The Porch HO Layout

I have been playing with my HO layout that is out on the sun porch in the back of the house. It is the first layout I put together and still provides hours of entertainment. I am running a New York Central passenger train that displays heavyweight cars. there are 2 PA locomotives, a PB locomotive, an RPO, an Express Mail Car, a Baggage Car, 2 Coach Cars, a Lounge Car, a Diner, 2 Sleeper Cars, and 2 Observation Cars. with 3 more Sleeper Cars coming.

Another train I am running on the layout. is a Pere Marquette passenger train. they are pulled by 2 E7A locomotives, an RPO, an Express Mail Car, 3 Coach Cars, a Coach/Diner Car, a Lunchette Lounge Car, and 3 10-6 Sleeper Cars. with 2 more Coach Cars coming.

I am running an Ann Arbor Freight Train. That is pulled by 3 GP38's followed by 4 Box Cars, 2 Tank Cars, 2 3Bay Hoppers, 2 Centerflow Hoppers, 4 Covered Grain Hoppers, 4 Coal Cars, and a Caboose.

And lastly there is a Tuscola and Saginaw Bay Freight train. this train is pulled by 2 GP35's, 3 Box Cars, 6 Covered Hoppers, and 2 Gondolas.

There is still a lot more landscaping to be done on this layout, as it continues to provide hours of entertainment.

Aristocraft Items for sale

Made by Aristocraft this G scale New York Central Caboose is for sale. I am asking $50.00 plus shipping. If you are interested please contact me.

Made by Aristocraft this Gscale Log Car is for sale. I am asking $45.00 plus shipping. If you are interested please contact me.

Made by Aristocraft this Gscale New York Central covered Gondola is for sale. I am asking $50.00 plus shipping. If you are interested please contact me.

New York Central Coal Car made by Aristocraft G scale is for sale. I am asking $50.00. its in like new condition. If you are interested please contact me.

Aristocraft New York Central Boxcar for sale G scale I am asking $50.00 the condition is like new. If you are interested please contact me.

I have an Aristocraft F1A New York Central locomotive for sale I am asking $200.00 plus shipping for it. It is in fine working order. message me if you are interested.

My New York Central Passenger Train Is Back In Business

After many attempts at trying to get my Alco PA unit repaired I finally got it back from Brasseurs Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan. This time I hope it's fixed I run a PA-PB-PA configuration pulling 10 passenger cars when everything works it's an impressive sight.

ALCO PA-PB setup

The HO Layout On The Sun Porch

I spent some time today with the HO layout on the sun porch It's a bit cold out there but it is a 3 season room after all. I was able to run the New York Central passenger train and the Ann Arbor freight train. They were both a bit sluggish but they both ran, so I was able to enjoy watching them for some time. The New York Central passenger train has a PA PB PA locomotive configuration. and followed by an RPO, an express mail car, a baggage car, 2 coach cars, a lounge/observation car, a dinning car, a lounge car, an observation car, and 2 sleeper cars.

The Ann Arbor freight train has 3 EMD GP38's, 4 box cars, 2 tank cars, 4 centerflow covered hoppers, 4 two bay covered hoppers, 4 coal cars, a gondola, and a caboose

Hanukkah Is Fast Aproaching

This year Hanukkah starts on December 16th. I am really looking forward to getting the repairs I was having done back from Brasseur Electric Trains Inc in Saginaw Michigan. There is an FA unit New York Central locomotive that had a broken drive shaft, and an Alco PA unit New York Central locomotive that I was having the motor replaced on. I have been having a lot of trouble getting the Alco PA unit repaired and I hope this time will do it. If Hanukkah Harry is listening having these locomotives back from repair would be really great.

Standish Depot

I stopped by the Standish depot and snapped these photos. I didn't know that the station was part of the Michigan Central later New York Central System.

Repairs Are Coming Along

I will soon have my Ann Arbor GP38, road number 7802, back from repair at Brasseur's Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan I had the motor replaced. There are 2 others that I need to pay for and pick up. One is a New York Central F3A unit, and the other is a C&O Pere Marquette E7A unit road number 96. There is another New York Central ALCO PA unit, road number 4202, that I had just picked up that still has the same problem with it as when I brought it in for repair the first time. That will most likely need the motor replaced in it as well.
Once I have the Ann Arbor GP38 back on the tracks my Ann Arbor freight train will be complete. Once the New York Central ALCO PA unit is repaired and back on the tracks my New York Central passenger train will be complete. I am saving money to purchase the two Pere Marquette EMD E7A locomotives, road numbers 103 and 105, I have on hold at Mountain Town Hobbies in Mount Pleasant Michigan. I am hoping that I can get one of them for my birthday next month. That will complete the C&O Pere Marquette passenger train sold by Walthers as the 2013 named train. All in all my indoor HO layout in very near completion. I just have some landscaping to do to finish it off.

Most Of The Repairs Are Done

Last night there was a call on my answering machine, from Brasseur Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan, that 3 out of the 4 locomotives I had in there for repair have been completed. I am thrilled and can't wait to find out which three they are and to put them back on the layout. The locomotives in for repair include:

• A New York Central ALCO PA unit for my passenger train. 
• A New York Central EMD FA unit for a freight train. 
• A C&O Pere Marquette EMD E8A unit for my Pere Marquette passenger train. 
• And finally an Ann Arbor GP38 unit for my Ann Arbor freight train. 

I am finally bringing my HO layout to a state of completion insomuch as the trains themselves are concerned. I still have a lot of landscaping to complete in order to really complete the project.

Fathers Day Is Almost Here

Just a few more days and it's Fathers Day. I have already dropped the hint that I would like to pick up the New York Central Express mail car that I ordered about a year ago. It has been sitting and waiting for me to pay for it for about a year. The people at Mountain Town Hobbies in Mount Pleasant Michigan have been great to hold it for me for all this time. This will complete my New York Central Passenger train on my HO scale layout.

My HO layout is nearing completion. The consists of the New York Central passenger train will end up as the following:

• Alco PA, PB, PA locomotives
• Express car
• RPO
• Baggage Car
• 2 paired window coach cars
• Lounge Car
• Dinning car
• Observation/Lounge Car
• 2 Pullman Sleeper cars
•  Observation Car

Another Locomotive In Need Of Repair

My New York Central ALCO PA unit broke down. The PB unit is still working just fine. I will have to take the PA unit to Brasseur Electric Trains in Saginaw Michigan for repair. I already have an Ann Arbor GP38 there for repair to have the can motor replaced. It looks like I am having trouble keeping my locomotives running. The PA unit is getting the electricity to the motor but the motor is not running. I just don't know what the problem might be, but I hope I don't need to replace the motor in this locomotive as well.   

I am Looking For an FB Unit

I am running a New York Central FA unit made by Aristocraft in G scale and I would like to find an FB unit to go with it. Aristocraft no longer makes the locomotive and does not have anymore in stock. If anyone can help me find one I would appreciate it.

Mothers Day Brought Me Outside

The weather is great today so I went outside to run my garden train. Sandy is busy cutting the grass and enjoying the weather also. The day could not be nicer for watching my New York Central freight train run around an expanded track. The track is roughly twice the size it was last year. I'm having a few issues with the F unit locomotive running smoothly but it is running. I'm sure it is because it hasn't been run all winter. I am looking forward to an expanded season of running the train.

It turned out there was nothing wrong with the locomotive. There was a loose wire that went from the transformer to the track which is now fixed.

Express Mail Cars

Last year I ordered 2 express mail cars from Walthers through Mountain Town Hobbies in Mt. Pleasant Michigan. I had forgotten about them until they came in a few months ago. One was a New York Central car that I plan to add to my New York Central passenger train. and the other is a C&O car that I will be adding to my Pere Marquette passenger train. I plan to pick up the C&O car today.

The car is on my layout now as part of the Pere Marquette Passenger train and looks great I have placed it just after the RPO and before the baggage cars. My next goal is to pick up the New York Central Express Mail Car and add it to the New York Central Passenger Train. I can't wait to add it to my layout.

Outdoors is Calling Me

Since the weather has been so warm, I have been able to expand the outdoor track and double it's size. The track is now a large L shape. I have been killing off the grass and pulling weeds as well as putting down the new track. My efforts yesterday exposed a few of the buildings that need repair. My wife Sandy has dug in and did a lot of work cleaning up the overgrowth of the ground cover and sweeping up all the leaves and other dead fall in the area. She always works so hard to get the track ready for the season every year.

I ran the locomotive around the new track and it worked just fine except for a few spots along the track that it slowed down to a near stop. I need to look into that a bit further maybe the track connections or possible dirty track could be the cause, we will see. I plan to repair the broken structures today and check into the track as well.

I know I am running late this year getting the garden train up and running, but the weather has not been my friend.

A Bit of Nostalga

check out these old clips on railroading

Sheldon knows where its at

Choo Choo Charlie

City of New Orleans

Wabash Cannonball

Chattanooga Choo Choo
Brings back memories

End of November and still no Pere Marquette Rolling Stock

Well we are still waiting. Here it is the end of November. I should have most of the cars by now and not one single car has arrived at Mountain Town Hobbies. The only car that should be still outstanding is the 3 10-6 sleeper cars they are due the end of December. The Locomotives are due in March. As per a trusted source:

"The ship dates on Pere Marquette-theme C&O passenger cars have slipped again.

The Baggage and RPO-Bagage are now projected for Dec. 28, and the rest of the
cars are projected for Jan. 28. They're having the same problems getting stuff
from their suppliers in China as most other model RR manufacturers.

The samples Walthers showed at TrainFest earlier this month were very nice. The
coaches have the distinctive aluminum window frames painted on, which the
previous C&O coaches they ran didn't."

-Fritz Milhaupt
Modeling Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.
http://www.pmhistsoc.org

If all goes well I may have my Alco PA and PB locomotives by Chanukkah that would help with the pain of waiting for the Pere Marquette train. If I am lucky enough to get the PA-B units that would complete the New York Central passenger train I have been putting together over the past few years.

Happy Chanukkah to all

Freight Train Switch

It had to happen, the FA unit I was using to pull my New York Central freight train broke down. I need to get it repaired, so I had to make a decision. I could wait until I got it fixed or model a different railroad. I had a few different Ann Arbor Railroad locomotives from various time periods that I could use. I decided to go with a current day Ann Arbor Railroad System freight train. I will be using 2 GP38's to pull the train. I have 3 boxcars, 2 center flow hoppers, 5 smaller covered hoppers, a flatcar, and a drop end gondola, and 4 coal 55 ton coal hoppers. All in all I feel it would make an impressive freight train so as of today I have made the switch from New York Central to the Ann Arbor Railroad System. The passenger train will still be New York Central.

Train Tables To Be Built Tomorrow

After  a long time waiting, The train table for the New York Central indoor layout will be built tomorrow Tuesday 4.17.2012. I have been planing it for quite some time. My friend Oscar Hagerman, a local builder, will be picking me up in the morning and will will head out to pick up the materials.

It took me all day Sunday to dismantle  the layout on the floor and make the space ready to set up the tables we are going to build. I can hardly hold back on my excitement to see the layout finally set up in its permanent location. I plan to post pictures of the progress in the next day or so.

It Got Nice Outside Again

The weather got warmer again and I began to think about the outdoor railroad. It was perfect for sitting and watching the train as it ran through the town. Sandy worked hard on the landscaping for the layout making it look very realistic. I was fortunate to be able to sit and watch the train for a few hours as I began to plan what I wanted to do to make the layout better. I thought hard about the layout's size and the size of my different trains I run on the track.

I checked online and found 2 new cars I would like to add to my G scale rolling stock. I found an Aristocraft New York Central Stock Car for $69.99 in stock at Trainworld in Brooklyn New York for use with my New York Central Freight train. I also found a 20 ft Boxcar at Trainworld for $35.00 to be used with my Santa Fe 0-4-0 switcher.

The track situation is not to good at the moment, as I find the track I am currently running the train on is to small. With the finances being the way they are, and my desire to acquire a table for my indoor track plus all the additional rolling stock I want for both the indoor and outdoor layouts, the track for outdoors will have to wait a while. maybe next year will find the times more favorable. So for now I will just put the track on next years wish list along with a transformer for G scale, wires to run from the track to the new transformer, plus some more track screws to keep the track together.

Attention is Back on the Indoor Layout

The weather has gotten colder over the past week, so I find my efforts going toward the indoor New York Central layout in HO once again. I have been testing where I should be placing the buildings and the farm. I have a good idea what I want to do with the industrial area. I think I want a park next to the hospital. I also placed the coal mine near where I want the freight yard to go. Once the table is built I will have to paint the table top to match the proposed layout. The passenger station and platform will be just off the downtown area.

I plan to pick up on kits for the freight train so I can add three new boxcars, New York Central Pacemaker design. I have also decided to park my NYC rolling stock with the cigar band logo in the freight yard. As of yet I haven't quite figured out just how I am going to configure that freight yard.

The passenger train is about as complete as I am going to make it for now. I just picked up on an RPO that matches the existing cars I have. That completed a task that was five years in the making. It was produced by Walthers and they stopped making it about five years ago. I got lucky after I posted my desire to find one on the internet. To my surprise someone wrote me back and informed me he had one to sell. The rest is history.