Wonderful railway you've built for yourself there! You are very fortunate to have such a helpful wife too! I wish I could get my wife to share my hobby (indoor model trains... For now!)... That she's out there helping you is fantastic in so many ways. Really enjoy your videos and look forward to my own retirement someday... Your accomplishments give me hope that I could do the same, provided my circumstances allow me to do so. Thanks for sharing!
We do almost everything together. My wife is an NMRA master builder of structures on our O scale layout and we both thoroughly enjoy working on the large scale outdoors. We have a couple of videos of our O scale layout if you are interested. ruclips.net/video/_NHvZ5877WE/видео.html
All of the buildings on our O scale layout were scratch built by my wife except for the two depots which are laser cut kits, and I built the coaling station. Everything else is hers.
I grew up on the Soo Line at Glenwood MN back in the 40s and early 50s. Steam lasted until 1951 on the passenger trains and 1953 on the freight trains west of Shoreham. My dad was a brakeman and I got to go along a number of times riding in the caboose, and once in a while in the locomotives. It was a wonderful time.
I had an O scale Russell scanned and drawings were made to laser cut the steel. The laser also made all the rivet holes. A kit for this can be had from Pike River Northern shops.
Thank you Roger--we don't get enough snow in Kentucky to enjoy this more, so I sold the plow. On top of that my 80 year old body doesn't play well in the snow anymore. Have a good day.......
Where this located would like to see a birds eye view on the whole layout looks awesome just found out this week that my grandfather and his dad had a 7.5 gage layout around both of their houses back in the 60s
Good, I am pleased you found it. We have about 1/2 mile of track, but several different directions make it possible to go a mile and only go over about 1/4 of the previous track and direction.
Yes we attended the Buckeye Limited convention. Mike had his L&N F7 engines there as well. We thoroughly enjoyed the convention and especially all the other train guys we have became acquainted with over the last 5 years.
So I’m curious. Dose the snow and ice cause issues with the signals and switches. Do u leave the signal on at night or when no operating. Last do you wipe down the locomotives and rolling stock when your done every time. I wondered about rusting and corrosion. Would be an awesome hobby for me but money’s not even close. Just a dreamer
Snow does not bother the signals but rain and wet ties does cause the electrical current to jump at the detector sections, but once the ties dry out everything goes back to normal. We shut the signals off when we are not railroading. We do try to keep the rolling stock and engines dry, but we do wipe them down if they get real wet. We do not run the diesels in the rain.
I built the plow and caboose from scratch. The F7 I built from a machined kit, and the GP9 I bought. Most of our rolling stock is scratch built, some kits, but I have been selling them off as I build something new.
That’s fat! I’d like seeing that plow through 5” of powder at speed on a level straight. Bet it would blow the snow like a real Russell. Good for you Trooper..
Thank you. I have searched for some people and animal figures for this scale but so far nothing. It would be nice to find some cattle for the stock car in 1.6 scale. Even 1.5 scale would work.
@@formerparatrooper kewl...theres no 1/6th cattle that i know of, but there are horses, which are hard to find. figures in 1/6th especially railroad workers would have to be bashed likely which would be a cakewalk compared to working on that train.
7-12" gauge, 1.6 scale rolling stock. I have since sold all of our large scale equipment as age caught up with me. I thank you for taking time to write.
@@formerparatrooper i know the feeling, will be 71 in a few weeks, my largest is "true O scale", with Lionel, American Flyer, kazoodles of H-O, and a sprinkling of "N" guage. Some of it will be going to my grandsons, the rest will probably be sold. Their dad is an engineer for CN, so they will snatch that up quickly!! Its hard to part with them, especially the ones ive painted/lettered, but i wont be around forever. Hope to get at least another 20 years or so.
@@paulsmith5398 I am now 81. My wife and I still have our O scale 2-rail layout along with the scratch built buildings she made for our HO sectional layout we used to tour with. Her O scale structures are well known as well. We have a lot of articles in the model railroad press, and she is well known all over the world. R Grosser
@@formerparatrooper its nice to have a loving wife that has the same interests as you, i lost my wife of 40 years to diabetes related illnesses, and thankfully not the covid, last year. Her favorite trains were the Civil War era steamers, she always said, "they have personality!"
I will tell you that I am adding some radio controlled wing actuators so the wings can be deployed while running, this should make an interesting video in the future.
Each locomotive has a traction motor on each axle geared similar to the prototype. The traction motors are powered through a controller from four 6 volt deep cycle marine batteries for a total of 24 volts. The controllers are operated through an RC system that controls, horn, bell, speed, brakes, and direction. Mine have been running for several years without problems, except for those I caused myself.
Actually, I have more than 60 videos up, but you're right, I sometimes do not mention that. It is 7-1/2" gauge but I model to 1.6 scale rather than 1.5 which is the commercial size for most kits.
I think I subscribed, If not I will. I want to see all of them. I belong to a lot SIG's on FB so can share your flicks with my groups. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
Thanks for the explanation. Apparently you control via R/C? Are your engines also equipped for "ride-along" type operation? Really nice models. Some of the best "huge scale" I've seen!
Great video! I always enjoy seeing your work!
Thank you.
That is an awesome train great viedo and loving the snow
We used to enjoy it more, age is beating us up these days.
Wonderful railway you've built for yourself there! You are very fortunate to have such a helpful wife too! I wish I could get my wife to share my hobby (indoor model trains... For now!)... That she's out there helping you is fantastic in so many ways.
Really enjoy your videos and look forward to my own retirement someday... Your accomplishments give me hope that I could do the same, provided my circumstances allow me to do so. Thanks for sharing!
We do almost everything together. My wife is an NMRA master builder of structures on our O scale layout and we both thoroughly enjoy working on the large scale outdoors. We have a couple of videos of our O scale layout if you are interested. ruclips.net/video/_NHvZ5877WE/видео.html
All of the buildings on our O scale layout were scratch built by my wife except for the two depots which are laser cut kits, and I built the coaling station. Everything else is hers.
You are having way to much fun.
That train is sharp
Thank you
From the video got a big back yard ... Looks awesome
This is so, so beautiful!
🔝🔝🔝👍👍👍👏👏👏
Congratulations!
Very nice plow. Great video. Thank you.
Thank you! I appreciate all you guys taking time to write.
It almost looked like full size at some angles. It sounds legit too.
1.5" in the snow, got to love it.
Actually it was 3" but whose counting? We'll get more, winter is still 2 months into the future.
OK - you Fooled me .
But as a fan of the 1:1 Soo Line ,
i've got to approve 👍👏
I grew up on the Soo Line at Glenwood MN back in the 40s and early 50s. Steam lasted until 1951 on the passenger trains and 1953 on the freight trains west of Shoreham. My dad was a brakeman and I got to go along a number of times riding in the caboose, and once in a while in the locomotives. It was a wonderful time.
What's the Russell snow plow built from blueprints or from a model nice snow plow and nice caboose enjoy the video thank you
I had an O scale Russell scanned and drawings were made to laser cut the steel. The laser also made all the rivet holes. A kit for this can be had from Pike River Northern shops.
I had a feeling there would be an extra plow train called out for snow removal. Awesome video as always! That plow is very nice!
Well, all I can think of is.....AWESOME!!!!!!!
Thank you Roger--we don't get enough snow in Kentucky to enjoy this more, so I sold the plow. On top of that my 80 year old body doesn't play well in the snow anymore. Have a good day.......
Superb models !!
thank you
Where this located would like to see a birds eye view on the whole layout looks awesome just found out this week that my grandfather and his dad had a 7.5 gage layout around both of their houses back in the 60s
South central Kentucky about 13 miles north of Somerset.
Thats an great layout i like your reversing loop at the back
Good, I am pleased you found it. We have about 1/2 mile of track, but several different directions make it possible to go a mile and only go over about 1/4 of the previous track and direction.
It must be hard work operating that railroad
I hope you never have to work as hard as we play, however, I sold the Russell snow plow. Turning past 80 I have had to slow down some.
Wow, that sure looks like fun. Too bad your not here in Phoenix this week for the operations meet. It's sunny and 75.
I would love to come out there but it is too far a haul for us. Age is knocking off some of the will........
Let me know if you find any 1/8 scale snow.
Sorry, we model in 1/6 scale and the snow works perfectly.
That looks like fun!
It is, but now that I am closer to 80, it is becoming more work than fun. Still, we have to stay busy and this helps when snows fly.
WOW ^^ Great video!
Thank you, I appreciate you taking time to write.
Were you at the MIll Creek Central this past year (2017)? I seem to remember seeing a beautiful SOO diesel just like your F(?) Unit.
Yes we attended the Buckeye Limited convention. Mike had his L&N F7 engines there as well. We thoroughly enjoyed the convention and especially all the other train guys we have became acquainted with over the last 5 years.
Your set up looks great garden scale I'm assuming ...
Much larger, 7-1/2" gauge 1.6 scale. We call it hernia gauge.
So I’m curious. Dose the snow and ice cause issues with the signals and switches. Do u leave the signal on at night or when no operating. Last do you wipe down the locomotives and rolling stock when your done every time. I wondered about rusting and corrosion. Would be an awesome hobby for me but money’s not even close. Just a dreamer
Snow does not bother the signals but rain and wet ties does cause the electrical current to jump at the detector sections, but once the ties dry out everything goes back to normal. We shut the signals off when we are not railroading. We do try to keep the rolling stock and engines dry, but we do wipe them down if they get real wet. We do not run the diesels in the rain.
formerparatrooper so than what are u running in the rain or snow.
Oh she a beautiful beast ahright
Thank you. We are also Soul Searchers. We seek the Living God through Jesus the only name under heaven given among men by which we might be saved.
Awesome!!! It's a good thing you don't live down here in Florida near me, you wouldn't have as much fun. LOL :)
We are hoping to come to BB&W next month. We will bring two trains, Mike's L&N and our Soo Line, the track is really great and it is good to get away.
Did you make the trains or buy them? Really cool 👍
I built the plow and caboose from scratch. The F7 I built from a machined kit, and the GP9 I bought. Most of our rolling stock is scratch built, some kits, but I have been selling them off as I build something new.
@@formerparatrooper you did a great job on them 👍very cool hobby
@@whelp4752 Thank you. You taking time to write.
That’s fat!
I’d like seeing that plow through 5” of powder at speed on a level straight. Bet it would blow the snow like a real Russell.
Good for you Trooper..
to think that is 1/6th...wow! i love that scale, but i only have figures. nothing quite as cool as that train.
Thank you. I have searched for some people and animal figures for this scale but so far nothing. It would be nice to find some cattle for the stock car in 1.6 scale. Even 1.5 scale would work.
@@formerparatrooper kewl...theres no 1/6th cattle that i know of, but there are horses, which are hard to find. figures in 1/6th especially railroad workers would have to be bashed likely which would be a cakewalk compared to working on that train.
@@bigman10239 I have seen some that others have bashed to make railroad workers but they were done years ago.
I lil derail at the end, hope all is well with it.
Yep, just like the real one. Ice in the frog will throw a wheel off every time.
I had to do a double-take, it looks soooooo real, what scale is it??
7-12" gauge, 1.6 scale rolling stock. I have since sold all of our large scale equipment as age caught up with me. I thank you for taking time to write.
@@formerparatrooper i know the feeling, will be 71 in a few weeks, my largest is "true O scale", with Lionel, American Flyer, kazoodles of H-O, and a sprinkling of "N" guage. Some of it will be going to my grandsons, the rest will probably be sold. Their dad is an engineer for CN, so they will snatch that up quickly!! Its hard to part with them, especially the ones ive painted/lettered, but i wont be around forever. Hope to get at least another 20 years or so.
@@paulsmith5398 I am now 81. My wife and I still have our O scale 2-rail layout along with the scratch built buildings she made for our HO sectional layout we used to tour with. Her O scale structures are well known as well. We have a lot of articles in the model railroad press, and she is well known all over the world. R Grosser
@@formerparatrooper its nice to have a loving wife that has the same interests as you, i lost my wife of 40 years to diabetes related illnesses, and thankfully not the covid, last year. Her favorite trains were the Civil War era steamers, she always said, "they have personality!"
@@paulsmith5398 That is what I think of the transition era Soo Line and Great Northern trains, they had personality. R Grosser
What gauge is this. It is huge ?
Add some authenticity with working wipers!
I will tell you that I am adding some radio controlled wing actuators so the wings can be deployed while running, this should make an interesting video in the future.
Wow very cool
Sometimes even COLD.
How are the engines powered?
Each locomotive has a traction motor on each axle geared similar to the prototype. The traction motors are powered through a controller from four 6 volt deep cycle marine batteries for a total of 24 volts. The controllers are operated through an RC system that controls, horn, bell, speed, brakes, and direction. Mine have been running for several years without problems, except for those I caused myself.
Did the sled derail at the end?
Yep. ice in the frog of the switch. Even would happen on the prototype from time to time.
Is the train radio controlled ?
Yes, receivers in both engines MUed together so they are running on one throttle.
What scale is it? Nobody has asked and you didn't specify.
Actually, I have more than 60 videos up, but you're right, I sometimes do not mention that. It is 7-1/2" gauge but I model to 1.6 scale rather than 1.5 which is the commercial size for most kits.
I think I subscribed, If not I will. I want to see all of them. I belong to a lot SIG's on FB so can share your flicks with my groups. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
Thank you.
Thanks for the explanation. Apparently you control via R/C? Are your engines also equipped for "ride-along" type operation? Really nice models. Some of the best "huge scale" I've seen!
Almost had me fooled. A lower camera angle would have done it.
Thank you James--I sold the plow to another railroader so they can have some fun, I am getting too old to play in the snow anymore.
😍
Oh ok
Looking for a real rail line footage, not a hobby one.
Keep looking, this ain't it.