Weekend Update 8/30/15

[SD452XR]

Nice job.  Needs more windows though. 

Ha Yeah they do. But since I model mid to late 70's, they started to plate over those extra windows. BN started that in the mid 70's. The windows should be outlined in silver too. My hand isn't that steady to do that. I feel they are good enough for me.
Steve

[nkalanaga]

If you're modeling the mid to late 70s they should have the BN numbers and initials.  By the late 70s everything had been repainted, but I don't know the exact date, and there's no reason your BN couldn't have taken longer.  But they almost certainly would have been renumbered.

That's part of the reason I started modeling the BN way back then.  There wasn't much variety in N scale, and that gave me 5 railroads to use locos from.  There was bound to be SOMETHING usable!

[ChrisKLAS]

Had a bit of an unofficial "operating session" today, the first time the layout has really been truly put through its paces. We had 8-10 trains moving over the layout from about 11:30am until after 5pm, including a couple of locals and manned helper sets, and while a few gremlins reared their ugly heads, I think that overall it was a success and fun was had by all. Here are a few shots from today!



Karl highballs West Marcel with a very lightly loaded LAPCX.



Dispatcher John has things moving with fluidity on the hill today.



A quintet of GP60s are under Shaun's watchful eye as they travel through tunnels 14-17.



One at Edison and one at Woodford.



Manned helpers cross Tehachapi Creek at the 4th and 5th crossings.



Engineer Mike eases an SP detour rack train off ATSF rails and onto the SP at Mojave.



A group shot with a couple trains moving between Tehachapi and Cable and an SP freight approaching Bena on the lower level.

[peteski]

A group shot with a couple trains moving between Tehachapi and Cable and an SP freight approaching Bena on the lower level.

Sounds like you guys had lots of fun!  Nicely finished layout room.

There are 2 things that strike me about this photo.

1. It it a prefect depiction of the phrase "plywood prairie" (even the fascia is bare plywood).   

2. It proves that the sentiment that the model RR hobby is dying along with the old-timers and that the younger generation is not interested in model trains is false!

Please don't take the first comment as a negative comment - it is tongue-in-cheek. All layouts have to start off as bare plywood or styrofoam.

[screeh]

Got the first layer of foam down on my new layout blocks/modules...





...time to decide whether I add a second layer (i.e. how far below grade do I want the scenery to go) or get started on above-grade contours.

[GaryHinshaw]

Had a bit of an unofficial "operating session" today, the first time the layout has really been truly put through its paces.

Congrats Chris!  Looks like a blast.  What kind of crew size do you anticipate in the long run?

[basementcalling]

A group shot with a couple trains moving between Tehachapi and Cable and an SP freight approaching Bena on the lower level.

Frucky lucks 

[towl1996]

Here's a couple of unusual PRR cabins,

This was posted before,


and this one is almost complete, still ridin' high,

[SD452XR]

If you're modeling the mid to late 70s they should have the BN numbers and initials.  By the late 70s everything had been repainted, but I don't know the exact date, and there's no reason your BN couldn't have taken longer.  But they almost certainly would have been renumbered.

That's part of the reason I started modeling the BN way back then.  There wasn't much variety in N scale, and that gave me 5 railroads to use locos from.  There was bound to be SOMETHING usable!

On my RR, the BN merger never happened.
Steve

[John]

Frucky lucks 

need some names

[ryan_wilkerson]

need some names

What part of the country is this layout? I know Karl is in NV so I'm guessing it's nearby...

[ChrisKLAS]

What part of the country is this layout? I know Karl is in NV so I'm guessing it's nearby...

Yep! Henderson, NV (a suburb of Vegas).

[nkalanaga]

Steve:  That's one way to solve the problem!  And, since it was stopped twice before, not an unlikely alternate reality at all.

For their next purchases, did your NP go for SD40-2s, or SD45-2s?  They seemed to buy the highest horsepower units available, but most roads decided the extra HP wasn't worth the higher maintenance costs. 

[Ike the BN Freak]

A group shot with a couple trains moving between Tehachapi and Cable and an SP freight approaching Bena on the lower level.

Wish I could have stayed longer, but the little guy was getting tired, made it to the 215 before he passed out.

[SD452XR]

Steve:  That's one way to solve the problem!  And, since it was stopped twice before, not an unlikely alternate reality at all.

For their next purchases, did your NP go for SD40-2s, or SD45-2s?  They seemed to buy the highest horsepower units available, but most roads decided the extra HP wasn't worth the higher maintenance costs.

I believe they would have went with the SD40-2 over the 45-2 mainly because of fuel costs. The oil embargo of 74 really changed things. I do have some SD40-2's and C30-7's waiting for NP paint eventually.
Steve