Victoria, Australia 1952. Victorian Railways new diesel electric B 60 locomotive being delivered to Melbourne passes one of the S class ‘Pacific’ steam locomotives it eventually replaced.

The B class were the first mainline diesel locomotives and were used for both passenger and freight services.

The design was based around the successful Electro Motive Diesel F-unit locomotives with a distinctive bulldog nose. They featured a streamlined drivers cab at each end.

Photo credit: http://lefunny.net

With so many railroads around the world it’s not surprising the strangest things happen at times. Sometimes with tragic consequences and often with just damage to track/trains and inconvenience, not to mention the financial cost of putting things right. This photo is one such example…not an easy problem to fix.

Perhaps readers could suggest how this collision might have happened, and/or the likely process for rectifying the problem. Also if you just want to add a funny caption then go ahead.

Add your comment and view contributions from others by using the COMMENTS link.

The Bay of Quinte Railway was a small regional rail line located in Hastings County, ON, Canada. This unusual photo shows a collision between two engines back in 1892.

How you you think it happened? Add your comments below.

Our readers like funny captions so, if you are feeling creative, you are welcome share one for everyone to enjoy.

Brock says he models HO/OO and asks:

“I Model Chester station in the U.K. but I live in the USA. I need advice to create prototypical operations and details. Also, has a USA freight car ever been in use in Britain?”

Fred P kindly supplied more great photos to share with readers –

Add your funny caption to this photo by using the COMMENTS link. You can also see what others had to say in the COMMENTS section.

Central Japan Railway has revealed a prototype of the N700S, a “Supreme” bullet train that has been designed to be kinder to both the passengers and the environment. It’s claimed to 20 percent lighter, consumes at least 7 percent less energy and has a ‘boxier’ nose to cut back on the sonic boom-like effect when the bullet train rushes through tunnels at up to 300KPH (186MPH).

https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/19/n700s-bullet-train/

See if you can spot the 9 differences in these two pictures of scale model people and houses. Add your answers using the COMMENTS link directly below this posing.

Have Fun!

Plans for the scale model houses are available here.

One of the keys to success in creating your perfect layout  –  the one you always dreamed of owning, is knowing exactly what you want… or more importantly, what aspects of the hobby give you the most pleasure.

Is it building magnificently realistic scenery, planning and laying track, or managing realistic train operations? Given the choice; would you prefer more yard switching, or mainline operations? There is no right or wrong answer  –  we all look for different things.

For most layouts you can’t really treat each of the above in isolation. To a certain extent they interrelate, and the emphasis you place on one aspect of your layout will potentially affect what happens to another aspect of your layout.

It is a case of knowing what YOU want, and what YOU enjoy most, and then deciding the “Relative Emphasis” you’ll place on each aspect of your railroad.  After all most of us have limited space available, so prioritizing each aspect of the layout is a necessary part of the hobby.

For example; if you like a lot of track work, then you might need to limit the space allocated to scenic features like rolling farmland, or maybe a harbor scene, or mountain range.

Here’s where these two sliding cursor drawings will come in handy to help define and clarify your ideas.

How to Use These Charts to Create a Better Layout

Looking at the first drawing (the blue one), imagine you could move the cursor to the left or right. Moving the cursor to the left would place more emphasis on having more scenic realism on your layout; and moving the cursor to the right towards the track / operation end will potentially be at the detriment of scenic realism. On your perfect layout, where would you place the imaginary cursor  –  at number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or maybe at number 10?

Similarly, on the orange drawing, imagine you could move the cursor to the left meaning your ideal layout would include more switching operations; or you could move the cursor to the right indicating you would prefer more mainline running. The imaginary sliding cursor won’t actually move, but it will help you get your operating balance right.

This is a great exercise to help clarify the mind, and decide which direction you want your layout to take.

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