What did you do on your layout today?

@pennsyfan posted:

imitating the prototype

Rail service into and out of Penn Station New York is subject to up to 30-minute delays due to an Amtrak overhead wire issue resulting in a disabled train in Penn Station New York. Midtown Direct service is being diverted to Hoboken.

Can't see the pix....

@RSJB18 posted:

Can't see the pix....

I put it up again.
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...6#180214019277026006

@pennsyfan posted:

imitating the prototype

Rail service into and out of Penn Station New York is subject to up to 30-minute delays due to an Amtrak overhead wire issue resulting in a disabled train in Penn Station New York. Midtown Direct service is being diverted to Hoboken.

last time I went to Brooklyn, we literally had to wait at Jamaica for a crew to move a train that was fowling the switch for our track.

You can't make this sh%$ up!

Great photo, worth the wait !

Just took some photos around the Buladeen depot.

Hi guys just checking in. I see on the news that you folks on the east are getting tons of rain! I hope you are all safe and able to keep your layouts high and dry!

The wife and I went shopping in town today, i wanted to get this but i dont do B&O plus a little spendy. I did get a couple trucks but will have to post them tomorrow when I get them on the layout.

Tomorrow's plan is to run trains and more work on switches

I hope you all have a great night and please be safe!

Cleaned residual glue from ballasting off the rails, vacuumed up loose ballast for re-use, and filled divots in ballast where glue wasn't uniform.  2/3 of mainline tracks now ballasted.  Two more bags of ballast arrived this week, so the mainline can be completed soon.  Fussed at Lionel for sending me one motor when two were ordered and acknowledged.

Hi guys I hope you all had a good night! LOL

I have been out it the train room a little this morning and looking at putting in new toggle switches for my switch motors. My question to you all is do any of you have recommendations for a bi-color switch so I can just look at it and know it is turning or going straightforward?

As I said yesterday here are the 2 trucks I picked up, I just posted in another thread about them, but I think they will look cool on the layout!

As for the move I spoke about a couple post ago, it will be happening sometime next year and we are looking at moving to Missouri to be closer to my wife's family. Wish me luck! LOL

I will still be working on the layout and running trains, but nothing will be done with scenery, and I am thinking about packing up most of what I don't use just to make life easier! I will keep out an engine and a switcher to keep testing things along with some cars. But I think my Amtrak train and steam engine will get packed up for now.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and fun with your layout and trains!

Mike, I like both of the trucks!  Nice picks.  I’m glad you made a decision on moving.  Sure, there is a lot of fun to be had before you have to take down the layout! 👍🏻

Missouri is halfway between northwestern Washington and here in northwestern Pennsylvania!  You are moving in the right direction!!  😆😆

Congratulations on your decision Mike; that’s that’s a big undertaking. It can be exhausting but exhilarating as well. Good luck.

Jay

@mike g. posted:

Hi guys I hope you all had a good night! LOL

As for the move I spoke about a couple post ago, it will be happening sometime next year and we are looking at moving to Missouri to be closer to my wife's family. Wish me luck! LOL

I will still be working on the layout and running trains, but nothing will be done with scenery, and I am thinking about packing up most of what I don't use just to make life easier! I will keep out an engine and a switcher to keep testing things along with some cars. But I think my Amtrak train and steam engine will get packed up for now.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and fun with your layout and trains!

That's a big move Mike. Hopefully you find a great train room with a house attached.

A big ranch house with a nice basement would be great!

Bob

Thanks guys you are correct it is a big move, but after talking with the CEO its better to do it now before we get to old to make a new place the way we want it to be!

Bob you are right on target with the idea of a ranch style house with either a basement or a storm shelter. If not something that already has a nice size shop on it that I could put in a second floor.

@mike g.   Mike, start packing now.  Your strategy of leaving something up to run is a good one. When I took down TwinPines I , the biggest problem was disposing of all the plywood etc once it was down. The disposal company only allowed one "can" per week. I was able to save most of the support structure and drag it up to Michigan. Fortunately I only ruined a couple pieces of track and no switches when I pulled up the ballasted track. It will take far longer to tear down that you imagine.   

Hi Jeff, thanks for the advice, the good thing is I haven't started Ballantine the new layout. The track should be easier to take up. I am not.to worried about the plywood, but definitely want to keep the backbone of the layout as I can use it on any future layout.

I am going to start collecting boxes and take my time packing as I know it will make things alot easier when it co.es time to unpack!

Good advice Bob and Jeff!  As soon as Kim’s mom, who lives across the road, passes or goes in a home we are going to start looking for a ranch.  Ma-in-law is only 87 and going strong, so we will be on the split entry home we never wanted for a long time.  No reason to slow down on building the Blackwater Canyon Line.  However, I did decide I am not going to glue down ballast no matter how far I get on the layout.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Good advice Bob and Jeff!  As soon as Kim’s mom, who lives across the road, passes or goes in a home we are going to start looking for a ranch.  Ma-in-law is only 87 and going strong, so we will be on the split entry home we never wanted for a long time.  No reason to slow down on building the Blackwater Canyon Line.  However, I did decide I am not going to glue down ballast no matter how far I get on the layout.

Reminds me of a story i read some time ago about a guy who bought an old woman's house (europe somewhere) and said she could live there until she died. He planned on renovating and moving in afterwards figuring she'd die sooner than later....she ended up outliving him.  (I'm Not saying you want MIL to pass sooner than later mind you)... ;-)

@Farmall-Joe posted:

Reminds me of a story i read some time ago about a guy who bought an old woman's house (europe somewhere) and said she could live there until she died. He planned on renovating and moving in afterwards figuring she'd die sooner than later....she ended up outliving him.  (I'm Not saying you want MIL to pass sooner than later mind you)... ;-)

Joe, good point!!  She is only 20 years older than me, and it seems the only thing that will stop her is osteoporosis.  I can see her living to 100.  My wife and I will have to leave the goofy split entry stairs arrangement long before that.  Kim's knees have been replaced, and she still has trouble. 

I do have some sketchy ideas in mind for a Blackwater Canyon Line II depending on how much space we can manage in another house. 

Worked on laying some track for the upper level…

The past few days, I finally got down the basement and did some minor work on the layout. My helper, Zora Maya is out of commission with a case of Covid. So, she was not available this past Sunday. My control panel with track diagrams of all 3 levels came back from the sign shop on a 3/16" thick sheet of Plexiglass. It turned out to be GREAT. Thank you to the artists at "Signs in One Day" for their great work and professionalism. I will post a photo of the panel in a few days. Today. I cut the wood to proper lengths for the rim of the control panel. Tomorrow, if I feel up to it, I will try to get back downstairs to begin assembling the rim and prepare it for panting for when Zora Maya returns. She is a GREAT painter and I dislike painting. I am still somewhat weak and having digestive issues as a result of my abdominal surgery. But I am improving in small increments. Recuperation takes time.

Glad you are getting back to the train room Randy. Pay attention to what your body tells you.

Jay