February 26, 2024 My New Year’s resolution is to stay motivated to rebuild and expand my HO railroad. Having taken down a wall to open to what was a separate storage room, by the end of last November I had those walls painted sky blue. I decided next I needed a ceiling above and what a difference! Starting in January I used the Armstrong track system, put fiber wool sound deadening insulation above and built a valance surround. The LED lights are now flush mounted and controlled by a wall switch. Now I can build the staging yard I want below, and extend and finish the ceiling as I rebuild my existing layout. Here is a link to Turn the Lights Back On 2024, a photo album of my ceiling project . Inspiring me as I worked was a song by Billy Joel by that name, his first release of a new song after 30 years. Some think this song is a metaphor for his life and career. I think that also this song is a metaphor for my railroad renovation!
Category: Railroad
Crew Levick Oil Company
From Oil History in Warren County:
A small refinery to be built on five acres of land in Glade Township, between the river and the railroad, was announced and in less than three months it was partially completed and refining crude oil. Additional refineries were constructed as well; the Cornplanter Refining Company was built in 1888 as was the Glade Filtering Works (also known as the Holmes Oil Refinery). This was followed by the Muir Refining Company. The Crew Levick Company came into being with the combination of the Glade Filtering Works and the Muir interests.
Track plan and chart
Here is the evolution of my track plan of the Pennsylvania Railroad Renovo Division Erie Main at Warren, PA.
This is a picture of the control panel for my HO layout 1980 – present. It is a freelance plan not following any particular prototype. From this layout there are elements I can salvage and put toward building a new layout that follows the PRR prototype I have chosen. The arrow on the control plan is supposed to point to the upper-level town that would have provided point to point operation. That town would have been controlled by another panel, the blank panel to the right. There was a concept of staging in that the mainline tracks in the upper left were hidden in a tunnel and a mainline passenger would park on the outside track and a mainline freight would park on the inside track.
The Northern Division, Erie Main at Warren, PA, as described in my Chief Dispatcher SOQ, that will be the source document for my build. I plan to take the track plan above, lengthen it, eliminate the grade to the upper level, mirror the yard on the other side. To it add a John Armstrong coach yard wye, see the bottom example in this image from one of his books. But instead of a coach yard pictured, on my layout there will be two staging yards.
Selective compression is needed so Struthers moves to the Erie Main. Warren and Struthers are sibling industrial yards to support local industry at each location. That is a change from the prototype where Warren is the main yard and Struthers a subordinate yard. Tower IRV is west of Warren and tower OTTS is east of Struthers on the Erie Main. The Salamanca Branch is an alternate route between the IRV and OTTS towers, it is a return track to allow continuous running and one leg of a wye to turn trains.
Here is the result:
To see my track plan, here is a link to PRR Northern Division at Warren drawn with JMRI XTracKCAD and enhanced with PowerPoint. The layout is designed to fit in an 11 by 20-foot space as an island with access on all sides and modular construction. Generating a track list there is about 100 ft. of track total, so I estimate 50 ft. of that total is the main line.
To see my track chart, here is a link to Warren Trackchart that will be the basis to for my Union Switch and Signal Panel using JMRI Panel Pro. Signals will indicate routing. Timetable and train order will grant authority.
Next, building an operations database. The operations database will provide train crews with a switch list. For the Chief Dispatcher SOA, I started an Excel database from an example presented at a clinic. Since then, I attended another clinic this time on building a database using JMRI operations and I decided that this is how I will build my operations database. Entering a small amount of data for proof of concept I have decided this is how I will generate my computerized manifests and switch lists. Some examples can be found here in this link to Train Manifests.
Chief Dispatcher NMRA Achievement Program
On February 21, 2022 I obtained the NMRA Achievement Program Chief Dispatcher designation. Here is my Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) document with forms and drawings included. The information in my SOQ comes from the Pennsylvania Railroad Renovo Division Erie Main at Warren, PA in the last decade of the PRR. By this time, the PRR Salamanca Branch that also ran through Warren has been abandoned. This document now becomes my Statement of Work for my future HO scale model railroad plans.
A bibliography of my source documents can be found at Railroad links and publications.
N Scale Weekend Jaffa Center Altoona, PA August 3-4, 2019
N-Scale Weekend 2019 Photos
N-Scale Weekend 2019 Videos
N-Scale Weekend 2019 YouTube Video Playlist
MER NMRA Susquehannock October 12-15, 2017
Thursday
Attended an Op Session on the Pittsburgh and South Pennsylvania Railroad hosted by Don Florwick
Set in 1955 the NYC completes the South Pennsylvania right of way from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh connecting with the PL&E. Lightening striped diesels work the railroad using DCC with sound. The railroad operates with a fast clock, timetable, train orders, and telephones to communicate with dispatcher and operator. Operations went smoothly and I had a very fun evening.
Friday
Toured the Harrisburg Amtrak station
Originally the PRR station; built preceding the art deco era, restored and now an Amtrak station and also occupied by the bus lines. Maintenance had part of the train shed closed so the GG1 on display was not accessible. On the trackside of the station building was State Tower that controlled the end of the yard opposite Harris tower. Harris tower was decommissioned first and was a sub panel in State tower until it closed and now CTC is done remotely from other NS and Amtrak locations. On the board you can see all the tracks that were not thoroughly erased as they were taken out of service. Upstairs is the Power Director’s office that controlled the electrified tracks between Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The clock is fittingly stopped at 7:00 o’clock the time twice daily it along with all other PRR clocks were synchronized with the USNO clock.
Toured Harris Tower
On our way there we saw the Capital Dome and the State Street Veterans Bridge. Across the tracks was the Power Plant that provided electricity to the railroad. The tower was superbly restored. Later I found out how unimaginably bad condition it was in when the NRHS took it over. I was so impressed by the computer simulation program running with a fast clock, timetable, train orders, and telephones. With the tower disconnected from the physical world it was useless until the computer program connected it to a virtual world. There a couple telltale monitors necessary to run the simulation.
Toured National Civil War Museum
Of particular interest to me are any stories of Brig. General Elon Farnsworth, Picket’s Charge, day 3 of Gettysburg, and Devil’s Den. Also of interest is anything about the USS Kearsarge after which my Erie neighborhood is named.
Friday night clinics
Harris tower – Dan Rapak of the Harrisburg Chapter of the NRHS
Author of the simulation program gave a presentation of the long process of restoration and preservation. The pendulum clock, the switch and signal levers, the teletype, phones, and the board are all connected to a virtual world. It was fascinating to find out how the tower was brought back to life. Even the voices of former tower operators were recorded and can be heard from the listening speaker in the room.
Friday night clinics continued
One Modelers Approach to Building a Layout – Andrew Dodge, MMR
He shared how he planned and built his railroad. One thing he stressed is to make the room a place you and your visitors will enjoy before you start building a railroad. It is hard to fix the room once the railroad is in it, a very good point. He shared lessons learned from the number of layouts he has built. And he reviewed the many ways modelers approach the hobby.
Saturday clinics
Scenery Along The Right Of Way, Lou Sassi
Non-Technical Introduction To Layout Command Control – John Forsythe
John is owner of TCS and spoke on the NMRA LCC standard. The NMRA LCC layout was on display and included in the presentation.
Adding Signals To Your Layout With Layout Command Control – Dick Bronson
Dick is owner of RR-CirKits and he demonstrated a working LCC compatible DCC command station, working LCC signals and working turnout control system. The wiring is simple, it is just Cat5 cable. He demonstrated programming signals for the PRR. His boards use CAN protocol that is used by the auto industry.
Overview: Rail Transportation Engineering Education in US – Bryan Schlake
A clinic featuring Penn State and railroading, I was definitely in the right room. Bryan spoke on the PSU’s BS Degree in Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE). He presented some graphs showing a staggering number of rail professionals are now over 30 years in tenure and heading for retirement. There isn’t an incoming number to take their place. And in addition railroading of all classes is growing so even more skilled individuals are needed. The shortage of skilled IT, Construction, Railroad workers in the coming years is scary. Bryan says an RTE graduate should have a number of solid job offers on graduation.
Saturday Banquet and Awards
The food served at the Pennsylvania Dutch theme dinner was excellent. Hal Miller, Editor of Model Railroader spoke on the importance getting another generation of young modelers interested in the hobby to continue it into the future. Awards were given for the 1.5 inch switch engine, the passenger station and the Texaco station. The Texaco station was kit-bashed by our own Doug Sandmeyer who dined with Diane and me at the banquet. He won a second award for his water tower. Congratulations Doug!
Sunday open houses
Western Maryland Open House – Jim Long
His railroad features Elkins W VA and so steam and diesel coexist. He includes the Cass logging railroad too with the switchback going up the mountain side. His scenery is spectacular.
Sunday open houses continued
Keystone Middle RR Open House – Keystone Model Railroad Historical Society
There clubhouse was a power substation for the PRR Dillsburg trolley line. The railroad depicts scenes across PA in excellent detail. Their CTC panel and Dispatcher desk are on a balcony overlooking the railroad room.
Then it was time to head home. I enjoyed the convention immensely and have Rockville, MD 2018 on my mind.
Here are pictures from the convention:
Susquehannock 2017 1 of 2
Susquehannock 2017 2 of 2
The Town of Farnsworth
At the time of: Wilson J. Farnsworth 1860 -1931
RPM East 03/21/19 – 03/24/19
It was my pleasure to attend my third RPM East meet held this year in Greensburg PA with 220 hobbyists attending. It was held at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center, Greensburg. Upon arrival Thursday afternoon I met Eric Hansmann, who along with Steve Ross organized the event. Later that evening I would attend Andy and Charlie Blenko’s Pittsburgh Mainline Operating Session.
Two years ago, when RPM East was last in Greensburg, I was privileged to be part of the second call for Pittsburgh Mainline guest crews. Since then the railroad has grown and hosted many Operating Sessions. Thursday night, Jim Montgomery and I were a crew and here are the trains we were assigned. It was a fun night for all!
On Friday and Saturday were the clinics I attended along with visiting the vendors and viewing the models on display. Here are the clinics I chose and what I learned from each one.
Friday
1:00 Bob Meir layout yard design – study the prototype and scale it to your plans
2:30 Darrell Swift Freight 1979 – I like all things seventies and bar code readers on railroad cars were one favorite memory of mine discussed. Also very interesting were new rules obsoleting old equipment put in place.
4:00 Michael Hohn Leigh Valley – Anthracite coal set in late 19th and early 20th century upstate NY. I was pleased to meet Michael after his presentation as he is past superintendent of Division 2 and a subject matter expert when it comes to the ‘Burgh, something I aspire to be.
5-7 Dinner
7:00 Larry DeYoung EL & PRR O Ravena OH – My two favorite railroads, bigger and better in O, if I only had the space.
8:30 Mike Zollitsch Excel Ops – build a database that’s what I need to do for so many reasons. There is the JMRI database and I just read in the NMRA Bulletin about using MS Access for entry and reporting.
10:00 Steve Funaro PRR flat NYO&W gondola – one of my industries has to be Struthers Wells and maybe PDM, Warren. I have memories of a really big oversize load that left Struthers before my dad retired. I’ll need these cars like these.
Saturday
9:00 Charlie Blenko Paper Signals for Prototype Operations – just as for any project mock-up and refine ahead of the finished project. At Charlie’s Op Session he placed the signals ahead of us as we followed the timetable. Eventually his layout will have permanent wired signals but immediately this works great.
10:30 E. Roy Ward HO WVC&P RWY – Roy’s layout is celebrating 40 years. His advice is think railroading not model railroading. He lost interest in his first layouts because they lacked purpose. A railroad has to have a purpose whether following a prototype or imagining your own.
11:30 – 1 Lunch
1:00 Rich Mahaney Tank Car Industries – United Refining has to be on my layout and I learned; read the placards on yur tank cars and study the hatches on top. Danger, do not mix up high and low pressure tank cars and the facilities they go with!
2:30 Eric Hansmann B&O Operations – Eric is also a subject matter expert on the ‘Burgh and has done extensive research on late 19th and early 20th century Allegheny City that became the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh. He has a family connection to the Heinz plant that he intends to model.
4:00 John Teichmoeller PRR H21 hoppers – There are PRR H21 hoppers for most letters of the alphabet. One comes to appreciate how innovative the PRR was in all aspects of railroading.
5-7 Dinner
7:00 Neal Schorr Civil Engineering – the attention to prototypical practices make layouts realistice. I visited Neal’s layout Open House Sunday at on the way home and his PRR Middle Division realism is spectacular.
8:30 Bill Neale Modeling the PRR Panhandle – It is fascinating how the panhandle of WV initially prevented PRR from connecting PA & OH and how important it became once PRR was able to establish a right of way.
Here are some photos from Friday and Saturday:
Steel City Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society
Bill Neale Modeling the PRR Panhandle
Sunday my last stop was Neal Schorr’s impressive O scale Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division. His railroad ages east to west, adheres to civil engineering principles, and has appeared in model railroad publications. Thanks Neal for hosting an awesome open house and it was a thrill to see your railroad in operation. Below are my photos and please watch my video playlist here.
Farnsworth Junction 