Running Bear's May 2019 Coffee Shop


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Loram Rail Grinder, I was not aware such a thing a thing existed. Does grinding the rail help with traction? It certainly gives the trains that come in behind it an interesting sound. It would look pretty neat on a model railroad. You could use orange and yellow LEDs to simulate the sparks under the grinder units and smoke units for the smoke. The grinders themselves would just be regular rail cleaners.

 
logandsawman said:
Good morning all, I think it is the summer activities taking over. At least with me after a brutal winter I find myself wanting to enjoy the fresh new green!

Greg-- interesting photo of the passenger car "bridge". We used flat cars up in Northern Minnesota for logging access across several streams, would cross them with a semi loaded with pulpwood.

Willie-- just about every day we are posting at the same time, I have noticed. Those pre drilled holes on the caboose were mainly a guide location, I found out. Some of them were complete but for the most part they needed reaming to get the grabs in. It was tricky to not damage something else while holding the caboose to get everything together.



I got some more done on the caboose last night, was able to affix most of the handrails. They included a jig to bend them with and it worked well until about the last 3 when I managed to break it in half. Still able to make everything I needed:

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Next I will be painting them and adding the trucks and decals, then it goes on the display


more later, Dave
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I have built several of the Laser Kit versions of this Northern Pacific Caboose and also a couple of Gloor Craft cabooses and I have to say I love these kits. Be aware, everyone other than LASM, that there are two different Northern Pacific kits produced by AMB Laser Kit. The one that LASM has built, Kit 871, which was termed a 1200 series caboose and Kit 885, which is termed a 1700 series caboose. The difference between the two is that on the 1700 series caboose the Cupola is a part of and is as wide as the sides of the main body.
 
Morning all,

Chicken biscuit and coffee this morning, thanks Flo!

More storms and rain overnight, flood warnings and watches up. Much of my normal route to work is currently closed due to high water, but I have alternatives which make the trip longer, but I got here on time.

I got some train time last night, working on my bridge area.

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I ended up taking the bridge off the 1X4 I glued it to and reattached it so the track lines up better. I also cut some foam plugs to fill some spaces left due to the old configuration my layout was going to have several years ago. Now to get the wiring for that bridge completed.
 
Good morning, 58° and cloudy...again...

Listened to Game 7 of the Dallas - St. Louis series on internet radio last night, St Louis won 2-1 at 5:50 of the second overtime period. St. Louis native Pat Maroon scored both goals for the home team. Great series.

I also began painting a new module for my layout. My first order of Micro Engineering #5 code 70switches arrived yesterday, so I will be busy building the railroad this summer. :)

have a great day.

Boris
 
Good Morning All. 63° and cloudy. How about blueberry pancakes and bacon this morning Flo. Light but loud thundershower passed through between 0400 and 0500 CDT and left .035" in the rain gauge. A second wave is still about 75 miles west and moving slowly in this direction. While the high today is going to reach 77°, the next three days will be much cooler with the high maybe reaching 68°. A high pressure system is moving in rapidly this afternoon just before sundown. It's probably raining in Patrick's neighborhood and will soon hit Johnny. I did manage to finish mowing the SFW estate yesterday morning, including the drainage swale and areas around the retention pond. I've been observing various small flocks of ducks out there most mornings lately. Yesterday, I began the process of opening up our above-ground pool. Cleaned out and hooked up all of the external filter plumbing and started the separate process of pumping the accumulated water off the top of the cover. Pool water under that black cover is already 70°, but needs to be a lot closer to 80° to be usable.

Thanks for the comments and likes regarding yesterday's motive power pictures; Joe, Chet, Garry, Jerome, Jim, Patrick, Greg, Phil, Curt, Tom, Justin, and anyone else whom I may have missed.

I did get to do some scenery work in the train shed yesterday afternoon. Painted a bit more plywood with earth brown and added some ground cover in a couple of locations. You know what? It takes a lot of ground foam and ballast to cover 20± sq. ft. And that's just the loop on the end of the peninsula!:(
I did note an upcoming dilemma with the building layout as originally planned.

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As you can see, the only vehicular access to this business is going to require installing two grade crossings, not good and not really prototypical in business parks that I have observed. So I rotated the structure and placed it on the other side of the spurs.
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A little re-configuring (shortening) of the RH spur will allow access to the structure that I will be putting in on the left, and the relocation will resolve the dreaded grade crossing issue. Although I don't know what type of business/warehouse is going in on the left, It will be constructed of PikeStull wall and roof components. It will get a coat of white paint to differentiate it from the large blue warehouse that's already to the right of this part of the scene.I sorted through my supply of parts and modified the end walls to fit into the available space. Got all four of the shortened walls cut. More progress pictures tomorrow.
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Dave -
logandsawman said:
Willie-- just about every day we are posting at the same time, I have noticed.
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Coincidental isn't it? I could post a lot earlier as I get up around 4:00 am every day. Been doing that without an alarm for over 40 years, even after being retired 3 ½ years now. This time of year it's wonderful being able to roam around outside just listening to the sounds of birds awakening, owls wishing everyone good bye and coyotes singing; while waiting for the sun to rise. See comment regarding ducks above. I just don't get inspired to post until I've been up for a few hours.
Chet - Do you recall the manufacturer of the hardware store that was in yesterday's picture. I have eyeballed it since I first saw it in your flyover video years ago.
Curt - I see that you're as familiar with modern diesels as I am with steam locos!;)
Clint -
CCoffran said:
Does grinding the rail help with traction?
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While I am sure that it does to a certain degree, it is mainly to remove corrosion and pits; and to restore the worn rail to it's original profile. Think of it as a prototypical track cleaning car.

Wonder what happened to Chuck? He was the bloke from Ireland who was painting early diesels, and went by the name "Choochoobeepbeep".

Everybody have a really great day.
 
Good morning all, looks like we have rain moving in, but currently is cloudy and mild outside.

Mark: I got the 1200 series because they were built beginning 1907 which fits my era.


Willie: we are at it again. I really like the large printing building.

Patrick-- good to see your model coming together


There sure is some tiny work involved, was putting together the ladders last night, also did some paint on the railing:

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They have the ladder pieces on this hard cardstock and it is a "bend your own" grab kit

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Here I am making the last ladder (bottom). The floor off to the upper left is for another kit.

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It is a fun kit, but doesn't go together overnight! Best to wait for glue to dry between some of these steps.

more later, Dave
 
Good morning. 38 degrees and partly cloudy.

Clint - Interesting video.

Curt - It looks like you'll be doing a lot of filing and sanding on those cars.

Willie - Good thing you took the time to reconfigure the warehouse. I got in a hurry to get tracks down and didn't have all of the structures for one town and ended up having to tear out a lot of hand laid track to finally get things to fir in the small space I had available. That hurt. So far as the hardware store goes, I have no idea who made it. I've had it for over 25 years. It was a cheapie that I found that would fit into the available space.

Dave - You're getting close to finishing that caboose. It is looking really nice.

I did get down to the train room yesterday and got some trains running and did get some crossing signals planted. Waiting for the flashing units now. Four more to plant in another area of the layout. May have to wait for a bit on them as it is a bit of a reach and the right arm isn't quite ready for it.

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Later
 
I knew I had seen a video of EMDX #1201 which showed it in high gloss at a display when new. I'm just in the process of getting around to installing an ESU Lok Select decoder into Genesis' version which is painted in flat coat and the yellow just doesn't look quite deep enough. Wondering if overcoating with clear gloss will not only show it as new, but have the effect also of deepening the shade.

I have the shell stripped down (that was a learning curve) but the window panes are individual and not fitted in the way that earlier Athearn's are, and don't appear removable, certainly not easily. So, what will clear gloss spray do to them? Make them cloudy? Or be OK.

The video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpupP5SJ_H0
 
Afternoon All,

Did a bunch of chores today. I'm waiting on 4 sizes of drill bits that I ordered to continue on the flat cars. Tomorrow, Friday and Mon-Fri next week I will be at the school volunteering for the Scholastic BOGO book fair. Saturday we're celebrating Mother's Day and a friends birthday, so I'll talk to you all Sunday.

Patrick- I'm glad you were able to fix the track issue.

Dave- I look forward to seeing it completed.

Willie- You are on the mark about modern diesels.

Chet- The signals look great on you're layout.

Toot- Interesting video with the CAT equipment.

Justin- Nice pictures. I guess I know where Walther's got the mine design from.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
PRR Modeler said:
Toot- Interesting video with the CAT equipment
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There is another of a walkaround while it was stationary on display, but a bit up and down as the one doing it walked along. This one gave some really good closeups of the tiedowns. Featured tractors were the D9R at the loco end and the D10T by the Caboose.
 
Good Morning All. 62° and foggy, rain has temporarily left the area and is expected to return Friday night. 1.5" yesterday, which brings the May total up to 5.25" in just eight days. Our average for May is 5.15", however I recorded 21" in 1982 and 13.5" in 2015. Note that the greatest month since I started keeping records after moving here was October 1981 with 23.5". OK, enough of the rainfall records, please get me a sausage, egg and potato burrito with a nice cold glass of OJ Francine. Getting out this morning for the weekly provisions run. Besides the usual groceries, beer and gas can refill; I'll be returning to Home Depot for one additional piece of trim for the bath remodel. Yes, that's still part of my life. Still not in a hurry, but I have been secretly doing some of the touch-up painting that my wife doesn't want me to do.

Thanks Dave, Justin, Jerome, Chet, Sherrel, and Phil for the likes and comments.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I did resume adding more ground cover over on the right side of the peninsula. I determined that I will move the existing road over about 2 scale feet before continuing on the left hand side. I cut and assembled all of the walls for the fourth warehouse, which is just assembled from PikeStuff parts that I have stocked up on.
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Those .250" flat strips come with all PikeStuff kits for reinforcing the walls.
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I add Evergreen .125" x .125" strips to reinforce the corners, as experience has taught me.
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Then test-fitting in it's location.
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Looks like a keeper to me. Off it went to the paint booth which I did just before leaving to it dry overnight. There's another similar but larger structure to the right out of the picture which is already blue, and I didn't want the place to look too boring. As I said, I will move the road over a smidgen to allow for just a bit more room between structures. Next, some adjustment of the track geometry and some minor rehab of the scenicked (there's Johnny's word again) areas and I'll be ready to go. I've already got the roof panels cut and partially assembled, and abut half of the overhead door trim ready for installation. I'm looking for appropriate signage as I think that I need a paint distributor for the layout.

Joe - Looking forward to pictures from the layout build as you go.
Dave - I'm still impressed with your progress on the caboose. I like doing really detailed kits. While I have never done a laser-cut piece of rolling stock (they're all out of my era that I can tell), I have done over a dozen Proto 2000 freight car kits from the late 90's (pre-Walther's) and still have several on the shelf.
Chet - I also have a lot of cheapie structure kits from IHC, Model Power (probably actually Revell molds) and others; that are surprisingly good with the molded details. I like the crossing signals.
Curt - Enjoy the Book Fair. It may be boring at times but it is a noble gesture for a good cause.
Justin - That has to be the most ill-maintained mining structure that I have ever seen a picture of.

Everybody have a great day.
 
Good morning, 45 and rain here. Lookin to be a gloomy day, if it wasn't for the bright green everywhere I would think we were in November.

Clint: The rail grinder makes quite a noise. I remember seeing one in action a few years back, seems like there was a cloud of dust around it as well.

Chet: I always like seeing the photos of your layout

Beady: looks like the machine in the background will pick up the track? With all the people watching must be some kind of training or something.

I got the railings on the back of the caboose and the rest of the details. Looks like the decals go on tonight:

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more later, Dave
 
Willie, looks like we are in sync again. As usual, nice progress on the layout.

The proto 2000 kits you mentioned are some intricate models, and look great too. The one problem I can forsee with this AMB caboose is it is a bit delicate, I feel. I did reinforce several places with epoxy but I am sure minor repairs will be taking place over time.

Dave
 
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