What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[G3750]

At some point we're going to need to do a layout tour / pub-crawl...we could call it the "MTJ layout and beer-is-proof-God-loves-us-and-wants-us-to-be-happy" Tour. I envision stops at Rufus T Firefly/Healey36/Sarge/G3750...who else is local?

Healey

I'm certainly OK with that, but you'd better check your geography. The first 3 stops are in striking distance of each other. I'm in Western PA, about 25 miles from Ohio.

George

[healey36]

Yeah, I get that, but I've been wanting to tour western PA for a bit. I've got a gaggle of former employees living in the Johnstown area...maybe they could put us up. I also have a whack-job nephew that lives a bit outside of Steubenville...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

At some point we're going to need to do a layout tour / pub-crawl...we could call it the "MTJ layout and beer-is-proof-God-loves-us-and-wants-us-to-be-happy" Tour. I envision stops at Rufus T Firefly/Healey36/Sarge/G3750...who else is local?

Sarge & I are just ~100 miles apart, but if you are thinking of attending the O Scale Nat'l, I might be persuaded to be available for a visit that week.

[G3750]

At some point we're going to need to do a layout tour / pub-crawl...we could call it the "MTJ layout and beer-is-proof-God-loves-us-and-wants-us-to-be-happy" Tour. I envision stops at Rufus T Firefly/Healey36/Sarge/G3750...who else is local?

Sarge & I are just ~100 miles apart, but if you are thinking of attending the O Scale Nat'l, I might be persuaded to be available for a visit that week.

I am going to try to make that meet.

George

[healey36]

At some point we're going to need to do a layout tour / pub-crawl...we could call it the "MTJ layout and beer-is-proof-God-loves-us-and-wants-us-to-be-happy" Tour. I envision stops at Rufus T Firefly/Healey36/Sarge/G3750...who else is local?

Sarge & I are just ~100 miles apart, but if you are thinking of attending the O Scale Nat'l, I might be persuaded to be available for a visit that week.

Where's the O Scale Nat'l meet?

[G3750]

Updated 5/24/2018:

Making progress on the first table. It's upside down as I install legs.

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Here's a close-up look at the leg bracing. At the left, that piece of plywood leaning against the frame will eventually sit on top of it.

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Here's my leg-making set up. That is an interior leg in the vise. At the lower left are a few (18) of the 22 exterior legs that will be required. Adjustable glides are inserted into every leg to allow for fine-tuning the level of the layout.

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Shown are 15 of the completed interior legs. I will need 40 in all.

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I think I'm starting to pick up momentum!

George

[healey36]

Wow, pictures of progress being made...love it.

I know this is way, way, out there, but what's the plan for the underside, i.e. some sort of skirting, or shelving units? I seem to recall Christopher or someone having small shelving units on casters that fit nicely underneath, but they could be easily moved aside when access was required. I went with simple skirting that's stapled to the table edge, than covered with a finished trim board that runs around the table perimeter.

Healey

[G3750]

Wow, pictures of progress being made...love it.

I know this is way, way, out there, but what's the plan for the underside, i.e. some sort of skirting, or shelving units? I seem to recall Christopher or someone having small shelving units on casters that fit nicely underneath, but they could be easily moved aside when access was required. I went with simple skirting that's stapled to the table edge, than covered with a finished trim board that runs around the table perimeter.

Healey

Thank you!

A 1/8" masonite fascia will be attached to the outer edge of the tables. It will probably be anywhere from 6" to 12" high and it's top edge will follow the contours of the terrain. A skirt will hang down from the bottom edge of the fascia.

Underneath, the plan is to store most train cars in plastic bins like the blue ones you see in the first photo. In that photo, you can also see a set of storage shelves against the wall. There will be one more against the back of the backdrop. Cars that are frequently interchanged (loaded for empty and vice versa) will be stored there.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

At some point we're going to need to do a layout tour / pub-crawl...we could call it the "MTJ layout and beer-is-proof-God-loves-us-and-wants-us-to-be-happy" Tour. I envision stops at Rufus T Firefly/Healey36/Sarge/G3750...who else is local?

Sarge & I are just ~100 miles apart, but if you are thinking of attending the O Scale Nat'l, I might be persuaded to be available for a visit that week.

Where's the O Scale Nat'l meet?

https://2018oscalenational.com/

[rogruth]

RUFUS,
I havw looked at your avatar for two days now and sti;ll have no idea what it is.
Remember that my eyes are as bad or worse than yours.
So please enlarge it or do something so I can see it. Please.Pretty please.
With sugar if you want.

[healey36]

Sarge & I are just ~100 miles apart, but if you are thinking of attending the O Scale Nat'l, I might be persuaded to be available for a visit that week.

Where's the O Scale Nat'l meet?

https://2018oscalenational.com/

Thanks for that...can't be much closer. Unfortunately I expect to be in NY that weekend, but plans can change.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

RUFUS,
I havw looked at your avatar for two days now and sti;ll have no idea what it is.
Remember that my eyes are as bad or worse than yours.
So please enlarge it or do something so I can see it. Please.Pretty please.
With sugar if you want.

I'll try to do that for you over in the lounge section, but I suspect you will be appalled.

BTW, my eyes are now radically different now this week after the 2nd cataract surgery and lens replacement.

[G3750]

...
BTW, my eyes are now radically different now this week after the 2nd cataract surgery and lens replacement.

So how is your sight? Improving, I hope?

BTW, the irony of massive thread drift in the face of true layout construction progress is not lost on me. Sheesh!

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

...
BTW, my eyes are now radically different now this week after the 2nd cataract surgery and lens replacement.

So how is your sight? Improving, I hope?

1 is quite good and will need slight correct for distance and I will need the pair of readers that I already have bought for close work & reading.
2nd is unresolved but improving; there are complications that may or not require further surgery.

BTW, the irony of massive thread drift in the face of true layout construction progress is not lost on me.

If I feel up to it, I will go work on my layout some today and more this weekend as I am restricted in what efforts I may expend. Scenery should not exceed those limits,

[G3750]

Updated 5/25/2018:

More progress on the first 3 tables (surfaces).

We started with the first surface.

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It's not quite in the corner yet. That would leave no room to maneuver.

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I started clamping down surfaces to the framework.

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Parts of surfaces 1 & 3 (foreground) are screwed down. I found that no matter how careful I am, the fit is never perfect. So I need to deal with my OCD!

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More of surfaces 2 & 3 are screwed down to the framework.

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Finally, we have a shot of all 3 surfaces and their framework.

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The next step will be to adjust the height, install wall supports, and then screw the table to the wall supports.

George