Getting ready for Essex

Well things are shaping up at the club, today we had a bunch of visitor's pop by. This is a good thing as every now and then one sticks around and joins. We have a membership hovering around 26 and I feel that come this time next year we will have allot more then that.

So since the Essex train show is in a few week we have decided to lay off the permanent layout and spruce up our modules a bit. I know its image intensive but thats what we like isn't it.

Soon i'll do a nice big write-up on our permanent layout i actually started it already as i do most my articles. Both layout will get their own pages.

Frenchman River Model Works joins the Guild

Well things are looking up for our ground roots operation here.

Frenchman River Model Works called and is on the roster for a Review and project build. We are very excited for this as, I am a Frenchman and i like the name, he and his family have a selection FINE boats & structures in HO scale.
Now at first i was thinking where can we fit a boat in the layout ? Well a diorama is in order and i am so excited to start i have already built the module sized frame for this lake side diorama.

Frenchman River is located in Nebraska these American made products are produced with resin and pewter.

Stop by their site and take a look www.frenchmanriver.com i am sure you will be ready to throw in a dock and water as soon as these kits reach your mail box. Purchases are made through PayPal and i appreciate that as i don't like to spread my credit info around.

Finally do us a favor and let Jim know you saw his works of art here.

Railnews Saturday 2/2/08

All Aboard The Great Train Show is the story of the day here. It is a nice recording of Rail stuff i am sure you will enjoy it.

Modelers in the News...
Internet controlled Train set, Full bits here.

Blogs and Column's...
All Aboard The Great Train Show.
Join host Tim Fischer for this 16-part podcast series and enjoy a journey through the railway past, present and future. Full bits here.

Eddie's Rail Fan Page
Digging out a track switch after a Chicago snowstorm. Hayford Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. January 1987. Full bits here.

BS&t Blog
Scott's Rail Blog didn't get a new post but he did update his post for those that havan't read. Full bits here.

Passingloop.com
Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts. Full bits here.

Riding the rails to Karlovo. Full bits here.

Prototype in the News...
VIA Trains Near Capacity: Storm-related Bookings Continue Good Availability Remains for Weekend Departures. Full bits here.

B&O Railroad Shows Off After Restoration
A piece of railroad history is seeing new life here in Charm City.
The roof of the B&O Railroad Museum collapsed during the President Day's snow storm in 2003. Now as Ron Matz reports, a painstaking restoration effort has just been completed. Full bits here.
Officer stops train from derailing
Train was headed for missing tracks. Full bits here.

New brake system means safer trains passing through area. A historic coal train passed through Grand Island early Saturday on the BNSF line, but no one noticed. Full bits here.

Heavy snowfall complicates effort to clear Oregon rail route
OAKRIDGE, — More than 2 feet of new snow has fallen at the site of a landslide that buried train tracks outside of Oakridge last month, further delaying any reopening of the passenger and freight route. Full bits here.

Amtrak extends Coast Starlight shutdown
The closure is expected to affect more than 10,000 passengers on the route, which serves Santa Barbara, Oakland, Sacramento and many other stations along the way. Full bits here.

State and CSX to share data
Spurred by a Nov. 24 derailment near Camden Yards, Maryland and CSX Transportation completed an agreement yesterday under which security officials will be given real-time access to information about hazardous cargoes moving through the state on freight trains. Full bits here.

BNSF to Build New Maintenance Bldg.
BNSF Railway Co. has filed a $1.1 million building permit application with the city-county Department of Construction Code Enforcement for a new maintenance building to replace one demolished during the company's expansion of its Memphis facilities. Full bits here.

Long Island Rail Road From Penn Station to Ronkonkoma, N.Y. Full bits here.

International bits...
China's frozen train network starts running again. Full bits here.
Chaotic Rush to Board Trains in China. Full bits here.

North Korea, South Korea and a closely watched train. Full bits here.

Best Trains joins the Guild

Today we had a nice surprise come down the pipeline. Brian from BestTrains.com called me and said he would be happy to contribute to our sites projects list.

We would like to thank Brian as this legitimizes our efforts here to be a no-nonsense site for building projects and industry news. It is nice to see that after weeks of dedication to the idea of our site that we get a little feedback for our efforts.

A little about our traffic recently.
We have 11 subscribed readers, these people receive daily updates by Email about our Activities and News. In the last week alone we have had 52 average daily visitors (86.5% new).

A few notes about Best Trains form their site
Our Company is devoted to the fine art of Model Railroading. We believe that anyone should be able to have a fantastic looking model railroad no matter what your skill level is - master craftsmen or beginner. It was for this reason that we formed B.E.S.T. - Bollinger Edgerly Scale Trains! Our goal is to give the modeler the ability to produce realistic structures that assemble with ease and simplicity to help you produce that award winning look for your layout. Most of our kits are as easy as plastic kits, with the realism of the masters.

It's not just a model, It's a piece of history.

All kits include everything you see in the photos or on the diorama. Our kits feature:

• Laser cut wood for easy assembly.
• Peel & stick shingles or corrugated metal roofing.
• Peel & stick window panes or mold injected windows and doors.
• Shades printed on the acetate windows.
• Metal or mold injected castings and detail parts.
• Cast hydrostone foundations (when appropriate).
• Simple step by step instructions with many photos and illustrations.
• Proudly made in the USA.

www.besttrains.com

Railroads in the News 2/1/08

Modelers in the News...
Retiring model train engineer 'touched many lives'
During his twelve years as model train engineer at the N.C. & St. L. Depot Railroad Museum, Ken Thomas touched many lives. Full bits here.

Clubs in the News...
Denver Society of Model Railroaders


Rail fans stay right on track
A MODEL railway club has kept up a good head of steam by attracting hundreds of spectators to an annual exhibition.
The 40th Brambleton Model Railway Club indoor exhibition held at Harpenden Public Halls drew around 1,300 visitors through the doors. Full bits here.

AUGUSTA CO. RAILROAD MUSEUM and Model Railroad Club features model trains in "O," "ON30," "HO" and "N" gauges running on handcrafted dioramas. Trains operate continuously. Open the last Saturday of each month from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Located in the Kroger Shopping Center on Arch Avenue in Waynesboro. Full bits here.

Blogs and Column's...
Eddie's Rail Fan Page
Northbound Canadian Pacific transfer train. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

Derwin's Drop a layout blog
Scott Blog writes on his Derwins Drop layout today he takes us through building his layout

Prototype in the News...
Update: High winds blow 12 Norfolk Southern rail cars into Sandusky Bay. Full bits here.

Frigid weather halts Winnipeg-Churchill train service
VIA Rail has stopped selling tickets for trains between Winnipeg and Churchill for fear the extreme cold may cause equipment failure. Full bits here.

L.A. City Council approves first step in negotiations for high speed train. Full bits here.

comment period on CN/EJ&E deal extended to Feb. 15. Full bits here.

DM&IR/CN penalized for environmental violations. Full bits here.

Driver escapes serious injury when train clips SUV in Johnson City. Full bits here.

International bits...
UK - Full steam ahead, IT’S full steam ahead for a new main line steam locomotive as 60163 Tornado steams for the first time. Full bits here.

Germany - Deutsche Bahn agrees wage deal with train drivers union GdL. Full bits here.

South Africa - Train coach fire investigated. Full bits here.

Austrailia - Train crush to get back to work. Full bits here.

China train service returns, crowds thin at station. Full bits here.

China advises millions to abandon travel plans. Full bits here.

New Delhi,India - CLW, DLW, RCF & RWF EXCEED PRODUCTION TARGET. Full bits here.

Azerbaijan - EBRD has postponed approval of a loan for Azerbaijan State Railway. Full bits here.

Delhi,Delhi,India - Railways set to issue Rs25,000 cr tender Largest ever order for supply of 1,000 electric locomotives over eight years; winner to set up factory in Madhepura. Full bits here.

Train Simulation News...
Against the Clock from York to Newcastle. Full bits here.

Railroads in the News Thursday Jan 31st

Modelers in the News...
'I've been workin' on the railroad ...'
Fans of model trains create their own little worlds. Full bits here.

Club News...
Note if you have club news to add email it to me
Model Trains Draw Crowds in Wilmington
"I think everything speaks for itself here. A large crowd and a lot of people interested in the hobby. I want to encourage everyone to come out tomorrow from ten to four as well," said Ben Jackson, a member of the Cape Fear Model Railroad Club. Full bits here.

Blissfield Model Railroad Club Open-House

Amherst Show care of passingloop.com

Blogs and Column's...

Mike Hamer's Blog's
These blog here showcase top notch modelling skills and interesting rail fanning bits.
Edmonton and On Westward! (Railfanning blog)
Mikes B&M Layout blog can be found here.

Grade Crossings and cracked Roads
Scott Blog writes on his Derwins Drop layout today he takes us through grade crossings. Full bits here

Eddie's Rail fan page - was updated as well with some rail fanning images and write-ups Full bits here.

Prototype in the News...
A train car blows off the tracks over Sandusky Bay
The last car of a 20-car Norfolk Southern train derailed on a bridge over Sandusky Bay about 3:40 this morning. Spokesman Rudy Husband said high winds may have knocked the car off the tracks. It did not fall into the Bay. The car was carrying a dozen empty containers, Husband said. Ten of the empty containers fell into the water. The train's engineers were not injured. Full bits here

Presszoom - New, Safer Brake Technology for Freight Trains Gains Traction as Second Railroad Launches ECP Train. Full bits here

prnewswire - Chicago Metropolis 2020 Says Railroad Plan Could Ease Highway Congestion and Benefit Economy. Full bits here

indybay - $50,000 Sunday Stroll on the Westside Railroad Tracks
People Power, an advocate for human-powered transportation in Santa Cruz County, hosted a walk along the rail corridor in Santa Cruz in response to recent threats by Union Pacific to fine "trespassers" up to $2,000. Full bits here

Yankton - Fight Brewing Over Possible Closing Of Railroad Crossings
Hundreds of railroad crossings across Nebraska could be closed under a law that is angering some residents who think state officials are being heavy-handed in applying it. Full bits here

neweraprogress - Some steam ahead: Amherst train depot gets moved
More than 10 years of work and planning on the part of county officials and a determined group of citizens has paid off, in part. Full bits here

Train speeds to rise
Union Pacific Railroad will increase speed for some freight trains from 35 mph to 50 mph and to 60 mph for passenger trains on crossings at West Park, Burton, Link and Cordrey avenues in Orange. Full bits here
Development Council Supports CSX Center
BARTOW | The Central Florida Development Council on Monday unanimously supported the controversial CSX logistics center in Winter Haven on the condition regional planning officials address its impacts in Lakeland and on the environment. Full bits here
2 new possibilities for rail logistics center proposed in Thurston County
Two new Thurston County sites and one in Lewis County are being studied for a multimillion dollar rail logistics center. The sites are in addition to a Maytown site under consideration for the development by the ports of Tacoma and Olympia. Full bits here

Governor delivers tough message to rail company

International bits...
South Africa: Busses Provided for Stranded Train Commuters
The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) suspended train services in the area after six train engines and eight train carriages were burnt by angry commuters two weeks ago. Full bits here

Next Stop, FUN: The French Summer Party Train!
That’s right. Starting this summer, SNCF is booking overnight trains from Paris to Biarritz, Montpellier and Nice - three towns very familiar with partying, even without the government’s blessing - complete with bar cars, DJs, dance floors, video game and talent competitions, and low-lighting cars for chatting up fellow passengers. Full bits here

Historical Bits...
Independant - When railroads crisscrossed Monmouth County
A brief history in photographs of riding the rails. Full bits here

siskiyoudaily - Railroad enthusiasts in Siskiyou County now have to look no further than their local bookstore to get their fix of local rail history. Full bits here

Railroads in the News Wednesday Jan 30th

Modelers in the News...
NewsTimes.com - Bethel man's project nears end of the line
BETHEL -- A model railroad Al Barney has been building in his attic for 20 years is nearly complete.
"It's 90 percent done," the genial 68-year old Bethel resident said, leading a visitor up to the third-floor in the 1848 farmhouse where he lives with wife Carol, 69.
They bought the house 40 years ago and raised eight children. Daughter Lisa, 45, gave her father a small figure eight train set for Christmas one year, Barney said.
"She knew I loved trains as a child, and that got me going."
A retired electrical engineer, he drew the layout on a computer from detailed maps he found mostly on the Internet. It is a sprawling three-dimensional world centered around a slow-moving train. Full story here


Club News...
ABINGTON LINES MODEL RAILROAD CLUB, 2066 Second St. Pike, Richboro, will hold an open house noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. For information visit http://www.abingtonlines.org .

Prototype in the News...
National Post - Train derailment causes commuter chaos in Vancouver BC.

Canoe.ca - Canadian trains among world's top rail experiences,

Canada.com - British columbia's new commuter service. A commuter train service on the E&N rail line between Langford and downtown Victoria could be built for about $16 million, and cost less than $2 million a year to operate, says a consultant's report to be released today.

Railroads cashing in on tax breaks. This story is up all over the web here are just a few links
articles bloggingstocks - bloomberg - rttnews - CNN

Newsday - Metro North gets good grades from riders

MercuryNews - UP Cameras on trains will record accidents
Union Pacific says devices will provide critical information and help to improve safety. By year's end, about 90 percent of Union Pacific Railroad's locomotives will feature digital cameras. This year, the Class I plans to install more than 1,600 Track Image Recorders (TIRs) on locomotives to digitally record views of tracks, crossings and signals in front of a train.

NTV - UP proud of efforts to reduce emissions, conserve energy

TradingMarkets - Arizona Eastern Railway, Inc.--Trackage Rights Exemption--Union Pacific Railroad Company

Patriot-News - Railroad drops site for wind turbine

Westport Now - Metro-North to Introduce Credit Card On-Board Sales

International bits...
Vietnam News - Century-old cogwheel railroad and antique station in Da Lat

China - Travelers describe China chaos. Guangzhou is a place of vast numbers of migrant workers. They saved up for the whole year to afford a third-class ticket to their home province for the holiday and they can't get anywhere near the station. BBC version - CNN version

Korea - Two Korea's discuss changes to cross-border train service

Historical Bits...
KTRE.com - Current Texas State Railroad Schedule

Redding.com - Weather stalls delivery of antique train

Columbiabasinharold - Holm locomotive bound for Pullman depot

Blogs and Column's...
Newsobserver - Where trains can take us
We are under no illusions that trains are going to replace highway construction. But traditional thinking will not meet future transportation needs, which are so important to North Carolina's economy and jobs.

California State Railroad Museum (Sacramento California)

Blog - Great looking Blog with an ongoing layout build happening

Dogcaught - Winter's still here

Train kept a rolling... Traveling far east by train

Railroads in the News Tuesday 1/29/08

Modelers in the News...
Railroad club open house
The Daily Press writes - ESCANABA — The Upper Michigan Central Model Railroad Club will be hosting another in a series of monthly Open Houses designed to show the hobby of model railroading to our visitors. The date will be Saturday at the 8th St. Coffee House, 720 Ludington Street in Escanaba. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Both the main and the portable layout will be operating, and a model railroad rummage sale will be held.
For more information, please call Darryl Bernett at 906-428-1385, or Gary Stiles at 906-428-3472. Find the article here.

Denver Society of Model Railroaders


Model train show draws crowd
The Republican & PassingLoop Blog - WEST SPRINGFIELD - Watching Adam Lisek watch a model train clack by yesterday, you did not have to ask the 5-year-old boy from Palmer if he liked toy trains. Find the article here. Blog article here.

Little trains in museum, big locomotives outside
News-Bulletin - Belen Train enthusiasts will get a treat this weekend as the Belen Model Railroad Club (BMRC) hosts a model train vendor show and swap meet at the Harvey House Museum. Find the article here.

The Emporia Model Railroad Club meets at 7:30 p.m. at 916 Arundel St. the last Thursday of each month. Those interested in model or prototype railroading are welcome to attend. Information: 343-8325. Find the article here.

Prototype in the news...
Minehead braced for delivery of locomotive turntable
Somerset County Gazette - MINEHEAD'S West Somerset Railway will take delivery of its highly anticipated locomotive turntable on Sunday, February 10, as part of a £6million county council-led regeneration project at Mart Road. Find the article here.

NJ Transit opens Pennsylvania yard facilities
progressiverailroading - New Jersey Transit recently opened a fully enclosed service and inspection facility and yardmaster’s control tower building at Morrisville Yard in Morrisville, Pa., according to STV Inc., which designed the two structures. Find the article here.

Arizona Railroad Group appoints new president and CEO
progressiverailroading - The Arizona Railroad Group (ARG) recently promoted Scott Parkinson from vice president and general manager to president and chief executive officer. David Parkinson, Scott's father who founded ARG in 2003, will continue to serve as chairman and director. Find the article here.

International News...
China Locomotive Maker Plans IPOs, Dual Listings
Wall Street Journal & Forbes - HONG KONG -- Locomotive maker China Southern Locomotive & Rolling Stock Industry Corp. plans to raise about US$2 billion through initial public offerings of stock before listings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, according to a person familiar with the situation. Find the article here and here

Historical articles and such...
Pufferbelly train complete after years of reconstruction
The Daily Evergreen - The first two cars, the Pullman car and caboose, were purchased in 1990
Find the article here.

Doing the Locomotion
Hesperia Star - Hearing about the promising project to restore the Baldwin narrow-gauge locomotive through the monthly newsletter of the Timber Heritage Association, James Alves of Hesperia contacted Balch and offered his services. Find the article here.

Railway nostalgia
The New Strait Times - I cannot recall anything outstanding about this small town, with the exception of the railway station where my brother was the station master in the late 1970s. Find the article here.

Railfan updates...
Eddie's Rail Fan Page - Restored meter guage industrial 0-8-0 steam locomotive from East Germany. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana USA. July 2007
Find the article here.

Detailed Trees Part 3

At this point our tree's should be dry. If you are doing O scale (i do it with HO scale) trees scratch lines vertically down the main trunk with your marking tool of choice. This will give space for the alcohol washes to look like bark.

I use grey and burnt sienna paint. If you aren't the best with this part then do as i do and experiment till you are happy with results when dry.

I am using Lichen for my first set of tree's i will try something else at a later date.
Now everyones glue is different i use hot glue it's messy but quick and that is my deciding facter just make sure to clean up the stringers that hang off.

Last step to making the tree's is to use a spray adhesive (i use hairspray for this). Sprinkle ground cover over the foliage to make it more full.

Now this story isn't finished it is actually just a placeholder for a very nicely refined tutorial my goals is to constantly improve through comments and improved materials.

Railroads in the News Monday 1/28/08

Today's News is here. i am going to start to post smaller articles. i am thinking that linked headlines with only real interesting ones with write-ups. Anyways comments are enabled to voice your opinion on any of the articles or the format.

Modelers in the news...
'Christmas eyes' take in sights at Great Train Expo
Models intrigue all age groups. When you ask Don Fowler why he got into model railroads, his answer is simple: He loves seeing the "Christmas eyes." Find article here.

Model trains a link to the past For many, ride on the rails of nostalgia
HAYWARD — Model train enthusiasts filled Centennial Hall for five hours Sunday for the Golden Gate Lionel Railroad Club toy train sale and show. Find article here.

Model Railroad Show Chugs Into The Big E last Weekend
The already-gigantic Big Railroad Hobby Show scheduled for Saturday and Sunday 26-27 at the Big E in West Springfield is getting even bigger this year. Find article here.

Model trains roll into 4-H Grounds
Few things elicit more positive reactions than model trains. Hundreds of model railroad enthusiasts converged Sunday on the Hamilton County 4-H Grounds for the Central Indiana Division of the National Model Railroad Association’s model train show. Find article here.

Prototype in the News...
Riding the rails without a conductor
Motorcar excursions provide a different vantage point. Find article here.

NOCCA buys $1.2M site for expansion
The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts has purchased four blocks of vacant land on Press Street between Royal Street and St. Claude Avenue in the Marigny to expand the private arts high school. Find article here.

Rail commuter council declares victories
STAMFORD -- Preserving bar cars and alcohol sales, halting plans to close some station platforms during maintenance work, and expanded service on the Waterbury Branch Line were among the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council's top accomplishments in 2007. Find article here.

NY's 16-Mile Car Tunnel Would Be Longest
OYSTER BAY, N.Y. (AP) — It would be the world's longest highway tunnel, running more than 16 miles under the west end of Long Island Sound. Find article here.

Protest over $2,000 Union Pacific fines for rail-line trespassers
SANTA CRUZ, Calif.—Dozens of residents walked along railroad tracks in Santa Cruz to protest Union Pacific's plans to fine rail-line trespassers up to $2,000. Find article here.

Obstacles in path of passenger rail
Amtrak being wooed by several cities in addition to Dubuque and the Quad Cities. Find article here.

International News...
Railroad takes steps to reduce moose crashes
Norway, After around 200 collisions with moose just since New Year, the Norwegian railroad is planning some expensive anti-crash measures. Find article here.

A Railroad Rarity: Train Arrives Five Days Early
NewYorkTimes, In these days of overburdened, frustrating transportation systems and drop-of-a-hat delays, it’s a headline to stun and gladden the heart. Find article here.

For those who dream of workin' on the railroad
The high-speed train is screaming - not chugging along, allowing its passengers and crew to leisurely take in the three-dimensional scenery, but screaming - through the English countryside. It zings through stations where little virtual people stand waiting. Find article here.

TEXT-Israel's NICE Systems gets China railway contract
The NICE solution will be used to enhance the safety and security of up to 32 million passengers in 2008 and a projected 54 million by 2015, travelling on the Beijing-Tianjin inter-city passenger line -- the country's first high-speed passenger rail service. Find article here.

Beijing-Hamburg train halves time by sea
Chinese trade with Europe is about to be revolutionised by the rebirth of the old overland silk route - this time via rail. Find article here.

Historical articles and the likes...
Sandford Fleming's Railroad Advances Were Timely
Fleming (1827-1915) is known for many things -- his role in building the major Canadian railroads, his activism in uniting his country, designing the first Canadian postage stamp and Fleming College. In the matter of time, his influence was global -- winning him the name "Father of Standard Time." Find article here.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Weekend window
Nestled in Colorado's most southwestern corner, deep in the San Juan National Forest, sits a breathtaking canyon unreachable by roadways. It's a destination for those looking to travel off the beaten path. Find article here.

Mining town finds wealth in rich history
Once-thriving coal mining area could become a state park. Find article here.

Railroads in the News 1/27/08

Long post today I think you'll like it.
I found a nice system to find these stories in newspapers. To fill in the days i am working on projects i decided news around the world about Railroads would be a significant improvement to the blog.
Note: i deliberately left out the accident reports, and i found many (about 7 today) if this is of interest comment about it i doubt it is relevant or interesting...

Modelers in the news...
The Little Engines That Could: The Tampa Tribune has an article on a 12" scale Railroad at Largo Central Park. Find the story here.

Prototype in the News...
Railroad revived: A story we all love to hear about, The Erie Times writes a story on the WN&P's growth on 40+ miles of Pennsylvania track. Find the story here.

Rail plans are taking a different route: The Houston Chronicle writes an article on the re-organization of rail traffic. Freight is being routed out around town while passenger service will return to the area. Find the story here.

Coal, not popular holiday tale, is king on Ohio Central route: The Time Reporter writes an article on a Ohio rail attraction. The future of the popular holiday event is in jeopardy. Find the story here.

International News...
Prolonged freezing weather leads to train delays in China: Chinese Paper company and Google, BEIJING -- Prolonged snow, rain and cold weather has led to a number of train delays in central and southern areas of China, in addition to expressway closures and flight cancellations, stranding tens of thousands of people on their way home for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday. Find Story here and another article here

Inter-Korean Train service: The Korea Times North Korea has proposed cutting down cross-border railway services at this week's military talks with South Korea, citing a lack of cargo, a South Korean military official said Saturday. Find article here.

Brazil Railroad to use Racycled plastic ties. Source, Brazil's largest logistics operator and owner of three of its railroads, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD), has decided to start using ties made of recycled plastic and rubber rather than the traditional wood.

Historical articles and the likes...
Tracing Tracy territory: The Tracy Press in Tracy, California. Publisher emeritus Sam Matthews wonders if an old Western Pacific right of way is the key for future Tracy-Bay Area rail service. Find the story here.

Capturing Auburn's past: Seattle Times Four-and-a-half decades of working for the railroads started with a job carrying the suitcases of strangers. Find the story here.