What did you do on your layout today?

Ran the westbound Lake Shore Limited...

Nice scenario and how is the on time performance for that train?

Also, your backdrop is very impressive. How was that done?

Jay

Working on getting the backdrop up, starting to look good to me.

Gone fishing

Mike g, finally a trip to Menards. Nice purchases. They'll look good on your layout.

Bob, your corner came out great.

Johan, great pics.

Mark, you are doing good work on your layout.

Thought I posted this but guess I didn't. A few days ago I got these 1955 Ford box trucks from Die Cast for a decent price. I decided to get away from buying and start back to doing something on the layout. I have had my Kozak Machine shop sitting on the dryer for sometime so I decided to work on finishing it. I painted the edge of the Masonite with Earth color. Took mesh drywall tape and put it down around the building. Mixed up some plaster with color and applied it to the base around the building. If that looks okay I will add ground foam around the building. Pics............Paul 2

Thanks Paul. The building looks good. Nice to see the basement layout again, it's been a while.

Bob

Thank you, Paul!  Nice group of trucks and the building is looking very good!!

I sure hope everyone is doing well, Just wanted to check in and see all the wonderful work! I am glad I went to Menards already a they are calling for 8" of snow tonight. I am so ready to get back to the warm wet weather of home! LOL

Paul, your building is looking outstanding! Was the base already on there or did you scratch build it? Either way it looks great!

I cant wait to get home to get back to work on the layout with all the new stuff I got, but first I have to finish the scenery behind the city area!

Everyone please be safe and have fun with your layout and trains!

Today I bought more of the sheer sparkle fabric At Walmart to cover the bare plywood on my petite Halloween layout. Hubby Tom said he wanted to keep it up for Autumn too after Halloween, so I bought a layer of gold sparkle to go over the orange for then. Also bought sparkle green for changing it for Christmas time.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Nice scenario and how is the on time performance for that train?

Also, your backdrop is very impressive. How was that done?

Jay

You mean the "Late for Sure Limited" ? late as usual. The back drop was made with cloud pattern wallpaper and mountain backdrops from Scenic Express. Thanks for asking!

@Dennis S: that is a great looking backdrop! Is it custom or off the shelf? I'm going to be needing backdrop soon...

Finally finished wiring my layout expansion up after the tracks were silent for a week and a half or so. Got to finally sit back and enjoy running some trains! This is my favorite spot on the layout!

Ran all the trains today

My friend  Steve finished  tweaking the small dam. We installed it yesterday and now we're  ready to start the river . The dam swings out of the way and the river hinges down for access  to my camping area and other bridges.

Grandkids came in for a visit for a long weekend. Managed to successfully land the shuttle on on a Lionel trestle and even missed the parked vehicles!

@Jeff_the_Coaster_Guy posted:

@Dennis S: that is a great looking backdrop! Is it custom or off the shelf? I'm going to be needing backdrop soon...

A little of both. It's cloud pattern wallpaper and mountain scenes from Scenic Express.

Picked up an MTH Bump-N-Go shell from a Forum member a few weeks back.  Finally got around to putting it on a chassis:

Naturally, Norma Bates Kitteh got into the action:

I am mulling over reworking the RTC, replacing the grass mat with a layer of Homasote and revising the track plan with a switched oval in the center...

Mitch

Early this morning the Bald Rock Mountain RR dispatched a train to Springville Flats to clean up after the Cicada's attacked.  The Cicada remains were loaded into a gondola and shipped to the county landfill.  Reconstruction of the switch tower is now underway.

Bill, I can see why it would take a crane to lift those buggers!!!  I'm glad the National Guard got all of them!

It's done, just waiting for my son to come home.  He has one oral board exam left to take on Monday morning. He got his orders for the next four years, Submarine out of Bangor, Washington. I have him for Thanksgiving and will get to spend his 23rd birthday with him.

Yes the trolley is fast, I only have two transformers. So the trolley is sharing with the LC+ Hudson and 5 passenger cars.

DLWPete: Thanks for the cheerful post. It's what we all need these days!

Pete, you must be extremely proud of you son being picked for submarine duty. I wish him well and thank him for serving.

A trip to Home Depot: picked up the full size birch plywood for the Halloween Layout. looks good! Got crown moulding and spray paint for building the deco style “Park-In Theater”.

Picked up this Lionel Z transformer and brought it up to date with a new electric cord and face plate, then added an on/off switch, push button directional switches for each circuit, and 2 new circuit breakers. Wish I had room inside for whistle controllers!

DL&W Pete :  Great post and video, really loved the structures you have placed on the layout.  Please tell your son, "Thanks for his service".  Submarine service is one of the top duties in the Navy and I am sure you are justifiably proud of him.  Let him know that we all wish him..."Fair winds and following seas".

Don

Needed an air freshener, Mega steam Peppermint Patty.

Thank you all for the well wishes for my son. Yes, I am very proud of him for accomplishing this. My health issues and situation didn't help, but I kept after him to keep his thoughts on his future. I have lived my life even though I am only 51. The human body does what it wants, I can't control it but have to live with it. Again,  thank you for the well wishes. I will be sure to pass them along to him.

Due to the lack of nice inexpensive yard lights decided to design and build my own. Single, Dual, straight and angled, cool and warm, I think that might cover it for now.

@sidehack posted:

Due to the lack of nice inexpensive yard lights decided to design and build my own. Single, Dual, straight and angled, cool and warm, I think that might cover it for now.

Looking forward to seeing these installed. 30 years ago I bought metal tubing, grain of wheat bulbs and cut up a soda can for shades. Made 20 of them, I still have them for HO. Our street lights are now all L.E.D, you need sunglasses at night now.

Ray, very innovative and I think you have a product line. Any ideas for 50’s era lights?

Great job,

Jay

Agreed, sometimes way too bright which is why I angled them down to 30 degrees and In some cases I've used I think it's transparent orange to paint the LEDs, it does work somewhat.  I had made some of a different  style before and like you said sunglasses so I tried to make shades which came out ok but looked a little weird. I think I'm going to like these but we will see.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Ray, very innovative and I think you have a product line. Any ideas for 50’s era lights?

Great job,

Jay

THanks Jay, I haven't looked into the 50's but we might take a look, I now have to replace or add a lot of these to the layout. I'm using Evan Designs LEDs which I've had such good luck with and his 12V regulated power supplies.

John, The dam look great! I cant wait to see the river below it!

Bill, I am glad the crew was able to get the Cicada's cleaned up! Nasty little critters to be on a layout!

DLWPete, wonderful video's. I am glad your able to spend time with your son before he ships out! If he gets the urge to see some trains let me know I am really not that far from there for around here. Maybe an hour. Thank him again for his service!

Ray, outstanding work! I wish I had your skills and a 3D printer!

Well guys and gals, I made it back from North Dakota after a long drive and a night in Missoula Montana with 14 inches of snow and an hour or so drive over the pass at 40 miles an hour! What a pain! I hope to get out to the train room today as yesterday I only went in there to put all my Menards stuff in there. I got lucky while at my in-laws as my father in law gave me about 10 or so wonderful looking autos that will look perfect on the layout. If I make it out there I will try and post photos later.

I hope you all have a great weekend and find time to have fun with your layout and trains!

Good morning everyone! This weekend I was able to run my MTH PS2 2-10-4, with 48 coal hoppers, on my boss' layout. Thanks for watching/reading and happy railroading!

@Trainmaster04 posted:

Good morning everyone! This weekend I was able to run my MTH PS2 2-10-4, with 48 coal hoppers, on my boss' layout. Thanks for watching/reading and happy railroading!

Wow, 48 Nice

@sidehack posted:

Wow, 48 Nice

That is what I said! Before, the train was pulled by four or five Lionel locomotives. In other words, this locomotive really put them to shame.

Combined two Lionel Freight Platforms ......

@Trainmaster04 posted:

That is what I said! Before, the train was pulled by four or five Lionel locomotives. In other words, this locomotive really put them to shame.

Gives "fast freight" a whole new meaning

Bob

Finished working on a fir tree for my layout. It is about 13 inches tall - so about 52 scale feet.  For a first attempt - it looks pretty good - IMO. Looking at the photo, next time I will taper the truck more at the top 1/3 of the tree. Now all I have to figure out is how to make some pine cones!

very nice!