Running Bear's March 2023 Coffee Shop

[TLOC]

Tom: That; or close to it is the first thing I say when somebody wants something of mine that is NOT up for sale somewhere. I usually start with 'hmmmm, I don't know' and wait and see what shakes out.

Just think of the fun you can have getting a couple of new loco's and doing the process all over again. Material things are just that. Sure they have sentimental value, buy what the hay! You have pix ... right? Let someone else enjoy them as much as you have.

Later

Todd that’s just it. Usually I say we can talk and then a deal. He was over picking up some of his weathered freight cars when he saw the 2 diesels. Told him the story and he made me an offer. Heck, everything is for sale and he’s known me for years. I never place a sentimental value on toys which has got me confused. Sometime this morning I need to find possible replacements or not. I have 3 sections pf the layout up so it’s not like I’m running anything. Yes, I have some pictures. I will have to take more if…

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Cloudy and 61°, not supposed to be as warm today as it has been, just 68°. According to the usually wrong NWS, we're supposed to get severe weather by mid-afternoon, rain, hail, winds but no tornadoes. It might last overnight and clear out after daybreak tomorrow. However the low is only supposed to be 67°.
Woke up extremely late today, for me at least, 7:00. Slept for over nine hours last night.

Today is the weekly grocery trek day. Yesterday we were informed by a power company employee that they are cutting off our electricity for about 3 hours at 9:30 this morning. They've been installing new poles along the road toward the north for about two months now and they finally got to the one in front of our house. They've been doing the work without cutting off power, but since they will have to transfer our transformer and the conduit for our underground line to the new pole, they will cut us off for a while. We'll be gone to the store while all of this is happening. Trivia - The wooden power poles have an average life span of 40-45 years, while the wires average 80-90 years. I know that the poles along the road have been there for 43 years, although they replaced our pole about 20 years ago since it was leaning out over the road at about a 70° angle.
I did get 24 tomato plants, 6 bell pepper plants, a pair of Jalapenos and 4 homegrown broccoli plants set out in the garden yesterday before running out of time. 40 more tomatoes to go possibly today, weather permitting. I decided that the ground was still too wet and cold for green bean and squash seeds this week. Wet wouldn't be an issue but the soil is still in the low-50's. I did some more mowing yesterday, as that season has started in earnest.

Another day of no train shed activity yesterday. If it rains, I'll make it up today and tomorrow.No new pictures this morning.

No time for comments this morning due to the impending blackout and we're pressed for time.

Everybody have a great day.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning.
It’s mostly clear and 63.
In the grand tradition of Murphy’s Law, I managed to walk into a sheet of plywood yesterday, and bent my knee backwards from the impact.
Yes, it hurts.
The “Murphy” part is that I was planning to attend a train show/swap meet Saturday. The first one I would attend since about 2018 or so. I guess I’ll be trying to walk with a cane and see how far I can go…

 

[ctclibby]

Good Morning All; those with backwards knees; and those thinking of selling that have hit a quandary.
26F @ 78% and clear

Made good progress yesterday until about 1500 - Miller Time!

Have been working on the final, final ... ya! right! trackplan. The benchwork around the room is not changing much, just the middle blobs. I found myself trying to get to much into my space which complicated having different levels and getting between them. So, I switched my thought to a way that does waste some of the space in the middle of the room but spreads stuff out more. Minimum isle width is still 36", greater in places. No more than 30" reach in anywhere; some places less. Still trying to accomplish 36 minimum radii on the main line which so far looks doable. Branch routes 30" minimum radii, house/industry what ever is warranted.

Helix is yet another critter. I found that I have room to make it bigger by adding to the side tangents which lowered my inside grade to less that 1.8%. That is for a 20" rise with 5" separation between layers. Helix is gonna also be used for serial storage: Down storage is 2 inside tracks, run-through middle track, Up storage is 2 outside tracks. Can store 18 20ft trains in the thing; 50ft square . . sorta. From sitting here and playing, I think I can actually increase the tangents a few more inches as I would like that inside grade around 1.5%. Will see how the curve fitting goes.

More of the power tool stuff today. Fired up the DeWalt planer yesterday and the sucker got almost all of the chip spray into it. At least it was not raining wood chips! I suspect that I will never get it all sucked and will have to vac/sweep every once in awhile. Drat the luck. Gonna try and cut down a 2x6 on the table saw to 1/4" x 6" planks just to see how straight and flat I can get them before finishing with the planer. Can't find anybody in town with a big band saw .. something with a 4 to 6 inch blade so I guess I will try the table saw and roll my own.

Later

 

[chadbag]

Tires: About 20 years ago, I found Discount Tires. Back then they were always less expensive than just about any one else. Now days, they still are cheaper, but not as much as before. What has kept me with them is that they always give you a quote 'out the door' so I know all the add-ins; if any beforehand. When I was still in Washington, got a flat on my work van near Stanwood, Wa. Nobody in Stanwood would come to me and fix, so I called Discount in Everett. It was a case of 'I had a spare but the damn jack was nowhere to be seen'. Took them about an hour and they brought me a complete tire ( used ) mounted on a Chev rim ( no charge ) put it on and got me going again. Took it back to them the next day and got new tires for the thing. The cheapie in me still checks other tire/wheel guys and if there is a big difference in price, I just take the quote to Discount and they work their magic either beating or matching that price. Most of the time I get the 60K tires, sometimes 10ply depending on the application. As a note, the other day on a whim, I stopped at the store in Hayden, ID asking them to swap front to back as it had been awhile since last done. They had a four bays busy so I figured I would have to wait for awhile. Two guys came out with floor jack and fixed me right in the parking lot.

Yeah, I've been using Discount Tire for a while. I used to buy my tires at Costco but Discount Tire will do free flat repair, free rotations, irrespective of where you got the tires. I had been taking my cars there for rotations and flat repair so thought they deserved my tire buys as well so have been getting tires for all the vehicles for a while there. They seem to have as cheap or cheaper than anywhere else and as good as Costco on their respective sales.

Except the last tires for the wife's 2019 Jetta. First tires to replace the factory supplied tires. For Black Friday I found the Nokian tires on Discount Tire website and ordered them. A couple days later my local store called and said they were discontinued but they could help me find other tires. I said, "no they're not", they are a relatively new model (maybe 6 months) and every other place has them available. He checked and said they couldn't get them and refunded me. So I bought them on SimpleTire.com as I wanted those specific ones. But I will go back to DT for tires in the future. I've not moved on after this exception. There is a DT 2 miles from me so it is convenient and they still do my rotations and flat fixes.

 

[Hutch]

Tires, OK. I just bought a tire from town Fair for my aging Suburban. I don't expect to have it much longer so I told them to give me the cheapest tire the have. $145 and done. Seems like a nice tire to me and should last a year or more if I must.

 

[Texas Hobo]

Looks like another derailment, this one in Minnasota, BNSF

 

[Jaz avalley]

Until about a month ago it was my habit to pop into the coffee shop sit down sup a coffee drool at the cakes and have a nice chinwag.

I recently looked at the what’s new and have started littering like mad on other threads, but have really liked seeing others raise serious modelling questions and showing off skills and helping others learn them, I even looked at a brilliant circus thread that many might not realise is actually a historical record of a way of life now passed that many overlook and without the efforts of a few could be lost.

Plus if one looks there is extra layers of social interaction with no modelling required, e.g. showing off ones pets even snakes.

One of my favourites is our own Willies mini scenes, which usually updates each week.

I have said it before and will say it again, I love this forum.

Plus often in forums there is often a bad egg or a clique that attack people, but the moderators here clearly guard against that AND have clearly not fallen into that deep hole themselves, if there was such a thing as heaven I would say this is close to it. The only downside is when sone of the people you love seeing post go quiet, but life or the end of life is something we cannot overcome. That said if they had a thread of their work then that stays with us. speaking of which Willie YOU amongst others really need your own thread for your layout, so many do not realise how much pleasure their work give to other modellers.

P.S. if people here have threads they have not updated for some time or not started, get your finger out and leave us with memories. there is just so many worthwhile as;e ts to this hobby.

Did you work the railway?
Do you have an old fashioned of its decade layout - not every layout has to be striving to imitate real life
Do you have skills for making the layout, woodwork, anything.
Do you have pictures of your railway interactive….we have all benefited from the Asian connection here.
Hell have a laugh drag out the dragons, the cactus, the Dr Who’s, the giant cats and birds on track, I love it all.
Plus if you no longer have a layout, who gives a xxxx show or talk about what you had.
If any personally has family who were on those big giant steam engines that cross the USA I would love to see it.

My own dad , his first job was working On ponies as a blacksmith help a blacksmith in Welsh mines with the wagons on tracks

 

[troyphoto]

Some of you might remember that story about Fantasy Author Brandon Sanderson that I posted several days/week ago.

Looks like another writer, this one for Esquire, did a review on him as well. This story was actually informative, nuanced, and gave a look behind the scenes of the business empire that guy and his family have built around the Mistborn and Cosmere universes....

And there is no mention of him salting his ramen (insert that author's eyeroll... I mean, how could he actually SALT the RAMEN?????)

Welcome to Brandon Sanderson's Fantasy Empire

The genre's most popular writer is determined to upend how books get made. We visited his mind-blowing headquarters in suburban Utah, where he and dozens of employees are working to restore power to the reader.

www.esquire.com

 

[JeffH]

Until about a month ago it was my habit to pop into the coffee shop sit down sup a coffee drool at the cakes and have a nice chinwag.

I recently looked at the what’s new and have started littering like mad on other threads, but have really liked seeing others raise serious modelling questions and showing off skills and helping others learn them, I even looked at a brilliant circus thread that many might not realise is actually a historical record of a way of life now passed that many overlook and without the efforts of a few could be lost.

Plus if one looks there is extra layers of social interaction with no modelling required, e.g. showing off ones pets even snakes.

One of my favourites is our own Willies mini scenes, which usually updates each week.

I have said it before and will say it again, I love this forum.

Plus often in forums there is often a bad egg or a clique that attack people, but the moderators here clearly guard against that AND have clearly not fallen into that deep hole themselves, if there was such a thing as heaven I would say this is close to it. The only downside is when sone of the people you love seeing post go quiet, but life or the end of life is something we cannot overcome. That said if they had a thread of their work then that stays with us. speaking of which Willie YOU amongst others really need your own thread for your layout, so many do not realise how much pleasure their work give to other modellers.

P.S. if people here have threads they have not updated for some time or not started, get your finger out and leave us with memories. there is just so many worthwhile as;e ts to this hobby.

Did you work the railway?
Do you have an old fashioned of its decade layout - not every layout has to be striving to imitate real life
Do you have skills for making the layout, woodwork, anything.
Do you have pictures of your railway interactive….we have all benefited from the Asian connection here.
Hell have a laugh drag out the dragons, the cactus, the Dr Who’s, the giant cats and birds on track, I love it all.
Plus if you no longer have a layout, who gives a xxxx show or talk about what you had.
If any personally has family who were on those big giant steam engines that cross the USA I would love to see it.

My own dad , his first job was working On ponies as a blacksmith help a blacksmith in Welsh mines with the wagons on tracks

You know, Jazz, you just hit the nail squarely on the head!

I enjoy it here because people treat others with respect. Over on another forum I frequent, there is a LOT more discussion on modeling, wiring, track plans, what have you... but the personalities over there are just hard to take. Way too many people who post in a condescending manner, and the moderators allow it, or simply don't see it.

I was a playground bully. To this day, I lose sleep when I look back at the way I used to be. Making amends has proven to be spiritually lifting, and that positive feeling is now spilling over into my daily life... I have a strong urge to put a bully in his or her place, and I will jab back at people online, even if it's in defense of another person. So, unfortunately, some times people view me as an antagonist, when all I'm really doing is standing up to the bully.

I'm glad that doesn't happen here.

 

[Hutch]

You're like an ex smoker I think you're doing good Jeff.

 

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

Started out with a walk at 61F and getting up to 82F later. After breakfast it was the monthly grocery run to Wally World. After getting home I put chlorine in the pool and fertilizer on the bushes and trees. Now I'm currently watching a really bad Sci-Fi/Horror movie. Tomorrow, I have a bunch of inside chores to do.

Jeff- Good news about the reduced cost.

Karl- Great steamer models.

Terry- Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the show tomorrow. Hopefully your leg will be OK for it.

Joe- Nice 1:1 photo.

Smudge- Great videos.

David- Neat pictures.

Tom- Great weathering.

Hughie- I read there is about 3 derailments a day (maybe here).

I hope everyone has a good night.

 

[JeffH]

Jeff- Good news about the reduced cost.

Thanks, Curt!

I am grateful for sure. Easily saved me $4,000 today. Hopefully, the furnace proves to be durable.

Our friend moves in tomorrow. Talk about down to the wire...

 

[troyphoto]

You know, Jazz, you just hit the nail squarely on the head!

I enjoy it here because people treat others with respect. Over on another forum I frequent, there is a LOT more discussion on modeling, wiring, track plans, what have you... but the personalities over there are just hard to take. Way too many people who post in a condescending manner, and the moderators allow it, or simply don't see it.

I was a playground bully. To this day, I lose sleep when I look back at the way I used to be. Making amends has proven to be spiritually lifting, and that positive feeling is now spilling over into my daily life... I have a strong urge to put a bully in his or her place, and I will jab back at people online, even if it's in defense of another person. So, unfortunately, some times people view me as an antagonist, when all I'm really doing is standing up to the bully.

I'm glad that doesn't happen here.

Speaking as one of the targets of those school yard/gym class bullies, Thank You!

Unfortunately, my own past of that taught me to become passive-aggressive whenever I feel like I'm a victim again. so I've got a lot of clean up of my own to do.

Interesting how our childhoods have repercussions so late in the game.

 

[Boris]

Heard from Sherrel via E-Mail. He's ok, will post later today, Pacific time. Good to hear he's ok.

 

[JeffH]

To be completely transparent, I was more a coward than a bully. I didn't like the way my friends treated others, but was afraid they would turn on me if I didn't play along.

 

[PRR Modeler]

Good news Joe.

 

[ctclibby]

Good Morning All ... again!
57F @43% now.

Forums: Boy, I have been all over the net on different ones. This one is the best. The powers that be let us loose for awhile on somewhat taboo subjects, but then reign us in. Not a dang thing wrong with that though. Most of the other forums have a somewhat similar format for the topics and subjects, but as Jeff and Jaz say, content can be all over the place with *lots* of name calling and such. I have had to bite my tongue rather hard at times to not reply or commenting on some of those more taboo posts on them, here too. Even though that forum from the big magazine publisher does have some interesting posts, the format is completely crap. Hard to navigate, no clue to figure out what you have already looked at easily and the ads are intrusive. They have been sticking with it for what ... 10 years now and they just don't see that it needs fixed. Anyway, back to this one - I am almost as bad as my Wife and her book reading on her Kindle. Y'all have to post MORE just to keep me from doing what I want to do; what a drug.

Also, Willie - you should start your own layout topic as you have a ton of good stuff to show and tell!

Later

 

[chadbag]

Heard from Sherrel via E-Mail. He's ok, will post later today, Pacific time. Good to hear he's ok.

Yeah he emailed me some (Options trading stuff). He sounded OK and said he was feeling better.

 

[chadbag]

I've not posted in a few weeks about the house. Most recent photos are probably 10 days old. We were trying to pour the concrete for the main floor walls last week on Thursday but the weather and weather forecasts were not great so we postponed to today. And then with 4 inches of new snow last night we postponed until tomorrow. We still have a lot of little loose ends to tie and could have gotten them done this morning for this afternoons (originally) scheduled pour but with the snow, everything takes twice as long and we weren't going to get done in time for the rebar inspection and stuff like hangers inserted etc so we're trying again for tomorrow. I and the guy who is helpingme's son were there late last night. He left at 10pm (after it had rained a little) and I was there until midnight (by which time it had snowed 2 inches and ended up being around 4 of wet glompy snow).

Have to fill out some online form for the oral surgeon for my daughter's appointment l ater today then I am heading up. Unfortunately a lot of pressure at the day job as well this week -- it all comes to a head at the same time as murphy would have it.