Thank you, Leandro!!
Mark- looking good. I'm surprised the 1/4" ply flexed with an engine on it. I don't think I could bend a short piece of plywood if I tried. Mine are rock solid.
Bob
PS- happy 50 pages!
Bob, this stuff is weird. It real old. It has a thin layer of wood on each side, but the middle is some fibrous material. I think that’s the weak link. I need to find some new 1/4” stuff. I‘be had s pretty good run with old stuff, but Poor man’s layout materials don’t always work out! 😉
@Mark Boyce posted:Bob, this stuff is weird. It real old. It has a thin layer of wood on each side, but the middle is some fibrous material. I think that’s the weak link. I need to find some new 1/4” stuff. I‘be had s pretty good run with old stuff, but Poor man’s layout materials don’t always work out! 😉
post a picture of the stuff. I'm curious now. Home Depot sells 2X2 pieces of various ply's. Pretty cheap and easier than dealing with a full sheet.
Thank you, Bob. I’ll get a photograph later. Tomorrow we are driving halfway across the state to pick up our new rescue dog, since Annie died right before Christmas.
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Bob. I’ll get a photograph later. Tomorrow we are driving halfway across the state to pick up our new rescue dog, since Annie died right before Christmas.
Wow, Mark. (This is your layout topic. I hope you find this post is appropriate.)
We feel for ya my friend. Losing Annie has to have been hard. We lost our lab, Bumper. of 15 years, the fall before COVID. She was a rescue and filled out lives with fun. Part Lab, part Boxer, All Heart. We have not found another to adopt into our family yet .
BUT, we get visits from Jade the "Therapy For the Soul Labrador". The kids got her 3 years ago and is always a welcome visitor. Makes for a LARGER Layout than "Norma-Bates-Kitteh or Sia-Ames-Kitteh", Jade makes a LARGER FOOTPRINT. <smile>
Safe Travels Mark. Please post a photo of your new family member! It will be great to have a helper for your layout. A great compliment to your bridges!
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Mark Boyce, driving hours to adopt a rescue, you are my hero !
Mark I hope you and Miss B. had a safe trip to get your new family member. I too would like to see a photo and agree with Keith your the man! But then again your always there to help out where you can!
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Bob. I’ll get a photograph later. Tomorrow we are driving halfway across the state to pick up our new rescue dog, since Annie died right before Christmas.
Mark - post a picture!
Joe
I firmly believe rescues are the best. We have a lab that was shipped up from the floods in Houston a few years ago. Best dog ever.
Great job, Mark.......I just got caught up!
Peter
Thank you everyone! It is incredible how few little dogs are available from rescues in Western Pennsylvania. We drove to Carlisle to pick up Bentley. He is 5. His owner died and when her family went to clean out the house, they found him not knowing she had a dog. They don’t know how long he was by himself. The vet-rescue gave him the works vet care wise before they listed him. The rescue woman and her boyfriend drove from South Jersey to meat us. I am so thankful they offered to do that. As it was, We left home at 7:30 and got home at 6. He seems to like his new home.
it is incredible how much he looks like Annie who had cancer when this photograph was taken.
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@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you everyone! It is incredible how few little dogs are available from rescues in Western Pennsylvania. We drove to Carlisle to pick up Bentley. He is 5. His owner died and when her family went to clean out the house, they found him not knowing she had a dog. They don’t know how long he was by himself. The vet-rescue gave him the works vet care wise before they listed him. The rescue woman and her boyfriend drove from South Jersey to meat us. I am so thankful they offered to do that. As it was, We left home at 7:30 and got home at 6. He seems to like his new home.
Mark...why wouldn’t he...looks like you stopped at Pets-R-Us on the way home and filled your trunk with toys! Cute little guy...and worth the trip...🚂😉😺
Adopting an animal from a shelter may not change the world, but for that one animal their world will have changed forever. Thanks Mark, people like you and your wonderful wife renew my faith in mankind.
Mark, I am glad to see you and Miss. B made it home safe! Weather report says you guys are going to get cold again! Great looking little guy I am sure he is so excited to be with your family!
Mark, glad you had a safe, succesful trip today! What a cute pup! Bently will have a very good home and now you have another train buddy 😁. Congrats!
Michael
Paul, Keith, Mike, Michael, thank you!
Paul, Bentley came with a large tote bag full of food and toys. He also dug into the bin of Annie's toys that she didn't beat up before she passed on.
Keith, the rescue vet told my wife a lot of rescues would have put Bentley down after finding him afraid and malnourished. They nursed him back to health. They did a good thorough job of vetting us. We had email questionnaire, phone conversations, our references (vet and two vet techs who knew how we kept Annie going for 2 1/2 years with a form of cancer, and also a Facetime tour of our home and yard. They gave us a lot of information about Bentley, and thought we were a good fit since I am retired and my wife only works 2 days, we don't go away, we don't have any small children or other pets, we live in a quiet neighborhood. They did their best to get Bentley ready to have new owners and that they would be the best fit for him.
Mike, we had the Facetime home tour and discussion with the vet Saturday afternoon. The rescue woman who met us halfway said she had Sunday and next Saturday open. I was sunny but very windy so early morning glare and the wind was moving everyone's vehicles, but I thought it best to go Sunday than to risk bad weather next weekend. He fit right in. I couldn't sleep with my sciatic nerve, but I left him and Mrs. B asleep to try to shake off the pain. IT held out for the trip, and that is all that matters.
Michael, I introduced Bentley to the train room, but didn't start up a train. We want him to slowly get used to his new surroundings.
Congrats Mark. He looks right at home already. Sad how he was found but fortunately there are good people in the world to save our furry friends.
Bob
Thank you, Bob! He seems to be feeling at home already. Actually our last dog was a drop off along the road. We have no idea what her past was. We contacted the humane society and no one claimed her, so we had 11 good years with her. The dog before her was from an advertisement in the paper of a family who bought a dog, but their 2-year old wasn't responding well, so they wanted to find a good home for him. That was the most gentle dog I have ever seen. We had 14 good years with him.
Wow! I just noticed we are on page 50!! Thank you everyone who has contributed.
Bob, here is the 1/4” plywood. It is old and brittle on the outside layers. The inside layer shows up here.
Maybe it needs more layers to stiffen it or it lost something with age.
Friday evening I screwed down all the track except the straight section that I have the metal base from the destroyed Menards bridge as a base. I need to cut it to length and am thinking of using the sides of the two through girder bridges over the street running away from the viewer. Another option I thought of is using the two girder bridges as is with a pier in the middle and have one traffic lane on either side of the pier. I either need another pier or use the long piece of metal to span the gap.
Here are a couple shots of a train on the upper level with a different building arrangement. That is the heaviest engine I have, and the track didn't give at all.
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Mark,
May I suggest that you cut the track on an angle so that the gaps are staggered so that the wheels will not hit the gaps all at the same time. May make for a smoother transition.
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Fun to watch the progress and adjustments! I also saw your very neat wiring on one of the March 8th posted pics. Very nicely done!
Looking good Mark! Have you been able to run the trains over your lift bridge sections yet? If so how did that go?
@Mark Boyce posted:Wow! I just noticed we are on page 50!! Thank you everyone who has contributed.
Bob, here is the 1/4” plywood. It is old and brittle on the outside layers. The inside layer shows up here.
Maybe it needs more layers to stiffen it or it lost something with age.
Mark- it's possible that what you have is supposed to bend. Flexible laminates and veneers have been around for a long time. Cabinet makers use it all the time for rounded case work.
https://www.columbiaforestprod...ius-bending-plywood/
Looks like you solved the problem and things are looking good.
Bob
@mike g. posted:Looking good Mark! Have you been able to run the trains over your lift bridge sections yet? If so how did that go?
Mark, Mark, Mark, What day is it... What DAY is it!? You have leaped (lept? ) Light years and you share your time with so many as well.
I think we could start a board ( MARCH MADNESS ) call it "MARK BRIDGE MADNESS".
I, for one, am one of those carpet-layout-guys that puts little TIMEX on the rails to test out the track. Sooooo, If you wish to have a "Little Engine that Could" test the bridge, Ill box 'er up and mail her EXPRESS!
BUT, you are a great modeller and builder, and my simple goals and guidelines might seem flippant and childish.. So, We await, with baited breath, to view the operation and running-of-the-trains-over your bridges. and I will pick, hmmmm, April First, on the board. (All $ will be donated to good cause...) <grin>
Mark, we are all pulling for you, and Timex, is at the ready. <salute>
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Thank you Cape Cod Northern, Dan, Mike, Bob, Scott!!!
Wow, I never thought of staggering the rail joints like that. That would make a smoother transition!
Dan, Thank you. I learned neat wiring working for the power company on the controls in substations. Believe it or not, this wiring on the layout is not nearly as neat as they required. Then the second half of my working days, I went to the telecom. In the central offices the wiring was pretty neat, but what was out at business customers was sloppy.
Mike, I have not run any trains across the bridges yet. I haven't gotten a lot of time for the layout this last week, and when I did, I was working on realigning the raised tracks. I still have to put in the power connections for the bridges and isolate the tracks leading up to an open bridge. I forgot about that when I was doing initial wiring. I find myself getting ahead of my self more as I get older. 
Bob, I'll bet you are right that this material was meant to be flexible. I salvaged it from my mother-in-law's basement, and she has only been there 5 years. It's hard to saw what the previous owner had in mind.
Scott, You are correct. I replied to Mike that I have been slow, but in reality I have made a lot of progress even though sometimes it is one step forward, two steps back. LOL Do you call that little engine TIMEX because it just keeps on ticking? I actually have a couple engines that I run when testing something out in case there is a major snafu that I didn't notice. Thank you for the offer. Don't sell yourself short. I was running O gauge trains on the floor when I first got them. Our daughters were both at home, or at least their stuff was at home, because they were both in college. I had already sold all my HO after deciding I couldn't see it as well as I once had and had given up on building a layout since we are in a small house. I felt like when I first got my first HO set in the late '60s and my Mum would make me pick up the track so she could sweep, although my wife is much easier to get along with than Mum.
"MARK BRIDGE MADNESS" Madness is the word! LOL April first. That sounds like a reasonable date. My late father-in-law's birthday! If we can do it, I'll make it in honor of Rex; a great guy who the Lord saw fit to take home earlier than we mortals would have wished.
I am working with Jeff (Scouting Dad) with some good ideas he has on scenicing the town around this raised track area. I report in on that when I think it's time.
Great Work and fabulous progress. You are doing such a good job of meeting obstacles and turning them into features. Love it!
Mark, looking good and I have a suggestion about the plywood. Baltic birch is very stiff as well as pre finished plywood. I have some 1/4” and it is very rigid. Another alternative is MDF. Easy to shape and cut. Sorry to hear about your dog passing, but glad you’re new addition is settling in.
Andy
Thank you, John and Andy!
Yes there are obstacles at every turn it seems. I don’t know how anyone could plan for all of them ahead of time. One way or another they need addressed.
Baltic birch seems to be the answer for layouts whether thin or thick. Thank you!
Thank you about the dogs Andy. Here is Bentley. He comes to investigate every time he hears a noise from the train room. At 5, he still has a lot of spunk and energy.
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Hey Mark, nice dog. Yeah, dog almost always investigate noises unless they already know exactly what it is. Good to see progress coming along, been gone way to long(me I mean). See what's cooking soon I guess.
Glad to see you back, Dave! Yes he is investigating everything. It is interesting to watch after many years with the same dog. I’m hoping he will like the train room.
Bentley looks like a great dog Mark. He seems happy in his new home.
Andy
Morning Mark, sure looks like you might just have a building inspector on your hands there! This time its a good thing cause he will keep you company! I hope you and Bentley along with Mrs B have a great Sunday!
Thank you Andy and Mike! Bentley has made himself at home from the start! We are learning his quirks from being a rescue dog. He is certainly a Mama's boy, but is very inquisitive about everything either of us do. Yes Mike, he certainly acts like a building inspector. He was very interested in seeing me operate the linear actuator and seeing the bridges go up and down as I was adjusting the tracks that meet the high bridge. He also likes to look out the sliding glass door in the train room, and then I have to stop and let him out to investigator the back yard and it's residents. Yesterday it was squirrels. This morning it was a rabbit. I picked him up to show him the layout too. It is amazing he looks like a thin Annie with a longer tail and slightly longer legs.
That is so great Mark! Lucky all 3 of you! You and your wife have a great new friend!
Here it is! May we have a drum roll please! First two runs over the lift up bridges. Yes I got the contacts in to power the bridges when down. There is still more to do, but...I had to post these tonight-check that, this morning.
One of three Premier H9 Consolidations that I have pulling a short coal train.
Congratulations, Mark..........a great moment and a tribute to your skill and perseverance!
It looks great and runs smooth!
I also loved the glance at the wall where your York badge is hanging "ready for October". 
(mine's in my car in the pocket behind the driver's seat 
)
Congrats and good luck for future success in this great layout!
Peter
Thank you, Peter. I think perseverance more than skill. LOL Yes the York badge has been hanging there waiting, waiting, waiting 😀
Looks Great Mark!!! Fantastic progress on your layout.
Bob
That’s an impressive accomplishment Mark. So, now onto the next project!
