What did you do on your layout today?

Lew, that was exceptionally fast service!!! 

Looks good, works nicely! 

Busy all day!  Twelve hours total.  Most of it on my back, running wires, and listening to the Beatles.  I wired the three new clamp-ons and all the switches in the south yards.  Testing went very well.  However.... while drilling my lexan control panel for a spare switch, it broke into three pieces.  Maybe I should have stopped just a little earlier.  It will be cool in the morning.  Good time to hunt for more for more lexan in the garage.  The next one is always better.

Do y'all have permanent lights under your tables?  I'm feeling inclined.  I have a bunch of 10mm white LEDs that aren't busy.

Bill

My wife thinks I’m going over the edge........      Muuuwahhhaaahaaa!  

                        Have a great weekend !!

TedW posted:

My wife thinks I’m going over the edge........      Muuuwahhhaaahaaa!  

I love it Ted ! Just don't hit the throttle

Great work everyone! I will be heading out shortly back to the store, but wanted to say what great work everyone is doing!

Brian, Love them BNSF photos!

Lew, That sure is some fast work, I should have you come over and do my LED's for me! LOL

Well I would like to list everyone like normal, but I am crunched for time this morning. I did get a little time in the train room yesterday and took down the airfield and underground parking. Now I am just thinking on how high I want to make the top of the mountain! If I am lucky I will get a little time today also!

Everyone have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! Remember please have FUN!

geysergazer posted:

On Edit: Mark, just done now!

 

Did some wiring:

         

Assembled the bits and:

         

Control Panel! No track schematic.

Track elevation on the Plywood Empire Route is 36.5" off the floor so just right for sitting in a chair and having the trains be a little below eye level. As such you really want to put your legs under the table and get right up close to operations. A control panel large enough to have a track diagram would prevent putting one's legs under the layout. Hence the skinny version seen here (4"H X 20"W). It works nicely.

Lew

Panel looks to be working great

How about the view out the window...No need for a backdrop there!

Thanks, JD. That is Mt Williams, part of the Mt Greylock massif. Mt Williams is 2900ft and a mile to the South is the Mt Greylock summit at 3489ft, the High Point of Massachusetts. The Appalachian Trail is behind the window center post. I never get tired of that view and it's one of the reasons we bought this house.

Lew

mike g. posted:

Great work everyone! I will be heading out shortly back to the store, but wanted to say what great work everyone is doing!

Brian, Love them BNSF photos!

Lew, That sure is some fast work, I should have you come over and do my LED's for me! LOL

Well I would like to list everyone like normal, but I am crunched for time this morning. I did get a little time in the train room yesterday and took down the airfield and underground parking. Now I am just thinking on how high I want to make the top of the mountain! If I am lucky I will get a little time today also!

Everyone have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! Remember please have FUN!

Yes but Mike, your work on your control panel is so much neater than mine  I have always tended to be a bit slap-dash and end up with a lot of do-overs 

Lew

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        Have a great weekend !!

 

 

Brian, I like your Hustle Muscle on the Rio Grande  The slanted radiator grills give away the big brutes.

Lew

           Lew,  a little more,  "Hustle Muscle"...

mike g. posted:

Great work everyone! I will be heading out shortly back to the store, but wanted to say what great work everyone is doing!

Brian, Love them BNSF photos!

                    here you go Mike... a little more BNSF           have a great weekend !!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

           Lew,  a little more,  "Hustle Muscle"...

 

 

Eggcellent, Brian!

Lew

Bill, Twelve hours!  That was quite a day, although the Beatles helped out a lot!!  I have never put lights under a layout, but I think it is a great idea!

Brian, Great photographs!

Ted, I think it is wonderful!!

Mike, I know what you mean about time!

Lew, I noticed the view out the window, and agree it was a great choice of locations for your home.

Found time to do a little "urban renewal" and re-locate a few buildings and lighting to find room to put in the new Lionel "Teddy

Rentz" Hobby Shop.

Richie, Urban renewal at its best!

I have enjoyed seeing the work that is being done on the layouts this week.

I have been tinkering with my Lionel 86' boxcars as I confirm my collection inventory and get ready to significantly down-size my railroad.  My brother-in-law's five year battle with Parkinson's Disease ended on July 20th at 1:00 A.M.  Robert was a wonderful father of three children, devoted husband to my sister, and a great brother-in-law. He is five years older than me, and his passing set me in motion to downsize my trains. 

My 92 year-old mother, for whom I am care-giver, would not know where to start in dismantling the collection and layout.  I am pulling boxed cars and letting them have a go-around on my "Valley of Bridges" layout, checking their condition (New) and taking photos for listing them on the Forum and Ebay.

Here is my final video of the Lionel 86' High Cube Boxcars.  Ever determined not to be beaten by mechanical problems, I oiled and re-oiled the kinematic coupler system and wheel axles to get a string of twenty-five cars parading behind my Conrail SD70MAC engines.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John, I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my BIL in April. I miss them all. I am reminded though, of Pogo's advice: "Son, don't let life get you down as it's in no way permanent".

Lew

Today I called it for the summer work session.  Have 2 weeks left before going back to work and that time will be spent doing daily trips/activities with my wonderful wife.  So yesterday and today I got all the tools organized, layout cleaned, and accessories put back where I think I will be using them.  All in all it was a very productive summer working on the layout.  Thanks to Paul for yelling at me daily and for the encouraging words from everyone on this board.  Highlights include finishing the 2nd subway station, finishing touches on the prison, adding more detail to the baseball field, making 3 custom buildings for the red light district, creating run down shop area that is below elevated line, installing elevated line, wiring elevated line, printing, cutting, and attaching girder sections, and finally surviving 2 lunatics who went to my chapter, division, and finally national TCA officials trying to get me kicked out of the TCA for having a jail and strip club on my layout.  I kid you not on that last part.  Had to answer a few emails but in the end they said these 2 were crazy and I didn't need to worry about anything.  Here are some picture highlights...

Bryan, my voice is starting to come back from the yelling LOL. Guess it paid off. Great job on everything. Enjoy the two weeks off before you have to go back to work. Treat Liz to some nice dinners out. Lord knows she deserves it putting up with you LOL. Catch up with you one of these days... Lol Paul 2

Looks like it was a good summer on the layout, Bryan!  Paul did a good job 'encouraging' you!  Now he will be getting his whip mended and lengthened for me!  LOL

John, I'm sorry for the loss of your brother-in-law!!

That is a vast improvement, Lew!  I'm sure you will work something out for the martini!  

paul 2 posted:

Bryan, my voice is starting to come back from the yelling LOL. Guess it paid off. Great job on everything. Enjoy the two weeks off before you have to go back to work. Treat Liz to some nice dinners out. Lord knows she deserves it putting up with you LOL. Catch up with you one of these days... Lol Paul 2

Glad your voice is back now use it on Mark to get him caught up.  Although I hate to break it to you but since I wont be starting any large scale projects doesn't mean I wont be working on anything.  I have a few clubs that I can build in my spare time. Lol

Bryan,  Your work this summer and always is extremely good.  Enjoy your two week break before school starts.  Summer vacation moves quickly.  Christmas vacation will soon be here.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Lew,  The wiring looks very organized.  I spent many days under my layout labeling wires and placing Terminal power strips to organize all the wires for power, then came the wires for Atlas O signals.  I still have the accessories and buildings to do.

I like the view out the window. It makes a wonderful backdrop.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

geysergazer posted:

        

But: Houston, we have a problem. I have nowhere to set my Martini! Guess I'll have to design, build and install a Martini holder 

Lew

 

Bad idea, Lew.  It takes a cold sober mid to appreciate the beauty of your lay-out.

Vincent Massi posted:

geysergazer posted:

        

But: Houston, we have a problem. I have nowhere to set my Martini! Guess I'll have to design, build and install a Martini holder 

Lew

 

Bad idea, Lew.  It takes a cold sober mid to appreciate the beauty of your lay-out.

That old Rule G, eh?

Lew

geysergazer posted:

Vincent Massi posted:

Bad idea, Lew.  It takes a cold sober mid to appreciate the beauty of your lay-out.

That old Rule G, eh?

Lew

Rule G is rigorously enforced on my lay-out.

Worked on Bottom wall of Mountain. Have one small mountain form to finish and then mostly done except some bushes and trees around bottom and middle sections.

CurtisH posted:

Worked on Bottom wall of Mountain. Have one small mountain form to finish and then mostly done except some bushes and trees around bottom and middle sections.

I really like your ballast treatment of the Realtrax. You've completely changed the look&character of the track.

Lew

Vincent Massi posted:

geysergazer posted:

Vincent Massi posted:

Bad idea, Lew.  It takes a cold sober mid to appreciate the beauty of your lay-out.

That old Rule G, eh?

Lew

Rule G is rigorously enforced on my lay-out.

Vincent, Eggcellent! 

Lew

This past week I completed the re-lettering of my two Lionel postwar 6462 NYC gondolas to DM&IR markings.   I was able to remove the old markings with the help of Scalecoate II  Wash Away.   Any remaining heat stamp marks were filled with taping compound before primer coat.   I sprayed final color using ACE Premium Enamel (gloss black).   After decals were completely set and dry, I sprayed 2 thin coats of Rust-Oleum Matte Finish (Clear Protective Finish).   Awaiting possible weathering at a later date.

I purchased the decals on eBay from: https://www.ebay.com/sch/Decal....html?_nkw=k4+decals.    The decals were first rate and easy to work with.

Happy to find a source for O scale decals as it has been difficult locating decals in the past.

Cheers, Dave

PS:  Always fun to follow all the great activity and progress!!

Dave, that Gantry Crane has it's work cut out for it 

Lew

Curtish, the mountain is looking great, as is the nice retaining wall!

Brian, nice Empire Builder

Dave, the gondolas really turned out nice!

Thank you Geysergazer. I did not like the look of the realtrax and since the inside two loops on that side of the layout are the only realtrax, plus the mountain loop, it just did not look right after ballasting the all the Atlas everywhere else. SOOO to Ballasting I went.

Thank you Mark. I actually have to credit my wife for the mountain scenery. She takes care of all the scenery. I do track and build the mountain along with placing the walls. Then she does her magic. Kind of neat having a wife that enjoys the scenery part.

Well tell Mrs. Curtish I think she did a great job!

Hi everyone, its been a couple of days since I have been here, Been really busy at the store and we had some sketchy folks move in a couple houses down the street, so the wife had me install a Security Camera system with motion warning! Hope we don't ever need it, but we have it now!

Lew, You have no idea, the one I have now is the second time around. The first one I drilled the holes in the wrong spot! LOL I think what you might try is to build a Martini flat car and every time it passes you get a drink! LOL

Brian, Great Photos! You must have the whole BNSF Fleet at your place! Just AMAZING!

Richie, Looks Great! Some day I hope to be to that point! I sure hope it turns out looking as good as yours!

John R, I am so sorry for your loss! Sure sounds like a good man! Your run of the 86' High Cube Boxcars is very impressive, Whoever buys them should be very excited to have them!

Bryan, first off have a Great time with your lovely wife! Second WOW what a great train room with such and Amazing layout! You should be very proud of yourself and I know a lot of us are proud of the work you do and share with the rest of us!

Curtish, The mountain  & he wall look great! Just wondering how high is the top of your mountain from bench level?

Dave, Great looking wonk on the decals! Thanks for sharing the information with the rest of us! Now we wont have to spend hours searching for it!

Well everyone it is Sunday, day of rest. But its the only day in a long time I get to be in the train room. I know the lord will forgive me for not resting, but I sure need to clean it up, figure out what to do next and heck run some trains!

I hope everyone has a great day and please have some FUN!

Thanks to John at Azatrax for worked with me to solve the issue with Lionel mainline dwarf light connect to Fastrack switch. He sent me the relay, LARY-DCS to test. It worked great! Will get 9 more relays from him soon.

A little tear down work. This was layout # 7 but I didn't finish it. The layout just wasn't doing it for me so I will be starting from scratch after I get this mess cleaned up LOL. New bench work and new design I'm 56 and tired of climbing on the table to work. Version 8 will be more thought out for reach limitations. You may notice the walls are large mirrors as this was a weight room in my younger days. I have had 2 & 1/2 layouts in this area and always tried to block the mirrors with scenery. Rip them out or embrace them suggestions welcome.