What did you do on your layout today?

@Steve Tyler posted:

I'm assuming so, but I actually had the reverse problem -- passage of *any* train on the adjacent track would trigger a random "nature" sound, every time, so to avoid that, I had to place the motion sensor in the bottom of the 'hot tub', so activation occurred only when something moved *above* the sensor, like someone bending over to view the scene. It works pretty well, and in fact, since the sensor actually looks a bit like a cooking vent IMHO, it should be easy to add to the diner!

Yes, that makes sense!  😃

@mike g. thank you.  The move 25 house was brutal, so 2000 miles would be off the charts.  My layout builder Dave Cardiff, tore the old layout down and moved it.  When the new layout was designed it was a perfect fit in my mechanical room.

John

I’m trying to figure out what height I should make my passenger platform. The different car type all have the passenger enter/exit the car at different heights.
Maybe I should make multiple stops around the layout for the different car types?

Heavyweight is lower than the ribbed car. The RDC is much higher then the smooth side  

Thoughts?

IMO....The platform should match the height of the lowest car door. The rest can use step stools that the tiny conductors carry off the train.......

Finished bridge piers, now on to the actual bridge.

Dave

@ChiTown Steve posted:

I’m trying to figure out what height I should make my passenger platform. The different car type all have the passenger enter/exit the car at different heights.
Maybe I should make multiple stops around the layout for the different car types?

Heavyweight is lower than the ribbed car. The RDC is much higher then the smooth side  

Thoughts?

I agree with Bob, that it should be doorway height; at least at the major stations. In reality, easy egress means reduced dwell time.

Jay

@luvindemtrains posted:

Finished bridge piers, now on to the actual bridge.

Dave

That’s going to be a very realistic scene. As usual, excellent job with the weathering Dave.

Jay

This post properly falls under the topic "What I almost did on my layout today"

I've been planning on adding a small yard off an outer main for some time, waiting for availability of some Atlas switches.  I was ok with used track.

Here's a picture of the area I want to modify, Yard.pptx.  It will mean taking out a station platform and possibly the IR, and swapping out already ballasted track, 10" straight.  So I was looking for an Atlas 6070 O54 left hand.

I found two left-hand and one right hand O54 at Trainz.com, for good prices.  When I received them, noticed I had a little unanticipated oops to deal with.

Both left-hand switches are 14" long on the straight side.  Note the right-hand switch on top is 10 inches long when the extra piece (comes with it) is removed.  All my current O54s, left and right, are 10 inches long.  I had not seen these 14" ones before.  Searched the forum but did not see any entries.

So for now, back to pondering what to do next.  I could still replace existing track with the longer switch, but that means ripping out more existing track.  Could cut down the longer switch to fit.  More to come.

@ChiTown Steve posted:

I’m trying to figure out what height I should make my passenger platform. The different car type all have the passenger enter/exit the car at different heights.
Maybe I should make multiple stops around the layout for the different car types?

Heavyweight is lower than the ribbed car. The RDC is much higher then the smooth side  

Thoughts?

I would make the platform as close to the lowest stepped car. The conductor would have the step stool at the ready and helped the passengers off on higher distances. My 2 cents.

@Mayor Magoo posted:

So for now, back to pondering what to do next.  I could still replace existing track with the longer switch, but that means ripping out more existing track.  Could cut down the longer switch to fit.  More to come.

FWIW, I'd suggest replacing more of the existing track, over hacking away a section of the (presumably functioning) switch. It *looks* like you have room to make the cut, but at best you'd end up with a mangled switch, and at worst you could impair its functioning. In contrast to that, I think ripping up and modifying part of one more section of standard track would offer a lot less potential for Murphy to visit your layout!

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

That’s going to be a very realistic scene. As usual, excellent job with the weathering Dave.

Jay

Thank you Jay!

Dave

@RSJB18 posted:

IMO....The platform should match the height of the lowest car door. The rest can use step stools that the tiny conductors carry off the train.......

Thanks RSJB18, Jim and Jay. Having the 3 of you all agree gives me a good plan to work from. It's the weakest part of my layout so I'm excited to get this done right.

Here is my current project, The Grand Hotel, based on the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. Coming events include the roof, carving the air dried clay facades, and all those windows.

Jan

Steve;

I must respectfully disagree with some of our esteemed forum colleagues. The last few years I was working, I did a good bit of commuting on Metro North Railroad. There were usually two platform levels. If the train came into a station with a raised platform (which was the majority of cases), when the doors opened, you would walk directly out onto the platform. If the station had a ground level platform, you were hopefully riding on one of the older type cars where the conductor could raise a floor plate in the vestibule which would expose steps leading down almost to ground level. When one of those old cars pulled into a raised platform station, the conductor would just open the doors and you could walk directly onto the platform. Sooooo, I’d recommend the platforms be at the higher level, such as the RDC door (no step stool would get a passenger up to that door from ground level). Just another 2 cents worth

@Mayor Magoo posted:

This post properly falls under the topic "What I almost did on my layout today"

I've been planning on adding a small yard off an outer main for some time, waiting for availability of some Atlas switches.  I was ok with used track.

Here's a picture of the area I want to modify, Yard.pptx.  It will mean taking out a station platform and possibly the IR, and swapping out already ballasted track, 10" straight.  So I was looking for an Atlas 6070 O54 left hand.

I found two left-hand and one right hand O54 at Trainz.com, for good prices.  When I received them, noticed I had a little unanticipated oops to deal with.

Both left-hand switches are 14" long on the straight side.  Note the right-hand switch on top is 10 inches long when the extra piece (comes with it) is removed.  All my current O54s, left and right, are 10 inches long.  I had not seen these 14" ones before.  Searched the forum but did not see any entries.

So for now, back to pondering what to do next.  I could still replace existing track with the longer switch, but that means ripping out more existing track.  Could cut down the longer switch to fit.  More to come.

Steve.....WOW!.......you have got to wonder how old those are......I've never seen that. In 2011, I bought a load of track and all the O54s  had detachable small straights. This was for my previous layout, which was 6x16. I wonder if that's the way they came at the beginning of ther Atlas O production (which was around 1999, I think). Does anyone know about these switches? I know that the switches were redesigned in the mid-aughts for an electrical upgrade.....

The inner loop was O45. The outer loop used O54s and a few O54/O72 curved swti

Peter

The higher level platforms are usually found on commuter to speed loading/unloading and on railroads in the NE. NY Penn south the DC is mostly high level. DC has a mix.

“‘Tis the Season…” (what did I do today on the layout)

Grandson is getting soooo big! (Compare to the avatar photo)

We did a test setup: Transformer, engine, couplers, Mountain, track fitment. Now to expand… “Papa, how about under the chair, down the hall, under the couch, one siding, horn and back under the tree again.”

sounds good to me buddy!

Thanks to you Mark, et all.

@Scotie posted:

The higher level platforms are usually found on commuter to speed loading/unloading and on railroads in the NE. NY Penn south the DC is mostly high level. DC has a mix.

On the lower Harlem Line which I traveled, and those parts of the New Haven and Hudson Lines which I was familiar with, the higher platforms were standard. On the Port Jervis Line which ran west of the Hudson River, I believe they have a mix of high and low platforms.

@Miggy posted:

“‘Tis the Season…” (what did I do today on the layout)

Grandson is getting soooo big! (Compare to the avatar photo)

We did a test setup: Transformer, engine, couplers, Mountain, track fitment. Now to expand… “Papa, how about under the chair, down the hall, under the couch, one siding, horn and back under the tree again.”

sounds good to me buddy!

Thanks to you Mark, et all.

Your grandson has a great plan!  😃

Robbing Peter to pay Paul....

I 'borrowed' an O54 LH switch from another part of the layout, a section that was still under construction.

And using it to place in the outer mainline where I wanted to start my staging yard.  No cutting necessary as I just had to swap out an existing 10" section.  All track is Atlas, by the way.

Test fitting what pieces I had for the yard.  Still waiting on another order and have some carpentry to do to extend table under the new yard.  More to come.

Peter, I was wondering about the age of those old switches I picked up.  Could not tell from the track or boxes.

Wow, Magoo, “Construction Zone”. (robbing Peter to pay Paul… old school right there…getting it done)

We want to pay homage to Mitchell by running a G-Raff….. sending her to Magoos layout in case he needs another Supervisor on site… and to ELI from Flintrock Valley for the “restore your Lionel Whistle”, and Choo Choo Charlie for the Smoke Fix, and to all of you great and skilled Layout Construction 🚧 folks who put it over the top, because it’s Fun. And you help me pass it to my grandkids. And Mark, you showed the DrawBridge Walk Through for us that never dreamed it could be done.

this community is appreciated….

Mayor Magoo, nice move. Making changes to your layout will certainly enhance your enjoyment.

I managed to run a 30 car train which is a lot for my layout size and shape with 40' dia curves.  Running an MTH 20-3018 K4 and a bunch of MTH and Atlas wood reefers in the first half and then all prewar wood kit built reefers and boxcars on prewar Lionel trucks for the last 15 or so.  Mix of Kadee, and pre and postwar Lionel couplers.  It took a  few trys and had to weed out a couple of weak couplers but it is what it is, still fun and entertaining.

Here are views of TwinPines RR2 as it is today. The center island is intended to be an intermodal yard or a grain facility.  (The inner "v" is just asking to be a berth for a container ship.)  While I can get turnouts worked in for two extra tracks, the length would be 1 1/2 cars long - I am not sure that is worth it. I may just add dummy tracks to hold cars but no connection. Spacing on each side of the island is 24 inches.  Part of the slow progress is - the layout is talking to me about what it wants to be vs what I want it to be. So I've put some things in and decided that they did not look right and took them out - hence the layout speaking to me. No there are no voices - at least none that I would admit to anyway.

  @DoubleDAZ helped with a few ideas earlier in the year, this version is not too far off from the last plan. I would still like to work in track elevation changes, but the room is tight, so its not clear on how best to do it.

Fixed a buddy's K-Line Coke boxcar the other day...

Donor MPC trucks: 

Back in order and ready to roll!

It pays to have a few junk boxes...

I may need bigger boxes... ;-)

Mitch

@ScoutingDad- I think some sort of wharf scene would be great. You could have a primary cargo vessel, tug boats, dockside loco’s etc. I would go for an old fashioned wharf scene not a container ship. It’s much “messier” thus provides more opportunity for different types of behind equipment

Regards

Don

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Fixed a buddy's K-Line Coke boxcar the other day...

Donor MPC trucks:

Back in order and ready to roll!

It pays to have a few junk boxes...

I may need bigger boxes... ;-)

Mitch

As they say Mitch, “Things go better with Coke”.

@ScoutingDad posted:

Here are views of TwinPines RR2 as it is today. The center island is intended to be an intermodal yard or a grain facility.  (The inner "v" is just asking to be a berth for a container ship.)  While I can get turnouts worked in for two extra tracks, the length would be 1 1/2 cars long - I am not sure that is worth it. I may just add dummy tracks to hold cars but no connection. Spacing on each side of the island is 24 inches.  Part of the slow progress is - the layout is talking to me about what it wants to be vs what I want it to be. So I've put some things in and decided that they did not look right and took them out - hence the layout speaking to me. No there are no voices - at least none that I would admit to anyway.

  @DoubleDAZ helped with a few ideas earlier in the year, this version is not too far off from the last plan. I would still like to work in track elevation changes, but the room is tight, so its not clear on how best to do it.

Dennis Brennan did a very nice harbor scene on his layout.

Don,  i agree with that idea, i really want to build a tug and a fishing vessel.   I cant find my Brennan book since my move. Probably buried in a box somewhere. That was an impressive scene. Thanks for the ideas.

@ScoutingDad posted:

Don,  i agree with that idea, i really want to build a tug and a fishing vessel.   I cant find my Brennan book since my move. Probably buried in a box somewhere. That was an impressive scene. Thanks for the ideas.

Jeff, tug and fishing vessel scene does lend itself to lots of neat details, but if you have intermodal models that works too.

I will say that yard tracks a car and a half long aren’t worth it.  My yard under the engine facility has a track like that.  It’s the rear track, and I don’t even use it.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Jeff, tug and fishing vessel scene does lend itself to lots of neat details, but if you have intermodal models that works too.

I will say that yard tracks a car and a half long aren’t worth it.  My yard under the engine facility has a track like that.  It’s the rear track, and I don’t even use it.

I don’t know exactly how long my Gargraves short track is but it fits two cars; with a falsie switch.

Looks great, Bob!

@ScoutingDad posted:

Don,  i agree with that idea, i really want to build a tug and a fishing vessel.   I cant find my Brennan book since my move. Probably buried in a box somewhere. That was an impressive scene. Thanks for the ideas.

Jeff- consider loosing one of the two switches off the main and just run tracks down one side, and have the water scene and bulkhead/ ships on the other. You should be able to fit a second siding in by adding a switch where the crossover is.

Bob

Rehab! on my layout examples, I Renovated, cleaned and fixed Lionel PW 445, it was in a barn for several decades. I should have taken before & after photos! But after a few hours of scrubbing looks good, it is mechanically sound as well! Will post video later if time permits! Lol
also, internally  cleaned  Lionel 1033 transformer, I had it in storage for 20 years! Works well.  Then I cleaned and reassembled my old Lionel 140 Banjo Signal. Always wanted one…The 145 C contactor now works as well. Here’s a quick example.

so I guess I am a 2 rail O scaler with a Postwar Habit! Rehabbing is my hobby for now!

Last weekish, I (already posted this Woops!) rehabbed my  two Lionel NH 2350’s they were sluggish and dirty!

full of vigor after a few hours.

One of them is used for overhead power while the second one traditional three rail operation. Now to finish cleaning and repairing the catenary masts. A major event slowly progressing on the 3 rail layout.

Did a bunch of cleaning and long put off maintenance on some of my engines, like finally regreasing some worm gears. However, one of the things on my bucket list is  adding pickup rollers and installing some wiring and a smoke unit to this MPC dummy Lionel RS4 engine that I picked up back in the early 1980s. Any recommendations on pickup rollers for it?  I went to the Lionel parts site and short of changing the trucks, which I don’t want to do, I couldn’t determine which pickup rollers would be best for this dummy unit.

Denis Holler! 30 car mix of billboards from your collection is colorful and impressive! certainly a feat of multi- connectiveity!
“so many fantastic colors…”

@pennsyfan posted:

I don’t know exactly how long my Gargraves short track is but it fits two cars; with a falsie switch.

I didn’t have a good picture yesterday. I just took this one from another angle.

Hi Bob, Impressive port water! What did you use?  Nice color and appearance of movement depth!

@Strap Hanger I also have a dummy engine I wish to add a smoke unit to.  In my case, it already has pickup rollers and I added LED lights.  But I have no idea what smoke unit to add or how to go about it.  Would love to hear suggestions.  Thanks.

Rick