Finally able to piece together a complete, all original, postwar Lionel #6828 Mobile Crane Car in dark yellow.....not an easy task.
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Mike, the layout looks great! You did a great job getting all the lights in!
John, thank you for posting how you got the enginehouse doors to open remotely. Very ingenious!
@mike g.- good thing you have that Nuke plant in the corner. They must be working OT to provide enough juice. 
The layout is really coming along.
@ArtsModelTrains - The expansion looks good. You have a good helper too. Nice work on the painting.
@farmerjohn - that's an ingenious solution. I hope you were able to build most of it on the bench and not have to work upside down under the layout. Are you using the aux contacts to power the tracks in each stall when the doors are open?
@gandydancer1950- congrats on the car. I would imagine that one is hard to find. I'm sure the cranes were often separated from cars too.
@Mark Boyce- I like the new avatar photo Mark.
I plan on getting my PE Berk running under the tree today. We didn't even put the trains out last year so I've got to clean two year old crud off the fastrack first.
Bob
@RSJB18 posted:@Mark Boyce- I like the new avatar photo Mark.
I plan on getting my PE Berk running under the tree today. We didn't even put the trains out last year so I've got to clean two year old crud off the fastrack first.
Bob
Bob, Thank you! The old one was over 7 years old, so I thought it was past time for a change. The old one was taken at work in the summer of 2014, and the new one depicts the retiree in the easy chair. 
I'll look forward to seeing the PE under the tree. That reminds me, I didn't post what I have under the tree. I'll get to that after church.
Well I am moving to the dark side. Could not help myself with picking this up from Legacy Station. An old K-Line F3 A--B--A with TMCC. Took me forever to find the Run/Program switch. The TMCC control box arrives today and the TIU cable tomorrow. Then its on to wiring it into my DCS. For now its on to making a new space for the Z4000 transformer opening up a narrow space on the layout for more something? Eventually the front coupler goes away with a filler insert, added MU hoses and classification lights marker lamps. We'll see how that goes.
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Jeff, the F3 looks sharp. I gust got my 3 TMCC engines working with my DCS remote last week. They all run great!
I just received the 1/50 scale toy crane I ordered and put it in a scene for track side railroad maintenance. Last night I rusted up an old Menards truck and truck pieces in the bed of the Santa Fe truck. Temporarily I used rubber bands to lift the truck, looking for some chain online today. The crane and Santa Fe truck need some weathering and road grime, plus dirt on the tires and treads.
Happy Holidays!
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Afternoon guys, thanks for all the nice words! I was able to get out to the train room today, but more on that later.
@ArtsModelTrains, You and your sons did a great job on painting the roads and race track!
@farmerjohn, what a great idea using the tortoise switch machines! Really is an outstanding project!
@gandydancer1950, Wonderful looking crane car!
@ScoutingDad, Jeff nice looking F3 I hope you have fun in the dark side! LOL
@WesternPacific2217, The new crane looks perfect! You can always check at Walmart for the chain, that's where I found it to tie down my tanks on my flat cars!
Well guys I was able to get my siding power switch panel wired in today and most of the sidings wired up to it. The #5 and #10 switches work fine but the led's are burnt out because I didn't ask for help before I burnt the Led's up! LOL oh well I know they work! I have 3 more sidings to wire in, but I ran out of wire! LOL
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and found time to have fun with your layout and trains!
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@mike g. posted:Sean, here is a better video of the runway!
That is amazing!!
@Steamfan77 posted:
The bridge has been primed and will be ready for paint in a day or two. I want to make sure it is completely dry.Andy
Andy:
Your work is true artistry. Bravo!
Thank you for the kind words Randy.
Andy
@farmerjohn posted:Kazar I powered the doors with tortoise switch machines .here is some pics.
John:
Your solution to the doors opening/closing is brilliant. Do you have a background in engineering?
My Christmas layout
I also got the trains set up under the tree yesterday.
With a little help from a friend....
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Obviously your MOW “Forecat”. Merry Christmas, looks like a classic scene.
I'm using Fastrack on my layout. 2 inch rigid foam on top of 1/2 inch plywood. Layed out my track, traced the edges onto the foam, drilled down through the screw holes on the track, glued in plastic wall anchors, had a bunch of 1/2 inch thick soft foam I cut into 3-3/4 strips to put under straights and cut the foam into 2 inch widths to put side by side on curves. Gluing the edges of the soft foam to the rigid foam to hold in place and screw the track down with #6 1-5/8 multi purpose screws. Should definitely help cut the sound generated by trains running over the Fastrack, got about 2/3rds of the outer loop done. Get that finished then get underneath and get all the track feeder wires, buss wires, and barrier strips mounted and wired up so I have one track running, then start doing the inner loop of track, soldering jumper wires between pieces of Fastrack and feeder wires every 6 pieces of Fastrack.
Small repair project grew in scope !!! Wanted to get my last (6th) 3rd Rail Brass 12-1 Heavyweight Pullman Sleeper on the tracks. It needed Kadees installed and then I realized most of the windows had come out and were loose inside the compartment. Well ended up realizing the incandescent lighting circuit heat sink was running extremely HOT, couldn't touch it. So new LED lights, added 2 more, decided to paint the 12 compartment seating area, floors and seats and add 8 more passengers to the 6 that were there. Also realized the seating in this area didn't line up correctly with the paired windows, so I drilled and tapped new holes and moved the whole assembly 3/8 of an inch. While I was in there, decided to decorate the sleeping compartment and draw room. It's not prototypical, but it's better than nothing. Installed clear glass windows instead of the frosted ones in these 2 rooms. I can't stand the obnoxious Yellow/Green color they painted the inside of these cars, so I am covering it with textured heavyweight card stock that I picked up at Joanne Fabrics. Figured before I get too much further along, I should shoot some "in progress" photos. Hope to wrap this up today and get it re-assembled and back on the tracks. I was contemplating painting the inside of the car, but I would have had to paint it before putting in the window glass, and I was concerned about any paint bleeding through and showing up on the edges of the window openings from the outside of the car... Didn't want to deal with that, so cutting up the cardstock and gluing it in place in the main passenger compartment after the glass was installed was a "safer alternative".
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Very nice Chris.
@Rixster posted:Happy to finally have a train running on my revised layout.
Looks and sounds great! I love the fall colors too.
Afternoon guys, you sure have some great work going on here!
You guys have some nice trains under the trees! I wish I could put a nice train under the tree, but my buddy Tank the bulldog thinks there just toys for him! LOL
@chris a, Chris you take on more projects then I would ever think about! Your work is just like everything else you do, just OUTSTANDING! Maybe someday I will gain the skills to take on projects as you do!
Well I was able to get out to the train room this morning and got the last 3 sidings wired up. Thanks to @gunrunnerjohn and his watch dog system everything works great! I could not be any happier! I would post a phot of that but its not very fun to look at wiring so here is just something to put up. I moved a engine and caboose to the engine service house.
Not sure if I will get any more time in the train room as we are to get 2' of snow by Christmas weekend. It's already started! LOL
If I don't make it back, I hope you all have a great time with your layouts and trains!
Also please have a Merry Christmas!
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Mike, Congratulations on getting the GunrunnerJohn Watchdogs on duty! They are really slick, and I don't have to feed them like I have to feed Bentley! The BNSF equipment looks great at the BNSF facility!! I bought a snow blower last week to ensure that we get less snow than normal here in Northwestern Pennsylvania. And here I thought all you get is rain where you live on the other side of the Sound!
Chris, the work you are doing on that coach is really nice! As you know I have some to do on one set of my coaches and actually, I have two other sets that need the LEDs installed.
Rixster, Big Blue looks great running through the bridges!
@chris a, Chris you take on more projects then I would ever think about! Your work is just like everything else you do, just OUTSTANDING! Maybe someday I will gain the skills to take on projects as you do!
Hey Mike: thanks for the kind words. Truth be told, I take on too many projects, before "in Process" projects are done !... I should get checked for ADD!! Didn't really mean for this Pullman car to blow up into a significant effort, but I don't like taking them apart, so once I opened it up, it became a "do it now" while it's all apart on the bench project.
Don't sell your efforts short, Mike, your layout looks great, you have accomplished an incredible amount of high quality modeling work in the last 2 years. Take care buddy, don't overdo it, clearing snow, and have a wonderful Merry Christmas !
Dave Ripp and all those who left "likes" thanks . Waiting for the adhesives to dry so I can put that Pullman back together tonight, and get it running.
The progress pictures and final photos are really an inspiration. As for the Lost Creek Railroad, I spent the last couple of weeks fabricating and installing the walkway, barrel platform, and walkway railing on the trestle. Not sure about adding the longitudinal safety timbers due to sharpness of the 031 curves. I have to reattach one of the handrails at one post. I checked the clearance of the locomotives before making the handrail. All of the loco bodies are higher than the handrail so they clear easily.
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@chris a posted:Don't sell your efforts short, Mike, your layout looks great, you have accomplished an incredible amount of high quality modeling work in the last 2 years. Take care buddy, don't overdo it, clearing snow, and have a wonderful Merry Christmas !
I have to echo Chris' comment about your layout, Mike!! Your skill set is in different areas than any of the rest of us. Your airfield and airplane taking off is fantastic. I haven't seen anyone else do it except a video of some big model that I believe was made by commercial modelers. You have done great work with lighting and animation, and all your scenery has a nice complete look to it. Who figured out how to lift two bridges at different elevations with the flick of one switch?? 
Also, I agree with Chris on taking care of yourself with snow removal.
Victor, the railing on your trestle really adds a lot to the overall effect!!
@Brooklyn Corey posted:My Christmas layout
wow Corey.........a REAL tree. It has to really smell like Christmas at your place. Do you have PINE Or CHRISTMAS scent for the steamer's smoke .🤔
Love the Santa climbing the ladder.
Nice feeling from this scene .
That detail is very impressive Victor; wow.
Chris, with enhancements you are making to your passenger fleet I’m sure your ridership is going to increase.
Bob. Each track is powered through a switch on a controll panel for the roundhouse and turntable. The doors are on separate switches as well. The tortoise machines are wired for lights someday in future.
Randy. No I'm not an architect just a tinker like Mike g said he was.
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Hi guys I am back! LOL
First off thank you all for the kind words!
@Victor Bertolina, your trestle and had rail looks outstanding!
@farmerjohn, If I would have thought outside the box I would have kept all my tortoise machines I sold! LOL Amazing work!
Well guys I went out to run some trains to relax before the snow built up. I wanted to run the fabulous MTH 4-8-4 UP from FarmerJohn on the upper loop. I thought it would look cool going into the mountain and coming out on the other end. I ran it up the incline and into the mountain maybe a 1/4 way in it got stuck! LOL It gave me a reason to try my access hatch, it worked as needed! Next was to take the top of the mountain off. Glad I made it removeable! The outer tunnel wall was to close.
I got her unstuck and finished running it around, then problem #2 slapped me in the face! The curve on the upper loop in fount of the houses on the hill is to close, so I had to take out the block walls I poured and cut back the backing foam. I hope to get out there tomorrow to try and repair my block wall, but I have to still take more out for clearance! The good thing is I have the top of the mountain back on and my access hatch back down and building plugged back in!
Once again Everyone have a Merry Christmas!
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Did some weathering, or rather mudding to the crane and Santa Fe truck. Nothing like that Sierra Nevada foothills red clay! Both the truck and crane are still too clean and need a little more grime on the bodies.
This will do in the mean time.
Happy Holidays.
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@mike g. posted:I got her unstuck and finished running it around, then problem #2 slapped me in the face! The curve on the upper loop in fount of the houses on the hill is to close, so I had to take out the block walls I poured and cut back the backing foam. I hope to get out there tomorrow to try and repair my block wall, but I have to still take more out for clearance! The good thing is I have the top of the mountain back on and my access hatch back down and building plugged back in!
Before you do the repairs, Mike, one suggestion based on what I've learned from similar experiences.
Test that curve with the same engine going both directions, forwards and backwards, as well as with any other style engines you have. And then add a quarter inch of additional clearance.
My "Test once instead of repairing twice (or thrice)" rule.
@mike g.
the videos of your layout are enjoyable in the daylight as well as in the fall of the night.
You have a great imagination as well as the ability to make it come true.
Keep it up and enjoy your Christmas with family and friends.
John d.
@Brooklyn Corey
Thanks for sharing with us your wonderful CP and the lighted track, my first working visual of the special track.
Enjoyed the lights on the Ferris wheel, the holiday ice skating, and of course Santa attempting to climb the ladder.
Lots of extra weight in Santa’s sack full of toys and trains….🙋♂️🎄🎅
@RSJB18 posted:…With a little help from a friend....
Looks like your “friend” has been indulging in a bit too much Christmas “cheer”, Bob Merry Christmas to you and your family, Bob - and a Happy and Train filled New Year!!!
@Brooklyn Corey posted:My Christmas layout
What??? No subway, Corey!!! Beautiful tree and train, Corey - I guess if you can’t have a subway, a CP steamer is a great second choice Merry Christmas!!!
Got the Pullman back together. Added a photo of my other 12-1 Pullman Sleeper, kind of provides somewhat of a before and after perspective. Unfortunately, when I started shooting photos, I realized the capacitor up in the ceiling changed positions and is now angled down into the passenger area.. bummer. To be continued another day.
Scott - Great idea with the mud on the tires, never would have thought of that idea !
Before:
After
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@farmerjohn posted:Bob. Each track is powered through a switch on a controll panel for the roundhouse and turntable. The doors are on separate switches as well. The tortoise machines are wired for lights someday in future.
Randy. No I'm not an architect just a tinker like Mike g said he was.
Enjoying this thread. Awesome. Probably worked great from the start.
@mike g. posted:Hi guys I am back! LOL
First off thank you all for the kind words!
@Victor Bertolina, your trestle and had rail looks outstanding!
@farmerjohn, If I would have thought outside the box I would have kept all my tortoise machines I sold! LOL Amazing work!
Well guys I went out to run some trains to relax before the snow built up. I wanted to run the fabulous MTH 4-8-4 UP from FarmerJohn on the upper loop. I thought it would look cool going into the mountain and coming out on the other end. I ran it up the incline and into the mountain maybe a 1/4 way in it got stuck! LOL It gave me a reason to try my access hatch, it worked as needed! Next was to take the top of the mountain off. Glad I made it removeable! The outer tunnel wall was to close.
I got her unstuck and finished running it around, then problem #2 slapped me in the face! The curve on the upper loop in fount of the houses on the hill is to close, so I had to take out the block walls I poured and cut back the backing foam. I hope to get out there tomorrow to try and repair my block wall, but I have to still take more out for clearance! The good thing is I have the top of the mountain back on and my access hatch back down and building plugged back in!
Once again Everyone have a Merry Christmas!
Never buy a MTH centipede.
@chris a posted:Got the Pullman back together. Added a photo of my other 12-1 Pullman Sleeper, kind of provides somewhat of a before and after perspective. Unfortunately, when I started shooting photos, I realized the capacitor up in the ceiling changed positions and is now angled down into the passenger area.. bummer. To be continued another day.
Scott - Great idea with the mud on the tires, never would have thought of that idea !
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After
Looks so much better with passengers. Nice addition
Morning guys, hope your all done with your Christmas shopping!
@WesternPacific2217, Scott I didn't think I would ever say this as an adult but man that is some good-looking mud work! Add a little dust and your there! I have to do the same thing on a lot of my stuff.
@chris a, outstanding job in the interior of your passenger car! I really like the new color inside, that with the lighting it really makes it much more enjoyable for all the extra passengers! Nicely done!
Well guy I plan on taking out some more brick wall and running a test drive by so I can mark the new location for the brick wall to go back. I am going to make this work as I am not starting that corner all over again! LOL
I hope everyone has a great day and I will check in later!
Hi guys- lots of great projects in the works.
Mike- sorry to hear about your steamer. They are hogs when it comes to clearances. Definitely check it in both directions, in forward and reverse too. At least you planned ahead for access.
Paul- @Apples55- The "cat"ering tray she's next to is full of catnip , so I guess you are spot on. At least she doesn't do this on the layout.
Chris- The car looks great with the new lighting. Sorry to hear you have to open it again.
John- thanks for more info on the turntable and round house. Still amazed by the work that went into it.
Victor- nice detailing on the high line. I have a similar plan in mind for a section of my upper loop.
Scott- nice mud work. Add some brown dust to the bodies and they will look perfect.
@Rixster- congrats on the maiden voyage. The CR Blue looks great.
@Brooklyn Corey- thanks for sharing the video. The santa climbing the ladder is neat.
Nothing new to report. Been laid up since yesterday with something. Just went for a covid test earlier today. Now my son is down for the count. Going to be a long week......
Bob
@RSJB18 posted:Nothing new to report. Been laid up since yesterday with something. Just went for a covid test earlier today. Now my son is down for the count. Going to be a long week......
Bob
Good grief Bob.
Maybe you've been working too hard. Shopping and decorating and working ( playing ) on the RR may just have you guys run down........I hope that's all it is. 
Take it easy .
Take care of yourself & your Son Bob. The trains can wait. Our health is job 1 right now.
Wow guys, excellent work as always!
Corey-great tree and two gauges
Bob- tree looks great, hang in there and feel better. You and your son.
Chris- the LEDS are much better.
John-great work on the turntable, wow.
Rixster- congratulations on your run.
Western Pacific-nice scenery work.
victor- I agree with Bob, nice detail work.
Andy
I applied the gray top coat to the bridge. Next, I’ll add a few darker spots and some mossy areas for contrast, then a black wash and maybe some weathering powders.
Andy
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OMG Bob, please let us know what develops. That has to be scary for your family. You are in my prayers.
Bob take care of yourself and family. Wishing you a speedy recovery
Don
Good afternoon everyone and Merry Christmas! I was finally able to rap up my first school semester and start my Christmas break. With this new found time I finally decided to ballast the yard. Inspired by RSJB18, I have changed the yard ballast from a clean white grey to a grimy black and grey. I plan on finishing it either later today or tomorrow depending on how much ballast reserves last.
Also, news on the Climax project. I have had to surrender and say, “I cannot do it.” I got into contact with gunrunnerjohn and he, a wealth of knowledge, made me realize I have gotten into something to big too quickly. As the saying goes, live and let learn, and that is what I am doing. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and hopefully I’ll be back soon!
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TrainMaster04, congratulations on finishing your semester. The layout looks great! That is great that you plan to follow Bob's advice on the yard ballast. I'm sorry about the Climax.
Bob, Take care of yourself and your family! Let us know how everyone is.
Thanks for the well wishes guys. Feeling better and the boy is on X box with his buddies so he can't be too sick.
@Trainmaster04- thanks for the compliment on the yard. I like the grimy look for yards. Sorry about the loco too. At least you admitted your limitations and consulted an expert.
@Steamfan77- The bridge looks good Andy. The next steps should really make it special.
Bob
Trainmaster04: I tried something very different in my engine service yard as I was getting tired of my yards not looking like the few prototype yards I had a chance to get near and walk through. It always bugged me that in the yards I got close to the ground was pretty much right up to the top of the ties and everything was pretty grimy and dirty. So when I tackled my engine service penninsula I used white glue to adhere white batting (the thin 1/4 to 1/2 ") variety, then buried it in flat dark brown cheap latex flat paint. When that was done, my "yard" mix was far more, dark dirt ( screened, dried and microwaved ) then cinders, ash, some coal and only about 20% finer ballast. Then I tinted the diluted white glue/alcohol mix with dark latex paints and India Ink. Here's a few photos of the results. Dirt is way cheaper than a bucket of ballast. Good luck, the layout is looking great.
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Really nice Chris.
Added a few scrub trees and bushes along the tracks. I'll do another run trough eventually as I have a lot left.
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@RSJB18 posted:Thanks for the well wishes guys. Feeling better and the boy is on X box with his buddies so he can't be too sick.
Bob
Glad to hear this Bob! Two of my family members residing in NYC had the same experience last week - one night of mild fever, night sweats, etc., then fine. Both tested positive and then within 4-5 days tested negative. Hope the same for you and your Son.
WP2217. Wow. Detailing with mud on tracks and tires is so real . I really like the detail you're creating on you're layout. It creates a scene frome static to in use as in real life . So cool.
@farmerjohn posted:Bob. Each track is powered through a switch on a controll panel for the roundhouse and turntable. The doors are on separate switches as well. The tortoise machines are wired for lights someday in future.
Randy. No I'm not an architect just a tinker like Mike g said he was.
John:
...and, like Mike G, a superb tinkerer you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@WesternPacific2217 posted:Did some weathering, or rather mudding to the crane and Santa Fe truck. Nothing like that Sierra Nevada foothills red clay! Both the truck and crane are still too clean and need a little more grime on the bodies.
This will do in the mean time.
Happy Holidays.
FIRST TIME SIGHT for me Scott .🤓
Never saw work being done in the mud on a layout before.
What a learning experience this forum provides.
I wanted to thank Dallas, Chris, Bob, Mike, John, steamfan77, for all the comments and all the other likes in regards to my mud work on the trackside repair scene with crane and truck! I got the idea from watching videos of trackside repairs such as, freight car wheel/axle replacement, knuckle replacement, truck replacement, brake jobs, etc. on real railroads, like CP, BNSF, CSX, UP. Noticing that the rail equipment, both rail car and repair equipment are pretty grungy and dirty (grease, oil, mud, rust, dirt, hydraulic fluid, etc.), and the mechanics seem to be camouflaged in the same stuff!! If you work on the railroad, it's best if you don't mind getting really dirty!
I have family that live in the Sierra Nevada foothills on the California side, and there is tons of red clay mixed in with sand and gravel. When I went up to Paradise, the town that burned down in the camp fire in 2018 to visit what was my Dad's property, I grabbed a freezer bag full of the red clay and brought it home. So some of the red clay on my layout is from that property and serves as a memory of the many times I visited Paradise and my Dad.
So I used the same bag of red clay to muddy up the crane and truck. I just used white glue and sprinkled the dirt onto it and then shook off the excess. With white glue I can always take some HOT water and remove the dirt if I so desire.
Once again, thanks, and wishing you all Happy Holidays!
Hello everyone! I was able to got some more ballast down on the track. Unfortunately, I ran out of ballast. I was almost able to finish the outermost siding. I plan on getting more after the holidays.
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Outstanding details Scott! It’s details like that give a scene greater depth. Well done.
Andy
Nice going Trainmaster, a tedious process, but worth the results.
Andy
@Dallas Joseph posted:FIRST TIME SIGHT for me Scott .🤓
Never saw work being done in the mud on a layout before.
What a learning experience this forum provides.
Scott, I have to agree with Dallas, I can't recall seeing mud modeled like that before! It really looks believable!!! Yuck!
A new floor is being installed in the train room , so when my granddaughter came by , all she could do was 
push a dummy. Her comment, "we need more track". I couldn't agree more !
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@trestleking posted:A new floor is being installed in the train room , so when my granddaughter came by , all she could do was
push a dummy. Her comment, "we need more track". I couldn't agree more !
" WE NEED MORE TRACK ".........."out of the mouths of babes .".......................... Need to get busy grandpa
Merry Christmas.
Set up a backdrop.
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Finished up getting my 1/2" soft foam laid and glued under my outer track, and track screwed down to my wall anchors glued down into my 2 " rigid foam. Hopefully tomorrow my body will allow me to get under the layout and start wiring my feeder wires from the track and transformer to my barrier strips. Hoping to have the one track running by Christmas for my Polar Express train.
JD Train, Looks great, whose backdrop did you purchase, or did you take the photo and DIY ? The scale of the trees looks perfect with the O scale cars.
JD the backdrop adds a lot of detail. Very nice.
Andy
@JDtrain posted:
Set up a backdrop.
That backdrop really complements your great looking scenic and rolling stock.
Nice work.
@Gary P posted:Finished up getting my 1/2" soft foam laid and glued under my outer track, and track screwed down to my wall anchors glued down into my 2 " rigid foam. Hopefully tomorrow my body will allow me to get under the layout and start wiring my feeder wires from the track and transformer to my barrier strips. Hoping to have the one track running by Christmas for my Polar Express train.
I see a lot of discussion on eveyone crawling around under layouts Gary. How do the electric companies handle power distribution in areas where there is no underground service ?
I have a decent size public park area that I wanted to put up light poles after the fact and I didn't want to start drilling a ton of holes up through the layout.
Since LED lighting doesn't need heavy wire I thought maybe puting in a substation with power and then using the small guage wire to travel along telephone poles to the individual areas that need power just like the big boys handle it.
Don't push yourself too hard Gary , you have to get through the holidays yet .
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Dallas, as far as local electric distribution from a substation, I suggest that you look at the Woodland scenic website for their substation and distribution products and observe their photos as that representation would probably work for your needs. Here’s a photo of a somewhat ‘representative’ overhead 3-phase distribution system from their site. Note 3 overhead lines and below the transformer is a neutral. For your house, you’d use one of the upper wires (a phase wire) and the lower neutral wire - the transformer reduces the voltage to your typical house level. Further, utilities would bleed off one phase (upper wire) and the neutral and run it down a street for example. Those poles would have a single phase wire on top of the pole and again the neutral below as well as a transformer. Often more than one residence would be served from the same transformer. The 3 phase would be the first supply coming out of the substation with the bleed off happening further down the line. You can probably observe something like this in your neck of the woods. Hope this helps.
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That is a genius solution! Especially for "period" scenes. How many lights can that support?
When you're sent a ZW where the coil has been replaced with a ZW-R coil but the bracket hasn't been updated, so that the coils and contact rattle about in the case...
You do the best you can. 
At least the balsa and basswood shims have the coil nice and tight...
Replacement rollers are on order.
Mitch
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BTW, my apologies on my explanation as it is not technically correct regarding how phases are used coming into a home. I was trying to present something that would make for rather easy wiring for the modeling application. You need two wires for your lighting and that’s what I was targeting.
Merry Christmas
@chris a posted:
JD Train, Looks great, whose backdrop did you purchase, or did you take the photo and DIY ? The scale of the trees looks perfect with the O scale cars.
Hi Chris, glad you like it. The backdrop is from Joey Ricard, Trackside Scenery. Merry Christmas. Joe
@Dallas Joseph posted:That backdrop really complements your great looking scenic and rolling stock.
Nice work.
Thank you, have a Merry Christmas. Joe
@Steamfan77 posted:JD the backdrop adds a lot of detail. Very nice.
Andy
Thank you Andy. I checked out your track plan it looks awesome. Merry Christmas, joe
I used my 497 coal loading station and made a mess !
@trestleking posted:A new floor is being installed in the train room , so when my granddaughter came by , all she could do was
Adorable granddaughter, future fashion designer maybe! But it's up to Grandpa to keep her interested in model railroading, we need more women in this hobby IMO. The fact that she thinks you need more track is encouraging! Happy Holidays!
@JDtrain posted:
That is a great scene, and the backdrop has such incredible depth to it. Really nice JDtrain!
@Bob Golfs posted:Dallas, as far as local electric distribution from a substation, I suggest that you look at the Woodland scenic website for their substation and distribution products and observe their photos as that representation would probably work for your needs. Here’s a photo of a somewhat ‘representative’ overhead 3-phase distribution system from their site. Note 3 overhead lines and below the transformer is a neutral. For your house, you’d use one of the upper wires (a phase wire) and the lower neutral wire - the transformer reduces the voltage to your typical house level. Further, utilities would bleed off one phase (upper wire) and the neutral and run it down a street for example. Those poles would have a single phase wire on top of the pole and again the neutral below as well as a transformer. Often more than one residence would be served from the same transformer. The 3 phase would be the first supply coming out of the substation with the bleed off happening further down the line. You can probably observe something like this in your neck of the woods. Hope this helps.
@Bob Golfs posted:BTW, my apologies on my explanation as it is not technically correct regarding how phases are used coming into a home. I was trying to present something that would make for rather easy wiring for the modeling application. You need two wires for your lighting and that’s what I was targeting.
Merry Christmas
WOW Bob.
Just when I was thinking that there was not much new info on wiring for lighting ( especially using LEDs ) than what has been presented on layouts already..🤔...................then along comes YOU opening up a new interest for me in what I can get my hands into on the layout.
@JDtrain posted:Thank you Andy. I checked out your track plan it looks awesome. Merry Christmas, joe
Thanks Joe, Merry Christmas to you as well.
Andy
Very simple: RAN SOME OF MY TRAINS
MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄 EVERYONE !!!!
FREDSTRAINS
I built a hot roll mill building and placed it in front of the slab mill. The new one is 39X10X25 inches . Then I finished the scenery around them and placed a backdrop behind. I'm considering building a soaking pit for the slab mill and lighting it with red and orange LEDS. Looks like I need to make some signage for them.
Both mill buildings have lighting inside. Next I continued to add more scenery along the mainline to the right. Ballasted the track along the back of the scrap yard.
The signal bridge has LEDS in it and is wired to the tracks to show track occupancy.
At the Chicagoland lionel railroad club I finished the scenery around the airport. Before it was just bare wood. Jeff Mills and I redid the runway, added grass parking areas for the planes and turned a single dome tank car into a fuel depot.
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Bill T.,
I really like how the steel mill structures came out. The two complement one another and I know the lighting adds another dimension. I'm about try my hand at "wiring" utility poles. Any tips to get started?
Dave
@third rail posted:I built a hot roll mill building and placed it in front of the slab mill. The new one is 39X10X25 inches . Then I finished the scenery around them and placed a backdrop behind. I'm considering building a soaking pit for the slab mill and lighting it with red and orange LEDS. Looks like I need to make some signage for them.
Nice work on both projects Bill.
@Gary P posted:Finished up getting my 1/2" soft foam laid and glued under my outer track, and track screwed down to my wall anchors glued down into my 2 " rigid foam. Hopefully tomorrow my body will allow me to get under the layout and start wiring my feeder wires from the track and transformer to my barrier strips. Hoping to have the one track running by Christmas for my Polar Express train.
Gary, Please don't push yourself too hard! I can appreciate having track powered by Christmas.
@Dallas Joseph posted:I see a lot of discussion on everyone crawling around under layouts Gary. How do the electric companies handle power distribution in areas where there is no underground service ?
I have a decent size public park area that I wanted to put up light poles after the fact and I didn't want to start drilling a ton of holes up through the layout.
Since LED lighting doesn't need heavy wire I thought maybe putting in a substation with power and then using the small gauge wire to travel along telephone poles to the individual areas that need power just like the big boys handle it.
Don't push yourself too hard Gary , you have to get through the holidays yet .
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Dallas, you certainly do have an idea that could work. Having worked almost half of my 43 years of employment at electric utilities, half for telephone company, and a short time for the cable TV company, I am well familiar with overhead wire of all sorts. I can see working out a way disguise a system of pole lines to carry power for structure lighting, etc.
@Bob Golfs posted:Dallas, as far as local electric distribution from a substation, I suggest that you look at the Woodland scenic website for their substation and distribution products and observe their photos as that representation would probably work for your needs. Here’s a photo of a somewhat ‘representative’ overhead 3-phase distribution system from their site. Note 3 overhead lines and below the transformer is a neutral. For your house, you’d use one of the upper wires (a phase wire) and the lower neutral wire - the transformer reduces the voltage to your typical house level. Further, utilities would bleed off one phase (upper wire) and the neutral and run it down a street for example. Those poles would have a single phase wire on top of the pole and again the neutral below as well as a transformer. Often more than one residence would be served from the same transformer. The 3 phase would be the first supply coming out of the substation with the bleed off happening further down the line. You can probably observe something like this in your neck of the woods. Hope this helps.
Taking Bob's suggestion of Woodland Scenics system as a start, you could run a two wire system and actually electrify it. I have been struggling building an HO Walther's kit of a power substation. The small parts reminds me why I switched from HO to O a decade ago. It isn't turning out so great, but I will put it at the back of the layout next to a paper power station backdrop for a 'good enough' effect.
On to Bob's suggestion of Woodland Scenics, I purchased their O gauge built up substation. It reminds me of a few old substations I worked in back in the '70s that some of the equipment dated to the '30s and '40s. Along with it they sent their literature of their power line system Bob referred to. Substitute some real wire for their wire, and it could be done. I need to think about this some for wiring my buildings. Would it be worth it to not have to get under the layout nearly as much? Here is their substation with a sheet of foam behind it to show off the detail.
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Bill, the mill buildings look great! They definitely have the right look. Nice job on the airfield at the club!!
Trestleking, your granddaughter has the right idea!!
Great work everyone, today I tried wiring up three Menards accessories and have two of the three working. Merry Christmas Everyone 
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@Dallas Joseph posted:I see a lot of discussion on eveyone crawling around under layouts Gary. How do the electric companies handle power distribution in areas where there is no underground service ?
I have a decent size public park area that I wanted to put up light poles after the fact and I didn't want to start drilling a ton of holes up through the layout.
Since LED lighting doesn't need heavy wire I thought maybe puting in a substation with power and then using the small guage wire to travel along telephone poles to the individual areas that need power just like the big boys handle it.
Don't push yourself too hard Gary , you have to get through the holidays yet .
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Yes, I wish I didn't need to get under the layout but I already have all the track feeder wires holes drilled underneath the other loop and wires dropped down so going for it tomorrow and going to give it my best shot to get that one track wired up and running. I'm physically challenged with still rehabbing a left knee replacement, right leg that had Necrotizing Flastiitis (Flesh Eating Bacteria Infection) almost 6 years ago that nearly killed me, and a right hand that got cut up badly in a table saw accident in June, lost the index finger, cut the rest, and still rehabbing them too, but it hasn't stopped me from building my layout. I'm a fighter, and this has been good therapy, physically and mentally that this broken down old fart can still do some things yet. I have my good days and my bad days, but I keep pushing forward. My goal is to be able to run my Polar Express on Christmas. Hoping it happens! Merry Christmas to all and God Bless You All with a safe Christmas.
I’m proud of you working towards your goal, Gary! Keep up the good work when you are able.
@Mark Boyce posted:Gary, Please don't push yourself too hard! I can appreciate having track powered by Christmas.
Dallas, you certainly do have an idea that could work.
Taking Bob's suggestion of Woodland Scenics system as a start, you could run a two wire system and actually electrify it. I have been struggling building an HO Walther's kit of a power substation. The small parts reminds me why I switched from HO to O a decade ago. It isn't turning out so great, but I will put it at the back of the layout next to a paper power station backdrop for a 'good enough' effect.
On to Bob's suggestion of Woodland Scenics, I purchased their O gauge built up substation. It reminds me of a few old substations I worked in back in the '70s that some of the equipment dated to the '30s and '40s. Along with it they sent their literature of their power line system Bob referred to. Substitute some real wire for their wire, and it could be done. I need to think about this some for wiring my buildings. Would it be worth it to not have to get under the layout nearly as much? Here is their substation with a sheet of foam behind it to show off the detail.
I'll have to check out the substation kit Mark.
I really didn't have an idea on the size of wire that i could use for the LEDs but I had a pile of wired grain of wheat type bulbs that I had used for marker lights on some MTH /RKs . The wires were pretty much like sewing thread. I'll have to investigate this further.
For now Mark.........have a MERRY CHRISTMAS.
@luvindemtrains posted:Bill T.,
I really like how the steel mill structures came out. The two complement one another and I know the lighting adds another dimension. I'm about try my hand at "wiring" utility poles. Any tips to get started?
Dave
Thanks Dave,
I used a 0.5mm drill bit in a pin vice. The utility poles are Lionel, they have a flat side on the insulators which is useful for steadying the drill bit. Predrilled all the holes in the insulators and strung 10 lb fishing line through them all before placing them on the layout. As they were placed, I tighten the line and added a drop of CA glue. Sounds easier than it was took a whole afternoon to place 12 poles on the layout and get the wires taught enough.
@third rail posted:Thanks Dave,
I used a 0.5mm drill bit in a pin vice. The utility poles are Lionel, they have a flat side on the insulators which is useful for steadying the drill bit. Predrilled all the holes in the insulators and strung 10 lb fishing line through them all before placing them on the layout. As they were placed, I tighten the line and added a drop of CA glue. Sounds easier than it was took a whole afternoon to place 12 poles on the layout and get the wires taught enough.
That’s an excellent solution to the task at hand, Bill! Having mentioned last night that I worked for utility companies, I have noticed the difference in wire/cable sag on different services. The lines the railroads used are pretty taunt, and yours look great. At the other extreme are power lines that have a certain amount of sag that expands and contracts with air temperature. Modeled power lines need that sag for them to look right for me. I certainly don’t know how to model that, but that is way down the road for me anyway.
@Gary P posted:Yes, I wish I didn't need to get under the layout but I already have all the track feeder wires holes drilled underneath the other loop and wires dropped down so going for it tomorrow and going to give it my best shot to get that one track wired up and running. I'm physically challenged with still rehabbing a left knee replacement, right leg that had Necrotizing Flastiitis (Flesh Eating Bacteria Infection) almost 6 years ago that nearly killed me, and a right hand that got cut up badly in a table saw accident in June, lost the index finger, cut the rest, and still rehabbing them too, but it hasn't stopped me from building my layout. I'm a fighter, and this has been good therapy, physically and mentally that this broken down old fart can still do some things yet. I have my good days and my bad days, but I keep pushing forward. My goal is to be able to run my Polar Express on Christmas. Hoping it happens! Merry Christmas to all and God Bless You All with a safe Christmas.
Power on Gary! We are rooting for you. Any one of your issues probably would stop lesser men!
@Dallas Joseph posted:I'll have to check out the substation kit Mark.
I really didn't have an idea on the size of wire that i could use for the LEDs but I had a pile of wired grain of wheat type bulbs that I had used for marker lights on some MTH /RKs . The wires were pretty much like sewing thread. I'll have to investigate this further.
For now Mark.........have a MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Your biggest issue may be to get the wire to droop properly to look realistic. I would recommend trying a few different types before you go to the layout.
Gary P...keep fighting, you are an inspiration to all us old folks (77 myself) to keep on keepin on! Best wishes for the Holiday, hope you get that track running, but if not...there is always the new year! OBTW...I use an automotive "creeper" to slide under my layout, its on wheels and has a rest for my head, makes things a little easier.
Best wishes
Don
