What did you do on your layout today?

Lew, nice work on the switches. I am glad it was an easy fix!

Lirr Steamer, Looks like you have a very nice plan! It's really going to look sharp when your done!

Bill, The GP is going to look nice with lights in it! I hope everything goes well at the doctors appointment!

Steve, welcome back! Your in the right place as there is a bunch of folk's here with an abundance of information and willing to share it with others!

I hope to get a little time in the train room today, but we will see what life has to bring today! LOL I still have to get the floor back in the furnace room, also put up new sheet rock before Saturday so it will be ready when my friend comes back to install the furnace.

I hope everyone has a great day and finds time to enjoy there trains!

Looks like an Electric kind of day at Brianville. 

mike g. posted:

 

I hope to get a little time in the train room today, but we will see what life has to bring today! LOL I still have to get the floor back in the furnace room, also put up new sheet rock before Saturday so it will be ready when my friend comes back to install the furnace.

I hope everyone has a great day and finds time to enjoy there trains!

 

Mike, it's a very good thing you bucked, split and stacked all that firewood! Now it's going to keep you warm while the furnace is awol. 

Happy Monday!

Mike- when it rains it pours. At least you found the source of the water. That can be a PITA to locate sometimes.

Steve- Welcome back. Please share some photos as you progress.

LIRR Steamer- very nice. I like the greenhouse too

Paul and Bryan- Just make sure your tracks line up where your modules meet.

Lew- good idea on the FT. I only use it for my Christmas layout but its getting to be a few years old now. I will inspect carefully before assembling this year.

JD- that float is amazing! Looking forward to the parade video.

Bill- 8:40 AM and I'm hungry! When's dinner?

So I did stuff on my layout yesterday too. I investigated my RS-3 issues further. I tried @LIRR Steamer's advice and ran the loco with one of the LIRR coaches in tow. They have all metal trucks/ couplers. It ran a little better but nothing to say conclusively that I found the problem. I need to take the side frames off the trucks so I can see the wheels better. I hadn't mentioned before that I'm running the engine in conventional mode. At higher voltage/speed it does seem to clear the dead spots.  I also rewired the K-line MP-15 # 168 in series. The gray one was done already. It runs much better now. Ran trains and had fun!

PS- nice shots Brian. You posted while I was writing mine.

Great stuff guys took me a bit to catch up. I moved some stuff on the layout thing I might go west for awhile but I have to get a western power unit until then enjoy the pics 

I’m glad you have a handle on the furnace project, Mike.  It reminds me of the toilet seal that failed because the flooring guy my mother-in-law hired Jerry rigged it instead of putting the right one in.

Bob, I’m glad the RS3 is running well again!

Lee, great looking cars and trucks!

Brian, Amtrak looks great 

RSJB18 posted:

Happy Monday!

Mike- when it rains it pours. At least you found the source of the water. That can be a PITA to locate sometimes.

Steve- Welcome back. Please share some photos as you progress.

LIRR Steamer- very nice. I like the greenhouse too

Paul and Bryan- Just make sure your tracks line up where your modules meet.

Lew- good idea on the FT. I only use it for my Christmas layout but its getting to be a few years old now. I will inspect carefully before assembling this year.

JD- that float is amazing! Looking forward to the parade video.

Bill- 8:40 AM and I'm hungry! When's dinner?

So I did stuff on my layout yesterday too. I investigated my RS-3 issues further. I tried @LIRR Steamer's advice and ran the loco with one of the LIRR coaches in tow. They have all metal trucks/ couplers. It ran a little better but nothing to say conclusively that I found the problem. I need to take the side frames off the trucks so I can see the wheels better. I hadn't mentioned before that I'm running the engine in conventional mode. At higher voltage/speed it does seem to clear the dead spots.  I also rewired the K-line MP-15 # 168 in series. The gray one was done already. It runs much better now. Ran trains and had fun!

PS- nice shots Brian. You posted while I was writing mine.

I looked at the cabinet factory and there seems to be 1/4 in scale employees in there working on Tables for Christmas train layouts. Lot of noise and sawdust so the "Greenhouse" keeps it inside.  Hoping to take it out of its packaging next day or so.

Glad that the RS-3 was working better. There was another thread on the MTH 44    tonners where users noted that the rollers MTH used had insulated end and one user replaced the rollers which eliminated the slow speed stalling. 

Yesterday I entered the train room with the intention of stringing three telephone polls, however, the muse pulled me in a different creative direction.  For quite some time now, I've wanted to paint the facia of my layout.... since the new can of black paint was sitting there on a shelf with a brush beside it.... I decided to paint the entire facia.  Instead of a fabric skirt around my layout, I use black foam board panels.  The wood facia is now painted black with the black foam board panels below it. Doing this results in naturally drawing the eye to immediately focus on the layout.  

I'll try to dig up some before shots, taken a while back, and show before and after to you guys here on this thread.  

Next .... stringing those telephone poles. LOL!! 

I did get to the layout for a bit today and cleaned it off.  I really would like to start ballasting soon.   

Here is a berk parked on the siding, spotting a box car in the elevator.  

Now back to the float build this afternoon.

mike g. posted:

Mark, sometimes its just takes so much to comment on everyone's great work and I am tired, that's why I had out a lot of likes sometimes! Brian sure did send me some nice cars!

Brian, Great Photo's! I didn't know Santa Fe had so many different colors!

Jeffpo, That Southern Passenger train sure is balls to the walls! Must be running late! LOL

Johan, Thank you Sir, I would have posted a longer video I just don't know how to upload a longer video here!

Paul 2, Things are looking good! You sure have an understanding wife!

Bryan, I am glad you had a good turnout for your NMRA Tour! Also thank you for the picture and video! It sure makes me want to have one!

Patrick, Wonderful photo's of your layout. Great job thinking out of the box by adding floating debris in your lake! Most people make them smooth and crystal clear! LOL I really like the Helicopter shots of your town!

Bill, You have quite the layout going! Looks like it would be a blast to run, just set it and relax!

John, Have fun building your Christmas layout! I sure hope you will post pictures for the rest of us!

Lee, WOW, Very Impressive! You sure are a Master Modeler in my eyes! Everything looks so real! Nice work!

Bob, I hope you can get the basement done soon, so it will free your time up for more trains! My CEO always tells me do you know how much money you have wasted on trains! I tell her yep and I need more money! LOL I sure hope you get your problem with your engines figured out!

Jim, the engine is coming along nicely! I hope you will be able to shoot a short video of it in the parade!

Well there wont be any train room time today as I can see. Yesterday the Furnace went out and we are luck to have a friend that is in the heating business coming today to install a new one! Man what a drag, first the roof, now the heat, whats next! I know what not next today, TRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!

But that ok, I really hope the rest of you are having a great weekend and your teams do well today! Remember to save time for trains! LOL

 

 

Mike. You're welcome. Maybe you can use YouTube and just post the link here.

Johan

Yesterday I added some lights around the "finished" side of my turntable.

Speeder action.

trumptrain posted:

Yesterday I entered the train room with the intention of stringing three telephone polls, however, the muse pulled me in a different creative direction.  For quite some time now, I've wanted to paint the facia of my layout.... since the new can of black paint was sitting there on a shelf with a brush beside it.... I decided to paint the entire facia.  Instead of a fabric skirt around my layout, I use black foam board panels.  The wood facia is now painted black with the black foam board panels below it. Doing this results in naturally drawing the eye to immediately focus on the layout.  

I'll try to dig up some before shots, taken a while back, and show before and after to you guys here on this thread.  

Next .... stringing those telephone poles. LOL!! 

  Good for you Pat.'  I've been meaning to do the exact same thing for quite some time now'.. I know the black works and looks great as I've seen it on many other layouts'... I am going to try and get mine done this week'... Thanks for the inspiration'.....

Jdevleerjr posted:

I did get to the layout for a bit today and cleaned it off.  I really would like to start ballasting soon.   

Here is a berk parked on the siding, spotting a box car in the elevator.  

Now back to the float build this afternoon.

Definitely one of the best shots I've ever seen.

Put together some lighting out of scrap wood, pieces from a string of mini-lights, and a WS nano led.  Plugged into a WS light hub under table.

trumptrain posted:

Yesterday I entered the train room with the intention of stringing three telephone polls, however, the muse pulled me in a different creative direction.  For quite some time now, I've wanted to paint the facia of my layout.... since the new can of black paint was sitting there on a shelf with a brush beside it.... I decided to paint the entire facia.  Instead of a fabric skirt around my layout, I use black foam board panels.  The wood facia is now painted black with the black foam board panels below it. Doing this results in naturally drawing the eye to immediately focus on the layout.  

I'll try to dig up some before shots, taken a while back, and show before and after to you guys here on this thread.  

Next .... stringing those telephone poles. LOL!! 

Patrick, you know what they say....pics or it didn't happen  

Lou1985 posted:

Yesterday I added some lights around the "finished" side of my turntable.

 

Very impressive project!  Well done! 

Cheers, Dave

Started my module.  I planned this out...going with a raised platform on the back half about 6 inches above the base of the modular.  I'm either going with run down city block or abandoned commercial district up on that level.  Hopefully I can incorporate this bridge somewhere or do something spanning the split I want to create up top.  The bottom level will be overgrown vegetation near the tracks with maybe some hobos hanging out. Plan on having vehicles on both levels and as you can see got my first level road in and glued down...

Ok Paul what did you do on yours today should be alot since your retired.

From Johan: Patrick, Wonderful photo's of your layout. Great job thinking out of the box by adding floating debris in your lake! Most people make them smooth and crystal clear! LOL I really like the Helicopter shots of your town!

Thanks so much Johan!  

Quarter Gauger - Ted - Glad that I could inspire you to paint your facia as well. 

Lew - I'll definitely get those photos up soon   It DID happen and my photos will be the proof.  I know you are holding me to it!  LOL!! 

I put a YLB Rechargeable Battery in the Lionel 1931810 New York Central Hudson #5415 that arrived from Mr. Muffins today. The 10510 has a plug that goes directly into the sound board socket. The battery provides electricity to the sound system when the tender center rollers hit dead spots in my Atlas O #5 switches. It eliminates sound drop off.  The YLB Battery is available from Henning's Trains and made by Gunrunner John.

Here are a few pictures of the process.  Note that the red and grey wires are center pick-up roller wires.  The Black wires are from the wheels on the outside rails.  I tucked the YLB Battery on top of the zip tied bundle of wires and put the tender shell back on the tender.

The YLB Battery provides 5 seconds of power to the sound system to help the tender over gaps in the center rail, such as at switches and cross-overs.

Have a good Thanksgiving.  Mom and I are headed to a Bob Evans Restaurant again this year.  Turkey brought right to your table --- now that is something to be Thankful for.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Big day, got the last pieces of track cut and laid for the upper level. Ready to move on to roadbed and electrical.

Well Bryan, you look like you have a plan. I just got my module out of the truck. Right now it is sitting a corner of the kitchen. Maybe tomorrow I can get it down to the basement and work on it a bit tomorrow. I might just make up a sign that says under construction......check back in the future..........Paul 2

Bryan and Paul, What are the dimensions of your modules?

trumptrain posted:

From Johan: Patrick, Wonderful photo's of your layout. Great job thinking out of the box by adding floating debris in your lake! Most people make them smooth and crystal clear! LOL I really like the Helicopter shots of your town!

Thanks so much Johan!  

Quarter Gauger - Ted - Glad that I could inspire you to paint your facia as well. 

Lew - I'll definitely get those photos up soon   It DID happen and my photos will be the proof.  I know you are holding me to it!  LOL!! 

 

Patrick. Thank you. I am glad you like it. It's always interested try made a something different. 🤝

Johan

I think Paul and Bryan should start a build thread and we can see who finishes first.

Mark, I believe the modules are 45 inches long and 24 inches wide.

Johan, great pics.

Mike g, I hope you got the last of the problems taken care of so you can return to working and running the layout.

Bryan, nice start. But you are a lot younger then I am and have a lot more energy. I have to pace myself. 

Last night I got the module to th kitchen. I did make a trip to Menards to get a piece of Luan board to make a separate piece to sit on the table as a scene rathr then a permanent one attached to the table. This way I can make a few scenes to change out the look of the table. But yesterday before and after dinner I had to work on the Korber building flat some more. I wiped down the mortar and added aged concrete paint to the walls. Today I'll seal the flats, but I may wipe off more mortar first, then apply some black wash and glue in the windows. And while that is being done I'll work on my module...Pics........Paul 2

Sorry Bob, I just saw you reply. Hands down Bryan will finish first. I on the other hand are like fine wine and it takes time. LOL..............Paul 2

                            here we go...  THE  GREAT MODULE BUILD OFF !!!

                               Good Luck to both of you !!      let the game begin...

Hi guys, I wasn't on yesterday so there is a lot for me to catch up with so this might be a little long. Please forgive me.

Brian, Wonderful phots! Must be commuter Monday!

Lew, All the wood I bucked and split is for next winter, but don't worry we have plenty for this winter. It really hasn't been that cold around here yet!

Bob, I sure hope you get the bugs figured out in your engine! Nice Pictures

Lee, West is the only way to go! But be careful if you go to far you will fall in to the water!

Mark, Thanks you! I sure hate it when the Pro's Jerry Rig things and then you have to go back after them and fix it!

Patrick, Sounds interesting, I cant wait to see the before and after photos!

Jim, I am glad you had a chance to get into the train room and have some fun with your trains on your layout! What a wonderful photo, Great looking scene! I sure like the Red tuck in the grain building!

Lou, The finished section looks great! Nice job on the lighting!

Johan, Very cool looking speeder! But its not in the Shark Bay colors! LOL

Steve, The lighting really brings the scene to life! Nice job!

Bryan, Great start! We have the sounder here in Seattle and it runs between Everett and Auburn to take folks into Seattle. Except when we have mud slides! LOL

John R, Nice work on the battery install! The train and sound are very impressive!

Bruce, very nice, your track work looks great! What is the size of your layout and where do you park your cars now! LOL

Paul 2, Thank you, everything is getting done on the repairs, maybe a little slow but getting there! Nice work on the Kober flat! It should look great on the layout when your done! Don't worry about Bryan, you 2 have different taste and I bet both will look great!

Well I have a little more work to get everything ready for the Furnace install, but I think I will be able to get a little time in the train room today. I got some time yesterday but only did a little cleaning! I know Lew, no pictures it didn't happen. Well if I took a before and after pictures you would still see a mess so I didn't see any reason to take pictures! 

I hope you all have a great Tuesday and find time for your trains and layouts!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sure Brian, sneak in some more photos while I was typing on my post! LOL Nice Rio Grande! 

          thanks Mike !   good luck with your furnace...

                            and hopefully you will be able to get in some train time today !!

Good morning all.

My wife and I will spend the day with my parents.  No trains today.  At 2:33PM central time, I will be 60 years old.  That is 420 in dog years.  Please send O gauge engines to.....

Bill

Put some finishing touches on the parade float.  I installed some handrails, a steam dome and relocated the whistle to on top of the dome.  

Now to clean off the trailer and the scouts will be adding "snow" and decorations all around the float.  

darlander posted:

Lou1985 posted:

Yesterday I added some lights around the "finished" side of my turntable.

 

Very impressive project!  Well done! 

Cheers, Dave

Yes very impressive job well done 

Paul, Thank you on the dimensions.  That is a good idea to make removable scenes.  Slow and steady wind the race.  LOL

Brian, your graphic for Paul and Bryan’s module build is funny.

Mike, Thank you.  It is good it hasn’t been too cold.  One night last week went down to 9 degrees and most the last two weeks were down in the 20s.  Our furnace has definitely been running.

Happy Birthday Bill! It doesn’t seem like your 60 I thought you were younger than me and I’m 51 I’m thinking I might be the teenager on this forum. Enjoy your day with Mom and Dad while there still here 

Odenville Bill posted:

Good morning all.

My wife and I will spend the day with my parents.  No trains today.  At 2:33PM central time, I will be 60 years old.  That is 420 in dog years.  Please send O gauge engines to.....

Bill

Happy birthday, Bill!  My younger (only) brother turned 60 last month.  Welcome to the club!