Back dating the layout?

Well, not much time on the layout as usual but still doing some model railroading things like shows and a RPM meet.  The main thing I have been contemplating is a possible back date of the layout.  How far you may ask?  I'm thinking the mid 1980's.  I'm currently in the early 1990's.    Why would you backdate it?  That is the magical question isn't it?  One reason is to possibly get older cars on the layout. Another is to get some older locomotives on the layout.  I've grown on F units in the last year and would like to still have them living out their last days on the layout.  A good friend of mine is a F unit fanatic.  That doesn't help either.  I also want to incorporate a few of the Kadee PS-1 50' boxcars too.  I think it is a great transitional time in railroading.  I have even been "floating" around a way to add a car float to the layout!

What's has to possibly change?

The track work is fine for this change.  The industries would have to be examined but I think most are fine.    I'll have to look at some of the freight cars that might be too new for the era.  Of course, I'll have to buy a few new cars like the PS-1 50 footers but when did 40' boxcars quit showing up in the 1980's?  Vehicles seem to me like one of the biggest time setters on the layout.  I'll have to look at each and figure out which can stay and which will need to be sold.  Vehicles for the 1980's are already a black hole.  Not much is out there.  Locomotives will also have to be looked at.  Most of my power is older but a 1984 short line would not have a SD40-2.  Still would have a lot of 1st generation Alco's and EMD's.  That fine with me!  This would let me incorporate the F units on to the layout.  A RS-3 in VMID paint would be a nice touch.  My GP10 still would be OK on the layout.

This is a easy attainable change for the layout.  Not a whole lot of work.  But is it worth it?  I don't know yet.  More research is need and I'll talk to a few other people about it.  But its definitely an easy change to do!  Let me know what you think in the comments!

How do you not like the many different paint schemes of F units?  Possible paint scheme of the Virginia Midland?

Boxcar Update: More details, pricing and pics!

In a joint venture, MAKIN' Tracks: http://makemytracks.com/ and myself have started producing exclusive RTR Virginia Midland boxcars. 

These boxcars are various modern Roundhouse kits and most will be double door boxcars.  Combination door boxcars will make up the next biggest group.  There will be limited numbers of plug door and single door boxcars.

These RTR VMID boxcars will include:
-Custom green/boxcar red paint and decals (silver roof)
-Intermountain metal wheels
-Kadee #5 couplers
-Kadee brake wheel
-A different number on every boxcar
-Reflective stripes for modern day modelers (extra $2)

Cost will be $25 for each car plus shipping.  You can also pick up cars from shows we attend.

Email me at virginiamidlandshops@gmail.com for any other questions and to reserve you car!

Combo door VMID #1001 complete!  First one off the line!

Combo door VMID #1001 complete!

Double door boxcar VMID #1004

Weathered Cars for a client

Completed some cars for a client this week and here are the results:

Awesome load in this BN gon.

Ex-SRN now COER 5293

NOKL 816388 

CSIX 210001

NECR 4154

Gotta love for the 2 bay hoppers

My favorite car of the bunch.

BNSF 401711

FXE 873898

Drawerzilla and other projects

I finally completed the freight car drawers or as I call it Drawerzilla.  This was a major undertaking as it turned out bigger than  I planned.  I finally put the finishing touches on it Saturday and brought it in the house.  Between wood and redoing my deck last week, I bet I went to my local Home Depot everyday last week.  I still need to paint it and get another drawer liner and dividers for the last drawer.  I decided to put wheels on it to be able to move this behemoth.

Here is my 6 drawers of freight cars.

Holds 3 50' cars across, with space to spare.

The dividers are wood.  Not Ideal but made installation easy.

Tank car storage.  These were the hardest to store in my opinion.  Too many fragile pieces compared to a boxcar.

The last drawer need to be completed

The drawer liner keeps cars from rolling and moving.

Finally got the chevron stripes on the VC #107 now to add the grabs and weather.

Did a custom Southern woodchip hopper based on a prototype.

In between working on Drawerzilla, I worked on these two locos.  I wasn't going to add the VM logo to the C430, but man does it look great!  RS11 #204 is a Norfolk, Franklin and Danville prototype loco.

And my birthday present to myself, a SD40F "Red Barn"  I'm currently working on Econami Sound install.

And for something different to benefit the layout

As you know, I do a few videos on You Tube and I also have several channels I check out.  Not only do I look for what's on the layout, but what's off or around the layout.  I was watching a video just last week and noticed shelved drawers under the layout.  These would have to be for freight car storage and I was correct.  Eric Miller of SPSF fame SPSF Railway  (make sure you check out his website!) has a very nice layout.  I contacted him and he send me some pictures of the shelving units.

Here is a picture of Eric's drawers (Eric Miller photo)

  So I began to ponder and figure out how I can build one of these.  I only need one for my small layout.  It was nice to have a bunch of excess wood in my shed I could build the drawers with.  Had to go to my local Home Depot to get the 3/4" cabinet wood sides and the drawer hardware.

The first of many drawers

Lining up the sliding parts and leaving enough space between was tough but it worked out.

Wow!  I have some major space to put cars in these seven drawers.  Now to figure out what to use/how to divide up the drawers. 

My stopping point today.  Tomorrow I hope to complete this project and it will require a trip back to Home Depot!

I also finally finished my track laying of staging track by my helix last week.  I have 2 good sized tracks to hold entire trains to run east across the layout.

Here's the end of the 2 staging tracks.  The one starts to run back up the helix.  My helix is made for 2 tracks.

This is what I added to complete it.

The mainline and the Parker passing siding is on the left and the 2 staging tracks are in the middle of the picture.  Still need to power the turnout.

250th Post! Video on my batch weathering method

My 250th post on July 4th.  Pretty cool.   Here's a video on how I weather several cars at one time.
Happy 241st birthday America!  Hope everyone has a great and safe 4th of July!

A Virginia Midland boxcar earning it's keep...

Darrell Darkow sent me some pictures of a boxcar he purchased from me a while back.  It's currently in service on his Royersford Modular Railroad.  I really appreciate emails like this and it made my day Darrell!

Here's his email:

Shannon, 

 I wanted to share some pictures of the boxcar I bought from you. It has been in both club shows this year. We did a joint layout with the Allegheny Western lines club a few of there members instantly recognized your layout and at least one said they wanted that car. Had to fight them off lol. Hope your doing well I keep looking for updates to your blog. It has helped me develop more of my layout. .

Have a good day Darrell

More info on his modular layout:

Royersford Modular Model Railroaders

All pics are copyrighted: Darrell Darkow

I'm still here!

Looking back at the blog yesterday and noticed I have not had a post since April 7th.  That's the longest I have gone in a bit.   Really I have not even been into the layout room in two weeks.  The weather has been nice and outside chores have been calling.  I recent crossed the 100,000 views on my blog and I wanted to thank each and everyone of you that check it out all the time or even occasionally. It really means alot!

 I'm also going to sell one of my Virginia Midland locomotives and to make it different, I'm going to offer it here on the blog first.  This will give you guys that follow the blog to maybe own it first.  I won't offer it anywhere else.  So stay tuned for that.  I'm going to try to do that on the next post here on the blog and I'm hoping later on today or on Monday.  The locomotive is the red patched B39-8.

Sneak Peek

 

So here's my Sunday morning offering today:  a weathered caboose and VMID equipment on other freelanced railroads.

This is a Bluford Shops FLS caboose that has been patched for the VMID.  #1 waits at the end of a string of cars in BY.

Kevin Klettke who does the Washington Northern RR recently did a write up on a VMID hopper he did.  Kevin has also designed several logos on my layout.  I suggest you check out the WN website and the journals he does for them!  Shout out to Greg McComas and his Michigan Interstate RR  His boxcars are also roaming WNRR rails.  

Kevin Klettke's Washington Northern RR: Washington Northern RR
2015 WNRR Bulletin with VMID car: WN Bulletin
Greg McComas's awesome Michigan Interstate RR: Michigan Interstate RR

Decaling overload, motive power update and continuous running

This week has mainly been getting 2 new locomotives onto the layout and getting some needed freight cars onto the layout.  The Mine Run branch is complete, or is it?  Thinking about putting in a lift out portion of track to connect the lower level at Orange and Mine Run for continuous running.  Not sure on it yet and this would change Orange a little.    Lets get to the locomotives:

Here is VMID GP40-2W in fresh paint.  She will receive the newer logo and will be weathered.  Her number will be #288.

The new SW1200 for the VC has received her paint and now waits for decals during my decal purge today.

My decaling tools of the trade.

My many sets of decals.  Boxed up and unorganized!

More progress on the decaling.  The SW1200 has her logo.  Patching and reporting marks were the main thing today.

Alot of work on this chip hopper.  Even did a VMID ortner Ex-SP.

VMID #288 is nearing the end of her decaling job. 

It's October already?

Don't know where the month of September went but it's gone until next year.  I did have the Mid-Atlantic RPM meet in the middle of the month and that was a great time.  Modeling has generally taken a back seat to the busyness of life lately.  Coaching another sport starting in the middle of November does not leave a lot of time to do much in the future either.  I'm also beginning to write my first article for a magazine on my layout.  More on this at a later time.  I have had sometime to do a few things but I've been lazy, I'm preferring the recliner to the the work desk in the evenings!  Hopefully I can shake that this month.

Here is a ice machine I picked up from Nick and Nora Designs at the RPM meet.  

And here's one on the layout.  A must fro a crew shelter.

Here a prototype hopper from the VC based on a picture.  The car is based on one from the 30's., (Pic below)

VC prototype hopper

Here's a VC boxcar based on a prototype pic.  The car is close but not totally correct.  I have had the decals custom done.  Let me know if you want to purchase some.

Finally added some logs to my pulpwood car.  The logs are azalea bush twigs.  They are nice to work with because they are mainly straight.  Sorry for the blurry picture.