New Layout 2021-24......Update, August 12, 2024

That's really classy looking floor Peter, almost a shame to put a layout over it!  I did say "almost".

Not much happening since the last update........final sign off occurs after the windows are finished and painted, the walls are touched up and a terminal cleaning is done.

No worries though, the additional Mianne Benchwork is on order and the likely arrival is sometime after Labor Day.

I finally settled on a plan and this is it.....the Mianne Benchwork allows for some overhand and I expect it to be about an inch and a half all the way around.

The lift section will be in the middle in the area marked b, c, d, with the open area above it.

Ignore the sidings on the bottom outside the main layout proper for now....they are alternatives to what is already on the plan.....

There is a minimum of 3-4 feet all the way around the layout.

The wall on the right (the east wall) is wired for a flat screen TV which my kids gave me for Father's day....

A big plus.....when the house was built, the whole house vacuum was extended to the attic.....I just had it  serviced and there are two accessible ports in the layout room.....

This is the storage room where are the train boxes will be stored.....

Once the touch up paint is finished and the place cleaned, the next step is to empty the storage units into the storage room.......then we'll be ready for the Benchwork!

The track order will probably be for York pick up.

One of these days I'll ask Tom (Gilly@N&W) to help me estimate how many Glen Snyder shelves I will need (also, for York pick up)

I suspect the next big update will be after the trains are moved in.

Have a great summer everyone......

Peter

That is certainly a magnificent space for the layout, I think I'd be happy to build my layout in your storage room!

One comment, maybe consider more yard space?  I know I wish I had planned for more.

Peter, John has an excellent point!  I too would be happy with the storage room for my layout!  You and your wife have worked really hard all these years bettering countless patients’ quality of life and even length of life.  You really deserve a fantastic space for a layout!  It sounds like you will need a big vehicle to haul the track and shelving back home from York!  😄

It's so much fun watching your layout development. Have a great summer, all.

I like the plan Peter. Loop running and switching.

The room is beautiful. Your GC does excellent work.

Happy Summer!

Bob

W@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That is certainly a magnificent space for the layout, I think I'd be happy to build my layout in your storage room!

One comment, maybe consider more yard space?  I know I wish I had planned for more.

I hear you, John.....I will. In addition, I will also have floor to ceiling Glen Snyder shelving (somewhere between 90-100 6ft sections) as ready tracks.

My goal is to have everything out and available to run.

Peter

Peter it will be an exciting and anticipatory Summer. Hope that Santa arrives early with a load of Benchwork. This layout will be stunning.

@Putnam Division posted:

I hear you, John.....I will. In addition, I will also have floor to ceiling Glen Snyder shelving (somewhere between 90-100 6ft sections as ready tracks.

My goal is to have everything out and available to run.

Peter

Ditto for me.  I have around 140 feet of Glenn Snyder shelves now, and I'm prepping an 18 foot wall that will be floor to ceiling shelves, looking like 45 six foot sections.  I will probably also put some more over my under construction freight yard as well, that would be another 14 six foot sections.

I'm really looking forward to having stuff out where I can see and enjoy it, and also run it.

That wood flooring / stain color is gorgeous!

Outstanding Peter!

This is going to be a great train room.

As expected, a very quiet summer as far as the new layout is concerned.  I await the materials.....and, the River City 3 Railer's current revision/refreshment projects on the 21x42 modular layout are keeping me very busy.....

Monday, Sept 20th, the storage units get emptied.

Sometime after Labor Day, my Mianne order will be ready and then shipped......it can come whenever, since I'm in  no rush......this is a once in a lifetime project for me......

Track plan set....ordering track and Glen Snyder shelving, soon....

I have moved my "train library and videos" to the attic shelving......and, my current stock of Mianne benchwork has been carried to the attic.....

....i suspect that many of these books and videos are familiar to the group......

Have a safe and great rest of the summer, folks......

York or Bust, October 20201.......

Peter

Lookin' good Peter, can't wait to see what you create.

The trains came home today......I had the storage units emptied.....3 poor fellows had to do it.....but I tipped them well and they were very happy....

Loading at the storage facility:

The two 10x10 units are now empty......

Going home with views from the attic:

The stuff on the far end belongs to my kids.....

A few views "from the attic window" are provided to track progress......

A major step in the new layout has occurred........and, at the very least, my trains are now available for our upcoming holiday displays!

Peter

Peter, one word, WOW!

Steve

It's exciting when the babies come home!

Peter, I do believe you have a few more trains than I have!  Congratulations!

Peter,

Now the fun really starts!

MELGAR

Have fun Peter. The best part is when you open a container.. "I did not know I bought that!"😁

@DMASSO posted:

Have fun Peter. The best part is when you open a container.. "I did not know I bought that!"😁

.....and, why do I have 3 of these?  

Peter

Peter the annual fee for two storage units that your now saving could be spent on I don’t know, maybe more trains????  

@Putnam Division posted:

.....and, why do I have 3 of these?  

Peter

a)  Only 3?

b)  That means you have two that you can trade/sell to get something else - if there's anything left that you don't already have.

I don't know how many times that's happened to me, but I live with someone who can probably tell me.

.......ah! Finally located some Rustoleun gray stone spray paint.........none local for months, but an excellent deal on Amazon....

Today was bright, sunny and warmer than earlier this week......the ceremonial 1st spraying.....

....it's going to be a slow process  because, now, it's train display season.....and, the modular group is booked the next 9 weeks/weekends....but, it's a start!

Peter

Peter,

It was great seeing you in York last month. Good luck with the continued work on your layout.

Erol

Peter, it look great

Peter the fun has begun.

Did you have a profitable York?

I was just wondering about your progress the other day! Must have been a premonition haha

@Putnam Division posted:

.......ah! Finally located some Rustoleun gray stone spray paint.........none local for months, but an excellent deal on Amazon....

Today was bright, sunny and warmer than earlier this week......the ceremonial 1st spraying.....

....it's going to be a slow process  because, now, it's train display season.....and, the modular group is booked the next 9 weeks/weekends....but, it's a start!

Peter

Ah, the advice you gave me some time ago in action. Gotta love that. Looking great Peter.

@Putnam Division posted:

.......ah! Finally located some Rustoleun gray stone spray paint.........none local for months, but an excellent deal on Amazon....

Today was bright, sunny and warmer than earlier this week......the ceremonial 1st spraying.....

....it's going to be a slow process  because, now, it's train display season.....and, the modular group is booked the next 9 weeks/weekends....but, it's a start!

Peter

Peter, we learned this one the hard way....

Spray the ross bed with plain grey primer before you spray it with stone paint.

That foam is very porous and you'll spray it with the stone paint, think you got it all and once it dries its full of white spots.  You'll get a lot more mileage out of the expensive stone paint if you paint the foam grey first.  

Also, if you paint the stone finish on real thick, its harder to fit the track into the roadbed (its a snug fit to begin with).  We've painted tons of that stuff.  Primer first is the way to go.

@Bill Webb posted:

Peter the fun has begun.

Did you have a profitable York?

York was fun.....I go to connect with the friends I've made over the years.....and, I helped stimulate the economy a little.....

Peter

@Boilermaker1 posted:

Peter, we learned this one the hard way....

Spray the ross bed with plain grey primer before you spray it with stone paint.

That foam is very porous and you'll spray it with the stone paint, think you got it all and once it dries its full of white spots.  You'll get a lot more mileage out of the expensive stone paint if you paint the foam grey first.  

Also, if you paint the stone finish on real thick, its harder to fit the track into the roadbed (its a snug fit to begin with).  We've painted tons of that stuff.  Primer first is the way to go.

Thank you.........the gray primer is a great idea.........I agree....sometimes I have to use my rubber mallet when it hardens....

Peter

@Bill Webb posted:

Peter the fun has begun.

Did you have a profitable York?

I think you have it backwards...  York had a profitable Peter. 

@Boilermaker1 posted:

Peter, we learned this one the hard way....

Spray the ross bed with plain grey primer before you spray it with stone paint.

That foam is very porous and you'll spray it with the stone paint, think you got it all and once it dries its full of white spots.  You'll get a lot more mileage out of the expensive stone paint if you paint the foam grey first.  

Also, if you paint the stone finish on real thick, its harder to fit the track into the roadbed (its a snug fit to begin with).  We've painted tons of that stuff.  Primer first is the way to go.

@Putnam Division posted:

Thank you.........the gray primer is a great idea.........I agree....sometimes I have to use my rubber mallet when it hardens....

Peter

I decide to check my supply closet before I went to Home Depot or Lowes.......look what I found!

Usually what I do is go out and buy some and then find out that I already had some in the garage......I suspect that this is common amongst us......

Justin.....thank you for the idea.......it will cut down on the about of stone paint need and I suspect I won't need to use the rubber mallet as much.......this is why this Forum is such an asset.....I didn't realize that stone spray is wasted on areas that are covered by track anyway...

Here goes......

Peter

That's gonna' look sharp Peter, and it eliminates having to ballast.

Peter, about looking in your supply closet before going out to buy, smart move. My maternal grandfather was notorious for looking for tools, nails, screws or anything under the sun but not finding what he needed. So, a trip to the hardware store he come back with a bag of what he needed, only to find more of what he bought some time ago. I can remember my uncle looking for something a number of times just like his father, stumbling upon a tool that was needed the time before. After we moved my grandfather and his stuff, there was countless amounts of nails, screws, nuts, bolts and any other thing you couldn't even possibly think of. I don't know how many times I've ventured out to the shed and found something I could use for a project within a couple of minutes. Unfortunately there is a good number of things that will never be used just because there is no practical application I'd need them for.

Wow Peter, that sure is going to be alot of work, but I bet in the end well worth it! I am with the rest of the folks I bet its going to look great!

Nice to see the trains all at home again Peter. Did the movers have any interest or was it just another day of moving boxes for them?

The track bed is going to look nice. A little spray paint now will save A LOT of ballast later.

Oh- If I had a buck for every time I found something (tool, hardware, etc), right after returning from the store........

Bob

@Mallard4468 posted:

I think you have it backwards...  York had a profitable Peter. 

I agree!  It is people like Peter who make York great!!!

A big event........the track from Ross arrived yesterday afternoon!

My Dad would have been excited......he started me with a Marx Monon set in 56 and a Lionel Super O New Haven set in 58.......and, Nov 30th would have been his 98th birthday!

Peter

Peter, looking good!! Those are some nice packaging just waiting to be opened and used!!! Thank God for our Dad's and Mom's who got us started with this great hobby!!!

@Putnam Division posted:

A big event........the track from Ross arrived yesterday afternoon!

My Dad would have been excited......he started me with a Marx Monon set in 56 and a Lionel Super O New Haven set in 58.......and, Nov 30th would have been his 98th birthday!

Peter

Where's the rest of the track?

Obviously, you beat the porch pirates to the goods.

And why are the boxes still taped shut????????

Peter,

This is great! New train boxes always motivate me to want to work more on the layout. I must say, your grass is looking pretty good too!

Dave

Good morning Peter,

Please be kind enough to leave the boxes outside your house as I am leaving New Jersey now to come to Richmond and "borrow" (ie steal) the Ross track you received . Thanks.

Your (probably former) friend,

Erol

Ah! Great! I will expect to see an article about the completed layout in the very near future. Keep in mind, Peter, that I am not getting any younger and I need to get stuff in the magazine before my vision diminishes a whole lot further.

I also go good news from Tim at Mianne......just a few weeks more for the additional benchwork......since I’m tied up with the modular layout display until mid-January, the timing is perfect!

The 1st thing I need to do is put up the Glen Snyder shelving.....

........ this is VERY EXCITING!

Peter

Peter, you have lots of wall for shelving, so I expect we'll see a really huge display!   I'm about out of wall for the shelves...

Progress continues.....the word from Tim of Mianne is that the additional benchwork hardware in a few weeks.

Glenn Snyder shelving to go up after the 1st of the year.

....and even though it is 28 degrees outside, preparation of the RossBed continues (I am a little intense)....drying occurs in the garage where it is 60ish degrees....

Grand dog Rufus is helping, too.......

Merry Christmas  and Happy Holidays to all!

Peter

I admire your persistence, that's a lot of Rossbed to paint out in the cold. I do like the Rossbed under their switches.

Might I suggest a larger paint booth? 

Looking good Peter.

Looks great Peter, the Rossbed under the switches will really look good, I kinda' wish I had done that.

I’m glad to see progress is being made and look forward to seeing more after the first of the year!  Rufus is doing a great job overseeing the work!

Peter, wish I would have taken more time like you are, I am sure it is going to look great when you're done!

Lots of progress with infrastructure......

I took advantage of the Spring-like weather this past weekend to get all the RossBed spray painted.....

In addition, Tom (Gilly@N&W) came over today to put up my shelving.....hopefully, one more day and we'll be done!

Progress is being made!

Peter

Looks great Peter!

Can’t wait to see your trains displayed.  It’s really starting to take shape.

Looking forward to continued progress.

Tom is certainly doing a great job making sure the alignment is correct!  Your trains will look great on the shelves!

I can picture all those shelves filled with trains!

-Greg

Peter,

This is exciting. With the help you are receiving from Tom, I thought of the song "That's What Friends Are For". Anyways things are looking real good. Keep the progress coming.

Dave

Peter, those shelves look great.  That's some serious display space you have there.  Got a brand new paint booth just like that for Christmas but the grandkids commandeered it for a fort and are sleeping in it.

Tom

Tell Tom he is doing a great job.

Thanks for all the kind words.......let me show you how great Tom’s skill is......this is level 7 on the north wall and northwest wall.......I think that is mighty good!

Happy New Year, folks!

Peter

Peter: That bubble looks to be .2mm out!  But really, great job.  I know that you are really getting excited.

Keep the posts coming.

WOW! 73 six foot Glen Snyder shelves are now up in the new train room......Tom (Gilly@N&W) did a masterful job!

Here are the pics of the completed shelving..........

Look at how beautiful the corner came.....the attention to detail with the hip roof!!!!!!

36" shelves....perfect for large steamers and two unit diesels......

Looking forward to taking out the trains this week!

Peter

Looks great Peter. Tom did a nice job. Can't wait to see them start filling up.

Bob

Peter,

Tom set the stage for a wonderful showcase of your trains. Awesome!

Dave

@Putnam Division posted:

WOW! 73 six foot Glen Snyder shelves are now up in the new train room......Tom (Gilly@N&W) did a masterful job!

Here are the pics of the completed shelving..........

36" shelves....perfect for large steamers and two unit diesels......

Looking forward to taking out the trains this week!

Peter

Looks like a great train room Peter!

Please post pictures when you get all of the trains up on the shelves, so I can show my wife that I'm not so bad !!

Wow, your going to have a truly unique and wonderful train room, it’s a beautiful work in progress, thanks for the updates, keep ‘‘em coming. Happy Railroading Everyone

Gorgeous!

Peter and Tom! 

Excellent job, Peter and Tom

Just a great looking train room.

Shelving? You need to run them not shelve them!

Pictures do not do that train room justice. It is well on the way to being a magnificant layout. It was my sincere pleasure to spend a few days with my dear friend putting up these shelves. We had some learnings along the way. Well before the end, we had worked out a process for getting these on the wall!

Like you, I can't wait to see these shelves filled with trains! While Peter didn't mention it, we used every piece he had. Scrap is religated to gondola loads. We ran short by 1/4" on one section. Good luck finding it.....

Gilly

@CurtisH posted:

Shelving? You need to run them not shelve them!

Curtis, I think Peter must have enough trains to fill a layout that is twice as big as this monster room can handle! 

A first-class job by Tom, and now you have a whole lot of beautiful shelving to display a whole lot of treasured trains. You two guys obviously work very well together.

Peter, now the real question is do you have too much shelf space, or not enough engines and rolling stock to fill them? That is of course a silly question because everyone knows that there is usually something on the layout, the shelves are just for what is not on the layout.

That being said, did you buy enough space to house quite a bit with room to pop more stuff on there, or just enough to alternate stuff out?

I find it very satisfying that you got to put the shelves up and get the room done up BEFORE you had anything in there. That's the best way to get it done.

Isn’t it a principal of science that nature abhors a vacuum, so trains will expand to fill all available shelves???

That is a magnificent installation, Peter & Gilly. As others have said, can’t wait to see your collection displayed on the shelves. And if you more shelves than trains, there is always York and Forum Sponsors

@Allan Miller posted:

A first-class job by Tom, and now you have a whole lot of beautiful shelving to display a whole lot of treasured trains. You two guys obviously work very well together.

A selfie of both of us while nearing completion.......

....and a reminder.....wear your safety glasses like we are.......when you are generating "little pieces" of stuff!

Peter

You guys make a good team Peter.

Thanks for the PSA too!

There have been many superlatives about Tom's attention to detail, but Peter, you hit it right on the head: "masterful"!  And thank you for the PSA about eye protection.

My goggles are from Inorganic Chem lab in 71-72......they've come in handy over the years...

Peter

Just scanned the last 3 pages of your thread.  You’re killing it, Peter!  Well done!  It looks fabulous and you are doing a methodical and great job. 👍

George

@Putnam Division posted:

Let's look at the space.....the attic is approximately 30x40 at the 5' knee wall.

This project has also showed me how "healthy" model railroading is as a hobby......since I retired, I am doing over 20K steps a day.......90% of them in the house, going up and down the stairs, carrying loads......

Peter

Don't forget all of the Model Railroad Yoga you will be doing, spending endless hours crawling under your new train tables, contorting your body while wiring your new layout. I believe if you doing this and keep yourself well hydrated, you will enhance your physical well being. Being a physician, you know this better than anyone.

Your mental and emotional well being will also be enhanced by all of the puzzles that you will solve by building and operating the large, complex layout you are contemplating, and the exhilaration you will experience embarking on this most creative endeavor.

Wishing you all the best, Peter. Arnold

Organic Chem!  I think every scientific discipline in college uses Organic Chem to weed out the week in the heard.  Glad you and the goggles made it through.

@Putnam Division posted:

A selfie of both of us while nearing completion.......

....and a reminder.....wear your safety glasses like we are.......when you are generating "little pieces" of stuff!

Peter

Yeah, always wear something, and most important, cut away from yourself whenever possible. I gave myself a nice cut in my finger when I built my Christmas tree layout. After so many years of the company I used to work for preaching safety, I became the statistic for getting hurt at home. Just a jab, but still a pain. Good work Gilly & Peter.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Don't forget all of the Model Railroad Yoga you will be doing, spending endless hours crawling under your new train tables, contorting your body while wiring your new layout. I believe if you doing this and keep yourself well hydrated, you will enhance your physical well being. Being a physician, you know this better than anyone.

Your mental and emotional well being will also be enhanced by all of the puzzles that you will solve by building and operating the large, complex layout you are contemplating, and the exhilaration you will experience embarking on this most creative endeavor.

Wishing you all the best, Peter. Arnold

Arnold, you have such a way with words!  Of course your line of work deals with words, so you should be a pro!  Model Railroad Yoga!  I love it! 

As to the organic chemistry, I was able to skip chemistry all together and use a meteorology course as my last science.  We had a prof who grew up in Italy and had lots of fun with his pronunciations.  He was great!  Most of my courses were electronics as I've mentioned before.  I found it boring, but my mum couldn't stand for students quitting or changing majors; even though I was paying every cent of my education.

Peter, you and Tom are like a well oiled machine now!  What was Tom's line of work?  It had to be something that required precision.

First car displayed:

Custom painted Atlas 50' box car by Christine Braden

1st passenger set displayed.......my 20th Century Ltd set from 1983.......

1st PostWar set display......a New Haven set from 1962 which I acquired maybe 10 years ago.....

Stay tuned! Next installment comes tomorrow!

Peter

There’s trouble in River City! Car, progress looks great! JohnA

Peter, you don’t realize the quantity of the shelving until you see the wall with just one boxcar and all that space around it. Nice job on the boxcar. It looks like something that could have rode the real rails rather than just a club car.

@John A posted:

There’s trouble in River City! Car, progress looks great! JohnA

😄 👍🏻 Reminds me of when our younger daughter played ‘Marion the Librarian’ in a college musical!

Good evening Peter and happy new year. The shelving on your walls looks great. Very impressive! I wish I had half that space. Taking out those trains and putting them on those shelves will be a labor of love. If you are able to fill all the shelves now, you have too many trains. Good luck with the construction of your layout. See you at York in April.

Erol

@Putnam Division posted:

First car displayed:

Custom painted Atlas 50' box car by Christine Braden

1st passenger set displayed.......my 20th Century Ltd set from 1983.......

1st PostWar set display......a New Haven set from 1962 which I acquired maybe 10 years ago.....

Stay tuned! Next installment comes tomorrow!

Peter

Queue the regular discussion... what do you plan to do with all the boxes, Peter???

@Apples55 posted:

Queue the regular discussion... what do you plan to do with all the boxes, Peter???

The boxes go back into the containers in the store room.

The door leads to a 9x30 store room.....

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

The boxes go back into the containers in the store room.

The door leads to a 9x30 store room.....

Peter

Queue the envy

Pretty soon those shelves will be full Peter.

@Putnam Division posted:

The boxes go back into the containers in the store room.

The door leads to a 9x30 store room.....

Peter

9x30 is larger than a lot of layouts!

Peter the shelves will look great when the are holding all of your trains. I’m wondering if you have a display plan in your mind as you place them on display? Or as they come out they will go up? Just curious since my limited display walls are only segregated by prewar on one and postwar/MPC on another. Enjoy your next few days on your display journey.  

Great work!

Can I ask what type of extruded aluminum shelving you chose?

Steve

@SWM Trains posted:

Great work!

Can I ask what type of extruded aluminum shelving you chose?

Steve

Glen Snyder Display Systems......I believe their website is

gsds.com

Peter

@Rich Wiemann posted:

Peter the shelves will look great when the are holding all of your trains. I’m wondering if you have a display plan in your mind as you place them on display? Or as they come out they will go up? Just curious since my limited display walls are only segregated by prewar on one and postwar/MPC on another. Enjoy your next few days on your display journey.  

Sort of......basically, winging it.....I suspect I'll re-arrange when I'm done

Passenger trains on one wall.

Engines grouped together in a few areas.

Favorite PostWar and MPC/modern cars/sets  store of together.

Peter

More trains unboxed and set up on shelves......I suspect I'll re-arrange before I'm done....

Stay tuned for the next installment.......this has been a blast!

It is so much fun to take these beauties out and think about where to put them......in the case of the Bradleys .....they were my Christmas present from 2020 and have never been out of their boxes before......

Peter

Peter,

This looks like it's so much fun. It's really giving the room its name.

Dave

Those shelves look fantastic!  My advice is to get a maid and make sure she has insurance.

@Mark Holmgren 110217 posted:

Those shelves look fantastic!  My advice is to get a maid and make sure she has insurance.

I'm planning on dusting the shelves at least twice a month......

Peter

One thing I didn't consider but I bet you have is how much are you going to pop onto shelves before the layout is built? I would not think to over populate the shelves if you are going to be swinging layout bits about. How is this going to play out Peter?

Peter, this is an amazing train room, the shelves are so neatly placed, your trains will be the main characters, and it’s a Wow. Thank you for the updates, I’m sure that you are having fun, we are to.  Happy Railroading Everyone

@Putnam Division posted:

I'm planning on dusting the shelves at least twice a month......

Peter

Good plan!

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

One thing I didn't consider but I bet you have is how much are you going to pop onto shelves before the layout is built? I would not think to over populate the shelves if you are going to be swinging layout bits about. How is this going to play out Peter?

Dave....I already know that I can fill all the shelves, probably twice over.  I'm also using this as a time to thin out my collection and update my excel spreadsheet. I'm going to be selling stuff off that that I will not be using.....

In addition, I'm not putting my coal drag cars or juice train cars out....they'll be in ready boxes in the storeroom. I'm also going to thin out my PostWar sets by at least a 1/3.

It's time.....

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

Dave....I already know that I can fill all the shelves, probably twice over.  I'm also using this as a time to thin out my collection and update my excel spreadsheet. I'm going to be selling stuff off that that I will not be using.....

In addition, I'm not putting my coal drag cars or juice train cars out....they'll be in ready boxes in the storeroom. I'm also going to thin out my PostWar sets by at least a 1/3.

It's time.....

Peter

Just make sure you don't bonk anything when doing layout work. I'm sure you will be fine though. I know if it was me, you would be hearing stuff fall all over the place.

you folks with open shelves like this clearly don't live in earthquake country...  But it does look great.  I envy the room - both on the shelves and what appears to be a large room for a layout.

@Putnam Division posted:

First car displayed:

Custom painted Atlas 50' box car by Christine Braden

1st passenger set displayed.......my 20th Century Ltd set from 1983.......

1st PostWar set display......a New Haven set from 1962 which I acquired maybe 10 years ago.....

Stay tuned! Next installment comes tomorrow!

Peter

Now that is some shelf space!   Awesome!

Making progress......boy, this is fun!!!!

....and I'm deciding on what to keep and what to sell.......

Peter

You got some really awesome options here Good luck deciding haha

Peter,

To be totally honest, all I can say is that I'm jealous of all that shelf space. To make me feel better, you could at least buy me a beer at York from all the money you make selling trains.

Erol

What a great looking room--nice!

Just amazing what one can do with money and space. Looking good.

Peter, where is the New York Central only wall? I see a mix of road names. Hmm, guess it is one of those big mix railroads you've got going there, eh? Well, we're all like that. Our main railroad is not our only railroad. It good to have some competition, lol.

Starting to enviously eye your amazing New Haven collection!!! Should be fun when you get all the shelves filled and then you start saying - well... maybe that would look better over there

Peter,

Looking real good. If you ever decide to get rid of one of those PC RS11's...hint hint.

Dave

Congratulations, Look at all you have accomplished in one year!

WOW Peter, you're moving right along! Looking great. I would have to say you have more $$ in shelves then I do in trains! LOL

Well, in less than a week, I went from empty to nearly full. It's still a little chaotic, but that will improve with time to sort things out......

Some of my unit trains, like my coal train, my Juice train will be stored in "ready boxes" to take out and put away quickly......

Now, I am working to thin down the herd. The big pile is the stuff that I think I will sell.

The pile to be sold......I have to go through it to be sure......

You can see into the storage room here.....

I think doing this and getting organized before the layout is being built is a fortuitous....

Have a great and safe weekend......and a thank you to all who have been following me on this journey....

Peter

You have an amazing collection Peter. I'm with you on doing this part first but now to look at all of the trains on the wall and not have anyplace to run them (besides the RC3R)  would drive me nuts.

Out of all of it, I think the Green NYC E8 (?) set looks the best.

Bob

Nice work PETER!!👍👍. Make sure you leave some room for new purchases.😉

@laz1957 posted:

Nice work PETER!!👍👍. Make sure you leave some room for new purchases.😉

I see a few empty holes.  He should be fine for a week or so.

Peter, This all looks so cool. What a beautiful train room!

Good idea on thinning the herd. Take advantage of having everything set out for viewing and consideration. This is the time to do it because if you put it all back in storage that's where it will remain.

@MartyE posted:

I see a few empty holes.  He should be fine for a week or so.

Still got stuff to go through......it's like Santa keeps coming.....

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

Still got stuff to go through......it's like Santa keeps coming.....

Peter

How many times have you said, "I didn't know I had this."?

@MartyE posted:

How many times have you said, "I didn't know I had this."?

Too many......other comments include: why do I have two of these?

Peter

Someone may have alluded to this before, but how will you keep the trains on the shelves from collecting sawdust or getting accidentally whacked by a 2 X 4 once layout construction begins ?   

Getting all the trains out and inventorying them to see what you want to pass on to others is a good idea, Peter!  The walls look very impressive now.

Richie does have a point about sawdust, etc.  I kept my few trains in another while doing the heavy construction, but in an 11x11 room I couldn't do it any other way.  If I recall correctly, you have a good bit of room to maneuver between your shelves and planned layout.  Dust would still filter over, unless you had someone using a shop-vac to pick up everything as it is being cut.  Or....do you have a special sawing room, that will be sealed off from the layout room?  I know you thought of everything!!! 

Looking fantastic Peter. I am envious!

Dang, I remember seeing what you had on your shelves on your old layout and thinking that was alot....

Peter,

this looks great.  Good idea to sort out what you want to keep before you go forward.  It will make decisions simpler down the road.

I see your childhood New Haven set took it's high honors place.  Nice! 

Peter is using Mianne bench work so that will limit the amount of cutting in the train room.

@Richie C. posted:

Someone may have alluded to this before, but how will you keep the trains on the shelves from collecting sawdust or getting accidentally whacked by a 2 X 4 once layout construction begins ?   

Mianne Benchwork for the layout frame......

We'll just be careful when we cut the plywood sheets.....most will have minimal cuts.

Peter

@Mark Boyce posted:

Getting all the trains out and inventorying them to see what you want to pass on to others is a good idea, Peter!  The walls look very impressive now.

Richie does have a point about sawdust, etc.  I kept my few trains in another while doing the heavy construction, but in an 11x11 room I couldn't do it any other way.  If I recall correctly, you have a good bit of room to maneuver between your shelves and planned layout.  Dust would still filter over, unless you had someone using a shop-vac to pick up everything as it is being cut.  Or....do you have a special sawing room, that will be sealed off from the layout room?  I know you thought of everything!!! 

Mianne Benchwork.

We'll just be careful when we cut the plywood sheets.....most will have minimal cuts.

Peter

@laz1957 posted:

Nice work PETER!!👍👍. Make sure you leave some room for new purchases.😉

Hmmmm.....I think I'm getting close to the "buy one/sell one" stage of my career.....time will tell.....

......maybe "buy two/sell one"......I need to get control of the inventory....

Peter

A mind boggling array of shelving and trains Peter, looking good!   I wish I had space for that much shelving, I might be able to figure out where all the stuff under the layout is buried!

Love the shelving, looks great and very functional. I do wonder who has the pleasure of dusting...

@Putnam Division posted:

Still got stuff to go through......it's like Santa keeps coming.....

Peter

Peter how I know that feeling I have unpacked stuff for the first time that I bought 15 years ago and forgot I had. I just finished another room in my basement that gave me more room to put up more shelves and unpack more stuff. But unlike you I don’t plan on parting with any yet! You are doing a fabulous job and the displays are looking fantastic. Keep up the great work and progress.

Peter, I forgot about Mianne!  You have it all under control!

@Mill City posted:

Love the shelving, looks great and very functional. I do wonder who has the pleasure of dusting...

Me!

Peter

I think it looks great! And if you're worried about dust during construction it's very easy to velcro plastic sheets to the walls to cover the trains.

-Greg

@Putnam Division posted:

Me!

Peter

Hahaha...of course, you do. If nothing else, the task will allow the opportunity to survey your treasure. Your new train room is an exciting journey, can hardly wait to see where it leads to next.

@Mill City posted:

Love the shelving, looks great and very functional. I do wonder who has the pleasure of dusting...

Peter I have found away to keep the dust to a minimum I have two very large air filtering machines with HEPA filters that run 24/7 in my basement/train room/man cave and they do a great job of keeping the dust down. Still dust but not near that often.

Peter, your train room and shelves are beautiful, but I'm curious to know what you and others think of having railroad backdrops.

I'm a big fan of around the walls layouts with railroad backdrops. IMO, the backdrops enhance the scenery, especially if they blend in nicely with the scenery, thereby enhancing photos and videos of the layout.

Here is an example of a photo of my layout with a homemade backdrop in the background:

The above photo or a similar one appeared in the Photo Albums section of CTT magazine about 2 years ago.

I believe it may be possible to have both: shelves and backdrops, with the backdrops a foot or two away from the walls.

What do you folks think?

Peter - excellent work in utilizing available wall space!

Peter,  You are better stocked than any O gauge train store.

Nice work there Arnold, I totally agree.  One of my favorite benchwork jobs used this around the wall mural from Backdrop Warehouse:

This was a N&W logging branch line.

The Virginia Creeper  along the Abingdon VA line.  The 40" high bench work with a 36"  tall mural and coved corners brings you totally unto the setting when you are standing in the aisle walking your train from town to town.  Very immersing.

Always try to get the backdrop installed before the bench work.  Otherwise it is a back breaking job.

@RJT posted:

Peter I have found away to keep the dust to a minimum I have two very large air filtering machines with HEPA filters that run 24/7 in my basement/train room/man cave and they do a great job of keeping the dust down. Still dust but not near that often.

What make and model might they be?

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

What make and model might they be?

John: Mine are Bluraire 503. We bought them for the old house to keep down the dust from 2 pellet stoves and worked ok there but here only dusted a couple of times in 4 years.

Peter things are looking fantastic! Congratulations on all of the progress.

The backdrop turned out really well. Tomorrow it is going to need a foot of snow.