What did you do on your layout today?

Very nice looking rock. I ran all 5 lops last night-3 freighters and 2 passenger trains. Wild !!  Too much to keep track of. Cut it back to 3 loops and that was better. Today I took a Marx Alco S3 diesel switcher I have and used an adapter coupler to hook in on to a heavy freight train which it pulled. Nice engine, like new, in UP colors, which I got for almost nothing. Like the design and size, it could use some detailing but I don't sweat that. Have another almost as nice which I might use the power unit out of it for an RDC or something. Waiting for the mil carrier today to deliver a heavy weight Irvington  car to go with the one I already have. Will look good behind my GG1.

I just got a second On30 tank car, which will soon look like the other in this photo, and will be a representation of gas tank car # 600. The RR I model only had two of these on the RR by the WW2 era.

Yeah, they're not perfect models of the original cars, but Bachmann's tank cars aren't that far off for the real ones, as seen above. Someday, I'll be replacing a lot of these cars I currently consider, "representational" of the real ones...

Filled in my corners at one end of the layout. All I had there was bare wood. With these corners just about done I can head for another section of the layout to work on. A few pics before and after............Paul

What type of adaptor coupler did you use?

Who has them?

I have the Lionel part numbers supplied to me (thanks guys)somewhere in my posts, but to order just those? Too much $.

 I really wish I knew where mine went too!

 

I've got a ceiling shelf, and two tables.  But very single time read "carpet layout" I get a little jealous .  

 

Does anyone else have to have multi-quotes come off just one page?.

I made my adapters from an old hook coupler with an old knuckle fastened on
to the shank with a small screw. Not fancy but works. Need a Lionel latch
coupler that adapts to a knuckle coupler. I think that is what they made.

On Thu, Apr 30, 2015 at 6:09 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <
alerts@hoop.la> wrote:

Your rock formation looks GREAT! Please share with us how you painted it to achieve such realism.

I finally finished the last of my customer repairs from the hobby store today. I was severely backlogged since a month before Christmas and then fell into a "burnout" funk for February and half of March. Ive got one left for CGWForever, just waiting on parts from MTH.

glued down my ballast in accordance with advice I got on this board.  wiped down the track with denatured alcohol.

 

Moonson,

Really cool rocks.

They are so REAL looking.

How did you paint them to get that look ?

 

I'm sure you mean to address Paul2, not me. That rock-face is his craftsmanship; I'm just a fan.

FrankM

I played a little more let the engine run around while I was doing some scenery. received the f3 b unit today and ordered the new coupler for it. spent about an hr yesterday and an hr today messing around with the layout. . here's the results as a side note there's 3 different types of grass from scenic express. and then for some added realism I threw in some sifted medium dirt from Georgia and some course dirt from Georgia right out of my back yard.  from scenic Express it is A blended bundle of alpine meadow, farm pasture, and fine earth  

 

Thank you for the compliments on my rocks. I started with two inch thick pink board and with a long bladed hot cutting knife I cut the foam to shape. Once I built the layers to where I wanted them I applied plaster cloth. When dry I covered it with Gypsolite. Once that dried I used three pigment colors (diluted). Yellow ochre, raw umber and burnt umber randomly dabbing with a foam applicator across the plaster. After doing that I washed it with a very dilute black. I used indigo ink mixed with water. I just followed the video by woodland scenic using the leopard spotting technique and these are the results I got.................Paul

Went back to the old time hardware store and said the screws I lost might be metric, and they found some that fit this time, so I have replaced those that ran away and hid from my Lionel engine kitbash.  I glued on the top-hat shaped replacement sand and steam domes, and cut out cab windows to replace with new frames fashioned from styrene. This actually very little done.  One other appliance to shape and mount on the boiler, with the whistle, and need to fill around the bases of the domes.  Am mulling

over trying to solder new front steps for the smokebox out of brass sheet.  Every detail added seems to encourage closer scrutiny and more details, for this "approximation".

Got some electronic horn PCBs from Train Tender, and, since the Lionel factory preset tends towards "Annoyed Constipated Ferret", I had to do a bit of adjusting on the trim to get it closer to "Sounds Sort Of Like A Horn If You Squint".

 

Helpful hint:  Don't let the 18V AC lines get too close to the trim potentiometers.  Magic Smoke gets released.

 

Mitch

Got one of the Lionel soundboards installed on the Williams GG1 chassis:

 

One nice thing about a single motor:  Plenty of space to stick stuff.    Mounting for the sound board is layers of mounting tape and stripwood.  The speaker connectors are fabricated from nickle silver HO rail joiners.  SCROUNGE!!! 

 

I've also upgraded my 394 rotary beacon from the old, rather fragile lightbulb head to a nice robust 494 mechanism (again courtesy of the Train Tender):

 

I've decided to eliminate the center post in favor of a more prototypical running of the wires down near the ladder, where a theoretical workman could get at 'em for repairs.  The final version will have the wires secured to the bottom clip. 

 

Mitch

I forgot to mention when I was describing how I did my mountains was that the idea to do this really started last year. Dave at Mercer Junction had a scenery class demonstrating this and that is how I got to this point..........Paul

 

This was debated ad nauseum some months  ago. I have used 91% alcohol with good results-no problems.

A quick vid of the completed rotating beacon tower in operation! 

 

Note towards the bottom that I used the factory shaft to hold the power contact in place; the wires for the light and coil are soldered to that. 

 

Mitch

todays installment here is the same corner I started last night . Hope you like it.

 

My Dad finished the rock work and got some color on them. They look great. Now I'm trying to add some color and vegetation to the area, but I really really suck at doing scenery. I hate it. I need Dennis Brennan or Jim Elester's help.

 

 

Made a fake ET&WNC switch key out of an old steamer trunk key I got off eBay and an original 1940s metal stamp set. Didn't turn out perfect but the originals never did, either:

I also completed decals for the new tank car, gonna weather it now:

I reworked 2 lightweight straight modules that I use for 1 day outings.

 

They use Lionel tubular O Gauge track

 

They are very simple straights 2 main lines at 4.5 centers, 80 inches long. Made up of four 40 inch straights placed on a piece of luan 80x8 inches.  The Luan is painted green

 

Previously I had tried to attach the track with small screws but the luan does not hold that so well.  So this time used some black cable ties and small holes to tie the track down.  So far seem much better.

 

I have 3 of the 4 straights converted.  One more to go.  

 

Then I am going to tackle the curves. 

 

Originally I made them 180 degree semi-circles with an inner O72 and outer O81.  I now plan to cut those in half to 90 degree turns.  At the same time I am going to cut out the O54 inner semicircles and save them to make new O54/O42 half turns for smaller carpet layouts

  I sacrificed the top two shelves below the layout to mount four 1033's on their sides, against the shelves back wall, with the controls facing to me. I may finish my wires finally tonight.

 

I'm not familiar with the term NF alcohol.

 Denatured has ingredients added to detour people from consuming it, that just may have an adverse effect on some metals.

 But alcohol as a cleaner is used regularly in the electronics fields and I've never heard of its causing issues on sensitive connections, and need to read the exact reasons stated for discouraging its use.

 The only thing I can think of, is a tiny bit of oil is very good for the metals surface condition long term.

 One thing it would do is leave the track bone dry. Its a great cleaner and degreaser.

 

Just received (2) BIG boxes from my mail lady..

I just love Box Days..

One is filled with Scenic Express Trees. Most are for the Hobo Village.

The other is a Soft Light Box Kit to take better pictures.

Got 2 of them for $74.00 on the bay with bulbs carry cases and light stands. Whatta a deal..

Once I have everything set up pictures will follow.

Day out today. "fun day" My wife's birthday..

Oh yes..we will stop at my local hobby shop on the planned route.

Either way we win..

Brian

Thanks for your post. Very nice work.

 

JH, you are making me anxious for the Yellow Warbonnets.

 

I just received an order from Scenic Express of "Jug Band" figures.  They have now been incorporated with others into a mountain scene. 

The el is up and running and smokes flowing again after figuring out the wire changes for constant 1033 power to the AF talking "factory" mech.

  I think Im going to give the mech a little 25w transformer of its own though so I can vary the stop time better.

Sprayed Scalecoat I GN Empire Builder orange on six LIONEL 15" aluminum cars.  I'll do the two PW F3 A shells tomorrow.

Today while working outside I got my band saw out and cut a bunch of 3/4" X 3/4" X 8" firing strips to glue on my 2/4's holding the brackets for the upper level Then I can be ready for the Luan board. Still deciding whether to do mural scenes or backs of building along the back.................Paul

As feared, close scrutiny equaled another detail.  The Great Western #60, an Alco,

has a smooth cab roof with one center ventilator, while the Lionel starter set 0-8-0

is probably modeled after a Baldwin, and has sliding ventilators for both crew, and many rivets.    Some other details on the Lionel "Baldwin?" are very similar to this Alco.  I have glue drying on a new styrene roof skin for the casting.  Another compicuous detail are those front steps.  Styrene would be much easier, but do not think life span in handling, much less operation, would be long.  Brass and solder are intimidating, but maybe the only option.  Time to quit procrastinating and do something.

I also have the Williams F3's A-B-B-A yellow bonnets upgraded with ERR board. they were new when I got them and haven't seen much time for some reason there not the best runners I have been kicking around the idea of sending tehm to legacy station for a tune up see why they are finicky.

 

A fabulous scene, nicely designed and built building as well as great photography. One suggestion to take this scene to the next level is to spray your Woodland Scenics people figures with Testors Dull Coat so the won't shine under photographic light. Again, a nice scene.

On the outdoor O 3-rail Bark and Spiders layout, I placed 3,300 pounds of retaining wall blocks in the last week to complete the track laying upper portion and grade between levels, I installed the second Atlas Truss bridge today and began some wiring.

 

This next portion of the layout, final wiring, alignment, rail cleaning will probably take the next month...but you know?  It is kinda like eating an elephant.  How do you do that?  One bite at a time.

TrainsRMe

?????

 

I GOT to get those. Absolutely perfect for an old country mountains scene. So funny.

Larry

Just finished tuning up a 2354 NYC F3 for a chum: 

 

Nothing quite like the sound of two freshly serviced Pullmors at full voice! 

 

Helpful hint:  The best way to perk up a Pullmor is fresh commutator brushes!  I always keep a dozen or so spares handy... 

 

Mitch

Working on making 23 more trees...

John

Suzie and I finished moving boxes of trains from our Dining Room into the Living Room layout area and neatly stacked them here and there under the layout support tables.

The main level of the layout will consist of a double-track mainline.  Code 072 track on the outside--  Code 054 track on the inside loop...  Already have sixteen 072 curves in-stock.  Received TEN Code 054 sections on Friday in the mail.  Six more should arrive on Wednesday.  Code 031 and Code 042 will be used for most everything else.

Depending on the radii required !We're talking about PW tubular track here-- 90% new condition...  Anticipate my long delayed track laying to start Wednesday or Thursday !

 

Cheers.

 

KRK