The Joy of Running Trains

What a great opportunity, George!  Neal has a wonderful layout from what I’ve seen.

Fantastic double-headed action ~ taking a guess they were the newer Lionel L-1s. Also, the layout height seemed ideal ~ again guessing around 52" based on the gentlemen standing in the background.

I have had the pleasure of seeing the layout in person a few years back.......and, will do so again at some point. Neal is a master modeler and the layout is breathtaking!

Peter

Peter, that is so great you saw it in person!  😃 I had an opportunity to see it in the spring, but wasn’t able to travel the short distance to Neal’s home awaiting back surgery.  Now I’m getting a lot better and hope to have another opportunity!

George,

Thanks so much for posting these videos, and I appreciate the nice comments from everybody else. These engines have issues with their color and their gearing, but they sure smoke and sound great!

BTW, Paul is close on the railhead height...it is actually 58". Makes viewing the trains much better, and easier to wire the layout and more storage space underneath.

@PRRMiddleDivision posted:

George,

Thanks so much for posting these videos, and I appreciate the nice comments from everybody else. These engines have issues with their color and their gearing, but they sure smoke and sound great!

BTW, Paul is close on the railhead height...it is actually 58". Makes viewing the trains much better, and easier to wire the layout and more storage space underneath.

Wow Neal, your trains run so smoothly & therefore look great.  So if you’re rail height is 58”, then what’s your ceiling height ?  
thks, Rich

   So awesome

@trestleking posted:

Wow Neal, your trains run so smoothly & therefore look great.  So if you’re rail height is 58”, then what’s your ceiling height ?  
thks, Rich

Rich,

That was a typo. Railhead is 53" above the floor NOT 58". Ceiling is 88" (7' 4") above the floor which leaves me 35" of clearance above the railhead.

Great videos!!! I'm envious of that ceiling clearance!

As much as I enjoyed watching the trains run (and I really, really did), the scene that invariably draws my attention (and I've seen it dozens of times) is this one.

First, the backdrop is spectacular.  There's just no other way to describe it.  I love those shadows on the road.  Then there are the details - the PA route signs, the field of flowers, the relay box, the white posts, and that curved retaining wall with the drip marks under the pipes!  Dang!

Neal absolutely captured Central Pennsylvania in this one scene.

George

@G3750 posted:

As much as I enjoyed watching the trains run (and I really, really did), the scene that invariably draws my attention (and I've seen it dozens of times) is this one.

Thanks, George! I appreciate your comments. I admit that has always been one of the most popular scenes on the layout. Here’s a few more pictures. Here’s an image showing my visitors yesterday evening, my friends, Grier, Ray, and George himself.

And here is a picture of those Mikados in action. Man, look at all that smoke!

Neal, That is a layout to die for!! I enjoyed the videos and pictures immensely. You truly are a Master!

Now, I have. question. There was a fair discussion here not long ago about super-elevated tracks and how to attain them. Not just for looks but from an operational perspective. I watched the video several times. Relative to the building, the engines look like they are on a 80-100MPH curve.  (see screen shot below) Are your tracks in fact super-elevated, and if so, what hints or suggestions could you pass on to those of us who may be so greatly inspired enough as to attempt that? I will be rebuilding my entire layout this coming winter and am aggressively studying here!

Thanks, Bob

@endless tracks posted:

Neal, That is a layout to die for!! I enjoyed the videos and pictures immensely. You truly are a Master!

Now, I have. question. There was a fair discussion here not long ago about super-elevated tracks and how to attain them. Not just for looks but from an operational perspective. I watched the video several times. Relative to the building, the engines look like they are on a 80-100MPH curve.  (see screen shot below) Are your tracks in fact super-elevated, and if so, what hints or suggestions could you pass on to those of us who may be so greatly inspired enough as to attempt that? I will be rebuilding my entire layout this coming winter and am aggressively studying here!

Thanks, Bob

Bob,

Thanks for your comments!  As far as the superelevation goes, the screen shot you posted is a bit tilted, so it is probably exaggerating the amount of superelevation. But indeed, the curves are superelevated by means of some 18 ga wire with really thick insulation that makes them about 1/8" thick. It is from my old HO layout from years ago. I use AtlasO flex track which is held in place with small screws. After initial installation, I just backed out the screws a bit, and force the wire into place under the ties about where the outer rail is located, then just tightened up the screws. That's it. Once ballasted, the wire is hidden. I use two short lengths of progressively thinner wire beyond where the curve ends and goes into the tangent to taper it back to flat.

Hope that answers your question.

Thanks Neal!

That is very helpful. The "wow factor" of your super-elevation was instantly noticed. I kept playing the video to be sure I wasn't seeing things!

I experimented at first with just small stacks of Post-it notes shoved under in places, and also small cedar shingles. I think I got the job done for proof-of-concept but would not have left them there long-term. The wire idea is terrific! Ultimately, I had to remove 80% of my layout for new windows and siding on the house. Layout reconstruction can't come soon enough!!

Bob

Looks like a great time. When I saw this post at work, I knew I could not watch it there, I had to get it all in on the laptop. It would have been a great disservice to my viewing pleasure, and yes, I was right to wait. Fantastic videos and pictures.