Wendell1976

Here's a pair of beautiful pictures of a Royal Gorge Route Railroad excursion train near Canon City, Colorado. The train is running in its namesake gorge alongside the Arkansas River in both pictures. Canon City is about 40 miles(64 kilometers) west-northwest of Pueblo and about 120 road-miles(192 road-kilometers) south of Denver. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/782050/ https://www.railpictures.net/photo/803874/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a picture of the DC Streetcar in Washington, DC. The streetcar is running down H Street Northeast(an alphabet street) at the intersection of Third Street Northeast. The DC Streetcar is owned by the District of Columbia Department of Transportation(DDOT) and is not part of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority(WMATA). https://www.railpictures.net/photo/568836/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_Streetcar Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a new picture of a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority(LA Metro) light rail train in Downtown Los Angeles. The train is crossing over the Hollywood Freeway(U.S. Route 101, US-101, or "The 101") during the morning rush hour commute. The iconic Los Angeles City Hall building is in the background(white). https://www.railpictures.net/photo/838718/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a new picture of a CSX Transportation train in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. The train is lead by a Union Pacific Railroad locomotive and is traversing South First Avenue. Elizabeth is a suburb of Pittsburgh. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/839509/ Wendell Idaho, USA

The last time I was in the Moab area was in 2012 when I drove on U.S. Route 191(US-191) as a professional truck driver. Eastern Utah is one of my favorite places here in the United States. I really love the kaleidoscope of reds on those rocks and arches. Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a couple of newer pictures of a Union Pacific Railroad train near Moab, Utah. The train is running through Bootlegger Canyon on the Cane Creek Branch. The Corona Arch is visible in both pictures. Moab is 235 road-miles(376 road-kilometers) southeast of Salt Lake City. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/831336/ https://www.railpictures.net/photo/831270/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Nice video clip of the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad. Much of the former North Shore Line route is now the Green Bay Trail. Metra's Union Pacific North Line runs between Downtown Chicago and Kenosha, Wisconsin today for commuter train service. I have ridden on this Metra line many times when I was in active duty with the United States Navy at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_North_Shore_and_Milwaukee_Railroad https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_North_Line Wendell Idaho, USA

Most of the route for the Metro A Line(formerly Blue Line) between Downtown Los Angeles and suburban Long Beach, California is on a former Pacific Electric line. However, the street running trackage in the City of Los Angeles(on Washington Boulevard and Flower Street) is a newer route. The trains on this route have traffic signal priority. Nice video clip of the Pacific Electric Railway from Downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach via my hometown of Compton, California. Wendell Idaho, USA

In the August 2020 issue of Model Railroader magazine, Lance Mindheim created an article about learning the basic skills in building a layout by using a single piece of lumber. Mindheim created a one-turnout layout called the Practice Plank RR in HO scale. The layout measures only 72 inches(182.88 centimeters) in length and 8 inches(20.32 centimeters) in width. The area of the Practice Plank RR is only 4 square feet/576 square inches(3,716.1216 square centimeters) and it is a true, micro layout by the late Carl Arendt standards. Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a new picture of a New Jersey Transit light rail train in Jersey City, New Jersey. The train is running down Essex Street. Jersey City is a large suburb of New York City. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/832751/ Wendell Idaho, USA

I had just saw this today. Here is the new locomotive paint scheme that the CPKC Railway is going to bring out very soon: https://www.railwayage.com/mechanical/locomotives/first-look-cpkcs-new-livery-design/ Wendell Idaho, USA

In the June 2023 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine, Ken Hutnik built a detailed HO scale narrow gauge layout that is 10 inches(25.4 centimeters) long and 8 inches(20.32 centimeters) wide. You read that last sentence correctly. The layout is only 80 square inches(516.128 square centimeters) in area which is LESS THAN ONE SQUARE FOOT(929.0304 square centimeters)! Hutnik built a farm market scene with a rail truck going around a loop of track. This is proof that everyone has room to build a layout including urbanites(e.g.- Angelenos, New Yorkers, Torontonians, Londoners). Wendell Idaho, USA

Ray, I had read your article in the May 2023 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. You are doing an awesome job with your layout. Keep up the good work! Wendell Idaho, USA

The Option 1 design is okay, except for the black coloring, in my opinion. Having a lot of black paint on the locomotive looks too much like a Canadian National locomotive. Wendell Idaho, USA

This article is from four days ago. CPKC employees will be selecting a new locomotive livery via a survey. I like Option 2 the best, but Option 3 is okay. https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/cpkc-employees-will-select-railways-new-locomotive-livery/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Here is some more information about the N scale Salt Lake Route layout that was featured in the Model Railroader magazine using Kato Unitrack: https://www.trains.com/mrr/beginners/free-downloads/the-salt-lake-route/ Here is some information about the HO scale Black River Junction layout that the Model Railroader staff had built using Kato Unitrack: https://www.greatesthobby.com/get-started/bbrj-part-1 https://www.greatesthobby.com/get-started/bbrj-part-2 https://www.greatesthobby.com/get-started/bbrj-part-3 https://www.greatesthobby.com/get-started/bbrj-part-4 All of this information is for everyone. By the way, Nathan, you have a nice layout. Keep up the good work! Wendell Idaho, USA

Nathan, there is nothing wrong with using sectional track on your layout. You had selected the best brand of sectional track! I love Kato Unitrack because it is reliable and looks like real track. I have Kato Unitrack in N and HO scale. Many modelers use Kato Unitrack exclusively on their layouts. Here is a video on why this model railroader uses Kato Unitrack on his large N scale layout: Here is a N scale track plan of the Salt Lake Route layout that was in the Model Railroader magazine: https://www.trains.com/mrr/how-to/track-plan-database/the-salt-lake-route/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a present-day cab video of LA Metro's(Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) Metro A Line(formerly Blue Line) route between suburban Long Beach, California and Downtown Los Angeles. Before the 14-minute mark, the light rail train will depart the Downtown Long Beach station at First Street and run down Pacific Avenue, Eighth Street, and Long Beach Boulevard within the City of Long Beach. From the 45-minute mark to the 58-minute mark, the train will traverse Washington Boulevard and Flower Street within the City of Los Angeles. Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a video of San Diego Trolley's Orange Line route between Downtown San Diego and suburban El Cajon, California. Between the 6-minute mark and the 12-minute mark, the light rail train is running down Commercial Street in San Diego. Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a short 2013 video of a LA Metro light rail train in Los Angeles. The Metro Blue Line(now Metro A Line) train is running down Washington Boulevard between the San Pedro Street station and the Grand Avenue station. Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a beautiful picture of a Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad excursion train near Durango, Colorado. The train is traveling on the High Line alongside the Animas River. This picture would make a nice scene on a N scale or Z scale model railroad layout! Durango is in the Four Corners area(where the States of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico form four perpendicular right angles) and is 334 road-miles(534.4 road-kilometers) southwest of Denver. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/805369/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a new picture of a CPKC Railway train in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. The train is rounding Morant's Curve within Banff National Park. Lake Louise is about 110 miles(176 kilometers) west of Calgary via Trans-Canada Highway 1(TCH-1). https://www.railpictures.net/photo/831463/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a picture of a Union Pacific Railroad train in Houston, Texas. This executive train is led by a Big Boy steam locomotive. The downtown skyline is in the background. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/779827/ Wendell Idaho, USA

Those Kansas City Southern "Southern Belle" locomotives look very nice with the red, yellow, and black coloring. A lot of us railroad fans are waiting for the CPKC to decide what official color scheme they want to use long term for their locomotives. I am guessing the CPKC will use a simple color combination of red and white since the Canadian Pacific Railway bought out the Kansas City Southern Railway. Wendell Idaho, USA

Here's a new picture of a new and improved CPKC Railway train in Dallas, Texas. The military train is heading eastbound to the yard in suburban Wylie. The Downtown Dallas skyline is in the background. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/830100/ Wendell Idaho, USA