The O-Scale N.Y. EL-Sunshine & Shadows (MORE Pics)

Absolutely great stuff, Joe. Amazing detail.

Hello again Jon !

Again, thanks a lot for taking a look and your appreciation.  Here are a few more for "Sunshine & Shadow" type photos on my Layout for you !

Regards ! - Joe F

truly awesome!

Love it. Nice job.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Photography is an amazing, but often frustrating art form. These pics are examples of the amazing end of the spectrum. The sun can be an ally or a foe. the sun was on your side for this shoot. Well done.

Don

Hello again JON and John S

Here are some "prototype" under the EL photos - the first two are views under the 1877-78 years built Manhattan 3rd Ave EL I grew up along in the 1940's-50's (and it was fully removed by Jan. 1956) - and 2 recent year views from under a still in regular use old 1903-04 years built IRT EL Line in the Bronx, substantially stronger to handle the weight of (then as brand new) steel subway cars. 

These shadow effects from sunlight down thru the above EL structure and track deck work are the same effects from both EL structure styles and eras, that I try to replicate on the streets under my O Scale NYC EL Layout !

Regards - Joe F

Nice!

Don

These shots make me think of the chase scene from The French Connection. Thanks for posting them, it's difficult to discern your model from actual images.

HELLO GUYS !  

(Andrew Trains, Mill City-JON, NJC-Joe, Rail-DON)

Thanks also for taking a look at this thread and your positive comments ! All much appreciated of course !  Glad you all like viewing this, my form of, O-Scale modeling ! 

Rail-DON -- That is true. The sun can be the asset or the enemy.  Of course, my "sun" is modeled via a special bulb lamp, so I can "move it", maneuver it exactly where I want over my layout to create the sun and shadow patterns I desire.  And the sun can alter or change the hue of some colors depending upon the sun strength, time of day, and air quality.  Which can be useful or, as you said, frustrating ! 

I remember back in 1968 waiting two hours in my car, until high noon for the strong sunlight  to be positioned exactly where I wanted it, so as to get some photos under the old Bronx 3rd Ave. EL so that shadows would be exactly cast on the then cobblestone street and thus centered under the EL where I wanted them !!!  Its easier for me in the "model world", heh ! 

Mill City-JON -  Yes, I know that famous chase scene well (and have that movie on tape) from that movie "The French Connection" !!  In my 4 decades ago N Y City days I drove my car quite regularly under various EL Lines in Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens.  In all kinds of weather and day and night times.

Well, guys, here are a few more scenes UNDER my O-Scale NY City EL line - you may enjoy !

Regards - Joe F

-

Fantastic work, Joe...

Thank you for posting these great scenes......I grew up a few blocks from the EL over Westchester Avenue in Pelham Bay....great pics!

Peter

Hello again Peter (Putnam)--

Thanks much for the nice comments about these great model scenes !  Well, seem that I found another former New Yorker here again, heh !  The Pelham EL - I also knew it quite well and personally....and rode it quite a lot long ago !

My Aunt lived on Colgate Ave just off, a bit south of,  the Pelham EL. Just 2 blocks west of the ELDER AVE. EL Station.  My parents and I went sometimes via car and many more times, via the IRT Lexington Ave. Subway "Pelham local train" and that Pelham Line EL, to visit her in the 1950 thru 1960 period.  I rode the IRT Hi-V cars on that EL via the Lexington Ave. Local from my Manhattan home.  And trains of both IRT Low-V and 1939 Worlds Fair Steinway cars.  And by 1956 the IRT Pelham EL was served by mainly the brand new R-17 Cars which came on line in late 1955.  The Hi-V cars ran rush hour express until they were removed from service by end of 1958

I remember standing in her street, Colgate Ave, on summer evenings,  and watching the passing old Hi-V, Low-V-Steinway and Low-V trains whine and groan passing by high overhead on the very tall EL structure. And after 1958 there was the harsh roar of the trains of new IRT R-17 SMEE cars with their then novel to the IRT, Florescent lighting !  I use to walk up to the shopping area around the ELDER EL Station and hang around there while my parents visited my Aunt. Again, this was in the 1953 to 1961 period - and the area was quite safe and civilized, clean, with no fear of the neighborhood. Those were great times to be growing up - mid 1940's thru 1960's...at least for me back then !  

That neighborhood, like most of the Bronx,  changed quite radically thru the 1970's to 1990's - drugs, ghetto-ism and high crime rate.

My Aunt died in the very early 1960's and her viewing was at WALTER COOKE's Funeral Home (a chain operation) next to the Castle Hill Ave. EL Station of the Pelham EL.

Here are a few nostalgic photos from the ELDER EL STATION area...some from, heh, 50 years ago back when I was there (Where did the time go....)

Where did you live along the Pelham EL Line, and what period (era) ?

NOTE: Put your cursor over bottom of each picture to get a caption

Regards - Joe F

One thing missing from all the EL pictures is the Third Avenue bums I still remember the old lady in Spekmans the watering hole at 3rd Ave and 34th Street reaching for a baseball bat when the bums tried to come in.

 Interesting place the back bar was from 1879 and the old back bar which was used for a sandwich bar was from 1869.They carried Ballantine beer ,ale and porter. i always got a half and half made with ale and porter.

  When I left in 1952 there was a promise of a Second Ave. subway to replace the EL which I think was torn down in 1954.It is 60 years later and I understand work has finally progressed on the Second Ave. line.

Hello Bill C

Thanks for your interesting memories.  Where I lived in the E.80's along the 3rd Ave. EL, we had no such bums in bars.  The restaurants were more family oriented and multi-cultural, in my German and European dominated neighborhood. 

E.34th Street was a major crosstown street and even in the 1950's was becoming somewhat seedy.  The EL ceased operations approx. 7PM  on Thursday, May 12, 1955, below (and at the) the Bronx E.149th Street Station, south to the Chatham Square terminal of the EL.  Demolition started August 2, 1955 and total removal was completed by mid February 1956.  I watches the demolition sadly for those months.

I have an extensive 3rd Ave EL photos (a few thousand) and color slides collection-- here are just a small few of the many more photos from your neighborhood to recall ummm, fond (heh) memories by. Well, at least THE EL was there to enjoy rides on its trains.  Glad to find someone here who remembers the EL and the city then as I do.

PS: there are NO bums on my O-Scale modeled NY City EL and trolley system streets !

Placing your cursor over each photo will provide captions. Hope you enjoy the trip back in time via these photos !

Regards - Joe F

Beautiful modeling and pictures Joe...you already know how I feel about your work!!

Thanks for sharing!

Alan

Hello again Alan (A )

Thanks - I do know well how you appreciate and enjoy my modeling work and photos.

The first 3 images on my NYC EL Layout are among my many favorites which have the nostalgic  flavor and essence of the mid-century EL -- followed by some more "shadow & sunlite" type images.

Thanks always for your support, Alan !

Regards - Joe F

Joe...to be honest, I think your modeling looks almost better than the real thing!!...LOL!!

I quit posting my elevated once I saw yours....I didn't want anybody to do it the wrong way!

Alan

Hello again Alan !

Perhaps my Modeling (cars, structures, all and etc) "seem" to look better than the real thing because they are not, and have not been, exposed daily over 4, 5 or more decades of exterior weather conditions, heh !  Nor the ravages of certain elements of general public passenger humanity and at times indignities, heh.  Also, I control the level of "upkeep and appearance" and weathering of my structures and rolling stock. My streets and sidewalks are clean and free of trash, litter, etc.   Well, you get the idea.

Your elevated line on your layout (I have seen many photos of it on your site) is very well done and quite acceptable as a very respectable representation of "an elevated" transit - traction line.  NO REASON why you should not post photos of your EL line along with your great humongous model railroad layout Empire !!

If you want to see downright real "ugly" and totally way out of scale, to the ridiculous, compare these following photos of the some years ago produced MARX NYC MTA R-15 Car tinplate-litho subway set.  They even got the front end of the car wrong - the litho is reversed and thus backwards.  Motorman cab front (forward facing) window is on WRONG SIDE --among other glaring litho-errors ! The R-15 Cars have THREE doorsets, not 2 as shown. Again, uggghhh !

And can you believe, this limited run "attrocity" set was sold out !!!  Oh Well, heh !

Happy New Year, Alan!! 

Regards - Joe F

Happy new year all,

Frank,

I have been following your posts for a while now. The pics you have taken are great. So is the detail of your layout. The first pics I saw, well it took me a couple minutes to realize that it was a layout. I could easily replace the NYC transit cars and buses with the CTA 4000s and 6000 series cars and the New look GM and Flexible buses. You layout quickly brought me back to my days growing up in Chicago.

Doug.  

Hello Doug !

PS: My FIRST name is JOE - not Frank !

Thanks also to you and my appreciation for your nice comments.  I myself also am a fan of the Chicago CRT and CTA system and have a fair amount of books (including 2 CERA large Books on the Pre-War EL and it EL-Subway  cars) and a small photo collection of that system, tho I don't model it - I HAVE to draw the line somewhere, heh !

A long-time friend of mine, excellent fellow modeler in O-Scale, and long-time member of my NYC Transit Modeler Group (yes, we discuss other cities and Chicago transit related modeling on our NYCTMG group) -- TERRY GASKIN aka CTA FAN / 1958 mga -- has done a spectacular job of modeling the CTA "EL" or "L" in O-Scale, using of course, MTH Chicago subway sets.  His modeling work is comparable to what you see in my modeling work, perhaps in some ways and details, superior!  His layout is the product of the past 5 or 6 years of modeling work, while my much older O-Scale layout was started 30 years ago, finished and expanded to completion by 1988.

Terry has a great PHOTOS section webpage of his Layout on FLICKR PHOTOS -- below is the link

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1958mga/

I suggest you take a look at his site and feast your eyes on his reproduction of the look and feel of the CTA and its EL (L) . I know you will enjoy it

Regards - "JOE" F

MORE  " SUNSHINE & SHADOWS  "

Here are a few more scenes under and along my EL featuring "Sunshine Cast Shadows" -- for those many viewers here who enjoyed my earlier posted images on this and my other Topic Threads.

Regards - Joe F

Very nicely done!

Don

Your photos & layout are just amazing.

Hello DON

Thanks for viewing my thread - glad you like the material ! The T.A.R.S. trolleys under my EL line in Manhattan were gone  6 or so months after I was born - but I remember  riding them a few times in the Bronx with family under some IRT EL's there,  and a few times riding them on one streetcar line in Yonkers - as a young boy.  But mainly I remember BUSSES running citywide and under the EL lines (and elsewhere) in NY City thru most of my life.  The last (BMT/B&QT) streetcars left NY City in 1956 in Brooklyn, and in April 1957 on the one remaining short Queensboro (59th Street) Bridge Railway route.  So here are some bus scenes under my EL with one of my 2 favorite then big bus operators - Fifth Ave Coach Company - and one trolley scene under my EL with one of my Third Ave. Railway System streetcars.

regards - Joe F

Excellent Work!!!!!

Hello DON

Thanks for viewing my thread - glad you like the material ! The trolleys under my EL line in Manhattan were gone a 6 months after I was born - but I remember them and riding them a few times with family under some EL's in the Bronx,  and a few times on one line in Yonkers - as a young boy.  But mainly I remember BUSSES running under the EL lines (and elsewhere) in NY City thru most of my life. 

When I was quite young, the family would drive from NE Pa to Long Island where my grandparents lived. Many of the interstates didn't exist, or were just getting started. It was mostly single lane roads through Pa and NJ into NYC. I remember driving under some of the EL routes with the sun and shadows just as your photos depict. Thanks for the memories.

Don

thats insane. ur work is nothing short of amazing. wow.

is this the CTA layout u speak of?

http://ctalayout.blogspot.com

Out-freaking-standing!   Some of those shots REALLY put you in the moment!

Hello dk

Thanks also ! -- Generally there are many interesting vintage-type scenes on any model railroad layout that can be created on any layout with "imitation sunlight" and its positioning to get the shadow effects desired....just by moving the "sun source" lamp around and watching how the shadows "move" and cast themselves.  The use of B&W image format for vintage scenes also does the job to bring back the past era of generally only B&W photography.  Here are 2 more images to illustrate this.

Regards ! - Joe F

Hello c martino

YES -- that blogspot link you posted is created by the same person (Terry Gaskin - aka CTA FAN) as the, his, FLICKR PAGE Link and Pictures, Videos I posted for him and his CTA Layout.

Regards - Joe F

Hello ALL -------

For those viewers to this thread who enjoyed my previously posted images along my NYC EL Layout on this topic, here are a few more scenes below you may enjoy !

Regards all !! - Joe F

Joe,

Excellent modeling!  Being a country boy at heart, my modeling has always been mountains and small town.  However, I am always impressed with vintage city modeling.  I think an authentic looking L says vintage city.  The only L I have ever seen was in Philadelphia in the '80s When my wife and I visited her alma mater.  I was surprised it was still there.

Again, excellent job!  Thank you for sharing.

Fantastic work as always Joe! I love seeing your work and it is hard to tell if it is real or of a model.

Hello Mark B and N5C Jonny

Sorry to reply after such a long time (2 months) --- so here are the replies and some newest of my "Sunshine and Shadows" photos on, along,  my EL

Mark --------

The EL in Philly was in its all original structure glory back in the 1980's thru late 1990's-- even with it's, heh, rusted areas and peeling paint in places. All that original construction LATTICE Girder work on both the 1920 built Frankford Section and the original 1905-65 earlier built Market Street first section.  Along with the originals of all its EL stations. 

Now ALL totally rebuilt brand  new structure and stations on the West Philly "Market Street" portion (nothing original remaining) - and other than the cross bents and supporting EL columns, mostly all rebuilt including stations, track deck, etc., on the Frankford Branch.  That entire Philly EL was not the "open deck" trackwork like Chicago, New York and Boston traditional EL's - it was a totally concrete bed deck built with ballasted trackwork.  

Unfortunately, most of the neighborhoods at present the rebuilt entire Philly EL line runs thru are, well, let say, not the nicest and safest places to hang out in !  Anyway, thanks for your comments and support in the past !

Jonny --------

Glad to see that you genuinely enjoy seeing my modeling work, and thanks for your support also ! 

Well,  for both of you here are a few more of my newest Layout photos; 

The "theme" is replicated from what was the norm seen on the real Manhattan and  Bronx EL's where basically they ran completely north and south;  The sun travels rising from EAST in the morning to setting in the west in late afternoon to evening.  Thus the shadows are cast in the morning towards the west side of the EL and its below Avenue, and at PM, towards the east side of the EL and its below Avenue . 

My "shadows theme" in these photos is set for later afternoon, with the "Sun" setting in the west, and casting long shadows across the EL from its west side (and buildings on that side) towards the east side, which is brightly "sunlit" where there are not any cast shadows from the "sun".

The IRT division Rolling stock shown indicates a 1940 to 1956 time period being modeled. My fully scratch-built IRT Subway 1939-40 Worlds Fair "Steinway" Cars and my 1901-1910 built IRT Manhattan EL wooden "MUDC" class (open platform EL Gate Cars converted to end doors and controls)  EL Cars.

I hope the below photos are satisfactory for what I tried to replicate on my layout ! I have provided photo captions so as to identify the rolling stock in the scenes.

Regards - Joe F

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The  BELOW first 3 photos show my scratch-built O-Scale IRT "EL" MUDC Class local cars in a train stopped at and then departing a local station in the late afternoon sun long shadows cast across the EL

BELOW - Based upon the shadows and sun-lit station, this scene would normally be an uptown (northbound) EL Station on a Manhattan (or Bronx) EL, with the sun setting low in the west casting long shadows towards the east across the EL

BELOW - Local train of IRT EL MUDC cars rounds a sharp curve on the overhead EL with a GMC Surface Transportation System Co., transit bus in background

BELOW - Rooftop view of southbound train of IRT Steinway Subway cars headed by 1939 Worlds Fair Steinway car, stopped at local station, as an uptown Elevated train of IRT EL MUDC Cars is stopped at the opposite platform

BELOW - Rooftop view of southbound train of IRT Steinway Subway cars headed by 1939 Worlds Fair class Steinway car at right, stopped at a local station, as an uptown Elevated train of IRT EL MUDC Cars is stopped at the opposite local station platform

BELOW - Rooftop shot across the EL to rear of the last car of a train of IRT EL MUDC cars stopped at local station, note care interior and end vestibule details. SACHS FURNITURE STORE is many decades long chain store institution in NY City.

BELOW - Rooftop view down to a downtown local train of IRT subway cars headed by a 1939 Worlds Fair Steinway Car stopped at south end of a Local Station platform

BELOW - Rooftop view of southbound train of IRT Steinway Subway cars headed by 1939 Worlds Fair Steinway cars, stopped at local station, as an uptown Elevated train of IRT EL MUDC Cars is departing the opposite platform

BELOW - Rooftop view of southbound train of IRT Steinway Subway cars headed by 1939 Worlds Fair Steinway Car stopped at local station, as an uptown Elevated train of IRT EL MUDC Cars is stopped at the opposite platform

Always looks (real) nice Joe!

Now you need some of these...

Hello Steve P ---(SIRT)

Thanks ! - And I'm glad you decided to get one (or more ?) of those O-Scale I.M.W. SIRT MU Car Body Shells. They are very nice appearing resin shells and better than not having anything at all. 

Your finished car exterior and paint and its interior look EXCELLENT - as usual ! Always first class quality modeling from you !  The interior seats look like Q Car Co. items....and work out very well for the proper seating arrangement.  It appears to be set up for 2 rail operation.  That car will look great and be very at home on your Staten Island Rapid Transit system based Layout ! Have you posed that car in photos, on your layout, yet ?

Yes, I also have, for some time now,  2 of those Island Model Works "SIRT Body Shells"   I did start some initial work on them before the recent May EPTC Show and my "Open House" layout tour during that show,  but have stopped work on them temporarily. I plan to do my two as ex-SIRT motor cars as painted (Red-Maroon & cream) as used on the BMT Lines in the early-mid 1950's. 

Many other various things came up, and I have also started prelim work on my 2 sets of O-Scale BMT Subway D-Type articulated 3-car-units from IMW.

Here is one of my "late afternoon sun" newest street scene photos under the EL.

Regards !! - Joe F

BELOW: View along sidewalk to an EL Local Station stairway as a southbound Third Avenue Railway System trolley car approaches in the late day long shadows

Hello again Steve (P) (SIRT)

This is the paint scheme (Photos below) for use by the ex-SIRT Cars as used in BMT Subway-EL service in the 1950's.  I did ride these cars on the BMT back then a few times and remember them well !  I am held up on my 2 O-Scale SIRT Car bodies in trying to determine the "exact" or near to, shade of Maroon-Red -- see attached photos - and as you know - photo color renditions can be changed or muted by different daylight type situations.  One photo shows them in a Brownish color - which I KNOW is not correct.

Regards - Joe F

Joe,

Thank you for the update on the Philadelphia EL!  Yours is certainly looking fantastic!

Hello again Mark ( Boyce)

You are welcome -- re: my updated info to you on the Philadelphia PA "EL" Line  !

If you want to catch up on the Philly EL in some detailed history and via numerous old and newest images of the Market-Frankford EL Line, check out this webpage of history, facts, tech info and loads of photos in various eras of this line -- link below:

http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/...t-Frankford_Elevated

 and also, thanks -- and my model NYC EL system is now 30 years old already ! Here are a few "under the EL" street scenes in shadows with trolley cars taken under my own (model) EL !!

regards !- Joe F