Post your non-O scale stuff here!
A few 'out of towners' visiting.
Gary and Bill from East of Columbus, Ohio and Phillip and son from Lexington, Kentucky.
Gary and I met at a train show back in the mid 70's.
video:
Phillip's son brought his Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire to the GNRW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfgC5cm2068
Train show at Franklin, Indiana.
Miles: 107
There were 5 buildings.
Videos:
3-rail layout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPwvXrb3XrI
Lego automation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1BlGq0SrQY
County fairgrounds;
Building one;
Stone hedge.
G scale.
An RC airplane friend selling his dad's trains.
3-rail.
N gauge.
2nd building.
Must of not been too much to interest me since no pictures!
Building 3.
A farm building with lots of doors.
N gauge.
Standard gauge.
N gauge.
Bought items from this dealer.
Automated Legos.
Bought some GNRW tools from this fellow.
4th building: AC: AHHHHH!
Was '90 out'!
'Invisible' gauge!
There's a train on the track.
Have bought stuff from this dealer in the 'past': very reasonable prices.
Too modern for my layout but something different.
Lots of framed pictures at 'good prices'.
Also, lots of photos.
Tempting but 'no room'!
Pre weathered cars.
12 inches to the foot gauge.
Not cheap!
5th building.
track weathering.
Latest 'cabeese' with interiors and lights at 125 bucks.
Got one.
Nice wood kits.
Actually bought a few items.
Got the 'display case' for a very detailed engine of mine.
Some original GN advertisement.
Some free 'Classic trains' mags; not sure if I had them but, after a year, all 'reading material' is 'new' to me!
GNRW ADS.
Didn't know railroads 'marked' their tools!
Can use these 'fine adjustment tools' on my HO engines!
Some 'ground throws'.
Not sure if I need these 'universals' but, for 2 bucks each, better to have them and 'not need them' than vise versa!
More 2 bucks each.
Another item/s that are no longer produced.
The #4's have thin shanks which, for me, is good for the 'cow catcher' end.
Also, offset high and low couplers.
Case over my engine without the base.
Excellent show!
Ross club weekly Tuesday night meeting.
videos:
Many of the freight cars are vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid kits.
UP E-6 A-B-B passenger train:
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfXoChwVJ0A
Departing Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySdgi7fnLxA
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu4w6OPz1L4
Seattle: viewed from an access hatch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eqcgc4_Vp0
NP A-3 4-8-4 grey boiler:
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP_VL7nuFe4
Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04qIiNwzyvQ
Waverly: Tried using 'zoom lens'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq0mWNz0GQs
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4, UP E-6 A-B-B and UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AKt_r-N898
UP 2-tone greys 4-6-6-4 and 4-8-4:
Glacier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGvG0z5_M8s
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4:
Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8QWxBfX12s
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NwHBLEOxtU
Nick operating the UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 at Skykomish.
Bob with the NP A-3 grey boiler 4-8-4.
Main 'throat' to Seattle.
Mark operating the UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4.
UP 4-6-6-4 at Hillyard's water tower.
St. Paul's freight yard.
NP A-3 4-8-4 at Marias pass.
UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4 freight departing Seattle.
NP A-3 4-8-4 at Hillyard.
Skykomish.
Swan river railroad.
Joe and Nick.
Nick uses all 5 of the functional water towers.
UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4 freight at Havre.
NP A-3 4-8-4 at Waverly.
Jerry operating the UP E-6 A-B-B passenger train at the passenger yard.
UP 4-8-4 at Glacier.
Bob and Nick opposite St. Paul.
Mark and Bob.
Nick's UP 4-8-4 at Tye.
St. Paul.
Nick 'switching' freight cars.
Seattle.
OGR moved my 0-4-0T train ride to 'real trains' so go there to see the post.
Nice that they moved it instead of just deleting it.
It's nice they let you post photos of the big HO layout, too. I enjoy seeing so many models from different roads, even if the scale is not O/O gauge.
Dispatcher's panel updated to have a 'name' assigned to each train.
Joe and I took about 2 'hard' days to get this new option implemented.
Presently the dispatcher's panel controls all mainline turnouts, signals;
plus the block will be highlighted in red when a train is in a block and will indicate whether the train is 'east' bound or 'west' bound.
The new option is to assign a name to a train.
We can give who is operating it or the engine number, etc.
This is the main dispatcher's panel where the 'mouse' is used to initiate changes.
The train 'name' is assigned at either the passenger yard or the freight yard.
The 'V' is to help locate the yellow box that is 'double clicked'.
This screen appears and the desired input is 'typed in'.
That train in that block now has a 'name' assigned to it and will 'follow' from block to block.
No train was run on this test picture but it shows how 'sam' goes from one block to another.
If a train was operating, once it left the previous block, it would change from red to white.
This eliminates Joe using 'post ems' to track 'who was where'.
Very cool stuff in JMRI.
Ross club weekly Tuesday night meeting.
Many of the freight cars are vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid kits.
videos:
UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 freight:
This as well as any engine I painted, etc. have lights: headlights (engine/tender), marker lights (engine/tender), running board lights, cab and fire box glow.
Marias Pass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIsrvTjXmVE
Glasgow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR442-DENow
Chumstick canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9oTGqenhBE
Seattle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYkq8_lhZ3E
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 freight:
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKIcQmzamCo
Tye (west at station):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpjFSY6T2FE
UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 and Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 freights:
Waverly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGc0H9FszNY
Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 freight:
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0sQalwR_zw
Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 and UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4:
Glacier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cFyB8D_ouI
Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 and UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4:
Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJfy6psYLPs
PRR P5A electrics freight (all red, white, blue potato cars):
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6np_pOiV0J0
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAraZJy9V0U
Joe at the dispatcher's console with the new 'name train' software.
Picture doesn't 'pick it up' but the 'name trains' are red font with yellow back ground.
Bob operating the UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 departing Seattle.
Skykomish.
Mark operating the PRR P5A electrics with all potato cars.
GNRW's main 'throat' into Seattle's freight and passenger yards.
UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 taking water at Willmar.
Nick operating the UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4.
Willmar.
Waverly.
Havre and Waverly with Swan River logging company bottom in picture.
Glacier.
Jerry operating the Burlington M-4A 2-10-4.
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 at Willmar.
Nick 'switching' cars from the 'incoming track' at Seattle.
Tye.
Mark operating the PRR P5A electrics.
Earlier in the day I tested the new 'name trains' option using a UP E-6 A-B-B passenger train.
All worked well (versus good).
Typing in a "bunch if A's" it appears one can input about 60 characters.
Ross club modular layout at a retirement home in Montgomery, Ohio.
The have 'shows' about every 2 months.
They 'sign up' for 3-4 hour 'shifts'.
video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGa0ZnDXj7M
New delivery.
The first engine that I've acquired in several months.
DM&IR E-1 2-10-2 imported by Key in 1978 with can motor.
Besides interfacing with GNRW the main reason I purchased this engine is all the 'piping' on the boiler.
No coupler and no wheel wear so, probably, sat in the box for 46 years!
Engineer's side.
top views.
Love the air tanks on top of the boiler.
A hole will be cut below the deck for the 8 wire connector.
Probably will add a deck plate.
Fireman's side.
The fireman's side always seems to have a lot more 'piping' than the engineer's side!
Those will be lighted...and straightened!
One more reason I acquired it: grey boiler with all the piping painted black!
==========
Other DM&IR engines.
Three 2-8-8-4 Yellowstones.
Two 0-10-2's with tender boosters.
One painted.
GNRW OPS for August.
For the last several months any cars that derail are, immediate, removed from the layout for later PM.
This has reduced derailments to virtually 'non existent'.
videos:
Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 freight with Ben's 'reefers'.
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGremeP7gPk
Paul's PRR RS-3 freight:
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKDsaACGZDg
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 with long freight train which has a smoking whistle:
Many of the freight cars are vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid kits.
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8tYEYYL568
Departing Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xED8NRcQoNM
Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MDsxHIu9Mg
NP A-3 grey boiler 4-8-4 freight:
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjHi2XOPjUA
Tye (west) at station:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nUi7TPyApg
UP E-6 A-B-B passenger train:
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zkiPp_t9Lg
SF 2-10-10-2 freight:
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm1lVrceMbY
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvb2MmpsjXA
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 and SF 2-10-10-2:
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulgqSPpLWok
Dave brought his 2 sons: Joseph and Michael.
He, also, brought some homemade brownies. 
Usual pizza before and orange cream bars later.
Joe had to dismantle their modular layout at a retirement home so I had to do the 'dispatching'.
I like using the new 'train names'; Besides the engine the engineer's name was, also, added.
The camera doesn't pick up the red nomenclature in the yellow background.
Joseph operating the NP A-3 grey boiler 4-8-4.
Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 taking water at Willmar's functioning water tank.
Dave operating the Burlington M-4A 2-10-4 at Marias pass.
Paul doing some 'switching'.
Dave with the UP E-1 A-B-B passenger train at Hillyard.
Ben operating the SF 2-10-10-2 at Seattle.
Joseph 'switching' his freight cars.
SF 2-10-10-2 at Tye.
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 at Havre.
Ben's SF 2-10-10-2 on Seattle's incoming track.
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 at Willmar's water tank.
Right side: GNRW's mainline middle and top with Swan River's logging double 'switch back' on the lower level.
Left: St. Paul's freight yard.
Seattle's turntable.
NMRA MCR DIV 7 monthly meeting with 2 layout visits.
Meeting:
Awards.
Contest tables.
Company store.
Library.
Raffle table.
Our NMRA president was on our ZOOM.
Presentation on 'weathering cars'.
'hands on'.
===================
Matt's HO layout.
Video 'walk around'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxXfVLbt8vc
================
Mark's G scale.
Video 'walk around':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y39IdSDNOjw
Two very nice looking and running layouts!
Ross club weekly Tuesday night meeting.
Videos:
Mark's diesels:
With 29 freight cars.
Departing Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV7xM_-EPLg
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LemDct7l0s0
Increased the freight drag to 42 cars (no problem on tonnage):
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsH1o5k3mAU
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4:
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-hJ_GPkdEw
Marias pass: Stopping for water.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLvSpnOeQ2k
Mark with his diesels at Havre.
Nick operating the UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 at Hillyard's water tower.
He stopped at all 5 functioning water towers.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Couldn't 'live' without my 'topside creeper'!
Swan River logging railroad.
Skykomish.
Functional head lights and tail lights.
Ditto on marker lights.
When painting engines all engines get them, if present.
Nick 'switching' at Seattle.
Mark's diesels entering Seattle's freight yard.
Yup, I've got some of these 'full size' trees 'leaning'!
New delivery.
12 ton vertical boiler 2 truck climax imported by NWSL in 1976.
Something unusual with a vertical boiler.
Been wanting one of these and able to acquire it for about half the 'going rate'.
The box was 'soo light' that I took a picture of both sides of the box to show it was not 'tampered' in case the box was empty.
My 'cabeese' boxes are larger than this box!
No foam was in the box so....
I cut new foam for the box.
Compared to a 'light' GN O-1 2-8-2.
Foam damage.
Before.
I used a brass brush to remove the 'green crud'.
The picture shows I missed 'some'; will do some more 'brass brushing'.
After.
The 'universal' (center of picture) was not engaged.
Had to remove the side trucks via the 2 center holes and then the two outer screws securing the truck to the frame.
Only one truck is 'powered' so it won't be pulling 'much'!
Another 'motive power' with no couplers and no wheel wear indicated it 'sat in the box' for 48 years!
Nice detail.
The can motor is inside the boiler: 'fitting place' for it!
Got a lanyard hanging from the roof and connected to the whistle.
Bench test is good.
Tiny compared to my 150 ton shay!
Next to the rest of the logging engines.
2 truck shay.
Another shay, Heisler, Vulcan (side rods), and climax.
Acquired one of each type of logging engine.
Opposite view.
3 truck shay: only one painted so far. Did this back in the 80's.
and a 2-6-6-2.
That's a really nice little engine!!
Ross club weekly Tuesday night meeting.
Video:
PRR Aerotrain:
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ORKlqMC1NA
Departing Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLMms8rVZ-E
Chumstick canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j60JnSBKmu8
Jerry's D&RGW Krauss Maffei:
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dif-1uN3y34
Chumstick canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rowved8CCAs
UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4 freight:
Departing Havre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIvSFv7VB68
Bob operating the UP 2-tone 4-8-4 at Seattle.
Jerry's Krauss Maffei departing Seattle.
Nick and Bob.
PRR Aerotrain at Hillyard and UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4 at Skykomish.
Hillyard.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Hillyard.
Havre.
Joe and Mark.
Waverly.
Krauss Maffei on the programming track.
Renumbered and turned on all the lights.
DC only.
Swan River logging.
St. Paul.
SP AC-4 and AC-12.
SP AC-6 and AC-7.
UP -tone gray 4-8-4 with smoke box open.
UP 4-12-2 and 4-8-4.
Jordan's snow plow.
Ross club weekly Tuesday night meeting.
Videos:
NYC 4-8-4 Niagara passenger train:
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An3M1cL0Foo
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 40 car freight train:
Departing Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p12a_bXEa1A
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SC0EfMCB6I
Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pP66b3Z8G0
UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4 24 car freight train:
Marias pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2mmHE_NEm0
NYC 4-6-4 silver/black Empire State passenger train:
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnHHXk_fwfM
Chumstick canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AltafFD6ojU
Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKGde-G4b8I
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu6bHhPg-bc
Nick operating the UP 2-tone 4-6-6-4.
Hillyard.
Mark and Joe.
Nick operating the UP 2-tone grey 4-8-4 at Waverly.
Willmar.
Nick with the UP challenger at Tumwater canyon trestle.
The NYC 4-6-4 Empire State has lights over each driver as the prototype.
Tye.
Incoming track at Seattle.
Nick 'switching' freight cars.
Seattle's engine facilities.
NMRA MCR DIV 7 meeting and 2 layout visits and videos.
Meeting.
Zoom crew.
Awards.
Main presentation on Chester & Becket Fn3 layout.
by Mike Tylick.
===================
Bill's HO layout.
Video 'walk around':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4Lkz7Srk60
============
Larry's N gauge layout.
Video (walk around):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP_XxYMymWA
Both very nice looking layouts!!
Ross club weekly Tuesday night:
videos:
B&O E-1 A-B passenger train and UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 42 car train:
Many of the freight cars are vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid kits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS2_vLaAzL4
B&O E-1 A-B passenger train:
Departing Seattle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=---xlVNG3xo
Willmar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcUKc4cXTRM
UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 with 42 car freight train.
Has smoking whistle.
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjKN_nSr_no
Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE9k8Ks9Q9g
Exiting Cascade tunnel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbA4sx_8aqI
Mark with the B&O E-1 A-B passenger train bypassing Seattle's freight yard.
UP Big Boy at Hillyard.
Whitefish.
Nick with the Big Boy at Waverly.
Glacier.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Hillyard.
Skykomish.
Nick 'switching' at Seattle.
St. Paul.
Resting.
New delivery:
NWSL Rayonier 2-6-6-2 tank logging engine imported in 1965.
Foam was like sawdust.
'cut' some new foam from 1/2" thick and 1.5" thick.
Appears to have sat in the box for the last 59 years!
The old green foam will need to be removed.
Engineer's side.
Fireman's side.
Top view.
Picked this up at the last Division meeting.
An electric 'gon' with 'wheel' noises.
Battery operated but the battery was 'shot'.
The 'end' of the battery.
On/Off switch.
A metal bar on the axle makes one 'contact' per revolution.
DM&IR E-1 2-10-2 imported by Key in 1978.
Painting procedure.
Disassembly.
Tender:
Drilled out the headlight and marker lights with a #66 drill bit for the 0402 LED's.
Unusual in that the marker lights are mounted on 'poles'.
Used pliers to hold them while drilling them.
Also, drilled holes in the tender deck to route the wires.
Removed the piece of brass under the tender deck to route the 8 wires for the decoder.
Speaker holes drilled.
Right brake push rod needed re-soldering.
Boiler and running gear.
Usual one screw up front and 2 at the rear to separate the two parts.
Pliers and thinned popsicle stick to secure the headlight while it was 'drilled'.
One running board came loose; left front.
Had to remove one end of some piping and move it out of the way to gain access to the bottom of the running board.
Resistance soldering made 'quick work' of it.
Also drilled 2 holes on each side of the boiler under the running boards for 'running board' lights that light up the 'gear valve mechanism'.
Piping to the air compressor needed soldering.
Steam dome removed so I won't have to mask it while 'shooting' the grey paint on the boiler.
Mechanism checked for 'binding'.
Hole drilled in the 'back head' for the cab light.
Valve mechanism pretty complicated so pictures taken.
Lots of screws secures the valve mechanism which makes it easy to disassemble for painting.
Parts that will be 'cooked'.
Non painted parts; Everything is kept in the same order that it was removed.
My preference: engine upside down and pointing to the left.
Parts to be painted but not 'cooked'.
New delivery.
GN L-1 2-6-6-2 imported by Tenshodo in 1978.
Except for a few hand made ones, Tenshodo was the only one that made this engine.
USPS abused the shipping box but, fortunately, they didn't damage the engine or its box.
Well packed.
The original foam deteriorates so it was removed.
I cut some new foam for it.
Another engine that appears to have 'sat in the box' for 46 years.
Around 1974 Tenshodo began labeling the engines.
It says 600 were made but from my research only about 50 were made.
No coupler and squeaky clean wheels.
Cab detail and deck plate.
About the same time Tenshodo started making 'scissors' draw bars so one can just push the tender to the engine while both are on the track to connect them.
Fireman's side.
Engineer's side.
Top view.
The smoke stack 'cover' rotates.
I, now, have 2 of these.
I usually like to have 2 of each GN engine: one black and one glacier colors.
The engines that are DC are in a cabinet.
Picked these up at our last Div 7 meeting.
Very nice 'reading' by the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society.
Looks very nice!
D&RGW E-1 2-10-2 painting.
2 coats of black added using Scalecoat #10 black.
Prep:
Forgot to take pictures but used a piece of glass to cut masking tape to cover all electrical contact points: ie. wheels, axle ends, truck axle recesses, etc.
Some dish washer soap in an aluminum pan to clean all parts with a tooth brush.
Compressor used to blow off excess water and then in the toaster oven for 15 minute to remove any 'left over' H2O.
'Tools of the trade'.
Before:
After.
In the 50 year old toaster oven for 2 hours at 200 degrees.
2nd coat added 'later on' in the day.
Ross club modular layout at Cedar Village home in Cincinnati, Ohio.
video: walk around:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRX50ObZNG4
The paint looks great!
The Ross club really has a nice modular layout! That is great they set up at so many senior homes!!
BTW, where do they get the name Ross? Is it a person, place…
@Mark Boyce posted:BTW, where do they get the name Ross? Is it a person, place…
Their club used to be in an old Ross high school (demoted and used for other purposes) but the community hired some young idiot that had 'big ideas' and 'kicked them out of the building'. They started renovation of the building but ran out of funds and it 'sits there' now and they fired the 'director'.
Latest video of one of NMRA MCR Div 7 local layouts:
@samparfitt posted:Their club used to be in an old Ross high school (demoted and used for other purposes) but the community hired some young idiot that had 'big ideas' and 'kicked them out of the building'. They started renovation of the building but ran out of funds and it 'sits there' now and they fired the 'director'.
Thank you. That all makes sense; especially the idiot part.
Interesting observation on track differences.
Viewing the pictures below I can see why people have derailments if they used different brands.
Personally, I laid 1500' (3000' for rail) of track on my railroad.
All rail is by the same manufacturer (which I don't remember anymore), is hand laid on all Campbell's low profile ties.
I used very fine spikes for the securing the rail.
All 100 turnouts were hand made using the same rail and no 'breaks' between the points to the frog.
I didn't use rail joiners.
Not trying to brag but the layout is 45 years old and I'm always amazed at how reliable the track is especially operating 'scale like' passenger trains (10-18 cars long) and 'scale like' freight trains (20-45 cars long).
When manually pulling 45 freight cars one notices that there is a lot 'weight there' which can 'tax' the 'road bed'!
Once in awhile we even get 75-100 car trains; just for 'kicks'.
One nice thing about hand laying track is 'rail ends' are, usually, 18" apart from the opposite rail joint using 3' pieces of rail.
And there are no 'joints' near any of my turnout points.
Transitions between turnouts appear more 'prototype' in that the rail is all 'smoothly' curved; using 3' pieces of rail definitely helps in achieving this.
Using all #10 turnouts, also, helps on reliability and not just 'looks'.
The 'single track' mainline is 400' long with 20' to 35' sidings.
Here's a sample of my hand laid track.
About an 8' curve with a hand made #10 turnout.
Ross club weekly Tuesday night meeting.
Low attendance with only 2 members 'showing up'.
Video:
UP 2-tone grey 4-6-6-4 with 42 car freight train at Hillyard;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shmO-UIVuL8
Seattle's engine facility.
Nick operating the UP 2-tone challenger.
A 'good smoker'!
Joe didn't have 'much to do' with only one train on the mainline so he did some 'diagnostics'.
Hillyard.
Logging railroad at the lower level.
Skykomish.
Nick 'switching' at Seattle.
DM&IR E-1 2-10-2 painting (cont).
Masking the boiler for the grey paint.
Painting is easy as it took about 60 seconds to 'shoot' the paint but about 2.5 hours to mask!
Tools of the trade.
Glass for cutting the masking tape.
Sharp curves requires about 1/16" wide tape.
Tweezers and a tooth pick work well to apply small pieces of tape.
Then about 1/8" wide tape.
The 'burden' of acquiring unusual engines like having the air cylinder on top means one has to mask them when duplicating a multi-colored engine!
Fireman's side.
Engineer's side.
Lots of individual pieces of tape along the running boards due to piping, etc.
Ready for paint.
My choice for all grey boilers; NP, DM&IR, etc.
Paint applied in multiple directions to insure all areas are covered.
Ready of the oven at 200 degrees for 2 hours.
Invariably some 'spray' will get on the black. I use spit and a tooth pick to remove it since the grey is still soft but the black has been 'baked on'.
All piping, etc. needs to be hand painted black.
DM&IR E-1 2-10-2 painting (cont).
14 hours later!
It took 3 'touchups' with the black paint with an hour in the oven per 'touchup' to get all the piping painted black.
Tomorrow everything will be sealed with a coat of 'semi gloss' finish.
Decals get a 45 degree cut on corners to lessen the chance of corners 'folding over'.
Solvaset used on the decals.
Steam dome needs to be re-attached.
Got some very small amounts of black paint on the grey once in awhile but used 'spit on a tooth pick' to remove it.
Not a lot of detail in the cab but painted a few parts.
Running board stripes is chart tape.
A white paint pen used on the drivers.
Great looking job!!
Thanks Mark.
===================
DM&IR E-1 2-10-2 painting (cont).
Used Scalecoat 'satin finish' to seal the paint and decals.
2 more hours at 200 degrees.
Air dry.
Always a good day when it's 'planes and trains' 
GNRW monthly ops.
videos:
C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 with Ben's tank cars.
MTH has the most realistic smoke.
Departing Seattle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7T3NxfE8T8
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhDUaV8I7SA
Departing Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Chgo_SRFk
At the round house:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rRgpPEYSDY
ACL R-1 4-8-4 passenger train:
Departing Seattle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4UEwnt5JuU
Departing Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVP2ETHL-fc
RF&P 4-8-4 passenger train:
West of Waverly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCE40uyeOsw
Chumstick canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWgALrdq3u4
Just the '3 of us' but we ate well having 2 pizzas 'between us' not counting cookies, strawberries and orange cream sicles.
Seattle's engine facility.
C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 at Hillyard.
Ben operating the C&O H-8 2-6-6-6.
Glacier.
Hillyard.
Seattle.
ACL R-1 4-8-4 at Marias pass.
Hillyard.
Glacier.
Willmar.
RF&P 4-8-4 at Glacier.
Havre.
Swan river logging railroad.
Passenger yard.
Glasgow.
Southern MS-2 duplex 2-8-2 + 2-8-0 painting.
An engine most people didn't know that Southern possessed.
Imported by Westside models in 1978.
This engine will be much easier to paint as, besides the basic black, it only has a red roof.
Prep:
Bench test to insure no binds.
Some resistance soldering on a water pipe...
and a steam pipe.
No marker lights so only needed to 'drill out' the headlight' and 'running board light' holes and cab.
Took pictures for reference when assembling.
Front drivers are 'standard' but...
The tender drivers has a complex valve system.
Fortunately it was well done with lots of screws that can be, easily, removed.
Tender 'drive system'.
4 screws need to be removed to disassemble the valve gear; per side.
Amazing they can make such small screws and 2 of them have 'shoulders'.
Left side.
Right side.
Put all the screws back 'in place' so I know where they 'go'!
Front valve gear only has 1 screw.
Not sure 'why' but there was scotch tape on both pistons.
I always disassemble all 'screwed on' parts but unable to 'do so' with the back drivers.
A piece of brass base kept the 'valve support' gear from being removed from the frame.
Also, the frame made it impossible to remove the pistons.
Drilled holes in the 'coal bunker' for the speaker.
If unable to have an internal speaker due to the motor and gears, will place it on top of the coal bunker and cover it with foam.
Drilled 2 holes in the bottom of the tender to route wires.
Alternate location for wires at the front of the tender.
Parts ready to be cleaned.
Tender wheels.
Boiler wheels.
Parts that won't be painted.
Parts cleaned and 'air compressor' blown dry and in toaster oven for 15 minutes to remove any remaining water.
Will be 'air dried' when painting as the trailing truck is 'soldered' and has no screws for disassembly.
I always 'air dry' wheels so not to 'dry out' the 'insulation' wheel if put in a toaster oven.
The 'insulation' could shrink and the tire will 'fall off' the rim.
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