Doing an upgrade to a corner of my layout with 1" foam, some prior and while being completed also using my dad's 3" piers from his HO layout back from the 70s, Thank a Vet.
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Hi everyone, I sure hope your all doing well! I see on the news again it is to snow in the northeast. Please be safe!
I really haven't done much with the snow clearing here. It didn't snow for a few days while I was gone to my brothers in Seattle. But as soon as I get home it starts up again. I don't know about the rest of you dealing with snow, but I and done with it! LOL
@farmerjohn John, I am so sorry I thought I commented on your post of the update on your layout and looking back I didn't. So here I go, I love the middle construction photos along with it getting closer to the finish line. It really gives some of us an idea of how other people make things look great! Very Nice work!
@Bill Sherry Bill that is just out of this world! I wish I had the knowledge and skills to be able to do that!
@lehighline Chris Nice and neat wiring, I hope those AIU's are easy to wire! I like the idea of the recessed pushbutton hole.
@jstraw124 The train storage looks great and nice of your son to take the time to fill it for you!
@ChiTown Steve Steve, great idea using the car, but I would have to say it's a little off! LOL
@Sitka WOW that sure is a big undertaking! But I am sure it is going to look as Outstanding as the rest of your layout!
I am hoping to get out to the train room tomorrow to get some more track up and clean more ballast off the track I am taking up. I also am trying to figure out if I can leave some of the track already down.
I hope you all have a great weekend and find time to have fun on your layout and with your trains!
Just rediscovered this thread. I'm just trying to get my trains running for my grandson (2yo) who keeps bugging his dad. Have been on respite for a few months (knee replacements). Went to start up and found my ZW-C has apparently failed me. No green light on power up and not reaction at all. Currently searching through all of my stored stuff to find a solution. Decided to rewire the power distribution as I was working on the problem. Typical.
Hope you, all, are having more fun than I am right now.
Dallas and Mike. Thanks for you're comments. Trains are so much fun when others enjoy them also. Here's a few pics of the area I posted earlier just a little more finished. 
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@farmerjohn John, that looks Outstanding! How did you make the front of the porthole?
@DrSteveDC posted:Mountainscape just about done…
Steve the Mountain looks great! Nice work!
@farmerjohn that scene is really taking shape nicely! I like the double track tunnel and the road winding up the hill.
@DrSteveDC That mountain is really looking great!
I wish I was building scenery too. That is my favorite part of the hobby. I'm 6 years into the planning and building my layout in an 11x11 room. I decided the track arrangement didn't suit me like I thought I would. I've been working on some ideas. @ScoutingDad Jeff came up with some great ideas. He has been suggesting for probably 2 years that I raise my town to the upper level, make it easy to lift off, and put tracks underneath. Well, I finally took him up on it ripping off the overhead trestle, and building a small yard where the town was to be. Track is down, but there is no power since we are working on any enhancements before I commit to something. This iteration has 15 cars on tracks that will be powered and 5 cars on tracks close to the layout edge for placing on and off by hand. Full details are on the link in my signature line.
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It’s also impressive Mark that you have rebounded so well to do all this physical maneuvering.
Jay
Thank you, Jay! It hasn't been without its challenges, but I find ways to work around and with them. I don't work on anything for very long at one time.
@farmerjohn posted:Dallas and Mike. Thanks for you're comments. Trains are so much fun when others enjoy them also. Here's a few pics of the area I posted earlier just a little more finished.
Farmerjohn,
I really enjoy progress photos such as you attached to your post, I always learn from them.
As a bonus, your post also allowed me to see more of your wonderful layout! Great work.
Thank you
@DrSteveDC posted:Mountainscape just about done…
DrSteveDC,
As I mentioned in a post to farmerjohn a moment ago, I love to see and learn from layout progress photos. Thanks for posting yours - more great work to admire
Sitka,
The same comments I made in my posts to farmerjohn and DrSteveDC certaintly apply to the recent work you posted.
You guys overwhelm me - THANKS FOR SHARING!
@Mark Boyce Mark, things sure are coming along nicely! I think it is a great idea!
Well guys I promissed Dallas I would post a couple photos here if my layout as I am in the middle of tearing it apart and cleaning track of all its ballast. So now I have track in stacks, in boxes, and I need to get more boxes. I haven't taken up anymore track as I was to see ifI can use some of it that is still in place without having to redo everything.
Here are a couple photos.
The first one shows where I have taken up track and cutout for my lift out section where the town will go along with a small river, I think! LOL If you look under the table where the black legs are showing is where the staging tracks will go.
The second one shows some of the tools I use,
and the last one shows the track that I have taken up track and cleaned so far!
I hope you all have a great weekend and will post on my own thread tomorrow sometime.
Remember to try and find time to have fun with your layout and trains!
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Mike. I made the tunnel front out of Styrofoam cut with a hot tool called a Tippi. 
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Thanks John, I ment the brick face. It looks really good!
Mike, looks like you are ready to rebuild.
@Mark Boyce posted:Mike, looks like you are ready to rebuild.
Not quite Mark, I still have to move the bridge over and check table alignment.
@Mark Boyce posted:Thank you, Jay! It hasn't been without its challenges, but I find ways to work around and with them. I don't work on anything for very long at one time.
We get done what we can Mark. With this hobby there seems to be some new project we would like to get into that demands a good deal of movement .
I do a few small things and run trains when I can and organize areas to post photos. Soon I'll be getting a new hip and can't wait to see what kind of movement I'll be able to work with. Gotta keep hope.
Don't sit in the recliner too long Mark.
We put up part of the backdrop on a wall. I learned to put up a backdrop before building out the layout.
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@Dallas Joseph posted:We get done what we can Mark. With this hobby there seems to be some new project we would like to get into that demands a good deal of movement .
I do a few small things and run trains when I can and organize areas to post photos. Soon I'll be getting a new hip and can't wait to see what kind of movement I'll be able to work with. Gotta keep hope.
Don't sit in the recliner too long Mark.
Dallas, I’m glad you are getting your new hip soon. My mom’s hip replacement made all the difference when she got hers years ago.
No recliner for me. We have my late father-in-law’s recliner. I find it uncomfortable, but the dog loves it! 😄🐶
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@Dallas Joseph posted:We get done what we can Mark. With this hobby there seems to be some new project we would like to get into that demands a good deal of movement .
I do a few small things and run trains when I can and organize areas to post photos. Soon I'll be getting a new hip and can't wait to see what kind of movement I'll be able to work with. Gotta keep hope.
Don't sit in the recliner too long Mark.
Dallas, Good luck with the hip replacement….mobility is a good thing. One of my least favorite aspects of this hobby is wiring, with the uncomfortable contorting, which one of our forum members, with humor, refers to as train yoga.
Be well sir,
John
Yes, Dallas - best wishes on your hip replacement!. I know several folks who've had them the past 5 years and to a person they are thrilled they got them.
-Greg
Did some scenery work today, Wish I did insulate foam board years ago, to many to mention but Great looking layouts on this thread. WTG go luck Dallas with the hip God Speed!
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@Mark Boyce posted:Dallas, I’m glad you are getting your new hip soon. My mom’s hip replacement made all the difference when she got hers years ago.
No recliner for me. We have my late father-in-law’s recliner. I find it uncomfortable, but the dog loves it! 😄🐶
Showed Judy your reply........the recliner friends got a great big Aaaww. What great little creatures.
Judy should be getting our rescues the weekend before the big day.
Cleaveland residents at present.
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Today project. Installed Atlas O red blinking light for caboose. Removed MTH factory non blinking light, drilled hole little enlarge, installed and soldered wires, assembled caboose together. Now exact like prototype C&NW! I have 5 kits to be install rest of C&NW cabooses.
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@Sitka posted:Did some scenery work today, Wish I did insulate foam board years ago, to many to mention but Great looking layouts on this thread. WTG go luck Dallas with the hip God Speed!
The insulation board definitely would make a lot of work easier..........just keep your perfect lighting and great little areas with story lines in those photos Mark. Glad you are having a new found fun media for your creative juices. 
Thanks for the good wish on the after market part swap. God speed to you sir.
@CGWforever posted:Today project. Installed Atlas O red blinking light for caboose. Removed MTH factory non blinking light, drilled hole little enlarge, installed and soldered wires,
Much better solution than my mounting an end of train flasher on a couple of my cabooses.
Nicely done sir.
@Fendermain posted:Dallas, Good luck with the hip replacement….mobility is a good thing. One of my least favorite aspects of this hobby is wiring, with the uncomfortable contorting, which one of our forum members, with humor, refers to as train yoga.
Be well sir,
John
@Greg Houser posted:Yes, Dallas - best wishes on your hip replacement!. I know several folks who've had them the past 5 years and to a person they are thrilled they got them.
-Greg
Thank you very much for the good wishes guys . Had the other side done in 2009 and still can't tell that there was ever a problem . These methods and people involved in the procedure are pretty amazing.
I have to think working with model railroading may have made this a more important decision.
Springfield, Ohio train show, NMRA MCR DIV 7 meeting layout visits and 'booty'.
My ballasting **** is over..lol I completed ballasting all my track with the exception of 5' of siding which I need to build a road next to first. All together about 190' of track....not fun. I also installed 3 sets of sliding shoes and dropped wires on 6 uncoupling magnets ahead of ballasting. Now the scenery fun can start and I can get all the trains on the layout. Next steps are roads and replacing my TIU. I recently purchased a Rev L from a fellow forumite to replace my older one.
-Greg
Hi Everyone,
It's late and I just finished up some work on the first of several DD kits I am building. This is the building taking on a bit of color after several light applications of acrylic washes. Much more work to do before completion but this should be fun.
Dave
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FINALLY- I got around to airbrushing my FasTrack. I have been wanting to do this for a long time. I am using Tamiya acrylic through a double-action Badger- "red brown" on the outside rails, back on the center. Thorough top of the rails wipe down w/ alcohol.
@luvindemtrains posted:Hi Everyone,It's late and I just finished up some work on the first of several DD kits I am building. This is the building taking on a bit of color after several light applications of acrylic
Outstanding Dave .
@Dallas Joseph posted:Thank you very much for the good wishes guys . Had the other side done in 2009 and still can't tell that there was ever a problem . These methods and people involved in the procedure are pretty amazing.
I have to think working with model railroading may have made this a more important decision.
Best of luck with the hip replacement Dallas. Pretty soon we will have to call you the Bionic Man! 
Bob
@RSJB18 posted:Best of luck with the hip replacement Dallas. Pretty soon we will have to call you the Bionic Man!
Bob
Judy says I'm priceless Bob..........well .........at least all the titanium should be worth something.
Hello everyone! Just finished a product review on the 2016 issue of the Legacy GS-4. Hope you all enjoy it!
Just bought a postwar 736 with a 2046w tender that happened to have the holes in the back of the tender. Rather than pay for the kit I took an e10 14v bulb and socket and connected to the whistle. Some double sided tape holds the socket up. Then for the lens, I cut the tips off of some push pins, super glued on. Here is the finished product. Not bad and it saved me about 20 bucks! 
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Mike . The brick face on the portal is made by burning lines in the Styrofoam for the stone outlines and then taking a wire brush and ruffing it up a bit to make it look somewhat weathered stone. I paint it with different colors and try to give it a weathered look. I've had to use this method because a lot of my tunnels are on a curve approach which requires a lot more room. Thanks for asking.
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