Hello,

my name is Gerd and I play with model trains []

I bought a pair of Joe Works Shay in Hon30 and now I'm looking for layout ideas to get them run on. I had many ideas but non of those was good enough in my mind so I came to a point where I totally run out of ideas.

My first attempt was to build a ore tramway, somewhat like the Gilpin, but I couldn't get warm with this idea.

My favorite would be a logging layout since logging is my favorite theme for model railroading (see my user name wich means "logging railroader" in German).

So I searched for logging layouts but all of them in the internet are already build by some else, to big, without real logging operations or I just don't like them.

Maybe one of you guys has an idea for a layout. The givens are very simple.
A 2' by 4' layout or a modular design with small easy to store modules. I don't have enough room for a permanent setup of the layout.

I plan to run my Shays with Minitrains rolling stock since I've a couple of them in my collection. Beside the brown Baby-Shay I've an unpainted MichCal #2. Both locos will get NWSL regear kits installed with can motors and a nice paintjob.

Many thanks in advance for your layout ideas. It would be great to get the locos into operational service instead of standing in the showcase.

Bye, Gerd

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As it says in the title ... I have an unassembled Walthers Red Wing Milling kit which I want to use on my new layout. I have a position against the backdrop where it will fit perfectly once I've 'unfolded' it to make a double length low relief building out of it.

Problem is, I don't want a flour mill. Any suggestions for a different use for this building? Ideally I'd like something that would generate at least a couple of different car types.

Cheers,

Kev

Today is Veterans Day. Lots of parades, flag waving, races and prayer services thought the country in honor of those that have given all they can to defend freedom and to keep us safe from aggression. My wife lost a brother back during the Korean War. She wrote this poem a while back as a preface to her book. I know I've posted this before, but I just thought it would be fitting to post it again today so that we may reflect on just who we are honoring today. There were wars before the Korean "conflict" and several since then. Unfortunately, I think it's safe to say that there will be others to come. We all need to ask ourselves "why?"... Is all this really necessary and at what price? How many more brothers will we lose or become casualties before we realize that it's a losing proposition on all sides?

We salute all that have served throughout the years.


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So, after a failed experiment, I have a virgin baseboard! This runs the full length of two walls, 12ft and 10ft, plus a 4 to 5ft at either end on the other two walls - just over 30ft run, ample for an N scale secondary line .... I hope.

As I already have my N scale 'Wisconsin Central' layout, this one is freelance to include all the things I've wanted to model for years, but never had the oportunity. So .... the requirements:

New period: mid 1960s to early 1970s
A car float (told you it was freelance!) probably a 2 track, but possibly 3
A small rural town
A distillery
Primarily 40ft cars
GP9s, switchers etc

It will be constructed using Peco code 55 track and wired for DC control as I invariably run the layout alone.

At present the track plan isn't finalised, bu in essence, the left end of the layout will have the car float and yard with low relief warehouse. The line will then pass through an urban industrial area, up to three industries requiring switching, this along the first half to two thirds of the 12ft wall, then meandering through a rural wooded area before reaching the small rural town along the 10ft wall. Finally the line will end with the distillery at the far right hand end of the layout.

I'm not sure whether to include any passenger service ..... would such a line be likely to have such? It would be possible to have a small depot, even with a freight house and perhaps a team track in the town area .... But it might make the scene too cramped at the harbour end ....

Hopefully I can get a more presentable track plan drawn up in the next few days which I can then post, but I would welcome comments on the concept, especially the passenger quandary, in the meantime.

Cheers,

Kev

Looking for some ideas on isolating the pilot and trailing trucks on my Bowser L-1's. I had test ran them prior to painting and detailing them and I had got them all to run without shorting but now that everything is all back together and looking pretty good the shorting has returned. I am running the locomotives with plastic wheels on the both front and rear trucks. Let me know what some of you guys have come with to solve this problem. Also, I guess I should say that these locomotives are running with NCE decoders in them.


Thanks,

Mark

Hello,

can anybody tell me when Rock Island stopped using the legendary GP9-F7B-F7B-F7B-GP9 lashup that was mainly used on the Lafayette coal train?

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I found some Pictures stating that in 1974 the traction still existed. It was used to pull other freight trains, too.
But I cannot find any information of how long the consist existed. As I model 1979 I´d like to know if it still existed then.
Please help!

Regards


Stephan

Probably a very basic question, but...I’m ready to paint the track on my layout and have run into a problem. The paint doesn’t seem to stick too well and I’m not sure whether this is typical or not. I am also running into the same issue with freight car trucks. I can fairly easily scrap the paint off with my finger nail. Now I know that I will be handling my stock carefully and the track once ballasted probably won’t get scraped, but I want to know if I should be doing anything differently.

I have the same problem with Polly Scale (water based) and Model Master (solvent based) Paint. I brush painting my test pieces, but will also be airbrushing with these paints.

I just checked a structure that I airbrushed with the Polly Scale paint a couple of years age and the paint is “bonded” perfectly. Is my issue with the "slippery" plastic that freight car trucks and Micro Engineering track is cast in?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mark

Perhaps I've mentioned this before, but is anyone else missing good north american quality automobiles in HO (or other scales)?

What the likes of Herpa, Athearn, Wiking and many more seem to miss are models of ordinary cars, build anywhere between 1970 and 2000.
The majority of cars are modern or transition era, and with that they are usually top of the range or otherwise desirable cars in many cases.
I want to model the ordinary, as will probably most every one else, to make your scenes look realistic. I need chevy caprice classics, lincoln towncars, saturns, Acuras, Toyota camry , etc etc. Not Dodge Vipers, Mercedes SL500, Ferrari F360, BMW X5 , not to mention an endless variety of company variations on the same Ford F150 pick up truck, or bright coloured truck+ trailers with a variety of company logos.

Where are the ordinary cars, the older pick up trucks, non descript trucks and trailers .

I know that the manufactures cater to collectors, and they tend to release current models but surely a rerun of some of the older models (updated with modern detailing) would be great. There is also an overwhelming variety of European manufacturer models, and much less north american car industry , that will need to change for those modeling US/Canadian outline.

Anyone with influence at the manufacturers reading this? Thanks very much.

Koos

Anybody else going this year?

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I am opening a new topic to cover the migration of my layout from rural to urban based scenery.
The urban freelance ISL shall be located "somewhere" where green vegetation is mostly present (e.g. from Wisconsin to Georgia) and the timeframe should be kept flexible between 1975 and today.
That should permit a lot of different scenarios by exchanging street and rail cars and locomotives only.

A short review of the steps done already but covered in the old thread of Freelance 2012 (MAW)

It started with an older industry at the front track of the east industry




Next step was the revitalization of an older structure placed at the west industry lead. It got a nice gate too.




Current project is an industry at the rear track of the east industry.



And an overview of all buildings forming the east industry


I will proceed from here reporting the ongoing transition into an urban ISL.