Awesome pictures once again CY.

Don't forget the buffer cars between the loaded cars, especially those with rolling equipment such as cranes...

Now, you need a couple rusted hoppers or boxcars

Flat cars can do if visibility is needed (like before the schnabel) for the caboose crew.

Stephane

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Playing with toys since 1970, now building them.

Grigory, most common model train scales are HO (1:87) and O (also called Lionel: 1:48).

Because O scale is very close to 1:50, they match quite well in dioramas, especially when different vehicles (I mean O scale trains and 1:50 trucks).

That allows making dio s as CY does, which would be otherwise impossible unless you kitbashed all equipment yourself.

If you are interrested by train stuff in O scale, Lionel, Atlas and MTH are all manufacturers doing great stuff in North American railroad stuff.

Stephane

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Playing with toys since 1970, now building them.

Atlas

MTH

Lionel

Here you go!

Then ebay must has plenty too, likely in Europe which may be more accessible for you.

S.

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Playing with toys since 1970, now building them.

Evening Graham....I see you have the bug bad there....LOL

Is it that obvious? lol

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Why is "phonetically" spelt with a "ph"?

... It's better to be silent and thought a fool, then to speak up and remove all doubt

The complex of Newgrange was originally built between c. 3100 and 2900 BC,[2] meaning that it's aproximately 5,000 years old. According to Carbon-14 dates,[3] it is more than 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, and predates Stonehenge by about 1,000 years.

Hi Stephane, thanks for the comments. I did have the flat car between the locomotive and the Schnabel, but it was loaded w/ containers, maybe I should have dropped it down to one 20 foot container. Excellent follow up on the O scale resource links.

Take care and I hope your summer continues to rock!

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Hi Gbarnewall, thanks so much for the wonderful comment and your awesome pics. Those Atlas O scale engines are fantastic, I love the detail. I wasn't able to find much in the way of non-powered engines, but I'm really impressed with my Atlas caboose.

I also started looking for an engine to pair with a WSI truck where the haulier normally deals in train transport which is neat that you started out the same way. I have been worried that I will switch over to the "powered" side, but thankfully my apt will limit any expansion plans.

Your Cat demonstrator from Nevada looks awesome. I was thinking about the Cat liveried EMD SD70ace, but passed as it isn't a true livery and I don't have enough Cat equipment to do enough unique train setups.

The dual crane lift on your engine is awesome as well. What material is the support bars under the trucks made of?

Thanks again for all of your comments. Take care and all the best.

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Oh that lift was many moons ago now , I used brass box section,can't recall what size,in around 4-5mm square,then styrene tube that fit snugly inside the brass box section,glued on thin styrene discs on each end and painted it in grey primer,simulated a lifting beam quite nicely,

I also have that Cat liveried EMD SD70,I later read that in around the time that Cat was buying EMD a license was given to MTH to commission a set number of CAT liveried engines,I think it was a one shot deal so no more will be made after,usually the manufacturers will go back to do a certain engine in the same road name every few years,

I was lucky to pick up the demonstrator version too,I was flat broke when they came up in the catalogue,manufacturers put the feelers out through shops,they gather pre-order numbers then make that amount so a lot of the time that run of engines sells out quickly,sometimes if the shop feels that it will be a good seller they may order in 5 or 10 more,so you can get lucky to pick up either one of those or a cancelled order,then there seems to be a lot more 3 railers than 2 railers,

The Atlas stuff is the best in terms of detail,the twin stacks I have are unbelievable,90% diecast,satin finish to the paint,details as crisp as you can get,super fine lettering all round,there is a good solid weight to them which helps the engine when running at very low speeds,you kinda get a realistic feel as the train rumbles past,

The MTH engines are also great,plastic ABS bodies(yes plastic!! -ducks-) making the detailing super crisp too,opening doors and see through vents and grills,the truck sides are my only gripe with the SD70's,I wonder if someone makes a more realistic truck side as they just bolt on,

You should really get even the simple transformer set up,just to hear the sound of the EMD's two stroke engine,you will need MTH's DCS system to get the full range of controls,you can have the engine parked and throttle it up notch by notch,the roar of the two stroke is amazing,then throttling down is just as good if not better,

I'm trying at the moment to get a steam engine, a 2 rail SP GS-4 Daylight,the problem with steam engines is the price,usually 2 1/2 to 3 times the price of a powered diesel,then the minimum operating radius can hold you back,this is where 3 rail is king

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Why is "phonetically" spelt with a "ph"?

... It's better to be silent and thought a fool, then to speak up and remove all doubt

The complex of Newgrange was originally built between c. 3100 and 2900 BC,[2] meaning that it's aproximately 5,000 years old. According to Carbon-14 dates,[3] it is more than 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, and predates Stonehenge by about 1,000 years.

Hi ChandlerYohn,

Which type of switch track(s) did you use for this diorama?

Thanks,
Farrell

Hi Farrell, the track sections are all MTH. The switch sections are loads from 60 foot flat cars and lack the components to activate from an electronic switch. I thought they would be a simpler alternative for a static display. Similarly the straight sections are also loads from MTH flat cars (4x per car).

I hope this helps. Take care and all the best.

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