In the years of 2018 or 2019 when my interest in the hobby was rejunivated after I rediscovered and found my long lost Mehano made Presidents Choice version of the CNR 4-8-2 Bullet Nosed Betty locomotive, that was part of the President's Choice series of starter/collecter train sets released by the Super Store grocery stores here in Canada. The loco I found was part of the "Bullet Nosed Express." set, which I still have. I looked for advice online and found a member who suggested I send it to him at the train store in Michigin where he worked but it would be too expensive to ship and back for repair, so found someone local here to fix it. We talked further and I found he was a regular attendie and operations operator of the well known model railroad, called "The Sunset Valley Oregon System," that was built and still is in operation by its owner and modeller, Bruce Chubb. I never heard of it before. Its a model railroad that models 10 prototypical railroad thats operated in the Northwestern Pacific in 1955, along with his freelance road of the same name as the layout. He I saw the map of the layout and was amazed by its size. He then invited me to see it, and even interviewed me to get to know me better, as they have to do that to know that your interested in it. He and Bruce said we didnt have to video chat as due on his impressions of me, this guy could tell I was trust worthy, so I knew I had left a good impression. I still asked to vid chat this guy and we had a good talk. I could not afford the trip, and was unsure of how to plan to get there in the first place as I have never traveled this far solo. Now because of Covid-19 I will not be able to travel to see it in Grand Rapids in the state if Michgian anytime soon, but when the time comes I will be ready. I have lost the guy in my contacts, and hope to connect with him again. I also understand that Bruce Chubb is in his late ninties and is turning one huun dred years possibly, as I heard we was 98. I do hope I see the SVOS before he passes and to meet him possibly. What are your experiances seeing him and his layout? The guy even said he was ok with my bringing my locomotive top run on the layout, as its not often you get to run your locos on such aa large and well renowined layout.
Not aware of this railroad.
When I made my trip out West and back in 2019 I stopped at three houses of people that are on this forum for a visit and saw their layouts. Not going to talk about who, because all three asked me not to share details.
I always try to be the best guest when I visit a layout. Compliments only, do not touch, and I don't take pictures.
I have also visited three other layouts of forum members at different times (well one was the MR&T, but our own Steven Otte showed me around). I hope to go see another one in 2 or 3 months... vaccination dependent.
I have never run a STRATTON AND GILLETTE locomotive on a foreign layout, and do not think I would. If something were to go wrong, I would feel terrible.
Also, I have never asked for an invitation to see a layout. I used to let people know when I was travelling, and if an invitation was extended, I was grateful for the opportunity to meet someone new.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190Not aware of this railroad.
Really. He has been in publications including MR and his own book(s) too for a very long time. But probably due Bruce's advanced age he hasn't been in the public eye much for the past 20 or so years. I didn't know he was still kicking.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I grew up reading his articles in MR about his first layout.
The current layout is documented in MR, it actually contains parts of the old layout he was able to reuse.
My signal system is largely based on his original relay based signal system, also documented in MR in the late 60's, early 70's?
Since the search is not working on the archive, I will try to find some reference articles by memory....
He was likely the first person to interface a computer with a model railroad for signaling and CTC.
The stuff he developed is still in use by a lot of people.
https://www.jlcenterprises.net/
Sheldon
His original relay based signal sytem appeared in MR in October 1970, and an expanded version was featured in April 1972.
In 1985 he introduced the world to his C/MRI computer model railroad interface - see the link in the previous post.
That's all I could find easily from memory or search.
Truely one of the greats in this hobby.
riogrande5761Really. He has been in publications including MR and his own book(s) too for a very long time.
I always associated Bruce Chubb with electonics articles from decades ago. It is the layout that I am not familiar with by name.
IIRC Bruce Chubb was working on building a museum and moving the layout into it.
I do recall seeing Bruce posing by an impressive layout in MR in the 80s, possibly the one being discussed? I don't have the mags to look through. Dan