Hello Friends,
This 2023 has become a very ambitious and busy year for us. I like to keep our customers up-to-date, so here’s a quick news update:
The highly anticipated CSX “Heritage” American Crane arrived from MTH this week. I call this a “Heritage” crane because the model proudly wears New York Central System and Phoebe Snow (Delaware Lackawanna & Western) heralds and also sports the number when it was in Conrail service. The prototype for our model is based at the DeWitt Yard and available on-call at a moment’s notice. Check out our photographs of the prototype as it was caught on the Peat Street lead in Syracuse. The decoration on the model is nearly identical to the prototype and no other MTH Railking American crane has ever sported this high level of graphic detail. While a wreck train on the way to a wreck had priority over other rail traffic, cranes were subject to rather low speed restrictions, typically around 35 mph with the boom trailing and 25 mph if the boom was facing forward. Slings, chains, and spreader bars were used to attach the hook to the car or locomotive being lifted; the hooks were never attached directly. While some cranes were capable of limited self-propulsion, that was only for positioning at a site, not for travel to and from wrecks or construction jobs.
CSX “Heritage” American Crane
We have this in stock now! $84.95
Coming in this summer:
New York Central “Jubilee” J1c
I am technically sold out of these, however I may have room for one or two more stand-by reservations. I am expecting them to arrive sometime in July or August. I am having a special custom sound file featuring the actual newsreel report and a quote from the Syracuse City Mayor in the model locomotive as it arrives on platform 2 of the new Erie Boulevard Station. This has proved to be an ambitious and technical task, but I remain optimistic it will be done.
Peering through a drenching rain on September 24, 1936, thousands of Syracusans cheered the passing of nearly a century of aggravation as the first eastbound “Empire State Express” behind New York Central J1c Hudson #5266 pulled into the brand-new modern passenger station. Known as “The city with the trains in the streets“, a massive grade crossing elimination removed nearly 100 train movements out of downtown Syracuse streets and rerouted on a newly constructed 2-track elevated line built on the old West Shore Railroad right-of-way. Syracuse celebrated its liberation with a grand “JUBILEE” of parades, special transportation exhibits including the famous New York Central “Old 999” locomotive and jubilant parties around the city that lasted for several days.
Our exclusive recreation of this famous Hudson steam locomotive commemorates this historic event that forever changed New York Central’s passenger trains passing through the heart of New York State on its Water Level Route. Our model has been painstakingly researched by several New York Central Hudson locomotive experts to represent the best possible rendition of a classic J1c. Special and exclusive planned features for our locomotive will include a special recording of the newsreel of the events of September 24, 1936, realistically painted boiler and smoke box, historically accurate side rods and accurate lettering. Included with each model will be an authentic reproduction of the souvenir booklet that was handed out to dignitaries and attendees of the historic event in 1936. This legendary J1c features MTH Electric Trains new Proto-Sound 3.0 quillable smoking whistle and arguably the best separately applied detail of a J1c model in quarter inch scale. Only 18 locomotives are being produced in this very special offering.
I am expecting the long-awaited Atlas O Solvay Process Tank Cars to arrive this summer. Atlas tells me they are in production now and should arrive in August. Since it has already been a two-year wait, I’ll believe it when I see them. I have two different road numbers available so getting both numbers will make a great looking train. These will be highly detailed and very prototypical for our local Syracuse NY industry.
Finger Lakes Railway locomotive in O Scale….For the very first time!
I am expecting this locomotive to arrive this fall. I am only getting about 15 of these and many of them are already spoken for. If you want one, let me know ASAP. $549.99
This Premier O Gauge Finger Lakes Railway GP9 is a special custom run for Jr Junction Train & Hobby. The prototype locomotive served the beautiful Finger Lakes region of upstate New York spanning the countryside between the cities of Geneva and Syracuse. Finger Lakes Railway Corporation is a short line railroad that owns and operates 167 miles of track from its Geneva headquarters. Finger Lakes Railway has track in 6 counties in the Finger Lakes region including Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Yates, and Schuyler. Their current customer base has grown to 90 rail customers. The railroad connects with CSX, Norfolk Southern, and New York Susquehanna & Western Railroads. Since they began operations in 1995, they have added 55+ full time employees and now have a fleet of 19 locomotives. They also lease 500+ railcars to better serve their customer’s needs.
This locomotive model wears the beautiful New York Central railroad Lightning Stripe heritage with the classic Finger Lakes Railway logo designs. Complete with MTH Electric Trains legendary and industry leading Proto-Sound 3.0 operating technology, this model will easily be a favorite to run on your own model railroad empire.
The highly anticipated and very popular New York Central and Boston & Albany cabooses are coming soon!
(click on photograph to see product)
These were just finished up in production and will be on the water soon, if they aren’t already. I expect these will be here in August. Demand for the Syracuse #19144 forced me to increase the total production number. The #19877 is preserved by the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. The Boston & Albany Cabooses are almost 100% reserved, however I may be able to get you what you want if you let me know NOW. All four cabooses are $84.95 each
Note: We spent hundreds of hours researching 19000 series cabooses inside and out, so you can be certain our models are prototypical.
My exclusive New York Ontario & Western EMD F3 A-B sets are almost sold out. Our models corrects several inaccuracies on the old original F3 model MTH made several years ago, plus ours have Proto-Sound 3.0
YES, these are painted correctly and not “Easter eggs”. I have two road numbers available; 821 and 822. SALE PRICED AT $674.99/set
I have less-than ten each of our O&W Double Sheathed Boxcars available. $64.95 each
Our exclusive custom release of this accurate, beautifully detailed model of the New York Ontario & Western railroad double-sheathed boxcar features simulated wood grain on the car sides and doors, see-through wood-grained roof walk, correct fish-belly under frame, detailed brake system on the B end and under frame, metal corner steps, opening doors, and separately applied metal grab irons on the sides, ends, doors and roof walk. MTH Premier O Scale freight cars are the perfect complement to any manufacturer’s scale proportioned O Gauge locomotives. Whether you prefer to purchase cars separately or assemble a unit train, MTH Premier Rolling Stock has the cars for you in a variety of car types and paint schemes. This sturdy car is offered in two car numbers which makes it even easier than ever to combine them into a multi-car consist. Many of MTH’s Premier Rolling Stock offerings can also operate on the tightest O Gauge curves giving them even more added versatility to your layout. A screen shot of a film shows the real boxcar in Norwich, NY and we are super pleased to confirm the color and many of the details of our model is “right-on”.
AND NOW FOR SOME EXCITING NEWS:
Woodside Reefers are coming this winter!
I did a lot of research to get our O&W Milk Can Reefers as prototypical as possible. Picking up milk cans directly from the farmers, these cars carried the cans directly to the processor. These were often found on the O&W’s Northern Division but didn’t have a very long life because melting ice rotted the floors out. Eventually, larger reefer cars with glass-lined tanks made these 1200-series obsolete. Offered for the very first time in O scale, our O&W trains will have another beautifully detailed freight car added to our consist. Like the double sheathed boxcars, there are only 48 of each road number available. I just finished the design artwork drawings so production photographs will be available soon.
One of our most requested products of all time is a Utica Club Beer Reefer. With permission from FX Matt’s, we offer what may be the first of a series commemorating Central New York’s oldest and best known brewery. Thanks to our friend Mario Scalzo for his enormous amount of research to design the most prototypical “fantasy” Beverage Ventilator Despatch reefer of all-time.
This model has already become extremely popular, so I am getting very low in availability. Please let me know ASAP.
Finally, when the New York Central “Jubilee” Hudson is released, we are tentatively planning a special event called “HudsonFest”.
We have been hinting about this for a while now and it looks like details are starting to come together.
What: HUDSONFEST 2023
When: Saturday, August 12, 2023
Where: Jr Junction Train & Hobby, Syracuse NY
Featuring: A first-ever gathering of O Gauge New York Central HUDSON modelers, collectors, railroad enthusiasts and the Central NY Chapter, National Railway Historical Society Inc. O Gauge Model Railroad Group.
Tentative HUDSONFEST Plans:
- Open house featuring continual operating HUDSON action on the Chapter's 22'x42' scenic operating modular layout.
- HUDSON Show & Tell
- HUDSON Speed Trials
- Luncheon
- HUDSON Swap Meet
- HUDSON Model Parts Sale
- Donated O Gauge model trains for sale by CNYNRHS Model Railroad Group Members
(proceeds from sales benefits CNYNRHS activities and railway preservation efforts)
- HUDSON Modeling Seminars
- Slide show of Prototype HUDSON photographs in CNYNRHS Archive Collection
- Guest Speakers
- Special commemorative HUDSONFEST T-shirt
- Special sale prices throughout Jr Junction Train & Hobby including in-stock HUDSON products
All this and much more is tentatively planned. We anticipate HUDSONFEST taking place around the release of our highly anticipated release of our New York Central "Jubilee" J1c Hudson #5266 by MTH Electric Trains this summer. The actual date of HUDSONFEST will be determined when the models are "on-the-water" and can be estimated to arrive.
EVERYONE interested in participating is encouraged to bring their favorite HUDSON model and anything of related interest to share with your fellow hobbyists. More details will be announced as they are finalized. Tell your friends and plan to attend.
I have more exclusive products on my drawing board for possible 2024 production including Conrail SD50’s, EMD FT’s in NYO&W and New York Central and much, much more.
If you like what we are producing, please show your support in placing a “no-deposit” Pre-Order Reservation and help us promote our exclusives by sharing online and social media with other modelers. Your continued support will keep us offering the models you want.
As always….Thank you!
