Model Train Journal

Happy Friday Everyone!
Still working on putting up the new layout, so no new shots. Should have something up by the end of the month.

Here's some old ones -


















NS ES44DC 7658 is leading 201 through Christiansburg, VA


Dirty SD70ACU 7267 (ex UP SD90MAC 8039/UP 3526) leads a southbound grain train on the CNO&TP Third District in Chattanooga, TN


NS ES44DC 7698 is leading an MOW train through Arcadia, VA


An Amtrak Keystone service train bound for Harrisburg passes a local NJT heading into NY at Elizabeth, NJ


NS Dash-9 9037 leads 52Z through Kumis on the ex Virginian mainline

Whenever I go to a meet I look for a nice set of those Erie FA's...they are tough to find in nice shape.

A couple of wide-body Flyer cars in the project pile...a 3140 baggage and a 3141 coach:



Pretty rough. The early version was stamped, the later with decals. Won't be getting to these anytime soon.

Healey

Howdy Gang,

Nice stuff from Christopher and Healey like always!

Man am I a happy camper being inside on this cold, snowy day. This afternoon reminded me of a few storms back in Cleveland where I
grew up. I did actually grow up not too far from that house in The Christmas Story! Crazy. It gave me even more of a chance to think about
trains! I have decided to post some of MY favorites photos over the years after including a shot of the front yard bird
feeder today! Hey, let's think and talk trains tonight eh? As much as we can. Post a favorite photo. Explain it is you have to.

Train and Traction ON!

Jim K








From my first visit to Galesburg. It was somewhat timely as my wife and I ended up getting off Amtrak here years later to be transferred to a
bus so we could make up time as Amtrak had slow orders through the Colorado Rockies and their schedule was all messed up. We rode the bus
to Indianapolis so folks could make connections with the Cardinal heading south from Chicago. My wife and I were going to Indy anyhow. We
enjoyed that entire America By Rails trip.



Also at Galesburg:


Somewhat timely!



The first person who can tell me what store is moving into the area will have a candy
bar of their selection mailed to them.


I had a fun time arranging structures on this odd plot of train table real estate. It was
also my first foray into using a ready built building on a layout. Good old Menards! What
better building to start with than a Quonset Hut.



Ya' gotta love Crown Crate! A highlight of the 2016 NMRA Convention was meeting the owner
of the Bar Mills company Art Fahey Wow, what a nice guy and a true northeasterner!



Okay, the snow has slowed down a bit but I'm still enjoying trains. If you care to share anything please do.
Have a good night.

Jim K

Swapped a few posts with a fellow on one of the car forums I follow...he lives just a bit south of you Jim, in Kentucky, and he was getting nailed with a few inches this afternoon/evening as well. We're supposed to get a bit on Tuesday or Wednesday, but not much to worry about.

Here's a favorite from the archives...my Lionel 258 from the early 1930's pounding south off the Hellgate:



Nothing more fun than this old boy with a drag of 4-wheel freights. The 305 bridge is the Lionel 300 reissue from the 1990's, only the 305 will handle O-gauge double-tracked. The double-semaphore is a Hornby from the UK.

And here's one that seems appropriate...Maryland Midland in legacy paint driving through Westminster in a snowstorm:



Not my work but a great pic. This is the old Western Maryland mainline, heading east toward Emory Grove.

Healey

Healey,

I love that lash-up behind the 258! I bet it has a ton of memories associated with it. Great to have. And the snow with the WM is good! We got about 4 inches which is the most we've had in over a year.

Jim K

Jim K wrote:The first person who can tell me what store is moving into the area will have a candy
bar of their selection mailed to them.

Menards?

Jim K wrote:The first person who can tell me what store is moving into the area will have a candy
bar of their selection mailed to them. Jim K

Krispy Kreme (or Dunkin Donuts); the cops are already waiting!

J. S. Bach wrote:

Jim K wrote:The first person who can tell me what store is moving into the area will have a candy
bar of their selection mailed to them. Jim K

Krispy Kreme (or Dunkin Donuts); the cops are already waiting!

I can see the reasoning but no there are other indications. Still safe.

J. S. Bach wrote:

Jim K wrote:The first person who can tell me what store is moving into the area will have a candy
bar of their selection mailed to them. Jim K

Krispy Kreme (or Dunkin Donuts); the cops are already waiting!

Dave,

I have reviewed the evidence again and agree that you are correct. Name your favorite candy bar and give me a
snail mail address and it will be coming your way. I posted a photo that could not stand to be enlarged without
losing text quality. The sign in the left window in that building by the police car is claiming that Madison Avenue
Hardware is coming soon. Believe me only some O gaugers get it.

Jim K

Jim K wrote:

J. S. Bach wrote: I posted a photo that could not stand to be enlarged without
losing text quality. The sign in the left window in that building by the police car is claiming that Madison Avenue
Hardware is coming soon. Believe me only some O gaugers get it. Jim K

I'll pass, thank you. I really do not eat much candy. I could read the right-hand sign "CLOSED FOR RENOVATION" but not the left side.

J. S. Bach wrote:

Jim K wrote:

J. S. Bach wrote: I posted a photo that could not stand to be enlarged without
losing text quality. The sign in the left window in that building by the police car is claiming that Madison Avenue
Hardware is coming soon. Believe me only some O gaugers get it. Jim K

I'll pass, thank you. I really do not eat much candy. I could read the right-hand sign "CLOSED FOR RENOVATION" but not the left side.

Okay then. Thanks much for the participation!

Jim K

When i see 3 locomotives moving past a building like that. I find it hard to believe bricks don't vibrate out.

The former G. C. Murphy Company store in Westminster, Maryland (primary source of plastic model-kits when I was a kid). Not sure how long it's been there but probably close to 100. It's a restaurant/brew-pub now, apartments upstairs and a bar in the basement. Never been in there when the trains roll past but I imagine your beer will "walk" across the table.

This intersection is pretty complex...Main Street, Railroad Avenue and Liberty Street all intersect with the railroad cutting through the middle. The building on the opposite side of the street is the old Albion Hotel which sat across the street from the Western Maryland depot. The depot was torn down in 1960 or so for the construction of a bank. Behind that was the Catholic school I attended for six years, probably less than fifty yards from the track...watched WMRY freights roll through there all day long. Nothing but F-7's and chop-nosed GP-9's all day, every day. Usually four or five units up front with another two or three at the back pushing. Great stuff...

robert. wrote:When i see 3 locomotives moving past a building like that. I find it hard to believe bricks don't vibrate out.

Maybe there is a speed limit for the train that reduces the train generated earthquake to tolerable levels for the buildings.

Here's a pic by William Oertly which illustrates my memory of the last days of the WM, this one taken in 1975 on the descent from Mt. Savage heading past Frostburg on the old Connellsville Extension:



Filthy F-7 A-B on point...N&W EMD's following. They dropped off at Hagerstown...I don't ever recall seeing N&W power east of Hagerstown on the old mainline. If you talk to WM oldtimers they always talk about how clean the gear was kept, but this is what I remember seeing on a routine basis, back into the 1960's. Didn't affect the sound though...they were deafening when they rolled past.

My roommate and I used to spend a lot of time in 1974-75 (freshman at Frostburg State) down in the Narrows and on Helmstetter's curve watching this stuff roll by...didn't realize it then but it would all be gone in less than eighteen month's.