What did you do on your layout today?

Miggy posted:

going to need more track, definitely... definitely going to need more track .... from carpet to corner.... gotta try making scenery, mountain, tunnel, elevated like New Stillwater bridge, lights, grandkids, painting.... gonna need more track, definitely definitely. 

Miggy, If I may, permit me to advise you. I'd get the platform off that (temporary?) support, especially that stack of storage boxes, as soon as possible. Build yourself a sturdy support of 2x4 frames and legs, like this, shown here, which can help prevent catastrophes in the near or distant future...and costs next-to-nothing...IMHO...

Finally working on the waterfront area I had this K-Line bridge pier I wanted to incorporate into the layout more work to come

Ran trains first thing this morning for about 45 minutes!  Just sat there and watched my railroad in action and enjoyed every moment!!!   Here's a view from my seat!

fl9turbo2 posted:

Finally working on the waterfront area I had this K-Line bridge pier I wanted to incorporate into the layout more work to come

That's going to look really good when finished.

##MOONSON thanks for your comment. You are correct, i do not want temporary to become permenant... lol. "Hi, My name is Frank and I am a train addict, and I need to make it strong and secure...as long as I am at this" <salute>

Quick Quesiton: Why- "Funny how the different scales sizes look when photographed: F3 looks larger than the steamer, Baby Ruth looks like Mini on the F3, but correct size with the steamer, i have soo much to learn. 

Thank You my fellow train folks... You too Mentor Elliot, ElI, Mitch and Mike... <salute> to Gi-Raffe

Miggy posted:

Quick Quesiton: Why- "Funny how the different scales sizes look when photographed: F3 looks larger than the steamer, Baby Ruth looks like Mini on the F3, but correct size with the steamer, i have soo much to learn.

Scale versus gauge is a fascinating subject.  As I've mentioned elsewhere,  my hypothesis is that the original 1.25" gauge was used for ease of production measurement,  and the original 1/48 scale was used for ease of scaling down. 

Ever wonder why so many European diecast cars are 1/43 scale?  Because 1.25" gauge track scales out to 4' 8 1/2" gauge in 1/43 scale, also known as 17/64" scale. 

Add 27" diameter curves and equipment that is scaled down (nearly to S scale's 1/64 ) to use that sharper curve, and all sorts of fun ensues.    

As a side note, 1/48 scale streetcars generally use a 24" diameter curve, so O27 isn't that far off. 

Incidentally, Matchbox,  Hot Wheels and Model Motoring-Thunderjet-A/FX et cetera slot cars are scaled more-or-less to 1/64 scale...

Mitch

Today I finished off the aft bridge deck.

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Miggy posted:

Quick Quesiton: Why- "Funny how the different scales sizes look when photographed: F3 looks larger than the steamer, Baby Ruth looks like Mini on the F3, but correct size with the steamer, i have soo much to learn.

Scale versus gauge is a fascinating subject.  As I've mentioned elsewhere,  my hypothesis is that the original 1.25" gauge was used for ease of production measurement,  and the original 1/48 scale was used for ease of scaling down. 

Ever wonder why so many European diecast cars are 1/43 scale?  Because 1.25" gauge track scales out to 4' 8 1/2" gauge in 1/43 scale, also known as 17/64" scale. 

Add 27" diameter curves and equipment that is scaled down (nearly to S scale's 1/64 ) to use that sharper curve, and all sorts of fun ensues.    

As a side note, 1/48 scale streetcars generally use a 24" diameter curve, so O27 isn't that far off. 

Incidentally, Matchbox,  Hot Wheels and Model Motoring-Thunderjet-A/FX et cetera slot cars are scaled more-or-less to 1/64 scale...

Mitch

Thank you Professor Marmel. Will the exam be open book ?

suzukovich posted:

fl9turbo2 posted:

Finally working on the waterfront area I had this K-Line bridge pier I wanted to incorporate into the layout more work to come

That's going to look really good when finished.

thanks there is more to come

MaxSouthOz posted:

Today I finished off the aft bridge deck.

It's ready for mounting on the funnels.

I managed to save the mast, but that was all; and even then it took a deal of Plastibond and sand paper.  The cross arms are brass - as are the antennae and the flagstaff.  The water canons came from www.floataboat.com.au - as did the stanchions.

Looks great Max. I see plastic tubing below the water cannons. Are you going to make them operable? Would be quite a surprise to curious onlookers.

Bob

RSJB18 posted:

Thank you Professor Marmel. Will the exam be open book ?

Yes.  And you get extra points for mentioning gi-raffes. 

Professor Mitch

RSJB18 posted:

MaxSouthOz posted:

Today I finished off the aft bridge deck.

It's ready for mounting on the funnels.

I managed to save the mast, but that was all; and even then it took a deal of Plastibond and sand paper.  The cross arms are brass - as are the antennae and the flagstaff.  The water canons came from www.floataboat.com.au - as did the stanchions.

Looks great Max. I see plastic tubing below the water cannons. Are you going to make them operable? Would be quite a surprise to curious onlookers.

Bob

Max nice rebuild.   I agree with bob functioning water cannon would be a nice touch and provide plenty of amusement.  

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Miggy posted:

Quick Quesiton: Why- "Funny how the different scales sizes look when photographed: F3 looks larger than the steamer, Baby Ruth looks like Mini on the F3, but correct size with the steamer, i have soo much to learn.

Scale versus gauge is a fascinating subject.  As I've mentioned elsewhere,  my hypothesis is that the original 1.25" gauge was used for ease of production measurement,  and the original 1/48 scale was used for ease of scaling down. 

Ever wonder why so many European diecast cars are 1/43 scale?  Because 1.25" gauge track scales out to 4' 8 1/2" gauge in 1/43 scale, also known as 17/64" scale. 

Add 27" diameter curves and equipment that is scaled down (nearly to S scale's 1/64 ) to use that sharper curve, and all sorts of fun ensues.    

As a side note, 1/48 scale streetcars generally use a 24" diameter curve, so O27 isn't that far off. 

Incidentally, Matchbox,  Hot Wheels and Model Motoring-Thunderjet-A/FX et cetera slot cars are scaled more-or-less to 1/64 scale...

Mitch

Cool info. But open book or not Thought school was out. Now  I find out there is another test. Oh well its Monday and what else is new!!!!. 

Successfully upgraded 2 TIUs and 2 remotes to Version 6! Downloaded and installed the MTH DCS WiFi app to my iPad. Now to try it out!

Chris

LVHR

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Miggy posted:

Quick Quesiton: Why- "Funny how the different scales sizes look when photographed: F3 looks larger than the steamer, Baby Ruth looks like Mini on the F3, but correct size with the steamer, i have soo much to learn.

Scale versus gauge is a fascinating subject.  As I've mentioned elsewhere,  my hypothesis is that the original 1.25" gauge was used for ease of production measurement,  and the original 1/48 scale was used for ease of scaling down. 

Ever wonder why so many European diecast cars are 1/43 scale?  Because 1.25" gauge track scales out to 4' 8 1/2" gauge in 1/43 scale, also known as 17/64" scale. 

Add 27" diameter curves and equipment that is scaled down (nearly to S scale's 1/64 ) to use that sharper curve, and all sorts of fun ensues.    

As a side note, 1/48 scale streetcars generally use a 24" diameter curve, so O27 isn't that far off. 

Incidentally, Matchbox,  Hot Wheels and Model Motoring-Thunderjet-A/FX et cetera slot cars are scaled more-or-less to 1/64 scale...

Mitch

Frank,

Mitch gave a good review!!  I had to learn all this too after switching to O gauge 5 years ago after having HO and N scale trains since the late '60s.  I was used to everything in HO being roughly 1:87 and N being roughly 1:160.  After buying a few O gauge trains I started to see what you are observing.  Personally I like scale size, or roughly scale; I'm certainly no rivet counter or get out my ruler every time I buy something.  Over time, I have sold most of the cars and engines that didn't look right with the bulk of what I have.  I do have 3 post-war sets I won't give up, and I run them separately from the scale trains, so it all works out.  I recently bought a boxcar off a forum or Facebook group member that I expected to be scale, but it isn't.  Well, I may sell it, or I may just put it with the post-war, or just look at it on the shelf.  No big deal.

I think the main idea is, don't beat yourself up if you buy something, then realize it isn't what you thought it is.  There is always some other guy out there who will snatch it up if you put it up for sale.  I don't drop big money (for me big money is $400) on a locomotive unless I know just what I am getting.  Most of what I have is used.

I love your comments, and keep the attitude that everyone here is happy to help, because we know O gauge can be a confusing gauge to the newcomer.

Mark Boyce posted:

Mitch gave a good review!!

Thankee! 

I had to learn all this too after switching to O gauge 5 years ago after having HO and N scale trains since the late '60s.  I was used to everything in HO being roughly 1:87 and N being roughly 1:160.

HO is another case of gauge driving scale.  European manufacturers came up with the 16.5mm gauge and then scaled things around it, which resulted in a 1/87 scale for HO (roughly half the size of 1/43)  and 1/76 scale for OO (which gives you the 4' 8 1/2" gauge on the 16.5mm track)...

N scale is named after the gauge of the track (9mm). 

I love your comments, and keep the attitude that everyone here is happy to help, because we know O gauge can be a confusing gauge to the newcomer.

Hear hear!

Mitch

##Mark  yup, this is quite a great bunch of folks here. Knowledgeable/Diverse/helpful/ and.. well... Gi-Raffes as well. I cant wait to get a reliable oval, and see if I can get some smoke out of my $300 rebuild that still dont run... haha. ok, I am over that mistake, -- (not really) still bitter a little, teeny tiny bit (ok, with Mitch's and others guidance, I am gonna scrounge that p.o.s. $300 rebuilt, and FIX two others) Yup Yup, that's the ticket, <<<<GI-Raffe sez, Google Rebuild Smoke Chamber, Post war, not pellets, liquid>>>> Ah, increase resistance, = more smoke... muh-haaaa

Yes Mitch a word problem would be good for extra  credit. If a train is traveling at approximately 25 smph for 25 minutes then how long would it take to build a 1:48 scale Gi-raffle while balancing on one foot

Bob

Since hosting my Tuesday night group for the first time I have not done much of anything except run trains off and on. Tomorrow though I have to crack the whip and get the last two partial walls cut up and out for the garbage. I did go to Scenic express over the weekend with their special deal and ordered some paints to color the stream bottoms before adding the water and also found some ground cover on their site that I am going to try. Got to get some momentum going again............Paul

fl9turbo2 posted:

Finally working on the waterfront area I had this K-Line bridge pier I wanted to incorporate into the layout more work to come

That bridge pier and rock formation is just stunning - really great work! I hope one day to get to the point of making something like that. Must feel good when you're done...but just as good while making it

George

BTW, is that a pair of legs sitting on top of the abutment??????

GeoPeg posted:

fl9turbo2 posted:

Finally working on the waterfront area I had this K-Line bridge pier I wanted to incorporate into the layout more work to come

That bridge pier and rock formation is just stunning - really great work! I hope one day to get to the point of making something like that. Must feel good when you're done...but just as good while making it

George

thanks I had fun making this but It took me a year of procrastination  before I got to work on it I have to finsh the rock formation in the back and under the bridge pier then we can add the water  

The final thing I did last nite before turning in was to run trains.  Upon waking this morning, the first thing I did was to shower and then run trains for about 40 minutes.   One of my students and his mom came to see my layout today and they were dazzled!!!  Always great to share the fun!!!  

Thanks, guys.

Yes.  They will operate.  I have a six litres/minute pump mounted in the hull for that purpose.  I should be able to hose down onlookers from some distance. 

6L/min!!! Someone is really going to get soaked!

Chris LVHR

I'm going to put in a bypass with a tap to control it; and I may need to take the nozzles out of the ends of the canon barrels, but I'm really going for a big arc.  

I ran a passenger train through both ends of the layout with my godson. It's the first time any kid ever ran a train on my layout. He did a really good job, too. I was very impressed. I didn't take any photographs of that, cuz I wasn't too sure how his mom would take that if I posted it somewhere. That, and I didn't have my cell phone on me. I do wish I'd had it on me that I could have taken a photo of that.

Then after they left, I acknowledge Memorial Day by Taking My World War II Jeep out for a spin through town. Got a lot of waves and high-fives along the way!

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Mitch gave a good review!!

Thankee! 

I had to learn all this too after switching to O gauge 5 years ago after having HO and N scale trains since the late '60s.  I was used to everything in HO being roughly 1:87 and N being roughly 1:160.

HO is another case of gauge driving scale.  European manufacturers came up with the 16.5mm gauge and then scaled things around it, which resulted in a 1/87 scale for HO (roughly half the size of 1/43)  and 1/76 scale for OO (which gives you the 4' 8 1/2" gauge on the 16.5mm track)...

N scale is named after the gauge of the track (9mm). 

I love your comments, and keep the attitude that everyone here is happy to help, because we know O gauge can be a confusing gauge to the newcomer.

Hear hear!

Mitch

Mitch because I  have a rather large collection of 1/43 European Trucks  ( 50s thru 70s ) I can tell you that even between the European Companies( Minichamps, Schuco , IXO ) there are differences. Minichamps buses and trucks are true 1/43 where as Schuco seams to be a mix. The buses and cars match with Minchamps while the trucks seam closer to 1/50. IXO also has that same issue. I did a check on my Schuco and found they were actually 1/48. Corgi is in the same boat as I have 1/50 bought while I was in England. but have a very rare late 90s Man Aral Tanker( Promotional ) that came out to 1/48. I figure the issue is the units of measure used. The UK uses inches while the German companies seam to use both Metric and Inches. The trucks that came out to 1/48 were 1/43 in metric. You also need to remember that the metric standard was not adopted  or fully implemented by the EU until the late 90s. almost six years after the German reunification. You see that also with MTH European line. Another thing you see are trucks and cars starting from 1/43, 1/50, 1/55, unmarked (generally 1/60 - 1/64), and HO.  Although O scale, they are 1/43.5 in scale. I real sure our European brothers have the same issues that we do. Another reason HO is popular as 1/87 is the standard world wide.

MaxSouthOz posted:

I'm going to put in a bypass with a tap to control it; and I may need to take the nozzles out of the ends of the canon barrels, but I'm really going for a big arc.  

Max thinking about it besides the amusement option but also a from a safety aspect. You are probably the only one that has a Layout with built in fire suppression capability.  

Ha Ha.  Yes.  Probably not much use on the layout, but I will be able to fight fires on boats down at the pond. 

I've been wanting to update the progress on our club layout for quite awhile but it's such a mess that good photos are almost impossible. A member from SC visited today and wanted to see the progress. I received a 'new' Lionel AT&SF E6 from LOS recently and decided to unbox it and try for a few pics.

Hopefully, you can get an idea of where we are in construction. The murals are almost complete and some scenery is well underway. Much of the track is ballasted and most has been weathered. We are striving to be open soon to the guests at our landlord's Vacation Rental complex.

Much to do!      Any of you guys who live in our region are more than welcome to visit and lend a hand if you'd like.

Composed and shot some photos for Team Track Tuesday thread.  Here's one of the 14 shots. 

me and my son in law Justin ran trains for a while and my 2 year old grand son just loved the trains. I have more fun with my grand children on my layout. Ellie who is now 8 years old started doing scenery on the layout 2 years ago. I have many wonderful complaments on her work. Justin is a great help working on the wiring under the layout. We are having a problem with the wiring that is very hard to explain. We use all MTH system including wifi. there are times that when you blow the whistle it will continual to blow. this can happen any place on the layout. Another problem is that any engine will not read into the remote. Can not start the engine it say engine not on track and we just got finished running it. This will also happen any place on the layout. I'm going crazy tring to figure this out. I'm to the point of rewiring all the track leads and that will be a major job i'm wondering if I have part of the control system going bad or what. Is there any body that can help.

Thanks

Carl

I had a 4 day weekend due to the holiday. This gave me some time to work on some projects I've been too busy to get to. The first was my UFO. I completed my flying saucer model. I added blue lights to the saucer using reel tape LEDs. I put a red LED in the cockpit. I used twisted pair magnet wire I got from Evans Supply to wire the LEDs. I attached the wire to the base of the saucer and then ran it through a hole I drilled in the dome. The saucer hangs from the wire which is fed by 12VDC. . The wire is very thin and doesn't show much. I plan to hang the UFO from the ceiling at the train club.

I also started mounting the military vehicles to my Menards flat cars.

Sam, 

Both the Santa Fe and the layout are looking great!!  You folks sure have accomplished a lot!!

Worked on some fence for the cow pasture last night, made the fence posts and strung them with Berkshire elastic String Line. Looking forward to making the gates tonight, I'm probably getting the fence installed then too.

trumptrain posted:

Composed and shot some photos for Team Track Tuesday thread.  Here's one of the 14 shots. 

Looking good Patrick!

Yet another corner of the layout  that needed *something*.  Voila:

Before:

During:

After"

This part of town is shaping up:

Pat Kn. Out of this World, Flying Saucers, Really Cool...WOW...I am simply Amazed..

RalphM, ---Yov've Cornerd the Market!! Before--So So---After, a Really Nice Scene..

P51, You've Fenced us in, just kidding, neat Way to make fencing... Your Art is simply Super..Congratulations on your Accomplishments...

OK...not a layout item....but I have told myself my garage remodel MUST be finished before more work on the layout.....so finishing this will enable me to do train work......a roundabout way to get to train work......but I have too many projects...need to finish some!!! Automotive work station in my garage reset......