What did you do on your layout today?

To Alan Miller and all who have had flooding issues, and those out in California and Colorado, with the fires out of control, and those in the New England and New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Simply Everywhere, Your ALL in Our Prayers...So far, knock on wood, we have been blessed with decent weather in our area of the Country, here in middle Tennessee.   We just came back from the LCCA Convention in Chicago, great weather, had a fun time...here’s a gift for the first 400 folks attending....

Today, did some prototype research.  Had been months, at least, since l had visited the Black Mill and its covered bridge outside Lancaster, Ohio.  Luckily, l got there years ago, before the bridge was bypassed, but had always seen the mill as an abandoned dark hulk overhanging it's picturesque gorge.  No more!  Completely restored, with new wheel, flume, interior and operating machinery and grinding grain.  Too bad the train shop owner in Lancaster who offered the bridge kit is retired and won't offer a mill kit.  And down in that area l had once found an old coal town that had an old station and a caboose and tiny rail museum.  I thought it was New Straitsville, the once moonshine capital of Ohio, that has an annual moonshine festival. No! Drove all over town and found no evidence of it.  Some coal town between Lancaster and Athens did, off of US 33.  From that area and have a clue?

Set up a small amusement park in honor of my new and only grandson.

Although he is only eight days old. He already owns an amusement park. Lol

Paul, you are right about plans! They are great to have, but sometimes go south! I went down and bought new blades for my Table saw, 12" chop saw, and my Skill worm drive skill saw! Oh and 1 2 x 4 x 12, $120 dollars later I was back at home. 

Allan I am so sorry you have been hit by the floods! They look just scary on the TV Reports! I am glad you seem to be recovering very well! I hope you can pass them stones sometime soon also! Good luck!

Spent all day yesterday helping my brother-in-law put up a 12' X 26' metal carport, not fun with just 2 people!

Today I got up got out to the Train room, got all my measurements and was ready to start cutting by 8 AM, but the wife said I should wait till 9, so I did. At 9 I started the table saw made my first 2 rips of my 1 x 4 x 12' for the top side of my girders. Went to make the 3 and final cut and the switch went out in my table saw, took me about an hour to track the problem down. I took one of my double throw switches and only wired one side, Works great now. I got the girders in on the 2 long walls, with 2 7' sections to go and then all the girders will be done!

Now here is the kicker, I lowered the bridge for the picture below and low and behold the switch on that went out also. I had to crawl under to get my tester and a new switch! LOL What a day!

Jsulli21 posted:

Set up a small amusement park in honor of my new and only grandson.

Although he is only eight days old. He already owns an amusement park. Lol

That is so COOL! What a great grandpa, and what a lucky grandson! Way to go!

Mike, it seems you made good progress regardless!  Besides now you have a newer switch on the saw.  

Yep Mark and one on the bridge! LOL

Thanks to all for their well-wishes. Although I haven't yet taken any photos of the "after" cleaned-up layout room, I will do so tomorrow. Was out most of the day, but did run some trains (Amtrak and Army tonight for a while). All is working well except my MTH Wi-Fi, but I suspect that is because I am doing something wrong and those components certainly were not touched or affected by the water in the basement. I'll have to break out "the book" and see if I can get things working again.

By the way, I had a mistake in my previous post. I said the chemical used to mitigate mold, etc., was D-Con, which was wrong. The correct stuff for mold mitigation is Hi-Con 128

It is nice to see the progress being made on various layouts.  It is a good incentive for me to switch back to the layout construction of my "Valley of Bridges" layout.  I bought some of the Trainworx Elevated track system to get me moving in that direction.

I just finished detailing the Amtrak 21" Sleeper from the 2-pack.  It was supposed to be a 10-6 Sleeper.  The car is just like the CSX Executive Research Car, a 10-3 Sleeper.  I was surprised and a little disappointed it was not a 10-6 Pennsy "Rapids" configuration.

Here are photos of the finished car with Preiser 65602 figures I painted.  The seats are much bigger than normal seats and slightly dwarf the people.  I tilted some figures backward to try to fill the seats.  (This is car #51 completed since February 26, 2018.)

I am starting the Amtrak Combine/Lounge tomorrow. 

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Nice work John! your moving right along! I know I am going to have to do that one day! Its great that your posting on how your going about it! Thanks!

Mike, Great that you are making progress on your layout. It's been a long time coming buddy.

Alan, Glad that you had only minimal damage from the flood. Still a b---h that it happened.

mike g. posted:

Paul, you are right about plans! They are great to have, but sometimes go south! I went down and bought new blades for my Table saw, 12" chop saw, and my Skill worm drive skill saw! Oh and 1 2 x 4 x 12, $120 dollars later I was back at home. 

Allan I am so sorry you have been hit by the floods! They look just scary on the TV Reports! I am glad you seem to be recovering very well! I hope you can pass them stones sometime soon also! Good luck!

Spent all day yesterday helping my brother-in-law put up a 12' X 26' metal carport, not fun with just 2 people!

Today I got up got out to the Train room, got all my measurements and was ready to start cutting by 8 AM, but the wife said I should wait till 9, so I did. At 9 I started the table saw made my first 2 rips of my 1 x 4 x 12' for the top side of my girders. Went to make the 3 and final cut and the switch went out in my table saw, took me about an hour to track the problem down. I took one of my double throw switches and only wired one side, Works great now. I got the girders in on the 2 long walls, with 2 7' sections to go and then all the girders will be done!

Now here is the kicker, I lowered the bridge for the picture below and low and behold the switch on that went out also. I had to crawl under to get my tester and a new switch! LOL What a day!

Looks great Mike. These are the first Pics inside that I've seen.  I wish now that I did a 36" wide edge of room design 4' off the floor.  Maybe I have another layout left in me LOL!

Subway Station 1 Project is winding down.  This weekend got all the platforms glued and screwed down. Wired the lights into the ceiling and then got the ceiling into position.  Cut, glued, and painted all the i beams.  Hopefully tonight after seeing another friends layout (HO though) I can start to cut to length and install all the i beams. 

Bryan, very nice job on the subway. Once you place people it will make for one great scene.

Mike, pics of the construction are showing great progress. I noticed in one there is a Coor's beer can sitting on the rail. Is that where your brewery is going to go LOL. 

Allan, I'm a little late but sorry to hear about the flood. One of the unexpected things when building a basement layout that each of us hopes never happens.

Mark I was in Verona Pa Saturday how close is that to where you are.....................Paul. 

Paul, Verona is about 30 miles from my home, less than an hour drive.  I’m guessing you used the Turnpike. Going that route, you would go back one exit toward Ohio, and take Pennsylvania Route 8 north for just about a half hour.  I am a mile off Route 8 just before you get to Butler.

John, the cars are all great.  I’m glad you replaced all those pesky e clips.

Bryan, the subway looks great!

Allan, l think l remember when my brother had a kidney stone problem some years ago, the doctors used some kind of sonic blasting technique to break up the stones,  so they could be passed.  Of course, that was then, and they keep developing better and less invasive techniques.

                thank you for all the Happy Birthday's     had a great one !!!

                      spent time with "Mom & Dad",  and some trains...

paul 2 posted:

Bryan, very nice job on the subway. Once you place people it will make for one great scene.

 

Thanks Paul, and I just saw Lionel coming out with millennial people taking selfies and doing millennial stuff.  Have to buy some of them and put them in the subway to really add to the realism.   

Brian, Sounds like a great birthday!!

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Subway Station 1 Project is winding down.  This weekend got all the platforms glued and screwed down. Wired the lights into the ceiling and then got the ceiling into position.  Cut, glued, and painted all the i beams.  Hopefully tonight after seeing another friends layout (HO though) I can start to cut to length and install all the i beams. 

Bryan, as someone who commuted on the Lexington Ave. Line of the NYC Subway for 30 years I have a few observations which might make the layout more realistic. First, in the summertime, heat the layout to at least 120 degrees F, which is the typical platform temp. In winter, chill the platform to well below freezing. Make sure lots of lights are burned out. To approximate the pungent scent of the effluvia in the wells of the tracks, spread some fertilizer with a high ureic acid content. Add some grafitti. See if John Rowlen has some homeless people figures. Then add a P.A. system that sounds like you swallowed the microphone. Ah! Perfection!

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Subway Station 1 Project is winding down.  This weekend got all the platforms glued and screwed down. Wired the lights into the ceiling and then got the ceiling into position.  Cut, glued, and painted all the i beams.  Hopefully tonight after seeing another friends layout (HO though) I can start to cut to length and install all the i beams. 

Breathtakingly real. In fact, I had to find the 3rd-rail to realize I was not seeing real-life. Beyond craftwork. That is ART, Bryan in Ohio.

If you ever start your own little business crafting things like this, I suggest you name it. "Let's Get Real."For example, the black soiling down the walls along their uppermost parts is beyond beyond-expert and highly-skilled!

FrankM

Thanks Frank but can't really take credit for that in that the walls are just photo shopped from various sources and then spray adhesive onto foam board.  Same thing for the signage.  I take some stuff from the Internet and then put it into frames and then move them onto the wall in adobe before printing.   

Diverging Clear posted:

Have a Happy Birthday, Brian! Nice Great Northern roster, you are the Empire Builder!

Rusty

RSJB18 posted:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!

Here's a present for you

Bob

               really COOL, great photo       thanks Bob !!     like it !

Moonson posted:

Bryan in Ohio posted:

 

Breathtakingly real. In fact, I had to find the 3rd-rail to realize I was not seeing real-life. Beyond craftwork. That is ART, Bryan in Ohio.

If you ever start your own little business crafting things like this, I suggest you name it. "Let's Get Real."For example, the black soiling down the walls along their uppermost parts is beyond beyond-expert and highly-skilled!

FrankM

Paul;

As someone who was born and raised in NYC and has ridden the subways for 60 years, I have to say you got the grime level just right 

Frank;

“I had to find the 3rd-rail to realize I was not seeing real-life”??? You have forgotten that the NYC Subway runs off the third rail. Sorry... couldn’t resist   

BRYAN IN OHIO, Great work! I can only go by what I see on T.V. as we have none in Washington State that I know of! Either way it looks great and I would think its the real thing!

Brian, it sure sounds like you have a wonderful Birthday! Spending time with family and friends are some of the best parts in life, than you add trains with your dad! What a great day!

Paul2, Thanks for the kind words on the progress! The Brewery is not going where the can is, but it will be on that side closer to the corner, I might even put a little spur there for box cars to load and off load!

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Thanks Frank but can't really take credit for that in that the walls are just photo shopped from various sources and then spray adhesive onto foam board.  Same thing for the signage.  I take some stuff from the Internet and then put it into frames and then move them onto the wall in adobe before printing.   

OK, then maybe we'll make the name of your new business, "Keeping It Real." Seriously, though, Bryan, whatever your creative method, the results were wonderful, IMHO.

AND you even made the edges of the platforms chipped and appropriately worn!!!

FrankM

Just mounted the top return loop, level 5. 

Getting so close to finishing the bench work I can taste it.  Is there such a thing as a Golden Screw Driving Ceremony?

Gotta do sumptin to reward this blind and crippled crazy making. 

Need to play it down to the uppity neighbors, they  don't understand.

Tom Tee posted:

Just mounted the top return loop, level 5. 

Getting so close to finishing the bench work I can taste it.  Is there such a thing as a Golden Screw Driving Ceremony?

Gotta do sumptin to reward this blind and crippled crazy making. 

Need to play it down to the uppity neighbors, they  don't understand.

Hire a Marching Band and have them go by your place! Maybe the uppity neighbors would get the point! LOL

Sounds like great times ahead Tom! Please post pictures when you get a chance!

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, it seems you made good progress regardless!  Besides now you have a newer switch on the saw.  

I agree Mark, My Brother-in-law that makes the big $$$ said just go buy a new saw! LOL I told him I can fix it!

Tom Tee posted:

Just mounted the top return loop, level 5. 

Getting so close to finishing the bench work I can taste it.  Is there such a thing as a Golden Screw Driving Ceremony?

Gotta do sumptin to reward this blind and crippled crazy making. 

Need to play it down to the uppity neighbors, they  don't understand.

Tom, I think that Ceremony is called a Honeymoon.

Today I got my package to start working on my control panel for the basement layout and I managed to glue the back wall on the building. Tomorrow is suppose to be a rain day. I have the lumber to make up the control panel so I hope to complete that and start attaching the wires. Pics............Paul

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Bryan, I too rode the Lexington Avenue line every day for 8 years and semi-regularly after that. Whatever your methods, your subway looks very realistic. Needs a few more I beam posts which I think you said you were adding and signs with the station name. Great job. 

Mike, What is the amp rating of your d.p.d.t. substitute switch?  

Many residential table saws are 15a and many hobby d.p.d.t. switches are 6a. 

As to  the parade,  Robert Preston is no longer available.  Photos? hah!  It's such a thrashing scene here C.S.I. would be needed.   As someone else said, "I bit off more than I can chew but it tastes sooo good".

Pat Kn posted:

 

Bryan, I too rode the Lexington Avenue line every day for 8 years and semi-regularly after that. Whatever your methods, your subway looks very realistic. Needs a few more I beam posts which I think you said you were adding and signs with the station name. Great job. 

Thanks Pat,

The I Beams are already made I just have to cut them to size, unfortunately the bandsaw blade broke last night so I have to go pick one up on my lunch break today and hopefully get them installed tonight.

mike g. posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, it seems you made good progress regardless!  Besides now you have a newer switch on the saw.  

I agree Mark, My Brother-in-law that makes the big $$$ said just go buy a new saw! LOL I told him I can fix it!

Mike, Yes I love the advice I get from folks with more money than me.  

Morning Tom, the DPDT Switch I put in is rated for 25A at 120v, my table saw is a 15 amp !

Getting all tools empty train boxes off the floore,  checking all drains and windows. Cat 4 hurricane headed are way. Rare hurricane warning issued this morning. Don