(UPDATED) The 48 Club *** Announcing Division 59 Membership ***

Our humble beginnings ...

Jerry

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

Our humble beginnings ...

Jerry

Fred: "Wilma, I'm home!'

Wilma: "UPS delivered another box for you today."

Fred: "Yabba dabba doo!"

@Plankowner110 posted:

Fred: "Wilma, I'm home!'

Wilma: "UPS delivered another box for you today."

Fred: "Yabba dabba doo!"

... Wilma hits Fred over the head with box.

Poor Fred.

Not to worry about Fred...as long as the box contents didn't get damaged it's all good...

With Grand Poobahs like these, this club gets sketchier day by day. 😂

@GG1 4877 posted:

Can 4x8 meters count?

As long as you can get it to fit onto a 32 square foot area!  But if you have those kind of skills it's sorely wasted on model trains...

Jerry

@Fatman posted:

Is there a 2.44 x 1.22 Club for us Metric members ...

The 244122 Club just doesn't roll trippingly off the tongue! However if that's the size of it I can't see any good reason to deny you membership. If so I think that makes us international, I might be wrong, haven't checked where any of the other members hail from.

Jerry

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

As long as you can get it to fit onto a 32 square foot area!  But if you have those kind of skills it's sorely wasted on model trains...

Jerry

Jerry,

I've been watching that show since the 80's and now am watching every available episode on Britbox.  I got mad TARDIS skillz.  

I have a 3 1/2 foot x 4 foot portable layout, can I join!?!

@Artie-DL&W posted:

I have a 3 1/2 foot x 4 foot portable layout, can I join!?!

@GG1 4877 posted:

I got mad TARDIS skillz.

Imagine having a TARDIS, it would fit in just about any room of the house and the layout inside could be massive!

UPDATED MEMBERSHIP ROLL

Charter Members
1. RSJB18
2. Conductor Earl
3. bptBill
4. CA John
5. Walt Rapp
6. M. Mitchell Marmel
7. OKHIKER
8. Coca Cola Guy
9. Nucci
10. Rich Wiemann
11. CSXJOE
12. graz
13. Melvin P
14. Mrhobby052
15. Khayden93
16. palallin
17. John E K
18. Miggy
19. pdxtrains
20. SouthernFan56
21. randr
22. Will
23. Dave Warburton
24. GG1Guyy
25. Diverging Clear
26. Penn Flyer
27. Coach Joe
29. JohnnieWalker
30. Robert S. Butler
31.Mark Boyce
32. Jon Stachowicz
33. Madockawando
34. ScoutingDad
35. Darrell
36. PRRMP54
37. Mallard4468
38. PRR Mark
39. Berkshirelover726
40. NIKHIL
41. Ryan Mc
42. Plankowner110
43. justakid
44. Pre-War Steve
45. WP
46. Fatman
47. Artie-DL&W

Just one more and then the Charter Membership drive closes, lotta folks out there who apparently enjoy the simpler aspects of our hobby!

Was out pricing 36" hollow core doors at HD this morning, might be slapping together a display type of layout to give me something to run during the year.

Jerry

Thanks, Jerry!

@Fatman posted:

Is there a 2.44 x 1.22 Club for us Metric members ...

@Mallard4468 posted:

It's going to take some serious creativity to create a logo for that.

Not really, here ya go Fatman...

Jerry

That 3 1/2’ x 4’ layout also becomes my Christmas layout!

Metric members!!  That logo is nice, Jerry.  Fatman, you know how forward thinking Americans are.  When I was in grade school (early 1960s) the teacher started teaching about the metric system.  She said before long we would be using metric for everything.  Fast forward 60 years, and we are still where we were!  😄

LOL Jerry and Mark ... Happy to add some International flavour !

I grew up in the awesome time where I was born into feet and inches then went decimal so have a grounding in all things Imperial and Metric ... best part is when dealing with all things mechanical here you can find things in UK Imperial and US Imperial , AND Metric , although Metric is by far the norm now ... Why you lot out there could never agree on stuff is beyond me .. like a British Pint is close to 600ml but a US pint is only 475 odd..

So one can only conclude that Brits are generous souls and you bloody Yanks want to cheat us out of our grog !!!

Lets not even talk about why you needed different threads on bolts etc !

All obviously a plot to make us Aussies go mental ... but I will let you all in on a secret .... we all are already !

However I will not let these brutalities and injustices affect me and promise to uphold all matters 8 by 4 ... oops sorry 4X8 !

JUST KIDDING !!!

@Fatman posted:

LOL Jerry and Mark ... Happy to add some International flavour !

I grew up in the awesome time where I was born into feet and inches then went decimal so have a grounding in all things Imperial and Metric ... best part is when dealing with all things mechanical here you can find things in UK Imperial and US Imperial , AND Metric , although Metric is by far the norm now ... Why you lot out there could never agree on stuff is beyond me .. like a British Pint is close to 600ml but a US pint is only 475 odd..

Trust me. I designed a television studio in CAD for New Zealand.  The builders (in New Zealand) wanted millimeters. I planned to do it in imperial and convert. Now take a wall 10' tall and divide it into 8 equal sections with 3/4" reveals. This is a lot of fun with fractions.

Then I thought, why not just design it in metric? So much easier. Why we haven't converted is beyond me. We Americans have, shall we say, a stubborn streak?

Also, @Fatman, I think you need to be in the tinplate chapter.  I am the only member so far. I guess you could be in both the tinplate and Australia chapters.

Ima gonna need a bigger sign !!!

@Will posted:

Trust me. I designed a television studio in CAD for New Zealand.  The builders (in New Zealand) wanted millimeters. I planned to do it in imperial and convert. Now take a wall 10' tall and divide it into 8 equal sections with 3/4" reveals. This is a lot of fun with fractions.

Then I thought, why not just design it in metric? So much easier. Why we haven't converted is beyond me. We Americans have, shall we say, a stubborn streak?

Odd, the liquor industry converted early on when the 1970s push started, 750ml is somewhat smaller than a fifth (@757 ml); charge the same but give us less!

I also remember the Amoco slogan:

"AMOCO, THE LEAD-FREE LEADER

FIRST WITH THE LITER".

See you even have to spell it differently ... litre ... and dont even get me started on aluminium

Yep its you, Mayanmar ( ye olde Burma) and Liberia ... so the U.S. , then a place mainly known for its war atrocity railway, and well .. Liberia! Famous for Ebola and eating any endangered species you come across (Bushmeat)

If only you metricated....

*please note this is sarcasm and Aussie Humour

Wow,  I don't know how I missed this fantastic thread!   

This is my vintage 027 layout, its a bit smaller than 4x8 (about 3 by 7).  I used old track with great patina,  with the added track ties and ballast, I think it looks great. The mountain in the distance can showcase lighted cars, it also has an operating track that could be used to launch various projectiles.

This is a closer look at the track:

I have several operating tracks to operate cars like the milk car, log dump car and barrel car, plus the icing station.

The other side of the layout has an elevated line, which allows for two train operation.  I wanted the layout to have the functionality, look, and feel like a Lionel Display layout.

A marching band is going down main street.  I probably need to add some people along the street to cheer them on.

The shelves on the left, are hinged to the layout's left leg, and have rollers on the bottom, so the shelves can be rolled out to access the area under the layout.   The shelves have tracks that have power, so the passenger cars and cabooses can be lit up.  To the right is a ZW transformer, and all of the controllers.   Just below it are some repurposed drawers from a desk and, more shelves to its left,  there is also a small white table top that can be pulled out for doing some repair work, etc.

I hope there is still room for me in the club, perhaps the 48 number should be used for everybody else, sort of like the 12th man at a football game.

All the best, Dave

@Ryan Mc posted:

@baltimoretrainworks Can I get in on this? I design signal systems for a living so a simple layout to run at the end of the day is perfect for me. The layout is 45”x62”.
Here is my basement layout, still big enough to operate a Legacy Berk.


-Ryan

That's fantastic, Ryan! Looks like two individual loops? What track and track radius are you using?

@Coca Cola guy posted:

Here are the rough beginnings of a 32” x 84” trolley layout. Notice my crappy basement layout in the background!

I love this! I'd love a few more photos so I can see the track plan. O27?

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

Easily qualifies, you're in! I love the display layout look of your creation and the Plasticville is a perfect fit for the 48 Club.

Jerry

Thank you Jerry. The small layouts can be a lot of fun. The 48 Club is a great idea!!!

John

@pdxtrains posted:

I love this! I'd love a few more photos so I can see the track plan. O27?

This is O27.  I have roughly 800,000,000 pieces of it that I inherited from my Grandfather.

I will post some more pics this week as I get the final layout.  I am waiting on a few switches that I purchased to arrive.

@Coca Cola guy posted:

With Grand Poobahs like these, this club gets sketchier day by day. 😂

With a nod to the "Under The Hood" Creator: "WORKS FOR ME"

Nice @Former Member !!  In the true spirit of the 48 Club.

Here you go, @Fatman.

WE DID IT !!!

Charter Members
1. RSJB18
2. Conductor Earl
3. bptBill
4. CA John
5. Walt Rapp
6. M. Mitchell Marmel
7. OKHIKER
8. Coca Cola Guy
9. Nucci
10. Rich Wiemann
11. CSXJOE
12. graz
13. Melvin P
14. Mrhobby052
15. Khayden93
16. palallin
17. John E K
18. Miggy
19. pdxtrains
20. SouthernFan56
21. randr
22. Will
23. Dave Warburton
24. GG1Guyy
25. Diverging Clear
26. Penn Flyer
27. Coach Joe
29. JohnnieWalker
30. Robert S. Butler
31.Mark Boyce
32. Jon Stachowicz
33. Madockawando
34. ScoutingDad
35. Darrell
36. PRRMP54
37. Mallard4468
38. PRR Mark
39. Berkshirelover726
40. NIKHIL
41. Ryan Mc
42. Plankowner110
43. justakid
44. Pre-War Steve
45. WP
46. Fatman
47. Artie-DL&W
48. Brewman 1973

With the addition of Brewman 1973 to our ranks as member #48 the Charter Membership is now closed and the title of this thread will be changed to The 48 Club. New additions to our group are still welcome and encouraged and I hope we continue to grow. Only took us 3 weeks to reach that number after the genesis of an idea that started with a 9 year old post by Amfleet 25124 about why so many seem to not have anything positive to say about the 4x8s out there.  Looks like I'm going to have to get on the ball with the charter membership cards and certificates now! I'll be posting updates on how to get one once I finalize things on this end.

Jerry

Congratulations everyone!

Jerry, thank you for spearheading this!

Amfleet 25124, thank you for asking the question 9 years ago!

Hi, how do I get the 48 club logo in my signature?

Excellent question!

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Hi, how do I get the 48 club logo in my signature?

You can right-click and copy.

When you edit your signature, right-click and paste.

It worked!

Thanks! (It didn’t seem to work for me).

@Miggy posted:

With a nod to the "Under The Hood" Creator: "WORKS FOR ME"

Yes.  Yes, it does. 

Mitch

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

The 244122 Club just doesn't roll trippingly off the tongue! However if that's the size of it I can't see any good reason to deny you membership. If so I think that makes us international, I might be wrong, haven't checked where any of the other members hail from.

Jerry

According to google, 32 square feet converts to 2.9729 square meters.  So how about the 3 square meter club?

Strange, it seemed to have worked on my computer, but not the IPad I usually use.

Sorry, it worked!