This past week we have been running trains at Vacation Bible School. The theme this year is Christmas in July.
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Great start Scott, maybe that will bring cooler temperatures. Definitely need "Christmas in July". I should run the trains sometime soon, it's been a bit.
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Running trains at the garden railway. A 50 car grain train with MTH 2 head end engines, 2 pushers in the middle and 2 pushers on the rear. The Canadian Toy Train Association had the club layout in the station. Here running a very long MTH VIA train.
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Happy Friday, everyone!
Thank you, Scott for doing this.......it looks like the kids are having a blast!
This is a panoramic view of an updated scene (the addition of a nursery) on the modular layout done by members of what we call the "Station Module Team"
Here are a few close ups:
This Saturday, we open a two weekend show at the Keystone Tractor Museum.
Here, our 12x15 and 6x11 modular layouts are set up:
This Museum is amazing………more pictures here in the announcements:
https://ogrforum.com/...play-colonial-hts-va
Have a great and safe weekend, folks!
Peter
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Two posts today. First are just a few random images I took of the layout while preparing my second post which follows below since I'm always seeing potential images that I can take with my cell phone. Sure beats the old days of using my 35 mm DSLR!
First, a switcher dropping off a boxcar at Goodman's Feedmill in Port Royal:
Next, four miles to the west, the team track at Mifflintown:
And Just on the other side of the tracks, here's Mifflin Tower:
And finally, far to the west, here is a shot showing all of the visual clutter at the locomotive servicing facility in East Altoona:
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And as promised, here is the second post...
Last week, I posted a photo of the Andersen Road grade crossing a few miles west of Lewistown. Our fellow poster SIRT noticed and posted a comment regarding the model camper approaching the grade crossing. I figured I'd post some photos of the model as it is truly unique and there is an interesting story as to how I came across it. My son briefly worked at "Hobby Express," our wonderful local hobby store. While there, he noticed it hidden the in back of the display case with diecast vehicles. It was a model of an early 1970's Ford F-150 with a camper mounted on the back.
He realized that this was a great fit for our layout since these are very commonly seen in the area since people go camping and fishing along the banks of the nearby Juniata River. He said "Dad, you have to buy this model, but you won't like the price!" Indeed, at $132, I did not, but the model which was imported from Italy, was so unique and so perfect for this part of the layout, I could not resist, and I purchased it. So here are some images of it near the grade crossing and elsewhere on the layout:
Enjoy!
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Neal - Period modeling at its best!
The main significance of this Sunset GG1 is, that with the help of Rod Miller, I installed sprockets and chains to drive the inner axles. Traction is significantly improved on the one superelevated uphill curve on my layout. The GG1 was fine going level, or straight uphill. But all the weight was transferred to the inner axles on those curves, causing some wheel slip. Quite unsightly for the Congressional
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Now, I’m going to take everyone back in my time machine. I found these pics in the late spring. I digitalized them this week.
They were taken with a Minolta instamatic-type camera……….and 126 color film (….when was the last time any of us thought about 126 film!).
It’s May, 1984…….I traveled to Buffalo to my 5th medical school reunion…….and, I stopped to takes some pictures of Buffalo Central Terminal……..a structure and concept that was built in the 20s, but suffered from Buffalo’s demise as a transportation hub and a place of heavy industry and grain transport. It has been abandoned for about 50 years as the city of Buffalo got smaller and smaller. If anyone has any updates, I’d love to hear them.
Lucky me! An Amtrak Turboliner……..just like the one parked on a siding in central Jersey along the Northeast Corridor……
A consist with a GE and an EMD engine, MU’d, comes through……
It’s great to see these pictures again, but also a little sad to see the blight…..
Peter
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Neal, that camper is class A.
Scott, I wasn’t aware how often that trains were used to bring the Bible to the little ones. my daughter supplied some pictures of my granddaughters attending vacation bible school in Moscow, PA.
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Neal just like SIRT last week I am intrigued by one of the vehicles on your magnificent layout. Where did you ever find an International Harvester Travelall?
Thanks Scott for getting us started! Here are my photo of the fun kind for this fine weekend! I hope you all have a wonderful and cool weekend!! For all of us experiencing extremely hot temps .... remember to stop at the tank and take on water frequently!
It's Friday morning and Patsburg Ave is bustling with traffic! Lots of folks either leaving town or passing through town. Most folks are probably on or leaving for vacation.
It's super warm temps but these construction workers will gitter done!
This Pennsy A5 takes on water at the tank. That's fireman Bigley Littleton standing on the tender deck. Division Superintendent Clint Beardsley with his famous walking stick, corncob pipe, and Panama hat talks it up with brakeman Jitterbug Boothman.
These MOW workers will more than earn their pay today as they rid this little used siding of an overgrowth of brush. Once cleared, MOW track inspectors will inspect the rails to see what needs to be upgraded/replaced as this siding is the lead to the former aircraft manufacturing facility which has been purchased by some guy named Preston Tucker. Tucker will now turn the aircraft plant into an automobile plant.
Ahhh! Nothing like spending weekend in the mountains camping! View from my tent flap.
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I’ve been looking for a 2nd MTH PRR Decapod to double head with my existing one for several months. I finally found one at a reasonable price here on the forum. Can’t get over how great these two engines look together.
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A 2021 Christmas Layout memory
Been showing the little town in the back of the right hand side. What's a town without a police presence, right?
- walt
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The North Pole is busy preparing for Santa's big ride at Christmas.
Even in winter, the Disney Park is still busy.
A photo from about twenty years ago of the executive staff of the Great Northeastern Railway: L to R - President, Randy Harrison, Vice President, Terry Harrison. Director of Railroad Operations, Chris Harrison, Chairman of the "Bored" (held by Chris), Chaz Harrison. Chaz is featured in the Great Northeastern Railway logo below.
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Speaking of Christmas in July, this past weekend, my club set up at a private Christmas in July event at a campground in Mercer, PA. Santa even arrived on his Harley to hand out presents to the kids. This was our second year doing this event. Like our Kennywood Holiday Lights setup, we love doing this event because it reaches a part of the public not normally exposed to model railroading, and we get to entertain a lot of kids.
Here are some pix of our layout:
And here is a video of the trains we were running:
Andy
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@Putnam Division posted:Now, I’m going to take everyone back in my time machine. I found these pics in the late spring. I digitalized them this week.
They were taken with a Minolta instamatic-type camera……….and 126 color film (….when was the last time any of us thought about 126 film!).
It’s May, 1984…….I traveled to Buffalo to my 5th medical school reunion…….and, I stopped to takes some pictures of Buffalo Central Station……..a structure and concept that was built in the 20s, but suffered from Buffalo’s demise as a transportation hub and a place of heavy industry and grain transport. It has been abandoned for about 50 years as the city of Buffalo got smaller and smaller. If anyone has any updates, I’d love to hear them.
It’s great to see these pictures again, but also a little sad to see the blight…..
Peter
This a great post Peter. Very unusual and extremely interesting
@coach joe posted:Neal just like SIRT last week I am intrigued by one of the vehicles on your magnificent layout. Where did you ever find an International Harvester Travelall?
Joe,
I picked this up at York a few years ago. It was a custom run, and I THINK it was a Whitebox and I believe I bought it from Diecast Direct. You could check with him though they are probably long gone. Think it is a 1963 model which is perfect for the scene which is supposed to be around 1965. I'm attaching a close up of the vehicle as well as an overall shot from the other side of the tower. You can see the Chevy (approx a 1960 model) coming down the access road from PA Route 333. It was the original vehicle in the scene until I found the new one. I decided to leave it in the scene as well.
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Patrick another busy day on the FSJR and a fabulous summer day in Patsburg.
Sirt, impeccably detailed and weathered as usual.
Randy I always thought I admired your logo but now I realized I never paid close enough attention to it. I always thought it was Rocky and never realized it was Chaz nor that the coloring was different (black and white) than Rocky.
Andy another great layout and event by your club.
Neal thanks for the info and the additional pictures. IH small trucks are so under-represented in our hobby.
Joe, nice progress. The layout is looking great.
Larry. I thought the "Chlorodont" was some sort of small diner but I was puzzled by the sign because it mads me think of a dentist office.
Then I saw the second picture
and realized it had a pantograph, voila!, trolly with a toothpaste ad on it.
@Coach Joe, thank you for your comments about my Chlorodont electric which is made by LGB, G gauge. I just took a picture of that area of my under the ceiling G gauge layout where the train comes through the wall. My LGB Train was my first layout build when we moved into our home in 1996. After we built the around the wall layout we started the O gauge layout, in the year of 2000. So, the pictures today are from around the room. Happy Railroading Everyone
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@PRRMiddleDivision posted:This a great post Peter. Very unusual and extremely interesting
Thank you, Neal………I can’t believe that these pics are nearly 40 years old…….the fate of Buffalo has always saddened me. In less than a century it went from the Pan American Exposition to a dying “Rust Belt” city. I’m going to do a Forum search tomorrow……..I think this topic has come up before in the past…….these pictures may be a good addition and spur some discussion on what is going on now. I was last in Buffalo in 2019, and there was nothing new….
Peter
@Putnam Division posted:Now, I’m going to take everyone back in my time machine. I found these pics in the late spring. I digitalized them this week.
They were taken with a Minolta instamatic-type camera……….and 126 color film (….when was the last time any of us thought about 126 film!).
It’s great to see these pictures again, but also a little sad to see the blight…..
Peter
Nice pictures of a great building, Peter. Just a couple of years ago, I saw some contemporary pictures from a train show that was held in what I assume was the waiting room of the station. While dilapidated, it was still very impressive. I hope someone takes interest in restoring the whole building… we’ve lost too much historic architecture.
Now, inquiring minds want to know… did you use flash cubes with your 126 film??? (I recently found a bunch of 126 negative strips - those were the days!!!)
@Apples55 posted:Nice pictures of a great building, Peter. Just a couple of years ago, I saw some contemporary pictures from a train show that was held in what I assume was the waiting room of the station. While dilapidated, it was still very impressive. I hope someone takes interest in restoring the whole building… we’ve lost too much historic architecture.
Now, inquiring minds want to know… did you use flash cubes with your 126 film??? (I recently found a bunch of 126 negative strips - those were the days!!!)
I think the camera had a built-in flash.......but flash cubes......hadn't thought of them in ages!
Peter
Traditional O gauge TRAILER TRAIN center beam flat cars in the 1980's paint scheme from LIONEL.
The TRAILER TRAIN 60' center beam flat cars were common in freight trains on the GTW in the 1990's.
Andrew
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Flash cubes would make for a unique in a gondola or on a flat if you could find any. Sort of like Peter's sherry caps/bottles, I can't remember which it was but I remember his posts.
@A.J. posted:
My first thought was that these were impressively realistic scenes even though the scenery isn't 100% complete. And then I realized that the track was Lionel's FasTrack. That is some of the best-looking use of FasTrack I have seen. I think the bottom photo would make a great advertisement for FasTrack.
This is a view standing on top of the "Lucky #7 Mine" where we can see down to Utacolzona,
not a quiet but a fairly peaceful town. I hope the man loading the box onto the pick-up
does not trip over the old gentleman laying on the ground. (oops. )
Thanks for looking.
Dennis.
Utacolzona Railroad in On30 (2020 - 2022) Update 7/23/22
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@PGentieu posted:My first thought was that these were impressively realistic scenes even though the scenery isn't 100% complete. And then I realized that the track was Lionel's FasTrack. That is some of the best-looking use of FasTrack I have seen. I think the bottom photo would make a great advertisement for FasTrack.
Thanks! I really haven't even began any scenery at all. I painted a backdrop, used some plaster for an incline embankments, and started putting down road (which I haven't striped or weathered at all yet). Little by little I'll get there!