Halloween 2017

          that is COOL !!!!!!!

Nice! How do you like the Halloween Mikado?

I have not heard from anyone else who bought one.

The Paint looks really good on these.

Ok, now this is something I gotta keep an eye on....Great idea!

cswalter posted:

Nice! How do you like the Halloween Mikado?

I have not heard from anyone else who bought one.

The Paint looks really good on these.

 

Only thing I don't like is that the orange paint was a lot glossier in the catalog, I was pretty disappointed that it didn't exactly match the advertising.

That being said it is my first LC+ Loco.  I wish the volume was just a touch louder, but that is personal preference.

With those small things out of the way, I really like this engine.  The blue tooth control works flawlessly.  I may never put batteries in the remote.  The bell is a deep church bell sound.  The whistle and other effects are great too.  I will post some video in the next couple days.

A ribcage tunnel would be cool

Maybe rib texture in "stone"?      

"A ribcage tunnel would be cool"

Halloween brings out the Tom Savini in a lot of us...

I just got mine last Friday.  In the process of doing a new layout but it'll be done a couple weeks before Halloween.  Will have to wait until then to test mine.  Am pleased to hear your feedback of the steamer.  And you have it on the same foam base as me. Now if we could get some passenger cars to run behind it, we'd really be in business.  Thanks for posting this.

IC fan posted:

I just got mine last Friday.  In the process of doing a new layout but it'll be done a couple weeks before Halloween.  Will have to wait until then to test mine.  Am pleased to hear your feedback of the steamer.  And you have it on the same foam base as me. Now if we could get some passenger cars to run behind it, we'd really be in business.  Thanks for posting this.

I am in almost the exact same boat you are.  I wanted to have this project done by the beginning of October but it just not gonna happen that fast.  If the wife and kids and the yard and football season weren't enough to keep me busy, I am also working 11 hour days right now.  The layout is going to be basically 40" by 60", and obviously feature one corner tunnel.   I am taking on a ton of tasks I've never done before to try to make this work.  I am hoping I can use drywall anchors with some white glue and the screw the track down into that.  I should do an experiment tonight but my mother is coming this evening so it will have to wait.

As to cars, some passenger cars would be great.  the All Hallow's Eve cars from a few years ago are pretty nice, but all British and hard to find.  A matching caboose would have been good.  On the plus side, through the forum I was able to find a "spooky sounds" boxcar.  It basically howls or makes creepy laugh noises when you hit the whistle button.  It's pretty great although its much louder than the locomotive!

I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew!!

jhz563 posted:

That being said it is my first LC+ Loco.  I wish the volume was just a touch louder, but that is personal preference.

With those small things out of the way, I really like this engine.  The blue tooth control works flawlessly.  I may never put batteries in the remote.  The bell is a deep church bell sound.  The whistle and other effects are great too.  I will post some video in the next couple days.

 

Did you use the remote or Bluetooth App to increase the volume.  The one I saw at the shop the other day had it's volume turned down about half.  Used the app to push it up and it was better.  Worth checking if you haven't.

Okay so I found a reason for putting batteries in the remote.  I tried to take some video tonight, only to realize I couldn't operate the engine from my phone and take video from my phone at the same time!!  Oh the problems of modern society...

What I did do tonight is look around in the garage for a way to fasten the track to the foam base.  I settled on screw-in drywall anchors, based on what I read elsewhere.  I think these are just the ticket. 

I put one in a scrap piece of 2" board with a little bit of white glue. I will see how snug it feels in the morning. In the meantime, here's a quick video of one the anchors going in, minus the glue.

More to come tomorrow.

Okay. i went back down to the garage this morning before work and the White glue attached to the drywall insert did not really make any difference.  I don't really know that the drywall anchors actually need any adhesive in foam, but I would like to try.  I have some of the Glidden Gripper primer to stack sections together. I will try that on another anchor and see how it works.

Otherwise it is time to start laying out all the different Spooky goodies I have gathered so I can be imagining landscapes and tallying up power requirements.  So I started gathering things up this morning.  I actually realized I have even more goodies that are pictured, this should be a busy little display!

I was going to run the engine and take a video, but if I accidentally woke up one of the kids that early my wife would make me the next headless creature walking around!!  To avoid that unpleasantness, here are just a couple pictures. 

Have a ghoul day!!

JHZ563, with your drywall insert being plastic, and your foam base being plastic, white glue will never dry.  Can't get enough air.  That's why the glue doesn't dry up in a properly sealed bottle.  You would need something foam-safe that doesn't require air to dry.  Epoxy comes to mind as it cures, not dries.  And here's an idea, how about Lock-Tite?  It dries in the absence of oxygen.  I haven't ever tried this, so I don't know if it's foam-safe.  But that might be the quick ticket.  Would be worth a try on a scrap piece. 

Can't wait to see your finished layout.  I imagine everybody does a Christmas layout, but not too many do a Halloween layout.  Cool!     

Paul 

We have been doing this for quite a few years, just making minor changes from year to year based on any of the Lemax accessories taking a dive.

Several of the neighbors come over and also participate in passing out the treats

Here's an admittedly very amateur video of what the engine sounds like.  As always, I had help

The additional commentary in the video is perfect looking good and sounds spooky!

JD

Thanks for posting the pictures and Video.

This looks awesome! Happy that they put Halloween sounds in this Mikado.

I will be buying one soon!

Cheers!

Did you have a chance to check the volume.  Can't tell from the video but the one I heard the other day seemed louder.

MartyE posted:

Did you have a chance to check the volume.  Can't tell from the video but the one I heard the other day seemed louder.

I didn't turn up the overall volume yet. It seems a little louder in person than the video.  It's a really fun piece.  

FYI Dollar General has a package of skeleton warriors for $1. They scale out a little tall but how big are skeleton warriors???