What did you do on your layout today?

Mark

Yes I purchased a Prusa MK3s and it was shipped from the Czech Republic as a kit. Saved $250 and put it together this way I know a lot about the printer. It took 4 days to put together but started printing and haven't had any problems yet. 

A printer is only part of the process, you really need CAD experience to build computer models that you want to print. There are software programs out there fairly inexpensive that could be learned. Luckily that was my job for 39 years designing parts and dies on a CAD system (which is the software I purchased for myself) It is called Powershape and Powermill now a part of Autodesk. My biggest project right now is the brewery which I am trying to do with as many 3D printed parts as possible. 

These show the computer model that I am working to. (The little boats are used to check any new filaments for quality)

Being retired I need to keep my creative juices flowing and this seems to be it.

Ray, Thank you!  I have seen that It really depends on good CAD drawings.  This definitely should keep your brain top notch in retirement!!

Well now that D2 is married and looking for a house, there is more incentive to getting her and new husband's stuff out of my attic.  New son-in-law has taken half ownership of her stuff at our house by the simple fact of becoming bonafide.....LOL  2020 is my year !   Attic to get finished with heat, proper lighting and drywall.  I've been working on a track plan that I like.  My layout will be a post-war type with operating accessories galore.  

I'm using Railmodeler-Pro and have a track plan designed.  It will make use of "O" gauge sectional track.  The outer loop, in red, will have live catenary.  This is  "What did you do on your layout today ?", for me !   

I cleaned up some of the extra cars that were hanging around, and decided to not install the signal bridges at this time. Here’s an updated picture of the relay wiring and a screenshot of the control from the Blynk app on my phone

Dan, congratulations on the marriage of your 2nd daughter and the prospect of freeing up space for your layout.  The plan looks good at a glance.  Our 2nd daughter was married 3 years ago, and while they have cleared most of her stuff out of the house, her upright piano needs to come out before I can complete phase 2 of my benchwork.

I’ll look forward to seeing your progress in ‘20 as hopefully you and others can follow mine.

Wow, Jonathan!  It looks like you will have a well designed and operational signal system!!!!  I’ll look forward to seeing how it works out!

Thanks Mark! It's been a grueling process from idea to application, but I have a couple switches and a few accessories working from the phone, so everything looks to have worked!

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

         hello & thanks Kevin,  yes those are MTH Railking passenger cars...

                             here is the engine that is in the set...

 

      

       I did buy a couple sets and some extra cars to make a long passenger train...

 

 

 

 

Wow, that is a long train. Very nice!

Rough prototype is finished, 

Ray- the light looks nice.

Dan-  congrats on freeing up space in the house and getting your daughter "off the payroll" as my boss likes to say about his kids. Can't wait to see the construction start.

John- the control system looks intriguing....not sure if I could wrap my brain around the whole thing though.

Still no track under the tree yet. Last night's plan was to get them set up but a broken garage door and $300 for new springs and pulleys put a damper on those plans.

Bob

Bob,

It can be kind of confusing as a whole system. There's a program called Blynk, where you can connect an app on your phone or tablet to a device like an arduino. So the arduino is hooked up to the internet and I can press certain buttons in the app to activate specific outputs on the arduino. From there it's just activating a relay that's connected to certain aspects of the layout like switches and accessories. Throttle, direction, and whistle control are still done via my ZW, so everything still looks original

What'd I do? Thanks to a reminder by GUNRUNNERJOHN I wired a 22uh toroid choke coil IN SERIES with the center-rail output of the Z-1000 power brick:

This is done when using a DCS Remote Commander in passive mode to keep DCS signal from dissipating in the transformer winding and thus weaken DCS signal to the locomotive.

Note the TVS diode ACROSS the transformer output to protect from voltage spikes.

The Remote Commander in passive mode with power brick output directly to the track instead of through the Remote Commander:

For the past couple of days I have just been working on my building flat. Windows are in and the top roof is glued on. Just painted the roof for the loading dock with aluminum paint. Have to figure out the loading dock yet, wood color of concrete color. I did go back to the module today and added a few small evergreens. My Scenic Expres package is suppose to come today. I get that I can go back to tree planting at the front of the module. I added some white highlights to the water fall. Pics............Paul 2

I picked up a Bethlehem Steel K-line Plymouth switcher at the last Citrus model railroad meet back in October and just finished converting it to a new member of my MTA fleet.  For $15, I figured why not.  I plan on weathering it up a bit, but for now, I’m pretty pleased. These little things run great and smoke like crazy! 

Strap Hanger posted:

I picked up a Bethlehem Steel K-line Plymouth switcher at the last Citrus model railroad meet back in October and just finished converting it to a new member of my MTA fleet.  For $15, I figured why not.  I plan on weathering it up a bit, but for now, I’m pretty pleased. These hints run great and smoke like crazy. 

Very nice. Gives me an idea to make a LIRR version. 

I ran 5 of these little guys once with the smokers going, had to get some fresh air after a few minutes. 😂

Mark Boyce posted:

Dan, congratulations on the marriage of your 2nd daughter and the prospect of freeing up space for your layout.  The plan looks good at a glance.  Our 2nd daughter was married 3 years ago, and while they have cleared most of her stuff out of the house, her upright piano needs to come out before I can complete phase 2 of my benchwork.

I’ll look forward to seeing your progress in ‘20 as hopefully you and others can follow mine.

Mark, thank you.  I ain't gettin' any younger.  I get my fill of running trains on my small experimental layout in the cellar.  But it just doesn't fill the bill.  There's so much stuff in boxes waiting to breath.  I spend too much time on the computer watching other people's trains and buying trains.  

I've been following your posts.  Congratulations on getting published.  It's a nice feeling.  Almost thirty years ago, I wrote a small piece for Garden Railways magazine, about building roadbed in the garden.  I was shocked when someone told me about it.  I hadn't received my copy at that point.  

Paul,

You are getting very good at painting thos flats.  It looks great, as does the module!!

Strap Hanger, That Plymouth looks great!  The paint and lettering look very well done like it was original.

Dan, Yes, Models in boxes and spending too much time looking at layouts and models just doesn't fit the bill!  The time to act is now!!

Strap Hangar, that's a really sharp lay-out!

Mark Boyce posted:

Dan, congratulations on the marriage of your 2nd daughter and the prospect of freeing up space for your layout. 

We need more of that kind of attitude around here!

Late this afternoon my package from Scenic Express landed on my doorstep. I did some more on the building flat getting the roof and loading platform ready to be worked on. And then I had a few regular trees so I planted them on the module plus I did a second coat of white water effect on the waterfall. Once I opened the box I finished adding more evergreens and shrubs along the bank. At the front of the module I started adding ground turf. The two packages of people will be added after I get all the scenery work done. Pics.............Paul 2

Dan Padova posted:

 

Congratulations on the conquest of your attic, Dan, and your track plan looks very interesting.

Live catenary on your outside red loop will be awesome. I admire those, like you, who take on that most challenging project. Arnold

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Dan Padova posted:

 

Congratulations on the conquest of your attic, Dan, and your track plan looks very interesting.

Live catenary on your outside red loop will be awesome. I admire those, like you, who take on that most challenging project. Arnold

Thanks Arnold.  

The straight tracks on the lower right will be for a 350 Transfer Table.  Thought I had labeled it.  

Vincent Massi posted:

Strap Hangar, that's a really sharp lay-out!

Thanks Vincent! 

RSJB18 posted:

Ray- the light looks nice.

Dan-  congrats on freeing up space in the house and getting your daughter "off the payroll" as my boss likes to say about his kids. Can't wait to see the construction start.

John- the control system looks intriguing....not sure if I could wrap my brain around the whole thing though.

Still no track under the tree yet. Last night's plan was to get them set up but a broken garage door and $300 for new springs and pulleys put a damper on those plans.

Bob

Noodling about a bit more with the steeplecab project.  I'm thinking about using a late postwar NW2 chassis: 

The idea would be to cut the floor and bolster out of the center chassis (former EP-5) and weld it in place on the NW2 chassis. 

Haven't had much time for the models, as I spent all of yesterday (Wednesday) as Santy Claus at the Arkansas and Missouri depot in Van Buren, Ark.:  

I'm a natural,  I am. 

Mitch 

Along with my scenery yesterday I got another Weaver TOFC. It needs to be converted to three rail. This morning was productive. I added the three stacks to the roof and glued the base of the loading dock to the building. While that was drying I added more trees and bushes, put a sceond coat of glue on the ground turf. A few more bushes and add the canoes and people fishing and I think I am done with this module. Pics............Paul 2

briansilvermustang posted:

 

 

 

 

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Looks like potatoes on the move!

BAR GP7 #63

That scene is fantastic the way it all comes together so believable.

love to see more of that water scene with the cranes

On the Waxhaw Division , At the Lionel warehouse sale in November, I picked up a Boston and Maine Lion Chief Plus RS-3. The locomotive did develop some intermittent running issues with power. Lionel supplied an RA and completed the repairs quickly. 

While we were travelling North, received a note that the engine was repaired and shipped late in the day. Shot an Email to Lionel and they retrieved it vefore it got out and redirected it to the Northport Division. Arrived o Sunday with a FED Ex signature required. Here she is running on The Northport Dicision. This is a good looking nice running loco. I like it. 

Grabbed some photos.

Well..........I just opened and inserted (on my freight train consist) the "Moron Boxcar" I received from Pats Trains.......sorry I dont have a picture added. Very nice......several added delicate details....and although it is a simple brown colour,  I am already considering getting another.  GREAT STUFF!  Thx Pat & Co. !

          very nice display BRIAND-400 !!

decoynh posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Looks like potatoes on the move!

Matt. Yes and some paper rolls too. Later i am gonna made a couple BAR potatoes hoppers too, but first i must a order decals. 🥔

Johan

sidehack posted:

BAR GP7 #63

That scene is fantastic the way it all comes together so believable.

Ray. Thank you. 🤝

Johan

LIRR Steamer posted:

love to see more of that water scene with the cranes

LIRR Steamer. Thank you. I can post some pics after couple days. 🤝

Johan