Notes on Designing, Building, and Operating Model Railroads
A hobby adventure
It’s amazing how much stuff there is to sort through after moving. I’ve done this before and after each move and I still find forgotten treasure. While cleaning out a file cabinet I found some old trackplans. The plan above was drawn 43 years ago, when I was 14. Holy cow. Please, do not build this railroad. Those track switch angles are freehand.
I journeyed to metro-Philadelphia last week for the RPM Valley Forge railroad prototype modeler meet. A winter Nor’easter was threatening but passed through a couple days before the event. I arrived on Thursday afternoon to participate in an operating session that evening.
Do you recognize this gondola? I know you recognize the railroad name, but do you recognize the car design? It looks similar to many gondolas used in the first four decades of the 20th Century. The B&O had more than 2500 of these O-17 class gondolas listed in an October 1926 Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER). Are you surprised?
Do you recognize this box car? I know you recognize the railroad name, but do you recognize the car design? I’ll bet most readers are not familiar with this car design. It does look similar to many box cars used in the first four decades of the 20th Century, but this was the most common B&O box car until 1926. There were 9988 listed as in service in an October 1926 Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER). Are you surprised?
December is often a tough month to find hobby time. The holidays, family commitments, job stuff, and more pull away the free time we had in other months. The next few blog posts here will feature some handy resources for you to review. I hope they will inspire new ideas and models in the New Year.