You continue to grow from strength to strength mate, well done and I am really looking forward to your content in 2025! Really excited about your UK trip 😎👌 here for the ride.
RJ, Happy New Year. Fantastic update and wonderful bloopers. Glad you have a plan for the year. We all need the inspiration to develop those plans. We will do our best to hold you to it! I look forward to hearing about your trip to England. I will use it as a guide for my travels while doing some English train spotting! 😂 Get well soon!
Great update, RJ! You've made some real progress which is awesome to see. The work you have done is all good, but I really like your Mainstreet area. Your ballasted area in front of the Mainstreet looks just fine to me. Thanks for providing the update! Bill B.
Looking good RJ. Layout is getting there. Your 2025 plans sound great. That trip to the UK should be awesome. We know who the boss is on that chair. She is only trying to tell us how happy she is with your layout and giving her approval haahhaha.
Those shots of the B&O passenger consist passing by had me recalling the memories of my trips in the 40's to visit my relatives in Baltimore in the summers. Always an exciting thing to look forward to. Hope your doing better, RJ. It's no fun trying to work thru an illness. Lots of things to accomplish. I hope you have the time to move forward. Liking what you done so far. The trip to Great Britain sounds fantastic! Looking forward to seeing that. I hope 2025 is a fun year for you and the layout. Get well soon.
Highlight of your layout so far for me is the tunnel interiors, always look great and unique! You're going to miss DC this week, supposed to get a foot of snow around here tomorrow!
I hope your health continues to improve. Now for some crazy/practical ideas. Because you will need to stand or sit in that trench for future repairs, make your scenery for it something you can easily lift out and remove so that you can get access to the back scene and tunnels! I would do the farm the same way. Do you have access holes in the tunnels to make removal of derailments easier? For your upper town having a more elaborate street and streetcar track will be more fun, rather than a simple loop. I think I only relayed mine a couple of times before finding an interesting track plan which has contributed to a more elaborate building plan. I have become terribly detail orientated, so I do the weathering of the buildings when I build them, mainly because washes and brick detailing can only be done before installing windows, doors, and other details. For your ballast colour problem, a colour wash will even things out without needing to rebalast your track, or buy new balast from a company that matches your first colour, remembering that the oil and soot from the trains would not have left it shiny grey for long and in reality it would not be uniform in colour. And now for the "piece de resistance" - a 3D print of you (and Maple) standing in front of the shops 😀. Now here's a really crazy idea for working on the layout - install a movable floating hammock above it all so that you can work in comfort 😊. You might also hide a leprechaun or two (one of my previous comments) 😂
Hi I enjoyed watching vid throughout and the level of detail that you put into it! I particularly like watching the smoking steam locomotive. Hopefully I can get one sometime soon.
Watching the B&O train chug past got me remembering scenes from the film, Biloxi Blues. No layout is ever truly finished the joy is in the process. I made a documentary with a friend, Hamilton Street Railway...The Electric Years...1892-1994...your tram reminds me of some of the old double-enders that ran in Hamilton. When I was a kid you could still see the tracks but the trams were gone...years later I worked as a trolleybus operator and loved hearing the stories from the old-timers who drove the trams. Now in a few years the city will have a modern light rail system...the trams are coming BACK!
Being a Trolleybus operator sounds amazing, I love trams, that to hear your city is getting them! I have way too many pictures of trams from Europe on my phone haha
A very nice update! Everything looks like it is coming along swimmingly. I think that the trestle looks good open, with just supports. It allows you to be more creative with the scenery. Don't worry about different colored ballast. Many times on the railroad, they would use ballast that came from a different batch, when they did some track work. We even had some with a pinkish hue to it. Maybe you could just blend the new in and make a transition from the old to the new. Either way, it all looks great. An excellent video, as always.
Feel better, my friend. You can see and hear that you're still a bit under the weather. Love Maple! I have a cat, Malcolm, who loves to talk and help me when I'm on camera. Gotta love our pets.
At one point in the fairly-distant past I was going to suggest you look at doing your lower "Main Street" as a street-running stretch using straight SuperStreets, seeing as the segment is almost completely straight and there isn't much room between the track and curb, just like in LaGrange, KY (at least on one side, there's only a parking lane between the curb and tracks) But you mentioned patterning it after Ashland, VA, a place you've visited a number of times, and I thought, _"Oh, that's what he's doing. Carry on."_ 👍
Haha on a future layout I’d like to do something like LaGrange, or Syracuse back in the day. I just don’t think my modeling has gotten to a point yet to do something like that at a large scale. Thank you for approving of my Ashland, there is a toy and train store on my Main Street!
Great video RJ, you’re much too hard on yourself. It looks great. I knew immediately you were street running Ashland, we need to find you a Tiny Tim’s train store for the street. If we can get a manufacturer to make us some Amtrak auto racks (so hard to find, not even York), you can run the Auto train through Ashland and I’ll run it through Florida. :)
Looks like the layout's coming along nicely RJ! A suggestion for the mismatched ballast, try staining it (at least the easily observable parts) a rust brown. If you look at real railroad tracks that clean rock doesn't stay clean for long, it takes on a rust colored hue the same as the tracks. In fact rails, rock, and ties all seem to become one rust-like color after a time. Mind you I'm not one to talk, I run on MTH RealTrack with the grey plastic base and haven't done a thing with it! Hey, have fun up at the Amherst show! That's one I'm not likely to ever get to, just a little too far to go. Thanks for posting!
feel better soon. looking great. that's wear i am with my layout working from back to front i am 66 years old. Sidewalks looks great. On the ballast in front on main street i would make it look like there was a paint spill from a painter's truck
I really like those bridge girders, were they expensive? Great update video and I like the bloopers section! Maple was like, dude no cameras, please!!!
Just to let you know that scenic express will be at the Amherst train show in the better living living center so maybe you can get what you need so you do not have to pay shipping
If your having trouble table climbing at 25, I have to tell you 65 isn't easier lol. The layout is looking really good RJ. I had to table climb a couple weeks ago to clean my trolley lines. Good thing I don't have to go back for awhile. You did an amazing job with your pond previously. Would you consider adding one somewhere om the new layout? Congrats everything looks great.
Just a thought. I noticed the buildings on the lower level town. One buildings lenght is longer than the others. If that building was the same as the others would you be able to move them all back so you can possibly have a two lane road in front? Can you shorten that building since you are never going to see the back? Maybe a replacement building? Layout so far looks great.
Very nice layout! Not a very big one, but it shows you can have nice layout with a lot of activity and scenery in a small space. I love you town areas and that little canyon area. Do you know the exact dimensions of your layout? Great video!
You continue to grow from strength to strength mate, well done and I am really looking forward to your content in 2025! Really excited about your UK trip 😎👌 here for the ride.
RJ, Happy New Year. Fantastic update and wonderful bloopers. Glad you have a plan for the year. We all need the inspiration to develop those plans. We will do our best to hold you to it! I look forward to hearing about your trip to England. I will use it as a guide for my travels while doing some English train spotting! 😂
Get well soon!
Thanks very much! I am very excited for the trip.
Great update, RJ! You've made some real progress which is awesome to see. The work you have done is all good, but I really like your Mainstreet area. Your ballasted area in front of the Mainstreet looks just fine to me. Thanks for providing the update! Bill B.
Thank you very much Bill! The Mainstreet is my favorite part of the layout as well. Glad to see you are home and doing well!
@ Thanks, RJ!
Your layout looks great so far! Can’t wait to see more! Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you so much!
Excellent layout. Thanks for sharing
Thanks! Glad you like it.
Looking good RJ. Layout is getting there. Your 2025 plans sound great. That trip to the UK should be awesome. We know who the boss is on that chair. She is only trying to tell us how happy she is with your layout and giving her approval haahhaha.
I always love bloopers. And these from Maple are wonderful!
Thanks Stu! Maple is the real star
Looks great. Feel better and remember there’s no rush.
Thank you!
Those shots of the B&O passenger consist passing by had me recalling the memories of my trips in the 40's to visit my relatives in Baltimore in the summers. Always an exciting thing to look forward to. Hope your doing better, RJ. It's no fun trying to work thru an illness. Lots of things to accomplish. I hope you have the time to move forward. Liking what you done so far. The trip to Great Britain sounds fantastic! Looking forward to seeing that. I hope 2025 is a fun year for you and the layout. Get well soon.
Thank you very much sir!
Highlight of your layout so far for me is the tunnel interiors, always look great and unique! You're going to miss DC this week, supposed to get a foot of snow around here tomorrow!
Thank you very much! I will miss seeing DC in snow, I will not miss walking gen dog so she can go to the bathroom in the snow haha
Thanks for the update, RJ, you are making great progress and it is looking great. Can't wait for more videos especially of the vacation to England.
Thank you! I’m so happy with how everything is coming along.
Congratulations on a great year, 2k subs in a year plus the new layout, look forward to 2025!
Thank you, I'm glad you like the layout so far!
Love your downtown 👍🏽
Thank you!
Thanks for the update! Looking forward to it all!!! Happy New Year!
Thanks very much! Happy New Year to you as well!
I hope your health continues to improve. Now for some crazy/practical ideas. Because you will need to stand or sit in that trench for future repairs, make your scenery for it something you can easily lift out and remove so that you can get access to the back scene and tunnels! I would do the farm the same way. Do you have access holes in the tunnels to make removal of derailments easier? For your upper town having a more elaborate street and streetcar track will be more fun, rather than a simple loop. I think I only relayed mine a couple of times before finding an interesting track plan which has contributed to a more elaborate building plan. I have become terribly detail orientated, so I do the weathering of the buildings when I build them, mainly because washes and brick detailing can only be done before installing windows, doors, and other details. For your ballast colour problem, a colour wash will even things out without needing to rebalast your track, or buy new balast from a company that matches your first colour, remembering that the oil and soot from the trains would not have left it shiny grey for long and in reality it would not be uniform in colour. And now for the "piece de resistance" - a 3D print of you (and Maple) standing in front of the shops 😀. Now here's a really crazy idea for working on the layout - install a movable floating hammock above it all so that you can work in comfort 😊. You might also hide a leprechaun or two (one of my previous comments) 😂
Hi I enjoyed watching vid throughout and the level of detail that you put into it! I particularly like watching the smoking steam locomotive. Hopefully I can get one sometime soon.
Watching the B&O train chug past got me remembering scenes from the film, Biloxi Blues. No layout is ever truly finished the joy is in the process. I made a documentary with a friend, Hamilton Street Railway...The Electric Years...1892-1994...your tram reminds me of some of the old double-enders that ran in Hamilton. When I was a kid you could still see the tracks but the trams were gone...years later I worked as a trolleybus operator and loved hearing the stories from the old-timers who drove the trams. Now in a few years the city will have a modern light rail system...the trams are coming BACK!
Being a Trolleybus operator sounds amazing, I love trams, that to hear your city is getting them! I have way too many pictures of trams from Europe on my phone haha
A very nice update! Everything looks like it is coming along swimmingly. I think that the trestle looks good open, with just supports. It allows you to be more creative with the scenery. Don't worry about different colored ballast. Many times on the railroad, they would use ballast that came from a different batch, when they did some track work. We even had some with a pinkish hue to it. Maybe you could just blend the new in and make a transition from the old to the new. Either way, it all looks great. An excellent video, as always.
Thank you very much!
You're in for quite the experience at Amherst. It's a 'Mecca' weekend for us New Englanders.
I’ve heard so many great things. I’m
Super excited!
I am a Lake Placid Florida guy🌴. If the show was in the spring I would definitely go🚂 Hopefully RJ will take videos of all the manufactures😁
I will do my best!
Another Great video, Good job RJ. Happy New Year!
Thank you very much! Happy new year!
Great Layout update RJ. Looks like you will be very busy in 2025! Thankyou for Sharing!
You bet
Feel better, my friend. You can see and hear that you're still a bit under the weather. Love Maple! I have a cat, Malcolm, who loves to talk and help me when I'm on camera. Gotta love our pets.
Thank you! I appreciate you noticing, but I’m feeling much better! And I am glad there is someone else out there who feels my pain
At one point in the fairly-distant past I was going to suggest you look at doing your lower "Main Street" as a street-running stretch using straight SuperStreets, seeing as the segment is almost completely straight and there isn't much room between the track and curb, just like in LaGrange, KY (at least on one side, there's only a parking lane between the curb and tracks)
But you mentioned patterning it after Ashland, VA, a place you've visited a number of times, and I thought, _"Oh, that's what he's doing. Carry on."_ 👍
Haha on a future layout I’d like to do something like LaGrange, or Syracuse back in the day. I just don’t think my modeling has gotten to a point yet to do something like that at a large scale. Thank you for approving of my Ashland, there is a toy and train store on my Main Street!
Great video RJ, you’re much too hard on yourself. It looks great. I knew immediately you were street running Ashland, we need to find you a Tiny Tim’s train store for the street. If we can get a manufacturer to make us some Amtrak auto racks (so hard to find, not even York), you can run the Auto train through Ashland and I’ll run it through Florida. :)
Thank you very much! That sounds like a fun idea. Need a few more superliners to make the auto train too haha
Looks like the layout's coming along nicely RJ! A suggestion for the mismatched ballast, try staining it (at least the easily observable parts) a rust brown. If you look at real railroad tracks that clean rock doesn't stay clean for long, it takes on a rust colored hue the same as the tracks. In fact rails, rock, and ties all seem to become one rust-like color after a time.
Mind you I'm not one to talk, I run on MTH RealTrack with the grey plastic base and haven't done a thing with it!
Hey, have fun up at the Amherst show! That's one I'm not likely to ever get to, just a little too far to go.
Thanks for posting!
That is a great idea with the ballast! Hopefully my Amherst video will help you feel like you were there.
Thanks for the update RJ. Daddy needs to give Maple some attention. 😁
Yea as you can tell she obviously gets none haha
I like it !👍
Thanks, glad you do!
feel better soon. looking great. that's wear i am with my layout working from back to front i am 66 years old. Sidewalks looks great. On the ballast in front on main street i would make it look like there was a paint spill from a painter's truck
Thank you very much and that’s a great idea!
So Maple was in time out great video RJ
Maple was in "I have a comfortable seat near her dad but wasn't getting enough attention for her satisfaction" haha
@@rj.trains understand fully on that
I think I’ve said this sentiment before, “ENVY!”
Haha thank you
I really like those bridge girders, were they expensive? Great update video and I like the bloopers section! Maple was like, dude no cameras, please!!!
It’s about $30 for a 27in. Section. I’ll let you judge if that’s expensive or not haha
Just to let you know that scenic express will be at the Amherst train show in the better living living center so maybe you can get what you need so you do not have to pay shipping
Thanks for the heads up! I called them up Friday and placed my order!
Gotta love Maple!! Of course she wants the attention!!
All attention must be on Maple at all times
Maby try salt weathering on the other girder bridge section that would look cool
I'll have to give that a try!
If your having trouble table climbing at 25, I have to tell you 65 isn't easier lol. The layout is looking really good RJ. I had to table climb a couple weeks ago to clean my trolley lines. Good thing I don't have to go back for awhile. You did an amazing job with your pond previously. Would you consider adding one somewhere om the new layout? Congrats everything looks great.
Yea this is definitely the last time I build a layout where I can not easily access everything haha
Can you please update Dapol Bluebell terrier Stepney o scale please
Yes. Soon.
Just a thought. I noticed the buildings on the lower level town. One buildings lenght is longer than the others. If that building was the same as the others would you be able to move them all back so you can possibly have a two lane road in front? Can you shorten that building since you are never going to see the back? Maybe a replacement building? Layout so far looks great.
A good idea but most of them are up against the wall. No way a two lane road could fit in the space how it’s set up
Nice vidio thank you
Thank you for watching!
What are the dimensions on the table
A little smaller than 12x8
Looks like your ideas are working out I really like the tunnels and bridges nice work 👍🚂
Thank you! I’m really happy with how they turned out.
Very nice layout! Not a very big one, but it shows you can have nice layout with a lot of activity and scenery in a small space. I love you town areas and that little canyon area. Do you know the exact dimensions of your layout? Great video!
Thanks! I say it’s 12x8 but has the notch taken out of the left side to access the door
Ex Jerseyite here. When you put in your GG1, are you going to run it on catenary?
Catenary doesn't really mesh with the "vibe" of my layout, so no. In the future, on a different layout, I would like catenary
And who’s your little friend on the chair?
That would be my dog Maple
I’m getting started on a new layout right now RJ.
Good luck and have fun!
i really liked 2024 i was very sad to see it go 2025 came way to fast without taking it's time how rude! 😢 🛑 !,1:21