What did you do on your layout today?

Today I uploaded a video of my 736 Berkshire that I filmed over the weekend to YouTube. Here it is. Hope you enjoy.

I feel that the description is important, so I copy/pasted it here. It is also on the YouTube page, of course:

This is my 736 Berkshire pulling SCALE freight cars on the FH&J RR mainline. It pulls the prototypically sized cars with ease and looks just as good doing so as any scale, LEGACY equipped locomotive does. The whistle is recorded in post-production, as the postwar tender needs to be rewired.

Now that I'm back home in the states, I ran trains for 10 minutes.  Thats all the time I had ... and enjoyed every minute of it too

trumptrain posted:

Now that I'm back home in the states, I ran trains for 10 minutes.  Thats all the time I had ... and enjoyed every minute of it too

Welcome back to railroading and reality as it exists here.

Randy Harrison posted:

trumptrain posted:

Now that I'm back home in the states, I ran trains for 10 minutes.  Thats all the time I had ... and enjoyed every minute of it too

Welcome back to railroading and reality as it exists here.

Thanks Randy!  Its always great to come home to Patsburg!

Harry,

Thats a great engine and train!

More work on the Clarksville station.  I turned the previous owner's Chic Sale wiring:

Into my own Chic Sale wiring:

The Lionel contacts are for supplying power to the whistle and light.  The original K-Line contacts have been repurposed to control the whistle.

Monkees posters (printed on self-stick labels and cut out) added, and the station put in place:

These last two pics have been heartily approved of by the listeners of Zilch! (the leading Monkees podcast)...

Remember, keep Monkee-ing around!

Mitch

(also below:  Monkeemobile behind-the-scenes pics!)

Mitch,

hey, hey, we're the Monkees!

Looking good!

They're not the best shots, but I have been placing figures on the layout. Here's a few that I placed, including some bench seats I made for the depot:

What would Eastern TN be without a bunch of hillbillies?

I also placed the backdrops in on Monday night, then 2 hours later was hit by a kidney stone. Just confirmed with my doctor a couple of hours ago after he read my x=rays from this morning that I apparently did pass it. They had to put me on Oxycodone (as Vicodin did nothing to help), which I immediately got off of once the main pain was past, as I know the dangers of addiction as much as any of you, I don't think I'm prone to addiction and hate being 'high'.

Don't wanna regress to 'old man griping about his ailments' mode as I'm only in my 40s, but needless to say it stopped work on the layout and everything else for a few days.

I completed the initial build of a WW2 Quonset hut, which I need to work on the windows, then paint. No idea where I'll place it but my plan is to light the inside and put some 1/48 scale GIs in it where they won't be so obviously out of scale.

Looks Great Lee, ya'll just have to love the hillbillies! Your in Wa. Correct?

mike g. posted:

Looks Great Lee, ya'll just have to love the hillbillies! Your in Wa. Correct?

Yep, but my parents were born and raised in mountain country in Northeast Tennessee. Growing up, we'd go visit family there every year.

p51 posted:

mike g. posted:

Looks Great Lee, ya'll just have to love the hillbillies! Your in Wa. Correct?

Yep, but my parents were born and raised in mountain country in Northeast Tennessee. Growing up, we'd go visit family there every year.

Would like to come see your layout sometime!

I wasn't able to work on the layout till after dinner. Wife and I had a lot of running around to do. I got table five leveled and bolted to table four. I got the frame done for table six and the plywood cut for the top of it. Still have to cut Masonite for the backdrop but that should not take too long. Couple of pics of the work completed tonight....Paul

Today and the last couple of days I've started building and trying out ideas for our logging operation area of the layout and adding some trees. I still have a way to go. 

WP posted:

Today and the last couple of days I've started building and trying out ideas for our logging operation area of the layout and adding some trees. I still have a way to go. 

Hi WP, Do you have any particular circa in mind for the logging site or are you doing this from memory, if I may ask.

FrankM.

Moonson posted:

WP posted:

Today and the last couple of days I've started building and trying out ideas for our logging operation area of the layout and adding some trees. I still have a way to go. 

Hi WP, Do you have any particular circa in mind for the logging site or are you doing this from memory, if I may ask.

FrankM.

Hi Frank: I am more or less free styling this to 30's to 40's. My inspiration (although I am not copying the real source because not enough space) is the Pickering Lumber Corp. Thanks,

John

WP posted:

Moonson posted:

WP posted:

Today and the last couple of days I've started building and trying out ideas for our logging operation area of the layout and adding some trees. I still have a way to go. 

Hi WP, Do you have any particular circa in mind for the logging site or are you doing this from memory, if I may ask.

FrankM.

Hi Frank: I am more or less free styling this to 30's to 40's. My inspiration (although I am not copying the real source because not enough space) is the Pickering Lumber Corp. Thanks,

John

Hi John, I asked because this city-boy from metropolitan Pittsburgh, who moved to NYC years ago, found himself very, very enthusiastic about modeling (what-the-heck did I know about logging?!) after seeing a modest operation in-progress while visiting Upstate NY. Subsequently, I crafted numerous logging scenes, after conferring with folks at a John Deere dealership on Rt.11, near Cortland, NY. I purchased logging machinery models from them, and once I  had finished my first several scenes, I took them back to the dealership for their inspection. Allowing for some compacting due to practical space limits, they pronounced my work very realistic and accurate.

Also, after some research, I custom-modeled an 1890's logging site for a client, and he was pleased. It was great fun learning about such things as horses, oxen, and mules being involved, not to mention such special features as "steam-donkeys" and "skid-roads" and laborers' temporary cabins.

I have no idea what features would be included in the era you intend, but I offer these shots for you because they demonstrate what I found successful, and what machinery is available as models/toys for contemporary logging scenes. I hope this helps, or at least, interests you and, perhaps, others.

I have several more shots of my work... if you care to see them.

Got the rest of my wood delivered for the benchwork.  You better hurry up Paul because I plan on having this thing framed by June 1.

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Got the rest of my wood delivered for the benchwork.  You better hurry up Paul because I plan on having this thing framed by June 1.

Looks pretty straight ...You must have shopped at Carter Lumber.

Bryan vs Paul!  The race is on!

Great work gents!

Well Bryan that is a nice pile of 2x4's. Too nice. Unless you got them at Carter Lumber like Dobermann said. I think you photo shopped a O gauge pile of wood placing it behind the couch. So the date of June 1st was thrown out to rattle me. But I am steadfast and have got table six just about done. Looks like this weekend I may be laying track. This is making me feel like the chariot race in Ben Hur only it is with tables LOL..................Paul

Good comments Paul!

I got the frame put together and painted it. When the paint dries I can flip it over and screw on the plywood. Then it is ready to put in place. pic............Paul

Paul,

That's a handy way you are doing it!  Stay off the floor as much as possible, is my motto.

Moonson posted:

WP posted:

Moonson posted:

WP posted:

Today and the last couple of days I've started building and trying out ideas for our logging operation area of the layout and adding some trees. I still have a way to go. 

Hi WP, Do you have any particular circa in mind for the logging site or are you doing this from memory, if I may ask.

FrankM.

Hi Frank: I am more or less free styling this to 30's to 40's. My inspiration (although I am not copying the real source because not enough space) is the Pickering Lumber Corp. Thanks,

John

Hi John, I asked because this city-boy from metropolitan Pittsburgh, who moved to NYC years ago, found himself very, very enthusiastic about modeling (what-the-heck did I know about logging?!) after seeing a modest operation in-progress while visiting Upstate NY. Subsequently, I crafted numerous logging scenes, after conferring with folks at a John Deere dealership on Rt.11, near Cortland, NY. I purchased logging machinery models from them, and once I  had finished my first several scenes, I took them back to the dealership for their inspection. Allowing for some compacting due to practical space limits, they pronounced my work very realistic and accurate.

Also, after some research, I custom-modeled an 1890's logging site for a client, and he was pleased. It was great fun learning about such things as horses, oxen, and mules being involved, not to mention such special features as "steam-donkeys" and "skid-roads" and laborers' temporary cabins.

I have no idea what features would be included in the era you intend, but I offer these shots for you because they demonstrate what I found successful, and what machinery is available as models/toys for contemporary logging scenes. I hope this helps, or at least, interests you and, perhaps, others.

I have several more shots of my work... if you care to see them.

Thanks! You do great work!!  I am not doing contemporary logging, though, so it's donkey engines, high lead, heel boom, and Shays or Climax on this one!

John

Actually believe it or not all the wood is from Home Depot.  Although I must confess my step father picked it all out and brought it up in his truck.  He is very particular when picking out wood so I am sure he spent a good hour going through all the pallets until he got all the good ones.  Funny side story when I was redoing my deck the last 2 summers (its 2,100 sq ft) we spent over 3 hours at lowes hand picking boards for it.  

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

 

Remember, keep Monkee-ing around!

Mitch

(also below:  Monkeemobile behind-the-scenes pics!)

Mitch nice job on the station. I couldn't help notice that Davy and the boys must of been in a great hurry to get to the station on time. Apparently  they drove on a flat( right Front) and completely shredded it of the rim.  Hey, Hey we are the Monkey's and cant stop messing around!!!

One of my senior high students wanted to see my layout yesterday.  He was most impressed with the various vignettes and especially with Mount Randolph!  He enjoyed the stories of the many locomotives, especially the GG1 number 4876 and the 1953 wreck of the Federal ... of which I have photos.   He also enjoyed the J class 611.

Its always fun to share the layout!!

Well Bryan I was a sleepy head this morning and got up late so you must be well on your way with construction by now. I'm just getting ready to mosey down and finish the table. Going to get as much done as possible today to stay a head of you but sometime through the day I feel the need to run some trains. And Mark you are right. Getting down on the floor and getting back up does take me longer now so that's why I started to paint before putting the table down. That just leaves me bolting the table to the other one and drilling holes between the tables for wires and leveling........Paul

There has been some nice work being done. 

I just keep going back to Old Toymaker's bridges. All I can saw is Wow!!!!

Lee : The back drops look good. Look forward to seeing how you layer it giving it the 3d and increased depth..

 Mitch: Just one question. The giraffe that's dressed like a Zebra. Is that the one who checked in your rehab center with identity issues?

Any way. here's mine. Another engine converted to Kadees using Mario's Lionel GP 9 mounts.    https://www.shapeways.com/shops/gandyman   Weaver NP RS 11 # 915 with earlier Lionel NP GP9 conversion.

After 3 years of planning (but mostly procrastinating) I began my 3x4 extension to the midwest portion of my layout.  All the supplies were in place, plans drawn, space made, and yet another rainy day in Maryland.  My dear son did a great job cutting the grass yesterday (one of about 2 nice days in the last 40) so pop is gonna play in train land.

I got the table all set to go into place but decided to do a few more rows of tile first. Now I have to wait for the adhesive to set. Once that happens I can put the table in place and start adding the Masonite backdrop. A couple of pics............Paul

trumptrain posted:

One of my senior high students wanted to see my layout yesterday.  He was most impressed with the various vignettes and especially with Mount Randolph!  He enjoyed the stories of the many locomotives, especially the GG1 number 4876 and the 1953 wreck of the Federal ... of which I have photos.   He also enjoyed the J class 611.

Its always fun to share the layout!!

Excellent! A senior high student, no less. Was that due to the magic of trains, your magic, or, as is likely the case, both ?  Teaching is a wonderful profession - it's amazing what we can accomplish, isn't it.

FrankM.

WP posted:

Moonson posted:

WP posted:

Moonson posted:

WP posted:

Today and the last couple of days I've started building and trying out ideas for our logging operation area of the layout and adding some trees. I still have a way to go. 

Hi WP, Do you have any particular circa in mind for the logging site or are you doing this from memory, if I may ask.

FrankM.

Hi Frank: I am more or less free styling this to 30's to 40's. My inspiration (although I am not copying the real source because not enough space) is the Pickering Lumber Corp. Thanks,

John

Hi John, ..I have no idea what features would be included in the era you intend, but I offer these shots for you because they demonstrate what I found successful, and what machinery is available as models/toys for contemporary logging scenes. I hope this helps, or at least, interests you and, perhaps, others.

Thanks! You do great work!!  I am not doing contemporary logging, though, so it's donkey engines, high lead, heel boom, and Shays or Climax on this one!  John

Well, then, John, this should be very interesting to see develop, if you are going to share its progress with us here, or if you are going to show it to us when finished. Either way, you will have my rapt attention, especially since the era you intend modeling is largely unfamiliar to me. Have fun! This is going to be fun!

FrankM., the steel-town guy who loves logging.

Thank you Frank! Will do that. It won't be very large or  extensive, though, because of space. Ah well, we make do with what we have!

    There's one thing missing from most early era logging layouts. And that would be a shiny red "Overpack Big Wheel".

Maybe it was more regional than I had assumed? 

Table six is leveled and bolted into place. I started boxing in the opening to get it ready for the Masonite. I would of had that in and done but because I decided to add those rows of tile I had to wait till the adhesive set up. But there is tomorrow. So track laying gets pushed back another day or two. Pics...............Paul

While Tom and I were on our honeymoon in Niagara Falls, three boxes arrived. My daughter had already set up the Happi-Time barn, and this evening she helped me put up the litho doll house, and I placed a NEW Barclay lady on the layout. This particular train figure from Barclay has really terrific details.

Just messing with some photos to see if I could drop a real sky into them...

Switching some cars at Cape Shark RR Yard

A short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTcd03o7yvA

BAR GP7 #63 That was a great video. I enjoyed watching. So much detail. Nice job on a great looking layout.....Paul