Weekend Photo Fun-2015 Christmas Edition

great Idea, Merry Christmas all.

So I needed to buy a transformer to power this lamp post on my layout. I hope I didn't go overboard...

9 hole golf course w/ "operating putting greens" nearing completion.

Michael, I should think you could power four with that.

Here is my christmas gift!! MTH Railking Scale Chessie System GP9 Engine With PS3. I bought this today. 

  The BIG "L".......................

Here's a classic from 2008: 

The Baby Jesus Train, or, "The Lionel Will Lay Down With The Lamb"...

Mitch

chessie1971 posted:

Here is my christmas gift!! MTH Railking Scale Chessie System GP9 Engine With PS3. I bought this today. 

Nice! The Railkng GP's and RS1's are some of the best buys out there. Enjoy!

I posted this a while back and hope it is alright to post it here now.  Of the short stories I've written about events on the MARS this is perhaps my favorite and as it is the season, I thought I would post it again.  Merry Christmas to one and all.

"The Perfect Gift"

The sun was just beginning to rise on Christmas morning, and Mama Jo was already hard at work in the kitchen. The three children huddled beside the old potbellied stove were playfully chatting and giggling in the dimly lit room. Times were hard, but on this day there was an excitement in Mama Jo's kitchen. The pungent aroma of fresh baked bread permeated the two story clapboard house, and there was a meaty fresh chicken ready to go in the oven. Best of all, Mama Jo was preparing mash potatoes and, as a special treat, her sweet potato pie.

The children's excitement along with the noise was growing when Little Becky exclaimed, "Mama Jo, it's cold and there is no more coal for the fire." "That's right, child and we'll need some coal for my stove too.  Willis, wrap the children and take them with you and go see if you can gather some coal up around the bend."

Willis, the oldest, prepared the children to go outside. Once out the door, they met two neighbor children on a similar mission, to gather up some coal to warm their home.

In the dim morning light the children worked their way up a steep embankment pulling Little Becky who was sitting in an old wash tub that had been lashed to a sled. It was perfect for hauling back the coal they would collect. Up they trudged through the freshly fallen snow until they reached the top and the MARS single track mainline.

It was apparent that there had not been a train for a bit as the tops of the rusty rails were covered with a blanket of clean white snow. The kids made their way to a sharp curve in the track where coal frequently collected on the ground from passing coal drags. The children reached their destination and stopped to look at one another. Little Becky said, "Willis, what are we to do, there is no coal? Even with Grandma cooking, the house is so cold. Mama Jo will be so sad if we don't bring home some coal." Becky began to whimper softly.

Becky was only half right. There was coal on the ground, but because of the recent snow, it could not be seen. Willis began to kick at the snow, and the other children followed suit in hopes of finding some coal beneath the white powder. As they proceeded to churn up the snow in search of the coal, more snow began to fall. Willis looked to the sky and thought, "Please not now. We've just got to find some coal!"

The children were accustomed to the cold, but they had so been hoping for a warm Christmas and the cold would not be welcomed on this day. But after searching and not finding what they had been sent out to find, the children were very discouraged. They were about to head back to their homes with only the prospect of their growing colder as the day wore on. 

Then, in the distance the children heard a familiar sound. It was the long mournful whistle of Ol' #827, on schedule making her way down the track pulling a short mixed freight. In the cab, as Pat peered up ahead, he saw the children beside the track and pulled the cord letting loose a piercing warning that his train was fast approaching. The children stepped back away from the track and down the slope. As Ol' #827 approached, her headlamp glowing, belching steam and smoke from her stack, Pat repeatedly tugged on the whistle chord which now seemed to the children like a sweet melody.

As the children watched the thundering locomotive rapidly approach, they saw a dark mass fly from the side of Ol' #827. Something was hurtling through the air and falling to the ground peppering the snow covered slope. As the locomotive grew closer, Willis and the children suddenly recognized it was what they had been desperately seeking, coal! 

Pat, like a master, having eased off the locomotive's throttle glanced back at Lou as he now gently applied the brake, slowing the train. And standing between the cab and tender was Lou, shoveling huge scoops of the precious black diamonds as fast as his muscular arms would allow.

Now before the children lay large chunks of black coal dotting the white covered slope. In their excitement the children began to jump up and down. As Ol' #827 came upon them, the children continued to wave with excitement and then stood as if in awe. Standing tall in the cab with his shovel at his side,  Lou smiled, gave a strong wave and above the rumble of the locomotive's pounding drivers, bellowed a hearty "Merry Christmas to one and all!"

The short mixed freight passed, and the children looked at one another in amazement. Then without saying a word they went about quickly filling their buckets and the wash tub with the chunks of black treasure. 

With a full load of coal and with smiles on their faces the children began making their way toward home. It was not long before Becky saw Mama Jo standing outside the back door anticipating their arrival. Becky, now with tears flowing down her soft cheeks, turned to and asked, "Willis, was that Santa?" Willis stopped in his tracks, looked at Becky, and said with a smile, "I think maybe it was." Becky beamed and responded, "I'm so happy! He gave us the perfect gift."

Bo

CarGuyZM10 posted:

So I needed to buy a transformer to power this lamp post on my layout. I hope I didn't go overboard...

It looks to me like you did just fine, CarGuyZM10.  Well done!  Bo

Scott, nice gesture setting up the display for others.  (Or do you keep those trains stored at the church so the wife doesn't know about them)? 

SIRT posted:

  The BIG "L".......................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIRT, I really like the rust effects!  Beautiful work!  Bo  

Steve,  that shovel really evokes memories of 'Mike Mulligan and Merry Ann' !

Sunny Side of the Street.

Grab your coat and snatch your hat, leave your worries on the doorstep
Just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street

Can't you hear that pitter pat and that happy tune is your step
Life can be so sweet, on the sunny side of the street

I used to walk in the shade with the blues on parade
No longer afraid, the rover crossed over

If I never had a cent I'll be rich as Rockfeller
The gold dust at my feet on the sunny side of the street

I used to walk in the shade with those blues on parade
But I'm not afraid 'cause the rover, he got over

If I never had a cent, I'd be rich as Rockfeller
All those chicks 'round my feet on the sunny, sunny side of the street

Merry Christmas!

The Steelers beat the Broncos and the IT came through town.  It was a good week!

Nice shot, Andre!  It definitely has that 1950's feel about it.  Like the sunlight and the shadows in the photo too.  Bo  

Christmas 2015 - Grandchildren & The Polar Express

Ita Christmas Eve and the layout is just about finished. This year two single stripe G's joined the pennsy fleet.  Here they are testing with a congressional and a regional train.  

yankspride4 posted:

chessie1971 posted:

Here is my christmas gift!! MTH Railking Scale Chessie System GP9 Engine With PS3. I bought this today. 

Nice! The Railkng GP's and RS1's are some of the best buys out there. Enjoy!

Thanks!!

My Big Boy came in earlier this week. Like the other longer scale-wheeled engines I have, this one finds the bad track, but MTH did a great job on it just the same.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

....the family room, 0500 hrs....as I leave for work......hope to be home soon....

Peter

Merry Christmas to all

Merry Christmas to all from the Cedar Knoll and West Brandywine Railroad!

Foggy Dec. 24th evening at Rigby Yard in South Portland.

Our new Lionel LionChief MTA Metro North set.

Christmas morning Boston bound Amtrak Downeaster.

SIRT,

The "enamel" builder plates are a great touch.

Here is one I did.

Even though it will be late, I will post photos of all 3 Ten Wheelers that I have in my collection on Monday after one of them returns from Repair. For now here is what I got so far. I will update my post if I get anymore trains today

GG1 4907 hauls a freight last week at National Capital Trackers layout, College Park MD Aviation Museum. B&O Museum show in Baltimore starts tomorrow through December 31.

Merry Christmas!! 

First up is a gift from Mrs. Claus. Thanks to Rich at Korber for his helping my wife get the right item with great customer service!!

Then a few pictures from sights around Chicago: California Zephyr westbound and Chicagoland Lionel RR Club.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone.  Christmas trains running throughout the house.

Bob

Work is well underway on "Section 7C" of our layout.  Over the past few weeks, I posted photos of the farmhouse and barn that will sit in this area.  We are now in the process of installing the laminated foam scenery base which my son and I have been meticulously rough cutting then rasping.  Work is almost done with this process, and a few chunks of scenery have already been painted in earth tones awaiting application of ground foam and other ground cover and vegetation.  The photos show one of the recently cast but unstained wing walls at the Tuscarora Creek bridge and the junction with the finished scenery of section 7A.  The pace of the work has been dramatically helped with the assistance of my son Steven (Steven Michael here on the forum).  I pay for the stuff and he does all of the work!

Great photo's, from the great time of the year.

Nothing says Christmas like Church, Family, Trains (for the boys) & Dolls (for the girls).

Enjoy the season.

P. S. Yesterday I enjoyed my other hobby and went and saw Washington cross the Delaware.

Wonderful Christmas memories of... Lionel @ F.A.O. Schwarz, Fifth Avenue, NYC, a glamorous and spectacular store. Working for Lionel there was a fabulous responsibility that kick-started my Holiday seasons perfectly each year I was commissioned to be there. Lionel was the perfect  client and FAO the perfect venue.

 FrankM.

Merry Christmas everyone!

railhead53 posted:

I posted this a while back and hope it is alright to post it here now.  Of the short stories I've written about events on the MARS this is perhaps my favorite and as it is the season, I thought I would post it again.  Merry Christmas to one and all.

 

"The Perfect Gift"

 

The sun was just beginning to rise on Christmas morning, and Mama Jo was already hard at work in the kitchen. The three children huddled beside the old potbellied stove were playfully chatting and giggling in the dimly lit room. Times were hard, but on this day there was an excitement in Mama Jo's kitchen. The pungent aroma of fresh baked bread permeated the two story clapboard house, and there was a meaty fresh chicken ready to go in the oven. Best of all, Mama Jo was preparing mash potatoes and, as a special treat, her sweet potato pie.

The children's excitement along with the noise was growing when Little Becky exclaimed, "Mama Jo, it's cold and there is no more coal for the fire." "That's right, child and we'll need some coal for my stove too.  Willis, wrap the children and take them with you and go see if you can gather some coal up around the bend."

Willis, the oldest, prepared the children to go outside. Once out the door, they met two neighbor children on a similar mission, to gather up some coal to warm their home.

In the dim morning light the children worked their way up a steep embankment pulling Little Becky who was sitting in an old wash tub that had been lashed to a sled. It was perfect for hauling back the coal they would collect. Up they trudged through the freshly fallen snow until they reached the top and the MARS single track mainline.

It was apparent that there had not been a train for a bit as the tops of the rusty rails were covered with a blanket of clean white snow. The kids made their way to a sharp curve in the track where coal frequently collected on the ground from passing coal drags. The children reached their destination and stopped to look at one another. Little Becky said, "Willis, what are we to do, there is no coal? Even with Grandma cooking, the house is so cold. Mama Jo will be so sad if we don't bring home some coal." Becky began to whimper softly.

 

 

Becky was only half right. There was coal on the ground, but because of the recent snow, it could not be seen. Willis began to kick at the snow, and the other children followed suit in hopes of finding some coal beneath the white powder. As they proceeded to churn up the snow in search of the coal, more snow began to fall. Willis looked to the sky and thought, "Please not now. We've just got to find some coal!"

The children were accustomed to the cold, but they had so been hoping for a warm Christmas and the cold would not be welcomed on this day. But after searching and not finding what they had been sent out to find, the children were very discouraged. They were about to head back to their homes with only the prospect of their growing colder as the day wore on. 

Then, in the distance the children heard a familiar sound. It was the long mournful whistle of Ol' #827, on schedule making her way down the track pulling a short mixed freight. In the cab, as Pat peered up ahead, he saw the children beside the track and pulled the cord letting loose a piercing warning that his train was fast approaching. The children stepped back away from the track and down the slope. As Ol' #827 approached, her headlamp glowing, belching steam and smoke from her stack, Pat repeatedly tugged on the whistle chord which now seemed to the children like a sweet melody.

 

 

As the children watched the thundering locomotive rapidly approach, they saw a dark mass fly from the side of Ol' #827. Something was hurtling through the air and falling to the ground peppering the snow covered slope. As the locomotive grew closer, Willis and the children suddenly recognized it was what they had been desperately seeking, coal! 

Pat, like a master, having eased off the locomotive's throttle glanced back at Lou as he now gently applied the brake, slowing the train. And standing between the cab and tender was Lou, shoveling huge scoops of the precious black diamonds as fast as his muscular arms would allow.

 

 

Now before the children lay large chunks of black coal dotting the white covered slope. In their excitement the children began to jump up and down. As Ol' #827 came upon them, the children continued to wave with excitement and then stood as if in awe. Standing tall in the cab with his shovel at his side,  Lou smiled, gave a strong wave and above the rumble of the locomotive's pounding drivers, bellowed a hearty "Merry Christmas to one and all!"

 

The short mixed freight passed, and the children looked at one another in amazement. Then without saying a word they went about quickly filling their buckets and the wash tub with the chunks of black treasure. 

With a full load of coal and with smiles on their faces the children began making their way toward home. It was not long before Becky saw Mama Jo standing outside the back door anticipating their arrival. Becky, now with tears flowing down her soft cheeks, turned to and asked, "Willis, was that Santa?" Willis stopped in his tracks, looked at Becky, and said with a smile, "I think maybe it was." Becky beamed and responded, "I'm so happy! He gave us the perfect gift."

 

Bo

 

 

Bo, Merry Christmas.  Glad to hear from you again.

Lou

railhead53 posted:

I posted this a while back and hope it is alright to post it here now.  Of the short stories I've written about events on the MARS this is perhaps my favorite and as it is the season, I thought I would post it again.  Merry Christmas to one and all.

"The Perfect Gift"...

...T. "Willis, was that Santa?" Willis stopped in his tracks, looked at Becky, and said with a smile, "I think maybe it was." Becky beamed and responded, "I'm so happy! He gave us the perfect gift."

Bo

Wonderfully appropriate, Bo, and skillfully written (take it from an old English teacher.)

FrankM.