Now, for all of us how have NOT finished our railroads, what have got planned in the short and long term?
Lately I've been very busy decaling, painting and installing decoders in various engines. Athearn, Bachmann and brass. My biggest problem has been the unavailability of dependable plugs between the engines and tenders. The euro 6 pin plugs are okay to a point, but have failed because of the wires thin plastic coating getting abrazed and shorting out.
My big project will be to finish ballasting the mainline and adding scenery and a town. I have all the needed materials but haven't had the strength or will to do them. HELP ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Well, my track is fastened down, everything seems to run just fine, so I really have no short or long term plans for the layout. I just want to run my trains as best I can and take everything else one day at a time.
I plan to cull about 50 cars and 30 kits, along with a bunch of MIB steamers, but that will take some time. I don't like waste and I have way more than I need. 8)
Good Morning All,
Since I am now semi-retired there is a lot of time to devot to my railroads. Yes - plural as there are two of them in my basement.
Right now I am working on Raggs to Riches O scale Durango coaling tower. Kit has a 51 page instruction book and enough wood sprues full of parts that my card table - set up next to my work bench - cannot hold all the parts.
I just finished Banta's Little Creek depot, but built it as a crew shack.
It is a building made from an old boxcar, reminicent of the old Revell kit, for those of you over the age of 50. Pix of it are on www.railpicturearchives.net.
After the coaling tower is finished I am going to apply a layer of "real coal" over the plastice loads that come with the Bachmann On30 two bay hoppers.
If we would stop traveling around the country in our motor home, I would really like to move my current fold-up layout (located in the garage) into what was our guest room. Gosh, I wouldn't know how to act with a layout that: stays in one position, is in a climate controlled area (our garage is currently in the upper 80s and we won't discuss the humidity), and can actually have scenery and structures that can remain in place!
The way it looks, I will bamboozle some friends into helping me move the 30"x 12' benchwork + track - through the guest room window and secure it to the walls sometime over the Fall. I have a feeling this will cost me a considerable amount of beer and pizza...well worth it I'd say.
Ray
(http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu146/jsnvogel/DSCN0368.jpg)
What's done:
Benchwork, trackwork, repairs/fixes to poor benchwork/trackwork, landscaping (plaster), ballast (99% complete). DC wiring and temporary control stations (2), roads and parking lots (but always need repair),... and I have all the locos and rolling stock I NEED, but will always want MORE.
Short term:
I have two more structures to order, build and plant.
I have a few more locos and rolling stock that need metal wheels and/or metal couplers. There's always ground foam to deal with. Roads and parking lots, need to be smoothed and repainted. Track lighting is 75% complete. Cleaning and maintenance is ongoing.
Long Term:
Layout needs a signalling system, street lights, building lighting, figures, more vehicles, DCC someday (dark side),... and oh yes, I have planted 325 homemade trees to date (not as expensive as you'd think). Giving up on that for the year. Will try complete the tree project next spring. One gets burnt out on certain projects after a while.
I am crossing all my fingers and toes that we stay living in this house long enough to complete this layout. It's my first and hopefully not the last.
Thanks for asking.
Jonathan
Very nice!
CNE Runner
I have been asking the wife can we please have an "N" Scale layout in our Motor Home. She says in our next one we can. As she laugh out lout knowing we a re several years away from getting a newer one!
Jonathan -- Very Nice
Hi Jonathan - You sure can have an N-scale layout in your motor home...all it takes is a little ingenuity. We have a 2008 Tiffin Allegro and I can tell you there is plenty of room on the dash for a layout (alas our 3 cats will not allow it). On our recent trip we were in Silver City, NM and lo, there was a diesel (pusher) powered rig with an HO switching layout on the dash!! To make an additional point, we befriended another couple, in Colorado Springs, CO, who had a fifth-wheeler. Both of these folks had worked together (a good thing when you are full timing) to construct a pull-out N-scale layout that came out from under one of their couches.
I guess where there's a will; there is a way. Probably the easiest layout to construct would be a variant of John Armstrong's Timesaver puzzle.
Ray
Done: $1,200 spent on locos, rail stock, track, scenery, figures, electronics of all sorts, etc. all located in a stack in the corner of my bedroom.
To Do: All the above listed in previous comments including getting a wife and a motor home. Then finish sculpting layout hills for part 1 of (hopefully) a 3 part 4x8 connecting setup.
Summer assistance seems to have withered even with offerings of free beer and meals. I'm patient...kinda.
If I ever get this wish fulfilled I'll never change a thing on my layout. Anyone ever said this before? ;)
Rick
Ahh as many wise model railroaders have said "a layout is never complete!" and I live by this rule as it is true, I most enjoy the sudden inspiration for a project and go ahead and do it. And once everything is done, you tear up a slightly less satisfying section and get more inspiration. That's how I work anyways. There's two projects on my mind right now though
1. Tiny wireless camera installed into a locomotive with the tv beside the controls so I can literally drive from inside the train.
2. Full switch and signal control linked to my computer to automate and digitalize ctc controls.
Sadly both are quite expensive so they won't come to soon but I am fulfilled with all my scenery projects for now.
I'm currently working on a shop for "Luke's Construction" I wanted something big enough to accomodate the occasionaly engine or rolling stock repair and still have a shop for Luke's heaving equipment.
So far with less than $3.00 in balsa wood, some wood glue, and whole lot of patience I have this:
http://cid-811d1df10b2b3e61.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Train/IMG%7C_1075.jpg
http://cid-811d1df10b2b3e61.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Train/IMG%7C_1077.jpg
http://cid-811d1df10b2b3e61.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Train/IMG%7C_1078.jpg
http://cid-811d1df10b2b3e61.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Train/IMG%7C_1079.jpg
http://cid-811d1df10b2b3e61.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Train/IMG%7C_1080.jpg
(It's called Luke's Construction because my son's name is Luke and he loves tractors and trains so it seemed like a train with a bunch of flat cars and construction equipment would be a great combination)
BestSnowman,
Looking good! OSHA will demand Luke to put an exhaust fan in there in about 10-12 years.
Okie
Quote from: OkieRick on June 28, 2009, 08:09:33 PM
Looking good! OSHA will demand Luke to put an exhaust fan in there in about 10-12 years.
Oh boy, I hadn't thought about OSHA. Come to think of it I never got a building permit or conducted an evironmental impact study. Then again there is probably a lot of paperwork involved in laying this much and imagine the sales tax on a couple million dollars worth of railroad equipment (in scale dollars).
I better find some 1/87 scale attorneys and accountants. I am thinking I'll need at least an O-scale tax attorney though.
Hey Rick - I apparently missed checking this post in a while and didn't respond to your return. After checking out your list of 'to do' items I hope you realize that you can't do everything. My advice is to get the motor home and pass on the wife...motor homes are a lot cheaper!! PS: Don't let my wife see this. [All kidding aside - Dale and I have been happily married for 26 years and I have no regrets.]
Ray
Currently I'm working on a module for the Hartford National Convention. It certainly won't be scenicked by that point, but it will be operable and should have the road installed, the structure finished, and the pink foam hills carved.
Today I've almost completed the front of the building and the north length. The roof has been cut and the loading door on the rear of the building has been painted, and the styrene cut for its installation. Evergreen Styrene for the roof and sides and trim. A Walthers door from an old kit on front, and old IHC windows cut in half in a miter box were the only way I could get them the right size for the structure. I expect it to be assembled by the end of the week, although I'm not sure when it will be painted.
Eventually it will receive scenery, as well as gates and a Custom Finishing, or Bachmann MOW vehicle on the siding.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd264/Guilford_Guy/Guilford/DSC08483_1.jpg)
"I plan to cull about 50 cars and 30 kits, along with a bunch of MIB steamers, but that will take some time. I don't like waste and I have way more than I need." -BOB
;DGREETINGS, BOB!!
Any idea, as yet, what you are going to do with your "stuff" that you are going to "do away with"? ???
If you are going to throw them away, you can throw them at me, and I'll GLADLY pay the POSTAGE!! :o
THANX!!
8) Ernie
All of my project are long term, even simple ones because money flow is that bad! ;)
- I'm both converting an Athearn Alaska RR Phase 1 GP40-2 into a straight GP40 for the BN railroad.
- I need to adjust my 25-ton crane kit so the stupid base halves will allow the cab to fit on.
- I need beeswax to remove and touch-up the threads for the 25-ton crane.
- I have yet to completely clear off my layout, but I've made great progress for the last 2 days.
- I have to work out the measures of the excess foam to cut some plywood, when we get the plywood.
- I have to flip and adhere my foam base to the layout.
- I have to clean the room perfectly, and touch up everything nicely for layout work and construction.
- I have yet to get a No. 80 drill bit to touch-up the holes on my Walthers Gold Line Trinity 2-Bay Cement hopper for the Southern RR to install wire grab irons.
- I need to get hand-laying supplies ordered if possible.
- Sell the E-Z track when enough supplies is available.
- Fix the horn that fell off my bad-running Model Power RS11.
- Order another horn for my Walther Trainline GP9m.
- Fix the layout legs.
- Re-assemble my U20B for operation.
- Take the Kadee off of the RS11 and replace the hook horn on the back of the U20B.
- Push Ryan into getting a Pre-paid Visa card to purchase online.
That's a few off the top of my head. :o I really need to get a summer job (Don't suggest lawn mowing, God knows how many people just do it themselves or have professionals do it.) I was thinking of a paper route. I'll check tomorrow.
Joshua