Benchwork is fine, but OMG! You DON'T want to see my wiring, David! I mean, I didn't use telephone wire or anything, but me and neat wiring are not in the same book... Aw garsh! (blushes) Thanks, Rob! How's the dam module looking these days? I'll be up there in a couple weeks...going up to the IRM for Showcase Weekend...will stay with relations in Bourbonnais on the way back, usually take a drive past the dam while there.
It's looking...pretty much like it did last Christmas, unfortunately. (I've been having One of Those Years...) I'm hoping to get some work done on it for the October Great Scale Train Show. While you're in Bourbonnais, make sure your family takes you to Jimmy Joe's--it's a (relatively) new barbecue joint. I had a chance to try it when I was visiting my mom this spring. They use pulled pork as a topping for baked potatoes...
Something a bit different today – Join me as I “railfan” the Oakville Sub: Southbound - UP 5714, 3379, 5799 - Merchandise, 65 Cars Southbound - BNSF 235, 540, 573, 509, 5694 - Earthworm, 74 Cars Northbound - BNSF 5615, 8987, 6744, 9959 - Auto Racks, Mostly Articulated, 28 Cars Northbound - BNSF 6806, 6752, 4926, 8236 - Merchandise, 60 Cars Continued...
Continuing: Northbound - UP 4841, 3972, 3401 - Stack Train, 50 Wells Northbound - BNSF 6762, 606 - Steel Train, 33 Cars Northbound - BNSF 7768, 7632 - Merchandise 47 Cars Southbound - UP 8146, 8124 - Centerbeam Loads, 42 Cars Continued...
Continuing: Southbound - BNSF 9378, 9370, 5745, 5738 - Stack Train, 51 Wells Southbound - UP 8424, 5405, 8520 - Auto Parts, 40 Cars Southbound - BNSF 9385, 5624, 4929 - TOFC, 30 Trailers So that’s a total of 11 trains. The longest at 74 cars, the “earthworm”. The fewest cars on a train was the autoracks with 28, but most of them were articulated. The shortest was the TOFC with 30 platforms. These all live on The Oakville Sub, the typical load on the layout.
Jim- GREAT idea for the photo tour, such a great layout and trains, I always love your weekly photo postings, maybe next time you can follow this concept by following one of those trains (the TOFC please!!!!) all the way around the layout with a camera? That'd also be very cool. thanks for sharing, my best, Jan
Jim, As I look at these, I even see more of your tallents. Each and every Kato locomotive has the proper handrail painting and safety stripes on the steps. Never really noticed that before today. So you have one heck of a great layout and really nice locomotives to run on it. You set the bar pretty darn high! Now if you start showing weathered and detailed rolling stock, I think I am going to have to throw in the towel....... Very well done indeed!:thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
That's awesome Jim. Boy, if I had that setup, I'd never leave the room - I'd just train watch all day! Your concept is very close to what I was planning for my own Tehachapi-in-a-basement. Alas that plan had to be shelved due to an upcoming move and I'm not sure yet what kind of space I'll have in the new place (Vancouver BC - I'm very excited to be relocating there, except for the cost of basements....). Best, Gary
Thanks, Jan. I visited Daryl Kruse's excellent Geneva Sub yesterday and he said the same thing! Guess that'll have to happen when I get home... Still thinking about it, bigford! Thanks, Rick. I agree.
Oh, we'll come up with something suitable, I'm sure. Just out of curiosity, how did you settle on a California theme? Did you grow up there, like I did (dry grass & live oaks are in my blood), or did it just choose you? Best, Gary
I think it chose me, Gary. It has a very busy line, operated by my two favorite roads, through great scenery. Grew up around Chicago (Gary and Kankakee) so that's out!
What a treat to be able to run near proto-length trains! Thanks for the photos, but ya gotta have a brace of grungy tunnel motors grinding upgrade with 105 coal loads....
Looking through past N Scale Magazines and saw a Oakville Sub by Mr. Reising. N Scale issue Mar/Apr 2002. That is/was? an awesome layout! Great inspiration for us that keep dreaming of a first layout! Thanks for sharing. dave t
Thanks, Dave! It was a good training ground for the new layout, and taught me a lot. Sometimes I miss the compactness - now if I hear a problem, it's always two rooms away!
So what does a modeler do when he's on vacation? Goes to a railroad museum, of course! This is yesterday at the Illinois Railway Museum - a magnificently restored Burlington SD24 #504 - IRM is renowned for the quality of their restorations - pulling a 22 car freight with a restored Rock Island transfer caboose at the other end. Sitting on the west leg of the wye is another beauty, U30C 5833 looks like it just came out of the factory. This loco will pull that freight today using inoperable ATSF 92 as a cab car. Ah! to see a warbonnet in the lead! I WILL be there... Finally, I'm sure you noticed the overhead in the previous shots. Here are six gorgeous Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin Interurban cars running in two sets of three - wood cars and steel cars. This is Members' Weekend at the museum, when all kinds of good stuff happens, including night operations on Saturday - a real hoot! Rumor has it they're going to try for a twelve car stainless passenger train today, pulled by four Es...if you are in the Chicago area, you should be there!
Back from vacation and spent some time railfanning the Oakville yard. The Oakville switch job shuffles cars as an ES44DC slams past on the main.
Looks like you had a good time at Union! :thumbs_up: When I was a kid I used to live a few minutes from there..
