Quick video from about 5 min ago lol
http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x285/dal3294/?action=view¤t=MVI_2801.flv
Nice video! The operations and sound are spot on, and the speed looks like a nice healthy 40 mph, and CSX runs faster on several routes, so it's a good speed.
The only things that could be improved are:
So as some of you know, a few weeks ago I biked the Northern Rail Trail near Lebanon, NH, which I model as if it had never been abandoned. I took a lot of photos, and I have a video in the works showing the differences between the prototype and my model, but for now, here's a teaser. Yeah, yeah, I know, if it's actually abandoned, there would be no sign... Hurray for Photoshop!
Modeled after the signs CSX mounts at every railroad crossing (and actually photoshopped from a photo of one of those signs!)
What happens if I call 1-800-555-0144? That better not be one of those 18+ hotlines. Actually it better be!
Alex
Funny you should say that! I actually Googled it a few hours ago to see if it was an actual "1-800" number! Didn't come up with anything though.
That's what the 555 is for...it's a code set aside by the phone companies for movies, TV shows, ads, etc, because before that code came along, they would just make up some random number to put in their movie and people would watch the movie and then call the number to find out whose it is. They got so many complaints from people whose numbers got randomly made up and put in a movie that the phone companies set aside all the 555 numbers for that use. Nobody can actually have a phone number with a 1-XXX-555-XXXX number in it.
The rest of the digits were not made up, they just came from the phone number CSX lists at the crossing (and on that very sign before I photoshopped their lettering off and added my own) for that same reason, except they have a real phone number! 1-800-232-0144!
Wow...page 8! Where is everybody?
Here's what I've been working on recently...the FIRST ever narrated video tour of the White River Southern Railroad! This includes never-before seen areas of the layout as well as photo and video comparisons between real scenes along the Northern Division and how they are modeled.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up_8u-x671oEnjoy!
I hope everyone is still alive out there...
Nice video Tyler.
My Athearn F/FP45s should be coming in soon, I can't wait.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/JR7582 My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcfan/
No Jordan, I died, sorry...
No modeling, but here's a link to a railfanning story.
I'm still here, but for only 8 days....
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Hi Guys,
I just noticed that there was a teen topic on here. I also see several familer faces from the TAMR, well here is an intoduction: My name is Jeffrey Andreski, Age 17. I live in Loveland, Colorado and have been very involved in model railroading for the past several years. I'm curently building a 8'x9' Ho scale module swiching layout in my room. I curently have 4 out of 7 modules completely finished, 2 that have track laid and 1 that has yet to be started. I might post some pictures and information in the build topic here on the forumn some time soon. I'm curently a Senior in High School, so I'm busy with that. But I'm also the Western Reginial Rep and Promotions Director for the TAMR (Teen Assoiation of Model Railroaders), So if any of you have any ideas for getting teens into the hobby and joining the TAMR let me know. Plus I'm a monthly comlumnist for the TAMR newsletter the Hotbox and my local club newsletter the Dispatch. If that wasn't enough for you, Some of you may have seen my articles in Model Railroad News. Yes, I'm the main columnist for the TAMR column in MRN, You can see my most recent articles in the July & August issues. Well with all that I'm very very busy as you can see, but I think that covers just about everything. I hope to be on here as often as I can in the future.Bye for now,
Ilovetrains16Hi Guy, I just noticed that there was a teen topic on here. I also see several familer faces from the TAMR, well here is an intoduction: My name is Jeffrey Andreski, Age 17. I live in Loveland, Colorado and have been very involved in model railroading for the past several years. I'm curently building a 8'x9' Ho scale module swiching layout in my room. I curently have 4 out of 7 modules completely finished, 2 that have track laid and 1 that has yet to be started. I might post some pictures and information in the build topic here on the forumn some time soon. I'm curently a Senior in High School, so I'm busy with that. But I'm also the Western Reginial Rep and Promotions Director for the TAMR (Teen Assoiation of Model Railroaders), So if any of you have any ideas for getting teens into the hobby and joining the TAMR let me know. Plus I'm a monthly comlumnist for the TAMR newsletter the Hotbox and my local club newsletter the Dispatch. If that wasn't enough for you, Some of you may have seen my articles in Model Railroad News. Yes, I'm the main columnist for the TAMR column in MRN, You can see my most recent articles in the July & August issues. Well with all that I'm very very busy as you can see, but I think that covers just about everything. I hope to be on here as often as I can in the future.Bye for now,
Hi Guy,
MAIN columnist? What am I, chopped turkey? lol, just kidding, glad you found the thread. why not post a couple pics?
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Welcome Jeffrey! I'll second the photo request!
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I worked out my operating plan and roster. Reducing train frequency and switching to single-unit consists means I only need three GP18s and a GP7. That means that almost all of my units are no longer needed. GP18 #9423 and GP7 #8569 are the two that I'm keeping.
Here's the deadline behind the Lebanon, NH, classification yard. Right now SDP35 #1402, U23B #2306, GP9m #1701, and GP30 #5516 are in the deadline, retired and awaiting sale. GP7 #5817 is awaiting delivery, and a GE 70 tonner and EMD FP7 are stored. Until the two GP18s arrive, GP30 #2752 and leased CSX U23B #3243 are handling both through freights.
Shame to see those locos being retired Tyler, lol.
Well, I'm debating whether or not to repaint my locos, maybe purple and grey or red and white. Blue is a serious PITA to weather!
In other news, working on the plan of my 4x8, right now just in my mind. I'm just getting burned out on weathering and painting right now.
I guess I should probably pick up the 70 tonner. That thing really needs a remotor/cleaning/regearing/redecodering... It's interesting to see the WRS down sizing. I guess eventually you can pick up some more early geeps, and run 2 or 3 unit consists.
Tyler does this mean your not getting the GP40-2Ws?
New locomotives are expenisve. The GP18s he's getting are prototpical for the location because B&M ran GP7s, 9s, and 18s, in the NH White Mountains. In the future more GP9s will allow him to run multiple locomtoives on the pass, or he can get a pair of GP40-2(W)s and use them on one train, and the GP18s on the other.
Guilford GuyI guess I should probably pick up the 70 tonner. That thing really needs a remotor/cleaning/regearing/redecodering... It's interesting to see the WRS down sizing. I guess eventually you can pick up some more early geeps, and run 2 or 3 unit consists.
And a new exhaust stack! I think either the wheels are really dirty (well, I KNOW that) or the decoder is busted, since it's constantly trying to run. But the wheels are so dirty that it can't keep pickup and just sits there dead!
I don't think I need multiple unit consists. Right now my trains are only 9 cars long, and only one through freight runs all the way to Concord. The other one stops in Franklin. They both are turns, with a midpoint of White River Junction. Also, I've gotten new train symbols, which you can read about on the new Operations page of my website. The new schedule affects the layout, since the through freights both turn around in White River Junction Staging to head back to their points of origin, creating more traffic on the railroad and lengthening the run for the through freight operators.
CDWJ (Concord, NH - White River Jct, VT) and WJFR (White River Junction - Franklin, NH) both stop in Lebanon to drop off cars for the local, while WJCD (White River Jct, VT, to Concord, NH) and FRWJ (Franklin, NH to White River Jct, VT) do not. Cars from WRJ to Lebanon can be handled by WJFR, so WJCD does not need to stop there and can save time that way, and Franklin to Lebanon is not very far, so almost no traffic needs to stop at Lebanon. Again, CDWJ can handle the traffic from Lebanon to WRJ, and can also drop off cars from the south (Concord and the Merrimack & Souhegan Railroad) in Lebanon.
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All of this is being done in preparation for hopefully hosting an operating session on Saturday. So far I have only one person who can come, plus myself...I need three to operate. If any of you are around, I could use another operator! If I can't, I'll have to cancel the session and wait until October before I'm free again.
EDIT: No, I'm not getting the GP40-2Ls anymore. I'm also keeping the railroad in 1997, since I don't want to install ditch lights on all my power. It's a big trade-off, but I no longer have to spend $400 on locomotives...I just bought a GP18 for $20, and I can hopefully find another one (and my last until my roster is finished) for a similar price.
Well, I've reached the point where it's time to thin the herd, so to speak. I have 8 locomotives, and my new plan is going to need 2, maybe 3 tops to operate. And I couldn't get more on if I tried. What I'm looking at doing is keeping my GP9 and GP30, as well as the U23B, and selling the rest. The reason I keep the GP9 and GP30? They are perfect for a shortline and of all my locomotives have the most messed up, cosmetically. That would be adverted by ordering new shells from atlas using the money from the sale of the other locos. Also, I'd keep this cash, and probably spend some to get my yard going. What I'm looking at doing now is changing SCRail to a line linking Augusta GA to some North Carolina town on the border (not Charlotte though, I want this to run through SC's Pee Dee area) and modeling a small shortline in Aiken called the Aiken Northern. Paint scheme will be white and orange, there will be a small yard w/ two customers and three classification tracks, an interchange w/ SCRail, and then a run to a town. Way freight would hopefully be 8-10 cars. This is just a preliminary thought in my head, I still have to get my parents approval. The only staging would be the SCRail interchange; everything else would originate/terminate on layout in the yard.
What is your current roster, Sawyer? I agree, a GP9 is perfect for a shortline, but I'm not sure about the GP30...
TrainManTyWhat is your current roster, Sawyer? I agree, a GP9 is perfect for a shortline, but I'm not sure about the GP30...
Consider my time period is 2007 (just picked that b/c the economy wasn't so bad then as now), the GP30 works well as the way freight loco, GP9 for yard loco.
My roster:
rs1
rsd4/5
H-15-44
GP9
GP30
GP35
C-Liner
U23B
I would strip my U23B down and repaint in a new SCRail scheme (white w/ some blue) and the GP9 and GP30 into Aiken Northern paint (my old SEC scheme with the yellow being white and grey being orange).
Here's my GP9 and GP30 when they were painted for the SEC:
The rest would be sold off to finance the yard.
Why 2007? I model 1997, not because I remember it that well, but because the Conrail split hadn't happened yet (Conrail is one of my favorite Fallen Flags) and most importantly, I don't need to install ditch lights on all of my locomotives!
I'd either go use a GP30 / GP35 combo, and maybe use the GP9 in the yard (a GP30 or GP35 needs context, while GP9s don't, since they are so common) or go all Alco and have an RS1 and RSD-whatever. For a two-horse shortline, an all Alco roster (especially with small locos like that) is very prototypical.
For reference purposes (and to convince you how awesome Alcos are! ), here's a video I took of the last RS1 in regular service in the world, ex-Rutland RS1 #405, now on the Green Mountain Railroad. Check out the Hancock Steam Whistle and of course the start-up sequence!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjxCZU13GSw
To be politically coerect that's a hancock air horn... It's neither a whistle, nor steam powered as much as it sounds like a steam whistle! (The Seaview Guy's were going to town with the one on their SW7 last week.
TrainManTyWhy 2007? I model 1997, not because I remember it that well, but because the Conrail split hadn't happened yet (Conrail is one of my favorite Fallen Flags) and most importantly, I don't need to install ditch lights on all of my locomotives!I'd either go use a GP30 / GP35 combo, and maybe use the GP9 in the yard (a GP30 or GP35 needs context, while GP9s don't, since they are so common) or go all Alco and have an RS1 and RSD-whatever. For a two-horse shortline, an all Alco roster (especially with small locos like that) is very prototypical.For reference purposes (and to convince you how awesome Alcos are! ), here's a video I took of the last RS1 in regular service in the world, ex-Rutland RS1 #405, now on the Green Mountain Railroad. Check out the Hancock Steam Whistle and of course the start-up sequence!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjxCZU13GSw
I personally like the GP9/GP30 best, mainly for aesthetics. I'd REALLY like a two GP9 road, but $50 for a GP9 is a bit steep for me when new shells for my GP9 and GP30 would be around $20 each.
The rsd 4/5 is a very old 1990s Atlas Classic loco, and it is just rapidos, I want knuckle couplers, I gotta get the Micro-trains kit, which is $12.something.
Like I said, I just like the idea of a GP30 and GP9 stable the best after an all GP9, which won't work as well for me as the GP9/GP30.
For an all-Alco roster, I'd go RS3/RS11.
Guilford GuyI would use the GP35 instead of the GP30. Much easier to get parts for the GP35... OR You could use the GP35 and convert the GP30 to a GP35E and run them as a pair, with the GP9 on a local or yard, or as a back up loco...
What kind of parts? Replacements are both available from atlas, and also detail parts are just as tough to find for both in N scale. I don't need a pair, don't want a pair, would be overkill. You make a good point, but I like the GP30/GP9 better. Also, the GP30 is a bit older, would make more sense for a smaller shortline who needed to replace a broke loco (which is the excuse I could use, the other GP9 broke or something. and then later on I could add another GP9 and run whichever history I prefer).
I'd go with the RS3 / RS11 combo too, but you don't have an RS3 or RS11, do you? Otherwise I would have written that...
EDIT: Alex means the prototype unit is easier to get parts for...the models are about the same. GP35 units are a lot more common on the prototype than GP30s.
TrainManTyI'd go with the RS3 / RS11 combo too, but you don't have an RS3 or RS11, do you? Otherwise I would have written that...EDIT: Alex means the prototype unit is easier to get parts for...the models are about the same. GP35 units are a lot more common on the prototype than GP30s.
I wish I had those locos, but unfortunately, I don't.
Ah, was wondering what he meant. Eh, a GP30 is still possible, I'll stick with it. Y'all have some good points though.
It was raining pretty hard when I took this...
Tyler, all I can say- we are not worthy
Well, for SCRail, I have permission to sell some of my locos. I think I'll keep my GP35 and U23B though, and also the rs1. Also my C-Liner. Which leaves my H-15-44 and rsd 4/5 to be sold. That isn't to say I won't sell off some of my other locos if it gets to where I need more money though, lol.
Well, I have most of my yard plan down, now to plan the local industries there and then the town on the other side.