a picture a day....

@Randy Harrison posted:

@walt rapp

Walt:

Your daughter is quite creative. That is a REALLY good track plan!

Also, I am really enjoying your Christmas layouts retrospective. It reminds me of when I was young and helping my father design a different Christmas train display each year. Keep them coming.

Thanks Randy - she has another layout designed by her coming here soon, maybe tomorrow, one that she really enjoyed coming up with the ideas behind the track plan.

walt

"Up"count continues - my 15th Christmas layout .  Like the previous year's one, this one was designed for 2 train operation,

- walt

An evening shot of my small town shop scene.

Gene

FOR TODAY:  Great day to be at the lake.

I was gifted with this nice shelf unit this weekend by a friend so I figured it's time for some trains in my bedroom!

Big Elk, get the Remington out

@c.sam posted:

I was gifted with this nice shelf unit this weekend by a friend so I figured it's time for some trains in my bedroom!

Seems like a great  PLEASANT  DREAMS  inducer c.sam.😁😴😴😴

God speed sir.

My 16th Christmas Layout in my count "UP" to current. 

My daughter came up with this track plan.  She was only 10 at the time.  Her goal was to have the track design be like a smile.  I don't have a great picture to show that but if one knows that it's supposed to be a smile one can see it.  She did the 'scenery' too.

walt

Walt, your daughter did a very nice job on that layout!

@Sitka posted:

Big Elk, get the Remington out

I would get my Nikon with telephoto lens out. That’s the only way I would shoot that magnificent creature. But that’s me.

South Main Street at dusk...

FOR TODAY:  O Shay can you see!  ...  Bobby Chuck Carson drags his pallet without noticing the passing Shay locomotive pushing a train through Butler Junction.  Brakeman Horace "Crazy Legs" Atkins stands on the rear of the Shay's tender as if he were a soldier guarding Ft. Knox.  ... just another day on the railroad.

More of my count 'UP'.  My 17th Christmas Layout .  Just realized that I never took any good pictures of it so these are all that I have   My first ramp up to a 2nd level.

walt

The Shenandoah  Short Line’s Rail yard at night.

FOR TODAY:  A B&O GP 9 ( torpedo boat ) exits East Tunnel pulling a west bound commuter train, as passengers patiently wait on the platform.  Those passengers know that Free State Junction Railway trains always run on time ... just another day on the railroad.

My 18th Christmas Layout as my count "UP" continues.  Apologies about the blurriness but these are pictures of pictures.

walt

Pennsy switcher heading into the mountains.

The 2nd shift at the local brewery is going strong...

It's summer 1955 and the political season has started in earnest. President Eisenhower is hoping for a second term to continue to develop the National Highway Interstate System he had proposed in his first term. This immense project started him on a coast to coast barnstorm by rail to cities and towns, big and small, to sell his vision to the American people. Little did he realize at the time how this vision woul severly affect the nations railroads.

FOR TODAY:  "Children playing".  Charlie and Johnny, in their pedal cars are about to start a race.   Nancy Jo skips rope as Annie chooses which swing to ride.  Meanwhile sister Clara mows the lawn as Mom sweeps off the front porch.  

Looks Like these folks are going to spend the weekend at Lake Christopher in greater Patsburg.  Good times!  

Patrick those pedal cars are sweet!  Where did you get them?

Count 'UP' continues - my 19th Christmas Layout.

Sadly, no really good pictures of it.  Most of the images that I have are closeups of various scenes like the one shown here.  At least show most of the track plan though.

In the 2nd picture the 'big' white house on the right side is the first model that I made of my family's houses.  THis one is my parents' house in Port Vue.

This layout is prior to me moving all of my furniture out of the living room to create my Christmas layouts.  As you can see, I found a way to go around furniture.

walt

My brown bear going in for dinner

@coach joe posted:

Patrick those pedal cars are sweet!  Where did you get them?

Coach joe - I've had those pedal cars for a number of years now and don't remember exactly where I bought them.  My educated guess is from Scenic Express when they attended the York show.  Sorry I can't give your more detailed info.

@gandydancer1950 posted:

It's summer 1955 and the political season has started in earnest. President Eisenhower is hoping for a second term to continue to develop the National Highway Interstate System he had proposed in his first term. This immense project started him on a coast to coast barnstorm by rail to cities and towns, big and small, to sell his vision to the American people. Little did he realize at the time how this vision woul severly affect the nations railroads.

Ike, was on the inside track with GM, Ford, and Chrysler.  Also, Texaco, (Standard Oil, Rockefeller) and others that would do very well thanks to an interstate system...  It is always about the green stamps...💲💲💲😎

my 20th Christmas Layout in my count 'UP' series.

Still working around furniture.  This was the last year that I had that issue - starting with the next Christmas layout all furniture was moved to a spare room and my living room became my train room

This also marked the 'official' 1st annual Christmas Layout Family Train Party.

Once again, these are pictures of printed pictures, so not always clear.

walt

Fisherman getting in the way of some miners

Christmas Layout #21 in my count UP.

First year for removing all furniture from the living room and turning it into a train room for 3 months

walt

And just because I especially like this photo:

I hope I'm not boring everyone with my count "UP" - I say that because there aren't many other contributors to this thread.

Well, I'm not quite done yet.  THis is Christmas layout #22

- walt

growing up my Dad didn't do ground cover or even use any type of covering.  The items used for scenery here are those that my Dad always put on our family Christmas layout.  I just happen to be in possession of them now.  Even that 2343 (barely visible on the right) was the original family train bought in 1950- I designed this part of the layout to kind of mimic those early layouts.

FOR TODAY: "Goings on down at the tower".   First thing in the morning a Free State Junction Railway MOW carpenter is on the job repairing some rotted decking at the Butler Junction tower.  FSJR carpenter Mickey Dee kneels down and drives the last few nails into the newly installed decking.  Recent railroad retiree Olaf Goeke is at his usual place leaning on the railing at the bottom of the steps.  A man of endless "tales from the rails",  Olaf loves to reminisce about his years on the railroad.  Tower operator Cal Farley waves to some pretty gal ( out of photo ) walking by as signal man Jeeter Donavan holds his lamp to eye level as to check that it's working okay.  Someone should tell o'l Jeeter that it might be better to check the lamp after dark.   That there young feller with his hands in his pocket ... well that's me.  I just love hanging out at the railroad enjoying all the action, the suspense of not knowing what train will come down the rails next,  the variety  of characters that show up,  and the aroma of fresh creosote.   .... just another day on the railroad.

Walt, not boring at all!  What year was layout #1?

Pat, yes the smell of fresh creosote!  I didn't have a place to hang out where railroad character were.  Just a mainline with numerous trains running by.  I always got a wave from the engine and the caboose!!

No one seems to be interested in Zeek’s big catch of the day. They’re all looking for one of their own.

Ahhhh hungry black bear going in for breakfast.

FOR TODAY:  It's springtime so Fresh Up with 7 Up!   Back in the fall of 2010 when I attended York for the first time, this 7 Up rig was my very first purchase.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Walt, not boring at all!  What year was layout #1?

1974 was #1.  Thanks for the 'not boring' comment - I needed that.

Christmas layout #23 in my count"UP"

walt

@walt rapp posted:

1974 was #1.  Thanks for the 'not boring' comment - I needed that.

Christmas layout #23 in my count"UP"

walt

Walt, I love vintage layout photo and yours are great. You're so lucky to have them, I wish I had all of mine.

Walt, 1974; great!  That was my first year at Penn Tech in Pittsburgh after graduating from high school.  I had a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the basement with the layout I had been building since I was about 12.  It came down after I graduated, and it was a number of years before I could build one again.  No photographs. 

I don't have much in the way of scenery, but here is something new.  The Sanky Wanky Coffee Company has just been loaded with sacks and crates of coffee with none left on the dock.  It's time to turn off the lights, since everyone else has gone home.  The building is still under construction, but It doesn't look half bad in it's permanent location.

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Walt, I love vintage layout photo and yours are great. You're so lucky to have them, I wish I had all of mine.

Dave is so right, Walt!!  Keep posting them!  I wish I had some photographs of my layouts from the film days too.

@walt rapp posted:

1974 was #1.  Thanks for the 'not boring' comment - I needed that.

Christmas layout #23 in my count"UP"

walt

Walt, this is a layout that should be permeant'.. Are you kidding.. This is great...👍

I appreciate those wonderful comments about showing my Christmas layouts over time.

'48' - I get my train enjoyment each year  by coming up with new ideas .  Along with actually building them!  I never ever wanted a permanent layout.  If my fun came from running them or having realistic operations, I would.  But that's not my interest.

thanks again - walt