Hey Wayne,

For the benfit of the masses, could you please describe the various modifications (and how you accomplished them) you made on this Athearn car? Looks like you shaved down or removed the door tracks and replaced them. Looks like a new door. New running board? Steps and grab irons?



Thanks Wayne!

Just curious if other folks find themselves continually fixing or at least having to improve their layout's track?

Back in the winter, my main 4x6 layout had a LOT of track problems. During Feb/Mar I managed to fix most of these and I hardly ever get any derailments now. However, I've also found that there are still several places where I can still improve it further. Again, the "trick" is to keep all track as flat as possible, especially turnouts.

I've noticed that most of my locos (especially my newer ones) will pass through the problematic turnouts with no problems so that gave me the illusion that my track was in good shape. But a few locos (mainly my older ones) will either hesitate or stall at the turnouts. So, during the past few days, I’ve managed to make the turnouts even “flatter” and there has been a definite improvement.

[My layout has had so many uneven areas for several reasons -- the main one is that I’ve tweaked and changed the track layout so much (this has been my “learning curve” layout) that I’ve often ended up laying the the track on surfaces that are no longer even.]

I find it strange that 90% of my locos will run smoothly through slightly uneven turnouts, but it takes the remaining 10% to reveal the problems in the layout. Also, when I buy a new loco, I often have to tweak the track as well.

There have been many times, during the past few years, when I’ve thought I was done fixing the track, yet there are still places that need improving. I guess this is also true in real life as crews are often out repairing and improving track as well.

Rob

A couple of days ago I say a powder blue diesel unit letter KCS bringing up the rear of a BNSF coal drag. I assume that stands for Kansas City Southern?

Today I saw boxcars rolling north lettered for the RJ CONNELL (sp?) Railroad. Does anyone know anything about that outfit? First I ever heard of them.

Interesting thing...for years and years, loaded consists have traveled south and empties have returned north. Now, about a third of the traffic I have seen is loaded going north with the empties returning south.

I have listed a Kato BNSF AC4400CW (HO Scale) on ebay for sale. Starting bid of $49.95. Buy it now receives FREE shipping to USA

Loco was bought off ebay a while back, was custom detailed and has had after market detail parts added on to super detail it. DCC ready and brand new having only been test run by previous owner

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0201434092

We finally made the jump to sound on two diesels (AC4400 and SD80MAC). I installed an MRC sound decoder and after some gentle persuasion to get the decoder to fit, both decoders programmed correctly and are up and running. I think given the noise these guys make, that I'll only have these two with sound. I can't imagine having any more than this running around my small layout putting out sound.

I know I mentioned this to someone, but i can't remember who

The story starts, like most of my "Adventure" stories do:

I was geocaching in Delaware and Maryland and while we were going along Henderson Rd. in Maryland, I (of course) noticed a rail line

I marked the location on my GPS and promptly forgot all about it

Now, a month later - I'm loading more stuff into the GPSr and I remembered the tracks.....

How would you like to have a railroad through your front yard???

Here is the website describing the railroad.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.town-eastonmd.com/Planning/r2t_history.htm">http://www.town-eastonmd.com/Planning/r2t_history.htm</a><!-- m -->

It seems it actually ran through this area until 1982!

Really interesting, I think and worth sharing.

To find the road, google "marydel md" turn on "Maps" not satelite and you'll see the railroad heading South... Follow it until it meets up with Henderson Rd.. Really neat stuff!!!

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For the intermodal fans on this forum, I have listed a huge lot of Walthers 20', 40', and 48' Containers on ebay in lots

Here is a link to my ebay auctions, take a look, and i offer combined shipping!!! Tons of containers to choose from

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/bnsfmodeler123

My long term goal is a DSP&P On3 empire...as well as some NKP HO modules. Neither is dependent upon my current On3 layout which is primarily for a proving ground for the equipment I'm currently building. Therefore, it doesn't have to be specific to Colorado as I was planning.

How about sand, palm trees, and coral?

For the past year, I've wanted to build some Oahu Railway pieces.

And, I now have a copy of Next Stop Honolulu. And while I have yet to build any of the OR&L pieces I'm planning...I'm flirting with the idea of making my layout into an OR&L layout instead of generic Colorado.

If I was to model the OR&L in a large space, I'd start off with the fine facilities at Honolulu (15 stall roundhouse IIRC)...and model the double track CTC to Waipahu Junction where I'd have the branch heading off to staging to represent an army base as well as Dole's plantation. I'd then include a bit of the mainline on Ewa Plain and onto the costal trackage. But any large space I do someday acquire will be for the DSP&P...

This isn't so easy for me to model with what I have. The most interesting part was essentially just a miniature heavy duty mainline railroad...more modern than the NKP and most standard gauge roads. But, the second most interesting part is the coast line which I could model. My big trestle would be at home as the OR&L had at least one trestle exceeding anything on the DSP&P.

Of course, I don't have to make any decisions right now. If nothing else, I'll eventually build a few OR&L modules/dioramas to explore the world of tropical, mainline railroad in paradise...complete with coral ballasted track!

And so there is the draw of this interesting and unique road.
Here's the website for the book: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.oahurailway.com/">http://www.oahurailway.com/</a><!-- m -->

OK, living here in New England, driving on the highway, you always see a small village off in the distance. Usually alls you see is a church steeple, and maybe a couple of roof tops peeking up over the trees.

Since I had a couple of N scale buildings left over(plus a couple Better-Half had stashed away that I found cleaning out the basement), I wanted to duplicate this on my layout. Here's a couple of samples. I'm thinking(thats the burning smell), that I have to place the "village" about eye level to get the illusion, maybe on a hill somewhere.

Constructive critisism and suggestions are welcome.
I know in the second pic I have to work on the background. Its kinda hard to do when you have to deal with roof joists in the way, and I'm thinking these might ruin the illusion.

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