Trackside Thursday

Well this shows about all the "trackside" I have on my small layout.  So I am going to assume its Ok for today's post!!

Best Wishes

Don

Well its lunch time in Small Town on the Leonardtown and Savannah and folks are heading to McDonald s for a burger.  It appears that we have some NASA lunchtime visitors from "out of town" stopping by on their way to ???? (the Moon?)

Best Wishes Don

Trackside for this fine Thursday!  

MOW crewman Ron Wicks  arrives at the MOW siding.

School's out ...  Chucky and his bike can always be found at the rail yard.  

I have neglected to post here for some weeks.  Here is a shot of "small town planning".

Not exactly track"side", but one scene from one of my Christmas Layouts

- walt

the target

Happy landing, Walt!!

Our favorite family vacation site!  The Boardwalk, not the Psychiatrist, although I could probably use one from time to time when the layout drives me nuts!

The 3D printing Boardwalk sign was produced by FLRailroaddog.com.  Jorge built it from a pic I sent him.

@ToledoEd posted:

Our favorite family vacation site!  The Boardwalk, not the Psychiatrist, although I could probably use one from time to time when the layout drives me nuts!

The 3D printing Boardwalk sign was produced by FLRailroaddog.com.  Jorge built it from a pic I sent him.

Ocean City MD.. Great spot Ed'.. The sign looks great'...

Plasticville Frosty Bar with a lighted ice cream cone on the roof bringing in families for a cone treat.

Charlie

Charlie I’ll see your vanilla cone and raise you a spinning vanilla and chocolate cone.

@pennsyfan posted:

Charlie I’ll see your vanilla cone and raise you a spinning vanilla and chocolate cone.

@pennsyfan - did you make or buy that?  I've never seen one of those.

- walt

@walt rapp posted:

@pennsyfan - did you make or buy that?  I've never seen one of those.

- walt

Walt it’s a reworked Kline frosty bar. Dairy Doll was the store in my neighborhood growing up. I repainted the Frosty Bar, installed a carvel backdrop to hide the motor that I hung from the roof. Installed lighting. The cone is a Dariy Queen Whistle that I painted the chocolate stripes on. I mounted the cone on the shaft. Added people and kids on bikes to represent my friends and I.

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Ocean City MD.. Great spot Ed'.. The sign looks great'...

Thanks Ted. Yes it is.  Much to do, great eats...and a relaxing time.

King, the freight station dog, keeps guard on the goods left on the station platform while the crew is at lunch.  He has his own house and watches all day and all night.  He is also a big friend with the local kids and gentle with them but if you try to take anything from the platform...watch out!

Best Wishes, Don

the local park is hosting a free band concert today.  the park is full of enthusiasts.

Refreshments can be had.  Medical help if needed.  Cookie statue  and clowns and balloons for the kids' amusement.

being filmed for the 6:00 news.

- walt

Digger O’Dell is preparing another grave at the parish graveyard. That hearse is from my longtime friend’s FP.

Coal worker having some joe.

@Sitka posted:

Coal worker having some joe.

That looks like a great idea!  I think I’ll do the same! ☕️

Pizza being delivered to the Stump household.  Evening paper too.  Somebody's gotta do that "other" job, right?

- walt

Well folks, Thursday's a working day and at General Sash and Door they are very busy converting the production from "summer" screen and porch doors over to solid wood "winter" storm doors.  Takes a lot more wood to fashion these solid doors as opposed to the "picture frame" screen doors so popular in Summer so lots of material on its way in.  The Yard crane is ready and the parking lot is crowded with shift workers and suppliers making sure that production continues without a halt.

Best Wishes Thursday friends

Don

Trackside for this fine Thursday!  "The mail is being transferred from RPO car to US Mail contractor's trucks and vice versa."  

Horse holding up passenger trains

Lots of Thursday Eve shoppers at the Made In The USA Store.

@Sitka posted:

Horse holding up passenger trains

Is that Jesse James’ horse?😱

Painting the house.

this is a model that I made of my parents' house (where I grew up) in Port Vue, PA.  I actually did paint that house TWICE!!

- walt

@pennsyfan posted:

Is that Jesse James’ horse?😱

Matt Dillion Gun Smoke

Walt your Port Vue house looks great!

Well it looks like I'm starting off this Thursday, OK so here is the scene...by the big clock its near 0900 and one of the morning commuter trains is due soon, so folks are beginning to gather at the Small Town station and on the platform in the back.  Its right next store to the McDonald's so everyone has their coffee and a breakfast sandwich if they want it.  Its only about a 20 minute ride to the downtown so no "big breakfast" on this train.  There is the morning Cardinal Bird (in Texas they call them "red birds" and by myth they are supposedly good luck and announce the presence of Angels) sitting on the roof of the covered bridge in the background, just hoping someone drops or throws away part of that breakfast sandwich.

Happy T.S.Thur everyone.  Best Wishes

Don

A rail fan caught two Pennsy Turbines in a race

Trackside for this fine Thursday:  Midnight crew change.

@Don McErlean, Don, thanks for starting Trackside Thursday, and your tinplate station is so original as is Ronald McDonald looking on…. I’m sure the train will arrive on time every time…. Here’s a couple or so pictures of my trackside offerings. Happy Railroading Everyone

The Engineer spots two cars at the warehouse while the brakeman controls the traffic.

@leapinlarry- Hey friend, your 115 station looks good too!  Thanks for the comment.  Best Wishes, your friend Don

Logging, trackside, up at Soap Creek Pass.

from one of m6y Christmas layouts.   These are just 2 of the family members' houses that I made models of.  The one on the left is my parents' and the one on the right is my brother's.

Pittsburghers will surely recognize the Circle W sign that used to be on the North Side.  I'm kinda proud of it because Chris wanted to model it but gave up for lack of info.  I did a bunch of research, sent it to Chris, he then made the sign, and gave me this one as a Thank You gift.  He did a really nice job animating it like the real sign.

- walt

@pennsyfan - OH! that beautiful '48 (49-50?) Cadillac sedan might get a stone chip from the ballast rocks thrown up by the train, that fellow should back up!

@walt rapp - I don't know what "Circle W" was (although I can guess) but the blue sign is really cool!

Don

@Don McErlean It was a Westinghouse sign, which you might remember was a company founded and based in Pittsburgh.  It was a rather well-known landmark at the time.

Thanks for noticing it.

- walt

Don, you are right about the driver of the nice Caddy!  I certainly recall the Circle W living 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.  My voltmeter car has the Westinghouse Circle W and blue.

@walt rapp and @Mark Boyce -  Thanks fellows!  I most certainly remember Westinghouse and the "Circle W" logo, I just didn't connect it with the sign.

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

@pennsyfan - OH! that beautiful '48 (49-50?) Cadillac sedan might get a stone chip from the ballast rocks thrown up by the train, that fellow should back up!

@walt rapp - I don't know what "Circle W" was (although I can guess) but the blue sign is really cool!

Don

Don,

Mr. Merola appreciates your concern about his car. He’ll tell Tiny to be more careful; but actually that train was only moving about 1 MPH. The siding is only 2 cars long.

Trackside Thursday August 22

After reading Trumpettrains post to Arnold Cribari "Next you should acquire an old theatre with the a marque that reads " Now Appearing! Singer Songwriter Arnold Cribari!!"" I went to the archives for this week. I have names of family and friends on many structures on my layout. For one of my friends that among other things is a playwright; I used the Walthers Palace Theatre to honor him.

A few years later my Grandson cut his first record; so I changed it to honor him.

Then my Granddaughter was in a ballet performance; so I changed it yet again.

Now you don't need the whole Walthers building; Miller Engineering offers a marquee that can be put on any building.

@pennsyfan posted:

Don,

Mr. Merola appreciates your concern about his car. He’ll tell Tiny to be more careful; but actually that train was only moving about 1 MPH. The siding is only 2 cars long.

Bob, I’m glad you gave us some more clarification on the scene with Mr. Merida, Caddy!  All is swell!

@pennsyfan posted:

Trackside Thursday August 22

After reading Trumpettrains post to Arnold Cribari "Next you should acquire an old theatre with the a marque that reads " Now Appearing! Singer Songwriter Arnold Cribari!!"" I went to the archives for this week. I have names of family and friends on many structures on my layout. For one of my friends that among other things is a playwright; I used the Walthers Palace Theatre to honor him.

A few years later my Grandson cut his first record; so I changed it to honor him.

Then my Granddaughter was in a ballet performance; so I changed it yet again.

Now you don't need the whole Walthers building; Miller Engineering offers a marquee that can be put on any building.

Congratulations to your grandson and granddaughter!  I could do the same for our youngest daughter who sang for 6 years with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.  I could list her as a soloist.  The Walthers and ME marquees are a but overstated for my 1950s coal mining town.  Ah, another project to scratch build. 🤦‍♂️

Here's two trackside shots for this fine Thursday!  

Helpers pushing on a freight train.

Helpers being cut off.   Brakeman Lenny Singleton is about to signal the engineers to back up.

From a Christmas Layout 2 years back

- walt

Hobo Ron going to meet up with his buds for a brew

@pennsyfan posted:

Trackside Thursday August

Nice work  ( play ) going on with this Bob. 👍

Don't know why grownups ( ? )  gave up  the word PLAY and inserted  the word WORK. 🙃  [ maybe lost along the aging process some of the enjoyment , creativity , wild eyeness ......and .....enough breaks ( incubation periods ) that make real living possible. 🤔

Thanks for sharing these scenes Bob .                                           God bless sir. 

Well its early morning on a working Thursday and the commuters are lined up for the train to work.  Lots of folks stopping off at the Newstand to get the morning paper or buying it from Billy the newsboy.  Have to have something to read on the trip to work. Note that the ice cream truck is in place, not for the morning crew but for those night shift workers who are taking the train home and who are hot and tired and looking for a little refreshment.   We notice that Mr. Schultz drove his brand new '57 Chevy 2 door hardtop to the station this morning.  I am not sure that beautiful baby blue paint is going to like the few steamers that are still around especially in the yard.  Well we will see what it looks like at 5:30 tonight.

Best Wishes hope your week is going well.

P.S. @pennsyfan - whew!! Glad you clarified that situation with that beautiful caddy Bob, @Mark Boyce and I were worried about it getting a stone nick!!

Don

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Nice work  ( play ) going on with this Bob. 👍

Don't know why grownups ( ? )  gave up  the word PLAY and inserted  the word WORK. 🙃 [ maybe lost along the aging process some of the enjoyment , creativity , wild eyeness ......and .....enough breaks ( incubation periods ) that make real living possible. 🤔

Thanks for sharing these scenes Bob .                                           God bless sir. 

Thanks Joe

@Don McErlean posted:

Well its early morning on a working Thursday and the commuters are lined up for the train to work.  Lots of folks stopping off at the Newstand to get the morning paper or buying it from Billy the newsboy.  Have to have something to read on the trip to work. Note that the ice cream truck is in place, not for the morning crew but for those night shift workers who are taking the train home and who are hot and tired and looking for a little refreshment.   We notice that Mr. Schultz drove his brand new '57 Chevy 2 door hardtop to the station this morning.  I am not sure that beautiful baby blue paint is going to like the few steamers that are still around especially in the yard.  Well we will see what it looks like at 5:30 tonight.

Best Wishes hope your week is going well.

P.S. @pennsyfan - whew!! Glad you clarified that situation with that beautiful caddy Bob, @Mark Boyce and I were worried about it getting a stone nick!!

Don

😎

@Don McErlean posted:

Well its early morning on a working Thursday and the commuters are lined up for the train to work.  Lots of folks stopping off at the Newstand to get the morning paper or buying it from Billy the newsboy.  Have to have something to read on the trip to work. Note that the ice cream truck is in place, not for the morning crew but for those night shift workers who are taking the train home and who are hot and tired and looking for a little refreshment.   We notice that Mr. Schultz drove his brand new '57 Chevy 2 door hardtop to the station this morning.  I am not sure that beautiful baby blue paint is going to like the few steamers that are still around especially in the yard.  Well we will see what it looks like at 5:30 tonight

Best Wishes hope your week is going well.

P.S. @pennsyfan - whew!! Glad you clarified that situation with that beautiful caddy Bob, @Mark Boyce and I were worried about it getting a stone nick!!

Don

😄😄😄

Halloween scene on one of my Christmas layouts .  apologies for how many.

- walt

Well this Thursday its a busy day moving freight into and out of the freight house.  Lots of boxes and even some animals.

Best Wishes and Happy Thursday

Don

Moving some brew

@Sitka posted:

Moving some brew

You know Mark, I have a bunch of brown barrels I just might have to chrome some of them up for my tavern! Looks heavy though! LOL

@mike g. posted:

You know Mark, I have a bunch of brown barrels I just might have to chrome some of them up for my tavern! Looks heavy though! LOL

Mike that's a Full barrel LOL the good old days , oh yeah when are you buying a F unit

@Sitka posted:

Mike that's a Full barrel LOL the good old days , oh yeah when are you buying a F unit

LOL If and when I do it is going to have to be a Santa Fe F unit!

Unloading beer kegs onto delivery truck

Trackside for this fine Thursday!

@trumpettrain posted:

Trackside for this fine Thursday!

WOW Patrick I think that is the most open space I have ever seen on your layout! I am sure you have something Brewing in your mind for this area! LOL

Guess I should play along!

Trackside Thursday for this Thursday 9/5/24.

i was straightening up and came across this bag of figures. I think that they look good around this tinplate station.

Well its a busy morning this morning at McDonald's...lots of folks looking for that quick breakfast.  Egg McMuffins are my favorite .  Even the raccoons in the garbage are having a feast much to the delight of the kids watching.  Must be getting near Christmas as the tree is already decorated.

Happy T.S.Th everyone...Best Wishes

Don

P.S. @pennsyfan- You Bet! those figures look great around the station.

Cramped quarters for a lumber yard

- walt

Well I guess I will start off today ... here is a "drone view" of the center of Small Town.  You can see that shopping traffic is picking up as we begin to approach the Holiday season plus still a few late comers for the "back to school" specials.

Best Wishes, Don

Trackside for this fine Thursday!   Pennsy A5 at the tank taking on water.   Fireman Zoot Lamar gets ready to pull the spout down.  Brakeman Lucky O'Neil is on the ground  stretching his legs and ready to hop up on the tender deck when and if Lucky gives him a shout. .... just another day on the railroad!  

Local teens in an intense night game of basketball next to a branch line with SP 1102 with a small consist parked for the night.

An early morning on Front Street.

Trackside Thursday 9/19/24

This side wheeler limped into the port and the Captain requested permission to tie up at the coal dock to get repairs done.

The Harbor Master gave him two hours to make the repairs and move out.

When this barge gets emptied and hast to be  switched out with a full one; the tug needs a clear dock. If the full barge doesn’t arrive on time it will upset the yard switchers schedule moving the hoppers. An hour and a half have gone by and everyone is getting nervous.

My Sinclair service station about 20 scale feet from the track.

My very first Trackside Thursday post!:

@stangtrain posted:

My very first Trackside Thursday post!:

@stangtrain

Your first trackside post and a GREAT one it is! Keep posting. I and, I am sure others, will enjoy seeing more of your layout.

Thought I'd join @stangtrain and display my CLARK sign.  I live in Pittsburgh where the Clark bar factory used to be.  I took a picture of the current building (unchanged except for the new sign on top) and wanted to at least represent it so I'd have a structure to put my CLARK bar sign on top of.

- walt

When I put it on the layout I took this picture of my 3 Clark Bar MTH built cars.

The following photos are of our layout for our 2011 Christmas "pop-up" store at Richardson Farms in Baltimore County, Maryland.

A PRR passenger train led by one of the PRR's legendary GG-1 electric locomotives streaks past the small town on Front Street. All of the buildings are custom made by an artist friend of my uncle, the late Tom Edmonds, who was my partner in our model train business. The artist was Richard Starsonek who made these buildings that were from well-known section of Baltimore City and County. They were for sale by us.

Home Depot is receiving new stock by both truck and box car. The real Home Depot store in White Marsh, Maryland, donated ALL of the building materials needed to build our layout. The layout served three purposes. One was a demonstration layout for our store. The second was an open-to-the-public layout to attract visitors and increase Richardson Farms as well as our commercial visibility. The third purpose was to raise money for the Johns Hopkins Hospital Childrens' Center, a non-profit organization that supported pediatric research as well as patient care.

Here is the end of a freight train passing the lake. The lake was a big attraction on the layout. The mountain range behind the lake is 22 feet long and is modular so that it can be broken down and stored at the end of the season. Above the mountains are my sister-in-law Kim who came to see and take photos of the layout, and my son Chris, who helped build the layout and worked with me and Tom in our sales store. The top of our display shelves visible behind Kim and Chris.

Here is a photo of the free-will donation box. There were two at opposite corners of the layout. 100% of the funds collected while the layout was opened went to Johns Hopkins Childrens' Center.

It was wonderful to see, during the season, several children that were helped by the advanced medical technology and treatment techniques done by the Childrens' Center. Below is a photo of me posing with Ashely. She was born with many heart problems and underwent 4 surgeries as an infant to repair a severely damaged heart that had a hole in it. Ashley came to see the trains along with her younger brother, mother and father. She was the year's poster child for the Hopkins Childrens Center and at 4 years old, is a healthy and thriving young lady.

Well this fine morning, the folks stopping by for their morning papers at the newsstand get a real close look at that beautiful wood sided SR caboose and a boxcar from Raritan Railroad.

Best Wishes, Don

Reviving this post - surprised that no one has done it yet.

Dinosaur Park on one of my Christmas Layouts.  I have multiple year's worth of Christmas Layouts where I created a dinosaur park scene.  this is just one of them.

- walt

Biker riding between the mains.

Waiting for the morning train to pass.

Gene

The folks at McDonald's get to do a little train watching with their lunch.

Don

Trackside for this fine Thursday!   It's the steam era and these fine locomotives are gitner done!

Western Maryland H7 Consolidation takes the EL.   B&O P7 Pacific President Harrison at the point of a hot shot frieght.  

Immediately behind the B&O P7 are 40 ft WM boxers.  

Happy Trackside Thursday.

Barry is in a heap of trouble this morning. The used tire tires that were piled up behind his station, adjacent to the trolley tracks fell overnight and are blocking the tracks. Trolley Motorman O'Shaughnessy used the phone at the diner to call his dispatcher and told him that he can’t move his trolley.
The police were called and now Barry is trying to explain the officer O’Toole that the tires were piled up neatly and the dogs must’ve knocked them over. Clancy isn’t buying it. Probably based on the fact that Barry‘s nickname is “Any Day Now”.

In the meantime, an extra garbage truck was called out to clear the mess. Zeek and Charlie are very happy to get the overtime; that will of course be billed to Barry.

Fire Inspector Mike is walking around the property checking for any file violations.

Trackside for this fine Thursday!   Over on the team track  Burl Spratt and Lenny Mosley talk strategy for unloading the B&O Time Saver boxcar.  " You know Lenny, if we really bust our butts this morning we can get this car unloaded by noon."  Wearing his signature big smile while enthusiastically nodding his head in agreement Burl replies " Yep Lenny.  I'm right there with ya, cause you know every Thursday is the Belly Buster Lunch Special over at Mama Lucia's Italian Diner!  I'm thinking on gettin me a huge plate load of Mama's famous Lasagna with sausage!!  Now that's some good eatin!!  Let's get belly bustin busy!!  

,

A view of the birds from the elevated trackside -

That darn weather vane fell off again

- walt

Trackside on this beautiful sunny afternoon in California. I do have a snow plow, just in case, LOL!

Section boss is going to be pretty ×@#<# if he has to bring a tour of investors through this area with the old ties laying all over.         Gotta hate working so late at night but Sal's joint will still be open and the supervisor is going to buy a round.

Happy TT all.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Section boss is going to be pretty ×@#<# if he has to bring a tour of investors through this area with the old ties laying all over.         Gotta hate working so late at night but Sal's joint will still be open and the supervisor is going to buy a round.

Happy TT all.

Terrific photo Dallas!!!  The lighting is perfect!

@trumpettrain posted:

Terrific photo Dallas!!!  The lighting is perfect!

Thank you Patrick.

Well its a bit late of a start, but I suppose I will venture out with the first picture.  This a very recent acquisition at a train show about 2 weeks ago.  Its a ready made scene that happened to just fit in an open place in my layout.  Seems that Dad and his son are doing some ice fishing at the local pond.  They have broken through the ice and are trying their luck.  A neighbor is coming up to see how they are doing and will maybe join in.

Best wishes on a beautiful Thursday here in central Texas, temp only 86 ...what a relief from the 90-100 recent trend.

Don

Busy day trackside

@Sitka posted:

Busy day trackside

Nice scene Mark.

I'm still liking your lighting in these photos sir.

[  that certainly must be an energy drink ( !?! ) in the red bottle . ]      God speed .

Trackside for this fine Thursday!  

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Nice scene Mark.

I'm still liking your lighting in these photos sir.

[  that certainly must be an energy drink ( !?! ) in the red bottle . ]      God speed .

TY Dallas on the photo, I think he has a bottle of a cold Utica Club Beer God speed!

Well its early morning, the coffee service truck is unloading at the diner and a couple of folks have pulled up for their morning "JOE"...

Best Wishes, Don

Trackside for this fine Thursday!

workers looking for PW Lionel parts

Well its a busy lunch time today in Small Town and just about the only restaurant, McDonald's has a full lunch crew on board.  Traffic is backed up as normal anytime the crossing gets closed by a train, and Officer Sullivan has his hands full. At the intersection into the shopping district, looks like a little car scuffle there, maybe a bent fender and a lot of bent feelings I am sure.  McD's has a lot of business and the parking street is crowded.  But no matter how much traffic there is, the flag flies proudly over the town center.  Busy Day !    (OBTW, the train has a Hornby MO tender locomotive from 1930 and the cars are Metoy from the UK in the 1950's).

Best Wishes, Don

Trackside Thursday Workers

Here's what's trackside for this fine Thursday!