What did you do on your layout today?

Mike g., looking good, your large curve is going to be really nice. Keep us posted., Everyone has posted some really neat pictures the last few pages. Happy Railroading Everyone

@leapinlarry posted:

Mike g., looking good, your large curve is going to be really nice. Keep us posted., Everyone has posted some really neat pictures the last few pages. Happy Railroading Everyone

You know Larry, every time I see photos of your layout I am so impressed of the detail! Love everything you post!

Finally got the last of the bench work made up, its now big enough for a dogbone with O-72 on each side. I can't believe the amount of space you need to runs Lionel's best engines but it will be worth it.

@Ian Y. posted:

Finally got the last of the bench work made up, its now big enough for a dogbone with O-72 on each side. I can't believe the amount of space you need to runs Lionel's best engines but it will be worth it.

Looking good! Just think of all the stuff you get to put in the middle of the loops!

@Jack Texas Special posted:

Thanks.  Any certain specifications I should look for?

I use TVS diode 1.5KE36CA  30.8v 1500w

I finally got around to working on the swing gate to support the MTH He!! gate bridge (I put exclamation marks to avoid it being censored.)  Here are some updated photos.  I started with changing the shape of the rear layout to give me space.  Than I started to build a support for the He!!  Gate bridge.

The problem with the He!!gate Bridge is that it is heavy and bulky.  I did not trust lifting or lowering it.

I decided to try a barn door approach with a hinge to swing it and wheels to support it moving back and forth.

I started with two by fours with single wheels which were more expensive than simply buying two dollies with larger wheels.

I than went with a 1x3 frame using cheap bed slat wood and measured from there.  It was challenging as I was dealing with multiple angles.

I did have a good friend who turned me on to Kreg screws which made the project easier but I could have used an extra hand or three.

As you can see in the above photo,  I started with one dolly in the front.  Then I decided to get rid of the extra 2x4 support in the rear and have the gate more self supporting and added a second rear dolly.

The dollies rolled a little stiffly and placed pressure on the frame.

I was required to add some metal framing to give the gate some support.  It now moves smoothly and I will start to improve the framing now that I know what sizes work.  I realize that this is "cut twice, measure once" but it works.  I start with cheap wood and can than determine what fits.  Than I can rebuild my prototype.  Heck, if it works for Menards . . .

If you look closely, you can see that my base is actually two small Harbor Freight dollies to support the swinging gate.   I have placed track in the bridge to test it to make sure it is level and electrically connected.  Now I have to figure out the best way to split the track at the tables and have the track mate when opening and closing.

Any thoughts?

I finally finished my truss under bridges today and got them set in place. They 48" in length. I placed some engines on the bridges to check perspective.

Thanks;

idea-thinker

That M1 looks soooooooo cool!  And the layout looks amazing too.

Ideathinker, your layouts looking great, the long bridges look beautiful, the M1 looks right at home to. Your so creative. Happy Railroading Everyone

@idea-thinker posted:

I finally finished my truss under bridges today and got them set in place. They 48" in length. I placed some engines on the bridges to check perspective.

Thanks;

idea-thinker

Wow  IT.   Tracks unlimited.  I get dizzy just trying to figure out how you can put this together.

You deffinetly have " something to do on your layout "

Love the bridges. Bookmarked the page for future reference.

Rich came over this afternoon and worked on building one of Al’s Transfer Table Manager’s offices as a part of completing the table.

He is a retired orthopedic surgeon who builds cabinets so this would be a breeze… right.

He studied the plans like a good student.

Then he completed the roof like a champ. Rich was quite complimentary about Al’s design skills.

Then he worked on **** winders (windows for most of us), and finally completed ten of them and a door. Al’s name did not fare too well here. (Big fingers and poor eyesight notwithstanding).

Finally the building was glued together. To be honest, Rich did it his way by then.

Actually it turned out looking good.

The proud builder had a big smile.

Idea thinker. Man do I love those bridges and you know why. Thanks for building me one of those beauties.i finally started working on my scenery around my oil refinery.  These are some pics before I finished the lights.

Mike, I can picture the flextrack in place right now.

Ian, the table looks great!  How large is it?

Larry, great photographs as always!!

EML, the support for the bridge looks great.  I built a lift up, and have seen roll out bridge track where it meets the table, but can't offer any thiughts on it.

Ideathinker, those bridges are really great looking!

Bill, Rich did a great job on that transfer table office.

John, the refinery is coming along great.  It sure looks bright with the blue compared to the Pennzoil refinery north of Oil City, Pennsylvania that I used to drive by often.

My station kit is coming along.  The walls, doors, windows, and trim are done.  I started shingling the roof with the peal and stick shingle strips that came with the kit.  I painted them gray to look like slate before hand, and will dry brush a bit when done.  The roof panels are just sitting on the building for the photograph.

I’m figuring out how to best fit my Valley Motors on the layout.

Thanks to my wife who bought me this for Xmas. ❤️🎁

Wow had to go back two pages to get caught up.   Glad I am not the only one hibernating in the basement, working many hours, what great work by all. 

Got the Pennsy Block wall done, finally !!.   Took out the new to me for Christmas, video camera from my son, and on the third video attempt finally started producing a result worth publishing...  No talking in this video, just trains running in 4K.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tEFy5I3c-w

Nothing level, nothing plumb.  Nothing straight, everything crooked and warped. At this point my OCBDds everything had to be perfect has worn off. After this adhesive has cured Ill fill and paint to a level my blind self can’t notice.

Idea Thinker,

What a great layout.  I was working on one bridge  and I count eight bridges and at least two levels of track.  What a great space.

Please keep us in the loop.  Would you share your layout plan?   

Chris, that truly is a work of art that you have created. The wall turned out great and if I didn’t know better, the backdrop and scenery look so realistic. That is a nice video and you let the operation and scenery do the talking. That’s going to get a lot of “likes”. Great job.

Man- Now I'm falling behind. Nothing new to report on my layout. I was going to work on some details for the caboose office last night but my butt hit the recliner after dinner and the rest is history as they say.......

Lot's of great pix everyone and a great video Chris.

Bob

Nothing wrong with recliner therapy Bob.

@RSJB18 posted:

Man- Now I'm falling behind. Nothing new to report on my layout. I was going to work on some details for the caboose office last night but my butt hit the recliner after dinner and the rest is history as they say.......

Lot's of great pix everyone and a great video Chris.

Bob

Sometimes I do my best work coming up with ideas while in the recliner. Then I wake up and forget half of it!🙄

Love your layout Chris A. I started to watch your video on my phone. Then I remembered I could just subscribe to your channel and watch it on a big screen.  

The recliner doesn’t work well for me with my back and sciatic issues, but I do come up with great ideas and forget half of them.  That is a big reason why I get ahead of myself and have to redo things.

@obxtrainman posted:

Love your layout Chris A. I started to watch your video on my phone. Then I remembered I could just subscribe to your channel and watch it on a big screen.  

I forget to do that too, OBX.

Chris, good start on using the new camera!

@obxtrainman posted:

Nothing level, nothing plumb.  Nothing straight, everything crooked and warped. At this point my OCBDds everything had to be perfect has worn off. After this adhesive has cured Ill fill and paint to a level my blind self can’t notice.

@obxtrainman That's what carpet is for, if one leg isn't level, the carpet soaks up the difference!

George

After a bit of a hiatus, I've started work on the layout again. It's been fun watching all the great creative work being done.

I've Just completed a house for part of my yet to be built coal mine scene. Thought this might make a good company house for a miner.

Stay Safe,

Scott

@chris a posted:

Took out the new to me for Christmas, video camera from my son, and on the third video attempt finally started producing a result worth publishing...  No talking in this video, just trains running in 4K.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tEFy5I3c-w

Thanks Chris, I really enjoyed watching that video!

George

@idea-thinker what an amazing room full of trains n' bridges n' tracks! Do you have a track plan you could show? Or are you just wingin' it? That would be a LOT of wingin'! More pics, please!

George

@Mark Boyce posted:

The recliner doesn’t work well for me with my back and sciatic issues, but I do come up with great ideas and forget half of them.  That is a big reason why I get ahead of myself and have to redo things.

Well Mark..... what do you do that helps instead of the recliner ?

I noticed the same issue.  The recliner seems to help but only when I am using it.....when I get out of it there is a renewal of discomfort.   

   Maybe we should start a Post on this issue so that all the ' mellowed adult  ' forumites might be able to continue to build all these amazing layouts. !?!

To catch my ideas I do it the old fashion way; I keep a note pad and pen next to the recliner.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Chris, that truly is a work of art that you have created. The wall turned out great and if I didn’t know better, the backdrop and scenery look so realistic. That is a nice video and you let the operation and scenery do the talking. That’s going to get a lot of “likes”. Great job.

Gonna second that . 😉

@EML posted:

Idea Thinker,

What a great layout.  I was working on one bridge  and I count eight bridges and at least two levels of track.  What a great space.

Please keep us in the loop.  Would you share your layout plan?   

EML;

     The layout is for the most part a total 5 and in some places 6 levels total. I will be posting additional pictures and a short video demonstrate a train running on the bridges.

Thanks;

idea-thinker

All;

   I have posted a short video of a Lionel Big Boy running through our new bridges which posted a few days ago. It is exciting to finally be able to run a train through the bridges and across the girders. It took a long time to create the bridges and girders.

Thanks;

idea-thinker

@GeoPeg posted:

@idea-thinker what an amazing room full of trains n' bridges n' tracks! Do you have a track plan you could show? Or are you just wingin' it? That would be a LOT of wingin'! More pics, please!

George

GeoPeg;

       It started off with a plan but there have been many changes to date to accommodate the trains such as wider turns, more distance between tracks for larger bridges and the like. I will likely be posted additional pictures as we make progress. I did just post a video of one of our Big Boys pulling a train through the bridges and across the girders. Finally able to run a train.

Thanks;

idea-thinker

Evening guys, I have to say this is getting wild! I commented yesterday and its taken me a while to get up to speed on whats going on!

@EML Your swing table looks just fine, you might think about cutting your track at the same angle as the main table, that way you have no track just hanging in the air waiting to get caught by something!

@idea-thinker The truss bridges look perfect! Also, what an outstanding run with the Bigboy running across them! Very nice video!

@Bill Webb Bill the office looks great and it's nice to have a friend like Rich around!

@farmerjohn John, WOW what an Amazing refinery! But then again, your whole layout is AMAZING!

@Mark Boyce Mark, Your station is looking wonderful! Great job!

@ChiTown Steve Looking good, but I do have to say I think Vally Motors is going to need a little bigger parking lot! LOL

@chris a Chris, Nice job on your first video! The Pennsy block walls look outstanding!

@obxtrainman Looks good from here! Just remember that all it has to do is work as planned!

@B&O Fan Scott, Nice job on the house. It will look perfect on your layout as an office!

Well guys nothing new from me, I talked to the company who sent me the wrong stuff and they were very helpful. The only problem is it will probably be 2 weeks before I get my flex track! Oh Well I have other stuff to do like build the steal support for under the floating area.

I hope you all have a great night!

Scott, that is perfect for a company house.  Now you need a few more.

Idea-thinker, that is very impressive watching the Big Boy pull a train through and over the bridges!

I think the Quonset hut is ready for paint.

I just printed up plywood siding for the interior and flooring.

New Under The Hood up! 

https://ogrforum.com/...ersion-budget-boxcab

Mitch

@mike g. posted:

@ChiTown Steve Looking good, but I do have to say I think Vally Motors is going to need a little bigger parking lot! LOL

Mike, I’m going to build an elevator parking lot like they did back in the 1930’s. There are pictures on the internet of all different ones the city dealerships used instead of huge parking lots. 😉

Finished painting the rails on the O gage track today.