The JACALAR RR

The Kato / Kobo CalTrain cars have been acquired. While not truly in period, they are the currently running trains in the area, and will go well with running on the SVFMN displays at shows (I'm building a CalTrain station module).

 

WoT 50-ft PC&F Cars

The Wheels of Time cars finally were delivered, received 3 each of SP and WP (birthday present, much delayed)!

These are beautiful cars, well detailed. Come equipped with metal wheel sets, and body mounted couplers (which does leave a large gap between cars)

Here we see them being pulled by a Black Widow ABA string, through the JACALAR's foothill mining town

 

Close ups of WoT cars:

 

Yes, it has been much too long. My work on the FreeMoN modules took over all my modeling work, and completely blocked all my space in the shed, so I could barely walk, let alone work, in there. Luckily, I have now come up with a new storage location for the modules, and am hoping to get the shed cleaned back up, and this layout back up and running, and maybe even start work again.

Thanks for noticing the thread!

 

George, it certainly feels that way! I have some of the backdrop photos peeling off their mounts, car cases piled on parts of the yard.... My primary goal is to get everything back into shape so that the new arrivals, in two weeks, will be able to run nicely.

Arrivals, you say ? Well, of course, I've heard that a UP excursion train might soon be heading through the JACALAR.

 

We finally had our family Chanukah celebration last night, and while these are technically my birthday present (in Feb), I got to open the FEF, water bottles and excursion train. I spent a lot of time on Saturday cleaning up the layout, and running equipment around, to ensure that everything was operational.

This morning, went out to shed, put the loco and train on the layout, and gave it a whirl. Runs fantastically. Used my iPad for these photos, rather than good camera, so I apologize for the lower quality

Here's #844, with excursion train, pulled in to the station at Laurel Gulch






(yes, that is a TARDIS in town... The Doctor is visiting the old west)

 

844 pulling into the Cherylton depot





The museum car parked at depot platform, for folks to visit


Pulling out of Cherylton, crossing the main road

 

Pulling pass the Sunol yard. An AC12 also pulling in. Shot over the UP E8/9



Past the oil fields in the foothills



And up above Donner Lake in the High Sierras

 

Entering the High Sierra tunnel



and emerging on the other side

 

Coming across the trestle



and on the ridge over Laurel Gulch

 

And crossing the JACALAR river, and heading back into Cherylton





Next stop, the GTE at Craneway Pavillion, Richmond, CA, Jan 3 & 4, at the Silicon Valley Station!

 

Thanks, George. It really does, even with the lower quality iPad-2 photos. Can't wait to do some real photography on it (but not today)

Dust wasn't the real problem. Cobwebs though...! Well, I also have a couple spots I clearly need to clean the rails a bit more, and check voltages. Running "at speed" doesn't seem to have problems, but at slow speed/creep, I saw some issues.

I am quite impressed with the factory installed TCS decoder, runs nicely. Still need to work some of the settings with DecoderPro, though.

 

I do, too! Nice!