What did you do on your layout today?

lee drennen posted:

Mike. Thanks the car is kinda chocolate brown but changes colors in the light. 
The only place is I need a pic is a side view where the rail cars go through. There’s a rectangle block mold in the base I’m going to eliminate that and replace it with something else I was just wondering if you did that? Thanks for the help. 

Hi Lee, I did the same thing, I just cut a piece of wood to length and attached it to the support. I am heading out in a few minutes so I will get that picture for you!

Hi Lee, here are a couple of pictures. Just a word of warning if you have any really tall cars you will want the shoot spout high up, I had to relocate mine.

Been busy this weekend.  Finished surgery (replacing batteries with BCRs) on my new 3 subway sets and my friends engines they bought at York.  got some great deals at Parma yesterday as well as the trading posts liquidation sale.  Took tons of pictures of the layout and especially my baseball field as I am doing a clinic on static grass and 3 rail in general for my local nmra division promo day next Saturday.  ordered viessmann 1501(google it) for another magnifying window trick scene in another building.  The best item I did purchase yesterday and will have lots of fun with is this homemade electronic sign and stand a grandfather and grandson build and sell at local shows.  Can get it to say anything so as you know Paul 2 is now worried. Lol

Ready to get to the day's work:

After the Last Call patrons had dined and the Dinner Train returned last evening the crew simply tied it down for the night at the old Depot. After lunch they will back the Dinner Train down to it's siding and drop it. Then they will couple up to the train of yesterday's pick-ups and head for Interchange. They will bring back today's train from Interchange and spend the afternoon setting-out and picking-up from the various industries. That work completed and the outgoing train parked on the East End branch behind the Depot the crew will fetch the Dinner Train to the Depot in time for the First Call patrons to board. First Call is at 5:00PM and the Last Call is at 8:00PM. Each trip out-and-back takes an hour, time for the chefs to prepare, the wait-staff to serve and the patrons to dine. It is a popular attraction and makes a few $$ for the Plywood Empire Route, it's train crew and the Dinner Train staff.

geysergazer posted:

 

       

 

Thanks for the incidental view of the glorious fall foliage through your window!

You are welcome! The colors are a bit dim today because it's raining but still gorgeous.

I finished (except for some wiring and room clean-up) the rebuilding of Cape Warrenaveral.

I'm so happy that I started a new thread for it entitled "U.S. Space Force dollars at work!". Check it out.

Anyone else like the military and space related stuff postwar Lionel made?

Picked up this old Marx military barracks. Decided to use use it as the main office for our train line .

I think it looks good and the boys like it. 

Any suggestions for dressing it up?

Edit: I remembered that I had some brick mat. I used that and made a sign for the building.

mike g. posted:

Hi Lee, here are a couple of pictures. Just a word of warning if you have any really tall cars you will want the shoot spout high up, I had to relocate mine.

Thanks Mike for taking the time to post them.If you don’t mine I will screenshot them for reference and delete them when I’m done. On this side is where the trucks will go to load and unload. The farm tractors with wagons will go up the ramp into the building to unload thanks again 

Changed my mind about going to the Medina show. Didn't want to spend the 5.00 dollars profit I made at the Parma show LOL. Ended up going to Menards and picking up my pick up trucks they had train stuff out but nothing I needed and I forgot to look for a train catalog while I was there. Guess that means another trip to Menards. And Mike g I will be working on the layout while I am doing some laundry LOL. Pic................Paul 2

Empty yard.

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Empty yard.

Sick mind?   

Oh, wait, that's desks.  

Mitch 

First chance after York to get back to this CCK store kit that l am bashing into a water mill/ country store combination. Got the main roof on, and will move dormer, tank, etc. around.  Started scratch building the waterwheel....seems like every time l scratch a wheel, l do it differently.  CCK offers a wheel kit, but were out of it.

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Empty yard.

Excellent scene, Johan!

John

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Empty yard.

Great scrapyard scene!

Finally started on the new bench work. 

Jeff, that looks nice and solid!

Johan. Nice looking yard empty yard means empty pockets I’m sure you will fill it up 

Jeff. I agree very solid 

This is a project I’ve been wanting to do with some of these All Nation’s cars. I have about 5 left to restore if this works out they might be Reefers. There’s lots of sanding and fill work reminds me of my old days in shop class anyway enjoy the pics 

Big day on the BRM RR.  My objective was to fix a O22 switch which would operate in one direction only.   I quickly isolated the problem to the controller.  Initial inspection showed a bad contact finger.  It was cracked at the base.  A hot soldering iron fixed that.  The switch is happy again.  While running my #1055 for testing, I discovered three of my switches would not do the non-derail thing.  Any ideas before I pull them out?  The fiber pins are in the right locations    My railroad must work correctly by Friday morning when my Father arrives to play trains.  I had the 4501 pull four Baby Madison cars.  I kept hearing a squeak when the second and third cars came by.  I oiled everybody and the squeak went away.  I'll see what Mr Greenberg says about the derail function tomorrow.

Say good night Garcie.

Johan, the yard looks great. One great scene.

Mark, very nice article on your Christmas layout........congrats 

Mike g, killed two birds with one stone. Got some laundry done and cork glued down for the next section of track. Not sure now if i am going to add the switches I bought  this area. I might just put in some uncoupling tracks. Pics...................Paul 2

jgtrh62 posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Empty yard.

Excellent scene, Johan!

John

John. Thank you. 🤝

Johan

gandydancer1950 posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Empty yard.

Great scrapyard scene!

Gandydancer1950. Thanks. 🤝

Johan

lee drennen posted:

Johan. Nice looking yard empty yard means empty pockets I’m sure you will fill it up 

Jeff. I agree very solid 

Lee. Thank you. Yes, soon the yard is a full again. 🤝

Johan

paul 2 posted:

Johan, the yard looks great. One great scene.

Mark, very nice article on your Christmas layout........congrats 

Mike g, killed two birds with one stone. Got some laundry done and cork glued down for the next section of track. Not sure now if i am going to add the switches I bought  this area. I might just put in some uncoupling tracks. Pics...................Paul 2

 

Paul. Thank you. Your layout looking a very interested. It's would be a nice switching there.

Johan

Mark Boyce posted:

Jeff, that looks nice and solid!

lee drennen posted:

Jeff. I agree very solid 

Thanks!  Yeah, my wife says I tend to OVER build things.    I had planned on using 1x4 boards, but got sticker shock at the prices so went with 2x4 boards instead.  Cost less and just easier for me to deal with.  It's a bit heavier, and it's definitely solid.  I'll probably need to climb on it to reach the back corners, so it needs to support me.  My daughter tried to wiggle it and it didn't budge.    The size of that bench work is 5'x8'.  I'm going to build another 5'x8' section, and then a 6'x8' section, for a L-shaped layout.  

Mark Boyce posted:

Jeff, that looks nice and solid!

lee drennen posted:

Jeff. I agree very solid 

Thanks!  Yeah, my wife says I tend to OVER build things.    I had planned on using 1x4 boards, but got sticker shock at the prices so went with 2x4 boards instead.  Cost less and just easier for me to deal with.  It's a bit heavier, and it's definitely solid.  I'll probably need to climb on it to reach the back corners, so it needs to support me.  My daughter tried to wiggle it and it didn't budge.    The size of that bench work is 5'x8'.  I'm going to build another 5'x8' section, and then a 6'x8' section, for a L-shaped layout.  

I have large swivel wheels under all the legs of my 9.5 by 19.5 table and am able to move it with a little effort. If you go this route go for a bigger wheel I used 4 inch  ones from Harbor Freight as the 2 inch ones I originally used didn't cut it. Nothing wrong with over building till you have to take it apart LOL.

We have a big family, and they're going to be gathering in Amarillo this week, for our oldest son's 50th birthday and costume party on Halloween.  They will be in and out of the train room all week, so . . . I cleaned track, and cleaned track, and cleaned more track.  

Today, I'm putting together three short trains with very reliable locomotives, for everybody to run, and will lube and oil the engines and cars, as well as clean the wheels.

Cleaned track using Trackman 2000 on the mainline and one of my homemade caboose cleaners on the short line.

Dave Ripp. posted:

I have large swivel wheels under all the legs of my 9.5 by 19.5 table and am able to move it with a little effort. If you go this route go for a bigger wheel I used 4 inch  ones from Harbor Freight as the 2 inch ones I originally used didn't cut it. Nothing wrong with over building till you have to take it apart LOL.

Hmm, that might be a good idea.  Thanks!

Bill. Good luck on the switches

Paul. Looks like lots of progress 

Jeff. Great idea on the plans for the layout there almost like what I’m planning 

Tom. Have a safe trip this week I’ll be 51 tomorrow 

Brian  looks like we’re  still in the Northwest territory Great pics as always love that Northern Pacific 

Matt  nice looking layout I still clean the old fashioned way I need to jump into the 21 century 

Johan, the way you did the yard scene with the backdrop makes it the look like it is deeper then it actually is. Very good and I like the  weathering job on the refridgerator car.

Lee, I really like the way you have been doing the All Nation cars.

Brian, great pics.

DECOYNH, good looking layout. 

Mike g, watching your progress got me started on working on the layout again.

So this morning I got down early, pulled the nails out of the cork and painted the road bed. I'll let that dry and later, while doing more laundry LOL, lay down some track or maybe lay down ballast first. Pics Paul 2

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Time to ship those potatoes, Johan.  It won't be long before the snow flies.

paul 2 posted:

Johan, the way you did the yard scene with the backdrop makes it the look like it is deeper then it actually is. Very good and I like the  weathering job on the refridgerator car.

Lee, I really like the way you have been doing the All Nation cars.

Brian, great pics.

DECOYNH, good looking layout. 

Mike g, watching your progress got me started on working on the layout again.

So this morning I got down early, pulled the nails out of the cork and painted the road bed. I'll let that dry and later, while doing more laundry LOL, lay down some track or maybe lay down ballast first. Pics Paul 2

 

Paul

that's looking very good. And thanks for the complement on the All Nations cars 

Thanks for the compliment Paul. I’m still only on one floor. My cars with Scotchbrite attached with Velcro to the bottom are usually in every freight consist - cleaning all the time. I bring out the Trackman 2000 for heavier duty cleaning. It’s the weight. 

paul 2 posted:

Johan, the way you did the yard scene with the backdrop makes it the look like it is deeper then it actually is. Very good and I like the  weathering job on the refridgerator car.

Lee, I really like the way you have been doing the All Nation cars.

Brian, great pics.

DECOYNH, good looking layout. 

Mike g, watching your progress got me started on working on the layout again.

So this morning I got down early, pulled the nails out of the cork and painted the road bed. I'll let that dry and later, while doing more laundry LOL, lay down some track or maybe lay down ballast first. Pics Paul 2

 

Looks good Paul. I think you may need to start re-locating your piles of stuff pretty soon.....

Bob, I hate to say it but that is my last place to store stuff. Under the tables I made so far all of them are stuffed with stuff. I need a bigger basement. The attic is full to capacity and now I am using the porch and garage for the overflow....................Paul 2

Got some sit down work down, the doctor made me get off my feet for two weeks to rest my ailing knee. Finished work on 2 M-113 APC and 2 M1A1's. The M 113's are from a 3D printer (not me). I designated them as ambulance models.