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In this MRVP Exclusive Layout Visit, Master Model Railroader John Tews hosts a tour of the sites and facilities found on his HO scale Timber River Railway. You’ll also enjoy an insider’s look at the realistic scheme and prototypical practices that make his model railroad so appealing to operators. For additional information about this intriguing layout, read his feature article in the November 1992 issue of Model Railroader magazine.
Wow! Very entertaining
I watched the Timber River Railway video numerous times and find the operation on the layout so very prototypical. John Tews did a great job in planning and building the Timber River Railway.
Excellent work.
What’s the name of the music at the beginning and end of the video?
Yes I have grouped various tracks together. tracks 1-5 roundhouse, tracks 6-9 outside storage, tracks 10,11,12 yellow shop bldg, etc.
I remember that 1992, I was 25. Neat layout. The automation was truly ahead of it’s time.
John, another question about the relay switch (I hope you don’t mind me being a bit of a pest). In the Walthers viseo about how you set up your turntable and roundhouse, it looks like you have merged a number of wires from the track output pins on the ACM board into each of the four input pins on the relay module. My “logic” tells me that won’t work – that each track needs its own relay, but yours seems to work with out that. Am I correct about you combining more than one track lead into each input pin on the relay switch board? I also see that you have a power lead going into one end of the four relays and out the one on the left, with short connections to each of the “common” connection on each of the relays. The more I read the instructions that came with the ACM, the more confused I am becoming. Can you please give me some advice? I’d be forever grateful!
Thanks, John. I was hoping I could get some help – electrical engineer I am certainly not! I love your TRR and it serves as a model for many ideas I have and what I’m trying to do (although mine is on a much smaller scale!). Thanks, again!
I found the “Relay Module” for the turntable ACM on ebay. They have 1,2,4,8,and 16 relay versions in 5, 12 and 24 volt models. I used a 4 relay version on the TRR.
John, can you tell me where I might get a relay panel like the one you use to connect the Advanced Control Module and your new Walthers turntable? You described it in the Walthers video featuring your turntable.
Great video of a really great, no amazing model railroad. Started in 1966? Operating since 1968? Incredible! Checkout Walthers Facebook page to see how John put in a new turntable at Applies!
Fine video interview and railway visit. Good to see Jim Hediger and hear John recall his family’s longstanding relationship with Kalmbach. Just makes the company and the experience so much more personal and inspiring. Thank you.
Found video very help full in what I would like to do on my layout to some degree. I’ve been up in the area a couple of times, to film and just watch. Thank you
The TRR ore dock is 9 feet long. If I modeled the full LS&I dock, it should be about 13′-8″.
NCE radio
That was really nice. Glad we got to see it. Thanks
Really enjoyed the video, this is a really cool layout!!
what did he use to wire the lift out bridge and where can you find them. thanks
John, great layout and it runs so prototypical especially after I had visited the ore districts of the UP…I have a love for ore carriers. What control system do you use?
Thanks.
Greg
Inspiring.
Not interested in operating sessions.
Very interesting – an amazingly authentic representation of operations especially loading and unloading aspects.
Fantastic. One of the best layouts and operating I’ve seen. Do some more of this one! Enjoyed the automatic unloaders.
Steve Redding
Since this layout is typical of the area I retired from, especially the defunct Erie Mining Co., the ore docks, it brought back old memories. Additionally the technical layout work is outstanding. How do I get a copy o this DVD? I would like to show it at our train club meeting in Mountain Home Arkansas.
Very nice work!
Fantastic. A layout goal to aim for.