What did you do on your layout today? (2 Rail O Scale/Proto48 version)

@kwisor posted:

Started on mountain today I do a toy train layout not scale 

This subforum is 2 rail oriented, which you seem to have recognized. There IS a 3 rail version of this topic. It would be a nice gesture if you moved your post there.

Simon

...and the theme title's NOT in small print either!

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

...and the theme title's NOT in small print either!

Some people just can’t help themselves.

sorry i did't notice it said 2 rail did not mean to offend any one i thought this was a train form so i will look closer at the sub title i do not   know how to move it  or i would 

kevin

Nobody is perfect.  Forbid me to be the one to pick up a stone and cast it at another human being.

That said, let's see the progress of your mountain and the layout in general, on a three rail thread!

@SANTIAGOP23 posted:

Built my first structure and weathered it... banta kit...

 

Santiago, I really like the look of your ballast and ground cover pictured here. Your attention to detail is unparalleled. Are they commercially available products? If they are, what colors/scale do you use? 

@Pete M posted:

Great work everyone, and a good idea for a thread! 

Recently I've been operating my layout with a remote Engineers while I take the Conductor/brakeman role.  This afternoon I worked for about 90 minutes with an Engineer about 20 miles away in Southern Ontario.

Earlier in the week the remote Engineer was in Melbourne, Australia. Here's a quick video with the Aussie Engineer. He's about 10,000 miles away.

We're still learning about the video and audio settings in Zoom to improve the quality but the DCC side of it has worked very well. It's not perfect by any means, but still a lot more fun that not operating at all because I can't invite crews over at the moment.

Pete

Pete:

I’d love to learn how to run trains with you remotely.  Email me if interested. 

AWESOME! 

Wonder when the first layout will be constructed in the ISS space station and if the Remote Engineer feature will work there too?

@davidbross posted:

Pete:

 

I’d love to learn how to run trains with you remotely.  Email me if interested. 

 

  email sent...

Pete

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

AWESOME! 

Wonder when the first layout will be constructed in the ISS space station and if the Remote Engineer feature will work there too?

 

 

As long as the ISS has Wi-Fi and their layout is DCC we should be good to go.  Except I'm thinking the delay might be a bit awkward when switching industries.  

Pete

@jack.w posted:

Santiago, I really like the look of your ballast and ground cover pictured here. Your attention to detail is unparalleled. Are they commercially available products? If they are, what colors/scale do you use? 

Thanks, Jack. Ballast is woodland scenics medium grey. Ground cover is sifted soil from around the place... nothing fancy!

Natural stone

Went in the layout room, turned on the lights, and shock of shocks, it was exactly as I had left it completely unchanged and still finished.  So I turned out the lights and went back into my shop to build another model,

Dear Marty,

TOOO FUNNY !!!!!!!

You made my day ay 9:15 AM EST.

Bring in the clowns !!!!

John

Strasburg Show 04/17/21

I posted several photos of this on the Weekend Photo Fun section. But here are some other views of my newly finished Station platform at Princeton Junction.   Everything is scratch built, including the gutters. Which are made from nine separate strips of Evergreen sytrene:

The suitcases are carved styrene. The roof supports are basswood. It took awhile to get the "stucco walls, bare brick window surround" look of the Princeton Junction station in 1955-56

Yes, that's the Kohs GG1 of OST fame. And I have since straightened out that poor woman's posture

@jdunn posted:

Dear Marty,

TOOO FUNNY !!!!!!!

You made my day ay 9:15 AM EST.

Bring in the clowns !!!!

John

Just the naked facts, John!

Now go put some pants on!

@John Sethian posted:

I posted several photos of this on the Weekend Photo Fun section. But here are some other views of my newly finished Station platform at Princeton Junction.   Everything is scratch built, including the gutters. Which are made from nine separate strips of Evergreen sytrene:

The suitcases are carved styrene. The roof supports are basswood. It took awhile to get the "stucco walls, bare brick window surround" look of the Princeton Junction station in 1955-56

Yes, that's the Kohs GG1 of OST fame. And I have since straightened out that poor woman's posture

Beautiful work John; especially the trees - tremendous variety and realism!

Not to discount the station, trackwork, centenary, at.al.

Nice work John.

I really enjoy seeing what you all are doing. There is some great stuff going on here. Some of you have been holding back.

Honestly, I need a "What have you done this month/year" thread. I washed the track cleaning car rollers. Does that count?

Not sure if guys are still checking out this particular topic anymore, but here's a couple pictures of scenery work i've been doing today, (and the last 2 days prior)  .......    between painting in background trees and carving and painting rock, the best thing I look forward to is the pleasure of running a few trains through the new scenes!!

Very nice!

Dan Weinhoild

Nice work @myles

I've permanently installed the backdrop including the support for fascia and lighting on the River Scene module.

Now I can create a believable transition between backdrop and scenery.

I love this 2 rail layout forum. I don't have a layout , but the ideas are just great.

Gluing down ties for small Proto48 shelf layout.  Incase anyone is wondering, they aren’t glued to pink foam - there is 1/2” homasote inlaid into the foam.  Homasote is exact width of ties.  

@J Musser posted:

Gluing down ties for small Proto48 shelf layout.  Incase anyone is wondering, they aren’t glued to pink foam - there is 1/2” homasote inlaid into the foam.  Homasote is exact width of ties.  

Great work, James! What's cool template there? Please tell us more

Kind regards

Sarah

Sarah - I made the template on my laser.  I’m modeling NJ in late 70s but using Union Pacific  track drawings for turnouts, just because I couldn’t find a CNJ drawing.  The UP turnout ties range from 8’ to 17’ long but their spacing varies +/- 6” or so, usually in groups of 3 or 4. So not to be a rivet counter, but I am, and the tie spacing is pretty accurate.  The other two cuts on same template are mainline tie spacing and yard/branch spacing.  Goes quickly setting ties in template, strip of masking tape and then transfer to layout, sort of relaxing too.   If you have capability you are welcome to DXF file I created. My laser bed it was laid out for is roughly 500mmx300mm.

@J Musser posted:

Sarah - I made the template on my laser.  I’m modeling NJ in late 70s but using Union Pacific  track drawings for turnouts, just because I couldn’t find a CNJ drawing.  The UP turnout ties range from 8’ to 17’ long but their spacing varies +/- 6” or so, usually in groups of 3 or 4. So not to be a rivet counter, but I am, and the tie spacing is pretty accurate.  The other two cuts on same template are mainline tie spacing and yard/branch spacing.  Goes quickly setting ties in template, strip of masking tape and then transfer to layout, sort of relaxing too.   If you have capability you are welcome to DXF file I created. My laser bed it was laid out for is roughly 500mmx300mm.

Wow, that would be awesome! I've sent a message request on Messenger :-)

Took a few pictures after getting bored spiking down rail.

The guys at at Abanakee Lumber are thrilled with the Willamette they bought from the Medford Lumber Company!

Peter