It's what we call a white box in the commercial construction world. Just need the tenant to fill the space up with the goodies now. 
You and your friends have done a great job Joe!
Congrats! 
Magnificent!
Peter
Well, it's coming along.
I once heard that on Sundays Walt Disney would walk the vacant land that was to become Disneyland. Take the time to ponder the potential on your canvas. It is a great opportunity you have given yourself.
I love that analogy Jay. Thanks!
That looks great Joe!!
Let the bench work begin! great space.
That room looks fantastic, Joe!! You and your friends did a great job!
Flooring? Then on to the backdrop! Progress!
Chris
LVHR
@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:I once heard that on Sundays Walt Disney would walk the vacant land that was to become Disneyland. Take the time to ponder the potential on your canvas. It is a great opportunity you have given yourself.
Magic, I’m always loving this thread. Your progress Joe is at once my inspiration and evening entertainment. I can almost hardly wait for the videos of trains roaring around some yet to be seen wonder. Thanks and best! Willard
The room came together in a flash, that was quick work!
@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:I once heard that on Sundays Walt Disney would walk the vacant land that was to become Disneyland. Take the time to ponder the potential on your canvas. It is a great opportunity you have given yourself.
Walt did indeed walk the land that eventually became Disneyland, but it was never vacant. From the time the land was acquired and Disneyland had opened was but nearly a year. The Pope family were not only the first, but the only persons to live full-time on property. Walt loved walking the property...
Joe,
What a beautiful canvas to start with?! Congrats, you deserve this!
Joe
Nice choice!
That looks like a great color.
I like the carpet color.....
Peter
Very nice & fast!!
Great minds must think alike: Carpet tiles! Exactly what I used in my room, except for the color. Great choice.
Chris
LVHR
Magnificent room Joe. You did a wonderful job good luck. Can't wait to see the next pictures after the carpet goes down and then the layout being built.
That is awesome Joe. Looks fantastic. Well done.
Step one - done. Step two - build a layout. How hard can that be!
Tom
Take a good look, it's the last time you'll ever see it this clutter-free...
The room looks wonderful, Joe!! I hope you set aside money to start building the layout!!
Joe, that is going to be a fantastic looking train room. The walls, ceiling, and floor look great. Good luck with finding the little screw that drops on the floor.
Your room is really looking sharp! Thanks again for sharing.
Great looking room.I remember the sign from the main line of the CNJ .
Wow do you work fast Joe!
Nice work Joe - now you have a lot of wall to cover!
All I can say is WOW, what a massive space to build the RR in! 
You should be able to do a really impressive layout in this wilderness! 
Looks great! Now, coffee break's over. Time for the night shift. We'll be back to check on your progress at 6:00 am. 
George
Joe,
Everything looks great! You will have many possibilities when you begin your railroad. Please keep posted.
Dave
Sure lookin' good from my house.
WOW Joe, that looks Amazing! I wish I had a room like that! LOL
I was happy with my space until I saw this and Peter's new room, these guys are going to have massive layouts!
Looks great, Joe!! I like your Manville-Finderne sign. I used to live a stone's throw from that station, right on the Finderne/Somerville border.
Mike and John, And I wish I had your space. On the other hand, I'm having a time just filling my small room.
John, I hadn't even noticed the signs because I first saw the last set of photographs on my phone. Those are some nice signs!!
WOW! BIG! NICE!
When I have built layouts in rooms as finished as yours I covered the entire area with 6 mill poly before the benchwork commenced.
The side benefit other than carpet protection is the ability to slide under the platform on my back as I scooted around running wires.
Using drop cloths after the fact with carpet has it's own short comings. Just ask Gunner.......
Beautiful job Joe. Good luck. On too phase 2.
@NJCJOE posted:The carpet tile arrived yesterday......all 955 lbs.
Happy Easter everyone.
First, the results are stunning. You've done an enviable and inspiring job.
Second, for such a wide open space, why did you choose carpet tiles versus roll carpeting in a very large roll? Do the tiles provide some advantage (e.g., cost, ease of handling, flexibility when it comes to fitting, etc.)?
Finally, how do you secure those tiles to the floor? Glue?
It looks great. You should be very proud. I agree with the guy who recommend that you take a moment to ponder the magnificent blank canvas you've created an all it will become.
Steven J. Serenska
I was originally going to install a regular wall to wall carpet. I then ordered some carpet tile samples and changed my mine. First, these are commercial tiles. They should wear like iron. Plus, if any of the tiles get wet, I can remove them and dry them. They have a hard rubber backing.
The tiles are not glued down. That is recommended for commercial installations. They say if your using them like wall to wall carpet, all you need to do is lay them on the floor. I went a step further. I purchased tile tabs which are 3"×3" adhesive pads. Sort of like carpet tape. These are installed at each four tile intersection, except they are stuck to the underside of the tiles. This locks all four tiles together. After you do this at every intersection, you basically have one large carpet. To remove a tile, you can peel it up or cut the adhesive tab, then install new tabs with the replacement tile.
Also, the variety of designs and shapes of these tiles makes for infinite layout possibilities. This was also cheaper than conventional carpeting and I was able to install it myself.
Brand, model and source of your tile?
Tom,
This is the place I ordered the tile from. The color of mine is "Jumbled".
Great progress, looking forward to future updates.
I too love that sign! I grew up in Manville and hung out with some guys from Finderne in my hot-rodding days! They liked to say " Finderne means Fast!" Passed bye the station many times over the old steel bridge but never went down to check it out. My trains were in storage then.
The room turned out very nice, Joe. It's been fun watching it all come together, especially since I'm not doing any of the work...
@NJCJOE posted:4/17/21 - Finished installing the baseboard trim today. The room is officially done!
Congratulations!!!! It looks outstanding. Nicely done!
That room really looks great, Joe!
Thanks everyone for nice comments. It was a lot of work but it paid off in the end.
Where did the black lally columns go? They didn't seem to make it into the last batch of photos...
Great progress!
Peter
@Mill City posted:Where did the black lally columns go? They didn't seem to make it into the last batch of photos...
I removed them.......😁😆😁😆😁😆. I guess my photo shots missed the columns. I was trying to show some different angles.
@NJCJOE posted:I removed them.......😁😆😁😆😁😆. I guess my photo shots missed the columns. I was trying to show some different angles.
I was thinking that you may have applied some magic disappearing paint to them. Of course, I have no idea what your plans are for your layout, but painting them out the same color as the walls would go a long way in making them go away visually.
@NJCJOE posted:I removed them.......😁😆😁😆😁😆. I guess my photo shots missed the columns. I was trying to show some different angles.
😄😄😄
The room looks great Joe. Now the fun begins.
The Manville- Finederne sign is very appropriate. You can call the room Manville now.
Hi Joe,
Only words i have for you, EVERYTHING is looking fabulous so far! Please keep the progress photos coming.
Please say hello to your family !
Alex
A big thumbs up! Will be a great space for your layout.
Jim K
NICE!!
Really nice the way everything came out! I can't wait to see the layout your are going to set up in there!
It's been almost a week, where's the benchwork? 
Lol! You're killing me John. Plus I need to get all the railroadiana out first.
Moving your railroadiana must have required an army!
Good luck with everything.
Tom
@NJCJOE posted:Lol! You're killing me John. Plus I need to get all the railroadiana out first.
Gotta' get those trains running Joe, no time for decorating!
When you coming over John?
When you're up and running, I'll bring the beer!
@gunrunnerjohn posted:It's been almost a week, where's the benchwork?
This comment killed me and I'm not even the "victim". Well done.
Steven J. Serenska
P.S. Where IS the benchwork?
5/2/21 - Well, I got about 99% of the railroadiana displayed in the new train room. There are still a few items I haven't found yet. They may be in the toy train boxes. And I'm sure as time goes on I will do some rearranging but for now it's set up. Have some small odds and ends to finish up then will start focusing on the layout design again. I hope to get my shelving at October York so I can at least get my trains on display and then this winter possibly start the layout.
Attachments
Images (13)
You do have a lot of stuff to display! Looking great, almost like there should be a train layout in there.
Joe,
Hope you are doing well, and to see you at York in October. I'm concerned that you do not have enough Railroadiana to display.
Erol
Joe,
After looking at your photogrpahs a second time, your desk is the twin of my wife's office desk. Is it a train desk?
Erol
Joe, You certainly have a fantastic collection!! It is good to see it on display again!!
Great collection, and very well presented......looks fabulous!
Peter
@locolawyer posted:Joe,
After looking at your photogrpahs a second time, your desk is the twin of my wife's office desk. Is it a train desk?
Erol
Hey Erol.
Hope all is well with you. No, it is not a railroad desk, but I wanted something that captured the look of station agents desk. I liked the way it worked out.
Joe,
Everything looks great. I did not see the B6 shifter bell...I can only assume you have it boxed up ready to sell to me???
Good luck with everything.
Tom
Looks great Joe. You have a very interesting and extensive collection.
Bob
Joe,
What a wonderful collection and you have displayed it very elegantly.
Dave
Looks fantastic nice job. If you start watering that lay out in the corner maybe it'll grow into the space.
Joe that is an awesome collection of railroadiana. Looks good and you'll have it set up very nicely.
Cool Joe, I just put a handful of GS shelves up. I have an 18' wall that is almost cleared out that will get floor to ceiling shelves, saving money now for the purchase.
You guys are lucky being on east coast. When I called to order shelving she wanted $80 to ship one shelf to west coast. I know it is a long box, but can't justify over $100 for 1 shelf. Do they make joiners for the shelves to connect 2 sections?
Joe Gozzo
Yep, they are just little split pins that you hammer onto the ends of the three rails.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Yep, they are just little split pins that you hammer onto the ends of the three rails.
Thanks!
Joe, Looks great! I sure wish I had a wall that size to mount shelves.
That looks great Joe! That will be a sight when they're all full!
@Mark Boyce posted:Joe, Looks great! I sure wish I had a wall that size to mount shelves.
Mark, as soon as the freight yard is finished, above it will be more shelves above it on the 12 foot wall, looks like seven will fit.
That will also clear out the construction debris over here and this 18 foot wall gets floor to ceiling shelves as well.
Attachments
@NJCJOE and @gunrunnerjohn what is the vertical distance between shelves?
@NJCJOE posted:5/2/21 - Well, I got about 99% of the railroadiana displayed in the new train room. There are still a few items I haven't found yet. They may be in the toy train boxes. And I'm sure as time goes on I will do some rearranging but for now it's set up. Have some small odds and ends to finish up then will start focusing on the layout design again. I hope to get my shelving at October York so I can at least get my trains on display and then this winter possibly start the layout.
Joe, Are those Caboose Markers mounted on sides of bipolar doors. I need to look for a set!
For the O gauge I used 5" top of rail to top of rail. It actually worked out to be 5-1/16". I used beer cans to space the shelves. For the standard gauge I did 7-1/4" top of rail to top of rail. I wanted close spacing to help the shelves disappear.
@Trainlover160 posted:Joe, Are those Caboose Markers mounted on sides of bipolar doors. I need to look for a set!
Yes, they are caboose marker lamps.
@Pingman posted:@NJCJOE and @gunrunnerjohn what is the vertical distance between shelves?
Mine are spaced 5.625", but based on Joe's statement, I may cut it to 5.25 and squeeze another shelf or two in. I like how Joe's shelves came out, so maybe I was too generous with my spacing.
I tested heights and decided to go with 6" between mine. That makes it easier for me to lift engines on and off the shelves.
Attachments
Well done!
Peter
@NJCJOE posted:For the O gauge I used 5" top of rail to top of rail. It actually worked out to be 5-1/16". I used beer cans to space the shelves. For the standard gauge I did 7-1/4" top of rail to top of rail. I wanted close spacing to help the shelves disappear.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Mine are spaced 5.625", but based on Joe's statement, I may cut it to 5.25 and squeeze another shelf or two in.
Thanks to you both, and @Mark Boyce for the info.
It just shows each person has his own preferences, just as with layout height, etc. I suggest everyone needs to set something up and try different heights. I drilled a few holes that I spackled and painted over before I got my final result
NJCJOE, your room is looking fantastic, the memorabilia amazing, your shelving when filled with your beautiful collection will be breathtaking, thanks for the update. I loved your former layout area/room and this is colossal. Wow.. Question, what floor covering did you use, painted or carpet? It’s very nice. Happy Railroading Everyone
