Yeah Tom I hear you! Signaling is nice but with a price. Especially on large layouts, I have only 2 spots where signal is automated and that's about it, unless I win the lottery LOL!
Course my layout is small 15 or so switches. I hook my signals to my switch machines, so when the switch is lined for your route it has a favorable signal. I gives a good effect without the cost. It,s not perfect, but unless you plan on having a lot of head light meets, it looks great. The tortoise machines work good. When I had my Florida layout, I talked to a guy their that made them. Ken makes nice stuff but the cost is like a winding road.
Great shots John. Your scenery is terrific and really makes the scenes for your good looking power and rolling stock.
John, impressive layout you've built. Would you consider adding your model loco roster into the spread sheet?
I hope get to see Johns MRR if I ever make it back that way again, one of many places and people I would like to see or meet from this site. A world class MRR. I need to get the same type backdrop images on my outfit, they sure give the layout depth.
Tom & All, Thanks for the compliments! Tom, no doubt backdrop images do add depth to any layout. Most commercial images come with a blue sky/clouds, some do not or can be ordered to your needs. Cutting out the images from the sky requires a case of # 11 blades. I had made copies and used them for my back drop and stored the originals in case I want to revise a scene or I build another layout. NOT!
Just to give everyone a heads-up; John's layout will be featured in the March 2020 installment of Model Railroad Hobbyist. Also, be watching for a Dan Munson article with Dan's photos of John's Eastern Division layout in the April 2020 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.
John, you built the dream layout of every Frisco modeler - or at least the diesel-era ones. Thanks for all the hard work.
John, you make your diesels earn their keep - even the RS-1s. I numbered mine 109. What R/Ns are yours?
Congratulations to John. The article on his layout was the reader top-rated article in the March Railroad Model Hobbyist! Here's a link to the What's Neat in Model Railroading April 2020 featuring John's layout.
All the mags, including RMC and the virtual MRH are featuring St. Louis-area layouts, in anticipation of the NMRA convention that has now been canceled. Too bad. It would have been interesting to visit them. GS
