Pere Marquette Old and New

CSX teaser video

2011-06-22T19:41:00.000-04:00

Installed a new Tsunami sound decoder into a CSX Dash-9 today. Here is a short teaser vid...

National Train Day

2011-05-09T08:57:00.001-04:00

Happy National Train Day!

2011-05-06T13:09:00.002-04:00

Sound Decoder in Steamer

2011-05-03T18:07:00.000-04:00

Train Ride Around the Basement

2011-05-02T15:58:00.002-04:00

Silicone

2011-04-26T10:50:00.000-04:00

In the next few days I anticipate actually having a complete circle loop around my layout! Recently I have really gotten busy with trackwork and getting power distributed to the appropriate places. That work is finally starting to pay off. At the moment the layout does have a minor amount of scenery, in the form of some ballasted track and some ground terrain laid, but not much. Once the circle is complete (plus the switching yard), I'll really be able to get going with scenicing.

I've been laying my track in an unconventional way. After watching numerous videos (and reading many magazines) I came up with my own solution that seems to work great. As far as I know, I am the only one who does it this way. First I lay down foam TrackBed from Woodland Scenics. To actually lay the track, I am using DAP clear Silicone Rubber Sealant as a sort-of glue. The old conventional way was with track spikes, but those things can be tedious to take up if necessary. The same can be said for Liquid Nails, which forms an absolute solid and permanent bond. With the silicone, it seals the track in place nicely, but it is a rubbery substance. This allows for expansion and contraction of the track that fluctuates with the seasons due to humidity. And, it is easy to remove the track when required if something needs redone. To top it off, it is completely dry within 30 minutes. A little glossy residue is left when it is dry, but that is covered after ballasting.

Happy Railroading!

Video Update 3

2011-04-21T00:08:00.002-04:00

Tortoise and Hare

2011-04-12T23:50:00.000-04:00

Video Update #2

2011-04-07T17:44:00.002-04:00

Mostly Done

2011-03-09T08:05:00.000-05:00

The benchwork is nearly complete! The tabletop and turntable are in place. All that remains are what I would call touchups. Today I'll be heading back to the lumber yard to see if they have some insulation foam sheets to lay on top of everything.

Tabletop

2011-03-07T22:07:00.000-05:00

Had a great work session today on my benchwork, which is now nearly complete! All the support framework was in place as of yesterday. Today I went down to the lumber yard and got 6 4x4 pieces for the railroad table and started assembly! As it sits now, the benchwork is 3/4 complete.

Tomorrow should be fun. Not only should I complete the benchwork, but I'll be able to put in the turntable! After that is complete I will turn my attention to firming up some of the legs with a few extra pieces of plywood to prevent any movement, and to the fascia. Later this week I will most likely get a good start on the foam layer, followed by trackwork!

It will be nice to have a railroad to run at home again!

Video Layout Update #1

2011-03-04T20:12:00.000-05:00

Amtrak Depot

2011-02-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

Incredible as it may seem, it has been months since I posted a normal blog post! I've been doing a lot of videos lately, and I sure hope you enjoy them.

Layout Update

I'm very nearly to the point where I can build the framework of the new layout. Late last year I did finish the legs. Early this year I was able to map out on the floor exactly where the new layout will sit, and so I painted the wall behind it a shade of blue to give it the impression of a backdrop. Since then I've been finishing up little projects I wanted to complete before putting on my construction hat again.

Every singe one of my Dad's old freight cars has now been weathered and converted over to Kadee couplers, instead of the hook-horn Talgos which were originally on there. It was a fairly big project, but now I have a lot of new "old" cars to run! I did so many, I got very proficient at it, which prompted the how-to video.

My current project is to complete a Walthers Cornerstone Amtrak station kit. It will be one of the main focuses of the new layout, so I wanted to get it going before construction of the benchwork. I've discovered that painted buildings/railroad cars look so much nicer than if they are left in their plastic mold, so I am doing it up with some great Floquil Railroad Colors. They have nearly all the colors you need for your railroad, be it for weathering or normal building shades. I'll definitely post pictures when it is complete.

Last week I had an adventure going to the Ann Arbor train show in Saline. The weather was great, and almost spring-like on the way there. But halfway through the show, the storm hit! A mid-winter blizzard blanketed the area with snow. It was a 3-hour car ride to the show. It took 7 on the way home! 35 on the highway.... The roads were nasty. But the show was fun and I got a number of items I've been looking for.

Catch you all on the flip side!

How To Video #1 - Talgo to Kadee Coupler Conversion

2011-02-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

2010-12-27T16:44:00.000-05:00

Here is a wonderful little video I took during the Muskegon Railroad Historical Society's Christmas Open House of my favorite train in my collection, the Proto 2000 E7 C&O/Pere Marquette.

Once the new year turns over I'll be posting more regular updates. Right now I am on vacation in Florida! :)

2010-12-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I hope you are enjoying the snow. :)

This is a video of the Muskegon Historical Railroad Society's HO layout featuring much of the work I have done over the last few months. I hope you enjoy it!

Christmas Train

2010-12-03T08:28:00.000-05:00

My Polar Express project is now complete. Take a look and listen!

Now that all my Christmas projects are complete I am looking forward to working on my own layout again.

Amtrak Ditch Lights

2010-11-26T16:02:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

Today I finished up a little project to add custom lighting to my Athearn AMD-103 Amtrak phase V locomotive. A few weeks ago I installed the sound decoder (SoundTraxx Tsunami TSU-AT1000 Digital Sound Decoder) but was having difficulty with the lights. After much experimenting I discovered that I was overcharging the voltage the default lights could handle. To replace the burned-out lights I used Miniatronics 1.5 volt 1.2 milimeter incandescent lamps. Even with some of those I used a 270 ohm resistor. The good thing about mini lights and resistors is they are cheap (lights about $10 for a bag of ten and resistors $1 for a 6-pack). The resistors came from Radio Shack, while I had to order the lights online.

Probably the toughest item was to program the Tsunami's CV (configuration variables) table. It does wonders to actually read the manual and to get a good understanding of binary numbers. Here is the list of most of the CV's I am using with this configuration:

CV34 - 10 - Rear light (bell to sound when in reverse with the lights on)
CV36 - 52 - F2 Long Horn (flash the ditch lights simultaneously with the horn)
CV37 - 22 - F3 Short Horn (flash the ditch lights simultaneously with the horn)
CV39 - 6 F5 (turn on/off ditch lights independently of horn)
CV49 - 15 - Hyperlight Effect Select
CV50 - 1 - Backup Light Effect Select
CV51 - 9 - FX5 Effect Select
CV52 - 19 - FX6 Effect Select
CV53 - 0 - FX5B Lighting Control
CV54 - 0 - FX6B Lighting Control
CV57 - 17 - FX5,FX6 Direction Control
CV58 - 0 - FX5,FX6 Lighting Override
CV59 - 2 - Flash Rate

Thanksgiving Lights

2010-11-25T21:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have much to be thankful for this year. I'm a civilian again after 13 years in the Navy; I'm happy to be living back in my hometown; my favorite sports team (Detroit Tigers) did well this year but are looking to do even better next year by already signing a couple of big free agents; I'm a member of a railroad club (something I have been meaning to do for years); and a new layout is underway!

Since my last post I have put much effort into the downtown club's HO layout. Recently I have powered sections of track that haven't seen a running locomotive in probably years. Before there was a "line 1," "line 2," and "line 3" for powered sections of DC trackage. Now there is also a "line 0!" This new section of powered track isn't new at all (except a few track pieces I have replaced) but encompasses part of the yard. Once this little project is complete we finally may be able to do some real operations!

The club owns a customized "Polar Express" train in HO somebody did a pretty nice job with several years ago, kitbashing parts from a Pullman passenger car kit. Even though they were okay, I really wanted to get them looking nice for our upcoming Christmas open house. I took them home and went to work...

Polar Express with Lights and Sound

These cars have been refurbished with a new paint job and customized decals (not stickers like were onboard previously); the interior lighting has been improved and I have added sound. Yes, sound! The end observation car was in a good situation to heavily modify. I milled out a portion of the bottom framework in order to fit a Microsoft Zune 4 GB (the smallest Zune mp3 player size) within the confines of the cabin! I attached a couple (yes, two) speakers to the inside roof and we have music! Now when the train goes around the track, if you listen closely, you will hear Christmas tunes coming from the Polar Express. But that's not all...

In the same end car I added battery-powered flashing red and green lights that were originally part of a necklace. On the outside deck of the car there will be two small children, along with Santa Clause, waving to onlookers along the track. This train will be something to see and hear.

Last weekend was the Lansing train show at Michigan State University. It was advertised as being the biggest in Michigan! I can whole-heartedly agree. It was about double the size of other shows I have attended this year. There were numerous vendors from out of state, which I was happy for since I was able to purchase a number of items that previously had only been available to me online. One item I purchased was an MRC sound decoder which I have now installed into my 2-8-4 Berkshire locomotive. I was so impressed with how it sounded that I immediately got online and purchased another of the same decoder! There are 24 different types of chuff sounds to choose from, and 34 different types of whistles! I choose what I thought sounded right for the steamer and am now enjoying hearing sounds from what used to be a silent runner.

I'm so full of news today I could actually write about a couple more topics, but I will save those for another entry. God bless!

Lighting the Club

2010-11-14T09:20:00.000-05:00

This weekend I spent about 8 hours working on the Muskegon Railroad Historical Society's HO layout, which had fallen into disrepair. A few weeks ago I was honored with the co-chairmanship which gives me the authority to work on the layout; make changes; and and even spend money!

It's an enormous setup, and I have hardly even begun to map it. It takes the typical locomotive about 2 minutes to traverse around it at high speed. There are 3 main lines, with numerous sidings, a large yard and a turntable. The main lines have been used quite a bit, so they work just fine. But there are many problems with the turnouts and sidings that I plan to get working eventually.

This weekend the chore was getting the club layout ready for our Christmas open house. That translates into lights! There are dozens of little lights in the town area, none of which worked. After those 8 hours, I can safely say perhaps half of them do now. After 20 years, that layout has gone through an incredible amount of modifications from different people; none of whom labeled anything. Therefore it was a pain trying to track down the mesh of wires underneath and what exactly led to what. I was finally able to find the town lighting wires, which were left dangling. After installing a couple of new terminal strips to keep things organized (complete with labels this time) I got the wires hooked up.

Now a cafeteria is lit waiting for customers. Street lights line the sides of the roadways as a trolley car passes by. The engine house workers now enjoy bright lighting in their shop. And even the firemen are enthused to show their courage by putting out a flickering fire in a neighborhood board house.

Not all is done, but it is getting there.

Sounds Good

2010-11-11T17:08:00.000-05:00

I'm back in model railroading heaven now that my MRC Prodigy Express is back from the repair shop in New Jersey! It needed a software upgrade (which MRC does for free + shipping and handling) in order for me convert it to the Prodigy Wireless and also use the new computer interface. It's quite a nice DCC setup now! With the wireless I am no longer tethered to the layout, and it is easy to program decoders with the interface.

fitting the decoder inside was not fun

Since I can do Command Control again, I finally got around to putting a couple of the sound decoders I had on the back burner into locomotives! I put a lot of effort into configuring an Atheran AMD-103 (GE P42) and a Proto 2000 E7 and getting them set up correctly. The AMD was somewhat challenging since it required a lot of soldering since I used a drop-in board. A drop-in board means you replace the PC board that was inside the locomotive. It worked fine but I am having some issues with the lights. I had more success with the E7, even though it was a fairly difficult procedure. The Tsunami decoder came with tons of wires hanging off the side. I managed to solder them into an NMRA standard 8-pin terminal that simply plugged into the PC board. After selecting an appropriately-sized speaker, I tried; with much frustration; to put the shell back on the engine. It was not happening. The decoder was too big! After playing with several different variations, I finally found a way to completely close the shell by removing the cab details from the locomotive. The details were not really visible anyway, so I will not miss them. The speaker also had problems going in, but I was able to fit it in the back underneath the PC board by unscrewing a portion of the board from the base. Finally it closed and I was in business.

It sounds good! Listen to it on You Tube!

Slivers and Blisters

2010-11-05T22:41:00.000-04:00

After much planning, I finally got out the power tools and went to work on the new layout's benchwork. I read quite a few articles by Model Railroader and watched some videos by Joe Fugate before deciding exactly on how to proceed. I'm glad I did, because so far it is looking nice!

3 L-girder table legs ready to install

One thing that was very helpful was to make a scale drawing of the legs before collecting materials. I ended up making a 2D paper model of each piece of wood I thought I would need and put them together on graph paper to come up with a sturdy configuration. Using the recommendations from Joe and the magazine, I was able to design a quality product that was easy to put together, even for someone like me who does not really like woodworking. For instance, most measurements are right on the 12-inch line. The lumber cost me about $25 and the nuts/bolts were roughly $50. There are some massive 4-inch long 5/16th bolts securing the structure together!

turntable with example photograph

Now that the legs are complete, I've turned my attention topside. The whole structure will probably go level next week, but just putting a few pieces of wood on the support frame will be easy. The more fun item will be starting to plan the scenery and buildings! The first item in my inventory is the turntable, since it takes up a significant portion of the layout. All together it is 20 x 20 inches, and will need to be made level with the other sections of track (48 inches off the deck). A few weeks ago I purchased an old, beat up turntable but with nice refurbishing possibilities. The process has begun to make it look something more prototypical. I plan to power it with the existing DC motor from my previous layout.

Stay thirsty my friends!

Nuts and Bolts

2010-11-02T17:13:00.000-04:00

I've got my new train table designed and have started collecting the materials needed. The nuts and bolts have been purchased from the local hardware store! The fun part will be the lumber....

Needless to say, benchwork is my least favorite aspect of creating a model railroad. Fortunately there are numerous resources available and I am using my own modification of a Model Railroader Magazine example. As they say in the book, the good news is that the majority of the table will be covered up by scenery and track, so looks are not the primary issue!

Taking the Plunge

2010-10-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

This has been a real model railroading week for me! I've spent many hours working on my own and the club's (Muskegon Railroad Historical Society's) HO layout, which of course gives me great pleasure! I've done a lot of cleaning, fixing, planning, dreaming and building! To top it all off, this weekend I am attending the train show in Kalamazoo! How great is that?

One last time around the LP&T with my 2 steam locos.

As the title suggests, I've gotten busy on my new HO basement layout, the Pere Marquette Old and New. After 30 years of being limited by a 4x8 oval, I finally will have something substantial to play with! After fixing all the cars and locos I wanted to before attempting such a majestic project, I finally started to tear down the LP&T (Leon, Paul & Tim) that has stood the test of time. As a tear rolled down my face, I rode the rails one last time on what was a monument in my life. Check it out on You Tube...

At the moment most of the track has been removed from the base board and the trains have been put away in their original boxes. I have a really nice storage box specifically made for model trains on the way, which should be here tonight, which will hold the rest that I do not have the boxes for. And wouldn't you know it? This morning at a yard sale I ran across a gun storage box complete with foam which is perfect for holding multiple HO locomotives. It is currently storing my pair of E7's and a BL2. Far better than the original destructive purpose the box was originally designed for!

Atlas station platform painted to look realistic

The station platform kit has been completed and put on display. Quite nice for a small model, I would say!

Until next time...

Virtual Reality

2010-10-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

In my college days, and immediately after, I was highly into flight simulations for the PC. I was enthralled with possibility of flying, and doing in on the computer was a lot cheaper! I should know after taking a few flight lessons at Muskegon County Airport. Besides, on the computer you can fly planes that you would never have the opportunity to fly in real life, such as the Wright Flyer, Hindenburg, or even the Space Shuttle. The same can be said of trains. A few train simulations have popped up over the years and really have taken over my virtual reality.

This passed week I used Trainz Simulator 2009 as a design tool to see if my new layout, the Pere Marquette Old and New, would be a viable track plan. Using the software you can put your design in place (even in the correct scale, in my case HO), add scenery elements, and run trains around it! Doing this has turned out to be a good thing, since it turns out that my design, although not flawed, would limit some of the switching options. So I added a piece of track in a couple places to give my new layout nicer operations.

As a result I purchased the new version (Trainz Simulator 2010) and have started modeling Muskegon using Google Maps as an exact guide as to where to lay the tracks. Railroad tracks stand out easily in satellite images and makes it fun to actually put in a real rail design where it is supposed to be.

On the construction side of things, I've nearly completed my passenger station platform. I'll post pictures once it is complete.

Keep modeling!

Design Proposal Beta

2010-10-15T14:57:00.001-04:00

After going through a number of preliminary designs, I've come up with one I am calling my "beta" version. In computer terms, the beta would mean the final design with only minor adjustments to be made before the finished product is announced.

The "Pere Marquette Old and New" will be an HO basement layout with dimensions of 5 feet by 18 feet, and will generally be a dog-bone design with some nice operational possibilities. The track will be Micro Engineering code 83 flex track with Walthers DCC-friendly turnouts (all #6 with the exception of the Wye in the middle). It will be powered by an MRC Prodigy Express - which I plan to upgrade to a wireless soon.

The main focus will be the Amtrak station and bus terminal area. Operational crossing signal lights will announce the coming of a train, and traffic stoplights will be alternating between green, yellow and red. In back of the parking lot between the station and bus terminal is a 6" track reserved for a display caboose. Nearby is a sand dune, tulip park and windmill. In case you haven't figured it out, this area is roughly based on Holland, Michigan.

Heading westward down the street is plenty of room for track-side business and industry. They will conveniently hide a manhole to allow for easy access to the middle of the layout. Up north there is ample switching yards and storage space. One item I have always wanted was a bridge, which will come to fruition with this design. A turntable and engine maintenance facility including a coaling tower with water and sand is to the east.

I've gone through my proposal with a fine-tooth comb and can find little wrong with it. Of course, I'm looking at it through loving eyes that has worked on the design for hours. If you have any suggestions please let me know. The new track is already on its way! Walthers loves me!

TYCO Penn Central Alco 430

2010-10-14T22:17:00.000-04:00

TYCO Alco 430

The TYCO is the oldest loco in my fleet, purchased by my Dad in the early 1970's which is what got him - and as a result - me into the hobby. About a year ago I started to refurbish the unit by cleaning off the dust and "yellow crap" that had built up on it over the years. I cleaned the electrical contact wheel sets with a wire brush and oiled the motor unit/moving parts. After cleaning out some gunk and a run on my test track it was ready to go. I replaced the lamp and hook-horn couplers with Kadee #5's. After 40 years, this gem of a diesel runs better than ever and was well worth the loving care! I'm proud to have this museum piece operational again.

Today I ordered much of the track needed for my new layout. I'll be using Micro Engineering Code 83 flex track and Walthers DCC-friendly turnouts. I also got started with a passenger platform shed kit I've had for years and never had the ambition to do anything with it! No longer!

Pere Marquette Old and New

2010-10-13T19:25:00.000-04:00

I must admit to a certain fascination with the Pere Marquette railroad line. One of my earliest run-ins with it was making a trip across Lake Michigan on the Pere Marquette 41 car ferry, known as the "City of Midland." Knowing what I know now about that ship, it was an absolute privilege to ride while it was still operating passenger service. These days it is a barge.

Union Depot in Muskegon, Michigan

It doesn't hurt that the rail line ran through my home town of Muskegon, Michigan until it eventually ended up as the Chesapeake and Ohio and CSX. I can barely remember the small passenger trains that ran from Muskegon across the causeway to destinations I thought were days away. But my own experience with the line were not the first in my family. My Great Grandparents arrived in Muskegon for the first time at the Union Depot, probably on a Pere Marquette. My Grandpa used to ride Muskegon's Interurban trolley system on a frequent basis. My Mom took the train directly from Muskegon to Chicago via Holland on her way to college. I, myself, take the Amtrak train whenever I can and have ridden the "Pere Marquette" on numerous occasions out of Holland and Grand Rapids (and even on to Seattle via the "Empire Builder." I would much rather ride a train than fly in a plane.

Berkshire 2-8-4 steam locomotive PM#1223 in Grand Haven

For all these reasons, I have decided to model the Pere Marquette in both historic and modern times. Of course, modern times means Amtrak, which took over passenger operations in 1971. Many rail fans have a disdain for the government-run railroad, but I am grateful that a passenger service is still running in the United States so that I can experience part of what used to be the only way to travel great distances without benefit of animal power. But I also want to model the Pere Marquette in all its glory. In 1947 the railway was just starting the diesel streamliners, but steam was still going to be a common sight for years to come. Passenger ridership was on its way up then, just as it is now.

The "Pere Marquette Old & New" will be appearing in a basement near you sometime soon! I've decided to make it an HO layout with the dimensions of 5x18, powered by DCC. I'm going through preliminary designs for the layout and it is looking good! I can't wait to see the E7 streamliner going through a sand dune of West Michigan, a Berkshire being filled with coal, or the modern Amtrak hauling a full load passed the Holland windmill! This will be fun.

The LP&T Lake Hinge

2010-10-13T16:14:00.000-04:00

The LP&T Lake Hinge

My current basement HO layout, which has been in existence since about 1975, is named the LP&T Lake Hinge. It's named after Leon, Paul and Tim; the designers and primary user of the model railroad. My Dad and older brother designed and built it (since I was about 8 years old at the time). I distinctly remember being fascinated with the trains as they passed on the track. Once adolescence took hold, I ran "train races" which I utterly regret. When I entered high school the trains sat collecting dust for over 20 years until my Navy career was nearly over.

Operating Crossing Signal Lights

In 2008, Ryan Anderson's Model Railcast podcast came along and reinvigorated my railroad juices, and I decided to get the layout operational again. It was completely refurbished with new track, power, wiring, locomotives, rolling stock and control panel. I also introduced the turntable, which was not there previously. It is a somewhat cramped design, but functional nonetheless if you have small trains. Most of the turn radius's are 15 inches but it does dip to 10 in some flex track. I have no problems running my USRA 0-8-0 on it. Lake Hinge is a manhole that opens from the bottom (on a hinge, get it?) to allow easy access to the middle of the layout. The set features functioning crossing signals on the main street and operating turntable. It is made entirely of Atlas code 100 track with remote turnouts in DC blocks.

After working this layout for over 2 years and collecting much knowledge on model railroading, I decided to make a completely new HO layout in the basement to replace the LP&T. This one will be much larger to accommodate the large vehicles I like to run (Pullman heavyweights, Amtrak Superliners, etc). This blog is a running record on the project with the occasional modeling tip. I hope you enjoy it!