What did you do on your layout today?

RSJB18 posted:

mike g. posted:

Bob, that carving looks great! what did you use ?

Thanks Mike. I use a Dremel Multi-max with a 1" wood blade. A little messier than a hot knife but not too bad.

The carving is done in my garage so when I'm done the leaf blower takes care of the mess .

I scribed the stone face with a straight edge and a pencil.

Bob

Bob,

The foam hillside looks great!

I thought it would ! Keep up the excellent work! You as well as Elliott and Paul as well as as all of the other fine modelers here are a true inspiration to all of us!

Mike

Mike welkie posted:

I thought it would ! Keep up the excellent work! You as well as Elliott and Paul as well as as all of the other fine modelers here are a true inspiration to all of us!

Mike

 

Don't think I would put myself in the same league as Paul and Elliot and several others but....

Thank you!

Mark Boyce posted:

RSJB18 posted:

mike g. posted:

Bob, that carving looks great! what did you use ?

Thanks Mike. I use a Dremel Multi-max with a 1" wood blade. A little messier than a hot knife but not too bad.

The carving is done in my garage so when I'm done the leaf blower takes care of the mess .

I scribed the stone face with a straight edge and a pencil.

Bob

Bob,

The foam hillside looks great!

Thanks Mark- just making it up as I go. Imagine what I could do if I really put my mind to it 

Guys, thanks for the compliment but I am not in Elliot's or the others playing field. I am just enjoying building a layout trying different approaches. MIKE G, that photo with the switches may be misleading. I have the building leaning on the table and that may make it look like there isn't enough room for the siding........Paul

mike g. posted:

Paul that sure is looking good, but I have a question, are you going to have room along the wall where the switch is in the second picture?

Yes it looks great Paul!

Ran trains for a short while this afternoon.  Enjoyed watching them run!!!

Sounds good Paul!

Sorry Dave, Dodge man here! LOL

Thought I would post a video of a few trains running.  Hope Ya'll like it.  I probably should have used a better camera.    BTW, Merry Christmas to everyone!   

Chief Bob (Retired)  

Fun times Chief Bob! Thanks for the video!

Chief Bob, neat video and I especially liked watching the PRR style signals changing as a train passed under the signal tower. 

RSJB18 posted:

The Giants are 2-13...... need I say more

Condolences.  I generally derive great pleasure from razzing the Iggles, but haven't really been able to, what with this 12-2 thing and all... 

Oh, well.  Back to trains!  When running GG1s with gi-raffes, some sculpting of the end steps is needed, or they tend to pick the actuator ramp and derail.

A comparo with stock steps: 

Mitch

Marx Rock Island AB with a few Marx boxcars in tow

oops wrong topic

pennsynut posted:

Chief Bob, neat video and I especially liked watching the PRR style signals changing as a train passed under the signal tower. 

The signal tower is a MTH 30-11030 Pennsy Signal Bridge.  I'm using Z-Stuff for Trains DZ-1075 Sensors to operate the signal heads.  I love the way it works!

Chief Bob (Retired)

TrainroomGary,  Chinese lumber; who would have guessed it?  I will have to take a look at the local Home Depot and Lowe’s!

Chief Bob, You made great progress getting the ROW in great shape to run multiple Trains!!  Merry Christmas to you!!

RSJB18 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

RSJB18 posted:

mike g. posted:

Bob, that carving looks great! what did you use ?

Thanks Mike. I use a Dremel Multi-max with a 1" wood blade. A little messier than a hot knife but not too bad.

The carving is done in my garage so when I'm done the leaf blower takes care of the mess .

I scribed the stone face with a straight edge and a pencil.

Bob

Bob,

The foam hillside looks great!

Thanks Mark- just making it up as I go. Imagine what I could do if I really put my mind to it 

LOL

I have the pleasure of having my house ALL TO MYSELF, (I won't go into details, that's a story for another time).

anyway I set up my train board work bench right in the middle of my living room. So now I can work on trains in the living room, wooohooo!!!!

Got my three sidings  almost in. I have to wait for the bumpers to come in to finish them. Hopefully I will get them before the end of the week. I added ballast and ground foam and glued everything down. Now I have to see which building flats I am going to use behind the sidings. Pics............Paul

Not today, but over the weekend...

Nice Paul, I am still worried about the room against the wall where your flats are going, but your there and I'm here, I have faith in you!

Andy, nice job on the lights! Looks good!

mike g. posted:

Nice Paul, I am still worried about the room against the wall where your flats are going, but your there and I'm here, I have faith in you!

Andy, nice job on the lights! Looks good!

Mike, maybe I should make a short jaunt over to Cuyahoha Falls and verify that Paul has enough clearance at the wall!  LOL. Yes it looks close, but maybe  it is his camera angle.  

Mark, your right, it just might be the angle from where he is taking the picture! But either way its looking nice!

I agree it does look good, Mike!

Mark, I guess you will have to make a quick trip to verify for MIKE G. LOL I will have to take another picture from a different angle tonight. ......Paul

What did I do on my layout today?   This is Part 2 

(Part 1 is on the previous page 408 of this thread), near the bottom.

1. Started the painting process with a 6 inch roller.

2. The paint is being applied to a 5mm plywood, sub flooring, from a big box lumber yard.

3. Started the cloud painting process with Acrylic Art Paint in bottles. Black & White and put them together to get a custom gray.

5. The retaining wall has been hot glued in place.  The buildings are a sample and will not be part of this project. I use a variety of paint brushes and a art pallet to mix the colors. (tray)

Hope you find these demos helpful: Gary

Looking good Gary!

paul 2 posted:

Mark, I guess you will have to make a quick trip to verify for MIKE G. LOL I will have to take another picture from a different angle tonight. ......Paul

 

 

Oh thank you, Paul!  I don’t think I could until after Christmas, and I know Mike wants to know!  LOL. I’m curious to see how different it looks from a different angle too!

Finished setting up the Formal Living Room RealTrax under the Christmas Tree layout today.  Using the Hallmark/Lionel Santa Toy Maker Express Train.

PCRR/Dave

Mark, I don't know how MIKE G does it but on the last siding I found I have to tweak it a bit. The second siding works but the building is not totally against the Masonite. As you can see I have it propped up with a screwdriver and the base is still sitting on the table. I may use another building. But here a a couple of pics to show the clearance.......Paul

Got an unexpected present in the mail today!  Someone sent me four Hallmark Lionel ornaments (N&W J, Chessie Steam Special, GG1 and Santa Fe F3). 

So, since I had teeny trains,  I decided to set them around my teeny tree!   

Round mat came from here:  http://craftingweasels.blogspo...t-semi-tutorial.html .  Took the mat, printed a copy on my laser printer, cut it out and voila! 

Mitch 

Last night I continued on Session 1 of my 6 operating sessions.  Each session has several types of manuvers to accomplish. First category is spotting existing consists of passenger and mail trains, tank car train and mixed freights so that they are on blocks that will allow room for other manuvers. 

Second category is yard work to build several types of trains and assign locos.  (1) through road passenger trains, mail trains, mixed freight, and tank car trains; and (2) switching trains with types of cars to be dropped off at businesses. 

Third category is switching work to drop off yard cars at businesses, pickup empties or full cars from businesses and transfer those to either other businesses in the city area at that time or back to the yard for through road trains to other cities.  (It's as complicated as I wish to imagine)

Fourth category is running some through road trains in between switching manuvers to break up the action and at the end of the session to run the through trains to their spots for the next session.  

Typing this out has been helpful for me to recharge my enthusiasm to operate with some sense of working trains. 

Edit. I now recall I had a thread on this with photos of my cards.

 https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ccesses-and-mistakes

Put up this cool little sign for my Desert Inn.

Paul, I know you will figure it out, you always do! I really like the building on the flat stock!

Brian, those are some really nice Western Pacific engines and love the caboose also! Your right I am just going to have to keep the one I got from the mother-in-lay and build from there!

paul 2 posted:

Mark, I don't know how MIKE G does it but on the last siding I found I have to tweak it a bit. The second siding works but the building is not totally against the Masonite. As you can see I have it propped up with a screwdriver and the base is still sitting on the table. I may use another building. But here a a couple of pics to show the clearance.......Paul

Paul, there is no doubt Mike has really honed his observation skills!!  Time and time again, he has seen things I had missed!!  When I get started again, I am going to ask Mike to look and point out what I don’t see!

Your sidings are coming along great!  The building flats are excellent!

So, I've always been an O Gauge guy. I have an O Gauge layout that's now being built around the Christmas tree. Right now it's about 7x4 oval. Today I plan on adding a new line in the middle. This is where I may be breaking the rules of the site, and I truly apologize if this is the wrong section..but is it stupid to flirt with the idea of adding a HO scale loop somewhere in the middle of my O Gauge ?

pennsynut posted:

Last night I continued on Session 1 of my 6 operating sessions.  Each session has several types of manuvers to accomplish. First category is spotting existing consists of passenger and mail trains, tank car train and mixed freights so that they are on blocks that will allow room for other manuvers. 

Second category is yard work to build several types of trains and assign locos.  (1) through road passenger trains, mail trains, mixed freight, and tank car trains; and (2) switching trains with types of cars to be dropped off at businesses. 

Third category is switching work to drop off yard cars at businesses, pickup empties or full cars from businesses and transfer those to either other businesses in the city area at that time or back to the yard for through road trains to other cities.  (It's as complicated as I wish to imagine)

Fourth category is running some through road trains in between switching manuvers to break up the action and at the end of the session to run the through trains to their spots for the next session.  

Typing this out has been helpful for me to recharge my enthusiasm to operate with some sense of working trains. 

Edit. I now recall I had a thread on this with photos of my cards.

 https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ccesses-and-mistakes

Thank you for your update!!  Yes it is great to write it all down!  Thank you for your link to the previous topic!

Had a busy day yesterday and didn't plan to get anything done on the layout.  Last night I went down to the basement to try to find something I had misplaced and to try to develop a strategy to solve a couple problems.  Found what I was looking for and now have a game plan on the issue.  Which was how to finish a home-made plate girder bridge.  The last time I looked at this I didn't have a band saw and now the solution seems obvious.  I will cut the Scenic Express flexible girder sides to fit the sides of my bridge.  Hope to get that done today.  Will paint with flat black rattle can and weather with a rust colored rattle can.

Then I looked at the problem plaster areas in my river valley.  So I decided to just get started and if I don't like it, do it over.  Got the left side filled in with plywood, cardboard and ready for plaster cloths.  Did the same on the right side and should be able to finish it today.  Had to remove my highway bridge and climb onto the valley floor in order to access it.  Wished I would have had knee pads.

After today's work session I will try to add new pictures on my layout progress thread.

Art

mike g. posted:

Paul, I know you will figure it out, you always do! I really like the building on the flat stock!

Brian, those are some really nice Western Pacific engines and love the caboose also! Your right I am just going to have to keep the one I got from the mother-in-lay and build from there!

Mike, you are right, Paul will get it right!

Brian seems to come up with an endless supply of engines in various roadnames.  Yes I agree  the WP equipment looks great!

StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:

So, I've always been an O Gauge guy. I have an O Gauge layout that's now being built around the Christmas tree. Right now it's about 7x4 oval. Today I plan on adding a new line in the middle. This is where I may be breaking the rules of the site, and I truly apologize if this is the wrong section..but is it stupid to flirt with the idea of adding a HO scale loop somewhere in the middle of my O Gauge ?

Not stupid at all... I wish I could remember exactly where on this Forum I saw it, but someone had an HO loop in the middle of a big O layout. If I remember correctly, it depicted a train ride at an amusement park. I say go for it... Santa would approve   

With the Xmas season upon us and apologies to all, I offer this “Tongue-in-cheek” muse:

I sat in my rocker and stared at the space, with visions of track plans in front of my face. I pondered and wondered, my brain burned it’s best, but nary an answer to John Coy’s test. Some talk of free-wheeling and forgetting the plan, at the end they’re all happy and we give them a hand. I really do wonder, if I’ll ever get there, without simply losing, any more of my hair. For now I’ll continue with these knowledgeable threads, in hopes of defeating my perpetual dread.   Merry Xmas 

Ted, Great poem!!!  I really like it!!

Your planning drawing is great! The Swing Gate makes me wonder if you are thinking of having an around the walls layout with access to the middle with a section that swings in or out for access to the middle.  If that is what you are thinking of, I heartily agree it would be good.  You look to be someone like me who isn't interested in crawling under or over a big wide layout!  Maybe once upon a time, but not any more.

hello Ted. did the idea of moving the shelves to the other side of the room get veto'd...

          I think that would give you a lot more space, and 3 walls then to work off of then...

give me a call when you get a chance, Brian

Chugman posted:

Had a busy day yesterday and didn't plan to get anything done on the layout.  Last night I went down to the basement to try to find something I had misplaced and to try to develop a strategy to solve a couple problems.  Found what I was looking for and now have a game plan on the issue.  Which was how to finish a home-made plate girder bridge.  The last time I looked at this I didn't have a band saw and now the solution seems obvious.  I will cut the Scenic Express flexible girder sides to fit the sides of my bridge.  Hope to get that done today.  Will paint with flat black rattle can and weather with a rust colored rattle can.

Then I looked at the problem plaster areas in my river valley.  So I decided to just get started and if I don't like it, do it over.  Got the left side filled in with plywood, cardboard and ready for plaster cloths.  Did the same on the right side and should be able to finish it today.  Had to remove my highway bridge and climb onto the valley floor in order to access it.  Wished I would have had knee pads.

After today's work session I will try to add new pictures on my layout progress thread.

Art

 

Sounds like a rough day there Art! Also knee pads are a must ! But I be things are going to be just fine, they always seam to turn out great!

Mark Boyce posted:

paul 2 posted:

Mark, I don't know how MIKE G does it but on the last siding I found I have to tweak it a bit. The second siding works but the building is not totally against the Masonite. As you can see I have it propped up with a screwdriver and the base is still sitting on the table. I may use another building. But here a a couple of pics to show the clearance.......Paul

Paul, there is no doubt Mike has really honed his observation skills!!  Time and time again, he has seen things I had missed!!  When I get started again, I am going to ask Mike to look and point out what I don’t see!

Your sidings are coming along great!  The building flats are excellent!

Lets just say been there done that! LOL

TedW posted:

With the Xmas season upon us and apologies to all, I offer this “Tongue-in-cheek” muse:

I sat in my rocker and stared at the space, with visions of track plans in front of my face. I pondered and wondered, my brain burned it’s best, but nary an answer to John Coy’s test. Some talk of free-wheeling and forgetting the plan, at the end they’re all happy and we give them a hand. I really do wonder, if I’ll ever get there, without simply losing, any more of my hair. For now I’ll continue with these knowledgeable threads, in hopes of defeating my perpetual dread.   Merry Xmas 

 

This is priceless Ted 

I think I'm going to print it and hang it by my layout like the motivational posters in the office.

I call it- "T'was the Night Before the Layout Build"  By TedW.   

Ted you should write Christmas cards for Hallmark! Just for train guys and gals!

TedW posted:

With the Xmas season upon us and apologies to all, I offer this “Tongue-in-cheek” muse:

I sat in my rocker and stared at the space, with visions of track plans in front of my face. I pondered and wondered, my brain burned it’s best, but nary an answer to John Coy’s test. Some talk of free-wheeling and forgetting the plan, at the end they’re all happy and we give them a hand. I really do wonder, if I’ll ever get there, without simply losing, any more of my hair. For now I’ll continue with these knowledgeable threads, in hopes of defeating my perpetual dread.   Merry Xmas 

 

Ted, your muse (poem) is marvelous!

TedW posted:

With the Xmas season upon us and apologies to all, I offer this “Tongue-in-cheek” muse:

I sat in my rocker and stared at the space, with visions of track plans in front of my face. I pondered and wondered, my brain burned it’s best, but nary an answer to John Coy’s test. Some talk of free-wheeling and forgetting the plan, at the end they’re all happy and we give them a hand. I really do wonder, if I’ll ever get there, without simply losing, any more of my hair. For now I’ll continue with these knowledgeable threads, in hopes of defeating my perpetual dread.   Merry Xmas 

 

                                         Ted,  something more to ponder on...

                                                upper level not shown on left....

                            3 train running.  084 outer loop, 072 minimum radius...

                                     rough sketch, let me know what you think...

briansilvermustang posted:

TedW posted:

With the Xmas season upon us and apologies to all, I offer this “Tongue-in-cheek” muse:

I sat in my rocker and stared at the space, with visions of track plans in front of my face. I pondered and wondered, my brain burned it’s best, but nary an answer to John Coy’s test. Some talk of free-wheeling and forgetting the plan, at the end they’re all happy and we give them a hand. I really do wonder, if I’ll ever get there, without simply losing, any more of my hair. For now I’ll continue with these knowledgeable threads, in hopes of defeating my perpetual dread.   Merry Xmas 

 

 

                                         Ted,  something more to ponder on...

 

                                                upper level not shown on left....

                            3 train running.  084 outer loop, 072 minimum radius...

                                     rough sketch, let me know what you think...

Brian, I appreciate your gentle prodding to “get going” on “raising” this layout, and the plans will certainly help,(I saved them to the iPad), but the aformentioned meandering was supposed to be somewhat humerous.  And, not taken literally as the beginnings of a layout plan.  We’ll develop something in the future, I promise.         

                     " but the aformentioned meandering was supposed to be somewhat humerous.  And, not taken literally as the beginnings... "                                                                           

                                                                       oops...

You know Brian, you have almost every train anybody would want! I wish I would have started younger, but I didn't get my first train till I was 45!

   glad Mom & Dad and grandma & grandpa's started me out young     52 young"s ago !!

Tweaked the siding that was just a tad too close. Got out the other roll of buildings and cut them out. I put some up against the Masonite to see how they would fill in between the buildings already there. Think I got the right combination now but I have to make a trip to Staples to get more black foam board so I can glue buildings to the foam and then they are ready for putting up. Pics..........Paul

mike g. posted:

You know Brian, you have almost every train anybody would want! I wish I would have started younger, but I didn't get my first train till I was 45!

45! That's ancient!

Paul, I knew you had it in you to fix a little thing like that!

Arnold, lol I am old!

Finished up the formal living room layout for the wife, came out real nice too.

PCRR/Dave

mike g. posted:

Paul, I knew you had it in you to fix a little thing like that!

Arnold, lol I am old!

Well, I'm 66, delighted that I'm starting to get Social Security (hope it lasts), and I think the secret to being happy when old is to think and act like a teenager or even younger.  Trains can do that for us all.

Got my first set when I was 8 which was several.....years ago. All HO back then so I just started over in O a couple of years ago.  No way I could catch up to Brian. 

Well I could but I'd be homeless and divorced. 

RSJB18 posted:

Got my first set when I was 8 which was several.....years ago. All HO back then so I just started over in O a couple of years ago.  No way I could catch up to Brian. 

Well I could but I'd be homeless and divorced. 

I’ll put heat in my garage for ya...

TedW posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Got my first set when I was 8 which was several.....years ago. All HO back then so I just started over in O a couple of years ago.  No way I could catch up to Brian. 

Well I could but I'd be homeless and divorced. 

I’ll put heat in my garage for ya...

Thanks Ted. We can build your layout together. I work for food you know 😅

Dave, the Christmas layout looks great!

Arnold,I tried acting young and the wife told me to grow up! Lol

Bob, I'm in the same boat! Little here and a little there and I'm ok. Anymore and boy look out!

Doing Locomotive maintenance  for two days now.

Paul wrote "Tweaked the siding that was just a tad too close."  That's okay, Paul.  No one noticed except Mike!    I'm glad we have his eagle eye!!  The buildings will look great!  There will be lots of reasons for having a siding there!!

Okay, I have actually been doing more than just reading OGR Forum, although I never do get tired of reading the Forum.  I posted in the Show us your under the tree layouts! topic that I can't run trains under the tree because the little dog likes to nudge the engine off the tracks.  So for the 2017 edition of the Holly Christmas Layout, here are some photographs.  I call it Holly Christmas Layout, because it is located in our younger daughter, Holly's, old room.  Fooled you, huh??  

I have a brand new LionChief Bluetooth Polar Express, a conventional North Pole Central #12 pulling a mixed consist, and a LionChief Hallmark Toymaker set as well to run here.

Apples55 posted:

StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:

So, I've always been an O Gauge guy. I have an O Gauge layout that's now being built around the Christmas tree. Right now it's about 7x4 oval. Today I plan on adding a new line in the middle. This is where I may be breaking the rules of the site, and I truly apologize if this is the wrong section..but is it stupid to flirt with the idea of adding a HO scale loop somewhere in the middle of my O Gauge ?

Not stupid at all... I wish I could remember exactly where on this Forum I saw it, but someone had an HO loop in the middle of a big O layout. If I remember correctly, it depicted a train ride at an amusement park. I say go for it... Santa would approve   

On the Pennsylvania Suite video in the McComas & Tuohy 6 video set (now on DVDs), Bruce Manson primarily had a large AF layout. Towards the middle of the layout further from the viewer he had HO loops and even N scale in the middle furthest away from the viewer. Bruce explained that this forced perspective with the smaller trains further away from the viewer makes the layout look larger than it really is.

Apples55 posted:

StillPlaysWithTrains1469 posted:

So, I've always been an O Gauge guy. I have an O Gauge layout that's now being built around the Christmas tree. Right now it's about 7x4 oval. Today I plan on adding a new line in the middle. This is where I may be breaking the rules of the site, and I truly apologize if this is the wrong section..but is it stupid to flirt with the idea of adding a HO scale loop somewhere in the middle of my O Gauge ?

Not stupid at all... I wish I could remember exactly where on this Forum I saw it, but someone had an HO loop in the middle of a big O layout. If I remember correctly, it depicted a train ride at an amusement park. I say go for it... Santa would approve   

On the Pennsylvania Suite video in the McComas & Tuohy 6 video set (now on DVDs), Bruce Manson primarily had a large AF layout. Towards the middle of the layout further from the viewer he had HO loops and even N scale in the middle furthest away from the viewer. Bruce explained that this forced perspective with the smaller trains further away from the viewer makes the layout look larger than it really is.

Project for today, get all the lights working in the Flying Yankee. Not as easy as it sounds, I discovered that

one of the sets I was working with obviously came from a less than satisfactory seller. Understand I have only

been back into collecting for about 14 months. Any way, after melting the wires in one vestibule,

finding that one vestibule from the "seller" did not even have a pickup and the other had a homemade

pickup, I had to settle for a 4 car train instead of 5. But they are all lit. I am attaching a video, it is my

first attempt so forgive.

Mark,

   Great Christmas layout I love it!  You really have been busy!

PCRR/Dave

Mark- great Christmas layout. I like the Lionel and MTH boxes under the table, looks like you intended to put them there.

Are you going to build a connection to the Ceiling Central and the Blackwater Canyon? I see a Elliot style helix in your future

Bob

Put some more ground cover and bushes on the new scenic piece above the tunnel. Still needs more detailing but looks good to me.

Bob

Bob, looks good to me too. Nice job...............Paul

Thanks Paul!

Bob,

Thank you for the compliments on the Christmas layout!!

I put the Lionel and MTH boxes there as a sort of decorative wall to cover lots of boxes, etc, under the table.  I think it makes an easy, no cost view block.  Most of the boxes under the table are building boxes, but I also have the PE, Hallmark Toymaker, and Hogwarts stored there, including a complete Marx 666 set in box, complete with Marx address of Girard, Pennsylvania right on the box.  All of my rolling stock and a few smaller engine boxes are stored in a closet under the stairs to the basement.

Yes, the connection to the Ceiling Central RR and the Blackwater Canyon Line.  There is a block and brick wall separating the rooms.  The Blackwater room is an addition my in-laws put on to support the sunroom they had built when the deck was too rotten to be safe.  It was totally an afterthought just to support the sunroom.  Fortunately a door connects the two rooms in the corners, so a right of way could certainly be constructed in the upper corner of the door.  I am thinking I will give it some thought as I start the Blackwater construction.  I have trouble visualizing this even in a 3D rendering from SCARM.  An Elliot style helix, yes, we would have to reduce the diameter considerably to fit in my meager space.  

For those who are wondering what Bob and I are discussing, here is a photograph of the Ceiling Central RR in the foreground, and the Blackwater Canyon Line room through the door with the blue walls.  As you can see in the distance, I left one of my daughter's shelves up for display.  For more on the planning, look at the topic in my signature line.

Mark, very nice Christmas layout! Looks wonderful!

Bob, nice touch on your new addition! Keep up the great work!

Brian I see you had more fun running trains! What fun!

Mark love your Christmas layout!  The colorful boxes underneath add to the overall effect.  Nicely done.

Art

Mark, that is a wonderful layout.  Lots of colorful Christmas cheer. 

Dave and Bob, Thank you for the compliments on the Christmas layout! 

Dave, yours looks great too!

Bob, the scenery on that hill is really getting to look good!

Brian, The Canadian Pacific equipment looks great!!  Now you need one of the new Canadian Pacific Christmas trains with all the lights!  

Thanks for the compliments on the new scenery guys!

Bob

I ran a locomotive and passenger coach around the layout and back last night before I went to sleep, just to make sure everything is running.

My heart isn't much into the layout right now, as trains have caused some issues for me this week, with this Amtrak wreck (I know the engineer, and two pals who were badly hurt and both in the hospital, and I have had bad problems getting to-from the office which is at the exit just north of the accident site).

p51 posted:

I ran a locomotive and passenger coach around the layout and back last night before I went to sleep, just to make sure everything is running.

My heart isn't much into the layout right now, as trains have caused some issues for me this week, with this Amtrak wreck (I know the engineer, and two pals who were badly hurt and both in the hospital, and I have had bad problems getting to-from the office which is at the exit just north of the accident site).

Understandable... my heartfelt prayers

I understand too, Lee!  I've been praying for those involved, and will continue to do so.

Today I surfed the internet to see who would have the black foam board in the sizes I needed. Hobby Lobby did and with a 40% off coupon I saved a bit of money. While there I picked up a package of different colors of acrylic paint and some very small brushes. Once I got home I went down to the layout and glued all the buildings down. This time I went back to the first glue I used. 3M. I tried a can of LockTite which was a mistake because the adhesion to stay glued was terrible. Once the glue has had a chance to dry I'll cut ll the buildings out and they will be ready for tacking up. Pics.............Paul

Those look great Paul, and thanks for the info on the adhesive.

dollar stores usually have the foam core for a buck

p51 posted:

I ran a locomotive and passenger coach around the layout and back last night before I went to sleep, just to make sure everything is running.

My heart isn't much into the layout right now, as trains have caused some issues for me this week, with this Amtrak wreck (I know the engineer, and two pals who were badly hurt and both in the hospital, and I have had bad problems getting to-from the office which is at the exit just north of the accident site).

My thought and prayers are you with you Lee and your friends!

Looks great Paul, I also have see it at the dollar store and Walmart! either way I think your doing a wonderful job!

briansilvermustang posted:

Hey Brian, are those MTH or Lionel Engine and Caboose?

Lee- I hope your friends make a full and speedy recovery.

The buildings are going to look nice Paul.

Bob

mike g. posted:

briansilvermustang posted:

          MTH...

                  Williams...

                           MTH...

Hey Brian, are those MTH or Lionel Engine and Caboose?

                                           worked on some broken cars while...

                       Izzy was resting up...her visit to see Santa wore her out...

                                                 then we ran some trains...

                                                             fun night...

Looks Great Brian! I hope Izzy woke up in time to enjoy the trains!

I have a section on my single-track Milwaukee Road branchline upper track where I needed a plate girder bridge. It is on an 072 curve so I couldn't find a ready-made one. So, left it blank and just cut a piece of wood and painted it an aged concrete color to get by. 

Yesterday while waiting for other projects to dry I decided to finish this project. I had bought some Scenic Express flexible girder panels for this purpose. I cut them to size on the band saw, sprayed them with flat black and then an over spray of rust color.

Here are four pictures in progress.

Art

she needed a nap after standing in line to get her picture taken with Santa,

     don't think she knew what to think ...

          she finally wandered back in the train room and watched some trains...

This morning I got the buildings cut out of the foam and going back to the 3M adhesive I had no buildings coming loose from the foam. Then I started placing them against the Masonite and after changing them around a number of times I think this is my final  decision before gluing in place. At the end by the Sauerkraut Factory I decided to overlap two buildings.  After lunch I'll look at it once more just to be sure. Get that done then I'll finish off the other half of the mountain with trees. Pics ........Paul

Art, nice easy fix and it turned out looking great!

Brian, I am glad she didn't miss all the fun!

Paul things are coming right along! Buildings are really making a difference! Question, have you ever tried wrapping a box or something with the pictures?