Weekend Update 10/5/25

[up1950s]

https://www.12news.com/article/life/heartwarming/mesa-couple-builds-model-train-town-front-yard/75-e7b78501-6640-43d0-a5aa-938e4d0c4163

https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&sca_esv=2e3a0442facbf014&hl=en&udm=7&fbs=AIIjpHwUoITKcoDBIEpPqu2hIKVM9oCkH2nfJ9woZ8TH61M18cLOaRwSYxZnmBBsDfSnoVWufi9V3I1MOXlZ1SRssfqUm2uyJrAC6uPee6WAXsNFbEPcuUuOzM67Mh2NXtzbvNoy4Gy2eRKKhqFk1FDlekbLxH1dfgRpDeVlqs7kI9pkysO5wKzT-pMxthFbbj8pk8bfrLBXLMsxEEBSqs7qTat41kro6k9b3ODJ8iKiluCxVSRmU2c&q=russian+model+railroad&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjCn5S-kfSPAxV5lYkEHWRZJRQQtKgLegQIDRAB&biw=1920&bih=911&dpr=1#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:1dfe60c0,vid:9Ot3q5HTelQ,st:0

https://www.google.com/search?q=african+model+railroad&newwindow=1&sca_esv=2e3a0442facbf014&hl=en&udm=7&biw=1920&bih=911&ei=bVTVaMGbFeu8ptQP4b3o4Ak&ved=0ahUKEwiBhoa8kvSPAxVrnokEHeEeGpwQ4dUDCBA&oq=african+model+railroad&gs_lp=EhZnd3Mtd2l6LW1vZGVsZXNzLXZpZGVvIhZhZnJpY2FuIG1vZGVsIHJhaWxyb2FkMggQIRigARjDBEigeVClDVjkXHACeACQAQCYAcoBoAGVDaoBBTUuOS4xuAEMyAEA-AEBmAIQoAKvDMICBBAAGB7CAggQABiABBiiBMICCBAAGKIEGIkFwgIFEAAY7wXCAgYQABgHGB7CAgYQABgIGB7CAggQABgFGAcYHsICCBAAGAcYCBgewgILEAAYgAQYkQIYigXCAgoQABiABBhDGIoFwgIFEAAYgATCAgsQABiABBiGAxiKBZgDAIgGAZIHBDQuMTKgB7VCsgcEMi4xMrgHngzCBwgwLjIuMTMuMcgHSA&sclient=gws-wiz-modeless-video#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:853a5ab7,vid:6qBe9q3fZW0,st:0

https://usmrr.blogspot.com/2021/12/hell-frozen-over.html

https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&sca_esv=9ae03e477ff97b33&udm=7&fbs=AIIjpHxU7SXXniUZfeShr2fp4giZ1Y6MJ25_tmWITc7uy4KIeuYzzFkfneXafNx6OMdA4MQRJc_t_TQjwHYrzlkIauOKj9nSuujpEIbB1x32lFLEvPT3JmO8mWQjm2X3w-eMKXZ0RUYhz1JSpwmiVqRbYKaSUH5IT0DtjseXr7pWbySQW2IansKYxVko0I4Xq9VSCktKDaAksofpR02O_Zlq1OtpJOB00g&q=australian+model+railroad&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiH-o2Jl_WPAxWBD1kFHbqVFLQQtKgLegQIERAB&biw=1920&bih=911&dpr=1#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ff7a6062,vid:d6uDYBHiVD8,st:0

https://www.google.com/search?q=arab+model+railroad&newwindow=1&sca_esv=9ae03e477ff97b33&udm=7&biw=1920&bih=911&ei=e9_VaKreEuTviLMPgs3x4Ao&ved=0ahUKEwjqh72Kl_WPAxXkN2IAHYJmHKwQ4dUDCBA&oq=arab+model+railroad&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-modeless-video#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:6aca6ddb,vid:AuxajKA8ADY,st:0

https://www.google.com/search?q=india+model+railroad&newwindow=1&sca_esv=9ae03e477ff97b33&udm=7&biw=1920&bih=911&ei=leXVaNGbKrLk5NoPxdXj-AQ&ved=0ahUKEwiRur3znPWPAxUyMlkFHcXqGE8Q4dUDCBA&oq=india+model+railroad&gs_lp=EhZnd3Mtd2l6LW1vZGVsZXNzLXZpZGVvIhRpbmRpYSBtb2RlbCByYWlscm9hZDIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIIEAAYBRgHGB4yCBAAGAUYBxgeMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMggQABiiBBiJBTIFEAAY7wVIkY4BUJYkWMN2cAF4AJABAJgBnQGgAYkIqgEDMi43uAEMyAEA-AEBmAIKoALlCMICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIEEAAYHsICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgIKEAAYgAQYQxiKBcICBRAAGIAEwgIIEAAYBxgIGB7CAgYQABgFGB6YAwCIBgGSBwMyLjigB4s_sgcDMS44uAfaCMIHBTItOC4yyAdI&sclient=gws-wiz-modeless-video#fpstate=ive&ip=1&vld=cid:ec46fa58,vid:Lx-jD2swfYs,st:0

[rickb773]

Death of the PRSL – Part II

Last week I promised an update/reasoning for me once again tearing up a 95% complete railroad and starting over.

My PRSL layout ran great when begun in the 2010 following a move to a senior community. I had a great operating crew and we had a lot of fun. When COVID hit the layout basically laid idle and did not age well. It is located in our loft and although the house is air conditioned the loft was hotter in the summer. Meanwhile my crew aged out and could no longer make the trip to operating sessions (several members had a 90-mile round trip to participate).

I found a local N Scale club (New Jersey Southern) and received a lot of DCC help to convert the layout. Several members were interested in starting operations on the PRSL. I was actually embarrassed at how poorly the layout now ran. I had problems with turnouts especially in partially inaccessible areas (naturally) and the DCC conversion did not go smoothly. We fought multiple issues and I was unhappy with performance.

I learned that some of my new issues on crossovers were because the Peco turnouts needed shims to keep the cars from picking the frogs. That meant I needed to work on almost 70 turnouts and that would be much easier if I disassembled the layout to gain access to many of the turnouts.

I figured it would be easier to convert my Atlas motor power to DCC by buying new Atlas engines and plugging in the DCC chips. I then moved my old Geep and RS-3 shells to the new units (and sold off the new shells on the older DC chassis to recoup some of the costs). Unfortunately, the newer Atlas unit’s pulling power was dismal compared to the old units. The PRSL usually ran double headed and the older units could easily handle the 20+ car trains I liked to run. Now with the few grades I had I would need to buy additional unit to run unprotypical triple headed trains or reduce the freights to 13-14 cars. Neither option appealed to me. So, the new layout will have to have fewer and gentler grades. Atlas was always my go to choice for good reasonably priced engines but these were a disappointment.

The PRSL layout had been a return to my youth, modeling the towns I grew up in. But the PRSL definitely had boring engines (DLGE Baldwins) and somewhat flat NJ scenery. After 15 years it was time to add some color, variety, and excitement.

I missed the Island Yard on my previous basement layout (N Scale Magazine Nov/Dec 2011) so I wanted to reincorporate it in my new fictional layout. Without my previous protypical layout’s restrictions I will rewrite history. I’ll move from very early 1950s to later 1950s with dying steam. All the eastern roads will consolidate operations sharing a wider variety of colorful first-generation diesels (with corporate plans to eventually merge into a Conrail type system (erasing the Penn Central disaster from history)). We will let GN, NP, and UP visit occasionally but PRR, NYC, Reading, and B&O will dominate the color palette.

So, the 30th Street Station and Manayunk bridge bookcase dioramas will remain. Camden. the Glassboro loop, and the wall staging tracks are already gone. Westville will move to Camden and half of Woodbury will move to the Window wall (have to keep the custom station). The Island (and Mystic) Yards will occupy the new peninsula.

The out and back operations will still be available but other than operating sessions, continuous running will dominate.

Now the remaining question is what to do with my excessive PRSL equipment ((6) PRSL GP38s and (7) cabins)

I hope I have one more layout in me (my next birthday will inaugurate my 8th decade). Stay tuned.

The original PRSL Track Plan


Basement "Schuylkill" Layout - circled portion to be added to new layout


The original inspiration for the Island Yard from Carl Appel's Norfolk and Ohio (Model Railroader Magazine mid-1950s)


My basement Island Yard

[chessie system fan]

I've been mulling ways to model cinders.  I saw someone use stippled modeling clay, so this week I made a small diorama to try it out with some scrap Atlas code 55. To my eye, the technique shows promise for certain situations like engine terminals.  I had fun weathering the scene too.

[eja]

Avert your eyes, Lee !

[BCR 570]

I have been travelling for the last two weeks so no layout or model work during this time, but I did engage in several railway-related activities.  I travelled to Sidney for the Victoria Train Show and mounted a static display with fellow PGE-BCR Modellers Mike and Nolan.  I displayed the museum train in its current state as well as some stock from the layout:






A highlight of the show was sitting down with Robert Turner and showing him the museum train on which he worked fifty years ago.


After a few days in Victoria I went up island to visit my friend Nolan who is building a layout depicting the British Columbia Railway from Exeter to Williams Lake.  We ran a work train of mine around the track laid so far, and it is seen here passing through Exeter:




Nolan lives in Shawnigan Lake which is a short distance from the Koksilah trestle on the former CN line, so we went to see that.  I believe I read that it is one of the largest timber trestles still standing in Canada:




I then participated in a car club run to the Okanagan, and continued on to Three Valley Gap to measure and photograph the former BC Rail business car A7 CARIBOU (originally Missouri Pacific 7).  I am hoping to model this car and needed to get some data and photographs on it so I can decide on the best approach for a model:




I continued on to Revelstoke to overnight there, and saw a work train in the yard with what appeared to be an unrebuilt SD40-2:




I visited the Revelstoke Railway Museum, which houses a CPR Mikado steam locomotive (5468):




There are a number of fine model displays, including this portion of my late friend Brian Pate's layout on which I used to operate:




On the way home I stopped at Craigellachie to see where the last spike was driven on the CPR in November of 1885:




My final stop was at Othello to see the Quintette tunnels on the former Kettle Valley line.  This is a spectacular location with some incredible railway engineering:




Now that I am back home it is back to work on my museum tank cars to get them to the finish line.


Tim

[Sumner]

With the backdrops over 90% done (might do small changes later) I put up a short video tour of the layout as it is at this point.

You can find the complete layout build to this point ( HERE ).  Have a good weekend.

Sumner

[Tad_T]

Worked on developing a more accurate mock-up of the New Mill on the Mill Loop.










I plan to update my other mock-ups with more accurate footprints soon.

[Dave V]

I had surgery on my leg yesterday so no modeling for me. IT band lengthening at the hip and knee, and then a repair of a torn gluteal tendon and bursectomy. And then I get to do the other side later.

So here are two before (top) and after (bottom) shots of work I've done over the last two weeks.

First, I bought a Blackstone D&RGW high-side gondola at Mother Lode Model Railroading. It was missing a brakewheel and someone had applied a heavy coat of black chalk dust. I replaced the brakewheel and "unweathered" it to something more realistic. There was also a lot of glue reside on the interior as I surmise a load had been glued in place. What I couldn't remove, I covered up with residual coal.



Second, I received a kit from Trainz.com for the Placerville Texaco depot from Grandt Line that I'd ordered in 2017. That's right...it showed up 8 years later. Well, I'd already built one of those kits mostly as-is with extra details and tanks from Walthers. Well, Mike McCarville at McCarville Studios had built a much closer version to the prototype. But he wasn't offering it as a kit. That said, Mike's a friend of mine, so he offered to sell me at cost a bunch of kit parts to upgrade my plastic kit, including tar paper for the roof, a whole new tank, and decals. I also made the paint more correct based on new information. Nothing's "dirted in" yet because the roof needs more weathering.

[Dayliner]

With the basic car bodies complete for my log train, I am taking a break from that project to begin work on another important addition to the car roster: a fleet of 40-foot double-door E&N boxcars.  In 1977, CP started re-lettering double door cars in its 292xxx series with E&N reporting marks in order to facilitate more efficient shipment of Vancouver Island lumber, primarily to US markets. Empty E&N cars were to be returned directly to the Island.  They were a familiar part of the railway scene on Vancouver Island from the late 70s through the mid 80s, and these cars could be seen across North America.

The starting point for this project is the Micro-Trains car, in both double-door and sliding/plug door versions. Yesterday's NMRA divisional modelling night was a good opportunity to begin this project, and as my friend Tim had nothing on his "project docket", he graciously offered to help set up an assembly line to expedite work.

The first task was to strip the cars down to the shells, and then Tim started drilling out the running board mounting holes so that they would accept .080 styrene rod.



As Tim finished drilling out each car, I cut and glued sections of styrene rod to fill the holes, until I had a very odd-looking group of cars.



Meanwhile, Tim was attacking the underframes, removing the trucks and stirrup steps, and then chopping the couplers off the trucks for use on later projects. This project will use 1027 couplers.





Then I tapped the mounting holes for the couplers so they would accept the 00-90 mounting screws.



As with any project like this, things always look worse before they look better, and this was the state of play when we wrapped up for the evening--not a bad night's work!

[Albert in N]

  Just running trains and decided to take my old ConCor Rivarossi berkshire out of the cabinet; still runs very smoothly!

[chessie system fan]

Is this better? 

[Jim Starbuck]

I finished this Baldwin DT6-6-2000.
It’s the recently released printed shell from ScaleTraxx on an Atlas C-628/630 chassis. It has a LokSound Atlas Legacy decoder and an ESU 9x16 speaker.

[nkalanaga]

Just to prove that I DO build a few things, here are my latest project, two loading ramps.



A Piggyback (TOFC) ramp for Jefferson, so I finally have somewhere to send my flatcars, also usable for anything else with wheels on a flatcar.  Clover house weathered "Old Time" ties, stained HO 2x6 boards, real Pasco, WA sand for filling.



And an unloading ramp for the construction company in Jefferson.  This also Clover House ties, as I have a lot of the things, but this time an open crib style.  It's filled with reddish rock, to match the rocks in the area, with Pasco sand as gravel on top.



Finally, the flatcar in the last picture.  Built in 1996, more-or-less following Model Railroader plans from years before for a Soo Line car, it's brass and plastic.  I'd tried basswood, which worked fine, until Kentucky humidity warped it.  Then I tried styrene, which also warped after a few years.  This one has a soldered brass frame, center and inner side sills, with brass bar stock between them for weight, with plastic side and end sills, deck, and details, along with some wire.  Lettered for my lumber company, whose logging line is also a common carrier.  No online customers, but if any decide to locate there, the company is ready.

The truck is an Athearn stake bed cab and frame, with a shortened Kato bed and crane, and a toolbox from a passenger car core kit.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

FEBT Reunion weekend.

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[Lenny53]

I continued on to Revelstoke to overnight there, and saw a work train in the yard with what appeared to be an unrebuilt SD40-2:

Tim