# [HO] The Santa Fe Big "L"



## SF Gal

I thought I cronical my continuing efforts on my shelf layout I starting building over 23 years ago. I had grand ambitious plans as I finally had a finished basement to fix up and showcase a shelf railroad that friends and family would love to visit.
This is my 3rd engineered road with childhood experiences from serious modelers. I did the loop, and point to point in homosote and cork. I was a member of a modular club and learned all I could about DCC. If you ever want to learn DCC or modular design, joining a club and learning how to's from a lot of educated afficinato's is the way to go.
In those early days, being transient, I was relaglated to "N' scale and grew to dispise the micro-issues the scale presents. So this 3rd layout...is working to.....fulfill the dream!

The plan was to have a BIG yard to park a vast collection of rolling stock and Engines and a loop or duel main that could transit separate zones and climites based on my favorite railroad, namely the Santa Fe. I wanted at least 2 trains to be able to roll without much guidance while I could manage switching in a yard and making consists. I'd switch out consists on the main and drop off deliveries off the main while avoiding the 2 trains rolling on the main.
That takes a lot of track and basement space so the shelf layout was the ticket.

*The Design....*











I spent two years building the shelf, cutting out track bed, homosote, laying track, wiring in the DCC wiring, hardwiring locomotives from DC to DCC, and finally running trains. I had even tried to run a overhead main track high in the ceiling around the drop ceiling...it was enough to "burnout".









But there was so much more to do! I had very little buildings, no lighting, very little scenery.
So I kept plugging away...and *life happened* and I had to rethink everything as I feared I would have to tear it all down and move. So I abandoned my overhead line with a helix to connect the shelve unit and I shortened the mainline in order to be able to move it all. And then it sat, waiting to see if I would have to move it or not.

10 years later and it looks as if time passed me by and now I see myself retired and needing a winter hobby.
How about a railroad...I so wish I still had that drive I had in my youth, time has taken it toll on me too. I am in my 60's, FYI.
But I am trying to do more and more.
View media item 22955
I found some sweet deals on used buildings at the train show and am making them "mini diaramas" to plug and place on the layout all ready to go with people, furnishing, LED lighting and the such.
View media item 22963
Today, I get excited with nano LED tech and am working between the building diaoramas and the streets that define the spaces the diaramas plug into. I purchased nano street lights and building nano leds....









Engineering street scenes to work with a "popout panel" for loop access....









Mounting street lighting...so exciting!









I had a dedicated hi amperage 24vdc power supply for use on the layout and I am going to use it for all the lighting, adding several circuits of different adjustable voltages to mimic different brightness of street lights, home lights, store and sign lighting....a very ambicious lighting project.









And a glut of used recycled builtings to embellish and make into mini diaoramas. Placing then to see how they may fit in the town area around the bottom of the loop....









And a general view of the "L" shaped layout...









This top loop is a module that can move and disconnect to the shelf layout in order to gain access to a storage area door....










More to come soon.
I am wanting to start my own thread about my layout to document future progress and appologize in advance to those viewers looking for progress during the late Spring, Summer, and early Fall months as this is mostly a winter hobby for me.


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## CHRlSTIAN

Awesome layout ! Thanks for sharing.


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## BigGRacing

I think you are way ahead of us that are just starting out, I love your layout and am glad that you chose to get back at it. I appreciate you documenting your layout and look forward to watching it grow again. You are helping to keep me motivated at the same time !

ps, did you have any steamers that you converted to DCC, I do not think that this will be an easy undertaking if I choose to go DCC.


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## SF Gal

BigGRacing said:


> .....did you have any steamers that you converted to DCC, I do not think that this will be an easy undertaking if I choose to go DCC.


I've seen bigboy steamers in N scale that are fitted with DCC and sound, so it is possible. The trick is the tender is a big empty box. Empty enough to put a DCC module into it. 

This past week, while working on a building diaorama, it tryed my best to make a few outdoor vending machines for the gas station I am working on. Again I am trying to incorporate every detail into the diaorama so if something breaks, I can unplug it and remove it from the layout without trying to fix it where it stands. IMO, you end up damaging other parts of the layout like strung telephone poles, neighboring trees, signs, etc.
The printable photo paper was a mistake as the design peeled off the paper as I was handling it so next time I will use card stock. But I did manage to make a few....








I am really trying to detail the gas station with as much stuff as I can . The island has nano LEDS as does the signs and station permeter. Below, I cut out minature blocks and pushed toothpicks into them and painted them black, stuck them into a clay base to allow to dry. Some are also sign bases. Then cut out the paper vending machines and wrap them around the painted blocks, remove the toothpicks and place in the scene....









I also plan to do "Ice" machines...it's going to be a busy gas station....








Feel free to copy and save the images. depending what you to to print them you can scale the up or down depending on your layout scale.
I am also working on a restarunt now too, trying to detail the interior including adding flooring, tables people and lighting. Since the building has a pitched roof, I can use cheap normal sized LED's to light the interior. A work in progress....
View media item 22963
I really have to stop soon and regroup by cleaning up my hobby bench.
It's just a mess!!.... a modelers work is never done.


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## SF Gal

Today I got the bench cleaned up enough to mess it up again, isn't that always the case?!?!
Here's a pick of the coke machine I am not too happy with because the ink is flaking off of the photopaper.
I will try to reprint it with card stock but you get the idea....









The gas station needs a lot of work still, mostly detail painting, I know.

I also finished the diner lighting, just have to print out some people at tables and install them and then I can finish the gas station.









Progress...no matter how small, it's something!


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## Magic

You do some very nice work and I am enjoying the thread and your build. 
Just one thing and maybe it's just me but the Coke machine looks a bit big.
Might try scaling it down a bit. ❔

Magic


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## Conductorkev

Magic said:


> You do some very nice work and I am enjoying the thread and your build.
> Just one thing and maybe it's just me but the Coke machine looks a bit big.
> Might try scaling it down a bit. ❔
> 
> Magic



I was thinking the same thing lol.

BTW they do sell lighted coke or Pepsi machines I know I just bought a cpl of the Pepsi ones.


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## CHRlSTIAN

BigGRacing said:


> You are helping to keep me motivated at the same time !


Me too ! Thanks.


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## SF Gal

Magic said:


> ....maybe it's just me but the Coke machine looks a bit big.
> Might try scaling it down a bit. ❔


Good eye, I caught after the fact whe n I put it up to the building, I will be remaking it, a bit smaller....thanks.


Conductorkev said:


> BTW they do sell lighted coke or Pepsi machines I know I just bought a cpl of the Pepsi ones.


OOOOO...I would love a link to a lighted Pepsi machine!!! I did find a slew of vending machines on E-bay here.
You all sure know how to spend my money!!!! I think the lighted machines are awesome....I will definately buy a few.


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## SF Gal

Magic said:


> ....maybe it's just me but the Coke machine looks a bit big.
> Might try scaling it down a bit. ❔


Good eye, I caught after the fact whe n I put it up to the building, I will be remaking it, a bit smaller....thanks.


Conductorkev said:


> BTW they do sell lighted coke or Pepsi machines I know I just bought a cpl of the Pepsi ones.


OOOOO...I would love a link to a lighted Pepsi machine!!! I did find a slew of vending machines on E-bay here.
You all sure know how to spend my money


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## Conductorkev

SF Gal said:


> Good eye, I caught after the fact whe n I put it up to the building, I will be remaking it, a bit smaller....thanks.
> 
> OOOOO...I would love a link to a lighted Pepsi machine!!! I did find a slew of vending machines on E-bay here.
> You all sure know how to spend my money





SF Gal said:


> Good eye, I caught after the fact whe n I put it up to the building, I will be remaking it, a bit smaller....thanks.
> 
> OOOOO...I would love a link to a lighted Pepsi machine!!! I did find a slew of vending machines on E-bay here.
> You all sure know how to spend my money



Those are lighted if you look at the description. I've got them thry look ok way better than I could have ever done lol


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## SF Gal

Well, this frugal one is going to give the home made coke machine another try...working on that and a few other machines and signs tonight....









The last machines I made were a bit too big so these are a 1/2 inch smaller,
I printed them on card stock instead of photo paper so the image will not flake off the paper. 
The card stock is beefy too so the road signs will last a while.
Those lighted scale machines we chatted about above are nice but my money could be better spend during these inflationary times. Trying to use what I currently have. Maybe in the future, a upgrade will be prudent.


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## SF Gal

Well working on my 2nd attempt at a smaller coke machine, I needed my scroll saw to cut down a block I could wrap the paper printout around, but my Craftsman scroll saw was in the garage.
I had my tailgate table already in the work area oppisite my craft bench so I moved over my mini paint booth and table sander to make room....









On a side note.....
Under the table I have a very special train gifted from Grandma...it went under the tree for at least 10 years, in the 1950's, before I was born. I got it back in 2000.









I put it all together about 10 years ago and it ran and also chugged smoke as oil was still in the chimney!
*This is a complete train set* with buildings and in pretty good condition considering it is close to 70 years old!!!
As you see, I still have some boxes from the era.
After testing all of it, I took it apart and bubble wrapped it all up to preserve it. 









The loco has cloth wiring so I am thinking of taking it to a hobby shop in the area that has a train hospital...they rework old Locomotives...or I may just leave it alone. It need to be evaluated and valued by a professional.









A future thread on the train to come but it looks like I will be making a mini layout for it under the tree this Christmas.
Stay tuned for that story.
Getting back to my current HO layout.....
I have my soda machine drying...working on a bagged ice freezer and a coffee and candy bar machine.
Sizing to the right scale has been trial and error.


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## MidwestMikeGT

@SF Gal, I looked it up and an average vending machine is 72" tall. If you make your Coke machine 0.85" tall, it should be about the right size. What software are you using for those graphics? Can you put a ruler (digitally) on the screen to measure it? Often, software do have that option.


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## SF Gal

I am using MS Paint and yes I am using the MS Paint ruler to measure when resizing, good suggestion BTW.
So yesterday, I found I measured based on a different building and found the my Exxon gas station is smaller is stature than other buildings in my layout!
Check out the below pictures of my first coke machine and my second machine looks like I got the new size right.....









BTW, the macro lens really show the fault of the pixel print but from a foot away, it okay in my eye.
Now when I put it up to a different building, well the larger one looks to size!









So I tried a building with people....









and it seems evident that the gas station is a bit undersized....here if I keep the gas station in the fore ground and the restarunt in the background, they look close to the same size....









The size differences isn't that noticable until you start making accessories for the display! 
BIG SIGH! So that's what I am dealing with ...I will be making 2 sizes of accesories for the layout to keep the aspect ratio equal depending on the building. The gas station will be in close to the viewer and need a lot of paint work and finishing. I already painted yellow on most of the curbing, added flat black to the roof and started painting labels on can in the oil can displays...no pictures of that yet.


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## BigGRacing

I find that a lot, different scaled sizes….it sucks and just doesn’t look right for sure.


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## MidwestMikeGT

@SF Gal, I should have known that you were already using the ruler, given your computer competency! Apologies. Yes, the larger ones look more accurate in size, especially when around people! LOL.

@BigGRacing, you are correct about the building sizes.


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## Magic

I'm just wondering how long before you replace that gas station.
Now that you've noticed the difference size it'll bug you till you do.  
There are lots of gas station kits out there.

Magic


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## SF Gal

Good point about the gas station. This model was one of 10 buildings I picked off a train show table for $30, already built and used and abused, why am I trying so hard to make it work? 
I suppose I already have invested some time to light it, painted the inside so light didn't bleed through the plastic, and I do have a prominant place on the layout where it fits logically at an intersection. 
But I did make the base to fit that place so putting a different gas station on that footprint could work! 
Starting over "is a option!" 
Hmmmm, you sure got me thinking...now I have to find a scale correct and affordable gas station to be able to chuck all I did to get this far. 
Thanks for your thoughts Magic, got to keep a open mind ....with an eye on the budget especially when everyone here on the forum, loves to spend my money! 😁


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## MidwestMikeGT

SF Gal said:


> Good point about the gas station. This model was one of 10 buildings I picked off a train show table for $30, already built and used and abused, why am I trying so hard to make it work?
> I suppose I already have invested some time to light it, painted the inside so light didn't bleed through the plastic, and I do have a prominant place on the layout where it fits logically at an intersection.
> But I did make the base to fit that place so putting a different gas station on that footprint could work!
> Starting over "is a option!"
> Hmmmm, you sure got me thinking...now I have to find a scale correct and affordable gas station to be able to chuck all I did to get this far.
> Thanks for your thoughts Magic, got to keep a open mind ....with an eye on the budget especially when everyone here on the forum, loves to spend my money! 😁


Or....you could place it in the back of the layout to give the illusion of enhanced distance, maybe?


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## SF Gal

Well, I scrubbed working on the not to scale gas station and turned my attention to buildings and scenery behind the space the gas station and other building are going. I am looking for a better gas station in the mean time. 
So first thing is to start putting in street lights.
Here are those authentic looking lights, I think they are nifty!









But the nano wires for the Nano LED streetlights are too small for the push in terminals I want to use. These Wago 6 wire terminals I found at Menards pretty inexpensive, Besides soidlering the resistor on all of the nano wires, I also made leads in a larger wire gauge to fit in the Wago connectors nicely, and used liquid tape on the exposed wire. 










My favorite cement secured them into place once I drilled a big enouth hole through the base...









Spend a good amount of time under the layout wiring up my dedicated super home made power supply to all the street lights and homes. I found the home closest to the camera didn't get my anti-bleed treatment as it was prebuilt at the factory for a christmas village. So I have to tear into it soon. Turned on the TV (Mecum auction I think?) to get a contrast to the illuminated layout area....









I have a window behind the TV (hoping to get a small TV in this area soon). I might block that out. But those Nano lights are really sweet. Love the authentic shadows between the lights 










Just so much still to do ...striping the road is next then the other side of the street gets lighted buildings. AND, fix that light bleeding home! UG!!!! I usually use colored cardstock to line the interior walls. Some progress before I have to go make dinner. _sigh_


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## Raege

Cool Beans! Did you use a scale measurement on lights to get the effect? Really looks good with the light pools and slight shadowing between poles.


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## SF Gal

No, but I like the way you think. (Ha..."cool beans"... _*giggle_*)
I should have, I just winged it but now I want to check on how close I came to the actual measurements.
According to the town near me, the poles should be 15 feet high with standard spacing of *300 feet* between the poles.
So, according to Woodland Scenics Scaler, 15' = 2.069 inches tall and 300' = 41.379 inches between the poles.
Wow, I realized 41inches it pretty far and wouldn't look scale or provide enough light.
2 inch tall is close to hitting a box truck roof on a scale truck and if I use not to scale matchboxes...forgetaboutit.








According to my measurements, my poles are 2.675" tall and spaced an average of 9" between the poles.









I guess eyeing it to scale makes me happier that actual life standards.
I found if I made them all 10 inches apart, some poles would have ended up in driveways.


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## Raege

Guess it shows to go ya exactly to scale isn’t always the answer our eyes are looking for or happy with. From how good it looked thought you had copied real world


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## OilValleyRy

Al’s Victory Service might be a good kit. It comes with 2 or 3 styles of pumps, including the blocky 1970s-80s style if that’s important?

If a wood kit (and price tag) doesn’t scare you, JL Innovatives Storm Lake is fun. I built one with a modified drum roof. 








My dad since altered it more, making the pump island lights working, adding an interior, interior lights, and he even added sound to it… the ding line/bell line and bell of someone pulling in. Fun build.


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## SF Gal

I had to find a daytime picture of it....Nice looking kit, that's for sure!


















Curious what the drum is made of...plastic so you can illuminate the whole top? Looks like a $40 kit.
I am a little squimish about exact scale as the last cheapo station was small. I might have to visually see one in person....IDK.


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## OilValleyRy

SF Gal said:


> I had to find a daytime picture of it....Nice looking kit, that's for sure!
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> Curious what the drum is made of...plastic so you can illuminate the whole top? Looks like a $40 kit.
> I am a little squimish about exact scale as the last cheapo station was small. I might have to visually see one in person....IDK.


The drum in the kit is a cardboard shipping tube. I didn’t discard it but used it as a template to make a double layer (double thickness or 2 ply) clear styrene drum, and a common shipping tube cap for the recessed top. This was many years ago. JL Innovative really loved the idea. They may have since changed the cardboard tube in the kit(?) but as I’ve not seen many others done in a similar fashion I cannot confirm it.
Bugging my dad to send me current photos or maybe video of it and his night scene “main drag” as I think folks here would really dig it. He’s got 1950s music playing at the A&W drive in, etc.


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## SF Gal

Working on my Standard oil garage on the corner of Main and Route 66.
You can view the whole build thread in a thread called Asphalt is not my fault.
I might want to rethink some of the titles of these tangent build threads....hmmmmmm.


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## SF Gal

I am really working towards the left of the town from center.
This town is on the middle of my "L" shaped layout....








I am thinking of calling the town Hatchville, as the town is on a access hatch to the back of a corner of the layout.
Here is a picture of the hatch and I am starting to "plot" the layout on the top of the hatch.
Where should buildings go??? .....can I put in a alley? .....what buildings work, what dosen't....









Nothing is set in stone until I add building lighting. All the lighting for the hatch will be on a quick disconnect plug.
This is the back of the layout and not as visible. Some of my least like buildings might fill this area.









Here is the access hole in the layout ....









And with the hatch top covering the access hole.....









And "late Night" in town seems to be as busy as the daytime!!!! I can't wait to illuminate the Santa Fe sign on the roof of the fire house and add street lights to the left of the picture along route 66.....








The garage and restaraunt are lighted and set where they stand.
Progress.....working on Hatchville? Accesstown? Hmmm?? I need a Route 66 small town name between Chicago and St. Louis along which route 66 travels through....I have to give it some thought...
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!............







*


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## Gramps

Go for it! I did a Google search and just as an FYI, there are actual towns named Hatchville, MA; Hatchville, WI and Hatch, UT and for the river in the photo that leads to the hatch area there is an actual river in Florida called the Caloosahatchie. (The river I actually knew about.)


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## OilValleyRy

Well I don’t know about a name… But a fun tongue in cheek thing would be a street sign that says Chicago 297 mi with a left arrow, and China 7,917 mi with a down arrow (as in falling in the hatch and coming out in Bejing like Bugs Bunny).


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## SF Gal

Back to more "Access Hatch" work as I have it removed.
The hatch is a major part of the town. I moved it to the bench so I can add lighting to the fire station (brown brick with Santa Fe sign) and to finalize the layout for buildings in the back of the firehouse and Candy's restarunt. I decided to use these cheapo flea market (five HO buildings for $20) finds, 2 stores and the Motel, and place them in the back behind the firehouse. I added an alley and wired LED lights into pockets, I make out of Basswood, in the buildings.
Here is the final spots as buildings are hot glued to the styrafoam base and set in stone...









Another view from the backside of the hatch.....









I hot glued a frame on the underside of the hatch to give the styrafoam some added support and wired in the quick connect connector. It is really solid but light, even with all the plastic buildings on top. Tongue depressors are a slick find..."Say Ahhhhhhh!"









The area in back of the Motel needed a better corner spot than the small garage I was planning to install.....









So I decided to break out another Train show flea market find I got for $12....









These *two* buildings will fill in the empty lot nicely but won't be very prominent as the fire station blocks some of its views. But you can see them when operating in the railyard so I feel the corner needs more city like buildings.
So I starting building the structures today....









I added a basswood floor and walls to selectively illuminated different windows and spaces....









I am actually using hot glue to cement the wood to the plastic and wood to wood....









Adding lighting and curtains. I will do a light bleed test to the dark brick plastic before I paint or coat the interior with cardstock.









Then I tested the LEDs and placed the roof without glue. The paper graphics are really cheapo, glad I only paid $12 for the kit. These train shows are really saving me a money and time on my town. And from the front....








Working on painting the chimneys, wood stairs, fake lights, fire hydrant, and stair railings. Who molds green chimneys? Heljan does! UG!








So as I am watching paint dry (wanna watch with me?) I still have the second building in the kit to build and wire the same way as I did this one. But I actually called it a day as I have other things to do....tomarrow is another day.
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!............







*


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## OilValleyRy

All classic structures, presented in full nostalgic glory. Normally these things get modified (that general store looks suspiciously like a house I did)… But seeing them all in their “box cover form” is a warm tickle. It’s nice to see for a change.
One of these days I’ll post photos of what I did to that pool. It’s barely recognizable.

The pockets you mentioned you make… is that different from the floors & walls inside structures?


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## SF Gal

OilValleyRy said:


> All classic structures, presented in full nostalgic glory. Normally these things get modified (that general store looks suspiciously like a house I did)… But seeing them all in their “box cover form” is a warm tickle. It’s nice to see for a change.
> One of these days I’ll post photos of what I did to that pool. It’s barely recognizable.
> 
> The pockets you mentioned you make… is that different from the floors & walls inside structures?


 Thanks I lhad to laugh at the term warm tickle...so true. Can't wait to see your pool.
No, the pockets are room I made from floors and walls...made many in the firehouse. I like to see lights in one window and dark in the next...adds realism as long as light doesn't bleed through the plastic walls...that a deal breaker for me in the realism rhelm.


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## JeffHurl

Yeah, that green could pass for metal roofing, but not chimney brick.

Keep the pics coming!


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## Gramps

Nicely done, you have great attention to detail.


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## Mannix

Well done ! Do you have time to run trains from time to time?


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## SF Gal

Mannix said:


> .....Do you have time to run trains from time to time?


That is a great question! And something I should address here on my build thread.
I am not running trains for the time being, I have a lot to do before that can happen. First, it has been 12 years since I ran a DCC locomotive, I total track cleaning, and car/locomotive cleaning needs to be done. I did checkout the NCE pro, the power supply and all wiring is working as installed way back then. 















I got all my DCC locomotives rolling on the main, just to test them out. 
I might have to upgrade the chip for todays decoders...most likely... _sigh_
I purchased the system in 2006, according to my reciept....








Out of the 15 locomotives, 9 still need to be changed out to DCC as I currently have 5 decoders (bought in 2022)to be installed. I also recieved about 100 train cars from various people as gifts to be used as I want. 
I have not gone through them all and cleaned, oiled, and graded them, replaced coupliers to Kaydee and wheels to metal as I will not run plastic wheels on the layout.
So a lot of re-affiramation and cleaning will have to be done to start rolling again...a full day, possibly two if issues are found. I am happy to see my dehumidifer has kept the enviroment stable and I don't see any shifting issues. The homasote base is awesome. 
I realized just one of the "many reasons" the Santa Fe Big 'L' line was abondoned in 2010 was that I was burn't out with 5 years of engineering the design, building the track and intregrating the DCC into the mix. 
With all that needs to be done, I figured switching gears into scenery will *"eventually"* motivate me to start the process of getting the track and rolling stock into tip top shape. 
Just getting back into a Train forum is helping me to move along what has been a hobby waiting on retirement.
Well, here I am, retired and excited again about the scenery and the layout.
The future forcast looks to be more down time as the weather breaks to above 60F tempatures in the region and some of my summer hobbies take presidence, this fowl weather friend will just have to keep on waiting.
Thanks for the question Mannix!


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## SF Gal

Another day, "WORKING ON THE RAILROAD!"
But first, I ran to Hobby Lobby to pickup some supplies to resupply stock.
Found that you can get generic moss cheaper than the packaged train scenery stuff....









The score from the Hobby Lobby store....









Letters, figurines, razor blades, gray paint, and moss.
The package of people was a suprise, for $11 I get double the amount of people I usually get from a train accessory manifacture.
As far as the letters, I have been using them to make facia sign to allow the viewer to associate an area on the layout on a actually town or city in the U.S.A. ...









Back to the layout as I continue to strive to finish the hatch cover I have been working on since I finished the gas station. Paint had dried on the parts tree and I worked on getting the second building in the kit assemblied and lighted...









Got the second building wired up and tested good.
I mounted both buildings on the hatch cover and started detailing the hatch itself...










*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!............ 







*


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## SF Gal

More work on the layout as the weather outside for the past week and forseeable future is cold and rainy, the stuff the flu was made of. Because of the weather, I am digging my progress on the layout. I am getting a lot of scenery done.
So much so I was running out of trees and had to go through a shoebox top of very old N scale trees that were mixed together with moss, field grass, pine trees, tree turf, and hot glue pettets...UG!









But, I sorted and sifted as much as I dare save and reconstituted all the trees to like new.
I then started laying grass, the rest of the trees and tried to pretty much finish the very back of the layout.
I then wired up LED lighting in two already assembled flea market find buildings, laid gravel in the industrail area of the town, and set up street lights and telephone poles...got so busy I didn't take any photo's of the stuff in progress.
I suppose it is the whole finished detailed town.... will be my final satisfaction.
...More pictures soon.
I am also thinking about the "Ten Proverbial Questions!"
If you ever been on a layout crawl, you may have gotten a piece of paper with ten thing to find on the layout.
A further explaination is found when you click on the above link....
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!......







*


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## SF Gal

I worked thru the evening yesterday and only had 2 hickups so I consider this look pretty much detailed and done.
Having said that, I am sure I will add more detail like more people, vehicles, and wires on the electric poles.
Can you spot the hickups while I tease you with night time pictures? BTW, working on removing the 60" Sony television for a 40" that will expose more of the back of the layout.


















The two Hick ups I had are in this picture....








Gosh you are good, you saw that the EAT sign is not illuminated. I have to pop the roof and check what happened....









And you're right, the missing decorative fake sidewalk light on the end poped off the hatch trying to replace it on the layout. I also need a little filler piece on the easement of mainstreet at the firehouse driveway and the restaraunt parking lot....









Here is a view of the buildings I was working on yesterday to illuminate, the construction company and the warehouse...









The hotel, fruit store, and general store ended up on the street I call route 66....









Wish I could take pictures without the blur.....









On to fixing the hickups, swapping out televisions, and moving on to scenery to the right of this area.

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## OilValleyRy

I don’t know what type of camera you use, but a balsa wood unipod will steady it. You could use anything, but I say balsa because it’s so light weight that if it fell onto a structure it’s unlikely to do any damage. The top end just needs some sort of cradle/fork to hug whatever camera you use.


----------



## Raege

balsa tripod seems expensive I’d go with a cpl wee drams of your favorite whisky 😉
Looking good really making loads of progress 👍
ps I know the whisky won’t stop a blurry snapshot but it will make you not mind it so much


----------



## Lemonhawk

Nice work on lighting!


----------



## Mannix

Where is the Barbie and Ken House ? Sorry I can't resist...


----------



## SF Gal

I actually have a Barbie house...and a camper...and a few of my Barbies from the late 60's. Just the wrong scale.
Maybe if I ever get a G scale garden layout I could incorporate them into the garden....🙄


----------



## OilValleyRy

Raege said:


> balsa tripod seems expensive I’d go with a cpl wee drams of your favorite whisky 😉
> Looking good really making loads of progress 👍
> ps I know the whisky won’t stop a blurry snapshot but it will make you not mind it so much


Nah, just a Unipod. An 8”-12” balsa stick to steady the cam.


----------



## Gramps

SF Gal said:


> I actually have a Barbie house...and a camper...and a few of my Barbies from the late 60's. Just the wrong scale.
> Maybe if I ever get a G scale garden layout I could incorporate them into the garden....🙄


My daughter had Barbie back in the day and even with G scale it would look like the old "Attack Of The 50' Woman" movie.


----------



## Roy Merritt

Barbie are 1/6 scale. A 1/6 scale SD40-2 would be around 11 feet long.


----------



## SF Gal

No pictures today but I went back to a few building still lighted with grain of wheat bulbs and changed them out to LED's, now my whole layout is running LED's, Yay!!!!
I am going to start organizing all my scenery materials into cabinets by my workbrnch and get them off the layout.
The layout really needs a good cleanup.
After that, I will be working on cleaning train track and fixing a few obstructions to running trains again.
I have a lot of cars to sort out, repair or recycle, 5 diesel locomotives to convert to DCC, and possibily a updated chip to install in my NCE power pro...the fun is just beginning....I hope!


*A Work in Progress!...Stay tuned!.....







*


----------



## Chops

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin' around!


----------



## SF Gal

Today I scored some stuff from a train store about 30 minutes south of me.
I went because I really want a rail yard spotlight tower, like the ones in a thread I created.
But they didnt have anything like that. Here is the haul...the bag of people I got for $6 but they need to be painted better.









I bought the derrick oil rig to see if I could kitbash a spotlight tower with it...it is pretty detailed.
So I started assembling it. I will paint it silver or black...not sure yet. I do have these LED adjustable spot cones with LED that came with a battery pack and on/off switch I do not remember where I got them from....








So I got stuck what to do or even if I am going to use them.
I shifter gears and fabed up a new test track for my locomotives to use to test DC locos and later, once I get my engines cleaned and lubed up, program newly installed decoders in rebuilt/repaired/cleaned/lubed engines....









It was a good time to evulate all the locomotives I somehow were gifted and a few I bought.
I went through each locomotive and wrote down all the issues I found with each one....









Any the final verdict....they ALL have to be cleaned and lubed as none of then have ran since 2012. Besides that....









Most of the diesel engines that were gifted to me are dead as a doornail...so I will evaluate then to see if they are even worth fixing. Those with passenger car in RR companies other Santa fe I will try to fix and may sell off the consist to pay for new Santa Fe stuff,. Next up separating all my rollingstock from Kadee coupliers and tyco and metal wheels from plastic. I have a LOT of gifted old rolling stock I need to evaluate.....



*A Work in Progress!...Stay tuned!.....







*


----------



## SF Gal

Today I am working on a yard spotlight tower, you can see the build progress in a thread I called Rail Yard Light Tower.
I will post the finished kitbash in this thread soon, stay tuned.
I also found these Hot Wheel finds while shopping today for Easter dinner, in a bin at my local Jewel Food store.








The suburu car is too big but the middle concept all metal car will work as will the USS Enterprise as it flys high above the layout! I wanted a red car so I started painting it as it is a solid piece of machined steel....









A lot of painting the light tower and the little concept car today, not much else to report....


*A Work in Progress!...Stay tuned!.....








*


----------



## Raege

You can skip the light tower and mod the trek ship to fire phasers to light up the yard 
Great job on the maint inspections of your engines. Hope I can get as focused and organized.


----------



## SF Gal

I finished the yard light tower and you can see all the picks on the build thread link I previously posted....









I will be planting telephone poles, turnout indicator lighting and a fuel farm next...soon.....


*A Work in Progress!...Stay tuned!.....







*


----------



## Gramps

Nice work.


----------



## JeffHurl

Wow, does that look great!

Maybe adding LED lighting to my N scale layout Weill be a project for next winter... Hmmm ..


----------



## SF Gal

Today was a big help having some people over for a Easter brunch as I was finally able to get a 50" television from dangling over my layout...but it wasn't easy and a telephone pole died during the move....









I cleared all the buildings and scenery I could and I finally got that monster moved!









Looks like I will have to replace a ceiling tile ....and a telephone pole.
I have a smaller television I will be mounting more to the right of the photo that will not obstruct anything.
The reason to move this TV was it was blocking views of the back of the layout and restricting my access through my hatch to access the back tracks.
So after everyone left, I had some time to fix a old road I had made in plaster and add a road to a train station in the yard....








I also added more lighting to the yard, more things to enhance the yard appeal and interest....









The diesel shop got some outside lighting to illuminate the signs on the building....









I added lighting to my coal tower I had laying around...I consider it abandoned since steam was phased out a decade or more ago but it adds interest, I like how the shadows play on the cars near it in the yard....









And finally got the light on the water tower blinking!








I got a real sweet deal on some people that I found at a local hobby shop. They buy layouts and package up everything for resale. So a bag of about 30 figurines with a bad paint job was $7...sold! I also got some bags of sitting people too, 10 for $2. So I repainted them and cut them off there old style footing, prepping them for placement...


















So a little more progress...the TV was the best progress of all as I was so afraid all my hard work on the town would be destroyed as the sword of Damiclease hanged overhead!!!!


*A Work in Progress!...Stay tuned!.....







*


----------



## Magic

The lights look cool.

Magic


----------



## SF Gal

I am spending a considerable amount of time these past few days, working on the lower part of my "L" layout which is my Santa Fe yard. I want to ballast the yard but in order to do that, I want to complete scenes, build-outs, signals, etc. Ballast has to be the last thing. As a example, the depot station platform would have been over a uneven ballast surface and looked bad. Here I am working on the platform.....









I got these lamps, still ion the package from 14 years ago and modified the bulbs, I replaced them all with LED's and added them to the platform....








The workers are pretty busy in the area and I added the construction scene, just for fun and to get an idea to add some dummy tracks in the yard to add this scene without obstructing yard operations. 








I have been busy also converting "gifted" old train cars such as these construction cars to accept kadee couplers and add new metal wheels. While watching various threads on the THIS forum, I came across a wonderful idea of making a car holder out of styrofoam, so thanks to the forum, I am not getting flustered with cars sliding around on the hobby bench....








The foam will sure come in handy when I start working on the locomotives, soon.
On a somewhat unrelated note.....I was in Rockford, Illinois, checking out Hobbytowns ultra high prices.... _*sigh_*
....and saw this parked in the lot. Thought it was cute...















And a picture of my "somewhat" finished depot scene and continuing efforts in my yard....









I just ordered 100 more street figurings off of Ebay and 15 more vehicles, due here the first week in May...
















The population on my layout will be getting quite busy coming later this year....




*A Work in Progress!...Stay tuned!..... 







*


----------



## Raege

The little tykes cars are funny! Got one around my neighborhood with the wind up key on the back


----------



## SF Gal

*giggle*...the wind up key would have been perfect for the car, so fun!
Well, I started digging into some of the cheap "gifted Locomotives I have and I think I will clean them up and try to sell them or maybe if they can't be repaired, put them in a diaorama to sell...
This is a Mantua/Tyco pioneer piece, all rivited together... _*sigh*_....
should I even bother to drill out the rivits or just spray it down with contact cleaner?
Bulb is burn't out, runs sluggish, needs a good cleaning.
Maybe put the whole assembly in my ultrasonic cleaner.

















I want to change it out to LED and I was thinking of buying a dozen or so reversable LEDs...anyone have a link where they bought their locomotive LED's?
On a semi- related note, my Ebay purchases came in today and I am super happy...woohoo!









Not much work today as I am leaving on a vacation in the morning, so packing was a top priority.
So this thread just got derailed to at least May....but it is still.....

*...A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Raege

Loving that vw bus it's groovy!
Have a great vaca!


----------



## Longvallon

SF Gal said:


> I am leaving on a vacation in the morning


Hey hey hey ! No vacation allowed until you finish your layout !


----------



## Raege

thought of the Big L when I Picked this Santa Fe doodle bug up on the cheap to practice my soldering on


----------



## Chops

That is the older MU2 motor, which is pretty durable. I'd give it a contact cleaner spray, the gears a drop of oil, and clean the pick up wheels. The traction tires may be dried out, Calumets are best for the job, though you may break the mounting pins when the bogie frame is removed. Crazy Glue puts it back on.


----------



## SF Gal

Nice find *Raege, *so where do you find something like that on the cheap, the Brimfield Antique Flea Market?
Wish you had a bigger picture of it... I might spring for one of those after I get through fixing and cleaning evertyhing I currently have.


----------



## Raege

61 bucks on ebay bid. Will toss a bigger pic when it arrives


----------



## SF Gal

Would love to see what you do with the doodlebug Raege, it's "Groovy!". Today is unpack day from vacation.
I went shopping for beach wear down in Florida and searched for a hobby shop close but it's like a model railroad train desert out there, not one store! But I did find a resale shop were I got some farm implements and Hobby Lobby where I got more people, horses, a hobby motor for a future project, and a desoildering tool as mine is getting wore out....









Later if I am up to it, I might be working on the railroad as here in the upper midwest it is still nasty, weatherwise.
Still no outdoor activity to slow my train activities...but soon the weatherman sez, so we will see.
I did bring back enough warm weather to stop future frost warnings but gosh, I am missing the warm sun already! Brrrrrrrrr!!!!!! I still have my layout to keep me busy, so that's good.

*...A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*

.


----------



## OilValleyRy

Looks like 80F coming a week from today. Might need a weekend to sort what all needs painting. Remove safetys from the paint bombs on monday. 
Point being don’t wait until the good weather hits to prepare.


----------



## MidwestMikeGT

@SF Gal, I got my LEDs from Lighthouse LEDs - 0603 SMDs, 5mm LEDs, Pre-Wired Leds, High Power, Nano, Pico, PLCC2 and it was pretty useful for me, especially the pre-wired ones with resistors. Not sure about bi-directional LEDs though....


----------



## SF Gal

Thanks for the LED link Mike...still seeking bi directional too.
I have a electronic engineer with 50 years experience looking into what I want to do, may be just a diode application problem.
My main issue is I want F7 cab and number plate on in any direction, on a DC Locomotive.


----------



## OilValleyRy

You don’t need to do all that. Just function map the headlight (or reverse light function wired to standard cab/board LED). You can change the function parameters, or how the function functions. I did it following the NCE PowerCab manual instructions to make head end number boards lit in any direction unless I turn all the lights off. You don’t need anything special to do it.


----------



## SF Gal

I suppose you are correct...I better hook up my DCC to my test track as I currently had to use the DC transformer to test all the "gifted" DC locomotives I have. I think I need a dedicated DC test track and a DCC program track. I have been using my program track to test DC loco's...duh! Thanks for the heads up! I have been slow to get all my DCC stuff tested and running as I have so many DC locomotives to test/fix/clean and convert. Making another track soon! The reason to test the DC stuff before converting is pretty clear but some of it I want to leave DC and sell off, mostly the non Santa Fe and cheap brand stuff. Now my electrical engineer want me to use 2 LEDs for bi directional for DC being he doesnt understand how one LED working both ways in bright white is preferred using the existing incandencant light location. After explaining that fact, he said I can use one LED with a bridge recectifier but the voltage drop won't light the LED till about 4 volts. He states I will not find a bright white bi-directional LED, they do not make them...hmmmm.


----------



## MidwestMikeGT

SF Gal said:


> Thanks for the LED link Mike...still seeking bi directional too.
> I have a electronic engineer relative looking into what I want to do, may be just a diode application problem.
> My main issue is I want F7 cab and number plate on in any direction.


Candy, if you use a bridge rectifier between the input wires and the LED, it will work in DC for both forward and reverse.


----------



## SF Gal

MidwestMikeGT said:


> Candy, if you use a bridge rectifier between the input wires and the LED, it will work in DC for both forward and reverse.


Ya after I finally got my electrical engineer to understand one LED was preferred he showed me the bridge rectifier circuit...I have a few 4004 and they should work fine....so wish we still had a Radio Shack around. Where am I gonna find more diodes if I need them...paying postage for simple components stinks!
Sorry if all my ramblings about electronics is confusing but I am working with DC AND DCC at the same time and in my blonde head, I get mixed up about what I am keeping DC and what I am changing over to DCC...and all the varibles needed to understand the different ways LED wiring works between the two.


----------



## MidwestMikeGT

SF Gal said:


> Ya after I finally got my electrical engineer connection to understand one LED was prefered he showed me the bridge rectifier circuit...I have a few 4004 and they should work fine....so wish we still had a Radio Shack around. Where am I gonna fine more if I need them...paying postage for simple components stinks!


I believe you could use a 1A 50V bridge rectifier and it would produce pretty bright lighting on a 12 - 16 v circuit. Maybe a DF005S might work. At current gas prices...shipping might not be too bad an idea, if you have to drive in Chicago traffic to any electronic store around.


----------



## SF Gal

While cleaning out my luggage from vacation I found another jem I found at a antique store in Florida.
This old school Lifelike Scenic kit comes with 2 telephones with fake lights, 2 soda machines, a telephone booth, 3 street garbage cans, and six fire hydrants....









I ended up paying about $7 for the item as I really wanted the fire hydrants and interesting street cans. The rest of the stuff was a bonus, I suppose. I thought I got a okay deal. Of course coming back to cold damp weather got me a chill, and I caught a cold. So my work on the railroad is on hold again! Drat.


----------



## Chops

Phone booths used to be everywhere. I remember always checking the receiver to make sure someone had not stuck gum to the ear piece. Struggling to get the change in to slot with frozen fingers, or being in a sauna during summer. Nice grab.


----------



## SF Gal

Well, between cleaning house and smelling/ breathing cleaning fluids in the bathroom and kitchen, I took a break and did some work on the hobbie bench today.
It is rainy and cold outside here today in the upper midwest so I am indoors today!
So, I went through three locomotives.
If they are currently DC, I am leaving them DC.
Once all the DC locomotives are ready to run, then I will take the best of those and convert them to DCC.
Out of the three, one needs new round carbon brushes as the motor had power ar the motor springs holding the brushes in place. 
The unit below did not have ANY identifying manifacture marks and found the copper buss bar from the front and back axle feeder brush was missing.....








So I soldered a wire in place and added LED lights on both sides of the engine to illuminate the headlights depending on which way the loco is moving. I used liquid wrench to hose down any conjealed gear grease and then applied some PTFE grease on the gears and sprayed doen the motor with CRC contact cleaner. 









The loco was also missing the coupler boxes and couplers so I added some Kadee couplers on the loco. Unit ran very well in DC mode. 









Another locomotive was of the exact same design, with no manifactures markings and that one had it's motor buss bar.
It only needed a good cleaning and relube...I also added LED lights for both directions.
Some of these locomotives are old, 80's stuff....I am sure I am going to have a few parts loco's in this collection of gifted locomotives....
On another front, I am starting to collect more parts for a fuel depot. When I was at the store, I seen a Lifelike refueling depot made out of derlict tank cars..... 









So instead of buying the $15 model, I am going to kitbash something similar. I also have some tanks from perfume spray bottles and a cardboard roll that needs a roof....








so I will see what I can come up with. 
I also saw a sanding station I can kitbash. I already have a sand bin....









I found a good deal for 6 of these silver electrical box enclosures for $2 as they were in a previous owned area of a local hobby store that buys whole layouts and repackages everything... (dont mind the exposed and cracked plaster...the area isn't finished, this side of the tracks)








And I still have over 100 figures to place around the layout and a few horses too...








I am working on a farm on the back corner of the layout and the horses will go there...somewhere.
Does anyone know how to kitbash haybales? Can't be that hard to make them look realistic.








I lot of the layout is just build and place without weathering or adding major details. I did find some more fire hydrants, another phone booth, 2 more soda machines, and 3 more garbage cans in another antique find, now I have 2 packages!









But alias, my continuing efforts are majorly on going through all the gifted DC locomotives.
That's my update for the rest of the week and possibly the month, depending on the weather.
Just can stay indoors when the weather is nice , here, in the upper midwest.
*...A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Gramps

Chops said:


> Phone booths used to be everywhere. I remember always checking the receiver to make sure someone had not stuck gum to the ear piece. Struggling to get the change in to slot with frozen fingers, or being in a sauna during summer. Nice grab.


That brings back memories of when I was a kid in New York. I would go into every phone booth and see if any change was in the little cup on the bottom of the unit. Sometimes money would be returned in there for whatever reason. Back in the 50's finding 10 cents in the phones could buy an ice cream or soda.


----------



## Chops

You been working like a one armed grave digger! Like the farm, and the iconic Mail Pouch roof ad. Never seen that silo. 



https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-8&p=how+to+make+ho+scale+hay+bales&type=E210US91088G0#id=2&vid=5022b761682d6a505bc9f95d1f72632a&action=click


----------



## SF Gal

I am on vacation in southern Indiana...will check out your haybale link soon, many thanks!!!


----------



## Chops

I know diddly about Southern Indiana. What does one do on vacation there? I am thinking of trying to do a trip to Alaska in early September, when the leaves start to turn. Got a $4 K city tax bill I have to settle up first.


----------



## Lemonhawk

Cliffy Falls State Park along the Ohio River, amazingly tall falls for Indiana! New Harmony for the art minded people.


----------



## Longvallon

SF Gal said:


> I am on vacation in southern Indiana...will check out your haybale link soon, many thanks!!!


Oh no ! Another vacation. You will never finish your layout...


----------



## SF Gal

I am here near Nashville, Indiana, as I do craft shows in the summer with my crocheted things I make. Also, Nashville is a artsy place us gals like to visit. I picked up a cute apron, some carmel corn, a whirlygig for the yard, and a sheer embroratered blouse with a cute white skirt. Ill be back Monday but with good weather comes down time for my trains. Vacations are the norm this time of year for me. *giggle*.


----------



## Conductorkev

SF Gal said:


> I am here near Nashville, Indiana, as I do craft shows in the summer with my crocheted things I make. Also, Nashville is a artsy place us gals like to visit. I picked up a cute apron, some carmel corn, a whirlygig for the yard, and a sheer embroratered blouse with a cute white skirt. Ill be back Monday but with good weather comes down time for my trains. Vacations are the norm this time of year for me. *giggle*.



What is that word you speak of?? Vacation is not a part of any vocabulary that I use lol.


----------



## Magic

SF Gal I'll bet your the only one on this forum to ever say "a sheer embroidered blouse with a cute white skirt "  

Keep up the good work and have fun on your vacation. 

Magic


----------



## Chops

I want some caramel corn.


----------



## SF Gal

Conductorkev said:


> What is that word you speak of?? Vacation is not a part of any vocabulary that I use lol.


My dear sir, there IS no hope for you! Oh My! _*giggle_*


Magic said:


> .....I'll bet your the only one on this forum to ever say "a sheer embroidered blouse with a cute white skirt "
> Keep up the good work and have fun on your vacation.
> Magic


I had a good time with friends. I have found a lot of my girly things can be used in Model Railroading. From extra hold hair spray to tweezers, clothes pins to nail polish, nylons and hair dryers! You should see what you can do with the underwires from a used bra!


Chops said:


> I want some caramel corn.


Checkout all the different flavors you can get if you order on-line!!!!!




__





Gourmet Popcorn


Shop Nashvillefudgekitchen.com and explore over 80 flavors of gourmet popcorn. Buy 5 bags Get 1 Free plus FREE SHIPPING over $40.




nashvillefudgekitchen.com




I got the Butter Rum popcorn....yum!
The town even had a shop called Brown County Model trains where you could run a train!









Cool place to check out, for sure....
Now that summer is in full swing here, I can only work on the layout on the rainy days. Tomorrow is suppose to be one of those days so stay tuned!


----------



## SF Gal

I had some time today to pick at the huge locomotive collection needing deep inspection.
I figured I look at Santa Fe locomotives that had a chance of running on my layout instead of just looking at other lines I was gifted just because I had a interest and they didn't want to toss them in the trash.
So the first one was at F7 Mantura/Tyco that did run but had a burn't out bulb and was sluggish.








These old units are hearty if the motor brushes don't wear out. The motor is in the rear truck and the gearing is all sealed. No way to replace anything without drilling out rivits. The front truck is just picking up power. The thing doesn't even have a frame or flywheels. So I sprayed it down with silcone lube and blew it out with compressed air. I then used contact cleaner on the areas near the motor brush springs.
While I had the trucks out of the shell I installed a LED with 1000meg resistor in place of the incandant bulb.
It was fiddly to get it all back together also, this gal needed her cheaters.
While I had it open I installed a engineer peering out the side window, just for the heck of it.









I added Kadee couplers to the modified coupler boxes....








I put the F7 on the test track and she crawls very nicely, I was very happy she even runs!

__
https://flic.kr/p/2npbdJN

Next up was another Santa Fe loco #3233, this one is more modern Lifelike Proto 2000...but has lurching issues.
I ran it on DC power to test it.








So first off I was shocked to see a DCC board in this and it ran on DC power...my other DCC Loco would not run on DC power without a DCC command...how did this run on DC? Some DCC boards allow DC control? Very confusing?
But it does run on DC control WITH a DCC decoder connected to it!








First off was to modernize the lighting with LED but they do not work with a DC input so the decoder does control them.
I will have to retest them later when I start testing all my DCC locomotives.
So I did what I did with the last loco and sprayed it with silcone lube to loosen any gelled lube and then blew it out with compressed air. I then used contact cleaner on the areas near the motor brush springs.
Unit still lurched and hesitated...so I removed all the trucks and inspected all the gears.









AH HA! A broken gear! Without any replacement parts, what's a girl to do?








I suppose I will see if I can buy gears for Proto 2000 locomotives if I can find a part number on line. In the meantime, why not just fix the gear!?!? So I glued it and clamped it for a spell...I doubt it will stay fixed for very long so I marked the truck with a red dot. I also replaced the taped feeder wires to the decoder power input with new wires.









I got the chassis back together and was VERY Happy that this locomotive was so much easier to work on, take apart and lube, inspect, and fix than that old Mantura/Tyco junk. I have to put the body and couplers back on the chassis yet and test the DCC decoder to see if it still works, so I stopped as I had to make dinner. Tommarrow is another day.
I am no guru on fixing train stuff but I know how to watch videos and tinker with things. 2 down and 20 more Locomotives to go....


*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Lemonhawk

I think you mean a 10,000 ohm resistor (brown, black, orange)? That's probably close to the limit of keeping the LED on. A 1k ohm (brown, black, red ) with 12 volts might work a little better. Probably depends on the age of the locomotive was from.


----------



## Chops

Is that Mr. Bill poking out of that F unit?


----------



## SF Gal

Lemonhawk said:


> I think you mean a 10,000 ohm resistor (brown, black, orange)? That's probably close to the limit of keeping the LED on. A 1k ohm (brown, black, red ) with 12 volts might work a little better. Probably depends on the age of the locomotive was from.


Yes, you are correct, 10,000 ohm. My DCC system is close to 15 vdc so I run the brown, black orange resistor. I also use bright LEDs and the resistor keeps it looking more like a spotlight than overpowered, if that makes sense? I use 4vdc on my landscape lights and a much smaller resistor.
Chops, he does look like Mr Bill!!! And that is what I will name him! 😆


----------



## Chops

Oh, no! Mr. Bill!


----------



## Longvallon

Chops said:


> Oh, no! Mr. Bill!


Who's this guy ?


----------



## OilValleyRy

I’ve actually been wondering how many folks, or if any, represent actual people on their layouts? I create figures of people who’ve influenced me, and try to capture their appearance adequately.
I “figure-bashed” my boss from my very first job (had to swap heads so it looked like him).
Without question I’ll have a figure of my pops and probably my younger self as a throw back to a visit to my prototype town.
Planning to have a @Trackjockey05, a @Raege, a @SF Gal, and 1 British car with a Jon Grant (don’t think he’s a member here).


----------



## SF Gal

Oh cool....interesting and actually wonderful idea! I plan to see my relatives visit the layout in the near future and will start to find those look alikes. It could be as part of the treasure hunt "Proverbial 10 Questions" like the thread I started on the forum. Where viewers get to participate even if they cant run a train! Can you find your self likeness on the layout? Where's cousin Candy? Uncle Bruce?, Mr, Bill?, Sister Terri? etc...


----------



## Lemonhawk

15 volts! Yes , good choice for the resistor!


----------



## Raege

OilValleyRy said:


> I’ve actually been wondering how many folks, or if any, represent actual people on their layouts? I create figures of people who’ve influenced me, and try to capture their appearance adequately.
> I “figure-bashed” my boss from my very first job (had to swap heads so it looked like him).
> Without question I’ll have a figure of my pops and probably my younger self as a throw back to a visit to my prototype town.
> Planning to have a @Trackjockey05, a @Raege, a @SF Gal, and 1 British car with a Jon Grant (don’t think he’s a member here).


It’s my plan to have little “moments“ of life recreated to share next gen. How well I’ll get the figures remains to be seen as it’s a bit off in future. I think it’s pretty awesome you kit bashed your boss!
One day you will see a kid in orange smock scraping 8 inches of produce rot and decay from an empty supermarket dumpster spot Into a trash cart. Good times 😉


----------



## SF Gal

CPL57 said:


> Who's this guy ?


Mr. Bill was a cartoon character on a American television show called Saturday Night Live when it was the show to watch.
Here is one of the cartoons in a series of shows Mr. Bill was on....


----------



## Gramps

That's got to be from back in the 70's, maybe early 80's, thanks for posting. When the show first started it was called "Saturday Night" because Howard Cosell had a late night sports talk show called Saturday Night Live. This show would open with the line "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" When Cosell's show folded they added the "Live" to the name.


----------



## SF Gal

As posted in my profile, this post will be a bit on hold....Convertible weather, gardening, glamping, cycling, and shopping has me off to enjoy outdoor activities. Only rainy days has me indoors, usually catching up on being a homemaker. Hopefully finding time to continue to go through my locomotives to clean, repair, and lube. I need to find 5 of the best, in the lot of 23, to install the 5 DCC decoders I have collecting dust. Might take me all summer.... *sigh*


----------



## Magic

_Convertible weather, gardening, *glamping*, cycling, and shopping has me off to enjoy outdoor activities. _

glamping ❔ Is that some sort of blond thing?????
Sorry you said no blond jokes. 

SF Gal enjoy your outdoor activities but don't forget us here on MTF.
I really enjoy your post.

Magic


----------



## SF Gal

Thanks for the nice and fun comments Magic!
Glamping is kind of a girl thing but you really need a Glamper!








I like to reminise about camping with my Grandparents and how much I enjoyed playing house in the camper. Helping Grandma peel apples to make a pie in a dutch oven on the campfire. Helping Grandpa collect firewood and hang a clothline for towels. I learned how to crochet and macrame, I remember playing spades, go fish, and canasta on the dinette during a evening rains, and riding my Grandmas JC Higgins bicycle to the camp store to buy some penny candy. Today, Glamping is just my speed and a great get away from todays terrible realities. Besides, most campgrounds have wifi so I will usually have a chance to check in, here on MTF! Happy Glamping!


----------



## OilValleyRy

Is that your 5th wheel glamper?! It looks like an ice cream store!
If somebody pulled up to me in that thing and asked me if I wanted some candy, “uh. Yeah.” I’d be on a milk carton in a blink!


----------



## Stejones82

I hear ya, SFG, Summertime, summertime, sweet, sweet summertime. Blasted grass keeps growing, Must be off to chase "the little white ball," Bikes and walks and arboretums. I haven't done any significant layout work since before my surgery the first week of May. And that also necessitates Phys Therapy. But good thing I live in Minnesota - it won't last long!

My wifeykins considers "glamping" as staying in a posh hotel or nice resort!


----------



## Gramps

That trailer looks in great shape! Was it your grandparents trailer from when you were a kid? We used to go camping in a pop-up when my daughter was young then got back into it when the grandkids came along. Good times.


----------



## Lemonhawk

I remember those metal chairs from way back!


----------



## SF Gal

Gramps said:


> ....Was it your grandparents trailer from when you were a kid? We used to go camping in a pop-up when my daughter was young then got back into it when the grandkids came along. Good times.


No, their Shasta is long gone, I am afraid. I think glamping builds character at a early age. Without derailing my own building my train layout thread and getting too far off topic, check out these five companies who will refurbish old campers to better than new! See this link, RV Magazine.



.


----------



## Chops

Do you know of anyone who might refurbish my '65 Ranchero? Been having a terrible time getting proper mechanical help. 

You asked about making HO hay bales. You seem like a do-it-yourselfer, but if you feel lazy, I found this at Hobby Lobby if you feel...slobby, as in lazy. 










www.sceneryproducts.com


----------



## SF Gal

Gosh Chops, sound like a nice car to restore. Where do you live? There are those on TV, like Speed is the new black, aka...Classic Car Studio Custom Shop out of St. Louis, _The Guild_ of Automotive Restorers...aka Restoration Garage out of Bradford, Ontario, Counts Customs out of Las Vegas, Damascus Motors aka..Junkyard Empire in Damascus, Maryland, or Iron Ressurection, aka...Martin Bros Customs out of Johnson city, Texas.
There you go...spend your money!!!!
And you sure know how to spend my money.
I had to head over to a cousins home in Bloomingdale, Illinois and there is a Hobby Lobby there.
I am a really busy with refurbshing 15+ yr old locomotives and continue collecting items for my farm.
So I figured the purchase might be worth my time and effort trying to make realistic bails.
Besides, I don't know how to drive a tractor....








So I got lucky.... and the store had your item, Chops....








So in the basket it went...








Over $90 later I got the bales ,hobby clamps, farm animals, plastic plant looking ball (disassemble and use for brush scenery) some more floral wire, a cutting board, some lace ribbons, jewelry, and glue. This is the train stuff....









One thing I hate about this store is I can NEVER leave the store without spending a Jefferson. Sigh!
I also been chugging away at fixing cleaning more of my 15+ yr old loco's.
This one is another Proto 2000 Lifelike and I took it apart, cleaned and lubed all the gear and put it all back.
Still runs like garbage...seems like the bearing blocks will not stay in their square metal holders.
So I have to open it back up and disassemble the trucks to see what is going on.









Hope to have a update tomarrow or soon as we are now in the heat wave and the basement is nice and cool!!
Back working on the Railroad! ....for now....
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... *


----------



## Chops

You been busy between macramé and glamping. Spent my summers loading hay bales by hand. Really devastating, dusty work under a hot sun. But followed up with a cool swim in lake; ah, it was good. Interesting contraption going on there. Never seen the like of it, before.

Well, they say "boat" means a hole in the water you throw money into, or, "Bust Out Another Thousand," and this old Ranchero has been a cash vacuum. I'm looking at an easy 10k more for interior and body work, and am pondering running the gauntlet and taking it into Juarez, Mexico, right across the Rio Grande from where I live and maybe get the work done for 5K. Doing business in Mexico is not for the faint of heart. A lot can go wrong.


----------



## SF Gal

Glamping and Macrame' is coming soon enough. Sounds like you have a plan for the Ranchero, good luck with that! 
Well I found the communicator on the motor was pretty dirty on the GP7 and I spent a lot of time trying to clean it up with contact cleaner. The engine runs better (wonder if dielectric grease on the communicator is a good idea?) and I have it all back together when I started thinking of putting a DCC decoder on it before I put the cover on, decisions, decisions. Trouble is I have 4 or more really nice locomotives I haven't touched yet.
So I got curious of a cheap Life like engine I have (gifted engine) and it is engineered like the old Mantura Tyco locomotives in that it has a motor in the truck and the other truck is just additional pick up....








Here is the motor in the truck, a pretty simple cheap looking configure. It does say LifeLike on the gas tank! ....








The plates are just weights...haven't figured out how to disassemble yet but I did find very dirty wheels. I cleaned the wheels and got it running. I think I will put back together the GP-7 and make the decoder decision another day. 2 more locomotive cleaned up and ready to run in there original configuration.
We will see what tomarrow will bring. 

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Chops

Definitely cute enough, but worth a decoder? Bit like throwing pearls before swine, no? The Campbell's Soup caboose turn up on eBay from time to time. it was part of a set, methinks.


----------



## SF Gal

Yes, the Cambells soup engine is part of a cheap set as I have a lot of cheap grocery item train cars to go with it. None of it will see my layout. It was free gifted stuff that was destine for the trash. I am planning on putting a set together with all my old train cars and selling it as a kit. I just have to find some cheap precut turns and straights to include in it from a flea market.
Today I put together the GP7 and set it in the working pile.
Next I popped open a Athern F7A loco with a dummy B unit with no motor.
I was suprised I already had a decoder in it! Then I remembered doing this one....

















So I cleaned the F7A up and ran it on a DC test track, worked really smooth.
So I put it on the DCC layout and fired up my 16 year old NCE Procab for the first time in 10 years!
Can you say OMG! So I went thru my loco list and #39 wasn't listed. I tried #0039, #039 and nothing.
Hmmmm...time to break out my Spectrum Dash 40 with a know good loco number and it ran wonderfully!
So my NCE controls still works!!!!! But I got a feeling I will need a new Eprom for todays new decoders...we will see.
As far as the Digitrax DH123 decoder in the F7A unit, I have no clue why it isnt working.
I will try reprogramming it after I re-read my NCE directions...it's been a long time since I messed with it!
I might have to buy a new DH123 decoder, if they still make them?!?!

Next up, a AHM GP7 locomotive made in Yugoslyavia...ug!
This is another poorly designed locomotive gifted to me as it wasn't running and missing a cab roof.









I found one truck has a inner wheel brass contact for one side of the truck only! The other truck has the other side contact for power from the opposite rail! So only 2 wheels per truck contact one rail or the other...no wonder this didn't run. As soon as I cleaned the wheels and brass wheel contacts, the engine ran flawlessly. Clean and greased all the gears. Added couplers but the hoses had to be cut down to allow clearance for the truck slop when in forward and reverse...just too much play causing the torque to push the trucks down causing the couplers to move up or down...patheticly engineered! So glad it is another gifted locomotive!
As far as the missing cab roof, I started fab work from a plastic tube I saved from a spool of cord.
Measure, cut, measure, cut....









Did the sides, it was finikee....








Trim out the windows, paint, add air horns on the roof and call it good.
The engine runs okay but I will think long and hard about converting to DCC and putting this one on the layout.
Probably another one I will put in the sell pile.
I am beginning to understand that my purchases of Proto 2000, Kato, and Spectrum locomotives exclusively from 2005-2008 were choices dictated to me by model railroad club members during my time learning about DCC. It was good sound advice for the time though. It wasn't cheap to buy these locomotives back in the day. And that was without decoders! Decoders were $80 each just for 4 functions. Ah, at least we didn't have to pre order our stuff like you do today....life was good, miss those days.
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Chops

SF Gal: Patron Saint of Lost Model Railroad Causes


----------



## Chops

Chops said:


> SF Gal: Patron Saint of Lost Model Railroad Causes


Please give me first refusal before you bin any of that cheap "grocery store" trash.Occasionally, some of those promo items, like Chef Boyardie, off the cuff, will fetch some coin. For lunk heads such as myself, the kool factor is what we care about, not its resale value.


----------



## afboundguy

Chops said:


> SF Gal: Patron Saint of Lost Model Railroad Causes


@SF Gal I can totally relate to this as well!!! I don't even want to start counting my projects...


----------



## SF Gal

St Candice, I like that! Well, this patron Saint of lost Locomotive causes is getting pretty tired of fiddling with this old stuff, let me tell you. As the next two culprits made me sigh at the oldness of the products and their lack of proper engineering....wondering how they ever worked well in the first place????









First up is this NYCentral old AHM Tempo out of Yugoslavia Where the truck wheel grabbed the power thru the axil connecting the bearing and no wipers at all. Compound that with front left truck caught one rail and the right rear truck caught the other and it is no wonder the motor can't find power to turn. But somehow it did as the open communtcator of the motor saw brushes heavy used. Cleaned it all up and got it running somewhat with dieelectric grease at the axils. What a piece of JUNK! I will probably use it for parts as it has a nice clear plastic piece for the windows. Those small screws are useful too.
Next up is another, somewhat newer, AHM from Hong Kong...








This unit I found out was missing a upper contact between the motor and chassie, Cleaned all the truck contacts and gears, lubed, made a wire to the upper contact of the motor and that motor runs very good. Nicely engineered loco too.
Cleaned up well. I am thinking of using my Mr. Bill Santa Fe F7 on this chassie, swapping bodies, if you will. We will see if I can.
I also found out the plastic I was using for a cab hood in my last post didn't bond using plastic cement so I had to remake the roof in correct styrene. I then painted it to match the colors of the loco. Now all I need is some train horns to mount on the top. I think it came out pretty good for missing a top......

















Getting closer to working on some new, out of the box, ready for DCC stuff....I think that NYC engine was the last of the really junk, hopefully. 


SF Gal said:


> So I cleaned the F7A up and ran it on a DC test track, worked really smooth.
> So I put it on the DCC layout and fired up my 16 year old NCE Procab for the first time in 10 years!
> Can you say OMG! So I went thru my loco list and #39 wasn't listed. I tried #0039, #039 and nothing.
> Hmmmm...As far as the Digitrax DH123 decoder in the F7A unit, I have no clue why it isnt working.
> I will try reprogramming it after I re-read my NCE directions...it's been a long time since I messed with it!
> I might have to buy a new DH123 decoder, if they still make them?!?!


I found out if I just put in 39, the engine works with the decoder! Gosh, I can be so blonde sometimes!
I am getting a clearer picture of what I have and what I can use on my layout. I have some track work to do on my layout I found out after running some DCC locomotives. 12+ years not running on the layout and zero maintanence has taken its toll...it sure needs a good cleaning....but more on all those subjects soon.

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Chops

Planned obsolescence? Particularly these AHM critters. They work fine for a few hours out of the box, and deteriorate quickly with use. I won't touch them anymore. Made to fail. Now, we shall hear from all those who will say that there AHM piece(s) are humming along nicely after forty years. I dunno. I never had that kind of luck. Split gears, shot traction tires, peculiar conductivity problems that evaded identification, motors coming loose in their attachement points; I never had any luck with them.


----------



## SF Gal

Some more putzing around with locomotives today, as it was 90F+ outside and I didn't feel like getting sweaty.
I do still have about 8 or so DC locomotives to checkout, so cool basement time it is. I was able to do laundry too.
I also had some time to place some cows, horses, tractor, and hay bales/rolls on my farm at the far back corner of the layout. In order to get back there, I had to move the town I have dubbed, "Hatchville"..._giggle_








"Hatchville" is really light and detaches pretty easy with one mini light plug. I just place it on the coffee table...








Here is a closeup on some of the Farm details....








Now this is in the far corner behind a full town of buildings so I am not too concerned about much.
I make the left side a orchard and the other side a animal farm with a imagined tunnel linking the barn with the corner pasture. The backdrop will enforce that perspective in the future.
While "futzin", I found some long McHenry couplers I had in my DCC junk box and was able to add a freebie caboose to my layout after I changed out the wheels to steel...









Besides ALL that....I unboxed all my DCC locomotives and fired up the Procab to make sure all the locomotives responded to command...all 8 locomotives worked like I turned them off and boxed them up yesterday..._WooHoo!







_

I still have to clean up the contacts and clean, relube the drivetrains. You can read about my concerns about my DCC system in the thread I started called...
*Never saw a NCE notification!*
All and all it was a productive day on the Santa Fe Big "L"....I got all my laundry done too!!!

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Longvallon

Very nice little station. Well done !


----------



## SF Gal

CPL57 said:


> Very nice little station. Well done !


Merci CPL57 pour les aimables paroles.
The building is still a work in progress.
It is a candidate be showcased in this forums All Scale - Accessories Contest #2 - on July 4th 2022
_By the way, I enjoy your funny little train videos! _


----------



## Longvallon

SF Gal said:


> By the way, I enjoy your funny little train videos!


Merci beaucoup Madame !


----------



## Gramps

CPL57 said:


> Very nice little station. Well done !
> I noticed that right away because of the curved platform. Very well done and very prototypical.
> View attachment 584745


----------



## SF Gal

A productive day as I cleaned up the basement wreck room, adding new skirting to the facia, vacuuming the carpet. I also vacuumed the layout after I went through and took an eraser and an old bottle of Lifelike liquid track cleaner to most of the rails, moving rolling stock onto clean rails and cleaning, moving and cleaning. 








The Wreck room. Once I get a good backdrop in, it's gonna really be a nice lounge. 
Future plans include finishing the abandoned ceiling track you see to the upper left and selling all my 1990 Kato N scale train locomotives and rolling stock, on display, on the right wall.....









I also got a chance to take some photos and enter them in the All scale Accessories Contest 2 that ends this Monday!
My phone camera isn't the best but it's really all I got. This was a fav photo....









I took a few other ones that were not contest related....








The elevated road to the bridge over the Mississippi to St. Louis....









The town bustled with income from Route 66 traffic and is slow to adapt to modern times though the mayor got government money for new fangled street lights and signs. Town folk are concerned the I 55 interstate is causing decreased visitors. 









I suppose I better work on cleaning my craft bench, it is such a mess....that will be another 90F degree hot day, in a cool basement, on the _*Santa Fe BIG "L"....*_

* Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Magic

Looking good SF a very nice layout as well as the wreck room.  
You do some very fine work. Being blond and all.

Magic


----------



## BigGRacing

Your layout is huge when we see the entire set up, I thought it was a lot smaller until this morning.
It looks awesome!


----------



## Gramps

The layout looks great, I also didn't realize how large it is.


----------



## Longvallon

Awesome layout ! A masterpiece. Congrats.
Is there a track plan somewhere ? Thanks.


----------



## SF Gal

Magic said:


> ....You do some very fine work. Being blond and all.
> Magic


This gal doesnt have all the answers (being blonde and all! _giggle _*😏 *) as the layout was even longer and was cut down to gain some basement storage space. The layout had a dedicated double mainline and one of the loops at Hatchville was removed. The other end had a reverse track that was also eliminated during the downsize and still is not yet finally connected. Progress is happening but being old is no fun...so I am a bit slow. 


CPL57 said:


> Awesome layout ! A masterpiece. Congrats.
> Is there a track plan somewhere ? Thanks.


Hardly a Masterpiece...but thanks. The whole thing was concieved in my late 40's and built when I had evergy in my early 50's. Now, being retired, I see all its flaws in design and implementation. _*We ARE our worst critics!*_
The track plan is loosely based on the picture in my first post of this thread....








I hope to add the second loop back in a elevated track over Hatchville or possibly under the yard, just thinking of possibilities. The layout is so big, I doubt I will ever finish it to my satifaction, in my lifetime, but I am trying. I only been working on it again for a little over a year including downsizing the length of the layout, adding scenery in the yard and building Hatchville, documented in this thread. Many thanks for all the kind comments and for following along.


----------



## OilValleyRy

Looks like you’re prepping to have the Queen over for tea. A house as tidy as a hotel is luxurious but so hard to maintain.

So what are the dimensions or wall lengths? I’m in agreement with BigG.




BigGRacing said:


> I thought it was a lot smaller until this morning.


Giggity


----------



## SF Gal

OilValleyRy said:


> Looks like you’re prepping to have the Queen over for tea.
> A house as tidy as a hotel is luxurious but so hard to maintain.
> So what are the dimensions or wall lengths?


The Wreck room is not too bad to maintain, I do not mind cleaning and finding places for stuff and putting things away.
As far as the dimensions, from the wall to the edge of the yard is 14 feet and the shelf out to Santa Fe from the wall is just shy of 19 feet....at one time it was 30 feet but I shortened it to add storage and work space.


----------



## Stejones82

Great room, excellent work. You are an inspiration. I MUST get that track plan finished. The perfect arrangement is out there, I just know it. Or at least one that will achieve most/many of my objectives. 

If only that 'little white ball' didn't need so much chasing this time of year! No-Rain has put an end to mowing!


----------



## SF Gal

After working on all those old technically challenged locomotives, I finally bit the bullet and used a lot of money I saved from doing side jobs to purchase a few things from Midwest Model Railroad Store.
I have a thread about my purchase experience, if you are curious, it left me a sour taste about the website but all in all I am happy. Click here to read about my purchase.
Here is the 1st DCC locomotive with sound I ever owned....








It is a Atlas Sd24 low nose and it is very detailed...it is "AWESOME"!!!!
I also purchased a few Athearn Roundhouse tanker cars as the price was right and it offsets all the boxcars I am running on the layout.









I just like the black and orange paint scheme.
Here is the video I made of it running the layout after cleaning the tracks.....

__
https://flic.kr/p/2nwgw5P


Today was a special day to be able to afford a Locomotive with sound was pretty fun!

Not just another day on the _*Santa Fe BIG "L"....*_

*Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Gramps

Looks/sounds great.


----------



## Stejones82

Nice SFG!! When I purchased my first "talkie" - (BLI H. Mikado) I was a bit put off. But now that I have three sound locos, I guess I am an official convert. I do use the appropriate CV to set the sound master volume at about 1/3 full. Others here have commented that sound does not scale real well. For instance, on your LO, standing in St. Louis and you can hear the loco up in Chi-town?? <Grin> 

Keep on enjoying!


----------



## Mixed Freight

SF Gal said:


> Here is the 1st DCC locomotive with sound I ever owned....
> It is a Atlas Sd24 low nose and it is very detailed...it is "AWESOME"!!!!
> I also purchased a few Athearn Roundhouse tanker cars as the price was right and it offsets all the boxcars I am running on the layout.
> I just like the black and orange paint scheme.
> Today was a special day to be able to afford a Locomotive with sound was pretty fun!


Uh-oh, SF Gal........... buying quality, modern equipment is highly addictive.
You could be in big trouble now!


----------



## Stumpy

Mixed Freight said:


> Uh-oh, SF Gal........... buying quality, modern equipment is highly addictive.
> You could be in big trouble now!


Zackaree what I'z thinkin'.


----------



## SF Gal

I do know most members here, when recommending or advising, LOVE spending my money! _giggle_
Back to puppy sitting, installing a few more can lights, and crocheting a few more skillet handles....
Love the sound aspect of the hobby...I may try my hand at installing a soundboard in one of my existing locomotives.


----------



## JeffHurl

Rant warning:

I find sound to be somewhat irritating. Not that I dislike it, but that the volumes are all over the board. In other words, stupid little sounds like shoveling coal into the furnace.... something you would never hear outside of the locomotive in any kind of real life scenario... is so freaking loud, it interrupts all the otherwise pleasant sounds... Yet the whistle is barely audible. And adjusting the volume has to be done one sound at a time, because if I adjust the master volume down to a level I like for the stupid little sounds, no other sounds can be turned up higher...

Programming sound using a DCC controller is awkward... especially with BLI's paragon decoders that have like 8 bazillion little annoying sounds that nobody wants except for maybe a rivet counter who expects to hear the conductor fart as he bends over to pick up his clipboard.

Edited for clarity... I was frothing at the mouth when I typed this, LOL...


----------



## SF Gal

Interesting rant Jeff. I am sure I will get sick of the newness of sound or adjust the speakers as you and Stejones82 suggest. I am guessing HO isn't as "finnicky" as N scale speakers. I have great admiration for those N scalers in all aspects of the scale as I use to be an N scaler too. For me, everything about the scale was "finnicky". Keep the faith Jeff, I love what your doing with your layout and can't wait to see your water scenes soon...maybe you can have a dock with sound...ships bells and a fog horn, laping water, crain noise, seagulls, and bouy bells...with a push of a facia button!


----------



## JeffHurl

YES!!!! And... if only I could find a scented candle to burn with that lovely dead fish smell, LOL!

Honestly... I hardly ever run my BLI paragon steamer... simply because I hate all the little random sounds, and the 3 times I have tried to set each individual sound's CV (one for volume, one for frequency of occurrence... Some CVs I don't even understand) all ended up with me getting so frustrated with the results, I would end up doing a factory reset and would start over with another tactic to plow through the sounds... only to fail again. 

And I'm not about to fork out a bunch of money for a CV programmer just so I can bear to listen to this thing... I'd use it once and then would have no other use for it.

I will say, that of three three locos I have, I like the sounds from the Atlas offering that uses a LokSound decoder the best.


----------



## SF Gal

JeffHurl said:


> ....I will say, that of three three locos I have, I like the sounds from the Atlas offering that uses a LokSound decoder the best.


That would be a interesting poll to put in a new thread, _"Of all the sound decoders that you have, what one do you think sounds the best?"
I wonder how many sound decoder brand names are actually out there, scale non specific, so you could list them in a poll? _
Sounds like I got lucky and picked a locomotive and manufacture with a good sound card....or did I?


----------



## JeffHurl

I'm sure I'm just being cantankerous... But I think a poll would be great!


----------



## afboundguy

I will say my BLI sound engines are super loud I just haven't gotten around to lowering the volume but I don't like running them as much due to how loud they are...


----------



## SF Gal

I was at church yesterday, chatting up my lady friend who is the secretary and she knows I am always am the crafty one.
She mentioned the church was tossing some foam board in the trash if I didn't want it....but I did! Nice free foam board?!?! 3 sheets too! Can you say backdrop?
First thing I did once I got it back home was cut it right down the center....









I wiped it down with isopropyl alcohol and started with the rattlecans....









One panel down and 2 more to go....finished all 3 panels and made them into six 8 foot long backdrops!!!








Gosh, those rattle cans sure look spent!
Soon I have some time to install them on the layout but I WILL BE embellishing them with some 3D effects.
...I just have to figure out how the heck I am going to do that!!!! _EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!!
...it will be fine I am sure but I must admit, I am just winging it._

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Raege

Nice! Mrs Bob Ross of the rattlecan


----------



## Lemonhawk

Score!


----------



## SF Gal

Today, I just had to get my workbench organized, it sure was a mess with 3 projects going at once. All of them are waiting on parts or decisions by yours truely.
I had this old parts bin that I have been wanting to use and with all the clutter on the bench, it was the perfect thing to use to get organized.








I had bags of metal wheelsets, L.E.D.'s, resistors, streetlights, couplers, coupler boxes, minature hardware, joiners, and this and that, brick and brack. Got it all organized in the drawer caddy....








So now that I organized all the good stuff that was on the bench, the best part is tossing all the leftover debree and having enough room to work again. 








I found some lifelike gears as I have one loco that had a broken gear I crazy glued back together, but it just isn't right. With the new gear I can fix the truck and make it a happy Locomotive.









Those gears press on tight, I almost broke a fingernail. I tried using plyers to press on the gear and I ended up breaking the gear. So I persevered and pushed both axils into the gear with my thumb...all done!








The SD40 sure ran like butter with the new gear and yes, I had my NMRA gauge and verified my flanges were perfect.
Cleaning up my work bench got me thinking I could store all my extra buildings and empty boxes in a few copy paper boxes I have. _(Below is unfinished "Santa Fe"...my dump for empty boxes and unused buildings, "stuff".)_








Dang if I should finally get the top side of my loop module free and clean, so I can run the whole layout. The reason the loop isnt in order is it was cut down and shortened at the beginning of resurrecting the layout to gain more room for storage and better access to a ejector pit for the basement restroom. It also made the layout more manageable.
Running the whole route real soon, especially if the 90F+ tempatures keep this gal in cool indoor spaces, like my basement trainroom!
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Chops

My wife is always buying shoes and purses. SF Gal is so much more sensible. Now wait, two cabooses? Yikes!


----------



## Stumpy

SF Gal said:


> Those gears press on tight, I almost broke a fingernail.


I opted for the complete replacement wheelset. $14 per loco but you're done in five minutes and no broken nails.  

Sets for four & six axle locos..









Replacement Geared Driver Assembly (Diesel Wheelset) pkg(2) -- For Early PROTO 2000(R) BL, FA, GP7/9/18/20/30/60 & PROTO 1000(TM) F3,RS2,RSC2


The WalthersProto Replacement Geared Driver Assembly is a pair of wheelsets completely assembled and used as replacements on early PROTO 2000(R) Alco FA, EMD BL2, GP7, GP9, GP18, GP20, GP30, GP60 and PROTO 1000(TM) EMD F3, Alco RS2 and RSC2 diesels produced by Life-Like Trains before 2005.




www.walthers.com













Replacement Geared Driver Assembly (Diesel Wheelset) pkg(3) -- Fits Life-Like Trains Early PROTO 2000(R) E6, E7, E8 and E9 Diesels


This WalthersProto Replacement Geared Driver Assembly is a replacement for original Life-Like Trains early PROTO 2000(R) E6, E7, E8 and E9 diesels produced before 2005. This package includes three replacement axles with gear and bearing block.




www.walthers.com


----------



## SF Gal

Stumpy said:


> I opted for the complete replacement wheelset. $14 per loco but you're done in five minutes and no broken nails.


Thanks for the link, I think I bought the last of my local shops old stock so in the future, your link may come in handy,


Chops said:


> My wife is always buying shoes and purses. SF Gal is so much more sensible. Now wait, two cabooses? Yikes!


I like shoes and purses too...I'd tell you "all about it", if you were a member of the fashion forum!








This purse holds a lot of train cars and cabooses too.


----------



## MidwestMikeGT

JeffHurl said:


> YES!!!! And... if only I could find a scented candle to burn with that lovely dead fish smell, LOL!
> 
> Honestly... I hardly ever run my BLI paragon steamer... simply because I hate all the little random sounds, and the 3 times I have tried to set each individual sound's CV (one for volume, one for frequency of occurrence... Some CVs I don't even understand) all ended up with me getting so frustrated with the results, I would end up doing a factory reset and would start over with another tactic to plow through the sounds... only to fail again.
> 
> And I'm not about to fork out a bunch of money for a CV programmer just so I can bear to listen to this thing... I'd use it once and then would have no other use for it.
> 
> I will say, that of three three locos I have, I like the sounds from the Atlas offering that uses a LokSound decoder the best.


Stinky Candle Company - The Most Unique Candles In The World might meet your desire....


----------



## jlc41

SF Gal said:


> I thought I cronical my continuing efforts on my shelf layout I starting building over 23 years ago. I had grand ambitious plans as I finally had a finished basement to fix up and showcase a shelf railroad that friends and family would love to visit.
> This is my 3rd engineered road with childhood experiences from serious modelers. I did the loop, and point to point in homosote and cork. I was a member of a modular club and learned all I could about DCC. If you ever want to learn DCC or modular design, joining a club and learning how to's from a lot of educated afficinato's is the way to go.
> In those early days, being transient, I was relaglated to "N' scale and grew to dispise the micro-issues the scale presents. So this 3rd layout...is working to.....fulfill the dream!
> 
> The plan was to have a BIG yard to park a vast collection of rolling stock and Engines and a loop or duel main that could transit separate zones and climites based on my favorite railroad, namely the Santa Fe. I wanted at least 2 trains to be able to roll without much guidance while I could manage switching in a yard and making consists. I'd switch out consists on the main and drop off deliveries off the main while avoiding the 2 trains rolling on the main.
> That takes a lot of track and basement space so the shelf layout was the ticket.
> 
> *The Design....*
> 
> 
> View attachment 577681
> 
> 
> I spent two years building the shelf, cutting out track bed, homosote, laying track, wiring in the DCC wiring, hardwiring locomotives from DC to DCC, and finally running trains. I had even tried to run a overhead main track high in the ceiling around the drop ceiling...it was enough to "burnout".
> View attachment 577682
> 
> 
> But there was so much more to do! I had very little buildings, no lighting, very little scenery.
> So I kept plugging away...and *life happened* and I had to rethink everything as I feared I would have to tear it all down and move. So I abandoned my overhead line with a helix to connect the shelve unit and I shortened the mainline in order to be able to move it all. And then it sat, waiting to see if I would have to move it or not.
> 
> 10 years later and it looks as if time passed me by and now I see myself retired and needing a winter hobby.
> How about a railroad...I so wish I still had that drive I had in my youth, time has taken it toll on me too. I am in my 60's, FYI.
> But I am trying to do more and more.
> View media item 22955
> I found some sweet deals on used buildings at the train show and am making them "mini diaramas" to plug and place on the layout all ready to go with people, furnishing, LED lighting and the such.
> View media item 22963
> Today, I get excited with nano LED tech and am working between the building diaoramas and the streets that define the spaces the diaramas plug into. I purchased nano street lights and building nano leds....
> View attachment 577683
> 
> 
> Engineering street scenes to work with a "popout panel" for loop access....
> View attachment 577685
> 
> 
> Mounting street lighting...so exciting!
> View attachment 577684
> 
> 
> I had a dedicated hi amperage 24vdc power supply for use on the layout and I am going to use it for all the lighting, adding several circuits of different adjustable voltages to mimic different brightness of street lights, home lights, store and sign lighting....a very ambicious lighting project.
> View attachment 577686
> 
> 
> And a glut of used recycled builtings to embellish and make into mini diaoramas. Placing then to see how they may fit in the town area around the bottom of the loop....
> View attachment 577687
> 
> 
> And a general view of the "L" shaped layout...
> View attachment 577688
> 
> 
> This top loop is a module that can move and disconnect to the shelf layout in order to gain access to a storage area door....
> View attachment 577689
> 
> 
> 
> More to come soon.
> I am wanting to start my own thread about my layout to document future progress and appologize in advance to those viewers looking for progress during the late Spring, Summer, and early Fall months as this is mostly a winter hobby for me.



Looks like fun interesting to see how it turns out


----------



## SF Gal

This last week, I ran out of my Florida Orange Blossom Honey and decided to reorder from Amazon, and that got me thinking what I could use on my layout? I am close to installing RXR crossings, and more lighting. After inventorying my LED situation in my last post, I decided to order more of them too.
Found these on Amazon with a flasher board and bought 2 of them....









A little bigger than the Model Power crossing signals I bought back in 2006 but I wanted the board and LED signals and will be retrofitting my Model Power signals in the future.
The rest of my Amazon haul....









I have been working on my Grandmas S scale train set to see if it feasible to make a layout for the Christmas tree.
Time is now to get busy and make it happen and you can see that thread I call, "Grandma's Christmas train".
So the Big L was on coast for a bit. I took the Locomotive in to a local Hobby Shop to get cleaned up and serviced.
So I am back thinking about working more on the backdrop. Adding scenery to my spray painted foamboard so stay tuned.
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Raege

Nice haul. Love the rounding up a honey order with some rr items Your enabling yourself  I want to add something RR related every time I grab something too.I probably need an intervention lol


----------



## SF Gal

Been away for the layout as I have been busy hosting a few parties and have to attend several family functions. Seems since everyone is getting out, things have been happening and seem hectic, in my personal life.
No down time, it seems.
I am actually stealing a break from cleaning the house to post some things I did did since my last post.
It all about my backdrops I painted a few posts ago as it is time to detail six panels I made to fulfill that effect.
The first panel is sort of a test to see if my idea to make them 3D will work. I had these stickers of pine trees and decided to use them. With a little bit of course foliage, I rendomally got to work...









Once dry I did a test fit on the layout and was pleasently surprised!









So without perminantly screwing it in, (thinking I may use fiber optics to make stars) I started making my second panel. Shown here, it is pretty bland. So I started penciling in details like zones for the farm, fencing, roads and relief cuts for switch machines....









I also have these stickers of city buildings, cut out of residential homes, a Walters kit for a overgrown garden, and folage, trees, and well, stuff!








I painted a road.....








....added the city.....








...(the bleed thru of lettering was caught with the camera but not actually very visible) and I started getting into the details, using a lot of old "N scale" scenery stuff, till I figured I better take another picture.....
















And doing a test fit for clearance. (need to reduce some follage low near the rows of crops)








So I am super stoked that it is a bit hard to tell where the table stops and the backdrop begins!
Posting more pictures of the third panel below, in a new post, on the next page......


----------



## SF Gal

The third panel is a work in progress, pencil drawings and some paint....


















Placing on layout to see how it will look and verifying perspactive....








As viewed from a different prospective....








So a lot of detail work painting the bridge and add details to visual scale is the challenge.
I am happy the way it looks in person and seeing the camera is capturing a bit of the realism too. 
Hope to finish St.Louis in the near future but a lot on my plate in the next 2 weeks so we will see....
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Raege

Looking real good Really enhances the view of your layout. Digging the 3d effect.


----------



## Stumpy

What Raege said.


----------



## Gramps

That's very impressive how the 3D effect looks.


----------



## SF Gal

More work on the backdrop, tweeking some easement issues and finishing, for the time being, one panel. I say for the time being as, in the future I plan to add fiber optic lights to the backdrop in the form of city lights and twinkling stars.
On that note, below is the first example of adding lighting to another backdrop I am currently in progress on. I carved out the foamboard to add a interior to this "N scale" building into the scene. N scale places it close, but still in the near background. It will have people, vertical blinds in the windows, and interior and exterior lights!
I sectioned off the floors and rooms so only some rooms and windows will be lit....








Above, the pencil lines around the building will be a parking lot. horizonal pencil lines tell me how high the tallest rolling stock is to minimize issues with 3D material protruding more than 1/4" into the right of way....hence, sinking the building into the backdrop...literally!









Bad photo but you get the idea...deciding what to name the building? Maybe I can find one of those lighted signs to place on top? Would have to be N scale or smaller... I was looking at the Miller Engineering....
Miller Engineering York Animated Neon Billboard - N/HO Scale









I have been busy working on a elevated Christmas layout in S scale so my time on the Santa Fe "L" has been limited.
But I am getting close to finishing that project and hope to be back hacking away at the backdrops again. I find my backdrop to be a challenge and a lot of fun designing and thinking of things to add interest...so fun.

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Raege

Fiber optic lights will be sharp looking! In back if my mind is to do a fireworks display with fiber optics one day.


----------



## SF Gal

It has been a busy week of non railroad things to do however I did manage to do a little more. I got the backdrops somewhat back on the layout until I can finish my development of fibre optic lighting of stars and far off lights.
There is something about a backdrop that changes the whole presentation in a amazing way...








I really do love the look of how the backdrop pulls your eye to the fake horizon, creating that 3D effect the camera has a hard time capturing...









The backdrop I was working on in my last post still is a work in progress and I have been researching animated signs for it's top. I did get some nano LED's inside and blocked off rooms to complete a visual effect.
















The below photo is a favorite of mine as it really hits homw what I am trying to convey. I even have the USS Enterprise climbing into orbit so I can ask my audience, wheres Captain Kirk?!?!? _giggle_









*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## OilValleyRy

Aww, how I miss Chi-Chi’s.


----------



## JeffHurl

That looks fantastic! Well done!


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## Raege

I’m not sure I could accurately answer where’s Kirk. Is the Enterprise close enough to see if its NCC-1701 or NCC-1701-A? Inquiring geeks need to know 
The backdrops really make the layout sing. Along with the lighting really makes it a more impactful fun scene.
ps love that Chi Chi’s sweet corn cake! The copycat recipe is close but just a tad off still


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## Gramps

Great work!! Are the tunnel portals on each side of the storefront in the third photo going to be roads crossing the tracks?


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## SF Gal

That area is basically just mocked up. Working scenery towards the camera. I have been trying to get ideas to make that area, visually appealing. Vehicle roadways, yes. My plan is to have the train tracks down "Mainstreet USA". So that whole area is to be paved, with storefronts along the right of way. The portals are from my old N scale layout and was going to use mirrors inside the tunnel.







Raege said:


> I’m not sure I could accurately answer where’s Kirk. Is the Enterprise close enough to see if its NCC-1701 or NCC-1701-A? Inquiring geeks need to know ....


The enterprise is a hotwheels diecast piece of metal, the package says NCC -1701. Now, I am a bit of a Trekie but I not sure if that number makes a difference?









So, NCC-1701A should be, "Where is Piccard?" 😃🤣😊😉


Gramps said:


> Great work!!...





JeffHurl said:


> That looks fantastic! Well done!


Thanks...coming from you both, that is high praise, for sure! 😊


OilValleyRy said:


> Aww, how I miss Chi-Chi’s.


 I really never remember if I was ever at Chi-Chi's as I was never a big fan of Mexican food. 🤔 I do love my slushy Margaritas though!
YUM!!!


----------



## Raege

Kirk is on board !


----------



## Stumpy

Mav too.


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## Gramps

Just a thought, instead of mirrors inside the tunnel portals if you cut out photos, especially from old MR magazines, of vehicles and paste them on oak tag at the back of the portal it would give you a forced perspective inside the portal. FWIW


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## SF Gal

Internal backdrop...hmmmm yes, sound advice.


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## SF Gal

Just a short post as I worked on the layout a little bit today and cleaned up the hobby bench.
I stopped off at a local hobby shop for some S scale stuff for my Grandmas Christmas train and found some hedges I had, but ran out of. I then went to a store called Target and found this paint pallet pack for $4....I thought it was a good buy....








The paint palette set came with a lot on nice parts. I have been using plastic potted plant saucers and coffee can tops for mixing. So when I seen it, it was a no brainer purchase....









I finally swapped out my old Fiskers cutting pad from 2005 with a new pad...yay!
And I looked at assembling 2 panel vans that were gifted to me back in 2008...finally getting around to looking at them....








So not much today, just getting ready to get back to working on the layout.


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## Gramps

Some shoppers feel Target is a bit upscale from Walmart. A few go so far as to pronounce it "Tar-chez".


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## SF Gal

I too call it Tar-chez too... great mind think alike! +_giggle_+ These Magnumson Model step van (distributed by Walthers) vehicles came out pretty neato using a few different color rattlecans.....








I painted the windows, chrome trim, lights and tires. I might redo the windows as they look too light, most interiors are dark so a dark blue might do....what do you do when you have to paint on windows?
Glued the wheels on with faux fingernail glue.








I added tiny decals and finished this little project, for now.








Not bad for free...and a little paint and time. The price was right.
I also forgot in my last post I found some okay acrylic tube paints ($5USD) at Walmart while grocery shopping.








Shopping for me, is a good place to get my steps in for the day by browsing the aisles.
Walmarts craft section is always hit or miss. working on the backdrops still, is a good reason to buy the paint set.
Small steps this week...trying to find time during nice weather outside is problematic.
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


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## Gramps

Looks good.  For the windows see if you can get Clear paint.


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## Chops

There is no limit to your creativity. Amazing stuff!


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## Lemonhawk

I like how you painted the roof different from the sides, gives the truck a much better look! No idea if this would work but you could try a darker paint on the windows with some lite bright streaks like reflections on them. You could try cutting the windshield out but besides chancing ruin, if you succeeded you would have to mock up an interior! You've already gone far beyond anything I would try!


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## Andreash

Very nice work…..looking forward to watching further progress…cheers ☕🍩


----------



## SF Gal

I was able to work a bit on the removable section of my layout this week. This is where I have future plans to model Santa Fe, New Mexico. The loop end module had been disconnected from the rest of the layout for several reasons, the main one being it was shortened by 10 feet to give me room for a gifted/ inherited bandsaw, table sander and jigsaw. I also needed a stereo area for my turntable and vinyl records. This left the main line without a connected loop at this side of the layout.
This loop end module needs to be removable as the door for a small storage area is behind the layout. So a lot of re-wiring and connecting this section to track with removable rerailers and the trains can now run a full loop and turnaround! Yay...lots of wiring and reverse loop hookup and I have the layout back where it was in 2007. One thing I also modified was getting access to a hidden reverse loop in the module. So I rigged the facia to open...









...and semi finished the area... this is how it looks closed now....








I also spent some time making the exit of the reverse loop look better by disguising it as coming out from under a train bridge...but it wasn't easy as the area above was curved...so I had to curve the faux bridge....









I didn't like this...and that....tweeking and repainting....adding foliage....making sure my longest passenger car didn't catch any of the superstructure....eh, good enough for now....








Next up is adding some turnouts on the mainline to the right of the viaduct to St Louis, adding power and a few animated signs to the backdrop and a few buildings, and putting ties under sections of track missing them while tweeking the track to eliminate derailments and uncouplings.









I am very happy I can run trains now around the whole layout, a major milestone. I am sure to most of you, following my progress, it looks like I jump around on different aspects of the layout. One day I am making buildings, or embellishing my backdrop, fixing locomotives, painting panel vans, or working on my Grandmas Christmas train. I do like the aspect of doing several things and not having to stick with one aspect of working on the layout, it keeps the hobbiest (me) engaged.
So sorry if I seem to jump around a lot...I am fickle that way....

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Chaostrain

It's looking good. Jump all you want, I do the same thing, sometimes I even change directions in the middle of a jump.


----------



## SF Gal

SF Gal said:


> ...Next up is adding some turnouts on the mainline to the right of the viaduct to St Louis....


I worked on those turnouts today and got them installed....








Still have to place the missing ties but the rails run true and smooth. One thing about laying homasaote and track nails is you can add turnouts and track whereever homasote is used! I see people using styrafoam and glueing track down and kind of cringe as I know it won't be easy to change or add things. Loving my homasote road bed!
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## SF Gal

I spent all day going through my known good DCC locomotives, making sure I clean all the jelled grease out of the gears and fixing any known problems.
One more of the Proto 2000 locomotives had a broken wheel gear (a known issue with these units)...








Lucky I have replacement gears! Yay!!!
On 2 of my locomotives, the front light failed to illuminate and after troubleshooting with a meter, determined the old decoders output failed, so I replaced the old DH123 with a brand new generic NCE decoder.
I will use the old decoder with "B" units that do not have front lights. The NCE decoder has additional outputs F1 and F2, CV122 and 123!
So I figured I'd use the outputs for ditch lights in front and back! Cool!
I used nano LED's in holes I drilled and glued them to the inside of the shell and routed the wires.....








Playing with the cv bit values is fun! I got the back to flash and the front to stay constant.








I also cleaned up the wheels and contacts on a few passenger cars and worked on a few trucks on car that were not rolling very well...








I got all of my DCC locomotives from 2006 cleaned and relubed/repaired along with some more rolling stock evaluated and lubed/ repaired. Coming up soon is adding 3 billboards from Miller engineering installed to various places on the layout. I just love the animation they provide....
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Chops

Dang, girl, you on a heckuva roll. You sure you're a girl??


----------



## SF Gal

_*Well, there you go.... sigh *_
I do try hard to know my hobby and use my knowledge from working with electronics at my old job.
My Father taught me a lot where I can change my own oil, install a battery, and change brake pads.
He helped me learn how to work with wood and use common sense.
He said the more you can do for yourself, the richer you will be, in life.
I am not reliant on anyone, for much, as Dad left me his tools and the knowledge on how to use them.
................................................................................
I do miss him so much, Mom too.
Mom took me on train rides downtown, clothes shopping, wearing our Sunday best, as a teenager.
My aunt and uncle lived in the back of the Santa Fe yards and I would see the trains I model today.
Mom and my cousins taught me how to dance, crochet and many things I do not share here.
They say, you are influenced by your past, well, besides model railroading, I crochet, shoot my gun, collect Barbies, Antique Oil Lamps, and vintage Kitchen Aprons. I needlepoint, garden, play guitar, and recently started making costume jewelry.



So I do not allow society to dictate what I can do, enjoy, achieve...I hope to be an inspiration to others to enjoy what they love.
_*Life is just too short to do otherwise!*_


----------



## Chops

.Fact is, you are simply exceptionally talented in many regards. Sounds like your folks were amazing people.


----------



## SF Gal

I have been working on installing one of three LightWorks Animated billboards. 
I picked my first one, The " Lifesaver" billboard. to be installed on a building near the focal point of my layout.
This building already had a false floor and a perfect place to mount the controller. I had to cut access for the ribbon wire and connector to the roof.....








Once I had the connector set and glued to the roof, I started making a girder structure the billboard could slide into and be captures as it sits in the connector. 








Though it un-necessary, I thing after I painted it black, gave it a bit more realism.
Before I painted and installed the bracket structure....








I understand Miller Engineering actually offers a brass structure you can buy but what is the fun in that?!?!?
I routed a wire from my master multivolt DC power supply ......








......and soldered a male/female mini connector to the controller for power. 
It works...it was a really easy install. 








The building separated the Chicago yard on the left and hatchville on the right. Took the picture before returning the loading dock to it original position. Looks like Captain Kirk saw the sign from space and went to check it out....









The other 2 remaining billboards were bought to be installed on the backdrop, when I get back to working on the backdrops. 
Jumping around on project is a theme of mine, as you know, if you have been following this thread.
I recently bought, through the HO Swap Group on I/O, seven International Inc. siding signals for about $12 each.








You just can't find these anywhere since the pandemic! They work off of CDS sensors and the above photo show me testing the circuits...they all work. So I will be using them on the layout after I determine if I am going to change out the bulbs to nano LED's.
Another "FIND" from my local hobby shop is this old unopened Steward Mfg sanding tower.....
















It will add a bit more interest to the yard area next to a fueling station I plan on installing.
Well that all for todays fun....as I go around the layout and look for perspective pictures, I found this one kind of neat....








*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## BigGRacing

It looks awesome SF Gal !


----------



## Andreash

Excellent work…..those electronic signs steal the scene…..cheers


----------



## RedManBlueState

That is the 2009 reboot Enterprise, so NEW Kirk, or maybe NEW Pike.



The enterprise is a hotwheels diecast piece of metal, the package says NCC -1701. Now, I am a bit of a Trekie but I not sure if that number makes a difference?









So, NCC-1701A should be, "Where is Piccard?" 😃🤣😊😉[/QUOTE]


----------



## SF Gal

RedManBlueState said:


> That is the 2009 reboot Enterprise, so NEW Kirk, or maybe NEW Pike....


You have seen the movie, "Star Trek X: The Timeline"? This is a depection of that episode where Kirk and crew investigate a time in Earths history where historical everyday things from our past somehow still carry over to the future. Were Standard gas stations didn't change to Arco, F3 locomotives are a mainline locomotive next to Dash 80's, you can still find a telephone booth and a mailbox on the street corner, and era 2 boxcars still roll in todays train consists.
Coaling towers still stand, Animated billboards still light next to modern LED streetlights and 1940's vehicles still roll down streets next to modern Ferraris. Maybe I should call my layout Star Trek X...Oh, that just might be in another Alien thread!


----------



## Berrychon

SF Gal said:


> Maybe I should call my layout Star Trek X.


Or...SF Gal's wonderland ?


----------



## Choobacker

Very inspiring build. It just gets better and better.


----------



## SF Gal

Sf Gal Wonderland sounds good too! 
Thanks for the positive comments and thumbs up.
I try hard to do the best I can with what I have.
Well, back to the thread.....

BESIDES...browsing the $1 and a Quarter store, (thanks inflation maker!), shopping at the resale record store, hanging and folding my laundry, making dinner, and cleaning and organizing the hobby bench, I worked on some train stuff too, imagine that!
I assembled the sanding tower, water and fuel hose rack kit and gave one coat of Santa Fe colors to let dry.
Assembling the sand tower...it was pretty easy....
It is interesting in that instead of glue, you actually solder the pieces together!!!!! 








I still have to add the hoses to the drops on the sanding tower, add another coat of paint and details and prep the final installation in the yard, close to the locomotive shed.
I have some Santa Fe mini decals somewhere, need to start digging for them and organizing all of my decals in one enevelope.
As I worked, I was listening to a few, new to me vinyl records, I bought today, at a resale record store, 20 minutes south of me.....for $5 each, I bought four used records. 
ARS Champaign Jam, Rod Stewart Live, April Wine, and Allen Parsons Project, I Robot...
...sure brought back a flood of teenage memories and there weren't any skips or scratches! 
They say, vinyl is making a comeback...I just like the rich sound you get with vinyl. 
My retro Fisher 3012's speakers are sounding wonderful too!
Well, if I can find enough of these perspective shots, I may end each post with one....









*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...








*


----------



## Lemonhawk

The movie of the sign doesn't do it justice. It must look spectacular in person! You do really great work, and it looks well organized. This is the part of building a layout I really enjoy, making all the electronics work. I've been playing with an Arduino and running neopixels (individually addressable RGB LED strings. I figure I can wire them all up in the buildings and signals then figure out the programming later!


----------



## Berrychon

SF Gal said:


> Sf Gal Wonderland sounds good too!


Thanks !


----------



## Stumpy

SF Gal said:


> ARS Champaign Jam


One of my favorite discs of all time. One of those super rare cases where every track is good.


----------



## JeffHurl

When I was in MIddle School, our local High School won a Wriggly's Gum contest and the prize was ARS playing at the school. My parents wouldn't let me go. I still resent that.


----------



## SF Gal

Gosh Jeff, I know the feeling. I used to sneak out of the window as a teen and go to concerts. I lost my purse at the Cheap Trick concert and had to borrow money to call my Mom to pic me up across town...boy was she mad! No record music tonight, I have the television on tonight and watching the shopping channel as they have some cute Mexican Onyx necklaces....anyway, I finished painting and making a base for my Sanding/diesel/water station....
I placed it near the diesel repair shed.....








Got to fix the bent up ladder yet...didn't notice it so bent in real life...I need stronger glasses, I suppose....








The tanker was an old tyco junk I kept just for this project.
I also scored some .75 fiber optic filament for stars on my backdrop....








Putting stars and far away streetlights in backdrop cities is going to really be cool, I hope! I project I hope to start soon as all the backdrops are a work in progress and probably as involved as anything else. I am so excited to start using the fibers soon! The light for the fibers is from an old Allen Bradley lighted touch screen from the 90's, I was able to get from a cracked display for a company I use to work for....








It runs off of 24vdc...my multivolt transformer I made will supply the power.
I also worked on fit and finish of the trim on a part of my facia of my layout that drops down for access to some hidden trackage. It's much better now. I also started the process of extending wires off of track signal lights and slowly am placing them on the layout but not wiring them in, just yet.....








I may use Walters switch machines to illumate the lights or I have to use CDS cells and try to find more modules from international...either direction will be determined by cost and killing 2 birds with one stone....decisions, decisions.

I better start some more dog sitting jobs soon as my purse is starting to feel lite.
I still have to pay for a Mexican onyx necklace, like June Cleaver use to wear!
_Who can actually afford real Pearls?!?!?_








...anyone one for a break....and some milk and cookies?
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## OilValleyRy

You might be the first person to model planet Venus in HO? Just make one noticeably brighter than the others.


----------



## BigGRacing

Great layout pics SFG !


----------



## SF Gal

OilValleyRy said:


> You might be the first person to model planet Venus in HO? Just make one noticeably brighter than the others.


I never thought of that...but I am sure someone on this planet has already modeled the stars in there backdrops...I can't be the first!!


BigGRacing said:


> Great layout pics SFG !


Well gosh Gary, thanks...always working the angles to make it unique, but fun too.

Well, nothing much to report as "Indian Summer" has arrived here in the Midwest of the United States for about 3 or 4 days.
So no progress at all on the layout as I am outside, soaking it all up! Using the mild weather to rake leaves and putting away all my patio furnature cushions, flower pots and stands, and tearing out my pepper and tomato plants. Working outside as much as I can before the bottom drops out, weather wise.
Having said that, I was at Sams Club the other day and picked up a _Westcott ProjectMate Cordless Rechargable Hot Glue Gun!_ Phew, that was a long item name!








I was so "excited" to get it charged up I was ripping open the package and thought the purchace would be cool to share with my threads audience. Hence the ripped package.
So I got it charged and did a sample glue up. The tip is smaller than a corded gun and more precise, I like that.
It will be nice to work on glueing down semiphores, streetlights, and railroad crossing signals in the near future using this modern marvel so stay tuned for more on this tools potential.
For now, wishing all of you here in the midwest US, a Happy Indian Summer! 😁
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Conductorkev

Hmm like the cordless glue gun might have to purchase one can't stand the cord since it always seems like you run out of cord when using lol.


----------



## OilValleyRy

Stars in general, yeah others have done that. I’m not aware of anyone making a point to model Venus specifically. Considering it’s just “extra bright” you’d think it’s a so-simple no-brainer.


----------



## Stejones82

Would be most interested in your "after-action" report on the cordless glue gun. I have never been a glue gun user, but I might could be converted if it is useful.


----------



## Berrychon

Stejones82 said:


> I have never been a glue gun user, but I might could be converted if it is useful.


 Me too ! SFG, I will watch your work with a great interest.


----------



## SF Gal

What happens at my home when it is a cold, windy, dreary, and a rain soaked day?
It is usually working on the railroad day!
My cold bones finally got into my train lounge about 10am and it was a slow start.
I wanted to use my new glue gun some more but I only had a few railroad signal crossings to glue down.








The gun sits cold and idle with a with a red flashing light while charging, steady green light when charged but only while perched in its charger or a low volt cord is plugged into it as you do not have to rely on the base to charge the gun..









Diminsions compared to the plug in gun....









Once the on button is held for 3 seconds, the green light flashed for about 15 seconds and goes solid,
It is ready...pull the trigger and "HOT" glue flows from the precise tip. Once done, press the off button and it stops heating the glue stick. Repeat as necessary. I did keep the gun on and found glue will dribble out of the tip. I read in the directions you should NOT leave it running while not using it as the whole thing can get gummed up and fail to feed the glue stick.
So cool to have this, it is so handy...and did I mention NO CORD!
What are you waiting for, Christmas???
Go put this on your Christmas wish list or go buy one!!!!
So I got motivated and started work on my backdrop fiber optics lighting.
I took the panel off the layout and propped it up on boxes opposite my hobby bench.....








I have to make a reel for the fiber optics as it took a lot of effort to keep it untangled and to avoid kinking the fiber.
I bought over 650 feet and this one 8 foot panel took about 250 feet as I wanted to centrally locate a light source, so I am rethinking that whole plan. I tested some bright LEDs I have and they seem to work very well lighting the fiber,
So I will be making dedicated light source in every backdrop and only have one power wire to connect and disconnect IF I have to work on a backdrop. Originally I was thinking I would have 50 fibers strung under the layout to a central light source. Now, I will NOT do that.
And a blurry sneak preview of the dark blue sky....








I have a plan to very the brightness and color of each star in the future, but you get the idea.
Below is a picture of trying to capture stringing streetlighting in the far off city. I also have a plan to light the buildings....








I finished what I had strung and had to quit to go do some chores so the next time I will be working on it, I will be designing the light boxes in the styrofoan sandwiched between the plastic foamboard.....

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Conductorkev

SF Gal said:


> What happens at my home went it is a cold, windy, dreary, and rain soaked day? It is usually working on the railroad day!
> My cold bones finally got into my train lounge about 10am and it was a slow start.
> I wanted to use my new glue gun some more but I only had a few railroad signal crossings to glue down.
> View attachment 591575
> 
> The gun sits cold and idle with a with a red flashing light while charging, steady green light when charged but only while perched in its charger or a low volt cord is plugged into it as you do not have to rely on the base to charge the gun..
> View attachment 591573
> 
> 
> Diminsions compared to the plug in gun....
> View attachment 591574
> 
> 
> Once the on button is held for 3 seconds, the green light flashed for about 15 seconds and goes solid,
> It is ready...pull the trigger and "HOT" glue flows from the precise tip. Once done, press the off button and it stops heating the glue stick. Repeat as necessary. I did keep the gun on and found glue will dribble out of the tip. I read in the directions you should NOT leave it running while not using it as the whole thing can get gummed up and fail to feed the glue stick.
> So cool to have this, it is so handy...and did I mention NO CORD!
> What are you waiting for, Christmas???
> Go put this on your Christmas wish list or go buy one!!!!
> So I got motivated and started work on my backdrop fiber optics lighting.
> I took the panel off the layout and propped it up on boxes oppisite my hobby bench.....
> View attachment 591578
> 
> I have to make a reel for the fiber optics as it took a lot of effort to keep it untangled and to avoid kinking the fiber.
> I bought over 650 feet and this one 8 foot panel took about 250 feet as I wanted to centrally locate a light source, so I am rethinking that whole plan. I tested some bright LEDs I have and they seem to work very well lighting the fiber,
> So I will be making dedicated light source in every backdrop and only have one power wire to connect and disconnect IF I have to work on a backdrop. Originally I was thinking I would have 50 fibers strung under the layout to a central light source. Now, I will NOT do that.
> And a blurry sneak preview of the dark blue sky....
> View attachment 591579
> 
> I have a plan to very the brightness and color of each star in the future, but you get the idea.
> Below is a picture of trying to capture stringing streetlighting in the far off city. I also have a plan to light the buildings....
> View attachment 591580
> 
> I finished what I had strung and had to quit to go do some chores so the next time I will be working on it, I will be designing the light boxes in the styrofoan sandwiched between the plastic foamboard.....
> 
> *A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *



How long does that glue gun take to heat up after you press the button?

As far as the lights thry are looking good. You should get one of those light controllers that turns off and on lights for the stars. Or you can run a led strip going across the sky for a shooting star


----------



## SF Gal

Conductorkev said:


> How long does that glue gun take to heat up after you press the button?....


 About 15 seconds...really, it is pretty quick...it is remarkable! 
_Once the on button is held for 3 seconds, the green light flashed for about 15 seconds and goes solid,
It is ready...pull the trigger and "HOT" glue flows from the precise tip. _

Kev, I don't want to get too complex with the starlight, I want to get it done. I have EIGHT backdrops to do that are eight foot long, after all! Once installed, there will be time for upgrades but I feel, those who look for perfection usually never finish the other stuff. Get it done and upgrade later...the shooting star idea would be cool. I read one post about a manifacture making thunder and lighting machine for the train room....I like that idea too....soo how much is too much? I'll get there, "tiers" at a time.


----------



## Conductorkev

SF Gal said:


> About 15 seconds...really, it is pretty quick...it is remarkable!
> _Once the on button is held for 3 seconds, the green light flashed for about 15 seconds and goes solid,
> It is ready...pull the trigger and "HOT" glue flows from the precise tip. _
> 
> Kev, I don't want to get too complex with the starlight, I want to get it done. I have EIGHT backdrops to do that are eight foot long, after all! Once installed, there will be time for upgrades but I feel, those who look for perfection usually never finish the other stuff. Get it done and upgrade later...the shooting star idea would be cool. I read one post about a manifacture making thunder and lighting machine for the train room....I like that idea too....soo how much is too much? I'll get there, "tiers" at a time.



A model railroad is never done


----------



## OilValleyRy

Hot apple cider (even microwaved if need be) is a good way to start out those days. Smells better on the stove though.


----------



## Choobacker

SF Gal, the layout is looking better and better.

I have never been fond of using the hot glue gun. Well, the gun is okay, but the glue isn't. IMHO.

As for Venus, yes a brighter spot (say four fibre optics bundled together, or melt the end to create a dome lens). 
Or if one wants to model it as Venus, it's not an easy task as some may think. 
It not only looks like the largest star, but it also has a slight pink tinge to it.​It moves around the stars like a planet, which it is.​And is the first or last bright spot seen before or after all the other stars.​


----------



## OilValleyRy

Fun that you got the NCC-1701 in there too.


----------



## SF Gal

Well I finished the first backdrop and am pleased with the outcome....








From the stars in the sky to the city street lights in the backdrop.
I embedded led into the foamboard and routed the fibers to the led, so I have one wire controlling the whole backdrop.
Now that I finished one, I have a good idea how to finish the rest....can't wait for the sun to go down to see it at night as the bacement window to the right of the backdrop washes out the view of darkness a bit.
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## JeffHurl

That is awesome!


----------



## OilValleyRy

Gig it tee.

I’m putting inside shutters on my basement windows for light blocking.


----------



## Raege

Schweeeeeet! Love it lots of ideas to “borrow” Hope to see some pics once sun goes down 😉


----------



## Oomowmow

SF Gal said:


> I thought I cronical my continuing efforts on my shelf layout I starting building over 23 years ago. I had grand ambitious plans as I finally had a finished basement to fix up and showcase a shelf railroad that friends and family would love to visit.
> This is my 3rd engineered road with childhood experiences from serious modelers. I did the loop, and point to point in homosote and cork. I was a member of a modular club and learned all I could about DCC. If you ever want to learn DCC or modular design, joining a club and learning how to's from a lot of educated afficinato's is the way to go.
> In those early days, being transient, I was relaglated to "N' scale and grew to dispise the micro-issues the scale presents. So this 3rd layout...is working to.....fulfill the dream!
> 
> The plan was to have a BIG yard to park a vast collection of rolling stock and Engines and a loop or duel main that could transit separate zones and climites based on my favorite railroad, namely the Santa Fe. I wanted at least 2 trains to be able to roll without much guidance while I could manage switching in a yard and making consists. I'd switch out consists on the main and drop off deliveries off the main while avoiding the 2 trains rolling on the main.
> That takes a lot of track and basement space so the shelf layout was the ticket.
> 
> *The Design....*
> 
> 
> View attachment 577681
> 
> 
> I spent two years building the shelf, cutting out track bed, homosote, laying track, wiring in the DCC wiring, hardwiring locomotives from DC to DCC, and finally running trains. I had even tried to run a overhead main track high in the ceiling around the drop ceiling...it was enough to "burnout".
> View attachment 577682
> 
> 
> But there was so much more to do! I had very little buildings, no lighting, very little scenery.
> So I kept plugging away...and *life happened* and I had to rethink everything as I feared I would have to tear it all down and move. So I abandoned my overhead line with a helix to connect the shelve unit and I shortened the mainline in order to be able to move it all. And then it sat, waiting to see if I would have to move it or not.
> 
> 10 years later and it looks as if time passed me by and now I see myself retired and needing a winter hobby.
> How about a railroad...I so wish I still had that drive I had in my youth, time has taken it toll on me too. I am in my 60's, FYI.
> But I am trying to do more and more.
> View media item 22955
> I found some sweet deals on used buildings at the train show and am making them "mini diaramas" to plug and place on the layout all ready to go with people, furnishing, LED lighting and the such.
> View media item 22963
> Today, I get excited with nano LED tech and am working between the building diaoramas and the streets that define the spaces the diaramas plug into. I purchased nano street lights and building nano leds....
> View attachment 577683
> 
> 
> Engineering street scenes to work with a "popout panel" for loop access....
> View attachment 577685
> 
> 
> Mounting street lighting...so exciting!
> View attachment 577684
> 
> 
> I had a dedicated hi amperage 24vdc power supply for use on the layout and I am going to use it for all the lighting, adding several circuits of different adjustable voltages to mimic different brightness of street lights, home lights, store and sign lighting....a very ambicious lighting project.
> View attachment 577686
> 
> 
> And a glut of used recycled builtings to embellish and make into mini diaoramas. Placing then to see how they may fit in the town area around the bottom of the loop....
> View attachment 577687
> 
> 
> And a general view of the "L" shaped layout...
> View attachment 577688
> 
> 
> This top loop is a module that can move and disconnect to the shelf layout in order to gain access to a storage area door....
> View attachment 577689
> 
> 
> 
> More to come soon.
> I am wanting to start my own thread about my layout to document future progress and appologize in advance to those viewers looking for progress during the late Spring, Summer, and early Fall months as this is mostly a winter hobby for me.


----------



## Oomowmow

Wow, my mind is blown! Great work, SFG, fantastic layout! Don't know how I've been oblivious to this thread all this time. Looking forward to continued updates, thanks for sharing!


----------



## JeffHurl

The Starship Enterprise is a nice touch. 🤓

Maybe we'll get lucky and get to see some cool low light photos soon. 🖖


----------



## BigGRacing

Having observed SF Gal's modelling skills, I know she would be more than capable of having a Klingon cruiser in there as well with full lasers and sounds........

I think that would be a little over the top though......pardon the pun.....or shooting for the stars.....

What an awesome job accomplished !


----------



## Oomowmow

BigGRacing said:


> Having observed SF Gal's modelling skills, I know she would be more than capable of having a Klingon cruiser in there as well with full lasers and sounds........
> 
> I think that would be a little over the top though......pardon the pun.....or shooting for the stars.....
> 
> What an awesome job accomplished !


🖖


----------



## Berrychon

BigGRacing said:


> Having observed SF Gal's modelling skills, I know she would be more than capable of having a Klingon cruiser in there as well with full lasers and sounds........


----------



## SF Gal

OMGosh! Thanks for all the wonderful accolades, I am so NOT worthy! ...hear me out....
I did putz with another backdrop and refined the way I light the fibers and noticed lighting one from the other is like night and day. I believe I forgot to glue the LED in place so it would not shift...
So I have to go back to the USS Enterprise backdrop and see what happened as I believe the LED shifted and caused the whole thing to dim too much, compared to the second backdrop I did....below is the nighttime shot....








These LEDs are being powered at 4.5VDC, almost overvoltage for the resistor used, compared to 3VDC. I was thinking I needed a brighter LED and that was not the case.
So I need to fix this problem and lower the voltage to extend the life of the LEDS. Trial and error for me...kind of like my signature line below. So I messed up the first design...DRAT! Why didn't I glue down that LED in the housing?

One big problem with working on the layout lately is the wonderful weather is continuing in my region. Today, I helped a cousin with wiring /installing a outdoor sensor spotlight, went to the farm to get apple pie, homemade carmel apples, apple cinnamon donuts, and acorn squash, besides working a booth at the local craft fair I frequent.








Tomarrow is the Dupage Train Show and dinner with relatives. Monday is yardwork...lots and lots of leaves! OMG! Eight lawn bags of "mulched" leaves so far and 4 or 5 more to go on my little property.








Tuesday is a new month and I have to work every new month, on my feet, walking 8 mile or more a day, as a meter maid, for maybe 5 days, but the pay is good. Walking that much is tough at my age.









Maybe the second week in November I will be a little freeier for working on the layout.
I would love to get past these 2 backdrops as the St. Louis backdrop is next, as I havent shown the forum the animated Zenith sign and the building lighted yet.
Then a real fun industrail backdrop for the yard area, left of the USS Enterprise backdrop....and on and on...so sorry for the slow news coming...
The first week *after thanksgiving* will be crazy as I have to finalize my Grandmas Christmas train display for around the Christmas tree. A few loose ends will be documented in my thread Grandma's Christmas Trains....along with decorating the whole Frontroom for Christmas as the family celebrates the holidays at this homestead.
I think they are going to love the display I am creating....








It is close to done, maybe another 20 hours finishing the viaduct and fabricating a piece of track to shorten and fit into a siding. wiring and hiding it all. So it is just not my HO layout this year as this will be the first year since 1977 Grandmas train will run around a Christmas tree. I spent a lot of money just to have a professional refurbish the locomotive last August. It is going to be so cute and nostalgic, I am sure. Well, that's all for now!
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Berrychon

It looks like a Star Wars city...


----------



## sjm9911

Looking good, if you didn't coment on the other tread, I wouldnt have found it. Will read up more when I have time. I also, did not think your layout was that big. Only saw snapshots here and their! Have fun.


----------



## SF Gal

Well, we had a couple of days of cold weather and I got all my outdoor chores done before the bottom dropped out.
So I had some time to insulate my hobby lounge basement windows and do a few other things.
I stopped at Menards for some insulator kits and went thru the train aisles....








...they have a good selection of O scale and a few HO scale buildings too....








...I liked the Piggy Wiggly.....but not for $50!!! They had plenty of HO scale buildings...








Once I got home I insulated the windows, like I said, and started looking at some of the stuff I bought at last months train show. Beside a built factory I will use for backdrop duty, I bought this kit of mini buildings....








I also bought this hedge kit thinking it was a tree kit....








I tackled my problem with dim stars on the first backdrop I did and thought I fix it but once I tested it, no go...Drat!








..you see, I engineered these "pockets where i could marry the fiber optics to a LED but if its off by a little bit, the light doesn't get transfered through the optics. So there it sits as I took a break to think how to redo it right.
All the while I was listening to some vinyl records, so I alphabetized my mini collection and called it a day....








I really need to make a nice raised box to store these albums, So much to work on...one thing at a time.


*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Christiaη

SF Gal said:


> All the while I was listening to some vinyl records,


The famous sound of the vinyl records...it was many moons ago.


----------



## SF Gal

Nasty weather outside equals more train time in my book. I finally engineered a wonderful fix to avoid misalignment of the fiber optics and the LED marriage on the back of the backdrop. I used a plastic drinking straw as a sleeve to marry the 2 items together! It worked great, as you can see the stars on the left side are as bright as the right. Phew!








I also turned down the voltage back to 3 VDC for longevity of the LED's.
I did find a loose wire inside the building that lights my Santa Fe billboard, so that is a minor future fix. I am curious if anyone is using a cordless soldiering iron and if so, what are you using?
More pictures....








Here is the backdrop to the left of the above picture that is just starting mock up ideas....and needs fiber optics for stars too.....








This backdrop is to the right of the middle and is closer to completion, star are going in on this backdrop next...








To the right of the backdrop above is not installed yet as I need to make supports for that movable module which allows access to the storage area behind the door. That movable module is far from being finished scenery wise.
So I am moving along slowly. Working my Grandmas Christmas setup too as I will be getting close to installing that in about 2 weeks or less.
While parusing the HO section of the forum the other day, I saw a thread called Who ran Trains today?
Seeing all the neato videos of your layouts I made a video of my layout running trains at night mode....




*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## Gramps

Not bad.
Just kidding, the layout looks great and you have done a super job with the special effects. Not just the stars, but the rain, snow and especially the fireworks.


----------



## OilValleyRy

Those stars look incredible!
And to top it off, I now have Ragtop Deluxe stuck in my head.


----------



## Oomowmow

That's one amazing layout! Really like the stars!


----------



## SF Gal

Thanks to all for the nice comments. I am pretty happy with how the backdrops are turning out.
They really make the whole layout seem a little more professionally done.
Here is the back of the 3rd out of 6 panels I am doing to give you an idea of the scope of fiber optics placement I am doing ...








_(The panels, if you remember from previous posts, were church boards about various bible stories)_
The fiber ends get taped down so they don't poke out of the holes.
Below shows how they get cut uniformly and a plastic straw is slid back and taped to allow one 3mm LED to align "perfectly" with the fibers, inside the straw. On this backdrop, with towns and sky lighted, I will have 4 LED tubes packed full of fibers...








Since the backdrops are made with two rigid external plastic faces with a styrofoam core, I cut the backside and hollow out a small area to accept the tubes that will be wrapped with black construction paper to hide the light from bleeding through the face of the backdrop. 
Below shows 2 straws buried into the second backdrop I started. 
Since no heat is generated, it is a wonderful application for this project.









Below, I still have one town to the right of the middle building on this 3rd backdrop to work on as I usually just add street lights and maybe a building light or two...








I'll post up the finished panel on my next post. So nice to be moving along with these backdrops.

I am also "_engineering ideas"_ to drive streetlights and mainline track lights even though I started mounting some of them on the layout.
I found these kids toy traffic lights with sound, on Amazon, for less than $2 USD. I was thinking I could disassemble it and used the electronics to power a traffic signal. or two...on the layout.








As far as the mainline lighting system, I have *no* frugal way of making the lighting work besides using nails and foil to make contacts on turnout switch actuator bars. _But it is an option._
I was looking at Walters DCC switch machines ....










... but at $93 a five pack, I hesitate to pull the trigger, as they say. Hence the "_engineering_ _ideas" _blurb.
That's all for this weekends follies.....
*...A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







*


----------



## Raege

awesome following along. It’s really coming our beautifully. So many ideas to borrow/steal  keep the pics and vid’s flowing love the eye candy


----------



## JeffHurl

Very clever application of fiber optics! Not just the idea, but how you have managed to fabricate an entire system is quite impressive!


----------



## MichaelE

The Walthers switch machines work really well for me. The two lever switches can be used for signals or to control frog power if needed. They are also DCC controllable from your hand-held controller. DCC is built in with an included decoder.


----------



## Christiaη




----------



## SF Gal

Thanks for askin' Christian, as I am in full decorating mode for the holidays and getting every room ready for about 4 Christmas Partys in my home as many relatives, friends, and family will come together here, during the last week of December.
I got Grandma's 1949 S gauge train layout up, around the tree but no ordiments on the tree yet.
So I am waiting to take pictures with a clean living room and update that thread I made for that whole project.
The living room is a mess with containers everywhere.
I have stocking to hang, gifts to wrap and a lot to clean, containers to put away......









In the HO scale Big "L" train lounge I did finish placing "all" the backdrops on the layout just to get them off the floor. I did finish the fiber optics on the St. Louis backdrop but no pics in nite mode yet....








In between all that, I am "tweeking" the tracks, finding minor issues with joints, and making the layout, locomotives, and as many cars I can, robust and dependable.
I am close to running 3 consists around the main without fail so I can move cars in the various yards and inner reverse loops, with a 4th locomotive...DCC is awesome, isn't it!!!! 
But there is a lot of tweeking to do as this layout has been down for over 10 years without ever being finished, Coupled with Altas switches and adding a loop, this layout will keep me busy well after the holidays and for the rest of my quality of life years.....
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







*


----------



## SF Gal

Oops double post.


----------



## Conductorkev

SF Gal said:


> Thanks to all for the nice comments. I am pretty happy with how the backdrops are turning out.
> They really make the whole layout seem a little more professionally done.
> Here is the back of the 3rd out of 6 panels I am doing to give you an idea of the scope of fiber optics placement I am doing ...
> View attachment 593259
> 
> _(The panels, if you remember from previous posts, were church boards about various bible stories)_
> The fiber ends get taped down so they don't poke out of the holes.
> Below shows how they get cut uniformly and a plastic straw is slid back and taped to allow one 3mm LED to align "perfectly" with the fibers, inside the straw. On this backdrop, with towns and sky lighted, I will have 4 LED tubes packed full of fibers...
> View attachment 593260
> 
> Since the backdrops are made with two rigid external plastic faces with a styrofoam core, I cut the backside and hollow out a small area to accept the tubes that will be wrapped with black construction paper to hide the light from bleeding through the face of the backdrop.
> Below shows 2 straws buried into the second backdrop I started.
> Since no heat is generated, it is a wonderful application for this project.
> View attachment 593265
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> Below, I still have one town to the right of the middle building on this 3rd backdrop to work on as I usually just add street lights and maybe a building light or two...
> View attachment 593269
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> I'll post up the finished panel on my next post. So nice to be moving along with these backdrops.
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> I am also "_engineering ideas"_ to drive streetlights and mainline track lights even though I started mounting some of them on the layout.
> I found these kids toy traffic lights with sound, on Amazon, for less than $2 USD. I was thinking I could disassemble it and used the electronics to power a traffic signal. or two...on the layout.
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> As far as the mainline lighting system, I have *no* frugal way of making the lighting work besides using nails and foil to make contacts on turnout switch actuator bars. _But it is an option._
> I was looking at Walters DCC switch machines ....
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> ... but at $93 a five pack, I hesitate to pull the trigger, as they say. Hence the "_engineering_ _ideas" _blurb.
> That's all for this weekends follies.....
> *...A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...
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At least your lights are blessed


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## SF Gal

They say, "DIAMONDS ARE A GIRLS BEST FRIEND!"
I was at Hobby Lobby and bought some fake mini faceted colored diamonds.
I am going to use them as planets on my backdrop in conjunction with my lighted fiber optics...








They are really tiny and had to use my reverse tweesers to just hold them and add a drop of glue.
...my folly is a kind of a test to see how it looks.... so I put a few on the backdrop.
The pic belows shows the fiber optics not lit and lit...the lighter colored diamonds look pretty good in either light.
They help define closer planets in space at all times, I'm gitty...it looks pretty cool in person!
It is kind of hard for you to see how cool this faceted glass look as planets.....









So it looks like I am giving myself the green light to go ahead with diamonds on the backdrop.
My Mom left me some costume jewelry a while back and I have it squirreled away somewhere...
...so if I find that treasure, I maybe able to save a little cash and upscond the jems off of clip on earrings, bracelets, rings, and pendants.
If you remember my other freebie tip was to use old cosmetics for weathering stuff.
Another re-purpose for using girly things on the layout!
On a different note, I ran 3 consists on the mainline and am getting good at multitasking.
It was also nice to install this flatcar load I found at Lombard hobbies for $5...it was a impulse buy...








I went to the store to buy a NCE - P515 15 Volt AC 5 Amp Power Supply to replace a MRC transformer I had been using for the same task. 
It was a old varible transformer I was getting nervious using as it was over 15 yrs old.
Piece of mind is a issue with me. 
While at the store, I didn't pull the trigger but I am thinking of adding another NCE hand held connection port and handheld for another user to control locomotives for a two person operation. If you have DCC might as well use it! About a $200 add on so I am mulling it over.

*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!...







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## afboundguy

Not sure if I missed this or not but I love the idea of fiber optics for stars! I purchased some color changing GU10 bulbs to experiment with for nighttime options as my buddy with the B&M layout has some. Granted he only has 6-8 normal bulbs and I have almost 30 GU10 bulbs so it would be a tad expensive which is why I only purchased 4 to test out!


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## Christiaη

SF Gal said:


> .it was a impulse buy...


Welcome to the Club !


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## SF Gal

Now that the holidays have passed and a family tragedy has passed, I "just" started spending some time at the workbench and another backdrop panel. I recently aquired a used cornerstone building last fall at the local train show.
I am using it on a backdrop in the yard area. So I started.... I actually cut the building down to accomidate the already laid track that runs under the upper floors for the loading dock. Set the location, on the backdrop....








Painted the back wall, added LED's and added floors.....








I mounted LED's on tongue depressors, soldered them together, tested, and hot glued them in place....








I have one last Miller Engineering Billboard, the Coppertone Girl should catch your attention, right?!?! 
I bought last summer and started mounting the electronics in the building....








So I plan on making crates from scratch to hide the wires since this is a furnature warehouse.
I've marked out elevator doors on the backdrops back wall and thinking up more outside lighting.
But that is as far as I got with this. Got to do some work this week to afford more stuff so this is on hold till next week.
*A Work in Progress!....Stay tuned!... 







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## Magic

Tongue depressors, that's gotta be a first for building lights, very cleaver. 🆒 

Magic


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## Christiaη

*SF Gal* Welcome back and Happy new Year !

​


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## Gramps

Looking forward to the end result.


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## JeffHurl

I really like what you're doing with lights. I think that lighting and DCC sound are the two parts of model railroading where HO truly stands above N scale.

I may end up retro-fitting some lights into my layout. They add such a cool ambiance, and really add depth to a scene. BUt doing that with N scale stuff is a lot more challenging. I really like what you're doing!!

For example... Imagine this John Stobart print without the lighting. The "depth" perception, especially the light from within the little cabin on the raft... It wouldn't be the same without the lighting. not even close!


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## Stumpy

Magic said:


> Tongue depressors... very cleaver.


Agree. Gotta be better than fiddling with them individually inside the building.


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## vette-kid

This is incredible! Your workbench pics made me feel good, I'm always jumping between projects and have a scattered mess... except you are WAY more talented!

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## SF Gal

Happy New Year to you all and thanks for the nice comments.
They say "necessity is the mother of invention" and this Gal needed a way to mount multiple lights in a building.
I saw these tongue depressors in the wood craft aisle at Hobby Lobby and "ding".
Drill holes for each prong and cut wood to size.
Most of my buildings have this assembly.
Jeff, just 20 years ago, you had to use a grain of wheat bulb. Today with nano LEDs and fiber optics, you could really make N Scale sparkle with lights, it's really easier than ever. 
I really would use fiber optics on all of my N scale structures...it would add a lot of realism to your alraedy realistic layout.
I don't know about talented VetteKid, just like a taste of whimsy in my diaoramas. My desk does get cleaned once in the while, than another project happens and it is a mess again..._sigh_ ....same with all of us, I bet.


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## JeffHurl

I'll play around with lighting a bit over this Winter. The river area of my layout took a lot less time than I thought it would, so I'll have some time I wasn't expecting. I still have many tweaks to make to the river, but basically, the only real big part of my layout that isn't complete is the ballasting, and even that is about 1/3 complete.

I'd rather fiddle with lighting than do the ballasting, LOL!


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