A new layout!

[wiley209]

I had asked if your Mehano car had filled in step rails.

Yeah it does; sorry I didn't initially respond. Those freight cars were meant to be kind of lower-end, as they were also included in the later TYCO train sets when they began using Mehano-made equipment. (Early 90s TYCO sets could come with Mehano's EMD F9, Alco FA, C430 or even C628, while their Chattanooga set used a modified Mikado 2-8-2 with the front and back trailing wheels removed to make an 0-8-0.)

[jbrock27]

Yeah it does; ...Those freight cars were meant to be kind of lower-end

Yes, I know they were.  Do you like them looking like that?  Did you know you can change the look?

[wiley209]

Yes, I know they were.  Do you like them looking like that?  Did you know you can change the look?

I'm planning to weather many of them soon.

Anyways, here's some Christmas updates!
Here are some Christmas Day updates!


Last night, Santa Claus was sighted preparing to climb down this chimney, except there was no sleigh anywhere. So what's going on? Some say it really was Santa, but he didn't use his sleigh this year due to very little places getting snow this Christmas. And other say it's the father of the family living in that house, dressed up as Santa to go down the chimney and put the presents under the tree!


One of the things I got for Christmas this year were a few of these wind turbines for the train layout. I got three, but so far I might just stick one or two on the layout.



I also got some sidewalks that I have laid in the downtown area!


Another angle of the wind turbines. Unfortunately, they won't stay up on their own, even if I tried gluing them onto the platform. They fell over after I took this pic; I will find another way to keep them standing.


The stock pen with a couple of the new Walthers Scenemaster farm people figures I got.


The Christmas train passing through town, of course...

[jbrock27]

I'm not talking about the overall look of the car.  Weathering is only going to help so much.  I'm talkin 'bout the filled in step rails.

And I hope that bird is not still flyin 'round your basement, I heard those turbines kill birds...

[brokenrail]

Hello,
I seen you post and went through what your going through .Most important thing I learned was easy access to all points of the layout  should be considered wisely .I had a 20 by 8 layout that was complete ,but it took up so much space and was very difficult to access every point that it turned into a shelf type layout that is now shaped like a J .Basically a bent dog bone.Every point is accessible even the corners and the loops with access doors in each loop so everything  is in arms length.Along with this being sectional in a layout of size is important in the planning for things may have to move one day and without the sectional idea put into the design it will have to be cut up.My neighbor had the same type of bent dog bone design,but did not section it in the bench-work and spent 5 years spiking hand laid track with wood ties that he ended up having to cut up ,,,,rather then take apart  the sections so he could move it to his new residence.It was sad.He gave me a few pieces and a strong reminder of a sectional design. His track work and scenery was a work of art that had to be basically destroyed because of this major error in planning.
Johnny Adam

[Striker1945]

Love the progress here man! For the wind turbines falling over I was thinking you could drill a small hole in the base of the turbines maybe 2-3inches deep then drill a hole in the table where you want the turbines to stand. Place a small rod (metal or wood, I'd say wood) in the bottom of the turbine and then you can effectively stick them into the table like you would pegs to a board. If that doesn't work I'd consider using an adhesive around the pins youve placed in the turbines. There's my two cents, take it for what its worth. Anyways I love the progress on your layout man! Keep havin' fun!

-Striker

[wiley209]

First updates of 2016!


A Walthers Trainline Santa Fe boxcar I got for Christmas.


I also got this Life-Like container flatcar recently. Surprised I never had one of these yet!


Winter break is over, and the school is back in session...


I had put some more new figures on the farm.



I've been installing a bit more fencing for one of the houses and the library. It's a Bachmann picket fence kit. Bachmann has been making it since the '80s.



A couple action shots of one of the freight trains on my layout.


The current consist for this freight train, pulled by a Bachmann blue/yellow Santa Fe GP40.
I may soon be getting one of those E-Z App Bluetooth-controlled locomotives; probably the BNSF GP35.

[jbrock27]

You do anything yet with those filled in step rails?  Buy anymore freight cars like that?  Do you like rolling stock with molded in roof walks?

[wiley209]

You do anything yet with those filled in step rails?  Buy anymore freight cars like that?  Do you like rolling stock with molded in roof walks?

Yeah, sometimes I don't mind them. It might just be me, but when it comes to separate details like those, I usually seem to prefer them on locomotives rather than freight cars. Older rolling stock (from firms like AHM, Bachmann, IHC, Life-Like, TYCO, etc.) can still be run very well today, especially if the horn-hooks are replaced with knuckle couplers, and with a bit of weathering and any separate details that can be added if desired, they'd look amazing. Though at one time, those companies did offer un-prototypical colors (remember TYCO's crazy boxcars and hopper cars with logos like Baby Ruth, Kellogg's, Old Dutch Cleanser, Pepsi, Jell-O, etc?) I do have a few, but mostly for collecting purposes; for running on my layout, I prefer rolling stock of prototypical railroads and such. For a while, I had a train on my layout that, aside from the locomotive (usually a modern Bachmann or Walthers one) and caboose (again, Bachmann or Walthers), all the rolling stock was TYCO!

BTW, I just ordered one of those Bluetooth "E-Z App" locomotives; not surprisingly, I went for the BNSF GP35. If that all goes well, maybe I'll get the Santa Fe FT or RS-3 as well. I seem to also recall hearing somewhere Bachmann will be making plug-in E-Z App Bluetooth decoders for use in DCC-ready locomotives. If that's the case, I can then probably have myself a nice Bluetooth-equipped Amtrak locomotive! (either an F40PH or a "Genesis" P42.)

[jbrock27]

Older rolling stock (from firms like AHM, Bachmann, IHC, Life-Like, TYCO, etc.) can still be run very well today, especially if the horn-hooks are replaced with knuckle couplers...

Only if you go the extra mile and expense and replace the wheel sets, trucks, add weight and when replacing with knuckle couplers, you install coupler boxes and screws to hold the new trucks in place.  This also requires having a Kadee Coupler gauge to do it right.

(remember TYCO's crazy boxcars and hopper cars with logos like Baby Ruth, Kellogg's, Old Dutch Cleanser, Pepsi, Jell-O, etc?)

Except for maybe the Old Dutch Cleanser, no, I've tried to forget them.  And am thankful to say, I don't own any, including an Old Dutch Cleanser car.

How about a soldering station?  Obtain one of those yet?

Have any pics of anything you have weathered?

[jward]

wiley,
it is my understanding that the aftermarket Bluetooth decoders will be sold by blue rail trains, which is Bachmann's partner in ez app. on the blue rail website they have photos of the decoders they are developing.

in a previous post about ez app and blue rail trains, I alluded to the possibility of battery powered trains. the blue rail decoders will have provisions for the addition of an external power source (battery) in addition to the track power connections. I am not sure if the Bachmann locomotives will have this feature as well.

as for me I am awaiting the android version of ez app before I start my experiment into Bluetooth trains.

[wiley209]

Digital technology has made it's mark even more with my model railroad layout...


Yup, I got one of Bachmann's new E-Z App Bluetooth locomotives! Naturally, I went with the BNSF GP35.


Look at that detailing! I believe this is because the Bachmann originally introduced the GP35 as a "Bachmann Plus" diesel locomotive, hence the slightly better-detailed shell than, say, their GP40 or FT diesels.


Here I am controlling it with my iPod Touch 5G. It runs really well, even on areas where the track often needs to be cleaned (they say this is a big advantage with Bluetooth locomotives like these.)
Bachmann says an Android version of the E-Z App will come out soon; when it does, I can install it on my Samsung Galaxy smartphone!

Here's a video of it in action...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8R_A6rfwwA

[jbrock27]

wiley, do you have any pics of any of the cars you have weathered?

Do you always like to run your trains fast?

[wiley209]

Do you always like to run your trains fast?

Not too fast; I usually try to go for an even, medium speed. I often run passenger trains a bit faster than freight trains, as I usually see passenger trains travel faster than freight trains.

But here are some more updates, now that I've also been to the March 2016 Greenberg Train and Toy Show in Wilmington MA...


Updating the firmware in my Bluetooth-equipped Bachmann GP35. This also removed the problem with the noticeable hum caused by the decoder when operating, and also allows for better slow-movement operation.


The latest version of Bachmann's blinking oil storage tank, equipped with an LED light! I'm thinking of painting the tank to resemble the Rainbow Swash tank in Boston.


Walthers Trainline CSX hopper car. I thought I'd get this to support the freight railroad that runs through my hometown of Brockton MA.

[jbrock27]

Have any pics of anything you weathered?