Baseball & Trains

Love it. I'm planning a small baseball/softball field. Hard finding women softball players that would represent my daughter's college team. Love your Stadium, especially the monuments. Thanks for the photos.

Arnold,

   Now that is way cool, where did you get all those cool Base Ball figures, did you make the stadium field?  Love to have the Yankees and Pirates game 7 at Forbes Field recreated in my Train Room.   

What a great idea!

PCRR/Dave 

Mine is almost complete.  I need some bleachers and grass around the outside.  And maybe a scoreboard. 

Alentown posted:

Love it. I'm planning a small baseball/softball field. Hard finding women softball players that would represent my daughter's college team. Love your Stadium, especially the monuments. Thanks for the photos.

Monuments were made from Popsicle Sticks and got the faces of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Miller Huggins (manager) off the Internet.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Arnold,

   Now that is way cool, where did you get all those cool Base Ball figures, did you make the stadium field?  Love to have the Yankees and Pirates game 7 at Forbes Field recreated in my Train Room.   

What a great idea!

PCRR/Dave 

Dave, I bought the metal baseball figures from the Choo Choo Barn (in York or Strasburg, PA) around 1995 for $150. They came in a pretty box with a red ribbon on it.

The baseball field is made with scenery materials (Woodland Scenics fine green and spray glue), scoreboard is made from cardboard painted with acrylic paint, and bleachers are obviously made from Popsicle sticks glued together and painted blue (great project to do with a child or children because it is so simple and relatively easy). I made the bleachers with my son and daughter when they were little. Also, we glued together and painted many of the little people sitting in the stands. It was cheaper to buy the plastic bodies and arms and heads of these little figures and unpainted, and my kids and I had fun gluing them together and painting them.

I'm sure that you, as a Pirates fan, can have a great time creating a ballpark reminiscent of Forbes Field in game 7 of the 1960 World Series. Make sure you include Yogi Berra in left field watching the Mazeroski home run go over the tall, ivy covered left field wall!

Panther97 posted:

Mine is almost complete.  I need some bleachers and grass around the outside.  And maybe a scoreboard. 

 

Looks great. Very realistic. Thanks for the pictures.

Where did you get your baseball figures? I am particularly interested in your right hand pitcher.

Alrhough I chose the 1956 World Series perfect game in Yankee Stadium, I came close to doing a Field of Dreams scene. That could be a great scene to model with the corn field past the outfield fence, the farmhouse where Ray Kinsella and his wife and daughter live, the light towers, etc.

Another idea would be to model other ballparks, especially the historic ones like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.

I too would love to find 0 scale baseball figures.

I just Googled O Scale Baseball Figures, and found some that might be good. 

Some are plastic and inexpensive. The metal or pewter figures are more expensive. The ones that looked the best were metal and offered by TrainZ, but unfortunately they were out of stock. I think they were made by Kramer.

Artista has a lot of cool figures, but I could not find baseball players among the little people they were offering for sale on the Internet.

Forbes Field at the Carnegie is something else. She modeled a specific game, but not the Series.

Now I'm thinking an all-time Pirate all-stars lineup...but which uniforms, which park and who goes where? Second base, shortstop, left and right field aren't as hard, but...

Try www.kramerproducts.com

I think that they are still in business here in the Pittsburgh area.

Norm

Scenery Express has O Scale baseball figures.

On a related noted, I've been looking for a figure of someone in the act of throwing a ball or a rock *without* a baseball glove on his non-throwing hand.  Has anyone seen anything like this?

Steven J. Serenska

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Looks great. Very realistic. Thanks for the pictures.Where did you get your baseball figures? I am particularly interested in your right hand pitcher.

Thanks, Arnold.  The baseball figures are from a game called SportsClix.   There was a thread on baseball fields last year and a forum member pointed them out.  I really wanted a scene with the pitcher stare.   They are not exactly O-scale to be honest.  They are slightly smaller. 

DohertyNJ posted:

Fabulous pictures. I particularly like the top one. Very nice field, fence, buildings in background and ball players.

nkp4me posted:

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

You must have posted this as I was typing my response!  LOL.   I purchased a huge lot on ebay of 100+ figures for about $20 at the time I built this field.  I'm not very good at hand painting figures!

Arnold, did you build your bleachers?

Here is my Field of Dreams diamond. That is suppose to be Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the cornfield. And thanks for the heads-up on the Sportsclix. I just ordered some to round out the team. I think they will work. I also added a few shots of how Shady Hollow decorates for the season.

Rick

I'd love to build Yankee Stadium, but I don't even have room for a backyard ballfield, haha.  This is great stuff, guys.

My son bought me this.  It's on my Yankee wall in the pool room.  Sorry for the flash.  We have looked at this for 5 years.  Clearly the first pitch to Gilliam, but, no Mantle, no McDougald (Rizzuto was released), no Cary.  This summer, another sharp-eyed guest noticed McDougald's dark right baseball sleeve over Yogi's left shoulder.  We always thought it was Yogi's glove.  Mantle must be blocked by Berra and Pinelli.

Arnold, I love that Yankee field with the scoreboard, monuments, fascade, and depth signs.  I got these Yankee fascade pieces from a guy in Florida.  He can make you any size you need.  I can't remember the toy and puzzle company name, but his email is DJ51@aol.com, for anyone who is interested.

If you haven't already, it's the "chooholigans" page in "figures" at Scenic Express.  Not cheap, but lots of ballplayers that look like they can be easily painted to resemble the team you want.

Jerry   

Becky, Tom & Gabe Morgan posted:

Forbes Field at the Carnegie is something else. She modeled a specific game, but not the Series.

Now I'm thinking an all-time Pirate all-stars lineup...but which uniforms, which park and who goes where? Second base, shortstop, left and right field aren't as hard, but..

Panther97 posted:

nkp4me posted:

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

You must have posted this as I was typing my response!  LOL.   I purchased a huge lot on ebay of 100+ figures for about $20 at the time I built this field.  I'm not very good at hand painting figures!

Arnold, did you build your bleachers?

Yes, the bleachers are made of Popsicle Sticks glued together and painted blue, and then attached to a piece of wood painted blue.,  I have a box of a thousand Popsicle Sticks. I think arts and crafts stores sell them. 

Ranger Rick posted:

Here is my Field of Dreams diamond. That is suppose to be Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the cornfield. And thanks for the heads-up on the Sportsclix. I just ordered some to round out the team. I think they will work. I also added a few shots of how Shady Hollow decorates for the season.

Rick

Rick, in my humble opinion, I think your creation of the Field of Dreams baseball field with the cornfield is the best thing I have ever seen on a train layout. I absolutely love it! Bravo!

Ranger Rick posted:

Here is my Field of Dreams diamond. That is suppose to be Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the cornfield. And thanks for the heads-up on the Sportsclix. I just ordered some to round out the team. I think they will work. I also added a few shots of how Shady Hollow decorates for the season.

Rick

Go the distance!

JerryG posted:

I'd love to build Yankee Stadium, but I don't even have room for a backyard ballfield, haha.  This is great stuff, guys.

My son bought me this.  It's on my Yankee wall in the pool room.  Sorry for the flash.  We have looked at this for 5 years.  Clearly the first pitch to Gilliam, but, no Mantle, no McDougald (Rizzuto was released), no Cary.  This summer, another sharp-eyed guest noticed McDougald's dark right baseball sleeve over Yogi's left shoulder.  We always thought it was Yogi's glove.  Mantle must be blocked by Berra and Pinelli.

Arnold, I love that Yankee field with the scoreboard, monuments, fascade, and depth signs.  I got these Yankee fascade pieces from a guy in Florida.  He can make you any size you need.  I can't remember the toy and puzzle company name, but his email is DJ51@aol.com, for anyone who is interested.

If you haven't already, it's the "chooholigans" page in "figures" at Scenic Express.  Not cheap, but lots of ballplayers that look like they can be easily painted to resemble the team you want.

Jerry   

Very nice, Jerry, thanks for sharing your Yankee pictures.

i guess "the grass is always greener." I will explain in a few minutes in a separate reply.

Becky, Tom & Gabe Morgan posted:

Forbes Field at the Carnegie is something else. She modeled a specific game, but not the Series.

Now I'm thinking an all-time Pirate all-stars lineup...but which uniforms, which park and who goes where? Second base, shortstop, left and right field aren't as hard, but..

Panther97 posted:

nkp4me posted:

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

You must have posted this as I was typing my response!  LOL.   I purchased a huge lot on ebay of 100+ figures for about $20 at the time I built this field.  I'm not very good at hand painting figures!

Arnold, did you build your bleachers?

Yes, the bleachers are made of Popsicle Sticks glued together and painted blue, and then attached to a piece of wood painted blue.,  I have a box of a thousand Popsicle Sticks. I think arts and crafts stores sell them. 

Panther97 posted:

Ranger Rick posted:

Here is my Field of Dreams diamond. That is suppose to be Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the cornfield. And thanks for the heads-up on the Sportsclix. I just ordered some to round out the team. I think they will work. I also added a few shots of how Shady Hollow decorates for the season.

Rick

Go the distance!

I have a problem that I just solved. I love my Yankee stadium scene. However, at the moment, after seeing Rick's Field of Dreams scene with Shoeless Joe coming out of the cornfield, I love that even more.

One solution is tear up Yankee Stadium and replace it with Field of Dreams. But doing that will rip a piece of my heart out. I can't do it.

Is there a better solution? Here's a clue: Go the Distance! Ease his Pain! If you build it, he will come!

The perfect solution: 2 Baseball Fields!

I have a great new project to work on. On another table on my layout, where there is currently the Lionel Post War Rocket Launcher, I will build a Field of Dreams baseball field with a cornfield, light towers, and I will have Shoeless Joe returning to the cornfield, and Ray Kinsella and his Dad (as a young man when Ray was not even a glint in his Dad's eye), having a catch while hundreds of cars are driving to the ball park! I am so inspired to do this!

As a high school baseball coach for most of my career (over 30 years), I had to have some type of baseball reference on my layout. Between the farm and the field though, it takes up quite a bit of real estate. I posted this elsewhere, but I am having an open house next Saturday and I had this poster made up with a photo from the layout. Thank you all for your comments! This poster hangs above the basement stairs on the way down to the layout.

Ranger Rick posted:

As a high school baseball coach for most of my career (over 30 years), I had to have some type of baseball reference on my layout. Between the farm and the field though, it takes up quite a bit of real estate. I posted this elsewhere, but I am having an open house next Saturday and I had this poster made up with a photo from the layout. Thank you all for your comments! This poster hangs above the basement stairs on the way down to the layout.

Beautiful poster.

Rick, how do you do the cornfield? Did you buy little corn plants from some scenery company and, if so, from what company and approximately how much did it cost? Did you scratch build the cornfield and, if so, what materials did you use to create it?

Panther97 posted:

nkp4me posted:

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

You must have posted this as I was typing my response!  LOL.   I purchased a huge lot on ebay of 100+ figures for about $20 at the time I built this field.  I'm not very good at hand painting figures!

Arnold, did you build your bleachers?

Great timing eh? I don't know if I will have enough space on my layout for a whole baseball field, but my idea currently is to use a corner, where the tracks curve, put up a fence, place an outfielder, and maybe have some kids standing on crates outside looking over the fence at the game action or something.

Arnold, I was going to try to make my own corn stalks, but they did not turn out as well as I liked, so I broke down and bought pre-made ones from Scenic Express. http://www.sceneryexpress.com/...productinfo/JT95553/

It was a pain putting these in. I first tried hot glue, but many stalks would not remain erect. I took my Dremel and drilled a hole for each corn stalk. My dirt is oven-dried used coffee grounds. I have read where folks balk at using this, but I have built two layouts and have had no problem with mold or critters ruining the effect. 

Rick

nkp4me posted:

Panther97 posted:

nkp4me posted:

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

You must have posted this as I was typing my response!  LOL.   I purchased a huge lot on ebay of 100+ figures for about $20 at the time I built this field.  I'm not very good at hand painting figures!

Arnold, did you build your bleachers?

Great timing eh? I don't know if I will have enough space on my layout for a whole baseball field, but my idea currently is to use a corner, where the tracks curve, put up a fence, place an outfielder, and maybe have some kids standing on crates outside looking over the fence at the game action or something.

 

 

That sounds like an excellent plan, Scott. The idea is to create a scene that entertains you primarily, and if it entertains others, that's a bonus. Having kids standing on crates watching the game without buying tickets will put smiles on people's faces.

nkp4me posted:

Panther97 posted:

nkp4me posted:

You might also want to look into sportsclix on ebay. Similar to the heroclix super hero figures, they are perfect for O Scale and come in a variety of poses. They didn't find the success that heroclix did, but they did make major league players several years back and they are relatively affordable for a fairly well detailed plastic figure. To field an entire team in the same uniform you might need to do a little repainting, but that might not be too challenging, since a uniform is predominantly just one color. 

You must have posted this as I was typing my response!  LOL.   I purchased a huge lot on ebay of 100+ figures for about $20 at the time I built this field.  I'm not very good at hand painting figures!

Arnold, did you build your bleachers?

Great timing eh? I don't know if I will have enough space on my layout for a whole baseball field, but my idea currently is to use a corner, where the tracks curve, put up a fence, place an outfielder, and maybe have some kids standing on crates outside looking over the fence at the game action or something.

 

 

That sounds like an excellent plan, Scott. The idea is to create a scene that entertains you primarily, and if it entertains others, that's a bonus. Having kids standing on crates watching the game without buying tickets will put smiles on people's faces.

In reply to Rick's comments, I plan to "grow my cornfield" the same way Rick did. Why bother reinventing the wheel. 

I'm very excited about creating a Field of Dreams as a 2nd baseball field on my layout. The cool thing about it is that I will be turning the laundery room in my house into an O Gauge baseball and train paradise. As you enter the laundery room, people will first see the trains run by Yankee Stadium, pass the oil tank, and then take a bridge behind the washer dryer onto another table where the Field of Dreams baseball field will be. I'm not going to rush it. This will be a project I will plan, meditate on, and build over a period of at least a month or two.

The Field of Dreams will replace the rocket launcher scene below. I wonder if Lionel ever got sued because of the rocket launcher. A little kid could put an eye out because the spring is very strong that launches the rocket.

I thought it might be fun during the World Series to resurrect this Baseball & Trains thread.

Although I'm a lifelong Yankee fan, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the Redsox defeat the Dodgers in the last 2 World Series games.

I was hoping to find an O Scale model of Fenway Park and its Green Monster, but so far have not found any.

My favorite photos above are those of Field of Dreams with its corn field behind the fence.

Would love to see photos of baseball fields on train layouts.

Arnold

Arnold,

As a Yankee fan, you must be a good sport to have enjoyed watching the Red Sox take a two-game lead in the Series...

MELGAR

Williams PennCentral F3s that look and pull great, hauling a boxcar unit train past the ballpark:

I'm curious, do any of you folks like watching baseball games on TV while reading this Forum and contributing to it? 

I sure do.

I'm genetically loaded to love baseball and Lionel trains, and I find it to be so fun and relaxing to watch baseball and be on this Forum. Arnold

I'm reading and watching as I type this. Although my team resides in Queens. I have a flat screen down in my Crappy Basement area which is always on any game when I'm down there. I remember in League of their Own there is a Lionel billboard ad on the outfield wall of one of the shots.

I remember my Dad taking me to softball games at "Went" field in Bridgeport on the north side of the raised 4 track NH now Metro North lines. I would count freight cars during the softball games up to 40-50 cars . one of my childhood memories of the 60s.

Arnold your scene is great reminder of those games. 

Just an imagined "park" in any local town. Bunch of boys playing ball till it's time to go home.

Arnold, I to am a die hard Yankee fan but I could never root for the Red Sox’s to beat any team, especially a historic Brooklyn team. That said I too enjoy watching a game, with a love o Lionel trains and being on the forum at the same time. I cant  tell you how many times my wife will say your not even watching the game your on that iPad again. 

Your laundry room plans sound awesome and I cant wait to see it develop leading to a 28th World Series win.....GO YANKEES and Lionel.

I have the banner and logos printed out for my next project.

How about a full size baseball field with a scale train instead?

On City Island in Harrisburg PA, home of the Harrisburg Senators,  there is a 20” gauge train that goes around the Island.  The station is steps away from the ballpark entrance.  All my little two wanted to do the whole game was ride the train.  Next time we will ride it first so I can enjoy the game!

What is the height of the Sportsclix ballplayers?

 Looking online they look to be about 2" tall or 8' in O scale. Anyone measure them?

Sean, once you remove them from the base, they are only 1 1/4" tall. That makes them slightly taller and a bit more robust than Arttista ball players. 

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I'm curious, do any of you folks like watching baseball games on TV while reading this Forum and contributing to it.

Doesn't everyone?

Seriously, makes watching the Indians barely tolerable, talk about dealing with disappointment.

Ranger Rick posted:

Sean, once you remove them from the base, they are only 1 1/4" tall. That makes them slightly taller and a bit more robust than Arttista ball players. 

Thanks Rick - found some on the auction site that I will buy.

Here are the SportsClix players mingled with the Arttista players in my Field of Dreams. That includes Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the outfield.

Unfortunately, I think I would break my trains if I had to run them while watching my Pirates!

A couple of shots of my baseball field on my layout. 

This layout and ballfield belong to a friend. He bought a lot from Scenic Express, and that may be where the players were purchased.

Bryan in Ohio posted:

A couple of shots of my baseball field on my layout. 

Very nice, Bryan. I particularly like your scoreboard, and your lights for night games. Arnold

jay jay posted:

This layout and ballfield belong to a friend. He bought a lot from Scenic Express, and that may be where the players were purchased.

Your baseball field is also very nice, Jay jay. I see the fans can see the ball ballgame and then catch a movie at Gus's Drive In, just beyond the centerfield fence. Arnold

Ranger Rick posted:

Here are the SportsClix players mingled with the Arttista players in my Field of Dreams. That includes Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the outfield.

Magnificent modeling of the Field of Dreams ballpark, Ranger Rick. I would love to see your model in person some day. Arnold

The basic idea is to put on your layout what you love.

For those of you who love baseball, if you have the space, I strongly recommend that you put a ballpark on your layout. 

With the excellent scenery materials and baseball figures available at affordable prices, it's a no brainer to do this project. You can also add bill boards, light towers, bleachers made of Popsicle Sticks (available at arts & crafts stores), and standing and sitting figures (the fans), to make your ballpark more interesting. The cost of this project is a small fraction of most locomotives.

Most importantly, you will have fun creating your ballpark, which you can admire and share for years to come.

Besides, my ball players are tired of playing their games on the same field, and they crave playing games at other ballparks. LOL, Arnold

You can also add a scoreboard, fencing and a backdrop to enhance your ballpark. Arnold

Arnold, if you are ever traveling I-71 in Ohio between Cincinnati and Columbus, please take a very short side trip into Wilmington. I love opening my home to folks to show the layout. With the fear of MTH dropping the remotes, I now have four. I need help running trains. :-)  I usually have 6 running at the same time.

And yes, I am watching baseball as I type. I am a former Ohio U Bobcat that played baseball in the year that OU made their appearance in the College World Series in 1970 (team mates included Mike Schmidt and Steve Swisher). I taught biology and coached high school baseball as a career. So baseball is in the blood. Unfortunately I am a Reds fan.  :-O

Ranger Rick posted:

Arnold, if you are ever traveling I-71 in Ohio between Cincinnati and Columbus, please take a very short side trip into Wilmington. I love opening my home to folks to show the layout. With the fear of MTH dropping the remotes, I now have four. I need help running trains. :-)  I usually have 6 running at the same time.

And yes, I am watching baseball as I type. I am a former Ohio U Bobcat that played baseball in the year that OU made their appearance in the College World Series in 1970 (team mates included Mike Schmidt and Steve Swisher). I taught biology and coached high school baseball as a career. So baseball is in the blood. Unfortunately I am a Reds fan.  :-O

You have a very impressive baseball history, Ranger Rick.

I reached my peak when I was 13 and 14 years old as a pitcher in the Pony League. I made my college baseball team, Columbia College in NYC, but discontinued because homework was overwhelming for me.

I am watching the NY Yankees - Oakland As game on TV as I hunt and peck this reply on my smartphone.

Thanks for the invitation and, of course, you are also welcome to see my Popsicle Stick ballpark and layout at my Yorktown Heights, NY home. It's about 50 miles north of NYC, and not far from Peekskill in Northern Westchester County, NY.

The above invitation is also open to all Forum members. Just send me an email, and we will do our best to schedule a visit.

Arnold 

I think the nod for best "field of dreams" should go to Bryan, that 409 batting average is quite impressive. 

Back in the 50's, General Mills offered baseball players in certain cereals. I seem to remember, Honey Rice Puffs and Honey Wheat Puffs. They had two sets of players. The Blue Sox and the Yellow Sox..  

GregM posted:

I think the nod for best "field of dreams" should go to Bryan, that 409 batting average is quite impressive. 

Thanks Greg, yes that average in high school I was more of a table setter.  Didn't have much home run power more of a singles and doubles guy.

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Bryan in Ohio posted:

A couple of shots of my baseball field on my layout. 

Very nice, Bryan. I particularly like your scoreboard, and your lights for night games. Arnold

Thanks Arnold, the lights are just MTH Yard lights although I did have to convert them from the little bulbs to some brighter LED lights so the field would be completely illuminated. 

NY Yankees heading North of the border to play the Blue Jays in Toronto:

Oops, I guess the steam engine in the above video gave away that the Yankees have not taken a train recently. That Pennsy Turbine is a very smooth running MTH Proto 2 Railking smoking locomotive, one of my best engines. Arnold

Getting ready for another big game tonight. Same Pennsy Turbine passenger train plus Postwar Lackawanna FM Trainmaster oil tanker unit train passing by Yankee Stadium:

Look carefully and you will see Aaron Judge taking batting practice. LOL.

Oops, I forgot. They play in Toronto, not NY, tonight. Guess I'm not a very good liar. LOL, Arnold

Arnold I enjoyed the videos...especially the subway station. I use to take the 4 from Nostrand Ave by Brooklyn College to the stadium back in the day. 

Rich Wiemann posted:

Arnold I enjoyed the videos...especially the subway station. I use to take the 4 from Nostrand Ave by Brooklyn College to the stadium back in the day. 

I have an MTH subway (I believe it's the 1st one they made), it has great sounds including "161st Street and Yankee Stadium, please stand back from the closing doors," and I will post a video of it soon. Arnold

Here's a picture of that MTH subway (the D train) at Yankee Stadium:

Arnold

Turn the sound up all the way when playing the video below:

"161st Street and Yankee Stadium, please stand clear of the closing doors."  Arnold

Arnold that’s a good looking subway set against the cathedral. We need to clean up tonight’s fielding.  

We have both, baseball, and baseball trains

I think it was the movie Brewster's Millions where they played baseball at a field that had train tracks running through the outfield.  Anyone with limited real estate on their layout could use that theme.  

Love this thread.

No room for a ballpark on either layout.  But, there are ways to get those Yankees in there.  Tunnel portals are one way.

A backdrop.

Aaron Judge pics, with Yankee logos.  This mural is actually hiding wires to the buildings that have to come from the ceiling.

The overhead layout.

Baseball and trains.  Two of my favorite subjects!!

Jerry

Woah, I didn't know about train cars with the names and logos of major league baseball teams, until I saw Jim's and Jerry's above photos. Thanks for sharing. Arnold

Donald Van Slambrook 013018 posted:

I think it was the movie Brewster's Millions where they played baseball at a field that had train tracks running through the outfield.  Anyone with limited real estate on their layout could use that theme.  

Donald, I've never seen train tracks running through the field of play, but I believe there is at least one major league ballpark (maybe Seattle and/or Kansas City) where a freight train runs just beyond the outfield fence. 

A subway runs just beyond the outfield at Yankee Stadium, or maybe the former Yankee Stadium. I watch almost all the Yankee games on TV like I'm doing at this very moment, but I haven't been to Yankee Stadium in over 1 year.  There are probably other major league ball parks where a subway or passenger train runs just beyond the outfield fence. Arnold

Seattle has the tracks running right outside the stadium cutting through the parking lot.

Don’t forget about Minute Maid Park and their General Style loco.

JERRYG...really like your incorporation of Yankees, especially the famous frieze.

Rich Wiemann posted:

Don’t forget about Minute Maid Park and their General Style loco.

JERRYG...really like your incorporation of Yankees, especially the famous frieze.

That one is cool. The only thing is I don't know if they operate it anymore. The last few times I watched games there when they were playing the Yankees, if Houston hit a HR,  it was just sitting idle in the middle. They used to run it from side to side when Houston hit a homerun.

The Astros have been running the locomotive so much this year, I think they had to get the wheel bearings replaced.    

Donald Van Slambrook 013018 posted:

The Astros have been running the locomotive so much this year, I think they had to get the wheel bearings replaced.    

Yeah they're up there in the home runs, but Yankees are leading the Major League in home runs.   4 more today, the games still going!  Yankees need to get a train! Well they already have one kind of. The commuter train that brings to the fans in!

Train Nut, Yankee JV team is gonna lead the ML in homeruns.  Imagine what the varsity could do if they could stay healthy.  Of course, hitting a Titleist instead of a baseball has something to do with it.  Those NL guys are gonna hit 50.  MLB saying they don't know about the ball is like potato chip guys saying they don't know why their chip bags contain 50% air.

Arnold, the new stadium faces away from the el, while the train ran behind the bleachers in the old stadium.

Rich, thanks.  Love that Yankee frieze.  Still prefer to call it the facade.  The ones in these pics came from a guy in Florida.  I put a wireless router and TV in there so I can watch the Yanks.  Fortunately, my son loves trains, baseball, and the Yankees.  He was a helluva ballplayer.  Now, he lives in Austin and I can't come close to beating him at golf anymore.  Haha

Jerry

John Sterling:

Ball game over, Y A N K E E S      W    I    N !

T H E   Y A N K E E S   W  I  N !

AMERICAN  LEAGUE EASTERN DIVISION CHAMPIONS

It goes together, in the good old USA...

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Santa Fe.

I just don't believe that the Yankees will go far in the playoffs. They don't have the pitching, and now German is in trouble. But then I don't know much about the Yankees. i have only been a die hard fan for 80 years. I was at Babe Ruth day in 1948.

Watching the game through the windows of the Yankee Stadium main entrance:

The trick was to get my smartphone camera to focus on the game in the distance, and not the window up close.

Arnold

Arnold, very cool.

jhz563 posted:

How about a full size baseball field with a scale train instead?

On City Island in Harrisburg PA, home of the Harrisburg Senators,  there is a 20” gauge train that goes around the Island.  The station is steps away from the ballpark entrance.  All my little two wanted to do the whole game was ride the train.  Next time we will ride it first so I can enjoy the game!

What a cute picture of your family.So sweet made my teeth hurt.Naw just kidding .My grand father loved baseball and played in his younger days.I talked to a guy who played with my grand day.Said he could not hit all that well.But he could pitch and said  to catch his pitches always hurt his hands.So here you have the very best of both worlds.

Visited the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, AZ.  I’m sure many of you have visited the park and the model railroad building.  They run O, HO, N and Z scales in the building.  Here’s their baseball park with the Yankees and DBacks playing...

Hey Ted, if the game was in Houston, you'd have to include the illegal centerfield camera so those houstons can hit better.   What a GREAT ballclub!  Can't wait to see what MLB does....

Eddie G, your comment was in September, but, I've been telling my people for three years about houston and boston.  I'm pleased MLB has been forced to take notice.  You watch enough baseball, you can often tell when the hitter knows what's coming.

Jerry

jhz563 posted:

How about a full size baseball field with a scale train instead?

On City Island in Harrisburg PA, home of the Harrisburg Senators,  there is a 20” gauge train that goes around the Island.  The station is steps away from the ballpark entrance.  All my little two wanted to do the whole game was ride the train.  Next time we will ride it first so I can enjoy the game!

Hi,
I have been looking for an MTH Rail King Amtrak Genesis Phase 4 PS3 loco for a long time, and see that you had one for sale as of May of 2018.
The problem is that you have no email attached to your profile, so there is no way to contact you regarding your items for sale.
The forum has been changed so that any for sale posts are immediately closed, and the only way to contact the seller is by email of whatever method is in the profile.
I have found a lot of your posts with items for sale, but with no email in your profile, I can't figure out how people are contacting you.
I have tried Private Messaging you, but you must not be a digital subscriber, or you have private messaging turned off in your personal settings.

Have you sold any of your items?
I am mostly interested in the, the Amtrak loco.
If you still have it, and still want to sell it, is it PS3 or PS2?

Roger

A while back, we had a great relationship with the local Triple-A Baseball "Syracuse Chiefs".  They were the minor league team for the Washington Nationals.  We partnered with the ball club to produce a full train in O scale.  The cars were all Weaver Models and the locomotive is an MTH Electric Trains Railking Proto-Sound 2.0  2-8-0 consolidation, also custom decorated by Weaver models.  It was great working with the local community-owned team until they sold out their ownership to downstate interests.  Unfortunately when the local management was forced out, that ended our relationship and now the team goes by the "Syracuse Mets", and sadly no longer community owned.

The locomotive is the only part of the train that we still have a few available for sale.  The others are all long since sold out and in train and baseball memorabilia collections.  I have been told these cars appear on e-bay from time to time.

https://jrjunction.com/product...racuse-chiefs-2-8-0/

This MTH Railking locomotive was chosen because it somewhat resembled the official Chiefs logo.  We acquired the locomotives directly from MTH Electric Trains, programmed the Proto-Sounds 2.0 sound and information files in our own service department and applied the tiny baseball decal on the front of the boiler.  Weaver painted (pad-printed) the tender shell like they did with all the cars.   The "50" commemorated "fifty years of community-owned baseball in Syracuse NY" in 2010.

This boxcar was the first release of the set in 2007.  Proved to be the most popular car.  They were sold out within a month.

In 2008, the ball club removed the artificial turf they had and replaced it with real grass, hence the need for this hopper to transport the seed.  It was a cute way to commemorate the big news and update at the ballpark.

In 2009, Syracuse Chiefs ended their relationship with the Toronto Blue Jays and signed on with the Washington Nationals.  We designed this flat car to carry a real "minor-league" players baseball.  The same year, we had two pitchers from the team sign the baseballs in our store as a meet-and-greet.  The ball came free with the purchase of every flat car.

Like the boxcar, the caboose was the last item to be produced and was very popular.  It had a fully detailed interior and featured every year the Chiefs won the "Governors Cup" game.

It still amazes me to this day how popular the Weaver cars were.  The sheer fact they were 100% made, painted and pad-printed and boxed all in the USA is awesome too.  NO decals or computer printed graphics on any of the freight cars!

Boy....Do I miss Weaver Models!

Panther97 posted:

Unfortunately, I think I would break my trains if I had to run them while watching my Pirates!

Panther97,

I have been trying to contact you for a while now regarding an MTH Amtrak Genesis Phase 4 locomotive that you had for sale back in May of 2018.

There was no notice that it ever sold, and there was no email in your profile. I did try to PM you but that was not available either.

So I am reaching out to you here, to see if you still have that loco, and if so, if you still want to sell it, and if it is PS2 or PS3?

Thanks,
Roger

Panther97 posted:

Unfortunately, I think I would break my trains if I had to run them while watching my Pirates!

Panther97,

I have been trying to reach you regarding the MTH Rail King Amtrak Phase 4 Locomotive that you had for sale.
There was no contact info that I could find, and I have reached out to others who have no info either.
Do you still have it?
Is it still for sale?
Is it PS2 or PS3?
I am interested..............

Roger

Arnold, I just caught up with this very entertaining thread. About 2 years ago, you posted your plans and excitement to make a field of dreams layout, so I have been looking for it. Did you ever get to make it?

Will posted:

Arnold, I just caught up with this very entertaining thread. About 2 years ago, you posted your plans and excitement to make a field of dreams layout, so I have been looking for it. Did you ever get to make it?

I was going to do that, and even bought O Scale corn stalks. However, I decided not to make a Field of Dreams because there were no trains in Field of Dreams. The only place I could put it on my layout would be inside a reverse loop in the basement laundry room, and to do that didn't look right to me.

Instead, I made the Polo Grounds inside that reverse loop. Here it is:

And, on the other side of the laundry room is Yankee Stadium:

As a result, I have developed my Sedgewick Avenue Station in the Bronx, with was the Southern most point on The Put.

Arnold

PS: I put the corn stalks on the dairy farm on the opposite side of the layout in the basement playroom:

Cool, love the Polo Grounds. Maybe you could sneak a Joe Jackson or baseball figure in the cornfield as a subtle tribute.

Will, I know Arnold and I had talked a few years ago when I posted my baseball field. I do have a Field of Dreams on my layout. I was a high school biology teacher and baseball coach for most of my career. I played college ball. Baseball has been a big part of my life. So when I started my new layout about 6 years ago, I knew I had to have a Field of Dreams on it. I actually made a poster that is on the stairwell wall inviting folks to The Shady Hollow Scenic Railroad. I had my 3rd annual open house just before Christmas and had 150+ people show up. And, yes, you can see Shoeless Joe Jackson emerging from the cornfield. Here are a few pictures:

Here is the news article that was done this year on the layout. https://www.wnewsj.com/news/12...tj0OYV1Mkr95Nu13rpAs

Rick

Within the hour, there will be a Spring training subway series game this warm July evening between the Yankees and the Mets. 

Both teams will do anything to win. Bragging rights are at stake.

The Yankees have consulted with the best scientists in the Universe to assure victory tonight. Thanks to these scientists, they have developed a time machine to go back in time. Arriving on the Comodore Vanderbuilt:

the Yankees are bringing in a big kid, originally from Baltimore who developed his baseball skills playing sandlot ball at an orphanage. He has a Gargantuan appetite, pitches no-hitters and hits towering homeruns that are called Ruthian shots. 

LOL, Arnold

Here is a short video of that MTH Commodore Vanderbuilt hauling Postwar passenger cars bringing Babe Ruth to the game tonight:

Arnold

At the request of Don Winslow, here are a few relatively recent photos of what I call my Popsicle Stick Yankee Stadium:

The O Scale metal figures were made by Kramer Products:

Arnold

Great thread - inspired me to include a field on my newly under construction layout   I will eventually add stadium seats / bleachers and probably concessions  Right now working out some bugs and adding accessories/lighting.  Here is my version  Happy new year to all  

A Brooklyn locomotive circling Yankee Stadium?

Shocking! Blasphemous!

LOL, Arnold

PS: Just Kidding. I would have loved to go to the World Series games in the 1950s between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the NY Yankees. A couple of years ago while on vacation, I read Doris Kearns Goodwin's book, Wait Till Next Year, about growing up in Carle Place, Long Island in the 1940s and 1950s, going to Ebbetts Field with her dad, and rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers. What a fabulous and charming book.

Speaking of the Dodgers and the Yankees in the 1950s, here, on my layout, is the scoreboard of Don Larson's perfect game in the 1956 World Series:

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

A Brooklyn locomotive circling Yankee Stadium?

Shocking! Blasphemous!

LOL, Arnold

PS: Just Kidding. I would have loved to go to the World Series games in the 1950s between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the NY Yankees. A couple of years ago while on vacation, I read Doris Kearns Goodwin's book, Wait Till Next Year, about growing up in Carle Place, Long Island in the 1940s and 1950s, going to Ebbetts Field with her dad, and rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers. What a fabulous and charming book.

Speaking of the Dodgers and the Yankees in the 1950s, here, on my layout, is the scoreboard of Don Larson's perfect game in the 1956 World Series:

Arnold, "The more I know, the more I know how little I know."

Thanks for pointing out the hidden nuggets. And my apologies that I did not notice the subtle nuances you place in your modeling. Fantastic, as always, and  I marvel in the skill it takes to move past my "Ewe Mountain".

Much to the chagrin of my wife, who reads intently, spell and fact checking every news paper article she reads, I do not. She asked me last year to start acting my age. I responded honestly, directly and tossed in a some facts and data. Yup, I know, I took a risk. But, I know that is what she would LIKE.

"Honey, I have acted my age, that being a 5 and 1/2 year old, for the 47 years you have known me. I doubt that will change anytime soon." It's been a quiet WEEK...

So Arnold, please accept that this 5 1/2 year old, views all your fantastic effort through eyes filled with wonderment, awe and an abundance of JOY!

Did anyone say Baseball and Trains? Sorry Arnold, but that awesome Yankee Stadium you built demands one of these riding around -

Its a great replica of the 2000 Subway series trains that went to Shea and Yankee Stadium.

Not to steal this thread but on a similar topic in 1:1 scale...

I grew up in Staten Island and took a bus, the S I  Ferry and the # 4 train from Bowling Green up to the Bronx. Nothing beat the sight of seeing Yankee Stadium when the # 4 train popped out of the underground and climbed up the elevated tracks into daylight!  Especially on May 14, 1967 when Mickey Mantle hit # 500!

@Strap Hanger posted:

Did anyone say Baseball and Trains? Sorry Arnold, but that awesome Yankee Stadium you built demands one of these riding around -

Its a great replica of the 2000 Subway series trains that went to Shea and Yankee Stadium.

Strap Hanger, your Subway Series subway is awesome.

Arnold

I posted this photo on the Forum 3 years ago, but it is still, and always will be, on my layout:

The cleverest thing I ever made for my layout: my Popsicle Stick monuments on the field of play in center field at the old Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle in his prime hit baseballs into those monuments where the ball would rattle around while he ran like a deer around the bases for an inside the park home run.

Like the comedian, Billy Crystal when he was a kid, I believed when I was a kid that those monuments were gravestones where Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were buried.

LOL, Arnold

I'm in heaven these days watching Yankee games on TV while posting and reading things on the Forum.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Strap Hanger, your Subway Series subway is awesome.

Arnold

Thanks Arnold. Nothing like baseball and trains (particularly subway trains)!  Absolutely love that popsicle stick monument park you made. Spent many a pre-game there as a kid in the original Yankee stadium and later, at the new stadium with my kids.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I'm in heaven these days watching Yankee games on TV while posting and reading things on the Forum.

And its even better when we have a win!

Thanks Arnold been expecting this to come back to page one soon! although I'm from the other side of the tracks in Flushing. We have baseball!

I was present at Shea for games 3,4&5 in 2000.

To paraphrase Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and O Gauge!

@bptBill posted:

Thanks Alan been expecting this to come back to page one soon! although I'm from the other side of the tracks in Flushing. We have baseball!

I was present at Shea for games 3,4&5 in 2000.

To paraphrase Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and O Gauge!

Well then BPBill, as a Mets fan in attendance at those games, then I think below is the train for you, although I’m not sure you want to be reminded of the outcome of that series, LOL! (Even though you guys did eke out a win in game 3)

https://youtu.be/jLtO-uDKkFc

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I posted this photo on the Forum 3 years ago, but it is still, and always will be, on my layout:

The cleverest thing I ever made for my layout: my Popsicle Stick monuments on the field of play in center field at the old Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle in his prime hit baseballs into those monuments where the ball would rattle around while he ran like a deer around the bases for an inside the park home run.

Like the comedian, Billy Crystal when he was a kid, I believed when I was a kid that those monuments were gravestones where Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were buried.

LOL, Arnold

Thanks Arnold for this, I like the "in play" monuments from the old, old Yankee Stadium.

A non Mickey HR July 20th 1965 (4 days after my 12th Birthday) when Mel Stollemyre hit an inside the park grand slam behind them! Remember it like it was yesterday.

Like many of you, I don't have the room on my layout to put in a correct scale baseball field, and it wouldn't make sense for my extremely-rural layout concept. I also never use figures in dynamic poses frozen in time either.

Now all that said, it would have bene neat to have modelled a correct-size baseball field just to prove it could be done.

I liked going to watch the Braves play when I lived in north Florida, the Orioles (and toured several farm league fields for games) when I was stationed at Aberdeen MD and now love going to watch the Rainiers play in Tacoma, but of course the pandemic had stopped all that for now.

I was hardly any jock when I was a kid and teen, but in my late teens I found I wasn't that bad at baseball. Too late a bloomer to really do anything with it other than play men's league softball for a while. All that said, I'm really no big fan of the sport in regard to knowing from memory as to who played any specific position for a certain team in one season. When I was in the Army, we had a bunch of big name ball players come to the Proving Ground one weekend and as the staff duty officer that day (and the only one they could find who knew tanks pretty well), I had to go down and show them the insides of an M1A1 tank we set up with other vehicles. Many years later I realized I was showing around several all star team players, some really big names in baseball. Cal Ripkin was the only I knew at the time as he was from nearby Havre De Grace, MD and there was a museum devoted to him outside the post.

Those of us who helped out that day were invited to a game at Camden Yard, in one of the up front roped off areas where they wait on you. I almost didn't go until someone told me how rare a chance that is. I'm glad I went, and I later heard that a couple of the players had commented how the "LT in the tank" hadn't pestered them about their careers and begged for autographs as many of the other soldiers had. I didn't have the heart to explain I had no idea who any of them other than Ripkin were. Besides, I don't impress easily. Before that, I'd met many awardees of the Medal of Honor, more than a couple of astronauts who walked on the Moon and one President of the US. Ball players, compared to that, don't really get me worked up...

@bptBill posted:

Thanks Arnold for this, I like the "in play" monuments from the old, old Yankee Stadium.

A non Mickey HR July 20th 1965 (4 days after my 12th Birthday) when Mel Stollemyre hit an inside the park grand slam behind them! Remember it like it was yesterday.

Bill, I always thought Mel Stottlemeyer was an outstanding pitcher. I tried to model myself, unsuccessfully, after him when I pitched in the Pony League and for my high school baseball team.

I vaguely remember that inside the park homerun by Mel.

Arnold, your monuments took me back to this article during the Pirates brief respite from the nearly 30-year doldrums.  I saw 3 of the 4 heroes whose statues adorn the entrances play at Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium.  I would happily go back to those parks of bygone eras than have 20 years of the 'supposed' most beautiful ballpark and few players who can win.  The author wrote "each home game is a fiesta".  Maybe in 2015, but then they got rid of those guys. 

Regardless, I wore one of my half dozen Pirates hats proudly today.  Beat 'em Bucs!

Home → Attractions → PNC Park: America’s Most Beautiful Park

PNC Park, the new home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, opened to rave reviews in 2001, and is still regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s premier fields. PNC is the fifth home of the Pirates. It combines the charm of Forbes Field, the team’s third home, with the scenic riverside location on the North Side of an even earlier venue, Exposition Park.

After touring all 30 major league ballparks, ESPN’s Eric Neel has ranked PNC Park as the best.

PNC Park is heralded for its classic architecture, natural grass surface, and excellent sight lines. An intimate setting with a seating capacity of approximately 39,000, PNC is the league’s second smallest field, and it definitely brings the game to the fan. The highest seat is only 88 feet from the field, and there isn’t a bad seat in the park. The deepest part of the park is in Left Center at 410 feet.

The shortest distance from home plate to the Allegheny River is only 456ft. In 2006, PNC Park hosted the 2006 All-Star Game. During the Homerun Derby, five different balls were hit out of the park and made a splash landing in the Allegheny River. Daryle Ward of the Houston Astros was the first player to hit a ball into the river during a regular season game on July 6, 2002. In addition to views of the river, the grandstand offers fans a stunning sight of Pittsburgh’s glittering skyline and the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

The Best Ballpark in America

While PNC Park is a “field of dreams” for baseball enthusiasts, you don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy the amenities of this park. Everything is state-of-the art, yet doesn’t seem sterile. An interactive, one-of-a-kind tour, entitled “The Best Ballpark in America,” gives fans an insight into this remarkable sports venue. The tours are available from April through September, Monday-Friday at 10 a.m. and noon when the Pirates play an evening game.

Concessions offer something to appeal to every taste, from legendary Primanti Brother’s sandwiches to wings from Quaker Steak and Lube. Bucaroos offers a menu that caters to children, and of course, it wouldn’t be a baseball game without peanuts and Cracker Jack. PNC’s “All You Can Eat Seats” allow fans to munch their way through the innings. For those who like to sit back, have a beer and enjoy the game, PNC Park offers numerous beers from national brands on tap to local craft brews.

PNC Park was designed to meet the needs of its visitors. It is one of the most accommodating for disabled visitors, offering everything from drop-off zones to assisted listening devices.

Rambunctious children can work off a little energy at the Kids Play Land located near the Right Field Gate. The play area features a miniature replica PNC Park and a multi-purpose play set. Parents anxious about losing a child in the crowd may obtain free ID bracelets that are personalized with the child’s name and seat location. On select Sundays, children 14 and under are offered the opportunity to run the bases. Family restrooms are also situated throughout the park.

Each Home Game is a Fiesta

The fun isn’t limited to inside PNC Park. Each home game is a fiesta. The streets surrounding the park are filled with fans, music and children’s activities. The Roberto Clemente Bridge, which connects downtown Pittsburgh to the North Side right outside of PNC Park, is closed to vehicular traffic on game days, allowing pedestrians to walk to the park.

Statues of Pirate Hall of Famers surround PNC Park. Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Bill Mazeroski have all been immortalized. The beautifully landscaped Riverwalk along the Allegheny River connects PNC Park with Heinz Field, The Rivers Casino and Carnegie Science Center, and offers strollers a delightful view of Pittsburgh’s three rivers and the downtown area. The Riverfront Park waterfall will entice even the most staid visitor to kick off the shoes and dip their toes in the cool waters. Since the construction of PNC Park, numerous restaurants, pubs, and hotels have arisen around it, making PNC Park and the surrounding area an entertainment center par excellence. Even getting to the park is fun. It is easily accessible by car, by foot or by boat.

The Gateway Clipper Fleet provides a shuttle to the game. It leaves from its Station Square dock and drops off fans outside PNC Park, then shuttles them back to Station Square after the game.

Of course Pirates fan love their home park, but fans from around the country also extol PNC Park’s virtues. Many rival fans flock to PNC Park to take in a road game when their favorite team plays the Pirates. The ticket prices are reasonable, the fans are accommodating to the visitors, and the area is a baseball fan’s paradise. Across the Internet, numerous websites hosted by devoted baseball enthusiasts from St. Louis to San Diego detail what a delight a road trip to PNC Park is for visiting teams and fans. PNC Park is within a day’s drive for several major league cities like Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Toronto, and New York.

Whether you are a Pirates fan or not, you will be a fan of PNC Park. This magnificent baseball park is worth a road trip whether you are coming from the Pittsburgh area or from across the country.

By Janice Palko

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Like the comedian, Billy Crystal when he was a kid, I believed when I was a kid that those monuments were gravestones where Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were buried.

What, they are not!? Darn it Arnold you have completely disillusioned me.

On another note, I thought I'd do a little math to see exactly how much real estate you would need to model Yankee Stadium in O scale- 1:48.  For just the field alone, the old distance of 461 feet to the wall in center is almost 10'! And that doesn't include the copious amounts of foul territory behind home plate. If you go to Goggle maps, there is a measuring tool, and the new stadium is about 850' x 700', bleachers, walkways and all. That works out to 17 1/2" x 14 1/2' in O scale!!!

Last week for Opening Day I ran all of my baseball-themed train and freight cars. I also have a Weaver Nolan Ryan boxcar I forgot to include. Lets go Mets!

@RJ I posted:

Last week for Opening Day I ran all of my baseball-themed train and freight cars. I also have a Weaver Nolan Ryan boxcar I forgot to include. Lets go Mets!

The first World Series I ever attended was the 69 Miracle Mets. I was in 7th grade and it was all very exciting!

Will, having the space to have a scale model of Yankee Stadium that is 10 plus feet long would be wonderful. However, the other approach you can take, which is what I did, is to make a caricature of it, which would take up less space, but gives the viewer the same overall impression.

See in the photos how deep it is in centerfield:

@Mark Boyce posted:

Arnold, your monuments took me back to this article during the Pirates brief respite from the nearly 30-year doldrums.  I saw 3 of the 4 heroes whose statues adorn the entrances play at Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium.  I would happily go back to those parks of bygone eras than have 20 years of the 'supposed' most beautiful ballpark and few players who can win.  The author wrote "each home game is a fiesta".  Maybe in 2015, but then they got rid of those guys. 

PNC Park, the new home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, opened to rave reviews in 2001, and is still regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s premier fields. PNC is the fifth home of the Pirates. It combines the charm of Forbes Field, the team’s third home, with the scenic riverside location on the North Side of an even earlier venue, Exposition Park.

After touring all 30 major league ballparks, ESPN’s Eric Neel has ranked PNC Park as the best.

PNC Park is heralded for its classic architecture, natural grass surface, and excellent sight lines. An intimate setting with a seating capacity of approximately 39,000, PNC is the league’s second smallest field, and it definitely brings the game to the fan. The highest seat is only 88 feet from the field, and there isn’t a bad seat in the park. The deepest part of the park is in Left Center at 410 feet.

The shortest distance from home plate to the Allegheny River is only 456ft. In 2006, PNC Park hosted the 2006 All-Star Game. During the Homerun Derby, five different balls were hit out of the park and made a splash landing in the Allegheny River. Daryle Ward of the Houston Astros was the first player to hit a ball into the river during a regular season game on July 6, 2002. In addition to views of the river, the grandstand offers fans a stunning sight of Pittsburgh’s glittering skyline and the Roberto Clemente Bridge..

Mark,

I concur! I'm an avid baseball fan and have been to quite a few major league parks around the country. I used to be in a group of 25-30 that went to a different city every summer for a weekend of ball games.

PNC was one of the best and in fact is probably a solid Top 3 on the list of favorites. Everything about the experience was top notch and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Only problem with trying to visit ballparks these days is they build them so fast that it's hard to keep up!

Here is one of my favorite cars - since Lionel dropped the MLB license a year before, I had to make my own Cubs Championship Car.  I also have every Cubs car theme made (MTH and Lionel).

@C&O Allan posted:

Here is one of my favorite cars - since Lionel dropped the MLB license a year before, I had to make my own Cubs Championship Car.  I also have every Cubs car theme made (MTH and Lionel).

Very nice, Allan. Would love to see a game some day at Wrigley Field.

@johnstrains posted:

Mark,

I concur! I'm an avid baseball fan and have been to quite a few major league parks around the country. I used to be in a group of 25-30 that went to a different city every summer for a weekend of ball games.

PNC was one of the best and in fact is probably a solid Top 3 on the list of favorites. Everything about the experience was top notch and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Only problem with trying to visit ballparks these days is they build them so fast that it's hard to keep up!

John, Yes indeed it is hard to visit every ballpark.  Our now retired pastor and his son had to settle on visiting a game in every major league city, not every stadium.  I have seen games in 4 stadiums, besides Forbes Field, Three Rivers, and PNC Park, I also saw a game in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium to show how long ago that was.  If you ever go back to PNC Park, get something to eat at Manny Sanguillen's sandwich shop inside the park.  He is often there and you will be greeted with his always friendly grin.  One of the nicest Pirates ever, like Willie Stargell.

One thing I do not like that they changed in PNC Park on my last visit 2 or 3 years ago was that they added the lit panels the whole way around the edge of the upper level like they have in hockey arenas.  The lights flash on and off, back and forth.  I found it really annoying to my eyes.  That's a senor citizen's opinion.  I'm sure younger folk find it exciting!! 

Great pics!

In the summer of 1979 me, my younger brother and some of our friends would take the CNW/Metra commuter train from Glen Ellyn to Northwestern Station in Chicago, walk to the EL, ride it to the Addison Street stop, go watch the Cubs play at Wrigley Field and be back home in time for dinner or in some instances be back in time to play in our own youth league baseball games.  Since there were no lights at Wrigley at that time, the Cubs played all day games at home so sometimes we'd go to 3-4 games a week.  Both me and my brother had paper routes so were able to afford these excursions.. We were 12-14 year old kids and did this with no adult supervision.  We always had a great time, never got into any trouble and saw some good ball players too..Dave Kingman, Johnny Bench and Tom Seaver to name a few.  And it sure helped to know the train schedules too. 

Lionel trains and baseball are a large part of Americana. If it wasn’t for the fact that it would take tons of space and my future layout will be winter and/or fall I would happily put a small stadium on the layout. Now if the commissioner could just stop tinkering with rules we would be alright. Extra innings with a guy on 2nd and instant replay hurt the game.

When I was a boy Nabisco Cereals Rice and Wheat Puffs came with a ball player figure in each box. I believe they were blue and yellow figures.

@Mark Boyce posted:

John, Yes indeed it is hard to visit every ballpark.  Our now retired pastor and his son had to settle on visiting a game in every major league city, not every stadium.  I have seen games in 4 stadiums, besides Forbes Field, Three Rivers, and PNC Park, I also saw a game in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium to show how long ago that was.  If you ever go back to PNC Park, get something to eat at Manny Sanguillen's sandwich shop inside the park.  He is often there and you will be greeted with his always friendly grin.  One of the nicest Pirates ever, like Willie Stargell.

One thing I do not like that they changed in PNC Park on my last visit 2 or 3 years ago was that they added the lit panels the whole way around the edge of the upper level like they have in hockey arenas.  The lights flash on and off, back and forth.  I found it really annoying to my eyes.  That's a senor citizen's opinion.  I'm sure younger folk find it exciting!! 

When I was a young man living in NYC in the 70s, I once decided I wanted to see Wrigley Field. This was before lights, so only day games. I wanted to travel by train like the ball players did in the early days, so I booked a sleeper car out of Grand Central, brought my copy of Ultimate Baseball, and made a pilgrimage to Chicago. The train broke down, it rained all the way, but I made it in time to take a cab from station to Wrigley, bought a box seat on the baseline from a scalper, and as the sun broke out from behind the clouds, saw the Cubbies play a double header that day. Like Ernie Banks would have said, “Let’s play two.” Baseball and trains: magic.

My only baseball experience was a long time ago.  Our Boy Scout troop visited the newly renamed Connie Mack Stadium to see the "A"s play the Boston Red Sox.

Thing was, traveling to and from the game I was more enamored at the abundance of trolley track configurations embedded in the streets.

First and last game for me, kind of slow.

I love baseball (especially "live" at a stadium), but don't have a park on my layout. You guys inspire me.  I love baseball despite the White Sox breaking my young heart in 1959. Nevertheless, I got to see so many "greats" at Comiskey in my early years, including Maris and Mantle swinging bats during their Home Run Derby season, maybe 1961? (IIRC).

@Tom Tee posted:

My only baseball experience was a long time ago.  Our Boy Scout troop visited the newly renamed Connie Mack Stadium to see the "A"s play the Boston Red Sox.

Thing was, traveling to and from the game I was more enamored at the abundance of trolley track configurations embedded in the streets.

First and last game for me, kind of slow.

Connie Mack stadium was a trip— right downtown Philly. Real old school urban ballpark, like the kinds I’ve seen on some layouts!

Yeah, some of these inner city stadiums even featured the park's neighbors with mini grand stands on their roofs, like the "Wrigley Roof-tops".

My Last Game in the Bronx, Danny Ainge was playing 3rd base for the Blue Jays wonder what happened to him.

We have taken Amtrak to Baltimore(I love Camden Yards , it being the first of the new breed, also a trip down the street to the B&O museum) and Philadelphia for games, I can see going to Boston and maybe DC via Amtrak for games maybe this year.

@bptBill posted:

My Last Game in the Bronx, Danny Ainge was playing 3rd base for the Blue Jays wonder what happened to him.

We have taken Amtrak to Baltimore(I love Camden Yards , it being the first of the new breed, also a trip down the street to the B&O museum) and Philadelphia for games, I can see going to Boston and maybe DC via Amtrak for games maybe this year.

Camden Yards is great! We have a great stadium and horrible team. Ownership is a joke. B&O museum was really cool and so is the trolley museum. I haven’t been to wither since I was a kid.

@pdxtrains posted:

Connie Mack stadium was a trip— right downtown Philly. Real old school urban ballpark, like the kinds I’ve seen on some layouts!

Shibe Park/Connie Mack stadium really wasn't located in downtown Philly.  It was located at about 21st and Lehigh Avenue in north Philadelphia.  During the 30s and 40s it was a great place to go to a ballgame but by the mid to late 50s the neighborhood deteriorated significantly and wasn't the safest place in the world.  Nevertheless, during the 50s my family and I went to several games at Connie Mack and used the Philly trolley system to get there because parking your car in that area was an iffy proposition at best.  My first games there were a Sunday double header with the New York Giants in 1955 and I had the chance to see the great Willie Mays in action along with Phillies superb center fielder Richie Ashburn.  The Phils were a mediocre team at the time and lost both ends of the twin bill.   Still, great memories.  

@Csxcellent posted:

Camden Yards is great! We have a great stadium and horrible team. Ownership is a joke. B&O museum was really cool and so is the trolley museum. I haven’t been to wither since I was a kid.

Hmmm...I thought you were talking about Pittsburgh.    The rate we are going, we won't live to see either the Pirates or Orioles back in a World Series.  I'm sure Orioles fans would like a rematch for 1971 and 1979.  Oh, those were the days for both teams.  Four 20 game winners.  The Lumber Company.  I guess my baseball world is all nostalgia just like my model trains hobby.

@OKHIKER posted:

Shibe Park/Connie Mack stadium really wasn't located in downtown Philly.  It was located at about 21st and Lehigh Avenue in north Philadelphia.  During the 30s and 40s it was a great place to go to a ballgame but by the mid to late 50s the neighborhood deteriorated significantly and wasn't the safest place in the world.  Nevertheless, during the 50s my family and I went to several games at Connie Mack and used the Philly trolley system to get there because parking your car in that area was an iffy proposition at best.  My first games there were a Sunday double header with the New York Giants in 1955 and I had the chance to see the great Willie Mays in action along with Phillies superb center fielder Richie Ashburn.  The Phils were a mediocre team at the time and lost both ends of the twin bill.   Still, great memories.  

I’m sure you’d right about the location. Perhaps I thought of it as downtown because of the iffy surroundings. My father used to park the car on the street and then he’d buy what he called “insurance.” He’d tip a neighborhood kid a buck to guard the car, haha. It worked! We’d come out after the game and the car was fine,  proving that insurance can be a very good thing!

While we are on the subject, my Lex Express set with the Yankee Stadium stop came today. If it weren’t for this forum I would not have known about it! Thanks, all! Enjoy!

@jay jay posted:

I love baseball (especially "live" at a stadium), but don't have a park on my layout. You guys inspire me.  I love baseball despite the White Sox breaking my young heart in 1959. Nevertheless, I got to see so many "greats" at Comiskey in my early years, including Maris and Mantle swinging bats during their Home Run Derby season, maybe 1961? (IIRC).

As an 8 year old obsessed with the Yankees, the White Sox (Luis Apariccio, Nelly Fox, Billy Pierce, etc.) broke my heart in 1959 by winning the American League Pennant!

Building a baseball field on your layout is so easy. All you need is Woodland Scenics Iron Ore Fine Ballast (reddish brown dirt for the base paths) and Blended Turf or Fine Turf for the infield and outfield grass. Then, little pieces of white cardboard for home plate, the bases and the pitching rubber, and glued together Popsicle Sticks painted blue, green or brown for the bleachers or stands for the fans. Also chicken wire or similar material to make the fences and painted cardboard with numbers for the scoreboard.

Now, the next thing you need is O Scale players. I believe Scenis Express has some nice plastic ones, but the best, IMO, were made by Kramer Products (they are made of metal and beautifully painted). I got my Kramer Products players in the mid-1990s from The Choo Choo Barn (a phenomenol model train store in the York or Strasburg, PA area, and another Kramer Priducts team of players from TRAINZ 2 years ago.

Lionel Billboards are also nice to have in your ball park. Arnold

Don't forget the light towers so you can have night g as mes. LOL

The Yankees have done well lately, especially with their 6 foot 7 inch right fielder, Aaron Judge. With his height, he can snare drives heading for the right field stands.

So, I have a great idea. What if the Yankees had even taller outfielders?

Take a look at this short video:

Extra, extra read all about it: the NY Yankees are collaborating with the Bronx Zoo to teach the giraffes how to catch fly balls in their mouths.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Very nice, Allan. Would love to see a game some day at Wrigley Field.

Arnold,

Your baseball fields on your layout look great.

MDR

@Malcolm Reid posted:

It's a great place to go for a game, especially if you take the red line to the game (Addison stop)

@Malcolm Reid posted:

Arnold,

Your baseball fields on your layout look great.

MDR

Delighted, Malcolm, to see your Jackie Robinson Stadium here on the Forum.  Arnold