FYI: The train board is located in the middle of a den surrounded by computer furniture, plants, a sofa and chair, a coat rack, a laundry area, and lots of windows. It's a tight squeeze in this room, but it allows me to work on all sides of the layout. Adding a backdrop now would make no sense. I've retouched some images to remove the background clutter.

After well over a year of waiting I finally received my (Atlas) DCC ATSF Baldwin VO-1000. To properly test it out (and break it in) would require a good track cleaning of my layout. This also seemed a perfect opportunity to switch over to some of my 'transition era' inventory of engines, rolling stock, and automobiles. It was nice to run the older trains again and time to take some new photos. The VO-1000 runs very nice but is a little noisy.

Notes: Even with just a 4'x8' type layout it seems I never have enough automobiles! I'm still amazed how much dust that Atlas track cleaning car vacuums up whenever its used.

Here are a few overview/area shots of the layout with some of my 'transition era' stock.

Here are a couple shots of the the Fairfield Junction depot and the arrival of the ATSF #2523.

The next shots are of my grouped steam engine fleet from different angles near the Fairfield Junction depot. Featured locomotives: (Kato) USRA 2-8-2 Heavy Mikado, (Bachmann Spectrum) 2-8-0 Consolidation, (Life-Like Heritage Proto 2000) USRA 2-8-8-2 Mallet

A USRA 2-8-8-2 is passed by a USRA 2-8-2 Heavy Mikado as it pauses beneath the cantilever signal. Neighbors meet in their back yards as the dog is held via a leash as the say hello to the train engineers.

A 2-8-0 Consolidation hauling an ore load winds through the back of town (holding up traffic) as it heads into the S-curve along side the hills.

The 2-8-0 Consolidation passes behind a Baldwin VO-1000 performing some yard duties. The driver of the truck won't have to wait long as the VO-1000 continues into the yard to add a few more tank cars to its consist. As the VO-1000 begins to exit the yard a worker returns to his office. The VO-1000 continues its duties and eventually changes direction at the reversing loop after dropping off some freight.

Make sure to check out my 'Other' Gallery which features my photos of Walt Huston's 'Onyx Division of the Burlington Northern' N Scale layout I took while on vacation in the Seattle, WA area.

Just a quick update. I've put together another article for N-Scale Magazine that is due out in the Nov/Dec 2004 issue. It finishes the story I started last year in the Nov/Dec 2003 issue.

Things got derailed over the last few months with vacations and hurricane evacuations. Hurricane evacuation included packing up the trains and moving them upstairs. I've finally gotten around to cleaning the track and running some trains again. I've also taken a few pictures of my new Kato GE AC4400CW (which I actually got back in August but didn't get a chance to run until now). I ordered a Digitrax DN163K1a decoder that's supposed to fit it (with a little filing) but it includes the orange lights not white lights. With the neat ditch lights I couldn't bring myself to change to the decoder orange lights yet so its now my solo non-DCC unit.

I forgot that (unlike DCC) you must apply voltage to get the lights to work. When I took these shots the engine was actually creeping along the track (albeit very slowly). This made things harder to photograph using the long exposure times I use. There was way too much back light but I figured 'what the heck' and took some shots anyway!

Decided to take a few more shots. Pulled out my Kato EMD 8/9 'A' unit to pull my new Atlas Piggyback Flat with 2 24' trailers. Unfortunately I don't own a 'B' unit to add to it (at least) but its still nice to photograph...

This is a series of shots catching Santa Fe #86 hauling a short freight consist along the backside of the layout.

I pulled out my Atlas Southern Pacific EMD SD-45. I hadn't run it in a while and it needed cleaning, oiling and a lot of running to get it back into proper operating condition. It can really pull (starts to slip at 31 cars on my layout) but does not have great slow speed performance. These shots start at the rear (northeast) hill corner and follow a consist along the backside of the layout to the coaling facility. I got some new freight cars which are seen here also. Featured are the new Micro Trains Southern Pacific 3-Bay Ortner Hoppers and Milwaukee Road 50' Gondolas w/ Stone Load in the first 5 shots. The Atlas Trinity 17.600 Gallon Tank Cars are truly fantastic in quality and detail and are featured in shots 6-11. I guess the hoppers are what got me to pull out the Southern Pacific EMD SD-45 again. Shot 10 is my favorite of this batch.

I pulled out a couple more diesels I hadn't run in a while (B23-7 and SD-60M) and got them back in running shape and took a few shots with the SD-35. I forgot to dust them off before the shots (my 8 megapixel camera catches everything!). The last shot of the B23-7 through the trees is my favorite... my Nikon just barely fit to get that shot.