MikeHohn

Beautiful model. I'm looking forward to seeing it complete with paint.

Even at such an incomplete stage, your scene looks remarkably better than when it was simply track. I guess because the track arrangement now makes sense and everything appears in scale. You've attained nice flowing track work, true artistry in my opinion.

I've reached the age where I'm the one running to the toilet too often.

Great photos, as usual. Interesting contrast between the Susquehanna's traditional-look livery and the very functional I&W paint. Both are very sharp. It's nice to check in every so often and see new examples of your work. Mike

Daniel, I like the new look. More muted, grungier. Looking back at your early work on this layout, I think you've made a big improvement. Mike

Those are beautiful models. It seems almost nobody models contemporary rail in the U.S., hard to understand with high quality models like these available. Mike

Nice seeing some new photos. I see a few GE and EMD units but the Alco's are a definite standout, to me at least.

Daniel, Thanks for posting the photos. Nice seeing your work in detail from several perspectives. I particularly like the Handy Company sign, your rolling stock weathering, and the covered hopper unloading facility. Sounds like you found the show very rewarding. Mike

Agree. As interesting and instructive it is to view from angles showing how you're building things, that street view was the one I spent the most time. I like that empty, bleak look. Very effective. Mike

Nice photos of a neat prototype. Especially the blue. I like how you composed the photos. Mike

Your weathering lends a look of real mass to your locomotive, especially in the track-level photos. Well done. Mike

My own modeling started to change about a decade and a half ago when a friend and I modified a track arrangement on part of our club layout. As the scene we were creatng expanded with lengthy sidings and appropriate space for buildings it became more realistic in both looks and operations. Basically we took several small scenes with short track segments and melded them into one large scene. I'm constantly doing the same with my own layout which runs around the perimeter of a room above a garage: longer sidings and larger structures without any truncation if I can get aay with it. I have the Lance Mndheim's book on operating small layouts which provided more help. Railroad Model Craftsman ran an article in late 2000 about a modern shortline serving a small city (Batavia, NY); this rr stored its locomotive in a metal building on a customer's property. Obviously, I like what you've done. Mike

Ah, Trevor Marshall. I always like to see his name in the byline of an article and I check his blog regularly. He is a good example of how paying attention to details in operations enhances modeling. Mike

You can't go wrong with that approach. Doing a little calculating, I don't think the 11 rail cars on your layout is so few. If you count the 11 cars off the layout that will replace them during an op session, I get 22 cars. And unless you're going to just switch the same two groups of cars on and off, you could have another 11 cars that you moved off in the previous session, so now you're up to 33. Yes, of course I simplify, and I am making assumptions on how you will operate, and I know you would likely not switch all cars in a session, but if you're operating scheme involves moving cars on and off the layout via an interchange track or yard, then you have to count the cars waiting in the wings to come onstage. That's the point my simple equation is trying to make. Mike

Well, ok, I guess you're almost back to the original track arrangement but seems to me you've made some important changes along the way. You have fewer but longer sidings which straightaway makes everything look more realistic. Also, you recognized early on that the four track yard was just too much and reduced it to two, which looks better and doesn't waste real estate on turnouts. Even with no scenery there is an open work-in-progress look of a modern industrial park. Mike

Dan, It's looking good! My wife and I were walking along a similar looking area on Sunday and I was pointing out where the track was and the loading doors and disused, broken down loading docks etc etc. It's a rail trail now and after so many years of walking it one sort of runs out of scintillating conversation. Your scene looks like a rail trail lies in its future. Nice modeling. Mike

I enjoyed the video, as I enjoy seeing photos of your work. Do you find filming the action in your layout motivates work on scenery, structures etc? - Mike

Sounds like the eagle has left the aerie . . . . . . for now.

Pretty iconic in the US also: http://www.trafficsign.us/650/guide/i-7.gif

I'm in the middle of trying to weather some commercial buildings, including a metal awning for a dock, so I can't help but notice the nice job done on your grain elevator. Subtle, effective. I also like the locomotives, of course. Keep'em coming! (Is there an echo in here?) Mike

Yes, looks like cut-down version of the shed in this: https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3036 Mike

I decided to check the accuracy of my statement and found this: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-Like Amazing what you find on the web, but I guess that's a cliche these days. Mike

I remember this was a popular model when LifeLike released it. Seems to be popular with preservationists too; about 10% of the 59 built are extant today. The original LifeLike models had an issue with the plastic gear breaking if I remember correctly. Nevertheless, models they issued during this period were a real improvement over their regular range of inexpensive but poor-running locomotives and proved that qualify could trump perception. Mike

My modest addition to the world of 1950's high hoods. Added a winterization hatch and weathered to match a photo. Although an Alco fan, everything early is good. I have enjoyed the photos I see here of RS's and Century's. Mike

Actually I realize that. Just pretend my pedantry is humorous. Meanwhile. I enjoy these photos for the high hood first-generation diesels.