BEER BARN

[mikesmowers]

Jarven    First off I'm thiristy think I'll grab a cold Bud. be right back.....

    There, thats better.  

   The trains do not run any better after a few, but you better be careful, If you forget to throw a switch you will have to get a crain to get the boxcars etc. from the river bottom.    Mike

[colvinbackshop]

Wow! What great collections of billboard reefers....

I only have "my own" beer reefers, but seeing these makes me think it would be fun to collect them!

BTW, I am back in good standing with Photobucket so some time next week I'll try to take and post a picture...Way too busy the rest of this week!

Now to get of RR topic and on to a beer topic.....

In regard to "roadrat's" priming sugar comments, I'd like to shed a little light regarding a few things I hear most about homebrew:

"My bottles keep blowing up", "It's way too bubbly" and "I don't like the taste and all that stuff on the bottom of the bottle".

The major key to those problems (at least judging from my experiences) lies in a step that many brewers don't do...Kraeusening.

I don't remember who, but somebody on this thread mentioned "Old Style" beer. They are clamed, to have their beer fully kraeusened.

Kraeusening is nothing more than an addition step to "finish" or "condition" beer which is done by introducing a small amount of green beer (wort / beer that has just finished primary fermentation) back to a batch that is truly done working. This stimulates the beer to restart fermentation, finishing off any yeast that may be left.

Now, as a "small batch" home brewer I most often don't have more than one batch going at a time, and if I do, it never seems to be the same style of beer...So true kraeusening can't be done, but I can still "finish" my brew by adding a small amount of sugar in the step where I would add the green beer....It does the same thing!

After adding green beer or sugar and once it is again done working it can be bottled or kegged and will have a better taste, won't the sediment problem or the over-carbonation problem.

It is worth mention that invert sugar is much better than the white granulated stuff to use in all the steps of the brewing process and to mix / dissolve the priming sugar in the batch (not just adding sugar to each bottle) before bottling.

And yes! A little goes a long way...Absolutely no ore than 3/4 C. or less (my morn has become 1/2 C.) per 5 gallons of brew.

Pictures of August Meininger Brewing reefers next time...

[SqueakyWheels]

Inch,

Those cars make me thirsty in more ways than one:

1. I would love to have some myself. Yeah and the beer too.

2. I would love to have some myself. Yeah and the cars too.

But, is Schlitz still in around? I used to drink some Schlitz, and Hamms (used to be my Grandpa's favorite)- but there is none around this neck of the country.

My mainstay used to be Bud. They have priced themselves out of my wallet ( I don't want to afford them) so Red Dog is actually my brew of choice.

Those are nice looking cars.

[tigerstripe]

8:30 in the morning, its Miller Time!

First one went down really nice, one more then its my bedtime.

Tomorrow is my Friday so after completing my honey do list, hopefully

I will have some time for trains.  Planning to finish up the benchwork.

In 22 years I have made 2 false starts, a plywood pacific, a pink foam pacific,

several modules and 2 operational layouts that I would consider 85% + complete.

I keep telling myself that those were just for practice and this is " the one".

Like most things it looks good on paper, so we'll see.

Shouldn't take me more than 5 years and a couple hundred six packs. http://www.railimages.com/gallery/dennisparrish/aac

[MisterBeasley]

8:30 in the morning, its Miller Time!

"Beer.  It's not just for breakfast anymore..."

I started looking briefly for information about the reasoning behind the banning of "billboard" advertising on freight cars in the 1930's, a prohibition which I guess extends to this day.  This is why our colorful and exotic "beer reefers" aren't seen anymore.  I found one reference that said it was done by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1937, and another that said it was some kind of anti-trust action taken in 1933.

Does anyone have any real info on this?  To me, it just sounds like Big Government run amok.  Was there some kind of logic associated with this decision?

[SqueakyWheels]

8:30 in the morning, its Miller Time!

"Beer.  It's not just for breakfast anymore..."

I started looking briefly for information about the reasoning behind the banning of "billboard" advertising on freight cars in the 1930's, a prohibition which I guess extends to this day.  This is why our colorful and exotic "beer reefers" aren't seen anymore.  I found one reference that said it was done by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1937, and another that said it was some kind of anti-trust action taken in 1933.

Does anyone have any real info on this?  To me, it just sounds like Big Government run amok.  Was there some kind of logic associated with this decision?

Hey MisterBeasley,

You may have answered this one yourself. The gov't didn't want anything beautiful running on their rails.
It may also have something to do with theft- the best way to chum for theifs is to advertise what might be in the cars.

I am just guessing.

[inch53]

More than ready for a cold one here.

Been working out in my shed taking out work benchs and putting cabinets in. Been all day and still ain't done

Ryan,,, been shipping beer already were to you think the CS gets it.

MR. B,, nice collection of beer cars. Always wanted to try haggis, but have never had a chance. Don't find that fancy stuff round here.

Squeaky,,, Schlitz was a couple years ago, had some at the AL in Springfield IL. I haven't seen any Hamms for a long time. I buy what ever cheap anymore, mostly Milwaulkes Best.

Need to get back outside and at least get the tools and that inside, back latters

inch

[SqueakyWheels]

More than ready for a cold one here.

Been working out in my shed taking out work benchs and putting cabinets in. Been all day and still ain't done

Ryan,,, been shipping beer already were to you think the CS gets it.

MR. B,, nice collection of beer cars. Always wanted to try haggis, but have never had a chance. Don't find that fancy stuff round here.

Squeaky,,, Schlitz was a couple years ago, had some at the AL in Springfield IL. I haven't seen any Hamms for a long time. I buy what ever cheap anymore, mostly Milwaulkes Best.

Need to get back outside and at least get the tools and that inside, back latters

inch

Inch,

 This is here 'ol Squeaky; Hiccupsisps - a few too amny beers, burp- Hamms is not around anymore? Hiccupsis- Maybe that is why my grandpa quit driniking it- he is still around, at a sly 95. Burp- He was a mechanic for Mopac/Union Pacific up in 'ol St. Louis. Going to go and vist with him the first part of next month. I got questions, and he has the answers. The visit with him should be a blats. I am going to introduce him to DCC.

 I was supposed to take his place as a mechanic, but UP screwed everything up. All I ever got to do was work on train brakes. The worst job I ever had. My job as being a tent setter for a circus was better- ha, ha!

Can't trust my dang 'ol trian. One can sit there and watch it go round and round for hours, but as soon as you get up to grab another beer- Hicccuuupppp!!!! what an accident!

Cleaned up the train wreck- time for another beer, and another loop-de-loop exciting run.

Now, where in the heck did all of my passengers go-

[egmurphy]

I started looking briefly for information about the reasoning behind the banning of "billboard" advertising on freight cars in the 1930's, a prohibition which I guess extends to this day.  This is why our colorful and exotic "beer reefers" aren't seen anymore.  I found one reference that said it was done by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1937, and another that said it was some kind of anti-trust action taken in 1933.  Does anyone have any real info on this?  To me, it just sounds like Big Government run amok.  Was there some kind of logic associated with this decision?

Found this on another website.  Sounds pretty much similar to what I have heard before:

"Billboard reefers and box cars became the victim of an ICC ruling in 1934 making all future lettering smaller than 12" and were banned from interchange in 1937. Probably most of the cars in beer company paint schemes were gone when prohibition kicked in about 1920 and not seen again. By the mid 40's most all would have been repainted. Some cars though in a less colorful paint were in service up to the 60's.

The 'Billboard' outlaw ruling was only if the car was carrying another product. If the owner was only going to ship his own product in the car, the 'Billboard' lettering could stay. A good example of this was the HAMX cars that carried Hamm's beer from the brewery in St Paul.

The main reason for the ruling in the first place was when shippers objected to the railroads delivering cars to their plants painted for a competitor's product.

The reefers were not owned by the companies, but rather by refrigerator car companies like URTX, GATX etc. The actual "outlawing" was a rule that shippers could refuse to load a car if it was lettered for a competitor, and the railroad and refrigerator car company had to deliver a different car at their own expense. Rather than face the hassle of trying to keep track of which car could go to whom, the reefer companies simply stopped using the advertising lettering. In the case where a shipper used enough cars that he actually owned the reefer line, the lettering stayed ("Swift" is an example that comes to mind). "

Regards

Ed

[mikesmowers]

Tuesday night.....So exciting sitting here watching the grass turn brown and having a cold Bud..   Wait a minute....Maybe thats not so bad after all.  In reality, I drink Busch, kinda of a cheep Bud, but what the heck  It's all Anheuser Bush any how. Got to go, my can must have a hole in it, it is dry again.   I sure do like the new P2K.      Mike

[inch53]

Evening all, I'll have another double brandy here,

Didn't get done in with the cabinets in the shed today, darned artheritis got the best of me. Finish it tomorrow, other than putting stuff away. Got to get done outside, rains coming in afternoon again.

Squeaky,, when ya gets to ST. Louis, you'll be bout 3 hours west of me. Guessing you'll be coming in onI-44 from Texas. Hope ya has a good trip

TA,,, realy liked the pic link. Now that package store has volume sales.

ED,,, I don't know how you do it. If some one has a ???? , you find an ansewer. thanks

Time fur bed, sure hope I sleep tonight, hate these 3 hour nights and no nappy

inch

[trolleyboy]

Good evening gents, figured that I would wander in andcheck the place out.Hopefully there might be sme good Alexander Keith's in the fridge.

Gub- I was interested in reading that you are building in an attic. I am as well, just wondering what you were / are doing to combat the hot / cold.

Mr B- Nice looking haggis n beer cars,you gotta love those old billboard cars. I suspect that the info that both you and Ed dredged up pretty much tell the story as to why they no longer are painted that way,too bad those old colourfull cars really broke up the string upon string of boxcar red cars.How's the PCC subway comming BTW

 

Rob

[WSOR 3801]

I've been looking for Duff beer reefers in HO.  Any body have a line on where they are available?  I saw one at Trainfest one year...Run with the Sprecher, Weber, Fox Head, Storck, Miller, Schiltz, Pabst, Blatz, and most of the other products that made Milwaukee famous.  Rule G strictly enforced here.  Make the money selling and hauling it, not drinking the stuff.

[MisterBeasley]

How's the PCC subway comming BTW

Thanks for asking.  I'm just finishing up the last of my underground stations.  It's under a liftoff, and I'm also working on the above-ground scenery in that area, so the station had to get done.

I had a dead space with a siding in the subway line, which leads off-layout as a possible future expansion line.  I didn't really know how I was going to scenic it, but then I got to thinking about "Charlie on the MTA," and this was the result.  That's Charlie's wife, by the way.  She's not a "permanent display," as you might tell by the metal base that's still attached to her feet, so I posed her here for the photo opportunity.

 

This is the two-tracked Penny Lane station.  Since the PCC car shares the tracks with the R-17 trains, I build a "lower mezzanine" level to match the platform height with the PCC's doors.

[SilverSpike]

Inch, Oh..... so that's where we are getting the stuff from in the CS!

Ed, thanks for the lesson on reefer billboards, I had no idea. You really do learn something new every day in this forum.

[inch53]

 

Afternoon all, I'll have a cold one here. Bout time for the CFO to get home, but she's leaving this evening for awhile, so, it's fun time laters

Worked outside again today, I be ready for a rain so I can get some rest.

WSOR,,, haven't seen any DUFF cars on Ebay even, hope you find one though

MR. B,,, liked the subway scene, looks nice.

Still got a cople things to do, so catch ya'll laters.

inch

[ngartshore350]

Evening All!

Saw the light on and thought I'd stop in for a brew. Top Idea the "Beer Barn"!

Regards,

Nigel

 

[mikesmowers]

Howdey all I'll have a cold Busch in a can.  How is everyone tonight. Got three BN boxcars in the mail today, look good except that they have horn couplers and truck mounted. O well, I'll have another Busch please, I'm thiristy.  The boxcars will look good sitting on a siding somewhere. The new GP38-2 is still pulling, got her up to 22 cars up the 2.5% mountain grade. I guess I'll shut up for now and let someone elece talk a while. I'll be back, got to go get rid of a beer.     Mike

[GUB]

Good evening gents, figured that I would wander in andcheck the place out.Hopefully there might be sme good Alexander Keith's in the fridge.

Gub- I was interested in reading that you are building in an attic. I am as well, just wondering what you were / are doing to combat the hot / cold.

Mr B- Nice looking haggis n beer cars,you gotta love those old billboard cars. I suspect that the info that both you and Ed dredged up pretty much tell the story as to why they no longer are painted that way,too bad those old colourfull cars really broke up the string upon string of boxcar red cars.How's the PCC subway comming BTW

 

Rob

Evening All;

Well I am another step closer to the Train Room. The office is finished except for the shelving, which I hope to start on this weekend. The Kitchen needs one more door frame trimed out and I can call that room finished.

No beer tonight. It's raining and I hear it is to turn quite cool. A little more seasonal for fall and that means winter is on it's way. Time to switch from beer to Scotch or perhaps a little Red Wine.

Rob;

Thanks for asking. The first thing i have to do is add a 2" x 2" to the rafters throughout. This will allow enough room to add insulation  in the roof. Of course I will have to make sure  that I have proper ventilation which will necesitate the installation of eave vents, which i will do next spring. I already have the back side done. Now I need to do the front and both sides of the house. The roof vents were put in a number of years ago when we put a new roof on. So that takes care of the venting.

Next I will insulate the rafters and kneewalls with batt insulation, and then add a vapour barrier. In all likelyhood I will finish the entire area with drywall and carpet the floor.

As far as heating the area I was thinking of using either a small electric fireplace unit or electric baseboard heaters. I thought of a small gas fireplace, but I don't think I can find one small enough to suit the space. I had also played around with the idea of a wood pellet or corn stove. I think the cost will be prohibitive and in the end I will end up with either the electric fire place or base board heaters.

Air Conditioning will be another challenge. I have essentially two choices. The first is a wall unit which only requires a drain to the outside. I saw this at a  B&B I had stayed at a couple of years ago. It is actually designed for older homes like mine. My other choice is a portable unit that sits on the floor and can be moved around the room. With this one you have a choice. You can get it with a drain or you can empty a pail once a day. This one has a vent as well. It's quite similar to a dryer vent. Both could be routed out through the eaves.

At present I am only in the planning stage. Things could change before I actually get started.

That's it for me tonight. It's been a long day. Think I'll finish my Scotch, read a little and go to bed.

Good Night All. Will check back tomorrow.

GUB

[inch53]

Mornin, seen we was back on page two, thought I'd have an irish coffee here.  Kinda cool n damp today anyway.

Nigel,,, good to see ya round, hopw ya stop back in.

Mike,,, what kind of engine is that GP38-2. Sounds like a good one to pull all that.

Gub,,, sounds like you have a long winters work in the attic, just make sure the wiring can handle the load of electric heaters before you get to far along, if you go that way.
We have a pellet stove here, runs bout half cheaper than propane or electric heat. Then you have to carry pellets up and ashes out

Best get to chores, think I've got grandkids today
inch

[MisterBeasley]

Gub, how do you heat the rest of your house?  We use oil-powered forced hot water, and we have over the years added zones to heat the upstairs rooms and a new addition.  It meant hiring plumbers and some up-front expense, but in the long run it's a lot more fuel-efficient, comfortable and convenient than trying to run electric.  Besides that, it's a lot safer, too.  You might want to look into extending your existing heating system into the new train room.  You can still zone-control it so that you don't run it if you don't need it.  It's a bit more difficult than hot water, but you can even run thin ducting from a hot-air system up through existing walls.

[SilverSpike]

Hey Inch, an Irish coffee sounds good, especially on these cool mornings out here on the porch.

Our propane dealer filled up our tank yesterday, getting ready for to light the fireplace logs soon.

Nothing like sit-in around a nice toasty fire with a hot brandy or a hot toddy, eh!

 

[GUB]

Mornin, seen we was back on page two, thought I'd have an irish coffee here.  Kinda cool n damp today anyway.

Nigel,,, good to see ya round, hopw ya stop back in.

Mike,,, what kind of engine is that GP38-2. Sounds like a good one to pull all that.

Gub,,, sounds like you have a long winters work in the attic, just make sure the wiring can handle the load of electric heaters before you get to far along, if you go that way.
We have a pellet stove here, runs bout half cheaper than propane or electric heat. Then you have to carry pellets up and ashes out

Best get to chores, think I've got grandkids today
inch

Inch;

My thought is to have a electrical sub-panel installed in the attic prior to starting any of the renovations. I had the foresight to run a few lines from the main panel when we had ripped out the plaster in the lower two rooms. So I am fairly confident that a sub-panel will be no problem.

The pellet stove we looked at recently rain on wood or corn but was very expensive as I recall. Not being familier with this type of heating, how do the pellets come? Do I buy them in 50 lb. sacks or what? I could see that carrying sacks of pellets up to the attic may get a little tiring after a while. Assuming that they come in 50 lb. bags how long would one last? Any ideas? I'm going to have to dig out the info again, but I seem to think the model we were looking at was a high efficiency unit and I had thought the salesman said it was virtually ash free. But then again ....Is your's on a thermastate?

Thnaks for the info.

GUB

[GUB]

Gub, how do you heat the rest of your house?  We use oil-powered forced hot water, and we have over the years added zones to heat the upstairs rooms and a new addition.  It meant hiring plumbers and some up-front expense, but in the long run it's a lot more fuel-efficient, comfortable and convenient than trying to run electric.  Besides that, it's a lot safer, too.  You might want to look into extending your existing heating system into the new train room.  You can still zone-control it so that you don't run it if you don't need it.  It's a bit more difficult than hot water, but you can even run thin ducting from a hot-air system up through existing walls.

MisterBeasley;

Our existing system is a High Efficiency Forced Air Natural Gas Furnace with Central Air. I don't think it is sized for the additional space, but it might be worth looking into. Our biggest problem with our system at present is that when we turn the air on on a hot day, the downstairs cools off relatively quickly while the upstairs requires and additional day or two to acheive a comfortable level.

Assuming that if the existing system is sized to accomodate the attic space then I would think I would have to have additional blowers put into the ducts to move the air 2 1/2 storys up. Is that practical? Also I am assuming that I would have to open up the wall to install the ductwork, which can be donesince i have the hallways yet to do. This of course will mean theregisters will be in the floor rather than the kneewalls. Anybody see a problem with this. Of ourse the deciding factor will be the cost. A lot of the work i can do myself ... but then again. Just thinking out loud.

MisterBeasley, you have given me alot to consider. Think I'll need to buy a lottery ticket. But ... then again ...

Thanks for the suggestions.

GUB

[MisterBeasley]

Remember, it will greatly add to the value of your house if you decide to sell it, because the real living space will be enlarged if you add heat and air upstairs.  So, it's an investment more than simply an expense.  If you can install the ductwork yourself, then the cost will be greatly reduced, and you may find that it will only take a few years to pay it back.  If you're looking at a wood or pellet stove, well, that might end up costing more even in up-front costs.

Call a heating contractor and get an estimate.  Around here, that would be free.  Let him know that you can do some of the ductwork yourself.  (Some guys won't like that.  If the ductwork is done poorly, then they have to fix it, but if you can do it well it should be OK.  I've never done that stuff, so I don't know what's involved.)

As for the pellets, well, the right way to get them upstairs is by rail, using a "whole-house helix" design.  You load the pellets downstairs, and then run them up on a train.  G-gauge is probably best for this.

[mikesmowers]

MisterB, You have certainly hit the nail on the head about shipping the pellets by rail as any good model railroader would know. By doing this you could ''Kill two birds with one stone'' Get the pellets where they need to be and play with your trains at the same time.  Who knows you might get to write the expense of the trains off on your income tax.   just a thought  

    inch    The new loco is a P2K in BN colors
                                                                                    Mike

[GUB]

MisterBeasley;

What sort of grade are we looking at here?  Let's see 2 1/2 story house plus facturing in the height of the stove and are we going frome grade or the basement level? If basement then we are looking at a full 3 storys. Not sure the wife will go for a helix in the dining room. I would think we'll have to go exterior. This means we'll have to have snow sheds on the North and West faces. What sort of locomotive power should I use and how many in the consist? I'm thinking the grade may be such that the only solution would be a cog railway. Very, very interesting. Must get back to work before the boss... Wait a minute. I am the boss. Oh well gotta go ....

Talk to you later.

GUB

[MisterBeasley]

Well, you need to build a continuous operation, actually.  That will require a helix up, and another one to come back down.  Put together a business plan, but be sure to call it a "Double Helix."  Some dimwitted venture capitalist with a hundred million dollars and and IQ of 46 will think it's a great new Biotech idea, and you'll get funded.

[MisterBeasley]

28 for the price of 24?  Don't you mean a thirty-pack for the price of 4 six-packs, but after 2 for the road you've only got 28 left?  Or are they selling 7-packs now, too?

[MisterBeasley]

Us Canadians don't buy beer in 6 packs

I suppose that's because it takes 6 Buds to equal the taste of one Labatt's Blue, eh?