Several additional locomotives custom built by Frank Miller

very nice Ed. thank you.

I've had the pleasure of meeting Frank Miller, a very pleasant fellow.

I can certainly appreciate all these beauties, but Geez Ed, take it easy on us will ya....

Thanks as always for a some great Pennsy.

Bob

Keystoned Ed posted:

The model will play a key role in my operating scheme hauling the 3 car passenger train (de-powered Brill combine, ex PRR BM62 RPO, Supplee milk tank car) between Bedford, PA and the PRR interchange at Huntingdon, PA.

Ed,

Is this the de-powered Brill combine?

Wow 44 engines thats impressive, was this the fellow who had a large O scale layout based on the "Delta Lines", I believe was in Bucks Cty Pa and was part of a layout tour I was on from an O scale meet back in the day ? [ I am dating myself]

here is another model built by Frank Miller. A Western Maryland class H7

You're right Marty - that is the combine which ran on the H&BT daily to Huntingdon.  Here is a shot of the train pulled by H&BT # 37's Baldwin twin #38 on it's northbound run from Bedford to Huntingdon. 

#38 is currently owned by the Everett Railroad and hopefully will be running again someday-  for info see Everett RR #38 .  

Following a wreck in 1947 H&BT shop forces chopped the cab off the baggage end of doodlebug #27 and removed the engine and power truck making it a combine.  It served for 7 more years as H&BT's sole revenue passenger car.  After the demise of the H&BT in 1954 the car passed through several hands and today rests in an upstate NY museum.  I was able to obtain several drawings and photos of  the rebuilt car and am patiently waiting in Malcom's (Brother Love) queue for building an O scale model of it.   

In the train photo note the Supplee milk tank car.  Supplee operated creameries in Bedford and Huntingdon PA.  Daily a wood side milk tank car was picked up at each creamery and hauled to the Pennsy station at Huntingdon where the cars were coupled to the end of a PRR secondary train for the run to Supplee's Philadelphia dairy.  At stages during the journey Supplee milk cars could be found behind H&BT 2-8-0's, PRR K4's& T1's, and  even GG1's.

 Below is a photo of two Supplee milk tank cars detailed by Lee Turner - one Lionel and one Overland.  Using cut out lettering provided by the late Bob Brown, he was able to simulate the enameled steel lettering on the prototypes.

Using much "selective compression" I'm attempting to model the last leg of the H&BT run to Huntingdon and it's meet with a K4s hauled 6 car local passenger train.  The intent is to provide for some interesting operating session passenger train switching at the Huntingdon station.  The short passenger trains should contrast nicely with run throughs by the far longer streamlined Blue Ribbon Fleet and a 20 car mail and express train.

HiBar - Frank Miller indeed  was the fellow who's layout you visited in Bucks County.  I seem to recall the railroad being featured in one of the legacy O scale magazines.  Frank's railroad was strongly influenced by Ellison's Delta Lines, but was quite a bit larger and more complex.  In talking with Frank I've learned not to say he copied the Delta Lines!  Frank is now in his mid 80's and though he no longer has a railroad, he remains actively involved in building O scale models.  Quite a few O scalers in the mid-Atlantic region are fortunate to have locomotives built by Frank -  with their rugged construction they will be running long after we're gone.  To my mind they are in the same league as Joe Fischer built passenger cars.

Keystoned Ed posted:

You're right Marty - that is the combine which ran on the H&BT daily to Huntingdon. 

I was able to obtain several drawings and photos of  the rebuilt car and am patiently waiting in Malcom's (Brother Love) queue for building an O scale model of it.   throughs.

I might be able to scrounge up the trucks or at least the sideframes you need for that car since the H&BT kept the original ones that came from Brill - got any idea of what the wheelbase was on those?

I might even have them in resin.....

Martin - According to my drawings of the rebuilt car the truck wheelbase on the baggage end was 8', and on the coach end 7' 9".  To my eye it's hard to see the 3" difference.  I have a PSC lost wax 6'6" wheelbase Brill prototype truck kit.  Though far shorter than those under H&BT #27, the side frames are quite similar in construction.  One idea I was mulling was to cut the PSC side frame  castings, lengthen the horizontal members, and use them as masters for correct length side frames cast in resin.  It sure would save a lot of trouble if you had some closer to the prototype length.  Here are photos of the trucks taken at the museum.  For interest I've attached a photo of the car's interior.

I'll have to look and see what's stashed away.  Hard to get traction trucks and parts now....although asking Quentin specifically for a pair (CS-207, still a bit short) for a trailer car might meet with some success.

Very nice thread all around!

Very interesting thread on a shortline and its rolling stock.  

If anyone needs a little light reading:

From Coal to Glory: The History of the Huntingdon & Broad Top Mountain Railroad, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 by Baughman &Morgan should suffice to cure most mild cases of insomnia...

Thanks Ed for taking the time to post all of this!

Ed thanks for posting. nothing better  than custom built locomotives

David e also thanks for posting that pic what a super locomotive.

I was also going to suggest to check with Q-Car for the longer sideframes

In addition to the WM H7 (picture posted by Dave), I had Frank build a WM K2 Pacific several years earlier.  No 201 was one of four K2s converted to oil as a means of complying with the Baltimore smoke ordinance.  Frank also built a coal burning version of the K2 for Per Vendelboe in Denmark.

As an aside, the unique WM high window passenger cars were produced by Basil Varnum, a resident of Gedlins, Nottingham UK.  Basil drew the plans from which photoengraved sides and ends were made.  He sold the cars, either as kits or built up.  All we had to do was paint the cars and add interior details.  Those of us who model the Western Maryland in O scale really owe him a lot of gratitude.   

Well apparently, my attempt to post pictures didn't take.  I will have to figure this one out later.

maybe I can help Wes.