What did you do on your layout today?

For the past hour or so I've been meditating on some of the very profound statements expressed above, about creativity, the inner child, etc. These themes are universal and I wonder about the future of our hobby.

About one week ago I saw on YouTube an enormous HO display in Europe. I think it was described as the largest in the world. During the first 5 minutes of the video, there were hardly any trains; there was a model airport and highways with model cars moving down the highway. Later in the video which was about 1 hour long, there were many model trains with very realistic structures and scenery.

For us, trains bring back fond memories and there is something very romantic about them. They are awesome, historic, connect us to each other and to our past lives.  Some of the very same trains we run today were purchased, handled and admired by those beloved who are now gone. This makes some of our trains priceless to us. Also, we see beauty in a long string of coal hoppers or oil tanker cars, which are things that most people would say are devoid of beauty. 

However, there are many millions of people, especially young techy adults, for whom trains and model trains are meaningless; they see nothing special about them at all.

I wonder if layouts like the massive European layout where the trains are very secondary might be a future trend. Techy young adults may connect with their inner child by creating something entirely different than model trains. The imagination is limitless as to what they may decide to create in the future. It would be nice if there was at least one train in whatever they create.

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

For the past hour or so I've been meditating on some of the very profound statements expressed above, about creativity, the inner child, etc. These themes are universal and I wonder about the future of our hobby.

About one week ago I saw on YouTube an enormous HO display in Europe. I think it was described as the largest in the world. During the first 5 minutes of the video, there were hardly any trains; there was a model airport and highways with model cars moving down the highway. Later in the video which was about 1 hour long, there were many model trains with very realistic structures and scenery.

For us, trains bring back fond memories and there is something very romantic about them. They are awesome, historic, connect us to each other and to our past lives.  Some of the very same trains we run today were purchased, handled and admired by those beloved who are now gone. This makes some of our trains priceless to us. Also, we see beauty in a long string of coal hoppers or oil tanker cars, which are things that most people would say are devoid of beauty. 

However, there are many millions of people, especially young techy adults, for whom trains and model trains are meaningless; they see nothing special about them at all.

I wonder if layouts like the massive European layout where the trains are very secondary might be a future trend. Techy young adults may connect with their inner child by creating something entirely different than model trains. The imagination is limitless as to what they may decide to create in the future. It would be nice if there was at least one train in whatever they create.

 

That layout is one of the largest in the world and I believe holds the Guinness World Record for Largest HO scale airport. 

I agree many people of my generation could care less about trains. I almost lost interest myself but a job at a train shop saved it. Can't wait to see what little creativity I have can do with an 8x14 space. I have a track plan already, now to shell out the money for 0-81 curves haha.

Did a bit of tinkering today...

The Trainpod Mark II is a converted end frame from, I think, a hopper car.  It will be adapted to use micro cameras not having the screw base... 

Or even big cameras.  Maybe.  

My 1668 had a loose driver, but Loctite is like Brylcreem:  A little dab'll do ya! 

Mitch 

Arnold, You kinda left us hanging on exactly what it is about the hobby you wonder about...or I just plain missed catching it (no sleep for three days now, arg!). IMO the train hobby will fade, but never die. Folks are still building sailing ships in bottles today too Just fewer folks.

   The modeling of scenery more than modeling the actual trains is nothing suprising either. I used to compete in diorama contests in the 70s. I can't recall a single RR theme from back then either. My point being the diorama aspect exists outside of trains too. Plastic kit modelers do a lot of dioramas as well as some dollhouse folks too. The scale RR folks tend to like the most realistic look achievable and that just layout didn't go overboard with track as most of us do. It is very proportional to what you'd likely see in real life imo. For "Jr scales", I kinda expect that need for accuracy first and foremost.

 My Gramps used to be very specific about calling himself an operator and collector, even when he was "all about scale". He didn't create the models he ran, a train modeler created them, and he collected and ran the copies. Credit due is credit due, and he felt he deserved none except for the scenery. Modeling credit was reserved for he REAL train modelers.

  So, nothing new, or wrong with that huge German layout imo....But mostly because it's their railroad, not mine... thank God; not a sigle operating car (or pet ) in sight   ...but cool none the less  Especially the operating traffic.

          sore knees from raking leaves after work,  needed just a"fun"night....

an eastbound freight rolls by while a passenger train makes it's morning stop at the station

                                      dancing ?   not with these knees.....

                                          those were the good ole days.....

                                  time to head out...gonna grab  the sleeping car!

Looking good Brian!

Thanks Bob !

Nice work there Brian! One thing I did notice, your black car is missing the WHITE walls on then rear! LOL

thanks Mike, was havin' fun tinkering around....

they are hidden by the fender skirts....had a "49 merc years ago...  sure miss that car...

Brian,

Looks great!!  I hear you about the knees!  I'm struggling this week!  All I did was rake leaves several hours Thursday and Friday and crawl around on the floor looking for train boxes Saturday!  I just don't understand it!  I used to be able to do that, no sweat!!  LOL

thanks Mark !  they didn't bother me to bad while I was outside raking, but boy after I came in, WOW, no crawling around for me !  coming down the stairs and getting to work was real fun today, driving  5 speed stick....yee ha.....

Ouch!  At least my worse knee is the left, and I drive an automatic! I'm only 61.  My knees should give me another 40,000 miles!!  LOL

all thru the 80's and 90's, racing motocross and parachuting,  broken ankle, wrist, and

hand, torn ACL's and malicious membrane, guess it's all catching up  

          at 53, hope I still have another 40,000 miles... got alot of train work ahead...

You only need that clutch for first gear really. If you disconnect the clutch lock out for the starter, you might not need one at all. Ask my left meniscus how I know that I was mostly driving a vintage crashbox, column mount, 3speed at the time too; talk about a need for timing and coordination. I had four vehicles too, not one an automatic.

It's all about waiting waiting for motor rpm to match the gearbox rpm for a gear. At that moment, you can pull into a gear no issue; same as you can push it out of gear easily at some fine point between acceleration and deceleration.

My knees aren't failing because of having fun, mine are from years of crawling around on hard floors even using knee pads and from arthritis.  A coworker once told me I do it wrong.  I always get hurt working, never having fun!

Brian, you never lived in L.P. Mi. did you? Over time, you've mentioned some things that closely mirror a Brian I knew as a kid... the only other family I knew of with more than one Lionel, and I think they moved to Ohio too. The motorcross was just a bit too much, he had trophies everywhere for BMX before BMX was even "cool", and later, when older, took up motorcross for surge, so I had to ask. 

Although I havent slept in days (Sat afternoon) I promise it's mostly Android glitches behind my typos today, and I'm done trying to fight it.

... ("for sure"not "for surge").

                                           yes, I sure had fun hurting myself.....

no,  grew up in Genoa, Oh.   late 90's lived in Ottawa Lake Mi,  then Blissfield, Mi.

      now back in Ohio....      go Browns  LOL

Last night while the wife was watching the Cavs I went down and did some work on the next table. Because of how I want to do it it is taking time to cut all the pieces. I would of started early this morning but after catching up with what Elliot and Brian are doing it makes me want to go back to bed and sleep LOL. Just kidding you two. I am trying to make your exuberance rub off on me. When the two of you are done you are both going to have great layouts. So today I got a few more pieces done. While waiting for the glue to dry on one piece so I can screw it together I decided to paint the bridge abutments with the paint I mixed up for the brick walls for the city. Then I actually found a bottle of aged concrete so I painted the Styrofoam around the abutments. Breaking for lunch then going back to finishing the table. I would like some input. Should I leave the abutments that came with the Lionel bridge the color they are or should I paint then the color I have been painting the other bricks. Pics... Thanks Paul 

looking great Paul !!

paul 2 posted:

Last night while the wife was watching the Cavs I went down and did some work on the next table. Because of how I want to do it it is taking time to cut all the pieces. I would of started early this morning but after catching up with what Elliot and Brian are doing it makes me want to go back to bed and sleep LOL. Just kidding you two. I am trying to make your exuberance rub off on me. When the two of you are done you are both going to have great layouts. So today I got a few more pieces done. While waiting for the glue to dry on one piece so I can screw it together I decided to paint the bridge abutments with the paint I mixed up for the brick walls for the city. Then I actually found a bottle of aged concrete so I painted the Styrofoam around the abutments. Breaking for lunch then going back to finishing the table. I would like some input. Should I leave the abutments that came with the Lionel bridge the color they are or should I paint then the color I have been painting the other bricks. Pics... Thanks Paul 

MHO - Match them, give them the same appearance.   They both were part of the same bridge construction. 

Dave

  Ha! I was born here, went to Vermillion, Twinsburg, and Canton Ohio the longest, then moved back here, and as luck would have it, the old house was for sale again! So we moved right back where we started.

   Turbulent times forced it though. A neighbors mate was a victim at Kent State and we ALL ended up leaving after local cop harrasment of those "hippies" got too disturbing.

    I could tell you'd spent some time here. Some Mich. details were too good for a short visit. I was never a big Lions fan, more of a "Gnome Enthusiast" (another  Clutch song ) for a long while. I was more into college sports and hockey.... now I mostly yawn at any game. I didn't even know they retired the Gremlin (aka Brownie) till kinda recently...Hey, is resemblance why you got Izzy? Are you trying to use her to get into the games for free?  ....

 My fav. memories of Oh hi ya, includes watching Erie carbodies moving alongside us at the same speed for miles on end while on the lakeside highway (before we used the pike)...All the greenery and shale rock/creek beds in the Cuyahoga Valley, and catching a  FAT monster of a smallmouth at Wolf Run Park. Only an ounce or so shy of the Oh. weight record, but a good 2 inches shorter. DNR was more excited than I was; It was fat on crayfish, must have had 8-10 in him that day. Muskee and Northern Pike are bigger and harder to land both, so I just wanted him to leave me alone so I could catch more dinner . I'm too shy to give speeches and interviews; stage fright actually. I ran stage and spotlights, and only found out about my stage fright while accepting an award for my light work. An awkward time and place to find that out eh? ROTFL at my Silent-Bob-self again

  I miss Ohio tons, but not getting cut off on the highway. That's about the only problem the state has really; folks think blind spots are a myth, lol. I'd rather drive in Boston or Chicago 5-6pm,...or even Florida coasts on a Sunday morning!  I've only been in Ohio's ditches,  3 times as passenger, twice as driver. Maybe they targeted our old blue colored licence plates; I don't know.

DARLANDER (Dave), I took your advice. First I got the last piece glued and clamped in. Once the glue dries I add screws. So while that was drying I painted the Lionel abutments. Now they are all the same color. After dinner I'll measure for the plywood and start cutting it. Pics.............Paul

Cleaned up an ran my Lionel 2353 with a Train Sounds boxcar, some 6464 sized REA and BX boxcars for REA service, and 3 6400 O27 ATSF passenger cars.  It is my version of a very late that is 1960's FAST MAIL.  Need to find my O27 flats with REA trailers for it.

Worked on a few retaining walls and a tunnel entrance.

Chief Bob (Retired)

Got 30 feet of sub roadbed installed.  Got some of my Gargraves track out and just set it in place.....getting excited to run some trains!   My MTH PRR 2-10-4 has only run back and forth on the straights on the  old O-36 layout. 

PUFFERBELLY, walls and tunnel are coming out great........Paul

Busy, busy day Tuesday! I spent 11 hours working on a wide variety of projects. I started with some 450 signal bridges I recently picked on the bay. I removed all the signal heads, and I'll be cutting one of them in half and splicing it to a full bridge to make a 3 track span.

I soldered all the wires onto those last few signals I made the other day.

I spackled the screw holes and seam on this little section of backdrop, to get ready for priming and painting. I also added my engine track for the Midway Intermodal facility.

If you look closely, I drew a red line and a red circle. The line shows where I moved the helix turnout control panel from up high to tucked into the lower deck. Then I raised the Prescott panel, and got it secured to the top of the benchwork. Now both panels are in their final locations, making room for backdrop and fascia. Once JMRI is up and running both panels will be removed. I also spent a couple hours pulling all my tie wraps tight on all the wires in this area, and generally tidying up my wires.

Patrick and I put this platform up last year. A turntable and roundhouse go up here, otherwise the middle of the helix is a big waste of space. Beside, I've had both pieces laying around for the last 25 years. More leftovers.

The turntable is a 24" Bowser.

The roundhouse is an old Korber. One of the side walls had broken off, so I glued it back together. It's not perfect, but nobody is going to get close to it anyway.

I took the sheet of buffalo board that will go on top of the plywood, and proceeded to try and remember high school geometry.

Armed with my tape measure, my trusty straight edge / compass ( a 6' piece of perforated metal strap) and a black Sharpie, I laid out the center of the turntable and the proper position for the roundhouse.

Then I cut out the opening. The hole in the plywood deck will be round.

There is a very good chance that all of the backdrop, fascia, benchwork and track will be done by the end of the year!

Brian, sure sound like you had a blast growing up! Oh but to be young again! But now your having a different kind of fun, one that most of the time doesn't hurt! Keep up the great work!

Paul, things are looking really nice! I think the paint came out looking just right IMO! When you get a chance can you take a pic with a wider view?

                                              knees : 1            trains : 0         

                                       have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone !!

Played golf yesterday Sunny and 55 degrees works for me.

Ran trains before work today.

Paul, Elliot, Brian- great stuff. Pufferbelly- the walls and tunnels look good. AMCdave- you'll be running trains before you know it.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.  Beware the food coma

Bob

Worked on the latest iteration of the TrainPod™ concept!   

Details here:

https://ogrforum.com/...ch-trainpod-mark-iii

Mitch 

Today is train run day....

Clem 

briansilvermustang posted:

                                              knees : 1            trains : 0         

                                       have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone !!

To bad Rocky did not order FP45's.

Wow, so many people were so busy yesterday on layouts!  Paul, Chief Bob, Dave, Elliot, Brian, Mitch, all great stuff!!

Specificly, Paul and Chief Bob, the piers and retaining walls look great!  Yes similar colors for work done at the same time is most effective!

Elliot, the turntable and roundhouse area is going to look great!  What a great location on top of the helix!!  I don't remember you mentioning that before since you are modeling the decidedly diesel era!  Are you going to use the roundhouse and turntable for diesels or do you have some steam you are going to run?

Thanks guys for the compliments. MIKE G, before I start working on the layout again I put the bridge in place and took pics. What I may or may not try is a black wash on the Lionel bridge abutments to get a little more detail. Sometimes when you want to take it a better it may not work................Paul

clem k posted:

Today is train run day....

Clem 

looks good Paul !   how do you like the Lionel bridge ?  how much walk through room does that give you ?  thanks, brian

paul 2 posted:

Thanks guys for the compliments. MIKE G, before I start working on the layout again I put the bridge in place and took pics. What I may or may not try is a black wash on the Lionel bridge abutments to get a little more detail. Sometimes when you want to take it a better it may not work................Paul

 

That sure looks great Paul, you have put a lot in a small area! As far as black washing it, remember you can always repaint it if you don't like it. I think it would match the other ones though!

I agree with the black wash.  That would make it look like it has been there for a while.  As Mike said, if you don't like it do it over.