Quote from: Dave Buchholz on November 10, 2025, 11:24:38 AMThe officers of the North Coast Narrow Guage Railroad went into executive session over the weekend,and by unanimous boisterous approval,  after several rounds of tequila and jelly shots, sends their absolute encouragement to go light up the boilers and crack the throttle open to go full speed ahead ion plans for the narrow gauge portion of your empire!

( They would have encouraged you more, but in an untimely twist of fate, they ran out of tequila, and a few wives showed up with rolling pins to drag their sorry butts home)

Fifth Dave to the right.

Dave, it's ALL narrow gauge - now that the N scale roundy has been excised...HOn30 and HOn3...I've been narrow minded for decades. Frary & Hayden hit me hard in my formative years, even though I watched them (and Furlow and Olson) in the pages of MR like they were pro athletes. It oddly never occurred to me that I could do what they were doing until much more recently.

thanks for checking in guys...yes, Dr. Jeff, the NNGC is always a kick in the pants, but I've got a LOT going on at work - primarily getting out of it - for good - going on. 

Quote from: ACL1504 on November 10, 2025, 09:17:48 AMJohn,

Great to see you have recovered, some what, from the paralysis. You have to admit it feels good to be modeling again.

It is looking good as well. Is that hole in the backdrop a future tunnel portal?

Tom

Actually...former tunnel portals. I've lowered the HOn3 track level for more realistic scenery...and I removed the hypothetical N scale level. The holes in the backdrops will be behind mountains, so not a problem...in fact they might help with a "reach in" point for any derailments or track cleaning etc.

Well, I busted through my "paralysis by analysis" wall today...I actually built some benchwork and even laid some track...the HOn30 main level track has been down for a while, but the upper level(s) had me really stuck and unsure about construction and scenery opportunities.

I simplified things and decided to focus on getting the HOn3 upper loop running and track plan somewhat finalized. I lowered the HOn3 loop a few inches because it was becoming clear that my 'not that deep' layout would make it very difficult to have any kind of viable scenic transition between the track levels. 80' stone walls running the length of the layout seemed questionable. I originally decided to add the HOn3 element so I could take advantage of DCC sound in those beautiful Blackstone locomotives - for my grandson's benefit (my kids all resisted, but I'm taking a swing at the next generation).

I decided to forget about the N scale loop higher up the mountains but may still work in some structures if it makes sense and looks right, once I get to the stage of raising mountains. It's tough to describe this layout, even with a track plan that I'm working on, but each module is 4' tall with the idea that tall mountainsides will climb way up to dwarf the trains appropriately. The two gauges are independent loops that disappear into tunnels and circle back on shelves along the back wall. I am all about scenery and really don't have any interest in operations beyond having two trains slowly creeping through the scenes on different levels...but never say never - I'm also a believer that at least appearing to have a "purpose" makes for a more realistic appearance, even just as a side effect. Ultimately, I'll attach larger upper facia panels to further enhance the shadowbox effect and viewing angles - but that'll be some time away as I'll want to get much of the upper scenery done first...still agonizing about whether or not to go with a photo backdrop or just paint it that awesome winter dull gray sky and build 3-D scenery nearly to the top.

I rediscovered Mike Confalone's modeling video and that took me down a deep YouTube rabbit hole. If you're not familiar, check it out, he's unbelievably talented and his layout might be the most realistic one I've ever seen...he's got an amazing knack for capturing New England's "mud season" where most of the snow is gone, but it's still cold and mostly leafless. Muddy log-loading yards and quarries are done so well and he does a uniquely great job at allowing simple scenes to have all of the space they really would occupy, instead of the very natural practice of shrinking scenes to fit our layouts. His "in between" scenes are basically just muddy, wet-looking ground cover, melting snow piles, and trackside details and they are spectacular.

...as long as I'm running off at the mouth, check out Tom Johnson's Cass County RR...absolutely amazing detail and perfectly captured the colorful brilliance of Autumn without looking toy-like. For you SBG'ers...Tom's in Kissimmee and welcomes visitors.

Wow...great kit. Great build!!!

Happy Birthday Bob!

Thank you guys...I'm celebrating my 58th by going back to Jiu Jitsu next week   and, not coincidentally, upgrading my health insurance first of the year.

Nothing new on the layout...but I am thinking about it a LOT.

Good Morning Jim and all who follow

My layout looms behind me, taunting me as ever, as I have been a neglectful worker. Lots of real-world stuff going on including some legit negotiation to sell my share of the practice (aka RETIREMENT  )...I've got to believe that will have a significant effect on my ability to justify hours working on the layout. 

Hope today is a good day for all of you.

John

Thanks guys...I'm on board

anybody familiar with these? I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a bunch. My layout is being built to be movable for the inevitable relocation...The benchwork is modular and I've historically used terminal strips between sections to avoid chopping up all of my wiring  - these seem infinitely easier. I guess I'd still use suitcase connectors to bring the track feeders to the bus lines, but that wiring wouldn't be disrupted as it would all be contained within it's own module. 

I've never come across these and was wondering if any of you used them...


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Morning All

I promise that I'll eventually post some NNGC photos, life has been busy.

I had big plans for train time but we're hosting the two grandkids this weekend, so that will be pretty overwhelming as one is 1 5 month old happy little blob and the other is a 2yo tornado...it's the greatest but nothing to be underestimated.

I'm still very busy modeling (in my head) so, hopefully, that will translate to the layout  next. I'm negotiating a retirement buyout- so the modeling future is bright.

Have a good Friday for those working stiffs like me who still celebrate them.

Rick,

Be careful in Forks...I was there about 15 or so years ago - at the height of the "vampire problem". My daughter, now 30, 

firmly on the side of the werewolves. It was my first trip to the Pacific Northwest and I just loved the gnarly Pacific Coast scenery...(looked like a layout)

Quote from: Rick on September 11, 2025, 09:10:33 AM

Quote from: deemery on September 11, 2025, 09:04:52 AMAnother nice early fall day.  Later today I'll head to Concord for the NMRA NER convention.  I'll register, catch a couple of mini clinics, and see what's happenin'.  Tomorrow I'll be there all day, my first of 2 clinics starts at 0800 (so an early start for me tomorrow morning...) 

dave

Dave, good morning and have fun at the convention.
Take lots of pictures.
I'm surprised there weren't any pictures posted here from the Narrow Gauge Convention.

the NNGC layout tour was really great...there weren't as many overall layouts as some past conventions, but there were some truly spectacular ones...I'll get around to posting some pics. I generally just snap shots of "ideas" I want to steal (I meant "that I'm inspired by"  ) because, in the past I've traveled with John S. and Jaime who, generally, take and post an entire layout overview - so I just selfishly look for my own things. Anyway, I've got some good shots I can share...there were a handful of layouts that have been profiled in various magazines like Gary Hoover's, Richard Rand's, Pete Smith's, Bob Lenz' and others. Really great modeling.

Morning Raymo...I'm hoping to "work from home" today   if my phone doesn't blow up and spend some layout time. I've got a concrete next step that I want to proceed with on the layout and I know that I just need to break the seal with all of my stored post-NNGC motivation and I could actually get a lot done quickly...I just have to get the ball rolling.

Regardless...happy Friday to those of you who don't have a week of Saturdays.

John

Looks great Tom!