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Onboard Camera Test #2

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  • Member since
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  • From: Hilliard, Ohio
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Onboard Camera Test #2
Posted by chatanuga on Monday, January 20, 2020 7:55 PM

Second camera test of my onboard camera after making a new bracket for the camera car. On this test, I decided to try pacing an Amtrak passenger train around the layout, which allows for a view in the windows at the interiors of the cars that I hand painted as well as the window shades and passengers.

 

Kevin

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
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Posted by Harrison on Monday, January 20, 2020 8:46 PM

Great video, thanks for sharing. Just curious, are you modeling a prototype Amtrak train? If so, which one? 

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Brisbane Australia
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Posted by Alantrains on Monday, January 20, 2020 10:44 PM

Best quality video I've seen from on train camera. Did you use wifi or record to camera?

 

Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)

 

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 12:44 AM

That is a great video. What I find to be even more impressive than the video is the apparent size of the layout. Can you give us the approximate dimensions of the layout? I really like the different views of the Amtrak train, first behind it, then beside it, then in front of it. Did you edit the video to splice in the various views?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Southgate on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 2:30 AM

That's a great test shot run. The video quality is very clear. The action looks more real the slower you go with it. The higher speed action sure shows how smooth your track work is though!

It must be nice to have a layout big enough to run a passenger train that long on it and look good doing so! Dan

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Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 7:17 AM

It is nice and clear.  It looks like the camera Ed (gmpullman) has.  Impressive Amtrak train!

I only watched about 3 min. worth, which was about 3 or 4 times around the same loop.

I'd never last the complete 26 min.  Laugh  But that's just me.

Mike.

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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 8:22 AM

mbinsewi
It is nice and clear.  It looks like the camera Ed (gmpullman) has.

I agree on both counts, Mike. I'm not even sure the Contour Roam I have is available anymore. Maybe there are better ones out there?

Kevin's is a Sony HDR AS-20. Their video gear has always been top-notch!

The results are very good though Yes Kevin.

Regards, Ed

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  • From: Pacific Northwest
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Posted by SPSOT fan on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 10:10 AM

Nice video! You passenger train looks great, but I wish we could have gotten a lower angle! I realize that is probably near impossible for the op to change, (maybe a depressed center flat car...) but I would make for a more realistic view and make it easier to see into those nice passenger cars!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by chatanuga on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 8:15 PM

Answers to some of the questions:

1.  In addition to the 2 SDP40Fs and the 11 Heritage fleet cars, I have 3 Amfleet II coaches, 1 Amfleet II Lounge, 2 Amfleet I Food Service cars, 6 Amfleet I coaches, 5 MHC cars, 2 F40PHs, 2 P40s, and a third SDP40F on order (whenever Athearn decides to finally release the next run).  On the east-west route shown on the video, I'm modeling the Broadway Limited and (my version) of the Pennsylvanian extended to Chicago.  On the route crossing at the tower is my ficticious Cleveland-Columbus route, which is where the Amfleet I cars are used for regional trains on that route between the staging yards.  Train length is determined by consist cards that I made up with random numbers of bedrooms, coach seats, etc. to determine how many coaches, sleepers, etc. are needed per train.  The Broadway and Pennsylvanian can run with up to 18 cars while the Cleveland-Columbus trains run with a food service car and one to three coaches.

2.  The camera records to memory card.

3.  The main layout is 17.5X12 feet (2 feet across).  The leg outside of the oval is 12X1.5 feet.  The leg inside the oval is 10X1.5 feet.

4.  The video was edited using Adobe Premiere Elements, doing two shots at once (except for the bloopers).  I'd let the train overtake the camera car and then speed up to overtake the train or vice versa.  The train catching up to the camera was crossing the locomotive and camera car over in front of the train, leaving plenty of room to stop in case of a derailment.  :-)

Kevin

  • Member since
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  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
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Posted by selector on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 1:03 AM

Can PS Elements invert video?  If you think you'd like to see a view that is closer to the tracks, invert your camera, and then invert the recording.

  • Member since
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Posted by BroadwayLion on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 10:18 AM

Probly knot... but try putting the camera in the carrier upside down, and then inverting it in post production.

 

LION likes the track work. That is the first him saw. LIONS do not make such nice trackwork. But WTH... Lion models NYCT, you they they have ince trackwork?

 

ROARING

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
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Posted by chatanuga on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 7:54 PM

selector

Can PS Elements invert video?  If you think you'd like to see a view that is closer to the tracks, invert your camera, and then invert the recording.

 

In several of the shots, the camera is upside down (flip mode turned on), especially evident in the shots of the train catching up to the camera on the same track.

Kevin

  • Member since
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  • From: MD
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Posted by freeway3 on Thursday, January 23, 2020 11:26 AM

Kevin, can you tell me the dimensions for this camera? Thinking of HOn3.

Ed

  • Member since
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  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
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Posted by selector on Thursday, January 23, 2020 11:52 AM

chatanuga

 

 
selector

Can PS Elements invert video?  If you think you'd like to see a view that is closer to the tracks, invert your camera, and then invert the recording.

 

 

 

In several of the shots, the camera is upside down (flip mode turned on), especially evident in the shots of the train catching up to the camera on the same track.

Kevin

 

Okay.  I have never used a video cam, and never used Photo Shop, but I wondered if such a thing were possible.  Thanks for sorting that out.

  • Member since
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  • From: Hilliard, Ohio
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Posted by chatanuga on Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:58 PM

freeway3

Kevin, can you tell me the dimensions for this camera? Thinking of HOn3.

 

3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and just under 2 inches tall.

Kevin

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: MD
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Posted by freeway3 on Friday, January 24, 2020 8:30 AM

Thanks!

Ed

  • Member since
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  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, January 24, 2020 10:24 AM

Just for kicks here is a HO scale drawing of the Sony camera on a Bachmann Depressed Center Flatcar.
 
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

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