Mark Boyce posted:CurtisH posted:Finished top section except for placing deer. Am happy with results, especially my final scene front and center!
I always liked the three crosses on a hill! Looks great!
Beautiful lay-out, and the three crosses are a great idea.
I just want to thank everyone for the likes. It is very encouraging. My wife's only comment - " you did not get authorization from the scenery manager". Go figure! I will have post pics of the rest of the layout as it at least has track down. Was and am always hesitant due to everyone else having so much done and looking so nice. I also enjoy so much following Gunrunner Johns build and BigBoy4005. Inspiration is all I can say.
Curtis (put name as it was on the pet peeves list for not doing it. LOL)
I found a roll of plaster cloth from the old layout. It didn't take long to get through it all, but I was able to plaster part of the layout.
I have a few more rolls on order and it should be in on Thursday. Hopefully I can get my wife's car early thursday and can do more plaster on Friday.
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Jim, The layout is coming right along. Sure is nice that your able to move it as needed! Good luck on the wheel bearings!
Curtish, the mountain looks great and thank you for the information!
WOW can you believe it, its Hump day already! I sure hope everyone is doing ok as I seen on the news that the Midwest and east are getting hit by some really bad weather! Please everyone stay safe and try to have some fun!
I put up on the upper level my Postwar Southern F3 A-B with 18 Postwar 6464 boxcars and a caboose.
This old magne-traction workhorse pulls with no issues. O42 andO54 curves
Today I tested this baby:
Relief power on the Plywood Empire Route. An MTH PS3 SW1500.
Dad took the pic on the wall and I inherited it. UP E8A and E9B at Green River.
Lew
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Put the layout back in its place to make room in the garage.
I placed the buildings roughly where I want them to go. Doing so I found I can't use all the buildings and features I want. I also changed the siding to a single track instead of a double track.
I did determine that with the foam and plaster cloth installed, that the layout is too heavy for me to carry all the way up stairs and into the garage. Most work will be done now while it is in place.
I will be ordering the back drop tomorrow along with doing some more plaster cloth. I will also be cutting the 2x4's that will hold up the track for my trestle. They will be painted grey to look like concrete.
Tomorrows job is to finish the wheel bearings for the wife's van. I also will be doing a brake job while at it.
I started it tonight but I figured after 11pm, the neighbors didn't want to hear me trying to hammer out the axle on the suborn CV axle. **** that Michigan salt they put on the roads in the winter!
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The age-old dilemma: whether or not to sacrifice scenery for operation. I'd have kept the second stub siding and that is why my scenery is largely, shall we say,.....schematic 
.
I see you did get it apart. Do you have a press or are you installing new complete assemblies? That spindle looks shiny-new.
Lew
geysergazer posted:
The age-old dilemma: whether or not to sacrifice scenery for operation. I'd have kept the second stub siding and that is why my scenery is largely, shall we say,.....schematic
I see you did get it apart. Do you have a press or are you installing new complete assemblies? That spindle looks shiny-new.
Lew
I decided a long time ago to make this layout "photograph" ready. Lots of scenery and make it so I can do "studio" shots of my trains.
As for the wheel bearings, they are assemblies. The passenger side was easy to get off, but its the drivers side I am really struggling with. I have the spindle soaking in some PB blaster. It was the drivers side that went bad, but I was able to get 2 assemblies at a really good deal so I decided to do both sides.
Yes, your [layout] composition seems about perfect wrt future photography.
And you can't resort to the old standby: heat. The greas/e in the wheel bearing plus the seals would catch fire about the time you got it hot enough to do any good. I have resorted to smashing a bearing and then cutting the inner race with a grinder but in your case it's the spindle that is stuck. PB + patience will have to do
Lew
I recently realized I’m at the 5th anniversary of the start of the layout.
So, here we are on August 18, 2014, the first train reaches the opposite end of the line. Only 6 days before, the first train moved on about 3 feet of track at the other end:
5 years later, the same spot (and same locomotive):
Happy 5th anniversary on your layout Lee !! a GREAT looking layout
Working on SD45's. A little paint, a little electrical.... The Conrail SD45 is another ancient MTH Premier body shell originally manufactured with all black handrails. Some CR blue and some flat white and voila!
I've given both the CR and EL SD45's LED headlights and ditch lights. The CR is powered although conventional. The EL is a dummy so I gave it an on-off switch for the lights.
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Ralph, I always enjoy your projects. Nice modeling.
Lew
p51 posted:I recently realized I’m at the 5th anniversary of the start of the layout.
So, here we are on August 18, 2014, the first train reaches the opposite end of the line. Only 6 days before, the first train moved on about 3 feet of track at the other end:5 years later, the same spot (and same locomotive):
Happy 5th, Lee! I never tire of your pics.
Lew
I added another set of equipment to the fiddle-yard. The way it was:
Now:
There are now five basic consists in play (including equipment presently spotted at various industries).
Lew
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Well I’m two days behind again! Lots of great ideas and photographs everyone!
I sure hope this counts as working on my layout.
1. Dig up flowers on the north end of my radio room and replant on the east side. (hold on, it gets better)
2. Remove all rolling stock, lamps, lanterns, and delicates from the train room.
3. Jack up building, remove concrete blocks, install 10 foot long rollers, and lower building.
4. Turn the building 90 degrees clockwise and slide 2 feet south.
All by my self.
I will level my little railroad tomorrow.
As it was
almost there
3 inch plastic conduit
Enough for today
After I stopped, my wife reminded me that I'm 60, not 30, and had five strokes. But I'm not dead yet.
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Bill, Eggcellent!
Lew
Bill, Excellent job! Your wife is right but so are you. Keep up the good work, but take lots of breaks!
Ed, looks excellent! Your helpers are doing great!
Mayor Magoo posted:Test fit the small trestles. Got the river bottom down and plastered up the banks. When everything dries I'll paint with some brown latex to coat/seal. After that comes adding some scenic elements along the river then the pour.
I love these bridges. Very similar on what I want to do where my track crosses the river. The big difference is mine will be on curved track.
passing under a morning sunrise... have a great weekend !
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Lee, Happy 5th! You sure have done some amazing work! Your layout sure looks great!
Ralph, Those engines really look sharp. Just those little things sure make a big difference!
Bill, WOW very impressive! Looks good in its new spot. Now you have a covered porch for both buildings! One question though, that door on the train room looks really big, is there enough room for it to open all the way?
Ed, looking good and looks like you have a great construction crew!
Brian, wonderful morning picture! I hope you also have a great weekend!
Well its Friday everyone, I finely get a day off, so I am going to spend it in the train room, I am going to paint the top of the bench work so its not just plywood, and work on a second crane I got from Wal-Mart for $5. I am hoping my "Y"'s from Ross gets here this weekend. That will be the last of the track needed till I go out the window to the wife's rock garden!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and please do what you have to do to have some FUN!
Mike, have a good day in the train room, and also have a great weekend... "have some FUN"
Received my K-line A5 PRR 0-4-0
Been looking for one of these for a while.
Bob
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Finally got back to work on my engine yard this week...
I posted a separate thread on assembling the four TrainWorx Locomotive Service Racks...
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very nice Paul
Mike, I hope you got to spend time on the layout today.
Nice engine, Bob!
Paul, I'm glad you got time to get back to the engine yard!
Looks good Paul. Nice collection of power too!
Thanks Mark- hope to get it on the rails tomorrow.
Bob
I’ll look for the #94, Bob!
The car sagas are finally done and I can get back to working on the layout!
I received the plaster cloth that I ordered the other day. Hopefully in the next few days I can get all the plaster cloth done on the layout.
I ordered some track today also. Originally I was using O42 curves on the front side of the layout, but found that they are too big. I ordered some O32 to switch them out.
I painted a reproduction builders plate for the Pere Marquette 1225. I plan to hang it on the wall behind the layout. Second coat of the brass color to go on all the letters tonight and then it will be dull coated tomorrow.
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Looks great, Jim!
Paul, that's one of the sharpest-looking diesels I have ever seen.
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Hi guys. I’ll admit I haven’t been making much progress on the layout lately. Been taking a couple of months off to just enjoy running trains, but I have some projects I need to get to soon. Tonight I ran a couple of consists around the inner and outer lines, one train at a time. Happy weekend, all!
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Looking great, Kevin! I haven't had much time either building the layout, but ran a couple trains on my little Ceiling Central Railroad two evenings ago. I'll have to get a video, but the lighting is so poor there. I plan to upgrade the lighting in that alcove when I do it in the main train room.
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Odenville Bill posted:After I stopped, my wife reminded me that I'm 60, not 30, and had five strokes. But I'm not dead yet.
Your closing comment reminded me of a classic, musical(?) moment from "Spamalot" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLgQMtquS6Y
