Thanks for the shout-out KS!! 

mjc6184    thats me!

Similar to you, I have a carpet layout with two ovals (72" and 60" diameters).  I try to post videos at least once a week or so, but mostly when I acquire new pieces and/or accessories to highlight.

For O Gauge reviews or some layout related "how to's", I watch Eric's Trains.

Why would I watch You tube channels? I get about 6000 spectrum channels.

Trains: Most everything posted above, plus all the clubs, many G scale ones, Tom Z, Dennis Sirrine, etc., etc...several Real RR ones.

I follow like 150 with music ones too. I can't name them all.

Whichever one I feel like at the time.

Rusty

@Hot Water posted:

I'm with Pappy!  I wouldn't waste my time with that YouTube drivel. Besides, I didn't know YouTube had "channels" anyway.

The "drivel" on YouTube are just the videos that are, well, drivel. I do not watch those. That's what judgement is for. I watch what catches my eye - some RR stuff - less than you would think - but many other things, also. Jay Leno's Garage is one of my regulars. Automotive road tests in general (must be discriminating there - some are very well-informed; most involve people with far too many tattoos). I stumble across some fascinating "How To" stuff, some modeling (not all RR) and some really oddball items. Very few cute animal videos make it with me (there have been one or two...)

Like most of human endeavor, most of YouTube is just junk. Some of it is not, and can be worthy.  Judgement, judgement. 

LITRAIN 80 plus videos and over 20,000 views. See channel link below

Do you enjoy learning?

A couple years ago when I got into O Gauge & STD Gauge, I couldn't find much content on YouTube.  Some of these responses and attitudes make me understand why!  Jeez, YouTube might be the best source for information for just about any hobby.

I subscribe to and watch the following train hobby channels.  All are members here:

Eric's Trains

Don's Trains

D. Scott Smith

Flint Rock Valley

gunrunnerjohn

gigeastman

Jim Kelly-Evans

Joe Paonessa

L.I.Train

Sean's Trains Cars and Other Stuff

TrainRoomGary

Andy Konefal

Mr.Muffin's Trains

TrainWorldTV

I also watch some trains channels that aren't necessarily O related:

Ken Patterson

mpeterll

Model Railroad Hobbyist

I also enjoy hickok45 and Jay Leno's Garage but those aren't train related . 

There are more I'm forgetting and I wish there were thousands more.  I never tire of seeing other people's layouts, learning about the past, and seeing what's in store for the future.  That's the future of the hobby IMO.  A kid can't go into a Walmart to see a train.  They can see one on YouTube.  God knows they get enough screen time!  Lionel & MTH should have much nicer channels.  It's sort of embarrassing really.

I have about a dozen I subscribe to (mostly off-topic--I go down a lot of rabbit holes), others I keep in mind because I remember their content, but not enough to commit to subscribing--there's too much material to keep up with as it is. So far as railroad video goes:

Freight: Jaw Tooth, Distant Signal and Mile Post Munk

Transit: DJ Hammers, Fan Railer

On my own channel (same name as here) I maintain playlists of of 'Pure Railroad Runbys' from various posters, cab-ride videos (mostly trams/light rail, but some are model RR cab-view videos) and time-lapse videos of rail infrastructure projects.

I also have my own videos, but haven't posted any in awhile as I focus on backlogged art projects, photographing and documenting my train collection (500 pieces so far, and nowhere near done)

---PCJ

Personally, I do not have a long list of subscribers, since I am busier on making YouTube videos myself, but I have a few. Some include Eric's Trains, Sam's Trains, Toy Man Television, The Steam Channel, and TSG Multimedia. 

If you want to check out my channel here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/channe...B6xHBZ03NP0P4ujR1cAA

I know people lover Eric's trains and more power to them.  However, his reviews just grind on me.  I have watched some of this other stuff as well, I just don't dig it.

The only regular Model RR Guy I watch is Luke Towan, he seems to always be doing something different and new.  There are other non Model RR things I frequent on YouTube, but alas my interests are pretty varied, so my watching reflects that.  Trains are not my only hobby or interest.

fred stuckman in the akron, ohio area posts recordings of most w&le stone train movments in the area. i enjoy these alot since i'm building an o gauge version of the cars....

 Jason Jensen Trains

 Steven Bennet

 Jim DuFour’s Cheshire Branch, great B&M layout.  Steam early diesel.

NRS.  Neil Schofield  Canadien Pacific 80’s layout based in northern New England.

these layouts are all HO.

  For 3RS. You can’t beat Norm C’s work.

I watch a bunch. I have my own but I enjoy watching @Dj'sOgaugetrains, @Sid's Trains, @trainroomgary as well as others. 

Always enjoy seeing what Train Room Gary has to share.

My favorite YouTube channel at the moment is Hobo Shoestring's freight train hopping videos. I know what all the Karens are going to say... criminal, trespassing, dangerous, etc, but I'm still enjoying it. You can learn a lot about railroading from a hobo.

If anyone is looking for a new channel, I somewhat recently started one. 

RJ'S Trains

For those of you who have asked "What's a YouTube Channel?" here's the answer.

Anyone who posts even a single video on YouTube automatically has a "channel." You can "subscribe" to a channel by clicking on the poster's name in one of their YouTube videos. This allows you to "sort" the videos into more usable and watchable groups of videos than what you find on the main YouTube page.

While I would agree that there is a lot of drivel and crap on YouTube, there are some real gems there as well.

Some Prototype Video Channels:

• Fort Wayne RR Historical Society (owners of NKP steamer  No. 765)
• Steam Train Videos  (Here's their scene of NKP 765 at 60+ mph, with LOTS of stack talk!)
• Delay in Block Productions
• Railroad Videos
• Diverging Clear Video

Some O Gauge Video Channels

• Mr. Muffin's Trains
• OGR Forum Member Dave Slie's Channel
• Tom's Trains and Things
• Dakman Productions
• Brent Harris Model Trains
• Silver Rail Club

There are thousands more channels to see!

I subscribe to many rail-related channels on YouTube. Many of the channels I like have already been mentioned. Like Rich did I broke down my picks to Prototype and O Gauge and limited to my top three of each. 

Prototype: Love all three because of the great camera work and coverage of east coast & mainline steam.

     Eastern PA Railfan Productions 

     Blue Comet Productions 

    Big Jim Video Productions

O Gauge:

    pennsy484 - Great collection of PRR Steam

    pghTrainFanatic - Loved watching Nick's process of building a top-tier layout throughout the updates

  I also really enjoy Virtual Railfan's Strasburg Camera. Non-train related but if you are a home-improvement/DIY guy, This Old House has a channel with how-to videos as well as full episodes of their show; I love watching their videos.

And of course, before the end of my post, here is a shameless plug for my own channel; I post a variety of prototype, O gauge, and G scale. I'm working on getting better at filming, and hope to one day have videos as good as the channels I listed above. 

Donnie Baker.  State law

I watch a lot of train videos mostly DJ's Trains and Eric's Trains

Former Member posted:

YouTube can be a valuable tool...

Bingo.

Don't do YouTube? No problem. Don't watch it and go your way. No biggie.

As for me, YouTube help vids have helped me so many times I've lost count: Tech tips, how-to's, recipes,  and such, then there's the historical clips, etc, etc, etc. Basically, the internet has replaced TV in our household. YouTube is a go to site for me for lots of reasons.

Via YouTube I've watched films, information, and what have you, that will NEVER make it to the History Channel or other broadcast/cable outlets.

Adre

As Rich Melvin pointed out, there is a lot of very useful information on YouTube, but you need to be selective.

I have a YouTube channel of my own, Pennsy Productions. Consider checking it out if you like seeing the real things in action! And don't worry, I have a model railroad video or two in the works. 

Some of my favorite YouTube channels include:

• Blue Comet Productions
• Joseph Fusco
• ToledoRails
• SteamTrainVideos.com
• SmokyMtnSteam
• MPT 1225
• High Iron
• Dynamo Productions
• Belt Line Productions
• Eastern PA Railfan Productions
• Trainman K

Some of my favorite modeling channels include:

• Caleb's Trains
• Eric's Trains
• MaxRailroad
• PghTrainFanatic
• Norm Charbonneau, of course

Dakman Productions ,Eric’s Trains , Max Railroad, JD Strucks. And Muffins to name a few. All give different views of this great hobby.

Some amateur videos move so slow I run out of patience fast. When they have more experience many are really good.

On train layout videos my interest is high rail. When they show a lot of RR trivia, posters on the wall, trains on shelves, I began to run out of time fast. Automated accessories and automation are better but only trivial interest.

Another interest is Honda engine swaps, they get terribly complicated with todays electronics especially compares to V8 hot rods. Sometimes people who you sure couldn't tell by their looks are really smart.

How do people dig up these threads from 6 years ago? I can't find one that was posted last week.

So many great recommendations!  Already, I have subscribed to a bunch more that were recommended above.  During this stay at home time, it's good to keep busy and have so much down time options.

Sometimes I'll watch a RR live-cam, mainly the one in downtown Ashland, VA. This one shows trains coming through that I have ridden on... the Silver Meteor and Silver Star, NYC to Miami. Southbound, they go through (non stop) at around 4:48 pm and 9:15 pm Eastern time. When on a trip I take a video of my train arriving in Philadelphia, then a little on the train. When Ashland gets near, I'm all set to film it off of my laptop screen. I get a few "How did you do that?". 

These sites have people from around the world watching and commenting...however, the subject matter is rarely trains. Truly, some  of these people need to "get a life".

You can turn off comments on your own videos if that works. The comment section is weird for sure.

Several YouTube things that irritate me is long entros, music choices, rambling, and bouncing cameras.

Too many just take forever to get to the point of anything.  Then others ruin it with music which most of the time isn't needed.  I mute many of these.  There are some restoration ones I like where you just here the ambient sounds of what they're doing.  I like that better.

Then there's those that ramble to fill the gaps. Not every thought is needed.

Final issue is the camera bouncing all around. I see a lot of layout videos do this.  It's like the Blair Witch phenomenon.  Makes my head hurt.

Some neat ones recently are forum member @SantaFeJim, short and simple. Easy to watch. No unneeded extras.  Clean stable shots.

I mostly watch the following:

TrainworldTV

Ericstrains

Ravenhawk6910

McMuffinstrains

Pghtrainfanatic

NJhighrailers

I spend a lot time on youTube. I enjoy listening to old music from when i was a boy. I love to watch people fish. Especially for muskies. I enjoy listening to music from movies. Whenever, I purchase a new fishing lure I will sometimes go on youTube to see how to use it. Watching old video's of some of my favorite sports stars is great.

Off the top of my head, I watch Eric and Mr. Muffin, as well as some of the Live Rail cams, especially HSC and a couple others. I also search out historic rail films. I occasionally watch people's layout videos, but I get bored easily, and production values vary widely, so if they're too long or the narrator drones on and on, I'm done. I like POV videos, and some of the how-to videos, also.

YouTube is the greatest for how-to videos - anything from resetting your automobile clock to daylight savings time or repairing your lawn mower or setting intonation on your electric guitar. You just have to find a video made by someone who doesn't just like to hear himself talk. 

Plus, it was nice to be able make a record of and share videos of my now "extinct" layout:

My channel

Jim

Yep....the comments and links above are some of my favorites too! I even have a YouTube channel...need to update it with new videos and will do that as soon as run 314 has been published.

I watch You Tube on my TV through TIVO or ROKU. I'm not signed in, but You Tube knows I like train topics; both Real and Model. The recent Train World podcasts popped up in my viewing choices. I didn't have to search for them.

uploads of Don Mccuaig, that's mine. Many layout and real trains. Mainland and Maui. Lots of diving videos also. Don

@Jim Policastro posted:

YouTube is the greatest for how-to videos - anything from resetting your automobile clock to daylight savings time

This cracked me up. My Outback owner's manual explaining this was "Greek" to me. The YouTube video made it very clear.

Linus Tech Tips

Apau Hawaii Tours

The Slow Mo Guys

BBC Earth (David Attenborough)

One of my favorite YouTube channels is Toy Man Television. Not much O gauge but entertaining. 

@TexasSP posted:

You can turn off comments on your own videos if that works. The comment section is weird for sure.

Several YouTube things that irritate me is long entros, music choices, rambling, and bouncing cameras.

Too many just take forever to get to the point of anything.  Then others ruin it with music which most of the time isn't needed.  I mute many of these.  There are some restoration ones I like where you just here the ambient sounds of what they're doing.  I like that better.

Then there's those that ramble to fill the gaps. Not every thought is needed.

Final issue is the camera bouncing all around. I see a lot of layout videos do this.  It's like the Blair Witch phenomenon.  Makes my head hurt.

Some neat ones recently are forum member @SantaFeJim, short and simple. Easy to watch. No unneeded extras.  Clean stable shots.

 

 

Amen, brother!  And yet YouTube "encourages" every irritation you mention above. Ultimately, they want to keep eyes on YouTube in general to sell ads even if it alienates many of us going there for entertainment, recommendations, or how to's.

I encourage everyone to subscribe to their favorite channels so good behavior will be rewarded over the annoying trends and your favorite content providers will be higher in the youtube search engine .  Keep in mind that subscribing is not the same as notifications which can be another annoyance.  Subscribing just makes it convenient to find your favorite content creators again rather than youtube guessing at what they think you would be interested in.

I like some of these guys u-tubes

Musicalcraft   lots of 027

Lou Costabile

ChooChooCharlie001    027 layout some have seen

bobntrains

brwilli6

03patines

I can spend hours watching u tubes, trains, airplanes, Midway and other battles, cars, music of old songs and singers, etc

Charlie