As I've mentioned in other posts, I'd been struggling a lot since our move over whether to backdate to the early 1980s or continue with the IAIS, and I've reached a decision that would allow me to potentially do both if the pull to backdate becomes too strong at some point.  Since this rural line saw very few changes between the 1980 loss of the RI and my May 2005 era, I can move back-and-forth between eras by doing little more than swapping out equipment and vehicles.  However, since I'm much more of a fan of the UP than I am of the RI, I decided that a sligh

So, on pages 6 and 10 of my "SP Lordsburg Sub - Construction" blog, I posted a couple of entries about how I went about reconditioning a batch of used Tortoise switch machines that I had picked up

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/38537?page=5

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/38537?page=9

as some of the subassemblies become final prints I have been painting them and doing some weathering.  Getting the engine subassembly done was a big leap forward.  I also upgraded my printer with the Epax 4K mod and many of the final prints are coming off the printer, and the resolution is fantastic.

The frame has been printed and next week I will be assembling and painting it.  I am really happy with the new frame design, much more details than the first.

A friend of mine introduced me to this blog and encouraged me to share the HO scale layout I started building in 2016 in Lakeville, MN. The Red Rock Northern is described as a freelanced short line in rural America. It was designed by Jerry Boudreaux and featured in the June 2007 issue of Model Railroader magazine as an 11x9 which I've stretched slightly into an 11x10 spare bedroom. It operates as a twice around the room point to point but also allows continuous running. Minimum radius is 24" and maximum grade is about 2.5-3%. Main road is Burlington Northern.

In this video, among other things, my friend Corey (R's Trains) brought his perfect HO scale (Athearn) D&H 7303. This locomotive first got me interested in railroad history and prototype modelling several years ago as I watched it work in Plattsburgh. 7303 is now on a deadline, but her legacy still lives on...

https://youtu.be/Tr1C5jPa6FY

For me it is a satisfying feeling to: 

Do ya track plan.

Trace it on to the plywood (cookie cutter style)

Set your risers and lay the sub-roadbed and get what is in your planning program (mine Anyrail6) match the grade % and heights and to have it very consistent. Another piece in the puzzle and closer to have trains running on it. Hopefully by this weekend.

Four Iowa Scaled Engineering  cicada sound modules are used on this train show module.  It's set up to be motion activated , and two of the toy cicadas used on rooftops have illuminated eyes.  This display will be at an August  fair in Essex Junction, VT.  It's a bit of humor for the casual observer.

I mustered up the courage to do some weathering on my Arrowhead Models Railgons.  These were the most expensive freight cars on my roster so a bit twitchy about doing it.  I think they turned out fairly well.  More here:

My staging yard benchwork is up!

https://youtu.be/n2JIp2zhdXQ

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Exactly 8 months after moving to our new home, I was finally able to start trackwork on the IAIS's 4th Sub, so I thought it might be time for a new post devoted to that topic. My plan is to cover each prototype scene in a bit more detail as I go for comparison to the corresponding portion of the layout.  Each layout scene is a track-for-track representation of the prototype, so the overall design was relatively easy as layouts go.

As a guide to help orient things as we go, here's the layout plan again: