Jim's Layout

[starfire700]

Here is the camera car that I made from a diecast postwar log-dump. It is weighted and has multiple mounts for the Gopro camera. I use my Thomas loco to pull the car as it is quiet, smooth, starts-up slow, unlike the noisy Lionel GM switcher that I used in previous videos.

[starfire700]

In the thread of Terry's layout I mentioned problems with modern Lionel switches. Here is a shot of the moving frog rail that leaves a gap and allows cars to pick-open the switch and cause derailment. Second shot is the location, 12" in the air, where the switch is being replaced. A derailment here would be a costly disaster, but good entertainment if you are an Addams Family fan.

[Terry]

Since you're doing Marx some requests. . .

I like the Marx gateman, and I've never seen a coal dumper in operation. I think it came with black licorice rather than coal?

[Terry]

About the switches. . . Those are garbage. With a eighty-year-old 072 switch you can expect some problems, but the new ones were junk right out of the box.

I built a layout with the LTI switches when they were new. With over a 100 switches,  few worked consistently. One even shorted out and caught on fire. Some were warped right out of the box. After a few years of problems, none of them are used. They just sit there as part of the display.

What you're showing Jim could be flash that wasn't cleaned off the points or debris under the point assembly.

My loudest gripe about the LTI switches is that some have different diameter fixed voltage pins. I put the fixed voltage pins into a coffee can when I unpacked them. Then when I wired them the switches in the hardest to reach areas where I am leaning on one knee and a hand on the wall or ceiling to stabilize myself the pin wouldn't go in.

The worst switches Lionel made were the 031 ones with the short section of removable curve.

[starfire700]

Luckily I have only 3 of the LTI 072 switches, so they won't take up too much room in my trash can. They are lightweight junk. I guess that is why so many used ones are for sale on ebay.

[starfire700]

Posting some progress photos. They show some areas "finished" and wired, but some will stay in flux, as staging areas for different videos that I am working on.
The Marx area is about to be wiped-clean to prep for the Christmas video.
The first photo is a quick mini-diorama at the end of the engine storage/maintenance tracks.
For more, see my Youtube videos of "the Lake Shore railway". I have recently published videos on Marx, Hafner wind-ups (all running!), Disaster Recovery-work trains and a Halloween special.

[Terry]

I like the clutter. It shows dedication.

[starfire700]

But it is organized, carefully-placed clutter.

[starfire700]

I am in the process of revamping a flex area on the layout to prep for a Christmas Holiday Special video

[Terry]

Are you going to do a video on how to spray snow on your trains?

[starfire700]

I am guessing that is a joke, as spray snow would not be recommended on anything but a broken 6017 caboose.
It was hard enough keeping the flake snow off of the rails and out of the gears. I do what I do for the benefit of the best possible production.

[Terry]

Yes that was a joke. That day I had a dirty postwar station and when I went to wash it realized it was spray snow.

I have a front patio and I'm thinking about putting a Christmas tree with a train on it. I could use a really beat up train and use the spray snow to cover the damage. We'll see.

[CNJRR]

I am in the process of revamping a flex area on the layout to prep for a Christmas Holiday Special video

WOW !
Just looking at your thread from the start.
I wish I had room like you do.
I love all the shelves you have for the trains.
I see that you have a nice collection sitting on them.

[CNJRR]

Is that an old 617 Diner, you have sitting there?
You ought to add that to the Prewar Diner thread?

[starfire700]

I have 3 diners made by Madison Hardware on the layout. 2 are 637 yellow/brown City of Denver coaches, one is a Lionel Ives 1691 observation. They can be seen in my videos and I think were also posted when we had the topic of Madison hardware going.