My Empire Builders Maiden Voyage

Very impressive, Matt!!

Nice trains!

Thanks for sharing your beautiful GN 17 car passenger consist with us.  It's been a long wait, and, of course, I had to count cars.  Did GGD separately number the extra cars for you, or were they offered that way as add ons?

Also, could you comment on the motive power required.  I didn't see any elevation; did you expect to need 4 powered engines to be pull 17 cars?  It would be interesting to see what a Micro-Mark scale would measure as drawbar pull for startup.  I do believe you would need the 4 powered units to climb a moderate grade.  Were you thinking of bringing the whole consist out for a test run.  We hold all locals to allow express service to pass through.

Suddenly there are more GN K-lines on auction sites   

They came with different numbers but one of the sleepers has the same name. I'm not sure if the real train was this way and I don't really care that much.

I bought 4 F7's cuz it would have used that many in real life. It is one seriously heavy train to pull even with the ball bearings. My layout does not have any grades but one loco cannot even move the cars I will be hooking up three in a few minutes and see how they do.

I will be taking this train to shows along with the GGD Daylight, El Capitan and the Atlas CZ.

Very nice Matt. Looks great!

Thanks guys, this is the rare occasion that I post videos of my stuff.

Just beautiful, both trains.

Did you need a second mortgage?

He did a title loan 

Matt Makens posted:

I finally got to run my Empire Builder last night. What a beautiful train. Lost a b unit this morning due to a bad universal joint but still have 3 locos to pull her.

17 Cars on the Builder and 14 on the El Cap.  Those are impressive trains.

Don't feel alone on your B-unit problem.  I bought A-B-B F7's and just after the warranty expired, both boosters promptly failed due to a defective universal joint on each of them.  Just like real trains.

My second hobby is thrill seeker liquor stole holdups 

Matt Makens posted:

They came with different numbers but one of the sleepers has the same name. I'm not sure if the real train was this way and I don't really care that much.

I bought 4 F7's cuz it would have used that many in real life. It is one seriously heavy train to pull even with the ball bearings. My layout does not have any grades but one loco cannot even move the cars I will be hooking up three in a few minutes and see how they do.

 

I will be taking this train to shows along with the GGD Daylight, El Capitan and the Atlas CZ.

Take them to the NMRA national convention in Kansas City this August.  They’ll literally “crush” the HO and Ns.

I don’t know anyone that will have alayout there for me to run on

Very nice Matt!!! My favorite passenger set.

cool.

Matt,

Thanks for posting!  It's really great to see these beautiful trains in action.

RTR Mark  

Woodshire Bill posted:

Thanks for sharing your beautiful GN 17 car passenger consist with us.  It's been a long wait, and, of course, I had to count cars.  Did GGD separately number the extra cars for you, or were they offered that way as add ons?

Also, could you comment on the motive power required.  I didn't see any elevation; did you expect to need 4 powered engines to be pull 17 cars?  It would be interesting to see what a Micro-Mark scale would measure as drawbar pull for startup.  I do believe you would need the 4 powered units to climb a moderate grade.  Were you thinking of bringing the whole consist out for a test run.  We hold all locals to allow express service to pass through.

Suddenly there are more GN K-lines on auction sites   

Where are you seeing more of the K-lines for sale all of a sudden? There has been a single set of 10 cars sold on eBay within the past year, and those sold for nearly the exact same price per car as the GGD cars. 

As someone with a full set of K-lines and 12 of the newer GGD cars, there are pros and cons with each, however anyone looking to run a world class Empire Builder should be thrilled to have a set of either makers cars.

They look absolutely fantastic ... with so much space to run them.

Wow,  really super nice layout and GN set!  Thanks for posting.  

Nice Matt! Wonderful looking trains and a very nice looking layout!

Thanks for posting the video with the overhead view.  Will anybody ever get the dome ends right. I do realize its a bear and would slow down assembly.  I finally see what Erik L has been talking about in reference to the domes being incorrect.  Still a beautiful train and not having to build all those domes is a blessing in itself.

Matt,

   Very cool, I loved it!

PCRR/Dave

Seriously cool passenger trains there! 

Also caught a glimpse of the CP holiday train in the yard in the first video!

Thanks for sharing Matt!

Great video of a great train on a great layout. I'm glad you decided to share.

Thanks guys. It really is an awesome train.  I just shot those when I got in Friday night. Took a couple of hours the layout staged for the next trains as a couple of trains had to come off. It was like 1 am by the time I got to run the trains. I noticed the video seems shaky, I think the iPhone X camera is picking up the oscillations of the CF bulb making it look shaky.

Mike, that is the CP Rail Holiday train in the background. I ran that one the next morning. That one is a super cool train. Wish i would've ordered the scale wheel version but it is still a very nice st.

Matt,

Yeah, just picked up my loco and initial 4 cars.    Would love to see a video of CP holiday train if you took one?

Mike, I didnt get a chance. I was so busy wanting to run the Empire Builder and then one of the B units broke a u-joint so I got wrapped up trying to fix it. Then the dog became very insistent that I take her hunting and, well, I am always happy to go hunting so we went to find some birds, then when I got back I shut down the layout and taped over the track to do scenery. Next weekend I should have the scenery done in that area so I will get one then. I do have the video my friend sent me that I will post later.

These videos were sent to me by a friend of mine

Thanks Matt.   Certainly understand. 

Spectacular!! GN and SF

Great sets Matt. May I suggest that you use some side lighting in addition for these videos as the overhead lighting 'washes out' the beautiful colors here. I have the same issue at our club layout and haven't gotten to the point where I can set up some movable lights from the side. Plan to experiment with different angles to simulate different times of the day as the sun move up or down...

Good plan, Sam!!

Thats a good idea Sam, I never considered it. I spend all my time building and running and rarely take photos or videos but with a little extra effort I could make them really nice. I will try that this weekend.

Beautiful trains. 

Beautiful trains. 

Thanks guys

Matt,

Thank you for sharing. I love your Great Northern passenger train.

Matt, you really brightened my day seeing your trains run. Nice to see someone enjoying the hobby. I think these sets Scott is producing for us are just awesome. 

Thanks Erik, with all the time I spend working on trains for other people I have to make myself stop and play with them. Ive been having a blast the last 7 months enjoying everything I have worked so hard for. What the point of working so hard to get it if yo udont stop working long enough to enjoy it.