ToyTrains1's Blog

One of the very first MTH Premier steam locomotives that I got was the Southern Pacific Cab Forward (4-8-8-2) and it's hard to believe that that was almost 10 years ago!  It's a large model of a very unusual prototype — the Cab Forwards were used by SP so that the exhaust didn't suffocate their train crews when going through their long tunnels and snow sheds.  It makes for a very strange-looking locomotive!  Given that it's 10 years old, the level of modeling and detail isn't up to today's standards but it still holds its own.  It's equipped with the original ProtoSound system which provides sound and smoke but doesn't allow for the kind of remote controlled command operation that we're used to today.  While I've upgraded most of my original ProtoSound locomotives to the newer ProtoSound 2 system (PS2) that allows for full remote control with DCS, I haven't attempted this one due to the engineering challenges.  At least, I haven't attempted it yet! I've shot an 80 second video of the Cab Forward in action — the video in your choice of the three high-resolution high-quality formats that I support (Real Media, Windows Media, and MPEG-4) is on the Multimedia page of my web site.  The lower resolution, lower quality version on YouTube is below.

If two big green steamers doubleheaded is good, well then, three big green steamers tripleheaded must be better! I've now shot a video of the MTH Premier Great Northern Z-6 Challenger (4-6-6-4), the MTH Premier GN R-2 (2-8-8-2) and the MTH Premier GN S-2 Northern (4-8-4), my entire GN green fleet, in action on the layout.  The video, in your choice of high-resolution, high-quality formats (Real Media, Windows Media, or MPEG-4) is on the Multimedia page of my web site.  The YouTube version (fast to load but lower resolution and quality) is below.

Anyone who knows me or my videos probably saw this one coming from a mile away!  I mean, how can you have TWO big green monsters and not doublehead them?  So, I did!   Here's a video of the MTH Premier GN Z-6 Challenger (4-6-6-4) and the MTH Premier GN R-2 (2-8-8-2) doubleheaded in action.  It's available on my Multimedia page in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4 high-resolution, high-quality formats or in the low-resolution YouTube version, below.

Stopping by the Model Railroad Shop today, I was shocked to find out that a toy had arrived for me.  It turns out to be none other than the MTH Premier Great Northern Z-6 Challenger (4-6-6-4), a huge locomotive that I wasn't expecting for at least a week!  This locomotive is drop-dead gorgeous, with a level of detail that has to be seen to be believed!  I've got photos up on my Challenger page, I have videos up on my Multimedia page, and will have a review up soon on my Train Reviews page.  For those on dial-up, the YouTube version will be a lot faster to load.

I've now finished the twelfth display case.  Unlike most of those that I build, since this was designed to fit under one that I had custom built for me, I stained it to match, as closely as I could, the original display case.  As the photo shows, it turned out quite well.  It's been coated with water-based polyurethane and loaded with thirty-two of my AtlasO reefers, freeing up valuable space on the layout.  All that I have left to do is cut and fit the sliding acrylic plastic doors.

The first two display cases that I got for the trains were custom built for me by a fine craftsman (you can see them on the Display Cases page of my web site).  After those, I started building them myself.  Between the lower of those two cases and the floor has been a twenty-two inch gap.  It's bothered me all these years and I've finally done something about it.  I've begun constructing a new display case that will fit into that gap.  Though only twenty-two inches high, it's a full eight feet in width, the widest that I've ever built.  Dealing with eight foot lengths of wood is quite clumsy and a royal pain you-know-where, but I've got it pretty much done.  All that remains is to sand it, assemble it, put on a plywood back, and finish it.  It will give me about thirty-two feet of additional display space that should get about thirty-two Atlas reefers off the layout!  Here it is as it is today, awaiting sanding.