Added trim around the windows. Except for adding some signs on the bldg I'm finished with the machine shop. The green bldg in the background is a cardboard box I cut, folded and glued to see if the design could if into the scene.
Kerrigan posted:Gary E posted:Boo Man posted:Kerrigan posted:Boo Man posted:I am currently busy installing the Atlas Signal System (12 of 20 installed). They are working wonderfully on a stand alone basis. They really add to the fun of the layout. I am going to make my own connecting cables to get them connected so they work interchangeably. That will actually add to the cosmetic appeal by having them functionally more important during operating sessions.
Is this the system which connects signals together with phone-type cord so they interact (Red, Yellow previous block, green two blocks back?)
I've been looking for those type.
Yes it is. I have 14 connected now and have them integrated. I am doing some scenery before installing the rest. If you are interested in them, check out this post on the forum.
If you're using the Atlas signal system and want to have the signals work prototypically around turnouts then check out Custom Signals (customsignals.com) . Terry was authorized by Atlas to build and sell Atlas signal system compatible circuit boards. His Turnout Control Module is plug compatible and controls the signals around turnouts.
Custom Signals website says he is going out of business in the middle of 2016 .... yes/no?
He is trying to sell the business and still has a lot of stock.
If anyone is interested in signals we will be reintroducing the Keil Line signals shortly. The first ones will be the crossing signals, then the rest of the line shortly thereafter. the crossing signals are on our website and click on the photo of the catalog cover to see the list of other signals that will be available shortly.
http://www.scalecitydesigns.co...unpainted_p_311.html
These are extremely well detailed and scale sized.
As usual a lot of great work.
Elliot On your pole. I would have thought you could do both painting the track and start the pink foam. While paint is drying you can do the foam work..
Art Enjoying your updates. Looking forward on how the area along the Mississippi is going to turn out.
For me slowly getting back into doing things. A few months ago I had rebuilt the train station. I had decided to go with a rock retaining was around the station and platforms. I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Finished an reinstalled on the station
Doug,
Thank you for the tips on the rock wall source. Your finished station area looks great!
I did absolutely nothing on the layout today. I spent the day at Trainstock! 
-Greg
suzukovich posted:As usual a lot of great work.
Elliot On your pole. I would have thought you could do both painting the track and start the pink foam. While paint is drying you can do the foam work..
Art Enjoying your updates. Looking forward on how the area along the Mississippi is going to turn out.
For me slowly getting back into doing things. A few months ago I had rebuilt the train station. I had decided to go with a rock retaining was around the station and platforms. I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Finished an reinstalled on the station
Doug, that looks just great! I could see that application on lots of things here in model rail roads! If its ok with you I will drop you an email asking more questions. I think that is something I would really like to try! Again GREAT work!
Another long day working on the layout, but feel that we got a lot done. The work around the tunnels has been more difficult and time-consuming than I original thought it would be. We were able to complete building the frame around the tunnel and install the fascia. But we still have to complete the tops of the tunnel framework. All of this is complicated by the fact that we used thin sheet metal for the roadbed of the one track above the tunnel. That was done because we were trying to achieve a 2% maximum grade on the interchange track between my main level and my upper level. There is 8 inches between levels. By using the thin metal sheet we achieved a 2 1/2% grade, but it is hard to attach framework to the metal without interfering with the clearances.
We still have another full day of work to complete this area. here are a number of pictures of our progress.
Art
Doug, there will be plenty of time for paint to dry. I have a zillion projects going on simultaneously. Been chipping away on that drywall by throwing mud when I get downstairs, then moving over to the layout while it dries. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I'm almost done with the walls.
I really like that wallpaper stone. What a neat idea. I'll have to look for that on the bay.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Today, I worked on the foam a little more after doing more mud. Then it was off to Menards for some poplar for the door trim, more 2" foam for the scenery, a counter top that will be the dispatcher's desk, and some wire for LED lighting under the layout in the hidden yards. It is all going to come together for the end of April layout tour.
suzukovich posted:I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Could you supply a link to the eBay listing or item number?
THANKS.
Art, the layout is coming along nicely. Your stone arch bridge is very nice
Pingman posted:suzukovich posted:I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Could you supply a link to the eBay listing or item number?
THANKS.
I think this might be the wall paper stone work eh
Chad, I checked the eBay link in your reply; looks like you are correct.
THANKS.
Got my 2020 Turbine partially converted from the old lamp-based smoke unit to a liquid smoke unit, but one of the flapper screws broke off in the frame, resulting in my making critical comments about said screw's parentage, Oedipal tendencies and general character... 
Have started a new thread about alternate concepts, smokewise:
https://ogrforum.com/t...-postwar-s-2-turbine
Feel free to chime in! 
Mitch
suzukovich posted:As usual a lot of great work.
Elliot On your pole. I would have thought you could do both painting the track and start the pink foam. While paint is drying you can do the foam work..
Art Enjoying your updates. Looking forward on how the area along the Mississippi is going to turn out.
For me slowly getting back into doing things. A few months ago I had rebuilt the train station. I had decided to go with a rock retaining was around the station and platforms. I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Finished an reinstalled on the station
Looking good. I like the textured paper. I used plain printouts on card stock for my stone wall. Added dimension with some bump-outs.
Chugman posted:Another long day working on the layout, but feel that we got a lot done. The work around the tunnels has been more difficult and time-consuming than I original thought it would be. We were able to complete building the frame around the tunnel and install the fascia. But we still have to complete the tops of the tunnel framework. All of this is complicated by the fact that we used thin sheet metal for the roadbed of the one track above the tunnel. That was done because we were trying to achieve a 2% maximum grade on the interchange track between my main level and my upper level. There is 8 inches between levels. By using the thin metal sheet we achieved a 2 1/2% grade, but it is hard to attach framework to the metal without interfering with the clearances.
We still have another full day of work to complete this area. here are a number of pictures of our progress.
Art
Art, I think its looking wonderful, are you going to do something to the in side of the entrance and exit areas before you put the top on? You know like inside walls and dark paint or something? Also what are you using for the fascia? Keep up the great work and I look forward to your future post!
Thanks, Mike. I am going to make inside tunnel walls of thin foam, paint the portals, and ballast the tracks. I haven't decided what color I want to paint the tunnels liners, black, concrete, or somewhere in between? The fascia is 1/8 inch tempered Masonite. It bends well and is easy to work with.
Art
Thanks for the information Art!
chester7 posted:Pingman posted:suzukovich posted:I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Could you supply a link to the eBay listing or item number?
THANKS.
I think this might be the wall paper stone work eh
Good morning just saw this.
Here is the link to where I got this from http://www.ebay.com/sch/Buildi...e=&_ssn=starboc1 above link same guy.
And some better pics. Also Its 3D but not flat. When you rub your fingers on it you can feel the stone work.
RSJB18 posted:suzukovich posted:As usual a lot of great work.
Elliot On your pole. I would have thought you could do both painting the track and start the pink foam. While paint is drying you can do the foam work..
Art Enjoying your updates. Looking forward on how the area along the Mississippi is going to turn out.
For me slowly getting back into doing things. A few months ago I had rebuilt the train station. I had decided to go with a rock retaining was around the station and platforms. I came across a guy in Greece selling on E bay stone work in various scales. I liked how it looked and bought 15 sheets. Today I finished the last section. The printing is in 3d using wall paper. Yes wall paper. Well it worked out rather well and easy to use. Once it dries excuse the pun ,it hard as a rock. A couple of things to note: You need to dampen the wall paper to make it pliable, and it will take about 8 hrs to set and dry. Also when applying using the same technic as putting up wall paper plenty of glue and you need to squeeze the air bubbles out as you are putting it on.
Finished an reinstalled on the station
Looking good. I like the textured paper. I used plain printouts on card stock for my stone wall. Added dimension with some bump-outs.
Its 3D but not flat. When you rub your fingers on it you can feel the stone work.
Spent the morning trying to check signal strength on my mainlines. Upper mains check out at ten. Went to the lower mainlines and at first had trouble getting an engine running. Finally did and the third main check out at ten. But when I went to check the last main I could not get the same engine to run. Have to figure out what is wrong. Engine says out of range on that track. So after lunch I will try again............Paul
Two things.
Art, your layout is looking great! I really like seeing again the curved stone viaduct you were working on a year ago. The facia is great too! Thank you for the advice on the 1/8" Masonite. I worked with 1/4" before and that was tough. 1/8" sounds better.
Everyone, on the various materials for stone. I have seen all methods done well. I may want textured on the foreground, but the excellent paper offerings these days are fantastic. Carved foam works great too, and I am thinking that is what Art did if memory serves!
Great work everyone!! I hope to be taking your advice in the next few years as I get started on my new layout.
Continued working on the realignment of the upper level, lowering it to 2% max grade ... about 100+ feet of roadbed benchwork. Ugh.
Chugman posted:Thanks, Mike. I am going to make inside tunnel walls of thin foam, paint the portals, and ballast the tracks. I haven't decided what color I want to paint the tunnels liners, black, concrete, or somewhere in between? The fascia is 1/8 inch tempered Masonite. It bends well and is easy to work with.
Art
A technique I've used is aluminum foil. Crumple it up, spread it back out, paint black and grey, use spay glue to hold it to walls and roof!
Chris, Please correct me if I am wrong, but the foil will not affect DCS?
Today I put away all my Christmas trains, cars, and figures...back under the layout till after next Thanksgiving.
Back to Ordinary Time on my layout.
Rather than keep dreaming about catenary , this weekend I took action towards the goal of running under wire. It's best that it all gets installed now, instead of after the scenery is finished. The first 10 feet was a combination of prefab construction, plus a certain amount of soldering in place. The flat green paint was just a trial, which will probably be changed to dark grey in hopes of making the oversized wire look less obvious.
Upright poles are 1/4" hardwood dowels. The flimsy looking assembly begins to gain the necessary strength after a few sections are completed. Never the less, some extra care will be needed around the layout to avoid accidentally bending or busting stuff. All the wire is soldered, forming a very solid bond, something that couldn't be done with plain steel wire. Working with pure copper just wouldn't be robust enough.
The wire is actually TIG mild steel welding rod that is copper coated. It's ability to stay ridged, as opposed to the same gauge copper, gives enough solidity to prevent deflection by the pressure of the average deployed pantograph. A simple jig allows the majority of the soldering to be done at the bench, producing 30" lengths. I rough in the uprights and cross-member assemblies at the bench too, then the appropriate attachments and details are added in place.
The new Lionel GG1 was the inspiration to get going on building catenary. It was always a planned addition, since my fleet of electrics existed well before the layout. Hopefully I've hit upon a catenary system that is also durable...only time will tell.
That 10 feet of double track catenary came in at roughly $13.00.....$9.99 for the TIG rod, $1.25 for dowels, plus tax and solder.
Bruce
Nice work on the cat !! Looks good.
Bruce, that's a very impressive project. It looks great so far.
Art
Love the catenary!
I bow to your superior catenary-fu! Well scrounged! <3
Mitch
Chugman posted:Thanks, Mike. I am going to make inside tunnel walls of thin foam, paint the portals, and ballast the tracks. I haven't decided what color I want to paint the tunnels liners, black, concrete, or somewhere in between? The fascia is 1/8 inch tempered Masonite. It bends well and is easy to work with.
Art
Hey Art just wondering if you would have a layout plan to share?
Chad, I'm sorry but I don't at this time. We entered everything into RR software, but have made changes and don't have a copy.
Art
Bruce most impressive catenary work! WOW!!
Today some of my family came over to see the layout in action. It was a great time! ... no derailments or weird electrical component behavior/failure. The family loved the detail work and really took in every square foot of the layout.
Tonight I ran trains for one hour and totally enjoyed the experience!!
Your on a roll lately Patrick.
Chugman posted:Chad, I'm sorry but I don't at this time. We entered everything into RR software, but have made changes and don't have a copy.
Art
Ok Thanks eh
Bruce,
Great job on the catenary. 
Please keep us posted on your progress. I love electrics - especially Pennsy Electrics. When you are finished, I would love to see a video of the trains running under catenary.
brwebster posted:Rather than keep dreaming about catenary , this weekend I took action towards the goal of running under wire. It's best that it all gets installed now, instead of after the scenery is finished. The first 10 feet was a combination of prefab construction, plus a certain amount of soldering in place. The flat green paint was just a trial, which will probably be changed to dark grey in hopes of making the oversized wire look less obvious.
Bruce
Looks Great! The TIG wire is a stroke of genius.
brwebster posted:Rather than keep dreaming about catenary , this weekend I took action towards the goal of running under wire. It's best that it all gets installed now, instead of after the scenery is finished. The first 10 feet was a combination of prefab construction, plus a certain amount of soldering in place. The flat green paint was just a trial, which will probably be changed to dark grey in hopes of making the oversized wire look less obvious.
Upright poles are 1/4" hardwood dowels. The flimsy looking assembly begins to gain the necessary strength after a few sections are completed. Never the less, some extra care will be needed around the layout to avoid accidentally bending or busting stuff. All the wire is soldered, forming a very solid bond, something that couldn't be done with plain steel wire. Working with pure copper just wouldn't be robust enough.
The wire is actually TIG mild steel welding rod that is copper coated. It's ability to stay ridged, as opposed to the same gauge copper, gives enough solidity to prevent deflection by the pressure of the average deployed pantograph. A simple jig allows the majority of the soldering to be done at the bench, producing 30" lengths. I rough in the uprights and cross-member assemblies at the bench too, then the appropriate attachments and details are added in place.
The new Lionel GG1 was the inspiration to get going on building catenary. It was always a planned addition, since my fleet of electrics existed well before the layout. Hopefully I've hit upon a catenary system that is also durable...only time will tell.
That 10 feet of double track catenary came in at roughly $13.00.....$9.99 for the TIG rod, $1.25 for dowels, plus tax and solder.
Bruce
Bruce:
That is great workmanship and designing. I have been wanting, for years, to add catenary to our layout. Can you post some pictures of your jigs that you use for soldering? Also, how do you handle maintaining the same pantograph height through tunnels? I have a very long tunnel under a mountain that is already in place. Thank you for any help and thank you for sharing your catenary project.
After 13 years I have finally started on my basement office and layout. This has definitely been a cart / horse issue. I need room to build storage, I need storage in order get more room.
There is not a final track plan yet, but there will be a single track main around the entire basement.
I still have to add backs and face-frames to these units, and this represents about 30% of what I am building, but 75% of the book storage.
Lower cases (15ft)
With Upper cases and the room to room portal
Using my Schnabel to give an idea of clearance,
The room to room portal
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