What did you do on your layout today?

Nice work on the Fender factory, SIRT.  Looks like they've been producing Strats and Les Paul's for some time.

All wiring to the newly reworked section has been run and connected in temporary form.  The star wiring converges near the transformers into makeshift gang bars made fom copper plumbing hanger.  In general, the entire main is wired to one kill switch while sidings and such have individual switches.  Once a  permanent control panel is constructed then the gang bars can be transferred to It with minimal disturbance.

At this stage I can now disconnect the original Romex wire that served as Buss wiring to track feeders.  The Romex will now serve to power layout lighting and switch machines.....ugh...more wiring!  Fingers are crossed as the disconnection process commences that power to all the rails remains.

Bruce

Tonight I ran the local passenger with the E6.  Then the B6 pulled 8 cars from the staging yard to the town for spoting and pulling freight cars. That's as far as I got for running trains. I started vacuuming the floor and cobwebs and moving buildings and dusting the layout. I have a lot more to do.

Last week I removed the stripes from a K-Line RPO and a baggage car. I will edit this to post comparative photos to show color difference. Not to confuse, the second photo is the K-Line baggage and a Weaver B60, the first photo is another B60 and an MTH RPO.  

Edit: Initially I found information that indicated that PRR passenger cars were painted Tuscan Red.  So the color differences for the O scale models puzzled me.  Today I found this site. 

http://jbritton.pennsyrr.com/i...-to-match-prr-paints

This resource indicates that the Munsell formula for "Tuscan Red" varied for different time periods. Tuscan Red for PRR  according to this site came in shades of light, medium, Pullman light, and dark Tuscan. Obviously, fading in varying degrees also comes into play. For fast mail trains and local commuter trains I think the color variations add interest to the consist.  

I am in the home stretch for this structure.

I finished the gas pump, though the kit was a real nightmare to build, without any instructions. I used original photographs of pumps to try to figure it out. I then decided not to model it with gas in the bowl, because it wouldn't just be sitting there like that. I also redid the Pet Milk sign on the side, and did a Sunbeam bread advertising bar on the screen door. I realized those were actually very common in that time and place...
I took some sheet plastic, carved it into a grid, and carved some cracks in it. It is going to be used under the front roof supports, and the gas pump will sit on that. Fuel stains and grass between the cracks will be added once the paint dries.
Once I am done with that, I'm going to add some figures on the inside, then re-scenic the spot for it and get it into place. It should be up and running by next week, I would think

@p51 posted:

I am in the home stretch for this structure.

I finished the gas pump, though the kit was a real nightmare to build, without any instructions. I used original photographs of pumps to try to figure it out. I then decided not to model it with gas in the bowl, because it wouldn't just be sitting there like that. I also redid the Pet Milk sign on the side, and did a Sunbeam bread advertising bar on the screen door. I realized those were actually very common in that time and place...
I took some sheet plastic, carved it into a grid, and carved some cracks in it. It is going to be used under the front roof supports, and the gas pump will sit on that. Fuel stains and grass between the cracks will be added once the paint dries.
Once I am done with that, I'm going to add some figures on the inside, then re-scenic the spot for it and get it into place. It should be up and running by next week, I would think

Great job on the gas station Lee. Really looks good, I like the peeling paint effect.

Scott

Lee, I agree with Scott!  Great pealing paint effect on a great looking station!

@pennsynut posted:

Tonight I ran the local passenger with the E6.  Then the B6 pulled 8 cars from the staging yard to the town for spoting and pulling freight cars. That's as far as I got for running trains. I started vacuuming the floor and cobwebs and moving buildings and dusting the layout. I have a lot more to do.

Last week I removed the stripes from a K-Line RPO and a baggage car. I will edit this to post comparative photos to show color difference. Not to confuse, the second photo is the K-Line baggage and a Weaver B60, the first photo is another B60 and an MTH RPO.  

Edit: Initially I found information that indicated that PRR passenger cars were painted Tuscan Red.  So the color differences for the O scale models puzzled me.  Today I found this site. 

http://jbritton.pennsyrr.com/i...-to-match-prr-paints

This resource indicates that the Munsell formula for "Tuscan Red" varied for different time periods. Tuscan Red for PRR  according to this site came in shades of light, medium, Pullman light, and dark Tuscan. Obviously, fading in varying degrees also comes into play. For fast mail trains and local commuter trains I think the color variations add interest to the consist.  

 Tuscan and DGLE fall flat ( pun-ish ) when produced with little or no gloss.  I understand the reasoning behind avoiding gloss to promote realism but the consequent loss of color depth destroys any chance of accurate matching.  Variations in color due to age, time period or mixing liberties are documented within the wealth of color photography from '40's forward.   Even when film, camera and lighting variables are factored into the equation, there is a perceived depth of color lost on the finishes applied to most models.  

When time permits, most of my PRR passenger equipment will get a shot of semi-gloss, at least on the sides, to better represent them after cleaning and in service.  A lot of head and equipment appears less cared for....Probably cut in after the rest was washed.  Further down the road they all may get weathering.

Bruce

p51 :  What superb modeling  on your store/gas station , the realism is excellent.  Great job! 

Don

Wow P51, nice modeling. Looks like my  H.O. stuff. Many ACL Florida structures look like that. I always wanted to model a Fl. scene on the style shown above with West Coast palm trees but I'm out of room.

Looks REAL to me.  

More supporting items...……..

Just finished 2 hour clean up of train basement and dusting cars. Tonight I may get out the train order cards and play around with switching. It seems everytime I want to run trains, I have to first clean the basement, then the track, tweak some switch operation, fix a building or work on a rr car modification. But I'm getting closer!

Hi guys, Its been awhile again! Life has just got in the way to much. I have been able to get a few minutes here and there out in the train room. I have been adding facia to the edge of the layout table and rewiring toggle switches for building lights and the 2 cranes I have. I am sorry Lew I haven't taken any photos yet but will try soon!

I just gave out a boat load of like as I had to go back 4 pages to get up to speed Everyone is doing outstanding work and I would like to comment on everyone, but that is way to much work. But I would like to say I really like the modeling of Ray, SIRT, and Lee! You guys sure make things look easy! 

I hope you all keep up the wonderful work and I did notice a few new faces which is always nice to see in our hobby! To all the new folks sorry it took me so long but welcome!

Remember I hope you all find time to have fun with your layout and trains!

The last few days I worked on fixing the 'bump' at the top of my long grade that lifted the front drivers of the 2-6-6-2 off the track.  It is better, but not best.  Check and see here for more detail.

Well, I can finally say I did something, on my layout, that is not video related. Today I placed and wired some Lionel yard lights that look down at the switches in my yard. Thanks for looking and happy railroading!

What make/model are those string of boxcab electrics?

@modeltrainsparts posted:

What make/model are those string of boxcab electrics?

Funny you ask that I had a feeling that someone would ask about them. They are all made by Lionel and are equipped with TMCC and RailSounds 5.0. I recently picked them up, not for personal enjoyment, but to actually fix them. They had some minor problems and run great! If you would like to see them operate I will post a running session, plus two other locomotives, sometime tomorrow.

Yesterday I ran trains and made a few videos.  No work.  All pleasure.

https://youtu.be/uvpM__3q5dg

https://youtu.be/e-WHnt-MPSM

https://youtu.be/BTnbb-wwIKk

https://youtu.be/BTnbb-wwIKk

enjoy, comment and subscribe.

John

I spotted cars at their starting locations to set up for session 1 of my train operations. Then completed part of the yard order making a train of box cars and reefers to switch in town. Tomorrow I will complete the rest of the yard order making a train of mixed cars for through traffic to an imaginary yard in another town.

I just finished the changed scenery on the ground around the gas station, put lighting and figures inside, then placed it finally.

I'll need to tweak the scenery details and add other figures once the glue on the scenery dries...

I have been bouncing back and forth painting people and working on the Alaska Dining car interior.  I had to order more Plastruct .040 1/4 inch strips for the seat backs for the Alaska Dining Car.

I now have 140 of the 240 Preiser 65602 figures painted.  Here are nine pictures of the last 90 figures plus some China figures from Evemodel.  The dark green and red figures in the first picture are from China.

Update:  The last figures pictured are painted without hair.  This gives me the option to add hair, slightly balding or a full head of hair, when I place the figure in a passenger car.

Have a good evening.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Looks, great everyone! Some of you have been wondering about those box cabs so here is a running session of them and two other trains going around my layout. I hope y'all enjoy it and happy railroading!

Good morning. Well I got just about everything, track, switches, transformers. Started testing switches, but with 14, I was running in to a spaghetti mess (tinman switches with controllers). I realized I need to build control panel, so rough drawing, thinking about connections, etc. Oh I bought more trains. Lol. 

I have been seeing some really great  work here I'd list you all but with 60 notices i would run out of space.

Have a great day

@p51 posted:

I just finished the changed scenery on the ground around the gas station, put lighting and figures inside, then placed it finally.

I'll need to tweak the scenery details and add other figures once the glue on the scenery dries...

Great job, can't tell the difference from a real one

Thanks, Ray.  Coming from you, That means a great deal.

I am into the next project and pretty much finished with design and started the construction. It will be foam core walls, with clapboard siding attached with a cement block foundation. The windows and doors are being 3D printed.

Completed the 9 car through mixed freight for the Decapod in the staging yard. And pulled 8 cars to town for switching.

Pennsynut, the painted track looks great.

I added figures, clutter and oil stains and figures it's a new structure. I also added grass growing up all around the concrete base for the supports for the roof.

I also added old and fresh bird poop to the roof.

In other words, it is now complete.

Update 63 x 225 inch

layout. Added a couple more ceiling tiles and a little track.

Slow but sure.

             looking great Dave, really like the crossings... Cool  !!

P51 Lee, your model rural gas station, convenient store, is simply amazing, weathered, placed properly, with that neat steamer rounding the curve it’s a nice scene. Your model work is fun to view as are your pictures of the real BNSF Diesels and other trains. Your contributions to our forum are so inspiring. Wow. Dave Ripp, now that’s some neat trackwork, very interesting. Everyone, I hope your having a great week, Wednesday being Hump day, and staying safe, staying healthy, and praying continually. The pictures I’m showing are of a good friends layout we visited June 1, Dr. Jacks. A real fun day, checking out a friends MTH M1, a huge Locomotive, it ran fine right out of the box. Enjoy. Happy Railroading 

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Update 63 x 225 inch layout. Added a couple more ceiling tiles and a little track.

Slow but sure.

Hello Dave, 

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but I'm not exactly sure what this layout represents or your goals for it?

I looked around and I didn't find anything that speaks to it.

Could you please post something on it (again)?

Thanks! 

@romiller49 posted:

Pennsynut, the painted track looks great.

Thank you. Rust-oleum earth brown track and ties.

Thanks for the pics leapinlarry.

All I can say is "WOW"

@Allegheny posted:

Hello Dave, 

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but I'm not exactly sure what this layout represents or your goals for it?

I looked around and I didn't find anything that speaks to it.

Could you please post something on it (again)?

Thanks! 

I added the track plan which Dave Detert or DoubleDaz helped me with though he doesn't understand it either.  This design may look a little odd but I have a vision of where my scenery will fit and I am a looper at heart.

Larry, Thank you for posting the photographs of Dr. Jack's layout.  The overall detail, passenger shed, and the steam locomotives look great!  

Lee, that gas station is fantastic!  It reminds me of one outside of nearby Evans City, Pennsylvania that used to have a sign, 'Bill's Place'.  It was so derelict in the mid '60s that I said, "It looks like Bill hasn't been around".  I go by occasionally, and the basic structure still stands, though the awning over the long removed gas pump is laying on the ground in rubble and saplings

DaveRipp:  Just a little advice from a guy who did what it appears you are doing.  In my case, due to width limitations in my train room I was restricted to just 40" in width and in order to use an 0-31 outer loop and a 0-27 inner loop I also ran the straights from my outer loop down the edge of the table.  I can tell you that while this works and does take max advantage of the width you have, it makes scenic insertions a challenge.  You cannot put any backdrops or even tunnel portals on the straights as the "outer" end has nothing to rest on.  In addition, it makes the trains on the edge vulnerable to falling off the table (or being accidentally knocked off by either a) clumsy adults (me in my case) b) little curious hands.  I know that I currently wish for about 2" outside of the outer loop for safety and to add some details (like signals). Here you can see my dilemma, note the two outer straights run directly down the edge of the layout and that completely limits doing much in the way of scenery.  As you can see, in my case room dimensions set the width but you may have more room.

Sincerely Don

Just learned that you can remove the center rail on MTH Scale Trax by rocking the center rail back n forth to pop it out for the BTE Bulk Bldg. Added height spacers with black top and cement RR tie center coverings. I scrapped the 2r Atlas O track idea since it don't line up with any 3r tracks. Odd ball Atlas.

So all good now. Just don't understand why 3r modelers continue to use 3r track on sidings?

Other stuff...

@Don McErlean posted:

DaveRipp:  Just a little advice from a guy who did what it appears you are doing.  In my case, due to width limitations in my train room I was restricted to just 40" in width and in order to use an 0-31 outer loop and a 0-27 inner loop I also ran the straights from my outer loop down the edge of the table.  I can tell you that while this works and does take max advantage of the width you have, it makes scenic insertions a challenge.  You cannot put any backdrops or even tunnel portals on the straights as the "outer" end has nothing to rest on.  In addition, it makes the trains on the edge vulnerable to falling off the table (or being accidentally knocked off by either a) clumsy adults (me in my case) b) little curious hands.  I know that I currently wish for about 2" outside of the outer loop for safety and to add some details (like signals). Here you can see my dilemma, note the two outer straights run directly down the edge of the layout and that completely limits doing much in the way of scenery.  As you can see, in my case room dimensions set the width but you may have more room.

Sincerely Don

 Thanks Don, I always build a buffer on the curves and hope to never crash going straight. You really did a nice job for an odd space.

DAVE Ripp

 

@Dave Ripp. poste

Am I the only person who keeps staring at this photograph, and thinking that it looks like a menorah?

@p51 posted:

Am I the only person who keeps staring at this photograph, and thinking that it looks like a menorah?

No, you are not the only one! Now, where is the Dreidel!