Weekend Photo Fun 11-15-24-??

Scott,

I also was concerned about you today. Have a good weekend.

Two locomotives – Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal #15 and New York Central #1244 – ran on my 12’-by-8’ layout this week.

BEDT #15 is an 0-6-0T switcher (Lionel 2032020) – and the smallest steam engine model in my collection. Lionel lists its length as 8.5 inches. Its small size and unusual design seem like a good subject for weekend photos.

Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal was a waterfront railroad that handled freight cars floated on barges across New York harbor from New Jersey to Brooklyn. The railroad had 11 miles of track at its peak and ran steam locomotives until 1963. It operated until 1983, when it was acquired by the New York Cross Harbor Railroad.

A drawing on page 32 of Model Railroader Cyclopedia – Volume 1 – Steam Locomotives, by Linn H. Westcott, shows a 1910 Alco 0-6-0T industrial steam switcher that appears to be the prototype for Lionel’s model. It gives a length of about 32 feet (8 inches in 1:48 O scale) over coupler faces with 44-inch driving-wheel diameter.

New York Central #1244 is a 4-6-0 ten wheeler (Lionel 2431660) and a recent acquisition. Lionel has been making versions of this NYC prototype since at least 2002 and they did a great job on this one. It’s the 5th Lionel ten-wheeler in my collection.

#1244 was built by Alco in November 1907 and began service on the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as Class F-2e #2118. It was reclassified to NYC Class F-12e and renumbered #831 when superheated in February 1916. Weight was 208,000 pounds with 31,900 pounds tractive effort at steam pressure 200 pounds-per-square-inch on 69-inch driving wheels. It was renumbered to #1244 in 1948 and retired in February 1952.

The engines ran on the O-54 and O-36 loops of my 12’-by-8’ layout that also has an O-72 circuit. As shown on the videos, the O-36 loop with BEDT #15 passes through a narrow rock cut and across a truss bridge. The O-54 loop with NYC #1244 crosses a two-span girder bridge. BEDT #15 is pulling a freight train with two NYC wood cabooses and NYC #1244 is trailed by two wood-sided coaches – some of my favorite railroad cars – all by MTH.

MELGAR

Running with the Trackers at Rockville last weekend…

Trains from my trip over the last two weeks…..my son and I took a trip to northern France and Belgium to see the WWI and WWII battlefields……we added Waterloo because we were driving right passed it.

Amtrak to Philly (from Richmond). Nice shots of the engine facility in Wilmington……..

My Lionel HHP-8 is still running….

GP 38s for MOW work.

I always check out these two iconic Center City Philly stations…..

Trains and the main station in Reims…….

The railroad station in Amiens….

The railroad bridge defended by the BEF over the Mons canal……with a train of auto carriers…..

German model train from Eisenhower’s HQ in Reims…..

Our commuter train from  Paris to Normandy (Bayeaux)…..

Paris subway shots…..

A commuter train in Belgium

Our train arrives to take us back to Paris…from Normandy

Have a great and safe weekend, everyone!

Peter

A 2023 Christmas layout memory

A few left over photos of my 2023 Christmas layout that I haven't used.

- walt

@Craignor posted:

Running with the Trackers at Rockville last weekend…

2 very different engines than those that you usually post.  Unique ones to say the least.

thanks Craig

walt

Decided to post some pictures of my grandfather’s that were taken in 1951.  He worked for one of the largest bridge engineering firms at that time.  He was assigned to the project of upgrading the Illinois Central bridge over the Ohio river at Cairo Illinois.  They couldn’t stop rail traffic, so they built each section next to the old and then in an 8 hr window, slid out the old section and installed the new on the existing supports.

My fun attempt of a lash up with the Base 3. Obviously many of you have doing this for years, but it’s a first for me. With me running shorter trains and not having modern freight cars and engines, I don’t see myself using this anytime soon.

Gene

@jstraw124 posted:

Decided to post some pictures of my grandfather’s that were taken in 1951.  He worked for one of the largest bridge engineering firms at that time.  He was assigned to the project of upgrading the Illinois Central bridge over the Ohio river at Cairo Illinois.  They couldn’t stop rail traffic, so they built each section next to the old and then in an 8 hr window, slid out the old section and installed the new on the existing supports.

This is awesome! I'm always amazed by how these masterful feets of engineering prowess are constructed and installed. Especially in earlier times of history. I imagine by this time bridge building was nothing new. Is this bridge still there and being used? Thanks for sharing.

Dave

@jstraw124 posted:

Decided to post some pictures of my grandfather’s that were taken in 1951.  He worked for one of the largest bridge engineering firms at that time.  He was assigned to the project of upgrading the Illinois Central bridge over the Ohio river at Cairo Illinois.  They couldn’t stop rail traffic, so they built each section next to the old and then in an 8 hr window, slid out the old section and installed the new on the existing supports.

@jstraw124,

What an amazing piece of engineering and construction! Extraordinary! How much would that project cost today - if anyone was willing to do it at all? And no computers to analyze the structure or the transfer process. Must have been a huge investment to get the job done.

MELGAR

@luvindemtrains posted:

This is awesome! I'm always amazed by how these masterful feets of engineering prowess are constructed and installed. Especially in earlier times of history. I imagine by this time bridge building was nothing new. Is this bridge still there and being used? Thanks for sharing.

Dave

It’s still standing today and used by CN and Amtrak’s City of New Orleans trains. Cairo Illinois didn’t survive and is considered a ghost town.  The original bridge was built in the 1890s.  During the war the bridge became a choke point due to its weight limits, especially considering the amount of tanks required to be transported over it.  Upgrading it became a priority for Illinois Central after the war.  Impressive that it still utilizes most of thr same supports from the original bridge.

@MELGAR posted:

@jstraw124,

What an amazing piece of engineering and construction! Extraordinary! How much would that project cost today - if anyone was willing to do it at all? And no computers to analyze the structure or the transfer process. Must have been a huge investment to get the job done.

MELGAR

I have many of his daily logbooks from his bridge construction days.  I remember a note in his log that he was irritated that it was 1/64” off when they finished construction of a 2.5 mile automotive bridge that started at each shore and met in the middle.  Remember not long ago where on the news they were celebrating a major interstate bridge that was less than 2” off when completed.  That generation had different tolerances.

a couple more pictures of the men that worked on the bridges, including one of my grandparents on completion day of his next job after finishing this one, standing next to a coworker.

@jstraw124 posted:

Decided to post some pictures of my grandfather’s that were taken in 1951.  He worked for one of the largest bridge engineering firms at that time.  He was assigned to the project of upgrading the Illinois Central bridge over the Ohio river at Cairo Illinois.  They couldn’t stop rail traffic, so they built each section next to the old and then in an 8 hr window, slid out the old section and installed the new on the existing supports.

Absolutely fascinating!

Peter

@Genemed posted:

My fun attempt of a lash up with the Base 3. Obviously many of you have doing this for years, but it’s a first for me. With me running shorter trains and not having modern freight cars and engines, I don’t see myself using this anytime soon.

Gene

Beautiful layout. The backdrops are great!

Peter

@Jim Teeple posted:

Great modeling!

Peter

@Jim Teeple posted:

I just love the roof detail!

Peter

@jstraw124 posted:

I have many of his daily logbooks from his bridge construction days.  I remember a note in his log that he was irritated that it was 1/64” off when they finished construction of a 2.5 mile automotive bridge that started at each shore and met in the middle.  Remember not long ago where on the news they were celebrating a major interstate bridge that was less than 2” off when completed.  That generation had different tolerances.

a couple more pictures of the men that worked on the bridges, including one of my grandparents on completion day of his next job after finishing this one, standing next to a coworker.

@jstraw124,

I can't believe how casually the workers looked to be about being up on what looks like the edges of the ironwork during assembly.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

@jstraw124,

I can't believe how casually the workers looked to be about being up on what looks like the edges of the ironwork during assembly.

MELGAR

They didn’t use safety ropes and OSHA wasn’t a thing at that time.  Couldn’t imagine working out on that steel everyday.

@Jim Teeple posted:

I'm intrigued to see more of your town with those classic Downtown Deco buildings peaking through in both photos.

Dave

@Jim Teeple posted:

@Jim Teeple

Jim:

As is usual, your modeling is exquisite!!!! I have learned so much from your OGR postings. What do you use to make your sidewalks? I particularly like the fact that you show curbs on the street side of the sidewalk and your corners are curved rather than a sharp, right angle. Thanks for any information.

Jim:

As is usual, your modeling is exquisite!!!! I have learned so much from your OGR postings. What do you use to make your sidewalks? I particularly like the fact that you show curbs on the street side of the sidewalk and your corners are curved rather than a sharp, right angle. Thanks for any information.

Randy

The sidewalks, curbs and building base are made of foam core Board scored with an exacto knife, then painted with tan latex and weathered with an India ink & alcohol wash.

I do an entire block area then sit the buildings on rather than just the sidewalk & curb i can also make drives such as into the fire station that way

Hope this helps

Jim

@Putnam Division posted:

Beautiful layout. The backdrops are great!

Peter

Thank you Peter, coming from an experienced modeler that means a lot to me.

Gene

@Jim Teeple posted:

Jim:

As is usual, your modeling is exquisite!!!! I have learned so much from your OGR postings. What do you use to make your sidewalks? I particularly like the fact that you show curbs on the street side of the sidewalk and your corners are curved rather than a sharp, right angle. Thanks for any information.

Randy

The sidewalks, curbs and building base are made of foam core Board scored with an exacto knife, then painted with tan latex and weathered with an India ink & alcohol wash.

I do an entire block area then sit the buildings on rather than just the sidewalk & curb i can also make drives such as into the fire station that way

Hope this helps

Jim

Jim:

Thanks for the quick reply. I have been searching for years to try to find a way to make city sidewalks. Yor method looks to be the best. Thank you.