What's happening on your layout?

[Canalligator]

Last week, I built the benchwork of the first section of my road’s expansion. It sits separate from the original 5x11, so I also built the 24” lift-out connector.

I’m in the process of wiring this section, including two small local turnout panels. When the turnouts that I’ve ordered arrive, I will lay the track.

I’m also waiting for circuit breakers for the first two electrical districts, and decoder & speaker for the next loco to be converted.

 

[Blackburn R-1 blackburn]

Hi Everybody, I am really enjoying watching your layouts grow. I was not sure how to joint this chat but maybe showing what is going on in my layout. It is ON30 and I decided to just try to create a lift bridge that was a full scene. It is a lot of fun to raise up and down.

 

[logandsawman]

Hi Everybody, I am really enjoying watching your layouts grow. I was not sure how to joint this chat but maybe showing what is going on in my layout. It is ON30 and I decided to just try to create a lift bridge that was a full scene. It is a lot of fun to raise up and down.

I am curious how you lift it without kinking the track, in other words what is the detail around the hinge area?

Thanks, Dave

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Finally got pictures of my layout. I still have a way to go. The last pictures with the buildings are for a mock up of how it should set. Still have to fasten and ballast track, landscape, add lighting and weather buildings, and run trains. I copied a similar layout from SMT Mainline who has a great Youtube channel. It is really close to what he did.

 

[Mopac Junkie]

Finally got pictures of my layout. I still have a way to go. The last pictures with the buildings are for a mock up of how it should set. Still have to fasten and ballast track, landscape, add lighting and weather buildings, and run trains. I copied a similar layout from SMT Mainline who has a great Youtube channel. It is really close to what he did.View attachment 204281View attachment 204282View attachment 204283View attachment 204284View attachment 204289View attachment 204290View attachment 204286View attachment 204287View attachment 204288

im digging your choice of buildings.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

im digging your choice of buildings.

Thanks, They are old pieces mostly. I haven't made signs yet but I have the industry for alcohol going on with a winery, a brewery, and a distillery and you have to have an Icehouse to keep things cool and of course the Snatchem casket factory, Rico and Arlee Stations that I got back in the 70's on my first layout. The windmill is a take back from when I lived in the St Louis area and there was/is a restaurant/bar called The Bevo Mill (added pic) Trying to carve out things that were part of my life growing up between the St. Louis area and Kentucky.

 

[Mopac Junkie]

Thanks, They are old pieces mostly. I haven't made signs yet but I have the industry for alcohol going on with a winery, a brewery, and a distillery and you have to have an Icehouse to keep things cool and of course the Snatchem casket factory, Rico and Arlee Stations that I got back in the 70's on my first layout. The windmill is a take back from when I lived in the St Louis area and there was/is a restaurant/bar called The Bevo Mill (added pic) Trying to carve out things that were part of my life growing up between the St. Louis area and Kentucky.View attachment 204305

i think i have 9 of the same buildings

 

[Mopac Junkie]

Thanks, They are old pieces mostly. I haven't made signs yet but I have the industry for alcohol going on with a winery, a brewery, and a distillery and you have to have an Icehouse to keep things cool and of course the Snatchem casket factory, Rico and Arlee Stations that I got back in the 70's on my first layout. The windmill is a take back from when I lived in the St Louis area and there was/is a restaurant/bar called The Bevo Mill (added pic) Trying to carve out things that were part of my life growing up between the St. Louis area and Kentucky.View attachment 204305

from the 70's i still have these that you have:
Casket company(now Hormel)
Brewery(Miller)
Pickle Plant(Heinz)
Rico Station
Arlee station
Atlas signal tower (found on every layout in the world)
Blacksmith shop

 

[boatwrench]

Sadly, nothing. Spouse had ankle surgery operation late September so almost a full-time care giver. Still get out Tuesday afternoon to work on a friend's layout. While home sorting and cataloguing rolling stock that has been donated to a club separating the cars by couplers and wheels before pricing to sell. Plenty of BB and old roundhouse brown box.

 

[Blackburn R-1 blackburn]

I am curious how you lift it without kinking the track, in other words what is the detail around the hinge area?

Thanks, Dave

Hi Dave
I elevated the hinges on a small block (right side of the first picture). As I lift, it pulls the track away and up. Its a neat trick I learned from an old-timer. I then put plaster on it to disguise that the hinges were there. The brass hinges don't seem to be upset over the plaster on them yet. yves

 

[logandsawman]

Hi Dave
I elevated the hinges on a small block (right side of the first picture). As I lift, it pulls the track away and up. Its a neat trick I learned from an old-timer. I then put plaster on it to disguise that the hinges were there. The brass hinges don't seem to be upset over the plaster on them yet. yves

That is very interesting, I am sure I wouldn't have come up with that solution on my own.

I was planning on doing a drop down, which essentially is the same thing only upside down, come to think of it.

A worthwhile tip I got from an "old timer" (montanan) is using hydrocal in place of plaster. It is super strong, sets up rock hard in 20 minutes, can be shaped and accepts paint readily. It is also very low cost in bulk. One minor drawback is it must be mixed in small batches.

I previously used sheet rock compound, which I now find to be seriously inferior. I will begin my new layout with 50 pounds of hydrocal, aluminum screen, paper towels, and wads of newspaper.

Dave LASM

 

[Blackburn R-1 blackburn]

Hey folks, I was trying to add some humor to my layout by Haloween, but I did not finish. The invented backstory is that they found a Velociraptor fossil in the middle of a cemetery but they "dug too deep" (a reference to my favorite movies "Lord of the Rings" ) and zombies started to come out. It was fun to try to put together - probably will be finished in the next few weeks. Anyone else adding humor to your layout?

 

[logandsawman]

Hey folks, I was trying to add some humor to my layout by Haloween, but I did not finish. The invented backstory is that they found a Velociraptor fossil in the middle of a cemetery but they "dug too deep" (a reference to my favorite movies "Lord of the Rings" ) and zombies started to come out. It was fun to try to put together - probably will be finished in the next few weeks. Anyone else adding humor to your layout?

Very interesting...the living dinosaurs are on Chris' (Colberts) layout...sometimes. No zombies to my knowledge.

By the way, you did a great job with the 4' pulpwood load. You must be from back east, here in the Midwest they cut the pulp in 8' (100") pieces. In minnesota they often call it simply "hundred inch"

 

[PMW]

Hey folks, I was trying to add some humor to my layout by Haloween, but I did not finish. The invented backstory is that they found a Velociraptor fossil in the middle of a cemetery but they "dug too deep" (a reference to my favorite movies "Lord of the Rings" ) and zombies started to come out. It was fun to try to put together - probably will be finished in the next few weeks. Anyone else adding humor to your layout?

That's cool!

I do plan to add some humor but it will be in the form of "Easter Eggs" rather than your more overt scene.

 

[santafewillie]

Anyone else adding humor to your layout?

Not quite along the lines of zombies, but here are a few scenes. First is a gentleman relieving himself.

Next is a voyeur taking pictures of a couple of nude sunbathers.

Finally a deputy and local police officer with a suspect.

 

[Blackburn R-1 blackburn]

Not quite along the lines of zombies, but here are a few scenes. First is a gentleman relieving himself.
View attachment 204530
Next is a voyeur taking pictures of a couple of nude sunbathers.
View attachment 204531
Finally a deputy and local police officer with a suspect.
View attachment 204532

That is awesome - love it

 

[Blackburn R-1 blackburn]

Very interesting...the living dinosaurs are on Chris' (Colberts) layout...sometimes. No zombies to my knowledge.

By the way, you did a great job with the 4' pulpwood load. You must be from back east, here in the Midwest they cut the pulp in 8' (100") pieces. In minnesota they often call it simply "hundred inch"

Actually the accuracy on the pulp wood car is completely by luck, I saw an example of this in a picture and wanted to duplicate it (not sure where the picture was from) I was in the California redwoods and picked up fallen branches. I just cut them to length according to the picture and started to glue them on. Glad it is realistic. If you have pictures of Midwest pulpwood cars, please post, it would be fun to try to duplicate.

 

[logandsawman]

Actually the accuracy on the pulp wood car is completely by luck, I saw an example of this in a picture and wanted to duplicate it (not sure where the picture was from) I was in the California redwoods and picked up fallen branches. I just cut them to length according to the picture and started to glue them on. Glad it is realistic. If you have pictures of Midwest pulpwood cars, please post, it would be fun to try to duplicate.

I don't have the prototype photo except in my memory, I used to cut pulpwood and this method was universally used in the late 1930's through the 90's and even today in some instances:

load of pulp on my layout. Dave LASM

 

[Blackburn R-1 blackburn]

Hi everybody, here is a little more humor on my layout. The first one is in the hills where big foot is petting a moose while behind the tree is a photographer getting a "out of focus" picture. In the little town below is a statue of big foot last seen in 1964. Also, in the little town, all the cars drive on the left because all of the Yesteryear (British made) automobiles have the steering wheel on the right side

 

[Colbert]

Unfortunately it's too cold (5°C / 41°F) in my garage for painting and playing with my trains.