What did you do on your layout today?

Taking a break from layout work to catch up on loco repairs.  First up was this GG1, Lionel's initial offering of command control in a GG1, who's original TMCC didn't fair well when my addition of electrocouplers shorted.  I upgraded it with obsolete electronics from a late 90's "TMCC ready" GP9 and an R2LC.  Since these GG1's were originally silent, adding ERR sound took a bit of shoe-horning.  A spare ERR sound card from an FM Trainmaster can be easily swapped out later.  As usual, fabricating a wiring harness and finalizing placement of components took up most of the time.  Allowing for the movement of 2 motors in such a confined space meant that every wire had to be just so...too long and it interfered with fit....too short and it bound up the power truck's ability to swivel.

This shows the directional lighting....with opposite end markers lit with the headlights.  Designating a front ( the little F below the 7 ), adding numbers in the number boards and a few other accents were some of my personal touches.  Short of sparking pans, she's almost VisionLine. 

Bruce

p51 posted:

Thanks for the kind words on my scenery, everyone!

The mats were made by Heki, found at a Portland hobby shop. I intend to order more, here: http://www.sceneryexpress.com/Heki/products/1053/

Thanks Lee, you rock!

Ran trains!  Had Friday nite fun!!

I am painting track in my new tunnel area.  Originally I didn't think some of this track was going to show as it was going to be covered in a tunnel, but the upper tracks are exposed so need to be painted.  I am working on tunnel linings made out of thin foam.  It isn't going to be anything fancy, but rather just a flat black liner that won't stand out.  Waiting for paint to dry.

Art

Two days ago I started to repack my collection in the basement so that I might be able to begin to work on my layout again as the train room is stuffed full of trains and I can't get to anything! What a mess! 40+ years of collecting and over the years have way to much and some things will have to go! So far the oldest things were wrapped in 1978 news paper. Strange, I can still remember when I purchased most of the items, and they all brought a smile to my face as I was unwrapping them. But the time to reduce has come, especially the newer freight cars and buildings, and assorted other items. I just don't want my Mrs. or children to have to much to figure out what to do with them, and hope to let go of a lot of my stuff, have not decided just how yet.... But I am a realist and know they simply are not worth I had paid for them and will try to price them accordingly!  Wish me "Luck", as I can see this taking quite a few days to get the basement organized and then start to clean out the train room!

Old Uncle Al

The paint Shop was open today,

Well went back to the well on the ALCO shells. The paint match was just not close to the Alaska Train Sounds Boxcar I want to use with them, Sooo, as it ended up.. The first paint I thought about and had here is what I am going with. Only thing is it is a 24 hour dry paint but it is satin midnight blue and almost perfect for the Alaska paint match. I went to ACE today and got the 15 min dry Kyrlon Navy blue and still not dark enough. So I tried it on the old 202 shell I am not using first and it laid down nice and did not lift off the Krylon paint on it. So now all three shells are drying in the shed with the heat set at 72.

I worked on a project that has been years in the making, literally.  I decided to take all my old wine corks and create a tunnel in a pass through room that holds excess household items and is an area that won't be decorated.  Will keep on working on it, as I seemingly have a bunch of corks

Finished up my Archery shop/ Masonic Lodge.  I was waiting on a custom stained glass piece from Dave Milburn at Daves Decals. It was the finishing touch, and brought it all together! He was great to work with, and I would recommend him to anyone wanting custom pieces! No power to the buildings yet, but I'll post a follow up pic when I get it ran.

Nice looking work there Chris, are those all MTH buildings? If not where are they from?

Didn't get as much done on the layout as I had hoped this weekend, the Honey Do list way too long.  I did sneak in a bit of time though and finished putting plywood over the left side of the layout.  I also adjusted the lights into their final position and plan to wire them up this week before foam goes on the layout.  I also hit lowes to pick up 4 sheets of 4x8 foam to go over the plywood.  

I still do not have a track plan except on what I kinda want it to look like in my head.  2 loops of track, one that goes up a hill, and one that is pretty level.  I also am thinking of putting in a trolly line in if I can fit it.  I am going for a mostly hi-rail look and don't want it to be too dominated by just track.  

This is as related to working on the layout as I can get.  I did some planning on my new layout plan that Double DAZ Dave put into SCARM.  You can see that in my topic in my signature.

Then I took some photos of engines and rolling stock with boxes showing manufacturer numbers to go with my inventory I recently completed on an Excel spreadsheet.  I figured it was time to get it done before I get anything else.

Love the Masonic Lodge.  I never thought of doing that on a layout, and I should have.  I have a Masonic Tank car from a Weaver set and have been a mason since 1992.  Great work.  I was busy this weekend with transformers.  I ordered a new cord for a post war ZW and a new thermal overload protection for a post war TW.  I also had to reattach a terminal strip post on the TW.  The back of the rivet came off so I super glued part of it to the terminal board and ran Solder into the rivet so i had a good solid electrical connection.  When running trains from the 1950's, it seems like there is always maintenance to do, but it is fun.  

Ran trains for a short time.  Replaced freight cars on the Mountain Division train.  Had fun and enjoyed every moment!

Working hard on the new club layout and progress is coming along well. It's hard to see it sometime as the mess is overwhelming!  The track is probably 97% complete with only a 4' section to go on the 3rd level as we finish up the MTH Truss bridge. 

Scenery has begun and is being roughed in while a lady friend who is an artist is painting the walls. When she is finished, we will begin weathering the rails and ballasting.

I was up on the back ledge and shot these pics from my different vantage points.

JDFonz posted:

Finished up in a small area of the layout.

mike g. posted:

Nice looking work there Chris, are those all MTH buildings? If not where are they from?

Mike, 

Yes, they all are MTH buildings.

C,Sam, You guys are coming along nicely. Good to see your progress.

JDFonz posted:

JDFonz posted:

Finished up in a small area of the layout.

A beautiful and interesting expanse of real estate, Fonz. In addition to how well you weathered/made realistic the stone mill, including its emplacement, I really, also, appreciate that small rural-type building you have situated so picturesquely down that narrow dirt roadway/pathway, below the mill hillside, and under the black bridge. And you did not skimp on the foliage, something, IMHO, which can be a mistake if invested, in time and funds, parsimoniously. BRAVO!

FrankM.

I agree with Frank. What made it so was weathering the building. Everything was brought together to make for a very eye appealing scene.............Paul

Thanks guys!

Some photos of this weekends tinkering with the layout.

while backing thru a switch this happened

Jhainer did you figure out your derailing issue?   I had a similar problem myself.   Going forward.  Two covered hoppers kept derailing.  Figured out the caboose wasn't rolling good pulling the hoppers off the rails. 

I went to the hobby shop (yesterday was my birthday) and they had a Woodland Scenic "Sully's Tavern" ( my first building!!!!!) marked 50% off so I got that, and two 1/43 cars.  Got home and wired that in. Looks pretty good.   Fixed my derailing problem.   Waiting for my Menards train station and hobby shop to come in. Also waiting for 3 Lionel lit station platforms to come in.   Ran trains for a bit. Was a good weekend!

Jim

Nope I didn't but its a manual switch and flips real easy theres no positive lock on either direction so that might be the issue the train is still sitting derailed it's funny I got all those cars thru the switch before it flipped direction

paul 2 posted:

I agree with Frank. What made it so was weathering the building. Everything was brought together to make for a very eye appealing scene.............Paul

Yes, Paul,  I agree with you that it is that building which  informs and inspires the whole vista.
FrankM

I am getting ready to give my plaster scenery a try.  I cut a bunch of cardboard into strips, got my cart cleaned off, got my hot glue gun and electric stapler ready, and then had to leave.  I should be ready to hit the ground running soon.  

Art

Today I finally got around to programming my new Atlas Amtrak F7's. I put the powered A and B on the same TMCC channel, because I have no intention of ever breaking them apart.

The train they will be pulling is my early Amtrak Empire Builder AKA "The Rainbow", circa 1973. The Pennsylvania baggage and combine are scheduled for repaint and body modification, and will be turned into an NP baggage and a BN baggage/dorm with the "hockey stick" stripe.

Here's a short video I shot of its maiden voyage. The two powered units pulled the K-line GN dummy B and ten 21" cars (6 K-line, 2 Atlas and 2 GGD) up the 2% grade of the helix to reach the upper deck. Enjoy!

Been working on lots of other stuff over the last week, but this was more exciting.

Nice video Elliot, anytime you get to run trains is a special moment! Rock on, seams like everyday is a new accomplishment!

Makes you want to climb on board!  Great work Eliot.

o gauge layout update 2/13/17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41ExvXBNh8c

This time last week, I had one brakeman car and no actuators.

Now, thanks to Mark Boyce, the Train Tender and eBay, I proudly present the Gi-raffe and Brakeman Conga Line! 

Norma Bates Kitteh was sitting on my knee as I filmed the action...

Mitch

Great job there Mitch, but one think I seen was that your last breakman is a little slow. H kept bumping his head on the bars hanging down. Better have him checked out by the local doc!

The train is great!  I'm glad they worked out, Mitch!!

mike g. posted:

Great job there Mitch, but one think I seen was that your last breakman is a little slow. H kept bumping his head on the bars hanging down. Better have him checked out by the local doc!

That one has a repaired pivot.  I'm gonna have to tune it up some more...

I AM getting proficient at rewiring the little indefinites!  ;-)

Mark Boyce posted:

The train is great!  I'm glad they worked out, Mitch!!

Thanks again, Mark!

Mitch

Today I jumped into Legacy. I received a PRR B6, #5244.  Even running it on my cab 1 system it is a WOW.  The sounds are great. And it runs so slow in the yard, 4 chuffs. Really super.  

In prep for my operating sessions, I relabeled my switch panel and made a color high lighted track diagram to improve switch ids and trackage.  Last night I installed a light switch for a couple of shop lights that were on pull strings.

You might have a proverbial junk drawer, box, table, or area  or two around the house.  I have so many.  I need to go through them systematically and get rid of the junk.  They are all over.  Garage, kitchen, and several in the basement on tables and benches.  Today I cleared one off, sort of. 

Thanks Mike and Matt. One would think I would be running trains all the time, but with all the construction, I really don't run them all that often, so it's a bit of a big deal when I do. This event was made even bigger, because this will probably be the longest heaviest train that will ever run on the layout. It made it up the hill, but not without difficulty. I was noticing wheel slip, and I'm not convinced that the B unit was always pulling its weight. The true test will be leaving the cars behind, and separating the A and B then see what they do.

I have just proved that you don't need a 3376 or 3386 to have a gi-raffe car...

Mitch

Yesterday and today I finished a fourth coat of "water" for the river. Before I add more trees and some static grass and other details, I decided I needed to put in a pair of signals. I had to extend my constant voltage accessory lines another 10 feet to this side of the layout, so I did that and then tried out the location. Now I have to figure out how I'm going to wire the sensors. Then I'll really install them. 

Elliot, that's one cool train. 

Mitch, The kids at the next display will love that train. 

Elliot!  Absolutely superb!!

John, I can see my dad fly fishing in that stream; it looks so realistic!!