Talltim Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I forgot to get the MR Sept issue, time for a visit to Sheffield Transport Models this lunchtime, they always have loads of back issuesWell if he had it I couldn't find it! I have to say I don't understand his mag buying policy, there's 10 copies of some back issues of RMC! Had a bit of a move around since I last went, it's gone from interestingly overstocked to fire hazard IMHO Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiles Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Just spent a most enjoyable lunch hour at work reading this thread from beginning to end. Enjoyed it so much I've actually forgotten to eat! All I can say it you've made a fantastic job of this layout, as was said fairly early on it really looks "US built". That's very much a good thing! It's also jogged my memory to a crate of semi-forgotten NS, CSX and Guilford N gauge models I have tucked away in the dark recesses of my railway room. Been rather distracted by European models for the last few years. It may well be time to go stateside again! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Well if he had it I couldn't find it! I have to say I don't understand his mag buying policy, there's 10 copies of some back issues of RMC! Had a bit of a move around since I last went, it's gone from interestingly overstocked to fire hazard IMHO I completely agree, that's what I meant by "If you can fit through the door". I really hope the proprietor doesn't smoke or the whole street could go up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TotalLamer Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Possible, depending on how many pigs there were. But pigs are pretty much the lightest trains out there (except roadrailers I guess). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Just spent a most enjoyable lunch hour at work reading this thread from beginning to end. Enjoyed it so much I've actually forgotten to eat! All I can say it you've made a fantastic job of this layout, as was said fairly early on it really looks "US built". That's very much a good thing! It's also jogged my memory to a crate of semi-forgotten NS, CSX and Guilford N gauge models I have tucked away in the dark recesses of my railway room. Been rather distracted by European models for the last few years. It may well be time to go stateside again! The Dark Side will always beckon.... or some such nonsense. What’s not to like, seriously? You can always have a layout of each, US, British and European - they do not have to be big to be enjoyable. Good luck, Pete. Edited October 18, 2014 by trisonic 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted October 18, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 18, 2014 The Dark Side will always beckon.... or some such nonsense. What’s not to like, seriously? You can always have a layout of each, US, British and European - they do not have to be big to be enjoyable. Good luck, Pete. Certainly true - here's my French effort, all 4 foot of it: Admittedly it's been the seed for ideas about a bigger layout, but in the meantime I've had a tremendous amount of fun out of it and I still find things to tweak and improve every time it gets out for an exhibition. Not bad for a layout built 8 years ago on a piece of scrap. In the long run, and touch wood etc, I'd also like to build a Dutch-themed layout which might end up sharing some common elements with the French one. And then there's my small collection of 7mm GWR stuff, not to mention a couple of Shays and a Heisler in HO, just begging for a small logging module... Hey, it's all good fun, isn't it? 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 .....Just LOVE that backscene!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Funny isn’t it - ever since I was a kid (i.e. before my Italian wife was even born) I always fancied an Italian layout because I liked that turd-like livery back then, now they are back courtesy of Hornby/Rivarossi. I’ve even discovered a kit maker for the OHLE hardware that is so distinctive. Nice bit of French urban grot (the sewage outflow in a nice touch), Al. Best, Pete. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I love the idea of a Dutch branch of Cogirep! i do so love that layout, especially (and I know I'm repeating myself) the backscene. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
highpeak Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I completely agree, that's what I meant by "If you can fit through the door". I really hope the proprietor doesn't smoke or the whole street could go up! It's the only model shop I know that needs to work on the staff and ticket system for its customers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted November 26, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2014 Shock, horror - I've actually been running a few trains on the layout again. I must admit my interest in the N scale stuff more or less dropped off over the last few months as I could see the finish line on the 4mm layout and I wanted to crack on with that. In that time I allowed the GA&E to get cluttered up with all sorts of stuff, ranging from 7mm Prairies to 4mm Parkside wagons to French HO pacifics, but finally I had a good tidy up and sent a few trains around for good measure. One thing I've noticed is that layouts run better than more you use them! The downside of that is if you don't use them for a while, they can be a bit slow to get back to the normal operating standard. I had to zap a point with contact cleaner to get the solenoid to fire, and all my Peco-type polarity switches needed a few cycles before they started working properly, presumably because of oxidation on the contacts. Trains were a bit hesitant at first as well, but after a few loops all settled down as before. I must admit I've learned this lesson the hard way in the past and sworn I would run a few trains every few days just to keep the layout in shape, but it's all too easy to get distracted by whatever's the new shiny thing of the week. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted December 1, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 1, 2014 A few snaps showing the very minor progress of recent months, all of which has been centered around the new yard on the peninsula. Mostly it's just been a slow addition of plaster scenery, rocks, overgrowth etc as and when the mood suits me, with a bit of ballasting here and there. Still waiting to be fully painted, weathered and bedded down are these Walthers yard office structures. Like all Walthers kits they go together very satisfyingly. I had a moment with the brick office. I was adding the last of the four railings on the front steps when it pinged off my tweezers into hyperspace, or so it seemed. After an exhaustive search I could only conclude that it had fallen down between the floorboards. The only solution was to attempt to scratchbuild a replacement railing using plastic rod, and I don't think it's all that bad a job. Hopefully any differences will vanish when the railings are painted in a suitably dull colour. Finally, a shot of the waybill boxes next to the yard, showing that we're beginning to get into proper operations. Eventually I'll paint the boxes the same green as the fascia, and redo the labels. Cheers and thanks for reading. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted December 4, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 4, 2014 I've begun to fill in the land around the tracks which will eventually form the "platform" of the depot, except that in typically North American style it'll be at track height. Other than in the major cities such as Boston and New York, I don't think I've ever got on an Amtrak train from anything than ground level and all the rural stations I've seen are similarly low. I've still to build the depot itself. I have a small built-up depot elsewhere on the layout but it doesn't look quite imposing enough for this area. Chances are it'll be the Walthers Pella kit, with a couple of small local stores and a hotel behind it. The nice thing about the peninsula is that I get a view of the depot and yard from more than one angle: Apologies for all the wires hanging down onto the layout from the 4mm one. I'll tuck them back away when I've finished adding a signal and some more lights to the other layout, but it would be pointless doing it now. It doesn't stop trains running, which is the main thing. Cheers and thanks for reading! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I've begun to fill in the land around the tracks which will eventually form the "platform" of the depot, except that in typically North American style it'll be at track height. Other than in the major cities such as Boston and New York, I don't think I've ever got on an Amtrak train from anything than ground level and all the rural stations I've seen are similarly low. The North-East Corridor has high-level platforms. Outside of that, lines mostly have low (track) level platforms, including in major cities. Adrian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted December 5, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2014 Hi Al, have you found the missing staircase rail yet? Lost things usually turn up just when you've built the replacement! These overview shots are interesting. They really highlight how much foliage there is on the layout, and how effective it is. I like the curving fascia, so much more attractive than the square lines most of us tend to use. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted December 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2014 Hi Al, have you found the missing staircase rail yet? Lost things usually turn up just when you've built the replacement! These overview shots are interesting. They really highlight how much foliage there is on the layout, and how effective it is. I like the curving fascia, so much more attractive than the square lines most of us tend to use. I expect that piece to turn up any minute! As for the fascia, yes, I'm pleased with the curviness of it, and I think it makes the layout look a bit larger than if it was all right angles. It's a real mixture of stuff, though, ranging from cardboard, perspex, normal and bendy MDF... but it all sort of blends together when painted. The only snag is finding enough straight bits of the fascia to mount those waybill boxes on in a semi-logical place, but I think I've just about got it worked out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 That peninsula is looking fantastic. Hopefully you'll have it finished for when those SD40-2's turn up, as it'll give me an excuse to deliver them personally. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted December 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2014 That peninsula is looking fantastic. Hopefully you'll have it finished for when those SD40-2's turn up, as it'll give me an excuse to deliver them personally. More than welcome, Dan! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 If you don't already have one, Walthers is having a sale on their DL109s, including two units in Southern - 6400/6401, the CNOTP pair that were bought, along with 2 DL110 B-units, for the all-heavyweight Ponce de Leon. They are very nice units except that they require a bit of chassis modification to add DCC to. And they are ugly, in a very stylish way. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/929-50206 http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/929-50207 http://www.spookshow.net/loco/lldl109.html Actually, some references say the CNOTP locos were DL107s and DL108s and only the single Southern set were DL109/DL110s, but since they are visually indistinguishable and most references call all the various DL units DL109s and DL110s... Nobody makes the B-units except in brass, but I have seen a photo of 6400 and 6401 working back to back as the power for the Ponce de Leon. Adrian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted December 13, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 13, 2014 If you don't already have one, Walthers is having a sale on their DL109s, including two units in Southern - 6400/6401, the CNOTP pair that were bought, along with 2 DL110 B-units, for the all-heavyweight Ponce de Leon. They are very nice units except that they require a bit of chassis modification to add DCC to. And they are ugly, in a very stylish way. Thanks Adrian - I do have one of the Walthers DL109s, and as you say it's not particularly DCC friendly. I had to send mine to Streamlined Backshop in the States for conversion (along with my Walthers E6). As for the looks ... yeah. I'm going with ugly, but at least they're interestingly different. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I've begun to fill in the land around the tracks which will eventually form the "platform" of the depot, except that in typically North American style it'll be at track height. Other than in the major cities such as Boston and New York, I don't think I've ever got on an Amtrak train from anything than ground level and all the rural stations I've seen are similarly low. Low, but at least a foot or so above track level. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 13, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 13, 2014 Most Amtrak stations that have had rebuilt platforms are now like this. Santa Barbara is the same but the old platforms were at rail level or lower. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
long island jack Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I would have thought the period that Barrys modeling,they would have been about 8" or lower. Ray 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted December 13, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 13, 2014 Barry, is there a thread about this French layout on RMWeb? Colin The original build was in 2006/2007 so on one of the long-lost versions of the forum but I did recap it over here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56643-cogirep/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinw62 Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Thanks Barry I'd just found it and tried to post a link as I'd not seen your reply, somehow managed to delete my post in the process! Colin 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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