Well Bear I don't know if I should thank you or curse you. Once I hit the link on the link you posted on the Solano ferry, I hit the link of the link of the link of the link and before I knew it lunch time had rolled around. That is some model. Thanks.
In the past the subject of racing model locomotives at train shows has come up on the forums. The thinking was it might spur some additional interest at the show, thus drawing a better attendance. Another event for some....... Maybe? While I don't think it is something I would be interested in participating in, I think I could get a chuckle at yet another competition to take in while at the show.
So in the spirit of friendly competition here they are. If the big boys can do it, why not the serious modeler.
Nothin slow and leisurely about these excursions.
And this one! I just don't know...... I thought I'd throw it in. I thought of Cuda Ken and how he swapped out his garage filling slot car layout for trains. Maybe this would satisfy both interest. I can see the big racing oval at the train shows now.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
NP2626 Thanks for keeping this thread going! There are some wonderful photos presented here! I keep coming back for more!
Thanks for keeping this thread going! There are some wonderful photos presented here! I keep coming back for more!
Thanks Mark.
If all these wonderful photo's and video's were to be had in book form or in our own video libraries we would never see them, there would not be room enough to house it all at home. Wonderful thing this internet. I am surprised how many of the things I have posted I've stumbled across while searching for totally unrelated items.
I wish there was a little more participation from others, there is a lot of history that can be shared through discovered photo's and old film. My grandfather took lots of old steam era home movies of trains around Winnipeg that I need to get on the tube some day. First I have to edit out me jumping up and down in my diapers first.
Guy Papillon Batman, Those two videos illustrate very well why I don't want smoke unit on my steam locos.
Batman,
Those two videos illustrate very well why I don't want smoke unit on my steam locos.
You and me both Guy. Although my son has taken to showering in the trainroom bathroom now. When he opens the door to come out it creates shall we say a lot of steam era atmosphere.
This video is a little different as you will see. I can totally relate to this guy, as snooping out historical sights is a favourite pastime of mine. I am hoping that Bear the great internet detective can scrounge up even more pic's of where this guy takes us today.
If anyone has any more knowledge or photo's or even models this spot on our planet, please tell us more.
Wow, Bear! I never saw that DL&W picture before! I'm not very familiar with Scranton, but it looks like the present site of Steamtown. I'm guessing the clothes on the line belong to Phoebe Snow. In the photos, the rough-hewn ties are an interesting detail, rarely modeled.
Tom
BATMANI wonder what the bear and moose think when they see this puffing monster coming at them from way off in the distance?
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
There seem to be a lot of threads where people are letting off some steam over the last couple of days. In the words of Radar O'reilly "engines are people too" (or something like that)
The wife has told me we are going to be in Calgary at the beginning of August for the Canadian National Golden Retriever fleabag show. Yippeeeeee! What she is really telling me is, we will be doing lots of train watchin in my favourite part of the world getting to and from Calgary.
In a past year I was sitting on a bluff watching lots of power grinding its way up to the continental divide when to my complete surprise I heard this off in the distance heading my way. Talk about timing and luck. Though this was not shot in summer and is not mine, it reminds me of that day.
I wonder what the bear and moose think when they see this puffing monster coming at them from way off in the distance?
Frank sent me a very nice photo of his lastest piece of rolling stock.
Never seen one of these before. "A rapid rail destructor".
Don't let the wife see it. You may get one for Christmas.
Good pic Bear. Always interesting seeing the innards. How about some outtards.
Plug your ears.
Found this at the same time as the above. Kind of interesting.
Seems like it was fairly common practice. The alternative would be to drop the caboose and then have the switch engine come in and move it to the caboose track for resupply, which means the switch engine wouldn't be working on breaking down and classifying the train.
Exact process - maybe one of the real railroaders can answer, but I'd guess they'd close the angle cocks so the train and caboose would not dump into emergency, and then apply the caboose brakes as they reached the stopping point, either releasing air with the conductor's valve or applying the hand brake.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker ....letting the caboose roll down the grade to attach to the train,
Soon as I saw the caboos sitting there I knew he was goign to show how they did that - lettign the caboose roll down the grade to attach to the train, instead of the more typical method of having the switcher tack the caboose on the end of a departing train.
crhostler61This is one cool little critter.
Since joining the MR forums, nearing 2 years ago, I recall a number of threads discussing and showing favorite 'critters', often very humorously. I didn't have any of my photos ready at those times...but I do now. So here is my favorite 'critter'.
http://mark2102.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3842121
This critter was operated by Conrail at the Enola shop, and as far as I know NS still uses it. It's sole purpose in life is to move locomotives in and out of the wheel true building. It's a Blomberg B truck with one traction motor. It's powered by a set of locomotive starting batteries and operated by radio control by the wheel true operator. The cable plugged into it's side in the photo is the battery charger plugin.
This is one cool little critter.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
BATMANAnd a little something representing "Bears" neck of the woods.
Back in the mid nineties I had a few day stop over in England on my way to somewhere. I stayed with my cousin down near Portsmouth. He commanded one of the newer frigates in the Royal Navy. He took me for a tour of the Navy yard, his ship and a submarine no less. Afterwards we went and had a few pints at a pub that had been frequented by the likes of Captain(s) Cook, Vancouver and other navy legends such as Lord Nelson. I remember the timber floor dipped about six inches as it was the original timber, and had just worn down over the centuries.
On the way back to his house we saw a steam train out on a tourist excursion. These babies move. All of the steam jaunts I have gone on in North America have just cruised along at a slow, but quite enjoyable pace. They don't seem to waist time in the "old country". I guess those of us that model european steam excursions must really have good trackwork.
Next time you think packing up and getting to a train show is a lot of work........
Wiki stories here, if interested.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4489_Dominion_of_Canada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4496_Dwight_D_Eisenhower
And a little something representing "Bears" neck of the woods.
Mark, that is a great shot. I felt cold and damp just looking at it. Hope to see more!
As Bears Detroit barge traffic has dwindled over the years and I have tunnels on my mind today, for some reason, here is a little ditty on the Windsor Detroit tunnel. Talk about tight fits! I wouldn't want to be a mouse in there when a train came through.
Does anyone model this? Lots of other famous tunnels get space on layouts, I wonder if this one has shown up on a layout somewhere?
crhostler61Just a fond memory I thought I'd toss in here.
I was thinking about this photo today. I shot it on Sept 21,1980. It was either the second or third run of C&O 614 on Sand Patch.
http://mark2102.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3840943
And what a challenge it was to get to this very rural spot in SW Pennsylvania. 220 miles of fog, drizzle, more fog, then rain...not to mention having a navigator who had a difficult time reading topo maps. The shot worked...against all odds.
Just a fond memory I thought I'd toss in here.
There is some mighty fine larger scale modeling towards the end of this film, by kids no less! Watch out at the 9:12 mark, I think that's Frank driving the truck.
Many's the time I have been out on the chuck with a beer in one hand and fishing rod in the other with not a chance of catching a Salmon. The Orca that often surround our boat stick their heads out of the water smiling at us going NA NA NA NA NA. However many's the time I have seen this rail barge and other similar ones, plying the waters up the inside passage from way down South in Seattle up to Alaska. A bad day fishing beats hanging around the house and at least we have lots to look at as the day(s) go by.
The cargo being loaded is becoming more commonplace these days, I did think the cradles (as well as the cargo itself) used to hold the blades on the cars would make for an interesting scratchbuilding project, for the more talented and creative members among us. The cradles were not all the same colour which makes me wonder if they just use leftover paint on them.
The video shows the barge being move back and forth as it is loaded. I'll have to see if there is a video of them being unloaded up in Alaska.
Went to a train show and saw "The guitar case switching puzzle" in TT scale.
A couple of other TT scale layouts built on foam that could be taken apart very quickly. There seems to be a little more TT scale represented every time I go to a train show.
I got away with spending only $2.50 this trip.
Bear, thanks for correcting me on the title of the film. I think I'll give it another watch in the near future.
I had a Honda CB500 Four in the 1970s for several years, I got it just North of 100MPH on a few occasions. However my good friend who builds and Drag races old Chevy Vegas use to also have a garage full of enduro dirt bikes and a selection of Japenese crotch rockets. I won't tell you how fast we got going on those out in Moose and bear country.
That train in the video must have been going awfully slow if that was time lapse. The decoder programmer must be a genius.
Found this on the "old time trains" site. From Winnipeg, my home town and the place Winnie the Pooh was named after. Why people still live there is beyond me. JUST KIDDING! I can sense all my relatives picking up their phones now. Did I mention the Cherry Blossoms have been out for a month on the West coast.
My Grandfather use to be a roundhouse wrench turner for CN. I now know why he took a couple of promotions and got himself into a warm office. I don't think it was a good idea to actually run the steam engines in the roundhouse in winter.
I loved the Indian on rails. I wonder what kind of speed that thing can do? It reminded me of the movie "The worlds fastest Indian" (edited to correct title) with Anthony Hopkins. I think the movie was based on a true story and it is well worth a watch.
Bear I enjoyed the great lakes rail ops video. We have a rail ferry similar that runs from Vancouver over to Vancouver Island. Google Image "Seaspan and/or CP rail ferries" and some should come up. I wonder if there is a video.
Im off to a train show (hopefully) this weekend and will be keeping an eye out for Stephensons Rocket or Bachmanns Planet and maybe even a Steam Elephant. There are usually a lot of european modelers at some of our shows up here, so I'll start asking around. I think a RR museum will be required on the layout to run these things. I don't think I am up to adding decoders to these at my current level of electronic experience so it will be a DC museum.
I've been meaning to post this little video or maybe I already have Let me know if we get into reruns, after all this is a low budget operation.