What did you do on your layout today?

I finished weathering and painting two Atlas oil well pumps and placed them on the layout with a recently painted and weathered Lionel oil tank.  I am moving them around until I  decide on a final location.  I also made up about 15 Super Trees from Scenic Express to plant on the layout.

Allan O

I did nothing on my layout today. But as this is a summer Sunday, the local steam railway is operating. There is not much better to wake up than to hear the sound of a steam whistle in the distance on a sunny day. 

So, this afternoon I have spent a very happy couple of hours at Beekbergen station, watching the trains and breathing in that wonderful concoction of steam, coal dust and oil fumes. 

I am envious Nicole.  Enjoy!   This morning I worked on relocating four Fastrack switch controllers.

Laidoff sick: the roundhouse is looking spectacular.

Classic Santa Fe but updated that's the one I put a err ac commander in with railsounds I like the engine now but just wish it had more pulling power. it's a lot lighter now with everything removed inside and just electronics put in I have 4 passenger cars and a dummy band a unit and it won't pull the incline it just spins so I am going to have to figure something out. it has magna traction can you add a traction tire to them? or should I just add a lead weight to it.

Larry this looks spectacular!!!!  WOW!!!!

Mark Boyce:  I posted photos of the mill, but not of the side views of the flume, as

those were not good.  Did take others which will post later.  As noted, the flume logs were cut from garden stake bamboo, which is prone to splitting, and a pain, but looks good (to me). 

I have a long list of kits and projects that I can't decide on which to start... another grain elevator box is staring at me (along with other kit boxes), have too many elevators built already....I want to replace all tenders on the locos I plan to use lettered for my free lance road name, with Vanderbilts, equip all of those with smoke box elescos and flying pumps, reletter a  couple of other locos with Great Western decals (decals are in hand, locos are iffy), researching a possible iron furnace scratchbuild, build a couple of Mullet River side door caboose kits, scratchbuild or

have built a FEC/Great Westerm side door caboose, kit bash on Marx chasses a

couple of inspection engines, and.......decisions, decisions.

Larry

Is that Masonite you are using for your roads?

Did some rearranging of equipment for an upcoming group visit to the layout.

Colorado,

I know what you mean about photos not being that good.  My trains are in a temporary location right now that has poor lighting.  That and the only digital camera I have right now is on my iPhone 4, My best photos are the ones I take out on the patio.  Thank you for the consideration.

After adding two new loops a few weeks back, I am now in the process of redoing the landscaping and adding some different buildings. This will keep me going for quite awhile but that's okay because I love working on the railroad!

Jhainer

Yes it is Masonite.

Larry

looks really good that's what I was planning on doing now I know it can look really good

well here's a parking lot using Masonite.

I did some benchwork without Patrick, and let me tell you, it goes much faster and easier with him.

Here's a before and after.





I have reached the end of the line. Time for more fiberboard and backdrop on the next section.


Looking back at a month of track laying.

main st looks like I am running out of room quick.

Made, and placed, 20 "cement blocks"(2x4s), and used them to raise my elevated track up more so the taller cars, and/or raised pantographs, running on the lower level, can pass under "clean".

CO RR:  The CB&Q cabeese that I remember were painted silver, but that might have been in a later era than the one you're modeling.

Paul Fischer

Oh, shay can you shee?.....a K-Line shay floated in yesterday, to power the logging

branch.  Would rather have a smaller Heisler, so this is a make do.  The Willamette

kitbash  languishes as I have gone off on other tangents, so the Shay will stand in.  Horror of horrors, it will probably get my road's relettering.  Beyond that, yesterday, I made some progress on the Q caboose kit build.  Like too many kits, the instructions leave a lot to experience...had to correct one wrong guess on interior formers.   I am working on interiors, a new road to go down for my caboose models.  This kit has clever engineering, a gazillion details,  but only a platform, presumed for standing, in the cupola and no seats. Wonder if that is standard Q practice?  I think all cabooses I have been in have seats.  Was not inside the prototype in N. Freedom, Wis.

Fell back and regrouped today, when I found this caboose series for CB&Q was also

used on its subsidiary, C&S.  Spent most of day trying to identify a correct number

for THIS car in C&S.  No luck.  Found another and different CB&Q side door car  that looks like a simple kitbash from another, different,  kit.  Dunno if IT had a C&S version.

I removed all the track from the bench work after test fitting most of the track so I could start the hard shell process.  I'm not sure how to convert the file to a pdf or photo so people without rr.track can see it.

Once again I've switched gears, and am back on wiring and control panels.

I'm so close to being able to open the new hidden yard. Wednesday I connected all the bus wires to the power supply. Today I prepped for the stopping zones by bringing the wires to a terminal strip. One wire is the power source. The other goes out to the stopping section. The empty terminals will be the legs that go to the panel switches.


I made this panel today. The wires are color coded and so are the tracks. Color symbol for number, just like resistors.


Tomorrow is going to be a big day. Both Matt and Jon are coming over.

Not much done on, now C&S, Mullet kit today.  Mounted windows in walls and doors...

side windows slide up and down in their frames (with a tweezer, probably after assy.),

although I do plan to not glue down roof, since there is an interior and I may need

to add weight. One job I don't like is using wire for the handrails, but wire provided

is softer than piano wire so one side is done.

didn't do much just been wanting to setup a website for the trains so I did. I hae been working on it all night. Uploading Pictures and Video's. Be nice the site has been up for about 5 hr's now.

http://mail.intergrated-it.com:90/

Right now it is piggy backing off of my companies Domain pointing to my mail server on a different port than port 80 Because a website I have been working on for someone is on port 80  there both WordPress sites and I am learning how to use Wordpress. so please be Kind.  

John

Enjoyed looking at all the pictures in the gallery. Nice work.

Nothing, I worked on Elliot's layout today

Today, Sat., after too long further research, trying to identify a number on 28' side

door C&S caboose, I am told the CB&Q only had the one at N. Freedom, Wis. and

that all others were 30'?  I did find photos of Q caboose with light green interior.  However, I formed and installed all the wire handgrabs and rails on the model's ends and body, and did several paint touch-up on ends and doors.  Glad the wire bending

is over.

Matt and Jon were here today. Matt did 11 more Tortoises while Jon and I continued to rewire the hidden yard. Not very glamorous stuff really, but it all needs doing. The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.

It seems that the construction dust has taken its toll. Some serious track and wheel cleaning are in order.

Patrick I need you!

Ran a MARX A-A Southern Pacific set around after an armature to driveshaft repair.

Looks like it slipped soon after it was bought, then put away for many years (after "whoever" chipped a driver trying to get it off to access the armature). Arrived by mail in 1952 anyway(postmark),and its has some of the cleanest cars I've ever seen.

I always like to run tins on newly laid track ASAP(I hadn't). With the light weight, they reveal any bumps, twists, etc., in the track, very quickly. My elevation turned out very well. The largest deviation from level I can find is a .3 ..Flatter than the table its on .  

cleaned track and the wheels of some forty freight cars. what a chore that can be!

added 27 ft of led rope lights under the layout.

Found some time today to work on bridge section of layout

Tuesday:

I have a challenge for N scalers. Lemme see your working windows?  I just put sliding sashes in cupola windows of this O scale CB&Q caboose, and then put on the roof.  The lower windows already raise up and down in their tracks.  I have to put on the platform railings before I can paint the frame and then put body on frame followed by roof.  I see a dim hint of light at the end of the tunnel.

After reaching the major milestone of opening the small helix and the new hidden yard late last night, I was back at it today.

I threw the 072 switch at the cutoff which changed the whole traffic pattern on the layout. What I discovered when I tried to run a train was, a couple of feeders were never connected to the power buss. Quick fix.



I also cleaned the wheels and rollers on a couple more engines, and dusted off their cars. More vacuuming in the hidden yard, still cleaning up the dust from sanding the backdrops. More test running. There are a few spots that need some attention, but all in all, things are running pretty well.

Ordered some more stuff !!! received my DCS remote and TIU also Received AIU of course tested them on a loop worked great it almost instantly found the only mth engine I have and set it up cruised it around testing the loop 10's all the way around. strung up 27 ft of rope led lights under the layout since that will be my new home for a few days. a lot of wiring to do. received the powerhouse to TIU cable to power the track. Picked up a railsounds 4 sound upgrade for a few bucks so I put eh board in the 4004 it now has sound. still waiting for the tmcc to TIU cable a 072 remote switch and 2 left and 2 right 036 switches what I need to do is spend a day cleaning up the room it's getting out of hand

Bruce,

I saw your photos on Facebook.  The general store turned out very nice!  I like the metal roof.

Installing Glenn Snyder shelves and of course ran out and had to order more.

Continuation of inventory over a week now and it's a PITA . Mostly my own fault for waiting so long to do one. Still staying happy.

Well, simulated metal roof.  I did one in styrene once, where there are slots in the roofing material, and the stand up strips are glued in the slots.  Makes it easy to get them parallel to each other and perpendicular to the roof.  Your looks looks like it would be harder to do, but looks very good. I think I see faint parallel lines for you to line up the strips on yours.

Cleaned the E-unit on my 1688.  Now it reverses enthusiastically! 

Mitch

mounted the tiu and aiu wired up my tracks ran power to fixed input 1 and var1 hooked up tmcc. via a cable to the tiu programmed all the tmcc engines in and tested them and the mth engine and then tested the conventional loop all worked great started cleaning up wiring under the table. going to be running all the remote switches in the next few days that should be fun it's getting there it was nice to run all trains from 1 remote.

Blew whole day driving to and from a distant auction.  Some three rail trains, and some two rail kits, a few nice to have, but not worth staying for and a late return, after a preview.  Walthers gas electric and JC passenger car kits, and a number of unmemorable roadname freight car kits.  Some O scale loco kits, but of the usual NYC and Pa. prototypes. Interesting were two huge scrapbooks full of old, including many prewar, O scale kit builder catalogs (including that Vanderboom catalog, again...still wonder if they produced anything in it). Tempted, but late drive was unappealing....

That's great!  I just bought a DCS system recently, and while I don't have a permanent Layout, I have had some time to start learning how to use the DCS.  I have 2 of my 3 MTH engines programmed.    You are making great progress considering you have a large family in your home.  My family is the reason I am slow getting going again, but family comes first, as I know yours does.

Bruce:

What a GREAT building!!!!

I started the bench work on my second layout.  The first layout which is a prewar toy train layout is at the right of the stairs.  The second layout will be hi-rail  At this point it is a most wonderful layout because it is all in my head.  Reality might be quite different. I have been accumulating Gargraves track this week and next I need to gather some Ross switches.

Al, It certainly looks like a good start to me.  Reality is always different, even if you have it all planned out on paper, or computer these days.  Once a person gets building, new ideas will take shape.  I am looking forward to seeing your progress as time passes.

I'm working on a new building, "The Idaho Hotel", from Bar Mills. Once it is finished I will put it on the layout which means moving a few others around and fix up the landscaping around it.

I added some wildlife 

Sprayed the chassis this morning, after getting all platform railings and brake wheels on last night.  Also began roof of this caboose.  Next to apply walls and ends and it

may look like a caboose.  Can't find a stove in my junkbox, so will have to chase one

of those.  Roof is designed to lift off, so stove can be a late addition.

Now have four walls on the chassis and the roof is being fitted.  It is removeable so

that is trial and error, like much of this kit.  Today, the Fourth,  I dug through some boxes not explored since a move some years ago, and found a stash of archbar and caboose trucks.  Did not find underframe brake components I was looking for, but did find a lot of brake wheels, timely, since I broke one mounting it on this caboose.

Put Lionel's Rio Grande Ski Train ABA with the add-on cars on our layout last night.  Its orange & black colors look like fireworks against the snowy winter section.  Ran the Ski Train around twice or three times before it ground to a halt.  The powered engine picked up something loose like a stone, don't really know, from between the tracks that jammed its gears.  Surgery is scheduled today to remove the stone.  It is real important to vacuum the tracks regularly!

Spraypainted a stack of 260 bumpers for future use.  Today:  To the hobby shop for some used O straights for a prewar Lionel bridge! 

-MMM-

One lightbulb later, this prewar #57 streetlamp I got in the mail today is working just fine! 

Mitch

Added a black bear to the mountain.

What did it see?  ;-)

Mitch

Matt came over today. I bought a couple of carts online, one for tools and one for electrical stuff, so we assembled and loaded them. Then we moved all the non-functioning engines to a spot I had cleared above the workbench.

While Matt worked on engines, I finally completed the stopping zone project in the hidden yard. I also unpacked the closed circuit camera system that will be used to monitor the trains down there. This is really getting interesting.

I thought some of those engines would never run right (everybody's rejects from eBay). But after lengthening the antenna, and adding a shield to the coil on the RS board, they were good as new.

After dinner, it was playtime. This is something new!!!

I was running the freight, and shooting the video, while Matt ran the Empire Builder. Things were running pretty smoothly, until the Builder had to pass through an 072 wye right at the end of the video. There is an electrical problem when the passenger cars hit that switch. There is also a spot on one curve where some engines have signal issues. My train is out of frame as I juggle the camera and the cab-1, and try to put my other hand over the engine to get it to throttle up.

Elliot,

It is great to see the trains in action on your layout.  I think the runs were great!

Thanks Mark. Here's another albeit shorter video.

Elliot, i think we should share that information about the loco repair with the forum. Maybe some photos next time if fix a loco. Im sure you are not the only person that has that issue. I was fun to finally run trains after a year

That's pretty exciting to see trains running, Elliot. Must feel great to finally reap the fruits of many months of work. Congrats.

Looking good, Elliot!  I'm sure you have stated it before, but what is the diameter of the helix?  It looks quite large.

Matt,

Many thanks for your work with Elliot!  You deserve a round of applause.  

Photos on loco repair would be useful!

Thank you

I agree Matt. The camera was right there on the workbench. The thought went through my mind... then kept right on going out the other side.

Jon, when Matt figures out his schedule, I'll give you a call, so the three musketeers (or is it stooges?) can ride again. If I had known it was that easy to make and post videos, I'd have done more a long time ago.

Patrick, wherefore art thou? If you don't get better soon, I may forget how to lay track.

The big helix in the first video is 10' outside diameter. The small one in the second video is 8' outside diameter. Double tracks are 4" centers.

well my homemade tunnel portals I thought I did such a good job on with the new engines I have been picking up well the overhang hits them. so off they came. I have been planning a yard of some sort under the middle level of the layout so with the clearance issues and the yard needing done and my switches came in reconstruction begain last night with removing all the track from the middle level. which got me thinking 2 simple loops in this 6 x10 area I can do better than that. also needed to fix where I cut the layout in half to move it a few months ago it supported my weight but just so that needed addressed so out came the saw I removed all plywood on the middle level. removed all the bracing. built bracing for the yard and added plywood to it. tomorrow I will add the bracing to the middle level again and put down new plywood. they layout the new track plan up there. here are photos of my labors. it's a mess up there now. also adding in 2 popups to access the middle level.

   Just curious as to your room dimensions ? My train room looks almost identical to yours with the stairs being in the same location and all.

 Can't wait to see your progress as you go along,maybe stealing a few ideas from you !

Ran trains, WHOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!

Now is the time to make these kind of changes.  I'm sure you will never regret it.  You have been doing a great job, so I'm sure it won't be long you will have trains running on that level again!

Thank you Elliot.  Those are the largest helixes I have seen.  The large one would almost take up my daughter's room that I plan to use for my layout when she moves out.  Your long equipment should negotiate them nicely, and you shouldn't have problems.  Do you plan to cover them with scenery, view blocks, or leave them open for easy access?  I'm full of questions, aren't I.

Mack  The side of the room for this layout is 13 x 36 at its widest.  The layout will be 33 x 11.  That leaves me 2' to get to the furnace and the rest of the basement.  I will also have a 3' removable section at the door in the event I need to replace the furnace or the hot water heater

Will This thread ever die?

Not as long as somebody did something on their layout today!

I cleaned track, Set up a long freight on loop 1, and put a Williams passenger set on loop 2.  Getting ready for a family visit from the west coast - including a 3-year old nephew I haven't met yet!

Nick

With over 2600 posts and 16 likes on the subject matter I think it has the ability to stay around for a while. I'm guessing for a lot of us it's became a daily read. It's certainly entertaining and educational to me about the trials and tribulations of train layouts.

Larry

I have probably gotten more ideas and information from this topic to guide me on my layout in progress than any other topic, site or magazine.  I look forward to reading it every day.  PLEASE DON'T EVER SNIP THIS THREAD AS LONG AS THERE IS INPUT!!!

Jim

Hello everyone. I finally had to like this post I don't think this post will ever die. this posting keeps me involved.  So here I go with a gripe about myself.   Well with it being summer out side I have not had the opertunity  to do much with the layout. It seems like there are projects all around this house. and with the loss of my right leg 3 years ago it seems to take me forever to do things. I have a few things that I'll have to get my sons help with. Then I'll have all the Bench work in place. Then I have all of the wire to run. and complete laying the track.  Now why do all the outside projects keep adding to the list of things to do?

Elliot, thats FREAKIN SWEET!!!!

Finished up my "Idaho Hotel" from Bar Mills. I also want to get started on an inventory sheet for both my trains and my die-cast vehicles.

I ordered in some wood siding and caboose roofing...and, while previously rooting

through junk boxes, found a small gas electric somebody had freelanced...looks like

it was in On3 or On30 or maybe S.  It was powered by a DC motor, but there was just

one truck frame hanging on by a wire.  I have emptied the motor compartment and am checking to see if it looks like it will accept 3 rail power.  If so, I will clean it up and repaint and letter it, if I get it running.  (it is painted with some shiny maroon paint)

OK, after getting some of Gunrunner's advice trying to figure out camera wiring I got back to the installation of the rest of Glenn Snyder shelves I received the other day.

Done, 28-  6' sections 168 feet with about 10 cuts for proper spacing. Finally get stuff out from under the bench and get ready for some very serious accessory wiring. Now back to rebuild mode.

Larry

I had found this scratchbuilt gas electric in a junkbox while hunting parts for the

Mullet River kitbuilt caboose, and I removed what looks like an open frame HO

motor and wider guage drive train with the plan to finally convert it to three rail, and redo the body and paint.  While rooting through boxes I came up with other strays

picked up in shows: a number of scratchbuilt or kitbuilt side door and drover cabooses,

some the worst for wear, and all in need of paint and three rail trucks and couplers.

A couple appear to be good models of specific prototypes, which I will repaint and

reletter, as both paint and lettering appear beat up from use and handling.

I finally got my son to help me cut some fiber board yesterday. And today I had some special cuts to make. Then I painted it all. Well I now have all the bench work complete and now on to running the wire.   Scot

It's looking good, Scot!

Thank You Mark. I know I am not as speedy as most of the forum  guys are but I have not given up on the layout. and I know it will still take time. Scot

Scot, I'm not that speedy either.  I do what I can, when I can, and have fun while doing it.

I am starting the design on my new layout.  If you have followed my previous thread about the M&GL is moving you will see that I am tearing down my current layout and moving it into the spare bedroom in our basement.  Here is a very early trackplan I have been thinking about.

Mark and Scot, I never even think about speed or time spent because I am having such a good time of it. The creative adventure is so refreshing. Of course, I understand the urge and need to get it all accomplished, Scot, but I will predict that when it is "done," you will miss the creative process and the investment of your imagination. You may even be "sorry" it's done and find yourself looking for the next adventure with your layout - you may even find yourself thinking of changes that could be made further. My layout has been "done" a half dozen times and I still find myself considering "adjustments" here-n-there. Hhmmmmm, I think I'm going to head downstairs to the trainroom for a little look-around...

FrankM

FrankM   It all seems great when I do work on the layout. It just seems like I have been working on it for a long time. With me saying that its been 15 years ago that I got my 1st O gauge train. so with that then I got really sick and went through a loss of a leg. Then I had a kidney transplant. Then I had a 3 way bypass done.  then 2 years after that I had a valve replaced in my heart.  and hear we are now just 6 months past the last surgery.  I am feeling great and I just want to get some trains running. I was also on dialysis  for over 6 years.  So I hope you all know why it is important to me. And I am only 46 years old.  And the reason I went through all of this is because I have had diabetes for over 36 years.  And may I say with all the work around the house with cutting the grass and doing improvements it just dosen't seem to be enough time in the day to complete all of it.   Well sorry for the rant.    Scot

What did I do today?  I started!!!!

Congratulations!!  Looks like you are off to a great start!!

That certainly was no "rant." You sound like a strong and courageous man, Scot. I can see why you feel it is high-time for some play to come to fruition, too.

FrankM

Baldwin Shark Demonstrators arrived on the property of the Free State Junction RR.  Their first assignment was an 18 car freight, which they handled with no problems.  These AA units are great!  Made by Williams by Bachman.

Digging items out from the bench work finding some things I forgot I even had.

Placing some in this new area where the real train workers will be....someday.

I have more to add and probably will move these accessories  around a dozen times before I'm finished with the basic idea.

3rd picture same thing. Someday it's suppose to be a coal mine area.

Still having fun.

Some one above mentions finding stuff they forgot they had...did that with the caboose kit I finished....finding a stash of Weaver couplers and several sets of

three rail caboose trucks and archbar trucks.  I also found six or eight builtup junkbox cabooses picked up in shows over the years, all side door or combine.  Maybe two are the Train Craft side doors, but one is certainly a kit I've never seen, with metal details like center steps, a side door that makes me wonder if it is the elusive kit from the 1940 Vandemboom catalog.  Really a solid, hefty caboose, with lotsa details, but just one grade above painted with a brush in bright red, chipped and dirty over the years.  Going to restore it to its prototype, which I am digging through books for a photo for.  It has platforms on the ends but no overhead "porch roofs".  Got in an order of milled wood caboose roof and scribed siding, for one I was going to start, but it looks like I

have been diverted for a while.

Hello every one.  Well last knight I completed laying out all of my track well 98% of it. And This evening A ran the 1st groups of wire. Well I have 33 turn outs on this layout so it will be some time before I get it all ran.  1 thing I do need to do is I need to do a bit of cleaning. So tomorrow 1st thing I  will do is grab a broom and clean. clean.  clean.    Scot

Well, nothing much to the layout other than run the train I am working on.  Been restoring a set of 600/601/602 Prewar passenger cars and a 249E/265T in the Lionel Corp colors.  Photo's of the cars before and during.