Prototypical operations done by beautifully weathered locos running flawlessly, even at slow speeds, over extremely realistic scenery have all come together on your amazing layout to deliver the look and feel of a real railroad. Incredible work and videography. Thank you for sharing.
The braking and start up speeds of your motive power are simply stunning. I keep waiting for a glitch or a lurch to ruin the visual . Nothing but flawless operation. Your description of moves and the radio chatter add so much to the operation. Without question one of the best layouts in North America. Well done good Sir!
You sure got those NARC Potash cars to run well. Love to see a video on how you did that. Great Ops video, great to see others simulate the crew actions 👍
My favorite part about watch ops that make it watching, I love the Radio Traffic (Or just communication between the crews). Something a lot of RUclips operator type videos do not do. I get bored very quickly with the ground level run by and engine sound type videos. If I wanted to see a train run at ground level with sound, I would watch a real train video. For me Operations is the interaction between the people. If the people can be seen so be it, I want to see the game being played.
I'm with you, I love the radio chatter. In really like it when a full op session is going on and half a dozen crews are going back and forth with the RTC. Cheers.
@@SouthernAlbertaRail me too, a lot of times I just run a video like that in the background and not actually watch the video as I work in other projects. It is good background noise.
Fabulous video Grant. Great speed matching to have the pushers mid train with flawless ops and no derailments. I still end up with everything on its side when I try DPUs. Awesome modelling and realism.
Thanks Brad. Speed matching is paramount of course but body mount couplers are also a game changer. All cars on the layout have been modified. In fact I milled the factory coupler boxes off these potash cars and replaced them with MT 1015 boxes to get more reliability and closer coupling. Cheers. -grant
Hey mate, that was great and inspired me to have a helper operation up my grade from Oroville at the base of the Feather River Canyon through Williams Loop then cut off and go home or wait for a downhill westbound for the added dynamic braking. I had planned to just have 3 units on every train, but the flatland sections certainly don't need it. Tying up the mainline is also fun to torment the dispatcher, lol. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Mark. It sure adds a pile of operational fun. I can see a pair of units pushing up past the loop and then drifting back down light over the Y for sure.
Very cool! I may have missed the reasoning, but is there a reason to cut in pushers behind the mid train CP unit rather than in front? If there wasn't a DPU on the tail would you cut the pushers in front of the mid train CP unit?
If you cut in behind the mid train the head end crew only has to isolate (un - MU) the tail end. Less work all round. I'm going to do more vids on the pushers covering the different DPU configurations.
Thanks for asking that question-I want to learn more about these pusher operations too. Things like: Sometimes they seem to add in the engines midway and sometimes at the end? Is “midway” always half? When the train is divided so the pusher engines can be added in the middle is there a special way the brakes are used on the tail end to hold it while hooking everything up? How do the two crews coordinate their work? This is fascinating railroading. I always enjoy these videos. The layout works so well that it feels like such a wonderful connection point to a kind of railroading we don’t have here in eastern Canada.
I appreciate that. Don't really dig sound. It's great in one unit but makes my ears bleed when the room is filled with them. Saw the latest work you're getting up to... Looking good. Cheers. -grant
Seems strange that radio procedure requires spelling out of place names that couldn't be confused with anything else, but doesn't require readbacks of numerical mileposts, where mis-hearing something could cause two trains to collide.
Fantastic layout! Your custom "sar" units look factory, well done, I noticed the different black applications on the top of SD70's. Overall scheme feels like a nod to ATSF?
Thanks, appreciate the comment. I've had a similar paint scheme since the mid 80's. It's been tweaked a few times over the years. The latest was replacing the gray with silver and only shows up on the wide cabs. Certainly follows similar rules to Santa Fe's "Super Fleet".
Thanks Matthew. The trees are hand made. I have a video on the process on the channel. Look in the how to playlist. You can also watch some backdrop being painted if you like.
Grant, not sure what camera you are using but see if you can set the white balance to stay fixed rather than auto mode. When your hand enters the frame, the camera adjusts and the tint changes and then changes back. Stupid comment I know but your videography should match the perfection of modeling and operations.
Sulphur is a by product of natural gas extraction. Commonly used to produce Sulphuric Acid and has many other uses as well... The layout is 46 feet by 18 feet. The layout will appear in an upcoming issue of RMC where you'll be able to see a track plan.
On the list Adam. I have both an east and westbound road switcher jobs that work the layout from end to end. Hope to have a video on at least one of them next month.
Prototypical operations done by beautifully weathered locos running flawlessly, even at slow speeds, over extremely realistic scenery have all come together on your amazing layout to deliver the look and feel of a real railroad. Incredible work and videography. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Derek. I appreciate the comments and all the watching you have been doing. Cheers! -grant
Nailed it!!
The braking and start up speeds of your motive power are simply stunning. I keep waiting for a glitch or a lurch to ruin the visual . Nothing but flawless operation. Your description of moves and the radio chatter add so much to the operation. Without question one of the best layouts in North America. Well done good Sir!
Wow thanks for that!
That was pretty realistic and a pleasure to watch. Thanks for sharing this video
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.
Excellent weathering job on those potash cars, Grant. Great video!
Thanks, I appreciate that. 👍
Very nice. In one of the Model Railroader magazines, there was a photo of a SAR train; the lead locomotive was a F45 and trailing was a SD70MAC.
Good memory... That was a while ago!
Another great video. Really enjoying the radio chatter and operation narration. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Much appreciated Erik!
Very well done. Thank you for these fantastic operations videos. I have definitely become a fan of SAR! Mike
Thanks Mike!
Wow, the fact that this is in n scale makes it that much more impressive. Keep it up!!
Thanks a lot!
I agree thought it was HO scale
You sure got those NARC Potash cars to run well. Love to see a video on how you did that. Great Ops video, great to see others simulate the crew actions 👍
Thanks David. Milled off the coupler boxes and replaced with MT 1015's. Modified the bolsters and swapped all the wheels out with BLMA 36".
That bridge and then the pine trees that follow. Damn! I have watched that over and over. What a great layout.
Thanks for that. Appreciate the comment.
nice to watch another beautiful video
Thank you very much! I appreciate you stopping by again.
My favorite part about watch ops that make it watching, I love the Radio Traffic (Or just communication between the crews). Something a lot of RUclips operator type videos do not do. I get bored very quickly with the ground level run by and engine sound type videos. If I wanted to see a train run at ground level with sound, I would watch a real train video. For me Operations is the interaction between the people. If the people can be seen so be it, I want to see the game being played.
I'm with you, I love the radio chatter. In really like it when a full op session is going on and half a dozen crews are going back and forth with the RTC. Cheers.
@@SouthernAlbertaRail me too, a lot of times I just run a video like that in the background and not actually watch the video as I work in other projects. It is good background noise.
Such a wonderful layout and a wonderful video. Thanks for sharing your fantastic work.
Thank you so much!
One of the most informative videos I've seen, on one of the best layouts - thanks for sharing!
Wow, thanks Ian, I appreciate that!
Like always.....Enjoy your Op's video, crew did a good job. Bob
Thanks Bob.
Amazing job. Manned helper ops like these are one of my favourite aspects of a line.
Thanks, mine as well. loved when the 45's were running over Mullan back in the day. Still a great show with ACes.
Good to see you are still hauling frieght. enjoy your vids.
Thanks Richard. I appreciate you tuning in.
Fabulous video Grant. Great speed matching to have the pushers mid train with flawless ops and no derailments. I still end up with everything on its side when I try DPUs. Awesome modelling and realism.
Thanks Brad. Speed matching is paramount of course but body mount couplers are also a game changer. All cars on the layout have been modified. In fact I milled the factory coupler boxes off these potash cars and replaced them with MT 1015 boxes to get more reliability and closer coupling. Cheers. -grant
@@SouthernAlbertaRail Your painstaking efforts are totally worth it. This layout enters my top 10. I subbed.
Once again thanks for sharing your layout!
Hey thanks for watching! -grant
Great video the operations and scenery is awesome !
Thank you very much PJ!
Another great op video, thank you for sharing. Cheers
Thank you Don.
Hey mate, that was great and inspired me to have a helper operation up my grade from Oroville at the base of the Feather River Canyon through Williams Loop then cut off and go home or wait for a downhill westbound for the added dynamic braking. I had planned to just have 3 units on every train, but the flatland sections certainly don't need it. Tying up the mainline is also fun to torment the dispatcher, lol. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Mark. It sure adds a pile of operational fun. I can see a pair of units pushing up past the loop and then drifting back down light over the Y for sure.
That was fun thanks for sharing.
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it.
They're supposed to derail along Crowsnest lake ha ha . Awesome layout n weathering 👍👍
Notice I didn't follow the potash train any further west!! Just in case.
Great video, thanks!!
Thanks for watching!
Another great video!
Thanks!
Great video 📹 👍
Thanks 👍
Nice job! ✔👍👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Very cool! I may have missed the reasoning, but is there a reason to cut in pushers behind the mid train CP unit rather than in front? If there wasn't a DPU on the tail would you cut the pushers in front of the mid train CP unit?
If you cut in behind the mid train the head end crew only has to isolate (un - MU) the tail end. Less work all round. I'm going to do more vids on the pushers covering the different DPU configurations.
Thanks for asking that question-I want to learn more about these pusher operations too. Things like:
Sometimes they seem to add in the engines midway and sometimes at the end? Is “midway” always half?
When the train is divided so the pusher engines can be added in the middle is there a special way the brakes are used on the tail end to hold it while hooking everything up?
How do the two crews coordinate their work?
This is fascinating railroading. I always enjoy these videos. The layout works so well that it feels like such a wonderful connection point to a kind of railroading we don’t have here in eastern Canada.
Your videos are great! Ever consider sound for your awesome locomotives. Top notch N Scale layout BTW!.. - KRP
I appreciate that. Don't really dig sound. It's great in one unit but makes my ears bleed when the room is filled with them. Saw the latest work you're getting up to... Looking good. Cheers. -grant
Seems strange that radio procedure requires spelling out of place names that couldn't be confused with anything else, but doesn't require readbacks of numerical mileposts, where mis-hearing something could cause two trains to collide.
Bang on. The procedure has been modified since. During op sessions we try to be as proto accurate as possible without effecting the fun factor.
Another great vid, keep them rolling. Dan
Thanks Dan!
Superb😘👌🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. ONLY thing missing: smoke from the stacks. Can you add that?
Thanks Jal. Can't add smoke. Beyond my abilities.
Fantastic layout! Your custom "sar" units look factory, well done, I noticed the different black applications on the top of SD70's. Overall scheme feels like a nod to ATSF?
Thanks, appreciate the comment. I've had a similar paint scheme since the mid 80's. It's been tweaked a few times over the years. The latest was replacing the gray with silver and only shows up on the wide cabs. Certainly follows similar rules to Santa Fe's "Super Fleet".
Sell your idea to Athearn! And if they make those in HO scale I'll be wanting to buy!
Roger that!
Love watching this layout, where did you get the pine trees? Also I love the painted backdrops they look so real!!
Thanks Matthew. The trees are hand made. I have a video on the process on the channel. Look in the how to playlist. You can also watch some backdrop being painted if you like.
Grant, not sure what camera you are using but see if you can set the white balance to stay fixed rather than auto mode. When your hand enters the frame, the camera adjusts and the tint changes and then changes back. Stupid comment I know but your videography should match the perfection of modeling and operations.
I appreciate the constructive feed back Sandy. My 11 year old just showed me how to do just that over the weekend! Cheers. -grant
What is the sulfur typically used for in a sulfur train? What product(s) is/are made from it? And what is the size of your space?
Sulphur is a by product of natural gas extraction. Commonly used to produce Sulphuric Acid and has many other uses as well... The layout is 46 feet by 18 feet. The layout will appear in an upcoming issue of RMC where you'll be able to see a track plan.
@@SouthernAlbertaRail Thanks for the info. Looking forward to the article and the plan.
Great vidoe, but the white balance keeps drifting from very blue to very orange. Might need to use manual white balance for future shooting.
Yah I figured that one out a few vids after this one!! Cheers.
@@SouthernAlbertaRail Great. I knew I was watching older videos and I've not gotten to the more recent ones, yet.
If you run any locals on your railroad, could you please do a video on those?
On the list Adam. I have both an east and westbound road switcher jobs that work the layout from end to end. Hope to have a video on at least one of them next month.
@@SouthernAlbertaRail Great, looking forward to it
I'm curious what decoders you use in your locos and how you speed match them
I have plans for a video covering that Mac.
They look like santa fe bnsf warbonnets to be honest
Some similarities to be sure.
RTC initials BAE... is your wife dispatching? EDIT (commented before the end): hahahaha well played
Thanks Matt.