What did you do on your layout today?

Started mocking up a possible idea for new industry/factory in the open lot in front of the new retaining walls.  Figured I needed to take some photos, step back eat some dinner and think about it.   Right now it's a combination of the IHC Engine House kit end walls with sidewalls from some Lionel Factory buildings.  Obviously, I had weathered them at two different times in the past, they'll get completely new weathering if I decide to go that route, for now I am just trying to determine whether it's the right

That's a good approach Chris. Mock up, eat, rest, take a look, and go from there 👍👍😁

The track looks good Victor.

Detail Progress on the MEC#11 project

in order of their appearance:

Emergency fuel cutoff sheath/door, GE builders plate, Fuel glass.

as well as the (funky) safety pilot stripes

weathering will be my friend.

That’s a unique idea with that structure Chris. What’s the foot print of the building?

Jay,  it's 10" wide x 28 " long x 10.5" tall to the peak.   Over the years, I picked up 3 Engine House kits, and  I accumulated 3 of the Lionel Factories and one of the "sister" engine shed kits ( basically the same building with different end ).   

Poured some concrete today.  Using 1/8 mdf. Paint, chalk and some small details.  Still need to weather the 2 building fronts. I will add a strip of concrete inside the track to. This is our Budweiser center. Nick T.

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

After the 2457 discussion elsewhere on OGRR, I was nosing about the Bay and picked up a distressed shell for a couple of bucks:

So, here's what I have in mind:

Or, possibly:

What do you think, sirs? 

Mitch

@M. Mitchell Marmel

Mitch:

Your creativity always amazes me. Bravo!

@t8afao posted:

Amazing work, spot on. Loved it!

@t8afao posted:

Poured some concrete today.  Using 1/8 mdf. Paint, chalk and some small details.  Still need to weather the 2 building fronts. I will add a strip of concrete inside the track to. This is our Budweiser center. Nick T.

Great job! The cracks and weeds are a nice touch.

Bob

Poured concrete today, and it already looks old!  Excellent job!

I now have everything I need to set up my Legacy 990 thanx to Mario’s Trains in Va. Kudos to the staff there. I received my items two days after ordering. I had conversations with two of the staff members.  They were kind and courteous. I also made progress on the shelf for it. Waiting patiently on paint to dry to finish it. If anyone is interested, I made my joints with a biscuit joiner. There won’t be much weight to support so the biscuits and glue should hold nicely. Getting anxious about finally after a years work finishing the TT and RH area.

@Mitchellmarmel

  I think option A looks the best!

@obxtrainman posted:

I now have everything I need to set up my Legacy 990 thanx to Mario’s Trains in Va. Kudos to the staff there. I received my items two days after ordering. I had conversations with two of the staff members.  They were kind and courteous. I also made progress on the shelf for it. Waiting patiently on paint to dry to finish it. If anyone is interested, I made my joints with a biscuit joiner. There won’t be much weight to support so the biscuits and glue should hold nicely. Getting anxious about finally after a years work finishing the TT and RH area.

That shelf really looks sharp!!

Well tried a few more ideas for the scratch build,  I think I am going to ditch the Engine House roof and add the roof from an old Korber small factory ..  It's a "saw tooth" roof design that was made to let ambient daylight into factories. 

Then waiting for the blizzard to show up I decided to open up my Lionel TMCC M1a Mountain 4-8-2.  Bought it new and haven't had it out of the box in over a decade.   Like Christmas on 1/28 !   Now I remember why this was only one of two steam engines I bought brand new.   Of course I threw a traction tire within 10 minutes of running it, but fortunately I just got some from Lionel, so put on 2 new ones and it's running great. 

Got the 'stump puller' out!

https://ogrforum.com/...6#158955947661149566

Hello all,

Mitch, beautiful work on that conversion (caboose to boxcab)

Victor, the rails turned out great

Chris a,  you're knocking it out of the park with your layout WOW!

Leroof, nice work

t8afao, your work is top notch . WOW !

obxtrainman, nice job on the shelf

samparfitt, turbine looks great

Alex

Wish the photo had some tracks in it, but these piers to support an upper level are what Iʻm working on right now.

@Kelunaboy they look great!  What kind of wood are you using?

Rick

Thanks Rick - the bases are poplar and hemlock and the uprights are finished spruce shelves.

I went with near finished lumber because Iʻm not thrilled about sanding.  They are 8 by 6 and will provide 7 inches of clearance.

About a foot of snow has been deposited and removed from the necessary areas.

In between I started on a couple of details for the caboose office. I made a stack of lumber and I'm working on a short piece of track to put some wheels and an old truck on.

Bob

Finished another flatcar.

The Quonset hut might be done by tonight...

Bob, research has indicated that, with that much snow, double malt is indicated.

Hired a conductor to work the new LS&I rs3.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Bob, research has indicated that, with that much snow, double malt is indicated.

1 double malt = 2 single malt 👍👍

I made sure that I maintained proper core temperature while dealing with the task at hand....🤣🤣🤣

@p51 posted:

The Quonset hut might be done by tonight...

Looks good Lee. I'm sure you will add your special touches.

Here is the Altoona Model Works Branch Line Station in place on the layout.  I still want to streak the roofing some and tone down the wooden loading dock decking.  I think this station is actually a small freight and passenger station.  It will look pretty good there until I get LEDs and items to finish the interior and dock.

@p51 posted:

The Quonset hut might be done by tonight...

I learned how to make gumbo in a spot quite like this in Louisiana back when. The owners were very happy to share their knowledge with me over some cold beers. It was better than hanging in bars while traveling. I had a train problem back then too,

Chris-The PRR M1a looks wonderful on your layout.

Lee-The hut is looking really nice.

Mark-You did a wonderful job on this kit. It looks really good in place.

Dave

@Mark Boyce posted:

Here is the Altoona Model Works Branch Line Station in place on the layout.  I still want to streak the roofing some and tone down the wooden loading dock decking.  I think this station is actually a small freight and passenger station.  It will look pretty good there until I get LEDs and items to finish the interior and dock.

Nice work Mark. 👍👍

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Looks good Lee. I'm sure you will add your special touches.

Thanks!

I got it all in place, but I found the roof is too thin for the interior lights, so I'll have to line the interior ceiling with opaque tape as well as hitting the interior with a blast of dull coat tomorrow. But for the most part, it's done:

If you notice, the CO and 1st SGT are named as they often would. J Stuart is my nephew's first and middle name. Like me, he's also an Army Captain but he's still in the reserves (whereas I resigned my commssion when he was still a kid). R Sayes is one of my best friends and the most imaginative model railroader I've ever known.

I consider myself the Battalion Commander, as it's all a fictional unit anyway...

The foundation was glued in place after the scenery was scraped to the baseboard. The hole is for the wiring for interior lighting, you won't be able to see it from the outside. I lined the interior with prints of plywood in scale.

Note the weights, including a section of White Pass & Yukon rail...

Thank you, Dave and Bob!

The Quonset hut looks great, Lee1

I finished the detail pieces and got them set on the layout. Still working on more "junk" to lay around the caboose. And the crew showed up to check out the new digs.

Bob

That looks great Bob. The trucks, barrel, crew, and debris really enhance the area.
Given that you had to give time to your snow removal efforts, you had a very productive day.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

That looks great Bob. The trucks, barrel, crew, and debris really enhance the area.
Given that you had to give time to your snow removal efforts, you had a very productive day.

Thanks Jay. And just when I thought I was done for the night, the town plows came through again and buried the driveway and sidewalk. I'm covering 3 houses at the moment too. My in-laws are a house away and I always shovel them out along with my son. He's getting paid to do the neighbors in between who are in Florida until the end of February.

@RSJB18 posted:

Thanks Jay. And just when I thought I was done for the night, the town plows came through again and buried the driveway and sidewalk. I'm covering 3 houses at the moment too. My in-laws are a house away and I always shovel them out along with my son. He's getting paid to do the neighbors in between who are in Florida until the end of February.

Same thing here Bob.

22.4 inches of snow, I cleared it twice yesterday in order to make it manageable for my blower. 10:00 PM plows pushed snow on my driveway skirt (which is 25 feet wide) 3 feet deep by 6 foot wide. I have a good neighbor who came with his tracked blower to remove it - or I could have never cleared it.

Plows came again this morning, but this time it was manageable with my blower.

I'm gonna spend rest of the day downstairs, after I dig a path in the back for my dog, the show is over her head!

Lionelski:  Know this is not exactly trains...but take your time with that snow...22.5 inches is heart attack levels.

RJSB18 You too...keep safe and take your time don't overexert.

Keep safe, the snow will melt (eventually)

Best Wishes

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Lionelski:  Know this is not exactly trains...but take your time with that snow...22.5 inches is heart attack levels.

RJSB18 You too...keep safe and take your time don't overexert.

Keep safe, the snow will melt (eventually)

Best Wishes

Don

Right you are Don! BTW, final local count came in at 24.7 inches.

My friend Mike C. was prepared - here is a pic from one of his layouts yesterday:

@Lionelski posted:

I'm gonna spend rest of the day downstairs, after I dig a path in the back for my dog, the show is over her head!

I'm glad that Warrenville's trackwork is straighter than this 75 foot path I dug for the dog!

take some wood - some screws  - some 3D printing and now

... getting some power to the layout ;-)