Peter, your goals make sense when you have such a nice collection of trains you want out to see and to be able to move to and from the layout. The scenic blocks worked great on those later photographs.
I’ve been following your impressive and most inspiring progress since 2019. I am curious though. How has the downstairs rebuild of the dining area turned out? Surely your bride is delighted to have that space back.
@WRW posted:I’ve been following your impressive and most inspiring progress since 2019. I am curious though. How has the downstairs rebuild of the dining area turned out? Surely your bride is delighted to have that space back.
The overhaul of the vacated basement is part of the overall " 20+ yr old house refresh" plan.
I still have a lot of stuff down here and once the layout building is started, most of this stuff will disappear.
The basement is divided by a stairwell.
The plan is for new flooring and cabinets...... a floor to ceiling library wall with rolling ladder for my books.....wall mounting the TV.....a new couch and easy chairs.....and, a wet bar where the small bookcase and mirror are currently located (it's already plumbed). Whether the old dining room set stays or goes to auction is still up for grabs.....
I may bring my railroad history books back down here and just keep the model railroading books in the attic......
I suspect Fall of this year is when construction starts. We're in no rush.......maybe early 2023.....
Peter
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Update on the timeline.....
1. I will know this week when the Mianne Benchwork will be arriving......likely by the end of the month.
2. I acquired a layout-essential supply....pigtails for wiring.
I will put an update this week after I talk with Tim. I have used the time to arrange the storeroom. I have also dropped two Pilot/SUV-sized loads of trains to Cabin Fever in PA. I have worked on my inventory list.
I have taken the delay in stride.....everything that I'm doing in the layout room is probably easier done without the chaos of a layout build going on......However, the gang in Midlothian (Richmond) are getting excited to help me put the benchwork up. It was March/April of 2011 when the modular group gang helped me put together the Mianne Benchwork for my 6x16 layout.....and they are looking forward to a rematch!
Peter
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Peter, It is great you have a good group of friends to help you. You know you are a good friend to them!
BIG NEWS........Got off the phone with Tim of Mianne.....my Benchwork ships tomorrow!
Latest plan:
Peter
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Congrats Peter. Exciting news.
I like the plan too. Nice mix of running and switching.
Bob
Congratulations Peter on the start of your new layoutbuild. Dinner at the Olive Garden in 10 days. Will buy you a beer of your choice at York.
Erol
Congratulations, Peter! When you get back from York, I'll be looking forward to seeing the benchwork going up!
Congrats, Peter… great news. Now you face a major quandary… as of this post, there are 8d. 14h. 59m. until spring York. If your benchwork arrives before you leave, do you start assembling the new layout??? 
P.S. is that a transfer table on your plan??? Lionel???
Peter,
Great track plan! Whose track are you going to use?
Let the good times roll...
Dave
@Apples55 posted:Congrats, Peter… great news. Now you face a major quandary… as of this post, there are 8d. 14h. 59m. until spring York. If your benchwork arrives before you leave, do you start assembling the new layout???
P.S. is that a transfer table on your plan??? Lionel???
Paul......that is the circa 2000-05 PostWar Lionel 350 remake and the remake extension. They were on the old layout and worked flawlessly. However, I've done well selling trains I no longer run and am considering a Ross 27" five stop transfer table.
Here is a picture from the old layout.....
Peter.
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@BradFish1 posted:Peter,
Great track plan! Whose track are you going to use?
Brad.....I'm using Ross...........the former layout main level was all Atlas......and, I loved it.......However, I'm not a fan of their switch machines and all mine were eventually replaced by D1000s. When you add supply chain issues and price, it was no question that Ross was the way to go for something this size......
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@locolawyer posted:Congratulations Peter on the start of your new layoutbuild. Dinner at the Olive Garden in 10 days. Will buy you a beer of your choice at York.
Erol
Erol.......looking forward to seeing everyone!
Peter
Peter
Congrat's ! Track plan looks great, looking forward to seeing the benchwork!
Alex
@Putnam Division posted:Erol.......looking forward to seeing everyone!
Peter
I wish I could go to York and see everyone! Have an extra stack of Round the Clock Diner pancakes for me, Peter!
@Putnam Division posted:BIG NEWS........Got off the phone with Tim of Mianne.....my Benchwork ships tomorrow!
Cool, you'll be building in no time! 
Plans looks phenomenal Peter. Sorry I haven't put my eyes to much on the forum lately, been busy and usually get to about a small percentage of the topics that I get notifications to. Make sure you have a beer for me at York, maybe some dessert too.
Hi Peter, I see that I have a bit of catching up to do, since I just discovered this thread. Many congrats on your retirement and amazing progress to re-imagine your layout and new space. About the only way to describe the new layout space is to quote Ned Beatty in "Rudy" when he entered Notre Dame Stadium "This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen". LOL Congrats again on building an O gauge Field of Dreams.
Looks like a great plan!!! See you at York.
Mianne Benchwork has arrived (an addition to the pieces I already had from the old layout). It made its way to the attic and some preliminary work has been done.....
Post-York, I will be get modular group members together for a build session.....
4 boxes.....the small box has the motor for the lift bridge......
Lift bridge supports.....
.....more lift bridge components.....
....and so, I can really get started, soon!
Peter
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Now you’re talking! Will it be assembled before you go to York?? 😄
@Mark Boyce posted:Now you’re talking! Will it be assembled before you go to York?? 😄
Maybe a vertical support or two........but it will wait till a post-York building party!
I need nine (yes, 9, yikes!) 4x8 sheets of 1/2" plywood after that.....I'm hiring young guys to carry those up the stairs.....
Peter
@Putnam Division posted:Maybe a vertical support or two........but it will wait till a post-York building party!
I need nine (yes, 9, yikes!) 4x8 sheets of 1/2" plywood after that.....I'm hiring young guys to carry those up the stairs.....
Peter
Yes indeed you need young guys to haul that plywood upstairs!!
Have a great time at York!! I will certainly miss seeing so many great folks like you! I think that is the best part of York or any other meet or show; seeing great friends!
@Putnam Division posted:Maybe a vertical support or two........but it will wait till a post-York building party!
I need nine (yes, 9, yikes!) 4x8 sheets of 1/2" plywood after that.....I'm hiring young guys to carry those up the stairs.....
Peter
Come on Peter.......that's a good workout. 
@NJCJOE posted:Come on Peter.......that's a good workout.
I am 6 weeks short of 69, and, I wish I could still do it!
Peter
@Putnam Division posted:I am 6 weeks short of 69, and, I wish I could still do it!
Peter
That's why I was so glad our new club was able to recruit a bunch of young guys this winter. They took care of moving our modules up a flight of stairs that has a 90 degree bend in the middle plus a 90 degree bend at both the top and bottom. At Christmas we had 4 retired guys including me and 2 guys in their 50s.
I should add they young guys brought in a lot of enthusiasm, new ideas, and the determination that we could accomplish more than we old guys thought we could.
NJCJOE that was a good gag, though!
Putnam Division, Peter, your new layout is so inspiring, from the remodeling of your New train room, from floor to ceiling, new shelving for your amazing train collection, to the real layout plan, and now the beginning of your Dream Layout, after a fun trip to York, it’s Awesome. Keep the pictures flowing as we learn from your organized workmanship. Have fun at York, I wish I could attend, maybe in October, just keep showing us your progress. You have it going on, Wow. Happy Railroading Everyone
@Putnam Division posted:Through the dormer windows by truck crane.....
Peter
You could use the truck crane again to move the plywood??
An observation:
I love going upstairs to the layout room and it all smells like a lumberyard from the assembled Mianne benchwork. It is cathartic to me.
The Mianne Lift Gate is going to take a group effort......before that happens, I'm getting as much of the easy stuff done as I can.....
.......and this is where I stop.......I'll still try to get as much as the basic benchwork done......but, I'm not touching the Lift Gate without the expertise of my trainfriends.....
Peter
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Looks great!
Happy days Peter. 👍👍
@RSJB18 posted:Happy days Peter. 👍👍
What he said! I built mine from scratch; I think I enjoyed the building more than running trains.
Looks great, Peter. Love Mianne's products.
Peter-
What material are you going to use for the benchtop base?
Boy, Peter you've made great progress. Anyone in the build crew have experience with the lift gate?
Peter:
You and your knees are going to love the liftgate!
Great fun watching your layout progress.
Stan
