Weekend Update for 9/5/25

[Paul S.]

Please update us what you've done on your model railroad or other modeling projects this week/weekend. This weekly thread is intended for us to post snippets about our layout/project progress, rather than be a substitute for our layout-build or project threads. Think of this topic as a mini update on what you've accomplished during the week/weekend.

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So fellow RMRers, what have you been up to this week?

[TimMoran]

The latest project for me is this Speed-Mo module set started by my Dad. He wanted modular for a home layout since he's 90 and was "planning for the future". He's developed a small tremor in his hands. This affected his ability to uncouple cars while switching and being able to re-rail the cars. So, they've come to a new home.

There is a piano factory with 3 sidings on the left side of the mainline. On the right, a freight depot, a Co-op with a feed mill, coal dealership, and fuel oil sales. The curving siding will act as an interchange point for now. The setting is a small, transition era town in the Great Lakes region.
I hope to finish the sidings and get it all wired before next weekend.
Thanks for looking!

Tim Moran Akron, OH

[Paul S.]

That's great, Tim! HO scale, judging by the Digitrax throttle next to the turnout. Looks like a lot of fun for you and your dad.

[TimMoran]

Thanks Paul. Unfortunately, my Dad and I are separated by 3 states, so the best I can do is share pictures with him.

[Russ C]

Neat switching layout!
Maybe you could set up a Zoom meeting or something so he can participate an ops session in real time. Preferably something that comes up on a bigger screen than a phone (at least that'd be my preferance).

Just had a flash of inspiration, an ops session that everyone could log into and watch in real time could be interesting.

[craigtownsend]

Still trying to settle in with the new routines and scheduling changes with family but I managed to carve out a few minutes last night and the previous night to work on train stuff.

First evening was spent trying to figure out a mount for Kadee couplers on the LGB covered hoppers. These are the last 3 pieces of rolling stock that need V1 of the draft gear to get everything running again. I finally decided that it would be worth an experiment to use 3M heavy duty double sided tape to attach a piece of plastic to the end of the frame area and then from that I could mount my draft gears. Why not just glue? I probably could have.

Then yesterday I broke out the paints and tried painting a figure. I started painting these Modelu figures a long time ago. The two guys with blue jeans have always looked better than any recent attempts because I used a layering method.

The guy with green pants I tried to paint too fast with too thick of layers. It's a learning process for sure and these figures will be inside either buildings or rolling stock so it really doesn't matter that much.

The guy with green pants I'm planning on putting into the cupola of the "DARE" caboose.

I need to buy some more flesh colors and work on fleshing out the flesh on all of them. Way to monotone and too pale. I'm not even sure how I'm going to do the eyes. I think they are just big enough I'll need white pupils instead of shadows.

[N Scale Brad]

I am currently working on building N Scale code 55 turnouts for my new layout section. Got to the hobby shop on Saturday and picked up enough code 55 rail to build the 8 turnouts I am going to need along with all the Micro Engineering track for this section.



With the track on hand, I could set up how this section is going to connect to the turnout at the bottom of the helix and be easily disconnected when the module needs to be removed. I ended up using a method that I use on a pair of modules that has worked well for the last 15 years, the Kato expansion track. A short section of Kato track was connected to the code 80 track coming off the helix. A piece of sheet cork with shims underneath it was used to make a bit of a ramp as the turnout is at about 1/4 inch from the bottom of the helix.



Then another short section of Kato track was connected to the code 55 track on a piece of PC board material with brass washers under the code 55 rails to even up the height. Just beyond that on the code 55 track I removed a few ties and installed a Gap Master. After the track is installed, the isolation gaps will be cut here.

[Paul S.]

A very clever solution, Brad, especially using washers as shims.

[N Scale Brad]

Thanks Paul. In the past I have used short sections of brass strip but did not have any on hand with the correct thickness, so the washers did the job this time.