My YouTube Channel recently surpassed the 1000 subscription mark, so I created a new video to showcase the mainline road train job. This video follows a typical round trip for a crew and the duties they are tasked with. 

The Operations season is starting up and I'm looking forward to hosting a few sessions kicking off with the visitors coming for the Bi-annual OPSIG MinnRail event. 

My best friend is building a new layout based on the Minnesota Commercial Hiawatha District in South Minneapolis. So in an search for Minnesota Commercial covered hoppers, I came across this photo of 5316 by Brian Kays in RailroadPicture Archives. So I grabbed the July 2019 issue of MR which has a great article by Jeff Wilson called The Modelers Guide to Covered grain Hoppers.  I did not see anything that was a match.

I was running the layout to work out the issues before the big OPSIG weekend. I took some video and combined them into a short movie. 

I worked most of my weekend trying to find the right combination of RE magnet holding power and steel pin shaping. I did find that the pin would stay "hovering" in the up position if I didn't add a small amount of weight to pull it down right away. I think if I use a copper tube like Neil did, the steel pin might release easier. 

Anyways, heres a video of what I was trying to overcome, (derailed caboose every time) and how it was solved by Neil and his creative mind. 

I added the Digitrax LNWI WiFi device to my newer DCS210 command station. It was a very easy set up and I think it will put an end to any issues with radio or IR signals between the throttle and the train/track. 

Here is a short video showing each step. 

I completed about 60 square feet of scenery this past fall and winter. The NMRA Achievement program requires 32 square feet in HO scale to qualify for judging.  Using my smart phone to document each scene and the creation of certain items helped me write articles for my local NMRA Division and Region. It was finished enough for me to invite the judges over. Here are a few of the scenes and some behind the scenes work.

More will follow as I fired up my blog again after a rough 2018. I'm glad to be back to devoting some spare time to my hobby. 

This past summer I redesigned and rebuilt 2/3 of my upper deck trackage. The yard and one of the ore mines. Here is a video showing a mine run to the new Diana-Lynn mine ( named after my wife) in Ely, MN. I had to fix this area on my layout before the OPSIG event MinnRail. It went well and now I can show off the fruits of my labors. 

Candy Corn. It’s the season for this colored sugar to take over the candy dishes. People either love it or hate it. 

Which side are you on? 

Testing out the operations on my upper level before the big OPSIG meet here in Minnesota, MinnRail. I made a quick movie about the operations to one of my mines to show the visitors before they arrive. I know the layout is messy and I didn't use my usual light source. I just wanted to create a quick view of what a mine turn does.

Thank you for watching and any feedback.