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Why This Train Is The Envy Of The World: The Shinkansen Story

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Posted by Jones1945 on Sunday, December 2, 2018 1:51 AM

Firelock76

For those of you who don't know, the "Penny Trains" Christmas layouts were the subject of a "Classic Toy Trains" magazine feature article in the December 2013 issue.  I've kept it, it never made it to the recycle bin or the magazine table at the gym I go to.  It was that good! 

Plus, everything  on the layout with the exception of the obvious things like trains, track, wire, and light bulbs is hand made by herself. 

Becky, I know you're not one for blowing your own horn, but for everyone's enjoyment could you link your "Disneyland" photo spread?

This is amazing! I wish I have a chance to see Becky's Disneyland in Christmas layouts! Smile

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Posted by Penny Trains on Sunday, December 2, 2018 6:53 PM

Firelock76
Becky, I know you're not one for blowing your own horn, but for everyone's enjoyment could you link your "Disneyland" photo spread?

Here's the best option, my Shutterfly folder: https://photos.shutterfly.com/album/60149208964  With that you can see the evolution since 2011.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Penny Trains on Sunday, December 2, 2018 7:00 PM

No pics yet of this year's set-up, but other than some improved landscaping it looks about the same as last year.  (You'd be hard pressed to spot a new roof let alone a new tree, which is about all I changed over the summer!  Wink)  All I have pics of so far is the ones I started taking today (before my AA batteries quit) of my prewar layout in the "media room" or the spare bedroom as mom calls it!  Big Smile

I call it a "media room" because that's where all my train books, magazines, DVD's and VHS tapes are!  Wink

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Firelock76 on Sunday, December 2, 2018 8:50 PM

http://ctt.trains.com/videos/layout-visits/2013/10/becky-chestneys-christmas-layouts

I made a search of the "Classic Toy Trains" magazine "Layout Visits" video collection and there it was, I knew it was in there somewhere!

Hit the link, start the video, and prepare to be amazed as all the "CTT" readers were in 2013. 

OK there's some Plasticville there, but as I said the rest is all "Penny-Trains Produced."

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Posted by Jones1945 on Monday, December 3, 2018 12:49 AM

Thank you very much, Becky and Firelock76! The Christmas Disneyland Layout is really amazing! It is lively and cheerful! The Sleeping Beauty Castle and the train station is very cute and looks like the real one in California! There are some awesome Art Deco Skyscrapers models and The lovely town is connected by classic toy trains as well! I can't access Becky's photo album but I found more photos of your Christmas Town via Classic Trains page. Thumbs Up

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Posted by Penny Trains on Monday, December 3, 2018 7:48 PM

Thanks!  Here's last year's vid with plenty of stop motion animation:

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Firelock76 on Monday, December 3, 2018 7:56 PM

Well that settles it!  Every time I have a frustrating day on the job I'm going to watch that video.

Just watched it and now I'm grinning wide enough to eat a banana sideways!

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Posted by Jones1945 on Monday, December 3, 2018 11:22 PM

That is really amazing! I didn't note there is monorail in the town! Stop motion animation needs a lot of time to create but it is fun and I think it worth the effort. you are really dedicated to this beautiful project, Becky! Imagine all the wiring under the layout! Looking forward to new projects in your town.Thumbs UpBig Smile

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Posted by Penny Trains on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 7:29 PM

Jones1945
Imagine all the wiring under the layout!

That's the problem, there is no under.  It's all flat on the carpet so I have to route wiring through as many places where I can hide it as possible.  It's about a 50, 40, 10 ratio between what's on the 14v transformer powered grid, 110v extension cord grid and 6v LEDs.  Looks something like this:

It should NOT look like this:

 

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Jones1945 on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 7:37 AM

Penny Trains

That's the problem, there is no under.  It's all flat on the carpet so I have to route wiring through as many places where I can hide it as possible.  It's about a 50, 40, 10 ratio between what's on the 14v transformer powered grid, 110v extension cord grid and 6v LEDs.  Looks something like this:

 

It should NOT look like this:

  

Cute cable cars looking at all those wires and electric wires and devices.Laugh

I would use some 3-4mm thick Acrylic sheet for the base and do the wiring at the base of it like a motherboard in the computer. The price should be around 10-12 USD per feet. In the place I live, I went to those shops making small advertisement billboards and Company logos for costume size acrylic sheet. I think you could buy them on the "Bay" as well if you like. Beware of fires, Becky! Thumbs Up

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Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 7:11 PM

Don't worry Mr. Jones, Becky knows better than to overload a circuit.

Not like this guy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGnUexrYlwY

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 8:10 PM

Firelock76

Don't worry Mr. Jones, Becky knows better than to overload a circuit.

Not like this guy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGnUexrYlwY

 

Certainly, she woud not do what I did once when I was about five years old. Do you remember the cords that irons used to have? the socket on the end of the cord had two contacts that were a little bit larger finishing nails. One night, the iron cord  was plugged in and the socket was on the table--and some nails were on the table also. Of course, I thought I could play with two nails and the socket. One of my big brothers replaced the fuse. I do not remember being scolded; apparently my mother and brothers considered me to have been well educated by the experience.

Johnny

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Posted by Jones1945 on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 8:55 PM

These pictures always looping in my mind:

CoffeeConfused

 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 9:31 PM

Jones1945

These pictures always looping in my mind:

CoffeeConfused

 

 

AHHHHHH!  THE GREEN DIAMOND!  What the locals called "The Tomato Worm!"

Hands-down the UGLIEST diesel ever built!  Yuck!

It always shows up and jumps out at me when I least expect it!

Actually, it's so damn ugly it's classic, I wish someone would come out with an affordable 0 gauge model.  I'd buy one in a heartbeat and run it on Halloween.

You should see the blood drain out of Lady Firestorm's face when she sees a picture of the "GD,"  it's amazing.  She loves all things '30s but draws the line at that example of Art Deco on drugs!

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 10:11 PM

Flintlock76

CoffeeConfused 

AHHHHHH!  THE GREEN DIAMOND!  What the locals called "The Tomato Worm!"

Hands-down the UGLIEST diesel ever built!  Yuck!

It always shows up and jumps out at me when I least expect it!

Actually, it's so damn ugly it's classic, I wish someone would come out with an affordable 0 gauge model.  I'd buy one in a heartbeat and run it on Halloween.

You should see the blood drain out of Lady Firestorm's face when she sees a picture of the "GD,"  it's amazing.  She loves all things '30s but draws the line at that example of Art Deco on drugs!

Except for the color - I don't see where the Green Diamond is any uglier than UP's M10000.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Miningman on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 10:31 PM

We have fish that bottom feed in mighty Lac La Ronge up here ( it's a really big lake) that closely resemble the Green Diamond. Maybe Lady Firelock has seen the same coming out from the ocean back home in Newfoundland! 

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Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 11:23 PM

Sturgeon whiskers would actually make the Green Diamond look a little less ridiculous.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, February 14, 2019 12:55 AM

SD70Dude
Sturgeon whiskers would actually make the Green Diamond look a little less ridiculous.

Nope, I'm not going to agree.

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Posted by Jones1945 on Thursday, February 14, 2019 5:32 AM

Flintlock76

Hands-down the UGLIEST diesel ever built!  Yuck!

It always shows up and jumps out at me when I least expect it!

Surprise~ Surprise~ CoffeeSmile, Wink & Grin

 

Overmod

 

 
SD70Dude
Sturgeon whiskers would actually make the Green Diamond look a little less ridiculous.

 

Nope, I'm not going to agree.

Nice one, Overmod. You guys probably won't believe that which train will show up if you using "google photo searching" function with Overmod's Talgo train pic.

 

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, February 14, 2019 7:58 AM

The worst looking engine that I ever saw pictured was the one on the point of the original City of Miami. I do not have a picture that I can post; I thought, when I saw it, that someone had a nightmare and wanted the world to see it.

Johnny

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, February 14, 2019 9:22 AM

Overmod

 

 
SD70Dude
Sturgeon whiskers would actually make the Green Diamond look a little less ridiculous.

 

Nope, I'm not going to agree.

 

I just showed that thing  to Lady Firestorm.

Her response?  "What the %$&# is THAT?!"

What is that anyway?  And who's responsible?  Man, they had to work overtime to come up with something that would beat the "Tomato Worm" in the ugly department!

Vince, Lady F says anything that was pulled out of Newfoundland waters that looked like the "Tomato Worm" or Overmods "thing" wouldn't be touched by the natives with a ten-foot pole!  The'd call the nearest Catholic priest and have him do an exorcism on the cove!

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, February 14, 2019 10:09 AM

What's so awful about a green and orange E6A in an Art Deco pattern?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, February 14, 2019 10:30 AM

I don't know, I just looked up the "City of Miami" and that (I'm told) citrus inspired paint scheme doesn't look all that bad, to me at least.  

Here's the whole story...

https://www.american-rails.com/city-of-miami.html  

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, February 14, 2019 10:33 AM

Flintlock76

 

 
Overmod

 

 
SD70Dude
Sturgeon whiskers would actually make the Green Diamond look a little less ridiculous.

 

Nope, I'm not going to agree.

 

 

 

I just showed that thing  to Lady Firestorm.

Her response?  "What the %$&# is THAT?!"

What is that anyway?  And who's responsible?  Man, they had to work overtime to come up with something that would beat the "Tomato Worm" in the ugly department!

Vince, Lady F says anything that was pulled out of Newfoundland waters that looked like the "Tomato Worm" or Overmods "thing" wouldn't be touched by the natives with a ten-foot pole!  The'd call the nearest Catholic priest and have him do an exorcism on the cove!

 

I have no idea as to what it is--but the telephone cable in the background at first glance looks like an antenna coming out from the front of the engine.

Johnny

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, February 14, 2019 10:48 AM

Flintlock76

I don't know, I just looked up the "City of Miami" and that (I'm told) citrus inspired paint scheme doesn't look all that bad, to me at least.  

Here's the whole story...

https://www.american-rails.com/city-of-miami.html  

 

That is a good account of the history--except that after the FEC struck, the ACL carried the train (and the other trains that the FEC had handled) between Jacksonville and Auburndale and the SAL carried them south of Auburndale down to Miami.

Johnny

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, February 14, 2019 3:39 PM

From Mike.... Incredible photos .. the beast was quite small.

http://trenesytiempos.blogspot.com/2018_01_17_archive.html

 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, February 14, 2019 4:12 PM

Spain?  That horror is Spanish?

The country that gave us El Greco, Velasquez, and Goya?

Santa Maria!  The photo of the guys on the steam locomotive speaks volumes, they must have crossed themselves as soon as they saw the "Tiburon."

Must be part of the aftermath of that horrific civil war they had in the '30s, their brains must still have been scrambled to have come up with something that ugly. 

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, February 14, 2019 5:45 PM

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNd4ScMcgds&t=12m38s

More videos on Talgos in Spain with blizzaro music

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRRXv4vyDwg

From a secret undisclosed location deep in the bowels of Long Island with Mike at the helm.

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Posted by Penny Trains on Thursday, February 14, 2019 7:54 PM

BaltACD
Except for the color - I don't see where the Green Diamond is any uglier than UP's M10000.

Amen to that!  Wink

That Italian beastie looks more like an amusement park ride than a serious attempt at streamlining.  Ick!

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, February 14, 2019 10:18 PM

Miningman
From Mike.... Incredible photos .. the beast was quite small.

http://trenesytiempos.blogspot.com/2018_01_17_archive.html

Article make it look like an amusement park ride.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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