Welcome to Editon 7 of Railroading in America Magazine!
Note from the President
Railroading in America Magazine has continued to show me that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. I’m proud to announce that after a long time of waiting and a lot of hard work between both businesses that Railroading in America Magazine is now an official partner of OGR Magazine! We’ve partnered with OGR to support the O gauge hobby and enhance your reading experience. Each of our magazines will independently contribute articles and other content via guest authors Evan Cihlar, President and CEO and contributors which will appear in both OGR and Railroading in America magazine’s print and digital editions. In addition, there will be regular cross-postings on our social media sites with content of interest related to our hobby providing you with even more value and reading enjoyment! OGR magazine was founded in 1969 by Vane Jones and later purchased by Myron Biggar. In 2002, OGR Publishing, a partnership of Rich Melvin, Jim Barrett, Ed Boyle and the late Fred Dole, purchased the magazine from the Myron Biggar group. Railroading in America Magazine is very excited about this new venture and proud to be associated with OGR magazine. We look forward to their contributions and perspectives on the O gauge hobby as well as the hobby in general! We encourage all of our readers to join OGR’s digital subscription base and their online forum while their summer sale lasts! You’ll get the best of both worlds if you subscribe to not only RIAM, but OGR as well! I would like to take a moment to thank all of OGR’s staff including Rich Melvin and Alan Arnold for their support and dedication to bringing this partnership to life. I would also like to thank our magazine staff for their dedication to RIAM and this partnership. Thank you Garrett Monnin, Max Harris, Jonah Collins, Walker Wood, Adam Zappacosta, Clayton Cook, and Carlos Llamas for your support and dedication.
Railroading in America is a newly founded magazine run by the next generation of railroaders. We pride ourselves on taking a di ferent and more lighthearted perspective than our competitors, and take extra steps to ensure we are reporting on quality and factual news.
Table of Contents
Page 1............Positive Train Control on the old Reading and Pennsylvania Page 3.................................................How the EOT Replaced the Caboose Page 4.............................................................DCB Technologies Interview Page 6............................................Streamlined Alcos: The PA and the FA Page 7....................................................Southern Railway's Spencer Shops Page 9..................................Being an Engineer on the Cumbres and Toltec Page 11............................West Chester Railroad Springtime Photo Charter Page 13....................................Spring Rambler on the Buckingham Branch Page 15.................................................................Weathering Made Simple Page 17..................................................Lionel Lionchief+ SD60M Review Page 20........................................................Train Mountain Triennial 2018 Page 22.....................................................................Special Announcement Page 25.........................................................................The Laughing Stock
Positive Train Control on the old Reading and Pennsylvania Adam R. Zappacosta Positive Train Control is an up and coming technology that has shaken the railroad world. The Federal Rail Administration or the FRA is mandating that all North American Class 1 railroads switch to this newer technology. Union Pacific has the most updated PTC system as most of the system has been replaced with the new “Darth Vader” hooded signals. Picture 1 shows the common hooded PTC signal known more as the Darth Vader signals for the hood over the lights. Norfolk Southern, on the other hand, is somewhat behind on the transition to PTC, especially in Pennsylvania. On the NS Harrisburg Division and Lehigh Lines in particular, PTC has been installed slowly. When it was released, the PTC movement started in the West with the UP and slowly moved east across the continent. This is exactly what’s happening across the NS system, with some exceptions. There are spots on the Pittsburgh Division that old Pennsylvania Railroad position-light signals made by the United Switch & Signal Co. of Pittsburgh can still be seen. These signals had three sets of three lights, all of which are yellow: one set horizontal, diagonal, and vertical with a central light being shared by all positions. Horizontal signifies a red signal, diagonal yellow, and vertical being green. The design came from the nationally used semaphore signals with the shifting position. The PRR was also the first railroad in the US to upgrade their signaling system from
semaphore to a new design, and the with the help of the US&S Co., a design that is known by many railfans for its distinct look. Along with the three abreast lighting came the auxiliary signals which were exactly the same, only there was no center light. Amtrak still uses a new rendition of these signals on the Keystone and parts North East Corridors, only they have a well needed upgrades to the internal components , color and LED bulbs. They can be seen in picture 2. In mid-2014, these Pennsy “Tri-Lights” had started to be replaced with the new PTC signals and a few still survive, but not for long. A good spot to sit and watch trains on the Pittsburgh Div. is in Port Royal, Pa. Port Royal still has the old PRR signals, and these signals are automatics and light only when there is something in the block. Pictures 3 and 4 of of the east and west signals in Port Royal. On the Norfolk Southern’s Harrisburg Div. and Lehigh Line, once the primary east-west mainline of the famous Reading Company, still sports some of the old Reading signals. The Reading had two main variations of signals, an individual light on a head made by General Railway Signal, and the other based off the standard US&S Co. triangular grouped lights, which most commonly had three lights, sometimes two, or on rare occasion a single light on a head. Those produced by General Railway Signal had a system somewhat similar to a semaphore with a pivoting
(Left) Picture 1: A standard PTC signal in Temple, Pa
(Right) Picture 2: Amtrak PRR colored variation in Leaman Place, Pa. 1
lens cover with each color over an incandescent light bulb with the need of only one or two heads per pole. The General Railway Signals single-light can be seen in picture 5 and the US&S Co. signals had three individual lights with one of each color lens which can be seen in picture 6. On the other parts of the Norfolk Southern system to the south and what little is to the north of the Pittsburgh and Harrisburg Divisions as well as the Lehigh Line still have some of their past owners signal equipment, but it is just the same as what is happening with all railroads in the US. Most railfans hate to see these relics of the rails to go, but it does bring some good. There are statistics that show that PTC will drastically cut down on rail incidents and cut down on possible confusions that would cause accidents to happen. PTC, while takes away some historical elements of railroads, is necessary in the today’s world of railroading and saves lives.
(Above) Picture 3: PRR eastbound Trilight signals at milepost 151 in Port Royal, Pa.
(Right) Picture 4: Westbound signals in Port Royal
(Above) Picture 5: A Reading US&S Co. single light outside of Reading, Pa.
(Above) Picture 6: A Reading US&S Co. Trilight signal posed next to a new PTC signal ready for replacement in Blandon, Pa. 2
How the EOT Device Replaced the Caboose
Walker Wood
Cabooses are icons of American railroading.
on a light that could be seen from a bungalow that They played a major role on freight trains for over a housed all the hardware that made the detector work properly. Later on, the Seaboard Air Line century, serving as a place for crews to live while experimented with a talking defect detector, and they take their train from origin to destination and as other railroads soon followed suit. an office for the conductor of the train. Later, their original use, living quarters, became unnecessary, but the need for it as an office remained. Cabooses were also good places for conductors or brakemen to see their train from the rear, since most cabooses either had cupolas at the top of the car or bay windows on the side. As the 20th Century wore on, and industrial technology raced ahead, the need for a caboose on the end of a freight train became redundant. They were finally phased out from all long-distance freight trains in the late 1970s and 80s. But the question remains: how were they
So, what happened to all of the cabooses? Many were scrapped, but there are also quite a few that are still around, with a select few still seeing active service as a shoving platform on local freight trains that often require shoving moves for long amounts of time. Cabooses are very popular among people to ride in on the short trips that some museums offer. Still, a number remain on static display across America in various conditions. Nevertheless, cabooses will always be famous for being on the end of a freight train.
replaced? The end-of-train device is a small box that is attached to the last car on a freight train. It can do the same job a caboose can, but it doesn’t need crew members or a car to use it. It can give the engineer all the necessary information to run their train, including when the last car is in motion and the air pressure in the cars. However, the EOT didn’t singlehandedly replace the caboose. Defect detectors played a big
An EOT brings up the rear on a Norfolk Southern crude oil train. Photo by Max Harris
role as well, since the crew could now see if their train had any defects, such as a hot bearing or dragging equipment, instead basing this information The Allentown and Auburn Railroad, located in Kutztown, PA, uses several cabooses on their excursion operation. Photo by Max Harris 3
L&N caboose 1148 on display in Milton, Florida. Photo by Walker Wood.
DCB Technologies Interview
Evan Cihlar
DCB Technologies is a new brand in the
prevent crashes on grade crossings?” The response
railroad industry for crossing gate innovations and
was simple and easy to understand… making not
technology. John Barragan, the CEO of DCB
only me wonder but others that I told about this
Technologies, started the company so he could help
invention the same thing: “Why didn’t anybody else
“Save Lives One Crossing at a Time” with his Laser
think of this?” John replied, “A train is
Beam Vehicle Detection Unit. The detection unit
approaching [a crossing], as usual the gates and
uses laser beams to make an invisible sensor that
lights start flashing and the train will reach the gate
lets crew members know if there are any
in approximately 30 seconds. The circuitry would
obstructions on the track at grade crossings. I
turn on the [LBVDU] and when the train
interviewed Barragan about how he came up with
approaches and something is in the way of the train
the innovative technology, how he plans to use it,
it would send a message to the crew (via radio),
and how it can be integrated into daily railroad
“obstruction on the track! Obstruction on the
crossings all over the world.
track!” The locomotive engineer would take
The first question I asked Barragan was,
matters into his own hand and try to stop or slow
“What was the inspiration behind creating the Laser
down the locomotive. Each railroad would write
Beam Vehicle Detection Unit?” His response,
the regulation on how the locomotive engineer is to
which was clearly heart-felt and meant a lot to him
respond.”
was, “Family. Too many families have died at
Everyone, no matter if they are a train
railroad crossings and I wanted to save lives and
enthusiast or not, can guess that railroad equipment
created the detection unit! Basically, what it does is
is expensive. My next question to ask John was
saves lives!” Barragan is a current FRA employee
about the price of manufacturing a unit. “John, how
and inspects signals and crossing gates frequently.
much does it cost to manufacture one grade
He has heard many stories from co-workers of
crossing unit?” To my surprise, the units are
accidents and follows outlets that report the
inexpensive for PTC-integrated technology. “A
incidents.
basic unit is anywhere between four to five
I was intrigued at this point on how the
thousand dollars. The problem is that each crossing
detection unit could stop a moving train in enough
is different and needs its own diagnostics run. You
time to prevent an accident, and so I asked him,
could have a one-way street and only need to shoot
“How can the Laser Beam Vehicle Detection Unit
the beam at a certain angle, which is different than
(LBVDU) be used in the railroad industry to help
a two-way street, etc., etc. Railroads are most
4
likely to have these units installed on crossings that have near misses or cars backing up on the tracks frequently.” The detection unit is currently in the
and even smaller branch line railroads, are installing
communicate to the PTC system on-board inside of the house and in the locomotive cabs. They could also provide cameras to the unit, so the locomotive engineer can see what the situation is. The software is already done through the back office. About 80% of crossings in the US right now are not PTCprotected, and I hope that this system will allow railroads to protect crossings. Currently, PTC is just an advanced version of speed control... and that needs to change to help all aspects of the railroad industry.” John isn’t just worried about saving lives in
or have installed PTC on their right-of-way. PTC
the United States and is planning on implementing
will be a complex system used to slow down or stop
his detection unit worldwide. “I have a patent
trains when a response does not come from the
pending in other countries and in the United States.
locomotive engineer. Because switches and other
I do plan on going worldwide after testing is
areas are protected with PTC, I asked Barragan if
completed.”
his system had any competitors and if it was
compatible with PTC. “There are no systems that
detection unit is currently halted (as of July) due to
are the same as the LBVDU. There are competitors
testing complications. Barragan needs to find a
that use radar, and from my understanding they are
railroad that would test his system, so he can have it
having problems with it due to microwave
approved by the FRA. Railroading in America
interference. Right now, my product is fail-safe and
Magazine would like to encourage scenic railroads,
easy to replace or repair. Let’s say a teenager comes
shortlines, and even class one railroads to reach out
along and misaligns the system… when a train
to John about testing his amazing and innovative
approaches all that happens is a warning is
piece of railroad technology at
broadcasted, and when the locomotive passes the
www.railroadinginamerica.com/dcbinfo. All
crew can report the issue and someone fixes the
information on the product and testing will be
alignment. Right now the unit is PTC compatible.
available. Contacting John at DCB Technologies,
All the railroads must do to access the feature is
LLC is a simple and easy three-step process. Let’s
plug in a serial cable and the unit would
all help “Save Lives One Crossing at a Time.”
production state according to John. “We need to find railroads that would like to test the unit, so it can be approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for use on all types of railroads.”
5
As many people know, class one railroads,
Barragan’s plans on implementing his
Streamlined ALCOs: The PAs and FAs
Walker Wood
ALCO’s PA: The American Locomotive Company
C-C truck arrangement. The “F” in the model name stood for freight, whereas “P” stood for passenger
(ALCO) began producing diesel locomotives in the
on the PA. However, the engines were used
1920s. Their early passenger and freight engines,
interchangeably on both freight and passenger
the PA and FA, respectively, were some of their
trains. Road testing for the FA took place on the
first diesel-electric engines, with the first PAs being
Delaware & Hudson Railway in the mid-1940s.
tested on the Lehigh Valley Railroad in June of
Like the PAs, the FAs were rushed into testing, but
1946. The PA and PB (cabless booster engine) were
ALCO made tweaks to the engine that would make
capable of producing 2,000 horsepower using the
it mechanically better than the PA. In total, there
244 prime mover, comparable to EMD’s E-Units.
were well over 1,000 FA/FB units built of any
The PA-2 and PB-2 were capable of producing
variant (including all engines built by the Montreal
2,250 horsepower. Because the 244 was rushed into
Locomotive Works, ALCO’s Canadian subsidiary.
production, with only a year of testing, the PAs
Production of the FA in the United States ended in
weren't a good seller, with only 297 PA/PB and
1956 with Canadian production ending just three
PA-2/PB-2s being sold, three of those going to
years later.
Brazil. One of the Brazilian PAs survives, along
Even with over 1,000 FAs built, only about
with four American PAs and one PB, which was
eighteen survive in North America, with one being
converted to a steam generator in 1965 for use to
owned privately. Many are still in use on tourist
heat the Denver & Rio Grande Western passenger
trains like the Napa Valley Wine Train in California
trains.
and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Ohio.
ALCO’s FA: The ALCO FA was created and put into
Although ALCO tried to compete with EMD in the diesel market, they just weren’t able to beat
production around the same time as the PA. It used
the reliability of EMD locomotives, with EMD
the same 244 prime mover that the PA used, but
outselling them not only in sales of streamlined
only one was used instead of two, and the FA rode
locomotives, but just about every other locomotive
on a B-B truck arrangement, whereas the PA used a
model as well.
A Pair of NKP PA's lead a passenger train, circa 1970. Photo by Howard W. Ameling
A CN FA pulls a short excursion freight train in Spencer, NC. Photo by Jonah Collins
6
Southern Railway's Historic Spencer Shops
Clayton Cook Photos by John Fry and Pete Mayor
Before it was the North Carolina Transportation Museum, Southern Railway’s Spencer Shops was the largest steam locomotive repair facility on the Southern Railway system. J.P. Morgan, Southern’s owner at the time of construction, chose the site because of its location midway between Southern’s major terminals in Atlanta, GA, and Washington D.C. The period of the greatest productivity for the facility was during the early twentieth century, when labor-intensive steam locomotives ruled the rails. These types of repair facilities were called backshops, they were located in every division of a railroad system and were centralized for easy access to extensive repairs. During its peak, Spencer Shops employed between 2,500 and 3,000 people at any one time and indirectly employed most of the towns of Spencer, East Spencer, and other surrounding communities. The original buildings included a machine shop, office building, storehouse building, woodworking shop, and a combination smith and boiler shop. It even had an automobile repair facility, a power plant, and a 37 stall roundhouse where the locomotives could be serviced. The town of Spencer, as well as the Spencer Shops, were named after the first president of the Southern Railway, Samuel Spencer.
7
In 1894, the financial firm of the Drexel Morgan Company, created the newly formed Southern Railway Company, following the financial failure of the Richmond and Danville Railroad system. The Southern Railway began with two major service facilities, one in Atlanta, Georgia, the other in Knoxville, Tennessee. Much of the inherited rolling stock from the acquisitions of the defunct railroads were in need of major repairs. These two backshops service centers could not handle the amount of equipment needed to run the railroad. Spencer saw the need for a third major backshop service facility on this eastern main line between Washington D.C. and Atlanta. He reported in the first annual meeting in June 1895 that "one additional large shop may be necessary." This way, the repair facilities would be only about 160 miles apart. The switch locomotives needed to be inspected for repair and service and refueled at this increment, so it was decided that the new shop would be halfway between Atlanta and Washington. The development of the facilities for Spencer Shops started with John Steele Henderson. He was a Confederate veteran, a former state senator, and Rowan County's largest landholder at the time. Records indicate that Henderson entered into secret negotiations with Southern Railway officials for land acquisitions for the proposed major facility to act as a type of front dummy entity to prevent price speculating. He was to buy the land
and secretly for the new shop complex and sell it
another 53 acres to the museum; thus the entirety of back to the railroad at or near the low price he paid. Southern Railway’s largest former steam It was already known in 1896 by the public that the locomotive repair facility was now the North Carolina Transportation Museum. In 2005, the Southern Railway was looking for potential land for museum's Back Shop underwent a massive this facility and at the time the Charlotte area was renovation, which included repairs to the roof, seen as the logical choice for the complex. It would repointing of the brick, and a stabilization of the not seem unusual for the largest county landholder building's floor. This building, where the full to acquire more land, so this plan of using a "front" overhaul of steam locomotives once took place, is most notable for its size. It is two football fields person for acquiring large parcels of land for this purpose could keep the real purpose secret from the long and nearly three stories tall. However, it may be most notable for the words "Be Careful," public. standing some three feet tall, visible from nearly anywhere on the north end of the site. In 2009, the In January 1896, Henderson began buying museum opened the Back Shop to the public for the large tracts of land two miles north of Salisbury first time, with an access ramp on the south end, and directly on Southern Railway's main line. He then adding complete access in 2017 with the addition of sold most of it back to the Southern Railway for new exhibits. slightly more than he paid for it, and later sold land that he owned in this area to other people that worked for the shops. At the turn of the century, he sold some land back to Southern Railway for a large profit. The workmen constructing the shops began on March 23, 1896, turning the first shovels of 75,000 cubic yards of dirt moved in the construction. It opened for business on August 19, 1896, with Samuel Spencer presiding at the opening ceremony. Business for Spencer lasted up till the 1970’s. In 1977 the Southern Railway sold four acres of land to the state of North Carolina for a transportation museum. In 1979, Southern sold
8
Being an Engineer on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad Carlos Llamas Photos by Evan Cihlar I will start with the statement that I have
company and be responsible for maybe just a bit of
heard literally a few hundred times, “do you realize
the amazing stuff the railroad has accomplished.
how lucky you are?” Well, to be honest, I do realize
As an Engineer on the C&T, I am expected to be a
how lucky I am, and how lucky I was to be born and
bit more friendly, to be a bit more knowledgeable,
raised in a small community with such a great
to be a bit more valuable; and I push myself daily to
attachment to history. I think as a child I believed
meet those expectations. Although most of my
every small town had a railroad like the Cumbres &
summer is spent running trains, as a full time
Toltec and didn’t realize the gift I had been given. It
employee I am expected to do anything required to
was not till later in my life that I came to understand
keep the rails plated with silver. I was once amused
how special and unique the Cumbres & Toltec was
by a loyal fan who found me painting a passenger
and how it would affect my life in the future.
car’s platform, a bit below my standard job on the
railroad, and he was in fact very upset. It took a My career with the Cumbres and Toltec
few minutes to explain to this fan and his wife that I
(C&T) began in 1989 as a summer job on the
wasn’t being punished but was in fact enjoying
railroad. I quickly began to understand how special
myself. I am actually thrilled to say I am part of the
this amazing place of railroad history is. It simply
crew that maintains the passenger car fleet and
never occurred to me how many perfect things had
maybe, just maybe, spend more time on the cars
to happen to keep this place alive and secure its
then I do running the locomotives.
survival through all of the rough times the railroad
industry have had, and will continue to have. What
Although maintaining the passenger car
this all resulted in was a unique machine that never
fleet is one of the thrills of working on the C&T,
stops adjusting, teaching, and attracting new visitors,
one of the greatest thrills for anyone, including
railroad enthusiasts, and employees to this magical place. Today, my life is tied to this railroad, and it seems that I can’t go anywhere without being recognized or asked if I still work with the Cumbres & Toltec. It truly is a great feeling to be a part of this
9
myself is being able to run one of the most sought after, cherished, and desired collections of locomotives on the planet. That experience has given me the ability to run visiting locomotives such as Rio Grande # 315 and the amazing, and of course classic Galloping Geese. From having daily access to a very historical and beautiful railroad to an unlimited collection of beautiful locomotives I can easily see how people think I have the best job on the planet. Is that it though, is that all I have gained by becoming an Engineer for the Cumbres & Toltec? The answer is a very huge no! Some of my most amazing and life long friends were met on the site of this amazing and beautiful train attraction. It is my theory that after meeting so many passengers, railfan or not, I was more likely to bump into people perfectly suited for me and I have developed friendships with them that I cherish immensely.
10
West Chester Railroad Springtime Photo Charter Max Harris Photos by Max Harris and Andrew Keates
Hidden deep in southeastern Pennsylvania, history
moves. The train began at the end of the line in West Chester, and the train ran in reverse to Glen rolls on the rails at the West Chester Railroad, Mills. During this move, five of the seven photo which offers an opportunity to ride on historic shoots took place. Once the train arrived at Glen tracks behind ancient diesel locomotives. The tracks Mills, there was an opportunity to take photos, then used are from the former Southeastern Pennsylvania the train departed with 1803 in the lead. After the Transportation Authority (SEPTA) R3 line, which train left Glen Mills, we stopped for a run-by at the was abandoned in 1986. The WCRR restored it in former Locksley station, and then proceeded along the rest of the line back to West Chester. The train the early 1990s and the branch was active once more. They currently use seven and a half miles of crept along the tracks at 20 MPH as this allowed the passengers to ride comfortably and take in all the the track, and the line stops at a bridge behind the sights. Once the train arrived back in West Chester, Glen Mills station, as the track beyond is still the final run by took place in the railyard. Overall, owned by SEPTA. The line is currently isolated this charter was a great day filled with fun, photos from the US rail network; however, SEPTA is and Alco smoke! working on restoring the other part of the R3 line to bring back rail service, which would open up the WCRR line once more. The WCRR is entirely run by a dedicated team of volunteers that take time out of their days to make this railroad run. The West Chester Railroad mostly runs trains for holidays and other special occasions, but also offers occasional trips. On May 6th, the WCRR hosted a Springtime Photo Charter organized by Andrew Keates, a young volunteer at the railroad. The charter was lead by the railroad’s star locomotive, ex-Canadian Pacific Alco RS-18 #1803 (acquired in 1998). As Alco diesels famously do, the 1803 put on a great smoke show at every run by. The consist was three pieces of freight equipment: a flat car, a tank car, and a box car, up front, then a Pennsylvania B60 baggage car used as a snack car and power car, then a former Reading Blueliner, which was a coach, then a cab for the deadhead 11
12
Spring Rambler on the Buckingham Branch Jonah Collins As far as I can tell, the town of Dillwyn, Virginia has always been in decline. Ever since it was founded in the early 20th century, the town has never grown and never quite faded away. US 501 is the main thoroughfare through town, and almost all of it lives on its shoulder. The Buckingham Branch Railroad, thusly named after the area it serves, closely follows it as it meanders out of town towards Bremo, where the BB meets the CSX main through Buckingham County and the James River. The town, though small, harbors sizable goodwill for its railstudded past. The official town website has the trains plastered all over, and everyone in town has a connection of some sort to the trains. Located roughly an hour from nowhere, there is not much of a reason to stick around in this town. As such, when the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society runs their historic train, the town’s population effectively doubles for the day. Hundreds of people flock to Dillwyn to ride the five-car club of battered old equipment, some of which dates as far back as 1924. The train is traditionally pulled by the Chapter’s own ex-Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac GP-7 No. 101, but the Buckingham Branch bought a new locomotive, a venerable GP-38, which replaced the antique La Grange graduate in regular service. The 101, striking in its navy blue, grey, and gold, has been in active service since first rolling off the line in 1953, and is due to finally rest at the end of the springtime trips over the BB. It looks quite at home at its position ahead of the homely excursion consist, which includes a matching former RF&P coach 706 (which sports an equally impressive combination of
13
navy blue, grey, and gold), a pair of light grey open-air cars converted from woodchip hoppers, a commissary car made from an old boxcar, and is brought up by a classic dark green Southern Railway heavyweight coach. The morning of Saturday, May 12th, was cloudy. The sky shone silver and the horizon wore grey. Though the clouds would break for long periods of time, they would never leave for good, and would collect in front of the sun just long enough to offer a small reprieve from the heat to the people on the sweltering train. One car offered air conditioning; only a few chose to take advantage of the comfort it offered, instead mostly opting for one of the two open air cars. There were three trips on the 12th: two that ran halfway to Bremo and back, and one that ran all the way to Bremo and back. On the second trip, I was given the opportunity to ride up in the cab of the 101. I had previously been given parking lot duty - a particularly drab job given the relative excitement of being on the train. Someone radioed up to the cab to ask for clearance for me to ride, and off I went. The cab was hot, a byproduct of riding equipment that predates air conditioning. It was loud; the constant chatter of the engine drowned out any communication, and the heat radiating from the back wall of the cab created an oven, easily tiring its inhabitants. Once the train started moving, I made small talk with the people in the cab with me, but that quickly faded as I (ashamedly) gently drifted off to sleep as the gentle sway from the jointed
rail, exhaustion from being on my feet all day, and the heat worked their magic and closed my eyes for a few minutes. Thankfully, it wasn’t for long, and I got to enjoy the cab ride with extra alertness. The train, though it hardly moseyed down the line, provided a constant cool breeze for those in the cab, and certainly made the harsh conditions of the cab more palpable. Once the train reached the turnaround point, the engineer stopped the venerable GP-7, threw it into reverse, and we backed back down to Dillwyn, where we were treated to a look inside the engine compartment and got a look at the inside of the massive cylinder heads that make up the EMD 567 engine. Finally, on the last trip of the day, the one that ran to the end of the line at Bremo and back, I rode with the announcer of the train in comfort in the air conditioned RF&P 706. I listened to several volunteers tell their stories of trips of years past and their careers in railroading and their lives in general. For several days out of the year, these trains are at the center of our lives, and they are certainly very enjoyable.
14
Weathering Made Simple! As we all know, train cars are not as clean as the models we buy. To counteract this, many people use weathering techniques to make their trains seem more used, like the ones in the real world. Lately, I have been using chalks to weather my trains, and I have been pleasantly surprised from the simplicity and realistic look it can give the model trains. While weathering can be intimidating at first, this method will prove to be easy, quick, and fun! I have been using weathering chalks from Scenic Express: the colors Warm Charcoal Gray and Light Chocolate. Scenic Express offers many more color schemes, and using a mix of all of them can provide unique looks to your trains. To begin weathering, first start off by grabbing a towel to use as a mat. These chalks will never come out of carpet, so take extra precautions. The supplies you will need to weather are: The chalks, a cup of water, paper towels, and a thin and fat paint brush. I use makeup brushes for weathering as the high bristle count allows for a smooth distribution of the chalks. Once you are ready to start, grab a train and get to it. For this demonstration, I will be using a Lionel cylindrical hopper. There are hundreds of different methods of using chalks, but I will highlight my three favorite in this article. Method One: The most obvious method is to simply putting some chalk on the car and spreading it out using the brushes. Use a healthy mix of your colors and make sure not to spread too evenly, as weathering on the real trains doesn’t follow a pattern. Also, use the smaller brush to reach inside the tight areas on the train. If you make a mistake, don’t fret! Use the water and a paper towel to wipe off the chalks. Another great thing about chalks is 15
Max Harris
that it is really easy to fix mistakes. Weathering is a lot about trial and error, so take your time and experiment. Method Two: Another method to weather is to use water with the chalks. To start, dab the skinny brush in the water and scoop up some chalk. Then apply onto the car. The chalk will come out almost like paint. Spread the chalk around and then dilute the chalk with water on the skinny brush. Then use the fat brush to spread the now watery chalks across the car. This method is best used a base for the whole car in conjunction with other methods. Again, take some time and experiment with the chalks. There are so many possible outcomes! Method Three: This method is something I came up with, and I call it the slide method. First, put some chalks on the towel, then slide a surface of the subject across. This creates a very deep weathered effect that gives the train more definition. Once you are satisfied with the weathering, take the car outside, put the car on a clean towel, and spray it with dullcote. This will ensure the chalk stays on the car. At this point, the weathering is permanent, so make sure you are happy with the weathering before you finalize with the spray. Spray a coat on, and let it dry. Repeat this a few times and then use some axle grease to prevent the wheels from sticking. After this, the car should be ready to use! Weathering with chalks is a fun and inexpensive way to give your trains a more realistic look. Another great thing about chalks is that there are no rules, and no wrong answers. There are millions of different ways you can make a piece look, and you can even apply these methods to accessories and automobiles. The possibilities are endless with weathering chalks, and these chalks are a great way to enhance your collection. 16
Lionel's Lionchief SD60M Evan Cihlar Lionel has been a famous brand for locomotives and rolling stock for many generations. Lionel has always been one of the leading brands in O scale model railroading, especially when it comes to modern technology and innovations. They were the founders of O scale model railroading, the first to develop a remote command system called Trainmaster Command Control (also known as TMCC), and later introduced LEGACY, which is a more advanced system for controlling 3-rail O scale electric trains. Their latest innovation to the model railroad community is their LionChief Plus line. Lionel describes the LionChief and LionChief Plus brand as the “system designed to give you all of the control options of a LionChief, PLUS the ability to run your locomotive via your conventional transformer as well.” LionChief Plus locomotives can be run via the remote that comes with the locomotive, from a transformer, and even from the LionChief Plus app! Yes, you can run it from your phone without a Wi-Fi base! As a model railroader who collects mainly Lionel TMCC, LEGACY, and MTH Premier locomotives, I can tell you first hand that right out of the box, I was thoroughly impressed with the build quality of the locomotive Lionel sent for review. The detail on the locomotive was stunning, something unexpected for an O scale locomotive priced at $500. The locomotive was made from the same tooling as the LEGACY SD60Ms, so you have all those premium features, such as see-through grills. I couldn’t wait to see how it ran. When I was told that Lionel was sending a LionChief Plus locomotive to review, I was not sure what to expect because I have never seen a LionChief Plus locomotive, and when one sees the price of $500 on a SD60M, you typically don’t think too much on
17
detail and the quality of the build. I was shocked when I
adjustable like on LEGACY and TMCC locomotives),
took it out of the box, and was even more surprised
smoke unit on/off, sound control (including individual
when I was able to get it to crawl slower than 1 scale
volume control for the bell, horn, diesel engine, and
MPH. The remote for the locomotive is easy to use, and
crew talk, as well as a master volume control), speed
does not require any programming, unlike TMCC and
limit, horn and bell pitch (yes, they added a feature
LEGACY. The only thing that is missing from the
where you can make both the bell and horn lower or
locomotive’s remote that I would like to have seen
higher, which is really cool), and your basic functions,
would be smoke unit on/off, and volume up/down.
such as the throttle, front and rear coupler, horn, bell,
As said earlier, the detailing on this locomotive
reverser, and crew talk. The remote for the locomotive
is exquisite. This locomotive fancies the standard
is built to last. Although it is made of plastic, the
Norfolk Southern livery and has crisp edges, which
buttons and potentiometer for the throttle are high
stands out from other comparable locomotives. The
quality and will not break easily. The momentum of the
locomotive’s paint job is complemented by stamped
locomotive is automatically set to “low” when using the
warning signs. Just like the real SD60Ms, there are
remote, and the only way to access the different
warnings all over the locomotive such as “Danger! 600
momentum settings is through the Bluetooth app. The
Volts!” “Keep Clear!” and “Safety First!” Just like most
remote is easy to use, and has simple controls making it
steam locomotives have legible builder’s plates, these
very easy for even young children to use and making it
warnings are legible to the naked eye. One of the
very easy for those who cannot afford, don’t have the
warnings/reminders that the locomotive has is right
time, or don’t know how to set up a LEGACY or other
above the hand-painted fuel cap and sight glass is a
command base. There are only four controls, and three
reminder that reads “Premium Diesel Fuel Only,” which
of them have two features. The throttle control
is only legible when a magnifying glass is held up to it.
potentiometer controls the locomotive’s speed only. The
Separately applied details such as grab irons, the horn,
buttons below it (from left to right on this locomotive)
and power truck details are terrific additions to the
are bell/rear coupler, crew talk/shift, and the horn/front
locomotive. As mentioned previously, the locomotive
coupler. The second functions for each button are
has many hand-painted parts, such as the aforementioned
accessed in the following way: the crew talk/shift button
diesel fuel cap and sight glass, handrails, cab figures,
is pressed once without delay to activate the crew talk or
and even the interior of the cab.
held down to activate “shift mode” on the locomotive.
The most exciting feature of this locomotive, at
While holding the crew talk/shift button in the “shift
least for me, is the Bluetooth app that you can use to
mode” position, you can press the bell button to fire the
control the locomotive. I love this feature because you
rear coupler, and the horn button to fire the front
can run your locomotive(s) from one app without having
coupler. The sound unit in the locomotive is decent for
to buy an extra base. The app accesses the locomotive’s
its price, and the speaker produces and fair amount of
advanced features, such as momentum control (Low,
bass. The horn is “better than the LEGACY version”
Medium, and High. Medium momentum is not
according to RIAM Publisher Max Harris when I was
18
showing him the locomotive, and trust me‌ this locomotive’s horn is excellent. From what I understand, the bell is a standard Lionel soundset, and is pretty basic. The crew talk is a nice touch from Lionel, and has three different conversations between the crew and dispatcher while idling, and three others while moving. LionChief locomotives have proved themselves to be great runners. The speed control for this locomotive is excellent. The locomotive can run at slow speeds in yards and maintain high speeds on the main. The locomotive can pull a total weight (from my tests) of 15 pounds, which is impressive for any type of O scale locomotive. The LionChief SD60M is a titanic of a locomotive, some could call it a tank in a train’s disguise. This is by far one of my favorite locomotives, and I will continue to recommend it to anyone looking to get started in the hobby, for those on a budget, and even craftsman modelers. The locomotive proved to be a high quality, powerful, and detailed locomotive at an
Model Stats Minimum Curve: 0-36
affordable price. It stands out from LEGACY, TMCC, and DCS locomotives because of the attention to detail and the action the locomotive evokes in a modeler. The sights, sounds, and feeling of the locomotive is what makes it worth $500, especially since it can run on any
Length: 17.5" Weight: 4 lbs 13 oz
3-rail layout with curves at or above O-36. Although this locomotive is geared towards little kids and those who are on a budget or just getting into the hobby, I would buy one of these and recommend it to my friends in the industry for a quality and powerful locomotive. This engine truly lives up to what the SD60Ms are like in real life: powerful, loud, and great performers.
19
Pulling Power: 1 lbs 13 oz
Train Mountain Triennial 2018 Tim Lewis When you think of live steam, generally a small park with a mile or so of track comes into mind. However, The Train Mountain in Chiloquin, Oregon is quite the exception here. A trek to this legendary location is a must whether your a live steam enthusiast or a just someone who loves trains.
Train Mountain is an inch and a half scale railroad founded in 1987 by Quentin Breen. His dream was to build a super live steam railroad for train enthusiasts to enjoy for years to come. He had some help after the Over the Hill Live Steamers club, now Klamath and Western, which was occupying space on the property at the time. After word got out of Breen's dream, live steam enthusiasts from various parts of the country and even Canada moved in the area to make it possible. Like Quentin's dream, many of these individuals had the same idea and helped him achieve it. These individuals own property at Train Mountain and have connected their property to bring the feel of a prototypical railroad. As of April 2018, Train Mountain has thirty six miles and are planning to keep going north of the county highway.
After the passing of Quentin in 2008, several organizations formed to keep Quentin's dream alive. The Friends of Train Mountain continue to build track and control financing. Train Mountain Railroad offers access for members to operate their trains year around, organizes meets and events. Klamath and Western railroad continues to offer rides to the public during the summer months. YOUR AD HERE! Start advertising with railroading in America Magazine Today! Email maxharris@railroadinginamerica.net or call 888-204-0087 to get started! 20
The biggest event in the live steam hobby occurs at Train Mountain, which is the Train Mountain Triennial. In 2000, the tradition of Triennials began and has been held every three years. Train Mountain’s Triennials are one the most interesting train meets you will ever experience. People all over the country come to visit, sharing their knowledge of their crafts to others, and bring all sorts of locomotives and consists. There are many from countries such as Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom that attend, and some bring rolling stock they run in their respective countries. Triennials occur during the last week of June to the first few days of July.
My first experience of a Train Mountain triennial came in 2006. When we got to Train Mountain, I was in shock and awe of the immense facility and the amount of people and trains operating. I was greeted at the main gate by a four track grade crossing and full size maintenance of way equipment. The first day I rode around with some members of my club to get a feel of the layout. It takes hours to go around the mainline of the Train Mountain, an attribute of the enormous loop.
This year, my dad and I returned to the Train Mountain Triennial. Without any equipment to take this trip, I decided to photograph other member’s trains and simply relax. In 2021, my dad and I will hopefully bring our Santa Fe ten wheeler and F7 once it is completed.
No matter what size you collect and operate, Train Mountain is a must for anyone in the train hobby. Bringing your own live steam and diesels allows you to experience all of the amazing opportunities Train Mountain has to offer. If you don’t own any, just go and enjoy yourself. Everyone is a friend at Train Mountain, no matter who you are.
21
Railroading in America Magazine has teamed up with O Gauge Railroading Magazine! O Gauge Railroading Magazine has been providing quality model railroading content since 1969! With their wisdom, Railroading in America Magazine hopes to become as legendary as O Gauge Railroading! Each of our magazines will independently contribute articles and other content via guest authors and contributors which will appear in both OGR and RIAM magazine’s print and digital editions. In addition, there will be regular cross-postings on our social media sites with content of interest related to our hobby providing you with even more value and reading enjoyment!
www.ogaugerr.com
22
23
Photo Corner
Norfolk Southern 17G Passes by the now out of service Alto tower in Altoona, PA. Photo by Max Harris
24
25
26
Edition 7 was made possible by... Executive Board -Evan Cihlar, President and CEO -Garrett Monnin, Vice President and COO -Max Harris, Publisher and Adman -Jonah Collins, Editor-in-Chief -Tim Lewis, HR Director
Authors -Clayton Cook -Adam Zappacosta -Walker Wood -Carlos Llamas
Special Thanks To:
Howard W. Ameling, John Fry, Pete Mayor and Andrew Keates for providing photos! Lionel Trains for sending us a train to review! John Brahaney for drawing a comic for us! Our Readers for continued support!
Check out our Sponsors! Stockyard Express www.stockyardexpressllc.com (440) 774-2131 49293 Plate Rd Oberlin, Ohio 44074 Nicholas Smith Trains www.nicholassmithtrains.com 610-353-8585 2343 West Chester Pike, Broomall, Pa 19008 Maxrailroad www.youtube.com/maxrailroad www.facebook.com/maxrailroad www.instagram.com/maxrailroad 27
Note from the Publisher
Looking at my life, I realize now what a huge influence trains to me. Of course trains play a part in how I spend my time and money, but there is a much bigger picture here that I am only starting to see. Trains give me oppurtunites that no one else has. I have made friends with people from all over the world on one simple premise: a common love for railroads. I don't think I have ever realized how lucky I am to have this interest and passion for trains, I am so lucky to be able to call myself a foamer. Another great thing about trains is that I know that even though I am 16, I have already left a mark in this world. With my YouTube channel that has thousands of views, and this Magazine where my work is published for the whole world to read, I know that I have made something of muyself already thanks to my passion. If I were to dissappear off the face the earth tomorrow, I would have a legacy. I have left a mark in the world of railroading despite my young age, something few people get to say. I am a lucky man, and my love for trains will always carry me through.
Note from the Editor-in-Chief
As teenagers, we all lead very busy lives and we are frequently tempted by other interests, as we are only now beginning to find ourselves, and new interests and ideas leap out at us during this time of our lives than in any other. So, how do we keep ourselves focused on what we do? Personally, I find most of my inspiration on the trips I take to see trains. Recently, two other RIAM employees and I took a trip out to Altoona, Pennsylvania. Altoona, which has been a magnet for railfans for as long as it has hosted railroads, offers a lot of inspiration for its suitors to keep with a railfan magazine. From the short steam excursions offered by the tiny Everett Railroad to the immense Horseshoe Curve, there is little reason to leave Altoona disenchanted with the railroad. Coming back from one of these trips, it is easy to fall back in love with what you do. I won’t lie: my interest in trains was fading, albeit slowly, as I had been becoming increasingly disenchanted with the state of things within the community and the lack of variety in the things I saw. I mean, where is the thrill of feeling a steam locomotive with its circus of vibrantly painted passenger cars roar past when all you have is a matched pair of drably painted GEVOs leading a long, homogeneous line of well cars with their loads of identical containers? I had previously made it a point to only go out when I knew there was going to be a steam excursion. The past few years, I have been spoiled; I live in Virginia, and every 611 excursion was just a few hours away. I could go out at 4 am, chase the day away, and be home by dinner. These trips were the most excitement anyone could ever ask for, but they were few and far between, and certainly not easy to pull off. This most recent trip to Altoona was to change all this, and I now plan to go watch trains a bit more, even without a steam locomotive, which stands to change how I view the hobby, and keeps me motivated to continue my work with RIAM and the railroading community as a whole. YOUR AD HERE! Start advertising with railroading in America Magazine Today! Email maxharris@railroadinginamerica.net or call 888-204-0087 to get started!
Railroading in America is a trademark of C Lines Railways and Productions Copyright 2018. All rights reserved Cover Photo Copyright 2018 Max Harris