a picture a day....

Pat, great scene.  I didn’t know you have a Butler Junction.  There is lots of interchange traffic here in Butler, Pennsylvania

7-story version with brick and windows on both sides.

Thanks so much Mark and Curt!  

FOR TODAY:  It's 1954 and MOW crew Claude Hopper, Spence Simmons, Smokey Joe Scaruba, and Bugs Bower prepare Big Hooker for a day of heavy lifting.  These fellas are dedicated B&O boys for sure!  Heck, ol foreman Claude, in white hard hat,  has been with the B&O going on 37 years now .... never missed a day of work.  Bugs hired on with the B&O 33 years ago and has been the operator of Big Hooker for the last 9 years.  Ol Smokey Joe also hired on with the B&O 33 years ago..... got his nickname by driving a sledge hammer so fast that his co workers claimed they could see smoke coming from the hammer ... LOL!   Then there's Spence Simmons who worked for the Western Maryland MOW Dept for 8 years before hiring on with the B&O some 22 years ago.   Last night at the bar this quartet of guys were having a friendly one upsmanship competition with some Pennsy MOW fellas. About 4 beers in,  Ol Smokey Joe declared that " Blue blood of the B&O kind was the best blood any respectable MOW man could have running through his veins!"   The guys all know that Ol Smokey Joe gets rather animated right around beer number 4.  

Another great story. You have me spoiled, Patrick. I am expecting and looking forward to your stories each day. Curt

@trumpettrain posted:

FOR TODAY:  It's 1954 and MOW crew Claude Hopper, Spence Simmons, Smokey Joe Scaruba, and Bugs Bower prepare Big Hooker for a day of heavy lifting.  These fellas are dedicated B&O boys for sure!  Heck, ol foreman Claude, in white hard hat,  has been with the B&O going on 37 years now .... never missed a day of work.  Bugs hired on with the B&O 33 years ago and has been the operator of Big Hooker for the last 9 years.  Ol Smokey Joe also hired on with the B&O 33 years ago..... got his nickname by driving a sledge hammer so fast that his co workers claimed they could see smoke coming from the hammer ... LOL!   Then there's Spence Simmons who worked for the Western Maryland MOW Dept for 8 years before hiring on with the B&O some 22 years ago.   Last night at the bar this quartet of guys were having a friendly one upsmanship competition with some Pennsy MOW fellas. About 4 beers in,  Ol Smokey Joe declared that " Blue blood of the B&O kind was the best blood any respectable MOW man could have running through his veins!"   The guys all know that Ol Smokey Joe gets rather animated right around beer number 4.  

1954 Pat was a very good year'... I was two...  This is a great story Pat'... we need some more pics of the this seasoned crew working the mow'...for the B&O'....🤩😉👍'..  I'm off the circuit for a while, but I check in to see and read your stories and scenarios'.... as they always give me a smile and take me back to better days;...⭐

Hi guys, its been awhile. What great photos everyone is posting and some wonderful videos also!

Lee, everyone is correct that your videos are just amazing and that it is the closet to real life as it gets!

Larry dont worry I liked your video as well as its mostly the time frame I am trying to model!

Patrick, what great stories! after the last one I wanted to go work for the B&O MOW crew. I just dont thing I could

live up to there standards!

I seen something the other day driving threw Auburn Wa. BNSF Rail yard on Hwy18. I seen a BNSF/Norfolk Southern/BNSF  all hooked up waiting for the all clear! I didnt know Norfolk and BNSF got together! LOL

I have nothing for you guys as I am in the middle of my redo and getting ready for a road trip. I hope you all keep the great photos coming and I will try to check in more often! LOL

Happy 4th everyone!

Ted, Curt, and Mike g. - thanks for your kind words!!   Here are a couple more pics of the MOW crew as per Ted's request.

Patrick - one of these days I may compile all your stories and photos to see if there is enough material for an ebook.  I have a buddy who writes and self-publishes books centered around the Masons. Some historical - some fictional.  If you are not interested in publishing yourself you can always license your material and get a cut of any proceeds. Just a thought.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...16#72805549267035016

Patrick's first photo and story on this thread!

How about a little Lionel prewar.....

Great looking layout. I love your river. That pre-war Lionel set is a piece of history.

@ScoutingDad posted:

Patrick - one of these days I may compile all your stories and photos to see if there is enough material for an ebook.  I have a buddy who writes and self-publishes books centered around the Masons. Some historical - some fictional.  If you are not interested in publishing yourself you can always license your material and get a cut of any proceeds. Just a thought.

ScoutingDad - thanks so much for your support and inspiration!  I will look into the e book idea. Thanks for that idea.   I have a basketball coach friend who published an e book last summer and he told me it was a relatively easy process.  

@mike g. posted:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...16#72805549267035016

Patrick's first photo and story on this thread!

Wow Mikeg!!  You had to do some digging to get this one LOL!  Thanks for the memory!

First time in 8-stories.

FOR TODAY: The yard is backed up today so hogger Keeter Samples and conductor Punkeye Taggert, are chewing the fat as it will be a good while before their next move.  Now ol Keeter can do some non stop talkin  especially when it comes to his favorite subjects, playing croquet , pickin on the banjo,  and railroading.  Right here he's a tellin Punckeye about the fist time he ever laid eyes on number 94.  ....  Lets here what he has to say .... " I'll tell ya Punkeye, the first time I saw this locomotive she was brand spankin new ... just having arrived on the property from the factory!  I came to work dat  mornin  and the Road Foreman of Engines, ol Fester Cletus ... you remember ol Fester don't ya? ..  may he rest in piece, was standin out there on the ready track right next to brand new number 94.  Now, ol Fester,  he was ah smiling something big!  You know how he did ... that big ol smile he had ... he could light up a dark room with that smile.  Well there he was just a smiling and almost doin a little dance as he beckoned me over with one hand to new number 94.  I could tell he was extremely excited!  I quickly walked over to where ol Fester was a standin!  He looked me right in the eye and with that smile beaming brighter  than a locomotive headlight, ol Fester said 'Keeter she's all yours!!  Take good care of her.  I'm expecting 94 will out live me, so I'm a counting on ya Keeter. "  Well by gol, I couldn't believe my ears!  This engine was mine to look after because the Road Foreman of Engines said so.  At that moment I commenced to feelin a bit giddy due to all the happiness running through my viens! "

In Keeter's minds eye he can vividly see ol Fester standing beside new 94 on that very day she arrived on the property.  Ol Fester was happy and proud!

Here, beside Old Number 94 Keeter and Punkeye continue talkin.  Well, Keeter is actually doing the talkin.  It's about this time that Punkeye realizes that Keeter is really talking fast and faster.  The tempo of  Keeter's words is faster than when the town symphony orchestra plays 'Flight of the Bumblebee'.  Suddenly Punkeye puts up his hand giving Keeter the stop signal and says " Keeter! Keeter slow down!  I don't hear that fast."  Keeter suddenly stops his flow of words, pauses for a few seconds and takes a big breath.  He shakes his head from side to side and says to Punkeye " Sorry partner, it must be all that coffee I drank over at Twilla's Lunch & Breakfast Room this morning ... I had 4 cups!!"  Upon hearing this Punkeye breaks out into a big belly laugh ... " 4 cups!!  Dag!!"  

As Keeter went about the rest of the day he just couldn't stop thinking about when Old 94 was New 94.  In his mind's eye he could still see ol Fester Cletus, all proud and happy,  standing beside brand spanking new number 94.   Smiling with great fondness, Keeter remembered the first time he took the throttle and backed new 94 to the tank.  After all these years of being at the throttle of 94 , from new to old, Keeter realized how blessed he's been.  And that's how it was back in the day.  

For Today July 4, 2021:  " Patsburg VFD ... on their way to the 4th of July parade."

Took this from my back yard:

Trumptrain, you’ve posted many pictures of the day, all awesome, the stories so interesting, your wit and wisdom is very good reading, thanks for your posts on this fun to view thread. Today a little CSX and Texas Special… Happy Railroading Everyone