dickgreen's question about an elevator on my 2012 layout made me look at those old photos of long white shoebox buildings and long yellow genets. I can not resist to give SoCal another try :o
First step was to remove a lot of stuff to start thinking what might be next.



Key point is if I can find a more prototypical concept worth to do the tracks new or will I stay with pure freelance and redo the "decoration" only. I have to admit that I thought about a more prototypical track layout related to SoCal for over a year now but still have no clue. My be starring at a deserted layout is helpful....

some hours later....
It feels so good to switch with a pair of UPY Gensets

Today I saw an Eagle catch and eat a rabbit.
Not something you see every day from your front porch.

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Does anyone remember a photo (I think on this Big Blue Forum) of a warehouse (fruit?)with about a half dozen tracks all set at an angle so that second and third cars could be unloaded using bridge boards between doors of them and the car on the next track? I have seen it somewhere, but cannot find it again - If somebody can point me to it I'd be very grateful. I thought it was on the LAJ RR, but even searching that doesn't help. TIA
Jack

Hey all - I have had a long-standing project to build an RS-3M, specifically the DeWitt rebuilds that PC and CR used around upstate NY. I have the Tiger Valley castings and all the details to make the shell, but before I commit to purchasing the engine, I wanted to know if anyone has bought a sound-equipped model that could help establish if there's room for the middle of the long hood to be cut away? I'd hate to find that the speaker is mounted there, or anything else that would make this a difficult conversion. Any help is appreciated!

Hey everyone! My NCE Power Cab is not completely starting up when I turn on the power. Two days ago, it worked fine. Today, I turned it on and it froze on the initial screen where it gives the cab version (1.3) and cab number (02). It won't boot up past this. I tried resetting the cab by holding the select loco button while plugging the cable in and then resetting the cab number to 00. It allows me to change the cab number and the parameters under this menu, but it still will not go past the initial start up screen when I exit the menu. I even disconnected the wires to the power bus and tried to reset the cab, but no change in behavior. I opened the cab to make sure nothing had come loose, but it all looks secure. I checked the port/unit the cab plugs into, and it looks ok -- nothing loose or missing. Anyone have any ideas how to correct the problem? Or am I going to have to suck it up and send it back to NCE? Thank you in advance for any help/advice you have to offer. Bummed out that I can't run a train right now....


Chuck

Close call <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.break.com/video/the-not-so-great-train-escape-2561333">http://www.break.com/video/the-not-so-g ... pe-2561333</a><!-- m -->

hope there aren't any tight turns <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.break.com/video/crowded-train-just-climb-anywhere-2524840">http://www.break.com/video/crowded-trai ... re-2524840</a><!-- m -->

land slide vs.. double stack <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.break.com/video/landslide-vs-train-fighting-dirty-2398197">http://www.break.com/video/landslide-vs ... ty-2398197</a><!-- m -->

Fire works! <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.break.com/video/train-with-crazy-electrical-problems-2029730">http://www.break.com/video/train-with-c ... ms-2029730</a><!-- m -->

?????? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.break.com/video/even-a-mini-train-can-still-do-some-damage-2567604">http://www.break.com/video/even-a-mini- ... ge-2567604</a><!-- m -->

Remember, we are still celebrating our fifth anniversary as Big Blue. The last photo contest we had didn’t seem to go over that well, I guess it was a bit too restrictive with not enough time for some to respond. :oops: Well, we have another photo contest for you in celebration of our fifth anniversary that may be a bit easier to participate in.

What we are looking for is a train photo that includes a sign or lettering with the words, “5th anniversary” or “Happy 5th” or some other fifth-anniversary related wording on it. Something like, “Congratulations to Big Blue on your fifth anniversary” or just, “Happy 5th” would work, but not necessarily just like that. Some things that come to mind are, a billboard, a sign on a building or a freight car with the lettering on its side. Even a crop circle on your layout or a picture of a cake with “Happy fifth” and a train on it, would be about as creative as you can get. :ugeek: There is no restriction as to anything else on the photo, as was in the last disastrous contest, and the sign can be anywhere on anything. You can even use our anniversary logo that is at the top of each page here. Just right click on it and select, “copy image” or “save image”.

The Rules:

1. You can enter any train-related photo that has something regarding to our anniversary celebration in it, be it a sign or lettering on something.
   
2. It must be fully visible in the photo and there can by other signs and numbers there as well. (not like the last contest ).
   
3. Post your picture or pictures in the thread titled, “Happy fifth photo entries”.
   
4. Multiple entries per person will be acceptable; each one will be individually entered in the voting poll.
   
5. This thread is reserved for comments or questions, so again, please post your photos in the thread “Happy fifth photo entries”, otherwise we will either move it to there or it won’t be counted in the voting poll.
   
6. Remember, as stated above, if you use one of our anniversary logos, it already has a “5th anniversary” in it, so that’s all you’d need, but anything that is original or creative is encouraged.
   
7. Oh, and Photoshopping is OK. That is, you are allowed to add a sign is some cleaver way to make a photo look like it was originally there.
   
8. The photo can be taken anywhere, on your layout, on another layout or in the full-scale world, just as long as the person entering it is the one that took the pictures, new or old.
   
9. The top three vote getting in the voting poll will all receive a special fifth anniversary certificate by email. No biggie, but at least it's something you can hang next to your layout.
   
10. Since we are not awarding any prizes, other than certificates to the top winners and bragging rights, this contest is open to everyone including our staff here at Big Blue.
    
11. This contest starts right now, and will run until April 1st. A poll will open after that date, so that we can pick a winner.

This thread is for posting your contest photos. You may post as many as you wish, each one will be judged on their own. You can view the rules in this thread:
Our Happy Fifth photo contest rules. Please post any questions or comments in that thread as well.

Every farm needs one on these. Okay, I'm not a farmer at all, so maybe they don't, but this was a fun, fast build.



Construction detail can be seen here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2014/03/blairline-corn-crib-down-on-farm-9.html">http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2014/03/blai ... arm-9.html</a><!-- m -->