I Built a HO Train Simulator on my Layout - Cab Controls & Camera Car 

I've been getting a lot of comments asking where I got the items used in this video so here are some links. Fyi the Dji links are affiliate but the rest are unsponsored. P.S. I know I mixed up the AC4400 with the dash 9 used in MSTS - Don't know how I said the wrong thing when it literally says AC4400 on the box but ether way my bad 👍 Proto throttle holder makerworld.com/en/models/1409... Ipad holder www.thingiverse.com/thing:125... Dji Camera (affiliate) amzn.to/4bNivjT Dji Handle it all Wifi module (affiliate) amzn.to/3yOhWI4 ProtoThrottle www.iascaled.com/store/ProtoT... Special addition Otter Valley ProtoThrottle www.ovrtrains.com/Iowa-Scaled...

Someone may have suggested this already but if you want to take this further one thing you could do if you have the capabilities is 3D print a cab piece then place it on a wagon placed in front of the camera, that way you get the feeling of being in the cab of a locomotive, quite a few of us in England have been able to do this because some of the manufacturers we have have made 3D printed caps of locomotives that normally would be placed on a scrapyard scene but some have placed these cab pieces in front of mini cube cameras and the effect is quite convincing. Also Harrison if you ever want to play Microsoft train simulator again you still can today, get yourself a copy of it for a cheap price then install it onto your computer then go into the internet and type Openrails into the search and Install the stable version, open rails is just a modern front for Microsoft train simulator so if you do want to play it again, I still,play the old Microsoft one to this day just using Open Rails because it’s not as buggy as the original game, if you do this and your computer is windows 10 make sure that the original installation of MSTs is being run as administrator and in compatibility with windows 7 I think.

There is something so cool about seeing model railroads from a cab perspective. Thank you, Harison, for all you do on this channel and inspiring me to fix up old model trains too. What you do on this channel is amazing. From fixing old trains to inspiring many people including myself to enjoy this hobby. Thank you Harison.

They need to make this an actual game

That is really a fun, new view of your layout.

Great Video! Scale trains have great quality! Thanks for making great model train videos! Your videos have helped me fix, and do basic maintenance on several of my trains! Thanks!

this is crazy! i love the ideas you come up with, I hope you enjoy your layout, I'm jealous.

What an awesome concept! I kind of want to try something like this for either my home layout or my club's layout since it seems like a lot of fun and very much worth the money.

This is insane I love scale trains with there details

This has to be the coolest thing you’ve done on your channel next to you restoring your old Rivarossi locomotives and that’s saying a lot! This looks so believable and it’s super neat to see your layout from that 1:1 scale perspective.

My son loves your videos and I can see why. This is a very cool perspective of the train layout.

I love this, it inspired my broke self. For all those poor folks, I made a ghetto rail cam out of a phone and lumber car . It works GREAT.

What a fantastic idea and great execution! I'm tempted to do the same for my own layout

This video was really cool and I really like that train, I don’t have a lot of model trains you have inspired me a lot, continue doing what you do

First time seeing this - Smith Falls / Hershey callouts! A local enjoyer!

Thats an awesome setup. Nice job.

@SMTMainline I'm a local Ottawa resident. You have inspired me to build up a train set. My late father was an engineer for CN. I would like to setup a Train Yard like the one from my Home Town of Cochrane Ontario where he worked. Since i lost everything in a house fire in 2020, this would be something to remember my father when i see it.

Awesome video there really needs to be a game like that

SMT, first post on your channel. Just got back into this hobby when my wife and I found the trainset I had when I was 14 at an antique store. Love your channel, especially the episodes with you repairing old locomotives. Its pretty cool whatyou are doing with the channel. Anyway, wouldn't mind being entered in your drawing. Cheers!

Very cool! Mrs. McQuackerson and I really enjoy watching all of your videos and livestreams. Keep up the great work! 👏

I might pick up a controller for myself, cause this seems like a very cool way to operate locomotives.

What a cool setup! Bravo from Mexico

Love your model trains and a awesome idea that you did

Excellent upgrade to the layout!

awesome video love the camera running

Hello Harrison, Iv been a fan for you for quite a while. I really liked this type of operation video, especially with the really cool setup you got there very nifty. Made it seem like you were actually in a train cab controlling the train which really brings realism to the layout. Keep up the great work Harrison I wish you a great rest of your day. Cheers

This was such a cool video idea! Now I want to do this for my layout!!! 😂

Outstanding video...and new fun addition to your layout!!!

It's like riding in real life very cool

It defiantly adds a new layer of fun having the simulator with the camera. I'd be tempted to move the camera back slightly on the gondola to give the impression of having a hood out front, and also would give less of that drift off the rail center on turns.... The give away looks sweet !

I really enjoy seeing layouts from an in cab perspective. Great job, Harrison. Take care. Sean.

You always have the coolest stuff

Absolutely loved this video! Such a cool concept!

Seeing that Ryobi drill with a Milwaukee Battery urks me

Another awesome video Harrison. The camera setup you have is excellent for capturing the feel of being in the cab of the engine. Thank you again for your contributions to the Model Railroad community.

Thanks Harrisson, thats a great installation and fun to watch. never miss one of your presentation.

Such a cool idea! I have several of those OVR scrap gondolas and they are quite fun to weather and run. Great video!

This is awesome!! What a great addition. I can't get over the sound quality. Hope to see more soon! Well done sir!

That's an awesome setup you've got there! And those Scaletrains locomotives are no joke! It's very kind and generous of you to give one away.

Love how you continue to develop your layout, it's cool seeing you using more dcc stuff. I have watched your channel for a while now and always look forward to seeing what you are up to / keep up the good work !

Definitely loving the cab like view, gives a whole new feeling to enjoying model railways. 😊

Now THAT..... is COOOL! I've thought about acquiring one of those throttles, but it always looked like I had to run JMRI or some such thing to make it work. I think I'm another step closer to getting one now! 👍

I love this video. Man, I wish we could do something like this on my club's layout. Thank you, SMT For making this video.

This is incredible. I knew this existed but never that it worked that good. Nice job setting everything up.

Wow this turned out great, what an amazing idea. Nicely done SMT!

This is amazing!

That simulator is really something! Lorne James is such a good guy to include the extra cars and a great retailer to deal with. Harrison your new camera is such an improvement over your old Polaroid one. It really looks like one is in the cab of the train. I hope I win your giveaway. If I do the shipping will be dead simple!

Totally unbelievable!! But true. You have done a great job - showing that an imagination is an incredible asset to building a remarkable layout. Keep up the great work!

Blud really turned realistic mode on

This has gotta be one of the coolest projects SMT has ever done! I also like the new controller you got where you can change the speed from the different notches! And the BNSF AC44 there is a perfect example from Scaletrains to test out! They make really good stuff and hopefully in the future they make the actual 4723 lol

Microsoft Train Simulator BNSF 4723 vibes .... ahhh childhood ...

That's a sweet setup and will be a blast for years to come

Hey Harrison, this is a great video, a very worthwhile little project and most entertaining. Really nice Loco too.

it was so cool seeing the layouts like this, probably my favorite video in a year! keep up the good work!

We had tapes of the old Allen Keller video layout tours from Model Railroader. He would have loved something like this. 40 years ago, the technology wasn't there yet, but he somehow managed to do similar things with (what I presume) were bulky hand-held VHS cameras. BTW, those layouts are worth finding, as they are quite inspirational. (My 3 favorite: Allen McClelland's Virginian and Ohio, Chuck Hitchcock's Argentine Division, and David Barrow's Cat Mountain and Santa Fe.)

That is hilariously cool.

I've been watching you for a few years and this is by far the coolest video you've made. Keep up the good work. I enjoy your creative content.

Awesome video! Looks like a lot of fun playing a train simulator on your own layout!

looking great well done SMT Mainline enjoy what you do cheers from New Zealand

Great concept for a video, fun project! I will have to outfit some rolling stock to fit a camera. That engine is a beauty!

i had always wanted to see one of these proto controllers in action ever since learning they exist and being used to the little one knob digitrax controllers my local railroad club had, they seem really neat

14:38 opposite train coming best moment.... really scary

This is so cool Harrison! Thanks for making videos for me to watch. I got my mom to comment here since I’m only 10 years old but I am learning so much from your videos. Thanks so much!😊

I love to see you creativity really awesome Harrison!!!

Fantastic unique look at your layout! Keep up the great work 😊

Really cool, something like this wouldn't have crossed my mind before honestly. Now I'll definitely want cab looking controls for my layout once I build it.

Great idea! Getting that in-person perspective is really cool. I'm hoping you can incorporate this into future videos as well.

That is a really neat idea! Good way to use up some extra table space

Nice job Harrison! My dad watches you daily, and he even has an SMT shirt. We’ve been going through some rough times lately, but you’ve brought back his joy of trains. I just wanted to say thank you :)

This is some next level stuff. You may yet inspire me to set up a layout in my back yard shop. Thanks.

What a beauty!

This is just awesome

That was so awesome love the video quality great addition to the layout! Thanks for sharing

this is an awesome view of your layout. back when i had my n scale layout i put a hole in a box car and put a camera from a Wal-Mart drone in it. the quality wasn't that great, and circuit fried fairly quickly. this is a much better setup than i had. i really enjoy watching your videos. That loco would be a nice addition to my new H.O. scale layout I've been building.

Love this video. Always coming up with interesting ways to expand our hobby.

Very impressive! I turn 86 next month and watching this really makes me wish I was 20 again so I can have that kind of fun. Thank you for making my day!

Great video. I'm going to have to look into those cameras. And that's an awesome engine!

Hi Harrison this is a cool idea and I’m loving the Proto throttle. Have a happy summer up in Canada.

Great project and addition to your model railroad world!

Awesome Video

This is an amazing view of the layout. Thanks for sharing.

Love the car camera

Good job Harrison! I know I haven’t been here in a few years since I’ve been here, I kind of got out of the hobby but recently started again.

Great video! Definitely make more videos in the simulator view please, and keep up the fantastic work Harrison.

Oh thats sick! I found out about the proto throttles a while ago and always thought they were cool, but a bit pricey for me. I was wondering - would it be possible to take one apart and rebuild it into a steam loco cab? I think having a miniature regulator, reverser, whistle cord and brake stand would be sweet. Chuck in some valves for detail, an opening firebox door with some LEDs and you've got yourself the control system of a lifetime there. Great video - very cool to see something like this!

Nice work. I'm sure many of us have thought of doing something similar. I'd likely have done so by now if my layout was permanently set up. I'd seen the Protothrottle before, although I'd not thought to pair it with a camera and screen. However, I do happen to have a full size loco cab, so the thought to turn that into a simulator controller had occurred to me. Back in 2001, I'd thought of using it to control MS Train Simulator rather than a layout. It would be a lot of work though. I'm aware that using a full size cab to control a HO layout has actually been done though.

What a unique video!!!! I loved it!!! I just may want that for my layout. Thanks...very well done!!!

Awesome video! Although the link in the description doesn't work for me when trying to view the Wifi control module.

That's brilliant Harrison, going through the tunnels is so realistic, great video, karate Tim 🥋🙏♥️🇬🇧.

This. Is. So. COOL!!!!

Love it! That's a great new edition to the layout.

Hi Harrison, what a great idea and great video. What would be really great is that I could control the loco remote on your track, via the internet. Next level simulator.

Hey love your stuff, Apreciate the chance for the GEVO, would be fun to run with my old blue box BNSF Gevo

Your videos are always entertaining The View was awesome

Sweet simulator! Those scaletrains engines are awesome!

Looks great. Nice view of your layout.

Hey Harrison ima big fan of your train videos and I thought this one was really cool and I actually have been thinking of doing that on my N scale train layout well right now I’m building it right now so I thought that was really cool I have a CP es44ac so where can u get all of the Materials Can you get them on Amazon or no please let me know

So cool can’t wait to see what else you can do to make it even better.🙂

I watch the real trains that run thru my town of Douglass Kansas! Great video SMT!

Felt like I was watching a movie there for a second😂❤