Running Bear's May 2019 Coffee Shop


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Looks like I was not the only person occupied with non-modeling activities yesterday. Posts were kinda lite.
About 6 weeks ago, I commented on having to move my 24' pontoon boat from it's usual dock mooring because flooding had it floating over the dock. What I didn't mention later was that the boat grounded on my boat ramp when the water receded back to it;s winter level.
The power company has started raising the water level up to summer level. I had to wait until the water rose about 4 and a half feet to float the boat off the concrete ramp.
I got a 2 x 4 under the front of the one stuck pontoon and was able to lever it off the ramp. The wind blows against the shore at the ramp and wave action would grind a hole in the aluminum pontoon pretty quickly. Because I need a new battery for the engine, I was in the cold water up to my shoulders trying to tow the boat manually against the wind. After 15 minutes of struggling, my brother stopped by and helped me get the boat moored and secured to the dock. Without his help, I would still be in the water pulling on that boat.
Meanwhile, my wife had started pressure washing the dirt and molds off the trailer siding. so I relieved her for a couple hours. After a late lunch, she washed down the furniture on the 10' x 50' covered porch while I used the leaf blower on the sidewalks and driveway. I spent about 10 minutes putting things away on my N scale layout before we left for home.
I changed out of my wet clothes at home and got a short nap during the evening news. I cooked bacon, eggs and toast for supper as she was too tired to cook. We just cannot work like we did before we turned 70.
Think I will go take some Aleve as my finger hurt while I type.
 
Good morning, everyone. 54 and cloudy/rainy here.

Yes, I'm back. Our university sent me and my wife on a quick trip to Havana, Cuba to work with some of our students there. We were gone for almost a week. Didn't get a chance to do much train watching, but did manage to take a couple of photos. Thought you'd like to see them: 1) A train through the back window of the classic car we were riding in; 2) watching the train go by, pulling cars full of rocks - Don't remember which car this was - maybe some of you antique auto buffs can recognize it from it's dashboard; 3) Me and Dena in front of a locomotive on display; 4) same locomotive, appears to be a 2-6-2.

CubanTrain.jpgCubanTrainDeliveringRocks.jpgLocomotiveOnDisplay2.jpgLocomotiveOnDisplay3.jpg

Will post more photos tomorrow.

Have a good day everyone.
 
PNKFLOYD said:
I spent about 10 minutes putting things away on my N scale layout before we left for home.
I changed out of my wet clothes at home and got a short nap during the evening news. I cooked bacon, eggs and toast for supper as she was too tired to cook. We just cannot work like we did before we turned 70.
Think I will go take some Aleve as my finger hurt while I type.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a young'un would have a tough time keeping up with you all the same. Dave
 
Good afternoon. A late post as I had physical therapy this morning. I had been wondering if the arm was up to driving a stick shift so I got out my 1963 Studebaker Grand Trismo Hawk this morning and was happy to find out that I had no problem. Cruised around for a while before PT and then met friends for lunch after.

Justin - Just keep those photos coming.

Dave - That caboose is just about ready to roll (if it had wheels)

Willie - Nice job on the warehouse. little extra bracing never hurts. Nice photos.

Stopped by the post office on the way home and found my 55 Chevy pickups in the mail. They are almost identical to '57's, so they are now at the local Chevy dealer.

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So long as they keep making vehicles for my time period, I am sucker enough to get them.

Need to put an ice pack on my shoulder. Have an appointment to see the surgeon for a follow up appointment tomorrow.

Later.
 
Good morning everyone. 54 and cloudy. Woke up to 46 degrees - what happened to spring?

During our trip to Havana, we were picked up at the airport in a 59 Chrysler, and at other times rode in a 55 Chevy, a British Ford ("built in Britain but reinvented in Cuba"), and a Russian car (don't remember the model)!! Those antique cars in Cuba you always see or hear about - while they do keep them in decent condition, most of them have been converted to burn diesel since gas is so expensive there ($1 per liter is expensive for them).

We visited the Ernest Hemingway estate, which they have preserved just as it was when he lived there. I'll post photos of that another day. Here are a couple of more photos from our trip: my wife and me on a horse-drawn carriage riding through Old Havana; me in front of one of the classic cars; a bunch of antique autos waiting for rich tourists to rent them - at $60 per hour!!!!

OnHorseDrawnCarriageOldHavana.jpgWithClassicCarInCuba.jpgClassicCarsForHireHavanaCuba.jpg

Nothing to report from the train room. Got to get back down there and get to work!!

Have a good day everyone.
 
Good morning y'all, Happy Friday! 61° and cloudy.

Willie: I never tried anything from Pike Stuff, clearly, I'm missing some interesting stuff. Like your internal bracing.

Dave: Your caboose looks real good. Once the trucks and underside are complete, you will have a fantastic model.

Module test fit may 2019.jpg

This is the test fitting for the module I referred to. The table top will be ½" plywood with 2" foam laminated to the plywood, to match the module to the right. The module to the left, is intentionally older to allow for a change in elevation. Not sure how that will work out, yet. ;) The module is not as deep, to allow for access to the electrical service.

Boris
 
Good Morning All. It's a rather cool 48° and cloudy with a brisk north wind. A bit unusual as our normal low temperature is 62°. Flo, I need some good warm sausage, biscuits and gravy to start the day today. Had a marathon journey to the big city of Denton yesterday for the grocery/beer trek. Stops besides Kroger included the wine store, Home Depot, Vitamin Shop, Post Office, water company, gas station, and a second grocery store on the way home to get something that my wife wanted that wasn't on the grocery list. Oh! And a stop for Chinese take-out as well. She is still somewhat immobile and stayed home resting her knee.

Thanks for the likes and comments yesterday on the construction photos, Jerome, Dave, Sherrel, Phil, Chet, Tom, and anyone else that I may have missed.
Resumed my structure build yesterday afternoon. Got the roof on and the ground level doors in one end. Still need to get the rail dock doors and the back exit installed, along with roof and other details that I find. Here are some updated shots with the new paint scheme.
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Johnny - Seems like you had an adventurous week. I thought that you went to work with students? :cool: My sister and BIL went there about a year ago, and commented that every car there was a classic.
Chet - Ah! Yes! The Studebaker Hawk. I really liked that model, a "rich" neighbor had one when I was growing up in Dallas when they were brand new. The recessed rear window and the grill on the trunk lid really set them apart from other cars of the era. He always bragged that his had an Avanti engine in it, another car ahead of it's time.

Really slow day yesterday on the entire forum.
Everybody have a great day today, and a fabulous upcoming Mother's Day.
 
Good morning all, 44 and sunny. We have a nice flowering tree in front of our living room window and it is full of blooms as well as birds!

Chet-- hope the shoulder feels better

Johnny-- nice report on your Cuba trip

Willie-- I like your new industries. Are you going to keep that close tolerance between the tracks and buildings?

Terry , pass the bacon

Boris-- like the way you are fitting in the modules. I plan on starting another module for my future layout, as soon as I finish a couple more box car kits

THANKS for the positive comments on my caboose project,

Here is the finished product; I researched the decal placement and find that the "monad" did not get on all the cabooses until about 1951, so I went with the earlier scheme as I am more of the 1900-1930 era:

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more later, Dave
 
Boris said:
Willie: I never tried anything from Pike Stuff, clearly, I'm missing some interesting stuff.
Click to expand...
Joe - They don't exactly have modular components available. I just bought several of their larger kits like "Milton A Corporation" which has lots of parts, and use them like DPM modular walls and make warehouses/distribution centers as needed. There are some guidelines on the backs of the walls to cut out for doors/windows/heights, but you're not limited to them. I use a new single-edge razor blade carefully, along with a straightedge and make openings or size modifications where they work for me. You can see in the third picture in post # 146 where I cut a gable wall (and several others like it) to fit in the area I have available. Had to cut all of the roof panels shorter as well. Leftover cut off parts can be cut up for smaller things like guard shacks and storage sheds.

logandsawman said:
Willie-- I like your new industries. Are you going to keep that close tolerance between the tracks and buildings?
Click to expand...
Dave - No, not exactly. I intend to widen that "alley" by about three scale feet, with all of the space going between the tracks. The close clearance to the walls is normal in the industrial parks around here. Still a work in progress.
 
I forgot one thing after I posted yesterday, the aching muscle pills! I checked the weather and found the rain was coming thru Birmingham earlier than previously predicted.(Surprise!)
I had promised my wife to cut the grass this week, so I got the lawn tractor out and bounced over yard for about an hour. I finished about a half hour before the rains descended.
Horrors! I spent some time this morning looking for an empty beer can to cut up for O scale metal roofing for an old barn I built earlier. Beer is not on my diabetic diet, since the alcohol converts to sugar in my body. So far, I can keep my sugar levels below 130 with diet and medication or my doctor will put me on insulin. Good thing my brother has a supply of empty beer cans I can have.
Y'all have a great day.
 
Morning all,

Spent yesterday babysitting the youngest of the 2- 6 year old granddaughters. Did get a little train time and started sorting out how the inner loop will lay out and the switch yard where most of the trains will be stored for use. I'm out the remainder of the weekend and train time looks slim. Have 2 graduations to attend out of town.

I'l post some pics next week.
 
Morning, Folks! I'm about coffeed out already, but will have an order of sausage, biscuits, and gravy - please, Flo!

Nothing new around here, I have been enjoying all the progress reports of all you guys.
We have really had lots of "gloomy" weather - clouds for now 5-6 days - looks as if I see a few patches of blue up there - -very few. Storm totals for thepasr few days range from a low of point 03 to point 32! How do you measure point 03?
Now that you all have finished laughing at the compairisons of rainfall - we will continue .... temps have been really on the cool side all month. Today will be another high of 65 and with the marine layer in effect - it will seem cold with the wind. (to me anyway)
Lost another cousin over the past weekend. He was 82 and had been on dialysis for 9 years! I wanted to attend his funeral, but was not notified in time as it was south of Shreveport, LA a ways. Someone dropped the ball and I only found out barely 24 hours prior.
That's about it from here - It's going to be a long weekend that the Spousal Unit has planned with the G-Kids over on the coast ... Oh, BTW, The carpet installed was the wrong one - has to be redone - joy-joy!
 
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