N Scale Layout Update

Layout update for the week! Decent amount of progress despite a really busy couple of weeks.
Disclaimers for the Irresponsible:
The contents of the videos on this channel are not designed nor intended for children or in any way marketed towards them. While there is no content restriction, the video may contain adult language and adult jokes. Those easily offended by anything and everything or not of a mature and rational mind should not view the content because we have no patience for nonsense. If you're offended by this statement, it's directed towards you. If not and you laughed, welcome to the channel.
All footage contained in this video was shot by the members of this channel and are copyright protected. Sharing of the video and the video link are encouraged to help spread the hobby, please provide proper credit when sharing.
Technical Stuff:
Footage is captured with an iPhone 11 and narrated in real-time during the recording through a headset mic.
Video is assembled/edited with Microsoft's Clipchamp video editing software.
Music is provided royalty-free from www.bensound.com

[@tommynorwood5184]

Hi C Mastracci . Thanks for the update on what you’re going to do with the layout. You have got some good ideas. That’s right live does get in the way. I’ve been chopping up my leaves and my son’s also. It’s amazing what you can do with a mower. I have been working on the scenery on the layout. Been working on a water scene when it’s done I can put the bridges back in and then I can start running trains again. Thanks for sharing. Have a good week. 😎😎 👍

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

I think it's every modeler - but water scenes really look awesome. i don't know if it's just the scenery, my love of the water, or the bridges for the trains but i intend to add more water to my layout this go around. not having running trains is a major drag on hobby time... don't rush the scenery but get those trains running! ;)

[@Crookedriverandeasternrr]

Great progress. Love the idea of the fall/winter night scenes

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

The more i think about it, the more it's going to be a daunting task to make it look correct. it's time for a hobby shop run - just to look around for some inspiration. impulse buys are usually bad, but sometimes just walking around the isle and seeing the products gets the gears turning and suddenly the problem of "how" becomes, "let's try this..."

[@SantaFeBob]

Excellent update. Making great progress.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

i am flying through this part because i need my trains back! but things are going to chill real soon when we start the scenery.

[@bnsffan8057]

Great update. Nice to see the progress. Really like the blue light and how that will really enhance a fall/winter rainy night scene. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Also like how the track configuration for the yard and yard lead are coming together. One track work item that looked questionable is where it comes out of a Unitrack curve and straight onto flex track in a couple of places. Seems like it might be a little more reliable to have a small straight section of Unitrack before transitioning to the flex track. Just a thought there. Can really relate to the busy schedule and how it takes away from train time. As for leaves in the south, my friend we battle them just as bad in the ATL suburbs but maybe a little later in the year than you.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

Not that I wish leaves on anyone, but it's comforting to know y'all have to deal with that nonsense, too! but like all yardwork, it's quite rewarding to finish getting everything looking perfect and step back to admire the last few hours of work. much like modeling! so your note on the unitrack to flex track is also something I tried to address because - spot on - it wants to kink where the two meet and i've had issues in the past. so, what i've done is this (because there's not enough run-space for a straight section) - 1) line up the flex track straight. crimp the rail joiners tight - w/o deforming them and make sure they're centered equally on the two rails being jointed. 2) good solder joint - make a 'full weld'. 3) lay the curve gently at the joint. 4) pin the ever-living hell out of the track until the liquid nails sets. today, we're going to see if this works... if not, expect a video on how not to suck at track laying LOL!

[@bnsffan8057]

@@AlleghenyNorthern That makes sense on how you are approaching hat transition between the two types of track. I like it and hope it works as expected. Have to agree that is rewarding to finish up the yard work and see how nice things look. Watching through the older videos and enjoying the content. In one video, I saw a NS MOW boxcar with the roll up door in place of the sliding door that looked interesting. Curious if this if from the former Shapeways or something else? Thanks.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

@@bnsffan8057 that box car is from a set released by MicroTrains. It comes with two camp cars, a flat bed with compressor and toolbox load, a gondola, and that boxcar. it's a nice set - one of the first they released in the MOW kick they got into last year. It's a little older, but looks like it's going for highway robbery pricing on eBay.

[@HeathenHammer123]

Stoked for the night rain

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

me too. i'm hoping to pull this off. i while back a modeler used a computer to generate the final images for the rain scene and i was so let down by that. i want to be able to visualize that look and feel without effects. it's going to be a challenge.

[@goodrails]

I feel your pain. Life is sooo demanding.

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

it does seem to require a lot of involvement, doesn't it?

[@elleryparsons2433]

When You Look At it Your Gonna See What I’m Lookin At and Your Gonna Change It.

[@mikeburns5815]

I like the season transition scene idea. Cool!

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

it's going to be a lot of trial and error to make it look correct. but that's the fun in creating the scene!

[@jeffallen5698]

Very enjoyable videos of your rebuild. Is there going to continuous running option from the bottom to top and back or operated as point to point?

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

The layout will be able to handle four trains on continuous loops (2 above, 2 below). But for operations, it's intended to be more point-to-point with use of the yards.

[@joesestito4342]

Wow, your making great progress. Track plan is looking good, I heard you mention a programming track, how do you power your program track isolating it from the other main tracks ?

[@AlleghenyNorthern]

on the last layout version, i had it directly off the turntable, isolated by plastic rail joiners so it looked like just another track. i used a plastic track mobile to block it so an operator (me) wouldn't accidentally try to drive a loco onto it from the layout. on this version, i'm going to have a track set right above the command station on a small shelf so it won't actually be attached to the layout. you don't want to have a programming track accidentally become powered from the track or vise versa. making sure they're separate is key.

[@timmueller9586]

I'm happy