BNSF Covered Hoppers from Atlas

Perfect for the Grandkids layout

20 003 202	BNSF (Gray w/Orange/Black Logo)¥	405625
20 003 203	BNSF (Gray w/Orange/Black Logo)¥	405648
20 003 204	BNSF (Gray w/Orange/Black Logo)¥	405649

My Inventory Is Growing

I have been using the program called "Yard Office" to log my inventory of Locomotives and rolling stock that I have collected to support my hobby of model railroading. I have managed to log in all the stock into this program which allows me to print off a wide variety of reports. I can also create custom reports. so my every need is met with information on my stock at my fingertips. I have concentrated primarily on HO scale and supplemented my inventory with G scale to occupy my summers. There is a large G scale track out in my backyard.

Lately however, I have become interested in N scale. I began by creating a coffee table layout featuring an Ann Arbor freight train. The layout is progressing along and will provide me with a lot more hours of enjoyment as I complete the landscaping.

I have planned a new much larger N scale layout that is still in the planning stages. My plan is to have two tracks powered by separate transformers allowing each track to run a train independently. The first track I have already decided will be a Canadian National freight train I have already began to accumulate the rolling stock and the track to support this effort.

The second track I have not yet began to plan out so far I was thinking a passenger train would be nice.
I began pricing the passenger cars in N scale and discovered the cost is a bit prohibitive. so I am still wide open as to what the second track would run.

Lastly I began putting together an HO layout for my grand kids. Its a BNSF freight train. So far I have been working on creating a model of their house and barn.

 

My Grandchildren's Layout

This weekend, my grandchildren came over for a visit. I had their BNSF HO layout all set up for them to play with. I had purchased two cars before they came over one was a BNSF 50 foot gondola with it's own scrap metal load and the other was a BNSF 50 foot boxcar. My grand kids, Billy and Emma had fun playing with the throttle controlling the speed and stops the train was making. They also had fun placing people on the layout.

When we are playing with the train we talk all about the train and where it goes across the United States. They are learning Geography and all about railroad operations and they don't even mind. I even discussed my plan to create an N scale Canadian National layout. This caught their interest because they have relatives in Canada.

My grand kids are not strangers to model railroading, they have watched me create a large HO scale layout featuring a New York Central Passenger train and an Ann Arbor freight train.

The Great Debate

I have been debating what scale I should concentrate on. So far I have built a large HO scale layout on my sun porch, a large G scale layout in my back yard, and a small N scale coffee table layout in my library. I have two layouts in the planning stages a large N scale layout and a smaller HO scale layout for my grandchildren.

The N scale layout is the Canadian National layout I have been talking a lot about lately. with it I can cover a lot more scale miles and have a greater variety of landscapes and structures. I have already begun to accumulate the parts such as track and cars to put the layout together.

The HO scale layout is not so far along I have a small amount of track, enough to run a small oval, and a BNSF locomotive and caboose along with a boxcar, gondola, and 3 bay hopper. there are also some street signs and telephone poles that I can integrate into the layout. The grandchildren seem to like it and we have talked about buying a barn and a farmhouse for the layout as well.

What do you think I should concentrate on?

My HO Layout Is Enhanced

Now that I have all three GP38's from the Ann Arbor Locomotive roster, I have completed my Ann Arbor freight train that I have been putting together for around five years. I was finally able to find the GP38 locomotive road number #7771 from a private owner I met on the internet. We arrived at a fair price and he mailed it to me. The locomotive is now on my layout and is pulling the freight cars. The last piece of unfinished business is that the GP38 locomotive road number #7802 is currently being repaired at Brasseur's Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan. Once the repair is complete, I will have all three GP38's, road numbers, #7771, #7791 and #7802, on the layout pulling my freight train.

Another Locomotive In Need Of Repair

My New York Central ALCO PA unit broke down. The PB unit is still working just fine. I will have to take the PA unit to Brasseur Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan for repair. I already have an Ann Arbor GP38 there for repair to have the can motor replaced. It looks like I am having trouble keeping my locomotives running. The PA unit is getting the electricity to the motor but the motor is not running. I just don't know what the problem might be, but I hope I don't need to replace the motor in this locomotive as well.   

I Finally Took Back My Ann Arbor EMD GP38 For Repair

I was really displeased with the repair of my HO Ann Arbor EMD GP38 locomotive road number 7802. Last December I took the locomotive in for repair to Brasseur Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan when I got it back the locomotive did not run well and stopped running altogether after about 3 weeks. I had an identical locomotive repaired the year before at Brasseurs and it worked really well after they replaced the can motor. It's still running fine today. So I took the broken locomotive back and asked that they replace the can motor in it as well. I have faith that this time the repair will work.

A Model Railroad Layout Story

Farmer Jones looked around at his small farm in Shepherd Michigan and decided that he wanted to expand his business to include more than just raising fruits and vegetables, horses and dairy cows. So, he took stock of the business he was generating from his vegetable stand on the road in front of his house and decided he would talk over a proposition with Al. Al was the owner of the local general store. Farmer Jones wanted to see if Al would consider selling his produce.

Al's general store is located near the Ann Arbor freight train track on the outskirts of the rural subdivision near the town of Shepherd.

Al uses the Ann Arbor freight train and Flybynite Trucking Company for the delivery of merchandise sold in the general store.

Flybynite Trucking Company is located just behind the lumber company. Farmer Jones purchased the wood used to construct his vegetable and fruit stands from that very lumber company. Next to it is the grain elevator that Farmer Jones sells his grain to. The grain elevator is owned and operated by the Valley Growers Association in the area.

After Farmer Jones meets with Al at the general store he was planning to take his daughter to the local beach on the outskirts of the town. After a quick swim the plan was to play a game or two of tennis.

Later that day, the family was planning to go into town and take in a film at the movie theater. There is a film festival showing all day of the greatest classic movies. Word is out that an up and coming film producer by the name of John Freedman will be making an appearance this evening.

After the film and a meeting with John Freedman to acquire autographs, the Jones family will be picking up their son at Grand Central Station in downtown Shepherd.

Their son will be arriving at 9:00 PM on the New York Central's 20th Century Limited. He is coming home for the holidays from college where he is majoring in business.

The Jones family love to spend time enjoying a meal at the McDonald's Restaurant in town. Farmer Jones is a Bigmac addict and also loves a thick and creamy chocolate shake to go with it.

After a late dinner the family is going to meet cousin Paul at the Bus station. His bus comes in at 10:30 PM. He's coming into town for his big wedding.

Having spent a late night picking up family, the Jones's will go home for a good night sleep and get ready for the big event along with a full days activities the next day.

After a good nights sleep, the family goes back into town for a good breakfast at the Perfect Perk Cafe.

With a satisfying breakfast in their tummies, the family heads for church to attend Paul's wedding. The entire town seems to be in attendance! It was good to see everyone.

Once the service concluded, the reception was held at Aunt Maud's house in the city.

Everyone was having a great time. Some better than others! In fact, Billy was getting a bit rowdy and had a bit too much to drink. The result was Billy had to be taken to the Hospital.

The Jones family went to the hospital and the out-of-town guests went back to their hotel in downtown Shepherd. The Grand Hotel is a very nice luxury hotel and has many amenities that draw people from all over the country.

Billy turned out to be just fine but they kept him in the hospital overnight for observation and to let him sleep it off. He did however ruin Aunt Maud's sofa which now needs to be replaced. Farmer Jones took aunt Maud to Cathy's Furniture to look at a replacement sofa. There was a lot to choose from.

Maud picked out a nice sectional that would be delivered tomorrow. Farmer Jones said his goodbyes after he dropped Maud off back home and decided to visit his brother Sam at the local prison. Sam is a guard  -- not an inmate!

Sam was out in the exercise yard keeping an eye on the inmates when Farmer Jones arrived. (That's him on the left with the guard dog.) They were confronting an inmate who was giving Sam a hard time.

After the visit Farmer Jones remembered that he needed to pick up his son and take him to the Argosy Bookstore so that he could pick up some textbooks for next semester. His wife wanted the new novel that just came out by a local author as well. (Got to keep the wife happy!)

Much to everyone's surprise, the books were all on sale and they were able to find them quickly so everyone came out ahead. With extra time on their hands, they decided to check out the new additions to the Depot Project Museum which was just across the street.

On display were some vintage locomotives and cabooses, all of which were freshly painted in the colors appropriate for their time period. (Much to Farmer Jones appreciation to detail!)

All in all, the holidays were a success. The Jones family was satisfied with all that transpired. Junior went back to school and Paul went on his honeymoon. Farmer Jones was able to make the deal with Al at the General Store. Life returned to normal in the town of Shepherd.

I Could Not Be Much Happier

Yesterday Sandy surprised me with enough money to pick up the Alco PA locomotive I have been paying off for a few months now. Produced by MTH electric trains, the locomotive did not disappoint. I replaced the FT3 A and B units I was using to pull my New York Central passenger train with the PA unit and aside from having to replace the couplers it performed perfectly. I just need to save the additional $300.00 for the Alco PA-B units yet outstanding to complete the collection. I am so far totally satisfied with the way the passenger train is turning out.

Alco PA-B locomotives

Freight train freight train rollin round the bend.....

I have decided to add a New York Central freight train to my passenger train layout. It requires a lot more track, but I really like the visual of two trains passing each other. If I can figure out how to do it, I will post a video of the two trains as soon as I am able. The video will show the very simple state the layout is in at the moment. i.e. no tables no scenery and simple track layout. I still have a long way to go to complete this project.

Mamma is in the house

Barry has made me co-author of the Blog. Thanks Barry. I will be posting on this blog bringing the female perspective.

Today we went to the Lansing Michigan train show at the MSU pavilion. It was a very large show. Barry walked up and down every aisle in the place. I was able to check out a few horses while we were there. We almost found a Walthers heavyweight New York Central RPO for Barry, but almost doesn't count.