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Post by atsda on May 31, 2024 17:45:54 GMT
Post by Traindiesel! on 14 hours ago
15 hours ago atsda said:
Best success with your house search and move. What will you do with your layout? Alfred
Thank you, Alfred. We’re just probing areas and gathering information for now. It’s still at least two years away.
As for the layout, what I do with it will depend on the area available. If I have my way it’ll be big. Freight and passenger yards, steam facility with a turntable and roundhouse, diesel locomotive facility, mountains, bridges, city, small town, ocean beach scene with amusement park, a river and a passenger station hub.
I already have all the trains, track and bridges I need and most of the other materials along with what I acquire in the meantime. It’s what I had planned before and after moving west but the move and elderly parents slowed progress and changed the focus. I’m fortunate that I have a wife who enables me in the hobby
Brian, the layout plans sound great. Pack it all up carefully. Don’t do what we did – buy a ‘new’ house before clearing out the one we were in. 44 years of marriage, 30-years in the house, stuff accumulated from two sets of parents, and 4 children. Glad that you have a wife who supports the train hobby. Alfred
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Post by atsda on May 31, 2024 18:03:31 GMT
Brian, I just read Joe's post about recommending Tampa. We lived there in the late 80s to early 90s; it was too hot for me. We did like our neighborhood - Cherry Lake - a few miles up Dale Mabry Hwy from the Stadium. The houses in that neighborhood were one level, but had a two-car garage . That is where I kept my layout. We bought our house for peanuts, and now they are going for over 475k$The lake less than one-half mile away had a chicken-eating aligator, we had orange trees in the back yard, and knew a family that kept ostritches. Tampa is now getting really built up. Alfred
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Post by g3750 on Jun 2, 2024 2:13:00 GMT
Cranberry Township is nice. Our NMRA division would welcome you. And we have a fine re-education camp for Flyers fans as well. 😉🤣
Ok, that was a bit harsh. I actually liked the Penguins during the Lemieux years. And don’t forget it was Flyers fans that gave Mario a standing ovation in Philly when he returned from his cancer treatments. (We met him in an elevator after a game in Phoenix when he was running the organization) But I believe Penguin fans could learn a few things from Gritty!  
Brian, you sound jealous because we got Mario and Jaromir. And the 2 back-to-back Cups with them. And then the one in 2009. And the 2 back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017. And because it's been 56 years since the Broadstreet Bullies lifted any hardware heavier than their golf clubs.
But I must acknowledge the Philadelphia fans giving Mario a standing ovation. That was awesome, much better than they treat Santa Claus for example.
I am positive we Pens fans could learn many, many things from Gritty - most of which would result in felony convictions. 
Seriously, wherever you land, I hope it will be all you desire and that you are able to build your dream layout quickly.
George
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Post by Traindiesel! on Jun 2, 2024 3:25:38 GMT
George, I have no doubt it’s a beautiful area. And it would be fun to be part of the NMRA. But re-education of Flyers fans by Penguin fans? That’s the team that had to tank about ten seasons just so they could get Mario and Jaromir. Then they did it again to get Sidney! Win a Cup then tank for a bunch of seasons. And didn’t Mario sue the organization because they didn’t pay him?! Sheesh!
Ok, that was a bit harsh. I actually liked the Penguins during the Lemieux years. And don’t forget it was Flyers fans that gave Mario a standing ovation in Philly when he returned from his cancer treatments. (We met him in an elevator after a game in Phoenix when he was running the organization) But I believe Penguin fans could learn a few things from Gritty!
Brian, you sound jealous because we got Mario and Jaromir. And the 2 back-to-back Cups with them. And then the one in 2009. And the 2 back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017. And because it's been 56 years since the Broadstreet Bullies lifted any hardware heavier than their golf clubs.
But I must acknowledge the Philadelphia fans giving Mario a standing ovation. That was awesome, much better than they treat Santa Claus for example.
I am positive we Pens fans could learn many, many things from Gritty - most of which would result in felony convictions.
Seriously, wherever you land, I hope it will be all you desire and that you are able to build your dream layout quickly.
George
Those Cups were then, this is now. But you are probably right about Gritty. It’s why we love him.
Thank you for the well wishes, George!! There’s a lot to do and prepare for, but I’m getting antsy for my layout!
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Post by ron045 on Jun 2, 2024 13:16:58 GMT
Beings its summer and maybe having some time to retreat to the cooler basement or not do any of you guys or gals have plans to improve, build, your layout? I'm going to rip up about a third of my layout and for those that Don't know my layout is 24/7 Christmas themed with dept56 buildings and accessories. I will change how it is powered and I'll be adding hopefully about 8-10 buildings and a better overall look to the area. I like to this every year to keep the display fresh. What are your plans? Dave I have thought many times recently of starting the layout over. It's a 15x33 around the room with center Island, I've been working on for over 10 years. I would like to make it bigger, plus my skills have improved, so I could make it better. We currently have sidings and a yard for nice operations, but now that my son works for a switching railroad, I realized they are all wrong and could be redone for better operations. My wife and I are discussing our future. Live our days out here or make a final move. It really all depends on where the kids end up. So that is another limiting factor. I don't want to redo a layout just to dismantle it in a couple of years for a move.
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Post by atsda on Jun 3, 2024 18:00:18 GMT
Ron, sounds like a good configuration - with the center island. Good success with the next one. Alfred
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Post by Country Joe on Jun 4, 2024 13:32:20 GMT
Beings its summer and maybe having some time to retreat to the cooler basement or not do any of you guys or gals have plans to improve, build, your layout? I'm going to rip up about a third of my layout and for those that Don't know my layout is 24/7 Christmas themed with dept56 buildings and accessories. I will change how it is powered and I'll be adding hopefully about 8-10 buildings and a better overall look to the area. I like to this every year to keep the display fresh. What are your plans? Dave I have thought many times recently of starting the layout over. It's a 15x33 around the room with center Island, I've been working on for over 10 years. I would like to make it bigger, plus my skills have improved, so I could make it better. We currently have sidings and a yard for nice operations, but now that my son works for a switching railroad, I realized they are all wrong and could be redone for better operations. My wife and I are discussing our future. Live our days out here or make a final move. It really all depends on where the kids end up. So that is another limiting factor. I don't want to redo a layout just to dismantle it in a couple of years for a move.
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Post by atsda on Jun 7, 2024 19:41:43 GMT
The lumber for the new layout was delivered today. I was going to begin construction of the benchwork; however, none of the cuts I requested were made! I am waiting to hear back from the vendor regarding next steps. Alfred
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Post by Adam on Jun 8, 2024 11:35:34 GMT
The idea of redoing and increasing the size of my layout has always been at the back of my mind. Finding time and determine which space I will take over are the main obstacles.
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Post by ron045 on Jun 8, 2024 12:12:29 GMT
Finding time and determine which space I will take over are the main obstacles. Don't forget money. Lumber prices are ridiculous. And I thought track / switch prices were crazy 15 years ago. They have not gotten any better today.
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Post by atsda on Jun 8, 2024 20:05:07 GMT
Work on the new layout proceeds slowly. As mentioned earlier, the delivered wood had not been cut – yet to be resolved. Photos of the empty Train Room are attached. The two 12’ lengths of wood were brought in through the second-story window over the roof of the first-floor addition. (It could not fit through the passageway to the room. I had anticipated this.) The process: I threw a rope across the roof down to ground level, used clove hitch and lashing to secure the wood, from a ladder I hoisted the lumber over the gutter onto the roof, then pulled the lumber withing arm’s reach of the window, and then drew it in. Photo attached. To be continued. Alfred  _ Attachments:
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Post by curtis on Jun 8, 2024 20:36:18 GMT
Unfortunately your photo's did not come through Alfred. Try again as I love following your progress. You are a wonder man of sure natural talents. I can not imagine doing what you are doing with limited vision let alone being blind.
Curtis
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Post by atsda on Jun 9, 2024 17:53:02 GMT
Curtis, I do in fact do everything nonvisually. It takes longer, a good deal of thought and preparation, and touch. It was a good thing that I had been a BSA Scoutmaster - I really had to know my knots. by the way, night hikes were not a problem. I made folks crazy when I worked in the axe yard. Alfred
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Post by david1 on Jun 10, 2024 5:15:28 GMT
Just started tearing apart about one third of the layout. Just cleaning the area up. I will start planning what I want to do. The track will stay the same. I have found a way to have most outlets on top of the layout to make powering the dept56 buildings. The power strips are hidden behind the scenery and buildings.
When I did it on the other side last year and it really made it simpler to power the buildings.
Of course some new buildings will be added and others moved and new scenes created.
Dave
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Post by atsda on Jun 10, 2024 18:04:11 GMT
Dave, I like the idea of hiding the plug strips on the layout topside. I don't have a great need for many plugs, so I just use two mounted under the benchwork. Have fun tearing down and rebuilding. Keep us posted on progress. Alfred
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