What did you do on your layout today?

I try not to think about all that's left to do.

Consider yourself lucky that it's my head the plans are stuck in, because that's what I think about most of the time.

No one said it was easy being you.

Removing my Lionel Tubular OGauge track from my layout and replacing with Ross track. Tubular up for sale. See For Sale page.

Dressed out some of the wires for my gateman, switch tower, and the relay/rectifier for the timing of the gateman.  It's nice having wires go neatly under the table as opposed to strewn across the top.  I think I finally am ready to open the package of road and see if I can get some cars to the burger joint!

A couple of busy days with Jon and Matt, and the yard is really taking shape.


4 of the 7 yard tracks are now complete. There are about a half a dozen sections of track and some small fillers that still need to be done on the remaining 3, as well as the loop.

Patrick will be over Friday for more backdrop work, and Matt will be back Saturday so we can polish off the lower level.

Sheet rocked and speckled the basement walls, after sheet rock is  done, shelves go up on the wall of the  basement for trains, THEN the expansion of Johns BIG CRAPY BASEMENT LAYOUT BEGINS !!!

Doing one of my favorite things. Building a long out of production kit. It's a very old Colorado Scale Models Mine kit. I got it very cheap on E-bay.There will be three mines in the new area of my layout. This is the last and biggest to be built. It's about ready to piece together then paint red and weathered like the picture. Don

Don,

That is going to look super when finished!

For the past few days and a few weeks thrown in too I have been riding the wave of working on the railroad. I just finished a third section of pink board and applied plaster wrap to it.  I had just enough plaster wrap left to cover the pink board. So today I just ordered enough supplies from scenic express to keep on working on the railroad. It feels great to have this burst of energy and enjoyment again after a number of years of stagnation. Of course with this lull in waiting for more supplies maybe I'll run a  train or two.............................Paul

I'm not in the same caliber as most of you but I enjoy what I'm able to do. Today I started painting my mountain that hides a sun tube that goes right through the train room. There will be water leaking down the mountain; I'll use Scenic Express' water gloss for that.

Today I painted the nickel rims on my mth cab-forward flat black. It has a more prototypical / industrial look. I'm working on subduing the shiny side rods and linkage too. Also I've removed the cab to add " glass" and paint the backhead gauges.

Elliott - It's really looking good.  Making a lot of progress.

Art

Thanks Art. Patrick and I got a lot done yesterday. Matt will be here in a little while. We should finish the yard. I'll post pictures tonight when the dust settles.

We finally decide to move into a 55+ community. I have to scrap the 9 x 34 plan that was going into the basement of the current home along side the existing 12 x 28. One thing that delayed us was finding a place with some room for trains.  I have started designing the new layout which is 6 feet wide at one end terminating in another 13 x 13 room.  

well it's been a few days so I will do an update of a few days. I cut the old layout up into 2 pieces to move it up 2 flights of stairs to the loft in the house. the loft allows for a 12x10 sized layout with a 58 inch by 36 inch leg coming off of the left side. it's 12 wide by 10 deep. then I put the old layout above this 12x10 table layout so that I can run track under the old layout. here's the photos's hope you enjoy.

Jhainer,

You made excellent progress moving the existing layout into place.  I am glad you are able to use the loft.  I am waiting for at least one of our 20-somthing daughters to move out before I will have room.  I will have to hurry to build something elaborate to try to keep them from moving back in like happened to you.

LOL

yea she was moving into the old layout room today. finally got everything out of it

A lot of work.  Sounds like you can now sit back in that chair and take a breath.  Then get on with your layout at a pace that suits you.

I'm whipped after 4 days with help this week, but boy, did we get a lot done.

Patrick hung all that backdrop on the upper deck.


He did it so quickly, we had time to work on a couple other things.


The mini-panels I made months ago, finally got mounted to the layout.


Now they just need to have their wires connected.








Matt and I finished the track in the hidden yard, by securing the last couple switches, and completing the loop.


All of the lower level track is done!!!


There are still a few little things that need to be done, and then it's on to wiring.



I guess it's time to start hauling junk out of the train room, there's no place left to hide it.

Bryan,

That Water Looks awesome.

Today I finished my 1st piece of Electronics. Double Light Bridge on 2 separate tracks with relays to go from Green to Red as train passes thru the block.

Thanks to GREAT OGR Forum Members.

Thank You ALL

hey I finished the day with one train running on the layout so it was a good day.

Originally Posted by Big_Boy_4005:

All of the lower level track is done!!!

Woo Hoo!

jhainer:

Really looks good. The cut-outs are a novel idea and add to the overall interest. Nice job.

Well the weather is getting better and so am I. So I finally got out to the garage and started to build some more bench work. I also have been saving $ for some needed wire. So the next few days I will get to drilling some holes under the bench work.

Partially completed a rough in on the upper loop. Finished the ballast on the fastrack on the upper and about 1/3 on the lower. Bridges are still a slow go. Still have a lot of patch up on the upper mountains and then placing the larger trees. STILL having fun.

Scott,

I went back to your post on the "Before During After" thread last month, and see your layout table.  Looks good!  Are these two sections modules, pop-up covers, or something else.  I have been looking at others' methods, because I hope to start building my next layout in a year or two.  I have built open grid,  L girder, and modular on two different kinds of frames.  However, the last time I did that was 20 years ago.

Thanks.

Larry,

I really like your rock work.  What method did you use?

Thanks

I finally got around to changing the PAs previously assigned to the El Capitan and moved them into service with the Super Chief. The F3s were re-assigned to the El Capitan. This made all kinds of sense as the F3s are an ABBA combo with two powered units. The El Capitan has nine 21" cars in it's current configuration, so having two powered units up front handles this long Hi-Level train with ease. The Super Chief has seven 15" cars that the PAs are more comfortable with.

I ran my new Lion Master Challenger today and finished weathering my lumber shed and started weather another building.

Uncle Fester,

The Challenger is a beaut!  This is the first I have seen of your layout.  Looks to me like the structures match the Challenger in good looks!

I haven't heard back on the work on my Hudson, but I would rather they take their time.  I think I may send an e-mail, just for a status.

Mark

Mark,

Thank you very much. This is just a platform I set up in the garage just to run some trains. I am currently planning a layout build hopefully to start in the fall. But in the meantime I can run some trains to help curb my cravings. so to speak...LOL

Mark

I copied Patrick H method. He was very polite in my e-mails giving me some additional instruction. I copied them because of that beautiful layout he built. He really did a fantastic job. He did explain a lot to other members as well on his original thread while he was building. Now, he is taking it down

Uncle Fester..that's some nice loco you have.

Larry

Larry,

That's great!  I had the privilege of seeing Patrick's layout twice.  It looked even better in person, so I trust yours does too. His method certainly produced excellent results quickly.  The finished product reminds me of the old cut and broken ceiling tile method, which I used on my last layout.  I am going to try Patrick's method on my next layout that I hope to start in a year or two.

Wow  Mark

You are a lucky man. I sure wish I could have seen it in person.

I re-designed part of my layout, adding soft floor underlayment atop my old 3/4" plywood and then an additional 1/2" plywood sheet and finally 3/8 cork over the entire board.  The additional wood provided more mass which, along with the cork, quieted my train considerably.  My old style tubular tracks are only screwed down as far as the cork with clear caulking applied under the screw head.  Boards rest on a frame that has foam strips. I can add signs, billboards, and do some surface wiring with small nails and staples on the cork which can be re-arranged as need be since the entire cork board is self-repairing once the small nails, screws, and staples are removed.

I poured a black wash over Mt Levi and it did a great job of filling in the areas that paint didn't cover.

great job gentlemen. Everything looks really nice. I just finished up a building I started this morning. Here it is. Have a great week guys!

Mark The table size is 18.5' X 11' yard extension size  4' x 27'  Overall size is 18.5' x 38' .  Its a copy of the Atlas Texas Western: Layout O-20.  As you can see in the 1st photo is the back of my garage and the 4' section that runs the length of the garage. My plans are to wrap around the last section to make it a big U shape. And as in previous photos This layout was built as a large flat top layout. Big mistake by me.

   Well time to move on and get started again. I have some plans but we will have to see how the $$$$ part goes. All I do know is I am one lucky guy  since I lost my Leg a few years ago and the recent Valve replacement back in mid November. I will still keep posting photos now and then any questions just E-male me   sp2207@hotmail.com

Touched up my ballast where I made adjustments, now more freshing up of the scenery and I should be ready for open house. 

Clem

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