Mark, I’m glad you got something even though it’s not quite what you wanted. I hit a few rough patches after I retired, and after a few false starts, I was able to get a good job. I hope you do as well. I agree with you Paul has been able to create something special. Well done Paul.
Andy
Andy, Thank you! It seems in 43 years of employment, I have come full circle. No one wants an old technician/engineer with old skills. 
I rolled the inputs and outputs for my inner loop of track from Fixed 2 to Variable 2 on my TIU (chasing a track signal problem). It fixed the track signal issue and allowed me to run conventional engines from the DCS Wifi Ap on my phone. So I just spent and enjoyable half and hour or so, running my childhood 646 (as well as two PS2/PS3 engines on a different loop of track) from the DCS Wifi Ap on my phone.
I think I need an AIU now...
My home layout is a simple wedding cake style pair of tables, the bottom table is 7' X 10' and the top is 4' X 8'. Its primary purpose is to display my wife's collection of Dept 56 buildings. The displayed items are rotated 4 times a year. This year in addition to the usual spring rotation, I created a play space below the layout for my grandchildren. I installed rubber play mats and LED rope lighting along with cable organizers to keep the various chords and cables out of their way while they are playing. I finished with the play space and lighting today along with the change of the ground cover from white (snow) to green (spring). I will be adding back the trains and putting out the spring/summer buildings next and should be back operating in about 2 weeks.
I included a couple of shots of the table with its green cover and the lower level O gauge tubular track along with the controls for the trains (O gauge and Flyer S gauge) along with two of the new play space.
Rolland
Paul, looks great! I hope you had fun at the meet!
Brian, you sure have some beautiful engines!
Mark, I am glad you got a position somewhere, sorry its shift work. Doesn't sound fun!
RAK, sounds like you had a fun day!
Rolland, cool idea to share train space with the wife! Not at my house LOL. Even more I love the idea for the kids play space!
Didn't do anything but yard work today, but did get my free book library put back up that came down in the snow. I does have a little train something to it!
Mark Boyce posted:Bob, That is a great catch on the Curve Webcam!
Brian, BNSF looking good!
Mike, Yes it's better to get rd of the rats nest now, while you are still building and testing!
Paul, You have really done a great job with that narrow piece of layout with the trains going through a forest, then plunging out over the great gorge, and right back in a forest! Thank you for the hopes I can get back to the layout. I don't know what the near future holds. I had been working part time but they haven't needed me so this is my final week of unemployment. My marketable skills are over 10 years old and what I have been doing the last 11 years isn't really wanted by anyone. I finally was offered and accepted a part time position with the local cable company in a tech support call center role. They are a competitor of my previous telecom employer. Dealing with the upset or nasty customers will be the challenge. The pay is much lower than I had even been getting in unemployment, but it is an answer to prayer we will be getting something. I think I am going to have to file for Social Security to make ends meet. Well I am older than both my dad and father-in-law were when they fully retired. After training, it will be shift work, so it remains to be seen what train shows, events I can go to. Well it won't be too many years, I am pushing 63.
So anyway, that and doing what yard work I am still capable of at home and at my parents' house may keep me from much layout work. At least I have a start that I can do a little bit here and there when time allows. That is the good thing!!!
well Boyce I am so glad you found something to help you get by. Chances are after they learn what an experienced worker you are they will first increase the hours and then offer you a leadership role. And possibly a pay increase. So try and keep the carrot out in front for a little while. 😊
(as my coach said many times many years ago, I only play those with bruised legs an arms and scabs on the knees.)
I too have enjoyed this daily progress report on the waterfall. A fella can learn and be inspired to develop and continue.😃
My winter did not go as planned and did not get to work on my layout. And now the outdoor work just began a couple of hours ago after UK basketball has now ended for another season.
So, I have promised myself to make time for some special projects. Like I have read on OGR many times, ten minutes, then an hour as long as we are in the train room.😊
John d.
mike g. posted:
Cool Mike g.
As they say here , libary. No first r.
A good idea . Maybe u get some train books dropped off in exchange.
RAK, Sounds like you made great progress getting the wiring right and running the postwar and PS2/PS3 trains!
Rolland, That play area under the layout looks great! My wife bought a play table at the thrift store like the one you have under the layout. I took it apart and stored it in the attic with a lot of other preschool trains and play sets with pieces missing she bought, since we don't have any grandchildren yet.
Mike, So the free book library is a going thing in Washington as well as here. It probably actually started on the West Coast first then came here. Like most things, Pennsylvania is slow to catch on. 
Thank you about the congratulations on the job. At least it is only 5 hours a day I have to take whatever comes in over the phone.
John, Thank you! You never know what might happen, that is for sure. While I would be at the bottom of the list, it seems I fit into things no one else wants to do, so you may just be right. There are 4 other castoffs from the old company I worked at who are all in nice positions in their respective fields. At least this job is only a mile and a half from home! I won't have to drive clear into the Pittsburgh suburbs anymore.
John, you had a good idea, Mike may get some train books to look at!! 
Grateful to whomever it was on this forum that recommended the Rustoleum stone textured spray paint for those of us looking for an alternative to ballasting track.
The result for me so far is completely satisfactory.
mike g. posted:Paul, looks great! I hope you had fun at the meet!
Brian, you sure have some beautiful engines!
Mark, I am glad you got a position somewhere, sorry its shift work. Doesn't sound fun!
RAK, sounds like you had a fun day!
Rolland, cool idea to share train space with the wife! Not at my house LOL. Even more I love the idea for the kids play space!
Didn't do anything but yard work today, but did get my free book library put back up that came down in the snow. I does have a little train something to it!
Aah, the memories! There was a tiny unincorporated area in South Carolina that had a one-room shed for a public library. It was open three hours per week.
Kevin, Looks great!! I wrote about using it recently, but got the idea from someone else here on the Forum, but I’ve fogotten who to give credit to.
Mark Boyce posted:Kevin, Looks great!! I wrote about using it recently, but got the idea from someone else here on the Forum, but I’ve fogotten who to give credit to.
Many thanks to you, Mark, and any others who may have passed this technique along through the ages!
I just finished the first of several ET&WNC Hopper kits. I decided to build one, to get an idea how to build the rest easier. I'm glad I did, because the instructions were an Unholy nightmare to figure out. I pretty much had to build the kit based upon what I thought was correct, and I guessed for most of it.
The only problem is it rides very high, so I need to try to figure out a way to lower it, or find lower trucks. Next, comes painting and decaling. I think I'm going to complete this one in its entirety, before I take on the rest of them.
Andy, I'm glad the idea was helpful.
Lee, the car looks great!
It's Monday 
. No train time for me this weekend, 6 bags of leaves and dead grass occupied Saturday. Yesterday was shopping and honey do's. Oh well- at least the Forum keeps the train juices flowing.
Lee- No secret access code required....Virtual railfan on YouTube. Very cool site. The Curve is one of my favorites. Ashland Va. has lot's of CSX and Amtrak action.
Mark- Good to hear you found something. Hang in there, your positive can do attitude will get you something better. Be prepared to get yelled at a lot. We've all been on the other end of the phone with the Cable company. 
Mike- Cool book box. Never seen that around here, well not on the street at least. The books would get stolen and the box smashed buy vandals. 
Looks like Spring is in full swing out west.
Lee P51- nice hopper car. I hate reading instructions to begin with. Even worse when they don't make sense.
Kevin- the paint looks good.
RLAHAIE- very nice. Looks like Grandpa's house is a cool place to hang out.
RAK- nice work on the wiring and WiFi work.
John- Sorry you didn't get much train time this winter. Sorry about the Cat's too.
Paul- Nothing left to say except...well done Sir! 
Hope I got everyone. Lot's to keep up with here.
Bob
Bob, Thank you! My younger daughter worked there for a while in customer service. She had to give it up when she couldn't keep the periodically shift change interfered with her music lesson business and Mendelssohn Choir practice and performance. She said the company treats people good. Yes, they had an online simulator in the candidate screening process that had you go through two calls. The second call, the customer got huffy! There is the benefit that the phone acts as a firewall to an extent. It is not like seeing body language and having to look into their eyes. It also blocks the right hooks and left jabs!! 
p51 posted:
Nice project Lee. Nice to know that you still have things to do on your wonderful layout!
Cheers, Dave
New topic up!
The Sodor Island Lighthouse is not my first Lego structure, but it's the first one I built from online instructions. Assembly was easy--finding the right pieces was difficult.
The weather didn’t really cooperate for camping so we took a side trip to a museum nearby, where they had a static Baldwin Frisco 4-8-2
Picked up a weathered and built HO water tank at the Greenberg Show in Wilmington, MA last weekend for $5.00.
Seems to be the right overall size for mounting on top of an O scale building, although the base might be a little too tall. I may have to cut and inch or so off the bottom to look "right".
Didn't catch it before, but it looks like the guy in green lying on the front hospital steps must have passed out after they handed him the bill as he was walking out - LOL !!
I had several buildings on the layout whose lighting had expired sometime ago. I decided to fix-em-up. This began by replacing burnt out bulbs. Then, I re-visited the window treatments in each. Besides clear plastic to simulate window panes, I added tissue paper to the inside which gives the internal lighting a nice warm glow. 
My MTH switch tower was on the to-do list as well. It's been sitting in this same location for as long as the layout's been up (20+ years) and was bone stock, out-of-the-box MTH.
The old site is cleaned up and ready.
Besides fixing the lights I added some detail and figures.
I took the base off because I was going to paint it then realized that it looked better without the base.
jgtrh62 posted:Hello all,
I was able to get the mold finished for my abutments and have since casted and installed them and currently closing in on the surrounding terrain and scenery. Overall I’m pleased with the outcome.
Looking good!
Lee, good job so far on the hopper car. Get this one under your belt and the rest will come easier.
Bob, you got your tour of duty in the yard out of the way for the time being. I have to still get out to do yard work.
Elliot, the skirting will look good when it is done. I myself like the velco idea. Maybe with Patrick coming over gave you a boost to get going on the layout again.
Since I finished the gorge module I haven't jumped back into anything. What I should do is work on the backdrop at the front of the layout. Lou N gave me a few HO cardstock buildings to work with. Some of them I would like to get them made into O size. I have to find a place that does that. This afternoon USPS dropped off one more Weaver TOFC. With York coming up I am hoping to find two more hard to get ones. Pic............Paul
Comin' atcha'!
Lew
It's me again folks. Last we spoke I was in the beginning stages of curve manufacture for my grandson's "bar track". Hunter came over a couple weeks ago around lunch and we used clamps, hands and a sharpie to mark where the holes go. Once that was completed and I ran a couple of trains for his daughter and my grandson, he left, and the next Monday I began drilling holes.
Today I finally drilled and tapped my last set of holes for the fourth curve, and they await to be painted blue.
The two I do have finished are downstairs awaiting installation, which requires more holes, more tapping. But, once they are all installed, it's a clear shot to finished. So hopefully I will be able to send you those pictures in about another two weeks. I also plan to walk to Mars in the next two weeks. As you can see my faith in the time line is not overwhelming. I've only been waiting for this moment since Thanksgiving.
I promise, pictures once it is done. Maybe a video instead if I can get it to attach.
Looks good Lew.
Paul- More TOFC's? A man on a mission.
Yardmaster- looking forward to pictures. Sounds like an interesting project.
Ran trains for a few minutes tonight. Having an issue with my WM RS-3. It keeps hesitating and stalling going over my 5121 and 2 turnouts. Any free advice out there? I would think that a long loco with a double trucks and two power pickups wouldn't do that.
It's a RailKing with Loco sounds.
John, that scene is going to look nice!
Paul, TOFC King!
Lew, the crane siding is looking great!
Yardmaster96, Sounds like good progress.
Bob, I'm sorry that great looking RS3 is having issues on the switches! I'm sorry I don't know anything about the switches you are using.
I must agree Paul is becoming a “pig prince” love that interstate system. Great score Paul!
kevin. That stuff looks awesome good job.
Bob. Thanks for the web site and your pics of your layout are great
Lee. The hopper looks great, nice scratch
Lew. I like that crane looking good.
John. I like the looks of the signal
Brian. Great pics of “Uncle Pete” as always.
Ralph. I like the that switch tower nice pics of your layout.
Today my milk car came in the mail. I didn’t wait any time putting it on the layout
Mighty great looking train, Lee!
Thanks mark almost done collecting the milk cars
April Fools Day came a day early this year. The day before I was sitting outside eating peanuts with a friendly neighborhood squirrel. When I told Mom that there was snow on the ground, she reminded me that I was a day early for April Fool's Day. Today, April 1st, the snow melted away, and I wonder if I dreamed it all.
I am still painting people, but I am almost finished with the six China figures that go with the 24 Preiser Seated figures in my Santa Fe and UP Add-on passenger cars. I am not buying the Lionel NS Executive or CP 21" passenger cars because they do not have diaphragms that close between the cars. On my railroad, we do not make passengers jump four feet to the next passenger car.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
John, here in Northwestern Pennsylvania we had about that much snow on April Fools day. Yes cars without diaphragms look dangerous!!!
lee drennen posted:Thanks mark almost done collecting the milk cars
Very nice collection Lee. They look right at home behind that steam engine. Can you tell me where you got the building on the siding? I'm considering something similar for one of my sidings and I like the look of yours.
Bob
John. I was hoping for one more snow Saturday here in Missouri ozark foothills but it just rained when it got to Indiana it turned to snow.
Bob thanks pretty proud of the consistent. I got the building at a hobby shop in St. Louis I bought it lose I think it might be a Walthers.
Thanks Lee. I'm leaning toward the Ameritowne Machine Shop from OGR.
Morning everyone, I know I cam cheating but there has been so much great work being done while I have been cleaning the yard. I wont do a person by person today as there is so much!
I would have done it yesterday, but the daughter and grandkids came over for a surprise visit! Spent all day with them playing in the yard, taking Tank for a walk, and showing them the updated train room. LOL All I got from them on the train room was COOL. They are more into there leggo's then anything else! Oh well maybe when I get more then one train running!
I hope everyone has a great week, spose to rain here the rest of the week so inside train work for when I am not at the store!
First section of mountain complete.
Marci got this one last night... sun roof comes in handy...
GLENN L. TAYLOR posted:First section of mountain complete.
looks GREAT Glenn very nice !!
Glenn your mountain looks great! Nice city scene too!
Marci did a nice job, Brian!
thanks Mark, I will let her know, more of her pics will be in,
"Mid week photos" tomorrow...
GLENN L. TAYLOR posted:First section of mountain complete.
Glenn, that's a bright, cheery set-up.
Brian, great pics.
Glenn, your layout looks darn good.
No layout work. I tried to get the HO buildings I got from Lou N blownup to O scale. Went to Staples. The girl behind the counter said they could do it. But then she saw the copyright on a few and told me she couldn't do it. But right on one side were the words can be reproduced for home use. Read that to her but she still said no. So I went to the other side of town to the UPS store. I got further with them but they could not do the size I wanted. So Tomorrow I have to head out to Hudson to their other store which can do larger prints. Tonight is Tuesday Night Crew get together so no work this afternoon. Keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow I will be alble to get the buidings done..............Paul
Can we just take a second to applaud weaver for their detail?
briansilvermustang posted:
Marci got this one last night... sun roof comes in handy...
Brian, you and Marci captured the colors. Wow.
Lew
Been out of town since last Thursday. It was nice to get back home last night and run trains for a short bit before turning in. First thing this morning I ran trains again. Got to love dem trains!!
Wow, there has been a lot of great work going on out there. I have to say I always find it inspiring to see everyone’s bits of progress!
I played around with accessory and siding track placement. I finally settled on the last photo. The photos actually helped me compare and decide which arrangement I liked best.
The placement looks good JD!
Rusty
Welcome home Patrick, I really like those B&O F3's!
I ran my Williams 6-8-6, breaking it in some for a while this evening, on my Carpet Central.
Rusty
Evening everyone! wonderful work going on again today!~
Glen, Looks good! I take it your going to bring it down to table level? Also I notice you have a lot of Menards buildings! You trying to catch up to Cabinet Bob?
Brian, You and Marci put up some great looking pictures! I cant wait to see what she comes up with next!
Paul, I hope you can get the buildings printed tomorrow! I know what your going threw, I have been to the printer the last 3 work day to get my cover for my control panel. He says it will be ready tomorrow, we will see! LOL
Patrick, welcome back! It's kind of soothing running trains before bed and a great way to start the day!
JD, nice choice! I bet you also had some fun along the way to your final pick!
So today before work I went out and relocated my Z4000, TIU do to the fact that where they were is where the new reverse loop is going and the would have ended up under it. So I moved them to the left side of my control panel hooked everything back up and of course I had to run my train around a few times to make sure I hooked everything back up correctly ! LOL I will try and get some pictures tomorrow before work!
Decided to just run for a wile and took out for a run on the layout my Lionel Veranda
Interesting what Lionel did with sound for the Veranda Turbine. In my recollection I did not hear the diesel exhaust at all over the sound of the turbine. Even at rest the turbine was still loud and drowned out the auxiliary diesel exhaust. Huh. It occurs to me there aren't a whole lot of people who heard the Big Blows, their stomping grounds being in sparsely populated country. Summer 1960 we spent two days in Green River, Wy just watching trains. Big Blows were very stately as they rolled out of town with IIRC no real change in turbine noise from standing to full throttle. They just eased away with no fuss.
Lew
My recent trackplan tweak necessitated moving the Refinery siding. The way it was:
Tank farm behind the siding. How it is now:
Some tanks now in front of the siding with only one hehind.
I see that I have room for a second Linex tank and the scene would be better balanced so it's off to the Bay of e.
Lew
Cleaning up wiring under the layout, I tend to be rather sloppy with initial installation. So to take my mind off houekeeping, ran some trains and took these pics.
Very nice photographs everyone!
Brian, more great photographs!
Pat, Nice B&O F unit!
JD, Your arrangement looks good!
Mike, Good to get the preparation for the reverse loop done. I'll look forward to seeing the photographs you post.
FL9Turbo2, the UP Veranda looks great!
Lew, You have a better track arrangement now. And it left room for another tank! That's a bonus!
Steve, the photographs look great!
Time will tell if I get time to do anything on the layout today!
Read some old 1952 train mags.
While at the last train show, a 'free' table had old magazines so I took a few.
The good ol' days: one could actually see the cover shot. Personally, I think it would be more popular to leave off all the 'graffiti' and just show the picture; or else, leave off the picture and just show the 'graffiti'! I always thought the 'table of contents' was for that: must of missed something while in English class!
Somebody put a five-week-old kitten in our front yard, so I fretted about how I'm going to keep her off my layout.
Of course we're keeping her!
Aha! A (properly silver) Lionel (properly) F3 power truck showed up on the Bay of e for buy-it-now of $25 so I grabbed it. I had been making do with a "converted" GP7 silver truck frame to which I had installed an MTH coupler which resulted in almost a [scale] extra foot between the engine and first car. A few minutes work and my Rio Grande 5524 now has the correct coupler mount providing the correct spacing to the first car.
I'm a happy camper.
Lew
Very nice job, Lew!
geysergazer posted:Aha! A (properly silver) Lionel (properly) F3 power truck showed up on the Bay of e for buy-it-now of $25 so I grabbed it. I had been making do with a "converted" GP7 silver truck frame to which I had installed an MTH coupler which resulted in almost a [scale] extra foot between the engine and first car. A few minutes work and my Rio Grande 5524 now has the correct coupler mount providing the correct spacing to the first car.
I'm a happy camper.
Lew
Paint the rear ladder silver and you've got a perfect match .
samparfitt posted:Read some old 1952 train mags.
While at the last train show, a 'free' table had old magazines so I took a few.
The good ol' days: one could actually see the cover shot. Personally, I think it would be more popular to leave off all the 'graffiti' and just show the picture; or else, leave off the picture and just show the 'graffiti'! I always thought the 'table of contents' was for that: must of missed something while in English class!
Lol, But aced commercial art.
Very effective; far from useless; the mini-headlines are aimed at attracting the novice; and for those ready for "change", they provoke your curiosity while reminding you casually that you are ready .
Context wins over grammar and spelling 99% of of time as well; though there is a balance to work "thru" for the journalistic aspect here, vs a plain old ad where "anything goes". Once you're turning pages "rules" are usually much tighter. And as it should be; it's mostly about saving space for the cover art...
I bet hi-rail was coined vs high-rail to shorten the concepts spelling for type saving reasons in magazines. "Hi" 
"Bye" 
Vincent Massi posted:Somebody put a five-week-old kitten in our front yard, so I fretted about how I'm going to keep her off my layout.
Of course we're keeping her!
You're not.
It just became her layout; likely she will allow you to play too though
Vincent Massi posted:Somebody put a five-week-old kitten in our front yard, so I fretted about how I'm going to keep her off my layout.
I've got 2 cats and a solution: Layout is in the basement. Cats aren't allowed in the basement. Problem solved.
Lou1985 posted:Vincent Massi posted:Somebody put a five-week-old kitten in our front yard, so I fretted about how I'm going to keep her off my layout.
I've got 2 cats and a solution: Layout is in the basement. Cats aren't allowed in the basement. Problem solved.
sigh We don't have a basement. But the first time that cat gets onto my train table, I'm starting everything up.
PS. Snowflake takes turns sleeping on our laps while we are on our computers. We're both I love with her.
Vincent Massi posted:Lou1985 posted:Vincent Massi posted:Somebody put a five-week-old kitten in our front yard, so I fretted about how I'm going to keep her off my layout.
I've got 2 cats and a solution: Layout is in the basement. Cats aren't allowed in the basement. Problem solved.
sigh We don't have a basement. But the first time that cat gets onto my train table, I'm starting everything up.
PS. Snowflake takes turns sleeping on our laps while we are on our computers. We're both I love with her.
Ah that's unfortunate. I don't allow my cats near the layout for fear that they will knock an expensive MTH Premier steam locomotive to the floor. If you've ever had cats you know how much they love to/don't care if they knock things off a table to make room to nap.
Lou1985 posted:geysergazer posted:Aha! A (properly silver) Lionel (properly) F3 power truck showed up on the Bay of e for buy-it-now of $25 so I grabbed it. I had been making do with a "converted" GP7 silver truck frame to which I had installed an MTH coupler which resulted in almost a [scale] extra foot between the engine and first car. A few minutes work and my Rio Grande 5524 now has the correct coupler mount providing the correct spacing to the first car.
I'm a happy camper.
Lew
Paint the rear ladder silver and you've got a perfect match
SShhh! You weren't supposed to notice. Makes me wonder what model that truck came from. IIRC there was a D&RGW livery with silver trucks and black fuel tank. I wonder if the ladders were black?
Lew
Lou1985 posted:Vincent Massi posted:Lou1985 posted:Vincent Massi posted:Somebody put a five-week-old kitten in our front yard, so I fretted about how I'm going to keep her off my layout.
I've got 2 cats and a solution: Layout is in the basement. Cats aren't allowed in the basement. Problem solved.
sigh We don't have a basement. But the first time that cat gets onto my train table, I'm starting everything up.
PS. Snowflake takes turns sleeping on our laps while we are on our computers. We're both I love with her.
Ah that's unfortunate. I don't allow my cats near the layout for fear that they will knock an expensive MTH Premier steam locomotive to the floor. If you've ever had cats you know how much they love to/don't care if they knock things off a table to make room to nap.
She's a lucky little kitten Vincent.
We have two cats but neither bothers with my layout.
This one was a stray from a litter of 4.
Guys the work and pics look great this week. Sorry no work on the layout or anything my arthritis in my hips and legs are giving me severe pain today I just want to relax.
Vincent. What a cute cat someone dump off a cat on our county road one very cold December morning about 7yrs ago we kept him he’s a inside cat has never been outside unless I take him I promised him he would never feel the cold again. The layout is in the garage but he never bothers the work bench.
Lee, that Kitteh obviously found a good home.
Lew
Mine and my wife’s moms are allergic to cats so we don’t have any but the dog sure does take an interest to things. Unless the train or an accessory is running. Postwar gets loud
In layout news I finally got part of the new control box preassembled. I decided to use heavier wood than the last one, partly because the ZW is heavier, partly because it’s what I had out in the garage.
Well, I TRY to keep them off the layout, but sometimes they sneak in for a quick photobomb. Old layout with Tiger the cat. Loco up front an an MTH ho PS3 SP GP38-2.
Eggcellent Kitteh!
Lew
Nothing new to report. Most of the day was spent on traveling to various places to see if I could get the HO flats blown up. No one so far could but I was told at the last UPS Store that I could get it done in the Aurora UPS store. So I told the wife we are doing a road trip tomorrow but I would take her somewhere there for lunch. Train wise I finally ran my Lionel TH&B engines. They run and sound good.............Paul
Making slow but steady progress on my attic layout. Six months ago when I started this project, someone on the forum suggested I get knee pads, which I finally did. What a difference!
Here is how the new sidings are shaping up. Each of the six holds 18-20 cars, which combined with the 5 other sidings on the layout will accommodate my rolling stock and most of my favorite engines. Fortunately, I am not having trouble backing the trains through the 022 switches like I thought I might.
So, that is as far as my room (and knees) will allow for expansion. Now I get to focus on covering all the unsightly insulation and getting my old PW accessories back up and running. Been a really fun project so far. Thanks for everyone’s advice and encouragement!
Kevin
Hi guys, sorry I've been away for the last month, but I didn't do any work on the layout until the last week, and I worked just one day, when Patrick came over. He came over again on Tuesday.
The project we are working on is preparing to hang skirting on the layout. In order to do this, we are putting up plywood strips so that landscape fabric can be stapled to it.
This process is fairly easy for the straight sections, as we just screw on 1-1/2" strips of 3/4" plywood to the legs of the layout, we just have to go around the electrical outlets.
It gets a little trickier to do the curved sections at the ends of the aisles. I've chosen to use 1/4" plywood with three laminations to try and follow the curves of the fascia.
Here's a straight section under Red Wing.
Between the two outlets, is a nifty "S" curve.
Across the aisle is the end of peninsula one. Here we are installing a support block that will be used to anchor the the first 1/4" strip.
Here I am cutting off the overly long track riser, so we can turn it into a support for the rail. This was just a happy accident and wasn't planned that way.
The clamps are on while we wait for the glue to dry on the left.
Patrick puts the clamps on the the next layer of the curve at the end of aisle one.
I'm going to run to Menards in the morning to pick up the landscape fabric. I'm anxious to see how the layout looks with skirts.
Jon1443 posted:Mine and my wife’s moms are allergic to cats so we don’t have any but the dog sure does take an interest to things. Unless the train or an accessory is running. Postwar gets loud
In layout news I finally got part of the new control box preassembled. I decided to use heavier wood than the last one, partly because the ZW is heavier, partly because it’s what I had out in the garage.
Looking good. It's nice to see someone using what they have on hand instead of running to Menards, etc. everyday for another piece of wood.
Elliot, Now I see how you are doing it! Very good! The skirting will be recessed in a few inches from the fascia to allow access to the outlets, but supported well by the layout legs! I like it a lot! Right now I could use a Patrick! He is still able to kneel on both knees and lay on his back to work. Both actions that are a bit beyond me at this time! 
Mark Boyce posted:Elliot, Now I see how you are doing it! Very good! The skirting will be recessed in a few inches from the fascia to allow access to the outlets, but supported well by the layout legs! I like it a lot! Right now I could use a Patrick!
Mark,
Sure! Buy me airplane ticket, I’ll come over and work on your layout! 😉
Patrick
Yeah Mark, that was part of the design. The floor in the aisles is 4' wide, but the layout has a 6" overhang on both sides, so at the fascia level, the aisle is only 3' wide. It works out pretty nicely.
I built a submarine base with a radio tower that reaches above the surface.
Our new kitten, Snowflake, disobeyed orders not to go onto my train table. She promptly got hit by a Santa Fe freight train and then by a Union Pacific train. Later, she returned to the other end of the table, where a German passenger train and Thomas the Tank Engine both ran into her. Hopefully, she will stay off the table.
Elliot and Patrick, Thank you!!!
Vincent, Sounds like the kitten is learning the hard way! Nice tower!
Lew
Mayor Magoo posted:Cleaning up wiring under the layout, I tend to be rather sloppy with initial installation. So to take my mind off houekeeping, ran some trains and took these pics.
great looking photos!
Well, I actually spent a few hours working on the layout today. It started with the trip to Menards to pick up the landscape fabric. It was even on sale, then I used up my rebate checks that had been sitting around for months. Final cost, $7.80, and that should finish the whole project. I think model railroaders are born with the "cheap gene".
I took two of the 4' wide rolls, and cut them in half on the table saw. That worked great, though there is a slight problem, and that is the cut edge melts a little, and it doesn't come off the roll freely. I can live with that.
Next I made this giant "paper towel dispenser" to hold the roll in an easy to hang orientation. I grabbed this piece of wood, which my last Menards delivery was shipped on, and cut half lap joints on the radial arm saw, then drilled a hole for a leftover chunk of conduit as a spindle.
It's not quite perfect, and I'm still getting the hang of it. It would be better if the material wasn't so stiff, but I guess you get what you pay for.
I'm going about 6" then fold back 1" to form the pleat. That seems to be about right.
I've actually built in an opening, because it's hidden in a pleat, it's virtually invisible.
Now that the setup is done, I can spend all afternoon on Saturday going up and down aisle one.
BTW, my knee is feeling better. I have a pad that I can kneel on as I get up and down.
Don't forget to leave enough clearance with the skirting for carpeting...
Elliot, the skirting is looking great! I'm glad you got a knee pad that works for you!
John, The abutments and piers look great! I think this will be a wonderful scene on your layout!
Jon, I'm leaving about 3/4". If that isn't enough, it's easy to fix. just pull a couple staples at a time, move it up, and re-staple. Repeat, repeat repeat. The carpet will be a tight loop style of commercial with pad, in a charcoal gray.
You should come for a visit. Lemon bars......
Thanks Mark. I tried that pad a while back, and it hurt. But when I tried it today, it was great. I'm sure I'll be getting up and down a bunch on Saturday. That'll be the real test. Then maybe I'll be in decent shape for Patrick on Tuesday. I have a new problem. I think I had an infiltrate at dialysis on Monday. Feels like somebody punched me in the left arm, really hard! Owwww. It's just starting to feel a little better today.
Sounds great for getting ready for Patrick. Oh the infiltration doesn’t sound like fun. I recall my wife mentioning that happening when she worked in the clinic years ago.
Hahaha...Does Tammy know that you use her lemon bars as bait? You should be good with that clearance with unpadded tight weave commercial carpet. This project might be a good candidate for commercial carpet tiles. Something happens in a spot and you can swap it out with a new tile. It would also be easier to deal with in tight spaces. In my field, we sewed nearly every window treatment (aka, drapes) with a staple gun and hot melt. If you wish to know a few tricks of the trade, give me a call.
Mark, Usually an infiltrate comes with a visible bruise, but so far this one hasn't shown up. I think this would be my third in a year and a half. I guess you get one every six months, if you want one or not. My regular tech is gone for six weeks. I like the sub, but I think my arm scares her a little (and it's not the tattoos). My regular tech took almost two months to build up the confidence to stick me.
Jon, she's at the casino tonight, so no, she doesn't know about my offer yet. But that's OK. Every once in a while I have to volunteer her for something. If she bakes them, you will come. I'm not sure about carpet squares. The plan is to finish with all the messy stuff before any carpet goes down. I kind of want to go regular because that way I can have them roll the edges over the sides of the walkway, making it easier on my skin getting in and out from under the layout. I'm tired of donating blood to the layout. Once I make the investment in carpet, I'll also make the investment in good drop cloths, just in case I find a messy project that still needs to be done.
Tammy's lemon bars are outstanding and carry great currency. I doubt that I have had better. I'm not sure I'm okay with you pimping out her baking prowess though...lol. As for her being at the casino, I hope she doesn't double down and loose the layout.
Lemon bars! Well why didn’t you say so before! Now that makes it worth the trip to Minneapolis from Western Pennsylvania!!! LOL
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