Since most of us are off today, let's get the photos going now.
Last week I finished the Frozen Christmas for the VMT.
I also finished my Standard Gauge Polar Express Baggage Car.
Our Roanoke Valley Model Railroad Club will have an open house December 3rd and 4th. We are in the basement of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. No admission charge.
Scott Smith
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OK, this week for Thanksgiving, I have something a little bit different. Those of you who are familiar with my layout are aware that I strive to accurately portray the Middle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad between Harrisburg and Altoona. Over the years, I have taken many trips to the area to photograph the railroad as part of my research to help achieve my goal of realistic modeling.
If you saw my second post last week, you viewed a photograph of my kids standing at the grade crossing at Mattawana, PA along with a photo of the same scene on my layout. So because I’m thankful for my children (uh, most of the time…), I decided to post some more photos of our many trips that we went on when they were young. I had to dig through my files to find these, but here ya go…
First, here is a picture from 2007 at Mifflin PA with the kids standing in front of the former PRR company duplex houses. At the time, my daughter was only 4 and my son was 8. And just below that image is a photo I took last evening of the same scene as painted on my backdrop, including the house to the far right painted in two colors since apparently the owners can’t agree on what color to paint it!
Next, here’s one from about 2012 at Mapleton with the two kids watching a tank train whiz by while my best friend Mitch was doing some railfan photography…
Ok, now here are two of some highway bridges spanning the tracks. These images are ten years old. The first is the PA Route 17 bridge at Millerstown with my daughter wearing her Chessie the cat T-shirt. My son of course has on his PRR T-shirt. The second is of my son standing on the Route 35 bridge at Mifflin pointing out some bridge deck rot. The third is my model of the same bridge which is a very accurate model of the prototype. Notice the three individuals standing on the bridge. That is me, my son, and my daughter! The model girl was a blonde, but since my daughter is a brunette, I repainted her hair! Also, notice the bridge railing, then compare it to that in the second prototype photo. It was a design used by the Pennsylvania Department of Highways between about 1963 and 1968. My son too is into accuracy, so we went out and measured some we found along Route 65 near Pittsburgh. He then did a CADD drawing of it, and created it on the high school 3D printer! Also note that the three figures are standing at almost the exact same spot that my son is standing at on the prototype...
To this day, my son has trains on the brain, and here is a photo of him just a few months ago taking measurements of a PRR Stone arch bridge at Spruce Creek. Uh, he’s grown up a bit, hasn’t he?
And last but not least is my all-time favorite of the kids on one of our rail exploration/research trips. This dates back to 2012 (she was 10 and he was 14). You can see them standing behind our now classic 2000 Mustang GT convertible which I still have. It is the ultimate summertime railfan vehicle. So here they are standing by the tracks between Tuscarora and Thompsontown PA watching an eastbound train whizz by. My son is totally enthralled, but as you can clearly so, my daughter was not so thrilled! I just love this picture! Click on the photo to enlarge it and see her holding her ears and the expression on her face.
Well, that’s it for this week. Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!
I'm very thankful to my generous brother-in-law who gave me this present when I arrived at his home for dinner.
I'll have a nice winter project.
Running my C&O M-1 turbine and Golden Gate passenger cars during the Virginia Train Collector's train show last weekend in Midlothian, Va.
Ken
@PRRMiddleDivision posted:OK, this week for Thanksgiving, I have something a little bit different. Those of you who are familiar with my layout are aware that I strive to accurately portray the Middle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad between Harrisburg and Altoona. Over the years, I have taken many trips to the area to photograph the railroad as part of my research to help achieve my goal of realistic modeling.
If you saw my second post last week, you viewed a photograph of my kids standing at the grade crossing at Mattawana, PA along with a photo of the same scene on my layout. So because I’m thankful for my children (uh, most of the time…), I decided to post some more photos of our many trips that we went on when they were young. I had to dig through my files to find these, but here ya go…
First, here is a picture from 2007 at Mifflin PA with the kids standing in front of the former PRR company duplex houses. At the time, my daughter was only 4 and my son was 8. And just below that image is a photo I took last evening of the same scene as painted on my backdrop, including the house to the far right painted in two colors since apparently the owners can’t agree on what color to paint it!
Next, here’s one from about 2012 at Mapleton with the two kids watching a tank train whiz by while my best friend Mitch was doing some railfan photography…
Ok, now here are two of some highway bridges spanning the tracks. These images are ten years old. The first is the PA Route 17 bridge at Millerstown with my daughter wearing her Chessie the cat T-shirt. My son of course has on his PRR T-shirt. The second is of my son standing on the Route 35 bridge at Mifflin pointing out some bridge deck rot. The third is my model of the same bridge which is a very accurate model of the prototype. Notice the three individuals standing on the bridge. That is me, my son, and my daughter! The model girl was a blonde, but since my daughter is a brunette, I repainted her hair! Also, notice the bridge railing, then compare it to that in the second prototype photo. It was a design used by the Pennsylvania Department of Highways between about 1963 and 1968. My son too is into accuracy, so we went out and measured some we found along Route 65 near Pittsburgh. He then did a CADD drawing of it, and created it on the high school 3D printer! Also note that the three figures are standing at almost the exact same spot that my son is standing at on the prototype...
To this day, my son has trains on the brain, and here is a photo of him just a few months ago taking measurements of a PRR Stone arch bridge at Spruce Creek. Uh, he’s grown up a bit, hasn’t he?
And last but not least is my all-time favorite of the kids on one of our rail exploration/research trips. This dates back to 2012 (she was 10 and he was 14). You can see them standing behind our now classic 2000 Mustang GT convertible which I still have. It is the ultimate summertime railfan vehicle. So here they are standing by the tracks between Tuscarora and Thompsontown PA watching an eastbound train whizz by. My son is totally enthralled, but as you can clearly so, my daughter was not so thrilled! I just love this picture!
Well, that’s it for this week. Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!
Great pix and memories, Neal………Happy Thanksgiving!
…….and, of course, fabulous painting and modeling!
Peter
More picstures from the Virginia Train Collectors show from last weekend….
Today, I’ve been packing up my Christmas trains for our Science Museum of Virginia show this weekend…..
More pics to follow through the weekend…..
Peter
Big Six bros, we ride!
I am starting to scenic the "North 40" Meaning the four into two track main line that runs against the north wall of the layout room. The "40" comes from the length of all the tracks in feet. Yeah, that's stretching it a bit. The wall will be lined with building flats, that will not be cheek by jowl per the usual Model RR practie but will have signficant gaps between them as in real life. The front of the section will also have several similarly placed buildings. Varying the heights of the buidlings and staggering the gaps will make it less obvious that the tracks are up against the wall. Further enhacing the effect will be a row of girders flanking the tracks designed to the impression the track is elevated above ground level.
This is an end view of the section.
Which you can see is nowhere near complete. The building you see is inspired by Edward Hopper's "View from the Willlamsburg Bridge"
Here is one of the buildings that will be against the wall.
It will end at the nearest yellow tape in the above photograph
During Thanksgiving dinner, my wife got something on a doily her late grandmother had made, so she had to wash it. She didn't want it to shrink as it dries, and I said I might have something to help:
One of these rail pieces is from the White Pass and Yukon RR.
Thanksgiving 2003, we spotted these lucky turkeys in our backyard:
But in the basement, trains were running:
Just arrived home from Thanksgiving with the family. First priority was to see what’s on the Forum. Two models of recent locomotives are in this video from my archives.
Providence & Worcester GP-38-2 #2007 and GP-40-2 #3001 are MTH Premier models with PS3. I purchased #3001 (20-21020-1, MSRP $499.95) in 2019 and #2007 several years before. The video shows them running conventionally on my 12’-by-8’ layout with Boston & Maine cabooses.
The Providence & Worcester Railroad was chartered in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1844. It is presently a Class II railroad that operates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. I often used to see P&W #2006 in New Haven prior to the 2016 acquisition of the Providence & Worcester Railroad by Genesee & Wyoming, Incorporated – but not since then. P&W #2006 looked like the MTH model of #2007.
MELGAR
Here's my photos for this fine weekend! Thanks Scott for getting us rolling! 
Peter Love the extended Christmas caboose, did you do it your self ?
"In my little town, I grew up believing, God has his eye on us all." Paul Simon
@PRRMiddleDivision posted:I just love this picture! Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the expression on her face.
Well, that’s it for this week. Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!
Neal - looks like she’s trying to plug her ears to block the noise.
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Neal - looks like she’s trying to plug her ears to block the noise.
Indeed she was.
A 2021 Christmas Layout memory 
walt
@Putnam Division posted:Great pix and memories, Neal………Happy Thanksgiving!
…….and, of course, fabulous painting and modeling!
Peter
Thanks, Peter! I saw your group’s layout at York. It was quite impressive. I’m sorry I didn’t run into you but hope you are well and had a happy Thanksgiving.!
The Magooville town council floated a bond referendum for grade crossing improvements, but it was voted down as $1.65 was deemed far too extravagant.
From the archives, my Lionel 1681:
This one was acquired in pieces; with some help from Don Carver, we got it back together and running. A low-end piece from the depths of the 1930s, it runs great dragging a pair 0f 1690-series passenger cars.
PD
@Alibatwomble posted:Peter Love the extended Christmas caboose, did you do it your self ?
No......purchased at a Greenberg Show in Richmond in January about 5-6 years ago....I saw it for $5 and scoffed it up.
An MPC "General" coach remake, a cupola added, painted and wreaths added.......my only change was the wheels.....I substituted metal wheels for the plastic ones.
A truly unique piece of unknown origin......the seller had no idea what collection it had come from.
Peter
Pictures from the 1st day of the Science Museum of Virginia show.....
Great crowds! Have a safe and great weekend, folks!
Peter
A short video.....one of my Christmas trains....
Peter
A few more pics of the day, including some of the other layouts.....and back to ours.....
A new module showing all the gauges by modular group member Rick.....who is RickS on the OGR Forum.....
Lots of happy kids and families make us very happy!
Peter
Eastbound Canadian National automobile carrier freight train speeding over the Grand Trunk Western railroad tracks
through Vicksburg, Michigan on Thursday.
ES44AC CN 3272 pulling on the front of the train.
ES44AC CN 2906 pushing on the rear of the train.
Rebuilt Canadian National automobile rack on a TTGX TTX flat car
TTGX flat car with GT - Grand Trunk Western auto rack painted yellow
Andrew
@Putnam Division posted:More picstures from the Virginia Train Collectors show from last weekend….
Peter
Peter, I always look forward to your pics from all of the amazing events your group hosts throughout the year!
It appears that there is a switching layout in the background. Do you have any close up pics of that one? Or perhaps an idea of the track plan?
Thanks!
Peter
@John Sethian posted:I am starting to scenic the "North 40" Meaning the four into two track main line that runs against the north wall of the layout room. The "40" comes from the length of all the tracks in feet. Yeah, that's stretching it a bit. The wall will be lined with building flats, that will not be cheek by jowl per the usual Model RR practie but will have signficant gaps between them as in real life. The front of the section will also have several similarly placed buildings. Varying the heights of the buidlings and staggering the gaps will make it less obvious that the tracks are up against the wall. Further enhacing the effect will be a row of girders flanking the tracks designed to the impression the track is elevated above ground level.
This is an end view of the section.
Which you can see is nowhere near complete. The building you see is inspired by Edward Hopper's "View from the Willlamsburg Bridge"
Here is one of the buildings that will be against the wall.
It will end at the nearest yellow tape in the above photograph
John, those are tremendous images, and I totally agree with your comment about not having a continuous wall of buildings. I had to do that to some extent in Altoona, and it is my least favorite part of the layout. I did leave a few gaps, and it does make it more realistic as you allude to. In any case, can you tell us a little bit about the structure in the second picture. Is that a kit or scratch built? It’s a beautiful structure.
@Norm Charbonneau posted:Big Six bros, we ride!
Those are tremendous pictures Norm! I’m jealous of your weathering. My goal has been to get the scenery done on my layout first and since I have a 1400 ft.² layout I’ve been working on it for over 25 years and I’m guessing it will take another two years to get the rest of the railroad (about 10% of the layout) finished. People ask me what am I going to do then? My answer is weather rolling stock! I want to try to achieve what you have done, which is absolutely tremendous. Between me and my son I do have about two or three trains weathered, but that’s about it. Your work has inspired me to do more.
@PRRMiddleDivision posted:John, those are tremendous images, and I totally agree with your comment about not having a continuous wall of buildings. I had to do that to some extent in Altoona, and it is my least favorite part of the layout. I did leave a few gaps, and it does make it more realistic as you allude to. In any case, can you tell us a little bit about the structure in the second picture. Is that a kit or scratch built? It’s a beautiful structure.
Neal
Thanks! And of course I equally admire your work!
That building is put together from four Walthers HO Scale Brick Millwork buildings. I used Tichy O scale factory windows. Because the window openings are so large, the building looks right at home in O scale. I'd say more, but won't because I am planning on submitting an article to OGR in the near future.
Cheers!
John
PS: I just looked over my post. Someday I must either learn to type or thoroughly proof read what I write several times before hitting the "Post" button!
just finished my first airbrushing. 
@bigtruckpete posted:Peter, I always look forward to your pics from all of the amazing events your group hosts throughout the year!
It appears that there is a switching layout in the background. Do you have any close up pics of that one? Or perhaps an idea of the track plan?
Thanks!
Peter
That is John Allan’s TimeSaver……..it was featured in OGR, I’ll have to look up when…..Tom (Gilly@N&W) wrote it.
Peter
@Putnam Division posted:
That is John Allan’s TimeSaver……..it was featured in OGR, I’ll have to look up when…..Tom (Gilly@N&W) wrote it.Peter
August/Sept 2013 Run 265
Article title.....A Timesaver Training Tool........Tom designed it and we helped him build it.
Peter
Day 2 of the Science Museum of Virginia train show.....
The head count Friday was 3200 people and yesterday was much busier......everyone seems to be having a blast!
Have a great Sunday, folks!
Peter
@Putnam Division posted:No......purchased at a Greenberg Show in Richmond in January about 5-6 years ago....I saw it for $5 and scoffed it up.
An MPC "General" coach remake, a cupola added, painted and wreaths added.......my only change was the wheels.....I substituted metal wheels for the plastic ones.
A truly unique piece of unknown origin......the seller had no idea what collection it had come from.
Peter
Peter, first "truly unique" and totally cool.
Second you and the boys have done a bang up job once again as ambassadors of this hobby.
Third, several of your Christmas flats look like custom builds or at least custom loads. Have you re-painted the flats to be Christmas colors? If so what didi you use for decals?
Following up on Peter's posts above, here is Bob Beulher's beautiful Canadian Pacific Christmas train.
The attendance at the Science Museum of Va was much, much improved over the Covid years. Saturday around 1:00:
Ken
Streamlined RPO
Happy WPF !
@Putnam Division posted:August/Sept 2013 Run 265
Article title.....A Timesaver Training Tool........Tom designed it and we helped him build it.
Peter
Excellent! Many thanks for taking the time to look it up. I will enjoy reading that article.
@coach joe posted:Peter, first "truly unique" and totally cool.
Second you and the boys have done a bang up job once again as ambassadors of this hobby.
Third, several of your Christmas flats look like custom builds or at least custom loads. Have you re-painted the flats to be Christmas colors? If so what didi you use for decals?
Joe, I have two custom Christmas flats.......Red Lionel 6800 series flats with wooden stirrers as decking.......I bought a ceramic Nativity set off Amazon years ago.......the Wise Men are on a one of the cars and start out near the caboose, but by Christmas, they move up in the train and get closer to the Manger.
I also took out the Christmas trees from the REA (Reindeer Express Agency) gondola and put Christmas rubber ducks in it.
Peter
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