What did you do on your layout today?

Thanks Len B, Dewey, and Larry!  I still have some paint that we used to paint the room after we removed the three walls to create the "new" space so plan to use it to seal the Quiet Brace.  

 

Len B, my plan to lay the track (Ross) without using any roadbed.

 

 

 

Walked past it again

 

Clem

lol

Larry sr-   How long you estimate until it's done? Few weeks?

Andrew

Lord willing, by the end of next year I shouldn't be embarrassed. The heavy lifting is almost done. It's all in the detailing to try and make it nice that's very time consuming. Of course like many others if I could make up my mind on certain things it could go a wee bit faster .But, still having fun.

 

Currently, Nothing but honey do's.

Larry

Having fun is what it is all about.

Nothing big, Rebuilt an Atlas ATSF 40ft steel refer that had arrive from TRAINZ in pieces, Rebuilt an K Line Texaco scale Tank car with Atlas trucks (paid 10.00 for the car) Upgraded my K Line Conoco Tank car with Atlas trucks. In both K Lines they now sit lower and ride better. Finished My SD9 upgrade to PS2. Installed Atlas 3R Cab trucks on my CB&Q Way Car project ( sits lower and looks better). Upgraded my Kitbashed ATSF SD45 with fixed pilots to PS3, ( PS2 and can motors and electronics into the SD9).

 

 

 

 

Today, I finished this project which took me all this past week - a NYC-style brownstone townhouse vignette...

Moonson, that is terrific!

 

Al

Had company over and we played with the trains.  There is a dead block section so we could run the trains completely.  Note to self... Always have the layout ready for company.  Need to fix that section of track!

moonson that building looks great. maybe you could post how you accomplished building it.

Walter, Dewey, and Larry,

I will have to look into Quiet Brace before I get to building my next layout in a year or two.  I have used Homosote before and liked it, but cutting it was a pain and I will need to cut costs wherever I can and still keep quality.  Looks good Walter!

 

Right out of an old black and white movie (in brown)!  It looks excellent!

Nothing big!  No just a bunch of little jobs that all look great!!

Thanks for all the neat photos!

  Worked on bits and pieces till I dropped last night, woke up and fiddled some more.

 Carved my first every rocky cliff onto an 8x16x1/2 sheet of green foam. Easy as pie, and looks good so far. Now for the base paint, washes, and dry brushing.

 Also JB Welded some trim pieces on and gave a trail assembly to some sheathing for a MARX C. Vanderbilt that I'm bashing into a Reading Crusader.

 Waiting for things to set, I cleaned up an old 2461 fishbelly flat car then gave it 2 wire spools till I find a transformer. Finally prepped a neglected DL&W 6419 work caboose for roof repair....Now gotta mow the lawn.  

The scene looks GREAT! Did you build the house from scratch or was it a kit? If a kit, were can the kit be obtained?

It is not a kit. The front was from Valley Model Trains and the sides and rearwall are from a variety of other sources, purchased some time ago. I'm glad you like the finished scene.

Thanks Mark!

Installed my new Legacy 990! 

did some tinkering with scenery built another trestle tonight. took some more photos this time of the Ameritown factory added some more trees.

Jhainer,

You have really been busy.  Everything is looking real good.

thank you . the trestle tonight I thought about this morning while in the shower went and bought the stuff to build it 3 bucks for the music wire and 6 bucks for the 1/8 I beam plastistruct  pieces I had the mdf. cut the mdf to fit then cut the I beams at 1 3/4  drill 2 holes in each glue at 2 inch intervals on the mdf paint done. couple hrs and it was finished. that loop is the conventional loop that sd40 is conventional brand new I haven't even ran it yet just have it sitting waiting for the track to be finished.

 

Finally got started on my stone arch bridge.  Removed the top deck on the temporary bridge and began cutting the new one.  Was really getting into and then got interrupted and wasn't able to back at it.  Hope to be able to resume after church tomorrow.

 

I have to get serious now as the double-track mainline is shut down until I at least get the superstructure in place.

 

Art

Installed a rotating pole for my Sinclair Plaza. The pole doesn't sway a bit. Any movement is from me taking the video. Terry

 

 

More visitors to the layout yesterday. We had Church friends who had not visited our layout before. They had a wonderful time and asked a lot of good questions. The trains performed flawlessly (this is why 3-Rail O-Gauge is the best) and they loved all of the features of the Modern era trains. The husband had not been around trains since he was a kid and was blown away in the advancements in our hobby.

 

Fun day at the layout.

Terry; nice job on the rotating truck.

That is excellent!  I'm glad everyone had a good time!

I love it!  Excellent job!

I opened the shell of a Lionel helicopter and found some dual battery buttons and apparently a siren and LED. Anyone know how to remove the batteries? They seem to be blocked in with a permanent plastic post. I want to rewire to converter. Also, want to install new blade post and hook up blades to rotate on a 30rpm motor.

That is some fine work!  

Another weekend has come and gone, and I did nothing on the layout.  I did body work on my wife's van.

 

However, I did finish assembling all the materials for a little scratch building project the guys on the Lionel Yahoo group are doing.  The challenge is to scratch build something larger than an outhouse with no items coming from a hobby shop.  Meaning the old fashioned way.    I want a log lodge someday so I am going to build a log cabin and if I have time build something more involved.  The contest goes from Sept 1 to January 1.

Well, the girls were home from college this weekend, so I didnt have a whole lot of time. I managed to sneak in a few activities in the mornings and after they left today. I started by fixing a short in my Ross 175 crossover. Then I wired an old 192R control tower to activate when a train rolls by the yard on a siding. I also marked off a spot for an Atlas O interlocking tower. Once those jobs were complete, it was time to clean up the layout in preparation for scenery work to begin on the first section. Next free day will be late September.

I put finished the base coat over the struckolite and put the track back on the bench top.  I tweaked the track a little and started cutting feeder wires.

I got a little more done this evening after yard work on the saloon kit, adding trim,

swinging doors and signs, plus other details...made a hitching post.

I finished two Grandt Line small depots today, the only thing lacking are the station names and the train chalkboards for the fronts of them. I decided to detail the interior of one of them, I printed interior walls on sticker paper, and even included a calendar and a Vargas girl print from a month before the layout takes place in 1943. I doubt anyone will ever see it when it's in place, but I know it'll be there. I put a stove and a chair in here as well as these will be mostly flag stops.

 

moved 2 switches

 

Changed the chassis and pantograph on the Gi-raffe Express, touched up the paint on the loco and caboose, painted the 6520 spotlight car and reassembled everything. 

 

 Incidentally, I removed the 6520's magnetic switch and cleaned it up.  Anybody interested in the switch, drop me a line... 

 

Mitch

 

I used to think that building the layout was the most fun, but showing it to friends is right up there as well.  Which do you think is more fun, showing it to fellow train fans or just friends that aren't in to trains?  The groups we have shown to lately have been so nice and appreciative that it is hard to beat and they were not train people.  Sounds like you had another great day.

 

Art

I had a really good day yesterday afternoon working on my bridge.  Have the new deck done, 3/4 of the outside Masonite wall cut and temporarily installed, and have begun cutting and fitting the risers.  I hope to layout and cut the inside walls today as well as cut and install all the outside risers.  I will post some pictures later.

 

Art

Way to go Art!!! Can't wait to see pictures of your bridge progress.

Guys,

 

Nothing......my hobos are just lyin' around with no action....most of em are asleep!

 

LOL! Nothing goes on when the conductor is at work (at my office).

 

Mike Maurice

Patrick was here today, and after two long months, the backdrop was completed. He sanded, primed and painted 55'. 







The ball is now back in my court. Let the track fly!

Completed adding the quiet brace to the 4th table and painted the tops of all tables, so ready to start laying some track!!!

Looks great, Elliot. Nice to see that finished.

 

 

Nice job on the end detail

 

 

 

Now it's on you to lay some track.

did alittle more tonight with scenery. wired up another switch. put more stone on the trestle. put ballast on the upper level and added more to the yard area. received a 180 watt power supply.

 

Well, it took a while to gather all my track laying tools, but I am officially back in business.

I finished securing the inner curve and started the middle curve. The inner curve is one of a very few that is less than 072. It is part of the yard lead and not the main.

The track nearest the edge is all done. The others are still loose, and are there for planning purposes. I'm starting to get excited about this again.

The two holes in the backdrop will be for legs of a wye, and also form the opposite reverse loop to the one I built back in May and June.

Looking the other way.



Maybe tomorrow I can get the two mains done all the way down this side. Then the yard should go quick. Then ...

Looking good, Elliot. I'm excited too and can't wait to see how far you get in the upcoming week. Having adequate light now should help speed things along.

No pressure Jon. Actually, if anyone is putting pressure on, it's me. In my mind, I'm two months behind, but I think I can make at least one of them up in September.

Elliot - It looks more exciting all the time.  All the light, the sky blue backdrops, and the new track look great.

 

Art

Thanks Art. I never officially drew the track plan for the upper deck. I've been kind of winging it as I go along with sketches of each section, then flopping down track in a "try it before you buy it" program. There have been a few interesting tweaks along the way.

 

Here's my latest dilemma.

 

I just ordered a double slip.

No double slips at Crazy Doug's ?

Checked... Skunked. But I got my plastic. Now I get to try out my theory. I'm leaning toward spray adhesive.

finally started working on my gorge/canyon / whatever it is here's the results from today.

That is going to look GREAT!!!! Keep us posted with more photos.

The wife and kid are off visiting the in-laws so I set up a little layout in my son's room.

 

 

The other day I picked up a 1:43 Peterbuilt tractor trailer. The truck is up for paint tomorrow. Here's the trailer.

 

 

Nothing.  Aboslutely, frogging nothing - these dang books I'm trying to get out the door on 'Streets have expanded to take over all my spare time, and more.  I'm becoming not fun now.  (I haven't even been up to see my layout in the last two days). 

I cut some styrofoam to finish the last part of the raised section and drilled a few holes and put in more wire drops.  The outside loop had about 3/4 of the drops installed, nothing on the inside loop yet.

I was making a load for a flat car. and picked up 3 more flatcars to match one I already had. now I can make the loads from my 2 favorite airplanes. p-51 mustang and the Corsair.the other day while doing some more scenery I let both UP diesels run for about 2 hours one train had the flatcars on it with the p-51 just setting on it and it was a cool sight to see it going past . the kids liked it too they thought I got a new train car because the plane was on it

so I started last night because I couldn't sleep making a cradle to hold them. then I will repaint all the flatcars in a flat black or olive green not sure which. paint the wooden deck brown and use a different color brown for the cradle. get some small chain to secure the load down and finish this project. this is the first time I am making a load for flatcars so it's kind of neat.

 

Yes Lee, but we are glad you wrote and published the Streets book.  I saw it advertised in the latest issue of OGR.  Thank you!!!

Guys,

 

Am having a new electrical panel installed in my house. Nothing's happening in Hoboville for 4 hours when power is turned back on!

 

Mike Maurice

I spent a couple hours today.

I bought some thin black Evergreen plastic, and covered it with spray adhesive. Then I took some old Right of Way switches and mounted them to the sheet in order to stabilize them. These two will form the crossover in the third photo.

I got the second curve finished, three more sections of track. Tomorrow the fun really begins. Next comes the last curve and all those switches.

These can be a little tricky with all their feeders, but once they're down, it's smooth sailing with straight track all the way down.

I ordered a double slip on Saturday, so I'll have to work down to the other end, then start working back with the yard tracks while I wait.

Guys,

 

House guests are sleeping over! Duck and cover time for the Hobos who don't want to turn up missing from their camps! Power is once more back on.....

 

Mike Maurice

A storm knocked out power here for 4 days. But that didn't stop me from using a car battery to run some trains! (since I couldn't cook, go online, or watch the "light box" [TV]). Thank God for wood from downed trees, and my enameled steel coffee pot from my camping gear.

       

Now that's funny not even an act of god can keep us from running our trains LOL

. I had power here. I haven't been getting much done been running more than anything. but like others while the engines are running around I tinker with things.

 

added overhanging bushes to the edge to hide the wood.

 

here is the gorge but my 13 year old son call hoover dam

 

 

Finished the rock on the trestle.

 

finished up the ballast work in the small yard.

 

tested out using real dirt.

 

  Direct hook-up, 12vdc, one terminal to each rail. Took one feed wire off of each transformer & unplugged them. No whistle tender unless you want to hear iAZt literally non stop  I stuck with my conventional trains running at one steady speed. Heavy car loads added, and/or diodes were used to regulate smaller more efficient engines. On or off, just loops no fancy maneuvers, but beat the heck out of watching a dark clock as I prefer click-clacks over tick-tocks. Also we used a 700w, 12vdc into 120vac power converter for using little things like cell phone chargers and eventually a radio. Didn't think to plug a small transformer into it. Not as efficient maybe, but would have been fun to try.

Work continues on the Rio Grande switching layout.  I painted half of the track an earth brown color.  The other half will be completed sometime in the next week or two.  Will later rust with Testors FX rust pen in preparation for ballast.  Also finished the bridge guard rails on a bridge that will span a small lake.  These rails serve no functional purpose on the layout, but I wanted to add some realism and depth to the track work.  Also added new motive power to the roster.  MTH GP30 #3027.  This model was manufactured back in 2007.  This particular unit started as a non-powered model, but an individual put in PS2 electronics and turned it into a working unit.  It runs beautifully and has found a good home.  Enjoy!

 

Tomorrow is my turn to host our train club. Today was spent cleaning up and making room for them to get in to see the layout. Tonight and  tomorrow I'll be choosing trains to run.................Paul

Weathered track always makes a big difference as your nice photos show.

Now this is one die hard model train enthusiast.  Made the most of a bad situatin, and it sounds like there were many positives.

Way to go Adriatic!!

Mark,

 

Appreciate the kind words. The difference between the painted and unpainted sections is very stark. The rails in the painted section just disappear and don't distract the eye when viewing the trains. I'll keep everyone updated as I progress.

Good progress today. I finished laying all the curves.



The wye is taking shape.



All of the switches are secured.



The ladder is drawn out, just waiting on that double slip.



I'll be down to the other end after the next session.



I think Patrick is coming over Thursday. 

And you were worried about an extra 7 pieces of track for option 2 lol Thats a lot of d**m track in those curves!

It's coming along nicely, Elliot. Can't wait to see the double-slip.

 

 

 

Thanks guys.

 

Doug, I know 7 pieces of track isn't much in the grand scheme of this layout, but just wait til you see the quad track curve at the end of this peninsula. Talk about burning through track.  

 

I only have 3 cases left, and it's going to take at least one more to finish this yard and the mains. I was hoping to not have to buy any more. It is going to be close.

Just when you think you have enough.....man I need 2 more pieces!  been there before.

 

I got the coal tower glued in place. Had to remove the temporary ground cover, and now I have to put it back in along with some coal spillage. Wire up the lights, put the LED lights back in the flood light towers, and wait for the oil column to get here so I can figure out where it will go.

 

I finished the paint job on my white pass tractor trailer.

 

Here is what it started out as.

 

 

 

 

And here it is now.

 

 

 

 

I need to have some door decals specially made for it. I'll probably have doityourselflettering.com make them for me.

 

Here is my inspiration.

 

 

Laidoffsick - Your engine terminal is fantastic!  It has really taken shape and looks great.

 

Art

Great day with Patrick!!! The benchwork is now 99% complete and the lower level lighting is missing just one socket. The mainline golden spike is in sight, maybe by the end of October.

We drilled the holes and ran the conduit, then Patrick stapled down the chicken wire.

 


Decking next.



Finally the fiberboard. Then Patrick wired up the lights.



Patrick "the pretzel" makes the final connection.



I ran out of light bulbs (again)



Between helping Patrick from time to time, I managed to get a little more track laid.



The ladder and engine service tracks switches are in their rough positions.



At the last minute, I noticed that I needed another crossover.



With any luck, Patrick's next visit, we'll finish the benchwork. Matt and Jon will be here Sunday.
.

Today I finished some of the wiring to the push buttons for my yard uncoupling tracks and added a piano hinge to the control board with the push buttons on it and attached it to my table.  Picture later.

.....

Dennis

Elliot,

It sure is great you have Patrick the Pretzel to do that work for you!  He's the man!  He makes my arthritis flare up just looking at the photos.

Wow! 'Great day' would be an understatement. I can't believe the progress.

 

Just getting all the you-know-what out of the way is no small task. I can only imagine where it ended-up.

 

Decking down, lighting too? Thanks, Patrick.

 

Great day indeed, Elliot. Now, get back to laying track.

Yeah Mark, I don't know what I would do without him. Jon, Matt and I are not that flexible.

 

I didn't mean to design this so that kind of thing would be necessary. It just kind of happened. Fortunately, most of these things are "one and done". I'm not sure he had to climb in there to do that, but it may have been easier to see and work on, sitting up.

I agree, he probably thought it was easier.  I also have trouble with my trifocals working in tight locations on wiring.  All that considered, I am glad I moved to a pseudo-engineering desk job a few years ago.  I was having a lot of trouble seeing what I was doing and using the hand tools.  Your layout is a great combined effort!!  Shows what a group of friends can accomplish!

 

In fact, I find it is easier go in tight place, find myself comfortable then work on it than "reach out". It happened many times at his layout and it worked great for me! 

 

small running session.

 

Just completed coach 23, a re-painted and detailed AMS On30 coach. I like the looks of these, far better looking than the Bachmann ones.

I modelled this specific coach as it's the only one I ever saw in person, as it was made into a diner after the RR folded up in 1950. sadly, it burned down after I saw it. That coach wasn't a Jackson & Sharpe one, but I decided to go that way anyhow.

Shot photos of two more ghost towns, their buildings, to possibly model...am really

surprised how simple and identical some of the are...hardly tell commercial buildings from residences..

What I did on my layout tonight

Practice Night Photography 

On a Dummy Engine • D T & I - Trying to get number boards. 

  Click to enlarge.

 

The plastering is FINALLY FINISHED!!  This layout took over 1,000 pounds of plaster to complete the hard shell scenery.  I want to put out a BIG THANK YOU to two National Capital Tracker members, Bill C. and Wannis (Bear) B for their countless hours of plaster work and creative ideas. 

 

Many thanks, guys.

Watson M.  

I have done nothing on the layout. I have taken a lot of photos of the real trains. And tomorrow is the Dupage train show  at The Dupage County Fair grounds. I want to go and meet up with Art and his buddies for breakfast and then the train show. And my leg feels great tonight So all is falling into place. 

Working on NYC RS-11 fixing the pilots and installing Kadee's.

Scott,

That sounds great!  I am glad your leg is feeling good.  Have a great day!!

Working on leveling out my layout using wooden shims.Hoping that I will get rid off some grades and to make it easyer for the trains.And to make a lake or river for my trains to cross.

Scott - Glad that you are having a good day.  We are expecting a good sized group tomorrow, look forward to seeing you there.

 

Art

Welp, the Gi-raffe Express' gearbox is still grindy, so I wound up doing a motor swap with the Red Rocket 1 (with trolley pole at right).  Also upgraded the headlights on the Red Rocket 2 (with pantograph), added weights to the Crocodile to add tractive effort and overhauled the motor on my Pennsy F3...

 

The Gi-raffe Express is doing fine with the donor power truck and will be ready for the trainshow in Springfield, MO in two weeks!  :-)

 

Still to be done:  Motor overhaul on my Razorback Traction Co. EP-5, the Crimson Comet...

 

Mitch

Art. As I am typing My plan is to meet all of you tomorrow at the restaurant in the morning around 6:45 am. All I can say is that I need some motivation to get me out of this mood I have been in.  So We will see you all in the morning.

          Scot

Today I went to the the Ronald McDonald house here in Aurora, CO to check on their layout. Made my to do list, basically adding more bracing for the legs and replacing 1/8" plexi with 1/4 or better to cover the power 'box' (it contains the transformers and timers). Have to plan a rewire and track cleaning session.

 

 

 A loooooong engine on the lower level of a cross-under wouldn't clear a support post for the upper level, so I sanded it back and the engine still won't clear. Now I need to remove the support structure of wood and rebuild the support beam and posts. I thought I had built a simple "carefree" system of over & under with no switches; then I got bigger equipment and shazam! Back in the construction business.

 

Wally

 

 

I cleaned all the stuff that got dropped off on my layout in the "off season". Then I started on my list of things I am going to do one of these days. 

 

Ever since I first saw them I have wanted to paint the roof of a very old Williams Amtrak E60 with a Lionel F3 drive. For some reason they never painted the roof and windshield area but everything else seems passable. Last year I found one at a train show for $40 so now I have one and today I finally got around to masking and painting it. This is the second model train thing I have ever painted. The first was an HO scale Bachmann GP18 I painted with a brush and Testers paint from UP to RF&P back in 1988. I was 13. It was horrible.

 

Here is my second attempt. I even painted the numbers by wiping paint into the depressed number board. It makes me feel more confident to take on more of my projects. I may make some window grills.