Peekskill, NY
2-21-05
| The layout is 11x4 feet, started 1/2004. I just recently added the
scenery since I knew the Traveling Boxcar was coming but still ran out
of time. The layout has 6 switches and 8 uncouplers. The uncouplers are
based on an OGR article by Jim Barrett where the magnets are taken out
of their original Lionel track and inserted where needed. All track
and switches are GarGraves. Power comes from a ZW and LW. I
cast the portals myself in plaster. The hills and cliffs are plaster
cloth over screen with a top covering of molded rockwork out of Hydrocal.
Still need to paint and add grass/greenery. I use only Lionel switchers
including the 1615/1656/201 as well as a Williams B6. Photos here
are of the 1656. The layout is a variation of "The Timesaver" pioneered
by the late, great master model railroader, John Allen.
My book, Metro-North's Hudson Line-Poughkeepsie to Oscawana, came out last November. It traces the scenic Hudson Line of Metro-North back to the days of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. It is great that it has received very good reviews. The publisher is Depot Square Publishing at http://www.depotsquarepublishing.com/dspbooks.asp?book=rrot . I also hit some of the local train shows to sell the book with my wife and would be glad to autograph it for anyone. I will be at Kingston in April, Poughkeepsie in November and probably White Plains in December--if you could work that in. Book #2, the Lower Hudson's "Electric Zone" is underway at this point. I believe Railfan will be reviewing book #1 in the near future. The local Gannett paper gave it very good coverage too. |
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(like the wood on the edge where the coal truck and the people are). |
| More people were expected to turn out for the arrival of the Traveling Boxcar but it was delayed due to repairs needing to be made. The car was showing its age and mileage as the couplers failed several times, a hole in the roof was evident and the car was noticeably riding rough. The shop crew recommended scrapping it but the repairs were made. However, the Lehigh Valley is already behind in switching, storing and other costs so the contents (ale) were sized in lieu of payment. |
| Thought I would sneak in a little plug for my book. This has been a 6 year labor of love. Visiting some of the local train shows in the last year has been lots of fun especially since the response has been very positive. |
| The Traveling Boxcar, loaded with Hudson River shad, sturgeon, 3 bodies and 1 tire, leaves Peekskill. I recently created the portals by pouring plaster into molds I created. The "black holes" are just black construction paper but they look pretty good, even in person. |
| This is my control panel for the six switches and 8 uncoulpers. While not in the same league (or stratosphere!) with someone like Don Grabski as far as how the design looks, I'm happy that it has a clean, uncluttered look to it. |
| The control panel is made from a thin metal rectangle bought from Home Depot, spray painted flat black and then masked off to spray the yellow lines. The edges are thin plastic strips that hold in book reports (the ones with the clear plastic covers). The area under the green pickup will have pilings to represent a dock with the water (to be added) on the lower piece of wood, in this case meant to be the Hudson River. |