# Two GG1's in action.



## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

I haven't posted in awhile mostly because I have been actually playing with my trains this year instead of working on them 

Last week I was running my USAT GG1s, after several mods and some fine tuning they are now both stable and consistent runners all day long.

Here is a quick video of them in action.

Ron


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Ron-

That was a great video!!! Very impressive layout. Curious if you have a video or photos detailing on how the trains go from the basement to the outside? Looks like they go out a window. I assume there's a temporary track that you put in and take out?


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Thanks Eric, yes they transition from the basement rail yard to the outside through that window you see in the next shot when the GG1 is coming outside. I have a 2ft section of removable track that bridges the inner rail yard to the bridge outside. I didn't show the transition in the video because the lighting effect going from inside and panning to the outside window causes a whiteout effect on the video when it's sunny out.

Here is a pic;


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks Ron!

When my wife and I build in a few years gonna have to remember that. I'll have to have an extra window added to the plans


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

It's well worth it. 
It only took one summer of the wife helping me carry everything from the basement to the layout to get the approval for the rail yard and bridge to the layout, lol.

Ron


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## Fred Mills (Nov 24, 2008)

Where is the overhead....those are electric locomotives, and they look stupid without the overhead......


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Wow.... just wow..thanks for sharing, I guess it's true what they say about opinions and @ssholes.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Fr. Fred:

In principle I agree, *BUT* if you are going to run our scale outdoors, overhead lines are not going to work in a typical backyard garden setup. Professional parks such as found in Switzerland and other places, it might work. Dogs, cats, deer, racoons, geese, foxes, and who know what, even humans who should know better, will damage an expensive and difficult setup.

I would love to run my GG1 and a lot of LGB "electric" engines under the wire. That is not possible where I currently live, or likely ever to live. It would require a reverse prison. Everything is kept out. Not a cage I want in my yard.

I had a working overhead when I lived in Denver. It was on the side of a cribbing and we didn't have large or small animal problems in that location. Our dog got run into by an engine when he was a puppy and he avoided the trains like a plague.

"electric" running from the overhead.










The "electric" cog can be seen hugging the base of the retaining wall. The rise was about 1.75' to get it to the upper station. It was not an easily crossed section of the layout.










It can be done, but only under very controlled situations, like indoors.

Chuck


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Totally agree Chuck, I would love to have Phase one all pantograph powered, but outside where I live its just not doable.

I tried it one time. I did the center loop around the boulders and it lasted exactly one night. The next morning the center section was all ripped out were a critter must have gotten entangled in it. 

Who knew critters like to play with trains also .

Ron


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

*Impressive layout!*



BodsRailRoad said:


> Totally agree Chuck, I would love to have Phase one all pantograph powered, but outside where I live its just not doable.
> 
> I tried it one time. I did the center loop around the boulders and it lasted exactly one night. The next morning the center section was all ripped out were a critter must have gotten entangled in it.
> 
> ...


There are always concessions that have to be made being outdoors, it's just the nature of the beast. I would love to have late 19th Century telegraph poles and wires, but I'm sure they would meet the same fate.

Very well done layout, sir, I remember following your build posts, and those trains look amazing on it!


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Hi Ron, 

Thanks for the nice video. The GG1s trains are impressive.
You built an excellent layout.

I've been busy building my outdoor layout.

-Ted


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Hi Ted,
Thanks, it's been holding up really well with just the very minimum of maintenance. 

I can't wait to see what you come up with, I'm sure it will be fantastic. I'm looking forward to getting some ideas for the final phase of my rail road.

Ron


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Ron, 

No doubt your good planning and execution payed off with not only a great layout but the minimum of maintenance, too.

As to the question about my outdoor layout, it has progressed a great deal. I avoided posting a thread about it, but I provided Greg E. with many videos I took of it during its construction. I need to make a new video to show the latest work.
He has most of videos in a play list on his Youtube "*gregeusa*" site.

One example below:






-Ted


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