C.V.S.Ry. Rockhill Shop

JRad · February 13, 2026, 12:31am

The final furniture arrangement, or as Cliff said “macro organization” is nearly done. I still need to move a few things around and put together a plastic table, but I am very near ready to start unpacking the RR and the balance of the workshop.

Some “micro organization” was completed today with the installation of the Fiddle Yard shelving I built in CT…

There is room above for one more shelf which would be long term storage as it would be a long reach. I haven’t met the loco and car storage that I had in CT yet…

The blue tape on the wall is RR main-line height. Track will likely run across this back wall and possibly curve back toward the door and wood working area. Now that the space is gelling I’m starting to get a fuzzy track plan in my head.

JRad · February 18, 2026, 4:20pm

At this point those shelves are filled with boxed Fn3 cars…

I do want to build a third shelf for the top. I have the plywood and lumber left over to get it done.

Building that shelf may solve a dilemma slowing progress on final set up. I have one 4x8 sheet of 3/8" plywood left that is in the way. If I rip it in half the long way, I can get it into the attic storage area. If I cross cut it to 4x4’s it will fit behind the work bench. The storage shelf needs a 22" x 66" piece which would leave a drop about 26" x 96" which will fit up top! Thanks for helping me make the decision!!!

The office area furniture is pretty much set up…

I decided running 100’ of CAT5 cable through my muddy crawl space and then under ground to the shop wasn’t something I want to attempt, so I ordered a wireless card. My tablet and Alexa devices have been working in the shop on my WiFi, so I’m hopeful I can get reasonable connectivity on the PC.

I’ve also started to do a bit of decorating, and yes, I painted the window trim!

Cliff_Jennings · February 18, 2026, 7:59pm

Looking mighty cozy, Jon, nice progress.

I truly envy your heater right behind your desk chair!

Rooster · February 18, 2026, 9:16pm

Love it!
However I would like to make a recommendation though. Move the level to the peg board above the bench. Now there is a catch 22 to that. If you are using the level as a cane that you need every time you walk outside then my recommendation is to get a freaking cane and move the level to the peg board.

JRad · February 19, 2026, 3:03pm

That darn level was knocked to the floor more times than I can count. Soon after the ceiling was done I was sitting in the back admiring my handy work when I realized that skinny space (Hollywood made me change the spacing to the door) was a perfect place for it. The T Square did end up on the pegboard.

Rooster · February 19, 2026, 10:19pm

Probably because there was a reason for it.

JRad · February 19, 2026, 11:04pm

I wanted more space so I could put my outdoor lamps close to the door. David had a very good reason to change my plan. By keeping the framing on 16" centers I wouldn’t waste siding panels. He ended up saving me one full 4x8 which became the top of the first RR bench.

I did some more unpacking and setting up. This shelf is up high to allow space for track below it…

JRad · February 21, 2026, 4:58pm

I spent yesterday struggling to get the shop PC running. It has been powered off since May '25. At first it would not boot up. Not even any “POST” beeps.

I spent over 20 years in PC Repair, software support and IT, but I was having a hard time remembering the best way to troubleshoot. Then I remembered the first rule of troubleshooting: Make it do something different; so I removed the RAM to see if it would beep a memory error code. It did!!! I put the RAM back in and it booted just fine. I then installed a new WIFI-6 card and connected it to our T-Mobile gateway. All good with 500Mbps download 3 feet from the gateway.

It also took a while to get my main PC reconfigured to talk both directions with the shop PC, but I figured it out and was able to abandon the old WiFi router I was using.

The PC was moved to the shop where it still gets reasonable internet through at least three, maybe 4 walls. It tested at a little over 100Mbps. Good enough! I’m very happy that I didn’t have to run 100’ of CAT5 cable through the gross crawlspace and under the driveway.

Unpacking continues, but I am finding the lack of shelf and drawers, compared to CT, making things interesting.

I plan to un-box some locos this weekend to re-charge them and maybe assemble the third car storage shelf.

The railroad is running short diesel powered winter trains for the next few weekends so I get to railfan a bit too.

Rooster · February 21, 2026, 11:26pm

That’s all you need. I’m running my old laptops with windows 10 on I5 core plugged into a cat 5 ethernet off an outside supply line of RG11 with RG6 into the house and still maxing out the PC at 300mbps.

Now the boys Playstation exceeds the limit it’s rated for and shows 900mbps at times. When he starts hogging my bandwidth I just restart the modem downstairs and listen for NOOOOOO,WTF<<<<<NOOOOOOO…then I get my bandwidth back for about 1/2 hr.

My really POS shed laptop does about 75 mbps on the house wireless router and it just takes a little bit longer to load the train porn but not much.

JRad · February 23, 2026, 11:00pm

I decided to add the third shelf to the car storage. This ups the capacity to 27 cars. The top shelf requires a step ladder to reach…

JRad · February 26, 2026, 2:17am

I’m back to what Cliff called Macro Organization to try and create places to empty boxes into. In CT I had this storage drawer above Box Tunnel that held a bunch of plastic jars used to store all manner of stuff. These photos are from when it was built in CT…

I’m part way through the design process to build a similar idea for under the new railroad bench, It will be about 35" wide and 24" deep front to back. Height is TBD but will likely be about 16" and accommodate up to 48 of those jars. Many more than I have now.

I’d include my plan drawing but I just realized it has a large error that I’ll fix tomorrow.

JRad · February 26, 2026, 5:33pm

The drawer plan is mostly done. An inventory of siding drops indicates that I have just enough left to make the drawer box. Sliders will arrive from the Home Depot today.

I’ve tweaked this plan a few time and there will be one more. I will either widen the front to cover the support rails or more likely add a thin plywood veneer to cover the grey siding.
RR Bench

Pictures when it’s done.

smcgill · February 26, 2026, 5:55pm

hmmmm very organized Hoarder …

JRad · March 2, 2026, 10:42pm

Progress on the big drawer has been slow, but getting there. First I made the mistake of printing the revised cut list on the back of the flawed original. There should have been enough of the siding left for all the parts. I started the cutting with the largest piece. As soon as the cut was made I realized my error. I was reading the wrong side of the list

I recovered by adding a fill piece and then cut a full size bottom from leftover 3/8 sheathing to hold everything together with glue and brads. Because I am relying on construction adhesive for rigidity in the joints, glue up of all 5 sides took all week.

I also cut, then revised the plan, and cut some more for the support rails.

I lost the weekend to an FEBT work session and today to a road trip to Huntingdon with numerous stops. There was just enough time left when we got home to mount the drawer half of the glides than test fit with the rails. I expect this to be loaded up to or exceeding the glide rating of 100 pounds, so I made sure the rails are stout and attached to studs at the wall.

Where it’s at as of quitting time today…

This thing is HUGE!!!

Tomorrow I should be able to get the rails installed and start loading it up!

Korm · March 3, 2026, 7:21am

are you sure about the size?

in my hobby room, any boxes of comparable sizes tend to be closed with a lid and some tape, to be never again be opened.
if a storing container has a depth of more than four inches, it becomes an archaeologic investigation project.

JRad · March 3, 2026, 1:30pm

I’m not sure about anything!

All I know is that I have a big box full of these plastic jars that have assorted parts and supplies. I just want a place to empty that box into!

It is one of several that still occupy the top of what will be a railroad bench and I want them gone so I can start thinking about building the railroad!

Yes, there is that. To aid in that problem I’ll label the tops and place things rarely needed in the bottom rows.

JRad · March 3, 2026, 10:10pm

The mega drawer is installed and partially loaded. The glide action is less than perfect, but works. The rails I mounted them on were cut from a 16 footer that had a serious twist. The twist isn’t bad when cut down to 30", but it’s there and I think that is causing a bit of binding in the slides. I can live with it the way it is.

This morning the rails were mounted…

Then the drawer hung…

And partially loaded…

Along the way I needed to find a place for my big bar (pipe) clamps, I utilized some of the cut-offs to make some wall brackets in the workshop section…

I need to find my label maker so I can make labels for the jar lids, especially those on the bottom.

Hines · March 4, 2026, 12:45am

Jon, consider adding umlauts to your labels. If I have learnt anything from Korm, you want the archeologists to have to work for their living.

I can imagine a post apocalyptic journal of archeology entry… The Kormsen Effect, as it is now known, appears to have spread further than expected after discovering well organised stash as far north as what is known as the Eastern Broad Plateaus of Penciltuky. This has shaken up scholars who previously held beliefs that Kormsen Empire influence did not extend beyond the Darién Gap…

Now I’m feeling guilty that my hoard needs sorting.

JRad · March 4, 2026, 10:30pm

Utilizing the last sizable piece of siding I added a front to the bar clamp rack. Now it can store squeeze clamps too. Not sure where the C clamps will go.

I also hung my Harbor Freight bin organizer…

I’m running out of wall space already with a bunch of pictures to hang.

Korm · March 4, 2026, 11:58pm

may i inform you, that there exists no “Kormsen Effect” whatever.
this rumor was caused by a faulty translation from the spanish.
somebody translated the spanish expression: “Korm’s efectivo” into “Kormsen Effect”.
(Korm’s, or anybody elses “efectivo” in spanish is nothing more, than a generally scarce resource)

i am astonished, to read this.
any pre-talks about a 70 mile trestle were highly speculative and top sekrät.
(you vill be visited for more detailed discussions about the projäkt)