Running Bear's Coffee Shoppe LX


Carey I sent you an email as well. Glad to see your post on the forum. Sorry to hear that you are, shall we say, disgruntled at the present? Take care and keep us all posted from time to time.

Louis Thanks for the reply .. I'll keep that in mind. I have seen so much complaining about the BLI locos that I thought I would ask. Not being into DCC .. I just know nothing about it. Probably reason enough to not even ask.

NG Thanks for the reply as well. I was beginning to wonder if anyone could see my posts, lol.
 
santafewillie said:
MR113 - Do they have a "Railaholics Anonymous" in Glasgow? 44 books!

Willie
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Haven't heard anything about something like that here, maybe worth investigating...

I'm off next week, hopefully I'll get some tooling done, but....I'll also work my way through this set...

IMG_20160208_195841.jpg
 
Who loves ya baby! WOW, Mike just took me to the 'woodshed' about poo-pooing drop feeders! LOL! Sorry, I just calls em like I sees em!

I must be lucky cause I ain't too smart, putting all this track down with one feed was not my intention from the beginning, it just worked out this way. I kept adding more track and not having problems so "what do I know"! I AM proud as can be cause it WORKS and I'll tell all and sundry to not worry too much about too many drops and that's just the way it is.

Y'all scared the HECK outa me on that subject and I'm gonna be there to quell the madness when 'noobs' show up!

It IS enuff to send a person away from this hobby thinking it is 'impossible'! Thinking you must drop on every piece of track is just not 'fun' inducing or realistic in my not so humble opinion!
 
new guy said:
Who loves ya baby! WOW, Mike just took me to the 'woodshed' about poo-pooing drop feeders! LOL! Sorry, I just calls em like I sees em!

I must be lucky cause I ain't too smart, putting all this track down with one feed was not my intention from the beginning, it just worked out this way. I kept adding more track and not having problems so "what do I know"! I AM proud as can be cause it WORKS and I'll tell all and sundry to not worry too much about too many drops and that's just the way it is.
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Boy, I'll say so too! I'd call that a little "in your face". Just don't let it phase you. For a nooby your doing fine.
 
Carey !


Nice to see you. Hopefully you can stoke your firebox so you enthusiasm will build up steam ! ....... Keep in touch !
 
Below are the BLI E7's ... They look great, and it is worth the time fixing the track problems to see them run. Nice sound, too.

Zephyronbridgewb1_zpsfb233726.jpg
 
BLI is sending a replacement decoder for the T1. I'll forward it to the new owner, and he knows that from that point on, it's his baby.
I also sold my ATSF 4-8-4, and my J1. I'm serious about getting rid of the problem children.
The SW1500 is the first diesel I've really had a problem with. I'm not sure at this point if I should keep my BLI diseasels, or peddle them off, as well.
Anybody have any thoughts about that?
 
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Great to see you Carey!
I know the feeling buddy, have ups and downs here as well, it's a good a good thing that I've got more than one hobby (cars, aircraft etc., etc.) besides railroads, big and small....otherwise I'd lose my marbles!
This forum with all its inhabitants, makes sure that I'm on an all-time high with the railroad business....cheers fellas, tremendously appreciated!
Hopefully we all can chip in to light up that firebox for you again...
Anyhoo....back to my latest Milwaukee Road books and third episode of Kojak...
 
Afternoon All,

Feeling a little better today. Today I put together the valves and detail parts on the 2 platforms, painted 12, 55 galloon drums, and painted the ground for the oil business. It looks like tomorrow I will install the piping between the different components. I still need to buy wood fencing, a fuel truck and do some signage.

Garry- It's a good feeling when you finally get problem track right. I have always loved that picture.

Toot- Great videos.

Milw113- How many cabeese do you have now?

BigE- I look forward to seeing what you do for your roads.

If I think about it I will take a photo of the 2 platforms.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Afternoon, all. 9f ,clear clod and wind.

Was in a few ninutes ago and saw NG's post about feeders, so I wandered over to read the thread. Came back here and NG's post is gone?

Anyway, here's my experience on feeders. I suck at soldering so i used Atlas terminal rail joiners every other section (every 6')
of flex track. Because I suck at soldering. I counted on them for spurs and industrial type sidings. I no longer suck at soldering because I had to add feeders to those sidings, every one of them, over the last 10 years. The Atlas joiners on the main worked fine and then a siding would lose all power. Then another in a different area.
Wasn't really a big deal to add them, I AM "workin' on the railroad". The layout takes up the bulk of the 1280sf basement.

Not taking any sides, just my experiences.

NG, if YOU are happy with YOUR layout/hobby, that's what matters. Don't fret too much what others do. Or say.

Been running trains most of the day. It's been Murphy - free so far.

See ya later!

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Terry in NW Wisconsin
 
Sirfoldalot said:
Seems that no one wants to answer my dumb DCC question? Is it not possible to change the decoder to another that is more reliable?
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Surprised no one answered you yet. I just got home.
Far as I know another DCC compliant decoder would work with any other DCC compliant system.
Some may not fit into some engines as well as others but that's another matter.
E.
 
I forgot to tell you fellers, it pretty much snowed here all day long and into the evening on the way home. I brought some help today and Larry put him to work outside. None of us expected the weather to continue like it was but my friend, CJ (Pfc. Harris) didn't mind at all and stuck with while me and Larry continue painting. I FINALLY got every bit of trim, cabinets' facing, doors and drawer faces all primered in the kitchen and tomorrow I start on 1st finish coats. It's really looking good I have to say.
I don't think it got much over freezing all day.
E.
 
Sirfoldalot said:
E Thanks for the answer. Sure hope that pfc Harris was warm enough?
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No problem Capt. Weems! Harris was just fine all day out there in the sh..., I mean stuff. Plus he didn't mind so much that Larry gave him the keys to his heated John Deere Gator to help haul stuff around. Plus gave him a brand new pair of gloves that I remembered seeing laying around. Larry has adult-ADD and gets scattered. I seem to remember seeing things that he can't find later and I'm able to tell him exactly where things are. He's one of those guys who has 3 of every tool because when he can't find what he's looking for, he just goes and buys another.

It's all good.
E.
 
Sirfoldalot said:
Say Terry: Note to self; never open a utube from Terry! What the he** was that! Us old folks can't take that first thing inna morning.
BTW, For my own ignorant mind on DCC, why can't the board, decoder, or whatever it is called be swapped to a different brand?
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Sherrell. Sorry for missing your question. Trying to keep up with the boards on my "smartphone" is ..well...trying. Between that and all the baby pics, its been hectic. Anyhow decoders can be replaced by other decoders. In the case of the BLI engines, I would be tempted to replace them with LokSound or Tsunami. The cold hard truth is that ANY loco where I can pick up current on one side, insulated from the other side, and the motor is also insulated, then a decoder can be installed. Bear in mind here though, the decoders may not be the entire issue here. Especially with a decoder that expires after and hour or more of constant use. I've seen this on several and the MOTOR is the end result causing the failure. When motors get hot the amp needs can rise above the safe rating for the decoder. Real easy to do if the motor is pulling 0.9 amp on a 1.0 amp decoder, then it drags a heavy consist around overheating the motor and stressing the consist. Of course, intermittent shorts or open circuits are the bane of the electrically intrepid. (a.k.a. a real PITA)
I hope that helps!
 
Cjcrescent said:
Fellas, as Eric has stated, my enthusiasm for the hobby right now is rock bottom. We all go thru this and I hope it won't last long. The last time I lost my enthusiasm for the hobby, was 15 years ago. Guess it's about time.

The reason for any of you to E-mail me first, is for you to give me your phone number, so I can put it in my address book and know who is calling. I don't answer numbers I don't recognize.

Chet, I made the "pilgrimage" to Saluda many times, and have some real good VHS tape on it. When it was in operation, there was nuthin like it in the world. It really was a sight in steam days. 2-8-8-2's & 2-10-2's pushing and pulling trains up the grade. I have a VHS to DVD recorder and probably should convert it before the tape dies.
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Great to see you back here Carey, hope you visit more often!
 
kbkchooch said:
Bear in mind here though, the decoders may not be the entire issue here. Especially with a decoder that expires after and hour or more of constant use. I've seen this on several and the MOTOR is the end result causing the failure. When motors get hot the amp needs can rise above the safe rating for the decoder. Real easy to do if the motor is pulling 0.9 amp on a 1.0 amp decoder, then it drags a heavy consist around overheating the motor and stressing the consist. Of course, intermittent shorts or open circuits are the bane of the electrically intrepid. (a.k.a. a real PITA)
I hope that helps!
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Karl: I never gave that a thought. For some reason, I just assumed that the motor on a contemporary RTR DCC/Sound loco would be appropriate for that loco. I don't believe that I have ever smoked a decoder I have installed on a loco. Nor have I had some of the problems others have had with BLI locos. However, I have had tracking problems with some Athearn 6 axle trucks, in areas where other manufacturers 6 axle power runs without incident.

Garry: The E7s and train really look great. Happy to hear that you resolved your issues by re-doing the track. I have a tendency to over engineer my track. I agree rail height, has to be the same, especially on curves. Tangent track is more forgiving. I also believe that model curves, need minimal superelevation, as well as easements. Curves must be dip free. key with track work, is patience.
 
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