RailRoadFan.com

I thought since some people are showing off their engines, I thought I might as well too. I have 5 Norfolk Southern engines, 4 Normal Units and a Heritage Unit. I have more engines than this but I’ll post pictures of them on a later date:

My NS fleet consists of:

Scaletrains.com:

NS ET44AC #3606 (loksound 4) (rivet counter)
NS D9-44CW #9672 (Loksound 5) (Rivet Counter)

Walthers:

NS SD60M #6775 (Loksound select) (Walthers Mainline)

Bachmann:

NS SD70ACe #1070 (Wabash Heritage Unit) (Soundtraxx Tsunami)

Athearn:

NS SD80MAC #7205 (Genesis 2.0) (Tsunami 2)

Currently my layout is partially operational, the lower level is 100% functioning but the upper level is currently out of service due to track issues. I’m attempting to model a fictional NS mainline on the lower level and the NS Portland Secondary on the upper level. I know it’s a bit of a mess, but it’s coming along.

That is a nice looking layout. Looks like it would be fun to run trains on. Nice looking locomitives as well.

That's a nice-looking layout David!

NS engines look Boss! Too bad the prototype railroad is not being managed very well at this time.

Last weekend, my dad and I finished the coal mine on my semi-freelanced Norfolk Southern model railroad, and yes, that’s the new description for my model railroad, semi-freelanced.

The parts that are freelanced are:

The lower level
The locomotive & car fleet (My dad and myself have a few engines that you wouldn’t see on a normal NS mainline )


Parts that are “attempted to be realistic”

The upper level, which I’m attempting to model the NS Portland Secondary, Which runs between Phillipsburg, NJ to Slateford, PA. So far it’s *pretty* accurate with the ADM grain industry lead in and also downtown Portland, PA.



One thing that’s noteworthy that has happened recently was the addition of the coal mine in the middle of the layout, my dad and I used the New River Mining Complex from Walthers Cornerstone. I’ve included some pictures of my NS #7205 pulling some coal loads out of the NRMC.

More updates coming soon!

Did you weather the mine?

David Collins wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:17 pm

One thing that’s noteworthy that has happened recently was the addition of the coal mine in the middle of the layout, my dad and I used the New River Mining Complex from Walthers Cornerstone. I’ve included some pictures of my NS #7205 pulling some coal loads out of the NRMC.

AARR wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 19, 2022 8:15 am

Did you weather the mine?

David Collins wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:17 pm

One thing that’s noteworthy that has happened recently was the addition of the coal mine in the middle of the layout, my dad and I used the New River Mining Complex from Walthers Cornerstone. I’ve included some pictures of my NS #7205 pulling some coal loads out of the NRMC.

Not yet

looks good, I would like to see your track plan and maybe some overview pics of the layout if possible.

Me too

KVERBERK wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:41 pm

looks good, I would like to see your track plan and maybe some overview pics of the layout if possible.

Here’s the plan for KVERBERK and AARR, the layout is simply too big to do three photos of (since the website doesn’t take more than three photos at a time), so maybe that’s a video idea. My layout was based on a CNW model railroad track plan that my dad and I found in model railroader. The layout is 8 1/2 x 18

We made a few modifications, such as making the spur on the far southeast side of the layout one track instead of two. Adding an additional yard track on the first level, and that’s pretty much it.

The two far tracks on the west side of the layout lead to the upper level (The Portland Secondary), the far left track starts on the Northwest part of the layout the second tracks starts on the southwest corner of the layout. The second track leading up the hill is very convenient for the H76 job which just comes out of the south end yard, goes up the grade for a short distance and works the downtown Bangor industrial lead.

Note: The inner tracks (or inner rings , except the diagonal one that runs Northwest-Southeast, which runs under the mine) is the upper level.

My dad and I use woodland scenics 2% foam risers, they work pretty well, maybe I’ll do a video on the YouTube channel as to how to make a section of foam riser with tracks (yes, it’s more complicated than just putting some roadbed and track down and calling it a day ).


I know this may have been pretty complicated, because it is a pretty complicated layout.

I just uploaded a video with some random trains with my friends' CSX 1776 making an appearance. Most areas of the layout are covered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2W8p5Pzs0c

That is a nice looking track plan, David. You can do some switching or just let a nice-sized train run loops

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:08 pm

That is a nice looking track plan, David. You can do some switching or just let a nice-sized train run loops

There are actually trains that go up the Portland secondary which switch the ADM grain elevator and the downtown Portland industrial lead, I also have a “interchange” with the EL but that’s fictional at this time.

Nice layout! you might need some pushers on those grades!

Very nice

David Collins wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 6:52 pm

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:08 pm

That is a nice looking track plan, David. You can do some switching or just let a nice-sized train run loops

There are actually trains that go up the Portland secondary which switch the ADM grain elevator and the downtown Portland industrial lead, I also have a “interchange” with the EL but that’s fictional at this time.

What control system are you using? DigiTrax NCE MRC

Everybody has their own personal favorite of course. I will always recommend NCE with wireless cabs because that is what I use and I’m very happy with my choice.

GR H & C wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:36 pm

David Collins wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 6:52 pm

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:08 pm

That is a nice looking track plan, David. You can do some switching or just let a nice-sized train run loops

There are actually trains that go up the Portland secondary which switch the ADM grain elevator and the downtown Portland industrial lead, I also have a “interchange” with the EL but that’s fictional at this time.

What control system are you using? DigiTrax NCE MRC

Everybody has their own personal favorite of course. I will always recommend NCE with wireless cabs because that is what I use and I’m very happy with my choice.

I use the NCE powercab

David Collins wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:50 pm

GR H & C wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:36 pm

David Collins wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 6:52 pm

There are actually trains that go up the Portland secondary which switch the ADM grain elevator and the downtown Portland industrial lead, I also have a “interchange” with the EL but that’s fictional at this time.

What control system are you using? DigiTrax NCE MRC

Everybody has their own personal favorite of course. I will always recommend NCE with wireless cabs because that is what I use and I’m very happy with my choice.

I use the NCE powercab

I started out when my layout was small with the NCE power cab set up which was the most economical. I then purchased The NCE RB02 Radio base station and one wireless cab 06r as my layout grew. Next I purchased a second cab 06r and a used power cab that I had converted to wireless. So now I have three wireless cabs plus the original tethered power cab. I went this route because it was cheaper initially and I could slowly upgrade my system and because I never run more than three or four locomotives at once I didn’t need the extra power from a booster.

The nice thing about having a second power cab even if it’s been converted to a wireless cab is that it can still be plugged in and used as a backup power cab.

David Collins wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:28 pm

I thought since some people are showing off their engines, I thought I might as well too. I have 5 Norfolk Southern engines, 4 Normal Units and a Heritage Unit. I have more engines than this but I’ll post pictures of them on a later date:

My NS fleet consists of:

Scaletrains.com:

NS ET44AC #3606 (loksound 4) (rivet counter)
NS D9-44CW #9672 (Loksound 5) (Rivet Counter)

Walthers:

NS SD60M #6775 (Loksound select) (Walthers Mainline)

Bachmann:

NS SD70ACe #1070 (Wabash Heritage Unit) (Soundtraxx Tsunami)

Athearn:

NS SD80MAC #7205 (Genesis 2.0) (Tsunami 2)

Currently my layout is partially operational, the lower level is 100% functioning but the upper level is currently out of service due to track issues. I’m attempting to model a fictional NS mainline on the lower level and the NS Portland Secondary on the upper level. I know it’s a bit of a mess, but it’s coming along.

Once your railroad is up and running how will you operate your trains. Will you use a card order/waybill system or some other technique?

I operate my layout in somewhat/close to pro typical fashion (I am a river counter lol) I have a rudimentary system for operating trains which is in my head.

GR H & C wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:55 am

Once your railroad is up and running how will you operate your trains. Will you use a card order/waybill system or some other technique?

I've had this layout since January 2020 (before I joined this site), but I moved and it had to be disassembled and put back together, so I know the layout from back to front, or maybe it's because I get disorganized very easily, I don't know , I'm not trying to be super-prototypical, and my dad doesn't want me to be super-prototypical anyway (i.e. weathering my locomotives )

Quick update: some big updates have happened as of late, a new locomotive arrived in mid-summer, a NS C40-9 (or D9-40C) top hat, #8844. Yet another scaletrains locomotive.


My dad also surprised me with a box that contains 10 HO scale Amtrak superliners, now all I gotta do is save up some money for an Amtrak P42 or a Charger and I’m set to run passenger trains! I’ll probably be running trains such as the Capitol Limited since it runs in Pennsylvania.


More updates to come soon!