just having some, "FUN with our RailRoads"

Brian, it got weird here as well.

The Sun was so bright:

and then it got a lot brighter and Buffy was worried about what might be causing it:

But in the end:

Everything was back to norbal.  

geysergazer posted:

Brian, it got weird here as well.

The Sun was so bright:

        

and then it got a lot brighter and Buffy was worried about what might be causing it:

         

But in the end:

         

Everything was back to norbal.  

What a beautiful shot Lew do you live in the East looks like the Ozark mountains I have around me but I’m at the foothills of them 

                   a little train watching,  down at the station...

                     looking at trains on other tracks,  thru a train...

                                 have a great train day !!

I guess this is the most fun I ever had this far on the Layout is when I took these pics of Circus style loading Piggybacks with a driver I painted 

Spent some midnight oil deciding on tunnel portals for the mountain and placement of buildings.  

  Not sure who parked the ES44AC in the middle of the road. Will have to contact the yard master. 

          your layout is looking great Nick !      Izzy says HI Lola

lee drennen posted:

geysergazer posted:

Brian, it got weird here as well.

The Sun was so bright:

        

and then it got a lot brighter and Buffy was worried about what might be causing it:

         

But in the end:

         

Everything was back to norbal.  

What a beautiful shot Lew do you live in the East looks like the Ozark mountains I have around me but I’m at the foothills of them 

Lee, we live in Western Massachusetts, "The Berkshires". Northern Berkshire County. There are mountains in all for directions. That mountain looking South out of the train-room window is the Greylock Massif. Mt Prospect on the left is 2600ft, Mt Williams on the right is 2950ft and Mt Greylock hidden by the two in front is the High Point of the state at 3491ft.

We look out our window at the Taconic Mts to the West in New York State. The Green Mountains are to our North and extend almost to the Canadian border. To the East is the Hoosac Range and under it is the Hoosac Tunnel, at 25,081ft the first long railroad tunnel in America (at the time of it's completion it was the second longest in the World).

We are from Western Pa (Roomie was born&raised in Mars ) but became acquainted with the Berkshires when our Daughter attended college here. She graduated, got a job and never left. We have done the Pittsburgh-North Adams trip more than a hundred times so we finally moved here.

Some idjit climbed up on the roof of the grain elevator this morning and took these pics:

geysergazer posted:

lee drennen posted:

geysergazer posted:

Brian, it got weird here as well.

The Sun was so bright:

        

and then it got a lot brighter and Buffy was worried about what might be causing it:

         

But in the end:

         

Everything was back to norbal.  

What a beautiful shot Lew do you live in the East looks like the Ozark mountains I have around me but I’m at the foothills of them 

Lee, we live in Western Massachusetts, "The Berkshires". Northern Berkshire County. There are mountains in all for directions. That mountain looking South out of the train-room window is the Greylock Massif. Mt Prospect on the left is 2600ft, Mt Williams on the right is 2950ft and Mt Greylock hidden by the two in front is the High Point of the state at 3491ft.

We look out our window at the Taconic Mts to the West in New York State. The Green Mountains are to our North and extend almost to the Canadian border. To the East is the Hoosac Range and under it is the Hoosac Tunnel, at 25,081ft the first long railroad tunnel in America (at the time of it's completion it was the second longest in the World).

We are from Western Pa (Roomie was born&raised in Mars ) but became acquainted with the Berkshires when our Daughter attended college here. She graduated, got a job and never left. We have done the Pittsburgh-North Adams trip more than a hundred times so we finally moved here.

Thanks Lew it is one beautiful place love the eastern states 

It really is, Lee. We feel quite fortunate to have landed here. The Appalachian Trail is a few hundred feet from our door. It runs North into the Green Mountains and South right up the side of Mt Greylock. The supermarket a few minutes walk from the trail puts out a big picnic table in the Summer and there are always long-distance hikers chowing down on "real food". 

This pic messes with my head in a fun way:

The real model, the photo of the prototype, the one coming, the other going, one color and one B&W, the one growing bigger coming at you, the other growing smaller going away from you.

Ran trains about 10 minutes last night before going to bed.... and enjoyed every moment too!    Here's shot of a Reading FM Trainmaster  on the point of a fast freight.  

I've had a packed work schedule since beginning of January and little time for running trains.  I'm looking forward to some alone time with my trains whenever that time comes.  

                      added some decor to Marci's desk...

                               gonna have to see what she has to say later...

Brian, I hope Marci fully appreciates your generosity. 

I didn't do it today but....just ran across this video I shot last year. I would say this qualifies as fun.....

         cool,  0-4-4-4-0 ...

briansilvermustang posted:

 

         cool,  0-4-4-4-0 ...

 

OR

0-4-0-0-4-0-0-4-0

With 3 up coming train show in my area, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Calgary.   I've completed a few projects that will run on my ' Mexicali Grande 'portable show layout. I finished and weathered this 4-4-2 kit loco in NdeM. The gon is scratch built by molding the sides, ends and floor of the (scratch built)  master in rubber then pouring plastic casting resin. There's several of these on the home layout in various road names and loads.  Finally, I pulled a part the new Lionel 'Hot Box Detector ' and customized it to fit on my two rail home layout.    There's a few more. 'goodies' i'm doing as well and can post them when ready.  

           great photos Myles !!    especially like this one !    very Nice !!

RSJB18 posted:

briansilvermustang posted:

 

         cool,  0-4-4-4-0 ...

 

OR

0-4-0-0-4-0-0-4-0

Articulated 0-4-4-4-0 

The latest in Steam Superpower!

RSJB18 - WOW a triple headed "Docksider" consist...neat, not sure how you got them all to run in the same direction but good work and really cool.

Don McErlean

                 have a great weekend everyone !!

Here's a quick project I just did tonight. It took about an hour to finish. All I did was make a decal of the'' graffiti'' from a photo I took of this sask hopper that roamed along the line of the company I work for, Mobile Grain. Then applied it to the side of this newly released MTH Saskatchewan grain car, which it was actually paint on.  Unfortunately, my conductor and I ended up taking the actual car and about 9 others  to the 'G.E. Rail Car Repair'  facility located in Regina Sask.   The mural is now no more as the car was to be stripped and this side and repainted over.   Maybe the 'artist' will return again one day!

Cleaned up sap from the wood (no wonder I got 11% off at menards) from the on going construction of my first serious layout.

Trying to keep up with Mike G and Lew Geysergazer, I tried to fix my 1987 model of the magnetic crane.  I ended up learning I had vital missing parts in the box.  No linkage between either of the motors and the gears.    I gave up and watched XFL.    No just kidding!  I have less interest in that concept of a league than the NFL.  

Last night I pulled out my Lionel 18001 RI Northern.  I bought it unused years ago and never ran it.  I replaced old grease with red n tacky and got everything oiled.  Put it on the track and it barely moved with full power and sounds like a coffee grinder.  I've read the past posts on issues with the bearings on these motors, now I need to tackle that.  Not the fun I was planning on

Nothing on the layout...since my layout is on the carpet, but I did build a workbench out of some scrap plywood I had.  I will be selling the majority of my old HO and N scale stuff and needed a place to test engines before selling....also wanted to be able to test O scale as well...so will have 3 powered tracks for each scale and a little storage under.  I am also going to put roadbed under the track and ballast it so I can practice ballasting the track...I obviously need to wire the track as well for all 3 scales.  Gives me a good space to test engines and a workbench to work on them.

               nice looking work bench Andy !

briansilvermustang posted:

 

               nice looking work bench Andy !

 

Ditto, ditto, Brian.

I haz workbench envy. 

Thanks Brian and Lew!  I appreciate it.  Thought I would build the workbench similar to the modular layout I have planned...for practice.  40" tall with leg levellers on the bottom.  The plywood is from an HO build I was going to do around the Christmas tree.  The "cutout" was for the tree stand.  I think I used it one year and switched over to O scale.

Andy,

Building such a nice workbench for testing, repairs and projects is a great idea. The fact that it was a fun project by itself, and that it will provide you with practice for several layout projects, is a bonus and a great idea too.

Good thing you took a pic now. I suggest that you save it so that, in the future, you can remember what a clean, uncluttered, workbench looks like.

        that's a pretty cool shot Lew...  thanks, I always wondered about that cab...

                    anyone make one of them in O scale...

I really love looking at these pictures...gives me lots of things to aspire to!  Great job everyone...keep em coming.

Yesterday I spent a wonderful three hours in the train room!  YES!  Changed out entire trains and locomotives.  Tweeked some scenery areas.  Snapped a few pics.  Imagined some layout changes as I watched the trains run.  I had BIG FUN!!!

        come home to a cool surprise from Marci tonight...

                                            can't wait to check these out  !!

                OK, let's go run some trains...

                              have a some fun with your trains today !

What fun did I have today on the PER? I ran the Dinner Train, a "job" that entails a healthy imagination.

Stopped and aligned the switch at the old Junction:

Coupled and aired-up:

And headed for Town:

Paused at the old Depot so this evening's First Call dinner guests could: "Bowww-arrrrd!"

Then whistled-off:

The soup and salad has been consumed and the Chefs have everything lined up so the Waits are starting to serve the Fillet Mignon, Baked Salmon, Lobster and.......B&O Cornbread Pie.    

Have a wonderful evening repast, everyone!

Drat, Lew!!  I got to the station too late and missed the train!!  

Lew. Looks like a a lot of fun on the plywood empire route 

Izzy. Hurry up and eat I want to see what’s in those boxes

Mark. Maybe you can catch the next train on the plywood empire

                   Finally got to take a peek at my surprises last night... COOL !!!

Wow, Brian!  Those are all nice!!  Marci did a good job!

Niiiice trains, Brian! 

Seriously though, what I did for FUN this AM was to park the Dinner Train and then couple on to yesterday's consist of pick-ups:

And whistle-off for Interchange:

There's never a dull moment on the PER. 

The soup and salad has been consumed and the Chefs have everything lined up so the Waits are starting to serve the Fillet Mignon, Baked Salmon, Lobster and.......B&O Cornbread Pie.    

Lew - Man I got to get a ticket to ride your dinner train!!  The Menu  sounds terrific!  You are making me hungry dude!  

Just a reminder.....

This thread is intended to be different than the long running "What did you do on your layout today" thread.  Please don't post the same pictures here....keep the posts showing something fun you did on the layout.  Perhaps you had friends over....or you ran a special favorite train....or you did something special that enhanced your enjoyment of the layout....  Duplicate posts from other current threads are not what we are looking for here.  Please show us, "the fun you are having with your layout"  thanks...

Did a little night running which I always enjoy whenever I have a passenger train on the mainline.   Took a few pics ... WM tower, under the yard floodlights the N&W J class 611 on service track prior to a night run.  Had fun this past Sunday afternoon creating this scene ( bottom photo ) as if it were taken in the late 1940's early 50's in Cumberland, Md.  

Bringing back O. Winston Link? Love it.

Jim Van Every posted:

Bringing back O. Winston Link? Love it.

Thanks Jim!  Don't know why I didn't think of O Winston Link when I took the pic, but glad you mentioned him    Not like I don't have and read the book ... Last Steam Railroad in America Photos of O. Winston Link or have not visited the O. Winston Link Museum, at least twice,  in Roanoke Va.  Somehow he just was not in the forefront of my mind at the time I took the shot.  

Got a set of his recordings from the museum. Beautiful sounds

   was feeling a little old after shoveling snow last night...

I have fun building, running and making videos like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHiReLXfCxE

"Making the sausage."

Train arrives at Interchange from Town. All cars except the Gulf and Sunoco tank cars will be switched out:

The cars under the number "1" will be switched in:

The 0-5-0 comes out of the engine-pocket  :

Today's train ready to whistle-off and head for Town.

Some interchange yard, huh? Lemons>>>>>>Lemonade

Having fun with the Santa Fe

It was a fun day when I added “Trucker Joe” to the Layout he is one of my first O scale figures I ever painted he also works part time as a Tow Truck Driver 

I have a helper in the train room who is almost always there, just not always easily visible in the picture. Like this:

(Left lower corner)

So I thought she should be front&center:

She is right in the middle of any under-the-benchwork projects. You see......she is a face-licker. 

She likes it when I get cold and turn on this little heater:

She makes the trains more fun even when she is snoozing:

Dropping off a Lionel Standard O Reefer at the CES Warehouse 

                  busy,  down at the station last night...

                   a RIO Grande pulls in for a station stop...

                    while a Burlington passenger train pulls in on track 2...

              shortly after the  passenger trains leave,

                                                     a Santa Fe freight slowly pulls thru the station...

Speakina' FUN!

"Its about the scrap!":

      Mike G says...

"Well I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I hope to get to the train room today if not for sure tomorrow and it will be trains and NASCAR! I am taking the day off! LOL

I hope everyone finds time for there layout and trains! But most of all I hope everyone has a great weekend and has some fun!"

              SOME TRAINS AND NASCAR !    sounds good Mike !!

                 time to get this one rolling again

                    Still my FAVORITE  !!! 

                                             have a great day everyone !!!

                                                            let's go racing !

                            used to be hanging from the ceiling as a night light...

And here I thought Mike would be watching the Seattle XFL team!    Have a good day race fans and non-race fans, like me!  

I'm missing both the Sports gene and the Racing gene from my DNA so.....I play with liddle trains. 

Hmmm. Although I did race motorcycles for one season waaaay back in my misspent youth. 

Speakina' fun:

14-15yo geysergazer posing with a switch-stand. 

A little night running.

A little more FUN. I've posted both of these pics before (separately) but something struck me.

The last train (c.1982) on the old PRR Pittsburgh-Buffalo Mainline. Then they tore it up:

Dad took this Pic of us walking a quarter mile to the right of where the engine is in the above pic about 25yr earlier. (c. '58-'59):

From a double-track Mainline to torn-up in not even 25yr. Not really fun at all.

Howdy Pardner!  You sure did get the opportunities, Lew!  We walked those tracks and through the Rockland Tunnel back when I was in Scouts.  Maybe 1969-71.

geysergazer posted:

I'm missing both the Sports gene and the Racing gene from my DNA so.....I play with liddle trains. 

Hmmm. Although I did race motorcycles for one season waaaay back in my misspent youth. 

Speakina' fun:

                    

                        

14-15yo geysergazer posing with a switch-stand. 

 You're looking awful serious in this pic Lew, or should I say Tex'.... 

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

geysergazer posted:

I'm missing both the Sports gene and the Racing gene from my DNA so.....I play with liddle trains. 

Hmmm. Although I did race motorcycles for one season waaaay back in my misspent youth. 

Speakina' fun:

                    

                        

14-15yo geysergazer posing with a switch-stand. 

 You're looking awful serious in this pic Lew, or should I say Tex'.... 

I was probably thinking about this:

Different hat, same stupid teenager. 

Grand Canyon, Az was a good place for me: the canyon and the Santa Fe:

The other pic was taken no more than a half mile from this pic. If you know exactly when to look you can see a tiny bit into the canyon as you are pulling in.

Patrick nice run of the night train 

geysergazer posted:

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

geysergazer posted:

I'm missing both the Sports gene and the Racing gene from my DNA so.....I play with liddle trains. 

Hmmm. Although I did race motorcycles for one season waaaay back in my misspent youth. 

Speakina' fun:

14-15yo geysergazer posing with a switch-stand. 

 You're looking awful serious in this pic Lew, or should I say Tex'.... 

I was probably thinking about this:

        

Different hat, same stupid teenager. 

Grand Canyon, Az was a good place for me: the canyon and the Santa Fe:

The other pic was taken no more than a half mile from this pic. If you know exactly when to look you can see a tiny bit into the canyon as you are pulling in.

Looks like a teenager who is contemplating what is important, the wonders of nature and trains!  

lee drennen posted:

Patrick nice run of the night train 

Agreed, Lee. I especially enjoyed watching the lights in the background from the moving trains while watching a train right up front.

QA&P 546 detouring south of its home road on the Caprock sub of AT&SF.

A run through the layout with Harold accompanied by my friend Jeff's music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaHfjPuXxiU

Very nice Ray. You have a beautiful layout.

                           happy Monday everyone...

                         sun rays looked nice lighting up the trains this morning...

                                   there has been a lot more sun out lately...

I had fun making this stubby, compressed, MTH Bantam J Class look pretty decent, in my opinion. The low, front corner angle helps elongate the locomotive.  The black and white helps tone down the operating accessories and makes the icing station sweeper guy look like he is scrubbing the top of the engine. 

original photo:

MTH Bantam J class Compressed proportions:

RSJB18 posted:

Very nice Ray. You have a beautiful layout.

Thank you, it's not very big but try for good detailing as I go along, still have the other half of the room to work on.

Speakina' sunshine:

Here is a short video from some very fun train time I had this past weekend.  I also shared this on the "What Trains Did You Run Today"  thread.  It's my Lionel Western Maryland 2-8-0 Consolidation pulling a short ( all WM passenger trains were short ) passenger consist with milk car, RPO, and coach.  

Foreground an MTH PS3 SW1500. Background, E8 and E9, Green River, Wy:

Big Blow! Green River, Wy

A UP Dome Diner from a UP Dome:

Summer 1962 UP Timetable:

The passenger trains that passed through Green River every day:

And the time of day they passed through:

geysergazer posted:

Speakina' sunshine:

Nice Video Lew 

trumptrain posted:

Here is a short video from some very fun train time I had this past weekend.  I also shared this on the "What Trains Did You Run Today"  thread.  It's my Lionel Western Maryland 2-8-0 Consolidation pulling a short ( all WM passenger trains were short ) passenger consist with milk car, RPO, and coach.  

Patrick nice run I like the milk car is it a Lionel? I started a thread on Lionel milk cars 

lee drennen posted:

trumptrain posted:

Here is a short video from some very fun train time I had this past weekend.  I also shared this on the "What Trains Did You Run Today"  thread.  It's my Lionel Western Maryland 2-8-0 Consolidation pulling a short ( all WM passenger trains were short ) passenger consist with milk car, RPO, and coach.  

Patrick nice run I like the milk car is it a Lionel? I started a thread on Lionel milk cars 

Thanks Lee!  The milk car is indeed a Lionel milk car.  I will check out your thread  too.

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad consist visits a friends layout featuring a Christmas village.  Could that be Peninsula, Ohio?  Nahh, must be the North Pole and CVSRs annual Polar Express service.

This was another fun day running my Railking Steamer with some old AHM cars and 2 Kusson? tank cars the caboose is a Lionel 

  Here is a vid of the layout and having some fun running a train.

  I have managed to get a little more scenery built since this was taken.

 Thankfully, I have been able to do more work  on trains and the layout lately.

  I always try to keep the layout operation ready, as I always like to be able to atleast run a train at any given time.

 It’s easy to get disinterested when you want to run a train but have to do a bunch of stuff first to accomplish.

 Anyways, here is the vid and I really enjoy watching the trains run. Great therapy!

Al

             bridges...       

               yep, I kinda like bridges...

"Freight Train Blues" video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWDx8ypiL5g

          Ray,  great video of a great layout...

What a great thread! It took me awhile to get up to speed on what everyone is doing and man it sure looks like a lot of fun is being had by all! The only fun I have been having it going into the train room to get tools! LOL Maybe one day I will get back to running my trains, but till then I will just have to live it threw all of you wonderful folks! 

I hope it doesn't take me 30 minutes to get up to speed next time, but a lot happens in just a couple of days! Keep all the great stories and videos coming and it puts a smile on my face!

Everyone have a great weekend!

A bit of ancient history on th ePER:

PER 1.0.  The trestle site is now the East End industrial area and Oil Creek has been moved North (to the left). Motive power is now end-cab switchers. Oh, and that horrible green paint is no more. I don't know how we managed to buy this house knowing the whole second floor was that color. 

ON EDIT: PER now follows the standard SAFETY rule that no tank car is ever either the first or last car in a train. 

Don't know how these folks made their way into the yard......

Hmmm...I have a similarly dressed guy who can come help, Bob!

Mark Boyce posted:

Hmmm...I have a similarly dressed guy who can come help, Bob!

That's funny, he never comes to my layout!

mike g. posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Hmmm...I have a similarly dressed guy who can come help, Bob!

That's funny, he never comes to my layout!

Mike, do you have a phone booth on your layout????

I had fun this day when I learned how to drop off this Coal Hopper 

Lee, that was a very smooth drop off

I had lots of FUN today.  

Time to rip stuff up!

(While I was at it, since those Fastrack track switches were accessible I took the opportunity to solder all the buss-bars on the underside.)

Her is a hint of the tweak I'm working on:

Buffy helped, of course (notice she is hogging that Sunbeam).

More FUN tomorrow! 

Buffy is just supervising the ROW crew, Lew!

Mark Boyce posted:

Lee, that was a very smooth drop off

Thanks Mark I need to video it from the other side 

Hints of more FUN!

Trackwork in place:

New East End track switch in place:

New West End track switch:

Gotta' go put those Gandy Dancers to work!

Ran this Williams scale brass camelback loco with a MTH air whistle caboose riding behind it.  This locomotive has no sound, bell, or whistle.  I like the postwar sound of the this whistle for it brings back great memories of when I was a kid having fun running trains.... not that running trains doesn't provide fun for me as now I'm a big kid

Nice run Patrick l like your videos more each time 

Ran my Weaver Nickel Plate Road RS-11 today it’s was fun to get out to the garage 

Mark, No phone booth! LOL Sorry

Lee, now that looks like fun! Both vides!

Lew, Lots of work there, maybe tomorrow you can let Buffy work on the track while you enjoy the sun!

Patrick, Wonderful video!

I had a blast today, first a 5 hour HOA meeting, then 3 hours isolating my sidings and tomorrow I will be under the table. I also made a new 4 switch holder for my 4 siding toggle switches for power. None of them will be tied together!

Yesterday I also prepared a future scene at Kimbrel Coal yard some will be picking up some bags of coal in this 1957 Ford Fairlane hope to get some figures painted soon 

Had fun running my Weaver RS-11 pulling some atlas boxcars and a couple AHM cars 

Had fun making this video!

Great pictures and videos guys! Looks like everyone is having fun! The videos give me ideas for my own layout! Thanks!

Looks like lots of folks were having fun with their railroads this past weekend!  I had fun making final preparations for moving some material out of the way to start building the next 10-foot long section of benchwork.

"Night moves":

Never mind about that pre-built track switch lying there. It is for an upcoming small West End tweak. 

As well as switching the East End:

I had fun today switching the new West End:

lee drennen posted:

Yesterday I also prepared a future scene at Kimbrel Coal yard some will be picking up some bags of coal in this 1957 Ford Fairlane hope to get some figures painted soon 

Lee, we used to haul bagged coal in our '57 Plymouth 'wagon. Of course, we had bagged it ourselves at our "coal mine" (exposed crop coal on the grown-over remnants of the family farm).

 That's my Brother and my Granddad filling burlap sacks with coal. See the coal seam just in front of Granddad? Next a trip out of the woods in our '53 CJ3A Jeep and transloading into the Plymouth for the 30mi drive home. 

I had a '52 Ford pickup, almost identical to your '50-'51 model in the pic:   

        :

geysergazer posted:

lee drennen posted:

Yesterday I also prepared a future scene at Kimbrel Coal yard some will be picking up some bags of coal in this 1957 Ford Fairlane hope to get some figures painted soon 

Lee, we used to haul bagged coal in our '57 Plymouth 'wagon. Of course, we had bagged it ourselves at our "coal mine" (exposed crop coal on the grown-over remnants of the family farm).

         

 That's my Brother and my Granddad filling burlap sacks with coal. See the coal seam just in front of Granddad? Next a trip out of the woods in our '53 CJ3A Jeep and transloading into the Plymouth for the 30mi drive home. 

I had a '52 Ford pickup, almost identical to your '50-'51 model in the pic:   

        :

 

Very interesting Lew your Grandpa looks kinda like my Great Uncle Joe who owned a small coal company in DeSoto Missouri he wore that same kinda hat and his posture looks the same. I named my coal tower after him “Kimbrel Coal Co” 

Shot another run of my Weaver RS-11 with those Atlas cars 

Here is my Napa Valley Wine Train.  You could consider it a unique railroad.  Matt

Having fun with the Canton Railroad and the B&O.

Got more wood down and tasting a route