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**Allen** · 08-30-2025, 08:56 PM

I've still got the trees to build for the Ouachita river scene, but yesterday I fired up my JMRI DecoderPro and started speed matching two more consists of locos. This will give me four 3 loco sets to have on hand as a backup incase any of the current consists decide to go on strike during my two "dry run" op sessions before the OS Omaha weekend in Oct.

Had to scrape some of the rust off the ol' noggin trying to recall how I did this a few years ago.
One interesting thing happened while doing this, a year or more ago I had speed matched a trio of locos and in the process of doing that I also gave Advanced Consisting a go, trying to learn that process.

Well today I grabbed a loco and started playing with it, but it wouldn't budge! No light, no movement. Not remembering or even thinking that I had used an advanced consist on it, my first thought was that there was an electrical breakdown somewhere?
So I tore it apart and tested everything and then actually soldered leads from the motor tabs to the chip, nope, still nothing!

Walked away and came back later. I tried to reflash the chip, yup it took, but nothing else?
So I started looking closer at the sheets on the JMRI file and then I saw it! CV19 was set for "1".

Changed that back to "0" and life was good!
The simple things one forgets...

**Allen** · 08-31-2025, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by JerryZ View Post

Like you, it took a "got ya" moment to cement CV-19 into my brain. I can assure you that going forward, it will be the first thing you check.

We'll see about that, Jerry? lol
I've used it a few times, but was never very proficient with it. Joe Atkinson told me it was an easy way to make consists and then leave those consists together once you get them running good. I guess I need to give it another shot and then keep a notebook or spread sheet handy for a reference to refresh the gray matter.

Originally posted by JerryZ View Post

Curious which method you are using for speed matching. Three point (CV2, 5, 6) or the 28 speed steps?

I use the full speed table, Jerry. One thing I really like about it is the option of using the Trim CV's. For me it makes things easier to adjust.

I know I've heard a lot of modelers use the 3 point method then remark that it's like Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, it's close enough.
I've never tried that yet as a friend got me started with the full table and I've stuck with it.

I started out using the Golden loco method, then I bought an MRT Speed tunnel and that worked great.
But then I stumbled across the Boulder Creek Engineering Roll-By scale speedometer.
This makes it very easy. The only trouble is they went out of business, but the unit still works.

**Allen** · 09-05-2025, 08:06 PM

I think I have pretty much all of the "To-Do" checkboxes marked off with the exception of the one more project.
I need to start making trees to cover the bank on the Ouachita river.

I dug a batch out last night and started sorting through them.
Hopefully by Sunday night I'll have them ready to cover with foam?

I think I'll have enough with these and what I had left over from the trees I made for Ruston a few months ago.

**Allen** · 09-06-2025, 09:01 PM

Originally posted by Paul S. View Post

Not even, Allen. I get on average about 30-45 usuable N scale trees per box.

Yes even, Paul!
https://www.sceneryexpress.com/SUPER...ctinfo/EX0215/

**Allen** · 09-07-2025, 02:51 PM

Sat down last night and pruned all the trees in the pile, today I gave them a glycerin bath.
The internet seems divided on what to use on Super Trees.
Some say to use Glycerin, some say to use Matte Medium, while others say they don't use anything but an adhesive to hold to the leaves on, which should be enough.

I've used the Matte Medium before and it seems to work just fine, however, I did not use it attach the foliage while it's still wet. That I used a light coat of spray adhesive for the first layer of foliage, the additional layers/colors I used some cheap hair spray.

I'm curious to see how the Glycerin will work?
I know I saved the bath in a gallon milk jug when I got done with it.
The Matte Medium I also saved but between times of needing it, it had separated and it didn't want to re-mix very well, it was kind of a jelly mess. I even added more water, but it didn't seem to help.

I think the glycerin recipe can be rewarmed if needed and reused? We'll see how that goes.

Next up, painting the trees when they're dry.

**Paul S.** · 09-10-2025, 10:46 AM

Bye-bye, Nebraska!

**Michael Whiteman** · 09-10-2025, 01:14 PM

I'm still laughing !

**Allen** · 09-14-2025, 08:07 PM

Well I must have used the correct Glycerin Russ C ? I'm still here...

The Glycerin seems to have worked just fine, the smaller branches don't just snap off with the slightest touch.
I have to pinch them off or cut them off and they do seem to have a little more spring to them.
Is it more or less than using Matte Medium, can't say for sure? But at least aren't brittle.

I got them straightened out, gave them all a bath, then gave them all a coat of Krylon camo brown.
I was only able to get a small batch flocked before having to clean up due to holding one of two Op Sessions this month on Saturday.

**Russ C** · 09-14-2025, 10:29 PM

Originally posted by Allen View Post

Well I must have used the correct Glycerin Russ C ? I'm still here...

Ahhh...we love a happy ending Allen

**Allen** · 09-18-2025, 07:57 PM

A few months ago a buddy was really getting into 3D printing.
He was looking for anything to print and or to sell to help fund his new found hobby and his model trains.
He was always asking me for ideas.

One night I came up with an idea that I thought would benefit my layout. During my Op Sessions I always had coupler picks and pencils laying around the layout within easy reach. But yet they were never where I wanted them.
These are nothing to new I suppose, but I sketched one up trying to make it work for me to see what he could do for me.

They are nothing more than a small cup that would mount to the fascia and would hold coupler picks and pencils.
But if they would be on the fascia, I didn't want to have them catch my arm or shirt and get ripped off the fascia or tear a shirt.

I called them Pick Pockets.

He printed a rough draft that looked like it should the trick. Shortly afterwards I lost contact with him.
Really thinking these would work, I started looking for another person to see if they could make some adjustments and print them for me.

I contacted JerryZ since I knew he was setup to print, to which he gladly accepted the job.
I sent him the sample I had and within a few days Jerry said he could help me out with the project.

Soon enough he said he had them printed and that they were in the mail!

They arrived and they look great and I think they'll work just fine!
The way they attach to the fascia is via a small French Cleat that is screwed to the fascia and then the pocket snaps down over it.
This leaves a nice clean look, and should I need to remove it clean it or grab something that fell down in it, I can just snap it up and off the fascia.

Thank you Jerry!!!

**Allen** · 2025-10-05T12:07:43

I'm still working to get all the loose ends tied up before the end of this month and OS weekend.
The trees are about half flocked.

In the meantime I held a second shake down session last weekend. After the session I had some good discussions with a couple of the guys.

I did split the two long through freights into four smaller ones that all fit the shortest siding and I think I'll be keeping it that way for now.

Combining two jobs and adding a third one to the group seemed to be a good idea?
The yard hosteler and ICG local were both short easy jobs. Combining them gave one person a bit more to do, just to stay occupied throughout the session.
The hostler moves the consists for the locals onto their trains and adds the caboose, they will also move the consists from the house track to the fueling pit and cuts off and returns the consists back to the house tracks between runs.

Another job that was created was to move the through freights on their respective staging track. The two SB share one track and like wise, the NB share the other track. When the first two through freights leave staging at the same time at the beginning of the session, the hostler will move second train up the staging so its ready to leave when its called for. This also makes room for the first trains to pull into its staging track behind the second train. Once the second train leaves, the hostler will move the first train up its staging track so it's ready to leave again.
This will also effectively restage the through trains for the next session.

The added job will be the Yardmaster. He is basically in charge of all movements of trains in to, out of and within the yard.
I'm working on writing up an instruction sheet for these combined jobs, which is pretty much a step by step instruction.

When I get them done I'll post them.

Edit: https://realisticmodelrailroading.ne...2162#post42162

Another thing I'm working on is signs and little tabs.
Signs:
It never fails and I'm guilty of it as well. Not knowing the basics of other system throttles and questions are flying around all the time. So I made a quick and dirty Cheat Sheet.

I also made little tabs to place near where the the clipboards hang from the ceiling joists. This should help with where they go when done with them.

Added some hooks and a sign for the throttles (yeah I forgot to make it plural).

One guy ran a local by himself and soon realized that he didn't have enough hands!
He found himself tucking the clipboard under his arm to uncouple cars. He suggested adding hooks to the fascia to hang the clipboards on when you need a free hand. That wasn't going to happen! I didn't want to loose weight by having meat ripped from my body as I walked by.
In retrospect, he could have hung the throttle around his neck and....... I forgot to mention that I added strips of Velcro to the fascia and to the back of each throttle for a temporary place to the hang the throttle from. But in any event, I looked into placing hooks in the ceiling joists above each work area and then added another small tab to easily find them.

I also got what I think will be an easy Pre Ops briefing made up, it's a 3 page long list of crib notes that I can quickly go through before the session without wasting a lot of precious play time. One thing I need to add is tell the crews too look for the clipboard notes in the ceiling joists.

Oh yeah, JerryZ, the Pick Pockets went over really good!
Thanks!

**Allen** · 2025-11-03T21:55:55

With OS Omaha behind me and winter closing in, there are a few things that I would like focus on.
I'm not 100% happy with the JMRI Ops plan. I'm still getting times where crews are sitting with not much to do and waiting.
Quin and I made the long trip to Spring Creek hobbies Saturday and we tossed around a few ideas on the way down and back.
What he suggested that instead of running one local over the entire layout , then running the second one later, that I should release both locals at the same time. I think this might work, but we need to run a session and give it a try.

When can get a few more guys together and I'm going to run another session and see if this new plan can hold water?

Another thing I want to work on is tweaking JMRI Ops to even out the flow of cars and to try and get a few more cars moving?
But before I mess with the Ops too much, I need to get after re-doing DuBach and try to add another industry or two.

Here's pretty close to what I have now.
The track where A&A cement is has been partially removed. Right now I'm using the left end of the rear siding next to the backdrop for A&A.
The trouble is I have way too much negative space and I'd like to fill it in more and make better use of the space.

This is the new doodling I've made of DuBach.
I plan to slide the left end of the siding away from the Bog, then have it swing out a bit to give me more space along the backdrop so I can add a flat where Carbon Black hoppers can be spotted along with a tank car on a single shared spur for the same industry.

The Gray lines will be a road. Near Piggly Wiggly, the road will cross at grade and run around to the other side (along the top) and connect with a road running through El Dorado. Where the road crosses the tracks near A&A Cement, it'll head up to the backdrop, this will be raised road and crosses the tracks via a bridge and then head into a forested area to help conceal the road end.

Where the track comes around the corner above Piggly Wiggly, I think I'll lower the scenery and create part of another river (because you can't enough enough water scenes).

There should be more than enough space to make this all happen.

Before I tear into DuBach, I need to work on JMRI Ops first and get another session for testing.

**Paul S.** · 2025-11-04T09:08:48

What he suggested that instead of running one local over the entire layout , then running the second one later, that I should release both locals at the same time.

If you've got an employee timetable, that might show how the Rock did it. And it's common on some railroads for trains to meet halfway on subdivision or division, swap crews, and continue their work. Crews start and end the day at their home terminal. I know with certainty that IC was doing this.

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