http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BkvtXpq34w&feature=player_embedded#at=7
Last month while on our annual bike trip to the Penn Creek rail trail near
Wellsboro, PA, we did a side trip to Watkins Glen, NY to hike the gorge there,
as we have done that several times in the 80s.
It was in 1987 on our last trip to Watkins Glen where I got my first 2 milk
bottles that started me into collecting milk bottles way before I was back into
trains.
I will say that on our first trip to Watkins Glen, there was a craft shoppe
right before the town and on one end wall, was nothing but AF engines on it. I
am not sure they where for sale, but on the second trip to Watkins Glen, we
could not find that place.
But anyway, it was May 22, the day after the so called end of the world day,
but my camera met its end this day. I am good at falling, as we came out of
a antique shoppe and I stepped down and lost my balance and went flying. I
got some scrapes, but I was okay, but the camera, it was not. The force of
the fall knock the shutter button off, as I could not get it back in. So, I
had to find a new camera when we got home, as I was thinking about getting a
new one anyone.
So, I have one now with video abilities and yesterday I thought I would go down
stairs to the train layout and just fool around with it, but it actually turned
into a 5 minute production.
no, not the greatest video you will see, but it features a train backing up
uncoupling the lumber car, to go to a sliding to unload the wood.
So, the link to the video is above.
My track is powered by DCC, so I am holding the camera and holding the hand
held control unit to operate things. Next time, I will use the tripod. As
it was a bit tricky trying to use the hand held control without looking at what
I was doing.
I over shot the uncoupler, and then I uncoupled the cars on the fly. The
track which is wonderful is by Classic Trains of CA and the uncoupler is by
American Models of MI. The track is bit higher then the AM track. Usually
one stops over a uncoupler, but this one is a bit tricky in getting the cars to
uncouple, so I know doing it on the run works. You have to have the cars
just right over it to work and I did not want to spend boring time for you
going back and forth. So it work.
I went over head to show the switch turning, as then I over ran where I was
going to unload the load.
The lumber car is a reproduction Lionel AF car. There is no third rail for
current and pick up shoe. I had the car converted over to DCC operation by
SnS Trains in Idaho. Well worth the money in converting the car, as I have
four more action cars converted over to DCC. 1 box car, 1 milk car, 1 auto
unloader and one log dump car converted.
You set the code for the car on the hand held unit and press 2 to move the men
forward and press 2 again to move them back. I press 2 to move forward, but
in getting the over head shot, I did not press 2 to move it back. Then I
press 2 to continue the operation of unloading, but the action was multiple
unloads. This is not normally how it is done. I think because I did not
move it back right away the first time, some pent up energy was in the unit.
At the end you see how slower it is, that is how it is done. No problems
like this with the other cars.
Then I re-coupled the cars.
I did not have the engine smoke unit on, but then I turned it on as it comes
around the bend. You can see some smoke if you look closely, but I would of
freshen up the unit then. The engine is by S Helper Service. There is a
bell sound and other sounds that it makes.
You can see the crossing gates go down, as they do go down after the train has
cross the road. This is because I had to put the first sensor after a switch,
which is right by the crossing. If I put it before the switch, it would
activate the crossing, even if the train went the other way, as it does cross
the same road. I might move the sensor before the switch.
The utility room door where the washer and dryer is was open, so that should
have been closed. You can heard the end of the dryer cycle turning off. By
the way, the dryer, a Sears, is 28 years old! We are original owners. And
yes, there is a rack of clothes too.
I will try a eye level video soon, as I will do one with the crossing gates and
other action cars. Maybe some clarinet playing too. Now that would be
torture I bet.
We have a baseball game in Hagerstown MD, so I will be getting some video up
close of Bryce Harper, last year’s number one pick in the baseball draft.
Anyway, a learning experience.
This is going to the S Scale list too, as this layout is not 100% AF nor is it
100% scale, but I hope someone might like it no matter, as I know the lumber
car is not something done on a scale layout.
Mike Marmer
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