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 November 7, 2015, in support of National Model Railroad Month.
Above, left to right, Bill Millham, Ken Dunn, and Rick Spano, talk shop near the Granville Bridge.
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
The PRR Middle Division in HO Scale will be open on November 7th from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
I am participating as part of a south-central Pennsylvania tour, which I organize, and we are open the weekend of November 7th-8th. The schedule is at http://svmr.pennsyrr.com.
In turn, the above tour is part of the annual PA/NJ/MD/DE Model Railroad Open House organized by Bruce Friedman. This year there are a record 137 model railroads open over the course of five weeks in November. Many of the railroads are Pennsy-themed. The full schedule is at http://modelrailroadopenhouse.com.
Hope to see you on the 7th!
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- Category: Engineering Blog
The Chief Engineer of the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale is please to report continued progress!
Per schedule, a two-track helix was completed. The outer track carries the Milroy Secondary from its junction with the Lewistown Secondary east to Menzies. The inner track carries the Pennsylvania Midland Railroadfrom northern staging to Allensville.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
The track gang has completed work on a second helix on the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale. As with the first helix, this is also a kit from Ashlin Designs.
It doesn't get any easier than using these kits, if the specs work for you. This helix has two tracks -- the inner with a 32" radius and the outer with a 24" radius. Over2.5 turns the track rises 10 inches.
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- Category: Operations Blog
The PRR Middle Division in HO Scale has taken its technology to the next level. The JMRI web server has been enabled, which offers JMRI services in several ways. A wireless access point (SSID PRR) has also been installed.
WiFiThrottlehas been enabled. This allows an engineer to use their smart phone as a throttle!
To use your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch with JMRI as a throttle, you run the WiThrottle app on the iPhone or iPod Touch. The basic application is available for free download from the iTunes store.
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- Category: Public Relations Blog
The JMRI/CATS control panel from my former PRR Eastern Region in N Scale model railroad.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
Construction on Jerry Britton's PRR Middle Division in HO Scale continues on, and ahead, of schedule.
Three tasks were scheduled for the quarter and were completed ahead of schedule. They included the west end of Burnham, where the freight and passenger stations were located; Menzies, where the line bisects Kishacoquillas Park; and Mill Creek, a staging connector on the protolanced Pennsylvania Midland.
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- Category: Operations Blog
Two nice pics off of eBay this past week... former PRR tower communications equipment. My intent is to restore the equipment for live use by the LEWIS operator.
First up is a "scissors" phone. Some prior owner had cleaned up and repainted the "scissors" an aluminum color. I may repaint into the black one sees in most photos. Though not marked "PRR", it is a dead ringer (pun intended) for those shown in tower interior photos.
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- Category: Engineering Blog
With quarterly goals met well in advance, the crew of the PRR Middle Division in HO Scale turned its attention to the expansion of Harrisburg/Enola and Altoona staging.
Four through tracks were previously installed, leaving 16. Each of these requires six pieces of flex track. Do the math. That's 96 pieces of track... all but a case!
There's no deadline for completion, but my intent is too keep the crew at it. Third quarter's goal is the helix on the Milroy Secondary, which will require slow but sure progress as each segment is glued into place and track applied. I would expect the staging build out to be completed by the year's end.