HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

That video is very dangerous. After riding the C&TS from Antonito to Osier last weekend with the aspens slightly past their peak, I'm halfway tempted to sell my NKP stuff and buy a mudhen with a few stock cars.

Well, I fought off the bug for two decades.  But moving to Colorado was too much for my immune system!

[Lemosteam]

Visual:  Dr. Hotbalz with bugs.

[Dave V]

October progress check:

[narrowminded]

Very nice, Dave.

[Chris333]

Somewhere along the line I snapped this pic showing how I scratched the crap out of the Grandt Line cribbing to make it look more like wood.

[Dave V]

Chris, you can't see it in the video but I do exactly the same.  I also trim the log ends to look hand-hewn.

[narrowminded]

Those look good!  What size are those logs, scale or actual?  This is something I'm likely to need for future plans.

[johnb]

went Goose hunting with a crappy camara phone

[johnb]

Galloping Goose selfie

[milw12]

Dave, I really like the video. I could have studied the track plan more, but the step-by-step walk-through with explanations really helped make it 'click' with how everything on the layout relates to everything else, if that makes any sense. The quality of modeling and how well thought out everything is really show a passion for the subject, which makes this all the more fun to watch as it progresses. It'll be quite the masterpiece when done!

-Lucas

But where will the helix be  

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It amused me, there's a layout that's covering the same stuff as Dave's in GMR this year.

As I was reading about it, I kept thinking "Dave's looks WAY better".

[Dave V]

Here's a little action for ya:

It amused me, there's a layout that's covering the same stuff as Dave's in GMR this year.

As I was reading about it, I kept thinking "Dave's looks WAY better".

Thanks!  I saw that article.  I appreciate the compliment!

Dave, I really like the video. I could have studied the track plan more, but the step-by-step walk-through with explanations really helped make it 'click' with how everything on the layout relates to everything else, if that makes any sense. The quality of modeling and how well thought out everything is really show a passion for the subject, which makes this all the more fun to watch as it progresses. It'll be quite the masterpiece when done!

-Lucas

But where will the helix be  

Thanks!  And ask your mom about the helix...   

[Dave V]

No photo updates but just reporting that I'm having a blast moving trains around the layout.  It's not ready for roundy-round yet and that's probably a good thing as I'm realizing how fun it is to have real distances involved.  Moving the train deliberately with speed restrictions (bridges, yards, tight curves, imaginary grades) and signaling for crossings and stations really adds a dimension to the hobby that I know you big-layout guys already enjoy but that my little N scale race track never really provided.

[Dave V]

[davefoxx]

Dave,

What sound decoder do you have in that steamer?  ESU now has the Full Throttle feature for steam locomotives.  When you back off the throttle, the locomotive will realistically become much quieter with just the rods clanking and little to no chuffs.  Nice!

DFF