Here is an old video of my layout. Be warned, quality is not great and it is long but it gives an idea of my track plan. So watch none of it , a bit of it, or all of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXrYeMHw5j0
I Double Dog Dare all of you, to post a video of your layouts so as we can get a better understanding of them. Still photo's are great but video's give us the whole picture. So post away! On board cameras permitted.
Let's see those layouts.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Great.
Russell
Nice video Brent.
OK here's a new video I just shot this weekend. Commemorating the very first train through the wall, into my expansion room layout.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Woblq5tN8c
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Nice videos, guys. I wish I had that much room to work with.
-Ed
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." -Aristotle
Nice long run, Brent, and nice steady camera work, too.
Wayne
Brent,
That is very cool. How big is that layout?
It appears to be huge.
Can you post a track plan?
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain Brent, That is very cool. How big is that layout? It appears to be huge. Can you post a track plan?
Track schematic seemingly looks like a dogbone, folder once in the middle, with the right end lobe coiled once.
One passing siding on the lobe next to the fireplace, one passing siding on the inner coil on the other lobe, one connection from the inner to the outer coil. Couple of industry tracks inside inner coil at one end, one on the outside of the loop at the other end. Like this:
If this is H0 (and I think it is), I'd guesstimate track radius around 30" or so - maybe a little bigger, making the tables about 5 1/2 feet wide at their widest point. - so figure a room maybe 12 x 14 feet or a little bigger? .
No apparent staging, and built more for watching trains run than for operations, but it sure looks great to watch the trains run. I loved the effect of letting the two trains run at different speeds in the same direction so they met at different spots during the loop.
Grin, Stein
Stein,
Thanks for taking the time to draw this diagram. It is very helpful while watching the video. Let's see if Batman agrees with your drawing.
richhotrain Stein, Thnaks for taking the time to draw this diagram. It is very helpful while watching the video. Let's see if Batman agrees with your drawing. Rich
Thnaks for taking the time to draw this diagram. It is very helpful while watching the video. Let's see if Batman agrees with your drawing.
Well, he would probably point out the three tracks in red below missing, and probably add some more details inside the double curl blob at upper right.
Even so, Stein, looks to me like you nailed it.
Double Dare accepted!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8UNhMXDSao
I throw the challenge back and dare you to watch all (11) of them!!
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
Here is the Route of the Broadway LION.
It is an older picture, so the trains end at NYP and reverse at what was the 137th Street Yard.
The line to South Ferry is not shown in this picture at all, and since it was taken, the lower level staging yards and NYP itself were torn out, the Helix became a four track helix, and the lower level a four track mane lion.
http://youtu.be/fRBqDNfjS6w
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
This is showing a "rough draft" of the scenery, plus some recently painted / lettered passenger cars on my free lance St.Paul Route's "Lake Superior Limited":
http://www.youtube.com/user/wjstix#p/u/3/AKd1sHnqmwc
...and a quick shot of a steam double header crossing the Patterson River:
http://www.youtube.com/user/wjstix#p/u/5/HfmkQnVLGLs
Stix,
Nicely filmed, beautiful layout, love the passenger train.
here's mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCNI_q3WAaA
jeff m
Man we had one whopper of a storm come through here last night. Lost the internet for 24 Hrs.
Thanks for all the kind words from those that viewed my rough and ready video.
Micheal, I had a friend who was also a member of the hole in the wall gang. His wife didn't notice for 5 years. I'm not sure how she thought the trains got from one room to the next. When she finally did notice the hangin tree was in her sights.
Rich, the room is 15' x 24'. Stein sure has a good eye. The bench by the fireplace is 66" wide and the other one is about 6'. Like Stein said it is more or less a folded dogbone and is a design that lets me sit back in front of the fire with a glass of white and just watch after a hard day.
My plan was drawn up on a big pad of graph paper. It included everything I thought I would want on the layout. For that reason the plan looks crowded. What I end up with will be much less. I want the centre of the big bench to be a Rocky Mountain pusher station with a small Roundhouse to service all those Selkirks and also a turntable. A small five or six track ladder to store all that MOW equipment necessary to keep those mountain passes open. I am trying to capture the feel of the monumental feat of pushing a rail line through those mountains and the job it takes to keep it open. I think I will put some staging under the big bench at some point. It is 18' x 6' so I think there's room.
Lion, how long have you been working on that? WOW!
Great video's everyone. I would really like to see the Helicopter view of Doc Wayne, Tom Whites and Grampy's to name a few.
I have never had to use the TRIPLE dog dare. Anyone else have a request???
BATMAN Rich, the room is 15' x 24'. Stein sure has a good eye. The bench by the fireplace is 66" wide and the other one is about 6'. Like Stein said it is more or less a folded dogbone and is a design that lets me sit back in front of the fire with a glass of white and just watch after a hard day. My plan was drawn up on a big pad of graph paper. It included everything I thought I would want on the layout. For that reason the plan looks crowded. What I end up with will be much less.
My plan was drawn up on a big pad of graph paper. It included everything I thought I would want on the layout. For that reason the plan looks crowded. What I end up with will be much less.
Ahh, yes, sitting back with a drink in hand, just relaxing and watching those trains. Oh boy, can I relate to that. The one thing missing in my case is the fireplace. My fireplace is upstairs, but my layout is down in the basement, so no fire to watch, just trains.
Incidentally, Brent, I don't think that the plan looks crowded at all. You did a nice job of creating a very efficient track plan.
richhotrain Incidentally, Brent, I don't think that the plan looks crowded at all. You did a nice job of creating a very efficient track plan. Rich
Thanks Rich. I am really happy with the way it has turned out so far.
@ BATMAN: Are those the Spectrum baby Trainmasters? If they are, did it take a lot of work to get them to run well?
richhotrain Stix, Nicely filmed, beautiful layout, love the passenger train. Rich
Thanks. Unfortunately I have a really good video camera...but it's so old, it won't work with anything beyond Windoze 98 so I can't load anything from it onto my PC with Vista. Those vids were shot with a fairly cheap Bell and Howell camera that I got as a 20th anniversary of my being hired from my employer. One thing I've found makes a big difference is using a tripod.
wjstix richhotrain: Stix, Nicely filmed, beautiful layout, love the passenger train. Rich Thanks. Unfortunately I have a really good video camera...but it's so old, it won't work with anything beyond Windoze 98 so I can't load anything from it onto my PC with Vista. Those vids were shot with a fairly cheap Bell and Howell camera that I got as a 20th anniversary of my being hired from my employer. One thing I've found makes a big difference is using a tripod.
richhotrain: Stix, Nicely filmed, beautiful layout, love the passenger train. Rich
I agree. You have to use a tripod to film a layout. No matter how steady your hand, it is impossible to get results as good as when using a tripod. However, that is a problem if you are trying to follow a train around a larger layout. Then, you pretty much need to hold the video camera in your hand.
wjstix richhotrain: One thing I've found makes a big difference is using a tripod.
richhotrain: One thing I've found makes a big difference is using a tripod.
YES! on of the things that I was advised about when I sought advice before buying a video cam for the Abbey was that a proper tripod (Called a dolly in the video world) was essential. I spent as much on that as on the camera and have never regretted it. As a matter of fact I was told not to worry so much about the camera, the are all pretty much the same until you get up into the professional broadcast range.
It looks a little unusual to have a proper video dolly with a camera no bigger than a Coke can, but that is what works for us.
Here's one of mine. DJ.
watch?feature=playerprofilepage&v=ljuGFaUW32Q
Geez, DJ, I don't know what I like more, the layout, the film editing, or simply the train mounted camera.
I see a layout like that, and i want to rip mine down and start all over.
Very, very nice.
Tell me, how far apart are the two tracks on the double main line.
Incidentally, my favorite part of that video is the appearance of the approaching freight train in the distance.
Lastly, I love your backdrops. Very cool as the train is approaching the area of large buildings.
WOW!
That is just outstanding in every respect. I echo what Rich said. I feel like DJ has created a Mona Lisa and I am struggling with my paint by numbers kit.
Any chance of a track plan to go along with the video? Thanks so much for that contribution.
Grampys Trains Here's one of mine. DJ.
Very Nicely Done! US&S interlocking plants in the towers, as is correct for PRR. (The GRS machines have more compact equipment at the switch points) ☺
Your locomotive needs a headlight so that we can see what is in your tunnels. ☺
p_man @ BATMAN: Are those the Spectrum baby Trainmasters? If they are, did it take a lot of work to get them to run well?
P man
They are Atlas Gold Series. They are without a doubt the best performing Loco's I have ever own in any scale.
DJ, your layout and video are both top quality. And I've got to say that your scenery immediately adjacent to the tracks was so realistic it was like looking at a prototype video. Congrats on an excellent job.
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
BATMAN Great video's everyone. I would really like to see the Helicopter view of Doc Wayne, Tom Whites and Grampy's to name a few. I have never had to use the TRIPLE dog dare. Anyone else have a request??? Brent
Brent:
If I can ever (1) get a decent video camera and (2) figure out how to download the videos onto first my computer and then Photobucket after I do #1, then I would be more than happy to take you guys on a tour of the Yuba River Sub.
I really like your video and I really like the way your layout is designed. Lots of great running room, and as you said, you can just sit back and watch the trains go by. I like that!
And to the rest of you: Great videos!
Grampys: What kind of on-board camera did you use for that video? I've got a little one I got from MicroMark last year, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how to do much more with it than just record it and watch it on TV. Is there some kind of magic formula to downloading it onto a computer and then to Photobucket? I'm at sea on this one. GREAT video!
Okay, I've got to get down to Best Buy and look for a camera. But not tomorrow--shopping on Black Friday around here is like taking your life in your hands.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
richhotrain wjstix: richhotrain: Stix, Nicely filmed, beautiful layout, love the passenger train. Rich Thanks. Unfortunately I have a really good video camera...but it's so old, it won't work with anything beyond Windoze 98 so I can't load anything from it onto my PC with Vista. Those vids were shot with a fairly cheap Bell and Howell camera that I got as a 20th anniversary of my being hired from my employer. One thing I've found makes a big difference is using a tripod. Stix, I agree. You have to use a tripod to film a layout. No matter how steady your hand, it is impossible to get results as good as when using a tripod. However, that is a problem if you are trying to follow a train around a larger layout. Then, you pretty much need to hold the video camera in your hand. Rich
wjstix: richhotrain: Stix, Nicely filmed, beautiful layout, love the passenger train. Rich Thanks. Unfortunately I have a really good video camera...but it's so old, it won't work with anything beyond Windoze 98 so I can't load anything from it onto my PC with Vista. Those vids were shot with a fairly cheap Bell and Howell camera that I got as a 20th anniversary of my being hired from my employer. One thing I've found makes a big difference is using a tripod.
Well, if that's what you want to do of course...although with a tripod you can adjust it so the camera is level and you can pan left or right. You can also shoot one section at a time and edit it together into one "movie". The little movie I did of my passenger train was shot at two spots only a few feet apart - my layout right now is an "L" shaped switching layout, and the train after crossing the river turns 90 degrees and goes into a yard where the second shot was taken.
p.s. although this wasn't your goal here, when I want the shot to look real I try to shoot as close to eye level as possible.