What did you do on your layout today?

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Thanks Pat.

Bob, that's the real trick. Murphy's Law of model railroading: trains don't run when guests are present. (Hope I didn't just jinx myself)

<crosses fingers, toes, eyes and knocks on wood>

We will all say a collective prayer for Elliot now.......

RSJB18 posted:

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Thanks Pat.

Bob, that's the real trick. Murphy's Law of model railroading: trains don't run when guests are present. (Hope I didn't just jinx myself)

<crosses fingers, toes, eyes and knocks on wood>

We will all say a collective prayer for Elliot now.......

Amen!!

Trying to solve my Lionel stalling and flickering light problem in just one particular curve. I upgraded my DCS to 6.0 and this problem started with my Legacy and TMCC engines.  I do not have any side by side tracks or over and under tracks.  I do have a number of buildings underneath, MTH wifi, TIU and wiring.  I had no problems until I upgraded DCS which may just be a coincidence.  Anyway that has been what I have been doing on my layout!

WOW everyone must be at York!

Well I finished off the wiring today on the elevated loop so I guess I can say it is done.

 I ran 35' of 14 gauge feeder line to 3 lockons one on the center of each loop and one in the center of the straight that connects them. I used 18 gauge 12" drops from the lockons to the 14 gauge feeder lines. Why, because you can't hardly get 14 gauge stranded into a lockon, too big. So it runs very well and does not slow on the far end from the ZW like it did with only one power drop. I also used power junction blocks at the drops from the feed so I can add extra lockons if need be. I Put a 10 amp auto reset breaker at the ZW in the feed line so it should be good. Then I hooked back up some lights and other accessories I had to move for the placement of the elevated level.

One thing for sure, rolling around under that table on the creeper gets old fast on this 64 year old body.

I am beat. 

Having just arrived "home" from six months in Florida, all I did on my layout today was look at it. 

I hope it still runs.

Dennis

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Thanks guys!

Bob - This isn't an operating session, at least not the way I see them. This is an open house for a specific audience, with display running. An operating session is when a small group of people come over and trains are made up and broken down, with cars being switched at industries. I hope to host at least one of those before 2018.

Elloit, my schedule is not working out for this Saturday.   Hope you can get along without me.   Hope all goes well and have a great day.  So sorry to miss the event.   

Dave

Finished wiring the grade crossing signals and tested them. I still need to fine tune things a bit but I am happy with how they came out. The video is a bit shaky but you get the idea.

On to the next project now.....did someone say gantry crane?????

Bob

They work well, Bob.

MaxSouthOz posted:

They work well, Bob.

Thanks Max- the relay chatters a bit when a single car is on the block so I want to see what I can do about that. I have to touch up the scenery and add stop lines on the roadway too.

Bob

Bob,

The crossing lights look great!  I didn't think it was shaky at all.  Yes there are always extra enhancements, but the big job on it is done 

While I wait (and wait) for a window contractor for the train room, I did start an "engine intervention".  I found an MTH RS3 that had allowed itself to be lured off to the circus !   I performed the "rescue" of the poor bright red RS3 and am in the process of restoring it's dignity by repainting it CNJ Deep Sea Green.  It's my 1st repaint and 1st time with an airbrush (Hobby Lobby cheapie) so it's interesting.  My touches of "rust" look more like red so they will be weathered away. Decals and weathering are next.

Much better, TK.

Did you see Joey's latest video on weathering?

Just viewed the weathering video, very inspiring - thks.

Been working on an oil depot... still have some work to do...

Elliot,

Good luck and have fun running trains tomorrow.  Have a mop at the ready....all those jaws hitting the floor might create slippery areas.

Bruce

#C.SAM realtyphoto shoot. Very nice Sam. I appreciate a good photo angle! (I did home stage/photogs long time, Like the sellers... good folks.) QUICK question sir, I notice that hafl the steam engines (few photos for our new business card and brochure so we cleared off a space near a MTH station and shot this old PW 773 Hudson) Have gloss black Steam Chest, with pistons/steps and accessory areas a Flat black? Do you have thoughts or opinions please as I have a 675 to repaint. Many Thanks! Again, Very nice shot, sir.

#KRM....WAIT.........WHAT???? "Wifey runs trains with you...." ( is that what you and your wife call "cooking", or, she runs TRAINS WITH YOU??.....) She sounds like a keeper, definately a keeper... <smile>  

c.sam posted:

Work continues almost daily on the new club facility mostly by Harold, the proprietor. His 'style' of construction has made it quite difficult to get any decent photos of progress due to the mess, but we are coming along nicely.

Last evening we shot a few photos for our new business card and brochure so we cleared off a space near a MTH station and shot this old PW 773 Hudson.

Our lady graphics designer will 'light' the headlamp and use this in her work for us. She's a smart, nice-looking blonde Trump supporter who is painting all the wall murals and likes trains!

Sam,

Great photo!!  I'm glad to read that the new club layout is coming along nicely!!  We will excuse you for not posting photos because of Harold's 'style'.  My wife is like that, she starts a project and everything is everywhere, then she has a 'red alert' and in short order the room is pristine again!  After going on 33 years, I as a minor OCD person have adjusted well I think!   She is a keeper!

brwebster posted:

Elliot,

Good luck and have fun running trains tomorrow.  Have a mop at the ready....all those jaws hitting the floor might create slippery areas.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce, just an hour and a half away now. Miggy will be here in 45 minutes.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

brwebster posted:

Elliot,

Good luck and have fun running trains tomorrow.  Have a mop at the ready....all those jaws hitting the floor might create slippery areas.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce, just an hour and a half away now. Miggy will be here in 45 minutes.

Good luck today Elliot

Preparation!

We needed to add some receptacles for the exercise equipment area in the basement.  Needed to add breakers.  Since he was here, we had the electrician run two new 20A feeds over to the corner of the basement where the trains will be!  Bonus...it forced me to clean the area so I am a bit ahead of schedule there.

I think it is now time to start serious work on the plan. Got all this power...need to run some trains with it!

Miggy posted:

#KRM....WAIT.........WHAT???? "Wifey runs trains with you...." ( is that what you and your wife call "cooking", or, she runs TRAINS WITH YOU??.....) She sounds like a keeper, definately a keeper... <smile>  

Kyrian not only runs her "own" trains, but also helps with the building of the CL&W.  Yesterday she graduated to track bending and installing, completing "Kyrian's Curve".  And she cooks like an upscale chef!  I'm one lucky guy.

Took a few more steps forward on my Oil depot.  Originally, I laid it out flat with the lower level.  I found it really difficult to try and fit some reasonable scenery around the edges do to the space constraints.  At some point it dawned on my that if I stepped it up a bit it might look better.  Finally, this morning I tried to set it up and used some paper to simulate where the ground would be.  The cans are the oil tanks and I'm thinking the truck will come down from the upper level to load up.

Kerrigan posted:

Miggy posted:

#KRM....WAIT.........WHAT???? "Wifey runs trains with you...." ( is that what you and your wife call "cooking", or, she runs TRAINS WITH YOU??.....) She sounds like a keeper, definately a keeper... <smile>  

Kyrian not only runs her "own" trains, but also helps with the building of the CL&W.  Yesterday she graduated to track bending and installing, completing "Kyrian's Curve".  And she cooks like an upscale chef!  I'm one lucky guy.

Sounds to me like you both are lucky to have each other!!! Some of us can only wish to be that lucky!!!

Coming down the home stretch on my Lionel Dealer Display D-105.  Although it's not faithful to an original display I had some Mianne 5x9 benchwork available so used that for the framing. What to do for a control panel? Lots of discussion in previous threads about what to use with Mianne. They make a rolling cart for underneath but didn't want to go that route.

I made a simple frame and anchored it to the benchwork by adding some cut 1x4 pieces underneath. It's mounted at one corner and next will add a piece of fiberboard on top. This will hold the ZW and assorted control switches.

Well, the tour went off without a hitch. Thanks for the prayers, they seemed to have worked!

I had my camera in my pocket all afternoon, but I was so busy talking to people, I never used it. Finally, when the dust had settled, I snapped one of my crew. That's Walt on the left (he's an HO guy), Miggy (Scott) in the middle, and my brother-in-law Bob on the right. Bob is on the verge of becoming a train guy, I've been rubbing off on him. His first hobby is ham radio.

He also flies drones. We've been talking about doing a railfan project, if he can ever find the time.

Looking at the guestbook, I had around 40 visitors. It was supposed to run til 5PM, but just after 4, everyone had moved on. My crew took off, and I was just getting settled on the couch after 5, when the doorbell rang. A couple of stragglers, so I gave them the full tour.

This was really an audition for the National Narrow Gauge Convention in 2018. I think the entire committee has now been here, and were sufficiently impressed. It is still not publication worthy, but it is heading in the right direction, and it could be by convention time.

I'm whipped, we'll see if I get anything done this week. Doctor appointment Monday, Tue and Wed open, Thu maybe, Fri - Mon gone to daughter's graduation. Should be back on track after that.

Elliot, glad all went well!  Glad to see your crew!!

I have been working like a made man on the layout trying to get the trains running again. I had some track removed so I could get to the center of the layout to finish up with  some scenery. I have a group of people coming over Monday night to check out my layout. This will be my first attempt a having a group like this to see my trains. then I will be able to slow down a bit. i'm very with the way things are turning out for my first big layout. C shape 6 ft wide, 16' X 16' X 14'.  This is also my first attempt at useing this form so please give me some slack I will learn as I go, I hope.

Elliot

Sounds like you had a great turnout and now need some armchair time. In addition to crossed fingers , knock on wood ,etc, I "walked under a ladder backwards" Friday to remove the start up and run jinx from your open house running. I hope it worked --always did for me [plus clean track and smooth turnouts]!

 ,

Elliot- sound like a successful open house. Congrats!

Bob

Yesterday was rainy so my wife and I purchased these turkeys and corn stocks at York.

Decided to take them out of the package and put them on layout near our farm.

The hens are a bit hard to see as they are in the real world. look close they are there !!!

Been in York so nothing done layout wise. I got a number of things. At the top of my list was switches from Ross to lay out track both ways from the bridge I put in. So later today I can start again. But this is all I got this time around. Did not find everything from my want list but I'll look again at York in October. Came back with switches from Ross which will get me through till I figure out what other switches I will need, another Weaver TOFC which I have to change from 2 rail to three rail, two K Line cabooses, Mega Steam Eliminator, four wood chip loads from Don Kane, one for a Weaver two bay hopper and the other three for the four bays coming from Lionel. And I was lucky enough to find a person to swap two rail wheels for three rail wheels from all the Weaver two rail cars I have bought. So pics of things and the switches go to the basement layout later today.....Paul

I made some hydrocal rock castings with molds from Bragdon Enterprises.

".......Veryyyyy Interesting.......... So I dont have to use real rocks?" Thanks for sharing your technique <salute>

Mark and Paul,

Looks like you made some good purchases at York!  Glad you got to go!

Mark, The turkeys and stalks look very good in your field!!

Wired up the turnout buss to all but 6 turnouts and wired in the SC2's to 18 turnouts for LCS iPad control. Next trip will finish up these projects then it's more scenery on the west end of our layout

Are you still in SD, Matt?

Razorback Traction #72 runs a test train of acrobatic brakemen in preparation for upcoming Train Day activities as  Western Hobbycraft Johnstown car #350 trundles along the inside loop:

Chief Trolley Fender Tester and Cowcatcher Inspector Fortescue J. Gi-raffe was quoted as saying, "Wheee!" 

Mitch

Track cleaning, and smoke fluid burning.

Been working on the Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck project a lot but I finally got around to taking a video of the finished elevated reversing loop running along with the rest of the table working.

The Missouri Pacific ALCO FA-2 No. 205 A-A set is on top. The Express Santa Fe ALCO FA-2 No. 218 ABA and passenger set,, the No. 53 lumber train, a late model No. 69 maintenance car and Thomas are running on the lower level.

Still have some placement changes to do on some of the layout things but most is finished. This has been a fun project guys.