Ralph's 2013 Duff Challenge(s)

[Ralph]

I'm such a youtube novice! Try this: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youtu.be/yxPVe7exkaA">http://youtu.be/yxPVe7exkaA</a><!-- m -->

[Steamtrains]

That bell would drive me CRAZY...!!

[Ralph]

I actually turned the volume up to be sure it was heard on camera.

[BR60103]

Ralph: Do the gauges on the panel show anything?

[Ralph]

No, they're just for show.

[Ralph]

I made a short video showing me using the F unit cab to run a train. I'll post another with more of an engineer's view from the mincam in my locomotive.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLKySPaODOo&feature=youtu.be">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLKySPaO ... e=youtu.be</a><!-- m -->

[Tyson Rayles]

Wish I had broadband so I could watch that!

[tetters]

Fun stuff you handsome devil you!

[ngauger]

Nice video!!

[Ralph]

Well, my attempts to film a video of the traincam view didn't work well. Shooting video of a TV monitor yields poor results. I took some still shots which are also not very crisp but they will convey the idea. The actual image on the TV set is satisfying and clear while I run a train from my cab mock up..

The train cam provides nice views like these:


I noticed that I often failed to anticipate grade crossings while running trains in front of the TV. I recently installed a number of Tichy whistle posts such as the one to the left of the track in the photo above. They really help!

[faraway]

My favorite. It has a lot of urban atmosphere to me.

[Ralph]

Thanks Rienhard! I like that one too.

The downside of using the train cam is that all of my sins of omission and sloth are revealed!

Witness buildings lacking back walls behind Kings Port Steel on the right!



Crude back walls and visible horizontal wood strut supports for silos behind Empire Grain!



Foliage that looks reasonably like a tree in front of a building when viewed head on...but appears to be a green blob stuck on a building in the train cam view!


And a small chasm on the right between track and scenary, again unseen by the casual layout viewer...but the train cam sees all!!!


So...this is the next part of my duff challenge...to repair structures and scenary so they look good on the train cam.

[nachoman]

Totally cool and interesting. I think it would be fun to operate a layout this way.

And I know how the camera can sometimes reveal things that a normal observer wouldn't, but never thought about how having having a camera on a train would change one's modeling approach. If I was to operate via a video camera, I would want to line my tunnelr all the way through, and probably would want a layout with broader curves, otherwise the camera would not be looking at the track ahead when going around a curve. I still may try it, though.

[tetters]

That is really cool Ralph.

We have a Budd Car that is camera equipped at the Club layout. It usually runs during our shows and the kids who see the cab view on the monitor really get a kick out of it. If the operator knows the layout well enough you can sit in a chair and drive without actually looking at your train.

There are a couple of spots were you see the behind the scenes views but not too many.

I don't think you'd need to worry about lining your tunnels though, as even with LED head lights you can't see enough to tell if its rock lined, precast concrete tunnel liners, or plywood l-girders, cardboard weave and plaster soaked newspapers!

[Ralph]

Thanks guys!

It is interesting to think about planning a layout to be run from a facsimile cab. I'm adapting my layout since the idea of having a train cam didn't come until later. I also have a tethered walk around throttle for running trains when I don't wish to sit in front of the screen, or when I want to do switching. Some day I hope to interest some friends in running train ops with me...with one person at the cab seat and the other working as brakeman. That would be cool! I can do it a little bit of this by myself but, of course, I have to get up from the cab and throw the turnouts and check couplings, and then return to the throttle. Still...it's fun!

As for tunnels...the loco that contains the camera doesn't have a working headlight so it's just dark once the train passes through a portal.