Auto Racks

[D&J RailRoad]

Getting the camera skills back in place.
The D&J Railroad will provide lots of room for shots of long trains. These long lens shot can also show me where track problems are. There is a hump that I didn't intend in the building process but the benchwork desing enables me to correct these kinds of problems quite easily.

[enjineerbill]

Good work Ken. It is amazing how you get a better feel for how things are progressing when viewed from a camera. I enjoy following your build, thanks for sharing!

Johnny

[LoudMusic]

I think the hump is a good thing. It gives character to the track. Too often I see layouts where the track just follows the edge of the bench work, staying 3" from the edge and completely flat. That's always seemed boring to me. It's more fun to watch the trains wiggle through scenery, up down left right, and navigate around natural and man made obstructions.

[D&J RailRoad]

It might be good if the couplers don't come apart at that point. They haven't yet and that's with running the long string of autoracks over it. Shorter cars should have a problem.

[PEIR]

Another vote to keep the dip. I think it will look very prototypical with some scenery.

[akretowicz]

Keep the dip as long as it does not cause problems. Much more prototypical.

[Rico]

Same here, dips and rises add to the effect.
Put a culvert at that point much like the real thing.
Nice pic by the way!

[Ronzzr11]

I agree with keeping the rise, as long as it does,nt cause coupling problems.
If you look on Railpictures.net, at some of the freight trains on there,real trains rise up and down at least as much as yours, especially noticable with tank cars,which look like giant snakes !!
Ron

[D&J RailRoad]

I checked the couplers of the auto racks as the train rolled over that point. The picture makes it look like a short rise but in reality, the rise extends for over a foot. The couplers on the cars hardly move up and down at all. Shorter cars should have no problem at that point. The rise will stay.

[GPwrangler]

this picture comes to mind.....