Snowy day here in NY.
Nice looking road work Mike.
Mark- Those bridges are going to look great.
Tony H- very realistic looking hillside.
Brad- I'm working on a paper model too. very nice!
Chris A- more great photos of your layout. One day I need to dabble in 3D printing. We have a studio at the College I work at. I should start hanging around there more often. 
Dave- you could make a nice living as a steamfitter. 
The car is going to look great.
Pennsynut- the landscaping is shaping up.
Bob
Chris A, great looking photographs!
Mike, The highways are looking great with the striping!! If I was to model asphalt roads here in Western Pennsylvania, I would have to put in lots of potholes, patches, and edges broken off. 
We only got about 2 inches here in Butler, so far. We are actually in a sweet spot here. We usually don't get hit as bad as others by the nor'easters, the lake effect snow from Lake Erie just to the north, or the more mountainous region just to the east of us.
I tackled access to the back corner yesterday. A scrap of 3/4 ply and some old 2X4's later I was airborne.
With access granted, I dropped the hillside into place and started working on the track above. I have to remove the trestle supporting the track so I'm making a bridge to clear the roadway. Today I will cut the supports to the proper length and can begin to blend the tunnel into the table.
Several hours will be spent behind my snow blower too. 
Bob
Thanks for the nice comments guys!
Bob, the hill and tunnel looks great back in the corner! Wonderful idea for a work platform! I really like how you scratch built the curved bridge!
Very productive day Bob.
Bob, That's a great 'poor man's topside creeper' you built!! I may need to do something similar for the one square foot where my wye is and the peninsula starts. That is the only place that is a strain to reach on my layout, so I'm pretty happy with that!!
@Mark Boyce posted:Bob, That's a great 'poor man's topside creeper' you built!! I may need to do something similar for the one square foot where my wye is and the peninsula starts. That is the only place that is a strain to reach on my layout, so I'm pretty happy with that!!
It does the job for sure. I did have one OOPS though. When I set it up I saw that I had about a 1/2" clearance above a couple of my yard lights. The smart guy voice in my head said- you better lay them down so they don't get smashed. The dumb guy- ME- didn't listen. 
Now I'll have two lights to repair after the corner is done. 
@RSJB18 posted:It does the job for sure. I did have one OOPS though. When I set it up I saw that I had about a 1/2" clearance above a couple of my yard lights. The smart guy voice in my head said- you better lay them down so they don't get smashed. The dumb guy- ME- didn't listen.
I can identify with you, Bob! I'm The dumb guy- ME- I don't listen.
I had to laugh out loud RSJB18 - Years ago I did something similar. A piece of plywood, a couple 2X 4's on the layout end, and the other end on the back of a chair. Mrs. Lionelski sat on the chair for ballast. Over and over she was saying " I'm not responsible when you come crashing down on the layout!" (I didn't).
I later added an access hatch to that area.
Very nice looking bridge.
I screwed plywood on top of my benchwork in my expansion to my original layout. This is my industrial area with two mines, a small town, and the interchange track at the back against the wall. My original layout did not have room for industries so I expanded into my Wood shop. This will be the last expansion as I barely have room for my equipment. 
Nice progress, Dan!
Dan, Looking good! If you plan well and precut all your wood you could move everything out of your wood shop and expand into there! LOL
So I went out today and wired in the lights for my scratch built auto ramp, along with a work light to help the switcher hooking up at night and while I was at it I wired in the newly installed switch for that little siding! Here are a couple photos as I know no photos it didn't happen! LOL
I might go back out after I take Tank for a walk!
Thanks, Mark. I noticed as I get older, I work slower! Maybe a correlation......
@mike g. posted:So I went out today and wired
I might go back out after I take Tank for a walk!
The lights look great, Mike! Yes Tank needs a walk!
Dan, I agree. I’m slower. Good thing I’m not working anymore! That is the answer to my late father-in-law’s statement that he doesn’t know how he got anything done when he was working.
Mike g.
Please share with me your materials and method to stripe your new roadway.
I am certain you have described this in the past for us but , please hit me again.
I have plain black styrene panels from Evergreen ordered to use for my roads...
Thanjs much!
John d.
Hey Mike, I sure could but I think the elements may cause some issues with my cast iron equipment. LOL
I posted this video in the “What trains did you run thread” as well but find its more fitting here since this thread is all about layout progress and I first posted about my layout in this thread. This is a POV video of my layout on the main lines. I started this project last year as a concept on my basement floor. In November, I turned it into reality.
We start the journey on the outer main line before the tunnel. We transfer to the inner main to turn the camera around then transfer back to the outer main. We head down the line to make a pass by the engine shed. We continue on and then switch through the Claire rail yard where we change direction again next to the Big Rock Candy Mountain. We then head back to the starting point.
Today I added a little subway tile to the layout and some fencing to make sure the homies don't fall off the ends of the platforms!
I also added another rock wall. I'm really enjoying making these now that I have the process down cold!
Mikeg, nice creative work on the car loader. Chris, saw your video before and enjoyed it again. Tonight I set the mountains aside to let them cute another day before a light layer of plaster. I have an MTH 19th century 36 ft. Reefer she'll left over from an old kitbash project that I will repurpose as a trackside tool shed/yard office. I started making trees as well. Six tonight but it will move faster.
Chris 1985 nice layout. I bet there’s not many fires in the brick fireplace.
I got a few trees planted and finished the supports for the bridge span. I have to pick up a few more but now that I see @pennsynut process I may try that.
Bob
@decoynh, thanks! That fireplace was capped before we moved into the house.
@Lionelski posted:I had to laugh out loud RSJB18 - Years ago I did something similar. A piece of plywood, a couple 2X 4's on the layout end, and the other end on the back of a chair. Mrs. Lionelski sat on the chair for ballast. Over and over she was saying " I'm not responsible when you come crashing down on the layout!" (I didn't).
I later added an access hatch to that area.
That's pretty funny John. I don't think I'd still be walking gods green earth if I asked the CEO to be "ballast"
Bob
@RSJB18 love the detail. Which colors/ types of ground cover did you use? I may copy. 
@RSJB18 posted:I got a few trees planted and finished the supports for the bridge span. I have to pick up a few more but now that I see @pennsynut process I may try that.
Bob
BOB, A Green Thumb, it is, that you have. Very very nice.Simply amazing. Thanks for the shares, You Inspire me to take fewer naps
@Chris1985 posted:@RSJB18 love the detail. Which colors/ types of ground cover did you use? I may copy.
Chris- I have a mix of products. The dirt is some old stuff a friend gave me from his HO days. I used two different Woodland Scenic products for the turf, fine and coarse turf. The yellow and green "flowers" are from Michael's Arts and Crafts. I found it in the floral arranging area. And the gravel for the road is also from Michaels. I will post some pix of the products when I get home later.
Thanks
John D. For the road markings I used 1/8"white pinstriping as others had suggested and because I am to cheap to spend $3 for yellow pinstriping and pay $3.99 shipping I just bought yellow Duck tape cut it into 1/8"strips and1" length for the dotted center line.
Dan, don't want the cast iron to rust! I got a cast Iron jointer free, but it took me a month to clean it up due to moister!
Carl, there looking good! Your not to far from being done! They are going to look great~!
Chris, great looking layout and what a wonderful video! But the high speed is not for the seizure prone folks like me! Got me dizzy, but then again alot of folks here would probably say I am dizzy anyways! LOL
Brad, the subway is looking great!
Pennsynut, what a life, you have all the fun spending your nights making trees! LOL
Bob, The corner section is looking outstanding! Your almost there. One point of advice, make sure you have it just how you want it so you dont have to take it out again as it can turn into a pain in the rear! Dont ask me how I know! LOL
I hope you all have a great day and find time for your layout and some fun!
@mike g. posted:Bob, The corner section is looking outstanding! Your almost there. One point of advice, make sure you have it just how you want it so you dont have to take it out again as it can turn into a pain in the rear! Dont ask me how I know! LOL
Absolutely Mike. I'm in no hurry.
@pennsynut posted:
Mikeg, nice creative work on the car loader. Chris, saw your video before and enjoyed it again. Tonight I set the mountains aside to let them cute another day before a light layer of plaster. I have an MTH 19th century 36 ft. Reefer she'll left over from an old kitbash project that I will repurpose as a trackside tool shed/yard office. I started making trees as well. Six tonight but it will move faster.
Do you spin the tree branch material between two wire?
@mike g.- sorry about the speed! The raw video was too long for the 100mb upload limit. It took the train over 10 minutes to make that route at 15 smph so I had to shorten the time. I got dizzy editing the thing!
@Chris1985 posted:@mike g.- sorry about the speed! The raw video was too long for the 100mb upload limit. It took the train over 10 minutes to make that route at 15 smph so I had to shorten the time.
LOL Chris, it's all good. I really loved the video and how your layout looks! Wish I would have done something like that! but I have to run 072 curves.
I needed some misc supply voltages in my amusement park for lighting, custom built stuff etc and decided to just throw together a board with power supplies for the voltages I needed. Literally everything was just laying around in junk boxes so my cost was zip. The relays on the bottom right are just there so size it up - have plenty of 
used ones if needed. The voltages are 4.5VDC, 6.0 VDC, 12.0 VDC and 24 VDC. I'll use the 4.5 and 24 the most. Enjoy doing stuff like this. JP
@Bill Sherry posted:I needed some misc supply voltages in my amusement park for lighting, custom built stuff etc and decided to just throw together a board with power supplies for the voltages I needed. Literally everything was just laying around in junk boxes so my cost was zip. The relays on the bottom right are just there so size it up - have plenty of
used ones if needed. The voltages are 4.5VDC, 6.0 VDC, 12.0 VDC and 24 VDC. I'll use the 4.5 and 24 the most. Enjoy doing stuff like this. JP
WOW that looks so cool, but way beyond me! LOL
What powers your DC power supplies?
Will accessories (Lionel, MTH) take DC or does it need to be converted to AC?
@ScoutingDad posted:Any idea on what all that piping was for? Only thing I can think of is retrofit lighting or other electrical runs for fans or electric heating.
The long straight pipe on the left is for steam heating. The piping on the right side is electrical retro. They still AC with ice - so I’ve been told. Cheers Dave
@Chris1985 posted:@RSJB18 love the detail. Which colors/ types of ground cover did you use? I may copy.
Here you go Chris. I approach scenic ground cover as a disposable product so I try and buy cheap when I can. My ballast came from a dollar store, at a buck a pound I won't feel bad when I tear up this layout and toss it in the trash.
These gravels come in several colors- I have gray, brown, and black.
Happy landscaping!
Miggy: Regarding the wire and rope trees, yes I use a drill to twist the separated strands to secure them to the wire. Not my idea, I saw it on youtube and copied the process. I also posted a thread on my process on the forum a long time ago. It takes a few minutes to make each trunk, then I spray painted the trunk outside, let dry and used cheap heavy duty hair spray and poured various green foam over the tree in a tray to capture the excess. I found that the kind of rope makes a difference. Thick 1 inch diameter Sisal rope has the fibers that have worked best for me. I'll try to find my previous post. Regards.
Mikeg: Yes, when I can't sleep and can't find a good mystery movie on tcm, I sometimes visit the layout. I made another 20 conifers this afternoon! Probably need another 20.
@pennsynut posted:Miggy: Regarding the wire and rope trees, yes I use a drill to twist the separated strands to secure them to the wire. Not my idea, I saw it on youtube and copied the process. I also posted a thread on my process on the forum a long time ago. It takes a few minutes to make each trunk, then I spray painted the trunk outside, let dry and used cheap heavy duty hair spray and poured various green foam over the tree in a tray to capture the excess. I found that the kind of rope makes a difference. Thick 1 inch diameter Sisal rope has the fibers that have worked best for me. I'll try to find my previous post. Regards.
Mikeg: Yes, when I can't sleep and can't find a good mystery movie on tcm, I sometimes visit the layout. I made another 20 conifers this afternoon! Probably need another 20.
Well its great to know that you have this hobby to fall back on when no mystery movies are on! LOL
Mikeg. Lol!
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...63#12411751682453963
The Tree Thread | O Gauge: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/the-tree-thread
Thank you Mike
Added caboose industry ground throws to my 2 foot by 8 foot 2 rail switching layout. Have been putting this off for a while, 2 feet of snow motivated me.
For a while, I'd wanted more correct pilots for my ten wheelers and only today realized bachmann gives you the earlier one in the extra parts bag.
So, I painted and weathered three of them and installed them all tonight.
Today:
The real deal, likely in the early 40s:
And how the models used to look, with the "boiler tube" late pilots:
Windy City -" What powers your DC power supplies?" - I have a board at my control panel with with open frame transformers with the outputs fused - again, all rip outs and no cost. You can also use wall warts provided you use the proper size. Its really a shame the amount of transformers I throw away.
Mike - Its really very simple - you have a board/power supply that converts AC voltage into DC so you can run your DC devices. You feed it AC from your transformer and you have a DC output. I just put a few on a board with different voltage power supplies.
necrails, I think 2 feet of snow would motivate almost anyone to stay inside and work on there layout!
Lee, the photos you take of your layout are some of the most realistic photos I have ever seen! You should be proud of yourself for doing such an outstanding job!
JPLoco, I wish I wasn't as dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to electrical stuff or the bottom of my layout would look alot better. I do plan on going back and cleaning things up.
Just getting started on "Land Aquisition" (benchwork) for the railroad. the "World" (basement) has been completed.
Thought ppl might enjoy the Frankenjig I made to get consistent height on the wall brackets. Attached also is the latest plan for the St Joseph Industrial Park.
@Hannibal-St Joseph RR posted:Just getting started on "Land Aquisition" (benchwork) for the railroad. the "World" (basement) has been completed.
Thought ppl might enjoy the Frankenjig I made to get consistent height on the wall brackets. Attached also is the latest plan for the St Joseph Industrial Park.
I like the Frankenjig!! I wish I had done the same when attaching brackets to my wall. I measured and marked several times each, but still got a couple of them off a bit and had to shim them to get a level table. The variance was too small to be able to drill new holes into the studs.
@Chris1985 posted:I posted this video in the “What trains did you run thread” as well but find its more fitting here since this thread is all about layout progress and I first posted about my layout in this thread. This is a POV video of my layout on the main lines. I started this project last year as a concept on my basement floor. In November, I turned it into reality.
We start the journey on the outer main line before the tunnel. We transfer to the inner main to turn the camera around then transfer back to the outer main. We head down the line to make a pass by the engine shed. We continue on and then switch through the Claire rail yard where we change direction again next to the Big Rock Candy Mountain. We then head back to the starting point.
Hi Chris, could you tell me what you used for your cam/record setup?
Mike
Hi @TrainManMike, my setup was very basic. Most folks would do this with a GoPro but I do not have one. I used a Sony Handycam attached to a flat car and shot at 24p for an amateur cinematic effect. The rest was time lapse editing. I ran the train slow to capture more detail so I could fix in post.
@Chris1985 posted:Hi @TrainManMike, my setup was very basic. Most folks would do this with a GoPro but I do not have one. I used a Sony Handycam attached to a flat car and shot at 24p for an amateur cinematic effect. The rest was time lapse editing. I ran the train slow to capture more detail so I could fix in post.
Ha! That's awesome!
@Hannibal-St Joseph RR posted:Just getting started on "Land Aquisition" (benchwork) for the railroad. the "World" (basement) has been completed.
Thought ppl might enjoy the Frankenjig I made to get consistent height on the wall brackets. Attached also is the latest plan for the St Joseph Industrial Park.
Great wall Jig and looks like you have a wonderful industrial park plan there! Make sure you have fun along the way!
@mike g. posted:Great wall Jig and looks like you have a wonderful industrial park plan there! Make sure you have fun along the way!
Thank you Mike for mentioning @Hannibal-St Joseph RR 's industrial park plan! I wrote about the Frankenjig and forgot to comment on the plan. Lots of industries for switching cars in and out.
@mike g. posted:Lee, the photos you take of your layout are some of the most realistic photos I have ever seen! You should be proud of yourself for doing such an outstanding job!
Thanks very much, Mike.
My entire goal all along has been to recreate East Tennessee in the 40s, and photography goes with the overall goal.
@Bill Sherry posted:I needed some misc supply voltages in my amusement park for lighting, custom built stuff etc and decided to just throw together a board with power supplies for the voltages I needed. Literally everything was just laying around in junk boxes so my cost was zip. The relays on the bottom right are just there so size it up - have plenty of
Nicely organized!
I bought the Lionel American flag a while back and was planning on placing it on top of the corner I'm working on. After I did the hill I realized that it wouldn't fit. So I took it apart and I'm doing a mini kit-bash. If you weren't aware, proper US flag etiquette states that if the flag is flown from sundown to sunrise, it must be lit, so....I will be using the lights too. They are LED's with a small board that I can hide behind the hill. The fixtures fit perfectly in 5/16" styrene tube that I cut to length and painted flat black. I will keep the base for a future project.
Progress!
The 5th Marine Division stopped by and assisted with the flag raising! 
Happy Friday!
Bob
RSJB18, Bob, very creative thinking and being that your mountain scenic decoration is portable, it made it a bit easier to install the beautiful american flag, looks great. Your layout is very unique. I wish everyone a great Super Bowl Weekend. 
RSJB18: Great flag display. I have the '57 Lionel Flag Stand on my layout. I can date it because its a "48 star" flag which means it has to be earlier than 1959 when Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union. I don't have any lights however so I might try to do what you are doing, Looks great. Here is mine in the middle of what I call "Small Town".
My big activity for today (yesterday actually) was to install a newly acquired signal to protect the team / passing track behind my main depot. While I was visiting family last month, I received a Hornby (UK) "No 2 Junction Signal" purchased via ebay. It was produced postwar and this configuration is from 1953, so it would not fit a modern scale layout, but it works well with my mixed pre/post war "toy" type layout.
Here is the signal as received by me. Sitting on top of its original box.
Here is the original Hornby Trains box, showing the Hornby product name.
Here she it, installed on the layout. This is just a manual hand adjusted signal but its located right in front of my transformer, so making sure the signal is set correctly can add to the fun of operating the trains. This post war version, brought back in 1953 is actually a little smaller than the prewar version, but it makes it somewhat closer to scale. The prewar version is almost too big (IMHO).
Well there you have my latest layout improvement. Not much done as we have been visiting family on the east coast for the last 6 weeks. Have a happy and healthy weekend
Don
For the past nine days, I've been chasing a dead short on the main line. The last project was a new 50 inch spur off the second level. I took that out. Vacuuming the whole layout was next. The short did not disappear but the layout looks better. This afternoon I noticed a Lionel clamp-on with no wires attached. That was the clue I needed. I found the wires shorted as they tried to leave the layout.
I guess I wanted to do more. I reinstalled the new spur and wired two switch controllers. My body made me kill power to the train building and retreat to the big house. I think I hear my waterbed calling.
Bill
My Super-O layout is coming along nicely. The track is all wired and today and hooked up the last switch and put up the bump and go track on the trestles. Once this is all finished I'll drop it down on short legs to have it even with the ledge on the porch. Next, hook up the accessories and start getting lights and buildings set up.
While not just today, over the last few days, we have been able to get the double track all set up. The biggest piece was I finally got around to building a new bridge to span our gap. Total price, approximately 8 dollars and some time.
The base of the bridge is tongue and groove pine flooring, you can 4 foot planks for like 3 bucks a piece at Menards. Lot less expensive than an equivalent pice of wood and I was able to make it rather large. Next, a few years ago, I had found what I think are the two sides to an old Lionel bridge(Haggled down to a dollar for them), so they served as the sides and got screwed to the wood.
For the cross bars, I have a giant bucket of bus bars from electrical panels that my dad had found at the scrap yard. Those got high temp hot glued across to form the supports.
Then we got the track work figured out. Haven't decided what I'm going to paint it yet. It is functional and looks ok, so I may just leave it.
@RSJB18 posted:I bought the Lionel American flag a while back and was planning on placing it on top of the corner I'm working on. After I did the hill I realized that it wouldn't fit. So I took it apart and I'm doing a mini kit-bash. If you weren't aware, proper US flag etiquette states that if the flag is flown from sundown to sunrise, it must be lit, so....I will be using the lights too. They are LED's with a small board that I can hide behind the hill. The fixtures fit perfectly in 5/16" styrene tube that I cut to length and painted flat black. I will keep the base for a future project.
Progress!
The 5th Marine Division stopped by and assisted with the flag raising!
Happy Friday!
Bob
Cool addition to your layout. 👍🏻
@leapinlarry @Don McErlean @NeophyteMRR- thanks for the kind words.
@Aldovar- looks like you and the little man are having way too much fun!
@p51- another great shot.
@Odenville Bill- glad you were able to fix your shorts 
@Berkshirelover726- the layout is coming together.
Bob
I wired up the lights for the flagpole today and installed the street light I scratch built. I think it's almost ready to go on the layout.
playing with the filters on my Samsung S8
Bob
Came out great
matt
Took a few photos from around the layout...
@RSJB18 posted:I wired up the lights for the flagpole today and installed the street light I scratch built. I think it's almost ready to go on the layout.
playing with the filters on my Samsung S8
Bob
Awesome all the way around
Almost finished up the sand house/tower I’ve been working on for a bit.
Sand house looks great.
We've been in a bit of a lull for awhile but finally got back into it and got some work done on the quarry. I think this re-lit the fire for both of us which compelled me to spend a bunch of money on some new accessories...hopefully they arrive soon and next weekend we can get some of those on the layout.
CANESRR, looks very nice. I have been contemplating a mountain top quarry. Using the foam in that situation is a great idea. Thank you
Bob - your corner project has turned out great, like the flag pole project, adds another dimension to it all. Well Done!
Canesrr - the quarry is coming along nicely, good idea.
Ross - the sand house / tower looks really good. I have an old Korber one I need to rebuild, I like having 2 track service.
I've been doing a little scenery, got some more ballasting done, put up some power lines and finished some little fire hose buildings for the yard.
Stay Safe,
Scott
Jay, I'll be looking forward to what you do with your quarry...next challenge is the rock walls...we'll be trying some mock ups carving the foam and playing with paint colors. Have some surprise purchases for the little man to bring it to life and keep him engaged (some workers, porta potties, etc.)...more work when he's here next weekend.
B&O Fan, I just wanted to say your scenic work in the above pictures is great, I would like to see more pictures of your layout, and I am partial to B&O, awesome work. RSJB18 Bob, your lighted Flag pole is really neat, great scenic effect, nice mountain side giving your layout a lot of personality. rscott521, that’s a nice building and the lights are great, is this a kit that you made, it looks like a lumber company, it’s a cool accessory. There’s so much talent on this forum thread, Fantastic workmanship. Happy Railroading Everyone 
Got a little more work done on the Twin Pines RailRoad and posted a few images in that topic. I added masonite skirting around the inside of the layout. I think it makes a big difference in how the layout looks. Now the track no longer seems to hang in mid air.
Been enjoying all the posts - keep up the great work.
Got a little work on scenic project moving recently. Finished making the basic trees, more than I will need probably. Painted the area where I will glue grass and brush. Left hills in white until I'm ready to paint those. And, painted an MTH yellow 19th Century reefer shell with a rust roof, gray with a black roof. I plan to make some windows and doors to represent a 1920s camp car off track but along side a spur. Cheers
Had a bunch of boats with no train cars, so I thought storage facility by the water would help
Some ballast getting put down:
Trying out some more detailed scenery on my layout. I do not have the skilled chops that many of you have on this forum but as Bob Ross says, "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents".
All I can say is OUTSTANDING work being done by all! I could list everyone but I have been gone for a couple days and it would be one huge post! LOL I do want to say that bob your corner project turned out looking wonderful!
SuperChief, I wish I had one of those for when I ballasted instead of a plastic cup and paint brush to dress it up!
Chris, I don't see anything wrong with what you have there! In fact I think its great looking!
As for me I have done nothing cause we had the grandkids here and the layout was working just fine. The CEO said it seams like every time the kids come I am working on something and they cant see the trains running. So this time no work just running trains with the grandkids!
I hope everyone is staying safe and warm. Were spose to get snow for the first time starting today or tomorrow so maybe some train room time then!
Looks great Chris...love the Bob Ross figure...we just saw a bunch of those at the Cracker Barrel 😁
working around the docks. Would like to turn the
boat into a gambling casino
@Chris1985 posted:Trying out some more detailed scenery on my layout. I do not have the skilled chops that many of you have on this forum but as Bob Ross says, "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents".
That mountain looks great!
@SuperChief posted:Some ballast getting put down:
Wicked!
@Chris1985 posted:Trying out some more detailed scenery on my layout. I do not have the skilled chops that many of you have on this forum but as Bob Ross says, "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents".
Looks great Chris. Love the Bob bobble-head! Scenery work is very forgiving. No right or wrong.
One suggestion when working with plaster cloth. After the cloth dries, I paint it with a thinned joint compound to cover the fabric weave.
@Chris1985 posted:Trying out some more detailed scenery on my layout. I do not have the skilled chops that many of you have on this forum but as Bob Ross says, "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents".
I think it looks great. I've found that the more I do, it its easier to do. After a while, I found it to be more fun that running the train. P.S. You might want to get bricks that are a little smaller.
@RSJB18 Thanks for the tip! Too late for me at this point since I already painted but will remember for next time.
@Jim Van Every nice call on the bricks! I have a bunch of backdrops coming that are trapped in the USPS vortex. Should arrive soon and I will update my photos.
Thanks all for the comments! I am more into the operating/electrical/ programming side of the hobby but the scenery part is growing on me. Just takes patience (that I lack)!
Sorted out power for Menard Buildings on the club 12x15 layout. Per the Menards load estimates, we were expecting about 5 amps total. We used AC/DC converters boards. sourced from eBay. AFTER we melted the Acc terminals on the MRC Pure Power Dual transformer, we determined that the lighting circuit was pulling 10+ amps.
Plan B we picked up a 35A DC power supply. Thankfully the eBay boards accepted AC or DC input. After making everything DC, we are seeing the ~5A load originally estimated. One or two wall warts are OK. Once you go over a dozen or more Menards buildings, one power source with converter boards (mounted in junction boxes) are the way to go.
Good lookin shelves, now you need to fill'em with more trains
Exactly!
Painted a little bit on the hills the last 3 days. Still a little shiny. My matte finish isn't very effective. Found a plastic door in the left over drawer for one end of the camp car and made six windows (3 each) for the sides. Lots of folks working on their layouts and trains I see. My basement is not cold but not comfortable to hang out for a long time. I can't finish the project I'm doing until it warms up enough to paint my tree forms earth brown camo before foliage
. In the meantime, I need to clean the track before I run my trains. Cheers.
Tried to smooth down my green frog tape, which I use on my cardboard streets on my floor layout. Supposed to simulate grass growing over the ends of the streets to smooth the transition between the cardboard streets and underlying green felt. ( Most of carpeted floor covered by this latter). Tape sticks briefly (for a few days, at least) on the felt. Need roads for my many 1:43-1:50 vehicles.....Sticky tape 4 inches wide simulating asphalt with center white stripes covers the cardboard.
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New building in my layout
