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Thanks for watching. I do not have a diagram of my layout at this time. I worked from a plan I drew in pencil on 1/4" square graph paper back in 2011, and I pretty well trashed it while building the layout. You are not the only one to ask for a diagram, so perhaps I should make an effort to create a new one! In the meantime, I can tell you the grade from one deck to the other is a steady 1/4" to the foot, which works out to about 2.2%, which is actually a little less than the prototype grade just below Crawfords. There is somewhere around a 28' run from Portland (0" elevation) on the lower deck to the start of the helix, so the track is already more than 6" elevation when it starts the helix, Track radius in the helix is 27", with the minimum radius on the Mountain Division at 24", and the Portland Division mainline on the lower deck minimum radius is 30". I wish I had space to go bigger, but we all live with what we have!

@@donaldsauret5850 Thanks for the reply Don. I'm trying to picture your layout, so in the absence of a diagram, I've studied your layout tour video (the 3 parts) and I have few questions for you. If you want to head toward the Mountain Division (to reach the upper deck), you leave the Rigby Yard, and go around the backdrop to the Commerce Street yard. In the Commerce Yard, there are two lines that come off of the passenger main and head into tunnels; you would take the one closest to the backdrop (the other line goes toward Bangor....does that line actually go anywhere or just end in the tunnel?). You can see that the Mountain line is already starting to climb in the yard as the line appears to be slightly elevated compared to the Bangor line (and you mentioned that the line has already climbed 6" by the time it enters the helix just after the Mt. Willard Dwelling).....is this correct? .....the Steam Excursion video seems to confirm this. The 4 loops of the helix then bring the train up the Crawford Station (and the upper deck), your pass the ball signal and then head into St. Johnsbury.....still correct? After the passenger main enters St. Johnsbury, it then curves to the right as it leaves the yard.....is that the line that runs behind Crawford Station and into the helix? Is the helix a double track or single track? If the track leaving St. Johnsbury does go into the helix, does it travel all the way down and come out into the Rigby Yard? Or is the upper deck 'run' to Crawfords / St. Johnsbury yard just one big reversing loop and the train entering the helix from St. Johnsbury eventually comes out by the Mt. Willard Section house? From the Steam Excursion video Part 1, the train leaving St. Johnsbury DOES take that track, it goes behind Crawfords, comes out by the Mt. Willard section house and eventually into the Commerce Street Yard headed toward Rigby Yard. Correct?..... Please clarify. The Steam Excursion Part 1 is a really NEAT video; it's my favorite. In that video, it seems that after the train comes into Rigby Yard from Commerce Street, it goes under the helix and re-emerges back into Rigby Yard; is there a reversing loop under the helix. I'm really looking forward to your answers. One last question: did you scratch build the Mt. Willard Section house and the Crawford Notch Station or are they modified kits. Great work Don!!

@@billkobza3322 Let's see if I can answer your questions. The Mountain Division branches off the Bangor main as it passes the farm house, and immediately begins to climb. It enters the tunnel closest to the backdrop. The second tunnel portal, the one closer to the Commercial Street tracks, goes under the buildings of Commercial Street and branches into 5 staging tracks. These staging tracks are accessible from the other side of the wall, which is in my garage. They come back to a single mainline track under the helix and emerge at the opposite end of Portland, completing a loop. Therefore, trains heading to Bangor staging return from Boston the next day, and vice-versa. You are correct, there is a reverse loop under the helix. The area where the staging trains and the mountain trains disappear under the town was a particular scenic challenge. A friend asked, "you ever been to Bellows Falls?" I said I had, and that steep road and the track under the gray and red buildings was inspired by Bellows falls. Not a model of, just inspired by! You can Google it if you are not familiar! As for the Mountain Division, you have it correct all the way to St. J! Leaving St. J the track does go behind the backdrop, re-joining the top of the helix through a switch just out of sight near the "Gateway". The helix is single track, and the entire upper deck, St. Johnsbury and all, is on one big reverse loop. It is possible to continuous run from Portland to St. J and back unattended, as there are optical sensors to trip the reverse loop switches at either end. I don't normally do that, but it is possible. When the train re-joins the helix at the top of the grade, the run back to Portland is the same line that went up to Crawfords. The Commercial Street area is a dead end, but provides quite a lot of traffic as the interchange tracks hold over 30 cars. The area has expanded some now since the video, and there are a total of 5 industrial tracks and the two long interchange tracks there, and one run-around. Really a fun place for the operators! You have pretty well figured out the plan. Good job! The Crawford Notch station, the Mt. Willard section house, and several other smaller structures were scratch built in the 1980's for me by Glenn Bartolotti, who is well known for his military models and figures. The following link will take you to one of his videos. th-cam.com/video/_fz6gtVq22Y/w-d-xo.html I'm sure Glenn would also appreciate a view and comments! You are why we do this.

Yeah, me too. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for the comment. I have been thinking of a follow-up with a few more little kinks I have discovered along the way.

You are most welcome. I now have a total of 7 of these, and they continue to be a delight to run. No further issues! I have one more unit reserved, and anticipate a follow up long term report when the final unit is in service a while.

The layout is DCC (Digital Command Control), so all locomotives have their own "address" and are independently controlled. The track has approximately 14V at all times. If you are referring to the track switches, or turnouts, they are operated by small (SG90) servos under the roadbed, controlled from a nearby control panel. I hope I understood the question correctly.

The "Overview" video will show explain some of the details mentioned above. th-cam.com/video/vIpIsNDumwA/w-d-xo.html

Thank you for that information!

Agreed. I now have seven of these RS-3's, and one more on advance order. I may do a follow up video when I get my last (?) one. They surely are great running and great looking models.

Fantastic...i did like much these,including Delaware e Hudson Paint scheme... Sorry for my english and greetings from Brazil.

@@maquetedoalto I too like the D&H scheme. I'm trying hard not to find a reason to have more RS-3's!

Thank you very much! Very glad to hear I was inspirational! Hope to see video soon!

@@HappyHoboTrains I have a few on my you tube. Nothing recently

I couldn't agree more!

My mother was born in Portland, and the family lived in Maine until I was 16. We moved to Michigan in 1959, but my heart will always be in Maine.

Thanks for your comments. I do have some ideas for some new video, but it make take me some time.

@@HappyHoboTrains Good content takes time

Yes, aside from the motor issues I mentioned, they have been a delight. I actually have a pair of Maine Central on pre-order, and a Canadian Pacific as well, which I am looking forward to, but It's a good thing they don't all come at once! I may do a follow-up long term review after the Maine Central units arrive, to confirm that the quality is still high.

That's a great suggestion, and couldn't agree more. I should have included that tip, and will keep it in mind if I do an update on this video.

Thank you very much!

Thank you very much!

Thanks for watching, and your kind comments. I've found it doesn't take a lot of friction to make a big difference.

Thank you for watching!

Thanks for the kind comments, and thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching!

Handrails are pretty flexible. It's tough to make something this fine that isn't a bit fragile, but I must say that I haven't had an issue with the 5 units I have owned . The B&M units are over a year old now, and no damage so far! The CV and GT units are still good, but not a year old yet. I really don't think they will be a problem.

@@HappyHoboTrains Thanks, I will pre-order the 2 CofG units. Best Regards, Bill.

Not sure of the location of the wye, but the loco was gone for about 15 minutes for the turn-around. So glad you liked the video!

Hello! It's been a long time since Michigan for me. (1966) I am now across Tampa Bay from Anna Maria Island, in Apollo Beach. Thanks for your comments!

Thank you! I felt that Bowser's efforts should be acknowledged, as this is a very nice job. I didn't mention: separately applied door handles!

It's always great to hear from old friends! Thank you for your comments!

A haunting sound, for sure!

Glad you enjoyed it.

This is a link to the product I used: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07413VR8X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We were on Church street for 20 years, and the store faced Hillsborough Avenue. Moved to Waters Avenue in 1993, and sold the store retired in 2003. Now I'm just a model railroader!

@@HappyHoboTrains Yeah I'm sure I was there. Great shop. I lived in Town n' Country from '72-'77 (stationed at MacDill for my last couple years). I miss it. Visited again in 2014 and couldn't believe how things had grown! When I was there the west side kinda ended at Sheldon road, now it seems to go all the way to the Gulf! Thanx for doing your channel.

@@mikeychris1989 And thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Thanks for watching, Dennis!

All the units were bought with DCC and sound except the CV unit. I had a Loksound 21 pin decoder from an older unit that I loaded the Also 244 sound into, and plugged it in. Very easy, though speed matching to the factory equipped units was a bit of a challenge. I don't recall which ones were bought where, but they came from different sources, including Tony's Trains, Train World, and Factory Direct Hobbies. I see Bowser is doing another run of B&M, this time without the train lighting equipment.

Glad you like it!

Thanks for noticing!

Keep checking with Bowser. They are announcing new paint schemes all the time, and I bet they will do NYC!

Many thanks!

There may be room for some additional weight, but even as is, probably above average puller.

Yes they are!

Using excerpts with credit would be OK, and a link to my channel, even better!

@@HappyHoboTrains thanks! Will do!

@@mylesspear Let me know when your video is ready.

@@HappyHoboTrains definitely! I’m aiming for a February 26th release date.

Hey Mr. Sauret! Thanks again for letting me use your video in my documentary on the chessie system. It’s up now if want to see it. th-cam.com/video/VfmD-ZrXc1I/w-d-xo.html

Thanks for the kind comments!

Thanks for the kind comments. We have some new videos in the works, a bit different from the layout tours, but still Maine & New England theme.

After some searching, the Maine Central locomotives I remember seeing were more likely to be F units. I have a copy of F. Nelson Blount's autographed book he published with Fred Richardson. I live north of N. Walpole.

@@ralley145 Maine Central rostered 2 F-3 AB sets, built 1947, and 6 F-3 A's, built 1948. In the 50's, they also had 20 GP-7's, from several orders. The geeps were often MU'd with the F's, as well as Boston & Maine units thrown into the mix. I lived in New Gloucester, Maine, in the 1950's, and remember seeing all kinds of combinations. I think the crews liked the F-unit cabs, as the GP units always seemed to be in the middle. I even remember E-units mixed with F's on that line! They ran all over the system, and as you say, they seemed to be everywhere. I think all the cab units were gone by about 1966, with the F's being traded for GP-38's, and at least some of the E's went to KCS, and two were scrapped. Edwin B. Robertson had a couple of nifty little paperback books covering Maine Central diesels, as well as one on Maine Central steam. I don't know how hard they are to find these days, as I suspect they are long out of print.

Yes! Many great folks and fond memories. I'd do it all again if I could!