in my part of TX. They're (students) no longer allowed to bring them into any school buildings any more. "Drive your tractor to school day" - never had that around here. But when I was in elementary school in the late 50's in New Orleans, there were several students that rode their horses to school every day. Nice helicopter.
Sherrel - You're welcome and a special thanks to you for your comment.
Justin - No need for the white jacket if you just take it slow and easy.

Johnny posted yesterday that he wasn't able to see the additional photos that I posted. I get "attachment xxxxx" when I view that page, so I will post them again today. To recap, these are pictures of the yard at "Jack's" junkyard.
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Painting these details was really enjoyable even though it was time consuming.

Everybody have a great day.

Willie
 
Good morning. 44 degrees and the wind is howling, BUT, the snow is melting down.

Ken D&J - You are ready to rock and roll with those modules. A lot of work, but worth it.

Terry - I hope you evict Murphy before you bring that new computer home.

Mark - Waiting to see the finished Pacific. Your W-3 is outstanding.

Joe - That Rapido RDC is an outstanding car. When they first brought it out I watched the videos on their web site and fell in love with it, until I saw the price. The details are second to none. I was so tempted, but I have minimal passenger service and already have one RDC so I decided to pass on it. Enjoy it and post some photos when you get it.

Johnny - Those are some nice photos. The town is coming along nicely. Now that you've figured out how to post photos, keep them coming.

Phil - Nice to see you in the coffee shop this morning.

Willie - I like the photos you've posted. I assume that they are the ones that didn't work yesterday. Nice work. You've built some really nice structures and I am looking forward to see the completed village.

Here's a rail picture for today.

train-track-backgrounds-37970-38840-hd-wallpapers.jpg

Later
 
Willie - Jack's Junk is really a nice piece of work. Congrats. Don't know if I'd have the patience to paint all the details. One question - what do you use for the cement sidewalk around Jack's?
 
May still need the jacket if I'm at a snail's pace and still getting crappy track work. Don't know how many times I've already had to remove a section just to make corrections. I think I'll leave my layout be for the time being. Looks to be a weekend only build. Spent 2 hours on it last night and didn't get anything accomplished. Just spent an hour to find I now have a pinch point I haven't got a clue as to how I'll correct it. I may have to shorten a section to get it to fit perfectly. I dunno. But I get best results on weekends when I'm not worrying about work and daily stuff I deal with during the week.

Justin
 
Good morning, everybody .....

Chet .... I like your photos of the NCL. The dinner train sounds like fun. I'd like to go on it.

Johnny .... Wow ... Your layout i looking great.

Willie .... Your additional photos of "Jack's" look good.

Joe ... Perhaps just scheduling a stress test is stressful enough.

Ken D&J ... It looks like your modules will be very secure for transport.

Mark D ... I will look forward to seeing the photo of the 4-6-2.

Curt ... Thanks for commenting on my photos.

........

Here are shots of a train headed west behind my 1900-era town. ... I repaired the Mantua 2-6-6-2 so it can work on this line. It resembles CB&Q locomotives built around 1905 which worked on branch lines in southwestern South Dakota for many years.


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Now, it is time to clean up messes in the train room I made while working on my 1900-era project.
 
In the photo below (same one I posted earlier) I have plans to modify the firehouse in the front right of the photo. i paid ten bucks for that structure at a train show last year - a good buy. But I want to cut one of the bay doors out, then mount it as if it's been raised overhead, and then park a fire truck half in/half out of the bay door. Whaddya think? Should look realistic if i can make a good cut and if I can mount it right. Also, on the structure there's an emblem that says "RFD" or "BFD" - I want to grind that down and replace it with PVFD. Although I suppose I could just make a sign and glue it over the emblem. In fact that might come out better. Whaddya think? Any suggestions?

PineValley Jan 2018.jpg
 
Garry - Thanks for your comment on my layout. But, man - the details of your trestle and river are fantastic. All that rockwork - what do you use to do that?
 
Good Morning - It's 43* heading back to 83* for a high today. Very high overcast - still dry conditions!

Wilie - came accross this photo after you made mention of the prior century via Preston George.

katy.jpg
 
Raincoat2 said:
Willie - Jack's Junk is really a nice piece of work. Congrats. Don't know if I'd have the patience to paint all the details. One question - what do you use for the cement sidewalk around Jack's?
Click to expand...

The sidewalk which is also the base, came with the kit. It is a semi-rough cardstock about .060" thick. Bar Mills sells the same material as "Sidewalks in a Snap". I lightly spray painted it first with a "rattle-can" of Krylon gray primer, then dabbled it lightly (almost dry-brushed) with Polly S "Aged Concrete" to get the color (and absence of) that I was hoping for. Cracks and joints are already in the sidewalks. I think that there is about 40" x 3/4" in their packages. Website is not specific. Should be available at any retailer that carries their other products. Note that following Curt's lead, I found that Model Master Aged Concrete is a good substitute for the defunct Polly S brand.
Painting the details was tedious but enjoyable. I easily spent five days painting a few colors a day on the five castings. My eyes have since uncrossed!!! I always use an Optivisor and at times I also used a magnifying apparatus on a stand that many people use to tie fishing lures. One of the paint brushes that I use is one that I have trimmed most of the bristles off, to allow access into very tight spaces. If you have the patience to paint the windows in MR-V, you can paint details like these.
By the way, it was great to see your pictures, finally!:rolleyes: Pine Valley has really turned out nicely. Next is some people to populate the place.

Willie
 
santafewillie said:
The sidewalk which is also the base, came with the kit. It is a semi-rough cardstock about .060" thick. Bar Mills sells the same material as "Sidewalks in a Snap". I lightly spray painted it first with a "rattle-can" of Krylon gray primer, then dabbled it lightly (almost dry-brushed) with Polly S "Aged Concrete" to get the color (and absence of) that I was hoping for. Cracks and joints are already in the sidewalks. I think that there is about 40" x 3/4" in their packages. Website is not specific. Should be available at any retailer that carries their other products. Note that following Curt's lead, I found that Model Master Aged Concrete is a good substitute for the defunct Polly S brand.
Painting the details was tedious but enjoyable. I easily spent five days painting a few colors a day on the five castings. My eyes have since uncrossed!!! I always use an Optivisor and at times I also used a magnifying apparatus on a stand that many people use to tie fishing lures. One of the paint brushes that I use is one that I have trimmed most of the bristles off, to allow access into very tight spaces. If you have the patience to paint the windows in MR-V, you can paint details like these.
By the way, it was great to see your pictures, finally!:rolleyes: Pine Valley has really turned out nicely. Next is some people to populate the place.

Willie
Click to expand...


Willie - Thanks for that helpful information. I may give the Bar Mills stuff a try. I don't have the Polly Scale Aged Concrete, but I may run by the LHS to see if he has any in that stash. Otherwise, I'll try the Model Master paint. Yeah, the town is coming along. A few more stores, a couple of houses, and it will be about done. I've avoided putting any people on the sidewalks yet since the streets and sidewalks are not in final format yet. BTW, still looking for tar paper. There's a house going up about a mile from here, but they're not at the point of doing the roof yet, so no roofing materials have been delivered for me to pilfer - er, I mean - ask kindly if they would give me a few yards of it :rolleyes:
 
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