What's your Covid project?

I'm planning to build a wood passenger car from a LaBelle kit. Waiting for it to arrive in the mail.

MELGAR

Changed paint color of Passenger station; changed paint color on lower level of MTH PRR switch tower; made short fence to separate two parking areas; purchased a GGD PRR B70 baggage car and two GGD PRR BM70 cars; painted stonework on a scratch foam portal and a 5 foot retaining wall; kitbashed K-line baggage car doors and k-line mail baggage car doors to get closer to PRR cars; researched Lionel and MTH PRR P54/MP54 cars to replace K-line and MTH passenger cars; purchased two weaver B60 mail express cars; reglued a few plastic bldg parts and did the ususal track and engine wheel and roller cleaning.

@darlander posted:

PS:  I am looking for a motorman figure to operate this trolley.   Any suggestions?

Dave,

First let me say, this is a great project! I recently got a Bump-n-go trolley (MTH too) and I now have another thing on the to-do list (thanks for that haha!).

Have you looked the Arttista Subway Driver (#1374) as a motorman figure?

Bryce

@Oscale_Trains_Lover_ posted:

Dave,

First let me say, this is a great project! I recently got a Bump-n-go trolley (MTH too) and I now have another thing on the to-do list (thanks for that haha!).

Have you looked the Arttista Subway Driver (#1374) as a motorman figure?

Bryce

Thanks for the tip.  Tried to find it on the web.   It appears to be sold out but I will keep on the lookout for #1374.  

Thanks, Dave  

Looks like you are doing an excellent job, in fact impressive! I only have one question: Why would you choose to incorporate the name of the Chinese plague in the title of your post? It's bad enough living with it, and dealing with it's effects every day. I see NO need to associate it with our hobby. I think most of us come here to escape thinking about it.

Respectfully,

Simon

MELGAR:  Hope you'll share the progress you make on building the LaBelle passenger car.  Labelle Woodworking Co. is still very much in business.  It would be interesting if any O gauge hi-rail operators as well as two rail modelers who include LaBelle and other manufacturers wood equipment on their layouts will share photos of same.  Though there are many models available on the market today that simulate wood, remember, there is nothing as good as wood when it comes down to the real thing.  It's always a pleasure to visit the Labelle site at www.labellemodels.com and see what's new.  They've been turning out wood kits in O and HO for decades now.  

Simon Winter:  I agree.  Perhaps "Lockdown Projects" would have been a better term to use?  Model railroading is an excellent hobby to help keep one's mind off The Attack of The Blob as well as catching up on reading all the railroad related books that are stacked in the corner so high they now require an "Excess Height" warning on them.  A real treat (despite the fact Halloween is over) for OGR Digital Subscribers are all the back issues just waiting to be read online for free!

@MELGAR posted:

This is the stack of railroad books that I have read during the pandemic. Of course, I have read most of them before, but that doesn't matter. The only problem is that whenever I read one of these books I order a model of a pictured locomotive or car.

MELGAR

You too?... ...

Mark in Oregon

Funny, I thought I was the only one! Currently building a new grand central station like base for my layout's upper level and kitbashing a few MTH banks into the station. All conceived and started with the extra time from the Covid lockdown.

Work.  Nothing but work.  Lol.  My office is so busy I don't have much time for any hobbies and we just keep getting more and more contracts.

Adding another industrial area with a shared run a round for enhanced off main branch line switching of two yards.

Wow!  Have plywood prices soared!  Homasote has remained somewhat the same in this market.

This project involves splicing into curved benchwork with new curved benchwork and further creating more aisles in our formerly open basement.

Enjoying small 2 loop 4x8 layout built around year 2000  Enjoy running prewar as of late .Yesterday ran a MTH steamer and it started to jerk as a traction tire came off so replaced it.

Took inventory of the traction tires for 7 mth trains owned and ordered spares to add to a few spares on hand.

Dave

Mostly just wakening up in the mourning everyday and breathing normally. lol

And I'm currently making a small One gauge layout inside my train room for winter months to play with. Since it definitely looks like I'll be in here more than normal this winter.

Basically just staying busy.

Larry

@darlander posted:

What is your Covid-19 project:

All my traction modeling has been set aside for a few months; other modeling projects have taken over my shop.

PS:  I am looking for a motorman figure to operate this trolley.   Any suggestions?

Q-car sells  motorman figure

@mwb posted:

Q-car sells  motorman figure

Thanks for the tip!  I just placed an order for one.  

Cheers, Dave

I'm with Jonathan.  Too much work, too many volunteer positions, too little time.  I'm lucky to even run trains once every other week.  What I wouldn't do for a week in Bora Bora...

Jon

@Simon Winter posted:

Looks like you are doing an excellent job, in fact impressive! I only have one question: Why would you choose to incorporate the name of the Chinese plague in the title of your post? It's bad enough living with it, and dealing with it's effects every day. I see NO need to associate it with our hobby. I think most of us come here to escape thinking about it.

Respectfully,

Simon

Obviously, the situation with this current pandemic has had a big impact on all of us; physically, psychologically, emotionally, economically, socially, and sadly - politically. Covid is real to us regardless of its origin. Fortunately, we are not “locked down” but to some degree we are “locked out” from many of our favorite train activities; York, local train shows, etc. My local in-house layout gatherings with my 3-rail buddies for morning coffees or Scotch nights have been greatly curtailed as a result, but this has been our choice. We will get over it!

So by calling it “What’s your Covid project,”  is meant to imply that this unusual time of reduced travel and spending, working from home, etc, might have provided some, extra time and resources for new projects.  Consider it a chance to share special projects that you may have put aside or delayed in the past!   I consider myself lucky being retired and not laid off from work, but being almost 80, my wife and I are considered vulnerable by US health Standards so we practice caution and try to follow guidelines from our health experts.   So far laying low is working for us amidst the recent reported increases in hospitalizations.   Our only real inconvenience has been the cancellation of several trips and a big reduction of social activities.   It is what it is!           My train room has provided a helpful diversion!  I hope the same for others.

Cheers, Dave

I have ripped out a Farm scene with operating milk platform and going to add a military Installation.

Mikey

Completed my covid trolley project. I did receive my order from Q-car in a timely manner and was surprise to discover that the package contained three motormen. One is now operating #78 and another can been seen taking tickets and assisting  passengers. It has been a fun project and I am please with the results so now, since we are still sheltering, it’s time for another project. I have a couple eBay orders in transit that should keep me busy for a few more months.   

Cheers, Dave

@darlander posted:

Completed my covid trolley project. I did receive my order from Q-car in a timely manner and was surprise to discover that the package contained three motormen.

Excellent!  Looks great.

@mwb posted:

Excellent!  Looks great.

Thanks again for your Q-Car recommendation!   In order to attach the motorman in the front, I had to cut off some legs so that clearance remained below him for the bump-n-go slide.   I built a control panel and epoxied the arms to the panel.   The last step before remounting the roof was to bond the control panel to the front dash area.   I hope the bonds hold (marine epoxy) during an occasional trolly bump-n-go run.   For the most part, it will remain a static display on the layout.

Cheers, Dave

To get the vaccine.

@eddie g posted:

To get the vaccine.

YES, COUNT ME IN!!!  WE ARE READY TO GET IN LINE!  

Cheers, Dave

Fuel tank projects. I took advantage of the Lionel 1/2 price sale for this SD90Mac #18269, I installed a better Legacy tank from a 6-18274 engine (direct replacement), Lionel's rendition of UP harbor mist gray in 2001 was closer to SP dark gray, so I might just repaint the gray portion on the whole engine so it will match my MTH UP locos.

EMD FP45 Loco is MTH with a MTH SD45T-2 fuel tank, I might need to shave a little bit off of the top or bottom so the tank doesn't drag the rails, I have to drill new mounting holes either way - it's not a direct mount. I might move the tank forward so the gap between front truck is not so bad....I have to notch around the smoke unit mounting screws. For rear truck gap I can just add an air water separator detail.

Santa Fe SD40-2 is a Weaver model with an MTH Scaleking SD45 fuel tank. The tank is a direct replacement, no holes needed other than for the speaker. The tank will also work for MTH PS1 SD45 and Early MTH SD40-2.

It's gray because it's from my Southern Pacific SD45, I'm just test fitting before placing an order with MTH.

@darlander posted:

Thanks again for your Q-Car recommendation!   In order to attach the motorman in the front, I had to cut off some legs so that clearance remained below him for the bump-n-go slide.

A little creative surgery is sometimes just what the Doc ordered,

Setup a layout again.  I plan on having it in my garage.  I had a garage sale this weekend, did quite well, and everything left is going to Lupus, or Big Brothers, or, whomever.  Once that schtuff is gone then I plan on putting carpet tiles on the concrete floor, and setting up my Mianne benchwork.

I was starting to add a second train table to the first one so as to double my layout size and stay modular in case we move.

Then St. Barnabas Hospital called and had a kidney available for transplant. Needless to say I am armchair modeling for a few more weeks!

@Sean007 posted:

I was starting to add a second train table to the first one so as to double my layout size and stay modular in case we move.

Then St. Barnabas Hospital called and had a kidney available for transplant. Needless to say I am armchair modeling for a few more weeks!

Best wishes Sean and I will be praying for a good resolve with your transplant!   I was born at St. Barnabas Hospital.   I assume from your picture of Mickey's Diner, you must live in the Twin Cities.  

Cheers, Dave

@eddie g posted:

To get the vaccine.

I can understand that for sure, Eddie!  Sounds like one will be available for you soon.  I’m only 64, so I’m glad to wait for folks like you and my mum and dad to get it first.

Actually I started staying at home last November when I retired and had a knee replacement.  Once I got around well the stay at home order was in.  I was able to get to work on my Blackwater Canyon Line layout build.  You can see it in the link in my signature line.

While I have continued to work almost constantly as stated above, it seems my COVID project has been accumulating mostly brass bargains on Ebay.  Getting very high quality brass for less than plastic three rail versions in most cases.

@darlander posted:

Best wishes Sean and I will be praying for a good resolve with your transplant!   I was born at St. Barnabas Hospital.   I assume from your picture of Mickey's Diner, you must live in the Twin Cities.  

Cheers, Dave

Thanks Dave - my St Barnabas is in Livingston, NJ, just west of the Oranges, probably 1\2 hour from NYC.

I did get to Mickey's once, years ago. I just thought that that was how a diner should look.

@Sean007 posted:

I was starting to add a second train table to the first one so as to double my layout size and stay modular in case we move.

Then St. Barnabas Hospital called and had a kidney available for transplant. Needless to say I am armchair modeling for a few more weeks!

Sean, that is wonderful they have a kidney for you!  I’m praying all goes well and you are able to get back to the layout with your new kidney!!!!

@darlander posted:

What is your Covid-19 project:

Working tons of overtime!!

Seriously I managed to get the Halloween display up and back down but other than that my only projects have involved making some acquisitions through hobby shops, auctions and the occasional ebay purchase.  While some folks have been stuck at home I have been working my tail off.  Looking forward to a couple days off for Thanksgiving

@Sean007 posted:

Thanks Dave - my St Barnabas is in Livingston, NJ, just west of the Oranges, probably 1\2 hour from NYC.

I did get to Mickey's once, years ago. I just thought that that was how a diner should look.

Thanks for the reply.   Yes, Mickey's diner is an iconic St. Paul treasure.   Seeing that picture made me think you must be one of the regulars!   We have eaten there a few times.   Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers, Dave

This car was originally a Caltran cab car.  I had it repainted to NJ Transit by Christine Braden of CJB Custom Painting and Design.  This was my covid project, even though I didn't actually do the work lol.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Sean, that is wonderful they have a kidney for you!  I’m praying all goes well and you are able to get back to the layout with your new kidney!!!!

Thanks Mark - it's been a long six years on dialysis, the result of a hereditary factor. Anyway, I was transplanted on 10/26/20 and so far everything is going well.

I will soon get back to modeling the second table which will bolt up to the first table. That will make the layout 6' x 8'. The third table should get me to 6' x 12' which should keep me busy for a while.

My plan includes a MTH Redbird Subway set running underneath.

Saw this photo of a MOW home brew....

Covid got it off the bucket list...

Fun project.

KD

This was our Covid project- building my Upstairs Standard Gauge Layout. We started in March of 2020. While Hubby Tom was starting with the prep of cutting, sanding, and staining wood in the garage, I was building the Majestic Mountain on the Breakfast Room table. This layout run three Standard Gauge trains, and a O loop that runs along the Mountain ridge, and through the Hellgate Bridge.

I wouldn't say my projects are necessarily Covid related, but I have been busy both in the model and real train realms. I've been making some coal loads, and plan to clean the track on my outdoor shelf layout to get some trains running out there. Tracks will go down on the floor in the family room before the tree goes up after Thanksgiving dinner.

In the real train world, I am a member of the Huber Breaker Preservation Society in Ashley PA, and we acquired a mining locomotive in June that we are doing little projects on, mainly locating and getting parts for a future restoration. At our park, we have a concrete switchmnan shanty that was vandalized recently. The door was kicked in, and I am in the process of rebuilding it. We also have a Franklin mine car that had a section of the false bottom collapse. That was an easy fix that required the coal from that section to be removed. The support beam for the 3/4" plastic base shifted causing the bottom to drop. The beam was re positioned, and the bottom was installed and screwed into place this time. The coal was replaced, and the whole project took about a half hour. The same day, three of us placed 21 commemorative pavers in the walkway in front of our miners' memorial.

I have been retired for almost a year and a half, and keep busy with home projects, including painting the house exterior. My wife and I watch our grand daughter usually 3 days a week, and I cut grass and maintain the grounds at my church. I have some more inside projects including replacing the basement stair treads and adding risers, and floor tile replacement in one side of the basement. I'm also debating on whether or not I should eliminate an unused shower in the basement bathroom.