Parthia27

If you thoroughly read the thread you would know that the US modular layout had a DCC fault which impeded running trains though I detect a dislike on your part for US layouts. That is fine, your views are your views but I say well done Essex Belt lines for making what must be a significant effort to get the layout to Ally Pally and set it up. Hopefully day 2 will give less problems than day one.

I follow some of the PNW BNSF railfanning sites and there always seems to be s trickle of NS and CSX units heading to from Seattle so it is not too far a stretch for a unit to go north via Everett to New Westminster. Good catch whatever and I love the fact that you have former ATSF EMD power in the snow! Chris

Used to have a pair of big M6xxs )can't remember the actual designation in CP livery which I modelled pulling some tofc cars for a 1980s D&H layout that was never build. Chris

Ok then, SW1500 BN, MP15AC UP, GP15-1 BN, GP15AC UP, GP38-2 BN, GP38-2 EMDX (ex CR), GP38-2 BNSF H1, GP39-2 BN, GP50 BNSF H1, GP60 BNSF Patch (ex ATSF), GP60 UP Patch (ex Cotton Belt), GP60M BNSF H1, GP60M BNSF (fakebonnet) SD40-2 Santa Fe, SD40-2 BNSF H1, SD70MAC BN Executive, SD70ACE BNSF H3. In all 17 that I can remember and I'm sure I'm missing a couple of SD60s and a SD70ACe. Chris

Nice photo in September MRH

As stated above, it is difficult to get Jason, his main business is in running a Haulage business in the Midland and is normally only around at weekends which is when I expect he sees his family. I am not trying to support or decry him but when u can catch him his service is par excellence. I have no relation to his company except as a happy customer. Chris

The dirty UP locomotives are probably fresh from Donner Pass or Moffat Tunnel a few days or so earlier. If UP operate similarily to BNSF they will keep locomotives on point for the whole run from the west then turn them around in Chicago to go back whence they came from or to some other far flung location, unless they are due for an extended exam or repair / overhaul. The locomotives with burnt paint will be GE (Dash 9s or AC4400s) which on the BNSF and elsewhere are affectionally called toasters due to their tendency to have engine fires that mark the mid body doors and roof. Cheers Chris

When in C&NW ownership the line to Rapid City was also known as the Cowboy Line and just prior to takeover by the UP was a C&NW hotspot for EMD power in particular SD40-2s and GP40s. If you want to learn more C - Vision does several DVDs featuring the Cowboy Lines in and out of Rapid City just prior and post the UP Takeover. There is also some material from the DME era. Cheers Chris

Phil, I try to set the volumes of the locos I have such that they are matched to the size of the operating area and the characteristics of the layout operation. Rather than starting from higher volumes and lowering the sound of a loco I tend to go the other way, I start with a very low master volume. The sounds that really grate for me is the bell followed by the horn. Both these sounds get lowered even further until they are acceptable to my ear. Next I'll try two locos together to determine if they are each of similar volume. I adjust each loco to equalise the sound. If I have two or three locos or consists operating I only want to be aware of the sound of those locos operating near to me. Others should just be in the background and barely audible. Remember that European trains in general are quieter wrt horn usage and most do not use bells so we are not accustomed to a 'loud railway'. HTH Chris

We all go through periods where our modelling becomes sour or unsatisfying. I'm moving in the opposite way sort of. I have a small HO switching layout which is the last of a series of similar endevours for which I can no longer drum up any enthusiasm. I'm too much into big BNSF power to be too interested going back either. U.K. Outline fails dramatically to float my boat and moving to n scale would be easy but unsatisfying. My priority is to have somewhere permanent to have my BNSF ES44s, SD70ACEs, Dash 9s on display, similar to a servicing point or holding yard whilst having the option for having an other way of getting my fix of continuous running. I have been trying to come up with some way of incorporating the servicing point / holding yard scheme with some shunting of gas cars and sand cRs using smaller power. That will cover all the bases for me. Think of what you want to do with your operating time, if you enjoy switching then go for it, if you incorporate a continuous run that may tick another box etc. Think carefully before destroying what you have and starting again, I'm not saying procreastinate, just make sure you are moving in a direction that gives you what you want. Cheers Chris

It is either posed, involves some sort of decomissioned ordinance, or is photoshopped. I've seen enough footage of how ordinance is moved on airfields and aircraft carriers to know that at no stage would a valuable piece of military hardware like that by trundled around on a forklift, I don't think even the Russians who are much more relaxed than NATO would allow that!!! TTFN Chris

That excellent mountain scenery should be enough to inspire anyone, 100% excellent views guaranteed.

Hi Brian, check your PMs Chris

Hi John, Used to love using the Railmatch enamels, wonderful stuff. Their Acrylics were not too bad either, I think I've still got some somewhere along with their thinner. My personal favourite enamel for airbrushing used to be Phoenix, used to be able to get a fantastic egg-shell finish which was superb for decaling :-). I used to know a chap who painted all his locos by hand using Phoenix enamels using multiple light coats. His results were outstanding and I swore he was winding me up and used an airbrush until I saw him painting a loco at the Nottingham show one year. Amazing stuff. Badly built planes hanging from the ceiling was a feature of my bedroom too, however it was what I used to learn modelling and though I am by no means what I would call a good modeller, I would not be able to do what I do now without building and painting those kits :-0. Don't tell anyone, but I still build the odd plastic kit, I've got a bit of an armour fetish that needs to be scratched from time to time, so I go and raid my growing stash of plastic kits in the loft. I've got a Tamiya 1/35 M51 Super Sherman on my workbench atm (that is being garnished with all sorts of aftermarket goodies), alongside a BN Athearn Genesis GP38-2 and a load of Cannon, Details West and Detail Associates parts, that is slowly morphing into a BNSF patched engine. Unfortunately the Sherman is getting all my attention atm, and I have just acquired the Meng Models 1/35 Bradley with a full interior which if I am not careful will take up even more of my time!!! Anyway I digress, I hope the Humbrol works for you, I just thought you and others ought to be warned based on my experience with said brand. Cheers Chris

Hi John, I hope Humbrol have sorted out their quality problems as especially in the UK their range of Acrylics is heavily promoted and as in Canada I hate the thought that Humbrol supply an inferior product. I think that if caution is used, the paint is well mixed and tested on a piece of primed plasticard first to establish the best airbrush setup, it should work whatever the quality. However with the paint manufacturing technologies that are now available we shouldn't have to do this, they should work consistently out of the bottle after a good mixing. I was introduced to airbrushing using Humbrol enamels and never had any problems with these except when I was impatient and didn't mix or thin them properly, that was using a Badger 200 Single Action Airbrush that has long since gone. Happy days, every Saturday morning I would go to Beatties off Market St in Manchester armed with my paper round pay, buy an Airfix, Monogram or Tamiya Kit, Humbrol Enamels, and take them home for a building and painting session! When I was lucky I would have money from my relatives or parents and saved enough to buy a Hornby or Lima locomotive or wagon. These would not be painted but would still provide hours of fun :-) Cheers Chris