What did you do on your layout today?

Looks Great Brian! Izzy looks like she likes it also!

Hmmmm Bryan, York slush fund down a bit. Wonder if the fridge would still be working if you had not held my badge for ransom LOL. I would say you just never know when something is going to break down. This morning I called the hotel to conform my reservations. All set for York. Then I headed out to Harbor Freight because they had clamps on sale for 2.99 each  so I picked up 6 of them plus some more box cutters. Now when I do another Downtown Deco building I can glue more walls at a time. Got the wire strung through to the underside of the island table. And that is the extent of work today. It's a Tuesday night crew get together and my buddy Bryan will be there to return my badge. Tomorrow I can now start getting terminal blocks in and do some wiring. Pics...........Paul

I’m looking forward to seeing your and Izzy’s progress, Brian!

Paul, you are making good progress on the wire!  

gotta laugh every time I look at Izzy. She just has this, oh come on....really????? look. Just bribe her with more ice cream.

can't wait to see some progress Brian. I seem to recall its been a while since you started the new train room .

Glad you got the wires run Paul . Sorry I couldn't make it there to help. The chili gods were just not strong enough....

Sorry about the fridge Bryan- always sucks when unexpected expenses pop up.

Bob

Bryan,

I’m certainly sorry about your refrigerator!!  That is a bummer, and not that old!

That raises a question for everyone.   Is it better to have the household expense come up before planning to buy trains or right after you spent the money on trains?  

I would say after then I can borrow from my wife. lol  In reality we have slush funds as we like to call them where we throw money into each month.  I have the trains and vacations money.  She has the entertainment/dining out money.  We have a fund that we use for household repair and our rental property expenses.  So in reality the York funds are okay but in the back of my mind I do need to throw some money into that pile because I don't like it dipping below a certain level.  

Yes, we dipped after I have been working only 3 days a week for the last 13 months.  No one wants to hire an old engineer, so I’m getting paid better than I could full time at Home Depot!  LOL. Training for retirement, I guess!  

I before getting the laundry out of the dryer I would put in 4 terminal blocks. The four blocks will be for power and ground. I need bigger terminal blocks for ground to do both sides of the Gar Graves track. I know it is over kill when I could twist two wires together and run a single wire to the terminal block. But that's all I could get done for the day. Tomorrow morning I can connect the other end of the wires to the control panel and then start running my wires on the island. Pics...............Paul

Working on seated figures for an Amtrak Passenger Car.

Step 1: Look at the back of the seat and have the head just above the head rest.

Step 2: The tools and supplies needed.

Step 3: I have been using Cyanoacrylate with gap filler. I will also be using these glues.

Step 4: In these RailKing cars the seats slide out, after removing ten screws.

Step 5: I have been using RailKing figures and O gauge figures in bags from one of those big box on-line stores.

Step 6: Nice day so I opened the window to get fresh air when using these glues.

Step 7: All the passengers glued in and two guys walking in the aisle.

Gary

Nice job, Gary!

Great job Gary. I’m not much on passenger cars but this has caught my attention 

Gary   really nice work on those Amtrak cars.   I always liked those cars but sold mine off when I decided to model the steam/diesel transition era.    

Paul,   one thing I started doing to save terminal block locations is to put 2 wires in the crimp-on spade connectors and clamp them down tight there, works pretty well.  Sometimes I'll flip one spade connector upside down and stack them back to back so they fit under the screw and don't bend and bind up.   

Brian,  now I can see why Paul told us the TOFC and trailers don't come up for sale very often.  Based on the photo of the shelf system there, looks like you have the "market" cornered... Nice shelving !!!

Bryan, Sorry about the fridge, but it shows you they don't build things like they use too! 20 Yo fridge still running! Kinda like some of the guys on this forum! LOL

Paul, the wiring is looking good! You will be running trains tomorrow! I can see it!

Gary, your crowd sure looks nice and comfy on the train! Nice work!

Chris, you are right about Brian’s stash!!

We used to put two crimp on connectors on one screw terminal at the power company, but never two wires on a on one crimp on.  I don’t see anything wrong with it, if you crimp it right and check for tightness.

Had a great night at our weekly train group meeting.  We saw the pictures for our next group beer reefer that we commissioned MTH to make and they are going to be fantastic.  (Sorry but I think they will be sold out to just our group, they were that well received)  Now I am next up in the hosting duties so tonight (after buying a new refrigerator)  I have to pick out what I am going to run and start to make sure there are no gremlins on the layout for next week.  By the way for those wondering yes Paul got his badge back and I was even able to capture a picture of the reunion.  

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Had a great night at our weekly train group meeting.  We saw the pictures for our next group beer reefer that we commissioned MTH to make and they are going to be fantastic.  (Sorry but I think they will be sold out to just our group, they were that well received)  Now I am next up in the hosting duties so tonight (after buying a new refrigerator)  I have to pick out what I am going to run and start to make sure there are no gremlins on the layout for next week.  By the way for those wondering yes Paul got his badge back and I was even able to capture a picture of the reunion.  

Very clever - Gollum!

Bryan, hilarious!  Are you riding to York with Paul and Shirley?  I would like to ride along for the fun!

Paul, I think your good nature keeps you from hitting Bryan as hard as he hits.  I worked with a guy like that some years ago.  I would say something just to see what outrageous comment he would fire back with.  It was all in fun, and I miss working with that guy.

You guys are just to funny!

Mark Boyce posted:

Bryan, hilarious!  Are you riding to York with Paul and Shirley?  I would like to ride along for the fun!

Paul, I think your good nature keeps you from hitting Bryan as hard as he hits.  I worked with a guy like that some years ago.  I would say something just to see what outrageous comment he would fire back with.  It was all in fun, and I miss working with that guy.

No, I think we would end up driving off the road and besides Paul will never ride with me since last time it took him a month to recover seeing that my car sits real low to the ground and it's not that easy to get in to and out of for shall we say the "older generation" 

OMG, Paul has you guys convinced that I am the guilty party. I invite anyone to attend one of our gatherings and see all the grief I get every night.  I am by far the youngest member (by at least 15 years) of any other person there and as such I get all the younger generation scorn cast in my direction.  I can't even repeat what was said last night on this family forum but trust me your "innocent" Paul is not who he portrays on this forum.  lol

paul 2 posted:

I before getting the laundry out of the dryer I would put in 4 terminal blocks. The four blocks will be for power and ground. I need bigger terminal blocks for ground to do both sides of the Gar Graves track. I know it is over kill when I could twist two wires together and run a single wire to the terminal block. But that's all I could get done for the day. Tomorrow morning I can connect the other end of the wires to the control panel and then start running my wires on the island. Pics...............Paul

Another option for terminal connection:  Square D Terminal Ground Bars.   Menards/Home Depot have several to choose from $6-8.  They can be cut in half with a hacksaw, one half for positive and other half for ground.   You can gang several wires into each port and no need to crimp on spade terminals or solder tin the wire tips.   These are what I use.  

Cheers, Dave

Bryan, I saw Paul provoked this last round with his signs at his house last week.  Though he may say that was in retaliation for something!  

I already knew you were the odd man out since you are younger than the rest of the group.  As for me, I would only feel like I wish I was your age again.  Yes, I would have to ride with Paul.  My 2004 Hyundai gets closer to the ground every year, though it may literally be so.  The tire man said my tires are wearing funny because the suspension is getting weaker. I know my personal suspension is getting weaker.  That is why a once comfortable ride is getting harder and I have to pull myself up out of the car.  I could get an SUV, but this car is paid for and dependable!  

Dave, the ground bar sure would work nicely.

I have to interject here. Bryan has the advantage because as he stated he is the youngest in the group. So he is more tech savy and can do all the stuff on the computer. As to traveling together that is not an option. That would sacrifice space for my purchases. I will agree with him that the car Al and Jerry designed for the Tuesday night crew will be a sellout among the group. And  Bryan, Shirley now sides with me. Can't fool her anymore LOL. Now time to do some wiring.  Looking forward to seeing you next week............Paul

Not to get all Oscar worthy speech here and I would be the last to tell anyone how to enjoy the hobby BUT I really think that guys that go this alone and are the lone wolves are really missing out.  Not everyone can have a great local group like we do. We are very fortunate in that we have a large group of 3 railers in our area that want to open up their homes each week; but even so, this forum and this thread is like our own little group and it amazes me the wealth of sharing and learning from each other we obtain on here on a daily basis.  

I get you Bryan, I live out in the middle of nowhere! I wish there were more people around me into trains. There are a few but there into HO, and are only here for the summer as they head south for the winter! LOL

Mike, but you get to share in the OGR Forum family at least and that is better than nothing.  

Gary, looks great!  I like the standing figures...enhances the scene.  

Mark Boyce posted:

Nice job, Gary!

lee drennen posted:

Great job Gary. I’m not much on passenger cars but this has caught my attention 

ToledoEd posted:

Gary, looks great!  I like the standing figures...enhances the scene.  

Hi fellow members: Thanks for all the support and suggestions on this project. 

I would like to share one more tip, MTH has Premier Passenger Cars and RailKing Passenger cars. I am using RailKing Passengers cars.  The interior is smaller and not has high. Thus you have to use a file, and use Dremel Tool, with a sanding drum to shave off the butts of these paying Amtrak Passengers, and use the tin zips to cut of their legs just below the knee caps.

Hope these photos and tips help: Gary

Bryan in Ohio posted:

Mike, but you get to share in the OGR Forum family at least and that is better than nothing.  

Bryan, you are so right about that! Until I found this site, I was all alone! LOL

chris a posted:

Brian,  now I can see why Paul told us the TOFC and trailers don't come up for sale very often.  Based on the photo of the shelf system there, looks like you have the "market" cornered... Nice shelving !!!

                                thanks Chris.... here is a few more...

                                       these shelves are two rows deep...

                                  guess Dad and I like intermodal...

                                     over 50 sets of these spline cars...

                                       some homemade 5 car sets...

                 and a stash of unopened Atlas intermodal  cars in the house...

             a couple of the engines ready to pull...  waiting on the track crew...

trainroomgary posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Nice job, Gary!

lee drennen posted:

Great job Gary. I’m not much on passenger cars but this has caught my attention 

ToledoEd posted:

Gary, looks great!  I like the standing figures...enhances the scene.  

Hi fellow members: Thanks for all the support and suggestions on this project. 

I would like to share one more tip, MTH has Premier Passenger Cars and RailKing Passenger cars. I am using RailKing Passengers cars.  The interior is smaller and not has high. Thus you have to use a file, and use Dremel Tool, with a sanding drum to shave off the butts of these paying Amtrak Passengers, and use the tin zips to cut of their legs just below the knee caps.

Hope these photos and tips help: Gary

Thank you, Gary.  My few cars are all RailKing 60 footers.  I was aware passengers often need surgery to fit in the seats.  Hence your photograph of where there head should be in relation to the headrest and window.  Thanks a bunch!!

Brian, have you ever tried counting cars?  Not like the automobile customizer History Channel show.  Counting engines too?

Ok Brian, all I can say is Holy COW! LOL

The morning progressed pretty good considering I was still recuperating from the traumatic act of my badge being held for ransom. I can see that I have to batten down hatches before said person returns to my home again. LOL But the plus side is he returned it no worse for wear. So far I got the power and ground hooked up at the control panel and to the terminal blocks. I am not too worried about the holes drilled because I will make up covers to conceal the terminal blocks. After lunch I hope to get a few tracks wired up. Pics..............Paul

When you going to be running trains Paul?

Mike, running the main leads was easy. Not comes the tedious work of wiring the tracks to the blocks. On the island table I used my older Ross switches that were not prewired so that will make for more sections to pwoer and ground properly...........Paul

mike g. posted:

Lee, still looks like you had fun!

Paul, when you get your strip connectors installed can you take a picture, I have never seen them used!

Mike,

That would be one picture without the 1000 words.  The blades installed are practically invissble.  Pictorial installation instructions would be most informative.

I have used the blades on sections of track over incomplete bridges so that the structure can be removed for further work at the bench.  A skewed girder bridge on my layout is currently mid construction, yet supporting a section of removable track when I want to run trains, thanks to the GG blades. 

Blades are installed by gently driving them inside the ends of the permanently mounted rails, leaving about a half inch sticking out.  Draw back the first few ties at both ends of the precut lift out track section, align and push down into place.  Slide the ties back into position and yer done.  I could see where blades might be a better alternative to track pins on modular layouts.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce for the information, I was thinking they might work on my lift bridge for power but I don't think so!

Makes sense, Mike.

If the bridge is to be constantly lifted out and installed, you're probably best to go with some other method.  The blades wouldn't hold up, neither would the rail ends on the bridge.

For reliable continuity and quick disconnect / connect, the easiest, cheapest route might be using good old household wiring components.  Wall outlets at both layout ends with extension cord male ends connected to bridge rails.  Positive flawless continuity every time assuming you have a fool proof method of track alignment.

Bruce