149th Street Harlem Station
#1
Hi,

I'm actually in the process of building a small switching HO layout depicting Erie's Harlem Station in NYC. Back in 2010, I started to build it but the project was soon plagued with turnout issues and lack of data. Even though, I still think rail-marine operations are particularly interesting.

SInce then, I found out better pictures, better maps, aerial photographs and could then proceed to redraw a more accurate track plan. The good thing was that Harlem Station had almost no curved turnout, which is a good thing with small radius.

I'm confident the track plan is probably one of the most precise version of this station yet to be found. Many modellers tried to reproduce Harlem Station, but so far, all of them made concession here and there. My goal is to operate a faithful rendition of this terminal.

[Image: Harlem%2BStation-v9.jpg]

The layout will be made of two waffle frame modules bolted together and equipped with folding legs. I already started to build the module... What a time consuming process, but it's worth the effort.

I'd like to experiment with radio-controlled/battery powered locomotives, mainly a boxcab which I already discussed in another thread. I have many reason to go this way which I won't detail here but they are mainly centered on flawlessly operation with short wheel base locomotive at slow speed and the possibility to run the locomotive over the carfloat without having to wire it.

All structures will be removable for easy of transportation. A club member is highly interested in operating this layout at home, so it's why it is designed as a freemo module for exhibit.

Except locomotives, I have a large amount of 1940s and 1950s US cars that will be at home on this layout. It's a great opportunity to use them.

Some pictures can be found here. http://harlem-station.blogspot.ca/

To be noted, most structure, except the car float, will be kitbashed or heavily kitbashed, including tugboats, freight house & shed, gantry crane an small coal dealer sheds.

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#2
It looks like a very interesting prototype to model Matt. Was there a main commodity for this terminal or anything and everything for freight?
Stephen 

Modeling a freelanced, present day short line set in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9643
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#3
Railnet Wrote:It looks like a very interesting prototype to model Matt. Was there a main commodity for this terminal or anything and everything for freight?

Here's some excellent information:

http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/errhs.html

There was specfic commodities because the station served specific customers. On pictures, you can see many coal dealers have their shed on the property at specific car spot (which is interesting from operation standpoint). From what I can understand, each customer had it's own dedicated siding/car sport

There was 1 carfloat per day in 1951, with an average of 12-car per day (about 2000 per year). It seems, that year, there was operation on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Tenants in 1952 were:

Bay Transportation
Jerome Fuel Co.
Mirandi Coal Co.
National Carloading
Adolf Gobel (future tenant)
Gerosa Crane
United Cigar Box
HudFord
Brill

Coal was a major commodity. Lots of photo also show machinery.

I'll quote the Trainweb article:

Quote:Inbound commodities such as: canned goods, heavy construction equipment, feed, grain, furniture, steel pipe, rugs, lumber and evaporated milk are listed as having been consigned through the Harlem Station. Another of the significant inbound commodities was coal.

Outbound freight consisted of waste paper, rags, machinery and conveyors.

Well, it was quite diversified.

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#4
I love layouts like this because you can put so much detail into a relatively small space if you wish .........box cabs and GE 44 tonners are really cool . You could even run small steam .

Thumbsup Thumbsup

T
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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#5
teejay Wrote:I love layouts like this because you can put so much detail into a relatively small space if you wish .........box cabs and GE 44 tonners are really cool . You could even run small steam .

Thumbsup Thumbsup

T

You're right. There's not many structures on such a small footprint, so you can really go overboard with details. I still have no idea how I'll handle this but the tugboat is actually a heavy kitbash project, the carfloat apron and gantry crane are also going to be challenges. Even the soil texture will be quite diversified: gravel, concrete, spills, coal, weed, pier, etc.

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#6
I will watch you closely Smile
How to you plan to do the ground cover? There is very little real ballast but the tracks are covered up to the ties with mud and dirt. In 1:87 scale is that dust but dust is very hard to glue down with white glue.
Reinhard
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#7
faraway Wrote:I will watch you closely Smile
How to you plan to do the ground cover? There is very little real ballast but the tracks are covered up to the ties with mud and dirt. In 1:87 scale is that dust but dust is very hard to glue down with white glue.

Reinhard,

I'd like to try textured spray paint to make a ground foundation before adding dirt. When I built my QSSR layout, I used realy dirt from sifted crushed stone and it glued well. I also use the same mix on Hedley Junction. I think tile grout is harder to glue or maybe I should just have wetted it?

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#8
We had a train ferry here in Windsor ON for decades , that ran over to Detroit and back across the Detroit River ....one of the guys in my old train club used to captain one of the two active ferries . Be sure to check out ...railroad ferry at windsor ont canada and look at all the google images . There were actual train ferries and there also were train barges that weren't self propelled...they needed a tug boat for motivation . I was building a model of one of the train ferries for my old captain friend but I haven't touched it in some time ....something else on the "to-do" list Icon_lol
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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#9
I'm liking it more and more. Lots of info in the link as well. This layout and Reinhrd's latest thread have me going back in time with mine to the 77-85 range.
Stephen 

Modeling a freelanced, present day short line set in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9643
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#10
I'm sure you've also seen the Bronx Terminal which included some of the most complex track work you'll ever encounter . When I was researching it for possibilities on my own layout ( I later decided to NOT model it ) I ran into a guy on line who did a scale model of it .......years of work !!
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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#11
Don't recall his name but it's the guy who runs Fastracks.

Tom
Life is simple - Eat, Drink, Play with trains

Occupation: Professional Old Guy (The government pays me to be old.)
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#12
Think you're right Tom .
To err is human, to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.
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#13
Teejay, nice stuff at Windsor. That "carfloat" looks pretty good with its overead cab. A nice and "easy" bash. There was also a similar ferry in Quebec City when they built the Quebec Bridge and after it collapsed. It was called "Leonard" and ws in service until 1919. It was a similar to Windsor, but far bigger and the track were on a liftable bridge to adjust the height.

https://academiedecherbourg.files.wordpr...4-1918.jpg

Another one would the Kootenay one in BC.

Bronx Terminal was built by Tim Warris. Crazy stuff. It's been a while since he updated his blog. No idea if he ever completed the structures and scenery. That was a neat project.

I progressed on waffle frame modules... Patience, patience, patience!

[Image: IMG_7731b.jpg]

[Image: IMG_7729b.jpg]

Modules are bolted together using T-nuts. I borrowed the idea from this guy. Easy to do and gives excellent results.

http://railwaybobsmodulebuildingtips.blo...bolts.html

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#14
What are the brown patterns on the ply? is it re-used from something else?
Tim David
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#15
FiatFan Wrote:Don't recall his name but it's the guy who runs Fastracks.

Tom

Yes you are correct, here's his layout page. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bronx-terminal.com">http://www.bronx-terminal.com</a><!-- m --> not a whole lot of updates lately but he has a bunch of videos on YouTube running the layout.
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