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This is my second layout video using the iCar. Gary Petersen’s Salt Lake Southern layout is awesome! This time I ran the iCar at the end of the train looking backwards as though standing on the back platform of the caboose. You can watch it in FULL HD but takes […]

iCar Caboose Ride

May 6, 2014 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Tour / Trains by admin

I can’t believe where the time has gone! Anyway, I have been making some progress my 4×8 railroad. I just haven’t had time to post anything. Sometimes it is slow going butÂ at least there is some progress. For example the frogs are wired for power now and locomotives do not […]

Quick Video Clip

January 9, 2014 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Tour by admin

I’ve always loved photography and it is a great way to be able to combine two hobbies: model railroading and photography! My daughter is taking a photography class in jr. high and when she said, “Can I take a picture of your trains?” I jumped off the couch ready to […]

Photography and Trains

October 13, 2013 in Deep Thoughts / Trains by admin

Take a ride on the rails as though you were in the driver’s seat. Follow along on the inaugural run of my new iCar as we go along the route of Rob Spangler’s Western Pacific 8th Subdivision. It was run as an extra following right behind another train. This was […]

iCar Cab Ride

October 4, 2013 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Tour / Trains by admin

It’s been more than a year since I received my Golden Spike Award, the first step towards MMR (Master Model Railroader). I finally got around to putting up the page showing what I did. My goal in trying to achieve MMR is not to say “Look what I did” or […]

World’s Greatest Hobby

July 3, 2013 in Deep Thoughts by admin

I’ve added a new, long overdue, Tips and Techniques section to the website. The first sub-page within the section is Adding Styrene Spacers which explains how I add styrene to the gaps I cut in the rails. Look for more sub-pages in the near future. I look forward to comments too.

New Tips and Techniques Section

June 28, 2013 in Deep Thoughts / Trains by admin

I uploaded photos and a video from Operations Bootcamp #3 at Lee’s UCW. It was lots of fun. Lee introduced something new he implemented but since most of us don’t know that much about operations it wasn’t a key factor to how we did. Among other things in the morning, […]

Ops Bootcamp #3 and Video

March 26, 2013 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Tour / Trains by admin

My Timesaver: I’ve uploaded a new page showing my efforts so far at constructing my own Timesaver based on the original by John Allen. After 12 and a half years I’m finally building my own. A few more weeks and I should have it done. Everything from constructing the base […]

Sneak Peak of My Timesaver

March 8, 2013 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Construction / Tips / Trains / Turnouts by admin

While I still have to update my blog about the 4×8 layout (it’s seen some updates but not much), I have updated the Layout Tours section. Including two Operations Boot Camps I attended. Rob Spangler and Lee Nicholas both hosted the Ops Boot Camps and after Rob’s I went to Ted York’s […]

Layout Tours updated & Operations Boot Camps

January 30, 2013 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Tour / Trains by admin

We had a fun time last night with the kids coming to trick-or-treat. As is the tradition for the last nine years except one (because of foul weather) we have opened up our backyard to the neighborhood kids to ride our train in the backyard. It is a fun […]

Daily Herald Write-Up and new Video

November 1, 2012 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Construction / Layout Tour / Trains by admin

Almost every year we open up our backyard ride-on railroad to the neighborhood kids who come trick-or-treating on Halloween. Because of the weather there has been a few times we haven’t, but almost every year for the last 8 we have. I made a small video when it was first […]

Haunted Halloween Train Ride

October 28, 2012 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Tour / Trains by admin

I’ve added a few galleries with pictures I’ve taken at recent layout tours I’ve been on. Look for this page to be updated as I go on layout tours in the area. You can go to the Layout Tours page and see the galleries OR it is better to go […]

Layout Tour Pictures Added to Website

April 29, 2012 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Construction / Layout Tour by admin

I realized that I have a Facebook page for Jamestown Trains but not told anyone here about it, or at least no one here has clicked “like” on it. If you are on Facebook please take a moment. Let me know if you have a page to like too. Jamestown […]

Facebook Page

April 5, 2012 in Deep Thoughts / Turnouts tagged facebook / fanpage / social media by admin

I started a new thread about working towards Master Model Railroader. The first post is up. The next one should be soon. It’s about getting my Golden Spike Award. There’s quite a bit involved but I’m going to break it down step by step.

NMRA Master Model Railroader

April 4, 2012 in Deep Thoughts / Layout Construction tagged Master Model Railroader / model trains / NMRA by admin

I’m testing a new feature for my blog. Hopefully, those that have signed up for my email newsletters will automatically get an email when I’ve posted more content. I haven’t posted much in the past but want it to be a little more active and encourage you to make comments […]

Testing New Feature

March 30, 2012 in Deep Thoughts by admin

I recently attended a layout open house and there’s one thing in particular I wanted to share about what I observed. It was an awesome layout filling a good portion of a small basement. I could go on about a number of cool things but the one thing I want […]

Model Railroading and Trains – Helping you with turnouts/switches and tips for a better layout