Hot Water Wheelihan's Layout in the Press

Way to go! Great article.

Dennis

Nice article and great layout Hotwater! I'd give anything to get that much daylight into my basement!

Congrats HW!  Very Nice!

Congratulations on the article and especially the extraordinary layout.

I love seeing positive, well written articles about the hobby and its' great participants!

Andy

It was a very nice write-up, and the your railroad looks exceptional Jack! There are few railroad room as well finished and inviting as that one is. Your better half seems entirely pleased with your use of the space too. Trains and Railroading have been good to you and it shows.

Bob

Thanks Rich.

Also, thanks for the nice comments, guys. Truth be told, the up-stairs addition was my wife's idea! She designed the whole concept as a large up-stairs "master bedroom", with its own bathroom/shower, full size "walk-in" cedar lined closet, and "sitting room on the other side of the stair way. She has also taken GREAT pleasure in telling all the neighbors in our sub-division that, "The whole new up-stairs addition is for a railroad."! Naturally, you can't believe the looks she gets.

Nice, very very nice . A kind and caring wife also, BUT, where's your eight foot round house with a 32" turntable? I thought all you guys had that ?  Nice layout Hotwater.  148th

That's nice, Hot.  Very nice!

If I still lived in the area, you could connect up with my Sanitary Belt Line . . .

EdKing

Very nice Jack!  You've made some great progress since I visited.  The icing platform turned out beautifully.  The folks on the tour are in for a real treat.

Way to go "Hot".  Very Nice article and layout!

I have always admired the great layout that you have there, it is definetly an inspiration.  That combined with all of your knowledge with regards to main line steam and EMD that you bring to the forum makes for some great reading and enjoyment.  And what a nice well written article.  Congratulations to you on a great room, a great layout and some darn nice recognition.   

The first and fifth photos have good views of the roundhouse AND 32" turntable.

Jack - I am pleased to see that you and your great railroad are receiving some well deserved recognition. I have enjoyed visiting with you at DuPage and have admired the pictures and videos of your layout that I have seen on this forum. When I saw that your layout was featured on the tours of the upcoming O Scale Convention, I marked it on my calendar as a must see. 

Great article! Your wife's support is priceless.

Art

Jack

     Great job! You deserve the praise and even more your wife! Hope to see the layout on Friday.

Best regards

Ray Marion

Beautiful layout! I love the weathering. Everything covered in soot, just as should be on a coal fired layout. When I was a small boy we lived about 10 blocks from the IC yard in Jackson, MS. When the breeze was just right the cinders and soot engulfed our home. My mother hated it when she had clothes on the line.

Malcolm

Congratulations, Jack! I am also glad to see a well-written article on model railroading.

Awesome job HOTWATER!  Love it.

Round house and turn table. BF

Well done!

Peter

Jack, truly a superb effort and very spectacular result.  How great to have such a supportive wife in your endeavors.  And, a very well deserved write up.  Jim

Great layout & article.

George

Most of the time, the track gets its use from Jack’s friends in the model-train community, who hold weekend sessions they call “Run Beer, Drink Trains;” up to six or eight trains can be driven simultaneously on the layout’s two generators.

Oh, just great!  Now I have to contend with Western Springs DUI roadblocks on weekends, hoping to snag a miscreant over for a session. 

Better replace the Shiner Bock with Goose Island Root Beer for the next six months. 

Regards.

Jerry

Jack.....your room addition and layout are an inspiration.  You and I have similar circumstances with very supportive wives and room additions designed especially for the trains.  In my case, we added a two story 4 car garage which of course had to have a second story above it for "storage".

Very nicely written article....one of the best I have ever read.  Thanks so much Jack for being a member of this forum as I always enjoy the posts of you guys drinking trains and running beer!

Alan

Really nice!

I love the engine facitity.

Mike R

Spectacular! I love the ice deck and the engine facility.

Great article. Congratulations HW, and congratulations to Ellin as well.

Jack is truly one of the most knowledgeable guys in our hobby and a nice guy to go with his significant abilities. I only wish I could join the other Chicagoland guys who will tour his layout next week.

The article is a real treat and a benefit to all in this hobby.

Great work Jack! I particularly like the weathering. Outstanding!!

Andy

Very impressive Hot Water!  As much as I hope to meet you one day and see your layout,  it may be better to say that I hope our wives meet.  Mine has yet to share my enthusiasm for the hobby and has visions of my future train room as a theater while I just let my trains circle the laundry tub.  This artlicle is going to find its way on our fridge. 

I tip my hat.  It's a very nicely done railroad all-around, and the track is particularly realistic.  Two thumbs up.

Beautiful layout in a beautiful room Jack!  Very nice model railroad you have there.

Curt

Shiner Bock!  Great local Texas beer brewed in a town about 115 mi W of Houston, on the old SA&AP main!

That is quite an achievement.

A terrific job of sharing the hobby

Kudos

Where are all your General Electric diesels, Hot?

Really nice layout and article

looks great.

THANKS, ALEX

Tom,

Although I have VERY few diesel models, you KNOW where the GE models would be! 

Jack (Hot Water) .  .  .

Great job. We're all proud of you.

Fantastic steam yard !!

I hope to visit one day.

Eliot

By far, one of the best layouts out there. I enjoy seeing photos of the weathered equipment. My wife had sent this article to me but Rich was a lot quicker at getting the link posted. Great article and thanks for promoting the hobby! I love the story about your wife inviting the kid and mom from the bakery...fantastic.

Always enjoy Jack W.'s knowledgeable replies on the forum.

His layout and awesome weathering are top-notch! 

Hot Water, I was hoping to find some photos of your layout and wow, it's beautiful. Your rolling stock looks great too. You guys might strip the toy train kid out of me with layouts like that

Congrats on the article and a great layout Hotwater.   Cool.   I like the natural light that comes in from the windows, and the all-around access.  -Ken

Nice article about a fabulous layout.

Don't know how I missed this originally but great article & layout.

I also missed this thread the first time around.  Nicely written article, probably one of the better treatments I've seen in a non model railroad publication.

The pictures were excellent, probably the best I've seen of the layout.  It's also the first time I've seen the superb icing facility.  I hope Hot Water will post some more photos of that area in the future. 

I agree that it is the best article that I have read about a home layout.

Jack, we have missed you at the last DuPage shows.

Art

Spence

Same here don't know how I missed it. He is one of a few that I constantly read. That is a BIG time operation he has built.

HW,

Incredible layout. You're an inspiration to all of us 'wanna-be' railroaders. Always look forward to your comments. Thanks for sharing both. Ray

If you want to get a REALLY good look at Jack's layout, you should order a copy of Great Layout Adventures, Volume 8.

I did something on this video that I have never done before. In addition to seeing his wonderful layout, Jack and I sat and talked about running and firing steam locomotives, the American Freedom Train, Jack's career with EMD delivering new diesels to railroads all over the country and a whole lot more fascinating stuff.

Also on the same video are:

• Pat & Jean Marinari's Hodgson Valley Railroad
  This happy husband and wife team created a large O scale layout that runs beautifully and is a delight to see in action!

• Ron Zweig's Layout
  Conventional control is alive and well on Ron's layout. And you won't believe his story about the home he and his wife live in. Only in the movies...

• Bob Cebula's O Gauge in a Small Space
  Bob has built a highly detailed layout that looks a lot bigger than it really is. There are little details everywhere you look. Bob's heartfelt story will captivate you, too.

This video is available in wide screen letter-boxed Standard Definition on DVD or in full 1080i High Definition on Blu Ray. CLICK HERE to order.

HW, gives us all something to strive for, WOW! keep up the excellent work.  Does your wife have any sisters!!!!!  Jim R.

that is an amazing layout HW. well done!

Terrific article and layout!

Peter

 One of the things that makes that video so great, is hearing Jack's descriptions. It's also great to have a resource like him willing to respond to questions here.

In the very first post on page 1 by Rich.

Chris:

THANKS! 

Am chiming in too as one who missed this first time around - Thanks HW for what you do. I always enjoy the insights you share with us here.

My wife likes 'real' trains (her words) but tolerates the hobby. I'm thankful for what I get...

You know, there's a lot of Nick Names out there, but not many are as famous as "Hot Water", Congratulations on the wonderful Article, A Great Contributor to the OGR FORUM, a Knowledgable Diesel and Steam Engine Enthusiast, and a Great Layout Builder. 

Rich Melvin did a Super In Home Interview, and a Superb Presentation of Your Finely Detailed and Well Planned Scale Model Railroad...The Weathered Effect is Fantastic.

This is one of the very best layouts I have ever watched on the OGR VIDEOS.

I commend You and Your wife for a Job Well Done!!! Leapin Larry 

(Jack, I want to see Your Layout in person One Day)

Thanks for the complements Larry, and any time you are in the Chicago area, just give us a call.

Hot water. Love the layout. Question: Where did you find the CBQ caboose or Waycar? 

I have three. Two are the Sunset/3rd Rail brass models, from some years ago, and one is a wood, All Nation built-up kit that was given to me by a fellow modeler.

Maybe you can tell me. CBQ steel cabooses built 1930 or abouts. Did they all get repainted orange or did the steam era paint jobs last until the late sixties. I am getting ready to reconfigure a premier Steel caboose into a CBQ 4 window or three window steel sided caboose. If I can ever get to Chicago to see my family, I also would love to see your layout. 

 Thanks for the help. Doug

Jack great layout and article.

Jack

About 2 months ago I reached out to Hot Water, after I stumbled upon his layout while on ebay. A Lionel  B&O EM-1, expertly weathered, was up for auction, was featured on Jacks layout. I wish I placed a bid! That lit the fire under me and I needed to see more. Jack suggested I contact forum member "gnnpnut", Jerry Zeman, who graciously replied with more photos. I've attached the links to those threads below for anyone interested.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...e-central-connecting

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...64#29023675042680064

By the way, as Rich Melvin suggested, if this layout is of interest to you "Great Layout Adventures, Volume 8 is a must buy. I lost track of the number of times I viewed it!

Enjoy,

Joe

Well done, sir....and there's a lot to be said for not having trains in the basement !

Wow, I really resurrected this old post

Probably caused me to buy the video - darn it, all I need is more excuses to lay here on the couch.

Nice article. I was watching the video the other day and really enjoyed the conversational part. I think it really adds a lot to know something about the people who are involved in the layouts. I particularly liked the part about the Daylight.

Gerry

That is awesome!! Great story on a great railroad!! Nice job Hot Water!

Hey Hot Water, my grandparents lived at 4717 Fair Emls Ave, is that near your neighborhood? I spent some time there as a kid and it's a really nice neighborhood

Yes, pretty close. Your grandparents would have been both of 55th street, and we are south of 55th street, i.e. less than a mile apart.

merly a stones throw away, I wish they were still around and still lived there, a lot of great memories. My grandfather was president of Ryerson Steels international division back in the 50's and 60's. id love to see your layout the next time I come to Wheaton for the train show. Maybe I'll be out this winter. I've got to get down n see Leapin Larry's set too

I am also late to this parade.  But from the pictures I have seen, HW dose a fantastic job of modeling.

For me the most outstanding detail is the way HW has weathered his track. From 1950 or 51 I started noticing the track in my hometown (from 5 class 1 roads that served us) that it was not a bright orange/red rust color.  It was more of a brownish green but never put it together with the lubes the RR's used.  If I ever get track laid again hopefully will also replicate this detail feature.

Ron 

Very nice article!  Hot water is the steam locomotive authority on this forum.

Hot Water:

Awesome Layout, glad to see your wife is helping.

And now I have added a new DVD to get on my list of things to do.

Take Care!

Realistic layout - nice to know an ACTUAL rail can enjoy our hobby!  

Unfortunately,  SOME rails do not want to have anything to do with railfans or model railroaders, dismissing us as "foamers".  

A tip of the striped cap to Hot Water! 

Thanks for the comment, Art. However, I must admit that I have met many, many railfans that give the vast majority of railfans and model railroaders alike a bad reputation. There are just way too many nice folks out there that have been dissed but the "foamers", and THAT is just a shame. 

Those of us that have actively run steam and diesel locos at museums have learned quite a bit about safety, and have developed a healthy respect for the equipment of railroading. Engaging in repair work like removing and hydrotesting superheater tubes also tends to make one appreciate what ACTUAL steam rails do!

Not to mention hand shoveling coal!

"Very nice article!  Hot water is the steam locomotive authority on this forum. "

I think Rich is an authority equal to Hot Water without diminishing HW's knowledge or stature. Glad to have them both as well as the other professional railroaders who help us inexperienced dummies. 

The Real Trains forum is my favorite on the web. 

No. I had never seen white floors in any roundhouse I was ever inside, so I didn't put any in this one.

. . . and he is also the authority on multiple-unit locomotive consists.