What did you do on your layout today?

I wat that boxcar.

I wish I knew how to make the girls pop out of my train cars! LOL

Would probably work better with one of these...

Yep, but in Brian's car you get 2 girls!

In my car you can get all the girls you want.....

RSJB18 posted:

D500 posted:

Nothing! It's still 28 degrees here - at 1:15 PM -  on the balmy Gulf Coast, there's ice (ice!) on my steps/ramp leading into my train building and I can't get in, anyway. Ok, I know how, but it's probably freezing in there. Literally. Funny white stuff on the ground in spots.

Who do I call to complain? Who's in charge?

You southern boys can't take a little cold?????

Going to be in the low teens here in NY tonight. I'd still trade places with you in a heartbeat. At least you know it will warm up sooner than it will here.

Bob

Hmm, 47 degrees officially in Carson City, lots warmer than that in the sun. Might put the top down so I can see all the

snow up in the sierras

beardog posted:

RSJB18 posted:

D500 posted:

Nothing! It's still 28 degrees here - at 1:15 PM -  on the balmy Gulf Coast, there's ice (ice!) on my steps/ramp leading into my train building and I can't get in, anyway. Ok, I know how, but it's probably freezing in there. Literally. Funny white stuff on the ground in spots.

Who do I call to complain? Who's in charge?

You southern boys can't take a little cold?????

Going to be in the low teens here in NY tonight. I'd still trade places with you in a heartbeat. At least you know it will warm up sooner than it will here.

Bob

Hmm, 47 degrees officially in Carson City, lots warmer than that in the sun. Might put the top down so I can see all the

snow up in the sierras

Then go out with a cocktail and sit on the front deck and watch the sun go down

Sorry guys nothing extraordinary so far today. It's just been a small circle of little things again. Decided to put the telephone poles in. I cut the bases off them and found a drill bit the same diameter of the pole. I took one of the cut off bases and drilled out the center to use it as a template to drill holes in the sidewalks. Drilled to holes and then vacuumed them out.  Added the glue I was using for the cattails and ran out of patience holding the first one in place. So that is why you see all kinds of things holding them in place. The last pole was going on the corner and another pole would be on the side street. I wanted to try something different so I sacrificed one pole cutting off the top part and on the other pole cutting a bit off the top. Placed the one piece on top of the other like you see sometimes at intersections of streets. Then I took the girder over the tracks and painted one side black. Once that dries I'll paint the other. With glue dried on the roof on my building I painted that black and added some small blacks cinders I had. So that has been my day so far. Now I am going to surf the net a bit looking for water fowl for the pond area. And sorry definitely no pink flamingos LOL Pics...............Paul

RSJB18 posted:

In my car you can get all the girls you want.....

LOL Very true!

Things are looking nicely Paul! Are you going to string wire also?

beardog posted:

beardog posted:

RSJB18 posted:

D500 posted:

Nothing! It's still 28 degrees here - at 1:15 PM -  on the balmy Gulf Coast, there's ice (ice!) on my steps/ramp leading into my train building and I can't get in, anyway. Ok, I know how, but it's probably freezing in there. Literally. Funny white stuff on the ground in spots.

Who do I call to complain? Who's in charge?

You southern boys can't take a little cold?????

Going to be in the low teens here in NY tonight. I'd still trade places with you in a heartbeat. At least you know it will warm up sooner than it will here.

Bob

Hmm, 47 degrees officially in Carson City, lots warmer than that in the sun. Might put the top down so I can see all the

snow up in the sierras

Then go out with a cocktail and sit on the front deck and watch the sun go down

I wont be doing much either.  Fed Ex didn't deliver my track order due to weather.  UPS, USPS, FED EX air, and FED EX corporate all delivered????  Maybe it will be here tomorrow.  

Paul:   Phone poles look great!  You have inspired me to go find something to work on myself!!!  

Jim 

Mike G,

You are an outstanding individual!! Its members like you that make this forum a great place!!

Well done Sir, well done! (slow clap)

Since Elliot, Bob and Mark have brought up the subject of supportive wives, I thought I would chime in on that.

No question, a supportive wife can be huge for a model railroader. Mine doesn't do anything directly related to my trains or layout, but is still very supportive in the following ways, which may also be true for many of our Forum friends:

1) she's always been tolerant of the hobby, and appreciated the common interest and bonding it provided between me and our son and daughter when they were children;

2) she understood the trains were a good man cave for me to escape to, and get my mind off my prior highly stressful work as a divorce litigator;

3) she appreciated that I did not have the trains completely take over the playroom in the basement. I left room for a large couch still there, and for our teenage kids to socialize with their friends and do things unrelated to the trains.

4) she tolerated me tunneling thru the wall so the trains could leave the playroom in the basement and travel around the washer/drier and 3 walls in the laundery room. Below are pictures of part of my laundery room layout. I usually have a green felt cover over the washer/dryer to hide it:

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

 

All you need is an old sheriff and outlaw car. A real conversation starter. Take the concept as far as you dare (or your wife will let you).

Mo985 posted:

Mike G,

You are an outstanding individual!! Its members like you that make this forum a great place!!

Well done Sir, well done! (slow clap)

Thanks Mo, it's really fun to do little projects, I am still working on the moving escalator!  It just like when you stepped up and helped me with the airfield numbers!

briansilvermustang posted:

   nmp's...

Now we're getting somewhere.....

Dan Padova posted:

Now we're getting somewhere.....

Yes, but what are we DOING in this handbasket?  

Mitch 

Busy busy 'round the P&L.

All the track is laid, powered, and switches wired, but only half of it is ballasted. Shifting focus to scenery.

Township was out patching holes, and finished painting the grade crossings. Also, prepping for crossing signal placement. 

Got my Pepsi plant in last week. Didn't fit where I had planned originally, so added some track after my better half pointed out that the lights and signs should be seen from the front. Working on some scratch built flats for the empty wall area and siding in the background. 

Got the power company trucks labeled, next is some color and weathering.

Got the hill up to Linglestown roughed in, and the auto tunnel installed

And lastly, the zoning board approved our plans for a new gas station. We expect groundbreaking as soon as the ground thaws.

Mo, Your township does a first rate job patching roads!!  I like the power company trucks!!

paul 2 posted:

Sorry guys nothing extraordinary so far today. It's just been a small circle of little things again. Decided to put the telephone poles in. I cut the bases off them and found a drill bit the same diameter of the pole. I took one of the cut off bases and drilled out the center to use it as a template to drill holes in the sidewalks. Drilled to holes and then vacuumed them out.  Added the glue I was using for the cattails and ran out of patience holding the first one in place. So that is why you see all kinds of things holding them in place. The last pole was going on the corner and another pole would be on the side street. I wanted to try something different so I sacrificed one pole cutting off the top part and on the other pole cutting a bit off the top. Placed the one piece on top of the other like you see sometimes at intersections of streets. Then I took the girder over the tracks and painted one side black. Once that dries I'll paint the other. With glue dried on the roof on my building I painted that black and added some small blacks cinders I had. So that has been my day so far. Now I am going to surf the net a bit looking for water fowl for the pond area. And sorry definitely no pink flamingos LOL Pics...............Paul

 

Paul- any progress is still progress. The poles look good. Don't know if you are going to string wire on them but if you do then the corner pole should have a guy line running across the street to another pole in front of the grey building. The purpose of this is to support the weight of the wire going in the opposite direction. Look around your neighborhood and I'm sure you can find an example of what I'm talking about.

Bob

Yes Paul, your poles look great!  Having worked for 2 power companies for many years before joining the telephone company 21 years ago, I agree with Bob about the guy wire and pole.  I plan to put up poles on my new layout eventually, but I am not going to mess with "wiring" them.  I admire anyone who does it, but getting it to look right to my eye would probably put me in the state mental hospital!  

I'm with you Mark. Getting thread or light gauge wire to "sag" just right would drive me to drink more than I do already

Bob

Yes Bob, the proper sag is what most modelers miss when they wire pole lines.  No offense to any who have done it.  I admire every one I have seen, but I couldn't settle for lines without sag on my layout.

try soaking the thread in sugar water, then hang it

Bob, just have a couple of drinks before the train room, and it will always look good!

Mark, Mike G and Bob, I liked the look of these poles so I ended up buying a number of them. This is the first layout I have built over the years to have poles. I will not be adding wire. Too many to string. I'll leave that part to the imagination.......Paul

beardog posted:

try soaking the thread in sugar water, then hang it

Or feed the sugar water to a spider, then get it to spin scale lines between the poles...  ;-) 

Mitch 

Simply try a product called EZLine from Berkshire Junction Models - easy to wok with, looks real, doesn't sag.

mike g. posted:

Bob, just have a couple of drinks before the train room, and it will always look good!

I keep a bottle next to the layout. Saves the walk upstairs to the kitchen.

Just like me and my fridge in the garage!

                   have mine delivered by rail     boy, sure can't wait till spring

Bob, thanks for that suggestion. The pole I cut the top off should work as a support pole..........Paul

WOW look at the we talk about drinks and Paul comes up with a great idea for the power poll he cut the top off of. I really dose work! LOL Great idea Paul! No waste!

Brian, you need more flat cars for guest~!

Guys, a dry basement ( pun intended ) would prevent this from occurring.................Paul

Mark Boyce posted:

Yes Paul, your poles look great!  Having worked for 2 power companies for many years before joining the telephone company 21 years ago, I agree with Bob about the guy wire and pole.  I plan to put up poles on my new layout eventually, but I am not going to mess with "wiring" them.  I admire anyone who does it, but getting it to look right to my eye would probably put me in the state mental hospital!  

Hi Mark, My experience mirrors what you have said. You can see in these photos ......that we started "wiring" the poles but got the whole effect far too stiff.

When we tried relaxing the wires, it all got to look like a suspended mess of silly brown limp spaghetti. So, we removed it all and left the poles bereft of any wires. You can see that effect here in another neighborhood I crafted. I never even attempted any emplacement of utility pole wires, drooping or stiff. I decided to leave the wires up to the imagination.

I have seen some layouts with the drooping wires done perfectly, though.

I have concluded that we all have talents and patience for a variety of tasks, some more than others.

FrankM

mike g. posted:

WOW look at the we talk about drinks and Paul comes up with a great idea for the power poll he cut the top off of. I really dose work! LOL Great idea Paul! No waste!

Brian, you need more flat cars for guest~!

                          have a dozen ready, 12 pack delivery...

The Razorback Traction Company took delivery of a couple of Menards flatcars this week, courtesy of Keith J:  

I think I may cut down this damaged SP shell and make a transfer caboose: 

And, of course, BNSF means "Batmobile Now Sports Fortescue"...   

Mitch 

Started laying out the O27 loop in the center. Also put together the other two bridges for the layout. I'm going to have the far straightaway of the O27 work a slight incline so I can feature the short extension bridge in the middle. If I have time, and it's warm enough in the workshop, I'm going to make new bases for the two girder bridges I have. They're for O27 track and the FasTrack doesn't fit. I have a bunch of aluminum flashing from a project way back. I just need to roll it out, cut it to fit, and hammer it flat and it should work just fine.

Once that's done, it'll be time to start figuring out where my buildings and accessories will go, and then time to truly wire the track up.