Weekend Photo Fun 9/23/16 HONGZ

What's da' matta'... do you like the Chessie/CSX system or sumphin'???

Yes what i mostly model because so i don't buy every road name makes it easier that way LOL. 

From my own CSX archives comes this Atlas N scale U23B:

Bob

Below are my two newest engines, an original 1954  Lionel and a modern Atlas Trainmaster. 

Unbeknownst to my local O gauge buddies, I've ventured over and dipped my toes in HO recently. Have accumulated some equipment over the years that appealed to me but since the dismantling of our O gauge club layout, I've no where to operate my 3 rail equipment.

Fortunately, there is an older HO club about an hour away in Hendersonville NC - the Apple Valley Model RR Club that is situated in the town's original SR Depot. The city owns the facility and has allowed the club to operate it for 25 years at no charge - only stipulation is to be open to the public twice a week. Such a deal!

This week I officially petitioned for membership.

The layout is beautiful and quite large. Scenicked for these Smoky Mountains replete with rugged rock faces and outcroppings as well as the lush trees and greenery here, it is fantastic to behold. These fellas have done an amazing job.

NJ Highrailers member Richard Meier is moving there and dropped by to take me to his house. He was gracious enough to have his photo taken with me... my partner in crime. :-)

Hey David - here comes your BLI T1

Looking great Sam, you should enjoy your trip into ho. Looks like an amazing layout.

Btw the T1 is from Broadway limited not MTH. 

Dave

A few pics of my layout 

Great picture's so far guys and Sam i'm happy for you joining HO club. 

Hot doggies it's HONGZ WPF!

Not much to report in my neck of the woods... however my little 16' x 20' Hobby Shack in the woods is 100% ready for occupancy!  Hooray! Took way too long... but it was what it was.

Here's a different view of the exterior:

I went with LED lighting. In the next picture you're looking at the interior with the lights installed/on. We're talking 6 4' LED tubes of lighting power there... as well as another 2 4' LED tubes overhead of the workbench area!

Speaking of the workbench area. For the past 18 years I've had zero windows to look out when working at my current hobby bench. I didn't want to repeat that scenario, so from the onset I planned to have my workbench over by one of the windows. In addition, I had two additional 110v outlets installed above desk top level (one on each side) for the various power needs (Dremel tool, etc) when working at my new hobby desk location.  Here's my view from my hobby desk window:

It's going to be great to be retired, sitting working at my hobby bench working on a project during a snowy day, all cozy warm with my heater system and supplementary small space heater (to keep the feet toasty warm)!

All fer now!

Andre

Forgot to say...

C. Sam:

In regards to the loss of the O gauge layout: Such change sucks.  Alas, it is what it is.

HO is a veritable cornucopia of product. Another plus is that it's size lends itself well to more typical spaces.  What it WON'T do is give you heft.  Just no way. Also, when coming to HO from one of the larger scales... it will seem really small. BUT, much of that mental aspect goes away the more you're around it.

It could be worse: NO TRAINS at ALL.

Welcome aboard the HO wagon. Looking forward to seeing pictures of your HO conquests!

Andre

Andre- Your hobby building is going to be a great enrironment to enjoy what you love to do. Great idea to make sure you have a window with a view, I really enjoy having natural light when running trains and working.

Andre, you are certainly correct about the lack of 'heft'. I read a piece some years ago that gave a great explanation of this phenomena with our trains. Although HO is indeed 'Half-O' in size as it pertains to length and width and height, the three dimensions equate to the 'volume' being a function of 1/2 cubed - i.e., HO is actually 1/8th the volume of O gauge which is why the lack of 'heft'.

Psssst   Don't tell my friends that I posted here!  OK?

Jonny:

I'm pretty excited, but I have a lot of things going on right now that will preclude starting IMMEDIATELY to build a layout. Besides, I discovered a fundamental flaw in my  Version 1 "Definite maybe" track plan for my Colorado & Pacific. So, it will be back to the drawing board (literally) to correct the oversight.  All in good time!

Sam:

Kee-rect you are. When talking volume, HO x 8 to get the same general 3D shape. Same deal applies when scaling up/down an HO or O scale trackplan: It takes more than one would think.

For example, to replicate an HO track plan that uses the time honored 4x8 up to O scale will take 8' x 16'. That's four times the area required by HO.

There truly is no comparison when it comes to what one can have in the same space HO vs O.  It's that heft thing that can't be "fixed" for those that like larger model trains.

All fer now!

c.sam posted:

 

Psssst   Don't tell my friends that I posted here!  OK?

Don't worry, your secret is safe with us. 

IIRC, the Apple Valley RR was featured in "Model Railroader" recently, and was quite an impressive read.  I seem to remember they do formal operating sessions.  If so, welcome to the dark side. 

I loved my time in three rail O scale, but it was time to move on.  I never left HO, just "re-engaged" in HO with a vengeance.   

Regards,

Jerry