!! UPDATE !! 11/4/12 Train House!

The new place looks great and it will probably all be worth the effort to resettle. The things you wished you'd have done different will get corrected and the new area appears much larger. All pluses! It looks like you did a great job on the other structure which will be a good selling point for the old digs.
What is your business?

Wow! Congrats on the new layout space and the nice home above it.

Nice 68 chevelle, I see it has the SS hood hard to tell if it has the 396 Big Block tags in the Markers

Thanks Guys!

C. SAM - I started as residential contractor on my own after 12 years in the business. I moved on to commercial work about 1 year ago. My company has had the opportunity to begin a relationship with a large commercial developer in the Pittsburgh area. This developer is beginning to expand into larger projects such as hotels. The idea is to keep growing until were building the whole hotel instead of just projects within them

Bill - Thank you! I look forward to showing more pictures of the space for the layout after we close. I wont be totally convinced were moving until were in the house. There will be nothing but hoops to jump through for the next 45 days until closing. Then there will be the negotiations between my wife and I for space in the basement

Mike - Thanks 402 (396 .030 over... same thing) But tags do say 396

The property that the train tower is on has a house that sits in the front of it. That house has served as a rental for us. The house that we live in is right next to it. It will serve as a rental now as well.

What I think Ill do is leave the trains in the building (which is secured with an alarm) until the benchwork and displays are built at the new place. This way if I still want to run a train then I can. Also, I wont have to work around any of the trains while working. Then once the bench work and displays are in then I will move the goods.

Nice 69? Chevy.......My other hobby is a 73 Javelin.


Looks like you had a great start on a nice layout....good luck in whatever you do....

Nice Dave. Thanks

Hey Louis,

I was thinking about you about a week ago...

Glad to hear all is going well. What part of town is the new
house in? Looks like I should know where that is, but can not
figure it out from the picture...

Talk to you later
Joe S.

Being a contractor, no wonder that benchwork and room looks so perfect!!
And you are in the Pittsburgh area where I grew up.

I think it's hilarious you built a house in your backyard for your trains!

Congrats on your new house. I'm happy to hear your business is really taking off.

--Greg

Congratulations on the new home.

Excellent choice in automobiles too. This is mine.

Joe S. - Its on Allison Hollow in Chartiers Houston

Greg - Thanks. I built that thing back there and was so excited until I saw our very own Patrick's layout.... then I moved past a "train room" and bought a "Train House" LOL!

Joe - Thanks. Nice Car. It seems like most train guys have cars too!

And Lou throws a heck of a shindig... I'll hopefully post some picture I took this weekend from the man cave!

Holy basement, Batman. That new house with full basement is great.
.....
Dennis

Congratulation Louis, your new home is great looking and I wish you and your wife many happy years in it.

I have to say though after seeing your craft work it's not hard to see how you earned all that you have. You are all very talented people. It is also nice to see a family working together on this hobby.

I hope you keep us posted as things develop in the new home.

Louis,
Congrats on the new house! You will have a lot more room to build an even bigger and better layout. We look forward to some photos of the new layout as you progress on it. I like the Chevelle a lot too. I am assuming that if it is an SS it has the big block 396? I also have cars as a second hobby. A 1977 Mustang Cobra II and a 1988 Mustang LX convertible with the 5.0 and 5 speed.
Cobrabob.

I was wanting to work on my late fathers 68 Chevelle SS this summer, but I didnt get a chance so far, I need to put in a fan shroud and I also need to fix the starter. Now that I no longer have a part time job, I will have to work on it after York

Here are some pics of the new basement area for the trains and game room. The area will include my wife's salon, a full bath, and a 2nd kitchen, the trains, and a game room area for the kids. It maybe hard to envision all this right now, but Im almost ready for drywall. Ill post the pics I have now, and try to post some more in the next day or so before drywall.

 

Below is the right side of the train area. The total area will be approximately 32 x 27

 

 

 

Below is the left side

 

 

Game room side

 

Bathroom will be in the background by the furnace where my father is standing

 

Niche below where the chair is will be the salon area

 

 

See!

 

 

Below is some storage space. The plumbing has been moved already

 

 

 

 

 

Bathroom to right

 

 

Left side of trains below

 

 

Right side of trains

 

 

Almost framed completely

 

 

I will try to post the rest before drywall

Looking good. That's going to be a lot of fun.

Louis, Looking great. You have a nice space there. I have often wished we did a walkout basement when we built. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Glad to see that some of us have the car bug as well as the train bug! Me and Lady Blue alongside the old Pennsylvania NE Corridor.

 

We got a blue one we need a red one.
This is one of the shots of my car from Jerry McGuires "Car Crazy"
They didn't want me in the picture . I guess I'm uglier than the car??? LOL
My 15 minutes of fame.

David

Here's my two cars!

Louis,,, You got it going on bro.. God bless and enjoy the trains, the car, the house, and above all the family!!!! Nice job on that first layout, cant wait to see the next one.

I love to see what  men like yourself get done.  It blows away the posts from people stating my wife won't let me do this or my wife won't let me do that.  I love what you have done and wish you the best of luck with all your toys.  Great house, layout and car.

Pictures don't work.  Hopefully there is one of you so I can remember what you look like.

Sorry its been so long since an update.....

 

Well, after breaking my ankle on March 5th and being down for 8 months, the basement is finally finished, I have a track plan, and the bench work is started. To make up for lost time we started on Friday, and finished on Sunday evening. Below are some pictures of the basement and all involved. Thanks to Patrick for the layout design and the help with the benchwork. The way we move down here we will be running trains in a couple of days... LOL!

 

 

 

Kitchen.... so we go upstairs for NOTHING!

 

 

 

Living Area

 

 

 

My wife had us custom build this set up from 3 different pictures that she had showed us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Salon!

 

 

 

 

 

No going up for the bathroom either... 

 

 

 

 

 

Train displays.... NEVER enough of these

 

 

 

 

Lou and the Engineer Julian 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Patrick 

 

 

 

 

 

Look ..... Patrick came to the site, took a picture, and went home like Obama LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patrick and Eric

 

 

 

 

Nick Carp

 

 

 

 

The TREASURER 

 

 

 

 

 

The SUPERVISOR

 

 

 

 

 

Headed up to the second level

 

 

So thats what you look like.  LOL!  Looks great Lou.  Nick looks like he was a lot of help.  That chair ain't goin anywhere.  See if he can sell you some dirt.

LOL!! Thanks Marty! Soon you guys will have to all come down

I'll have some questions when we next speak.  Looks like the table went up and then you cut the contours.

 

Eddie work with what you have an be happy.  My layout is very plain but I try to make the most of it.

These are the type of threads I absolutely enjoy watching.

Larry

  3am  

 

 

 

You steal that light fixture from a hotel lobby?

Louis,I really enjoyed your story and all the progress you have made so far.I cannot wait to see the finished layout.Great job!!

 

Ricky

Lou,

New basement looks great and the layout is really taking shape.  Don't know where you are at this point but I do have a suggestion.  I noticed in the old layout you did not put down homasote or something else over the plywood.  With a layout the size of yours there will be plenty of trains running.  You might consider some noise reduction material like homasote.  Better to think about it now then after track gets put down.  Just a thought.

 

Paul Edgar

 

Lou,

 

First I have to say WOW. That is a beautiful basement, and the craftsmanship of the basement and bench work looks awesome. Please keep posting photos as you make progress.

 

 

Thanks, Alex

Lou:

 

Beautiful start to your new railroad. Please keep us posted with more pictures. It is nice to see that your family is involved as well.

Lou, that's a great start.  Makes me want to get a chainsaw and start over!!  Let me know when we're railroading.  

 

Andy B.

Lou, you must be living on Cloud 9: new home, huge train room, a pretty wife who works, two cute kids and a family dog. Not to mention a restored antique car and a successful business. Kudos to you!

 

11/5/2012  7:30pm update

If anyone took this as sarcastic then I apologize. I think it's wonderful to see what Lou has accomplished and I admire his talents.