Freelance 2013

[FCIN]

Reinhard;

Nice video and a nice layout too! Since you like the GenSet's so much, have you seen and heard the new Soundtraxx GenSet decoders? They sure sound like the couple of GenSet's I've seen in operation around here at R J Corman's Lexington operation.

[Painkiller]

That was a great overall view on the video. Thanks for sharing!

[faraway]

Thank you for the friendly feedback. That encourages me to do another better video with daylight and some editing next time.

Jack, the "trick" with the room was twofold. I had two inhibitors to use all walls for the layout. A "normal" 6.5' high cabinet and the door opened into the room. The cabinet got replaced by standard Ikea kitchen furniture either standing on the floor under the layout or hanging at the wall over the layout and the door got reworked by a local professional to open out of the room. Those two modifications enabled the room for the layout all around the walls.

Ed, I am a great fan of Genset but I am an even greater fan of silence. I had some sound decoders several years ago but they have all been removed in the meantime. Only some steam engines have them still installed (very silent standing in a display at the wall).

[Ralph]

Your layout looks great on video! Realistic from every angle!

[Kev1340]

I can only agree! Looks great Reinhard

Cheers,

Kev

[faraway]

Easter Monday is a perfect morning to do some switching and to exercise video clip making and editing with iMovies. This time the iPhone is at a fixed (first clip in my hand) location and the engine is moving.
The engines are my "old" Athearn UP GP15-1 based on the former CNW engines. The correct UP GP15-1 based on the MP units and used in SoCal became available at the first US dealers two weeks ago. However they did not make on my layout prior to the easter holidays. They are still at German customs at the Frankfurt airport. Have to wait for another week at least.... :cry:

http://youtu.be/5bFEeUac-Bo

[jwb]

I know you have reasons not to activate the crossing flashers, but in a video, it would actually be a positive to have them working, especially if they're in view. (By the same token, I hate to say this, but real railfan youtubes often have sound.) But it's great to see those shots under any circumstances! Again, flashers in switching situations aren't always activated by detection circuits, but are turned on and off by the train crews under some circumstances.

[faraway]

John, I am afraid this and all further videos will be very silent and have no working lights. Actually none of the signals and lamps an the layout are wired at all :o I use the photos and videos as tool to demonstrate my layout here at big blue in close relationship to the discussion threads only.

However, I do have two sound circuits with small speakers under the layout for horn and bell to be activated by pushbuttons. I use them when I am the engineer and have to cross the roads. They are at veeeery low volume and used for a little more realism for me when running the engines.
If I would have flash lights at the crossing signals I would have to run the bell of the crossing signal for a very long time too. An awful thought...

[Painkiller]

That is a great video!

[fast car]

Reinhard,

Very nice video. I don't need to hear anything. Are you going to be changing themes again?

Larry

[faraway]

Thanks for the kind comments
Larry, no I have no intention to change the theme in the near future. I did enjoy my little trip into "brick county" with SOO bandits and Conrail engines but after some month I felt that I need to go back to SoCal. It is crazy but it looked and felt so good when I put the long white "shoebox" building and the long pair of yellow Gensets back on the layout
I do also feel much more comfortable at the present age (2005+) than in any older area. 1980+ was a compromise but is not as good as today for my layout. btw. it solves also my search for 1980 small trucks...
However, I am constantly looking for prototypes in the LA basin that could replace one or two of the current structures.
- The small odd shapes brick building is pure fiction. I need to find a more prototypical scenario in that complicated spot framed by two curved tracks.
- An other low priority item is the mill built after a prototype in Cleveland. I really like the structure very much but Cleveland is a little bit off for a (freelance) SoCal layout.

[Painkiller]

Isn't the Trident Suburbans, Blazers and Chevy pick ups a very close call for 1980 small trucks, add also the Dodge Ram produced by Roco, still occationally available on EBay. There you go!

[faraway]

Painkiller, thanks for posting that photos. Yes they fit the 80s perfect. Trident is hard to get here in Germany and shipping cost are to hight to shoot them at US ebay. However, I am back to 2005+ and the 1980 small truck problem is solved. The small Mitsubishi delivery trucks shall arrive tomorrow.

This is my favorite view over Gensets, high cube boxcars and shoebox building. It is the view I have during operating sessions.

[Painkiller]

Here is a Swedish firm who seem to have loads of them. The webside is in Swedish but I guess most of the staff speaks English or even German...

http://www.modellhobby.se/index.php?maincat=1&cat=1252

[faraway]

The Cleveland based mill building has been replaced by the Vernon based industry building again. I kept the grain silos for some chemical/pallet background scenery.
ps. notice one of the new Mitsubishi delivery trucks sold for 1.50€ at ebay on the road.