Construction Milestones

November 7, 2007

Pittsburgh Division from Kittanning Point through Allegrippus operational.

June 16, 2007

Middle Division from BANKS to Aqueduct operational. The operating portion of the layout is now connected west through to Allegrippus Curve, which was built long ago.

June 8, 2007

Helix Three from Level IIb to Level III operational.

October 19, 2006

Philadelphia Division from ROCKVILLE (west half) to BANKS operational.

March 16, 2006

East End Staging renamed DREW Staging and West End Staging renamed ASH Staging, for clarity for crew.

January 4, 2006

7th Street switching area operational.

November 16, 2005

Market Street switching area operational.

November 9, 2005

First operating session! Mainly for testing purposes... CTC and radios were used and nine trains were run over 90 minutes. Jeff Warner was the dispatcher.

November 2, 2005

Philadelphia Division and Pittsburgh/Middle Division CTC panels placed in service; Yardmaster CTC retired.

May 22, 2005

First public open house -- For the PRRT&HS annual meeting. Attendance estimated at 40; 31 signed guest book.

May 6, 2005

Yardmaster CTC in service.

May 4, 2005

"Silver Spike" installed! The Eastern Region now has a continuous run via the Susquehanna Division between Rockville and West End Staging.

April 20, 2005

Philadelphia Division, ROCKVILLE (east half) operational. Sets up "silver spike" ceremony with first continuous run route.

April 20, 2005

Helix Four from Level IIa to Level IIb operational.

March 17, 2005

Lucknow Switching Area operational.

February 19, 2005

Helix Three from Level I to Level IIb operational.

February 12, 2005

Recovery from 7/31/04 and 9/17/04 floods is finally complete (major rewiring).

December 29, 2004

Philadelphia Division main lines operational from Harrisburg Station to Lucknow.

December 26, 2004

Crew's Lounge ready for occupancy.

November 17, 2004

West End Staging operational.

October 25, 2004

JMRI & Panel Pro selected as system for computerized dispatching.

October 20, 2004

Layout work resumes, even though crew's lounge is not quite completed.

September 17-18, 2004

Hurricane Ivan resulted in 18" of water in the basement. It barely remained below layout level. The sump pump was replaced with one twice as powerful and designed to be submerged.

August 1, 2004

9-10 inches of rain in 5-6 hours results in 15" of water in the basement. It remained below layout level, and the homasote developed zero problems! However, several transformers and electronics boards were submerged. Layout work is suspended until the office is rebuilt and crew's lounge completed.

September 17, 2003

East End Staging operational.

August 7, 2003

Philadelphia Division main lines operational from Helix One through Harrisburg passenger station.
Very limited operations now possible!

June 22, 2003

Logic Rail Technologies LocoNet Fast Clock installed and tested.

March 27, 2003

Digitrax MS-100 installed and tested on East Dispatcher system.

March 19, 2003

Helix Two operational.

December 20, 2002

Maxon HX-49 five-channel headset radios adopted as standard. 8/5/03: These radios have been discontinued and are not being replaced. The frequency is being abandoned in favor of the FRS bands. A replacement standard will follow.

November 13, 2002

Computer system installed in office. This will house the East Dispatcher.

October 30, 2002

Helix One operational.

March 20, 2002

First locomotive run on permanently installed track and wiring! Reading #802 run on staging reverse loop.

January 21, 2002

Atlas Code 55 track finally received!!!

December 2, 2001

Digitrax DCS100 command station and UR91 radio receiver installed and brought online.

November 23, 2001

With Atlas Code 55's arrival imminent, construction of benchwork begins!

September 10 - November 22, 2001

HOLD pending release of Atlas' new line of Code 55 track, originally scheduled for September release, but delayed until at least late November.

September 10, 2001

Room painted and completed! (photos)

August 14, 2001

Electrical completed, including dedicated circuit to DCC equipment.

August 4, 2001

Drywalling completed.

January 1 - July 25, 2001

Work paused. I had two herniated disks in my lower back which kept me off of construction work. Several months of physical therapy returned me to constructive capacity, but in a cautious state!

December 28, 2000

Insulated new wall frames.

December 27, 2000

Roughed-in dedicated electrical service for model railroad systems.

December 26, 2000

Roughed-in electric service and heat within new wall frames.

June 3, 2000

Completed framing of new north wall containing recessed electronics alcove for adjoining rec room. Completed framing of new east wall, with door, adjoining rec room. (photos)

June 2, 2000

Tear down existing walls defining storage room.