What did you do on your layout today?

"It's Alive!"......'Finished wiring all drops to the track and all switches and un-coupler on my new 5X10 Fastrack layout.  'Hooked up Z1000, turned on the power and tested everything with my Williams NYC ALCO FA-1 ABA from my existing permanent Christmas layout.

Everything worked except for a "slow" section when the engines crossed two back-to-back Fastrack Girder bridges (the newer type with attached track).  'Checked the electrical drop at the section before and after the bridges, cleaned the track at the bridges and now everything works.

'Ran the engines with a few freight cars around all of the track in multiple directions and through all of the switches (both remote and manual)...no problems in a 30 minute session.

Now it is time to start scenery, buildings, roads, backdrop, new engine and passenger cars, etc....

HMorgan125 posted:

"It's Alive!"......'Finished wiring all drops to the track and all switches and un-coupler on my new 5X10 Fastrack layout.  'Hooked up Z1000, turned on the power and tested everything with my Williams NYC ALCO FA-1 ABA from my existing permanent Christmas layout.

Everything worked except for a "slow" section when the engines crossed two back-to-back Fastrack Girder bridges (the newer type with attached track).  'Checked the electrical drop at the section before and after the bridges, cleaned the track at the bridges and now everything works.

'Ran the engines with a few freight cars around all of the track in multiple directions and through all of the switches (both remote and manual)...no problems in a 30 minute session.

Now it is time to start scenery, buildings, roads, backdrop, new engine and passenger cars, etc....

 

Too funny how similar our dual loop layouts are with the same bridge in pretty much the identical location. I'm right behind you in progress but have a bit of track work to finish first. 

HMorgan125 posted:

Now it is time to start scenery, buildings, roads, backdrop, new engine and passenger cars, etc....

 

Congrats. Now the real work starts!

Thanks for the complement Denny, I need to take a break to let the knees get better.

Started dusting/cleaning and changing locomotives in preparation for an NMRA "open house" tour this coming Sunday afternoon. Everything will be CB&Q related, along with appropriate passenger and freight equipment. Should be fun.

pwrwgn posted:

Moonson posted:

pwrwgn posted:

I started wiring today.  I pulled the cap off a red paint marker to mark a block under the table.  The whole insides of the paint marker came out with it.  Bright red paint all over ... What a mess!

What brand paint marker? Inquiring minds need to know.

Thank you.

Tom and I built the 2x4 framing for my Std Gauge layout table this afternoon. Put casters on the leg pieces and cut fluted sides on the legs with a router. This will give the table an art deco feel. The legs will be painted a black lacquer finish. The front facing boards will be of mahogany. Table top wood pieces are just set on as is the track loop temporally to see how it looks. The open 9"x9" corners on the table top may be tile or marble.

My plan for the basement is to have a single main with passing sidings to run along the perimeter of the outer wall.

Checking clearances of one of four 'wall' portals.

Not visible in this photo are the portals in the built in china cabinet.

I used a curve to check the swing / overhang. A curve will start in the portal.

Added some pregnant bulges outside of the original benchwork foot print.  Too much track not enough building real estate.

Tom Tee posted:

Added some pregnant bulges outside of the original benchwork foot print.  Too much track not enough building real estate.

That sure sounds familiar. It is my opinion that your change of mind is one many  of us go through with our layouts. I sure did. As I grew in abilities, interests, and preferences regarding having a layout, I wanted more than just seeing trains go in circles, even with twenty switches included. In fact, with the first layout (1995) , I did not care if anybody saw it or even knew of it. It was a private matter. However, once relatives began asking to see it, and then Fred Dole came by, a spaghetti-bowl of track became a past interest and crafting a landscape that enriched the enjoyment of seeing model trains run became a top priority for me.

FrankM.

I am not there yet.  My layout is for me and only a few see it which is OK. Most of my buildings  are against the back wall. I want to see my trains run-fast or slow.

I have to admit, few even know of my layout, and fewer have seen it.  That will change once things are a little more organized.  While under construction, free space is at a premium.  Even once it's finished there will only be room enough for a couple of people at one time, it's that cram packed with layout.

The last few days were spent reviving old scenicking skills and employing a few new ones.

Bruce

Looking nice Bruce !

Tonight I completely removed all the Gargraves and Ross track on my new layout. I was not happy with the look of it. All going to da bay. I'm also going to rearrange and lower all 800sf of the bench work to have easier access. I'll give Atlas O track a try again. 

Well, I'm moving along at a reasonable pace.  My attic empire turned out to be way too far in the future, so I have decided to build a mini-empire in the basement.  This is where I had my last O gauge layout until 1991.  But back then there was no A/C equipment and no well storage tank.  So the best I can do is 4' x 12', with a small 16" x 48" section for some storage sidings.  To keep things as simple as possible, I went with indoor/outdoor green carpeting.  Scenery will be minimal and more caricature like.

Before I do too much more, I want to get a backdrop in place.   

Late last night I was finally able to find a online program so I could transfer pictures again to the computer again. A quick run out to get screws and it is back to work. I decided to tear the small wall down and it opened up the area. Today I have move a shelve I built for storage out so I can place my next table in. Couple of pics of the wall removal..........Paul

Sparky74 posted:

HMorgan125 posted:

"It's Alive!"......'Finished wiring all drops to the track and all switches and un-coupler on my new 5X10 Fastrack layout.  'Hooked up Z1000, turned on the power and tested everything with my Williams NYC ALCO FA-1 ABA from my existing permanent Christmas layout.

Everything worked except for a "slow" section when the engines crossed two back-to-back Fastrack Girder bridges (the newer type with attached track).  'Checked the electrical drop at the section before and after the bridges, cleaned the track at the bridges and now everything works.

'Ran the engines with a few freight cars around all of the track in multiple directions and through all of the switches (both remote and manual)...no problems in a 30 minute session.

Now it is time to start scenery, buildings, roads, backdrop, new engine and passenger cars, etc....

 

Too funny how similar our dual loop layouts are with the same bridge in pretty much the identical location. I'm right behind you in progress but have a bit of track work to finish first. 

My layout started out with a very similar look. I have modified it over the years.

DennyM,

Your photos of your original and expanded layouts have made me think twice about adding ballast to my track which would make my currently planned layout somewhat "permanent".

I am really limited to the current 5X10 table since I have another permanent 12X12x6 corner Christmas layout in the room that is taking up the remaining space.

"Moonman" (Thank you, Carl) helped me with the track layout currently under construction.

That being said, I do think that I will have the opportunity once my single level layout is "completed" (in a few years) to possibly add an upper level elevated subway track for additional action.

I have attached my original plan that is currently in work and a "maxed out" subway plan that can be added in stages.

Thanks for your input.

Howard

Carey TeaRose posted:

Tom and I built the 2x4 framing for my Std Gauge layout table this afternoon. Put casters on the leg pieces and cut fluted sides on the legs with a router. This will give the table an art deco feel. The legs will be painted a black lacquer finish. The front facing boards will be of mahogany. Table top wood pieces are just set on as is the track loop temporally to see how it looks. The open 9"x9" corners on the table top may be tile or marble.

If you look closely at the last pic here, the ends of the track long side are only 1" from the edge of the wood-EEK!. The short sides are 3" from the edge, so cutting more wood for a fix-it,  two  5'6" pieces x 11" pieces to add another 4 inches to the length of the top of the layout table.  

I completed all of my calculations for my entire signaling system. There will be 168 searchlight heads. I placed an order from WeHonest again, for the rest of the targets and a 1000 meter spool of very fine wire. I also picked up a couple Plasticville signal bridges off the bay.

Now that I have my final C/MRI numbers, I crawled under the layout and plugged all the cards onto the motherboards. Tomorrow I have to place an order for C/MRI stuff to complete the system. I need a couple more input cards for the detection, and a bunch of special signal driver cards to control the bi-color LED's so they can do red, green and yellow with just 2 output bits.

About a year ago I was in Red Wing and spotted this.

So when I saw this on eBay, I had to have it!

It will be perfect for moving cars around my version of Red Wing.

I'm still a pretty good sniper.

bought yet another 12 foot 2x4, had two rough cuts made, to be able to fit it in my car. 

Elliot,

what scale is the track mobile?   I have an HO one.  Would love an O gauge one in MOW or BNSF.

Randy T posted:

Elliot,

what scale is the track mobile?   I have an HO one.  Would love an O gauge one in MOW or BNSF.

Randy, it's Lionel with TMCC from 2009. It didn't come cheap, catalog price was $299.99 back then. I got it for $263.58 + 13 to ship. I missed that catalog because I was out of trains for 5 years. Keep your eyes open, I stumbled on it by accident.

Sparky74 posted:

HMorgan125 posted:

"It's Alive!"......'Finished wiring all drops to the track and all switches and un-coupler on my new 5X10 Fastrack layout.  'Hooked up Z1000, turned on the power and tested everything with my Williams NYC ALCO FA-1 ABA from my existing permanent Christmas layout.

Everything worked except for a "slow" section when the engines crossed two back-to-back Fastrack Girder bridges (the newer type with attached track).  'Checked the electrical drop at the section before and after the bridges, cleaned the track at the bridges and now everything works.

'Ran the engines with a few freight cars around all of the track in multiple directions and through all of the switches (both remote and manual)...no problems in a 30 minute session.

Now it is time to start scenery, buildings, roads, backdrop, new engine and passenger cars, etc....

 

Too funny how similar our dual loop layouts are with the same bridge in pretty much the identical location. I'm right behind you in progress but have a bit of track work to finish first. 

Won't believe this but I have same track plan and you guessed it............bridge in same place. Just today pretty much finished an extension utilizing a hollow door I had on hand. Now it's a 10'x11' L shaped layout. I made the extension so I can remove it when I need the space for other purposes.

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

Thanks for the complement Denny, I need to take a break to let the knees get better.

Nice work, John. See you in a few days.

Today I cut The Masonite and pieced it along the wall. I was going to run the Masonite over the window but decided because I had a vent there I did not want to cut down on the ventilation.  I then put a coat of white paint on. Maybe after dinner if it is dry I can apply my blues. couple of pics.........Paul

I purchased a case of Gargrave from Steve Ross A day or so ago and it was waiting for me when I got home tonight, 

THANK YOU STEVE!!

AGHRMatt posted:

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

Thanks for the complement Denny, I need to take a break to let the knees get better.

Nice work, John. See you in a few days.

I tried to buy 48 pc of curved track offered for sale by Rocky, I emailed him 3 times, no response. I need a bunch of curved track right away for Section 3 of 6. I'll give him one more day.

Matt See you and Jeff then, I am trying to get up there early Wednesday , Robin wants to hit the bandit meet at the Wyndham Garden York for old rusty tinplate, they sell a bunch there.

John

After dinner I was able to get the darker blue on. I figured that was a stopping point for the night. Tomorrow I can apply my lighter shade and work it up through the darker blue. Pic...............................Paul

Hi All,

I finished installing all 77 12VDC LED's on my airfield. If someone would have told me how much fun it is to wire 77 Led's I might have thought of a different plan. Got it all done tested as I went to make sure all connections were ok. Set it up for pictures to post here of before and after and IMO I think it turned out looking great, Till the lights went out :-(. I could use some help to figure out what power setup I need to run all 77 LED's.

mike g. posted:

Hi All,

Mike, that looks fantastic!! Great job! As far as what you need for power, I haven't the foggiest. Sorry. 

Hi Thanks Chris, I even made 2 tetrahedron and a windsock for the airfield and was getting ready to take a picture of it all together when BAMMMM The lights went out!

Alex From the forum has turned me onto a good power supply, I just have to order it. Then it sounds like I will be back up and running again. It's so great how people here help others!

I wasn't feeling like actually doing work on the layout, so I did a little project at the workbench. I needed two, 3 track signal bridges. This is a regular Lionel 450, 2 track bridge, with a leg removed. I also took the signal heads off.

Years ago, back at enterTRAINment, one of my guys took two bridges and created this 4 track monster, which I have no use for now.

So, I lopped off one track's worth, and paired it with the one legged bridge.

I had to get a little creative connecting the two pieces, by soldering them and grinding off the excess. It looks a little rough close up, but once I paint it and add the new signal heads nobody will notice.

Here's the finished bridge.

The odd leg was added back to the cut down quad, and then there were two triples!

They will be placed at either end of the Hoffman interlocking...

and carry multiple masts with multiple heads.

Just like this.

Hello

Today I packed up the rest of my Train stuff.

Going to be one of those RR on paper now,

But planing for when I can restart  

JW

Looking good Elliot, I like how you are able to reuse and build what you need instead of just buying off the shelf.

Thanks Mike, but for this project, there is no "off the shelf". This job is 100% kitbash. Just wait til you see it with all the signal heads on it.

Your runways are looking good!

Oh, and the old Lionel signal heads are available for sale if anyone is interested.

Thanks Elliot, I might be interested in the heads down the road if you still have them when I get that far. If not my loss.

I think I have a dozen available right now, all complete, but a couple have broken wires that will need a resolder.

Put Evan Designs flickering LED's in the campfire and started coloring rocks

Catenary completed.  I finished the MTH catenary today.  A lot of teeny tiny screws !   It went together rather well.  I discovered that it was easier for me to assemble the contact wires to their holders a few at a time, then install them on the cross arms, before I fastened the masts to the table.  The section mounted to the white board in the foreground can be removed in it's entirety so That I can complete the layout without having to reach over it.  

I remembered from the past that the E33 rectifier pantograph has a higher reach than the GG1 or the EP5.  So they will not see any action.  I am building this layout primarily for freight and switching operations with alot of operating accessories.  So the rectifier will be the road engine with the NW-2 switcher doing all of the yard chores.  Placing cars at the various accessories and so on.

I was almost going to build a switching layout only but opted for some continuous running.  

Looks great Don !!!! I love to see the pantographs actually touching something other than air and make believe catenary. Certainly not for the faint of heart! You've done a wonderful job! Bravo!��

Mike