JAMO

Santa Fe is a nice scheme. I have a lot in HO.

Ah! I'm not alone! To resist to the charms of the O gauge? Yes, but I think one day you'll have a try like me. And now I'm hooked by this magical scale. I still like N and HO scale. Each scale has its advantages. Thank you for your compliments. I have a lot of fun modelling O scale trains.

:D Yes, at this time, I have more locos than track but I have too: more cars than track: 12 locomotives and a near 30 cars. :D

And one Alco more... my RS-1.

You said you must resist? Why? Can I help you..... A small layout like a diorama... 4 to 6 foot long, a turnout... 2 or 3 cars... a nice scenery with grass between the rails... the theatre is open! Be careful: it's dangerous to walk along the trackside.

More photos: I've opened my Alco boxes too... With my Rio Grande RS-3 Families photos with my S-2

I told that to my friend: "A friend of mine from an English forum has the same locomotive". That's a nice one.

Yes Ray, that's right! Too clean! That's a nice photo of a dusty D&H engine. I don't be angry about this locomotive: my friend is a painter artist. His weathering will be perfect. He needs more spare time to upgrade the look of this Alco. I hope to show the same but weahtered model soon.

My friend's RS-3 just out from the box

Yesterday, a friend of mine who comes from Belgium visited the Iowa Central. He came with his blue & gray D&H RS-3 Alco. Photos... The colors are really better to see in reality. What a nice engine indeed!

Yes, I've written a simple article with photos of the making of this Alco. Daniel Dawdy from O Scale Ressource mag. asked me to make this article. I'm pleased and amazed to see te result. The cover is my Alco on my French layout.

Thanks to all!

Here is the video after a post mounting. I've added a sound track of a real Alco S-2.

Hello all! My wiring is completed. The first train has ran on Wednesday. I've made some videos.

Very nice work Ray!

I've began to wire the frogs and the whole 1st part of the layout. Today, I've completed 70% of the layout. I hope to run the first trains by tomorrow afternoon! I don't use "chocolate blocks" to connect the wires. I prefer to solder the wires together with the help of unexpensive pieces of code 100 rail. The contacts are perfects. Photos are better than a long speech... And a little of information about this switch: The switch helps to decide what controller I'll use on a special part of the track: the curve which connects the yard to the shortline. Switch on the left: the curve will be powered by the yard controller. Switch on the center: no current on the track (I'll can stop a locomotive here). Switch on the right: the curve will be connected to the right controler. The switch isn't definitively installed. I'll put it on the fascia on the layout later.

That's a nice layout! I understand you want to test the operations.

Thank you for the video link. Nice!

I like this wooden trestle!

Ah yes!

Oh yes, please! Set the whole layout to see the result... with a lot of photos!

That's very nice! I like this industrial ambiance!

Thank you Jordan. Yes the blades stay against the stock rails. The Caboose Hobbies ground throw have an internal spring. That's very useful. But with the switch to change the polarity of the frog, it's not important if the blade don't make a contact. That's the switch which works. The electricity contact is reliable. I do that on all of my layouts from N to O. I've tried to make something simple and reliable for years but I need to have access for future maintenance. I begin by choosing a small nice piece of 5 mm plywood I don't use small screws to fix the switch: I use a copper wire. It's stronger because the screws have only 5 mm thickness. On the back, I solder the two copper ends together. I use two pieces of a brass tube and some code 100 rail, soldered together. I fix this part with metal wire and solder like the switch. And I use a code 75 rail and a square piece of 1 mm rod to make the slider The rod will be connected in the PCB between the blades. I make long holes to screw the piece under the layout. The code 75 rail push the switch and the frog will change of polarity. Once installed and adjusted, I've just to connect the 2 stock rail feeders (L and R) and the frog on the common.

Thank you Daniel! Yes, I'll continue to show the progress on the layout. My work isn't perfect but I have a lot of fun with modeling and I like to share my work here. I'm not far to see a train running. Of course, I'll make a video to share with you and with all the enthusiasts. The next step will be to make the switch to change the polarity of the turnouts' frogs. Stay tuned...

More work on my layout... I've insulated the PCB sleepers and installed Caboose Hobbies HO turnout throws models.