a little fun with moviemaker on the layout

[arbomambo]

Hello all...
in between paint projects on the bench, I had a little time to run the Fast Mail and the Super Chief around the layout (I had just finished putting the Plano grills on the 2 B units on the Super Chief)
I had a little fun with moviemaker...

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Note- the music really dates to the 40's...and the layout has no scenery on it at all...what you see, apart from the basic, painted foam forms, are foam and printed paper pieces, standing in for the actual bridges and scenery (the telephone poles are pushed into the foam to give me an approximate idea of their eventual location), the part of route 66 that is visible is just dark gray painted foam where I plan to actually construct the highway with plaster and/or styrene.
I'll be looking forward to making more little videos when the layout is actually done...
Thanks,
~Bruce

[strummer]

Very nice. The layout's looking good,smooth operation. Is the 8mm look to the film from the "moviemaker" you mention? Is that a computer program? Am looking forward to seeing more.

Mark in Oregon

[randgust]

Really like what I'm seeing there, just have one suggestion (that you'd never notice unless you were doing a movie of it...)

Have you tinkered with any superelevation on those curves?  It's not noticeable on the track with the mail train on it, but it does look 'flat' on the Super Chief track.  You're still at the point where you can tinker with it to decide if you really like it or not, I think it would be worth it.  The perspective you're getting is rather awesome, actually. 

[wm3798]

Nice music score!

[unittrain]

Luv it!! The music is also a great addition I have added older 20's and 50's music to my collection over the last several years I never would have thought I would be listening to this era of music 20 years ago when I was in a thrash metal band, but I can now say I have a very diverse musical taste! Awesome layout you got look forward to seeing more love those trackside videos.

[arbomambo]

Really like what I'm seeing there, just have one suggestion (that you'd never notice unless you were doing a movie of it...)

Have you tinkered with any superelevation on those curves?  It's not noticeable on the track with the mail train on it, but it does look 'flat' on the Super Chief track.  You're still at the point where you can tinker with it to decide if you really like it or not, I think it would be worth it.  The perspective you're getting is rather awesome, actually.

Randall,
you bring up a really good point....I had actually superelevated the cork roadbed in the first-parallel tracked incarnation of this layout...I've just recently layed the trackage on the lower level and I don't think, as you've said, that it would be too much trouble to shim the outer portions of the cork in the two half loops...and a very slight super elevation on the small S curve approaching the 'ballasted deck timber trestle'...
I probably have the Super Chief speeding a little in the video...I have no idea what the speed limit is through the Canyon...all the videos in the past 10-15 years have the trains around 35-40, or less...working upgrade to Kingman, and downgrade to Needles...that would be interesting information...what the speed limit is now, and what it was in '57...
still wish I could view 50's era photos of the line in the Canyon
Thanks,
~Bruce

[randgust]

Guessing that you are on or about MP 517  or 518.8 where that bridge is:

Albuquerque Division timetable #5, April 21, 1962:

Page 15 Special Rules:

Maximum authorized speed for trains

WESTWARD:  Curves and grades MP 516.5 to MP 519.2  45mph passenger; 25mph freight

EASTWARD:Curves 520.2 to 516.7:  40mph passenger; 40mph freight.

If you get more precise on the milepost, I've got ETT's from 62 through the 70's nothing earlier.

There are two solid pages of speed restrictions by milepost.  "non restricted" speed was 79/60 both east and west on the Kingman District.

[Loren Perry]

The camera angles are great! And the B&W images really set the era, too. Also, the trains themselves are superb - I love the outstanding variety in rolling stock on the Fast Mail! I need to build some of those cars for my own ATSF fleet, especially a horse car.

Is there any way you can tighten up on depth-of-field? I know you're at the mercy of the limitations of your hardware, but getting some of those long shots a bit sharper would work wonders for realism.

All-in-all, a very good effort. Well done!

[arbomambo]

great info!...
here's youtube video of the area that is the inspiration for the scenery on this side of the layout

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and another...

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on this one, it's interesting to note a 'watbound' on the regular track used for Eastbound traffic...I can only assume that this would have also occurred in the 50's...
my scene is, actually, a combination of two separate areas in the Canyon-Holy Moses wash being the obvious one, but with elements of the other girder bridge area as well...(the one where the National Trails Highway goes beneath it).
obviously, the area is compressed, and the actual scene, on the layout, as far as roads, and orientation will be almost a mirror of the real one, but the flavor of this area will be obvious...

Thanks,
Bruce

[arbomambo]

The camera angles are great! And the B&W images really set the era, too. Also, the trains themselves are superb - I love the outstanding variety in rolling stock on the Fast Mail! I need to build some of those cars for my own ATSF fleet, especially a horse car.

Is there any way you can tighten up on depth-of-field? I know you're at the mercy of the limitations of your hardware, but getting some of those long shots a bit sharper would work wonders for realism.

All-in-all, a very good effort. Well done?

Loren thanks!
Truthfully, I've had this old Canon S2 since it was 'new' and the latest thing....ages ago...and I haven't even attempted to fool with manually setting the aperture!...I really need to experiment with that for widening the depth of field...I'll have to come up with some extra lighting to compensate.
I've made more progress on the Fast Mail, especially in the last few months...I still have a number of cars to model in order for me to feel that i can do a good job of recreating a good representative consist...3 more ATSF 70' baggage cars, an ATSF fishbelly baggage, another horse express, 2 more ATSF semi-lighweight smoothside baggage cars, an Erie smoothside baggage, a NYC smoothside baggage, and a couple of REA express reefers converted from troop sleepers (great new castings from Bill Denton-Skytop Models!)...of course, a MoPac, SAL, B&O, Katy, RI baggage/express car would be welcome as well....i've just recently gotten the itch to model an Erie Express milk car converted to regular express use for this train as well...with all of these cars, I feel I can replicate just about any consist thay may have been seen in '57
Thanks again,
Bruce

[superchief]

Bruce , love it!!!!! the canyon looks good, love the B&W and music! the angles you shot are great, love following your work on the car fleet. saw the woody on rt 66, were you planning on modeling the original alignment BETWEEN the tracks? still there today. Randy, thanks for the info on Max speed thru the canyon. Bruce I think I have some early(40-50) shots in the canyon from either Gordon Bassett or Stan Kistler, see if I can find them and scan them and email you. great work. Gordon Bliss  modeling Kingman Canyon / Santa Fe-All the way 1953-1954

[arbomambo]

Gordon,
Thank you...I do love your layout!
I want to model the 'newer' route of route 66...along the north 'cliff' side of the canyon...I will model that part of the hwy that comes out from under the other girder bridge and runs between the tracks...
I sure would appreciate any pics you'd wish to share!
Thanks again,
Bruce

[randgust]

I had to look it up (Santa Fe Route, Railroads of Arizona) Myrick

The second main track in Kingman Canyon (EB) was put in in 1923, and I was curious if that was RH or LH running there, turns out it was RH running, no 'flop over' to LH running was east of Crookton.

Hopefully you have that book, sweet view of steam power on page 235 with old 66 in the shot.

[arbomambo]

I had to look it up (Santa Fe Route, Railroads of Arizona) Myrick

The second main track in Kingman Canyon (EB) was put in in 1923, and I was curious if that was RH or LH running there, turns out it was RH running, no 'flop over' to LH running was east of Crookton.

Hopefully you have that book, sweet view of steam power on page 235 with old 66 in the shot.

so...RH running from this point...all the way through Barstow...Victorville...then the flyover at Frost brings things back to LH running over Summit and into LA?

[C855B]

so...RH running from this point...all the way through Barstow...Victorville...then the flyover at Frost brings things back to LH running over Summit and into LA?

LH running normally didn't make it past Berdoo ('A' Yard), with the DS usually crossing trains over at Cajon, Blue Cut or Devore. Occasionally UP trains would be on the "wrong side" past Colton Tower (SP crossing), but they would still have to negotiate a crossover at Riverside Jct. to get on their own tracks. ATSF trains running LH any further would tend to gum the works if they weren't crossed-over by Fullerton Jct.