Revising Norwich Track Work

While I am only freelancing the city of Norwich, CT, I have made the track lay out a bit more prototypical as well as more functional.  I added  track to represent the Central Vermont interchange and moved the switch to the bulk track.  I also created a switch lead for the small yard and created a single arrival/departure track.  The photos will show things better.  

North is to the left in this photo.  The track at the bottom of the photo is the bulk track ad the track it connects to i the Central Vermont interchange.  You can see the yard lead as well.

This photo is looking north, the station is on upper left hand side of the photo.  The RDC is n the siding, the main line is the center track and the yard lead is on the right.  The yard lead will also go down to mill as well.  The track work to the lower right leads to the yard.

Norwich 1948

I found this photo of Norwich from 1948, 10 years before my period.  It is looking southward, the main line goes off toward the left about half way up, towards Groton and the shoreline.  Running off the left above the nain is the line that interchanges with the Central Vermont.  From what I read there was also a couple of packing houses and a scrap dealer on that track.  In the photo you can see a bulk track (team track) just above the station.  At this point in time Norwich has no passenger service, so it appears that it is also being used as either a bulk track or cars for interchange with the CV.  the the left (east) of the station, you can see the remains of the old roundhouse and turntable.  the only thing left is the water tower.

While my current version of Norwich is very much freelanced, I have made a couple of changes to it based on this photo.   I had the bulk track that is just south of the station, but no interchange track.  I have rearranged the track on my version of Norwich to more closely match the layout here.  The yard at the real Norwich, it is south just over the bridge and under the tunnel to the south. On my layout a small yard will be on the est side of the main, across from the station.
While the changes I made are minor, it adds more operations to Norwich and at least make it a tad closer to the prototype.

Wordless Wednesday

Tank Car

My friend Bill C. mentioned a Lehigh Gas tank car that was lettered for Norwich, Conn.  I have other info other then then the photo.  Does anybody know more about the company or the car.  Where in Norwich was the company located, did they have just the one car, what years was it in service.

Did Atlas or Kadee make a model or are there any decals available to letter it?

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

More FA's

I have been getting the hang of weathering with Pan Pastels and I really enjoy working with them.  I decided to do a set of the green FA's and they look a little more worn torn as they have not seen the paint shop in a number of years, unlike the McGinnis units.  The deferred maintenance is starting to take its toll on the units and oil leaks are staring to show up.  I used linseed oil to simulate the oil leak and full spillage on the models.  I learned that trick from a Mike Confalone Video.



Oil Leak on this one

A nice hard working grungy look to the set. That Chateau Martin cars needs to be
toned down!  I may make that one of my next projects.

RS-11

On Monday Rapido announced they are producing Alco RS-11 in many variations: NH, PC, CR and LV are all in the first run among others.  They are also producing the MLW RS-18 and Tempo passenger train.  Both CN and CP RS-18's often made into New England on the Central Vermont and the CP lines.  All the locomotives will have the correct details for each railroad.

Of course I am only two detail parts away from finishing my Atlas RS-11.

Nearly complete Atlas RS-11

I need to add drop steps and the brake chain guides.  I have already modified the cab window on the fireman side, added Hancock air whistles, steam generator vent and stack, train control box with the extended walkway over it.  I have also used modified an Atlas fuel tank form and Atlas RS4/5.  I may also replace the actual handrails with brass wire as the Atlas ones are very clunky.  I would retain the Atlas stanchions.  I only need one or two for the layout so I am on the fence on ordering one of those lovely Rapido units.

Wordless Wednesday

New Haven Railroad County Parlor cars

When the New Haven Railroad purchased it's new stainless steel cars after WWII, part of the order were for a 20 combination Parlor-Baggage cars.  They were delivered in two basic layouts, but these were later modified on some of the cars.  I am not sure if Rapido will make these cars and I really wanted a pair of them for the East Wind trains.  I decided to combine (pun intended) a Rapido car and a set of E&B Valley Car Works sides to create these cars.  I have some photos to show how I went about it.

Here are the incorrectly painted Penn Central coaches that I used to create my Parlor.
A better starting point would to use an unnamed Parlor from Rapido

I removed the sides, but saved the vestibule doors on the end of the car with the
 most vents.  This keeps the doors consistent with other Rapido cars.

The first side removed.

The E&B Valley Car with the skirting and vestibule door removed.
I used Model Flex Red/Orange for the strip and Tamiya Mica Silver
is a close match to the Rapid silver paint.

Here is the unmodified interior from a Rapido Parlor car. You need to remove most of
the seat and then remove the the blue floor and turn it 180 degrees.  The steps must
also be removed from one end and installed in the other.

This show you the major components prior to assembly.  I had to move
some of the vents around to match the prototype.  I did use some
vents from Custom Finishing.  The name boards on the side of the car
are made from .005 styrene. 

you need a door for the baggage end of the car, I used a door from the bulkhead of the
old E&B valley car.  I sealed the window with a piece of styrene.  The door
was then glued to the Rapido vestibule.

Here is a diagram of the cars as delivered.

NEB&W Visit

I had a wonderful opportunity to attend an operation session on the New England Berkshire and Western on April 21.  This is a world class class club that is located on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I can not think of a layout I have sen in person that has a more realistic city scenery that really nails the details of structures and scenes. I am posting a few photos of may visit.

PS-1 Box Cars

The New Haven bought 1000 PS-1 40 box cars that had 10'6" interior height.  They are considered to be earlier body style with on ribs on the end panels of the roof, now small rectangle panels on the peak of the ends and shorter tabs on the sides by the bolsters.  Ted Culotta did a great article on these care as part of his Essential freight Car series that ran in Railroad Model Craftsman. He also has great decals for script herald for these cars, just check out Speedwitch models.

The 7' Superior doors are from Southwest Scale.

Rapido Parlors

The newest release from Rapido are the New Haven 300 and 400 series Parlors.  Because the New Haven used the same exterior arrangement, only the interior is different.  The named versions of the cars come with interior pieces to do both kinds of cars as well as all the various length name boards. If I had though more about it , I would have picked up only unnamed cars only, giving me extra interior parts to upgrade other cars. As you can see from the photos, the interior details are very nice.  The only negative is the lighting bar is not wired in and there are no directions on where the capacitor wires.  I may take another car apart to see how it goes, as I have to add shades to them anyway.

This is a full 36 seat parlor

This is the other side.

Here is the interior of what will be Parlor Car New Haven.  The NH had 5
Parlors with this arrangement.

Here is  close up up of the interior parts, They are done very nicely.

This shows the side with out the name board applied.

Painting Ties

I painted my track with Camouflage brown that is a nice base color for the track  I have now gone back and painted various random ties with a wash of various grays and browns.  I use acrylic craft paints that cost fifty cents apiece at Wal-Mart.   I add more gray ties to sidings and spurs and keep the main line in better.

Wordless Wednesday