NTS&B Green House

I spotted this Plasticville Green house at a local train show.  Even though the price was right, I managed to resist it for most of the show, since I didn't know where I could place it.  Finally, the temptation won out.  It fits in great in the spring area, so I added (plant grow) lights (of course) and installed it.  Here are the pictures. 

NTS&B Eskimo Joe's Frozen Delights Igloo

Recently I had to order two decorative LED bulbs for our bathroom. I had replaced three of the four required bulbs already, but then Lowe’s stopped carrying the ones I needed. I therefore had to order it through Lowe’s on-line, and ordered an extra one as a spare. When they arrived on my door step, I had to really laugh at the size of the box that they sent them in. The box took up almost a full cushion on our couch.

What does this have to do with my layout, you ask ??? Anyone who has visited my layout knows that it is not a highly detailed, scale layout. Instead, it is a collection of souvenirs, Dollar Tree items, fast food toys, gifts from my kids, and various other non related items. Part of the fun for me is to try to imagine how to fit these items in with the existing scenery, in a manner that appears logical.
I also like to show people that you can make a fun layout without having to spend a fortune on buildings. Sometimes this means taking an inexpensive item (or piece of trash), and creating something new with it. When I pulled out the first bulb, I realized the shape of the plastic packing looked kind of like an igloo. Hmmm… A light bulb goes on (pun intended) !!!

First, I made sure I had a place where I could fit an igloo in the winter area (no easy task anymore). Then I carefully trimmed the base off the plastic form. Next I needed to paint it. First I tried spray on snow that you use on your windows in the winter, but it just wiped off very easily. Luckily it all came off easily, so I tried plan two. I had some white Krylon Fusion paint that is safe for plastic left over from a previous project, which worked much better. I proceeded to paint the inside and outside of the form to make sure I had maximum coverage. I then took a pencil and drew some lines on it to simulate the blocks stacked up, and then painted a door. Since it was pretty big, I wanted to make it look more like a store, so I printed sign and added a blue LED spotlight to illuminate it on those long winter nights. The assembly is very flimsy, so I hot glued it to the layout in multiple places. Here are a couple pictures of the finished product.  The building cost a little over $12 total. The best part of it was that Lowe’s threw in a decorator LED bulb for free !!!

NTS&B Trolley Bumpers Replaced

The original K-Line Super Streets bumpers were very realistic road barriers, but could not stand up to the forces of a trolley hitting them to change directions.  After multiple attempts to beef up the K-Line bumpers, I finally decided to replace them with Lionel 260 bumpers.  I had to make a modified Lionel track for each end that attaches to the Super Streets to power up the bumper lights.  On the end that is visible, I tried to incorporate the original K-Line barrier.  The other end is not really visible, so I did not try to disguise it.

NTS&B Merry Belated Christmas 2017

Well, Kathy took a fall down the stairs the day after Thanksgiving and fractured her tail bone.  She was doing really well after a couple weeks, but started having ankle and leg pain about a week before Christmas.  Christmas Day, she couldn't support her own weight, so we ended up calling an ambulance.  She spent from Christmas Day  until January 8th in the hospital, then from Jan 8th to Feb 7th in rehab.  Here are the only pictures I took during the holidays and day she came home.

Kennestone Hospital.

Had to stop at Publix on the way home.

NTS&B Army Air Corps P40s flying in formation

Have added a second Army Air Corps P40 to my fleet of aircraft.  Looks good to me flying in formation.  Thinking about how I can add a cloud for them to fly through.   Something for another day.

NTS&B LCCA Billboard and lighting

I joined the Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) while at a train show in the Kennesaw Civil War and Locomotive History Museum.  One of the benefits of membership, is that you receive all of the Lionel Catalogs for the year.  I also received this Christmas billboard for joining.  I decided to convert some spot lights that I bought at York from bulbs to L.E.D.s.  The spot lights are metal and nicely made, but the bulbs they used were defective.   Here are the results.

 

NTS&B Banjo Signal

At the same show that I bought the 153 Semaphore, I was also talked into buying a Lionel 140 Banjo  (Road Crossing) Signal.  When activated, the signal has a swinging stop sign that swings across a red light, so the light appears to be flashing.  The following pictures show the stop sign in both positions, now that I finally found a place to use it. 

NTS&B Lionel Semaphore and Z Stuff Signals Installed

I was recently talked into buying a Lionel #153 Block Control  (Semaphore ) Signal at a train show, since it is a neat accessory.  When I finally figured out I could use it on the mainline, I had to buy another one since I have 2 mainlines.  These 2 signals control the end of the passenger station yard.  I had also bought some used Z-Stuff Dwarf Block Signals and crossing bells in a box of stuff way back in 2010.  All of these devices are powered off a separate supply, so they stay on even if there is no track power.  The semaphores are controlled by supplying the grounds using isolated track sections.  This initially consisted of most of the loop, but the devices were getting too hot because the chance of parking a train on the block was very high which kept them constantly activated.  I then shortened the block tremendously.  This is still sometimes a problem, so I need to come up with a solution to cut them off if they get too hot.  The Z-Stuff signals can operated off a built in photo cell or isolated track.  Since the signals were on a curve, I could not get the devices close enough to the track to use the photocell, so I had to use isolated track sections with them also.  The crossing signals could also use photocell or track sensing.  Since it was 'protecting' three tracks, the 2 mainline tracks are detected with isolated blocks, while the inside 0-27 loop depends on the photocell.  This is what they look like.

 Semaphores indicating clear tracks ahead.

 Semaphores showing occupied block.

 Z-Stuff Dwarf Block Signal.

 Z-Stuff Crossing Signals.

NTS&B Hidden Military Base Bunker Entrance Complete

The assembly now has all electrical and scenery items added.  The motor drive had to be redesigned, because the original operation was too intermittent.  Power to the radar tower, bumper, and door drive have all been installed from the appropriate power strips.  Here is what it looks like, and the steps involved:

Final Result, with Lionel #44 Missile Launcher coming out getting ready for action.

 Re-designed motor mechanism.  Rubber band is to apply spring tension to pull it up an additional 1/4 inch when opened.  Limit switches are applied with hot glue to the side of the DC motor, and was done MUCH  neater the first 10 to 15 times.  The motor is powered using a DC HO power pack connected through a double pole, double throw, center off switch. The switch is wired to reverse the DC and turn off power through the switch.

Internal connections for radar tower, bumper, and motor power.  Voltages are applied through a 6 pin connector at the base of the platform, so the assembly can easily be removed to work on.

 Scenery was done using joint compound, textured with an old come to give the appearance of rock blasted out with dynamite.

 Assembly is now painted.  The wire sticking out is for radar tower.  Also, there is a bulb sticking out that is wired in parallel with the motor, which will be on only when motor is on.  If a limit switch fails, the motor will stay on and  possibly burn up, so the light is wired to stay lit until the motor is off.  

Picture of finished assembly, with door brick wall installed.

NTS&B Hidden Military Base Bunker Door Started

The last module I had to build was the bunker door assembly.  It sits on the end of the hidden track at the Top Secret Headquarters, where the Lionel #44 Army Missile Launcher lies waiting for action.  The assembly will consist of 1) a 'dummy' track bumper mounted on the door to simulate the end of the siding just past the coal loader, 2) an operational door for the bunker, 3) Track power for the bumper and siding, and 4) Power for the Lionel Radar tower which will sit on top of the bunker.   Here are the initial pictures:

 Structure built, with bumper mounted in door panel.

Side view with bunker door opened.

I used a slow speed DC motor I had purchased a few years ago for this project.  I used fishing line to open the door, and added counter weights under the bumper to help close the door.  Limit switches are hot glued on to the side of the frame, and on the motor casing.