What did you do on your layout today?

I removed a 4, 1- 3/8 section of fastrack to give me more clearance on a curve and a wall.  I noticed a little black line on the paint when the Big Boy went around the curve.  Now there are no clearance issues.

Me too Art, just can't seem to break free of its pull today. On the other hand, I have been pounding away at the layout since last Wednesday, almost without a break.

Rather than re-post, anyone interested can see what I've been up to here.

Finally got off my duff and got 2/3 of the decking done where I want to add a new grain elevator.  Plan to go back after dinner and finish it.  Be nice to get some of the elevator silos cut too.

Art

Today was for preliminarily laying out our engine storage/servicing facility with our Atlas O turntable.

Pete:

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation. I got it.

Larry:

The scenery is looking GREAT!!!

Finally! Early today posted my very first YouTube video... naturally it is a trip on my Ironbound RR Layout. Keep in mind that this layout is not very large (3 walls in a garage) but is designed to give the look and feel of a large industrial/city setting... lost of clutter, rust and crowding ; ) I hope you like it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...amp;feature=youtu.be

~Andy

Andy:

What a great video. I hope this the first of many videos of the Ironbound. You really have captured the urban setting of Newark. This is from a guy who, as a younger person, worked in Bayonne.

Wow I agree.  What a great video and layout.   I hope to see much more of it!

Ironbound,

Absolutely fantastic railroad!!! The quality of your workmanship is superb. Any chance of seeing your track plan (even if you can hand draw it, scan it, and email it)?

Again great modeling.

jackson, CEO

Not-So-Great Eastern R.R. aka Never Done Lines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...&feature=channel

Thanks Jackson for your kind remarks.

You can see the track plan of this modest-sized layout on my Ironbound website at:

http://trainutz.com/ironbound.shtml

~Andy

Ironbound/Andy - Very nice.  I have seen some much smaller layouts produce some spectacular photos.  Nothing wrong with your "modest-size layout".  I need to check out the 2-rail forum more often.  Also, I try to keep up with the "3-rail Scale" forum too.  Check out Norm's layout.  He is starting over after moving.  His old layout was smaller but he did a great job of generating the "feeling".  I enjoyed checking out your web site.  Your layout would make a great OGR article, many of us do not have a LARGE space nor the time to fill it.  It would inspire many modelers.

Dan

ON the layout?  Continuation of the big ZERO.  FOR the layout?  Much more progress

made yesterday...think I have found a source for the custom decals  I want, and I

found an obscure structure kit that I have searched for, for years.  That leaves only

one more obscure one to be tracked down.....as if I needed any more...like four flat

tires...now if I could only get back to building them...

We refined the slope on the ramp from the second to the third level of the layout. Now, all engines, both post-war and modern, make the climb with no issues. We also installed 2/3 of the substrucure of the mountainside into which the ramp will appear to be cut.

Removed a stuck coal train from within Mt. Randolph on the Mountain Division.  Ran the train for a bit afterward, stopping at times to change out the consist.

Made some tree choices for my next session of the continuation of scenicing Mount Randolph.  Spent time visualizing MR and how I want the end result to look.  This was a fun hour spent working on the railroad today.  :-)

Thanks so much Randy1

I cut and painted a piece of wood that will act as a form for the back side of my mountain and cut a mirror to size for the end of my new yard to give it the appearance of the yard extending.

Today was a good day!  I bought my last 'gotta have' engine.  I now have all the UP steamers I set out to buy.

Why does this matter?  Because now I can focus on finishing the design of my layout and start buying lots of track.  

Also, I did buy a couple of powerhouses today for the new layout!

I ran a mixed freight on the Mountain Division.  Ma & Pa diesel switcher by MTH  loco and 5 cars.  Here is a short video of the train exiting the tunnel at Mount Randolph.  Hope you like it.  I still have to finish the scenery so don't mind the bare spot.

Not sure how I missed your post Ray. Must have been unwinding from a very busy week on the layout.

Patrick lives almost half way to Duluth. On a good day it takes him a couple hours to get home from here.

I'd like to do a video at the end of the month, with a guided tour following the train around with narration. By the end of February, I might be able to do some kind of basic switching run.

Elliot... With the length of each page not hard to miss a post now n then. All 3 of you have been busy and the layout and areas around it show it.

the area you undid was that the area you had by the last helix you built? I think it had some scenery to it?

Patrick does travel a bit to work with you.

I see you like the tortoise machines and I never seen the setup you used in areas where the machines have to be mounted away from where the switch is.

have a great day run a train or two blow a horn for me. I would really like to see the S-3 with passenger cars run on that layout she could really stretch her legs!!

Ray

My Brother is a master model builder, and has had several of his military models featured in modeling magazines built me a Glencoe Models 1/48th #5301 US Coast Guard Rescue Boat for my harbor.  He even cut the hull so it sits right in the "water"

I placed it in the harbor heading out to the lake.  I also moved around some buildings to make my station in my downtown.  

Here are some pics of the harbor.  Don't mind the dust buildup on the water!

Patrick needed to stand on the layout to build that shelf above Red Wing, so we had to move the buildings and all the trains out of the way. They were only placed there to give the illusion of some completeness. There was never any greenery, just ballasted track.

Unfortunately, because not all the Tortoises are powered yet, it isn't safe to run trains this week. Matt is coming over tomorrow and the plan is to do a bunch more switches. The layout is going to get worse before it gets better. But when it does get better it will be fantastic.

My brother-in-law (wife's brother) is not a train guy. He's into ham radio as a hobby. Of course he's been over here a number of times over the years, and I seem to be rubbing off on him. All of a sudden, he's interested in learning to operate the railroad.

I'm hoping we could get some limited operations going by April. That would be Pigs Eye, Newport, Cottage Grove, Hastings and Red Wing. I expect there will be a ton of bugs that will need to worked out.

I went to Home Depot and bought a truck load of lumber. Construction of the table begins tomorrow.......

Ironbound: Nice video; great looking layout.

Wow!  That's an amazing layout and excellent video skills too.  That looks real.  I hope you'll post some photos or more videos.  It sounds like you've made good use of space in your garage.  Where did you get the UPS package car?  Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, you are very kind : )

I hope to do more of these videos by-and-by, now that I know what the capabilities and limitations of the software are.

I found the UPS truck on eBay a few years ago... it’s somewhat undersize for O scale, would be closer to S but in a background scene it works fine. You can see mony more photos, track plan, etc on my layout website:

http://trainutz.com/ironbound.shtml

I scratch built these 2 highrise buildings one is made of glass.

Nothing yet but in honor of all the snowfall, I plan to run the New York Central snowplow around a little when I get home from work!

How does that sound?

Mike Maurice

I spent the snowy Tuesday building my control panel for the new yard and engine servicing facility. Now that the wood work for the facility is done, I have to install the controls (on/off switches and remote throws for the turnouts, etc.)

Had to take some time off mountain building to work some on a small bridge area. Long way from the first pour of envirotex but some of the bridge has to be done to continue the mountains. Still having fun. Needed a break from those mountains anyway.

Larry:

Your are really progressing. Nice mountains! Do you have any plans or drawings that you could share for making the trestle piers? They look great.

Randy

These are store bought I'm cutting up to fit . I had a template and can't find it . If you have time to do a search here with trestle building. There is a unbelievable amount of information on how guys are building them. It's a simple template in most cases.

Larry

Wiring... *sighs*

Larry:

Thank you.

stripped and primed 2 Lionel F3s.....these beaters were 2333s.....badly abused....so they will be B&O in the royal blue scheme....capitol dome on the nose

Hey Larry I think I used the same trestles as you

I cut all mine to fit also, FYI- Ross Switches sells Gargraves compatible rail for the deck. 

Clem

Plan and performed a test AIU turnout set up.

Peter

On Monday my friend Randy came to visit me here in Patsburg. I showed him his namesake mountain .... Mount Randolph.   He brought a mirror that he cut for me ( and gave to me ) for use at the end of  Main Street in the West End of Patsburg.  This mirror really extends Main Street tremendously and make the street look fabulous! Just a little mirror can really add greatly to the square footage of a layout.

In honor of the snow yesterday I ran a plow extra ..... a MTH rotary led the way, followed by a flanger, two diesel locos, a caboose, and a jet powered snow blower.  I ran this on the Mountain Division.  Also ran my Lionel MPC RDC cars on the lower main line.

Sure wish those babies had a horn because they look great!

I worked on Mt. Randolph yesterday.  I added more trees, ground cover, shrubs, and what not.  Had fun doing it!  Making progress and it feels good.