PSAP2010 posted:Mike, no rain in my neck of the woods today.
I replaced the traction tires on an engine and installed BCRs in a couple. Have 8 engines done with 15 more to do.
Larry
Hi Larry, no rain here today either! Got all the primer done today and hope to paint tomorrow. No pictures as I am sure everyone has seen primer, if I get it painted tomorrow then I will take a few pictures!
I’m glad you got to finish the primer Mike! One more small item to check off the list!
ran a coal drag through Elizabeth City....
Gandydancer, That shot of that part of your layout immediately gives the impression of a lively, active community, busy and vibrant. Congratulations on such success with your modeling.
FrankM
Mark Boyce posted:I’m glad you got to finish the primer Mike! One more small item to check off the list!
Thanks Mark, the list is getting smaller. Get the painting done then it all inside stuff, but go figure now that it is going to be getting warmer ! LOL
Moonson posted:Gandydancer, That shot of that part of your layout immediately gives the impression of a lively, active community, busy and vibrant. Congratulations on such success with your modeling.
FrankM
Thanks Frank. Being that the layout is an around the wall type I'm somewhat limited in taking photos. That just happens to be one of my favorite spots!
The arrival yesterday of my MTH Spirit Of Union Pacific means I am making a new tunnel portal on one end.
Can finally post in this thread, as the office lobby is finally getting re-done in preparation for the 8' x 16' O80 shelf loop. For simplicity, I'll just post the link to the updated thread in the Track Plan forum.
I am currently in the midst of scratchbuilding 10 identical On30 boxcars. These are wood single-sheathed, outside-braced 18-foot cars, created from Evergreen Styrene sheet and strip stock. All will have fixed, closed doors, saving the work of cutting door openings. This will be a great cost-savings over Bachmann's ready-to-run cars, and with Boulder Valley Models now inactive, Mount Blue and Wiseman have been among the few other commercial kit sources of 18' boxcars in recent times,
Gil Hulin
Eugene, Oregon
Actually yesterday, I finished pulling #14 wire to my double loop Ceiling Central RR, and made all track terminations. Nothing exciting to show in a photograph. I connected the other ends to the old ZW one pair at a time to prove I had good connections. I plan to move the Z4000, TIU, and WIU to the basement from the Christmas layout in the spare bedroom, but didn't get that far. I couldn't run trains because my wife and our younger daughter were right above practicing music. She sang two pieces with my wife as piano accompanist for our daughter's voice and piano students' recital which was last evening at our church fellowship hall. She likes to end the program by singing a couple pieces just to show parents and the rest of the audience she does have some ability herself. Since she just turned 25, and this is the second year she has taught private lessons, she thinks that compliments her music degree in their eyes. Her students range between the ages of 7 and 60.
I built my new control panel for the layout today. Sprayed it black so I can use white vinyl for lettering and numbering switches and accessories. It is a 13” by 24” sheet of aluminum with a frame made from 1x2s. 
Brian, I just love those Superliners! Great Picture!
Mark, pulling wires are a lot more fun then painting!
NS6770FAN, good looking control panel, Make sure you show some pictures when your done!
First off let me tell you that painting SUCK'S! But I got it all done along with the trim! Now I can work on the inside!, Next time I will save up and pay someone to do the painting! LOL Probably not!
And this is what Tank did while I was painting! Went to the dark side and let the cat sleep in his bed!
mike g. posted:
First off let me tell you that painting SUCK'S! But I got it all done along with the trim! Now I can work on the inside!, Next time I will save up and pay someone to do the painting! LOL Probably not!
Mike, For your sake, I hope that there is no "next time" unless you win the lottery and buy the house next door and hire someone to build and paint a HUGE train room. It turned out great! You should be proud.
Mike, you’ve really done a bangup job on your addition. It really looks great. Now for the important stuff inside... 
Looks great, Mike! You are probably right pulling wire was better. I did have trouble though climbing up and down the three foot high step ladder. My bad knee started hurting and was giving me trouble by the time I was done. 
I got it done though.
Thanks John, Ted, And Mark!
Mark I know what you mean about hurting, When I had my cancer surgery the nicked a never so now I am on never blockers for my right arm, to much work and the never blockers don't work!
Train Room Gary & Lovindemtrains thanks for the likes!
mike g. posted:Thanks John, Ted, And Mark!
Mark I know what you mean about hurting, When I had my cancer surgery the nicked a never so now I am on never blockers for my right arm, to much work and the never blockers don't work!
Train Room Gary & Lovindemtrains thanks for the likes!
YEEE-OOOOW!!!
Mike, the outside of the addition looks really good. Now you can focus on the inside and work at a much easier and slower pace. ...........Paul
(d'awws at Tank and kitteh)
Mitch
Thanks Paul, I don't want to slow down till I get to the point where I can do bench work, and then probably not!
Mitch, this is the first time they shared a bed. We saved her from an owner that was just going to set her out in the woods! They are getting along better from when we first brought her home! She wants attention, but only for 2-3 minutes then she is done with us! LOL
Thanks Mike, will do! Just have to order more switches, cut vinyl, and buy some LEDs first.
I re-wired a Lionel Dwarf Signal so that it shows the correct aspect, then replaced to of the O-Gauge blade like devices that cause the brakeman on the operating brakeman car to raise and lower (I did not realize that there were O and 027 versions). The O ones are taller, and were shorting out the pickup rollers on a few of my locomotives on my Super O layout.
Gil in Oregon posted:I am currently in the midst of scratchbuilding 10 identical On30 boxcars. These are wood single-sheathed, outside-braced 18-foot cars, created from Evergreen Styrene sheet and strip stock. All will have fixed, closed doors, saving the work of cutting door openings. This will be a great cost-savings over Bachmann's ready-to-run cars, and with Boulder Valley Models now inactive, Mount Blue and Wiseman have been among the few other commercial kit sources of 18' boxcars in recent times
Gil,
Any shots of progress or plans you can share of this?
Mike, the addition looks good. Now it's time to get to the fun part.
Mark, I like this track plan a lot. Can't wait to follow along with the build.
mike g. posted:Mitch, this is the first time they shared a bed. We saved her from an owner that was just going to set her out in the woods! They are getting along better from when we first brought her home! She wants attention, but only for 2-3 minutes then she is done with us! LOL
She'll be taking over the trains in no time, if Norma Bates Kitteh (and, to a lesser extent, Sylvia Siamese) are any indication... 
Mitch
Mike- the addition looks great. You should be proud. Sorry about the aches and pains. I have a neck issue from a auto accident years ago that causes pain in my shoulders. I have my chiropractor on speed dial for when it flares up.
Mark- I don't understand why you don't think wiring is photo worthy 
Everyone else is doing great work. Lot's of likes to go around.
Bob
Pat Kn posted:Mike, the addition looks good. Now it's time to get to the fun part.
Mark, I like this track plan a lot. Can't wait to follow along with the build.
Thank you Pat!
Thanks Pat, it's getting there!
Bob, I'm Proud, just soar! LOL I agree with you about wiring pictures, I know I can learn from them as I am more of a visual person!
Mitch, I don't have to worry about the cat taking over, she doesn't leave the house! LOL
Brian, Thank you so much for all the great art work you do! Brings a smile to my face all the time!
Today is going to be an easy day, trip to the dump, then back to put gutters back up and that's it!
You won’t learn from these wiring pictures. If you have seen a wire nut before, you got half of it. I just laid the wire on the back of the shelf next to the wall. Then I just cut the old number 18 wire a few inches from the terminal track sections I used before since no one can see the track and spliced them with wire nuts. Taking a photograph up there is problematic because of light, and my bad knee and hands were aching from arthritis! LOL
Brian, in one of your recent pics you had a backdrop with a waterfall. Where did you get it and would you know if it is still available.......thanks Paul
Paul, I will have to look when I get home from work and let you know, Brian
Looks like my last post here was Wednesday.
Thursday I started off by hitting Menards for some of that 11% action. Been writing my shopping list for three weeks, waiting to cash in. I did some pretty good damage too. Came home with spray primer for the grain elevators, caulk for gap filling and a nice new gun, and another !000' spool of cat5 so I can start wiring signals. Geez, the price has shot up on that stuff. The last spool I bought was $75. This one was $93. I also ordered a bunch of sheet goods and some 2" pipe for delivery.
When I got home, my wife and I sifted ballast for a while, then later I worked on spreading it on the Newport scene.
Saturday we got up early and went outside to wait for the delivery. While we waited, we decided to have a fire. I may have gotten a little carried away, as I singed most of the hair off both arms, but the damage didn't end there...
That pile of stuff at the far left by the rocks, are the old panels of shingles that were on the gables on the front of the house. I tried to break them up and get them in the fire, but had limited success. This decision would come back to haunt me.
Flaming debris repeatedly spilled out of the pit, and at one point one of the wheels caught fire, and melted.
My Menards delivery finally showed up around 10:30. The same guy has been delivering to me for the last 19 years, since I started building the house. On many occasions he has come in to see the layout, but not this time.
My wife and I then transferred that bundle to my sheet goods rack in the shop.
This can is my ballast bin. Now I have to fill it up!
A lot of prep work goes into this layout. It was nice having the ballast sifted, so I could just run up to the garage, and scoop a bucket full, and bring it down.
This is the last section in the entire scene that needs ballast. It's also the hardest to reach, but I can still get it.
This scene just needs a few things, and it's done. Something on the backdrop, a few building flats for the industries, and a little greenery. That's it!
This morning, I went to put on my shoe on, and all the toes on my left foot were covered with dried blood. Upon further inspection, I discovered this nail sticking through the bottom of my shoe. My wife cleaned me up, and exposed the source of the leak, a nasty slice on the bottom of my big toe. I'll spare you those pictures. The good news is I can't feel it. The bad news is I couldn't feel it. The nail came from that pile of old siding, not exactly a model railroading injury, but kind of related. Doctor tomorrow, will cut into my train time, and assess the damage.
Ouch!
Thanks for the update, Elliot. Good luck with that toe. With your medical problems you can't be too careful.
ballast looks great !! take care of your toe, looked like a big nail, OUCH...
Mark Boyce posted:Ouch!
That's my problem Mark, I get no ouch. Neuropathy! It was a total surprise this morning.
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