a picture a day....

@walt rapp posted:

Yep Joe, that's where I first learned about them too.  "Thanks Jim"!  Luckily I was still a member of the TCA and was going to twice a year York back then.  There was a vendor there that sold them for 50 cents each.  Had a big container and we had to sort thru looking for what we wanted.  Many were repeats from prior years but there were always many new ones each show too.

- walt

Thanks, Walt and Joe.

My Homies have never been the same since Rich Melvin visited the layout to shoot video for one of the OGR Layout Video DVDs. They welcomed Rich as one of their own (sorry,Rich ), and even had their own big red carpet event when the video premiered.

So be careful not to boost their egos too much. It will definitely swell their already big heads!!!

Jim

My daughter and granddaughter came over Monday which is always a pleasure where they live about 4 hours from me. She always shows interest to see the trains and this time she was using the new Base/Cab 3. At one point she had 2 trains running and switching a 3rd. All a good time!

Gene

Gene, your granddaughter really looks interested in running trains!  😊

@Mark Boyce posted:

Gene, your granddaughter really looks interested in running trains!  😊

Thanks Mark, she certainly is focused, especially learning the basics of the new program.

Gene

@Genemed posted:

Thanks Mark, she certainly is focused, especially learning the basics of the new program.

Gene

Lionel got it right to attract the younger generations, remotes, apps, programming,  Microprocessors definitely get their attention.

@Jim Policastro posted:

Thanks, Walt and Joe.

My Homies have never been the same since Rich Melvin visited the layout to shoot video for one of the OGR Layout Video DVDs. They welcomed Rich as one of their own (sorry,Rich ), and even had their own big red carpet event when the video premiered.

So be careful not to boost their egos too much. It will definitely swell their already big heads!!!

Jim

I am so glad that you have such a great photographic record of your layout Jim.  Seeing pictures of it here is always a hi-light for me.

@Genemed posted:

My daughter and granddaughter came over Monday which is always a pleasure where they live about 4 hours from me. She always shows interest to see the trains and this time she was using the new Base/Cab 3. At one point she had 2 trains running and switching a 3rd. All a good time!

Gene

How glorious!!!!  Your granddaughter looks totally in the moment enjoying the railroad empire before her!!   Who needs a cell phone and virtual reality when you can operate a game ( if you will ) in total reality!!!  AWESOME!!!!

@trumpettrain posted:

How glorious!!!!  Your granddaughter looks totally in the moment enjoying the railroad empire before her!!   Who needs a cell phone and virtual reality when you can operate a game ( if you will ) in total reality!!!  AWESOME!!!!

Thank you Patrick, it was so cool to see how well she picked up on the engine and switch roster to work the trains. A couple years ago she would always want to play the drums when she came over, now it’s all about the trains. Before the Base 3, it was one train at a time. Now, she was in awe being able to run multiple engines.

Gene

I thought I'd do one more showing kids enjoying trains.

My grandson, with my son helping, enjoying his singing voice coming out of an engine on the layout using the most fun option for kids in the DCS world.  They never tire of hearing themselves.

- walt

Just before sunrise this morning by the South Main Street crossing, with the big city to the north coming to life...

FOR TODAY:  Potential high voltage first requires heavy lifting.   Foreman Spoo Snurdley stands on the the deck of the flatbed trailer overseeing the entire operation as his unloading crew gives directions to the BIG HOOK operator from  the depressed center flat car.  These fellers got  themselves not one .. but two..  huge transformers to unload today!   .... "just another day on the railroad!"

@walt rapp posted:

I thought I'd do one more showing kids enjoying trains.

My grandson, with my son helping, enjoying his singing voice coming out of an engine on the layout using the most fun option for kids in the DCS world.  They never tire of hearing themselves.

- walt

Wow Walt, your son didn't fall to far from the apple tree.. Nice picture'..

Patrick posted nice photos of his new B&O President Harrison awhile back operating in and around Patsburg. Something about that locomotive really appeals to me so I started looking for one.  Found her here on the Forum last week and she arrived today! What a handsome rascal  :-)

Indeed in a very nice looking 4-6-2.. Enjoy'..

Enjoying a summer night on the porch overlooking Sunset Farm...

well, since I didn't get chastised for showing my son and grandson, here's one of me and 2 of my granddaughters .  the one closest to me is operating the crane.

- walt

@c.sam posted:

Patrick posted nice photos of his new B&O President Harrison awhile back operating in and around Patsburg. Something about that locomotive really appeals to me so I started looking for one.  Found her here on the Forum last week and she arrived today! What a handsome rascal  :-)

The color scheme of that engine makes one wonder which side did the B&O support in the Civil War?

@coach joe posted:

The color scheme of that engine makes one wonder which side did the B&O support in the Civil War?

Considering the 4-6-2 Pacific President Harrsion and the Diesel in the photo below were both built long after the War Between the States was over, it is my suspicion that those colors were just the B&O's color scheme, so the colors and their selection had no political influence behind them.

@Randy Harrison posted:

Considering the 4-6-2 Pacific President Harrsion and the Diesel in the photo below were both built long after the War Between the States was over, it is my suspicion that those colors were just the B&O's color scheme, so the colors and their selection had no political influence behind them.

I agree Randy ... not political.     The B&O paint scheme of the blue, gray , black, and gold stripe, as I recall,  was created during the 1930s by Otto Kuhler for B&O's Royal Blue Passenger train.  Kuhler designed the iconic steam locomotive with the bullet nose for that train as well.    Kuhler also created the B&O round logo.

I believe the Texas and Pacific Railroad had a color scheme/livery that was very similar to the B&O.  I'm not sure of the designer of the T&P scheme though.  

IMHO the B&O livery as created by Kuhler is one of the most handsome designs to be adorned by a passenger train/diesel locomotive.  

@trumpettrain posted:

I agree Randy ... not political.     The B&O paint scheme of the blue, gray , black, and gold stripe, as I recall,  was created during the 1930s by Otto Kuhler for B&O's Royal Blue Passenger train.  Kuhler designed the iconic steam locomotive with the bullet nose for that train as well.    Kuhler also created the B&O round logo.

I believe the Texas and Pacific Railroad had a color scheme/livery that was very similar to the B&O.  I'm not sure of the designer of the T&P scheme though.  

IMHO the B&O livery as created by Kuhler is one of the most handsome designs to be adorned by a passenger train/diesel locomotive.  

Pat:

Though I am an obsessive PRR fan, I also think that the B&O Royal Blue livery is one of, if not the most beautiful and classy design in American railroad colors!!!!!!

Well guys, Baltimore is in Md and the "O" stands for Ohio.  In the civil war, Ohio supported the Union and Maryland, as a border state, had mixed loyalties however it did not succeed.  So I guess the B&O would have favored the Union.  However I seriously doubt that by the time that color scheme was designed and put on the locomotives the Civil war was well over and its unlikely it had any political context.

Don

I don't know why the Civil War comment ran through my mind while looking at Randy's Pacific, especially since Patrick had previously posted pictures of a similar if not the same Pacific.  I had the same thought about the "timeline", the Pacific being a 20th Century loco, as I typed my comment hence the smiley face.  Maybe as Don stated Maryland being a border state triggered thoughts of "sitting on the fence".

Either way it is a very handsome paint scheme.  I appreciate the colors of railroading even when it comes to steamers, only 1/3 of my steamers wear drab utilitarian black.

@coach joe posted:

Either way it is a very handsome paint scheme.  I appreciate the colors of railroading even when it comes to steamers, only 1/3 of my steamers wear drab utilitarian black.

Only a third?  That's interesting Coach - We'd certainly like to see them. Can you post pics of some examples of your 'drab utilitarian black steamers?     Hmmmm...  that could perhaps be the subject of a new sub thread!  Lol*

* PS   I just started one - 'Show us your non-black steam roster'

The "Chief" pulls into the North Main Street station...

FOR TODAY:  Electrics of the Pennsylvania Railroad.  

P5a modified

The iconic GG1

@coach joe posted:

I don't know why the Civil War comment ran through my mind while looking at Randy's Pacific, especially since Patrick had previously posted pictures of a similar if not the same Pacific.  I had the same thought about the "timeline", the Pacific being a 20th Century loco, as I typed my comment hence the smiley face.  Maybe as Don stated Maryland being a border state triggered thoughts of "sitting on the fence".

Either way it is a very handsome paint scheme.  I appreciate the colors of railroading even when it comes to steamers, only 1/3 of my steamers wear drab utilitarian black.

never understood the B&O as PA is right in the middle of Ohio and Maryland'..

@c.sam posted:

Only a third?  That's interesting Coach - We'd certainly like to see them. Can you post pics of some examples of your 'drab utilitarian black steamers?     Hmmmm...  that could perhaps be the subject of a new sub thread!  Lol*

* PS   I just started one - 'Show us your non-black steam roster'

I better get started taking some better pictures of my steamers utilitarian black and otherwise.

A trestle that I made.  Sadly it's for 27" curves which are all that I had "back then".  I really regret now that I didn't have bigger curves because that's what I use nowadays.

- walt

Last minute preparations before moving out...

@Capetrainman posted:

Last minute preparations before moving out...

Very nice shot Paul'.. Just number board and running lights on.. very cool'..

FOR TODAY:   OL' Jasper Loggins, the tower operator  was just commenting to lever man Mick Johns " There's a whole world of activity goins on around here for a Mondee.  This mornin they's ah unloadin logs with a the big hook onto big Ol' Mack B tractor trailer.  Now there's a whole cadre of freight spewed out all over tarnation  just ah waitin to picked up by customers.  All the years I've workin here at this tower I've never been bored and that there's a fact too!"

Wow, there’s been a lot of beautiful pictures posted since I’ve had a chance to review this awesome thread, but here’s a comparison of a VisionLine Big Boy and an MTH One Gauge Big Boy…. Happy Railroading Everyone

@leapinlarry posted:

Wow, there’s been a lot of beautiful pictures posted since I’ve had a chance to review this awesome thread, but here’s a comparison of a VisionLine Big Boy and an MTH One Gauge Big Boy…. Happy Railroading Everyone

Larry, for those not familiar with One Gauge, it's a proximately 1/32 scale. Sure is a good looking steamer'..

This was my first attempt at setting up a "car show", as meager as it was, on one of my Christmas layouts.  But it did have unusual pieces on display.

- walt

Picinic in the park.

Following up on @Dave Ripp. Playground at the drive-in

- walt

My playground with trolley station.

@pennsyfan posted:

My playground with trolley station.

@pennsyfan

Bob:

Your playground scene is outstanding!!!! The animation is superb! Did you design the animated playground devices yourself? Also, I love your trolly stop shelter. Is that a scratch-build? If so, it is a prime candidate for a future Weathering Wednesday (or even today's edition).

@Randy Harrison posted:

@pennsyfan

Bob:

Your playground scene is outstanding!!!! The animation is superb! Did you design the animated playground devices yourself? Also, I love your trolly stop shelter. Is that a scratch-build? If so, it is a prime candidate for a future Weathering Wednesday (or even today's edition).

Thanks Randy, the animations are Lionel products. What I did to improve them IMHO was making them level with the table. If they are used right out of the box they would be about 1’ above the ground. I couldn’t imagine the little tykes climbing up the wall. Making a mound would take more room than I had. So I cut  a hole in the table and suspended the cut piece with long butterfly anchors.  This enabled leveling them without much trouble. I taped the seams and then used ground cover to complete the scene. At your suggestion I’ll write up the trolley station and other buildings.

changing themes, this is from one of my earlier Christmas layouts.  That house is a model that I made of my parents' house in Port Vue where I grew up

- walt