Weekend Photo Fun April 9.5, 2020--??

Scott,

I'm sitting at my computer waiting for responses to changes in a document we are trying to get approved.  I saw your post come up and I have to say I'm bored too.  Need to get some training courses out of the way.

Anyway, I was looking over my freight car fleet and came across these two Weaver PRR H30 hoppers.  When I first saw them many years ago I was surprised they were gray and not in MoW service.  I checked their latest build/rebuild dates (6-37) and they would fit into my late '40s era, so I bought them.

Well, I later found out these hoppers were not painted gray until the '50s.  Bummer.  In reality, from their build date through the 40s, H30 hoppers looked like this Weaver model:

Part of the enjoyment of this hobby for me is to research and find items that were appropriate for the late '40s, specifically no models of prototype items built/repainted after 1949.  Therefore, those gray H30s will not do.  Question is what do I do with them?  Sell?  Maybe re-stencil for MoW (Pennsy's MoW cars were gray until the mid-50s).  Wish I had done my research before I bought the cars, not after.

I am off for a few days starting this evening. I was supposed to be celebrating Easter with my sisters in Ft Lauderdale.

I started looking at my old layout pictures and I was looking at how my approach to scenery has changed over the years.

This picture is from my attic layout that existed from 1993 through 2003.  It was in the attic of my previous house.

Scott, the buildings look great!  Clever idea.

Don

In the midst of this pandemic, I'm keeping pretty busy with my trains. I enjoy taking pics with my fairly new iPhone 11 as it takes great layout shots, so here are a few that I shot the past few days...

First, here's a prototypically fraudulent shot (the scene is prototypical, but there are just two tracks here today) I took on the curved arch bridge and scene that I finally finished after 20 years on March 29th and posted pictures of last week. I started to acquire some Norfolk Southern equipment back when my son got interested in trains since that's what we actually see running these days. Seemed like there was always a BNSF or a Canadian unit mixed in the consist a few years ago, so I could not resist getting this Lionel ES44AC non-powered unit to splice into the mix:

Now here's a classic Pennsy shot of some early diesel era power from Baldwin passing on the four track mainline along the lower Juniata River between Duncannon and Port Royal:

And finally, here is a fairly new Lionel PRR class J Texas equipped with Legacy. I have the first run equipped with Odyssey, but I think this one sounds and runs better. It's shown here entering Enola Yard with US Routes 11/15 parallelling the railroad above. That's the famed "Iron Bridge" railfan heaven to the right of the image. I actually drove over the it before it was shut down in the 1990's.  The real scene including the gas station (and actually shot from the Iron Bridge) is pictured on page 111 of "The Pennsylvania Railroad 1940's-50's" by Don Ball.  It's been a long time since I posted any photos of this area of my layout:

Anyhow, hope I provided a bit of entertainment while we all endure this pandemic...enjoy and be safe!

For some time now, I have been looking for functional power trucks from AHM O scale C-Liners.  (I haven't had much luck, so, if you have any, let me know.)  I have been offered other parts and abandoned kit-bash attempts, turnignt hem into 3-rail locos or otherwise modifying them.  Some of these forlorn projects I purchase. 

One of them was someone's attempt to turn the B + B trucked engine into the passenger B + A-1-A version.  A 3-axle truck had been constructed and powered with a HEAVY can motor, and the frame had been weighted.  Crude electric wipers had been installed on one side of the front truck for pick-up; the other side had not yet been engineered.  The ATSF shell had been painted overall yellow, and Kadee coupler pockets had been installed.

As I look for more functional power trucks, it occurred to me that a very little work and one of my NON-functional power trucks would put the engine in operation.  I stripped the dead motor out of a truck but retained the button pick-ups behind the wheels.  I soldered wires to the motor leads, and led them to connections to the terminals on the rear power truck.  Some gray paint, an Alco PA decal set, and a little black wash in the louvers and fans resulted in this functional 2-rail engine that I will probably use when I visit my buddy who has a decent-sized 2-rail, NYC layout.  (It looks high in the rear because I haven't secured the shell in place yet.)

Great pics everyone!!   Here is an octet of photos for this fine weekend.  Many of the photos here are using natural daylight.   I took these photos over the last two days with my I phone.    

PRRMiddleDivision posted:

In the midst of this pandemic, I'm keeping pretty busy with my trains. I enjoy taking pics with my fairly new iPhone 11 as it takes great layout shots, so here are a few that I shot the past few days...

First, here's a prototypically fraudulent shot (the scene is prototypical, but there are just two tracks here today) I took on the curved arch bridge and scene that I finally finished after 20 years on March 29th and posted pictures of last week. I started to acquire some Norfolk Southern equipment back when my son got interested in trains since that's what we actually see running these days. Seemed like there was always a BNSF or a Canadian unit mixed in the consist a few years ago, so I could not resist getting this Lionel ES44AC non-powered unit to splice into the mix:

Now here's a classic Pennsy shot of some early diesel era power from Baldwin passing on the four track mainline along the lower Juniata River between Duncannon and Port Royal:

And finally, here is fairly new Lionel PRR class J Texas equipped with Legacy. I have the first run equipped with Odyssey, but I think this one sounds and runs better. It's shown here entering Enola Yard with US Routes 11/15 parallelling the railroad above. That's the famed "Iron Bridge" railfan heaven to the right of the image. I actually drove over the it before it was shut down in the 1990's.  The real scene including the gas station (and actually shot from the Iron Bridge) is pictured on page 111 of "The Pennsylvania Railroad 1940's-50's" by Don Ball.  It's been a long time since I posted any photos of this area of my layout:

Anyhow, hope I provided a bit of entertainment while we all endure this pandemic...enjoy and be safe!

 

 

 

Looks like another great WPF. Some really nice entries so far. Neal I always look forward and am inspired by your posts. This one is definitely a winner. Love your examples of modern to the past. Your scenery definitely is a wonderful stage for your trains to show out. The bridge is to die for. Thanks again for posting. BTW if you decide to let your older class J Texas go...hint. 

Dave

Action on the Seattle & Yakima RR

rounding the curve on the Rock Island

Have a great weekend everyone 

Great photos everyone. Been trying to get a building finished. Installing the lights and running the power to the build site are the final pieces of the puzzle.

Going through some old photo albums this week. I found this picture that my wife took ( I was driving) on Las Vegas Blvd facing north. This was with a Mavica camera sometime in the early part of the century. Maybe someone could ID the engine (Sd40)?. MGM stands guard in the background

Dave, thanks for your nice comments about my post above...I appreciate it!

Now, here is one more picture I want to post. First, look back at the image I posted above of the curved stone arch bridge with the Norfolk Southern train crossing. Then take a look at the bottom of the photo, and where you will notice the two canoes...

Now take a look at this photo...

That's the prototype, and that is my son Steven kayaking almost precisely where the model canoeists are located on my layout. We actually went kayaking out on the Juniata River back in 2016 when I took this shot which inspired me to include the canoes in the scene. A few notes...This is actually Tuscarora Creek right where it flows into the Juniata. The concrete pilasters and horizontal bracing were not present in the 1950's and therefore I did not include it on the model. They were added in the 1980's by Conrail to reinforce the bridge when they rebuilt the former Middle Division. Finally, look closely, and you will see the three arches, and that the one to the left carries the railroad over low lying ground, not water, just as on the model.

Sadly, the kayak rental place right across the river closed up last year, so no more shots like this unless they open up again.

I am in the process of making an Insulbrick house for a new spot on my layout. It’s a work in progress right now. I started a thread on it in the scenery forum and will update it as I go along.

That looks like my house six weeks ago.

Norm Charbonneau posted:

I am in the process of making an Insulbrick house for a new spot on my layout. It’s a work in progress right now. I started a thread on it in the scenery forum and will update it as I go along.

 

Norm love the slope the house is on gives great character for the scene!!!👍👍👍

a 2019 Christmas Layout memory 

this little section of the 2019 layout seems to be appropriate to show this weekend!

- walt

RabbitHole and some of its residents:

The locals all came up to the local drivein to watch home movies from last year's Easter festivities 

                       S.I.R.T.  Action...…

                                                   "RIDE THE RAPID"

I just bought this car off of patrick's trains in wheeling wv a couple hours ago!!!

SIRT: VERY NICE work!

Scott. Interesting buildings. Thanks for sharing. I would suggest a matt finish on the buildings if the imperfections show up. Matt covers better than a slick, shine look in my opinion. Again, thanks for all you do to help the time go by in this wait and see atmosphere. Stay well.

Norm Charbonneau posted:

I am in the process of making an Insulbrick house for a new spot on my layout. It’s a work in progress right now. I started a thread on it in the scenery forum and will update it as I go along.

Here in Northeast Pa, we call that Brick-Tex. Many many homes had this, or asbestos siding. I wish I still had the asbestos siding cutter that was in our old house. I would say you nailed it Norm, looks great!

Some recent Long Island Rail Road action...found myself in Greenport somewhat unexpectedly in the not too distant past. Conveniently the train came just as I got there...I haven't been in the museum in years. Hopefully this summer. 

I have a model of the JAWS III Snowplow that MTH did years ago...I overpaid but at least won the "bidding war" with some other guy at someone's table in the Blue Hall at York. I think MTH did these 10-20 years ago and they are somewhat hard to find...I think. I really like mine, I run it quite a bit! Unfortunately I didn't have it with me, I'll have to remember to bring it next trip to the summer house and go take a picture of it with the real one. 

The new Lionel O scale MKT auto rack on a TRAILER TRAIN flat car is out. 

Andrew

Falcon Service

Tinplate Art posted:

SIRT: VERY NICE work!

I second that Sirt just WOW 

Thanks guys, enjoying my time off. 

 Another delivery at the Grasmere siding (still there today) for BUDA BAKERS. They picked up flour there back in the  60's and took it back to bakery in Grant  City.

Here is a couple of picture's of my williams C&O gondola with easter load and HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!! 

chessie1971 posted:

Here is a couple of picture's of my williams C&O gondola with easter load and HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!! 

Nice loads Jeff, it is a lot better then a dumb basket, gondolas are much better!

I was going through some old photos to post on my new blog which should be done when the virus is done when I can get a fiend to build it.  I digress, here is one for you.

This is the Fire box which I took a photo of at the LA county fair grounds back before the UP indian givers snagged it.   It's the big boy #4014, Big is it not.

THis is the closest I can come to an Easter train.......sorry, no bunnies........but, I was able to borrow some Easter giraffes from the Bronx Zoo.....

Peter

Since we're in the Twilight Zone, lets head back to the 1964 Worlds Fair...from the GCT celebration in 2013

Latest workbench project with the latest color scheme. 

Someone asked where I come up with these color combos. In this case, it is patterned after the Gray Banded King snake  

Norm Charbonneau posted:

I am in the process of making an Insulbrick house for a new spot on my layout. It’s a work in progress right now. I started a thread on it in the scenery forum and will update it as I go along.

Looks EXACTLY like that was referred to around these parts as "Brickette"... including the distinctive "Turd Brown" color! Well done!

Andre