Railroading in America Magazine Edition 4 by railroadinginamerica

Jerry Joe Jacobson

Photo courtesy of Evan Cihlar, Railroading in Amerca Magazine.

Edition 4 of Railroading in America Magazine is dedicated in memory to Jerry joe Jacobson, a lifelong railroad enthusiast. Mr. Jacobson owned and operated the age of steam roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio for many years and has restored steam engines all over the United States. Sadly, he is no longer with us. Mr. Jacobson was a ďŹ ne man and was a friend to many. He will never be forgotten and will always be in our hearts and souls as railroad enthusiasts. Rest in peace Jerry Joe Jacobson, you will be missed.

Table of Contents

Page 1..............................................The History of the San Diego Three-Railers Page 6....................................................Steam in the Valley 2017: A Memoir Page 10...............................................................EMD's E-Units Page 12................................................................Steam of the Keystone State: Reading and Blue Mountain 425 Page 14.....................................Building Your First Model railroad: Track-work and Wiring Page 17............................................Amtrak: A Necessity to American Transportation Page 19.........................................................Product Review: Menard's 1:48 Scale Panel Trucks Page 20.............................................Lionel Lionmaster vs. MTH Railking: What is Good? What is Bad? Page 24.........................................................Advertisements

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

The History of the San Diego Three-Railers

Tim Lewis Director of Communications and HR

The San Diego 3 Railers’ layout is one of the

nicest O Gauge layouts in the country and surely is one to check off your bucket list. The San Diego 3-Railers are one of four clubs who call the San Diego Model Railroad Museum home. This large museum is located in one of the famous hot spots in San Diego: Balboa Park. Each club is its own entity, like many local clubs.on the other hand, they are all open to the public six days a week and certain holidays too. However, we will be discussing my home train club: the San Diego 3-Railers. The San Diego 3-Railers formed in 1994 after several members separated from another well-known club in San Diego. The club started out as members meeting at each other’s homes until moving into a temporary location, which was originally the lawnmower shop for Balboa Park. A modular layout was installed in the room in 1994. The room that was most recently acquired was a temporary space for a G scale layout and therefore allowing the rest of the room to be allocated for an O scale layout. After many visitors liking the new additions, the museum gave us a permanent home shortly after the December of 1994. In the next five years, the clubs modular layout made several outings around San Diego County, until 2001. In early 2001, it was time to take the San Diego 3-Railers layout to the next level. The club made an agreement to build a permanent and bigger layout than the original modular layout after a grant was approved by the state of California for the museum.

Railroading in America Magazine

The layout started construction in May of 2002. The first major roadblock was lowering the floor of the room in order to create more headroom for the layout and the grant gave the museum a library as well. Then came the design of the layout, which was designed by our 44 founding members. Brenda Bailey oversaw the design, just as she did for the other layouts within the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. In September of 2002, the layout’s two of the four main lines were fully functional. Shortly after, the two lower mainlines were completed along with the scenery in 2003. The Completion of our layout kicked into high gear when Roger Carp from Classic Toy Trains came to us in November of 2002. He said that he would be back when the layout is completed, and in the July of 2004 edition, we were featured in the magazine as the cover story. OGR Magazine has also made two separate visits to the layout with Jim Barrett and Fred Dole writing very impressive articles. 1

In addition, the San Diego 3-Railers won the MTH Trains’ Blue Comet Award in 2012. The award was won from the numerous donors who helped get the layout to be a museum favorite. Even Mike Wolf, the CEO of MTH Trains has paid multiple visits, and each of those visits involves him bringing gifts of buildings, train cars and power supplies. Jarrett Haedrich of Atlas donated all the track and some switches on the layout. Ross Custom Switches also contributed in the form of switches as well. In 2005, Haedrich and Steve Horvath made a visit to examine how our track has held up and they were impressed of the minimal wear and tear on the track. In September 2009, Haedrich presented the San Diego 3-Railers with a San Diego Trolley in the similar paint scheme used on the Presidential Conference cars done between 1920s and 1930s. Nearly a month later, they were sold to the public. Our club even received the first model, with ours bearing the serial number one. Being a part of one of the most accredited model railroad museum west of the Mississippi River, the club has incorporated many cool features and interactive displays. One of the first things you’ll notice is the finished appearance of the entire 42′ x 44′ room. Wood panelled display cases of famous Lionel rolling stock from the postwar era to Lionel Legacy locomotives, including framed pieces of art from Angela Trotta Thomas. The prints change seasonally as we help promote her paintings to museum guests. As impressive as it all is, it is hard for visitors and prospective club members to believe that the layout was completed in about two years! There are plenty of fun things for the kids to enjoy. A push button-operated train is hugely popular with the kids. Another favorite of the younger train fans is being able to run Thomas the Tank Engine locomotives and the Chuggington locomotives. There are lots of fun things placed 2

around the layout for them to find too, including our scavenger hunt such as a dinosaur dig, a baseball game, and more. A Maglev train, which is one that runs between one rail and uses magnetic technology to propel itself is also available for visitors to see. A camera car provides an engineer’s eye view of the layout, giving visitors a “ride” around the massive layout. Our club receives on average 125,000 visitors a year and many people from all over the world visit. The San Diego 3-Railers is no ordinary layout. Each club member signs up for one of the four mainlines that we have, and each member brings in their own trains to run on that track. At the end of the day, each club member takes their equipment home, as we do not have any space to store club members’ trains. It is nice for us to run our own trains when the museum is open and visitors tend to strike up conversations with us about our trains. Folks often say whether or not they like the looks of it, or that they used to ride or operate the real world counterpart. Our layout features day and night lighting which better enhances the beautiful scenery throughout the layout, and many scenes typical of California, like an oil refinery are represented. The backdrops were done by Backdrop Warehouse, which creates realistic backdrops for a wide array of purposes. But that doesn’t mean the layout is finished or doesn’t change. In 2014, the layout got a face lift, which added some new pieces to the layout, relocating buildings, and renovations to the scenery. The club has incorporated two sections of the layout with one in a prominent corner of the room that changes with each season and another looking into the layout from a window. This perspective provides an outstanding view one of the most remodeled towns on the layout, Lesserton. We have a total of five modular pieces for seasons in the corner section and we are currently making new ones for Lesserton. For the corresponding season, the entire layout gets decorated too. No model Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

No model railroad is ever finished, there is always something to add, change, or remove. With club members running different trains daily, there is always something different going around the railroad every day. In order for us to serve our visitors and individuals who love our layout but are not nearby, we have a live video feed of the layout on our club’s website. The camera feed runs when the museum is open and soon we will be able to show you what our camera car shows to visitors at the layout. Our club is committed to making this great hobby accessible to everyone and to carry on our club's’ legacy. Those youngsters who show interest to join our club, we even have a San Diego 3-Railers Kids Program. There is no cost to participate, as ages six through eighteen are encouraged to experience the hobby of model railroading. It was this program that has inspired me to give back to this program as being a former member. Other than the modular layouts that our club has used in the first five years of the club’s existence, we have done other outreach programs to help promote the toy train hobby. In 2010, the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum asked us for assistance in creating an interactive layout as an addition to their displays. Our club assisted in creating the Railroading in America Magazine

layout and continue to assist in the maintenance of the layout as well. In 2012, the San Diego 3-Railers and the All Gauge Toy Train Association was approached by Rady’s Children Hospital of San Diego to construct a small layout for the Acute Center. With the help of Lionel donating track, the layout still continues to greet visitors and changes with the seasons thanks to the help of volunteers from both organizations. So if you ever visit San Diego, come pay a visit to the San Diego 3-Railers and the San Diego Railroad Museum. We have created lots of memories for everyone who visits our layout and we hope to continue this so we can leave a positive impression on attendees. I would like to thank the 44 founding members and all of members, past and present, for 23 years of trains, good times, and great people.

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

Steam in the Valley 2017: A Memoir Garrett Monnin Editor in Cheif

Deep in the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on a cool, crisp, morning, one could experience a special kind of peacefulness. The birds were chirping, the Cuyahoga River flowed calmly, and the condensation from the chilly night had turned into a slight overhanging fog, that hung onto the rails of the nearby railroad tracks. All of a sudden, a plume of steam that was as white as snow came into view on the horizon as it rose into the bright blue sky. A faint sound of chuffing could be made out amidst the stillness. As the sights and sounds of a steam locomotive drew closer, the sounds of nature had seemed to have quieted almost as in respect for the machine that was present. The cluster of trees soon gave way to the awesome sight of the 1944-built 2-8-4 Berkshire number 765, who is a veteran of the Nickel Plate Road, and who also happens to be a beloved excursion star. With her Nathan 6 chime whistle reverberating through valley, and her oscillating MARS light piercing the fog, 765 put on quite a show for the large congregation of locals, nature enthusiasts, and railfans of all ages that awaited her. Once the diesel locomotive on the rear of the consist is out of sight, the stillness returns, and the only evidence of nature being disturbed remnants are the remnants of the steam and ever-shrinking congregation of people. Scenes like this, and much more, are all a part of the 2017 rendition of Steam in the Valley. During two weekends in the month of September, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) partners with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) to run a special series of steam powered trips up and down the railroad, since the CVSR does not currently operate or own their own steam locomotive. For 2017, the weekends of these trips were on the weekend of September 16/17 and September 23/24. On Railroading in America Magazine

Saturdays, the train originated at the Rockside Station in Independence, Ohio. On Sundays, Akron Northside Station was the place of Origin of the passenger train. Each trip was a two hour round trip, which included a photo runby. Since there was no turning facilities at either end of the line, one of CVSR’s own diesel locomotives joined 765 on the other end of the train, and the two sources of motive power worked in a “push-pull” fashion. I made my visit to the Cuyahoga Valley on the first weekend of trips, and my friend, Evan, and I purchased ticket to ride in the diner, due to the more preferable open window cars being sold out. We arrived at Rockside Station early in order to get a good shot of the 765 making her grand entrance and delighting the her soon - to - be passengers. Lots of others had the same 5

idea as us, as apparent by the large throng of fellow photographers that soon surrounded us. We had a chance to get a practice run before the real deal, thanks to the passing of the regular scenic train that also occupied the railroad. After much anticipation, white plumes of steam were visible and a loud hiss could be heard as the cylinder cocks opened and released the condensated water that had formed in the cylinders. The smokebox was the only part of the locomotive that could be seen, as the majority of the engine enshrouded herself in steam, that looked pure and crisp in the cool, clear sky. Upon the conclusion of the engine’s slow speed spectacle, the train squealed to a stop at the station platform. Boarding soon commenced, and before we knew it, we were setting our stuff down on our table and going through the shots we had just taken. Once everyone had found their seat, the sold out train highballed out of the station and we headed south. Evan and I’s experience was relatively uneventful until the photo runby at Boston Mills. We simply sat back and took in the visual vistas that greeted us along the way, especially at Brecksville, with the iconic arched bridge made of concrete that crosses over the Cuyahoga river and valley. This particular location is perhaps the most popular place along the railroad, as far as pictures are concerned. The train slowed just before appearing under the bridge and strutting her stuff in front of the large - very, very large group of observers awaiting. We now find ourselves at Boston Mills as we setup our equipment while we chat with a very friendly and knowledgeable CVSR staff member. Everyone has just disembarked from the train and scrambling to find a suitable vantage point to observe or film the runby from. If one was to look up and down the line of cameras, the scene closely resembled something that came out of the paparazzi who are along the red carpet in Hollywood or New York. The engineer backs his train up and awaits for authority to proceed. He soon gets permission and wastes little time in getting up to speed and based 6

off of the sound of the stack, he is really going after the throttle. Cameras instantly start clicking and videos are rolling as 765 pounds past the long line of passengers. The whistle is being kept busy due to the crossing which is adjacent to the station. The ground shook as nearly 400 tons of American made steel made its presence known, up until the diesel on the end is whisked away from view. The consist is again backed up for another runby, except this one is performed at a slightly higher speed. A thick grey smoke is sent shooting up into the sky, but the exhaust soon becomes clear as the expert fireman adjusts his fire. Our cameras clicked away and Evan’s video camera caught all of the action from both runbys. We soon embark on the train and continue our southward trek. A glimpse of the heart of the CVSR is able to be caught as we slow down for the yard limits of the Fitzwater yard, which is home to the maintenance shop and coach yard for the railroad. We will soon see more of Fitzwater yard. Upon arrival in a town called Indigo lake, we stopped our journey and the diesel took over. The entirety of the northbound trip was spent looking over our large number of good shots, deleting bad ones, discussing plans for the rest of the day, and eating cheese balls and fruit snacks. When the train arrived back at the Independence station, we hustled to the trestle just north of Indigo Lake that crossed over the Cuyahoga river. The bank of the river served as an exceptional photo location. Another fellow railfan soon joined us and struck up conversation with us. He is very passionate about railroads, both real and their smaller- scale counterparts. He enjoys modelling the Pennsylvania railroad, (or “Pennsy” for short) and Baltimore and Ohio railroad in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Very prototypical and realistic operating sessions are among his favorite pastimes. Us three were also fortunate enough to get a practice run as the regular scenic train again greeted us and rolled past our equipment. Just as before, the steam special was heard and last minute adjustments were made as we Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

got behind the cameras. The trestle and river in conjunction with 765 gracefully crossing above made for quite the aesthetic scene. I surely took advantage of my cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6 frames per second as I kept the shutter button pressed down until the FWRHS tool car passed over us. The hike through the shrubbery was made and we found ourselves just crossing the tracks when we heard two blasts from the diesel on the read end of the train. A safe spot was soon found as the cameras were frantically readied and waited for 765 to be visible as she was being towed. As she crossed the same trestle which has a slight curve to it, I managed to get a perfect head on shot of the berkshire. The extra photo opportunity was a great plus and it was a great way to close out the afternoon. A lunch and rest break was taken and our cameras were recharged. However, our time with 765 was not over just yet. Later that night, I was to partake in my first engine watch. Nearly every night that there is steam in the boiler and fire on the grates, there needs to be Railroading in America Magazine

some degree of supervision. This is to make sure that any problem that may arise will get immediate attention, and also serves as a security purpose so that nobody can sneak into the engine. Evan is on the engine crew of the 765, so this is not his first rodeo. Once we arrived and were in the cab, I was introduced to the crew on duty. All of the crew was very friendly and hospitable as I was shown some of the ropes. I was happy to tell everyone about myself and it was very interesting to learn a bit about everyone else as well. I was taught how to use the injector, shovel coal, and blow down the boiler. The hands on learning greatly enhanced my understanding of various controls throughout the cab, and it truly is something that cannot be truly comprehended from just reading a book. I also brought my camera and snapped some shots. As a photographer, having the whole engine to myself was great, and I got creative. After getting lots of photos and saying our goodbyes to the crew, I was looking forward to a good night's rest. I am very fortunate to have the chance to have the experience that I did, and I hope to do lots of more work with the FWRHS and crew in the near future. A morning encounter was planned with 765, but due to various reasons, this was not to be. That meant that the one final turn of my head as I walked away was to be the last time I would lay my eyes upon her, for now. I highly recommend to anyone who has not had the chance the see this time machine thunder through the Cuyahoga valley to do so. Come feel the ground shake, hear the whistle echo, and see the drivers roll. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t regret it.

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

EMD's E-Units As part of a series covering passenger diesels, we will extensively look at Electro-Motive Corporation (later General Motor’s Electro-Motive Division and now part of Progress Rail) E-Unit series of locomotives, which were mainly used to pull various passenger trains across the United States. Throughout the 1930s and into the ‘50s, many railroads across the United States were experimenting with diesel locomotives. General Motors was one of the first diesel locomotive manufacturers in the United States, when they created what they called an “FT.” The “F” stood for 1,400 horsepower (though the engine was actually rated for 1,350 horsepower) and the “T” stood for “twin,” as the engines were sold in sets of two. The FT was moderately successful, with 555 A-Units being sold, and 541 B-Units being sold. The “B” stood for “booster.” These engines did not have cabs, but they could be controlled from the lead locomotive. The A-Units were units that had cabs. These designations were only used on early diesel engines. Later, the “A” was dropped from units equipped with cabs, but “B” has always been used to denote that the engine is a booster unit. As railroads continued to experiment with diesels, they found that diesels were cheaper and much easier to maintain than steam engines. Soon, diesels became the mainstay power for crack passenger trains and freight trains as steam engines were quickly retired and sold for scrap, donated to museums, or various other fates. One of the most popular diesels for passenger trains was the E-Unit series. The “E” denoted that the engine was equipped with six axle trucks. The first models in the series were the EA and the EB units. Produced between 1937 and 1938, six A units and 6 B units were built for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (also called the B&O) Railroading in America Magazine

Walker Wood Advertising Director

These two models were being produced around the time the FTs were being built. The next group of E-Units in the series were the E1, built for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway (commonly called the Santa Fe). Essentially, these engines were identical to the EA/ EB engines. It was simply a different model designation. Eight A Units and three B Units were built between 1937 and 1938. The EMD’s next line of diesels built were the E2. These engines were essentially the same locomotive as EMC’s EA/EB and E1 locomotives. There were six locomotives built in three A-B-B sets, where there was one A-Unit controlling two other B-Units. One of these sets was owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad, while the other set was jointly owned by the Union Pacific and the Chicago & Northwestern Railroads. All three used their sets on passenger trains that were used on the lines of these three railroads. Following closely to EMC’s E2 was their E3. These 2,000 horsepower engines were built between late 1938 and 1940. In that time span, 17 A units and 2 B units were sold. Railroads who purchased the model included the Atlantic Coast Line (of which their number 501 survives), Chicago & North Western, and the Florida East Coast Railroad. The only survivor of the class was ACL 501, which was rebuilt to E6 standards following a wreck before delivery to the ACL. Ironically built before the E3, EMC’s E4 is the next engine in the line of E-Units, being the fifth engine. All were built for the Seaboard Air Line Railway between 1938 and 1940, with 14 A Units and 5 B Units made. The E4s were almost identical to the E3s, except for the pneumatically controlled nose door. This made it easier to walk between engines. All 19 E4s were retired by 1964 and subsequently scrapped. 9

The sixth engine in EMC/EMD’s E5. Built between 1940 and 1941, 16 engines (11 A units and 5 B units) were built for the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy (commonly called the CB&Q, or merely, the Q) and subsidiaries Colorado and Southern, and the Fort Worth and Denver Railway. CB&Q 9911A is the only survivor of the class, residing at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, where it is occasionally ran with the “Nebraska Zephyr” trainset. Next up was EMD’s E6. It was the first model in the series where the model was purchased by more than three railroads and more of the model was sold than all other E Unit models put together, with 91 A Units and 26 B Units being produced between late 1939 and late 1942. Railroads who purchased the E6s include the Atlantic Coast Line, Louisville & Nashville, and the Missouri Pacific. The ACL owned the most models, owning 22 A Units and 5 B Units, while the Seaboard Air Line and the Chicago. Minneapolis, St. Paul & Pacific (called the Milwaukee Road) owned the least amount, with each railroad owning 2 A Units each. The E6s were different from all previous models in that they featured 2,000 horsepower, rather than 1,800. As the 1940s went on into the 50s, the railroads trusted diesels more and more as reliable power. The railroads began to favor

diesels since they were cheaper and costed less to maintain, as opposed to steam engines. EMD continued to produce diesels among competition from other builders. Next up was the E7. Mechanically the same as the E6, the E7 featured a cab that more closely resembled the cabs of F Units. These engines gained the nickname of having “bulldog noses” as a result of this new cab. Built between 1945 and 1949, 428 A Units and 82 B Units were built for 32 had 2,250 horsepower. 450 A Units and 46 B Units were built in that timeframe. The Pennsylvania Railroad had the most, owning 74 A Units. The Central of Georgia Railway purchased just two, the least by any railroad. The Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio owned one, but it was rebuilt rather than purchased. Finally, the EMD E9 was the last engine in the series. Only 100 A Units and 44 B Units were built between 1954 and 1964. The Union Pacific owned the most, with 35 A Units and 34 B Units. Not very many E9s were sold in relation to the widely successful E7 and E8 models that preceded it. However, it offered 2,400 horsepower, instead of the E8’s 2,250 horsepower.

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

Steam of the Keystone State: Reading and Blue Mountain 425 Ian Hollida HO and Pennsylvania Steam Specialist

Since the early 1900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Pennsylvania (affectionately known as the Keystone State) has been a huge hub for some of the greatest steam power the world has ever seen. From the Pennsylvania Railroads streamlined T1 Duplexes, to the Reading Companies husky T-1 Northerns, Pennsylvania could offer up just about anything you could think of. Although the days of big steam on the mainline in Pennsylvania are all but over, if you look throughout the hills and valleys of the state, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find that steam lives on in the Keystone state. This article will feature a few of the many steam locomotives that run in Pennsylvania and their history. RBM&N 425 was built for the Gulf Mobile and Northern railroad by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, PA in 1928. On September 13, 1940, the Gulf Mobile & Northern merged with the Mobile & Northern railroad to create the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad. With that, the 425 went with the rest of the GM&N and became Gulf Mobile & Ohio 580, as the GM&O already had a number 425. The locomotive lasted about 10 years in service on the GM&O and was retired in 1950. Almost immediately after its retirement, the 580 was purchased by Mr. Paulson Spence for his Louisiana Eastern Railroad and renumbered to number 4. In 1961 Paulson Spence passed away and most of the collection was unfortunately scrapped. Out of many steam engines on the railroad, only 4 were saved. The 425 was one of the lucky ones to make it into preservation along with the Wilmington and Westerns 4-4-0 number 98. In 1962 the 425 was purchased by Mr. Brian Woodcock and a few others, who moved it to the Wilmington & Western Railroad it sat in dead storage on the line and never Railroading in America Magazine

operated. In 1983, the locomotive was sold to Andy Muller and was used on his newly formed Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad. The locomotive originally kept its high headlight configuration and was still painted black. On June 12, 1992, the 425 emerged with a new paint scheme. Thanks to the idea of former Reading Engineer Charles W. Kachel, Muller had decided to repaint the 425 blue based off one of the former Reading Companies 4-6-2 pacifics that was painted blue. Now, the 425 had something to help it stick out from most of the steam engines currently operating. In 1995, the locomotive traveled to Scranton, Pennsylvania to participate in the grand opening ceremonies for Steamtown, USA. It ran numerous excursions out of Scranton and returned to Port Clinton, home base of the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern in late 1996. The last trips the 425 ran were the Tamaqua Fall Fest on October 13, 1996. After that, the Reading and Northern took a long hiatus from steam between 1997 and 2007. After nearly a decade of not being serviced, overhaul work began on Pennsylvanias favorite blue pacific. In December of 2007, the locomotive made its first test run appearing partially painted in the scheme that was used in the 1990s. The locomotive was serviced until May 11, 2008, when the engine rolled out of the shops again with a fresh look. The locomotive was painted a brighter blue with the headlight lowered from the top of the smokebox to being just above the center of the smokebox. The bell was also moved from the boiler, to the front of the smokebox. In June 2008, the locomotive made its official return to excursion service, with a train from Port Clinton to Jim Thorpe and return. No doubt, the engine would make that run many times 11

in the future. Over the next few years, the engine made many trips all over the RBMN system from Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad tourist trains, RBMN corporate excursions, employee specials, and the locomotive was also the star attraction of the 2010 NRHS convention. After a wildly successful 2010 season, the 425 was put back into storage for the 2011-2012 seasons to have more work done. The locomotives pilot and trailing trucks were both rebuilt by the Strasburg Railroad and both were equipped with new roller bearings as opposed to friction bearings, the engines air compressor was rebuilt, and the bottom part of the smokebox was replaced. In August of 2013, the repairs were completed and the engine underwent a few days of testing. The 425s first public outing after the rebuild was Steamtown Railfest 2013. The 425 however did not run at Railfest 2013. After Railfest 2013, the locomotive went to Jim Thorpe to run Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad excursions on Labor Day weekend. In August 2015, the 425 was yet again repainted into a deep blue and with black underbody. In 2016 and 2017, the 425 hit the high iron with numerous Autumn Leaf trains and a few special appearances on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad.

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

Building Your First Model Railroad: Trackwork and Wiring

Evan Cihlar CEO and President

Building a Model Railroad isn't always easy, especially for beginners and young model railroaders. In continuation of the series, Building Your First Model Railroad, we will be discussing the next step in building your first model railroad: trackwork and wiring. When building, you must first have a trackplan, which we talked about in the first article of Building Your First Model Railroad in Edition 2. Now that you have your trackplan, we can get started. Tracklaying is important for the integrity of your layout. If you have bad trackwork, then when you get to laying ballast or putting scenery in, your scenery won't look very good. Many people think that skipping roadbed is a good idea if you are not using pre-made track such as Lionel's FasTrack. If you have ever heard this statment, ignore it. Roadbed gives you extra space under your track that you won't have to ballast (saving you a lot of money) as well as giving your ballast a nice form to take on, and all the while silencing the vibrations and sound of your layout while cars and engines go over the track. Before you start laying your track, you want to have a plan on what type of track you want. If you want more details about this, please visit the previous article, but for the most part you should decide if you want an easy way to put down track (FasTrack) or if you would like the slightly harder but more realistic looking track that gives you a wide spectrum of what you can do with it? These are questions you need to ask before you go and buy track impulsively (because let's face it, we all get excited when it comes to trains, especially toy trains.) Once you have roadbed with your hands, no knives are necessary Railroading in America Magazine

decided what you would like to use as your track, you need to buy any accessories that may go with it. This includes Lionel lock-ons for tubular track, or cork roadbed for GarGraves/Atlas track. Get what you need, and try and make a budget that is realistic to your trackplan. Don't get more than what you need for starting with, as you can always add on later. After you have gone over your track plan, bought your supplies, and have a budget, it's time to start laying some track. The first step in laying track should be done no matter what type of track you are using or the system you are wiring with. I found that when laying track it is important to start by using masking tape to mark where your track will be. This gives you time to measure clearance, make minor or even major adjustments to your track plan, and see how your layout will operate before you start laying anything down. After you have layed out your masking tape, FasTrack users can start to lay down their track, but flextrack or non-fabricated track users will need to read the next paragraph. Instead of laying your track over the masking tape like the pre-fabricated track users do, you need to lay your roadbed down. Roadbed should be sliced in two by your manufacturer. Most people don't notice that your roadbed comes with pre-cut angles, and they just lay it down as soon as it is out of the package. Instead, split the roadbed with your hands, no knives are necessary for this step. Then start to bend and nail the roadbed down onto your layout. Switches will need a little bit of extra work, but you'll be able to find something out that works for you. All 13

it will need is a little bit of patience and splicing of scrap pieces. Once your roadbed has been laid, you will need to solder leads onto each 3' piece of track for top performance, even with conventional. If you have phantom rail track, the middle rail will need to be sanded down until you can see bare metal (only where you are soldering) so that the solder makes a connection and bonds with the rail. Next, solder a wire on the outside of the rail, or preferably under the rail where the sheet metal that forms the rail shape splits. Your solder joint should look shiny, not dull or greyish. If you have a dulllooking solder joint, you will need to do it because the joint will not stay and will most likely fall out at some point in the future. Once your leads have been soldered, drill a hole through the roadbed and put the wires through and then start to nail your track down into place. Make sure that you bend your track if you have flextrack first otherwise there will be a great deal of strain on your nails and it will cause problems in the future with track going out of gauge, or even worse, the track coming up out of place. Now that you have your track laid, with either prefabricated track or with flextrack, you need to start wiring. It is important that you have wire strippers, wire nuts, needle-nose pliers, a soldering iron, solder, and of course, a couple spools of wire (depending on the size of your layout.) Wiring track is the simplest part of a digital railroad, but if you have a block system in conventional, you're going to be spending quite a bit of time on wiring. For more information on wiring a block layout, please look for our next magazine. Digital layouts are what most people are instantly going to, even though they cost a lot of money, because the engines that you can buy now are expensive and with conventional you don't get to use the features you are paying for. Visit page 14-15 for details on choosing the right command system for

for you in this magazine edition. With MTH's Digital Command System, also known as DCS, read the paragraph marked as 1. For Lionel's Train Master Command Control, also known as TMCC, read the paragraph marked as 2. For Lionel's Legacy Command Control, also known as Legacy, please read the paragraph marked 3. For integration of either TMCC or Legacy into your DCS system, please read the paragraph marked 4. 1. MTH's Digital Command System, more commonly known as DCS, is a marvel of the time. It can control not only MTH locomotives with Protosound 2.0 or higher, but it can also control conventional engines with the setup of a variable track, and even TMCC/Legacy engines!* DCS is fairly system to set up. When you get your DCS Track Interface Unit (a.k.a. TIU) you will notice there are eight inputs (4 red, 4 black) on the input side of the TIU. Each powerpole supplies power to the corresponding output pin on the output side of the TIU. The outputs can be either FIXED DCS 1, VARIABLE 1, VARIABLE 2, or FIXED DCS 2. The fixed DCS ports mean that you will only be able to control command equipped engines on your layout with those power poles. The variable outputs are for command and conventional outputs. With MTH's DCS system you can also add on many different items such as an Accessory Interface Unit (AIU) or the DCS WiFi system. These two interfaces are optional. The AIU will let you control switches and buildings from your DCS remote or phone app. Yes, I did just say phone app. To have access to your trains via your phone you will need to purchase the DCS WiFi system. The DCS system can usually be purchased for about $150, but then to get full control of your layout and access special features like the aux keys, you will need to buy an app on either the Google Play Store or the App Store for $20. An MTH remote

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

so overall its a pretty good deal for a command system. You can also buy just a TIU and WiFi unit and run your trains without a remote. DCS is probably the most variable and user-friendly command system as you can customize everything. To wire the DCS TIU, simply hook up a power connection to the input pin and then attach your track wire to a terminal strip (if you have more than one track) and you're ready to go! You can also see your owner's manual for more details. 2. Train Master Command Control (a.k.a. TMCC) is the first command system that ever came out for O scale model railroading and was way ahead of its time. With this system you are able to control older TMCC equipped engines, or you can run Legacy engines. If you choose to get the TMCC system to run Legacy engines, you will not get the full experience as you will only be able to access the basic features. The TMCC system is not wired like the DCS system, as the only wire that needs to be connected to the base is the ground. This is because TMCC operates over radio. The handrails on your TMCC locomotive are not just there for decoration, but they are the antenna for the radio system on the TMCC board. This means that all of your positive leads can be hooked up straight into your transformer. The TMCC system can also be hooked up to your DCS TIU via the serial port on the back of the TMCC base and on one end (depending on the model of your TIU placement may vary) of the DCS TIU. If you have the DCS system linked to your TMCC system, there is no need for a TMCC remote. You can add new engines and control the TMCC engines from the DCS remote. 3. Lionel came out with cutting-edge technology a couple years ago when they released thier Lionel Legacy command system. This system lets you control conventional engines, older TMCC engines, and current Legacy Engines. The remote has many different features and also has a slider on it so

you can easily quill the whistle on your legacy engine. The wiring for the system is the same as the TMCC base, you simply hook up your ground wire to the base, hook up the positive wire to your transformer lead, and then off you go! If you would like to link your Legacy Console to the DCS TIU, you can with the serial cable you would use for the TMCC base. You will not be able to control Legacy engines from the DCS remote, however. This means that if you plan on getting Legacy engines, you are better off spending the extra couple hundred dollars on the more modern system to access all of the features on your future or current Legacy Remote. Now that you have your command base wired up, its time to test an engine. Power up your track, add your engine with the way your owner's manual tells you to do so (TMCC users using the TIU refer to the DCS manual not the TMCC manual) and you'll be ready to go. Remember that all new/factory reset Lionel engines with either TMCC or Legacy will automatically have an address of 1, and you should change that after you test your locomotive for the first time. Test out your new wiring and start having some fun with your new layout!!

Amtrak: A Necessity to American Transportation

Max Harris Intern

Amtrak is one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted railroads in the United States. Amtrak takes a lot of heat from the media, as they critique the frequent equipment failures, derailments, and the lack of Positive Train Control (PTC). Not to mention that the White House constantly tries to unhitch Amtrak’s ties to the government and tear out all federal funding for the railroad’s needs such as engine maintenance and compensation for the crews. Though Amtrak generates no revenue for the government, the railroad does do the job it supposed to, and it does it quite well for one of the only passenger railroads in the United States. When Amtrak was first created in 1971, the goal was not only to save the railroad passenger industry, but to also further unify the United States. Remote areas in the countryside of America have no other ties to the rest of the world in some cases, especially with no air service nearby. So, Amtrak steps in to fill the void. Amtrak’s long distance trains can transport people all over the nation, and help those isolated by their location to become integrated into city life, and further connect the people of the United States. Amtrak doesn’t make money for the government, which is the main reason for the constant attempts of draining funds. Just this year, President Donald Trump proposed a budget that would cut all of Amtrak’s long distance trains (Thankfully, this didn’t pass). The only line that brings in profit for Amtrak is the Northeast Corridor, the high speed electrified train route that runs between Washington DC and Boston. The revenue from this line is not enough to support the 16

rest of the rail operations, so the federal government loses money by investing time and money in Amtrak. By no means is this bad, because the service Amtrak offers is priceless. Amtrak links communities together, and offers a relaxing and scenic ride without the hassle of driving or the TSA. Amtrak trains are also great ways to see the countryside. Though train rides are much longer than a flight, the views are unbeatable. Traveling across the countryside by train is undoubtedly the best way to see the beautiful sights of the nation. Amtrak is also updating their equipment, with new seats for their classic passenger cars, the Amfleet. In the economy class, new diner and sleeper cars, called Viewliner II’s. New Acela train-sets are also on the way and are expected to be delivered in 2021. These new high speed trains are expected to

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increase passenger capacity and travel faster than the current Acela. No matter what it costs the government, Amtrak is necessary to the transportation of the the United States. Without this service, people who live in remote areas would have no means of easily connecting with the cities and larger areas of the country. Amtrak plays a pivotal role of transportation in the United States, and the service they provide is essential to our nation.

Railroading in America Magazine

Product Review: Menard's 1:48 Scale Panel Trucks

Tim Lewis Director of Communications and HR

In a previous article, I pointed out that Menards make quality diecast automobiles. This article will be a review of two 1:48 Scale Panel Trucks, French’s Lionel Train House Replica and a Menards delivery truck. Let’s start with the History, the panel truck is similar in function to a smaller sedan as a station wagon with no backseat and no side windows except for the front of the truck. Panel trucks were often used by construction and maintenance contractors, other variations include models, with an open side door area used by farmers for selling fruits and vegetables. The evolution of sport utility vehicles started with panel trucks as several companies still produce panel trucks for consumers to use for their liking. Now let’s get to French’s Lionel Train Houses Panel truck. The real 1946 Chevy panel truck, which this replica was modeled after, was purchased by A.J. French in 1947. He used it as his delivery truck for the Lionel Train House, which was located in Seattle, Washington. Sadly, French’s Lionel Train House closed during the 1960s. For over two decades, the delivery truck sat inside the vacant shop until it was moved to a private collector’s property and was sold to an individual in Utah, 40 years after repairs to operating conditions once again. If you look at the Menards’ model there is a huge difference to the prototype and this model. An example is the name is “Frenchie’s” instead of French’s (To prevent confusion, I’ll be referring the Frenchie’s truck as French’s for this review). Menards will not explain why this is but I believe it is because there could be a copyright or a trademark 18

that can’t be found, so Menards’ wanted to prevent any harm or malice to their corporation. The Color isn’t correct but to me it looks like it is weathered and it looks better this way. For 20 dollars with some minor detail it is more affordable than a super detailed piece for 180 dollars or more. I purchased a Menards’ Panel truck and the French’s Replica, I opened the box and was puzzled, Both Panel Trucks were packed differently, however they arrived damage free. The French’s replica arrived in a box you will typically see with Menards’ automobile in a box with clear see thru plastic. The Detail is extraordinary, all the separately add on pieces and the paint jobs are nicely done. Both Trucks are very interesting and are the same with a few exceptions. Some of the differences include the Company the truck is working for, and the French’s replica has more detail than the Menards’ company truck. The License plate is a replica from Washington around the time the panel truck was owned by A.J French. There is also a rack on top of the panel truck. The Menards company truck only consists of the mirrors with a pretty dark blue color with their logo. I purchased both and will be using them as a flatcar load, but you can use them as a delivery truck for an industry on your layout or for a train shop to replicate what this truck can be used for as a delivery truck like A.J French used for his. Some people have picked up multiples of the French’s truck and has kit bashed them to be of their liking making them into pickup trucks or stake bed flats. If you want these wait and see if Menards’ is having a giveaway and pick up a few cars and these two panel trucks, you never know if they’ll be in a giveaway soon.

Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017

Lionel Lionking vs. MTH Railking: What is Good? What is Bad?

Tim Lewis Director of Communications and HR

As model railroading is a very expensive hobby, many of us have to improvise to get our dream locomotives and cars. Many of us started out with the O-27 starter sets and eventually we phased out the O-27 rolling stock, and upgraded to more enjoyable trains. When upgrading, there is a crossroad in what one may prefer: scale, semi-scale, or both. Today, we will examine the Railking line from Mike’s Train House (MTH) and compare it to the Lionmaster line from Lionel. Lionel introduced it’s Lionmaster line in 2001 as an offering for those who want a similar level of detail as the scale models, but shrunk down enough to navigate tight curves. Lionel’s first Lionmaster locomotive was the 4-6-6-4 challenger, lettered in two roadnames. The roadnames produced were the Denver and Rio Grande, and the Delaware and Hudson. After introducing the Lionmaster line to customers, they continued producing challengers in other varieties of railroad names. Soon after, other articulated giants joined the Lionmaster line. The famous Union Pacific Big Boys, Norfolk and Western Class A’s, Pennsylvania T-1 Duplexes, and Southern Pacific AC-12 Cab Forwards were resurrected as a Lionmaster model among others. However, other favorites of the Lionmaster line included the New York Central J-3a class Hudson locomotive. A popular diesel was also manufactured, the SD80MAC and SD90MAC. Lionel made the Hudsons and SD diesels because these engines had not been made in O scale at an affordable price. Lionel made locomotives that their competitors didn’t make in a semi-scale Railroading in America Magazine

line. This gave Lionel a competitive edge in the O scale market. Lots of fans of the Lionmaster line hope to see the return of their favorite models, like the Hudson, but this time with updated features such as Lionel’s innovative Legacy system. Staying true to the company’s reputation, Lionel still puts exquisite detail into all of their scale models, and the Lionmaster line is no different. Lionmaster models include many of the separately applied details those of a true scale engine wears. On the current Legacy Models, the “whistle steam smoke effect” has been added. As of right now, Lionel has only produced the Union Pacific Big Boys, Norfolk and Western Class A’s, Pennsylvania T-1 Duplexes and Challengers with updated technology. MTH came out with their Railking line in 1980 when the company was incorporated. Railking is a completely different “railroad” from Lionel’s Lionmaster line. Railking has a much wider variety of locomotives and cars, as far as road names and model types are concerned. MTH has their own operating system called Digital Command System, or DCS for short, that is similar to the Lionel’s TMCC and Legacy systems. MTH makes a scale model line as well, with the name of MTH Premier. When a RailKing engine needs to be made, the engineers shrink the tooling and plans down to fit Railking specifications. Sometimes a product will be cancelled due to insufficient orders, which has always been a part of the modeling business. Railking offers different products and lines under the railking name of Rugged Rails, RailKing Scale,

Imperial, and RailKing Standard. RailKingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rugged Rails are locomotives and rolling stock that may be a solution for lowbudget operations. Although they are on the inexpensive side of model railroading, they're still equipped with the same high quality components and features found in more expensive RailKing products. Featuring die-cast metal locomotive boilers and durable ABS plastic diesel locomotives and rolling stock, RailKingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rugged Rails locomotives are sized down to be run with O-27 Cars. One example is, that the Lionmaster model of an SD90MAC is longer than the Railking model by the length of a quarter. The Rugged Rails models are small compared to anything else in the RailKing Line. RailKing Scale engines are fully proportioned models of 1:48th scale, with more detail than a standard RailKing unit. RailKing Scale products have the capability to look good behind scale cars and semi-scale cars. An interesting point is that the Railking Scale models are the most detailed, and are priced fairly inexpensive and budget-friendly when locos are on sale from dealers. Some of these products consist of the MP15AC, SD9, and F units.

RailKingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Imperial line is a basic locomotive with the same level of detail as a Premier locomotive. An example is the SD70ACes, SD70M-2 and ES44AC. These models are on par with the Premier models in the sense of correct placement of details. Steam engines such as the Santa Fe 2900 class northerns, Pennsylvania K4 Pacifics, and other streamlined steam engines have safety chains mounted to the chassis and many more details that make the locomotive exquisite. Like the locomotives, cars have their own line. The RailKing cars include the lines of Rugged Rails and Standard. Standard is the most popular line for cars, because Rugged Rails has been phased out of production due to poor sales. Nearly any type of rail car imaginable has been produced. Some examples are the various Maintenance of Way cars, snow removal cars, and operating cars.

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MTH does something Lionel hasn’t promoted as much, and that is customization and the production of specialty items. Customization for MTH is mainly in the RailKing product line. You can pretty much get anything customized from MTH by a railroad, or by a major brand. Specialty items can be candy bars, drinks, and anything food related. Mars Candy, has had several pieces of rolling stock produced to be sold in their stores. Even a colorful rendition of the Rio Grande’s narrow gauge Galloping Goose has been offered! The big craze at MTH reignited when the GE evolution hybrid came out. Shortly after selling out their models in both lines numerous times, they expanded these GEs to be used for holiday sets or awareness for a specific cause. MTH has produced Christmas, Halloween, MTH DCS, and Breast

Cancer Awareness units in various paint schemes with changing lights under the running board of the diesel locomotive. MTH has made more rolling stock matching the paint schemes above. In the next year, you may see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train in both Premier and Railking Lines, along with other Locos decorated with Holiday Lights. A special treat to modelers is the production of Southern Pacific GS-4 class 4-8-4 number 4449 with LED holiday lights. This models represents 4449’s annual excursion as a mobile christmas light display for a holiday-themed train. In summary, Lionmaster is Lionel’s semiscale line that is made for their articulated steam locomotives and popular items that have been requested to be scaled down by their customers. Lionel puts a lot of detail into their Lionmaster

Railroading in America Magazine

rolling stock, similar to their scale models such as number boards on the steam engines, smoking steam whistles, and Legacy control. However, Lionel creates very few pieces and new pieces are rarely offered in the catalogs. RailKing is MTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s semi-scale line which has a wider variety and good selection in expanding your semi-scale fleet. MTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s detail isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t great, so children of all ages can handle the engine without breaking details off the rolling stock or locomotives. MTH has their own digital system called DCS, which gives the operator the ability to make changes to the sound set and how the engine performs. MTH continues to reproduce favorites and will continue to bring out new items to customers.

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YOUR AD HERE! CALL 234-281-7451 FOR MORE DETAILS AND PRICING!

Railroading in America Magazine

From the President

Evan Cihlar President and CEO

As many of you know, this magazine organization used to be called C-Lines Railway and Productions. Because of recent inquiries of why our name has changed, I would like to inform all of our dedicated readers and rail enthusiasts of what this change means, and why it happened. The Railroading in America magazine group decided in early November that we would change the name of our magazine to boost tra ďŹ c and become more of a magazine than a unprofessional news publisher. Because of this, we have gotten design so tware to make our magazines look more professional and to ease our way into becoming a major magazine. We sincerely appriciate your support and feedback on our magazines. If you have any questions, please don't hestitate to contact me. This edition we have a new crew member, Max Harris. Max is a sophomore in high school and has an equisite O scale model railroad. He enjoys many things such as railroad history, modeling, and railfanning. He has been involved with many of his school's journalism programs as well. Max's ďŹ rst article is about the government cutting Amtrak's budget and federal funding and what it will do to the way Amtrak is structured today. His article can be located on page *PAGE NUMBER* of this edition. T-Shirts and other merchandise will be up for sale on our website before Christmas at around December 15, 2017. Email us at clinesrailway@gmail.com for more information. Shirts will be $15+shipping and handling. We have developed a new website where purchases can be made for magazines as well as reading articles that are posted monthly on our online Railroading News forums. Please check out the new website at www.clinesrailway.wix.com/rring-in-america or by visiting any of our social media pages. Thanks and hope to see you trackside!

Left to right: Jimmy, Garrett, and Evan have a wonderful time during engine watch at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad during the "Steam in the Valley" excursions hosted with the 1944 built 2-8-4 steam locomotive #765.