World's Longest Train - 2011
Our attempt at the World's Longest Train.
*updated 11/20/2011*
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Overview of attempt:
Over the course of 1-2 weeks members of the KCGRS (Kansas City
Garden Railway Society) cleared a large abandoned retail store location for use
for an attempt at the worlds longest train in G scale. Once cleared
I started work on the layout with some initial help from a couple of key
members. It was first built to 1200ft then later expanded to 1600ft due to
a possible 1600ft of train identified as possibly being available for the event.
The minimum target length was 1050ft and in the end we only ended up with 850ft.
We were missing one key person that was unable to attend at the last minute
otherwise we would have had enough for the attempt. While we didn't end up
with enough length to break the record, the process itself and the corresponding
discovery phases were the most enjoyable and interesting part.
One key accomplishment was the creating the world's largest
single oval (in a continuous electrical block) successfully signaled with MTH
DCS's control system which ended up being a total of 1600ft. Signaling is
done via track level digital signals between the TIU and the engines. As
this signal test shows it works very well:
YouTube 1080p HD
I've been asked many times if I will attempt this again and
because of the time commitment involved I probably won't, but you never know.
6/3/2011
The retail area being used has been cleared out and track
laying has begun. (Track used: All code 332, Brass Aristocraft 20ft
curves, Brass AML 6ft straights, all brass Split Jaw direct to rail clamps)
So far the completed oval is 1200ft.
The following engines were slated for use: (All engines are
MTH DCS Protosound 2 equipped with optical precision speed control)
- 5 - MTH Big Boys
- 2 - MTH Challengers
Rolling stock: (including engines totaled 850ft)
included the following
- 128 - Bachmann coal hoppers (in two - 60 car coal trains)
- 40 - USA trains Intermodal cars
- 10 - MTH Passenger cars - (American Freedom Train)
- 10 - MTH Passenger cars - (Daylight)
- 21 - Aristocraft Heavyweights
Photos of the setup:
06/03/11 - Before track laying started.
06/03/11 - Track laying in process.
06/20/11 - Progress update:
The 1200ft oval has been expanded to 1600ft with all DCS
functionality testing now complete. (This is a continuous electrical block and
powered by one TIU port in passive mode (TIU Rev L) A few final touches
and final photos and video will be taken and posted soon. After the photo
and video session we will start adding cars for test pulls around the course.
Stay tuned.
06/21/11 - Videoing the layout (see links below)
06/24/11 - Time has come
*** Because of the time dedicated to get the event going I didn't
take any other photos or video. I will work to try and secure some
additional images to show the resulting 850ft of trains. ***
World's Longest Train - 2011:
Select the version /
quality you want to download:
- Video #1 - 9:33 mins - Walk
around completed layout
- YouTube 1080p HD
- Video #2 - 14:53 mins - Ride
around the course 1 of 2
-
YouTube 1080p HD
-
Video #3 -
12:23 mins - Ride
around the course 2 of 2
-
YouTube 1080p HD
- Video #4 - 5:06 mins - Start of
the event (time to build trains)
-
YouTube 1080p HD
- Video #5 - 6:24 mins - DCS Signal
test (World's largest single loop ever attempted under DCS powered in one
continuous
block with one TIU port in Passive mode (unlimited
amperage mode)
-
YouTube 1080p HD
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