What did you do on your layout today?

i

Homemade flarphlaluprocanter 

Good to hear from you Butch

                           ran some trains...

                    put up more shelves...   Marci got the tree up...

          still need to be stained...

          but couldn't wait to put trains on them...

                              getting the slot cars ready to run...

                            IZZY was having fun helping...

                              have a great day everyone !!

Morning all, 

Sure has been a lot of good working going on with you all! I did nothing yesterday but work on the ceiling. But I wanted to pop in and check out all your great work.

Butch, Nice to see your still working on the trains, been way to long!

Brian, wonderful photos! Marci did a wonderful job on the tree! I am glad you had time to run some trains!

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday and finds time for there layout and trains!

I did some painting on the caboose for my "Bungling Brothers Circus" train and began stripping a bad coat of paint off of a future Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines passenger coach. Photos will follow at a future date.

Butch, I’m glad to hear from you.  You have been busy we see.  Your dilemma reminds me of my sister and brother-in-law who have a 345kv transmission line that runs across their farm.  Out in the sticks there was no cable and the phone company didn’t offer DSL.  Cellular coverage was poor, as were satellite dishes.  Finally the phone company offered DSL out of a new cabinet nearby, so they don’t have issues.

Brian, Marci and Izzy have been busy.  What have you done?  LOL. Kidding aside, all looks great!

Love these D&RG passenger cars! Are they MTH O27? Curious if you bought them as a set or pieced it together? I am looking for something similar. Thanks.

Shelves look great, by the way.

         hello & thanks Kevin,  yes those are MTH Railking passenger cars...

                             here is the engine that is in the set...

       I did buy a couple sets and some extra cars to make a long passenger train...

Finally got some work done on the layout, added some Christmas figures.

Was not happy with yard lights available, decided to see what I could do. Designed a dual light pole with LEDs. It's all being printed right now except the pole itself is aluminum tube. Just need my MEGA LEDs to come in from Evans. We will see how this works.

Bit of progress on the home-rolled steeplecab project; I've decided to use the trucks off of a moribund K-Line interurban.  Incidentally, if anyone wants a K-Line North Shore interurban set minus power trucks and trolley poles, drop me a line...  

Mitch 

Ray, you are doing some really nice fabricating!  What is the basic method for the light pole?  The drawing makes me wonder if you are doing 3D printing, or a more traditional method.

Mitch, Another great scrounge product in the making!!

I did more painting on the circus train caboose, masked a stock car so I could spray the roof to match the circus cars and began assembling my new, scratch-built Union Station. Photos will follow when I get further along with each project.

Mark

I always make a computer model of what I want and am able to check it as being feasible to 3D print. If not I modify it. When all the pieces are ready I print it. In this case there are 5 parts to the light, the pole which is a standard 3/16" hollow tube and then 3 pieces make up the top lamp body and one piece for the base which are all 3D printed.

gee and all I did was get the batting down and the tree up

Ray, That sounds excellent!!!  Do you have your own printer?  My only experience is reading Trainman2001’s ‘Continuing Saga...’ topic on the Forum.

Beardog49, It’s a great start!  That’s what it’s all about!

Me, The Christmas diorama will wait.  I’m exiled to the living room again because I had to get a manipulation under anesthesia at the hospital on my new knee. The scar tissue was growing too strong for PT to get the bending of my knee that the surgeon wanted.  So I’m a couch potato with a numb leg again.  Sorry Lew, the only photograph is an 8x10 glossy the surgeon gave my wife of my knee bent back almost double while I was out cold.  LOL

mike g. posted:

Morning guys great looking work!

 

Dave, the scrap yard looks great and is really pushing me more towards adding that second track next to the crane!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday and find time for your layout and trains!

Mike, I heartily recommend the gantry crane in operation with a spur serving it. Perfect location where you can see it well to run it.

It adds a dimension to Operation on the PER. One trick I 've found is to pick scrap that take long enough to load to be entertaining but not take too much time (maybe boring ). Wouldn't want boring as Izzy will attest:

I use pieces of 1X1 steel tubing for scrap:

Mark Boyce posted:

 

Me, The Christmas diorama will wait.  I’m exiled to the living room again because I had to get a manipulation under anesthesia at the hospital on my new knee. The scar tissue was growing too strong for PT to get the bending of my knee that the surgeon wanted.  So I’m a couch potato with a numb leg again.  Sorry Lew, the only photograph is an 8x10 glossy the surgeon gave my wife of my knee bent back almost double while I was out cold.  LOL

Mark, sorry to hear about that hiccup but they fixed it and you're on the mend. Sometimes couch potato is an eggcellent state-of-being. 

Mark, I'm praying about your knee, but may I ask a personal question? How did it get injured?

Vincent Massi posted:

Mark, I'm praying about your knee, but may I ask a personal question? How did it get injured?

Thank you Vincent!  All prayers are welcome!

 I had a total knee replacement on November 5th.  It starting bothering me two years ago.  So I was referring to not building a Christmas Layout like most years.  I cleared the turnback loop on the new layout to put down a snow blanket and some Christmas ceramic buildings and accessories.  I’ll get back on that once I can go to the basement again.  LOL

Mark

Yes I purchased a Prusa MK3s and it was shipped from the Czech Republic as a kit. Saved $250 and put it together this way I know a lot about the printer. It took 4 days to put together but started printing and haven't had any problems yet. 

A printer is only part of the process, you really need CAD experience to build computer models that you want to print. There are software programs out there fairly inexpensive that could be learned. Luckily that was my job for 39 years designing parts and dies on a CAD system (which is the software I purchased for myself) It is called Powershape and Powermill now a part of Autodesk. My biggest project right now is the brewery which I am trying to do with as many 3D printed parts as possible. 

These show the computer model that I am working to. (The little boats are used to check any new filaments for quality)

Being retired I need to keep my creative juices flowing and this seems to be it.

Ray, Thank you!  I have seen that It really depends on good CAD drawings.  This definitely should keep your brain top notch in retirement!!

Well now that D2 is married and looking for a house, there is more incentive to getting her and new husband's stuff out of my attic.  New son-in-law has taken half ownership of her stuff at our house by the simple fact of becoming bonafide.....LOL  2020 is my year !   Attic to get finished with heat, proper lighting and drywall.  I've been working on a track plan that I like.  My layout will be a post-war type with operating accessories galore.  

I'm using Railmodeler-Pro and have a track plan designed.  It will make use of "O" gauge sectional track.  The outer loop, in red, will have live catenary.  This is  "What did you do on your layout today ?", for me !   

I cleaned up some of the extra cars that were hanging around, and decided to not install the signal bridges at this time. Here’s an updated picture of the relay wiring and a screenshot of the control from the Blynk app on my phone

Dan, congratulations on the marriage of your 2nd daughter and the prospect of freeing up space for your layout.  The plan looks good at a glance.  Our 2nd daughter was married 3 years ago, and while they have cleared most of her stuff out of the house, her upright piano needs to come out before I can complete phase 2 of my benchwork.

I’ll look forward to seeing your progress in ‘20 as hopefully you and others can follow mine.

Wow, Jonathan!  It looks like you will have a well designed and operational signal system!!!!  I’ll look forward to seeing how it works out!

Thanks Mark! It's been a grueling process from idea to application, but I have a couple switches and a few accessories working from the phone, so everything looks to have worked!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

         hello & thanks Kevin,  yes those are MTH Railking passenger cars...

                             here is the engine that is in the set...

 

      

       I did buy a couple sets and some extra cars to make a long passenger train...

 

 

 

 

Wow, that is a long train. Very nice!

Rough prototype is finished, 

Ray- the light looks nice.

Dan-  congrats on freeing up space in the house and getting your daughter "off the payroll" as my boss likes to say about his kids. Can't wait to see the construction start.

John- the control system looks intriguing....not sure if I could wrap my brain around the whole thing though.

Still no track under the tree yet. Last night's plan was to get them set up but a broken garage door and $300 for new springs and pulleys put a damper on those plans.

Bob

Bob,

It can be kind of confusing as a whole system. There's a program called Blynk, where you can connect an app on your phone or tablet to a device like an arduino. So the arduino is hooked up to the internet and I can press certain buttons in the app to activate specific outputs on the arduino. From there it's just activating a relay that's connected to certain aspects of the layout like switches and accessories. Throttle, direction, and whistle control are still done via my ZW, so everything still looks original

What'd I do? Thanks to a reminder by GUNRUNNERJOHN I wired a 22uh toroid choke coil IN SERIES with the center-rail output of the Z-1000 power brick:

This is done when using a DCS Remote Commander in passive mode to keep DCS signal from dissipating in the transformer winding and thus weaken DCS signal to the locomotive.

Note the TVS diode ACROSS the transformer output to protect from voltage spikes.

The Remote Commander in passive mode with power brick output directly to the track instead of through the Remote Commander:

For the past couple of days I have just been working on my building flat. Windows are in and the top roof is glued on. Just painted the roof for the loading dock with aluminum paint. Have to figure out the loading dock yet, wood color of concrete color. I did go back to the module today and added a few small evergreens. My Scenic Expres package is suppose to come today. I get that I can go back to tree planting at the front of the module. I added some white highlights to the water fall. Pics............Paul 2

I picked up a Bethlehem Steel K-line Plymouth switcher at the last Citrus model railroad meet back in October and just finished converting it to a new member of my MTA fleet.  For $15, I figured why not.  I plan on weathering it up a bit, but for now, I’m pretty pleased. These little things run great and smoke like crazy! 

Strap Hanger posted:

I picked up a Bethlehem Steel K-line Plymouth switcher at the last Citrus model railroad meet back in October and just finished converting it to a new member of my MTA fleet.  For $15, I figured why not.  I plan on weathering it up a bit, but for now, I’m pretty pleased. These hints run great and smoke like crazy. 

Very nice. Gives me an idea to make a LIRR version. 

I ran 5 of these little guys once with the smokers going, had to get some fresh air after a few minutes. 😂

Mark Boyce posted:

Dan, congratulations on the marriage of your 2nd daughter and the prospect of freeing up space for your layout.  The plan looks good at a glance.  Our 2nd daughter was married 3 years ago, and while they have cleared most of her stuff out of the house, her upright piano needs to come out before I can complete phase 2 of my benchwork.

I’ll look forward to seeing your progress in ‘20 as hopefully you and others can follow mine.

Mark, thank you.  I ain't gettin' any younger.  I get my fill of running trains on my small experimental layout in the cellar.  But it just doesn't fill the bill.  There's so much stuff in boxes waiting to breath.  I spend too much time on the computer watching other people's trains and buying trains.  

I've been following your posts.  Congratulations on getting published.  It's a nice feeling.  Almost thirty years ago, I wrote a small piece for Garden Railways magazine, about building roadbed in the garden.  I was shocked when someone told me about it.  I hadn't received my copy at that point.  

Paul,

You are getting very good at painting thos flats.  It looks great, as does the module!!

Strap Hanger, That Plymouth looks great!  The paint and lettering look very well done like it was original.

Dan, Yes, Models in boxes and spending too much time looking at layouts and models just doesn't fit the bill!  The time to act is now!!

Strap Hangar, that's a really sharp lay-out!

Mark Boyce posted:

Dan, congratulations on the marriage of your 2nd daughter and the prospect of freeing up space for your layout. 

We need more of that kind of attitude around here!

Late this afternoon my package from Scenic Express landed on my doorstep. I did some more on the building flat getting the roof and loading platform ready to be worked on. And then I had a few regular trees so I planted them on the module plus I did a second coat of white water effect on the waterfall. Once I opened the box I finished adding more evergreens and shrubs along the bank. At the front of the module I started adding ground turf. The two packages of people will be added after I get all the scenery work done. Pics.............Paul 2

Dan Padova posted:

 

Congratulations on the conquest of your attic, Dan, and your track plan looks very interesting.

Live catenary on your outside red loop will be awesome. I admire those, like you, who take on that most challenging project. Arnold

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Dan Padova posted:

 

Congratulations on the conquest of your attic, Dan, and your track plan looks very interesting.

Live catenary on your outside red loop will be awesome. I admire those, like you, who take on that most challenging project. Arnold

Thanks Arnold.  

The straight tracks on the lower right will be for a 350 Transfer Table.  Thought I had labeled it.  

Vincent Massi posted:

Strap Hangar, that's a really sharp lay-out!

Thanks Vincent! 

RSJB18 posted:

Ray- the light looks nice.

Dan-  congrats on freeing up space in the house and getting your daughter "off the payroll" as my boss likes to say about his kids. Can't wait to see the construction start.

John- the control system looks intriguing....not sure if I could wrap my brain around the whole thing though.

Still no track under the tree yet. Last night's plan was to get them set up but a broken garage door and $300 for new springs and pulleys put a damper on those plans.

Bob

Noodling about a bit more with the steeplecab project.  I'm thinking about using a late postwar NW2 chassis: 

The idea would be to cut the floor and bolster out of the center chassis (former EP-5) and weld it in place on the NW2 chassis. 

Haven't had much time for the models, as I spent all of yesterday (Wednesday) as Santy Claus at the Arkansas and Missouri depot in Van Buren, Ark.:  

I'm a natural,  I am. 

Mitch 

Along with my scenery yesterday I got another Weaver TOFC. It needs to be converted to three rail. This morning was productive. I added the three stacks to the roof and glued the base of the loading dock to the building. While that was drying I added more trees and bushes, put a sceond coat of glue on the ground turf. A few more bushes and add the canoes and people fishing and I think I am done with this module. Pics............Paul 2

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

 

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Looks like potatoes on the move!

BAR GP7 #63

That scene is fantastic the way it all comes together so believable.

love to see more of that water scene with the cranes

On the Waxhaw Division , At the Lionel warehouse sale in November, I picked up a Boston and Maine Lion Chief Plus RS-3. The locomotive did develop some intermittent running issues with power. Lionel supplied an RA and completed the repairs quickly. 

While we were travelling North, received a note that the engine was repaired and shipped late in the day. Shot an Email to Lionel and they retrieved it vefore it got out and redirected it to the Northport Division. Arrived o Sunday with a FED Ex signature required. Here she is running on The Northport Dicision. This is a good looking nice running loco. I like it. 

Grabbed some photos.

Well..........I just opened and inserted (on my freight train consist) the "Moron Boxcar" I received from Pats Trains.......sorry I dont have a picture added. Very nice......several added delicate details....and although it is a simple brown colour,  I am already considering getting another.  GREAT STUFF!  Thx Pat & Co. !

          very nice display BRIAND-400 !!

decoynh posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Looks like potatoes on the move!

Matt. Yes and some paper rolls too. Later i am gonna made a couple BAR potatoes hoppers too, but first i must a order decals. 🥔

Johan

sidehack posted:

BAR GP7 #63

That scene is fantastic the way it all comes together so believable.

Ray. Thank you. 🤝

Johan

LIRR Steamer posted:

love to see more of that water scene with the cranes

LIRR Steamer. Thank you. I can post some pics after couple days. 🤝

Johan

Won't be long before the beer is flowing

Two days worth.

Yesterday I screwed down "happy track".  I shimmed where pilot trucks ride up.  Much better results during train running time.  Today was dedicated to O22 switch musical chairs.  The controllers were arranged by order of installation.  They are being arranged in a logical sequence with labels.  I have completed seven switches today.  The post office delivered a large AC Amp meter and a small AC Volt meter.  That will require new drawings before cutting metal.  Boy, those post war engines draw a lot of current.  The Volt meter will get a four position selector switch.  When I started to make mistakes today, I quit.  The layout will be ready for my Father to run some trains this weekend.

Y'all sure been doing fine work.

paul 2 posted:

Late this afternoon my package from Scenic Express landed on my doorstep. I did some more on the building flat getting the roof and loading platform ready to be worked on. And then I had a few regular trees so I planted them on the module plus I did a second coat of white water effect on the waterfall. Once I opened the box I finished adding more evergreens and shrubs along the bank. At the front of the module I started adding ground turf. The two packages of people will be added after I get all the scenery work done. Pics.............Paul 2

Looking great Paul 

Lee, thank you for the compliment. This module is a work in progress. I have enjoyed this project.

Johan, great shot. As sidehack said the scene really comes together. 

After dinner tonight I added the last of the bushes and ground turf to the module. I'm hoping tomorrow the second coat of glue will seal the ground turf. The glue on the loading dock dried so I applied a coat of aged concrete. I'll see tomorrow if it may need a second. I have a bunch of the Lionel telephone pole so I decided to cut the bases off and I am going to put them along the inside track of the module. So that all for tonight. Pics............Paul 2

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

LIRR Steamer posted:

love to see more of that water scene with the cranes

LIRR Steamer. Thank you. I can post some pics after couple days. 🤝

Johan

Great

I have a waterfront scene in the works for the Waxhaw division. Have a lighthouse on the layout now and a tugboat to add so interested to see the detail with the crane location. 

sidehack posted:

Won't be long before the beer is flowing

Very nice. You have a signature building coming together for a great layout scene. It is an interssting arrangement of these kits.

Paul, The module is really looking wonderful!  Excellent job!  Another Weaver!  Congratulations!

LIRR Steamer posted:

sidehack posted:

Won't be long before the beer is flowing

Very nice. You have a signature building coming together for a great layout scene. It is an interssting arrangement of these kits.

 

These are not kits, all the pieces you see here, walls, windows, doors, detail parts, barrels, pallets and all interior detailing have been designed by computer and printed on a 3D printer. 

Some of the parts shown here is as they come off the printer and the pieces on the printer are some of the chimney sections made to interlock with each other.

They look great, Ray!!!

sidehack posted:

LIRR Steamer posted:

sidehack posted:

Won't be long before the beer is flowing

Very nice. You have a signature building coming together for a great layout scene. It is an interssting arrangement of these kits.

 

These are not kits, all the pieces you see here, walls, windows, doors, detail parts, barrels, pallets and all interior detailing have been designed by computer and printed on a 3D printer. 

Some of the parts shown here is as they come off the printer and the pieces on the printer are some of the chimney sections made to interlock with each other.

wow what a great effort. It really is a great structure

LIRR Steamer posted:

sidehack posted:

LIRR Steamer posted:

sidehack posted:

Won't be long before the beer is flowing

Very nice. You have a signature building coming together for a great layout scene. It is an interssting arrangement of these kits.

 

These are not kits, all the pieces you see here, walls, windows, doors, detail parts, barrels, pallets and all interior detailing have been designed by computer and printed on a 3D printer. 

Some of the parts shown here is as they come off the printer and the pieces on the printer are some of the chimney sections made to interlock with each other.

wow what a great effort. It really is a great structure

Beautiful work! Show us close-ups and the interior, please.

The future is here.

Finally finished mill/store CCK bash, and its separate gas station.

paul 2 posted:

Lee, thank you for the compliment. This module is a work in progress. I have enjoyed this project.

Johan, great shot. As sidehack said the scene really comes together. 

After dinner tonight I added the last of the bushes and ground turf to the module. I'm hoping tomorrow the second coat of glue will seal the ground turf. The glue on the loading dock dried so I applied a coat of aged concrete. I'll see tomorrow if it may need a second. I have a bunch of the Lionel telephone pole so I decided to cut the bases off and I am going to put them along the inside track of the module. So that all for tonight. Pics............Paul 2

Paul. Thank you. Operation more green goes well, but i have a still four module left.

Johan

colorado hirailer posted:

Finally finished mill/store CCK bash, and its separate gas station.

Looks great!  I love both buildings!!

NYandW posted:

LIRR Steamer posted:

sidehack posted:

LIRR Steamer posted:

sidehack posted:

Won't be long before the beer is flowing

Very nice. You have a signature building coming together for a great layout scene. It is an interssting arrangement of these kits.

 

These are not kits, all the pieces you see here, walls, windows, doors, detail parts, barrels, pallets and all interior detailing have been designed by computer and printed on a 3D printer. 

Some of the parts shown here is as they come off the printer and the pieces on the printer are some of the chimney sections made to interlock with each other.

wow what a great effort. It really is a great structure

Beautiful work! Show us close-ups and the interior, please.

Steve here is a first look from across the tracks, will try to get inside for better ones

Over the last couple of weeks, have been working on installing fascia. I had never done this before on previous layouts, so studied the work of others on this forum and gave it a shot. I think it helps make the layout look more finished--even though I have a long way to go. Appreciate all the examples and advice from forum members.

          looking  great  TWEBSP !!

The facia sure makes the layout look even better!

Great benchwork, looking good!

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Did you scratch build that "Anchor Steam Beer" or a kit? It sure looks nice there.

Redesigning Weaver crap couplings today and printing prototypes to see if going to work before I finish it.  Using PLA filament not too strong but if ok might try a PETG which might be strong enough.

Using a lock slot instead of a screw on the coupling end.

sidehack posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Did you scratch build that "Anchor Steam Beer" or a kit? It sure looks nice there.

Ray. Thank you. It's a rebuilt MTH building, included interior. 

Johan

I spent a little time setting up the “A Christmas Story” set up around our tree on the back porch. Still need to get more “snow”, get a few more Plasticville buildings or my Dept. 56 buildings and a 156 controller for the ringing crossbuck and hopefully a gateman. I always have to have a train around the tree.

I put this set out this year too because my fiancée is playing Miss Shields in the local theater production of A Christmas Story the musical

So decided to activate the Christmas Tree branch of the Northport  Division. 

We are running a Lionel passenger set from the late 1920,s . Headed up by a 253 with a manual reverse and two number 610 Pullman’s and a number 612  observation . It runs pretty sweet for a 90 year old. 

Not bad for 90, pretty neat

LIRR, it is just getting broken in!  That is really great!!

LIRR Steamer posted:

So decided to activate the Christmas Tree branch of the Northport  Division. 

We are running a Lionel passenger set from the late 1920,s . Headed up by a 253 with a manual reverse and two number 610 Pullman’s and a number 612  observation . It runs pretty sweet for a 90 year old. 

I have this set in green.  I have (4) 610 Pullmans & (2) 612 Observation Cars.  That little 253 pulls them all.  Mine have been played with, but are still running great.  Fun to run on the Carpet RR. 

I did not screw down track.  I did not work on switches.  I ran steam engines.  I switched cars and ran more steam engines.  After a short nap, I ran steam engines.  I laughed at my prewar 1664 engine trying to pull five cars.  And lastly, a steam engine pulled all my passenger cars to Chattanooga.

Bill

Great work everyone!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice pic of the Steamer Brian 

Sorry for not posting guys I’ve been sick this week with strep throat I went back to work today maybe I can get some work on the layout this weekend. Lots of great looking progress here this week guys 

Hello everyone,

I am new to the Forum and have been working on a new Layout with a lot of very good help from members on this Forum. I had ordered several trains last week and received one in this afternoon which is a RTR from MTH and it is a O-scale Union Pacific 2-8-0 Number 607. Had to take the engine out of the box along with the coal car and place them on a shot bit of track so I could have a look. Now I cannot wait to get my layout built.

decoynh posted:

LIRR Steamer posted:

So decided to activate the Christmas Tree branch of the Northport  Division. 

We are running a Lionel passenger set from the late 1920,s . Headed up by a 253 with a manual reverse and two number 610 Pullman’s and a number 612  observation . It runs pretty sweet for a 90 year old. 

I have this set in green.  I have (4) 610 Pullmans & (2) 612 Observation Cars.  That little 253 pulls them all.  Mine have been played with, but are still running great.  Fun to run on the Carpet RR. 

Great set. The 253 lasted into the 1930s with later ones having the electric sequence reversing unit . It would have te 253E designation. The set I have is Mohave . Its been on the shelf for a few years and a couple of drops of labelle 107 on the bearing ends helped it into operation once again. These things are amazing. 

Mark Boyce posted:

LIRR, it is just getting broken in!  That is really great!!

Thanks Mark. This set is Mohave in color and it has a some miles on it but it runs real well . Sat on a shelf for a few years but a couple of drops of Labelle 107 on the bearing ends have it running real nice again.  

ThomasT posted:

Hello everyone,

I am new to the Forum and have been working on a new Layout with a lot of very good help from members on this Forum. I had ordered several trains last week and received one in this afternoon which is a RTR from MTH and it is a O-scale Union Pacific 2-8-0 Number 607. Had to take the engine out of the box along with the coal car and place them on a shot bit of track so I could have a look. Now I cannot wait to get my layout built.

Welcome Thomas! The engine looks great!

ThomasT posted:

Hello everyone,

I am new to the Forum and have been working on a new Layout with a lot of very good help from members on this Forum. I had ordered several trains last week and received one in this afternoon which is a RTR from MTH and it is a O-scale Union Pacific 2-8-0 Number 607. Had to take the engine out of the box along with the coal car and place them on a shot bit of track so I could have a look. Now I cannot wait to get my layout built.

A bookshelf as part of your lay-out. Now that's a great idea.

I miss my 253 consist...

And so does Norma Bates Kitteh! 

Finances, alas, dictated that I had to deaccession the consist...   

Mitch