NSRailfan100 posted:No layout work today due to York! Today I’ve been out at Strasburg for fun stuff happening before the meet. I took a lot of video today! I’m going to try to compile them into 1 video and post it on my YouTube channel. Hope that some you guys will make it out to York!
Here is the link to the video!
Today I continued the DeCTC project by installing a mini-panel for the East End branch:
NSRailfan100 posted:NSRailfan100 posted:No layout work today due to York! Today I’ve been out at Strasburg for fun stuff happening before the meet. I took a lot of video today! I’m going to try to compile them into 1 video and post it on my YouTube channel. Hope that some you guys will make it out to York!
Here is the link to the video!
That's a really nice video! Have a great time at York!!
Hey Y'all,
I've been in bed most of the day. Bad reaction to a new prescription. About 7PM, I wondered out to the train building. I cleared the main line and put two #1055 Texas specials on the track. One is faster than the other when cold but that reverses when they warm up. I played "don't tag" for two hours. Anyone else do that? It takes careful throttle work to prevent crashes on the South end. I need to make a video of that. It is silly and childish but very entertaining. Now back to bed.
Bill
CoastsideKevin posted:Aldovar posted:We painted a few insulators on our telephone poles
This is a great idea - I hope you don't mind if I copy it!
Hey there! No need to ask! :-) Here are a few more pictures of them completed, I took some tri-line braided fishing line and we strung them up. We got some fingernail polish from Walmart that sort of matched what I thought an insulator looked like. The color is a bit more blue than the one shown but I have a buddy who collects them. He said they came in pretty much every color you can think of. Over paint isn't a big problem for us because well.. there are also legos on the train set and a blue raptor. :-)
Ran trains for about 10 minutes before going to bed last night. Tomorrow I go to York. Good times!!
Start build a Bangor & Aroostook cattle car. Next must 3D print a new doors & order decals.
Finished the de-centralized control project. No more master control panel. The Plywood Empire Route is now set up for walkaround operation (actually roll around with an office chair):
Looking East four mini-panels can be seen.
Looking West. All track switches, remote uncouplers and car-stoppers are now controlled from close-by the action.
And of course, a walkaround throttle completes the control scheme:
BAR GP7 #63 posted:Start build a Bangor & Aroostook cattle car. Next must 3D print a new doors & order decals.
that flatcar is sooooo realistic
Watch where your stepping in that cattle car, Johan! Yes, very realistic, indeed! 
Rusty
geysergazer posted:lee drennen posted:geysergazer posted:What'd I do today? Worked on my DCTC project. Whazzat, you say? DeCentralized Traffic Control, that's what it is. It started with the Plywood Empire Route's acquisition of an MTH PS3 SW1500:
With speed control, switching became smooooth and slooooow, which quickly led me to the MTH DCS Remote Commander in order to inexpensively take full advantage of speed control:
The remote unchained me from a stationary "transformer". Then along came the incomparable Atlas O Sw9:
which is similarly slow&smooth but without electronics and which works beautifully with an MRC Walkaround throttle:
The more I develop switching operation the more I want to be right up close and now, enabled by walk-around throttles, I am slowly eliminating the [familiar] central control panel in favor of mini-panels placed where switching operations occur. Not a "walk-around" layout but rathe a "roll-around" pike (because cape cod with a waist-wall on the second floor where the train room is). Roll-around via the old office-chair zoom.
It started with this mini-panel in front of the Paint Factory:
Today's project was a smaller panel in front of the track switch for the heating oil wholesaler:
The West End track switch, remote uncoupler and car-stopper controls so the operator is right up close to operation. Next will be similar setups for the East End and there will be no more master control panel.
Lew
I'm really liking those tank cars
Lee, I'm pretty sure the GULF tank car is a fantasy paint scheme but I like it too. As a kid we would drive past the Gulf research facility which of course had a big orange GULF sign iirc on the roof of the building. We once toured the place and I was fascinated by the glass-blowers making laboratory glassware.
Lew
I’ve always liked Gulf we had one in town then Gulf went out of business here a couple years ago I guy restored the old Gulf station and did a great job I’ll get some pics for you
Johan
you can always out do your self great looking Cattle car can’t wait to see it done I like how the floor boards look warped
Ed, She did and Excellent job on the pols and insulators!
Pat, nothing like running trains!
Brian, B&O serving 13 great states!
Lew, roll around operating is the best! Watch out for obstacles!! 
Johan, Yes I agree, the interior of the car is fantastic!!!
gandydancer1950 posted:BAR GP7 #63 posted:Start build a Bangor & Aroostook cattle car. Next must 3D print a new doors & order decals.
that flatcar is sooooo realistic
Gandydancer1950. Thanks. 🤝
Johan
Diverging Clear posted:Watch where your stepping in that cattle car, Johan! Yes, very realistic, indeed!
Rusty
Rusty. Thank you, i try. 🤝
Johan
lee drennen posted:Johan
you can always out do your self great looking Cattle car can’t wait to see it done I like how the floor boards look warped
Lee. Thank you. It's can takes some weeks before i get the decals. 🤝
Johan
Mark Boyce posted:Ed, She did and Excellent job on the pols and insulators!
Pat, nothing like running trains!
Brian, B&O serving 13 great states!
Lew, roll around operating is the best! Watch out for obstacles!!
Johan, Yes I agree, the interior of the car is fantastic!!!
Mark. Thank you. I post more pics when the car is ready. 🤝
Johan
it's getting close to that time again... 
to open more presents... 
and run lots of trains... 
have a great weekend everyone !!!
Uuuuu! Brian, that Atlas box looks especially interesting....
Hi guys, I know I am a day or 2 late but great work everyone!
Lew, Your mini panels look great, Its going to be nice to be right on top of the action! I would have done wood flooring but it gets cold in the garage/train room.
Bill, I am glad your feeling better! I run 2 trains on the same track only I feel LUCKY! LOL
Aldovar, I think they turned out looking great! Nice job on stringing the wire! Looks as real as can be!
Patrick, running trains before bed can be relaxing! But on the other hand it can suck you into the train room for hours before bed time! LOL
Brian, wonderful pictures as always! I am excited for you and your early Christmas time! I hope your letting Marci and Izzy help you!
Johan, what realism with your cattle car! I am happy for you that you are able to 3D print the doors! At my place if the car was missing the door or it got broke it would just have to go without!
Eric, Nice work on the lights! If you don't mind me asking where do you get the stuff to build them?
Carl, things are looking good! If my wife walked in and see that hanging in the shower she would kill me! LOL
Well I hope to get out and work a little more on the tunnels today before splitting more wood, I should really work on the wood to get it done and out of the way, but a day not in the train room just doesn't seam right! LOL
I Hope you all have a great day and an even better weekend! Please try and find time for your trains and your layout!
Pingman posted:Spot filled with putty and sanded, then re-primed the cars for the Great Northern Empire Builder.
Interesting shower curtain you have there .
"IZZY and TIA" testing their drawbar strength...
mike g. posted:Hi guys, I know I am a day or 2 late but great work everyone!
Lew, Your mini panels look great, Its going to be nice to be right on top of the action! I would have done wood flooring but it gets cold in the garage/train room.
Bill, I am glad your feeling better! I run 2 trains on the same track only I feel LUCKY! LOL
Aldovar, I think they turned out looking great! Nice job on stringing the wire! Looks as real as can be!
Patrick, running trains before bed can be relaxing! But on the other hand it can suck you into the train room for hours before bed time! LOL
Brian, wonderful pictures as always! I am excited for you and your early Christmas time! I hope your letting Marci and Izzy help you!
Johan, what realism with your cattle car! I am happy for you that you are able to 3D print the doors! At my place if the car was missing the door or it got broke it would just have to go without!
Eric, Nice work on the lights! If you don't mind me asking where do you get the stuff to build them?
Carl, things are looking good! If my wife walked in and see that hanging in the shower she would kill me! LOL
Well I hope to get out and work a little more on the tunnels today before splitting more wood, I should really work on the wood to get it done and out of the way, but a day not in the train room just doesn't seam right! LOL
I Hope you all have a great day and an even better weekend! Please try and find time for your trains and your layout!
Mike. Thank you Sir. The reason why i need to 3D print a new doors is a orginal doors not looking same than BAR -car.
Johan
Aha! Brian, it looks like you have two train-room helpers.
My helper was soooo bored yesterday because it rained all day: no walk and no fetching-the-ball X 100.
Rainy days she spends badgering me to give her skritches.
Brian, That looks like a massive drawbar strength test!
Lew, know what you mean about a dog needing skritches. Ours does the same. Our dog, Annie, is on my wife's lap, older daughter's Teagan in the green sweater, and younger daughter's Frisk with the ears, all 'need' skritches.
Mark, lotta' skritches needed all around. Good thing we humans are trainable 
.
Hey, that locomotive has sound!
Vincent Massi posted:Hey, that locomotive has sound!
That little scamp is full grown at a whopping 7 pounds. Yes it has sound!!!
Hi Guys, looks like everyone is having fun! I would post a picture of my buddy but haven't taken any lately!
Well I spent all day working in the train room, ballast the track going under the mountain and started working on the mountain it self. Its quite the project as I have to make it so I can take up the top incase something happens inside the mountain.
Tomorrow will probably be all wood splitting since I skipped it today. Time will tell as my body can only take so much of splitting. But I will tell you climbing up on the layout to build a mountain sure take its toll on the knees and back.
I Know Lew, no pictures it didn't happen. Well I have such a mess I would be ashamed to have anyone see it in the state its in! If I get a chance tomorrow to clean it up a little I will take a couple pictures and post them then!
I sure hope everyone has a great Weekend and please don't work to hard! LOL
I'll take your word for it, Mike! I'm glad you got time for the layout yesterday. I didn't get any train time myself.
Thanks Mark!
Lew sorry it was a typo in my last post but I went back and fixed it so everyone else will know if they don't post pictures LEW says it didn't happen!
Well its 5:10 AM here so I thought I would go out and get some cleaning done as I cant start the log splitter till 8 AM. I will work on getting some pictures for you all today!
Mike, It is a good thing we have Lew here to keep us on the straight and narrow!! I certainly appreciate both of your input!!!
I'm in Indiana for a family reunion. No room to bring my trains. I will get to spend time with my Father, and Mr Greenberg's prewar book, trying to recall what he had as a boy. It's cold up here! I need coffee.
geysergazer posted:Finished the de-centralized control project. No more master control panel. The Plywood Empire Route is now set up for walkaround operation (actually roll around with an office chair):
Looking West. All track switches, remote uncouplers and car-stoppers are now controlled from close-by the action.
Well done. I'm also a big fan of locating controls on the fascia for close-by action. It also helps avail visitor involvement in the operation.
hey Bill, you are getting pretty close to me over here in Ohio !
swing on by and say Hi ...
looks like it is going to nice out here this weekend !!
have a great weekend everyone !
Bill, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family and father! I wish my dad was still around but the big "C" took him many years ago!
Dave, Nice looking controls!
Brian, I hope its nice there. Its just pouring rain here! Great weather to be outside splitting wood! LOL
Well I have been out in the garage/train room cleaning and it doesn't even look like I made a dent in it. I still have an hour and a half before I can start the splitter so I am heading back out. I just wanted to check in and take a break!
Everyone have a great weekend and find time to have fun with your trains and layout!
I visit to our Museum Railroad and take some pics & videos.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
