Great Northern railway

A nice DM&IR and GN layout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CckzPp9yuFE

That certainly is a nice layout, Sam.  Some of that iron ore would get on ship and onto the former Bessemer & Lake Erie now Canadian National right at the bottom of the hill from my house on it’s way to Pittsburgh.

Ross club meeting on Halloween night.

Wasn't sure if anyone would attend!

Funny in that the one person I thought would not attend was Nate but he was the only one with Roxanne.

He's rather 'run trains' than 'trick or treat'.

Gave him my leftover candy.

Videos:

Nate's diesels:

Many vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars including the caboose.

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JUwmyTBcng

Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ7SfM_k_0k

Nate with one of his diesels.

His other diesel.

Chumstick canyon trestle.

Logging railroad.

Havre.

St. Paul.

Smoke box repair.

3 incoming track at St. Paul.

Nate knows where the fun is!!  Excellent photographs as always!!

PRR T-1 4-4-4-4.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...tAWX-HKz&index=2

My T-1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28a-3cGqTI8

Rare PRR S-1 6-4-4-6 video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...tAWX-HKz&index=3

My S-1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGuKliBDmHM

That's a 'croc'!

PM the Austria Krokodil electric that I purchased last Spring.

This is my only 'foreign' engine.

Purchased it since it's 'different'!

It's made by Roco and they have non RP-25 flanges so the engine was hesitating over my 'scale depth' frogs.

There should be 2 sets (total 4 wires) of contacts to the wheels but it appears someone removed them from one set of drivers.

I used some bronze wire to make new contacts.

The left drivers has wire contacts and the right side did not.

I used the left side as a template to make contacts on the right side.

Not pretty but functional!

The original wires ran into the frame but I didn't want to try to diss-assemble the frame

so I just soldered 'like sides' to each other using some #30 wire plus a 'V' for 'flexibility'.

Flanges are large.

The engine came with wire 'hand holds' but they were all too long.

Had to re-bend them to fit the provided holes in the superstructure.

No glue, just friction to secure them.

Didn't know what kind of decoder was in the engine so I 'read it'.

Found out it was NCE.

Looked on my PC for 'silent running' decoders and...

D13WP seemed like a good choice!

The engine had 1189 on the side so I gave it that number.

Saved all the data to the engine and 'roster'.

Used 'throttle' to insure all's 'good'.

Did a 'yard test' but will leave the Tuesday night group do a 'road test'.

The engine was hesitating at my double crossover and I noticed the bottom of the frog was all 'gunked'.

Used a small screw driver to clean out the frog.

The croc has always been an interesting engine to us North Americans.  Very nice!

Nov. 4/5, Dayton, Ohio NMRA Div 3 train show.

Miles: 30

I went on Sunday as I had a friend painted my daughter's windows on Saturday and Sunday and she was home on Sunday

so I could attend the train show.

2 buildings on the county fairgrounds.

Outdoor train rides.

Beautiful fall day around 70 degrees.

First building.

For those who need to test items before buying them.

N scale.

G scale.

The 'big' stuff!

I remember these selling for $150 back in the 70's.

Z scale.

Lots of turnouts for 10 bucks each.

Cast metal.

Arnald used to have a hobby shop in Middletown.

Marklin.

Prewar Lionel.

Nice vintage signs.

Always lots of detail parts for sale.

Something new.

N gauge.

S gauge.

I bought a few of these items.

Vintage 'old style' switch machines.

I have these on my layout.

The new 'slow motion' machines are cool but, on my layout, most of the mainline isn't that close to view them

and, when at the dispatcher's console, I can hear when the turnout is thrown with the 'old style'  machines.

Another new cool item.

Specialized made signs to 'what ever' you desire.

Rocky owns Dixie hobby shop in Mason, Ohio.

G scale.

Vintage pre-war.

'Kit bashing' buidings.

A nice Trix building.

Bill from Dayton.

Lots of 3-rail 'cabeese'.

Nice 3 rail logging engine.

More vintage pre-war.

Always lots of Walther's products.

John and Tracy from Hamilton hobbies in Hamilton, Ohio.

2nd building where the modular layouts were located.

Legos.

This layout also has dual gauge (upper right).

Sam and his group of modular layouts.

They do real nice 'work'.

Sam's super detailed module.

Other member modules.

Cool, the roadbed 'lights up' where the train is on it.

I like the 'sign'!

The parade on the road 'moves'.

A few minor purchases.

Great looking show!!

Ross club Tuesday night.

videos:

Austrian Krokodil electric freight:

The engine 'shorted' at a couple of my turnouts where the large flanges touched the 'scale' distance between the turnout's points and stock rails.  Will be the last time I buy an engine with non RP-25 wheels.

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOBxYA824H8

Tye:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFHoh3119eI

Chumstick canyon trestle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-HRVYOit78

UP 8500 turbine.

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwARtudAM8

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTEtuUQbXxc

Erie 0-8-8-0 camel back freight:

Tye:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxGvyiblFvU

Hillyard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZTSBgARx9Y

Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWaezKWsvDY

Nate's Lego engines.

Austrian Krokodil electric at Chumstick canyon trestle.

Skykomish.

Krokodil and UP 8500 turbine at Tye.

Nate with his diesel.

From a 'pop up' behind the layout.

Erie 0-8-8-0 camel back at Marias pass.

Erie 0-8-8-0 camel back at Chumstick canyon trestle.

Glacier.

Seattle's freight yard.

St. Paul's freight yard.

Hillyard.

Skykomish.

Interchange/staging return loops area.

Freight house.

Passenger station.

Memories of when I was a kid with Menard's gas station.

UP 8500 turbine at Hillyard.

Erie 0-8-8-0 camel back at Waverly.

Havre.

Skykomish.

Ross club Tuesday night meeting.

videos:

Nate's diesel and his passenger cars:

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhTfTkEmzi8

GN Q-1 2-10-2 freight:

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQTU_AXT6mw

Marias Pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM3TI288X2A

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgbansgugNE

C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 freight:

Marias Pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUMRwy-wOoA

Havre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1fPwkreasE

Willmar: last car 'off the rails' which we found 'about' at Waverly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knHEtxcCwCo

Nate with his diesel and passenger cars at Seattle.

Tumwater canyon trestle.

Gerry with the GN Q-1 2-10-2.

Nick brought his new diesel to 'road test'.

Nate's diesel and passenger cars at Hillyard.

Paul operating the C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 at Seattle's roundhouse.

Bob doing the 'dispatching' while Joe eats some of his Halloween candy that he brought for Nate!

C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 freight at Hillyard.

Nick's diesel at Waverly.

Tumwater canyon trestle.

C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 at Chumstick canyon trestle.

Marias pass.

St. Paul.  Love sagebrush for trees!

3 hours before anyone arrived I tested the mainline to insure all was 'good'.

The first train at this location had no power as a 'jumper wire' was loose

Seattle's and St. Paul's freight yards hold several hundred cars yet I still have no 'room' for these!

These are 6 trays of vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars.

Theses are contemporary (1970's-80's) plastic Athearn, TM, etc. freight cars.

Great Train show in Xenia, Ohio.

Miles: 35

A nice fall day and a good reason to 'get out of the house'!

At the fairgrounds in 2 buildings.

This is the first time I've been to a Xenia train show.

The show is not sponsored by any NMRA division but a commercial event.

2nd building:

I went there first as that was where the bathrooms were!

All layouts in the 2nd building.

MVMR had a huge layout.

Shaped like a big 'C'.

HO gauge.

Can see the 'C' in this picture.

I, fondly, remember this when we used to go to Euclid beach park back in the 50's.

Wouldn't mind having that in my backyard!

S gauge.

1st building.

There were a lot of eclectic vendors but not much HO.  A lot of items geared to the 'general' public.

This dude has a lot of very, very old stuff.

Cool signs.

and coasters.

All S gauge.

Various gauges of cars.

There were 2 isles of these.

This seller did have a lot of new HO stuff.

Hot wheels.

N gauge.

The old saying; don't judge a book by it's cover!

Plus this is the 3rd time where I wasn't expecting to find something and 'did'!

The very last table had some brass.

I couldn't refuse this as the seller said I could have it for 90 bucks

No couplers mounted and looks like it's never been run.

Love the eclectic stuff!

NYC used some unusual pantographs!

And I could have this for 50 bucks.

Any time a caboose is very well painted at that price I'll take it!

Already had dummy marker lights and I don't want to 'bugger up' the paint

so I'll just add some resistors to the trucks for my signaling system.

I'm partial to todays extremely well done plastic 'cabeese' but someone did a really nice job on this caboose.

A very good buy: homemade peach cobbler.

She said $14 but I gave her $15; worth it for a large pan

GNRW OPS for November.

Usual pizza 'before' and orange creamsicles 'after'.

Videos:

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 with Ben's freight cars.

Havre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL3X5JzqCQ8

GN N-3 2-8-8-0 coal drag.

A very nicely built Silver Streak wood kit caboose.

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_XhwyFEV9w

Havre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqO1zgHxi3k

Skykomish: (west)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw9KhlnIutk

C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 freight.

Many vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight car kits.

Departing Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0iBfHJOpQo

Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKkchDOv_5g

GN N-3 2-8-8-0 and B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3EZ1tYYSxg

PRR S-2 6-8-6 freight:

A few vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight car kits.

Departing Hillyard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UojokXKf2A

Departing Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9p3hopLnk8

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 at Chumwater canyon trestle.

Paul with GN N-3 2-8-8-0 coal drag.

Sage with C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 at Seattle.

Ben with B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 at Glacier.

A very nice Silver Streak all wood kit caboose that I acquired many 'moons' ago at Tumwater canyon trestle.

GN N-3 2-8-8-0 at Willmar's functioning water tank.

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 west of Hillyard.

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 at Tye.

Seattle's freight yard, caboose track and passenger track to far right.

GN N-3 2-8-8-0 at Hillyard with Swan River logging railroad in the foreground.

Ben with B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 at Hillyard.

Paul 'switching cars' at Seattle.

PRR S-2 6-8-6 at Hillyard.

Equipment 'relocation'.

Moved 3 NYC Hudson engines from the passenger yard to the freight yard and....

moved the PRR Aerotrain from the freight yard to the passenger yard.

The 'good' and the 'bad'!

The newer plastic 'cabeese' (left in picture) has painting and scale detail that is usually better than their brass counterparts (right in picture) but the fragile scale plastic railing can, easily, get damaged as in the picture.

The nice plastic ladder on the left looks nice when not broken!

Video of the GN N-3 2-8-8-0 coal drag departing Whitefish taken by one of the railroaders Saturday night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyGupVNFhFw

Stuff:

PM an engine and layout.

C&O/ N&W 0-8-0 engine by Tenshodo.

Made in 1970.

I acquired this engine this year.

Replacing the open frame motor and adding a 'back head'.

The old motor was so large that it stuck out the back of the cab.

Old motor mount needed to be removed.

A Dremel cut it 'down to size'.

Couldn't use my 'usual' can motor so had to use a smaller one which should be sufficient for a small engine.

A new brass plate added to the frame to support the can motor.

Back head.

Usually I use a PSC 'back head' but it was too large for the engine so I found another in my cache of parts.

The 'back head' was in several parts.

JB weld used to secure all the parts of the 'back head'.

Found this 'back head' at a train show.  I'm sure they are no longer in 'business'!

Painted and ready to install.

JB weld used to secure the 'back head' inside the cab.

Some foam to hold the 'back head' in place while the JB weld 'cooks'.

JB weld also used on the motor mount plate.

Saves from damaging the existing paint job using 'heat'.  The 'paint' was done by Tenshodo.

Tenshodo used glass jewels 'back then'.  Surprisingly they reflect light quite well.

Nice detail especially considering this engine is 53 years old!

Since made for C&O and N&W no decals were added by Tenshodo.

This engine was, maybe, just 'bench tested'.

'Back then' they made engines heavy!

Layout PM.

The Seattle's engine terminal needed a new wire.

One of Seattle's turnout linkages needed re-soldering.

Great improvement to an already nice engine!

New deliveries.

Very cool freight car and air brush filters.

SP 50 ton automobile single sheathed (outside braced) with end doors by Oriental Limited.

I was unable to find what year this model was produced but guessing in the 80's.

Cool

Chains to restrict door opening.

Heavy duty hinges.

Amazing what can be made in HO gauge!

Functioning doors with detailed floor.

Other end.

Nice rivet detail.

Unusual 'grab irons'.

MMM; they put one 'in' upside down.  Things only a picture would 'show'!

Interesting: the 'grab iron' on the other side of the car is the same at the same location (see previous picture)!

Appears to have been never used.

Very 'free rolling' trucks.

Bought 3 air filters that connect 'directly' to my airbrush.

A fine brass filter 'enclosed'.

I use an auto filter but that is at the end of the flexible hose about 4' 'away'.

A nice narrow gauge layout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBmAfI2eznU

Ross club Tuesday night.

Videos:

Gerry brought his PRR RS-3 diesels.

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-N4LLlCjzQ

Willmar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WirKsqbVowo

Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8GfNFwhECI

Visited a local railroader.

Nancy and Sam.

Their dwelling built in the 1800's.

Memories:

Stuff I had when I was 5-12 years old plus stuff added in the last 20 years.

Located in one end of my living room.

Turn on the 'power' to the layout and I'm 9 years old again!

videos:

N&W J 4-8-4: The first few seconds are blurry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK8DRiMSt-s

NYC Hudson 4-6-4:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soiT-imr2gg

Santa Fe F-3 passenger set:

The B unit was made by Lionel around the 90's with electronic whistle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b0y7uu3fn0

Best Christmas ever had or will ever have.

I was seven.  Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, we had Higbees, May co and Halley’s down town department stores.  After Thanksgiving, each would have an entire floor full of toys.  Of course the best was the train area where there was Lionel and American Flyer layouts set up.  I’d stay there for hours watching them run and, of course, there were free catalogs.

Mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas.  I pointed to the Lionel SF diesel A-A and 4 beautiful aluminum passenger cars and said ‘that’.  At 90 bucks, mom said we can’t afford that.  Dad worked at Midland Ross steel and, if he made that in a week, he was lucky!

$90 in 1953 is over $1,000 in 2023: imagine spending that much on a seven year old, today, for one present!

I remember getting up that Christmas morning and seeing the large rectangular box all wrapped and knew exactly what it was.

As in ‘Christmas story’, that was the best Christmas I ever had, or ever will.

And it still runs great!

Most of the items are 'post war' but several are 'contemporary made' items.

Wow; Nancy and Sam have a mighty elegant home!  That is some tremendous modeling!

Very nice story on the childhood memories!  Yes, a $20 to $25 train set in the mid ‘60s was too much money for a Christmas gift.  Dad told me to save my money, and I finally bought my own set when I was about 12.

5 Lionel trains running at once makes a lot of noise!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvY5rX3Opc

A nice 3-rail layout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YLq0zb51kE

Size matters!

Amazing the length difference in my 1940's 2035 2-6-4 Lionel engine that I got for Christmas when I was 5

and a Williams scale NYC 4-6-4 Hudson and they both negotiate an O-31 curve!

I believe the Williams' Hudson is modeled after the Lionel 1937 scale Hudson.

Picture is fuzzy but the Williams is, also, much taller.

What a great day.

Train show in Springfield, Ohio and then our NMRA MCR DIV 7 meeting with free food and 2 layout visits

Joe and I spent 9 hours 'railroading'!

This will be a '3 part' posts.

1st is the train show.

There were 2 large buildings connected by a 3rd large building.

This is always a 'one day' show but there is always lots of stuff.

I've been attending this show since 1980 and have found some of my best 'finds' here.

And today was no exception! (see third post)

1st building.

First brake  wheel that I've seen.

Looks like an original Gilbert sign.

There were a couple long rows of all Gilbert S gauge stuff.

Original Gilbert 'modular' layout!

Looks like a prewar item?

Nice N gauge sets.

Surprised to see these 2 Con-Cor sets which I have 'both of'.

They are very nice sets.

Walthers make very nice passenger cars.

S gauge.

Some very old buildings.

Some nice brass at nice prices.

Lots of PRR of which I bought two box cabs. (see 3rd post).

Always seems to be a lot of S gauge sets but I rarely see any O gauge sets.

Some stuff from the 50's.

Always lots of 3 rail.

Interesting: never seen these 'before'!

Memories!

The large connecting building.

Had to take this picture!

2nd building.

Right side.

Left side.

G gauge.

Joe bought a lamp.

Several layouts 'set up'.  A lot of work for one day!

N gauge.

G gauge on the 'stage'.

Quite a bit of brass.

Most of which I didn't 'need'!

Pre war.

Not sure what these 'stamps' are used for?

HO and HON3 gauge.

This seller always in the same spot with a lot of really nice prewar 3-rail.

Z gauge.

NMRA MCR DIV 7 meeting with 2 layout visits.

We had free food for this December meeting with videos and then 2 layout visits.

The usual attendance of 50-60 members plus those on 'ZOOM'.

Raffle.

Food.

Awards.

Model contest.

Train around the Christmas tree!

John's HO layout.

Dan and his brother.

HO gauge.

Train show purchases.

Soho PRR DD-1 box cab electrics made in 1978.  Only 50 were made.

The label was missing on the ends of these boxes so I found the importer by 'googling' the engines when I 'got home'.

I like the unusual and I told the seller these are more than I want to pay but he did agree at $100 each so I couldn't 'resist'!

This was a 'case' where the son was selling off his 'late' father's trains.

These came as a set of 2.

Fortunately the decals that came with the set were included.

Never been run in the last 45 years!

Very nicely detailed.

They have can motors.

Small pantographs like the NYC central 'box cabs' I obtained several weeks ago.

I found some painted for reference.  Nice in that the 'drive train' is already black so I only have to paint the superstructure.

Some more unusual motive power.

By chance for the last several days I was looking at New Haven DL-109's on Ebay.

By chance a person was selling one .

Initially, I was unfamiliar with Proto 1000 but previous research showed them to be good engines.

Walthers took over the 'Life Like' brand but have made vast improvements on them as,

in the 60's, I views 'Life Like' as not very 'high quality'.

The son was selling them as his father passed away and only wanted $60, with a DCC decoder, for it.

Another item I couldn't 'resists'!

The engine if very heavy.

The seller also had some more unusual looking engines; Erie built diesels!

Again Proto 1000 by Walthers for the Milwaukee railroad which has a very unique paint scheme.

Again decoders were included and sold all 3 for 150 bucks.

My decoders for my steam engines cost 150 bucks, with no engine, so another 'no brainer'!

The set is an A-B set plus another A engine.

A engine.

Ugly looking nose but I 'like it'!

I saw one comment that they are uglier than a BL-2 which I have no idea what they look like!

Top 2 are the A-B unit set.

The A unit box.

B unit box.

The other A unit with a different 'color scheme'.

Good price at 5 bucks each for 'turf' which I can always 'use'!

Looks like quite a day!  The photographs of the first layout in the first post.  There are two large outstanding stations right out front.  Wow!

PM the new engines.

1) New Haven DL-109.

Video: yard test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfE6k0QrMe0

The engines have non-sound decoders that were installed by the previous owner.

I needed to put them on my 'programming' track to upload all data into my roster.

Since I didn't install the decoders I 'read' the decoder.

I picked the DH123 four function.

Inputted the description to the decoder and roster.

New roster listing.

Tested that the engine operates 'correctly' via the 'programming' track.

The top shell was loose so that needed some PM.

This appears to be an 'original' circuit board.

Installed by the previous owner.

I'm not changing the decoders; 'good enough' for a diesel.  It would be 'different' if it was one of my steam engines!

The 4 plastic tabs on the side of the shell are not engaging the base frame.

I drilled/tapped a hole for a 2/56 screw.

It looks large 'close up' but...

no one is going to see it on the track, especially pulling cars!

Probably best to have a large screw so it will be easily seen should I try to remove the shell in the future;

being old, I'll probably forget about it!

Test good.

Very heavy; almost 2 pounds.

2) Milwaukee Erie built diesels set A-B-A.

Video: yard test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJIv2QBujqg

As with the NH DL-109 loaded all 3 units into the roster.

Two of the units are numbered 9A and 9B and made their addresses 9.

The other A unit is number 21B but made it 9 also and reversed the direction so all 3 will run as a 'unit'.

Any diesel sets I have; all get the lowest number of the set.  Nothing is 'consisted'.

All 3 are 'good to go'.

The rear A unit has a different 'color scheme'.

The 3 units are very heavy at 4.25 pounds.

3)  PRR DD-1 box cab electrics.

Video: yard test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZMuS7MmB4c

The original 'circuit board' draw bar was broken so I made a new one using strong plastic.

These two engines ran as one unit.

No decoder and they have to be painted 'first'.

The two units are very close together so I thought I'd better put them on my sharpest radius which is 48".

On straight track, very close!

Seems to be OK on 48" track as the roofs are curved to allow for 'curves'.

Nice detail.

Seeing that rod 'sticking up' into the cab makes it look like it is 'broken'!

Roof detail.

Got my RC 50CC engine back from 'repair'!

Ross club Tuesday night meeting.

videos:

NYC Dreyfuss 4-6-4 Hudson:

Havre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDY0x-9oCJc

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4:

Train has many vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars.

Chumstick canyon trestle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDES--sPEWA

Havre:

The UP big boy on the siding has functional smoking whistle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK30HoOOm60

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 2-tone grey:

Train has many vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars.

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK6xd_WgH30

Tye:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYPmQ5Fqb6s

Departing Hillyard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq7cm377AG0

Willmar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDR-CLHlP2A

Departing Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePno8M-SGME

Skykomish (west):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNtVLJiY8oE

UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4:

Train has many vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars.

Marias Pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLneBvAxlWI

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 and UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfgBCS-zJ1I

GN RDC-3 departing Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBR8_3s4OXg

Nate with the NYC 4-6-4 Dreyfuss Hudson.

Jerry with the B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4.

That 'time of year'!

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 at Willmar's water tower.

Waverly.

Skykomish.

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 2-tone grey at Willmar's water tower.

Havre.

Chumstick canyon trestle.

West of Waverly.

PRR Aerotrain at Marias pass.

Joe and Roxanne.

UP Big Boy at Havre.

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 at Waverly.

Nate operating the UP big boy.

B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 at Seattle's freight yard.

UP big boy at Willmar.

Waverly.

Chumstick canyon trestle.

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 and big boy 4-8-8-4.

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 at Tye.

Skykomish.

GN RDC-3 at Glacier.

Bob taking the UP FEF-3 to the engine facility after dropping off the train on one of the inbound tracks.

GN C-1 0-8-0 switching at Seattle.

GN RDC-3 at Hillyard.

UP big boy at Seattle.

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 at Hillyard.

GNRW 3rd Saturday ops session.

Usual pizza and then orange creamsicles 'later'.

videos:

Many of the freight trains have vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid cars.

GN N-3 2-8-8-0 freight:

Departing Hillyard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TBFGPUNXb0

N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 freight:

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOvUbqHz3AU

Chumstick canyon trestle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBS8ZfL4ZSU

Milwaukee S-3 4-8-4 passenger train:

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myUbGDbo_KY

Marias pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flv1SjME-1A

Great Northern S-2 4-8-4 passenger train:

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUSDulb6LTo

Marias pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g_SM3umWa8

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U29PAudRw8U

GN M-2 2-6-8-0 freight:

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6l_nVDJFyo

Hillyard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNeW7mOVHuY

New railroaders;

David and his 2 sons: Joe and Michael.

GN N-3 2-8-8-0 at Hillyard's water tower.

Ben operating the Milwaukee S-3 4-8-4 passenger train departing the passenger yard.

Joe dispatching.

Joe's GN N-3 2-8-8-0 at Willmar's water tower.

Milwaukee's observation car at Skykomish.

Joe with the GN N-3 2-8-8-0 west of Waverly.

N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 at Marias pass.

Hillyard.

GN S-2 4-8-4 passenger train at Skykomish.

The 'other' David operating the N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2.

Meet at Skykomish.

Milwaukee S-3 4-8-4 at Marias pass.

Michael doing some 'switching' at Seattle.

GN S-2 4-8-4 passenger train and Milwaukee S-3 4-8-4 at Marias pass.

C&O H-5 2-6-6-2 and GN S-2 meet at Havre.

Dennis operating the GN S-2 4-8-4.

Havre.

GN M-2 2-6-8-0 freight at Chumstick canyon trestle.

A very cool freight car that Ben made me for Christmas.

A freight car that I, definitely, don't 'have'.

Dennis and sons brought some great 'brownies' which I kept the 'left overs'!

This morning I thought I'd 'road test' the 2 diesel sets that I acquired at the Springfield, Ohio train show.

1) wanted to see how the inexpensive decoders 'worked' on the layout since they have no 'keep alive'

2) Can these 'cost effective' decoders that came with the engines handle a 48 car train without 'smoking'.

3) Can the engines 'handle' a 48 car train.

The diesels passed all the 'tests'.

Videos:

Milwaukee FM Erie built diesel set of 3 engines.

Train going from Seattle to St. Paul (actually the return loops) which is 'mostly uphill'.

Mostly 0.5% grade with 2 spots for about 10' of 1% (bad engineering on my part some 44 years ago!).

Seattle:

One thing nice with no 'sound' is one can hear the 'wheel noises'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi_gojZdcHQ

Willmar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO9QUkLoB0I

NH Alco DL-109 diesel.

One engine pulling 48 cars but all 'down hill'.

Willmar:

Forgot to 'switch' the caboose in this video to a NH caboose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuu-PaWQ8uU

Departing Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSV5nFqHDso

Skykomish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYGnK22NoSQ

Skykomish.

Willmar.

Waverly.

Upper return loops/staging track.

The train length just 'makes it' in the 'return loop'.

'power switch' to the NH DL-109.

Chumstick canyon trestle.

Marias pass.

Skykomish.

Seattle's freight yard.  I took the longest track of cars for the 'road test'.

Reverse 2 passenger trains via the mainline plus 'stuff'.

videos:

GN Y-1 electric used to reverse passenger train.

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ47AmNEohk

Tye:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce0FaVvbjt4

Milwaukee 'little Joe' electric used to reverse passenger train: from upper interchange loop to Seattle:

Leaving Whitefish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ieRINkoaE

Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5u2i18qom4

Remote functioning of the pantographs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oG_WrO8Oe4

Milwaukee FM Erie built diesels used to reverse passenger train from Seattle to upper interchange loop.

By passing Seattle's freight yard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYqBNvBbrLc

Willmar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-4CPfepuoI

GN Y-1 at Hillyard.

Havre.

Marias pass.

Pantographs 'up.

Skykomish.

Normally, only the back one was raised.

Milwaukee 'little Joe'

Interchange loops.

Hillyard.

Tumwater canyon trestle.

Bypassing Seattle's freight yard.

Milwaukee FM Erie built diesels.

Hillyard.

Snow accumulation from Glacier!

Marias pass.

Had to replace the TCS 1517 decoder in this Milwaukee F-7 4-6-4.

Engine ran and chuffing but all other sounds were not working.

Will send it to TCS for repair.

My 77 year old Lionel 2035 2-6-4 E-unit went 'south' so bought a new 'drive mechanism'.

Tested 'good'.

Hobo freight train ride taken 4 years ago to test the newly installed signaling system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U31dN9oD9zc&t=9s

Since this time, about 4,000 conifers have been 'planted', more tunnel portals, several new buildings, etc.

A nice club layout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwD1nxjuEcs

A nice S-gauge layout made by Gilbert for a department store:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCfesBJNkgo

Ross club modular layout at Liberty center shopping center in Liberty township, Ohio and some GN layout PM.

They are on the lower floor of the mall outside of Dillards and will be there until Dec 26 and removal on the 27.

===================

GN layout PM.

Had some trees 'leaning' so I glued them and used foam and car boxes to stabilize them until the glue dried.

Initially I just stuck the trunks into the thin plaster covered paper towels but some carpenter glue was needed on some of them.

Joe from Dayton brought a few engine to PM.

Custom brass C&O 4-8-4.

Engine growls.

Oiled moving parts but still needs a new gear box that is causing the 'growling' and soldered grey wire on the can motor.

BLI PRR 2-10-4.

Appears to need a new decoder.

Unable to remove tender frame from super structure.

No screws and tried to remove like a passenger car that has the side tabs but nada.

Will need to send to BLI.

BLI PRR 4-8-2.

Drivers don't move under 'load'.

The plastic gear is stripped from the center brass piece on the axle.

BLI should be able to send a new driver set if 'in stock'.

Last operating session this engine was stopping.

Engine's good; had a freight car 'shorting'.

Painted, TCS 1517 decoder and functioning head light (engine/tender), marker lights, running board lights, fire box glow and cab light.

Has a removable cab roof.

Also painted the lanyards a 'rope color'.

One 'cabeese' was shorting due to the axle contact wires touching one insulated wheel for the marker lights.

Wow!  A shopping mall that actually has stores in it!  That’s a nice layout in the mall.

I Take it Joe from Dayton isn’t Joe who dispatches your operating sessions.  Nice work.