Layout Progress!!!

It has been a while since I have posted and even longer since I have posted on layout progress. It has been literally one year since I decided to drop Norwich from the layout plan and make the south end of the visible layout to be Plainfield CT. In October of 2025 I removed the entire track work I had laid for Norwich and planned out the area for Plainfield. I have also taken advantage of the depth of the benchwork to move the North end staging to the back of the bench work that will be hidden by a low back drop. In the last month I laid the main line for the entire layout, well sort of. A portion between Worcester and Plainfield is temporary and will be replaced eventually once a peninsula is built for Putnam. (This is a very long-term plan.) I also laid out the new north end staging as it needs to be in and operating before I do a lot of work in front of it. I have dropped leads and wired the full main line and the staging yard as well.

I have been able to get a train completely around the layout, using DCC. This includes both lift-out sections. I did discover several shorts that I eliminated and replaced a couple of bad turnouts.  The first “Train” was a brand new Rapido 44 tonner number 0811. This unit was assigned to Norwich for a good chunk of the 1950s. I know, I am not doing Norwich anymore, but it may become the Plainfield or Putnam switcher down the line, both literally and figuratively.  I still have a lot of trackwork to do, but I can run a train and that is an awesome accomplishment. Next step is to clean up stray rolling stock from around the layout. I also need to set up a RIP area as I discover cars that need to be fixed, low couplers, wheels that don’t roll and detail issues.

Here is the main line going the Plainfield. The tracks
in the background are the north end staging. 

Here I am starting to drop feeders to the rail, The portion
of track going from the diamond leads to Willimantic CT.
The opposite direction is the route to Providence RI.

Here is the first trin running under its own power into the
staging yard. There will be a short view block hiding
the sating yard. See the photo above.

Please note I have posted a couple of my recent clinics I have present at the New England Prototype meet and/or the New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association Convention.

Happy Independence Day

 

Travel

My wife and were fortunate to be able to spend 10 day in Budapest Hungry, Vienna and Salzburg Austria. While trains were not a focus of the trip we did travel by train between each city and used local transit with in each city. The line we took from Budapest to Vienna, about a 2.5 hour ride, was a double track electrified line. The train had a very basic cafe car, but was clean and comfortable. I must have seen a minimum of 6 fright trains traveling in the opposite direction during the trip. The trip from Vienna to Salzburg was about the same length and very similar, except the passenger cars were bilevels. Lots of trailers in well cars and tank cars, covered hoppers and  lot of pulpwood loads. 

What I found intriguing was each small city or large town had a very, what I would call traditional small yard. Often with a diesel unit stationed there. Very much what most of model in the transition era of the late 1940s into the 1950s. If I were doing a European layout I t could b a neat mixture of modern equipment , but a more traditional track layout.

The following photos are all from Budapest, the last is a photo I found in a shop of the original station at the location. 

The next one is from Salzburg

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New England Rail Proto Meet Posted

I have posted my Clinic on MOVING SPUDS STEEL REEFERS USED IN THE 1950’S BY THE BANGOR AND AROOSTOOK TO MOVE POTATOES. Click on the page labeled as that to see the presentation.

Projects and the New England Prototype Meet

Sorry for the long gap since my last post. I have been doing some modeling, but I have not posted about it. I am finishing up some projects for a presentation I will be doing at eh New England Prototype Meet in Springfield, MA May 29 and 30. https://www.nerpm.org/  I will be showing how to model some steel reefers used in the movement of Maine potatoes in the 1950's and 1960's. 

The above is the partially complete 8000 series BAR reefer. I will also be doing the 7000 series BAR reefer and at least 3 classes of MDT reefers.

I have some other project that I plan on displaying as well:

These are Rapido 35 foot trailers, the one on the right has been modified as an open top with a tarp over it. I still need to make tiedowns for the tarp. I had custom decals made for the NH as it is shorter than the closed top trailers. I used the the name plates above and below from the Rapido trailers. They are sitting on a Walthers G-85 TOFC flat. It would be wonderful to have Clejan flat for these. Maybe someday.

These are Eastern State Farmers Exchange insulated box cars. They are basically bunkerless reefers without roof hatches, The prototypes were built in 1953 by Dispatch Shops and originally did not have the large logos. The large logo was added in the late 1950's, Eastern Farmers Exchange became part of Agway in the late 1960's, 

Brian Johnson and I have actually done 6 podcasts, and it has been a lot of fun. Always looking for people you would like to talk model railroading to be on the podcast. https://tfmrr.com/

Happy Halloween!

Here are a couple of RDCs in Lincoln, NH dressed as ghosts!

 

Episode #3 of the Frugal Model Railroaders

We just dropped our third episode of the Frugal Model Railroaders, check us out where ever you get your podcasts!