What did you do on your layout today?

mike g. posted:

Lou, sharp looking engine for a steam engine! LOL I only have one steam engine and that's cause my grandson found it in the trash somewhere and gave it to me and said grandpa if you get it running you can keep it for your train room. So it always sits on the layout!

Mark, I did get an early start and I needed it! LOL

Mitch, Nice work, I am sure you will get it to up to your standards!

Well guys as you know I got up early to get out to the train room to try and figure out my troubles. Well I figured it out, Bob was right it was a miss matched wire. But I didn't find it till I added so many extra drops and replaced the curve where the engine kept stopping! Once I found it everything was a go and I guess it doesn't hurt to have extra power drops! LOL Here is what it looked like before I got a chance to clean things up.

After I got everything cleaned up I took every DCS engine I have which is 4 lol and ran them all on all tracks and there was no problem with any of them. So needles to say I am happy, just sucks it took me all day, but now I can move on with my list!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

BOW

30 + years as an electrician it's always the wires.......

Happy to help Mike. Even from 3000 miles away.

Thanks Guys, I am glad its behind me, now I can work on hooking up switch machines to my newly located switches. Then hope to get the back wall ballasted!

Lionel Canadian Pacific Dome Observation is finished. 

After lowering the Dome seats and grinding the bottoms of the Dome Observation figures, it is finished.  Today I spent about 8 hours selecting, inspecting , repairing and installing Preiser 65602 Seated People in the Canadian Pacific Dome Observation main floor.  Between blowing my nose and wiping my eyes, I was able to get this car completed.

So far the Baggage,  Vista Dome Coach, and Dome Observation are completed. Three cars down and four to go.

I have 31 boxes of left over Preiser 65602 figures and three new boxes left to start.  I figure I have purchased 172 plus Preiser 65602 because the Man feeding the baby occurs twice in some Dome Cars, especially Atlas O California Zephyr and Amtrak Dome Cars.  If I check all my 21" passenger cars for this Man with a baby, I will know exactly how many boxes I purchased.  (This is a project for some snowy day or when Heck freezes over.)

I am taking the night off and getting a good night's rest.

Have a good evening.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

My pleasure Mike!

After a honey do day, I put my new MTH SW-8 in the shop for some service. Cleaned up everything, shell, body, wheels, etc. One of the dirtiest "new" engines I've ever seen. The shell was very grungy. Some dish soap and scrubbing later....

The sound wasn't working so fearing the worst, I examined the board, no burned components, next I checked the speaker, found a broken wire....easy fix!

Dirt...

This was off of the wheels after running my Dremel with a wire wheel on everything. Contact cleaner gets all of the residue off.

Everything needed grease and oil, back on the rails, all good now

RSJB18 posted:

mike g. posted:

Lou, sharp looking engine for a steam engine! LOL I only have one steam engine and that's cause my grandson found it in the trash somewhere and gave it to me and said grandpa if you get it running you can keep it for your train room. So it always sits on the layout!

Mark, I did get an early start and I needed it! LOL

Mitch, Nice work, I am sure you will get it to up to your standards!

Well guys as you know I got up early to get out to the train room to try and figure out my troubles. Well I figured it out, Bob was right it was a miss matched wire. But I didn't find it till I added so many extra drops and replaced the curve where the engine kept stopping! Once I found it everything was a go and I guess it doesn't hurt to have extra power drops! LOL Here is what it looked like before I got a chance to clean things up.

After I got everything cleaned up I took every DCS engine I have which is 4 lol and ran them all on all tracks and there was no problem with any of them. So needles to say I am happy, just sucks it took me all day, but now I can move on with my list!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

BOW

30 + years as an electrician it's always the wires.......

Happy to help Mike. Even from 3000 miles away.

Really! It’s true!  In telecom we used to say, how can a two wire circuit be so hard to troubleshoot?  Then work on a four-wire circuit!!  Wow!

Bob the switcher looks good, sounds good!

Looks like you guy’s been all weekend. Everyone’s work looks great. 

Mike. Glad you got you problems solved

Bob. Think you will have it running good before SWSAT? 

Mitch. Glad your making some progress on this can’t wait to see it running 

Ralph. What a great run layout looks good 

John. You are a people person for sure lol 

Well this weekend I got some cars decaled. I really like the Tichy Train Decals better the K4 are nice but not forgiving very thin decal paper there not for the faint hearted. These cars are old AHM that I Custom painted. I still have to add the ladders and parts to the Reefer car I will be putting ice hatches on the roof. I also have to find a Piggyback hitch and ramp plates for the flat car 

John Rowlen, congratulations on finishing your third CP scale car with Preiser figures.  The numbers of figures in stunning, at least to me.  

Also, I applaud your photo posting technique--post a single large image with the text and put thumbnails for your readers like me to view if we choose to--and I always do.  Makes your post much easier to scroll through while enjoying the photos.  But , when you are explaining a technique or sequence, you include a pertinent photo with the text.  I have, in the past, lazily simply posted everything in the text when I should have used your technique shown above.

Hi all. I know it looks worse than yesterday. You may notice some banker boxes on the right. I have 35 years of various copper conductors used for various reasons. Anyway I am trying to get the "gold" segregated and the "detritus" out of the way. A sharp eye looking to the left will see some Orange and Blue boxes coming in to view.

Lionelski posted:

Lou1985 posted:

Sans tender decals (still waiting on those) the Santa Fe FrankenHudson lives. It consists of the boiler from a MTH Premier Santa Fe Hudson #3464, the chassis and running gear of MTH Premier Santa Fe Hudson #3463, tender chassis, trucks, and toolboxes from a MTH Premier Santa Fe Blue Goose Hudson, and the tender shell from a Lionel 3751 class Santa Fe Northern. PS3 steam kit and LED lights. This is my 3rd Premier Santa Fe Hudson (I have 3463 and 3460 Blue Goose as well). I really like this model. 

 

Gee Lou, it is a shame that you had to buy all of those engines to make just one (LOL). 

Fantastic job. The talent on this forum is incredible!

Actually the the 3464 boiler, 3463 chassis, and Blue Goose tender chassis, trucks, and toolboxes came from the same source. Just had to get the Lionel tender shell and PS3 kit, then assemble everything into one unit 😉.

Good morning everyone, It Monday and start of the work week. I hope its not to tough on everyone! LOL

Ralph, Great looking train and wonderful scenery!

John, Outstanding work on the Dome Observation car! I know your little people will be waiting for you but get some rest!

Bob, Nice job on the clean up! When you get a chance can you post some photos or even a video on how you hook up the power on your upside down engines to clean the wheels?

Lee D, Every time you post one of your new cars you do I am amazed at your skills! What wonderful work you do!

David, Everyone has to start somewhere. Don't worry you will get it sorted out in time! Then the fun really begins! 

Well I am not sure if I will get train room time today, but if I do its going to be spent hooking up switching motors. I moved a couple switches and added a couple for my sidings so now I have to move the tortoise switch machines to the new locations. I also have to install a couple MTH switch machines until I can buy more tortoise switch machines!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and are ready for Monday! Remember try to find time for your layout and trains! But most of all have fun!

Good morning all! Well Menardsville Industrial site is going along well. With a loop around the layout and also a reversing loop, things  are getting there. Today I ran my first train around to make sure everything  works, and it did !!! Now for the buildings and trees ( just for Playtrains )  lol... more pictures to follow..Bob

Mike- I have a bunch of test leads with alligator clips on the ends from my contracting days. I clip power to one of the pick up roller brackets and find a good ground someplace on the chassis. In this case the button on the coupler worked. I have a CW-80 on my bench for power.

mike g. posted:

Good morning everyone, It Monday and start of the work week. I hope its not to tough on everyone! LOL

Ralph, Great looking train and wonderful scenery!

John, Outstanding work on the Dome Observation car! I know your little people will be waiting for you but get some rest!

Bob, Nice job on the clean up! When you get a chance can you post some photos or even a video on how you hook up the power on your upside down engines to clean the wheels?

Lee D, Every time you post one of your new cars you do I am amazed at your skills! What wonderful work you do!

David, Everyone has to start somewhere. Don't worry you will get it sorted out in time! Then the fun really begins! 

Well I am not sure if I will get train room time today, but if I do its going to be spent hooking up switching motors. I moved a couple switches and added a couple for my sidings so now I have to move the tortoise switch machines to the new locations. I also have to install a couple MTH switch machines until I can buy more tortoise switch machines!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and are ready for Monday! Remember try to find time for your layout and trains! But most of all have fun!

Thanks Mike I can’t wait to get them working on the layout 

Mike G., congratulations and salutations, finding the needle in a hay stack is sometimes easier than finding an electrical short issue. Now being retired has given me more time to complete the wiring on my layout, and I to am checking the wiring on all my switches. There’s a mixture of Atlas O, and Ross Custom switches, no other brands. All are connected to ASC’s working through the Cab 2. The layout is 22 years old, and to be able to depend on the Route Button on the Cab 2, all switches need to work perfectly. 40 Turnouts, some paired to work together. So, although it’s a labor of love, it’s got to be done.  Lee Drennen, your layout with trucks and rolling stock looks great, RSJB18 Bob, happy birthday to your Layout, it’s very interesting, Briansilvermustang, Wow, you have great trains, John Rowlen, you have a Lot of Patience, talent, and a Bunch of Passenger cars, Wow, Trumptrain, your layout is full of B&O, and beautiful scenery, very colorful, Geysergazer Lew, your wit & wisdom is fun to read when you post pictures of model and Real trains, fantastic, Don Mcerlean, Thank You for the compliments on my feeble attempt at videos, the answer is I transferred my video from the iPhone to my IPad pictures. Then go to the attachments and merely picked the video picture and placed it on the write up. I am simply an ameteur. Cabinet Bob, now that’s a nice layout, reminds me of the display layouts in stores and looks to be a fun to run pike, very nice. Everyone, have a great week, Happy Railroading 

Dad, do I get to have a grove of trees named after me on the new layout? LOL Or, better idea, a Play Trains box truck!

Lots of great things everyone has been doing on the layout!!

Well, we finally got the plywood and everything else moved to make way for the 30" wide shelf on wall Number 2!!  Don't worry about that baseboard heater.  The power is disconnected.  I left it in case a future owner would want it.  There is enough heat comes in that room through the door and window opening to the laundry room.  

Hey guys been a while!  Mike G. Sent me some Wabash cars! Haven't had any time to work on much.  Here are a few pictures of rolling stock I've pick up over the winter!   Hope everyone is doing well!!!!     

Jim

New year, new layout! Got some work done on the control box and have power wired up to the track

Finished the painting of the Hotel and the elevated track area is installed, the hotel facade still needs a lot of work before it will be installed behind but very close to the track.

Greetings to all that are following my progression. I can now touch the wall at the left corner of the first pics. I am starting to pull the Lionel boxes out with several being in their original shipping box. Today my picture is looking back at where I took the first pics. This is looking south. Although not readily clear is my Legacy Zephyr and a two pack of UP 18" Aluminum cars sitting on a shelf bench. Next to them is a laptop that was playing SuperTrain1979 tv series. Below, my telescopes and accessories are finding a temporary home.

At this point, I am open to any suggestions or critisism of my contribution to this thread. Maybe I'm not the right one. Thank you.

Lionel Canadian Pacific "Sherwood Manor" Sleeper #23 is finished.

For a simple passenger car to detail, this car took my entire day.  The Sleeper is called a 10-6 by Lionel.  It has no room walls in the 10-room section, and the seats are over-sized and dwarf the passengers. The six staterooms are three spaces with only one window per space.  Only the people on the Stateroom couch are visible through the windows.  The smaller seat is not seen, except at an extreme angle as the train passes. 

The Canadian Pacific name plate stripe keeps buckling and loosening.  I finally had to run a little Krazy Glue on the edge of an Excel knife under the name strip and press the stripe down.

Here are a few pictures.  Four of the seven cars are done. There are two coaches and the station sound dining car to complete.

Have a good evening.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Added additional cars and people to the layout, and wired the buildings on both sides of Main Street!

Up with UP posted:

Greetings to all that are following my progression. I can now touch the wall at the left corner of the first pics. I am starting to pull the Lionel boxes out with several being in their original shipping box. Today my picture is looking back at where I took the first pics. This is looking south. Although not readily clear is my Legacy Zephyr and a two pack of UP 18" Aluminum cars sitting on a shelf bench. Next to them is a laptop that was playing SuperTrain1979 tv series. Below, my telescopes and accessories are finding a temporary home.

At this point, I am open to any suggestions or critisism of my contribution to this thread. Maybe I'm not the right one. Thank you.

 

David, I think you are posting in the right place.  I would consider what you are doing now is room prep and you are orienting us to you space and challenges.  That is all part of what you are doing on your layout.  I posted something similar above moving things to open the space to continue construction.  Please keep posting!

Up with UP posted:

At this point, I am open to any suggestions or critisism of my contribution to this thread. Maybe I'm not the right one. Thank you.

 

Your posts have been, IMO, entirely appropriate for this thread.

If you notice, in the lower right hand corner there is a link "Take Action" and the drop down menu for that link includes "reply with quote" which is what I used to include a portion of your last post.  The link also includes a link to report the post to the moderators.  If any of your posts offended someone or violated a forum policy, it's likely that someone would have used the "report the post."

Enjoy yourself here.

To Mark, Carl and all, thanks for your encouragement. I'll try to keep it interesting.

For Alan A. I am incorporating the Sansui QRX-9001 into the room with 901's front and 301's rear.

After a few years of dabbling, have been putting serious effort into my first "serious" layout. What began as a lark -- could I make a weatherproof trainbox to put on my front yard as a holiday display? - and a 3x4 display is morphing/molting/evolving into this:

7x8 and modular (two 3x4 and two 4x4 tables) so I can move it lock, stock & barrel to the yard come holiday time; will also prove handy if (who'm I kidding: when) I want a more dramatic permanent setup. Right-rear quadrant is where table power is distributed, connected to a 30 foot trunk line running to the house, through a window, and to the control board (everything currently bolted to the wall) and power supplies. This'll let me & the kids power-up and run conventionally the outdoor spread from the comfort of an indoor sofa.

Tonight, finished wiring the switches in synchronous pairs (6 switches; 3 controllers) for each siding as well as the interior track's transition track. Also wired on/off switches for 2 power blocks (1 for each siding). Had 1 switch acting janky but a quick peek under the hood revealed an over-tightened screw. One quarter turn later, we were off to the races.

Tested and rec'd the A-OK. Yay.

Next up: power blocks (1 for each quadrant) for accessories; then I start framing out the new enclosure, mock up a tunnel covering the sidings, and test some new weather seal ideas.

As was said about anything good in the old neighborhood: this thing's a p!issah!

- The Other Guy

Side note: I decided to keep all track wiring on rather than under the table; I'm a fairly athletic 40 year old guy but getting under this thing on a regular basis is a pain. Another layer will eventually cover the entire table, wires and all, and I figure a few ungainly bumps are more than acceptable compared to the alternative.

- TOG

TOG, That is quite an innovative concept you have; not of building modules, but providing for the electrical ability to move the layout outside to run from inside.  On the front of the layout it looks like you used some kind of window or door latch to fasten the modules together.  How much effort is it to take it down and put back up, mainly track alignment and wiring connections?  I ask as I am contemplating the issues of building modules that I would take down in the event I get more space in another room or move to a different house.  For me, it would probably be a one time disassembly/reassembly.

Hi Mark,

Can't think of a better compliment that "innovative;" genuinely appreciate the kind words. Answers in order:

Mark Boyce posted:

On the front of the layout it looks like you used some kind of window or door latch to fasten the modules together.

Yep, that's it. Cheap, available everywhere, and provides enough tension to keep the tables from sliding away from each other when I'm leaning on them. They don't do jack for keeping things level but that's not their job.

Mark Boyce posted:

 How much effort is it to take it down and put back up ...

Well, this is when it becomes a projection, as I haven't had the pleasure of trying it yet . But having done something similar 3 years running with two 3x4 tables, I figure about 90 minutes, from in-the-house to out-on-the-lawn with 1 preteen/teenaged helper . This time is for moving the table, connecting the track, and framing out the enclosure. There's added time to re-apply "loose" ornamentation but haven't factored that in here.

Mark Boyce posted:

… mainly track alignment …

Other than at the crossover points from 1 quad to the next, track will be screwed down. Rather than table alignment, it's table leveling - especially where the 4 tables meet in the center - was the real bugaboo. I solved this with 4 sliding latches connecting one table to its 2 adjacent tables. Once connected, I know the tables dead-set level in the center and I only need to shim any floating legs underneath. These latches don't do jack for keeping things from separating but that's not their job.

Mark Boyce posted:

… and wiring connections?

Wiring was based on 3 principles. First, avoiding OW! MY BACK! and putting them on rather than under the table. Second, any wires connecting directly to the track are done once and, once done, aren't touched again unless something's broke. And last, any power leaving the "power quad" for other quads is connected by a bus bar. In this way, separating each quadrant is as easy as unscrewing a few posts. In this photo, the bus bars are attached to the "power quad" (headed West ) and the wires to running East are feeders to the switch (power and controller) and track.

Hope this makes a bit of sense. Any additional questions, don't hesitate to ask. And for added fun, here's a pic of my last year's TrainBox display, outside in the snow. Took about an hour to get it out and up.

- The Other Guy

The Other Guy, Thank you for the detailed answers and photographs.  'Innovative and low-tech!'  I like it!!  After working 43 years in electronics (mostly power and telecom utilities) I don't want the hassle of a highly engineered layout.  

Avoiding OW! MY BACK!  At 63, I agree 100%!  OW! MY KNEES as well!  

The view from the window looks great!!

...Halp?  

https://ogrforum.com/...stle-switches-go-bad

Helpful hint of the day:

When testing a whistle button using postwar whistle tenders, make sure they're upright or upside-down.  If they're on their side, the whistle relay might connect and blow the whistle constantly.   Electronic horns, of course, do not have this problem. 

Pardon me while I go put on a dunce cap and join the Amalgamated Association of Morons, Local 6 7/8.

"WE ARE MORONS, TRIED AND TRUE!  WE WILL DO OUR CALL FOR YOU!  NYEHHHHH!"   

Mitch 

Mark Boyce posted:

... low-tech!

I K.I.S.S. whenever I can.

Mark Boyce posted:

The view from the window looks great!!

That's actually the view from the sidewalk! City living at its finest.

- The Other Guy

The Other Guy posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

... low-tech!

I K.I.S.S. whenever I can.

Mark Boyce posted:

The view from the window looks great!!

That's actually the view from the sidewalk! City living at its finest.

- The Other Guy

Oh, now I get it!  The train box from the sidewalk!! 

Just finished several 55-gallon drums, and dozens of Jerry cans.

This Tamayia kit included several German cans, so I glued them in rows together, with American cans on each end, so it wasn't obvious.

The empty drums are made by Tichy Train Group.

I added some hand cranks to a couple of the barrels, but I don't remember who made those.

I also designed a small open sided structure, which will sit roughly where all these drums are sitting. It will provide cover for a workbench, and several loose items on the layout, including most of these drums and cans...

Lionel Canadian Pacific Coach #111 interior painting is done.

I now have to resume painting more Preiser 65602 Seated People for this and another Coach from the 2-pack.  The dining car is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.   The Seats and toilets and sinks have three coats of paint.  I think this set of seven cars will be the last for a while.  It will be interesting to see if the shipping schedule for the Alaska cars is slowed due to the health issues in China.

Have a good evening.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Since l got in caboose roofing material, and the siding, l started on the four cabooses, two Great Western (ex_FEC), and two Colorado Midland.  To correctlly shape the GW caboose roofs, requires wood carving. This l do like soldering or oil paintings: on a scale of 1 to 10,  measured in negative numbers.  While l have only done one end on one roof, it is looking good. Considerable material has to be removed from the basswood roof stock. .

colorado hirailer posted:

This l do like soldering or oil paintings: on a scale of 1 to 10,  measured in negative numbers. 

A kindred spirit; my nemesis is sanding and filling grooves in streamlined aluminum passenger cars to create smooth sides to replicate the prototype I'm modeling.  I've consumed enormous quantities of wet/dry 3M sandpaper, body putty, and primer to do just six cars.  

Morning guys sorry I didn't get here yesterday so its going to make for a little longer response.

Dad, Your on a roll! Next thing you on we will be seeing streets and truckers on the layout!

Bob, thanks for the information. I will have to get some or just build some!

Larry, Thank you Sir! I really thing a lot of what you say! By the way I really love the car with the full rear window!

Mark, Glad to see you got the lumber moved. Now it gives you a clean canvas to start your art project on! AKA Layout!
Jim, nice collection of cars for your layout! I am glad you like the Wabash cars!

Jon1443, New Year, New Layout! But man that sure is some old stuff! LOL

Ray, things are really looking great! Sure is going to look a lot better then the AC unit!

UP With Up, your right on track! Your working on getting your layout up and running and I would thing that counts here on this thread!

John, All I can say is Wonderful work! Everyone else has pretty much covered your skills!

Paul, Cool scene! Nice to see you were able to get more people to come out besides just the Taxi cab drivers!

Well yesterday I was up early and had a chance to get out to the train room. I didn't feel like crawling under the layout to work on the switches so I took a page out of Bob's book and printed up some brick walls and put up a needed retaining wall along the back of the layout! Here are a couple photos.

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and find time for your layout and trains!

          your retaining wall looks great Mike !!