Can You Operate on a Tiny Layout? - HO Module Operating Session - Have Fun with Just a Few Trains!
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- čas přidán 23. 03. 2024
- Can You Operate on a Tiny Layout? - HO Module Operating Session - Have Fun with Just a Few Trains!
One of the best things about the model railroading hobby is that the model trains can be used! Model trains can operate just like the real thing. With some track, a good locomotive, and some freight cars, you can do the same things the full sized ones do.
Dan's HO scale module was never intended to be a standalone layout, but circumstances made it into one for many years.
Despite not having much space, Dan had fun with the tiny layout, switching cars between the spur tracks.
In this program, Dan recreates the type of operations that he used to do with his HO scale trains while he lived in a condo.
Since he now has more space, Dan also set up a temporary extension to show how that can make a difference with track planning and operations.
Dan goes through the same basic scenario twice. The first time uses only the track on the original module. The second takes advantage of the longer run on the extension.
If you like switching operations, or are interested in small layouts, then be sure to check out this model train video!
#train #modeltrains #hoscale #scalemodels #trainvideo #kato #atlas - Jak na to + styl
As our layout rooms are frequently confined by walls our layouts often lack the necessary head room for switching. That being said, UP used to have a customer on what was left of the R Street spur that was only reachable by a switchback that held exactly 1 GP15 and 3 centerbeams. That customer would often times get 8-12 cars in and a like number out. We'd have the mainline for an hour or more and drove the dispatcher nuts. In the model world those tricky spots can be fun, to a real railroader they're a huge pain.
I remember seeing an area on Google maps with a switchback that to me looked like it had once been a longer track, but got cut back because of development. It looked like it would be a pain to deal with for the railroad crews. Thanks for sharing the story and for watching!
That was a fun session, Dan! I can't recall ever seeing you run an ops session for the channel before. From the sound of it you haven't ran on that module in a while. Hope that doesn't mean that you don't find time to run trains often enough.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Honestly I don't run trains enough. I spend all my hobby time building stuff and making videos, but it is nice to just play with them sometimes. That is really the point, after all, at least for me. Maybe I'll do more ops videos in the future. Thanks for watching!
Great video! I too have a small 55” layout to “get some running in” before my much larger 2’x24’ switching layout is completed. You got to have some fun right. 🤠Best of luck on your layout build 👍
It is nice to have something to use while I'm still working on the layout room. Fun is key! Thanks for watching!
Quicker way to do it without spotting anything on the main.
Run light, grab the blue boxcar. Go back and connect the orange box car to the rear of the blue, spot the orange back at the industry.
That could work, too. Even with a simple track plan like this one, there's usually more than one way to do things. I love that, since you don't always have to repeat the same thing over and over. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
When I was a rookie switchman, they taught us to handle the cars as few times as possible. We would have been ready for beans after just this industry, and forget about the rest of the nights work. I’ve noticed modelers tend to hack cars off deeper in a rail, and make a lot more standing cuts than we would do in real life. Modelers should take into account all the extra walking their HO people are being forced to do. For added realism, modelers should try using a fast clock, and try to get all their industries done before the “bean limit”.
Great weathering on the Evans boxcar
Thanks! I used photos to model those cars. I added details and patched them for SFLC. Thanks for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi I am missing rrpicturearchives. It was a great source for modeling the prototype. I wonder if there will be a replacement website.
Just build something and start having fun with the Worlds Greatest Hobby.
It is a fun hobby. Thanks for watching!
Dan,love all your videos,especially anything connected with western pacific r.r.i bet you know dave stanley a.k.a.the r.r.freek..my wp hire out was 10,9,78.any way not nit picking,but you do not have to whistle ever time you move,but any way great video as always,thumbs up.
I'm glad you like the video. That name sounds familiar, so maybe we've met at some point. I like the WP too. I have some WP equipment and I've visited the museum in Portola many times. I got to drive a train up there a couple times, which was a lot of fun. Thanks for the info on the whistle signals. I'd like to learn more about that since my goal is to operate realistically. Thanks for watching!
Dan, Being your going to base your home layout on the Donner Pass area, I was wondering if you have completed an SP 4800 series GP38-2 with full snow fighting equipment such as cab ice breaker, rotating windows, and extended cab awnings? I would really love to see the models. Please keep up the great work, and I hope You and Nichole have a wonderful Easter holiday.
I have 2 Athearn Genesis SP GP38-2s that I have plans to renumber and convert to snow fighter units. I have some of the rotary wipers from Plano (I think), and I think I can adapt some Details West awnings. The icicle breaker will need to be scratch built since I'm not aware of any kits for that. Happy Easter to you, too and thanks for watching!
According to the rule book, only the bell is necessary when initiating movements. My crew would have plenty to say to me if I blew the whistle all the time like that.
Okay, good to know. I've been focused on building for a long time, but when it comes to operating, I still have some things to learn. Thanks for the info and for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi love your videos. I’ve been binging the product reviews, they have been a big help.
wow so cool thank you and yes the original module. you did is cool to me and i like to do module like youers .
Modular is a cool way to go, and the idea has a lot going for it. I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Time to add a working hand break, lol
That would actually be really useful. I'm not sure how to make it work, but it would be cool. Thanks for watching!
If you watch actual switching operations... You'll notice the engineer stops the locomotive as soon as he clears the switch... So the switch can be thrown ASAP... This saves time when you're doing multiple operations... They don't travel one foot farther than they need to throw that switch LOL good stuff thanks for posting...😊
I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for sharing the story and for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi Thank you... I wasn't nitpicking, I was just saying what I've seen over the years... I really enjoyed the video... I enjoy switching operations more than anything else...👍👍👍
Thanks Dan, I’ve been asking about this layout. Was cool seeing all of it and how it worked.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to run the module again, though it could definitely stand some updating. Thanks for watching!
Respots and storage in transit cars would be a great rationale behind these maneuvers. I can think of a number of industries along my prototype the CSX New Rock Subdivision where storage in transit cars are switched just like this. The cars are spotted at a location just outside the industry and are immediately available for when the customer orders cars. At the GE Plastic plant in Marseilles, IL cars are spotted on a siding along the main line immediately adjacent to the industry spur and when GE orders cars all the local has to do is run out to the facility and pull them off the siding and into the facility. In Rockdale empty tank cars are spotter along the road for cleaning and then staged in whatever available tracks until the customer orders empty cars and they're brought down the line to Channahon, IL. I'm sure there's other scenarios like this on other railroads at all sorts of industries and the modeling and switching potential is crazy and can be crammed into small spaces. The industry on your module only fits one car so the orange car is spotted nearby and when they release the blue car the local can come and easily spot the orange car that's already available.
Perfectly reasonable and prototypical explanations to your switching.
That's some great info. Maybe my operation is more realistic than I thought. I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching and sharing!
Now that was a great video I hope to see your layout get built soon I need to add more to my layout now
I'm glad you liked the video. I'm still plugging along on the room. Have fun expanding your layout! Thanks for watching!
Great video.
The operation scenario is a realistic practice on the Espee or not, it’s still enjoyable to do it.
Certainly I enjoyed watching it. 👍👍
I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Great video !!!!!!!
I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
If you had to choose between a small loop with a couple switches or a small switching layout which would you prefer?
I guess generally I'd prefer switching, though a loop with switches could still work as a switching layout depending on how its set up. For me I like it when the trains have something to do, so I would take switching over the ability to go round and round if I didn't have room for a circle. As much as I love model trains, just watching them go around endlessly only holds my interest for so long. Thanks for watching!
I enjoyed this video. Switching is fun and good for the mind. Some decoders have the ability to do the 2/3 toot automatically when changing direction. I'm not sure which decoder is in your 6322 but it may have that option in the sound settings. Thanks
This engine has a LokSound Select. I think it might have those options, but I don't think I assigned them to a key. Usually I don't have as much trouble with that using just F2, but this new throttle is a little different than the ones I'm used to. I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Nice! May I inquire how you made your chain link fence . It looks realistic.
The posts were commercial castings, but I can't remember whose off the top of my head. The chain link material is Scale Scenics micro-mesh. I had to cut it to fit. Thanks for watching!
Dan I love switching I do that my layout at home and at my club it's so fun do I usually make out my out train or cars in block you can mention southern pacific had a switcher out on Donner pass line for manys after the southern pacific become union pacific I don't know now these days
I've always enjoyed switching. I think the new layout will have plenty of places to do that, which I'm looking forward to. Thanks for the info about the switcher on Donner. I'll have to do some more research on that. Thanks for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi your welcome dan I am glad be big help for u and your layout design
Love your show keep up the Great work. I have a question I'm building my layout and I'm upgrading my Rolling Stock. HO scale the date is going to be through the 30s to the 50s so I need Wheel sets 33. What do you recommend as a wheel set for HO scale 33. Tangent, Intermountain, Fox Valley, Walthers?
In HO I don't think you could go wrong with Tangent or Fox Valley. InterMountain is good, too. I don't think I've bought any aftermarket wheels from Walthers, but they're also usually pretty solid. If you can find them, Proto 2000 also made wheels. I used to really like Reboxx, but I don't think they're around anymore. ExactRail is also good, though I'm not sure what the status is since they were bought by ScaleTrains (Fox Valley, too, for that matter). Thanks for watching!
I noticed your GP35R exhibits the same effect many of my models do: the locomotive starts moving before the prime mover spools up. It seems to me that the prime mover should be spooling up before the engine moves. Especially earlier GEs that were slow to "load up." Is adjusting the momentum the solution, or is there some better way?
Keep up the good work.
I'm not sure about the momentum. I tend to set that moderately high on my models. This one has a LokSound Select, so it's not the latest. You can use the drive hold feature to rev the prime mover separately from the motion of the engine, but I don't usually do that. There may be a setting for changing the sequence of motion vs. sound, especially with the newer LokSound 5 series decoders, but I haven't played with them enough yet. Thanks for watching!
My Loksound 5’s have the option to use manual notching which I prefer to auto-notching. Setting a high momentum and utilizing the drive hold feature allows for some very realistic coordination of sound and motion. Also allows for realistic brake feathering…I’m just getting the hang of it no really like it.
Dan, are those original SRB’s or re-issue? I bleed OG Tamiya.
I think they're probably re-issues. I really wanted one of the Sand Scorcher cars when I was a teenager, and ended up settling for something else that was crappy. I got these two kits in 2018, I think, not long after Nichole and I moved into our house. I have been meaning to build them ever since! Thanks for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi that’s too funny, Sand Scorcher was my first love and I foolishly and regrettably bought The Frog as my first Tamiya RC. Made up for it in the early eBay days and bought a few of the OG SRB’s and restored them. Good times. I’m