Some more landscaping work happened today:
Michael
The Breitenbach - Rosenheim Railroad V3
Today I worked a little bit in this corner of the layout:
Something funny happened today. Over lunch my wife suddenly told me that in case we should stay in Florida she would like me to switch back to a German H0 layout, create a bit of Germany so to speak. I was really surprised because she normally goes along with whatever I want to do as it's my hobby, not hers. She's never voiced an opinion about the railroad before.
Now what should I do (in case we don't move)???
What about German in N? Just get some different locos and rolling stock and instead of Allen Mountain it can be Akinbach Mountain (even keeps with the John Allen thing).
I know you didn't think so the last time you tried it, but you do have a good space for HO. Just have to run shorter trains.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerWhat about German in N? Just get some different locos and rolling stock and instead of Allen Mountain it can be Akinbach Mountain (even keeps with the John Allen thing).
Randy,
The European N scale rolling stock is not compatible with the Atlas code 55 track that I have used. Flanges are too large
I just had to take a quick walk through all of the pages. I'd forgotten this was N scale!
Nothing less than incredible, to flip through all of this again.
Through many changes, including hurricane Irma! Just excellent Michael.
30 minutes to run the complete main line loop at 50mph, wow.
I see our friend Ulrich, Sir Madog's post are now among the Anonymous.
So I'll keep watching.
Mike.
My You Tube
michaelrose55 Something funny happened today. Over lunch my wife suddenly told me that in case we should stay in Florida she would like me to switch back to a German H0 layout, create a bit of Germany so to speak. I was really surprised because she normally goes along with whatever I want to do as it's my hobby, not hers. She's never voiced an opinion about the railroad before. Now what should I do (in case we don't move)???
I am surprised.
It's obvious that you prefer the US prototype over the European one, since you dropped the latter for the former.
And it appears she had plenty of time to signal her preferences both when you were building the European layout, and when you tore it down.
I think you should continue on the present path for the above reasons.
But.
If'n I was you, I would establish a little German-themed tourist town in one area. There are such things in the US. You could even stretch it a bit and have a German train running on a tourist loop through the town. Most women (your wife could be an exception) like the buildings and scenes more than the actual trains. Or so I believe.
It's a thought.
Ed
michaelrose55 rrinker What about German in N? Just get some different locos and rolling stock and instead of Allen Mountain it can be Akinbach Mountain (even keeps with the John Allen thing). Randy, The European N scale rolling stock is not compatible with the Atlas code 55 track that I have used. Flanges are too large
rrinker What about German in N? Just get some different locos and rolling stock and instead of Allen Mountain it can be Akinbach Mountain (even keeps with the John Allen thing).
Most all N scale equipment has flanges too deep for the hand laid code 40 on a friend's layout. He just turns them down (and considering he is 100% steam powered, it's even more fun). Although he DID give up on laying the track to fine scale standards. Far beyond what I could do, especially with my eye issues, be he even has a couple sidings with code 25 'rail' - it's really just oval section wire, far too small to actually have head and base detail). He does 'cheat' and use code 40 flex track, but all the turnouts and special work are hand built. Even crazier,. he builds little pre-1900 style steam locos from scratch, most with tender drive because he fills the boiler with weight so they can pull something, and still crams a decoder in them. It's not nearly as large a layout as yours, but it's not some little 4x8 either. I dabbled in N myself, but his mechanisms and trackwork are something else entirely.
We'll see how it all goes. We will visit Germany in about 3 weeks and (have to) make a decision when we come back. It's not going to be easy, that much I do know. Thanks everybody for having an opinion!
Hey Michael-
I just want to say that even though you've been in shutdown mode the past few months, you're still making more progress than almost everyone here. And even if you tore down the whole shebang to the bare floor and rafters and started again in HO, I 'd still follow the thread.
Good luck.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
michaelrose55 We'll see how it all goes. We will visit Germany in about 3 weeks and (have to) make a decision when we come back. It's not going to be easy, that much I do know. Thanks everybody for having an opinion!
Frankly, I don't think it's any of our business. While most anyone following this thread would prefer that the layout not be torn down, Michael is the only one with an emotional conenction and investment in it, and the decision is one only Michael and his wife can make based on their circumstances. There certainly are plenty of "I hopes" that a lot of us wish for, I've had to move out of necessity and not by choice myself in the past and it's only decent to hope others are spared the same thing. Even moving by choice, after having invested a lot into a home for many years is never easy. I'm sure whatever they decide, at some point we will see another layout in some shape or form. It would be a shame to see all this work we've followed along with have to be destroyed, but life is liek that sometimes.
In the mean time, have fun in Germany. It's one of those places I've always wanted to go (and would have, back in high school, if it weren't for a couple of idiots in my German class who ruined it for the rest of us). Hopefully you can take some of the time to relax and not dwell on decisions to come.
You could add a town like Frankenmuth, Michigan.
I have been there!
Randy...Know me? Lol...
rrinker Frankly, I don't think it's any of our business. While most anyone following this thread would prefer that the layout not be torn down, Michael is the only one with an emotional conenction and investment in it, and the decision is one only Michael and his wife can make based on their circumstances. There certainly are plenty of "I hopes" that a lot of us wish for, I've had to move out of necessity and not by choice myself in the past and it's only decent to hope others are spared the same thing. Even moving by choice, after having invested a lot into a home for many years is never easy. I'm sure whatever they decide, at some point we will see another layout in some shape or form. It would be a shame to see all this work we've followed along with have to be destroyed, but life is liek that sometimes. In the mean time, have fun in Germany. It's one of those places I've always wanted to go (and would have, back in high school, if it weren't for a couple of idiots in my German class who ruined it for the rest of us). Hopefully you can take some of the time to relax and not dwell on decisions to come. --Randy
I have nothing new to show but today is the 1st anniversary of the G&AM 5.0. The layout was started exactly a year ago and it has come a long way, even under these difficult conditions.
Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.
- Photo album of layout construction -
Micheal,
Forgive me if this has already been answered, but what make and model is your laser?
Thanks,
Bob
rteusink Micheal, Forgive me if this has already been answered, but what make and model is your laser? Thanks, Bob
Nothing to forgive ! It's this one: https://www.fslaser.com/Product/Hobby
Thank you sir for the prompt reply!
More temptation...
Today the mailman brought me this wonderful German express train:
Did you actually preorder all this stuff and forget about it, or is the wife secretly ordering things to make a not so subtle hint on what you should do next?
rrinker Did you actually preorder all this stuff and forget about it, or is the wife secretly ordering things to make a not so subtle hint on what you should do next? --Randy
Honestly? My H0 backorder list still has about 20 entries, some dating back to 2015. And there's a N scale backorder list as well ...
I like your mailman.
WS
I'm sorry Michael, but you have failed miserably!! You have not discussed the huge building that sits behind your new train! I thought that the structures that you had produced with your laser so far were impressive, but that building is amazing! It just says "WOW"!
So, if you don't mind, perhaps you could do a post on how you built it, please.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter I'm sorry Michael, but you have failed miserably!! You have not discussed the huge building that sits behind your new train! I thought that the structures that you had produced with your laser so far were impressive, but that building is amazing! It just says "WOW"! So, if you don't mind, perhaps you could do a post on how you built it, please. Thanks, Dave
Dave,
That's one of my first attempts with the laser. I built this station when I first got the laser and it's far from perfect. If you're interested to see how I built you can find it here: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/14886?page=69
As I'm not working on the railroad while we prepare for our trip to Germany I have no progress to show. Instead I cleaned up this old German train station that has been sitting underneath my bench work for years. Looks good with that train!
We made it back . We had good weather, good food, saw friends and family, and looked at a house that we could buy. The house was a disaster, filthy, badly maintained, so we didn't even consider buying it. That leaves us with only one option at the moment: to stay in Florida.
While in Germany I visited my old train store and found out that it has a new owner who knew me because we're both members of the same German model railroad forum. Small world!
I ended up with a new dining car made by Roco:
Now the big question is: do I keep the G&AM layout or do I pick up the hint that my wife gave me and switch to a German layout?
Michael,
did you know, that the restaurant car had the nick name "cockatoo"?
As much as I would like to see your talent and energy going into a Deutsche Bundesbahn themed layout, I think you have come too far with this N scale layout not to finish and enjoy it! Maybe there is a chance for a smaller HO scale layout in addition?
I meant to ask you a long time ago - whereabouts in Germany did you go to?
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"