A "Not So" Wordless Wednesday

It is the season of change and October has seen the most progress to date on getting the layout room to a finished space.   The past couple of nights I was able to get the dry wall hung and mudded along the east wall and have now moved over to the north wall.  I know it might not look like much but I see progress and each day a little closer to having a good space.  

In other news, Athearn has announced a Ready to Run GP-35 in the NYC cigar band, due next September.  I am sure I will end up with one or two depending on price point.  

I am also very pleased with the latest news from the NYCHS, announcing a lower price point on a NYC Lines East Brick Tower, being produced by the N-scale Architect.  This tower had been announced some time ago but was initially offered at over $100.00 and that was just a bit too much for my interest.  That being said, the model is in production now and the price was lowered to MSRP of $87.50, with a member discount.   That made the model an affordable "must have" and so my order was placed and I am looking forward to this high quality kit to arrive in Mid- November.    

Finally, as November approaches so does the Train Show season in New York State.  First up is the 41st Great New York State Model Train Fair the weekend of Nov 7th and 8th at the NY State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.  I will be attending the show as a part of the Cornell Railroad Historical Society HO modular layout.  I hope to see many of you at the show.   Till then back to the attic... 

Weekend Warrior

The last two weekends have seen the best progress yet in getting the layout room in the attic actually suitable for a layout.   Over the past two weekends I have been able to stud the main walls, lay the subfloor and install 3 batts of insulation.   Enjoy the pictures below of the progress.

An Oldie but Goodie...

The American Association of Private Railcar Owners, (AAPRCO) sponsor a special train each year for their annual convention.  In September of 2014, the AAPRCO convention was in Portland ME and that special train was known as the Pine Tree Limited.  The train was assembled in Chicago and as the route would have it, the train passed through the Southern Tier of NY.   Below is an excerpt from the special train description, quoted from the AAPRCO website: 

"Our convention special train will offer travel over a substantial amount of mileage that is not accessible by regularly scheduled Amtrak trains. Our revised operating plan has the special train departing Chicago on Thursday morning September 18 and heading east to Cleveland on Norfolk Southern's former New York Central route. Although our original plan was to take the route of the former Nickle Plate Road, Norfolk Southern asked us to shift to the former NYC route due to freight congestion and insufficient operating crews. On Friday, September 19, we will travel east on Norfolk Southern (the former Nickle Plate Road) for the run from Cleveland to the Buffalo NY area. Next, we will travel southeast on Norfolk Southern's southern tier route (former Erie Railroad) to Binghamton NY. On Saturday, September 20, we will head north on the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway to Syracuse NY, where we will head east on CSX (former New York Central "Water Level Route") to Schenectady NY, where we will interchange to Pan Am Railways (former Boston & Maine Railroad), including a short distance on Canadian Pacific, using a reverse move of about 8 miles, then traveling east through the Hoosac Tunnel to East Deerfield MA. On Sunday, September 21, the final segment of our eastbound journey is on Pan Am Railways to Portland ME.

I was fortunate to be able to photograph the special train in two locations, first during refueling in Horseheads, NY and then again as the train crossed the Chemung River at Elmira.  



























The train had many vintage private cars but of particular interest was the New York Central's Babbling Brook, a Budd Observation Car.  

The Babbling Brook was built in June of 1949 by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, PA. Originally ordered in December of 1945, the Babbling Brook was one of a group of four identical cars built for the New York Central Railroad for use on the New England States, the NYC’s premier trains between Boston and Chicago. The car was built to Pullman Company plan #9506, lot #9664-023. As built, the Babbling Brook contained five double bedrooms with sleeping accommodations for ten people, a small bar and buffet kitchen, and a twenty-five seat rounded-end observation lounge. 

Click Here to Read More about Babbling Brook:  http://www.webbrail.com/history