Missabe Northern Railway - Part 3 - Freight Route

[@The0311gruntUSMC]

Absolutely AMAZING!!! In deed.

[@Missabe3]

Thank you, and thank you for your service.

[@rogerhuber3133]

Beautiful layout. Love all those husky GN steamers. I enjoyed seeing so many old Revell and other vintage structures still around.

[@Missabe3]

Thanks, Roger. Early PFM ads hooked me on GN early on. Revell was great boost to hobby in its day. Growing layouts over the years benefits from re-using as much as possible so time can be devoted to what is new, in my case track. "Good enough" is needed when going large and one can place older models in background to fill scenes reasonably.

[@Lostmissionary]

Beautiful set up beautifully narrated. A real labour of love.

[@Missabe3]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@thecnwmondovilinepaulscota7304]

Fantastic layout! Love the long runs combined with tons of operation. - Subscribed. Thanks! - Paul

[@modelrailwaybackshop]

We Need More! This is Absolutely AMAZING!!!

[@mikekutz5776]

Thanks again for such a great trip down memory lane. The lay out you have is fabulous.

[@dibsyardshuntinglayout]

A great set of videos, thank you for sharing

[@Missabe3]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Biwabik223]

Perfect layout!

[@kenzieska9148]

Jeff, I really enjoyed this three part series. Thanks for putting in all the work to get this done.

[@Missabe3]

More to come! Thanks, Ken. I've now been motivated to do another segment with more focus on trackside railfanning to show more equipment variety.

[@kenzieska9148]

@@Missabe3 I think that is a great idea.... and more diesels!

[@Missabe3]

@@kenzieska9148 Well, maybe... 🙂

[@tootired76]

I admire your modeling skills.

[@Missabe3]

Thank you! 😊

[@FLRailroaddog]

Kerley gave a shout-out on his channel about your channel. New to your channel and I might say that you have a beautiful layout.. wow...P.S. you sound like you belong in radio, great narration! 😀

[@ronnyskaar3737]

Fantastic layout.

[@Missabe3]

Glad you like it!

[@Red1Wollip]

An absolute amazing layout. Thanks for sharing your talent.

[@Missabe3]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@redbarnz]

Nicely done!

[@Missabe3]

Thanks. Like most model railroads, a work in progress so always something to do when I want.

[@jasonboche]

Very nice job on this three part series Jeff! Thank you.

[@Missabe3]

Very welcome

[@tracksidemike]

Thanks Kerley this is a beautiful layout great work

[@OTRWA]

Incredible layout...thanks for the tour...looking forward to more updates

[@allegedlygwen201]

This is a lovely layout, ore railways are always a fantastic subject and this layout captured the feeling of the Mesabi really well! Definitely gives inspiration for how to scale down Ore operations on multiple mines, something I hope to use when I get started on my prospective Copper Range layout

[@Missabe3]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@iaisfan]

Beautiful trackwork Jeff! Thanks very much for sharing this tour with us, and thanks as always for teaching me about Homasote splines and hand-laying. Still a big fan and proponent of both on layout #2!

[@Missabe3]

My pleasure! Thanks, Joe. You know I love poisoning other modelers minds... Glad good progress on your #2,

[@derekalexander4030]

I’m so glad that you decided to do this 3 part series on your layout. I have subscribed and hope that you continue to share this beautiful layout with us. I wonder if you could do an overall view of the layout and possibly a track plan showing how it all fits in the basement. Incredible job and narration.

[@Missabe3]

Thanks, Derek. Interesting idea to include track plan. Size vs. resolution would be challenge - would need to do some "zoom in" type shooting to be readable, I think, due to size and detail. I would like to do a "railfan" version showing more equipment in action. All of this requires many more shot setups with shorter clips, plus then including "map" shots of locations would be nice approach. Just not high up on priority list yet, but it is on list!

[@haroldhughes2097]

Spectacular

[@Missabe3]

Thank you, Harold.

[@mysticrailroad]

It's an interesting layout and I really enjoyed the cab ride :)

[@KerleyExpress]

hey john i just did a shout out for this guy he has amazing layout

[@mysticrailroad]

@@KerleyExpress yeah ya right DK!

[@goaliegeorge]

Great tour Jeff. Been a while since I got to operate on it. I hope you are doing well!

[@modelrailroadcluboftoronto1643]

Absolutley stunning layout ... love your track work, beautiful and flowing. Most curious how you manage the actrivation of the remote uncouplers.. as they are notedly hidden A vid with some of your techniques would be well received. Thanks Dave

[@Missabe3]

Thank you very much! I have been asked to do something on remote magnets for a group. When I get it ready and "premiere" it with them, I will post here. Sorry can't give firm date with other projects. Nice email comments as well motivate me to do another with more railfan focus to show more equipment variety.

[@VidsPhone]

You mention growing up on a farm south of Indianapolis. I am curious where as I live just north of Nashville, Indiana.

[@Missabe3]

Minneapolis, actually. Sorry.

[@DocRonken]

You mentioned Billy Goat bridge. It sure looks like the one in Burnsville on the MN&S

[@Missabe3]

Yes, I grew up a couple miles south of that very bridge, at Orchard Gardens. :-) The RIX model captures style well. My Dad did some repair to the waiting shelter when it was in original location along passing siding next to Old Lyndale (now County 5) where I'd walk down to wait for school bus.

[@henrikdagil3684]

Amazing layout, what time period are it in and how long did it take to make 😊👌

[@Missabe3]

Thanks, Henrik. I consider it "early 1940's" for steam domination, but willing to cheat a little to include favorite equipment such as occasional engine scrapped in 30's, and I do have diesels from 50's and early 60's I run to rebalance traffic between operating sessions (I like them, too, and saves wear on steam side rods). Hard to measure "how long" because like many hobbyists I have been acquiring equipment and structures over many years that migrate to each new layout and grow with new additions. One joy of a really large project like this is there is always something else to do if I tire of doing one thing, like build turnouts. Steady progress on SOMETHING holds interest. Actual start of this version was in 2003 and biggest remaining need is scenery. I gave priority to things that would be harder to do as I aged, like leaning in to drive spikes and crawling under lower deck to do wiring. But use of spline roadbed also allowed a lot of wiring to sit on top of supports and minimize crawling underneath. Then scenery base goes over top up to sides of spline shoulders. You can't build this much railroad on your own with economy of time and materials using conventional designs as seen in magazines for small to medium size layouts and modules.

[@franzbrunner499]

outstanding, "everything" included: steel plant, ore dock, tunnel, trestle, you name it -what are the dimensions of the layout? is this a private or club layout? public days occasionally?

[@Missabe3]

Well, I'm guilty of modelers' license over-doing one feature. I think there is only one railroad tunnel in all northern Minnesota (on DW&P climb up out of Duluth). But on model, tunnels allow view blocking between scenes and expanding a scene for more operation a few inches above a scene below supposed to be several miles away.

[@Missabe3]

Oh, forgot, briefly because I answered some of this on one of the other videos: L-shape 64x90 ft., 3700 sq. ft., 80% double decked. Private, monthly op sessions until pandemic, often open house for local conventions and regular host with Minn-Rail group in Minneapolis/St. Paul area every second-year regional ops meet (they have website).

[@dennisbailey6067]

Am seeing your layout for the first time.Looks uncluttered,single main?,Will have to see previous Vids.Am guessing there is operation potential, not just round.Nice.

[@OtterCreek]

Very nice! Is this a club layout or a personal??

[@Missabe3]

Thanks - personal. A few friends have contributed structures, work on my kits, a few cars, phone system and dispatcher desk install. Everything from floor to rail, wiring, decoder installs, engine tuning - related to performance, I do. Operating plan and custom paperwork I do aided by insight from 31-year career with 3 Class 1 railroads in various departments from engineering to IT.

[@OtterCreek]

@@Missabe3 Impressive! When did construction begin?

[@Missabe3]

@@OtterCreek 2003. Of course much equipment and many structures reused from previous railroads. Homasote splines also enabled salvaging "chunks" of track as much as 22 feet long because strong enough to move carefully because weight and bulk of support framing did not have to move with it as one piece. Sandstone and its 24 scratch-built turnouts moved in one 18 foot long piece, for example.

[@ReadingandLehigh]

How does one secure an invite to an operating sessions?

[@Missabe3]

[e-mail]