We just held the second Siskiyou Line op session after the layout essentially being in mothballs for 3 years. This second session was Saturday night, June 20th.

Even though this isn't "working on the layout" in terms of adding details or finishing scenery, it's still very much a part of what's needed to get the layout ready for the Convention in August.

We have 10 guys signed up to come operate the Siskiyou Line this coming August, and the layout needs to be in tip-top shape for that event. I very much want the visiting operators to see the layout at its best.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb_MG9S35Q-C1M7fkywXdTnr9f-RwfkOh

It was a very productive first weekend on the new layout! 

First step: completed the hidden reverse loop that will be under the first level.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kDtwguZPu-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnrWCnZEwFE

Thanks to everybody for help me with all your comments and feed backs.

Today I want to share with you my work with a FNM train (National Railways of Mexico)

BEST REGARDS

Luis Francisco 

México city.

Yesterday I finished detailing and modifying a factory painted Atlas Trainman RS36 to represent Iowa Interstate 900.  These RS36s, and sister Atlas Trainman RS32s, are great running, affordable models, making them perfect subjects for upgrades, so I thought I'd document what I did in case it benefits others out there.  Since IAIS 900 is black, I thought it'd be easiest to show the new details now, before they're painted and the model is weathered.  Photos follow in the next post.

One of my favorite aspects of model railroading is lighting - especially when it is done in a way where it isn't obvious that you have a resistor, led, and two wires in the light fixture. More in the next post below, with photos!

Like most of us, we started out with a 4' x 8' layout. When I was knee high to a Grasshopper, I was biking home from a railfan trip at Oakville Yard in Ontario and spotted my Dad's car with a 4' x 8' particle board sheet strapped to the roof. Dad was never into the hobby, But he helped me get started! And I thank him for that. Happy Father's Day!

I was looking at Google maps of the area around North of Vancouver and I came across what looked like a 4' x 8' layout!

I stumbled across a bunch of old photos from my teen years and found this gem:

I consider this to be my first "serious" layout, I think it was the first one I had after the initial oval of track as a kid.  This was from about 1983 or 1984 if memory serves me.

Over the last several months, I have been testing a number of HO engines for various performance features.  These tests have been all DC.  The same section of level track has been used of all of this data.  The section is cleaned daily.