What did you do on your layout today?

Took a few photos last night while running trains.  Enjoyed the time!!

scale rail posted:

Getting all tools empty train boxes off the floore,  checking all drains and windows. Cat 4 hurricane headed are way. Rare hurricane warning issued this morning. Don

I sure hope that sucker misses you, my friend! But at least you are preparing as best one can out on an island in the middle of the ocean. All the best to you and Vicky!

Got most of my buildings set on the layout, getting ready to start scenery.

Bruce

Everyone has been busy on their layouts.  I like the variety of projects.  I don't have a subway, but I have a partially finished tunnel.  It could use some lighting.

The Trainworx Elevated System parts arrived yesterday.  I was busy finishing my Amtrak Baggage/Lounge until 4:00 A.M. yesterday, no wait, it was today.  That is why I'm tired today.  I thought it was because I'm getting old.

The Amtrak Baggage Lounge was fun to detail.  I have done several others.  The baggage compartment is always a challenge to get as much stuff in it and make it visible through the open door.  The car has a large seating capacity and can accommodate all of the Preiser 65602 figures if I want to use them.  Here are some pictures of my hand-painted People in the car.

Simulated Wood Floor/Four-Color Wet-Blend  The floor of the baggage area is painted with a wet blend in this order: Testors Flat Acyrl "Sand, Insignia Yellow, Dark Earth, and Red Earth".  The colors are brushed in one direction, a small 2" section at a time, using the same 1/4" brush.  The "Sand" wets the floor. The "Insignia Yellow" adds high contrast color. The "Dark Earth" covers the yellow that peaks through as a highlight.  Finally, the "Red Earth" lightens the floor and provides another highlight color.  Avoid over-working the paints because they will continue to mix together every time the brush moves across the floor. The Brush-strokes should create the illusion of wood boards.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

scale rail posted:

Getting all tools empty train boxes off the floore,  checking all drains and windows. Cat 4 hurricane headed are way. Rare hurricane warning issued this morning. Don

Wow!  Yes, do all you can do and let us know when you are okay!

Thank Allan and Mark. Just heard a report they are expecting 20 ft. waves on the South side along with high tides with a full moon. Great! Our little town of Lahaina is as most of you know right on the water. Also expect up to 20 inch of rail. Just put in extensions on all my drains to help keep water away from the house and hopefully out of my train room. Well post something on the other side of this. Don

 hope everything goes well for you Don, good luck, and hope everything is OK !

It may not sound like much but I spent some time troubleshooting my DCS system.

I dug things out about a month ago when I decided I wanted to upgrade to WiFi and take another stab at my Christmas layout.  I found a PS2 engine that would go around the loop of track and hooked up the TIU and remote.  The engine keeps coming up in conventional mode.  I replaced the batteries in the remote with brand new ones.  The red LED does not seem to light.  The connections are all good and the power goes through the Fixed-1 channel and operates the engine in conventional mode when I move the transformer handle.  To me this would indicate that the TIU fuse is good on that channel and it is getting power but I'm still not seeing the red led.  I don't have an easy way to plug into the Aux power port to see if that helps.  I'm not sure what I'm going to try next.

 Anyway...   That's what I worked on today.   

John Rowlen posted:

Everyone has been busy on their layouts.  I like the variety of projects.  I don't have a subway, but I have a partially finished tunnel.  It could use some lighting.

The Trainworx Elevated System parts arrived yesterday.  I was busy finishing my Amtrak Baggage/Lounge until 4:00 A.M. yesterday, no wait, it was today.  That is why I'm tired today.  I thought it was because I'm getting old.

The Amtrak Baggage Lounge was fun to detail.  I have done several others.  The baggage compartment is always a challenge to get as much stuff in it and make it visible through the open door.  The car has a large seating capacity and can accommodate all of the Preiser 65602 figures if I want to use them.  Here are some pictures of my hand-painted People in the car.

Simulated Wood Floor/Four-Color Wet-Blend  The floor of the baggage area is painted with a wet blend in this order: Testors Flat Acyrl "Sand, Insignia Yellow, Dark Earth, and Red Earth".  The colors are brushed in one direction, a small 2" section at a time, using the same 1/4" brush.  The "Sand" wets the floor. The "Insignia Yellow" adds high contrast color. The "Dark Earth" covers the yellow that peaks through as a highlight.  Finally, the "Red Earth" lightens the floor and provides another highlight color.  Avoid over-working the paints because they will continue to mix together every time the brush moves across the floor. The Brush-strokes should create the illusion of wood boards.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Very cool.  Words can't effectively describe.  Nice job.

Man Don (SCALE RAIL) I sure hope everything turns out ok! We will Pray for you and your community! Here in our neck of the woods in Washington state we are dealing with wildfires! One is north of our house about 10 miles and just 4 miles up the hill from the family store!

PRR BRUCE, your layout looks nice and well thought out!  I bet it will even look better once you have trees and grass to go along with your buildings!

JOHN ROWLEN, what Great work! You sure are building a list for me for when the time comes! Thanks for posting!

Thinking of everyone weathering the storms.  Parents had a Maui time-share at Papa Kea Beach Resort on the first floor.  Six feet above waters edge, and 40 feet from the shore line.

Waiting for the Amtrak 4-pack from Nichols Smith Trains.  I have done the Dining Car, 10-3 Sleeper, and Baggage/Lounge.  Here are a few pictures through the windows of the Baggage/Lounge.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

After getting the bandsaw blade fixed was able to cut and put into position the first 15 I beams.

Bryan in Ohio posted:

After getting the bandsaw blade fixed was able to cut and put into position the first 15 I beams.

Bryan, looks good. With all the activities going on at your school, I'm surprised you have time. Keep up the good work. Tom Sr.

Started work on the transition from the upper to the lower level in front of the engine service facility and just west of the station on the lower level.   Once again going with the expanding spray foam, rough cut rigid insulation to form major terrain lines, and low loft batting.....   We managed to get this much done in less than 5 hours, but ran out of expanding foam, so thought I'd take a few in process photos. 

Built another oak retaining wall with the jig....  finally expanded the length of the set up jig so I can build longer sections....  The roughed in "cardboard road" is my template which I'll use to cut the road out of 1/8 inch masonite.

Once we're done spraying the remaining foam and applying the batting material, I'll take if of the table for painting and applying scenic turfs, earth, ground foams etc.....  

John Rowlen posted:

Thinking of everyone weathering the storms.  Parents had a Maui time-share at Papa Kea Beach Resort on the first floor.  Six feet above waters edge, and 40 feet from the shore line.

Waiting for the Amtrak 4-pack from Nichols Smith Trains.  I have done the Dining Car, 10-3 Sleeper, and Baggage/Lounge.  Here are a few pictures through the windows of the Baggage/Lounge.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

There's even a bicycle inside the baggage door!  Excellent!!

Bryan, the I beams are looking good! It was funny today I was talking to a guy from New York and we were talking about trains and I told him about your subway station! He asked what station, I told him I don't know, heck I have never seen a subway station in real life! LOL He laughed at me! LOL

Chris things are looking good there, I cant wait to try the expanding foam and batting, it looks so easy or should I say you make it look so easy! LOL But when the time comes I will give it a shot!

No Mike,  it really is "easy"... plus if you stick with using rigid insulation, or styrofoam under the batting you can easily cut off what you don't like and shape it either before or after the batting is applied.   The inexpensive knives with the snap off blades cut through it easily.   I also found one at Home Depot that is a large version, 1 inch wide heavy duty snap off blade, dewalt I think....  It's a great cutting tool to have around as the blade when new will extend about 4 inches out of the handle and it's extremely sharp for cutting through rigid foam...

So go for it, it's really a forgiving process, yields great results and no plaster and water mess, and waiting days for it to dry... You can start painting and applying scenery within a couple of hours of laying the batting on top of the expanding foam as it completely dries or cures in like 2 to 3 hours at the most. 

Cleaned the basement more today in preparation for my return to college in the fall.  (and my 3 month absence from the train room) 

In all honesty how much of the "progress" we seem to make always winds up consisting of mostly cleaning up a mess that somehow appeared out of nowhere?

mike g. posted:

Tom Tee posted:

Just mounted the top return loop, level 5. 

Getting so close to finishing the bench work I can taste it.  Is there such a thing as a Golden Screw Driving Ceremony?

Gotta do sumptin to reward this blind and crippled crazy making. 

Need to play it down to the uppity neighbors, they  don't understand.

Hire a Marching Band and have them go by your place! Maybe the uppity neighbors would get the point! LOL

Sounds like great times ahead Tom! Please post pictures when you get a chance!

I had good luck with a demo CD of the Hawaiian War Chant.  

                   good looking scene Chris !      GREAT job

Chris, as Brian said great scene. Looks like you are getting some pretty good therapy working on the layout.........Paul

mike g. posted:

Bryan, the I beams are looking good! It was funny today I was talking to a guy from New York and we were talking about trains and I told him about your subway station! He asked what station, I told him I don't know, heck I have never seen a subway station in real life! LOL He laughed at me! LOL

Chris things are looking good there, I cant wait to try the expanding foam and batting, it looks so easy or should I say you make it look so easy! LOL But when the time comes I will give it a shot!

LOL Mike- Don't worry, you are not missing anything. Unless you like seeing rats scurry around and smelly homeless guys sleeping on the floor. Smells great in the summer too.

Bob

chris a posted:

No Mike,  it really is "easy"... plus if you stick with using rigid insulation, or styrofoam under the batting you can easily cut off what you don't like and shape it either before or after the batting is applied.   The inexpensive knives with the snap off blades cut through it easily.   I also found one at Home Depot that is a large version, 1 inch wide heavy duty snap off blade, dewalt I think....  It's a great cutting tool to have around as the blade when new will extend about 4 inches out of the handle and it's extremely sharp for cutting through rigid foam...

So go for it, it's really a forgiving process, yields great results and no plaster and water mess, and waiting days for it to dry... You can start painting and applying scenery within a couple of hours of laying the batting on top of the expanding foam as it completely dries or cures in like 2 to 3 hours at the most. 

Thanks Chris, I will be giving it a try! I watched that video you shared with me so I will watch it again and jump in and give it my best!

Brian, Paul, Mike:  thanks for kind words.  Yes Paul, I think the "good therapy" while the shoulder is healing,  is as much, actually more, emotional than physical..  Having this hobby with all it's different artistic creative avenues is proving to be a blessing, or I'd be going nuts wasting way too much time in front of a screen TV or laptop...   

I am really trying to avoid the single flat steep (45 percent)  grade between the two levels.   While it might be more prototypical, I think it would look rather plain if I did that, and covered it with static grass or gravel and talus in this area.....     

Also contemplated filling it up with a row of buildings, or store fronts, but I am trying to get the focus off of tracks running essentially parallel on two levels...   Good news is that the whole thing is being assembled inside of 1/4 inch luan plywood frame, back & bottom,  so it lifts right off that layout

I plan to set up the video camera when as I complete this section...  This time I will keep recording as we cover this section with the earth colored base coat of flat latex paint and start applying the dirt, ground foams etc....   

Cool Chris, I cant wait to see the video! Thanks again!

Today, I began the process of rebuilding our trainyard to incorporate another engine facility. Took out all of the old problematic track work leading to the barn in replacement for a more realistic operating scenario. Next step is to lay cork for the new track setup and lay the track (Hopefully) permanently. 

Brian, The Western Maryland engines are nice.

Chris, I'm glad you got back on to the next section of scenery.

NS6770FAN, That is good you are starting to improve your yard!  Please keep us posted.

Update on the yard, I have all of the new roadbed laid down, next step is to start laying the track. Can’t really nail track down until I can get some more Tortoises and atlas switch machines from MB Klein to finish off the major track work. 

Mike - It was a much needed improvement, as the old system tended to derail my larger 2-10-4s and my GG1s.

Fast work on that, NS6770

Finally...A Lionel postwar 197 Radar Tower that actually operates as it should....

Very nice, Howard!!

Installed interlocking rubber tile gym floor covering over my basement train room's tile floor to replace the large area rug which was discarded after my recent basement flooding. This will be easier to take care of if there is ever a future water event, and best of all it is very comfortable to walk on. Also gave my new MTH Amtrak FP40 a good run on the still-very-bare layout with seven passenger cars in tow.

NS6770FAN, Mark is right you are fast! I cant wait to see it with the new track!

GANDYDANCER1950, Nice addition to your already great layout!

ALLAN, sounds like you have a winner on both levels! One for your feet and one for your eyes! Enjoy!

I had a little time today after work and with no lumber I took a forum members suggestion and started a power cart! Just added a gang box and set my Z4000 in place! LOL NOT MUCH!

Quick and efficient, Mike!  Looks great!!

Mark Boyce posted:

Quick and efficient, Mike!  Looks great!!

Thanks Mark, It was Carl's idea!

Went to hardware store, bought truck mounting screws for some of my Atlas and Weaver cars.   Came home installed trucks while running trains. Did some putting away of items I had out in the train room.  

For some reason I enjoyed the time with the trains tonight more than usual.  Needless to say I had great fun!! 

Once again love this thread in that you learn so much and it really motivates me to keep working on a project especially when it is well received.  Subway project is basically complete just have to wire in a few signals and the vending machines and time to move onto station 2 or take a break from subways and work on the prison project. The station wasn't modeled after any real life station even though I used the Wall Street Signage.  I just like to freelance my layout and create my own scenes. 

Bryan, great job on subway station one. You are moving along like gangbusters and I am starting to fall behind you. I think I am in your dust trail now LOL. Mike, one nice looking portable power cart. All I got done was started coloring the building I am working on. Pics.............Paul