ATSF Los Angeles Division, circa 1949

[Cajonpassfan]

Today, I received the two NYC Pullman “kits”, Kato 10-6 “River” series and a 4-4-2 “Bridge” from the new NYC 20th Century Limited set. These cars ran on the Chief between Chicago and LA, along with a Pennsy Broadway Ltd. 4-4-2 and a B&O Washington DC car protected  by a Santa Fe “Valley” car in pinstripe paint. So now I have all four transcon cars and a complete ‘49 Chief trainset. (Of course, the foreign road cars didn’t run every day, and appropriate Santa Fe cars were also used, but who wants to model that?)
Pics of the Chief on Cajon circa ‘49 below..
Otto

[OldEastRR]

Always great to get updates on your layout. I'm not a fan of huge layouts but somehow yours seems fine to me. And us guys with little (11'x7') layouts have the same kind of maintenance and rolling stock issues you have on the big pikes. I spent several hours cleaning switchpoints, loco wheels, the track and running the "problem" locos around (everybody has some) the entire ROW fixing glitches until they ran well. A freind was coming for some operation and JRTFT with his brand-new TCL and I had a UP passenger train (no particular train) -- both with KATO E units and those fine KATO passenger car wheels and ....

Well, everybody knows how THAT story always winds up. On track where the iffy locos ran fine, one KATO unit derailed its front axle but kept going until it hit a turnout then KERPLUNK -- just as the TCL was passing on a parallel track. Track mysteriously developed dirty patches, cars came uncoupled for no reason, then the switchpoints had to get in on the disaster (even tho I"D JUST CLEANED THEM!). It's not a myth: layouts that ran fine when you're by yourself go nuts when visitors come by.

I can imagine its a day-long process to completely tune-up your big layout. It's something Armstrong warned about for people who made big layouts: it turns into a Frankenstein nightmare of maintenance and cleaning which takes all the fun out of modelling.

[Santa Fe Guy]

Nice work Otto, always great to get the cars you want for that special consist.
Layout is looking super.
Have a great Christmas.
Rod.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks, Rod! Coming from you, I really appreciate it! I do enjoy modeling specific passenger trains and their consists; ATSF had seven and UP four scheduled each day and they each had unique “personalities” and operational needs. And then there were MAIN trains and extras running in sections...Fun stuff.

@oldeast, thank you for your comment, and trust me, I know of which you speak, there are times when I think I took on too much. But at its core, the layout is a simple though large dog bone, with tracks going through each scene only once, with seven simple sidings at Ono, Verdemont, Devore, Keenbrook, Cajon, Alray and Gish, like the prototype. And there is San Bernardino, at the foot of the grade, which started out as a “simple” partial yard/staging and turned into a big yard when I decided to add the not so simple LA west staging and then decided to scenic it   And then there is the “simple” Barstow east staging (which I am NOT going to scenic). So yea, over the years it kind of evolved from a “simple dog bone” intended to provide a setting to watch a parade of trains going up and down the hill (which I can still do) to something that can be operated with a group of guys (no gals yet, although they’d  be welcome) in a somewhat prototypical fashion. It’s the yards that added complexity but also the ability to do more than run in circles. At least now that I’m retired I have the time to devote to it (when I’m not working on a friend’s 4,700 sq.ft. HO layout here in town). Now, THAT one is a monster, mine’s just a little thing as my HO friends see it😬

Next up, more power for the Chief, see below.
Thanks for your continued interest,
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, I got my FM Erie-built set (ATSF 90) running and tracking properly, with ESU sound courtesy Rick Brodzinsky. I did add a large “bass” speaker in the trailing dummy A unit, built on a Lifelike PA dummy frame. Great sound! A nice addition to the transcon fleet pool, pics below.
Fun stuff!
Otto

[coldriver]

very nice Otto - I bet that sounds great!

[RBrodzinsky]

very nice Otto - I bet that sounds great!

Videos to come later today....

[altohorn25]

Otto,

Here are a few photos of my HO scale version of the FM #90.  I changed the horns, added the steam generator details to the roof, and weathered.  They're DCC, but no sound. 

Love the look of these units and it was nice that Santa Fe usually kept them running in their 3 unit set.

Here are a few photos of them pulling my early 1950's Chief on the North American Prototype Modelers Layout in Milwaukee.

I know it's not N scale, but I thought you'd get a kick out of it.

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[wazzou]

I always enjoy seeing pics of that layout Nate.  Thanks, and the consist looks good.

[altohorn25]

I always enjoy seeing pics of that layout Nate.  Thanks, and the consist looks good.

Here's a quick video for you: 

[RBrodzinsky]

Here is the video of the Erie Builts pulling Otto's passenger consist, along with some decoder installation photos

[Cajonpassfan]

Otto,

Here are a few photos of my HO scale version of the FM #90.  I changed the horns, added the steam generator details to the roof, and weathered.  They're DCC, but no sound. 

Love the look of these units and it was nice that Santa Fe usually kept them running in their 3 unit set.

Here are a few photos of them pulling my early 1950's Chief on the North American Prototype Modelers Layout in Milwaukee.

I know it's not N scale, but I thought you'd get a kick out of it.

Very nice Nate, thanks for posting. But you know, I think modeling that train in HO is a bit like cheating, don’t you? So many things are just so easy...cars available, getting sound in  
Just kidding, looks great!
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Here is the video of the Erie Builts pulling Otto's passenger consist, along with some decoder installation photos

Thanks for posting this Rick. I’m really happy with them, with the big speaker in the trailing A. The sound is SO much better in person than this...
But god, I do need a better camera....
Otto

[altohorn25]

Here is the video of the Erie Builts pulling Otto's passenger consist, along with some decoder installation photos

Excellent

[Cajonpassfan]

For a long time, I’ve had this notion of building the San Bernardino roundhouse and the 120’ open truss turntable that is at the center of it all, some day. That roundhouse was a beehive of activity during my era, and just looking at photos makes this steam fan’s heart beat a bit faster. See pics below.
But reality set in and some time ago, I’ve given up on the idea of scratchbuiding something that would probably not look or work right, and bought a Walthers new DCC friendly turntable instead. It’s DCC ready, and it has indexing to align the table to each track. Sweet. The only problem is, it’s too BIG, and it’s the wrong type. I opened the expensive package, looked at it, and put it back; it’s just the wrong thing for my layout and its SoCal setting.

So...I’m now starting the possibly foolish exercise of building the real thing, starting with the turntable. The Heljan kit is the right size, wrong type (and it’s crap) but the pit is a good start at 120’. i started working on the bridge using parts from Central Valley (an excellent variety of products, including parts btw). I little bit of progress so far, using a brass bar to strengthen the structure and to have something solid to attach to the radial bearing at the center. I found the bearing at a local ACE hardware and it fits the Heljan pit opening with just a little reaming required. Pics below.
I’m holding my fingers crossed, we’ll see where it goes...
Thanks for looking, fun stuff.
Otto