The Conrail locomotive is an old 1980's-1990's Athearn SD45. My very first Athearn engine was a Union Pacific SD45 #3600 that I bought around Christmas 1985. Previous to that I only had mediocre train set engines, and I was blown away by the weight and 12-wheel drive of the Athearn SD45. I put a lot of miles on that engine, and I still have it today.
I was working on the track last night to make sure it can run. I was worried the 6 axles couldn't work on my 18 curves, but it just needed to be perfect, lol.
@@ScottRails 18-inch radius curves are what I was running then, and it did just fine. I just had a 6x4 plywood sheet covered with that grass roll mat with the track nailed straight to the board. No roadbed of any kind. A simple oval loop and zero scenery. For me, it was about running the train. Those junky grey wheels that Athearn engines came with in those days were polished and shiny on the treads because I ran so many thousands of laps around that loop.
When you get the track laid out and level make sure to solder the rail joints as this will prevent bad connections and power issues. Another tip is to lay under the table a main power line then every few feet or so have some power lines run up to the track and solder them to the bottom of the rail "Drop downs or feeders" if you will. This will make sure you have adequate power supplied to the entire layout. Once that is done and it takes very little time you are ready to test it all out then lock it all down. I use suitcase connectors for my feeders into the main power line to make life easier. Great start here you look to be having some fun soon enough.
Put in drop wires on each piece of track. Or feeders. Whichever you call them.Instead of every three feet. You will be much happier with your trains not stalling. With that, happy running. And definitely would love to see updates on your layout. Its definitely very nice so far. Love it...
If you solder the track connections (even with snap track) you will get better conductivity. I usually drop a power wire every 6 feet, even with a common DC power supply.
Looks great Dave. You are hauling ass. At 11:11 you have a left curve going directly into a right curve which is an S curve. You should try to get a piece of straight track equal to your longest car in between the two opposite curves to avoid derails. That Bachman Chessie sounds like the drive shaft popped out, a gear would usually have a high pitched noise.
You were spot on with the Chessie problem, check my latest video. I can't really do anything with the S bend because of my layout base limitations. But again, I got the big blue running fine now.
I Use Gorilla Glue as Well Good Call👍. The Lower level you could do a Dual Railyard the Design of Angel Wings. Then put down A Feed mill A Tanker line And a Factory for Box cars.then a Another Building for Gondola cars.
I, also just found your channel. I'm in the process of designing a new layout, surprisingly in the same shape of yours. You have been incredibly inspiring to me. I did leave you a subscribe. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for the support. I have since ripped up the track and changed the layout slightly. Have a look at my latest videos in case you are about to make the same mistakes I did.
If you're going to eventually go DCC maybe you should consider putting in you're track feeders when you put your track down permanently. It beats doing it after ballast and scenery, ask me how I know!! You"re making great progress. Good work.
Will be fine once you wire in droppers maybe renew somw fishplate, but don`t rely on them for conductivity, hae you found what the drive failure is. I`ve had the plastic UJ fail, they split over time
Thanks for the filming of this layout. With your permission, I would like to build one very similar except mine will be either "N" or "Z" scale. I hope I can make the conversion work OK.
Hey, I don't have any authority on what you build, hahaha. I have since ripped this up and started over. The inclines were just causing me too many issues, and I changed the curves to 30" and doubled up on the outer loops. Much happier now.
Great stuff there. Just at the same point in my own lay-out building. The 'Time-Lapse' sections showed so much about cutting cork for the track and the use of the Woodland Scenics Inclines. Good to see what my 4% inline will handle like. Getting the droppers in will take away a lot of dependence on the fish-plates; an aside is that if you've got a small set of pincers, enough to avoid the track but give the fish-plates a wee squeeze where needed...but that may be remedial now! One wee daft suggestion, one I've said to a few folk now, why does no-one use a 'nail punch' when laying track with pins? It lifts the face of the hammer 3" away from track, so no dings on the expensive new track. A great video anyway, and here's wishing ye the best in the build ahead! Great running session and I hope you can get the 'Chessie' back running in no time, mate! Keep safe now, Scott Rails. Cheers frae Scotland!
Thanks for dropping by. Yes, I should use a punch to nail my track, instead of mashing my rails, lol. I will be adding feeders to pretty much every section, but for now I just wanted to run trains. Chessie is back up and running. Just needed a minor repair.
That’s looking great! I read in your comment section in another video that you’re also a car guy…could you please post a link to that so I can follow along there too?
Nice job and lookin good!! Are you going to join the point to point to the mainline on either side of the layout? Keep up the good work! Enjoying the videos!!
Yes Ray. I think on the "Town" side, it will split off, and cause a need for a railway crossing at the edge of town, then proceed along the base of the hillside, across the river, and eventually split off to an industrial area, or back on to the mainline. I just don't want it too cluttered with track, but still have enough to keep me amused.
I'm watching your old video of the old layout when you were putting it together by the way got a great song from you by fury and I'm looking at your size of what you have built right there and your new rebuilt layout if only n scale wow plenty of room easy turns.. but we're all getting older HO scale is a little easier on the when you're putting cars on the I did my layout in engage for the fact of room but it is 4 ft by 15 ft and may have told you already going to be a co-op seen in the Canada area....
When Laying Track You got Track to Lay don’t sweat it. You get done when you get done. If you want to Stay Dc and Not go Dcc your Call I am Dc And I’m gonna Stay Dc My wife Is the Same. We Run Dc.
This is looking like a great start mate,I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a American ho layout,does it use the same PECO track as oo and same radius curves ?or do the ho locos require less radius due to been a small loco.also where’s a good place to buy the American locos in uk
Hey Michael. HO and OO uses the same size of track. The physical size of the locos is much the same, as the real life North American locos are HUGE, lol. We don't call the track curves 1'st radius, 2nd Radius etc. We just use the inch measurement. So the smallest curve I have is an 18 inch radius, the widest is a 30" radius (I updated the layout recently). 18' radius is a pretty common curve for smaller layouts, and most locos will get round them. With regards to where to buy, I can't really help you there. I'm in Canada, lol. Make some RUclips videos for your channel, you never know, someone might send you a couple of locos ;-)
I did consider this, but in order to have two loops, the depth at the curves would need to be 4 feet, which is too far to reach for scenery etc. This was my compromise. Next layout will be bigger.
It’s nice to see a trainer that has the problems we all have. Enjoy your videos. American in the Philippines.
Just found this channel. Thanks for being here.
The Conrail locomotive is an old 1980's-1990's Athearn SD45. My very first Athearn engine was a Union Pacific SD45 #3600 that I bought around Christmas 1985. Previous to that I only had mediocre train set engines, and I was blown away by the weight and 12-wheel drive of the Athearn SD45. I put a lot of miles on that engine, and I still have it today.
I was working on the track last night to make sure it can run. I was worried the 6 axles couldn't work on my 18 curves, but it just needed to be perfect, lol.
@@ScottRails 18-inch radius curves are what I was running then, and it did just fine. I just had a 6x4 plywood sheet covered with that grass roll mat with the track nailed straight to the board. No roadbed of any kind. A simple oval loop and zero scenery. For me, it was about running the train. Those junky grey wheels that Athearn engines came with in those days were polished and shiny on the treads because I ran so many thousands of laps around that loop.
@Scott Rails
Typically, 6-axles require 18 inch radii. But the larger the better. But we work with the amount of space we have or are limited to
great work Scott you are a machine LOL THX FOR THE POST.😊😊😊👍👍👍👍
The motivation to get trains running was pretty high, lol.
Looking Good.
Your Track plan is Perfect Love it👍
Thank you. I'm trying not to over complicate it with too much track.
When you get the track laid out and level make sure to solder the rail joints as this will prevent bad connections and power issues. Another tip is to lay under the table a main power line then every few feet or so have some power lines run up to the track and solder them to the bottom of the rail "Drop downs or feeders" if you will. This will make sure you have adequate power supplied to the entire layout. Once that is done and it takes very little time you are ready to test it all out then lock it all down. I use suitcase connectors for my feeders into the main power line to make life easier. Great start here you look to be having some fun soon enough.
Are you a time traveller? I have done everything you suggested, lol.
Looking good - well done.
Nice job, this is looking good
Thanks Ed. When are you going to post some videos on your channel?
Very nice. Its getting there. Its always a good feeling to accomplish something on the layout. Especially having trains running
I am the biggest man-child, I needed a train running as quickly as possible. It's a good motivator.
Put in drop wires on each piece of track. Or feeders. Whichever you call them.Instead of every three feet. You will be much happier with your trains not stalling. With that, happy running. And definitely would love to see updates on your layout. Its definitely very nice so far. Love it...
@@Huntsville_Subdivision Thanks, I'll do that. Take bets on how many times I burn myself.
@@ScottRails Don't do that lol. Try not to burn yourself
I have learned so much from you and everyone else.Thank you
Cool layout, you have a great attitude and your having fun. Very enjoyable to watch and looking forward to the next video.
Thanks Richard. Yes, having fun, maybe too much fun, hahaha.
If you solder the track connections (even with snap track) you will get better conductivity. I usually drop a power wire every 6 feet, even with a common DC power supply.
Thanks David. Yes, I have a soldering iron and I'm not afraid to use it.
@@ScottRails Those rail joiners never seem to make a good contact. Soldering is the key to a good electrical connection.
Very nicely put together video and very entertaining as well. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks you Kurt
What a great feeling to have a train run the entire loop. Well done!
Thanks. I have a train blasting round the track right now. Locos need their exercise.
When you are ready to do the final installation, place the feeder and solders the joints. The loco that you mentioned is a EMD SD40.
Looks great Dave. You are hauling ass. At 11:11 you have a left curve going directly into a right curve which is an S curve. You should try to get a piece of straight track equal to your longest car in between the two opposite curves to avoid derails. That Bachman Chessie sounds like the drive shaft popped out, a gear would usually have a high pitched noise.
You were spot on with the Chessie problem, check my latest video. I can't really do anything with the S bend because of my layout base limitations. But again, I got the big blue running fine now.
Looking good, I guess you need to solder some joints, feeder wires , buss line would help with DCC , you are making progress
FEEDER WIRES!, that what I was trying to say, lol. Yes, I'll do that once I glue the track down, and before I ballast.
Yes sir but they call them droppers in the UK, maybe I will see you tonight
SD-45. Nice!
Cool, now I know what it's called. I'm learning.
Whoa! I used to have one of those Troller power packs back in the 80's. That looks like an Athearn Conrail SD45.
HI Scott nice layout new sub take care.😊😊👍👍
Coming along nicely Dave!! Can’t wait to see the scenery and some more tracks laid down!!!!
Great progress! You're totally mad laying it to take it back up but then you are a Scotsman ) look forward to the next instalment
If Sean Connery was into model trains I'm sure this is exactly what it would have sounded like.
Nice video.
I'm sure there would have been a lot more explosions if he was a model railroader.
Hey Dave, just off you live stream great layout so excited to see how you get on with the scenery. Going to be amazing I am sure.
You're making progress! Just a little tweaking here and there and you'll be running full trains in no time. - Jason
The 6 axle Conrail really struggles to get round, so for this layout I think I'll keep to 4 axle locos.
I Use Gorilla Glue as Well Good Call👍. The Lower level you could do a Dual Railyard the Design of Angel Wings. Then put down A Feed mill A Tanker line And a Factory for Box cars.then a Another Building for Gondola cars.
looks great who says you can not use brass track i find it works great and way cheaper keep up the good work👍
I, also just found your channel. I'm in the process of designing a new layout, surprisingly in the same shape of yours. You have been incredibly inspiring to me. I did leave you a subscribe. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for the support. I have since ripped up the track and changed the layout slightly. Have a look at my latest videos in case you are about to make the same mistakes I did.
@@ScottRailsThank you. I will.
If you're going to eventually go DCC maybe you should consider putting in you're track feeders when you put your track down permanently. It beats doing it after ballast and scenery, ask me how I know!! You"re making great progress. Good work.
Yes Gary, I'll glue down track, solder joins, add feeders, then scenery, then ballast.
Nice layout ., It's going to be a great project to watch. New subscriber. Thanks for sharing David @LCRR
Thanks David.
Very nicely done. I have plans to expand my own HO scale layout, though I don't believe mine will be quite as large as this.
Will be fine once you wire in droppers maybe renew somw fishplate, but don`t rely on them for conductivity, hae you found what the drive failure is. I`ve had the plastic UJ fail, they split over time
You were close. The shaft going in to the drive popped out. No idea why.
looking good hope you dont have the same problem i had when i built my incline
What happened to yours?
@@ScottRails rip it all out and only have a flat double main now but im happy with it
Thanks for the filming of this layout. With your permission, I would like to build one very similar except mine will be either "N" or "Z" scale. I hope I can make the conversion work OK.
Hey, I don't have any authority on what you build, hahaha. I have since ripped this up and started over. The inclines were just causing me too many issues, and I changed the curves to 30" and doubled up on the outer loops.
Much happier now.
Great stuff there. Just at the same point in my own lay-out building. The 'Time-Lapse' sections showed so much about cutting cork for the track and the use of the Woodland Scenics Inclines. Good to see what my 4% inline will handle like. Getting the droppers in will take away a lot of dependence on the fish-plates; an aside is that if you've got a small set of pincers, enough to avoid the track but give the fish-plates a wee squeeze where needed...but that may be remedial now! One wee daft suggestion, one I've said to a few folk now, why does no-one use a 'nail punch' when laying track with pins? It lifts the face of the hammer 3" away from track, so no dings on the expensive new track. A great video anyway, and here's wishing ye the best in the build ahead! Great running session and I hope you can get the 'Chessie' back running in no time, mate! Keep safe now, Scott Rails. Cheers frae Scotland!
Thanks for dropping by. Yes, I should use a punch to nail my track, instead of mashing my rails, lol. I will be adding feeders to pretty much every section, but for now I just wanted to run trains. Chessie is back up and running. Just needed a minor repair.
I think your Layout will look Awsome when Done the Lower Ground level put down a Rail yard or a Few side tracks To out Cars To pick up Along the Way.
Yes, the left side will be for my wife to add a town, the right side will be my domain.
Really nice video to follow your work. We almost makes same type of videos. Very nice to follow your progress! /Susanne
That’s looking great! I read in your comment section in another video that you’re also a car guy…could you please post a link to that so I can follow along there too?
Thanks Steve. My other channel is @ScottRods - www.youtube.com/@ScottRods/featured
8:37 i love the music what is the name of the song ?
It's on the RUclips Audi Library. Search for Just Breathing (Instrumental)
@@ScottRails thx
Nice job and lookin good!! Are you going to join the point to point to the mainline on either side of the layout? Keep up the good work! Enjoying the videos!!
Yes Ray. I think on the "Town" side, it will split off, and cause a need for a railway crossing at the edge of town, then proceed along the base of the hillside, across the river, and eventually split off to an industrial area, or back on to the mainline.
I just don't want it too cluttered with track, but still have enough to keep me amused.
Conrail sd40 dash 2
Interesting, so not a 45? What's the difference please.
@@ScottRails 45 is longer than a 40 and has more roof rans
@@carolosten995 Thanks Carol.
I'm watching your old video of the old layout when you were putting it together by the way got a great song from you by fury and I'm looking at your size of what you have built right there and your new rebuilt layout if only n scale wow plenty of room easy turns.. but we're all getting older HO scale is a little easier on the when you're putting cars on the I did my layout in engage for the fact of room but it is 4 ft by 15 ft and may have told you already going to be a co-op seen in the Canada area....
So chasing a bad connection on an HO train is like chasing a bad ground on a hot rod.... Looking forward to seeing the scenery.
Yes, but it's a bit more obvious when it's sitting on a table, lol.
The power problems will sort themselves out when you do a permanent installation with dropper wires
4%? You're not wanting to run to long of a train, uh? Nice simple layout.
I don't have the space for a long train, so it would look daft anyway. It's 2% on the other side, so the 4% could always just be the downsloap.
What is the white foundation material ? Where can it be obtained ?
It's Woodlands Scenics Incline sets. Hobby stores or online.
When Laying Track You got Track to Lay don’t sweat it. You get done when you get done. If you want to Stay Dc and Not go Dcc your Call I am Dc And I’m gonna Stay Dc My wife Is the Same. We Run Dc.
Did you ever make a track plan?
Just a hand drawn plan, but I have since ripped this up and started over.
This is looking like a great start mate,I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a American ho layout,does it use the same PECO track as oo and same radius curves ?or do the ho locos require less radius due to been a small loco.also where’s a good place to buy the American locos in uk
Hey Michael. HO and OO uses the same size of track. The physical size of the locos is much the same, as the real life North American locos are HUGE, lol.
We don't call the track curves 1'st radius, 2nd Radius etc. We just use the inch measurement. So the smallest curve I have is an 18 inch radius, the widest is a 30" radius (I updated the layout recently). 18' radius is a pretty common curve for smaller layouts, and most locos will get round them.
With regards to where to buy, I can't really help you there. I'm in Canada, lol.
Make some RUclips videos for your channel, you never know, someone might send you a couple of locos ;-)
¿ que radio de curva has usado ?
Estos eran radios de 18", pero comencé de nuevo con radios de 28" y 30" en el nuevo diseño.
If I was you I would have made it double track all the way around then you would have the capability of running 2 trains opposite to each other...
I did consider this, but in order to have two loops, the depth at the curves would need to be 4 feet, which is too far to reach for scenery etc.
This was my compromise. Next layout will be bigger.
North American.
Great video mate, metal music is not so great, personal taste🦘🇦🇺👍🏼😊