Before you start refurbishment, you should upload one last Thunder Cam that goes across the entire layout in its current form, showing off all the little stories and details being told across the layout! I work in the video game industry and there's a lot of similarities between how you do environmental storytelling in a game and how you do it in a diorama/model railroad. I'd love to have a video to show to my coworkers of all the examples you've come up with on how you tell your environmental stories, and that'd be a perfect fit as a sending-off video for Thunder Mesa 1.9.
You have highlighted the dilemma experienced by those of us who get more pleasure from building our layouts than running the trains. I still like to do that, but once a layout is 'finished' I get itchy fingers. Your creativity is enviable and has no doubt in my mind inspired countless modelers. I am looking forward to following your new adventure!
This will both exciting to watch and educational. I imagine there are a number of people that wish they had done something differently on their railroad. Hopefully this will be the impetus for them to do it.
Of course you are bonkers but then so are we all who build model railways! What you have there is a great layout but as you say model railways are never finished and its the journey that is all the fun not the final result. I'm on the third iteration of mine and this will probably spur me into a fourth! Go for it Dave, I can't wait to see it develop!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! You are a braver man than I!!!! If anyone can do it you will!!! I will say I love the current layout.......but will be glued to the screen going forward. Thanks
Wow Dave, mad and insane spring to mind at the same time. Such a beautiful layout that I’ve followed for years to get to this stage. It’ll be sad to see Thunder Mesa 1.9 pulled apart but excited to see Thunder Mesa 2.0 spring to life, plus all your other projects you have on the go. Here’s to the next 10 yrs of viewing such great videos. Cheers.
MOVE is a four letter word for a reason. Ugh! I think my myriad moves have made me adverse to that to the point of PTSD response. I shudder at the thought of you moving. But, I love watching your work and the evolution of Thunder Mesa. Best of luck, good fortune and HAPPY TRAILS!
What a neat and very creative change. The three foot aisles would make for great operating sessions if you decided to do them with your RR buddies. Operations can be the "next step" for the maturing model railroad hobbyist. Doc Tom
Looks like a good plan! One thing I would suggest (and you probably have already thought of doing) is taking the opportunity to broaden that 15" radius curve from the original layout assuming your new design doesn't use them anywhere else. Just an idea.
I also though that Dave would want to change that, as he mentioned the issue several times. But 15" seem already big to me, I have a 7.87" radius curve on my small layout (but European industrial rolling stock is also a lot smaller).
just want to let you know babe hanging Rock area of your layout is probably my most favorite part of the town I love how you did the old passenger car as a train station and definitely your blacksmith might be my second favorite spot in the whole layout love your videos keep them coming. I'm looking forward to what comes next
Whole heartedly agree. If you have modeled for 12 years and can't look at areas and decide you could definitely do it better now, and could refine the design so much more, then you haven't grown as a modeler! Looking forward to seeing the new version take shape!
Dave, you have always been an inspiration for me and while I will mourn the passing of the current layout, I will celebrate the creation of the new one. Thank you for all the content you have created and I look forward to the new building phase. Please do me one favor, document the destruction and taking apart of the current layout and explain your reasons for why some of the wiring and electronics need replacing (other than just age) and why you decided what to replace and what to keep. Thank you again!
Omg I’m so excited to watch your amazing talents glow in a new/old project lol. David it’s a great new plan which I can sympathise with the time it must’ve taken to come up with a final design, well done 👍
Wowzer!!! Nuts . . . and I can't wait ;) Thanks for all of your wise takes on model building, and thank you for sharing your passion. You are truly inspirational.
The level of detail on even the layout sketches for this new project is insane. I was considering getting into foam landscaping and you've really inspired me, keep up the amazing work!
Dear Dave, cool plans, was wondering about the unfinished rock faces for a while! Definitely some great modeling opportunities ahead. Very curious about the way you will make the different sections separable and movable. Looking forward to seeing the project come to fruition. Cheerio
I'm looking forward to seeing how the new/revised layout shapes up. If it were mine and I had the space I'd try to bring the isle width up to five feet as it allows for people to pass in comfort. When you have attractive scenes either side of the isle I could imagine visitors standing back to back viewing them.
I knew eventually this day would come, space is a premium after all. My favorite is the combining of both on18 HT&NM & CMC into one big railroad, that will allow for more diverse operations.
Hell yea Dave! I look forward to the revamp. I’ll be along for the ride. One recommendation that I hope we see is a poster advertising for jungle cruises at the river boat landing. It would be a neat Easter egg for visitors to see the Jungle Navigation Company tie-in! There was something oddly satisfying seeing the plan come to life in photoshop. Best of luck buddy!
On your list, I was going to say item 11: Bandit Canyon. Always enjoy your hand drawing of the layout plan. Definitely a dying art. Going to be interesting to watch the transformation of the layout to the new plan. Can't wait to see the On18 systems joining together into a single operation.
👍👍Dave, it all sounds very cool and ambitious! I'm sure it will be even better than it already is, if that's possible. Looking forward to the updates! We've got the easy part sitting back and watching it all happen. Enjoy and have fun! 🚂🚂
Will miss the old but look forward to the new added to it. Am excited to learn and watch as you start the new and improved Thunder Mesa. GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖
Good luck with the rebuild Dave. Such projects can certainly refresh ones interest in the hobby, earlier this year I made some big alterations to my layout and it's a lot easier to operate now.
PS - I like the way both main depots are clear of the continuous run. For me, as a British modeller, the American practice of backing loaded passenger trains into (or out of) stations is a particularly interesting idiosyncrasy.
6:09 Being Scottish but living in Spain Phantom Manor is the one I’ve visited most & I love how it’s part of the story in DLP’s Frontierland. I’m so pleased & can’t wait to see how you incorporate this. There’s so much I’m excited to learn from being a complete novice to this, so as well as where & how to start (I’ll be working mostly on the British 00 gauge), there will be other sections such as scenery making, scratch building, & creating effects. So tips on how to plan ahead for these will be really helpful. This is gonna be good.
Voilà un fameux défi que de réorganiser TOUT le layout de 1.9 à 2.0 ... Bon courage Dave et à bientôt de visionner les progrès de cette modification majeure.
I am not overly surprised. Those who actually get around to building this size of a layout tend to dread the golden spike the closer it gets. It is part of why they are able to build such a layout to begin with - they enjoy the building as much or more than actually operating it. The one thing that does stun me is that you are not planning on redoing the ruling curve on the original portion of the layout. I had gotten the impression that you were not happy with the fact that it limits what you can run (aka can build to run.) It is not criticism of the new plan, it is your kingdom after all, not mine. I was just very surprised that that wasn't one of the goals.
WoW...I'm just loving your plans. But I'm definitely going to miss the Hanging Rock section. So much great stuff is going to happen and I'm looking forward to follow the process! I wish you a lot of fun and excitement with all the projects!
Number 7 on your list is my favorite. I like seeing the On18 line connected and with a real purpose, rather than the unusual figure eight track plan. Oh, and I’m obviously not up to speed on your new plans to run the railroad, but I’ll throw this question out there: Would a wye off the main into Thunder Mesa Town add more to operations?
I work in Hon30 due to space constraints, (I also really enjoy building custom rolling stock) and I realized that shrunk down to Hon30 this new track plan would be roughly 4'x6', absolutely tiny compared to what I'm guessing it will look like based on the current layout. Also excited to see more work on BCRY, as I am currently building a 2'x2' Hon30 coffee table layout that will have a very similar theme. Totally stealing six gun butte, renaming it, expanding it, and maybe putting a geyser at the top to make it "shoot"?
I finally had a chance to take a closer look at 2.0. The Calico Creek area looks pretty impressive. Am I correct that idea behind the tracks disappearing under and behind the waterfalls is supposed to be an attention getter making people wonder where the train went? It is a very interesting concept though I would be torn between that attraction and having a visual to it. It goes without saying that it is not something you see every day.
Its a good plan. May I suggest part of the expansion to the staging yard include some sort of connection/interface with both the On18 Bandit Canyon Ry. and the On30 Gruesome Gulch line? Something that would permit them to still be disconnected and taken to shows or to meets.
It looks like a good plan and I look forward to watching the transition but the one thing I’ve been wondering for a long time is wouldn’t be a good idea somewhere between two of the towns that you had some mountainous pine tree laden area just for a change in scenery. I know everybody has something else they think you should do. It’s your layout do as you want. I was just thinking that it might be nice to have a few green trees just to accent the desert.
Dave, I like your plans for changing your layout. You've put a lot of hard work into your drawings and you will put a lot of hard work into redesigning your layout. I just have one question, wouldn't it be easier just to knock out a couple of walls. 🙂
Hi Dave You don't have to be insane for this hobby but it really helps a lot LOL. Look forward to seeing what the future holds. Any chance we will get to Tumbleweed and see a thunder bird?? That would be a big expensive 3D print me thinks.
I would have to rebuild the original Thunder Mesa section to do that - so, everything. I'm keeping the 15" radius curves. They're part of the layout's character now.
I'm not changing the curve radii. I thought a lot about it but that would require a total rebuild down to the benchwork and I don't want to rebuild the original 3x6 section.
As always, a very nice plan. A bit sad to see the actual layout going, but quite excited with this new plan. Did I read the plan correctly in that the On18 will have for the first time some slopes? First going down in Calico mountain, and then going up at the other end of the line?
Very nice hand drawn sketch for base plan. ( as opposed to CAD) your Layers in Adobe are also nicely done, fun to watch. I.Really like your creative new layout plan. Looking forward to seeing it implemented. Quick question are you also going to increase your radius for curves so you can run larger locos ie. 2-6-0 's, 2-8-0's etc?
This is an interesting re-imagining of Thunder Mesa. does going to Gary's have any influence on the downsizing? It allows you to create yet another layout from thunder Mesa. any plans for a stand alone On18 layout? Perhaps more portable to take to the fiesta? Most of all have fun.
Perhaps the removal of Hanging Rock could be worked into the actual storyline of Thunder Mesa. Say for example, at some point in time this town run by outlaws became the center of a bandit civil war for control which left the place in complete ruin and the railroad (Who always saw the town as nothing more than an inconvenient stop on the road to the mines of Calico and beyond) decided to erase all remnants and forget that it ever existed.
Before you start refurbishment, you should upload one last Thunder Cam that goes across the entire layout in its current form, showing off all the little stories and details being told across the layout!
I work in the video game industry and there's a lot of similarities between how you do environmental storytelling in a game and how you do it in a diorama/model railroad. I'd love to have a video to show to my coworkers of all the examples you've come up with on how you tell your environmental stories, and that'd be a perfect fit as a sending-off video for Thunder Mesa 1.9.
You have highlighted the dilemma experienced by those of us who get more pleasure from building our layouts than running the trains. I still like to do that, but once a layout is 'finished' I get itchy fingers. Your creativity is enviable and has no doubt in my mind inspired countless modelers. I am looking forward to following your new adventure!
This will both exciting to watch and educational. I imagine there are a number of people that wish they had done something differently on their railroad. Hopefully this will be the impetus for them to do it.
Of course you are bonkers but then so are we all who build model railways! What you have there is a great layout but as you say model railways are never finished and its the journey that is all the fun not the final result. I'm on the third iteration of mine and this will probably spur me into a fourth! Go for it Dave, I can't wait to see it develop!
Good luck, I’ll be watching. 👍 (don’t forget a hidden Mickey) 🐭🏠
I will grieve the loss of Circle D Ranch and Walt’s Barn…I look forward for it’s resurrection
It will be around!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
You are a braver man than I!!!! If anyone can do it you will!!! I will say I love the current layout.......but will be glued to the screen going forward.
Thanks
Not an easy decision, but a necessary one I'm afraid.
Wow Dave, mad and insane spring to mind at the same time. Such a beautiful layout that I’ve followed for years to get to this stage. It’ll be sad to see Thunder Mesa 1.9 pulled apart but excited to see Thunder Mesa 2.0 spring to life, plus all your other projects you have on the go.
Here’s to the next 10 yrs of viewing such great videos. Cheers.
MOVE is a four letter word for a reason. Ugh! I think my myriad moves have made me adverse to that to the point of PTSD response. I shudder at the thought of you moving. But, I love watching your work and the evolution of Thunder Mesa. Best of luck, good fortune and HAPPY TRAILS!
What a neat and very creative change. The three foot aisles would make for great operating sessions if you decided to do them with your RR buddies. Operations can be the "next step" for the maturing model railroad hobbyist. Doc Tom
Looks like a good plan! One thing I would suggest (and you probably have already thought of doing) is taking the opportunity to broaden that 15" radius curve from the original layout assuming your new design doesn't use them anywhere else. Just an idea.
I also though that Dave would want to change that, as he mentioned the issue several times. But 15" seem already big to me, I have a 7.87" radius curve on my small layout (but European industrial rolling stock is also a lot smaller).
Love it. Can’t wait to see the progress 👍🏽
Really looking forward to not only seeing the changes, but how you go about removing/rebuilding scenes and in what order.
I like this new plan I hope to see Coyote Rock getting a new good home on the new layout
just want to let you know babe hanging Rock area of your layout is probably my most favorite part of the town I love how you did the old passenger car as a train station and definitely your blacksmith might be my second favorite spot in the whole layout love your videos keep them coming. I'm looking forward to what comes next
12 years? Wow! I guess the saying that one's layout is never really finished holds a certain amount of truth.
It does for me!
"The joy is in the doing..." ❤
This is incredibly exciting Dave!! I can not wait to see this endeavor unfold over the next few......years?!?!
I can’t wait to see what the build process has in store! As was said by a famous man, keep moving forward!
I think it would look great as show piece at Walt's Barn in Griffith Park.
Crazy? Yes. But will be great to watch. Can’t wait for Ravenswood Manor.
Hi Dave, I have followed you for about 4 years now and I can`t stop now. It just keeps getting better.
Courageous and understandable, I am looking forwards to the progress as this is one of the epic present day projects.
Whole heartedly agree. If you have modeled for 12 years and can't look at areas and decide you could definitely do it better now, and could refine the design so much more, then you haven't grown as a modeler! Looking forward to seeing the new version take shape!
I’m shook😱! LOL! But, this is great for us, more videos and never ending inspiration!!
Dave, you have always been an inspiration for me and while I will mourn the passing of the current layout, I will celebrate the creation of the new one. Thank you for all the content you have created and I look forward to the new building phase. Please do me one favor, document the destruction and taking apart of the current layout and explain your reasons for why some of the wiring and electronics need replacing (other than just age) and why you decided what to replace and what to keep. Thank you again!
I am starting a on30 layout so this is very helpful
Omg I’m so excited to watch your amazing talents glow in a new/old project lol. David it’s a great new plan which I can sympathise with the time it must’ve taken to come up with a final design, well done 👍
Wowzer!!! Nuts . . . and I can't wait ;) Thanks for all of your wise takes on model building, and thank you for sharing your passion. You are truly inspirational.
The level of detail on even the layout sketches for this new project is insane. I was considering getting into foam landscaping and you've really inspired me, keep up the amazing work!
Dear Dave, cool plans, was wondering about the unfinished rock faces for a while! Definitely some great modeling opportunities ahead. Very curious about the way you will make the different sections separable and movable. Looking forward to seeing the project come to fruition. Cheerio
I'm looking forward to seeing how the new/revised layout shapes up. If it were mine and I had the space I'd try to bring the isle width up to five feet as it allows for people to pass in comfort. When you have attractive scenes either side of the isle I could imagine visitors standing back to back viewing them.
I knew eventually this day would come, space is a premium after all. My favorite is the combining of both on18 HT&NM & CMC into one big railroad, that will allow for more diverse operations.
I can't wait to see where you go with this project!
Hell yea Dave! I look forward to the revamp. I’ll be along for the ride. One recommendation that I hope we see is a poster advertising for jungle cruises at the river boat landing. It would be a neat Easter egg for visitors to see the Jungle Navigation Company tie-in!
There was something oddly satisfying seeing the plan come to life in photoshop. Best of luck buddy!
Looking forward to your planned upgrades, you are so right when you say it's the doing that is important.
On your list, I was going to say item 11: Bandit Canyon.
Always enjoy your hand drawing of the layout plan. Definitely a dying art. Going to be interesting to watch the transformation of the layout to the new plan. Can't wait to see the On18 systems joining together into a single operation.
👍👍Dave, it all sounds very cool and ambitious! I'm sure it will be even better than it already is, if that's possible. Looking forward to the updates! We've got the easy part sitting back and watching it all happen. Enjoy and have fun! 🚂🚂
Will miss the old but look forward to the new added to it.
Am excited to learn and watch as you start the new and improved Thunder Mesa.
GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖
I’m sure whatever you do will be amazing !
Great project, keep moving
A more coherent layout design usually makes for better story telling.
Good luck with the rebuild Dave. Such projects can certainly refresh ones interest in the hobby, earlier this year I made some big alterations to my layout and it's a lot easier to operate now.
PS - I like the way both main depots are clear of the continuous run. For me, as a British modeller, the American practice of backing loaded passenger trains into (or out of) stations is a particularly interesting idiosyncrasy.
This guy is nuts! But I can’t wait to see the progress on the new plan. As always Dave, thanks for sharing!
I'm stoked for 2.0 and can't wait to see it. Guess we will highball into a new year with a new layout in the works.
6:09 Being Scottish but living in Spain Phantom Manor is the one I’ve visited most & I love how it’s part of the story in DLP’s Frontierland. I’m so pleased & can’t wait to see how you incorporate this.
There’s so much I’m excited to learn from being a complete novice to this, so as well as where & how to start (I’ll be working mostly on the British 00 gauge), there will be other sections such as scenery making, scratch building, & creating effects. So tips on how to plan ahead for these will be really helpful. This is gonna be good.
Voilà un fameux défi que de réorganiser TOUT le layout de 1.9 à 2.0 ... Bon courage Dave et à bientôt de visionner les progrès de cette modification majeure.
WOW, a new project like this is both scary and exciting. I cannot wait to see more. It's going to be interesting.
I am not overly surprised. Those who actually get around to building this size of a layout tend to dread the golden spike the closer it gets. It is part of why they are able to build such a layout to begin with - they enjoy the building as much or more than actually operating it. The one thing that does stun me is that you are not planning on redoing the ruling curve on the original portion of the layout. I had gotten the impression that you were not happy with the fact that it limits what you can run (aka can build to run.) It is not criticism of the new plan, it is your kingdom after all, not mine. I was just very surprised that that wasn't one of the goals.
I'm sure Thunder Mesa 2.0 is gonna be amazing! But I will miss the old one haha
WoW...I'm just loving your plans. But I'm definitely going to miss the Hanging Rock section. So much great stuff is going to happen and I'm looking forward to follow the process! I wish you a lot of fun and excitement with all the projects!
Number 7 on your list is my favorite. I like seeing the On18 line connected and with a real purpose, rather than the unusual figure eight track plan. Oh, and I’m obviously not up to speed on your new plans to run the railroad, but I’ll throw this question out there: Would a wye off the main into Thunder Mesa Town add more to operations?
It would but the curve is too sharp
I work in Hon30 due to space constraints, (I also really enjoy building custom rolling stock) and I realized that shrunk down to Hon30 this new track plan would be roughly 4'x6', absolutely tiny compared to what I'm guessing it will look like based on the current layout. Also excited to see more work on BCRY, as I am currently building a 2'x2' Hon30 coffee table layout that will have a very similar theme. Totally stealing six gun butte, renaming it, expanding it, and maybe putting a geyser at the top to make it "shoot"?
I wish you the best in the rebuild of your layout. I'm sure it will be spectacular,
I hope you are adding new things and Thunder Mesa will live on for many years to come.
Best of luck bring us along please! The truism K
Of model Railroading is the layouts are always evolving.
I am looking foward to watching the build.
Will this new track plan image be available to view on your website soon?
Yes it will!
@@ThunderMesaStudio Great! Looking forward to it!
I look forward to your new layout.😊
Can't wait for TM 2.0! Onwards and upwards buckaroo! Glad you are keeping a whole mess of the best parts of the RR so far!
I finally had a chance to take a closer look at 2.0. The Calico Creek area looks pretty impressive. Am I correct that idea behind the tracks disappearing under and behind the waterfalls is supposed to be an attention getter making people wonder where the train went? It is a very interesting concept though I would be torn between that attraction and having a visual to it. It goes without saying that it is not something you see every day.
That's based on Calico Mt at Knott's Berry Farm. Stay tuned, I'll be posting an update to the plan in a few hours.
Its a good plan. May I suggest part of the expansion to the staging yard include some sort of connection/interface with both the On18 Bandit Canyon Ry. and the On30 Gruesome Gulch line? Something that would permit them to still be disconnected and taken to shows or to meets.
It looks like a good plan and I look forward to watching the transition but the one thing I’ve been wondering for a long time is wouldn’t be a good idea somewhere between two of the towns that you had some mountainous pine tree laden area just for a change in scenery. I know everybody has something else they think you should do. It’s your layout do as you want. I was just thinking that it might be nice to have a few green trees just to accent the desert.
Thanks. There will be a piney ridge behind Ravenswood Manor
Evening everyone
Dave, I like your plans for changing your layout. You've put a lot of hard work into your drawings and you will put a lot of hard work into redesigning your layout. I just have one question, wouldn't it be easier just to knock out a couple of walls. 🙂
Is it April 1st at Thunder Mesa?
Hi Dave You don't have to be insane for this hobby but it really helps a lot LOL. Look forward to seeing what the future holds. Any chance we will get to Tumbleweed and see a thunder bird?? That would be a big expensive 3D print me thinks.
Are you going to improve the curves on the original layout section so you can run more types of locomotives?
I would have to rebuild the original Thunder Mesa section to do that - so, everything. I'm keeping the 15" radius curves. They're part of the layout's character now.
Ah, PLUSSING…reimagining….i’ll settle down now!
Do you think these changes will allow you to use that one loco that's too big for the current layout?
I'm not changing the curve radii. I thought a lot about it but that would require a total rebuild down to the benchwork and I don't want to rebuild the original 3x6 section.
As always, a very nice plan. A bit sad to see the actual layout going, but quite excited with this new plan.
Did I read the plan correctly in that the On18 will have for the first time some slopes? First going down in Calico mountain, and then going up at the other end of the line?
Very nice hand drawn sketch for base plan. ( as opposed to CAD) your Layers in Adobe are also nicely done, fun to watch. I.Really like your creative new layout plan. Looking forward to seeing it implemented. Quick question are you also going to increase your radius for curves so you can run larger locos ie. 2-6-0 's, 2-8-0's etc?
One thing that would be good is increasing the minimum radius from 15 to 18 inches so you could run bigger locomotives
This is an interesting re-imagining of Thunder Mesa. does going to Gary's have any influence on the downsizing? It allows you to create yet another layout from thunder Mesa. any plans for a stand alone On18 layout? Perhaps more portable to take to the fiesta?
Most of all have fun.
How big is the room you’re in?
About 400 square feet
Extension suggestion in the future Discovery Bay.
No turntable on the new design Dave
Watch the video to the end, "Future Expansion."
Perhaps the removal of Hanging Rock could be worked into the actual storyline of Thunder Mesa. Say for example, at some point in time this town run by outlaws became the center of a bandit civil war for control which left the place in complete ruin and the railroad (Who always saw the town as nothing more than an inconvenient stop on the road to the mines of Calico and beyond) decided to erase all remnants and forget that it ever existed.
I'm on my 5 th layout. Complete redoes. So I don't think you're that nuts. No more than myself anyway.🥴🥴🥴
I think I would i go up on curve size
Peppers ghost 👻 projection please