What did you do on your layout today?

Ok Elliot I'm in. Gotta go buy some purple stuff now. 😂🏈

Thanks

Me too. This thread has convinced me to root for the Vikings too.

Elliot, since the miraculous Vikings playoff win made you so happy, and a Super Bowl trophy for the Vikings would make you much more happy, I will also root passionately for the Vikings to win the upcoming Super Bowl. (I otherwise have no dog in the fight, being a Giants fan.) Bob's comment also makes sense: a Vikings win would be sweet revenge against the Eagles. All of the Giants and Eagles games are "take no prisoners brawls."

The McComas & Tuoy video of you, Elliot, running the many trains simultaneously at Entertrainment, is fabulous. In that video you express tremendous love and enthusiasm for our hobby, which inspired me and thousands (maybe millions) of adults and children, helping to keep us all out of trouble.

The videos that most stand out in my mind in that 6 video set, are your Entertrainment layout, the video of Phil Klopp's layout and Bruce Manson's layout called Pennsylvania Suite, and the video about Clarke Dunham. I now have this 6 video set on DVDs that I treasure. Playing these videos many times over the years has brought much joy to me and my family and friends.

I also played the YouTube videos, Elliot, of the beautiful layout you are in the process of building, and it looks very impressive.

Arnold

In the new found spirit of “less is more, FrankM style”:

“And my Thanks to Ron 045 for your good natured comment. How about this for another example of "less is more"?

NOT! ”

I sceniced a few telephone poles for sometime down the road.  I sure hope that they don’t clash with my floral carpet central!! 

Nothing today, however, yesterday I fixed an electrical problem on the Mountain Division, connected some scenery lighting, ran trains, created a new scene for Team Track Tuesday thread, took photos, and had BIG FUN!!  

                        Shoveled SNOW !   again...

    nmp...                                                                   NEED one of these !!

                                                            lunch run...

Frank, very nice job on the poles. Slow day but a promising evening. Wife has a Cavs game. Been gluing down prairie tuffs  today. I think I got almost halfway down the stream toward to pond. Got to take the wife to a doctor appointment this afternoon but when we get back to the bat cave ( basement ) to keep on gluing. Pics. Sorry I don't think I have a camera that takes a good close up...........Paul

          looks GREAT Paul  !!

Frank, I sure am glad I don't have to clean those gutters!

Patrick, I sure hope someone with the RR knows that truck is on the crossing! LOL

Brian, I bet you could build one of those~!

Paul, Brian is correct, Looks GREAT! Be safe out in the cold!

RSJB18 posted:

John D. posted:

Well it was only a matter of time before Mitch's twisted sense of humor started to wear off on us

Great job on the improvised Halloween train John. Can't wait to see next years train!

Bob

Bob,

Thank you for the compliment. 

Oh, also...GO EAGLES!

After debating with myself I said just go for it.  I love the roller coaster in the amusement park and had it running like a fine oiled machine.  The one thing I hated about it was the plastic base and the shinning plastic look.  So I took the plunge and took it off the layout after carefully documenting what holes were used for each pole.  Put down some foam to give it a little bit of curvature and carefully sprayed the base down with adhesive and rolled the grass mate over the top of it.  Then even more carefully sprayed the beams with some dull coat trying my best not to get any on the track.  Then with a dry paintbrush went over all of the rivets with just a little black paint in order to have them stand out.  Got it back into place and with about 30 minutes of adjustments it is back to running.  Before and after pics below....

paul 2 posted:

Frank, very nice job on the poles. Slow day but a promising evening. Wife has a Cavs game. Been gluing down prairie tuffs  today. I think I got almost halfway down the stream toward to pond. Got to take the wife to a doctor appointment this afternoon but when we get back to the bat cave ( basement ) to keep on gluing. Pics. Sorry I don't think I have a camera that takes a good close up...........Paul

Paul.. son.. Its looking great !! I really like your updates !!

WOW Brian in Ohio, looks like a totally different park setting! Great job!

Bryan, sometimes you have to stand back look at it, take a deep breath and take chance. You made a good call. Between the grass and the dullcote......much better.......Paul

Bob, I highly recommend the Stefon Diggs jersey today. Though Case Keenum and Adam Thielen are also very popular.  Then there's half the defense, three pro-bowlers there. For a smaller outlay, a knit hat or scarf will allow you to show your colors, and they're practical in the cold.

Thank you Arnold! There's room for everyone on the Vikings Express. BTW, the slogan for the playoff run is, Bring It Home!

When it comes to division rivalries, we have them too. We treat games against the Packers the same way, Bears and Lions slightly less so. Even though Green Bay is on the eastern side of Wisconsin, Packer backers come all the way up to the Minnesota line, and a few have managed to infiltrate our borders.

I'm so glad that Tom came out and shot that video 25 years ago, preserving the layout forever. I was only open for a little over a year, but in that time I had over 100,000 paid visits, so given all the time since then, it could be close to a million by now.

That layout was designed as a public display, trying to run as may trains as possible on nine independent loops, with different automated passing sidings. It never had the chance to fully mature, but we were running seventeen trains at a time.

This layout represents a totally different concept and set of challenges. I designed this one to be operated in a realistic manner. Gone are the loops in favor linear main lines. I'm modelling the real world, 60 miles of local railroads. There are two major goals with this. First to host regular operating sessions, and second, to achieve total automation of both tracks and trains. The ground work has been laid, but the devil is in the detail. Stay tuned.

Paul,

Work fast tonight because the way the cavs have been playing lately (very poorly) the wife won't be watching for long.  btw:  Ordered another ride from Menards as they are having quite a sale on the lemax stuff and even found those lights I was looking for yesterday.  Menards sells them under the name enchanted forest not lemax.  Was able to pick up 10 of them for 2.49 each. 

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Bob, I highly recommend the Stefon Diggs jersey today. Though Case Keenum and Adam Thielen are also very popular.  Then there's half the defense, three pro-bowlers there. For a smaller outlay, a knit hat or scarf will allow you to show your colors, and they're practical in the cold.

Thank you Arnold! There's room for everyone on the Vikings Express. BTW, the slogan for the playoff run is, Bring It Home!

When it comes to division rivalries, we have them too. We treat games against the Packers the same way, Bears and Lions slightly less so. Even though Green Bay is on the eastern side of Wisconsin, Packer backers come all the way up to the Minnesota line, and a few have managed to infiltrate our borders.

I'm so glad that Tom came out and shot that video 25 years ago, preserving the layout forever. I was only open for a little over a year, but in that time I had over 100,000 paid visits, so given all the time since then, it could be close to a million by now.

That layout was designed as a public display, trying to run as may trains as possible on nine independent loops, with different automated passing sidings. It never had the chance to fully mature, but we were running seventeen trains at a time.

This layout represents a totally different concept and set of challenges. I designed this one to be operated in a realistic manner. Gone are the loops in favor linear main lines. I'm modelling the real world, 60 miles of local railroads. There are two major goals with this. First to host regular operating sessions, and second, to achieve total automation of both tracks and trains. The ground work has been laid, but the devil is in the detail. Stay tuned.

Awesome!

Elliot, when it comes time to do scenery for your layout, have you considered having a Viking's football field and stadium? Maybe you can animate it (this would be difficult) and show the miraculous pass play with 7 seconds to go in the last play of the last game. Or, you can model the Vikings during the era of the Purple People Eaters, with the dead bodies of the opposing team lying on the field. LOL

Actually Arnold, there is a way that I can have U.S Bank Stadium on the layout, more accurately as part of the backdrop. While it is still winter, I need to go up to Northtown (where the hump yard is) and get some shots of Downtown Minneapolis. Even though it's about five miles away, you can see it from there.

Unfortunately, this was a hazy day, and you can barely make out the skyline, but a nice crisp winter day should be much better.

These pics are old, and may have been taken while the Metrodome was still standing.

John D. posted:

RSJB18 posted:

John D. posted:

Well it was only a matter of time before Mitch's twisted sense of humor started to wear off on us

Great job on the improvised Halloween train John. Can't wait to see next years train!

Bob

Bob,

Thank you for the compliment. 

Oh, also...GO EAGLES!

Sorry John- can't "like" your reply

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Actually Arnold, there is a way that I can have U.S Bank Stadium on the layout, more accurately as part of the backdrop. While it is still winter, I need to go up to Northtown (where the hump yard is) and get some shots of Downtown Minneapolis. Even though it's about five miles away, you can see it from there.

Unfortunately, this was a hazy day, and you can barely make out the skyline, but a nice crisp winter day should be much better.

These pics are old, and may have been taken while the Metrodome was still standing.

Having the Vikings stadium on the backdrop of your layout would be so cool. Very nice pictures.

The idea is to have things on the layout that you love.

A couple of months ago, I posted some pictures of my Yankee Stadium during Don Larsen's Word Series perfect game in 1956.  In case you missed them, I will send some of those pictures in a few minutes.

The scoreboard, fence with distances and monuments in centerfield are the only things that remotely appear like Yankee Stadium in 1956:

Here's s close up if the centerfield monuments with the faces of Lou Gehrig, Miller Huggins (Yankee manager in 1920s) and Babe Ruth on them:

The photos below are panoramic shots of my Popsicle Stick ball park, which could be any baseball field:

It was great fun making this with my daughter and son who were about 7 and 9 years old at the time.

RSJB18 posted:

John D. posted:

Well it was only a matter of time before Mitch's twisted sense of humor started to wear off on us

Great job on the improvised Halloween train John. Can't wait to see next years train!

Bob

Now I have the exact opposite opinion, Bob... looks like Fortesque has fled the Prairie Asylum for saner pastures!!! Either that, or he was chased out by Norma BK 

Arnold, Nice work on the ball field!  If it were me, I would have the ivy covered wall of Forbes Field.  No, I’ll never have room for a ball park. Thank you for the information on yours!

Table is complete and put a loop on it for my oldest to try out. It was a hit!

I widened it a bit by putting a 1x4 in the back supported by a few braces. Barely got into the shed! Maybe overengineered, but I like it.  Will run the electrical lines soon and throw on the siding and second loop (O27) when time allows.

It’s all worth it for your happy camper!!

Deuce posted:

Table is complete and put a loop on it for my oldest to try out. It was a hit!

I widened it a bit by putting a 1x4 in the back supported by a few braces. Barely got into the shed! Maybe overengineered, but I like it.  Will run the electrical lines soon and throw on the siding and second loop (O27) when time allows.

And I'll bet, dollars to donuts, one of those thumbs is on the horn button!!!

(What... no Met's Hat???)

Good productive evening. Took the evening to glue down all the prairie tuffs  along with some other ground foam. On the table I cleared off I cut some strips of plaster wrap. I ran a bead of white glue along the edge and pressed the strips into the glue. Going to see if this works to keep the plaster from lifting up at the edge of the plywood. So it's a wrap for the night. Tomorrow will be a good day seeing I do not have to go out till the evening. Pics. Close to the lens is still blurry.....................Paul

Worked on the small area between the Gilbert Compass and C.F. Dalton buildings. I got a lampost installed and did some scenery.

ZEKE, nicely done. Perspective is spot on. What building kits did you use and where did the building flat inthe back come from. Thanks............Paul

gandydancer1950 posted:

p51 posted:

I weathered a Bachmann excursion car and the scrapped remains of a busted up 2-6-0 and made it into a gondola load for the scrappers.

great work Lee!

Lee, another great project adding to the layout. Good detailing.............Paul

Great job once again Lee

Thanks a lot, guys!

Thanks Paul! The building on the right is a Korber apartment flat that I slightly modified. The one on the left is scratchbuilt. The building flat was cut out from a backdrop from Realistic Backgrounds. I bought it at York a couple of years ago. Scenic Express used to carry them. I don't know if they still do or not.

Apples55 posted:

Deuce posted:

Table is complete and put a loop on it for my oldest to try out. It was a hit!

I widened it a bit by putting a 1x4 in the back supported by a few braces. Barely got into the shed! Maybe overengineered, but I like it.  Will run the electrical lines soon and throw on the siding and second loop (O27) when time allows.

And I'll bet, dollars to donuts, one of those thumbs is on the horn button!!!

(What... no Met's Hat???)

More like both thumbs on the button

(What.... no engineers hat??? )

Just 'planted' the big tree to the right. Got it last week from a hobby shop in Portland, two of them, by Grand Central Gems. Wish they'd had more of them.

I should have stayed away from my trains today, I now have 3, count them three, AF prewar

streamliner motors sitting on my bench in various stages of disrepair. Any experts out there?

I was on this kick to get things back together and it all went to hell. I just moved the reversing switch on

one and three wires broke off. I just got a Flyer Minnehaha which has to be the ugliest, worst planned

train in existence. But I noticed that the motor looked very similar to the one in my tinplate Zephyr so

I put it in there. Not bad, but the bracket was still a little tall. The zephyr motor and the minnehaha motors

are from AF's cheap period, all rivets so taking apart is difficult and destructive. Where is that whiskey bottle?

HEY!

I want to see the toy postwar 4x4!    

Please 

Adriatic posted:

Apples55 posted:

Deuce posted:

Table is complete and put a loop on it for my oldest to try out. It was a hit!

I widened it a bit by putting a 1x4 in the back supported by a few braces. Barely got into the shed! Maybe overengineered, but I like it.  Will run the electrical lines soon and throw on the siding and second loop (O27) when time allows.

And I'll bet, dollars to donuts, one of those thumbs is on the horn button!!!

(What... no Met's Hat???)

More like both thumbs on the button

(What.... no engineers hat??? )

 

He loved not only hitting the horn and bell buttons, but throwing it in reverse.  I did take the advice of people on the forum and ordered a gondola with cargo, and once I put that on the track he had fun loading and unloading it. Funny enough, he'd stop the train at the far side of the track and say "We're about to cross the bridge" and then run the train again ... little does he know, I have a couple of girder bridges and one short extension bridge and I'll get them on the track tonight before he goes out to play again.

As for the engineer hat ... I thought about it, but the shop was about 25 degrees F last night ... I needed something to cover his ears!

Deuce posted:

As for the engineer hat ... I thought about it, but the shop was about 25 degrees F last night ... I needed something to cover his ears!

H'm.  Sommat like this, mebbe?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Conve...d-White/173098594247

Mitch 

Adriatic:  I love the expression on your son's face!  That, alone, says it all.

Paul Fischer