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: Public Relations Blog
The PRR Middle Division in HO scale held an open house on October 13, 2017, in support of the NMRA MER regional convention, hosted by the Susquehanna Division.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
The Chief Engineer of the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale is pleased to report continued progress on the 43rd sub division.
This quarter, progress was made across all aspects of the railroad. Fascia control panels were added on the Milroy Secondary and existing panels were upgraded. Featuring Barrett Hill "Touch Toggles", turnouts are now controlled by touch on a schematic diagram which displays the current position of switches.
Scenery is well underway along Roundhouse Road, between the road crossing at LEWIS and the roundhouse at Lewistown Junction.
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
Despite already having three Achievement Program certificates (Scenery, Author, and Association Volunteer), I finally qualified for, and received, the Golden Spike Award.
I've already submitted my qualifications for two more certificates -- Electrical Engineer and Chief Dispatcher. Hoping the certificates will arrive in time for the MER Regional Convention in October.
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- Category: Operations Blog
The Employee Relations bureau of the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale is pleased to release the initial employee orientation and operational documentation.
Documentation covers house rules, operating philosophy, movement of freight cars, movement of trains, roles and responsibilities, throttle instructions, and telephone instructions.
"The operation of the PRR Middle Division is intended to adhere to prototype practice where possible and reasonable."
--Bureau of Employee Relations
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
I recently shared a number of electrical woes with my readers. Nothing like short circuit puzzles to figure out to keep the hobby fun!
To summarize, a DB150 booster that was indicating "zero stretching" and use of an analog locomotive when nothing was on the track. Moved the booster to another power district and the problem followed the booster. LocoNet shorts. A short on my upper deck.
I received the new Digitrax DB220 and replaced the DB150 (see above). Nice unit! Immediately resolved the "zero stretching" error.
I have multiple legs of LocoNet. Many worked fine on their own, but certain combinations caused track power shutdowns, or throttles went dim and did not work. Multiple solution here...
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
This hobby is fun, right? I've had to keep reminding myself of that over the past six weeks or so as I have dealt with a short -- well, three shorts, it seems.
I actually took a vacation day to focus on the issue, and it took a good chunk of the day. Not fully resolved, but I'm closing in.
My system has a DCS100 command station and two DB100 boosters. All had worked fine, then one week before my PRRT&HS open house in May, and things went south. The system would not come online. I had only been working on scenery, and it didn't make sense. I kept disconnecting pieces of the system to "divide and conquer". I got down to just the command station, with no LocoNet, and still no joy!
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- Category: Engineering Blog
The Chief Engineer of the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale is pleased to present its report for the second quarter of 2017.
Progress and been varied and slow, complicated by a short circuit (see separate blog), oral surgery, illness, and two inches of water in the basement as a result of a recent tropical storm!
Since last quarter, approximately half of the track has been laid in Lewistown yard.
Barrett Hill Touch Toggles have been implemented at two locations that feature single switches. Sort rails and card boxes have been installed for the Lewistown Yard crew, and dividers have been generated to assist in the sorting process. (See below.)
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
The Bethlehem Steel Company owned a large quarry at Naginey on the Milroy Secondary outside of Lewistown, Pa. The quarry was rail-served until Hurricane Agnes destroyed much of the line in 1972 and it proved too expensive to repair.
Several years ago a friend provided me with several batches of waybills taken from the Burnham freight station when it was taken out of service. The Burnham station processed the waybills for Naginey shipments further east on the line. Two of the batches of waybills were specific to Naginey.
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
The PRR Middle Division in HO scale held an open house on May 21, 2017, in support of PRRT&HS annual meeting.
