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Signal Tower Model Question

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  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Central Texas
  • 3 posts
Signal Tower Model Question
Posted by Ike47 on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 9:27 PM

I'm finally beginning my "Auburn Road" layout after much hemming and hawing around.  The track plan is coming along, I have a "real estate" deal worked out for a 12' by 18' "U"-shaped layout, with the idea of modelling the part of the AR from Auburn to Geneva in HO.  So, my prototype is NYC and time is 1946.  Goal is to have a well-detailed mainly switching layout, as prototypical as I can find out and build.  I'm retired, so I have lots of time, so to speak.

 My question is where can I find a model suitable for the block stations along that part of the Auburn Road?  Richard Carpenter's "Railroad Atlas of the United States, Vol 2" gives me locations, when I read them against a timetable with mileage.  I have some notion of colors and gather from other discussions on these boards and others that the AR still ran manual block through to the end of passenger service and that the towers were older, probably put up in the teens and '20's.  Searching all the forums here, not just the MRR, gets me no useful information about what the towers looked like.  Searching historical references about Auburn, NY gets me photos, but not of the towers; same for the other towns along the branch line.  It seems that all the actual towers were torn down when the line went under after the PC merger, etc, so even more trips to that area isn't going to help.  Going again this July/August with my camera, but I don't expect much.  Even the old LV roundhouse is now completely gone. 

If there is a suitable model that needs only paint or a bit of kitbashing, that's fine; I can do that.  If there are a set of plans somewhere available, either full size or HO, I can learn how to scratchbuild.  Question is, where can I find the information. Any and all help you fine folks can give will be appreciated.  In addition to the "real estate" I have also been authorized a reasonable budget for the Auburn Road, so I'm ready to get started.  Thanks in advance.Smile

 [edited PS:  Never mind; I found that the November & December 1993 issues of Railroad Model Craftsman has plans and an article covered in both issues for exactly what I was asking about here.  Thanks for all the help.]

"I ... think ... I ... can ...."

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