Bloody On30 temptation, leave me alone!

[Dave V]

PBL does sorta own Sn3 outright...

I think it’s just hard to make a go of any other narrow gauge prototype.  Only the Colorado & Southern came close to the Rio Grande in terms of rail miles and roster.  I love me some EBT but the Eastie wasn’t large by any stretch, nor very well known outside of Pennsylvania.  And although the Eastie survived to the 50s, the fact that the D&RGW was still doing narrow gauge freight operation right up into the Apollo era probably has much to do with its popularity.  Add some dramatic scenery and the mythology of the Wild West and you have a prototype that sells itself.  As appealing as other narrow gauge operations are, that’s a tough act with which to compete.

[hminky]

Remember from the '80s that the old Mantua Mikado converted to an EBT mikado.

40ft 70ton 3bayHO ribside hoppers are the right size.

My narrow gauge thought was always before the mass extinction of the 1890's, much more interesting.

Harold

[Santa Fe Guy]

A good friend has a huge Sn3 layout almost all PBL on which we operate quite regularly. Beautiful locos and rolling stock, need to be handled with care and most of the time run extremely well however need large radius and a big space on which to operate.
The sound Bill has been able to obtain with Soundtrax and WOW decoders after experimenting with different style of speakers is mind blowingly good.
The scale and exquisite detail looks impressive compared to my past N Scale stuff.
This and another two friends HOn3 layouts made me go Blackstone.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Just one small section of the layout.
Rod.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you're gonna go O, go O standard gauge to keep your Pennsy itch scratched...

But if you find one of these before I do and get it, well, I'll be mad.

https://mthtrains.com/20-3429-2

https://mthtrains.com/20-3156-2

[pdx1955]

If you're gonna go O, go O standard gauge to keep your Pennsy itch scratched...

But if you find one of these before I do and get it, well, I'll be mad.

https://mthtrains.com/20-3429-2

https://mthtrains.com/20-3156-2

Ya gotta go to the next TCA York Meet which is coming up next month . There's a good chance that you could find those there.

[Dave V]

A good friend has a huge Sn3 layout almost all PBL on which we operate quite regularly. Beautiful locos and rolling stock, need to be handled with care and most of the time run extremely well however need large radius and a big space on which to operate.
The sound Bill has been able to obtain with Soundtrax and WOW decoders after experimenting with different style of speakers is mind blowingly good.
The scale and exquisite detail looks impressive compared to my past N Scale stuff.
This and another two friends HOn3 layouts made me go Blackstone.
(Attachment Link)
Just one small section of the layout.
Rod.

When you say Bill in Sn3, do you mean Bill Scobie?  He's an RGS modeling legend.

If you're gonna go O, go O standard gauge to keep your Pennsy itch scratched...

But if you find one of these before I do and get it, well, I'll be mad.

https://mthtrains.com/20-3429-2

https://mthtrains.com/20-3156-2

Nah brah.

But it did cross my mind to fill the void left by the Juniata Division with an HO scale 4x6 or 4x7 Pennsy branchline operated by a single H-class 2-8-0.  Maybe a freelanced branch in Lancaster or Chester County.

[Santa Fe Guy]

When you say Bill in Sn3, do you mean Bill Scobie?  He's an RGS modeling legend.

Nah brah.

But it did cross my mind to fill the void left by the Juniata Division with an HO scale 4x6 or 4x7 Pennsy branchline operated by a single H-class 2-8-0.  Maybe a freelanced branch in Lancaster or Chester County.

No this Bill lives in Emerald, Australia not that far from me.
Rod.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ya gotta go to the next TCA York Meet which is coming up next month . There's a good chance that you could find those there.

Oh man. I think I might.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

But it did cross my mind to fill the void left by the Juniata Division with an HO scale 4x6 or 4x7 Pennsy branchline operated by a single H-class 2-8-0.  Maybe a freelanced branch in Lancaster or Chester County.

Aww *****. That'd be amazing.

[Dave V]

I'm suffering from On30 envy again. Dave Meek and his Thunder Mesa Studios keeps turning out O scale narrow gauge goodness:

https://www.youtube.com/@ThunderMesaStudio

I had a trackwork problem come to a head at Ophir on the RGS, requiring me to replace the only curved turnout on the layout. So that's been bugging me. The temporary solution isn't great (a heavily modified piece of a Shinohara #4) but I have a custom curved turnout being made for the space, though it'll require new track geometry (the original turnout featured the only 18" mainline radius curve on the layout...the new one keeps the main at 24").

Meanwhile I'm lesson planning for the Environmental Science course I'm teaching and much of it is based on the megadrought in the Colorado River basin, especially as it impacts Arizona. Looking at the videos of that northern Arizona scenery...yeah. I kinda want to do this freelanced On30 Arizona copper mining railroad where my RGS layout is.

All bluster, of course. At the very least, nothing HOn3 will be replaced with On30 until after the 2023 National Narrow Gauge Convention. But still...sigh.

[Scottl]

Cadillac desert.  Always wanted to do a field course to see the key sites.

[Erik W]

Hey Dave,  I'll be the evil voice on your shoulder.  Go for it.  As someone myself who can't even stick to model railroad stuff most of the time, I say why confine yourself?  There is a whole new level of creative possibilities.  You could freelance to your heart's content.

Not related, but you mentioned lesson planning for an Environmental Science course.  Do you work for UCAR, or have an affiliation with them?  I'm actually starting a new position with UCAR in Boulder next week.

Erik

[Chris333]

Make some O scale trees before you switch! 

[Dave V]

Hey Dave,  I'll be the evil voice on your shoulder.  Go for it.  As someone myself who can't even stick to model railroad stuff most of the time, I say why confine yourself?  There is a whole new level of creative possibilities.  You could freelance to your heart's content.

Not related, but you mentioned lesson planning for an Environmental Science course.  Do you work for UCAR, or have an affiliation with them?  I'm actually starting a new position with UCAR in Boulder next week.

Erik

I do! I work for UCAR COMET! Which section are you working with?

The EnvSci course I teach is actually GES1000 through University of Colorado Colorado Springs. I’m an honorarium adjunct through them at a local college prep school.

[Erik W]

I do! I work for UCAR COMET! Which section are you working with?

The EnvSci course I teach is actually GES1000 through University of Colorado Colorado Springs. I’m an honorarium adjunct through them at a local college prep school.

I'm an Accountant, so I landed what I hope is a sweet accounting gig in the central accounting/administrative group for UCAR.  I'll be a hybrid employee.  So, 2 or 3 days a week in the office in Boulder, and the other 2 or 3 days working from home (I live 20 minutes from the office).  I've worked the last year and a half as the accountant for Left Hand Brewing up here in Longmont.  Funnest job ever, but at 53, I really need more stability, and better pay/benefits.  That said, with global climate change being what it is, I'm excited to be working somewhere that's front and center with that important research . . . even if I am only a numbers guy.

Erik