paul 2 posted:This afternoon I had to drop the wife off to get her hair done so while I am waiting at home I got more ground turf down and glued. I would say the only thing left to do in the yard is add some bushes and rust to the fence in spots and hopefully tomorrow the weather will be decent so I can use the band saw in the garage to cut some wood to make walls to separate the different metals when I get to that. Pics ...........Paul
Well done Paul! Really like the scrap yard.
Dave
Looks nice Terry ! Are you planning on any ground coverage, or going for a rough terrain look?
Mike
I'm modeling Southern Pacific central valley mostly. Not a lot of stuff grows there in the south if someone doesn't plant it. Better up north. I am going to add ground cover but pretty spotty and not very green.
Got the power plant fired up.
Glenn, The power plant looks good!! The high line is really high; above the height of the power plant!!
I am interested in the high tower with the guy wires at the far right of the third photograph!! Do you have a photograph showing all of it?
Mark Boyce posted:Glenn, The power plant looks good!! The high line is really high; above the height of the power plant!!
I am interested in the high tower with the guy wires at the far right of the third photograph!! Do you have a photograph showing all of it?
Here you go Mark. This tower is 36" tall.
That is very impressive, Glenn! Thank you!!
Continued work on my Dad's layout with my brother today. Ran wire to 12 track blocks. Soldered to rails and connected to terminal blocks. 9 more track blocks to go.
First time trying to solder to track. First couple joints had to be cleaned up a little, but once I got the hang of it the other joints turned out well. Burned out one soldering tip. But felt pretty good about the overall work.
Paul, the scrap yard turned out looking great! I really like the crane, but hard to believe they sold accessory's in the 50's! LOL
Terry, trees turned out nice, looks just like parts of AZ.
Cool effect on the power plant Glen! What a great idea!
Signals arrived today. Some assembly required.....
Wow, I take a week off from this topic, and you guys put on seven pages. I finally got caught up. Lots of neat stuff going on with you guys, and a lot of new faces here too.
Thanks Bob, Mark and Paul. Adriatic, Mr Zip was too funny. I was serious about that free ballast offer.
JD, all of your enterTRAINment questions are noted, but may need a topic of their own to be addressed. I won't forget. Hope to get to them next week.
I have been very busy working on the layout since my last update, so let's get caught up.
Patrick came over last Saturday, and we filled in the remaining holes at Western Avenue.
We also carved a lot of roadbed.
Western all filled in.
Shoreham carved. Patrick got up in there and took care of this section.
He also started carving the NP tracks through Midway.
Monday and early Tuesday were spent cleaning up in advance of the photo shoot for the narrow gauge convention layout tour. Unfortunately, this was the best shot he got. The unfinished nature doesn't qualify it to be published on the website yet. We'll try again in about 5 weeks or sooner perhaps.
Saturday morning I got up early, and bought two 50 pound bags of chicken grit, before Patrick came over. I got into it on later on Tuesday, after the photo shoot. This is what the raw material looks like. About 40% of it is way too large, and must be screened out. Love the color though. It's a pink granite from St Cloud, MN. It also happens to be the quarry where where the UP gets their ballast locally, This doesn't solve my original problem with the gray stuff, but it will cover two yards, and reduce my total needs.
Here it is after passing through the #5 screen. It still has too many large grains. The little green one is a #8.
These are the grains between #5 and #8. They make good filler in the ditches we carved, and the base of the outer edge bevels.
This is the good stuff, #8 and smaller.
This is what it looks like, a beautiful purpleish pink.
Western Ave is very close, but I think I'll need some from the second bag. Have to run back for a few more bags.
I've enlisted my wife to do the sifting, so I can spend most of my time finishing Hoffman. When I need a break from that, I work on this.
The gray material applied to the Masonite wall is strips of ceiling tile. They are glued to each other, and also to the wall. They are screwed to each other as well, to keep them flat while the glue dries.
The screws won't be recovered, but they won't interfere with the carving process either. A few more courses, and it will top out, then I have to work on the foam.
Now you're all caught up.
Elliot, you are moving right along. Nice job so far. This morning I got another Weaver TOFC from EBAY and a day early. All I got done today was I vacuumed all the floor in the basement. I was starting to track it upstairs. Tomorrow in the morning it is the Kirkland show in Kirkland Ohio and in the afternoon an afternoon get together with the local train group so I won't get back to the layout till Sunday. Pic of the car.............Paul
Had to open this car to change light bulb ( bulb not the problem) so I put some passengers in that I painted while recovering from cancer surgery last year. This is my first attempt to add passengers . Now if I can get the lights on it would be great.
Found a wire that came loose that was connected to truck skrew, lights back on, yea!
Ok guys, my email has been out from yesterday and just came back on! I know I probably missed some stuff, but I will try and catch up!
Bob, nice signals, when you get a few assembled please take some more pictures!
Elliot, things are moving at a fast pace over there! Then chicken grit is a great idea!
Paul, that's ok take the day off tomorrow and enjoy yourself at the show and with the guys later! It will give Bryan a chance to try and catch up! LOL
Jushavnfun, Little people are cool and give an added detail to the cars! I have 5 that I have to do! Oh well it part of the fun!
As for me I just worked on the future Train room. Got the sheeting for the roof so I put that on today! Boy do I feel it now! LOL Everyone have a great weekend!
RSJB18 posted:M. Mitchell Marmel posted:Got the phormer Phillies cars primed and resprayed.
Paint's a little crazed in spots, but then, so am I.
Mitch
At least you covered up that hideous red and white pin stripe.
LET'S GO METS!
AMEN!!! And, Mitch, you are NOT "a little crazed" 
Mike, The roof is looking mighty good indeed! Yes, I'll bet you would feel it!!
Success.... yea!!!
Mark Boyce posted:Mike, The roof is looking mighty good indeed! Yes, I'll bet you would feel it!!
LOL Had to wake up in the middle of the night to get an advill as my back hurt so bad! Today I will take it easy and just put the paper on!
Mike, looks GREAT ! moving right along... yep, take it easy today...
trains will be running soon...
have TANK grab you a couple cold ones later... 
have a HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY !!!
Im rebuilding my permanent layout again in the basement. This time it stays put!
Good thing is I have a ton of experience as this will be my 4th layout. you can still see some of the old remnants of the 2nd layout on the walls.
I just hope I can save my two mountains I built.
Jushavnfun, The Vista Dome looks great!! Lots of passengers proves a successful railroad!
Mike, I believe it on the need for Advil! Don't overdo it!!
Brian, It looks like Tank is ready to push Mike right out of the way and get this railroad built!!!
Televue, Looks like you have a nice space to work with and are off to a good start!!
Terry, your layout is looking very nice indeed!
Terry, nice pic of your layout. Mike, good job getting the roof on, I hear trains running within a month. Today I went to the Kirkland Ohio train show. Was not expecting to find my bucket list items but you never know. A while back under the topic show me your bridges I believe it was Brian posted a picture of a flat car used as a small private bridge and I thought that would make a nice little scene. As I was going through one of the smaller rooms this caught my eye. I did not know K Line put out one of these. I was going to scratch build one but this will save me some time. I will have to modify the deck a bit but this will fit in my next table really good. Pics..............Paul
here they are again Paul... that will make a nice little scene... nice find !
http://www.troutcreektreefarm.com/bridge-building/
Gary: Reporting from The Train Room, running trains.
Terry, your layout looks wonderful!
Paul, I don't know where its going, but it will looks great wherever you put it!
Brian, nice pictures and thanks for sharing the story behind it!
Gary, there is nothing better then Trains and Kids! Looks like fun was had by all!
mike g. posted:As for me, you all know I got the sheeting up yesterday! Which was a pain in the A** by myself. But got it done. I took it easy today and just put up the paper on the sheeting! That's about all I could do today!
Boys n girls; right there is a man on a mission... who answers the roar of the big guns. Great work Mike!
Crazy, busy day on the "Far Side" and finally got the living room empty and cleaned. Took 4 weeks doing something almost every day plus throw in heart surgery(not me) and a broken toe(not me) and it is done. 4 weeks ago the place wasn't fit for human habitation. Next step is to buy lumber and let it season awhile inside the living room. Did pull out some Standard gauge engines & cars and some O gauge straights to run the new GG1 2360 a little bit. More fun.
TedW posted:mike g. posted:As for me, you all know I got the sheeting up yesterday! Which was a pain in the A** by myself. But got it done. I took it easy today and just put up the paper on the sheeting! That's about all I could do today!
Boys n girls; right there is a man on a mission... who answers the roar of the big guns. Great work Mike!
Thanks Ted, I really want something done before mid summer, so I have a warm place to work on my future layout!
Paul, Nice find indeed! I didn’t make my first trip to Kirkland as planned. I had to make two trips to help my Dad with a health problem.
Mike, Ted is right, you are a man on a mission!! Great job!
I decided to bag the fluorescent lights and go all LED. I finished installing and powering 2 more strips.
Chris
LVHR
Trying to keep up around here is getting harder and harder. Everyone is doing great work. We went to our accountant and got the taxes done. Good news as there will be more money for trains courtesy of Uncle Sam's refund
mike g. posted:As for me, you all know I got the sheeting up yesterday! Which was a pain in the A** by myself. But got it done. I took it easy today and just put up the paper on the sheeting! That's about all I could do today!
that's alot of work by yourself Mike, wish I could come help !
Mike G,
Great job on the roof, now kick back for a while so your back heals up!
BrianSilverMustang,
The rail car Bridge is out of sights, way cool stuff, the real picture is incredible.
Chris,
The LED are great stuff! You are going to love them. I have them over head in the ceiling in the new Train Room, they work great.
PCRR/Dave
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