Hi All
Just started this LAJ group. You're all welcome to contribute & participate. Will be adding all my pix & info soon. If there's anything you can think of please suggest &/or contribute. And if you're just interested in switching this should be a good place to see how it was done on the LAJ.

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I have operated on layouts with the standard car cards and didn't like carrying all of the cards around and constantly shuffling through them trying to figure out my next move. I desired to have trains with a purpose. After several years of modifications this is the system I have settled in with. Each car on my layout has a card with photo and destinations on it. I have one main yard on my layout( Clifton Forge Va. ). All operations start and end there.



This car would be starting out on track 10 or 11 in Clifton Forge ( CF ). These tracks are for Baltimore bound trains. Also a check mark would be put next to Balt and the card placed in the appropriate slot on my order board.



When dispatch calls for that train to depart, the stack of cards are moved to bottom of rack to which ever track it is going to in Baltimore. It then goes to hidden yard off layout until it is called back to layout at which time it returns to CF and is put on track 7 to be sent out in a local freight to Gern. It always returns to CF between each location on the card.

The only papers handled by operator is either a switch list or train order sheet.

I was perusing through the latest MRR when I came across and ad for an HO Caterpillar mining shovel that was offered at $1,395 plus shipping. I wasn't sure if that was a misprint so I went to the Zycor website and sure enough, I found that wasn't the most expensive HO model in their inventory. There were several in the $1500 range and this one for only $6,195, air freight is extra. It is a detailed model, I'll give them that, but I'm not sure how many modelers can justify buying one for their layout or even have a layout big enough for one since it is over three feet long and two feet high. Huge by anyone's standards, even HO scale . They are limiting production to 120 units, which means they do expect more than just a few being bought.


  Zycor replica.jpg (Size: 96.53 KB / Downloads: 1510)
I'm just wondering if this hobby isn't getting too expensive for a lot of us. I used to think that spending $100 on an engine was a lot, but now I see where $500 is common anymore. Yeah, you do get more for that much, but still, how many can we afford to buy at that price?

A pair of Conrail SW1500's working on WPMA-19, make a pickup at South Shore Distributors

Bruce

Attached Files

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Seen this on another forum and thought I would share it here.

Enjoy!



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I am thinking about setting up a trouble card system on my layout. This will tell of issues to be addressed by the crew on a train such as hot box / bearing or water level getting low in steam. What are some other problems that could be put on these cards?

Hello All
Have for sale these 12 Athearn 57' reefers. Have way too many cars to fit on my layout! aN image of all the reefers Is attached. They all have Kadee #5 or #148 Kadee couplers & Intermountain metal wheels. Plus all the the Athearn metal coupler covers are secured w/ 2-56 screws. Also all the stirrups & other original details are there.
Asking 10.00 each plus postage from 90706. In an shipping box w/ popcorn & bubblewrap they weigh 7 oz. One car can go USPS First Class but 2 or more will have to go Priority Mail. Please include your zip code to figure your postage w/ any offers to buy.
Please email me off site at lajrmdlr AT gmail.com w/ any offers & questions about the items &/or shipping.
Thanks for looking
Andy Jackson
Bellflower CA


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The layout is still under construction, but I thought it would be fun to take a video.

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The ride ends where the camera wouldn't fit at the entrance to hidden tracks going to a staging area. It comes back up where the NP swithcer is where the train leaves the yard. It is a point to point layout, but continuous running can be done using the hidden staging area.