The following video
presentations are available in a variety of formats:
All videos are available in Real Media format -- you must have the Real
Player plug-in for your browser in order to view them
Most
videos are available in Windows Media format, which can be viewed
using Microsoft's Media Player
Most videos are available in MPEG-4
format, which can be viewed using a wide variety of viewers on a wide variety of
platforms
In March of 2007, the oldest videos were reshot using my digital video
camcorder. Almost all of the videos presented below, with the exception of
the very oldest, have been reencoded in the above three formats using encoder
settings that give enhanced resolution (720 x 480, the native resolution of the DVcam), clarity, and quality. All of the reshot and/or reencoded videos
are so noted (look for the icon).
Most videos have their length noted; the longer the video, the longer it will
take to stream down to you, though with most visitors to the web site using
broadband, this isn't much of a problem. For the most recent videos, I've
included the link that shows the YouTube player for the video -- while the
resolution and quality can't match that of the other formats, it loads very
quickly for those users still using dial-up. There are two
sections below -- the first has videos of model trains and my layout, the second (down
toward the bottom of the page) has videos of real steam trains. Both
sections are in reverse chronological order (newest first). Many of the
listings include a link to another page within my web site that has photographs
of the trains in the videos. Also, I have reviewed many of the models on
my Train Reviews page. (This
LINK will take you to
the main page of my web site.) Enjoy!
O-Gauge Model Train Videos
It's quite a coincidence given the last video, but another Southern Pacific
steam locomotive has now arrived, the MTH Premier Cab Forward (4-8-8-2).
This locomotive is a PS2-equipped reissue of the original PS1 Cab Forward whose
video appears down the page a bit. As with most such reissues, it has more
detail than the original and, on this one, MTH has issued it in two different
models; one modeling the locomotive as-built (as did the original model) and the
other modeling a locomotive equipped with a more modernized cab front which SP
used on a number of the older Cab Forwards as they were rebuilt. It's the
latter one that I got and I'm very pleased with it! As you can see and
hear in this 69 second video, it looks and sounds great. The video shows
it hauling the Daylight passenger cars and, while in real life the Cab Forwards
usually hauled freight, at some point some of them hauled passenger
cars like these, as you can see in a number of vintage videos that are available. As always, the video is here in your choice of formats.
The link to the YouTube version follows. OH! I almost forget!
YouTube!
The 87 train videos that I have on YouTube (the oldest has only been there for
14 months) have now racked up the totally mind-boggling total of over ONE
MILLION views!!!!
In the little more than a year since I started uploading videos to YouTube,
they have in total garnered a, to me, astonishing 900,000+ views. Two of
the most popular have been the ones showing the Southern Pacific Daylight
steamers, the GS-2 and the GS-4. I've received quite a few messages asking
to see them running double-headed. This video is the result. It
shows the GS-2 in the lead with the GS-4 following, followed by a long string of
matching passenger cars that I've taken the time to equip with passengers.
There are two run-bys in this two minute forty second video. The first is
under normal lighting conditions. The second is the result of me wondering
what the train would look like at twilight, with most of the lighting provided
by the interior lights of the cars. This is the first time I've set the
mini-DVcam for low-light mode and though the video is somewhat more grainy and
jerky, the cars show off to good advantage. The video is, as always in
your choice of three formats (Windows Media, Real Media, and MPEG-4) below.
There's also a link to the YouTube version for dial-up visitors.
The dummy set of BMT Standard subway cars finally arrived and they look as
great as the first set. Here they are all together in a very short video
(the main BMT Standard video is three videos down).
My other 19th century PRR steam locomotive, the MTH Premier D16d American
(4-4-0) was feeling kind of jealous that the H3 Consolidation got first crack at
the new 19th century woodsided passenger cars. I felt sorry for it, so
swapped out locomotives. Here's the D16d hauling the consist, looking just
like a page out of a late 1800's train book. The video is one minute long
and, as always, is available in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or
MPEG-4 formats. For dial-up users, the link to the YouTube version follows
the other links.
I've now obtained the Pennsylvania RR version of the 19th century woodsided
passenger cars shown in the NYC #999 video below. I've teamed them up with
the PRR H3 Consolidation (2-8-0), a 19th century steam locomotive, and they make
quite an attractive consist. The video is 62 seconds in length and,
as always, is available in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4
formats. For dial-up users, the link to the YouTube version follows the
other links.
To start off 2008, MTH delivered two new toys to keep me happy in the new
year! First off, the long-awaited BMT Standard subway cars arrived.
These cars, modeling the 2500 series, were in use when I was a child and I
vividly remember riding in them. Comparing the models to photographs of
the prototypes, MTH has done a super job of capturing all of the intricate
detail of these cars. In this video, you can hear the station stop
announcement that's part of the PS2 operating software of the train. The
video is 94 seconds in length and, as always, is
available in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4 formats.
For dial-up users, the link to the YouTube version follows the other links.
The second treat for the new year was the delivery of the 19th century
woodsided passenger cars to accompany the 19th century steam locomotives that
were previously issued. Down below is the video of the NYC #999
American
(4-4-0) steam locomotive that was shot when I received it. At the time, I
had to run it alone since I didn't have the appropriate rolling stock to
accompany it. This video now corrects that!
The new cars
are absolutely superb, with detail inside and out including the requisite
potbelly stove to keep the passengers warm! The video is 56 seconds in length and, as always, is
available in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4 formats.
For dial-up users, the link to the YouTube version follows the other links.
Now, here's something you don't see very often on my layout. I'm a
confirmed steam lover but the opportunity presented itself and was just too good
to pass up, so I'm now the proud owner of these MTH Premier models of the
Alco
PA diesel locomotives in an A-B-A configuration (PS2, of course). They're
in the attractive tuscan with five gold stripes livery of the Pennsylvania RR
and were usually used to haul passenger trains though I have them hauling a long
string of AtlasO reefers. The video is 66 seconds in length and, as
always, is available in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or
MPEG-4 formats. For dial-up users, the link to the YouTube version follows
the other links.
One of the first videos I ever shot showed the layout in action with the
three main loops running. I thought that I'd revisit that and show what
I'm running today. All three trains are made up of AtlasO reefers, about
150 in all. On the outside track (O-72) are the MTH Premier GN Z-6
Challenger (4-6-6-4), GN R-2 (2-8-8-2), and the GN S-2
Northern (4-8-4) running
triple-headed. On the middle (O-54) track is the MTH Premier PRR
K4s
Pacific (4-6-2) with a second K4s pushing. On the inside track (O-42) is
the MTH Premier PRR L1 Mikado (2-8-2) with the PRR
B28 Six-Coupled (0-6-0) pushing. That's a
total of seven MTH Premier steamers running at the same time. As you'll
see, it gets quite smoked-up quite fast!
The video is
2:50 in length and the YouTube version follows the links to the three
high-resolution, high-quality files in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media,
or MPEG-4 formats.
Here's a blast from the past! One of the very first MTH Premier steam
locomotives that I got was the SP Cab Forward (4-8-8-2)
which came out in 1998 (it's hard to believe it's been almost 10 years). This
locomotive had the original ProtoSound system, which provided sound and
smoke but no remote control as with the ProtoSound 2 (PS2) locomotives with DCS
that are in the videos below. The operation of this locomotive is purely
conventional, though I was using DCS as a remote control for the track voltage so
that I could shoot the video without being tied to the transformer. While
I've converted most of my original ProtoSound locomotives to PS2, because of the
engineering challenges associated with this very strange locomotive, I haven't
done so with the Cab Forward. Yet. However, because it is an unusual
locomotive, I thought it worthwhile to shoot this 80 second video. The
YouTube version follows the links to the three high-resolution, high-quality
files in your choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4 formats.
If two big green steamers doubleheaded is good, well then, three big green
steamers tripleheaded must be better!
Here are 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 big green
fleet, running tripleheaded in a one minute video. The YouTube version
follows the links to the three high-resolution, high-quality files in your
choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4 formats.
Anyone who knows me or my videos should have seen this one coming! How
can you have TWO big green monsters and not doublehead them? So
here they are, the MTH Premier Great Northern Z-6 Challenger (4-6-6-4) and the
MTH Premier GN R-2 (2-8-8-2) doubleheaded in action in a one minute video! The YouTube version
follows the links to the three high-resolution, high-quality files in your
choice of Windows Media, Real Media, or MPEG-4 formats.
The middle of August 2007 brought with it the arrival of the MTH Premier
model of the Great Northern Z-6 Challenger (4-6-6-4) steam locomotive.
While people normally think of UP when you say Challenger, other railroads had
them as well, among them GN, which had two. Here's a 78 second video of
this extraordinary model in action. As is now the case, for dialup users,
the YouTube version follows.
In late July of 2007, MTH brought out a Premier line model of the
Pennsylvania Railroad's B28 Six-Coupled (0-6-0) steam
locomotive. The prototype was a USRA design dating from the first
world war and was used by many railroads. The model is a superb rendition
featuring the new wireless tether and a tremendous amount of detail, especially
when compared to the previous RailKing model of the B6, which you can view
below. Here it is in a short 45 second video. For dialup users, the
YouTube version follows.
One of the really nice features of PS2 and DCS is that you can change the
personality file that's loaded in a locomotive. This file contains the
mechanical properties as well as the full array of locomotive sounds. When
I upgraded the MTH Premier Class A (2-6-6-4) from PS1 to PS2, I used the
personality file from the MTH Premier Y6b as a PS2 Class A personality file
wasn't available (you can hear it in the older Class A video, below). MTH
recently released an enhanced PS2 version of the Class A and I was able to
download its personality file and upload it to my Class A. The new whistle
sounds exactly like those heard in the prototype Class A on recordings made when
these giants roamed the rails and the other sounds are more appropriate as well.
Here's the Class A with the revised sound set in a 60 second video. If
you're on dialup, you'll want to view the YouTube version below.
In late June of 2007, MTH released a Premier line model of the PRR L1 Mikado
(2-8-2) steam locomotive made from all-new tooling. It's an exquisite
model that compares very favorably to photos of the prototype. I
especially like the short tender with doghouse (and the requisite brakeman
figure in it). Here's a 60 second video of the Mikado in action.
Once again, if you're on dialup, you'll want to view the YouTube version below.
In June of 2007, MTH released a Premier model of the CNJ Ingersoll-Rand
boxcab diesel locomotive #1000. This is a beautiful die-cast model of the
very first diesel locomotive ever made. This was the one that spelled the
beginning of the end of steam. It incorporates a new DCS feature, the
grade crossing signal of two long blasts of the horn, one short blast, and one
long blast. This short (60 second) video shows the locomotive in action
with the grade crossing signal. Here it is in the usual three formats.
if you're on dialup, click on the YouTube
version below.
I've always loved to run long trains. They can be a pain however, if
you want to turn them around to run in the other direction. For that
reason, when I built the current layout, I incorporated a pair of reverse loops
so that I could turn a train while it was running, no matter which direction it
was going in. The reverse loops run through the yard in the center
of the layout. Though they're normally plugged up with stored trains (too
many trains, too few display cases), I recently freed them up and have been able
to use them. I thought that I'd share their operation with you and so I've
shot another video. It shows both reverse loops in operation with the
longest possible train (reefers, of course). This video is 5 minutes 16
seconds long and the files below are on the order of 40 MB in size, so I don't
recommend them for dialup users -- if you're on dialup, click on the YouTube
version below.
Videos can come about in some unusual ways. The videos I already have here of
the Big Boys show them double-headed. I got an email asking about the
pulling power of a single locomotive. I don't have a gauge to measure the
pull in pounds but I do have lots and lots of freight cars. So, here's a
video of a single Big Boy, #4012, hauling its auxiliary tender and 53 heavy
scale freight cars, pretty much chasing its own caboose. If the layout
were bigger and I had the room to do it, I'm pretty confident that it could
easily haul a hundred cars; as it is, what you're looking at is more than 60
lineal feet of
train, over one-half scale mile long. Toward the end of the video, you can hear the
oh so appropriate freight yard sound set installed in this locomotive. The video is 2 minutes 36 seconds long and the
files are about 20 MB in size, so even with broadband it may take a bit until it
streams down to you. This is also the first video with my new intro.
It feels thoroughly weird doing this, but here's the video from YouTube --
much lower resolution than the three files above, but all you have to do is
click to play it. Great for dial-up users!
In early 2002, I got a special train set from MTH. They called it
"American Legacy #768W" and it was a reproduction of a train set from
1939.
It had a die-cast scale NYC Hudson painted in tinplate grey enamel with a
matching tinplate tender and a set of
four blue tinplate passenger cars. I never shot a video of it though it's
been running on the auxiliary layout for years. Not that long ago, I got
the MTH Tinplate 263E in blue and put it together with the blue tinplate cars to
make the "baby blue comet" that you can see in the 263E video below.
At that time, the
Hudson went on the shelf. Now that I'm shooting the forgotten locomotives,
here's the "tinplate" grey J1E Hudson with not the blue cars, as
they've already had their moment of glory, but my gorgeous set of terra-cotta MTH tinplate passenger cars,
running on the main layout in a one minute video.
With a DCS engine number of 20, I've had the MTH RailKing PRR B6 (0-6-0)
switcher for quite a while (it came out in 2001) and I've used it quite a bit,
so I don't know how it came to pass that I've never recorded it in operation in
a video. It's especially odd since I don't often modify locomotives and
I've modified this one and like to show it off. In any case, here's a one
minute video of the B6 switcher moving a short train from one yard to another;
see if you can notice what it is that I've modified on it.
Another of the "forgotten" trains is my MTH Premier UP DC-3 rail inspection
car. This is a full-scale model of one of the cars that UP deployed on its
vast system to check for flaws in the rails. It came out in 2001 and I
have no idea of how it's just sat there all these years without having its
operation documented but better late than never. This 75 second video
shows it in action, checking out the rail on my layout.
It was something of a surprise to me to find that some of the trains that I
never shot on video were my subway sets so I'm taking care of that right now
with the following four videos. The first subway is the MTH Premier R-32
BMT set that came out in 2001. This well-made set is a model of the BMT N
train, better known as the Sea Beach Express. This is somewhat special to
me as I grew up with this very train running through my backyard and I took it
to high school and college every day for seven years. Needless to say,
when the model was announced, I jumped at the chance to own it. All these
years later, it still runs very well, as this 30 second video shows.
The second is the MTH Railking R-36 World's Fair set that came out in
September 2002. I hadn't planned on purchasing it, but seeing it on the
counter at the train store, it was so attractive that I couldn't help myself! It's a very well
detailed model of the baby-blue #7 IRT subway trains that ran from Times Square
to the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Park (photos are available on my
Subways page). They still run very well, as
evidenced by the following 30 second video.
The third subway set arrived in October 2005 and is an MTH RailKing
model of the original IRT Lo-V (for low voltage) subway cars that were
manufactured between 1916 and 1924. Though I'm well familiar with many NYC
subway cars from having ridden on them, these are so old that (I'm glad to say),
they predate even me! Here's a 34
second video of the Lo-V subway set in action. You can see close-up photos on my
Subways page.
The fourth and last subway set is the MTH Premier model of the R-1, the
original cars purchased for the IND system. It too arrived in October 2005
and, being a Premier model, includes such amenities as painted floors, simulated
rattan seats, and passengers to fill those seats! (You can see these
features in the photos on the Subways page.) It's a very good looking
model of the A train, the 8th Avenue Express, that runs very well, as the
following 53 second video shows.
In the course of reshooting the older videos, I've noticed that there are a
few trains for which I haven't done a video
and I don't have a clue as to why that is, so I'm
going to try to correct that. Here's the first result. This is the MTH
Premier PRR 2500 HP transfer diesel which came out in 2002. A product of
Lima-Hamilton, this was at the time a very powerful diesel locomotive and the
model is a good representation of the prototype. Here's a 34 second video,
as always in your choice of formats.
Ever have one of those days? For the last few weeks, I've been
reencoding recent videos and reshooting older videos. Today I reshot the
video of the MTH Premier PRR FF2. Or rather, I tried to. When you're
shooting a video and something goes wrong, you either reshoot it right then if
you notice it at the time, or edit it out later, or reshoot it later, or
whatever. This one, however, was just too funny, so rather than winding up
on the cutting room floor, here's my first blooper, all 34 seconds of it.
I hope you laugh as much as I did!
In looking at The March of the Atlas Reefers (the most popular video I have
ever posted), I started wondering if there
were any other trains that I could stage in a similar video. When I was
down at the layout, it became obvious that there were. I now have, with
Big Liz (see below), a total of six MTH Premier PRR electric locomotives, all
die-cast, gorgeous models. Using DCS, I put them together in a lashup led
by Big Liz, and hooked them up to a consist of recent Atlas reefers (in catalog
number order). Here, sextuple-headed, is The March of the Pennsy
Electrics!
I don't know that you would ever have seen this in real life, but then again,
there have to be some perks to owing the railroad!
Here are the FF1
(Big Liz) up front with the FF2 boxcab pushing on the rear. Sandwiched
between this boxcab tag-team are seventeen (!) heavyweight passenger cars.
While either locomotive could haul all seventeen by itself, one in front and one
in back takes the heavy load off the couplers. Besides, according to my
PRR rule book (dated 1925), with twelve or more cars, I need two locomotives!
Here's the 45 second
video (that's 29 feet worth of train you're watching, real feet, not scale).
Two days after receiving my FF1 and one day after shooting the video below, I
got a welcome surprise -- the delivery of eleven new Atlas Reefers. While
I'm not going to do another March of the Atlas Reefers video (it's down below),
here's a 1 minute video of Big Liz hauling the eleven new reefers (you can see all of the reefers on
the Atlas Reefers page).
February 2007 brought me a new locomotive, the MTH Premier model of the PRR
FF1, known as "Big Liz". This is a heavy die-cast model of an enormous
jackshaft boxcab electric locomotive. In the
following 1 minute, 40 second video (dial-up users beware, these are large
files), you can see her hauling twelve scale heavyweight passenger cars (quite a
load). In the second half of the video, you'll see the automatic
pantographs in action and get to hear some of the special sound set that was
recorded for her.
If ten cars are good, then twelve cars must be better, no?
I got two more cars for the Blue
Comet and it's up to a twelve car consist now. Here it is, in action, in a
video lasting about a minute!
I've recently acquired three new cars to go along with my Blue Comet set,
giving me a total of ten cars for the PS-2-converted
the MTH Premier Blue Comet (a heavy 4-6-2 Pacific) to
pull (the new cars are reviewed on my Train Reviews
page). Here's a one-minute video of the new train in action.
I converted my MTH Premier Big Boys (I have two) to PS2 operation a while ago
(you can see the videos down below). I've been on the lookout for an
auxiliary tender to go with them and at last found one at a good price. It
was PS1 but I converted it over to PS2 operation (you can read about that
adventure in my blog). The following 40 second video shows the Big Boy in
action with the PS2-converted auxiliary tender.
One of the last of my PS1 steamers that I've converted to PS2 is the MTH
Premier PRR G5 (4-6-0 Ten Wheeler). This one
is a small locomotive and was a handful; I had to send it out to an expert
since, while I got it converted OK, I couldn't get it back together again!
Fortunately, Steve Rider and his crew at Davis Trains did a great job and here
it is, in action with DCS. (reencoded 03/2007)
In August of 2006, MTH delivered their Premier line model of a PRR A5.
This is a very small four-coupled steam
locomotive (0-4-0) that was used as a yard switcher. As a scale model, the
model it tiny but very detailed and quite powerful for its size. Here's a
short video (< 1 minute) of it in action hauling some AtlasO 36' woodsided
reefers. (reencoded 03/2007)
In early March of 2006,
the MTH Premier NYC #999 American
(4-4-0) steam locomotive arrived. This is a scale model of the
locomotive that, at the time, set the world's speed record in the late 19th
century. It's a small locomotive as were most locomotives of this time
period but sports enormous 86" drivers and is wonderfully detailed. Here's a short video (~29 sec) of it in action.
(reencoded 03/2007)
At the same time that I received the
263E, I also received the MTH Premier PRR D16d American
(4-4-0) steam locomotive. This is a model of a high strutting (80"
drivers) late 19th/early 20th century steam locomotive, complete with high
domes. It's a small locomotive as were most locomotives of this time
period. Here's a short video (~23 sec) of it in action. (reencoded
03/2007)
Videos of my Standard Gauge tinplate
trains appear below. Here's a video of my new (Christmas 2005) O-Gauge
tinplate locomotive, the MTH Tinplate Traditions #263E (the Baby Blue Comet)
pulling the four tinplate passenger cars that it was meant to haul.
There is
something about these tinplate trains that, in either O-Gauge or Standard Gauge,
is just totally charming. (This locomotive was reviewed, with photos, on my
Train Reviews page.) (reencoded 03/2007)
Someone emailed me and asked if I had a
video of my MTH Premier 4-6-6-4 Challenger. I thought I did but when I reviewed
all of the model train videos that I've done, I found that I didn't! So,
here's an omission that's fixed -- the MTH Premier Challenger. Since I'm a
great believer in killing multiple birds with one stone
it's pulling the ten
gorgeous new Atlas reefers that just arrived. (reencoded 03/2007)
Here are both of the MTH Standard Gauge
Christmas sets (shown individually below) running together will all of the
add-on cars that have been issued. All of Santa's reindeer are now
represented! (reencoded 03/2007)
Just about a year ago, I had the chance
to play with one of the first MTH locomotives equipped with their revolutionary
Protoscale 3-2 feature that allows locomotives to run on 3-rail or 2-rail track.
That locomotive was a 2-rail model of the Santa Fe Hudson (a video appears below
and it was reviewed on the Train Reviews page)
running on 3-rail track. During the intervening year, I got some 2-rail
track (for display purposes) and, after performing maintenance on my new MTH
Premier PRR J1 (when you run locomotives for hours on end at train shows, it's
best that you give them a lube job afterward), I decided to try it out on the 2-rail track. I took off
the pickup rollers (1 screw each), threw one switch under a tender hatch, and
put it on the 2-rail track. I powered it via jumpers from the adjacent
3-rail loop so that I would have it under full DCS control (plus, I don't have a
DC power source so this was done with standard AC power). The following
30-second video shows that the 3-rail model works equally as well on 2-rail
track, much as the 2-rail model ran equally well on 3-rail track. (reencoded
03/2007)
During our DCS demonstration at the
recent Greenberg Train Show (http://cjdcs.toytrains1.com),
I had hoped to run my three MTH Premier 4-6-2 K4s's (two PS2, one PS1 converted to
PS2) as a triple-headed lashup hauling my sixteen MTH Premier PRR heavyweight
passenger cars. Sadly, a loose wire in the K4s that I converted from PS1
to PS2 foiled that plan, so a double-header had to suffice at the show.
Once I had it home however, it was a very quick fix so here, for your enjoyment,
are the triple-headed K4s's hauling the passenger cars -- complete with
passengers! The video is 75 seconds long so dial-up viewers beware!
Enjoy! (reencoded 03/2007)
In late July of 2005, the MTH Premier
model of the Pennsylvania Railroad J1 (2-10-4 Texas)
steam locomotive arrived. It's a massive beast with an enormous tender and
it has great pulling power. As in the video below, it's hauling 16 MTH
Premier heavyweight passenger cars. The difference is that this locomotive
doesn't need any help! The video is 75 seconds long so dial-up viewers can
expect to wait a bit before the video begins to play. (reencoded 03/2007)
In July of 2005, I got the new MTH
Premier BB1 "Rats". These critters were small electric
boxcab locomotives that were used, singly as B1's or in
pairs as BB1's, to move cars around the Pennsylvania Railroad's electrified
yards. They are yet another die-cast model of PRR electrics and, as with
the previous ones, are excellent representations of the prototype. Here's
a video (83 seconds) of them in action, hauling sixteen heavyweight
passenger cars (probably more than they ever pulled in real life). Since
that's a very heavy load even for powerful models such as these, I gave them a
little help at the rear of the train. (reencoded
03/2007)
It seems as though the toys are coming
in pairs. At the Greenberg Show in March of 2005, I picked up the new
MTH Premier Reading T-1 Northern (4-8-4) steamer as
well as the new MTH Premier PRR H3 Consolidation
(2-8-0) steamer. Both are very highly detailed models. The H3 is
a model of a late 19th century locomotive so it's even more laden with
detailing. Though I have videos of both of these in action at the
Greenberg Show on the CJDCS web site,
I've now shot short videos of both in action on my layout. Both are just
shy of 30 seconds in length. (reencoded 03/2007)
This was a banner week -- two new
trains! Besides the Standard Gauge gem below, I also got the MTH Premier
Great Northern S-2 Northern (4-8-4) steamer.
This is a super detailed model of a very unique prototype and its green color
really sets it apart. I've shot a 54 second video of it in action with its
big brother, the previously issued MTH Premier GN R-2
2-8-8-2 articulated steamer in pusher service. I've cut out the middle
run of the reefers (you can see them below) so that you can concentrate on the
locomotives!
(reencoded 03/2007)
I've purchased another Standard Gauge
train! This is another Christmas special from MTH, their reproduction of
the #384E steamer with two additional Christmas Express cars. It's a
totally delightful train and comes as a ready-to-run set that you can buy and
set up around the Christmas tree needing nothing other than what comes in the
box. As you can see in the following 37 second video, I've double-headed it
with the previous #10 Standard Gauge Christmas set (which you can see separately
in a video below) using DCS. As much as I'm a confirmed O-gauger, there's
just something about these large, colorful, enameled tinplate toys that I find
irresistible. (reencoded 03/2007)
It's seldom that I run trains short
enough to run two on the same track at the same time, something that is made
rather easy with DCS. Since I converted both the Blue Comet and the K4s,
I've got both of them with their passenger trains on the same track and thought
it might be fun to shoot a video of the two of them in action. Since we
have the Central of New Jersey (with the Blue Comet no less) and the
Pennsylvania RR on the same track, both with 4-6-2
Pacifics and both hauling heavyweights, why, this must be the New York &
Long Branch round about 1930 or so! The video is 1 minute 21 seconds
in length, so dial-up viewers beware -- it will take a while to stream down to
you. (reencoded 03/2007)
A little further down the page, you can
see videos of the new PRR K4s 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives
that MTH issued in their Premier line in February of 2004. MTH first
issued a Premier model of the K4s way back in 1996. At the time, it was
considered the best in its class with PS1 electronics. Well, time has
marched on and is hasn't seen much running time since the PS2 models with their
vastly superior sound and remote control became available. I've now
converted the original PS1 model, #5400, to PS2 and the result is a locomotive
that can run every bit as well as the new ones. Though it has somewhat
less detail than the new models, as you can see in the following 32 second
video, it has nothing to be ashamed of! (reencoded 03/2007)
Getting back to steam, I've converted
the MTH Premier Blue Comet (a heavy 4-6-2 Pacific) from PS1 to PS2. The
difference is quite startling. This has always been one of my favorites
and the following 39 second video shows it hauling its dedicated passenger
consist. You can even hear it pulling in the station! (reencoded 03/2007)
The first non-steam locomotive that I've
converted from PS1 to PS2 is my trusty old MTH Premier PRR GG1. While
newer models have been released, I have a soft spot for this one. In the
following 25 second video, you can see it in its new incarnation with all of the
bells and whistles of PS2, including speed control in scale mph. (reencoded
03/2007)
The eighth steamer that I converted from
PS1 to PS2 is the MTH Premier N&W 2-6-6-4 Class A #1218. It has an auxilliary
tender, which I also converted to PS2 operation. As you can see in the
following 35 second video, it turned out quite well! The difference in
operation between PS1 and PS2 is like the difference between a horse cart and a
race car! (reencoded 03/2007)
I've now upgraded my seventh MTH Premier
PS1 steamer to PS2. It's the C&O 4-8-4 Greenbrier #614 -- I was able to ride
behind the real one as you can see in the real train videos toward the bottom of
the page -- and it came out rather well as shown in the following 18 second
video. (reencoded 03/2007)
One of the first videos that I did of my
model trains was of my two MTH Premier 4-8-8-4 Big Boys running double-headed. Back
then, they were running with their original PS1 sound system. I've now converted
both of them to PS2 and the following 42 second video once again shows them double-headed,
this time in all their PS2 CHUFF!ing and PUFF!ing glory. (reencoded 03/2007)
I've converted yet another PS1
locomotive to PS2 -- the original Premier GS-4 4-8-4 Daylight. I also converted
the auxiliary tender so that it works as it did when it was PS1. The
following 30 second video shows the newly converted locomotive in action with
its main and auxiliary tenders. (reencoded 03/2007)
The third conversion of a PS1 locomotive
to PS2 that I've done is the massive DM&IR 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone. This was the most
difficult one to date given the size and complexity of the locomotive, but I
think you'll agree after watching this 27 second video that the effort was worth it!
(reencoded 03/2007)
I've converted the original MTH Premier
PS1 version of the Nickel Plate 2-8-4 Berkshire #765 to PS2. Here it is
double-headed with #779 (which appears in its own video further down the page).
The ability to so perfectly double-head locomotives is one of the great
advantages of PS2 and MTH's DCS system. This video is about 30 seconds
long. (reencoded 03/2007)
I've just started converting my MTH
Premier PS1 steamers to PS2 using the upgrade kits that are now available from
MTH. Here's a 23 second video of the MTH Premier PRR
4-4-4-4 T1 in action, after conversion to PS2.
For just about all intents and purposes, it has the same features as a native
PS2 locomotive! What with PS2 being so much more fun to run that PS1 (at
least for me), this beauty should now see more action on the layout! (reencoded
03/2007)
It's now late summer, 2004, and AtlasO has issued to date a total of 121
varieties of woodsided reefers (both 40' and 36'). I have all of
them on the layout in three trains of roughly similar lengths and I've filmed a
video of those three trains in action. In this one video, you can see
every reefer that's been done to date, in catalog order no less! Fair
warning: the original digital AVI file of this six minute video was about 1.5 GB
in size and even with compression for streaming, the RealMedia and Windows Media versions
are both about 35 MB,
so they'll take a while to stream down to you if you don't have a broadband
connection. (This is the first video taken with my new miniDV camcorder
and is the first direct-to-digital video in excess of 15 seconds that I've
done.) The locomotives in use, all MTH Premier steamers, are the NYC A-2
Berkshire on track #1, double-headed PRR K4s
Pacifics on track #2, and a PRR
Atlantic and PRR
Consolidation double-headed on track #3. Videos of all of these
individual locomotives appear further down on this page. (reencoded 03/2007)
Now, here's something you don't see
every day -- a 2-rail O-scale locomotive running on 3-rail track! This is
the MTH Premier Santa Fe 4-6-4 Hudson in 2-rail, adapted with MTH's new Protoscale 3-2
feature to run on 3-rail track (it's explained in the review on this locomotive
on the Train Reviews page). Here's a 22
second video of the locomotive running on my 3-rail layout, hauling two dozen Atlas
reefers. (reencoded 03/2007)
July 2004 brought the release of the MTH
Premier New York Central A-2 2-8-4 Berkshire.
This model was made from all new tooling and bears no resemblance (other than
being a Berkshire) to the previously issued NKP Berkshires. It's painted a
beautiful olive drab as was the prototype and comparing it to photos shows it to
be an excellent model. The original video was one of the worst I ever
shot; using new hardware and software, I've reshot the video of this beautiful
locomotive in action. Here's the redone 103 second video, now available in all
three formats.
In late May of 2004, MTH released their
Premier model of the PRR L5 steeplecab electric locomotive. This is a
prehistoric appearing beast that's so ugly, it's beautiful! Here's a short
video of it in action. (reshot 03/2007)
April of 2004 saw the release of the MTH
Premier Erie 0-8-8-0 Angus -- an articulated camelback no less!
One of the strangest looking locomotives ever, the model is a superb
representation of the prototype. Here's a 43 second video of it on my layout. (reshot 03/2007)
MTH also brought out a new model of the
slotted pilot version of the K4s locomotive from the
1920's in what was probably its snazziest livery. Though I didn't
originally plan to, I got both and here they are, doubleheaded and smoking up a
storm! (reshot 03/2007)
In February of 2004, MTH
released their Premier PS2 model of the PRR K4s 4-6-2 Pacific
locomotive. This is a reissue of the original PS1 model released a number
of years ago (that had a slotted pilot, the new one is a model of the locomotive
in the 1940's with a solid pilot) and includes many improvements and
enhancements. The model is a very good likeness of the prototype and both
runs well and sounds great. Here's a 41 second video of it in action.
(reshot 03/2007)
In January of 2004, MTH
brought out a Premier line scale model of the PRR 2-10-0 Decapod. It's an
excellent model of the prototype, runs and sounds great, and has great pulling
power. In the short video that follows, it's pulling 50+ Atlas reefers, which is
not a small load, yet it doesn't hesitate at all. (reshot 03/2007)
In December of 2003, MTH
reissued their Premier scale model of the 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone. First issued as
the DM&IR, it has been reissued as both DM&IR and Northern Pacific. Since I
already had the first DM&IR, I got the Northern Pacific. Detail has been greatly
improved and the PS2 sound and control package adds a great deal, as you can see
in the following minute-long video. (reshot 03/2007)
In December of 2003, MTH
delivered a Rugged Rails (part of the RailKing line) 2-8-0 Consolidation painted
in the colors of the MTH Railroader Club. This is a close-to-scale locomotive
with adequate detail and the complete PS2 sound and control package for a grand
total of $179. Who says that this hobby has to be expensive?!?! As you can
see in the following 27 second clip, it's a smart running, smart sounding locomotive.
(reshot 03/2007)
In November of 2003, MTH
reissued their Premier scale model of the C&O 2-6-6-6 Allegheny, one of the largest
locomotives ever to pound rail. The detail has been enhanced from the
first version issued many years ago and this one includes the complete PS2 sound
and control package. As you can see in the following 2 minute 45 second video
that features a slow-speed run-by, it looks and
sounds great! (reshot 03/2007)
In June of 2003, MTH brought
out a Premier line model of the Pennsylvania RR S1, a one-of-a-kind
6-4-4-6
duplex locomotive. This locomotive spent the first two years of its life on
rollers at the 1930 New York World's Fair. The model is an exceptional
one; it looks great and runs better, as you can see and hear in the following
39 second video. (reshot 03/2007)
I've had the MTH Premier WVP&P
Shay, with PS1, for many years. When MTH announced
a version in C&O livery, with PS2, I ordered one and I'm glad I did. The
model has been improved and the revised sound and control system makes all the
difference in the world. The following is a 30 second video showing the new Shay in action.
(reshot 03/2007)
By my calculation, there are 57
varieties of Atlas reefers currently available (giving them something in common
with Heinz). I've been able to collect all of them and, being me, have
them all running on the layout. The following video shows all of these
steam-era reefers being hauled by, of course, a steamer -- in this case, the
magnificent MTH Premier M1b Mountain. The locomotive is under DCS control
and is running at a constant 15 scale mph, so you have a good chance to see the
beautiful detail and design of each reefer. Fair warning -- this video is
close to 2.5 minutes in length and even in encoded format will take a while to stream on a dial-up line.
(In March 2007, I recaptured this video using my DVcam as an A/D converter and
then edited and reencoded the resulting video. While the files are now
three times the size they used to be, they are in their full as-shot resolution
and are quite high quality compared to what they used to be. The video is
also now available as MPEG-4.)
In late April of 2003 I got the
new MTH Premier PRR FF2 boxcab electric locomotive.
It's die-cast, quite heavy, and has great pulling power. The following 31
second video shows it in
action on my layout. (reshot 03/2007)
Here we have the MTH Premier
Virginian Triplex in action. This is a new (2003) locomotive made from the
same tooling as the Erie Triplex, with a new paint and lettering job. It
is a super running, super sounding, super looking locomotive, as was the Erie
predecessor that you can see below. (reshot 03/2007)
Here's a 38 second video of my new MTH
Premier PRR DD1. This little pair of electric locomotives was powered by
the third rail and was used to haul trains from Penn Station (NYC) through the
tunnels under the Hudson River to Manhattan Transfer (NJ) where they were taken
over by steamers, well before the Pennsylvania Railroad put up the catenary for
completely electrified operations. (reshot 03/2007)
This is the MTH Tinplate
Traditions Christmas Express set. It is the only Standard Gauge train that
I own and is a reproduction of a Lionel set that was first made in 1925 (which
was a representation of a bipolar electric locomotive), though
the Christmas colors (and car names) are unique to MTH. It is an
incredible treat, bringing back a long gone era in toy trains. This one
minute video lets you see the set and hear the special passenger station
announcements that were recorded especially for this set. (reshot
03/2007)
In February of 2002, the
MTH Premier 2-8-8-8-2 Erie Triplex arrived. It
is one of the most highly detailed O-gauge scale models ever done! The
prototype was an experimental locomotive with one set of cylinders that used
high pressure steam, and two (!) sets of cylinder that reused the low pressure
steam exhausted from the first set of cylinders (a true Mallet (compound
articulated) locomotive. This model is absolutely exquisite, as you can
see in the following video clip. (In March 2007, I reshot the video of the
Triplex, now pulling a long string of Atlas reefers at 12 scale mph so you
can get a really good view. The video is 2
minutes in length.)
At the beginning of 2002, the
MTH Premier 2-8-8-2 N&W Y6b arrived. It is a
highly detailed scale model of the prototype, which was a hulking brute designed
to haul long coal trains over the mountains. It has many of the new
details of Premier locomotives, such as opening hatches, vents, windows, whistle
cord, detailed backhead, etc. It has an excellent whistle and sound set, and operates
extremely well, as you can see in the following 46 second video clip. (reshot
03/2007)
At the very end of 2001, the
MTH Premier SP GS-2 4-8-4 Daylight arrived. This
model is based on the GS-4 Daylight that was done some years ago, and has many
enhancements, including opening hatches, windows, and doors, as well as better
sound and control. It's a totally exquisite locomotive, and operates
extremely well, as you can see in the following 44 second video. (reshot
03/2007)
In December of 2001, MTH released
a Premier model of the Nickel Plate 2-8-4 Berkshire
#779. This is the second model of the Berkshire that they've done (#765,
which still runs in excursion service, was the first). This second model
has even more detail than the first, and the sounds are exquisite! Best of
all, purchase of this locomotive helped with the funding of the rebuilding of
the prototype #765, owned by the Fort Wayne Railway Historical Society. The
following is a 43 second video of this exquisite model locomotive in action.
(reshot 03/2007)
In October of 2001, MTH released
a Premier model of the Baldwin Sharknose diesel.
Though I'm not usually a fan of diesels, one of the roadnames it was released in
was PRR, and being a sucker for anything PRR I bought it. It's an
excellent model that runs well and sounds great. The following is a 50
second video of the Sharks (they're an A-B set with both units powered) pulling
the MTH Premier PRR work
train. (reshot 03/2007)
In late September of 2001, MTH released
their Premier model of the PRR H10 Consolidation, a 2-8-0
steam locomotive. It has truly exceptional detail (there are a number of photos
on the page linked above), and for a small locomotive has extraordinary pulling
power. The following video is 39 seconds long and shows the H10 in action.
(reshot 03/2007)
In early September of 2001, MTH released
their Premier model of the ATSF Texas, a 2-10-4 steam
locomotive. It too has exceptional detail (there are a number of photos on the
page linked above), and runs well, and has the sound and action to match its
appearance. Here's a 43 second video of the Texas in action. (reshot
03/2007)
In August of 2001, MTH released
their Premier model of the Great Northern R-2, a 2-8-8-2
articulated steam locomotive. It has exceptional detail (there are a number of
photos on the page linked above) and runs very well, with the sound and action
matching it in appearance. Here's a one minute video of the R-2 in action.
(reshot 03/2007)
Just in time for Independence
Day, 2001, MTH released,
and I added to my collection, their Premier model of the PRR 4-4-6-4
Q2. It is an exquisite model, and I have included a number of
detailed photos of it on
the page linked above. Since the sound and action are every bit in keeping
with its overall appearance, I've
also done another short video. Click on the following links to see it in
action in a 38 second video. (reshot 03/2007)
In mid-June 2001, MTH released,
and I added to my collection, their Premier model of the NYC 4-8-4
Niagara. It is a gorgeous model, and I have included photos of it on
the page linked above. Since the sound and action rival its looks, I've
also done another short video. Click on the following link to see it in
action in a 47 second video. (reshot 03/2007)
Utilizing a new toy (a video
digitizer), I've been able to capture and digitize a movie of my layout that I
shot with my camcorder. It's about 90 seconds in length and shows the EM-1 pulling its long mixed freight on track #1 (O-72), the
RS-11 pulling the pipeline-on-rail on track #2 (O-54), and the Dreyfuss Hudson
pulling the 20th Century Limited on track #3 (O-42). Enjoy! (In March
2007, I recaptured this video using my DVcam as an A/D converter (that old "new
toy" turned out to be awful) and
then edited and reencoded the resulting video. While the files are now
three times the size they used to be, they are in their full as-shot resolution
and are quite high quality compared to what they used to be. The video is
also now available as MPEG-4.)
MTH has released the Climax
geared locomotive. As with the Shay, this is a small locomotive that moves
slowly but inexorably. It is equipped with PS2, and I think you will agree
that it looks and sounds great! Photos are on the Geared
Steam Locomotives page; the following links shows it in action in a 30
second video. (reshot 03/2007)
It's the first day of winter
and I've added the new MTH Premier 4-6-4 Dreyfuss Hudson to the roster (photos
are on the 4-6-4 Hudson page). It has the new
PS2 sound package, along with the synchronized sound and smoke, and is a super
model of the prototype. The following 1 minute 15 second video shows this fabulous locomotive in
action -- listen for the passenger station sounds! (reshot 03/2007)
In late 2000, I also added another new
locomotive, the MTH Premier UP
4-8-4
FEF (photos appear on the linked page). It too has MTH's new Protosound 2 system. The
following links will show it to you in
action in a 44 second video. Make note of the very voluminous smoke
output! (reshot 03/2007)
In late 2000, I added a new
locomotive, the MTH Premier PRR 4-4-2 Atlantic
(photos appear on the linked page). It's my first locomotive with MTH's new Protosound 2 system, which provides greatly
enhanced sound and smoke operation (among other improvements) as you will
shortly see. The
following links will show you this fabulous locomotive in
action in a 38 second video. (reshot 03/2007)
On the "4-8-8-4 Big Boy" page,
you can see photos of my MTH Big Boys double-headed. I've received a
number of messages from people wishing that they could see them run. Well,
now you can! The following link shows the two of
them, nose-to-tail, chasing their own caboose and coming around an O72 curve on
my layout. I hope you enjoy this, the first video that I've ever
posted!
These are two short videos that
I shot while visiting Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA in July
of 2002. The first shows Canadian National 2-8-2
Mikado #3254 backing into the roundhouse after completing the last excursion
of the day.
Here are 15 seconds of video that I shot during Railfan
Days at the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad in New Hope, PA, 6 April 2002.
It shows old #40, a 2-8-0 Consolidation, as it
backed-up for a photo run-by.
The next video is one that I took in Sept. of 2000 showing the NYS&W #142 (the
China-built 2-8-2 Mikado) at Railroad Days in Dunellen, NJ.
I've edited it down to just the scenes with the locomotive -- it's about 1.2 MB
in size.
The following video shows the C&O 614 (a 4-8-4
Greenbriar) at Hoboken at the start of a fan trip, October, 1998. Fair
warning: the file is over 3 MB in size, and will take a while on a dial-up
connection.
The next video shows the runbys
of the C&O 614 at Port Jervis. I've edited it down to the best five minutes;
you get to see the locomotive in action, the entire train (it pulled quite a
consist that day), and the beautifully restored Erie station in Port Jervis.
Again, fair warning: the file is 5.7 MB in size -- dial-up connections will take a while to
stream.
All of the text contained within this page and all of the photographs and videos taken by ToyTrains1 are copyright (c) 2000 - 2008 by ToyTrains1, and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the
written consent of ToyTrains1.
If you wish to use any of my content, please see my
detailed copyright statement
for terms and conditions of use.
icon).
Most videos have their length noted; the longer the video, the longer it will
take to stream down to you, though with most visitors to the web site using
broadband, this isn't much of a problem. For the most recent videos, I've
included the link that shows the YouTube player for the video -- while the
resolution and quality can't match that of the other formats, it loads very
quickly for those users still using dial-up. There are two
sections below -- the first has videos of model trains and my layout, the second (down
toward the bottom of the page) has videos of real steam trains. Both
sections are in reverse chronological order (newest first). Many of the
listings include a link to another page within my web site that has photographs
of the trains in the videos. Also, I have reviewed many of the models on
my Train Reviews page. (This
LINK will take you to
the main page of my web site.) Enjoy!
The 87 train videos that I have on YouTube (the oldest has only been there for
14 months) have now racked up the totally mind-boggling total of over ONE
MILLION views!!!!