What did you do on your layout today?

I'm still waiting to see this?

Wowak:  They're in the camera....for some reason all the first loco photos including those did not print, on a roll full of otherwise great photos of an art exhibit. So...

done over, but won't get on until other another project joins it.

Ran the Polor Express Loco with some Pere Marquette passenger cars from the early 90's at rocket speeds around the layout for the kids.  

People still use film cameras?!  j/k, but suddenly I don't feel so old.  

Digital is a compromise, analog rules.

Film, a "reflection" of life.

I know some guys shooting raw format that would disagree with you.

There are things you can do with film you just cant do with digital especially in the dark room

That may be true, but the list of things you can do with digital that you CANNOT do with film is.. extensive.

But you can very easily take a photograph on film and digitize it. I did almost a thousand photos last week. Most of them black and white. There si a certain "soul" to a photograph taken on film that digital just doens't have

Sure.  But for posting updates of work on trains and locomotives on the internet, digital has a DECIDED advantage.  

Absolutely, for your everyday photos its digital all the way. There are countless advantages to digital that film just doesn't have, instant sharing and the cost being two huge ones. I shoot mostly digital but I have a very strong understanding of film photography and I if I were going to go and shoot a specific subject matter such as night shoots of a steam loco, I would most certainly bring my medium format film camera and shoot with that as well as with digital. Almost everything I shoot now is digital but there are definitely occasions where film would be my first choice because film captures a certain life, or as I stated earlier "soul" of an image that digital misses

The same was said of digital music. So why does everyone want my vinyl now?

Digital is a bunch of little pieces. Analog not so. Digital is a useful compromise.

Table layout got its plywood top screwed on today. I plan on foam or maybe homesote too. But first Im going to attach shelves at each end and test lay some track. Just so Im not staring at plain wood..Paint! And to prime/seal it. Anyway, I broke out about 8 spray cans of different colors and gave it some temporary color

Digital cameras are a new learning mode, while I have had a long learning experience

with 35mm, and I just don't want to spend the time...I'd rather build models, and

shoot with something I USUALLY get great, effortless, results with.

My other hobby is photography.  I have been digital since I purchased my frist DSLR about 6 years ago.  The ease of use and instant gratification are great, plus it doesn't cost you anything every time you hit that shutter button.  

About 3 years ago I decided to give film a chance.  I purchased a used N90s off of the bay.  I took it out on it's 1st shoot and used it like a digital camera, spray and pray method.  Take a ton of shots and pray a few came out good.  I quickly decided that with film that method wont work.  I started being way more selective in my shots.  I did what photographers did for years.  Spent a whole day and would shoot only a handful off good shots.  I waited for the shot to appear before I pulled the trigger because it cost me money every shot I took.

I have since decided to go back to digital only.  Now instead of going to shoots and having several hundred shots to sort though and throw away 99% of them, I only take a handful of really good composed shots.  I get it right in the camera and only have minor post processing done to them.  I have learned a great deal while using film.

Today I finished the model of my  scratchbuilt firehall.  There are a couple of kits of

these boomtown firehalls in HO, but nothing in O scale, so, again, I have mine, in spite of that.  I did not model those in Georgetown, Colo., but I certainly took details from them.  I needed a two truck firehouse, and did not want a false front, as is the well known Georgetown single engine structure.  Photos have been taken....hopefully

posted, with my kitbash of Lionel's #561, in a day or two.  It has seemed like both

of these projects went really fast, this in spite of paint problems with #561.  With

that done, I tried to find a shell of an AMT RDC, that is here somewhere,  to see if it was compatible with this "Beep" RDC, to lengthen into an RDC-3, but got tired of rooting through boxes.

I converted one passenger car to kadees today.  It was an MTH baggage car and it was pretty straight forward.  I am only did one end and do not plan to do every passenger car since I do not plan to do a lot of switching with them.  I will work on a coach next so I have kadees at both ends of the train.  

Patrick was over on Friday, and he finished off the lights on the upper deck. I'm just going to wait to power up that string, because I really don't need more light up there right now, since it's only being used for storage. We also got the missing section of roadbed that connects the upper level to the helix. That was a major undertaking, and consumed much of the afternoon. Now that it's done, I think I want to change part of it. The piece that will be part of the mainline is perfect, but the track that leads to the Ford plant needs to be realigned.

Saturday I kept picking away at cleaning up and organizing. Years worth of accumulation of long forgotten projects and broken bits and pieces, and just plain junk, now mixed with sawdust, beg for my attention. Time to get serious, with my trusty trash can by my side. Use it or lose it!!!

Today was spent moving boxes full of trains from one aisle to the next. Now that the decking is complete, I have a good long term resting place for them. This has been a constant battle during construction about where to put things. Now that the one peninsula is done, the shift is on to clear the next one so work can continue.

My brother-in-law stopped by. He hasn't seen the train room since before the helix was finished, that puts it around late March. I ran the train around the loop for the first time in about a month. I had almost made it around the 500' loop, when I heard a thud and a derailment in the hidden yard. A small boulder of the putty we've been using on the backdrops was lodged in the ties, and the engine was hung up on it. Oops.

After he left, I had had enough of cleaning and moving. It was time to think about laying some track on the upper deck. I got out the chalk line and measured out and snapped off the first 3 lines, 2 mains and one track for the intermodal facility.

well today i was finally able to run a train on my newly laid tubular/super snap layout.

track is laid on cork roadbed and needless to say trains run great and gone is all that noise from my previous fastrack layout.

terry........

I moved my train station yet again.  I had to make room for my small yard that will service the car ferry.

I moved it back to it's previous location on a curve just outside of the town.  I think it is in its permanent home now.  

3 days worth of shelf work, they will become the table legs. They came out of a train shop during a remodel and have been sitting in a basement unused for 30 years. So I shortened the base, cleaning up dry rotted bottom edge, added missing wood bracing on top, cleaned, sanded, and gave them their first coat of paint in 40+? years. Looking good so far, 2-3 more days Ill be laying track!

I am waiting for some more track to come in from JD'S trains/Am hobbies. Some how I can't find 3 or 4 pices of O-72 track  I probably find them after I receive them in the mail. So I ordered them yesterday. So now that I am waiting I need to figure out what I need to extend the back of my yard that extends in the back right corner of my garage. I cleaned that area up last night and finally got my truck parked in the garage in almost 4 years.

Scot, I know how you feel.  I needed one piece of O84 and had to go to a high priced hobby store to buy it.  After I completed the loop I found another box that had about 12 O84 curves in it.

I bought another locomotive last night from a seller on that most infamous of auction sites--Lionel Heisler, new in box.  

I'm becoming a bit of a sucker for geared motive power.

A good day at the G&O...received our new 10' shade...installed the block power switches for the G Line yard...corrected a small dip in the track...continued progress on securing the ballast on the outside loop where it can come in contact with visitors...secured three of the yard sidings and the turnouts at each end of the yard...

We have a new track cleaning car and engine to pull it...

Things are looking good...

I didn't have any set agenda for Patrick today, but there was no lack of activity. For the first part of the afternoon, I turned him loose on the puttying and sanding of the backdrops.



It might be a little while before we get around to painting these sections, but they are ready.



This shot is a little fuzzy, but Patrick cleared out the aisle under the the first peninsula, then cut scrap carpet and pad. This will help when the time comes to power this section of the layout and build the new hidden yard on the left.



While he was working on that stuff, I was moving boxes that were stored on the upper right. Then we removed the temporary decking.



All of that lead to me extending the lower deck lighting around to middle peninsula. This will allow us to finish the decking and backdrops on this section.

We also found time to prep the first section of track on the upper level. I hope to get it secured, along with a switch, in the next few days. From there, 30+ feet of double track mainline, straight down the backdrop.

I am still working on my planning stages. I have the space now and am making some decisions moving forward. I will know more on Friday after I have a chance to visit the Hobby Shop to look over some of the O, On30, HO scale engines.

paint.....more paint....no sleep.....green paint....one more coat to go....tomorrow.

Unpacked our new two-stall engine house from Crescent Locomotive Works.

A very good build done with talent.

It's going to work out very well as the "Hog Pen" for the jacks ... e.g., the Little Joe and GN W-1 will be right at home in it.

Used a Ross 11 degree wye as the lead turnout ... worked out great!

Thanks for a super job David!

A value product for sure.

Thanks Chris. Actually, the conduit is for house current to run the layout lights. It will also provide a source of earth ground for TMCC. Romex would have worked, but then there's a risk of accidentally piercing or cutting it. It's kind of fun working with conduit. It's like sectional track in a way.

The low voltage layout wiring will be bundled using tie wraps, and hung from the bench work cross members. It should be pretty neat and tidy, but far more flexible than pipe.

As for scenery, I told Patrick the other day, that it will probably be 2015 before we get going on that. All of the track needs to be down and working well first. When we do get going on it, it will be rather minimalistic in nature because of all the track I'm cramming in. Ballast, weeds and trees, a few 3D structures, and a lot of flats pretty much sums up the scenery.

I am at work now.......All I can do from here is long for it and dream about it!

Mike Maurice

Ballasting track, and loving how it looks.

For it, not on it, today floated in the two creosote tank cars (from an unlikely source

deep in Colorado narrow gauge country) I needed to supply my previously posted creosote plant, an MTH Kopper's, and a Gulf States tank car.  Don't think Lionel or

anybody else made creosote tank cars.  Still needed for this one structure complex,

and not found locally, is a section of MTH Scaletrax....

Hello everyone. Today I received the package from JD's trains / AM Hobbies.So now I have all the track that I need so I can do all the tweeking starting in the garage. And I need to extend it in the rear of the garage so I need to do some more building of the bench work.

Mountain building, tree planting. 

Installed fascia and skirting along part of the layout.  Sure changes the look of things.  Gives it a more finished look even though I am a long way from being done.  (Also ran some trains)

Touched up paint, trimmed wood edges at mounts, and attached legs. 1-3 more runners under the plywood, and I'm done. I needed 4-12 more long screws or Id be done now. Instead of going to the store for more today, I opted to build a water tower out of scrap wood from a relatives dollhouse building hobby. The upright "barrel planks" were already glued to thin book leather, so the "planks" formed the tank easily. The tower itself just needs a little glue on each joint, and some on the "peg" to keep them from wiggling out. I used finishing nails as pegs, pushed firmly into pre-drilled holes, placement is designed to lock the joints of the basic cube in place. There are only two joints glued, but frame is holding 5lbs clamp weight now as some glue is drying on the decking

No work getting done on the layout for me this week as I am up north on vacation all week. 

I do plan to do some photography this week and will head to Clare to shoot the Great Lakes Central by the old Clare Union Station.  

Added some tele poles, did some scenery and ran a yard switcher.

Back from vacation and had a few days before school started so got a few items off the checklist.  3 subway platforms painted and put in.  Also an elevated section which will go above 1 of the cities.

We had a little mix up today. I thought Patrick and I had picked Tuesday for him to come over. He thought it was supposed to be Wednesday. Oops.

Since I had the day blocked out, and no Patrick, I started laying track on the upper level. I had the goal in mind, of getting enough track down to move all the engines that were parked on the lower level, across the aisle. I managed to secure 15' of double track. While I was at it, I dusted all of the engines.

The area is now clear, so when Patrick comes over next Tuesday we can get most of the decking done.

Purchased a part of my new Bearing Works in HO off the Bay. I will post photos when they go down into the industrial area. It is not complete and wont be for some time.

I finished the last building in my uptown area, and with that, all the buildings in my town - downtown, uptown, and the auto park area, is complete. 

All of my latest layout progress can be seen in my most recent layout update video. Enjoy!

Jason

Jason

From one North East Ohioan to another nice update.  Especially like the wooden trestle bridge.

Today my son and I applied DryLock to the walls of the layout room. Not real exciting....but the first step. Goal to be running some trains by Spring!

Took 3 days off for Detroit's Woodward cruise, always a blast. Layouts basic painting was done, so yesterday I added a set of folding legs to the top. Just in case I need the room, I can remove the scenery, and elevated line. Then this will actually fold flat and lean against a wall, and the base shelves will hold it vertical. I laid the Super O, O, and 0-27 down into their temporary positions. Stopped there, got my American Flyer 18-B transformer out, and ran my K-line GG1 and fleet of modernism cars on the Super O, and on the O my 2037 pulling some C&O passenger cars. The two outer loops are working well. Tomorrow eve Ill take care of fitting the inner and elevated loops, foam this weekend....Now where's that camera!...  

No work today, but my hockey season ticket partners came over to draft for the upcoming Wild season. Some of them were here last January, before Patrick really got started. And some of them had never been here before.

Just wait til next year.

Big Boy, your layout looks amazing, I'd love to see it sometime. Im right down the road in Mahtomedi

Thanks Matt. I had no idea you live that close.  Drop me an email, and we can set up a time. Wanna help?

Began a long process of creating a rail yard using FasTrack.  A 9-minute video explains the process I'm using.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh4k2P8AYzM

   Bob Anderson

Chris, there are rules to be observed when using thin wall metal conduit, AKA EMT  (Electrical Metal Tubing). One thing you have to do is de-burr the ends after cutting it, especially on the inside. This helps to prevent nicking the wire's insulation. You will need a bender to do corners. The conduit itself is fairly cheap at $1.89 for a 10' stick. When you add in the boxes and fittings, it's still not super expensive.

I learned to work with EMT 30 years ago, in of all places, an HO train club in Denver.

Got in just what I did not need, another feed mill kit to bash into a grain elevator.

This may be the last different one out there. (nope, there is one more elevator)  Just a couple of known O scale structure kits left on my wish list now...... luckily, none have been or should be wildly expensive, just hard to find.  When it comes to expensive, those, I scratch build.

Guess what I found......my camera, Woodward is being cruised well before the "official" event, each night of the event traffic is diverted away from Woodward at about 10pm, but its hours before the majority actually pack up and go home. We "gave up" at 2:30am on Fri., about 3am sat.  Some years the "fun police" are more stringent than others. Ive done 4 all nighters over the years.  Politics, more than the actual actions of most people fuel these clearing policies, the main stretch runs into the "snooty" part of town so it depends on which "high rollers" were "offended" by the exhaust of some "common folk" the year before. 9mile to 15mile is were you want to be, enter from East or West via side roads, last year it took my novice pal about 3 hours to travel about 5 miles on Woodward during peak hours. Im always call this intersection HQ, park my ride on Woodward for viewing and ride a small bike.

Now, the layout progress (and special thanks to Christopher2035 for unknowingly making me realize all I needed was green paint for a more useful setup)

Its far from complete. In fact what is here, is here by chance. Its the stuff that never got picked up from "floor testing" of the track, or from my living room "fiddling" sessions, but I feel good about things so far. After 40+ years of running floor layouts, only helping on the layouts of a few others during my life, (and doing one so-so shelf layout), this has been a "life goal" now close to completion.

Thanks to everyone here, for just being here, the motivation you've provided me is undeniable.   

Thanks to some help on the electrical forum I was able to solve my led problem and have been able to move forward with subway station lighting.  Next up walls and real supports.

I ran trains for the 1st time in a week.  I was up north enjoying the beautiful Michigan weather we were having and got home late last night.  After work today my son asked me to run some trains and we did.  1st started with my Legacy Ten Wheeler pulling a few passenger cars then to a short local of my Atals O 0-6-0 pulling 2 covered hoppers to the mill.  

I also received my Ross 3 way switch in the mail and will start on my small yard to service the car ferry as soon as my order of gargraves to O27 pins come in so I can connect the switch to my Fastrack.  

I painted the windows and frames of one wall of the Natty Boh factory I am building.

Quick rewind to Sunday. Matt came over, and I gave him the royal tour. We talked for 5 hours. He is totally on board with the project. I'm going to have him help me with wiring, while Patrick and I will continue with the major construction. All three of us agree, that for now, it's best that they come over on different days. That way, I can give each of them my full attention when they come over.

After last week's confusion with Patrick, we got it straight today. We cut the plywood for the end section of the upper deck. While he was securing that, I finished the last couple sections of conduit.

When Patrick comes over Thursday, we'll put on the black sound deadening material, and trim the edge into its final curved shape.


I just stuck a couple of scraps of wood under this section to get an idea of how the incline will look.


The track next to the door needs to gain 3 1/2" to connect up to the bookshelf section on the left. Should be plenty of distance to do it smoothly.


After Patrick left, I went back downstairs and finished preping the light sockets so we can fire them up on Thursday.

In the end, we got 3 1/2 sheets of plywood secured today. It was a very good day. it won't be long before the heavy construction will all be done in this half of the room.

Elliot, I'm stoked to start working. Your layout is awesome and I cant wait to get to work

Thanks Matt. I'm anxious to get back from this trip so we can crank things into high gear.

Patrick got in his final visit before the trip today. We picked right up where we left off Tuesday. Ten more lights got installed. I used my meter to test the wiring, and everything was OK before Patrick made the final connection to tie to the existing lights.


It took a little convincing before Patrick was ready to climb onto the upper deck. But once up there, he looked almost comfortable spreading glue. I told him it wouldn't have any trouble holding him. It might even hold me, but since I don't have wings, we will never find out.


I told my wife that I was having a terrible time making a mark that I could see, on this black material. She found this white paint Sharpie. Good stuff!!!


I could now draw a line that I could see. That made it easy to cut a nice sweeping curve. Once the track is down, 1/4" Masonite fascia will be added.


Everything had gone smoothly up to that point, and we still had about 90 minutes of work time left, so we embarked the next section. Patrick rolled out the chicken wire, picked up the electric stapler, and ZAPPPPP!!!

Yes, it happened again! This time I knew exactly what and where. As I said earlier, we had tested the new string of lights, and everything was fine. But the test didn't include the box where the existing string connected to the new string. Sure enough, Patrick opened up the box, and the screw that holds the socket to the box had come up along side a black wire and nicked the insulation.

But the trouble didn't end there. As he was putting it back together, one of the screws snapped off. After ten minutes of failed attempts to remove the broken piece, I had the idea to bend the tab where the screw was stuck. After that, Patrick was able to get it out with a pair of vise grips.


With the electrical problem resolved, Patrick goes back to the stapler. It's jammed!
We ended up taking that apart and fixing it. And when that was done, it was time for dinner.

Maybe I do need a vacation.

I started to build up the sub roadbed to where the new yard will be to service the car ferry.  I will glue all the foam in place and plaster cloth it this weekend.  I hope to have the rest of the track in early next week to put the yard in place.  

I added the Lionel Rte 66 Dino Cafe and the Seven Tube Bubbling Oil Field.  The Grandkids think they're grand.

Painted some rock formations.

I checked track clearance with the 4013 Big Boy.  Found out it hit one of the bridge supports.  Simple fix was to remove the center support and test out the weight distribution on the bridge.  I saw this on other operating layouts.

Finished the roundhouse floor.

Got the ballast down on the front, left side of the layout.

Got most of subway station 1 done.  Just a few little things then onto the next one.

Got the layout ready for visitors in 2 weeks.

Peter

Cut the foam and glued it in place where the yard will be.  I will do the paster cloth here in a few hours after the glue sets up.  I bent all the flex track last night and am waiting for my online order of the Gargraves to O27 pins come in so I can put the switch in its place.  

Photos to come a b it later this week. 

Laidoffsick:

Beautiful looking layout, I sure would like to see more photos.

Bryan:

One of the nicest subway stations I have seen. Love the detail.

I started to work on the installation of six station platforms to be installed on the upper level of the train station complex. The platforms were fabricated by fellow Forum member Alex Malliae and are each 2 ft. long. This will be a considerable improvement in this part of the layout.

I have seen those station platforms in person and I can tell you that they are great looking!

Haha... Bryan, Long time no see! Hope you are well. Are you still over in Macedonia? I haven't seen you around for a long time. I wondered what you were up to. Good to see you still rockin the subway. That last pic is hilarious.

Passenger Train Collector, thanks for the compliment. I need to add a few finishing structure touches this weekend and of course I will populate the platform a little more after picking up more people at York this fall.

Jonny,  glad to see you are still here.  Had some life changes and had to move so I am up on Lake Erie now in Willoughby Hills.  Had to take down old layout and didn't have any train related activities for about 7 years.  Wife gave me one of the rooms in our basement for all railroading activity this summer and I am having a blast building again.  When I get some upper level done with 81 and 72 curves you'll have to stop over and we can run some of your big steamers if you still have them.

General placement of some accessories.

Ran some trains. 10 PRR Fleet of Moderism K-Line cars behind first the 681 turbine, then behind the red GG1. The new smoke unit on the turbine gave a nice steady stream back over the train after warm-up.

. 

On track 2, ran PRR Legacy RS-11 and C&O Baby Hudson #605 simultaneously. Found out I could not control both from Legacy remote, had to use a cab-1 for the Hudson.  Every time I tried to enter #30 on the Legacy unit for the Hudson, it defaulted to #10, my Legacy UP GP7 number. Things were smooth with the Cab-2 controlling the Legacy unit and cab-1 the TMCC unit.

Today I fixed Idris the dragon so hewould fit better in Ivor"s funnel, And I worked a bit on Ivor's shed

I hadn't ever considered being able to run both systems at once, good to know.

 The FOM cars quickly became my favorites behind my matching GG1. Im jealous of the turbine. Your taste is enviable Bill. 

Cut all the flex track for my small yard and hope to get it fully functional by the end of the week.  

With the start of the game delayed by weather, I went down and ran some more PRR. 

Wired up and tested my small yard to service my Great Lakes Car Ferry.  It holds a few more cars then can fit on the ferry.   

Will put down some plaster cloth tonight.

It's hot outside, so I went down to the cool basement and weathered track while listening to Notch6 Podcast.  It is amazing how quickly time flies when listening to radio.  Gonna be hot tomorrow, too, so I'll work on the layout again.

John

Mid America 3 Railers

Got up early to work on the final stages of the rebuild on a 2046 from 1950. Good way to start any day. Also sorted out the repair of a Lionel log dumper from the same year. It seems the knuckle coupler came "un-riveted" and since the rivet is part of the coupler, this repair promises to be interesting.

Great weather here on Long Island with promises of the same for the immediate future.

Looks great Jim!

My wife Vicky was very sick for over three weeks but she's better now. Kind of scary for awhile. I'm getting back to the layout though I'm way behind my schedule of finishing the first section. Don

Thanks Elliot!

You helped me out a lot in the design.  

Jim

Finally started setting up for the coal tower, layout out the tracks to get the right measurements ... and figuring out how to shore up the chute side a little ... the siding it serves is a little reach ...

Glad your wife is better Don!

Good for you!

I am glad to hear she is better.  Hopefully you get time to work on the layout and enjoy that beautiful Hawaii weather with her!

Pulled out the Brennans Roundhouse kit, realized what an immense task it is, thought about not building it and then went out and bought tools and painting stuff. Looked at the boxes again, thought about not building, decided its gonna look awesome but take tons and tons of time, thought about not building it, still thinking about not building it. But im gonna build it

Thanks guys I'll tell her of your kind words. Somehow Vicky got pneumonia and it started getting away with her. She's much, much better now. We are going on our first walk this morning. Don

Continued work on our kitchen shelf layout.  Scratch built a footbridge at the edge of the town of Merillat, connecting the boardwalk to the park at the edge of town.  All of the scenery's built as modules so that nothing is permanent atop the kitchen cabinets.

This is my first O gauge layout, and first time building scenery.  The scenery is more fin than running trains, and that's saying a lot given the Pennsy Premier K4 circling the track right now (it's awesome!).