briansilvermustang posted:
looks great Lou !
how about a siding down this roadway for some street running...
Not enough room to make it look good. I thought about it but it won't look good.
I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do in the space between the station and the siding switch. It's just flat and empty right now. Needs something.
Mark says, " Brian, some folks just don’t like an adventure! LOL "
hmmm??!!?... sidings for all levels... 
c'mon BOB... can't be that hard... 
send her some flowers... 
yeah ! I don't see no problem...
It took me three hours to dig through boxes to find all my Thomas the Tank Engine stuff. I have been buying this stuff for two years at open-air markets, yard sales, etc., and I wanted to see what I had.
I didn't like most of what I had, and I've already started giving it away.
But four-year-old Christian Neighbor (That's his real name) had a blast and went home with a small treasure trove.
that is awesome Vincent 
I started detailing my last passenger car set, the Lionel 21" 1927010, 1927020, 1927030, and 1927040 Santa Fe 9-car set. It has been a while since I painted cars and Preiser 65602 Seated People, so all Testor Acrylic Flat paints had to be mixed again.
I started with the most difficult car, the 1927030 Santa Fe Sound-Stations Great Dome #550. The lower level was painted first as I checked the final appearance of the new paint mixes. The lower level has two passenger restrooms and an office for what I call a nurses office with two beds and private restroom.
The upper level has the Great Dome seating, painted in a 60-40 mixture of Testor's Acryl Flat White and Earth Red. The seats will need three coats of paint to create a solid color without bleed-through. The Preiser Seated People will need serious grinding of feet and bottoms to lower them into the Great Dome. The Dome Floor is not adjustable and is part of the car body mold. (The Santa Fe Vista Dome Floor and Seating can be lowered and adjusted.)
Here are a few pictures of today's work. I placed a figure in the Dome Seating to show how low the people must be made to sit. I may need to remove more rear ends/bottoms as I get ready to add all the people. The roof snaps on the Great Dome and has releases at either end of the Dome with four side snaps as well. Painting the Dome Seats needs great care not to get paint on the silver painted sides of the car.
Have a good evening.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
It was a tear down day on my railroad too. I took up 36 sections of track and three switches. Two lazy switches were the scene of too many derailments. Replaced. I found room for two new short spurs. Now I can keep my passenger cars on the track and ready. I put 15 sections back down this evening. I'll have the main line open in a couple days. I will have to rewire seven lighted structures.
Say "Good Night" Gracie.
Bill
Good job, Bill!
”Good night Gracie”
Well the "party train" is home from its Boston/NYC week long trip. We came back with the same number of passengers that we left with from NH. Only one mechanical failure that was quickly repaired. Everyone had a fun time except for a few hangovers. The crew in the dining car was pumping out "cure burgers" & Mimosas on New Years Day. (Cure Burger = burger, bacon , cheddar & a sunny side up egg with chipotle sauce on the side.)
Namaste!
Matt, I am certainly glad you returned to New Hampshire with the same number of passengers as you left with. The question begs to be asked. Were they all the same passengers???? Kidding aside, I have never taking a train trip with a large group, but I have taken several bus trips from Butler Pennsylvania to Washington DC, and I know it was a constant concern to make sure everyone was still with us.
Great looking excursion train and layout! I always enjoy your posts!!
Mark Boyce posted:Bob, looks like a great project! So is there a less steep access to the upper level since you said you would make it a spur?
Yes Mark- on the other side of the layout. The grade is still steep but not as bad. Here's an old photo from when I started building.
Brian, Paul, and Matt- You guys do realize that I'm on the cliff hangin' by my fingernails already. 
I did have this plan in mind before I gave up my remaining space to my son and his gaming set up.
I'd long ago decided to make a fictional insignia for the railroad operating Battalion on my layout, and I finally drew it last night.
I'm going to put it on signs in their facility and stuff like that. I decided to draw it out on paper, as someone would have done in real life.
I drew the stump underneath the locomotive, alluding maybe to something that it happened to one of their engines in the past.
Originally, I was going to do it with a ET&WNC ten wheeler locomotive, but I realized I would be very complex and hard to put on an Insignia. An Army 'trench' locomotive made a lot more sense.
Brian, sure is a lot of Amtrak cars! They are going to look great with the collection you already have!
Sharp Hanger, The new platform for you station looks great! I like how you populated it with all the people just as Mark had stated!
Bob, Looks like a good change. You could always use the space where the grade went up and make it into a road coming down from the mountain!
Lou, Looks Great! What a wonderful improvement! Love the Brewery!
Vincent, Way to get the younger generation involved in trains! Shows a big heart!
John R, Nice to see you back painting the passenger cars! You do such great work, its a pleasure to see your post of what you do!
Matt, Great pictures and video's of such a wonderful looking layout! I love the story that you put along with them. I am also glad that all the passengers had a fun time and got back safe!
Well yesterday a friend and I did some work in the train room and the garage. I know its not on the layout but it will make a big improvement for the train room. We spent all day installing mini split ductless heaters/AC units in both the Train room and garage. I still have some clean up, but the good thing is it will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer!
I hope everyone has a Great Monday! I also hope you all get time for your trains and layouts!
p51 posted:I'd long ago decided to make a fictional insignia for the railroad operating Battalion on my layout, and I finally drew it last night.
I'm going to put it on signs in their facility and stuff like that. I decided to draw it out on paper, as someone would have done in real life.
I drew the stump underneath the locomotive, alluding maybe to something that it happened to one of their engines in the past.Originally, I was going to do it with a ET&WNC ten wheeler locomotive, but I realized I would be very complex and hard to put on an Insignia. An Army 'trench' locomotive made a lot more sense.
Lee, wonderful idea! Looks great! I cant wait to see them around the complex!
mike g. posted:Bob, Looks like a good change. You could always use the space where the grade went up and make it into a road coming down from the mountain!
Well yesterday a friend and I did some work in the train room and the garage. I know its not on the layout but it will make a big improvement for the train room. We spent all day installing mini split ductless heaters/AC units in both the Train room and garage. I still have some clean up, but the good thing is it will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer!
I hope everyone has a Great Monday! I also hope you all get time for your trains and layouts!
The remaining track will be leveled out and be a spur off the upper loop. I can always use more space to park cars!
Those ductless splits are great Mike. Good for humidity control too!
RSJB18 posted:
Brian, Paul, and Matt- You guys do realize that I'm on the cliff hangin' by my fingernails already.
The crew at Vetter Storm and Dash have just received a new drill press and they are transferring it from the Lexington Park and Savannah flat that just brought it in from Milwaukee. The truck will take it around the back to the loading door where she will be set up in the shop and working before 2nd shift tonight.
The RR maintenance dept got called by the Freight Station crew that the "necessary" needed some repair. So they dispatched a crew to do the job.
Bob, thank you for the photograph of the other side. Yes I know about losing promises layout space for other family members. It was always worth it though.
Mike, that’s a great improvement withe the ductless system.
Lee, looks great!
Brian, all aboard Amtrak!
Don, looks great!
mike g. posted:p51 posted:
Lee, wonderful idea! Looks great! I cant wait to see them around the complex!
Thanks, Mike. I used to know of someone who could make patches in very small numbers. I really wish he could still do that now, as it'd be great to make a dozen or so of these as a shoulder patch (and get a reproduction WW2 figure shirt to sew them onto). Better would be if someone could make them as unit crests (that sure would confuse military insignia collectors), but that'd cost a small fortune...
It'd be hilarious if I could have done that, to put them on a set of WW2 class As and show up at a re-enactment!
not on the layout but hopefully for it, reverse engineering a building, first CAD design then test design to see if it will print ok, so far looks good.
Lee, You might want to search for someone who does custom embroidery (Team jackets and the like) in small quantities using computerized machines (Janome, Brother, Bernina). By going to a store that sells these you can find someone who does it as a home/hobby business. Take them the original artwork full sized and the Pantone colors and the material you want the patches made on - you might be pleasantly surprised. I bought some great T shirts at an Eddie Bauer outlet store (<$8 each) and had a local place embroider "Southern Adirondack Railway Cartel" on them as Xmas presents for the guys in our train group at a price less than the shirts. You can contact me off site if you go this route and can't get it done locally.
As great as my Christmas layout looked, I had loads of issues, mostly due to my own faults and rushing to get it completed by Christmas morning. The new control system worked beautifully, but both locomotives are running only when they feel like it. I want to blame the e-units as the whistling tenders are working great. Neither loco has been serviced to my knowledge, so I'm going to look at doing that first
Today the Postman dropped off a box and I unpacked it. This beauty was inside:
After changing out the couplers to the hidden-tab type (I have standardized on them because the remote-uncouplers&car-stoppers are spaced accordingly) the new car went into the interchange yard (fiddle yard).
This pic is for Mark:
"built by Pullman Standard Butler, Pa"
I like the level of detailing on these MTH PS-2CD cars, nice paintwork&lettering but not too delicate for old arthritic hands to handle without [too much] damage.
This car fits into my developing scheme of having a car on the PER for each road I have ridden. Still need Reading, Western Pacific, Mopac and Amtrak. Some small lines like the Apache railroad (White Mountains of Aridzona), the East Broad Top, the Penn View Mountain Railroad (Blairsville, Pa) and the Oil Creek & Titusville prolly not gonna' happen.
Lew, John Hansen and Diamond Jim Brady would be proud!!
MTH really did a nice job on those cars!!
Painted a bunch of Bachmann figures I found in a box. Not perfect, but good enough for my purposes. Nice to finally have some people on my railroad. Build it and they will come!
RSJB18, Bob, I’m glad to see you make changes in your layout, that’s Progress, also DECOYNH, I like your layout and the videos, Wow, also Lew, really nice car the postman delivered, very colorful, and Lew, your layout is really cool, 
and Mike G, it’s great to see you’ve had a little railroad time, and Trumptrain, your pictures are also exciting and colorful. Today, I actually hooked up the street lights, it’s more work than I had anticipated and crawling under the table wasn’t quite as easy as it used to be.... But, there had to be Light. Have a great week everyone.
Larry, The lights look great! There is always so much to see on your layout!!
Thank you Mark, also your layout is coming along nicely and I really like the ceiling layout, it’s awesome. Please post more of your pictures for the new comers to see. Everyone’s layouts have features that we can enjoy and learn from. Tomorrow I plan on hooking up more lights and powering more track blocks.
briansilvermustang posted:RSJB18 posted:
Brian, Paul, and Matt- You guys do realize that I'm on the cliff hangin' by my fingernails already.
Bob;
As someone who has been in free fall (sans parachute) for many years, all I can say is embrace change and...
sidehack posted:not on the layout but hopefully for it, reverse engineering a building, first CAD design then test design to see if it will print ok, so far looks good.
Ray, I am very intrigued by your ability to print scale parts. I know that you have a special 3D printer, but does it work off of a photo segment or do you need to enter data and dimensions, etc or both? Would like more information on the process. What a valuable tool! Thanks!
Cheers, Dave
Bob I like the changes you are making to the grade... Can you tell me more about the block wall under the upper level track to the right of the portal,,, that's really nice looking stone work ?
Lou, The work you're doing is a major improvement, well worth the effort.
LEAPINLARRY: Great photos... you did nice job of not letting the camera compensate for the lack of light so the night time view would look right.
Ray, the 3D print of that turn of the century window assembly is awesome !! Nice work.
John Rowlen, incredible work on the interior of the Santa Fe streamliners.
I had a great day, drove up toward NH and picked up my Christmas present a pair of Golden Gate Depot O scale 3 rail Brass Heavyweight Pullman cars, an observation car and a diner.... I'll take photos later tonight when I go back down stairs to work.... My daughter who started working this past July 4th, practically bought them for me with a cash gift at Christmas.... I have been helping her move into her new apartment and buying her some things she needed, but it was heartwarming to get such a thoughtful gift. I had told her before Christmas that I really wanted to buy these cars after seeing them at a local show in early December.
I am determined to finish installing a pair of Tortoise machines on the crossover to the Mine Run, and hopefully I will get my double red dwarf signals installed on the passenger yard tracks which will indicate when the last car on the train is within 4 inches of the bumper at the end of the spur....
leapinlarry posted:Thank you Mark, also your layout is coming along nicely and I really like the ceiling layout, it’s awesome. Please post more of your pictures for the new comers to see. Everyone’s layouts have features that we can enjoy and learn from. Tomorrow I plan on hooking up more lights and powering more track blocks.
That's the thing, isn't it? Also, everyone's layout has a different character / ambience which I enjoy as well.
Progress on the 1927030 Santa Fe Great Dome #550 is moving forward. I finished the three coats of paint on the seats and tables. I am now slowly grinding the selected figures to fit in their places. I started with the tables in the rear of the car.
I stopped for the night after making a grinding mistake on a figure. Tomorrow I will continue inserting people to the front of the Great Dome Car.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
darlander posted:sidehack posted:not on the layout but hopefully for it, reverse engineering a building, first CAD design then test design to see if it will print ok, so far looks good.
Ray, I am very intrigued by your ability to print scale parts. I know that you have a special 3D printer, but does it work off of a photo segment or do you need to enter data and dimensions, etc or both? Would like more information on the process. What a valuable tool! Thanks!
Cheers, Dave
Dave, I wish it were that easy, I need to build a full 3d model in CAD (yes dimensions,surfaces, solids etc.), make an STL file from that, then put it through a "slicer program" which isn't difficult, it produces a program that the 3D printer cad read and then if all the printer settings are right it's time to make a part. Then in anywhere from 30 minutes to many hours we have what you see there. That wall with window took just over an hour and luckily was correct the first time. Yes to me this is the future but unless you have the STL file that someone else makes then you need to learn how to create models in a CAD system. When I need or want something I can probably make it.
If I can help you in any way just ask.
John Rowlen posted:Progress on the 1927030 Santa Fe Great Dome #550 is moving forward. I finished the three coats of paint on the seats and tables. I am now slowly grinding the selected figures to fit in their places. I started with the tables in the rear of the car.
I stopped for the night after making a grinding mistake on a figure. Tomorrow I will continue inserting people to the front of the Great Dome Car.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
John, you are doing great modeling there and it took me right back. This is what one of those Great Domes looked like from the inside:
Smart-**s young gazer in foreground.
Geysergazer, Lew, you are so correct, every layout has its own theme, Sense of humor, ambiance is a better description. John Rowlen, your great at making the Lionel passenger cars look better, your patience in painting the small people and taking the cars apart is awesome. Chris A., your layout is coming alive and looking so real. Your like Norm Charboneau, (probably mis-spelled), so great at weathering, construction technics, and more. I had people added to some of my passenger cars. Happy Railroading.
Lew, Thank you for the picture.
Larry, I like the passenger car pictures. Your lights on the layout make it very interesting in low/no room light.
Have a good evening.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
leapinlarry posted:Thank you Mark, also your layout is coming along nicely and I really like the ceiling layout, it’s awesome. Please post more of your pictures for the new comers to see. Everyone’s layouts have features that we can enjoy and learn from. Tomorrow I plan on hooking up more lights and powering more track blocks.
Thank you, Larry! I hope to be posting more, and doing more soon. This fall has been busy, but hopefully I’ll have more time. Two days before Christmas we finally closed on selling my parents’ house after 2 1/2 years. I am finally getting around better after knee replacement surgery Nov 5th, and we have all of the holiday work and activities behind us.
I’ll look forward to seeing more lights on your layout!!
I spent 13 hours chasing a short that developed while making track changes. The short was between main line track power and O22 switch fixed voltage. I found and fixed that short. One switch, that I did not mess with, got a short between the anti-derail isolated rails. I will replace switch #3 tomorrow.
My waterbed is calling me.
Bill
Bill, Short circuits can really be devious that is for sure! You deserve a good night sleep!
After finishing the new pilot for the 2-8-0 consolidation, I decided I needed to add a few more details. The head light and tender backup light needed the addition of prototypical number boards. So the past few days I have been devoted to some more copper and brass construction. I was motivated by the fact that I bought a new variable wattage soldering iron for this project and I was looking for more things to do with it.
Since the parts were so small, I made some wooden forms to help support and hole the pieces in alignment for soldering. I also added a prototypical hand hold to the stock number plate below the front headlight.
In 1930, the DM&IRR required shades be added to all locomotives cabs, so that was another requirement I had to complete.
I sprayed a coat of ACE gloss black enamel to the areas that received new decals. I still need to spray the entire engine with a coat of matte finish to complete the project. Tomorrow, Tomorrow!
So the next step, couple up an ore drag and see it in action!
Cheers to everyone for all the great posts! Keep on Training!!
Fabricating headlight number board:
Tender backup light number board:
Test fit!
Cab shades
Cheers again, Dave
Dave, Stunning !!! those details really make an incredible difference.... We need to get you some air tanks for the top of the boiler... Thanks for sharing the details of how you made the small wood forms for the soldering operation, and I forgot to mention how good the decals look..... Amazing transformation into a meaningful prototypical model for your layout.
Dave, I agree with Chris; you have really done a tremendous job detailing that engine!!
chris a posted:Dave, Stunning !!! those details really make an incredible difference.... We need to get you some air tanks for the top of the boiler... Thanks for sharing the details of how you made the small wood forms for the soldering operation, and I forgot to mention how good the decals look..... Amazing transformation into a meaningful prototypical model for your layout.
Thanks Chris and Mark! Yes, I have been thinking about the air tanks. I would have to move the bell forward to make room. It would be a unique addition. Maybe someday when I run out of things to do, I'll make it happen.
Cheers, Dave
sidehack posted:darlander posted:Ray, I am very intrigued by your ability to print scale parts. I know that you have a special 3D printer, but does it work off of a photo segment or do you need to enter data and dimensions, etc or both? Would like more information on the process. What a valuable tool! Thanks!
Cheers, Dave
Dave, I wish it were that easy, I need to build a full 3d model in CAD (yes dimensions,surfaces, solids etc.), make an STL file from that, then put it through a "slicer program" which isn't difficult, it produces a program that the 3D printer cad read and then if all the printer settings are right it's time to make a part. Then in anywhere from 30 minutes to many hours we have what you see there. That wall with window took just over an hour and luckily was correct the first time. Yes to me this is the future but unless you have the STL file that someone else makes then you need to learn how to create models in a CAD system. When I need or want something I can probably make it.
If I can help you in any way just ask.
Thanks Ray for the reply. I assumed it was a more complicated process. I have purchased a few detail parts that were 3D printed. I have a good friend that works at the Mayo Clinic imaging research division here in Rochester. They have the luxury of scanning actual parts that they can then mirror, twist, you name it, and then a printer makes a perfect copy. I think he said that they can even print in titanium! The world is getting too techie for me. I used a slide rule throughout my schooling and and this includes graduate school. I'm sure there are people reading this that might need to look up the word "slide rule".
Cheers, Dave
I just made the time to actually use it.
I ran trains for about an hour and a half-definitely time well spent.
Decided to get back up and continue adding Preiser 65602 Seated People to the 1927030 Santa Fe Great Dome Station Sounds passenger #550.
Tomorrow I will close the car up and run it. This the first of nine Santa Fe 21" passenger cars I have to detail.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
Thanks Chris, just getting started on this structure, it could take a while
Dave it is so interesting the way you put together those brass details using Jigs, well thought out
John those seated people really make the difference, you have a great eye for those details
RAK, Those are really nice trains running. Super O looks great! I wonder why that product didn't take off. Was it too far ahead of it's time? I don't know.
John, You sure do make your passenger trains come alive!!
chris a posted:Bob I like the changes you are making to the grade... Can you tell me more about the block wall under the upper level track to the right of the portal,,, that's really nice looking stone work ?
Chris- the walls are printed on plain paper and mounted to thin card stock. To give some dimension to the wall I built out the corners. The print out came from textures.com . The site has tons of great images for download.
Here's some more pix of the build. The wall facing the track is removable to hide the wiring for this corner of the layout.
Thanks
darlander posted:sidehack posted:darlander posted:Ray, I am very intrigued by your ability to print scale parts.
Cheers, Dave
Dave, I wish it were that easy,
Thanks Ray for the reply. I assumed it was a more complicated process. The world is getting too techie for me. I used a slide rule throughout my schooling and and this includes graduate school. I'm sure there are people reading this that might need to look up the word "slide rule".
Cheers, Dave
Well Dave, I don't need to look up what a slide rule is. But I did graduate to the more techie version of a slide rule known as the circular slide rule! Best invention since sliced bread for a physics major - you could even stick it in your shirt pocket without knocking your front teeth out!!
George
Bob, thanks very much for replying. I would have sworn those walls had 3D relief, very cool. Doing the corner posts/caps is makes a big difference and is a great way to hide the mitered corner joint. I will go their website and check it out. Chris
CoastsideKevin posted:Painted a bunch of Bachmann figures I found in a box. Not perfect, but good enough for my purposes. Nice to finally have some people on my railroad. Build it and they will come!
They look great, Kevin - can't have too many people on a layout IMHO, over 400 on Warrenville.
I cut the bases off mine. Sometimes I make the people different by cutting off arms, heads, etc and gluing them back in different positions. Also, by trimming hats or filing them off completely.
GeoPeg posted:darlander posted:sidehack posted:darlander posted:Ray, I am very intrigued by your ability to print scale parts.
Cheers, Dave
Dave, I wish it were that easy,
Thanks Ray for the reply. I assumed it was a more complicated process. The world is getting too techie for me. I used a slide rule throughout my schooling and and this includes graduate school. I'm sure there are people reading this that might need to look up the word "slide rule".
Cheers, Dave
Well Dave, I don't need to look up what a slide rule is. But I did graduate to the more techie version of a slide rule known as the circular slide rule! Best invention since sliced bread for a physics major - you could even stick it in your shirt pocket without knocking your front teeth out!!
George
I knew I had one around here, now I just have to remember how to use it!
chris a posted:Ok I am so thankful I got these GGD cars for Christmas.... Now back to work, wiring .
Totally awesome, gorgeous cars, Chris! Somebody knew what you wanted! 
Super looking cars, Chris! They really look great on your fine layout!
Thanks Mark and Geopeg: It pays to keep going to local train shows and church every Sunday. I told my wonderful daughter what I was looking at (hint, hint), and got a gracious gift from her. So it just makes the passenger cars even more special !
chris a posted:Thanks Mark and Geopeg: It pays to keep going to local train shows and church every Sunday. I told my wonderful daughter what I was looking at (hint, hint), and got a gracious gift from her. So it just makes the passenger cars even more special !
That’s right! The Sunday train shows are a bit too far for me to attend after church. There really isn’t enough time to make it worthwhile, so I go to Saturday shows. Your daughter did very well!
Mark Boyce posted:Lew, John Hansen and Diamond Jim Brady would be proud!!
MTH really did a nice job on those cars!!
Here we go, Lew!!
I am starting the second of nine Lionel Santa Fe 21" Passenger cars today. The Great Dome is done, and the Dome Coach is in progress with the painting of the seats. This car has a full coach on the lower level as well as the Vista Dome seating. The Vista Dome coach comes in the 1927040 2-pack.
Here are a few pictures as I do the three coats of painting before adding the Preiser 65602 Seated People I painted.
Have a good day working on your railroad.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
Chris they are first class beautiful!
I fixed my switch issues. A defective controller was the final answer. All switches now work. I'm taking an afternoon nap. Three days of electrical combat is enough.
John R., I have added "put people in passenger cars" to my railroad punch list.
Chris A., Beautiful cars at your station.
While scrounging in my garage, I noticed I have the fundamentals for a drive in theater, complete with VHS/DVD player. Seems like an excuse for another "to do" for the list. I'll start by showing a double feature, "The Blob" and "Attack of the killer Tomatoes." $3.00 per car.
Odenville Bill posted:I fixed my switch issues. A defective controller was the final answer. All switches now work. I'm taking an afternoon nap. Three days of electrical combat is enough.
John R., I have added "put people in passenger cars" to my railroad punch list.
Chris A., Beautiful cars at your station.
While scrounging in my garage, I noticed I have the fundamentals for a drive in theater, complete with VHS/DVD player. Seems like an excuse for another "to do" for the list. I'll start by showing a double feature, "The Blob" and "Attack of the killer Tomatoes." $3.00 per car.
I'm making the popcorn.......
Installed the bridge so can now talk to my Powermasters and got rid of the old Command Base and CAB1
Still working on my hotel, slow but sure, once I finish one complete window section then it will move along just using the same programs for the rest.
sidehack posted:GeoPeg posted:darlander posted:sidehack posted:darlander posted:Ray, I am very intrigued by your ability to print scale parts.
Cheers, Dave
Dave, I wish it were that easy,
Thanks Ray for the reply. I assumed it was a more complicated process. The world is getting too techie for me. I used a slide rule throughout my schooling and and this includes graduate school. I'm sure there are people reading this that might need to look up the word "slide rule".
Cheers, Dave
Well Dave, I don't need to look up what a slide rule is. But I did graduate to the more techie version of a slide rule known as the circular slide rule! Best invention since sliced bread for a physics major - you could even stick it in your shirt pocket without knocking your front teeth out!!
George
I knew I had one around here, now I just have to remember how to use it!
Meet my old trustworthy Post! Bought it in the fall of 1956! Never had to change batteries or recharge it! The Slide "Rules"!
Cheers, Dave
Mark Boyce posted:Mark Boyce posted:Lew, John Hansen and Diamond Jim Brady would be proud!!
MTH really did a nice job on those cars!!
Here we go, Lew!!
Mark, Eggcellent!!
What'd I do? I repaired a pair of K-Line passenger trucks. I recently acquired an 18" K-Line extruded aluminum retired business car in PRR livery:
Of the three K-Line cars of the PER two of them including this one have a case of the wobbles. That is, they don't sit stable on the trucks but rather wobble side-to-side disconcertingly when in motion. I quickly changed out a pair of good trucks and put the business car on the line but I wanted to see if I could do a repair. If I have two cars doing it there are probably a thousand out there with the same issue. So I dissected the trucks completely including driving out the center pins.
Details here:
Repairing K Line passenger car truck wobble
Thanks Lew. I have a KLine baggage car that has the “wobbles”. I’ll follow your detailed instructions.
Very nice photo tutorial, Lew! I don't have any wobbly K-Lines, but I'll look for the un-flat surface on any other wobbly cars I may find!!
Lew, that’s a great tip, I’m glad you solved the issue and that’s a beautiful car. It’s always nice when we can solve a problem without having to send it to e repair shop. What I did on my layout today was replace a toggle switch to an electronic switch via my last BPC which has 1 more space left. I like being able to turn on/off blocks with the Cab 2. It’s so convenient and now there’s 19 separate blocks on my layout. Hope everyone is doing fine today. Happy Railroading 
decoynh posted:Thanks Lew. I have a KLine baggage car that has the “wobbles”. I’ll follow your detailed instructions.
Matt, when you tap the center-pin out back up the underside so you don't twist the truck frame. I used the age-old trick of a socket of the correct size. It takes a couple tries to get a feel for how hard to tap on that dimple to flatten it. Also, flattening the dimple works the metal around the center-pin hole such that the center-pin is too tight a fit. Ream the hole carefully so the pin just pushes in. There are serrations at the base of the pin that will tighten the fit once the pin is driven home.
Attaboy, Lew! You should make that an "Under The Hood" article, if you haven't already...
Mitch
geysergazer posted:decoynh posted:Thanks Lew. I have a KLine baggage car that has the “wobbles”. I’ll follow your detailed instructions.
Matt, when you tap the center-pin out back up the underside so you don't twist the truck frame. I used the age-old trick of a socket of the correct size. It takes a couple tries to get a feel for how hard to tap on that dimple to flatten it. Also, flattening the dimple works the metal around the center-pin hole such that the center-pin is too tight a fit. Ream the hole carefully so the pin just pushes in. There are serrations at the base of the pin that will tighten the fit once the pin is driven home.
Lew, That all makes sense. Flattening the dimple would make the hole too tight.
Finally !!! Got my 2 Tortoise machines throwing both switches at the crossover to the Mine Run completed. I wanted both machines to switch together with one toggle switch, and I also wanted to add a 2nd Bi-Polar Red/Green LED alongside the switch on the Main Line. I have wired them together before at crossovers, but only with one Bi-Polar R/G LED in the control panel.... Anyway due the location of the switch and the location of the small sub-panel facing the back wall, it was worth the extra effort to wire in a 2nd LED so I could see the switch position without taking a hike.
.
The lights on the switch and little panel look great!
On another note. I see the roadbed is two sections of plywood thick. Would you explain what you have done there? Thank you!
geysergazer posted:Mark Boyce posted:Mark Boyce posted:Lew, John Hansen and Diamond Jim Brady would be proud!!
MTH really did a nice job on those cars!!
Here we go, Lew!!
Mark, Eggcellent!!
And to think how many bridges were built using the trusty slide rule.
Chris..nice job on the panel, I think I like the black more than my white ones
Hi Mark, thanks for asking. There were a couple of reasons I laminated 2 sheets of 1/2 inch plywood together.
This is the curve that is 180 degrees, probably 8'-6" diameter at the center line between the 2 main lines and it's on a 1.5% grade. So I really wanted the most stable, flat sub road bed I could construct. Whenever I join two sections of roadbed together in a butt joint I end up putting all kinds of reinforcement under the joint. I have used lap joints with more success....
My goal here was to create a long continuous downhill/uphill grade, I didn't want any issues with uneven joints, undulations, and I also wanted it to maintain it's level across the width. This is where the 2 layer idea came from, I figured out I could cut repeated sections 42 to 48 inches in length and overlap the joints top and bottom, so the entire 9 foot diameter is essentially one piece, glued, clamped and screwed together. It worked pretty darn well with very little flexing and was easier to elevate and get the grade right on the money without flexing.... I have always wanted to run pretty long trains 25 to 30 car freight trains, and I figured this curve going up a grade had better as near perfect as I could make it if that was going to work without derailments.
When I was installing it, I made supports for both ends and the mid-point as it was easy to figure out the math for 1.5% grade, then I was able to make sure I was on track for that gradient to get me down to the lower level around the last 90 degree turn across the lift gate. With only 3 support points, it was fairly straight forward to keep tweaking it as the grade continues above and below this 180 degree roadbed.
I ended up adding some oak joists under the roadbed once everything checked out, from top to bottom.
The other reason..... I can't really pick up carry large 4 x 8 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood with the rebuilt shoulder... but I can just about manage 1/2 inch
I bought a new HO train set after touring a large model train display in a Mexican mall. I then began serious construction of my "Knights of Atlantis" train lay-out.
So well-hidden that even Superman can't find it, Luthor's Lair towers over Atlantis.
Chris, Your reasoning is along the lines I was thinking it might be. I will have a similar situation on the opposite end of my new layout from the end I started working on. I just used a flat sheet of plywood for the big loop because there is no grade and I want to build a town in the middle and will build up the hillside over the rear of the loop with foam for the hillside town. The other side will have a grade the whole way around the loop and will be more rural scenic with a drop off for the Blackwater River. I will definitely keep your method in mind. I really like it.
Yes lifting plywood was a problem for me even before my knee and slipped disks/sciatic nerve problems. of the last year and a half. I fell on the ice at least 10 years ago and did some rotator cuff damage that I was told was inoperable. I went through a lot of physical therapy for that, and it is pretty good, but heavy lifting puts a strain on it. Ah well, we learn to adapt!! Thank you very much for the detailed explanation and photographs that I saw before, but didn't fully understand what I was looking at.
I created a RR unit sign on Photoshop, using the Insignia I just created. I used a background photo of boards painted in white, then ran ghost lines through the lettering and the Insignia where the board lines would be.
I think it worked pretty well, and could possibly fool the eye of anybody actually looking at it.
One thing's for sure, it doesn't look like your normal model railroad sign where someone just printed it out on white paper. I made the frame out of scale lumber, just needs another hit of dullcote and waiting for the glue to dry before that.
Then, I need to figure out exactly where I want to place it.
P51...very nice how you approached this, it can easily fool the eye
What'd I do? Well.....the Postman dropped off a box from trainz. In the box was a retired Conrail (nee Reading) extended vision Hack:
For me four things have to change before this crummy will be at home on the PER. That brakeman sitting in the cupola must go because we are a present-day [ish] operation and that means a two man crew. PER uses a Hack for it's everyday shove-move from town to interchange as a safe way for the Conductor to ride the rear-end during the trip. He/she stands/sits looking out the right rear-facing window with radio at hand giving the engineer instructions. So no one in the cupola. Also those ladders have to go. For safety all cabooses had their ladders and roof-walks removed late in their careers and again, PER is a present-day operation.
The atomic lights must be scaled down.
That light has to go as there never would be light in a cupola.
So here we go:
First the four screws retaining the body to the frame are removed. The tricky thing is that the platforms must then be removed by sliding them endways. Then the interior can be [gently] removed from the body.
The three lights and the brakeman exposed.
Here we are almost done. The brakeman has had his butt unglued and the center (cupola) light has been removed. For comparison, the left light bulb has been changed out for the lower wattage bulb used in MTH track switch remote controls while the right-hand bulb is stock. Easy way to fix atomic lights, use a dimmer bulb.
Ready for work:
I'll take a nigh-time pic later. Not sure what I'll do about the roof-walks as removing them would require sanding off the bosses they are retained by.
On Edit: Sorry, people. I don't know how I managed to post a duplicate. Fixed.
Matt, The Genset is really cool! I think the reason I like them is that they remind me of a first generation diesel. A first generation diesel with state of the art controls! That's a handsome passenger train it is pulling as well.
Lew, Just like a little kid. Get something in the mail and have to immediately tear it apart. You made some fast and easy improvements for your more modern era! Looking good!! Is that anther PS2 car in front of it????
still working on reverse engineering hotel
decoynh posted:Ran a Genset MBTA Commuter/Mail run and then cleaned the main line and the short line.
Really enjoyed the video clips Matt, Thanks for sharing. Nothing like a glimpse of what other people are doing/have done on their layouts
Mark Boyce posted:Matt, The Genset is really cool! I think the reason I like them is that they remind me of a first generation diesel.
Lew, Just like a little kid. Get something in the mail and have to immediately tear it apart.
Mark, the car in front is indeed a PS2....in Chessie Western Maryland livery.
chris a posted:Hi Mark, thanks for asking. There were a couple of reasons I laminated 2 sheets of 1/2 inch plywood together.
This is the curve that is 180 degrees, probably 8'-6" diameter at the center line between the 2 main lines and it's on a 1.5% grade. So I really wanted the most stable, flat sub road bed I could construct. Whenever I join two sections of roadbed together in a butt joint I end up putting all kinds of reinforcement under the joint. I have used lap joints with more success....
My goal here was to create a long continuous downhill/uphill grade, I didn't want any issues with uneven joints, undulations, and I also wanted it to maintain it's level across the width. This is where the 2 layer idea came from, I figured out I could cut repeated sections 42 to 48 inches in length and overlap the joints top and bottom, so the entire 9 foot diameter is essentially one piece, glued, clamped and screwed together. It worked pretty darn well with very little flexing and was easier to elevate and get the grade right on the money without flexing.... I have always wanted to run pretty long trains 25 to 30 car freight trains, and I figured this curve going up a grade had better as near perfect as I could make it if that was going to work without derailments.
When I was installing it, I made supports for both ends and the mid-point as it was easy to figure out the math for 1.5% grade, then I was able to make sure I was on track for that gradient to get me down to the lower level around the last 90 degree turn across the lift gate. With only 3 support points, it was fairly straight forward to keep tweaking it as the grade continues above and below this 180 degree roadbed.
I ended up adding some oak joists under the roadbed once everything checked out, from top to bottom.
The other reason..... I can't really pick up carry large 4 x 8 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood with the rebuilt shoulder... but I can just about manage 1/2 inch
Chris, your roadbed and layout is going to be as stable and solid as a rock the way you are building it. I agree that it is very wise for a layout to have such a good foundation as yours will have. Arnold
geysergazer posted:Mark Boyce posted:Matt, The Genset is really cool! I think the reason I like them is that they remind me of a first generation diesel.
Lew, Just like a little kid. Get something in the mail and have to immediately tear it apart.
Mark, the car in front is indeed a PS2....in Chessie Western Maryland livery.
Chessie Western Maryland is an excellent choice!!
Arnold, thanks. I really have liked the L girder joist bench work method. As I use a lot of exterior grade mahogany at work, I realized about 2 years ago, that I should substitute a 1 x 4 mahogany decking board for the girder... The cost was barely more than 1 x 4 clear pine, I find it here for $1.28 per foot, so a 10 foot girder only cost me $13.00 and it's much stronger and more stable than pine, particularly if I pick the boards with straight grain.... I am not big on having a bunch of legs as I spend alot of time down there rolling around on my home made dolly for wiring etc. I am also not big on having lumber twist, warp and move and screw up my track work.... totally not worth saving a couple of dollars.
Ray, the bay window set is outstanding !!!
Lew great job on the Conrail Caboose, thanks for sharing the details about pulling it apart and changing to different wattage lamps, great ideas.
Ray, That bay window looks tremendous!
I just took a break from working on my second Santa Fe 21" passenger car, the Vista Dome Coach #500 from the 1927040 2-pack, Work is moving very slowly. I finished painting all of the seats with three coats of paint, and added people I painted to the Dome and the lower Lounge area, I installed a pop machine and boy drinking a pop, from Woodland Scenics "Bicycle Buddies" figures. The boy is a little larger scale, but he and the pop machine fill a dead spot in the Lounge area.
I continue to attempt to pair the figures in conversation groups to add interest and tell a story of the people interacting with one another on the train.
I have the lower coach area to finish. It will be sparsely populated because many passengers have chosen the Great Dome or Vista Dome as a place to sit.
My back and shoulders are telling me it is time for a break. Have a good evening.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
Fourth night. Same problem fixed? again? Switch #3 has been the focus of much effort. Last night, I replaced everything except a 6 inch extension added to give more slack in the control wires. The extension was fabbed by a well meaning but tired old man. Today, with a new and improved extension, the original switch has worked throughout the day. Now, with that positive feedback, I modified the upper platform, installed the deck, and laid all remaining track. I tested everything, now a switch covered by the second level is acting sluggish. Two steps forward and one step back. I want to run some trains.
Tomorrow I will replace the original rubber insulated control wires to switch #11. I will not surrender.
Now that my train room is empty and vacuumed, I couldn't wait any longer!!! I picked 1 box at random, and HAD to open it !!
That's a Happy Train Engineer holding his #58 Great Northern snowplow for the 1st time in 38 years! I'm happy again! I couldn't stop at just one, had to do the whole box.
Others are 25000 Lehigh Valley, 8141 Steam & Tender, 2343 Santa Fe & dummy, 58 snowplow, x6014 Baby Ruth, 6464 Sunoco tanker, 3482 Milk car, 6462 NYC Coal, 347000 Penn Coal, & 9303 lumber car.
I keep telling myself, I can't unpack any more until I get 1st Table built! Hope I can hold out that long LOL!
Murphy's Law got me. After gluing people on the Santa Fe Dome Chairs, I found that they were all too high in the seats. I had to pry them off the seats with an Exacto knife and grind 1/8 inch more from the bottoms of the seated figures. I had to stop grinding at the point where any more grinding would cause the legs to fall off.
The Santa Fe Dome Coach roof is very low, similar to the Wabash Vista Domes. The UP Domes have much more clearance. I will grind 1/8 inch off the top of the walls on the lower level to allow the Dome Floor to drop downward and give even more clearance in the Upper Vista Dome. I had to do this with all of my Wabash Vista Domes. I worked all night to correct the error and am ready for bed at 5:00 A.M.
Tomorrow/today I will add a few more Preiser 65602 Seated People to the lower coach area of the Santa Fe Vista Dome #500, part of the 1927040 2-pack.
Have a good day.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
Mark Boyce posted:Ray, That bay window looks tremendous!
Thanks Mark and Chris, right now printing off the second of three of the window units, this time I reduced the number of pieces that make up the each unit from 12 to 5, for less gluing and better fit. Also making up jigs for fit and gluing purposes.
John Rowlen posted:Murphy's Law got me. After gluing people on the Santa Fe Dome Chairs, I found that they were all too high in the seats. I had to pry them off the seats with an Exacto knife and grind 1/8 inch more from the bottoms of the seated figures. I had to stop grinding at the point where any more grinding would cause the legs to fall off.
The Santa Fe Dome Coach roof is very low, similar to the Wabash Vista Domes. The UP Domes have much more clearance. I will grind 1/8 inch off the top of the walls on the lower level to allow the Dome Floor to drop downward and give even more clearance in the Upper Vista Dome. I had to do this with all of my Wabash Vista Domes. I worked all night to correct the error and am ready for bed at 5:00 A.M.
Tomorrow/today I will add a few more Preiser 65602 Seated People to the lower coach area of the Santa Fe Vista Dome #500, part of the 1927040 2-pack.
Have a good day.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
John I've been down that road with drivers some times no legs and one arm for steering, at least they can park wherever they want
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