Hello guys and gals.....
Been busy last night adding stick on wheel weights to my 3 MTH Premier cars. They seem to roll better and smoother with the added weights !!!!!!!!! I added 1.2 to 1.56 pounds to 1 40' foot Reefer and 2 50' foot boxcar and hopper.
"your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take" Psalm 119:105 ERV (Easy to Read Version)
Tiffany
Ran the layout for a visiting girl in her twenties that had never seen a model train let alone a layout before. A lot of "you're kidding me"-s "so cutes" and "neats" along with some decent timeline, operations, and history questions. Not a "fan", but an accepting observer for sure. Maybe one day in the future another kids Christmas train will be bought and run.
Ended up playing with the teapot again after that. The AF drivers are too tall and no matter what I did it wasnt low enough up front. I'll need a set of junk Berk drivers or something else rod driven thats even smaller in dia., if there is such a thing.
Adriatic posted:Ran the layout for a visiting girl in her twenties that had never seen a model train let alone a layout before. A lot of "you're kidding me"-s "so cutes" and "neats" along with some decent timeline, operations, and history questions. Not a "fan", but an accepting observer for sure.
Yep, they're out there. I set up a WW2 re-enacting display at an airshow in June and had several young ladies who were genuinely interested in the timeframes and asked some very insightful questions. One new guy to the hobby said, "If I'd known it was like this, I'd have gotten into this years ago!" I explained that this didn't happen nearly as often as he though it does (as I have been in the hobby since I was about 5 years old).
As for my own layout, I've bought about 70 flower plants (made by JTT) in O scale and just finished "planting" them last night. I think little details like that really can make a layout 'pop' more than simple ground foam and a lone tree here and there.
Adriatic posted:Ran the layout for a visiting girl in her twenties that had never seen a model train let alone a layout before. A lot of "you're kidding me"-s "so cutes" and "neats" along with some decent timeline, operations, and history questions. Not a "fan", but an accepting observer for sure. Maybe one day in the future another kids Christmas train will be bought and run.
Ended up playing with the teapot again after that. The AF drivers are too tall and no matter what I did it wasnt low enough up front. I'll need a set of junk Berk drivers or something else rod driven thats even smaller in dia., if there is such a thing.
Maybe next time 
Received my Glenn Snyder shelves yesterday. Picked up everything needed to mount them at Lowes. Came home and 3 hours later I was done.
I had Snyder cut 6 shelves at 40" for me. I saw the 6 leftover pieces and said to myself "hmmmmm wonder how long those heritage engines are with the matching cabooses.
I still have 2 of the shorter ones left. Probably throw those up tomorrow. Talk about utilizing what would have been wasted space.
still working on the layout added the second Yard and ran the track to it . ordered some wire and connectors to make more feeders. so in the mean time I have been running the one loop I have running . and doing alittle scenery in the process. here's this weeks results .
played with my vinyl cutter tonight its the first time I tried something like this this boxcar yesterday was white I hand painted it in Tuscan Red the paint isn't perfect but in older boxcars are they ever I downloaded a Santa Fe vector resized it and cut it out the vinyl is a little thick but it folded into the seams nice What do you think total outlay to make this car go from white to this about $2.00 .
Last night I took the 042 curves from my dining room Standard gauge layout and put them at the one end of the Standard gauge loop on my bdroom layout. So I solved two problems with one purchase. if only all problems were as simple and easy.
Jhainer posted:still working on the layout added the second Yard and ran the track to it . ordered some wire and connectors to make more feeders. so in the mean time I have been running the one loop I have running . and doing alittle scenery in the process. here's this weeks results .
Nice looking scenery. The grass and trees look very nice!
Jhainer posted:played with my vinyl cutter tonight its the first time I tried something like this this boxcar yesterday was white I hand painted it in Tuscan Red the paint isn't perfect but in older boxcars are they ever I downloaded a Santa Fe vector resized it and cut it out the vinyl is a little thick but it folded into the seams nice What do you think total outlay to make this car go from white to this about $2.00 .
Great job on the car, I have a few I would like to do that with. Do you just run it threw a printer?
645 posted:Big_Boy_4005 posted:
I give you "The Rainbow"!
The concept for the train came from this print by railroad artist Larry Fisher. It is an early Amtrak Empire Builder made of a colorful hodgepodge of of equipment.
I'm still waiting on two more cars from GGD. A CB&Q duplex sleeper and a GN green and orange coach. That will bring the total to eight. I'll still need two more cars, but they will need custom paint. The train still needs a baggage car, and probably another coach. One will get BN Cascade Green, the other NP two tone green.
I love early Amtrak - the Rainbow Years were fascinating!
One suggestion - paint the baggage NP two-tone green as quite a few lasted a long time in those colors - especially on the BN as MOW storage cars. This way it can do double duty if you get a hankering to swap out the baggage car for something in different colors. The coach would look good in BN Cascade Green. I'm guessing BN repainted very few baggage cars into BN colors - they probably spent the paint money on the passenger carrying equipment and not head end cars during their short time offering passenger service to the public. Amtrak of course repainted stuff but as well all know after the rainbow years they standardized on (rebuilt/upgraded with HEP) Budd built Heritage equipment. Ex-NP baggage cars would not make the cut for rebuilding as Heritage Fleet stock...
And I believe south of the Twin Cities ex-Milwaukee Road E8/E9's handled the Empire Builder in Amtrak's first years until the SDP40F's arrived. Gives you another choice for motive power if your layout includes the south end of the Twin Cities area?
Thanks, I have two different ideas that I'm mulling over. There is a rather unique baggage dorm car that seemed to always run on those trains. The earliest trains had no full baggage, just this car. Here it is in Cascade green. It was also done in big sky blue, but I don't need any more of those.
This car would be a total kitbash using a K-line combo as a starting point. Then the other car would be the NP, probably a dome with coach seating,bringing the train to 4 domes.
The other option would be as you suggested, a straight NP baggage. You may not be able to see it in the print, but that train has two NP baggage cars followed by that baggage dorm. That would leave Cascade green for a coach or a dome.
Mark Boyce posted:Big_Boy_4005 posted:Mark Boyce posted:Yes Elliot; wouldn't it had been nice if my daughters married young men who were interested in trains. They are fine young men, but their interests are elsewhere.
Actually Mark, I may have better luck with my daughter helping me with scenic elements of the layout. She'll be moving back here when she's done with school in May.
Sign her up!!
One of my daughters is an artist, but I was never able to coerce her into any scenery work. Since I never did sign her car over to her, since I paid for it, I should tell her I need it back unless she does a backdrop for the new layout room, which incidentally used to be her studio! lol
Sounds like you have some good leverage there Mark.
A couple years ago, my daughter visited and expressed interest of her own free will, so time will tell.
I did do some more work on the layout yesterday. Planning to head down again today for a few hours. Photos when I'm done.
Continued on the cliff. Filled in and painted the base at the board. Added a small piece to the right of the cliff to give a transition from the blank wall. I made a small RR tie retaining wall at the top corner of the stone wall. Tried painting the "smoke" stains on the tunnel arch (first time ever). Going to ballast the track next.
Worked on the roadway that will serve the sidings on this side of the layout. The road pieces are sprayed and are drying. I painted the board black so nothing shows through from underneath when I glue the road down.
Good productive day when its snowing outside. 
PS- Anyone know where I can get a 2037 decal for the cab on my 2-6-4? Its missing from this side of the cab, bought it this way.
Bob
Big_Boy_4005 posted:Mark Boyce posted:Big_Boy_4005 posted:Mark Boyce posted:Yes Elliot; wouldn't it had been nice if my daughters married young men who were interested in trains. They are fine young men, but their interests are elsewhere.
Actually Mark, I may have better luck with my daughter helping me with scenic elements of the layout. She'll be moving back here when she's done with school in May.
Sign her up!!
One of my daughters is an artist, but I was never able to coerce her into any scenery work. Since I never did sign her car over to her, since I paid for it, I should tell her I need it back unless she does a backdrop for the new layout room, which incidentally used to be her studio! lol
Sounds like you have some good leverage there Mark.
I did do some more work on the layout yesterday. Planning to head down again today for a few hours. Photos when I'm done.
Maybe my daughter will come into the train room someday and say, "You need this or you need that". She and my wife do like to find fun things to put on the layout. Today I found a 1948 Porsche 1:36 Scale! lol
Finished my basic benchwork and test-fit the track...it just fits.
I finally got my parking garage done. I added a modern 4 story addition to the top so it would look better beside my other tall downtown Chicago area warehouses. I still have to add roads leading to it over the railroad tracks and more cars parked inside.
Next to it is several Korber buildings kit-bashed together to make a tall inner city furniture warehouse.
Art
Chugman posted:I finally got my parking garage done. I added a modern 4 story addition to the top so it would look better beside my other tall downtown Chicago area warehouses. I still have to add roads leading to it over the railroad tracks and more cars parked inside.
Next to it is several Korber buildings kit-bashed together to make a tall inner city furniture warehouse.
Art
Well done! I like the idea of the modern addition...practical and probable.
Built that 200 series ALCO out of parts I had on hand and when I was working on that I let the three year old grand-son test out his action corner of the layout while he ran his Dinosaur train.
Jhainer posted:still working on the layout added the second Yard and ran the track to it . ordered some wire and connectors to make more feeders. so in the mean time I have been running the one loop I have running . and doing alittle scenery in the process. here's this weeks results .
Nice chain fence, where did you get it?
The right wing of my office "temporary" layout will need to be removeable to give access to the chimney ash pit. The homasote is too tight so I trimmed it. Tomorrow I hope to start securing the track on that end so I can figure out exactly where the track cuts need to be made so I can slide that wing out once a year.
I've been wanting to do this since I moved in a year ago:
I'm more likely to spend time down here now. :-)
3 bldg projects today.
1. Glued the roof braces back on a golden valley depot builtup and placed a painted piece of cardboard between 2 tracks.
2. Painted parts for my Rico station repurposed as a restaurant. Base color is rustoleum cranberry satin that I will dullcote. Wainscoting, trim, windows and doors flat light gray primer. Roof dulled with flat black followed by dark gray primer.
3. Tweaked the cardboard freight house roof by bending the edges about an inch width to relax the pitch. 
The freight house base is next and I am thinking about another bldg next to the power house. Eventually I will detail the freight house with brick, windows and door paper.
Nice job on the buildings. Looking good !!
Have not done anything for a couple of days on the layout. Yesterday took a ride to Parma Ohio for the S gauge show. Nice little show. This time there was a nice amount of O scale for sale. Decent prices. Even came across someone selling Menards trains for 30 dollars a car. But I got a nice pack of very small drills that I needed. Today I got time to spend on the layout..................Paul
Chugman posted:I finally got my parking garage done. I added a modern 4 story addition to the top so it would look better beside my other tall downtown Chicago area warehouses. I still have to add roads leading to it over the railroad tracks and more cars parked inside.
Next to it is several Korber buildings kit-bashed together to make a tall inner city furniture warehouse.
Art
Art, the garage turned out looking great, I agree the modern addition fits well and is believable.
Pennsynut, the building are coming along wonderful, I have an old wood building that was given to me I might post a picture of that here to get some ideas of what to make out of it.
mike g. posted:Jhainer posted:played with my vinyl cutter tonight its the first time I tried something like this this boxcar yesterday was white I hand painted it in Tuscan Red the paint isn't perfect but in older boxcars are they ever I downloaded a Santa Fe vector resized it and cut it out the vinyl is a little thick but it folded into the seams nice What do you think total outlay to make this car go from white to this about $2.00 .
Great job on the car, I have a few I would like to do that with. Do you just run it threw a printer?
no not a printer it an vinyl cutter kind of like a plotter with a razor blade mine is just like this one.
.
Doug N posted:Jhainer posted:still working on the layout added the second Yard and ran the track to it . ordered some wire and connectors to make more feeders. so in the mean time I have been running the one loop I have running . and doing alittle scenery in the process. here's this weeks results .
Nice chain fence, where did you get it?
I made it from platistruct tubing and a bad screen from my house cut the screen out to replace it and kept the extra for a fence
mike g. posted:Jhainer posted:still working on the layout added the second Yard and ran the track to it . ordered some wire and connectors to make more feeders. so in the mean time I have been running the one loop I have running . and doing alittle scenery in the process. here's this weeks results .
Nice looking scenery. The grass and trees look very nice!
Thank you
yesterday I wired up all the switches on the one side of the layout a few gave me trouble one still isn't working just right it switches one way but not the other. one the anti derailment kept kicking in checked the wiring 3 times turned out a small scenery stone was in the switch and not allowing it to travel the full amount got it fixed tho. here's some photos I cleaned up that side of the layout and placed the buildings where they are going to go . I think I am going to lift all the building up on some foam first carve it to look like scenery then put some joint compound over it like I did the other day it seemed to take the foam over the baseboard look away from the scenery the joint compound seemed to smooth it out and make it look more realistic. I have been thinking about doing this that's in the first picture but the wall would be fake building fronts along the whole side with a opening to get thur the wall it does 2 things helps support the upper level and hide the wiring and such for the upper level but I think it gives the layout a more finished look in that area problem is the area its 11 3/4 tall that would make some really tall buildings its either that or maybe a printed out stone retaining wall but then again it would be a really tall retaining wall . any suggestions
Jhainer posted:mike g. posted:Jhainer posted:played with my vinyl cutter tonight its the first time I tried something like this this boxcar yesterday was white I hand painted it in Tuscan Red the paint isn't perfect but in older boxcars are they ever I downloaded a Santa Fe vector resized it and cut it out the vinyl is a little thick but it folded into the seams nice What do you think total outlay to make this car go from white to this about $2.00 .
Great job on the car, I have a few I would like to do that with. Do you just run it threw a printer?
no not a printer it an vinyl cutter kind of like a plotter with a razor blade mine is just like this one.
.
Wow I just looked and there not cheap are they? But if you think about it you could do your own layout print to put on your bench work with a 12" x 25' roll of vinyl.
Jhainer, From the tunnel moving right some rock face to eat at least a foot or so somewhere, anywhere, just seems natural. But more archway work or steel and cement running off it is what I "want" to see there. Continuing what you started at the right, but with taller, open areas/ arches. You'd get visual separation but still let light get to the" buried loop" that I'm assuming you see the loop from another angle considering the length of the grey wall? Is there is a business under there? If the "trolls den" is well lit, the less obscured "partition" would give it more attention too. Arches would hide the upper level wiring if it isn't hanging bad or at ground level.
mike g. posted:Jhainer posted:mike g. posted:Jhainer posted:played with my vinyl cutter tonight its the first time I tried something like this this boxcar yesterday was white I hand painted it in Tuscan Red the paint isn't perfect but in older boxcars are they ever I downloaded a Santa Fe vector resized it and cut it out the vinyl is a little thick but it folded into the seams nice What do you think total outlay to make this car go from white to this about $2.00 .
Great job on the car, I have a few I would like to do that with. Do you just run it threw a printer?
no not a printer it an vinyl cutter kind of like a plotter with a razor blade mine is just like this one.
Wow I just looked and there not cheap are they? But if you think about it you could do your own layout print to put on your bench work with a 12" x 25' roll of vinyl.
the photo is from a auction site it was going for 200 I paid 10 years ago 1500
Adriatic posted:Jhainer, From the tunnel moving right some rock face to eat at least a foot or so somewhere, anywhere, just seems natural. But more archway work or steel and cement running off it is what I "want" to see there. Continuing what you started at the right, but with taller, open areas/ arches. You'd get visual separation but still let light get to the" buried loop" that I'm assuming you see the loop from another angle considering the length of the grey wall? Is there is a business under there? If the "trolls den" is well lit, the less obscured "partition" would give it more attention too. Arches would hide the upper level wiring if it isn't hanging bad or at ground level.
are you thinking something like this but with open arches
Chugman posted:I finally got my parking garage done. I added a modern 4 story addition to the top so it would look better beside my other tall downtown Chicago area warehouses. I still have to add roads leading to it over the railroad tracks and more cars parked inside.
Next to it is several Korber buildings kit-bashed together to make a tall inner city furniture warehouse.
Art
Spectacular, Art!
Peter
Jhainer posted:Wow I just looked and there not cheap are they? But if you think about it you could do your own layout print to put on your bench work with a 12" x 25' roll of vinyl.
the photo is from a auction site it was going for 200 I paid 10 years ago 1500
Well then I guess they have came down a lot! Might have to check into one down the road!
Grandson got up a little after seven this morning and by nine we had already been playing with the trains for over an hour. By the time, he left he is almost a pro at the controls be it the remote or the transformer.
So I finished up the 200 series A-A set I have been working and have them running. Used both the Texas Special 210 shells on them. Now just got to figure out what to do with the paint job.
You'll hate it if anything derails. And you have sun blasting out of the tunnel 
, I think that what's "wrong", lol Does it have an access opening at the window at all to block off?
It's kinda tall too. By closing the nook off so much, it's really giving the area cramped look. In the photo at least.
The open nook shape and border work can give it the feel of a valley, plateau, or clearing for that sun to play in. Maybe keep things running in parallel lines with pavement, track, buildings, etc. and do a fast rising horizon line above the windowsills line of sight is all you need to take more advantage of the light that always pours in there. And honestly, tinting it, or using a shade with a moon on it are still all I can think of to fight it.
I'd leave it open, push the horizon up and back, and use the exaggerated visual length on the oval from that angle, for giving you a good head on or trailing view out of a short distance, and some "down the row" views on scenes.
Or build a hillside to one wall, and eliminate half the tunnel? I know you like the portal views and that would open it up more, but keep a view.
You move fast and the changes are hard to keep track of. You didn't do all this since that post did you? But yeah, that would've been fitting. The bottom retaining arches especially, as the sill blocks were well used to keep them looking shorter. A section of open arches in front of the nook to allow passage, and some viewing . Staggered arches? Opened then.closed?
Sprayed some dullcote on satin cranberry I sprayed on my Rico restaurant. I liked the proprtions of my freight house so well I decided to make a similar bldg as a machine. No photos yet. It will be 6 in. wide, 18 long, 4 in. tall on the sides and about 5.5 inches tall on the ends, with a flat roof.
Daleks do Disneyland:
Daleks go where Kruschev was refused admittance...
Becky
Adriatic posted:You'll hate it if anything derails. And you have sun blasting out of the tunnel
It's kinda tall too. By closing the nook off so much, it's really giving the area cramped look. In the photo at least.
The open nook shape and border work can give it the feel of a valley, plateau, or clearing for that sun to play in. Maybe keep things running in parallel lines with pavement, track, buildings, etc. and do a fast rising horizon line above the windowsills line of sight is all you need to take more advantage of the light that always pours in there. And honestly, tinting it, or using a shade with a moon on it are still all I can think of to fight it.
I'd leave it open, push the horizon up and back, and use the exaggerated visual length on the oval from that angle, for giving you a good head on or trailing view out of a short distance, and some "down the row" views on scenes.
Or build a hillside to one wall, and eliminate half the tunnel? I know you like the portal views and that would open it up more, but keep a view.
You move fast and the changes are hard to keep track of. You didn't do all this since that post did you? But yeah, that would've been fitting. The bottom retaining arches especially, as the sill blocks were well used to keep them looking shorter. A section of open arches in front of the nook to allow passage, and some viewing . Staggered arches? Opened then.closed?
theres a big enough hole for me to crawl under the layout into the nook and pop up in the middle of it all. I work from home so no commute to eat up train time. kids don't want anything to do with dad there 15 the older ones are out running around a lot and wife she's a whole different story. so it's easy to say I have a lot of extra time
I thought about cutting it down so it's just the width of the track with some railing and just a few pillars to hold up the area or the wall area so trying to figure it out .
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