Phil Klopp Layout & Model Train Song

Great layout!

Mediocre, boring song but good try.  I can see what was being attempted but it seemed like it was rushed to production.

Pete

Had the privilege of seeing this in person not too long ago.  There's a ton of stuff to see, not to mention all the ingenuity and neat features he's incorporated.   Phil's layout is the best!  

I have been to see the great layout Phil and Linda have built.  The layout is fantastic and so are the owners.  I was very lucky to have Phil visit me for a bit and sign my wall.  I have followed Phil  for many years and wanted my layout to look a bit like his.  

Arnold, that is a fantastic job.  A huge well done from me.  Thank you.

Mart

When built his layout was ahead of its time and an inspiration for others. Still probably one of the best post war style scenic railroads ever built.

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Interested in seeing Phil Klopp's magnificent layout with an original song, Who Am I (Rollin' By) in the background? 

Click here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7OdycErheA

Love to get your comments and feedback.

I think you did a great job with that. Nice layout footage with a song that reminded me of something Johnny Cash might have done. Thumbs up 

My dream is to make a video/song with the equivalent of today's Johnny Cash (a Nashville star) singing my song while Phil's trains run through his layout.

The inspiration for the song was the Pennsylvania Suite video in the McComas and Tuohy 6 video set.  Phil's layout was featured in that Pennsylvania Suite video with the beautiful Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" playing in the background. Model trains and music.  I believe that's a great combination that can make our hobby have universal appeal!

In 2015 I composed my song, Who Am I (Rollin' By), and made a CD of it.  Coincidentally, in 2015 the TCA had a tour of Phil's layout.  My wife and I went on that tour.  Phil's layout in person is something to behold. He was like the Wizard of Oz, very busy running his trains and accessories for an audience of 50 plus people. I gave him my CD, told him he inspired the song, and he quickly thanked me and resumed his amazing tricks, including pressing a button that made a Standard Gauge layout on pulleys descend from the ceiling; the Standard Gauge  trains ran flawlessly in the middle of his basement while the O Gauge trains continued to run flawlessly around the perimeter of the room.

I was thrilled when 2 days later, I got a call from Phil (my telephone number was on the CD) and Phil told me he thought my song was neat. Then, I asked him if I could return to his home and take more videotape of his layout, and he generously agreed.

For me, Phil is the Michelangelo of model railroaders!  

. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Phil just yesterday! What an incredible and inspiring person. To say that the layout he and his wife have built is drop dropping - is an understatement. Bravo on the song as well.

He was at the Allentown PA train show in the AG Hall today. Looking good and feeling great and charged with all the trains around!

Wow, this is so cool, Phil’s layout set to song, a VisionLine Quality Production...I like it, and wonder if Myron Biggar did the video on this layout? I think Marty Fitzhenry’s layout and this layout were both featured by O Guage Railroading in the early 1990’s...Either way, both layouts are fantastic as well as the builders. I want to visit both, next year.  This is why I love the art of Model Railroading.

Phil hosted one of our layout visits for  the 2015 TCA National Convention.  Everyone had a fantastic time.  Wonderful layout and gracious hosts.

l saw Phil’s layout many years ago and it was great then. l can only imagine how much better it must be today. 

Excellent video and l really liked the song too. It’s not easy to write a great song. l was in a band once. 

He switched track types from gargraves to scaletrax. But he still uses the Ross switches, esp the odd types (curved turnouts, # turnouts) 

Does anyone else combine music and model railroading? Train sounds are great, but does anyone else besides me like to sometimes turn off the train sounds and play music or songs while running their trains?  If so, what music or songs do you play?

One of my favorite albums to play while running trains (which I was doing a few minutes ago) is Frank Sinatra's Only the Lonely.  That album has  some great sad love songs, including Blues in the Night that, at times, has lyrics about trains.   As I'm sure many of you already know, Frank loved his O Gauge trains and had a beautiful layout in a building just for his trains at his compound in California. He had O scale homes on it reminisent of Hoboken ,NJ, which was his home town. 

I always figured if you like a certain type of music then it's  good (no matter what anyone says) I liked  & enjoyed the video and music.   Nice job.

Fantastic operating layout.

Alan

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Does anyone else combine music and model railroading? Train sounds are great, but does anyone else besides me like to sometimes turn off the train sounds and play music or songs while running their trains?  If so, what music or songs do you play?

One of my favorite albums to play while running trains (which I was doing a few minutes ago) is Frank Sinatra's Only the Lonely.  That album has  some great sad love songs, including Blues in the Night that, at times, has lyrics about trains.   As I'm sure many of you already know, Frank loved his O Gauge trains and had a beautiful layout in a building just for his trains at his compound in California. He had O scale homes on it reminisent of Hoboken ,NJ, which was his home town. 

 

 As much as I would like to my trains are much too loud to play music over them.  Loved your song and video.

Thank you all so much for your feedback and comments about Phil's magnificent layout (it was a bucket list item for me to see it in person) and my model train song.  As far as I am concerned, you are all "master model railroaders," at least metaphorically, because you love what we all believe will always be the Greatest Hobby in the World. 

When something difficult and challenging happens in our lives, we have a place to go for joy, happiness and sanctuary because, as I say in the song: "In my little world, I leave this troubled world behind."  

I loveit Arnold  My first glimpse at Phils layout too   Looks awesome

Great layout , great song 

Alex 

I’ve been to Phil’s a few times and been friends for years, great guy. Talked to him today at the Allentown Show. I’ll be going back soon 

leapinlarry posted:

Wow, this is so cool, Phil’s layout set to song, a VisionLine Quality Production...I like it, and wonder if Myron Biggar did the video on this layout? I think Marty Fitzhenry’s layout and this layout were both featured by O Guage Railroading in the early 1990’s...Either way, both layouts are fantastic as well as the builders. I want to visit both, next year.  This is why I love the art of Model Railroading.

Hi Larry:

I took the video with an inexpensive $200 camcorder (hand held). 

Arnold

By the way, a couple of shots on the video are from my layout. One shows a baseball field with bleachers made of Popsicle sticks glued together and painted blue, and the other is the milk car operating in slow motion (slow motion is the video editor's trick). That baseball field is my "Yankee Stadium" that has great sentimental value for me because about 20 years ago my then little girl (now the 31 year old mother of my two grandchildren) and my son (now a 29 year old mechanical engineer) made those bleachers. 

I'm also telling you this because the baseball field scene (mine) is not well crafted like the rest of scenes that are from Phil's layout that are all well crafted.

The scenes Phil has on his layout make it very entertaining. When I was there in 2015,  some of Phil's scenes (not mentioned in the song or shown on the video) included an O Gauge couple skinny dipping in a pond, the head of the Loch Ness monster protruding from another pond, and a glowing still surrounded by O Gauge moonshiners!

Thanks Arnold and others for your kind comments.  This layout has kept me energized for many years and this continues into my retirement!   Arnold is the first guy I know who has put to music  what we try and create in our hobby.  And I liked the song from the start!!!  If I thought I had any musical talent I might try something like this  myself.  When I show my layout  I often have various train songs  (Johnny Cash etc) playing in the background.  And viewers love it!!!!!!  Maybe others out there who believe they have something musical to share  will post other musical productions and  put up more posts like Arnolds.  How about it guys!!!!!  Phil

Thanks so much, Phil, and thanks to all of you for your comments about the video/song. It is my gift to all of you, my fellow passionate model railroaders.

Whenever you want to play the video/song or share it with others, just look for the link in my initial post under "Phil Klopp and Model Train Song."  You can also access the video/song on YouTube by typing in the search box my name:  Arnold Cribari.

Incidentally, this is the first on line forum of any kind I have ever done, and I love it!  I have also posted several replies the last few days under "What did you do on your layout today."

Arnold, The video and the song were fun to watch and listen!  I think you express very well how we feel about our layouts and trains.  Thank you for doing it.

Phil, Very nice layout!  Thank you very much!!

Here is some more video footage from Phil zklop's layout in June 2015:

Sorry for typo. It's Phil Klopp.