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Any Commuter Modelers?

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Posted by caldreamer on Thursday, May 12, 2011 7:44 PM

Being from New York I can tell you that there are extensive elevated tracks that run in Brooklyn (B,D,F,N,LL,1,2,3,4 and 7 trains.  In Queens the #7 train from Brooklyn runs through Manhattan and out to Flushing Queens.  In the Manhattan the 1,2,3,4,,A,C,CC  and D trains run on elevated tracks in upper Manhttan.  I may have  forgooten a few as it has been many years since I have been in New York, but that will give you a good idea.

 

 

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Posted by jkeaton on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12:56 PM

So far no one's mentioned Montreal's electric commuter lines...

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Posted by Mike Kieran on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12:27 PM

MisterBeasly, you have got to have the patience of a saint to detail those tunnels so thoroughly. I like the music that comes with the video.

__________________________________________________________________

Mike Kieran

Port Able Railway

I just do what the majority of the voices in my head vote on.

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Posted by Mike Kieran on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12:09 PM

MisterBeasly, you have got to have the patience of a saint to detail those tunnels so thoroughly. I like the music that comes with the video.

__________________________________________________________________

Mike Kieran

Port Able Railway

I just do what the majority of the voices in my head vote on.

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 11:48 AM

Back in 2006, when I first posted on this thread, even this somewhat primitive "scenery" hadn't been finished:

Now, this video give you a better idea of what the Moose Bay Transit Authority looks like today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ5OvZtI-QU&feature=channel

 

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by joe323 on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 10:40 AM

In so much as I freelance my layout roughly based on where I live (Staten Island NY) I plan on adding a point to point elevated railway based on the SIR and extending it around the side of my train room to make it more realistic in length.  Island Model works sells the shells of the old SIR cars and the more modern R44 cars  Bowser sell the guts BTW.

Joe Staten Island West 

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Posted by CTA Fan on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 8:23 AM

Does Chicago L in O scale count?

 

CTA Fan

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 6:56 AM

This thread, though, for whatever reason, has real legs.  This is not the first "revival."  It was started in 2004, resurfaced in 2006 and then again twice (February and May) in 2007.  Now, it's back yet again.  For me, it's a bit of "living history," as my own post was made when I was just painting my PCC car and doing the platforms for the second subway stations.

Since then, I've added another set of Proto subways (the green ones to complement the silver-roofed Redbirds) and a Bachmann Peter Witt trolley.  I've built two more stations, both underground, and added staging to allow more than just loop-running of the trains.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 5:17 AM

AntonioFP45

Good grief! Huh?

What is the problem with an occasional "reboot" of an older thread that may be of interest to some modelers?  What infraction, or felony crime has been committed here? I find this thread interesting as likely so do some others.  Yet, it seems that some of us are ready to start swinging 2' x 4's at a member that dares bring up an older thread that he finds of value.  Live and let live?

Respectfully, is it not much simpler to look over a thread, determine that it's of no interest to you, and move on? Wink

 richhotrain:

NOOOOOOOOO !

Can we please stop resurrecting 4, 5, 6, and 7 year old threads?  Start a new one if the topic interests you so much.

Rich

 

LOL   Super Angry

Geez, Antonio, aren't you overreacting just a little?  I only said No, please stop reviving 7 year old threads and just start a new one.  I hardly think that qualifies as accusing a fellow member of committing a crime or your accusing me of swinging 2' x 4's.

This thread started and died a natural death in 2004, only to be revived in 2006, then again in 2007 and now once again in May 2011.  I'm not the first one on the forums to make this request not to revive old threads.  And, besides, it's not like this one contains a lot of useful information.  It is mostly jibberish.

So, then, why did I read it in the first place?   Well, actually I didn't.  I saw the title about commuter modelers and that interested me just enough to look and then realized it was a 7 year old thread.  But after reading your rant, I went back and read through the entire thread and concluded that I was right in the first place to register my complaint about reviving old threads. 

Rich

 

Alton Junction

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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 8:57 PM

Good grief! Huh?

What is the problem with an occasional "reboot" of an older thread that may be of interest to some modelers?  What infraction, or felony crime has been committed here? I find this thread interesting as likely so do some others.  Yet, it seems that some of us are ready to start swinging 2' x 4's at a member that dares bring up an older thread that he finds of value.  Live and let live?

Respectfully, is it not much simpler to look over a thread, determine that it's of no interest to you, and move on? Wink

richhotrain

NOOOOOOOOO !

Can we please stop resurrecting 4, 5, 6, and 7 year old threads?  Start a new one if the topic interests you so much.

Rich

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by trainlover35 on Monday, May 9, 2011 6:32 PM

Chicago's Metra line right here!  O scale of course!     Cool

Boston's freeway system is insane. It was clearly designed by a person who had spent his childhood crashing toy trains.

-Bill Bryson

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, May 9, 2011 6:27 PM

NOOOOOOOOO !

Can we please stop resurrecting 4, 5, 6, and 7 year old threads?  Start a new one if the topic interests you so much.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Claysql on Monday, May 9, 2011 5:41 PM

Wow, had no idea. I know this is an old post but still, very informative and relevant. I am a big VRE fan and wish their was more equipment out there. I ended up building my own equipment. Here are a couple of my first attempts.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62552304@N06/5704259248/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62552304@N06/5704257926/in/photostream/

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Posted by jecorbett on Saturday, May 26, 2007 9:37 AM
My layout isn't strictly a commuter layout but it will have a large number of commuter trains for both morning and evening rush hours. The commuter trains are mostly 2 or 3 car trains using heavyweight coaches and a variety of locos, both steam and diesel to haul them.
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Posted by FrankBalto on Friday, May 25, 2007 3:07 PM

lLiving in the Boston area and working within eyesight of a MBTA (T) commuter rail line,

I model the (T) commuter rail trains in HO. Walthers Horizon Line cars were the inspiration

to go out and do a lot of photographing and measuring in order to correct some deficiencies and better detail the cars.  We also used Imperial Model Productions aftermarket trucks which look a lot more realistic than what came with the cars.  However, these trucks came with friction problems of their own and needed some work in order for an F40 to pull a 6 car train. We had previously reworked a Like Like F40 shell and used a proto Power West chassis.  With the advent of DCC, we installed a Wangrow 7 function decoder to control the 13 bulbs on the engine, including step lights.  We love running it and since it is something "local", visitors can better relate to it, more so that a BNSF freight train!  The Railroad Depot (Boston) is planning to release a model of the (T) Bi-level cars and we look forward to integrating some of them with the Horizon single deck cars in a train as the (T) now operates.

There was mention of the Proto NYCTA subway train, first in red and then in green. I'm waiting to see a model of the 1964-65 "World's Fair" cars which were light blue and cream and ran from either Times Square or Grand Central out to the Fair site at Flushing Meadows.  I hope the double width side windows are not a hindrance to producing this particular version of that subway car. These cars, to me, were the first of a new breed of handsome paint schemes or unpainted metal, a departure from the previous olive drab ho-hum paint jobs.

Frank - Boston

 

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Posted by f14aplusfl on Saturday, May 19, 2007 11:26 AM

Walthers still offers the Horizon Amtrack coaches but they're also available so you can pretty much model convincingly the NJ Transit, West of Hudson Metro North, The waterbury branch of Metro North (from what I ahve see an F10 and two-three coaches), some METRA and VRE, the MBTA, and Shoreline East. For the MBTA, running out of North Station.... GP40MC typically 5 cars, F40PH usually 6 cars. I take a train out of North Station every morning to get to work.

FYI, another pike sized passenger train would be the Downeaster that also operates out of North Station to Portland Maine. Consist usually is a cabagge, amfleet food service, 3 amfleet cars, P42DC. Maybe you'd like to add it in for some variety.

Florida East Coast Railway - Flagler System "Speedway to America's Playground" Roads bad, Trains better.
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Posted by rmseel on Friday, May 18, 2007 1:50 PM
Looking for other commuter modelers?  Check out the commutermodelers Yahoo group!  We've got traction, NJ Transit, subways, PCC's, MetroNorth, and all kindza others.  I model North Jersey, so commuter ops are always in the picture.
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Posted by emdgp92 on Friday, May 18, 2007 1:28 PM
Right now, commuter operations on my layout are limited. I have an ex-NYC GP7 (Athearn) in Penn Central colors, and a few ex-PRR P70 coaches (ECW). Some days, I just run my Athearn RDC. I'd like to expand things with a third station, and maybe a place to park the commuter train between runs--right now, I have to remove it from the layout--but space doesn't allow for that now.
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Posted by Amtrak X995 on Friday, May 18, 2007 12:54 PM

hello,

we have a section in our layout, we model the nj transit Gladstone Branch. It is nearly exactly the trackplan as in reality, but we havnt`t built the yard ahead.

There we have model the right catenary poles. As we run a Erie Lackawana NJ dot Atlas U34CH with a 4 coach push/pull consist, alle the material is modified. At the moment i try to re-built an Atlas Alp 44 (at the model there are some mistakes...). A BLI GG1 is waiting for re-numbering in a NJT Engine, and a U34CH in disco stripe is also waiting (all lights, cab-interiour, sound etc...) 

As coronation i want to re-paint a american GK E60 in early and late paint schema, but here i a no real good solution to re-power an built up the kit. (i have high requirement such as cab-interiour, all lightings around, panthos etc... for this loco).

For our NE corridor section we have modified walthers amfleet. I haven`t found  a real good metroliner (i own 2 pairs of GEM brass with poor running conditions, i own bachmann round motor and the old 4 axle drive ones), so i have to wait for the IHP anounced ones. For the MP 54 i have old (unbuilt) walthers kits, a friend of mine has a built up and paintet (unpowered) Funaro kit, but best are a railworks model ( i own one pair-brand new) with perfect running conditions. The Alco brass models have a bad motor/gear consist.

I have also some new Marc and Septa AEM7/ALP44, but without any coaches.

So you see-we have much options to run communter trains, all fitted in time and area 

kind regards

Amtrak X995

 

 

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Posted by sjones7505 on Friday, May 18, 2007 4:19 AM

Hi

Just found this thread, I wish to model a US commuter operaton, having Just returned to the UK after a month's holiday state side, I managed to sample, NY Subway, Tampa Trolleys, MERTA, MARC, VRE, DC Subway, PATH, MetroNorth, NTJ, LIRR and Amtrak. I came back with several Idea's for layouts, all comuter operatons and all small and portable, for taking to exhibitions.

Idea 1, Tampa Bay from The car barn, and through Ybor City

Idea 2 Chicago Metra Olgieve Loco stabling Point. the idea is your stood one of the longer platforms, looking at the loco's moving on and off the stabling point, the layout would be from the EL line to the Station canpoy, 3 road stabling point lots of track to shuffle loco's back and fore, the station would only be big enough to hide the loco.

Idea 3 MARC Frederickburg Branch, Including the Station by the canal, the small depot which hold the 3 commuter trains and some spare cars, and a couple of industral tracks along the way

Idea 4 MARC Camden Yards Station looking as if you were standing on the Tram tracks

Idea 5 VRE Broad Run station and Yard

Steve

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Posted by photogeek88 on Thursday, May 17, 2007 10:54 PM
I'm modeling an extrememly compressed version of the C&NW/UP Geneva Sub during the mid-90's, so I have some push-pull Metras running to the then-terminus of Geneva. I've got a cab car in the RTA scheme, and a coach in the Metra scheme, both Walthers. They've been doing sales on the cars as low as $14 lately, and am planning to get some more. I've also got a Kato F40PH, but the problem is that it's in the RTA paint and not the modern Metra. My summer plans after H.S. graduation are to get this thing painted, my first major repaint job on my own. As there's no real Metra Blue and Crimson for sale, this should be fun just deciding on paint!
Wesley Click Here To View My Pictures On railpictures.net! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9873
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Posted by JonathanS on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 1:47 PM

I model the CNJ side of NJT during the late 1970s.  I have a "Jersey Builder" set of ex GN/BN coaches.  I have a start of one of the sets of CNJ Push/Pulls using the 1930s cars.  And to pull them I have some CNJ GP7s, a CNJ RS3 and a NJT GG1.  I also have a set of Reading RDCs for the Crusader and Wall Street Trains that ran on the NJT tracks.

I used to watch the parade of NJT trains on the old CNJ when I lived in Bound Brook.  Sometimes on the weekend I would go to South Amboy and watch the E8s and GG1s swap out on the Long Branch Trains.

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Posted by R. T. POTEET on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 10:30 AM

I just got done watching Trains and Locomotives on RFDTV; this weeks theme was commuter operations out of Hoboken and Jersey City.  Although primarily oriented - and titled - around the operations of the U34CHs they presented plenty of electric operation shots and a good historical perspective.

On the topic of RFDTV, have they cancelled I Love Toy Trains or is it on hiatus?

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

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Posted by prospekt mira on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 9:45 AM

GO uses 6 and 8 car trains on the Bradford line since many of the platforms (Maple, King City and Newmarket) are too small to fit 10 cars. When a 10 car train is used only the last 5 cars (the ones furthest from the parking lot) have thier doors open. Some people don't understand the conductors message and often have to try to scramble back 3-4 cars to get out before thier whisked away to the next station, which is a pain since the service is unidirectional (4 times per day to Toronto in the morning and back at night).

If you are modelling N, last time I was there Credit Valley in Mississauga had many GO coaches. PWRS has the GP40M-2s as well. 

 

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Posted by wedudler on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 9:43 AM

 

 

Now, this train has got a third car.

 Wolfgang

Pueblo & Salt Lake RR

Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de          my videos        my blog

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Posted by Bapou on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 3:20 AM
I have sevaral NJT models. Three cars (2 cabs though Banged Head [banghead] ) a Bachman F40PH (new detail with ESU from Tony´s) Atlas ALP-44 (with decoder self installed) Rivarossi/IHC E8 (flywheel and decoder needed in this one) I have a layout that is Central Vermont in the 1940s and 50s. There will be a time space contium break and a NJT in the present extension.
Go NJT, NJ Transit, New Jersey Transit. Whatever you call it its good. See my pictures and videos here: http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff20/Bapouthetrainman/
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Posted by marknewton on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 2:40 AM
 modelmaker51 wrote:
Doesn't anyone have any pictures to show of their model commuter lines?

I'm a latecomer to this thread, but I can post a picture - my Chitetsu layout is primarily a commuter operation.





Cheers,

Mark.
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Posted by mustanggt on Monday, May 14, 2007 10:19 PM

 

It's okay.......I actually like the paint scheme better than silver and purpleCool [8D] Hopefully a few more cars will show up on ebay....I want to make a full GO consist.....including the gutted f unit. 

Dave

C280 rollin'
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, May 11, 2007 8:52 AM

 modelmaker51 wrote:
Doesn't anyone have any pictures to show of their model commuter lines?

This is an early picture of the Saint Anne Street station, the first of three underground stops I've built.  It's early in construction, before I put a lid on the station and put track and scenery above it.  It's an advantage of subway modelling that I actually have a two-level layout, but the levels are only 3 inches apart!

 

This is the Penny Lane station.  (My wife is Penny, my daughter is Anne, by the way.)  Rocky here leans against a support on the middle platform.

 

Here, I've built a trolley stop at Bridge Street.  It's a surface line, with a bit of street-running track.  The trolley is a Bowser PCC car.  In the background, seniors Rosa Krantz (Lt. Col., USMC, Ret.) and her Danish boy-toy, Gil den Stern, enjoy the shade behind the statue in the park.

 

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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