What did you do on your layout today?

lee drennen posted:

I added the gondola to the roster this morning it’s a little tall but I’m going with it 

Run guy wires so they can't tip if you don't want to cut them down. Going with two may help understate the size a little more .??.  They would also be HEAVY!  Stiff, solid, "Music wire" is thin so can look like guy wire; but actually be a brace too. Use going to wood/plastic insert(s)on the floor or drill some small holes in the bed to hook it in. Maybe a whole floor insert if you won't actually unload them protoypically.

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

I build small platform (SHARK BAY CITY), need more detailing parts before ready.

Very nice Johan. I didn't know the LIRR served Finland. All these years and I could have taken the train to Finland?

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, Your family is the best!  Right now as you know I'm on the giving end of things with my extended family, but it could be any time now that I could end up on the receiving end.  As I have told my younger daughter many times, "Just find a good home to dump me into when the time comes".  

Mark,

Whenever my dad did something nice for us kids, he always said "The only repayment I want is that you pick a home with cute nurses."

RSJB18 posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

I build small platform (SHARK BAY CITY), need more detailing parts before ready.

Very nice Johan. I didn't know the LIRR served Finland. All these years and I could have taken the train to Finland?

Bob: Thank you, very funny. Maybe you must try again, welcome anytime. 

Johan

Today my Dad (aka Mickey Mantle) and I spent about an hour in the basement.  I got to show off my new-to-me (like new still in box!) South Wind PRR passenger set with Station Sounds Diner.  He talked me into unboxing my brand new Lionel Legacy Scale Polar Express Berk.  BOY OH BOY is she pretty!  I got to demo some Mega-Steam for him.  He and his wife really like the Hot Chocolate smell.  (Guess what Daddy is getting for Christmas?!)  We hooked it up to the PRR South Wind and did some laps.  Dad is still a kid at heart. "Is that as fast as it goes?"  I got it up to about 75% throttle (92 smph) before chickening out and backing off.

Then, I pulled out the Halloween Mikado.  I showed off the cell phone Bluetooth App for him.  His wife REALLY liked the Halloween Mikado.  The eerie church bell does it every time.

Then Dad and I walked the basement and did some layout planning.  He's off at a wedding now, so I'm on the computer reading the Mianne website and doing some planning.  I'm getting the itch to buy some lumber and lay some track!  This little loop in my office isn't enough for me anymore.

Oh, and @M. Mitchell Marmel please don't tell Mr. Gene, but the Scale PE didn't clear his mountain, so I'll have to put it in storage until the new layout is ready for it.

Some of my favorites. 

Brian- do you put trains together and then find pictures of the 1:1 or the other way around

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

RSJB18 posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

I build small platform (SHARK BAY CITY), need more detailing parts before ready.

Very nice Johan. I didn't know the LIRR served Finland. All these years and I could have taken the train to Finland?

Bob: Thank you, very funny. Maybe you must try again, welcome anytime. 

Johan

Well considering that the LIRR  can barely make it across the East River, the chances of making it across the pond are slim to none.

RSJB18 posted:

Brian- do you put trains together and then find pictures of the 1:1 or the other way around

          YES....

Hm, since I am presently without a layout, I am planning the next layout - of course.   Our next home has a dry finished basement, the train room is about 22' x 22' after allowances for sump pump pit & the woodstove clearances.   Hope to be moved in by Christmas !   Almost have all the trains & railroadiana packed, you know, the important stuff !

Adriatic posted:

lee drennen posted:

I added the gondola to the roster this morning it’s a little tall but I’m going with it 

Run guy wires so they can't tip if you don't want to cut them down. Going with two may help understate the size a little more .??.  They would also be HEAVY!  Stiff, solid, "Music wire" is thin so can look like guy wire; but actually be a brace too. Use going to wood/plastic insert(s)on the floor or drill some small holes in the bed to hook it in. Maybe a whole floor insert if you won't actually unload them protoypically.

I was going to put some cable material  over the top but I don't like them that tall so I think I will cut them down I thought I could adjust to them but I cant thanks for the Idea about bracing, but these will be unloaded one of these days. I will glue lift rings in the floor instead of drilling holes in the car incase I want to change it up some day

Lee, They could be cut down some and still look authentic.  I worked for a power company for 15 years after and before working for the telecom company.  I saw lots of transformers brought in by truck and some by rail to the power station.  They always shipped them with the bushings in crates along side.  I have two low-boy flat cars with transformers and I have the bushings on top of the transformers.  They look way more cool that if I did them like the prototype.  So, I know better, but I do it the way I like.  

John, Great story about you and your dad.  There isn't much of anything I can get my dad now that he and Mum are in a home.  Snickers bars and mixed nuts-slightly salted is all he wants.  

Here is the makeshift Halloween display sans trains.  I have them on track and will post them later.

This photograph shows just how makeshift it is.  I'll be rebuilding the Christmas layout before you know it, so why go to too much trouble.  The trains are a Western Maryland freight with an "unusual" cargo, and the LionChief Hogwarts Express.

Thanks Mark

I can not find any pics of this type of transformers and AMT models has the holes at the bottom I didn’t like them that way so I put them at the top. Can you help me identify these transformers thanks

Worked on some of my  All Nations Boxcars today and gave them a test run. Need to add some latters and brake wheels. 2 down 12 more to restore. The REA Reefer car is a old AHM Pola Max car I Custom Painted and Decaled about 3yrs ago. 

Adriatic posted:

Tony H posted:

Swapped out the original motor on my Dad’s PreWar AF Zephyr so it could run on my Ross track and switches.  Original wheel flanges were too deep.  Had an unused engine that was from a Lionel Black River set.  Took that motor out, works great.  Does not have to sit on a shelf.  Now I just have to find a few more cars.

I don't think the prototypes pulled too many cars anyhow. You might want to check out the roster for them.

FutureRail Productions posted:

..............The 6670 boom car is in remarkably good shape minus the top bit part of the boom's locking tab doesn't want to hold it up so I have to use duct tape to hold it up.

A simple but better looking temp. fix is a thread loop to that crank axle with a hook from a paper clip or other wire to the upright booms lattices. Tweaking one of the axle holding tabs may hold it upright by thread alone.(my new one doesn't need the stay, but my old one did. The new has a bearing insert than also keeps enough pressure on the crank that it doesn't slip down without a load. I don't recall my PW having that pressurized bearing insert... Or it was too weak to do any good)

Is the stay bent? Is the lower right rivet of the stay loose?(re-set) Post rivet loose?(reset, replace, or use a small bolt or rivet & glue) Or the tab worn/broken?(JB Weld)

Honestly not sure. Everything is intact. It just won't stay up. I did think about super gluing the tab into locked position, but I just think it's worn down due to age, and the fact it was in a Goodwill and we all know how they are. 

lee drennen posted:

Thanks Mark

I can not find any pics of this type of transformers and AMT models has the holes at the bottom I didn’t like them that way so I put them at the top. Can you help me identify these transformers thanks

Lee- The scale is throwing you off. These "can" type transformers would typically go on poles to step down high voltage to the end users. Power stations today use larger pad-mount  units that have all three phases in one assembly.  The number of rings on the porcelain insulators relates to the voltage. The higher the voltage the more rings.

You can shorten both the can and the insulators and they may look more to scale.

Bob

Mark Boyce posted:

Here is the makeshift Halloween display sans trains.  I have them on track and will post them later.

This photograph shows just how makeshift it is.  I'll be rebuilding the Christmas layout before you know it, so why go to too much trouble.  The trains are a Western Maryland freight with an "unusual" cargo, and the LionChief Hogwarts Express.

Mark- The Hallow-mas layout looks great!

My all day op session series just ended, the last group just left.

A good time was apparently had by all and the layout only had a few small oops moments.

So odd watching my layout running without me behind the controls, but they did great.

RSJB18 posted:

lee drennen posted:

Thanks Mark

I can not find any pics of this type of transformers and AMT models has the holes at the bottom I didn’t like them that way so I put them at the top. Can you help me identify these transformers thanks

Lee- The scale is throwing you off. These "can" type transformers would typically go on poles to step down high voltage to the end users. Power stations today use larger pad-mount  units that have all three phases in one assembly.  The number of rings on the porcelain insulators relates to the voltage. The higher the voltage the more rings.

You can shorten both the can and the insulators and they may look more to scale.

Bob

Bob

thats the only ones I came close to finding here’s some pics of the model I got them out of I think AMT made fictitious ones oh well they look cool to me especially after I cut them down. Thanks for the leg work Bob.

This evening I repaired several tank cars whose ladders fell off and/or the walkway/handrails around the dome needed repair.  Opened and inspected a pair of K line switches I bought off the Bay.  They are in good working order.    While doing this I ran trains and did a bit of straightening  up in the train room.  My Lionel N&W  J 611 finally began putting some smoke out of the stack again too!  Very nice!!  I also added some items to my York shopping list.  A most enjoyable evening with the trains

Lee Drennen, I finally found a photograph of what I was thinking of.  Back in the '80s and '90s we still had Oil Circuit Breakers out in the substations.  Most were three phase, but I recall some old ones that were a bank of single phase ones with trip and close coils for each that were ganged electrically.  The article the photograph was taken from is here.  https://www.dfliq.net/electric...ts/circuit-breakers/  Vepco, later Virginia Power, now Dominion had ones this size on 115KV lines, that was the lowest voltage transmission lines they had.  These were put in service in the '50s or so. 

See how the bushings are the same length on yours and the photograph.  If they were transformers, the high side would probably have longer bushings than the low side.  AMT may have taken their model from single phase oil circuit breakers.  And who knows what was used in other countries.

Just a thought.....

The video is to large to upload here https://youtu.be/XGqWGnJRfPA

Kon112H posted:

The video is to large to upload here https://youtu.be/XGqWGnJRfPA

Andrew;

Very impressive layout and nice video. Thanks for sharing. That being said, I don’t think I’d like walking down those steps when the trains are running  

Mark Boyce posted:

Lee, They could be cut down some and still look authentic.  I worked for a power company for 15 years after and before working for the telecom company.  I saw lots of transformers brought in by truck and some by rail to the power station.  They always shipped them with the bushings in crates along side.  I have two low-boy flat cars with transformers and I have the bushings on top of the transformers.  They look way more cool that if I did them like the prototype.  So, I know better, but I do it the way I like.  

John, Great story about you and your dad.  There isn't much of anything I can get my dad now that he and Mum are in a home.  Snickers bars and mixed nuts-slightly salted is all he wants.  

Here is the makeshift Halloween display sans trains.  I have them on track and will post them later.

 

This photograph shows just how makeshift it is.  I'll be rebuilding the Christmas layout before you know it, so why go to too much trouble.  The trains are a Western Maryland freight with an "unusual" cargo, and the LionChief Hogwarts Express.

Mark, this is so so cool. A mixed layout with Halloween and Christmas. I like that. Plus very cool with the Harry Potter figures. Great for Halloween.

Mark Boyce posted:

Lee Drennen, I finally found a photograph of what I was thinking of.  Back in the '80s and '90s we still had Oil Circuit Breakers out in the substations.  Most were three phase, but I recall some old ones that were a bank of single phase ones with trip and close coils for each that were ganged electrically.  The article the photograph was taken from is here.  https://www.dfliq.net/electric...ts/circuit-breakers/  Vepco, later Virginia Power, now Dominion had ones this size on 115KV lines, that was the lowest voltage transmission lines they had.  These were put in service in the '50s or so. 

See how the bushings are the same length on yours and the photograph.  If they were transformers, the high side would probably have longer bushings than the low side.  AMT may have taken their model from single phase oil circuit breakers.  And who knows what was used in other countries.

Just a thought.....

Thanks a lot Mark!! This helps I guess it’s back to the drawing board on this project. 

lee drennen posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Lee Drennen, I finally found a photograph of what I was thinking of.  Back in the '80s and '90s we still had Oil Circuit Breakers out in the substations.  Most were three phase, but I recall some old ones that were a bank of single phase ones with trip and close coils for each that were ganged electrically.  The article the photograph was taken from is here.  https://www.dfliq.net/electric...ts/circuit-breakers/  Vepco, later Virginia Power, now Dominion had ones this size on 115KV lines, that was the lowest voltage transmission lines they had.  These were put in service in the '50s or so. 

See how the bushings are the same length on yours and the photograph.  If they were transformers, the high side would probably have longer bushings than the low side.  AMT may have taken their model from single phase oil circuit breakers.  And who knows what was used in other countries.

Just a thought.....

Thanks a lot Mark!! This helps I guess it’s back to the drawing board on this project. 

AAHAA! Wasn't thinking of circuit breakers. Good detective work Mark.

Bob

Guys thanks for all the leg work you did. I always thought they were transformers since I was a kid. I will redo these and detail them out thanks again 

Lee, You are most welcome!  They intrigued me because they looked so familiar, but I didn't have time to check out my remembrances until late in the evening.  We always see transformers modeled for flat car loads, and Vepco had banks of three single phase transformers in the 500KV-230KV substations, but they were always rectangular with the typical cooling fins.  All of these are shipped empty, and they need to be filled with mineral oil, current transformers and bushings need installed, and some gauges, etc have to be installed as well.  Having a background in power, I find the loads all interesting.

RSJB18 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Here is the makeshift Halloween display sans trains.  I have them on track and will post them later.

This photograph shows just how makeshift it is.  I'll be rebuilding the Christmas layout before you know it, so why go to too much trouble.  The trains are a Western Maryland freight with an "unusual" cargo, and the LionChief Hogwarts Express.

Mark- The Hallow-mas layout looks great!

Bob and Tom, Thank you!!! 

Actually, it was more a function of time instead of planning.  I never got the Christmas layout taken down, and at this late date, I didn't want to pack all the Christmas buildings etc away.  Also I don't have that much Halloween decorations to fit a 4x8.  So I decided to make this vignette in the middle and have the viewer focus on the center.  I guess there was some ingenuity in imagining how I could set it up in the middle.  It was a quick and dirty setup, but it works I think.  

I’ve spent the entire weekend cleaning up the basement.  It’s amazing how much crap piles up over the summer.  With that done I can get back to working on the trains.

Lee, 2 is a start. I am glad you ended up having a good time! A day running trains is hard to beat! LOL

Mark, Its really blessed to have a great family! My dad schooled us in manners and helping others! So today I did what I could and helped a 90 YO neighbor who has already started putting up Christmas lights. I got up on his roof and hung all the lights around his house! He sure has a lot of stories! LOL The Halloween layout is looking great!

Brian, nice pictures once again! But I may have missed it but do you have the BNSF engine in the Red and Silver paint?

John, sounds like you had a great day with your Dad! Soak it in, as these are memories in the making!

Trestleking, good luck on your new home and your future layout! Just remember there is a sump pump in there for some reason, Keep things off the floor! LOL

Lee D., The box cars look wonderful and roll great!

Kon, what a great looking layout! Plus you have a wonderful train room! Fun to watch thanks!

mike g. posted:

Brian, nice pictures once again! But I may have missed it but do you have the BNSF engine in the Red and Silver paint?

 

                               added it to the wish list...

Atlas had done both, BNSF, and Santa Fe Warbonnets, (4) axle Dash 8-40 BW

Sure is some nice looking engines there Mike!

A wish list must! LOL

Mark, neat Halloween layout. Maybe you are going to be a man of all seasons. Over the past few days I have not really worked on the layout. Yesterday I tried to work on the brewery area but after lining up the flats I think they will work better if I glue them all together then glue them to a couple of furring strips the thickness of the black foam board on the buildings above them. To cut the furring strips I'll have to change the belt on the wheel of the band saw. The old one  rotted off just as I finished the last wood I was cutting. Today I have to cut grass. The next two days are calling for rain. So maybe tomorrow for the time being I can start wiring the liftout section and installing those blades in the rails. At least that is what I am hoping for but with York a few days away I might just end up resting up for that LOL.............Paul

Mark Boyce posted:

Lee, You are most welcome!  They intrigued me because they looked so familiar, but I didn't have time to check out my remembrances until late in the evening.  We always see transformers modeled for flat car loads, and Vepco had banks of three single phase transformers in the 500KV-230KV substations, but they were always rectangular with the typical cooling fins.  All of these are shipped empty, and they need to be filled with mineral oil, current transformers and bushings need installed, and some gauges, etc have to be installed as well.  Having a background in power, I find the loads all interesting.

Thanks Mark I’m not going to cut them down just fix them like the pic you sent and thank you for your leg work and everybody else that replied 

Well I’ve started another All Nations Boxcar I’m at a stopping point and going to let the decals cure for a few days before I clear coat. Lee D.