Update of the Auto Ramp I am building for another fine member of this Forum! Ramp is complete, just needs paint and decals. Base still needs rams and legs, then paint!
Brian, More great engines!
Mike, another great ramp!
Performed a motor/wheel transplant from an extra Lionel #8 in to a #380 I just got that needed wheels. So now I have two 380s. the latest is in original paint but needs a few things.
With York fast approaching and yesterday was a day full of train stuff. Lunch again with TCA guys, after lunch a trip to see a layout then Tuesday night train crew get together. So no time for work. Today a different story. I have to make a conservative effort to house clean on the layout. Week after York to host makes this job one. Maybe post pics of before and after shots..........Paul
Gary, thanks for sharing. What a great day! My grandpa used to do stuff like that with me 40+ years ago when I was their age. I will NEVER forget it.
After a nearly week long hiatus from actual layout work, I was back downstairs yesterday. I tried my hand at a new technique. It has actually been around for a long time, but I've never done it before. This hair-like material came from Woodland Scenics. It looks almost like static grass, but it isn't.
I just grab a pinch of it, making sure that the top ends have a variety of lengths.
A quick snip evens up the bottoms...
and they're ready for planting in a dollop of hot glue
Then you fluff them up a bit when the glue cools, and they look like this.
I spent the better part of five hours working on just a two square foot area.
Still not quite satisfied, but it's getting better.
Did a little ballasting.
Got a few more trees planted in the triangle, and covered up the missing piece of backdrop.
The overall effect.
This was a bad shot for the grass demo, but I love the low angle close up.
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The overall effect.
looking GREAT Elliot !!! very nice !! like this picture !
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Big_Boy_4005 posted:
It's really taking shape Elliot. I will be in the cities this weekend for our state swim meet and would like to stop for a short visit if possible. I will give you a call Saturday afternoon to see if our schedules mesh. Really like this scene you have created. Great work!!!!! Dave
It looks great, Elliot!!
2 rail O gauge visit after NMRA Div 7's meeting:
See post for pictures:
Nice work Elliot! I sure hope Paul2 and Bob take the time to come over and see your layout! I know if I ever make it to the east side of the world I will be asking for a tour! LOL
I posted awhile back about all the AF and Marx streamliners being powered by
available steam type motors complete with steam type spoked wheels. Not
very attractive considering the streamliners (not streamlined steam locos)
were all distillate or diesel engines. I recently picked up a Marx E7 diesel power
truck on the bay. I am thinking of experimenting with some of my streamliners.
I am attaching photos of my AF M10005 with it's original steam type motor and
another with the diesel truck under it. Any mods will have to be done to the motor and
not the body, but this one seems fairly easy. I like the diesel motor better. The body is
still too high, but lowering it would mean modifying the whole train to match.
What do you guys think?
John
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I like the diesel truck better, too. So does Fortescue. 
Mitch
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briansilvermustang posted:
Nice!
Brian never disappoints!!
Thanks Brian, Dave, Mark and Mike as well as those who just hit the like button. I appreciate all the support.
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I spent 9 hours down there yesterday, a 4 hour session in the afternoon, and another 5 in the evening. I just put on the Twins game in the background. Good game! Joe Mauer got his 2000th hit and the Twins won their third in a row. Maybe these guys are for real.
This is the stuff I was installing on Tuesday. I did a little more of it as well as a bunch of other little things.
I ballasted and glued this little section at the opening under the bluff.
I went back and tidied up the ballast around the long ties of a bunch of switches.
I also re-ballasted along the base of the rock face.
I grabbed an auto rack from the Ford plant, and brought it over for a clearance test. No problem with the new rock near the opening.
Low angle photography is the way to go!
As I was heading up stairs, I spotted a box that I hadn't opened. Jackpot! More trees! In my haste to get out of the mall, I had people just stuff things into boxes. These poor trees, after 25 years, were squished into a nearly solid mass. I spent a good chunk of the evening getting them apart, and cleaned up. As I dug through that box, I found more rodent evidence.
There were actually quite a few trees in there. I also found a couple huge chunks of virgin, clump foliage.
Then I spent the remainder of the evening sorting and cleaning the used clumps. The box on the floor still needs sorting. Very time consuming, but it should pay off later, when I can just grab what I want. I was pulling out all the big ones first. The really small ones will go back into the tree making buckets, as that's where most of that came from anyway. You kind of go cross eyed sorting out four shades of green.
The medium and the dark are the toughest.
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Looks great Elliot. The autorack against the bluff looks superb. Tell the truth- did you fire up a diesel to go get the car or use the hand of god? 
A little Christmas in April finding the trees. I guess you do really see the trees for the forest.
Bob
Thanks Bob. Air mail. I haven't turned track power on in quite a while. The hand of God is reserved for scenery.
Yeah, the bright colors of the trains really POP against the soft earth tones of the rock face.
beardog posted:I posted awhile back about all the AF and Marx streamliners being powered by
available steam type motors complete with steam type spoked wheels. Not
very attractive considering the streamliners (not streamlined steam locos)
were all distillate or diesel engines. I recently picked up a Marx E7 diesel power
truck on the bay. I am thinking of experimenting with some of my streamliners.
I am attaching photos of my AF M10005 with it's original steam type motor and
another with the diesel truck under it. Any mods will have to be done to the motor and
not the body, but this one seems fairly easy. I like the diesel motor better. The body is
still too high, but lowering it would mean modifying the whole train to match.
What do you guys think?
John
I like the diesel truck too although it makes the rear truck look out of place. Do you gave something more scale looking for the rear?
yeah I thought that too, unfortunately the rear truck matches all the trucks on the cars in the train.
Hi Everyone, didn't get much done on the Auto Ramp today. Spent a hour driving to the nearest Lowes to get T-111 siding. Got there and they were out! LOL Now off for another 5 mile drive in the city to the next Lowes. Yee Ha! they have what I need, and the only reason I go to Lowes is they give me 10% veterans discount!!! So now another hour and a half drive home and I get to put up some siding! 1 sheet left to cut and I am done with siding till next payday!
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Elliot, you are for sure a man on a mission! What long hours you put in, with such great results! I see Paul2 is going to come and visit! You guys in the east get all the fun! LOL
Keep up the great work and I hope you don't have to buy anymore trees after your found jackpot! Nothing better then finding something you weren't sure you had or not!
Mike, that sure does make a big difference!!! Looks great!!
Question Mike. I just noticed the siding comes down pretty close to the ground. Are you going to have a problem with the rain splashing up onto the siding. I have that problem with one corner of my shed as it has settled over the years.
Elliot, always nice to find trees you didn't know you had to keep working. That cliff has come out fantastic. Sorry Mike you live on the other coast. It would of been great to catch up with you too. You never know maybe someday I'll be knocking on your door ( ROAD TRIP ) LOL. You have moved along on the the train room. Looks like not much more to go on the outside and you can start to work on the inside and the layout. Get a Champagne bottle ready for the running of the first train. And it is also going to be nice to meet Elliot and see his layout and to meet Cabinet Bob (dad ) in person at the train show..............Paul
Home Depot gives the Veterans discount also, always ask a lot of places have 10% discounts.
Making sure everything works for the D3R guys Saturday
mike g. posted:Hi Everyone, didn't get much done on the Auto Ramp today. Spent a hour driving to the nearest Lowes to get T-111 siding. Got there and they were out! LOL Now off for another 5 mile drive in the city to the next Lowes. Yee Ha! they have what I need, and the only reason I go to Lowes is they give me 10% veterans discount!!! So now another hour and a half drive home and I get to put up some siding! 1 sheet left to cut and I am done with siding till next payday!
Mike, it's beautiful! Mark has a good question, however: Aren't you worried about the siding licking up rainwater?
beardog posted:I posted awhile back about all the AF and Marx streamliners being powered by
available steam type motors complete with steam type spoked wheels. Not
very attractive considering the streamliners (not streamlined steam locos)
were all distillate or diesel engines. I recently picked up a Marx E7 diesel power
truck on the bay. I am thinking of experimenting with some of my streamliners.
I am attaching photos of my AF M10005 with it's original steam type motor and
another with the diesel truck under it. Any mods will have to be done to the motor and
not the body, but this one seems fairly easy. I like the diesel motor better. The body is
still too high, but lowering it would mean modifying the whole train to match.
What do you guys think?
John
I really like the looks of the diesel trucks and I don't think the rear trucks look all that bad...
Mike 
mike g. posted:Hi Everyone, didn't get much done on the Auto Ramp today. Spent a hour driving to the nearest Lowes to get T-111 siding. Got there and they were out! LOL Now off for another 5 mile drive in the city to the next Lowes. Yee Ha! they have what I need, and the only reason I go to Lowes is they give me 10% veterans discount!!! So now another hour and a half drive home and I get to put up some siding! 1 sheet left to cut and I am done with siding till next payday!
looking GREAT Mike !!
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The train room looks great Mike. Almost done with the heavy lifting!
Paul2- very jealous that you are going to visit Elliot.
Beardog- I vote for the diesel truck.
Bob
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mike g. posted:Hi Everyone, didn't get much done on the Auto Ramp today. Spent a hour driving to the nearest Lowes to get T-111 siding. Got there and they were out! LOL Now off for another 5 mile drive in the city to the next Lowes. Yee Ha! they have what I need, and the only reason I go to Lowes is they give me 10% veterans discount!!! So now another hour and a half drive home and I get to put up some siding! 1 sheet left to cut and I am done with siding till next payday!
Mike,
At this rate you'll have trains running next week, lol. It looks like in no time you will have bench work going up. Great progress!
Hi Everyone, thank you for all the nice words! Mark and Joe as far as the siding goes I have found that if you use a good outside paint the water just runs off, for the licking up water I know it is hard to tell from the pictures but the bottom of the sheeting is 31/2-4" off the ground and I paint the bottom edge of it also!
Clem Home Depot does give Veterans discounts. But they have changed there rules, You have to be active military, Retired, or receiving services from the VA that states it is military service connected.
Paul, I am sure you will have a blast ! Bob, AKA (DAD) is a great guy to hang with! Enjoy the time you have there and take in all you can at Elliot's!
Televue, the tables are looking great! One step at a time!
Brian, another set of great pictures! I will give you a call tomorrow if you will be around!
sounds good Mike !!
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Mike G,
Take your DD214 as proof into the Lowes Store, this is a one time thing. Lowes uses the DD214 to register you now for the Veterans Account. This gives you a 10% discount on every item you purchase. They will then reference your Veterans Account by the telephone number you provide for them, each time you purchase at check out.
There were a lot of low life's posing as Veteran to scam Lowes, so they used the DD214 to eliminate the scam artists.
I never have any trouble at Home Depot, they still accept our Military ID as proof at the check out counter.
Construction work on the new addition looks to be nearing an end, Train Layout work starts next weeK!
PCRR/Dave
