Blog
This blog is limited to articles; random photos or quick updates are posted to the FaceBook page.
Blog entries from August 2017 and earlier have been migrated from a former site and many of the images are incorrectly linked. These may be repaired over time.
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- Category: Mechanical Department Blog
Today the missing link -- the scale track at Lewistown -- was installed.
This short piece of track, including two gauntlet turnouts and a gauntlet track, were built on the workbench due to its location on the model railroad. It was part of my presentation for my Model Railroad Engineer - Civil AP from the NMRA.
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
As of August 21, 2020, my Model Railroad Engineer - Civil AP was conferred. Six down; one to go.
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- Category: Mechanical Department Blog
Six Sinclair Refining Company tank cars came through Lewistown yesterday. As of 1950, Sinclair maintained the fourth largest roster of tank cars in North America (Interchange: Ownership of Tank Cars in 1950). They frequented Pennsy rails and Sinclair had a facility in Altoona, Pa.
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
Members of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) are likely familiar with the Achievement Program (AP). The program is kind of like earning Boy Scout badges... you complete a number of tasks in a category and the reward is a certificate. At first look it can seem daunting, but when you really think about it, you are going to accomplish most of the tasks anyway just by building your own model railroad. What follows is my strategy towards gaining the MMR status.
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- Category: Blog
For the past 10 years, my model railroad plan was hand drawn sketches supplemented by what is in my head.
I've always wanted nice, clean drawings for the web site, and "a" drawing with specific features is a requirement for the NMRA AP in Civil Engineering. Makes sense to knock off both with one effort!
Using MacDraft, I now have the first revision of drawings completed and have updated the Description and Design page accordingly. Future revisions will include some cleanup and the addition of more scenic elements.
Take a look!
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- Category: Engineering Blog
It's been a very productive quarter on the Middle Division. We are getting closer and closer to completing the missing link -- the scale track at Lewistown. Once completed and installed, the yard will connect with the branch and we can start looking forward to operations!
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- Category: Mechanical Department Blog
The Middle Division received four EMD F units yesterday. Though ordered only two years ago, I've been waiting for these spotting feature combinations for years! Thanks to Broadway Limited Imports, two vacancies in my motive power roster have now been filled.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
Found a great solution for offline staging/storage of rolling stock... This cart from Michael's has ten drawers, each of which can hold 10-12 transition era freight cars. That's 100-120 overall! Being on wheels, it can also be wheeled easily around the train room. A layer of bubble wrap protects the cars and keeps them from jostling about.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
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I've known Dan Cupper -- noted railroad author and historian -- for about 25 years now. More recently, Dan retired as an engineer for Norfolk Southern.
I learned early on that Dan was a Lewistown native, and he became very helpful in my research for the model railroad. In 2019, he joined me on a field trip to visit areas that I will be modeling and to take measurements of numerous structures that remain.