What did you do on your layout today?

Paul that's exactly what I been doing for 2 days. This tree stuff is getting expensive. Almost 300 trees and it seems to be only a dent.

Oh well, still having fun.

Larry

It looks great, Larry!  And you are having fun!  What more can we ask for!

Picked up a MENARDS, Work Van. looking for a place to put it on the layout.

  Click to enlarge photos.

And the result has been most effective!If it's true that its necessary to crack some eggs to make an omelette, you sure are on your way to a feast! We all have to buy and/or craft plenty of trees to make an effective outcome, and you are proving it a worthwhile exercise in getting very postive results.

FrankM.

Larry, this is outstanding work. 

Spent some time today working on the plans for the new North Pole/PE layout. The dimensions will be 7 ft. by 24 ft. which should give plenty of room for the two scale PE sets to stretch out and look good at the same time.

We want to take you on a journey leaving the mountain range and heading straight to the North Pole.

Just think about all the elves we are going to need. Elizabeth will be busy this year.

Wow fantastic job!  Lots of layouts have trains going through tunnels, but vehicles is really neat!!

Added long over due banana plugs to the wires going into the TIU.

More, more trees. I just finished up my last batch of trees I made. Got to get the cauldron going to make more LOL. Here are some pics of the hardwood trees I have added. The last spot I still have to add some smaller hardwoods in. Paul

Larry, beautiful stone work.

Nothing remarkable; just received several small packages from different vendors needed for a couple of paint projects.

Also, received back from a forum member a LIONEL 15" aluminum passenger car which he did for me to demonstrate how to install components and wire the car for LED's.  Works great.

Today is Thursday, and Sunday's goal is literally right on track. I've been putting in 3 hours per day consistently all week.

The hump yard is done!

The track along the wall and the crossover in the distance were completed today.

These next two shots are all that is left to do. Just a little more than 2 sections to fill this gap.

The crossover in the red box needs to be removed. For years it was used to create an operational loop, but it was never intended as part of the original plan. With the completion of the new hidden yard, it has been out of service for months.

Working on my first You Tube video for 2015. This is the opening graphics.

Using Photo Shop and iMovie.

Pulled some burned out light bulbs and ordered a flasher circuit board to fix a warning light on an MTH arch bridge. This is the last of the catch up maintenance on the IVSV+S. Now its on to some sorely needed construction action. Ironville is about to become a reality rather than a mock up.  

Finally finished painting the "Hong Kong 100" figures and installed them and 6 Woodland Scenics ones bought at today's World's Greatest Hobby show in Hampton, VA.

Nice job on the painted figures, TrainsRMe. 

Today was a very special day. For the first time, Patrick, Matt and Jon were over on the same day. Today also marks Patrick's 2 year anniversary working with me on the layout.

Patrick and Matt were both back at their respective tasks.

Patrick finished the backdrop for the Ford Plant (upper) and Hiawatha Milling District (lower).

Matt did 13 more Tortoises, bringing his total to 114. This just leaves 10 to finish that project. I still need to install some of the switches, so completion of this task is on hold for a while.

Jon and I worked on a couple different things. First I had him help me with the two sections of track against the wall.

 Then Jon hung and wired the last 3 cameras in the hidden yards. Of course aiming them is a 2 man job since the monitor is on the other side of the room. 

I took out one of the switches from the old cutoff crossover yesterday. Today I got the other one. 

And with that, my goal of having all the track in this aisle done by Sunday, is complete.

Next up, the second aisle, which simply entails finishing the engine service area at Northtown. I'm setting a goal of completing this by Thursday.

Very nice work Elliot!

Thanks Todd, but a lot of the credit goes to my crew. Without them, I don't think this would be possible.

Last night I ran out of material to keep making trees. So got to place a order for more. Got my problem with DCS resolved with the help of forum members. So for the next few days I guess I will just enjoy running trains. But then again maybe I will jump to some uncompleted track areas...........................Paul

I had plans to be out of town all day but they folded at the last minute.

I was going to cut and mount all the fascia along the edge of the layout, so I could finally start drilling front holes for the blue point turnout controllers, but it was drizzling off and on all day, and I have to cut stuff that big out on the back deck. So instead, I marked the bolt holes and DCC plug holes exactly where they're needed on the fascia that's already cut. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to have it all cut and mounted, next weekend, now.

I also have all the drawings done for a book project I was commissioned for, so I plan on dropping them off then immediately hitting the local hobby shops where the author lives, will surely find stuff for the layout that day!

Never was interested in a tiered layout but yesterday I laid a 6'x7'  loop of Standard gauge  track on the carpet under the O scale layout. No other place to put it. Basement and garage too cold but did run my 4 standard gauge locos. two big ones ran great, the smaller ones need shopping. Waiting to get the big steamer out of the shop. So back to playing with trains on the floor.

I thank you, sir.  The photo shows a mixture of Life Like (I think), Sentimental Journeys, the Hong Kong 100, even vintage Marx as well as my newly purchased seated ones.  I believe I have enough figures now.  Time to think of something else to do.

I love the photos you have shown of your beautiful layout and equipment.

I cannot get excited about building this Steam Era Structures feedmill, being kitbashed

into more of a grain elevator.  It is comprised of a store, elevator, and warehouse, all

in a line with multiple doors at track/car level. Yesterday I finally got three walls of

the store assembled, so now actually have something that looks like a building, and began the kitbash, doubling the height of the elevator.  Other than height, I discarded the  idea of enlarging the footprint to match the prototype photo. While I had no problems building a store kit from this mgr. without including interior walls or closely following instructions, the drawings and photos in instructions have really been necessary for this structure,  because the interior wall instructions get in the way.  I

am out of interior bracing stripwood, to circumvent the interior walls, and strengthen the structure,  so progress is on hold.

Okay, when you have need for several cameras just to keep things in check on your layout, you officially have a large layout!

Today while running trains I found the last corner on the upper mainlines I was working on planting trees I did not spot the trees in good positions, too close to the track. My scale auto racks were hitting a few so I pulled them up, wish I could say I uprooted them. And in their place I will have to put in evergreens............Paul

I got side tracked and built a PRB Double Door boxcar I've had in the box for over 10 years.  I need to stay focused on the layout but I'm too ADD.

Maybe you just needed a change of focus.  Sounds like a good diversion,

Nothing so massive as some of the projects outlined above, but my recent projects were replacing some older, toy-like K-Line structures on my main, downtown street with several newer, detailed Ameritown structures, including their new "Midtown Hotel".  Only I added a lobby to the lower floor, a roof shack for the elevator mechanism and renamed it:  Hotel Notell"  "We'll leave the RED light on for You".  Also widened part of the street, added street lights and two other buildings, one of which I'm still working on.

Then, following the mentions of Business Cars in another thread, I hauled out my K-Line Milwaukee Road business car, took it apart and added interior details and new colors,  more people and dressed up the "back porch".  Have it on one of my freight trains right now.

Now I've got to get to work on some standard gauge passenger cars to have them ready for sale at York.  We've got a Great Lakes TCA Division meet here in Cleveland this Saturday and I'd love to have those cars ready by then.

Paul Fischer

 Yeah Lee, it's true. The cameras are there to see the two holding / staging yards under the layout. I used to have to chase all over the room to see what was going on down there. Now that things are built up, it is more difficult to see what's happening.

I will probably end up putting in 4 more cameras to cover two other areas that will be hidden when the layout is done.

The big hidden yard has 5 tracks with 5 stopping zones on each. When a train leaves the yard, all the trains behind it on that track need to advance one space. I had some company over the other day, and the system worked perfectly, as I just stood there with my Cab-1 and moved all the trains.

Ran trains today. No supplies to make trees. So I just got done ordering a bunch of stuff from scenic express................Paul

Found a place to park the MENARDS work van  • Repair van at the Shell Station to work on the under ground gas fuel lines.

   Click to enlarge photo.

I began installing Woodland Scenic's foam roadbed and find it does keep down the noise.  At the same time the curves are being super-elevated.

Bruce

Wife gave me permission yesterday to build a new collapsible 4x4 layout for under the tree with operating accessories, so I´m drawing it all out. The only problem is the tree comes down this weekend. Better late than never I guess...

ken

Went to the LHS and picked up some new Standard gauge track to replace the very old, and I mean old track that I put down on the carpet a few days ago. The new sure isn't as heavy duty as the old but i like the 36" lengths plus everything was clean although that didn't seem to help much. I have a square loop about 8 or 8 1/2 ft. square that is under my o gauge layout. No scenery just run trains for now.  Maybe a basement layout when it warms up.

My sister has gotten my wife hooked on this company called "Thirty One". They make totes and bags and other such things. She caught this item on special a while back, and even got the railroad's initials embroidered on it. Unfortunately it is no longer available.

I guess I need a few more Cab-1's.

Back to the business at hand, the Northtown engine service facility...

DONE!!!

Aisle 2 is now complete. Next up...

Clean up on aisle three!!!

Shooting for Sunday on that.

Room to spare for future LionChief purchases.

Bruce

Elliott,

it is all looking great!

Yesterday my order from scenic express came in so this morning I went back to making more up more hardwood trees. Once they dry I'll go back to planting them. In between that maybe run a train.....................Paul

Thanks Mark.

Bruce, I won't be getting into Lion Chief. I'm very happy with TMCC, and have way too many engines.

I'm not even sure I understand the LC system, but I'll give it a shot. It uses a dedicated remote per locomotive, and cuts out the command base by sending a radio signal directly to the engine. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about this.