What did you do on your layout today?

                thanks Ted !!    hopefully I don't forget...    mmmm...

briansilvermustang posted:

 

               very cool Matt       trains and a ice cold one,  aahhhh

  will be having a few tonight for my birthday tomorrow, " getting a head start"...

 

                                                       

I have a Bachmann G scale engine that looks like that without a special lens

Today I did a couple of small things on the layout. I was looking at the silo area and decided to take one of the flats I got from Angiestrackside flats and cut off a piece to go at the side of the silos. At least now it is not all sky backdrop now. I started doing another Downtown Deco kit. Got the three walls glued in and will glue the back when they are dry. Yesterday I ordered more terminal blocks. I finally figured out where I will put the Z4000, Legacy base and DCS TIU and get it off the table to where I had it jury rigged. Once the parts come in the project will be that. Tomorrow I am heading to the Pittsburg area, Mark's stomping grounds,  to drop off passenger cars for painting. That is a project I had on the back burner for years. I just never got around to getting it done. So now it will become reality and my first fantasy paint scheme. A couple of pics.............Paul

Brian, When I think I have seen it all from you, You pull more out of your hat of tricks~! Just incase I forget by tomorrow, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

JGTRH62, John nice job on the decking! Also what a nice looking engine!

DECOYHN< Matt nice work on the buildings! If it were me I would put them right next to each other! That way its not a long walk from the tavern to the fun house! LOL

Paul Nice little addition to the silo's! Really dresses up the corner! Have fun with the new building also, WOW your going to get more clean table! LOL

As for me I was up at 3:30 this morning working on the bench work legs, cant make a lot of noise but can plan a lot out! I got all the legs in place for now, I will have to add some for the oil field area but the comes later! Here are a few pictures, I would be further along, but my Lumber package has not come in yet. They say maybe by 4 today!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

briansilvermustang 

  will be having a few tonight for my birthday tomorrow

We'll happy birthday Brian, hopefully your co-engineer will get a piece of cake or some ice cream,  (non chocolate).

Mike G:    Looking really good,  I think you'll be really happy you didn't put down legs on the carpet....    BTW,  that is quite a Truss Bridge and lift assembly,  looks like it's really well designed and built....

Brian -  Happy Birthday !   

Paul,  good thinking filling in the corner with a backdrop building, definitely looks better and blends in.  

I received my flexible Pennsy Stone Block walls and seam sealers so I am working on mounting them on the fascia in front of the large MTH station on the wide radius curve.   I have 3 of them so I'll cover about 45 inches of the curve, down 7 inches from the lower track level...

I had built a small switch control panel and mounted it on a "drawer assembly" that slides under the station, with the intention of making the face of the drawer the Pennsy Stone Block walls.   Hate to keep taking photos of this area and have no scenery below track grade....   

chris a posted:

Mark,  thanks.   Yes it's great that she and I get to spend some time doing scenery together....  It's hard to compete with "video, computer and smart phone screens", in this age,  but I am thankful for the time we spend together.   Between the 2 of us we are learning how to use an inexpensive airbrush I bought on Amazon...  that's been something I been wanting to do for a long time...  

The arm is progressing, I can use it for really light duty tasks where my elbow is close to my hip, like "washing dishes!"...  and doing minor scenery stuff.   Still have another week of stretching only regimens, before we start doing any isometric strengthening....  So at least it's not a "dead" limb in a sling....   The therapist printed out the surgeons rehab protocol... it's humbling when you see a schedule for what exercises I will be doing out around week 12 to 18, and  18 to 26.... I am in week 5....   

We are planning to drive out to Scranton to visit Steamtown and take the excursion trip on Saturday 8/25, should be the only trip this summer before she goes back to college for senior year...

Chris, I’m glad your arm is progressing well.  It seems long, but before you know it...

Last year at college!  I remember those days for both daughters.  Your arm will be great when it’s time to applaud at commencement!!

Mike, the wall braces look great!!  I see you are keeping everything level!!

Paul, the corner is looking great!

Brian, Happy birthday to you!!!

jgtrh62 posted:

I’ve been working on this bridge deck along with landscaping the river valley below it. I will be getting to creating the river water soon, however I have never attempted a water scene before so I’ll let you know how that goes... or not.  I also finished installing DCC and a sound module in #800 and am really pleased how it turned out, I’ll post a short video of it on the DCC thread soon.

Bridge looks great, & the track looks real.

Pete F.

Pete,  I meant to thank you for your  comments above,  I don't tend to think about our spending time together working on layout scenery, and weathering train cars etc. , in terms of  creating memories that she will value far into the future.   Having said that, I sure hope your prediction comes true, and brings back fond memories for her, many years/decades from now...  thanks for your thoughts.     

Note, I am building this layout in large modules, which can be disassembled , moved and put back together...  I did this because I moved 5 times in 10 years, and figured I might have to relocate again.  In the back of my mind was that one of my 2 children might want part of it, or all of it...   They  will at least have the option to take it apart, move it and put it back together in a fraction of the time it's taking me to build it from scratch...    Heck one of the modules is a small "canyon" that my son and I built in 2003/4 in Maine, it's about 4 feet wide x 3 feet deep x 3 feet high....  It still looks great !  

We haven’t moved that much, but have enough for me to build modules.  

Hi Mark, thanks for the kind words. But I will still be able to have some elevation cause the legs are just for the L girders to sit on. Then the 30" wide crossmembers on top of that, then the sheeting, which still leaves me room for height changes!

I would have got more done, but only half my lumber came in, but I guess that is a good thing cause I ran out of screws! I will be waiting there in the morning for them to open! LOL

Chris, you live the model railroaders dream life! Great layout that your working on, with your daughter and son being involved! Cant get much better then that!

Mike, that makes good sense!  I knew you had it all figured out.  Half the order of lumber, but you used up all the screws!  It all worked out.  What are you using to fasten it to the studs and what for the rest of the joints?

Mike, all the pre planning is showing in the construction. Keep the pics of progress coming. Chris, it is always so nice to hear when you share a common hobby with your child. Good to hear the PT and home exercises are getting your arm stronger...............Paul

Paul, if I was that good of a planner I would have never ran out of screws! LOL I hope to get the rest of the "L" girders up this weekend. They say I should have the rest of my 1 x 4 on Monday!

                thank you for the "Happy Birthday" wishes everyone !!

          well, getting back to birthday'ing...  have a great weekend everybody !!!

Happy Birthday and I hope your not working today!

                             leaving to go home right now

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" Brian. Enjoy the day.......Paul

          THANK YOU !!

Have a Happy Birthday, Brian! Nice Great Northern roster, you are the Empire Builder!

Rusty

Not riding that Silver pony to Woodward in Mich. today Kemosahbee ?..I mean Brian..

Just trying to get your "goat"    

Happy Birthday! 🚎🚃🚃🚃🚃🚎

Mike, isn't there an old saying the best laid plans. Don't feel bad I was in the same boat. I ran out of screws for the basement layout. Went to Menards to replenish. Got home only to discover I bought the wrong screws. Never look at the screws. They didn't have the phillips head top. So there I sat till I got back to the store to buy the right ones but I also bought a bit to use the others............Paul

briansilvermustang posted:

 

          well, getting back to birthday'ing...  have a great weekend everybody !!!

Happy birthday, Brian!🚃🚃🚃🎂

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!

Here's a present for you

Bob

Ran trains yesterday for the first time in quite a while. Summer has been super busy and the trains have taken a back seat. Hope to get back to finish up some projects soon.

Put my new Williams D&H GP-9 on the tracks and hit the throttle. WOW! What a nice engine!

briansilvermustang posted:

            

 

..... well, getting back to birthday'ing...  have a great weekend everybody !!!

Happy Birthday Brian!! Your dog looks like the one I lost and then found again on my layout.

Having finished and photoed the AMB elevator, and CCK water mill, l looked through the kit boxes for something that looked quick to build. I found a Thomas Yorke small store.  Instructions say this store is found all over the country, but l disagree. This is a Chinese influenced building like found in California gold country, such as in Columbia, or elsewhere on Hwy. 49. I have visited a lot of ghost towns, as far west as Montana and Arizona, but not Nevada, Oregon, or Wash. , and seen nothing similar.  It is an interesting building with those iron doors classic to Hwy. 49, and a different style roof.  I don't know if it is sacrilege to bash a Yorke building, but l modified and simplified the front facade, leaving the columns with Chinese characters. I previously bashed a Yorke elevator, so have sinned again.  I will make this structure "The Joss House Saloon".  It is going together nicely and is a quick build.

Would like to see this one when it is done. I have been in the ones around Columbia

and the one at Sutters Mill.

John

I never thought that much about it, but I think your right. There is a local 

flavor to gold country architecture. 

The site decided to post before I was done. This area is a great place to visit. All around

"Hangtown", Placerville as it known in civilized times. Sutters Mill, Columbia, Jamestown and 

the railroad museum there. There are ties to "Petticoat Junction" here. Further up north

in Nevada City is the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Museum. The drive from Placerville to

Lake Tahoe along the South Fork of the American River can be exciting to say the least. 

Best visited off season. 

Went on a field trip to get supplies for the layout.

My LHS • Stockyard Express • Annual Open House

Wait there is more…. Things I brought back

Key chain

All the RailKing rolling stock was $3.00 off the orange tag. New York Central, Flat Car w/Operating Helicopter & I could not leave this car behind, Detroit & Mackinac 4-Bay Hopper Car w/Coal Load.

Gary

It’s a great event Gary, we came home with key chains and these two cars.  The pens were gone when we checked out 

My friend Randy came over.  We ran his new scale Legacy Lionel  Atlantic 4-4-2 on my layout.  The loco looked great!!  The sounds/whistle was fabulous!!  The loco walked away with a 22 car coal train without breaking a sweat.

Ordered supplies and worked on finishing five more packs of 24 Preiser people. (120 people)  The people are partially done.  I will inspect, touch-up and finish the people before I place them in the cars.  

Bought Trainworx Elevated track system and some of the vertical pillars.  I have been stalled on completing my upper level of the "Valley of Bridges" layout.  I hope the system will assist in completing the reverse loop and Rotary Dump siding by-pass.

Two-pack of Amtrak 21" passenger cars arrived from Nicholas Smith Trains: 10-6 Sleeper and combine/lounge.  I will do the 10-6 first.  Woodland Scenics Freight and Bicycle Buddies Bikes for the Combine/Lounge are on the way.

It is time to inspect and then paint the 10-6 interior.  Picked up more 3/16" E-clips at Home Depot to hold the trucks on the cars.  I have had five silver E-clips fail, dropping the trucks off five of the 50 cars I have detailed since February 26, 2018.  (Note: I never attempt to remove the E-clips under the sound system of the dining cars.  I do not want to damage the sound system.)

Have a good weekend.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

I continued cleaning-up my train room and lounge area after the flood of last Friday, 8/12. I was determined to get stuff off the layout and the three large folding tables I had temporarly set up. My goal was to run a train or two tonight, and I achieved that goal. Everything crowding the top of the layout and two of those three tables is now safely packed away in sturdy plastic containers, with one table of stuff left to do tomorrow. There will be NO paper boxes, cloth items, or other items subject to water damage within 10" of the floor, including under the layout. The exception will be the layout skirt once it is ready and installed. I will post a before-and-after photos tomorrow.

Because we were able to act quickly, and with the help of several friends, no trains were damaged or lost in the flooding. Three duhumidifiers and three high-velocity box fans are still running to get the place thoroughly dry, and the entire basement has been treated with Hi-Con-128 and (earlier on) with a bleach solution. Humidity level is now at a consistent 38-40% throughout the entire basement. Dehumidifiers and fans will be left running on "high" for a full two weeks.

All this while trying to deal with several kidney stones, but all the work/activity sure does help to keep my mind off that little nuisance.

John, I don’t have those cars, but e clips can be a pain!  The passengers will look good riding the elevated line.

Allan, I glad it wasn’t worse.  Still a pain.  And suffering from stones too!  Yuck!

Our dehumidifier is really pulling moisture out of the future train room, and it isn’t even wet!

  I missed any the flood news.  It sounds like you've already well into turning it to a minor setback.  Any major losses down low, or were you somewhat prepared?

Allan Miller posted:

I continued cleaning-up my train room and lounge area after the flood of last Friday, 8/12. I was determined to get stuff off the layout and the three large folding tables I had temporarly set up. My goal was to run a train or two tonight, and I achieved that goal. Everything crowding the top of the layout and two of those three tables is now safely packed away in sturdy plastic containers, with one table of stuff left to do tomorrow. There will be NO paper boxes, cloth items, or other items subject to water damage within 10" of the floor, including under the layout. The exception will be the layout skirt once it is ready and installed. I will post a before-and-after photos tomorrow.

Because we were able to act quickly, and with the help of several friends, no trains were damaged or lost in the flooding. Three duhumidifiers and three high-velocity box fans are still running to get the place thoroughly dry, and the entire basement has been treated with Decon-128 and (earlier on) with a bleach solution. Humidity level is now at a consistent 38-40% throughout the entire basement. Dehumidifiers and fans will be left running on "high" for a full two weeks.

All this while trying to deal with several kidney stones, but all the work/activity sure does help to keep my mind off that little nuisance.

Allan Miller posted:

I continued cleaning-up my train room and lounge area after the flood of last Friday, 8/12. I was determined to get stuff off the layout and the three large folding tables I had temporarly set up. My goal was to run a train or two tonight, and I achieved that goal. Everything crowding the top of the layout and two of those three tables is now safely packed away in sturdy plastic containers, with one table of stuff left to do tomorrow. There will be NO paper boxes, cloth items, or other items subject to water damage within 10" of the floor, including under the layout. The exception will be the layout skirt once it is ready and installed. I will post a before-and-after photos tomorrow.

Because we were able to act quickly, and with the help of several friends, no trains were damaged or lost in the flooding. Three duhumidifiers and three high-velocity box fans are still running to get the place thoroughly dry, and the entire basement has been treated with Decon-128 and (earlier on) with a bleach solution. Humidity level is now at a consistent 38-40% throughout the entire basement. Dehumidifiers and fans will be left running on "high" for a full two weeks.

All this while trying to deal with several kidney stones, but all the work/activity sure does help to keep my mind off that little nuisance.

Allan, so sorry to hear of your flood. I too had a flood in my basement train room on February 9th. Fortunatley I also had friends and family get everything off the floor so the was no damage to the trains. Had carpeting down there and all of it had to be removed. Did exactly as you..... treated the floor with a chemical (twice) and had dehumidifiers and fans going for a 2 weeks. In the end I put all cardboard boxes that were under the layout up into a spare bedroom and I will NEVER put anything under the layout again. Even my layout skirt is 8" off the floor.

Very happy to hear that you have everything now under control because ....we know the hassle. I've included a few attachments of my new basement train cave. Best of luck to you!

Worked on cleaning the train room and at the same time glued some more figures in place on the table.  Not much physical work.