Teen Model Railroader Place -Spring 2010-

[Railfan Alex]

I don't think this thread is big enough to merit being restarted every month. I think we should change it over to a seasonal thread like TRP, that way we only have to restart 4 threads a year and not 12.

[ns3010]

That's what I though back when Bergie requested monthly.

Considering that now they're letting the Trackside Diner be monthly (just changed that, used to be every 50 pages), I really don't see the problem with that.

If everyone agrees, then I'll just go back and change the name of the thread.

[Packers#1]

 I vote for the seasonal option.

I have two videos to kick off April. I finished up planting the weeds between the two lines, now to continue on that role. should be a few weeks long project.

First video is railfanning. I don't have enough cars to fully simulate all the trains but I did the best I could with what I have:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eActbQGP2os

Next up is an update video. there isn't much but there's been several requests so here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dn6OHYNspk

 

[Railfan Alex]

Nice update Sawyer. The weeds look pretty good, can't wait to see progress on the North Branch.

I finally put together a video with some of my equipment at the club, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=210VPuR4vk4

What do you think of the dubbing? Most of it works I think, there are a few that I am not crazy about, but I had to make do with what I had, it's REALLY hard to find audio of both EMD's and ALCo's in the same consist...

[IVRW]

I think a monthly thread would be nice. But Im fine with anything. The first session of the RR Merit Badge went well tonight. Although, the scouts weren't as fast building kits as I am so no body worked on my RR. Nothing much else.

[ns3010]

Very nice work guys!

 Sawyer, it looks to me like the yard side is just about done, no?

Alex, the sound was fine. I would have thought it was real, if it weren't for the people walking around!

[Railfan Alex]

Here's an update on my SOO GP9 project. Many details added, holes have been filed and still need to be sanded down:

Hope to be ready for painting by the end of the weekend.

[Packers#1]

 Alex, sweet work on the Soo GP9! and thanks; hopefully North Branch will be started by the end of this coming week. Very nice video as well, love that C424!

Joe, it's getting close. the basic scenery is done. I still need to plant about a trillion more weeds though, and get some vehicles and people for both King Furniture and the engine servicing, and get the roof for king furniture done. Then it's on to North branch.

[Anonymous]

I agree that a seasonal thread is more than adequate. We never get past 40 pages even on the busiest months. I was in New Jersey most of this weekend so no layout work, but here's my feedback on the stuff posted here.

---------------------

Joe: Like the new orange links which are easier to see. Only change I'd make would be to add some paragraph breaks in the "About the Layout" section since it's a bit hard to read. (note that I just drove 3 hours from NYC though)

-------------------

Sawyer: Railside chats are not my area of expertise so I don't have any feedback here. Railfanning videos are, so here are a couple tips that will make your next videos even better than your excellent first try! First, I'd add dubbed sound. I have an ancient video tutorial that you can check out (someday I'll make a new one...) and it's really easy to do in Movie Maker. Also, I am perfectly willing to sacrifice some video smoothness to digitally slow down the train. Use the "Slow down, half" effect once in MM to achieve this.

-------------------

Alex: Quite nice! The audio dubbing is exceptional and given the constraints of a club layout (backdrops, reflective glass, etc) you managed very well with the angles. I'm just used to my completely linear layout where it's easy to find angles where you can't see into the aisle, the wall, etc. Those are some snazzy locomotives too! Certainly deserves to be added to my favorites list.

 

[Guilford Guy]

Too busy watching rare detour trains to worry about model trains. kthxbai.

[Packers#1]

 Tyler, sweet, thanks. Only problem is I have zero prototype audio videos or files.

[Anonymous]

Packers#1

 Tyler, sweet, thanks. Only problem is I have zero prototype audio videos or files.

 

If you have any friends on YouTube who have prototype videos of trains, you could probably ask them if you can use their audio in your videos. Try to find one that just lets you use it whenever you want, with just a simple link to their profile. It beats having to request the audio in advance (the terms of the offer one person offered me), and I always do a lot of mixing anyway so it helps to just have an entire library of audio to use.

[RailfanS]

Wow,

I was in CT for the weekend, and missed a busy weekend here by the looks of it. Let's see if I can get all the names right this time:

Joe: Great looking website. I like the new sections about your layouts. The "about the layout" section definitely gives your RR a purpose.

Sawyer: Great job on those video's and your article in Model Railroad News, I just got the time to read it this weekend. 

Railfan Alex: That CP train looked AMAZING. And the audio was good enough for me.

Other Alex: Detour trains? Does that have anything to do with the wreck in Lee, MA? Just curious, I rode through Lee on the Mass. Pike this weekend.

John: What do you think of the UP BSA loco? I think they did a good job but could have gotten rid of the shield and slogan behind the cab. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2000709

Okay, here's what's new on the CVS:

This is the stuff that I got from the TAMR donation (Sawyer knows what I'm talking about). The F7's are in like new condition, and after I added KD's and NWSL wheels to the A unit it ran great. For the B unit, I swapped the dummy chassis with a powered one I already had. Now I have a pair of F units that can pull. As for the cars, one's a bachmann plus, and the other is a Athearn (I think). Both need KD's (I'll be buying another bulk pack soon), but other than that are ready to go. I installed P2K couplers temporarily. Oh yes, the MOW guys like the truck too.

Okay, I have other stuff to discuss too, but it can wait for another day. This post is 50 minutes in the making already.

Goodnight all,

Jamie

[Guilford Guy]

 No, the Housatonic derailment is unrelated. Most of Pan Am's freight main was submerged which necessitated detours via Boston to get traffic to and from Maine.

Video of a Pan Am train moving at a decent clip.

[Packers#1]

 Tyler, I got some friends that could probably help me out.

Jamie, thanks man! I'm trying to figure out what to write about next; might compare model trains to video games

[ns3010]

Tyler, the History page doesn't have page breaks either, and no one's complained (for lack of a better word) about that. Now that you didn't just have a 3 hour car ride, maybe go back again and see.
And post a trip report and photos (that is, if there are any) from the Easter Train. And I see it was 18 and 5664- I'm not the only one that 3010 seems to elude!

Sorry Sawyer, I don't have much audio- and all of it has HEP engines in it anyway, so it'd sound weird in your videos.

I've never tried anything with sound dubbing, but I should try sometime...

Nice F7's Jamie

And sorry John, but it seems you've been outvoted-- seasonal it is. I'll go change that now

[Railfan Alex]

Feel free to use audio from my personal videos, obviously not the ones that I have already used sound from someone else.

[Packers#1]

Railfan Alex

Feel free to use audio from my personal videos, obviously not the ones that I have already used sound from someone else.

 

Thanks Alex! Joe, yeah, don't know of any freight locos with a HEP generator. I'll be installign commuter service someday though.

[ns3010]

Well, when that day comes, feel free to use them. By then, there'll probably be more videos too...

Just curious, do you guys mean taking the audio from Youtube? Cause if you do, how do you download it? AFAIK, there's no way to...

[IVRW]

Hello All!

I have been very busy recently.

I have led my BAS Troop in the RR Merit Badge, http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/172034/1888474.aspx#1888474. The photo is of me in the cab of a GP 38-2.

And I have done some new Scenery

[Anonymous]

ns3010

Just curious, do you guys mean taking the audio from Youtube? Cause if you do, how do you download it? AFAIK, there's no way to...

 

http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/

--------------------

Our plans changed so I didn't actually get to see the train. I did go to the Whippany Railroad Museum several hours before the train was to run and took a bunch of photos there. I'll post those in Teen Railfan Place once I finish processing them.

[Railfan Alex]

TrainManTy

ns3010

Just curious, do you guys mean taking the audio from Youtube? Cause if you do, how do you download it? AFAIK, there's no way to...

 

http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/

--------------------

Our plans changed so I didn't actually get to see the train. I did go to the Whippany Railroad Museum several hours before the train was to run and took a bunch of photos there. I'll post those in Teen Railfan Place once I finish processing them.

Or if you can manage to find IE 6.0 or older, you can just go into the Temporary Internet Files and copy the video (sometimes in .flv format or un-named flash file) and convert it from there into an AVI or WMV or whatever you need.

[Packers#1]

 thanks Tyler, downloaded that.

(Railfan)Alex mind if I download a couple of your videos for dubbing. there will of course be a link to your channel and mention in the credits of the video.

[Railfan Alex]

Like I said, no problem!

---

So can we change this thread over to a seasonal thread, or are there too many people in disagreement? Last call for anyone who wants to speak up!

[Anonymous]

Railfan Alex

So can we change this thread over to a seasonal thread, or are there too many people in disagreement? Last call for anyone who wants to speak up!

 

Already done. See the "Spring 2010" title.

[Railfan Alex]

Random question, particularly geared towards GG...

Does anyone have a Kato SD40-2 shell they'd want to swap for a SD38-2 shell?

Or even better, if you have a project or protoype for an SD38-2 let me know, I have one and I have no clue what to do with it.

[Packers#1]

Railfan Alex

Like I said, no problem!

 

Awesome. hopefully I'll be able to make a sound-dubbed video before the end of spring break!

[Guilford Guy]

Nope, sorry! I did have a Kato SD40-2 but it went to a kid who was modeling Pan Am leasers.

[Packers#1]

 Well, it isn't a sound-dubbed railfan video, but I had to trim pretty much every clip to make the video fit under 10 minutes. Original was 13 minutes long, but there's was a lot of dead space where I was just working (although I tried to cut some out). so without further ado here's the premier of the video tutorial series A Crazy Guy and His Trains on the model railroader forums

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQhzHFFB04A

N-JOY!

[Anonymous]

Page 5...better fix that!

---------------------------------------------------

I went downstairs last night and shot some night footage in West Canaan. It took me a while decide which angles to include...I will upload the other one I really liked someday! Here, a really REALLY long WJCD passes through West Canaan, then intermodal hotshot NAWJ rolls slowly through town. This is my first video produced with Cyberlink PowerDirector 8, which I really like so far except for the crashing. I need to get a less-really-slow graphics card...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCiWWaK4Xnk

[IVRW]

I am slightly annoyed at what has happened. When the Boy Scouts were here for the merit badge, one of my trains ran fine. Today, nothing. When I put the locomotive that was running on the tracks, everything shorts out. If I take it off, and put the DC shay on, it will run until I turn the power off, but when I turn it back on, I can't access it. Have you guys EVER had THIS much trouble? I have contacted Athearn. Nothing. Before, when everything was also not working, all I had to do was to re-address the 2-6-0 and everything worked fine. What is happening. Is it the DCC system? Help!

[Anonymous]

What DCC system do you have, John?

[SD60M]

Hello everyone its been a LONG TIME since i've posted here much less had a picture to show. There have been alot of things going on but im back now. I have been working on the layout actually have some scenery and for me thats a first! Here is a pic of my BN ore train climbing the hill.

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[Anonymous]

Welcome back! Your scenery looks good for your first -- a lot better than mine at least! That's a nice ore train.

[SD60M]

Thanks Tyler. Ive done some patches here lately to get rid of the white spots from the plaster cloth. Now all i have to do is get scenery everywhere else on the layout.

[ns3010]

Very nice scenery SD.

Also better than my first scenery, which literally was nothing but ground foam.
Well, first scenery if you don't count the lake. Which was the best looking (read: only complete) part of the layout.

[Anonymous]

No photos to post yet, but I finished my burned-out-barn project (just need to plant trees!) and have started installing the new 14 gauge bus wire which should fix the power problems I had during my last operating session. The main bus wire is in so I just need to cut the feeders off the old 18 gauge bus and solder them to the new one.

I've also started repairing an old cast-metal searchlight signal that I'm going to wire up to protect the reversing sections from idiots like myself who run trains onto it without checking which way it is set. In theory, it protects the rarely-used diamond for an old branch (the continuous run connection) and is required by a legal technicality. It will be constantly RED unless the lift bridge is down, the reversing segment is set to LAYOUT, and the request switch is set to REQUEST in which case it will turn GREEN. The request switch will keep it from showing a green block while there's a train approaching from staging behind the signal. Shutting off the request switch or flipping the reversing segment to STAGING will put it back to RED as the train is past the signal.

[Packers#1]

 SD, very nice scenery and nice ore train.

well, the North Branch roads are pretty much poured and I'll hopefully have scenery going in the next few weeks hopefully.

[Anonymous]

Not actually on the layout, but of a scene on the railroad nonetheless - the summit of the Mascoma Lake Grade, currently my avatar. Custom plate from hand-drawn artwork based off a photograph.

[IVRW]

Tyler! Your making me hungry! :)

[ns3010]

Uh, dunno why, but I have a feeling we're in need of a bump. Maybe the fact that we're on Page 8?

You guys are slacking!

I haven't been here cause of lax every day. Add massive computer problems to that, and I think you guys can understand my absence...

[Anonymous]

I have NOT been slacking! I rewired my entire layout with 14 gauge bus wire, built and then burnt a barn, had a train wreck with no wheels off the tracks, spent three hours today building cookie-cutter benchwork into my existing layout for the Mascoma River, and have started working on my paper mill! But I didn't take any photos of any of that until today.

Okay, first things first. Photos of wires are boring so I didn't take any. But here's my barn, built from an article in Model Railroader. That signal behind it that's missing the signal part will be built into my reversing section circuit and hopefully stop idiots like me from running onto it while set the wrong way.

I used a lighter and a spray bottle (filled with water) to perform a series of controlled burns to the building. It was built on a piece of cardboard and was on the driveway...I'm not about to set fires indoors!

I was running a train to test my new wiring today and had a train wreck with no derailments...the truck screw dropped out and the truck came off.

Time for the Mascoma River Crossing! Track is just laid in place and I hope to order the bridges this week.

Riverbed will be built with plaster cloth...this isn't an underground river.

Layout:

Prototype (but with train tracks and another bridge next to it!):

And finally, it's PAPAH MILL TIME! Foam foundation, Walthers Cornerstone Modulars walls. That corrugated metal structure is scratchbuilt from scraps leftover from my Pikestuff enginehouse and sheet styrene.

Sorry for killing your dial-up folks...and if I crashed Joe's computer again!

[IVRW]

Great Job Ty. I would, and should be more active, but my grandfather, as some know from "Iain Rice Track Plan," got diagnosed with cancer, so I have been spending several weeks at Orlando. With this, the only thing I have really done was trackplan for a layout to be in Florida to work on while Im away from the current one. Like I said, not much has happened on the layout, but I do have a few pictures Ill try to upload soon.

Sawyer, I saw your photos in the past few WPFs, and I thing I have an Idea for you. I noticed just recently that you have excess ground foam on your streets. On my layout, I ballast before I do scenery, and my scenery method involves paint, so to protect my ballast, I lay down paper towels just over the edge of the ballast, and then I wet the edges for a tight seal. This way, I only scenic where I want to, and no extra ends up anywhere else. Also, when the scenery is done, all I have to do is to wrap up the towels and throw them in the trash, as easy as 1/87.1 scale pie.

I also got something for you guys which might just save my DCC system. My hobby shop guru said whenever you call up a locomotive's address, it fills up a slot. Every few years, the slots have to be emptied and reset in order to call up another locomotive. Is shorting out a characteristic of full slots? If so, then how might I reset the slots, as poor grandpa forgot to include the manual. Joe! Forever kudos to you for reviving the thread.

[Packers#1]

 John, good idea. I'll leave it alone though; it'll only take me about 30 seconds and a vacuum to clean it up.

speaking of the WPFs, just check them out for pics of the North Branch scenery.

 Tyler, suh-weet paper mill! I love using leftover Pikestuff kit parts; I jacked the walls of the single-stall enginehouse I have for the warehouse wall for the insulation contractor; the door edgings were used for King Furniture.

[Anonymous]

Yes, Pikestuff kits come with so much extra awesomeness. I love them.

IVRW

I also got something for you guys which might just save my DCC system. My hobby shop guru said whenever you call up a locomotive's address, it fills up a slot. Every few years, the slots have to be emptied and reset in order to call up another locomotive. Is shorting out a characteristic of full slots? If so, then how might I reset the slots, as poor grandpa forgot to include the manual.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather, John. I've had almost half a dozen friends get diagnosed with various forms of cancer (two of them my age) and all of them are now fine, physically if not psychologically...

What DCC system do you have? I have the Digitrax Zephyr and can walk you through the process of clearing the selected locos. BUT, this would not cause shorting so I doubt that's the problem. I'd connect your DCC system to a single piece of flextrack and see if it shorts with no loco, and then with a various selection of engines (to make sure it's not one engine that's the problem). If there's no short, it's your layout, rolling stock, or engines. If it's a short, it's the DCC system. Locate the problem before you try to fix it...

[BigBlueConrail]

Video New video I recorded the other day after I bought some new athearn shipping containters, enjoy!

[SD60M]

Went out to work on the layout and im having a block in creativity. Can somone give me an idea of what i can can do with the left side of the of my layout. I have scenery on the right, which is fine but i would like some industries and maybe a small yard. the area is about 2' wide and 8' long. Any help would be appreciated. Also here is a pic of the part of my layout im talking about.

-Kade

" mce_src="">

[Packers#1]

Kade, do you have a trackplan showing where those rails are on the layout? Well, today is early release day from school, and I went upstairs and took some more pics. And lo and behold I played with the settings and check out the results: First some overview pics: GP35 #5 pulls a cut of cars off the cannery spur: Wow, the front of a '35 is BEAST!: This grade crossing is the best spot to get a good shot of a loco: here's a view of the other end: Check out the GP9! Finally a crossing pic of the U23B and a boxcar and the bus that was EVERYWHERE today downtown, while no one else was downtown.

[IVRW]

Wow Sawyer, the progress is amazing!

[Packers#1]

IVRW

Wow Sawyer, the progress is amazing!

thanks man, hey, it's a great way to calm down after a stressful school week!

[cdog565]

Well i finally decided to get off my butt and start getting a idea what i can do with the 4 by 4 foot board. I got track set up but is not secured ( i am using a fabric like stuff for grass). I will put pictures up later. But as i was running a couple of my engines the derailed on the switches along with several cars, can anwone tell me how to fix that?

[IVRW]

More information would be nice cdog, but from what I can tell, I believe the edge of the switching rail isn't flush with the diverging route, so I would either file down the stub if there is one, or bend the switching rail until it can easily be flush.

[Packers#1]

cdog, do you have anything holding the switch closed? could be the points coming undone midway through. otherwise, check out john's explanation.

[ns3010]

Hmm, it seems like there's finally some activity here...

Can't stay and look, but I'm not going to practice tomorrow, so I'll be home early, and I'll explain that and read posts and all that stuff then...

[SD60M]

Packers#1

Kade, do you have a trackplan showing where those rails are on the layout? 

Well thats the problem. The only part of the layout that has rails that will stay is where the hill and river are. Every other part of the layout i havent a clue. The stretch is 2' wide and 8' feet long does that length have any possibility for a small yard and maybe a couple of industries in HO scale.

[Packers#1]

SD60M

Packers#1

Kade, do you have a trackplan showing where those rails are on the layout? 

Well thats the problem. The only part of the layout that has rails that will stay is where the hill and river are. Every other part of the layout i havent a clue. The stretch is 2' wide and 8' feet long does that length have any possibility for a small yard and maybe a couple of industries in HO scale.

I'll play around with that in RTS and see what I come up with.

[Packers#1]

Packers#1

I'll play around with that in RTS and see what I come up with.

well, just kinda went from my mind to the plan. it's a very rough draft, and you really can't help but hog the main while doing anything. the yard is just there, can be used to re-block cars how the conductor sees fit (for modeling this just drop the cars into random order on the sceniced side and use that main as staging.) the train will roll in, run around the cars if it pulls in from right to left, then start switching. I used Atlas #4, and I'd suggest using either a switcher or a 4 axle unit. if you use EZ track you'll probably need to jostle stuff around, but I mean for this plan to be a jumping-off point. some flaws but could still provide some decent switching ops.

[ns3010]

Ah, I see. You guys certainly weren't slacking, you were just too busy doing actual modeling to post. Makes sense.

Watch out guys, Tyler's an arsonist!
Seriously, nice barn. And that's a, uh, "interesting" derailment. Or i guess it's not really a derailment, just an equipment malfunction???
And no, you didn't crash my computer again. In fact, it never crashed... It just burned out my power cord (for like the fourth time...), so I can't charge it, so I have to use a different computer for now...

John, sorry to hear about your grandfather
As for the DCC system, who makes it? That might make things a little easier...

BigBlue, for some reason, Youtube doesn't work on this computer, so I can't watch it- sorry!

Kade, if you run the main down the center, you could get a small two (maybe three) track yard on one side of it. It could be stub ended with a crossover at the end. Then you could probably get at least two industries on the other side of the main.

Wow, Sawyer, North Branch is looking great!

Cdog, it could be what John said, or maybe the points weren't moved fully into the right position or something like taht.?

 

Well, nothing new from me, as always. Been overly busy with lacrosse, and now not being able to play because of bruised ribs and all kinds of fun stuff like that. But the season ends in less than two weeks, so things will be less busy then.

I also got some money from making my Confirmation, so maybe I'll be able to do something (finish benchwork maybe?) with the money left over from when I buy new shoes (sorry, but I REALLY need those- much higher on the priority list than trains!).

[IVRW]

One idea I had was for you to slice away some of the width of your board and tack it on to the end for length, to give you an industrial branch line separating away from the main at the yard. If you take Sawyer's drawing, you can see that there are relatively few options. Option a) is to make a big yard closest to the finished section on the inside, while option b) is to put industries in the same area. It all depends on what you want more. Here is my suggestion: I would make a yard in the big area with engine facilities, and I would cut away all other wood not in use. I would then make that wood into another extension off in the direction of Sawyer's small yard. Here you could have a small industrial section. It must also be noted that the industrial area could be forgotten, it's board remain where it came from, and an industrial area could be there. I hope I helped. ~John

[IVRW]

Joe, its a digitrax. I dont know anything beyond that because poor grandpa forgot the instructions.

[Anonymous]

 John - Is is a Zephyr?

http://www.digitrax.com/prd_zep_basic_set.php

[SD60M]

WOW! Thats awsome Sawyer i really like the idea i wanted to have a warehouse as a industry anyway since i work at one. I really thank you man for doing this for me i cant wait to see what else you come up with!

-Kade

[IVRW]

No Tyler, I did some looking and its a DB 150. http://www.digitrax.com/prd_boost_db150.php He bought that with two utility controllers.

[Anonymous]

That narrows it down considerably. What was the problem again? A short? Are you sure it's that? I have the Zephyr but a quick look at the DB150 turned up this:

Auto shutdown if command control drive signal is lost so that the layout will not convert to DC operation if a cable or connection is broken. The trains won't just "take-off" if they are not getting the DCC signal.

This could easily act just like a short if you've tried everything else. I'm not sure how the signal would be lost though.

[IVRW]

Here is all I know:

a) DC locomotive works, but will not be recognized or controlled by this DCC system, when it can be on other systems.

b) DCC locomotives are shorting out.

c) Locomotive 1 was not shorting out before, but now is on this and another DCC system.

d) Locomotive 2 had a few programing problems, but issue was solved by reprogramming the locomotive with a new address. Suddenly, a few weeks after it was working fine, it started shorting out. It is not known if it will on other systems.

e) Locomotive 3 is known to be working, however it too shorts out.

f) Before I moved to Utah, everything worked spotlessly.

g) When I moved to Utah, after extreme disuse due to broken leg, similar problems arose. It was found the cause was extremely dirty track. After some good cleaning, all locomotives, except DC one, worked fine.

h) My hypothesis is that the DCC system is somehow doing something that is shorting the DCC decoders in the locomotives. I also believe that there is a short in the DCC system. I will soon try the method you recommended Tyler, and that might finally prove something.

[Packers#1]

Joe, thanks! Well, today as a little "gift" i suppose you'd call it my grandma bought me two bags of woodland scenics turf and also two boards of foam board for scratchbuilding. so hopefully that'll work and I'll have the cannery and bagging plant cores built and just need some texture covering by monday. Kade, any input you have on that industrial park? I'm thinking a 44-tonner would be a perfect switcher for it, or heck, even a trackmobile. just pm me with anything you'd like to see done differently.

[SD60M]

Packers#1

Joe, thanks! Well, today as a little "gift" i suppose you'd call it my grandma bought me two bags of woodland scenics turf and also two boards of foam board for scratchbuilding. so hopefully that'll work and I'll have the cannery and bagging plant cores built and just need some texture covering by monday. Kade, any input you have on that industrial park? I'm thinking a 44-tonner would be a perfect switcher for it, or heck, even a trackmobile. just pm me with anything you'd like to see done differently.

I really like the idea and i already have a SW1000 for switching plus several Geeps. I like the overal design i have a mix of 22" and 18" curves in EZ track, some atlas code 100 flex track, and other sections of of code 100 rail i could use the ez switches and then use the atlas track for spurs so the industry rails dont have the same height as the mainline. I

[Packers#1]

Kade, then just take the switches etc. and kick them around until you have a little industrial park that operates good. well, I've been scratchbuilding this weekend. Overview: Spotting cars: The lot. I need some trucks to fill the lot up. Pulling by the cannery: The Dixie Quick-Mix bagging plant. I have a lot left to do but the two basic structures are there. Looking between the buildings: Pulling out of the spur:

[IVRW]

Sawyer. Outstanding!!! You have done so much lately. Any more pictures?

[Anonymous]

Took this for part of my 365 Project. Yes, it is a model...

Full-size: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trainmanty/4604796427/

[Packers#1]

givin the thread a bump. John, nope, no new pictures, ain't done much else either. Tyler, interesting project! Like I said, I haven't done much on the layout. once my dad fixes the compressor and I get some aged concrete I'll paint my Dixie Quick-Mix plant and start that scenery. Also doing some work on the cannery right now though.

[Quinton Fallon]

 

[Packers#1]

Quinton Fallon

I know this is a little off topic but what is the Teen Model Railroader Place string? is there requirements?please help? i'd like to join.

thanks in advance

just be under 21 to join really. although I think when all of us are older we'll still be dropping in. are there really any requirements other than being a teen actually? I think the last discussion on that was over a year ago.

[Anonymous]

Packers#1

Quinton Fallon

I know this is a little off topic but what is the Teen Model Railroader Place string? is there requirements?please help? i'd like to join.

thanks in advance

just be under 21 to join really. although I think when all of us are older we'll still be dropping in. are there really any requirements other than being a teen actually? I think the last discussion on that was over a year ago.

 

Sawyer is correct - we have no requirements. This is Kalmbach's forum so they make the rules, not us. You're welcome to join in the discussion! A lot of our most regular members are really busy this time of year so it's been really quiet recently!

[IVRW]

Yeah, welcome Quinton. The TMRP is just a hang out for other teens to tell each other what's going on with their layouts. It consists of about 3 regulars, myself included, and then some others who pop in and out. Im John Houston Gardiner IV. I live in Utah but when both my grandparents developed cancer, I moved temporarily out to Orlando Florida, but it could be upwards of 2 years before I go back. I had a Model Railroad in the final stages, but it was deemed a chainsaw Railroad, so I was granted permission to build another smaller, more professional layout out here by He Who Finances Everything (oh dad, the nicest man ever [because he supports my endeavors]). I plan to make it a 1930s Logging operation based on Iain Rice's "Linked Up Logger".

Packers#1 is Sawyer John Berry lives in Aiken, South Carolina and Models a fictional 1995 shortline called the Aiken Northern Railroad. The Railroad is on a 4X8 (?) and has a yard on one side, and a city on the other. Sawyer is President of the Teen Association of Model Railroaders and is in the final stages of finishing his beautiful layout.

TrainManTy is Tyler Trahan, from somewhere in New England. He is a very published modeler and has the best railroad of all of us here, the White River Southern. It is very realistic, and is nearly finished. He is even holding regular operating sessions. The WRS is a massive layout with a yard, and 4 towns (which is really big). It has a massive roster, and works everything from commuter work to manifests. In fact, the layout has already been featured at several local shows.

Well, thats the 3 of us. Others will probably pop around and tell you about themselves. Please, tell us about you.

[Quinton Fallon]

thanks for getting me up to speed everyone. will be comeing here more often. i'm sorry to hear about your grandparents john. I used to live in orlando myself, near winter park in fact. untill i moved to jacksonville about a year ago.

i am now working on a 4x6 n scale modern day layout. i just got the majority of track laying down.

Quinton

[Anonymous]

IVRW

TrainManTy is Tyler Trahan, from somewhere in New England. He is a very published modeler and has the best railroad of all of us here, the White River Southern. It is very realistic, and is nearly finished. He is even holding regular operating sessions. The WRS is a massive layout with a yard, and 4 towns (which is really big). It has a massive roster, and works everything from commuter work to manifests. In fact, the layout has already been featured at several local shows.

 

Thanks for the flattering introduction and kind words. I'll leave it to you to judge whose layout is "best" in your eyes, but I will expand or correct on some of the points you made. Yes, the scenery is coming along and over half of the layout is in some form of partial completion.The layout is approximately 12' by 22' in a kidney shape (you can find more info and a track plan on my website here) and includes the prototype towns of Lebanon, Mascoma, Enfield, and West Canaan. Lebanon includes the division-point yard.

I have been holding regular operating sessions throughout last year and early this year, but after some wiring problems and a major failure relating to the staging yard lift bridge protection and reversing section circuit, the sessions have been postponed. I've got new 14 gauge bus wire in and just have to rebuild the bridge protection and reversing circuit. Then after some track fixes I'll be ready to restart sessions.

My roster isn't actually that large, well not my active roster anyway. I have a GP18, a GP7, and a (kept for sentimental value and in service as a stand-in) SDP35 in service, with another GP18, two GP7s, and a pair of GP15-1s out of service in the paint shop or awaiting it. Regularly scheduled trains consist of two locals, a pair of manifests, and a pair of intermodal trains. Commuter service is coming someday, John!

Finally, my layout is about as far from movable as they come, so I'm not sure what "several local shows" you mean. My layout has never left my basement and no more than ~20 people have ever seen it in person. Oh, and I've been published in a local newspaper and Trains Magazine, but never for anything about my layout. However, as I write this I'm in the middle of writing to Model Railroader, so I'll keep you posted on that!

[Guilford Guy]

While your layout hasn't made it to shows your motive power has. 9423, 8569, and 5817 have made appearances at the National Train Show 2009 at Hartford. Whenever they're actually finished (still need striping) the 1500s and 902 may make another train show appearance.

You should really join the hub div. Think of it, just borrow all the cars out of Boston and run a train with 3 GP7s on the head end and 2 GP15s or GP18s pushing! Oh and btw, I call helpers!

[Anonymous]

Now that I'll have a paying job at least for the summer I might just join the HUB for this year's train show season...but I can't run long trains until I have poweeerrr! The striping hasn't arrived yet?

[Packers#1]

John, there's also GG (Alex or GuilifordGuy), RailfanAlex (the other alex), and Joe, our lacrosse player who is never in this time of year. I myself play rugby, which is in the winter. and there's a few others who drop in when they have time. Tyler does have one heck of a layout! John, yep, it's a 4x8. You're jumping the gun on final stages though, it's not even half completed lol. there's still basic scenery, figures, vehicles, structures, superdetailing, building the fleet, trackwork, the whole lake scene, the list goes on! And the era right now is 1997, but once I get the shells to repaint my locos I'll be moving my era up to 2000 speaking of my layout, here's a progress vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4w1GcWINek Quinton, n scale RULES my friend! what area is your layout set in?

[IVRW]

Sawyer, I know of Alex, Alex, and Joe, but aside from their names, thats all I know. Alex, Alex, and Joe, would you care to enlighten me?

[Guilford Guy]

TrainManTy

Now that I'll have a paying job at least for the summer I might just join the HUB for this year's train show season...but I can't run long trains until I have poweeerrr! The striping hasn't arrived yet?

 

Yeah I'm still waiting on the box from Chris. He said he picked it up from the train club the other day so I'm hoping it arrives soon. I may just end up buying the striping myself. I need to make a trip to Maine Trains anyways so I might as well grab a sheet of decals when I'm up there. You should definitely make it to the Lexington Show. There's always a decent sized layout there, and it's much more relaxed. There's also GOOD food in the National Heritage Museum which is huge news when you compare it to the "stuff" you get at Springfield. 

[Anonymous]

Guilford Guy

Yeah I'm still waiting on the box from Chris. He said he picked it up from the train club the other day so I'm hoping it arrives soon. I may just end up buying the striping myself. I need to make a trip to Maine Trains anyways so I might as well grab a sheet of decals when I'm up there.

 

Yeah, that would be great. Keeping in mind that once more power is on the railroad I can get the photos I need to try to get the WRS into Model Railroader, and they pay (well) upon article acceptance, not publication, so that means more money for the railroad and for you to install ditch lights, if you are in need of work.

When is the Lexington show? I've heard good things about it.

[cdog565]

  Welcome  Quinton. Well this weekend i went to my lhs for some paint for a station when i stumbled upon a Athearn Burlington northern work caboose kit. So this weekend i built the work caboose and started on my station.

[Quinton Fallon]

 

[Packers#1]

Quinton, sounds good! I've always wondered about modeling the mountains, but I don't know enough to build a model RR set there and I love the county I live in here in SC.

[ns3010]

Welcome, Quinton! I'm Joe, 15, from New Jersey. I'm normally a regular around here, but haven't been around because of lacrosse, which is over now. But I'm still in the midst of a massive computer failure (grr...) and haven't had a computer in a few weeks, and don't know when I'll have one again. Moving on though... I model a fictional shortline, Tri State Rail in HO. I model the Lackawanna Cutoff in New Jersey (which in reality is abandoned, but soon to be restored- work is beginning this year), only a few miles from my home. The layout is currently only benchwork, but hopefully that will change in the near future. The link to my website is in my signature- I think it's the one that says "Tri State Rail," or something like that... ___________________________________________ Moving on again, I have some news that should be good for modeling. I have an interview for checking badges down the shore next weekend! So that'll be great if I get the job (I also hear they get pretty good pay, even though they do basically nothing...). I'll finally have money for modeling, and even other stuff! .............................................................................................................................................BTW, please excuse the formatting. I'm using my mom's Mac, which condenses everything into one huge-and-hard-to-read paragraph. Sorry if this is hard to read... //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// EDIT: If anyone has any questions or just wants to say something to me, click on the "Formspring" link in my signature. It's completely anonymous, so that just makes it more fun. Apparently it deleted all the questions I answered since it's been inactive for a while... GET IT GOING AGAIN! IT'S GOOD ENTERTAINMENT!!!

[IVRW]

Don't worry Joe. I have always posted on a mac, and it's just a matter of learning to type your own HTML formatting. Congrats on the layout.

[ns3010]

Uuuuuuhhhhhh, looks like the formatting will continue to be messed up, then... I hate Macs anyway. Ugh I can't wait to get back on a PC again...

[Anonymous]

Wait, the return key on Macs doesn't work in posts? I've used them before but never had to type an entire paragraph! HTML code is fast to write, but for every post...there must be another way because otherwise nobody would have a Mac!

[ns3010]

When you type a post, it looks like it will work, but gets lumped together when you hit the "Post" button. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related- when you type a post, the bar above the text box with the color, font size, smilies, etc. does not appear. ________________________________________________________________ I don't know how to write HTML, so I'm out of luck there...

[Anonymous]

What browser are you using? It might not be the Mac OS, just the browser.

[Packers#1]

I'm hitting enter twice on this safari browser, and I'm on a PC. EDIT: and it seems it doesn't work! Well, this week I've been reviving a bachmann station kit and today I installed the station and some scenery on the layout. Also got down two museum display tracks, but only have one filled. Also began building the conveyor system on the Dixie Quick-Mix plant. First, some station scenes: Finally, somewhere to proudly display this Atlas car! And here's the build of the conveyor system. first, the housing on the low building: and looking at the scene in progress: N-JOY (this is the third time I've posted these on this site lol)!

[Anonymous]

Might just be Safari...is anyone using Firefox?

[Packers#1]

TrainManTy

Might just be Safari...is anyone using Firefox?

It's safari, firefox was fine with it. but every time I use firefox now I freeze the internet, and safari doesn't do that.

[Quinton Fallon]

 

[Packers#1]

Quinton, sounds like some unexpected luck to me. and thanks! well, anyone want a mug shot of me? my aunt took a pic of me workin on the layout today:

[Anonymous]

You go through a lot of glue, Sawyer!

[ns3010]

 Tyler, never even thought of that. I've been using Safari, and Sawyer says he's having the same problems. I'm in Firefox now, and I see the formatting bar above the text box. We'll see how this goes...

Sawyer, that depot looks right at home in North Branch.
I like the idea of a museum- an excuse to have all the stuff you don't really need!

 Quinton, it's always interesting when you find out something like that...
I believe Tyler discovered that there is a real WRS, just not the White River Southern!

 

Well, let's see how this post works out...

EDIT: Appears to be fine... Muy interesante...

[Guilford Guy]

Looks like I've missed a bit. I've been away since Wednesday afternoon, first in NY and now in DC. Did get some railfanning in and met up with a friend at Union Station for a bit. The parking lot at the old REA building at Union Station is a pretty nice place to fan. I'm pretty sure its an Amtrak/MARC/VRE employee parking lot, but its right next to the tracks and you get to see the Amtrak switch crew (with SWs ) and MARC/Amtrak arriving and departing. After Union Station I headed down to East Potomac Park where I could read a book on a bench in the shade and watch the parade of VRE Amtrak and CSX head over the Potomac river bridge. I only stayed for a little over an hour but caught a northbound and southbound Richmond Train. A southbound Florida train. 2 Inbound and 2 Outbound VREs, one that was double headed, and lastly a southbound CSX freight with a good amount of tank cars and covered hoppers. It probably would have been a good idea to bring a camera... D'oh.

On the modeling subject, before departing I started in on a B&M Transfer caboose using an Athearn Wide Vision as a base.

The prototypes were used exclusively around Boston where lots of local work involving shove moves occurred. They were also used on several branch lines. But anyways, here is the car I'm modeling.

I started by making 2 cuts on either side of the cupola.

Then I sanded down the edged and CAed the two sides together. To aid in making sure the putty held I added a couple pieces of Styrene inside the model. It also helps strengthen the joint.

I then cut down the frame of the car from this-

To this-

 

Lastly, here is the most recent picture of a Pan Am GP40, although it doesn't show the final addition of conspicuity striping that I did before leaving.

[Packers#1]

Tyler, oh yes. I now know where the matte medium is in hobby lobby though, so I'll be swapping to that. Joe, It does doesn't it? I've had that kit forever; it's worn many a coat of paint. I think I'll still have it as a commuter station, but just have one coach running to it. I can also run excursions with my C-Liner and two streamlined coaches; the streamliner observation will be on display. GG, sweet caboose project! Well, got the other box for the conveyor built last night, so all that's left for Dixie Quick-Mix is paint and signs.

[Guilford Guy]

 Why not just get a Kato RDC or two. Texas still uses RDCs in commuter service and Syracuse did have RDC commuter service until a few years ago.

[Railfan Alex]

Welcome Quinton, I'm the other Alex.

Intro: Well in a nutshell, I model CP and a bit of SOO and CSX in the 1990's, but I have some equipment that strays from that era. But everything is in the 1980's-present era.

Browser Problems: I have the same issue that everyone else has with Google Chrome. So I am stuck stopping into the forums using version 5 of IE... HELP!!! I think I need to get Firefox up and running...

Busy as *#$%: I haven't had too much time to do anything, yet alone stop in to read whats happening. But glad to see that it's getting pretty active. I'd consider myself a semi-regular. I'll try and change that to regular in the near future. Boo exams!

[Guilford Guy]

When you're done with your exams you're road-tripping it to Boston... right?

[Packers#1]

Guilford Guy

 Why not just get a Kato RDC or two. Texas still uses RDCs in commuter service and Syracuse did have RDC commuter service until a few years ago.

In that case bring on the RDCs :D that fits much better on the line, and if prototypes were running it into the 2000's then that fits perfectly. Thanks GG!

[Railfan Alex]

Guilford Guy

When you're done with your exams you're road-tripping it to Boston... right?

Uhh, that was supposed to be last summer. Never happened and its not happening this summer either unfortunetly.

[ns3010]

Wow, GG, that's some caboose project!

[IVRW]

Railfan Alex

Boo exams!

Agreed!

[Packers#1]

ditto to boo exams. well, I just got hit with a ton of bricks; My grandma has cancer AGAIN! >.

[Railfan Alex]

Darn Sawyer, sorry to hear that. I give her my best wishes.

-----

In model railroading news... I have a few things I suppose I could post. Will take photos tonight I guess, including a bit of weathering and car loads. Also a bit of simple decoder lighting for a club member. Don't know how much I'll share, but definately some...

[ns3010]

Sorry to hear that, Sawyer. I wish her luck in her battle.

I actually (literally, about an hour ago...) just finished reading a book called The Last Lecture. In a nutshell, Randy Pausch, a college professor, was asked to give a "last lecture," any advice he wanted to give as if he were dying. Coincidentally, just before he gave the lecture, he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was told he had 3-6 months to live.

 Later, he turned the lecture into a book. It is a life changing book. Not only does it give life advice, but it tells about the struggle he and his family went through before he died.

Not only is it good like that, but it is a good book and is easy to read (I read all 200 pages in two days). I highly suggest it to everyone, and it may give some support to Sawyer and John (and their grandparents and families).

[Packers#1]

Alex and Joe, thanks! Joe, sounds like a good book. looking forward to the updates Alex!

[ns3010]

Yeah, like I said, it's great. Definately makes you look at stuff in a different way. I reccomend it to everyone, especially the "Eeyores" in the world (you have to read the book or watch the lecture to understand that). Not that any of you are Eeyores, I'd say you're all Tiggers

 

Well, just to make the post MR related, the Gensets are supposed to come in next week. I can't wait!

[Anonymous]

ns3010

I reccomend it to everyone, especially the "Eeyores" in the world (you have to read the book or watch the lecture to understand that). Not that any of you are Eeyores, I'd say you're all Tiggers

I had a cat named Eyore...

Sorry to hear about that, Sawyer. I've had three close friends (two my age) that survived various forms of cancer, it really is a horrible disease.

 

[ns3010]

Here's a link to the full lecture on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ------ For the Eeyore/Tigger part, skip to 1:02:00. --------- You guys should watch the entire thing sometime though.

[SD60M]

Hows it going guys. I dont have a pic of my progress but here is a link to my Layout Update Vid!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsmAebMZCUA

[Guilford Guy]

I like the poster in the background!

The trains are cool too.

[Packers#1]

Joe, I'll have to check out that vid sometime. I weathered this boxcar over the past week or so:

[Anonymous]

Alex de Léry, tell your countrymen to stop burning stuff! Your smoke is blowing down here...

[Railfan Alex]

 

TrainManTy

Alex de Léry, tell your countrymen to stop burning stuff! Your smoke is blowing down here...

lol, yea you think you have it bad??!? This morning was terrible. Almost left the house with a dust mask, and we couldn't open windows at school, no AC and it's 80 degrees!! Thank god there isn't much humidity.

Sorry I haven't posted anything that I'd promised. I have a ton of studying if I want to pass the year, a whole bunch of graduation events and now a sudden death in my family. Maybe in a couple of days...

[Packers#1]

Well, I'm waiting for my mom to pay me my allowance before I can get back to scenery work, but I finally found the matte medium at hobby lobby so should have some scenery done soon. I haven't taken any pics of my redesign but I should have some soon. probably will do a video instead. The hunt is also on for more power. I need at least one more roadswitcher to fledge out my fleet fully. and I'm thinking about getting a pair of F45s "just because," but also then they would run to the end of the branchline. Unfortunately, modeltrainstuff.com has one more U23B for $50, then every roadswitcher is $60, but there's A TON listed for that so hopefully should have some new power running around once I get some lawn-mowing jobs this summer. I'm thinking this summer I'll focus on the loco and freight fleets, then this fall turn my attention to track changes (which will be explained later). but I may get some switches etc this summer as well. like I said, I'll make a video explaining all this soon.

[Anonymous]

Railfan Alex

 

TrainManTy

Alex de Léry, tell your countrymen to stop burning stuff! Your smoke is blowing down here...

lol, yea you think you have it bad??!? This morning was terrible. Almost left the house with a dust mask, and we couldn't open windows at school, no AC and it's 80 degrees!! Thank god there isn't much humidity.

 

If you make them stop then I'll tell the oil well to stop gushing oil into the Atlantic! Hurrah for environmental disasters... 

[Guilford Guy]

At least we can drink our water again!

[ns3010]

 I think the smoke Alex is sending down is left over from when they burned up 4137...

Actually, we're taking our stuff back soon. It was a two year lease, and it'll be up soon (I think sometime around the end of the year). Now that you (Finally!) have your Multilevels, we want our CIs back! And if you're short on power, you can have some, uh, "nice and functional" ALP-44s since we're getting our 46AS

That oil spill is so bad. Hopefully it doesn't get into the Gulf Stream... If it does, then there goes my summer...

[modelbnsfer]

Hey Everyone!

Remember Me? Probably not but I used to talk to you guys on here like five months ago. Just thought I would start again if you guys dont mind.

Taylor

[Packers#1]

Taylor, welcome back. Well guys, I've determined to replan my replanning, and so the cycle begins again! I'll just keep changing it up until I've finally found something I like.

[Anonymous]

Welcome back!

I finished up some new scenery in Lebanon and the Mascoma River Valley this week (although I need to buy Supertrees this summer before the Valley is done!) and of course shot a new video!

LE-1 puts together LE-2, which then departs. Then the first rolling meet ever on the WRS occurs at Lebanon Siding between trains CDWJ and WJNA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQwF8p6Yegk

[modelbnsfer]

Hey Guys,

Glad everything is good with the railroads. I wish I had a model to work on but its done and over with but I will hopefully start a new one soon. It is going to be a 3 by 8 switching layout and it will be a shortline called the sweetwater & Haggard rr.

Taylor

[Packers#1]

Taylor, sounds good! well, picked up the supplies to finish my scratchbuilding for now, hopefully

[modelbnsfer]

Sawyer,

It may be N scale! Thought you may like that and i'm not sure yet just a thought but there is alot of modern equipment in N scale and I can get twice the railroad in as HO scale. What are your guys thoughts?

[IVRW]

HELLO SUMMER!!!!!!! Im back from the dead, or the crazy at least. Finals are over, and I have some very good news, and some bad news. Bad news: My DCC system had lost it's ability to recall CVs. It still works, but only as a booster system. Good news: I got the digitrax Zeypher, and it's amazing. Bad News: I tested my two original locomotives to find that they are fried. Ive had them for 4 years, and they are not of the best quality, so I just thing that they're at the end of their line. This explains the confusion. I couldnt narrow the problem down to one aspect because there were two variables. Good news: I am the happiest I have ever been watching that spectrum shay marching down the line. Now all it needs is DCC. YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Ill try and get pictures today. Im Glad to be back with such wonderful people.

[Packers#1]

Definitely N scale, and yeah there's a lot of modern stuff. if you pick up a few Atlas rs-3s or Alco C420s or some other older roadswitchers you can get a nice modern-day shortline going. that's what I've done, but my roster is currently a GP9, GP35, and U23B. thinking about adding another U23B or geep, possibly an rs3 or C420.

[WCfan]

I think it's summer now......so time for a new place.

http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/175078/1921475.aspx#1921475

Welcome back Taylor! Also, welcome to any new members that have joined! I'm not keeping up with this thread as much as I should be.