Excellent video Dave, Ben is a great host as well as all the members there. I can't tell you how many pictures I took from 2019 when we were there for the 50th Anniversary Party for OGR, but lets just say it was a ton. There were some blurry shots I took, but I kept them anyway. Tomorrow is Tall Building Tuesday, and yes I will be posting some more pictures from that visit up there as I usually do. I have quite a bit left, been posting about 5-7 a week so I don't burn through them.
Thank you Dave, I really enjoyed my visit and plan to return.
Dave
@bluelinec4 posted:You know what Dave I just watched your video again Couple of things that bother me I kept asking myself what all that background noise was I forgot to turn off the roof exhaust fans They make a racket So your going to have to come back and retake the video with the fans off. LOL The other thing that bothered me wwas seeing these colored smiley faces all over the place FYI they dont belong there It was a way for our electrical lead to mark buildings that need lighting
Ben,
That won't be a problem at all and I will use that as the EXCUSE for me to return. I know the smiley faces aren't "prototypical" but there is so much work that you all are doing on the layout and that's a fun way to remember what needs to be done. I honestly, didn't really notice them as much which shows how much you know the layout.
Dave
Wow!! That thing is awesome! Alan did a killer job on it. Congrats on getting that beautiful structure on your layout!
And as stated ... Ben's buddies at the club are all great guys, too. Treated me the same way.
Dave, very neat video and what a great custom build to add to your layout!! I have done the same thing as you did, we drove from NE Ohio to Alan's a couple of years ago to pick up my "Ewing Oil Tank farm he beautifully custom built for me. Wish I would have had more time to have stopped at the NJ Hi-Railers layout!! Next trip f
or sure, need to see all of Ben's EL roster!!!! 
Alan is a first-class gentleman and truly one of the great builders we have available to us! Jeff
@CNJ Jim posted:Wow!! That thing is awesome! Alan did a killer job on it. Congrats on getting that beautiful structure on your layout!
And as stated ... Ben's buddies at the club are all great guys, too. Treated me the same way.
Of course they are. I view it as we all are coming into their house, and naturally they want us all to have a great time.
@luvindemtrains posted:Thank you Dave, I really enjoyed my visit and plan to return.
Dave
Yeah, having spent several hours there back in 2019, it was still hard as heck to see everything. Hanging out with friends trying to see everything while chatting it up makes for a great experience Dave. I know when I went up top with Ben explaining how everything worked as well as talking about future plans(the top part was being worked on at that point). It is great to see that after a few years that so much more has been done. Let that be a lesson of how a layout is never truly finished, everything is always changing.
CNJ Jim-Thank you much! I'm very happy to have it. I can imagine that all of the members of the NJ HiRailers are great guys.
Jeff-That's a really great tank farm you have there. I definitely would encourage you to make the trip to see the layout. Looks like you live in my home state and area.
Dave-You are correct, a lot of work has been done on the layout since 2019 based on what I have seen. Based on my conversation with Ben, there is still much more to go. It's interesting how you look at the layout and it looks "done" but there's more projects planned and currently be worked on.
Dave
Dave, certain scenes reach a point where they are done, and as Ben had said I think on one of the other posts, "Urban renewal" was under way. I think some spots won't change because of what they mean to the group, others may change for any number of reasons. I think that some would be to make a change to something better or maybe a better idea. I can't recall exactly the conversation of Ben explaining the layout to me, but some of that I believe was in there. I did record some videos from up top, but I don't think I was doing that when Ben was talking. Regardless, the layout is always going to be fantastic. I do know in 2019 someone had said that for some reason steam engines had issues on a certain spot of track. Diesels never had any of those issues though. I don't know if it was a particular make, but whatever engine it was didn't like that part of the layout. Hopefully that has changed, I am a big steam head.
