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1 August 2025 – The Journey of a Thousand Miles

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First channel video (talking about the channel and what I intend to make of it) releases to YouTube on Sunday, August 3rd.

It has been a journey

This common saying originated from a Chinese proverb. The quote originates from Chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching, attributed to Laozi. This saying teaches that even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point; something which begins literally where one stands.

I have had to relearn almost everything I knew since my last time working in this arena. My family has been wired, mic’d and are listening through good basic pro gear. Everyone has come on board to help out and get this done. Talk about standing on the shoulders of giants.

Thanks also have to go out to the following YouTube creators:

  • Wayne Fick (Created by Wayne) for his outstanding Canva video learning videos
  • Kevin Kolbe for his, unknown to him, continuing support and encouragement over the last several months

I aim to have a second video out by mid-August to kick off the topic of small layout operations. Then, one video will be released each month, on the first Sunday of every month, until the end of the year.

And yes, I know I said I’d do that last year, too. What I’ve learned since then is that I was overestimating my knowledge. My skills weren’t up to the level I needed them to reach a standard I believed the subject and those of you who’ve been reading this blog deserved.

I am at the bottom of the ladder now, but I’m pleased with what I’ve created, and I aim to better my skills as I go forward. I look forward to your feedback on the next post that will be out on Sunday morning, my time here in the freezingly cold South-Western corner of Australia.

Staying in Contact

Interested in keeping in touch or discussing posts, pages and ideas?  You can do that in several ways by:

    • Leaving a comment on YouTube starting Sunday, August 3rd 2025
    • Commenting on this post (I read and answer each one)
    • Sending me a note using our About page (email)
    • Connecting with us on Facebook at Andrew’s Trains
About, Operations, Sites of interest, This Site, Web, YouTube

No plan survives first contact with cancer

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Promises, Promises

In a post dated November 2023, I mentioned that I had plans for more content during 2024. Unfortunately, health complications came along.

An ongoing battle with Colon cancer (since 2015) came to a head along with a more recent workplace injury to add injury to insult.

I found it difficult to focus on tasks outside of maintaining my health. Together, the two challenges overwhelmed me. Leaving me exhausted at the end of each day.

My thanks go out to you for your support and for remaining a subscriber, especially over the last two years.

But, it would appear that things are looking up. My doctors have told me that my cancer is finally under control. My workplace injury is getting better which has also been a long painfilled road.

Looking forward

Therefore, here’s my focus for 2025.

I’ll be producing new content just for you. If you are someone into small layouts who is interested in getting into or improving their current understanding of operations, then I’m here to support you.

Whether you are at the start of your journey or further down the track, I’ll help cut the effort it can take to learn about and understand rail operations.

I’ve been reviewing my current operations content to make it better and to support the upcoming video content.

The topics I’m going to tackle first are:

  1. what is the meaning of operations in a modelling sense
  2. what that means for you the small layout owner/builder
  3. why operations are important for your small layout, and
  4. how you can make it work for the layout you already have

My challenge is to post the first video before the end of January 2025. I’m challenging myself to complete one operations video each month throughout the year.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you would like to see covered in these and other videos. Please get in touch (more details in the “Resources” section below).

Happy New Year!

Finally, I want to wish you a safe, and prosperous new year. (I missed wishing you a Merry Christmas – my apologies.)

I hope that the end of 2024 sees you and your family in good spirits and health and I want to wish you and yours the very best for the new year.

Resources

Staying in Contact

I hope you’ll keep in touch and discuss posts, pages and ideas!  You can do that in several ways:

Operations, Prototype, Site seeing, Switching, Switching, This Site, Web, YouTube

More first Mile/Last Mile? We can do that…

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I posted a while ago about a flour mill, here in Melbourne, that showcases a loads-in, empties out flour milling operation. Today we’ll look at another operation, this time in Montpelier Ohio which is an empties-in/loads-out facility for grain. This is truly first/last-mile railroading at its best.

Switching the Montpelier Ohio Elevator

We’ll talk about modelling a facility using the track layout and operations featured in this post next time. For now, I’d suggest that you watch this outstanding video from YouTuber Scott Taipale. With WAER 223 an SW 1200 switcher (ex IHRC 223, ex TRRA 1223) working a unit grain train at the elevator in Montpelier Ohio.

This SW 1200 switcher was built for the Terminal RR of St Louis in 1955. Later owned by the Indiana Hi-Rail and successor Wabash Erie, it is now used exclusively by the Edon Farmers Co-Op to handle the bulk car movements you’ll note in the video.

A couple of notes on the video from Scott:

  • The line furthest right (North) used to be Wabash’s 1st district which ran from Toledo to Montpelier (now truncated, it ends 4800 feet behind/east of the camera)
  • The branch line connects to the former Wabash yard in Montpelier (now Norfolk Southern)

In my next post, we’ll look at how you can model a layout based on the track diagram and how you can fit this facility into your space and time limitations. Thanks for reading along.  and if you get the chance please like and subscribe to this blog, and to the Facebook page. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Resources

My switching first/last-mile playlist on YouTube

Previous Kensington Posts:

Scott Taipale

Staying in Contact

Interested in keeping in touch or discussing posts, pages and ideas?  You can do that in several ways:

1. Small, Layout Design, Loads, Operations, Prototype, Site seeing, Sites of interest, Switching, Switching, Web, YouTube

Site Seeing – The Little Critter that could edition

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It’s not often that you get to see internal (in-plant) company railway operations today. Thankfully “Saginaw Terminal Docks” (Facebook and YouTube) posted a video from Reid Machinery in Lansing, Mi showing how they use old freight cars to store valuable machinery on their site prior to sale.

Reid Machinery’s internal railroad

Reid Machinery Inc of Lansing Michigan have specialised in moving machinery, primarily in the forging industry, throughout North America since 1992. And while that may not seem like the most worthy thing to write about on the third Tuesday in July – I urge you to hang around a moment longer. You see they also hold their large (as in big – not lots of) inventory on and in their own railroad assets.

Yes – they have their own switching layout.

Thanks to Saginaw Terminal Docks we have a front row seat, and a cab ride on one of these switching moves. I asked him about connections to the rest of the world. He tells me that the in-plant line connects to the JAIL/Adrian & Blissfield on over a mile of old track through Lansing’s south side.

And this is so modellable…

YouTube video

Some of the things to watch out for in the video are:

  • The three person crew (Engineer, conductor, and digger – and yes it’s a guy with  a shovel)
  • Slow switching speeds
  • At around the 18 minute mark – opening the boxcar door with the forklift forks (we often model the result but the actual operation is rarely filmed)

So sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy the show.

Resources

Class 1, Prototype, Publishing, Site seeing, Switching, Web, YouTube

Site Seeing – the Switching small customers edition

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There was an interesting video posted by Danny Harmon (who goes by the handle of Distant Signal on YouTube).

He focuses on the increasingly rare small switching customer. Once upon a time it was the core of railroading. And while it is harder to find, in some places it can still be found as Danny presents in this video.

Enjoy the video! And if you like Danny’s videos as much as I love his voice then like the video and subscribe to his channel. I have no affiliation with Danny other than as a happy viewer of his content.

HO Scale, Layout Design, Liked off site, Operations, Site seeing, Sites of interest, Switching, Web

Site seeing – Saturday morning video watching edition

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It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to post. A range of reasons you’re all familiar with – work, tiredness, time pressure and the needs for others among them. And then that this is at the moment a hobby and not my primary income source (sigh).

While taking a little time out for myself in the early morning (before the sun came up on a very chilly day in Ballarat) I rediscovered the video produced by the folks over at Model Railroader on model railroad operations. Hosted by the late (and greatly lamented Andy Sperandeo) this video is a great introduction to operations, without all the paperwork, and other stuff that can hamper your entry into the realm.

I hope you enjoy, and it is great to share with you Andy’s wit and personality. I miss being able to chat with him as I did every now and then online about operations and the finer points he knew from a lifetime of modelling. Have a great weekend.

Site seeing, Sites of interest, Web, YouTube

Site Seeing – May 22 (the I needed some steam therapy post)

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I woke up this morning after dreaming about driving steam trains all night. Don’t know why, but there it is. So over a breakfast of toast and jam, and a cup of tea I got in some serious steam therapy and wanted to share my sense of serenity with you.

If you are in need of some steam therapy, consider the therapist ‘in’. Sit back, crank up the sound and enjoy.

Therapy session 1 – UP Challenger #3985 + 143 Freight Cars

While I understand why steam is no longer the king of the rails, doesn’t it make you wonder ‘what if’?

Therapy Session 2 – Steam Locomotives At Speed

While not as imposing as the UP Challenger, there is something cathartic and invigorating about seeing express locomotives ‘expressing’ themselves at high-speed; enjoy!

Therapy Session 3 – Steam trains at speed

I want to make sure that you are as revitalised as I am. So here is a little more therapy for a bleak, cool and windy Sunday (at least in Ballarat). Go get a coffee, or tea, or frothy beverage of choice, and relax into 45 minutes of enjoyment.

I hope that you got some value from our therapy session this morning. I think that we should see one another again soon. Let’s schedule another session in … well leave a comment, or like this post, and we’ll see when we can fit one another in eh?

Site seeing, Sites of interest, Web, YouTube

Site seeing – March 26th (the “Have a great Easter” edition)

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While tooling around the Shortline Modellers’ site I mentioned in my post of March 24th I found a video that I wanted to share with you. Onto to todays site.

Site 1: Painting diesel locomotive trucks

I find it amazing that when you need something the most it so often appears out of the mist, landing at your feet, as if sent by the gods direct from Olympus itself. Watch on as Shortline Modellers’ Shawn Branstetter goes through what he did to paint, weather and masterfully finish the diesel locomotive truck in this video.

I hope that he keeps on posting videos like this. If some of the articles I’ve only scanned so far are near as good, this site will become a modeller’s resource for many of us.

Like this post and comment if you find it useful or would like further information; if you’ve not already subscribed to keep up to date you can do so now using the link at the top of the post.

Layouts, Site seeing, Sites of interest, Web, YouTube

Site seeing – June 20

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I love signalling, and modelling signalling systems. In the future I have a plan for an exhibition layout running under catenary, fully signalled using automatic block signals. For now though the plan is to get the current layout done.

In the meantime we can all enjoy some great old video – thanks to YouTube.

Site 1: YouTube – The Railroad Signal by the New York Central System’s PR Department

I love these old videos and collect them when I can. This one is great, and shows a lot of features of the steam era railroad that you might not otherwise notice.

Site seeing, Sites of interest, Web, YouTube

Site seeing – February 28

Introduction

Hi my name is Andrew, and I’m a YouTube-a-holic.

It’s true; I love YouTube. In the same way the Internet has changed the way we read about the hobby due to the explosion in E-Zines, how we consume our train videos has changed too.

YouTube has become my go-to place for rail fanning vision. Today’s ‘Site seeing’ reflects the best of railfan video.

YouTube site 1: Delay in Block productions

There’s a great choice of documentary length videos here. Some switching related, others location related. Some are only 6-8 minutes in length, others like this one (Offsite Link) run to just under an hour and show a lot of freight action.

YouTube site 2: Distant Signal

Danny Harmon’s a railfanning machine. He’s been producing railfan videos for a long time (view his website here to buy his DVDs) with some of his earliest videos from 1995.

His recent series on the CSX signalling display and head indication (speed signalling) has been great to watch. Based in Florida he manages to have a great volume of vision and all of it interesting. As he says, he’s a railfan, not a modeller, and his videos reflect this. With great production values and a melodic voice, the Distant signal ought to be on your favourites list.

Look in the resources section for a bunch of links to Danny’s videos.

Other thoughts

We are 1/6th of the way through the year, and tomorrow we’ll be at the beginning of March. In Ballarat (and the rest of the southern hemisphere) it’s the beginning of Autumn. We’ve just had a big cool front blow through with rain and thunderstorms. 2015 is rocketing forward and before we know it winter will be on top of us. Thanks for reading along with me during February. I’ll talk to you next month.

Resources

Delayed in Block

· Fall Freights: NS, CSX, and the World’s Worst Railroad Tracks

Danny Harmon (Distant Signal)

· How to Read Signals On the CSX – Part 1

· How to Read Signals On the CSX – Part 2

· How to Read Signals On the CSX – Part 3

· How to Read Signals On the CSX – Part 4