MUZEO Express, Holiday Model Trains, 2016

No show will be complete without the trains. I plan to run a bit of original prewar, mostly Flyer. These will need to run approx 300 hours,  so I need a few to swap out as the show progresses. Two loops is 600 hours worth of running. The first step is to select what sets, then begin the prep. All wheels are removed and buffed to get as clean a starting point as possible, then oil and reassemble. I am also removing the pick ups for lights, one less thing to wear out or cause derailments. Motive power will be the real challenge. I will find away to put modern can motors in whatever I select.

Steve

i figure I need at least six power units to rotate in and out and on standby if something fails. How do you get a low end prewar 1218 to run unattended for 100-200 hours??? You cheat Most of those in attendance will not know the difference, those that do will understand. Here is a 1218 that has been refinished and a complete BEEP power chassis installed. The upturned ears  for the original motor mounts were cut off, that is the only change to the frame. The BEEP chassis had the couplers removed (anyone need a pair) and the mounts cut off. A little bit of the plastic chassis was ground of to get the chassis inside the frame. The BEEP's weights were removed, the chassis slipped in from underneath, then 3 of the 4 weights were reinstalled. The weights now clamp the frame to the chassis. Overall a fairly simple conversion. Now for 5 more types of power units.

Steve

Very cool Steve!  Can't wait to see the videos when you have the display running this year.

George

Nice job Steve.  I'm glad you posted this.  I have a display of trains during the Christmas season at the historical society in a neighboring town.  Its time to start getting things ready.  Thanks for the reminder.

I have a Polar Express running around their Christmas tree.

And then some simple loops running on 3 banquet tables.  The staff tells me that the trains are a big draw and people ask where they are throughout the year once the display comes down.

Greg

Northwoods Flyer

cheater cheater pumpkin eater..........

I added a few pictures to the top post showing the major pieces laid out. The mountain will need a lot of shaping yet and also some foam core portals, but getting it's footprint down was needed being as it dictates the balance of the layout.

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

I added a few pictures to the top post showing the major pieces laid out. The mountain will need a lot of shaping yet and also some foam core portals, but getting it's footprint down was needed being as it dictates the balance of the layout.

Steve

Looks nice Steve!  Love the tall building in the right, rear corner.

The inside passenger siding coming out of the mountain looks like it may be a little tight once the portal is in place. I guess you could cut the mountain back a little bit at that point.

Looking forward to the progress.

George

George S posted:

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

I added a few pictures to the top post showing the major pieces laid out. The mountain will need a lot of shaping yet and also some foam core portals, but getting it's footprint down was needed being as it dictates the balance of the layout.

Steve

Looks nice Steve!  Love the tall building in the right, rear corner.

The inside passenger siding coming out of the mountain looks like it may be a little tight once the portal is in place. I guess you could cut the mountain back a little bit at that point.

Looking forward to the progress.

George

George, the siding turnout is for appearance only, but the mountain may get shaved an inch or so. I already trimmed the other side to provide a bit of space between the portal and the bridges. Getting the mountain finalized is critical before anything else gets firmed up.

Steve

Been busy with Mom stuff and club stuff, so had not done anything to the layout till today. Added a photo of the mountain that has now been shaped and a piece of track with jumpers soldered across the joints. Got the track fitted better and have added the jumpers to almost all sections of track. Left enough unsoldered to allow taking it apart to transport it. Done about 6 of these types of shows now and making sure track continuity issues are best resolved before you start the show is the only way to go, especially when using vintage track. Hopefully I will be far enough along to start testing the track tomorrow. That will also allow to make sure there is enough clearance in the tunnel.  Might try running a Lionel 263E through it. I won't be running anything that big, but it goes through, everything else will.

Steve

Nice shape on the tunnel - close to the stamped tin shape.

Thanks for sharing your experience on endurance running. We are about to open the layout at a museum. Our trains will be on big buttons that activates a timer, so, not as rough, but the info on long runs is helpful.

Got the last few track sections cleaned up. Hooked up a transformer and let trains run for an hour, no issues. I am now packing it up and will deliver it all to MUZEO Monday and start reassembling it.

https://youtu.be/05cfRcFUhEU

Your pictures inspired me to buy a Skyline metal station. My layout already has the switch tower and now it has 5 stations!

Accept for a little tidying up, I'm done with my layout. The museum staff will take care of adding the skirting and plexiglass guards. Now to help with the other layouts, we will be doing a total of five and mine is the smallest.

Steve

https://youtu.be/va83cxYRF14

looks great Steve!

Excellent work!

Another of the 5 layouts is almost done. Just some minor touches. The layout will be enclosed in a facade to be a "storefront" of yesteryear. Bob Lemberger was primarily responsible for this one.

Steve

Steve "Papa" Eastman posted:

Hard to believe it's time to start building layouts for the Holiday. The link below takes you to the MUZEO site, although no info other than dates are there yet.

http://muzeo.org/?exhibition=m...holiday-model-trains

The team, a joint TCA & TTOS effort will be building a total of 5 layouts to fit around the room. While I will be working on all of them, my major task is a 5 x 10 tinplate layout. I will design and temporarily build it at home, then move all the pieces to the museum and reassemble it on the platform they provide. All big things start somewhere. I just cut a number of boxes and stapled them together into a 5 x 10 piece that I can fold up when not being used. As the track plan is developed, I will draw it out on the cardboard including what structures go where. This will be the map to reassemble it all later. There will be two loops using 034 Marx curves, no "real" switches, but some fake ones for sidings and stations. I will update over the next month or so as I make progress. 

Steve

 

"Papa", how did you go from the flat sheets of foam for the mountain to what is seen in the latter picture please? I may have to make my own 140L tunnel someday!

Carey

The layers are cut, then glued with white glue. Needs to dry for 4-6 days. The shaping is done with various tools. Sometimes a long blade in a sawzall, some with a body work file, and if I want a rougher look, just break it away with the fingers. Be careful of most paints, they will dissolve the foam. If you don't want it to look like snow, paint it with a white latex paint to seal the foam, then you can use other spray paints if done lightly.

Steve