Running Bear's May 2024 Coffee Shop

[Grizzled]

Morning folks

32F and cloudy but I see a little blue sky to the west so there is reason to be optimistic. In the important things in life, I need to run my wife's pee sample in to the doctor's office. That was a trying experience-----

I'm also going to waste some time at Costco.

Every word of this rings true. We are investors in a local print magazine that is also available online and everything is free. Ads pay the bills. We are in the foyer free at grocery stores. Why we print the free thing is beyond me as 80% of our readers are online. But it’s what the major investors feel is right.

I stopped subscribing to anything Kalmbach in 2015 after at least 5 years of agonizing over trying to make that decision. I had every RMC and Model Railroader Magazine from 1960 along with 100’s of other train related magazines when I retired and most went to Goodwill (for scrap I’m sure) in 2014 when I retired. I have used an IPadPro for anything online related since retirement and read train forums instead of magazines.

I know 2 editors at Kalmbach well enough to have their text addresses. When I texted both yesterday only 1 responded when I asked how it’s going. His response, “unexpected, scared, worried and really we don’t know anything”. “I should have connected the dots a few weeks ago when they told us we were going to move office buildings, now I don’t know”.

It’s sad if your livelyhood is tied up in Kalmbach.

I too dropped Trains and MRR a decade back and I discontinued the RMC subscription not long after WRP took that over. In my case, there just wasn't any applicable content left in any of those. About the same time, both Tall Timber Short Lines and Timber Times called it quits so the Gazette and the Mainstreeter are my sole remaining subscriptions.

 

[santafewillie]

OK, you have to be an old codger to remember Duane Eddy, who died Tuesday at age 86. He was the earliest and most successful rock & roll guitar instrumentalist beginning with "Rebel Rouser" in 1958.

 

[McLeod]

Good Morning!
Just a photo today, as I'm on garden project detail with the wife as foreman.

Have a good one!

 

[TLOC]

Good Morning!
Just a photo today, as I'm on garden project detail with the wife as foreman.

View attachment 186896

Have a good one!

Guy, thank you for the picture. Your stuff is so much better than what I can find outline when looking for weathering references. Your folder here at home just keeps growing

To compare

 

[Alcomotive]

Morning shop dwellers!

Currently 65° degrees out and holding steady. Spring is here and may be short lived. Sorry I have not been around much but I have been busy with work and from time to time I just lurked if I had time.

I finally purchased my last Heritage unit for Union Pacific, I almost wasn't going to get it as I could not find a good deal until last night. I got this unit for 195 bucks on ebay sealed new in the box. UP 1979 We are ONE locomotive SD70M. I will post it when it comes in early next week. Shipping was 17 bucks so I did good.

I now have all of the heritage units and special schemes units except the Olympic locomotives which I do not intend to buy as they're brass. If they ever do a Athearn unit I will go for it. I would like to get an Alco 855 but that's also brass. I want to get a GE C36-7 with the 'toaster' behind the cab but none are made yet except brass. May have to find someone do a kitbash for me.

One more loco I am waiting on is the Challenger re-run by Athearn. Already have 844 and 4014 with Tsunami 2 and LEDs. I looked at BLI but I am not ready to trust them yet on functionality just yet.

So fishing is upon me and Turkey hunting as well. I will be going out this weekend for both.

Hope all is well and everyone has a good Spring! Don't forget Mother's Day is coming!

 

[troyphoto]

Well, I got a renewal notice for my MRR subscription. It's set to auto renew....

And when I tried to login and change it last night, there were all sorts of issues.... my password of record wasn't working. I had a different email setup for Trains.com... that password wasn't working. Reversed the passwords... no go.

But, I may give them another year of subscription just to be able to explain what changes the new owners made, and why I'm leaving. Or, they might surprise me and make it so I want to stay.

 

[migalyto]

Good morning all!

Its been interesting reading everyone's take on the Kalmbach sale and their perspective on Model railroader magazine. As I said earlier I let my subscription lapse a few years ago. Didn't seem to get much out of it anymore. There's all the information I would ever need on these forums.

Time to go mow before the supposed rains come, but it doesn't look like much of a chance.

have a safe day all!

 

[migalyto]

Isn't this the truth!

 

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

Started out the day with a walk at 70F and slightly humid which will get much worse before it gets better. I did chores this morning and after lunch did some cleaning and re-arranging in the train room. Not a very exciting day. Not sure what's on the agenda for tomorrow.

Thank you for the photo likes yesterday.

Bill- Great photo.

Smudge- That is someone who has too much free time.

Troy- Interesting paint job on the lady Orcs.

TomO- I'm glad everything worked out for you and Terry even though the other side tried a fast one.

Willie- Nice job on the structure. What's the purpose of the black paper?

Guy- Nice photo- I hope you didn't have to work too hard outside.

James- The last couple of BLI engines I have bought I have removed the Paragon system and put in WOW sound. No issues.

Mike- Your meme says it all about being an employee.

I hope everyone has a good night.

 

[Alcomotive]

Afternoon All,

Started out the day with a walk at 70F and slightly humid which will get much worse before it gets better. I did chores this morning and after lunch did some cleaning and re-arranging in the train room. Not a very exciting day. Not sure what's on the agenda for tomorrow.

Thank you for the photo likes yesterday.

Bill- Great photo.

Smudge- That is someone who has too much free time.

Troy- Interesting paint job on the lady Orcs.

TomO- I'm glad everything worked out for you and Terry even though the other side tried a fast one.

Willie- Nice job on the structure. What's the purpose of the black paper?

Guy- Nice photo- I hope you didn't have to work too hard outside.

James- The last couple of BLI engines I have bought I have removed the Paragon system and put in WOW sound. No issues.

Mike- Your meme says it all about being an employee.

I hope everyone has a good night.

I have considered buying the Silent unit......I may still do that? We will see I have until the end of May to decide as they are running a special on the locomotives , challenger specifically if you are club member it's 349.99 for full sound Paragon 4 or 249.99 for Stealth series no sound but all DCC ready and speakers are installed with LEDs

 

[kbkchooch]

Random thoughts:

Why do bugs always seem to hit only the drivers side windshield when you're driving after dark?

Why is it I qualify for a veteran's auto tag and a handicap auto tag, but not a handicapped veteran auto tag?

Why do people going to the gym, park as close to the entrance as possible, even circling the parking lot for that space, to go walk on a treadmill?

More to come...

My thoughts exactly,

also,

Why do we park in a driveway but drive on a parkway?

 

[kbkchooch]

James- The last couple of BLI engines I have bought I have removed the Paragon system and put in WOW sound. No issues.

Mike- Your meme says it all about being an employee.

I hope everyone has a good night.

I only have 1 BLI engine, a Reading T-1 in AFT livery....DCC/Sound/smoke and it has been flawless !

 

[Smudge617]

I'm so so tempted, but ideally, I'd prefer a DCC-ready version, ah well. I'll keep looking

 

[Bruette]

So fishing is upon me and Turkey hunting as well. I will be going out this weekend for both.

Somebody is going to be eating good!

 

[Bruette]

OK, you have to be an old codger to remember Duane Eddy, who died Tuesday at age 86. He was the earliest and most successful rock & roll guitar instrumentalist beginning with "Rebel Rouser" in 1958.

I didn't remember him, but I did hear about his death on NPR, and they played clips of two of his songs.

 

[Bruette]

Same thing is happening in the US. Most of the automotive press went away over the last 5 years, precipitated by a change in ownership. I still much prefer a print magazine but am painfully cognizant I should get used to reading that stuff on a screen.

I'm with you, not only magazines but books too.

It's all about the money!

 

[chadbag]

Sitting in a CRJ-900 regional jet at DTW for the short 22 minutes of air time flight to Kalamazoo.

Nothing to report.

 

[Smudge617]

I'm so so tempted, but ideally, I'd prefer a DCC-ready version, ah well. I'll keep looking

View attachment 186899

I can't even get this if I wanted to, he doesn't ship internationally, but if anyone sees one for sale, please let me know.

 

[migalyto]

Sitting in a CRJ-900 regional jet at DTW for the short 22 minutes of air time flight to Kalamazoo.

Nothing to report.

Have a safe flight!

 

[migalyto]

I can't even get this if I wanted to, he doesn't ship internationally, but if anyone sees one for sale, please let me know.

I just did a quick search. These look to be pretty rare, or so it seems. There are a couple on eBay, but they want almost $80.00 to ship to the UK. Is that the going rate for shipping on a locomotive?