Run Time at Chugman's

Thanks for the tour Elliot, It's a great way to see the magnificent work Art has accomplished.

Wow great video Elliot, thank you.

Great video. What a layout.

Elliot, thanks for the video.

 

Art your layout and layout room is one of the nicest I've ever seen. It really is amazing, the track plan is fantastic.

 

Thanks,

Alex

Wow, I thought the pictures were incredible until I saw the video!

 

The track work is top notch!  There isn't a kink in any of the rails!  Beautiful!

Thanks guys, but I really didn't do much in the creation of that video. I brought the camera, set it on the track and turned it on, then walked away and talked to the other guests for 15 minutes. 

 

The real work was done by Art. I just provided the means for everyone to see it in a different way.

Nice video, Elliot!  Really nice layout, Art.

Thank you for sharing with us!

I have to give my son Jim most of the credit for the trackwork.  He was very anal about it and we laid it all with a laser.  It seemed a little over the top at times while we were doing it, but I now think it was definitely worth it.

 

Art

I have to agree with you Art:

 

It seemed a little over the top at times while we were doing it, but I now think it was definitely worth it.

 

When you see and run on poor track work, your (or Jims's) attention to detail regarding track is extremely appreciated.

 

I think until you have "over the top" scenery most or all your guests will probably come away with the same feeling for your bench and track work - simply the best.

 

Thanks for sharing Art.

 

Charlie

Thanks Charlie, we missed you, but hope you can make the next one.

 

Art

Sounds like a great 'how-to' post / article using the laser.  I think many of us would be interested in this process, I'd love to have track work like it when I build my layout.

 

I'm just a few hours south in Indy, hope to make it up the next time you have it open to the public.  Would love to see it first hand.

 

Again, you have a fantastic RR!

Art,

 

The real hard part must have been bending the darned Atlas O "flex track" sections. I would be interested in how you and your helpers accomplished THAT.

If there is enough interest, we could do an article for one of the magazines or the forum. 

Thanks and let me know when you are coming this way and we try to get together.

 

Art

Jack, the flex track wasn't as bad as you might think.  But having said that, we only used it for gentle curves and not for curves that not were available in the radiuses they we wanted.  I originally wanted to use flex leading into the curves for gentler transitions, but decided it wasn't worth the effort.  I came to the same conclusion regarding superelevating my curves.  I love the look, but due to concerns about stringlining and a small worry about clearance issues it might create, we didn't do it.  Of course we still can, especially before we ballast, but probably won't.

 

Speaking of ballast, I love the looks of yours.  We have talked about it numerous times, but I still want to pick your mind if we see each other at TrainFest or DuPage this weekend.  Yours is easily the most realistic I have seen and I would be very happy if mine turns out half as nice.

 

Art 

I very much enjoyed your video Elliot of Art's wonderful layout. Really nice when so many train guys can get together and enjoy the trains running and good conversation.

Thanks Art, I really like the look of the Woodland Scenics "Coarse Ballast" also. Since I model the heavy steam early thru mid 1950s era, I want to have the main line look like what I remember as a kid (mid 1940s thru late 1950s).

 

The main line ballast is a mixture of two Gray #B1389 with one Cinders (black) #B1390. I mixed fairly large batches in a big aluminum bowl, usually 2 Cinder canisters to 4 Gray canisters, mixed it together really well, and then poured the mixture back into the empty Woodland Scenics canisters for ease of spreading.

 

The secondary tracks, i.e. the yard lead and the industrial siding, was a 1 to 1 mixture of Gray & black Cinders, producing a much darker appearance. For the engine terminal and the freight yard, it was all black Cinders.

Art, do you have a track plan for your railroad?

Brian - I don't have one that I can share right now.  My son and I entered everything into RR Track last year, but he had to tweak it as we custom cut a lot of track.  I don't have a copy that I can share yet.

 

Art

Art -

 

Pictures are amazing. 

 

Video is outstanding. 

 

Layout is SPECTACULAR !!! 

 

I'm guessing that your layout is probably bigger than many O-Gauge clubs.  Love your arched bridge and the Super-Sized grain storage facility.

 

BTW - I have a question about Santa Fe passenger train with the A-B-A F3's on the point.  I assume that the F's are Lionel, but who made the cars?   Are they GGD?

 

Thanks.

Jim:

 

Having had the pleasure to visit Art's layout many times, I remember the F3 ABA'a and diesels are Lionel. The cars are the 18" version from the El Capitan set.

 

I am sure Art will confirm this.

Brian -

 

Thanks.  I could not judge how long the cars were from the video, since it didn't show a full-on side shot.  I did think that the 'gap' was probably a bit large for a GGD offering.

 

After your post I looked at the Lionel on-line catalogue and found these when I search for 18" El Capitan cars:

 

 

 

 

You are indeed the Go-To guy for passnger train questions.

 

Jim

Jim - Thank you very much for your comments.

 

Yes, Brian is correct about the passenger cars.  Not a surprise, but he cheated because has seen them here before.  I love that train for it's overall appearance and because it was my mom's last present to me before she died.  I tried to be an exclusive UP guy, but the Santa Fe and warbonnet pull was too much for me.

 

Art

You guys going to DuPage this weekend?

 

I got out of the house too late to meet you all at that restaurant last month or two ago, but all was not lost, I ran into my brother and nephew at the Fairgrounds.

I expect a good showing from our normal group.  There may be a few that are at TrainFest and won't be there though.

 

We will be at The Verdict at 7:00 AM or earlier, hope that you can join us.  Haven't seen you in quite a while.

 

Art

"Not a surprise, but he cheated because has seen them here before."

 

I call it having inside information. 

 

Pictures are amazing. 

 

Video is outstanding. 

 

 

Are those the ones with ME in them??

Art,

Excellent layout. Must be nice to be retired and not working any longer for Kraft. So... did Dixie make up some of that mac n' cheese you must have stored around the house from your Kraft days? LOL! If I'm ever in the Chicago area, I must stop by, play trains and bring you some of those Nabisco cookies.

P.S. Art-I really miss my days working for Kraft.

Hey, how did you get Elliot to leave his house???

Great photos, great video, AMAZING layout. Looks like a great time. Thanks for posting the photos and video!!

What a Great Thread!!!

Thanks for all the wonderful pictures and video…very enjoyable!
Chugman is a perfect example of what this hobby is all about, and when you couple that with Mrs. Chugmans Cookies, (they sure look good)….it just doesn’t get any better then that.

Thanks for posting

K.C.

Fantastic pictures and video guys!  Art is one of the great guys in this hobby.  He is generous with his layout and just seeing what he has done and is doing is an inspiration!  Some day I am going to drop in to see it in person...and by the way, Dixie put out a pretty good layout too!!!  WOW!!

 

Alan

Alan

 

    You should come up for a visit. There are a selection of excellent home and club layouts to see in the Chicago area. Not to mention the food!

 

Ray Marion

Excellent idea Ray. Maybe he could even attend a "Run Beer, Drink Trains" session.

Ray - "That's what I keep trying to tell him."  There seems to be a wall on the west side of Ohio and Arkansas that prevents anyone from OGR coming this way.  You can go east from there but not west.    Maybe it's because people in the east think that we are so backwards out here that there are still hitching posts in front of the buildings?

 

Art

Art

 

    I am from the East coast. You are right about how they think about us. Civilization ends at the Delaware Water Gap. When my son got married years ago, NY had a blackout. They were surprised we had electricity. They asked what happened to the Indians. Even now they are afraid to "Go West".

 

Jack

 

     Your wisdom is impressive!

 

Ray Marion 

I can't believe I didn't click on this earlier.  WOW!

 

Well done Art!