Front End Friday

Well Hello F.E.F fans, yet another week has passed and this one was a "doozy" !  We have been more or less trapped in the house by heavy ice and frozen snow since last Friday...finally today it looks like it will get above freezing and melt a little.

Mark Strittmatter - compliments on your winter scenery.  The roads and hills as you have modeled them are incredibly realistic looking as if covered in snow and ice.  Wonderful job!

LeapinLarry...Glad you got that UP Rotary Plow on the way from Tenn...it needs to reach us here on the Leonardtown and Savannah (L&S) .  Today I am going to show you a few of the UP trains that are tied up on the L&S just waiting for you to clear the lines !!

First is our passenger queen with her consist ready to depart from the depot to Chicago as soon as the lines north are cleared.  Its the Lionel 2023 UP Alco PA from the 50th Anniversary Set.  Offered in this color scheme in '50-'51 .

Next is a short freight, just ready to move to the Port of Savannah once they get the switches unfrozen.  Power today (its a heavy consist) is dual Marx Alco S3 UP 1998 switchers ready to move down the line past Old Fort Jackson and deliver the goods to Savannah Wharf.

Of course we have our longer trip freight held up as well.  Here an older dual M10005 diesel consist has been pressed into service to move freight away from the Port and get it moving to market.  This is the Marx M10005 AA unit from 1948-1950.

Finally, our UP passengers leaving the south to return to Denver and the west are under the care of another but more recent M10005 Unit, she is pulling her articulated passenger consist and anxious to depart in order to remain OT.  She is resplendent in her Silver, red and blue livery, very appropriate for "Presidents Day".

Happy F.E.F everyone!  Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Don

Hudson's coming at you!

Cab forward

Scale ATSF Alco PA

SP cab forward

A PRR HH1 is passing some shops on the NCT's layout.  The Pennsy bought six N&W Y3s in 1943 and they were scrapped by 1949.

Looks like that 1949 Tucker is a bit close to the tracks.

That is a Lionel Y3 upgraded with 4 chuffs/rev (it is a mallet at speed).

@leapinlarry posted:

Fellows, when the Going gets Tuff, The tuff get Going, so help is on the way from middle Tennessee.  Happy Railroading Everyone

Any chance you could send that plow up to NE Pennsylvania, Larry??? We could really use it
Great pics as always, Larry!!!

@RSJB18 posted:

Back with another one. Just received this from a forum member.

Wow those New Haven Liverys Changed! Shes a beauty

@RSJB18 posted:

Lot's of RS-1's this week.
Patrick- that WT unit is sharp. That is a very BLUE engine!

@Strap Hanger- I will see your RS-1 and raise you with an RS-3

I’ll see your RS-1 and RS-3 and raise you an RS-11

@Apples55 posted:

I’ll see your RS-1 and RS-3 and raise you an RS-11

Pair of RS-11's.....YAHTZEE!!!!

@RSJB18 posted:

Pair of RS-11's.....YAHTZEE!!!!

I'm folding as the CEO has directed the completion of certain honey-do items. Pair of RS-11s takes the pot!

Great photos everyone, Larry I was just wondering if you have ever ran that outside in the snow, and if so does it really work?

Bob, Nice Pair!

Don McErlean, wow, it’s Fantastic Friday, We have had some real cold weather, and yes, this has been one unbelievable week all over the USA, Texas really got blind sided by the snow storm as did Tennessee, and wow, the Nor-Easter was horrific... This is why I got out the UP Snow Plow, to help clear all the tracks for your beautiful UP trains, Yes, they are all super nice sets. I like the Marx ones and of course the Lionel yellow set... However, our friend Mike g. asked if it has ever been tested in the snow, actually No. This would be a virgin run, Your guesses are as good as mine, Probably. (It’s never been ran, I just placed it on the track)   Happy Railroading Everyone

Some NYC action this front end Friday

@leapinlarry posted:

Don McErlean, wow, it’s Fantastic Friday, We have had some real cold weather, and yes, this has been one unbelievable week all over the USA, Texas really got blind sided by the snow storm as did Tennessee, and wow, the Nor-Easter was horrific... This is why I got out the UP Snow Plow, to help clear all the tracks for your beautiful UP trains, Yes, they are all super nice sets. I like the Marx ones and of course the Lionel yellow set... However, our friend Mike g. asked if it has ever been tested in the snow, actually No. This would be a virgin run, Your guesses are as good as mine, Probably. (It’s never been ran, I just placed it on the track)   Happy Railroading Everyone

Wow Larry, I would have thought you test run everything before they go on display! The reason I asked is I am thinking of either buying one or building one.

TrainDane, those sure are some sharp looking engines!

A pair of Rock Island Geeps pull a short freight by the Winear Junction station.

Here are some of my front ends,enjoy.

Happy FEF everyone!

here’s my photo for today:

                                                   Trainfam

Yay!  I get to kick off FEF this week!

My Tri-Rail GP40 crossing the bridge on my ceiling layout.

Happy FEF!

I was just about to do the same Kevin!

Three NW-2's this week
ATSF Lionel PW
C&O Lionel PWCS
PRR Williams

@Amfleet25124 posted:

Yay!  I get to kick off FEF this week!

My Tri-Rail GP40 crossing the bridge on my ceiling layout.

I’ve enjoyed seeing progress.  It’s been a long time coming.  Looking good!

End of the front kind for this fine Friday!

@trumpettrain posted:

End of the front kind for this fine Friday!

This is such an incredible shot. I hope you don’t mind I added some filters and made it sunset or morning lol

Happy FEF everyone!

here’s a Lionel 2020 turbine for today:

                                                      Trainfam

Hi F.E.F fans...although I showed a single picture of these guys last week, I wanted to include some additional pictures today.  This is my "new" , Marx dual 1998 UP Alco S3 switcher lash up.  Sometimes on the L&S we get a need to move a lot of cars from the wharf and our single switcher just does not have the power, so management has allowed us to use both our switchers in tandem to increase the HP we can bring to the job.

here they are:

Right now they are lashed up cab to cab but can be lashed up at either end.  Candidly I am not sure what actual RR practice would be with such a dual engine pair, input  from other folks on this thread with more knowledge of prototype operations would be most appreciated.

Showing off the front end to honor F.E.F here they are with their train passing the Savannah depot and on their way to the yards.

Little secret, Marx actually produced from the factory this switcher in BOTH powered and "dummy" versions.  However, the current price (ebay) of the dummy exceeds the price for the powered loco - which is not too unusual from a collector point of view because the dummy is likely much more scarce as they made fewer.  So L&S management (me) happened to have a 1998 UP with a motor so rusted up that it would never run again.  A "junk box" purchase at a train show awhile ago  with optimistic thoughts of repair that proved hopeless.  However the shell, frame, and wheels were rust free, how the motor got to the condition it was without visible damage to the rest of the loco remains a mystery to me.   A mornings work removing the motor and gear train to free up the wheels and I created my own "dummy" at no extra cost (lol).

Happy F.E.F everyone.

Don

For your FEF viewing pleasure my 1990 JC Penny uncatalogued No 8813 Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range SD-18.  

Happy Friday everyone. How about a White Worm for this Friday. Enjoy your weekend.

@SLQ32 posted:

This is such an incredible shot. I hope you don’t mind I added some filters and made it sunset or morning lol

SLQ32 - I LOVE IT!!!!  Thanks for your creativity!

Have a great FEF...🚂😉😺

Happy Front End Friday!

@Rich Wiemann posted:

For your FEF viewing pleasure my 1990 JC Penny uncatalogued No 8813 Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range SD-18.  

WHOOP! be still my heart, very nice, like I'm up Nort, eh!

Riding the Miami Metrorail at Government Center Station this morning to take part in "Bike To Work Day" from the University of Miami to Downtown Miami.

So I'm doing a train & bike round trip 👍🏾

Happy Front End Friday!!!

                                                                                                        EL S-4

Happy Friday everyone. A very cold day in Dupo Illinois

Western Maryland Scenic 734 in a previous life:

Rusty

Happy FEF!

ALCO Parking

Bob

VLi Brazil

B & O GP7 , RS1