Weekend Photo Fun 6-9-23-??

                                                    Early Delivery...

Here are some hat pins i bought last week!!!

Running trains with the National Capital Trackers at the Manassas Railway Festival last weekend. We had a great time and the debut of my “giraffe unit train” was well accepted.

We were one of six groups, covering multiple scales.

We had a blast! The crowd was a lot of fun.  More than one asked me if Lionel was still in business and I directed them to their website as well as the Trackers website.

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Sunset/3^rd Rail is the only manufacturer that has made an O gauge model of a New Haven Railroad FL9 diesel locomotive. These models were delivered in 2013 and have a single horizontal motor.

The FL9s were unique locomotives designed to operate on 660-volt DC third-rail in Grand Central Terminal and the City of New York, and as a conventional diesel/electric elsewhere on the railroad. Unlike any other EMD F-series locomotive, FL9s had a three-axle A1A trailing truck to comply with axle-load limits on the Park Avenue viaduct. They entered service on the New Haven Railroad in 1956 and powered Metro-North commuter trains on Connecticut branch lines until 2009.

Photos and videos show the model on my 12’-by-8’ model railroad.

MELGAR

The giraffe unit train video…….I snuck in an elephant

Peter

I added lights to my ice cream truck. I also posted a video of this truck that includes sound from an ITT Products module installed under the layout that plays an ice cream truck jingle. It is in the scenery and structures forum. Here’s the photo:

Some of my last photos of the layout.

This week, I'm posting some photos of several of my signal installations.

First, here's a classic intermediate signal at milepost 150.6:

Now here's an interlocking signal at Mifflin interlocking. Note the lower heads:

Headed further to the west, we come across a bi-directional intermediate signal installed by Conrail in the 1980's:

Here's one of several non-prototypical "Yard Entry Signals" I came up with so the train operator could be sure that a yard track was available and the turnouts leading to that track were set properly without having to look at the control panel or the yard tracks:

Finally, I like to model the track side signal equipment that operates the signals. The relay case is actually two dimensional and all of the doors, louvers, handles, and hinges are just painted on. To it's right is a battery well that powers the lights in the signal heads.

I started building and including signals on my layout when I was about 16 years old and have done it ever since. The ease of detecting trains with three rail track is one of the major reasons I have stuck with three rails trains for all these years.

That's it for  this week!

A 2022 Christmas Layout Memory

-walt

2 different looks at same scene

Finishing up a speeder shed and shanty for the signal maintainers.

Ken

@kanawha posted:

Finishing up a speeder shed and shanty for the signal maintainers.

Ken

That is a great scene and fits nicely in a corner.  Thanks for the idea!

Thanks Scott for getting us started for this fine weekend!   Here are my photos of the fun kind for this weekend.  Have a terrific weekend everyone!!  

My photos and story this weekend is titled:  SCHOOL IS OUT  Me and TJ day hiking up to and on the Free State Junction Railway's Mountain Division.  

With yesterday being the last day of school, me and my buddy TJ decided to hike from Patsburg up to the Mountain Division.   With me carrying a light backpack containing our lunch, first aid kit, extra film, and canteens, cameras hung around our necks, we began our uphill hike at the trailhead just opposite Patsburg's Commuter Station.    As we made our way up the trail, not too far from the trailhead, we heard the thunderous roar of diesel locomotives punctuated with the whistle of a steam locomotive.  Then suddenly three locomotives simultaneously appeared!!  TJ with camera ready snapped this photo!  

I snapped this photo from the trail as it crossed Mt. Patrick looking toward Mt. Randolph.  It's great to see folks having fun on the lake!  Rock climbers have their work cut out for them for sure!  A Pennsy A5 and its' short train is about to take the bridge.   We can see hikers high up on Mt. Randolph in the very far distance ... and we realize that where those hikers are now is where we will hopefully be in a few hours.  The aircraft beacon in the far distance will come alive at dusk.  ( In actuality the Lionel aircraft beacon was a gift from Santa when I was 5 years old!  ... and it does still work!  

Later along the trail.  We can't believe our eyes as there seems to be someone using the outhouse with the door wide open!

A lite drizzle falls from the clouds.  It feels like a short little "brush wetter".  Hmmm .... a " No trespassing sign". That's never stopped us before and we definitely want to check out that old caboose set out on a siding.  I exclaim " Onward TJ!".  

Ahhh.... the sun busts forth again!  Just in time to capture this photo of another A5 crossing the bridge!  

Finally a bit of civilization.  We came across these maintainence of way workers at a MOW camp.  

"This seems like a great place to eat our lunch!" I say to TJ as he nods his head enthusiastically in total agreement.  I slip off the backpack, unzip the top, only to discover that I only packed two grapefruits.  With an astonished look on my face I now remember leaving our six wrapped sandwiches on the kitchen table.  TJ was none to happy!  TJ, never one to miss a meal,  yells with a scowl on his face." I thought I told you to double check the pack for our food!!"   Sheepishly I reply "Yeah you did TJ but I was so sure that the food was in the pack that I didn't follow through with your request plus we were in such a hurry to get out the door because you mom dropped you off late."  After pausing briefly I continue "  But yeah regardless it's my fault not your moms or yours TJ.  I'm really sorry. "  I pause again as I think of  a solution. "Okay here's what we do.  You eat both grapefruits, we turn around and go back, and I'll treat you to the all you can eat food bar at Sam & Elsies Lunchroom!"  " "Woooow weeee!!" TJ repiies.  Now with a smile on his big round face TJ continues " There's only one thing wrong with your plan.  I will eat one grapefruit and you eat the other.   You can still buy me a meal at Sam and Elsies though."  Shaking my head in agreement I exclaim "Okay you're on TJ!    I guess we will make it to the top of Mt. Randolph on another day.  After all school is out and we have all summer! "    

The photographer caught this old Patton tank going through the yard.  Probably going to a museum somewhere.

@trumpettrain Another great story I look forward to reading Patrick!

Gene

Great Lego layout at the Manassas Railway Festival…..I took these pics while on break from running on the Trackers layout.

Peter

A Lego train video….it is amazing what these fellows can do!

Have a great and safe weekend, everyone!

Peter

@Genemed posted:

@trumpettrain Another great story I look forward to reading Patrick!

Gene

I agree!!!!

@Trainbros89 posted:

Two really nice videos.  You made a fantastic military train, love all the custom work.

@trumpettrain- Great story Patrick, here's hopin' TJ got his lunch at the resturant!!

Don

@FrankRazz posted:

Two really nice videos.  You made a fantastic military train, love all the custom work.

Thank you for the kind words !

More deliveries...

LIONEL Soo Line GP30  diesel-electric locomotives pull a 1970's Era train.

Andrew

Falcon Service

@SIRT posted:

More deliveries...

SIRT:

Your recently decided to blend three brands of 2 and 3 rail track for a more realistic appearance.

Are you pleased with the results?

Looks good to me.  Clever idea.

Lou N

Everything works as it should so yes in that aspect. The look is better but not 100% with all the other variations.

We took a two week trip through Central and Southern Oregon, stopped at Train Mountain, where I have been a member but never visited, overnight. Got there late, missed the Narrow Gauge Meet, but saw a few things, swapped stories and contact cards.

The family LOVED TM and Chiloquin and land prices are about half what they are in The Treasure Valley of Idaho, if you can stand the long, remote, though beautiful in spring, 400 mile drive through the Southern Oregon desert to get there!

Last stop was Buchanan Springs Rest Stop outside of Burns, Oregon where Marilyn the former Greyhound bus rested under the stars overnight.