This Old Spot: A Modeler's Visual Library

[tstage]

A rather dreary day to capture pictures...but it was warmish, not raining, and a short jaunt from where I live.

Another BR&P station; this one in Indiana, PA:

It's currently being used as a restaurant and is situated right along a single track freight (coal) main, running north/south through town, operated by the Genesee & Wyoming.

Across the parking lot is another building owned by an auto business but I am not sure if it was associated with the station, or was originally a gas station that was fixed up more recently to look as if it was part of the station:

Lastly, I enjoy building details so I've included the light fixture, window, and roof supports on the south side of the station:

Tom

[angelob6660]

I don't have pictures of anything, but I did see (on the internet today looking at a map from 1957) an old resemblance of a concrete ramp and foundation that housed a freight warehouse for trucks and trailers for piggyback services. Now it's a huge parking lot in downtown Tucson, AZ.

I was on that historical ariel map website to help me to model the NYC in 1957-65 in my own home town.

Part of it is helping me modeling accuracy.

http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/09/student-housing-for-franklinstone-hits-a-city-council-road-block/

 

[gmpullman]

Tom, & Tom...

I came across my photo of the Marblehead depot taken in 1998:

Below is the same view in October 2008.

 

Much of the text and photos from the excellent book you mention, Tom, are available in the publisher's link I provided above. It is in a .pdf format so any page, or all of 'em, can easily be printed.

Regards, Ed

[ACY Tom]

Yes, the Lakeside & Marblehead would be a fascinating and challenging railroad to model.  It was affiliated with the Shay-operated, narrow gauge Kelley Island Lime & Transport Co., which operated quarries on Kelley Island in Lake Erie and shipped the stone to a dock at Marblehead, Ohio.  The standard gauge L&M served the Marblehead dock, as well as additional mainland quarry operations on the Marblehead peninsula, hauling the stone to a NYC interchange at Danbury.  The large stone enginehouse at Marblehead had smaller narrow gauge stalls for KIL&T Shays (visible to the left) as well as larger standard gauge stalls for L&M standard gauge engines.

The Marblehead peninsula was also served by the interurban Toledo, Port Clinton & Lakeside Railway, later Ohio Public Service. 

L&M's steam roster consisted of one early 4-4-0, followed by a succession of 0-6-0's.  Toward the end of steam, the road had second-hand 0-6-0 number 4 (2nd); NYC design 0-6-0's 6, 7, and 8; and Lima-built ex-G.I. 0-6-0 number 9, which could be modeled using a stock USRA 0-6-0 as a starting point. The road dieselized in the late 1940's to early 1950's using two GE 70 tonners, followed by an SW7 and two SW8's. The line ceased operation in the mid-1990's. 

Passenger service on the L&M was provided by a variety of equipment including a 1910 gasoline powered Fairbanks Morse Model 24 motor car and the "Red Devil", a 1916 55-foot McKeen car seating 48. 

The definitive book is The Lakeside and Marblehead Railroad, by Dean K. Fick, Montevallo Historical Press, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, 2000 a.d.  Most of the foregoing information comes from that excellent book. 

Tom 

(edited)

[gmpullman]

Yes, Tom, local limestone. Take a look here for some photos in her heyday of this relatively large shop for such a small operation. I knew a fellow, Bob Zephyr, who was a fireman on the L&M. What a great railroad to model! The wye coming off the busy NYC Main at Port Clinton, all those neat 0-6-0s, a gaggle of Shays and the lakeside scenery! They even had a McKeen motor car!

http://www.mhpress.com/LMRR.pdf

 

When you open this great .pdf collection of photos, scroll to page 28 and again on 35 and take a gander at what that enginehouse looked like in 1903-4!

Sadly, the engine house was torn down just a year after I took those photos.

Somewhere I have a photo of the Lakeside depot I'll try to post... it was built in the LS&MS style.

Take care, Ed

[tstage]

Is it constructed out of limestone, Ed?  From the appearance it looks like regular brick but painted.  I saw a number of house in and around Sandusky that were made out of limestone.

Tom

[gmpullman]

Hi, Tom!

Nice of you to resurrect this fine 'ol thread!

Years ago I visited the square roundhouse of the Lakeside & Marblehead Railroad near Sandusky, Ohio.

It almost has the same "Mission" style of the Santa Fe structure!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeside_and_Marblehead_Railroad

Happy Holidays to All! Ed

[tstage]

Thought it was about time to post on this thread again.  Below is a BR&P (Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh) station that I drive past twice a week in Shelocta, PA.  Obviously it's seen better days but I enjoy seeing it, nonetheless:

[-E-C-Mills]

More ATSF engine facility Albuquerque NM July 2014:

Backside of machine shop and transfer table

Machine shop right, transfer table center, boiler shop left

Boiler shop and transfer table

Boiler shop end

Piping detail

 

 

[-E-C-Mills]

The ATSF steam engine overhaul facility in Albuquerque NM July 2014.

Machine Shop

Overhead crane support detail

Machine shop end views

 

[yougottawanta]

Mike

Check your PM.

YGW

[0-6-0]

Hello here is a old barn this is in Mantua Ohio

Have a nice day Frank

 

[0-6-0]

Hello here is a old barn with a rusty roof

have a nice day Frank

 

[0-6-0]

Hello these are from Castalia Ohio an old stone house and barn.

and this is a school

Have a nice day Frank

 

 

[HO-Velo]

Darn, forgot this 2010 photo.  This tank is a stone's throw from U.P. double mainline (formerly S.P) in the little town of Elmira, Ca.  Passed by it yesterday while cycling and wasn't surprised that the taggers have gotten to it, but that might add interest if modeling the present day.  

[HO-Velo]

Tstage, Nice thread to bring back, enjoying it immencely.

thanks and regards,  Peter

 

[0-6-0]

Hello yes this is a cool thread. But let's expand it to the rest of the world. If there is something you think would be cool to add please do. I know most of the photos are of old stuff but if you think it would make a good model  lets see it. Have a nice day Frank

[bsteel4065]

Excellent thread and so helpful to us who do not live in the US.

Let's hope it doesn't go the way of the very helpful and terrific collection of adverts that was great until some spoil sport moaned about copyright infringement.

One additional rule I think would be of help, 'don't add quote to each post' otherwise the same photos get reproduced and reproduced and reproduced and that just takes up valuable space.

Thanks Tom! 

[ALEX WARSHAL]

I live near Ann Arbor and I heard that NKP 765 was headed up the old AA mainline to Owosso, so I checked it out and this is what I saw. The consist was NKP 765 & tender, N&W extra fuel tender, Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society Car, SS Burlington RR, (orange and green) GN dome car, SS Iowa Pacific dome car, SS ACL car, SS SCL car, SS W&LE car, SS NYC car, and two SS PRR cars with red windows. (SS= Stainless Steel)  Wow that loco is amazing.  

[Scottie]

Thanks ACY for the reply.

It would be cool if I could find one of them kits. I'm not much for scratch building skills, but I could always add detail. I have been thinking about buying one of the interlocking tower lits and removing the lower level and then build  the stilt platform. I did see a pic of a tower in Galion Oh that looked a lot like the Grafton tower.

[ACY Tom]

Grafton!  Wonderful place & perfect for modeling!  I've seen only one kit for a Big Four tower on stilts.  That's strange, as there were so many of them in Grafton, Wellington, New London (Hiles), maybe Greenwich, Shelby, Marion, and probably a lot more places.  The only kit I'm aware of is an older one that supposedly represented the Marion tower if I recall correctly.  I think the manufacturer was JL .  As I recall, the kit was sparse on detail, so I suspect you would do better to scratchbuild or kitbash it.  Be sure to build the support structure from small rail and fine wire!

[0-6-0]

Hello nice photos Tom I like the b/w one better.

A few pages back I posted a photo of a old brick bran.  Well this past weekend I was able to go around it and take some phots of the back and side's.

This is the first photo a from a few pages back.

same side

front

back side

this is the back bottom of the silo there is a gully and thick brush about 10 feet from the back it was hard to get a good shot

I was able to look in side the bottom and it looks like a old barn should suff all over the place. The up stirs was cool most of the wood was refinshed. Not if they still have partys there but it look ready to go for one. Sorry was not aloud to take photos of the in side to many people in there. They were haveing a yard sale. Thats how I got in. Have a nice day Frank

[tstage]

For a slight break from the recent recyled threads, I decided to resurrect this one again.  Here's the lower half of the old Big Four Hi Tower (aka BS Tower) in Bellefontaine, OH:

Below is how the full structure stood for many years at the crest of the hill of this division point of the NYC:

Tom

[0-6-0]

Hello this is part of the Twinsburg Historical society and it is in down town.

and these are the tracks by my house they are getting new ties. Looking north

looking south

Have a nice day Frank

 

 

[rdgk1se3019]

Old concrete coal dock siting in Birdsboro, PA.

[Scottie]

I have found some interlocking tower kits that are fairly close, sounds like kitbashing may be the best option. I might drive up to Grafton ans see if I can get some dimensions.

[tstage]

Scottie

Does anyone know if their is a model kit available of the Grafton Ohio tower? I am trying to Model Grafton Ohio on my HO layout.

Not that I'm aware of, Scottie.  I've seriously thought about using an existing tower kit (with a similar design) and just scratch-building the base with code 55 or 70 rail.

That would be a great project.

Tom

[BATMAN]

How does one get around the Rail yard in Alberta in winter.

 

[rdgk1se3019]

Sunbury PA 4-7-2012  Pic of old Pennsylvania RR bridges crossing the Susquehanna river between Sunbury and Northumberland PA........which are still in use.

Here is a pic of an old coal dock sitting in Northumberland PA.

The old Reading Co. station in Northumberland PA.......the right-of-way is to the left of the stop sign........directly behind where I am standing for this pic is this........

Old signal bridge still standing watch.

[Scottie]

Does anyone know if their is a model kit available of the Grafton Ohio tower? I am trying to Model Grafton Ohio on my HO layout.

[0-6-0]

Hello yep Mike that is the yard if you look back at page 3 you will see the same yard. I took a pic of it in Sept 09 and it almost looks like same cars setting there just with snow. I drive past this yard on my way to work and see some movement but not like it used to be. Have a nice day Frank

[wm3798]

Maryland and Delaware, Cambridge Maryland run around track/team track (I'm standing on the loading dock)

Team Track crane at York, PA.  Recently dismantled.

Junction with the MDDE, NS Delmarva Division at Seaford, Delaware.

Lee

[rs2mike]

0-6-0

Hello this is a cool thread so I thought I would add a snow shot for those of you you model snow.

This is the NS yard in Twinsburg Ohio there is about 4-5'' of snow down. Have a nice day Frank

The now almost quiet line behind the chrysler plant.  I have never seen it so quiet down there.

[rs2mike]

0-6-0

Hello this is a cool thread so I thought I would add a snow shot for those of you you model snow.

This is the NS yard in Twinsburg Ohio there is about 4-5'' of snow down. Have a nice day Frank

The now almost quiet line behind the chrysler plant.  I have never seen it so quiet down there.

[rs2mike]

0-6-0

Have nice day Frank

AHHH home sweet home.  I know exactly where these are.  I worked at Richner hardware on the square and lived up the street from what is now true value.

[blownout cylinder]

leighant

I have now completed, as I posted earlier, donation of about 1250 photos to the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi library archives, including photos I took over the last 45 years of railroads, local scenes, news events, TV station operations, old houses, buildings, and motion picture production in Corpus Christi and surrounding South Texas towns.  The university has just put on line a sample of about 100 of the photos and a searchable finding guide to all 1250.

I am a bit proud of it and want to show off.  (I will claim I am just "sharing.")

 

http://rattler.tamucc.edu/dept/special/Anthony.html

 

That was very kind of you to do that...

[superbe]

Pictured is a Winchester & Western (short line) Locomotive crossing U.S. 50 West of Winchester, VA. The The W & W was nick named the Weak and Weary due to it's slow speed and wobbly tracks. It is now owned by the Unimin Corp and hauls sand from the Unimin mine in Gore Va. It also shifts cars for CSX.

The W & W is no longer the weak and weary.

 

Happy Railroading

Bob

 

[leighant]

I have now completed, as I posted earlier, donation of about 1250 photos to the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi library archives, including photos I took over the last 45 years of railroads, local scenes, news events, TV station operations, old houses, buildings, and motion picture production in Corpus Christi and surrounding South Texas towns.  The university has just put on line a sample of about 100 of the photos and a searchable finding guide to all 1250.

I am a bit proud of it and want to show off.  (I will claim I am just "sharing.")

 

http://rattler.tamucc.edu/dept/special/Anthony.html

 

[blownout cylinder]

Some older vintage shots...

[blownout cylinder]

[0-6-0]

Hello this is a cool thread so I thought I would add a snow shot for those of you you model snow.

This is the NS yard in Twinsburg Ohio there is about 4-5'' of snow down. Have a nice day Frank

[leighant]

I am in the process of doing sort of the OPPOSITE of this thread.  I have built up a personal library of photos of interesting places to model.  Now I am sorting the two-thousand or so of local and regional interest as a historical photo collection I am donating to a major university archive.  But I am scanning the ones I have any distant expectation of using myself, or wanting to share.  Many I have already uploaded on my railimages account. 

I located a place out-of-state to send these... Cammie G.Henry Research Center. Northwestern State University, Watson Memorial Library · Natchitoches, LA

“This picture taken by Joe Uhrbah, the undersigned May 27, 1949, at Natchitoches Louisiana.  Camera located 50 feet east (struck through out in a different color ink) west (struck through) west of Pavie Street crossing and Texas and Pacific tracks, facing east west.  Joe Uhrbach.”

 

(I can't recall who makes the kit of the little commercial building at right-- or is it a kit at all?  The house at the left side of the street is obviously a kit but has been disguised with asphalt shingles printed in a brick pattern over the scribed sheetwood...)

“This picture taken by Joe Uhrbah, the undersigned May 27, 1949, at Natchitoches Louisiana.  Camera located 375 feet north of Pavie Stret crossing of Texas and Pacific tracks, and looking south.  Joe Uhrbach.”

 

Stamped: Uhrbah’s Photo Service

Phone 4471

Natchitoches, La.

 

I would guess these were taken for possible use as exhibits in a court case, but there are no markings to indicate they were actually used as such.

This is part of my local collection- the Port of Corpus Christi Tule Lake vertical lift bridge for highway and rail traffic, opened circa 1959, photographed by me July 1970, demolished

 

 Tracks at the port barricaded to protect against storm surge in Hurricane Allen, August 1980.  (I call this my watergate picture...)

Most of the photos on my railimages account however are not local historic places, but ones that I have actually used in my modeling, such as this house belonging to a custe cousin that already has made its way into a model of sorts

...if a dollhouse can be considered a model...

[tstage]

Boy, do I love Victorian-style homes!  Thanks for posting these, Frank.    As soon as I saw them I knew exactly where they were located; just down the road from Sedlak's.

Tom

[0-6-0]

Hello I thought it was time to bring this thread back up front. Here are a couple house's. These are in Twinsburg Ohio the blue one is on RT 14 just off the square and the gray one is on the square.

Have nice day Frank

[chooch_42]

 Oh, MAN !!! That's a 3 dimensional History book you've come up with !  Is that covered hopper permanently grounded (track/trucks gone)?  LOVE the sign on the ditcher. These machines would be great subjects for SS Ltd, Alloy Forms or Woodland Scenics in Horribly Over sized or Normal scale...or scratch projects in a scale one can SEE (O,G,F). Keep up the inspiration, Thanks !  Bob C.

[blownout cylinder]

Some more odds and sods

[blownout cylinder]

Really Cool pix coming up here----

A few more from this fellow---

[0-6-0]

Hello here are a few more

This is the loco that runs past my house.

Have a nice day Frank

[0-6-0]

Hello here are a few more shots

the forgotten

zoom in on this one and see how bent the rails are

front end

Have a nice day Frank

[0-6-0]

Hello here are few more shots

 

 

[chooch_42]

 That little mine car reminds me of my HOn30 MinitrainS  Bob C.

[St Francis Consolidated RR]

    Hello gents, hope these might be of interest, especially maybe to you mine modellers...

    I also hope this works!!

 p.s. these are all pictures I took myself on little trips up to the mountains, if you have any requests let me know and I might be able to help

 

[0-6-0]

Hello  StFCRR  that's a good shot of that mine head.  You can post photos of anything you think looks cool and  from anywhere not just the U.S. There are folks from all over lets see what's around you. Here is  the old Railway's of America building it's in Cuyahoga falls Ohio it was in MRR in August 1974 pg 28-32.

Have a nice day Frank

[St Francis Consolidated RR]

tstage

StFCRR,

That would be great!

Tom

 

     Here's goes nothing, Tom...it's just an old abandoned mine head left over from the old days, you gotta start somewhere!...if you'd like some of the mine tailings, I could send you some. I hope this picture thing actually works.

 

[tstage]

StFCRR,

That would be great!

Tom

[St Francis Consolidated RR]

    Would anybody be interested in some pictures of Colorado mining structures and the like? I confess I don't know how to post pictures yet, but maybe this would be a good incentive for me to learn how!!

[jwhitten]

blownout cylinder

Paris ON---old houses

Two different views of downtown Paris ON

 

 

Oy! I see the offal tower!

 

 

[cudaken]

  Glad to see this thread come back up. I redid my photo bucket account so I will have to redo my pictures.

         Cuda Ken

[0-6-0]

Hello are a few more shots.

This was by the station so I took pics of it to.

Have a nice day Frank

[0-6-0]

Hello here are some bridge shots.

here is a station this is in Bedford Ohio

not to sure what this building is

cool house

down the tracks

have a nice day Frank

 

[superbe]

chooch_42

Could this be a 19th Century Photo Shoppe ?

Hey Bob C,

You are more preceptive than you thought. Those old guys could do more than color enhancing. After researching the Winchester & Western a liitle more I found that the W&W was mainly a freight RR and never had passenger cars but used rail buses instead as pictured below.

The history of this RR leaves out the details of the two previous owners prior to Unimin Corp., but that's a story for another time. It gives new meaning to the addage "truth is stranger than fiction".

Bob

[blownout cylinder]

Wonderful postcard there!!

Some things we came across on a recent hunt--

Wonderful old victorian house with a small carriage house in back---Woodstock ON

Some back alley walls----

And a remnant of a church----that's right --a remnant

Church removed to make way for a retirement center----

[chooch_42]

Thanks for posting this beautiful scene, so artistically enhanced before real color film ! Could this be a 19th Century Photo Shoppe ? Will try to find this on Google Maps for my own amusement. A great Postcard...thanks, again Bob C.

[superbe]

tstage

that would give members a library of examples to draw upon for modeling purposes

 

I realize that this thread applies to structures but, I found this postcard to be too appealing not to post. It certainly is an old spot.

Shawnee Springs is named after the Shawnee Indian tribe that frequented it and they considered it sacred ground. Many believed that whom ever drank from it would return after death. The spring is located at Cross Junction, VA.

 

The train is for real and the local short line, Winchester & Western, still uses the right of way today.

Bob

 

 

[0-6-0]

Hello Tom yes that's the one. That was the Corbett family farm it's been there for a 100 years or so. I have lived within 2 miles of the farm for 30 years of my 38. I am hoping my little girl can do the same. Have a nice day Frank

[tstage]

Frank,

That's the one that's on SR 91, yes?  I agree.  I hope that they can preserve it.

Tom

[0-6-0]

Hello this was the last working dairy farm in Twinsburg. Hopefully we can save it from the developers they sold the farm last year.

Have a nice day Frank

[PASMITH]

Yes, this is Cades Cove. On this particular trip I saw one of these cantilever barns for the first time. There were a number of others in the area. I will be using this design for a barn I intend to build for my 1900's logging town in northern California. This maybe a barn particular to the Amish because I saw similar ones in PA. As a matter of interest, I was visiting Richard Stoving (an old friend of mine from high school) last year in Wellsboro Pa and he had one in his back yard. Rich is an officer at the New York York Central Historical Society. Peter Smith, Memphis

[Geared Steam]

....

[Geared Steam]

PASMITH

A cantilever barn in the mountains of eastern TN. Peter Smith, Memphis

 

Peter

Is that at Cades Cove?

 Below is the engine house for the J.Neils/St.Regis paper company locos at Libby MT. It has been moved from the original site to the grounds of the Heritage Museum.

 

[dansapo]

E49th & Hamilton Cleveland Ohio looking west

To the right is the old Cleveland Twist Drill bldg-to the rear left is the old Brownhoist Crane and looking straight down the tracks is downtown Cleveland  They(NS) still use the tracks-saw a sd40-2 and gp38-2 dropping off cars.How those tracks can support a locomotive  is amazing.

Pretty much the same shot just looking at the old roll up door that went into Cleveland Twist Drill

 

 

 

 

 

[PASMITH]

A cantilever barn in the mountains of eastern TN. Peter Smith, Memphis

[blownout cylinder]

KenCSX: When I was in Grade7, we took a trip to Detroit to see the process that Ford used to deal with the steelmills they had--I have in my archives a bunch of pix that I took from the catwalks near the furnaces at the River Rouge complex--the furnaces were closed that time--so I got away with some good interior shots

Downtown Brussell ON

Old  feedstore in Woodstock ON

Things are not always so neat and clean---

[tstage]

As promised, a few pics of the inside of the Bucyrus (OH) T&OC Station:

Each first floor window has a smaller stain-glassed window above it

Unique light fixture

Two very unusual fan designs.  Although I really like both of these, I'm particularly fond of the ceiling fan with the exposed belt drive.  I would love to have one of those in my house - i.e. if my ceilings were 10' or higher.   Sorry about the overexposure in the second fan pic.

Tom

[CSX_road_slug]

OK, how 'bout some waterfront property in beautiful Detroit, MI:

 

...along with a few bridges:

 

And just a little ways upriver, an old gas tower:

The oxide red building in the background is part of Rouge Steel (recently acquired by Severstahl), which was once a part of the Ford Motor Company's River Rouge complex - where only raw materials were purchased, everything else (including the steel, glass and rubber) was manufactured on-site.

[blownout cylinder]

Thanks for reminding this little one---one thing that sometimes will 'spruce' up a scene are details---some I fell over recently

Above entrance is on a house---this house is/was not associated with any church or such but the entrance does kind of go with that

Landscaping around a house--this one full of Dahlias---

Wall of windows anyone??

[tstage]

Time to bring this thread back up on page 1.  I took a trip with the New York Central System Historical Society (NYCSHS) to Bucyrus, OH back in May 2008.  Below is the passenger platform and station for the Toledo & Ohio Central RR.

I'm particularly fond of Victorian houses and architecture.  The inside upper windows on the first floor have stain-glass in them.  All but one is original.  (Boy!  They just don't build 'em this way anymore, do they? )

They are renovating the entire station and work so far looks terrific.  I will post a few interior photos later on tonight.

Tom

[blownout cylinder]

A couple of puzzlers---

there is a lot of corrugated panels around that one.

and then there was this restaurant

---which overhangs the Thames R in London ON

There is a studio of sorts

right beside a one lane only underpass

[steemtrayn]

A classic gas station, Washington, NJ.

[cudaken]

 Today I was killing some time and poking around in my Train pictures files and came across a few that seem to fit this posting. They came off the Internet so I cannot give you the when, where or how of them. But, still fit well here.

 

 The mine, sure looks like Walther's mine, does it not?

 Bad side of the tracks.

 The yard.

                     Hope you can get some ideas from them.

               Cuda Ken

[Seamonster]

I thought I'd re-post the picture of the old service station in Boissevain, Manitoba here too.

[Seamonster]

Here's a couple of pictures of a signalman's shack from the Ft. la Reine Museum and Pioneer Village in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. They've got some restored railway stuff there including a caboose and a private coach.

[0-6-0]

Hello this is the popcorn shop in Chagrin Falls Ohio. This building sits right next to a water fall. The first pic is the front.

This is the right side looking over the bridge.

This is the back from the bottom of the falls looking up.

and this is the inside when you walk in this the first thing you see.

Have a nice day Frank

[blownout cylinder]

Another view of the hoisthouses

A blue sign----remember these around cars/locomotives on tracks being dealt with please---

[blownout cylinder]

I've left my pictures in a sort of semi coherent chronological order---well--sort of---kind of---well---

Glencoe N. ON----capacity over one million bushels --- can load up to 25 carloads a pop----more in season

Semi modern/post modern VIA station/flag stop in Strathroy ON

The 2 hoisthouses at the Sifto Salt mines at Goderich harbour, Goderich ON.

[Seamonster]

When I went to add more pictures to this thread, I discovered that due to my ignorance I had been creating sub-folders in Photobucket and had hit the limit of 5 sub-folders and couldn't add any more. Reading their help files I have determined that the best way out of this is to create new folders and group the pictures better. While I am doing this the links in this thread for my pictures will be broken. I will re-establish the links once I have re-organized the photos and I will add some more.

[blownout cylinder]

A couple of building ideas that I came across in my files--

Rowhousing developed from old storefronts--Paris ON

In Cambridge ON--part of old millsite being converted into condo units--

Then we came across this house tucked in the valley wall---not far from old mill site

Wonder how many find space for buildings on their layouts by sticking buildings into valley walls---

[spidge]

These two structures are to the east side of the Sunkist building with the tin structure first the the cement and brick structure just north of the tuin building.

 

[spidge]

I have a few more if its OK.

This next set of structures are adjascent one another in Higland CA. The rails have been removed quite some time ago. The first structure is obveous but I am not sure of the tin nor the concrete and brick structure.

I will use two posts.

 

[chooch_42]

Stein, Hello ! Went to the "norsk_signaler" site and used Google Translate: it did a fair job of making the information understandable (sometimes I have a tough time with English !!) for me. Both your site and Translate are quite useful. Thanks. Bob C. 

[markpierce]

blownout cylinder

markpierce

This is one of my favorites.  Presumably it had been a general store.  It is located at Sheep Ranch, CA, in the central California "gold country" somewhere between Sonora and Volcano.

I drove through that area many years ago. Those places are fast becoming harder to find in some areas---do you know whether it is a private residence now or---?

My impression was the structure was unoccupied, but can imagine it containing lots of "stuff."  I was there about 20 minutes, and didn't see a soul or vehicle in the meantime.  Now if you want some place (Sheep Ranch) really quiet, I'll recommend it.  Hope you won't mind a 30 to 45-minute drive over winding roads to any stores.

Mark

[blownout cylinder]

Stein: Those are some neat buildings and that railroad looks more like a NE corridor area!

Staircase on the outside---note the 'bracing'---near Seaforth ON

A former diner of sorts--was a lawyers office as well--near Wingham ON

I posted this thing on another thread some time ago---note the warpage---near Winthrop ON

Another riverside view----I used to live in a place like these---over a bakery yet----this is Elora ON-near the Elora Gorge

[steinjr]

rrinker

steinjr

 I realize that these pictures are pretty useless for American modelers - but what the heck - maybe it will inspire someone to build a layout set in Norway.

Actually, it doesn't seem all that unusual at all. The signals look fairly normal, as opposed to, say,. German types. The color that the station is painted might be a bit odd, but the overall shape of the building seems fairly generic, at least, it doesn't scream out "hey that's obviously in Norway" to me.

 

 That had me scratching my head and googling a little before I realized what the link was.

 I learned that Sorumsand  station was designed by Norwegian architect Paul Armin Due (1870-1926), and that P.A. Due, like quite a few architects of his age, was heavily influenced by what is known over here in Norway as the "Jugend style" (from the German words for "youth style").

 Jugend style, which is better known in English speaking countries by it's French name "Art Nouveau" ("New art"/"new style"), swept both Europe and America during the last couple of decades of the 1800s, up to World War 1 or so.

  An American RR station in Art Nouveau style was the old New Orleans Union Station, designed by Chicago designer Paul Sullivan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Union_Station

 I also found quite a few interesting books on Amazon and google books on railroad station arctitecture, and some pictures of some of the buildings designed by Sullivan (e.g. at  http://www.chicagohistory.org/sullivan150/credits/index.php).

 Btw - another source I have very much enjoyed on buildings in the Twin Cities (which is the place I try to model) is Larry Millets book "Lost Twin Cities" - on historic buildings the Twin Cities that has been torn down. Was recommended to me by forum poster wjstix, if I remember correctly.

 Btw2 - I also found a fascinating web page on modeling Norwegian signals (unfortunately only in Norwegian): http://www.platelayer.com/artikler/norske_signaler/signal_del1.htm

 The type 1 signal mentioned (entry to station) and type 2 signal (departure from station) has three lights above each other. Center light is red, top and bottom is green.

 Just red (or no light) is stop.

 Just top green light is "proceed slowly" (because you will be going through one or more turnouts thrown to the deviating path).

 If both top and bottom green light is "clear" - you are going straight ahead into (or out of) the station, and can proceed at greater speed. (Or in other words - if one of the bulbs burn out, you drop to signal which is more restricted).

 Btw3 - and utterly off topic, but I just love the world wide web, hyperlinks and search engines like google.

 It makes it immensely easier to avoid being a dullard (according to Science Fiction author Philip José Farmer, a dullard could be defined as "Someone who looks up a thing in the encyclopedia, turns directly to the entry, reads it, and then closes the book")

 I now have a few more bookmarks and a couple of new entries in my "train/subway commute reading list" on railroad station architecture.

 Randy - thanks for making me look for a connection, and take a very enjoyable side trip down this lane!

 Grin,
 Stein

 

[blownout cylinder]

markpierce

This is one of my favorites.  Presumably it had been a general store.  It is located at Sheep Ranch, CA, in the central California "gold country" somewhere between Sonora and Volcano.

I drove through that area many years ago. Those places are fast becoming harder to find in some areas---do you know whether it is a private residence now or---?

[rrinker]

steinjr

 I realize that these pictures are pretty useless for American modelers - but what the heck - maybe it will inspire someone to build a layout set in Norway.

 Grin,
 Stein

Actually, it doesn't seem all that unusual at all. The signals look fairly normal, as opposed to, say,. German types. The color that the station is painted might be a bit odd, but the overall shape of the building seems fairly generic, at least, it doesn't scream out "hey that's obviously in Norway" to me.

                           --Randy

 

[markpierce]

tstage

A partial view of the bank of Armstrong levers (taken through glass window in doorway):

Thanks to American Model Builders, Inc., this scene is easy to model.

 http://www.laserkit.com/images/388Ct.jpg

Edit:  Sorry, the above link isn't clickable.  Just go to www.laserkit.com and look for the new product listing.

Mark

[markpierce]

This is one of my favorites.  Presumably it had been a general store.  It is located at Sheep Ranch, CA, in the central California "gold country" somewhere between Sonora and Volcano.

 

 I particularly like the looks of the front porch with its varied foundations, and the gasoline price!  Of course, it has the obligatory Coca Cola sign.

Mark

[tstage]

steinjr

 I realize that these pictures are pretty useless for American modelers - but what the heck - maybe it will inspire someone to build a layout set in Norway.

Stein,

No one said they had to be just American prototypes.  Thanks for posting these.

Tom

[tstage]

Ajacent to the Grafton tower above is the small Grafton freight station:

Tom

[steinjr]

 Here is an oddball location, seen from the viewpoint of American modelers - Sorumsand RR station in Norway - a small RR station on the Kongsvinger RR line, about 30 miles east of Oslo. Pictures are from April 2005 :

 

Three tracks, raised platform between track 1 and track 2 to the left, some signals, catenary wire and masts, platform edge, asphalt and ballast color and texture, light poles (background left), station color, wooden crossing of the track for RR passengers (front left).

 

 

 One view (of about 8-10 pictures I took from different angles to show the station building - this one shows characteristic rounded windows with many small panes, doors, signs, clock (far left), the characteristic roof lines, garbage can (dark green), ashtray (dark red), tiles in front of main entrance.

 

 

 Closeup of details - main building is made of concrete, stationmaster's window section is made of wood, typical station sign (blue with white text), crew phone (gray box with gray T, loudspeaker with flashing light on top to alert crew on train that the phone is ringing), some trash on the ground that still hasn't been picked up.

 I realize that these pictures are pretty useless for American modelers - but what the heck - maybe it will inspire someone to build a layout set in Norway.

 A link to three photo journey along "my" RR line, done by another Norwegian railfan (Roy Olsen), who is also a far better photographer than me: 

http://trips.rool.no/kongsvingerbanen_190508
http://trips.rool.no/kongsvingerbanen_300407
http://trips.rool.no/kongsvingerbanen_210305

 Quite a few oldish structures here - RR line was built during the time of the American Civil War - in the mid 1860s.

 It was electrified sometime in 1952. The second second RR line at Sorumsand (the narrow gauge steam RR Urskog-Holandsbanen) was closed for general traffic in 1960, after having run since 1896. It now operates purely as a museum RR line.

(Send me a PM if you get curious about any of the structures  and need the text translated from Norwegian to English)

 Grin,
 Stein

 

[tstage]

[I posted these pics over on the other thread.  So, my apologies for those you have already seen them.]

This is the old NYC Big Four Grafton Interlocking tower in Grafton, OH.  Here's the view of the tower looking east and north:

A partial view of the bank of Armstrong levers (taken through glass window in doorway):

This is where a set of the Armstrong lever rods come through the tower flooring:

The operator's desk:

From all appearances and this link, the Grafton Tower is slowly being renovated and preserved.  (Notice the paint cans on the floor in last picture.)  It was originally located just to the NE side of SR 57 at the tracks.  At some point it was moved ~200' east and back from CSX's current double-mainline.  From the 2nd to the last picture, you'll notice that the vertical tower supports themselves are rail.

Tom

[blownout cylinder]

An old barn can be effective on its own as a scene element 

Feed supply store---Brussels ON

A place called Elora ON--a good river scene can be developed with this element--

All kinds of possumbilities---

 

[0-6-0]

Hello this is the NS yard office on chamberlain rd in Twinsburg.

and this is the yard

and the new water tower the white letter's are 6 feet tall

have a nice day Frank

[blownout cylinder]

Try even the local libraries that have historical/archival photos. Some universities have special collections departments that have available DVD's with even home movies documenting village/town life as well---

A couple more sights--

I came across a set of poles that still had the railroad's old telegraphy wires attached ---long disconnected but--- 

You don't even need big honkin' elevators---

 

[steinjr]

chpthrls

I don't have any pics to show, but, as I'm sure Norfolk-Western fans already know, there is a museum in Roanoke, Va. that houses the photo work of O. Winston Link. The photo contents on the museum are available to the general public just by accessing its web site

 

There are several good photo sites out there for prototype pics from older times. A handful of interesting ones I have visited:

http://www.shorpy.com - pictures from the period 1850-1950.

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/ - Minnesota Historical Society, visual resources collection

http://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/ - Virginia Tech image database, including 10 000 or so N&W related photos

http://www.forgottendelaware.com/ - pictures from out of the way corners of Delawere

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/ - photos from New York, including subway and railroad pictures

 

A few Library of Congress online collections:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html - Farm Safety Administration/Office of War Information photo collection from the 1930s and 1940s

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/ - Historical American Building Survey/Historical American Engineering Records - line drawings and photos of various historical buildings

There no doubt are dozens or hundreds of other  websites with photos of various buildings etc.

Smile,
Stein

[BATMAN]

 Old water tower at Brookmere B.C.

 

[0-6-0]

Hello the name of the farm is Stone ledge farms. You can find more on the barn at this link.

It used to have rolled roofing on it. A few years ago they put the metal one on. Hope this helps frank

[blownout cylinder]

Seamonster: I love those bridge pix

One closed limestone mill

Paris ON---old houses

Two different views of downtown Paris ON

[Seamonster]

This is the CPR bridge over the Red River at Emerson, Manitoba. It was built as a swing bridge but the mechanism was disconnected long ago. You can still see the big gear on the center pillar. It has a sidewalk on the north side which the residents who live on the west side of the river use to get to the town on the east side. The RR crossing sign is for the pedestrian path over the tracks at the west end of the bridge.

[Seamonster]

Here's some photos of a through truss bridge over the Red River in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The bridge was built in 1912 and carried two-way vehicle traffic until 1965 when a new bridge was built connecting two streets about a kilometer downstream. The bridge deck is only 15 feet wide. Can you imagine two-way traffic with the cars of the 60s? i have heard that two 1959 Chevs (I think it was) with the horizontal tail fins could not pass each other on the bridge. It is now a pedestrian and bicycle bridge.

[cudaken]

 Great idea Tom! Here are a few pictures of Alton IL. The cliffs where the inspiration for my current section of bench.

 

 Alton IL is not far from St Louis Mo. It was founded around 1802 or so. It is on the banks of the Mississippi not far from Missouri river.Shell Oil Company was started in Alton.

 Few pictures of down town Alton.

 

          Cuda Ken

[blownout cylinder]

0-6-0: The barn is amazing--it'd be interesting to find out its history----

Another old ROW----this one near the Carmeuse limestone quarry---

And for something a bit different----a recently built factory-----now up for sale---

Fall over things a lot here---

[rs2mike]

0-6-0

Hello great start so far. Here are a few from me.First one is a old brick barn on route 91 in Twinsburg Ohio

 

This was a pizza shop when I was kid not sure what it was before that. It's in Twinsburg.

This is a cement plant on on rout 91 in Twinsburg

I will have some more later.Have a nice day Frank

 

Frank.  My friends wedding was in that barn.  Real nice people.  Came to the hardware store(richner ) all the time.  The top floor of the barn(equipement storage) has been converted to a ball room of sorts.  The lady who lives there lost her son to luchema(? spelling) and now has fund raisers there.  The pizza shop in the second pic spent a lot of years as a shoe repair place when I was growing up.  I think it even may have seen some time as a scuba shop.  Hey you should snap a pic of the missle silo(water tower) for those wanting a more modern water tower.

[blownout cylinder]

tstage

Barry,

Just trying to understand what I'm seeing.  Was the bridge originally used to cross over the tracks of the yard, which are now no longer there?

Tom

Yes that is what it did. I think there were about 10 tracks that it crossed at that time. Ian Wilson wrote a book a few years back called Steam Over Palmerston that has numerous photos made during that era. I'm trying to find that dang book in this maze of a collection I have here!! lol!! The fact that it was so well kept over the years pretty much allowed this to stay there----when I was there there was no rust anywhere on that bridge----

 

[Seamonster]

Tom, you're forgiven. No harm done. To tell the truth, things are a bit hectic around here and I haven't been able to get on the forum much recently so I didn't notice.

 

I am very pleased to see that you've started this thread. I have a feeling it's going to become a very long one. I am somewhat amazed and awed that my little photograph that I almost hesitated to post was the start of all this. That gives me a warm fuzzy. Thanks, Tom, for starting this.

 

As soon as I can find the time I'll post some of my photographs up on Photobucket and put them in this thread. I've got some grain elevators and some old decrepit buildings and similar stuff.

 

For those of you who like grain elevators, I recommend this link:

http://manitobaphotos.com/manitoba_grain_elevators.htm

The author of the site has given me permission to post a link to his site. I would recommend that you go to his home page and look at all the photographs he has. He is a prolific photographer and I'm sure most of you would enjoy looking at his photographs and maybe even find something to model in his other pages.

 

Stein: I've seen that two-story biffy. Back in 1967 my wife and I were returning from a trip to the west coast and passed through that tourist town. Somewhere I've got a photograph of that biffy and other buildings in the town but they haven't been scanned into the computer yet. We sure got a kick out of that thing.

[tstage]

Barry,

Just trying to understand what I'm seeing.  Was the bridge originally used to cross over the tracks of the yard, which are now no longer there?

Tom

[blownout cylinder]

spidge

This is the Southern Pacific Colton CA. Depot and Express building. They are still standing in the pictured condition. It would make a great railroad park as the BNSF diamond is about 100 yards west.

Great shots of a wonderful set of stations there--

Walkerton ON was at one time a division point for CN back during the 30's through the 50's/60's before it became 'disinvested' in by CN after many years of declines in traffic--there is now a park here that includes what must have been a wonderful place for people to take pix from back then.

Something of a view from the bridge

I'm going through some more of these things but there you go--

 

[tinman1]

Took this while doing a job in southern Ohio. It appears to have seen better days, but it still stands

 

[chpthrls]

I lurk here but don't often post, however, this thread seems pretty worthwhile. I don't have any pics to show, but, as I'm sure Norfolk-Western fans already know, there is a museum in Roanoke, Va. that houses the photo work of O. Winston Link. The photo contents on the museum are available to the general public just by accessing its web site. I'm not a big steamer fan, but the photo archives in this collection are awesome. Most were taken just prior to, and during the transition era and Link loved steam! The archives are a transition modelers dream and all you have to do is Google his name, and voila!

                                                                     Gerry S.

[0-6-0]

Hello great start so far. Here are a few from me.First one is a old brick barn on route 91 in Twinsburg Ohio

 

This was a pizza shop when I was kid not sure what it was before that. It's in Twinsburg.

This is a cement plant on on rout 91 in Twinsburg

I will have some more later.Have a nice day Frank

 

[spidge]

I'll bite.

This is the Southern Pacific Colton CA. Depot and Express building. They are still standing in the pictured condition. It would make a great railroad park as the BNSF diamond is about 100 yards west. To bad the tower and mill were removed long ago.

 

These structures are located at the 9th street exit off the 10 freewy.

[tstage]

Stein,

Thanks for posting this!   I've become really intrigued by early signals.  I've already scratch-built a couple of ball signals.  I saw one like this on a NYC DVD recently and thought it would be a fun one to model.  The details of the manual swing gate (Franklin, IN?) weren't as clear as I wanted in the DVD so this will help greatly.  Thanks again!

Tom

[blownout cylinder]

Ah yes, an excellent idea has come up with a bumper crop by the looks of things. I've got a few here

These two were found in Ripley ON. A former feed supply store 

This one is right next door to the feed supply store. Behind these buildings rested 3 tractors--an old McCormick-Deering, A Massey Ferguson and another one that I could not quite identify.

BTW---if touring the backroads for a day trip--pack a lunch or summat--some places that may appear on the map may not be as big as one would think.We did find out that around here that places around 1500 and up may actually support some diners so have fun but bring along lunches---just in case

 We also fell over about 8 ghost town sites that we are currently researching. If you find any places like that--leave the stuff there--some of these places are now on private property--- 

[steinjr]

 Two humble structures that still may make interesting little vignettes on a model railroad layout:

1) Old wooden two story hotel outhouse in a museum, near Virginia City, Montana, summer of 2008. In the olden days, guests staying at the hotel used the elevated walkway to reach the upstairs bathroom, bar patrons used the downstairs bathroom.

 

 Fortunately for the bar guests, the throne in the upstairs bathroom is set a little further to the rear than the throne in the downstairs one

 2) RR crossing protected by manual swing gate. Belt Line crossing, Minnesota Commercial Railroad, Roseville, MN, summer of 2007.

 

 Here is a small business scene - tow boat pushing a single interesting looking barge on the Mississippi River, near St. Paul, MN, summer of 2006:

 

 

Smile,
Stein

 

[Geared Steam]

Hotel Meade in Bannack Montana

 

 

[secondhandmodeler]

I have to apologize for using a picture that's not mine.  It is courtesy of the Blue Earth County Historic Society.  This is a picture of a mill that I am currently trying to reproduce on a little smaller scale.  It is still in operation, though the silos have been replaced in my lifetime.

 

This is a picture that I took of the reverse side, current day.

 

[nik .n]

 Boy oh boy do I have stuff for you!

 The Huber Breaker, overlooking S Main Street in Ashley, PA. Here is a link to a satellite view, just zoom in some.

 

The Logo painted on the side:

Panoramic view:

View of water tower:

View of stack:

 

 This place is massive.

 There is more towared the bottom. http://s580.photobucket.com/albums/ss241/Erie_Lackawanna_Fan/?start=80

 

PLEASE DON'T LOCK THIS THREAD!

[secondhandmodeler]

Ken, I'm using two Walthers City Stations to try and recreate the second floor and roof line.  You're right though, I could almost use the kit by itself.  I drive past this Depot twice a day so it's something that's fun for me to model.

[tstage]

8500HPGASTURBINE

Why was the other thread locked???

Mike,

Thanks for asking the question.  My original intention was so that this thread could have a fresh start and that pictures wouldn't be posted to both threads. (Hence, why I linked to the other thread in the OP.)

However, now after mulling it over; the original spark for this may have come from Bob's thread...but there was absolutely NO viable nor good reason for me to lock his thread in the first place...and it was wrong of me to do that.   I was too focused on getting this one started that lost sight of what I was doing.

Mike, thanks for the 2 by 4 upside the head...really!  I've now reopened Bob's thread.  Bob, forgive me for infringing on your original thread.

Tom

[CSX_road_slug]

8500HPGASTURBINE

CSX, Talk about building something on the side of a mountain. Nice pics.

Thanks Mike!  I sure wish the area I'm modeling (northern Ohio) was as hilly as around here in central Maryland, mine will need to be on a somewhat flatter surface.

 

Corey - that station looks like it came right out of the Walthers catalog, what a find!

[secondhandmodeler]

For those of you that have seen pictures of my trestle in progress, you may recognize this first one. It's the Red Jacket Trestle on the former Milwaukee Road just south of Mankato MN.   The second picture is of the former Union station in Mankato.  It was owned by the CNW/Omaha Road and still stands today.  It is now the home of a few attorneys and my financial advisor.  His location had no bearing on why I chose him!

[SteamFreak]

 Great idea for a thread. I dug through my photos, and had forgotten I took some shots of this abandoned concrete plant in New Hope, PA. It was originally served by rail, as the NH&I spur that is now their dead line behind their shop extended several hundred feet further onto the property.The rail facilities are long gone.

 

I had to climb through a thicket of tree branches to get into the decrepit office (the 1 story structure in the right of the first photo, which I should have gotten in frame) and shot some pictures of the rotting office equipment, including these Toledo truck scales. The floor didn't feel too sturdy!

[CSX_road_slug]

 OK, here's one I happen to have in my image library: The Woodstock Inn, a biker's bar right beside the grade crossing of the B&O [now CSX] Old Main Line across Woodstock Road in my hometown of Woodstock, MD.  I hope to model it myself some day - every once in awhile they have Hot Rod shows in their parking lot, that would give me an excuse to park some 1950-70's vintage muscle cars on my layout.

Here's the structure as we approach the crossing:

 

...a full-frontal view:

...and the other end.  I couldn't get directly behind to shoot a full view of the rear of the building...

 

Hope this offers some inspiration!

[howmus]

OK, I'll bite....  This is what is left of an old Grain Elevator located in Canandaigua, NY.  When I was a kid, my father used to buy his cattle feed here.  I can still remember the smell of the grains and the molasses mixed together.

Benham's Elevator:

Back side:

I have an HO scale blueprint of the building drawn by a friend.  I intend to scratchbuild it this winter.