A new beginning inspired from my old Central Midland Layout


I see an Empire State and a California Zephyr. Which other trains are you representing here? I see some Santa Fe diesel coach train, something in SP steam daylight, and an NYC heavyweight.

I have too many to list or remember. I have some Florida road names, Pennsy, Baltimore, and Ohio, etc.I never really did represent any certain era or road name. I like too many things that I just run what I want to. I jokingly call my layout the "ANY Era Layout". I just like people to enjoy the variety. I have a double-decker bus that my daughter bought me when she was in Germany. That will always stay on the layout since she bought that for me.
 
Hi Eric,
I agree with you, 'any era layout'

I had written in the past,...

I just like Model Trains,...of all sorts....the scale miniaturization.

I'm particularly fond of steam engines, and particularly the large ones. I'm a fan of C&O, B&O, NW, etc, etc.

And as a kid of course I had the ubiquitous Santa Fe diesel engine,...those famous worldwide recognizable colors.

I had recently returned from Asia and was living in the Wash-Balt area when a company in Balt called Life Like made the bold move to really upgrade plastic trains to nice scale models. They introduced their Proto 2000 line. They introduced a whole line of detailed diesel locos, then they introduced that superb 2-8-8-2 steam engine.....WOW. They set a standard in plastic scale model trains that the others quickly followed. Bachmann, Athearn, etc all jumped on the band wagon to introduce their premium lines as well. Plastic detailing became an art that eventually was a rival to brass locos.

I was collecting a little of everything. I would buy some stuff that eventually got superseded by even better stuff, so I would attend the Great Scale Train Show in Balt and sell off older stuff and try to upgrade to the better stuff coming out. I would visit John Glabb's Peach Creek brass shop in Laural, Md, and droll over the brass locos which I considered beyond my reach, but then look what was coming out in plastic a few months later.

By this time I had collected quite a few steam engines of various lines, and principle a number of diesels from Santa Fe.

So when it came to planning my new layout, how could I choose just one time frame, or location, .....if I wanted to collect and run all of those type trains? I wanted to run steam and diesel, and I wanted to run east coast and west coast lines.....on one layout??

I've decided my trains are going to run from the east coast to the west coast,...Balt to Calif. I'll call it the Continental Connector. Balt will be on the lower deck and Calif will be on the upper deck.

Since I am not a stickler on time frames I'll be able to run both modern and older style freight and passenger cars on my layout, and of course steam and diesels. I'm going to have lots of staging that will present any number of variations,...including a few European trains I've collected. Yes it won't be prototypical, but it will be fun. And I hope to get a considerable amount of industry in this space as well.
 
Time to start back on this one. This year has been so crappy that I was just not in the mood to do much. Went down to the basement and dusted some stuff off and decided to write down some to list and goals. I did change up some scenery earlier this year and did not update it yet on this forum. Maybe some pictures later next week. Hope everyone is well.
 
I have finally been doing some work on the layout. Like writer's block, I am having issues figuring out the scenery. I tore out the scenery that I was working on at this part of the layout because it just looks like two loops and in a valley. I figured at one end of the layout we needed some raised scenery. I am playing around with the Drive-In theater idea again. I am planning to hide the projector on the hillside. The screen is just for reference. I will scratch build a wooden one. I really need to get this scenery going, because I want to work on details. A couple of shots of my rocks and cliffs. My favorite part of modeling. I like detailing the rocks, it is relaxing to do. I am in process of purchasing a bunch of trees to fill some hillsides. Winter is coming and time to get it moving again. God only knows how look we will be in lockdown with this Covid crap. You take care and I will post some more soon.






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Eric, I just started your thread this afternoon and it is a great read. Congrats on getting as far as you did prior to the Covid crisis. I am an operator, basically I like switching. Your idea and your build of Any Era while not for me definitely works for you and it looks great. That to me is what is most important and its that you like it. I love the big steam and that BigBoy on the turntable looks great. My wife and I chased 4014 when it was in Wisconsin the summer of 2019.

Glad the grandkids are keeping you busy. Just remember it is tougher work being retired then when you actually were working.

Be safe
TomO
 
Sorry for not updating this thread for all that have followed it from the beginning. Life gets in the way of trains sometimes. I took some time the other day and clean all my tracks and ran some trains. I have so many things I want to get done. Sometimes taking a break gives you motivation. So with summer coming near the end, it's time for all of us to start thinking of the projects we have neglected. My Drive-In theater is next along with trying to finish my downtown area. My goal this year is to complete the main scenery and get to super detailing. Let me know what gets you motivated. Hope to hear from some of my old friends here.
 
Finally a live train show and swap meet last weekend. I bought about 75 new trees and some background buildings. Got me back in the mood. Also, my granddaughters are about 2 1/2 years old now and they want to see the trains all the time. Makes me very happy. My daughter has another on the way and it is a boy. Love showing them the trains and listening to " Papa, what's that? " This Covid crap sure put a damper on my hobby. Time to revive my goals on what I want to get done. I have started my list and I plan to get a lot done this winter. Some more train shows will be going on in November and December here in Southern Ohio, so that will keep me motivated and spending.:) I know a few of you have followed me since the beginning and I let you all down on updates, I will be posting more this and next year as I go. Everyone have a great rest of the weekend and keep on building.
 
Some other updates. A lot of trees are going to be on this layout. I've lost count in fact. Some scenes I have done here and there. If you notice there are some background buildings temporarily installed. Trees make a huge difference. Also, I did a few "Puff Ball Trees" on the layout for filler. ( That is downtown Cincinnati behind the roundhouse)



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I have been struggling to find just the right kit(s) to remake my Drive -In movie theater I had on my old layout. I have purchased probably 3 different kits. So the other day I decided to make my own and used some of the kits components on this. I really got tired of it just sitting in boxes, time to get it going. The challenge is the projector and where I am going to hide it. I think I have the right idea now and this is my rough draft of it. I will detail the paint on the theater screen after I am happy with everything. I think a Red and white color scheme my be cool. Projector runs off an old portable dvd player. Good way to watch a movie and work on trains at the same time. My 2022 resolution is to work on my layout and my woodworking shop. Let me know your thoughts and any suggestions you may have. I am open to creative criticism.
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Why all the “pavement” behind the screen? Think it would be forward more towards the enter/exit road to allow more room for cars, bigger profit for the theater😉 Very cool scene!
 



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