@Junior posted:Wow @Dave Ripp.....great minds think alike! Take a peek...
My layout is 12x18 feet. Table moves really well too. The creeper in the back right has saved my back and my knees countless times...best thing ever!
Same here but my table is smaller …12x8 on casters. I also use a mechanics creeper when working underneath. 👍🏼
Today I ran my new NYC, Legacy Atlantic. It’s a great engine and my yearly purchase of a new Legacy engine love the whistle steam, and the detail I recommend it to anyone, especially, with a smaller layout in mine.
NOTHING!
I'm in full Christmas decorating mode. Christmas lights, blow molds, Dept 56, or what have you on the layout all over the place, until I get things up or organized.
I ran MENARDS new; “A” Santa Fe, non-powered locomotive. With MENARDS powered “A”.
Gary: Hope to see you out rail fanning, 🚂
Legacy NY Central 10 Wheeler passing Yankee Stadium on The Put:
@Arnold D. Cribari....that's a really nice view of your layout. Love the way that area looks...like a light industrial area.
@Junior posted:@Arnold D. Cribari....that's a really nice view of your layout. Love the way that area looks...like a light industrial area.
Thanks, Junior, glad you enjoyed the video.
Off peak LIRR passenger train on the TMB traveling portable layout
My Southern Belle: an MTH PS2 Southern Crescent Pacific:
Love that Southern charm.
Arnold
Arnold - that engine runs nicely. I used to have the Premier PS3 version of that engine along with the 5 car passenger set. Absolutely beautiful engine. I could not get it to run very long without the drawbar coming loose. I eventually sold the entire set, one because of the operating issues and 2 because my track laying was not really conducive to large diameter drivers. I do not model the SE US so to me it made little sense to hold on to it.
Now I have to figure out why I still have Pennsylvania and Norfolk and Western roads. Can't get rid of the N&W 611 J nor the Pennsy GG1s. Of course the Pennsy had all sorts of engine power unique to its operations. So a couple of steamers are appropriate in this case. I assume they made it out to Chicago from time to time.
@ScoutingDad posted:Arnold - that engine runs nicely. I used to have the Premier PS3 version of that engine along with the 5 car passenger set. Absolutely beautiful engine. I could not get it to run very long without the drawbar coming loose. I eventually sold the entire set, one because of the operating issues and 2 because my track laying was not really conducive to large diameter drivers. I do not model the SE US so to me it made little sense to hold on to it.
Now I have to figure out why I still have Pennsylvania and Norfolk and Western roads. Can't get rid of the N&W 611 J nor the Pennsy GG1s. Of course the Pennsy had all sorts of engine power unique to its operations. So a couple of steamers are appropriate in this case. I assume they made it out to Chicago from time to time.
ScoutingDad, less is more applies to my layout with its 031 curves.
Premier engines are usually bigger, and often require wider curves, than RailKing and Rugged Rail engines, so I typically go for the latter.
The Southern Cresent Pacific steamer in my video is an MTH Rugged Rails locomotive. Arnold
Arnold when I restarted down the model railroad path, I was going to go traditional Lionel with lots of operating "stuff". Then I saw 3 rail scale and was hooked. Got rid of most of my 027 stuff and jumped into the Premier line primarily. Would love to try 2 rail scale, but will never have the room for anything other than a point to point to which I think what's the point? But really I intend to build a short 2 rail point to point for my euro equipment - a croc with 4 passenger cars and 5 carriages (box cars). Maybe one day I'll do an homage to the Lionel post-war traditional layouts. Who knows? Keep posting on your layout, its fun to see a well done layout. Jeff
Two simultaneously, which I rarely do.
That's a Lionel Legacy NY Central 10 wheeler with whistle steam (my best) with MTH NY Central passenger cars, and an MTH PS1 Burlington Northern diesel hauling oil tankers. Arnold
Arnold, the more I see of your layout the more I like it. Nice video.
@romiller49 posted:Arnold, the more I see of your layout the more I like it. Nice video.
Thanks Ron.
My basic goals when building my layout included to have an around the walls layout; to have backdrops as part of the scenery; to have the trains go to different places in the basement, not just to go around a circle or oval; for the trains to disappear through a tunnel, in a mountain, into a different room, wherever; to have nice scenery; and to put on my layout what I love so that I would love my layout. For instance, I love baseball, so I have 2 scratchbuilt ballparks on my layout.
It's taken me a long time (over 20 years) tinkering with the roadbed, track, switches, wiring and scenery to improve the layout. I've had a lot of fun doing that, which is what this hobby is all about, IMO. Arnold
Arnie, I wasn't sure we would get along with you having Yankee Stadium on your layout. I would have chosen Fenway Park. But...............you like trains and that is good enough. Happy Thanksgiving Bill
Penn Central & Pennsylvania FM's pulling 40 & 50 foot boxcars.
I finally broke out my Great Northern 4-8-4. This was part of my haul from York, through a private seller. Ran great, made me smile.
Finally after fixing her up I sat back and enjoyed my LTI Mowhawk delivering milk to the town! Working hard even on Thanksgiving. Hope everyone had a blessed holiday.
It just occurred to me that what I posted ealier today was in the wrong place and, instead, belongs here.
Today I ran about 16 of my locomotives, mostly Postwar Lionel.
Wednesday evening and yesterday morning I ran about 30 of my locomotives, which included MTH PS1s and some Postwar and modern Lionel.
I plan on running my remaining locomotives, including 10 MTH PS2s and 3s, and a smattering of others (Williams, K Line and modern Lionel), by Sunday evening.
When I run them, they go at least twice around my layout, which takes about 2 minutes.
I believe that running everything at least once every few months helps keep model trains and most any other engine or machine in good working order.
Do you agree?
IMHO....I believe there are TWO positives out of your exercise....
1. It keeps your TRAINS on good working order and
2. It keeps your ENJOYMENT in good working order!
Sounds like a "Win/Win" to me!
Today we had a short express run for extra over booked passengers.
@Arnold D. Cribari posted:It just occurred to me that what I posted ealier today was in the wrong place and, instead, belongs here.
Today I ran about 16 of my locomotives, mostly Postwar Lionel.
Wednesday evening and yesterday morning I ran about 30 of my locomotives, which included MTH PS1s and some Postwar and modern Lionel.
I plan on running my remaining locomotives, including 10 MTH PS2s and 3s, and a smattering of others (Williams, K Line and modern Lionel), by Sunday evening.
When I run them, they go at least twice around my layout, which takes about 2 minutes.
I believe that running everything at least once every few months helps keep model trains and most any other engine or machine in good working order.
Do you agree?
I switch a couple times a week. Your way sounds good, but I hate un & reboxing.
@Bill Park posted:Today we had a short express run for extra over booked passengers.
Very nice Bill, I really like your layout.
After a several months of temporary abandonment, the outer mainline of the Free State Junction Railway hosted it's first train today since very early August 2022. Today's run was a mixed 22 car freight pulled by a Virginian Train Master. The Mountain Division also re-opened within the last week and a half to host a B&O Docksider pulling several open hoppers, one loaded 50 ton hopper, a loaded gondola and bobber caboose. The elevated trolley line is operable as of today too. Progress is being made at restoring my layout to running condition. Next step is to get the inner mainline operable but will have to re-lay and reposition some track first. It's great to see and hear ( I tried out my new Lionel sound car today ... and it sounds terrific!! ) trains running again!!!
New Haven rail fans organized a trip to Cape Cod and they wanted the trip to be headed by the New Haven DL 109 painted red and named the Cranberry by the New Haven years ago. So Mr. Ludwig Sell, a local model railroader friend came to the rescue and here we have the trip underway behind his model of the model of the Cranberry.
@Arnold D. Cribari posted:It just occurred to me that what I posted ealier today was in the wrong place and, instead, belongs here.
Today I ran about 16 of my locomotives, mostly Postwar Lionel.
Wednesday evening and yesterday morning I ran about 30 of my locomotives, which included MTH PS1s and some Postwar and modern Lionel.
I plan on running my remaining locomotives, including 10 MTH PS2s and 3s, and a smattering of others (Williams, K Line and modern Lionel), by Sunday evening.
When I run them, they go at least twice around my layout, which takes about 2 minutes.
I believe that running everything at least once every few months helps keep model trains and most any other engine or machine in good working order.
Do you agree?
Every machine needs to stretch its legs every once in a while. It's also great to get things out of the box to identify any issues. I had a locomotive sitting in a box for a few seasons that needed a new battery (or a BCR). If I hadn't caught it, I could've been dealing with a nasty clean-up.
. Ran my beautiful Santa Fe Dl109/110 in my make believe world.
Yesterday I sneaked down to the basement between dinner and desert and moved a few cars around. PRR #94 was assigned an express freight. The crew didn't even have time to turn the engine around. 
Bob
That’s an excellent way to allow for digestion Bob.
Had to run them all today. N scale, but I have two O scale layouts in the same basement. Had a serious problem with one of the 3 Santa Fe diesels coming down the right side toward the end of the video. FYI, to haul a dozen or so cars up a hill, you need three engines lashed up in what the NCE operating system calls a consist. Two run forward, and one in reverse. Took two days to figure out how to reset the engine's brain. Much more twitchy than DCS or Legacy, but you see how much more you can fit into a smaller space.
Want to give a shout-out to our nation's top O-scale technician, gunrunnerjohn. I had two Lionel Union Pacific TMCC F3 ABA sets, and both F3As failed, one after the other. I had also purchased a matching powered F3B and after a few days of running, problems with it occurred. So, over a period of several weeks, I had ended up sending him all three units.
One F3A needed boards that are no longer available, so I sent him the other F3A which had a different set of problems. Thanks to his expertise, he was able to switch out parts so that one perfectly working F3A emerged. Then he fixed the powered F3B. I received them today and made my prototypical lash-up for UP's Yellowstone Special train. I ran it around the layout with its 7 aluminum car load and both powered units handle the train effortlessly. It's nice to have two powered units, or four motors doing the pulling now, instead of one. Just like with my Lionel Santa Fe Super Chief.
So, many thanks, John, for making this a running train again. I was afraid all of those engines were about to become shelf queens. You did good and I am most appreciative. 
So, this is what train I ran today, thanks to gunrunnerjohn.
@JerryG - Great layout! I know you said your video featured N Scale trains but I was just wondering what the overall dimensions of your rectangular-shaped layout are?
@PH1975 posted:@JerryG - Great layout! I know you said your video featured N Scale trains but I was just wondering what the overall dimensions of your rectangular-shaped layout are?
PH,
Thanks! It's 9'2" long by 5'2" wide. Nobody can see the balls anymore, so it sits on the pool table. Just an old wooden 4X8 under an inch thick extruded foam 4X8. Pieces are bracketed on both long sides, and the end with the water and bridges. The only drawback is having to burrow through the foam to run wires or hide them with scenery pieces.
If you're thinking about it, I started with this:
Then went through this: (that's a ceiling layout at the top, O scale.)
To hopefully arrive at something like this:
You probably already know it's a lotta work, lotta mess, but a lotta fun!
Regards,
Jerry
@RSJB18 posted:Yesterday I sneaked down to the basement between dinner and desert and moved a few cars around. PRR #94 was assigned an express freight. The crew didn't even have time to turn the engine around.
Bob
And nary an adult beverage in sight 
🥃 Love the Pennsy livery.
On Sunday, I'm scheduled to run one of my trains at the TMB club open house. So today, after all guests had left, I tried to test run my new Acala Polar Express. Initially, the engines ran fine in conventional mode. Pantagraphs went up and down and engines stayed in synch. I then tried Bluetooth and that's when the trouble started, Engines went out of sync, one engine stayed in neutral while the other went into forward or reverse, Then one set of pantographs locked in the up position while the other set locked in the down position. I cut off Bluetooth, set the switches to off and tried conventional running, the pantographs went down and stayed down. As of now, I will not be running the Acala tomorrow, too many problems to sort out.
PS, my schedule time is outside the Legacy window, I signed up too late.
I have one question, can the movie Polar Express sounds be accessed with Bluetooth or in conventional mode? Or are the movie sounds only accessed with Legacy?
Recently purchased this TMCC Santa Fe ABA set in beautiful condition from Jtrain221 and was finally able to run it this weekend. It was NIB or had minimal run time Wheels and rollers are pristine. The set came with the additional powered B unit but I haven’t run that yet.
Also picked up freight cars from Trainz.com. This road name will probably be more of a shelf queen than run regularly on my PRR layout so I thought the themed freight cars would look cool. There are additional pieces I might get along the way but asking price typically high.
With the running of the Polar Express being delayed until Dec. 1st this year, here's the Union Pacific Yellowstone Special passenger train and a Union Pacific freight train, circa 1960.
I was playing around today and thought I'd try my hand at my first video....... here goes nuthin'
hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving
I don't have any high-end trains to show, a couple NW2 switchers, and a few Scout engines.
Today I ran my year 1971 MPC 8142 Atlantic, and my year 1948 1001 Columbia Scout. Or rather the 1101, stamped as 1001. The 1001 came with plastic boilers. This one is the diecast one. What I have read, some sources say it was erroneously stamped. I also read somewhere that when they started the production of the 1001 engines, with plastic-boilers, they didn't have enough of the parts, so they used some 1101 engines, stamping them as 1001. This is said to be a rarity (probably not much value, though, being incomplete).
I found it very cheap at a train show. It didn't come with the tender, and some parts were broken/missing, an worn out. It runs well, although a little loud (suspect the plastic gears worn). I made a quick-video of the two Scouts running under my Christmas tree: Running some very old Lionel trains under the Christmas tree
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