Early Conrail was when there was a rainbow of colors from the locomotives that formed Conrail and all of the leased locomotives on line. It was also the year of the Bi-Centennial paint on hundreds of locomotives.  This is a model of the Seaboard Coast Line version which did show up at Conway, Pa. This is an old Athearn Blue Box and the model does have the proper Blomberg trucks were from EMD GP trade-ins.  The unit was built in June of 1971 and delivered in these colors. The original 1776 was renumbered 1813 which would have been the number assigned to the Bi-centennial locomotive as built.     
Charlie

Part of my layout addition includes a wall on the left-hand side of the available space, and I would like to be able to do two things with that area:

1) disguise the wall and guide your eye away from the fact that there's a wall there,

2) Give the illusion that there is a hill that runs from high to low from front to back of the available space.

   

The germ of the kernel of the idea is to start with the corner of a low-relief brick and concrete warehouse and run it parallel to the wall and gradually run sections downward toward the back of the 16 inches I have available there.  No pictures yet of what this'll really look like - I have to play around with bits and pieces of a Clever Models kit that's a bit of a kitbasher's dream.  The kit files include nothing but walls, windows, pilasters, roof caps, and doors.  I'll also supplement some other doors, awnings, signs, etc. from other Clever kits to add some additional interest.  That's the plan at any rate.

Here's a shot of a couple of the printed "base" sheets that can be cut out and joined to my heart's content.

   

...and here's one of their (Clever's) ideas on what could be built:

   

I think my structure's going to be a bunch of conjoined warehouses which house the same business - I'll have to do a little research to see what other than coal was going on in Hazleton in 1976 that might merit the structure.

No real plan!  This will really be a true kitbash, and a challenge.

Good day everyone. 

     I want to share my rail car photos from the late 70's for the modelers that like to weather their cars. I did manage to take quite a few photos ad I will try to enlarge some areas so the details can be seen a little better. 

Charlie

Crossing the Morris Trestle      Charlie

I'm selling my 5' x 7' HO Great Northern Railway freight layout (see elsewhere), as well as numerous books and materials on all aspects of model railroading. With classic titles in layout design, bench construction, wiring, scenery, operation and more, this inventory is a full complement of everything in HO railroading from A to Z by some of the best known and accomplished model railroaders in the history of the hobby. Most titles are for direct current (DC) operation, while a few are for digital command control (DCC) or a combination of both.

All titles published by Model Railroader magazine, Kalmbach Publishing and Atlas Model Railroad Company. Books are listed by category, title, author and price.  PayPal plus exact postage.  Located in Missoula, Montana.

GUIDES FOR BEGINNING MODEL RAILROADERS

HO Model Railroading Handbook: Build an Exciting HO Layout the Easy, Inexpensive Way by Robert Schleicher: $10
Building a Model Railroad Step by Step by David Popp: $10
All Aboard: The Practical Guide to HO Model Railroading by Model Railroader magazine: $5
764 Helpful Hints for Model Railroaders by Bob Warren: $1
Beginner's Guide to Locomotives & Rolling Stock by Cody Grivno: $12

BENCH WORK AND LAYOUT DESIGN

How to Build Model Railroad Benchwork, 2nd edition by Linn Westcott: $5
Creative Model Railroad Design by John Armstrong: $15
Realistic Model Railroad Deign by Tony Koester: $10
Design Handbook of Model Railroads by Paul Mallery: $2
Modeling the Transition Era by Tony Koester: $8

TRACK PLANNING AND LAYOUTS

The Model Railroad Track Plan Book by John Armstrong: $20
Track Planning for Realistic Operation, 3rd edition by John Armstrong: $25
The Classic Layout Designs of John Armstrong: $12
The Atlas Beginner's Guide to HO Model Railroading #9 by Atlas Model Railroad Company: $5
101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders by Linn Westcott: $3
Six HO Railroads You Can Build, 2nd edition by John Armstrong and Thaddeus Stepek: $2
Atlas Custom Line HO Layouts, 2nd edition by John Armstrong and Thaddeus Stepek: $2
Basic Trackwork for Model Railroaders: The Complete Photo Guide by Jeff Wilson: $2
Trackwork and Lineside Detail by Kent Johnson: $8

WIRING AND DCC

How to Wire Your Model Railroad (DC) by Linn Westcott: $5
The Complete Atlas Wiring Book #12 (DC): $2
Easy Model Railroad Wiring (DC) by Andy Sperandeo: $12
Basic Wiring for Model Railroad: The Complete Photo Guide (DC) by Rick Selby: $
Wiring Your Model Railroad by Larry Puckett (DC & DCC): $15
DCC Made Easy by Larry Strange: $6
DCC Guide: How to Select and Use Your Command Control System by Don Fiehmann: $10
Wiring Projects for Your Model Railroad (DC & DCC) by Larry Puckett: $12

REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE

Maintaining & Repairing Your Scale Model Trains by Jim Volhard: $12

SCENERY AND STRUCTURES

Basic Scenery for Model Railroaders: The Complete Photo Guide by Lou Sassi: $12
Basic Scenery for Model Railroaders, 2nd edition by Lou Sassi: $12
How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery, 3rd edition by Dave Frary: $20
303 Tips for Detailing Model Railroad Scenery and Structures by Dave Frary and Bob Hayden: $10
The Model Railroader's Guide to Mountain Railroading by Tony Koester: $12
222 Tips for Building Model Railroad Structures by Dave Frary: $8
Model Railroad Bridges & Trestles by Model Railroader magazine: $12
The Model Railroader's Guide to Bridges & Trestles by Jeff Wilson: $15

OPERATIONS

How to Operate Your Model Railroad (All Scales) by Bruce Chubb: $10
Realistic Model Railroad Operation: How to Run Your Trains Like the Real Thing by Tony Koester: $15

HISTORY

The Great Northern Railway: A Pictorial Study, 3rd printing (1989) by Charles & Dorothy Wood: hardcover $75

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS (my personal planning notes, diagrams, etc. and Model Railroader magazine articles on all aspects of the hobby. Archived in tabbed, three-ring binders): $10 each

Great Northern Railway Prototype & Design:
- The Empire Builder
- Great Northern Railway
- layout design
- track curvature
- three Atlas layouts
- purchasing model railroad equipment

Technical and modeling articles, references and diagrams:

- ballasting
- couplers
- electrical
- electrical accessories and structures
- maintenance and repair
- painting
- scenery
- soldering
- streets and highways
- structures
- tools
- terrain and landscaping
- weathering
- Blueprints for Atlas Snap-Track HO Layouts
- catalog of Atlas Model Railroad Products

For my entry I am building a kit for EBT Tank-on-flatcar 116 from Funaro & Camerlengo. This is my first resin kit so should be a fun challenge. So far I have taken stock of all the bits and I am aiming for having the kit ready for painting by the end.

It's National French Fry Day and Shore River's North Job is being kept busy switching cryo cars of frozen french fries at the two cold storage warehouses in the Pinelands Industrial Park.

Bruce

   

I've been reading George Hilton's book - "The Ma & Pa: A History of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad" that one of my coworkers gave to me a few years ago.  The Ma & Pa: A History of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad - Hilton, George W.: 9780801862946 - AbeBooks

Fascinating stuff about a railroad with grandiose visions never really realized.  I live a mere mile or so from it's right of way, and I occasionally walk the "Ma and Pa" trail here in Harford County which is on or near the roadbed that carried freight and passengers (eventually) from North Avenue in Baltimore up to York while hitting small towns and industries along the way.  Before the interstate highway system and before everyone had multiple cars, this railroad helped farmers and the small towns bring their goods and services to markets in those two cities.  I've also hiked a lot in Rocks State Park, where there is still a bridge abutment and what's left of the roadbed running through the park adjacent to Deer Creek.  There's a natural gorge there and you'd never think you were still in Maryland.

What's also fascinating is that the railroad began operation as two distinct railroads each in narrow (3') gauge, and in order to hit all of these small towns, the routing was relatively insane for a railroad, which can be seen by consulting the map here: The Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad - Abandoned Rails.  George talks about the extreme twists and turns by comparing it to the Rio Grande mainline, and the comparison isn't even close - the Ma and Pa was the equivalent of a roller coaster thrill ride, and it travelled through some very picturesque countryside.

If I were to model steam......   I might have to give modeling the Ma and Pa a try....

I'll add to this thread as I get more familiar with the history.  The entirety of the railroad is within an hour of my homestead.

WPMA-40  making it's return trip back to the yard.  The heat must be keeping the patrons from the Blue Pig inside this evening.

Bruce