What did you do on your layout today?

@mike g. posted:

Afternoon guys,

Victor, then brackets for  your transformer looks great!

Dave Ripp, What great work! Would be a lovely place to be put to rest, right next to the tracks!

Well guys I spent all day working on building placement and wiring building lighting, I think I may have burned up a buck convertor but I will check it tomorrow as the weather man says heavy rain. So that means another day in the train room. I may just pull all the wire for teh buildings and start over, I have 3 buck convertors and they ran all my buildings before, so I will take one section at a time. Here are a couple photos and a really short video.

Mike, you're layout is coming along nicely! You have a fair amount of Jack the German Shepherd! ;-) Very cool, I love night scenes with lots of lights, keep it going.

Scott

@mike g. posted:

Hi Guys, I hope everyone is having a great day!

FarmerJohn, The plane looks great! I was thinking it doesn't have to fly. Maybe you can just hook it to a small motor, some fishing line and you could make it Taxing down the run way with the prop spinning! Either way looks great!

Larry, for being away for awhile it must be nice to be able to come home to such an Amazing layout! I could just get lost just watching your trains on your layout!

JP, Thank you sir!

Bob, thanks you also! Your track cleaning car is really looking sharp! It is truly going to be nice to see the finished product!

Richie C, First off the finished product looks Outstanding! Second thank you for taking the time to do an How To for the Evens Designs flashing lights!

Dave Ripp, Man the grass sure grows fast in your neck of the woods! I guess it's ok it will give the MOW crew something to do! LOL Looking good!

Bill, like others have said been there also. My advice is don't jump all in, you need to remember winter is coming and your going to need something to do inside when its cold and snow is on the ground! Just take it slow and easy and enjoy!

As for me I worked on the road coming down to the park and the walking bridge for the train bridge. But as it has been said before by many, no pictures it never happened. So I will get pictures poster later today!

I hope you all have a great day and find time to have fun with your layouts and trains!

Right - now you can light up that fire truck !!

Excellent projects everyone!  Richie, that certainly was a good tutorial on installing the flashing lights!

Don't ever let anyone tell you that I do things in the proper order.  I've shared photographs of my in progress double sided panel for my controls.  After looking over some photographs and data Bill Webb sent me of how he connected relays to control power to track sections from the DCS remote, I collected the additional parts.  I noticed how everything stood out so well on Bill's white plywood board.  So I decided to paint mine.  Here is the unused board with the same blue I used on the train room walls and behind my aluminum train shelves.  All I had to do was disconnect the MRC power supply I am using for the linear actuator that lifts the bridges.

The other side wasn't so easy.  Here is how it looked before I started. 

Here it is painted.  What did I do with all that stuff??

There it all is.  I'll wait until everything is good and dry before I start mounting things.  I'm going to take the opportunity to do it a little differently as well.  Se there; there was method to my madness!!  Ha ha!  Right!

RTC update! 

https://ogrforum.com/...8#157265375148901248

Mitch

Hi guys, thanks for liking my comments! I try to read everything and I know what I do read I really enjoy and learn from!

Mark, Your doing it correct! That's how I do most of my projects, build them then take it apart and do it again! I think what you have going there looks great! 1 question, are the relays to power up sidings so MTH engines dont start up?

Well guys I went out today and did a little more work on my road and walking bridge. Here are a couple photos as I said I would bring from my earlier post!

I hope you all had a great day and some fun along the way!

Mike, the road and the pedestrian walkway on the bridge look good!!  I am glad you approve of my procedure!    The AIU contacts can only handle 4 amps, the AIU terminals will energize the coil, or whatever you call it in these solid state relays, then the contacts will close completing the power circuit to the track, protecting the AIU from short circuits caused by derailments, etc.  It sounds like you are thinking of the lack of the watchdog signal of the DCS engines starting up on energized tracks.  I have a couple of devices I bought from Gunrunnerjohn to take care that.   I don't even understand that whole electronics discussion, but a dummy can connect John's circuits and be in business.

I have never used these solid state relays before.  When I worked for the power company, I was in the relay department.  The relays detected faults on the transmission line, transformers, or breakers.  Those were massive electro-mechanical devices.  The relays in the power station protected the switchgear for station power, etc.  Since the lines were so short, we would test the relays to trip at instantaneous currents of up to and over 100 Amps.    Yes that's right; over 100 Amps.   When we operated our test equipment, the coils in those relays would literally groan when current was applied!  Those are the kind or relays I'm used to. 

@mike g. posted:

Hi guys, thanks for liking my comments! I try to read everything and I know what I do read I really enjoy and learn from!

Mark, Your doing it correct! That's how I do most of my projects, build them then take it apart and do it again! I think what you have going there looks great! 1 question, are the relays to power up sidings so MTH engines dont start up?

Well guys I went out today and did a little more work on my road and walking bridge. Here are a couple photos as I said I would bring from my earlier post!

I hope you all had a great day and some fun along the way!

Mike, The road coming down from top to bottom is great. I needed that on my last layout but never did get it right. The pedestrian bridge is nice to. There's an simalar old EJ&E bridge near me with the pedestrian walkway. I'll have to take a closer look it's been a few years since I've looked at it.

Mark, I’m glad you’re feeling good enough to get down to do that stuff. How did you feel later on?

Jay, it’s not too bad.  My lower back gets a little sore, but it goes away pretty fast.  As long as I have a well padded seat, I do good.   The damaged sciatic nerve gets irritated by being pinched by the bottom of the pelvis unless I have a lot of padding.  I’m stuck with that.  It’s a pain in the keister!  😄

Decided to make a work shack out of an old boxcar I had..

@mike g. posted:

Hi guys, thanks for liking my comments! I try to read everything and I know what I do read I really enjoy and learn from!

Mark, Your doing it correct! That's how I do most of my projects, build them then take it apart and do it again! I think what you have going there looks great! 1 question, are the relays to power up sidings so MTH engines dont start up?

Well guys I went out today and did a little more work on my road and walking bridge. Here are a couple photos as I said I would bring from my earlier post!

I hope you all had a great day and some fun along the way!

Looks good Mike.

@FECRailroaddog posted:

Decided to make a work shack out of an old boxcar I had..

Very nice you did a great job.

@FECRailroaddog posted:

Decided to make a work shack out of an old boxcar I had..

FEC, very creative and really well modeled. I'm impressed, very nice addition to your layout.

Everybody thank you for the kind words!

FECRailroaddog, Outstanding job on the new work shack! I did one awhile back for a new yardmaster office! LOL

I got this from a forum member along with my yard tower. He had already did the yardmaster decal and over hang. I added lights and the BN decal.

Hey Lee if your interested in a Gray Hound bus station drop me a line, I can give you a screaming deal on one! LOL

Well I went out at 4am this morning to work on the road and walking bridge again. There is only so much you can do while your waiting for the glue to dry, but I did get my parking lot marked out for the park and if I have time later this afternoon I plan on striping the road and parking lot.

There wont be any train room work tomorrow as I am taking the wife to the sons house so she can help him paint. Kind of an all day deal to drive to Seattle visit and drive back, oh and stop at the VA for my new hearing aids! LOL

I hope you all have a great  day and find time for your layouts!

I have a box car shell which I want to make into some kind of shed/building similar to yours. Any pointers?

@Dennis Rosenthal posted:

I have a box car shell which I want to make into some kind of shed/building similar to yours. Any pointers?

I put mine up on RR ties to lift it off the ground so I could run lighting wires down with no problems.

Just make it anything you would like to see on your layout!

How did you make the awning, the door and the window?

@Dennis Rosenthal posted:

How did you make the awning, the door and the window?

The awning can be made out of the sliding door you take off. The door and window were kit bashed from an old building kit. The forum member I got it form put that in.  The deck and stairs are also from an old building flat that wasn't used for that project.

Removed tape and vacumed up excess grass from yesterday. I tried to touch up a couple spots in the church lot and botched it.  I then added a thin layer of glue and resprinkled it so it would all have the same tone. I'm waiting for some 1/4 inch cork sheets to go under some buildings with no sidewalks so no work till Tuesday. I may try to clean up the rest of the table it's a train wreck. I'll shame myself with some photos for motovation.

Messing around with the front corner of the second level..long way to go but I knew I

wanted the Ford dealer there..so much to do so little time

@Snkbittin posted:

Messing around with the front corner of the second level..long way to go but I knew I

wanted the Ford dealer there..so much to do so little time

Looks good they take up alot of realestate. I've got a spot picked out for my dealership but I'm pretty far from getting to that end of the layout.

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Removed tape and vacumed up excess grass from yesterday. I tried to touch up a couple spots in the church lot and botched it.  I then added a thin layer of glue and resprinkled it so it would all have the same tone. I'm waiting for some 1/4 inch cork sheets to go under some buildings with no sidewalks so no work till Tuesday. I may try to clean up the rest of the table it's a train wreck. I'll shame myself with some photos for motovation.

It's ok Dave, mines is looking the same way right about now.

Dave

The storage cabinet is reassembled! 

https://ogrforum.com/...1#157265375190389031

Mitch

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Looks good they take up alot of realestate. I've got a spot picked out for my dealership but I'm pretty far from getting to that end of the layout.

Ya they do!!!..But Im a die hard Ford guy so its front and center :-)

Afternoon guys, I hope all is doing well!

Dave Ripp, The grass looks great! I wouldnt worry to much about the church lot, I am sure its going to turn out just fine! Thanks for the photos of the rest of your layout Like Dave said dont worry. I do have to say I dont feel so bad now, I also took a photo of the other end of my layout to show my mess! LOL

So today after a meeting I was able to get out to the train room. I was able to get the road and parking lot all striped, populated with cars and trucks.

As you can see in the photo above I was able to get my fence between the parking lot and the beginning of the park installed. Just used 1 #3 pencil and some wood strips. I was also able to get the walking bridge done along with some black cinders to finish of the ramps up to the bridge. Also did a little work on the park area with the help of the park crew.

I can tell you its one long walking bridge! LOL

Mike, you sure did get a lot done!  I'll probably die before I get all my wiring done! 

Speaking of wiring,, one other mistake.  I picked up 2 AIUs while the new batch were being manufactured.  Last evening, I received a call that the two I had ordered from the local hobby shop arrived from MTH.  I had forgotten that I had ordered them long ago.  So, I picked them up today.  How many accessories can I fit on an 11 x 8 layout that need controlled? 

Well, the paint is dry.  I can start mounting some items on my blue backboards.

Nice going Mike! I really like the footbridge and I will keep that idea in mind. I never would have thought to do that; very innovative .

Halloween coming up so I decided to make me a nice boxcar out of a 0-27 one.

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Removed tape and vacumed up excess grass from yesterday. I tried to touch up a couple spots in the church lot and botched it.  I then added a thin layer of glue and resprinkled it so it would all have the same tone. I'm waiting for some 1/4 inch cork sheets to go under some buildings with no sidewalks so no work till Tuesday. I may try to clean up the rest of the table it's a train wreck. I'll shame myself with some photos for motovation.

looking good Dave! I have redo’s and fixes all over my layout too! Is that a roll of Lemax brick road in the foreground? I have some of that somewhere in box. I removed it for asphalt.

Mike,

The crew looks hard at work with great progress. This is just plain fun to watch. Keep it coming!

Dave

Nice progress being made gents! Mike G, Dave Ripp, FECRailroaddog, Snkbitten

I assembled the track cleaner last night. It's all glued together so no turning back now. I ordered a set of weathering powders and I'm going to take the plunge and try dirtying it up a bit.

Bob

Mike - nice walking bridge; seems like a light stain or wash would make it really pop.

Looking good, Bob.

@RSJB18 posted:

Nice progress being made gents! Mike G, Dave Ripp, FECRailroaddog, Snkbitten

I assembled the track cleaner last night. It's all glued together so no turning back now. I ordered a set of weathering powders and I'm going to take the plunge and try dirtying it up a bit.

Bob

Outstanding work Bob! Really great job.  I need that for my LIRR fleet.

That looks positively outstanding Bob; and the weathering will be a nice touch. Again, you need to publish your effort.

@Strap Hanger posted:

Outstanding work Bob! Really great job.  I need that for my LIRR fleet.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

That looks positively outstanding Bob; and the weathering will be a nice touch. Again, you need to publish your effort.

@Richie C. posted:

Mike - nice walking bridge; seems like a light stain or wash would make it really pop.

Looking good, Bob.

Thanks Guys.

Sorry Strap- but this one is staying in it's native territory at least until I can retire and get the H&#$ off this Island!

@RSJB18 posted:

Thanks Guys.

Sorry Strap- but this one is staying in it's native territory at least until I can retire and get the H&#$ off this Island!

LOL! Sure thing, Bob. You know. The funniest thing about being from the island (and I consider myself, a former resident of Queens, part of the island), is that you try your whole life to get off of it, but when you do, you find that your best memories are from when you were there. You will always look back fondly, so don’t rush it and enjoy your ride, my friend.  

Bob, I agree with the others.  You did a really fine job!!

Thanks Mark.

Strap- I know what you mean. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence....

Probably a lot cheaper tho....😂

@FECRailroaddog posted:

Decided to make a work shack out of an old boxcar I had..

Rail dog, nice work, but I just finished watching your YouTube video of the new upper level subway lines. Great job on that. It’s looking really good!

Thanks Strap Hanger! appreciate it.. Bill still has my blue Worlds Fair Set, apparently the part he needs is way back ordered..lol