Mark, I’m glad you got something even though it’s not quite what you wanted. I hit a few rough patches after I retired, and after a few false starts, I was able to get a good job. I hope you do as well. I agree with you Paul has been able to create something special. Well done Paul.
Andy
Andy, Thank you! It seems in 43 years of employment, I have come full circle. No one wants an old technician/engineer with old skills. 
I rolled the inputs and outputs for my inner loop of track from Fixed 2 to Variable 2 on my TIU (chasing a track signal problem). It fixed the track signal issue and allowed me to run conventional engines from the DCS Wifi Ap on my phone. So I just spent and enjoyable half and hour or so, running my childhood 646 (as well as two PS2/PS3 engines on a different loop of track) from the DCS Wifi Ap on my phone.
I think I need an AIU now...
My home layout is a simple wedding cake style pair of tables, the bottom table is 7' X 10' and the top is 4' X 8'. Its primary purpose is to display my wife's collection of Dept 56 buildings. The displayed items are rotated 4 times a year. This year in addition to the usual spring rotation, I created a play space below the layout for my grandchildren. I installed rubber play mats and LED rope lighting along with cable organizers to keep the various chords and cables out of their way while they are playing. I finished with the play space and lighting today along with the change of the ground cover from white (snow) to green (spring). I will be adding back the trains and putting out the spring/summer buildings next and should be back operating in about 2 weeks.
I included a couple of shots of the table with its green cover and the lower level O gauge tubular track along with the controls for the trains (O gauge and Flyer S gauge) along with two of the new play space.
Rolland
Paul, looks great! I hope you had fun at the meet!
Brian, you sure have some beautiful engines!
Mark, I am glad you got a position somewhere, sorry its shift work. Doesn't sound fun!
RAK, sounds like you had a fun day!
Rolland, cool idea to share train space with the wife! Not at my house LOL. Even more I love the idea for the kids play space!
Didn't do anything but yard work today, but did get my free book library put back up that came down in the snow. I does have a little train something to it!
Mark Boyce posted:Bob, That is a great catch on the Curve Webcam!
Brian, BNSF looking good!
Mike, Yes it's better to get rd of the rats nest now, while you are still building and testing!
Paul, You have really done a great job with that narrow piece of layout with the trains going through a forest, then plunging out over the great gorge, and right back in a forest! Thank you for the hopes I can get back to the layout. I don't know what the near future holds. I had been working part time but they haven't needed me so this is my final week of unemployment. My marketable skills are over 10 years old and what I have been doing the last 11 years isn't really wanted by anyone. I finally was offered and accepted a part time position with the local cable company in a tech support call center role. They are a competitor of my previous telecom employer. Dealing with the upset or nasty customers will be the challenge. The pay is much lower than I had even been getting in unemployment, but it is an answer to prayer we will be getting something. I think I am going to have to file for Social Security to make ends meet. Well I am older than both my dad and father-in-law were when they fully retired. After training, it will be shift work, so it remains to be seen what train shows, events I can go to. Well it won't be too many years, I am pushing 63.
So anyway, that and doing what yard work I am still capable of at home and at my parents' house may keep me from much layout work. At least I have a start that I can do a little bit here and there when time allows. That is the good thing!!!
well Boyce I am so glad you found something to help you get by. Chances are after they learn what an experienced worker you are they will first increase the hours and then offer you a leadership role. And possibly a pay increase. So try and keep the carrot out in front for a little while. 😊
(as my coach said many times many years ago, I only play those with bruised legs an arms and scabs on the knees.)
I too have enjoyed this daily progress report on the waterfall. A fella can learn and be inspired to develop and continue.😃
My winter did not go as planned and did not get to work on my layout. And now the outdoor work just began a couple of hours ago after UK basketball has now ended for another season.
So, I have promised myself to make time for some special projects. Like I have read on OGR many times, ten minutes, then an hour as long as we are in the train room.😊
John d.
mike g. posted:
Cool Mike g.
As they say here , libary. No first r.
A good idea . Maybe u get some train books dropped off in exchange.
RAK, Sounds like you made great progress getting the wiring right and running the postwar and PS2/PS3 trains!
Rolland, That play area under the layout looks great! My wife bought a play table at the thrift store like the one you have under the layout. I took it apart and stored it in the attic with a lot of other preschool trains and play sets with pieces missing she bought, since we don't have any grandchildren yet.
Mike, So the free book library is a going thing in Washington as well as here. It probably actually started on the West Coast first then came here. Like most things, Pennsylvania is slow to catch on. 
Thank you about the congratulations on the job. At least it is only 5 hours a day I have to take whatever comes in over the phone.
John, Thank you! You never know what might happen, that is for sure. While I would be at the bottom of the list, it seems I fit into things no one else wants to do, so you may just be right. There are 4 other castoffs from the old company I worked at who are all in nice positions in their respective fields. At least this job is only a mile and a half from home! I won't have to drive clear into the Pittsburgh suburbs anymore.
John, you had a good idea, Mike may get some train books to look at!! 
Grateful to whomever it was on this forum that recommended the Rustoleum stone textured spray paint for those of us looking for an alternative to ballasting track.
The result for me so far is completely satisfactory.
mike g. posted:Paul, looks great! I hope you had fun at the meet!
Brian, you sure have some beautiful engines!
Mark, I am glad you got a position somewhere, sorry its shift work. Doesn't sound fun!
RAK, sounds like you had a fun day!
Rolland, cool idea to share train space with the wife! Not at my house LOL. Even more I love the idea for the kids play space!
Didn't do anything but yard work today, but did get my free book library put back up that came down in the snow. I does have a little train something to it!
Aah, the memories! There was a tiny unincorporated area in South Carolina that had a one-room shed for a public library. It was open three hours per week.
Kevin, Looks great!! I wrote about using it recently, but got the idea from someone else here on the Forum, but I’ve fogotten who to give credit to.
Mark Boyce posted:Kevin, Looks great!! I wrote about using it recently, but got the idea from someone else here on the Forum, but I’ve fogotten who to give credit to.
Many thanks to you, Mark, and any others who may have passed this technique along through the ages!
I just finished the first of several ET&WNC Hopper kits. I decided to build one, to get an idea how to build the rest easier. I'm glad I did, because the instructions were an Unholy nightmare to figure out. I pretty much had to build the kit based upon what I thought was correct, and I guessed for most of it.
The only problem is it rides very high, so I need to try to figure out a way to lower it, or find lower trucks. Next, comes painting and decaling. I think I'm going to complete this one in its entirety, before I take on the rest of them.
Andy, I'm glad the idea was helpful.
Lee, the car looks great!
It's Monday 
. No train time for me this weekend, 6 bags of leaves and dead grass occupied Saturday. Yesterday was shopping and honey do's. Oh well- at least the Forum keeps the train juices flowing.
Lee- No secret access code required....Virtual railfan on YouTube. Very cool site. The Curve is one of my favorites. Ashland Va. has lot's of CSX and Amtrak action.
Mark- Good to hear you found something. Hang in there, your positive can do attitude will get you something better. Be prepared to get yelled at a lot. We've all been on the other end of the phone with the Cable company. 
Mike- Cool book box. Never seen that around here, well not on the street at least. The books would get stolen and the box smashed buy vandals. 
Looks like Spring is in full swing out west.
Lee P51- nice hopper car. I hate reading instructions to begin with. Even worse when they don't make sense.
Kevin- the paint looks good.
RLAHAIE- very nice. Looks like Grandpa's house is a cool place to hang out.
RAK- nice work on the wiring and WiFi work.
John- Sorry you didn't get much train time this winter. Sorry about the Cat's too.
Paul- Nothing left to say except...well done Sir! 
Hope I got everyone. Lot's to keep up with here.
Bob
Bob, Thank you! My younger daughter worked there for a while in customer service. She had to give it up when she couldn't keep the periodically shift change interfered with her music lesson business and Mendelssohn Choir practice and performance. She said the company treats people good. Yes, they had an online simulator in the candidate screening process that had you go through two calls. The second call, the customer got huffy! There is the benefit that the phone acts as a firewall to an extent. It is not like seeing body language and having to look into their eyes. It also blocks the right hooks and left jabs!! 
p51 posted:
Nice project Lee. Nice to know that you still have things to do on your wonderful layout!
Cheers, Dave
New topic up!
The Sodor Island Lighthouse is not my first Lego structure, but it's the first one I built from online instructions. Assembly was easy--finding the right pieces was difficult.
The weather didn’t really cooperate for camping so we took a side trip to a museum nearby, where they had a static Baldwin Frisco 4-8-2
Picked up a weathered and built HO water tank at the Greenberg Show in Wilmington, MA last weekend for $5.00.
Seems to be the right overall size for mounting on top of an O scale building, although the base might be a little too tall. I may have to cut and inch or so off the bottom to look "right".
Didn't catch it before, but it looks like the guy in green lying on the front hospital steps must have passed out after they handed him the bill as he was walking out - LOL !!
I had several buildings on the layout whose lighting had expired sometime ago. I decided to fix-em-up. This began by replacing burnt out bulbs. Then, I re-visited the window treatments in each. Besides clear plastic to simulate window panes, I added tissue paper to the inside which gives the internal lighting a nice warm glow. 
My MTH switch tower was on the to-do list as well. It's been sitting in this same location for as long as the layout's been up (20+ years) and was bone stock, out-of-the-box MTH.
The old site is cleaned up and ready.
Besides fixing the lights I added some detail and figures.
I took the base off because I was going to paint it then realized that it looked better without the base.
jgtrh62 posted:Hello all,
I was able to get the mold finished for my abutments and have since casted and installed them and currently closing in on the surrounding terrain and scenery. Overall I’m pleased with the outcome.
Looking good!
Lee, good job so far on the hopper car. Get this one under your belt and the rest will come easier.
Bob, you got your tour of duty in the yard out of the way for the time being. I have to still get out to do yard work.
Elliot, the skirting will look good when it is done. I myself like the velco idea. Maybe with Patrick coming over gave you a boost to get going on the layout again.
Since I finished the gorge module I haven't jumped back into anything. What I should do is work on the backdrop at the front of the layout. Lou N gave me a few HO cardstock buildings to work with. Some of them I would like to get them made into O size. I have to find a place that does that. This afternoon USPS dropped off one more Weaver TOFC. With York coming up I am hoping to find two more hard to get ones. Pic............Paul
Comin' atcha'!
Lew
It's me again folks. Last we spoke I was in the beginning stages of curve manufacture for my grandson's "bar track". Hunter came over a couple weeks ago around lunch and we used clamps, hands and a sharpie to mark where the holes go. Once that was completed and I ran a couple of trains for his daughter and my grandson, he left, and the next Monday I began drilling holes.
Today I finally drilled and tapped my last set of holes for the fourth curve, and they await to be painted blue.
The two I do have finished are downstairs awaiting installation, which requires more holes, more tapping. But, once they are all installed, it's a clear shot to finished. So hopefully I will be able to send you those pictures in about another two weeks. I also plan to walk to Mars in the next two weeks. As you can see my faith in the time line is not overwhelming. I've only been waiting for this moment since Thanksgiving.
I promise, pictures once it is done. Maybe a video instead if I can get it to attach.
Looks good Lew.
Paul- More TOFC's? A man on a mission.
Yardmaster- looking forward to pictures. Sounds like an interesting project.
Ran trains for a few minutes tonight. Having an issue with my WM RS-3. It keeps hesitating and stalling going over my 5121 and 2 turnouts. Any free advice out there? I would think that a long loco with a double trucks and two power pickups wouldn't do that.
It's a RailKing with Loco sounds.
John, that scene is going to look nice!
Paul, TOFC King!
Lew, the crane siding is looking great!
Yardmaster96, Sounds like good progress.
Bob, I'm sorry that great looking RS3 is having issues on the switches! I'm sorry I don't know anything about the switches you are using.
I must agree Paul is becoming a “pig prince” love that interstate system. Great score Paul!
kevin. That stuff looks awesome good job.
Bob. Thanks for the web site and your pics of your layout are great
Lee. The hopper looks great, nice scratch
Lew. I like that crane looking good.
John. I like the looks of the signal
Brian. Great pics of “Uncle Pete” as always.
Ralph. I like the that switch tower nice pics of your layout.
Today my milk car came in the mail. I didn’t wait any time putting it on the layout
Mighty great looking train, Lee!
Thanks mark almost done collecting the milk cars
April Fools Day came a day early this year. The day before I was sitting outside eating peanuts with a friendly neighborhood squirrel. When I told Mom that there was snow on the ground, she reminded me that I was a day early for April Fool's Day. Today, April 1st, the snow melted away, and I wonder if I dreamed it all.
I am still painting people, but I am almost finished with the six China figures that go with the 24 Preiser Seated figures in my Santa Fe and UP Add-on passenger cars. I am not buying the Lionel NS Executive or CP 21" passenger cars because they do not have diaphragms that close between the cars. On my railroad, we do not make passengers jump four feet to the next passenger car.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
John, here in Northwestern Pennsylvania we had about that much snow on April Fools day. Yes cars without diaphragms look dangerous!!!
lee drennen posted:Thanks mark almost done collecting the milk cars
Very nice collection Lee. They look right at home behind that steam engine. Can you tell me where you got the building on the siding? I'm considering something similar for one of my sidings and I like the look of yours.
Bob
John. I was hoping for one more snow Saturday here in Missouri ozark foothills but it just rained when it got to Indiana it turned to snow.
Bob thanks pretty proud of the consistent. I got the building at a hobby shop in St. Louis I bought it lose I think it might be a Walthers.
Thanks Lee. I'm leaning toward the Ameritowne Machine Shop from OGR.
Morning everyone, I know I cam cheating but there has been so much great work being done while I have been cleaning the yard. I wont do a person by person today as there is so much!
I would have done it yesterday, but the daughter and grandkids came over for a surprise visit! Spent all day with them playing in the yard, taking Tank for a walk, and showing them the updated train room. LOL All I got from them on the train room was COOL. They are more into there leggo's then anything else! Oh well maybe when I get more then one train running!
I hope everyone has a great week, spose to rain here the rest of the week so inside train work for when I am not at the store!
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