Train Layout Update July 2023 - HO Scale MKT Sedalia Subdivision

[@MainTrack]

Question of the day: What kinds of hiccups or delays have you experienced with modeling projects, and how did you resolve the issue? -Mike

[@ShipCreekRailway]

Work, other commitments and unexpected bills are usually the main cause of delays for me and my railway.

[@blackhawk2-7]

Echoing the previous response: unexpected expenses are the major hiccup. And with kids having busy extra-curricular schedules: time is always an issue September-May.

[@neilschwerdt3493]

You,ve done a nice job on the layout 😊 from Neil schwerdt in west valley city Utah

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Neil! I sure appreciate that. Thank you for watching! -Mike

[@normglock4381]

Great update Mike! Looking forward to your operations overview.

[@MainTrack]

I sure appreciate that, Norman! -Mike

[@andrewhayek6573]

Hi Mike, More great progress keep up the great work 👍

[@MainTrack]

Thanks so much, Andrew! It’s always nice to make some headway! -Mike

[@d.a.dawson3090]

That looks great, Mike! Appreciate the update.

[@MainTrack]

Thank you very much, Dan!

[@JosephMusgrove]

Great update! Like the background information about your structure

[@MainTrack]

Thank you, Joseph! I appreciate you watching. -Mike

[@andrewpalm2103]

Hi Mike, nice to see your layout progress. (I saw your notice in the FB private group.) I have two tall vertical vegetable oil tanks on my layout made from PVC pipe. Since my layout is very narrow I had to put them against the backdrop, cutting a sector out of the rear of them. I put off the task for some time since I don't have a suitable table saw, but I eventually found that a Dremel with a cutting wheel was an easy way to do the cuts. (The cutting wheel went through that plastic like butter.) I did have to level the cuts a bit using a large sheet of sandpaper taped down to a flat surface (plate glass). It was tedious, but eventually came out OK. Cheers from Wisconsin!

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Andrew! Thank you, sir! I appreciate you watching. It sounds like you know all too well the fun of PVC pipe! Ha. I will have to use my Dremel on those pipe sections and see if they can be saved for a future project. Unfortunately, the ones sent to me were too short, so I’m having to start over with new pipe sections. I sure appreciate the tip on that! -Mike

[@randydobson1863]

hello mike ,,, main track trains it's is randy and i like yours video is cool thanks friends randy

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Randy! Thanks for stopping in to watch! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. -Mike

[@WhiteRiverRails]

The layouts really coming along, great work!

[@MainTrack]

I appreciate that, Jonah!

[@kurtbeisner1997]

If I may offer a suggestion. Find a machinist or a friend of one with a lathe. They will be able to square up the ends and trim them to whatever length you chose. Have a great day !!

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Kurt! Yes…I have been able to track down a friend with the tools I’ll need to get a good cut. The problem with the pipes sent to me is that they all range between 10.75 and 11 inches and I needed them to be 12. I could cut the current ones for another future project. Since the 2.5 inch width isn’t common, I’m having to track some down. Apparently, the the shipping companies charge an extra fee to send the odd, long shaped package…one I saw charged an extra $40 for the pipe, which would have put the total price at $85. I may end up having to do that! Thank you for watching! -Mike

[@205004gs]

Awesome 👏

[@MainTrack]

Thanks…I appreciate that!

[@CodyClick-ix6er]

Thin wall PVC works best for grain elevators. It’s cheaper and you can cut it a hell of a lot easier.

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Yes, I have learned a few new things since the PVC hiccup! A lot of sizes are just hard to come by in my area. Someone else mentioned I could use 2.5 inch gray plastic conduit used for utility construction. Hopefully I have better luck hunting that down! -Mike

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

Looks awesome Mike our club working on get ours done I am working get mind complete I am glad your layout doing well

[@MainTrack]

Hello, Taylor! Thank you! Doing well here…just staying busy and trying to stay cool! It sounds like your club has plenty to keep everyone working, too! -Mike

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

@@MainTrack yes I kept update on progress on my layout and ours so see what we do and my other things in life

[@linearfusion738]

I hear that there used to be a yard and roundhouse behind the MFA, and that is why the blank property adjancent to Clinton RD is empty with UPRR property signs, becuase the contimations from those facillities. Great work so far!

[@MainTrack]

Hello! I appreciate that…thank you for watching! You are correct, the large field was once home to Katy’s massive car shops complex. From the photos I’ve seen, it was about as big as the Mopac shops. This is where the MKT maintained its passenger car fleet. With the end of passenger service, there was no need for the place and it was torn down after sitting vacant for a few years. From what I understand, there is indeed an EPA nightmare lurking just below the field grass there! I imagine it would be cost prohibitive to clean up, so I’m sure it’ll continue sitting as-is for quite some time to come. -Mike

[@FlyingCrow]

Amazon has clear PVC that can be cut to a specified length. A little expensive, but there if you have no other option. They also have clear acrylic tube that meets your specifications as well. It is a little cheaper.

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Thanks for the tip on that…I will certainly take a look at what’s available on Amazon. That sounds like it could be a good alternative. Cheaper is always a nice bonus, too! -Mike

[@dennisarmes3473]

hi mike !!! nice video !!! fyi, if you have a friend or a hardware store in your area with a band saw, that will give you very straight cuts and will look great on your mkt. i had the same problem as you a few years back and had a neighbor with that type saw.... as i live in a small town in western ny state, we have a family-run hardware store here and my friend that owns it said to stop by with any other cutting jobs i might need. you might want to try that route. now my friend with the hardware store comes over and just loves running trains with us !!! isn't it funny how folks enter the hobby !! blessings to you, mike !!!

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Dennis! Thank you, sir! I agree with you- it’s great to have friends out there with the right tools! I’ve had some folks offer to cut some new pipe for me once I track some down. Who would have known 2.5 inch PVC was such a hot commodity and hard to find! A bandsaw isn’t something I’ve added to my equipment collection as I haven’t had much of a need for one. It would have come in handy now! Ha. -Mike

[@dennisarmes3473]

@@MainTrack hi mike !!! band saws ARE hard to come by !!! keep the vids comong, michael !!! denny

[@SleeTheSloth]

Looking good!

[@MainTrack]

Hello! I sure appreciate that! -Mike

[@texaseagletrains]

Love how your layout is progressing! I grew up seeing the Katy down here in Austin. Have you been down here to see Steve Nelson's Katy layout? A visit to his beautiful layout would make a great video for your channel. - Ricky

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Thanks for watching the video! I have not been down to see Steve's layout, but I have seen plenty of pictures online and it looks fantastic. He is modeling the opposite end of the Sedalia Sub than I'm focusing on. Between the two of us, I think we will have the entire line covered! Ha. I'm always looking for great layouts to feature here on the channel! -Mike

[@mccoy79productions66]

very nice

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Thank you very much! I appreciate you stopping in. -Mike

[@farmhand24]

You should check out JP 3d models..you does 3d printing of grain elevators and can custom design

[@MainTrack]

Hi there! I have seen some of his elevators at train shows and have been impressed. I’ll look up their website and see what they have! -Mike

[@hammer1togo]

Hi Mike ! I could square up those plastic pipe ends for you. If you are traveling north of Springfield on 65 highway , I would be glad to do it for you. it would only take about 5 minutes. Just let me know.

[@MainTrack]

Hi there! Thank you for that offer! I am on the hunt now, locally, for some more pipe of that width. The ones featured in the video were cut down too short, so I will have to find some longer sections to start again and go from there. I definitely appreciate it! -Mike

[@Penn-ReadingIndustrialDivision]

Awesome update! I tried having a retail place cut foam for me and they were so off the measurement that they refunded me as well. I went back and used a blade and cut it myself lol

[@MainTrack]

Hello! It sounds like you’ve experienced similar frustrations! When I explained to the retailer why I needed it cut to exact size, they stated it’s not something they deal with since, for most regular construction projects, “close enough” is good enough. I’m glad they made it right with the refund, but it puts me back to square one! -Mike

[@Penn-ReadingIndustrialDivision]

@MainTrack I get it. The fact we stooped to "good enough" is so sad. To the lighter side, things happen for a reason and we will find that will work better.

[@lucgagnon5241]

Thanks for sharing progress with us. Can you tell me more about the power plant building please ? Not about the brand or price of it ... About what's all around doing that kit thru the end ! Thanks.

[@MainTrack]

Hello! I appreciate you watching! I constructed the power plant before I was doing these model railroading videos. However, I did cover some of the basics with some construction photos in an episode a couple of months back. Hopefully this sheds a little light on the process! Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions I didn’t cover! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqPJoGelpbWGppI

[@byronbrownfield1041]

The Green Ridge elevator is spot on! Can't wait until you get that part of the layout done. For a small town, Green Ridge had some interesting switching opportunities. Of course, the elevator had empties in/loads out there was also the team track and the spool plant. The crews would drop a tank car of diesel fuel on the team track and Melvin would hook up to it and fill up his delivery truck. He would then deliver to the local farmers. The spool plant had lumber in/spools out. I think they also made pallets. The spools were picked by the Katy and interchanged in Sedalia with MoPac. They would then haul them out to Alcan Cable west of town. Back to the MFA elevator, I modified the Walthers kit to represent it. It was challenging. I told myself if I did it again, I'd just use PVC pipe. So you're on the right track.

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Byron…thank you! I’m looking forward to getting to that point as well. As always, I sure appreciate the insight and details! Was the spool plant the metal building that currently remains? It appears to have a loading dock that would’ve been served by a spur. I have seen pictures with the team track with tank cars. Do you know if they were still doing that up through the 80s?

[@MainTrack]

I built one of the Walthers elevator kits on a previous layout years back. I agree- it wasn’t the easiest kit I’ve put together. The seams in the plastic on the silos was also a pill trying to sand down enough to make then disappear!

[@byronbrownfield1041]

@MainTrack The building still exists and I believe it's still on business. They just switched to trucks. It's located on the corner of Ohio and South St. The building would be a Pikestuff kit bash.

[@MainTrack]

Quick question about your memories, Byron: Do you happen to recall much about a paint distributor or warehouse over by Sutherlands? The building is still standing (brick warehouse looking structure) and I see a faded sign reading “Paint-Ko.” Official MKT track maps refer to the spur as “Stanley Spur.” I’m trying to track down basic details- such as what kind of loads they got/sent, when they stopped using rail service, etc. I’d like to eventually build something on the layout, but it’s one industry I recall nothing about! -Mike

[@darenhamill9881]

Hi

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Daren!

[@tri-lakesozarkrailroad6360]

Probably the biggest problem for me is time. I have lots of projects I would love to do but there never seems to be enough time in the day to do it. Here this fall I am hoping to change that and bring my own channel back to life! I am excited to get some progress done on my own layout!

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Yes…finding the time can be a challenge. When I get on a roll, I like to see it through to the finish line and it’s hard to stop what I’m doing. Most of the time I end up staying up late to work on stuff. Thankfully, my “day job” schedule affords me the ability to do that! -Mike

[@Webbcityrailfan_productions]

Let’s go mike sorry I couldn’t watch when it came back I was at church camp

[@MainTrack]

Hi there! Hope you had a good time at camp. Glad you were able to join us and tune in! -Mike

[@Webbcityrailfan_productions]

@@MainTrack yep can’t wait for the next video and OPSs

[@davidzamudio2475]

What color did you use for the building (4:23)? If yoy said it in the video, I apologize. I have it on mute so as not to disturb the family!

[@MainTrack]

Hello, David! I didn’t mention the color of the building, so you didn’t miss it out! Ha. The color I used was a Penn Central green. It’s close- but I’m working on a better shade that’s a closer match. I was recently able to obtain a small piece of the exterior of one of the MFA bulk plants they were tearing down. So, I now have an exact color to go by…I’ll keep everyone posted! -Mike

[@bryanmeyer-cunningham3171]

Hi MTT, I was wondering how you have 3 engines run together while facing different ways, because I am rebuilding my layout and trying to find ideas on how to have mutiple trains for 1 load, and more, Thanks!

[@MainTrack]

Hello…thanks for stopping by! The ability to consist engines is a feature on my NCE Power Cab DCC system. It has an easy to use program that allows me to link as many units as I need. It’s pretty handy and and simple! Other brands of DCC systems have similar features. I hope that helps! -Mike

[@DerrickODea]

@ 5:37 is the 320 straight out of the box or perhaps been dull coated? Pictures online are hard to tell and I trust your camera on this one

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Derrick! Yes, the 320 is out of the box with no Dullcote. I have yet to kill the shine and weather my GP38-2s. That’s definitely on my to-do list! -Mike

[@gregulm7507]

Do you offer in person tours? Perhaps during the state fair?

[@MainTrack]

Hello, Greg! I haven’t really had any tours, per se, just yet. However, I am working toward that and will look forward to having folks visit. -Mike

[@rogerthat6451]

Hi Mike. Do you intend to weather your rolling stock eventually?

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Roger! Absolutely! That’s one area I’m still working on perfecting. That hasn’t been one of my strong points, ever. Most stuff gets some Dullcote at least. I know it would all look a lot better with some weathering! -Mike

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

Where do you get your MKT shirts?

[@MainTrack]

Hello! The shirt I'm wearing in this episode is from a railfan shirt company called Ringaboy. Some of the others are made by Bleacher Gear in Parsons, Kansas. It isn't railfan focused, but makes the shirts for the annual Katy Days celebration. They've always got some great designs! I hope that helps! -Mike

[@Laithshtieh22]

Did you handmade those buildings or did you buy them on online?

[@Laithshtieh22]

??

[@MainTrack]

Hello! A little bit of both! Most of my building started out as kit buildings, but I heavily modified them to better fit the prototype I’m modeling. So, many of them don’t look a lot like their original form after I alter them. -Mike

[@Laithshtieh22]

Thank you for the information

[@iantha_branch]

Its looking good Mike. Good to see progress from you again

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Thank you! It is always nice to make some headway and stand back and look at the progress. I’m planning a before-and-after comparison video sometime soon. Hope you’re staying cool enough! -Mike