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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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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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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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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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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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.
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The Pennsylvania Midland's shops at Everett Terminal have completed painting of three Alco S2 switchers and four cabeese; the first to wear the new paint scheme of the railroad.
The Alco's -- numbers 50, 51, and 54 -- are the oldest diesels on the bridge line's roster. After applying the new scheme to #50, it was decided to move the road name lower and the cab number higher. However, management did not have the first unit relettered at this time.
Read more: Alco's and Cabeese Released from Penn Midland Paint Shop
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The Mechanical Department of the Middle Division has implemented new painting and lettering equipment and has had much success. An HP Color LaserJet MFP M281fdw provides the base, augmented by Ghost White Toner and MicroScale decal paper.
Read more: Custom Decals, White Toner, and a New Paint Scheme
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The Chief Engineer reports continued progress this quarter. Your management traveled to Springfield, Mass., for the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show in January. Numerous group activities were held for members of the AML Nation (group photo above).
Highlights of the quarter include the renovation of LEWIS tower, new storage in the warehouse, and the opening of the Lewistown Yard. Photos of each are included below.
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Lewistown, like dozens of other locales across the Pennsylvania Railroad system, had a track scale for weighing of cars loaded with bulk commodities. In the case of Lewistown, the predominant cargo was limestone from the multiple quarries on the Milroy Secondary.
This article follows my build of the Lewistown scale house and its gauntlet track. As an aside, this project will be presented towards my NMRA AP certificate in Civil Engineering which requires three scratch built track items. This project will address two: gauntlet switch and gauntlet track.
