A stunning masterpiece in the making to say the least. What is more remarkable is the fortitude required to "stay the course" (despite a five year hiatus), and continue with the singular vision. The whole layout reflects the builders overall skill and understanding in terms of what it means to actually model a railroad. Thank you for sharing this beautiful work of art Grant. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family this holiday season. Cheers ~ Boomer.
Thanks so much Boomer. Your comments mean a lot to me as I truly admire the artistry you bring forth in your modelling. Hope to one day sit down and discuss philosophies over a beverage of choice. Merry Christmas to you and family. All the best. -grant
As an HO modeler, I am amazed at what you have accomplished. The scenery is spectacular, and the smaller trains run so smooth it is difficult to imagine this being N scale. Nicely done!
Love to see the different scales and scenery,Canada is great. I started modeling HO European in New Zealand in 1970 still doing it with a 40 year break in between. In my 60s the eyes are not getting any better so N scale too small but appreciate what N scalers do!
Thanks Simon. I hear you on the eyeball issue. After hitting 50 I had to buy a magnifying loop to work on rolling stock. Ahh the joys of getting older!! Cheers. -grant
I have done 7 layouts in my life. One N the rest HO. My N was the most complete and I loved it. BUT two things were very difficult to do on the N, which are crazy but my fav of the hobby. Switching and hand laying track. Doubt I will build anymore as old age suits me more to watching videos. Love your layout keep at it!
Switching is certainly a different animal in N scale to be sure and I agree that other scales do it far more justice. Thanks for tuning in! Cheers. -grant
Grant, there are many problems for me in N scale, but given the lack of space, I've resigned myself to it. I find the perspective on your backdrop and landscaping (trees) extremely useful. Thank you for doing this tour. Very helpful. -Bob
Well done! As a HO modeler, I can see what you say about N Scale. Your scenery looks fantastic and it really swallows the trains. Fantastic. Thanks for posting and I look forward to future updates.
I believe (but am not sure) that your layout was featured in N scale magazine over 25 years ago. I was big into N at that time, and thought your scenery was the absolute best. Thanks for the inspiration way back then.
Thanks Paul, good memory. The old layout first appeared in N Scale Railroading about 20 years ago. I tore that one out shortly after the article was published.
Simply stunning Grant. Everything about it. Even the hidden staging looks fantastic and highlights your skill. I really like how you've done the staging below the visible scenes, it would have the advantage of being easy to clean/maintain and also looks really cool. I think when model railroaders dream about building a layout, what you have accomplished is everyone's goal. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
Thanks Ben. As you know accessibility and maintenance is something that should be considered. I made sure I could easily reach every piece of track on the layout. Some sections not as easy as others... but those areas force me to keep in half decent shape!! Cheers!
Hey Grant tones1957 from New Zealand here, I just needed to let you know how fantastically wonderful your layout is. You are absolutely right when you say N scale really works in a large space, right from the moment you enter the room from the stairs there is this overwhelming illusion of huge space and distance twice that of HO scale. You are a craftsman in every respect and your scenic work is second to none, keep on rolling them looong consists man. Best regards tones1957 (HO man)
I have recently subscribed and am going back through your older videos I had no idea this is an N Scale layout and you have done a marvelous job on the scenery. Well done!!!
N scale has certainly come a long way and the smoothness of operation is quite evident. The scenery is top notch and the ratio of landform to trains is very realistic. Nicely done!
Three points: 1. Although I model N scale, I haven't had the budget/time/motivation to do anything with it over the last few years, and I love living vicariously through this and other layouts. 2. I rode Silver Solarium once, on the 2004 NMRA convention trip over Stampede Pass. It was very easy to imagine myself in the dome again for this tour. 3. I've been watching too much Red Green lately. After your "Thanks for watching," I was fully expecting to hear "Keep your stick on the ice."
I lost interest and stepped away from the hobby for five years. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective after being away for a while. Stampede Pass would have been a great trip. Memories to last a lifetime!! Cheers! -grant.
Remarkable! What a pleasure to watch your trains running. I'm certain I'm not the first to say this but It's hard to believe I'm watching N scale using micro trains couplers. What a great job overall and more specifically figuring out how to get N scale freight cars to work realistically. I am happy to have found your channel and blown away by your skills. Great job! Dominic
I'm happy you found your way over as well Dominic and I really appreciate your feedback. Almost every car on the layout has had bolsters removed and replaced, aftermarket trucks installed and been converted to body mount couplers for maximum reliability. Just another aspect of the hobby I enjoy. Hacking and chopping rolling stock! Cheers. -grant
Grant, my pet peeve in N has been the slinky effect of the micro trains couplers. Thought I was out smarting the hobby by using atlas accumates on the cars on my small in progress switching layout. Going forward, I'll be body mounting micro trains couplers. I am also using metal wheels with restraining springs in the trucks although my spare parts bin is from Ho slot cars! Thanks for the reply and kudos to you for sharing your good common sense in the hobby. Dominic
Couldn't agree more Dominic. The "Slinky Effect" is a real bummer. If you want even more info on body mounts, building couplers and fabricating mounting brackets for various tough to body mount cars I have a bunch of videos on my members channel. Cheers. -grant
I like this presentation. Great great lay out. As N scale I agree on N shouts for space. Also all we deal our limits. I live in one of the smallest houses of the country (NL). an L of 2 8 ft by 2 ft.. Its good enough to set up a station .. with lots of landscape. For beautiful track scenes not much space..You show the potential. on long trains in the "wide open" . Real nice
This layout is absolutely incredible. I wish I had one millionth of the talent you have. Just a thought, have you ever thought of having the lighting switch on and off as the train as it makes its way through the different scenes so only the occupied area is lit ?
Great layout! Absolutely incredible harmony in the colors of the landscape. I really like that you have invested in a "clean" landscape, really beautiful! I save the video for inspiration on a gloomy day. Thanks for a nice movie.👏🙂
This is my first look at your channel and this tour was AMAZING!!!! I dabbled in model railroading as a kid (O scale and HO), and then got out of it for the next 40 plus years. Now I'm back and apartment life has me seeking out N scale and so I've been watching LOTS of videos to get ideas. My wife is also a train nerd (both of us are more transition era steam to diesel in ear of interest), and her father has modeled HO for probably 50 years. So SHE KNOWS a good layout when she sees one as if it wasn't already blatantly obvious looking at your work. Can't say it enough, but this is SIMPLY AMAZING and your skill with terrain and creating hyper-realistic scenes is giving us both TONS of inspiration for planning our own mini-living room layout. We're definitely going to be spending time going through your whole back catalog. Excellent stuff - keep up the good work!
Wow thanks a bunch for that! Glad you enjoyed the tour. Much has changed on the layout since! I think you should find stuff to enjoy on the public channel and if you want more... I offer a members area where I go into great detail the steps I take to get the results you see. Thanks so much for the kind words and I hope you two have a blast with the new layout. Cheers. -grant
Adding your layout tour to the NRail Channel’s “N-spiration” playlist was a no-brainer… you have 4,249 views since 12/17/21!!! Your scenery and track work is stunning. Yet, your narration and RUclips channel skills and quality really caught our attention! We Liked & Subscribed today and we look forward to seeing and hearing SO MUCH more from you and your layout.
That's a beautiful layout. The French have a saying: C'est dans les plus vieux pots qu'on fait les meilleures soupes. That means, "The best soups are made in the oldest pots."
A good day to you from Southern California !! Honestly I never pay attention to descriptions of channels but when I was watching I didn't at all realize that this absolutely beautiful museum quality was that of a n scale layout..Awesome and thank for sharing.... Darrell
Thanks Darrell, really appreciate the comments. Love hearing that people don't realize what scale it is. All the best from cold and snowy Alberta to you in SoCal. -grant
Fantastic video and layout. This is why I have been in N scale for over 40 years, The ability to provide perspective relative the train, Awesome realistic perspective. Henk
Stunning layout, love your trains in the scenery concept and the use of scenic breaks. Very inspiring, although I don’t have anything like the amount of space that you have, it’s great to see what can be achieved.
This layout is just Phenomenal. This is museum-quality stuff. Thank you for making the video to share your layout!!! It's telling when the areas you're "unhappy" with are outstanding!!! :)
The whole thing is amazing but some of those long shots are real jaw-droppers. Those angles don't come up often in regular videos but they give a sense of just how massive your layout is. Thanks for making videos on the regular, there is always something to draw inspiration from whether it's water reflections, prototypical operations, rolling stock weathering, backdrop painting, willingness to rip and replace sections, etc.
@@SouthernAlbertaRail Hey Grant, I was in the pass recently and it dawned on me - any reason you don't model Frank Slide? It's such a unique and striking place.... Just curious! Cheers.
Great question ... I'm not sure I could do it justice so opted to bypass it with one of the hidden sections. Most of it would be on the backdrop anyway and I try not to paint recognizable scenes on backdrop (except in very specific circumstances) as they can't rotate through three dimensions. -grant
Grant, I’m so glad I came across your video of your N scale layout. I am widowed and I now live in a small apartment with an 11’ x 12’ room available for a train layout. I have been “struggling” with the decision to model in N scale or HO scale. After viewing your video, I have decided that N scale will give me the expansive scenery look that I’d like to achieve. Thanks for sharing your layout and your talents and giving me the encouragement to get started modeling. David
I had the same problem, so I ended up making a layout that has both. You have to suspend belief a bit with both tracks together but otherwise I can run my long n scale Union Pacific modern consists through the same typical south west mountain scenery as my steam era HO Canadian Pacific trains, just not at the same time. It works for me.
I always enjoy your videos. As a fellow N scaler. I enjoy the long runs your trains make. Your scenery is fantastic. I have a Denver and Rio Grande and a Santa Fe layout I am working on. Not quite as large. But as big as I can afford space. One day I'll start posting pictures. Till then. I am so happy to get to see yours.
Thanks for the tour of your wonderful layout. I model in O Scale but I'm happy to say layouts like yours inspire and motivate me. Kudos on the accomplishments you have made on your layout.
I also ook to all the scales for inspiration, as the modellers in each have different ways to approach projects. Scale bias just limits the resources we can all have access to!! Thanks so much for the kind words. Cheers! -grant
Having watched a lot of your videos from time to time it still gets me that this isn't HO scale. It's not until you back up and show the facia or something else that it becomes apparent. The amount of detail on everything is just stunning. Though I won't be switching from HO scale, your layout is still an inspiration.
Thanks for that! I really appreciate the comments. I found the Utah Belt to be a big inspiration back in the day. Didn't matter that it was HO, the modelling and the premise were sound. I think there are too many hang ups when it comes to scale. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. Just have balance the compromises necessary in each. Cheers and Happy Holidays. -grant
@@SouthernAlbertaRail on top of getting too hung up on scale I think people also have a tendency to shove too much into a layout, be it track or buildings. I think that's also why people feel that N scale is only good for tight quarters, they want 35 industries on a hollow core door.
Impressive layout, I’ll be honest, when I first saw your layout I thought it was HO or even O scale, but now that I know it’s N scale, I am highly impressed. Keep up the great work. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the full layout tour, it is spectacular. You have done a marvelous job on the scenery. Is it possible to extend the lighting valance in the area that extends past it and gets dark rather than hacking up the layout there? It’s nice that that section is deeper than most of the rest of the layout.
Good question Derek.... Anything is possible but it's not the most practical. Extending the upper lighting valence would hinder operator access to the Burmis crossovers and the log reload on the upper level. I'll cover the renovation and the reasoning when I eventually get at it. Cheers. -grant
Absolutely outstanding grant. I'm in total awh again. Thank you ever so much for sharing with us. Please take care and you and yours have a wonderful blessed holiday.
Thanks Grant ... an awesome tour of an awesome layout. Absolute pure inspiration ...and a showcase for some of the advantages of N scale: trains enveloped in scenery; wide, gentle and prototypical curves; longer train lengths; and a real sense of 'working' over the length of a railway. Agree with your thoughts on the reasons for choosing N scale in a larger space. Really looking forward to seeing the continued progress on the SAR - greetings of the season to you and yours.
It would be really cool if you did a few “how to” videos on how you did things like make your trees and mountains. Everything looks so amazing. Really inspiring for newbies.
Stop over and have a peek at the channel Chad I have a few how to vids on trees, backdrop painting etc. I have a whole pile of detailed videos on specific projects for members as well. Have a Happy New Year! -grant
Are you in the area yourself or are you American? I note you say "rayroad" like an American! 😄 A tremendous amount of work you've put into this, and to ask for more, I hope we'll see trees in *front* of the trains as well some day. I'm just blown away by the mileage of excellent scenery, thousands of trees, and restraint when it comes to overly dramatic features or dozens of imaginary industries, as we so often see. Also appreciated is the exceptionally clean, well finished staging area treatment - but I could on and on. I enjoyed the visit and look forward to a future trip!
Canadian, I'm a few hours north of the Crowsnest but it's the weird Scottish/Icelandic/Canadian hybrid pronunciation coming through!!. I really appreciate all your observations, especially regarding the staging yard. I wholeheartedly agree on your desire for trains ducking behind trees. Significant progress has been made on the west end of the layout and you will find many instances of just that. Have a peek at some of the latest videos to see the result. Again thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Cheers! -grant
The scenery on your layout puts it in my top three best sceniced layouts. These top three are so close with their excellently well done scenery that I want to say they're all number one on my list. So the scenery on yours and the others are so well done you'll all have to settle on sharing the top spot. I'm just amazed with how exceptionally real your layout scenery looks. The weathering on the locomotives and other rolling stock is extremely well done and just adds to the reality and your model railroad is on my top 5 list of best rolling stock weathering. I'm just amazed everytime I watch your videos. Keep these great videos coming. Stay well. -Wil 👍 Concerning the rather old trees you talked about, they aren't terrible looking by any means. I think they are rather good. I don't know what your plan for them is after you replace them with new trees but I would use them on the layout. In larger forested areas they could be added one here and there to help thicken up the forest and kind of hide them at the same time. Just a suggestion if you think they are worthy of remaining on the layout. 🤷♂️
Thanks a bunch Wil. Wow... really appreciate the commentsl!! When I get around to the reforestation project I will likely keep the trees that are half decent and repurpose them amongst the others as you suggest. I'll be thinning the area out as well. This part of Alberta is pretty windy and the cones have a tough time rooting. All the best. -grant
Beautiful modeling. N gauge does deliver on scale-of-vastness, but falls short on operations unless using a like-car / unit train switch out approach. To replicate your stunning scenery I just need a 10,000 SF open building. Thank you very much for sharing - extremely enjoyable. PS: Do you run full scale Operations sessions (asking for a friend)…?
I do have full operating sessions on the layout. Car Card routing is used with individual car numbers but more importantly colour patterns for car blocks for those that can't read N scale numbers. Check out the "Operations" playlist on the channel homepage to see what individual trains do during an op session. -grant
Very nice tour and a very nice layout. I really like how the staging is set up and that is black like that to blend it in and kind of hide it, yet its there.
I have said it before and I will say it again, AWESOME. Totally agree with your comments about N not being just for small spaces. Looking forward to your endeavours in 2022. You and yours have a great Christmas Grant.
Thanks for the run through of the entire layout to pull together all the bits and pieces you've been showing this year. I smiled at your comment about some parts being 20+ years old...amazing how quickly those years have gone by. I just replaced some track on mine that was of that vintage myself. Outstanding work and a great representation of what can be done in N-scale. Merry Christmas!
Hey Mark Merry Christmas to you as well!. Yah 20 years goes by pretty quick. Seems like I was just visiting you for the first time checking out the Feather River..... How many versions ago was that??!! Hope all is well and hoping to get to GA in the not too distant future to see what's going on with the latest interpretation.
Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad I found your channel as this is easily my favourite layout of any I have seen - either in real life or on RUclips. Simply stunning. It is so impressive from any angle, from birdseye views or trackside (eg. at 10:24). Merry Christmas to you.
I consider myself one of the lucky ones to have dispatched and operated on this layout. You are spot on in your view that N scale isn’t just for small spaces. And of course, there have been more than a few times that I wished I didn’t dislike rolling stock maintenance, or that there was good 4 axle power in the form of GP9’s and GP38AC’s (not to mention, good running RDC’s) because I know I would love to switch my HO Scale Esquimalt & Nanaimo to N scale… A great video Grant. Like button was definitely smashed!
Thanks Jon. Hope to be getting back to ops in '22. Thinking with all the changes there may be some re-qualifying required for operators and RTC's!! Cheers Pal and happy holidays.
Really great stuff! You've really taken advantage of N Scale's potential for enveloping scenery to create a superb setting for the action. Thumbs up from an HO adherent. Looking forward to more videos.
A stunning masterpiece in the making to say the least. What is more remarkable is the fortitude required to "stay the course" (despite a five year hiatus), and continue with the singular vision. The whole layout reflects the builders overall skill and understanding in terms of what it means to actually model a railroad. Thank you for sharing this beautiful work of art Grant. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family this holiday season. Cheers ~ Boomer.
Thanks so much Boomer. Your comments mean a lot to me as I truly admire the artistry you bring forth in your modelling. Hope to one day sit down and discuss philosophies over a beverage of choice. Merry Christmas to you and family. All the best. -grant
61 years old and about 3 months into the hobby. DCC-N You are an inspiration. Cheers.
Hey thanks for stopping by for a look. 3 months in and piles more super happy fun times to go. Cheers.
As an HO modeler, I am amazed at what you have accomplished. The scenery is spectacular, and the smaller trains run so smooth it is difficult to imagine this being N scale. Nicely done!
Thanks so much, I really appreciate that. -grant
Small trains but a great layout ! The scenery to trains ratio makes it "full size railroading". A real masterpiece !
Hey thanks for tuning in. Really appreciate the comments! Cheers.
Finally tracked down a copy of MRC specifically for the track plan. Then sit back, brew in hand and watch again with the plan. Inspirational work.
Thanks Kevin. Always nice to have a plan to look at. It's really hard to convey the footprint of the layout in video. Cheers. -grant
Unique color scheme on those freight locomotives.
Thanks.
Love to see the different scales and scenery,Canada is great.
I started modeling HO European in New Zealand in 1970 still doing it with a 40 year break in between.
In my 60s the eyes are not getting any better so N scale too small but appreciate what N scalers do!
Thanks Simon. I hear you on the eyeball issue. After hitting 50 I had to buy a magnifying loop to work on rolling stock. Ahh the joys of getting older!! Cheers. -grant
I have done 7 layouts in my life. One N the rest HO. My N was the most complete and I loved it. BUT two things were very difficult to do on the N, which are crazy but my fav of the hobby. Switching and hand laying track. Doubt I will build anymore as old age suits me more to watching videos. Love your layout keep at it!
Switching is certainly a different animal in N scale to be sure and I agree that other scales do it far more justice. Thanks for tuning in! Cheers. -grant
Grant, there are many problems for me in N scale, but given the lack of space, I've resigned myself to it. I find the perspective on your backdrop and landscaping (trees) extremely useful. Thank you for doing this tour. Very helpful. -Bob
My pleasure Bob, I'm glad you enjoyed the trip! Cheers! -grant
Well done! As a HO modeler, I can see what you say about N Scale. Your scenery looks fantastic and it really swallows the trains. Fantastic. Thanks for posting and I look forward to future updates.
Thank you very much! Cheers. -grant
I believe (but am not sure) that your layout was featured in N scale magazine over 25 years ago. I was big into N at that time, and thought your scenery was the absolute best. Thanks for the inspiration way back then.
Thanks Paul, good memory. The old layout first appeared in N Scale Railroading about 20 years ago. I tore that one out shortly after the article was published.
The heavy use of black valance makes each scene look separate and like a picture. Very nice effect.
Thanks so much John. I feel the fascia and valence are the frames for the art that is the layout. Cheers. -grant
Simply stunning Grant. Everything about it. Even the hidden staging looks fantastic and highlights your skill. I really like how you've done the staging below the visible scenes, it would have the advantage of being easy to clean/maintain and also looks really cool. I think when model railroaders dream about building a layout, what you have accomplished is everyone's goal. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
Thanks Ben. As you know accessibility and maintenance is something that should be considered. I made sure I could easily reach every piece of track on the layout. Some sections not as easy as others... but those areas force me to keep in half decent shape!! Cheers!
Hey Grant tones1957 from New Zealand here, I just needed to let you know how fantastically wonderful your layout is.
You are absolutely right when you say N scale really works in a large space, right from the moment you enter the room from the stairs there is this overwhelming illusion of huge space and distance twice that of HO scale. You are a craftsman in every respect and your scenic work is second to none, keep on rolling them looong consists man.
Best regards tones1957 (HO man)
Thanks Tony. I really appreciate the kind words. All the best. -grant
100% agree... N scale in a "large space" makes it feel like an enormous layout. HO is the switching layout scale.
For sure. There are some great HO switching layouts out there.
I have recently subscribed and am going back through your older videos I had no idea this is an N Scale layout and you have done a marvelous job on the scenery. Well done!!!
Thanks so much and welcome aboard!
N scale has certainly come a long way and the smoothness of operation is quite evident. The scenery is top notch and the ratio of landform to trains is very realistic. Nicely done!
It certainly has. Thanks so much for the kind words! Cheers. -grant
Three points:
1. Although I model N scale, I haven't had the budget/time/motivation to do anything with it over the last few years, and I love living vicariously through this and other layouts.
2. I rode Silver Solarium once, on the 2004 NMRA convention trip over Stampede Pass. It was very easy to imagine myself in the dome again for this tour.
3. I've been watching too much Red Green lately. After your "Thanks for watching," I was fully expecting to hear "Keep your stick on the ice."
I lost interest and stepped away from the hobby for five years. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective after being away for a while. Stampede Pass would have been a great trip. Memories to last a lifetime!! Cheers! -grant.
What an addictive model railroad. The N scale on a huge layout is a great focus on modeling realism. Nice 👍
Thanks. I really do appreciate that.
Remarkable! What a pleasure to watch your trains running. I'm certain I'm not the first to say this but It's hard to believe I'm watching N scale using micro trains couplers. What a great job overall and more specifically figuring out how to get N scale freight cars to work realistically. I am happy to have found your channel and blown away by your skills. Great job!
Dominic
I'm happy you found your way over as well Dominic and I really appreciate your feedback. Almost every car on the layout has had bolsters removed and replaced, aftermarket trucks installed and been converted to body mount couplers for maximum reliability. Just another aspect of the hobby I enjoy. Hacking and chopping rolling stock! Cheers. -grant
Grant, my pet peeve in N has been the slinky effect of the micro trains couplers. Thought I was out smarting the hobby by using atlas accumates on the cars on my small in progress switching layout. Going forward, I'll be body mounting micro trains couplers. I am also using metal wheels with restraining springs in the trucks although my spare parts bin is from Ho slot cars! Thanks for the reply and kudos to you for sharing your good common sense in the hobby.
Dominic
Couldn't agree more Dominic. The "Slinky Effect" is a real bummer. If you want even more info on body mounts, building couplers and fabricating mounting brackets for various tough to body mount cars I have a bunch of videos on my members channel. Cheers. -grant
Awesome work Grant! All the new scenery and track looks amazing!
Thanks a ton!
Subscribed. My favorite layout right now. Especially because of N Scale and the beautiful scenery.
Wow thanks... I really appreciate the comments. And thanks for the sub!
I like this presentation. Great great lay out. As N scale I agree on N shouts for space. Also all we deal our limits. I live in one of the smallest houses of the country (NL). an L of 2 8 ft by 2 ft.. Its good enough to set up a station .. with lots of landscape. For beautiful track scenes not much space..You show the potential. on long trains in the "wide open" . Real nice
Thanks a bunch for the feed back, I rReally appreciate it. All the best. -grant
I'm an ho modeler and have no hate towards your layout it's absolutely gorgeous and shines in large size
Thanks! Appreciate the comment.
I love it, the majesty of nature is far more visible on this scale.
Agreed. N scale really shows off a larger scenery to train ratio. Thanks for there input! -grant
Its nice to see someone ,running at a prototypical speed, happy railroading...
Thanks and same to you!
This layout is absolutely incredible. I wish I had one millionth of the talent you have. Just a thought, have you ever thought of having the lighting switch on and off as the train as it makes its way through the different scenes so only the occupied area is lit ?
Interesting idea. As this is an operational layout trains are usually always present running across the sub in both directions. Cheers. -grant
Great layout! Absolutely incredible harmony in the colors of the landscape. I really like that you have invested in a "clean" landscape, really beautiful! I save the video for inspiration on a gloomy day. Thanks for a nice movie.👏🙂
Thank you so much Joakim!
WOW. AMAZING!!!! Second video today but I was an INSTANT subscriber on rhe first. Some amazing views and landscapes. I'm locked in for binge watching
Awesome! Thank you and welcome to the channel!
This is my first look at your channel and this tour was AMAZING!!!! I dabbled in model railroading as a kid (O scale and HO), and then got out of it for the next 40 plus years. Now I'm back and apartment life has me seeking out N scale and so I've been watching LOTS of videos to get ideas. My wife is also a train nerd (both of us are more transition era steam to diesel in ear of interest), and her father has modeled HO for probably 50 years. So SHE KNOWS a good layout when she sees one as if it wasn't already blatantly obvious looking at your work. Can't say it enough, but this is SIMPLY AMAZING and your skill with terrain and creating hyper-realistic scenes is giving us both TONS of inspiration for planning our own mini-living room layout. We're definitely going to be spending time going through your whole back catalog. Excellent stuff - keep up the good work!
Wow thanks a bunch for that! Glad you enjoyed the tour. Much has changed on the layout since! I think you should find stuff to enjoy on the public channel and if you want more... I offer a members area where I go into great detail the steps I take to get the results you see. Thanks so much for the kind words and I hope you two have a blast with the new layout. Cheers. -grant
As always enjoyed the ride, well done.
Glad you enjoyed it James. Happy New Year to you. -grant
I've said it before....AWESOME LAYOUT. I never been to Canada but i feel like im there when i see your layout. Lol
I really appreciate that. Thanks a pile. Cheers.
Adding your layout tour to the NRail Channel’s “N-spiration” playlist was a no-brainer… you have 4,249 views since 12/17/21!!! Your scenery and track work is stunning. Yet, your narration and RUclips channel skills and quality really caught our attention! We Liked & Subscribed today and we look forward to seeing and hearing SO MUCH more from you and your layout.
Thanks for that! Lots more to see over on the channel. Cheers.
Amazing what can be done in N scale. Well done.
Many thanks!
I do Ho as I can just see N.I agree yours works well,with prototype train lenghs the bonus.Cannot fault the visuals and operation.
Thanks Dennis. Merry Christmas!
That's a beautiful layout. The French have a saying: C'est dans les plus vieux pots qu'on fait les meilleures soupes. That means, "The best soups are made in the oldest pots."
Thanks so much!!
A good day to you from Southern California !! Honestly I never pay attention to descriptions of channels but when I was watching I didn't at all realize that this absolutely beautiful museum quality was that of a n scale layout..Awesome and thank for sharing....
Darrell
Thanks Darrell, really appreciate the comments. Love hearing that people don't realize what scale it is. All the best from cold and snowy Alberta to you in SoCal. -grant
Very nice layout!!! Thumbs up!!!
Thank you very much! Cheers.
Fantastic video and layout. This is why I have been in N scale for over 40 years, The ability to provide perspective relative the train, Awesome realistic perspective. Henk
Absolutely Henk, my thoughts exactly! Cheers. -grant
Stunning layout, love your trains in the scenery concept and the use of scenic breaks. Very inspiring, although I don’t have anything like the amount of space that you have, it’s great to see what can be achieved.
Many thanks!
one of the best layouts I have seen
scenery is amazing and the track work is impeccable
congratulations
Thank you very much!
what an awesome layout...fantastic narration & great run.., thx 4 sharing... vinny
Thanks Vinny, good to hear from you. Happy Holidays. -grant
thank you for the very beautiful detailed video on your detailed layout as wish best in operation over the years of joy
from Australia
Many thanks!
🤩 this is the most advanced n scale layout I’ve ever seen
Thanks very much!
This layout is just Phenomenal. This is museum-quality stuff. Thank you for making the video to share your layout!!! It's telling when the areas you're "unhappy" with are outstanding!!! :)
Thanks James I really appreciate that! Cheers.
Great video! So cool to see an Alberta layout.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! -grant
Your landscape looks so real, probably the best Layout on RUclips for me
Wow thanks!
Awesome layout , like the running speed aswell. 👌
Cool, thanks! -grant
Now this is what you call a Layout tour. Awesome.
Thanks so much. Glad you liked it! Hope to have any updated one in the near future. -grant
The whole thing is amazing but some of those long shots are real jaw-droppers. Those angles don't come up often in regular videos but they give a sense of just how massive your layout is. Thanks for making videos on the regular, there is always something to draw inspiration from whether it's water reflections, prototypical operations, rolling stock weathering, backdrop painting, willingness to rip and replace sections, etc.
Hey thanks for watching and I really appreciate the comments!
@@SouthernAlbertaRail Hey Grant, I was in the pass recently and it dawned on me - any reason you don't model Frank Slide? It's such a unique and striking place.... Just curious! Cheers.
Great question ... I'm not sure I could do it justice so opted to bypass it with one of the hidden sections. Most of it would be on the backdrop anyway and I try not to paint recognizable scenes on backdrop (except in very specific circumstances) as they can't rotate through three dimensions. -grant
Thanks for the tour, really enjoyed it. The water around the 6m30s mark looks great, that reflection is stunning!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Cheers. -grant
Grant,
I’m so glad I came across your video of your N scale layout. I am widowed and I now live in a small apartment with an 11’ x 12’ room available for a train layout. I have been “struggling” with the decision to model in N scale or HO scale. After viewing your video, I have decided that N scale will give me the expansive scenery look that I’d like to achieve. Thanks for sharing your layout and your talents and giving me the encouragement to get started modeling.
David
Glad it was helpful David. Cheers. -grant
I had the same problem, so I ended up making a layout that has both. You have to suspend belief a bit with both tracks together but otherwise I can run my long n scale Union Pacific modern consists through the same typical south west mountain scenery as my steam era HO Canadian Pacific trains, just not at the same time. It works for me.
Ik really enjoyed watching this video. The layout looks great.Great job 👍. Greetings grom the Netherlands.
I'm happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching and greetings from Alberta! -grant
Good job Grant, attention to detail is awesome, u have been making somebeautiful forests,, stay well....
Thanks Gerald. Cheers! -grant
I always enjoy your videos. As a fellow N scaler. I enjoy the long runs your trains make. Your scenery is fantastic. I have a Denver and Rio Grande and a Santa Fe layout I am working on. Not quite as large. But as big as I can afford space. One day I'll start posting pictures. Till then. I am so happy to get to see yours.
Thanks Bo. Really appreciate you stopping by to have a peek. Cheers! -grant
Your layout is awesome! Thats all to say, I just am in shock watching your videos of your layout!
Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for the tour of your wonderful layout. I model in O Scale but I'm happy to say layouts like yours inspire and motivate me. Kudos on the accomplishments you have made on your layout.
I also ook to all the scales for inspiration, as the modellers in each have different ways to approach projects. Scale bias just limits the resources we can all have access to!! Thanks so much for the kind words. Cheers! -grant
Having watched a lot of your videos from time to time it still gets me that this isn't HO scale. It's not until you back up and show the facia or something else that it becomes apparent. The amount of detail on everything is just stunning.
Though I won't be switching from HO scale, your layout is still an inspiration.
Thanks for that! I really appreciate the comments. I found the Utah Belt to be a big inspiration back in the day. Didn't matter that it was HO, the modelling and the premise were sound. I think there are too many hang ups when it comes to scale. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. Just have balance the compromises necessary in each. Cheers and Happy Holidays. -grant
@@SouthernAlbertaRail on top of getting too hung up on scale I think people also have a tendency to shove too much into a layout, be it track or buildings. I think that's also why people feel that N scale is only good for tight quarters, they want 35 industries on a hollow core door.
Absolutely right!
Impressive layout, I’ll be honest, when I first saw your layout I thought it was HO or even O scale, but now that I know it’s N scale, I am highly impressed. Keep up the great work. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Kyle. I appreciate you stopping by for a look. Cheers!
Very Nice Layout and Explanation of what we are seeing !!! Top Notch All the Way !!! 👍
Thank you very much Dave!
Man....I just love your Layout Grant, you do outstanding scenery work. Nice to see all of the Layout in a video. Bob
Thank you very much Bob!
Spectacular layout. Merry Christmas 🎄
Thank you! And Merry Christmas to you. -grant
Thanks for the full layout tour, it is spectacular. You have done a marvelous job on the scenery. Is it possible to extend the lighting valance in the area that extends past it and gets dark rather than hacking up the layout there? It’s nice that that section is deeper than most of the rest of the layout.
Good question Derek.... Anything is possible but it's not the most practical. Extending the upper lighting valence would hinder operator access to the Burmis crossovers and the log reload on the upper level. I'll cover the renovation and the reasoning when I eventually get at it. Cheers. -grant
Absolutely outstanding grant. I'm in total awh again. Thank you ever so much for sharing with us. Please take care and you and yours have a wonderful blessed holiday.
My pleasure John and thank you. Happy holidays to you and family as well. Take care. -grant
Thanks Grant ... an awesome tour of an awesome layout. Absolute pure inspiration ...and a showcase for some of the advantages of N scale: trains enveloped in scenery; wide, gentle and prototypical curves; longer train lengths; and a real sense of 'working' over the length of a railway. Agree with your thoughts on the reasons for choosing N scale in a larger space. Really looking forward to seeing the continued progress on the SAR - greetings of the season to you and yours.
Glad you enjoyed it AJ. Happy holidays to you and family as well. -grant
It would be really cool if you did a few “how to” videos on how you did things like make your trees and mountains. Everything looks so amazing. Really inspiring for newbies.
Stop over and have a peek at the channel Chad I have a few how to vids on trees, backdrop painting etc. I have a whole pile of detailed videos on specific projects for members as well. Have a Happy New Year! -grant
Nice! and I was told with my 10 to 20 minute runs make my layout large with around 150 to 200 feet of mainline.... Not close at all..
Hey thanks for popping in for a look. Good length of run on your layout as well. Cheers!
Are you in the area yourself or are you American? I note you say "rayroad" like an American! 😄
A tremendous amount of work you've put into this, and to ask for more, I hope we'll see trees in *front* of the trains as well some day. I'm just blown away by the mileage of excellent scenery, thousands of trees, and restraint when it comes to overly dramatic features or dozens of imaginary industries, as we so often see. Also appreciated is the exceptionally clean, well finished staging area treatment - but I could on and on. I enjoyed the visit and look forward to a future trip!
Canadian, I'm a few hours north of the Crowsnest but it's the weird Scottish/Icelandic/Canadian hybrid pronunciation coming through!!. I really appreciate all your observations, especially regarding the staging yard. I wholeheartedly agree on your desire for trains ducking behind trees. Significant progress has been made on the west end of the layout and you will find many instances of just that. Have a peek at some of the latest videos to see the result. Again thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Cheers! -grant
Outstanding. Thanks for sharing your layout.
My pleasure... Thanks for watching!
Wow what a layout. Can't wait to see what you do with all that scenery that you have left.
Thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to getting some prairie scenery on the go. Man can't live on mountains and trees a alone!! Cheers. -grant
Good Job, I model in N-scale and I think it is great for large spaces too.
It sure is John! Thanks for tuning in. -grant
The scenery on your layout puts it in my top three best sceniced layouts. These top three are so close with their excellently well done scenery that I want to say they're all number one on my list. So the scenery on yours and the others are so well done you'll all have to settle on sharing the top spot. I'm just amazed with how exceptionally real your layout scenery looks. The weathering on the locomotives and other rolling stock is extremely well done and just adds to the reality and your model railroad is on my top 5 list of best rolling stock weathering. I'm just amazed everytime I watch your videos. Keep these great videos coming. Stay well. -Wil 👍
Concerning the rather old trees you talked about, they aren't terrible looking by any means. I think they are rather good. I don't know what your plan for them is after you replace them with new trees but I would use them on the layout. In larger forested areas they could be added one here and there to help thicken up the forest and kind of hide them at the same time. Just a suggestion if you think they are worthy of remaining on the layout. 🤷♂️
Thanks a bunch Wil. Wow... really appreciate the commentsl!! When I get around to the reforestation project I will likely keep the trees that are half decent and repurpose them amongst the others as you suggest. I'll be thinning the area out as well. This part of Alberta is pretty windy and the cones have a tough time rooting. All the best. -grant
Everything about this was just way too cool. Well done, sir! Your layout is an inspiration!
Thanks a bunch! I really appreciate the comment. Cheers! -grant
Fantastic layout. Great job and great video.
Thank you very much! Happy Holidays.
Beautiful modeling. N gauge does deliver on scale-of-vastness, but falls short on operations unless using a like-car / unit train switch out approach. To replicate your stunning scenery I just need a 10,000 SF open building. Thank you very much for sharing - extremely enjoyable.
PS: Do you run full scale Operations sessions (asking for a friend)…?
I do have full operating sessions on the layout. Car Card routing is used with individual car numbers but more importantly colour patterns for car blocks for those that can't read N scale numbers. Check out the "Operations" playlist on the channel homepage to see what individual trains do during an op session. -grant
Absolutely fantastic layout! I am speechless.
Thank you very much!
Awesome. Amen to the comments about n-scale. Such great work.
Thanks Jonathan. Cheers!
Wow what an amazing layout...I didn't realize how big this is.
Thanks for stopping by for a visit Tim. Cheers!
Very nice tour and a very nice layout. I really like how the staging is set up and that is black like that to blend it in and kind of hide it, yet its there.
Thanks David. I appreciate you stopping by. Cheers!
It’s hard for me to subscribe in words how amazing your layout really is it’s just breathtaking
Wow.. thanks Sean. I really appreciate that. Cheers! -grant
@@SouthernAlbertaRail your welcome and thank you 😀
Great Layout, thanks for the tour.
Thanks for watching Peter! Cheers. -grant
Absolutely stunning modelling; an incredibly beautiful layout!
Thanks very much, I really appreciate you stopping by! -grant
I have said it before and I will say it again, AWESOME. Totally agree with your comments about N not being just for small spaces. Looking forward to your endeavours in 2022. You and yours have a great Christmas Grant.
Thanks so much Scott! Merry Christmas to you as well. -grant
wow, this is huge, and gorgeous; I did not remember that it was so large from the previous videos.
I don't think I had any over view shots in the 2020 tour. Thanks for watching! -grant
You never disapoint Grant. Another stellar layout tour video. Aways appreciate your narration of the ops too.. Merry Christmas to you and the family!
Thanks Dwayne, really appreciate that. All the best and have a great Christmas. -grant
Grant, it is enjoyable watching your layout, a true masterpiece. Happy Holidays. Cheers
Happy holidays Don! Thanks so much for the comments. -grant
Finally, someone understands N scale. Beautiful layout.
Thanks Larry. Hoping to show a different application of N scale at the least. Cheers! -grant
Thanks for the run through of the entire layout to pull together all the bits and pieces you've been showing this year. I smiled at your comment about some parts being 20+ years old...amazing how quickly those years have gone by. I just replaced some track on mine that was of that vintage myself. Outstanding work and a great representation of what can be done in N-scale. Merry Christmas!
Hey Mark Merry Christmas to you as well!. Yah 20 years goes by pretty quick. Seems like I was just visiting you for the first time checking out the Feather River..... How many versions ago was that??!! Hope all is well and hoping to get to GA in the not too distant future to see what's going on with the latest interpretation.
Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad I found your channel as this is easily my favourite layout of any I have seen - either in real life or on RUclips. Simply stunning. It is so impressive from any angle, from birdseye views or trackside (eg. at 10:24). Merry Christmas to you.
Wow, thanks Peter! I really appreciate you coming along for the ride. Merry Christmas! -grant
awesome layout. your scenery is well done especially the trees
Thank you very much Mark! Cheers.
Yep , that’s incredible!! ,, thanks for the tour Grant , think I may need that magazine 🤙
Thanks a bunch. Glad you enjoyed the trip over the sub. Cheers. -grant
I consider myself one of the lucky ones to have dispatched and operated on this layout. You are spot on in your view that N scale isn’t just for small spaces. And of course, there have been more than a few times that I wished I didn’t dislike rolling stock maintenance, or that there was good 4 axle power in the form of GP9’s and GP38AC’s (not to mention, good running RDC’s) because I know I would love to switch my HO Scale Esquimalt & Nanaimo to N scale…
A great video Grant. Like button was definitely smashed!
Thanks Jon. Hope to be getting back to ops in '22. Thinking with all the changes there may be some re-qualifying required for operators and RTC's!! Cheers Pal and happy holidays.
Thanks. I just needed a SAR fix. I know it's Summer. But I needed a fix. Hope Grant that you are having an awesome Summer.
Not the best summer I've had to be sure but an update for you members is in the works.
Really great stuff! You've really taken advantage of N Scale's potential for enveloping scenery to create a superb setting for the action.
Thumbs up from an HO adherent. Looking forward to more videos.
Thanks a bunch. I really appreciate the comments. Cheers. -grant
Superb, thanks Grant. Inspiration for everyone! Best wishes for Christmas and 2022.
And to you Scott. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Cheers.
F A N T A S T I C Layout! 😻. Greetings from Munich, GERMANY 🇩🇪
Thank you very much Thomas! Cheers! -grant
Love this layout! always eager to see an update come from SAR RR and couldn't agree more with your thoughts of N SCALE GRANT !
Thanks for watching PJ! All the best!
Thanks you for sharing. I had to watch this one twice. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it Vincent.
I enjoyed your video just super beautiful layout it also gives me a boost to continue with my layout
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the ride! Have fun. -grant
Awesome sauce!! Loved the tour. Can't wait to see what you do in 2022!
Thanks John! All the best. -grant