Catlin Gabel School Model Railroad Club - Videos

[Commander Eddie]

Here is a treat for you railroad buffs. These were taken on our school model railroad with a "Chooch Cam". The case to hide the camera and make it look like freight was 3-D printed by one of our members. Also 3-D printed is much of the interiors in the buildings. You can best see this in the videos where the train passes the large passenger station. Also, the long passenger platform has 87 individual tiny LEDs, including some that are built into the flash units of several photographers standing on the platform. ENJOY!

https://www.youtube.com/user/Reesmanstrains/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=0

[Skip Lackie]

Thanks -- that was great. How big a building and/or what is the longest track? Very impressive.

[Commander Eddie]

Skip,
It is in the basement of a house on the perimeter of the school that used to be used by the school's night caretaker but now houses renters upstairs. The layout has a single exterior entrance so we do not disturb the renters. It occupies 2 rooms about the size of a 3-car garage. We have not measured but the two mainlines are approximately 100 feet each with a section of single track main that is about 10 feet long. The trains are operated using DCC (computer) with decoders in the engines controlled by handheld cabs or laptop, or smart phone.
We make the layout available as a learning tool for the school in exchange for free rent and utilities. The kids love it and come down often to run trains. They love the fact they can use their phones to run trains. Best of both worlds.
Ed

[christophe]

Thanks for sharing this very nice (and very huge!) railroad.

[rockne10]

Ed,
Is this "O" gauge?

[Commander Eddie]

Ed,
Is this "O" gauge?

No. It is HO.

[jclary]

Thanks for sharing Ed. I have a G scale in one of my out buildings, and HO in an antique display case here in the house that runs the perimeter of a diorama with die cast (mostly Studebaker) vehicles in the encircled village. Nothing as sophisticated as the layout in your video.

Interesting, when watching, how imagination vs reality plays "mind tricks," as you watch between scenes of the motion as the views of only "scale" merge with the backdrop of the room and the operators.

[Commander Eddie]

Thanks for sharing Ed. I have a G scale in one of my out buildings, and HO in an antique display case here in the house that runs the perimeter of a diorama with die cast (mostly Studebaker) vehicles in the encircled village. Nothing as sophisticated as the layout in your video.

Interesting, when watching, how imagination vs reality plays "mind tricks," as you watch between scenes of the motion as the views of only "scale" merge with the backdrop of the room and the operators.

John, I wish we could drop the non-layout background out. It does not show up in the videos but there is a town adjacent to the main passenger station within which sits a Studebaker Dealership with brand new 1948 Studebakers sitting on the lot. There are also other Studebakers on the layout ranging from pre-war to Avanti's. I found an outfit that makes cast resin cars in HO scale and have lots of various Studebakers in their catalog. You just have to clean them up, paint them and glue on the wheels.
I am glad you enjoyed the videos. We have some real techie members who know how to do all that stuff.
I was going to add a photo of the Studebaker dealership but this page won't let me pull one off my computer. It is only looking for a URL. Sorry.
Ed

[studeclunker]

You know, the Model Train hobby is where Classic cars are going to be in about five or ten years. There really isn't much of any interest in the young folk for it. So THANK YOU!! For keeping the hobby alive. I do so love model trains, but just can't do it anymore. My love though was with Garden Railroading.

Love the post-it and push pin!!
Fabulous layout! Really love it!!