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Saturday, January 22, 2022

Neil Young's New Train Layout Underway in "South of California"

Neil Young's Train Layout Under Construction

 

Neil Young's new model train layout is Under Construction in "South of California", per a recent Times-Contrarian | NYA post.

From  Times-Contrarian | Neil Young Archives:

Now that I have settled with my soul-mate Daryl in the South of California where we see a lot of old friends, we are creating a new layout for all the kids young and old to meet and come together again! This time with lots of new grandchildren to play as well!

There will be a long highway built ‘round the edge to allow grandkids to play with their little diecast cars until they have learned how to carefully begin running the trains. The kid’s eyes are all at track level for the perfect perspective. Ain’t that great!!

...

Both these images show the terrain on only one side of the layout, the west end. The entire layout is divided by a canyon only partially visible in the top picture. In a while, when the layout is solid on both sides of the canyon, construction will advance to the track laying stage. I hope by summer to be surrounded by kids (of all ages) playing with the great old and new electric trains we have collected over the years. We will be bringing you progress reports right here at TRACKSIDE VIEWPOINT in the near future. Stay tuned folks. Watch for Trains!

Full article and photos on Times-Contrarian | Neil Young Archives:

As Neil mentions in his NYA post, he's a big "train nerd".  He worked with Lionel Trains in the 1990’s to create a control and sound system called TrainMaster and RailSounds.

More on  "train nerd" Neil Young and "Clyde Coil - 3 Rail World".

Neil Young w/ Model Trains
Camden, New Jersey, HORDE Tour - August 17, 1997
photo by thrasher

12 comments:

  1. This is so cool, so I wrote Neil a letter on Friday night to encourage him to document the process for a documentary film like Lincvolt. I love his passion for trains.

    Peace 🙏

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  2. Hoping that Neil doesn't leave any trains unattended down the "South of California". Especially if it's full of other people's stuff, that's a pretty risky thing to do these days.

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  3. So…I hate to be selfish, but does this “family interest” negate a summer or a fall tour? After watching the Barn documentary that was all I was thinking of! Then again, If Bruce gets Nils for his tour and with Poncho in retirement, I hope POTR are watching closely.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Off topic, but suggest you change your ad for preordering Rust Bucket album.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ Dan - great suggestion. Pls let us know if your LTE is published. We find it hard sometimes to keep up w/ all the LTE news, which is why we find Robert B's summaries so useful like this:

    http://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/2022/01/neil-young-archives-answer-to-answers-4.html

    Peace

    @ Richie - good point. Very curious how Neil writes: "South of California" as his new location? Vagueness to keep the roving fans at bay?

    When we 1st read "South of California", we thought Neil moved to Mexico?!

    @ Stills - not selfish at all given that everyone here wants an opp for one more Crazy Horse tour.

    #CrazyHorse4HOF

    @ Unknown - thanks for noticing and suggesting. Like so much, our Amazon revenue has plunged over the years. Just as well b/c we always hated to take away sales from local independent record stores.

    Maybe folks just aren't buying physical product like they used to? Or maybe everyone who does is shopping @ local independent record stores rather than support the AMZ beast?

    (Please shop locally & independently. But if you can't, we appreciate your supporting Thrasher's Wheat by clicking this link. Thank you!!!)

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  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. Southern California Brings Me Down AKA Old Maid (dhlovelife?)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdy7Lgogc1I

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  8. Don't know. Better than Barn? At least from the space available & the fun factor, too :)

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  9. Where is train site being built? Tour this year. Following Neil since the beginning. Conscious and talented Linda

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  10. When Neil says they settled in “the South of CA” I think he is kidding around and also being sensible. I am sure we are talking So Cal, and Neil is just hitting a chord when he says “the South.” “Does your conscience bother you? -Tell the Truth!” My answer is “I bloody well hope so!” (Re: Watergate break-in to DNC office by Nixon’s hoods. This was a time when a politician who was a crook might get forced out of office, or become willing to resign as in the British system (Down with Monarchy! And God Save the Queen” from answering for the untaxed offshore billions the UK Royals possess. The Brits love their monarchs so much they won’t even demand room and board for all. Not that we Americans have anything to say about “Bang for our Buck” - We forgot to demand health care for all like every other western nation has!

    @ Stills : For those who missed it, a tour is highly unlikely, at least until Neil figures out how to do it without food service done w/o immoral factory farm cruelty dropping Karma on your plate. And a Green Electric Bus. Hopefully you have gotten to see a few tours thus far.

    But with so much on the way, NYA vol 3, “Neil Claus” will continue to really deliver the goods in 2023.

    @ Thrasher : Your end of year tally gave me an appetite for NYA3 physical product. I hope Barefoot Floors does make the Snapshot in time disc; I am sure it will, as I recall this song, & fan questions about it, is what gave Neil the idea to do this anachronistic disc!

    I am stoked that Neil is creating a new railroad diorama train world, which also features small zero emission matchbox cars too.
    I take this as a very good sign. Grandpa Neil, Grandma, & the kiddos will have a lot of good times with that.

    @ Dan : Thanks for asking about the video record of Neil’s developing train world! The fans are interacting with Neil in ways that we never could in the past.

    @ All: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, hug a tree, open your Neil Young albums by the fire with loved ones. My Unboxing video will be forthcoming! I am kidding about that! But perhaps…. (It would give me free rent in someone’s head! Hahaha. All in good humor!

    Your Brother Alan in Seattle

    ReplyDelete
  11. When Neil says they settled in “the South of CA” I think he is kidding around and also being sensible. I am sure we are talking So Cal, and Neil is just hitting a chord when he says “the South.” “Does your conscience bother you? -Tell the Truth!” My answer is “I bloody well hope so!” (Re: Watergate break-in to DNC office by Nixon’s hoods. This was a time when a politician who was a crook might get forced out of office, or become willing to resign as in the British system (Down with Monarchy! And God Save the Queen” from answering for the untaxed offshore billions the UK Royals possess. The Brits love their monarchs so much they won’t even demand room and board for all. Not that we Americans have anything to say about “Bang for our Buck” - We forgot to demand health care for all like every other western nation has!

    @ Stills : For those who missed it, a tour is highly unlikely, at least until Neil figures out how to do it without food service done w/o immoral factory farm cruelty dropping Karma on your plate. And a Green Electric Bus. Hopefully you have gotten to see a few tours thus far.

    But with so much on the way, NYA vol 3, “Neil Claus” will continue to really deliver the goods in 2023.

    @ Thrasher : Your end of year tally gave me an appetite for NYA3 physical product. I hope Barefoot Floors does make the Snapshot in time disc; I am sure it will, as I recall this song, & fan questions about it, is what gave Neil the idea to do this anachronistic disc!

    I am stoked that Neil is creating a new railroad diorama train world, which also features small zero emission matchbox cars too.
    I take this as a very good sign. Grandpa Neil, Grandma, & the kiddos will have a lot of good times with that.

    @ Dan : Thanks for asking about the video record of Neil’s developing train world! The fans are interacting with Neil in ways that we never could in the past.

    @ All: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, hug a tree, open your Neil Young albums by the fire with loved ones. My Unboxing video will be forthcoming! I am kidding about that! But perhaps…. (It would give me free rent in someone’s head! Hahaha. All in good humor!

    Your Brother Alan in Seattle

    ReplyDelete

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