# Southern Atlantic Seaboard Railway



## Southern

Here are some photos of my layout.


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## Southern




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## Boston&Maine

So this is what you have been up to recently... Looks great


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## Southern




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## Southern

getting ready to move all packed up.










Time to put the wifes green eyed cat in a box.


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## Southern

*New Steam Loco In the Fall*

I got a new Train, a 4-6-2, 4 car Southern Cresant Limted. I have add a small group of trees in fall colors to the layout.


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## tjcruiser

It's autumn ... my favorite time of year! Nice!

TJ


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## x_doug_x

damn that set is beautiful!


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## Southern

Thanks. I did not show the pick of the ugly side There is still o lot of work to be done.


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## NIMT

On 5-25-2010 you posted a bikini girl on the abutment and NO ONE commented??? They must all been sleeping on that day!! I hope she didn't jump, not enough water at the bottom!
Were you able to re-setup your layout once you moved?


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## Southern

NIMT.COM said:


> On 5-25-2010 you posted a bikini girl on the abutment and NO ONE commented??? They must all been sleeping on that day!! I hope she didn't jump, not enough water at the bottom!
> Were you able to re-setup your layout once you moved?


yep. It is up and running. It was the first thing that we moved into our new home. There was a chance of rain so it had to be moved before the rain started. The table and frame work are over 50 years old. It was made so that it could be moved easily. This is the 4th house that it has been in.


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## concretepumper

NIMT.COM said:


> On 5-25-2010 you posted a bikini girl on the abutment and NO ONE commented??? They must all been sleeping on that day!! I hope she didn't jump, not enough water at the bottom!
> Were you able to re-setup your layout once you moved?


Bikini Girl? Looks like a Suicidal Female Body builder.  Seems the Roids  have pushed her to the "Edge"! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


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## NIMT

I'm glad to here you got it all back up and running!!:thumbsup: I try to keep up with who is doing what, where and when and it's so easy to lose track!
Oh and yes Sweet Layout too!


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## High Iron

Southern said:


> getting ready to move all packed up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time to put the wifes green eyed cat in a box.


Your cat looks possessed lol


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## MacDaddy55

*Remember When you moved!?*

Hey John, You should post that pic of the table being moved...that was something else.....good to see your still around!:thumbsup:


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## Southern

MacDaddy55 said:


> Hey John, You should post that pic of the table being moved...that was something else.....good to see your still around!:thumbsup:


"









this photo was taken in the spring of 2009


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## Southern

I have just completed my secand HO lay out. It is in the work shop part of the bastment. It is a single track that has foam blocks at each end. There are holes cut out for the couplers. this new lay out has been named " test track". lol I just need a way to test the trains that I was working on with out of getting out of my chair.


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## Southern

The layout is not as flat as it once was.


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## agiantfan

Nice! Let's see the unfinished part!!!


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## Southern

old Southern Box Car


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## Big Ed

Weathering looks great.:thumbsup:
Did you do the couplers?
Does anyone do the couplers or do you think it would affect the coupler operation?

I always wanted to ask, how did you install LED's in the cats head.:laugh:


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## tjcruiser

Wow ... that weathered ( x 10 !) boxcar looks great. Well ... part of my brain wants to strip it down and give it a shiny gloss coat. But the other part of my brain is rather impressed with how realistic that looks. Nice job!

TJ


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## Southern

tjcruiser said:


> Well ... part of my brain wants to strip it down and give it a shiny gloss coat.
> TJ


 
Thanks TJ, I washed and repainted it this morning. Oh and renumbered it.










I bought two SOU box car with the same number. One I weathered, and one will be someday. I changed the numbers and add Kadee #5 couplers to both of them. Thanks for the complements, The wife (pictured) told me, " I don't want to hurt your feelings, but that really looks like s***. It looks old". I told her it is old it was "new in 8-69" and has been outside ever since.

I did not rust / paint the couplers because I did not know if it would effect there operation. I just did this for me, It is great to hear y'all like it. my friends and family don't understand why a aged a nice new box car. LOL.


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## Southern

and yes I know it is past time to take down the Christmas lights.


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## Southern

I have added the lights and people to my latest buildings. They are almost ready for the layout.


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## Southern

Done, Street lights are now working.


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## tjcruiser

That looks great. Is there any way that (once you get the layout settled), you can rig the headlights of an automobile or two to light up, as if they are driving down the road? That would really add to the light effect nicely. I have no idea how complex it would be to wire a car's headlights with LED's or something, but I would look great with your streetlamps.

Cheers,

TJ


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## Fighterpilot

Looks great, especially the traffic signal (it's what I used to install for a living a few years ago). Adding lights in my buildings and on the street is one of the things I'm hoping to do on my layout in the near future. I've already got some indirect lighting shinning on the board with the lights in the room off, which cast some very nice shadows, but lighting up the buildings is just want I'd like to add. My layout isn't a year old yet, so I'm going a little slower now than when I first started; but, it's coming along. Yours looks fantastic.


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## Southern

Thanks YJ, and Fighter Pilot, 

There is a lot of work to do to the layout before i start wiring the cars (Like i am doing at my real job).Years ago there where lights in the buldings. I do want to get some back in there.


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## Southern

*Days gone by*

After I finished the water tower, I removed all of the diesels.
It was time for steam.

I am running DC with two cabs. There are four main lines and a yard. The center track is a figure eight that is my revese loop. It is one block. The next Track is a flat ovel that is also devieded into two blocks. next is the raised track. It is dviede into three block and has a grade of just over 3%. The outer most main line is dvided into four blocks. The yard is blocked so that each siding has it's own block, That makes seventeen blocks


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## Southern

One of the things that I like to do is run four trains on my layout and try to move them from track to track with out stopping any of them. They are all running off of one power cab. It can get very exciting. I have to run consist of at least two engines to make it up the steep grade of over 3%.


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## Conductorjoe

Thanks for the vid :thumbsup: Alot of action there. I like the double steamers pulling the passenger cars !


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## Southern

Replacing turnouts
Befor photo.









next. 









Turnout and track removed


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## Big Ed

I still love the fake cat with the Alien green LED'S for the eyes.:thumbsup: 

Where can I get one for Halloween?
That would look good sitting in my bay window.


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## Southern

I will send it to you. ( Like in the movie Christmas Vacation)


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## JohnAP

Great layout, lots of action running four trains for sure! Do you ever have anyone else running them with you?


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## Southern

Thanks, just the grand kids. It is a round and round layout. I plan to expand it to take up most of the room that it is in. Someday.....


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## Southern

I cut the roadbed to install the Peco switch motor under my new Peco turnout. I found the remains of a long forgone road, a small part of history from over 20 years ago. The roads where painted on the table, with a white line on the edge of the black road.










The small hole is from the old under table atlas switch.


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## Southern

Hole cut, Turnout wired and ready.


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## Southern

One done, Three more to go.










All four are now installed. I wish I had of put them in years ago. The Peco Turnout are thousand times better that the atlas ones that I took out.


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## Southern

A had a high spot under two turnouts that needed to be fixed, I hiered a contractor to level off the ground and replace to road bed and then relay the track.


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## Southern

I have never named my layout. I model both Southern and the Seaboard Cost line. If Seaboard had not merged with the Chessie System To create CSX and Southern had not merged with Norfolk & Western to create NS, They might have merged to form the Southern Atlantic Seaboard Railway.

I am going to think on this for a wile.


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## steam chaser

Very nice layout,like the bridge abutment as well ROWL,ROWL (LOL)


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## Southern

Most of my photo are close ups. here is one of the whole layout.










I want to fill this room with trains!


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## joed2323

i like how your layout is turning out:thumbsup:

i cant see that last picture btw, you gotta fix that  want to see the whole layout


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## Southern

The voices say "nice layout. 50 years, we sure are slow. what is taking so long. quite our job, get a devorce, disown the whole family, and sell eveything but the trains. Then we will have a enough time for trains".


(the voice in southern's head)


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## brylerjunction

great work..would love to see that last picture


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## Southern

This is a constant coal train pulled by a powered A, and a dummy B.
lrMaqlTnHKw&feature=plcp


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## Southern

My Lay out is now DCC/DC with the flip of a switch I can run eather one. I also ran wire in the the utily room where my train work bench is. Now the short test track in there is my prgraming track, or flip a switch and it is still my DC test track. 

The program track dose not have DCC power on it. Should it? or dose it need a DCC decoder equiped train on the track first?


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## waltr

A DCC Programming track should only be connected to the Programming outputs of the DDC controller while using the track to 'program'/'read back' DCC equipped locos.

A common method (the way my programming tracks are set up) to have a DPDT switch on the programming track to switch it from the DCC Track outputs to the DCC Programming outputs. This way track can be used as any other 'main' or siding track but can be switched to 'programming mode' when needed.


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## Southern

waltr said:


> A DCC Programming track should only be connected to the Programming outputs of the DDC controller.


 It is hooked to the two progam connection on the Controller. Not the track oulets.



waltr said:


> A common method (the way my programming tracks are set up) to have a DPDT switch on the programming track to switch it from the DCC Track outputs to the DCC Programming outputs. This way track can be used as any other 'main' or siding track but can be switched to 'programming mode' when needed.


That is what I have done in the other room with my test track.

but what I want to know is about the power on the program track. when I hook a test light to the main track it lights up. When I put it on the program track it dose not. i hooked the program tracks wires to the track output and they worked, So I know that my wiring is right.


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## NIMT

waltr said:


> A DCC Programming track should only be connected to the Programming outputs of the DDC controller while using the track to 'program'/'read back' DCC equipped locos.
> 
> A common method (the way my programming tracks are set up) to have a DPDT switch on the programming track to switch it from the DCC Track outputs to the DCC Programming outputs. This way track can be used as any other 'main' or siding track but can be switched to 'programming mode' when needed.


Ditto to the above comments!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

When your doing programming it's nice to be able to switch from program to run on the same track section!

Yea the programming track will only have power for very brief moments when the acknowledgment signal for programing is sent.


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## waltr

Yep, what Sean said.


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## Southern

I got three DCC locos up and running. thanks Sean (NIMT) for reprogramming the decoders for my EMD E8 A and B units. I have to wire in the lights on the A unit. The last DCC loco is going to teach my how to change some of the CV's. a speed setting of 32 it changes direction and slows to a stop until the speed is turned up. LOL


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## Southern

Now how dose this thing work?



















:laugh::laugh:


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## New Berlin RR

Southern, if I wanted you to could you weather a few cars for me?

your evil LED cat makes me jealous...I wanna guard kitteh!!!! and I will have a layout similar to yours some day!!! I hope...


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## Southern

Thanks for thinking my weathering is that good. Right now I do not have enough time get the things done that I need to do on my layout.

Thanks for the complement on the layout. it is about to triple in size. I hope.


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## Guest

Hmmm.... I see a Conrail sd on the other track there, patched for NS, that would be the dcc one eh?
I take it you like the pair?


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## Southern

I started working on the hidden stagging yard today.


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## lears2005

Keep up the good work


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## brik-el

Don't you just love finding extra space?
I love staging yards.

Can't wait to see what you do with this.
Will you put scenery on it?

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Ranger

looking good


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## Gansett

4X4 legs! Stout I say, very stout.

4x's left over from a deck project? If so good use of leftovers!


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## NIMT

I was thinking they looked like 6x6 to me?
It's not going anywhere that's for sure!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
I used legs like that on mine, I hate the wobbles!


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## Southern

The legs are 6X6 treated post. The top board fits in the the corners of the walls. This thing is not moving. I might want to sit on it. All the wood is scrap. I am a scrounger, dumpers diver. The less I spend on wood the more I have for trains.


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## gunrunnerjohn

6x6 posts? What kind of trains are you running?


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## Southern

gunrunnerjohn said:


> 6x6 posts? What kind of trains are you running?


 I plan on parking o lot of loaded coal cars there. I did not want them to fall on the dog that has made a indoor dog house out of it.


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## Gansett

I'm thinking the tracks will be removable and with a air mattress he'll have a place to sleep when his wife finds out what he's spent!!!:laugh::thumbsup:


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## Southern

JackC said:


> I'm thinking the tracks will be removable and with a air mattress he'll have a place to sleep when his wife finds out what he's spent!!!:laugh::thumbsup:


She says the price of the trains are a small price to pay to keep me from chasing her around the house like a teenager.:laugh:


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## NIMT

HUMMMMM...Wife says I need more trains!!!!


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## Southern

Here are the two NS loco that NIMT installed DCC, lights, and sound on.


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## Southern

This one is an E8 mars light made of two LED that NIMT glude togeather.


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## NIMT

WOW!!!
I have not seen them in action besides on the test bench. I think they look great!


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## Ranger

Those are sweet looking. NIMT did an awesome job.


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## Southern

Sorry for the poor quailty of the videos. This is thelast one. It is of the NS start up.


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## Prospect193

those look awesome!!!


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## Mrs.NIMT

Southern - 

Thanks for sharing your engines in action! Surprisingly, I didn't see these run before they were sent back. I have recently really gotten into the lights and sounds although I am NOT an electrical person  - guess I am going to have to start learning.


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## Southern

This is what I have been doing to day.









this is my lay out know that I have played with anyrail it is time to start planing the expantion.


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## Mrs.NIMT

that looks great... I like it!


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## zorba

HOLY COW that is going to take some building.


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## gandy dancer#1

*southern railway in ho*

Hmm!! I shouldnt have put that little extra cream in my coffee today:laugh:


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## Southern

zorba said:


> HOLY COW that is going to take some building.


 
It did. It was started by my dad. I wanted it on Any rail so that I could add to it. I plan on filling the room with the layout. I hope that I never finish it, That way I will always have some thing to do.


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## NIMT

Come on man, lets get busy and put some serious track on that plan.
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
I love the design; I like the fact that you can get trains to go any direction.:thumbsup:


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## Southern

The thing that I do not like about my layout is that there is no where for the trains to go. I have enjoyed watching them go around, but now I want them to have a job. There needs to be more places for them to be switch out. I am thinking of taking out the figure eight track in the middle and putting in a coal mine. I will need to make another reverse loop somewhere. The end of the table that is at the lower end of the track plan is not detailed and could be easily changed. I need to figure out how to add the walls and doors to the room next.


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## joed2323

I agree, you should add a industry to your layout:thumbsup:


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## Southern

Southern said:


> It did. It was started by my dad. I wanted it on Any rail so that I could add to it. I plan on filling the room with the layout. I hope that I never finish it, That way I will always have some thing to do.


 
this is what it looks like now.


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## Southern

More photos of the my table. soon to be a room layout.

This one shows how the road work gets done.









This is the end of the table that I am going to change.









I found Big Ed spying on me. I think he was ridding around taking photos.


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## Southern

The glare in the photo is a thin sheet of plastic that keeps the train from falling off of the table it they derail at these trunouts.


















These 48 ft trailer came from Sean at North Idaho Model Trains.


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## Southern

In this photo you can see the plastic wall at the edge of the world.


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## brik-el

Very nice! 
I like what you have going on here.

Do you have any videos?

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Southern

brik-el said:


> Very nice!
> I like what you have going on here.
> 
> Do you have any videos?
> 
> :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


 
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sheftethepilot?feature=mhee


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## gandy dancer#1

*My layout*

HEY SOUTHERN: THE PICS:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## zorba

that is nuts. 

i too would love to see a video

edit: ignore this, i thought page 9 was the end of it.


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## Mrs.NIMT

Southern - I am going to show my true colors... I really love your buildings and the cobblestone street in your downtown section. The buildings and lanscaping is what makes the layout for me... those electrical guys can have the laying track and wiring switches! HA :laugh:

Looks really nice... can't wait to see updates as the new sections goes on.


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## txdyna65

Great looking layout Southern, what kind of grade and height do you have on that end that you said you were going to change?


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## Southern

thanks for all of the positive comments. Most people do not under stand. 

The hill is about 3.3%. The max hight of the tack is three inches over the other rail. It is too steep. I usually run two or more locomotives per train so that I can use that track.


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## Southern

I cleared my work bench.










Then I put cut some foam and put it in place.









there is a bid gap in the wood on the side under the pegboard next to the train room.









I set a peace of track down. then I set a Rivarassi Y6B on the track.









It turned out that there was power on the track!


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## Southern

I have always wanted to cut a hole in the wall and run a track throught it.










I hope Steff (my wife) likes it.


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## New Berlin RR

well im sure if you decorate it up pretty and out pink flowers she will....could always just tell her the train breaks failed and it stopped there...


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## joed2323

Very cool that your expanding your layout. I like seeing people going bigger since we have the room to do so.

I must have missed your expansion dimensions? How much bigger are you going?

Keep us posted looking good


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## sstlaure

Now that's more my style ....remember - walls are there only as scenic dividers!


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## Southern

*I think I am losing it.*

The storage yard might have to much track. It will be in a seperate room. 










I still have to conect the two and fill the main room. I attached a Zip file of the anyrail file.


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## mwpeber

What are those odd looking rectangular things under the table and what do you do with them (besides move them from place to place when they are in the way)?


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## Southern

ROTFLMFAO.

That is what we do with them. There is not even a working VCR in the house.


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## Southern

*My work bench*

My work bench is changing to a staging yard. The structures are just sitting there and will be moved, same with the track.


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## Southern

*The first section of the "along the wall" layout*

The first section of the "along the wall" layout has started. I have the first part of the bench work started. I put some temporary track, and structures up on it put all of that will be move when I figure out where to put what. I had to run some wire over there so that I could drive a train through the hole in the wall.


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## Big Ed

You never saw this that I put in my Road Trains thread huh?

In here,
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=5388

Post #370, when I saw it I told my buddy in the loco to move it.
Look at #370 in the thread.

One...just for you.
Way up here in Jersey.


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## Southern

I did see it Thanks.

I sometimes see old rolling stock from far away short lines. 

I see a lot of CP and CN hoppers on the NS main line next to where I work.


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## MacDaddy55

*Holy "Southern Railway"!!*

Wow John, And I thought I had a lot of structures....that setup is looking Outstanding...and THATS your work bench..."I am not worthy"!!:laugh::laugh: Good going!


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## Southern

ThesE are my NS SD70 that Sean (NIMT) installed the lights and sound. The Photos are on a club layout at the Southern Christmas Show.
A friend took the photos. The last on is me.


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## Guest

Southern,
The step lights are great and they look awesome running together, but the road numbers of the locos and the little details that I can make out, suggest these are SD60's not SD70's. The NS spartan cab SD70's are in the 2501-2580 range, where as the sd60's are in the 6510-6934 range.
Sorry if you bought these thinking they were 70's.
Heres the NS locos webpage for research: http://www.nslocos.com/main.html


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## D1566

Southern said:


> I sometimes see old rolling stock from far away short lines.
> 
> I see a lot of CP and CN hoppers on the NS main line next to where I work.


CP and CN are short lines??!!


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## Southern

thoroughbreed said:


> ............. the little details that I can make out, suggest these are SD60's not SD70's............


 
You are right they are SD-60. That was another typo by me.


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## Southern

D1566 said:


> CP and CN are short lines??!!


 

This one is just bad gramer. I should have worded it clearer. I never ment to say that CN or CP are not major railroads.
I see a lot of coverd hoppers from Canadain railways. I also see a lot of box cars from short line and, or fallen flags.


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## tjcruiser

Boy, that's some fabulous looking trestle bridge / topography in that club layout! Thanks for sharing pics.

TJ


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## Southern

*It is Growing!*


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## gunrunnerjohn

Looks like a major expansion in the works.


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## joed2323

awesome, awesome, awesome.

This is what i like to see, go big or go home

This looks like lots of fun

Sorry if you posted a track plan for your expansion project, but if you did not, what are you doing with all of this 

Is the bench 24 inches wide? Do you plan to make you corner less sharp? Have you thought about building the corner out just a tad, with a 45 degree peice of 1x4, so you can get a nice radius curve here, instead of a sharp one??

Details, please:thumbsup:

Keep the pictures coming please


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## brik-el

Love it. I want you to work harder on this so I can see more.
:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Ranger

Looks great!!


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## tjcruiser

That's some serious dedicated Real Estate! Progress looks great!

TJ


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## Southern

Thanks everyone. This is what I did this weekend. (other thatn watch the Panthers beat Atlanta)

All of the track is temporairy. I do not know where I want it yet and I still have add on to the table.


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## Ranger

You`ve been busy this weekend. Thats going to be a nice big layout.


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## joed2323

Man. Your making me look bad. I haven't worked on my layout once this weekend 

Your addition looks great. Could you please take some pics of the mine area and some of the other spots in the background of your pictures you posted.

Again, great progress you have made.

I gotta quit slacken and get something done now on my layout


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## Southern




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## broox

I like the look of that! :thumbsup:


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## joed2323

Thanks for posting more pics. Looks great. I look forward to seeing more progress from your layout.


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## Southern

*ADM mill*

ADM mill and ADM covered hoppers.


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## Ranger

Looks great! if you don't mind me asking, what size is the finished section of the layout?


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## Southern

Ranger said:


> Looks great! if you don't mind me asking, what size is the finished section of the layout?


 Finished section:laugh:

It is about 10x6. the old part is a long way from finished, but i know what you ment. I never finished putting down all of the ballast, which is good as I am thinking about pulling up the inside tracks. Now that that I have more room to run trains i think that there is a better use in the midle than the figure eight.


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## broox

Southern said:


> I am thinking about pulling up the inside tracks. Now that that I have more room to run trains i think that there is a better use in the midle than the figure eight.


you're right about there being a better use of space in the middle... but it has some personal attachment, if I recall correctly... Tough choice!


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## Southern

broox said:


> you're right about there being a better use of space in the middle... but it has some personal attachment, if I recall correctly... Tough choice!


All of the track was relaid about 20 years ago. It is the table it's self that is older than me ( my dad made it about 55 years ago ) that I am attached to. I like the yard on it and the hills so the outside tracks will most likely stay. 

The track on the new section is only held in place with sewing pins. there will be some the track around until i figure out what I like.


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## Toot_Toot

Love it. All of it. From a native tarheel, cheers sir!


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## Southern

I have run out of track. with it being Christmas I do not have the funds to buy more for a few months. i guess i need to sell a few trains.


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## Southern

Newest track plan. Please give me your input.


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## Big Ed

Wow I like the expansion going on. :thumbsup:

What kind of room are you in?
A former bedroom?

It looks like you have enough going on to stay busy for a while.


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## Ranger

WOW.. that is going to be one big layout. I like the direction you are going with this.


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## joed2323

Holy crap batman!!!

I like your expansion, thats going to keep you busy and us busy watching the expansion unfold!!! 

Thanks for sharing this.

You give us all motivation to get working on our layouts :thumbsup:


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## tjcruiser

I think the USPS is gonna have to dole out a new Zip Code for that baby!


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## Southern

big ed said:


> Wow I like the expansion going on. :thumbsup:


 Thanks Ed.


big ed said:


> What kind of room are you in?
> A former bedroom?


Our house has a full basement. (Ranch Basement)The trains are in two of the three rooms down in the basement. The lager yard is in the unfinished utility room.



big ed said:


> It looks like you have enough going on to stay busy for a while.


 Ya, there is an enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life


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## Southern

Ranger said:


> WOW.. that is going to be one big layout. I like the direction you are going with this.


Thanks Ranger



joed2323 said:


> Holy crap batman!!!
> 
> I like your expansion, thats going to keep you busy and us busy watching the expansion unfold!!!
> 
> Thanks for sharing this.
> 
> You give us all motivation to get working on our layouts :thumbsup:


 Thanks Joe


tjcruiser said:


> I think the USPS is gonna have to dole out a new Zip Code for that baby!


*22202 :laugh:*

This is going to be a long project. I will post some pics soon.


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## Southern

Just some trains running on my layout. The "pink" section is new and will have the track rearranged at a latter date. there are still two more section to be added to the table. I am far from running out of room. It is the track and train supples that I am running out of.


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## Hold'ErNewt

Looking awesome! Having too much room is a good problem to have!


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## mwpeber

That is an awesome video! Shot by a professional it seems.


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## Southern

Thanks LOL. You do not want to know how many takes, and time that took.


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## N scale catastrophe

Love the "tunnel" through the wall, great idea!


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## Hold'ErNewt

N scale catastrophe said:


> Love the "tunnel" through the wall, great idea!


I'll remember she said that in the new house...


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## gunrunnerjohn

I thought we were going to see a collision!


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## Ranger

looking good. I agree with gunrunnerjohn, i thought it was going to be a collision at the 14sec mark. That was a close call!


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## Southern

I took a blue conrail caboose that I did not like and painted it.


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## broox

Nice work on the caboose, Southern.

Also I had a play with your layout in the design forum. Dunno if the idea will worki in the real world though, let me know ;


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## NIMT

Love the Caboose!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
How about I send you over 40 some of them and you paint them up for me?


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## rrgrassi

Southern, this is for you. It was taken Summer 2011, in Ft Worth, TX at Tower 55.


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## NIMT

Hey, I think I see Southern riding in that Southern Box car!


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## Southern

The green paint job was so bad that I almost scraped the whole thing. then the white section turned out just as bad. After looking at how bad it was I decided to just use it for weathering practice. After the windows, rust, and graffiti. It turned out OK. not good but it will work for me.

Sean send the 40 cabooses, I will send you 40 locomotive to install tsunami sound in.


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## Southern

rrgrassi said:


> Southern, this is for you. It was taken Summer 2011, in Ft Worth, TX at Tower 55.


Thanks, It is neat to see that old tower under all of those tall bridges.

You can tell that tower is in the south. there are window A/C's in alot of the windows.:laugh:


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## rrgrassi

They were going to tear down that old tower to re-align the tracks, to ease automobile congestion, but sanity prevailed!!

Gotta love the window A/C's!!!


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## Southern

I need a cross over track into the yard.










First I pulled up the old track.










Then put the new road bed down. Cork.









Next cut holes for the Peco turnout motors.









The track is now down. All that is left is to runs some wires and add ballast.


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## NIMT

Better get a road crew out the quick!


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## Rusty

Make tunnel road under the tracks...


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## Prospect193

Send those cabeese already!!!!


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## Southern

Time to get off the computer and get to work expanding the layout.


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## dannyrandomstate

The layout looks great! I see Thor left his hammer behind!


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## Conductorjoe

I see while I have been away, you have been busy ....Nice :thumbsup:


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## Southern

I replaced the above table atlas switch machines in the yard with ground throws.









I got the three way wye switch installed.









Double slip is in.









Working on the grass and ballast where the old meets new.


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## Southern

The cat lives.


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## MacDaddy55

*Catzilla....lives!!*

From out of the Litter Box, Stomping across the silver screen, a John Southern Production....See Catzilla Toss Railcars, See Catzilla destroy downtown Somewhere,South Carolina....in Epic 3D and Kittyvision!! Couldn't resist...hey john lookin good!!:thumbsup:


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## Southern

*Car Cards*

I have been working on making a car card system to run my trains.


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## eljefe

You're going to have to hire a dispatch crew to keep track of all that!


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## broox

Lookin great, southern!

much of the new section done?


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## Southern

eljefe said:


> You're going to have to hire a dispatch crew to keep track of all that!


That is the plan. 



broox said:


> Lookin great, southern!
> 
> much of the new section done?


LOL none of it! I work on something every night. The new section still has temporary track on it. I have been working on the old section first as that is the first thing people see when they com in the room. I have been rewiring, installing turnouts and adding ballast.Also I have been making an inventory of all the Locos and rolling stock so that I can print out the car cards. I still have a lot of locos and rolling stock that need some tender loving care.

I have moved the DCC equipment to it's own shelf. Some day I will put paneling around the layout to hide all of my trains stuff.


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## Southern

I painted the walls blue. It is now a cloudess day above the Southern Atlantic Seaboard Railway.


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## Southern

The end or the yard lead is done.


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## niehausiiw

Your layout really looks nice Southern.


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## Southern

Thanks niehausiiw, there is still a lifetime of work to be done.


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## Ranger

That is some great detail work you did on the last two pictures.


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## Big Ed

That sure is a purty blue. :smilie_daumenpos:

Are you going to go for some clouds in the future?

Have you ever sponged a wall?
Very easy to do, you could make some nice clouds that way.

You do need some special sponges, the old kitchen sponge won't work right.
I have a few different types I used in my living room. They are available at the HD or lowes and elsewhere. Or you can go skin diving for some.

If you do, you can practice on some scrap wood first to get the feel.
More tips if you need them. :smokin:


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## cole226

that's going to be a real nice layout. and your finish detail looks great.


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## Southern

Thanks Ranger and Cole. 
Yes Ed I plan to make some clouds. I am still trying to figure out how to do it. The wife want's a tornado. If I do not like them I still have a gallon of blue.


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## Southern

I also got the Double cross over installed.


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## Big Ed

Don't tell the wife......but.....A TORNADO? :retard::laugh:

Cross over looks nice, in the picture where the bottom train is does that dead end or is there a tunnel there?


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## Southern

Thanks Ed. The lower track is the yard lead that is in the earlier postings. The crossover is a Shinohara. I mounted it on a board with four atlas snap switch motors under it. I wired all four together, so that It would be DCC friendly. i can slide the rail joiners and lift out the whole crossover if service is ever needed.


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## hoscale37

Southern,

Great looking layout! 

Can you provide some details on how you installed your ground throws?


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## Southern

Sorry Bryan i just found your question. I have four ground throws. they are Caboose Ind. spring load. I mounted a piece of cork roadbed next to the track and then gluded and nailed them down. I set the turnout and throw to center befor I nailed them next I added a little ballast to hide the base. Nothing to it.


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## Southern

I have covered a tunnel that I made out of foam with sawdust. I took sawdust out from under the table saw, then I glued it to the tunnel. When it dried i painted it. I still need to work on the entrance.


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## DonR

That sawdust really came out nice...very realistic rough ground cover.

What would you think of dying it first?...maybe some dark green...some
light green...etc...

Gotta look into that for a different but realistic look.

Don


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## Southern

I thought of that, and want to try it. I did it this way because that is what I had.


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## Southern

I have a lot of the sawdust and It was free!


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## Southern

I have started working on a logo.


















I still want to make something based on the rounded one that Seaboard Airline had.


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## Southern

I just like the way the light was reflecting off of the rails to day.


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## Southern

The turntable is here! I have been wanting to add this for years. The price was right so know it is time to start building and weathering it so that I can get in the ground. It close to where it will be but I need to work out the right spot.


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## Southern

I cut the hole


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## Southern

Test fit.


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## Southern

Cabosse repainting.


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## Southern

Not perfect but good enough for me.


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## Ranger

Nice work


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## gunrunnerjohn

Your RR is really coming together! :thumbsup:


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## Southern

Two more locos added to the Fleet. well almost they are only shells.


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## Southern

The two lead tracks to the turn table are in and some of the one on the other side are now working.


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## Southern

More things for me to run on the Southern Atlantic Seaboard Railway


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## Ranger

Nice heritage units.


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## Southern

Thanks Ranger. I have done a little bit of work to the Southern Atlantic Seaboard over the summer i will get some photos up soon.


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## Shadowplayer

This looks fantastic Southern. Makes me wish I had more space for my layout!


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## dsertdog56

Amazing that you've had the same basic layout for 50 years and then expanded upon it. Wish my dad would have thought of this!


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## Southern

This is my train running on the P&W Model Railroad.


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## Southern

I. have been wanting to install wooden grade crossing. I just wanted to share some pictures of the work


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## tjcruiser

Wow ... nice work, Southern, to bend all of the wood into a curve like that. Very meticulous! Looking forward to pics of the finished products!

TJ


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## MtRR75

I like how you used the train to deliver the supplies and the crane to unload them. Very clever.

But how did you get the crane to install the push pins???


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## Southern




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## MtRR75

A pile driver, of course!! My father was a civil engineer. He taught me how pile drivers are used. And you just happened to have one -- the first one I have ever seen on a layout. But I have not seen as many layouts as many of the others on this forum.


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## Southern

I am a Lucky man. i just happen to have acuired a pile driver. It dose not fit my layout, untill you asked.


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## Southern

Almost finished with crossings. I still want to put in flashing cross-bucks. That will have to want a little wile.




















I wish I could paint a straight line.


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## DonR

Southern

Spring for a roll of blue painter's tape. That'll straighten
out your lines. Assuming, that is, refreshments come later.

With the recent spate of semi's hung up on crossing in
mind, should I worry about the ability of your's
to make it?

Don


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## Southern

The trucks will make it. The trailways and greyhounds will not. the road grade is bad, but it is all about the trains.


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## Southern

It has been a long time coming, but i finally got working grade crossing lights.


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## Southern

*Expanding the rolling stock*

I went to to a train show this weekend and picked up some more cars.


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## Ranger

I like the Big John hopper car. Train show here in 2 weeks, hope to pick up some southern cars.


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## Southern

Thanks it is an old wood kit. There were some Winston-Salem Southbound Railway box cars but the dearler wanted $20 each. i did not buy them


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## Southern

Southern said:


> This is my train running on the P&W Model Railroad.


 The Piedmont and Western was on the cover for Model Railroader in May. It is great to be a small part of it.


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## Nikola

DonR said:


> Southern
> 
> Spring for a roll of blue painter's tape. That'll straighten
> out your lines. Assuming, that is, refreshments come later.
> 
> With the recent spate of semi's hung up on crossing in
> mind, should I worry about the ability of your's
> to make it?
> 
> Don


Also, 3M sells pinstriping tape available in a wide assortment of colors, widths, and styles. It is very thin and flexible as it is intended to be the final finish on the exterior of vehicles, so it conforms to the surface to which it is applied.


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