# My extended layout project



## wiley2012

Well, today I finished dismantling my existing train layout, as next week we'll be getting the new plywood extension and benchwork. The existing 4x8 piece of plywood is going to be used in this new layout. Here is a shot of the plywood all cleared up from the old layout, though I did set up a temporary layout so I can still run my equipment for the time being:


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## trains galore

Looks like a solid foundation to build on
What is your new track plan?
Also why did you dismantle the old layout something wrong with the track or what?


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## wiley2012

This is the new track plan, in Stage 1:









I dismantled it because as long as we were going to extend the train table, it seemed to be time for an overhaul and there wasn't really any way to extend my previous layout. Plus this way, I can try out some new methods as well, like the aforementioned landscaping techniques.


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## wiley2012

We got the lumber today! We will then assemble the benchwork some time this week, and then I will get started on landscaping. I did draw where the roads will go on the existing plywood, and I also did a bit of test-fitting of some of the track to get an idea on how the roads will be positioned and such:









I have a feeling this is going to be quite a project...


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## trains galore

Looks good
How are you going to do the bench work, aluminium frame?
And you might have to make a control panel...


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## wiley2012

Here's some more track-fitting testing I am trying, with the help of a couple clay friends:








I'm also planning on what buildings go where (the Bachmann station and pedestrian bridge are in temporary locations.) We still need to assemble the train table extension and apply a primer coat of paint before I begin, but that should be very soon. I now have all the track I need for Stage One, too!


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## wiley2012

Finally extended the train table!








Painted a primer coat onto the plywood, and am also adding the roads to them. I will be doing the landscaping some time this week.

Here are some shots of where I am deciding where buildings and accessories will go, along with some track test-fitting (in the photos they are not fastened down to the plywood; I am saving that for after landscaping.)








Where I'm installing my Tyco operating boxcar station and freight-unloading depot, along with my Tyco lighted yard tower.









I can now finally install that Tyco operating crossing flasher! (The lights don't alternate flashing; they just come on steady as the train goes over the sensor, but still a nice accessory!) I also put my Life-Like Snap-Loc station building kit here.









Tyco crossing gate (with nickel-silver track!) and lighted freight station. On the other side of the second track I will install a crossing signal and gate there.









My two Center St. building kits! I plan to maybe get a couple more, like that Furniture Store one, as I do have room for some more structures on this layout. For those unfamiliar, the Center St. building kits were made by Pola and originally branded by Tyco in the 1980s and early 1990s, then by IHC until the end of the 1990s.









These are the buildings I have so far on the extension. I also plan to set up a tunnel and a lake there.


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## Magic

Looks like you're going to have a fun layout there, good luck with it. 
It pays to have a plan.

No plan Magic.


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## wiley2012

Getting started on the landscaping now!









Something tells me I'm going to need a couple more containers of that green ground foam material... (Too bad Life-Like discontinued theirs...)









Dirt area for the parking lot to the Suburban Station that will be going here on the layout.


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## DonR

Since you are in need of additional landscaping materials
you might look into Activa Decor Sand sold in several
different colors at Michaels at 2.99 for a package 2 times
larger than the W/S foam. It is very fine sand and
works well with the W/S materials. It is sold as a '
potting 'soil' for fake plants.

I plan on using the black version for yard track ballast.

Don


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## airshot

A friend told me of an idea after I was done of course, he went around to various stores and went thru the trash bin looking for styrafoam blocks from packing material. He was able to get his hands on quite a lot. He then used these blocks to carve out his landscaping for his RR. When the carving was done some simple covering from paper towels coated in dry wall plaster completed his landscaping. All for a cost of about 10 bucks and a little effort. Amazing what can be done for little or no cost if we use our heads.


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## sjm9911

Looking good, glad to see I'm not the only one who uses a pen outline then fills it In. I like the basement rock walls. They will look cool in the layout background!


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## wiley2012

Tried the brown paint approach with the grass:








I will admit, it does look rather realistic!









I also decided to get started with laying the rest of the tracks. I kind of forgot how tedious the process can be with conventional snap-track (mostly when nails get accidentally bent), but it should be well worth the results.
For the hard-to-reach areas on the extension, I can temporarily take the plywood off, nail the track onto it, then re-install it.


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## dfischer

Lots of work and looks like you are coming along well. Looking forward to seeing your progress..


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## wiley2012

dfischer said:


> Lots of work and looks like you are coming along well. Looking forward to seeing your progress..


And here's some more! Went to the hobby shop today and picked up more stuff for the project...

I've gotten some more landscaping done today...

















(The track areas with no landscaping on them will have ballast applied to them.)









My new Woodland Scenics tunnel!









The progress so far.


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## trains galore

Looks good
I have a very similar tunnel I bought, be careful about trying to turn the track through a straight through tunnel. I tried to but i found some of the longer cariages scraped as they came out so I wouldn't reccomend trying to turn through one!


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## wiley2012

Finally finished applying the landscaping (except ballast) to the original existing plywood!








As you can see, it is already looking much better than the old layout.
Though once the landscaping on the second sheet of plywood is done, I still need to get some new buildings! Probably a mix of old and new...
I also hooked the tracks up to the power pack, along with the blocking control, so I can even run a train on the inner loop! I also hooked up two of the switches as well.


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## wiley2012

Here's a few more updates...

















I am experimenting with ballast. Maybe once I vacuum up the excess stuff, it won't look as messy.









Landscaping on the second sheet of plywood.









Already adding some scenic details to the existing plywood section as well.


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## wiley2012

The final assembly is now done! I also removed the blocking, as it was causing some trouble with the power.









The attached extension in its' current state.









From another angle.


















Older Bachmann crossing gate.


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## wiley2012

Update time again!









An entrance to Roundpost Junction!









The Dickerson Station and Honest Larry's Cars are in business now!









Life-Like Supply House in the background, with the Tyco Crossing Gate and Atlas Gateman Tower.


















Trees growing around the tunnel.


















Tyco operating box car dump station and freight unloading depot, and Life-Like dumping station and lighted yard tower.









One of many grade crossings on the layout. It's not hooked up yet, as I need to get a good easy-to-use controller that will eventually work with DCC. The nonoperating plastic signal I will replace with a Griswold-style crossing signal from NJ International.









The new farm on the layout with apple orchard!


















I set up a small piece of cardboard for the un-level section of plywood. I may decorate it with ballast or something.









The layout again, from an interesting angle.


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## Magic

She's really starting to shape up, looking good. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Magic


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## wiley2012

Just installed this Life-Like flashing light storage tank...









...along with a swimming pool for the Tyco Colonial House!









Plasticville split-level house. I still need to paint the figures (I have to get more colors of paints, for that matter!)









Another overview showing the new stuff...









Added a fence and a few assorted buildings to the farm.

And here's some big news: this layout is going to shortly become a DCC train layout! I ordered a Bachmann E-Z Command DCC control pack and accompanying DCC locomotive (BNSF GP40, to match with my preferred railroad of choice for the layout.) I figured since I'm completely new to DCC, this would be a good way to start out before I eventually upgrade to something from Digitrax or similar. (I will get another DCC locomotive as well, and maybe buy a DCC-ready model so I can try installing a decoder myself before I try upgrading any of my non-DCC locos with soldering and stuff.)


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## trains galore

I like the swimming pool
I have that exact same storage tank, didn't know it was from life like.
Looks good, only thing with the dcc is make sure your wiring is thick enough to handle dcc (higher current so you want thicker wire than your usual dc feeders


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## wiley2012

Finally made the big upgrade to DCC!








It arrived in the post right before I left for work, so I brought it inside, then opened it up after my shift and tried it out! Here's the locomotive it came with:








I am actually impressed by it. It seems as detailed as a Bachmann Plus locomotive from the 1990s, but with a typical mid-range motor (sort of like the Model Power all-wheel drive can motors, but with a better chassis.) It runs very well anyways.
Plus, it's the first BNSF locomotive on my layout! (Though the BNSF is my main railroad on the layout, I have mostly used separate ATSF and BN locomotives prior to this.)









My new control panel. The E-Z Command unit will only run the trains, so I pulled out a TYCO power pack (1970s style) for the switches and other AC accessories.) I'm keeping the MRC 280 power pack for if I ever need it again (and I'm sure I will, for any future DC runs and whatnot.)









The train's all hooked up!

I'm going to do some more toying around with the system pretty soon, and I will also soon set up an electrically-isolated siding for running a DC locomotive on the layout as well.


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## DonR

Welcome to the wonderful world of DCC.

Just one suggestion. Your loco came with
the DCC address #3. The CD that came with
your EZ controller will tell you how to change the
address. I would suggest that you do that, So
that when you get your next loco, which will also
come NEW as # 3 you won't have a conflict.

I also suggest you do not use the #1. The system
defaults to #1 when there is any electrical fault.

I regularly run 4 and 5 locos at the same time
with my Bachmann DCC controller. So you have
plenty of power to add a few when you want.

Don


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## wiley2012

I just programmed my locomotive from #3 to #2! I even labeled it on the controller on 2: "BNSF GP40." I will generally label each locomotive I use, except for the analog locomotive on #10, because I will often vary which one I may use (though I don't plan to do so frequently until I build an electrically-isolated siding.)
I even learned how to control the lighting, so that the headlights on my GP40 are now on.


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## Big Ed

Looking good. :thumbsup:

Man, you have the grass everywhere! 
Get the streetsweeper out and clean up your roads. 

Unless that was the look your were going for?


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## wingnut163

WILEY;
you might want to address the locos by the number on them.
this way you can see what each ones address is with out a list.


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## DonR

Wingnut

One of the limitations of the Bachmann controller is that
you have a choice of loco #'s from 1 to 9. There is
no input capability to assign the number board # as
a loco address that I have seen.

Don


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## wingnut163

DonR said:


> Wingnut
> 
> One of the limitations of the Bachmann controller is that
> you have a choice of loco #'s from 1 to 9. There is
> no input capability to assign the number board # as
> a loco address that I have seen.
> 
> Don


don, did not know that. guess i should not think all DCC cabs are like digitrax.

live and learn.


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## wiley2012

Yes, I wanted to start out with the E-Z Command system because I don't plan to run ten or more DCC locomotives at once on my layout.


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## DonR

wiley2012 said:


> Yes, I wanted to start out with the E-Z Command system because I don't plan to run ten or more DCC locomotives at once on my layout.


I have 3 consists of paired identical locos and one Bachmann
Dinky (as we called it on the Missouri Pacific) 7 in all. I have run
them all at the same time with my Bachmann EZ controller
and one wired Cab.

So you have enough power for what you plan right now.
To go to ten locos, you would need a booster.

Don


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## Hutch

7 locos running at the same time?? With EZ? Do you mean you run them all but at differnt times maybe? I can't imagine running that many simultaneously with that small power supply.



DonR said:


> I have 3 consists of paired identical locos and one Bachmann
> Dinky (as we called it on the Missouri Pacific) 7 in all. I have run
> them all at the same time with my Bachmann EZ controller
> and one wired Cab.
> 
> So you have enough power for what you plan right now.
> To go to ten locos, you would need a booster.
> 
> Don


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## DonR

Yep, I do it this way:

2 GP consist (long freight w/lighted caboose)

2 FP consist (4 lighted passenger cars)

2 GE 70 Ton switchers consist

1 Bachmann Dinky & lighted coach.

1 lighted caboose sitting on yard track.

So I have 2 full trains, the Dinky crawling along and the
switchers moving in the yard.

Of course there are a lot of starts and stops to avoid
collisions and to throw turnouts.

So, maybe I'm fudging by saying 7 at a time but there
are instances when that is true. Amazingly, since the
Controller puts out only 2 amps, I don't see any change
in the lights or performance. And the 'wall wart' does
not seem overheated. I have yet to put a volt meter
on to monitor the track voltage variations as the load
changes.

It all may come crashing down in a heap of charred
power pack some day but so far it's doing fine.

Don


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## wiley2012

DonR said:


> So you have enough power for what you plan right now.
> To go to ten locos, you would need a booster.
> 
> Don


I plan to get the booster someday for it, and maybe the walkaround control. Usually the highest amount of trains I will have on it at once would be up to four or maybe five.

But here are some more pics...









The old Roundpost Junction school house, which has been closed for a long time due to it being too small for public school standards. A new school building will be built in front of it, and the old school house will be reopened as an annex to the new building (it will be a Life-Like "Union Avenue School" building kit.) The playground equipment will also be moved.









Some people are wondering where the little farmhouse went! Turns out, it's in the Land of Oz now! (It's actually being used as a prop in the local college's production of "The Wizard of Oz!”)









A grade crossing with Bachmann Plasticville crossing signals as a temporary setup. I will eventually replace them with working crossing signals of some sort.









Train coming out of the tunnel.

I am also already working on plans for building Stage 2 of the layout...








One of the sidings will be electrically isolated, and can have the power turned off or on via an Atlas controller (I wonder how I'd wire it up with the E-Z Command system?) so I can easily park an analog/DC locomotive there without worry of shorting out the motor.


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## DonR

All you need to turn DCC on or off for that isolated siding is to
Put an insulator in one rail at the turnout. Install a drop
from the insulated rail. Connect it thru and ordinary
SPST on/off switch which takes it's power from the DCC
BUSS. Make sure it's the same phase (polarity) as the
main rail from which you are insulating.

Don


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## wiley2012

DonR said:


> All you need to turn DCC on or off for that isolated siding is to
> Put an insulator in one rail at the turnout. Install a drop
> from the insulated rail. Connect it thru and ordinary
> SPST on/off switch which takes it's power from the DCC
> BUSS. Make sure it's the same phase (polarity) as the
> main rail from which you are insulating.
> 
> Don


And by a "drop" you mean something like a terminal rail joiner, right? That sounds good to me.


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## trains galore

You just need to isolate one rail with a plastic joiner, and then you connect a switch to the correct terminal of your controller that switches power to the dead rail
A buss is just where all the wires that connect to the track are connected in parralell to the controller.


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## Hutch

wiley2012 said:


> And by a "drop" you mean something like a terminal rail joiner, right? That sounds good to me.


The usual method of installing a "drop" is to drill a hole next to the rail, put your wire through it and solder to the rail. A terminal rail joiner would require an extra cut in your isolated track section but it would work.


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## wiley2012

Here's some more updates!









Life-Like Mt. Vernon Manufacturing Company building kit. It's designed in a modular way so you can build it any way you want; I just simply reversed how it appears on the box/stock photo.









The new school campus! The front building is a Life-Like Union Avenue School building kit from the 1990s (it seems to have used the same mold as Life-Like's Mainline Station kit from the same era), and I put the Bachmann Plasticville schoolhouse behind it for additional classroom space, and the playground in between.









Late '70s Life-Like semaphore. It has the bulb in the bottom, and uses fiber-optics to light the indications, and has a lever for moving the banner. After this photo was taken, I wired it up and it is now active.









Early '90s Tyco Chattanooga Choo-Choo locomotive, tender and rolling stock. The loco and tender are actually made by Mehano (it's a modified Mehano Mikado 2-8-2 that AHM/IHC used to offer), and it ironically runs much better than Tyco's own Chattanooga locomotives did. That second boxcar (red white and blue one) has one of those rollers with little rock-like materials that simulates a "chugging" sound when in motion, just like those older Lionel "chugging" tenders.









Yes, on my layout, steam and diesel locomotives run together!









Doing some track test-fitting for Stage 2 of the layout. I am just using old steel track sections here as "dummy" track so I can get a general idea on how they would fit and how I'd place accessories.


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## wiley2012

Some more updates, in time for tomorrow's National Train Day!









This locomotive's body was a little beat, so I thought I'd swap it out with a different shell...









Now it's been updated with the BNSF "Heritage" paint scheme! I may probably upgrade this one to DCC.









Amtrak comes to the layout! The Amtrak Dash 8-32BWH in the "Pepsi Can" paint style of the early '90s is also a Walthers TrainLine locomotive. I'll probably upgrade this one to DCC as well. The passenger cars are mostly Life-Like, along with a Tyco coach.









Train parked at the station.









From another angle.









Several of the locomotives in my current roster. So far only the BNSF GP40 is DCC-equipped. I plan to upgrade one of the Walthers GP9Ms, both Dash 8s and the Proto 1000 F3A. I'm also getting a Bachmann Plus Santa Fe Consolidation steam locomotive!


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## Big Ed

Tomorrow's National Train Day?


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## Big Ed

Nevermind....., 

http://www.nationaltrainday.com/s/


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## sjm9911

Great work. And i didn't know it was national train day Eaither. Got to give us something next to mothers day! The layout is awesome. Good luck on the upgrades to the fleet.


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## wiley2012

I got a second Bachmann DCC-equipped locomotive...








Santa Fe FT-A "Warbonnet" diesel. I programmed it to address number 4.
I also installed a new decoder in my Proto 1000 Santa Fe F3A locomotive (blue and yellow), so now I have three DCC-equipped locos.

























Showing some multiple-train action. My sidings are starting to come along; now I just need to buy another left-hand switch!


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## Dirtytom

Keep the pictures coming?

DT


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## wiley2012

So I installed a Life-Like lighted bumper on a small siding...

















Griswold crossing signal! I'm planning on getting a controller/detector for this crossing (maybe a Logic Rail Tech "Grade Crossing Pro")...









My newest locomotive: an early 1990s Bachmann Plus Santa Fe Consolidation steam locomotive and tender! It runs pretty well, and the smoke unit works pretty well, but I find it best to not let it sit still for long, because when run off a DCC unit it continues to smoke... is that bad for the locomotive or the layout?


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## nyoung

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Hutch

Check the decoder CVs and see if there's one to set the smoke at start-up. I have this one turned off on my BLI engine. You will burn out the smoke unit if left on with no oil/pellets or what ever it uses.


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## wiley2012

I tried experimenting with an elevated track on my layout...

















While an interesting concept, it was rather cumbersome to try and fit on the layout anyways. I may revive it for any future layouts...









I have now connected the two spurs to the rest of the track! One of them is electrically-isolated, using an Atlas Connector switch, terminal joiner and plastic insulating joiner. This way I can park a non-DCC locomotive on the layout with ease.

















Current overview.

I will also be getting another decoder to upgrade one of my Walthers TrainLine locomotives (the TCS T1.)


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## wiley2012

Wild deer are now on the layout, too! They're Model Power figures. I wonder who's going to continue making them now?

















TYCO Lighted Factory building.









Life-Like Hotel building. This has been available since 1980. I bought the kit new from Walthers!









A.H.M./TYCO Pizza Hut building!









A nice shot of the town section of the layout.









Getting in some more Amtrak action!


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## Dirtytom

I'll take a bucket of Kentucky Fired Chicken...great work

DT


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## wingnut163

if you think the TYCO Lighted Factory building looks to bright, if you can get inside, paint the walls with a dark color. this will stop the light from lighting up the whole building.

your lay out is coming along great. i have been watching your progress.


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## Jim 68cuda

The layout looks great. Actually, the Life-Like Hotel and a couple of the other structures on your layout actually date back to at least the early 1960's and possibly earlier. The Tyco Lighted Factory building was first released in kit form as a school by Aurora. The Life Like Hotel and the Life Like warehouse buildings (next to the factory on your layout, were originally made by Ulrich in the late 50's or early 60's. I have a couple of those hotel buildings on my layout as well (glued together to form a single structure).


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## wiley2012

Jim 68cuda said:


> The layout looks great. Actually, the Life-Like Hotel and a couple of the other structures on your layout actually date back to at least the early 1960's and possibly earlier. The Tyco Lighted Factory building was first released in kit form as a school by Aurora. The Life Like Hotel and the Life Like warehouse buildings (next to the factory on your layout, were originally made by Ulrich in the late 50's or early 60's. I have a couple of those hotel buildings on my layout as well (glued together to form a single structure).


Interesting. I recall Aurora had also offered that building kit as a factory in the early 1960s, also including figures and other machinery parts as accessories (maybe for interior detailing?)
It's also good to know where some of Life-Like's kits came from. The hotel and warehouse (Mt. Vernon Manufacturing) were both designed for modular construction. The parts come in a neat little plastic tray in the box instead of in a bag, because of this.

The Pizza Hut was made by a Denmark manufacturer, then rebranded by A.H.M. in 1984-1985, and by TYCO in 1986-1991. (An N-scale version also exists, and Life-Like rebranded that in the 1980s.) There was also a similar Burger King building kit I'm also trying to obtain for the layout (again, doesn't matter if it's A.H.M. or TYCO.)


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## Jim 68cuda

...and the Life Like Ace Super Market structure on your layout was originally made by Life like as a 7-Eleven store. 
Tyco also had a Union 76 service station in the same series of preassembled lighted buildings that included the factory. That service station was also a reissue of an Aurora kit. The Tyco Lighted Service Station frequently only goes for between $5 and $20 on e-bay even if its still in the original box. The unbuilt Aurora version of the same structure can go for nearly $300.00. Another vintage kit that's fun to watch on E-bay, is the rare Life Like McDonalds kit. Even poorly built McDonalds kits with broken or missing parts go for $75 or more. I believe unbuilt Life Like McDonalds kits go for around $200.00.


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## golfermd

Looking great! :appl:


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## wiley2012

Here's a neat accessory from Life-Like...








Operating gravel unloader. Back when it was released in the 1970s, it was called "Bob's Dumping Station." Today Life-Like only includes this in their "Freightline U.S.A." train set.
Uniquely, the "gravel" that came with it is bits of REAL gravel! Talk about authenticity...









TYCO Miracle Furniture Company store, released as part of their "Center Street" series in the 1980s. It has a small hole in the bottom so I can feed a light bulb through it (I'm thinking of illuminating the interior.)









Life-Like Car Wash building. Atlas now offers this, but I went with the Life-Like version as it was a cheaper buy 









Walthers Trainline GP9M locomotive. It may not look totally realistic, but I like it because it kind of has a 1970s/1980s feel to it, but with a much better motor and drive (the exterior kind of reminds me of TYCO's old Santa Fe GP20.)

I also got another Walthers Trainline locomotive: a BNSF Dash 8-40BW in "Fakebonnet" colors. I even performed a hardwired DCC upgrade on it...








Progress photo. In lieu of a soldering iron, I used "Wire Glue," as I learned that it's a good solder substitute from some model railroaders.









I used a TCS T1 decoder, since this locomotive comes with a reversing headlight. Works pretty well, too, but the electrical contact is a little funny. But it was like that when I got it. I guess the wheels need extensive cleaning...
I programmed it as "6" on the E-Z Command controller. My other DCC locomotives are numbered "2," "4" and "5", which brings up to four DCC locos in my roster now!
I will be getting another T1 decoder to install in my Amtrak Dash 8 locomotive, as well as a TCS MC2 decoder to put in my second Proto 1000 F3A locomotive. (I will assign it the same address as my other Proto 1000 F3A, if I ever want to do a double-header unit.)









Current overview.


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## Magic

Your layout is coming along great. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Looks like your having fun. 

Magic


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## wiley2012

Hey; it's been a while, but I have some more updates! I've been busy this summer, but now I've had some more time to get back to my model train layout (as the recent Walthers sales flyer said, autumn is not only when kids go back to school, it's when model railroaders go back to their layouts!)









Pola/TYCO/IHC Exxon gas station! This is the IHC version offered in the 1990s.









Life-Like 50" Union Pacific boxcar I bought off eBay, with Kadee knuckle couplers and metal wheels!









This school is back in session!









TYCO Baby Ruth boxcar.









TYCO Burger King building kit! A.H.M. also used to offer this from 1984-1986, and then TYCO from 1986-1990. I might put some kind of glazing glass/plastic in the windows though, to make it look more realistic, and pave a road for the back entrance to the drive-thru. The reason I put it near the TYCO crossing gate is to mirror the location of a Burger King in Bridgewater, MA.









One of my current freight train roster lineups, with two ATSF "Shock Control" boxcars (one Life-Like, one TYCO) and two TYCO piggyback trailer cars.









Rail yard shot.


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## wiley2012

Some more updates!









My attempt at a gravel driveway for the TYCO Lighted Ranch House, due to the slightly raised base that the house is on. It does look nicer that way...









Life-Like Snap-Loc commuter station. Since I now have two (one of them the elevated version) I thought I'd use the non-elevated version on my layout, removing the Power-Loc tab that goes on the bottom.









TYCO 50th Anniversary boxcar! Though 1976 was actually the 50th anniversary of Mantua Metal Products, not TYCO (maybe it's because TYCO started out as a subsidiary of Mantua...) I've since installed E-Z Mate knuckle couplers to allow it for easy layout use.









Currently I'm using it on this small train, that has both of my auto carriers! And yes, that Santa Fe GP40 is DCC-equipped!









I also just installed a TCS T1 DCC decoder into this Walthers Amtrak Dash-8 locomotive! So now I have six DCC-equipped locomotives for use on my layout.









The full Amtrak train, now powered by DCC!

A word of note when installing a TCS T1 decoder into the Walthers Dash 8...
http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Cont...8-40BW/Walthers Trainline GE Dash 8-40BW.html

When it comes to the motor pick-up wires, you must solder the red wire to the gray one, and the blue one to the orange one, instead of the other way around as shown in the pic. When you do that, it will mess up the direction of the locomotive on a layout, at least when you're using a Bachmann E-Z Command system.


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## MtRR75

I was looking at your pictures and had a flash from the past. I saw a couple of items that date back to the original train set that we bought for the kids about 20+ years ago -- the Mid-atlantic Pipe Company pipe loader and the orange car carrier with those plain plastic cars. I saw a couple of other items that I think we have, too, but not sure.

The kids are grown now and have other interests, and I've switched to early 1900s steam, so the modern cars are now in storage.


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## wiley2012

MtRR75 said:


> I was looking at your pictures and had a flash from the past. I saw a couple of items that date back to the original train set that we bought for the kids about 20+ years ago -- the Mid-atlantic Pipe Company pipe loader and the orange car carrier with those plain plastic cars. I saw a couple of other items that I think we have, too, but not sure.
> 
> The kids are grown now and have other interests, and I've switched to early 1900s steam, so the modern cars are now in storage.


Judging by your description, I'm betting it was TYCO's "Railroad Empire II" train set from their waning years.








TYCO was going through hard times during that period, and the interest in model trains as a kids' toy was dwindling, and they were being eclipsed by Bachmann, Life-Like and Model Power when it came to consumer HO trains.
But this was still a pretty fun set, from what I can see. Worth of note: though the stock photo depicts TYCO's own Alco Super 630 Santa Fe diesel, the set actually came with a Mehano Alco Century 628 in the Santa Fe colors (identical to what AHM used to offer.) Ironically, it performed much better than TYCO's locomotive did, with a can motor and eight-wheel drive (with two of the axles being additional electrical pickup wheels.) Lot of accessories to get the kids hooked, similar to some Life-Like sets of today (like the Trans-Atlantic Express or Freightline U.S.A.)

If you look at the train stuff in TYCO 1991 catalog, it's very sparse compared to the stuff they offered ten years earlier. Bachmann was still going strong, I think AHM was now defunct (and IHC had taken over), and Life-Like had gotten very popular by this time. And then of course, Athearn and Atlas still had their superior high-end stuff for more advanced modelers to start out with, or one could "graduate" from a Bachmann or TYCO locomotive and move up to one of these for powering their train.


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## trains galore

Parts of that set look very familiar, I have the trestle bridge and that crossing looks identical to the life like one I have
I like the looks of some of the old Tyco models, but have never had any luck with the Power Torque motors, they are probably at least 30 years old though:laugh:

Very nice collection by the way, really like some of those modern buildings, will have to try and find a few somewhere, maybe ebay........


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## MtRR75

wiley2012 said:


> Judging by your description, I'm betting it was TYCO's "Railroad Empire II" train set from their waning years.


Yep that's it. I don't remember the telephone poles and crossing signs (maybe the kids did not use them and lost them), and as you said the loco looks different, but I think we still have all of the rest of the parts shown on the box. I still use that transformer for controlling the turnouts on my new layout.


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## wiley2012

Some more updates!









Just working on re-arranging the structures and fences along that area. Might also get a "real" farmhouse building kit for the farm (maybe the Pola/AHM/Tyco/IHC/Walthers one...)









Bachmann Gandy Dancer handcar! It does have a little trouble running on certain areas, but generally I treat it like an analog/non-DCC locomotive.









I now have a second locomotive for my main BNSF freight train! It's a DCC-equipped Bachmann Santa Fe GP38-2. I've set it to the same address as the BNSF GP40 to allow for double-header operation.









I upgraded a few of my TYCO rolling stock pieces with Intermountain metal wheels. It makes quite a difference in traction! I hope to upgrade more soon.









Since I love the look of trees in September and October, I thought I'd get some more autumn-colored trees, from Woodland Scenics and Life-Like. On my layout, these stay year round!









"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
I had gotten these new Walthers Scenemaster figures of elementary school students today, and since two of them were in a fighting position, I couldn't resist! Man, do I not miss seeing that during my days of public school...









I also now have a light in my Plasticville Suburban Station!









Just a couple pieces of Walthers TrainLine rolling stock I recently acquired. The BN tank care I got today (same Walthers order that included the school kids figures.)









Overview of the yard section of my layout.


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## Magic

This looks like a fun layout, I like it. :appl: :appl:

Magic


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## trains galore

Yes that would be awesome running it in the dark with all the lights
Great to see all those classic tyco's/lifelike as well:smilie_daumenpos:


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## icolectto

Great work ! I have enjoyed reviewing your progress.


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## wiley2012

Some more updates, including some new motive power!








Mehano/IHC 2-8-2 Mikado in Santa Fe livery. This is the later version that had an improved flywheel motor, and the tender even had a knuckle coupler as default! (No having to do a coupler upgrade among getting it; yippee!) I wound up removing the front wheels though, as they were derailing on the turnouts, making it somewhat like some Mikados that were re-purposed for switcher use in real life. Very nice runner though! This was sold in IHC's "Premier" series. It's not DCC-ready, and though an upgrade is possible, I don't plan to put a decoder in it for the time being.









My Life-Like Proto 1000 F3A. As I said, these are also very nice runners, and this one is also DCC-equipped. Think of these as being Life-Like's answer to the Bachmann Plus and Silver Series lines. I think Walthers is bringing these back in the Walthers Proto line really soon (if they haven't already.)









Check out these two streamlined cupola cabooses. On the right is the classic TYCO version (upgraded with metal wheels and knuckle couplers by yours truly.) On the left is the later version made by Mehano and often sold by IHC (and included in later TYCO train sets.) This one also has metal wheels, but they were upgraded by the seller (bought it off eBay from ggnlars, the seller that often sells older rolling stock upgraded with metal wheels and knuckle couplers.)









I also now have the TYCO lighted signal crossing set up on my layout, replacing the TYCO signal man. Sure, the lights do alternate rather fast, but it's MUCH better than Bachmann's old "dual crossing gates with flashing lights and bell" from the '80s and '90s! (No motor noise, as the bell is clockwork-operated, triggered by a pressure sensor like the kind on Bachmann and TYCO's crossing gates.)









These two trains look straight out of the 1940s or 1950s!

Well, I went to a model train show this Sundayand picked up some good stuff, including my first Proto 2000 locomotive!
















Those who say Life-Like is cheap apparently was not including the Proto locomotives. Look at all that detail! It's even DCC-ready! (I just need to find the right decoder to plug into it...)

I also got an older Athearn SW-9 diesel, also in Santa Fe colors (naturally.)

















TYCO Tru-Steel lighted bumper track section from the late '70s or early '80s. I think Bachmann should make a lighted version of their Hayes bumpers; they're especially handy when you have an isolated siding so you can know whether it's powered on or not. (I know Atlas also used to make lighted bumpers, and Life-Like currently makes steel and nickel-silver versions for conventional track. I'm not sure if MRC will bring back Model Power's lighted bumpers though.)


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## wiley2012

A few more updates!









What's a layout with classic operating accessories without a log dump car? This is TYCO's version, made from 1968 to 1982, which operates electrically via remote control (like Lionel's version.) Mine is dated from at least 1978.









A few of my current train consists.









I removed that small siding that wasn't getting any use; plus it made for a cumbersome arrangement at the railroad crossing there. I'm going to get a couple of crossing signal controllers from Logic Rail Tech, and power a couple of my crossings this way (the one pictured, and another one using Model Power crossing signals.)









I got a new Life-Like Town Church building kit too! The old church was looking pretty crummy, like an old run-down building (it was one of the first building kits I attempted to assemble myself as a kid), so I figured it was due for a replacement. It's just the right kind of church for my community.









TYCO traffic light I just installed on my layout. I don't know if I'll wire it up yet, but it does look pretty cool. It even has a metal mast! I believe it has a small blinking incandescent bulb in it; it wouldn't actually sequence like a real traffic light.









Overview of the layout with that small siding removed.


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## wiley2012

Now it's looking like Christmas on my layout!









My Christmas train! The consist: Bachmann DCC-equipped Santa Fe FTA locomotive, TYCO/Mantua "Season's Greetings" boxcar, TYCO 50th Anniversay boxcar, A.H.M. 1979 holiday boxcar, Bachmann animated reindeer stock car, Life-Like christmas tree gondola car, and Bachmann wide-vision caboose.









The church at Christmastime. This is where the town tree was placed, too.









The train station, decorated for Christmas of course!









Another Santa can be found at the drug store!









I've also modified my IHC/Mehano Santa Fe Mikado steam engine and made it into a Consolidation, as the rear trailing wheels were rather troublesome.


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