I really like the new freelance design take! The GP-10 scheme looks awesome! The functioning RCO equipment is really cool on the switcher! Keep up the great work!
Wow John you have been busy. The locomotives look fantastic! The SR paint scheme on all the locomotives is awesome and very prototypical looking. I know exactly what you are saying about trying to take apart the IM GP10, I think I broke every handrail and even the number boards when I tried to remove them before painting mine. I know it was a pain, but the results were well worth it. Your weathering on the GP10 is spot on with the oil streaks down the long hood and rust from the battery box. Really nice work also on the 1001 locomotive, red is a great color for a locomotive.😉 The new backdrops help your layout look more finished and work well for your plans. I can't wait to come back and operate on your layout with the signals now and all you have done in the past months.-Tom
Thanks Tom! It’s been a lot of work but starting to pay off. The signaling system was a BEAR but it’s really cool and works in a very prototypical way. Really hope you make it down sometime soon. Ops has changed so much over the past year. Talk soon!
Hi John, yes the wiring the signals looked like a lot of work (man that was a lot of wires for just a couple of signals) but thankfully you had some excellent help. The next step is getting Chris P. at Home Shops to make some cars for you, I know lots of people would buy one. Talk to you soon.-Tom
I’m so excited to see your newest video. I love your layout and everything that you do. You inspire and motivate me. I think that your one of the best. And are in the group of model railroaders. I know that you’re busy with life and work like the rest of us. I watch your videos over and over and like all the tips you give & where get products from. Layout looks awesome and getting better with every video
Thank You very much Steve for the kind words… that really makes all of the videos worth it… I really have a passion for this hobby and if I can help others and pass along the magic, that’s awesome. Thanks again! -John
@@RailserveJohn John I looked at my reply and I forgot to put in the spot in a elite group of model railroaders Lance Mindheim & Pelle Soeborg I’m sure that you know who they are or have heard of them. All of your videos are awesome, even if you do one in shorts. I’m sure that they’re time consuming & take away from your limited time for working on your layout. And I just wanted to thank you for making them and sharing them with everyone on RUclips. Can’t wait for your next one. Until then have have fun on your layout. I hope that my last question doesn’t upset you but how’s your Father in-laws layout coming along? Because I enjoyed the videos that you made at the start of it. Thanks again & for responding to my comment. I really appreciate it. Happy Model Railroading & layout progression.
Newbie to the hobby: Hey, should I try this hobby? John: It took me a year to work on this one locomotive. Newbie: I’ll collect coins, thanks. Absolutely incredible work John. Those locos turned out great. I admire you and Thomas and anyone else who can create their own road name successfully.
Hahaha well…. This is a result of me overthinking every step and having to rebuilt almost everything lol thank though. It’s something new with the freelance and hopefully it will be as believable as Thomas Split Rock
Hey John! Everything looks good. I like the freelance route you are taking and the locos turned out great. Looking forward to the next update. Be well!
love how you displayed those trains on the shelves! awesome signals. i was unfamiliar with the SW1000. great update and the layout is looking outstanding :)
Thanks John! I had to remove one shelf for the backdrop. The SW1000 is a neat little loco. Very similar to the 1500 with a single stack and slightly different radiator grills. Thanks for watching bud
Very nicely done. I like the signals and would have to find an excuse... er, "reason" for signals on a layout myself, I admit lol. Your theory adds good logic to the scenes on either side... The motive power turned out exceptionally nice. I like the strobes with different flash rates for each (very prototypical). The old Paducah-rebuild is something I am familiar with, for we used three of those old geeps when I was on a civilian transportation contract at Ft. Campbell (I shot a lot of images in the cab, as well as exterior images from switching on post and making the run to the CSX interchange in Hopkinsville, KY). The yellow-striped burgundy on those units looked pretty good and they still had the old "non-rotating" four-lamp beacons on the roof. Someone mentioned adding an old SD or two and I could see that, as well (SD7/9's aren't huge and would fit in...). I remember well spending months on different Santa Fe units (CF7's before anything more than a shell was available) and an Espee SD9 (blue-box Athearn with most details shaved/replaced) years ago. Glad to see there is still some that enjoy the same kind of detailing when it's not available rtr. Your units definitely make this prototype-freelancing look very much "right". Well done!
Thank you! I really appreciate that! I love the SD9s…. 6 axle but still relatively short body… could very well be an option…. And with the next “little” addition I have planned, I will need some good traction power lol thanks again for watching
I like it 👌. Ive been using those cork mats too. I find them at hobby lobby. They're about half the thickness of regular roadbed, but affordable and more available.
John - great work! I will say that the wiring is not up to aviation specs...but it seems to work! 😂Love the engines and weathering on them as well. Thanks for the update and fly safe.
At the transload facility that unloads road salt....throw some small tanks and hoses in. At work we spot car cars of road brine that gets put into tanks for winter. Might add another dynamic to that siding....
@@RailserveJohn I know the feeling. I watched your video and decided to do a proto2000 switcher, but I used the life like version and there is no room in that shell for anything and so a year later I still haven’t finished being creative enough to finish it.
Lol yea it’s total overkill for my layout by why not lol it’s FUN. And oh yeah more signals… already have something planned where another control point will be required lol
Great progress, John! The backdrops are very interesting and look good. The tree line is very well done. And what the heck are the materials in the big piles supposed to be? Of course your locos are world class stuff. Cheers from Wisconsin!
I seen how difficult the Intermountain one are and the Walthers ones are no different nothing but glue bombs lol. The paint schemes are awesome and simple but all look great 👍
John, I love your progress and thank you for the update. The signals are cool but is that section of track thru the closet a mainline used by a class one in addition to your shortline railroad? Just curious why an industrial railroad would need such hi-tech newer style signals. Normally if the track is just used by a single industrial railroad, a track warrant is all that is needed. Keep up the good work and updates. Jim Leighty CNY&NE RR.
Holy Smokes John, it all looks amazing. Love the Geep and the RCO switcher too, the detail is without equal. Are you planning more road units or even some old SD series units? If so, a former MILW SD10 or Illinois Central SD20 would be a good fit with that GP. Cheers Rob
They were rebuild programs of the parent roads for the old sd7/9 and for the IC even sd24 and 35s were used as doners. so many varations we used, different fuel tanks, fan arrangements and sizes. A lot to choose from. Look at a lot of pics and see if any of them look like what you are after. @@RailserveJohn
2:11 To me the (very unnecessary) paper-backdrop cars, being furthest behind the real (model) track and switcher should be smaller since they're furthest away.. Instead they appear larger than the model as if they're near S scale..And along with that, the mounds of (is it ?) ore, too, look unrealistically huge... But I'm entering this a year late. So perhaps things have changed anyway, since then...
Great video John, the layout looks amazing and the freelance theme is top shelf! One question for you, do you know of any suppliers that make the vertical handrail stanions (?) I’m making my own handrails, grab irons, etc. I’m working on a SW1, a Walthers product. Thanks, Scott L
absolutely love your layout. The freelance idea is great and with you modeling skills looks very believable. Love the switchers and that weathered up gp10 looks great. By the way, I've heard you mention work in some of your videos. Are you a pilot? some of your comments sounded like you were on a pilot schedule. lol
Hey sr is there any way to get in touch with Don and Mark so I could ask those guys to work on a signaling system for me it would be for hire of course you guys should put a company together that specializes specializes
I really like the new freelance design take! The GP-10 scheme looks awesome! The functioning RCO equipment is really cool on the switcher! Keep up the great work!
Thank you! The RCO unit is my favorite
That GP10 is absolutely beautiful! The logo, the weathering, looks amazing. Great work!
Thanks! I am really happy with the way it turned out.
Thanks for continually being an inspiration. All your hard work has been paying off
Thank you! I really appreciate that!
As someone who has just repainted an Intermountain GP10, I felt your pain.
Lol! A sure test of one’s sanity! They are worth it though. Nice models
All three of those locos are phenomenal. What an amazing job.
Wow John you have been busy. The locomotives look fantastic! The SR paint scheme on all the locomotives is awesome and very prototypical looking. I know exactly what you are saying about trying to take apart the IM GP10, I think I broke every handrail and even the number boards when I tried to remove them before painting mine. I know it was a pain, but the results were well worth it. Your weathering on the GP10 is spot on with the oil streaks down the long hood and rust from the battery box. Really nice work also on the 1001 locomotive, red is a great color for a locomotive.😉 The new backdrops help your layout look more finished and work well for your plans. I can't wait to come back and operate on your layout with the signals now and all you have done in the past months.-Tom
Thanks Tom! It’s been a lot of work but starting to pay off. The signaling system was a BEAR but it’s really cool and works in a very prototypical way. Really hope you make it down sometime soon. Ops has changed so much over the past year. Talk soon!
Hi John, yes the wiring the signals looked like a lot of work (man that was a lot of wires for just a couple of signals) but thankfully you had some excellent help.
The next step is getting Chris P. at Home Shops to make some cars for you, I know lots of people would buy one.
Talk to you soon.-Tom
I’m so excited to see your newest video. I love your layout and everything that you do. You inspire and motivate me. I think that your one of the best. And are in the group of model railroaders. I know that you’re busy with life and work like the rest of us. I watch your videos over and over and like all the tips you give & where get products from. Layout looks awesome and getting better with every video
Thank You very much Steve for the kind words… that really makes all of the videos worth it… I really have a passion for this hobby and if I can help others and pass along the magic, that’s awesome. Thanks again! -John
@@RailserveJohn John I looked at my reply and I forgot to put in the spot in a elite group of model railroaders Lance Mindheim & Pelle Soeborg I’m sure that you know who they are or have heard of them. All of your videos are awesome, even if you do one in shorts. I’m sure that they’re time consuming & take away from your limited time for working on your layout. And I just wanted to thank you for making them and sharing them with everyone on RUclips. Can’t wait for your next one. Until then have have fun on your layout. I hope that my last question doesn’t upset you but how’s your Father in-laws layout coming along? Because I enjoyed the videos that you made at the start of it. Thanks again & for responding to my comment. I really appreciate it. Happy Model Railroading & layout progression.
excellent, beautiful paint design and perfect detailing work, congratulations
Thank you! I’m enjoying the new locomotives!
Wow John incredible progress since I've "tuned-in" love it!
Lol thanks Bernard
Love the switchers, signals, sound, everything about it, great video!!! Sub'd up! -Ken
Thank you! I appreciate you watching
Outstanding on every level! Looks Great John.
Thank you!
Those backdrops really bring things to life... and love the GP10!
Thanks! Everyone seems to love the Geep lol
Thanks John. Looking great.
Thanks John!
Thank you for sharing. Very nice update.👍
Thank you!
Looking awesome! I love the hopper transload area.
Thanks! It is a fun place for ops!
Newbie to the hobby: Hey, should I try this hobby?
John: It took me a year to work on this one locomotive.
Newbie: I’ll collect coins, thanks.
Absolutely incredible work John. Those locos turned out great. I admire you and Thomas and anyone else who can create their own road name successfully.
Hahaha well…. This is a result of me overthinking every step and having to rebuilt almost everything lol thank though. It’s something new with the freelance and hopefully it will be as believable as Thomas Split Rock
Those locos look amazing John! Nice work on everything else too.
Thanks Roy! Been almost a year since I was working on that loco on discord during X mas lol
That red SW1000 looks amazing, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! It’s a great loco!
Looking great john.👍As the saying goes..haste makes waste..
Thanks! Absolutely!
Great work on the diesels John…nice signaling system…someday I’ll get there
Thanks Anthony! I’ll tell you… the signal system was a steep learning curve… but it’s a lot of fun so far.
Hey John! Everything looks good. I like the freelance route you are taking and the locos turned out great. Looking forward to the next update. Be well!
Thanks Pat! Lots of work on these locos. It’s good to hear they are well received. Cheers!
love how you displayed those trains on the shelves! awesome signals. i was unfamiliar with the SW1000. great update and the layout is looking outstanding :)
Thanks John! I had to remove one shelf for the backdrop. The SW1000 is a neat little loco. Very similar to the 1500 with a single stack and slightly different radiator grills. Thanks for watching bud
Love that you are using a GP10. Great work on that unit!
Thanks! It is for sure a fan favorite
your detailing, weathering, and livery design on your loco fleet is excellent!!! really like the backdrop with the line of freight cars neat idea!!!👍
Thanks! Im happy with the locos
This is a great update. The freelance scheme looks fantastic. The lettering is a good choice for a modern shoreline. The details are excellent too
Thank you! I’m really enjoying the new freelance venture..
Very nicely done. I like the signals and would have to find an excuse... er, "reason" for signals on a layout myself, I admit lol. Your theory adds good logic to the scenes on either side... The motive power turned out exceptionally nice. I like the strobes with different flash rates for each (very prototypical). The old Paducah-rebuild is something I am familiar with, for we used three of those old geeps when I was on a civilian transportation contract at Ft. Campbell (I shot a lot of images in the cab, as well as exterior images from switching on post and making the run to the CSX interchange in Hopkinsville, KY). The yellow-striped burgundy on those units looked pretty good and they still had the old "non-rotating" four-lamp beacons on the roof. Someone mentioned adding an old SD or two and I could see that, as well (SD7/9's aren't huge and would fit in...). I remember well spending months on different Santa Fe units (CF7's before anything more than a shell was available) and an Espee SD9 (blue-box Athearn with most details shaved/replaced) years ago. Glad to see there is still some that enjoy the same kind of detailing when it's not available rtr. Your units definitely make this prototype-freelancing look very much "right". Well done!
Thank you! I really appreciate that! I love the SD9s…. 6 axle but still relatively short body… could very well be an option…. And with the next “little” addition I have planned, I will need some good traction power lol thanks again for watching
I like it 👌. Ive been using those cork mats too. I find them at hobby lobby. They're about half the thickness of regular roadbed, but affordable and more available.
Yes they work out really nice!
The backdrops are fantastic!
Thank you!
John - great work! I will say that the wiring is not up to aviation specs...but it seems to work! 😂Love the engines and weathering on them as well. Thanks for the update and fly safe.
Lol well good thing I’m no A&P lol you too!
@@RailserveJohn 😂 Neither am I!
Looks awesome. Keep up the great work 👍🏻
Thank you!
Very nice update. Looking good!
Thanks Bradley! Thanks for watching!
Whoa I thought that was real on the first frame. I honestly didn’t know it was a model or real train car channel. Nicely done.
Thank you!
Nice looking layout! Just read the article about your layout in GMR 2024 and subscribed to your channel.
Thank you for following along!
wow amazing you are really good at building everything
Thanks Dwight!
The locos & layout are looking awesome!
Thanks Bill!
Super cool! Looking forward to more
Thank you!
At the transload facility that unloads road salt....throw some small tanks and hoses in. At work we spot car cars of road brine that gets put into tanks for winter. Might add another dynamic to that siding....
Ohhh interesting… what type of cars does the brine come in?
@RailserveJohn MBLX tanks I believe. Older ones. I can get you some exact reporting marks when we get one
I really like the liveries, especially the GP10. Looking forward to seeing them doing some ops in the future. Stunning work.
Thank you! Looking forward to running them
The locos are fantastic, so good.
Thanks! These locos were a test of my sanity lol especially the GP10 lol
@@RailserveJohn I know the feeling. I watched your video and decided to do a proto2000 switcher, but I used the life like version and there is no room in that shell for anything and so a year later I still haven’t finished being creative enough to finish it.
You should add more signaling!! :)
I definitely do not NEED any signaling, but I cannot see myself not having any signaling on the layout.
Lol yea it’s total overkill for my layout by why not lol it’s FUN. And oh yeah more signals… already have something planned where another control point will be required lol
@@RailserveJohn when you get it all finished, I am happy to let you setup my JMRI/CATS configuration.
@@HumancityJunction lol would be happy to help.
Aweome work on th GP. Love the update!
Thanks! The GP10 runs really well
Looks great - love the livery
The Layout and the SR Locos look great! Especially the GP10, will look great in an Ops session. - Paul
Thanks Paul. I’m sure it will be a desired choice on ops sessions
Thanks for another video........ it's been awhile for video fix
Thanks! It’s been too long
A real nice scene with a single light
Thanks!
Great progress, John! The backdrops are very interesting and look good. The tree line is very well done. And what the heck are the materials in the big piles supposed to be? Of course your locos are world class stuff. Cheers from Wisconsin!
Thanks Andrew! That scene with the piles is along a river and might be ore? Or some type of red dirt lol
@@RailserveJohn Maybe New Jersey has a new volcano forming. 🙂
Looking good!
Thanks Cam!
Love the look of that gp10
Thanks! I was hoping it would look good in white. I’m happy with it.
In putting together systems for model railroad thanks
I seen how difficult the Intermountain one are and the Walthers ones are no different nothing but glue bombs lol. The paint schemes are awesome and simple but all look great 👍
Lol thanks Thomas. I’m happy with the results. It’s not easy to come up with a design and actually stick with it.
Great layout excellent work do you guys work on signing system for hire software etc thanks
Thanks! Oh I don’t know enough to plan someone else’s set up. It still very new to me.
Looks great!
Thank you!
Always good to hear from you John! Looks great! What paint do you use for your equipment?
Thanks John! I use Tru Color paint on my locos. My advise if you try it, use their thinner, and use Acetone to clean your brush.
Thanks John!
Hi
Hello
John, I love your progress and thank you for the update. The signals are cool but is that section of track thru the closet a mainline used by a class one in addition to your shortline railroad? Just curious why an industrial railroad would need such hi-tech newer style signals. Normally if the track is just used by a single industrial railroad, a track warrant is all that is needed. Keep up the good work and updates. Jim Leighty CNY&NE RR.
Thanks. Yes I’m theory the yard exits onto the current NS Lehigh line then exits onto the Industrial complex
John, check out my layout starting on Page 32 of the October Model Railroader! ~Jim
I love the livery @ 8:27 (Ghosting) on the GP-10. The paint job is excellent as well. They all look awesome! Cheers ~ Boomer.👍
Thanks! It seems to be a favorite lol
Holy Smokes John, it all looks amazing. Love the Geep and the RCO switcher too, the detail is without equal. Are you planning more road units or even some old SD series units? If so, a former MILW SD10 or Illinois Central SD20 would be a good fit with that GP. Cheers Rob
Thanks Rob! I’d like to add some more larger units… I will have to look into these SDs!
They were rebuild programs of the parent roads for the old sd7/9 and for the IC even sd24 and 35s were used as doners. so many varations we used, different fuel tanks, fan arrangements and sizes. A lot to choose from. Look at a lot of pics and see if any of them look like what you are after. @@RailserveJohn
2:11 To me the (very unnecessary) paper-backdrop cars, being furthest behind the real (model) track and switcher should be smaller since they're furthest away.. Instead they appear larger than the model as if they're near S scale..And along with that, the mounds of (is it ?) ore, too, look unrealistically huge...
But I'm entering this a year late. So perhaps things have changed anyway, since then...
It was a temporary solution for a temporary section of layout. Sorry if the unrealistic appearance offended you….
Great video John, the layout looks amazing and the freelance theme is top shelf! One question for you, do you know of any suppliers that make the vertical handrail stanions (?) I’m making my own handrails, grab irons, etc. I’m working on a SW1, a Walthers product.
Thanks, Scott L
Thanks Scott! My go to for this stuff is KV models. He used to sell on eBay but now through a website. If you Google KV Models it will pop right up.
absolutely love your layout. The freelance idea is great and with you modeling skills looks very believable. Love the switchers and that weathered up gp10 looks great. By the way, I've heard you mention work in some of your videos. Are you a pilot? some of your comments sounded like you were on a pilot schedule. lol
Thanks for watching! Yes I am. My schedule gets a little hectic sometimes
Cool. Same here
Nice. So where will the interchange with the Riverside Transfer will be? I caught the last half of Heath's live steam.
Thanks for watching. We will swap some cars through the network :)
John , did you use the electronic stuff from Atlas to control the signals , looks fantastic
Thanks James. No, it all runs through my NCE system into the computer then though JMRI.
Hey sr is there any way to get in touch with Don and Mark so I could ask those guys to work on a signaling system for me it would be for hire of course you guys should put a company together that specializes specializes
I’d be happy to help answer any questions on the current set up I’m using
Ooh, nice, two different locmotive color schemes.
Yeah lol indecisive me
What region does the Somerset & Raritan reside? Sounds very NJ
Sure is! The line takes place “in theory” between Manville and South Plainfield.
@@RailserveJohn That’s about 40 minutes from me. Always liked the idea of the freelance railroad, yours is looking good. 👍
@@rscott417 thanks! I grew up in Somerset.
I thought the video was real for a second 😂
Lol thanks
Save me a sticker
Looks great! My favorite in the GP10. Can’t wait to operate soon.
Already set aside lol
The Geep sounds the best
I dig when the lights work also! Looking great. 👍🫵✌️
Thanks bud!
I'm a new subscriber. I saw you on Human[c]ity Junction live stream. Nice work on your models. ;-)
Thank you!