What did you do on your layout today?

Paul, I second that!  Great video!  Love the weathered cars along with the details.  Great camera work as well! 

Made a view-block

....more importantly......I have all my fingers.....

Peter

Todd Knoll posted:

Paul, I second that!  Great video!  Love the weathered cars along with the details.  Great camera work as well! 

I agree fully.

Great video, and excellent model work!

Well today I made some headway. I got the last of the Masonite up on the main tables of the layout. I will continue the backdrop on the other side of the opening eventually. Tomorrow I'll start early painting it and then I'll start placing buildings and track around to see what will look good but make for some interesting switching. When Bryan stopped by he got me to thinking that I should have some staging tracks so I can bring trains into the numerous yards and take cars out.  So with that in mind Bryan you will get the jump on me and get to track laying before me. Couple of pic of work done today ..........Paul

It seems like every posting today, I'm thanking someone. There are just so many people who have helped or contributed to the construction of my layout. Yesterday my good friend Jerry came over to help me pull wire. To be blunt, it is nearly impossible to do this alone. 

Wiped-out the last of 500' of power feeders from the box on the right and close to half of the box on the far left. Today I ordered another two 250' boxes of 14 ga wire. The gray spool on the bottom used to contain 500' of 4 conductor 22 ga wire. I am using this for wiring the switch motors.

Power feeders (7) have been pulled for Block "4". For reference the yard area is Block"3" and the track above the control panel is Block "2".

I am using this 2" LB to route wire through my knee wall. While we're pulling wire, I have temporarily removed bead board.

I have switch wiring pulled for 15 of 24 switches. 

Tom and I got the coat of Minwax Express Color wood stain in Mahogany on all the facing boards of the Art Deco style layout table. It looks great! (sorry for all the train boxes underneath and the Barclay folks laying on paper napkins on the table messiness)

Polyurethane coat 1 of 5 next.

Polyurethane coat one, I'm helping...

The unfortunate result of a Warp 1 Smoke Command feature.  Turns an otherwise beautiful cabin into a Salvador Dali sculpture. 

I decided to utilize what was left of the N5C and make a fantasy PRR crane tender this weekend.

A set of yard lights on top make the combo practical around the clock.

Still loads more to do...mostly detail and painting.

Bruce

Moonson posted:

trumptrain posted:

One of my senior high students wanted to see my layout yesterday.  He was most impressed with the various vignettes and especially with Mount Randolph!  He enjoyed the stories of the many locomotives, especially the GG1 number 4876 and the 1953 wreck of the Federal ... of which I have photos.   He also enjoyed the J class 611.

Its always fun to share the layout!!

Excellent! A senior high student, no less. Was that due to the magic of trains, your magic, or, as is likely the case, both ?  Teaching is a wonderful profession - it's amazing what we can accomplish, isn't it.

FrankM.

Yes Frank, teaching is an absolutely wonderful profession! It is an honor to teach others!   In the case of my student wanting to see my layout .... several times I had shared photos and videos with him after the lesson had finished.  He always seemed interested in the trains.  When he was taking a music lesson at my home studio, this past Friday, he asked if he could see the layout.  He's a graduating senior and was most eager about seeing the layout.  Of course, I was more than happy to show him! 

I'm very lucky in that I both perform and teach music ... both of which are my life's most loved passions. In addition to my private studio,  I also teach music at at a public performing and visual arts high school.  Every once in a while I have a student who becomes too serious about music, in the sense they become one dimensional.... always practicing their instrument.  ( mind you this kind of student comes along every year at this kind of high school, and in general, I wish more of my students practiced more on a daily basis )   Whenever I observe that a student is becoming one dimensional ( ALL about the music and nothing else ) I feel its important to remind them that life is bigger than the music.  After all, music is an expression of life's experiences.  If one never experiences life in a broader context, one may find it difficult to effectively express their self while making music.   I often let students know that in addition to music,  I have other interests which I also feel passionate about ... such as my love of real trains and model railroading, going to art museums, practicing yoga & Qui gong, psychology & the creative process, hiking and biking in the outdoors, etc.

By showing students my hobby of model railroading ... I'm encouraging those super serious students to find a hobby ( one took up candle making .... and makes beautiful candles btw!  Another took up meditation and biking )  and broaden their self and expand their creative potential as human beings.   Even if these students don't become model railroaders, by allowing them to see photos/videos of my layout,  letting them experience the actual layout itself, while hearing me enthusiasitcally tell them story's about the trains, at the very least they will have a better understanding of history, imagination and creativity, visual arts, and the pure fun & joy of model railroading.... and they will also know why we as model railroaders do what we do.  

After all, our music is how we live life!  Lets not die with our music still in us.

 I see you are a fan of Dr. Wayne Dwyer .... as I am too!

brwebster posted:

The unfortunate result of a Warp 1 Smoke Command feature.  Turns an otherwise beautiful cabin into a Salvador Dali sculpture. 

 

It looks like at least the crew stayed warm. I've read the stories on how those things got pretty drafty in the winter and the stoves didn't always do the trick...

brwebster posted:

The unfortunate result of a Warp 1 Smoke Command feature.  Turns an otherwise beautiful cabin into a Salvador Dali sculpture. 

I decided to utilize what was left of the N5C and make a fantasy PRR crane tender this weekend.

A set of yard lights on top make the combo practical around the clock.

Still loads more to do...mostly detail and painting.

Bruce

 

Nice creative work with the N5C!!!

brwebster posted:

I decided to utilize what was left of the N5C and make a fantasy PRR crane tender this weekend.

 

Nicely scrounged!   

Mitch

paul 2 posted:

BAR GP7 #63 That was a great video. I enjoyed watching. So much detail. Nice job on a great looking layout.....Paul

Paul,

Thank you very much. 

Johan

Todd Knoll posted:

Paul, I second that!  Great video!  Love the weathered cars along with the details.  Great camera work as well! 

Todd Knoll, 

Thanks. I am glad you like it. 

Johan

p51 posted:

Todd Knoll posted:

Paul, I second that!  Great video!  Love the weathered cars along with the details.  Great camera work as well! 

I agree fully.

Great video, and excellent model work!

Lee,

Thank you very much.

Johan

Coat 2 of 5 of polyurethane applied today on the Art Deco Std. Gauge layout table.

Coat 2 of 5 of polyurethane applied to the facing boards of my Art Deco Std. Gauge layout table.

I made it on the news on Saturday! 

http://5newsonline.com/2016/05/21/train-day/

Photos to follow.

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

I made it on the news on Saturday! 

http://5newsonline.com/2016/05/21/train-day/

Photos to follow.

Congratulations, Mitch!!

Finished these 2

Well with the weather being nice outside I had to get all the plants in I bought the day before so that took the morning and part of the afternoon. Took the wife out for a bit to eat. She has been a good CEO and has put up with a lot of me in the basement. But anyways I got the coat of white on the Masonite and the darker blue above it. I am waiting for it to dry and a bit later I'll see if I can put the coat of light blue on it all. In the meantime I think I'll head for the attic and run some trains. A pic of the work so far...............Paul

I could of probably saved myself typing and posted this all at once but I just got the light blue on everything and now I can clean off the tables and decide where I want to place small and large industries and freight yards. Pic of the finished blue...................Paul

Readjusted my top level, once again. Decided to go minimalist (less is better).

I took out the two half loops, and put in the wye, which ,add a great spot for the power company siding (everywhere else I had it the sign was facing the wrong way).

Then I moved my intermodal yard to the upper level, and am going with one "freight hub". 

I am still assembling this portable stamp mill...lots of little parts, that can work, with a belt to power it...I won't attempt that.  I have a portable rock crusher done to go with it, and am waiting for both a steam tractor, horizontal boiler, and some other details to come, to finish the scene.  Which will include a shed to shelter the tractor or boiler, whichever I decide to use.  The floor of the shed is done...all to support the mine shaft house.  Details and tractor should have been here already.   This mine depicts a one-man-band, operating independently as they push a few skips of crushed ore out to a parked boxcar.

Mo985 posted:

Readjusted my top level, once again. Decided to go minimalist (less is better).

I took out the two half loops, and put in the wye, which ,add a great spot for the power company siding (everywhere else I had it the sign was facing the wrong way).

Then I moved my intermodal yard to the upper level, and am going with one "freight hub". 

Looking great Chris, when you going to start to cover the mountain?

3rd coat of 5 of clear polyurethane being done today on the facing boards of the Art Deco Std. Gauge layout table. 

The other day I finally ran my MTH repro Lionel 408E pink/red electric engine.  I had been so busy lately, it has been waiting on the track to take a test run on the big loop for weeks. Took a bit of video, but I'm not happy with the footage, so no posting of it here.

As promised, pics (and a couple vids) from Train Day at the Frisco Depot in Fort Smith.

Most towns are lucky to have ONE train day!  Fort Smith had two!  ;-)

I set up shop in the former stationmaster's office: 

The trains charmed everybody...

The 1926 "Sand Hog" consist was in fine form and got lots of "oohs"  and "aaahs"!

Is it real or Lionel?  It's both!

Ask the man who owns one! 

The charming young lady from Channel 5:

And the resulting story:

http://5newsonline.com/2016/05/21/train-day/

More pics and video below!

Mitch

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Switching some cars at Cape Shark RR Yard

A short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTcd03o7yvA

I saw the video the other day. Never had a chance to comment.  Nice....Your layout nice too. Compared to what I have, I am nowhere in your league. Perhaps someday.  

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

As promised, pics (and a couple vids) from Train Day at the Frisco Depot in Fort Smith.

Most towns are lucky to have ONE train day!  Fort Smith had two!  ;-)

I set up shop in the former stationmaster's office: 

The trains charmed everybody...

 

The 1926 "Sand Hog" consist was in fine form and got lots of "oohs"  and "aaahs"!

Is it real or Lionel?  It's both!

Ask the man who owns one! 

The charming young lady from Channel 5:

And the resulting story:

http://5newsonline.com/2016/05/21/train-day/

More pics and video below!

Mitch

Mitch, your becoming quite the celebrity.  Just don't forget about us little guys. 

Carey TeaRose posted:

Tom and I got the coat of Minwax Express Color wood stain in Mahogany on all the facing boards of the Art Deco style layout table. It looks great! (sorry for all the train boxes underneath and the Barclay folks laying on paper napkins on the table messiness)

Polyurethane coat 1 of 5 next.

 

Carey, Fist congratulation on the big day..   Your layout has come together rather nicely.  By the way. Any updates on the layout in your classroom?

suzukovich posted:

Mitch, your becoming quite the celebrity.  Just don't forget about us little guys. 

Aw, I'd never become all hoity-toity towards you peons, er FELLOW MODELERS! 

Besides, you can say you knew me when! 

Mitch

suzukovich posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Switching some cars at Cape Shark RR Yard

A short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTcd03o7yvA

I saw the video the other day. Never had a chance to comment.  Nice....Your layout nice too. Compared to what I have, I am nowhere in your league. Perhaps someday.  

suzukovich: Thank you very much. I really appreciate your kind words.

-Johan

It is really great seeing everyones progress stages on this thread from beginning to intermediate to detailing.  Another bench work module done.  3 down 5 to go.  Hopefully by this time next week all 8 will be done.

Thinking of out-of-the-box ideas for supporting the upper circle of track on my Art Deco Std. Gauge layout. Saw this picture online- of an art deco pedestal table. My husband Tom can construct anything, we could have plexiglass in the center and the track sits on an outer wood 'ring'. The height would need to be a clearance of about 8-3/4" to clear my tallest engine (the MTH repro Lionel 408E) underneath.

Nice going Bryan you are on a table building roll now.  I throw in the towel. Your the best. Got a question for you. The frame work is superb. How  do you  level tables as you go...........Paul

The mahogany facing boards look very glossy and NICE with three coats of polyurethane. Maybe one more coat, maybe we're good.

mike g. posted:

Mo985 posted:

Readjusted my top level, once again. Decided to go minimalist (less is better).

I took out the two half loops, and put in the wye, which ,add a great spot for the power company siding (everywhere else I had it the sign was facing the wrong way).

Then I moved my intermodal yard to the upper level, and am going with one "freight hub". 

Looking great Chris, when you going to start to cover the mountain?

Thanks Mike, I haven't decided yet. I'm still in the "move stuff around" phase. I think I am going to wait until I decide what is going to go where, so........ 1.5-2 years maybe? 

suzukovich posted:

Carey TeaRose posted:

Tom and I got the coat of Minwax Express Color wood stain in Mahogany on all the facing boards of the Art Deco style layout table. It looks great! (sorry for all the train boxes underneath and the Barclay folks laying on paper napkins on the table messiness)

Polyurethane coat 1 of 5 next.

 

Carey, Fist congratulation on the big day..   Your layout has come together rather nicely.  By the way. Any updates on the layout in your classroom?

The classroom layout (as I was talking just today with one of the paraprofessionals I work with) is most likely going to have to leave the classroom- for good. That means sawing the two adjoining layout tables into pieces to get them out the door. All the houses of mine and the figures will have to be boxed up and carried out and stored. I may have some of the houses go on a high display shelf in my sewing/ladies parlor room. No point with less than three weeks left of school putting legs on it or working more with the wiring.

Finished assembling the portable stamp mill, and painted the wooden parts.  Need to paint metal tomorrow, and, if I'm lucky, the steam tractor and the stationary steam engine will float in, giving me three power sources, with the Hart Parr gasoline tractor, to power this mill and the rock crusher.  I am going to use belts from one of these to all of this, which I was going to put into an open shed I've started, but may need to make a larger one.  Will see after all the equipment is here.