I was at a train expo in Bridgewater MA today so I bought some more stuff...


Not all of it I'm using right away though. (The TYCO Pak I am keeping handy for if I need more power for lights and accessories, of course.)


I'm glad I can now label my Bachmann remote switches (using a supply of old Atlas remote switch labels); at the actual turnouts I will mark them either on the side of the platform, or find another inconspicuous way (like a small signpost.)


Yeah, I know it's kind of gross, but I thought a dog about to mark its' territory on a fire hydrant would be yet another funny sight on my train layout. (Plus, I figured it'd work since my dog is obsessed with hydrants.) And yes, these are Bachmann SceneScapes figures.


Some of the wildlife seen on my train layout, with deer and wolves. The buck and wolves are from Woodland Scenics, while the doe and fawn are Model Power.



Just a couple of railroad crossing action shots.


The obligatory overview shot. I've moved the main freight and the Amtrak train back to their original track loops with virtually no fuss.

Quote from: Joe323 on April 10, 2018, 01:51:44 PM
I have one more question for you (Not trying to be a pain but I really like the layout you are building) You said you but knuckle couplers on all your cars.  I see that many of them are older Tyco, Life-Like, etc.  Are you just popping out the horn hooks and putting knuckles or are you converting to body mounted couplers?  If the former What couplers are you using and how is it working out?  Can you backup without problems?

I generally just either install E-Z Mate knuckle couplers (preferably Mark II) with Kadee talgo truck adapters into the talgo coupler pockets, or I would use Life-Like's SceneMaster knuckle couplers, which Walthers unfortunately discontinued a while back (too bad; they were pretty good for a quick-and-easy way to upgrade old AHM, Life-Like and TYCO rolling stock.) On this layout I don't have very many problems backing up the trains with these couplers either, and for the most part they work pretty well with the Bachmann under-track uncoupling magnets.

Quote from: Joe323 on April 09, 2018, 07:42:53 PM
Will the Tyco autoracks handle 18" curves

Yes they can; same with the Athearn and Life-Like auto-carrier cars.
With that said, here's some more pics, which also include the auto-carrier train in action.


Recent picture of the control panel for my train layout. I now have six remote switches hooked up; I plan to hook up two more soon. Now if only I could find some kind of labels for the remote switches...


I reconfigured the track for the coal tipple siding so that the bumper isn't sticking up above the ground now.


Another shot of the woods on my layout, with a couple more trees "planted."


Another shot of the main BNSF freight unloading logs into the TYCO dumping bin. Now that I've got all the turnouts in that rail yard area wired up to the control panel, it's easier to do all the action just from the controls!


Trying out switching operations with the three trains on my layout. It did take a little planning, but I was able to get it done without much hassle. Maybe I'll shoot a video of it some day.


The auto-carrier train at the downtown station alongside the Amtrak train.


Another picture of both the TYCO freight unloading depot and the lighted signal crossing in action, now that the main freight is on the outer track line that passes through the residential area. Too bad Bachmann never made an action accessory similar to that freight unloading depot, and that their past attempt at a light-and-sound crossing was pretty lousy.


The auto-carrier train on the Amtrak's tail, now waiting for the Amtrak to clear the turnout and the switch to be thrown so it can move onto the outer loop and park there.

It's been a while but here are some more new pics!


I found that those holes I make when drilling to run the Bachmann E-Z track switch wires under the platform can be easily filled with leftover bits of insulation foam. (I have to make the holes be elongated and rectangular-shaped due to the rectangular plugs Bachmann uses for their remote switches.


Here is one of those filled holes after the wire is run through it, with the ballast ground cover sprinkled over it.


The two holes from the first image with ground cover applied.


For my most recent demonstration of this train layout for some relatives, I had my auto-carrier train be hauled by my Bachmann Bluetooth-equipped BNSF GP35 diesel! They got a kick out of that.


In the residential area and near the drive-in theater I've applied the Walthers SceneMaster adhesive roadway. It's actually made by Busch, but the paint job is modified to look more like an American roadway. Now they just need to make intersection roadway sections as well...


Here I've placed the Woodland Scenics "Cop'n a Kiss" AutoScene on the "Lovers' Lane" ledge.


A bit of leftover Woodland Scenics roadway placed in front of the TYCO Lighted Signal Crossing.


The main freight unloading crates from the TYCO operating boxcar as the Amtrak train passes by on the other track.


Another shot of the freight train having one of the piggyback truck trailers unloaded. As I said, one fun thing about these operating freight car accessories is how even though they were clearly aimed at kids, they do allow for being able to actually load and unload cargo on freight trains and make for a more realistic operation! Too bad Bachmann doesn't make anything like that anymore (I know prior to 1994 they had their own log-dump car and an electrically-operated "action depot.")


Both trains passing each other at the railroad crossing near the Lovers' Lane.


The BNSF freight is flagged down due to a switch problem. (I fixed it after taking this photo.)


I have my Model Power 3-light signal wired up now, currently set on red to prevent any other trains from crashing into the back of the BNSF freight.

Yep; I plan to do that once I can find my old Android 7.9" tablet that was misplaced during our move to the current house. If not, I'll just buy a used/refurbished iPad Mini 4 (probably with 32 or 64 GB; I don't really need 128 GB) and use that in the screen. I found some nice ten-minute drive-in intermission montages on YouTube; I'm thinking of running this one...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRXC8Nvyqgg

But anyways, here are some more new pics!


I thought this looked like a cool sight, seeing the freight cars on the Bachmann blinking bridge like that.


I now have a third train placed on the layout as well; an auto-carrier train! I took my Bachmann BNSF GP40 and matching caboose and hooked them up to my Athearn, TYCO and Life-Like auto-carrier cars. I know from the 70s to the 90s Bachmann made a tri-level auto carrier car, and I do have one, but it's much too big to run alongside the other auto carriers, and I need to find the appropriate knuckle couplers for it (it's not as easy as replacing the couplers on the rest of my older rolling stock.) I am not surprised Bachmann hasn't updated the tri-level auto carrier with knuckle couplers and such and is still selling it with the rest of their product line! Either that, or make a new auto carrier in HO scale.
As you can see in the background, I got out my Walthers Trainline BNSF "Fakebonnet" Dash 8-40BW locomotive to pull the main freight, along with a matching Trainline Santa Fe caboose.


Here I have the main freight train in the foreground. There's just something neat about seeing a much more modern diesel locomotive like the Dash 8-40BW pulling a freight train that includes older TYCO cars.


Here's a creative use for TYCO's old blinking traffic lights. They make great fire station traffic signals! (I haven't wired it up yet, but I plan to soon.)


Placed some cars on where the drive-in theater is going and put in another row of those old speaker posts. After Anime Boston and my next payment comes in, I'll buy a few more paints so I can build the ticket booth and the snack bar/projection booth structures (I hope I can find color photos of Brockton's old Skyview Drive-In for inspiration on how to paint it!)


I finally got around to replacing the burnt-out bulb in my Life-Like flashing light storage tank. I used a red Model Power blinking LED. It looks a lot more realistic now, too. When I first got it, the whole tank seemed to illuminate, so I painted the interior black except the red translucent dome on the top, and that helped a bit. But thanks to the new Model Power blinking LED, it looks more like the real thing!


I learned how I can drill slots to fit the Bachmann E-Z Track Simplimatic remote switch plugs through my control panel. It looks less cluttered now for sure. (But I am still having trouble trying to get it through the main platform with its' extruded foam. Any turnouts near the edge I will just run the wire to the edge of the platform and down, and then hide it with landscaping ground cover.)


It's hard to get a clear shot of my model trains in motion on my phone, as they look a bit blurry, even when running at a slow speed! But it does seem to create a neat motion effect.

Here's the Amtrak train stopped at the Arlee Station.


Doing some more realistic railroad switching/right-of-way operations here so I can move the trains from one loop to the other.


I am now placing the speakers into the drive-in theater layout (remember drive-in speakers?)


The BNSF freight stopped at the Plasticville freight station as a hobo sits in one of the boxcars.


People can board the Amtrak train from both platforms at the downtown station when it's on the inner loop!


The TYCO freight-unloading depot in action!


Here's the BNSF freight rounding through the woods.


The semaphore signal is adjusted to red so the BNSF freight can pass by here.

I am thinking of painting the track to make it more real-looking. I saw some tips on how to do so in one of the Bachmann Model Railroad Club online magazines without having to apply additional ballast (but maybe I'll try that for the in the rail yard to match the rest of the gray ballast ground cover.) It even mentions how to clean the tops of the rails after painting. As for fastening it down, I plan to use some double-sided tape underneath the track in a few corners to keep it firm for normal operation.

And yes, I chose the nickel-silver track due to its' better conductivity and being easier to keep clean. On my TYCO crossing gate, it had a removable straight track section when I got it so I replaced the original straight brass track section with an Atlas Code-100 nickel-silver track section to allow for better conductivity and electrical consistency when I last installed it on the previous layout.

Good idea. I will definitely try that.
But in the meantime, here are more updates!


I also now have illuminated the Life-Like Ace Super Market!


And I got the TYCO log dump bin working as well!


Another shot of my hoboes together.


I found my Bachmann Plasticville swimming pool accessory and set it up behind the Plasticville split-level house.


The Bachmann LED blinking oil tank all wired up and in use now.


It's a bit hard to tell but I also have a light in the TYCO Arlee Station as well; one of those newer Bachmann LED ones. It has a yellowish color, most likely to emulate an incandescent light.


And of course, a shot of the layout in the dark showing most of the illuminated action!


Here's a workspace I've set up for building structures and such.


Just another shot of my current BNSF freight consist. I was able to stick a piece of plastic sprue from a building kit into the windmill seen there to keep it attached to the platform.


I have been able to stick my NJ International Griswold crossing signal on the layout. Once I get a crossing signal controller for there I will wire it up and such.


I've also been working on putting together the drive-in movie theater, even though I don't have the right-sized tablet to fit in the screen yet. Also note the Life-Like Al's General Store; the older version that had labels of actual products instead of the fictional counterparts Life-Like came up with later on so they wouldn't get sued.


Now for some Bachmann trivia! Did you know that back when Bachmann introduced the E-Z Track line in 1994, it was initially called the "Right Track" System? Then they shortly changed the name to "E-Z Track," which has stuck since. Maybe it was due to Atlas using the phrase "You're on the right track with Atlas!" or something. Back in 1994, all they had in E-Z Track was 18"-radius curves, 9" straights, left and right remote turnouts and a 9" straight terminal rerailer. It makes sense, since they were just starting out. That was all they also had for sectional steel track in 1994 as well, before finally phasing that out in 1997. Today, the steel E-Z Track lineup has some more options than that, but is still small compared to the wide variety of lengths, radii and turnout configurations in the nickel-silver E-Z Track line! (Which is why I used the nickel-silver E-Z Track on my current layout.)

Well, I got me a couple of extended-length drill bits, allowing me to now run wiring underneath my layout to power lights and accessories!


The TYCO Lighted Freight Station and the Life-Like KFC are the first to come on, wired up to the TYCO Pak on the control panel.


The TYCO Freight Unloading Depot is wired up now, too. I disguised the wire going from the back into the hole with lychen.


The control panel is neater-looking on this end, now that I re-routed the wiring to underneath the panel. I'll still need a way to drill slits to fit each of the Bachmann remote switch connectors though, due to their shape.


I also got the TYCO operating boxcar working on this layout as well! (Too bad Bachmann didn't make anything like this back in the 70s or 80s.) I plan to soon wire up the log dump car bin as well.


And here's the manual TYCO piggyback loader/unloader at work.


More lights on at this end! The TYCO Lighted Factory and Life-Like Lighted Yard Tower, and lights inside the TYCO Center. St drug store, furniture store and school.

Time for another post from me about a vintage Bachmann model train product! This time it's about their "Scenic Classics" line...

In 1979, when Bachmann started making landscaping products as part of their model train line (a precursor to their SceneScapes line) they also came out with the "Scenic Classics" line, which included a Plasticville building kit or similar accessories and some landscaping (to be set on a small square grass mat).
It was a pretty neat concept, especially for young model railroaders who were starting out in wanting to do landscaping.


The back side of the box; same as on the boxes for their action accessories of the time. Believe it or not, Bachmann still sells some of their operating accessories in the older late 70s box style from time to time, just with the product number updated. At the hobby shop I often go to, I've seen the Wayside Steam Whistle Warehouse sold in the original 1980 packaging style, complete with the back showing some of those long-discontinued products. Talk about a throwback! (The only products seen here still made by Bachmann include the dual crossing gates and blinking bridge (now modified to work with E-Z Track) and the diesel horn oil tank.)

Here are links to old catalog images showing different Scenic Classics kits...
http://hoseeker.net/bachmanninformation/bachmanncatalog1979pg17.jpg
http://hoseeker.net/bachmanninformation/bachmanncatalog1980pg28.jpg

Then in 1982, Bachmann refreshed the line into the "Lighted Scenic Classics," where the included Plasticville kit would also include an interior light unit to be set up in the building. Bachmann also made them in O-scale as well.
Bachmann eventually discontinued them after the 80s. But I know Life-Like had also come out with their own equivalent in the 80s, with their "Build-a-Scene" kits, which remained available until the early 2000s.


Here's how I put the vegetable garden together on my layout! I didn't need to use the little grass mat, since I already applied ground cover to the layout (i.e. I paint the foam surface in an earth color and sprinkle on the ground cover material while the paint is still wet.) It was kind of tricky applying the "vegetables" to the garden, but I am pleased with how it came out. The kit was missing the little wooden poles to apply tomatoes to, but I suppose I can make them myself. It also came with a couple of unpainted figures, wheelbarrow and a PINK tree. (What was Bachmann thinking back in 1979?) Maybe I'll get around to painting the figures at some point; I already have the paints I would need...


I think it'd be cool if Bachmann brought back something like this on the market. Of course the landscaping materials would the newer (and much better-looking) SceneScapes variety, and several of those Plasticville kits and accessories are still in production. After all it's neat how Bachmann makes some interesting kits and packages for beginning modelers to expand their train sets (like the new E-Z Track siding sets coming out this year.)

Thanks! And there's more where that came from...


I've added a vegetable garden to the farm! It's from a Bachmann "Scenic Classics" kit from cira 1979. It was kind of tricky applying the "vegetables" to the garden, but I am pleased with how it came out. The kit was missing the little wooden poles to apply tomatoes to, but I suppose I can make them myself. It also came with a couple of unpainted figures, wheelbarrow and a PINK tree. (What was Bachmann thinking back in 1979?) Maybe I'll get around to painting the figures at some point; I have the paints I would need already...


Some action at the commuter train station platform next to the coal yard and gas station.


Since the switches and trains were currently configured not to run on that outer curve in the photo, I placed my TYCO crane car and boom tender there for now. (Again, I went with the Santa Fe versions from the 70s to fit with my BNSF freight trains.)


Camping underneath the railroad line here! The brakeman figure you see is, again, to mark an undertrack magnet for any freight operations with the nearby logging mill.


An overview of the residential area, along with the gas station, some of the coal yard, two of the schools, the library and church, and the TYCO Freight Unloading Depot and Lighted Signal Crossing.


I thought seeing the Amtrak train going around the curve through the woods looked pretty cool, so I figured I'd get a shot of it. As for the trees, I may get pins to drill into the bottom of the trunks after clipping the bases to "plant" them into the ground firmly.

Yet more pictures...


The Life-Like SceneMaster operating semaphore in action. I will either disguise the wire with lychen, or once I finally get an extended-length drill bit so I can drill through the insulation foam and plywood tabletop I can run the wires underneath.


Showing some more installations of the Walthers Cornerstone Street System sections. I will soon get around to striping them.


I now have the Life-Like operating logging mill set up, along with having applied ground cover to the roadway behind it. Soon I will get some kind of material for the creek to simulate the water (either Artist's Gloss or the Woodland Scenics Realistic Water system.)


The TYCO billboard (need to get a new bulb for it) and some animal figures are placed on this ledge.


The farm now set up with fencing and figures.


I have now posed a couple of hoboes (Woodland Scenics figures) in one of my boxcars!


More hoboes found in the rail yard with a small bonfire. The Bachmann brakeman figure is to mark where an undertrack magnet is located.


The Amtrak train stopped at the downtown train station. The stairs I bought from a Chinese manufacturer on eBay.


Another shot of the downtown area showing some more of the Street System in place.


Yet another shot of downtown showing the 1982 TYCO Center St. Series building kits in place, with figures on them too.


The industrial rail yard section of my layout with landscaping, structures and such in place.


An overview from a different angle of the layout.

Ah; I will work on that one when I get the chance.

But anyways, I was finally able to restock on some landscaping materials (paint and ground cover) and make a lot more progress with the layout!


More painting and ground cover planting has been done now!


I've finally been able to paint and sprinkle ground cover on this ledge as well! Makes a big difference.


Just after more landscaping...


The same area with structures placed on hours later.


In the downtown area I am still using the Walthers Cornerstone street system for the roads. In other areas once they come out I will use the new Walthers SceneMaster adhesive roads.


The residential area from another angle, now with more detailing applied to the farm! I still need to get the stuff ready to make the water body under the bridge.


An overview with two trains set up on the layout!

Which one? Next to the station platforms? Sort of; I'm going to make a foam road incline that goes to the rerailer track.

I've been working on landscaping the layout since last week!



There's a feeling of satisfaction I get when I do model railroad layout landscaping like this, watching the bare platform being covered bit-by-bit.


Getting started on the ballast gravel ground for the industrial yard section of the layout.


I applied more grass on another end of the layout, using Life-Like SceneMaster light green ground cover.


I have now painted and added ground cover to the hill on one corner of my layout, where my "Lovers' Lane" will be going.


For this area on the layout, I am using older Life-Like "grass" ground cover, which was basically sawdust dyed green. It seems to look as good as the ground foam stuff. Several other model railroad companies that made scenic products also used to have grass that was made this way, including Bachmann.


Another angle of the grass "growing."


I'm also decorating the styrofoam "building sites" that certain structures that have to be raised to the height of the track are to be placed on.


Here I am trying out the Woodland Scenics Smooth-It Road System, which involves a plaster-like material. Kind of messy to work with and hard to make it exactly smooth, but the paving tape helps!


I've got the dirt patch for the farm ready here. I used a mix of Woodland Scenics earth-colored fine turf and some Life-Like SceneMaster light-brown ground cover.


More grass has been added, and I also painted and applied ground cover to the other ledge.


Just after painting my attempt at using the Smooth-It road system. The light-colored parts are supposed to look like concrete (Woodland Scenics's "concrete' top coat), but it's a rather odd color. I just use that for areas where rows of city buildings are to be set up.



A lot more gravel has been added to the industrial yard area.


I have also "planted" more grass here (for this area I used the Woodland Scenics green blend fine turf; I'm varying the grass in different parts of the layout to allow for a bit of variety and more realism.)


The area where the coal yard will be going.


More grass "planting," still using the older-style Life-Like grass. Once I get more earth-colored paint, I'll do that ledge in the foreground. (I've discovered when I paint the cut foam looking like that, the finished result looks a lot like actual dirt! But I still enhance it with ground cover anyways.) The paved area is where the drive-in theater will be going.


Still working on putting the coal yard together...


More painting of the surface and placement of structures and track. Note the Pola Truck Terminal; that's new. I bought the Walthers Trainline version, but it's otherwise the exact same kit that TYCO, IHC and Model Power used to sell. (I don't think AHM sold it though...)


This side is practically almost finished with the landscaping and scenery. Once I get more asphalt-colored paint, I will paint that piece of foam between the two track rerailers near the station. Then I may eventually replace that AHM dummy crossing signal down the line with an operating flashing crossing signal (even though I'm only going to be using one.)


The coal yard is practically finished! The reason for the boxes there is to show how I'll often combine different companies' products on a train layout for greater realism and variety.


This farm provides another instance of me doing so: the farmhouse is Pola's "Aunt Millie's House" (TYCO version), and the barn and other farm buildings are Bachmann Plasticville kits. I added some white trim paint to the barn to make it look more realistic. Then I just need to apply the fences, crops, trackside stock pen and figures.


The TYCO Freight Unloading Depot and Lighted Signal Crossing now positioned on the layout. I will reinforce the track joints at the crossing with duct tape on the bottom.


The TYCO manual piggyback loader/unloader setup. I just need to get some gray paint for the styrofoam base under the loader/unloader and a few other similar building sites I've made as well...


For the downtown area, I am trying out the Walthers Cornerstone Street System. They haven't been completely painted yet (I had a small paint accident on one section), but I will do that before I glue them together and down. Then for the residental area I will use the Walthers SceneMaster adhesive roads once it comes out.