Awesome update. Man, I would have sent back everything i had before figuring that out! Or bought new stuff! You've got a ton of neat stuff going on !!! 👍👌💪👏😊🙌
That was a great update on the layout. I too have the Kato Turntable but since the area it is in Is still under construction it is not yet wired. I did use the dremel tool to create a cavity so it sits flush. I will send you a picture on what it looks like. Keep the content coming, you were not kidding about locos is you kryptonite!!!~ FYI when you repaint your locos I found a great product to mask the windows make by AK Ultra Mask, I do a lot of repaints for guys and it sure beats taking out the glass in the cab.
Is that AK product the liquid stuff? That sure beats tape or having to remove glazing! I have been trying decide if i'm going to build up scenery or recess the turn table. It makes sense to recess, but then everything in that section is extremely level - but I think I can offset that 'boring' terrain with adjacent scenery. I'm not ashamed to admit I am addicted to locomotives. i want all of them, regardless of time period and road name LOL! Some people get addicted to substances, me - awesome locomotives.
I would like to know how you dremeled the 7mm out to place the turntable! 😮. I want to cut my foam out but not sure how to keep it level like a full size router. I would like uou to repaint a GP-38 to an old raggedy blue and red Gran Trunk loco! How does this happen?
@@NitroStarGT what I used was a barrel type of sanding attachment. First I drilled a pilot hole to the depth I wanted taking the measurements off the turn table. Made an Xpattern in the blue foam just used the Dremel varitable drill. Wear a particle mask. On the extension I just drilled down the depth of the legs
Nice update. Looks like the expansion is going good so far. Getting rid of that wye switch seems like it was a good move. Looking forward to following along in 2025. Happy New Year!!!
Merry Xmas , and nice progress on the expansion. Your layout inspired my son and i to switch scales. from o to n. we have more of a passenger car addiction but u mentioned something about BLI that i wish you would elaborate on . We like BLI stuff very much and quite frankly are ignorant electrically, so before we move forward purchasing more bli locos , an understanding of what you have encountered would help us greatly. Thanks
Welcome to n scale! You're not going to be disappointed. As for BLI - that's been nothing but disappointment for me. I have five locos from them. The Chessie Reading T1 is ok - it runs reasonably well. It's a little jerky in it's movements. The Kato Big Boy is far superior in operation (I know they're two different loco classes - just comparing steam to steam.) The SD40-2s I have were absolutely terrible. One rocked so hard on it's trucks it looked like it was at a hard rock concert. I had to shim the trucks with styrene to even get them to reasonable ride still. The other one was missing components to connect the motor to one of the worm gears on the drive shaft - so had basically 50% tractive effort. After notifying BLI, they sent me the wrong replacement parts. I also have sound issues on both SD40s with the sound intermittently cutting out and playing random sound effects that cannot be turned off or controlled. You legit have to pull it off the layout and reset it. Then, most recently, I got the SW7 switcher. It arrived without a drop of grease on any of the internal gears or bearings. Ran like absolute crap. Now that i've done some basic maintenance to it, it runs a little better - no grinding gear sounds - but it's jerky like the T1. The only loco of theirs I have that I would recommend is that ES44AC. It runs and performs well. If you're going to drop $200 bucks on a DCC and sound loco, get an Atlas version. If you're going to spend a little more, get a ScaleTrains one.
Hi C Mastracci , how did you make that mistake. Glad you got it figured out. I’ve got some GP 30’s on preorder and they shouldn’t be in to something time in May. I ordered the Southern units. I also preordered the SD 40’s in Norfolk Southern high hood. So I decided to get some of C 39-8’s in Conrail. I liked the Norfolk Southern units I have so way not get them. So I went on a search and found some at a Scale Trains dealer. I picked up three. You know a little after Christmas present for me. L O L . Sounds like you have a busy year ahead. Looking forward to seeing how everything turns out. Thanks for sharing. Have a good week. Happy New Year ! ! ! 😎😎 👍
you're right, it's not until May for the GP30s... so that frees up some spending capital for January. Good, I need an SD40-2 in CSX, LMAO! Dash 8's were a nice run, too. Since it's impossible to have too many locos, good find on getting three! there's no shame in buying a little something for yourself - it 'tis the season, after all!
Hey something to think about- you can isolate a section of both mainline by your crossovers that acts as an occupancy detector. Then if main 1 is on the cross main 2 stops or vice versa. A bit of a safety thing
so, i was contemplating some crazy wiring plans that included working signals (the easy part) and IR sensors to control both the light and a section of track leading to it. there are conditions where if there's no train on the #1 - it could be set for the crossover but not actually introduce a problem for the number 2 main. that being the case, i may not want to necessarily stop a train because of the alignment of the switch. but an isolated section controlled to an IR sensor and a signal would definitely work. unless the train had DPUs. it wouldn't be idiot proof, but it could stop damage to expensive locos. i need to explore this more.
@@thesheq5023 actually - the longest train is a known size because of the reverse loops so it would be possible to place a block with precise length. BUT, the downside would be that it would cut power and that means also light and sound. now i'm wondering if an automatic slow-down program could be written into an arduino or something. maybe i'm going to hard to the paint with this but i wonder...
That would work except I've crammed entirely too much complex track geometry into those areas to fly one side over the other. There wouldn't be enough run between the control points on the incoming side to the terminal or enough elevation to raise the round house area. On the other side, there would be enough space to bring the number 1 over the number 2 so in theory I believe i could eliminate one of the at-grade crossovers.
Always like your winter scenes
Thanks! I've got a few new ones coming - stay tuned!
Awesome update. Man, I would have sent back everything i had before figuring that out! Or bought new stuff! You've got a ton of neat stuff going on !!! 👍👌💪👏😊🙌
That was a great update on the layout. I too have the Kato Turntable but since the area it is in Is still under construction it is not yet wired. I did use the dremel tool to create a cavity so it sits flush. I will send you a picture on what it looks like. Keep the content coming, you were not kidding about locos is you kryptonite!!!~ FYI when you repaint your locos I found a great product to mask the windows make by AK Ultra Mask, I do a lot of repaints for guys and it sure beats taking out the glass in the cab.
Is that AK product the liquid stuff? That sure beats tape or having to remove glazing! I have been trying decide if i'm going to build up scenery or recess the turn table. It makes sense to recess, but then everything in that section is extremely level - but I think I can offset that 'boring' terrain with adjacent scenery. I'm not ashamed to admit I am addicted to locomotives. i want all of them, regardless of time period and road name LOL! Some people get addicted to substances, me - awesome locomotives.
I would like to know how you dremeled the 7mm out to place the turntable! 😮. I want to cut my foam out but not sure how to keep it level like a full size router. I would like uou to repaint a GP-38 to an old raggedy blue and red Gran Trunk loco! How does this happen?
@@NitroStarGT what I used was a barrel type of sanding attachment. First I drilled a pilot hole to the depth I wanted taking the measurements off the turn table. Made an Xpattern in the blue foam just used the Dremel varitable drill. Wear a particle mask. On the extension I just drilled down the depth of the legs
Nice update. Looks like the expansion is going good so far. Getting rid of that wye switch seems like it was a good move. Looking forward to following along in 2025. Happy New Year!!!
it was definitely a mistake to put that in. the kato wyes are a #4 I believe which is just a little too tight for fast mainline traffic.
Liking where you are going !!
Another great update. A lot of future plans for you. Looking forward to 2025. Happy New Year!
Cheers
Merry Xmas , and nice progress on the expansion. Your layout inspired my son and i to switch scales. from o to n. we have more of a passenger car addiction but u mentioned something about BLI that i wish you would elaborate on . We like BLI stuff very much and quite frankly are ignorant electrically, so before we move forward purchasing more bli locos , an understanding of what you have encountered would help us greatly. Thanks
Welcome to n scale! You're not going to be disappointed. As for BLI - that's been nothing but disappointment for me. I have five locos from them. The Chessie Reading T1 is ok - it runs reasonably well. It's a little jerky in it's movements. The Kato Big Boy is far superior in operation (I know they're two different loco classes - just comparing steam to steam.) The SD40-2s I have were absolutely terrible. One rocked so hard on it's trucks it looked like it was at a hard rock concert. I had to shim the trucks with styrene to even get them to reasonable ride still. The other one was missing components to connect the motor to one of the worm gears on the drive shaft - so had basically 50% tractive effort. After notifying BLI, they sent me the wrong replacement parts. I also have sound issues on both SD40s with the sound intermittently cutting out and playing random sound effects that cannot be turned off or controlled. You legit have to pull it off the layout and reset it. Then, most recently, I got the SW7 switcher. It arrived without a drop of grease on any of the internal gears or bearings. Ran like absolute crap. Now that i've done some basic maintenance to it, it runs a little better - no grinding gear sounds - but it's jerky like the T1. The only loco of theirs I have that I would recommend is that ES44AC. It runs and performs well. If you're going to drop $200 bucks on a DCC and sound loco, get an Atlas version. If you're going to spend a little more, get a ScaleTrains one.
Hi C Mastracci , how did you make that mistake. Glad you got it figured out. I’ve got some GP 30’s on preorder and they shouldn’t be in to something time in May. I ordered the Southern units. I also preordered the SD 40’s in Norfolk Southern high hood. So I decided to get some of C 39-8’s in Conrail. I liked the Norfolk Southern units I have so way not get them. So I went on a search and found some at a Scale Trains dealer. I picked up three. You know a little after Christmas present for me. L O L . Sounds like you have a busy year ahead. Looking forward to seeing how everything turns out. Thanks for sharing. Have a good week. Happy New Year ! ! ! 😎😎 👍
you're right, it's not until May for the GP30s... so that frees up some spending capital for January. Good, I need an SD40-2 in CSX, LMAO! Dash 8's were a nice run, too. Since it's impossible to have too many locos, good find on getting three! there's no shame in buying a little something for yourself - it 'tis the season, after all!
Hey something to think about- you can isolate a section of both mainline by your crossovers that acts as an occupancy detector. Then if main 1 is on the cross main 2 stops or vice versa. A bit of a safety thing
so, i was contemplating some crazy wiring plans that included working signals (the easy part) and IR sensors to control both the light and a section of track leading to it. there are conditions where if there's no train on the #1 - it could be set for the crossover but not actually introduce a problem for the number 2 main. that being the case, i may not want to necessarily stop a train because of the alignment of the switch. but an isolated section controlled to an IR sensor and a signal would definitely work. unless the train had DPUs. it wouldn't be idiot proof, but it could stop damage to expensive locos. i need to explore this more.
@ your isolated section would just need to be as long as your longest train but i think you’re onto something
@@thesheq5023 actually - the longest train is a known size because of the reverse loops so it would be possible to place a block with precise length. BUT, the downside would be that it would cut power and that means also light and sound. now i'm wondering if an automatic slow-down program could be written into an arduino or something. maybe i'm going to hard to the paint with this but i wonder...
Great looking layout!
Thanks!
I know it's a lot more work, but if the junction at the reversing loop becomes too much of a problem, you could consider making it a flying junction
That would work except I've crammed entirely too much complex track geometry into those areas to fly one side over the other. There wouldn't be enough run between the control points on the incoming side to the terminal or enough elevation to raise the round house area. On the other side, there would be enough space to bring the number 1 over the number 2 so in theory I believe i could eliminate one of the at-grade crossovers.
Rexy rides again !!
Great video update
4:47 who makes that MP15?
That's an old Atlas run with a Digitrax drop-in decoder.