As a follow up I went to the MTA meeting (which was mostly about Express Bus Service cutbacks )and asked about that tunnel Seems like they didn't know what I was talking about.

Got to wonder where our tax dollars and fare is going.

The MTA is currently adding a tunnel from Long Island to Grand Central Terminal. As it stands now, the LI trains go into Penn Station. It will be interesting to see how the new tunnel affects routes.

That assumes that the MTA has money.  Iam going to meeting about MTA service cutbacks today at 6 PM Staten Island College.

Forgive my Ignorance What does DDT WDT NDT etc stand for?

The Railpower 1300 is one of the models made by Model Rectifier Corp of Edison, NJ  Personally I am still using 2 MRC dual cab tech 4's (Though I plan to convert to DCC soon).  Interestedly they are still made in the USA a plus.   I Have found MRC power packs to be far superior to the ordinary power usually supplied with train sets.

The LIRR and The Northeast Corridor do Share Penn Station in NYC but they operate from different platforms.  I do not recall if they share any track. However Metro North operates from Grand Central and therefore Not considered (I Think) part of the Northeast Corridor.  Its ben a while but I do not think Amtrak operates out of Grand Central Any More.

Ok is there software and hardware made for this purpose?

Kinda looks like Yankee Stadium to me.  Could you change the track to N/S?

Not Sure about Downers Grove but We stay in a Red Roof in Deerfield Ill thats pretty reasonably priced.  I the suburbs he'lll probably want a car to get around but you can leave it at the train station and take Metra downtown to see the sights within walking distance of Northwest/Union Station.  I have taken Amtrak there several times but the local trains only a couple of times to Palestine/Hoffman Estates in the Northwest suburbs.

Just for the record:

I do not believe Kids run trains into the ground intentionally.  Its just that they can be hard on trains especially detailed Model Railroad  trains, as they are not designed for children.

My 11 year old cousin is not a brat.  Its just that sometimes he leaps before he looks so to speak.  My layout is not open to the general public so the lexan/Plexiglas is just an extra precaution.

Thanks Everyone for the replies.  I will consider Lexan.  I agree with the prior posts that most of the damage I have seen is due to operator error or my finance (or myself) who can be a bit butter fingered in handing trains dropping them. But what I am most worried about is my 11 year old nephew who has expensive Lionel trains and runs them into ground (because his Dad can afford to replace them) running my trains off the track.  What I may do is buy a couple of cheap Life Like locos from the next train show and let him run it into the ground.  I saw a couple of suitable Geeps at the last show for about $ 10 each.  They probably have pancake motors So I don't care if they fly off.

I also bought some rubber kids play mats to put around the outside on the floor.  Maybe that will help.   

I am thinking of putting Plexiglas around the edges of my layout (like they do at train shows but only 6" or so high.  My layout would require 4 pieces 2 four foot pieces 1 two foot piece and 1 three foot piece.  Anyone have any idea how much it would cost and would the glass cutting place drill the mounting holes?

Joe323
I have a few built-up buildings and a few very sad looking trees.  But that's all.  Therefore clearance is not an issue.  I plan to put the camera on my flat car and hold it in place with 'studio lighting' tape.  This stuff is between duct tape and painter's tape in strength, leaning heavily towards duct tape but withut the sticky residue.  The table(s) I am using are pretty level so hopefully rollover won't be an issue either.

The layout is two ovals with 2 #6 crossovers (1 ea L&R), and 2 auto reverse loops.  MAYBE an end track or three.  Laying it now so this may not be the end result. 

That's the way I ride.  Have an overall plan in my head and make the particulars up as I go. 

Actually I guess if you go slow enough it could work.  A #6 crossover is pretty straight just go slow on sharp curves.  Also I meant it was a gondola i used not a hopper. (I did get a few seconds of good footage until it toppled). Good Luck

Joe

Les:

Of course it doesn't have to be today you could go back a few years to find an economic reason for your RR to exist.  You could also find out what companies are in the industrial complex near you and then Google then to find out what type of product they sell and then go from there.

If youare doing a southwest desert scheme it doesn't have to say Las Vegas on it does it?

For me combining realism with some representation of realism works best (Given that I like most of us, probably have a limited amount of space for a model RR). 

What about clearance issues You said you will film sans scenery but a true cab view would include scenery.  Also I tried filming my layout by putting the camera in one of my open top hoppers and it was too top heavy and tipped over on curves.

Also, like a real railroad, what is the purpose of the railroad?  Define some economic reason for its existence.

For example I did some research on my railroad here in Staten Island , NY to justify its existence.  I came up with 4 reasons all of which will be modeled in some form.
1) New York Container terminal (Intermodal Service)
2) Con Edison has a coal fired power plant which need a constant supply
3) Passenger service The Staten Island railway is like the NYC subway but open/elevated.
4) Garbage Removal from NYC is sometimes done by rail.