Enjoy a hobo ride on our O scale layout

incredible scenery!  That is one lucky hobo.  I'd love to be a hobo on that RR.  Some of the tunnels had some interesting views.  thanks for sharing

Thanks Mike.  The problem is, the refrigerator is too well stocked with beer and we can't keep the hobo on the train.

Jay

I agree with Pitigo, that hobo is one lucky person. I'd wear out some loco wheels with a run like that. That Oriental Limited SP SDP45 is pretty nice on the passing train. The scenery is very spectacular. Thanks for posting.

That is one dy-no-mite layout, Jay!  Let me know if you guys have any interest in putting together a full-blown feature for the magazine.  I'm always on the lookout for finely executed scale pikes.

Jay, Awesome, You guys did yourself proud with that layout. Enjoyed the trip several times over especially on the third one with an open view.

Phil  

Allan,

I'll mention it to the guys.  Like I told Joe, if they decide to go for it they'll probably want to finish a few more of the major items.  This would include the roundhouse & turntable.

I'll let you know,

Jay

This has to be one of the best pikes I've seen, and the ride is like your in the train. I have to admit when ever I see 13+ minutes of a layout tour I rarely make it through the first 2 minutes. I watched all 3 straight through and enjoyed them thoroughly. The captains chair must be the best seat in the house! I love the way the scenery was constructed to flow from the top down with access areas in between that cannot be noticeable from the captains chair area. The fact that you finished areas that would be out of view from the lower area, suggest you planned train rides verses just rail fanning. How big is the layout and what is the height from floor to ceiling? Also how many guys are building it and how long has taken to this point? Excellent layout, thanks for sharing. 

Fantastic layout , fantastic video - thanks for sharing Jay.  This is one of the very best sceniced O scale model railroads I've seen - especially so given it's size.  The attention to detail and the selection of rolling stock matched to time and place reinforces the them of railroad modeling - not just another nice model train layout.

I've got to get off this computer and back toworking on the railroad....

Ed Rappe

I've seen smaller layouts . 

Very impressive

Thanks guys.  Truth is, the video makes the whole thing look larger than it really is.  And to think we almost bought the adjoining room when it became available.  The layout would have gone from 85' x 35' to something over 85' x 70'.  Luckily someone with more brains than the majority told us we were nuts so we didn't pursue it.  Probably would have had to sell all the trains to pay for it.

To answer a previous question; the minimum radius on the mains is 8' (96").

One thing that does surprise me is, when people are invited to visit, and bring something to run, most decline.  No, not the visit but, in fact, bringing something to run.  Not sure why.

Jay

They are probably concerned that their engine will not manage to get to a complete loop without breaking down....

Yves

Jay, some times it's just a tough choice, hmmm bring MTH UP 9000.... nah it'll straighten their rail,  Key UP challenger.... nah too complicated, modern diesel... nah I'll need at least 3 powered units and some modern cars,  something PSC... nah it may lose some jewelry on its way around,  M&M hand car... maybe but Sophia may not approve....

I'm glad you don't discriminate.  I've heard some don't allow no sprung locos unless it was grandfathered or don't allow anything out off a specific era.. etc

Michael,

My statement was somewhat tongue in cheek.  About the only thing we really don't want are plastic wheels.

The MTH wouldn't be a problem.  With 8' radius all around the loco wouldn't even know it's in a curve.  That and, we've had some very large and extremely heavy locos run on the layout without any problems.  As a matter of fact, we ran a Rod Miller AC-9 that needed extensive repairs after being damaged in shipping.  The engine weighed somewhere around 20 pounds.  Rod told me it was kind of an experiment to see how heavy he could make a large engine.  Heaviest I've ever seen and it ran flawlessly.  So again. MTH....no problem.

Jay

Jay, thanks for the videos.  Great views of long train, enjoyed the ride.

Top notch work, all of it!  The scenery, the rolling stock, engines, all top notch!  (And the videos, too!)

Nicko,

The layout is 35'x85'.  I believe it's 12' from floor to ceiling.  Three members remain.  It's taken anywhere from 5 to 10 years depending on how you count (hours spent working on it vs. hours when nothing was being done).

We've had anywhere from one to maybe a dozen folks working on it at any one time.  To be honest, I really haven't kept tabs on time spent building it.  Everything I'm saying is just a wild guess.

Jay

Jay

Christopher,

Thanks!  Yeah, in retrospect, it's not the best title I've ever picked.  Actually, it's pretty lame.  I looked at trying to change it but didn't find a way to do it so the title remains.

Jay

Now we're talkin' SERIOUS O-scale railroading here, folks!!!    Great use of real estate... and absolutely fabulous scenery!  Love the "scale look-and-feel".

Life is definitely good being a hobo in your neck of the woods!    Where do I sign up??? 

Thanks for sharing some terrific video.  I've watched hobo ride #5... gotta go back and view more.  I had a not-so-great day today, so this was a terrific way to relax and wind down the evening. 

David

I missed it the first time also.

This wonderful O sclae railroad sure has the Holy Sh*t factor.

Very impressive, thanks for posting. Is this a private layout or a club layout? 

This is incredible - the rock work is by far the best I've ever seen!

We live near the Blue Ridge Parkway and it is very similar in appearance.  Would love to know how you achieved such realism with the rocks. 

I guess this is a duplicate post..    OK because it deserves all the exposure it can get!

Allan,

Thanks for making the change.  Adding "Gorgeous" seems a little presumptuous and not in character for me but it is definitely an attention grabber.

Thanks again,

Jay

No problem, Jay.  I did one more edit to the title that should do well enough.

The reaction to our video is kind of overwhelming.  Please forgive me for not replying to each of you separately.  It makes me happy to see everyone likes the work that's been done on the layout, so far. 

It's located near the Fresno Airport (Central California).  We call it a club but there are only 3 remaining members.  Two died and two quit.  It is 35' X 85' with minimum 8' radius on the main lines.  We're not going to have a lot of structures.  We feel most layouts are just too cluttered which kind of takes away from the overall effect.

We've opened it to the public twice (both times following O Scale West) but for the most part we've kept it's location & hours of operation semi-secret.  Truth is, if someone wants to see it all they have to do is contact one of us and we'll set something up.  Oh yeah, kind of hard to do without contact info, huh?  Actually, I think my contact info is available through this website.  If asked, I try to oblige.

The landscaping is not protected from being touched but we expect visitors to have enough common sense to not touch it.  If you do you'll be escorted out and not allowed back.  As a matter of fact, we had one guy come in who immediately started picking up rolling stock for closer examination.  He hasn't been seen since.

Again, thanks for the kind words,

Jay

Thanks Allan!  Much better.

Jay

Jay that has to be some of the most awesome video of a model RR yet.   It makes me think of Bruce Chubb's HO Sunset Valley Lines.  A railroad in miniature.

I often wonder why onboard video/audio never took off in this hobby?  Nothing is more awesome than running your model train from the right hand cab seat.

Next up for you club is to  insert cuts in the rail every 39' and some sound for that power and you'll have a railroad that looks and sounds like a railroad.

Any idea if those signals are going to be manually controlled or automated?

You guys have a dream that most of us could only... dream of!

Rob,

Because I like modeling what is often referred to as the transition era I agree with you.  I like the sound of the wheels passing over the joints but the truth is we're really trying to make the layout non-era specific so we'll probably just leave it as is.  The guys with newer stuff like than d**n welded rail.

The signals will be controlled automatically with built in detectors.

Once again, thanks to all of you for the kind & encouraging words.

Jay