Layout Update 59: Custom weathering, rock cuts, and more

[@CajonSub]

Hi Cam, layout looks amazing. Always enjoy watching your update videos and your live streams. Thanks for sharing. - Steve

[@steventurner820]

This is looking very nice You have earned a subscriber

[@daveolliemetalhead]

You do very good work , your ballast work bring out realism ..Your tones are perfect ..

[@railfan220]

Thanks! I've got a lot of ballasting left to do, but I think it'll really tie the scenes together, especially when I weather the track. -Cam

[@marke.saunders4803]

Haven't watched your videos in a while but enjoy watching them for sure

[@railfan220]

Good! Thanks for sticking around. I'll have more soon. -Cam

[@sleepingwithtrains1862]

Awesome update, like those grain cars and the beer car.

[@brtree74]

Looking awesome. Such an amazing layout. Love your scenery, its coming along brilliantly. The rock cuts look incredible. The rolling stock safety striping and that weathering and graffiti is so realistic. Looking forward to following along with future updates as you get it completed.

[@railfan220]

Thanks man! I'll have more soon. -Cam

[@WhiteRiverRails]

Great video! Layout is really coming along!

[@michaelricks1618]

Fascinating video. Upper level scenery is coming along great - it looks very convincing and real. Trains look cool too. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm watching here in U.K.

[@alcopower5710]

Looking very good. Looking forward to more updates

[@josephpowell736]

Great job on the railroad. Good to see someone using the concrete ties.

[@peterainsworth8466]

Thanks for the update. For me, your layout is the most inspirational one out there on the net. I love the progress. Keep it up.

[@railfan220]

I really appreciate it! Stay tuned. -Cam

[@thelincolnrailfan]

Awesome update! And amazing layout!

[@calebtothemax]

I'm loving the intro! Glad to have another update, dude.

[@railfan220]

Thanks! It's something new I'm trying. I want to build a bit of familiarity with my videos to create a "series feeling". -Cam

[@bobjohnson6371]

Another excellent video, and great progress..

[@RailserveJohn]

Great to see an update. looking forward to the next one. All the best, John

[@railfan220]

Thanks, John! I need to catch one of your live streams soon. -Cam

[@EmPtySworld1]

Cam, What a great update. Thanks for posting and keep up the good work.

[@cprtrain]

Thanks for the update. I love what you are doing.

[@rabbitrail133]

Great update! Made my day to see an upload, cup of tea made and time to watch it properly in front of the tv! Doing great!

[@railfan220]

Glad you're enjoying! I'll have more soon. -Cam

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Stunning Ninjary! Well done! Thanks Cam! PS: Really nice work on the ex-BN SD40-2! Atsa nice! PPS: "Endlessly cut strips of masking tape" indeed!

[@railfan220]

Haha, thanks for the kind words! More to come soon. -Cam

[@StevesTrains]

Nice update! Layout is looking good.

[@markhayes6407]

Looking good. You have a well thought out layout. Must be fun to run operations.

[@railfan220]

Thanks! It's always evolving, so perhaps it wasn't the most thought out to begin with. But "needs and wants" change, and I think the current version of the layout reflects how I use it. I haven't run full scale operations yet, but it's fun to just run trains by myself or with a friend. -Cam

[@wmcwings4343]

Good to see an update. Keep up the great work Cam.

[@bradytains1593]

Looking nice cam, can’t wait to see the next update. Plus more scenery done and more scenes to see the trains run though. And for the live chats I think you did most of them on a Friday night, not 100% sure. Anyways thanks for sharing hope you stay safe and healthy during these unsure times.

[@railfan220]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, I think I did Fridays, so I might try to do a couple of times a week given that many people, including myself, are home right now. -Cam

[@TouchoftheBrushModelWeathering]

Your modeling is absolutely incredible buddy. Great work on the BN engine and track weathering. I will love to come operate!- Joey

[@mckav2358]

What a layoit Im new to model railroads & i realise just how much work must go into the design besides the cost$$$ & that must be substantial

[@railfan220]

Thanks! It's just a lot of time and money (that I don't have...). It probably seems daunting, but my previous layout was two 4x8 tables put together. It's just a matter of finding something you want to model and using other layouts as inspiration. -Cam

[@carhornsdashcamsandstopmot1600]

One of the best!!

[@davestrains6816]

Great update on a beautiful layout. Thanks for sharing. Dave

[@robbeberhard7725]

Every thing looks gr8! Nothing wrong with getting plasterd once in awhile ! Lol

[@modelrailroader5619]

Things are coming along...nicely!

[@leifhighland2281]

Nice layout thanks for sharing

[@SignalLightProductions]

Very nice! Your rocks look great!

[@SFRATON]

Great update and the layout is looking really great. Thanks. Kevin

[@brian102256]

Nice update Cam! I like the changes to the track plan with the reversing loops. The scenery is coming along nicely as well! - Brian

[@justn2trains]

Looks awesome, thanks for the update!

[@3006USMC]

Great update! That BN sd40-2 was awesome!

[@railfan220]

Thanks! It's great to actually put work into a locomotive that looks good and runs well now. Still some work to do, but until now I've never had a good switching locomotive. -Cam

[@deltaflyer9078]

Wow! What a great video!!!

[@ratled1]

Another great update. Always look forward to them. Trying to remember what you are using for ballast .......

[@railfan220]

Thanks! For track ballast, I'm just using Woodland Scenics fine ballast in both light and medium gray. I also use N-scale Arizona Rock and Mineral ballasts to add some texture and color to the dirt along the right of way. -Cam

[@sdrailproductions]

@7:30 I really liked the Athearn Genesis 5188’s when I started purchasing them, throughout the years the thin wheels did not get along with switches so I replaced them and my club standards wanted metal Couplers.

[@railfan220]

Do you run at the La Mesa club? -Cam

[@shlutzday]

Layout looks amazing! Thanks again for the shout out homie !!!

[@chrisshoulders4066]

Awesome update my friend be safe.

[@BALD8BIL]

This showed up in my recommended whatever the reason was that I was able to see this it's good to see you are doing well and an excellent job on the layout I'm back working on my layout now working on my module's

[@GandZscale]

Awesome. looking forward to further updates.

[@PeterCPRail8748]

More great progress. The rockcuts coming out great. Also the work on the track weatherimg will pay off in the end.

[@railfan220]

Thanks! I think it definitely helps the look, and the good news is that it's over (for the upper level at least). -Cam

[@ETrain-mv4ck]

Just subbed! Pretty cool layout

[@pdbnc]

Wow, absolutely nothing runs like a Kato! The little detail touches make it look great. The color temperature on the LEDs looks spot on too. Although I do miss that effect of the old 1.5v incandescent bulbs where they're very bright when viewed directly but not so much off to the side, like sealed-beam headlights. Anyway, layout is coming along great.

[@railfan220]

Thanks! I like that effect too, and I think it still applies for the head lights because I'm still using the ends of the original fiber optic tube as "lenses". -Cam

[@Crookedriverandeasternrr]

Hey it’s been awhile since I’ve checked in on the channel. Looking great! Thanks for the update. David 😃👍

[@georgiasunbelt]

What John2618 said, great to see an update 😊...nice acquisitions and you did get some stuff done..a lot. Don’t stay incognito 😊, you’ve great layout to share. Anthony

[@railfan220]

Thanks, Anthony! I've got more videos very soon, including another update. -Cam

[@INKDRAILS]

Hey Cam, great update! You should definitely start doing some more live streams, they are great and very informative!

[@randysrockandrollrailroad8207]

Great Progress!

[@williamarthur653]

Really good, an inspiration for building my own layout

[@CalebsRailFilms]

Wow! Awesome layout mate! Subscribed. One day I guess, though I don’t think mum will allow me to go through the walls with my pommy trains lol 😂. Going to be awesome when your track is all done. Love to do an American layout at some point. Partial to the diesel era myself. Don’t mind steam but the diesels of America and Canada really do it for me. Love to film them at some point. You’re more than welcome to take a look at my channel when you have time. Best wishes from South Australia. Cheers Caleb

[@railfan220]

Haha, someone from the UK said the same thing about North American locomotives. What's funny is that I've considered modeling Australian railroads before. I really like the look of the C44ACis, and you've got some pretty cool unit coal trains. -Cam

[@TrentValleyRailway]

Amazing update, thanks for sharing

[@jdesilva100]

Great video was wondering where you purchased those carpit squares on the floor. Stay safe jim.

[@galaxyrailfanning7860]

Super cool man!

[@richardcolemanjr3749]

The layout looks good. Athearn did a 12 pack of the Trinity hoppers several years ago. I wonder why the McHenry couplers aren't metal like kadee's.

[@Kingman-Automotive]

looks good Mate

[@Northwest_Railfan]

Great update! I believe Athearn is supposed to be re-releasing a run of Genesis Trinity hoppers soon, they're supposed to have working roller bearings and a couple other things. -Aaron

[@railfan220]

Thanks! I think you're right. They're something like $55 a piece, which is a bit. But, it might be worth it to get a couple in the swoosh logo. I really like the Trinitys with the "new" logo. -Cam

[@philly9099]

Very cool!

[@68Jaguar420G]

Great to see an new video and the range of progress in it!! Most of all it's great to see thee mainline and siding in front of St. Paul yard back in operation, (How much of an effort would it be to move the mainline/siding switch back to the reverse loop/mainline switch to extend the siding and give you a better arrangement for running meets at that siding?) The upper deck scenery is getting quite indicative of it's final form with the rock cuts now at their final size and the paper sub-base covering the entire level. Looking good for sure with lots of promise of things to come. As ever you have done great lighting on your locomotives, the Kato SD40 looks great (even if it is an old livery BNSF - UP fan here). Good work on the freight car additions too. The minor variations in the Trinity hoppers are a nice detail and give a degree of realism often overlooked. As at least one other poster has intimated it is sad to see you back away from the hidden staging yards. Given your goals and operating scheme I can fully understand deleting the upper staging, a little less so for the lower staging yard though. But if it is what works for you then that alone is what counts. Thanks for continuing to bring us along on your layout journey Carl

[@railfan220]

Thanks for watching, Carl! It would be nice to move the turnout even further back. That's something I thought a lot about for the new turnout just to maximize the length of the yard lead, but there wasn't a great way to fit a turnout into the reverse loop curve. For the siding turnout you're talking about, the one limitation is that 3 tracks won't fit through the "portal" between the rooms because the 2x4s that frame the door and the adjacent wall are too close together. In theory, I could cut out a section and add a brace, but I'm too lazy to do that right now. However, like the lower staging yard, nothing I've done yet has absolutely precluded the possibility of making that change later on. As I run trains more, I think the need (or lack thereof) will become apparent. Also, I'm still working on a video explaining the change of locale on the lower level. I made a passing reference to that in a video a few months ago, but I think the vast majority of my subscribers have no idea that I changed anything. -Cam

[@68Jaguar420G]

Not being able to fit both the mainline and siding through the wall makes it exceedingly hard to move the switch back as I had commented. Yes you could modify the wall framing in that area but it becomes a pretty major effort and needs some serious justification. Running meets during ops sessions are an exceptionally satisfying element and are about as attractive a movement as you can get but they do take long sidings to accomplish. When you start operations then you'll see if you want to aim for them and at what speed. At that point you can evaluate the cost benefit trade-off. I well remember your comment about relocating the lower level and look forward to seeing your explanations for that. Until you publish that though I'll have to keep using the current location names. I think the one small(ish) project you haven't mentioned and would be a benefit to lower level operations when they begin is completing the siding approaching the Westminster Junction (lower reverse loop junction) as you approach Newport Junction (westbound). That would give you a lot more leeway to get locals from St. Paul yard to Newport Junction while keeping the main clear for unit trains, be they eastbound or westbound. As ever, the layout looks good and your videos are always welcomed. Thanks and Cheers Carl

[@speedster1093]

This is great

[@sudrianrailwaystudios676]

Nice one.

[@davebnsfnscale4433]

Looking great,plastered then painted,lol

[@railfan220]

Haha, yeah as I was saying I thought it didn't sound right. -Cam

[@The101Point1]

I want to build one of these so bad can't wait till I can buy a house painting the rails don't affect conductivity?

[@jerrysmith1929]

Nice job on the lower backdrop. I don't understand why you're eliminating your staging yards.

[@railfan220]

Thanks! The staging yards were scrapped because I personally believe they wouldn't be sufficient enough to hold the trains I want to run due to them being short and stub end. However, if the need arises, I can always add them. I'm just not planning on it now because I think my operations will work smoother without them. -Cam

[@442productions6]

How do you make the mountains?

[@mikehowey4869]

Great layout, i want to build a double deck.could you tell me how you built your benchwork?

[@railfan220]

Thanks! For the most part I tried to keep the benchwork simple. I mostly used grid frames from 1x2s or 1x4s. I have a few older videos that show how I did the benchwork, so maybe those will help. -Cam

[@brentleajunction]

Hi from the UK don't know what it is but more and more I watch these videos I want the USA locos mine are all UK but I do own a USA with sound they just look so much better than the UK locos cheers Paul

[@railfan220]

Paul, I enjoy railroading from all over the world, but for obvious reasons I'm partial to North American style locomotives and railroading, which you also see in South America and Australia (and Africa to a lesser extent). There's just something dramatic and big about them. Thanks for watching! -Cam

[@brentleajunction]

@@railfan220 they look awesome cheers Paul

[@PaulMichael-z4g]

This is why we buy homes. To set up our train layouts.

[@railfan220]

See, you get it.

[@jbdbackfan]

What color did you paint the backdrop behind the yard and what brand paint if I may ask?

[@railfan220]

The color is Ocean Breeze, and I believe I got Glidden flat latex. Thanks for watching! -Cam

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi5399]

Happy Easter cam your awesome guy ever hey cam u ask how make prototype bnsf freight most traffic boxcars and so much more one thing need recommend from me I know cn ns unit’s revmove them so get some more bnsf scale trains dash 9 so have more traffic and sd70ace unit bnsf h3 sd40-2 and get some much cars any questions let me know I pretty smart someday see work for bnsf

[@railfan220]

Thanks, you too! -Cam

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi5399]

railfan220 thanks cam

[@Vman7757]

Thank you for sharing. Did you hook-up the reverse loop circuit to the track that makes up the loop? Or the track that leads into the switch just before the loop?

[@railfan220]

The reverse loop circuit is on the far end of the room where it's just a single track (the big curve). Unlike your standard reversing loop circuit, it's point to point rather than a loop that comes back to a single turnout. Because of this, it's only about 6-8 feet long, but it only needs to be long enough so that locomotives won't be covering both ends of the circuit. I sometimes run rear DPUs, but this isn't a problem because my trains are always longer than the reversing section and the head end consists always shorter. Hope that makes sense. This is actually a video I plan on making because I get that question a lot. -Cam

[@kanishirosouthwester]

Great update and starting to really take shape. Looks great and contiue to look forward to more progress. Question what brand of turnouts do u use?

[@railfan220]

Thanks for watching! I use primarily Atlas turnouts because they're significantly cheaper than Peco. However, if I had to do it again, I'd probably go with Peco. You pay for what you get, and they're measurably smoother and more reliable. -Cam

[@pzavis25]

Great video! What company of model trains do you recommend?

[@railfan220]

Thanks! I'm a big fan of Scaletrains (Operator and Rivet Counter lines), InterMountain, and Walthers Mainline. For affordability, choose Scaletrains Operator and Walthers Mainline. For detail, choose Scaletrains Rivet Counter and InterMountain. -Cam

[@pzavis25]

@ railfan220 thanks!

[@carllarssen652]

Say cam can you tell me the color of you sky blue always enjoy your videos thanks

[@railfan220]

I used Ocean Breeze, and I think it was Glidden paint. I chose whatever the cheapest matte/flat option was.

[@danes3dfaberik403]

Do you use paper mache for your mountains?

[@boylesterminalshops6841]

How do you do your rock cuts?

[@railfan220]

They start as a flat cardboard profile, and I apply a thin layer of 3M Patch + Primer. Before it dries, I use a scrap piece of cardboard or a putty knife and press it all over the plaster in a stippling motion. This creates the pitting texture, but results in sharp points too. So either before it dries or after, I gently flatten the points with a putty knife (if wet) or a sanding block (if dry). I still haven't standardized my painting method, but I usually mix a couple of tan and brown acrylic paints and dry brush the whole thing. I may or may not add a couple of dark washes to bring out the detail. -Cam

[@thedona.r.kbnoah7334]

I was 552👍

[@ThanhThanh-q4f]

🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚂

[@myfavorites1016]

when and where is your coal train going ? any words from the dispatcher ? haha haha

[@railfan220]

everywhere and all the time, haha. -Cam

[@myfavorites1016]

do you need more track warrants ? haha

[@bobbymoore4794]

I did enjoy your video but one thing you could have done was put two or three less um in it that would have been nice