I thought that I had mentioned this before, but I can't seem to find it: is there some way we can get an icon or symbol to denote those Threads to which we're subscribed? I was reminded of it by this POST

What I'm suggesting is something like the boxes containing check marks, as shown under "Rating", below:

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Wayne

Okay so, im getting real sick of sitting here and waiting to start on my M&ET modules. Still also waiting to hear back from the 2 places i turned in resume's to for a new job...

So if i cant buy the things i need to start the M&ET modules and buy the things i need to finish the CAT Rental Moudle right now i will compromise and work on something that i can build and start building right now. Its killing me not being able to work on anything.

Anyways, so i dismantled most of my old shelf layout but i left a few sections up that i had planned on using for storage. But i had a change in plans cuz i hated seeing all the sweet buildings i had built up and just sitting there. After going to Palm Springs this past weekend for my Girlfriends Cheer Competition and seeing the UP mainline along side State Highway 10, I have decided that this would be a pretty cool scene to model. I plan to have model a section near the house that we stayed in for 2 nights in Palm Desert. I want to model Highway 10, Washington Street exit off the 10, and the double UP tracks that pass by the area. I also am adding in a small section for switching that is totally fictional lol.

This layout is 12'x4'x18" L-shaped shelf layout. HO scale of coarse and should make for some very nice picture spots. Im making my Highway 10 model 6 lanes wide (3 in each direction) which is what it is in real life. Im also adding in a 2-1/2" section that separates the 6 lanes. I noticed that it is sorta like a ditch, so i will make mine like that as well and adding in a little water here and there.

I also noticed that alot of the double UP tracks were lined with trees on both sides of the 2 tracks. the only reason i can think for this is a wind break because the run alot of double stack trains coming from the Port Of Long Beach inland.... But i thought this would be a neat thing to model so i will do that on the left side of the layout. The tracks will also be elevated a bit from the highway, as i noticed this was another thing along Highway 10, the tracks were up higher.

The overpass/ exit for Washington Street will be a bit of a challenge. In real like the exit for the street travels up and meets up to a high overpass that crosses the highway and tracks. I want to do this as well, should make for another cool detail.

Right now, the only thing i will need to get are overpass kits and some Central Valley Mainline Tie Strips, Couple Central Valley #8 turnout kits, and some Code 83 rail, which hopefully by the time im done working out all the kinks and layout of this layout ill have a job to buy the above things lol

The small switching section which is 4'x18" includes all the following Walhers Cornerstone Buildings and Backround Buildings:

2 Buds Trucking Backround Buildings bashed together to make a long building
1 Centennial Mills Backround Building
1 Armstrong Electric Motors Backround Building
1 Heritage Furniture Backround Building combined with a George Roberts Printing Building

Here is a few pics of the layout of the buildngs and the start of the right side of the Highway

















More Progress to come soon!! Also finally have a reason to do a tutorial on how to do roads with Woodland Scenics Smooth-It, so i should also have that up tomorrow

Every time I log on here, I find myself all over the place trying to find all of my posts, as well as all of the other ones that I am keeping track of. So, I have opted to follow the lead of others. I am going to consolidate all of my build threads into this one. This will cover everything from kit construction, loco construction, layout construction, et al.

Stay tuned, there is some interesting stuff to come.

Matt

I have been playing with 2 track plans and contemplating a 3rd (still in progress) my dilemma is that I like each for different reasons:

track plan 1 has tons of switching opportunities, a grade change (heading left from the door at the first turnout, towards the back of the layout goes up about 2.5" and towards the front of the layout goes down about 2.5" and ducks under the upper tracks at the far left), street running which could be a + or a - and the lead on the left interferes less with the door than in the next option. Negatives would be more work to complete, grade changes could create "challenges" during switching sessions.... it also comes out over the edge of my workbench more than I would like... addendum: not sure I like the switch back on the back of the left leg behind the yard trackage.

track plan 2 faster build, less trackage and potentially more scenery and structure opportunities and is more likely to be completed in a reasonable time frame thus winning me a bottle of Gibson's finest Canadian whiskey for completing a layout before Squidbait. Negatives: less switching opportunities and longer lead in behind the door .... oh and Squid is less likely to approve as it will be completed much quicker (not sure if that really falls under negatives but I am sure Squid will think so).

Currently plan is to hand lay everything in code 70 and run MRC prodigy wireless. Benchwork would be freestanding as it will eventually come out of this room and move to our store when we get a bigger location (and my son moves out so I can build my big layout in the basement).

I am still not 100% comfortable with the narrow yard area on the left side in either plan but am very limited in this area as it cannot encroach too much on the bench and I want to ensure I have access to the window (there is a window on the left side of the room). Open to criticism or pats on the back.... but am hoping for a bit more than "wow that looks nice".

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I originally put this in bigsteel's finally building layout thread, but thought it was worth repeating here...

Bob Boudreau (of Fundy Northern fame) has an excellent overview of shooting specifically for railroad models...

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Andrew

I have had this Bachmann Spectrum dash 8-40CW sitting in the box waiting for me to do the decal job on.
I got the nerve up and removed the LMS factory painted lettering. Used IsopropyL Alchol 99%.I usedMicro Scale decals to add the wet noodle and make into 3 foot model for the CN/IC Dash 8-40CW. I could not justify the price of the atlas ready to run model. I had the Spectrum model so off came the LMS markings just like in the real world and CN was put in its place.
I had fun doing it and learned a few things.I only ripped one noodle. I am very pleased with it, now have to get some decal sealant and call it good. I am not ready yet to do the front number boards but I am very pleased. Will fill the void of my leasers.
Now the Leaser CEO is very happy the bigger leasing companies are coming for overhauls and repaints.
New units added to the fleet this month
AC 4400 CEFX 1049 Athearn( ready to run model)
Dash 8-40CW CN 2456 Bachmann Spectrum

I now understand the joy of detailing and making your own models

Stuart Warren
CEO
Canadian Locomotive Leasers
Go Big or GO Home

My wife went to San Diego for a continuing education seminar (R.N.) that was Tuesday. We just got in. We went down on Monday and stayed at the hotel where the seminar was being held. We went to Balboa Park Monday and went to the some of the museums she was interested in seeing. Today while she was in class, I went to the Model Railroad Museum for the day. In the morning I was talking with some of the members who were operating trains. About 12:30 or so I stepped into the gift shop and picked up a couple of books, and then went to lunch. After lunch I went back to the Museum, and a couple of the guys I had been talking to invited me to come in for a tour and to operate on the layout. I ran a long freight with an a-b-b-b F-7 unit lash up up the hill from Caliente. Then at the top of the hill we took the F-units off the train and put together a shorter train with a Gs-4 in black. I got to take it down the hill to Bakersfield and back up to the siding above Caliente (Alray, I think) before I had to go pick up my wife to head home. What an awesome layout. First time I ever ran a train on a fully signaled railroad with a dispatcher. For anyone who has been to the museum and thought the operators were being rude, I can tell you that even at speeds under 25 scale mph, an operator is very busy running the train even with what is a relatively small crew on a weekday when most of the operators are retired. On weekends when the people with regular jobs are available to operate, the layout may be crowded with trains making the operators even busier! Man, that is one huge layout! I suspect that the aisle is all of 100 yards from Bakersfield to Mojave, and it shortcuts much of the layout!

Next week, Tuesday night 9pm EST, on Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe learns how to operate a loco.
Set your DVRs!

OK - all you who know the secret of laying flex track laser straight...what's the secret? I've tried straight edges made from wood (which wasn't accurate enough) and metal tubing (which was way too long and not a piece I can cut to length). I'm just trying to get the yard tracks and mainline tracks that parallel them as straight as possible. I know in prototypical yards the tracks aren't necessarily the straightest in the world, but the mainline tracks always seem to be perfectly straight almost anywhere you go. When I use the Mark-1 Eyeball test, there's just a hint of wave to the tracks. Short of using a laser, what's the secret?

I pains me to do this, but I must post a negative report on Tichy Kits.

I recently purchased the Tichy N-scale Rotary Plow kit, which turned out to have a missing part after it was opened. (*Note here that store policies preclude opening and inspecting these kits prior to purchase.) Naturally, in direct obedience to Murphy's Laws, it is an essential part, not one that can be easily replicated using sheet styrene or such.

The Tichy site lists a phone number, e-mail and fax number; after repeated attempts to contact anyone at any of these contact points, I am forced to conclude that I made a mistake buying from them. BTW: Mr. Tichy himself is the voice on his answering machine.