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I started this thread on the Track plans and layout design.  I am now moving it to Scenery and structures.   Track is mostly set.   I have 3 staging tracks, 4 industrial sidings and 3 engine facilities tracks.    I was able to jam most of my buildings on the layout.    I can now run trains on the lower and upper main lines.     Enjoy the pictures.IMG_1046IMG_1047IMG_1048IMG_1049IMG_1050IMG_1051IMG_1052IMG_1053IMG_1054IMG_1055IMG_1056IMG_1057IMG_1058IMG_1060IMG_1062IMG_1063IMG_1064IMG_1065IMG_1066IMG_1067

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Original Post

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Here is a link to pictures of my first and 2nd layouts.  At the end of this page are links to the first layout.   

If you check it out you will see the same buildings used in different groupings.   I was also able to save 90% if the wire from the last layout.   

http://www.modelbuildingservices.com/layoutnew09.html

Every time I work on the layout or rescue a stopped train I am so glad I put a narrow walkway along the back side of the layout.   I also run all of my wires along the front of the layout.   I will post some pictures of this in the future.    It allows me to sit in a rolling chair to connect the wires to the junction bars.

Drummer3 posted:

Perhaps post a video or two sometime??  I like how the track disappears behing the buildings for that long stretch. 

Drummer3,

While you wait for a video of this layout here is a link to a video of the last layout.  My son made it using his go pro camera mounted on the train and around the layout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Py-XoybpaE

In all of my layouts I have the trains behind buildings as much as possible.    I also will use the buildings on the upper level to hide the return loops.

 

Last edited by Stu Gralnik
Stu Gralnik posted:

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Hi, Stu.  Could you tell me what brand name the products are that I see in the pictures.  Specifically in the 1st picture the Switch Tower on the left, and in the second picture, the Train Station with Clock.  I would be interested in finding these if still available.  I enjoyed your youtube videos & this layout looks well on it's way to great enjoyment.... besides the building of it.

Thanks, Dennis

 

Hartman posted:
Stu Gralnik posted:

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Hi, Stu.  Could you tell me what brand name the products are that I see in the pictures.  Specifically in the 1st picture the Switch Tower on the left, and in the second picture, the Train Station with Clock.  I would be interested in finding these if still available.  I enjoyed your youtube videos & this layout looks well on it's way to great enjoyment.... besides the building of it.

Thanks, Dennis

 

Dennis,    Just got to a place where I could log on to the forum to reply.   The tower is from Altoona Model Works and is in production.   The Station is an American Flyer Union Station.   There are some listed on ebay or new from Lionel AF.   http://www.lionel.com/products...ion-station-6-49839/

Stu

I have been making progress on the layout by wiring the switches that I can not easy reach.   I am placing them around the layout with some on the back side going into the staging tracks and some sidings.   The uncouple switches are also scattered around the layout.   The pictures also show the new control board with power on indicators.   These are freebies from Miniatronics.   ( I ran short so if you think you have some you can get rid of please check out the looking to buy section).   I have also included some picturesIMG_1431IMG_1433IMG_1436IMG_1441 of our new cat checking out the layout.   I was impressed on how she walked around with no damage.   Note that the power to the tracks was off.

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 The cooler weather, early darkness, talking to people at York and purchasing two pieces from other builders is getting my modeling juices flowing again. Here are pictures of a house under construction built by Richard Krieg and a Lobster boat built by Brian Inch along with new layout pictures. The lower main line can run two TMCC engines and the upper loop has two post warIMG_2128IMG_2129IMG_2130IMG_2131IMG_2132IMG_2133IMG_2134IMG_2135IMG_2136IMG_2137IMG_2138IMG_2139IMG_2140IMG_2141IMG_2142IMG_2143IMG_2144

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coach joe posted:

Stu, I really like your harbor scene.  You've got a unique lighthouse.  Are all of your boats waterline models or have shave the hull of some so that they sit flat on the board?

Joe,  All of the boats except the Chris craft cabin cruiser are waterline.  The chris craft i purchased built that is a plastic kit from years ago. I sanded the bottom off.   The large tug was a home built I purchased about 20 years ago and I added some detail.  The others are kits that I built.   The Lobster boat was a Frenchman river kit built by Brian Inch that I traded an electric substation for.   I also built the barge.

I also have  plastic kits of a float plane and coast guard rescue boat to build.

The light house is a crow river kit.

Stu, Thank you for pointing out your topic on your latest layout.  I don't know how I missed it as much as I am on the Forum!  All great structures for sure!  Your Website showing you previous layouts is great as well!  You have a talent for building new and interesting structures from scratch and then blending them in with commercial structures, that I didn't realize were commercial!  I like the harbor scene and boats.  Since I always modeled mountain railroading, I have never pursued that environment.  Thank you again!!!

I painted the road color in my two city sections.    To do this I removed the buildings and painted the entire sections.  I will go back later to do the plants and ballast.    Just painting the plywood makes a big difference in the look and I recommend it.    You can see the difference in the earlier pictures and painted ones.IMG_2223IMG_2224IMG_2225IMG_2226IMG_2228IMG_2229IMG_2230IMG_2231IMG_2232IMG_2233

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Another step forward. ground cover and ballast. I then ran two traditional Lionel engines until the upper train, led by two Lionel FM engines ran into the cat.  She was not to happy.  Some of my sidings are just stub tracks with bumpers on both ends.   With all the buildings you can not see both ends so it appears that they connected to the main line on the opposite end.   I was also able to kit bash a walk way bridge to connect the upper town to the lower train station.    I plan to hold on wiring the buildings and light towers but will add details for an up coming operating session.  IMG_2323IMG_2324IMG_2325IMG_2326IMG_2327IMG_2328IMG_2329IMG_2330IMG_2331

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coach joe posted:

Stu what did you do to the USCG rescue boat to make it sit flat?  I know it's not a waterline model.

Joe,

I sanded off the bottom using a bench top belt/disk sander.    I did the same to the cabin cruiser in some of the pictures.  It is also a plastic kit that you can still find.    I have also sanded off the bottoms at an angle of some of the small row boats to make them look like they sank.

 

 

@Greg Houser posted:

Do you operate the gantry crane to load coal/ore into waiting hoppers/ore cars or is it just for show?  I ask as I'm thinking about doing the same thing with my crane but wonder how well it works in practice.

Regardless, thanks for sharing - your layout looks great!

-Greg

Greg,

When i first got the crane I did use it to load coal from the barge to the bunker.  I did not load the hoppers but if set up right it should work.    Unfortunately the belt that rotates it has been replaced twice and after the 2nd time I stopped using it.   It still goes up and down so I could just rotate it by hand.   The coal I use is cork so light weight and picked up easily.  At this point it is just for looks.

@Bob Golfs posted:

Great stuff and  continue to learn by other's examples.  I really like how you used carrot tops to make trees in the pond - they are carrot tops, right?  What did you do to preserve them?

Bob,

The carrot tops were put on the layout as a joke because I liked the look of the greens.   They were not preserved and are back on the window sill in water to enjoy.    I did once go to a layout that had moss planted on the layout and a sprinkler system to water it.   He would cover the track and let it rain.   great affect.    If you look you might be able to find instructions for using glycerin.   here is one link to start with.  https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/nu...nt-foliage-glycerine

These were taken with my phone to see how it would work.  I did not clean up the trains or table so you will see some clutter and dust (weathering)  Using my phone allowed me to put the it in places that my camera would not fit.  Generally I like the pictures but the poor quality of the figures distract from the picture.  Looking back in this thread where the pictures were taken from further away the quality of the figures is less noticeable.  Please feel free to add your comments good or bad.  I consider  these as a learning lesson and to share my layout.  As a side note the garbage truck back was scratch built from pictures and placed on a purchased pickup  truck base with the back removed.WP_20200905_15_37_37_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_01_16_ProWP_20200905_15_07_03_ProWP_20200905_15_09_59_ProWP_20200905_15_10_41_ProWP_20200905_15_10_53_ProWP_20200905_15_11_40_ProWP_20200905_15_12_36_ProWP_20200905_15_13_36_ProWP_20200905_15_17_18_ProWP_20200905_15_17_47_ProWP_20200905_15_17_47_ProWP_20200905_15_18_35_ProWP_20200905_15_19_36_ProWP_20200905_15_20_00_ProWP_20200905_15_20_48_ProWP_20200905_15_22_33_ProWP_20200905_15_22_49_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_24_11_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_24_31_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_25_47_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_26_30_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_26_55_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_27_03_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_28_11_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_29_13_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_30_28_ProWP_20200905_15_30_50_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_33_24_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_35_13_Pro - CopyWP_20200905_15_37_37_Pro - Copy

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Stu:

I noticed you are using Atlas O switch motors. I have not taken a full inventory as but I have about 7 used (functional) and 3 unused (still wrapped) motors. Let me know if you are interested - we can agree on a price for the 3 unused and throw in the used ones for piece parts.
I also have an O72 wye if you need it.

Joe

@Joe Fauty posted:

Stu:

I noticed you are using Atlas O switch motors. I have not taken a full inventory as but I have about 7 used (functional) and 3 unused (still wrapped) motors. Let me know if you are interested - we can agree on a price for the 3 unused and throw in the used ones for piece parts.
I also have an O72 wye if you need it.

Joe

Joe,

Thank you for the offer but I have tmcc so will walk around and hand throw the switches.

Very nice layout, Stu! I love the New England urban vibe, and that you gave the waterfront center stage and so much real estate. You don't see that very often.

I just read the whole thread, and I see @TMack hasn't checked in in a few years, but if he does, I want to tell him I really enjoyed his video from 2011. Great use of sound effects, I'll have to try that.

@Craftech posted:

How did you make the boat names Stu?  They look great.

John

John,   I just read your comment again and realized you were probably asking a technical question.  These signs were printed on paper using  Word with white letters printed on a black background.   These were then cut to fit a cast name plate that came with the kit.

Last edited by Stu Gralnik

Stu

The lighthouse building at the harbor is great!  I've never seen one like that. Is it lighted with a rotating beacon? Does it have a sound effect (fog horn)? If not, those visual and audio enhancements could be a "rainy day" project. At a previous layout, I installed a Lionel Lighthouse. It had a rotating beacon and sound, but that accessory is a runner-up to your magnificent lighthouse!

I considered installing a Lionel #97 Coal Loader at the edge of my layout with a siding to it. A coal dump car could unload at its lift-up tray, and The exit chute of the accessory could be positioned over the edge of the layout -- as if there was a harbor dock below with a coal barge parked and ready to receive the flow coal for shipment down river. But medical issues intervened, so that project was never attempted.

Keep on building ...

Mike M.    LCCA 12394

Stu, your harbor scene is incredible!  I find the dredge barge most interesting, the details make it pop.  Your scratch building skills are really on display.  I was working backwards up the page and went through the pictures before your text and saw the STU in the logo long before I read about it.  looks like you're having fun building the new layout.

@coach joe posted:

A different tugboat company from the RC tug, like Moran and McAllister in New York Harbor.

The RC tug kit was made by Caldercraft and is styrene.   The 3 smaller sibling tugs are cast resin waterline tugs.    https://www.worthpoint.com/wor...our-tug-48-516903171

The next RC tug I will be making is by Dumas and is also styrene. it comes as a single screw but we are going to see it it can be made as a twin screw.   I will be painting it as an Army surplus tug sold to Salem Terminal Union.   https://www.towerhobbies.com/p...fnqMBfcaAvOiEALw_wcB

All the barges do float with the 3 smaller ones kept on the layout.

The 3 sibling tugs are part of the C&A co. which is named for my Son's family  and the logo is based on the G&H tug co. logo in Houston TX.  where he drives tugs.

If you look closely at the RC tug logo that looks like an anchor it is actually made up of the spelling of my name STU

Last edited by Stu Gralnik

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
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