Trains Trains Trains - New Video of the Hidden Pass Junction RR

Just a super video, Alex. Lots of action. The Big Boy sequence is very, very good.

Hi Alex

Like the sights & sounds at the Chiemsee Station & Pond.

Gary - Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway

   Click screen shot to enlarge.

Alex,

Totally enjoyed your video! The layout looks great, I really like your passenger station and engine service scenes and the trestle is awesome!

Thanks for posting the video update..

Fantastic video & layout.

Fantastic video, Alex. Just what I needed to make my day.

 

I have followed your layout progress through the years and it is really a fantastic work of art! Thanks for sharing with us.

 

Bruce

I liked this video so much, I went back and viewed the previous video. You have a beautiful layout!

I rarely watch such a long video, but you had me hooked with the replenishing coal load sequence in the first minute--just a superbly produced video of a fantastic layout.  Bravo, Alex.

Alex this is an awesome video. How did you get the spout on the water tank to operate? It is extremely realistic and adds a great deal. It resembles a Harry Heike water tower but I have not seen one of his that operates.

 

Your layout is spectacular.

 

Thanks

 

Alex great layout & video. Question the mfg. of your Amtrak Engine is? Looks great pulling those cars.

 

Jack

 

Alex,

    Simply fantastic video and layout, congrats to you and the better half on a job more than well done!

PCRR/Dave

Brian, Gary, RD, Spence, Bruce, Henry, Carl, Bill, Jack, Dave  –

 

Thank you – I really appreciate your comments!

 

Gary, the sounds are children playing and canoe rowing, mixed. That scene is one of my wife’s favorite. We spent a few days at Lake Chiemsee in Germany, and had a wonderful time.

 

RD, the wooden trestle, undoubtedly, offers a most impressive view, and it is well liked and appreciated by our guests.

 

Henry, Carl, the video was 20 minutes initially, but since I know that anything over 10 minutes tends to drag, I started cutting. I didn’t quite make it to 10 minutes, but just couldn’t cut anymore. I have decided to make another video that will feature several of the new operational accessories I have installed over the past few months, and a few other train views.

 

Bill, that is the RailKing Water Tower, which I finally got around to weather and it turned out fine. I achieved the spout effect by playing back that video portion at half speed. As far as the lids on top of the tender – I manually opened and closed them, and the video software transition makes this looks interesting. BTW, I use Corel Video Studio, which at around $60 is quite a bargain.

 

Jack, that is Lionel Legacy Dash 9 catalog 6-28343. (I bought the cars from my good friend Alan Arnold)

 

Thanks to everyone for watching!!

 

Alex

Alexander Müller

 

Excellent Alex, we need more posts like this!

 

 

Hi Alex,

 

  Your video was a pleasure to watch so well done, I thoroughly enjoyed it !!!!!

 

  Will you be attending this coming York meet this October, it would be great to see you and Judy. Haven't seen you guys in a few years.

 

Thanks,

Alex

Very nice! Wish I still lived in STL, I would like to see your layout in person.

 

Well done....

 

 

Alex,

 

 Your layout and your trains look great. The Big Boy takin on coal was terrific. Are they all Lionel? I know the BB and Amtrack are.

 

Thanks

JohnB

Excellent!!!!!

WOW that's a really great video, very well done. Your layout is also outstanding! Thanks for posting.

Alex:

We were planning to go (Oct York), but instead we sort of have to go to see the kids in Texas. (Funny thing, I say ‘the kids’, and my son who lives there will be 49 shortly.)

 

Doug:

Well, you know the way; come visit us!

 

John:

Correct; the Big Boy and Amtrak Dash-9 are Lionel, as well as the two Union Pacific diesels. The Santa Fe ABA and the BNSF+SF diesels are MTH. I frequently run DCS and Legacy at the same time without any issues.

 

And 86TA, Don, Rich, et al – Thank you very much!

 

Alex

Alexander Müller

Awesome video, I like how  you showcased  the modern engines in the video with Big Boy 

Thank you

Alex, That is one beautiful layout! Super job on your layout. Just can't

say enough about it. And lets not forget the Trains!! They look great,

BigBoy, Amtrak, UP, ATSF, BNSF!! WOW

Absolutely Spectacular

 

Ken M

Excellent video of your layout, Alex. Thanks for showing.
Ray.

one word ... freakin' awesome ... ok two words.

Alex,

 

i also appreciated the coal replenishment sequence.

 

how can you do such a great job on this video and such a lousy one on your avatar?  

Fantastic video! There's a whole lot to see on this layout! I really like that Amtrak engine and Superliners, but, as you said, the Visionline Big Boy is the star! 
Thanks for sharing this! 

Absolutely fabulous Alex! From the beginning to the end of your layout build, your latest video, and everything in between. It is always a great joy to watch. Bravo!!!

Rich

Great job Alex, a fun view. Two thumbs up. Don

Yeap, Great video! Thanks for sharing.

MOST ENJOYABLE.

Thanks for posting.

Just Awesome! Great Video too!

Alex,

 

thanks as for the video. Very well done, I really appreciate you taking the time to put it together and sharing it. 

 

Just so you know I kicked back on my couch, watched it on my ipad with a fresh cup of coffee and my dog at my side. What a great morning.

Alex......really cool!   

 

Peyer

Billy, Ken, Ray, Greg, Forrest, Stirling, Rich, Don, Joe, Jim, Chris, Zett, Peter –

 

Thank you all for your very nice comments – I really appreciate them!

 

Making the video was rather enjoyable, as it always is, but it can be somewhat frustrating as well. Occasionally, more than I care to admit, after filming a clip, it isn’t until I review that I notice something missing or wrong.

 

For instance, forgetting to start the bell, or training the camera just off a little bit and causing it to miss an important part, or a figure that had fallen down because it was not glued down, or even not starting a train (*!), and a myriad or other details that ruin a scene from what I had planned.

 

(*!) I forgot to start the subway mall train, which should have been seen running behind the Big Boy tender and car during the coupling operation. But I just decided to call it a wrap at that point.

 

I ended up taking four to five times more clips than I used, then I used about one half of the clip length as originally filmed. Between the filming, adding some sound effects, and editing with the software, I estimate that it takes me about one hour per minute of finished video.

 

Thanks again!

 

Alex

It's so good to see your Santa Fe back on the rails.

The Big Boy is a monster, totally tremendous run as it moves over Judy's bridge.

 

I put it on the big screen in the family room and could see the great detail on the engine.

 

Great video Alex.  

And THANKS for your help on my questions with wiring.

 

Ted Hirschi

Thank you, Ted!

 

Yes, the Big Boy definitely has been the main attraction when I run the trains for guests.

 

Of the approximately 120 people that have visited us in the last three months or so, most of whom have no clue of what the 'Big Boy' was or represents, all have been impressed with the locomotive. They do not know how big it is in real to be able to visualize it, so I let them know that the real one is in St. Louis. I suspect many have gone to see it after that.

 

Aside from that, and something I really did not expect, has been their appreciation for the features of the Lionel model. They always comment on the deep sound, voluminous steam, and the 'steaming whistle'.

 

Before I start the Big Boy train on its trip around the layout, I ask them to look at the coal load in the tender. Then, at the end of the trip I point out how it has depleted. That really gets their attention. However, when I start the coal refill process, is when they are really surprised in admiration.

 

Initially, I thought that the coal depletion and refill features were OK, but this was not why I bought the locomotive. However, after seeing the reaction if everyone who sees it in action, I have changed my mind: Thank You Lionel for including this feature!

 

 

Thanks again!

 

Alex

 

Nice work all around Alex,  good HD camera work too.  Nice to see in high quality settings on you tube............

 

Mark

Thank you, Mark!

 

I have had that camera for a while, a Canon Vixia HFM-40, and have considered replacing it, but it actually does everything I think I need.

 

Alex

 

When I saw the length of the video, I thought I would watch a sample and then deep six the rest.  Didn't happen.  Thank you for sharing this excellent video with us.

 

Your personal record has been awarded ten merits for very smooth station stops with the Amtrak Superliner train.  That's the way to do it!

Very well done video! Great camera work. Thanks for sharing you have an amazing layour.

Tom, CNtomato -

 

I do try to make those stops as realistic as possible (with any of the trains) but sometimes it is a bit difficult, and also try to do smooth camera work.

 

I operate the camera with one hand (start, stop, zoom, pan, focus select...) and with the other hand I operate the remote. Sometimes I will have two remotes in play, for DCS and for Legacy, and then it is really challenging. Hence, I may have to film the same scene several times.

 

Thank you for you nice comments!

 

Alex

Guys,

 

Several people have asked me about the music/song at the end of the video, which starts about 11 minutes into the video. It is the main theme from "Hell on Wheels", the AMC series about the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the U.S., and the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. There are a lot of other topics besides trains in the series, of course, but I thought the music was just right as background music when the Big Boy led train makes its run.

 

Alex

I agree that when I saw the length of the video, I was hesitant about spending that much time watching it.  But on the other hand, you have always produced top notch work.  I watched it all, very nice job!

 

Art

Great video Alex, impressive to say the least however I hear how difficult it is to create a video but I would have watched yours if it was an hour long but thanks for it anyway.

Art, Greg -

 

I catch myself always pushing the 'time duration' limit of my videos, but it is difficult for me to keep them to as few minutes as possible. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch the video, and to share your approval! 

 

THANK YOU!

 

Alex

Alexander Müller

Alex....I thought I had posted here because I watched the video...TWICE!!  But I guess I was mistaken!!  Anyway, I loved the video and think you did your usual fantastic job!!  By the way, I think I know from whom you got those Amtrak cars!!..

 

Alan

Hey, Alan!

 

Thank you so much!

 

By the way, I think I know from whom you got those Amtrak cars!!..

 

And, oh yes, of course - - as I posted earlier on this very thread:

 

Jack, that is Lionel Legacy Dash 9 catalog 6-28343. (I bought the cars from my good friend Alan Arnold)

 

Thx

Alex

Alexander Müller

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. The layout is beautiful. Lots of action and detail.

Thank you, James!

 

A lot of my guests like the action as well, and they spend quite a while looking at the details.

 

Funny thing, some of my guests who have come two, three or more times, usually ask if I have just added this or that. More often than not, what they are referring to is not new; they had just not noticed during their previous visit(s).

 

Thx!

 

Alex

 

PS. My guest book has 293 entries now, and that does not include repeat visits. I also know that there have been over a dozen or so people who have forgotten to sign the book.

Alex

Nicely done thanks for sharing

Alex, You did a great job on this video. As nice as it is, it does not compare to seeing the layout in person and enjoying your (and Judy's) hospitality.  Thanks, Pat B.

Steve, Pat - 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

Pat, even if I say so myself, I tend to agree. Many times I try to capture a specific scene, but somehow it escapes the ability of the lens. Similarly, the overall magnitude is difficult to depict in a video. But I'll keep trying . . . 

 

(When are you coming back?)

 

Thx!

 

Alex

Several days ago I had a couple of guests who were not able to take the stairs to the basement. Instead, they were very happy when I told them that I could play some of the videos I had of the layout. They went to the family room, where we have the 60” TV, and I started with the most recent video; the subject of this thread.

 

I left the room to get other information I wanted to share with them after the videos were over, and while fiddling with magazines and books in another room, I heard the whistle of steam locomotive. It sounded just like the whistle of the vintage movies of the real Big Boy, so I hurried back to the family room to see how or why a different video, other than mine, was playing.

 

Fooled! It was my video (at 8:44), where the Big Boy on reverse approaches a grade crossing in route to couple with the train, and the whistle sounded exactly like the real one as I have heard it. When I first ran my Big Boy back in December, I did not think that the quillable effect was prototypical, but I thought it was still ‘OK’.

 

Well, after what happened that night, I admit I was wrong – Lionel did an excellent job in duplicating the real thing. Thank you, Lionel!

 

Alex

       

I am glad that you were able to show these visitors your layout.

I have to say that I am very happy with my Visionline Big Boy as well!

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

Yes, the videos help. That is how I share my trains with my kids and grand kids, who live in CO and TX, and due to their occupations cannot visit often.

 

Still, as I have been told by many of our guests who had watched the videos first and then visited us, the videos do not convey the true impact or 'wow' factor of seeing the layout in person. They say the videos don't do it justice.

 

I can't say for my layout, but I do know for a fact that even though Alan Arnold is an excellent photographer, no pictures or videos can provide the impact of seeing his layout in person. When you first look at his layout you wonder if perhaps you are not on the south end of Lake Shore Drive looking at downtown Chicago!

 

Thanks for you comments!

 

Alex

Outstanding. Worth every second to watch

Keith,

 

The Judy Jane Trestle is one of the features that a lot of people like  the best. Undoubtedly, it was a bit more involved to build.

 

Bill,

 

Nice to know that you also liked the video in its entirety!

 

Thank You!

 

Alex

That is some good modeling there.  I concur, the trestle is outstanding.

Nice video. 

 

I really liked the lights shining on the passing cars at about the 11 minute mark of the video.  That would make a great night scene with a car stopped at a railroad crossing with the car's headlights lighting up the train.

 

Earl

William, 

Thank you! Glad you like the trestle!

 

Earl,

That is a great idea; I'll try that next time!

Thank you for noticing the finer details.

 

ANd thank you both for you nice comments.

 

Alex

ALex you are a perfectionist, that helps make for a great lay-out and video. Nothing wrong with that, been following from your start years ago when I joined the forum. Keep the videos coming.

That was a great video! I especially enjoyed watching the tender filling up with coal! Also your trestle is very cool. Nice work! Thank You!