Dave, the gorge looks amazing! I bet it sure is fun to see a nice steamer rolling across the bridge!
Seth, out standing job on the corner emporium!
Well I am headed to the train room soon to work on my fire engine and switching tower. Wish me luck! LOL
I hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday and finds time for there layout and train. But most of all I hope you all find time to have fun!
Thanks Mike! I will see what I can do.
Dave
@Mark Boyce, @Seth Thomas, and @pennsynut: Thank you, everyone, for your good wishes. So far I am hanging in there, and I can say that looking through the forum does help pass the time.
Happy Saturday Everyone, today I’m trying more video fun with freight trains. It’s going to take a lot of patience and much practice. Happy Railroading Everyone
Leapinlarry, how did you download the video to your post.
Hi romiller49, Rod Miller, thanks for asking, I’m trying to learn the trick to making videos, first, I set the iPhone to video, started the trains running, turned on the video, viewed the trains, watched the timer, stopped before 60 seconds. Posted on the thread by going to my photos, waited as they loaded in the que, when finished,the word successful appears, a little square box lights up, I hit ad and hit finished. I have a long way to go, if I had a friend stop by I could do more. Thank you and Happy Railroading Everyone.
Small progress was made this week, though, nothing yet ready for photograph or video. Yesterday, I took my MTH, DCS, TIU's and handheld controllers to Just Trains of Delaware to be upgraded. I also tested a replacement controller sent me by Miller Engineering for my Union Station sign, that, originally, only operated for about 2 weeks before failing. Miller Engineering was quite cooperative in working with me to identify the problem and stood behind their product by replacing the defective controller module. The sign now works well.
Romiller49 : let me add to my friend leapinlarry. You need to watch the upload indicators and be patient. I failed for almost a year because I was used to uploading pictures which are almost instantaneous whereas videos take time to reach successful upload. I am convinced that many of my early failures were because I cut off the process too soon.
Best of luck
Don
Larry and Don. Thank you. I was hoping it was as simple as pictures but like you Don, I did not wait long enough on the download. Rich Melvin’s post on YouTube also sounded like IPhones would not work for videos.
I’ve been painting the little add ons for the Woodlands corner emporium for two days. So the little building is coming around now.
The emporium signs will become the Skating Rink up the stairs. And Stephens Barber Shop on the ground floor entrance. Just as it was in the 1950’s downtown Olive Hill...
I added a warm light LED inside tonight so I will complete assembly of the interior and exterior tomorrow.
This is the second of two buildings completed since the ice storm on February 14th... began the painting on building number one (Korber) due to the very thick once on top of the stairs steps to my train room.
I must say it’s been a different type of enjoyment for the layout. Each one a learning experience.
Seth, you have a lot of patience and an excellent eye for detail.
Yesterday I did an exercise in insanity . I took my 9 lionel telephone poles and drilled out 10 holes in each , one for each glass insulator. Then I strung them all with 2lb test monofilament. It took all afternoon to complete. I know some of the wires are not taught enough but hey, I'll just look for some o gauge birds to roost on them.
Today was a road trip day. My son and I went to 3 different hobby shops. I bought 3 S gauge junker cabooses. Just needed the wheels for one of my next projects, a 4 wheel ingot buggy. Made from an 027 bobber caboose frame that was hacked apart and reassembled. I need to make a floor and sides for it. Bought some kadee 806 short couplers for it.
More to come as I progress on this build.
@romiller49 posted:Larry and Don. Thank you. I was hoping it was as simple as pictures but like you Don, I did not wait long enough on the download. Rich Melvin’s post on YouTube also sounded like IPhones would not work for videos.
Iphone movie: "Grandson turns 6 next month and I am egg-static that he has still has interest in running trains. Here we tested a small-scale layout in preparation for the 4x8 track setup"
Don, there are as many ways to do this as there are folks with phones. (Take the video in the landscape option). I upload video (watch lengths) to email. Automatically, Iphone will resize. (you can edit to length, save, then add to email as attachment). Send email to myself and save it to my download folder on the laptop. Remembering where it saved, I add attachments to post and the forum does the rest. <salute>
Morning guys I hope everyone is doing well!
Larry I think your doing great job with the video's, plus it give me and everyone else a chance to see your amazing layout in action!
Third Rail, Wires look perfect, remember that all wires have some sort of sag.
Miggy, wonderful job testing and getting things ready for your grandson! What a good grandpa!
Well yesterday I did get out to the train room and worked on my fire engine and switching tower. I had to cut some plexi glass for the windows on the bottom of the tower, I also added some lighting to both floors along with a worker in the window of the tower. I still have to put the electrical pipe and down spouts on before I can call it done. 
I think I am going to have to try and find a new location for my auto ramp and auto cars so they don't block this scene.
As for the fire engine I just put the chrome on the pump panel on the back of the engine and then the grill and headlights on the front. I am going to try and finish both project today.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and don't forget to have fun, spend time with your loved ones, and watch NASCAR! LOL Ok you don't have to do the last thing! Just have a great day!
Finished another flatcar. HobbyBoss Sherman tank on a Menards flatcar. Then added it to my train.
Spayed each tree with cheap hairspray, sprinkled with green ground foam, finished with generous hairspray to fix the foliage. These will be planted in the yard spur area after I weather some wood falls with barnwood craft paint. Cheers.
Very nice detail in the tower Mike and that has given me some good ideas. Also, with your fire truck be careful because there are two engines bearing down on it😮
Hi everyone, just taking a break from projects to give you all an update.
The Switching tower and Fire engine are done! Now to do a little clean up and start on a couple buildings for flats. Here are the finished items.
I take that back, I see I have to make signs for the building! LOL
Looks great Mike. I assume the Fire Dept is just inspecting the new structure?
Bob
Both look great, Mike!
Mike: The tower looks really great. I especially liked the interior detailing that you did and the window shades on the windows. It really makes the building look realistic. The fire truck really turned out well, I have followed your effort on that from your first post. Great job.
Regards
Don
@Ross posted:Finished another flatcar. HobbyBoss Sherman tank on a Menards flatcar. Then added it to my train.
Ross,
I love the military train. Looks great .
Third Rail, Wires look perfect, remember that all wires have some sort of sag.
Thanks for the compliment. Each wire is about 12 feet long, tied with a knot at only the ends. That way I can adjust the intermediary poles evenly as needed.
Today I made further small progress cleaning up my pig-pen of a workroom. Now that I have closed my business and am fully retired, I am trying to "shovel out" my work room which is in severe disarray. About 3 weeks ago, when I relocated a floor-standing cabinet, I found that one of the cans of MinWax wood stain had ruptured and leaked all over the concrete floor leaving a massive, for want of a better word, blob that was half hardened and partially sticky. Today, I finally made some progress at removing the mess so that the cabinet can be put back where the mess is. I poured oderless mineral spirits on the mess. In the past I was simply trying to wipe it up with a towel. That never worked well. Today, I again poured the mineral spirits solvent on the mess, let it sit for a few minutes and began scraping it with a wide putty knife. It had softened enough that I was able to remove a good bit of it with the putty knife. I will attack it again when my over-taxed back recovers.
I also drilled several pilot holes in the roof of my Union Station to secure, with screws, my now functioning Miller Engineering sign. Though it be in baby steps, I am moving forward. Stay tuned for another exciting installment later.
Thanks guys for all the nice words on my tower and fire truck! Yep Bob, there are there cause someone let there cat out and it got on the roof and the boss was worried for it! I asked him if he ever see a cat skeleton in a tree or on a roof! LOL
Randy, Congratulations on your retirement! Now that your out of work you have all the time in the world to take care of stuff like the MinWax stain among other things that you probably have never thought about ! LOL I cant wait to see your station with the new Miller sign installed!
I was able to get started on my next project! Ameri Towne Skippey Gear Co. That I am going to make into a flat for in front of the window above the service area!
I have already cut the back wall into 3 sections. 1 for a 3rd loading dock door and 2 building sides. I will have to scratch build 2 floors a roof and a back. Also install lighting on both floors!
I hope you all had a great weekend and found time to have fun with your layout and trains!
What started out as a simple “let me just finish a few lamp posts” turned out to be a four hour session. I’m sure you all know how that goes, LOL! Slowly but surely, she’s coming along.
Congratulations Randy! Retirement is great! Mike, if I wasn’t still building I would get out my Atlas tower kit and build it.
I positioned the limit switches so I don’t put a bridge through the ceiling. I tested with alligator clips and tightened them down. I still have to wire the power for the linear actuator permanently and track power on the bridges.
Been working on another module for my small town. This scene will set behind my passenger station a little outside of town. 
For the Woodlands corner emporium today I added the interior lighting...
I have enjoyed this kit. Time consuming but I’m satisfied with the results...
I only saved about $40 with buying kit versus buying a pre-assembled. So now I know the amount of time involved in the kits.
Spent the day adding ground cover to the "Charles Street Yard" attempting to duplicate the diesel covered ground of the '50's. I recall visiting there with my grandfather on a few occasions...the smell of diesel from the ground and in the air...engines running at idle all over the yard. I can't recall the number of stubs in the yard, other than there were too many to count. With the 8' x 8' addition to my main layout, i'll have to settle for 9 stubs!
Finally placed the GGD coaling tower after being in storage for 6 years
Hope to wire it up tomorrow to bring a little lighting detail to that side of the yard...
Tonight I planted the trees. Here are the views I can see. On the left are mountain walls. A yard spur will be immediate right and farther right the main line. I still have more to add by the yard shack. Great work by all. The details are amazing.
Good Monday morning everyone, I see everyone has been working hard on there layouts!
Strap Hanger, looks outstanding and well worth the time and effort!
Farmer John, Nice work! You can see why you have one of the truly amazing layouts on the forum!
Seth Thomas, Great work, by doing it yourself you get the detail you are looking for!
Paul, what a wonderful job on the Charles Street Yard! At the rate your going I can tell your going to be done anytime and its going to be outstanding !
Pennsynut,I really like how you built this and worked on it away from the layout! You have less mess and less chance of damaging things on the layout. It really looks amazing and looks at it is going to be a perfect fit on your layout!
I hope everyone has a great day and has fun with there trains and layouts!
Looks like everyone had a productive weekend on their layouts except me. The CEO and I are designing a new kitchen so layout time was zero. I was hoping to work on my new switches for the yard project but the kitchen design is holding up roofing and siding so, priorities.
Mike G- That building looks vaguely familiar....should make a nice flat.
Morning all! Just signing back on this morning so looking forward to seeing all the updates. @RSJB18 - My wife is starting to design our new kitchen so I have a feeling I will be spending more time on that project as well! Good luck with the project!
I put together a second layout progress video highlighting power and control. Link is below:
Well how about that Bob, Now I am going to have to go back several pages to fallow that build all over again! LOL I know the lights are from Evens Design!
Chris I am looking forward to watching your update video on power and control! Thank You Sir!
Chris, Very nice power and control basics video. You certainly have build a lot of versatility into your layout!! It reminds me to mention here that when I wired all my blocks, I separated my mainline from my sidings with the mainline powered by one Z4000 output and TIU fixed output 1 and the sidings by output 2. When I connected everything, I thought I had tested that the two were separated electrically. I discovered a few weeks ago I have the two tied together somewhere. I was concentrating on my lift up bridges when I discovered the problem, so I have put off trouble shooting for now.
@Chris1985 posted:Morning all! Just signing back on this morning so looking forward to seeing all the updates. @RSJB18 - My wife is starting to design our new kitchen so I have a feeling I will be spending more time on that project as well! Good luck with the project!
I put together a second layout progress video highlighting power and control. Link is below:
Thanks Chris for making it so easy to understand! It can be a real pain in the rear for some of us that are slow when it comes to electrical! LOL
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