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Took this video last night while freeloading beer off of my dad. His layout is simple but neat. Our PA Dutch accents are evident also, which I hope you all get a kick out of. The barking in the background is my beagle begging for some of our beer. She gets a little annoying but I let her go on anyway because she's not got a lot of time left.
Enjoy!
Dan in PA

http://youtu.be/bOh6SLOjwrE

I would never ever be able to run a train that fast,  backwards! 

Frankly, my old man's track work has historically been pretty bad, you have no idea how much that impressed me last night.

That is a good test for a layout... If you can run a long train backwards around the whole layout... you're good! If your train derails at a scale 10 mph on a turnout going forwards... you're modelling CSX just like me!!! Dan

Now that's funny Dan!

That was a nice video and nice looking layout. I was impressed with the backwards at that speed. Now I have to go get some tylenol cause when you held that glass of beer up to the camara I hit my head trying to get a drink.

Quote from: dschlegel on January 18, 2013, 06:57:02 PM
Now that's funny Dan!

Yeah... you laugh... but, take a look at the pic below. It took more time (and was more difficult) for me to lay the siding, than the mainline shown.  Dan

That is a sweet looking layout there Dan. I like the siding and its appearance.
Other Dan

Thanks Other Dan. My layout is "hands on"... meaning you cannot just set a speed and let the trains go. You have to adjust your speed depending on track condition, curves, etc. No "asleep at the throttle" here! Other, other Dan.

A lot of my old layouts were hands on, but I've gotten into just watching trains roll. My dad's previous layout was a collaboration between him my brother and I (we built it when I got out of the Air Force in 97)  and we had some cool reverse loops wyes and grades that required attention and control, and we did have a lot of fun with it. Now we're getting lazy.

When I do get lazy... or have an open house, I usually set the train's speed at the lowest speed for the sections of the layout it will run. That way I can answer questions and such, and since my layout visible area is only 8'x17'... the slow speed also lets people see the train for a longer amount of time. Dan

Sounds like a good operating plan Dan. How often do you hold open house? We used to do it every Christmas season.

I usually do open houses in November during National Model Railroad Month. You prob noticed the in our area a bunch of guys do them then. I hope you have been to Ken M's in Norristown. Dan

Never heard of the place in Norristown, that would probably be about an hour and a half drive from here, which would be worth it.

We actually sort of accidentally started a club in Kutztown about 20 years ago that has no affiliation besides the Kutztown Historical Society. It's come a long way from the 4x8' layout we started with back in 1990.

Nice! There is a couple of clubs around here. Ken Mccory's layout is considered the world's biggest private layout. 30'x80' barn. Top floor is 5 level layout of PRR/NYC/PC... depending on the current era he is running. Model Railroder did a feature on him a while back. If he is open next November... try to get there! Dan

Okay just showed my wife those dimensions and siad I must be either drunk or crazy. Going to have to send her to a hypnotist the bigger the better he will say.

I thought it was women that coined the phrase "Bigger IS better!" LOL! Dan

Why not show her you're BOTH drunk AND crazy and build a 40'x90'?

I'll try to keep an ear open for any open houses Ken might have.