Bruce Friedman's CSX HO Scale Model Railroad

A visit to Bruce Friedman's CSX HO Scale Model Railroad based on the route from Philadelphia, PA to Baltimore, MD. It's a multi-level walk around design, using DCC (Digital Command Control), the signals just as the prototype (aka the real thing) are operated via a computer program and by a dispatcher when they have an operating session, which is a simulation of prototype practices moving the trains over the road, picking up and setting out cars along the route, there are staging yards that trains are set up on to move over the railroad. The trackage is code 70 and 83, which is based on the actual weight of the rail based on how much it weighs per yard, the turnouts (which allow changing routes from one track to another) are based on #6 and #8 specifications, so that means the degree of curvature is what determines whether the turnout is #4, 5, 8, 10 or 12, they go as high as #20's and #30's for high speed operations and even greater. The layout requires 70 locomotives to operate during the ops sessions, also there are a total of 700 cars to fulfill the operations. The layout is based on current operations, folks from all walks of life are into the hobby and t attend Bruce's sessions to operate the layout, railroaders who really run trains either as conductors or engineers, and a great deal of military folks who are stationed in the area or visit the area, and some law enforcement as well.

Why model railroading? Well you can simulate what you seen as a kid, things that are fond to you when you were growing up, or that engineer waiving to you from the cab, or the conductor, or that first ride on a passenger train that sets an impression. You learn many skills, painting the models, assembling the models, electronic skills and computer skills, painting the back drops, building dioramas where you represent a particular scene in the country or city, operating electronic effects, carpentry skills, scenery skills, i mean you name it, model railroading offers it all in one package, and as I mentioned in another video folks from your average joe, to royalty, to cops and military or firefighters to real railroaders, to heads of state and entertainers, so it's not a hobby for kids when you see it on this scale.