Chris, I’m sorry you are having back trouble just while you are getting your shoulder in shape. I’ve developed a lower back problem recently myself. The chiropractor got the L5 back in place, but I still have trouble. The MD thinks it is a damaged ligament causing the sciatic nerve to give me grief! I get an MRI this week, then probably PT. The joys of being 62. LOL
Your retaining wall looks great. Your paint looks great! Really like concrete!
I’ll keep remembering you as you recover.
Mike, I’ll work up something tomorrow morning while I wait for it to warm up before firing up the leaf blower! Oh my aching back and legs! LOL
Aldovar, Looks like a great start and great helpers!
Aldovar: Great Photo !, Enjoy the journey, with your kids. I remember those days fondly. If I could do it all over again, I would have bought my kids a cheap set of HO trains and let them do whatever they wanted. I ended up getting way too involved.
Mark, thanks for your thoughts. I have been thinking about you as well, and will keep your MRI results and subsequent PT in my thoughts and prayers. I owe you a "belated Happy Birthday wish".... This aging thing and the "golden years" is way overrated, IMHO !!!! I have no use for birthdays starting with the number 6__.
chris a posted:Aldovar: Great Photo !, Enjoy the journey, with your kids. I remember those days fondly. If I could do it all over again, I would have bought my kids a cheap set of HO trains and let them do whatever they wanted. I ended up getting way too involved.
Thanks! I got my oldest boy started in O gauge trains around 2, the littlest hasn't known anything but trains since he was born. We got the first table up tonight and he was already going into the box of track and grabbing pieces out to put down saying "Daddy, build train"
chris a posted:Aldovar: Great Photo !, Enjoy the journey, with your kids. I remember those days fondly. If I could do it all over again, I would have bought my kids a cheap set of HO trains and let them do whatever they wanted. I ended up getting way too involved.
Mark, thanks for your thoughts. I have been thinking about you as well, and will keep your MRI results and subsequent PT in my thoughts and prayers. I owe you a "belated Happy Birthday wish".... This aging thing and the "golden years" is way overrated, IMHO !!!! I have no use for birthdays starting with the number 6__.
Chris,
Thank you for the birthday wish and for remembering me too with the medical issues.
To put things in perspective, I spent Friday moving my 88-year old parents to a new personal care home and then visiting my 92-year old aunt at another home! You and I get around a lot better than them!
Ok Mark and Chris, you guys are starting to scare me! LOL I am only 52 and it hurts already! LOL
Chris I will PM you around 12 your time which would be 9 my time!
Mark, I think if I build your supports wide enough to span both tracks you would be ok! I would just need to know the width, height, and if you want them shorter for the ends let me know that also and I will just make 2 of each! One for each end!
RSJB18 posted:I finished removing the spray paint from my Pennsy ALCO. Looks pretty good IMHO.
Cleaned and greased everything and put it on the track for a test run. It moves but not well for a K-line. Back to the bench today for further investigation.I've purchased my entire collection used- this was by far the worst engine I've gotten, but I knew that going in from the pictures in the listing. I like the challenge
Attaboy! What did you wind up using to remove the paint?
Mitch
(who is now humming "George Washingmachine Bridge")
mike g. posted:Ok Mark and Chris, you guys are starting to scare me! LOL I am only 52 and it hurts already! LOL
Chris I will PM you around 12 your time which would be 9 my time!
Mark, I think if I build your supports wide enough to span both tracks you would be ok! I would just need to know the width, height, and if you want them shorter for the ends let me know that also and I will just make 2 of each! One for each end!
You had better not hang out with us too much Mike. See it's already rubbing off!
Thank you very much for the offer. I'll get back to you tomorrow!!
Mark Boyce posted:mike g. posted:Ok Mark and Chris, you guys are starting to scare me! LOL I am only 52 and it hurts already! LOL
Chris I will PM you around 12 your time which would be 9 my time!
Mark, I think if I build your supports wide enough to span both tracks you would be ok! I would just need to know the width, height, and if you want them shorter for the ends let me know that also and I will just make 2 of each! One for each end!
You had better not hang out with us too much Mike. See it's already rubbing off!
Thank you very much for the offer. I'll get back to you tomorrow!!
Mark, I have to hang out with you guys, you are some great teachers! I just have to figure out how not to learn to have pain! LOL
mike g. posted:Mark Boyce posted:mike g. posted:Ok Mark and Chris, you guys are starting to scare me! LOL I am only 52 and it hurts already! LOL
Chris I will PM you around 12 your time which would be 9 my time!
Mark, I think if I build your supports wide enough to span both tracks you would be ok! I would just need to know the width, height, and if you want them shorter for the ends let me know that also and I will just make 2 of each! One for each end!
You had better not hang out with us too much Mike. See it's already rubbing off!
Thank you very much for the offer. I'll get back to you tomorrow!!
Mark, I have to hang out with you guys, you are some great teachers! I just have to figure out how not to learn to have pain! LOL
We could all do with a few lessons on that one!! My dad has been an excellent teacher. Just keep getting up every morning, keep doing what you can, and take a break when you need to. Always do what the doctor tells you to. He was mowing 2 acres with a walk behind 1953 Gravely on hilly property, painting and repairing a two story 1888 house, and looking after Mom until he was 86. He got sick over the winter a couple years ago, and could still live at home with some assistance on cooking and finances, but chooses to live in the personal care home with Mom who needs to be there.
Mark, your dad sounds like a good man! I hope I am by my wife's side then also! But your story tells me how you came about being a good man also! YOUR DAD!
Mark, I think you need to test climbing ability to check on the max grade with your worst engine WITH a full load. (Easiest on the floor imo...tell the knees I'm sorry 
) You also need about 6" clearance from rail top to roadbed. I don't see that yet.
I was surprised when on the ceiling, mine ate up 12-15ft one way to get to 7" ( partially extended pantographs). It is straight though, a curve may give more traction as the flanges hit... Oops, flat rail..no tellin'.
My point is test and test again before committing to a grade permanently.
I used two tressels sideways, and a beam between them for the track to sit on to get around my ground level tracks directly below the El on the table layout. Offset, even wider at about 5". I got the idea from a real El (NY I think)
You could cut the foam up for now, lay a paint stir, ruler, etc. across them for tests and carve and paint it or send dimensions to Mike for a more solid piece.
mike g. posted:Johan, your talent of making a layout come to life is amazing! You are for sure one to watch! Between you Chris A. and many others there is so much to earn here!
Mike: Thank you very much. I just love my hobby and try do it my best. I like learn new techniques and testing different materials. Some years ago i almost finished my hobby, because here in Finland you can find only some European trains and after many H0 European train years, it`s feel quite boring. But then i found an American trains (Bangor & Aroostook, Boston & Maine, Maine Central... ) & O-gauge forum. No everything goes well and i & our small group have Shark Bay layout project. I feel now at American O-scale trains is just a that what i like do it. Thank guys, very inspiration forum.
Johan
Adriatic posted:Mark, I think you need to test climbing ability to check on the max grade with your worst engine WITH a full load. (Easiest on the floor imo...tell the knees I'm sorry
I was surprised when on the ceiling, mine ate up 12-15ft one way to get to 7" ( partially extended pantographs). It is straight though, a curve may give more traction as the flanges hit... Oops, flat rail..no tellin'.
My point is test and test again before committing to a grade permanently.
I used two tressels sideways, and a beam between them for the track to sit on to get around my ground level tracks directly below the El on the table layout. Offset, even wider at about 5". I got the idea from a real El (NY I think)
You could cut the foam up for now, lay a paint stir, ruler, etc. across them for tests and carve and paint it or send dimensions to Mike for a more solid piece.
Butch, Good thinking!! I wonder where I left my brain since I first came up with this idea!! I did all that figuring maximum grades for the Blackwater Canyon Line, but left those thoughts on the shelf once I started this little project. Fortunately, I'll be running short, light LionChief Christmas trains, Polar Express, Hallmark Toymaker, and Hogwarts too! (While I'm not much into Harry Potter, my daughters are, and I do like the Christmas scenes in the movies) The trouble is, those engines are weak pullers.
I think I can play around on the carpeted tabletop instead of the floor, since my legs are in a bad way and the little terrier dog is a train terror! 
I actually saw your post last night about 2 or 3 o'clock in one of my house ramblings trying to get the sciatic to settle down.
Since it rained overnight, I'll have to see if things dry out a bit before I tackle fallen leaves. My sister is taking Dad to a hearing aid doctor and they and Mom will get lunch out, so I won't go to visit them either. All that to say, I may get some time to try to work this out before getting back to our gracious friend, Mike!!
Thank you again!!
BAR GP7 #63 posted:mike g. posted:Johan, your talent of making a layout come to life is amazing! You are for sure one to watch! Between you Chris A. and many others there is so much to earn here!
Mike: Thank you very much. I just love my hobby and try do it my best. I like learn new techniques and testing different materials. Some years ago i almost finished my hobby, because here in Finland you can find only some European trains and after many H0 European train years, it`s feel quite boring. But then i found an American trains (Bangor & Aroostook, Boston & Maine, Maine Central... ) & O-gauge forum. No everything goes well and i & our small group have Shark Bay layout project. I feel now at American O-scale trains is just a that what i like do it. Thank guys, very inspiration forum.
Johan
Johan, I'm glad you found what works for you in the hobby, and found some friends that share in the interest. I had trains since I was little, but never had any friends to enjoy them with until I found O Gauge Railroading magazine and this Forum!
Welcome Johan. I am glad that you like my area of the USA trains. New England has some great railroads. MTH Trains also makes 0 gauge European trains, Orient Express and so on. We are glad that you enjoy this hobby. I'm 75 and still learning.
This morning I ran my military hospital train to clean the mainline. I then ran old Boston & Albany #53 pulling a beer train with a Santa Fe caboose on the short line. Veterans Day is this coming weekend. Time to get the military trains out on parade.
Matt, Thanks for posting the video. Very well done city scene, just the right amount of details without being cluttered and confusing. Great selection of "neon" signage.
Nice train run Matt! Yes Veterans Day is just around the corner. I thank everyone who has served our country!
I built up my ramps on the Christmas 'test layout' this morning. My engines can pull up the grade, but as soon as they are over the top I can't slow them down fast enough! Well, back to the old drawing board!
Chris, thanks for the kind words. I still have ballasting to be done on the short line sidings. I need some landscaping around the church. I also have to assemble a large neon American flag. That will most likely be placed near the main line yard. Still lots to be done over there.
Matt, Sure looks good!
Mark, what about just a raised track above the lower one? All the way around.
I am on the way out to the train room to finish cutting the rest of the plywood for my bench top. I will check in threw out the day!
mike g. posted:Matt, Sure looks good!
Mark, what about just a raised track above the lower one? All the way around.
Mike, That thought has entered my mind. 
I am trying one single loop that goes up to the Polar Express through girder bridge and back down. I'll see how that goes, then I think I have enough FasTrak to do one over the other. I'll have to count out the pieces. I hope to not buy any more, since I like GarGraves much better for the Ceiling Central RR and the to be built Blackwater Canyon Line, but we will see. The advantage of one level on top of the other is I can space them however I want, just provide the supports. I'll check back in too. I also have to see how fast the leaves dry out and if I can help them along with the blower!
Mark, I thought you used command. Split the track into two blocks with a dpdt switch to swap voltages when you change direction. The low volt downgrade likely needs only a few volts. It's possible accessory 5v would work, my tmcc pulmore uses 6-7v. A few bridge rectifiers as a voltage dropper is what I used before I bought a $50 pre-war Z for it's 4 throttles. (#1 is up, #2 is level El, #3 is downgrade(6v),#4 is ground level).
Even a partial voltage drop will help make your reaction time more effective.
Adriatic, You are right, I use DCS, but I have all of it downstairs on the Ceiling Central RR and my test track for the new layout. I have a ZW upstairs on the Christmas layout, and have the LionChief sets I mentioned. The more I fiddled around just now, the more I thought I'm not going to try the up and down on the Christmas layout. Too many issues to work out for a layout that needs to be done in a little over a month. Thank you for the suggestions of swapping voltages as I change direction (Up to Down). That is a good idea that would be interesting to look at. 
I did setup one oval and counted out pieces of Fastrak to build a second identical one above this one like Mike suggested. I'm going to leave it sit and go out and blow some leaves around after I get a sandwich and pick it up in a few hours; if nothing else comes up in the meantime to take my attention away from the layout!
You're still in my ballpark Mark ; Over & under El for ¾ loop; leaving the lower track slightly outside the top along one straight makes for much easier railing of new locos & cars. Adding an S or two along the straight to jog to the outside straight helps break up the "follow the leader" effect of two trains at similar speeds if they travel the same direction some days. The El does add an interesting depth to a layout without the challenge of grades (I'd say a very similar but more engaging challenge than a max car pulling test. Fun, but not a hands free layout without mods or command)
Edit: "with" is now "without"
"Without the challenge of grades".
"Spell-wreck"(off) "helped" me again 
Adriatic posted:"Without the challenge of grades".
"Spell-wreck"(off) "helped" me again
Yes, I have to Keep It Simple Stupid(Me)
Spell wreck certainly gave it the opposite meaning!
decoynh posted:Welcome Johan. I am glad that you like my area of the USA trains. New England has some great railroads. MTH Trains also makes 0 gauge European trains, Orient Express and so on. We are glad that you enjoy this hobby. I'm 75 and still learning.
Matt: Thank you. I have two BANGOR & AROOSTOOK GP`s, one BL2 and maybe 30 BAR cars, also have 1 MEC and 1 B&M Alco S2 with some cars. They are all MTH PREMIER series, expect another GP is Atlas Master Series. I really hope MTH can paint sometimes BAR EMD F3 or E7 -versions. Would be a nice get Aroostook Flyer or Potatoland Special passenger train. Your layout looking nice, keep up your good work. Today i added some new houses our layout, they are 3D printed Maine area style houses.
Johan
Mark Boyce posted:BAR GP7 #63 posted:mike g. posted:Johan, your talent of making a layout come to life is amazing! You are for sure one to watch! Between you Chris A. and many others there is so much to earn here!
Mike: Thank you very much. I just love my hobby and try do it my best. I like learn new techniques and testing different materials. Some years ago i almost finished my hobby, because here in Finland you can find only some European trains and after many H0 European train years, it`s feel quite boring. But then i found an American trains (Bangor & Aroostook, Boston & Maine, Maine Central... ) & O-gauge forum. No everything goes well and i & our small group have Shark Bay layout project. I feel now at American O-scale trains is just a that what i like do it. Thank guys, very inspiration forum.
Johan
Johan, I'm glad you found what works for you in the hobby, and found some friends that share in the interest. I had trains since I was little, but never had any friends to enjoy them with until I found O Gauge Railroading magazine and this Forum!
Mark : Thanks again. This month our club have 20th year party, but next Sunday we packing our Shark Bay layout in to the car and travelling from Köln Germany where is one of the world biggest train show. https://www.modellbahn-koeln.de/en/modellbahn-koeln/
Johan
Johan, I hope you have a great time at the train show! I cant wait to see what you post from there!
As for me I got all my plywood cut and fastened down, then the surprise came when the wife brought me out a Hot Buttered Rum! I know it might not go with trains, but it sure is yummy!
mike g. posted:Johan, I hope you have a great time at the train show! I cant wait to see what you post from there!
As for me I got all my plywood cut and fastened down, then the surprise came when the wife brought me out a Hot Buttered Rum! I know it might not go with trains, but it sure is yummy!
Mike: Thanks. Hot Buttered Rum. Nice.
Johan
BAR GP7 #63 posted:decoynh posted:Welcome Johan. I am glad that you like my area of the USA trains. New England has some great railroads. MTH Trains also makes 0 gauge European trains, Orient Express and so on. We are glad that you enjoy this hobby. I'm 75 and still learning.
Matt: Thank you. I have two BANGOR & AROOSTOOK GP`s, one BL2 and maybe 30 BAR cars, also have 1 MEC and 1 B&M Alco S2 with some cars. They are all MTH PREMIER series, expect another GP is Atlas Master Series. I really hope MTH can paint sometimes BAR EMD F3 or E7 -versions. Would be a nice get Aroostook Flyer or Potatoland Special passenger train. Your layout looking nice, keep up your good work. Today i added some new houses our layout, they are 3D printed Maine area style houses.
Johan
Wow, Johan, you have a good collection there. For the last few years, I have been trying to collect the trains that run through our little town here in New Hampshire. PanAm lines & Guilford are also local trains. The MBTA is also seen at times. CSX is another train that operates some local freights in the east USA. How expensive is it to ship from USA to Finland?
BAR GP7 #63 posted:mike g. posted:Johan, I hope you have a great time at the train show! I cant wait to see what you post from there!
As for me I got all my plywood cut and fastened down, then the surprise came when the wife brought me out a Hot Buttered Rum! I know it might not go with trains, but it sure is yummy!
Mike: Thanks. Hot Buttered Rum. Nice.
Johan
Yep yummy! Plus a great wife & trains, what could be better!
That looks like a great event in Koln, Johan. Have a great time!
Great work getting all that plywood down, Mike!! Evidently Mrs. G. thinks so too!! Plus a great wife & trains, what could be better! I agree!!!
decoynh posted:BAR GP7 #63 posted:decoynh posted:Welcome Johan. I am glad that you like my area of the USA trains. New England has some great railroads. MTH Trains also makes 0 gauge European trains, Orient Express and so on. We are glad that you enjoy this hobby. I'm 75 and still learning.
Matt: Thank you. I have two BANGOR & AROOSTOOK GP`s, one BL2 and maybe 30 BAR cars, also have 1 MEC and 1 B&M Alco S2 with some cars. They are all MTH PREMIER series, expect another GP is Atlas Master Series. I really hope MTH can paint sometimes BAR EMD F3 or E7 -versions. Would be a nice get Aroostook Flyer or Potatoland Special passenger train. Your layout looking nice, keep up your good work. Today i added some new houses our layout, they are 3D printed Maine area style houses.
Johan
Wow, Johan, you have a good collection there. For the last few years, I have been trying to collect the trains that run through our little town here in New Hampshire. PanAm lines & Guilford are also local trains. The MBTA is also seen at times. CSX is another train that operates some local freights in the east USA. How expensive is it to ship from USA to Finland?
Matt: Almost forgot my MTH B&M BL2. Usually shipping (cars) cost 20-40 dollars and locomotives 50-60 dollars. Usually i buy all my locos from USA or Canada, but sometimes i can found something here in Europe. Also ebay working very well. I have maybe 300 blu-rays & dvd`s only USA & Canadian trains, always try get all Maine area train films.
Johan
Ah, no hills on a temporary layout is sooo much better! The identical track sections are laying around. Now to see if I can come up with a good way to quickly support an upper level.
Mark Boyce posted:That looks like a great event in Koln, Johan. Have a great time!
Great work getting all that plywood down, Mike!! Evidently Mrs. G. thinks so too!! Plus a great wife & trains, what could be better!
Thanks Mark! The wife (CFO) thinks it looks good and is happy I am making progress! I worked on outlining the track layout today, I got all the inside and outside lines brawn out on the plywood. Then it dawned on me, I have no idea where I am going to put all these building I have! LOL
I think I am going to add some curves to the layout so to fit most of the cause I really like them! If anyone is interested in helping me place the building on the layout, let me know and I will post a list of building I have along with a picture of the track plan!
Mark Boyce posted:Ah, no hills on a temporary layout is sooo much better! The identical track sections are laying around. Now to see if I can come up with a good way to quickly support an upper level.
Mark, my offer still stands! I will build you something if needed!
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