What did you do on your layout today?

Populated the action accessory spur.....

Peter

Nice Peter, and very smart of you to put these accessories in the front for easy access, for both operation and repair/adjustment reasons.

I have most of mine in a harder to reach spot, and regret it.

Morning guys Happy Friday!

@Putnam Division Peter wow your moving right along! Things are looking great!\

Well guys as I said I was able to get the clearance problem taken care of and here is a photo and a short video to prove it should work! LOL

Once I got that taken care of I was able to get back to the upper level. fitting the next scetion of plywood, matching up the access hole with the bottom one and laying out some track.

I don't think there will be any train room today as I have to replace the stabilizer jacks on the used RV we bought, the previous owner thought they were used to level it and bent the **** out of them. I couldn't fix them so time to put in some new ones!

I hope you all have a great weekend and find time to have fun with your layout and trains!

@mike g.

Good job Mike! I hope a photog doesn’t stick his head out a window for a picture. 🤪

I have made some progress on my mainline tracks around the layout. I am currently about half way around the layout and it takes almost 2 minutes to travel the distance with a BigBoy running at a moderate speed. I have included a video to share with everyone my progress.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/I7AWjSLamOk

Image of part of the layout.

Thanks;

idea-thinker

Lionel REALLY should have offered a small Southern Pacific diesel to go with all those SP cabooses. Too bad the Espee didn't own any FAs. They might have looked like this.

Decals are a combination of Microscale, Des Plaines Hobbies (S scale), and K4. Even with many gloss coatings before application there was some silvering of the road name as soon as the Dullcote hit it, so I will probably add another light gloss coat.

@mike g. awesome! Thanks for the video, kinda jealous of your SD80 there, I like all things NS

Today I put up the new railing! It’s beautifully stained in a subtle red. Now I can install all the switch and electro coupler controls

@Sams Trains posted:

@mike g. awesome! Thanks for the video, kinda jealous of your SD80 there, I like all things NS ...snip...

My least favorite rr; and its "R" line is only 350 feet from my back door! Just behind these trees:

@Sams Trains, Wow, your curtain is beautiful and your layouts coming along nicely. It’s a Wow. Yesterday, our small train group went to Bob Irshmers for a fun train day. Here are some pictures of his amazing work. Happy Railroading Everyone

No pix yet, but I ran a train around the inner main line of the layout that I started constructing two years ago, for the first time.  As you might expect, two wiring errors and various spots of dirty track needed attention before success was achieved!  And the Lionel NYC Mohawk 3005 leading the first train had no problem with the 3% grades, though steady attention to the throttle was necessary.  Now to fabricate the block disconnect switch panel, terminate all the wiring, and fabricate the power pack support board.  Hoping to have the double-track main, reverse loop, yard, and arrival/departure tracks functional by 1 April.

Still sorting out the last of the circuits, but here is a little night time run before bed.

@leapinlarry  wonderful photos of the layout.  I do not remember seeing those views of your layout.  The detail on the 4449 is awesome. I assume it neither MTH nor Lionel?  I have an MTH Premier PS3 version, really nice, but...

Also I was curious about your arch under.  I am planning something similar for an entry point to my under construction layout.  Scratch built or some sort of kit?  I have not seen any commercial O scale bridges that are suitable.

The Trackside Tavern is an inspiration.  I have an unopened kit waiting for the completion of the layout rebuild. 

Thanks for any insights.  Jeff

@ScoutingDad, thank you for the kind words, however, the pictures that I listed are of Bob Irmscher’s beautiful layout located near Louisville Kentucky. They are all of his layout. Happy Railroading Everyone

Finished up 2 buildings named for 2 of the grand kids. Completely disassembled, repainted and relite using Led's.

@ENichter posted:

Finished up 2 buildings named for 2 of the grand kids. Completely disassembled, repainted and relite using Led's.

The buildings look great and that is such a unique idea to put the photos in the shop windows. Well done!

Jay

I was working on my layout today and thought I’d share an idea that was somewhat inspired by Mr Barrett - he had made some of his layout movable so that he could reach otherwise inaccessible areas.  I have a finicky switch back in an otherwise inaccessbile part of the layout and I may need to access it, hopefully infrequently.   To do so, I have installed a base of wood scraps that either are or will be covered by moveable scenery.  When removed, I access that part of the layout by laying plywood on the base and over the track work.  

The first photo shows the removable scenery in place.  In photo 2, that scenery piece has been removed and you can see how I added the bushes to cover its perimeter which helps to disguise the seams.  The third photo shows the hollowed out bottom.  Next, you can see the 2x2 which is the base and over which the scenery section resides.  The 2x2 is permanent in order to hold the scenery in place.  The plywood ‘bridge’ laid on the 2x2 is then shown and that is what I used for access to the other scenery work I was doing.  Finally, you can see the scenery piece reinstalled.  

I intend to replace, install and cover some other of the pieces that I used for the base - they will possibly be covered with a scale lumber pile, fence or the like.  On the list a few projects from now, the lower level will have a small farm which will also have some removable pieces.  I hope not to have to use this method often, but I know that it is there if and when I would need to do so.

I’m getting ready to do some upgrading to my turntable, it’s been on the layout for 20 plus years, it’s a modified Bowser 32 inch turntable, with O scale pit-rail, and a PTC 3 NYRS indexing system complete with a high torque stepper motor, and allows 99 tracks to be memorized by the system, head end and tail end. The bridge fence on the deck is the one in the original package, however, CSX Al sold me the parts he uses on the famous Millhouse turntable to make the guard rails/fence much more realistic. This is a work in progress. A new shaft collar is being designed, the one picture is one with 2 set screws, one with 3 set screws is on order. When I go to see layouts, Farmerjohns, Dr. Jack Fishers, Bob Irmshires, (all with 34 inch Millhouse turntables) I always go with brainstorming ideas, so now’s the time. Happy Railroading Everyone

Ran trains for a bit, then rearranged things and made a wall mount/legs to put my small prewar OO layout above my loop of postwar Lionel.  Still need to run power feeders from my type R to the OO loop. 

GNRW operating session:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...4#172752760273114094

Sometimes the projects are not very obvious, or particularly photogenic . . .

A few weeks ago, I re-posted a video I'd done some time back, using a vintage GoPro camera taped on top of a gondola car and run through the layout. One of the obvious shortcomings of the video was the transit of the tunnel along the back of the layout -- I had hoped at the time that the trains' headlights and the illuminated passenger cars on an adjoining track would provide enough light to see glimpses of the inside of the tunnel, but it was pretty dark. So, I put adding some sort of interior illumination for the tunnel on the long-term to-do list.

Recently, I bought several batches of LEDs, and the re-posting of the  video got me thinking about finally installing some interior tunnel lighting. My first attempt kinda-sorta worked, but eventually I scrapped that design for one that I knew would be a lot more work to fabricate and install, but ultimately would be more reliable. Basically, I just spliced a series of 5mm LEDs across the conductors in a length of some left-over WS Just Plug wire -- actually, sections of wire, with an offset between the ends of the conductors, with conductors and LED leads soldered together and covered with shrink wrap tubes -- with LEDs every 9 inches or so, then spliced a 330 ohm current-limiting resistor into the "hot" conductor and terminated the string with a Menards Plug & Play-type connector. I built a Y-adapter out of three more connectors, which I used to tap into the 4.5 volt power I'd already installed for an existing lighted vehicle above the tunnel.

To make an already long story a bit shorter, it all worked as planned! Before installation, I gave each of the eight LEDs two coats of Tamiya orange transparent paint, to moderate the bluish LED appearance into more of an incandescent glow, and stapled the string to the underside of the tunnel roof, routing the power tap wires behind the textured foam board panels at one end of the tunnel, out of sight but accessible if necessary. Looking down the tunnel, the effect is pretty much the lights-passing-in-the-subway-tunnel effect I was shooting for, though I haven't actually re-shot the video yet. I also plan to create a peek-hole at one end of the tunnel, so the grand-kids can see the two trains rushing toward them, periodically lit by the new ceiling lights!

@Bob Golfs that is a really slick way to get to the tough part of the layout and camouflage the support for where the platform will rest.

@leapinlarry the turntable already looks great, but I'm sure the parts from Al will make it better.  Impressive motive power as well.

@Steve Tyler your tunnel lighting method sounds great!  Also the idea for the grandchildren to view trains sounds like a lot of fun.

I was able to complete the roadbed and track for converting my layout from an over and under twice around mainline to separate high and low level mainlines with two grades connecting the two loops so trains can move up or down as desired.  Also, I incorporated two yard tracks and a run around track to make up some trains.  Now I have to wire in the new power blocks so I can get rid of a menagerie for jumper wires laying about the layout.

Looks like a myriad of things happening on this page alone. From the creative to the technical, to just having fun. It's all wonderful.

Mark, things are looking good and it looks like once this project is completed you may be able to move to scenery. From your explanation, your new design creates a great use of the space that you have and you have maximized the operational possibilities. Also, thanks to you I learned a new word..."menagerie".

Dave

Congratulations Mark on your progress. What a tremendous improvement!

What a milestone to accomplish, congratulations Mark. It seems that recently you have really put the pedal to the metal. And, that’s the most amazing wiring job I’ve ever seen.

Jay

@Mark Boyce And I thought my wiring was neatly done, you lead the way for some to follow. Great job!

Gene

Wow Mark!  Pretty obvious that you were a utility engineer!  Great job wiring!

Thank you, Dave, Bill, Jay, Gene, Bob!  Given a lot of space for a layout, I think I would prefer the concept of two mainlines stretching through the countryside from town to town, as often happened in real life.  However, I wouldn’t be able to pay for all the materials to fill the space, so this is a compromise.  😄  Many of you and others have followed my progress on my thread that is linked in the signature line, so you know the retrofit has had its challenges.  Bob, thank you for the compliment.  You are right; the layout shows I was a utilities engineer and not a carpenter.  😆  However, everything is solid so it provides a good base for scenery, which is my favorite part of the hobby besides running trains.

Last evening I took inventory of available AIU ports and solid state relays to connect to power connections.  I have enough relays on the board, but will have to add the spare AIU to the mix.  Bill, you knew I would be adding.  As can be seen, I should have used a larger space for AIUs, but this is my first go at that technology.  I figured out how I will do it.

Dave, our youngest daughter, coming up on her 30th birthday, would use the word plethora instead of menagerie.  🤔

Thank you for all the encouragement!!

Mark, I know "plethora". I actually use that word semi-often.

Here's some detail work I'm doing to some more D.D. buildings I've been working on.

Dave

Dave, are those ‘dried leaves’ on the awning?  Excellent details all around the building

Hey Mark, yes they are and thank you.

Dave

@ Bob Golfs, great solution to your access problems, well done.

@ Larry, ambitious upgrade on an integral part of the layout. Well thought out.

@ Mark, looks great Mark! You’ve arrived at a good solution. The wiring is excellent.
@ Dave, great work Dave, that’s a plethora of leaves on the awning 😉, excellent as always.

Andy

IR sensor wired. Polly Purebread saved by Dudley DooRight. Dick Dastardly foiled again!

Thanks Andy, lol. Glad you noticed.

David

WOW- 2 days without a post on this thread.......

So let me do something about that!

I'm switching out power and rolling stock on my layout. Giving some other engines some run time. I added a Cab 1L since these were last run so I had to program both into the remote last night and give them a run. They both ran OK but do need to get serviced and lubed. I also noticed a problem with the marker lights on the front of the WM Geep that I will need to check.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

WOW- 2 days without a post on this thread.......

So let me do something about that!

I'm switching out power and rolling stock on my layout. Giving some other engines some run time. I added a Cab 1L since these were last run so I had to program both into the remote last night and give them a run.

Bob

So Bob, I’m wondering do you keep a record of when you run your engines? You jogged my memory back about 40 years. There was an article in MR about creating a report sheet. It contained columns for date, engine #, lube, runtime, any problems, remarks. I made one up and my son and I used it for awhile. Don’t know why we stopped.

continued wiring my 9x15 layout. its small but its mine.lol.

@pennsyfan posted:

So Bob, I’m wondering do you keep a record of when you run your engines? You jogged my memory back about 40 years. There was an article in MR about creating a report sheet. It contained columns for date, engine #, lube, runtime, any problems, remarks. I made one up and my son and I used it for awhile. Don’t know why we stopped.

I'm a horrible record keeper. My wife was an executive secretary and is the total opposite.....

I started an inventory in excel several years go but haven't kept up with it. I used to have a computer on my desk right next to the layout so it was easy to make changes to the file but since my son commandeered the space for gaming, I lost the ready access to the PC. I have started putting small labels on the bottom of my command engines with engine number, battery or BCR, and system type at least. I don't have a full DCS set so no ID #'s on the MTH engines yet.

Bob

@scottyhubcaps posted:

continued wiring my 9x15 layout. its small but its mine.lol.

9 X 15 is not small!

pictures?

@RSJB18 posted:

I'm a horrible record keeper. My wife was an executive secretary and is the total opposite.....

I started an inventory in excel several years go but haven't kept up with it. I used to have a computer on my desk right next to the layout so it was easy to make changes to the file but since my son commandeered the space for gaming, I lost the ready access to the PC. I have started putting small labels on the bottom of my command engines with engine number, battery or BCR, and system type at least. I don't have a full DCS set so no ID #'s on the MTH engines yet.

Bob

I should do that. I have at least labeled engines with a BCR. However I have on occasion tried to access an engine with the wrong system. 😱

Hello Bob , I plan a turntable in the section just past the halfway mark to the right and to the left closer a yard. That’s when I get the money. Bidding on Ross yard switches but got outbid.