What did you do on your layout today?

I love the golden spike Elliot.

Blinking red light arrived today for installation on a new water tower for the layout. This is a tall one at 34" high. Should have it installed by tomorrow. 

Thanks. I swear I posted that back at the end of December when it happened. I'll do another one for you this week when I close the gap.

Today was about what I did to things that RUN on the layout.

 

For starters, I finally ran my new C&NW H-1 from 3rd Rail. It's been sitting in the original box since it arrived over two years ago. Perhaps this means it no longer qualifies as new. Anyway, it was great to see it on the rails.

 

I also received and installed replacement traction tires for the ones that incorrectly shipped from the factory on the recent Lionel Legacy F7s. These units, along with a matching F7B and an F3B borrowed from the CB&Q, then hit the rails for their break-in run on the main paralleling the H-1 Northern. 

 

For about an hour or so it could have been anywhere on the C&NW main between Chicago and Council Bluffs in the early  1950s. 

After many months of work getting in my way, I ran trains! Great evening. Terry

Took the assembled 2344 out for a test run on the layout.  Since it's unpowered, I had to improvise:

 

Not every day you see a consist of a Marx 666, a Lionel MPC choo choo sound tender and a Lionel NYC F unit...

 

Even Norma Bates Kitteh was intrigued, up to the point where the train rounded the curve coming at her, horn blaring, and she departed the scene in a rapid but dignified manner...

 

Mitch

Yesterday I fiddled with building placement in downtown Patsburg.  I finally created a way that my custom church fits into the layout... so it doesn't look out of place.   At York,  I commissioned a church from Richard Kreig of the Railroad Crossing. (  He does fabulous work!! ) Once I received the O scale 1/4 inch = 1 ft. church I immediately set it on the layout and realized this small country church was almost a Basilica in Patsburg  I tried placing the church in many locations to no avail.  I thought about selling it and having Richard build me another identical church to S scale. Yesterday I discovered the solution ...  The church really needed to be set in front of the layout between two MTH tall 3 story buildings.  Wow!! It works!!  And I love it!!  

 

Yesterday, I also placed another custom building ( I purchased from Harrison Trains and Scenes ... Great folks to deal with!! ) a Baltimore landmark, Berthas Restaurant and Bar.  This is a cool looking building and now sits on Main Street in Patsburg.  BTW - if you ever visit Baltimore be sure to check out Berthas in the Fells Point Section of Baltimore, on the waterfront.  Best place for muscles!!!  I also got Berthas lighting all hooked up too.  Berthas is now open for business in Patsburg!

 

Today I hooked up wiring for lighting my custom built church ( built by Richard at the Railroad Crossing, and my Lionel aircraft beacon, which I got from Santa when I was in second grade.  I tried lighting my custom built 3 story firehouse ( I bought at York from Corki ) but need to get a special plug to do so.

 

 Its was really a thrill to see that aircraft beacon light up and revolve as it sat on the side of Mount Randolph   The late George Stanton, longtime Baltimore Lionel repairman/guru, fixed my aircraft beacon over a year ago.  I tested it when I brought it home but have not had time to run the wire, cut the holes, etc. for it sits in a remote part of the layout, until today.  

 

Things are chugging right along in Patsburg!!

Saved myself a bunch of work lighting structures by finding out from my parents that the valley I model where they grew up, they didn't have electricity until 1947, fours years after the layout takes place.
I'll only get to run wiring to three structures total. None of the rest would have had wiring then.
I'll only need to make maybe 3 or 4 power poles now...

       
       

I was going to put in a golden spike but got so focused on completing the track, I totally lost track of which was the last one. Been kicking myself since then for not remembering which was the last.

Well, today I finally finished the supports for the main level of my layout. I am now able to do the wiring and subway stations. My subway is going to be running under my entire layout. The track will have two express trains and two locals. I eventually will get all of the subway trains converted to Proto 2. Some are just Loco Sounds.   (Proto 1)  My layout is 35' x 24'x 4'. Shaped like a half dog-bone. Making the main level will be enjoyable. But, like I said, I still need to do the wiring. I am using 14 guage speaker wire in a block set up. Anyone know where I can purchase the magic lightbulbs and sockets?

 

 

 

Pat,

The layout sounds really great. Love to see pictures. 

p51 -they would have had oil lamps and some places had a gas plant in the town and piped to houses for light and cooking. So get busy.

Nope, they had nothing like that.

This was way up a valley, out in the sticks, in an area that was flat poor and broke decades before the 'real' depression hit in the 30s. Nothing but telephone wires and some electrical lines went up alongside the main road and only then, about halfway up the valley. They used candles and lamps. The nearest phone until the 50s was a couple of miles away at least.

Frankly, I had no idea of this until last week when I was talking with them on the phone. As Dad always talked about listening to the radio as a kid, I'd assumed they had electricity (instead, they had large storage batteries to connect to the radio). It just had never come up in conversation before but neither of my parents had electricity until they were 11 and even then, hardly anything in either house was plugged into anything.

Installed new blinking light on top of the water tower, bundled all of the other wires that add lights to it, and it is now ready to be installed on the layout tomorrow.

Went fishing, came back to the Train Room / Man Cave

    I usediMovie to edit a video on railfanning.

The screen shot below, shows how iMovie works. The four major areas are pointed out with the arrows.

    The outer edges are all the editing tools. Works just like Final Cut Pro.

Gary • Click on screen shot to enlarge.

Installed the LCS WiFi module.

Brought home a nice 2037 that kept saying, "take me home ! Take me home !"  What could I do ??  Runs really nice.

Forrest got me interested in the LCS WiFi module.

    So I spend some time in the Train Room / Man Cave, watching this Lionel Video.

Forest - Which vender sold you the LCS WiFi module?

Is it going to work?

Hi Forest - How did this installation process go for you?

What vender did you buy it from?

Can you show us some photos of your installation process?

Thanks

Gary

It was big decision making time with regards to the future layout.  When I factored in the price increases and availability issues from the major manufacturers, GarGraves just seemed logical.  Take away all the lumber and hard work and here's what a fraction of Elliot's layout looked like in the beginning.  Still, I think this amount constitutes a commitment.

 

Bruce

Glued up a whole herd of cattle.

 

painted some stone walls

Not to worry Bruce, they go down smooth. It's only 153'. I never understood why there were 51 sections in a case. I think you'll be happy with your choice. Have fun!

Three stacks of 17.

Elliott is right. Gar graves does go down smoothly. We sell a lot of Gar Graves track. I asked the question of Gar Graves about the case of 51 sections. Mike, at Gar Graves said they do it because they can. It is Gar Graves' way of giving the customer a bit extra.

I am in the Train Room / Man Cave, Multi tasking. Watching the Detroit, Tigers, play the Pittsburgh Pirates and watching You Tube videos about Model Trains.  This video came up under hobbies. They claim we can print our favorite "Road Names" on the top of coffee. They even talk about it's use for hobbies.

Latte Art...... maybe even a Lionel Logo or MTH. Maybe we will see this machine at our next train show. Take a look. • Gary • Cheers from Michigan

Believe it or not.

   See one minute video below.....

 

Thanks Elliot.  We joked about the track count at the LHS...best I can figure is that the 51st section jambs everything tightly in the carton...no shifting, no damage.  

 

It will be some time before I get to laying track though.  In the mean time I've been experimenting.  Remove one tie, shave off the bottom inverted "V" from each rail with a cutting wheel then install 3 Atlas rail joiners.  Perfect adaptation for a few Atlas switches I have on hand.

 

Bruce

Hello everyone. Well the cleanup is coming along just fine, Except I keep adding things to the list, Well yester day I had some paint and 1 bedroom window I needed to paint. As I speak to you that 1 window turned into the whole breezeway. Well I am glad there is tomorrow. Well hear are some photos of the mess I had and you can see wear we are now. Enjoy

Randy, I always thought that extra piece was to get the case packed extra tight so they didn't shift during shipping. Nice to finally find out why they do it.

 

---

 

 

Did you ever have one of those days? I went to install that 072 wye seen in one of my recent posts (previous page in this topic).

 

I drilled all the holes for the feeder wires, and got it screwed down into place. I move the points back and forth a couple of times, and the solder breaks on one of them. This wasn't a new switch, it wasn't even a Ross. It was an ancient Right of Way, left over from the mall.

 

So I take it up, get it on the workbench and get it re-soldered, but it seemed a little loose, so I tried to re-do it and proceeded to melt the throwbar just enough. I hate that soft plastic. So now I have to do a full PC board replacement throwbar.

 

At that point I went upstairs and took a nap. In the end, I got less than nothing done.

 

I have a tattoo on my left arm which says "nothing is easy" (something my dad always said). This was a prime example of that expression.

Holy decrap, Scot! Where did it all go to? Looks great.

Yes. Some days I would be further ahead if I had done nothing.

Gary, I got my WiFi module and the special cable from the Lionel store. 

 

The installation was a breeze. I just followed the instructions. 

 

Have not not used it a lot yet, but seems to work fine. 

Jon/Mill City    It went into the garage and into the trash. Now I have to wait till after the 4th & see when my friend  is going to take the HO layout, If he dose not take it  will be in the Burn pile with some trees that need to be burned.

Jon, what are you doing here?

Matt, I have asked myself that very question many times.

Redesign of the first level mainline is complete. I also decluttered the tinplate area that sits on the only remaining upper tier. Hoping to pickup materials for the rebuilding of upper tier on the left side of the U. Things are looking decidedly more organized. Hopefully the swing bridge will sit in corner of the upper nicely.

Scot, that has been the fate of my garage since I moved-in 34-years ago. It's a catchall warehouse and has never known what kind of car I drive. It seems that every time I get it cleaned out, some must-have thing fills it up again.

It's my fault, I got him sucked back in.

 I put a handle on the end cap, pegs on top of one rolling shelf, and c-channel mounted under one side of the layout.

 I have some springy cords from dead hair dryers I'm going to use here from the transformers to the speaker terminal knobs. AC will get a sprung retracting cradle.

 All buttons and switch controls are above, and between the two c- channel rails, mounted on the layouts frame face.

 

With a third peg to keep it straight across gaps, I can cross it, and add channel from the short side too 

 

I really like this so far.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/playli...mAy1pzEAuMk1O35eFwla

 

Newest BLOG Video. 

In this short video I discuss the fate of Weaver Models and Scale Coat paint, along with my first Weaver Models coal hopper.
Also, I talk about things going on with my youtube channel and plans that I have for videos in the near future.

Jon, that math works, but the box is not that shape. They are packed two stacks of 25 and the 51st jammed in on top, or the end, depending on how you look at it. The voice of experience speaking.

Nice video Stirling!  Thanks for the ideas about making YouTube videos.  I am new at it, and the advice is appreciated!