I see your stuff on OGR - very cool! I like to experiment a bit with my approach as it's the best way to learn new things.

@@normstrains Thanks!

That was long gone by the time I was living in Plymouth. Do you know they had a concrete coaling tower there or was it wood toward the end of steam?

@@normstrains if memories serve me i think it was a concrete and it was much like how you have yours to the right of the roundhouse. The roundhouse stall doors faced south/west with the coaling tower toward the southeast of that. That was also a big hub because the east/west C&O lines crossed the north/south C&O lines. Plymouth had 2 stations the one to the east (the gandy dancer) and one to the south (relocated). I saw the end of steam as it changed to diesel. The smell of burning coal is imprinted forever in my memory and it always brings a smile to my face when i smell it.

I grew up in Livonia, and Plymouth was my go-to rail fan spot once I started driving in 1976. I live up in Northern Michigan now (Frankfort).

That was my old '64!

@@normstrains I like it.

Aw man, not anymore. Sold it a few years ago. Wish I had another one!

Thanks, that was a ‘64. Kinda miss it, I sold it a few years back.

This current layout has about 11” clearance from the outer main to the backdrop. The Federal Servo spur gets within ~4” of it.

I mostly use those 2” Dremel cutoff wheels, the reinforced ones.

Yes, wish I still had it! I still have the 606.

No, not really. While I’ve sold off some of my scratchbuilt models over the years, or built models for pals, I’ve never built anything with the sole purpose of selling. Maybe someday if I could retire. It could be a source of beer 🍺 money I suppose!

Never really left I guess. I built layouts in HO and N scale and then sort of rediscovered O gauge. Not long after that I started getting more and more interested in scale modeling as the makers started producing more scale-oriented products.

@@normstrains The problem I had with O gauge, was A.) The size needed for the layouts, and B.) that third rail in the middle of the tracks. However, unlike my father's Lionels (pre-war tin cars, and a cast zinc steam locomotive, and electronics that are positively lethal ), your engines and rolling stock are freakin' gorgeous, and you have actually observed how the weathering happens. It also occurs to me that there are a ton of 1:48 scale model kits of all sorts of things out there, and I am well aware of makers making "kits" of street cars, to make use of frames and trucks from old small diesels. 3D printing, and a decent 3D software can get you a lot of custom parts.

No, I sold it a few years ago. It now lives somewhere in Ontario.

@@normstrains Ah I see, well she looked pretty, love the layout, excited to see part 2!

@@Hanksabutt that was a ‘64 Bahama Blue beetle with the original motor. I miss it!

@@normstrains Aw man id miss it too if I had to get rid of it