What did you do on your layout today?

                                   Santa Fe Saturday....passenger trains......

Was at a train show all day but I finally had a chance to open the package I got on Friday. New additions to the basement layout. After dinner I'll head back down to make up some supports for the two small table extensions. Pics............Paul

Nice stuff there Paul, I hope you had a good time at the train show!

Great pictures Brian, Keep them coming!

Just putting it out there, if you buy a tool and it has a guard. USE IT! LOL I learned 4 stitches later!

TedW posted:

mike g. posted:

Bruce, that looks great, may I ask where you learned to do that?

Gandy, nice looking addition to the layout!

Paul, next thing we know you will be running autos up and down your road! Looks good!

Mitch, its coming along, keep up the good work.

Ted, with the work you do, just keep the pictures coming, you have a wonderful layout there!

Thanks Mike, you’re starting to bump Mark B for that nice guy title...  

mike g. posted:

No Ted, it is everyone else on here that is nice for sharing what they do, so people like me can learn! Thank you all!

Mike,

I agree with Ted!!  You certainly appreciate all the fine work here, and those that share are really nice to us!

Bruce,  Your hard research sure shows!  That's a lot of work hand cutting the timbers.

Mitch, that is a great looking little project!

Mike, I am certainly glad it wasn't any worse than that!!  You'll be good as new soon!

I still have a scar on my thumb from my Boy Scout knife!  I learned to cut away not towards me.

Two words; sacrificial push-stick  ( )

Or is that three words? ,

This is two; "long ones"

 I've seen enough of those to have a very healthy fear of all circular saws . The worst part is waiting to get strong nails again. Get used to needing a pocket knife with a pick .

I ran trains and showed operating accesories to a young guy who was picking up an old aquarium I had. He'd seen the trains before but never knew about the accessories. He's bringing his nephew by to run them in a few days.

Other than that I just hung out......

RSJB18 posted:

p51 posted:

Got the final stuff ready for the Saturday op session, this sign is for the hardwood floor my wife protects more ferociously than many women look after kids...

As our front door is metal, it'll go up with magnets.

LOL Lee- I grew up with wood floors. Mom's rule was no shoes in the house- PERIOD!

PS- those slip on shoe protectors are a good alternative to removing your shoes.

My solution was when we remodeled our house two years ago to specify a separate outside entrance to the train room (the red door). It will be especially useful whenever i host a NMRA open house in March aka "mud season" in Upstate NY.

I finally got to work on the layout today wired up the third track and some how I messed up because I got the inside track hook up to the third track. I guess it will be back to the drawing board tomorrow. I can not wait because I wont to play trains.

mike g. posted:

Just putting it out there, if you buy a tool and it has a guard. USE IT! LOL I learned 4 stitches later!

Owie.  Funnily enough, I just finished portraying Dr. Waldman in an adaptation of "Frankenstein", and that stitching reminded me of it.

Anyone interested can hear me on the radio on Sunday, 29 October at 3PM Central time here:  http://kuaf.com

Mitch 

            about two weeks ago,  started raising the center part of the layout.....

OK, what are we doing today.....     We are going to cut all these braces out to make room for the new bottom level.......

                 Really ?    I thought we were going to run some trains.....

                     raise it up, put in a new header, then cut out all the braces.....

                              found a new great knee pad.....pink foam......

                                                   new bottom level area.....

                             knees are pretty sore working down here....

                             starting to rough in the different levels.....

     trains will be be coming up a 1% grade, the black boards on the wall.....

                                     turn here, then around the center.....

                                                   the middle level.....

Brian, you sure get a lot done! are you doing this by yourself or do you have help? Sure is a big undertaking! 

 me, my GF and pup, a couple hours a night, and soon Dad when he gets better

Looks good Brian, keep up the great work! I hope both your GF and pup get treats at the end of the night! LOL

          we all usually have some ice cream at the end of the night.....

p51 posted:

Tonight, I cleaned the track, changed the car cards to correctly reflect the purpose of the sidings. I also arranged the cars so I know where all going to wind up at. Then I placed the fake switch stands so everyone will know which turnout is which from the fascia pulls.
I think everything is ready for the op sessions on Saturday.
https://m.facebook.com/Olympia...oaders-186688141513/

I also took some shots for the heck of it:

Looks amazing Lee!

I've been working on some signals for my layout using some signal heads I got off the bay. I've made some single and double head  lights on a single pole and a few bridges for the lights.

I've also made some small brackets to attach them to the girders on my bridges.

I am trying to trigger the lights with an arduino and IR detectors and emitters but I'll be ****ed if I can get them to work or even get the code to work, If anyone knows how to do it I could sure use the help

Home from the Medina Ohio show today. Picked up a Weaver boxcar and more ballast. This afternoon going to work on the two table extensions. Pics of my buys...............Paul

                     getting ready for the race,  go " Grey Ghost"   #88

old_toymaker posted:

         

 nice signals.   can you post some more info and pictures of your bridges please.....

briansilvermustang posted:

 

            about two weeks ago,  started raising the center part of the layout.....

 

 

OK, what are we doing today.....     We are going to cut all these braces out to make room for the new bottom level.......

                 Really ?    I thought we were going to run some trains.....

Brian - it's an odyssey!  Love your helper.

 

mike g. posted:

Brian, you sure get a lot done! are you doing this by yourself or do you have help? Sure is a big undertaking! 

Remember the story of the shoemaker & the elves?

I figure with factories making shoes, they have rode that dog to Brians  because the daily progress is too large for a normal nights work; it's like magic.

Old Toymaker, those looks just great! I might have to try one day!

Brian, love the NASCAR train!

paul 2 posted:

Home from the Medina Ohio show today. Picked up a Weaver boxcar and more ballast. This afternoon going to work on the two table extensions. Pics of my buys...............Paul

Paul, I am thinking you brought some money home from York! Either that or Dad floated you an advance on your allowance! LOLGreat finds!

MIKE G, nasty slice you got. Hope it heals fast for you. I did come back from York with "a little money left" LOL. Did not go to Dad to float a loan. I got a better interest rate from the Mob LOL. Lee, that last pic was great. I made it my desk top pic. I think I am looking at the real thing. Brian, I am calling you the flash. You are moving like a Tornado, looking good. Well you think I am not working but I have been. I am waiting for the glue to set up on the wood to hold the extensions on the table. And I am proud. I measured the girder right. I knew I had to cut a bit off the foam at both ends and I painted the ends. Fits like a glove. In a bit I hope I can add screws to the wood. Pics.................Paul

I finally got around to organizing all my boxes.  Doing a major purge of the basement 

Looks good Paul! The thumb will be fine it time!  I am glad it sounds like you had a good time this weekend at the train show!

mike g. posted:

Old Toymaker, those looks just great! I might have to try one day!

Brian, love the NASCAR train!

Watching NASCAR now!  I'd like to see Bill Eliot's son win in that #24 car!!!!!!

Finished the power/common wiring for my signal control board.  Time to test......

All the board LEDs lit- Success!

Next is the detection wiring and to test some of the signals.

Got 5 trains running today Kevin 

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

While in the Philly area, I hooked up with forum member John D and we visited Henning's Trains in Lansdale!  

Mitch 

Mitch, 

I think I caught some kind of fever from you...

The young lass on the right is asking about Fortescue. Her eyes glow when I tell tales of him. 

briansilvermustang posted:

 me, my GF and pup, a couple hours a night, and soon Dad when he gets better

Brian,

I know you have a good plan, but what you are doing is almost overwhelming me.  I think I would have to see it all in person to really get a good handle on it all.  Keep on posting the photographs; and take care of your knees!!

You know Mark, Brian gets more done in a night then I do in a weekend! 

Yes, Mike!  I can see that is the case!  He has more energy than I have!!

John D. posted:

Mitch, 

I think I caught some kind of fever from you...

The young lass on the right is asking about Fortescue. Her eyes glow when I tell tales of him. 

LMAO!  I'll definitely have to bring Fortescue along, next trip. 

Mitch 

                                             moved trailers to here.....

    started demo on this wall......all this needs to come down for the expansion....

                                                     inspector approved....

Brian, I'm glad the inspector approved.  There is nothing that can hold up a project more than having to rework for a stubborn inspector!

Brian, I agree with Mark, that inspectors can be a pain! I would have to say Brian you must have a master plan somewhere at the rate your moving! I am glad I try to check in daily as it could take awhile to catch up with you again!

I still have some engines that have batteries in them.  So I made sure they got a good run to charge them up before we leave for Florida.  Doing this I haven't lost one yet.  Matter of fact, this is a fun job.

Dennis

BIGBOY4005 (Elliot) and Brian amaze me with the speed that they are building their layouts. If the two of them teamed up together and could go back in time they could of built the Trans Continental Railroad in a week. Today after getting leaves ready for leaf pickup I got my wood painted for the extension of the table. While that was drying I planted some more prairie grass around. Also my Ross switches came today so that will be another area I can now start working on. Pics...............Paul

paul 2 posted:

BIGBOY4005 (Elliot) and Brian amaze me with the speed that they are building their layouts. If the two of them teamed up together and could go back in time they could of built the Trans Continental Railroad in a week. Today after getting leaves ready for leaf pickup I got my wood painted for the extension of the table. While that was drying I planted some more prairie grass around. Also my Ross switches came today so that will be another area I can now start working on. Pics...............Paul

Nice Paul! Just wondering does Ross switches match up with ScaleTrak?