Chicago and Northwestern HO Scale Layout Visit signalupproductions 2026-09-20 | Chicago and Northwestern HO Scale Layout Visit
Brad Josephs UP Wyoming Division Layout signalupproductions 2025-09-10 | The Railroad Prototype Modeler's meet (RPM) was recently held in Collinsville, IL. As part of the event, there were a few operating sessions available on local layouts. I signed up to operate on Brad's UP layout. It was a blast. I wish I could have recorded more, but the yard switching duties I was assigned kept me busy!Enjoy this short video, and check out the other layout visits in the playlist!
Signal Up Productions Sept 2025 - What Ive been up to! signalupproductions 2025-09-05 | My focus has been on the new and improved YouTube Studio!And now there's no doubt which building in my yard has the trains.I built this 12x24 foot shed during the summer of 2025. It took me about 10 weeks, with the help of my wife and oldest son, while juggling work and other activities. I'm happy to finally be done and moved in. Hopefully now I can get back on schedule creating the best videos for you, my friends!Look for a couple of new Layout Visit videos, an overview of the Railroad Prototype Modeler's Meet recently in Collinsville, IL, and the next video showing the construction of my St. Marshall Sub layout.Also, for those that read the description, a sneak peak: some close friends and I will be recording a trial season of a Railroad Talk Show, where we discuss our viewpoints and opinions regarding a wide variety of railroad (both prototype and model) topics. Coming this fall, and we will post a new episode every week. Not sure on the name yet, but our team is hard at work testing some ideas. This will be a show you do not want to miss, so be sure to subscribe!
A Visit to the New Unionville and Western - 1/8th Scale Backyard RR signalupproductions 2025-07-26 | Thanks to my friend Jeff K., we were able to make a private visit to this amazing live steam railroad in central Indiana.The New Unionville & Western is a 40+ acre ride-on 7 1/2" gauge railroad owned by Pete Pedigo. Pete and his friends started the railroad in the late 1990's with the construction of the 175ft tunnel. It boasts over a mile and a half main track, complete with several bridges, passing sidings, and industrail spurs. Operations are held and follow similar practices to the prototype. A dispatcher in the actual tower coordinates train movements. Crews work their way around the railroad, picking up and setting out cars according to the switch list.For our visit, regular engineer John gave my friend Bill and I a ride behind his Indiana Railroad (INRD) SD40-2. Lee, Jeff, and Matthew rode a different train behind a Conrail GP38-2, going the opposite direction. Not only did we meet their train, a 3rd engineer was out running his beautiful set of D&RGW engines! What a surprise to pull up to a red signal, and be met with an oncoming headlight!Later that afternoon, Pete gave us the opportunity to run an SW1500 mother/slug set. The switches are sprung in the trailing point, so all we had to do is run the full circuit and we would end back up at the station.Even though it was a warm July day, the coolness of the forest and the gentle breeze made it bearable. And, it was easy to forget about the weather while grinning from ear to ear running on the railroad.We were all very grateful for Pete's generosity, and Jeff's willingness to set up the opportunity to visit. It was the highlight of my summer!To read more about the New Unionville and Western, check out their website:newrr.comTo learn more about backyard railroading, and shop for equipment to build your own outdoor empire check out Discover Live Steam:discoverlivesteam.com0:00 Departing the main yard2:39 Meeting the rest of our group3:04 DRGW engines3:34 The BIG Bridge4:08 The main road crossing5:08 Entering the tunnel8:16 A REAL caboose9:51 Back at the main yard12:12 Putting the train away15:09 Signal Up takes the throttle25:10 Back to the station
CSX Coal Train in Jasonville, IN signalupproductions 2025-07-06 | While returning from another event, we were given heads up of a loaded coal train on the INRD heading to interchange with CSX in Terre Haute, IN.We decided to set up at Main St. in Jasonville, IN, just north of Hiawatha Yard. This load came out of Bear Run Mine just south of Dugger.
Should I use White Styrofoam on this HO Layout?! - Layout Build Part 6 signalupproductions 2025-07-04 | Hey friends, I've got the next video uploaded as part of my series on building the UP St. Marshall Sub in HO scale.In this video, I explain why I chose to use white styrofoam for my scenery base, and how I cut and shaped the foam in preparation of adding landscape materials.The St. Marshall Sub is my proto-freelanced representation of PTC-era UP mainline somewhere in the midwest. It is 5 1/2 x 15 feet, currently in the basement of my old farm house. I recorded all the steps I used to build the layout, and I'm slowly getting all the clips edited for your enjoyment!Please check out the previous videos in this series, and subscribe to my channel. Coming soon in this series: Painting and Ballasting track, Static Grass, DIY Trees, Roads and Parking Lots, CTC Signal System design and build, and Operations.You can also check out my railroad related content on Instagram, Facebook, and my websitehttp://www.signaluprr.com
St. Marshall Sub Part 5 - Wiring for DCC and Signals signalupproductions 2025-05-30 | Check out this fifth installment where I discuss how I wired my HO Scale layout for DCC, and eventually CTC signaling.For wire size, type, and color, I tried to be consistent.Main DCC bus - 14ga stranded (Red and White)DCC Detection Section bus - 14ga stranded (Black)Track Feeders - 20ga solid (Red, White, or Black as needed)12v DC bus - 14ga (Yellow for positive, Blue for negative "night mode", Purple for negative accessories)Tortoise Switch Motors - CAT5 CableFor more information on wiring for DCC, check out this websitedccwiki.com/Wiring_for_Digital_Command_ControlSpecifically, check out the page on Twisting Power Bus Wires!Questions? I'm no expert, but what I've done seems to work well, and has been very reliable. Ask below and I'll do my best to get you a solid answer.
ARI 5200 Review and Weathering signalupproductions 2025-04-16 | A few weeks ago I received the covered hoppers from Class One Model Works that I had preordered last year.I wasted no time getting the cars out, reviewed, and weathered. But as usual it took a little longer to get the video finished and uploaded!In this video I take a close look at this new model, then get out the paints and give them some good weathering! I'll show you how I paint the graffiti, weather with acrylics, oils, and chalks, and finish everything off with some Smokebox Graphics reflective stripes and Kadee 158 scale head couplers.0:18 Intro1:03 Unboxing6:45 Funny Bit9:31 A word about their wheelsets13:11 Prepping for Graffiti15:31 Outlining16:43 Rust Streaks19:02 OutroMy websitehttp://www.signaluprr.comClass One Model Worksclassonemodelworks.com
A visit to this Awesome NYC Layout in HO Scale signalupproductions 2025-04-03 | I attended an Op Session at John Poray's NYC Adirondack Division Layout near Indianapolis. This operations-focused layout runs like a point to point with balloons for restaging at each end.Follow along as I operate a Way Freight across the whole railroad.0:00 Intro0:56 Train 121 departs4:51 Layout Overview
AMTK 160 at 78MPH! signalupproductions 2025-03-29 | Train 393 from Chicago wastes no time barreling towards their final destination of Carbondale, IL. I set up at Desoto, IL with some friends the other night knowing that the phase 3 "Pepsi Can" heritage unit was leading the consist. The CN defect detector just south of town reported a top speed of 78 miles per hour.
UP 844 Excursion on the St Marshall Sub signalupproductions 2025-03-27 | Now that the Broadway Limited Kenefick has arrived, I unboxed my executive set, and let the Living Legend make a maiden trip around my layout.Up until now, the rear of the train always seemed naked. There are plenty of review videos already online, so I won't duplicate that here. Instead, I'll just share some shots of the current trainset. Of course, it won't be fully complete until the Power Car and Fox River show up later this year, at which time I will run the train again!Thanks for watching.
Chicago Railfan Spots Vol. 1 signalupproductions 2025-03-14 | Leaving my house at 2am on a Thursday, I made a full day trip to Chicago for some hard-core railfanning. All trains shown were seen in the same day!Locations shown in this video include Chicago Heights, Dolton Jct,. Riverdale, Blue Island, Downtown Chicago, South end of Roosevelt Yard/ Union Ave., Clearing Yard, Western Springs, and La Grange.Check out my website for more Railroad Information!http://www.signaluprr.comIntro music byBig Swing Band by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Amtrak 58 at Neoga Illinois signalupproductions 2025-03-08 | Enjoy the distant horn of this 80mph northbound Amtrak.Recorded at Neoga, IL on Friday morning of March 7, 2025.
Mad City 2025 signalupproductions 2025-02-24 | It's February, and that means the Mad City show was just held in Madison, WI. This huge model railroad show and sale is held in the Alliant Energy Center, a 255,000 square foot event venue. Trains galore fill the hall; everything railroad imaginable for sale, and on display.My friends and I are vendors at this show every year, and come up a couple of days before to railfan, and set up our booth. It's an event we look forward to every year. We always have a great time talking with all the familiar faces, seeing the variety of layouts, visiting with friends, and of course, buying and selling trains!If you've never been, consider marking next year's event on your calendar. You won't be disappointed.nmra-scwd.orgLook for my blog later this month, where I go into more detail about our trip, and the show in general.http://www.signaluprr.com
State Tool and Die - L&N Bulkhead Flat - New Product Review signalupproductions 2025-02-20 | State Tool and Die has released another 3D printed HO Scale car.This time we got to review their L&N Bulkhead Flatcar. These cars would have been used in the 1960's and later. It is a unique design with a flat bulkhead on one side, and an angled bulkhead on the others.These are available as decorated kits, in 4 different numbers.Metal wheels and Kadee scale head couplers are included.See the Southern Radio Boxcar I reviewed last summer:youtu.be/A4jrj7rFiu0Then check out State Tool and Die's website:statetoolanddie.com
CN E294 tackles Cobden Hill in Illinois signalupproductions 2025-01-22 | I was in southern Illinois this week and heard on the scanner a southbound E294 had a solo UP AC44CWCTE leader. I decided to head to Cobden, IL and watch it struggle to climb up the almost 1% S-curve grade. Thankfully the autoracks were empty!Turn the volume up, and enjoy the sights and sounds of this old GE chugging up hill!
St. Marshall Sub Part 4 - Trackwork signalupproductions 2024-12-11 | In this fourth installment of building my layout, I get the track laid. Having an accurate track plan will aid in getting the centerlines marked in their correct locations. Once the locations of the turnouts are determined, I drilled an oval hole for the switch point machines. Then I used cheap caulk spread very thin to attach the Woodland Scenics Track-Bed and code 83 Walthers turnouts and Peco flex track.The rail web is a little thicker on the Walthers rail, so I had to spread open one end of a rail joiner to get it to slide on, and still match up to the Peco rail profile.Also, the ties on the Walthers turnouts are a little thinner than the Peco flex, so I had to use plastic shims to match the two brands.In a later video, I will show how I installed the Blue Point manual switch controllers, and Circuitron Tortoise slow motion machines.These videos are being edited way after the work was completed. So I have actually been operating the layout for over 10 months with no derailments.You can follow my Facebook page (Signal Up Productions) for regular layout updates!Questions? Hit me up down below!
St. Marshall Sub Part 3 - Benchwork signalupproductions 2024-11-03 | In the first video, I introduced everyone to my new HO Scale Layout, the Union Pacific St. Marshall Subdivision. This is a proto-lanced layout, not based on a specific route, but following contemporary UP practices.In the second video, I described how I designed the track plan, and some of my thoughts on why I chose the plan I did.In this third video, I explain the methods I used for building the benchwork. While I included some detail explaining specific reasons why I chose a certain method, overall this video just highlights the process for my layout, not really the "best" way for everyone. Feel free to glean some ideas for your future layout.If you guys want a detailed video on the various methods for model railroad benchwork, be sure to leave a comment down below, and I'll put that on my list!For more model railroading information, check out my websitehttp://www.signaluprr.comMusic by Kevin Macleod and DJ Williams.Daily Beetle by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0DJ Williams - James River
Track Planning the St. Marshall Sub - Part 2 signalupproductions 2024-09-29 | In this video I discuss the different attributes that most influenced my layout's track plan.I'll talk about resource management: balancing time, skill, money and space that is realistically available for a layout, as well as the software I used to create an accurate plan, compromises I had to consider and accept, and design elements I felt were most important to me.Be sure and check out all the videos in the "UP St. Marshall Sub" playlist, where I plan to post videos of every step along the way!Then, check out my website at http://signaluprr.com to see other photos and the full resolution track plan. Then, follow my Facebook page for weekly layout updateshttp://www.facebook.com/signalupproductions
UP 4014 visits Illinois and Missouri - 2024 signalupproductions 2024-09-25 | My schedule worked out to where I was able to chase the Big Boy three different days during its trip through the Mid West.0:00 Tuesday Sept. 10thI first caught 4014 as it rolled slowly into Tuscola, IL. Based on early radio communications between Ed, the crew, and the UP Dispatcher, I was under the impression they were planning to stop. But, due to delays leaving Villa Grove, once in Tuscola they changed plans and continued on.It was averaging about 30 MPH. That made it very easy to jump ahead and set up at the other locations. After leaving Tuscola, I caught it again at Cadwell, Findlay, just outside of Pana, while stopped in Nokomis, and finally Irving. I did not get any good video while in Findlay, so it was not included in this project.6:51 Thursday Sept. 12thMy family also wanted the opportunity to see 4014 again. This was their second time watching the beast chug along. We had to wake up much earlier than their routine usually calls for. But I bribed them by offering to treat everyone to dinner at Lambert's Cafe in Sikeston, MO (where they throw dinner rolls at you). We got off the interstate at Pevely just in time to get a spot at the tracks before the consist came into view. In short time, we had all the kids buckled, then worked our way to De Soto. This town was packed, and it was difficult to find a place near the tracks to park our huge van. Eventually, a spot came open and we waited patently. Droves of people lined the track. After the whistle blew and they were starting to move, several UP employees walked a short way in front of the engine reminding folks to stay back at least 25 feet. After leaving De Soto, we took some winding roads which landed us in Arcadia. Google Maps showed the traffic was heavily congested. We parked about a mile from the station. While walking along the shoulder, 4014 rolled by crossing a small river bridge. I knew it was a 30 minute service stop, so we had plenty of time to wedge ourselves through the crowd. I decided we might have a better view from the overhead road bridge to watch the train depart. So we hiked around following the sidewalk and found a nice spot. Ed gave everyone a good show, including a little wheel slip! At one point after 4014 went under us, a poor deer got spooked and ran through the crowd below. It attempted to cross under one of the passenger cars, nearly meeting its end. Thankfully, no kids were traumatized this day.15:12 Friday Sept. 13thAfter a long drive home the night before, and a short few hours of sleep I was on the road yet again. This time, I started in Poplar Bluff. I knew the plan was for the train to make a long reverse move from Poplar Bluff to Dexter. There is no wye at either location. It turned out, Ed had the Poplar Bluff local crew use their assign set of GP40's to tie on to the rear car. As I listened to the scanner, it became clear what the plan was. Ed was going to control the throttle and use 4014 to shove the entire consist. The crew on 1421 had control of the train brakes, and would blow the horn for all the crossings. Ed told the 1421 crew to throttle up to notch 1 or 2 to get everything rolling, then go to idle and let him keep power on 4014.It was very interesting listening to all the coordination that was taking place between the 2 engineers over the radio!Once in Dexter, the local crew would cut off and continue on with their work. 4014 had to preform a brake test, then print out some new track bulletins before they could finally depart south on the Jonesboro Sub.There were so many people trying to chase the train on the roads where it was parallel to the tracks, so I just hung back to avoid any of that mess. I was able to jump ahead at Malden, where I only had a few seconds to set up my final shot under the overpass.It was such a fun week having the chance to chase the Big Boy three different times, and in three different areas!I also took several photographs which at posted on my Instagram page, so be sure to check those out!http://signaluprr.com
GP38 switches Vertex Chemical signalupproductions 2024-09-14 | Yesterday was spent railfanning all day around the Southern Illinois. While sitting in Dupo, IL at the UP yard, I heard the "02 Job" on the radio switching nearby on the Vertex Chemical lead. So I made a short drive just around the corner to find them blocking the crossing. While that may aggravate normal drivers, it gave me a perfect opportunity to sit and watch as they shuffled cars back and forth.There are 2 stub-end tracks here, and various spots for tank cars carrying different grades of chemicals. Different car spots unload specific types of loads, so the cars have to be spotted in a certain order. The crew has to pull the empties that have been released by the customer, then spot the loads they brought in, then put back any holds they had to move to get the cars shuffled. This switch job uses a 3 person crew. The engineer in the locomotive, then a Foreman, and a Switchman, who coordinate together to get the work finished safely and efficiently.A Vertex manager was on site to confirm with the crew that it was safe to enter the property, which cars were ready to move, and to open and close the gate.The power used for this job was a GP38N, UP 791.
Weathering this car with oil and acrylic paint signalupproductions 2024-08-30 | A recent pick from a friend's collection, I found a new-old stock Walthers Plastic Pellet hopper in HO Scale.I thought it would make a good candidate for trying out some weathering techniques I have yet to use. I started with the usual coats of acrylic craft and hobby paint, drybrushing, sponging, and airbrushing.Then came time to try out using oil paints for the rust streaks. I have watched several videos on YouTube covering this technique, and have been eager to try it myself.With a little beginner's luck, the car turned out good enough. Maybe after a little more practice, I'll be a pro like these other guys!Here are just a few videos that really keep me inspired:youtu.be/x_S6XFcLJUI?si=yvbak0efoXm2o31dyoutu.be/pXpBfTc6isg?si=3DaKLvre4z6Q6BW8youtu.be/kNP5R8B5Efk?si=TO2DOosdzXgCsRQUNow head over to my website and read whatever I have posted over there on various railroad topics!http://signaluprr.com
Interview with State Tool and Die - RPM 2024 Southern Radio Boxcar signalupproductions 2024-07-23 | Modelers of Southern and Norfolk Southern between the 1960's and 1990's will rejoice at the sight of the new HO car kit offering from State Tool and Die.Now shipping is the Southern Railway Radio Car. This resin printed kit is a must for modelers who include distributed pushers on their Southern or Norfolk Southern layouts. These cars are painted and decorated in 2 different styles. The graphics are pad-printed, NOT decals.In this video Bryan gives us all the info on the new car. State Tool and Die has been around from a long time, producing mainly cars and parts for steel mill modelers. At the time of this video (mid 2024) the MSRP is $100, with a limited time special introductory price of $85.Find out more on their websitehttp://www.statetoolanddie.comAny questions, leave them down below and I will forward them on!
Lets Build This Walthers HO Scale Modern Concrete Bridge signalupproductions 2024-07-05 | Trains can now safely pass over the Greene River on my UP St. Marshall Sub layout.This Walthers Short Span Concrete Bridge kit was fun to build, and very customizable for different installation needs.This video highlights the steps I followed to build the bridge. For the most part, the instructions were sufficient. Just think through the entire build process before starting, so you have a good idea what needs done and in what order.Basically, I used left-over Christmas wrapping paper to tape all the parts to after I cut them from the sprue. This way I can work efficiently by focusing on one task at a time. Cut everything, sand everything, glue everything, then paint everything.By taping the parts to the paper, I can write their part numbers with the parts, in case the kit takes several nights to build.Weathering was straight forward with Pan Pastel chalks, but you could airbrush the weathering and it would look just as good.Any comments or questions, leave those down below, then take a second and share this video! Thanks friends.
New Athearn Caboose and Boxcar Review - Just Arrived June 2024! signalupproductions 2024-06-21 | Come with me as we take a close look at the new products delivered today. First up is the standard Athearn 60' Gunderson boxcar, painted in the newest UP scheme of solid Armor Yellow and high reporting marks.Then, it's on to the Athearn Genesis C-50 ICC caboose, painted for SP 4747 (a modern UP shoving platform). This model came with DCC and Tsunami sound on board.Summary: the boxcar had almost Genesis level of detail, minus brake-pipe airhoses on the car ends. The weight matched NMRA standards. The trucks were a bit too loose for me, so they'll need tightened up. Otherwise, the car rolled VERY freely!The caboose was overall good. The sound was just right - not too loud or weak. There were only 2 lighting functions used. While that is accurate for this prototype, there are 3 extra function pads on the decoder that could be used for other lighting. It did weight just a little under the NMRA specs, but should still operate fine on most layouts. But there was a obvious seem between the frame sill and carbody. Despite that, the caboose (er, shoving platform) had really nice detail top to bottom, coupler to coupler.
Steam at the American Farm Heritage Museum in Greenville, IL signalupproductions 2024-06-15 | On June 8th, 2024 the American Farm Heritage Museum in Greenville, IL held their annual model train show.What better day to get out the new steam engine and give rides to fellow train buffs!Find out more about the museum at http://www.americanfarmheritagemuseum.com/home.html
UP St. Marshall Subdivision in HO Scale Part 1 - Introduction to my new layout signalupproductions 2024-06-09 | For all that have been patiently waiting for an intro video about my new layout, the wait is over!This is the St. Marshall Sub of the Union Pacific. It is a Proto-Freelanced layout set in the Post-PTC era, representing various prototype aspects of railroading that I have enjoyed observing as a railfan for most of my life. It is not based on, or inspired by any particular route, town, or locale. Roughly located somewhere in the midwest, probably southwest of Chicago, as there could be an occasional Metra train!Layout Specs:-Era 2016-Now-5 ½ x 15ft. Layout Size-44” Rail Height Above Floor-All Track Code 83-All Switches Walthers-All Flex Track Peco-All Roadbed Woodland Scenics Foambed-Single Track Main-5 Track Yard-Engine Terminal with 90' Turntable-2 Online Industries and an Interchange to Off-stage Shortline-14ga Main DCC Bus, 20ga Feeders Soldered to Every Piece of Track-Digitrax DCS210+ 8amp DCC-Duplex Wireless with UR93 and DT602d/ UT6d Throttles-ProtoThrottle-Modern CTC Signal System using JMRI Control Panel Editor, Digitrax SE8c and BDL168 Boards-Ripped Plywood Open Grid Frame, Glued and Nailed Together-Plywood Top-Built Sectional to Move if NecessaryBackground: I have been buying layout building materials for years knowing that someday I might have somewhere to build a layout. This let me outrun inflation, and work around a personality trait where I tend to start a project and never finish because I didn't have all the materials yet.I had hope for a larger space and layout, but as time passed on, it was becoming more evident that space may not materialize. So I had to make a compromise; build a much smaller layout than I ever envisioned, or possible never build a layout.As you can probably tell from this video, I made the right compromise! I made a list of "Wants-To's" and "Gots-To's" based on many decades of experience building layouts, modules, dioramas, helping friends, visiting and operating on other's layouts, etc.I wanted to build enough of the layout to test my design thoroughly. This way I could ensure I would move forward long term before announcing it to the world.I started construction March 21st, 2024 ripping 5/8" plywood, nailing and gluing the frame and top, and painting the fascia before moving the sections to the basement. By the first of April 2024, all track was laid, wired, and tested. In the time since, I have been running trains to test the design, let the benchwork acclimate to the basement, and making small adjustments.The power supply to the DCS210+ is a Mean Well LRS150F-15, available from several places on the internet, including Ebay and Amazon.Brenntag Global has a list of different products that they can use to create blends for customers. From that list, you should be able to research what liquids might come by rail.brenntag.com/en-de/productsI used AnyRail track planning software to design the track plan. I tried several different track planning programs, and found theirs to be the easiest for me to use. They have a free demo version. No time limit on the trial, just limited to a certain number of objects you can use at once.anyrail.com/enAs time moves on, I will add more progress videos to a playlist on my channel, so check back often!
Railfan Guide - UP Mt Vernon Sub signalupproductions 2024-06-01 | For your viewing pleasure, ride along as I take a close look at the Union Pacific Mt. Vernon Subdivision through Southern Illinois. As with all of my Railfan Guide series videos, I include as much information as I am able to get to help you understand the operations along the line, and plan your own railfan trip.This line is not super busy. Footage was recorded between the summer of 2023 and May of 2024. There are approximately 12 trains a day that use this line, sometimes less, sometimes more.A radio scanner comes in handy, especially near Salem yard. Trains will call the dispatcher to plan their arrival or departure, often including their train symbol in the exchange. The scanner frequency to monitor is 160.410mHz, or AAR channel 2020. Some yard communications takes place on 160.470mHz, AAR 2424.Other than the Evansville Western (EVWR) interchange, Crosstie Treatment Plant, and Continental Tire plant, all of which are in Mt. Vernon, there aren't any customers anywhere else on the line.Generally once a week the LSG54 local will make a side trip to Benton, then transfer over to the Marion Sub to switch the Crab Orchard and Egyptian (COER) in Marion.Not all locations of the Mt. Vernon sub were able to be shown in this video. Other spots include: North end of Bush siding, Rend Lake causeway south of Ina, and Grimsby siding near Gorham.Good spots to pace trains is IL Highway 149 between Murphysboro and De Soto, and between De Soto and Hurst, as well as IL Highway 37 between Ina and Mt. Vernon.The sun favors southbound trains, except morning time in the summer, northbounds between Gorham and Benton. Common places to sit and wait for trains include Gorham, De Soto, Benton, Ina, Mt. Vernon, Kell, and Salem. However, I cannot guarantee whether any of these locations have loitering ordinances that are enforced. So do so at your own risk.Any questions, please leave a comment! Don't forget to click that SUBSCRIBE button!
UP 8784 leads a coal train on the UPSF Joint Line. We got an Approach Restricting before the yard. signalupproductions 2024-05-31 | ...
Athearn Alco RS-3 Pulls a Cab Hop. Subscribe then check out my other videos! signalupproductions 2024-05-10 | ...
CP 2816 Final Spike - Chase across Illinois! signalupproductions 2024-05-10 | On May 9th, 2024, the Final Spike Tour of the Canadian Pacific 2816 steam locomotive made the run across CP's Chicago Sub in Northern Illinois.We started the day in Kirkland, IL and followed the consist over to Savanna. The train continued on, while we made a turn towards home.During the trip south, we made a brief stop in Rochelle, where UP treated us to a couple of bonus westbounds.If you check out the Signal Up Productions Facebook page, I shared a few photos!
Athearn RS-3 Review signalupproductions 2024-05-05 | It's another New Product Review video.Here we have the recently released Athearn HO Scale Alco RS-3 with Tsunami2 DCC and Sound.In this video we'll take an up close look at the features and details, then test run the engine on the layout.The Sound and DCC version includes a working roof top beacon light. The model lacks end pilot details such as MU hoses and uncoupling levers. However, the diamond tread detail on the walkways is very nice!Weighing in at just over 10 oz., this model probably won't be pulling any long strings of cars up steep grades, but should preform just fine in the intended roll as a peddler freight power on a light branch line or in yard service.The sound from the speaker will definitely get your attention, and wake up any crew napping in the crew lounge. While the sound is great, the headlights could stand to be just a touch brighter.All in all, this is a fantastic model, and it will see many years of pulling fan trips for the tourist museum on my layout!
UPSF Wednesday Night Operations - April 2024 signalupproductions 2024-04-25 | Wednesdays at the layout are often too hectic to host a formal op session, but this week was a little different. So we set the signal mode to CTC, put Logan @SouthernIllinoisRailfan in the dispatcher seat, while myself, Zach @hillbillyrailfan and Rylin moved some much needed freight. My train tonight was the Starr local, which departs east from Argentine Yard for Starr siding, where we'll run around our train, and move west back to Martin Jct. Here, there are 2 customers, EthyGen and Doc's Scrap, that need to get switched.All the work went smoothly, except for a couple of minor derailments, and a dirty switch. There wasn't anything to bring back, so engine light with the shoving platform (aka caboose).Also, I ducked my head into the dispatcher's office just in time to hear a track warrant get copied for a train heading up the branch line.
Do ScaleTrains containers fit into Walthers Well Cars? signalupproductions 2024-04-05 | Here's my next review video for all of you fine people!Recently, these new items arrived and I was eager to get them out on the layout and make another review video. Here are some of the new 3-unit 53' Thrall Well Cars made by Walthers MainLine in HO Scale.These cars are made with a die-cast body, which help them track very well, loaded or empty. The detail is acceptable for a MainLine item, though they could be spruced up a bit with some homemade coupler cut bars and Kadee Couplers.To match with these well cars, I pre-ordered some ScaleTrains Operator 53' containers decorated for Walmart. I have seen these on the prototype for a while, and glad someone made them. However, I recently learned that Walmart sold their container operations to JB Hunt, so in time the real containers may get patched or repainted. At first glance, I thought these were a Rivet Counter series container. They are really nicely detailed!They fit perfectly in the Walthers cars, and matched up with other brands of containers with no problem. So if you're in the market to expand your intermodal fleet, here's a great combination to consider!Questions? Leave them down below!
Pacing ZEGYC at Bonnie signalupproductions 2024-03-29 | Who doesn't love a good Pacing video?!Illinois highway 37 in southern Illinois parallels the UP Mt. Vernon Sub almost 10 miles between Ina, and Mt. Vernon. It's a perfect location for pacing the many trains that grace this line.Yesterday (March 27, 2024) my friend Louis and I were railfanning the area when we heard this northbound ZEGYC (Hotshot intermodal from Eagle Pass, TX to Yard Center, IL) was approaching. Up front were 3 GE motors, one of which had a fresh coat of new paint in the new livery. The train's speed was about 57 mph during the chase. Maximum authorized speed for this section is 60 mph.Enjoy the sounds of these GE's rolling fast, down the main track, blowing for the crossings along the way.Be sure to share this video to your Facebook page, so all your friends can indulge in this awesomeness!
Athearn Genesis AC4400 - Review and Weathering signalupproductions 2024-03-18 | The long awaited HO Scale AC4400's have reached my eager hands. I stayed up all night weathering them, documenting my process along the way.These models are NICE. Packed full of detail, and smooth running.The both have LED front and rear headlights, front ditchlights, front and rear walkway lights, number boards, and ground lights under the cab.I do need to note though, the CSX model only has a ground light under the conductor's side. I haven't been able to confirm yet if this is a CSX road specific detail. All the pictures of #17 are of the unit during the daytime.The UP/SP engine does have ground lights on both sides. I have read on the internet from other owners that some of their units also only had a ground light on the conductor's side.If you have more information, please confirm in the comments below!For weathering, I made the CSX a "toaster", a GE locomotive that has caught fire sometime in the past, and now has burn marks around the exhaust stack. The real 17 is not a toaster (at least from the photos I found online), but my modeler's license gave me permission to weather the engine what ever way I saw fit.For the SP patched engine, I gave it a standard weather job. Some Pan Pastel chalks, drybrushed and airbrushed acrylic paint, and a coat of Dullcote.For DCC, I installed a Loksound 5 DCC sound decoder. With this, I downloaded an appropriate soundfile from ESU's website using a Lokprogrammer. Then I paired the decoder with an ESU dual cube speaker.
Trains, Planes, and Rental Car - Travel Vlog to Amherst 2024! signalupproductions 2024-02-22 | It was my first trip to the Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, MA.This is the largest model train show in North America, and hosted by the Amherst Railway Society. The only facility in the area largest enough to hold such a massive event is the Eastern States Expo Center in central Massachusetts.This video is edited into the style of a travel vlog, chronicling the trip there, the show, some of the side trips, and the trip home.We left southern Illinois in the early morning hours of Friday January 26th, 2024, for the 2 1/2 hour drive to St. Louis Lambert International Airport, then a 2 hour flight on Southwest to Boston Logan Airport. We got a rental car, then drove to the hotel near Springfield, with a short railfan stop in Worcester. Saturday was a day spent wandering around the complex checking out all the cool layouts and speaking with the manufacturers. Later that night we went to dinner with our friends who were at the show as well. Sunday, we spent most of the day walking around the show, before heading back to Boston. It was an early morning Monday, as we had tickets to ride Acela down to New York City for the day. Our train left at 6am and wouldn't return until after 10pm. That gave us about 9 hours to spend exploring the big Apple. We managed to briefly visit Times Square, Central Park, the Ghostbuster's headquarters, the 9/11 Memorial, Battery Park, DUMBO, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, and return to Penn Station. On our final day of Tuesday the 30th, we had a few more hours before the rental car needed to be back to the airport. So we drove down to Plymouth Rock, Scituate, Castle Island, and the Old North Church before flying back to St. Louis.Tips for those taking similar trips:The Amherst show is BIG! Have good walking shoes, and a pen and paper to note where you see certain items. Make a list of the booths and layouts you definitely want to see, and go to them first. Then spend the rest of the time seeing the rest of the show.Eat a big breakfast, and bring a snack and bottle of water to save on eating at the show; it's expensive! Also, if you think you might buy larger or heavier items, get to the show early so you can have a closer parking spot. Then you won't have to carry it too far.Riding Amtrak out of Boston? There are homeless people living in the station. And they will pester you for money while you're in the main hall waiting for your train to board. I felt a bit uncomfortable. And parking downtown is very expensive. A better option would have been to park at the Route 128 station south of Boston. All trains stop here, including Acela. Parking is much cheaper, and the area is safer.New York was great! Lots of famous sights to see. The subway was easy enough to figure out. But if you travel in a big group, the cost per person adds up quick.Thanks for riding along this trip with us! I hope you enjoyed it, and it inspires you to visit Amherst sometime!Comments, leave them down below.Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Kadee 120 Coupler - Amherst 2024 signalupproductions 2024-02-18 | DISCLAIMER-This video is not sponsor or endorsed by the Kadee Coupler Company. Views expressed are of a personal nature, and for information only.I really appreciate Tory speaking with me about their new couplers. I did kind of put him on the spot with my interview request. No statements made should be considered a guarantee.A few months ago Kadee released a new coupler for HO scale modelers. The #120 is a scale head with a lower shelf coupler, with a standard medium shank and whiskers.These are perfect for all types of cars; centerbeam flats, reefers, autoracks, boxcars, etc. Before, to get a lower only shelf coupler, you had to buy the 119, then cut of the top shelf.For now, these will just be available in envelop packs of 2 pair (4 couplers) with draft gear boxes. I've already got some and plan to finish out some cars I had started with the modified 119's, so now I'll have more time for sleeping!
A visit to Superior Scenics HO Scale Layout 2024 signalupproductions 2024-02-17 | I visited Dave's layout once a couple of years ago. It was so nice to stop back by and run trains again!Here's a solid 14 minutes of trains running around the layout.Dave's layout is a double deck. The track plan is designed in such a way that trains can run on the center peninsula, the top level, and the bottom level completely independently. But there are connection wyes between each level to allow a really long run across all 3 sections!If you have any comments or questions, leave them down below.Music:Song: Fredji - Blue Sky (Vlog No Copyright Music)Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.Video Link: youtu.be/Hf6vHY0lQTI?si=hmZtmHuFqeYvHitISong: High Rule - Control (Instrumental) (Vlog No Copyright Music)Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.Video Link: youtube.com/watch?v=YdOVfRQ0MLQ&t=0sSong: Joakim Karud - Waves (Vlog No Copyright Music)Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.Video Link: youtube.com/watch?v=VMghJ_civuM&t=0s
MAC Rail Products - Amherst 2024 signalupproductions 2024-02-14 | DISCLAIMER-This video is not sponsor or endorsed by MAC Rail Products. Views expressed are of a personal nature, and for information only.I really appreciate Greg speaking with me about their product line. I did kind of put him on the spot with my interview request. He was very gracious in sharing his time with me. No statements made should be considered a guarantee.If you're looking for some unique, but much needed detail parts, look no further than 3D printed items made by Greg at MAC Rail Products. He has such a wide variety of details that will really enhance your layout and rolling stock!I have used his PTC antenna farms and EOT's, and I'm very happy with those purchases. Greg spent a few minutes with me during the recent Railroad Hobby Show in Springfield, MA explaining the various items in their catalog. Check out his websitemacrailproducts.comThen follow his Facebook pagefacebook.com/MACRailLLC
Class One Model Works - Amherst 2024 Announcement signalupproductions 2024-02-07 | DISCLAIMER-This video is not sponsor or endorsed by Class One Model Works. Views expressed are of a personal nature, and for information only.I really appreciate Stephen speaking with me about their new hoppers. I did kind of put him on the spot with my interview request. He was very gracious in sharing his time with me. No statements made should be considered a guarantee.Stephen Priest of Class One Model Works was on hand during the Railroad Hobby Show in Springfield, MA to talk about their new HO scale ARI 5200 covered hopper. These cars are sharp! They will have a die cast metal underframe, and tons of accurate add-on detail parts.The samples looked great and felt very durable, even with all of the details. I'm thinking that some of those UP & CMO hoppers would look good on my layout!classonemodelworks.com
Kadee - Amherst Announcement 2024 - P48 Wheelsets! signalupproductions 2024-01-31 | DISCLAIMER-This video is not sponsor or endorsed by the Kadee Coupler Company. Views expressed are of a personal nature, and for information only.I really appreciate Tory speaking with me about their new wheelsets. I did kind of put him on the spot with my interview request. He was caught off guard, and these wheels are still in development. No statements made should be considered a guarantee.During the 2024 Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, MA, Kadee announced a new product: O Scale Proto:48 wheelsets.These wheels are being designed to as close to scale as possible, for those modelers looking to build an O scale layout to P48 standards. They had test samples available for inspection that just came off the molding machine last week (hot off the press!)In this interview, Tory shares with us some great information about what is going into this product, and plans for the future of P48 Kadee products.Be sure to subscribe to their email newsletter for future information about this and other products in the works.http://www.kadee.comDo you model in O scale? What products do you want to see Kadee develop?
HO scale freight train snakes through Martin Jct on the UPSF Joint Line. signalupproductions 2024-01-25 | ...
New Walthers E9m Review in HO Scale signalupproductions 2024-01-17 | I missed the last run of the Walthers UP E9m excursion set in HO scale several years ago, so I was really happy when they ran it again! I didn't miss out this time!He is a review I recorded this week as soon as they got dropped off by Fedex.I ordered the single UP 951 as DCC and LokSound, and the 949/963 set ad DC, and installed LokPilots.The ABA set pulled 72 Atlas coal hoppers around the layout. This included up the 2%+ grade on a curve.They did slip a little, but never did stall!Also, with the coupler pocket that drupes, the units kept coming uncoupled. I fixed that by changing the couplers to Kadee 118 shelf couplers.Any questions? Leave them down below!
Railfanning the UPSF Joint Line signalupproductions 2024-01-12 | It was a slow Wednesday night at the layout, so I staged several of my trains to make an unplanned railfan video. I hope you enjoy!0:00 Intro0:39 MAGNL at CP 2591:05 WFRAG in the desert2:04 MAGNL holds the main at Frisco2:24 WFRAG takes the siding3:15 MAGNL departs4:26 MAGNP appears at Flora5:42 MAGNP highballs Starr7:10 MAGNL at Charles Interlocking7:50 A perfectly timed meet!10:30 MAGNP clears for Amtrak11:24 Amtrak, On time and never late!11:49 IYCG3 appears at Flora12:45 @SouthernIllinoisRailfan I'm pretty sure this is your shoulder13:21 And that is certainly your phone!14:13 WFRAG back on the move14:35 And into the yardBe sure to check out Logan @SouthernIllinoisRailfan channel to see his take on tonight's action!
UPSF Horn Honk 2023 signalupproductions 2024-01-01 | My group of friends and I held our annual UPSF Joint Line Christmas Party yesterday. While I did not get any videos from the basement of people running trains on the layout, several of us that also collect antique locomotive airhorns spent some time in the back yard sounding off.Attending this year was a:0:00 K5LA1:05 M31:49 Handcock 4700 without a dish2:32 S2M3:05 Horn Duel between the RS3L and K5LA3:25 RS3L6:01 S5TSafety First! Always use hearing protection when sounding airhorns!This video was meant more for those who attended the honked this year to have a record of their participation, rather than to entertain the casual YouTube viewer. As such, there is a lot of footage I left in for their benefit that otherwise may not interest most viewers. Feel free to use the chapters to jump to your favorite horn!
ICG Alton District Layout Tour signalupproductions 2023-12-30 | My friend Todd @6005EnterTRAINment told me of an operating session on Tony and Joe Pellegrino's ICG layout this week and inviting me along. I'm always looking for new layouts to run on, and looked forward to getting some video.Unfortunately, I left my house without my GoPro, so the video quality is not as good as normal. All I had was my cell phone, and had to juggle trying to hold it while handling a radio, throttle, and copying track warrants.This day actually included 2 separate sessions, so we stayed the whole day and ran during both of them. For the first session, I ran the P55 Slingshot Pig Train. After I tied up with that, the next job on the Call Sheet was the SC-4 Through Freight, that included a stop at Federal Yard to swap a block of cars.For the Second session, I marked up as the Federal Yardmaster. That time was spent sorting cars, coordinating arrivals and departures, and most importantly, sitting on the comfy stool.The group of operators this day clearly had a lot of experience on this layout. They copied track warrants, switched cars, met trains at passing sidings, and never once left a switch lined wrong or had a cornfield meet.Be sure to check out the Signal Up Productions Facebook page to see some of the photos I took of the Godfrey depot and Mead Packing background building.facebook.com/SignalUpProductions0:00 Introduction0:44 Departing with the P55 TOFC Train11:08 Weathered GP40's leading the SC-4 freight16:55 Sorting cars at Federal Yard
Kato HO Scale P42 DCC Installation signalupproductions 2023-12-24 | Several years ago Kato released an HO scale model of the Amtrak P42 locomotive. At its release, they highlighted what they thought was an innovative design feature of self-contained motorized trucks. These are sometimes referred to as Stanton Drives. Both the front and rear trucks are powered, and the motor is contained inside the truck instead of in the body like most other locomotives.This seemed like a good idea at first, but then modelers quickly found out that it was terribly inconvenient to install a DCC decoder. Because the track pickup wires don't route through the circuit board, there is no where to connect a decoder.So what needs to be done in order to install a decoder is: disconnect the motor wires from the trucks, extend the wires from the motors up through the frame to the circuit board, cut some of the traces to isolate the connections needed to interface the decoder, wire the decoder (or an 8-pin socket) to the circuit board, then reassemble the model.All of these steps are covered in a modification guide published by Kato and available here:katousa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/HO-P42-DCC-Modifications.pdfI went one step further and tapped screws to the trucks to keep them from being pulled off of the frame. One other modification you might consider for your model is cutting the light pipes for the ditchlights, then gluing some very small LEDs to the cut ends of those pipes. Then wiring those LEDs to the AUX functions of the decoder to allow for flashing ditchlights, which is common on most Amtrak locomotives.
HO Scale Streator Connection Layout Tour in 4K signalupproductions 2023-12-07 | During a recent division level NMRA meet, I got to tour Curt Regensberger's layout based on the Streator Connection in Northern Illinois. Curt mainly models the 1980's on his 30x30 foot basement empire. The layout focuses on trains from the ATSF and Conrail.With a main line run that's about 300 feet, it takes several minutes for the 2 display trains to make the loop around.The meet was hosted by the Gateway Division of the NMRA and you can find out more about them here:http://www.gatewaynmra.orgIf you liked this video give it a Thumbs up, then leave a comment below letting me know your favorite part of the tour!
Steve Goarings HO Scale Illinois Terminal Branch signalupproductions 2023-11-23 | Readers of Railroad Model Craftsman magazine may recognize Steve's layout from the July 2022 issue.Recently, during a local meet hosted by the Gateway Division of the NMRA, home layout tours were included with each admission. I was overjoyed to see that Steve's layout was on the tour list! I have followed his progress for awhile now and hoped to make a visit someday.I start by walking around the whole layout, giving details about the layout and its operation. Then I find a couple of trains out on the main line and demonstrate the operation of his train order signals, interlocking signals, crossing lights and swing bridge.Leave a comment down below!
Gateway Division NMRA Fall Meet 2023 signalupproductions 2023-11-15 | Contests, Clinics, Home Layout Tours and more; the Fall Meet of the NMRA Gateway Division has it all!This year it was held at the VFW in Collinsville, IL on Saturday November 11th. The event was open from 9am-3pm. Door Prizes were given out throughout the day. After the doors closed, a couple of local layout owners graciously opened their doors to invite all attendees to see their home layouts.To learn more about the NMRA check out their websitewww.nmra.orgTo learn more about the Gateway Division of the NMRA check out their websitewww.gatewaynmra.orgHere are some links to the 2 home layout tours.youtu.be/FFkY3G_Sdscyoutu.be/lGYRtQOa02YPlease Like and Share this video. Leave any comments down below.
