Pittsburg & Shawmut switcher and caboose on the Happy Valley Railroad

Bruce, I'm glad to see you post again!  You are right, you needed the Pittsburg and Shamut diesel and caboose on the Happy Valley RR.  You did a fantastic job on them both!  They look great pictured in front of that wonderful rock wall you built!  It has been years since I repainted and decaled anything myself, and even with my cataracts removed, my vision really isn't what it used to be.

Bruce being a guy from the Burgh living in Penns Valley one ridge line from Happy Valley that is excellent work and a Well Done. I have several MTH Premier hoppers for the Pittsburg and Shawmut as part of my Western PA series of rolling stock and motive power.

Superb modeling!  JohnA

Bruce, that is really a beautiful locomotive and caboose you have.  Very nicely done, thanks for sharing.

Great job Bruce. Looks like it came out of the factory like that.

Bob

@Mark Boyce posted:

Bruce, I'm glad to see you post again!  You are right, you needed the Pittsburg and Shamut diesel and caboose on the Happy Valley RR.  You did a fantastic job on them both!  They look great pictured in front of that wonderful rock wall you built!  It has been years since I repainted and decaled anything myself, and even with my cataracts removed, my vision really isn't what it used to be.

Thank you, Mark! I have been working on the layout pretty consistently, but didn't feel like I had much to post about until I got the switcher and caboose back on the tracks. It's a relief that both of them still function just fine, since there was a lot of disassembly involved.

@RSJB18 posted:

Great job Bruce. Looks like it came out of the factory like that.

Bob

Thanks, Bob!

@J. Motts posted:

Bruce, that is really a beautiful locomotive and caboose you have.  Very nicely done, thanks for sharing.

Thank you! I have two grandsons (so far) and I get a lot of pleasure from bending the distinctions between realistic railroading and "playing with trains."

@RJT posted:

Bruce being a guy from the Burgh living in Penns Valley one ridge line from Happy Valley that is excellent work and a Well Done. I have several MTH Premier hoppers for the Pittsburg and Shawmut as part of my Western PA series of rolling stock and motive power.

Thanks, Rick. I sure miss State College. I will probably add some prototypical hoppers to my layout someday, but for now I'm acquiring a short string of operating coal dump cars, which I'll redo with Pittsburg and Shawmut decals. I restored a Lionel operating coal tower and my grandsons enjoy playing with it. BTW, I'll bet you're familiar with that beautiful Kinzua viaduct in northwestern PA--or at least it was beautiful before falling victim to a tornado. I used to visit the state park there with relatives back in the day.

Bruce, I know what you mean.  I took apart an HO steam engine years ago, and didn't have enough photographs to help me put it all back together correctly.  I had to get someone to do it for me.    I did okay upgrading a diesel to PS3 a couple years ago, however. 

Oh the Kinzua Viaduct.  I have some great photographs I took back in the early '80s.  I have not been back since the tornado however.

Purple and Silver Forever, from a Happy Atlantic Coast Line fan!

I seem to recall a Happy Valley HO layout back in the 60s.  Can anyone confirm this?

P.S. You did a fine job on your P&S models!

Great job.  Multi-color is difficult.    Atlas had done these diesels, usually a rare find.  I also did custom paints of the bicentennial paints.   The three Red and Yellow are Atlas, two with the same number.   Please excuse the Montour SW's, also western PA.

Three flag nose, as pictured above, by Atlas, was new from EMD, General Motors 1953.  Foggy head remembers (9)  SW9 units, with MU set-up .  The Montour RR. had a mix of SW9's and earlier SW7's

Bloody nose, that you modeled, was a late 1960's repaint.

Bicentennial Paint 1976/77.  The names were from a gun enthusiast, part of the railroad, at the time.

Trinity River:  Penn State University had a HO model railroad club located in the lower level of the Hetzel Union Building (HUB) back in the 70's.  Is this what you're referring to?

I grew up in Brockway, PA, just a few miles from the Shawmut Mines.  Just past the Brockway Glass Plant #1 was the hamlet of Dellwood, the dividing line between the P & S, and the PS & N.  It's good to see so many modelers interested in these railroads.

@Mike CT posted:

Great job.  Multi-color is difficult.    Atlas had done these diesels, usually a rare find.  I also did custom paints of the bicentennial paints.   The three Red and Yellow are Atlas, two with the same number.   Please excuse the Montour SW's, also western PA.

Three flag nose, as pictured above, by Atlas, was new from EMD, General Motors 1953.  Foggy head remembers (9)  SW9 units, with MU set-up .  The Montour RR. had a mix of SW9's and earlier SW7's

Blood nose, that you modeled, was a late 1960's repaint.

Bicentennial Paint 1976/77.  The names were from a gun enthusiast, part of the railroad, at the time.

Wow, you have a fabulous collection representing one small branch line. I'm familiar with the history of the line since my grandfather had so many cronies that worked at the Brookville Loco Works. It was a fun project, and I'm happy that I pulled it off with a Legacy switcher. They have such cool sounds and options for a rewarding amount of fun. I have some Atlas RS's that run great, even though they don't have the gee-whiz stuff. I'm remarking them as PRR. I'll share some more "after" photos soon.

Gads Tom, too many years have passed, however, I seem to recall the Happy Valley name used, perhaps in MR or RMC?

Better look at the original Atlas Pittsburg and Shawmut SW9's   Atlas did different handrails and step plates for MU'ed models.

I apologize, took me a while to find these pictures.  I have (Two) 233 models, the intention was to eventually make a 233 to 238.

Nice work Bruce, like the rock background that you made. Look forward to seeing more photos of your layout.

@Mike CT posted:

Better look at the original Atlas Pittsburg and Shawmut SW9's   Atlas did different handrails and step plates for MU'ed models.

I apologize, took me a while to find these pictures.  I have (Two) 233 models, the intention was to eventually make a 233 to 238.

Yep, the Atlas models are really nice, and there are some notable differences between my makeover and the prototypes. I still have some decals to add to mine, namely the hazard stripes along the catwalk. I took what the Lionel version gave me to work with, since I really do like the operating features of the Legacy line.

@t8afao posted:

Nice work Bruce, like the rock background that you made. Look forward to seeing more photos of your layout.

Thank you! I hope to post some short videos soon, too.

Atlas models are always nice!!   

Rick RJT and I were admiring a very nice looking MTH version at Mercer Junction Train Shoppe yesterday.  Rick, after I left what was your final decision on it?

@Mike CT posted:

Better look at the original Atlas Pittsburg and Shawmut SW9's   Atlas did different handrails and step plates for MU'ed models.

I apologize, took me a while to find these pictures.  I have (Two) 233 models, the intention was to eventually make a 233 to 238.

It's interesting to note some of the differences between the Atlas version and the real #236 pictured here. The Atlas SW9 has different lettering and cab side details, and a red versus black roof. There are probably similar differences in the MTH version. Some locos had red/yellow striping on the forward hood while others were solid red. The small fleet of switchers probably went through various repaints before they were done in the Bicentennial scheme in 1976.

Not for nothing but your scenery deserves a big thumbs up as well.

The MTH version has the red stripes.  I can’t remember how the railings, etc are.  The Bicentennial scheme is simple, but looks attractive.  I have only seen photographs of the prototype and models.  For the prototype, I wonder if cost/man hours available determine the differences

Discussions of what would sell, tend to be significant, when it comes to short-line Railroads.  IMO.  Bicentennial  paints, there are others, may not market well.  IMO, Mike CT.  Montour also had a Bicentennial paint.   

I think you are absolutely right, Mike!!

@Mark Boyce posted:

The MTH version has the red stripes.  I can’t remember how the railings, etc are.  The Bicentennial scheme is simple, but looks attractive.  I have only seen photographs of the prototype and models.  For the prototype, I wonder if cost/man hours available determine the differences

I definitely like the Bicentennial scheme on the P&S switchers, especially as that was the year I graduated from State College Area High School. We felt pretty special as members of that unique class, and a lot of us have maintained great connections over the years. One of my classmates was an NFL (and Super Bowl-winning) running back. I'll bet several of you from the area can answer that one.

Matt Suhey.  I graduated from Mars Area High School in 1974.  We didn’t have anyone who became rich and famous.  😄

Bruce,

As much as I like the paint job you did on the switchers (great job, BTW), I more interested in your rock work and trees on top. Please tell us more about that. One does not see angled strata modeled very often. I'm thinking various thicknesses of builders styrofoam?

Chris

LVHR

@Mark Boyce posted:

Atlas models are always nice!!   

Rick RJT and I were admiring a very nice looking MTH version at Mercer Junction Train Shoppe yesterday.  Rick, after I left what was your final decision on it?

You guys almost convinced me to buy that P&S model at Dave's shop this past Saturday, but the $ for that beauty (plus a good bit more) had to go to a couple of Ross 4-way switches and a double crossover for the yard area on the layout I'm building. Like so many others, I'm sure sorry to see Mercer Junction getting ready to close up shop.

I thought about buying it also before Rick or you arrived, Allan.  I am like you, I spent money on switches and an engine recently.  I was sad to see the store with so many empty shelves.  That was one great looking engine I am surprised was still there.

@lehighline posted:

Bruce,

As much as I like the paint job you did on the switchers (great job, BTW), I more interested in your rock work and trees on top. Please tell us more about that. One does not see angled strata modeled very often. I'm thinking various thicknesses of builders styrofoam?

Chris

LVHR

Thanks, Chris. Here's the link to my post about creating the "rock cut." The description starts with the 7th paragraph in the original post.

"Rock cut" backdrop on the HVRR