Chris,
Can't add much to the conversation so I'll just say, awesome!! Almost makes me want to dump SP and go to N&W.
Jay
Do both! Life is short.
My "J" will someday get joined by a "Class A" - oh, and a MILW BiPolar.
Wow that is truly inspirational. I can't imagine any better.
Amazing Chris. It brings back memories of when I drive around West Virginia. It is so realistic.
Please post more (even if unfinished).
Yves
Absolutely the BEST model railroad scenery I have ever encountered anywhere. Nothing else left to say!
Malcolm
Jay, Mr. Woods, Yves and Malcolm,
Thank you very much. Yves was on me for years to get the ballast in. I'm really plowing along on it now. I'm working on the yard tracks at this point and holy cow, it is a lot. I'll take photos in a few weeks and post them. Thanks again, All.
Spectacular!!
Chris,
Matt Forsyth here. I have your trackplan handout from the 2009 tour, and took note that you list you min. rad. on the inner mainline curves @ 56", and others @ 60" and 64". What is the absolute minimum that your Y-Class can successfully negotiate? What kind of mods to those articulateds (if any) did you have to make?
Thanks!
MF
Fantastic level of detail Chris. 
Brother_Love posted:Absolutely the BEST model railroad scenery I have ever encountered anywhere. Nothing else left to say!
Malcolm
Truer words have never been spoken.....ever
Penn Division posted:Chris,
Matt Forsyth here. I have your trackplan handout from the 2009 tour, and took note that you list you min. rad. on the inner mainline curves @ 56", and others @ 60" and 64". What is the absolute minimum that your Y-Class can successfully negotiate? What kind of mods to those articulateds (if any) did you have to make?
Thanks!
MF
The late, great John Armstrong used 58" minimum radius upon which he ran a 10-drivered loco (ex-PRR J1). A "bendy" engine such as a Y-class should handle a 56" radius curve. It does depend on design of the model chassis: whether all drivers are flanged, amount of side play allowed for the drivers and main rods, and interference of things like tail beams with swiveling of trailing trucks. Loco models made to be run, vice displayed only, have these things taken into account. Still, if one wants to run a 4-12-2 a larger curve, such as bob2's infamous 6-ft radius ones, may be necessary.
I remember, from my mis-spent days in HO, an imported model of a USRA 2-8-8-2 that would run only on straight track without major surgery.
Thanks guys.
Matt, The Sunset Y6 engines will negotiate down to about 40" out of the box. At that point the handrails on the back of the engine, which stick way out, will contact the tender. I believe it would get down to even tighter radius if the drawbar is lengthened.
The Sunset Y3 engines will go down to 40" on my layout and really down to 36" but I'd only run trains very slowly on that radius.
The Kohs Y6 engines needed a few minor tweaks to get them down to 56". The front pilot wheels would touch the cylinder cocks on the front of the steam chest at 56". I moved the pivot hole for the screw on the truck frame to allow the trucks to move forward slightly which allowed the wheels to get around the cylinder cocks. Also, there is a buffer on the front of the tender which has a spring in it. It buffers against the back of the engine which was causing it to bind on the tight curves. I pinned the buffer back so it does not contact the engine. There is a pipe that attaches from the smoke box to pipes on either side of the steam chests. One pipe slides inside of another like a sleeve to allow the front of the engine to swing out. I made the inside pipe shorter and narrower so it would have more play as it swings around. The inside pipe is not visible with the outside pipe covering it. I also removed all of the rubber sand line attachments pretty much immediately as they didn't seem like they'd be good for operation by any means and they just looked kinda goofy anyway.
christopher N&W posted:Thanks guys.
Matt, The Sunset Y6 engines will negotiate down to about 40" out of the box. At that point the handrails on the back of the engine, which stick way out, will contact the tender. I believe it would get down to even tighter radius if the drawbar is lengthened.
The Sunset Y3 engines will go down to 40" on my layout and really down to 36" but I'd only run trains very slowly on that radius.
The Kohs Y6 engines needed a few minor tweaks to get them down to 56". The front pilot wheels would touch the cylinder cocks on the front of the steam chest at 56". I moved the pivot hole for the screw on the truck frame to allow the trucks to move forward slightly which allowed the wheels to get around the cylinder cocks. Also, there is a buffer on the front of the tender which has a spring in it. It buffers against the back of the engine which was causing it to bind on the tight curves. I pinned the buffer back so it does not contact the engine. There is a pipe that attaches from the smoke box to pipes on either side of the steam chests. One pipe slides inside of another like a sleeve to allow the front of the engine to swing out. I made the inside pipe shorter and narrower so it would have more play as it swings around. The inside pipe is not visible with the outside pipe covering it. I also removed all of the rubber sand line attachments pretty much immediately as they didn't seem like they'd be good for operation by any means and they just looked kinda goofy anyway.
Chris,
EXACTLY what I was looking for...Many thanks!
Although I appreciate Rex (thank you) taking the time to respond, I was really interested in "actual" rather than "theoretical", insights from a practitioner's perspective (you, Chris) that has walked the walk, made the mods, and been successful.
I have a small fleet of Sunset D&H Challengers that I need to "throw around" a reverse loop in hidden staging, and was wondering what the tightest radius is that I can practically apply to that curve, without too much self-induced heartburn.
MF
Wow! That is wonderful!
Matt. If you are building a run around track for turning D&H Challengers serving as helpers be sure to check what minimum track separation you'll need to clear the boiler overhang. When we tried to operate visiting motive power around the 54" r hidden staging loops on my former railroad we found 4" separation worked fine with PRR duplexes, but not with B&O EM1's.
There are no superlatives left, they've all been used. As Brother Love commented, there is none better - equal but not better. That leaves me to question what material you used for foliage? So many products look "hokey" but not your's. Brilliant job, truly inspirational!
Keystoned Ed posted:Matt. If you are building a run around track for turning D&H Challengers serving as helpers be sure to check what minimum track separation you'll need to clear the boiler overhang. When we tried to operate visiting motive power around the 54" r hidden staging loops on my former railroad we found 4" separation worked fine with PRR duplexes, but not with B&O EM1's.
Thanks, Ed...
ALWAYS appreciate your insightful commentary!
MF
Hi Chris.
I have been in Model Railroads most of my life I have never visited a Model Railroad in America even though I have been there, most of the Model Railroads or Railways that I have seen have been in England, I have seen some of the best, I mean some of the most exquisite detailing you could find, but looking at your scenery, the foliage, the rocks the way the Bridge blends in in fact the way everything blends in is exceptional I've never met you mate, but sure would like to and shake your hand and say, "Well done mate".
Roo. AKA. Neville Rossiter. West Australia.
"I've never met you mate, but sure would like to and shake your hand and say, 'Well done mate'."
Roo. AKA. Neville Rossiter. West Australia.
Neville,
GREAT to hear from you!!
Matt Forsyth
Matt, Likewise it's been a while.
Regards mate, Neville.
big train posted:bob2 posted:Terry's video?
Thanks.
Roo posted:Matt, Likewise it's been a while.
Regards mate, Neville.
Neville,
Indeed it has! I believe we have not communicated since 2010. My old Mentor and Modeling Compadre', the late Bob Sypher...
...was a HUGE FAN of yours...he so looked forward to your regular magazine articles, and always used to say, "That Aussie really does things right!"
MF
I loved the flag in the knuckle in the photo of the helper leaning into the caboose. attention to detail is HUGE ! And the police under the bridge eating donuts ! conrail john
christopher N&W posted:
Christopher,
I want to darken the wheel rims on my 3 rail version of #475. Did you need to do that on the 2 rail version? If so, what method did you use? I know there are a few different ways to go, paint, neo lube, gun bluing, etc.
Guys, thanks for the additional comments.
Neville, I've been inspired by your articles and layouts for years. I'm happy we can connect online. Message received.
Greg, I was painting the drivers for a while by hand but then looked at how many I'd have to paint on the layout and so I made up a jig of sorts to paint the drivers with rattle can black paint. The jig goes near the drivers along a test track with a 10" long, 1/8" high opening. The rest of the engine side is blocked by the jig. I can spray through the narrow opening while the drivers can run with the engine up on a small block. The narrow opening makes it so the paint does not get on the rods. While the paint is still dewey, I use a small screwdiver face that I bent at the tip a little to contact the driver treads to get excess paint off from there while the drivers are still running. The problem for 3 rail might be the traction tires. I'm sure others ways work well but I was really pleased with how easily this works after the jig was made up and without having to wipe down the rods.
Thanks for the input Chris!
I was recently watching footage of your layout on a Youtube video that was a compilation of several 2 Rail layouts.
Greg, you are welcome. I am working pretty steadily to get as much done as I can on the layout for the 0 Scale Convention that will be local in 2018. Five of the layouts on the video will be open I'm sure. I'm not involved in running the Convention, though.
Matt. Looks like you lost a good mate with Bob sounded like a nice bloke it's sad.
Chris. Thanks for your kind words but your still "The man" I love your work.
Roo.
Fantastic looking layout..outstanding scenery
