What did you do on your layout today?

@ArtsModelTrains posted:

Great picture, I always wondered what your full layout looked like.  That is a great use of space.  I'm amazed at all the sidings you have for storage, I didn't plan properly for that on my layout and miss that storage space.

I call it "A judicious use of space....."

The space over the file cabinets was just piling up with junk so I told the CEO I'm taking over the air rights by eminent domain. Unfortunately the laws were changed since outlawing future applications of that statute......

Thanks for the comment.

@RSJB18  Ha you only get to ask for forgiveness once, like that application of eminent domain. Use that forgiveness only when its worthwhile since you will not get to use it again.  Nice to see the whole layout. 

Bob - enjoyed seeing the overview shot of your layout. It's amazing what you've packed into that space.

Mike - Don't over do it, breaks are allowed. You're making great progress on your modifications.

Today I finished building the Atlantis, former Chevrolet truck kit. Had a few fit-a-ment issues with the parts but overall pleased with the results. I need another 2 hair brush now. Might get another one and change it up. I do like the stake-bed trucks.

Getting cold tonight,

Scott

                               Made ladder #1 of 3 using garbage lumber.

@B&O Fan posted:

Bob - enjoyed seeing the overview shot of your layout. It's amazing what you've packed into that space.

Mike - Don't over do it, breaks are allowed. You're making great progress on your modifications.

Today I finished building the Atlantis, former Chevrolet truck kit. Had a few fit-a-ment issues with the parts but overall pleased with the results. I need another 2 hair brush now. Might get another one and change it up. I do like the stake-bed trucks.

Getting cold tonight,

Scott

Thanks. I embrace "packed" 🤣

I have one of those Atlantis trucks to build too. Interested to know about the fits it gave you.

Bob

Scott, the truck looks great!  I have one of those Atlantis kits as well.

@B&O

Scott:

The truck is great! I also have a question for you. Where did you get your concrete fence at the top of the retaining walls in photo 2?

Thank you.

So, having finished up work on scratch-building the fencing around the 'substation' next to it, I noticed that the whistle shed, with its neon-green base, was looking a bit shabby by contrast, so I painted the 'brick' steps (also originally green!) with red oxide acrylic, then dry-brushed with white to highlight the mortar (the molding was the inverse of the prototype, with the mortar lines raised instead of indented), painted the rest a light brown and, while the paint was still tacky, sprinkled on some ground foam, following up with slightly watered white glue and more ground foam, and finally topped off with a coat of hairspray after everything dried. Oh, and also lubricated the whistle motor, since it had been slowly dying away, and added some supports underneath to keep the whistle chamber and motor from dropping out. Here 'tis:

Still needs some more landscaping, but IMHO it already blends a lot better than it did in screaming neon green!

@RSJB18 Bob - the areas where I had some issues with the truck kit were a.) the seat. It seems if you mount it where it fits well, it ends up impeding the placement of the rear wall of the cab. I ended up raising the rear of the seat to tilt it forward to get the clearance I needed. b.) The side panels with the doors were a little finicky but a little file work eased them in. c.) The rear leaf springs needed some file work to properly fit but watch it as they will break easily. d.) Almost all of the rail panels for the bed needed some adjustment and lastly the windshield just wouldn't meet the curves in the sides of the cab the way I wanted. Despite all of that I liked the end product.

@Mark Boyce Mark - Thanks for the comments and looking forward to seeing your finished layout mods.

@Randy Harrison  Randy - The concrete railings are a Crow River Product. They're part of their Highway Bridge kit but they are also available separately.

Stay warm,

Scott

Scott, Thank you for answering Bob’s questions and thank you for watching my layout modifications.  I need to post an update as I made a little more progress.  I have roadbed in place for the upper level.  Now I am ready to pull up the test fitted track and drill holes for wire drops.

@B&O Fan @ArtsModelTrains

Here's my current track plan. The layout has evolved since I first built it. It's all 027 except for the cross over switches in front that are 042's. The two sidings on the right used to be an elevated ramp up to the top level but the grade was too steep for most engines to navigate.  It's small but I can keep myself busy switching cars or just sit back and let 2 trains loop around.
The 3 track yard was built by shortening some MTH scaletrax switches to fit.

@ScoutingDad - I will have to wait until my son is out of the house to expand. My desk is next to the layout, but he's using it for his XBox gaming lair. If the daughter goes first, then maybe I can persuade the boss to move him up into her old bedroom so I can take over the basement......

@Steve Tyler- nice updates to the whistle shed. The substation looks good too.

Bob

@Steve Tyler posted:

So, having finished up work on scratch-building the fencing around the 'substation' next to it, I noticed that the whistle shed, with its neon-green base, was looking a bit shabby by contrast, so I painted the 'brick' steps (also originally green!) with red oxide acrylic, then dry-brushed with white to highlight the mortar (the molding was the inverse of the prototype, with the mortar lines raised instead of indented), painted the rest a light brown and, while the paint was still tacky, sprinkled on some ground foam, following up with slightly watered white glue and more ground foam, and finally topped off with a coat of hairspray after everything dried. Oh, and also lubricated the whistle motor, since it had been slowly dying away, and added some supports underneath to keep the whistle chamber and motor from dropping out. Here 'tis:

Still needs some more landscaping, but IMHO it already blends a lot better than it did in screaming neon green!

The shack looks great Steve.

Can you share your fence building method with us?

- “I will have to wait until my son is out of the house to expand. My desk is next to the layout, but he's using it for his XBox gaming lair. If the daughter goes first”

Bob, if daughter decides to move out fine, but

if she marries first with a wedding you won’t be able to afford the son moving up and the new enlarged layout ….

Just saying 😏

@Seth Thomas posted:

- “I will have to wait until my son is out of the house to expand. My desk is next to the layout, but he's using it for his XBox gaming lair. If the daughter goes first”

Bob, if daughter decides to move out fine, but

if she marries first with a wedding you won’t be able to afford the son moving up and the new enlarged layout ….

Just saying 😏

The moving part may be in the offing after she finishes her MBA this May. She's been dating a guy from Ft. Myers Fl, my wife and I aren't sure where this is going but time will tell......

@Seth Thomas posted:

- “I will have to wait until my son is out of the house to expand. My desk is next to the layout, but he's using it for his XBox gaming lair. If the daughter goes first”

Bob, if daughter decides to move out fine, but

• if she marries first with a wedding you won't be able to afford the son moving up and the new enlarged layout.

Just saying 😏

WHAT ! ..........

( ....an MBA grad should be able to land a job that would guarantee them having  a lot of disposable income .......say for a wedding ??? ......... )     just saying Bob.

Friday evening while listening to high school basketball I set an glued the Woodland Scenic traffic lights on the corners of Scott& Cross street’s intersection of Railroad Street…

I need one more pair to finish Railroad Street.

John, the lights really look great!  I have never installed outdoor lights on a layout.  Maybe I should when the layout gets to the scenery stage.

Bob, thank you for the track plan!  You really packed a lot of track in, but photographs show it doesn’t look crowded!  👍🏻

@Seth Thomas posted:

Friday evening while listening to high school basketball I set an glued the Woodland Scenic traffic lights on the corners of Scott& Cross street’s intersection of Railroad Street…

I need one more pair to finish Railroad Street.

Nice look scene, Seth

Seth…..how do you like those Woodland Scenics traffic lights?    Do they change on a timer or do you manually change the lights?

Rick

@Lionelski posted:

The shack looks great Steve.

Can you share your fence building method with us?

Thanks, John! (Sorry for the delay -- I'm at a train show at the moment.)

No problem on the building method -- nothing too complicated, just styrene rods and superglue for the frame, plus some old aluminum screen from a busted frame, cut on the bias to more closely resemble chain link fabric. The 'barbed wire' is gray thread looped around the ends of the styrene rods and superglued in place, and everything was given a light coat of charcoal gray rattle can paint.

The signage was pics from the Interweb sized to fit, printed on glossy paper, and cut out and secured with a dab of white glue. Figures are a cheap Bachman set of, IIRC, factory workers. The box in the middle I had fabricated earlier, to cover most of the relay in the center that controls the "Twin Train" emulation I'd added to that loop even earlier (I just can't seem to stop tweaking! 🥴).

I know not much but I got all my transformers phased together. 2 PW ZW phased with 2 135 W bricks.

@Steve Tyler posted:

Thanks, John! (Sorry for the delay -- I'm at a train show at the moment.)

No problem on the building method -- nothing too complicated, just styrene rods and superglue for the frame, plus some old aluminum screen from a busted frame, cut on the bias to more closely resemble chain link fabric. The 'barbed wire' is gray thread looped around the ends of the styrene rods and superglued in place, and everything was given a light coat of charcoal gray rattle can paint.

The signage was pics from the Interweb sized to fit, printed on glossy paper, and cut out and secured with a dab of white glue. Figures are a cheap Bachman set of, IIRC, factory workers. The box in the middle I had fabricated earlier, to cover most of the relay in the center that controls the "Twin Train" emulation I'd added to that loop even earlier (I just can't seem to stop tweaking! 🥴).

Much thanks for the info, Steve

Happy hunting at the show.

I'm going to a local Long Island show tomorrow (Sunday) and the Allentown, PA meet in a couple weeks

@Rixster

The Woodlands Scenic are nice, since I don’t plan to have power poles right now the mast type signal is a great idea.

only illuminated one side. I do have the power on a power strip with a timer but I have all signals on one at the moment.  

Thanks, you gave me a good idea about an added power strip with another timer to do the alternating.

I thought I did good to find the strip with a manual timer ….😏 the highway had limited staff right now…

@Dallas Joseph posted:

WHAT ! ..........

( ....an MBA grad should be able to land a job that would guarantee them having  a lot of disposable income .......say for a wedding ??? ......... )     just saying Bob.

MBA's don't hold the value they once did Dallas. She's doing OK at the Marketing firm she's working for at the moment. Hopefully the degree will bring a decent promotion and raise.  Almost no young singles can afford an apartment on Long Island these days, unless you feel that food, clothing, a car, and a cell phone are optional...... Sad but true.

Bob

Bob, the aerial shot of the layout is nice, gives you the overall feel. Thanks for the track plan.

John, cute pup.

Scott, the Chevy truck and scene look great, nice job.

Seth, the traffic lights are a nice addition.

Andy

I’m working on the slab that will go under the pavilion. I primed it, then painted with a base tan. I added some aged concrete paint, and dry brushed a few lighter colors. Then I gave the whole thing a black wash, and finished up with a light coat of weathering powders. The slab is Masonite.

Andy

About to start another project for my WWII train. Still need to get another M10 to double them on the car. Not to sure which set up I want to do for the 8” gun. I’m leaning towards the gun and truck. Still have one more to build after this one.

@Steve Tyler posted:

So, having finished up work on scratch-building the fencing around the 'substation' next to it, I noticed that the whistle shed, with its neon-green base, was looking a bit shabby by contrast, so I painted the 'brick' steps (also originally green!) with red oxide acrylic, then dry-brushed with white to highlight the mortar (the molding was the inverse of the prototype, with the mortar lines raised instead of indented), painted the rest a light brown and, while the paint was still tacky, sprinkled on some ground foam, following up with slightly watered white glue and more ground foam, and finally topped off with a coat of hairspray after everything dried. Oh, and also lubricated the whistle motor, since it had been slowly dying away, and added some supports underneath to keep the whistle chamber and motor from dropping out. Here 'tis:

Still needs some more landscaping, but IMHO it already blends a lot better than it did in screaming neon green!

For contrast, here's roughly the same scene while the fencing was still under construction, which shows the whistle shed in its original condition:

(The "screamin' neon green" base is clearly visible on the right, and you might be able to figure out why I did the modifications!)

Finished a repaint job.

Steve, the scene looks great after you covered the neon green!  😄

Ross, the paint job looks great!

Today I added some LED lights from Evan Designs to this unpowered Chessie.  I added red & green marker lights, warm white headlights (which also light the number boards), and a flashing orange mars light on the cab.  I left one of the existing bulbs lit in the cab, but I may decide to remove it.  It was a fun and rewarding project.

Rick

A Beauty, Ross, a beauty.

The Milwaukee Road is my fav

One more thing accomplished (?).  I electrically tested all of my switches on my layout. The problem is some are not throwing the entire way.  Does anyone know if I can add some dry lube to the piston to make it move better?  I haven’t tried it yet because I am nervous about it affecting the coil.

@Ross love the repaint job and the engine house.

Finally figured out how to build the curved double track section on grade joining the upper and lower sections.  Outer curve is 080/088 inner is 072 dia,  More at TPRR pages.

I decided to take a break from scenery work and enjoy running trains. As always, I got a wild video idea. I took my phone and set it in a gondola connected to a train. I hit the record button and here is the result.

I left one of the existing bulbs lit in the cab, but I may decide to remove it. 

@Rixster posted:

Rick

When I have a situation like the cab light I like to keep the light even.       I'll  take some of the transparent Tamiya color ( orange, green , red ,blue etc. ) and coat the bright LED until I get the desired affect .

Nice job on the rest of the lights.

After noon guys and gals, I hate it when I have been gone from here for a couple of days, so much happens that there is just to much to comment on everyone's great work!

But I will say @Lionelski What a great looking puppy! I hope he is a train fan!

As for me not much, did nothing in the train room yeasterday had to work on the truck putting on new towing mirrors. But I was able to get out there this morning and spent the time painting every section of track side rail I could get to. I tell you it is so much easier to spray paint them before you install! I will remember that if there is a next time! LOL

I hope your all having a wonderful weekend!

Most of all I hope your all staying warm and having fun with your layout and trains!

@Rixster posted:

Today I added some LED lights from Evan Designs to this unpowered Chessie.  I added red & green marker lights, warm white headlights (which also light the number boards), and a flashing orange mars light on the cab.  I left one of the existing bulbs lit in the cab, but I may decide to remove it.  It was a fun and rewarding project.

Rick

Nice job Rick, I’m inclined to do that to my new MTH AS616. I can’t believe that MTH didn’t light the markers or number boards. What’s holding me back is that when I looked inside the cab the anchor for the cab mounting screw runs all the way to the roof. Making it extremely difficult to drill an accurate hole. Maybe drill from that outside in for the markers? But that won’t work for the number boards.

@mike g. posted:

........But I will say @Lionelski What a great looking puppy! I hope he is a train fan!........

Thanks Mike - At only 10 1/2 weeks old today, he is already letting us know that he needs to go out by crying at the back door. Problem is we don't always get up fast enough to avoid a "derailment"!

His big "Sister" is not thrilled as he is jumping on her face with his puppy nails and teeth. He wants to play but, at almost nine, she has no patience.

LOVE HIM!

Today I ran all of the trains on the layout again and all ran perfectly - I hope for the same tomorrow when visitors come!

Added another benchwork section & cut some roadbed.  Enjoying this !

Rich in SD