While preparing to wrap all my trains into bubblewrap in anticipation of moving, I wondered how everyone stores their trains when they are not on the layout. Do you generally use the box the engine or wagon came in, do you have some fancy storage system, some improvised solution or don't you ever separate the trains from the layout?

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Let me know what you think!

The little ( 9 miles to Montague, originally - later 11 miles) Yreka railroad, which has persevered since it's creation in the late 1800's, has gone into receivership, most likely to a group of investors.

Sadly, this gallant little railroad may be on the way out.

Summerail 2009 will be held again at Cincinnati Union Terminal on August 8. Presenting this year will be:

Rick Acton Jr - Rick's 30 Year Roustabout
Mike Danneman - Cold Enough to Snow
Mark Demaline - Business and Office Car Specials
John Hake - BC Rail in 1985
Dave Honan - From Seam to Steam
Andrew Nelson - On Wisconsin
Mel Patrick - Pride of the Rio Grande-Zephyr
Brian Root - Flags, Fields & Friends
Jaime Serensits - Summer Ail
Steve Smedley - My Piece of the Rock (Island)
Craig Williams -Thru The Winter

The main program starts at 1:00 on Saturday. Tickets are $15 and it is recommended they be purchased in advance. Saturday morning starting at 10:00 there is a train show in the rotunda at the station and admission is free. Friday night at 8:00 there are "talkie" slide shows up in Tower A also with free admission.

I encourage anyone out there within a day's drive of Cincinnati to make an effort to come out for Summerail. The presentations are top-notch and the swap meet is one of the best for railroad paper you'll ever find. You'd spend ten bucks now for a two hour movie ticket so why spend a little more for a whole day of trains?

If anyone out there is interested in attending but has questions about the shows, swap meet, or even what else to see in Cincinnati give me a shout and I'll make sure you get some answers! More information on how to purchase tickets can be found at: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://cincinnatirrclub.org/summerail.htm">http://cincinnatirrclub.org/summerail.htm</a><!-- m -->

Here is a pic of my new layout that I've been tinkering with. I've already posted a few requests as I've wrestled how to do this.

My 'problem' is that I'm trying to build a small, portable layout in the spare room of our basement. I will probably tweak this even more and work on the scenery in due course -- the scenery is obviously not finished. I'm not even sure where I'm going to place the road and industries, etc. FYI, the street and a few other details are left over from a previous version of this layout -- hopefully I can re-use at least part of the street.

The layout's size is approx. 3-ft wide by 5-ft long. The outer loop uses 18" radius track (except for the outer siding where I had to use tighter curves) while the curves of the inner loop is entirely made up of 15" radius track. FYI, the layout is also British 00, which is similar to our HO.

My small tank engines (0-6-0's and 0-4-0's) can haul freight trains on the inner loop (and outer loop) while many of my larger locos will be limited to the outer loop, especially larger passenger trains.

(You can see my "larger" (4x6) layout to the right, leaning against the wall. I still hope to use that during the winter.)

At any rate, I'm open for feedback, both positive and negative!

Thanks,
Rob

   

I finally got some time today to try out my new camera. I picked up a new Canon digital Rebel XS. My little Fujifilm S5200 was taking nice pictures but I wanted something with 10 megapixels or more and something with more flexibility and options.
The train to Noranda Quebec was passing through town so I ran down to the tracks and got a few quick shots. This one turned out not to bad. I was trying out the cameras depth of field setting.

The lead locomotive is an Sd75I the ONR got a number of years back ( #2105 ). The second and third locomotives are SD40-2s ( #1737 & #1734 ). Both were bought new by the ONR around 1973-74 and have been in service ever since. The 1737 is still wearing its very worn and faded chevron paint scheme. The 2105 and the 1734 are sporting the new ON Rail scheme the railway went to a number of years ago.


Wayne Reid

   

Hello.
I am wondering if I should put a back drop on the island table, where the red line is. I think it would allow me to have more buildings, and switchable industries, by allowing me to use building flats. But, it would also block the view of the other table. What do you all think ?
Thanks for any help.

Loren

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Guys, tell me which decoder's you prefer to use in your engines, TCS or NCE?

What do you like about them?

I am new to using foam on a layout and have learned a few things along the way. First the tools you need are pretty simple. About the only special tool you need is a Surform tool , but even then a heavy rasp may work just as well.    
I am using 1 inch foam for my layout it can be cut by scoring and snapping like styrene.        
It can also be cut with a hot knife, but that makes a lot of very stinky smoke that probably is not to good for you. "I try to avoid it."

Hi Guys,

I've been offered a Proto 2000 SW9/1200 IN U.P. paint and would like to know what do these locos perform like as several videos i've seen they look good especially with sound.

Has anyone done a hardwire decoder install on one and any problems with doing it ? i looked on the TCS site in the installs section and it looks pretty straightforward using an M1.