Today with the rain I thought I would run a train or two. I decided to make a video, figured it was time to learn. So here, I hope I did this right, is a video of my Lionel Legacy Niagara pulling a string of Weaver TOFC's...............Paul 2
You passed the test Paul. I like the bobber caboose too! One note- you can insert the youtube videos right into the post instead of redirecting to youtube. 
Use this icon in the tool bar.
B&O Fan- nice backdrop. Trackwork is looking good too.
Today I got some layout time in since it was raining all day. Been laying low cause the CEO says I spend too much time in the basement. (Like that's possible). 
I did a roll your own uncoupler for the new siding. I had some old UCS sections for old o gauge track that I got in a pile of track I bought a while back.
I stripped the magnet out of the track and set it in place on the siding after cutting a section of the center rail out. Next I soldered a new feed wire to the magnet and soldered the ground to the outside rail. I ran the wire back to my panel and installed a momentary push button switch.
Finally I painted the red plastic black. Still need to ballast the rest of the track. I also did some more landscaping around my new building, added some bushes at the base of the steps and put gravel down leading to the loading dock.
Full disclosure- I got the idea from right here on the forum. Elliot @big boy4014 had discussed the idea on his "Dream Nightmare" thread. He used a similar method to install his uncouplers.
Bob
Still need to solder the jumper to the center rail because the feed for the siding is to the right of where I cut the rail.
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Hi guys, sure was a lot to read and watch! Its hard when you don't come and check in for a couple days! I have to say your all doing great work and its wonderful that your sharing it with the rest of us. I have to say that the videos have been wonderful, sure show that great layouts and track work you all have done!
So today and the last couple mornings I have been able to get a couple hours here and there for the train room. I was able to get the rest of my retaining walls done and was able to get the crane motor installed. I even had time to do a little cleaning but that's about it. Now I have a lot of track to clean after finishing the ballasting to get everything running well again. Here are a couple photos.
I went from this first attempt of a wall to this!
Then I tried my first night shot, it was ok. But heck its fun just playing around!
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Great layout Mike!
I love the super-long Amtrak train and the night shot of the Menard's nuclear power plant!
Mike:
You are making great progress. Keep the photos coming.
@paul 2 posted:Today with the rain I thought I would run a train or two. I decided to make a video, figured it was time to learn. So here, I hope I did this right, is a video of my Lionel Legacy Niagara pulling a string of Weaver TOFC's...............Paul 2
Paul, I liked the video of the piggy back train!!!
Great looking retaining walls, Mike! The night photograph looks great!
Bob, The uncoupling look great on the new section of the layout
Thanks for all the nice words everyone. I hope to get out to the train room and do some more work on that end of the layout along with clean track.
I hope you all have a great Monday and find time for your layout and trains!
Mike, I hope to get in the train room a bit too. Also, I hope to post some photographs. You never know what a day will bring, however.
Thank you, and I hope everyone has a great Monday and time with trains too!
Mark, I hope you can get down to the train room, I think its time for another little update! LOL
@mike g. posted:Mark, I hope you can get down to the train room, I think its time for another little update! LOL
Mike, you are correct. An update is past due. Maybe after I try to clean up some leaves beside the garage.
Great stuff guys, keep it coming!
Cody, I really like how lowering the grade around your grain elevator turned out, looks excellent. It has given me a couple ideas I'm going to use for my grain silos.
Mitch, I just picked up on 'Joe's' garage, awesome! 
John
No photos today guys, but I did get a chance to go work in the train room for a couple hours today. I learned a very important lesson that most of you that have been around trains for a long time already know. But being somewhat new to this game and a little slow learner I just got it today.
If your working on your layout and it doesn't become fun, STOP and step away. Go do something else because we all know we want this to be fun and relaxing. I spent the last couple hours fixing problems from leaving to much ballast on the track before I glued it down, now I am scraping places where the wheels ride up and cause the train not to run smooth. I still have a little more to go, but I wont make that mistake again! LOL
I hope everyone had a great Monday and enjoyed time in there train room!
Please stay safe & Healthy!
Since there has bee popular demand, I just posted an update about the last two weeks work on my layout. Click on this link to see the description of what I did. Here is a teaser photograph.
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Not much compared to some I have seen on this forum but I finally have trains running. A couple of Post War beautys!
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My CAB-1L came in today and I really like how it works as I have a Legacy system but as yet no Legacy engines (looking though)
I had 3D printed a holder for the Legacy remote which worked great and wanted one for this remote so that is what I did today besides running some trains with it.
this was the one for the Legacy remote
I will them on each side side of the control board
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The Lionel Northern Pacific "611 Steam Excursion" Dome is finally finished. It took a record two weeks of interrupted work due to being constantly tired, or retired. The Florida East Coast Coach is next and should be easier to complete.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
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Been working on putting some accent lighting on bridge by my camping area.
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RJT, Cool video of some really nice trains, I love the NYC aba, and the FM Fairbanks Morse diesel, and your layout is very impressive, the trackwork very smooth. So, let’s see some more.
John Rowlen, Amazing work, and what’s your next project? You have a fantastic selection of passenger cars/trains. I would like to see more of your layout. Wow.
Sidehack, your Cab Control holders are cool, neat idea.
Mike g, your track ballasting issue is nothing new, I had that problem and it’s pain in the hands to correct, try finding an Atlas O screw head not tightened all the way down causing derailments at a switch point, Wow. I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one with that issue. Good luck, re-group, go back to work on your really nice layout. The bridge girders are amazing. You know TM videos had a Oh No video of bloopers, this would work. Just kidding.
Everyone, have a great week. Happy Railroading 
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Farmerjohn, Wow, amazing idea, super neat design, makes a world of difference in the integration of your bridge work, scenic effects and highlights the area really nice. As always, amazing. You’ve been to my layout, see if you recognize this area.
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RJT- very nice to see some classics stretch their legs on those long straights.
Ray- Your cranking out parts from that 3D printer at a record pace.
Mike- It's a constant learning experience. Good point to walk away sometimes....grab a silver bullet on the way.
Larry- always enjoy seeing your pix.
John- nice detail work with the lights.
Mark- heading to your thread next.
John R- another great looking car.
Yesterday I started assembling some pallets from Tichy Train Group and did some more detailing around my new business. I got the jumper wired on the siding, and fixed a truck on a Chessie caboose.
Bob
Morning guys, after a nights rest and some coffee I plan to try and get back to the train room to fix my ballast mess up, we will see how that goes! LOL
Mark, Things sure are looking good at the Blackwater Canyon layout! Sometimes its the right move to get what you need from the pros!
RJT, Wonderful video and WOW what a great looking layout you have started and a beautiful train room!
Ray, I am starting to thing there is nothing you cant build with that 3D printer of yours! Nicely Done!
John R, The Northern Pacific looks Great! I am amazed by the detail you always put into your passenger cars!
FamerJohn, Very nice addition to your bridge! It really gives it a life like feel and provides the campers a little light!
Larry, Thank you Sir for the words of encouragement ! I knew I wasn't the only one and hearing from others is a little soothing, I hope to get back out there today as long as life's other duties don't get in the way!
Bob, Sounds like you had a nice productive day! Its always nice to get a little done each day if you can, even if its for only an hour here or there!
I hope everyone has a great day and finds time for there Layouts and trains! But most of all I hope everyone has fun!
LeapinLarry, RSJB18, Mike.G Thank you so much for the compliments and everyone else all those likes. Greatly appreciated. Thought about what Mark B did and start a thread on the progress, but progress has been very slow(to slow) but to do that would need a name for the road and the best I have come up with is Lost Cause because that what seems to happen. Get started and get pulled off for work and other things. Now working on getting more shelving built painted on on the wall. Need to unpack more trains and get them out of the moving boxes after 3 years, way too long.
Thank you, Bob, Mike, Rick.
Rick, your layout is coming along nicely! You have a nice space to build your layout. I noticed you used pink and green/blue foam for your elevations. Also, it looks like you tapered down for the grades, but it may be you just made steps with different sheets and thicknesses of foam and let the roadbed flow down the hill. Could you tell me what you used for roadbed and if I am correct in interpreting what I am seeing.
Mark: I used hard board similar to pegboard with out the holes it is very flexable as I did not want to glue track to the foam boards. I cut the 4x8 sheet into 2 x 4, 18"x 4, 1 X 8 sections to make it easier to handle as opposed to 4 x 8 sheets.Did glue a lot of the hard board down on the grades but not on the flat surfaces. The curve I just step down from 5 inches one inch at a time but will cut foam pieces to fill the voids to insure proper support and no sagging of the hard board. My grade raise 5 inches in 16 feet and that straight grade I just cut the foam board in a wedge shape and glued the hard board to that and also glue the foam to the table. The green foam was mistake as the source for the pink was out. Tried to keep the green on the bottom to insure an even base for painting. Mark you are not far from me and are welcome to stop by anytime and bring trains to run. Just drop me aline my contact info is in my profile if you are interested.
Rick, That sounds like a great way to do it. I bought a sheet of 2-inch green board for a Christmas layout a few years ago for the same reason; they didn't have any pink or blue. You are right, we are not far away from each other. Thank you!!
Hello Guys and Gals,
I just completed about 384 scale feet of chain link fencing. You might say I am a bit obsessed with model railroad fencing. What else is new? Anyhoo, I will do some various levels of weathering on them and then install them on the layout.
Dave
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Dave, The fence looks great!! Are you fencing them in or fencing them out? 
Thanks Mark! To answer your question...both, lol.
Dave
Dave, Nice looking fence! Is that a kit or scratch build? Either way wonderful job!
Inspired by what is, to my eye, the greatest train sequence ever put to film, I made these 2 “chaser” video sequences. Enjoy!
- The Other Guy
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One day when I finish all the passenger cars, I might continue work on the layout.
But, until then, I started the 611 Steam Excursion Florida East Coast Coach interior painting. Then I stopped to rest after painting for a while. One end has three coats of paint on the seats. The other has just the first coat. The bathroom fixtures still need to be painted flat white.
Update #1: Finished painting seats and started the three coats of flat white on the sinks and toilets.
Exciting stuff, huh?
Sincerely, John Rowlen
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Thanks Mike! It's a kit from Dennis Brennan.
Dave
@The Other Guy posted:Inspired by what is, to my eye, the greatest train sequence ever put to film, I made these 2 “chaser” video sequences. Enjoy!
- The Other Guy
Real nice job on the videos!!!
Morning guys, I hope your all doing well!
John R, looks like you have a good start on the 611. Have fun and don't over do it!
The Other Guy, wonderful videos! Thanks for sharing your amazing outdoors layout!
Well The inspector Tank had me up at 2 AM and then went back to sleep. So I thought I would go out to the train room for a little bit and was able to put down some road on my ramp coming from the Menards Power plant, and I mounted my home made DCS remote holder on the side of my control panel. Stole the idea from Ray! LOL I am not sure if I will get back out there later or not.
I hope you all have a great day and find time for your layouts and have fun!
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Looks, great everyone! Here is my latest video on the Lionel Legacy ES44ac in the 49'er paint scheme!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be
Hope you all have a good week and stay safe!
@mike g. posted:...
The Other Guy, wonderful videos! Thanks for sharing your amazing outdoors layout!
... put down some road on my ramp coming from the Menards Power plant ...
Thanks Mike. I love a good backdrop but the real thing's hard to beat!
Nice looking ramp as well. I wish my streets looked as nice. Should I be ashamed that my remote "holder" is a tin coffee can?
- The Other Guy
Not one bit ashamed of mine; go waste your time and/or money on something fancy. I'd rather spend it on trains!
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Completed my one of my buildings for my layout.
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