Have made slow progress on kitbashing a couple of cars for my pickle train....this has expanded to a short line off a short line....the pickle plant runs its own short line and gets its own, odd ball, rail cars. A shorty RPO, and a combine are under consruction, and have taken more work than first thought.
jmiller320 posted:Whitesock. The nest thing you can do to deaden the sound is to not run the trains wide open.
Not that anybody asked, and this sure does not answer Whitesock's question, but just to add another perspective, I enjoy all the noise. I run ten trains at once, plus a trolley; add to that the smoke from the steam locomotives, and the fact that I sound the horns and whistles every time a guest gets close to where a train is about to travel near a front edge of the layout, and at other times, just to add atmosphere, and the whole shebang is not something visitors are likely to only casually witness, like a flower garden. My layout is not a static painting, after all, but a live presentation of a hobby that moves and makes noise, part of the charm for me, at least. A playful commotion, I call it.
In fact, as I shut each loop down, as our guests and we are ready to ascend to the first floor for a post-operating session buffet, many people, including myself, have remarked that one can "hear the silence" when everything is turned off. I like that.
Still playful @ 70+,
FrankM.
Well I finally got to work on the new layout in the basement. Got the Masonite up on the walls and the frame work for two tables done. Still have to make the legs and add one more short section of Masonite. Not quite sure yet whether I will leave that plug where it is or move it toward the floor. I'll attach the legs to the frame work leaving the plywood off for the time being so I can paint the backdrop. Once I get the plywood down I will then have a place to store the Menards buildings which will make the wife happy because they have been in the living room. A few pics of construction so far. Done for today. Tuesday night train get together tonight...............Paul
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Paul,
Looks good. I like the coved corner. I take it there is nothing important behind what looks like an access door on the right wall.
Looking good Paul, remember little steps go a long way!
Thanks guys. Mark bottom line is this house is very old. People before us did this paneling. I just didn't feel like ripping it all down. As to your question That top door was access to the water meter but below that I will leave plenty of access in case I or a plumber have to get in there. Along with painting the Masonite I will continue the blue up to the top of the paneling. Have a long way to go on the attic layout but I felt I had to at least get the second layout started if just for storing items I bought this past year and into this year............Paul
Paul,
Good deal! That also explains why the new layout with your existing one upstairs! I like your thinking!
Working on the wire under the layout clean it up and fix some issues wile takeing a break I came up with a fix for a curve that was given me problems straight it out and wow I had a sideing so now it's back under the table and more wire
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This week, I've rewatched the 25 or so episodes of the show I've based my layout on, looking for ideas for scenic ideas. . .It reminded me I should begin looking for a Lionel Burro crane I can customize.
Len B posted:Apples55 posted:Although not just today (it has taken about three weeks after a long holiday hiatus), I finally completed the third, partially elevated loop with the lift bridge:
Looks great. Did you make those stone abutments and piers?
Len;
Thanks.
Yes, I did build the abutments and piers. The piers were made from pieces of leftover 1/2 in. plywood left over from the layout decking sandwiched between pieces of 2x4 cut to the height of the Lionel elevated trestles. I left some chases in the blocks to snake all the wires down through the table. The wood was covered with "Cut Pennsy Stone Block Wall" sections I got from Scenic Express. The wall sections have interlocking ends, but I couldn't get them to mesh, so I used some of the "Pennsy Stone Seam Sealers" to cover the end seams. The two abutments were made by hot glueing a pair of "Pennsy Stone O-Scale Bridge Abutments" and then adding some seam sealers. I really like the massive look it gives to the supports.
I have completed the ballasting of the mainline and simulated a grain dump pit on the siding to my granary. I am currently In the process of preparing the yard area for ballast. Most recently, I have installed some Z-Stuff (DZ-1075) trackside power sensors to activate lights on my signal bridges. It still requires some minor sensitivity adjustments to get them to work properly. My next big project will be to install the TIU for DCS and wire power to all accessaries. I am chipping away.
P.S. I really enjoy viewing the project posts from everyone.
Dave
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Not just today, but over a period of time and esp. the last several days, I have contentedly been re-working this scene on my layout, refining and fine-tuning its details and nuances. Here it is in the morning light coming through a basement window...
I call this site "Grange Road Corner."
FrankM.
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Doug Murphy posted:This week, I've rewatched the 25 or so episodes of the show I've based my layout on, looking for ideas for scenic ideas. . .It reminded me I should begin looking for a Lionel Burro crane I can customize.
What show??
In my neighborhood we would call it Tweekervill.
darlander posted:I have completed the ballasting of the mainline and simulated a grain dump pit on the siding to my granary. I am currently In the process of preparing the yard area for ballast. Most recently, I have installed some Z-Stuff (DZ-1075) trackside power sensors to activate lights on my signal bridges. It still requires some minor sensitivity adjustments to get them to work properly. My next big project will be to install the TIU for DCS and wire power to all accessaries. I am chipping away.
P.S. I really enjoy viewing the project posts from everyone.
Dave
what product are you using for ballast?
Darlander, Looking great! Can't wait to be that far along. But baby steps first.
This past weekend I worked on the junkyard on my layout. I still have a lot of detailing in the junkyard with grass, weeds, trees and lights. This layout is only 4'x8', small in comparison to my last layout which was 10'x20'.
The water wagon and wagon wheels are from the 20 mule team Borax model kit.
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I finished one of the kitbashes of the Lionel civil war RPO car shell, completing a short RPO for my shortline Pickleville RR, created to serve my Menards pickle plant and a packing station. The other half of the kitbash is a much longer car, a coach/caboose made from the other half of the Lionel car. It was built to be "different", or "quirky", as another thread is exploring. It will be completed as soon as I figure out how to lengthen the coupler shanks to work with long wheelbase passenger trucks.
Moonson posted:jmiller320 posted:Whitesock. The nest thing you can do to deaden the sound is to not run the trains wide open.
Not that anybody asked, and this sure does not answer Whitesock's question, but just to add another perspective, I enjoy all the noise. I run ten trains at once, plus a trolley; add to that the smoke from the steam locomotives, and the fact that I sound the horns and whistles every time a guest gets close to where a train is about to travel near a front edge of the layout, and at other times, just to add atmosphere, and the whole shebang is not something visitors are likely to only casually witness, like a flower garden. My layout is not a static painting, after all, but a live presentation of a hobby that moves and makes noise, part of the charm for me, at least. A playful commotion, I call it.
In fact, as I shut each loop down, as our guests and we are ready to ascend to the first floor for a post-operating session buffet, many people, including myself, have remarked that one can "hear the silence" when everything is turned off. I like that.
Still playful @ 70+,
FrankM.
Frank - I love your take on layout noise!
Yes, to me also, all the trains running, with whistles and horns blowing, bells clanking, crew talk, station announcements, and smoke belching from locomotives is like a multi - media performance of an avant guard symphony accompanying a theatre and ballet troupe all of which is something quite wonderful. A visual and aural feast!
Visitors don't come to see my layout they actually come and experience my layout which involves all their senses ... sight, sound, smells, and touch. Layouts are canvases with choreographed movement and sound. When all this action is in simultaneous sync the layout, with all its glorious sound, is vibrantly alive!
I keep trains parked inside of tunnels and out of sight. When visitors enter the train room, the layout comes to life one solo train at a time as it slowly glides out of the east mountain tunnel then another trains glides out of the east lower tunnel, suddenly another trains bursts out of the lower west tunnel portal as a trolley pops out of yet another mountain portal. As the trains enter the stage one by one a glorious crescendo of sound is created! And yes, after the performance has concluded, the silence can be heard.
Dave,
Loving your Signals
Good luck, John
Carey TeaRose posted:darlander posted:I have completed the ballasting of the mainline and simulated a grain dump pit on the siding to my granary. I am currently In the process of preparing the yard area for ballast. Most recently, I have installed some Z-Stuff (DZ-1075) trackside power sensors to activate lights on my signal bridges. It still requires some minor sensitivity adjustments to get them to work properly. My next big project will be to install the TIU for DCS and wire power to all accessaries. I am chipping away.
P.S. I really enjoy viewing the project posts from everyone.
Dave
what product are you using for ballast?
I am using Brennan's Better Ballast - Natural Grey Stone. Ballast set with 1/3 white glue, 1/3 water, 1/3 dark earth tone latex paint. Weather washed with mixture of 91% isopropyl alcohol and permanent black ink (about a teaspoon+ to pint of alcohol). In the yard area I will be using Brennan's Yard Ballast - black stone. www.brennansmodelrr.com
Dave
The louder the better in my book. I never have understood why folks want to make their trains more quiet. Have you stood next to a passing train...it is loud! Is cool when I get 5 trains going, sound at max level, horns blasting. That's another thing. I live at best 15 miles away from the nearest track, but on a cool morning, I can hear the CSX. Ok, I will have to confess, when my wife is home I turn down the volume. Heck with everything at full volume, I can down out the TV.
Mr Union Pacific posted:The louder the better in my book. I never have understood why folks want to make their trains more quiet. Have you stood next to a passing train...it is loud! Is cool when I get 5 trains going, sound at max level, horns blasting. That's another thing. I live at best 15 miles away from the nearest track, but on a cool morning, I can hear the CSX. Ok, I will have to confess, when my wife is home I turn down the volume. Heck with everything at full volume, I can down out the TV.
Thanks.
Bill
trumptrain posted:Moonson posted:jmiller320 posted:Whitesock. The nest thing you can do to deaden the sound is to not run the trains wide open.
Not that anybody asked, and this sure does not answer Whitesock's question, but just to add another perspective, I enjoy all the noise. I run ten trains at once, plus a trolley; add to that the smoke from the steam locomotives, and the fact that I sound the horns and whistles every time a guest gets close to where a train is about to travel near a front edge of the layout,...Still playful @ 70+, FrankM.
Frank - I love your take on layout noise!
Yes, to me also, all the trains running, with whistles and horns blowing, bells clanking, crew talk, station announcements, and smoke belching from locomotives is like a multi - media performance of an avant guard symphony accompanying a theatre and ballet troupe all of which is something quite wonderful. A visual and aural feast!
Visitors don't come to see my layout they actually come and experience my layout which involves all their senses ... sight, sound, smells, and touch. Layouts are canvases with choreographed movement and sound. When all this action is in simultaneous sync the layout, with all its glorious sound, is vibrantly alive!
I keep trains parked inside of tunnels and out of sight. When visitors enter the train room, the layout comes to life one solo train at a time as it slowly glides out of the east mountain tunnel then another trains glides out of the east lower tunnel, suddenly another trains bursts out of the lower west tunnel portal as a trolley pops out of yet another mountain portal. As the trains enter the stage one by one a glorious crescendo of sound is created! And yes,after the performance has concluded, the silence can be heard.
And I like your take on the whole showmanship thing. In fact, I am going to adopt your technique of having (some of) the trains lurking in tunnels waiting to be self-announced to unsuspecting visitors (!) I have always had one train on the mainline near the bottom of the basement stairs awaiting the first footsteps of visitors to appear; then, the horn sounds and the train begins to move toward them. The other nine trains were parked around the layout at stations. However,now, thanks to you, I am going to have several of them relaxing in their tunnels , ready for a graduated appearance, one at a time, until the entire symphony - including wheels a-clacking and plywood a-thumping - commences in vibrant unison. Cool. IMO.
FrankM.
Every time I try to get something done I end up running trains the whole time. 
I like your ideas of a "dramatic" entry onto the "stage" of your layout. My only problem is that I would have a tendency to forget what train I have parked, where and won't remember which engine to be activating. I'm going to have to work out a plan and write it down so that I can successfully create this illusion. I certainly have enough tunnels and cuts on my layout to be able to successfully correograph a number of these entrances.
One other thing that I do, occasionally is simply hand a visitor a CC hand control and tell him that "this is your train to operate". My layout, which is on four different levels, is essentially a single track main line, necessitating meets and passing sidings. So, even with instruction, the visitor has to be coached as to where and when to meet other trains. Gets to be a lot of fun.
Paul Fischer
J Daddy posted:Every time I try to get something done I end up running trains the whole time.
You almost make it sound like that is a problem 
Made a video while running my latest engine.. What I should of been doing is cleaning the fast track so I can get ride of it.
I thought today was going to be all work on new layout but Late yesterday afternoon my plants were delivered so I had to get them in today. I was able to get a coat of white on the Masonite in the morning so tonight after dinner I put on the blues. Not sure of how it will look tomorrow. Between the two blues I may have too much contrast and may have to work the lighter blue up further. I'll see. A couple of pics. Sorry I got the pics reversed................Paul
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J Daddy posted:Every time I try to get something done I end up running trains the whole time.
J Daddy - And this is a problem??? Your smiley face tells us you are having fun running trains. Fun is a good thing! So keep having fun ... having fun is the ultimate in getting something done in my book
On Sunday I went to a small train show in Arbutus, Md. I bought 5 brand new military flat cars with loads ( tank, trucks, an amphibious duck, and jeeps ) made by Geller Trains of NJ. They look great! Plus the cars ( 027 ) are made in USA.
Also bought a custom water tank and a couple small sheds from Craig Timmons, a custom builder who lives in Ellicott City, Maryland. They look great! I'll try to get some photos of the military flats with loads and the water tanks and sheds up on the forum soon.
Blacked out the windows on my lionel gp 9
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Nice video Doug! It appears I see a reflection...as though the video was taken through a piece of glass or plexi on the edge of the layout....is that correct?
Thanks,
Alan
Been cutting foam for terrain shapes.
Trying to figure out to attach Masonite backdrops with a profile of the mountains and not have it warp over time... That's been sort of preventing me from completing my scenery as the backdrop has to go in first.
Today I finished the second of two cars, kitbashed from a Lionel civil war RPO, and an Industrial Rail trolley, using the bodies. I created two odd-ball cars for my pickle packer short line. I have half the trolley left over and thought I might make a steam dummy out of it, but I can't get a Marx motor to fit. Too bad the K-Line Porter is oversize...it would make good power for this train.
Didn't get to work on the new layout till this afternoon. Last night I tried two different blues for sky but after letting it dry over night I found the one blue to be too dark. So today I applied a coat of the lighter blue over it. I think it made it better. Hope it does I want to put up two tables tonight under the back drop. I have to make the legs up yet. Couple of pics. I post one before but am using for comparison again..............Paul
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Was working on foam with a cheap, (really cheap) foam cutter from Michaels. Broke that. Now that the time has changed and eating season is over, cycling season has begun. The layout has been de-energized, all locomotives removed for cleaning and lubrication. The only work that might be done now will be repairs. That pesky K-Line plymouth switcher needs a once over.
J Daddy, that happens to me too. I go into my train room with the intention of putting some ballast down, etc. I fire up locomotives and start running trains, cup of coffee in hand and before I know it a couple of hours are gone. Welp, tomorrow is another day.
I did the same thing I did yesterday, lifted sections of Real Trax, scribed the new track plan on the table top, then put the Real Trax back down again. I want to retain an operating layout for as long as I can before changing it. When all scribing is finished I will remove table top sections one at a time and cut them with my jigsaw. Using the cookie cutter method, I'm going from a flat layout to one with elevation changes.
Mr Union Pacific posted:J Daddy, that happens to me too. I go into my train room with the intention of putting some ballast down, etc. I fire up locomotives and start running trains, cup of coffee in hand and before I know it a couple of hours are gone. Welp, tomorrow is another day.
I have the opposite sometimes. I head down to the basement, just to watch the trains, and end up tearing up track or just moving Plasticville. One of the times I'm glad I don't do scenery, I'd never get trains run.
