I guess i should say a little about myself for those of you that dont know me or havnt seen me on other forums
Im 19 years old and have been modeling in this hobby for about 4 years now (since i was 15). I started out in HO scale then decided to also model in N scale as well. ive gone through 4 layouts in 4 years LOL
Each one just learning the basics of Model Railroading. I have learned so much over the past four years from forums like this, and i would definitely say that my work and modeling skills have progressed alot since i stared in this awesome hobby.
Going back to modeling in both HO and N scale. I got into N scale after seeing the HO scale Steel Mill from Walthers. Well it wasnt available when i saw it and they were all pretty much retired and not available except for on e-bay at outrageously expensive prices i simply just could not afford. So with that said i looked into the Walthers N scale steel mill buildings and bought a coulple. I got 1 Blast Furnace, 2 Rolling Mills, and a Coke Oven & Quencher Plant. The rolling mills i kitbashed together to make a longer mill. The BF took me 33 hours to complete!! Ill post the threads i had for them on another forum, people seemed to enjoy them lol.
Anyways, the plan was to have a N scale steel mill under my old HO scale layout, but this didnt go so well and the plans fell though and the completed and weathered steel mill buildings i had just sat there. Then came the time when i decided i would sell them off as i didnt want to keep them around any longer and i needed/could use the money to buy more HO stuff. So they were sold on e-bay and i no longer have them
Now with the re-release and new tooling of the beautiful Ashland Steel Mill from Walthers, I have planned a future layout in HO scale with the dimensions of 10'x20' tri-level layout. Yes you read that correctly, 3 levels lol
I will also get a thread going for my plans for the future steel mill layout when i get a chance.
In the meantime, while i wait for that steel mill layout to happen (wont be for a few years till i can get my own house with a nice steady job lol) im going to be modeling the Modesto and Empire Traction Company (M&ET). I have designed a huge plan for the Shortline RR located in Modesto CA. Sorry i cant post the trackplan for it, im going to try and make it into MR with it lol so i need to keep it a secret for now lol.
The M&ET layout will be modeled Free-Mo Module Style, and there is about 25 modules in total which can be set up a few at a time. If i were to set them all up at once, i would need a space of 40x30' lol. Storage you say? Well i have also come up with a solution to that as well. Removable buildings and stackable storage racks for the modules. I spent about 2 months planning this layouts plan, using Google Earth, Google Maps "Steet View", and Windows Live Search scanning and picking up the trackwork, building layouts, roads and street names, as well as building/companies that occupy them. This is the ultimate plan lol.
The first 2 modules will be stared soon, although they keep getting delayed due to no job lol. I have the money to build the 2 module frames and bases on a Lowes Giftcard, so thats not the problem, its just buying the other materials needed to get started building the actiual buildings and scenery on them lol.
As soon as i start them, i will start a thread.
Now for what i model. I am a huge Diesel Fan, and i dont have anything that is not Diesel lol. I love the modern era and cannot get enough of huge diesels. I model in BNSF and UP. I also model SP, CNW, GBW, and BN and pretty much anything else associated with BNSF and UP that has gotten swooped up by the big 2 over the past few years. I also have a soft spot for CSX, so i have some CSX stuff too.
I am a HUGE truck collector. I couldnt even tell you how many trucks i have, boxes upon boxes of trucks, all modern of coarse. Alot of them arnt even assembled and still in there packaging. Boxes of trailers that need to be put together, tons of cabs that need the mirrors and such applied, many need to be custom painted and decaled for some of the major freight companies in the US like UPS, YELLOW, ROADWAY, ABF, FEDEX, SAIA and so on......... When i get bored, i pull out a box of un-opend trailers and start assembling some of them LOL I couldnt even tell you how much i have spent on trucks and trailers over the past 4 years, but it is way to much lol. Im assuming i have a trailer roster of somewhere in the 600's and a cab roster somewhere in the 200's lol, yeah its that bad, somebody help me
Well i think i have rambled on enough for now lol. I look forward to seeing you guys around the forums
lol
The M&ET is an interesting line. I used to live in the Bay Area and did a fair bit of railfanning along the M&ET. The street running the Modesto area was the part I liked the best. I hope your plans to get the layout published in MR work out. Sounds like a very ambitious plan with 25 modules. I don't think the M&ET has ever been modeled on that kind of scale before so the track plan alone should be really interesting.
