Deacon - Thanks! George - Am glad it has been interesting to you! Ditto on your layout and RV! I surely enjoy that layout as well! The newer steam loco's by Bman, MRC and BLI all work really well and are reliable as can be. It would sure be neat to see one running around your layout . . . . ??? Short - the bobber is a Bman old timer, modified and repainted. I put Z scale couplers on it, metal wheels, handrails, and new paint. Hemi - Thanks! Next up, a new camera some day this winter. Then maybe I can keep up with your great pictures!!
Multiple problems with steam on THERR... 1) The only one I have is the one in 'Railroad Park' and its a shelf queen... 2) If THE WIFE sees one running around pulling her Excursion train she would want one of her own !! .
If THE WIFE sees one running around pulling her Excursion train she would want one of her own !! And a nice BLI 4-6-2 would look awesome pulling her excursion train! Letter it up with her name on the tender side, and it is a win win!!!
Yea..I originally got the Bachmann 4-8-4 for her excursion train. Unfortunately it was throwing sparks like an arc welder from the front truck area ! So it ended up in 'Railroad Park' as a static display. And yes...she was disappointed. She was really mad when I smoked the decoder on her new E5 too. My batting average is not so good with her train...
Therefore my thoughts on the BLI. I had a bad time with the Pennsy T1, ending up with a new Loksound decoder and a new motor. But, sfter getting to see how well the new Paragon 4 Pacific works, and lasts, I took the chance to get one. Am really happy with it, too!! Now if we could find a way to get one your way ......
OHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Dohhhhhhhhhhh !!! LOL ! 'foreign road' excursions visiting is always welcome on THERR. Anyone wanting to see their stuff running on THERR ...with an actual face to face visit or a 'loaner'...just let me know !!
Wow BadlandsNP! Loved the video. It's been a while since I looked at your handiwork... awesome! That Bachmann EM-1 sounds great. Is it upgraded with a different DCC/Sound decoder; or, is it the stock "Econami" Bachmann uses from Sountraxx? Keep up the great work on the layout!!!
Thanks! That is a Loksound onboard. When I 'NP-ify' it I will finish the lighting effects also, and improve on the speaker. I may even get a new Lok 5 decoder.
Almost have the new switches in place, And there was a lump under the cork, so off it came! The left most track is the "cab track" or "caboose row." The track that isn't there yet will be the 'runaround' track so stuff can get from one end to the other in need. Industries to be added off the two new spurs, are a lumberyard/hardware warehouse. And a grain elevator or stockyard, probably the latter.
That lump is best sanded off; get a long sanding block, 10" or longer, and sand it flat, use spackle to fill low spots. That extra attention to detail will pay dividends in smooth running. You can see the lows and high in the cork in this 2009 photo of my layout, before track.
Absolutely! It scraped out, as it was a fold in the cork and a bit of debris that got glued under it, a tiny little flat bit. And since that was cleared up, the rest of the new switches and track got soldered together. Next up is the throw rods after getting everything firmly glued down. Then control switches, and fine tuning. Then adding the sidings, code 40 rail ME flex, which will need a bit of pondering. What to put there, probably a stockyard on the west one, and a lumberyard on the east one, with a hardware store next to it. Lots of interesting loads then, and right next to the yard! Here's the finished in track layout, And a run through of the finished track, with the LONG train pulling!
After a Happy Thanksgiving day spent with kids and grandkids, and the cleanup was done, train time!! A Thanksgiving Day steam parade was in order! A few minor issues arose, compounded due to operating three trains at one time! At least they were all eastbound! All easy fixes, a bit of solder on the guard rail at the single truss bridge. And the control switch will fix the point picking issue!