Operations | MOW work on the layout 

Oh wow, how important this maintenance is for checking track and any other items on your layout. Thank you for showing what things you should be doing. thanks again.

Thanks for showing how you approach this work. Keep the videos coming.

Maintenance of way is a great operation. I was very happy to see you put that on video. To me a lot of model railroading is about making repairs and keeping things In good working order. As of the keep alive I'm dying to see your video. I've got the information required to build my own keep alives! It'll be another thing trying to put them in. 😂 The unit that I'm making will represent the KA1. It claims to give about 6 to 20 seconds of power. That could be good that could be bad especially if you're trying to stop your train and you lose signal it might hit another train because the keep alive will keep your train going lol.😮 That's why I really enjoy watching you run your trains you run nice and slow.

Richmond: I know you don't want to hear this. However, I went the "other way" (insul-frogs). They are made for (and wired for) DCC, with something like a Frog Juicer required to feed them. None of my locomotives have keep/stay/whatever alives, and they never stall at a frog - not even my short wheel-base switchers, like my Atlas MP15. Dirty track is dirty track; none of us can avoid that, except we can minimize it with modern sprays. But, these Frog Juicers work great for me. If you ever replace your turnouts, I strongly suggest a separately wired frog type turnout with something like a Frog Juicer. I do not believe you will ever regret it. On a side note, you sure know how to weather rolling stock. You are very talented for that; as if you have an eye for it. Much obliged for what you give to the hobby.

Thanks for doing this, I just might build me a remote control shoving platform and add working strobe lights and ditch lights and don't add a current keeper and have it draw it's power from the track instead of being battery powered. Thanks for sharing with us!

You got a good crew on that train. Nice job.

New loco looks great. I’m always cleaning my track but never thought of running a mow train for it. I need to try that spray method on my switches. 😂 Enjoyed the vid as always!

I like the idea of carrying tools in the gondola car. Unfortunately I model in N scale and the gondolas are not big enough to carry stuff. Maybe a q tip. I could use an 85' flay car but my turn radii is not really big enough. Great method for finding problems before doing an ops session. Thanks for sharing!! Have a great day!!

6:20 "People saying that... the current keeper hides all the problems on the layout. Well, I mean, I guess that's really what it's for, right?" Right. You can either make those problems go away by having perfect track, or by slapping current keepers in your locomotives. But current keepers are an easy way to achieve something that used to be difficult, so a section of the population resents that.

Just keep the tracks clean and trouble free!! It's always nice to see our railroads run like clockwork. But there are those times when you show things off to others,that a problem will come up. Been there done that!

Have you tried the Woodland scenics Tidy Tracker? It's a good piece of kit. A lot easier than using a cotton bud, you can do both rails at once. Spray the contact cleaner onto the pads. Let's you apply more even pressure when cleaning. Did my track today with mine.

Great way to show some MOW work being done.

Loved this MOW train and the new weathering. Thanks for making my day!

I have Pecos too. Usually it’s the Points contact ends in the grooves where they make contact with the main rails. Because the Point Rails conduct up to the Pivots in the tie and then underneath the Jumpers carry it to the Frog rails. The engine weight on the Point Rails is flexing them, so if any dirt/Carbon between, it’s gonna cut out. You were right on track treating that Switch. I had to Juice my Frogs in my Yards to keep them reliable. Any where I do Slow moves.

What a great idea 😊 also you were correct when you said tires. Dunno if the US is the same as the UK but rail vehicles do actually have tires. 😀

The dodgy switch into Athearn and SW&S might just have had its centring spring come loose.

I would’ve signed up for some overtime to go out and work on track.😂 my road crossings usually cause me a bit of grief too. Great video!

Nice, helpful video. I couldn't tell if you did, but having the lights on would show dirty spots better than the locomotive stalling. Lights would flicker soonedr than a stall. Just experience speaking. Len

Hey Mr. Rick, I notice that you don't have a Turn Table, at leased not that I can see., I was wondering if you have a Y to turn locomotives around to face to out going trains when running a single locomotive?

Hey Rick nice job on your new engine. Got a new video for you to check out. Don't know if you want to go that route or not but check out on how to fix ho switch tracks on RU-vid.

Nice looking layout. What are the dimensions of it?