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| Last updated on December 1, 2020
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Model Railroader 2026 Calendar
Don't miss Model Railroader’s all-new 2026 calendar, featuring Rod Stewart's spectacular layout!
wish made better to find your project layout video as the old system was the straight easy way to find them
like video on as work out the operation program for my layout which a lot of coal traffic use as basic on Clinchfield operation in railroad
like small operation layout do with coal trains as model coal operation as working many coal cars have to use for setup operation
To answer William Rolston’s question “Spotting” is delivering cars to industries and picking up empties to take home. or in this case loads.
Good to revisit the Thin Branch again! Here’s a wrinkle to add to David’s local freight train switching example in the intro to the series. This wrinkle would be used a lot in switching the Thin Branch. Pulp wood or wood chip cars are normally positioned ahead of coal loaded hoppers in a train. The reason for this is so the pulp wood or wood chips don’t get contaminated by coal dust blowing off of the hoppers.
What does "Spotting cars" mean? I have heard it a few times but I am new to Model Railroading so I don't yet know what it means.
Hi Cody, after weathering my track on my 4×8 layout that resembles the Virginian project, i noticed a loss in power not sure what this means, i use NCE Powercab dcc system. Did i put to much paint on the track?
All I can say is thank you! I just joined this wonderful site and am finding all the things I have done wrong on my PRR N Scale layout. Your "How To" videos have great of great assistance in correcting many of my mistakes. Your instructive videos are done very well and I really enjoy your experts instructions that are always informative and very helpful in getting things done correct the first time around. Kudos to all of the staff.
Thanks David, great video. I just read the article on how to build a portable branch and add it to my current layout. great info. Can't wait to get started.
How is the pulpwood loaded? By hand or what? I wouldn't have put mainline ballast on the mine spur and put old ties under the right side of the tipple as if they pulled up the rails. The mine supplies building is a perfect case for an open building facisa structure. Great scenery!
Super David – this was a fun and functional tour!! Look forward to wokring on my version..
Many Thanks,
Hey David have you heard the Thin Branch will be in the August issue of MR this will go along with the 2012 issues when that layout was built.
Super job as always. What happens to your project layouts when they are done? I can't imagine you have space for all of them.
David will there be anything on the thin branch in upcoming issues?
Enjoyable video David! I hope MRVP fills up the Operation category. Operations is a big reason why I got back into model railroading.
This one, the Virginian, I suppose Rice Harbor will have an operating video too. Just hope we don't have to wait a year for that video… I know a little impatient. I like what I'm seeing so far. Good job.
Hello Richard,
Yes, there are plans to do more with the operations category. We have a number of operating layouts here in the building, as well as my own N scale layout at home, so you can look forward to future videos about layout operation.
Thank you for watching MR Video Plus!
David
David Thanks for sharing this video. I only have one complaint and that is the video is jerky. Is this the way all of the videos are going to be?
The Thin Branch was my primary reason to try MR Video Plus. Nice job on the series and i have a bit of feedback.
It would be nice if there were buttons to sort the Thin Branch articles. I clicked the tag "Thin Branch" and the results, though nice, cannot be sorted. This feature will be useful as you add more clips to the Thin Banch series. Thank you!
good video David at least the train from the Virginian has a place to go. good point on stating that it would be a bad idea to spot gons on the tail the first rule of railroading is NEVER spot cars on a grade you could have a runaway train and that would be bad.
good work David all ways good to see the Virginian going some place else instead of to staging