Mayor Magoo posted:Maybe this weekend I'll figure out how to upgrade my ZW control handles!
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Mayor Magoo posted:Well, didn't do all this in one day but here's some recent work. First up, the mountain range is largely completed.
Added a cobblestone parking area to the train station.
Started work on the lumber yard work area.
Got my very first train engine working again. Still sparks a little so more cleaning needed.
Maybe this weekend I'll figure out how to upgrade my ZW control handles!
Steve, your work looks wonderful, the mountain range is just like here, nice and green! Your parking lot is very nice with some nice rides sitting there. I really like your handle replacement! If I can I would like to give that a try also! But I don't want to steel your idea!
I have an old Lionel engine my son-in-law and grand son found in the trash, I still haven't gotten around to fixing it yet, someday!
This topic gets better by the day with all the great pics posted here. Steve, you did a real nice job on your mountain area. Mike G, I am on a fixed income myself and there is nothing wrong in scratch building. If no one is making it you have to make it yourself. I get motivation from all the ones on here building layouts along with getting ideas. Elliot, Brian, CHUGMAN and so many more set goals for all of us to get to on our own levels. Today is a total work day on the layout. But when I first went down and turned on the lights to start coloring the mountain I found I had missed numerous spots which were too noticeable and I was not even having a brew LOL. So I decided first to lay down cork for the track so I could paint it later. Then I mix plaster and covered what I had missed and with the cork down I laid down plaster wrap to finish off the table. So why this is all drying I am going to finish off the area where I nailed in 2 X 4's to add Masonite to the wall. Pics ......Paul
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Nothing........... Yet 
paul 2 posted:This topic gets better by the day with all the great pics posted here. Steve, you did a real nice job on your mountain area. Mike G, I am on a fixed income myself and there is nothing wrong in scratch building. If no one is making it you have to make it yourself. I get motivation from all the ones on here building layouts along with getting ideas. Elliot, Brian, CHUGMAN and so many more set goals for all of us to get to on our own levels. Today is a total work day on the layout. But when I first went down and turned on the lights to start coloring the mountain I found I had missed numerous spots which were too noticeable and I was not even having a brew LOL. So I decided first to lay down cork for the track so I could paint it later. Then I mix plaster and covered what I had missed and with the cork down I laid down plaster wrap to finish off the table. So why this is all drying I am going to finish off the area where I nailed in 2 X 4's to add Masonite to the wall. Pics ......Paul
son # ------------ your layout is looking fantastic ! keep up the great work and posting pictures. It's giving me some ideas too when I tear apart my layout someday and redo it.. Dad
Paul- It's good that you have several things going on at once. Especially when the work includes waiting for stuff to dry. I am very impatient and go nuts waiting to move to the next step on a project.
Bob
Ripped apart the electric engine house after screwing up gluing in the between-the-tracks flooring. Too tight a flangeway, so ripping them all out, sanding down the sides, and trying again. First electric I ran into it to test locked up in the middle. Flangeway siezed the wheels and would not let it move.
Convinced us to remove the roundhouse before trying the same for those tracks. That will be a major PIA ... last time it required a lot of repairs afterward. Got it in place and decided to go for stall floors. Not looking forward to moving it.
Lately fixing problems has dimmed the joy of having the layout ... it's turning into too much work/rework ... being careful didn't make much of a difference. Still sucks up a huge amount of free time.
Looking great Paul. Your posts on your progress are an inspiration for me to finally get back to building my layout, which has been dormant for several months now. I like the way you explain what you use and how you did it.
Paul I think you doing a great job, I too like Bob hate waiting for things to dry, but then again it give me time to see all the wonderful work being done here! Keep it up everyone!
cabinet Bob posted:paul 2 posted:This topic gets better by the day with all the great pics posted here. Steve, you did a real nice job on your mountain area. Mike G, I am on a fixed income myself and there is nothing wrong in scratch building. If no one is making it you have to make it yourself. I get motivation from all the ones on here building layouts along with getting ideas. Elliot, Brian, CHUGMAN and so many more set goals for all of us to get to on our own levels. Today is a total work day on the layout. But when I first went down and turned on the lights to start coloring the mountain I found I had missed numerous spots which were too noticeable and I was not even having a brew LOL. So I decided first to lay down cork for the track so I could paint it later. Then I mix plaster and covered what I had missed and with the cork down I laid down plaster wrap to finish off the table. So why this is all drying I am going to finish off the area where I nailed in 2 X 4's to add Masonite to the wall. Pics ......Paul
son # ------------ your layout is looking fantastic ! keep up the great work and posting pictures. It's giving me some ideas too when I tear apart my layout someday and redo it.. Dad
Dad I think you should move up to son#2, we haven't herd from Play Trains lately! Move him to #3! LOL
mike g. posted:cabinet Bob posted:paul 2 posted:This topic gets better by the day with all the great pics posted here. Steve, you did a real nice job on your mountain area. Mike G, I am on a fixed income myself and there is nothing wrong in scratch building. If no one is making it you have to make it yourself. I get motivation from all the ones on here building layouts along with getting ideas. Elliot, Brian, CHUGMAN and so many more set goals for all of us to get to on our own levels. Today is a total work day on the layout. But when I first went down and turned on the lights to start coloring the mountain I found I had missed numerous spots which were too noticeable and I was not even having a brew LOL. So I decided first to lay down cork for the track so I could paint it later. Then I mix plaster and covered what I had missed and with the cork down I laid down plaster wrap to finish off the table. So why this is all drying I am going to finish off the area where I nailed in 2 X 4's to add Masonite to the wall. Pics ......Paul
son # ------------ your layout is looking fantastic ! keep up the great work and posting pictures. It's giving me some ideas too when I tear apart my layout someday and redo it.. Dad
Dad I think you should move up to son#2, we haven't herd from Play Trains lately! Move him to #3! LOL
Playtrains is too busy milking the chickens and feeding the cows.. LOL...
paul 2 posted:I thought I was done with leaves for the year but Mother Nature brought in the wind and other people's leaves so once again I had to rake. I think I can say I have seen the last of leaves till next year. With that out of the way I started applying plaster to the mountains. The separate piece is done and the permanent mountain is about half done. Talked the wife into watching her Cavs instead of taping it for later so that should give me the evening to finish the mountain. I am keeping my fingers crossed I have enough plaster to do the job. While I was doing the mountains my trees from scenic for the mountain came today. Pics..............Paul
Paul, I'm with you on the leaves!! It is a good thing I got cut to working three days a week in September so I would have time for raking blowing, and mulching leaves! I did my parent's big yard, my mother-in-law's, the neighbors's across the road who left for Florida before many leaves fell, and my own! Whew!! Some more blew in overnight!
Now on to the mountain!! It is looking good! Too bad the Cavaliers don't play every night like the Indians do! 
mike g. posted:paul 2 posted:I thought I was done with leaves for the year but Mother Nature brought in the wind and other people's leaves so once again I had to rake. I think I can say I have seen the last of leaves till next year. With that out of the way I started applying plaster to the mountains. The separate piece is done and the permanent mountain is about half done. Talked the wife into watching her Cavs instead of taping it for later so that should give me the evening to finish the mountain. I am keeping my fingers crossed I have enough plaster to do the job. While I was doing the mountains my trees from scenic for the mountain came today. Pics..............Paul
Paul, I am kind of surprised you haven't gotten the trees planted yet! LOL Things are really looking great!
Mike, Paul is like me and has too many leaves to clean up!! Those shade trees are very nice in the summer, but then they laugh at us all fall and into the winter!!
Completed the framework for the upper level of my layout. Now all I have to do is get in place (LOL)
Went back to the corner where I had added 2 X 4's. I still had a sheet of Masonite so I cut it to fit more of the wall. I was only going to do my standard two foot height but because the wall was so crappy I covered more of it. Later after dinner if the wife has a game I can paint the cork for the section of track and get a coat of white on the Masonite......Pics............Paul
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Tom M posted:Today I went from this
To this
A blank 10x20 space in the garage... I have no idea where to begin.
Wow! That space looks a lot bigger than I thought from the first photograph!
mike g. posted:Thanks Bill and Ted! I know the building isn't much, but its growing on me. I might keep it or give it to Brian, cause it was his idea! I just really had fun building the dump ramp, the building was just an add on!
It looks great, Mike!!
briansilvermustang posted:mike g. posted:Hi everyone, I had a request from a Briansilvermustang to try something like this. I hope you enjoy and remember I am not a pro, just an old guy trying to have fun! Please let me know what you think!
Mike, that truck ramp is way to cool !! looks great !!! good job
the building looks great too !! you sure put that together quick, WOW !!
Yep; I figured Brian must have the prototype photograph!!
RSJB18 posted:Mark Boyce posted:RSJB18 posted:Ran my new BL-2 a bit last night. I say a bit because it doesn't fit on 027 curves
. The overhang on the steps and rails hit the indicators on my 5121 switches and some signals.
Guess its going under the tree this year on my fastrack with 036 curves. Still a nice looking engine though.
Must....build....a....bigger.... layout.......
That's a bummer it hits the indicators and signals. It will be great under the tree, but I hope you can find the space for 036 curves on the layout!!
On the next layout Mark. Since this is my first build in many years I plan on using this as a learning exercise for the future. I grew up modeling in HO so getting used to the size difference has been a challenge at times (sound familiar?). I can run it on my elevated loop so it will see some time on the layout.
just need to negotiate for more space with the CEO now.
Bob
I know what you mean. I only switched from HO about 6 years ago. It still is amazing to me how much space everything takes!!
I've been getting ready for my annual Christmas open house.
My latest project is a coaling ramp. For years I've had a big coaling tower... it didn't really fit. My steam loco facility supports just three little switchers; through locos are serviced elsewhere.
My favorite train book is "Set Up Running", about an engineer on the Pennsy in the early 1900s. I've taken an anecdote out of that book, about how the Pennsy downsized his yard when traffic volume dropped.
Scenery isn't complete, but you can get the idea...
Jan
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paul 2 posted:Went back to the corner where I had added 2 X 4's. I still had a sheet of Masonite so I cut it to fit more of the wall. I was only going to do my standard two foot height but because the wall was so crappy I covered more of it. Later after dinner if the wife has a game I can paint the cork for the section of track and get a coat of white on the Masonite......Pics............Paul
Looks good brother #2 Dad would be proud of you! Really cleans up the area for some more trains! LOL
LOL We have the same TP! LOL
Well I found out that I will not be in the basement working after dinner. The wife does not have a game so I hurried down and at least got the cork roadbed painted and a coat of white on the Masonite. And this afternoon my order of telephone poles came from Charles Ro. Tomorrow morning I will be back at it.......Pics.............Paul
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Looking good Paul, you sure are a fast worker. You must be giving Briansilvermustang a run for his money! LOL
Paul, when you get a chance and you start running wire for the polls, please tell how you do it!
Mike G, the poles I bought and am buying right now are not illuminated. I do have a set of lighted poles for the layout in the attic but have not hooked them up yet..........Paul
paul 2 posted:Mike G, the poles I bought and am buying right now are not illuminated. I do have a set of lighted poles for the layout in the attic but have not hooked them up yet..........Paul
Thanks Paul, but I was talking about the above ground wires that go from poll to poll.
HiramO posted:
I've been getting ready for my annual Christmas open house.
My latest project is a coaling ramp. For years I've had a big coaling tower... it didn't really fit. My steam loco facility supports just three little switchers; through locos are serviced elsewhere.
My favorite train book is "Set Up Running", about an engineer on the Pennsy in the early 1900s. I've taken an anecdote out of that book, about how the Pennsy downsized his yard when traffic volume dropped.
Scenery isn't complete, but you can get the idea...
Jan
Looking good.
some more cleaning and painting, another wall of lower level almost roughed in...
had to tinker around a little too...
C O O L ! !
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Nice Brian! Looks like the bridges have been around for quite a while! I don't even think they sell the erecta sets anymore! LOL
I was going to say the same thing Mike. Looks exactly like my old erector set parts. I'm sure Brian will confirm momentarily
yep, Dad built it with erector set parts.....
wish I still had mine, don't know what ever happened with them...
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Brian, I was wrong, they do still sell them!
mike g. posted:Brian, I was wrong, they do still sell them!
Ollie's stores right now have Erector/Mecano sets on blow out. They have the Empire State building which is good for bridge parts. Two or three sets would provide plenty of parts.....IIRC they are priced around $20-25 at Ollie's.
Santa's coming soon... 
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Ok Brian, is Santa bringing you a Erector Set or more Santa Fe Engines! LOL
yes...
Building a 4x8 table for the permanent layout that is to come. It's pretty stable but I'm going to put on some adjustable feet on each leg just in case when I get it into my workshop it rocks a bit. Also adding a shelf on the bottom to hold all my boxes, as well as a shelf I can pull out between the two middle crossbeams that will hold the transformers.
I'll eventually expand it to 5x9 but I need 9 switches for the layout I want, so it's going to be awhile before I get to that stage. It can wait until my boys are truly old enough to help. So file it away in "Future Plans".
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Today I only worked on the layout in the afternoon. Before that I made a run to Home Depot and picked up another sheet of plywood and a sheet of Masonite which I have them cut length wise giving me 2' X 8' pieces which are easier to work with and carry down the basement stairs. I got the section of track in which means I can finish plastering the rest of the table. And the Masonite I was working on yesterday has all the blue coats on. One more future Project ready for a table. Hopefully tonight the wife will once again watch her Cavs and I can possible start on the coloring of the mountain. Tomorrow morning heading out to Medina Ohio for a train show...............Pics...........Paul
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Looking great Paul, I sure hope my build goes as smooth! You sure a luck man, I don't know any woman that watches as much basketball as your wife!
Today I replaced some tubular track on a siding where I was losing power near the bumper.
Here are a couple of photos of the siding with 2 three foot long sections of straight track:
Notice the station in the picture above. It is a cheap battery operated talking station called the Western Station. Bought it at a train show 20 years ago for about $5. Little kids love it. When a train goes by it, the locomotive hits a tab that sticks out from the platform and then the station talks: Westbound train, all aboard, etc.
Trains now run much better on the siding. No loss of power. I made the siding more level and the three foot sections of track help a lot.
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briansilvermustang posted:
yep, Dad built it with erector set parts.....
wish I still had mine, don't know what ever happened with them...
I think the Erector Set bridge looks realistic and great.
