What did you do on your layout today?

It has been maybe years but I am back enjoying the forum, and have asked for help re technical MTH issues and have gotten wonderful/ helpful replies.

Great pictures of Santa Fe locomotives. My 6 1/2’ X 12’ layout is the Klondike and Siberia Railroad named after a visit to the Klondike curve in 1987. Most blue and yellow and red and yellow locomotives looked like they had been recently washed and there was a caboose at the end of every train.

Yesterday I bought a Menards Nuclear Power Plant and today I am rearranging things - making room on the layout for it. Wondering - do they make a Disco Duck sound module for it? It does light up the room.

Again, I am enjoying the posts and pictures. Richard

Richwebb

Welcome BACK!

This weekend we put some ground cover by the yard tracks. Still a little cleanup to be done but major work done. Also painted 1/3 the face of the layout black hiding some bench work. Makes a big difference. 

Welcome back Rich.

Superchief........yard is looking great.........Paul 2

Spent two days repainting two Williams PA Santa Fe red warbonnets to Santa Fe blue freight warbonnets. Did not change the engine numbers and I do not believe that Santa Fe had blue Alco's in freight service. I also have a pair of F Units in the red Warbonnet scheme for passenger service.

Roof part of new Proses Engine House is done! Now working on building sides.

Work continues on scenery.  Big accomplishment was ballast this weekend.  

Greg, looks great!

Patrick, the engine house looks great!

Superchief, looks great!

Mark Boyce posted:

Greg, looks great!

Patrick, the engine house looks great!

Superchief, looks great!

Thanks Mark. 

Just a small step accomplished today: I cut out holes to dry-fit some gauges that I’ll be using as part of my control/instrument panel (in process). 

Hi all Looks like another nice day here!

Paul 2. Nice looking Korber building, I cant wait to see it on the layout!

Johan, You keep them coming and I will keep reading them! Just love your work!

Brian, What great pictures, you sure know how to make someone drool LOL That 804 sure is a sharp engine!

Rich Welcome back! I bet if you asked here on OGR someone could build you a Disco Duck Module! LOL

SuperChief, Looks great! But you still missing something!

Patrick, Now there is some wonderful work! Waiting on the edge of my seat to see the rest!

Greg, after living in AZ for a year I would say your doing a wonderful job! Keep it up!

So I didn't get a much time in the train room, but I was able to build a small mock up of the drive setup for my Lionel Crane from back when! LOL Here are a couple of pictures. I wanted to test it out before I cut a long 3' grove in my table top! I was also able to get the cork down for where the crane will be located. So far Im into this project for the little sum of $4.00 for the all thread! The rest is stuff I have collected over the year!

JD, that sure looks nice! I couldn't do all the gauges and my brain would melt! But I bet its going to be great on your layout!

Some progress made on electrical track/block power connections, 100% through relays.  Pencil and paper was very helpful for this.  I'll have to power panels, one north and one south on the layout to take switch outputs from a control panel placed somewhere centrally to the layout.  Painful but necessary.

Kirk R

Hey Y'all

It's late and I can't sleep again tonight.  I have been testing and adjusting track on the newly relocated layout.  Taking nine inches out of my old design created problems and opportunities.  The last third of the western incline will need to be suspended from the rear wall for lower level track clearance.  I successfully wired four switches and started wiring my yard lights.  When I connected the fifth switch, I picked up a short circuit somewhere.  Now no switches work!  I'll try again tomorrow.  I found a digital level app for my phone.  It tells the true story when building elevation changes.  Each section of inclined track is 3 degrees except one.  I was confident enough to run my LC+ Mikado a few laps.  No surprise, as my heaviest engine, it shows where additional structural support is needed.  I have six sidings,  Enough for every car and two locomotives.  The layout works in both directions with northbound and southbound turn around loops.  I need a couple pairs of O22 switches, a circle of O31, and a hand full of nylon insulating pins.  Is Ebay open this late??

I keep up on the amazing things y'all accomplish every day.  Well done gentlemen.

         great job with the crane Mike !!

No train time again but my PP account still works....

Decided my PC GEEP needed some company. It's a Railking RS-27 w/ PS-1.

**************************************************************

Mike- nice work on the mechanism for the crane. Not sure if it looks like a jig saw cutting the plywood or my running back going off tackle on my old vibrating football game

JD- very impressive panel you are building.

Bill- keep making solid progress.

Greg- Looking good.

Kirk- a little time with paper and pencil will save lot's of time under the layout cursing your wiring.

Superchief- the yard and the fascia look good.

Brian- love the classic HO Santa Fe set. Funny story- my first set was also a HO Santa Fe Alco streamliner set by Lionel.

Hope I didn't miss anyone. Lot's of great work being done.

Bob

Bill, and I couldn't sleep because I forgot to put my pain pills in the little compartments for my weekly medications!  I realized it when my sciatic leg was barking at me while trying to sleep!    Problems and opportunities!  That reminds me of a supervisor I had too many years ago.  When he would say, "Mark, I have an opportunity for you", I knew he had a hum dinger!   Actually, I liked working for him better than any supervisor in my 45 years of employment!!  45??!!!  Say it ain't so; but it is!!  I hope you found eBay open!!

Bob, PayPal is always open for your convenience!!    Looks like a worthy recipient of your hard earned $$s!

Brian, Looking good!

Kirk, looks good! But to much electrical for me! I the KISS Method for me Keep It Simple Stupid! LOL

Brian, love the pictures! Way to show the north your thinking about them! Thanks about the crane, means a lot coming from you!

Thanks Bob, I hope it smooths out once connected to the crane and the end support is mounted! If not I will try something else! LOL Great looking RS-27!

Mark, at our age we need to remember pills! I have Amazon Alexa to remind me thanks to the daughter! LOL

No train stuff for me today, had a few surprises I wanted to get done for the wife, Probably wont get anytime for the next few days as I have to work again! LOL

Everyone have a great Tuesday and have Fun!

Mike, Every Sunday I fill the pill dispenser.  I did just that yesterday, but I forgot that one crucial pill!!!     

Greg, looking really good.

Bob, nice engine ,good find.

Patrick, can't wait to see the finished engine house.

Mark, never forgot the good pills that count.

Mike g, ingeniousd frive system for the crane.

Today I got ll the flashing off the flats. Tomorrow I can wash them off and get some paint on them. Pics......Paul 2

Couple things over the last 24 hours:

Removed my "County Fair", expanded the Central Park, and added some foliage(woodland scenics) and an MTH BBQ Railtown

Added this "summer grass mat" from hobby lobby, some shrubbery around the church, and moved this gentleman who is suffering a terrible hangover into the shrubs between the turnout and church(unfortunately you can't  see him, the Amtrak coach is blocking that view- will add a better pic tomorrow)

Moved the plasticville lubritorium so there was a better view of the UN convoy- at the very bottom you can see the head of the guy nursing his hangover in the bushes right above the Amtrak coach. On the right there's 2 barricades protecting a soldier with a bazooka ready to fire and a soldier with a grenade ready to throw

Added these scene-o-rama Civil war figures who are aiming right back at the aforementioned soldiers

Couple of goodies came today 

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, Every Sunday I fill the pill dispenser.  I did just that yesterday, but I forgot that one crucial pill!!!     

You're not pregnant, are you?

Vincent Massi posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, Every Sunday I fill the pill dispenser.  I did just that yesterday, but I forgot that one crucial pill!!!     

You're not pregnant, are you?

Oy vey!!  Yes, I see where that question came from.

Mark, there are times I get so busy in the morning I forget to take all my morning pills and have to wait till I get back home! LOL

Paul 2 Nice Start! It's going to look sharp next to the power plant! Great idea!

Steve nice change up ! Your layout looks like a fun one to run!

Jack some nice goodies there!

Mark, your up early. Oh wait its 7 AM there, guess that means I am up to early! LOL

Everyone have a great day!

My post is 12 hours late.  Late nights the past two weeks.  So "yesterday" I worked on my first custom rail car (yet to be posted) and hung four lanterns.  The caboose lamp is missing a few parts.  Does anyone have a good picture of a complete lamp?  The hard work was installing five #6019 remote track sections .  I rewired each before installation.  I also found Sunday evening's switch problem.  It was a case of brain fade.  I wired the switch to wrong switch controller.  Y'all look for the custom car update. 

How many know what all three colored globes represent?

Very tied, Bill

Johan, nice overhead shot. Weathering of the top of the boxcar looks good too.

This afternoon I got outside and set up for painting the buldings flats. When the paint driedI applied a coat of clear coat. Now the walls are ready for mortoring. While rummaging in the basement for the paints I came across a can of hunter green. I think that is what I am going to do the windows in. SO next step is once the walls dry I can lay out the windows and start painting them. Pics.............Paul 2

Hi everyone,

Today, my new maintenance platform.

Johan, very nice scene! I agree with Paul, wonderful job on the weathering!

Paul, looks like your moving right along! Just nice to see things come together!

Bill, sorry I cant help you with your lanterns but they sure look cool!

Warok, great looking platform! Is that a kit or scratch build?

warok posted:

Hi everyone,

Today, my new maintenance platform.

@warok this is AWSOME! I wanted to purchase a raised platform like this previously just for passengers but I love your idea of turning it into a maintenance platform! Super cool! The detailing and paint are awesome and the accessories which you've added in terms of figures, the tool cabinet- all of it- I love it. Might end up copying your idea . But just all around awesome.

Question- the figure sweeping on the right of the platform- who's the maker? I have a similar figure that I got from my grandfather's attic that I've seen on a certain Lionel consist and a K-line consist. My figure has a base already(I prefer gluing figures to a clear piece of plastic)- but just wanted to know who made your figure so I can trace back to where mine might've come.

Again- awesome platform!

Steve

Warok, I never heard of a maintenance platform, but it looks great. It seems to be a good idea for others.

I too am really impressed with the maintenance platform!  There sure is a lot of work going on there!!!

Warok, thumbs up on the maintenance platform. Very interesting. 

Late afternoon I got the flashing off all the windows to paint. 112 windows with an extra one thrown in which is good because of the windows is warped. After dinner I went out and got them all painted. For the time being that is it. I decided to order some of that Roberts mortor so I have to wait till that comes. Maybe tomorrow I'll go back to placing the flats on the backdrop. Pics.................Paul 2

I started laying out the ground level track for both lines. After a few tweaks to the original design, I really like the look of this one and might even leave it up for more than 12 months, which would be a first for me

paul 2 posted:

Warok, thumbs up on the maintenance platform. Very interesting. 

Late afternoon I got the flashing off all the windows to paint. 112 windows with an extra one thrown in which is good because of the windows is warped. After dinner I went out and got them all painted. For the time being that is it. I decided to order some of that Roberts mortor so I have to wait till that comes. Maybe tomorrow I'll go back to placing the flats on the backdrop. Pics.................Paul 2

Paul, I really like the color scheme you have going with the brick you painted and now the green windows. 👍🏻

Paul, your moving right along! Looking good!

Jon, looks like it going to be a fun little layout! Keep us posted!

I might get an hour or 2 today in the train room today. I have to do some clean up in there before I do any work, so that might be it for the day. Its always easier to work in a clean area then having to move stuff all the time!

Everyone have a great Humpday!

mike g. posted:

 

So I didn't get a much time in the train room, but I was able to build a small mock up of the drive setup for my Lionel Crane from back when! LOL Here are a couple of pictures. I wanted to test it out before I cut a long 3' grove in my table top! I was also able to get the cork down for where the crane will be located. So far Im into this project for the little sum of $4.00 for the all thread! The rest is stuff I have collected over the year!

Awesome stuff Mike! It looks like it will work well. Those gantry cranes always begged to have some sort of drive system added to them. Easier said than done for most people, but you nailed it!

JD2035RR posted:

mike g. posted:

 

So I didn't get a much time in the train room, but I was able to build a small mock up of the drive setup for my Lionel Crane from back when! LOL Here are a couple of pictures. I wanted to test it out before I cut a long 3' grove in my table top! I was also able to get the cork down for where the crane will be located. So far Im into this project for the little sum of $4.00 for the all thread! The rest is stuff I have collected over the year!

Awesome stuff Mike! It looks like it will work well. Those gantry cranes always begged to have some sort of drive system added to them. Easier said than done for most people, but you nailed it!

Thanks JD, i sure hope it works! I'm going to wait till I get the track laid before I cut any holes in the table top!

Rain today so was able to finish the ceiling of subway station #2.  Now to work on back and side walls.  Hope to have this station done by end of the weekend.