You have either driven a locomotive or watched them enough to understand they don't stop as fast as most modelers stop them and they don't couple and push the car back 10 scale feet. Very nice. Love the "Geep" sound.
Hi Tom - I can tell that you appreciate good train handling ........ thanks for noticing. I have watched and studied many prototype switching operations and, yes, I have operated a locomotive as well. I appreciate your comments and thank you for watching! Mike
Mike, I loved watching the GPs do what they do best as they take charge of that local train. Great action watching the local as it made its way over the railroad. Thank you for sharing! -Tony
Mike, Thanks for another excellent video of your amazing layout. It was great to see some switching action from the local. Love those geep units, with just the right amount of weathering. The station agents must of had nerves of steel to be standing so close to the tracks to hoop up the orders to trains passing by at track speed.-Tom
Hi Tom - The station agents did stand close and "hoop-up" the train orders. The scene I re-created at the Nevada station is just how it was at the real Nevada station where I witnessed the agent hooping-up train orders many times. There were permanent pins/markers in the ground where the agent would place his feet so he knew he was positioned just right next to the track. A 60 MPH passenger train flying by and grabbing the orders was a sight to behold. As always, thank you very much for watching and commenting. Mike
Another really nice video! I don't know what decoders, speakers or settings you are using, but those EMDs sound just right. Very nice work. It's always fun to see videos of your layout.
Hi Gary - The decoders are Tsunami2 that came with the Athearn Genesis GP locomotives. The Tsunami2 are a cut above the original Tsunami sound decoders in my opinion. Thank you very much for watching and for your nice comments ........ I appreciate it! Mike
Hi Dale - I appreciate you taking the time to watch, comment and subscribe. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching your videos. Thank you! Mike
Very nice. I enjoy all your videos and this has the feel and look of real. I rarely get on here as too sick but watch direct on the TV. It is difficult for me to open laptop and type. But I got on to ask a person in this area for maybe helping preserve the trains and structures I have here because Mayo could not help me and though I am going to the scrap pile I hope the trains and structures don't go to a landfill. No clubs or NMRA or any train guys here. Thanks for helping me get through parts of days. Great work.
Hi Steve - I truly appreciate you watching my videos and I am glad that they provide you with some enjoyment. It sounds like you are dealing with some tough medical issues and I send you my best wishes for healing and comfort. God bless you! Mike
Mike I am putting all my trains in boxes and hoped maybe a train show but difficult and such. Is there any Rock Island or other items, structures you might want? It would be nice to have them go where they will be appreciated and used. I haven't been on the net for a month or so but let me know and i will ship. Does this show my email? Steve
Hi Steve - I greatly appreciate your offer; however, I do not need any structures or rolling stock and am actually trying to reduce my inventory as well. Thank you very much for your kind offer and I wish you all the best ..... please take care! Mike
The maroon on those three geeps looks great. We’re those factory paint or did you custom paint and if so who’s paint did you use. I’d like to match that shade on a U25B I’m building.
Hi Johann - The three locomotives are all Athearn Genesis models that were factory painted. I've had good luck with Tru-Color (TCP-260) Rock Island Maroon paint. Mike
Hi James - If you go to Google Maps and type in Mason City, Iowa 19th Street SW, this will put you in the general area. Clear Lake Jct. is specifically at the location where the railroad tracks pass under 19th Street SW between S. Pierce Ave. and S. Monroe Ave. in Mason City. This area has changed significantly since the era I model in the 1960's and 19th St. SW (also known as Highway 106) was an at-grade road crossing. Thanks for watching the video. Mike
Great video! I like to see a big lash up of motive power, like the old days. Was hoping to see another view of your railroad, I was not disappointed! Just for some idea, in my mind, how long would this train have taken to get from point A to point B, in actual time?
Greetings Todd - In the world of real railroading, a local freight would typically operate within a crew district which, back in the 1960's, was about 100 miles (which is why they are called "local freights" as opposed to "through freights" which operate over longer distances and multiple crew districts). To answer your question, in the mid-1960's a passenger train covered the trip from Kansas City to St. Paul in 9 hours and 45 minutes (average speed of about 49 MPH). On the other hand, one of the regular freight trains, #68, operated at about an average speed of 39 MPH (according to the timetable) and it would take about 13 hours to cover the distance between Kansas City and Inver Grove Yard near St. Paul. Thanks very much for your comments and thanks for watching! Mike
Just amazing. Great video. I’ve said once and I’ll say again, I live the open spaces of country side your trains roll through.
Hi John - Thanks so much for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it. Mike
So nice to see a layout operated scale speed instead of running like a slot car ;-) WELL DONE
Hi Larry: I appreciate you taking the time to watch my video and thank you for your comments! Mike
You have either driven a locomotive or watched them enough to understand they don't stop as fast as most modelers stop them and they don't couple and push the car back 10 scale feet. Very nice. Love the "Geep" sound.
Hi Tom - I can tell that you appreciate good train handling ........ thanks for noticing. I have watched and studied many prototype switching operations and, yes, I have operated a locomotive as well. I appreciate your comments and thank you for watching! Mike
Great operational video. thanks for sharing.
Hi Dave: Thank you for watching and for your comment ....... I appreciate it! Mike
An Awesome layout ran by a Very talented artist/ railroader! Thank you.
Hi Chad - You are much too kind ....... but I really appreciate your comments and thank you for watching! Mike
Mike, Nice work! The meets added just the right touch. Grain train was awesome as well. Keep them coming!!
Hi Wyatt - Thank you for your comments and for watching. Mike
Mike, I loved watching the GPs do what they do best as they take charge of that local train. Great action watching the local as it made its way over the railroad. Thank you for sharing! -Tony
Greetings Tony - I appreciate you watching and commenting on the video. Thank you! Mike
THANK YOU...for sharing. Thanks for the ride along.
ELSDP-45 - Thank you for being a loyal watcher and thanks so much for commenting! Mike
Mike, Thanks for another excellent video of your amazing layout. It was great to see some switching action from the local. Love those geep units, with just the right amount of weathering. The station agents must of had nerves of steel to be standing so close to the tracks to hoop up the orders to trains passing by at track speed.-Tom
Hi Tom - The station agents did stand close and "hoop-up" the train orders. The scene I re-created at the Nevada station is just how it was at the real Nevada station where I witnessed the agent hooping-up train orders many times. There were permanent pins/markers in the ground where the agent would place his feet so he knew he was positioned just right next to the track. A 60 MPH passenger train flying by and grabbing the orders was a sight to behold. As always, thank you very much for watching and commenting. Mike
Very nicely done.
Hi Robert - Thanks for the kind comment and for watching! Mike
Very nice! Really well done - thank you!
Hi Joel - I appreciate your comments and thank you very much for watching. Mike
Superb as always. Great shots, great story telling. Hi from the UK🇬🇧🛤
Thank you very much for your kind comments, I appreciate them! Greetings to you from the good old USA! Mike
Exstreamly nice my compliments sir
Thank you very much for your kind comment! Mike
Great stuff Mike, love the grain train!
Hi Dean - I appreciate your comments and thank you for watching. Mike
Another really nice video! I don't know what decoders, speakers or settings you are using, but those EMDs sound just right. Very nice work. It's always fun to see videos of your layout.
Hi Gary - The decoders are Tsunami2 that came with the Athearn Genesis GP locomotives. The Tsunami2 are a cut above the original Tsunami sound decoders in my opinion. Thank you very much for watching and for your nice comments ........ I appreciate it! Mike
Like job, I also like the Rock, the Athearn units really sound nice.
Hi Dale - I appreciate you taking the time to watch, comment and subscribe. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching your videos. Thank you! Mike
Very nice. I enjoy all your videos and this has the feel and look of real.
I rarely get on here as too sick but watch direct on the TV. It is difficult for me to open laptop and type. But I got on to ask a person in this area for maybe helping preserve the trains and structures I have here because Mayo could not help me and though I am going to the scrap
pile I hope the trains and structures don't go to a landfill. No clubs or NMRA or any train guys here. Thanks for helping me get through parts of days. Great work.
Hi Steve - I truly appreciate you watching my videos and I am glad that they provide you with some enjoyment. It sounds like you are dealing with some tough medical issues and I send you my best wishes for healing and comfort. God bless you! Mike
Thanks Mike. It is difficult. I miss my friends and the laughter we shared while volunteering or doing modular set ups and more.
Mike I am putting all my trains in boxes and hoped maybe a train show but difficult and such. Is there any Rock Island or other items, structures you might want? It would be nice to have them go where they will be appreciated and used. I haven't been on the net for a month or so but let me know and i will ship. Does this show my email? Steve
Hi Steve - I greatly appreciate your offer; however, I do not need any structures or rolling stock and am actually trying to reduce my inventory as well. Thank you very much for your kind offer and I wish you all the best ..... please take care! Mike
Nice layout and modeling skills. There at the end you could use a gimble, eh?
Hi Daniel - Thank you for watching and I appreciate your comments. Mike
great video
Hello Mike - Thank you for watching this video and for your nice comment. Mike
The maroon on those three geeps looks great. We’re those factory paint or did you custom paint and if so who’s paint did you use. I’d like to match that shade on a U25B I’m building.
Hi Johann - The three locomotives are all Athearn Genesis models that were factory painted. I've had good luck with Tru-Color (TCP-260) Rock Island Maroon paint. Mike
Is there a Clear Lake Junction, I've tried to find it with no luck.
Hi James - If you go to Google Maps and type in Mason City, Iowa 19th Street SW, this will put you in the general area. Clear Lake Jct. is specifically at the location where the railroad tracks pass under 19th Street SW between S. Pierce Ave. and S. Monroe Ave. in Mason City. This area has changed significantly since the era I model in the 1960's and 19th St. SW (also known as Highway 106) was an at-grade road crossing. Thanks for watching the video. Mike
that caboose is amazing, is it scratch built?
Hi Robert - The caboose is a brass model made by Ajin Precision of Korea and offered by Overland Models. Thanks for watching. Mike
I like the open run area shown at the 12:20 mark
Greetings JPF941: Thank you for watching, commenting and subscribing to my channel. I appreciate it very much! Mike
Great video! I like to see a big lash up of motive power, like the old days. Was hoping to see another view of your railroad, I was not disappointed! Just for some idea, in my mind, how long would this train have taken to get from point A to point B, in actual time?
Greetings Todd - In the world of real railroading, a local freight would typically operate within a crew district which, back in the 1960's, was about 100 miles (which is why they are called "local freights" as opposed to "through freights" which operate over longer distances and multiple crew districts). To answer your question, in the mid-1960's a passenger train covered the trip from Kansas City to St. Paul in 9 hours and 45 minutes (average speed of about 49 MPH). On the other hand, one of the regular freight trains, #68, operated at about an average speed of 39 MPH (according to the timetable) and it would take about 13 hours to cover the distance between Kansas City and Inver Grove Yard near St. Paul. Thanks very much for your comments and thanks for watching! Mike
Cool!
Thanks for watching and commenting. Mike