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I'm about 98% finished with this layout. I'm planting the few confer trees I kept. Seems to liven the place up. My wife didn't like the plain desert landscape. What can I say she paid for it! Jim
Like toot said, I used caboose hobbies throws when i had atlas turnouts on my first layout. They work on any turnout! Only one that they won't is the track with ballast (any brand.)
I'm about 98% finished with this layout. I'm planting the few confer trees I kept. Seems to liven the place up. My wife didn't like the plain desert landscape. What can I say she paid for it! Jim
OKAY! First official photo of the new layout. I followed my wife's idea of limiting the big trees and decided to keep them near 'water' and not to spread them out for photo purposes. This way is better. Now I have some holes to plug. Jim
Dan, I see cactus everywhere! I don't see these conifers much in the deserts however? But, I'm the boss of this layout and I, therefore, can do it my way. Good lesson here for modelers. It is your business and yours only to create what makes 'you' happy. Unless you are getting paid to reproduce a specific area prototype then all things go.
Since this layout is in Northern Arizona, maybe around Sedona, I could have used the same trees I used on the last layout and got away with, "That's cool. Is that Sedona?" But I enjoy the 'conversation' and the knowledge the boss is always right. Jim
Looks good Jim, keep on being the Boss of the layout unless of course the other Boss over rules you.
I had taken all the springs out of my Peco turnouts to use with Tortoise switch motors and have often regretted that move as the Pecos do make a really good positive contact with the springs in them, any idea how difficult it is to put them back in place?
Lynn, Upon careful study of the underside of a PECO turnout, I would say that with needle nose tweezers you should be able to put the springs back in. If they came out and were not bent in the process, then they should go back in. If you've tossed them or lost them I suppose PECO would have them. There is a fellow in Florida who seems like the distributor for PECO. He sells on Ebay. He would know. Jim
Some notes about photography. You don't need an expensive camera. You do need at least 10 MP these days. Never use a flash for layout photography. Manual focus is the most under rated camera device. (it is a must have) Maybe the most under rated photo issue is lighting. I use light from a skylight and a desk lamp. Sometimes one or both of these together. For example here is a photo taken at 0700 yesterday morning. It was overcast and I used the desk lamp.
Next is a photo taken at 0700 this morning, no clouds, sun up in the East.
This shows the difference between a cloudy morning and a sunny one. Sometimes it is important to wait for the time and conditions you think best. Which one do you prefer? Jim
Jim you capture the moment so well each photo has a different feel of a new work day. and it is great artistry to be able to capture the feel and setting of the moment on a layout, But you do it so well.
Sherrel, This railroad layout does a couple of things:
1. Provides a watering and fuel stop somewhere in the desert SW. I guess I call this layout "Red Oasis."
2. It continues the PCM&T Co. with new venue to show off their land and right of way purchases.
3. It allow folks to see another 'technique' vis-a-vis scenery.
4. It allows armchair modelers another chance to see and maybe dream a bit.
5. Hopefully it may give modelers a gentle push in the right modeling direction.
6. The whole thread shows how easy it is to build these layouts.
7. 600,000 views so somebody must enjoy it.
8. It keeps me off the streets and out of trouble!
9. My wife still puts up with it.
10. I like doing it.
A couple of things today. We are nearing 600,000 views. Contest as usual. So get ready. With the holidays and stuff the Contest will be after New Year in January.
I thought I would show you two photos. The first is sort of what the eye would see perspective-wise.
While this is a great shot to present your special Death Valley RR car it may not be for everyone. Because of the size of the car!
This next photo shows what happens when you reverse the order of the cars. ie. Smallest first, middle size second, and the tanker at the other end.
Now we may be highlighting our flat car, but maybe we are just presenting a nice siding view. So, remember highlighting a certain car carries with it some negatives and positives. Naturally what pleases you is important, but we can't forget other viewers. Jim
