The Oakville Sub is truly an inspiriational layout. This is what N scale is all about! Long trains. Spectacular and majestic scenery. It is exactly this kind of layout that turned me away from that Horribly Oversized stuff and converted me to N. Jim, I only wish I had your space to stretch out in for my layout, but I am grateful for what I do have and am hoping to make the best of it. Excellent work, and keep those photos and updates coming! Frank B.
Thanks, Frank! I had a lot of years with either little or no layout space. But persistence pays off and now I have the layout of my dreams. You make the best of it and have patience, honing your skills against the day when you can fulfill the dream. Is the Sub perfect? No. There are a lot of compromises I had to make, but I'm very happy with what I've got.
Mitch Legg's custom GDRMCo SD70s (by Brian Kuhn) complete their Oakville Sub job today. Here they pass the yard office: Passing the yard entrance: And at East Oakville: It was a real pleasure hosting and photographing these units. Now they're off to Jerry DeBene's fine Pinole layout...
Hi Jim Thanks for showing us the the tour! Everything looks better when it runs on your layout! Brian, you did a fantastic job on those locomotives! Check your PM!
I've not been doing nothing while the SD70 tour was ongoing... A project with a long gestation, moving the desk and (upgraded) computer to a better location for several reasons - gets it out of the way and is much more convenient for speed matching and general computer/railroad interface. The earthworm (96 5161's) is passing Bealville: Here's a closer view - I had to notch the fascia so I could see the monitor - this shot is pretty much what I see from the chair. I configure the left monitor to a Panel Pro-designed layout schematic which shows train location by turning a block red. The main monitor can be used for throttles or whatever else is needed. Switches can be thrown via mouse.
Thanks for posting Jim. I always like the photos that show how operators interact with the layout. Do you have a good view for speed matching from the chair? Is it done on the main layout? I may have missed some items in previous posts, but you mentioned controlling turnouts from your console. Are there also fascia mounted turnout controls or do you simply control them from the throttles? Looks like your leading up to an ops session with a dispatcher. What fun.
Yes, John, there are fascia push buttons also. An op session would be interesting but probably very boring to a true operator. I have operated six trains at once using three DT100 radio throttles, but have gone over to the DT400 duplex now - and once I got the first one, that was it for the 100s - haven't used them since! There are other possibilities for that panel display - I don't have staging occupancy showing at this point, and signals would also be interesting...
CHRISTmas is coming and this year we found some structures called Ginger Cottages - these are not your typical village structures but are all wood and with a gingerbread theme. (The wife is BIG on gingerbread.) Each cottage structure has one or more "Easter Eggs" - usually inside. I found the lights as part of a warm white LED string and pulled it apart to make individual lights I could power off a wall wart. Here are a couple shots: (The Train content is over on the right hand side...) Finally a close up of the mill pond and dam before it snowed. This is my first time using water effects, and I'm pleased with the results. Building the village took an inordinate amount of time but the finished product should delight the grandkids...
Jim, I forgot to ask on your signals, does it give flashers, like yellow or a flashing green like UP when crossing trains over?
I use CML Electronics' SIGM-20 as signal controller - I don't have anything set up to flash, but I know the capability is there.
No Interruption - that's what the board is all about! I use MT 1015s. IM has a dimple for the screw, easy peasy to drill and tap. You want to be careful when remounting the trucks that the axle doesn't hit the screw head. MT trucks are offset, so orientation is critical
It's the usual busy day at the Oakville engine facility - the smell of diesel hangs heavy. The shot was kind of an experiment - every now and then I like to play around and get photos that are impossible to get any other way. This one was taken through a mirror because the camera wouldn't fit any other way. I also used Helicon Focus to get the depth. Then flipped it in Photoshop, straightened it, and cropped it. Simple, right?
When you say offset , does it mean that they are closer coupling? ie. are they closer together than the stock IM /MT's? BTW that is an awesome train. My current(and growing) BNSF Earthworm is only 56 cars and I thought that was a monster w/5 SD-70 macs on point.
Jim, That is one great looking photo, and a great approach to getting it. Especially with that War Bonnet hiding in the back! All that motive power must be thirsty! Love the look of all those locomotives hanging out together. Well done again!
An inspection train on the Sub today - Thought it was time to have the Es look like the real thing...but I draw the line at that tacky beacon...
I;ll jump in here with an answer. If you take a careful look at a Microtrains truck, you will see that the bolster pin is actually closer to one axle than the other. I discovered this when I discovered that the truck axles on some of my cars that used body-mounted 1015's screwed to the chassis would rub the mounting screw. Turning the truck 180 degrees, making the axle a bit further from the screw head, solved the problem.
I think what dieselfan1 was asking is are the CARS closer together, not the trucks. I believe they are, but I'm not gonna swear to that - and yes, you need to orient the MT trucks so they are toward the center of the car or you will hit that screw...can produce some interesting sounds. Running that 96 cars into staging is an adventure when the slack runs in...I manage to power it with four SD75i - SD70 types.
Hi Jim, A really nice job on those E units! Can you share the tricks to get them look so good? I like them so much i want to see about doing them.
