Amazing 👏

Sam: the location your remember swimming at, Patapsco, is on an eastbound downgrade, about halfway between Westminster and Cedarhurst (Finksburg, MD). At Cedarhurst the grade levels out, and immediately east of that point the grueling, twisting three-mile eastbound grade of 1.86% commences at Falls, up into Emory Grove. This three-mile stretch constituted the ruling grade into Baltimore from Hagerstown. Helpers were often required. When I was a kid I relished the pounding sound of multiple locomotives climbing up Falls Hill with a 100-car train. Glad you enjoyed the video.

the passengers get a thrill- I remember my mom and aunt and I were riding the silverton -durango train and a man was fishing naked.

Good catch, Russell!

@@HowardZane thanks Howard I am glad you enjoyed it!

Agree! Best in any scale I’ve seen as well. Nicely done!

@kerraedge4006 Thanks stay tunned because I've got more insane layouts comming! If you want to see more go into my Playlist then layout visits

Allen: you are correct: they're "okay". Of course, they are way too large, out of scale. I experimented with the N-scale version, but found there wasn't enough travel in them for HO scale. I have weathered mine so they don't stand out like sore thumbs. The good news is that they are bulletproof. If I had it all to do over again I think I would would use the self-locking Peco turnouts. I simply wasn't aware of them when I started construction in 1999. Thank you for the compliment.

@@davidhughes4448 A lot easier to install than switches- I use Peco turnouts with Caboose Ind throws

@@coalcracker1655 thank you

Thank you for noticing, sir.

Steamfan007: Thank you for the kind words - much appreciated. I will be open for Mainline Hobby's layout tour days in September. You can find the dates on their webpage... I believe. I don't even know when it is yet!

Thanks for this correction, Fred. I knew what I said was wrong the moment I said it! My failing brain...

@@davidhughes4448 Was not trying to embarrass you, just wanted the viewers to know which product you used for the corn field.

Thanks Fred we are children of the 🌽 and I had delicious sweet corn for dinner tonight

We did also! Corn was picked yesterday.

Roland: 22", and all curves on the layout are superelevated, with eased approaches. And thank you for your flattering comment earlier.

@@davidhughes4448 I believe in giving credit where credit is due. My minimum is 22" also. That is only on one curve. The rest are 24". I used super elevation on the original hand laid and dog spiked track laid on individually cut 1/16 pine veneer ties, which is still in use after 61 years. My grade is 2 1/2 percent . I find that, with a long drag of 40 or more cars, the super elevation tends to shift the CG a little too far off the centreline of the track meaning that care needs to be taken coming into that uphill curve so that long and high cars such as 4 bay centre flow hoppers don't pull off towards the inside of the curve. There is no doubt that the super elevation looks prototypically great but on the extensions I opted for the flat curves. Roland

@@AlBorland22 I believe there is one in the Model Railroad magazine article done on his layout. I did not see one when filming

@@alpugliesetrains9753 Oh thank you. I think it could be in the April 2021 issue.