tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61629522024-03-14T01:18:58.892-05:00The Royce FilesCollection of writings detailing the subtle observances in the life and times of RoYce4.RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.comBlogger1014125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-57899387277586376822024-03-13T13:40:00.001-05:002024-03-13T13:40:13.059-05:00This blog post will leave you...shook Really?Has a brand of frozen pizza really shaken you? Look for yourself and be shaken err shook. Pizza to be shaken byTo cut to the chase, the top 2 pizzas this article ranked were Red Baron and Tombstone. Not really brands that I would think would stand out in their collection of 17 frozen pizzas. Certainly nothing that would leave me in that state of shook. But hey, it's pizza! I'd RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-40926235304152979782023-12-13T10:38:00.004-06:002023-12-13T10:38:19.241-06:00Signs of Beer: Premium on a cold winter day What is this a one post a year blog now?!No! At this rate it will be a 2 post a year blog.On to the sign.Grain Belt Premium was the beer of choice in the upper midwest. These signs were everywhere in small town beer joints across Minnesota and the Dakotas and even into Nebraska (Grain Belt had a brewering in Omaha at one time.) They might even still be there considering how slowly things RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-78872256277216473002023-01-20T13:29:00.001-06:002024-03-13T15:54:26.002-05:00Signs of Beer: Northern Beer My search for this beer first led me to Canada. There was a Northern Breweries that had a presence up in Ontario. I could find nothing about their beers beside a label for an ale. They happened to be the first employee owned brewery in North America. However, after selling to an investment group that intended to revive the brand, Northern Breweries went bankrupt somewhere around 2006 or RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-11747212964468241692022-10-23T20:37:00.000-05:002022-10-23T20:37:17.312-05:00The Return of the Spud Valley Hobby Show 2022Spud Valley returned this year. Well, it never left during the troubling times. When October rolls around the Red River Valley- the Spud Valley show appears unlike the Great Pumpkin.This year's edition (the 44th) had a big change. It was held at the fairgrounds in West Fargo instead the the Delta Hotel in Fargo. Chatter around the show was Delta upped the rental fee. No confirmation on that but RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-69379332711909685022022-09-20T14:13:00.001-05:002022-09-20T14:13:07.473-05:00Signs of Beer: Schmidt Scenics and Sitting on SchlitzI see these scenic Schmidt Beer cans so often but I do not think I have ever written about them. They look good afor me harken back to days of hunting and fishing in the North Woods someplace while listening to a Vikings or Twins game on the radio.Schmidt Scenic Cans from G. Heileman eraAs it goes with collecting not all of them are that collectible. The early flat top cans that you needed to useRoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-48453291207354151252022-08-30T11:49:00.002-05:002022-08-31T08:34:58.358-05:00Training in Fargo: SD40-2 BNSF 1885 in SF freightbonnet schemeI found some additional photos of the BNSF 1885, a SD40-2 with a snoot nose that plies the yard in Fargo and occassional pulls a train west and visits Northtown Yard. That distinctive snoot and blueboonet freightbonnet* Santa Fe scheme makes it easy to spot. I think I took these from Great Northern Drive near the throat of the yard. Formerly SF 5121 and then BNSF 6805 after the merge. RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com01909 Great Northern Dr, Fargo, ND 58102, USA46.8859135 -96.810961346.880047259936035 -96.819544368847659 46.891779740063967 -96.802378231152346tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-3782226531307886382022-04-18T14:26:00.001-05:002022-04-18T14:26:28.858-05:00Lionel Large Scale Buildings Lionel's foray in the G-Scale realm between late 80s to early 90s, produced a few buildings. In fact 4 buildings were produced and they were near duplicates of kits that were produced for the O scale line. These are really fine looking models and the difference between them and their O scale counterparts is they are wood kits and include a bit more details including some brass on the doors RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-84391716640152718092021-12-15T23:10:00.006-06:002022-02-03T14:45:33.827-06:00A little about Lionel large scaleMy Lionel Large Scale Gold Rush Special on display I found very little about Lionel's Large Scale products online so I decided to post something.In the late 1980s Lionel decided to produce a very small selection of 'G' scale trains. Lionel marketed them as Lionel Large Scale. From what I can tell from online sources, this Lionel scale was more akin to the size of the Lionel's standard gauge RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-69800246969437260272021-11-04T16:37:00.001-05:002021-11-04T16:40:24.189-05:00Yet another Spud Valley Show Mid-October means another Spud Valley Hobby Show. Trains, toy tractors, die cast cars and assorted modeling items are offered for sale. This year the model airplanes did not make an appearance. And of course a few tables of railroad memorabilia. Notably a few tables with railroad lanterns- very popular but on the high end for an antique that can be well worn.A good flea market and RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-74279119957422613042021-10-26T23:34:00.000-05:002021-10-26T23:34:02.786-05:00Dispersed camping in the Chippewa National Forest It has been a while since I dispersed camped in the Chippewa National Forest. I am thinking maybe nine years and that was a pretty bad trip when the go to spot at Shingobee was occupied. I found a rather slanted spot somewhere further into the forest. I was not pleased- but I was on foot and there was little light left to hike further. So what is dispersed camping? It is camping RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-92027942062523776802021-07-30T11:58:00.006-05:002021-07-30T11:58:57.353-05:00The Venerable New Balance - remembering old shoes
I think I have owned over a dozen pairs of New Balance shoes in my lifetime. That is not much by some standards, but I have found the shoes to be durable more or less and have worn out many pairs. Plus New Balance shoes tend to fit better for people like me who have wide feet. That is probably why I gravitate toward the brand when looking for running shoes. My first pair of New RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-9148559409017523612021-04-05T14:42:00.000-05:002021-04-05T14:42:01.051-05:00At the last train show in Fargo, October 2020 As the cases increased in the Dakota-land (and Minnesota too) the previous Fall, one annual train event did not want to fade away. The Spud Valley Model Show went on as scheduled in October 2020 with the common public wardrobe amendment.I arrived early and the place was hopping despite the additional face coverings. Many of the same vendors displayed their model trains and hobby wares with RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-25302542119617437422020-12-31T17:38:00.000-06:002020-12-31T17:38:23.364-06:00And End the Beginning 2020 certainly will certainly pass with no one grieving its' departure. What felt like nearly a whole decade of ordeals and intrigue and unrest, I will gladly place that volume on the backside of the bookcase never to be opened again. One hopes 2021 will not be the sequel although in some respects it could be and perhaps for years to come. The impact was a large meteorite in the RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-38336660560316510942020-10-14T14:51:00.001-05:002020-10-14T14:51:14.540-05:00Training on Minnesota's Iron RangeLast year's family fall tour included part of Minnesota's Iron Range. There are 4 distinct ranges in the state-Cuyuna, Mesabi, Vermillion, and Gunflint. They extend from Crosby, just east of Brainerd, to the tip of the Arrowhead of NE Minnesota. The Gunflint actually continues into Canada. I have been to all four. There a handful of museums dotted throughout the region. Only the Mesabi range has RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-43062802208298159842020-07-14T16:43:00.004-05:002020-07-14T16:43:42.954-05:00Fargo Training- Hustle Muscle visits Dilworth
Hustle Muscle GN 400
Wow. I cannot believe it has been over a year since the last post. And double wow, what a year it has been and now continues to be -except for all the masks. But now for the trains.
Last year Fargo hosted the Great Northern Historical Society's annual convention. The organization brought their prized asset Hustle Muscle GN 400, the first SD45 produced by EMD. Some RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-81872565360620292252019-07-03T17:00:00.000-05:002019-07-03T17:00:06.991-05:00A visit to Berwyn's Toys and Trains
Chicago is the railroad crossroads of America. All the class I roads have a presence in Chicago and its suburbs. I lodged near a large yard for the Belt Railway of Chicago, a terminal road that does a lot of the switching and interchange for the other railroads. It was loud and I was over a half a mile away.
Further from my lodging were a handful of hobby shops that specialize in model RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-88983015151881123532019-07-01T17:00:00.000-05:002019-07-01T17:00:00.214-05:00Hot Dog Heaven
As winter melts away the taste for hot dogs grows.
I found myself in Chicago at the end of May for business. Hours after landing I was in pursuit of a delightfully delicious dog from one of Chicago's famous stands (at least those accessible by public transit.) But in doing so, I kind of got lost downtown trying to find the Elevated and then I got off at the wrong stop. It pays to do deeper RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-19907068473923886842019-06-11T22:50:00.000-05:002019-06-11T22:50:22.023-05:002 Granite City Shows in the books
Welcome to 2019- albeit we are about at the midpoint of this year.
The Fargo Marathon came and wet- really wet weekend. I never got close to the course.
But between the last post and now I have visited 2 editions of the Granite City Train show down in St. Cloud and each of my older kids got to go to one.
I cannot recall much about the fall 2018 show except my son was given a free battery RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-4813373859435667512018-10-23T16:52:00.001-05:002018-10-23T16:52:33.739-05:00Spud Valley Hobby Show 2018
For 40 years, the Spud Valley Show has been the go to event for model train and other hobby enthusiasts to gather in Fargo. Over the years plenty of hobby shops have come and gone. In 1985 there were 2 Lionel service centers in Moorhead, MN! Still, the annual show brings out a whole bunch of hobbyists to buy and sell not only model railroad items but model airplanes, diecast cars, model RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-39115299288264103982018-06-30T15:24:00.000-05:002018-06-30T15:24:09.325-05:00The Black Building Revisited
Basement suite of Black Building now home to an escape room
I sauntered through the general public levels of Fargo's Black Building the other day. It has been a while since I visited the old digs of HCC and Bertrossa's. As of 2018, the building is going through some more renovations and restorations thanks in part to the Kilbourne Group.
The first 2 floors plus the basement collectively had RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-64837686881676911442018-05-28T16:08:00.003-05:002018-05-28T16:08:54.087-05:00Molly Marine on Memorial Day
Molly Marine replica
A salute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice serving in the US Armed Forces. This year let's tip the hat to the ladies who served in the Marine Corps.
Molly Marine has the distinction of being the first statue of a service woman in uniform in the United States. Erected in 1943 in New Orleans, the original statue was used to encourage women RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-77347980129184246502018-05-16T17:06:00.001-05:002018-05-16T17:10:22.755-05:00Fargo Marathon nearly in sight
A Fargo Mug o Matathon
As the Fargo Marathon for 2018 approaches, I will for the first time since its inauguration not be imbedded in the event as a volunteer. Due to loss of work circumstances back in March, I made the decision not to commit to volunteer when I had no idea where I would land. Not having landed a job yet I checked the volunteer sign up website last week only to find it wasRoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-56065561680109041812018-04-24T13:24:00.003-05:002023-01-20T13:35:08.442-06:00Signs of Beer: Hamm's again
When compared to the more elaborate scene-o-rama Hamm's signs, this one is plain simple. I saw this example at one of the local pawn shops. These simpler signs still have a bit of value because of the desirability of the Hamm's name. Also note that the crest is not an image but molded. My guess you can get one of these for between $50-150 depending on condition. I forgot how much the RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-91711304514652523892018-04-15T23:28:00.000-05:002018-04-24T11:52:02.492-05:00 We need a Granite City train show
240 miles separates where I am at and the Twin Cities. Almost the same amount separates my home base and Winnipeg. For 70 less miles and reduce my drive time by 1.5 hours, I can get to St. Cloud, the Granite City.
Once again I spent some time at the Granite City Train Show a few weeks ago. This train show has been going on for a while- maybe like 10 years- and it has been my go to show for RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162952.post-37464884158338083252017-11-30T16:36:00.001-06:002018-04-24T12:29:54.863-05:00Lionel Stuff: Lumber Shed Revisited
I acquired an assembled version of the Lionel lumber shed structure last year and blogged about it here. It is still ridiculous how much these are going for on the market. Do not get me wrong, it is a good model, but shelling out $20 - $30 dollars for one is extravagant. It just does not have much collectible value. Since it gets attached to the Lionel name some sellers assume it is something RoYcE4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04378700088995077356noreply@blogger.com0