Trains Trains Trains - New Video of the Hidden Pass Junction RR

Very well done video! Great camera work. Thanks for sharing you have an amazing layour.

Tom, CNtomato -

 

I do try to make those stops as realistic as possible (with any of the trains) but sometimes it is a bit difficult, and also try to do smooth camera work.

 

I operate the camera with one hand (start, stop, zoom, pan, focus select...) and with the other hand I operate the remote. Sometimes I will have two remotes in play, for DCS and for Legacy, and then it is really challenging. Hence, I may have to film the same scene several times.

 

Thank you for you nice comments!

 

Alex

Guys,

 

Several people have asked me about the music/song at the end of the video, which starts about 11 minutes into the video. It is the main theme from "Hell on Wheels", the AMC series about the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the U.S., and the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. There are a lot of other topics besides trains in the series, of course, but I thought the music was just right as background music when the Big Boy led train makes its run.

 

Alex

I agree that when I saw the length of the video, I was hesitant about spending that much time watching it.  But on the other hand, you have always produced top notch work.  I watched it all, very nice job!

 

Art

Great video Alex, impressive to say the least however I hear how difficult it is to create a video but I would have watched yours if it was an hour long but thanks for it anyway.

Art, Greg -

 

I catch myself always pushing the 'time duration' limit of my videos, but it is difficult for me to keep them to as few minutes as possible. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch the video, and to share your approval! 

 

THANK YOU!

 

Alex

Alexander Müller

Alex....I thought I had posted here because I watched the video...TWICE!!  But I guess I was mistaken!!  Anyway, I loved the video and think you did your usual fantastic job!!  By the way, I think I know from whom you got those Amtrak cars!!..

 

Alan

Hey, Alan!

 

Thank you so much!

 

By the way, I think I know from whom you got those Amtrak cars!!..

 

And, oh yes, of course - - as I posted earlier on this very thread:

 

Jack, that is Lionel Legacy Dash 9 catalog 6-28343. (I bought the cars from my good friend Alan Arnold)

 

Thx

Alex

Alexander Müller

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. The layout is beautiful. Lots of action and detail.

Thank you, James!

 

A lot of my guests like the action as well, and they spend quite a while looking at the details.

 

Funny thing, some of my guests who have come two, three or more times, usually ask if I have just added this or that. More often than not, what they are referring to is not new; they had just not noticed during their previous visit(s).

 

Thx!

 

Alex

 

PS. My guest book has 293 entries now, and that does not include repeat visits. I also know that there have been over a dozen or so people who have forgotten to sign the book.

Alex

Nicely done thanks for sharing

Alex, You did a great job on this video. As nice as it is, it does not compare to seeing the layout in person and enjoying your (and Judy's) hospitality.  Thanks, Pat B.

Steve, Pat - 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

Pat, even if I say so myself, I tend to agree. Many times I try to capture a specific scene, but somehow it escapes the ability of the lens. Similarly, the overall magnitude is difficult to depict in a video. But I'll keep trying . . . 

 

(When are you coming back?)

 

Thx!

 

Alex

Several days ago I had a couple of guests who were not able to take the stairs to the basement. Instead, they were very happy when I told them that I could play some of the videos I had of the layout. They went to the family room, where we have the 60” TV, and I started with the most recent video; the subject of this thread.

 

I left the room to get other information I wanted to share with them after the videos were over, and while fiddling with magazines and books in another room, I heard the whistle of steam locomotive. It sounded just like the whistle of the vintage movies of the real Big Boy, so I hurried back to the family room to see how or why a different video, other than mine, was playing.

 

Fooled! It was my video (at 8:44), where the Big Boy on reverse approaches a grade crossing in route to couple with the train, and the whistle sounded exactly like the real one as I have heard it. When I first ran my Big Boy back in December, I did not think that the quillable effect was prototypical, but I thought it was still ‘OK’.

 

Well, after what happened that night, I admit I was wrong – Lionel did an excellent job in duplicating the real thing. Thank you, Lionel!

 

Alex

       

I am glad that you were able to show these visitors your layout.

I have to say that I am very happy with my Visionline Big Boy as well!

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

Yes, the videos help. That is how I share my trains with my kids and grand kids, who live in CO and TX, and due to their occupations cannot visit often.

 

Still, as I have been told by many of our guests who had watched the videos first and then visited us, the videos do not convey the true impact or 'wow' factor of seeing the layout in person. They say the videos don't do it justice.

 

I can't say for my layout, but I do know for a fact that even though Alan Arnold is an excellent photographer, no pictures or videos can provide the impact of seeing his layout in person. When you first look at his layout you wonder if perhaps you are not on the south end of Lake Shore Drive looking at downtown Chicago!

 

Thanks for you comments!

 

Alex

Outstanding. Worth every second to watch

Keith,

 

The Judy Jane Trestle is one of the features that a lot of people like  the best. Undoubtedly, it was a bit more involved to build.

 

Bill,

 

Nice to know that you also liked the video in its entirety!

 

Thank You!

 

Alex

That is some good modeling there.  I concur, the trestle is outstanding.

Nice video. 

 

I really liked the lights shining on the passing cars at about the 11 minute mark of the video.  That would make a great night scene with a car stopped at a railroad crossing with the car's headlights lighting up the train.

 

Earl

William, 

Thank you! Glad you like the trestle!

 

Earl,

That is a great idea; I'll try that next time!

Thank you for noticing the finer details.

 

ANd thank you both for you nice comments.

 

Alex

ALex you are a perfectionist, that helps make for a great lay-out and video. Nothing wrong with that, been following from your start years ago when I joined the forum. Keep the videos coming.

That was a great video! I especially enjoyed watching the tender filling up with coal! Also your trestle is very cool. Nice work! Thank You!