What did you do on your layout today?

A Lionel Project Director (Ted Bockley) from Concord NC visited our club layout today and gave a young guest some pointers with the Legacy system!

Very nice to meet you Ted!

I think he is the equipment safety inspector!  It's great!

If I may ask, Al Galli, does the boy know how to put the trains on their tracks? How does he do it - does he just plop them straight down on the tracks and then wiggle the trucks around until he gets all the wheels on the rails (like I do), or does he lay a car (or locomotive) slightly on its side, with the wheels of one side lined-up along one rail, then right the whole unit up onto both rails (like my father taught me decades ago) ? FrankM.

Hi Moonson

I feel certain you and most know about this plastic Lionel railer. Maybe it will be news to some. It is almost child proof. I keep several around to make it so easy to place stock or trains on track. I actually think you can make one very easily with a small piece of wood and a router.

Larry

Frank, I put them on like you, and sometimes struggle.  I will have to try the way your father showed you.

JohnD

I'm not sure. Here is a few pictures of the sides. It's plastic and probably by cutting the small legs off fit any track. I'm going to guess that the other track manufactures would have something similar. I don't have any other track to test it with. It certainly by eyesight seems it would work. Maybe some one will chime in about you're question.

Larry

According to this, it works with regular O and O-27 track:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGJM2

Mitch

I'm spending the weekend painting the outer rails of my FasTrack rusty brown to improve the look. I may also ballast the track once I put it back in place. I also laid down some Woodland Scencis Readygrass. It's a bit too evenly green but I plan to move the layout in another year or two and didn't want to invest too much time in landscaping. I'll probably add a different color of turf in places to help break it up. The Readygrass is a distinct improvement over the paper based grass mats I remember using in my youth. 

cleaned my track the old fashioned way and ran my new MTH premiere allegheney.

I decided to finally get around to re-lettering a weathered Long Island pacific that I recently bought to A&WP 290.  I ended up having to take the paint off the to get the decals off.  I think that I did a decent job matching the paint and weathering on the cab and tender.  Letters should be coming in this week.  

The last piece of sheetrock is up, the framing and electric is done, the Drop ceiling is next. THEN THE LAYOUT!!!  YYYAAAAAAA!!!!!20'x30'with an 20x20 add on to make it L shaped.

I ran an accessory buss wire beneath the layout and tested a couple of z-stuff relay/switch machine installations on the bench. Then it occurred to me I only have 3 weekends left with my last college-bound daughter. I immediately dropped work on the layout in favor of taking her to a movie.

I was able to get 1/2 of the sub-road bed down in the last couple of weeks.   Having a house to take care of and a very active 2 year old, My Saving grace are nap times and late night working hours 9pm- ~1am. 

Len B. You did the right thing by going out with your daughter.  The trains could wait even if it is 3 weeks.

I moved the last of the furniture around my 'toy room' to make room for the layout. I also went to the hardware place and bought a lot of board feet in 1X4s, 1/4" plywood and 2X2s for support legs. I also found a plastic bar tray I can use for the home-built turntable I was planning, for less than 5 bucks!

My original plan was to start sawing wood this weekend, but I just wanted everything in the room ready for when the sections are done, so when I have the benchwork done I can assemble it in the room to be sure it'll fit right, before taking them over to a friend's house who has volunteered to help me lay track and get all the wiring done.

I love it!  Projects that use stuff like this are so much fun.  A Tuborgturntable!

Noting compared to others on this.

Removed a troublesome Y switch and replaced 060 with 072 curves leading into the newly reconfigured siding.

Placed a warehouse where the fifth siding was 

Set up a test track that doubles for a place to park idle engines

Finalized final shape of my son's N Gauge layout that will double as park kiddie ride. Now to add a double mainline and add a small yard.

Work continues of converting MTH Steel Sided caboose into a CB&Q waycar last three pics.

Like I said nothing compared to the rest of you.

Been very busy lately.The trains have been calling to me from the basement faintly. I'll pay attention to them tonight.

Mike Maurice

That is for sure.  Both of our daughters are back home from college, but one is getting married in October, and the time seems so short.  If the other daughter's boyfriend finds suitable work in his field, I could see them marrying next year.  It seems like yesterday, they were the age of Matthew G's 2-year old.

I have a similar device from my HO days.  Cars went on track slicker than pigs in slop!  I will have to get one or two of the ones you show in your photos.

I mostly finished the interior of my plasticville supermarket and installed LED lights. Not a great picture, but you get the idea if you click on the picture to open a larger view.  Terry

Easton

Great job on the supermarket.

Al

What a nice job on the interior.

Huge improvement in the supermarket.

Art

Did some cleanup in the train room and changed some main line trains to get ready for a summer outing this coming Saturday. We are expecting about 30, so we want to get the layout in tip top shape.

Lots of fun and work to entertain a group this size, but most who are coming have never seen our payout before. So between good conversation, good food, trains, and boat rides, it should be fun.

Great job, Randy!  I'll gladly pay 5 cents for a Pepsi today.  

last night I cleared off the tools and other miscellaneous stuff from top of the bench work and started to install the foam board.  I discovered I need one more 4X8 piece to finish.  I plan to go to Lowes after work tonight.  I’m hoping they will cut it down to size so it will fit in my car.  If so that will make short work to finish the foam base layer and I can move on to hard shell.

On the drive home form up north last night I found the perfect photograph for me to take to turn into my new layout backdrop.  The clouds and sun were just perfect!  I still have to edit them into a pano but I think it will complement the photo I that plan to use for the harbor scene perfect.  

I do alot of work with foam board. When you go to Lowes or Home Depot, take with you a utility knife, metal straight edge, pencil and a tape measure. I buy the entire piece, take it outside, measure the length to which I want it cut, mark it with a pencil. Use the metal straight edge to guide your utility knife while deeply scoring the foam and break the foam at the scored line. When the foam breaks, it sounds like a gun shot, so, don't be startled.

I put some street lights in and made a dump truck scene.

I experimented with Buffalo Grass mats.  Not quite satisfied yet.

Sure like the shot of that Geep!

My layout fills a 15' X 28' area and I have cut a lot of foam.  I'm looking to pick up a 4' X 8' X 2" panel.  I plan to have it cut in two to 36" X 48" pieces.  I'm hoping I can talk them into cutting it on their panel saw.

For a couple of months my third loop has had a short that rendered it inoperable.  Elusive little gremlin.  I would almost have it isolated when it would disappear, and only re-emerge when things were all re-assembled.

Last night I found it.  Fixed it.  Had a beer.

Life is good.

I've been seen in the Lowe's parking lot cutting foam board.

It has been 8 days since I posted here. It has been a kind of slow month, but things are still moving forward.

Monday Matt and Jon were here. Matt has been working on engines to improve TMCC performance. He got another 5 tuned up and ready to join the fleet.


Jon got a bunch more lights installed. Maybe another half dozen, and all the lower level lighting will be done. I have to clear all that junk away so we can finish. We tried to start hanging the track lighting, but apparently, I bought the wrong fittings.


I didn't work Tuesday. BandO Bill was in town and we to the Twin City Model Railroad Museum. Wednesday he came out to the house to visit.

Patrick was here today. The superstructure for the backdrop is nearly done.


I'll try to hang the electrical boxes for the lighting before he comes back next week.


We are ready for Masonite next week.


Here's the track plan I'm currently working from. There will be changes as I lay things out.


I'm having a little trouble with my left foot, and need to stay off it. I may have to switch gears, and go back to wiring or some workbench projects. It all needs doing.
.

I went to Lowes and purchased a 4'X8'X2" panel and they cut it into two 36"X48" pieces with a 24"X48" piece left over.  I just installed it on the bench work and covered it with the fiberglass mesh tape so I can start the hard shell stucolite layer.

Nice progress today, Elliot. You must be completely out of gas for the week by now, give those feet a rest.

tried a new method for rock cliffs that I have seen on here not sure I like it yet maybe did something wrong what do you think it's pink foam stacked then used a tippi for carve it a little then paint and put ground cover on. here's pics of it and a video of the santa fe yellowbonnet running by it .