It looks like it's been over a year since I posted on here and haven't checked in here in a long time. I just wanted say "hi" to everyone. I've pretty much hung up my railroading spurs.
I did a Lionel set-up around the tree last year but that's it.  I might try to do something Bachmann for Christmas this year to go with the Lionel. I'm thinking trolley. I don't know how much longer I can do Christmas set ups because it's real hard doing a lot of bending over now.  I have some of my old time Bachmann stuff set up on a ledge around the dining room.
I'm sorry to see Lee Riley passed. I'm sure the Bachmann community in particular and model railroading in general is so much the poorer without him.
I'm not doing so good health wise. I'm on oxygen full time now with COPD so I can't be very active anymore. I did it to myself with all those years of smoking. I have to use a cane if I have walk any distance. I have degenerative disk disease.  I have to wear hearing aids sometimes now.  I wear reading glasses now. It's hell getting old.
I have two great grand kids now, one by each of my grand kids. (the new great grandson less than a month ago). I see my 2 year old great grand daughter often and she is a true pleasure in my life.

Neat picture of #482 during a recent snow storm in Colorado.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/spring-storms-in-the-midwest-and-rockies-1399917216-slideshow/

http://www.viralnova.com/takes-pictures-of-model-town/

I was never in Bien Hoa so I never saw these over there.
Bien Hoa 1969.

Some great pics by Tmothy O'Sullivan for anyone modeling the West.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2149899/The-American-West-youve-seen-Amazing-19th-century-pictures-landscape-chartered-time.html

I don't know if this has been on here.
New Black Diamond Express
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675040576_New-Black-Diamond-Express_black-smoke_railroad-workmen_railroad

I got Bachmann's newsletter featuring the new Ringmaster circus train. Isn't that kind of lame for a circus train? An 0-6-0 YARD engine? Just a passenger car, tank car, horse car, and caboose? No circus animal cage cars, circus wagon cars, tent cars, etc.?

Has anyone been watching "Hell on Wheels"?
Lots of old time railroad stuff. Some things I wonder about. In one episode there was a real long metal flat car. I wouldn't think that was 1860's appropriate, but I'm not sure.
Last week there was a car in the background - A passenger car with a cupola and it looked like it had two trucks under the rear of the car. Couldn't really see the front of the car.

A song about Jupiter and 119
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/railroad-earth/video/the-jupiter-and-the-119_1002710.html

Glad you Noreaster folks didn't get hit any harder than you did. Watching the Philly flooding now.

I ran across this site to buy, sell, or trade trains. Don't know if others have seen it. I didn't know about the site.
http://www.ioffer.com/c/Model-Trains-405020

Jerry Green 40,000 piece train collection to go for auction at Sotheby's
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/div.php/cbs_network/release?id=27322

Cool video about the troop train ladies at the canteen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=07DGeLvDw8I

My nephew got a job at BNSF. His job is picking up train crews and transporting them. Sometimes back and forth to a hotel or motel from the train. sometimes he carries them from city to city.
There are 212 places in Missouri where he picks up crew members as well as other states.
I guess it's a job I never thought about

As I sit watching the rain pounding down and the street getting flooded, I told my wife that if the water comes up in the house, we'll just climb on the layout and float to the ceiling. After that, I don't know...

Bob -
In reading your many posts on this board (The last being Freight Car Truck Guide) I can only say -
"You're just so danged organized, that I don't know how you do it."
I mean that in a good way.
There just never seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done that I should get done, much less be organized about it, too.
My hat's off to you for the wealth of information you have provided on here.

A few pics from my old 1800's layout might give someone some ideas -












The loco "reunion"

Here are a few pics of bridges I made with EZ Track, balsa wood, and plastic sides.
I know they wouldn't make them like this in real life.

I didn't want to hijack the 4-4-0 thread.
You can see more of my Christmas layouts here.
http://www.sarget.com/xmasdex.html
I don't know what I did with the 2005 layout pics.
Now, it's still the same as the 2006 layout. I just leave it up all year because kids enjoy it all year long.
I have the pencil forest on the corner and, when people bring their kids come over, I tell them they can take a pencil from it.
In the middle of summer, it's kind of relaxing to shut the drapes, turn off the house lights, and run the trains. Makes me forget it's hot outside.
These are from '04 -



---------------------------------------------
These are from '06 -

I had posted this on the old board. I hope I have this right from cutting and pasting -
Passing sidings
One problem with making a passing siding on the straights with EZT (EZ Track) is that (with one exception - #5 below) you need a 2" straight.
That is, unless you want to cut the EZ Track.
As of today, 2" straights aren't sold separately.
They are sold with Bachmann's 90* crossing. It comes with four 2" straights.
Below are 6 examples of how you can make a passing siding using 18" radius curves.
This won't work with 15" or 22" radius curves without some kind of "S" curve somewhere.    
   *****************************************************************    
      
   1. Above - No straights between curve and turnout. ***NOT A GOOD IDEA *** Diverging leg = left - 18"r - 18"r - right Straight leg = left - 3" - 4 1/2" - 9" - "2 1/4" - 2" - 9 - right Dimensions = 38 3/4" long 6 3/4" wide    

   2. Above - 2" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 2" -18"r - 18"r - 2" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 2 1/4" - 2" - 2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 42 1/4" long 7 3/4" wide    
   
   3. Above - 2 1/4" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 2 1/4" -18"r - 18"r - 2 1/4" - right Straight leg = left - 2" - 9" - 4 1/2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 42 1/2" long 7 3/4" wide    
   
   4. Above - 3" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 3" - 18"r - 18"r - 3" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 3" - 3" - 2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 44" long 8 1/4" wide    
   
   5. Above - 4 1/2" straights between curve and turnout. *** The only combination that will work without a 2" straight. *** Diverging leg = left - 4 1/2" - 18"r - 18"r - 4 1/2" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 3" - 3" - 2 1/4" - 2 1/4" - 9" - right Dimensions = 48 1/2" long 9" wide    
   
   6. Above - 9" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 9" - 18"r - 18"r - 9" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 9" - 2" - 4 1/2" - 2 1/4" - 9" - right Dimensions = 54 1/2" long 11 1/4" wide    
   
   7. Above - Opposing turnouts Diverging leg = left - 2 1/4" - left - right - 2 1/4" - right Straight leg = left - 4 1/2" - 3" - 2" - 9" - 9" - right Dimensions = 45 1/2" long 7 3/4" wide    
   *****************************************************************    
   EZ Track yard
Here is an EZ Track yard made without cutting pieces and using the 2" straights, standard turnouts, and 18" curves.
The below pics use the diverging legs for the straight sections and the straight leg
for the curved sections.
Add straights equally between the two curves and the straights to make it longer.    
   *****************************************************************    
      

   1. Above - Can be passing siding or two track yard.
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 2" - 2 1/4" - left
Straight leg = right - 18"r - 18"r - left
Dimensions = 34 1/2" long   10 1/2" wide (to lowest corner of turnout)    

   2. Above - Four track yard.
Top set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 2" - 2 1/4" - left
Straight leg = right - 18"r - 18"r - left
Second set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 9" - 2" - 9" - left
Third set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 9" - 4 1/2" - 2" - 2 1/4" - 9" - 9" - left
Dimensions = 65 1/4" long   17 1/4" wide (to lowest corner of turnout)