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PROGRESS ON THE IRONBOUND RR

IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Hi all... I'd like to introduce myself (new to this group) by inviting you to visit my O scale 2R "Ironbound RR". Patterned after the general "feeling" of 1950s-'60s-era railroading in the Ironbound section of Newark, NJ where I was born and raised (though I have been a Californian for more than 25 years now). It's an around-3-walls layout located in my garage. Modeling this era brings me back to my early years which I treasure. It's not a literal model of the area... the Ironbound is a fictional line which acts as a terminal line for the CNJ and PRR in the highly industrial area between Newark and Manhattan. No fancy name trains here, just nitty-gritty heavy railroading in O scale. I hope you will visit and perhaps let us know what you think:

http://trainutz.com/ironbound.shtml

Thanks for looking!

~Andy Romano

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Dewey TrogdonDewey TrogdonOGR Forum Member MEMORIALIZED MEMBER

Oh yeah, paint, dyes and chemicals---your Industrial setting is perfect. Worked there near Wilson Ave. and Amsterdam St. during the late '60s and most of the '70s. The East Ward was an interesting place to say the least. "Down Neck" and Ironbound,very skillful modeling of your home territory.

 

Just finished a quick tour---truly outstanding work.

Last edited by Dewey Trogdon
IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Thanks, Terry (and all you guys) for your kind comments, appreciated.
The little GE center-cab is a 45-ton "side-rod" switcher, a brass import offered by Rick Yoder a few years ago... but he may still have some? It pulls surprisingly well for its size.
 
~Andy
 
Originally Posted by EastonO:

By the way. Who made the 44 ton switcher?  Again, great visit and will be coming back. Terry

EastonOEastonOOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER
 
Originally Posted by Ironbound:
Thanks, Terry (and all you guys) for your kind comments, appreciated.
The little GE center-cab is a 45-ton "side-rod" switcher, a brass import offered by Rick Yoder a few years ago... but he may still have some? It pulls surprisingly well for its size.
 
~Andy
 
Originally Posted by EastonO:

By the way. Who made the 44 ton switcher?  Again, great visit and will be coming back. Terry

Thanks for the reply Andy. I have to laugh. Rich Yoder and I were emailing today in regards to a 44 ton switcher. I keep going back to look at your work! Again, it's fantastic! Thank you, Terry

IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Thanks, Mike!
 
The area you describe is rich with railroading for sure, some of which I included in the Ironbound. Deciding on what era to model is a challenge. With CSX and NJT it sounds like you're interested in a somewhat more contemporary era than my 1950-60 time period. That's nice. You can use some very big CSX power as well as catch the last hurrah of the old Pennsy/PC/CR/NJDOT GG1's. I guess it all depends on how much space you have to build a layout in. I wish I had more space to run some 80' streamlined passenger cars : ( ...but for now it's 60' heavyweights and shortened RDC's. That's a real cute child in your photo... I have a granddaughter about that age who loves to run grandpa's choo-choos ; )
 
~Andy 
 
Originally Posted by pitogo:

Hi Andy, welcome.  I've seen your layout website and the OST article long ago.  Ironbound area is great and your work models the idea nicely!

 

I'm looking into modeling an area just outside Jersey City, Kearney to Harrison and Newark.  CSX, Amtrak, PATH and NJTransit all in the same stretch.  

IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Wow, I'm humbled by your (and all the others') comments, willbacker. Thanks so much. I'll be 72 in a couple of weeks and at this age we can use all the encouragement we can get ; ) You are very kind.
~Andy
 
Originally Posted by willbacker45:

Andy...just incredible and truly an inspiration for us small layout 2 rail guys! Thank you for taking the time to share with us!

HJ Hudson J1eOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER

Andy,

I very much enjoyed seeing the photos of your layout. You did an excellent job building that railroad. I live about an hour from the area you are modeling and I agree that you really captured it extremely well. I was wondering where did you get that CNJ 2-8-0 Camelback and the CNJ baby face locomotives? And what is your minimum radius? You have given me some ideas for my future layout. Thanks for the inspiration.

IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Thanks so much Phil!
I'm glad my layout has some ideas you like.
 
The "CNJ 2-8-0 Camelback" is actually an old AHM IHB 0-8-0 which I kitbashed into the CNJ Camel. The "Babyface" is also kitbashed using a multitude of different parts but primarily using a P&D F7 body kit, Weaver FA frame and trucks, etc. Except for the new "loop" I recently added, the general curve radius is about 72" (I say "about" because the curves are all transitioned)... the loop is all the way down to 36" radius which still allows any B-B Diesel to get around it without any problem, and even my SD9 will do it, albeit with a little bit of drive-shaft chatter along the way. 60' passenger cars will also do it as long as I trim the end diaphragms – if they have 'em. Hope that helps : )
 
~Andy Romano
 
Originally Posted by Hudson J1e:

Andy,

I very much enjoyed seeing the photos of your layout. You did an excellent job building that railroad. I live about an hour from the area you are modeling and I agree that you really captured it extremely well. I was wondering where did you get that CNJ 2-8-0 Camelback and the CNJ baby face locomotives? And what is your minimum radius? You have given me some ideas for my future layout. Thanks for the inspiration.

Jay BeckhamJay BeckhamOGR Forum Member

Andy

I send you an email off site.  But I did have a question about your backdrops and figures maybe others were also interested.  Are you extensive backdrops photos or artwork?  The level of detail on the railroad isn't effected by the backdrops which seem to suggest more buildings without overpowering the 3D structures on the layout.

IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Jay,
I use backgrounds as an important element in trying to create the feeling of a busy industrial area of a big city. The backgrounds are a combination of photos and artwork. Sometimes the two are mixed as overlays. For example, a photo of a structure might be mounted on foam-core, then cut carefully as a silhouette and mounted about 1/2" forward of the actual art background, thus giving the sense of another layer of scene. I also make the farther background elements lean toward the bluish-less-color-saturated palette, somewhat more "soft" than the sharper elements which are supposed to be closer to the foreground - just the basic optical techniques used by artists. Some of the background elements are commercially available, others I create in PhotoShop and print on my large-format printer. But it's in a constant state of flux as I experiment with different things in trying to improve the over-all look of the layout. MY only frustration is in not having sufficient space for everything I'd like to incorporate in the layout : (
~Andy
Originally Posted by Jay Beckham:
Andy
I send you an email off site.  But I did have a question about your backdrops and figures maybe others were also interested.  Are you extensive backdrops photos or artwork?  The level of detail on the railroad isn't effected by the backdrops which seem to suggest more buildings without overpowering the 3D structures on the layout.
IronboundIronboundOGR Forum Member
Thank you very much, Allan.
I will keep in touch as new things develop on The Ironbound.
I have a stack of OGR issues, going all the way back to the old newsprint issues, which I enjoy perusing for entertainment. As a relative "newcomer" to O scale (about 10 or 12 years!) coming from HO, they help me understand the development of the hobby over time.
 
Keep up the fine work at OGR!
 
~Andy
 
Originally Posted by Allan Miller:

Definitely a first-class layout, Andy!  I wish we at OGR would have had a shot at featuring it first, but we can't win them all.  Do let me know if you make additions or changes to whatever was published earlier and we can certainly consider publishing a new feature.

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