What did you do on your layout today?

WOW everyone has been busy today! I wish I could be one to tell you what I did, but nada! Worked on replacing the floor in the master bath! LOL

But I do have to say you all are doing great things!

Randy, its nice to hear your getting things done! I know what its like not to get to it very often.

Mark, Your new space is coming right along! If I lived closer I would come over and help you out!

Lee, My kids decided not to go to collage so I spent there money on the wife and I ! LOL

Ray, looking good! How long is your raised section going to be and how many do you have to print out?

Johan, wonderful shot! Looks perfect to me!

Bob, you sure did alot today! But the big question is did you run your trains and what are you going to do with the 2 x 4 blocks! LOL Just kidding! Things are really looking good!

Bill, your just like Bob, lots of work getting done! Free parts from a ham radio are better the having t o buy them all over again!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Bob, You are making nice progress.  I'll be glad to see how it progresses.

Bill, that is a sharp caboose!

Johan, that is another great view of the wonderful car!

Mike, Thank you!  

I might as well give a heads up on the farther reaching purpose of the cleanup.  The cleanup is in the small room I started a layout in two years ago.  Then my wife suggested I build in the family room since the girls were married and the furniture was junk.  So many of you contributed to a layout design for that room too.  However, as time passed the need for access made the room 'shrink' to some extent.  So last year I started building on the end of the room that was emptied.  I built the two loopback turns one on top of the other with no connection between the two.  The next part of the layout that is to be built will climb up the canyon where a massive wooden shelving unit is.  The shelving unit is to move across the room to where our older daughter's upright piano is.  Well we hit a snag getting the piano moved.  Daughter and son-in-law had moisture problems in the lower level of their house and had to throw out some stuff.  Other stuff was moved upstairs.  So it is dried out, but none of us has the money to put into correcting the problem where the moisture is getting in.  We don't have the manpower either because my son-in-law's dad, newly retired like me, and like me he had his knee replaced 4 days before mine.  So, the home repair at our daughter's is on hold, moving the piano is on hold, so freeing up the rest of the layout space is on hold.  

So, I mentioned it to a few Forum members, Mike, Chris A, DoubleDAZ Dave.  Dave helped me with a simplified layout plan for the old small room, just so I can get some trains running until I can do the bigger project.  Besides, I'm getting tired craning my neck to see trains run on the Ceiling Central RR and blinded looking into the lights in all the passenger cars.    I still can't climb the two step ladder to replace them with freight cars.    Also, I am finding like Jim, I am a Looper.  Switching back and forth on the existing track on the new layout isn't what I want to do for the foreseeable future.

I need to go now.  I will post the proposed plan and a couple more photographs this weekend.  You will have to wait, Lew!  

Lionelski posted:

sidehack posted:

Finished first prototypes of elevated system parts

Looks great Ray. Are the girders going to be flexible for curves?

Thanks John, I was planning on just doing straight 8" or 12" sections for this area but you might have given me an idea for when I get to the curves, they do make a flexible filament but don't know enough about it.

The Lionel 1927060 "Challenger" 2-pack is completed with the placement of people in the "Pacific Harbor" Coach.  I finished the coach in two days and many hours. 

My next projects include the Santa Fe Dining Car Kitchen Scratch-Build, the Baggage car floor paint and baggage placement, and possibly adding people to my second Pennsylvania Full Dining Car that has been interior painted, but left empty of passengers.  The first PRR Dining Car has been finished with Preiser 65602 People for a while.

Here are some pictures of the Pacific Harbor Coach.

Have a good weekend.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Today, I went by an art supply place and bought a blueprint pencil in white. I figured in real life, the trench engine would have markings on it for routine maintenance. I noticed the drain at the rear of each tank, and I thought, Sarge would certainly make the engineer mark the last time the tanks have been drained...

mike g. posted:

WOW everyone has been busy today! I wish I could be one to tell you what I did, but nada! Worked on replacing the floor in the master bath! LOL

But I do have to say you all are doing great things!

Randy, its nice to hear your getting things done! I know what its like not to get to it very often.

Mark, Your new space is coming right along! If I lived closer I would come over and help you out!

Lee, My kids decided not to go to collage so I spent there money on the wife and I ! LOL

Ray, looking good! How long is your raised section going to be and how many do you have to print out?

Johan, wonderful shot! Looks perfect to me!

Bob, you sure did alot today! But the big question is did you run your trains and what are you going to do with the 2 x 4 blocks! LOL Just kidding! Things are really looking good!

Bill, your just like Bob, lots of work getting done! Free parts from a ham radio are better the having t o buy them all over again!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

 

Mike. Thank you. 

Johan

Mark Boyce posted:

Bob, You are making nice progress.  I'll be glad to see how it progresses.

Bill, that is a sharp caboose!

Johan, that is another great view of the wonderful car!

Mike, Thank you!  

I might as well give a heads up on the farther reaching purpose of the cleanup.  The cleanup is in the small room I started a layout in two years ago.  Then my wife suggested I build in the family room since the girls were married and the furniture was junk.  So many of you contributed to a layout design for that room too.  However, as time passed the need for access made the room 'shrink' to some extent.  So last year I started building on the end of the room that was emptied.  I built the two loopback turns one on top of the other with no connection between the two.  The next part of the layout that is to be built will climb up the canyon where a massive wooden shelving unit is.  The shelving unit is to move across the room to where our older daughter's upright piano is.  Well we hit a snag getting the piano moved.  Daughter and son-in-law had moisture problems in the lower level of their house and had to throw out some stuff.  Other stuff was moved upstairs.  So it is dried out, but none of us has the money to put into correcting the problem where the moisture is getting in.  We don't have the manpower either because my son-in-law's dad, newly retired like me, and like me he had his knee replaced 4 days before mine.  So, the home repair at our daughter's is on hold, moving the piano is on hold, so freeing up the rest of the layout space is on hold.  

So, I mentioned it to a few Forum members, Mike, Chris A, DoubleDAZ Dave.  Dave helped me with a simplified layout plan for the old small room, just so I can get some trains running until I can do the bigger project.  Besides, I'm getting tired craning my neck to see trains run on the Ceiling Central RR and blinded looking into the lights in all the passenger cars.    I still can't climb the two step ladder to replace them with freight cars.    Also, I am finding like Jim, I am a Looper.  Switching back and forth on the existing track on the new layout isn't what I want to do for the foreseeable future.

I need to go now.  I will post the proposed plan and a couple more photographs this weekend.  You will have to wait, Lew!  

Mark. Thank you. 🤝

Johan

Mark Boyce posted:

Bob, You are making nice progress.  I'll be glad to see how it progresses.

So, I mentioned it to a few Forum members, Mike, Chris A, DoubleDAZ Dave.  Dave helped me with a simplified layout plan for the old small room, just so I can get some trains running until I can do the bigger project.  Besides, I'm getting tired craning my neck to see trains run on the Ceiling Central RR and blinded looking into the lights in all the passenger cars.    I still can't climb the two step ladder to replace them with freight cars.    Also, I am finding like Jim, I am a Looper.  Switching back and forth on the existing track on the new layout isn't what I want to do for the foreseeable future.

I need to go now.  I will post the proposed plan and a couple more photographs this weekend.  You will have to wait, Lew!  

Thanks Mark. Didn't know about the change in plans for Blackwater Canyon. Looking forward to seeing the plans for the back room.

Bob

mike g. posted:

Bob, you sure did alot today! But the big question is did you run your trains and what are you going to do with the 2 x 4 blocks! LOL Just kidding! Things are really looking good!

 

Mike- I am printing more of the block walls to mount in front of the 2X3's. Very low tech on paper, not like Ray's 3D printing.

I did run a couple of trains to check the track work.

Replaced MTH dummy strobe light to detailed dummy strobe light.
Patrick 

Tom, I'm with Lew, that sounds like a nasty method.  We will be glad to see your masterful results!

Lee, You have a good point.  Very nice detail!

Patrick, the strobe looks great!

Bob, Yes, I ran it by I guess three folks to see what they thought of the idea.  As Mike alludes, it all made sense.  Chris A suggested building part of it in modules that I could move onto the bigger layout when the time comes.  That is a great idea I have to do some thinking about.  Here is the plan that DoubleDAZ Dave spruced up for me.  I'll post some more photographs of the room later.

The SCARM file is in the attachment box.

Lew, The stern nature of it is why I chose it.

Still installing the lath, kinda nasty, like sheet metal with a fringe of fish hooks.  The nice thing about it is that you can pre-cut it full then lay it on thick foam upside down and beat it with a hammer to yield an irregular landscape surface.

The reason I am using it is that I need a series of 4' long removable scenery lids which covers  long recessed  two rail tracks in a 10" deep trench.   The lids are an embankment with a 4" rise from the top level of 2 rail to the three rail perimeter line.

I bent a flange on each edge and the lids sit on dual strips of "J" molding.  The plan is plaster gauze or spray foam when I get back down to it.  Work slowed due to another foot problem.   Bunch of old people at the podiatrist, most younger then me.

Bob, sounds like  a good plan! If you get a chance can you send me a link to the block wall? I have a lot to do! LOL

Patrick, looks much better!

Mark, I like your new plan from Dave! I am sure you will figure out something so you can move it into the bigger room when the time comes!

Tom, If your like me you keep a lot of band-Aids on hand! LOL I cant wait to see your progress!

So I went out to the train room this morning did a little checking on my crane still not working, but I am not giving up! LOL Here are 2 videos of my 2 cranes. Maybe someone can tell me why the first crane is so loud! The second one is just for your enjoyment of what I am working on!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mike, Thank you!  I'll keep everyone posted.

I have one of those cranes that has one movement that doesn't work.  I fiddled with it a little then put it back in the box and in a plastic tote bin in the garage with a bunch of other models, kits, materials, that will await another day.  Now I can't even remember which operation of the crane doesn't work right.   

Not really "on" the layout but they will be on one of the walls (in The Alcove) next to it.

Fun 2 day project that will hold 6 Lionel cars each. Dang, I love power tools.

mike g. posted:

Bob, sounds like  a good plan! If you get a chance can you send me a link to the block wall? I have a lot to do! LOL

So I went out to the train room this morning did a little checking on my crane still not working, but I am not giving up! LOL Here are 2 videos of my 2 cranes. Maybe someone can tell me why the first crane is so loud! The second one is just for your enjoyment of what I am working on!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Email sent Mike.

From what I know (very little), these old cranes are noisy. Classic post-war accessory for sure.

Bob

P51/ Lee :  I am sure you may already know, but if not for your information the "Classic Trains" special publication in 2019, available from Kalmbach Media, called "Trains Go to War" has a super article by R. S. Twogood titled, "Railroads at the Front" which describes and pictures the narrow gauge steam and gasoline powered locos operating on track that was erected (temporarily) parallel to the front lines in WW 1 .  There are some good pictures, depicting engines like yours at work and the fact that the track was laid down in panels (like sectional toy train track), by hand, directly on the ground, with little or no grading or preparation.  Often destroyed by enemy action during the day and repaired at night. 

Pictures clearly show what a great model you have built.  Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Don

mike g. posted:

Bob, sounds like  a good plan! If you get a chance can you send me a link to the block wall? I have a lot to do! LOL

Patrick, looks much better!

Mark, I like your new plan from Dave! I am sure you will figure out something so you can move it into the bigger room when the time comes!

Tom, If your like me you keep a lot of band-Aids on hand! LOL I cant wait to see your progress!

So I went out to the train room this morning did a little checking on my crane still not working, but I am not giving up! LOL Here are 2 videos of my 2 cranes. Maybe someone can tell me why the first crane is so loud! The second one is just for your enjoyment of what I am working on!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mike, your 282 does sound odd. They are loud but yours has a sort of gear-grinding noise as well that mine doesn't have. Ima' go take a video of mine for comparison. 

ON EDIT: I think I see the top buttons (the 182) cause the motor to run while the bottom don't? The cab rotates one way and the winch operates one way? If so, yes, one of the two motor field wires is disconnected.

Mark, I like the plan. I've always liked the twice-around over-n'-under. And I can attest that it is prototypical!  as I once went up Tehachapi Loop.

Mike g, I like the automated Lionel Cranes, and at one time had the newer portal gantry crane, however since I didn’t have room on my layout for it to fit in, I sold it. Your videos are really  cool. I do have the CSX Lionel Remote controllable crane and boom sounds cars. Also the Pennsylvania and Santa Fe Sets. We put them on a siding and operate them. I just completed the wiring to the MTH Passenger Stations with disappearing people and packages. Wow, what realism. 

RSJB18 Bob, nice layout work, it’s looking good, LIONELSKI, I like those Lionel display pieces you’ve made, very colorful. Briansilvermustang, Cool Rock Island pieces, Chris A, It’s time for another update on your Signaling adventures. CGWFOREVER, Nice way to add realism to your beautiful diesels, C&NW, I like those strobe effects, SIDEHACK, I like your layout work, neat bridges, wow. JOHAN, I love your pictures of weathered trackwork  realism and your Locomotives and rolling stock. Amazing. Everyone have a great weekend and hopefully enjoy some train fun time. Today, I’m in the train room, watching OGR Model Railroad Videos. Happy Railroading 

Just had fun running a train:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7lLaM506do

Mike, here is video of my PW 282 Gantry Crane. It's a bit long to get enough sound to listen to:

leapinlarry posted:

Mike g, I like the automated Lionel Cranes, and at one time had the newer portal gantry crane, however since I didn’t have room on my layout for it to fit in, I sold it. Your videos are really  cool. I do have the CSX Lionel Remote controllable crane and boom sounds cars. Also the Pennsylvania and Santa Fe Sets. We put them on a siding and operate them. I just completed the wiring to the MTH Passenger Stations with disappearing people and packages. Wow, what realism. 

RSJB18 Bob, nice layout work, it’s looking good, LIONELSKI, I like those Lionel display pieces you’ve made, very colorful. Briansilvermustang, Cool Rock Island pieces, Chris A, It’s time for another update on your Signaling adventures. CGWFOREVER, Nice way to add realism to your beautiful diesels, C&NW, I like those strobe effects, SIDEHACK, I like your layout work, neat bridges, wow. JOHAN, I love your pictures of weathered trackwork  realism and your Locomotives and rolling stock. Amazing. Everyone have a great weekend and hopefully enjoy some train fun time. Today, I’m in the train room, watching OGR Model Railroad Videos. Happy Railroading 

Larry. Thank you. Have a great weekend too.

Johan

Geysergazer Lew, that’s a cool video of the Gantry Crane, it’s fun to watch. Being that I like the modern sounds, boom car sounds, Lionel made a Crane Sounds Box, To couple with the Gantry Crane, Volume 1 2019 Catalog, Page 176. Just giving you an eggcellent idea. Happy Railroading i

leapinlarry posted:

Cool layout pic, Larry

I finished a second gondola kit for a Colorado Midland car, after just doing a box car.  This gives me a five car Colorado Midland train of one of the Indian logo reefers, a box car,  a hopper, and two gons.  I need a caboose and engine.  I have plans for two different CM side door cabooses, as well as the FEC side doors with two sold to the Great Western, so l need to quit stalling and build four cabeese.  The engine?  Well, one was done in brass in a large (G?) scale, but I'll have to bash that, too. Cringe.

leapinlarry posted:

Geysergazer Lew, that’s a cool video of the Gantry Crane, it’s fun to watch. Being that I like the modern sounds, boom car sounds, Lionel made a Crane Sounds Box, To couple with the Gantry Crane, Volume 1 2019 Catalog, Page 176. Just giving you an eggcellent idea. Happy Railroading i

Hah. These PW Cranes are pretty loud what with thew old three pole universal motor and the solenoid-coil gear-shift. It would probably drown out around box. 

Cool layout, Larry. I second that emotion. 

Well after procrastinating for the last few weeks (we rescued a new dog and that has been our focus) I really had to work on the module since we had a show today.  So last night worked until about 2am adding telephone poles, sidewalks, billboard, custom insert for billboard for distracted driving. Window treatment, designed and created flat front building, and painted backdrop.  All in all great show and once again Paul 2 comes away disappointed because one of the vendors loved my dont Text and drive crash scene that he donated a flashing light emergency vehicle for my module. 

Bryan, So now we know!  It is chain gangs who paint all that artistic graffiti!    Very realistic looking modeling.  I'll wait for Paul's input before I pass judgement on the incident!    Funny, I read the billboard, "Text and Drive" period.  It took a few seconds for it to sinkin that it was saying "Dummies Text and Drive"  LOL  Must be those mid-60s year old brain cells not firing once again!  

Larry, the lit station platforms look great!!

Johan, another great looking car!!

Me?  I just did a bit more redding up, that's all.

Mark: Redding up. Did you pick up the room? 

Lew, Yes cleaning up the room.  I slipped in some Western Pennsylvania jargon without thinking.  I even used the sweeper today!  

Pennsylvania Dutch is the origin of a lot of Pittsburgheze. Not by any means all. Have you ever googled 'Pittsburgh toilet'? Try it. 

65 notifications today!  We are an active bunch. 

I spent the bulk of today changing my favorite caboose to LEDs.  The junk box from the transmitter building gave up good stuff.  I fired the transformer and the caboose looks good.  I put a 5MM led where the conductor's desk lamp would hang.  What do y'all think.  I will run some mixed freight and watch the caboose light not blink.

Bill

geysergazer posted:

Pennsylvania Dutch is the origin of a lot of Pittsburgheze. Not by any means all. Have you ever googled 'Pittsburgh toilet'? Try it. 

LOL. We had one in one of our houses!!  
Besides German, other words come from Scots-Irish, like Pittsburgh, like Edinburgh in Scotland 

Bill the lit caboose looks great!

Thanks Mark.

   I really like the green caboose.  It started as a $1.00 flea market find.  I will find the car number decals, X14.  It will appear in my next video.  Some where some how.

Bill

Bill, What a deal!!

Saturday was spent starting to add Preiser 65602 Seated People to my painted Pennsylavania Broadway Limited Dining Car.  I spent over eight hours grinding and touching up paint on the 35 figures I added to the Full Dining Car that has twice the capacity of the normal Lionel Dining Car.

Here are the beginning pictures taken early in the day.  It is late now, so completed pictures will be taken in better light tomorrow.

Sincerely, John Rowlen