24 hours?

Hope you meant Labor Day. I don't get much done in 1 day

I'm in but my goal and posts are likely to be quite boring to the average reader. Not real railroady. More like pre-railroady.

Goals:

1. All light and ceiling panels cut and installed (there are over 180 odd shaped openings, not a standard 2x4 in the bunch).
2. Plywood ripped for benchwork stringers and joists, upper deck construction underway.

A similar thread was started back in January about goals for 2012. My two goals above are in line with my 2012 goals. If I am ready to lay my first piece of track by Dec 31, 2012 then I will be very satisfied with my progress. My starting point as of Memorial Day is this entry in this MRH thread.

Ok, I'm In

I'll join. Here's my entry. I hope to get it done on rainy days at camp.

Looks like I'll need to get a small tool box together to take it with me to work on. Just maybe I'll finally get it done with this challenge.

Bernd

Layout Yard Extension

I want to widen my Bettendorf Yard to allow for a Yard Office that I custom built for the Driline. I've constructed a "Mock up" of the extension with foam board. It's not pretty but I think it gives you the idea of what it will look like. The ends of course won't droop like you see here but will attach flat and even to the fascia.

Ooops!

Yep...You caught me, Allen.  Let's go with Labor Day to give everybody a chance!

No worries.  A goal is a goal.  There's no denying that once it's written down, people have a better chance of hitting the goal.  Put it in a public forum and the odds have to go up!  That kind of leads me into mine...and I'm almost embarrassed to show this.  I've got a diorama that's 90% done (on the right), but the real project is the train room itself.  My work area is a disaster.  "Disaster-piece Theater" would be a better description.  There's a small work area to the left that can't be seen (and is fairly organized), but that's making excuses.  
 So by Labor day:
-I'm going to be able to see the floor in this place
-Tools, paints, glues, etc will be organized and back in order
-I will not be featured on "Hoarders: Buried Alive"

*gulp*  Here's the before...

 

 There!  I've outed myself.  

Holy Cow, Bill...............

...............that looks like my layout did after my house burned down less the water and foam over everything!  LOL, I'm half kidding and I really take my hat off to you for posting the picture.  That diorama looks awesome over there, is it HO scale?  Oh, is that a bowl of dog food or talus on the floor by the table leg! 

You do have your work cut out for you but I'm guessing a good three days and it'll be done.

Good luck,

Peter

Nearly finished

Good for you, Bill.  I just finished tidying up (mostly) my layout area as I got tired of looking for every little thing I needed.  Still needs to have some more clearly labeled storage areas, but its getting there.  Here is what it looks like today:

As for my project for the summer (which I hope doesn't take that long), is the replacement of the main track area from the turnout you see pulled out in this photo.  I also want to make a bunch of trees with the kids.  We'll see how that goes.

Gives me an idea

Another thread of "How messy is your play room" and "When will it be cleaned up"?

Naw, forget it. I could never do it.

Bernd

Stretch Yourself

Ah shucks Bill, there isn't but a few hours worth of straightening up and organizing there. My wife could knock that out in an hour. Forget Labor Day, you will be done before Memorial Day even gets here. Let's set the bar a little higher. How about some significant progress on that layout? Looks like the beginning of something cool.

I'm in. A plan for my space.

I'm in. A plan for my space.

procrastination

Thanks Bill, this may be just what I need.  I got started on scenery and then got stuck - just realized it was last Christmas when I got to this point:

Where I'd like to be by Labour Day is up to, if not around, the nasty corner next to the industrial spur.  That corner has been giving me nightmares since our foundation was poured.

We'll see if my 3-volt grassinator (beside the clipboard) is up to the job.  A bit wimpy, but for 4 bucks I can't complain.  You can just make out its first patch of grass on the hill to the right of the freight shed - the T-pin ground is still stuck in the hillside.

David

Sure. Why not?

I'm in. My goal is to have all the track work in with switch controls and be able to run my first train.

So far I have the plan and the shelf. The track stuff is on order.

-david-

Ok, I'm IN

As the Midwest ModuTrak guys say - better modeling through peer pressure!

1. Complete all remaining benchwork - this is easier then it sounds, as I have everything all set up modularly, so this is really an installation issue.
2. Complete and wire all trackwork.
3. Install remaining Humpyard Purveyance switch throws on  new benchwork segment to use track.
4. paint fascia and install location sinage.

We'll see if I can meet or exceed.

I'm up for it!

Since I'm back working on the railroad I'll take the challenge!  In my case years ago there was an earthquake and tornado that struck the mountain all at the same time!  Buck & Loretta heard the disaster and said  "Heck darn it bein one ear-bustin noise and them there trees was a flying around like some kinda crazy birds!"  Here's a picture of the area after the damage that I will try and repair by the deadline:

Rick

Sounds like a great

Sounds like a great challenge. I have an undecorated DPM fire station #3 (based on the one next to Major Art and Hobby in downtown Davenport Iowa). I have the base coat of paint on it and have just started painting the trim. It has been sitting next to my desk for 3 weeks (at least) in that state.

I guess if I were to have worked on it instead of looking around on the internet for the last hour, I would have been well on my way to the Labor Day goal.

I'm In

My Goal is to get my floor insulated, PEX tubing for radiant heat installed, 3/4" T&G OSB flooring installed and start building bench work!

Rob Teed

Oh yea!!

After ten years of retirement, I have been forced back into the work force (you would laugh if you knew what I am doing) but, the additional income will help with the train layout so I am back working on it and in for the summer!

Gary

Kenny Rogers Look a Like?

Sorry, no offense but it was the first thing that crossed my mind LOL.

I'll Bite!

I am essentially finished with my initial planning phases and am currently attempting to translate my envisioned trackplan into something tangible - just as soon as I figure out how to use XtrackCAD.  There is also quite a bit of work that needs to begin in the basement before I can "break ground" on the layout. Therefore, my goals are as follows:

• Complete track plan after posting for criticism and revision
• Replace sill under two joysts to relevel first floor
• Replace main carrier beam with manufactured beam
• Remove temporary lally columns (all 12 of them...)
• Set new footings for permanent lallies in basement slab
• Rebuild staircase to compensate for change in floor elevation (and to meet building code)
• Replace oil furnace with high-efficiency natural gas
• Reposition furnace under staircase to gain MORE TRAIN SPACE!
• Remove benchwork-robbing oil tank and subsequent plumbing and hardware (no longer needed!)
• Repair ductwork
• Install non-load bearing wall to partition train room from remainder of basement

OK, that's a lot of "Re..."s  I think I'll need a second (and third) job just to get through just a few of those!  Can we push the date to Thanksgiving... of 2014, maybe?!?

-Johnny

I'll bite.too . . . Oakland Avenue here we come. . .

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I have constructed some light-weight portable (modular!!)baseboards boards that should be turned into an alternative imaginary section of dual use SP street running near the Jack London Square area in Oakland CA.

By dual use, I mean that the SP actually combined their through track and the Key / SP Red Electric routes on the same street for a short distance. So I will attempt to lay a mixed section of street track with both trolley crossovers/ layover sidings (pantograph overhead) as well as RR (2-rail) turnouts and sidings, all paved along a long 2-3 track modular street scene that can be simply laid on top of some of the usual folding office or refectory tables, that can be shown at a Bay Area meet this Fall.

A Challenge, Perfect!

Thanks Bill,

This is what I needed to get me over the hump and rolling downgrade.  The layout room has been sitting for months with cleats on the walls and nothing more.  Today I got started attaching the horizontal supports to the cleats.

Progress is good!

I'll take on the challenge, though I'm not sure exactly when Memorial Day is?  Labour Day falls in September here in the Great White North so my goal is to be laying track before September.

I'll see about posting a photo tomorrow.

Good idea this challenge!

Regards,

Of course I'm in

Ok, so I bought a house with the intent of having a permanent space to build a railroad. Because my entire family has decided to go on a cruise in August, I thought, "No railroad until fall!" Then I realized I still have to plan the thing.

I upgraded to the newest version of 3rd PlanIt, and I started drawing the room last night. 

As you can see I have all but two walls up. I want to show the entire room in 3D and I'm having trouble getting the windows to be transparent.

By Labor Day, (I'll be in the Mediterranean on a cruise with adult siblings and parents then) I hope to have the benchwork, and the basic track plan for the main level planned, and be able to run virtual trains in 3D. There's nothing like running trains to see if a plan works or not! It's a 10X12 bedroom that I'm also using as my office. I plan to have benchwork around at least three of the four walls.

I also expect to have a domain for a website that not only shows the progress I make, as I make it, but teaches others what not to do when starting their first real railroad. I may even submit some articles to MRH as I go, since planning isn't scale specific. 

Goals

• Room rendered in wonderful 3D (including desk, chair, and my computer)
• Benchwork for main level rendered
• Working track plan for main level
• A start on staging level
• Some scenic elements rendered for reference
• Website up and started. No video until after I get back
• At least one article submitted to MRH

Of course, now that I've said it, I have to do it.

Yeah buddy, I'm in

I need some mountains and hills for the the right wall where track snakes through mountains down the grade toward more dense civilization... 

my goal would be to get pink foam in, sculpted and painted dirt...growing grass and maybe some trees as $$$ permits.  That's 15.5 feet of terrain.

yee ha!

fritz

Impetus

It's good to be challenged and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's progress come Labor Day.

I've got two vacant spots that I'd like to fill by LD.

Spot for the EBT Timber Transfer crane.

Spot for the reduced version of the Mt. Union coal washing plant,

Wow!