Weekend Photo Fun 1-27-23-???

Meet Train Room Ziggy & The Grandchildren

Thanks for taking a look & have a great weekend: Gary 🚂

                          RBOX from 1-13-19...

Week 10 and last week of continuous public displays......

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Scott Smith

Have photos of a few different scenes to post this week…

First, here is a quartet of Penn Central units (one still in PRR colors) in 1969 blasting railroad east towards Enola. They are passing under the PA route 35 bridge which was built around 1964 to replace the original 1903 (approximately) pony truss bridge that once spanned the tracks. The structure is an I-beam stringer design, and the model is extremely accurate as a result of lots of research, photos, and measurements of the prototype. As you can see, it was built atop the stone abutments that formerly supported the pony truss structure. My son Steven 3D printed accurate Pennsylvania Department of Highways bridge railing used 1963-68. A photo of the real bridge is right below the model photo. Mifflin tower, still in PRR colors, can be seen in the distance:

Next, some images of Duncannon PA circa 1944 during the busy WW II years, thus accounting for all the passengers waiting at the station:

Finally, the PRR was experiencing a severe motive power shortage in the mid 1960’s, so they were forced to pull EVERY locomotive they had out of storage and put it into service…Ha, ha, ha!

That’s it for this week, Enjoy!

One thing that we noticed this year was that attendance was way up post Holiday season. Our traditional end date is Kids Day in the Garden, a day that features terrarium buiding, a scavenger hunt, Jonathan the Juggler, a petting zoo and a display by the Chesterfieled County Police.....this year, the number of kids was over a thousand, plus you have to figure in their parents, grandparents, etc.

Isn't this amazing? We ran trains from 9-2.......

Then, at 2PM, take down......

......4PM......pretty amazing, but we've done it more than a few times and with a big crew it goes fast.....

The RC3R take down crew......

And, with our hosts from the GBGH......

Both groups are sad, but........we already know that Year 10 set up is Monday, November 27th at 9AM!

Have a great and safe weekend folks!

Peter

A few quick videos from the week.....one features my colleague, Ben's, circus train the the kids love......

Lastly, as a tease, is what I've been working on at home......for more details stay tuned for Al Graziano's Sunday Scenic Showcase, coming this weekend.

Have a great and safe weekend folks.....

Peter

@PRRMiddleDivision posted:

Have photos of a few different scenes to post this week…

First, here is a quartet of Penn Central units (one still in PRR colors) in 1969 blasting railroad east towards Enola. They are passing under the PA route 35 bridge which was built around 1964 to replace the original 1903 (approximately) pony truss bridge that once spanned the tracks. The structure is an I-beam stringer design, and the model is extremely accurate as a result of lots of research, photos, and measurements of the prototype. As you can see, it was built atop the stone abutments that formerly supported the pony truss structure. My son Steven 3D printed accurate Pennsylvania Department of Highways bridge railing used 1963-68. Mifflin tower, still in PRR colors, can be seen in the distance:

Neal,

Are you aware that this bridge is in the process of being repaired/replaced? They also demolished the house on the corner of Rt. 75 and 2nd Street that was straight ahead when you came off the bridge.

https://www.lewistownsentinel....f-port-royal-bridge/

Also in Duncannon, the antique place Old Sled Works recently closed up.

Hauling armor.

MTH Premier Boston & Albany J-1e 4-6-4 Hudson #606 (20-3583-1 with PS-3) was offered at MSRP $1199.95 in the 2015 Volume 1 catalog. MTH says it can run on O-42 curves. The pictures and videos show it on the O-54 curves of my 12’-by-8’ layout pulling two MTH unlettered wood passenger coaches.

MELGAR

@scott.smith posted:

It's time for Weekend Photo Fun!!

Let's see your pictures.

Scott Smith

Great restore of the electric Scott!

@NJCJOE posted:

Neal,

Are you aware that this bridge is in the process of being repaired/replaced? They also demolished the house on the corner of Rt. 75 and 2nd Street that was straight ahead when you came off the bridge.

https://www.lewistownsentinel....f-port-royal-bridge/

Also in Duncannon, the antique place Old Sled Works recently closed up.

Joe,

Thanks for the response. Actually, the bridge in my photo was torn down around 2012-13 and replaced with a concrete I-beam bridge. The bridge you are referring to in the link is about 4 miles to the east in Port Royal and is also modeled on my layout. Here's a pic:

And here's a photo from one of our research trips in 2012 with my dauther standing on the 1964 bridge almost exactly over where the Penn Central engines are posed in my picture with the replacement bridge under construction right behind her:

I spoke to the PennDOT engineer dealing with the replacement, and he tells me it too is an I beam stringer (or similar) bridge. The concrete arch bridge there was beautiful, but it was 112 years old, and the cost of replacing it with a similar structure was cost prohibitive.

I'm not familiar with the Old  Sled Works in Duncannon. Can you tell us about it?

Thanks,

Neal

@Putnam Division posted:

One thing that we noticed this year was that attendance was way up post Holiday season. Our traditional end date is Kids Day in the Garden, a day that features terrarium buiding, a scavenger hunt, Jonathan the Juggler, a petting zoo and a display by the Chesterfieled County Police.....this year, the number of kids was over a thousand, plus you have to figure in their parents, grandparents, etc.

Isn't this amazing? We ran trains from 9-2.......

The RC3R take down crew...... And, with our hosts from the GBGH......

Both groups are sad, but........we already know that Year 10 set up is Monday, November 27th at 9AM!

Have a great and safe weekend folks!

Peter

Peter,

That is an amazing turnout. You and your group are doing a great service to the hobby. I'm sure that you have created new model railroaders by doing this.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Peter,

That is an amazing turnout. You and your group are doing a great service to the hobby. I'm sure that you have created new model railroaders by doing this.

MELGAR

Mel……Thank you…...I think the grandmas and grandpas are really going to miss us. Our Thursday and Friday afternoon run sessions were filled with grandparents and their grandkids!

Peter

@PRRMiddleDivision posted:

Joe,

Thanks for the response. Actually, the bridge in my photo was torn down around 2012-13 and replaced with a concrete I-beam bridge. The bridge you are referring to in the link is about 4 miles to the east in Port Royal and is also modeled on my layout. Here's a pic:

I'm not familiar with the Old  Sled Works in Duncannon. Can you tell us about it?

Thanks,

Neal

Neal,

Thanks for the clarification.

The Old Sled Works was an antique center located on N. Market Street. It was housed in an old sled manufacturing building. Always had neat stuff to see there.

https://www.pennlive.com/perry...ill-stay-in-use.html

@Putnam Division posted:

One thing that we noticed this year was that attendance was way up post Holiday season. Our traditional end date is Kids Day in the Garden, a day that features terrarium buiding, a scavenger hunt, Jonathan the Juggler, a petting zoo and a display by the Chesterfieled County Police.....this year, the number of kids was over a thousand, plus you have to figure in their parents, grandparents, etc.

Isn't this amazing? We ran trains from 9-2.......

Then, at 2PM, take down......

......4PM......pretty amazing, but we've done it more than a few times and with a big crew it goes fast.....

The RC3R take down crew......

And, with our hosts from the GBGH......

Both groups are sad, but........we already know that Year 10 set up is Monday, November 27th at 9AM!

Have a great and safe weekend folks!

Peter

Peter,

Although I am too far away to visit your public display of the great layout I look at the photos and watch the videos every week.  Thank you and your group for the this great public service.  I wonder how many of those parents who brought their children ended up purchasing a train set.  Good job!

Malcolm

Thank you, Malcolm……to answer your question, a fair number ask for our recommendations. We are fortunate to have Tiny Tim’s Trains n Toys in Ashland, VA, off I-95, about 20 miles to the north of downtown Richmond.

Peter

Stuck in a garage....somewhere near the swamps of Jersey.     (Best I can do.   )

Four more road names bid goodbye to The Garden State.

An MTH New Jersey Central F3, a Rail King Armco Steel SW-1500, MTH Alaska E8s, and Atlas Santa Fe GP-60s.

A 2022 Christmas Layout memory

I only have 5 trains so I basically have to show scenes on my Christmas layouts.

= walt

Peter, I wonder which member owns this train?

Thanks Scott for getting us started!  Here are my photos of the fun kind for this fine weekend! ... A study in contrasts.

A rotary plow works its' way through high snow drifts on the Mountain Division.

At another location on the Mountain Division a flanger plow wedges its' way through the snow.  The temps are ... ready for this? .... absolutely unbearable!!

Meanwhile warmer temps prevail on the Patsburg Division of the Free State Junction Railway!

@trumpettrain posted:

At another location on the Mountain Division a flanger plow wedges its' way through the snow.  The temps are ... ready for this? .... absolutely unbearable!!

To continue the humorous animal photos, the following photo was taken recently at the North Pole.

Frosty!!! Quit sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!

The C&O ran lashups of three E8a's on passenger trains over the mountains between Charlottesville, Va and Huntington, WVa. Here's my version using three MTH E8a's.

Ken

@MichRR714,

Nice Pepsi cars, it looks like you have both the TCA version and the METCA version.

@pennsyfan posted:

@MichRR714,

Nice Pepsi cars, it looks like you have both the TCA version and the METCA version.

Thanks.  I do have both versions.  Very nice decoration on these.

@kanawha posted:

The C&O ran lashups of three E8a's on passenger trains over the mountains between Charlottesville, Va and Huntington, WVa. Here's my version using three MTH E8a's.

Ken

Nice video, consist, and layout!

@MELGAR posted:

MTH Premier Boston & Albany J-1e 4-6-4 Hudson #606 (20-3583-1 with PS-3) was offered at MSRP $1199.95 in the 2015 Volume 1 catalog. MTH says it can run on O-42 curves. The pictures and videos show it on the O-54 curves of my 12’-by-8’ layout pulling two MTH unlettered wood passenger coaches.

MELGAR

Melgar,

Nice steamer and coaches. I can't help but notice the Bar Mills flat (bakery) in the background. You did a real nice job with it. I have the kit but haven't taken it out of the box. Your photo just reminded me of the many projects I have to do.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Melgar,

Nice steamer and coaches. I can't help but notice the Bar Mills flat (bakery) in the background. You did a real nice job with it. I have the kit but haven't taken it out of the box. Your photo just reminded me of the many projects I have to do.

Dave

Thanks. O'Doul's Flophouse is a beautiful model that requires some care to put together properly. It would be worthwhile to complete one as a full model instead of just a background.

MELGAR

A few scenes from a prior layout in PA (Bucks County) - 2 house ago - before moving to CA in 2014:

Most of my train inventory is Pennsy equipment, but I do have some trains from roads that interchange with the Pennsy.  One is Southern Railway.  Here is a SR passenger train headed by F3s and pulling some heavyweight cars.  The concept is the SR train pulls in, drops off the cars that are then picked up by a Pennsy GG1 that takes them to New York City.  This was an actual move in the 40s.

The Atlas' F3 paint scheme was exactly what I needed.  It was used into 1949, the era of my layout.  The simplified green scheme came out in late 1950.  Notice the streamlined number boards on the Phase 1 engine.  Outside of high-end brass models, the only other model to have this feature that I know of was the recent 3rd Rail F3s.

The coach and sleeper are Lionel, the GG1 is MTH.

@MELGAR posted:

Thanks. O'Doul's Flophouse is a beautiful model that requires some care to put together properly. It would be worthwhile to complete one as a full model instead of just a background.

MELGAR

Thanks for the photos Melgar. I will definitely use as a reference. I agree, a full size model would have been a nice offering.

Dave

Here's a picture of Rich Foster, Mike Wolfe, Joey Kiel, Lon Gates, myself and my best friend Ronnie Walter. Joey and Ronnie were two of my repairmen.

@jim sutter posted:

Here's a picture of Rich Foster, Mike Wolfe, Joey Kiel, Lon Gates, myself and my best friend Ronnie Walter. Joey and Ronnie were two of my repairmen.

Looks like those were fun times Jim.  I miss calling your shop to place an order and having a quick chat.

All the best to you!

-Brian

Earlier today, I posted a photo of a consist of PC engines under the PA Route 35 bridge on my layout, along with a photo of the prototype bridge. This evening, I was working on the layout and looked at the model and thought I'd repost the photo of the prototype along with a photo of the model from the same angle.  The stone abutment from the original early twentieth century pony truss bridge upon  which the 1964 bridge was built is in evident on the model.  As you can see, I worked hard to accurately recreate the bridge in model form, but looks like I need a few more weeds!

@MELGAR posted:

Thanks. O'Doul's Flophouse is a beautiful model that requires some care to put together properly. It would be worthwhile to complete one as a full model instead of just a background.

MELGAR

Nice model Melgar!

@coach joe posted:

Peter, I wonder which member owns this train?

Joe, I know it would seem like it’s mine……but amazingly, it’s not!

Hard to believe!

Peter

Awesome photos and explanations this week, you guys rock with all types of inspiration.  It just keeps getting better and better.