Running Bear's LXXIII Coffee Shop

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

Back from my school volunteering (as directed by higher authority). Going to the LHS tomorrow to get some more scale wood. I'm watching the grand kids tomorrow also but not Sunday.

Chet- Your yard looks great, and I really like your lighted trailer. That is a nice sized yard that the NS has.

Joe- Belated birthday wishes to your wife. Another great Pennsy photo.

Willie- I thought you are retired...if so, everyday is Saturday.

Garry- Great looking passenger terminal area.

GNG- I don't have the one piece double crossover, but I made the equivalent with 4 T/O's and in DCC I had to make one side a reverse loop. Also keep in mind the RL has to be long enough on both ends of the T/O's so that your full train fits in it or you will also short out the layout. I am by no means a electrical wizard. What I did when I was putting it in was go to the layout construction thread and showed a picture (or drawing) of what I was doing and several members helped me get it right. Hope this helps.

I hope everyone has a good night.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Still trying to get everything "flanged up". Spousal Unit wants to get a couple hundred miles down the boring desert tonight.
Bob had hoped to get the truck back to e before I left - NO JOY! He has narrowed it down to the computer and will ship it off to Florida somewhere for rebuilding. He was hanging his head in shame when I stopped by this morning to have him check the air pressure. I don't want to mention the nightmare on trying to get air into the RV tires. I need some "special" tools for my compressor (which I just bought a few months ago) and have to pull off the wheel covers to get to the valve stems+ need a special fitting to get in there. I have just grown to hate automotive designers and engineers. Have to get a stepstool just to check the oil and then the dipstick is at least FIVE feet long.
My Avatar sums up my feelings at the moment!

 

[santafewillie]

Willie- I thought you are retired...if so, everyday is Saturday.

You are correct, I posted it that way "tongue in cheek" to see who might notice. You win the prize. Funny thing about retirement, there are no holiday's, vacation time or long weekends!

Willie

 

[Boris]

Good evening.

Curt & Willie: My wife thanks y'all for remembering her birthday.

Chet: Code 70 is a PIA, for all the reasons you cited. However, nothing looks as good as code 70 on HO, or Code 55 in N.

The AS 616 was a very powerful locomotive with very rigid GSC cast trucks. The HO version has a rather rigid frame, and while it will negotiate a Shinohara #4, it tends to bind a bit especially on a switching ladder "S" curve. I do love the look of the beast, and use it where in the real world, it would never see use. Some of the AS 616s lasted into the Penn central era, and finished their days on the Hump at Pavonia (Camden, NJ), and the Flat switching yard at Edgemoor, Delaware, where it's stopping power was most desired.

 

[bob]

OK, you can turn that "Open 24 Hours" sign back on and get the coffee hot. I've just told Network Solutions the coordinates to the new place, and they're diligently telling the rest of the interest. Within an hour or so, the usual late night crowd should be back, most robots spidering I presume. When the regulars show up in the morning, things should be just like normal, except faster.

 

[bnsf971]

OK, you can turn that "Open 24 Hours" sign back on and get the coffee hot. I've just told Network Solutions the coordinates to the new place, and they're diligently telling the rest of the interest. Within an hour or so, the usual late night crowd should be back, most robots spidering I presume. When the regulars show up in the morning, things should be just like normal, except faster.

 

[tootnkumin]

Say, Toot - I understand there are some serious wildfires burning in Australia. Any of them near you, or are you in any danger from them?

They've been well away from me, down in New South Wales. On the contrary, we've been getting frequent rain.

 

[IronBeltKen]

Good morning. 35*F, sunny and calm in central MD.

Bob - congrats on the successful migration! As a former database administrator, I know exactly what the process has been like for you this past couple weeks! I had to upgrade the database engine every two years, and migrate to new hardware [and usually a new OpSys] every five years. The prep always took a lot longer than the actual upgrade/migration event itself.

Boris - a belated Happy Birthday to Natasha!

Sherrell - sorry to hear about all the issues with your truck [and now the RV]. Hope everything goes smoothly for the rest of your trip once you get these wrinkles ironed out. Be sure to post photos of some of the interesting places you pass thru!

Curt - hope you get some of your free time back before getting over-volunteered!

Willie - your buildings look great, sorry I haven't had time to comment on them earlier.

Garry & Chet - your layout photos continue to inspire! Maybe someday I may get there myself...[?]

* * *
Well, as of yesterday I received all the electronic hardware I need to install my next set of flashing grade crossbucks - the flasher module itself and the detection circuit & sensors. No more procrastinating, gotta jump in there and Just Do It like Nike says. I'm dreading the thought of having to crouch under the layout to solder all those connections, especially with my tremor. But if I'm successful with this thing, it'll be one of the "dream scenes" on the layout.

Have a good weekend y'all!

 

[Boris]

Well, as of yesterday I received all the electronic hardware I need to install my next set of flashing grade crossbucks - the flasher module itself and the detection circuit & sensors. No more procrastinating, gotta jump in there and Just Do It like Nike says. I'm dreading the thought of having to crouch under the layout to solder all those connections, especially with my tremor. But if I'm successful with this thing, it'll be one of the "dream scenes" on the layout.

Ken: I hear ya, on the part about crouching under the layout and solder connections. One of the reasons, two years later, that my main buss hasn't been run, and I'm still running DC, using the rail itself for a buss and coping with related current drop offs. Here's hoping you will install your electronics successfully, without much discomfort.

 

[bob]

Thanks Ken. Switching over to the new forum software was the real challenge. Last night went so smoothly that I'm still in a bit of disbelief. Dump the database, tar the forum directory, transfer them over via SSH, restore, and now it's time for all the updates. This will take hours, right? What do I need to change? Update the database config? That's it? Are you kidding me? Updates, crosses fingers and... it works? No searching 40 different places for hard wired server locations? Both the forum and the gallery are working with an update to one single file with a change of 3 lines of code? Amazing! I already liked this new software, but that was just another big positive in its favor. I planned to do one forum yesterday. It worked so well I did all four.

 

[bob]

It wasn't all roses though, I spent much of last week on prep, as you guessed. The old server used Plesk, the new one uses Cpanel. Just different enough that it was like starting over. Then had to learn how to set up shared IP and had problems with using the shell command and the old server blocks shell access if you don't have the incoming IP approved and on and on. This is stuff I do intensely when I have to migrate, then rarely ever do again. I think I last did it in 2013, so lots of head scratching and Google work.

 

[Boris]

Good morning. 32° and sunny. I hope it warms up soon.

Latest build, a Stewart 55 Ton B&O, Ex CNJ Hopper with load. I tried to capture the Thaw house burn marks so common on hoppers in the winter.

My resupply of 33" Intermountain wheels arrived yesterday, so I can continue my car building for a while longer. Waiting on some coal loads for the 34' Athearn hoppers, due Monday.

Enjoy the weekend.

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. 56° with cloudy, almost overcast skies here. Weather geeks are predicting a 100% chance of rain beginning around noon. It may start here earlier as I see a very large area or rain approaching about 40 miles west of here. Temperature is expected to remain the same for the next 24 hours. Kind of looking forward to the rain as the trees, garden and yard all need it, despite the fact that it will increase mowing frequency. I need more time in the train shed.
Thanks again for the comments regarding the cafe that I posted Thursday, Johnny and Ken.
For the second day in a row, I did no modeling in the train shed yesterday, as a matter of fact I probably only spent an hour out there running trains all of the time. That should change as any reasonable amount of precipitation today will restrict my outdoor activity for a few days, until things dry up a bit.

Chet - As I posted, that town that I intend the cafe to go in is still probably a year away from finalizing for construction. If I remember, maybe I'll take a picture of the blank plywood with the dozen or so structures scattered about to show my progress, or lack of. Hope that you will be able to head for the club tonight.
Garry - Thanks for the invite to Branson, but previous commitments for my wife will not allow that. I know that it will be a fun time for all. I never exactly noticed it before, but that is one very busy passenger station on your layout.
Greg (WI) - My wife shudders every time that I work on electricity as well. But she's more concerned with setting the house on fire than what happens to me!!! She might have to step over my lifeless body on the way outside.
Bob - Thanks for all of your hard work and efforts. Everything is looking good from here in Texas.

Everybody have a great day and weekend.

Willie

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's clear and 42.

Sherrel, if you make it here, we sell extensions for the valve stems on the inner wheels of your motor home, so you can add and check the air more easily.

 

[gngsquared]

OK, you can turn that "Open 24 Hours" sign back on and get the coffee hot. I've just told Network Solutions the coordinates to the new place, and they're diligently telling the rest of the interest. Within an hour or so, the usual late night crowd should be back, most robots spidering I presume. When the regulars show up in the morning, things should be just like normal, except faster.

Bob: All of your hard work behind the scenes is much appreciated! The fact that we are all here this morning shows the DNS repop went well. Love the new look and feel, and after a brief test drive it was well worth the effort.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Nice comments, thanks for the wishes ... we are outta here. Want to make N.C before next weekend so we will be there when the guys and girls are off work.
BOB -- Congrats on the server move - WOW, you sure left me in the dust. I admire you all who have kept up with the technology changes over the years. Sure wish that I had.
TERRY -- Your Murphy has moved in with me. I've replaced the battery twice in the HP from you! Sometimes it shuts down before it finishes booting up. DRATS! Maybe I just got "bum" batteries?
KEN -- Like the name change!
BORIS -- Happy Belated BD to the missus; sorry I forgot!

Try to catch you on the road later on.
Cheers

 

[bob]

Bob: All of your hard work behind the scenes is much appreciated! The fact that we are all here this morning shows the DNS repop went well. Love the new look and feel, and after a brief test drive it was well worth the effort.

Ah, you noticed. That was one of the prep items. Network solutions has reduced the TTL ("Time to Live") down to 7200 by default it used to be more than that, 24 or even 48 hours. Then, last week, in prep for the move, I went in and reduced it to 3600 seconds (one hour). I did that a few days in advance, basically telling everyone "You need to check this once an hour". So when I did the update it pushed pretty quickly. Now I realize that not everyone will get it that quickly, but most folks got it pretty fast.

 

[GarryCBQ]

Chet, Sherrel, Sam, Greg WI, Curt, I B Ken , Willie, and others I may have missed... .......... Thanks for commenting on my passenger terminal photo.

Joe .... The hopper looks great especially with the burn marks on it. ... I did not know about your wife's birthday, but happy late birthday to her ....

Sherrel ..... Safe travels !

Regarding the double crossover at my Union Station, here is a photo looking the other way... Trains departing Union Station can go to the right and under the arch tunnel or to the left to loop around downtown. There is a large loop around town with track connecting to Union Station and also to the double track main line which ends at the loop. .... The same loop is a reverse loop for the main line and also for Union Station.

Another photo but closer to the station .... The double crossover is next to the GN E units.

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Good Morning everyone....cloudy, but no rain or snow.

Going to install the last GFI in a few minutes, then that project is completed.

Curt: On my layout I made the reversing section too short and a consist of six axle diesels can't use the reversing section. But, the reversing section only needs to be as long as the longest consist or single loco not an entire train, unless the train has lighted passenger cars or a lighted caboose.

Garry: You're interlocking tower looks to be an Atlas like the one I'm working on. I painted the lower section sort of Camo gray and the top a Camo green. Fun little kit with the window shades.

Bob: Nice job on the transition.

Better move on or the Mrs. will fire me.

That's all for now.....

Greg

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[Greg@mnrr]

Update: Installed the last CFI, the Mrs didn't like the finish of the face plate, so I sent her to Home Depot. Again, no rhythm or reason to wires in the junction box. Two circuits and one branch. Had to test the wires hot to determine the load and neutral to connect to the CGI.

I really dislike stuff attached to the refrigerator door, so we purchased a combo white board with cork to install behind a kitchen door. Main "Honey Do" for today was to install the board after the GFI install. First hole hit a stud and the second was okay. Board is up and waiting to be filled. Love clean refrigerators. Ceiling is off level by 1/2 inch, but the board is level.

Just maybe some time working on the interlocking tower.....???

Greg