What did you do on your layout today?

Starkweather Ave....moving right along.....

Johan, Chris, and Gandydancer, great work. The scenes are terrific! 

Andy

Mitch, speedy recovery.

GANDYDANCER1950, very nice street scene.

Chris a, thanks for posting the Rea sign. That whole area came out great.

No layout time today. Helped the wife get the house ready for our daughter and grand daughter. This afternoon USPS dropped off another Weaver TOFC I found. So I won't have anytime till after they leave to start painting. Pic......Paul

Got this from a forum member, always have likes these old road champs. 

GANDYDANCER -  This scene is stunning -   I really like this photo of the gas station with the shadows and the period autos are cool.    Looks like the late 30's early 40's to my eye !

chris a posted:

Paul,   Wanted to make sure I "honored" your request for a photo of the REA Express sign,  my only problem,  is I have to turn the flood lights down to see it operating !   What a "luxury problem" that is...

Finally closed up that ugly gap in the corner of my back drop, man was I tired of looking at that open seam !!!

Larry, thanks for the photos, those bridges on FarmerJohh's layout are awesome

 

Johan,  what a great scene and well done photo, that flat car load is another gem ! 

I like that sign too Chris very nice setting 

Get well soon Mitch praying for you. 

Jack118711 posted:

Got this from a forum member, always have likes these old road champs. 

 

Jack

I like those road champs too.  that a nice Kenworth 

chris a posted:

GANDYDANCER -  This scene is stunning -   I really like this photo of the gas station with the shadows and the period autos are cool.    Looks like the late 30's early 40's to my eye !

Once again thanks Chris!!!!

paul 2 posted:

Mitch, speedy recovery.

GANDYDANCER1950, very nice street scene.

Chris a, thanks for posting the Rea sign. That whole area came out great.

No layout time today. Helped the wife get the house ready for our daughter and grand daughter. This afternoon USPS dropped off another Weaver TOFC I found. So I won't have anytime till after they leave to start painting. Pic......Paul

Paul

another great score. Once you get that pig train going it’s going to sweet. Your as bad buying these Weavers like I am the Lionel ones when I see these Weavers on eBay I don’t bid because I figure you’re going to and I know you like collecting them 

Today I showed off my lay-out to some friends, and then we all went to Red Lobster and pigged out.

Chris,

You out did yourself. I think it looks fantastic!

Al,   thanks very much.   

Been meaning to mention this since I finished the factory building, but one brick mortaring tip I wanted to share:  

I am totally sold on using the fine lightweight spackling for brick mortar.  What I recently came up with was cutting up promotional "thin" plastic credit cards to make miniature putty knives that would allow me to get the spackling in, and out, of tight corners and in between raised brick areas over doors and windows.   It worked really well at taking it off the surface but leaving it in the relief areas.....   

This has been said before, but needs repeating:    You need to clear coat and seal the brick surface before using the spackling, especially if have "painted" or weathered the brickwork.  If you don't the spackling will turn red or brown or whatever color you applied to the wall before laying in the mortar. 

Lastly,  Sealing the mortar afterwards with Flat Clear Coat will protect it, knock down the white sheen, and make it possible to add additional weathering washes or powders without staining or removing the spackling.    

chris a posted:

Paul,   Wanted to make sure I "honored" your request for a photo of the REA Express sign,  my only problem,  is I have to turn the flood lights down to see it operating !   What a "luxury problem" that is...

Finally closed up that ugly gap in the corner of my back drop, man was I tired of looking at that open seam !!!

Larry, thanks for the photos, those bridges on FarmerJohh's layout are awesome

 

Johan,  what a great scene and well done photo, that flat car load is another gem ! 

Chris A: Thank you very much. I think your work is a fantastic. What a great looking dream layout. 👍

Johan

          Get WELL Soon  Mitch !!!!

leapinlarry posted:

Beautiful Work Gentlemen, 

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Bangor & Aroostook GP7 #63 at Port Of Shark Bay. 

gandydancer1950 posted:

Allan Miller posted:

I didn't do a darn thing.  Spent the day working on the next issue of the magazine, clearing ice off the driveway when I got home, fed and walked the pooch, and then just vegetated on the sofa for the remainder of the evening.

 

I hope to find some play time this coming weekend, after I put some of the outside Christmas lights and wreaths away.  They are now just taking up space stacked up on the garage floor.

John Rowlen posted:

I ran my new Baltimore and Ohio GP9 #3419 that I fixed by adding e-clips to keep the gears aligned.  The horn has a very nice sound.  It pulled ten Lionel 21" Broadway Limited cars around my outside mainline.  My Erie PA ABA pulled 39 freight cars on the inner mainline.  An Erie E7AA unit pulled seven MTH Erie passenger smooth side cars behind the B&O on the outer mainline too.   It was fun for a change with three trains running at once..

I am hoping my new camera will allow me to take videos I can post on OGR Forum.  That might get me working again to finish the layout's upper level.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

luvindemtrains posted:

chris a posted:

Finally, moved the factory to the layout, hooked up the power, and took some photos.   It was worth all the extra time spent on the details.   

 

Chris fantastic work! This build really makes a statement, even in the rear of the layout. If this is the work you do for your background structures I can't imagine the ones in the foreground.

Dave

And that’s my working on the railroad today, Everyone your pictures are fantastic. The new computer age is bringing us closer and closer together, Amazing. The pictures below are from FarmerJohns Beautiful Layout in Kentucky...Enjoy....

Happy Railroading....

Larry: Thank you.

Johan

I haven't been on this topic for a couple days, and Wow!  once again, what a lot of great stuff!

First of all, I want to wish Mitch a speedy recovery!!  I'm glad you have Fortesque and Norma there to make sure everything is okay at the hospital and on the home front!!

Paul 2, Congratulations on another Piggy back from Weaver!  They will make one impressive train.  Also, I want to join in that you have a lot of great paints, brushes, and scenic material to make the background river flow seamlessly into the foreground three dimensional scene.

Chris, the latest building looks absolutely great on your layout!  It really compliments and even ties together the whole scene!  Thank you for all the great notes on how you made it look so good!

As for me, I haven't had as much time this week to work on the layout as last week.  I did do some mock-ups of how my top turn-back loop will look over the bottom one I have been working on.  I am waiting for another order of Mianne benchwork that will support the tracks for the yard and the rising grade up the canyon to my second turn-back loop.  I want to get that benchwork in before I do any real wiring because the TIU panel and terminals will be under the yard; the center of the final layout.  Here is the latest mock-up which I have left sitting a couple days.  It is very rough, but tells me my plan will work.  Yes, we still have to move some things before the layout expands to the far end of the proposed yard area.

Mark,  Thanks for the kind words....

Glad to see you roughing in the area with "mock ups".   It can identify problem areas, or simply help you brainstorm a better path for the roadbed & track work.    I have been amazed at the number of improvements that I have made, some slight, some not so slight, after temporarily laying track in place.    It's much easier for me to see improved track paths, switch locations, potential building sites, and right of ways for streets/roads when I have it laid out on the bench work.   It's also a good time to start visualizing the terrain, elevation changes and scenery ideas. 

The CAD programs are great for getting an overall scheme drawn, but I have found this past 2 years, that I only follow it "exactly as drawn" about 25% of the time. 

Finally had time to visit my dad which means train time! Been waited to run the Atlas auto carrier for awhile. Lead car was de railing on the O-60 curves for some reason... might have to look into that

Jack wow those auto racks are huge!  May need O144 curves for those : )  

Hoping Mitch gets back with us soon in great shape to teach us some more fixer up stuff!

Mark is that kind of what you were looking for in your layout?  Looks really cool! 

Lots of great things to see on here lately!  Always something good going on here!

Saw some engines on Youtube last night that I had never seen before.  Steamers with but "eyebrows" over the front of the boilers.  Says filmed in 1929 on the NYC.   Strange looking things.  Very low mounted headlights also.   Will see if I can find a picture of one and post it.

Not much other than cleaning the train room and house. Busting up kindling.  Keeping the firebox full!  Goodies should be here tomorrow!!! 

Jim

Lolololol they are massive. Had to remove my bridge! Lionel said the min. Curve is 54 but apparently 60 is pushing it too. Runs fine on 72 at least 

Greetings fellow Forumites.

Another great load of work by everyone (except me ).

I did get to do some rail fanning yesterday on my way into NYC for a meeting. Sunnyside yard was hopping, including a Acella making the turn on the big reversing loop at the east end. On the return we were waiting at Jamaica as a NY & A railway Geep came through pulling a MP-15 and some empties. Track work for the East Side Access is moving west out of Sunnyside finally too.

I hope to get some stuff done over the weekend.

Hope @M. Mitchell Marmel is doing well. I'm sure his little menagerie is taking good care of him . 

Bob

Mark, great pics. The layout is looking good. 

FARMERJOHN, your layout is outstanding.

Chris a, I second the spackling and using old credit cards and definately sealing before applying the spackling.

Well the kids got in late last night so they are sleeping in this morning a bit. So with a small window of time I went down and applied some green to the backdrop. I'll let that dry today and if I have a bit of time tomorrow maybe I can add some more color. Pics.........Paul

Looking good Paul!

Added some spacers and so close 

YES Paul that looks really good!  I was wondering what you were going to do there! 

Jim

Jack118711 posted:

Added some spacers and so close 

UGGG that sucks!   What brand of bridge is that??  Good thing you aint got no low tunnels!

Jim

It’s some type of Lionel. It’s the one that came with fake rock piers if that helps :| I added EVEN MORE spacers so now it works! Just looks a little silly under the bridge now

paul 2 posted:

Paul, Wonderful!!!   It really is taking shape.   Really like the bend in the river.    Cheers, Dave

CBS072 posted:

I did not work on the layout today. BUT  Mitch "Gi-raffes" Marmel had surgery this morning at Mercy Hospital in Rogers Arkansas.

I checked on him this afternoon and he is doing great.  He said that fortescue supervised the doctors with the surgery and now is with Mitch in the room keeping a watch over him and checking out all the nurses.  Norma was not happy that he could not help with the surgery but is watching over the gi-raffes at home.  The doctors did a "Under the Hood" on Mitch but will not release any pictures or video.

Thanks for the info, CBS... Happy to hear @M. Mitchell Marmel is on the mend. Sorry to hear that we won’t get to see the “Under the Hood” video. I think we will have to find Mitch’s Doctor and see if we can bribe him... allegedly, this is a photo of his physician...

Converted a dead-end, un-powered siding into a passing siding adjacent to the connector track from the outer loops to the inner system. The innermost trackage (AKA Track #4) is not a loop but a point to point with turnaround loops at each end. Whenever I need to turn a train on track 1 or 2 or 3 I divert it to the inner system and go around the reversing loop. As such this connecting stretch of track gets a regular workout.  It's also just the right size to park an A-B-A set or other locomotive as a "ready track".   When 1st created I added a dead-end spur as a place to put the coaling tower and static display of equipment. No power to the coaling tower track. 

After a while, parking a set of locos on the connector so they'd be ready to go conflicted with the need to turn trains. Every time I wanted to use track 4 to turn a train I'd have to move the locomotive set, turn the train, put the locomotive set back. Kind of a hassle.

Solution: make the prior coaling tower track a passing siding by rejoining the connector trackage with another switch and giving it some juice. The coaling tower has been relocated. 

Now, I can park equipment AND turn trains at the same time. I need some more details but for today I just got it all done and working. 

-RM

Looks good Ralph. Very simple solution to a operational issue.

I like your choices of RR's too

Bob

Installed a Doug Pitney of Todd Architectural Models & Layouts Stauffer Biscuit building.   I am running it on 8.4 v DC (Doug recommends 12 v but it's awfully bright!!) 

It is a real work of art.  The focal point of the layout.

Later I'll experiment with turning off certain sections of the building- but for today, I am just glad it's on the layout and lighted.

Paul, you are a brave man. I couldn't dare to freehand painting my background.

Jack, that is one tight fit on that bridge, I hope you can come up with a fix for it.

Ralph, nice work on the layout!

Well, I pulled out my Ameri-Towne building wall sections, trying to decide what pieces I want to use to build some kit bashed buildings from.

Mike Wyatt posted:

Installed a Doug Pitney of Todd Architectural Models & Layouts Stauffer Biscuit building.   I am running it on 8.4 v DC (Doug recommends 12 v but it's awfully bright!!) 

 

It is a real work of art.  The focal point of the layout.

Later I'll experiment with turning off certain sections of the building- but for today, I am just glad it's on the layout and lighted.

Mike;

The pictures didn’t come through. As I’m getting one, I’m very interested in seeing what it looks like.

Thanks

Just now Buffy helped me run the Royal Gorge:

She is always "helping" in the train room:

Lew

Cute pooch Lew.

Apples55 posted:

CBS072 posted:

I did not work on the layout today. BUT  Mitch "Gi-raffes" Marmel had surgery this morning at Mercy Hospital in Rogers Arkansas.

I checked on him this afternoon and he is doing great.  He said that fortescue supervised the doctors with the surgery and now is with Mitch in the room keeping a watch over him and checking out all the nurses.  Norma was not happy that he could not help with the surgery but is watching over the gi-raffes at home.  The doctors did a "Under the Hood" on Mitch but will not release any pictures or video.

Thanks for the info, CBS... Happy to hear @M. Mitchell Marmel is on the mend. Sorry to hear that we won’t get to see the “Under the Hood” video. I think we will have to find Mitch’s Doctor and see if we can bribe him... allegedly, this is a photo of his physician...

Yes!   That him, Dr G

CSX Al posted:

Paul, you are a brave man. I couldn't dare to freehand painting my background.

Jack, that is one tight fit on that bridge, I hope you can come up with a fix for it.

Ralph, nice work on the layout!

Well, I pulled out my Ameri-Towne building wall sections, trying to decide what pieces I want to use to build some kit bashed buildings from.

 

Al cool I was just looking at an Ameri-Towne kit of a small bar I think that said it was 6 x 6.   22 bucks.   May give it a whirl!  I really want to build some myself! 

Jim 

chris a posted:

Mark,  Thanks for the kind words....

Glad to see you roughing in the area with "mock ups".   It can identify problem areas, or simply help you brainstorm a better path for the roadbed & track work.    I have been amazed at the number of improvements that I have made, some slight, some not so slight, after temporarily laying track in place.    It's much easier for me to see improved track paths, switch locations, potential building sites, and right of ways for streets/roads when I have it laid out on the bench work.   It's also a good time to start visualizing the terrain, elevation changes and scenery ideas. 

The CAD programs are great for getting an overall scheme drawn, but I have found this past 2 years, that I only follow it "exactly as drawn" about 25% of the time. 

Chris, You're welcome.  Yes, It won't be just like the SCARM plan, that's for sure.  I actually redesigned the lower level in SCARM after I first got started.  I don't visualize very well even with the 3D rendering.

carsntrains posted:

 

Mark is that kind of what you were looking for in your layout?  Looks really cool! 

 

Jim

Jim, I have been hoping to make it work to curve the main line back around on top of itself because I don't have that much space.

paul 2 posted:

Mark, great pics. The layout is looking good. 

 

Well the kids got in late last night so they are sleeping in this morning a bit. So with a small window of time I went down and applied some green to the backdrop. I'll let that dry today and if I have a bit of time tomorrow maybe I can add some more color. Pics.........Paul

Thank you, Paul!  Your backdrop is blending in good.  Have fun with your daughter and grandchildren.

Ralph, the new track alignment looks like a good idea.

Lew, Buffy looks like a happy dog!