My dream/nightmare layout... July Update 7/31/19 Big Boy month!

Amen.

GRJ, he really isnt that bad. If you work you get fed

My 16' x 27' is going to tax my skills and ability......congrats to you!!!

Elliot, 

this is Awsome!  If I lived closer I'd be over to give you a hand!

 

 

Elliot,  Thanks so muchfor sharing your story!  i have enjoyed following along over the last few years. 

Matt was over on Saturday, and after our work session, we ran some trains. This was only the second time two trains were running simultaneously. We're still working the bugs out.



I bought a closed circuit camera system a while back, so that I could monitor the hidden yard without running all over the place. I installed the first two cameras today.





I had a rough time getting the picture to show up on this TV. The video input just didn't want to work. No spare HDMI cables in the house. But wait! Both the TV and the camera base had VGA. Swiped one from an old computer, and I was in business.


The final piece to the puzzle is to have a system to keep track of which trains are on which track and where they are in the queue. I have something in mind. I'll try and build it this week.

Smelliot, I'll throw an hdmi cable in the truck for you

Thanks, but no need to. I don't think the HDMI port on that TV works either. I could never get a picture when I had it hooked up to the cable box, and was forced to use composite. The VGA is working just fine.

Very nice videos.

Thanks Spence. I'm planning two more videos, which I hope to complete this week. One will be another "train ride" using the Go Pro, showing the nearly 1000' loop. The second will be a guided tour with narration, and may be 2 parts.

Elliot,

 

will the helixes be enclosed?

I plan to cover them with backdrop. However, because everyone likes to see the trains going around, I will leave a viewing slot on each, the full height between the main and upper levels. It will probably be a while before that happens.

Elliot,

That sounds great.  The narration will help pull it all together for us.  I'm looking forward to it!

Elliot,

I just re-read your post....  Dude, glad you got past the C.  My wife dealt with it 2 years back (it's amazing how lovely my world is with her still in it), I understand your having to stop for so long.  I am in awe of your progress, simply amazing.

Thank you for sharing with us!

 

WOW!  This is turning out to be one heck of a layout.

 

Thanks for keeping us posted Elliot.

Just a few hours left in the month of July, time for the monthly progress report. Due to Patrick's work schedule and some dental troubles, he was only able to spend two afternoons this month. Matt was here 3 times and Jon twice also. As a result, my hours were down too. I still managed to get in more than 2 hours per day average.

In order to see what is going on in the hidden yard, I installed a security camera system.


Each of the 5 cameras is positioned at a stopping zone, a section of track that is controlled by a toggle switch on the panel.


I built this panel to keep track of which engines are where in the yard. The numbers are their TMCC channels.


Here are all 3 pieces of the puzzle ready for action.


Patrick finished the backdrop behind Red Wing Then we put the buildings back in preparation for visitors.


Also during that session, we secured most of the fiberboard for the next section.


I later filled in the missing pieces.


Patrick's next visit, we built the backdrop support wall, and the lighting cross arms.


Not quite ready for track. It still needs Masonite and then that needs painting.


Jon came over, and we brought lighting power to the upper level...


and finished the first string.


Matt spent his time working on locomotives. Most of the engines in this picture would not run on the layout. They suffered from TMCC signal issues.


In addition to lengthening the antenna, he made sure that the railsounds boards had their coils shielded. The factory version is on the right. Our homemade version is on the left.


Then the shield is grounded to pins on the connector.


This is the track plan that I will be working from. I'm sure there will be changes.


I mentioned visitors earlier. That's forum member BandO Bill and his railfan buddy Mike waving from the vestibule of the Mount Vernon, on their way to the Twin Cities. The photo was taken by Craig S. somewhere in Ohio.


Bill and Mike came out to the house. Bill took this one of me inside the helix, rescuing the train. I should have run the track cleaning car around before their visit.


Bill took this one too. Me at the computer giving a Google maps Twin Cities railroad geography lesson. That's Mike in the vest, but what's unusual about this picture is who's standing by the door. Jon (Mill City) doesn't get his image captured very often, so take a good look.


Finally, I shot a few videos this month. You can see the first two further up on this page. The third one was posted in its own topic earlier this month. For those who might have missed it, here it is again. It's a 14 minute trip around the layout. Enjoy!

 

Elliot,
You call this a slow month?  Looks like a lot of progress to me.  The photo of you in the helix gives a good view of the size of it.  Best perspective I have seen.  Glad to see the guys paid a visit.

Thank you for reminding me Mark.

 

I guess I've set the bar kind of high in the last few months. I think my problem is that I created this arbitrary deadline of having all the track completed by the end of the year, and this month I wasn't able to do any. This isn't a job, it's a hobby, but the way I approach it, I sometimes lose sight of that. It'll get done when it gets done.

I always thought riding real trains, like we are doing in the photo on Mount Vernon, was the most fun. After seeing Elliot's magnificent layout, now I'm not so sure. Running trains on a layout like that is right up there with the real thing.

 

Fellow forum members: if you go to the Twin Cities, contact Big_Boy_4005!

 

 

AWESOME layout. I'm about to ruin my computer from salivating all over it!

What can you say that hasn't been said already!

Elliot - Even though you may not believe it right now, building the layout is a major part of the fun.  So enjoy it and don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself.  Don't ask me how I know that. 

 

Art  

Thanks guys!

 

Art - Please don't get me wrong, I LOVE the construction aspect of the hobby. It is very fun and rewarding seeing your ideas turn into reality. On the other hand, this project has been going on for so long, it would be nice to be done so we could move on to operations and finally scenery. That was why I tried to set a deadline for the track completion.

 

My health is always going to be an issue, even though the cancer is on the back burner. I still have diabetes to deal with every day. My hands and feet have lost much of their feeling, this is one of the reasons I have turned engine maintenance over to Matt. I just can't deal with all those small screws. Beside, Matt does repairs for a LHS, so he's good at it.

 

I can still work with the big tools pretty well, but things like paper and small parts, give me fits. I've also started wearing 2x cheaters for the small stuff.

 

Bottom line is, I'd like to finish this thing while I can still enjoy it.

Elliot - I guess I had forgotten about your health issues.  I remember when you weren't sure how or if you were going to get this big dream off the ground.  And now look at how far that you have come.  It's very inspirational to see this and I thank you so much for sharing the journey with us. 

 

Art

Elliot, I guess that's my opinion as well. Given your health issues, I think more modest aspirations would be a good thing. Sometimes we tend to get a a bit obsessed with projects, and need to get things in perspective. I would be afraid that even if you ever managed to get this undertaking completed (and layouts are never completed), you'd spend all your days just trying to maintain and debug it. 

 

Time begins to move really fast after age 50, you'll find, and there are plenty of things left to experience.

Elliot, the layout is looking fantastic. 

 

Isn't it amazing on a train forum you have guys telling you downsize your dream.  Keep it going, live your dream

Thanks Charlie, there certainly are a full range of opinions here.

 

I don't mind letting everyone inside my thought process when it comes to the layout.

 

It really goes back more than 20 years to enterTRAINment. That was also a 2000 sqft space. Three years later, we moved from the city to the burbs, where I had a pretty good sized basement. That was where the layout concept was hatched.

 

Five years later, I was just getting started, and we decided to build our dream house. As a part of that dream, I made sure that I got my 2000 sqft back. Then I just expanded the concept to fit the space. The entire basement is actually 4450 sqft, so I didn't even take half (thankfully).

 

For me, enterTRAINment was akin to climbing Mount Everest. So when you've done that, what do you do next? I chose to do this!

 

I think we are well beyond the point of no return. The spending is mostly done, as the materials have been gathered. A lot of them are leftover from enterTRAINment anyway. I even had about 60% of the benchwork completed before I got sick. That included the original 500' loop of track.

 

My one regret is that I wasted six years after the cancer diagnosis, but my head just wasn't into trains. When the oncologist dismissed me, my outlook changed, and I dug back in. Unfortunately, time had kind of taken its toll. That's when I asked for help, and got it, in spades!

 

My crew loves working on the layout, because for the most part they don't have layouts of their own. Patrick is tinkering with a layout in his basement, but I'm not sure what stage it's at. Matt has been building a layout for his uncle in South Dakota, but that was recently put on hold. Jon has what I call a "railroad in exile". Trains with no space for a layout. It turns out to be a win-win for everyone.

 

In a way, this thing is starting to take on a life of its own. When we get a little further along, I'm going to hit up the guys at the local NMRA in search of operators. Never know, I might even find more help.

Hey, shouldn't you be sleeping

What's your excuse? I normally go to bed at 2AM.

Sunday...

Why wait? We're all awake, except Patrick.

Elliot......keep up the great work......I've been watching you build layouts for a long time!   

 

 

 

 

I always enjoy watching what you creat!

 

Peter

From one Eliot to another, you are one amazing dude.

If I am ever up your way, I would love to help you with scenery and photography.

You keep going, brother.

You have a new lease on life.

Use your time where your heart lies.

Get er' done !

 

Scrapiron

Elliot,

 

It's been great following along! You guys have some serious talent. I always look forward to your updates. My congratulations to you and your crew . Best of luck,

 

Andy

Elliot, you have really come a long way in a short time, great pictures.

 

Jack

I recogonized that location when I saw the picture. It was taken in Olmsted Falls on the NS Chicago Line near the depot. Great location, all though no more horns. It's a quiet zone now since about 2 to 3 years ago. Usually though Amtrak runs through Olmsted Falls & Berea usually at night. So this Passenger in the picture was late.

Elliot, this has been a great thread watching this layout come together.  I hope you have lots of years of enjoyment after this gets "completed".  Of course, the layout is never complete, but at some point it'll be "close".

 

I drank a giant RedBull at 8 pm didn't get to bed till 3am

Many thanks to my cheering section. You guys are the greatest!

 

Peter - That is a blast from the past! That was shot 21 years ago, almost to the day. I've added a few pounds and a lot of grey hair since then. Picture looks great, is that still VHS?

 

Eliot - The layout has actually helped with my health. It keeps me off the couch, away from the refrigerator, and moving, all of which make my blood sugar better. I would love to have you visit. In the meantime, "Dam_ the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

 

Andy - I love my crew, a bunch of great guys. That whole thing about it being a slow month, was me missing Patrick. For a year and a half, he has been "the straw that stirred the drink". All of the major construction has been Patrick and me. This is not to say that Matt and Jon have been less helpful, just that the work they do is a little less visual in nature, but still very important.

 

Jack - We really have come a long way. The benchwork is now 95% complete, track 70%, lighting (which wasn't even the original plan) 75%, scenery 1%, and electrical, I can't even calculate. As those first three projects wrap up, we can divert out energy to to electrical, and scenery will be last.

 

Tom - I do love that picture. Yes, they were very late, almost a day by the time they got to Chicago. Amtrak gave them special treatment, getting them onto the same day Empire Builder. They lost their layover day, but got their full two days in the Twin Cities. And we had a good time!

 

John - I know a model railroad is never complete. The Twin Cities Model Railroad Museum layout is pretty darn close after almost 30 years. I'll be satisfied when the track is fully functional, the industries are built, some basic scenery is done, and we can have operating sessions. After that, everything is gravy.

The dream and the nightmare are coming together nicely Elliot. 

 

I look as hobby deadlines more as a challenge than anything set in stone and don't let quality suffer for the sake of getting a task done. It looks like you have the same approach.

 

Thanks for sharing and keeping us in the loop.