Weekend Photo Fun 2-22-13-??

Taking pictures this week of diesels in our collection to update our website..... here's one of my favorites - okay - 2 of them.........

 

 

 

 

Hey Mike CT great scene! Can you tell me who makes those engines and dynamo/Generators? They are quite a good replicas.

 If you tell me/us you made them I’m going to jump in front of a truck. They are great!

Here are some pics of my UP Mikado making water stops.  The first one is at the old water tower.  The second stop is at a water plug and sanding tower.  Also here's a pic of my SP Alco PAA.   Matt

I am not having any fun this weekend so far

Happy weekend!!

 

 

While waiting for POPSSR to provide me with some decls for his train shed project, I constructed this water tanks.

 

Alan Graziano

 Motors shown are Crow River Products.

Another Crow River detail product that I used on my Turntable was an electric winch

a good replica of a TT drive system.

 

These are great shots Matt!

Your backdrop images really give a sense of open space and distance.  Good lighting on the Mike too...

C. Sam,

I like your PRR FA's.  A friend of mine models the Milwaukee Road.  He just bought the Williams E-7's.  He loves them!  He detailed them a little more also.  He got the set brand new for $275 somewhere.  I wish they'd make it in the SP road name.

Matt

TRACKSIDE…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's try this again! Pulled out my Lionel Cab-forward after having it put away for a year or two thinking I would like to sell it and get some more Santa Fe engines. When I got it I had TAS install EOB cruise control and a turbo-smoke unit. It really smokes now, though the due to the twin stacks TAS had to abandon the chuffing feature and now the smoke is either on or off. The new Lionel ATSF 3751 is really nice, but starting think I might have to keep this one now.

What are you using for telephone or utility poles and telegraph as well?  Are they scratch built?  I am using Keil line.  They are extremely hard to find. I may need a substitute.  Also I love the thick wire  your using.  I am using ez line and need thicker for other uses. And last what do use for guard rail (wire)?

 

Thanks for all the nice comments about the photo I posted even though the photo quality is not the best.

 

Chris, all the line poles are from Weaver.  I built them from their kit version, not the preassembled version.   The utility poles are nothing more than their 9" poles on which a single crossarm has been mounted, and the crossarm length has been shortened on both ends by cutting off the part of the crossarm supporting the two outermost insulators.   Of the remaining insulators, I slice them all off except two on the end of one cross arm and one on the other end.  They can be painted gray or gloss brown (I use brown).  The heavier lines are just varying thickness of twine dyed black.  The stuff is cheap.  Just get a few rolls, soak them in a jar of black Rit dye overnight, then let them dry out for a few days. 

 

Guard rail cable is the heaviest gray thead I can find.  I believe they make something called carpet thread which is also gray and a bit heavier if you can find it.

Sadly working 36 of 48 hrs this weekend.  There is always next week

Love the EL units!  I am looking for a C-425 model, I wish MTH would make one.

A couple shots from my layout:

 

Pennsylvania Freight Passing By

 

 

Looks like a delivery of "Doggie Dinner" at the old Freight House

 

I've been working on a new gas station for my layout, which is a different take on the same station bigtruckpete has on his layout. 

 

 

 

 

Weekend photo fun is always fun! Lionel's NYC F-3s comin' 'round the bend.  -Len

 

Amazing shots everyone.

 

I can not wait until I start some actual scenery on my layout.  Still laying down plaster cloth.  I think I am about 1/2 way though that process.

 

Here is just one photo I shot today of the 1225 crossing over the river with her freight train.  

 

Neil,

Contact Dave Hikel.  He is creating a new line of poles.  He wight have whatyour looking for.  

--Mike

Great pics again this week everybody!  Thanks!

 

Mr. Muffy said:

 

quote:

Taking pictures this week of diesels in our collection to update our website..... here's one of my favorites - okay - 2 of them.........

 

Okay... I give up... which two are your favorites?  There are three pics/three engines!

 

SIRT:

 

Where'd the center rail go????

 

Now arriving!

I bought this engine from a Forum member awhile back. It had been redone in the GM&O livery. I sent it off to have it stripped, and then I re-primed and repainted it. Decals went well including the builders plates. It now sports the N&W markings. This taken on the bench as I am weathering it now.

 

 

Fireman Chris,

 

See my earlier post regarding your question about the material I use for the telephone lines and guard rail cables.

 

Here's a photo which will give you an idea of how I make utility poles out of the Weaver line poles.  I've have included a photo of the prototype scene from PA Route 103 at Longfellow PA that the scene on the layout is based on.  The model scene is set in the mid 1960's, hence the white center line on the highway and the Milton Shapp for governor billboard posted in advance of the November 1966 gubernatorial election.  Note the 1964 1/2 Mustang passing the slow moving pickup truck as they both head up a grade east towards Lewistown.  The prototype photo was taken last summer and therefore has a contemporary double yellow center line. The railroad can be seen off to the left.

 

 

Not only are the telephone poles good...the whole scene is awesome.  Makes you feel like your on a summer drive down the highway!  Matt

Milton Shapp, some real politcal history there, Neil.  I do remember he ran for president also.   About the time Volkwagens were manufactured in Westmoreland County, but not for long.  I believe the "Rabbit".  Not that Pennsylvania politics is a whole lot better today.  You always do a great job of Pennsylvania's number one liveli-hood, agriculture.    

Thanks for the memories.

 Mike CT  

 

Neal and everyone thanks for the resources.  A buddy of mine is going to the scale show in Chicago on st. Pats weekend.  That is where he where he secured my first kit.  I really like the kits.  So will see.  I probably will pick up a weaver kit as a back up like beta test.  With all the great resources on this forum, for me, It's hard to stay on track (jumping around on projects and ideas). What a great hobby! So little funds, yet so much to do.

Chris

Mike,

 

The Milton Shapp billboard was used to place the layout firmly in the mid 1960's.  He lost in 66, but then won in 1970 and again in 1974.  However, the billboard shows Leonard Staisey as his running mate which was only the case in the 1966 election.  The other reason is tongue and cheek.  Beginning in the early 1960's, the roads in PA really went to h**l as the emphasis was on the construction of the interstate highway system.  Shapp refused to raise the gas tax or obtain other funds for PennDOT. The agency was filled with corruption. While its hard to see in the photo, I covered the road with asphalt patches and cracks.  The cable guard rail posts are all set at crazy angles.  This was typical of that era.  I love highway engineering, and actually spent two summers working for PennDOT, so I know the whole story well.  (The first summer Shapp was still in office).  Finally, Dick Thornburg became governor, and he raised sufficient funds for PennDOT, cleaned up the agency, and the roads gradually improved.  I saw it firsthand as it was much better the second summer that I worked there. 

 

In any case the scene modeled is meant to bear mute testimony to that era.

BTW, the billboard was made by my friend Jim Sacco, owner of City Classics.  They make HO and N scale structures.  Jim actually did the engineering drawings of the line poles and directed me to his tool and die maker to produce the poles.  He also gave Joe Hayter permission to produce his HO company house in O scale which is the source of the Weaver Company house.

3rd Rail Spokane Portland & Seattle E7 next to a Lionel TCA Anniversary F3.

 

 

MTH Premier Dash 9...

 

 

- Mike

"Small layout...Big dreams"

This is an O scale Riverossi B216. I got from a forum member and I used a new modified Williams GP-9 frame, trucks and motors.

 

 

Neal, those are really neat pictures. I well remember Milton Shapp running for and being Governor. And the pothole filled roads. I blew out a tire, bent a rim and was lucky I didn't get killed in one of those potholes.

 

You have great roads. What are you making them from?

 

Gerry

Marty, that Turbo Train looks really cool. Neil, your depiction of Pennsylvania is always amazingly accurate and detailed.

So after several hours sneaking away for some model painting, I came up with my detailing of a Plasticville model that will fit well into my little Hershey PA neighborhood and reminds me of some of the homes where I grew up.

I'm starting to get a better hang of painting, and have found that higher quality paints like Floquil does make a difference.  I don't know that I have captured the stone wall look yet though and will be casting around for ideas.

 

 

 

Here are some pictures of my new MTH-Premier Southern Crescent Limited Steam Engine...................Rogerw.

Bought this yesterday .

my $10 ebay score came yesterday