A new layout!

[jbrock27]

Brick, not sure exactly what you are stating here, but in the category of "cheaper locomotives" (diesels as pictured), I hope you are not trying to compare some diesel loco made by TYCO, which is indeed the definition of cheap, to a lessor expensive or "cheaper" if you will, in cost loco such as an old Athearn, old Atlas old P2K or current Walthers Trainline or P1K locos.  Buying cheaper does not necessarily mean buying cheap, if you get my drift.  I personally would never bother putting DCC in a TYCO diesel.  The others?  Yes.

[wiley209]

Yes, I would not put DCC in a TYCO diesel. Not only would it be kind of tedious, but I don't plan to run TYCO or early Bachmann diesels on my layout. I do have a few as collectibles, but that's pretty much why I buy them.

My locomotives for layout use are generally modern Bachmann (as well as any Bachmann Plus/Silver Series engines from the '90s), Walthers TrainLine, Life-Like Proto 1000 (some are now sold as Walthers MainLine or Proto locomotives), newer Mantua (now sold by MRC), and probably Athearn as well in the near future. A good Bachmann example:


This Bachmann Consolidation steam locomotive. It has nice detailing, and can often be found on eBay. But it has a cheap pancake motor, two of the wheelsets have traction tires, the tender has plastic wheels, etc. In 1992, they upgraded it to a "Bachmann Plus" locomotive, replacing the crappy pancake motor with a much better 5-pole motor with a worm-gear flywheel, and it also had all-wheel drive, and the tender had a body-mounted coupler and metal wheels added. I obviously went with the latter, as I wanted the higher-quality version for my layout. (But I removed the smoke unit among learning that it would be bad for the rails.)

One thing I like about Bachmann is how many locomotives they had in the 1970s and 1980s are still available today as much improved models.

[Joe323]

Bachmann locos are fine but I would tend to lean toward the sound value line at the very least as I think 5th soundtraxx decoders are much better than standard line.

Anyway I like the way your layout is processing Wiles however I am wondering 2 things

First do plan on ballast in your track and second have you thought about putting a back drop?

[wiley209]

Anyway I like the way your layout is processing Wiles however I am wondering 2 things

First do plan on ballast in your track and second have you thought about putting a back drop?

I DID ballast the track in some areas. But maybe I'll do other areas too.
I'm also thinking about a backdrop as well...

[clan line 35028]

just our of curiosity. have you thought about adding street lights in the city yet?

[Joe323]

I thought you had Ballasted some areas. Anyway you enjoy your layout and keep us posted.

[wiley209]

Some more updates!


Just working on re-arranging the structures and fences along that area. Might also get a "real" farmhouse building kit for the farm (maybe the Pola/AHM/Tyco/IHC/Walthers one...)


Bachmann Gandy Dancer handcar! It does have a little trouble running on certain areas, but generally I treat it like an analog/non-DCC locomotive.


I now have a second locomotive for my main BNSF freight train! It's a DCC-equipped Bachmann Santa Fe GP38-2. I've set it to the same address as the BNSF GP40 to allow for double-header operation.


I upgraded a few of my TYCO rolling stock pieces with Intermountain metal wheels. It makes quite a difference in traction! I hope to upgrade more soon.


Since I love the look of trees in September and October, I thought I'd get some more autumn-colored trees, from Woodland Scenics and Life-Like. On my layout, these stay year round!


"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
I had gotten these new Walthers Scenemaster figures of elementary school students today, and since two of them were in a fighting position, I couldn't resist! Man, do I not miss seeing that during my days of public school...


I also now have a light in my Plasticville Suburban Station!


Just a couple pieces of Walthers TrainLine rolling stock I recently acquired. The BN tank care I got today (same Walthers order that included the school kids figures.) They're pretty similar to Bachmann's current line of rolling stock (which dates back to at least 1996, when the "Silver Series" came out.)


Overview of the yard section of my layout.

[jbrock27]

I like Walthers Trainline rolling stock.  But, I do not like the plastic pins they use to hold the trucks in place.  But, there is a very easy fix for ditching the pins and replacing them.

[stationmaster12]

I'm really enjoying the pics of you layout! I love that you run what you have and you make it all work. I say this because I get caught up on the  "discipline" of making sure it's realistic and prototypical. Your layout inspires me to "loosen up" and just enjoy my trains! Thank you so much for sharing your railroad with us.

[wiley209]

Some updates, including a new locomotive!


Mehano/IHC 2-8-2 Mikado in Santa Fe livery. This is the later version that had an improved flywheel motor, and the tender even had a knuckle coupler as default! (No having to do a coupler upgrade among getting it; yippee!) I wound up removing the front wheels though, as they were derailing on the turnouts, making it somewhat like some Mikados that were re-purposed for switcher use in real life. Very nice runner though! This was sold in IHC's "Premier" series. It's not DCC-ready, and though an upgrade is possible, I don't plan to put a decoder in it for the time being.


My Life-Like Proto 1000 F3A. As I said, these are also very nice runners, and this one is also DCC-equipped. Think of these as being Life-Like's answer to the Bachmann Plus and Silver Series lines. I think Walthers is bringing these back in the Walthers Proto line really soon (if they haven't already.)


Check out these two streamlined cupola cabooses. On the right is the classic TYCO version (upgraded with metal wheels and knuckle couplers by yours truly.) On the left is the later version made by Mehano and often sold by IHC (and included in later TYCO train sets.) This one also has metal wheels, but they were upgraded by the seller (bought it off eBay from ggnlars, the seller that often sells older rolling stock upgraded with metal wheels and knuckle couplers.)


I also now have the TYCO lighted signal crossing set up on my layout, replacing the TYCO signal man. Sure, the lights do alternate rather fast, but it's MUCH better than Bachmann's old "dual crossing gates with flashing lights and bell" from the '80s and '90s! (No motor noise, as the bell is clockwork-operated, triggered by a pressure sensor like the kind on Bachmann and TYCO's crossing gates.)


These two trains look straight out of the 1940s or 1950s!

[Irbricksceo]

Looks great. I think that your layout really captures one of the essences of the hobby, having fun. There are those that would complain about the lack of super detailing, I am not one. I love how your layout looks and I love the excitement you seem to have about it! Glad you are having fun.

[Doneldon]

Wiley-

You always have something new. Will you ever run out of space?

Your streamlined cabooses aren't actually streamlined. That's just the industrial look the Pennsylvania Railroad adopted. I think there were a few eastern railroads which had some financial overlap with the Pennsy also used them. I'm pretty sure they weren't ever used by the Santa Fe but they do look kind of cool with the bright red color.
                                                                             -- D

[jward]

those tyco cabin cars are loosely based n the pennsy n8 class. the n8 was a center cupola design, and lacked the small side windows, but the other main features of an n8 are all there, the rolled roof, the streamlined cupola, the rectangular side windows, and the extended side walls on the end platform. in fact, by cutting the tyco cabin apart and reassembling it with a centered cupola and the rectangular side windows spaced towards the ends you could come up with a passable model of an n8. this is how pennsy fans who couldn't afford brass made them before bowser came out with their n8.

doneldon, the cabins you are thinking of that were on other lines were based off the earlier n5, which had the rolled roof but a squared cupola. new haven and boston & maine both had them.



pennsy n8 cabin, courtesy of bill's pennsy photos

[wiley209]

Wiley-

You always have something new. Will you ever run out of space?

Your streamlined cabooses aren't actually streamlined. That's just the industrial look the Pennsylvania Railroad adopted.

Yeah, I don't have much space for new buildings now.
As for the cabooses, the 1970s TYCO catalogs call them "streamlined." 

Well, I went to a model train show and picked up some good stuff today, including my first Proto 2000 locomotive!


Those who say Life-Like is cheap apparently was not including the Proto locomotives. Look at all that detail! It's even DCC-ready! (I just need to find the right decoder to plug into it... would a Bachmann decoder work?)
I also got an older Athearn SW-9 diesel, also in Santa Fe colors (naturally.)



TYCO Tru-Steel lighted bumper track section from the late '70s or early '80s. I think Bachmann should make a lighted version of their Hayes bumpers; they're especially handy when you have an isolated siding so you can know whether it's powered on or not. (I know Atlas also used to make lighted bumpers, and Life-Like currently makes steel and nickel-silver versions for conventional track. I'm not sure if MRC will bring back Model Power's lighted bumpers though.)

[wiley209]

A few more updates!


What's a layout with classic operating accessories without a log dump car? This is TYCO's version, made from 1968 to 1982, which operates electrically via remote control (like Lionel's version.) Mine is dated from at least 1978.


A few of my current train consists.


I removed that small siding that wasn't getting any use; plus it made for a cumbersome arrangement at the railroad crossing there. I'm going to get a couple of crossing signal controllers from Logic Rail Tech, and power a couple of my crossings this way (the one pictured, and another one using Model Power crossing signals.)


I got a new Life-Like Town Church building kit too! The old church was looking pretty crummy, like an old run-down building (it was one of the first building kits I attempted to assemble myself as a kid), so I figured it was due for a replacement. It's just the right kind of church for my community.


TYCO traffic light I just installed on my layout. I don't know if I'll wire it up yet, but it does look pretty cool. It even has a metal mast! I believe it has a small blinking incandescent bulb in it; it wouldn't actually sequence like a real traffic light.


Overview of the layout with that small siding removed.