So I see a lot of folks talk the praises of Kadee #5 couplers... and I have a few on my layout, but what I have been noticing lately (and maybe it's environmental) is that the #5s have been getting... stiff? If i have a bad coupler that won't spring back, it's always the #5 (and I replace it with the #148) The issue I see is the profile, due to the centering spring... having that extra piece of brass in the box is just making some of my couplers not want to move freely, and dry graphite lube isn't fixing the issue on most of my rolling stock.

Wait... what did *I* do?????

WOW...okay, so, today I breathed new life into my layout... it's a small layout, built on top of my bookshelf, using EZ track. One of the tracks leads to a Hayse bumper just behind the headboard of my bed. I removed the bumper, and added two 30" long straight tracks, and extended the layout to the other wall on the other side of my bed, using Ikea shelf brackets anchored to the wall, and a 1x2 board (for stability) allowing the track to end just above my three display shelves...

So, a few months ago, in a Photo Fun thread, we were talking about the Disneyland Railroad, and it's history...

Well, Toy Man Television just made this wonderful little piece all about the Disneyland Railroad, with a lot of history, photos, video... it's a wonderful little documentary short.

I think I just accidentally became an MRH preacher... proselytizing the good news of Model Railroad Hobbyist...

I just asked the question, in a Facebook HO train forum, "Now I'm curious... how many here subscribe to Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine?"

The thread has blown up, and quite a few folks say they never heard of it, and just subscribed today!

I just learned more about the Southern (the railroad I've taken a shine to... almost all of my engines, and cars are Southern now)  from this video, than anything. Oh, and to the guy at the LHS that said the Southern would never have a Santa Fe box car on their trains... 3 seconds in disproves that!

Also, there is a yard that looks like it would be cool to model, and some rather unique switch track that I have yet to see modeled. This was fascinating!

Fun fact... did you know, that there are several FULL episodes of TMTV that are FREE to view?

If you ever thought "why would I subscribe to a paid video service" go to TMTV, click "Past Monthly Shows", and scroll down to the bottom. November and December of 2013 are free! The FULL episodes, PLUS the bonus materials...

Hours of fun, and it gives you a good feel for what you are buying!

It's a 2001 blue box Life Like Proto 2000 EMD-BL2.

DCC ready (so I dropped a Digitrax SDXH166D into it) Replaced the lights with LEDs...

Time to run it.

*bump-bump-bump-bump*

Yeah... you guessed it... though it was still factory sealed, never opened, never assembled... there are some cracked gears.

Sonofa...

Now THIS is a layout in a day! He says it took him ten hours (he took an hour off for lunch, so nine hours)

This gives me some ideas for building modules.