What did you do on your layout today?

Made 2 Nativity flat cars.  I had a pair of Menards flat cars so I hot glued a Hobby Lobby miniature Nativity set to the cars.  They'll be sold at the local railroad museum's hobby store.

cbq9911a, did you take any pictures?  If so, please post them.

I wanted to make my layout more Christmassy so I added fairy lights.

The multi colored ones are wired to 4.5V wall worts. The blinking white ones are running off batteries. I bought these off Amazon but you can find them a lot of places.  

Very nice effect with the new lights, Steve!

Great work everyone, I wish I had something to show you but I dont think a vent fan would match up with all the great work you have all done!

I did decide to go with no windows and bought the biggest ventilation fan that Lowes had in stock, it turned out to be 150CFM. I will just run the smoke at a low level at first to see how it works! Next this is insulation and sheet rock, OH what fun! LOL

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

@Mark Boyce posted:

Very nice effect with the new lights, Steve!

Thanks.  It adds a sense of fun and holiday spirit to the layout. Wasn’t expensive or hard to do either.

Using some LEDs from Evan Designs,  I added lighting to a pub sign and interior of a phone booth.  Working on some others as well, but the small wires leave my big fat fingers befuddled!

@Mayor Magoo posted:

Using some LEDs from Evan Designs,  I added lighting to a pub sign and interior of a phone booth.  Working on some others as well, but the small wires leave my big fat fingers befuddled!

Steve, your scenes look very realistic. Do you have any photos of the wiring hook up?

Thanks,

Jay

Expanded my train storage. The CEO liberated a 3 drawer plastic unit and I had just the spot for it. I was able to spread out the inventory....👍👍👍

Top drawer is cabeese....middle passenger cars....bottom an assortment of boxed cars.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Expanded my train storage. The CEO liberated a 3 drawer plastic unit and I had just the spot for it. I was able to spread out the inventory....👍👍👍

Top drawer is cabeese....middle passenger cars....bottom an assortment of boxed cars.

Bob

Hmmm Bob, are you trying to make room for that new A5?😉

Gene

Thanks Jay.  I don't have any wiring pictures available at the moment, but let me assure you it won't be a very pretty picture.  Think Jackson Pollock after a very bad hangover.

@Genemed posted:

Hmmm Bob, are you trying to make room for that new A5?😉

Gene

I've reached critical mass for engine storage too Gene........

Hi guys I hope your all doing well.

@Mayor Magoo Steve the lighting looks great! I hear what your saying about the small wires! Between that and my bad eyes life is just getting harder!

@RSJB18 Bob its always great to get extra storage! But one has to ask themselves what is in the bottom drawer of the brown file cabinet? I would think that could be the hidden engine storage area!

Well as for me I know the rule no pictures it didn't happen, but I was able to get 90% of the train room insulated and plan on sheet rocking what I have done Wednesday and Thursday morning before the in-laws show up!  I would have taken a picture but nobody wants to see insulation! LOL

If I dont make it back this week I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and fun time with family!

Set up the Christmas village under the tree.  The buildings are powered by 4.5 volt power supplies, so they need to go in before the trains.  Trains are a lap of Lionel O and a lap of American Flyer S.

Guys....(you know who you are )....keep the discussion about "what did you do on your layout today".  Too many comments that have / had nothing to do with the purpose of this fine thread.  This is not Facebook, "X", etc.  If you want to make comments to one another which are of a nature of chit chat can be made to each other via texts, emails, etc.  Please keep in mind that many folks that use smaller devices have to scroll through all of the off topic comments.  Thanks for your understanding.

I finally got my 2 tables connected. I then decided to pull everything I could off as it was all coated in dust. I may make a few more track changes I also need to take down the old pool table light and put in more cans.

That’s going to be sweet Dave. Have you given any consideration to a backdrop?

Jay

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

That’s going to be sweet Dave. Have you given any consideration to a backdrop?

Jay

It's on the list Jay. It'll be tough but I have some ideas.

@Dave Ripp. posted:

I finally got my 2 tables connected. I then decided to pull everything I could off as it was all coated in dust. I may make a few more track changes I also need to take down the old pool table light and put in more cans.

Dave, nice job on the layout...it's really coming together, and the trim board adds a nice finish look to the table...

@Dave Ripp. Wow Dave you sure have been busy! I know with your skills it is going to look wonderful! I just hope everything goes back on as easy as it did coming off!

I see loads of room for scenery, Dave!!!  What scenes will you be building?  A town for one, I think.

@Mark Boyce posted:

I see loads of room for scenery, Dave!!!  What scenes will you be building?  A town for one, I think.

Mark, I'll start with my town, trailer park and a  neiborhood park. At the far end I left an area for woods a farm or both. The little siding area may be grain buildings and an auto unloading area. I've got it loosely planed in my head.

Cloudy & flurries here in WV , so a great day to work on the layout.  Wiring continues on the yellow-coded outer mainline loop. Just 3 more power districts to finish up.
Rich

Dave, that sounds great.  I have things loosely planned in my head too!

Rich, yes it’s a good day to work on wiring.  Those terminals look good.

I placed buildings on one side of Main Street up to where everything will be redone. There not all where they used to be I also but in a premade section of woods I've kept from 5 layouts ago. It'll need some sprucing up and reshaping but that's easy.

Looks good Dave! You sure are moving right along!

Dave, Instant woods, instant town!  Just add water and stir!!

Installed my new WTIU unit, turned it on, it did an update, I added my engines and it works flawlessly. I was hesitant about the app vs the handheld remote but, I adapted in no time, and surprisingly I think I like it better also added the app to my iPad and good to go, It was definitely worth the wait.

Dave,

Love your buildings!

This is my layout today…….we moved over to the Great Big Green House for our 8 week holiday run…….before and after…..

Have a great week, everyone!

Peter

Have a great season, Peter and River City 3 Railers

@Jim Teeple posted:

Installed my new WTIU unit, turned it on, it did an update, I added my engines and it works flawlessly. I was hesitant about the app vs the handheld remote but, I adapted in no time, and surprisingly I think I like it better also added the app to my iPad and good to go, It was definitely worth the wait.

Morning Jim, I am glad to hear that you were able to install your new WTIU! I have been fallowing folks on here that have been having problems! I bought one before we moved from Washington State to Missouri about 6 months ago and it is still in the box waiting for my new layout to be built!

It is refreshing to know that things do go like they are meant to!

@Putnam Division posted:

This is my layout today…….we moved over to the Great Big Green House for our 8 week holiday run…….before and after…..

Have a great week, everyone!

Peter

Wow Peter that is very impressive! You and the River City 3 Railers sure have been busy! I sure hope you all have a great time!

@mike g. posted:

Wow Peter that is very impressive! You and the River City 3 Railers sure have been busy! I sure hope you all have a great time!

Thank you!

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

This is my layout today…….we moved over to the Great Big Green House for our 8 week holiday run…….before and after…..

Have a great week, everyone!

Peter

Looks great Peter. Is the turntable module new? I don't recall seeing a TT on your setups in the past.

Bob

@Trestleman1 posted:

Finally adding drift timbers to my trestle. After that I need to add a nbw casting from Grandt Line on each tie wcich comes out to about 2,200.

Do you have any videos of your trains running over this magnificent trestle?

I redid the grass between the ally, tracks and edge of the table. I included the sloppy work version as well as complete.  It looks like my track could be straighter but not a priority right now.

@RSJB18 posted:

Looks great Peter. Is the turntable module new? I don't recall seeing a TT on your setups in the past.

Bob

Old and new, Bob……as you know, I am also a Capitol Tracker member……..one of their number moved south and brought his modules with him. His Dad comes down and joins him. Those transition modules GIlly and I made in 2022 have been quite useful…..

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

This is my layout today…….we moved over to the Great Big Green House for our 8 week holiday run…….before and after…..

Have a great week, everyone!

Peter

@Putnam Division

Peter:

When seeing your post pictured above, I was overcome by a feeling of DeJa'Vu (The opposite of George Carlin's "VuJa'De", the feeling that you have never in your life been somewhere before.)

Back in 2011 and 2012, while I, my uncle and my son Chris. were in the train business, I convinced the CEO of Richardson Farms in Whitemarsh, Maryland, that a good use for his new but totally vacant greenhouse was to rent space to Harrison Train's for a Christmas season "pop-up" store with a large demonstration layout open to the community and Richardson customers. The similarities of the greenhouse in your photos above and the one at Richardson are VERY striking. Here are some photos of ours, below.

A volunteer, Mason Wetzel, hard at work assembling the platforms. We could not have done it without Mason's tireless help.

My uncle and business partner, the now late Thomas Edmonds, at age 80, laying track. Tom reported for work every day and was a GREAT asset.

Delow is an overall view of the 2011 layout. In the foreground and not visible at the diametrically opposite corner of the layout were boxes to collect donation money for the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. 100% of the donations went to the Children's Center at the end of the Christmas season.

We also thanked the Home Depot of Whitemarsh, Maryland for their donation of ALL OF THE LUMBER AND HARDWARE needed to build the layout. They also assigned a man who worked tirelessly for an hour at the panel saw, cutting lumber to size per my specifications. The were recognized for their kindness and generosity by the inclusion of the below scene in the layout.

The following are photos from the 2011 and 2012 layouts.

During the season, we were very touched and gratified to see several children whose lives were saved by the Johns Hopkin's physicians and medical staffs. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, the children, when we met them, were visiting the layout and living healthy, normal lives.

One such child, pictured with me below, was Bridget Dively. Bridget was born with a hole in her heart. After 3 surgeries through infancy and toddler stage, here was Bridget at age 3 1/2, a healthy and normal child, at Harrison Trains' layout on a Christmas adventure with her family. Bridget was the 2012 poster child for the Children's Center.

I was humbled and honored to pose for a photo with such a beautiful and happy young lady.

@Randy Harrison posted:

@Putnam Division

Peter:

When seeing your post pictured above, I was overcome by a feeling of DeJa'Vu (The opposite of George Carlin's "VuJa'De", the feeling that you have never in your life been somewhere before.)

Back in 2011 and 2012, while I, my uncle and my son Chris. were in the train business, I convinced the CEO of Richardson Farms in Whitemarsh, Maryland, that a good use for his new but totally vacant greenhouse was to rent space to Harrison Train's for a Christmas season "pop-up" store with a large demonstration layout open to the community and Richardson customers. The similarities of the greenhouse in your photos above and the one at Richardson are VERY striking. Here are some photos of ours, below.

A volunteer, Mason Wetzel, hard at work assembling the platforms. We could not have done it without Mason's tireless help.

My uncle and business partner, the now late Thomas Edmonds, at age 80, laying track. Tom reported for work every day and was a GREAT asset.

Delow is an overall view of the 2011 layout. In the foreground and not visible at the diametrically opposite corner of the layout were boxes to collect donation money for the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. 100% of the donations went to the Children's Center at the end of the Christmas season.

We also thanked the Home Depot of Whitemarsh, Maryland for their donation of ALL OF THE LUMBER AND HARDWARE needed to build the layout. They also assigned a man who worked tirelessly for an hour at the panel saw, cutting lumber to size per my specifications. The were recognized for their kindness and generosity by the inclusion of the below scene in the layout.

The following are photos from the 2011 and 2012 layouts.

During the season, we were very touched and gratified to see several children whose lives were saved by the Johns Hopkin's physicians and medical staffs. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, the children, when we met them, were visiting the layout and living healthy, normal lives.

One such child, pictured with me below, was Bridget Dively. Bridget was born with a hole in her heart. After 3 surgeries through infancy and toddler stage, here was Bridget at age 3 1/2, a healthy and normal child, at Harrison Trains' layout on a Christmas adventure with her family. Bridget was the 2012 poster child for the Children's Center.

I was humbled and honored to pose for a photo with such a beautiful and happy young lady.

Randy…..that is a great memory!

Peter