A Model Train Runs Between Two Houses

This all-new model train layout takes my G-scale trains all the way through my house, out in to the yard and garden, and then over to my neighbor's garage. Using a DCC power supply, it's very simple to run this locomotive from a wireless tablet... so simple, even a child can do it, as you'll see in a few brief shots of the neighbor boy, six-year-old Maddox, carrying a tablet around with him as he controls the trains.
I filmed this video with a GoPro... at times attaching the camera on to the side of the train, and at other times with the camera mounted on a gimbal for handheld shooting.
This video features a LGB brand model train depicting the Santa Fe Super Chief passenger train in the classic warbonnet color scheme. In a few shots of my "train room" you'll see some, but not all, of the other model trains in my collection.
To give you an idea of the expense of doing a long layout like this...
Each four foot long segment of track costs about $25. So, when running a line over to the neighbor's house, the cost of track adds up quickly!

[@HungryGuyStories]

I always thought it would be super awesome if two model railroaders lived close to each other that they could run a mainline between their houses and connect their layouts together!

[@PlaneBoy2520]

Hungry Guy these guys did just that with a live steam narrow gauge railroad! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5a2ZHeGp5aBqdk

[@charlesdell2864]

That has got to be one of the best model train layouts, ( idea) I have ever saw.

[@kjchicago1]

What a nice looking Santa Fe train you’ve got there

[@MrBillCNW]

That’s pretty cool idea going between two houses thanks for sharing

[@patricktrulove1220]

Every kid that has had a trian set has had this dream.

[@Therickrollkid]

your telling me

[@ArshadAnsari-lq8yf]

Yup

[@71468NOVA]

Outstanding work. Thank you!

[@stevehinnenkamp5625]

I just took a long journey and I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it was. How could I begin to describe seeing a house from a vantage point I thought impossible? Can't wait to ride the rail again!

[@calplatt1]

Man That’s incredible..... one Question ... WHO’S PAYING THE ELECTRIC BILL .... 🤣🤣🤣

[@dkoda840]

G Platt the trains power his house their hooked to a generator 😂😂

[@bbergs8628]

Glad Maddox has you for a neighbor. Seems like a sweet kid & you’re good to him & for him (and trains are good for a young boy’s soul)!

[@Pixiesantics]

I think these videos with the tracks laid out like that are just amazing. I know that it takes a lot of work and patience. I love videos of trains like this. Thank you for sharing your hard work.

[@johnrettig1880]

Watch out kid you're being followed . Kid : Mom look what followed me home . Can I keep it . Mom : Only if you , clean up after it , feed it and make sure to leave some poopy papers down . I don't want diesel all over the floor .

[@byronugalde3158]

Amazing and fun video! Thanks for share it!

[@kae4466]

i love it . this is the way neighbors should be .

[@christeesside8654]

G scale Santa Fe F7 units? Wonderful! I love this!

[@aimeedelgadillo2692]

My toddler can watch this video several times a day 🤣

[@JimZim]

I've heard that from quite a few parents! I don't know if you seen this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2mmYpl7n8x4ntE It's my gift to parents that need to occupy their kid for an hour. It's one full hour of model trains running in and out of my house.

[@VanderbiltMr]

I am sure the Mrs loves it!

[@Wearedone_.]

Hey Jim, Hunter from Iuka MS here. Just wanted to say thanks for giving me the inspiration for getting model trains. For Christmas I should be getting a Polar Express set. I love your videos btw!

[@joe51chevy7]

6 year old me just punched 30 year old me in the face for not doing this.

[@jaistorey6839]

Absolutely amazing

[@Vaderd2k926]

Clearly there is NO wife living in this house at the time of this video

[@larrycaldwell3493]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@josepherhardt164]

FIRST THOUGHT that came to mind. Also, I just knew there had to be a cat somewhere in this video. :) Edit: But there has to be a woman in the picture somewhere--there's no dust ...

[@ruthsnyder3462]

I used to run my g scale through the house. Just not to this level. I'm wondering if he has to take the track up to get the car out of the garage.

[@RailRide]

@@ruthsnyder3462 He's mentioned in other comments that he (1) is married (2) the trains were his wife's idea, and (3) the tracks are moved when not in use to preserve garage access

[@ronaldwatson1951]

Well done and unique, I also was a bit shocked to see another train towards the end.

[@donellerice7494]

it's weirdly entertaining stuff :) fun!

[@devinhughes7803]

2:26 This video has been sponsored by Cocoa Puffs! "We're CHOO-CHOO for Cocoa Puffs!"

[@michaelwashington2682]

That's was cool . The cat ran away from the train LoL 😂

[@TheMindtsorm]

😊cool❤

[@keithyearwood1080]

Viewing this was quite satisfying. thank you.

[@terryb0241]

That is way too cool

[@JohnNack]

The wife was clearly running errands🤪

[@SteamZRailfan]

Nice layout!

[@paulywhal2815]

I always wanted to have this in my home i love anything R/C i love train's, drones r/c 🚗 s and 🚚 s and ⛵ thats my favorite hobby

[@tadheath5856]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR THE VIDEO!!!!

[@GingerZombie29]

Like I commented on another video, this must have taken so much time and effort. And it is damn awesome.

[@JimZim]

Thanks! Yeah, the older I get, the more difficult it is to set up the trains like that!

[@charleshamlett2456]

I love this

[@tclynn10]

Santa Fe all the way!

[@dougpotter3301]

Very nice. Assuming temporary layout.

[@JimZim]

Yes, I do a slightly different layout every time I set up my trains. The idea of a permanent layout bores me! I like the challenge of trying to come up with a layout I've never done before.

[@natepaul9345]

Hi Jim! Carter from Maple Grove, MN here. I have been watching all of your videos and I like all your model trains.

[@JimZim]

Thanks, Carter! You'll enjoy my next couple of videos, which will feature a new train to my collection.

[@Hector-qi8df]

6 year old me just punched 30 years old me in the face for not doing this.

[@davidglaum2538]

This took a whole lot of work camera work is fantastic.

[@gordonsnell6735]

Very nice, well done, love the layout too 😊😊

[@rebekatalebi8046]

I love the noise

[@LectronCircuits]

Nicely done. Apparently, you're very well trained. Cheers!

[@jenniehills293]

I like video because it is fun

[@quietxstorm_854]

Good vid my grandpa's name is Jim too that santa fe is my favourite

[@paulywhal2815]

Another awesome video man my second video watching and that was amazing wow👍👍

[@charlesdias6922]

It’s some serious business 😄

[@camilledesimone6625]

That is a lot of work for a temporary layout . Keep having fun life is short.

[@JimZim]

I've gotten pretty good at throwing together a layout. Depending on how complicated it is, I can usually put together a layout in 1-4 hours. And they can be taken down in less than an hour, usually.

[@turiimandi3282]

Camille DeSimone hi n. Bhuuu

[@supermariof0521]

@@JimZim Question. Seeing as how part of your layout is outdoors, does it get short circuited if it were to get rained on, or does it get squashed when you pull your car outta the drive way? How do you keep your layout safe from outdoor exposure?

[@josepherhardt164]

The one big plus to temp layouts is that you don't have to contend with dust. Unless an entire display is under a positive-pressure, filtered environment, this has to be the bane of all permanent-display model railroaders. I mean, how do they handle this? Long feather-duster swished in tandem with a long-nozzle vacuum that then sucks the particles out of the air? And how are you going to clean the tracks in parts of the layout you can't get to any longer? Maybe by now there's an "engine"-like device that you can run along the tracks to do the cleaning. Edit: Admittedly, I've been out of the hobby for a few years and haven't kept up.

[@neanderthal88]

Great filming and editing! More stats in description area would be cool ie length time to build etc.

[@dougcram2312]

That is soooooo of coooool

[@Rwalt61]

Cool video.

[@paulsmith5398]

Neat video, i noticed the USPS mail tub, is there still railway post office service on that train route? (I am a retired postal employee.)

[@JimZim]

I made this video a few years ago, before I retired. One of my responsibilities each day was to go to the post office and get all the mail for our company. So, I always kept a mail bin with me for retrieving the mail. At the end of the day, when the bin was empty, I brought it home with me as a simple way to carry my stuff home... in lieu of a backback or briefcase... and then the next day I would use it to take my stuff to work before picking up the mail again.

[@jillsmith3937]

Very cool

[@larryclark6212]

Enjoyed your video, from Hastings Michigan.

[@abdulraufkhan8472]

Very good very nice.

[@rohanshivadekar]

Very nicely done.

[@tm502010]

Cool!

[@tomspencer3048]

Fantastic. Now i want one

[@AdventuresofDavidandAaron]

Awesome video Jim I'll have to share this with a friend of mine who is a retired streetcar conductor from Philadelphia. And he loves street cars and trains. Sincerely Adventures of David and Aaron

[@noorasyikkinazmi984]

Adventures of David and Aaron crystal said lain llama are my birthday gift cards

[@nadinfssari2759]

Adventures of David and Aaron u

[@giovega3585]

Awesome trains zim

[@davidurban6813]

Wow that is totally cool! Loved it. Any chance of doing more. Thanks for posting it. Have a great day everyone

[@harrystoller4147]

How’d it run from one house to another?! 😮😮

[@jstoli996c4s]

Either you’re single, or have the most understanding wife in the entire universe

[@JimZim]

It was my wife's idea for us to buy some model trains in the first place... although she didn't realize that eventually I would have as many as I do now. I think the main reason she tolerates the model trains as well as she does is that she likes the ad revenue from the KZbin videos. Being able to fly in fist class instead of coach when we go on vacation is possible because of the money that we make off the KZbin videos.

[@jstoli996c4s]

Jim Zim wise man 👍

[@ZazzelTheGamer]

@@jstoli996c4s if you have a loved one, and they tell you what to do with YOUR Hobbies, they are not wroth it.

[@quarrylocomotiveproduction5439]

@@JimZim bachman large-scale Thomas and Friends is releasing new models so don't think it's the end of their Thomas line just yet because they're releasing new models such as Diesel and Paxton yes they're all so part of the Thomas and Friends universe and they're being released in bachmann large scale keep in mind that the two models are similar because in the actual television series they're both based on O8 diesel shunters from railways in the UK there's also the spiteful break van and you might have not noticed this but not only is he modeled after his television series counterpart he's also modeled after his railway series counterpart and keep in mind that break vans share the same purpose as cabooses and yes he is a Thomas and Friends character so you can put him on the back of a train

[@kylebushisaass5896]

Thomas and Percy be like it's our turn

[@barronforce2.0_brigadeedition]

So cool😊

[@PercyfanJamestheredcollector]

Awesome job gym

[@VickyGeagan]

He need to do the pet door trick to run the trains in and out of the house. LGB brass engine kit runs around $500 dollars US. A painted one can run as high as $1,500 dollars US.

[@delturion]

Very nice video!

[@b_pa55]

Nice video

[@markfryer9880]

Nice job. There was quite an effort involved in getting the Right of Way organized and then engineered to provide a smooth roadway with minimal grades. Good to see that you now have an Apprentice to assist you.

[@pugetwashingtonrailfanner3289]

Nice Video Jim

[@amyolson889]

Yes keep up the good work

[@Bruno.Trains]

Nice looking layout Thanks for sharing

[@davenazario1449]

Look out for the H.O.A. love you train G scale.

[@makosoreal]

Imagine: A nice sunny day, you step outside, breath in the nice warm air, then hear a horn, as your foot gets run over by a large train

[@robertmackenzie1775]

Really nice 👌 Lot of work and must have cost a fortune 😁

[@irishengine9166]

I have my own g scale train set but the tracks are plastic and the remote is simple, though im proud to call it my own g scale train It's know as the: Black Canyon Express

[@scottburns5376]

If I ever hit the lottery, I'd make train modeling a full time gig

[@rdbjrseattle]

Do you have a “steam” locomotive you put a drop of oil in to make it “smoke”? Do the cats/dogs ever play “Godzilla”?

[@JimZim]

Take a look at one of my steam trains with simulated smoke: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZqznGmlnLSibcU A litter of foster puppies with one of my model trains: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHjQkKmZaL-qnM0 A different litter of puppies interacting with the trains: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIumnpylpNVlobs

[@bergydermeister5616]

EXCELLENT

[@Pendaws]

Every boy's dream. :)

[@jackallen9885]

I have never seen that Santa Fe, super chief passenger train

[@geoffpope5076]

There is/was a couple of chaps in Stevenage who ran model trains between their two lofts.

[@spacemandudley6237]

Nice!!!!

[@SasukeUchiha-pj1pl]

He look just like me!!!!

[@cceatl]

Not bad at all!

[@michaelwinters6486]

Ok so I have to ask, how was the camera angle done from the side of the train? More importantly why can I not see this camera when viewed from a different angle?

[@JimZim]

The view from the side of the train is done with a GoPro attached to the side of the train. The reason you don't see the GoPro in the other angles is that I take the GoPro off before I shoot the other camera angles. In other words, the two shots are not created at the same time. I stop the train, remove the camera, and run the train through the layout a second time while shooting it from another angle on another camera.

[@ian_b]

@@JimZim Fakery! :oD

[@NERRP2017]

Love the super chief On the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe Next stop, Tucson, then Topeka, now arriving in Albuquerque nm, headed for Las Vegas, bound for la and Sacramento, and f7a #202 scared Maddox’s kitty, cute cat what’s the name and is it boy or girl and does it like the trains and not mind them or does it hate them

[@mariebcfhs9491]

Oh wow

[@sujeetkhaiwal4813]

Marie BCFHS 0

[@jennifervilla9766]

Yuh know why

[@heatherbawden8676]

i really want one of these sometime but im only 11 so...

[@daylys2]

Same im really interested in these but im 11

[@WasatchGarandMan]

Please don't tell people how old you are online. Very dangerous

[@milancaribeiro9807]

Wow 😮

[@elnabjelland-hughes8172]

Fantastic ! 😁👍💕

[@jackallen9885]

Jim Zim is that the Santa Fe super chief

[@JimZim]

Yes, it's a model of the Santa Fe Super Chief running between the two houses.

[@susanjacksonredman9373]

I love yore Sana fa train i have one just like it

[@fastcsx1412]

Cool video very very cool and if I tried to do this my dogs and even my sister would try to knock it over every five seconds End how do you keep it working ok rainy days

[@JimZim]

We're in a bad drought in this part of California, so we don't get many rainy days. I don't run any trains outdoors if it is raining, though.

[@fastcsx1412]

Jim Zimmerlin well I love in a rainy state we’re it rains almost everyday and like I said my dogs would just knock them over

[@clevelandrailfan9776]

Fast CSX lgb trains and track are weather proof

[@clevelandrailfan9776]

Fast CSX they can work in any weather

[@fastcsx1412]

Dane Sakony what were

[@kjchicago1]

Longest Train Ride Ever

[@MBTAMoreRailfan]

Nice one

[@amyolson889]

Andrew Martin I know right it's a good video

[@Deadbuck73]

Running on Coco Puffs and Gasoline!

[@reneeperkins1898]

I was just thinking that

[@bfurailroad1104]

Somebody is cookoo for cocoa puffs!

[@JumboTrent]

We need another cruise review!!!!

[@thomasgriffin5340]

What do you do to get such good long distance track power? Rail clamps? Multiple feed wires? Or do you use battery power?

[@JimZim]

None of the above. I use high quality track (LGB) and I take good care of it. The track is stored indoors when not in use. Power is fed to the track at just one location, and flows through that entire long run of track without any problems.

[@michaeldavis8259]

Are you running your trains by your cell phone? If so who is it made by?

[@JimZim]

I usually control them from a tablet, which makes the controls a little larger and easier to operate for my 62 year old fingers. I use the MRC WiFi system for control of DCC train systems. It can be operated with an Android or iPhone app.

[@michaeldavis8259]

Who sales the system? And thank you for responding. I love your videos. Thank you

[@JimZim]

I bought mine from Trainworld.com

[@JimZim]

www.trainworld.com/manufacturers/mrc/mrc-0001530-prodigy-wifi/ For it to work, you need to be using a MRC Prodigy power supply system to power and control the trains.

[@michaeldavis8259]

Yeah all I have is a Teck 2 train controller

[@38911bytefree]

I failed to run with my NCE controller a small model even with multiple taps. Really bring a lot of features, but, at least for me, very sensitive

[@jrblack51]

Is this in Santa Cruz? If it is, I've been by the houses.