What did you do on your layout today?

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

Mike, great job on your brewery. Seahawks and Coors ... You got a good combination........Paul

Thanks Paul, just wish the Seahawks would have done better this year!

Cousin Freddy dropped by

                                         AWESOME job, Mike !!!

Wired the turntable and connected it to the layout.  Six stall Korber roundhouse kit under they layout, waiting to get built.

Mike- that is one cool- wait- Frost brewed-  kitbash!

Paul- the brewery tracks look great. I'm not used to seeing cars so close together since I have 027 switches. Next layout will be Ross and Gargraves for sure.

Bob

mike g. posted:

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

I see a Cottage Industry in your future.  Nice job Mike.  How much will these sell for? i'd like mine customized as Sam Adams!

decoynh posted:

mike g. posted:

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

I see a Cottage Industry in your future.  Nice job Mike.  How much will these sell for? i'd like mine customized as Sam Adams!

Wait- if your taking orders Yuengling!

For Elliot....

GO VIKINGS!!!!!!!

DoubleDAZ posted:

Mark, I don't know how I missed your post yesterday, but that's going to look real nice. I never thought of building a diorama for photos.

Thank you Dave!

RSJB18 posted:

For Elliot....

GO VIKINGS!!!!!!!

Thanks Bob. Unfortunately, they aren't looking too good right now. They need to play better in the second half.

Those Patriots are insane. The Vikings don't need to lose another Super Bowl. Maybe losing this one is actually the winning move.

Mike,  Yep, started working on my train engines when about 8 yrs old, and not always to the best results.   Sooooo... you learn as you grow and have always liked doing things with my hands.  Suppose that was why I chose work as a stevedore and iron worker/rigger/crane operator/truck driver over the years.  Since I no longer rebuild automotive engines, only my own for race, etc., and trannys.. so now back to internals of trains.

Jesse   TCA   12-68275

Again, imitation being the greatest form of flattery, I really enjoyed the recent drainage ditch build by Paul_2, so I thought one would fit perfect in my recent area of concentration.

I used 1/2" foam for the shape, and a piece of "wire loom", the split plastic you put over loose wires to keep them together or prevent chaffing (commonly found in your engine compartment of your vehicle. I had to use epoxy to hold them together, no other glue would work.

I got more roads painted, and for some reason, maybe I shook theses cans better, but this batch came out much darker. Had to put them back in the garage for the night, they're still putting off fumes! 

Last thing I got accomplished was to wire "block detection" for my crossing signals. I don't have any IATD's, so I figured this would work just as well. Isolated the inner rails on the curves, starting at the mouth of the portal, and 1/4 way up the bridge. For the bridge, I used my razor saw to cut a 30" pice C of rail in half.  Ran the meter for continuity before and after, and everything looks like it should work out. I'll put the power on it tomorrow. 

Looks great, Mo!

Mo985 posted:

Again, imitation being the greatest form of flattery, I really enjoyed the recent drainage ditch build by Paul_2, so I thought one would fit perfect in my recent area of concentration.

I used 1/2" foam for the shape, and a piece of "wire loom", the split plastic you put over loose wires to keep them together or prevent chaffing (commonly found in your engine compartment of your vehicle. I had to use epoxy to hold them together, no other glue would work.

I got more roads painted, and for some reason, maybe I shook theses cans better, but this batch came out much darker. Had to put them back in the garage for the night, they're still putting off fumes! 

Last thing I got accomplished was to wire "block detection" for my crossing signals. I don't have any IATD's, so I figured this would work just as well. Isolated the inner rails on the curves, starting at the mouth of the portal, and 1/4 way up the bridge. For the bridge, I used my razor saw to cut a 30" pice C of rail in half.  Ran the meter for continuity before and after, and everything looks like it should work out. I'll put the power on it tomorrow. 

Are you going to paint the culvert gray or silver ?? looks great! 

Jim

Today I cleaned up.   Moved a bunch of track around.   Added these straight pieces to add room to the front of that section. 

Then I added this siding on the long wall so I could park the Wabash there.  Running on DC at the moment so cant run it. 

Don't think I will leave it there.   May move the two mains closer to the wall by adding a straight piece in the middle of the curves.   Would add 40 inches to the main loops (20 each). And put the sidings closer to the station that I plan to put on that side.  The Wabash is nearly 12 feet long so I think the long wall will be the station/yard.  

Jim  

Back to the business at hand. I spent 12 hours over the last two days working on a whole bunch of stuff.

The first thing I did yesterday was install a 2.5 Amp breaker on the Newport panel. In the event of a derailment during switching operations, it will pop a lot faster than the 6 Amp Polyfuse back at the power distribution panel under the layout. I'll be doing this on the other panels too.

I finished the cardboard for this entire section.

Then did a couple more rolls of plaster cloth. There's really not much of that left to do here...

maybe two rolls to finish.

In the middle of the afternoon I took a trip to Menards, and filled my 15% off bag with a variety of supplies, and three flavors of paint, earth, asphalt and concrete. I also have black, white and brown so I can make small batch variations for different projects.

When I got back, I decided to finish the last little bit of fascia. I swear this is it, there is no more in the entire room.

Sanded and primed.

This is the last bit to be primed in the entire room, I swear.

Done! Next step semi gloss paint. Maybe this week, we'll see.

I went back over to Hiawatha, and started patching the streets so they can be painted.

All of this wood is the beginning of some bridge supports. More on this later.

I got into the earth paint, and started putting down a base coat getting ready for scenery.

carsntrains posted: 

Are you going to paint the culvert gray or silver ?? looks great! 

Jim

I'm actually planning to leave it black, similar to this:

Mo985 posted:

carsntrains posted: 

Are you going to paint the culvert gray or silver ?? looks great! 

Jim

I'm actually planning to leave it black, similar to this:

Oh you must be doing a modern display.  Didn't have plastic back in the day.   Come to think of it not even sure when metal culvert came along?   

mike g. posted:

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

Ill take a beer!  Or two!!! LOL  

Jim 

RSJB18 posted:

decoynh posted:

mike g. posted:

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

I see a Cottage Industry in your future.  Nice job Mike.  How much will these sell for? i'd like mine customized as Sam Adams!

Wait- if your taking orders Yuengling!

Wait a second guy, I only had one building! and it was a gift

mike g. posted:

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

Mike;

Very nice job. But seems like something is missing. Oh... that's it... no tap. Might I suggest adding a beer distribution system???

Mo985 posted:

Again, imitation being the greatest form of flattery, I really enjoyed the recent drainage ditch build by Paul_2, so I thought one would fit perfect in my recent area of concentration.

I used 1/2" foam for the shape, and a piece of "wire loom", the split plastic you put over loose wires to keep them together or prevent chaffing (commonly found in your engine compartment of your vehicle. I had to use epoxy to hold them together, no other glue would work.

I got more roads painted, and for some reason, maybe I shook theses cans better, but this batch came out much darker. Had to put them back in the garage for the night, they're still putting off fumes! 

Last thing I got accomplished was to wire "block detection" for my crossing signals. I don't have any IATD's, so I figured this would work just as well. Isolated the inner rails on the curves, starting at the mouth of the portal, and 1/4 way up the bridge. For the bridge, I used my razor saw to cut a 30" pice C of rail in half.  Ran the meter for continuity before and after, and everything looks like it should work out. I'll put the power on it tomorrow. 

Mo it sure is nice to see you back at it again! You really come up with some great ideas and when you put them onto the layout they look great!

Apples55 posted:

mike g. posted:

Paul, sounds like a great plan! Cant wait to see it all in place! Couldn't wait on a Menards Brewery so I repoed a building and made my own!

Mike;

Very nice job. But seems like something is missing. Oh... that's it... no tap. Might I suggest adding a beer distribution system???

Hi Paul I will work on that once I figure out where it will be going and how much room I will have!

Jim, I like how you are just moving things around to figure out where it is really going to make you happy!

The other day on eBay, I found one of these diecast cars in 1/43rd scale. They were made by a company that marked many of them up for Highway Patrol and City police vehicles. This one was a 1941 Ford Tennessee state patrol car. I hadn't seen one for sale in years, and jumped at the first one I finally saw her recently. I got it yesterday, and today I took it apart, hit it with dull coat, then did some very subtle weathering with washes. I figured it probably wouldn't have been washed a lot, but would be a lot more clean than the normal civilian vehicles out on the road at that time. They did a very good job, even recreating the license plates correctly.

carsntrains posted:

Mo985 posted:

carsntrains posted: 

Are you going to paint the culvert gray or silver ?? looks great! 

Jim

I'm actually planning to leave it black, similar to this:

Oh you must be doing a modern display.  Didn't have plastic back in the day.   Come to think of it not even sure when metal culvert came along?   

If I may interject, gentlemen, your conversation really has me thinking, now, about my own work modeling such a detail. Here is a project I crafted. 

Through my modeling, I am pretending they are made of...no wait...what do you think I am modeling that they are made of? And of what circa would they appear to be a product and representative?

FrankM

Moonson posted:

carsntrains posted:

Mo985 posted:

carsntrains posted: 

Are you going to paint the culvert gray or silver ?? looks great! 

Jim

I'm actually planning to leave it black, similar to this:

Oh you must be doing a modern display.  Didn't have plastic back in the day.   Come to think of it not even sure when metal culvert came along?   

If I may interject, gentlemen, your conversation really has me thinking, now, about my own work modeling such a detail. Here is a project I crafted. 

Through my modeling, I am pretending they are made of...no wait...what do you think I am modeling that they are made of? And of what circa would they appear to be a product and representative?

FrankM

Frank,

Id guess they are supposed to be concrete, however with just the picture provided, to me it look like the top of a plastic cup, I order to get that size diameter. 

Thanks everyone I am glad you liked my Brewery! an old building and a beer can all cut up, then put some LED's in it for light and done.

Mo I really like how you did the pipe!

Jim, the track arrangement is looking good!

The conversation about culverts hits home.  I have a hole cut out in my roadbed on my diorama, but haven’t decided how to finish it.  Since all my equipment is steam diesel transition era, I want what would be there in about 1950, meaning it was built well before.  At first I thought concrete culvert pipe.  Then I thought of putting in a box culvert of stone or concrete.  Maybe concrete since the tunnel portal is stone to give some variety.

I installed Masonite panels for a "sky scape" 

Rick. 

Mark, looking good. With the room you have instead of a culvert pipe what about a concrete culvert.....,...Paul

Mark I'm with Paul, I think it would look really nice!

Rick the Sky scape looks good, I am guessing your going to have a upper level that why you left it high!

Mike,

One level. The space between the sky and ground will be covered with scenery and/or structures. I like tin signs and plan to hang some above the sky. Plus...I had a 24" by 8' piece of Masonite, so I worked with two 12" pieces!

Rick

I took apart my Lionel Gantry crane and replaced a broken o ring for the hoist.  I replaced it with a MTH traction tire.  Works great now.

Paul and Mike,  I think I agree with both of you.  I can get one worked up!

Rick, The Masonite sky looks good!

Mo985 posted:

Frank,..Id guess they are supposed to be concrete, however with just the picture provided, to me it look like the top of a plastic cup, I order to get that size diameter. 

Yes, that's what I had hoped the larger one would model, the look of cement/concrete. It is a piece of a cardboard tube around which a roll of carpeting had been wrapped. It cut neatly with a small hacksaw so my imagination was piqued and I tried my best using it.

The smaller tube is a piece of plastic tubing, perhaps as wide in diameter as a quarter, also trying to be cement/concrete-looking.

Both got painted with a cement/concrete-colored acrylic. by dabbing the color on, not brushing.

FrankM

P.S. And Mark, given Paul's suggestion to you, above, about considering modeling a concrete culvert, perhaps, these photos may offer you a reference point, too?