What did you do on your layout today?

Hay Scot

Good luck with that nasty quietbrace. I been fooling with 10 pieces of that stuff for a couple weeks. Starting to paint it....much better.

Started my tunnel area and the next day was clean up and organize.  Probably run trains today every time I run the trains I see a better way to do the scenery.

have been replacing the incandescent bulbs in my 148 dwarf signals with LED's.  some of the old fixtures were so badly fused that i had to replace the entire signal.  have four more to do.

yesterday, however, my granddaughter and i were highballing passenger trains...with much whistle blowing.

added a WBB set of F7 AA in B&O, got advice on here to wire the motors in series and it's run even better.

I have been working on a upper loop for my 3 truck shay and lumber area I have the wood all in place and braced now need the homasote and wire in another power drop and the one switch machine and another area ready to scenic.

$oo

Repaired a broken Williams pilot, did more scenery, more ballast and even ran some trains!! Life is good.

Finsihed installing and wiring the voltage/amp meter panel for the 4 180 wwatt bricks.

Started work on the front left corner for the canyon scenery which will incorporate the installation of a 50" Stainless Unlimited underarch bridge for the lower track.

did you build that meter panel?

Yes I did build it.
 

Fixed a couple of errant grade crossings on the club layout yesterday. Spent a few hours under the layout, but the result was worth it. Also gained some insight into how to set up a signal system for a hidden block of track.

I laid some more plaster cloth.  This time it is under the track on my woodland scenics inclines.  I hope to get a bit more done this afternoon so I can replace the track tomorrow since the layout is temporally out of commission until the plaster drys.  

Larry Sr.  My son will be back in a couple of hours after he changes the oil on his car,then we wiil unload all the plywood.Then Ill get to have fun cuting this stuff.Fun fun fun  I cant wait.   

More roadbed cutting and fiddling on the Engine Servicing Terminal.  Just goes on forever it seems ... trying to get the turntable finished, etc.

Cleaned the rollers on the K-Line B6 

Now it doesn't stall.

Actually it was yesterday at this point: I extended the foundation for my "country road" ('Streets) by 12 feet, fitting it onto the layout with a 2 to 2.5 % slope as it comes down from the "mountains" into my valley area.

Replaced 2 batts in a ps1 & ps2 engine, found a short in the front truck of an F3, fixed a brush problem on my 1947 GG1 and ran it (see related post, Does It Get Any Better....) and MU'd two F3 C & O engines: 1 a PS1 and the other a PS2.

Still, I know that in a week or so, I will have to take the boards down, and the fun will be basically over for another year. Dennis hit the nail on the head.

Greg

Alas . . . .sigh . . . . I am stuck here in Florida with temps in the 40s and 50s and near gale force winds the last couple of days.  I could be enjoying this weather back in Michigan in a nice warm basement working on my layout.  I haven't been able to golf for a week due to rain, then cold.  Wahhhhhhhh!

.....

Dennis

It looks like today I will drive the GOLDEN SPIKE on first loop of my new layout.  I got to within 5 ft of closing the first loop yesteday, the last 5 ft should be very simple to do.  Then without fanfare I will be starting loop 2!

Rained all night last night and will turn to snow this afternoon.  Are you sure you want to be back in Michigan?

Last night I hooked up a TPC 300 so I can run my post war / MPC trains.  Tonight after work I plan to permanently  mount my grist mill onto the access hatch and add a final layer of plaster cloth on it.  I also hope to hook up the wires so the wheel will spin.  

Yeaterday I painted a sheet of plywood and added it to the top of layout.Then I painted 2 sheets of the quietbrace and added them to the top of the layout.I also had to run to walmart and pick up 2 cans of miss match paint.And it was onlt $4.00 a gallon

Spent the day with a friend screwing risers into the subroadbed for the Engine Servicing Terminal.  Working on the turntable surrounding benchwork; what a pain to get everything right!

Tore part of the layout down this week.  I'm going from this:

To this:

I had a small downtown left of the old 054 Wye, I'm moving it down to the bottom of the room.  I'm replacing the liftout bridge with an 072 Wye to give me 2-way traffic onto the layout and hopefully more yard.

I've cut down from 8 sidings to 4, but this will give me more room for larger industries.  I only hope the Greenberg show this weekend will have some buildings I need.

Did my latest cycle of removing the postwar stuff from the tracks and replaced them with six inch and 3/16 Marx tinplate. It keeps me from a general boredom from running the same thing again and again in circles. Windups take a turn as well. Prewar sometimes makes an appearance. Getting ready for Spring. Bought some of those PVC molded trestle bents for the G. Look forward to planting them.

I've been building this town up and rearranging things in it. 

Starting to detail mine a bit, figuring the lower section tunnel portals to make and designing a passenger platform for the train station. I removed part of a lionel Rico station, the storage end, and Im going to install a passenger waiting platform.

Got the brass delievered for the light pole creations tube and flat brass sheet.  should be fun.  need some tubing benders

Chris

Very busy day on the railroad today, a bunch of benchwork.

Here are the pics I forgot to post from last week.

CGWforever assembles the helix foundation.



Foundation complete!



On to today...

The first section of the new hidden yard takes shape.



Frame installed, time to connect the pieces with a short bridge.



Heading up the helix! Instead of using 3/4" plywood, I use 2 layers of 3/8" plywood glued together to form a single  continuous roadbed.



Half way around the first turn.



Let's see what I can get done before he comes over next week.

Finally got the swing up section of the layout which has been holding me back for awhile now. I still have to fine tune it a bit. If all goes well tomorrow i will have it wired up.

I added the Polar Express 2-car set to my rolling stock roster.  OK, OK...  so this wasn't strictly work on the layout but this was really huge for me because I have been looking for them so long. 

I didn't get any work done on the layout today but was able to go downstairs with the kids and enjoy running some trains this morning before I went to work.  

I laid down another 12 feet of Atlas track for my 'Streets country road (2 lanes x 6 feet of highway), straightened out a few places where clearance was minimal to have enough, cut a tunnel through a wall 1 wider and higher, and began wiring the 60 feet of track I have installed so far (34 more to go).

Went to the hardware store after the Rotary Club noon meeting to pick up additional wiring supplies. Later, placed terminal blocks under the layout near three of my switches. I have been living under there for the last three weeks, but am getting in the home stretch. Getting better, but getting slower.

EL Bob

Working on the fascia boards still. One more piece to put in. Spackle, sand paint...repeat!

We broke 3 of these pieces before we finally got one in there w/o breaking it. Just trying to make the radius too tight and they snapped. Had to loosen up the curve a little but this one should stay.... we HOPE!

Worked on a repaint of 2 locomotives that I am doing for a friend this morning, and they are way over due.  I hope to get them all assembled tomorrow and back to him ASAP.

I also did more plaster work on the layout.   Almost have the plaster cloth all done, then on to the actual scenery.   I will be heading to Menards tonight to get some yard sticks to make into sidewalks for my city.  

Right now taking a breakfast/lunch brake. It's 11:30am here. I've been painting the back walls to my new layout. I have about half the framing done. It's going to be awhile tell I can get the hot water (no relation to the Hot Water on the Forum) heater changed to a tankless and moved. I can't finish framing tell that's done. The tankless will save lots of space and hang on a wall away from the layout. Don

I got a couple of things done:

1. Worked with a sound system vendor to get steel making sound module created and order the module.
2. Sorted through, organized, and cataloged some electrical components in a storage box.
3. Started researching a smoke unit for a new animation.
4. Later tonight I'm headed over to help a friend work on his layout and get rid of some adult beverages.

George

I worked on my tunnel some more. I am putting up the walls first, using 1x4's for supports. I then glued and stapled black foamboard to that. Once all of the glue set I put adhesive sheets from Micro Mark on the foamboard and then put down ballast with adhesive. When I feel that I am done with the walls I plan on putting a roof over the tunnel. I don't like to be able to see into a hollow mountain. Not very realistic in my opinion. Next I will bulid the mountain over the completed tunnel.

Cobrabob.

I will attatch some photos, but I am sorry about the picture quality. Atleast you will be able to see what I am doing.  

Very much needed train room cleaning was on the agenda this afternoon. If I have time tomorrow, I'd like to run a train or two. 

In the one photo you can see where I had to widen the "Extra Wide Tunnel Portal". I used some small pieces from an extra wall I purchased. The stones appear white above the opening.

Cobrabob.

Hey Jeff....thanks for the kind words. Video isn't quite my thing but if I do run some trains or something, I'll try to take a few photos. Purchased a new camera last night and want to tool around with it a bit. 

Welcome SJC!!! I know how you feel i'm not very good either with pic's and video's either but i try my best. LOL 

Today we finally spent a few minutes to get the outer loop of track operational.

Moved the boards and foam so that the track would be level and then we ran some trains!!  Now we are back to running two trains again.

We put down some additional plaster cloth then cleaned the track before we opened for visitors at 1... They started arriving by 12:30. The Mrs had double chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins as today's selection. We had a bunch of little people watching and munching muffins while a few 10-12 yer olds were running trains. Wonderful afternoon. 

I started deconstruction and moved my about 75% of my rolling stock to storage today.  More fun tomorrow.

Hopefully in your new place you can set up a much larger layout!

Working on an extension chute to drop barrels from my Lionel barrel loader into a K-line wireless dump car. Placed staples into end of barrels so electro magnet on crane can lift dumped barrels back onto the barrel loader and repeat cycle. 

Almost complete. Really adds some totally hands off play value in a tight area. 

Would like to see pic of extension on barrel loader when you complete.

Balto, I took a small video before explaining what I needed to do and will make one when done and painted. I plan on posting both on a new thread. As always hit a few glitches so will take a bit longer than I hoped. Should be done in a day or too. 

Thank You

The mess continues....with no end in sight yet.....But it's still fun.

While the wife watched the Grammys or Oscars or whatever dumb award show I have no interest in I went down stairs to work on the layout.  I removed my access hatch and permanently attached my grist mill to it.  I ran some 3 inch bolts though some holes in the MTH building down though the wood on the hatch.  It holds really well now and I am able to open and close the hatch without removing any buildings from it.  

Pictures to be posted tomorrow. 

Going in circles.

I hung up my 1969 Union Pacific Howard Fogg calendar.

I figured out how to get my baby steamers to go through the Atlas #7.5 switches at super slow speed. Now to wait for the relays.

Ron

I think I've decided on the next track plan for my seasonal temporary layout. Two independent circuits and fewer switches than my current plan.

Another four feet (by two lanes) of that Atlas track filled in with "pavement" for my 'Streets country road.  This thing is a pain - having used flextrack (the road does fit the landscape well) the road doesn't have a dependable radius I can count on so I have to custom measure,  cut, trim and install each section.  Takes forever to make it look good.

Relocated some power fuses, added a block section and two remote uncoupler sections acquired from a fellow member of this forum.  Added another section of brick wall to the elevated track running through town and started on a lumber yard.

What I did can be seen here, in the last post! Greg

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/d...nt/13537903718721172

I just drove that golden spike on my first 170ft loop of super o track and started running trains! 

I have not had a layout in 2 years and it about killed me!  So now I have one loop done and am starting the second loop now. 

Come on Bob where are the photos!

I took it down, packed everything up and put it two 4x8 platforms in the shed. and boxed up all freight cars, buildings, scenery and engines and put them in the storage closet.

Finally got around to painting and weathering my tunnel portals. I'm a novice at best when it comes to scenery but a little floquil weathered concrete paint and some chalk made a huge difference over the grey plastic. Floquil paint goes on so nice I'm contemplating hand painting my fastrack rails.

Before.....

After....

Looks nice Rick!

Thanks for the compliments Charlie and Rick. The snow is just the Woodland Scenics snow.

Son, Grandson and I finished the laying of the second loop.  Now need to wire it so we can run trains on inside.  Ran four engines on my 136' loop for the first time. AWESOME!!

2 GE 800 series (Little Joes), GP38 and my Wife's Mohawk.....Need an extra hand or too when you do that..........

did some adding into the bridge side with foam.  need to paint it.  got the road in the tunnel painted this is the 1/4" foam board.  trying a shot at the waterfall in the last photo. this white caulk turns clear, I did strips on plastic wrap we'll see! 

Drove screws for 6 hours finishing the risers on the new engine terminal facility area.

AT LAST!!!

Now on to the Homaboard!

This is what I did on the layout today.

Rick

I ran my Lionel Vision Line UP CHALLENGER!  MAN, what an Engine. The sounds coming out of those THREE Speakers is GREAT!!!

FREDSTRAINS

Still working in a mess, but did get some painting and more home runs wired in. Still having fun.

I rewired an 027 automatic switch from track to ACC power using Walt Rapp's instruction. It went without a problem. Not having an electric saw device, I used a hacksaw blade and a carpet knife. Hands were a bit sore after- that's all.

best i could do.  it crushes the picture.  see it in the photo album, it works there

Bob the layout it looking really good!!

Dare I ask why?

Chris D

You are right but every time I do a field day clean up I can't find anything so the heck with it. I have just about got used to it.

Larry Sr.

Lots of progress today. Almost a full turn of decking completed. This is where it gets interesting with two switches that will form a wye allowing trains to go up or down.



First floor, Union Pacific to Omaha, Des Moines and Milwaukee.



I'm going to have to cut away part of the joist to get the track through.

Thanks for the inspiration guys! Today, I finally got to a couple of projects on my winter list. First, I disassembled, cleaned & returned a broken 151 semaphore to operational status. I managed to find the missing lamp housing in a lot of junk parts on the 'Bay & now she's ready to go on the old TA & TL Lines. 

I work at a music venue & due to the shows we've booked, I've worked 13 out of the last 14 days. Taking advantage of my 1st day off in a long while, I felt inspired to keep the momentum going. I'm pretty passionate about Postwar Lionel Aluminum Passenger Cars, & I dug out a solid 2561 body I snagged a couple of weeks back. Pulling from the parts drawer (or in my case the parts tupperware under our bed,) I went from clean shell to fully assembled circa '59 "Super Chief" beauty in about an hour. I have the '52 Super Speedliner & '57 CP set complete & on display & I'm pretty close to completing the '62 - '66 Presidential series. Tonight, I'm one step closer to a complete Santa Fe red striped set. 

Its back to work tomorrow, but we'll see what the weekend holds - and by weekend, I mean Sunday & Tuesday.

I made some Triple Crown sample decals with my sign making software & cutter to test fit for 10 trailers I need to paint white and decal. The crowns will be red on proto trailers eh

Hello everyone.Well Yesterday I ran to wallmart to pick up some vasoline,mineral spirits,1" paint brushes,wax paper,disposable cups,rubber gloves,fiberglass window screening,masking tape, a new glue gun,glue sticks,some X-acto knifes,acrylic paints,And miss crafting items.

 Then I orderd some Items from   www.bragonet.com  some latex rock molds. Black shadow.  powdered black tempera paint,acrylic gesso.  And it was shiped the same day. So I'd say I'll have it by saturday.

Crawled around under the layout all day putting in the "third screw" in the risers so the roadbed won't sink when we crawl on it to paint and lay the track in the engine terminal.  My back arms and shoulders are reminding me a day of drilling and screwing isn't for the oldsters!  Where is that grandkid when you need one!

Finished wiring three of twelve switches to complete the electrical portion of my layout. Only nine more to go. After almost a month of crawling around under the layout, I should be done in a couple of days. But, I may have to order some more wire to finish the wiring. I have been running some of my locomotives around the outer loop in the meantime to give me a break.

I moved some trains around in preparation for picking up my new MTH Imperial PS3 B&O 0-6-0 switcher tomorrow. I also tested my MTH Railking Imperial K4, back from repair. 

mixed up paints and started painting my Pond and picked up mod podge to do it all up

. . . alas . . . sigh . . . I am still in Florida and am yearning for my layout now.  Would that I could just have Scotty beam me up, back and forth.

.....

Dennis

mixng paint is crazy, a dark green with white then some yellow and tan.  then hit some grey in there.

Back around September, I started working on a smoke fluid storage and tank car loading facility...

Well I've finally been painting it all.  Here are the two upper level tanks after paint and decals were applied...

I have been out of town the last few days so nothing done on the layout.  Got home last night and ran trains for the kids for a few minutes before bed.

This morning I got up early and hooked up my legacy system that got back from Lionel's Warranty Repair last week.  They replaced my CAB 2 and fixed the charging system on my legacy base.  

I also ran my new Atlas O 0-6-0 that I purchased off the forum last week.  It was the 2st time out of the box and it is a very nice and detailed locomotive.  It needs a bit of weight in the tender as it is very light weight, but otherwise it ran well and smoked well.  Sounds aren't up to par as my legacy locomotives but it is the perfect size for my running.  It will be repainted to represent my Michigan and Great  Lakes RR soon.  

This weekend I will have 2 project locomotives finished repainted for a friend and hope to ge them back to him on Monday.

Built the shelf (rack) holding the (4) ZW's with built in resetable circuit breakers and TVS (transient voltage suppressors) as recommended here on the forum...  

Also wired the 5 taps I am going to use with 12 Gauge Stranded wire got everything in phase....