TomHolley

Currently, I am looking at some backscene and track options.......

 

I am thinking of using Peco Code 83 (North American) as opposed to my usual Peco Code 75 "Finescale"

 

But I have not actually seen any in the flesh......How does the rail look? Does it look good?

 

Opinions on track and backscene choice welcome!

 

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I like the third from the top back scene. I like the cloudy sky, and the almost black and white look of the scene. The Cuban flag sets the location plainly. Regards, Tom Holley

Outstanding work! You wouldn't have a track plan to share, would you?

Regards,

Tom Holley

Wow! Great looking layout. I hope when I retire I can do work one-tenth as good.

Regards,

Tom Holley, Columbus, GA, USA

I cut my railroading teeth on old ICG GP10s on the MidSouth (ex-IC) line between Meridian and Shreveport. Now I work for NS, but I wish I still had two of those old GP10s to switch with on my paper mill job. The GP10s were solid, reliable engines, and you couldn't, and in my mind still can't, beat them on a switch engine or local. Give me 5 GP10s and 9000 tons and we'll move some freight!

Thanks Seb, for a pleasant memory from my younger days.

Regards,

Tom Holley

Hi all,

 

Thanks to John, Alex, Mark, Tom, Daniel, Barry, "Y_Rail" & Simon for your comments.

 

 

 

The run around was the starting point of this layout. The track plan has been designed around it. As you have mentionned, a run around offers more switching capibilities and it is for me a "key point".

 

 

 

I mainly posted on these FB groups :

 

- HO Scale Shelf Layouts

- Micro/Small Model RR Layouts

 

PS : Sorry if my English isn't perfect.

Your English is fine...better than many Americans! Regards, Tom

Hello, list.

What is the link or name of this railroad's Facebook page?

Regards,

Tom Holley

]Wow! Great looking model railroad. A high standard to meet. Regards, Tom Holley

City limits?

 

I. Turner.

Motorcycles not allowed in it...

I think a big problem is the lack of rail lines.  Especially with Amtrak having only running rights for the Class 1s routes, youre bound to have Amtrak running on lines bordering industries, with those unprotected hand thrown points.  Unless the Class 1s want to put the money in to revamp their entire network and bring it up to modern specs, Amtrak is SOL.  

The entire situation is an awful mistake on the part of a handful of people working with an outdated and error prone system.  Its just a shame so many got caught up in that mistake.  

This is what PTC is supposed to fix.

Regards,

Tom Holley

Junctionmad said, "just a point, how can you emulate a train line brake, when in reality you have no train brakes on the cars.  I cant see your point, You simply cant and never will emulate a real locomotive and train  using a model  with the electric motor and drive train we have in current models . its simply not possible."

That's exactly right. So how does the ProtoThrottle let me operate exactly like a real engineer? It doesn't. It's a throttle with a lot of bells and whistles, but it won't let "modelers can operate just like a real engineer because the controls feel and perform just like the prototype." because they don't. I don't think that's really truthful advertising. Again, that's just my take on it. That's my issue with it.

Regards,

Tom Holley

Hello, list. Sorry for the second post. I just received a very nice email from Scott at ProtoThrottle, in which he explained to me the thought process the designers followed in omitting the trainline brake. I understand their reasoning, and I understand they have a much better grasp of the market they are selling to.

I hope the product does well; I hope at some point you can get it in the UK. It is well designed, but just doesn't do it for me. Moving on now...

Happy modeling!

Tom Holley

Dear Tom,

 

Serious question, given that DCC-controlled train-consist wagon-braking is not yet a (common*) thing, how do you model stretch-braking operations at the moment?

 

Happy Modelling,

Aim to Improve,

Prof Klyzlr

 

* I've previously built On30 logging disconnects with working manual brakes, and literally had guest operators slide-the-wheels as they tried to drag the cars out of the yard (the call from knowing onlookers to "unwind the brakes" was met with comical responses, until the train crew actual did release the brakes), but they weren't DCC... ;-)

 

PS Tom, we need to get you hooked up with Rick Mugele over on MRH, he's another modeller actively seeking a "braking against power" solution for DCC, with a layout design dependent on nailing the problem...

Hello, Prof. I don't model stretch braking at present, since I can't. The issue I have with the ProtoThrottle is they say, on their website:

Introducing the most realistic throttle for

operating model diesel locomotives – the ProtoThrottle.

With the ProtoThrottle, modelers can operate just like a real

engineer because the controls feel and perform just like the prototype.

That's just not true. You can't operate just like a real engineer; you are missing a key component: the trainline brake stand. If you are deep enough into operations to want a prototype throttle, you'll probably want to do brake tests. It's hard to do with no brake stand...show me how to make a 20 pound reduction on the ProtoThrottle. Also, there is no amp meter. That's a fairly critical piece of equipment, too. How can I blend air and dynamic braking with the ProtoThrottle? These are things I do (or did) on a daily basis...so I am somewhat biased.

In short, I can't stretch brake on my railroad now. Even after I spend a ton of money on a ProtoThrottle I still won't be able to. It's nice piece of equipment, and represents a lot of thought and work, and I respect that. I can understand its appeal, but, for me, it doesn't ring true.

What we need is an an optional trainline brake valve. That would open up a whole range of possibilities...

As far as the electronics side of simulating stretch braking, t would seem to me that as you made a reduction on the modeled brake valve, it would reduce throttle output by X amount, based on the tonnage and train length parameters you input. That way, you'd still be in whatever notch you were in when you made the reduction, and less current would go to the locomotives, thus slowing the train. As you notched down, power loss would increase, reflecting less power being applied against the train brake. You would eventually stop when the power being applied was not sufficient to overcome the braking force applied. I'm probably clear as mud here, I know...

These are just the musings of an old engineer. Take them for what they're worth.

Regards,

Tom Holley

Dear Tom,

 

Interesting, is your layout/Ops focussed on "braking against power" train handling techniques? "Dynamic era" or not, the example videos available show an impressive capability to emulate "whole train dynamic behaviour" (there is a "tonnage" or "train weight" feature included, which effects both throttle and braking behaviour).

 

If only in-person "test drives" were available... ;-)

 

Happy Modelling,

Aim to Improve,

Prof Klyzlr

 

Ps a quick check on MRH shows that the modellers actually pushing the project to fruition are IAIS modellers, who also don't have "dynamic brakes" on their prototype locos (despite modelling a "more modern era" of railroading)

Hello, Prof. Yes, my layout is based on stretch braking. Also, when switching some engineers (myself included) use the trainline to work with. When I am spotting a cut of cushion underframe boxcars or a cut of sloshing loaded tankcars, I use trainline air, usually about 10 pounds. When the foreman tells me to stop, I shut off the throttle and stop. There is very little or no roll out of slack when using trainline air while switching. Granted, some jobs don't use it, and get by with the independent. Depends on what job you're working and where you are.

It's a neat throttle, but without a trainline brake valve it just doesn't work for me. Of course, I don't have sound on my locomotives either. No speaker in HO scale can capture what I hear on a daily basis.Great if you like it, but not for me.

That is the beauty of this hobby. There are no finite rules; go with what works for you.

Regards,

Tom Holley

As far as I can see, there is no trainline brake. The independent brake valve looks to be represented, but I don't see a trainline valve. That won't work for me...I model the pre-dynamic brake days of the old Central of Georgia, and I need a 26L or 6BLbrake valve. Regards, Tom Holley

Here's a list of 1965 Andalusia, AL industries:

Across The Pond over here in the UK, I'm still finding US terms I'm unfamiliar with. In this case, "House" & "Dray" tracks. I take it the Dray is a similar term to Team Track - an expression I'm more familiar with - & refers to dray horses? & I'll guess the House Track has the Railroad-owned transfer shed on it; what in the UK would be called the Goods Shed?

 

Not my Era or Area of interest (which is mainly 1970s/80s upper Mid-West), but love the atmosphere of the photos!

You are correct; the dray track and a team track are the same thing. The house track serves the railroad's goods shed. Dray and team track got their names from the old days, when a team of horse would dray the goods from the railyard to the business. A dray/team track is a good open industry. Just about any car type can be spotted there, and sometimes you have to shuffle them about to pull a car that's empty and then put the loads back. it's a neat industry with no structure required; just a dirt or paved parking lot.

Here's a list of 1965 Andalusia, AL industries:

Love the pictures very atmospheric , more please if you have them . I have a small collection of Georgia related rolling stock tucked away for one day .....

If you'd like, I can forward the Central of Georgia Historical Society's contact info, they have many photos. These are the only two I have of Andalusia.

The tracks are as follows, top to bottom: top track is the dray track, next down is the house track, the mainline is third from the top, and the warehouse is the bottom track. The stub track with the crossing is the west leg of the wye (not modeled). The crossover by the depot was removed sometime in the 1940s; no one knows exactly when, and trains ran the wye to runaround the consist. No room for the wye, so I left the crossovers in.

The action will be arriving, running around the train, and working the house and dray. There were a lot of customers on the dray track...when I find a list I'll post it.

Regards,

Tom Holley

Here's Andalusia in 1949. It shows the atmosphere I'm trying to capture.

Hello, List.

Please find a drawing of a potential branchline terminal set in south Alabama on the old Central of Georgia. My father and grandfather both held seniority there, and I would too if the line was still down. It's a highly condensed version of Andalusia, AL, the station area only. I had to omit the wye because of space considerations.

Pavo, GA isn't built yet. After a ceiling collapse and a change at work, I put it on hold. I also wanted, deep down inside, to model a place where my family worked. Pavo was on a different seniority district.

So, for what it's worth, here's Almost Andalusia, AL. If you want more info, let me know.

Regards,

Tom Holley

So we are basically back to where we started:

 

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I have been staring at this layout now for quite a while so I have kind of lost all perspective with it!

 

Please let me know if you have any constructive feedback

 

There are a couple of things I need to sort: I think the two palm trees either side of the small building look a bit odd or the placement of the building between them is unnatural......

The palm trees look okay to me. And the layout looks great. Superlative work as always. Regards, Tom Holley

If I can offer my excuses .

 

I'm involved in the UK based Freemo thing , which is good as it gave me a kick up the behind to actually produce something , and I certainly enjoy the operations side of things there,

 

I'd like to build something smaller and more manageable for home use , but this is where the log jam begins - I have use of a 12x8 spare room , ideally for a shelf layout as the good lady would like to be able to use the room as well.

 

The dilemma is whether to build a fixed home-only layout , or something sectional that could be exhibited. And that's before I start on the layout ideas I have, which so far include:

 

Norfolk Southern based on the C line in Georgia 

A layout based on Gambles /Eighty Four PA , though not necessarily using Allegheny Valley Railroad power

A layout based on Humboldt Industrial Park in West Hazelton PA , which I can kind of fit into an L-shape around the walls

A version of Chris Gilbert's North Haston - something relatively small and achievable 

 

And so , for now , I do nothing but wish I did have a layout to run...

Please PM me about the C Line in Georgia. Regards, Tom Holley

Just a quick photo with my iPhone showing the overall presentation of the layout:

 

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Outstanding...just outstanding. Regards, Tom Holley

Thank you Tom.

 

Your photos are great!

 

I like especially this one:

 

 

...and the A&M Alcos!

 

Southern black and white scheme is nice! The high nose GP-30s look big engines.

 

Thank you to share.

Hello, Jack. Thanks for the kind words. Those photos are the tip of the iceberg; I have many more to scan and post. I just don't have the time. When I retire I'll try to be more productive.

The Chattahoochie Valley Alco was one of two engines they had; they also had a SW1500. They were owned by a textile mill company, and ran from West Point, GA to Bleecker, AL. They were abandoned in the 1980s when the cotton mills went out of business.

Regards,

Tom Holley

Waow! That's interesting Tom.

 

10,000 tons? That's impressive. Here in France when we can see 2,000 tons trains it's great!

 

What kind of switcher do you drive? Have you a photo please?

I am currently on a paper mill switch engine at Coosa Pines, AL. Our power is usually a CSXT four axle engine and a NS four axle engine. Our power this week has been NS 4627. I normally don't take pictures at work, but I'll see if I can get you one next week. I am offline Saturday nights through Thursday, as I rent a place up there and don't have Internet access. I'll be back and send you a shot on Thursday.

I also have a web site with photos I took in the 1970s and 1980s in and around Columbus, GA of Southern Railway power. Feel free to take a look. The address is: https://tomstrainpictures.shutterfly.com/pictures/8. Feel free to take a look.

Regards,

Tom Holley