# My First "Wall of Trains" is Complete!



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

My first set of shelves is filled. 69 powered units, not counting multiple-units or dummies. Time to start another set of shelves!


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## Guest (Sep 23, 2018)

Very impressive, John.I bet you are very happy to get them out of boxes and on display.

Must be nice for you to be in your new home as well.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Very nice display.

What is that locomotive on the far left five shelves up from the bottom? Looks like a Siemens design.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> Very impressive, John.I bet you are very happy to get them out of boxes and on display.
> 
> Must be nice for you to be in your new home as well.


Yep, but I'd sure like to sell the old house, we're still sitting on that one! 


MichaelE said:


> Very nice display.
> 
> What is that locomotive on the far left five shelves up from the bottom? Looks like a Siemens design.


That's the Bombardier–Alstom HHP-8, and it lives next to the AEM-7, then the Genesis and finally the F40ph and Cabbage unit. That's the Amtrack shelf, but that PRR Plymouth slipped in there as well.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I had FP45's pulling a five coach train on an old HO layout years ago. Love the lines on those locomotives.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

that looks very nice, keep on going


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## empire builder (Apr 12, 2014)

your going to need a very large locomotive facility to house them all LOL I assume the benchwork hasn't arrived yet?
any particular reason house not moving have you had anyone look at it since on the market?
hopefully it will sell soon before the cold temps hit again.


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Exceptional!
Peter


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## Maxum (Apr 10, 2017)

Nice!


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

It didn’t take you long to fill up those shelves.


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## laz57 (Sep 19, 2015)

Nice JOHN.:smilie_daumenpos:

What is that Reading Switcher in the middle of the shelves? Very nice too.


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

Very nice, it will be easy to make a selection for operation.

Bill


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

Hey John, looks really impressive. Nice project.


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## Guest (Sep 24, 2018)

Really great job on the shelves. I’ll bet you’re already thinking about where to put the next set of shelves. 

Emile


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## Chiefmcfuz (Dec 30, 2008)

Looking great John. Can't wait to see more walls covered in trains.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Nice! And you certainly found a way to fill up every last inch of every shelf. Impressive display.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

laz57 said:


> Nice JOHN.:smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> What is that Reading Switcher in the middle of the shelves? Very nice too.


That's the MTH RK SW-1500, that was a rescue from Sandy, I got it from a collection in Staten Island, it was submerged for days.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Lee Willis said:


> Nice! And you certainly found a way to fill up every last inch of every shelf. Impressive display.


I shuffled them to make them fit, that's the only criteria I was using to put them on the shelves! . Some of them will get moved when I get the bigger shelves up, all the ones with passenger cars will be living with their cars. I'll probably put the VL-BB with a bunch of PFE Reefers as well.

I don't expect to ever catch you as far as the number of shelves! 

It's fun just to have them out so I can see them. Another 50-60 to go and all the motive power will be out.


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## Rocky Mountaineer (Sep 19, 2015)

Very nice display, John!!! Good job on the lighting too. Seems uniformly lit.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Dave, I cheated and stuck an extra light in to get a better picture.


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## Rocky Mountaineer (Sep 19, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Dave, I cheated and stuck an extra light in to get a better picture.


I was gonna ask you about that, John... because I saw some slight shadows ABOVE some of the trains. But I thought perhaps the lighting came from different levels of a stairway ceiling.

In any event, I always say.... Good photography is also the art of illusion!!!  And your photo looks great. 

By the way, I think a recognize a couple of my York Virtual Bandit Meet specials being displayed. Glad to see they still have a great home!!! 

David


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## papa3rail (Oct 8, 2016)

Looks great John,Love the wiener mobile.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

My wiener refused to be left out of the first display!


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Is that the first thing you see when you enter the house? I can’t remember if there is a door when you go to the lower level. Quite a sight. Better get the rest of your shelves up now. You will be too busy with Mianne benchwork after York.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Bravo, John! Wall of trains looks GREAT!

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks TJ. 

Bob, there's a door to the basement, so if it's open, you see the trains, if it's closed you see... the door. 

I want to get one of those neat signs that says "To The Trains".


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Now that's a wall of trains. Looks,great.👍


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

Looks great, John. but only one wall of trains?  Better get busy on another wall.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Funny you should mention that Pat. I'm busy prepping the walls for the next two shelf locations.  Today I'll be getting the wallboard up and start the plastering process. These two walls will get shelves.

A bunch of stuff from the previous owners, I removed their dummy window (opened to a painted blue concrete wall), and also some low-voltage wiring boxes for some unknown purpose.










There was a useless wall sconce and another low voltage wiring box, GONE!


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## Dieseler (Jan 29, 2014)

Thanks for posting some of your trains and look forward to any updates you may post. Looks like this winter you will be busy .


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm working on the other walls where more shelves go, so stay tuned.


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## Bob Phillips (Nov 25, 2014)

Shelves look good John. You should organize them by House, Club & Shows.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

But...but... any of them can be used for any of those purposes! 

Actually, when I get more shelves up, some of them will be paired with a consist, passenger cars, freight cars, etc. The Genset will probably be pulling a bunch of Vision Line Ethanol tank cars.


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## empire builder (Apr 12, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> But...but... any of them can be used for any of those purposes!
> 
> Actually, when I get more shelves up, some of them will be paired with a consist, passenger cars, freight cars, etc. The Genset will probably be pulling a bunch of Vision Line Ethanol tank cars.


 the chatty kathy ones or the muted versions?


word of caution if you have the ethonal set with the etd light after running them a lot that wire to the etd will shred itself away from the solder I had to re-solder mine a year or so ago.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I have twelve cars, nine of the silent ones and the VL series with two sound cars. Maintenance is a fact of life if you run something a lot, I'm used to it.


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## icolectto (Nov 28, 2012)

Well done.:appl:


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## Severn (May 13, 2016)

How many are lionel, mth and what era, etc... i mean, if you want to spend the time with that question.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I haven't done my inventory yet, but I think 21 on that shelf are MTH, most of the others are Lionel with a smattering of Atlas, Williams, and a couple of 3rd Rail.


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## lionel4408 (Dec 19, 2013)

*wall of trains*

Thats a great looking train display.. Now you can enjoy them even more.


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## Bob Rumer (Sep 11, 2012)

Looks amazing John. Sure is a lot of motive power.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks guys. It is fun having them out after all this time. Also, now when I go to run at our club events, I can actually be selective as to what I'll bring. Next will be the big wall of shelves for more engines and passenger and freight cars. The wallboard work is almost done, just have to slap some paint on the wall.


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## Chiefmcfuz (Dec 30, 2008)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Thanks guys. It is fun having them out after all this time. Also, now when I go to run at our club events, I can actually be selective as to what I'll bring. Next will be the big wall of shelves for more engines and passenger and freight cars. The wallboard work is almost done, just have to slap some paint on the wall.


Trust me when I say slapping paint is a very bad idea. Brushes and rollers are suggested in place of the slapping lol.


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2018)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Thanks guys. It is fun having them out after all this time. Also, now when I go to run at our club events, I can actually be selective as to what I'll bring. Next will be the big wall of shelves for more engines and passenger and freight cars. The wallboard work is almost done, just have to slap some paint on the wall.





Chiefmcfuz said:


> Trust me when I say slapping paint is a very bad idea. Brushes and rollers are suggested in place of the slapping lol.


I disagree, Chief. It's true that brushes and rollers do a neater and cleaner job but, in spite of the mess and painted hands, slapping the paint on is so much more fun. :cheeky4:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'll see how the "slapping" goes before worrying about rollers.


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## laz57 (Sep 19, 2015)

Personally I do like slathering better.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

If I slap paint it would be upside someone's head. 😁


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Show off!😉 looks a hell of a lot better then in your old work room. Good luck in the new house john!


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

Very nice work, John! Make sure you keep the pictures handy so that when you remove multiple engines you'll have a reference of how to put them back!


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## Enon49 (Mar 21, 2018)

I am impressed - very nice

Mr Toad


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks guys.  Brian, I have a steel trap mind, I remember all.


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

John, I’ll take your word for it.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

What can I say...


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

We can't forget the steam shelves, even though they're not nearly as big. They do have big stuff on them...


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Looks great, John!

Question ...

In the marine field, it's traditional to show (in drawing form) or display a ship or sailboat's starboard (right) side, with the bow (front) pointing to the right.

Is there any similar convention with train drawings and/or model train display?

Just curious,

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Could be TJ, but not with my display. 

I do have them mostly going to the right on the big shelf, except for a renegade or two. I wish you hadn't brought that up, now I'll have to go switch those!


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> ...now I'll have to go switch those!


Why? It's YOUR railroad!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You're right, they stay the way they are!


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## superwarp1 (Dec 13, 2016)

You need a new niagara on that wall.:smilie_daumenpos:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

No, but I did just make a deal on a new Legacy Reading T1 4-8-4, couldn't resist it.


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