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Christmas Layout Photos

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 13, 2007 7:32 PM

Here is my X-mas layout. It includes an aluminum Christmas tree!

 

Here is is in the dark:

 

Here's the Commodore Vanderbuilt rounding the bend:

 

Tim

MBL 

 

 

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 15, 2007 4:55 PM

Some fun pictures here.  If someone could tell me how to attach pictures, I'd show some of mine.  Obviously I'm a newby on here.

Rick

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Posted by dougdagrump on Saturday, December 15, 2007 8:54 PM
 MBL wrote:

Here is my X-mas layout. It includes an aluminum Christmas tree!

 

Here is is in the dark:

 

Here's the Commodore Vanderbuilt rounding the bend:

 

Tim

MBL 

 

Sure hope that Aluminum tree don't decide to shed it's needles !  Clown [:o)]

I remember as a kid my aunt & uncle got one when they first came out, the color wheel was something else. Kind of ironic that the same color wheel concept is in use toady with the fiber optic systems. Approve [^]

 

 

 

 

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Posted by Brutus on Saturday, December 15, 2007 10:01 PM
 rickscafe53 wrote:

Some fun pictures here.  If someone could tell me how to attach pictures, I'd show some of mine.  Obviously I'm a newby on here.

Rick

There is a sticky thread at the top of the forum that tells you how.  A lot of us use photobucket to host our pics btw - it's free.

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 15, 2007 10:56 PM

this years layout

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 16, 2007 1:26 PM

I'm not sure I've done this right but here goes...

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 16, 2007 1:36 PM

 My son and I started this layout 20 years ago with just the track and 2 buildings.  We added to it every year after that until he joined the Navy and moved away.  Since then it's been up to me to add to it but he still likes to come home at Christmas to see what's new on it. It's been a fun tradition to keep up.

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Posted by Jumijo on Sunday, December 16, 2007 3:23 PM

Here's Diesel pulling a Christmas train on the Jumijo, the layout my kids and I made. My kids made up the loads in the cars, and watching the kids contribute and participate like they do is a feeling that is truly second to none.

Jim

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 16, 2007 3:37 PM

Thanks for the help Jim.  It's great to see what others are doing.  There are a lot of memories being built here with their kids.

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Monday, December 17, 2007 7:39 AM
great pics guys loved them all

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Posted by kpolak on Monday, December 17, 2007 8:21 AM

Here are a couple of night overall photos.

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Posted by USNRol on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 9:59 PM

Kurt great night shots!!  Looks VERY Christmasy.

Here's a couple more (better) shots of mine...and now with the tree.

img165/6123/dscf0046th0.jpg

img165/3435/dscf0047zr6.jpg

Merry Christmas,
Roland

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:29 PM
Into the beyond...
Waiting for Santa to arrive at the new airport:

Not many presents in the troublesome trucks yet:

Santa may be waiting at the crossing...

Thomas gets a windmill.

The welcoming committee awaits.

A little more work on the airport hanger before Santa can arrive...

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 5:19 AM
Great photos, Doug!

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 7:01 AM
Grat photos guys.  Doug, I like your partner.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by kpolak on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:39 AM

Roland:  That's huge!  That would never pass land aquisition here...Great layout.  Looks like hours of fun!

Doug:  Looks great!  Thomas and friends look great!  Michaels has styrofoam wrapped presents to add to those troublesome trucks!

Kurt

 

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Posted by RR Redneck on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:45 AM
I'll tell ya boys them's some good pictures.

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Posted by RockIsland52 on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:48 AM

Wow, Roland.  How did you get your entertainment center ONTO your Christmas layout?  Must weigh a couple of hundred pounds, easy.

 

Jack

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:34 PM

Sorry so late to th party on this, hope you all enjoy.

My train is the Polar Express with ALL the cars (no Hobo car yet) and my NEW Atlas O NJ Public Service Trolley..which is a great runner and it's just great!

And I have to give credit to my daughter, who set up the snow village.  I layed the track and the bridge/trestle.  She did the rest!!

 

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by cnw1995 on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:39 PM
Love the Atlas trolley!!

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by dmestan on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 9:04 PM

Great pictures from everyone!  We're (me and my 2 girls) just getting started collecting but hopefully I'll get some pics up in a few days.
Question - for those of you that have ceramic village buildings, did you convert to low voltage lighting powered by your transformer, or is there a spaghetti bowl of extension cords hidden under your snow mat?

don

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Posted by USNRol on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 9:05 PM

 anjdevil2 wrote:
  I have to give credit to my daughter, who set up the snow village.  I layed the track and the bridge/trestle.  She did the rest!!

This picture is awesome!  "Town Center" sing some carols then catch the trolley back to the house!  Neat layout, Great pictures!  Makes me want to add a trolley line...it goes so well with the Dept 56 buildings and brick pavement.

Kurt,  We do spend Hours running the trains...almost every day!  The worst part is derailments behind the tree, but I know a skinny little girl who can get back there without knocking one ornament off the tree!  Now if I could just teach her how to get the cars properly railed she wouldn't have to bring them to me.

Jack, the entertainment center DOESN'T move; the TV in there alone weighs 250 lbs!  I set the layout up around it.  The run behind it makes a great tunnel for the trains to disappear into.

Roland

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Posted by dougdagrump on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 9:25 PM
 dmestan wrote:

 is there a spaghetti bowl of extension cords hidden under your snow mat?

don

I'll just say that if I spilled some marinara sauce under the table it would feel right at home there.

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Posted by kpolak on Thursday, December 20, 2007 5:17 AM
 dmestan wrote:

Question - for those of you that have ceramic village buildings, did you convert to low voltage lighting powered by your transformer, or is there a spaghetti bowl of extension cords hidden under your snow mat?

Don:  Switched to low voltage this year.  Love the smaller plug size to run thru the table cables are smaller and more flexible than the 120v.  Lights are not quite as bright as the 120v but you may not notice.  I like the low voltage brightness better.  There are 3-accessory connections and cables to attach things like the City Sledding Hill and battery powered accessories like the Nativity.

anjdevil2:  Looks great!  The trolley looks great!  Even better than the picture in the catalogue!

Kurt

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 20, 2007 7:43 AM
 kpolak wrote:
 dmestan wrote:

Question - for those of you that have ceramic village buildings, did you convert to low voltage lighting powered by your transformer, or is there a spaghetti bowl of extension cords hidden under your snow mat?

Don:  Switched to low voltage this year.  Love the smaller plug size to run thru the table cables are smaller and more flexible than the 120v.  Lights are not quite as bright as the 120v but you may not notice.  I like the low voltage brightness better.  There are 3-accessory connections and cables to attach things like the City Sledding Hill and battery powered accessories like the Nativity.

anjdevil2:  Looks great!  The trolley looks great!  Even better than the picture in the catalogue!

Kurt



Last year I possed this question to my LHS owner.  His response... I can get you some building lights that take normal clear christmas lights (12v).  I'll see if I can find the pic from last year, and I'll drop him a line to see if he remembers who makes them.
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Posted by palallin on Thursday, December 20, 2007 8:53 AM

Great layout!

I realluy like the first pic, the one of the super-detailed house.  but I can't find it on the layout . .  .  Big Smile [:D]

I like the Nativity scene right up front in the middle, where it should be.

Where did you find those pony truss bridges? 

 anjdevil2 wrote:

Sorry so late to th party on this, hope you all enjoy.

My train is the Polar Express with ALL the cars (no Hobo car yet) and my NEW Atlas O NJ Public Service Trolley..which is a great runner and it's just great!

And I have to give credit to my daughter, who set up the snow village.  I layed the track and the bridge/trestle.  She did the rest!!

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Posted by kpolak on Thursday, December 20, 2007 8:58 AM
 lionroar88 wrote:
 kpolak wrote:
 dmestan wrote:

Question - for those of you that have ceramic village buildings, did you convert to low voltage lighting powered by your transformer, or is there a spaghetti bowl of extension cords hidden under your snow mat?

Don:  Switched to low voltage this year.  Love the smaller plug size to run thru the table cables are smaller and more flexible than the 120v.  Lights are not quite as bright as the 120v but you may not notice.  I like the low voltage brightness better.  There are 3-accessory connections and cables to attach things like the City Sledding Hill and battery powered accessories like the Nativity.

anjdevil2:  Looks great!  The trolley looks great!  Even better than the picture in the catalogue!

Kurt



Last year I possed this question to my LHS owner.  His response... I can get you some building lights that take normal clear christmas lights (12v).  I'll see if I can find the pic from last year, and I'll drop him a line to see if he remembers who makes them.

Brent:  This works great for the buildings that light up from the bottom, but I wasn't able to find the metal clamps to anchor the lights to the side of the building holes.  Was this plan to re-use the 120v cords, and put into a bus bar with the 12v lamps or did he have a supplier for the metal clamps?

 

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Thursday, December 20, 2007 9:01 AM

That bridge is really a hybrid.  The center section is from a Pennsy Flyer set.  It reminded me of the old RailRoad Bridge in my home town (back in the 20's).  The outer sections were from a couple of G scale "cheapie" Christmas train set we had bought a while ago. I used Plastiform I beams and conected the three together.  I originally used tubular track because I though it looked more realistic, but couldn't keep it suspended correctly.  I finallly gave in and used double sided tape and attached a 30" long fastrack to it and those problems were solved.  I think it came out good.

Thanks for the great compliments, guys!! It means a lot!! (Wait till I show my daughter!)

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 20, 2007 9:10 AM
 kpolak wrote:
 lionroar88 wrote:
 kpolak wrote:
 dmestan wrote:

Question - for those of you that have ceramic village buildings, did you convert to low voltage lighting powered by your transformer, or is there a spaghetti bowl of extension cords hidden under your snow mat?

Don:  Switched to low voltage this year.  Love the smaller plug size to run thru the table cables are smaller and more flexible than the 120v.  Lights are not quite as bright as the 120v but you may not notice.  I like the low voltage brightness better.  There are 3-accessory connections and cables to attach things like the City Sledding Hill and battery powered accessories like the Nativity.

anjdevil2:  Looks great!  The trolley looks great!  Even better than the picture in the catalogue!

Kurt



Last year I possed this question to my LHS owner.  His response... I can get you some building lights that take normal clear christmas lights (12v).  I'll see if I can find the pic from last year, and I'll drop him a line to see if he remembers who makes them.

Brent:  This works great for the buildings that light up from the bottom, but I wasn't able to find the metal clamps to anchor the lights to the side of the building holes.  Was this plan to re-use the 120v cords, and put into a bus bar with the 12v lamps or did he have a supplier for the metal clamps?



Kurt,
No they are just sockets on the end of two wires about 8 inches long.  What he suggested for the side lit buildings was to carve plugs out of wood (tapered of course) and then drill a hole big enough for the wire to go through, then hot glue the light to the plug.  He showed me what he did and it looked really easy, I think you can get rubber corks that will work (the ones we used in chemistry class to make stills with).

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 20, 2007 9:11 AM
 anjdevil2 wrote:

Thanks for the great compliments, guys!! It means a lot!! (Wait till I show my daughter!)



Rich,
That isn't allowed here... this is a family oriented board! Wink [;)]Laugh [(-D]

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