Review : Athearn SD39 -2 . RTR. With Econami sound decoder. FishplateFilms 2026-09-27 | Review : Athearn SD39 -2 . RTR. With Econami sound decoder.
BNSF Birdwood Sub Layout update .no.30. Shaping rocks with Sculpt It. FishplateFilms 2024-05-09 | In part two of the bridge scene, I revisit the lost art of sculpting rocks from plaster! This time time, I'm trying the Aussie version , "Sculpt It" , which is the same as SculptAmold in the US. I'm actually quiet happy with the results, as the Sculpt It requires a slightly different technique than using plaster , as we see in the video. The sad thing is that all this will be coming down in about a year , but I need the practice!Enjoy and cheers!Gregg.00:00 Start.00:30 Previous work .02:50 First rocks with "Sculpt It"05:00 Using wet spoon and spatula.07:00 Making it up on the fly!08:15 Change of plan!11:00 Progress so far.
BNSF Birdwood Sub Layout update no.29 .Bridge section scenery .Part 1 FishplateFilms 2024-05-04 | Well , its about time ...Iv'e finally got around to starting work on the last bit of scenery on the layout! This time , I'm trying out using paper instead of plaster cloth , over the cardboard strips , which will be covered in "Sculpt it" , before rocks and ground cover applied. Nothing too exciting , but more interesting work coming up in the following videos.Cheers Gregg.
Track cleaning for a return to work on the BNSF Birdwood Sub FishplateFilms 2024-04-23 | The weather has finally started to cool off down here.....we have been seeing very hot weather for this time of year, but last week saw the mercury fall to a reasonable level! So with that , I have decided to have a crack at the last bit of scenery on the layout, before it gets dismantled to move to Stirling. Before work can commence, we need to move some trains and get the layout cleaned and ready for action, so the old ROCO track cleaning car is brought out to clean the hidden track sections. A manifest train is cleared off the main and some switching is needed in West Birdwood Yard.
Five unit Westbound loaded grain train at Mt Lofty. FishplateFilms 2024-03-31 | A five unit loaded grain train battles the 2.2% grade to Mt' Lofty Station in the Adelaide Hills. In the consist today , is a vintage EMD Streamliner, still earning it's keep in 2024! Following the grain train , we catch a Eastbound Pacific National Intermodal with a EMD 'G" class loco in the consist.
Westbound Intermodal at Callington Curve. FishplateFilms 2024-03-24 | I'm back at Callington Curve, at the foot of the Adelaide Hills, and this time , we get to see a Westbound Pacific National tackle the grade. After a slight hiccup / seniors moment, we catch an Eastbound in heavy Dynamics, rolling through the curve. Video shot in March 2024.Thanks for watching!
Back at Lofty with PN & SCT Eastbound Intermodals. FishplateFilms 2024-03-20 | Its' March 24' , and I'm back in the Adelaide Hills for more rail fanning and beautiful early Autumn weather. This clip features two Eastbound trains from Pacific National and SCT , both topping the 2.2% grade as they roll through the platform.
Callington Curve my first visit! FishplateFilms 2024-03-12 | On the Eastern slopes of the Adelaide Hills, about 40 km from Mt' Lofty Station, is the small town of Callington. This once , vibrant Copper mining town , is now home to a few hundred people , and is a quiet , close community . Just outside the town , among ploughed fields , is the popular "Callington Curve" , a favourite with local rail fans. Having been on my list for a while, I decided to take the "Polestar" for a highway trip to this interesting location. My first train is a Eastbound Pacific National , which has an issue with a loaded steel car , which I report to ARTC, who own and maintain the tracks , and the train is put into the next siding to inspect the car. This is a great spot, and worth the 40 min drive from Stirling, so stay tuned for more from "Callington Cure".Cheers Gregg.
Smoking and sandin NRs at Mt Lofty Ststion. FishplateFilms 2024-03-02 | More trains from Mt' Lofty , in the Adelaide Hills! First up , a pair of GE "NR" class, break out of the shadows and into the afternoon sun , still dropping sand , as most of their train is still coming up the grade! . Then , an empty Aurizon grainy rolls by with a pair of EMD streamliners in the consist, followed by another Eastbound PN intermodal , this time with a EMD "G" class helping the GE's up the hills!Enjoy.
Early morning PN Intermodal at Mt Lofty Station. FishplateFilms 2024-02-16 | In the crisp early morning light, a Eastbound PN Intermodal rolls through Mt Lofty. Fast forward a few hours , and a weather change has brought grey skies, as a empty Aurizon grain train tops the grade in the platfrom.
CV Shortcuts part 4, Speaker tuning with the 7 Band EQ. FishplateFilms 2024-02-08 | In this LONG overdue episode of "CV Shortcuts" , we finally dive into sound!Our little speakers do an amazing job of producing some of the most challenging audio you could record! Locomotives produce just about every sound there is...from high pitch air valves, through to thumping Bass....and we wan't all that out of a tiny speaker?? Now while the boffins have given us amazing sound files , the mini speakers that seem to do the impossible , still need some help to get the most from them! Tsunami's 7 Band EQ , will let you "Tune" your hard working little speakers, so you can match the frequencies to the speaker and it's enclosure, resulting in a more realistic sound! Please note.......The sound was initially recored on a pro digital recorder to demonstrate the differences ....but the level was too low , so the audio from the shotgun mic was used. Also I waffle on A LOT........so feel free to fast forward to the second half to hear the changes more clearly! Lastly , sound is very objective and personal, but this is a guide to getting the best sound form your speakers and decoders! Video chapters:0:00 Intro2:30 Why we need to "EQ" our speakers!6:10 Tsunami 1 Custom EQ table.9:30 Making sense of the "CV's and how to adjust the sound.13:00 Adjusting sound in Kato SD40-2 with 28mm speaker .21:45 Tsunami 2 Custom EQ table .25:00 Athearn Gevo with better sound after tuning.Happy tuning! Gregg.
Eastbound SCT a& PN Intermodals at Mt Lofty Station. FishplateFilms 2024-01-26 | Under grey skies, Eastbound intermodal trains from PN and SCT top the grade at Mt Lofty , in the Adelaide Hills . In a rare move, SCT has five units all online at the head of their train , unlike Pacific National , who has a lonely pair of NR's doing the job on their's . Shot in Nov' 23,.Thanks for watching.
Movement at the Station. FishplateFilms 2024-01-20 | While taking a relaxing , afternoon stroll past Mt' Lofty Station, Lord Stan stumbles across an interesting development on the other side of the tracks! From the opening line of famous Australian bush poet "Banjo Patterson's" iconic "Man from Snowy River" ...there was movement at the station......Join Lord Stan as he brings us up to date on Gregg's grand plans.....Music "Walk through the Park" by Track Tribe.
Loaded Aurizon grainy climbs to Mt Lofty Station. FishplateFilms 2024-01-08 | It's my last trip of the year to Stirling in 2023. My first train is a loaded grain , with 3 EMD's on the point , using all of their available traction to get their 50 loaded hoppers to the summit. You can hear the "Super Series" wheelslip control , overdriving the traction motors to give the most grip on the rails!ENjoy.
Brisbane Citys modern commercial architecture..a brief look ! FishplateFilms 2024-01-05 | This ones a bit different....back in July 2020 , I was in the city , getting some footage to practice my colour grading on. Being a Sub tropical city, Brisbane has beautiful colour and crystal clear skies in the cooler months , so I was out on a glorious Sunday morning to see what I could find. The day was perfect and the sky colour was beyond blue , so I got some excellent clips to work on back in the edit suite! Long story short...the clips were too good to waste , so I put this together with a brief history of Brisbane's skyline.Hope you enjoy.Cheers, Gregg.
Lord Stan Dardgauges 2023 Xmas greeting. FishplateFilms 2023-12-24 | We almost got away with it ,,,,, but Lord Stan has managed to squeeze in his faithful and irreverent Christmas & New Years message. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Fishplate Films and Lord Stan.
BNSF Birdwood Sub Layout update. Nov 23 FishplateFilms 2023-12-20 | Finally...an update on the layout! It's been too long , and the year has flown by , with not a lot happening on the Birdwood Sub division! With the current layout on borrowed time , I'm having a go at some last minute scenery, before it will be dismantled and eventually rebuilt into a bigger and better railway.
Aurizon and SCT Intermodals at Mt Lofty Station. Nov 23 FishplateFilms 2023-12-17 | I'm back in beautiful Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills , for my last trip of 2023. Our first train rolls by on a clear spring day, but the weather can change quickly in the Hills, and the following day it's cloudy and rain.
PN and SCT Intermodals climb the grade to Mt Lofty. FishplateFilms 2023-10-28 | Westbound Pacific National & SCT trains , climb the 2,2% grade past the tennis courts and round the bend to Mt'd Lofty Station. It's refreshing to see more trucking companies taking advantage of rail transport for long distance hauls. The benefits of "Intermodal" allow for cargo to be shifted via the most efficient and coast effective mode for a particular journey, and for a country like Australia, rail is the answer for long distance freight.
Aurizon Intermodals with crew cars. FishplateFilms 2023-10-14 | Australia is a big place...similar in size to the USA , but with not much in the middle in the way of towns! Since freight trains became mostly private companies in the late 90's , the previous government run railway camps and small towns , did not suit the new, profit driven and more efficient rail companies. Instead of train crews staying in small , remote camps, crew cars were built so that drivers and other staff, could eat, shower and sleep while their train continued on across the vast plains. While this may not be as restful as a motel bed , the crews can get back home quicker and into their own beds!
Thermite Rail Welding. Replacing a Glued insulated joint. FishplateFilms 2023-10-01 | Insulated joints are used to divide tracks into individual sections or "blocks" , for the signalling system , and insulate each block electrically from each other. When I first joined the railways , almost 20 yrs ago, "glued joints" were new , and many of the old "mechanical" insulated joints were still in use, These would wear out and short the track circuits together , and could be a pain to fix! Glued joints are much stronger and last for decades , but need to be welded in , so Thermite welds are often used for this purpose.
SCT Intermodal passes Audio defect detector at Heathfield. FishplateFilms 2023-09-24 | A Westbound SCT train passes the defect detector , at Heathfield , in the Adelaide Hills. I have featured this in a previous video , and assumed it was an optical device...but after further research , I found it is actually an "Audio" detector ! This unit "listens" to the wheels and can pick up many faults , like bearings, flat spots and dragging equipment...how about that ! Bonus points if you catch the "Seinfeld" reference ??Video taken Sept' 23.Cheers Gregg.
Quad NRs at Mt Lofty Station. FishplateFilms 2023-09-11 | It's Spring 2323 , I'm back in Stirling , in the Adelaide Hills. It's a chilly , cloudy day day , but the trains are running , so I'm out to catch a few! This Melbourne bound , Pacific National intermodal service, makes easy work of the 2,2% grade, with a quartette of GE units on the point. With 16,000 HP on offer, the 4 NR's almost coast through the platform and roll past the camera , as round the curve and start their downhill trip towards Victoria,
Watco Australia grain trains. FishplateFilms 2023-08-14 | Welcome to another "At work " Iphone video! I hope to do more of these in the future, but today we see two grain trains from Watco , passing through the suburbs of Brisbane on their way to the Port of Brisbane. The first train is shot from a signal gantry , while I investigate a signal fault , and the second is at Corinda, just down from my depot.Thanks for watching!
Track cleaning hidden rails on the Birdwood Sub FishplateFilms 2023-08-07 | While construction on the layout has stopped, trains are still running , and it's been a while since the hidden track has been cleaned. This time , a pair of SD40 & 38 Dash 2's are in charge of the job, and we catch them doing a quick switch job in the yard , then pushing the track cleaner up the Tarragindi Cut off. More videos on the way and some more scenery practice before the layout is pulled down next year.
Kookaburras feeding their young, FishplateFilms 2023-08-05 | While Kookaburras are a common sight in the suburbs, it is rare to see them tending their young. They often visit my place for fresh water , or to shelter from the rain, so to see a parent bird teaching their young to eat was too good not to record. Unfortunately , the iconic "Laughing" call will not be heard today, as it is normally used to warn other birds or mark territory.Enjoy.Gregg :-)
Defect detector at Heathfield , in the Adelaide Hills. FishplateFilms 2023-07-02 | ARTC , the track owners, have a defect detector at Heathfield, just down the hill from Mt Lofty. I have filmed several trains at this spot , but never on the same side as the detector, and always miss the door on the camera open and close! This time , the sun is on the Eastern side , so I get a chance to show you the camera opening and closing after a train. We get to see a Pacific National Intermodal pass the camera and another one through the platform at Mt Lofty.
Loaded Aurizon grain train screaming for traction , at Mt Lofty. FishplateFilms 2023-06-17 | A loaded Aurizon grain train, with new EMD power, screams it's way up the 2,2% grade towards Mt' Lofty Station. The "Super Series" wheelslip control, is giving it all, to gain maximum traction from the 16-710 prime movers . This train was running late , and it was thought to have stalled further back towards Murray Bridge, with local railfains reporting it was down to a crawl. Having missed the sun , I decided to stay and get a rare night shot . Watch your ears and enjoy!Gregg.
Quad QBX locomotives at Junee, NSW 2016. FishplateFilms 2023-05-28 | Cube Logistics had recently acquired 6 new locomotives from Chinese maker CSR in 2015. In this rare move , a quartet of the new units, including class leader , QBX01 , depart the yard at Junee , in August 2016.
New EMD power in the Adelaide Hills! FishplateFilms 2023-05-04 | In March 2023, Aurizon took delivery of another 3 "GWB" class locomotives for their newly acquired "One Rail Australia" grain trains in South Australia. On my latest trip to the Hills in April 23' , I was lucky to catch 2 of these new units , working on grain trains at Mt' Lofty Station. First we see catch the locos on an empty , rolling through Mt Lofty , then , just around the curve, we see a trio working hard on a loaded grain train.Turn up the volume and listen on good headphones or speakers to hear what a good stereo shotgun mic can deliver!!Cheers Gregg.
A view through the Mt Lofty platform. FishplateFilms 2023-04-26 | It's April 2023, and I'm back in the Adelaide Hills at Mt' Lofty Station. This time I finally get to try a new location that I checked out on my previous visit. This is just round the bend from the my block, opposite the station, and gives a neat perspective of the platforms, and just how steep the grade is ! An Eastbound SCT and Westbound Pacific National train , take their turns at reaching the summit in the platform, and then dropping away down another 2.2% grade. Thanks for watching.Gregg.
SCT collects defective boxcars from MtLofty Station. FishplateFilms 2023-04-16 | It's April 23, and I'm down in Stirling to meet my Architect ,and of course catch some trains! On arriving one morning , I found these SCT boxcars sitting on the middle road , usually used by MOW equipment. Shortly after, local railfans arrived just before CSR 006 rolls up to do the pickup. The cars didn't appear to have broken knuckles, which happens in the Hills , so they may have brake or wheel bearing issues? This is not a rare event , but the first time for me , so I had luck on my side.I've decided to add some music and let ( allowed) Lord Stan to do the narration , as there is not a lot of audio from the loco.Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think of the format.Cheers Gregg.Music "Forget me not" from E's Jammy.
Australian Rainbow Lorikeets drinking & washing. FishplateFilms 2023-04-04 | A quick video , narrated by the man himself.."Lord Stan Dardgauge" . Rainbow Lorikeets are a familiar sight in Brisbane, and every day I have them visit to take a bath in the stainless steel bowl! This clip is highly backlit , with the subjects poorly lit, which is good practice for my colour grading skills, which I'm learning more about in order to bring you even better quality videos. Hope you enjoy it .Cheers Gregg.
Atlas Dash8 back on the main! FishplateFilms 2023-03-29 | After a long and drawn out motor replacement , Dash8 40-CW "881" is back in service!. After a week of running in and speed matching, the 15 year old GE is back on the rails and earning her keep. This video was a bit of a rush job, as I had limited time to shoot and edit the footage, so lighting and composition could be better...If you have been following the story, it was a mission to get a genuine replacement motor, but one was found and installed . The other two Dash8's are getting a heart transplant, with the new motor style, which involves the driveline being changed to a Hex drive. A video of that will be posted as soon as the first loco is done , but in the meantime, enjoy 881 chugging around the lower level of the "Birdwood Sub" . Cheers Gregg.
Atlas Silver Series Dash8 40-CW motor replacement. part 1 FishplateFilms 2023-03-20 | If you've been following the saga of my Atlas Dash8 locos , you'll know it has taken a long time to get the parts for the repairs! There are 3 locos to repair, all needing new motors , and with these units being over ten years old, motors are getting scarce! I managed to source one original, which is going in this unit , 881 , but the other two are getting the " new style " motors , which have a different drive assembly. In this video we see the original motor replaced , and track tested , but the other two will feature in an upcoming video . While being over a decade old, these models have features and details equal to many of the locos made today, so it is worth keeping them running if possible.Stay tuned for a op's session with this loco back in service.Cheers Gregg.
Waltham Dress Pocket Watch.. Built around 1897 and still going strong😉 FishplateFilms 2023-03-18 | ...
Atlas Dash 8 motor replacement. FishplateFilms 2023-03-16 | My 15 year old Atlas Dash 8's are on their second motor, and with the original ones being harder to get, I have had to fit the new style motor with Hex drive shafts. It's a bit fiddly ,but after some modifications to the original drive shafts, the new motor is up and running! Full video will be on the big screen soon:-).
News from the Birdwood Sub....and some random Iphone clips.. FishplateFilms 2023-03-12 | Once again it's been too long between videos....work and my busy Airbnb has kept me out of my office , which gets in the way of editing.But fear not...even though the layout will be dismantled in about a year or so, I'm still running trains and working on some scenery...just for practice! The Atlas Dash8 rebuilds are moving slowly along , with video on the way , and scenery updates will be filmed later in the year. So here is a few random clips , shot on the old phone , to let you know the rails are still getting use!Cheers Gregg.
The Indian Pacific passenger train diverted through Mt Lofty. FishplateFilms 2023-01-29 | The iconic "Indian Pacific" , usually travels through western New South Wales to Adelaide, but due to major flooding , it has been diverted through Victoria. For the last few months, this famous train has been travelling through the Adelaide Hills, and I was lucky enough to catch iy on my recent visit.Heavy rain in Australia's East since July 2022 , has seen major flooding through NSW and Vic. The rail line between Parkes and Broken Hill , was cut in late October 22, and has only just been opened in late January 2023.
Atlas Dash8 motor issues...update and some ideas for a fix? FishplateFilms 2023-01-15 | Thank you to all the folks with ideas and where to look for a motor! After making this video, I found a motor at "That Train Place" , so that , and two pairs of hex drive shafts on on the way! So the trick will be to convert one end of the new shafts to a universal joint...If it works , you'll see the installation in full.Cheers Gregg.
Athearn SD39-2s rescue a burnt out Atlas Dash8. FishplateFilms 2023-01-09 | Something a bit different...and a cry for help..LOL I've had another Atlas "Silver Series" Dash8 burn a motor out, and after hours of searching, I can't seem to find a replacement? I ordered a motor that "fits" but has the wrong drive shaft connections . So any advice on acquiring a motor would be fantastic:-). Cheers and thanks.Gregg.
View from the block , plus Westbound SCT combined Steel & intermodal train. FishplateFilms 2023-01-02 | While unpacking my gear , an SCT train snuck up the grade at Mt' Lofty Station. Having the camera in hand already, I grabbed a quick , rough shot of the view I get from my block. This spot was originally covered in shade , by huge European Pine trees , brought over by new settlers.When I bought the land , the first job was to cut down these , beautiful, but invasive trees , so the native trees could begin to grow back. There will be a video of the pine trees coming up in the weeks ahead. Video shot in November 2022.
Pacific National Intermodal / Steel trains at Stirling. SA. FishplateFilms 2022-12-23 | Just around the corner from MT Lofty Station , the "S" bends at the tennis courts , provide a neat shot of trains climbing the grade to the summit , at the station. Its a cold and wet spring day in the Hills , as two PN West bound trains make their way towards Adelaide. The combined Steel and Intermodal train has been diverted , due to major flooding in NSW, which has cut the mainline coming from Sydney. Video shot in November 2022.
Lord Stan Dardgauge 2022 Christmas message. FishplateFilms 2022-12-22 | Well....he's back! Lord Stan Dardgauge returns yet again , for his unique .....and personal style of Christmas message. Don't blame me...you asked for it ! :-).Best wishes to all my Subscribers and viewers , and thank you for your support in 2022. Stay safe and we'll see you all next year in 2023.Cheers Lord Stan & GreggMusic "Merry Christmas Baby" by the ultra smooth , Mr Lou Rawls. Off the Christmas Cocktails album from the Ultra Lounge collection.
SCT combined steel and intermodal trains at Mt Lofty, FishplateFilms 2022-11-07 | I'm back at Mt Lofty Station, in the beautiful Adelaide Hills , to see more trains, and give my block of land a mow! A storm front is on the way, and it will be cold and rainy for the remainder of my visit, but who cares...there's trains and lots of Cafe's in Stirling ! In this video , SCT's West bound services , climb the 2.2% grade to the summit at Mt Lofty Station. The second train, with 4 Chinese built CSR units, is getting close to its' maximum adhesion, as evidence by the high pitch squeal from the traction control's allowable wheelslip.
At work videos Iphone special! FishplateFilms 2022-10-14 | Well , it's been far too long between videos, so here is a small collection of clips that I have posted to my Instagram channel. There are more "proper" videos on the way soon, but in the meantime, have a "butchers hook" at these clips from my daily and nightly work adventures.Cheers Gregg.
10K Subscriber Video update special! FishplateFilms 2022-07-06 | Apart from being way to long since a video was uploaded , I finally managed to reach 10,000 Subscribers!! A mere drop for many channels , but for a lonely Aussie guy modelling US railroads .....it's not too bad! Life gets in the way at times , and as my 20th year of shift work gets closer, you realise how it takes a toll on you ,and you need to keep healthy and rested. Only a few days after filming this , I was in bed with the dreaded COVID 19 , and even after a week I'm still not back to normal, but getting there....no wonder I thought I looked worse than usual in the footage! Anyway , a HUGE thank you to all the long term viewers and Subscribers , and a warm welcome to my new watchers. Take care and look for more videos on the way soon.Gregg.
Loaded grain train with Dash8s on the Birdwood Sub HO scale. FishplateFilms 2022-05-02 | With the sun setting on the Birdwood sub, a loaded grain train heads from West Birdwood yard , to Wellers Hill. A pair of SD39-2's finish making up the train , and then a trio of GE's, including a pair of Atlas Dash8 40BW's, couple up and haul the train up the Helix. We also jump on board for the last few miles , and ride through some tunnels . With the layout being dismantled later this year...(depending on when my new house gets started ?) there's still plenty of time for some overdue op's sessions on the Sub'! I have also started more scenery ...as my skill levels are still too low for the new layout..LOL.Cheers ,Gregg.
