What did you do on your layout today?

Adriatic:  If the ancient Mayans had styrofoam, it woulda looked like that!   

New "Steeplecab" chapter up!   https://ogrforum.com/...4#138822928292031454

Mitch 

Hello,  Doing final inspection and touch up on ninety-five 1/50 scale seated women.  I am painting the hair in brown, blonde and rusty red.  I have done all painting except the hair on the figures in the plastic bags in the picture background. 

Still waiting for a German seller to ship four Preiser 65602 seated people I ordered on March 7, 2020, over a week ago.  Today Ebay says "Beladung" or "loading".  Figures from China are arriving faster than the orders from Germany and DHL Shipping.  I have a tracking number that does not register with DHL's website, but Ebay shows it has shipped.

I would order from another German seller, but the outcome could be the same under the current shut down of countries.

Mom wanted to get ice cream through the Dairy Queen Drive-through and they are taking credit cards only, no printed money that can carry the virus.

What a difference a week makes.  Still painting figures and trying to keep Mom happy.

Update: Unable to sleep, so I painted a few more figures after mixing a "Cherry" pink paint.  The cherry stands out a little better than the light pink.

2nd Update:  The figures in the last picture are 4802B China 1/50 scale unpainted figures from Evemodel on Ebay that just arrived today.  There are 48 seated people in a $9.99 pack.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Ran a prewar Lionel 238E Torpedo with postwar 027 passenger cars.....

Gandydancer1950,  That is a very beautiful scene on your layout.  Thanks for posting.

Your fellow Clevelander, John Rowlen

Really not much done in the last few days. Mostly because I had to oreder materials to finish the projects I am working on. I did cut out the plastic for the machine shop roof. Glued the two pieces together and that has to dry. I laid out the track for that general area and figured out how many switches I need. I need three right hand switches and will have to add Z1000's to them because they are too far at the back to manually switch them.  I fired off a question to Steve at Ross and as soon as I get a reply I can order them..........Paul 2

Here's the "here we go, am I gonna regret this?" photo before anything started and the parts were stacked up (the little detail and other parts are already stacked in the plastic container).

Yesterday, I took four of the IMAOn30 ET&WNC hopper kits on a mass assembly-line build. Man, those suckers take a lot of work! A long time back, I built just the one, as a learning guide (which is sitting on it's side to the right of the gorilla glue bottle). I’m glad I did and that I hadn’t painted the thing as I used it as a guide when doing the others. I got the frames and sides and ends done, but I ran out of time yesterday for the final assembly and details. I’d worked on them from about 9 to 4:30 or so. After getting one mostly together (which had a damaged end I couldn't fix, so it'll be finished as a damaged car that needs to be back to the car shop, I guess), I figured I was burned out and anything further I’d do after that would be half-buttocksed.

I’ll give them a few days before I do the final assembly. I have trucks and Kadees for them already, as well as decal sets just waiting. I’ve been wanting ET&WNC hoppers for a long time as they had lots of them but nobody makes a plastic version. There are two people who have 3D prints available, but nobody will make the darned things in O scale! One said it’d cost about $50 each, and I said I’d be just fine with getting two or three even at that price. Oh well, I’ll have them soon enough I suppose.

I did my first one with the full interior details, but I noticed the weights are going to be quite obvious as there's no place to hide those. So, the rest will be finished with no interiors so I can put loads in them, atop the weights they so badly need...

Well, after doing my state and fed taxes, I needed to run some trains

The conclusion of "Roll Your Own Steeplecab" is now up! 

https://ogrforum.com/...6#139104425373877856

Mitch 

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

The conclusion of "Roll Your Own Steeplecab" is now up! 

https://ogrforum.com/...6#139104425373877856

Mitch 

Nice run Mitch that turned out great 

Same here, in between getting my tax info together had to do something different. The hotel I'm working on needed a fire escape and I thought it probably wouldn't be feasible to try 3D printing it but decided to give it a try anyhow.

So built one in CAD  and ended up being able to print it to my surprise. Just need to glue it all together now.

sidehack posted:

Same here, in between getting my tax info together had to do something different. The hotel I'm working on needed a fire escape and I thought it probably wouldn't be feasible to try 3D printing it but decided to give it a try anyhow.

So built one in CAD  and ended up being able to print it to my surprise. Just need to glue it all together now.

Great job!

(Ray, your excellent photos/images edited out while using reply with quote.)

Finally got around to making and installing some trees - we used a Scenic Express "Super Trees Starter Kit" which came with everything we needed to build about ~20 trees (I say we, since the wife was integral in the effort!). We also started on our "Dog Park" with more Woodland Scenics fences. I spray painted the fences with Gloss Black spray paint and will likely order some Arttista dog figures this week to fill it out

John Roland,

I might have missed it, but did you ever post a layout pic showing where all of your figures live, work and play? If not, can you?

I did a census of Warrenville's citizens this morning, a rough count was 983, a number that I had thought was a lot. That is until I started following your fantastic posts.  Slow down John, I gotta go back downstairs to paint at least 5,017 more people to catch up with you. The problem is, where can I put them on Warrenville?

John, are you keeping your citizens 6 scale feet apart? Are you going to remove citizens from passenger car interiors? I read today that LIRR ridership is down by 67%, I'm guess that a similar situation applies to all passenger lines.

A note to my OGR forum friends, No, I am not taking the current virus situation lightly, so please don't flame me because of my tongue-in-cheek questions above.

Stay well all

John (Lionelski)- we have all made drastic changes in our lives these days. A little levity is a good thing.

Bob

Started a new Wagon for the Circus Train last night. The other two are almost done  so I thought I would start another. This one will be a Barrel and Prop. Wagon don’t know if they had this type of one but I’m basing it off of the Goliath Wagon 

Lionelski,  (John),

Most of my seated people are happily sitting in the passenger cars I have detailed.  The railroads represented are Atlas O California Zephyr D&RGW and WP full 12-car sets with 8 Atlas  F7 Rio Grande units.  Atlas O Amtrak Cal Zephyr 12-car set with 5 Amtrak F7 ABBBA units.  There are also about five additional Zephyr cars.

The Lionel 21" cars include two seven-car Chesapeake and Ohio sets. There are two NYSESE seven-car sets. (I bought a second 5426 engine and set to get the cars.)  Another two ten-car Pennsylvania Broadway Limited sets fully detailed with modified upper seats in the 12-4 Sleepers. (I posted pictures on OGR when I turned the molded seats the correct direction in the lower level floor and lowered them, and built upper seats.  I also put beds and sleeping quarters in the Sound Kitchen car with three crew members.)  

The other railroads include Penn Central, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific "Challenger" and "Excursion" sets, Amtrak, Canadian Pacific with ABBA, and the Santa Fe nine-car set in which I built a kitchen to fill the void in the dining car.  Sound is in the Large Dome car.  I probably missed a railroad, oh, CSX Executive seven-car 21" passenger set.  Unfortunately my F40PH #9999 was smashed in the three trips back to Lionel for service. I received a refund on the engine from Lionel.  I still am waiting for Lionel to remake the F40PH CSX engines in the new [CSX] Boxcar Logo.  

And an eight-car Wabash set of 21" passenger cars with two E7 Diesels.  As I left my den, I saw one of two Wabash Station Sounds dining cars. The first went to Lionel for a new body and came back with two more roof vents off the body shell, so I bought a second Dining car that arrived with a roof vent off the body shell.  (The pin for the vent has a molded notch in the post that breaks at the notch.)  Lionel ran out of replacement Wabash Diner body shells.

The interior painting and detailing is a six year project.  I did a lot of painting as I stayed up until 3:00 A.M. to care for my mother when she got out of the hospital twice, two years ago.  After her last bathroom break, I would go to bed until morning.

What is most remarkable is that I have no useable vision in my left eye that has a pool of blood and cholesterol deposit in the center.  I am fortunate that with my glasses off, I can see the up- close detail with the help of a battery-powered head lamp.  I use a lot of batteries and bought fourteen 8-packs to get me through this next batch of painting. -The cheap $1.99 packs of 8 AAA batteries from Save-a-Lot last longer than the 40 Duracell I burned through in February.

I will run the Canadian Pacific cars past my camera after I finish the two CP coaches and Dining car. 

Have a safe and healthy Spring.  This website has helped me get through a cloudy day on many an occasion.  Sometimes we must make our own sunshine.   A special thanks to all who contribute to this thread.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Pingman posted:

sidehack posted:

Same here, in between getting my tax info together had to do something different. The hotel I'm working on needed a fire escape and I thought it probably wouldn't be feasible to try 3D printing it but decided to give it a try anyhow.

So built one in CAD  and ended up being able to print it to my surprise. Just need to glue it all together now.

Great job!

(Ray, your excellent photos/images edited out while using reply with quote.)

Thanks Pingman

Still working a normal schedule so I haven't done anything this week but last weekend I converted a couple of my 1121's to accessory power. Might end up doing that to all of them

Modified / upgraded the lighting on the standard, as-supplied Morrison’s Doors factory from Woodland Scenics. A great looking building as it is, but I hate the faux gooseneck lighting fixtures that this, and many other buildings, come with. I want them to actually work! So I repeated what I’ve done many times before, using the universal LEDs from forum sponsor Evan Designs, pre-wired with the bridge rectifier.

Drilled small 3/32” holes to pass the LED chip through from the inside of the building - remember these have the bridge rectifiers already on the wire. Bend the wire to match the contour of the gooseneck lamp. Then epoxy or superglue the LED and wire to the lamp. After glueing, paint the wire with matching flat paints to mask the wire. It’s barely noticeable to even to closest review.

Still need to fill in those 3/32” drill holes on the roof where the LEDs passed through.

Here they are on, in a darkened room. I’m diggin’ it.

Give it a try. Keep well!

Tom

Tom,  The goose neck lights really add to the Morrison Doors building.  Thank you for the idea.  I have used Walthers HO goose necks above the side doors of my Atlas O Roundhouse and on other O-gauge buildings.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Thanks John for the background information regarding your passenger sets.   You have answered a lot of the question we all have had as to  where and how all the 5,000+ people fit into the big picture.     Also, kudos to you for your dedication and care of your mother.   I'm looking forward to some pictures/video of your named passenger trains moving about your layout.   I am most impressed with the detailing work you do!   Thanks for sharing!

Cheers, Dave

NYC2UP posted:

 

Give it a try. Keep well!

Tom

Thanks for the tips Tom. I'm doing an Ameritowne building now and I'm looking for exterior lights that are period correct. 

Bob

Lionelski posted:

John Roland,

I might have missed it, but did you ever post a layout pic showing where all of your figures live, work and play? If not, can you?

I did a census of Warrenville's citizens this morning, a rough count was 983, a number that I had thought was a lot. That is until I started following your fantastic posts.  Slow down John, I gotta go back downstairs to paint at least 5,017 more people to catch up with you. The problem is, where can I put them on Warrenville?

John, are you keeping your citizens 6 scale feet apart? Are you going to remove citizens from passenger car interiors? I read today that LIRR ridership is down by 67%, I'm guess that a similar situation applies to all passenger lines.

A note to my OGR forum friends, No, I am not taking the current virus situation lightly, so please don't flame me because of my tongue-in-cheek questions above.

Stay well all

Lionelski…. If you have a Plasticville Hospital and the pharmacy in Warrenville , you should be ok 

John Rowlen posted:

Lionelski,  (John),

Most of my seated people are happily sitting in the passenger cars I have detailed.  The railroads represented are Atlas O California Zephyr D&RGW and WP full 12-car sets with 8 Atlas  F7 Rio Grande units.  Atlas O Amtrak Cal Zephyr 12-car set with 5 Amtrak F7 ABBBA units.  There are also about five additional Zephyr cars.

The Lionel 21" cars include two seven-car Chesapeake and Ohio sets. There are two NYSESE seven-car sets. (I bought a second 5426 engine and set to get the cars.)  Another two ten-car Pennsylvania Broadway Limited sets fully detailed with modified upper seats in the 12-4 Sleepers. (I posted pictures on OGR when I turned the molded seats the correct direction in the lower level floor and lowered them, and built upper seats.  I also put beds and sleeping quarters in the Sound Kitchen car with three crew members.)  

The other railroads include Penn Central, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific "Challenger" and "Excursion" sets, Amtrak, Canadian Pacific with ABBA, and the Santa Fe nine-car set in which I built a kitchen to fill the void in the dining car.  Sound is in the Large Dome car.  I probably missed a railroad, oh, CSX Executive seven-car 21" passenger set.  Unfortunately my F40PH #9999 was smashed in the three trips back to Lionel for service. I received a refund on the engine from Lionel.  I still am waiting for Lionel to remake the F40PH CSX engines in the new [CSX] Boxcar Logo.  

The interior painting and detailing is a six year project.  I did a lot of painting as I stayed up until 3:00 A.M. to care for my mother when she got out of the hospital twice, two years ago.  After her last bathroom break, I would go to bed until morning.

What is most remarkable is that I have no useable vision in my left eye that has a pool of blood and cholesterol deposit in the center.  I am fortunate that with my glasses off, I can see the up- close detail with the help of a battery-powered head lamp.  I use a lot of batteries and bought fourteen 8-packs to get me through this next batch of painting. -The cheap $1.99 packs of 8 AAA batteries from Save-a-Lot last longer than the 40 Duracell I burned through in February.

I will run the Canadian Pacific cars past my camera after I finish the two CP coaches and Dining car. 

Have a safe and healthy Spring.  This website has helped me get through a cloudy day on many an occasion.  Sometimes we must make our own sunshine.   A special thanks to all who contribute to this thread.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John I have admired your attention to details and the work you do to those cars. As one with Macular degeneration , I have a real understanding of the challenge the cision issues present. Which makes what you have done even more amazing. i

  Added a couple of new cars to the layout today, along with opening up the brewery...in much demand around town with all that's going on these days..

Due to everything going on, l have gotten little done on the first of four cabooses...a ex-FEC side door in basswood.  Had a lot of wood splitting.  So will attemmpt cupola in styrene, and do first before starting  second rather then attempt the pair simultaneously.  Seems l need to work a few bugs out.

Doing a little open heart surgery on Thomas the Tank Engine.  Amazing how much havoc a pickup wire with worn-down insulation can wreak...

With technical assistance, of course. 

Mitch 

Did some minor scenery upgrades and then just ran the heck out of my new LC+ FT set. She’s a beast!

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Doing a little open heart surgery on Thomas the Tank Engine.  Amazing how much havoc a pickup wire with worn-down insulation can wreak...

With technical assistance, of course. 

Mitch 

When interviewed by the NTSB, the Shop Steward started “I told him the dermafloogie was loose and would allow the duwah to rub against the frobish... it’s so hard to get good help these days”.

CoastsideKevin posted:

Did some minor scenery upgrades and then just ran the heck out of my new LC+ FT set. She’s a beast!

Wow, Kevin... that is one looooooooong train. Your new engine certainly has great pulling power.

Apples55 posted:

CoastsideKevin posted:

Did some minor scenery upgrades and then just ran the heck out of my new LC+ FT set. She’s a beast!

Wow, Kevin... that is one looooooooong train. Your new engine certainly has great pulling power.

A and B units are powered, so 4 motors and then a dummy A. I pulled 50 cars up my 4% grade with it a couple of days ago - so fun! 

I have compiled a brief list of Very Annoying Chinese Exports:  

1) Coronavirus

2) Lionel's Thomas the Tank Engine

One is a complex problem with no easy answers; the other is the Coronavirus. 

Mitch 

(For the record, I DID get the little indefinite running, although I did come close to having a Thomas-shaped hole in the workshop window.   The things I do for the kids!)   

Just got off my shift pulling a freight drag to Seattle!

https://ogrforum.com/...4#139526659946786224

Well guys you have all been working hard...Unfortunately our University sent all the students home then told all the faculty (me in this case) to "convert" all our course material from classroom to an "on-line" format.  Took several days, finally got done today. Will it work? Who knows?

NYC2UP & John Rowen: The building lights look really great, thanks for the idea on how to add.

CoastsideKevin:  30 cars + a Caboose...you're just bragging .  Wow and those diesels look to be pulling so smoothly as well.  What a show?

Mitch :  Loved your assistant, have two like that.  Open a box anywhere and one of them is in it!

Carpetrainman : I agree with all, those buses are really neat and realistic.  What a super job on the new "downtown" area.  Hope that brewery opens up soon, after all the mental work this week I need a beer!

Have a good week folks and thanks for posting

Don McErlean

fire escape is done

BTW this is an interesting Coronavirus article 

https://www.3dprintingmedia.ne...-reanimation-device/

Pleased to report NO MORE BODYWORK for me; at least nothing is planned.  Finished the bodywork on converting LIONEL 15" aluminum TCA pax cars to smooth-sided (i.e. filling in 3 length-wise grooves per side) to use as donors for a Great Northern Empire Builder consist.  

Here's a typical example of the TCA series of cars:

Here are my primed and ready to paint six cars (fantasy Skytop lounge for the observation car, etc. in thumbnails):

I purchased three offset dome shells and associated parts from North Lima Train Works to use for this project:  one dome for the GN EB, and two for use with a Northern Pacific North Coast Limited painted two or so decades ago:

Ray, the hotel looks even better with that wonderful fire escape!!

Ray- the building looks great.

Pingman- I will not re-post your photos because, well, you know...... but the cars looks good.

I've got a '69 Buick that needs some body work if you are not busy

To prevent the spread of the corona virus.....