What did you do on your layout today?

Congrats on the article and videos Lee. I can recall each of your posts on the Forum as I was watching the video. The cow pies in the pasture made me laugh

Bob

Pat Kn posted:

My club had an unfortunate event at this year's Holiday Open House. I was running trains and one of our guests said to me: "Excuse me, I think one of your trains is on fire". I looked over and I saw smoke coming up behind the circus tent. I said "You're right" and shut down power to the whole layout until I discovered the cause. 

We has the polar express running on a small loop around our city scene. This loop is powered by an old ZW transformer. The polar express must have derailed behind the circus tent where I can't see it. The ZW's circuit breaker, as I just discovered, did not work. The car heated up and broke out in flames and the plastic caught fire. We put it out quickly and got everything running again minus one Polar Express Car. We are now in the market for an additional car for our set and a circuit breaker for the ZW. A little excitement but no real damage, except for the car. It could have been worse.

Wow, Pat. So glad the damage was limited to the one car and no one was injured. I use a pair of old Post War ZW's to power my layout - I used Jim Barrett's Backshop Video (vol. 8) to add fast acting circuit breakers to protect my trains, and they have saved my bacon several times already. I believe that individual segments of the videos are available online, just don't remember where. 

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

J,

   I am building the Donovan's Reef Bar Top layout right now,  construction is coming along nicely, the front lower level will feature the Bar as a big Train Tunnel when completed.  

PCRR/Dave

Testing of the Bar Top Layout completed yesterday about 2:00 AM in the morning.

Where are you going to put the kegerator ?

All kidding aside, everything is coming together nicely. Maybe one day I can do the same with my basement.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

J,

   I am building the Donovan's Reef Bar Top layout right now,  construction is coming along nicely, the front lower level will feature the Bar as a big Train Tunnel when completed.  

PCRR/Dave

Testing of the Bar Top Layout completed yesterday about 2:00 AM in the morning.

Looking great, Dave, but 2:00 AM!!! That begs the question - was the bar open???   

You know Dave you and Lee do look a little a like! LOL

mike g. posted:

You know Dave you and Lee do look a little a like! LOL

Good point Mike, but I think the Fastrack is a dead giveaway!!!

Pat Kn posted:

My club had an unfortunate event at this year's Holiday Open House. I was running trains and one of our guests said to me: "Excuse me, I think one of your trains is on fire". I looked over and I saw smoke coming up behind the circus tent. I said "You're right" and shut down power to the whole layout until I discovered the cause. 

We has the polar express running on a small loop around our city scene. This loop is powered by an old ZW transformer. The polar express must have derailed behind the circus tent where I can't see it. The ZW's circuit breaker, as I just discovered, did not work. The car heated up and broke out in flames and the plastic caught fire. We put it out quickly and got everything running again minus one Polar Express Car. We are now in the market for an additional car for our set and a circuit breaker for the ZW. A little excitement but no real damage, except for the car. It could have been worse.

 I see a big trolley bashing oplrtunity

But then again, I'm sort of infatuated with my own lately....

modeltrainsparts posted:

Mitch, or just leave the roof off, and put a giraffe on it

Always a valid option!   

Mitch

645 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Santa Fe VA posted:

Our cat decided to play in the tunnels this weekend and jumped into the hollow part of the wall and got stuck.   The track is elevated 32" above the floor.   Made for an exciting rescue and one very frightened cat. 

What is it with cats and tunnels?? Do they think there are mice in those arched holes in the walls like on the cartoons?!  LOL

I’ll bet that was a rescue mission you may like to forget!!

Santa Fe VA:  I have to ask - how many scratches did you get during the rescue operation? 

Sounds like the rescue wa a success then and hopefully Mr. Cat (or is it Mrs.?) has learned a lesson here... 

Thanks all for your concern about the cat.   He's 9 months old and very curious.   Doesn't care for the trains or smoke but he enjoyed those tunnels.   I guess the temptation to jump down to the floor between the walls was too hard to resist.    I was starting to cut through the drywall to make an escape hatch for him but he decided to jump back up to the track and exit the way he came.   

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

modeltrainsparts posted:

Mitch, or just leave the roof off, and put a giraffe on it

Always a valid option!   

Mitch

I am sure that your fussy shop steward would file a grievance with OSHA for unnecessarily exposing the Gi-raff Staff to carcinogens. This would inevitably lead to a general walk out led by Fortesque. A complete rebuild with removal of all damaged materials is the only way to go.

some recent updates and a strange discovery.

Terry, the layout looks great!  It’s not every day such ancient finds show up on a layout!!  Have the remains been identified yet??

Terry L posted:

some recent updates and a strange discovery.

Terry;

Very nice layout. I've seen many interesting vignettes on this Forum, but your "discovery" has to be one of the best and most imaginative.

Love that image and that movie.

Mark Boyce posted:

Terry, the layout looks great!  It’s not every day such ancient finds show up on a layout!!  Have the remains been identified yet??

Jimmy Hoffa???   

? Buried treasure?

? Dinosaur bones?

Apples55 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Terry, the layout looks great!  It’s not every day such ancient finds show up on a layout!!  Have the remains been identified yet??

Jimmy Hoffa???   

LOL. Just last night my wife told me the bones found deep in the hole on Oak Island belonged to Jimmy Hoffa!!  LOL. 

ET?

If it's ET he's not going home any time soon.

This afternoon I got the rest of the ballast down and I just got done gluing it down. After dinner the wife will be watching the Cavs play and that will give me time to start poring the water for the ditch. Maybe tomorrow I can start laying down track if I can locate the un coupling tracks I bought. Pics ........................Paul

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

? Buried treasure?

? Dinosaur bones?

 

 

Missing cat?? 

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

? Buried treasure?

? Dinosaur bones?

 

 

is this oak island, I think dinosaur bones is the on thing they have not claimed is there. I do want to

talk to them tho. As a model railroader I have always found it difficult to keep brass and copper clean.

But they are "discovering" copper coins buried since the 1700's in pristine condition.

beardog posted:

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

? Buried treasure?

? Dinosaur bones?

 

 

is this oak island, I think dinosaur bones is the on thing they have not claimed is there. I do want to

talk to them tho. As a model railroader I have always found it difficult to keep brass and copper clean.

But they are "discovering" copper coins buried since the 1700's in pristine condition.

 

There is something down there that someone long ago went to a lot of trouble getting down there.

The layout find is right at the surface  

Mark Boyce posted:

beardog posted:

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

? Buried treasure?

? Dinosaur bones?

 

 

is this oak island, I think dinosaur bones is the on thing they have not claimed is there. I do want to

talk to them tho. As a model railroader I have always found it difficult to keep brass and copper clean.

But they are "discovering" copper coins buried since the 1700's in pristine condition.

 

There is something down there that someone long ago went to a lot of trouble getting down there.

The layout find is right at the surface  

My money is on there is nothing on oak island. and the dinosaurs are not a surface find, they are buried in what appears to be

a lot of limestone, Great modelling.

paul 2 posted:

This afternoon I got the rest of the ballast down and I just got done gluing it down. After dinner the wife will be watching the Cavs play and that will give me time to start poring the water for the ditch. Maybe tomorrow I can start laying down track if I can locate the un coupling tracks I bought. Pics ........................Paul

Nice work Paul, Its a good thing the cav's don't play every night! You would run out of things to do! LOL

Well I had intentions of getting the water in but then I got to thinking that at the end where the small pond would be it might look better with some cattails in a couple of parts of it. So I placed an order with Scenic Express for two sizes of cattails and a small bottle of their glue to glue them in place. I added water to the upper half of the ditch and started laying out the switches and track. Nothing screwed down yet. I am still looking for my uncoupling tracks.  As soon as I get my cattails I can do the other half of the water. This afternoon I ordered another box of cork so I have it in case I want to start track in another area. Pics.................Paul

Terry L posted:

some recent updates and a strange discovery.

Sorry, couldn't resist. 

Mitch 

R.C. posted:

Tom Tee posted:

R.C. posted:

Not sure how to continue from the bridge construction thread , but, it's ready for paint!

And here's the problem; If I wanna spray it rusty red primer, gotta do it in the mower shop; Brush painting would be tedious. suggestions?

Thanks for the posting tips  & encouragement all.

You may wish to add the angle supports at the top and bottom of each vertical and end.  No need to copy all the lattice work just the basic angle outline.  You can go as nuts as you want.  Even add web plates at all junctures.  Maybe hold off on the paint until you have given it some thought.

Possibly check out an Atlas Pratt truss to get some ideas. 

Took your advice & glad I did;

  Added headers at all 4 ends

  added a rough walkway

  bolsters inners & outers

   side guard rails

THE BRIDGE IS IN SERVICE!

Dbl Track Open Deck Trestle Bridge with 2 suspension spans

Specs;

Material Cost;

   @ $60.00 (who would a thunk?) from Pat Catans (best selection of hobby wood @here) 

    54" L x 8.5"H  x 10.5"W overall

   Wood is Basswood with some balsa wood (entrance headers & some angles) with

   super size popsicle sticks for bolsters (cut off ends worked perfect), walkway & side rails.

   Elmers professional wood glue

   Paint; Krylon (Leather Brown) Color Master spray (1 can)

I went open deck which gives a nice visual to upper wall shelf layout.

Was fun for an old retired guy wintering in with his 10 x 12 - 2 tier shelf layout

(Lower second tier was added in Nov 2017)

(MTH DCS wifi was added in Dec 2017)

Exceeded budget in 2017!

Attaboy!  That is one snazzy bridge!   

Mitxh

Great looking Bridge! Nice work and price!

Paul, The track and ballast looks great!  I'm glad you thought of the cattails!  They will be a great addition!

Mitch, Han Solo!  Why not?  

R.C., That bridge looks great up there!  You did a great job at a minimal cost!!!

The fossil is a great discovery for your layout.  Could lead to a roadside museum.

Mitch you definitely have way too much fun. Long, long ago in a giralaxy far far away...

Working on a On30 MOW water car out of an old tender I got off eBay a while back...

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Terry L posted:

some recent updates and a strange discovery.

Sorry, couldn't resist. 

Mitch 

I'm disappointed Mitch. I expected to see Fortescue

mike g. posted:

paul 2 posted:

This afternoon I got the rest of the ballast down and I just got done gluing it down. After dinner the wife will be watching the Cavs play and that will give me time to start poring the water for the ditch. Maybe tomorrow I can start laying down track if I can locate the un coupling tracks I bought. Pics ........................Paul

Nice work Paul, Its a good thing the cav's don't play every night! You would run out of things to do! LOL

Not every night but the season does run till June so......

Paul- the more I watch your work the more I like your method of road bed and ballast before the track goes down. Gives the impression of ballasted track without the mess of ballasting over the track and switches.

Bob

Blizzard conditions here on Long Island this morning. Good day to stay inside and play with trains!

Bob, fun times playing with trains! If I were you I would plan on staying in for days! From what the news is showing here in the west coast! Today overcast and 48! Have to go out and work on the garage door today and have a coors light!

RSJB18 posted:

Blizzard conditions here on Long Island this morning. Good day to stay inside and play with trains!

Nice layout and control panel. 

For laughs I will post pictures later of my disgraceful, disorganized control panel, the product of a madman (me).