The pot of coffee is always on [even after 2 years have passed]. Come on in. Sweet ice tea too.

[ChiefEagles]

Don, it is hard to post.  If one page, mighty small.  It has some mods already.  Added another switch and an intermdole yard.  Also some crossover switches and a reversing loop in the "back room".  I'll try the original so you can get the feel [have drawn in teh above chages on my printed version].  Will have 3 to 3 1/2 feet in the middle for walk and etc.  The full size is 13 X 25 [including both rooms].

[Jumijo]

Chief,
One thing that you will need to do while you're laying out the track is measure the layout after it's all set up on the floor. The ballasted roadbed on the MTH is going to require extra space.

Gorgeous day out there today. I left my coat in the car at lunch time. Mid 60's easy.

Jim

[dbaker48]

Chief,  I like the looks of what your doing, I think I'm going to have to rethink mine.  I am concerned I am going to end up with a really cramped appearance.  I know I have at least 2 months before I start building my "permanent" layout.  And I think I'm going to start with a blank page and reevaluate a lot of my criteria and see what I come up with.



The family has become more "open" with how much window frontage needs clearance, and of course I want every square inch available.  So now is the time for me to play with the design. 

Your plan looks like it can support larger trains, plenty of switching, scenery, and some realistic operations.

The room size I have is 20' x 14'

[Dr. John]

Good morning from the sunny south!

Wow! You miss a couple of days on the coffee pot and you miss a lot! Took a while to read the recent posts.

Didn't get nearly as much done on the Christmas layout as I'd hoped. (See Christmas layout thread). I'm re-thinking my re-thinking. Tonight, I'm going back to using O-34 curves around the outer loop even though it will put the track closer to the edge. I'll just have to use a careful hand on the throttle. I'll put back the O-27 loop in the middle for the trolley.

Why change again? I found that my Williams NW-2 does not like O-27 curves (even though the advertising states that it will run on O-27 ). I used O-34 to transition into the O-27, but the engine would slow down markedly when it got to the O-27 curves on either end of the layout. It can technically make the curve, but not easily.

I'll post pics after I make the change. Still no Dept. 56 buildings or other scenery down yet - the wife is getting impatient. It's pretty funny having my wife actually pushing me along to build a layout. Who'd a thunk it!

[dwiemer]

Good Afternoon all,

     Buckeye, how was your trip?  Did you get to NJ at all?  You were in some pretty country up there, even if it is in the heart of yankeeland.  Hope you had a good time.

     Chief, looks like a very nice set up you have planned.  Good luck with it.  You may be able to use some of the information on the Lift out bridges from the last CTT.

     Dr. John, spoke to the main guy who put Facing the Giants together.  He does have another film planned and the church is going to back it again, so the best guess would be for two years before it is made and distributed.  Also, Facing the Giants has gone on sale an Family Christian stores and by the church's web site, Sherwood Baptist Church.  It will also be sold at WalMart and other stores after Jan.1st.

     To those who have had issues with the Williams Caboose having the glue come off the windows, I spoke with Larry at Williams and they did have a problem.  It was corrected some time ago, but if you purchase a "Old Stock" caboose off a shelf somewhere, you may still have the problem.  I updated my membership and got a caboose and a Great Northern car.

     Colin, and anyone else interested in the Pennsy, if you get the new Classic Trains magazine, the special edition on Steam, they have an advertisement from the Pennsy historical society that has the audio digitally remastered along with photos of the engines available for $25 for a 2 volume set.  Also, the magazine has some great shots of some classic steam, including some streamlined hudsons from NYC.

Have a great day,

dennis 

 

[wrmcclellan]

Interesting that the Chief is laying track on the carpet - it has a tendancy to get stuck there

Enjoying everyone's posts about Christmas decisions, good or bad postmen (oops - postpeople) and of course the ever continuing saga of the Chief's layout. Even more interesting is the number of layouts built, rebuilt, etc., while waiting for the grand event in NC. Maybe this huge cold blast they keep predicting is a sign???

Mowed/mulched another huge pile of leaves into the back lawn again and then went out and attacked the piles stacked up in the alley. The new Sears mulching mower I got last fall works really well. I run over all the leaves first without bagging them as I found the mower does not cut them down very well with the bag on. Then I add the bag and remulch/suck up the remains. This cut my 39 Gal garbage bag count from the alley down to 3 vs about 10 as I recall at this time last year.

Have a great day all!

[Dr. John]

Dennis - thanks for the head's up about the Facing the Giants DVD. Also got the item you sent me in today's mail - Thanks!

[dougdagrump]

Somebody must be serious about benchwork, it is drizzly chilly and just plain yukky out.

Happier news though my AT&SF Overton cars arrived today, they really look nice. Now comes the fun part, trying to find period appropriate passengers for the interior seating.

PS. Is the MTH site down? I tried several times and got nowhere. 

[Buckeye Riveter]

Is the MTH site down? I tried several times and got nowhere. 

I've tried at least three times in the last two weeks to look up a product, and it never gets there.

[csxt30]

Interesting that the Chief is laying track on the carpet - it has a tendancy to get stuck there

Roy : I think he's really going to do it this time !! I know it sounds poposterous, but he wants to blast us Yanks with snow, so I think think this is the Real McCoy now !!   

Now if anyone wants a hot-dog or burger, I've got em' !! My new Hot -dog stand came today !! Ha !! I was surprised I was the only one that bid on it & last time, at least 4 or 5 people bid on it. I got it sitting in my park area I'm still developing !!

   

Oh, I was checking the P&LE passenger set out, that T&K Hobbies has in their add in CTT yesterday on the MTH site, and I got it, but it takes about 5 minutes to come up fo me. I found that I just have to wait a long long time & it will come up for me. Hope this works for you other guys !!

Oh, just saw on the news that it is "National Pie In The Face Day" !! I'm sure a lot of us got to celebrate that one !!   

Thanks, John

[tmcc man]

Good evening everyone,

I finished my Biology homework, and now I am going to rest. What better way to rest than to talk toy trains.

Dennis thanks for the heads up. I know a few people from the society. I am meeting with 2 of them next weekend to run our Garden Railway floor layout at the Reading, Pa Expo Center. I will be sure to ask them about that.

Speaking of the Reading area, am I going to see Jefelectric or Laz at the show? If so, stop by the SEPGRS floor display.

[tmcc man]

By the way, Chief very nice layout drawing. If I had that much room, I would build something like that. It looks really nice. Don I like yours too. I like all the action in a small space. 

[ChiefEagles]

USPS came through.  Got the PW ZW in great shape and box was not even scratched.  Had "This End Up" on top and "Fragile" all over it.  Worked this time.  Inspection incicated I need one roller [$6 at Miss Edna's].  Guess which one?  You guessed it.  Right big handle.  The other three are in excellecnt shape.  Had new cord with polorized plug.  Done right as they are phase with mine [I did and they are always right ].  Tracking said arrived Raleigh NC at 7:45 AM.  So I figured it would come tomorrow.  Was working in garden and heard horn blow and Burg barking at 3:30 PM.  Courier would not get out as Burg was looking mean [look is all he does].  Seems that maybe why he is so late.  Raleigh distribution center must not be getting the mail out to Roseyville until some time later. 

Now on the garden.  John, you will be interested in this.  Still had green tomato vines and tomatoes.  Also green pepper vines and good peppers.  Got all the baskets and stakes in.  Disked the  part that was not turnips.  Was suprised tractor did not spin due the wet conditions.  Hit it twice and put the tractor up.  Would have spun if I had gone over it again. 

Wife decorating.   Can't wait.  Then she will want to take it down the day after Christmas.   Now she is saying only one tree instead of three [have three artificials].

Don, the part that is in the middle of the room on layout, will be walkable.  May go to Miss Edna's tomorrow and get the 072 switches for the outer loop and some more 072 curves.  Got the swing away figured out.

Later.

[wrmcclellan]

Just to let you elite group know and since njal posted some photos in SPF, the big project I was working on the past several months was the electrical design for the new Lionel display at the flagship Macy's Santaland in NYC. Another Miracle on 34th Street!

There are 10 trains running on the main layout, 4 of which are circling at different levels a very custom framed Christmas tree. There are 2 trains running in the baggage cart which has a mechanical elf polishing the top. The entire display is housed in a replica of a station, complete with bay window. One of the trains is the new G-Gauge Holiday Express.

The installation was a kick, working in the 8th floor Santaland area that has been there since the 50's according to friends in the area that grew up there. We used a huge freight elevator that used to be used to transport automobiles to showrooms on upper floors back in the pre-war era. So we were able to unload a semi-trailer in about 3 trips. Very entertaining to be working in such a historic structure and place. Santaland is simply locked up each year. It is only opened from the day after Thanksgiving (Santa arrives at Macy's) until Christmas Eve (Santa's gotta deliver the goods).

I'll see if I can post some photos at a later date.

[Roger Bielen]

Roy, how do you get around the NYC unions?  When I used to go to expo's in NYC the vendors I knew told me the stories of paying electricians, carpenters, etc. to stand around and watch while they did the work since nothing could be done without a union worker.

[Brutus]

Roy - sounds VERY cool, can't wait to see pics!  So tired my eyeballs hurt.  Wife has had bronchitis for about 10 days with coughing so hard she gets dizzy.  Doc put her on prednisone last week and it's helping some.  Very little sleep for either of us due to the coughing spells.

[ChiefEagles]

Forgot to teel you all.  Got a big Atlas O catalog today.  I guess I am on their mailing list.

[Dr. John]

Roy - Wow! That must have been some kind of experience. Looking forward to some pics of your work in NY.

Chief, what kind of track are you using on your layout? Lionel? or are you making the switch to Atlas?

Jim, sorry your wife has bronchitis. That can hang on a while! Hope the Prednisone helps her.

I made the changes to the Christmas layout - now have all Marx O-34 track on outer oval with a small oval of O-27 on the interior for a trolley line. Disconnected the CW-80 and hooked up a KW to power both lines. Everything running fine so far, but the horn switch on the KW isn't sounding the horn on the Williams NW-2. Probably have the wires crossed. Tomorrow evening I start adding buildings, scenery, etc. Have a good night, all!

[ChiefEagles]

Dr. John, Realtrax.  All 072 except a few switches will be 054 in the siding areas.  Just watched the OGR video on drop down sections for layouts.  Think I will go that way instead of swing out, due to room.

[Jumijo]

Roy,

I saw photos of the Santaland layout on the other forum. Congratulations on an incredible job!!! That tree is beyond cool!

No CTT again yesterday. I'm this close to cancelling the subscription and buying it at a store. No excuse for this bologna! This is 2 months in a row.

Please read my posting on the vintage Lionel ad I found on Comcast's on-demand service.

Jim

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is sunny and mild in SE Indiana with temps in the 60s today.  I have two presentations at work today so it will be quite interesting.  I went to the Y, and did some errands last night.  The fall season ender for "Veronica Mars" is tonight and I have to get some train work done.  I hope everyone has a good day. 

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a sunny 36 degrees. Going up to 66 with sunshine today. This is a very nice warm spell. Colder tomorrow.

Today, I have a few things to do around the house. I plan on spending some time outside , enjoying the warm weather. This will not last forever. We are suppose to get company this weekend. Kids want to have Christmas early before weather turns bad. It's hard to believe that the Holidays are here already. This year went fast.

I think I will make up some cutting patterns for the tunnel portals and see how they look. Need to get started on that.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of Chief's Benchwork.

Well, here comes the Dining car. Breakfast.

Y'all have a great Tuesday.

Chuck

[jonadel]

There's no question that the Chief is working on his benchwork, last night we had lightning/thunder/heavy rain  As I'm typing this it is still thundering with temps headed to 65 and brief very heavy showers, seems like a stormy spring day instead of early winter.  Tomorrow it's back to reality with temps in the 20's, UFF DA!

I now have an iWeb site and I'm in the process of adding video clips of the trains in action.  I didn't realize how much time was involved in creating a good 30 second video, it's especially difficult when I'm by myself during the day when I'm running the video camera and the trains--I have had several "take two" sessions but I believe when I'm done it will look good.  I wouldn't mind taking a video class this winter, just what I need....... another hobby

Doug--batten down the hatches in Illinois--strange weather on it's way.

Jon

[dwiemer]

Morning all, a bit of cloud cover but supposed to be close to 80 today.  Don't have anytime to work with the trains, have lots of actual work at the hospital.  Wife is wanting me to tell her what I want for Christmas.  I really need some diecast cars from the pre 1950 era.  Anyone know of a good source?  I also want to get some people from that era too.  I don't want to get too much more train stuff till the layout is done.  One can only fit so much in the closets.

Anyway, have a great day,

dennis

[ChiefEagles]

Roy,


No CTT again yesterday. I'm this close to cancelling the subscription and buying it at a store. No excuse for this bologna! This is 2 months in a row.

Jim

Mission accomplished.   You live where even DHL, FEDEX and UPS are always a day later delivering than the tracking slips promises.  USPS should be delivering you a big envelope today or tomorrow. 

Morning all.  Was going to sleep late.  Boys got me up.  Murph wanted to go out.  Came back and I was headed to bed again and someone is shooting at my range [big stuff].  Burg wanted to go and started his dance routine and going hafa hafa hafa.  Then neighbor started talking loud and Burg started barking.  AH, the retired life.   Beautiful here again.  Going into the high 60's to 70's.  Yard work today.  Then decorations out on the lawn and roof tops.   BAAH Humbug.    Coffee time.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all, a bit of cloud cover but supposed to be close to 80 today.  Don't have anytime to work with the trains, have lots of actual work at the hospital.  Wife is wanting me to tell her what I want for Christmas.  I really need some diecast cars from the pre 1950 era.  Anyone know of a good source?  I also want to get some people from that era too.  I don't want to get too much more train stuff till the layout is done.  One can only fit so much in the closets.

Anyway, have a great day,

dennis

You have enough stuff!!!!! [look who is talking ].  There is always the floor.   Putting some of mine in tubs with bubble wrap to temporarily get them out of the way.

[Frank53]

Chief is building benchwork???

I guess I'd better start building that switch tower I promised you if you ever got off teh floor:

 

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,

   Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving?

37 and nice again here to get to 62?

Rain on friday and turning colder for the weekend.  It is end of November you know.

BUCKEYE,  What stores di you go to in PA.?

JELECTRIC, did you get anything at BARRYs Black Friday Sale?

Finally got my Lionmaster Cab forward over the weekend.  Great engine has a terrific sound system and smokes up a storm.  Played with it last nite for a little.  GREAT ENGINE, well worth the wait.

Well I have got a deer story for YUZ GIZ.  My brother in law got a beauty of a buck yesterday.  Big 8 pointer 20 inches outside measurement on the rach 18 inches inside measurement 15 inches high brow tines were 8 inches and rear tines were 8 inches.  A real wall hanger.  He shot it at 7 15 Am we finally found it at 930AM on an island in a beaver pond.  Yours truly got down to his birthday suit and waded out through a channel about 20  ft wide and 4.5 feet deep, to this island.  Brrr cold, maximum shrinkage, numb feet.etc.  Got there my brother tossed me my hunting boot and I drug this deer back to where I crossed, tossed my boots to my brother got in again and quickly got to the other ide and out.  Good thing the temp at that time was in the mid 50s and no wind otherwise I won't have dreamed of doing this stunt.  But now I have this to hold over my brother in laws head.  He'll never live thi one down.  I'll never forget it either.  I will post pics when he gets them.

laz57

 

[Dr. John]

Morning all, a bit of cloud cover but supposed to be close to 80 today.  Don't have anytime to work with the trains, have lots of actual work at the hospital.  Wife is wanting me to tell her what I want for Christmas.  I really need some diecast cars from the pre 1950 era.  Anyone know of a good source?  I also want to get some people from that era too.  I don't want to get too much more train stuff till the layout is done.  One can only fit so much in the closets.

Anyway, have a great day,

dennis

Dennis, go to diecastdirect.com . They have a great selection of diecast cars, trucks and construction equipment. Pretty good prices, too.

[jefelectric]

Morning all, a bit of cloud cover but supposed to be close to 80 today.  Don't have anytime to work with the trains, have lots of actual work at the hospital.  Wife is wanting me to tell her what I want for Christmas.  I really need some diecast cars from the pre 1950 era.  Anyone know of a good source?  I also want to get some people from that era too.  I don't want to get too much more train stuff till the layout is done.  One can only fit so much in the closets.

Anyway, have a great day,

dennis

Good morning,

Dennis, try http://www.sceneryexpress.com/  or this  http://www.arttista.com/  for figures, they have quite an assortment.

Laz, I didn't go. Got a 4 pack of Atlas reefers from Bob Thatcher to pay for.  I have to stop buying stuff till I get time to do some work on the layout and use some of the stuff I have on shelves.

Worked on the pond yesterday with grandson's help.  Pretty much ready for winter.  Also pruned some roses.

Looks to be another nice day when the fog lifts.