Thank you, John! The chimney you gave me really helps the model. I'll be posting here what I come up with to keep the bridge rigid and strong once it is in use. For now, it is safe on a shelf under the layout within easy reach.
Mark the snowbirds look fantastic! Why a nice detail. The station is really shaping up. As far as the remote, I actually use my phone or an iPad for that reason. It’s important to straighten out the layout room every once in a while not only for safety reasons, but also to be able to find things!
Andy
Thank you, Andy!
Funny you mention the WIFI feature, Andy. I tried it when it first came out and didn't like it. In hindsight, I probably gave up too soon. I found myself looking at the phone as much as the train, which wasn't fun. I found the buttons on the remote to have a better feel. Also, I had a problem getting it to work on the home WIFI network. I even asked Mike himself at York (2017) and thought I could get it to work, but never did. When I ran it as it's own network, my wife's iPad would disconnect from the home and try to connect to the DCS WIFI. Not a good thing at all! 
So when I saw a Forum member looking for a WIFI unit, I sold it to him. Now my thumbs give me so much trouble, I have to use both thumbs to roll the thumbwheel to adjust the speed. 
It is also painful to push the thumbwheel.
Fast forward to this week. I took the remote apart and changed out the thumbwheel on Memorial Day. It was a lot of stress on the thumbs and tendons (ligament?) to get it open. The next day, I tried to use my right thumb, and had stabbing pain in the middle joint of the right thumb. Later, I had pain from the joint next to the wrist on up the left arm. It continues today to a lesser degree. Steroid shots in the thumbs quit working several years ago, so this situation isn't good. 
The short of it is, I may be looking for a used WIFI unit, since I have 2 regular TIUs, one as a spare. 
Mark,
Sorry to hear that your hands are giving you trouble. Maybe some PT and strengthening/stretching will help. I've used my wifi unit for a few years, but then had trouble with it. It wouldn't connect to my wifi anymore. Turns out that the radio board in the wifi unit went bad. I swapped it out in about 1 minute and it's worked fine ever since. Using my phone or an old iPad works well. Like anything else, you will get used to using it. And best of all, no stress on the thumbs.
Andy
Hi Mark, Well I had to go back to page 71 to get up to speed, things are really looking good at your place! The snowbirds turned out wonderful! Don't worry about the chimney as I don't think there will be any fires in the station! LOL
I have the same bridge on my layout. That is the one I use the actuator one and Tom is correct it needs extra support so a box under it would be a great idea. I did an open girder type box. If you would like I can get a photo of it for you.
I hope your fingers get better and things go well!
Thank you, Andy and Mike!
Andy, PT, PT, they know me well there! Yes, I'll probably be getting an appointment to see about that. Yes, I am rethinking the wifi for sure.
Mike, I would appreciate a photograph of what you did on your bridge. The more information, the better. It's funny, the more I do, the more I think of to do.
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Andy and Mike!
Andy, PT, PT, they know me well there!
Mike, I would appreciate a photograph of what you did on your bridge. The more information, the better. It's funny, the more I do, the more I think of to do.
Hi Mark,
Hope you get some relief for your pain. My fingers were hurting just reading about your experience. As for your layout, the more you do the better it gets and then those great ideas spawn other avenues for you to explore. Keep up the great work! Hoping your pain eases up and you get some relief.
Thank you, John!!
Everyone, I didn't intend to go on about another ache and pain. I know most of you who are reading this have plenty of those of your own. However, I guess it is a good thing in that it is a reminder to all of us that tomorrow we may have difficulty doing what we are able to do today. Whoever thinks he or she falls into the category of 'getting older' 
should keep in in mind when planning and building a layout. In this particular case, I was short sighted in selling my WiFi unit, though it helped another Forum member when he was looking for one. Live and learn. Never stop learning. Thank you everyone for all you have helped me learn!!! 
Hi Mark, here are a couple photos of my open girder for under my bridge. It maybe hard to see as I made it out of 1/2" Plexi glass. You will notice in the last photo I attached each end of the bridge to the girder with an L bracket.
If I would have had the bridge when I built it I would have placed the cross members near the bridge cross members so I could have put an L bracket on each. I ended up using zip ties which seams to work just fine.
Attachments
Images (4)
Thank you,Mike! Yes I see the plexiglass. With the L-bracket at the end, the zip ties are sufficient elsewhere! The plexiglass sure doesn’t deter from the bridge like wood
Stayed in a B&B in Bethlehem PA and saw these on the slate roof. What a modeling job that would be.
Attachments
Images (2)
Scotie,
I think that is a variation of fish scale shingles. Yes it would be a great modeling project. It has the slate, copper on the valleys and ridges, snow birds, and another type guard, not to mention the integral gutters!
interesting 3D model
Attachments
Images (1)
Neat, Alan!!
Had to drop by and see the progress is still moving forward Mark! Keep up the great work!
Lance, thank you! Just today I started back on a project on the layout, but kept getting interrupted. Therefore, I didn’t get any photographs. I’ll be posting about that project soon.
Who can guess what I am working on?
has to be the station
Lets see:
The station roof is finished and the snow birds are nesting
You should be getting another wi-fi to relieve your aching thumbs but it isn’t in the budget yet
You want to revise the bridge like Mike did his but you don’t have the plexiglass
How about starting to move buildings to a new level? Didn’t Jeff talk about that. I can’t remember if you already did it or not.
I'd say putting in the new Atlas bridge.
Can't set the station in place until the track work is done. 
Bob
Thank you for responding Jeff, Bill, and Bob!!
Jeff, I haven't bought any of the interior parts for the station yet, but you are on the right track. Here it is setting out of the way to give you a hint.
Bill, you are right I haven't even looked of a WIU or plexiglass. I have been selling some extra engines, cars and a building. The raised town as Jeff suggested will wait until I realign the track on that side of the bridge with solid roadbed instead of the plastic trestles. So you are close too.
Bob, you are correct. I need to do some ROW work in front of the station before setting the new bridge. Then I will do the ROW on the other side of the bridge. The two tracks were 4-1/4" apart rail to rail. The bridge needs them to be 4-1/2" apart. I pulled up the track in front of the station and the curve leading to it. Here is a section of straight GarGraves that Andy @Steamfan77 contributed to the cause along with the measurements where the edges of the ties, cork roadbed, and solid roadbed will go.
I left the mainline switch in place for now to allow trains to run in the interim. I'll pull it out and place it at the other end of the bridge when it is time for track there.
I'm going go work on the layout some more now. There is nothing going on for Independence Day here, and it is hot outside. Too bad there isn't a Pirates game to listen to today. The Yankees come to town tomorrow. Our kids will have to face some guys our owner didn't want to pay large contracts; again. Argh!!!!! 
Attachments
Mark, it sure is nice to see you have a plan! I think it is going to look great and It was nice of Andy to help out! I might not say much, but I will always be watching! LOL
Progress is progress - slow and steady wins the race! It'll look great once the realignment is completed. As for your Pirates reference - I feel your pain as there was no Phillies game today. Not having your hometown team play on July 4th is so 2020..lol
-Greg
Hey, Mark! The Yankees thank your Buccos for teaching Holmes that sinker. The difference is that Yanks told him to throw it all the time!!!
I assume you're not a Stratomatic player. I have been since 1966. The Great One has the only -6 throwing arm in the history of the game. Also, we will never forget or forgive the bad hop that hit Kubeck in the throat, cost them the series, and killed his career. Mantle cried.
I try to keep track of your progress on the layout.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Thank you, Mike, Greg, Jerry!
We had Stratomatic growing up! I was 4 when Maz and the Buccos beat the mighty Yankees. I quickly learned who Maz is, but it took a while before I became aware of the significance.
Speaking of the 1960 WS, I received my first train the Christmas before. It was the American Flyer Frontiersman. Wish I still had it. As for the Pirates vs Yankees, I was 10. When I got home from school, I watched the rest of the game. I can still see Yogi looking up at the wall................
@Mark Boyce posted:Bob, you are correct. I need to do some ROW work in front of the station before setting the new bridge. Then I will do the ROW on the other side of the bridge. The two tracks were 4-1/4" apart rail to rail. The bridge needs them to be 4-1/2" apart. I pulled up the track in front of the station and the curve leading to it. Here is a section of straight GarGraves that Andy @Steamfan77 contributed to the cause along with the measurements where the edges of the ties, cork roadbed, and solid roadbed will go.
WOW! I never win these guessing games! 
Good to see you are on your way with the track work Mark. The station is going to look great when it's all done.
Bob
Mark nice progress. It took a bit to get caught up.
Is the new bridge going to lift toward the left or right?
Thank you, Bob and RJ!
Bob, I'm sorry the prize isn't like winning the lottery! I think all the suggestions were good, but many hinge on getting the track realigned first.
RJ, In the photograph Bob copied right above your post, you can just see on the right the edge of existing single track bridge in the lifted position. The new bridge will lift the same way, so it will lift to the left. I'll be making a much more substantial base and hinge system since it is heavier.
@Mark Boyce, I'll have to peek from the laptop when I get home tonight. Sun is making it hard to see anything during lunch. I really like the substation from what I can make out. Looks pretty good Mark. Remind me to pop in later.
Thank you, Dave. The substation is a Woodland Scenics model.
The station came out nice Mark. I like the setup to how the town is coming together. You are quite a ways away from doing up roads of any kind, have you thought of what sort of road you will have? Dirt, stone, asphalt?
Thank you, Dave! The roads will all be dirt and asphalt with a lot of parking areas gravel. Don't ask me what methods I will use. I don't even remember what methods I used on the last layout. 
It rained a lot today, so I got some work done on the layout. The Homasote and cork roadbed is in. The alignment at the end of the curve works out just right, but it was 1/4" tight by the time it got to the bridge.
I'll have to make some adjustments to the stops on the slide in station module, but here is a rough idea how it will go. Anything that looks out of kilter is an optical delusion.
I ran an engine around and discovered something isn't making contact at the lower bridge. I see the problem, but decided to fix it another day.
Attachments
Well, roads will be something closer to the end. There'll be enough time for research and development to get back to you on methods to mess around with. I'm sure that "What did you do on your layout today?" may provide some clues. You could always ask there the closer you get to road work.
Dave, Yes there are always so many ideas here on the Forum! After so many years I have learned for the most part not to buy materials too far ahead, after not using so many. 😄
Mark, when you started this thread way back in 2017, did you ever think you’d get a point where it’s now over 5.5 years old and filled with almost 3,000 posts?
Dave, Thank you for commenting, as I haven't heard from you in a while!!!
No, I never thought it would get so much attention!!! I recall you telling me offline in an email that some of these topics are short lived and some gain traction. I think it is a positive commentary on all the wealth of information and interest given by so many Forum members. They have given it a life of it's own!
Also, at one point I doctored the last SCARM drawing as best as I could for an 'as built' drawing as we called them at work. I am totally winging it again, without even trying it out on SCARM. I just tested it out by putting a bunch of leftover pieces of track together and decided it would work. Cross my fingers!!
Just haven’t had much to say. I’ve been working on some designs via email and pm messages, so I’m still here, just not as active in threads. It seems there are a lot more members willing to chime in these days, and that’s a good thing.
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Dave! The roads will all be dirt and asphalt with a lot of parking areas gravel. Don't ask me what methods I will use. I don't even remember what methods I used on the last layout.
It rained a lot today, so I got some work done on the layout. The Homasote and cork roadbed is in. The alignment at the end of the curve works out just right, but it was 1/4" tight by the time it got to the bridge.
I'll have to make some adjustments to the stops on the slide in station module, but here is a rough idea how it will go. Anything that looks out of kilter is an optical delusion.
I ran an engine around and discovered something isn't making contact at the lower bridge. I see the problem, but decided to fix it another day.
Looking good Mark! Just wondering have you tried the switch line up coming from in front of the station to the other loop to see how things look?
I kind of used that as a gauge to set my track as needed.
@Mark Boyce posted:Dave, Thank you for commenting, as I haven't heard from you in a while!!!
No, I never thought it would get so much attention!!! I recall you telling me offline in an email that some of these topics are short lived and some gain traction. I think it is a positive commentary on all the wealth of information and interest given by so many Forum members. They have given it a life of it's own!
Also, at one point I doctored the last SCARM drawing as best as I could for an 'as built' drawing as we called them at work. I am totally winging it again, without even trying it out on SCARM. I just tested it out by putting a bunch of leftover pieces of track together and decided it would work. Cross my fingers!!
Mark,
I’ve got four boxes of 40 year old new in the box homasote roadbed that I’d like to use along with cork. Did you put ant orotective coat on it? How did you choose where to use homasote and where to use cork?
Thanks,
Rubin
Thank you, Mike and Rubin!
Mike, Keep in mind, I will be moving the existing switch right by the bridge to the other end of the bridge, so there will just double track with no switches in front of the station and across the bridge so I have a longer passing siding. To show what you are saying, I placed the removed switch back in place, but now needed a spacer from the cutoff box since the tracks would be a little farther apart.
I made this drone view holding the phone in front of me and over my head. I'm surprised I got just what I wanted to show on the first try. Look at that mess of track going every which way! The spacer is a little too long, and the switch covers about 4 ties on the curve, but you get the idea. If you look at the top of the GarGraves switch, you can see where I had to saw off part of the ties to get it to fit against the other switch when I put in the dead end siding.
Rubin, my Homasote is probably as old as yours. I painted over it where I'm putting track with cheap acrylic gray paint. I used Homasote everywhere except one place where I had an overhead clearance problem. I used the cork only to give the nice beveled edge so I wouldn't have to use as much ballast to make the beveled edge like on a main line railroad. I painted it gray more to make it look a bit like ballast instead of cork until I get to the point of ballasting. If I had the pre-cut Homasote sections with the beveled edges like a couple of manufacturers made, I wouldn't have bothered with the cork. I think for sound deadening, you only need one or the other, not both. As for painting Homasote so it doesn't attract moisture, I have read of people who have painted all sides of it and of people who haven't painted it at all and didn't have a moisture problem. I think if a basement is that humid, the owner will have more problems than just with moisture absorption and will get another dehumidifier.
