Weekend Photo Fun 8-11-23-??

A 2022 Christmas Layout memory

Last week I started showing the front right area of the layout - the Christmas scene.  I also explained the meaning of the 2 ceramic trains in that scene.  Here's another view:

- walt

3rd Rail B&O T4a trackage rights through Northbrook:

Running trains and testing engines at the modular layout this week with some of the fellows.......

Two very brief videos; one showing the Norfolk Southern Lash Up and the other showing the beautiful whistle-steam effect on the Wabash Atlantic.

Have a great and safe weekend, everyone!

Peter

Coal dealer just acquired a new conveyor. Hopper is an Atlas. Switcher is a MTH 0-8-0.

Thanks Scott for getting us started for this fine weekend!  My photos of the fun kind for this weekend show ... Train watching from my favorite location.  One never knows what they'll see pop out of the tunnel next.  Always exciting!   Have a terrific weekend everyone!

My next build is the Richmond Packing Company, 3rd in the Frank Ellison Tribute Series by Dennis Brennan. Before you actually assemble anything, there is a lot of preparation and subassembly.

Dennis has very clear and detailed instructions and lays it all out for you......what paints you will need; what tools will be helpful/necessary and the suggested order of painting and subassembly/assembly.

Here is the picture of the finished structure on the kit box and the paints needed. Before I went out and bought anything, I lined up what I have in my paint locker.

I only needed to buy Warm Caramel, Camoflauge Earth Brown and Multicolored Textured Desert Bisque.

It also reminded me to do a better job of checking what I already have in the locker, because I found 4 cans of Gray Primer and 4 cans of Off White.......

First, is the White Primer......

Then, while the primer dries for 24 hours, carefully remove small pieces to be stained and painted.....

Next day, Desert Bisque for "concrete color"......

Wait another day and turn the bricks into an age "brownstone".......

Warm Caramel, Flat Red and Camo Earth Brown......allowing it to throughly dry in between....taking another day or so....

Painting the window muntins....a "gig" I create with painters tape......if I lie them up against a flat surface, you end up scraping out "paint puddles" later.....

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Here are some shots from our setup at this past weekend's Greenberg show in Monroeville, PA.

This shot is after 1.5 hours of work and shows the last modules being clamped together.  The layout for this show was 40' x 20'.

This shot shows the layout after 3 hours of work.  At this point, the modules have been electrically connected, the track adjusted, scenery up, curtains on, and now trains are being tested on all tracks.

A couple of nice NYC Hudsons - one Lionel, and one K-Line.

Some of my new figures (and a couple of new cars) making their debut on my module.

Now if only someone would make a 1:43 or 1:48 Munsters Coach...

Andy

@Putnam Division posted:

My next build is the Richmond Packing Company, 3rd in the Frank Ellison Tribute Series by Dennis Brennan. Before you actually assemble anything, there is a lot of preparation and subassembly.

Dennis has very clear and detailed instructions and lays it all out for you......what paints you will need; what tools will be helpful/necessary and the suggested order of painting and subassembly/assembly.

Here is the picture of the finished structure on the kit box and the paints needed. Before I went out and bought anything, I lined up what I have in my paint locker.

I only needed to buy Warm Caramel, Camoflauge Earth Brown and Multicolored Textured Desert Bisque.

It also reminded me to do a better job of checking what I already have in the locker, because I found 4 cans of Gray Primer and 4 cans of Off White.......

First, is the White Primer......

Then, while the primer dries for 24 hours, carefully remove small pieces to be stained and painted.....

Next day, Desert Bisque for "concrete color"......

Wait another day and turn the bricks into an age "brownstone".......

Warm Caramel, Flat Red and Camo Earth Brown......allowing it to throughly dry in between....taking another day or so....

Painting the window muntins....a "gig" I create with painters tape......if I lie them up against a flat surface, you end up scraping out "paint puddles" later.....

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Great build and love the step by step pictures!  Thanks for sharing, Peter.

Art

We are in the middle of the installation of a total layout searchlight signal project.  It is going slowly because of several factors.  One it was a big job building 11 signal bridges from acquiring the Lionel 450 bridges and remaking them them for custom lengths.  Then researching and 3D printing the heads, lens, and ways to attach them to the bridges.  Next was research on LED's and fitting them inside the heads.  Trying different designs before finalizing on laser cutting walkways which strengthened the bridges and securely held the poles with the heads attached.   Actually assembling everything, soldering longer wires on the LED leads, shrink-wrapping the wires, extending them through the bridge and attaching RJ45 plugs on the ends.

Another issue has been finding time to do all this with my son Jim and grandson Doug still working, so it has been done on available nights and weekends when everyone's schedules align.

This is a picture of the signals at East Proviso looking eastbound on mainlines 1#, 4#, and 2#.  The double-aspect mast signal is from Custom Signals as is the dwarf search light signal leading out of the Proviso yard and engine facility.

This picture is looking from the opposite direction.  The two outside signals will indicate occupancy on their respective mainlines.  The triple center signals will show turnout positions leading into the Proviso freight yard or the engine facility.  The top aspect will always show red as a caution signal before entering the yard.

If you are interested in following our progress on this signal system, here is a link to the thread that it is on.  Thanks for your interest and support.

Art

On30 Utacolzona yard on Friday afternoon. Done for the weekend.

Utacolzona Railroad in On30 (built 2020 - 2022) Last Update 7/30/23

The photographer caught the "Golden State" outside of Chicago with a RI E6 AA set leading the way.  This E6 AA set, Cab numbers 628 and 630, were still painted for the cancelled "The Rocket".  They were used for just a short time as the RI mostly assigned E7s to this train.

Engines are Lionel, cars are K-Line.  My layout's era is late 1940s, and the Golden State still had some heavyweights in the consist painted to match the streamlined cars.  I am looking at getting a couple HW coaches and a HW sleeper and painting them to match the K-Line cars.  Since the GS did not have dome cars (so mine doesn't either) I need extra cars to make a longer train.

What may be the final run for the Lehigh Valley GP38-2 of the summer. Time is really speeding up in my old age

@CAPPilot, always enjoy your photos and the accompanying narratives.

Today was a busy project day. Specifically, getting the LIONEL F-3 ABA for the NP NCL project readied for paint. The shells received enlarged porthole openings to accept scale portholes from P&D Hobby, and the B unit a third porthole per the prototype:

The A units will receive a second headlight per the prototype. This is a mock-up using a Cal Scale brass product and a donor shell:

The front trucks need their pilots painted and since they don't separate from the truck, a lot of masking was necessary after the electrocouplers were removed:

In addition to the nine cars already done, a day coach has been added to this fictional version of the NP NCL.  It's a former TCA convention car; now in primer white:

Additional scale brass number boards should arrive Monday, and the portholes by Tuesday, so ABA painting should get serious next week.

Have a great week-end.

We lost a good one, one of our pillars this past week......Myron at the York Grandstand meeting in 2004.....

Thank you, Myron for all you did for the hobby!

Peter

Barbie stopped in for a fill up at the new Menard's Texaco station. I added 2 doors and a sign on the rear. I made the Texaco sign for out front. Eventually I will install clear windows and add details to the interior.

B&O EM-1

Two custom  cars Tube City l did Titusville l had done.

@Craignor posted:

B&O EM-1

WOW Craig, that's one impressive parade of boxcars!

@Craignor Think maybe you should pull that throttle back a few notches before they pull your ticket? 😱

@Norm Charbonneau,

Hey Norm, I think it was last Monday I was at work during break and was looking at the week prior's post and my coworker saw the pictures of your layout. I told her to give me a second, popped over to your most recent video of the work on the Northbrook shop. Well, when I skipped ahead to the train action, I said to her, "Looks real doesn't it?" Well, she was in awe of the realism. I explained a little bit about how there was a visit to your layout, and someone said, "He has more detail on this little piece than my whole layout." I forget who said that, but I had to share this story.

Everyone, good posts as well this week.