Front End Friday

What's better than one 21130?   (End ones are from 1959. Center one, 1962.)

Happy FEF!

Happy FEF from SD40s

Happy FEF.  

Happy FEF today!

Happy Tinplate FEF from old No 8!

@PAsteve posted:

What's better than one 21130?   (End ones are from 1959. Center one, 1962.)

                                                                      How about a 21140?

FEF!   Happy Front End Friday!

Front ends for this fine Friday.

Thanks for the Pennsy shots guys.  Sure makes for a Fantastic Front End Friday!

The J running early morning route

Leaving the yard.

Two for FEF: my original AF Shasta 4367, and my MTH AF Gold Millenium

The Phoebe Snow, led by ABA F3 units heads around a curve, and should be in Scranton in 10 minutes.

Happy FEF everyone!!! First up, a visitor from Lawn-guy-land...

Second, a representative from the embarrassment of riches that is the Pennsylvania Railroad

Have a great, stress free, train filled weekend!!!

Nice Paul. Considering that the PRR once owned the LIRR, it's not really a visitor.

Bob

It's Friday on the 'Central...

@RSJB18 posted:

Nice Paul. Considering that the PRR once owned the LIRR, it's not really a visitor.

Bob

Thanks Bob. Since my pike is in PA though, the 200 is just another Lawn-guy-land interloper (and heaven knows, we already have more than enough of them in my little corner of NEPA!!!). I have always really liked the PRR/LIRR symbol...

@Apples55 posted:

Thanks Bob. Since my pike is in PA though, the 200 is just another Lawn-guy-land interloper (and heaven knows, we already have more than enough of them in my little corner of NEPA!!!). I have always really liked the PRR/LIRR symbol...

You mean this one?

Yea it's missing the keystone...

@RSJB18 posted:

You mean this one?

Yea it's missing the keystone...

Gotta have the Keystone or it just don’t fly... it’s just Long Island

Friday’s really fly around these days, lots of nice pictures and hopefully everyone is staying safe and staying healthy, Today, two versions of Lionels Big Boys, parked on a siding. One VisionLine 4014, one the new Legacy version, First Run edition. Happy Railroading Everyone

Good morning, I have not posted any pictures on this topic for sometime but I have sure enjoyed the photos other members have posted.

This week my wife and I was in Clearfield PA and caught this RJ Corman empty grain train led by NS power.

This train is heading for Cresson PA to the NS Pittsburgh Main Line.

Have a good weekend and please stay safe !!!!!

Happy FEF on this 13th day

End of the front kind for this fine Friday!

Union P. Coaltrain

Unfortunately The 100MB limit will not allow for all 43 cars.

TGIF....FEF

Digging thru the archives so that I can contribute.  A few photos of the N Scale variety from my former club (South Florida Railway Museum in Deerfield Beach).

First, a meeting of two SD60M's in the yard (CSX 8759 and Union Pacific 6253)

And a few photos of a CSX GP40-2 (#6318)...

Up close and personal

Then with locomotive out for focus to the background quarry building...

And then with the locomotive in focus with the quarry blurred in the background.

None of these photo styles were done by design.  I just noticed the effects when I was going through the slides to present them here

Randy Great shot!! I had to do a double take thinking this was real!

Hi everyone, happy F.E.F to all.  Today I have my new (to me) Marx 588 NYC switcher in the hard to find light grey/black livery.  This was made one year only 1962 with tab / slot couplers (year I graduated from High School!).  I was especially pleased to find this one as I now have all 3 liveries (Black, Maroon, & Grey) that Marx produced the NYC 588.  their total production, beginning with the Black / White livery spanned '58 -'62 with a re-appearance of this grey one, only with plastic knuckle couplers in 1964.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Don McErlean, you are the very best at finding some of the most unique Marx engines I’ve ever seen. Amazing, great find. The engine I’m showing belongs to a great friend of mine from Nashville, Tennessee. Happy Railroading Everyone

Happy FEF

@SLO32

Thanks for the compliment. This was photographed on my back deck with live pine trees at the end of the yard. So, that much is real. The camera angle on the locomotive is also convincing.

Happy Front End Friday the 13th on the SP.

Leapinlarry - thank you for the compliment.  I do get a kick out of trying to find the "odd balls" and I enjoy the fact that others enjoy seeing them as well.  Your post as always has pictures of great engines and your fabulous lay out.  I never tire of seeing what a great "empire" you have built.  WP great video...I admit to jealously when I see layouts like yours and Larry's with great track work and small angle switches.  I am afraid I am a "plywood, foam, painted green, Lionel 0-22 switches and 31" dia radii " kind of guy...but I do love to make them "go round" .  WP that livery on your diesels, is that what they called the "black widow" scheme?  Sorry if I am all messed up.

Best regards to all

Don

Don McErlean, Thank You for the nice response, I think we have something in common, Texas, I’m from Dennison Texas. As you can see from the 100’s of the OGR Forum members, each collection is different and uniquely neat. Some love pre-war, post war, modern, American Flyer, Marx, MTH, Lionel, Third Rail, K-Line, Weaver, Atlas 0, and even different types of trackage, Conventional and even different command systems, even outdoor Railroading LGB, Peco... and on and on. A basic table, painted green, tubular track, old Lionel post war, or Marx can be just as entertaining going past those nostalgic accessories, working the arms of that old ZW transformer, or the old LW with a light up as you turn the lever, it’s All Fun.

I’ve visited many many layouts, over 250, examples like Dr. Bill Bramlages Tower City, to Gale Rotching’s 16 by 16 layout with a jam packed bunch of accessories, turn table, extraordinary design, (Cincinnati Ohio) and a friends 4 by 8 table fully sceniked with the old Lionel 675 steam set flying around the track with post war freight cars and of course the milk car delivering milk.  All fun to run. All trains are fun, your nostalgic collection of older trains is fun to see. I love them all.

Don McErlean: Thank you for your kind words. Yes the SP F3 locomotive is in the so-called “Black Widow” paint scheme, one of my favorites. I love all types of layouts. I grew up drooling over the Lionel layouts in the 50’s catalogs, and I still like them as well. For fun, this year I made a small 4’ x 4’ layout using  027 track and the pair of manual 027 switches Santa brought me in 1957. It is that old fashioned simple type layout with 1950’s style trains and  scenicing. I love them all.

Happy FEF!

I saw this photo  and thought FEF had to share.

A roustabout (Lackawanna’s term for a local freight), led by a Trainmaster leads a piggyback for the ramp in Port Morris, and an empty Sunoco tanker, destined for return to Marcus Hook, plus the rest returning to the yard in Secaucus around a bend in NW NJ.

Ends of the front kind for this fine Friday!   MU car commin atcha!  

Y6b mallet .... power plus!

Happy FEF from the Santa Fe Dash Family (500 - 900 series)

                                                       AF #21004 Pennsy 0-6-0 switcher

I've posted these before elsewhere but fun for this thread....

Mural: Stockton, Illinois.

Rusty

Wow F.E.F fans...one thing arriving late gets me is a chance to see all the great posts that you have put into the thread before I got here!  Artie...I come from North Jersey and clearly remember Secaucus and the Jersey "meadow" (giant swamp, home to huge landfills!).  RSJB18 love how you did that elevated line (one of my "bucket list" jobs ).  WP - glad to hear about your 4x4 layout, maybe you could post a picture or so for inspiration, sounds really cool.  Trumptrain - the MU cars really look good. DG beautiful SF diesel and impressive detail.  Paul R ... unusual AF engine, the 0-6-0 is not all that common, it was pre-war only with Lionel.  WITZ41- WOW 2 great NW steam engines...but aren't you the leader of the UP thread ?  Beautiful steam even if they aren't UP (LOL)

My contribution today will also recall some UP trains.  This is the Marx UP E-7 Diesel AB unit.  Made only one year, 1960.  As you can see, the shell is a pretty good model of the E-7 although its closer to "S" scale than "O" although it is O gauge.   Not much interior detail at all.   This one populated a few sets for Sears and Montgomery Ward's in the day and was available for limited separate sale.  They made both powered and dummy A units as well as the dummy B so it is possible to assemble an ABA set but this AB took me years to locate.  But its the search that's fun!

Here is the A unit alone.  Good cast in detail but not much else.  It is missing a single black plastic horn on top of the cab but is otherwise fully complete.  Despite being 61 years old, like much of Marx, a little oil and she runs like a top!

Here is a better view of the entire AB unit, including the Marx #3900 UP caboose from 1974-75

Well fellows, great F.E.F. fun, have a happy and healthy weekend.

Don

Happy FEF....late but it’s still Friday.

FEF

Front End Friday,

Southern Pacific H12-44 Freight

@WP posted:

FEF

Front End Friday,

Southern Pacific H12-44 Freight

Wow! Your H12-44 details are spot on and the scenery is amazing. Thanks for posting.

Happy FEF from Chessie

Happy FEF!

A new member of the fleet just arrived.

Happy FEF.  DG that’s a whole lot of Chessie....nice.  Bob, I love that engine. RS-11...sweet.

Good morning, the first photo this morning is a Pennsylvania L1 520 passing West Interlock and picking up its train order from the Interlock Worker on a cold December morning.

Hopefully the noise and the exhaust from the engine don’t rattle the accumulated ice and snow loose from the edge of the roof !!!!!

Second photo although not a front end shot just a little humor, is Santa on his way to the Daily Grind Coffee shop for his morning cup of coffee. Santa has just had a encounter with Spike the Bulldog.

Spike has done a good job getting Santa up on top of the retaining wall. Hopefully Santa doesn’t have any treats in his sack !!!!!                                                            What a way for Santa to start his day.

Take care and stay safe !!!!!

Happy FEF.  Marx 333 on the right & K-Line 333 version on the left.

Front End Friday with Red Nose and engineer

Ends of the front kind for this fine Friday!!

Everyone, beautiful front ends, and some beautiful rear ends, either position, all are Fantastic. Happy Railroading Everyone, have a great weekend....

@RSJB18 posted:

Happy FEF!

A new member of the fleet just arrived.

Wow RS, that is a beauty[..where did you get, what brand is it?  I wouldn't mind have one of those in my fleet..😃

Well here I am again, late in the day.  Guess I am having too much fun, running trains (LOL)!  Bit of an excursion this week, I have been running Hornby trains today, but not the usual Hornby which are almost all clockwork.  I have 3 engines that are Hornby M3 shells but re-powered for electric operations with Marx motors and remote reversing.  They work great and are a lot of fun pulling my Hornby freight and passenger cars.  So here are some "Horn-barx" engine front ends!!

Here is the hybrid engine in black (freight normally) livery pulling just a short train of 2 LMS coaches.

Some days on the rail road, the train needs extra help, so here is the hybrid green/black (SR?) livery engine leading a double headed express pulling a long consist of passenger coaches .

Here is a side view of the consist showing the double headed M3 type tank engines working a relatively long train of passenger coaches.  Just for the record, these shells are light enough (almost all sheet metal) that the Marx motors have no trouble at all pulling whatever I can couple up to them, especially on my level layout.  In fact I have to keep the old ZW down to about 15% power to keep everything on the track!.

Well, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday.  Have a great and healthy weekend and enjoy them leftovers!

Don

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Wow RS, that is a beauty[..where did you get, what brand is it?  I wouldn't mind have one of those in my fleet..😃

Hi Ted- It's a Lionel 6-28528 with Command, railsounds, etc. It's from a New Haven freight set # 6-31905. I don't know if it was sold separately.

I have it's sister loco in Delaware and Hudson, so when I saw this in the F/S thread, I jumped.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Hi Ted- It's a Lionel 6-28528 with Command, railsounds, etc. It's from a New Haven freight set # 6-31905. I don't know if it was sold separately.

I have it's sister loco in Delaware and Hudson, so when I saw this in the F/S thread, I jumped.

Bob

Thanks Bob for the information.  That sure is a good looking engine'.. I'll search the net to see if I can find one'.. Have a great weekend'.. 😀

Wow, Friday’s are like Monday’s, they come around quick, in fact when your retired, time actually flies.... Happy Railroading Everyone, hope your getting ready for Christmas.... It’s closer than you think.... Stay safe, stay healthy, Pray Continually.

You know Larry, I think you have every engine anyone would ever want! Things sure are looking wonderful at your place!

I had to polish these with Maguiar's rubbing compound then glaze and Next gen wax. The paint on these MTH engines was a horrible orange peel look. I have done this on all automotive models in the past with Maguiar's plastx and next gen wax thought  i would give it a shot for the Santa Fe "fresh paint" look.

@SLQ32 posted:

I had to polish these with Maguire's rubbing compound then glaze and Next gen wax. The paint on these MTH engines a was horrible orange peel look. I have done this on all automotive models in the past with Maguire's plastx and next gen wax though i would give it a shot for the Santa Fe "fresh paint" look.

Those look gorgeous.

Happy Friday front end friends

John

It seems to be a Santa Fe kind of day here on Front End Friday.

In keeping with the run of Santa Fe's...

LeapinLarry; Looks like Her SteamChest enters the room a full 5 minutes before 'er Markerlights!

Supreme: Best photos, Beauty Eh!!! Thanks for sharing

Miggy, Thank You for the comments, I merely took the pictures to show the overhang on 096 curves. Wow.

New & old T&P:

Rusty

Front ends of the post war kind!  

@SLQ32 posted:

I had to polish these with Maguiar's rubbing compound then glaze and Next gen wax. The paint on these MTH engines a was horrible orange peel look. I have done this on all automotive models in the past with Maguiar's plastx and next gen wax though i would give it a shot for the Santa Fe "fresh paint" look.

Exquisite!!!!

Happy FEF!

How about some Santa Fe Steam

Good evening, a birds eye view of a loaded coal train assembled by the Pennsylvania 0 6 0 switcher.

The loaded coal hoppers just clear the front of the switcher.

After the coal train clears the switcher crew will move out  onto the line and head for home after a long cold day working at Fritz Coal.

Have a good weekend and stay safe !!!!!

Hi F.E.F folks.  SLQ32 what an incredible polishing job, those engines look fabulous.  CSAM and Randy - great Santa Fe engines  Leapinlarry... great locos and beautiful train room.  Since it seems to be a Santa Fe Friday, I thought I would add my Santa Fe FT units.  These are the metal lithographed # 21 units by Marx made from 1950- 1954.  These are coupled to his "scale" freights that can be seen in the picture.

Happy Friday everyone, hope you have a great weekend!

Don

Santa Fe ....... All The Way!!!

@Don McErlean posted:

Hi F.E.F folks.  SLQ32 what an incredible polishing job, those engines look fabulous.  CSAM and Randy - great Santa Fe engines  Leapinlarry... great locos and beautiful train room.  Since it seems to be a Santa Fe Friday, I thought I would add my Santa Fe FT units.  These are the metal lithographed # 21 units by Marx made from 1950- 1954.  These are coupled to his "scale" freights that can be seen in the picture.

Happy Friday everyone, hope you have a great weekend!

Don

Don Thank you. I love that Marx! Beautiful engine!  I never saw anything like that! I didn't know Marx was that old. I thought it was Lionel or American Flyer back then.

@Apples55 posted:

Two comments, Bob...

Although I am a fan of the NYC Lightning Stripe livery, it pales in comparison to the D&H. And, a question... is an ABA in a box really an engine???

Paul, wouldn't that be 3 engines, probably one motorized and 2 dummies, but not necessarily, ie. all 3 could be motorized?

Been very busy over the last few months so I have not participated.  Still no time to take new photos, so here is one from a few years ago of my 3rd Rail Q1 at Pennsy484’s home.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Paul, wouldn't that be 3 engines, probably one motorized and 2 dummies, but not necessarily, ie. all 3 could be motorized?

Well, Arnold, if we are going to get legalistic about this, I maintain that any number of engines (powered or dummy), when linked together contiguously - aka “lashed up” (Mea maxima culpa), they form a single entity or engine. I rest my case

@Apples55 posted:

Well, Arnold, if we are going to get legalistic about this, I maintain that any number of engines (powered or dummy), when linked together contiguously - aka “lashed up” (Mea maxima culpa), they form a single entity or engine. I rest my case

I think, A jury of forum members should make a decision  on this case..  Perhaps a new standard will be determined'..🎅🏻

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

I think, A jury of forum members should make a decision  on this case..  Perhaps a new standard will be determined'..🎅🏻

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Paul, wouldn't that be 3 engines, probably one motorized and 2 dummies, but not necessarily, ie. all 3 could be motorized?

As a member of the jury, and the subject of the OP's comment (yes my D&H Sharks), I would say that they are all engines. In the 1:1 world they usually were all powered, or if not developing tractive power, at least providing heat/ lights to coaches.

Your honor, we the jury find the defendant @Apples55 to be a techno-pesant, therefore all charges should be dismissed.

What do you think Arnold? Do I have a future as a lawyer?

@RSJB18 posted:

As a member of the jury, and the subject of the OP's comment (yes my D&H Sharks), I would say that they are all engines. In the 1:1 world they usually were all powered, or if not developing tractive power, at least providing heat/ lights to coaches.

Your honor, we the jury find the defendant @Apples55 to be a techno-pesant, therefore all charges should be dismissed.

What do you think Arnold? Do I have a future as a lawyer?

OBJECTION!!!!!! To quote the late, not so great DA Hamilton Burger, that comment is “Incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial“. Whereas the respondent is the one responsible for this whole mess to begin with, he has a clear and obvious conflict of interest and never should have been sat on the jury. And as for his future as a lawyer, I would point out that I freely admit to being a techno-peasant, so the jury’s finding of the obvious makes their collective opinion highly suspect 🤣🤣🤣 The defense rests!!!

Wouldn't it be cool if we had a real Judge on the Forum who was a model railroad enthusiast?  Then, he/she could make a ruling. LOL, Arnold

Good day folks.  I took these two photos about an hour or so and came to post it on this thread, only to see that there hasn't been a post yet today on Front End Friday.  I haven't visited in awhile, so hopefully I didn't miss the memo .

Until then, here are a couple of Miami Metrorail trains by the Vizcaya Station south of Downtown. I took these from the bicycle/pedestrian path (known as the M Path) underneath the elevated tracks.

Hi FE.F. folks , AMFLEET25124 I agree, I really like this post and hope we can continue.  SLQ32, sorry I apologize I normally get to answer folks sooner than a week later.  Thank you for your comments on my Marx #21.  Yes Marx was around "back then" but no where near as early as Lionel or American Flyer or even Hafner.  Marx started making toy trains about 1934-35.  The #21 is somewhat unique, Marx never produced the large metal lithographed engine in anything but Santa Fe war bonnet livery.  He did produce other F-7's but in plastic bodies later in the post war period.

Today, there has been an incident on the Leonardtown and Savannah.  The operations people are upset but are working hard to accommodate a very important visitor to this south country.  Apparently there was a break down in this fellows normal ride and he desperately needs to get back North.  At the moment he has tied up the normal commuter passenger run, behind a Santa Fe Alco S-2 (leased as SF "excess" to the L&S for commuter service), KLine from about the 1990's  and the main line Atlanta express behind a Lionel Wabash F-3 # 2240 from 1956.  The folks are working with the dispatcher to try and route this VIP as far north as we can get him (that would be Maryland on the L&S). Even those trapped commuters are cheering the engineers efforts to get this fellow moving.   Lets hope that the fellows get this worked out or there are lots of boys and girls that are likely to be disappointed on Christmas eve!!

Happy Friday everyone, have a healthy and happy weekend

Don

Here is an FEF shot from under our Christmas tree. A Lionel PW 671 heading a Christmas freight consist. Have a great weekend everyone!

Better late than never.

Some warbonnets that should have been posted last week. Postwar Lionel F3.

john

@rjsmithindy posted:

Here is an FEF shot from under our Christmas tree. A Lionel PW 671 heading a Christmas freight consist. Have a great weekend everyone!

PERFECT

One for the boy & one for the girl...

Caught that Q1 again stopped at a siding.  Really like those huge 77" drivers.

Happy FEF

More Santa Fe courtesy of Menards.

@RSJB18 posted:

Happy FEF

More Santa Fe courtesy of Menards.

Ahhhh... Santa 🎅🏻 🎅🏻 Fe Warbonnet. Another of my Favorites. Need any Menards Santa Fe box trucks??? I ended up with a bunch of them a couple of years ago 😂😂😂